Mercersburg Magazine - Summer 2021

Waving

Goodbye

to More Than SUMMER 2021

260 Years of

Service

ol o h Sc

of ELL d a He DOW g ctin N Mc 4 A t I 4 e Me UENT page SUMMER 2021

Q

1

CONTE SUMMER 2021

Did You Know?

Rarely has an in-person Commencement Weekend been as special as the school’s 128th Commencement, when the Class of 2021 invited family and friends to campus for the traditional in-person ceremony.

FEATURES

Find all the details on page 24.

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24

Virtual Reunion Weekend From around the world and down the street, classes gathered to celebrate and remember—together

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Icons of Mercersburg We bid farewell to nine retiring faculty and staff members, who together devoted more than 260 years of service to Mercersburg Academy

44

Qs with Q: An Interview with Acting Head of School Quentin McDowell P ’25 It’s a new chapter for the school, and a new role for this experienced Mercersburg leader

48

Campus Master Plan: A Point of View As Mercersburg envisions the future of its campus, get a sense of how growth is shaped by thoughtful discussions and lofty ideals

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Irving-Marshall Week

NTS

Editor: Lee Owen P ’24 Senior Contributor: Megan Mallory Contributors: John David Bennett P ’12, ’19, ’24, Jeff Blanchard, Mel Cort ’23, Clara Getty ’21, Amy Marathe, Tyler Miller, Zally Price, Debbie Rutherford P ’03, ’06, ’06, Tom Thorne P ’06, ’07, Jillian Wilkerson Design: Mid-Atlantic Media Cover Art: David Brinley Acting Head of School: Quentin McDowell P ’25 Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications: Amy Marathe Mercersburg Academy magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications.

Magazine correspondence: magazine@mercersburg.edu Class Notes correspondence: classnotes@mercersburg.edu Alumni correspondence/change of address: alumni@mercersburg.edu 800-588-2550 Read us online: mercersburg.edu/magazine To receive this magazine exclusively online and to be notified electronically when a new issue is available, email magazine@mercersburg.edu. © Copyright 2021 Mercersburg Academy. All rights reserved. No content from this publication may be reproduced or reprinted in any form without the express written consent of Mercersburg Academy

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Mercersburg Academy abides by both the spirit and the letter of the law in all its employment and admission policies. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, age, or national or ethnic origin.

Look for this image throughout the magazine to indicate additional photos, videos, and other content online at mercersburg.edu/magazine.

DEPARTMENTS 2 From the Acting Head of School

3 Calendar 4 Social Media

10 A Mercersburg Moment

29 Alumni Life

12 By the Numbers

53 Class Notes

13 Campus Life

72 From the Archives

20 Irving-Marshall Week

73 A Final Bow

5 Living the Values SUMMER 2021

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FROM THE ACTING HEAD OF SCHOOL

A Shared Experience

W

hen I was preparing to write this letter, my first as acting head of school, I found myself searching for a grand message that would further assure our broad community that the future of our remarkable institution burns

bright. Make no mistake, that is indeed the case and I am filled with immeasurable hope for the days and years ahead. What I have come to realize, however, is that the wonder and beauty of our school does not need to be illustrated through profound missives that try, often unsuccessfully, to capture the essence of the magic that is Mercersburg.

Here, in the pastoral beauty of south-central Pennsylvania, sits a place like no other. It is one that has faced countless trials and tribulations over the last 128 years,

The genetic code

most recently a devastating pandemic and a transition in leadership. And here we

of Mercersburg,

our ability to overcome is built into our DNA. It is reflected in all that we try, all that

one that has been

down from generation to generation, is most deeply felt in the way the members of our

passed down from

power of Mercersburg Academy truly lies.

generation to

remain—proud, strong, and filled with purpose. The unquestionable confidence in we do, and all that we are. The genetic code of Mercersburg, one that has been passed community engage with one another. It is here, in the relationships, that the awesome Even in the darkest days of the pandemic, filled with innumerable obstacles to making and maintaining connections, it was the deep and meaningful relationships

generation, is most

shared across the community that provided security, inspiration, support, and so

deeply felt in the way

they emerged on campus and in countless virtual arenas that reconnected so many of

the members of our

of our students while also getting to see the faces of many friends, some for the first

community engage with one another.

much more. We witnessed the incredible connective tissue of these relationships as our Mercersburg faithful from around the world. We were able to serve the daily needs time in years. We connected, and we reconnected with one another, and we were made acutely aware of what it means to be Mercersburg.

The last 18 months have taken a toll on all of us and, at times, even tested our ability to maintain those relationships we care about the most. What they have also illuminated is that life is designed to be a shared experience. It is clear that we experience things more fully when there are others there to experience them with us.

So, as we prepare for a new year here on campus and the next chapter in the life of our school, let our focus be on what really matters: our connection to one another and to the school that binds us all together.

Quentin McDowell P ’25 Acting Head of School Learn more about Quentin in a Q&A feature on page 44.

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Calendar Opening Convocation SEPTEMBER 5

SEPTEMBER

NOVEMBER

2021–2022 Opening Convocation September 5

Fall Dance Concert November 6

Fall term classes begin September 6

Christmas Candlelight Service DECEMBER 12

DECEMBER Christmas Candlelight Service December 12 Winter Admission Open House December 13

WINTER 2022

OCTOBER

Look for the next issue of Mercersburg Academy magazine to arrive in your mailbox!

Family Weekend October 8-10 Fall Admission Open House October 11 Fall Board of Regents Meetings October 14-16

SPRING 2021

Fall Alumni Council Meeting October 23

Family Weekend

OCTOBER 8-10

SPRING 2021

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Visit mercersburg.edu for the most up-to-date information related to campus activities.

SUMMER 2021

3

SOCIAL MEDIA

/mercersburgacademy

More than 200 Mercersburg students volunteered to receive the COVID-19 vaccine (with parental permission). Members of the school’s Rutherford Health and Wellness Center staff organized a one-day clinic with Norland Avenue Pharmacy in Chambersburg to administer the vaccine in the Simon Student Center. #MaskUpMercersburg

CMYK / .eps

@mercersburg

Members of Stony Batter Players—two years’ worth—took part in the annual tradition of signing the backstage walls of the Simon Theatre and Hale Studio Theatre. This year’s event honored longtime director Laurie Mufson, who is retiring at the end of the academic year after 23 years at Mercersburg. #Bravo #GoStony #SignHere

@mercersburg

What is Mercersburg’s new Latinx/Hispanic Student Union? Communications intern Mel Cort ’23 recently sat down with Monique Garcia ’22, treasurer of the LHSU, and Matthew Tavarez ’22, secretary of the LHSU, to find out. Listen to the #BurgsEyeView podcast: mercersburg.edu/burg’s-eye-view

@mburgalumni

/mercersburg1893

/mburgalumni

We remember—on #MemorialDay and always— the ultimate sacrifice given by 166 Mercersburg Academy alumni, who were killed while serving their country in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Four plaques (one in memory of those who died in each of the four conflicts) are prominently displayed in the Irvine Memorial Chapel.

The Magtet (a combination of the Octet and Magalia) offers Mercersburg’s traditional tongue-in-cheek review of the past year, in a cappella musical form.

@katietitushos John Jones ’73, a former vice president of Mercersburg’s Board of Regents, has been appointed interim president of his undergraduate alma mater, Dickinson College, in Carlisle, PA. Jones has been a federal judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania since 2002 and will replace Dickinson’s outgoing president, Margee Ensign.

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

One of my final HOS insta posts.

This community knows us. Knows exactly how to say thank you and let us know what it means to be part of this incredible community. We are blessed. Thank you, faculty and staff. Thank you, students. We will miss you all!

Be sure to follow all of Mercersburg’s Instagram accounts! @mburgburgin @bluestormreport @mburgsac

@mburggreenteam @mburgglobal @mburgsummer

@lenfestlibrary

Living the

VALUES

Sarah Noorbakhsh ’21 performing at the Spring Dance Concert. Noorbakhsh, of Vienna, West Virginia, is a member of the Cum Laude Society and received the Choreography Prize at Commencement 2021.

SUMMER 2021

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LIVING THE VALUES

BRINGING MERCERSBURG’S VALUES TO LIFE

I

n this section, we highlight individuals in our community—students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends—who are living Mercersburg’s core values: lofty ideals, great faith, noble integrity, and ceaseless devotion to a mighty task. Read more about the individuals highlighted

here on Mercersburg’s website. Want to nominate someone for possible inclusion in a future issue?

Contact us at magazine@mercersburg.edu.

for more about these individuals

#NobleIntegrity DYLAN GANTT ’21

Dylan Gantt ’21 is constantly in motion. A two-year prefect, Writing Center Fellow, captain of the boys’ varsity tennis team, and co-president of the Green Team, Gantt’s contributions to all facets of campus life have been ceaseless.

As the recipient of the Robert H. Michelet ’30 Prize for outstanding academics and character, Gantt has made an effort to leave his mark on Mercersburg. Gantt has harbored a passion for environmental justice, writing, tennis, and STEM. He will enroll at Georgia Tech in his hometown of Atlanta.

And while the community will miss having Gantt’s passion on campus after graduation, he says that he’s learned a lot from the school in return. “Mercersburg has taught me a lot about the parts of life that are worth the most,” Gantt says. “Even though I’ve learned a ton in the classroom, I can’t help but admit that Friday and Saturday evenings with my friends also taught me about savoring the moments with my people. My experience would have been so different without them, and that’s why I’m truly grateful for it.”

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

LIVING THE VALUES

#LoftyIdeals

LIAN WANG ’21 “I like finding patterns. I like taking jumbled ideas and sorting them.

I like asking and analyzing why things are the way they are,” Lian Wang ’21 shared in her salutatory address at Commencement.

She continued by explaining that chaos and disorganization are opportunities to find structure and growth, not things to fear.

As a Mercersburg student, Wang constantly balanced a full to-do list of leadership roles: literary editor of Blue Review, captain of the dance PGA, Language Media Center and Math and Science Center Fellow, and published writer to boot. Between her selection as a National Merit Scholar, frequent speeches in school meetings, and working to make her voice heard in the Mercersburg community and beyond (she started a nonprofit to help the homeless in her native Hong Kong), Wang has created order through the chaos. She is headed to Stanford University in the fall.

“Don’t try to avoid or fight against chaos, but appreciate it, and live in it fully,” she said. “Realize that chaos is necessary for any order to emerge, and try to pull order from it. This process is what it really means to feel, to struggle to live, and to be human.”

#LoftyIdeals

DAPHNE FLORES ’17 Daphne Flores ’17 is proficient in four languages (English, Spanish, French, and German). So what do you do with those skills (and after you’ve graduated magna cum laude from Rice University as a triple major in linguistics, political science, and German studies)? How about pursuing a career in the U.S. Foreign Service? That’s Flores’ path after receiving a prestigious Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellowship from the State Department.

Flores, who is originally from northern New Jersey, is part of a long line of talented students who connected with Mercersburg through a program called New Jersey SEEDS (now known as “SEEDS—Access Changes Everything” after its expansion into additional states). She was an Arce Scholar at Mercersburg, and spent her senior year studying in France through School Year Abroad (which came in handy when she worked in the communications and press office at the French Embassy in Washington before her sophomore year in college).

“One of my very favorite teachers at Mercersburg was Madame [Heather] Prescott, who really inspired my love for languages,” Flores says.

As a Pickering Fellow, Flores will complete a two-year master’s program at Johns Hopkins University before fulfilling a five-year Foreign Service commitment. She will study in Italy beginning this fall.

LIVING THE VALUES

#GreatFaith

NIGEL SUSSMAN ’01 The artwork of Nigel Sussman ’01—whether on public murals in his home of Berkeley, California, in publications on newsstands, or anywhere else—brings us together through our common humanity and experiences. It’s a creative process Sussman began honing in his youth in rural Smithsburg, Maryland, by crafting “really weird” sculptures in his yard using discarded building materials. This process continued at Mercersburg, where Sussman painted his first mural (in a Boone Hall stairwell leading to the long-departed Second Story Wheat student coffeehouse).

As an in-demand illustrator, Sussman has created pieces for Science magazine, Google, Adidas, eBay, and Highlights for Children, among others (and his Alphabet Compendium: An Illustrated A-Z of Things was published in 2016 and is available on Amazon). He has crafted more than 100 murals in and around Berkeley, and has found a bit of a creative spark helping companies reimagine their office spaces in these changing times. “The trend of workers spending less time in offices was already there before the pandemic,” he says. “And now that so many people have been working from home, businesses are realizing the office space needs to be pleasant and special. Decades ago, you could get away with having a drab office environment because there wasn’t any choice. But today, why not make it beautiful?”

#CeaselessDevotion

RUTHERFORD HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER STAFF Nearly 10,000: the number of COVID-19 tests the Mercersburg Academy community (students, faculty, staff, and visitors) took during the 2020–2021 academic year.

Just over 600: the number of COVID-19 student vaccine doses administered.

Zero: the number of COVID-19 transmissions on Mercersburg’s campus.

While it takes a village to achieve this kind of success, it certainly would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of the Rutherford Health and Wellness Center staff. In addition to balancing the day-today medical needs of high schoolers, staff members became experts in COVID-19,

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

#CeaselessDevotion

LAUREN JACOBS AND PAUL SIPES P ’22 Though Mercersburg’s aggressive (and effective) COVID-19 mitigation strategies permitted a number of the school’s athletic teams to get back on the playing fields on a limited basis for intrasquad contests in fall 2020—just one season after all sports and in-person activities ground to a halt due to the pandemic—athletes, their families, and communities continued to hope for a return to as much of a “normal” experience as possible.

Thanks to the unyielding commitment of so many on campus, specifically in the Health and Wellness Center, the Office of Student Life, and the Department of Athletics, interscholastic competitions successfully returned for many of the school’s spring athletic teams in April. Associate Directors of Athletics Lauren Jacobs and Paul Sipes P ’22 were central to this effort; the tandem helped construct an alliance of several Mid-Atlantic independent schools who committed to the standardized testing protocols, allowing the Blue Storm and their opponents to return to a more traditional (albeit abbreviated) athletic season.

Spring-season athletes and coaches underwent COVID-19 testing twice a week, including on game days. In a number of cases, Sipes or Associate Athletic Trainer Leah Daniels personally transported completed test kits to a laboratory in the suburbs of Washington, D.C., to assure successful processing of the tests in advance of a weekend’s athletic slate.

“We really wanted our kids to experience competition this spring, even if it was in a smaller way and not a completely full schedule,” says Jacobs, Mercersburg’s head softball coach, who was with her team on a preseason trip to Florida in March 2020 when that season was canceled. Some teams were able to play as many as 12 contests in spring 2021.

With campus events taking part almost entirely without spectators, Sipes and Mercersburg’s student media team produced more than 130 videos (including live broadcasts) of home and away competitions and other events throughout the year.

This allowed parents and families to experience as much of the season as possible from the comfort of their homes.

even lending their assistance to the school’s local health partner, Meritus Medical Center, and bringing what they learned there back to campus.

Thank you, Laura Nickerson P ’22, ’24, Carolyn Bell P ’09, ’12, Stephanie Comer-Concordia P ’22, ’22, ’24, Lisa Harmon, Denise Keefer, Mehret Kidane P ’13, ’14, ’18, Sonnia Oberholzer, Becky Schook, Maranda Sheffield, and Buffi Smith!

SPRING 2021

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A MERCERSBURG MOMENT

It was unquestionably a different setting for the Baccalaureate ceremony June 4—but it

was a spectacular and unforgettable one. The ceremony was held outdoors on the PrentissZimmerman Quad. In this shot from the steps of the Irvine Memorial Chapel, flagbearers representing each of the 28 nations in the Class of 2021 await the processional of faculty and their fellow members of the senior class. Retiring faculty member Tom Rahauser ’74 [page 36] delivered the Baccalaureate address.

MERCERSBURG’S DINING HALL

BY THE NU MBERS

MERIWETHER GODSEY

celebrated its first year as Mercersburg’s dining-services provider this summer. Here’s a peek behind the counter.

Approximately

216,000ring

meals served du 2020-2021

, than previous years (a smaller number m) ter ter given the virtual win

During a typical lunch: nds 300 pou ken of chic tenders and

240chpoufriesnds of Fren served

About

10,000 medical masks used by dining staff

Local farmer James Byers received about

30,000

pounds of food scraps to feed his animals

2,000

reusable bento boxes purchased and utilized by the school community during the spring term

Proud

PARTNERSHIPS

established with a number of area companies, including Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe, South Mountain Creamery, Kegel’s Produce, and Utz Quality Foods

Fry oil

RECYCLED with ReSource biodiesel

Campus LIFE

Clockwise from center: Justin An ’23, Logan Butts ’23, and Kaori Graham-Myrie ’24 performing with the String Ensemble under the direction of Michael Cameron.

SUMMER 2021

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CAMPUS LIFE

The Great Outdoors

For the first time since the Burgin Center for the Arts was completed in 2006, the natural amphitheatre built into the hill to the north of the building’s Stroh Porch added a temporary outdoor stage. This allowed for a socially distanced audience to enjoy performances of Stony Batter Players’ A Chorus Line and the Spring Music Concert (pictured, with the Chorale performing). The space, which is between the Burgin Center and the Boys’ Garden, has been dubbed the “Performance Garden.”

Floral Delivery Four years ago, when members of Mercersburg’s Class of 2021 were entering their first spring term, then Head of School Katie Titus P ’20, ’23 gave an address to the school community about a purple flower, which focused on resilience.

Prior to the Tituses’ departure from Mercersburg at the close of the 2020–2021 academic year, the school community (represented by Student Council Vice President Matthew Tavarez ’22 and President Ryan Bland ’21) presented Titus with a painting of a purple flower in snow. The blue and white specks below the flower are the thumbprints of hundreds of members of the Mercersburg Academy community.

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

CAMPUS LIFE

Maryland Poet Laureate, Students Address Community Through Endowed Lectures

Grace Cavalieri

Maggie Betkowski ’21

Lian Wang ’21

Grace Cavalieri, the state of Maryland’s 10th

airs from the Library of Congress through NPR.

shared her work connecting with homeless

poet laureate, gave the Ammerman Family

She is also the founder of two poetry presses

communities in her home of Hong Kong. This

Lecture virtually to Mercersburg students and

in Washington and is the poetry columnist for

is the first time current students have given

faculty in April, which coincided with National

the Washington Independent Review of Books.

an endowed lecture at the school.

Poetry Month. In the days following her

Cavalieri lives in Annapolis, Maryland, where

lecture, she led students in writing workshops.

she writes full time.

Cavalieri has served as Maryland’s poet

The Ammerman Family Lecture Series

The lecture series honors the memory of Beauregard, who attended Mercersburg for three years and graduated with the Class of

laureate since 2018. She has written 21 books

brings to the community speakers of national

2018. He passed away in October 2018 during

and chapbooks, including What I Would Do for

renown who have important perspectives

his freshman year at Savannah College of

Love: Poems in the Voice of Mary Wollstonecraft

on the significant issues of the day and the

Art and Design; the speaker series has been

(2004) and Water on the Sun (2006). What I

capacity to help young people understand the

established in his memory and with an eye

Would Do for Love received the Paterson Poetry

relevance of such issues to their lives. Endowed

toward furthering an ongoing and powerful

Prize, and Water on the Sun won the Bordighera

in 1999, the series was made possible through

message of recognition, respect, and caring

Poetry Prize. She has written 26 plays, including

the generosity of Regent Emeritus Andrew

that were a part of Joe’s life.

Quilting the Sun, which was presented at the

R. Ammerman ’68 and his mother, the late

Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

Josephine Ammerman, in memory of Andrew’s

little things we do for others that make people

father, H. Max Ammerman, and his brother,

truly happy,” Betkowski shared in her talk. “This

Stephen C. Ammerman.

community has shown me how to be generous

Cavalieri has received various accolades for her work, including the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Silver Medal, the

Maggie Betkowski ’21 and Lian Wang ’21

“Even when things seem uncertain, it is the

and has made me passionate about giving back to this place which has given so much to me.”

Association of Writers & Writing Programs’

were the featured speakers for the second

George Garrett Award, the Pen-Fiction Award,

annual Joseph Hilliard Beauregard ’18

two Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards, the Folger

Memorial Generosity of Spirit School

said, “Be generous with your words; if

Library Columbia Award, and the Washington

Meeting in February.

someone does something you appreciate,

Independent Review Lifetime Achievement Award.

She is the creator and host of “The Poet and the Poem,” a public radio series that now

Betkowski, of Mercersburg, talked about

In her portion of the lecture, Wang

tell them. Be generous with your actions; a

her efforts to raise money for the Maranatha

small investment of time on your part could

Food Pantry in nearby Chambersburg, Penn-

multiply into a huge impact on someone else.

sylvania, and Wang, of Hong Kong, China,

And be generous with your community.”

SUMMER 2021

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CAMPUS LIFE

Athletes Headed to College Ranks Twenty members of the Class of 2021 will continue their athletic careers at the college level this fall.

Athletes headed to service academies include (front row, L-R): Ola Kwasnieswki, Blake Simpson, Max Awtry, Isaac Newman, (back row) Andy Armbruster, Jack Mowery, Alex Edwards, Trevor Torres.

Andy Armbruster, Mertztown, Pennsylvania: boys’ swimming, U.S. Air Force Academy Max Awtry, Hockessin, Delaware: baseball, U.S. Naval Academy Owen Beisty, Wayne, Pennsylvania: baseball, Navy Taylor Chepren, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania: girls’ lacrosse, Marymount University Kiersten Donnelly, Pottstown, Pennsylvania: girls’ swimming, University of New Hampshire

Alex Edwards, Mercer Island, Washington: boys’ swimming, U.S. Military Academy at West Point Sabine Ellison, George Town, Cayman Islands: girls’ swimming, University of Ottawa Tom Flanagan, Norwich, New York: boys’ basketball, St. Lawrence University Aidan Henry, Guilford, Connecticut: boys’ swimming, Army

Ava Hull, Mercersburg, Pennsylvania: girls’ basketball, Swarthmore College Maiyah Johnson, Woodbourne, New York: girls’ basketball, Johnson & Wales University Elizabeth Kendrick, Big Sky, Montana: girls’ lacrosse, Vassar College Ola Kwasniewski, Lawrenceville, New Jersey: girls’ diving, Navy Jack Mowery, Arlington, Virginia: boys’ swimming, Army Isaac Newman, Albuquerque, New Mexico: boys’ diving, Army, Zach Queiroz, Frederick, Maryland: boys’ soccer, Shepherd University Blake Simpson, Santa Maria, California: boys’ swimming, Navy Trevor Torres, Satellite Beach, Florida: boys’ swimming, Navy Guil Ware, Virginia Beach, Virginia: boys’ swimming, Davidson College Andrew Yuen, Lawrence, New Jersey: boys’ swimming, Amherst College

The Cum Laude Class of 2021 Twenty-four members of the senior class were chosen for membership in Mercersburg’s Cum Laude Society chapter in April; Board of Regents Vice President Dean Hosgood ’98 (inset) was the featured speaker at the annual Cum Laude Convocation.

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Front row (L-R): Dalila Melkumova, Clara Getty, Ebube Onwusika, Lian Wang, Sarah Noorbakhsh, Alexa Marsh.

Second row: Maggie Betkowski, Sabine Ellison, Elsa Yelk, Lois Hargrove, Stanley Fang, Dylan Gantt, Ryan Bland, Elizabeth Kendrick. Third row: Kenny Hong, Shoki Nemoto, Kevin Chen, TV Kieu, Minsoo Jung, Marco Malo, Marlee Ecton.

(Not pictured: Kiersten Donnelly, Aden McCracken, Krysten Nguyen, Brandon Ryu, Chelsea Seaby Bruno.)

CAMPUS LIFE

Renata Williams Appointed New DEI Director Renata Williams began work in July as

Regents to articulate a new vision for

Mercersburg’s director of diversity, equity,

the community.

and inclusion. Williams’ arrival is part of the

Prior to Lebanon Valley College, Williams

school’s continuing commitment to supporting

worked for Fulton-Montgomery Community

and ensuring the growth and development of its

College in Johnstown, New York, and Russell Sage

students, faculty, staff, curriculum, and culture.

College and Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in

Williams has more than 10 years of experience

Troy, New York. She holds a master’s in counseling

in the areas of student development and student

from Manhattan College in Riverdale, New York,

advocacy, and is passionate about working with

and a doctorate of educational leadership from

underrepresented and disadvantaged students.

The Sage Colleges in Troy, New York. Williams

She comes to Mercersburg from Lebanon Valley

credits her time at Manhattan College as her

College in Annville, Pennsylvania, where she served

most formative years in higher education; while

as the college’s assistant dean of engagement

there, she elevated the quality of life for students

and inclusion. In this role, she oversaw the

through her work in admissions by globalizing

daily operations of four departments (Student

the department’s reach, and then moved into

Engagement, Office of Service and Volunteerism,

residential life to focus on student retention with an

Office of Spiritual Life, and Office of Intercultural

eye toward those from marginalized communities.

Affairs and Inclusive Programming). Williams was

Gardner Dean Patterson Jr. ’71, who has

also the director of intercultural affairs and inclusive

devoted his professional career to helping

“I am excited to join

programming, and worked with and supported

institutions of higher education understand the

underrepresented students and groups on campus

needs of all students regardless of their perceived

the Mercersburg

through programming, advising, and workshops.

race, culture, or ethnicity, interviewed Williams

family. I was

says Williams. “I was intrigued by the position and

impressed with her passion for assisting schools

the opportunity to do intentional DEI work with all

in the development of comprehensive curriculum

intrigued by the

the folks that love this place so deeply. However,

and conversations around DEI. “Renata will be

what solidified my decision was the willingness to

a wonderful addition to the entire Mercersburg

position and the

be honest not only about the great things but also

community,” says Patterson. “She will be a living

the areas that need work as well. This is going to

example of real-world DEI engagement. She will be

opportunity to do

be an exciting and fulfilling journey for all of us,

honest, caring, and expect the entire Mercersburg

and I am ready to get to work!”

community to be her partners in this important

intentional DEI

“I am excited to join the Mercersburg family,”

during the selection process and was very

Williams will lead the Academy’s initiatives

work. She will hold people accountable for their

to cultivate a fully inclusive community, building

roles in developing and sustaining these efforts.”

Leela Woody, a faculty member who served as

work with all the

on the foundation already underway at the school.

Her responsibilities will include building collective

Mercersburg’s interim director of diversity, equity,

folks that love this

buy-in for an evolving school culture among

and inclusion during the 2020–2021 academic year,

the school’s adult community, supporting the

is excited to welcome Williams to the Mercersburg

place so deeply.”

faculty and staff in their desire to create culturally

Academy community. “Through all of my

affirming educational and student-life programs,

conversations with Renata, it has become evident

and mentoring faculty and staff so they can

that she has truly spent time considering what

appropriately support students’ views on equity

it means to be doing this important work for our

and inclusion. Williams will also play an integral

school,” Woody says. “I look forward to working

role within the school’s senior leadership team and

with and supporting Renata as she challenges our

will work with other school leaders and the Board of

school culture to grow.”

SUMMER 2021

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CAMPUS LIFE

Alumni and Parent Talks Commemorate Black History Month During the first three weeks of February,

personal experiences of identifying as

Mercersburg’s Black Student Union

both Black and gay to navigating life after

organized a series of Black Excellence

graduation. One of the first presenters,

Talks, where the school welcomed

Eyram Awittor-Awuma ’20, who served

its Black alumni and parents to host

as president of the BSU as a student,

conversations about their lives, interests,

shared what it was like to graduate from

and experiences. In honor of Black

the Academy and begin her first year of

History Month, these virtual events

college during the COVID-19 pandemic.

provided an opportunity for students to

Skip Sydnor P ’12, who serves as

see examples of Black stories within the

Mercersburg’s director of campus safety,

Mercersburg Academy network.

was one of the first parents to present in

“This program was created to

February. Sydnor shared his experiences

invite our alumni and parents to

as part of the Pennsylvania State Police,

connect with our students in the spirit

and he addressed the topic of racism.

of representation,” says Leela Woody,

“These unique engagement events

interim director of diversity, equity, and

are a celebration of our alumni and

inclusion. “It is important for all of our

parents, as well as an opportunity for

students, regardless of racial identity,

our future alumni to forge long lasting

to have the opportunity to see instances

connections with current alumni,” says

of Blackness being celebrated, and we

Jenn Flanagan Bradley ’99, director of

feel grateful that our alumni and parents

alumni and parent relations.

have been willing to be a part of this conversation.”

Thirty individuals representing seven decades of Mercersburg connections took part in the speaker series. Topics ranged from exploring how alumni found their way to Mercersburg to sharing

To watch a selection of Black Excellence Talks, visit bit.ly/mburgBET21.

Celebrating AAPIH Month

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Black Excellence Talks Speakers

Eyram Awittor-Awuma ’20

Jordan Allen ’15 Deji Andrew ’15 Vanessa Anyanso ’12 Eyram Awittor-Awuma ’20 Withney Barthelemy ’16 Sahir Champion ’92 Kathryn Clark Furtado ’94 Denise Edwards ’76 Marissa Franklin ’04 Jamar Galbreath ’05 Maxwell Gilliam ’77 Melanie Grant Jones P ’17 John Henry ’91, P ’23 Gabrielle Joffie Richards ’03 Paula Johnson Smith ’83 Madison Jones ’17 Scott Kemp ’84 Ugonna Onyekwe ’99 Duane Parks ’92 Gardner Dean Patterson ’71 Tonya Rutherford ’90

Skip Sydnor P ’12

Vanessa Youngs ’03

Gavin Stokes ’89 Skip Sydnor P ’12 Kam Undieh ’15 Nicolette Wolny ’11 Michaela Wotorson ’18 Jasen Wright ’99 Clarence Youngs ’68, P ’03, ’06 Travis Youngs ’06 Vanessa Youngs ’03

May marked the important celebration of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month at Mercersburg. As part of a school meeting that month, five alumni shared their experiences as Asian Americans at Mercersburg and in the world today. Participants included Masroor Ahmed ’99, the CFO of the Illinois- and Texas-based firm Symetria Recovery; Ji Kim ’95, a senior data analyst at TargetSmart Communications in Washington, who has worked for the Democratic National Committee; Jennifer Nelson ’13, a New York City-based professional dancer and actor who works for Mirror; Karen Pak Oppenheimer ’93, a member of Mercersburg’s Board of Regents and a principal for San Franciscobased Pandefense Advisory; and Bill Su ’88, P ’23, ’25, a vascular surgeon in Hagerstown, Maryland.

CAMPUS LIFE

Golden Girl REBECCA LOWE ’99 covered her fourth Olympic Games for NBC in July and August when she co-hosted the network’s coverage of the Summer Olympics from Tokyo.

Lowe was NBC’s main daytime host for the Olympic fortnight, and had previously covered the Olympics as a member of the NBC broadcast team from Sochi, Russia (2014), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2016), and Pyeongchang, South Korea (2018). She is best known for anchoring NBC’s coverage of Premier League soccer.

The Name of the Game Mercersburg’s varsity baseball field will be called Cannon Field in honor of Philip H. Cannon Jr. ’46, who was a member of the baseball team as a student. The new name recognizes the generosity of Cannon and his wife, Dorothy, and the estate commitment they made to Mercersburg.

Cannon, a graduate of Duke University and the University of Delaware, served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War and retired after a long career with Westinghouse Electric Corporation. The Cannons lived in Wilmington, Delaware; Phil Cannon died in 2003 and Dottie Cannon passed away in 2018.

A major renovation of the field was completed in 2005 in honor of Regent Emeritus Bruce Eckert ’62.

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CAMPUS LIFE

MARSHALL

DECLAMATION WINNERS • First place and winner of the Scoblionko Declamation Cup: Clara Getty ’21 (Marshall) • Second place: Finn Sipes ’22 (Irving) • Third place: Aden McCracken ’21 (Irving) • Strongest Declamation team overall: Irving: Sipes, McCracken, Wren Dahbura ’21, Avo Reid ’22, and Emma Shuford ’22

SOCIETY PRESIDENTS • Madi Norris ’21 (Irving) • Ryan Bland ’21 (Marshall)

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IRVING

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CAMPUS LIFE

After more than a year without head-to-head interscholastic competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mercersburg teams were cleared for contests against a select group of squads from a number of peer schools this spring. (Read more about some of the behind-the-scenes work that made it possible on page 9.)

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CAMPUS LIFE

Congratulations, Class of

2021!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

128th Commencement June 5, 2021

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CAMPUS LIFE

BY THE NUMBERS › 131 students, representing 18 U.S. states and the District of Columbia and including citizens of 28 nations › 15 members of the class participated virtually › Members of the graduating class are headed to 88 different colleges, universities, and institutions of higher learning › Most popular college choices: U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis (seven matriculations); U.S. Military Academy at West Point (four matriculations); Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Colorado Boulder, New York University, the University of Vermont, the University of Virginia, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and Wake Forest University (three matriculations each) › Valedictorian: Alexa Marsh ’21, Fairfax, Virginia (Princeton University) › Salutatorian: Lian Wang ’21, Hong Kong, China (Stanford University) › Nevin Orators: Dylan Gantt ’21, Atlanta, Georgia (Georgia Institute of Technology), and Farah Yahaya ’21, Easton, Pennsylvania (Brown University) › Class Marshals: Kevin Chen ’21, Shanghai, China (University of Pennsylvania), and Ebube Onwusika ’21, Lagos, Nigeria (Northeastern University) › Senior Class President: Rose Potter ’21, Middleburg, Virginia (Virginia Polytechnic Institute) › Commencement speaker: Floyd Robinson (former faculty member 1969–1976; school’s first faculty member of color) › Baccalaureate speaker: Tom Rahauser ’74, P ’05, ’07, ’12 (retiring after 43 years)

“As you leave behind Mercersburg and embark on your next journey, in your next four years and beyond, may you laugh, may you think, and may you cry. And may you always carry with you a piece of this place—of this big, blue family we will forever call home.”

—Alexa Marsh ’21, valedictorian Alexa Marsh ’21

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CAMPUS LIFE

“Mercersburg has changed most of us, and likewise, we have changed Mercersburg.

Though our time here was far from perfect, it was authentic, and it was remarkable.”

—Dylan Gantt ’21, Nevin Orator

“Today, each and every one of us will leave campus with a common chapter titled ‘Mercersburg’; a chapter that tells the story of our time here, each written through the unique lenses of our individual perspectives.”

—Farah Yahaya ’21, Nevin Orator

“Students, you have the strength, power, and wisdom to make a difference. Your ability to make life more humane is an inherent part of who you are and will become. Do not fail to reach out to others to make a difference. The world needs you.”

—Floyd Robinson, invited speaker

To read more and view a replay of Commencement and Baccalaureate, visit bit.ly/MburgCommencement21.

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Salutatorian Lian Wang ’21

CAMPUS LIFE

128th Commencement

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128th Commencement 1 3

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CLASS OF 2021 LEGACY GRADUATES 1. Anika Willander, daughter of Beth Rockwell Willander ’86 2. Stephen Rice, son of Bill Rice ’83 and grandson of Lacy Rice Jr. ’49 3. Mason Reed, son of Susie Lyles-Reed ’88 and Eric Reed ’88 4. Tommy Jenkins, son of Nick Jenkins ’97 5. Max Bratter, son of Joshua Bratter ’91 6. Bella Baquerizo Cobo, daughter of Alfredo Baquerizo ’83 7. Jolie Viener, daughter of Adam Viener ’87 8. Maddie Dawson, daughter of Laura Chaney Dawson ’92 9. Dylan Gantt, son of Lorelle Pottick Gantt ’76 10. Tom Flanagan, son of Patrick Flanagan ’84 and grandson of the late Thomas M. Flanagan ’38 11. Susannah Birch, daughter of Alice Huffman Birch ’84 12. Addie Geitner, granddaughter of Clem Geitner ’59 and great-granddaughter of the late R. Walker Geitner ’28 13. Jay Howley, grandson of the late Emory Parsons ’59 14. Maxwell McCullough, son of Lori Jo Ruohomaki

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14

1

2

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McCullough ’91 and Harry McCullough ’91 15. Avery Poffenberger, daughter of Chase Vokrot Poffenberger ’84 16. Chantler Newton, granddaughter of the late Charles Smith ’33 17. Kate Prentiss, daughter of Ames Prentiss ’89, granddaughter of John Prentiss ’65, great-granddaughter of the late George Prentiss ’39, and greatgreat-granddaughter of the late Medary Prentiss (1914) 18. Katie Doyle, daughter of David Doyle ’84

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Alumni LIFE

The Jazz Band, under the direction of Bryan Morgan ’07, performs in an outdoor setting during the Spring Music Concert, which was held between the Burgin Center for the Arts and the Boys’ Garden.

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ALUMNI LIFE

AT A GLANCE: Total attendees: 345

Thank you

to the hundreds of alumni who tuned in for Virtual Reunion Weekend! We were honored to celebrate the classes ending in 0, 5, 1, and 6 on June 10-13, 2021. With last year’s weekend postponed and then combined with this year’s weekend in a virtual format, it was unlike anything Mercersburg has ever done. Enjoy the highlights and recap that follow, and learn more about the spring reunion makeup scheduled for April 30, 2022.

Reunion committee volunteers: 274 As of June 21, 2021: Highest Annual Fund participation: Class of 1971 (39 donors) Largest Annual Fund class gift: Class of 1965 ($124,465.30)

Visit the Reunion Weekend web page to view recordings of all virtual sessions and “The Big Show” (mercersburg.edu/reunionweekend).

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ALUMNI LIFE

THE CLASS OF 1932 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD

Presented annually to alumni who have most distinguished themselves through character, service, and achievement.

2020 Deborah Simon ’74

2021 ALUMNI COUNCIL AWARD RECIPIENTS

The Big Show

The annual Alumni, Faculty, and Staff Celebration, hosted by the Alumni Council, recognized our alumni award winners, faculty and staff retirees, and those employees with 25 or more years of service to Mercersburg, as well as a student dance performance set to Rhapsody in Blue.

JUNE 9-12, 2022

Paul Dickman ’71 Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Achievement

Scott Cummings ’71 Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Service

Ann Marie Bliley-Ester ’01 Alumni Council Prize for Service

Kurt Muhler ’96 Alumni Council Prize for Achievement

2020 Paul Mellott Jr. ’70

2021 Gardner Dean Patterson Jr. ’71

2020 ALUMNI COUNCIL AWARD RECIPIENTS • Rick Witmer ’70, Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Achievement • Jim McClelland ’55, Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Service • Ivon Rohrer ’60, Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Service • Gill Tatman-Tyree ’95, Alumni Council Prize for Achievement • Andrew Miller ’00, Alumni Council Prize for Service • Alexis Imler Gray ’05, Young Alumni Leadership Award

Hilary Gridley ’06 Young Alumni Leadership Award

Save the Dates

Classes ending in 2 and 7 (including the classes of 1970 and 1971) will celebrate reunions together, and all alumni are invited to participate.

APRIL 30, 2022

Classes ending in 0, 1, 5, and 6 will celebrate an in-person makeup reunion next spring! Register on our website at mercersburg.edu/reunionweekend.

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ALUMNI LIFE

The Classes of 1970 and 1971 celebrate with a Virtual Class Happy Hour

ARTIST RECEPTION

Artist Don Freas ’70 discussed his show, “Don Freas in Wood and Steel,” and shared about some of the places that creative expression has taken him.

STATE OF THE SCHOOL ADDRESS

Acting Head of School Quentin McDowell P ’25 provided an exclusive update about the school year and announced reunion class giving achievements.

SERVICE OF WORSHIP AND REMEMBRANCE

School Minister Will Whitmore closed Reunion Weekend with this annual service that remembers classmates who have passed away.

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ALUMNI LIFE

Distinguished Speaker Series

Throughout the spring, we celebrated our alumni and their unique accomplishments with a distinguished speaker series that offered the chance for reunion alumni—and all members of the school community—to hear from a who’s who of interesting people from classes ending in 0, 1, 5, or 6.

BUSINESS, FINANCE, AND INVESTMENT NETWORKING LUNCH

Nicole Adler-Frigoletto ’95 and Board of Regents member Pablo Coballasi ’91 hosted a conversation about business, finance, and investment.

CELEBRATION OF WOMEN IN STEM

Tara Brendle Owens ’91, Lexa Treml ’16, Stephanie Turner McGraw ’06, and faculty member Julia Stojak Maurer ’90, P ’18, ’20, ’22, ’23 hosted this program; all four are at different points in their professional lives in the world of science, technology, engineering, and math.

“LONG/RUN”: STORIES OF AMERICA WITH CHARLIE BELL ’71

In his 10,000-mile solo run around the perimeter of the continental U.S., Charlie Bell ’71 ran through multiple challenges and discovered a country full of friendly strangers and thousands of generous folks who reached out to help him along the way.

MEETING NEW CHALLENGES: NATIONAL SECURITY IN THE 21ST CENTURY

Mark Montgomery ’81 serves as executive director of the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission, which is charged with developing strategic approaches and legislative solutions to protect our national critical infrastructure from cyber threats.

THE GREAT OUTDOORS: TAKE A DEEP BREATH Paige Harry ’10, Carson White ’16, and Michael Yu ’16 shared how their experiences at Mercersburg taught them how to be innovative and resourceful and how to appreciate what nature has to offer.

RESILIENCE SAVINGS: INVESTING IN SAFE HOUSING EQUITY

NAVIGATING CONVERSATIONS ABOUT DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION Gardner Dean Patterson Jr. ’71 and John Henry Jr. ’91, P ’23 discussed DEI best practices and lessons learned in campus, school, and organizational life.

Marca Armstrong Ewy ’85 moderated a discussion with Peg Hacskaylo ’85, who has advocated tirelessly on behalf of women and survivors of domestic and sexual violence to help them avoid homelessness and recover from their abuse.

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ICONS OF

MERCERSBURG ll told, the group of nine faculty and staff who retired from Mercersburg Academy this year dedicated more than 260 years of exemplary service to the school.

It’s no exaggeration to say that thousands of lives were molded, shaped, coached, directed, guided, and protected under their tutelage.

And these are their stories.

To watch a tribute video in their honor, visit mercersburg.edu/magazine.

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ABOUT SUSAN RAHAUSER • Officially began at Mercersburg in 1991; joined the faculty in 2000 • Has served on the counseling staff, as director of counseling, and as director of student counseling services • Taught human development and revamped the curriculum for the course at Mercersburg • Recieved the 2006–2007 Ammerman Distinguished Teaching Award for Religious & Interdisciplinary Studies • The Rahauser Counseling Center in the Rutherford Health and Wellness Center is named in honor of the Rahausers

Susan & Tom Rahauser ’74, P ’05, ’07, ’12

By Debbie Rutherford P ’03, ’06, ’06, Faculty Emeritus

Susan and Tom are both consummate professionals. They have one of those partnerships which is so supportive of one another; they push each other to grow, and they add to each other’s strengths.

—Debbie Rutherford

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I

t’s so hard to figure out where to start when talking about Tom and Susan Rahauser. They have been such good friends to our family for such a long time, and so important to Mercersburg.

When I think of Tom, I truly think of him as one of the very best teachers I’ve ever seen and worked with. He is so energetic and just crazy in the classroom, and he lives by the mantra he would share with the prefects every year when he gave them his dean of students’ pep talk: “Attitude is Everything!” Tom arrived at Mercersburg in 1978, one year after I did. And since we were both Spanish teachers, our classrooms were next door to one another.

This was back when we had chalkboards and chalk. I remember him getting the kids’ attention by writing in chalk on the old dark brown tiles on the floor of his classroom. Tom was constantly in motion and so good at capturing the students’ attention and getting them to speak. At the same time, Tom was so organized and very methodical. On Friday evenings, he would not leave his classroom until he had all the papers graded for that week, and then he’d have the papers lined up with the book for that course and lesson plans for the next week all ready to go. He’d walk out of Irvine Hall and be able to focus on the dorm and coaching for the weekend.

Often we would be in our classrooms in Irvine Hall during off hours grading papers, and I’d hear him strumming his guitar and singing, or he’d get so delighted with something a student had written in an essay. I’d hear ‘Deb, come over.’ And if I didn’t go over, I’d hear it again and again until I did and he showed it to me.

Whether it was something hilarious or beautiful that a student had come up with, he’d always recognize and deeply appreciate it. And that love, appreciation, and genuine joy and delight in and for the students carried through everything he did as a teacher, coach, adviser, and dean of students. We had so much fun teaching together.

ABOUT TOM RAHAUSER • Graduated from Mercersburg in 1974; as a student, captained the soccer, basketball, and baseball teams and received the Headmaster’s Prize • Joined the faculty in 1978 as a Spanish teacher • Served as head boys’ varsity soccer coach from 1984 to 1996 • Appointed dean of students in 1996; held the role until returning to the classroom full time in 2017 • Chaired the Conduct Review Committee • Received the 2020–2021 Ammerman Distinguished Teaching Award for Religious & Interdisciplinary Studies • Gave the Baccalaureate address for the Class of 2021 • All three of the Rahausers’ children are Mercersburg alumni: Eric ’05, Tim ’07, and Laura ’12

Tom’s former players say he is a phenomenal coach and motivator. Great coaches are often the best teachers, and that is true for Tom, whether he was teaching in the Spanish classroom or as dean of students.

After Susan and Tom married and settled into Fowle Hall, Susan took care of our son Matthew ’03 when he was very young. One of our first introductions to her was essentially trusting her with our most precious cargo.

Fast forward—we became very good friends as Susan and Tom raised their three kids (Eric ’05, Tim ’07, and Laura ’12) and we were raising ours (Matthew, Paul ’06, and Stephon ’06) at the same time. Susan and I used to take walks for miles and miles, soak in the beauty of campus along the lane to the farm, the Enchanted Forest, and beside the beautiful trees that lined the field beside their house, and we would do a lot of talking amid making occasional snow angels in the winter. She was trying to figure out the next steps on her journey—going back to school to get a counseling degree or an art degree were two of the options. Susan has an amazing aesthetic eye, and is a great artist. Anyone who has been in her office space knows that beauty in her surroundings is extremely important to her and for the students and colleagues who visit her.

Susan ultimately decided on counseling, which turned out great for Mercersburg. In 1991, I became assistant head of school, and at the time there was no separate counseling department. Essentially the counseling roles were filled by faculty members who would get together to help students if they needed more support than their adviser could provide.

Susan joined our group, and she was invaluable.

It was a great friendship and partnership for me personally and professionally. Susan is so trustworthy and compassionate and kind.

Across the years, she developed and created a lot of leadership training for students, workshops and speakers for faculty, and even rewrote the entire human development curriculum before she began to teach and

direct it herself. Susan has always been able to get to the core of what kids and faculty need in creative and fun ways.

When Doug Hale arrived as head of school, he saw pretty quickly a number of things we needed, and one was a dedicated counseling department not connected to the administration. Susan became the director of counseling. She really evolved the program with students at the center.

She is absolutely a natural as a counselor, and students come first for her no matter the time and effort it may take.

Susan and Tom are both consummate professionals. They have one of those partnerships which is so supportive of one another; they push each other to grow, and they add to each other’s strengths.

We have a lot of history and a lot of stories together. It was great being on campus for Commencement Weekend when Tom gave the address at Baccalaureate—and being Tom, he decided at the last minute to add the song (a graduation-themed rendition of the blues standard “Call it Stormy Monday”) to his speech. I don’t think Susan had any idea that was going to happen.

It’s hard to imagine Mercersburg without Tom and Susan. I know they will really enjoy being at their house on Chautauqua Lake in western New York, at least until they figure out what’s next. For sure, there will be lots of music, art, surprises, compassion and care for others wherever they land.

Debbie Rutherford served on the Mercersburg faculty from 1977 until her retirement in 2019; she was the first person in the Academy’s history to hold the title of associate head of school (from 1999 until her retirement). Debbie and her husband, fellow emeritus faculty member Frank Rutherford ’70, live in Vero Beach, Florida.

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Laurie Mufson

By John David Bennett P ’12, ’19, ’24

I

ABOUT LAURIE MUFSON • Arrived at Mercersburg in 1998 to join arts faculty • Created the school’s academic theatre curriculum • Appointed the inaugural Palmer Chair for the Fine Arts in 2008 • Has served as director of theatre, director of the Burgin Center for the Arts, a department head, and co-dorm dean of Fowle Hall • Husband, Jim Applebaum, is a retired Mercersburg English teacher and an emeritus faculty member

n the fall of 2019, my daughter, Grace ’19, had just finished the opening-night performance of her first college musical. She stood 847 miles away from Mercersburg Academy, where she’d performed in productions since she was 10 years old. After a show at the Academy, there would have been throngs of friends, teachers, and families waiting outside of the Simon Theatre to congratulate her. She missed that and suddenly missed home.

Then she felt a tap on her shoulder. When she turned around, Laurie Mufson, who’d traveled all the way to Columbia, Missouri, to surprise her, was standing there. Grace joyfully screamed and threw her arms around Laurie’s neck. Laurie hugged back, just as hard, then hugged a little harder.

This spring, I was reminded of what she’d done for Grace when I walked into the Hale Studio Theatre for Laurie’s retirement party, and she welcomed me with that same double hug. There she was, surrounded by love and appreciation, just several weeks after a triumphant production of A Chorus Line. You could call all of Laurie’s shows triumphant, but

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this year’s musical, with all of the constraints imposed on it by the pandemic year, deserves every accolade and superlative possible. It had to be the most courageous, most innovative, most original production in the Academy’s history. Nothing about it was normal; nothing in this year could be. Yet everything about it worked.

I met with Laurie in her office a few days after the show closed. Through a window, we could see the outdoor stage where it all took place. She looked at the stage with pride: pride because she, the kids, and her skilled team had pulled the whole thing off, and pride because it marked a magnificent end to a prodigious career. I will never forget how she beamed and how relaxed and fulfilled she seemed. I remember hoping that I’ll feel that way when I’m preparing to leave education.

Before Laurie came to Mercersburg, she had already pioneered two academic independent-school theatre programs in Maryland, at Bullis School and Garrison Forest School. She’d performed professionally on stage and screen, taught at American University, and received awards for directing and artistic direction for companies in and around Washington, D.C. In addition, she has had multiple professional affiliations, but closest to her heart is the work she’s done as a trainer (and one-time president) for the Lessac Training and Research Institute. When Laurie is with kids, you can see the tremendous impact of each layer of her experiences—as she skillfully cajoles, encourages, and pushes. You can also see the influence of her years as a young child attending a progressive school. The school created opportunities for Laurie to make choices, explore her interests, believe in her ideas, and trust her curiosity. Simply put, they set the foundation for Laurie to become a master of creating the conditions for deep learning.

Education researchers Jal Mehta and Sarah Fine recently published a book titled In Search of Deeper Learning. In the book, they tout the deep-learning potential found in extracurricular activities. Mehta, in an interview with the Harvard Gazette,

specifically mentioned theatre programs because they create a shared purpose, an intense sense of community, and “lots of intrinsic motivation and passion… [with] a lot of careful feedback, practice, and refinement.”

I told Laurie about this. She looked at me with a knowing sense of “of course.”

It’s easy to think of learning as something that happens primarily in the classroom, but Laurie and theatre teachers around the world have been aware of the depth and impact of what people learn on stage. While at Mercersburg, Laurie has given more than 2,500 kids in about 70 productions the gifts that her progressive school gave her—and the kids know it, which is why her office is often their first stop when they come back to visit.

I am, of course, saddened that my friend is leaving, but I’m thrilled for her. She has spent a life in search of self-actualization and transcendence. She has looked for and found them on stages, in loving relationships, and in knowing that she has lifted the spirits and prospects of so many young people. Her search will continue, but I wish you could see her, in all of her self-actualized elegance and style, floating around our beautiful campus with a smile and glint that says she has closed a satisfying loop and that she might have found what many of us are looking for.

You could call all of Laurie’s shows triumphant, but this year’s musical, with all of the constraints imposed on it by the pandemic year, deserves every accolade and superlative possible. It had to be the most courageous, most innovative, most original production in the Academy’s history. Nothing about it was normal; nothing in this year could be. Yet everything about it worked.

—John David Bennett

John David Bennett teaches English and is Mercersburg’s dean of curricular innovation.

He holds the school’s Regenstein Chair in British Literature and has served on the faculty since 2007.

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ABOUT PETER KEMPE • Came to Mercersburg in 1994 to teach German • Served as head boys’ soccer coach from 1996–2007 • Established school’s first permanent exchange program (with Gauss Gymnasium in Worms, Germany) • Directed MAPS (Mercersburg’s Advanced Program for Global Studies) • Received Zern Excellence in Teaching Award in 2011-2012 • Held Mary Keeler Lawrence Distinguished Teaching Chair from 2014-2021 • He and his wife, Lucia, are the parents of Anika ’09, Stefan ’13, and Antonia ’18

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Peter Kempe P ’09, ’13, ’18

By Tom Thorne P ’06, ’07

To me, Peter represents the best of the traditional boarding-school teacher: tough on the outside, deeply invested in his students, leaving lifelong impressions on his charges, and absolutely committed to his subject.

—Tom Thorne

I

n 1994, when I was a baby Latin teacher and 29 years old, I interviewed a fellow named Peter Kempe who was looking into the possibility of a German position at Mercersburg. Although I was impressed by Peter’s experience and qualifications, I was pretty sure that when [then Headmaster] Walter Burgin ’53 hired him, the school was making a mistake; Peter did not seem like he would be a lot of fun in the classroom. I had quite a bit of confidence in my insight, as is normal for all 29-year-old experts on the world.

Fortunately for the school, Walter knew better than to ask my opinion.

June of this year brought the final days of Peter’s illustrious teaching career at the ’Burg, a 27-year span that saw him engineer our oldest international exchange (with the Gauss Gymnasium in Worms, Germany), raise funds for Mercersburg’s state-of-the-art Language Media Center, and launch and direct our academic flagship MAPS program, as well as a host of other accomplishments. On the side, Peter taught German, managed a dorm, traveled with students, chaired the language department, coached soccer, basketball, and track & field, ran ultramarathons, worked for the College Board, and wagged his finger at every head of school who employed him. With the indispensable help of his equally remarkable wife Lucia, Peter also somehow managed to raise three wonderful alumni of his own, Anika ’09, Stefan ’13, and Antonia ’18, as well as a succession of memorably wellbehaved dogs.

June also gave me the opportunity to reflect on my first impressions of Peter and how they had (not) panned out. With the help of colleagues Jenn Flanagan Bradley ’99 and Holly Trostle P ’22, I asked alumni to share memories of their time with Peter, and I found their responses enlightening. Responses from former students of Peter’s poured in, and what they had to say followed a remarkably consistent pattern. Their initial impressions of Herr Kempe almost invariably included the words frightening, tough, demanding, or scary, followed by their actual experiences

with him—characterized by words and phrases like kind, best teacher, amazing, lifechanging, passionate, caring, respectful, or fair.

While alumni repeatedly talked about how important Peter’s classes had been to them in their future lives, they also shocked me by mentioning how much fun they had in class with treats, Rammstein, and funny making appearances (though zany or antics never came up).

To me, Peter represents the best of the traditional boarding-school teacher: tough on the outside, deeply invested in his students, leaving lifelong impressions on his charges, and absolutely committed to his subject. From the standpoint of colleagues, Peter has been the equivalent of having a union rep at faculty meetings.

Peter is completely unafraid to stand up in a meeting to say exactly what is on his mind in a calm but forceful way. The German accent adds an extra element of authority to his words, and every administrator reading this can personally verify what I am talking about. Peter has never been one to sit on the sidelines and take life as it comes.

As a slightly younger colleague of the generation of teachers retiring now from Mercersburg, I find it hard to see these giants go. They represent a link to a pre-technological age of education and personal contact that I remember fondly and often long for, teaching the old virtues of “hard work, fair play, and clean life.” Peter’s professionalism and care for his students and team members have set a standard for his coworkers to measure themselves by, and contrary to my 29-year-old self’s expectations, I count myself lucky to have been among those profoundly influenced by him.

Thank you, Peter, for giving so much of yourself to Mercersburg, and best wishes for a long, healthy, and happy retirement.

Tom Thorne teaches Latin and is head of the Academy’s language department. He has held Mercersburg’s David F. Chapman Chair since 2001 and been a member of the faculty since 1993.

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Rita Barone P ’03 • Arrived at Mercersburg in 1993 as nursing staff coordinator • Became associate director of the Health Center in 1998 • Served as director of the Health Center for 21 years until her retirement in October 2020 • Mother of Mark Ryscavage ’03 “The school and the Health and Wellness Center in particular have been blessed by the consistent presence and care of Rita Barone, including her 21 years as director of the Health Center. Rita has unfailingly and humbly served the school and the students. She was always there and steadfastly, reliably, and calmly dealt with all situations whether she was on duty at the time or called in at 3 a.m.”

—Debbie Rutherford P ’03, ’06, ’06, faculty emeritus

Barb Myers • Joined at Mercersburg in 2001 as records clerk/coordinator in Alumni and Development Office • Served as a records specialist from 2004–2008 • Became an advancement services associate with responsibilities for gifts in 2009 • Has processed more than 80,000 gift records and served the school through multiple capital campaigns “For 20 years, Barb played an incredibly important role in the growth and success of this organization. She reliably managed more than 3,000 volunteer constituent records, entered more than 5,000 job assignments, and conscientiously stewarded our donors through two decades of Annual Fund drives and capital campaigns. We are so happy that she has landed her dream job—devoting her time and attention to her grandchildren and setting up her new home in South Carolina.”

—Kathy McCleary, advancement services manager

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Jorja Price P ’07 • Came to Mercersburg in 1999 as billing manager for student accounts • In 2005, began consecutive stints as an administrative assistant in the Dean of Students’ Office and the Office of Admission and Financial Aid • Joined the Business Office as accounts payable manager in 2008 • She and her husband, Roger, are the parents of Ashton ’07 “Jorja: congratulations on your retirement, which is well-earned and well-deserved. We’ll miss you, but we look forward to having you back on campus for lunch and hearing about all the many things we know you’ll be involved in during your retirement.”

—Maria Kimsey, associate head of school for finance and operations

Jyl Hoover After 40 years at Mercersburg Academy, registrar Jyl Hoover retired in June.

Hoover grew up in the Mercersburg area. Her husband, Bob, served in the U.S. Marine Corps, and they moved back home shortly after they got married. She was somewhat familiar with the Academy, and was hired in 1978 as an administrative assistant in the Alumni Office. A year later, Hoover moved to the Registrar’s Office, where she remained until 1983, when she returned home to raise her daughter and son.

In 1987, she returned to the school as a part-time administrative assistant in the Alumni Office, and became full time in the Registrar’s Office three years later. In 2019, she was appointed the school’s registrar.

In four decades, Hoover has witnessed a lot of change on campus. Visually, neither Lenfest Hall nor the Burgin Center for the Arts was standing when she began. The most significant difference, however, has been in the field of technology. “We did not have computers,” she said. “Everything was done on typewriters. That has to be the biggest change.”

Leaving will undoubtedly be bittersweet. “I will miss the routine,” Hoover said. “I have to say, I’ve really liked the work I’ve done here. I’ve enjoyed my job. I never dreaded going to work. I like routine. I think I’ll miss that.”

But Hoover said she will miss the people the most. “Those are the memories, you know?”

“When I think about my time here, I just think about all the wonderful people I’ve worked with over the years. And I just think about the wonderful people I’ve worked with that are no longer living, or that are just retired. I keep in touch with some of them.

I’ve had wonderful coworkers, wonderful supervisors, and that’s probably one of the reasons I’ve been here as long as I have. That’s really the important thing anywhere, right?

It’s the people.”

—Clara Getty ’21

ABOUT JYL HOOVER • Began at Mercersburg in 1978 in the Alumni Office • Moved to Registrar’s Office in 1979 • After four years away, returned in 1987 • Appointed school registrar in 2019; has helped maintain records for thousands of students

Jyl Hoover, top row left; Susan Simar, bottom row/ third from right

Susan Simar P ’86, ’90, ’91 Susan Simar retired in fall 2020 after 32 years at Mercersburg— nearly all of them as the school’s admission receptionist in Traylor Hall. Susan was honored in the winter 2020 and spring 2021 issues of Mercersburg Academy magazine; visit mercersburg.edu/magazine to read those stories.

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A CONVERSATION WITH ACTING HEAD OF SCHOOL

QUENTIN McDOWELL P ’25

with Q: Quentin McDowell has been a member of the Mercersburg Academy faculty since 2007, when he arrived on campus as a history teacher. Over the years, he has served as the school’s director of Summer and External Programs, head boys’ varsity soccer coach, senior associate director of admission and financial aid, assistant head of school for enrollment, and (since 2019) as associate head of school for external relations.

He began as acting head of school on June 7.

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Mercersburg magazine: Can you talk

MM: Teachers inspire and mentor students

make us laugh, and are constantly teaching us

about your journey in the field of education,

every day. Was there a teacher or coach who

how to be better people and better parents.

as well as your journey at Mercersburg?

inspired you?

Quentin McDowell: Growing up,

QM: Interestingly, true inspiration from an

my family always placed a high premium

educator first came while I was a postgraduate

on education, particularly my mother, who

at Holderness School in New Hampshire. The

was a practitioner turned graduate-school

first was Peter Barnum, the former director of

professor. My parents bought us any book

admission that admitted me and provided the

we wanted to read (my dad would read a

financial support necessary for me to attend

book a week) and did everything they could

Holderness. He took a big risk on a kid from

to provide us with meaningful enrichment

the West Coast and has remained a constant

opportunities. This included the chance

source of care and support to this day. The

for me to attend a boarding school for a

other is Bob Low, who was a quintessential

postgraduate year, despite the fact that

boarding-school educator and the head soccer

boarding schools were a wholly foreign

coach at Holderness. He did so much for me

concept where I grew up. It was during

without ever asking for anything in return,

that year that I realized how powerful and

which helped me understand a great deal

transformational a residential learning

about living in service of others. I certainly

community could be. And years later, while

would not be here today without the influence

working in coaching education at a nonprofit

and genuine love of these two educators.

in Kansas City, I was asked to apply for a job teaching and coaching at a New England boarding school [Cushing Academy]. I was hooked immediately and soon thereafter we made our way to Mercersburg Academy. The rest, as they say, is history. True to my first boarding-school experience as a student, I have been given so many opportunities to learn and grow here over the last 14 years; first as a teacher, then as an administrator, and now as the acting head of school.

Although the jobs have changed, the purpose has been constant—to have the chance to positively impact the lives of young people.

MM: What is a little-known fact about you that our readers would be interested to know?

QM: Believe it or not, the first house I lived in when my parents moved from Flagstaff, Arizona, to coastal Washington state (when I was less than a year old) was a one-room cabin my father built deep in the woods alongside a creek and about 30 minutes outside of our small town. We had no running water or electricity, and it was roughly a quarter-mile walk from the parking spot.

Needless to say, the dream of living like hippies did not last long, and after about a

MM: What is your proudest accomplishment

year and a half of raising two small children

in education?

in the woods, my mom threw in the towel

QM: The relationships I have developed with

and moved us all into town. My dad quickly

the many incredible young people I have

followed and, although we would spend an

served as a teacher, coach, dorm parent, and

occasional weekend at the “cabin,” we never

administrator. It is the remarkable power of

lived there again.

these relationships that drew me to boarding schools in the first place, based on the hope that I could do for a few kids what the teachers and coaches in my life did for me.

At the end of the day, I would like to think that at least some of the students I have worked with will feel similarly about my impact on their lives.

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MM: What does “Mr. McDowell” do for fun?

QM: I really love to travel and watch live music, but the most fun I have is when I am spending time with my three kids—Nina ’25, Ewan, and Rooney—and my wife, Lauren. I am lucky to be married to my best friend and to be raising kids that are fun, interesting,

MM: How do you plan to build relationships within our community during a time when the future is still unpredictable and face-toface interaction might still be difficult?

QM: Relationships have always been about making genuine connections with another person. Whether or not there is a climate of uncertainty or we are challenged by the mediums in which we can engage, building relationships is about making the time and making that time count. I hope we never lose sight of these basic elements of creating meaningful connections, even in the hardest of times.

MM: Before becoming Mercersburg’s acting head of school, you were a teacher, coach, and administrator, so you have walked in many shoes. How do these experiences shape your leadership style?

QM: It is really the comprehensive nature of one’s experiences and background that collectively contributes to how they lead and manage others. That same rule of thumb applies to me. Teaching, coaching, running a summer programs office, advising students, being a dorm parent, and serving as an administrator have all provided me with critical insights on the incredibly diverse set of people and skills that are needed to operate a school like Mercersburg Academy.

I met my wife in a restaurant where I held many different jobs, and I often say that you should never run a restaurant if you have not washed dishes, bussed tables, worked the food line, and waited on customers. It is good to know that you truly understand what you are asking of others when you yourself have actually done it.

MM: What would you say to families who may not be sure of what kind of leader you will be?

QM: I hope that I have proven to be a good leader over the course of my 14 years at Mercersburg, but I also understand that is a subjective assessment and the head of

school job is unique. That said, I believe

MM: What do you think makes

I am a leader that places the needs of the

Mercersburg unique?

organization and the people I serve above

QM: Let’s be honest: there is only one

myself. I always want to model the way,

Mercersburg Academy. There is no other

empower others, treat people with dignity,

school like ours—and I say that not to be

think collaboratively, and balance the head

cheeky, but because it is the truth. This

with the heart. For those that may feel

includes our location, our facilities, our

unsure about me, I would only ask that they

people, our students, our programs, and

give me the opportunity to earn their trust

our culture, the collective nature of which

and appreciation.

makes Mercersburg an undeniably special

MM: Your term as acting head of school will be for two years. What do you hope to accomplish?

QM: I have said this before, but I plan

place. We know who we are and why we are here, never wavering from the mighty task of educating students to lead and serve the world.

to approach this job the same way I have

MM: Your daughter, Nina ’25, will be a

approached any other role I have been

ninth grader in the fall. What do you hope

in—with my full self and my full heart. At

she will gain from her experience here?

this point, the length of my contract is not

QM: We have always hoped our children

top of mind. Instead, I am focusing on the

would attend Mercersburg Academy, and

THE MCDOWELL FILE

critical needs of our immediate and broader

we are so proud that Nina will be joining

Mercersburg communities, making sure

the school community in the fall. She has

that we continue to evolve and progress as

already gained so much by growing up

an institution and that we take the time to

here, and Mercersburg will afford her the

recover and reconnect after a most difficult

opportunity to explore her love for arts,

and unprecedented 18 months.

athletics, and so much more. We know her

• Has served on the Mercersburg faculty since 2007; taught history, coached boys’ soccer (winning a MidAtlantic Prep League championship in 2014), served as director of summer and external programs, and held progressively responsible roles in the Office of Admission and Financial Aid before being appointed associate head of school for external relations in 2019 • Co-founder and assistant director of the Erdmann Institute for Enrollment Leadership • Co-founder and faculty member of the Future Leaders Institute • A frequent presenter at national conferences, including the National

MM: Thinking about the future of Mercersburg, what are some of your goals and hopes?

QM: There are so many exciting things happening at Mercersburg Academy right now. We are in the midst of the strategic design realignment, of the development of our campus master plan, of a deep exploration of our educational model, and so much more. We cannot lose momentum on any of these fronts as we begin to chart the next future for Mercersburg. On a local level, however, we are coming out of a global pandemic that has disrupted nearly every aspect of how we operate. It is critical that we reestablish the community, culture, and connection that are the hallmarks of our school. We must not only capitalize on the opportunities before us, but also honor and celebrate the spirit of Mercersburg that has existed since our earliest days.

world is about to get a lot bigger and we cannot wait to see Mercersburg help her bring out the very best in herself in the years ahead.

MM: What is your definition of a great school year? What does success look like?

QM: A great school year is one in which we all learn and grow, and that we do it all together with a sense of purpose and joy, even though growth often emerges from struggle. It is about finding meaning and connection in relationships and feeling safe to bring your full self to the table each and every day. For this coming year, I hope it also means a return to some sense of normalcy and an opportunity to engage in the many different activities and traditions that are Mercersburg.

Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), The Association of Boarding Schools (TABS), and the Independent Educational Consultants Association • Attended Holderness School in Plymouth, New Hampshire, as a postgraduate; earned a bachelor of arts in religious studies from and co-captained the men’s soccer team at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pennsylvania; holds a master’s degree in educational leadership from George Washington University • Married to Lauren; the couple has three children: Nina ’25, Ewan, and Rooney SUMMER 2021

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CAMPUS

MASTER PLAN: A Point of View

By Jeff Blanchard, The Blanchard Group

Editor’s note: Jeff Blanchard is principal of the Blanchard Group, which is based in Richmond, Virginia, and is working with Mercersburg Academy on its campus master plan. Before regular meetings with school leaders on the plan’s steering committee, Blanchard sends members of the committee a letter where he synthesizes his thoughts from previous meetings and combines research and interviews into an easy-to-digest format that sets the tone for the next steps in the process.

The first letter that Blanchard sent to the committee earlier this year follows; it helps frame and set the tone for the strategic deliberations continuing inside the Mercersburg community. We look forward to sharing more about the campus master plan throughout the year.

Y

ou might think a paper titled “a point of

accomplishments, and lessons throughout the school’s

view” is a personal reflection, though it’s

history, I found the most resonance within its present-

really a synthesis of views: thoughts from the

day chapter: “The Titus Era and Beyond.” Of course,

school’s publication Mercersburg Academy: 125 Years;

this is the period we all have a stake in, so it naturally

excerpts from the ongoing strategic design process;

captured my attention, and the “and Beyond” should be

initial conversations with our three campus planning

of great interest to our work together as well.

committees; and where a blank needed to be filled, our own perspective, which I openly acknowledge.

The Mercersburg Academy: 125 Years history was

There is one particular passage in this chapter that continues to stick with me. The interviewer asks Head of School Katie Titus, “What is it like to be around

particularly helpful to me, an outsider, in learning

the kinds of young people that we at Mercersburg are

about the rich history of the institution: from its humble

lucky enough to work with?” Titus answers, “They are

beginnings to the well-regarded institution we admire

inspiring, and it’s so exciting to ask how we can evolve

today. Regardless of the period and its circumstances,

our curriculum and experience to continue to meet the

Mercersburg has clearly been an ever-evolving

kids where they are and with what they need.”

institution.

In this telling, the school’s history is organized in eras, with each era bearing the name of the head of school. While I was drawn to the many challenges,

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To read Mercersburg Academy: 125 Years (published in 2018), visit bit.ly/Mercersburg125.

Groundbreaking for the Lloyd Aquatic Center in 2018

For me, this answer can be, at any one moment, about place and time, personal development, academic success, and I’m sure much more. Perhaps most important, it recognizes that the student cohort is always changing—I would suggest more rapidly than previous generations. So, how can space, facilities, and land uses “continue to meet the kids where they are and with what they need,” now “and beyond?”

I’ve been listening in on some of the school’s strategic-design conversations. You may recall from our last online gathering we highlighted that the best and most enduring campus master plans do two things really well:

space for character formation, to name a few.

What’s interesting about all of this is

through discussion of something that’s going well, not so well, or not at all. And, as you

they reflect the direction of the institution,

that while much of American K-12 education

would expect at this point, the beginning, this

and they create a persuasive framework

increasingly equates excellence with

exchange provides more food for thought.

for change. The former is a function of the

standardization, Mercersburg is thoughtfully

school’s ongoing strategic thinking and the

moving in another direction. Creativity,

latter recognizes the next step is often an

idiosyncrasy, initiative, independence—these

advancement effort. After all, we are planning

are markers of leaders who create inflection

to do something.

points rather than merely respond to them.

Listening to these conversations has been helpful to me on a number of fronts: history,

So, this makes me wonder, how can our space, facilities, and land uses—the form and

traditions, aspirations, accomplishments,

organization of our campus—respond to these

personal reflections, etc.—all good context for

aspirations and allow the institution to create

campus planning.

its own inflection points: to lead?

One dimension of the strategic-design

The campus master planning process

process is refining the school’s current vision

has four committees, a steering committee,

statement:

and three advisory committees: faculty

Mercersburg will boldly reimagine excellence

and staff experiences, integrated campus

MERCERSBURG AS A CATALYST FOR CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION. Looking forward, how can we provide more student and faculty connection and agency over program, space, facilities, and land uses?

In this instance, we might consider what effects a mastery program or self-regulated learners might have within the campus setting; the needs of small group study and project space; the true needs of faculty workspace and how it can be optimized to support professional relationships among faculty and students; and perhaps the value of interdisciplinary “neighborhoods.”

in education by creating an interwoven academic

experiences, and formal learning experiences.

and residential experience that will inspire our

Taken as a whole, these committees

students to lead and serve in a complex, changing

represent the “portfolio of experiences”

their interests, enthusiasms, and ways

world.

that make up the institution and that are,

of learning. How can we create learning

or can be, better reflected in the campus

environments that are more nimble and

spirit of the vision’s aspirations will remain. In

setting. These committees are deliberately

respond to these changes? In this instance,

particular, reimagining excellence in education,

multi-disciplinary so that we benefit from a

we might consider a portfolio of flexible and

because that’s an imperative. Also, the

diversity of views on the topics at hand.

adaptable spaces; endowing our space and

Regardless of its final form, I think the

interwoven academic and residential experience,

From our conversations, several themes

The needs of our students also change;

facilities with timeless qualities that we know

are beginning to emerge: Mercersburg as

enhance learning and curiosity; and perhaps

a catalyst for creativity and innovation,

adopting a maker’s ethos (throughout the

of remarkable examples of this mission’s

Mercersburg as a diverse community of

curriculum).

application: dropping APs to provide

lifelong learners, and Mercersburg as a visible

one of the school’s key differentiators.

Of course the process can cite a number

opportunities for students to expand their interests, joining the Mastery Transcript Consortium, or changes to advisory to create

symbol.

To our joy, every committee offered insight into each of these themes, either

It’s been said that more learning happens outside the classroom than in it, particularly on a boarding campus. How can the public realm, our public indoor and

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outdoor places and spaces, better support this important dimension of learning and personal growth? In this instance, we might consider leveraging the patterns of daily student use to create more serendipitous encounters— building community leads to collaboration, which leads to innovation; the nature and location of indoor and outdoor public spaces; the location of “magnet” programs and student services (MOE, maker’s space, the Math and Writing Centers, college counseling, etc.); creating a more convivial dining experience; and perhaps showcasing health and wellness.

MERCERSBURG AS A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF LIFELONG LEARNERS. Our residential experience is our greatest asset and differentiator. How can we better integrate the living and learning experience?

And what role does faculty living and learning

and a global community. How can we create

of a campus “front door”; the optimal mix

play in this experience?

more meaningful reciprocal relationships

of faculty housing types; not lose sight of

within this ecosystem? In this instance, we

the family as a “number of seats” in the

In this instance, we might consider the “scale of our communities” within the

might consider creating a stronger relationship

community equation; or perhaps other

residential facilities (96 students in one

with/within the Borough of Mercersburg

support services.

facility is a lot); whether our residential

(MAPS, Springboard, community service, or

facilities support healthy academic habits;

perhaps innovation space); how the school can

how we integrate day students; how we create

be a resource to its broader community.

residential experiences that are more inclusive.

For many, the campus is a hub of family

MERCERSBURG AS A VISIBLE SYMBOL. Time changes everything. It can render spaces and places beloved or obsolete—

For faculty housing, we might consider equity

life. How can our places and spaces better

and sometimes both. How can our spaces,

in space quality and assignment; perhaps

support the generational needs of families

facilities, and land uses reflect our long and

creating a faculty village.

and our broader community? In this instance,

storied history, while supporting our students’

we might consider the nature and location

needs today and tomorrow? In this instance,

We live in a campus village, a small town,

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the obstacles we need to overcome to achieve

let me say that these obstacles are not unique

success. It’s important to keep in mind that

to Mercersburg Academy. I know together we

these themes and considerations, however they

will find a thoughtful and organized way—

continue to evolve, live in a real context—a

the Mercersburg way—of overcoming these

300-acre campus, with more than 40 facilities,

obstacles and achieving our ambitions.

and hundreds of thousands of square feet of

Taken as a whole, I see far more alignment

general and specialized space. While that’s not

than dissonance within the history of an

to say it’s the right space, it does represent

evolving institution, a bold, contemporary

quite a large inventory for a 440-student

vision, and your insights and considerations

boarding school.

for future campus improvements.

While many of the campus facilities have

That being the case, our campus planning

been refreshed, adapted, and renovated over

needs to stage a bit of a renaissance. I use the

the years, few evidence a maturing program.

word “stage” with purpose. There are three

Many spaces on campus, particularly the

important truths about campus planning and

of community through the places and spaces

learning spaces, “feel like they’re from

campus development. The first is that great

we create and inhabit; how we design for the

another time,” as one group suggested.

places like Mercersburg Academy “grow over

we might consider showcasing the strength

future while recognizing the past; and the role of technology throughout the campus setting.

Mercersburg aspires to be a diverse and

During our conversations it became

time, not overnight.” It’s important to keep

apparent the chief obstacle to many of our

the long view in mind and not be overwhelmed

ambitions lies in the organization of the

by the apparent breadth of challenge and

inclusive community in spirit and in practice.

existing space and facilities—siloed buildings

opportunity, but rather think creatively and

How can our spaces, facilities, and land uses

and disciplines that thwart opportunities for

strategically about how to accomplish this

better reflect this diversity and inclusion?

collaborative and cross-disciplinary work

generation’s priorities, however we define

In this instance, we might consider what a

among faculty and students alike.

them together, implement these brilliantly, and

diverse palette of places includes (religious,

By contrast, and perhaps a good summary

protect the possibilities for the future.

LGBTQIA+, and affinity); how we practice

of some considerations above, our space

“extreme hospitality” for all students and

and facilities need to be far more flexible,

independent schools “only grow from the

visitors on campus through the spaces we

adaptable, transparent, and socially aware;

generosity of their communities.” There is

create; and how our chapel can be welcoming

with proximities that support collaborative

no tax or government program that funds

for a diversity of faith traditions.

and cross-disciplinary work; where learning

the space and facilities that allow campus

happens as much outside the classrooms

experiences to mature. Correspondingly, a

powerfully signal the values of a community,

as within; where the process and products

school’s campus planning—the increments

either reinforcing an ethos of sustainability or

of learning are visible; and where the lines

of development—must be sensitive to the

contradicting it. How can the institution reflect

between interiors and exteriors are blurred,

interests and capacity of its donor community,

an ethos of sustainability? In this instance, we

allowing the overall campus setting—well-

and understand that the cyclical nature of

might consider resolving deferred maintenance

defined and programmed outdoor spaces—

fundraising is a significant form-giver of any

within a broader institutional mandate; making

to be part of signature learning experiences.

campus plan.

Built and managed environments

The second important truth is that

highest and best use of under-utilized and un-

Of significance, we also have areas of

utilized space on campus; and how our space,

deferred maintenance and aging infrastructure.

planning, is about making choices, often hard

facilities, and land uses might reflect an ethos

Some of these areas need attention sooner

choices, that distinguish near-term needs

of sustainability (working farm, solar farm, etc.)

than later, particularly some of our building

from long term possibilities, and shape the

It’s here that I find myself scrolling

mechanical systems. Overall, we’ll be well-

character and quality of the place. What each

back to the beginning of this letter and asking

served if our campus planning—its initiatives

generation chooses to reflect in the campus

myself, “if we address these considerations,

and actions—keeps a clear eye on resolving

setting speaks volumes about the institution

will it allow us to meet the kids where they are

these important, often “less glamorous”

at that point in time. After all, “the campus

with what they need—both now and beyond?”

operating needs.

setting is a very visible symbol of who you

I would be doing our work together a disservice if I didn’t acknowledge some of

As someone who has worked with independent schools for more than 30 years,

Lastly, campus planning, like all

are, what you do, how you do it, and what you value.”

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CR E AT ING

transformative experiences through your generosity

mercersburg.edu/annualfund

Class

NOTES

Caroline Dillard ’21 created this photo illustration of Mercersburg’s Long Blue Line as part of a project for her Commarts Springboard course. Dillard, of Hagerstown, Maryland, is a talented photographer and was co-editor-in-chief of the school’s Karux yearbook her senior year.

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CLASS NOTES

Lena Mirisola Photography

Weddings Lauren Dobish ’08 married Paul Rutherford ’06 May 1, 2021, in Tamworth, New Hampshire. Attendees included (front row, L–R) Emily Carl ’08, Kristina Trudeau ’07, faculty emeritus/former associate head of school/Paul’s mom Debbie Rutherford, Jenn Brallier ’09, Lauren and Paul, Shaniqua Reeves ’09, Stephon Fullerton ’06, Amelia Goebel ’09, Rachel Greenberg ’08; (back row) Matt Rutherford ’03, faculty emeritus/ Paul’sdad Frank Rutherford ’70, Travis Youngs ’06, Colin Cubit ’06, Mark Dobish ’05.

Madi McConnell ’07 married David Reynolds June 6, 2020, on a beach near their home in Ketchikan, Alaska. Shortly after, Madi started a new job as a scientific diver for the Alaska Department of Fish & Game’s Commercial Fisheries department.

John Mooney ’03 married Alessandra Necamp July 25, 2020.

Faculty member Rachel Mallory and Stephen Milletics, August 1, 2020.

Former staff member Wilma “Willie” Phillips and faculty member Wells Gray, July 3, 2020.

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Susan Rose ’88 married Douglas McLaud ’86 October 23, 2020, in Aurora, New York. She threw rocks at his Fowle Hall window. Dreams really do come true. ACADEMY MAGAZINE MERCERSBURG

Hannah Miller ’10 married Skylar Noland October 25, 2020, in Columbus, Ohio.

CLASS NOTES

Births/Adoptions

Emily Peterson Karottki ’97 and her husband, Sal, welcomed a daughter, Vesper Nadine, November 8, 2020. Vesper joins big brother Xander and big sister Adair.

Jessica Malarik Fair ’99 and her husband, Greg, welcomed a son, Kevin Michael, July 24, 2020.

Kevin joins big sisters Shannon and Caroline.

Seth Greenberg ’02 and his wife, Cindy, welcomed a son, Gabe, November 28, 2020.

Wendy Emerick Rauhut ’01 and her husband, Anthony, welcomed a daughter, Nora Evelyn, May 16, 2021. She joins big brother Aaron and big sister Sophie.

Holly Czuba ’01 and her husband, Jason Olson, welcomed a son, Harris Michael Olson, November 20, 2020.

Bailey Blake Weibley ’11 and her husband, faculty member Coleman Weibley, welcomed a daughter, Quincy Romaine, May 1, 2021. Quincy joins big sister Parker.

Logan Craig ’08 and his wife, Sarah, welcomed a daughter, Virginia Ann, December 8, 2020.

To staff member Logan Junkin and his wife, Hailey: a daughter, Tulsi Eva, April 13, 2021.

To Anne Curry Gualano ’02 and her husband, Kevin: a son, Thomas Kevin, November 3, 2020.

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on si is m SubDeadline is ue ext iss

LETTER TO THE EDITOR I read with considerable interest the “In Memoriam” (spring 2021 issue) about Charles Moore ’47.

n 1 for the er 15, 202 tob

I followed Charlie’s athletic career from Mercersburg Academy through college and the Olympics. My interest in Charlie was natural: I too was engaged in track

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and field through high school, at Mercersburg and the University of Pennsylvania.

My father too followed Charlie’s achievements, as he was a high-school coach in Harrisburg who knew just about everybody involved in scholastic athletics in eastern Pennsylvania and well beyond.

I feel as though I knew Charlie personally, yet our paths crossed only briefly when we competed (in different events) at the Penn Relays. I too was in awe of Charlie’s athletic achievements.

Submit class notes via email to classnotes@mercersburg.edu or online at mercersburg.edu/ classnotes. The submission deadline for the next issue is October 15, 2021. Submission does not guarantee publication.

Mercersburg reserves the right to edit submissions for space or content, and is not responsible for more than reasonable editing or fact-checking.

When submitting a photo, please provide the highest-quality version possible, and include the names of all persons pictured and their Mercersburg class years. Due to size and quality considerations, some images may not be suitable for print.

Thanks very much for your brief vita on Charlie. It brings back fond memories of Mercersburg Academy as well.

John S. Thomas ’48 Bradenton, Florida

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Dr. William Harris was named a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors for demonstrating a spirit of innovation and facilitating inventions with tangible impact on quality of life. Bill is the founder and director emeritus of the Massachusetts General Research Hospital Harris Orthopaedics Laboratory. He is credited with performing the world’s first successful total hip replacement in a patient with a total congenital dislocation of the hip.

Frank Pogan turned 90 in January 2021.

He says, “I really loved my two years at the ’Burg and enjoyed it, especially Octet, Choir, and Chapel. God bless you all!”

’48 JoAnn Hawkins Queenan, wife of C.J. “Chuck” Queenan Jr., passed away April 10, 2021.

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70th Dave Genter and his wife, Anne, have become great-grandparents. “True to65th family tradition, it’s a girl—which adds to six granddaughters,” he writes. “I am almost retired and still dabbling in local politics, th having served as the mayor of a very60 small borough without even a stoplight. My health is pretty good and I spend a lot of time gardening.”

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Bill Norcross ’64 paid a visit to Sebring International Raceway to visit his South Cottage roommate Russell Gee ’64 and his RSR Porsche race car!

Gnim Bazim ’17 and James Snyder ’69 met in January for lunch at Luc’s in Ridgefield, Connecticut.

Gnim and James connected during Reunion Weekend 2019 and have maintained a friendship ever since.

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Stefan Brodsky ’70 has received three awards (first-place photo essay and second-place sports photography in 2019 and a second-place photo essay in 2020) from the Colorado Press Association as part of his part-time work as a photojournalist 70th for Colorado Community Media, a group of weekly newspapers in metro Denver. He shares this selfie, sporting his Mercersburg alumni hat.

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Barbara Robins, wife of Fred Robins, died December 9, 2020.

Christine McClellan, wife of George McClellan Jr., died April 21, 2021.

’57 65th Fred Kannensohn is still practicing law after many years. As he reflects on past 60th acquaintances and experiences, he hopes to hear what is going on in his classmates’ lives as well.

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’58 th Amy Kerstein, wife of Robert Kerstein 50and mother of Andrew Kerstein ’95, passed away December 17, 2020.

After 20 years in Pawleys Island, South 45th Carolina, Ross Lenhart and his wife, Kathy, have moved back to the Atlanta area to be closer to their sons and their families.

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Alan Wein delivered the State of the Art Lecture at the (virtual) International Continence Society Annual Meeting (“The Placebo Effect: Food for Thought”).

He received the organization’s Lifetime Achievement Award, which hopefully will be presented in person at the 2021 meeting in Australia. He is a professor with tenure, emeritus chief of urology, and director of the residency program in urology at the Perelman School of Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania Health System. He says there’s “little question that Mercersburg taught me to intellectually organize and compartmentalize.”

’60 Alice Ann Robertson Colton, wife of John Colton III, passed away March 3, 2021.

’62 60th David Dillman and his wife, Sandra, live in in Ocala, Florida, after David retired as 55ath major in the U.S. Air Force and in human resources with Hannaford Brothers Company in South Portland, Maine, and th Certified Grocers of Florida in Ocala.50 Their children and grandchildren live in Maine.

Jon Dubbs invites his “fellow lads of ’62” th to contribute helpful ideas to get the45 ball rolling for the Class of ’62’s 60th reunion next June. “You can make it happen,” he writes.

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Ray Lewis retired in 2008 as staff vice president for investor relations at General Dynamics. In 2013, he and his wife, Linda, th moved to Cuenca, Ecuador. “We own35a two story penthouse on the west side of this lovely colonial city of 600,000, and a three-bedroom house up in the mountains 30atth overlooking the city,” Ray says. “We’re SUMMER 2021

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JENNA HELLER ’89: IN HER OWN WORDS

8,400 feet in the Andes on the equator, so it never gets below freezing or above 85 degrees. I highly recommend visiting Cuenca. It’s called ‘the Athens of Ecuador’ for good reason!”

In 2019, I placed runner-up in the North & South Short, Short Story competition and my first young adult manuscript was shortlisted for the Text Prize. I have a

Phil Marstiller is establishing a foundation called Giving Back, which will enable disadvantaged children to attend college.

literary agent now who is helping me find a publisher for the manuscript.

In 2020, I won the New Zealand

Jack Young writes, “Retirement is great. My wife, Kathy, and I are still busy with family and vacations. Now and then I get in touch with Tom Hoober and his wife for some adventures. Congratulations to all my classmates and their families who have made it unscathed through the pandemic.”

National Flash Fiction competition and was shortlisted for two poetry prizes. I’ve also had two flash pieces selected for inclusion in the 2020 and (forthcoming) 2021 Best Small Fictions international anthologies published

by Sonder Press. In the 2021 anthology, my piece was chosen as one of the 11 spotlighted stories. My poetry, flash, and short stories

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are published in journals and magazines in the U.S., UK, Australia, and New Zealand, including The Wax Paper, Star 82 Review, The Maine

Jim Plappert has been appointed as CFO for Child USA, the leading national nonprofit think tank working to end child abuse and neglect in the United States.

Review, The Maryland Review, Landfall, and many others.

I work full time as the internal communications manager at AgResearch (one of New Zealand’s Crown Research Institutes), and I do my creative writing early in the morning before work. I also teach the next generation of creative writers at WRITE ON: School for Young Writers in Christchurch, New Zealand. th

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time there. I grew up a lot and learned to think and challenge myself to do more than I ever thought possible. I loved working on the literary magazine, singing in the Chorale and

Mark Andreae was honored with the Syracuse University Whitman Business School Jonathan J. Holtz Alumnus of the Year award. The award, which is the highest honor given to graduates of the Whitman School, recognizes alumni for outstanding professional achievement and distinguished service.

’65 Richard McCombs wrote a novel called Keep Smiling: An American Business in PostEmbargo Vietnam. It is a memoir about his experiences as a business leader in postwar Vietnam.

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70club, and working at the Headwaiters’ table. I’ve been Madrigals, starting the girls’ lacrosse th

very pleased to see how Mercersburg has helped students learn the value of civil discourse and challenging conversations.

One thing I find really bizarre, though, is thinking of Tippetts as a boys’ dorm! That th was my dorm!

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’67 55th Edgar “Bunky” Williamson writes, “My wife of 49 years, Josie, passed away 50th October 30, 2020, after a seven-year battle with Alzheimer’s.”

Steve Acker shares that he recently produced Sun King Rising’s new album, Delta Tales.

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Tim Flanagan was placed on the annual Irish Legal 100, which recognizes the most distinguished legal professionals in the

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approximately $20,000 in revenue each night,” he writes.

Ann Pearson Gould retired after 25 years of teaching middle-school science in Loudoun County, Virginia.

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Natalie and David Curry, parents of Jeffrey 70th Curry, David Curry Jr. ’83, and Jennifer Curry ’88, passed away. David died March 30, 2020, and Natalie passed away January 16, 2021. th

70th Jen Russell Rose ’76 and Judy Rakowsky ’76 got together in Cambridge, Massachusetts, after a long 65th year apart.

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Bruce Ricciuti ’83 and Jim Carbone ’79 with newly enrolled Mercersburg student Ryan Nordheim ’22 in Boca Raton, Florida.

70th nation who share Irish roots. Others on the 60th list include U.S. Supreme Court Justices John Roberts, Anthony Kennedy, Neil Gorsuch, and Brett Kavanaugh.

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relishes rekindling those connections.”

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After 40 years in the summer-camp business, Eric “Scobes” Scoblionko has 45th hung up his lanyard and whistle. He is back in the classroom at two independent schools in South Florida, Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton and American 40th Heritage School in Delray Beach. He has also started a “boutique” style collegecounseling advising service called College App Pro. “I have been working with older 35th campers for years and have been most successful in helping students make their way through the college admissions maze,” he says. During the pandemic, he adds 30th that he has “been speaking with many classmates on Zoom sessions and really

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Falon Morris, daughter of Gregory Morris, died December 16, 2020. th

Eric Robel says, “After 40 years of 55th Denver city living, I am finally living in the mountains outside of town. It’s beautiful to55wake up to Evergreen trees and fresh th air. My two-year project of a 352-unit th 50 luxury apartment complex is underway— complete with a pool above the sevenstoryth parking garage!”

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Denise Dupré has been appointed to the advisory board of Boston University’s School of Hospitality Administration.

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Ray 40thLiddy retired as a deputy attorney general for the State of California. He35th retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 2016. He lives with his wife in Coronado, California.

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William McCullough, father of Charlie McCullough, Carol McCullough Bender ’85, 30thand Harry McCullough ’91, and grandfather of Maxwell McCullough 25 ’21,th passed away November 22, 2020. He was

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G. Gordon Liddy, father of Jim Liddy and 65th Ray Liddy ’82 and a well-known figure th 60 in American politics and media, died March 30, 2021.

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also the father-in-law of Elizabeth Bryant 45th McCullough ’84 and Lori Ruohomaki McCullough ’91 and the future fatherin-law of David Dupont ’80.

’90 Charles Hooff III, father of Maremi Hooff Andreozzi, died February 2, 2021.

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Desmond Reid retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in January 2021, completing 30th his final tour of duty in the Pentagon at the Marine Corps Headquarters. He was recently appointed as a DOD civilian in a role supporting U.S. Cyber Command.

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Suzanne Dysard retired from the corporate world in April 2020. She writes, “I never would have thought that my first year of 15th retirement wouldn’t have been filled with lots of travels and visitors. I think most of us can say that about our expectations of 2020. I’ve been finding ways to keepth 10 myself busy with gardening, yardwork, jigsaw puzzles (I did a 5,000-piece one that barely fit on the dining-room table), baking, cooking, and reading. I’ve foundth 5 ways to stay connected with friends through online trivia games, escape rooms, book clubs, and happy hours. I’ve helped a friend with transportation to doctors’ 0th appointments and another friend’s son with online school. It’s amazing how quickly I can fill the days. I am looking forward to the world opening up, reconnecting with people in person, and traveling.”

Alf Rix, father of Jeffrey Rix, died March 10, 2021.

Richard Ruble, father of Meredith Ruble and Cameron Ruble ’90, passed away December 10, 2020.

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Janelle Denny Cwik shares, “My radio guest spotlight went global in 196 countries on May 27, featuring my first book Dream Until Your Dreams Come True and other pearls of wisdom gathered during my global travels. Chris and I are continuing our adventures, settling in the breathtaking Shenandoah Valley in historic Staunton, Virginia. We have started a real estate company that specializes in pre-clearing and owner financing made easy for most buyers. It was an honor to donate to my alma mater for the 30th reunion of the Class of 1991.”

Jennifer O’Neil, mother of Shani O’Neil Calhoun and Katie O’Neil ’97, died December 14, 2020.

Andrea Marano King ’95 and her two daughters had th a 25 wonderful visit to Lewisburg, West Virginia, with 40th emeritus faculty member Wirt Winebrenner ’54 and his wiafe, Joan. The three had a great time reminiscing about Mercersburg—especially dorm life in Culbertson!

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Tonito Payumo is working in Manila for a power company. After Mercersburg, he studied at the University of Notre Dame and London Business School. Tonito worked in Munich for a few years before returning to Manila in 2005. He is married, has two children, and enjoys golf and tennis in his spare time.

Peggy Burns’ daughter, Gigi Devlin ’24, 10th and Sung Lee’s daughter, Johanna Lee 25th ’25, are enrolling at Mercersburg this fall, where they will join Sung’s older daughter, Priscilla ’23. Peggy says that she is very 5th excited to have a reason to visit campus 20th regularly and to share the tradition of the school with her.

Bill Reed writes, “I turned over command of Air Wing Seven in July 2020 after an around-the-world deployment. We moved to the Annapolis area, and I’ve started a master’s program in resource strategy.

The Navy continues to be a great place to serve, and I’m grateful to Mercersburg for helping me along the way.”

15 Pia Catton is working as a development and marketing manager at the National Dance Institute, and is also in a training program, the New York Community Trust 10th Leadership Fellows, which helps nonprofit managers grow within their organizations.

She still lives in Manhattan and is looking forward to the Reunion. th th

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Charles Koontz lives in Santa Cruz, California, with his wife of 19 years (Julie) and three sons, Spencer (15), Garrett 0this (13), and Wesley (10). He writes that he

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75th a podcast host and owner of the business 70th Weight Loss for Food-Lovers, which has helped many people over the last several months achieve their goals and change their relationship with food.

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’95 60 Gill Tatman-Tyree has moved his family back to Fairfax County, Virginia. After three years abroad at the U.S. Embassy in Morocco, he has been promoted to the 55th rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army.

He is excited to be back in the States and is looking forward to connecting with friends and classmates in the D.C. area. th th

Jason Wilford ’01 has returned to his native Eastern Shore of Maryland and started his own oyster farm, Pirates Cove Oyster Co. He invites everyone to follow his farming journey on Instagram (@pcoysters).

’93 Alex Crothers, founder of the Higher Ground music venue in Burlington, Vermont, was featured during an episode of The Promoter101 podcast. Alex talked about his partnerships with Wilco, Phish, and many other notable musical acts.

Karen Pak Oppenheimer was featured in the Wall Street Journal in March for authoring an essay on COVID-19.

She serves on the Board of Regents and assisted with safely reopening Mercersburg’s campus. Karen is the principal on contact tracing for the San Francisco Department of Health.

’94 Molly Zemek is living in Northern Virginia with her husband and three children. She is

Board of Regents Vice President Dean Hosgood spoke to the student body onth 35 the occasion of inducting new students into the Cum Laude Society (page 18). He is the director of global environmental health and a faculty member in the th wdepartment of epidemiology and 30 population health at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine.

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enjoying coaching track and cross country for a local charter school and building and flying R/C airplanes with his kids.

who founded Hoops Life, an after-school 40th basketball program.

Lori Esposit Miller was promoted to publication strategy and execution advisor for the COVID-19 Platform Team at Eli Lilly Pharmaceuticals. She says, “I’m responsible 40th for engaging cross-functional business partners to ensure that the publication strategy is effective, novel, and integrated with broader platform objectives, and I th 35 work with the writing team on the delivery of high-quality scientific papers and manuscript disclosures.”

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Peter Baker sold his novel, Planes, to Knopf for publication. In addition, he15th recently penned The New York Times Magazine’s “Screenland” column, which appeared in print in February.

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Liz Stockdale was named head of the upper school at Saint Mary’s Hall in San Antonio, Texas. She received a doctor of 5th education degree in educational leadership and policy from Vanderbilt University in May.

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Craig Walton, father of Andrew Walton 0th and Julia Walton Kaericher ’04, passed away August 8, 2020.

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John Martinko was recently interviewed on th CNBC about the race for companies 20 to go public, including the debuts of DoorDash and Airbnb.

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Kevin Harris has announced a run for a th seat on the city council of Alexandria,10 Virginia. Kevin is a small business owner

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Kevin McLaughlin has moved to Australia for an indefinite period of time and is proud to announce the birth of his son, River Kai McLaughlin, on October 16, 2020.

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John Mooney married Alessandra Necamp in an intimate, joyful, and very socially distanced wedding ceremony atop the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. John and Alessandra have a deep, shared love of mountains and the outdoors. While SPRING 2021

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Liz Casparian ’13 poses while hiking a glacier in Anchorage, Alaska, during her final clinical rotation at an th 30 outpatient physical therapy clinic. She graduated in May from Stony Brook University with a doctorate in physical therapy.

they currently live in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, you’ll find them exploring the woods and snows of the Shenandoah, the Rockies, and even trying for first tracks at Whitetail on occasion. John remains an active member of the Marine Corps Reserve and the Foreign Service, while Alessandra pursues her graduate degree at Georgetown University.

’04 Elizabeth J. McClintick, wife of former faculty member Bill McClintick and mother of Ian McClintick, Christopher McClintick ’08, and Brendan McClintick ’12, died December 25, 2020.

Curtis Shreiner, father of Court Shreiner ’04, passed away October 27, 2020.

Curtis was also the son-in-law of Harold Brake ’54.

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Public Allies, an organization committedth 25 to advancing social justice and equality by engaging and activating the leadership of all young people through AmeriCorps.

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Ed Hill completed an MBA at New York th University’s Stern School of Business.10 He works as a senior associate at PWC in its Delivering Deal Value practice, focusing on industrial products and services. He looks 5th forward to seeing classmates at the 15th reunion in June 2022.

Cameron Jones has become the newest board member of Soul Seeds Nonprofit.

0th Madi McConnell Reynolds co-authored “Detection and Density of the Great Horned Owl in Arctic Alaska,” which was published in the Journal of Raptor Research.

Madi lives in Fairbanks, Alaska, where she is a scientific diver for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

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Eliza Macdonald earned a master’s of fine arts in creative writing from Emerson 50th College. While attending the threeyear program in Boston, Eliza was also selected to teach first-year writing to 45th undergraduates of the college.

Andrea Metz is now an associate at Dilworth Paxson LLP, which is the same 40th firm where Board of Regents member Lorraine Simonis works.

Paul Suhey was named to the 2021 35th Forbes “30 Under 30” list in consumer technology. He is cofounder of Revel Transit, a dockless electric moped-sharing startup based in New York City. Paul is the th second Mercersburg alum in as many30 years to earn a place on the Forbes list; Board of Regents member Magdalena Kala ’09 was chosen for the list in the finance category 25th in 2020.

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Dean DeSantis, father of Giovanni DeSantis, died October 17, 2020.

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David Bowes co-founded and is serving as executive director of Never Again PAC. 5th Ben Dupont writes that he is “living in Asheville, North Carolina, and hopefully never leaving.” He works in web design 0th and lives with his girlfriend of three years, Catherine, and their three pets.

Morgan Hopkins writes, “I recently moved from Amsterdam to a smaller but equally beautiful city in the south of Holland called Breda. I work for an interior-design

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Megan Kearley writes, “I’ve been living in Australia for the last three and a half years. Originally, I was supposed to be here for a year to travel and experience the lifestyle, but I fell in love with it and decided to study for a master’s degree. I have six months left of placement, and then I’ll be a dietitian. Since I’ve decided to stay here to study, I haven’t been able to travel home to the U.S. to see my family and friends for a year and a half due to visa restrictions, but thankfully everyone is safe and well! Wishing the Class of 2012 the best and hope to get over to see you all next year for our 10-year reunion.”

Shelley LaMotte worked for CVS Health to administer more than 15,000 COVID-19 vaccines within long-term care facilities.

She is now a National Certified Pharmacy Technician and works in pharmacies across the Boston area.

Val Langlois earned a doctorate in psychology and neuroscience from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She moved to Boulder, Colorado, where she began in July as a postdoctoral researcher investigating language comprehension using electroencephalogram (EEG).

Maria Loyacona is working in Nashville, Tennessee, as an area sales manager for SBM Life Science.

Leah Selznick is starting her residency at University Health in San Antonio, Texas, to become a clinical specialist in the field of solid-organ transplantation.

DAVID COLY ’15: JOURNEY TO THE GOAL Five years after his college soccer career began, David Coly ’15 made a triumphant return to the pitch this spring, leading American University to the Patriot League championship and the second round of the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s Soccer Tournament.

After helping

Photo by Trish Sexton

company called Moooi, which means ‘beautiful’ in Dutch. I live with my partner just outside the city and take as much advantage as I can of living in Europe and traveling to new places, particularly as far into nature as I can get. I would love for a European Mercersburg meetup once it’s possible again. See you at the Reunion next year!”

Mercersburg’s boys’ soccer team to the 2014 Mid-Atlantic Prep League title, Coly’s road has been a winding one, to say the least. He started his college career at the University of Washington, where he played for two seasons; he tied for the Huskies’ team lead in goals (eight) as a sophomore in 2016, when Washington reached the NCAA Tournament. But after heading home to Senegal for the holidays, visa issues prevented Coly from returning to the U.S. Three years later, in 2019, Coly was finally approved for permanent residency in the U.S., and relocated from Washington state to Washington, D.C., to join the American soccer program. He received waivers from the NCAA and the Patriot League in order to compete.

Coly led the Eagles with seven goals this season, and scored in each of the team’s final six contests, including a first-round NCAA Tournament match where American advanced past Jacksonville on penalty kicks and a second-round loss to No. 1-seeded Clemson—though Coly gave the Eagles a lead they would hold for 52 minutes of the match after scoring in the contest’s opening minutes. (Clemson would rally for a 2-1 victory.) Coly was also named most valuable player of the Patriot League Tournament.

Coly married his wife, Nora (who he met at the University of Washington), in 2017.

He has one season of college soccer eligibility remaining, and will be a senior at American this fall.

Michelle Skuba Gray graduated from the Tulane University School of Medicine and is beginning her residency in emergency medicine in Las Vegas.

She adds that Paige Harry ’10 is in the same program (one year ahead).

’13 Tony Hamilton, father of Kelly Hamilton and brother-in-law of staff member Laurie Rice, passed away January 1, 2021.

Jennifer Nelson penned an article with New York Times contributor Siobhan Burke that was recently featured in Dance Magazine. Jennifer works for a tech startup in New York City and as a freelance dancer.

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’14 Melanie Rankin has been recognized by the GDUSA, a business-to-business information source for graphic design professionals, as a 2021 Student to Watch.

Charlotte Rhoad is enjoying living in Denver and working as a paralegal for the Babcock Law Firm. She plans to attend law school starting in fall 2021.

’15 Rachael Ditzler earned a prestigious fellowship from the National Science Foundation in recognition of outstanding research at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Ferdinand Pehamberger is working as a government affairs intern in Brussels, but he is hoping to move to New York City to pursue a master’s degree in international affairs and would like to connect with Mercersburg friends and classmates in the area.

’16 Joana Santos is joining the mechanical engineering department at Stanford University in the fall as a Ph.D. track student.

She is one of the recipients of a prestigious Stanford Graduate Fellowship and will join a research group to study combustion and heat-transfer-related topics.

Elijah Wenzel graduated from McGill University with first-class honors, earning a degree in philosophy. He lives in Washington, D.C., where he is a graduate student at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.

After completing a Jesse M. Unruh Assembly Fellowship with the California State Legislature, Adam Yang will attend Harvard University this fall to pursue a degree in dental medicine.

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Adam Cromwell, a senior at Denison University, is the 2021 recipient of the th 0 Denison Hilltoppers Founders’ Scholarship.

He is one of the school’s first international studies majors with a concentration in Middle East and North Africa studies.

Emma Claire Geitner graduated from Vanderbilt University and is attending the University of Cambridge next year, where she will continue her study of classics and medieval history with an emphasis on religion.

While attending the University of Miami, Samantha “Sam” Goldman (a former placekicker for the Mercersburg football team) worked as a football equipment manager and as a student assistant to head coach Manny Diaz. She was invited to attend the NFL Women’s Football Forum last year, and after graduating from Miami with a degree in accounting, she is working in the Miami Dolphins’ accounting and finance department.

’18 Kate Bryan has completed her junior year at the University of South Carolina, where she was recognized as a Capstone Fellow through the Capstone Honors program. She was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa in the spring and was elected chair of the Sexual Health Student Outreach Group through Changing Carolina Peer Leaders. Kate was also hired by the university to serve as a supplemental instructor for anatomy in the fall. She is majoring in public health.

Jeff Mitchell, father of Henry Mitchell and Julia Mitchell, died August 16, 2020.

Seth Hodges, a student at the College of William & Mary, started a podcast series, The No Politics Podcast, which looks at important subjects in a bipartisan way. It is available on Spotify and other platforms, and he hopes the Mercersburg community will give it a listen.

Patrice McGloin and her classmate at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are making history as the first Black female co-presidents of the Campus Y. The Campus Y is a collaborative space that unites students, staff, faculty, and community partners in the pursuit of social justice. Patrice is in her sophomore year at UNC, where she’s studying psychology and public policy. She is a Morehead Cain Scholar, an editor for The Bridge arts and literary magazine, co-chair of Criminal Justice Action and Awareness, and a research assistant for Dr. Frank Baumgartner, doing policy research on issues of racial equity and criminal justice.

Cherie Sio worked with Mercersburg faculty member Denise Dalton this spring to set a piece for the dance performance group activity.

’20 AJ Gray and the University of Hartford men’s basketball team won the America East Conference tournament to advance to the NCAA Division I Tournament (March Madness) for the first time in the school’s history.

In her first college season, Caroline Kranich was named all-conference as a goalkeeper for the Washington and Lee University women’s lacrosse team, which won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference and was ranked as high as No. 2 in the Division III rankings.

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In Memoriam

c ’42 Roderick G. Strohl, December 2, 2019.

Rod served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He worked in the family business, Stanley A. Strohl Chevrolet in Fogelsville, Pennsylvania, alongside his father and brother for many years.

Survivors include his wife of 73 years, Dorothy Dankel Strohl; a daughter and a son; five grandchildren; and seven greatgrandchildren. c ’43

John L. Gregory, November 19, 2020.

John served in the Navy during World War II and the Korean War. He received a bachelor of arts in economics from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He worked for Hammermill Paper before beginning a 40-year career with Zurn Industries.

Survivors include three daughters, two sons, 11 grandchildren, and a greatgrandchild.

Edward S. Young, December 26, 2020.

Ed graduated from Gettysburg College.

He was an independent insurance agent and had his own agency until he retired. He served as a township supervisor during the 1960s in Manchester Township, York County, Pennsylvania. Ed and his wife, Louise, traveled extensively around the world and established Mercersburg’s D. Louise and Edward S. Young ’43 Endowment Fund, which supports the teaching of U.S. constitutional principles with special consideration of the Bill of Rights and its foundation. He was preceded in death by a brother, John ’49. In addition to his wife, survivors include two daughters, two grandsons (including Drew ’94), three great-grandchildren, and a sister.

c ’44

John A. Biordi, January 24, 2021. John

served in the Navy during World War

II and attended the University of Michigan. He worked as a banker and then as an officer for the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation in the Chicago area. Survivors include two sons and a daughter, six grandchildren, and a brother.

H. William Hock Jr., June 6, 2020. Bill

attended Amherst College and served as director of business affairs for the Agnes Irwin School in Philadelphia. He lived in Wayne, Pennsylvania. Bill was preceded in death by a brother, Sam ’45, and is survived by a brother, Bob ’49.

William Liller, February 28, 2021. Bill’s

undergraduate studies at Harvard University were interrupted when he was drafted into the Navy and enrolled in the Radio Technician program. Returning to Harvard, he played on the baseball team and graduated; he later received a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Michigan. His career included stints at Michigan (associate professor); Harvard (the Robert Wheeler Chair of Applied Astronomy); a Guggenheim Fellowship; and the Instituto Isaac Newton in Chile (he developed a passion for archaeoastronomy after NASA sent him to Easter Island to observe Halley’s Comet). Survivors include a son and daughter, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

William J.M. Thompson, October 7,

2020. Bill was the salutatorian of his Mercersburg class; he graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Washington & Jefferson College, then served in the Korean War in the Army’s 1st Cavalry Division. He was managing editor at the Derrick Publishing Company and later worked for the Penn Grade Crude Oil Association. After graduating from the Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, Bill practiced at the Pennsylvania firm of Gent, Daniels &

Thompson, retiring in 1990. He was preceded in death by his brother, Clair.

Survivors include his wife of 39 years, Jane; two sons, George ’84 and Steve ’89; and three grandchildren (including Will ’17).

c ’45 Norman E. Leeds, March 5, 2020. A pioneer in the field of neuroradiology, Norman was a professor at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, and a professor of radiology at the University of Texas. He received a gold medal from the American Society of Neuroradiology. He and his wife, Beatrice, were married for 52 years.

Survivors include two children and four grandchildren. c ’47 Francis E. Gift, December 4, 2020. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania, Francis moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, where he worked as a designer for Maidstone Interiors and provided numerous stage sets for the Potomac Playmakers. He subsequently oversaw the Statton Furniture product line until his retirement, receiving numerous design awards along the way. He also served on the board of the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts for many years. Survivors include a daughter, a son, and a granddaughter.

Charles M. Hammond, January 2, 2021.

Charles earned a Ph.D. in metallurgical engineering from the University of Michigan while also serving as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve. He won numerous awards for his research at Allegheny Ludlum in Pennsylvania, became plant manager at TRW Metals in Alliance, Ohio, and later worked as an independent consultant. Retiring in 1992, he eventually settled in Huntley, Illinois.

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IN MEMORIAM

Survivors include Grace, his wife of 67 years; six children and 13 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Daniel L.D. Miller, November 22,

2020. Hallmarks of Dan’s lifelong interest in journalism and love of travel include positions as editor-in-chief of yearbooks at Mercersburg (the Karux) and the University of Iowa, and service in the Marine Corps as a correspondent and nightly news broadcaster. Following his discharge, Dan worked for a hotel association; later, he and his wife, Anne, founded a convention service business after relocating to San Antonio and a local dining guide after a move to Charleston. The Millers visited 184 countries for their subscription-based newsletter, Distinctive Destinations. In retirement, Dan wrote a book about du Pont family estates. Along with his wife of 63 years, Dan’s survivors include two daughters and four grandchildren.

c ’48

Howard R. Ankeny Jr., October 21, 2020.

Howard attended Lehigh University and worked in missile development at Patrick Air Force Base in Florida.

Marvin E. Gross, April 23, 2021.

Marvin studied animal husbandry at West Virginia University’s College of Agriculture, then attended the University of Florida while working as a cowboy for Lykes Brothers Meats.

He was drafted during this time and served as an officer in the Korean War. Returning to the University of Florida, Marvin earned a degree in landscape architecture, went to work in the turf industry at Palmer Nurseries, and eventually established his successful landscaping and tree farm business, Marvin’s Gardens. Marvin was preceded in death by his brothers, Roger ’46 and Steve ’50. Survivors include his wife, Pam; a daughter and a son; three

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Nick Coyne ’50 Former Board of Regents President

C

arroll “Nick” Coyne ’50, who was a member of Mercersburg’s Board of Regents for 27 years and served as its president from 1974 to 1982, passed away June 24, 2021, in Cazenovia, New York.

Born February 6, 1932, Nick attended Mercersburg for two years before graduating in 1950. His stepfather, George Manley (1913), and two cousins, Jim Flanagan ’36 and Tom Flanagan ’38, preceded him at the Academy. Coyne played football, basketball, and baseball and was a member of the Glee Club and Stony Batter Players.

He went on to Syracuse University, where he played basketball and baseball and earned bachelor’s and J.D. degrees; he would later serve as a Syracuse trustee and was part of the search committee for Hall of Fame basketball coach Jim Boeheim, who has been head coach at Syracuse since 1976.

Nick retired as managing partner of Hancock Estabrook LLP, where he practiced laborrelations law. He held leadership posts on numerous other nonprofit boards, including for Le Moyne College, the United Way, InterFaith Works, and Syracuse Stage.

He was asked to join Mercersburg’s Alumni Council in 1962, and served in that role until 1965, when he joined the Board of Regents. Nick became the Board’s eighth president in 1974, succeeding John Detwiler ’29. He later served a two-year term as Board vice president (1988 to 1990) and retired from the Board in 1992.

Nick was one of 26 members of his family to attend Mercersburg. The list includes his daughter, Tracy Coyne Tenney ’77; two grandsons, Miles Hearon ’16 and Aicher Hearon ’19; current Regent Dave Flanagan ’81 (his nephew); and Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Jenn Flanagan Bradley ’99 (his great-niece).

grandchildren; and a cousin, Board of Regents President Emeritus Edgar Masinter ’48.

Robert H. Miksch, February 14, 2021.

Robert graduated from Geneva College in Pennsylvania and served as a hospitalman in the Navy. He was married to Lorraine Jenkins for 41 years.

Robert owned and operated North Country RV in Queensbury, New York, for four decades. Survivors include two sons and two granddaughters.

James C. Pfautz, April 24, 2021. A former

member of Mercersburg’s Alumni Council, Jim attended Shrewsbury School in England after Mercersburg and captained the swim team at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Overseas postings included France, Vietnam (where he flew 188 combat missions), and Egypt. Stateside assignments included Air Force Systems Command at Andrews AFB, the National War College, the Pentagon, a Council on Foreign Relations fellowship, and Director for Intelligence, Pacific Command at Camp Smith, Hawaii. With his promotion to major

general, he was appointed U.S. Air Force assistant chief of staff for intelligence.

Jim received seven military decorations and awards over his career, and was the 2016 recipient of Mercersburg’s Class of ’32 Distinguished Alumni Award, which is the highest honor bestowed by the school. Survivors include two sons and a daughter, seven grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren.

c ’49

Stanley L. Bachman, May 11, 2021.

Stan was assigned to the Air Force after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy. He married Doris Rupp; together they raised six children, moving from Pennsylvania to Johnson Air Base, Japan, to Wright–Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, and then to Alvin, Texas, where Stan was employed

by NASA from 1964 to 1983. Stan is survived by three daughters and two sons, seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren.

Richard W. Delp, February 15, 2021.

Dick graduated from the University of Maryland, worked for his family’s business, Greer Transportation, and then trained thoroughbred racehorses for more than 30 years. Survivors include his wife, Katherine; two sons and two daughters; 10 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

John J. Parker, March 15, 2021. Jack

graduated from Cornell University with a degree in mechanical engineering.

After serving as a first lieutenant in the Army, he worked for General Electric and then Lindberg, a unit of General Signal. Survivors include Carol, his wife of 61 years, as well as three sons and four grandchildren.

Henry D. Rentschler III, January 4, 2014. The proprietor of H. Rentschler, a men’s clothing and furnishings

establishment in Sayre, Pennsylvania, Hank also owned the Valley House.

He was the owner and director of El Presidio Art Gallery in Tucson, Arizona, from 1974 until his retirement in 2008.

Survivors include four daughters, five grandchildren, and his former wife, Lori.

at Dean Witter Reynolds and was senior vice president at the Milwaukee Company (now Stifel). Survivors include two sons and a daughter, eight grandchildren, and his former wife, Edeltraud.

c ’50 Alfred E. Denio Jr., September 8, 2020.

Al graduated from Allegheny College and Tristate College. He served in the Army during the Korean War, then worked for Westinghouse and Eaton Corporation for 39 years. Survivors include two sons (Alf III ’72 and Pete ’74) and a daughter, a stepson, and 11 grandchildren.

graduated from Washington & Lee University and served in the Army Counterintelligence Corps in Germany, retiring as a lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve. His 36-year career with the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company took him to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Albany, Dallas, Cleveland, Akron, and Brussels, where he served as Director of Logistics–Europe, with responsibility for 18 countries. He was preceded in death by a brother, Bill ’46.

Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Patricia, as well as two sons and two granddaughters.

Rev. Dr. Hugh G. Nevin Jr., January 22, 2021. A former member of Mercersburg’s Alumni Council, Hugh graduated from Williams College, Union Theological Seminary, and Columbia Teachers College, where he earned a doctorate. An ordained Presbyterian (PCUSA) minister, he served nine different congregations in New York.

In 1963, Hugh created and ran for more than 16 years a collaboration of “town-and-gown” ministries to 22 campuses; he was also a director of Auburn Theological Seminary for 20 years. From 1980 until his retirement in 1996, he provided ministry staffing at Union College and SUNY Albany. He was preceded in death by his younger brother, David ’53. Survivors include Vaughn, his wife of 63 years; three children; and eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Edward H. Scheibler, January 19, 2021.

A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Yale University and a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Oxford University, Ed was headmaster at Gould Academy in Bethel, Maine, and taught history at Phillips Academy. Later he worked

Jacob A. Sites, December 4, 2017. Jack

c ’51 Robert L. Egolf, December 29, 2020.

Bob received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University and a doctorate of medicine from Temple Medical School.

He worked until his retirement as a physician for the University of South Florida. Survivors include his longtime life partner, Delores Thompson, as well as a son, six grandchildren, and several great-grandchildren.

David S. Mitchell, April 1, 2021. David was drafted into the Army after graduating from Muskingum College.

He later trained in what was then a new industry, computer programming.

During his career in this field, he became vice president of information technology at the Federal Home Loan Bank in Pittsburgh and president of a spinoff, Financial Accounting Services, which served savings & loan institutions in four states. He was preceded in death by a brother, Jack ’48. Survivors include

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IN MEMORIAM

Lota, his wife of 64 years, a son and a daughter, two grandchildren, and a brother, Robert ’60.

c ’52 William H. Kent, December 8, 2020.

Bill graduated from Lafayette College and Pennsylvania State University.

He retired in 2002 as the executive director of the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for the Pennsylvania House of Representatives’ Democratic Caucus.

Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Tanja, and a son. c ’53 James M. Grogan, January 2, 2020. Jim attended Bucknell University, then— much to his mother’s chagrin—enlisted in the Navy. He then became a successful salesman for Glidden Paint. Jim lived in Grosse Pointe Woods, Michigan.

Survivors include his wife, Barbara.

Stephen P. Hill, August 31, 2015. Stephen

earned a bachelor’s degree from Williams College, a J.D. from George Washington University Law School, and a master’s from Johns Hopkins University. He served in the Navy for three years. After marrying Joel Ann Goodrich, he moved to Washington, D.C., and joined the Peace Corps, serving in Brazil for two years. Stephen taught from 1971 to 1990, beginning at the Asheville School for Boys in North Carolina. He then became an administrator in Johns Hopkins’ Preventative Medicine Residency Program, retiring in 2000. Stephen was preceded in death by his brother, Edmund “Buck” Hill ’48. Survivors include a son, two daughters, and six grandchildren.

c ’54

Richard H. Carter, December 5, 2020.

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After attending Mercersburg, Richard ran the family business, the Flagship Restaurant, on the waterfront in Washington, D.C. He loved aviation and served as a pilot in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Survivors include two daughters and two grandsons.

William A. France Jr., March 6, 2021. Bill

was awarded the Headmaster’s Prize at Mercersburg and attended Pennsylvania State University. He then entered the family business, J.H. France Refractories, starting as a lab technician and working in every aspect of the business before becoming president. After his retirement in 1998, Bill continued to work as a consultant, sharing his knowledge of the company founded by his grandfather.

He was preceded in death by his father, William A. France Sr. (1916). Survivors include his wife, Hazel; two daughters and a son; and six grandchildren.

honorably discharged with the rank of captain. He then moved to Nashville, Tennessee, to work at Genesco.

He later joined Hospital Affiliates International and began a successful career in healthcare management.

Bob was the founding CEO of two startups, American Healthcorp and Home Technology Healthcare. He was a board member of many organizations, including the Salvation Army and Harpeth Hall School. Survivors include a daughter, son, and stepson, in addition to three grandchildren and two stepgrandchildren.

c ’56

Michael J. Alexander, September 21,

2020. Mike retired as president of Michael J. Alexander Associates in Pittsburgh. He lived in Bozeman, Montana. In addition to Diane, his wife of 34 years, survivors include three daughters and seven grandchildren.

c ’55 Stuart L. Fuld, November 1, 2019.

Stuart had a long career as a radiologist at MetroWest Medical Center in Framingham and Natick, Massachusetts.

In addition to his wife, Ulrike, survivors include a daughter, a son, and two granddaughters.

Jesse E. Fosselman, May 3, 2021. Jesse graduated from Lafayette College and started his career at IBM. After retirement, he founded Logisys, retiring a second time in 2005. Survivors include Jackie, his wife of 57 years, and a brother.

Malcolm F. Halliday, January 19, 2021.

Henry F. Goldner, October 24, 2020.

“Mal” graduated from Dartmouth College. He traveled as a Fulbright Scholar to Iceland, as an American Scholar to Denmark, and as a Ford Foundation Scholar to the former Soviet Union. He was a school principal in Montgomery County, Maryland, before retiring in 2004.

Robert C. Hilton, April 7, 2021. Bob

attended Princeton University and the University of Virginia Law School; he was involved in the Army ROTC while at both schools. He was deployed to Fort Riley in Kansas for two years and

A graduate of Syracuse University, Henry was the owner of Henry F. Goldner Accounting and Tax Preparation.

In addition to Susan, his wife of 37 years, survivors include four children and five grandchildren.

c ’57

Robert A. Buchanan, March 8, 2021.

Robert graduated from Lafayette College and worked as a CPA with AT&T, retiring in 1989. He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph ’27. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Constance;

a son and a daughter; four grandchildren; and a brother, Richard “Buck” Buchanan ’64.

c ’58

Kenneth L. Pheasant, March 4, 2021.

Kenneth served in the U.S. Army, then went to work alongside his father and uncle in food distribution in and around Erie, Pennsylvania. He later worked for the former Credit Bureau of Erie and CBJ Credit Recovery of Jamestown, New York. In addition to Mary, his wife of nearly 59 years, Kenneth is survived by his two sons, seven grandchildren, seven step-grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters.

J. Fellman Seinsheimer III, October

11, 2020. Fellman attended Tulane University and Texas Tech University.

Then, following in his father’s footsteps in the company founded by his grandfather, he worked for the American Indemnity Group, retiring in 1999 after serving as president and CEO for 40 years. He was the benefactor of Mercersburg’s Jessie Lee and Joseph Fellman Seinsheimer ’32 Fund and was preceded in death by his father, Joseph F. Seinsheimer Jr. ’32. Survivors include his wife, Susan; two sons and a daughter; and five grandchildren.

c ’59

William O. Dickerman, January 30, 2021.

Bill took several college courses after graduating from Mercersburg, then worked at the YMCA in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Survivors include several cousins.

Jerry L. Goldberg, October 6, 2020.

Jerry graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He served in the Army Reserve. Over the course of his business career, he was president and owner of Dunbar Building Products,

Awnwindo Manufacturing, and Branham Kinder Aluminum Products. He also served on the boards of several banks and professional associations. Jerry is survived by Joanna, his wife of 36 years; a son and a daughter; and four grandchildren.

Reeve B. Howland, May 15, 2021.

At Union College, Reeve studied mechanical engineering and was a member of the football team. His engineering career began at Hardinge Brothers. After more than a decade at Thatcher Glass, he became plant engineer at Facet Enterprises in 1979. He spent the remainder of his career there, managing the facilities and remediating decades of industrial pollution. During this time he was certified as a registered environmental manager. Reeve is survived by Karin, his wife of 56 years; two sons, including Pete ’90; and a granddaughter and three grandsons.

Guy H. Loucks, March 12, 2021.

After earning a bachelor’s degree and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, then serving in the Army during the Vietnam era, Guy went on to own a telecommunications consulting company. He was also a volunteer mentor with S.C.O.R.E., a program dedicated to small business development and growth. In addition to Nancy, his wife of 57 years,survivors include a daughter and a son,as well as a grandson.

c ’60

S.A. Evon Barvinchack, February 26,

2021. Evon graduated from the Palmer College of Chiropractic. He worked as a NADEP-certified disability examiner and an independent medical examiner.

For 51 years, he was a chiropractor in Greencastle, Pennsylvania, retiring in 2016. In addition to his wife, Georgia, survivors include a son and a daughter,

two stepdaughters, a stepson, and numerous grandchildren and greatgrandchildren.

c ’61

Joseph G. Lallande III, March 31, 2021.

Joe was on the swim team at Lehigh University, received an MBA from Columbia University, and served in the Mediterranean as a Navy supply officer aboard the USS Aucilla during the Six-Day War. He began his professional career at his father’s business, J. Gus Lallande in Puerto Rico, where later became CEO. After a stint with the Rice Growers Association of California and working on Long Island, Joe was named CEO of Maine Potato Growers, a co-op in Presque Isle. He also consulted for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Cuba and Saudi Arabia. In addition to Niki, his wife of more than 54 years, survivors include a son, a daughter, and five granddaughters.

c ’63

Robert T. Sollenberger, May 15, 2021.

An Eagle Scout, Rob followed in the footsteps of his father, Hal ’39, and attended the U.S. Naval Academy. His 26-year career as a surface warfare officer (a “black shoe”) included service in Vietnam and also as defense and naval liaison officer in Hong Kong. His proudest tour of duty involved serving as commanding officer of the USS Lang. Retiring in 1993, having attained the rank of captain, Rob took up volunteer work with the Virginia Beach Police Department and later with the McLean Volunteer Fire Department as a paramedic. He was preceded in death by his father and his brother, Richard ’68.

Ronald R. Roof, March 19, 2021. Ron

graduated from Catawba College and was a veteran of the Pennsylvania Army Reserve National Guard. After

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IN MEMORIAM

serving as assistant to State Senator D. Elmer Hawbaker, he became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s first state meteorologist and was subsequently promoted to chief of the Division of Weights and Measures in the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. Upon his retirement from state government, Ron worked at Citicorp as a customer service representative. Survivors include a brother.

c ’65 Rev. David P. Jones, February 11, 2020.

David earned a bachelor’s degree from Hobart and William Smith Colleges, a master’s of divinity from Philadelphia Theological Seminary, and a doctorate in ministry from Fuller Theological Seminary. He served as assistant rector and rector at Episcopal parishes in North Hills and Penn Hills, Pennsylvania, and Concord, New Hampshire; interim priest at various parishes in the Diocese of Chicago; and archdeacon of the Diocese of Pittsburgh. His volunteer engagements included the Visiting Nurses Association in Concord; St. Leonard’s Ministry in Chicago; and Leadership Evanston. David is survived by his wife, Heath; two daughters and five grandchildren; and a brother, Jay ’61.

James F. Wasilko, November 16, 2020.

Jim parlayed the nickname he acquired at Mercersburg—“Topper”—into an extraordinary career. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and an MBA from Loyola University Chicago. There, in 1970, an entry-level job at NBC Television started him on a journey that led to Draper Daniels (Chicago), Foote Cone & Belding (San Francisco), senior-level sales positions at ABC Television, and the role of executive marketing consultant at Jack Nicklaus Productions; there, after forming MDM Enterprises, Jim oversaw television sales and sponsorships, and

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also created new events. In addition to Kathy, his wife of 51 years, survivors include three children and five grandchildren.

c ’66 Frank A. Riebel, May 1, 2020. Frank attended Defiance College and served as president and partner of Hayden Development Corporation in Columbus, Ohio. c ’68 Francis E. Stultz, January 16, 2021.

“Buck” graduated from Ohio Wesleyan University with a bachelor’s degree in Spanish and five athletic letters. He married Valerie Beth White, whom he had met and fallen in love with at college. In the early years of their marriage, the couple lived on a number of Air Force bases across the country (Buck was a KC-135 pilot in Vietnam).

Survivors include two daughters and a son, six grandchildren, a sister, and a brother, Mike ’68. c ’70

H. Paul Steiger Jr., January 28, 2021. After

Paul graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, he began his career as a buyer for ladies’ handbags in the family business, which was originally called Steiger Brothers, then renamed Sharon Luggage & Gifts.

As president, Paul grew the business to include 16 stores throughout North and South Carolina before retiring in 2019.

In addition to his wife, Dia, survivors include two sons, a daughter, and three grandchildren.

c ’76

Mark H. Bistline, November 13, 2020.

Mark graduated with high honors from Kenyon College. He taught art at TASIS

England, where he coached varsity baseball and also played baseball for the British National Championship– winning Cobham Yankees; Wilbraham & Monson Academy in Massachusetts; and St. George’s School in Rhode Island.

In 1995, Mark and a colleague launched the first graphic-design firm to develop websites exclusively for independent schools. He returned to teaching in 2018 at Cape Cod Academy in Osterville, Massachusetts. Mark is survived by his wife of 20 years, Susan Andrade, and three children, as well as cousins Andy Rafuse ’77, Elise Rafuse ’78, and Susan Rafuse Kelly ’81.

c ’81 William C. Hollar Jr., December 14, 2020. Bill enlisted in the Army, where he became a member of the elite 101st Airborne Division and was deployed to the Sinai Peninsula for a UN peacekeeping mission. Returning home, he worked as a nurse at Washington County Hospital in Hagerstown until his love of numbers motivated him to get an accounting degree from Shippensburg University. Bill then worked for 17 years as a senior auditor for the Department of Defense, retiring in 2016. In addition to Julie, his wife of 32 years, survivors include two sons. c ’82 David T. Illingworth, January 21, 2021.

A 12-season varsity letterman at Mercersburg (in baseball, football, and wrestling), David graduated from Franklin & Marshall College, where he was a member of the baseball team. He was preceded in death by his father, Ted ’49. Survivors include two sisters, five nieces and nephews, a great-niece and two great-nephews, and five cousins. c ’83

Shannon H. McDonald, March 26, 2021.

Shannon earned a bachelor’s degree from Colby College, then launched her professional career in Boston, where she also earned a master’s degree in social work from Boston University. Her desire to help the neediest and most vulnerable led her to work with at-risk infants and children less than three years old. In addition to her husband, Howard, survivors include two sons, her mother and father, and her sister, Erin McDonald Rowley ’85.

c

’94

Lauren M. Gaffney Atkins, January 10,

2021. Lauren initially attended Penn State University, then transferred to George Mason University and graduated with a degree in English. She worked for the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the National Institute of Governmental Purchasing. In addition to her husband, Chris, survivors include two daughters, her father, and sisters Beckie Gaffney ’88 and Vicky Gaffney ’97.

c

’98

Jeffrey M. Adair, former faculty member,

December 20, 2020. Jeff was president of the senior class at Mercersburg and captain of the boys’ lacrosse team. He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Washington University.

A true global citizen, Jeff accompanied his family to diplomatic postings in Germany, Malaysia, Zaire, and Denmark while still a child. He taught and was dean of students at Eastside Preparatory School in the Seattle area, spent a year on the history faculty at Mercersburg (2017–2018), and taught overseas at schools in Oman, Thailand, and Romania. Survivors include his parents, a brother, his former wife (former staff member Monica Adair), and his fiancée, Ana Ionescu.

’06

c

Jillian Flail Beam, February 2021. Jillian

lived in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania.

Survivors include her husband, Jonathan; two sons; her parents and grandmother; and a sister, Adele Flail Rasmussen ’01.

c

’19

Tiffany McGhie, June 9, 2021. Tiffany

attended Mercersburg as a postgraduate student and was a standout on the girls’ varsity basketball team; she was the team’s most outstanding player and an All-Mid-Atlantic Prep League selection.

She also played tennis and was a member of the Irving Society and the Student Alumni Association. Tiffany was from Brooklyn, New York, and had just completed her second year at Canisius College, where she played on the women’s basketball team. Survivors include her mother and two brothers.

c Former

Faculty/Staff Friends

Peter D. Davenport, February 16, 2021.

Pete graduated from Tufts University and served in the Army’s 101st Airborne Division as a medic. He worked for Corning Glass and Kontes Glass before moving to the Arthur H. Thomas Corporation, where he served as director of corporate marketing for three of the firm’s companies before retiring in 2002.

He was also the executive trustee of the Davenport Family Foundation. His family and the foundation provided gifts for Mercersburg’s Davenport Squash Center (which opened in 2004) and Davenport College Counseling Center (which opened in 2018). Pete served on the Academy’s Board of Regents from 2001 to 2012.

Survivors include his wife, Sylvia; three children, Scott ’81, current Regent Cindy Davenport Borger ’83, and former Alumni Council member Sandra Davenport Simpson ’86; eight

grandchildren, including Erica Borger ’15, Julia Borger ’20, and Caroline Simpson ’22; and a sister, Linda Spire (whose husband is Regent Emeritus Hank Spire ’60).

Eddie E. Martin, former faculty member, November 13, 2020. Ed was a member of the history faculty at Mercersburg from 1979 to 1989, and was also an assistant football coach. He graduated from Shippensburg University and taught at James Buchanan High School (his alma mater) in Mercersburg, in addition to at the Academy. After retirement, he was ordained as a minister and taught at a youth detention center in Georgia. Survivors include his wife of 30 years, Janet Buice Martin; three children, including Amy Martin ’85 and Melissa Martin Atherton ’89; 14 grandchildren, including Nick Wertz ’18; and two great-grandchildren.

Richard S. Needham, former faculty

member, December 19, 2020. Rick earned a bachelor’s degree from Clemson University and a master’s from the University of Massachusetts.

A former draft choice of the Cleveland Indians, Rick taught and coached (football, basketball, baseball, track & field) at Mercersburg from 1981 to 1992, and served as chair of the science department. He also taught at schools in Massachusetts and Brazil and at the Harrisburg Nativity School in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Survivors include his wife of 13 years, Janice F. Needham; two sons, Erik ’91 and Matt ’95; and three grandchildren.

Curtis L. Pensinger, former staff

member and husband of staff member Barb Mann Pensinger, March 31, 2021.

Susann F. Posey, former staff member, December 6, 2020. Susann was a librarian at Mercersburg from 1989 to 1998.

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FROM THE ARCHIVES

T

ake a stroll through the pages of the esteemed Mercersburg News from the early part of the 20th century.

Hard as it might be to imagine today, A-list celebrities

regularly hawked cigarettes from its black-and-white broadsheets, and Academy gents could enjoy the finest of cuisines (“turkey, steak, and chicken dinners”) locally for a mere 75 cents.

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AFINAL BOW NTS

If ever there was a time for an outdoor musical—and a true ensemble production at that—it was 2021. Stony Batter Players presented A Chorus Line in the “Performance Garden” next to the Burgin Center for the Arts; it was the final show of the incredible career of director Laurie Mufson (front row, right, with some of the cast).

100 Academy Drive Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236-1524 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Hagerstown, MD Permit #93

Breaking Records Isaac Newman ’21 is off to the United States Military Academy. Before he departed Mercersburg for West Point, though, he left his name in the record book—twice. Newman broke the school’s boys’ one-meter diving records for the six-dive and 11-dive events. Fellow West Point enrollee Alex Edwards ’21 also set a school record in the pool this spring in the boys’ 200-yard individual medley.

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE