Reunion Weekend 2017

REUNION WEEKEND

JUNE 8-11, 2017

REUNION WEEKEND FAMILY FUN Kids 12 and younger eat free all weekend!

Make Reunion Weekend a mini-vacation for the whole family by bringing along your children or grandchildren. Many of the weekend’s events—from an outdoor movie to a train museum tour—will appeal to kids and offer them an introduction to Mercersburg and its campus.

Childcare for infants through age 12 will be available at nearby First United Methodist Church from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. The fee of $25 per evening includes dinner and snacks. Families with more than one child will be charged an additional $5 per evening per child. The deadline to register for childcare is June 6.

Family-Friendly Highlights Swimming

Virtual Reality Demo

Farm Tour

Basketball

Outdoor Movie

Birds of Prey

Train Museum Tour

Climbing Wall

Family Dorm

Thursday

JUNE 8 re-envisioning what it means for students to be global citizens. Find out from Leah how the Mercersburg experience has an expanding global perspective.

 Golf Scramble with Schelley Hollyday ’72 and Teddy Zimmerman ’06 ($30) – Departs 12:30 p.m.

Break out your clubs and play nine holes at Penn National Golf Club in Fayetteville, Pennsylvania. Rated four stars by Golf Digest, Penn National’s Founders course will entice beginners and advanced players alike. (The cost includes transportation, golf fee, and cart rental. Space is limited; please register by May 22.)

 Virtual Reality Demo with Katie Stover ’07 – 4 p.m.

Stand on a yacht without getting sea sick, or start a pillow fight in a luxury hotel without getting in trouble.

Come try an interactive virtual reality experience with Katie Stover ’07, marketing executive for HighRock Studios, and see how the future of business strategy is where creativity and technology collide.

 Gettysburg Civil War History with Tim Rockwell – 2 p.m.

Fewer than 50 miles from Mercersburg lies one of the most famous battlefields in the country. Faculty emeritus Tim Rockwell will bring American history to life as he shares stories from Gettysburg. Learn about the Civil War’s bloodiest battle and pivotal confrontation. (This session will be especially informative if you plan to participate in the Gettysburg tour on Friday.)

 Faculty Recognition and Alumni Awards Dinner – 6 p.m.

Head of School Katie Titus and the Alumni Council invite you to a reception and family-style dinner to kick off Reunion Weekend 2017. Join them in recognizing faculty emeriti with 40 or more years of service to Mercersburg, this year’s Class of ’32 Award winner, and this year’s Alumni Council awards recipients.

(See list below.)

 Mercersburg’s Global Programs with Leah Rockwell ’97 – 4 p.m.

Since her appointment last fall as Mercersburg’s first-ever director of global programs and initiatives, faculty member Leah Rockwell ’97 has been

 Outdoor Movie – 8:30 p.m.

Enjoy a summer flick on the graduation platform between Keil Hall and South Cottage.

2017 Faculty Honorees and Alumni Award Recipients Faculty Emeriti

Class of ’32 Distinguished Alumnus Award

Alumni Council Prize for Achievement

Bill Zimmerman ’67

John Martinko ’97

Earle Grover 40 Years of Service

Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Achievement

Alumni Council Prize for Service

Karl Reisner 44 Years of Service

Jim Dresher ’67

Gabriel Hammond ’97

Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Service

Young Alumni Leadership Award

Bob Kurtz ’52

Chuck Roberts ’07

Brent Gift 43 Years of Service

David Tyson 40 Years of Service

Friday

JUNE 9

 Breakfast – 7 a.m.  Gettysburg Battlefield Tour with Tim Rockwell and Ray Larson ($30) – Departs 7:45 a.m./Returns 2:30 p.m.

Gettysburg National Military Park spans more than 6,000 acres and attracts 1 million visitors every year.

Join faculty emeriti Tim Rockwell and Ray Larson for a guided tour of the battlefield and see where thousands of soldiers gave what Abraham Lincoln called “the last full measure of devotion.” (The cost includes transportation, tour, and lunch. Space is limited; please register by May 22.)

 Rock Wall Climbing with Jennifer Miller Smith ’97, Alex Krill ’07, and Pete Gunkelman – 9 a.m.

Scale new heights on Mercersburg’s 30-foot climbing wall in the Masinter Outdoor Education Center with Alex Krill ’07 and faculty members Jennifer Miller Smith ’97 and Pete Gunkelman. The wall has courses for beginner, intermediate, and advanced climbers.

(Equipment will be provided.)

 History of Mercersburg Art with Doug Smith – 9 a.m.

Join School Archivist Doug Smith on a walking tour of a selection of Mercersburg’s fine art collection. From The Victor in Traylor Hall to the intricate mantel in the Edwards Room, Doug will discuss the history behind the acquisition of several pieces and the legacy of those who created them.

 Stories of the Chapel’s Stained Glass Windows with Will Whitmore – 10:30 a.m.

The Irvine Memorial Chapel’s stained glass windows are treasured for their beauty, craftsmanship, and detail, but who are the people and animals depicted in them? Join School Minister Will Whitmore as he tells the stories behind a few of the Chapel’s windows.

 Lunch – 11:30 a.m.  Tour of Bending Bridge Farm with Cameron Pedersen ’92 and Todd McGuire – 1:30 p.m.

Locally sourced foods and community-supported

agriculture are growing trends across the country.

Hear from Cameron Pedersen ’92, owner of Fort Loudon’s Bending Bridge Farm, about partnerships among consumers and from faculty member Todd McGuire, who maintains the school garden.

 Business of Sport with Rick Hendrickson and Bob Snyder ’97 – 1:30 p.m.

Learn about the many elements that contribute to one of the most dominant influences in today’s world: sports. Join Bob Snyder ’97, field marketing manager for Red Bull North America, and Mercersburg’s director of athletics, Rick Hendrickson, as they discuss topics ranging from ticket sales to social media’s impact on fan loyalty.

 Birds of Prey with Jim Malone – 3 p.m.

Learn about predators of the skies from faculty member Jim Malone, who will give a lesson on hawk and owl biology and may even introduce you to baby barn owls and kestrels.

 Veterans in the Workforce with Rob Porcarelli ’87 – 3 p.m.

Rob Porcarelli began his career in the United States Navy as a lawyer for the Judge Advocate General’s Corps. Today, as Starbucks’ vice president of general counsel, he has helped develop a program that offers veterans professional opportunities with the company.

Learn more about Rob’s distinguished career supporting the military and its veterans.

 Reception – 5 p.m.

Join the Alumni Council for cocktails and appetizers and mingle with fellow alumni and their guests.

 Dinner – 6:30 p.m.  S’mores with the Class of 2012 – 10:30 p.m.

Join the Class of 2012 on the Simon Student Center patio for s’mores at the Stolz Fire Pit.

 Simon after Dark: Karaoke – 10:30 p.m.

Break out your go-to karaoke song with DJ Phantom Shadow.

Saturday

JUNE 10

 Breakfast – 7 a.m.  Morning Workout – 9 a.m.

Choose from basketball with faculty coach Sean Crocker; a cross-country run with Rich Haskell ’72 and Hilary Morgan Walter ’97; squash with faculty coach Chip Vink ’73, Sarah Allen ’12, and Nikki Rhyne ’12; swimming with faculty assistant coach Coleman Weibley and Lindley Peterson Fleury ’77; tennis with faculty coach Eric Hicks, Jeff Frankel ’72, and Lisa Lewandowski Straface ’77; biking with Scott Weaver ’82; and walking guard with faculty emeritus Tim Rockwell.

 Q&A with Head of School Katie Titus – 10 a.m.

Get to know Mercersburg’s seventh head of school, Katie Titus, and hear her impressions of Mercersburg as her first year comes to a close.

 Train Museum Tour – 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Opened in 1973 behind South Cottage, the McFadden Model Railroad Museum features hundreds of Lionel train engines and cars, some of which date to the 1920s. Children and adults alike will be fascinated by this functioning model railroad.

 Remembrance Ceremony – 11 a.m.

Gather with fellow reunion classes in honoring the memory of alumni who have passed away since your last reunion.

 Lunch – 11:30 a.m.

(1952, 1957, and 1962 will hold class lunches.)

 Women at Mercersburg with John David Bennett – 1:30 p.m.

Hear from faculty member John David Bennett how students in his Springboard course, Parallel Histories, used archival documents, personal interviews, and investigative research to tell the stories of women who were a part of some of the most interesting times in Mercersburg’s history.

 The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet with Rip Esselstyn ’82 – 1:30 p.m.

Since his book The Engine 2 Diet became a New York Times bestseller in 2009, Rip Esselstyn ’82 has discovered that people can transform their health in seven days rather than the 28 he thought necessary to see results from a plant-strong diet. Rip will walk through the seven pillars of his new book The Engine 2 Seven-Day Rescue Diet and how to implement them for big results.

 Beer Garden with Adam Reeder ’97 – 3 p.m.

Adam Reeder ’97, vice president of strategic initiatives for Ace Distributing, will present a selection of adult beverages from Starr Hill Brewery. Learn about this Virginia-based company and sample a few of their fine ales.

Saturday

JUNE 10

 Class Receptions and Photos – 6 p.m.

Enjoy a reception with your classmates prior to capturing a group shot of this special moment for posterity.

 Class Dinners and Dancing – 7 p.m.

This semiformal dinner with classmates is the culmination of Reunion Weekend. Live music and dancing with the Odyssey Band of D.C. will follow on the Prentiss-Zimmerman Quad.

 Photo Booth – 9 p.m.

Grab your classmates for formal, funny, or candid photos in the Burgin Center’s north gallery. Stony Batter props will be available to accessorize your Kodak moment.

 Class Tent Cup Presentation – 10 p.m.

Find out whether your class has earned the coveted Reunion Weekend Class Cup for best tent judged on creativity and school spirit.

Sunday

JUNE 11

 Breakfast – 7 a.m.  Check-Out – 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.  Chapel Service – 10 a.m.

School Minister Will Whitmore will lead an ecumenical service in the Irvine Memorial Chapel.

@mburgalumni #mburgreunion #OneMercersburg

Registering for Reunion Weekend is quick and easy: visit www.mercersburg.edu/reunionweekend or call 800-588-2550 Campus Facilities

Dormitory Accommodations

Nolde Gym’s Flanagan Pool, Plantz Basketball Courts, Davenport Squash Center, and McDowell Fitness Center, the Hale Field House, Smoyer Tennis Center, and Lenfest Library will be available for your use throughout Reunion Weekend.

Lodging is available in the dorms at a cost of $30 per bed per night, plus a $25 refundable security deposit. This fee includes linens, towels, and a blanket. (You may bring sleeping bags or air mattresses for children.) Guests are encouraged to check in by 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 p.m. Friday, or 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

If you plan to arrive after check-in, you will be able to pick up your room key by contacting the Security Office upon arrival at 717-328-1111.

School Store Browse for your favorite Mercersburg merchandise in the Class of 1960 School Store in the Simon Student Center.

Campus Tours Stop by registration to pick up a self-guided tour booklet of campus.

Sculpture Exhibit Faculty member Pete Gunkelman will have an exhibit on display in the Cofrin Gallery, Burgin Center for the Arts.

Check-In Stop by the Simon Student Center to receive an updated schedule of events and your dorm assignment and room key (if applicable). Check-in will be open from 1 to 7 p.m. Thursday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, and 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday.

Accommodations and Restaurants For a list of local hotels, bed-and-breakfasts, and restaurants, contact the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations at 800-588-2550 or visit www.mercersburg.edu/reunionweekend.

Tobacco and Alcohol Policy Mercersburg is a smoke-free campus; tobacco use is not permitted at any time. Consumption of alcohol on campus may only take place when provided by the school at designated events.

Responsible consumption is expected, and failure to observe this policy may result in dismissal from campus.

Mercersburg Academy 300 East Seminary Street Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236-1551

REUNION WEEKEND

JUNE 8-11, 2017

www.mercersburg.edu/reunionweekend