SUMMER 2015
FULBRIGHT FUTURES
COLLEGE MAGAZINE
INFOCUS: THE FIRST CYCLE
ANOTHER WAY TO GIVE BACK
summer 2015 MAGAZINE
2 Prelude
Burton L. Kelchner ‘43 shares stories of his time working on The Manhattan Project at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory
4 President’s Letter
Bryon L. Grigsby ’90 sheds light on a busy summer of transition for Moravian College
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20 Greyhound Sports 22 Alumni News 24 Class Notes
10 Fulbright Futures Robin Tieperman ’15 joins a long line of Fulbright scholars
from Moravian College
12 Another Way To Give Back There’s more than one way to support your alma mater —
by providing internships to current students, for some
15 InFocus: The First Cycle A look back on the first four years of Moravian College’s
dynamic thematic programming vision
18 Man on the Move Ekow Bedu-Amissah ’06 isn’t afraid to take serious leaps in his
life or his career
Moravian College Magazine : Nina Elias, editor; Mark J. Fleming, sports editor; Chelsea Clifford, communications associate-graphic design; Christie Jacobsen ’00, webmaster, Michael P. Wilson, director of public relations and marketing. Photography: John Kish IV, Nina Elias, Doug Benedict, Chelsea Clifford and Colin Bright Alumni Engagement: Bob Gratz ’75, director, Amanda Werner ’13, assistant director, Patricia Murray Hannah ’82, assistant director of career development and alumni engagement, Barbara Parry, administrative assistant, class notes coordinator. Copyright 2015 by Moravian College. Photographs and artwork copyright by their respective creators or by Moravian College. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reused or republished in any form without express written permission. Cover design by Chelsea Clifford
Out & About
prelude
Stories from the Moravian community
The main gate of Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, where Burton L. Kelchner, pictured during his senior year at Moravian College (right), spent several years working on Project Y, or The Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the atomic bomb.
Memories of an SED: An Excerpt
By Burton L. Kelchner ’43
Not long after graduating from Moravian College in 1943, Burton L. Kelchner spent the beginning of his career with the U.S. Army as a Special Engineering Detachment, or SED, in Los Alamos, NM during World War II. He was putting his chemistry skills to work for Project Y, only to learn later on it was the top-secret Manhattan Project. Little is known about the soldiers and scientists — all enlisted men — that worked on the “hill” during that time, a sad truth that inspired Kelchner to write a personal account of his time as an SED. A full copy of his autobiography is now and forever archived in Reeves Library. Here is an excerpt: After about six weeks at Los Alamos I received my
Roosevelt to match their efforts. We all had enough scien-
“Q” security clearance, which meant the government had
tific education to understand now in a vague sort of way
completed its investigation into my background: loyalty
what was going on at the Los Alamos Scientific Laborato-
to the U. S., honesty, good character, etc. I was now to be
ry. At that time I became a Staff Member of the laboratory,
trusted with whatever secrets were developed during my
with such privileges as access to any of the labs necessary
stay at Los Alamos (and afterwards until possible de-
to my work, access to any secret documents pertaining to
classification). I attended a special meeting where we were
my work and permission to attend the weekly seminars
told about the attempt by the Germans to build an atomic
(“colloquia,” in their nomenclature).
bomb, the history of the nuclear physics making it theoretically possible and the decision by President Franklin D.
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It was a great honor to hear the likes of Oppenheimer, Lawrence, Fermi, Teller, Rabbi, Bohr (the “father” of the
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atom who came to the U. S. from Denmark to work as “Dr.
weapons ready. Show time had finally come! For my part,
Baker”), Seaborg, Beta and a host of others, many of who
Dr. Wichers assigned another SED in our section to work
were Nobel Prize winners. There was also a contingent of
with me. We were not working with grams now, but with
British scientists working on the hill. Dr. Klaus Fuchs, later
kilogram quantities divided into criticality safe batches.
to become the famous Russian spy, was among them.
The two of us set up a mini production line and worked
Life on the hill was not very militaristic for us SEDs. We got up at 6:00 A. M. for our shower, dressing and roll call, although no reveille formation or bugles. After breakfast
twelve hours a day each (I worked days, he worked nights) for almost two weeks before the job was done. The “little boy” was finally ready for final assembly.
it was only a quarter mile walk up the hill to the Tech
On the other side of the main corridor of Building “D” the
Area where we worked until lunch. All this meant clothing
plutonium technologists were doing the same thing. The
changes in and out with constant radiation monitoring.
theoretical physicists had already made two decisions: (1)
We had most Sundays off. We could not yet get passes to
the “little boy” was a sure thing. Don’t waste it on a test.
go to Santa Fe, so our time was spent largely with laun-
(2) The plutonium weapon (“fat man“) was not a sure
dry, letter writing or hiking. There was no movie theatre,
thing; test it down at the Alamogordo Testing Range in
bowling alley, golf course or any other amenities of the
southern New Mexico.
civilized world. We could play pool in the Big House, but
The brilliant flash of light, the awe inspiring mushroom
the wait was generally too long. I learned to play bridge,
cloud and the shock wave are all recorded in much public
and I began to make friends. My bunkmate, bridge teacher
literature now, but that day’s news merely referred to what
and partner Warren Hodges, became my best friend during
distant people saw as an accidental explosion of a large
wartime Los Alamos.
amount of munitions on a bombing range. I could have
My first assignment was to attempt to develop some of
seen the glow that morning in Albuquerque had I remem-
the most highly purified common reagents ever produced.
bered. I had gone down to our apartment Saturday night to
After I was granted my “Q” level clearance, I learned that
see my wife, Ann. We got up early on that Monday morn-
this assignment was necessary for the ultimate develop-
ing so that I could ride back to Los Alamos with an SED
ment of super pure enriched uranium metal to preclude
friend of mine who had an apartment close by. The blast
pre-detonation in a fission bomb. When I was finished, Dr.
occurred at about 5:00 a.m. and he remembered to look.
Edward Wichers was ecstatic! He told me that the final
When I walked to his car he was all excited and asked if I
analysis showed a purity level that would be worthy of
had seen the glow. It was visible in Albuquerque some two
a new atomic weight for the element magnesium, but of
hundred miles away. I was crestfallen—but then, the visit to
course this wasn’t possible since all our work was highly
my sweetheart was worth much more to me than that.
classified. I did not appreciate the importance of this result at the time. Apparently because of Dr. Wichers’ group’s overall success, he was given the responsibility of producing the pure enriched uranium metal to be used in a uranium weapon. Since I had been so successful in preparing ultra pure magnesium, he gave me the assignment. I was thrilled with my new responsibility. This work resulted in the method used for purifying the uranium used in the first uranium fission bomb (little boy). The letter I received from Dr. Oppenheimer after the war was over was a commendation for this achievement. It is my most treasured possession. By now the lab was in an accelerated mode to get some Ann and Burt in 2014, celebrating their 70th wedding anniversary. SUMMER 2015
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fromthePRESIDENT Dear Fellow Hounds, I hope all of you are enjoying a restful, relaxing summer. Summer is a time of transition for us that work at Moravian. In May, we released 383 new Hounds to graduate school or their first job. I can say they are very well prepared, embrace the values they learned at Moravian and will make a difference in the world and society. In July we launch Vision 2020, our Strategic Plan for 2015-2020, and we start preparing for the incoming class of 2019. The incoming class will be a record class of 538 first-year students. This puts us well on our way to a goal of 2000 students by 2020. Additionally, the number of applications has gone up by 80% and acceptance rate has gone down. We are truly in a great position as a college. We have also started to build for future growth. We continue to move forward with our partnership with St. Luke’s to develop programs in Athletic Training, Occupational Therapy and Physical Therapy. We are turfing and lighting the soccer field to better meet the demands of soccer, lacrosse and field hockey. Finally, we have begun the planning for the new Health Sciences Building, which will be located on Main and Laurel Streets and will be a signature building for Nursing, Informatics, and Public Health. This is a great time to invest in our alma mater and to further her noble history. In this issue, you will see how some alumni are giving back by offering students internships and co-ops. You will also read about our innovative InFocus program as it completes its first four-year cycle. Burton Kelchner from the class of 1943 reflects on his involvement with the Los Alamos project, and Robin Tieperman from the class of 2015 talks about being the 12th Fulbright Scholar from Moravian in the past 15 years. You will also read about reunions, special speakers, golf outings and alumni news. Our alumni continue to shape their alma mater and the world. We have so much to be proud of in our alumni and in our college. As I close out this letter, I would like to thank all of you who continue to give your time, talent and treasures to Moravian College. Because of you, we are strong and are getting stronger everyday. There are new buildings being constructed, new programs being started and new scholarships funding the next generation of Hounds. We are closing in on our 275th anniversary, and we are building for our next 200 years. Thank you to all of you who make that possible.
Sincerely, Bryon L. Grigsby ’90 President
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Out&About Civil Rights Figure Reverend James Lawson Educates on Nonviolence Theory, Engages in Dialogues If there was ever a time for an official blue and grey carpet, we would have rolled it out for the arrival of the Reverend James M. Lawson II, one of America’s foremost civil rights leaders and nonviolent change advocates. Rev. Lawson spent three days on campus in April meeting with faculty and students, engaging in open dialogues about nonviolence theory and fielding questions from the campus community. Rev. Lawson is a pillar of the 1960s civil rights movement, having trained many key leaders in the strategy and philosophy of nonviolence. He remains one of the most important advocates for nonviolence in American history. According to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Lawson is “the leading theorist and strategist of nonviolence in the world.” His time at Moravian College, busy as it was, served as an impactful culmination to the 2014-2015 InFocus
topic for investigation: War, Peacebuilding and the Just Society. “I never completely understood how so much of the civil rights movement could be so grounded in nonviolence, and now I have a better idea,” said Robert Mayer, professor of education, who connected with Lawson last year and was one of several faculty members who guided Lawson throughout his three-day stay at the College. “After these days, I have come to see how profoundly Rev. Lawson shaped the [civil rights] movement, something missing from the current narrative shared in much writing.” On the final evening of his stay, Lawson presented a public lecture titled “Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?” Following his talk, Lawson was presented with an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree as a celebration of his life’s work.
Moravian College Receives First Mellon Grant Moravian College recently received a $100,000 grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to highlight and increase the relevancy and vibrancy of the humanities in 21stcentury liberal education through digital storytelling and blended learning. The College’s first grant from the Mellon Foundation will fund an 18-month plan to strengthen the relevance of a humanities education by utilizing the latest digital learning and storytelling tools to excite and engage students and reinvigorate how they pursue and internalize life’s enduring questions. The grant provides stipends to faculty members in the humanities to create a new course or redesign an existing one that futher integrates the use of blended and multi-modal learning techniques into the curriculum. This fall, 16 faculty members split into two cohorts will use resources from the Mellon grant to redesign an existing course for the upcoming academic year, incorporating multi-modal, blended learning, and digital storytelling techniques. The grant also funds oncampus talks and workshops led by nationally-recognized figures in digital pedagogy, as well as smaller workshops that focus on the technical skills to support larger initiatives. “We’re positioned well as a college because we already have a long tradition of critical thinking and reflective writing practices,” said Erica Yozell, chair of the department of modern languages and literatures and co-director of the grant with Lauren Nicholas, educational technologist. “It’s logical to extend that into the digital environment, an environment that is a part of our students’ lives already.”
TOP: Rebecca Frost Davis, director of instructional and emerging technology at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, leads a blended learning workshop. BOTTOM: Faculty members discuss implementing blended learning techniques following Davis’ talk, “Liberal Education in the Emerging Digital Ecosystem”
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Moravian College was named one of 353 ‘Green Colleges’ by The Princeton Review
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Out&About ‘Journey From The East’ Embeds Students, Liberal Arts Into Community Project “Journey From The East,” a two-year community project and theatrical partnership with Touchstone Theatre inspired by the growing influx of Chinese peoples and culture in Bethlehem, Pa., culminated in a theatrical production of the same name on April 18-19 and 25-26. The play, co-produced by Moravian College and Touchstone Theatre, featured Moravian College students and faculty, the Touchstone Ensemble, guest artists from Utopia Group of China, and performers from the greater Lehigh Valley community. The production, performed at the outdoor Chinese Harmony Pavilion, tackled the global cultural issues that currently resonate with the city of Bethlehem, namely the influx of Chinese-American visitors coming through the Sands Casino. “You see the situation in Bethlehem as a microcosm of what’s happening in our country at large,” said Christopher Shorr, director of Moravian College Theatre and co-writer of the show with Touchstone co-founder Bill George. “The
New Health Science Program to Prepare Students for Allied Health Careers
more we dug into the subject, the more we realized questioning one’s identity in a changing world is a central theme for our city and for the country.” For the student actors, the subject matter was a way to connect with the year’s InFocus topic of exploration out of the classroom. “I’m here all the way from Maine, and being in such a new area made me want to reach out and connect with the community of this town that I’ll be calling home for the next four years,” said student actor Zimra Winters ’18. And for the audience, Shorr hoped the play helped the community gain a greater understanding of this cultural collision. “We tried to go beyond asking questions and start to offer some solutions. Some plays only ask questions. We try to shine a light on a path toward better understanding.”
Moravian College launched a new undergraduate major, “Health Sciences,” to begin in Fall 2015. Nearly 30 incoming students have indicated their intent to pursue the major and a number of current students have already self-designed a similar program. After completing a common core of courses, students can choose one of three professional tracks: athletic training, occupational therapy and physical therapy. Students will complete at least 50 hours of clinical shadowing of certified professionals in their chosen field, and come together for a capstone seminar, “Social Issues in Health Sciences,” during their final semester. “It’s that joint, collaborative learning environment which is so key. And, of course, they will have the breadth of education that a liberal arts education provides,” says Carol Traupman-Carr ’86, dean of curriculum and academic programs. “The program is committed to advancing the dual mission of higher education to prepare students for both successful professional careers and for civic responsibility.”
Sweet Moves! Moravian College Dance Company Celebrates 40th Anniversary The Moravian College Dance Company celebrated 40 years of dance on campus with a concert on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11. Moravian College student and alumni dancers and choreographers showcased their hard work alongside guest artists and dance companies from the greater Lehigh Valley dance community.
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SUMMER 2015
THE 2015 MORAVIAN STARS Richard & Monica Schantz ✵ Dr. Robert R. “Doc” Windolph ✵ Ray S. Bishop, Jr. ’81 ✵ Teri McCandless Bishop ’81 ✵ Laurie Riley Brubaker ’82 ✵
Brittany E. Garzillo ’13 ✵ Ralph M. Mittl ’62 ✵ Ralph F. Mittl ’86 ✵ David M. Mittl ’90 ✵ Jeffrey M. Mittl ’96 ✵
Dr. George Diamond ✵ Coach John Makuvek ✵ Kenneth J. Rampolla ’79 ✵ Anne McCandless Rampolla ’79 ✵ Robert P. Flicker ’71 ✵
Moravian College hosted its 2nd Annual “A Night of Stars” benefit on April 17th at the ArtsQuest Center in Bethlehem. Alumni and friends of the College walked the red carpet (complete with paparazzi!) for an evening of dinner and drinks, dancing with Philadelphia Funk Authority and a cigar on the patio while honoring 16 of our star-worthy alumni and emeriti faculty who continue to make a difference on and off campus. Additionally, the event benefited the College’s student financial aid.
Shining Stars Honoring Our
Save the Date A Night of Stars returns next year on Friday, April 8, 2016.
HOUNDS REVIEWING HOUNDS By Nina Elias
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Hounds who hire on the job weigh in on the new way our students are marketing themselves to employers: ePortfolios
N
o matter what your professional field, we have all felt the pressure in the days leading up to a job interview — especially when it comes to updating our respective forms of a portfolio. We fill them with our resumes, our accolades and the best examples of our work. But the newest group of graduating Hounds will enter the workforce with a different kind of show-and-tell product: the ePortfolio. Like the name suggests, students are now creating electronic spaces that house all the pertinent information an employer could want or need in one personalized digital space. Katie P. Desiderio, assistant professor of management, is one of several faculty members leading the ePortfolio charge at Moravian College. She started tasking students with creating their own ePortfolios in her Organizational Behavior Leadership class three years ago and has already seen a difference in their futures. “My students come back from their interviews and tell me they blew their potential bosses away,” Desiderio says during an ePortfolio workshop put on by FYS, CAT and the College’s Mellon Foundation grant. “They tell me it helped differentiate them from other candidates, and one of my students is now demonstrating the art of ePortfolios to her colleagues at her job.” This year’s crop of Desiderio’s students recently got an extra endorsement for their ePortfolios — in April, students presented their ePortfolios to distinguished alumni and local professionals in a series of four ePortfolio Professional Panels. Students networked with their panel members during lunch before presenting their portfolios to the panel and their classmates. The panelists responded with constructive criticism and a lot of praise— they called the entire experience inspiring. “You need to be able to present yourself well. The moment you come into a room and sit down, you are being judged,” says Karen Yeakel ’82, vice president of investor relations for CrossAmerica Partners LP. “I think it is important for us to let these students know what someone at a professional level sees—what works, and what bothers us.” These panels also serve as another way for alumni to connect to the College. “The students are always warm and welcoming,” says Laura Haffner ’86, Area President and Senior Vice President of the Lehigh Valley division of Wells Fargo. This was her second year evaluating ePortfolios. “I realize it’s because of the outstanding educational experience I enjoyed at Moravian that I have had opportunities for success in my career and I am very appreciative. I am always interested in finding ways to help other Moravian students in the same way I have been helped and guided as a student.” In Desiderio’s class, students design their own ePortfolio websites to include whatever sections they want — from relevant course work and papers to video and multimedia elements and a personal note about their journey, Desiderio is committed to letting her students communicate their unique message. “This is an opportunity for reflection,” says Desiderio. “There is a real interdisciplinary connection here, they can see how their major is embedded in the liberal arts and in the greater journey.” SUMMER 2015
LEFT: Desiderio,
Joseph King, Tara Davis and Yeakel ’82 regroup between presentations. Walls ’98 gives valuable feedback to a packed classroom. RIGHT: Haffner ’86 turns her years of experience into important suggestions for a student presenter. CENTER: Jack
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FULBRIGHT FUTURES Robin Tieperman ’15 joins the ranks of Fulbright Scholars from Moravian College By Nina Elias
Ask one of the just-graduated members of the class of 2015 what they hope the next year of their life will bring, and you’ll hear much of the same: a full-time job in their field, an apartment or home of their own, maybe even the pursuit of another degree. Robin Tieperman ’15, an education and Spanish major, doesn’t want her post-grad plans to resemble a ‘plan’ at all; in fact, she’d trade it all in for a life-changing experience. It’s what inspired her to apply for an English Teaching Assistantship Fulbright Scholarship in Mexico, and her passion for forming relationships across cultures is what pushed Tieperman and her application over the edge to become the 12th Fulbright scholar from Moravian College in the past 15 years. Tieperman will spend the next year teaching English in Mexico (Tieperman hasn’t received her full assignment yet), but she believes she’ll be getting an education of her own. “When you get to know the people of another culture, you’re not just knowing a place. You’re knowing the heart and soul of a place,” she says. “Mexico is our southern neighbor, and I think this is a really unique way to learn about each others’ cultures outside of what you hear on the news.” Tieperman came to Moravian College by way of Central Bucks County in Pennsylvania. She immediately fell in love with Bethlehem’s charm (“My family tells me I should work for the tourism board!”) and the small, comfortable collegiate atmosphere that would eventually pull her out of her shell. She began her scholastic journey as a flute performance and Spanish major, but yearned for the opportunity to travel with her passions. Education gave her more room to take a variety of liberal arts courses, which she believes enhances her skills as a teacher. “I am a very curious person, and I liked that I could explore and indulge that as part of my education.” “It’s been interesting watching her transformation from a
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creative, but unsure freshman, to someone who is surprised and delighted by how well received she was by her students during her student teaching,” says Erica Yozell, associate professor of Spanish and chair of the Modern Languages & Literatures department. Yozell was one of several faculty mentors who helped guide Tieperman throughout her time at Moravian College, including with her Fulbright application. “With her degree of engagement, care and empathy, I think students anywhere will respond to her. Her passion for literature and language will encourage her students to consider those areas with more interest and open-mindedness.” Many of Tieperman’s fondest memories of her four years at the College involve interactions with faculty members — and as we’ve learned, the feeling was mutual. “I particularly enjoyed the independent study on Linguistics she did with me last semester,” says Carmen Ferrero, associate professor of Spanish and Tieperman’s Spanish adviser. “She probably doesn´t know that I learned from her as much as she may say she learned from me. That’s what education is all about, a two-way street, and that street was open with Robin at all times. I am very happy for Robin; I knew this Fulbright was waiting for her.” Shortly before graduation, Tieperman finished her student teaching assignment at Liberty High School teaching Spanish III and IV to students in grades 9 through 12. This follows a stint at East Hills Middle School teaching Spanish I and exploratory Spanish. As someone who shudders at the word “plan,” it’s not surprising to hear that Tieperman has very little anxiety leading up to her big departure. She anticipates her biggest challenge to be falling into a cultural rhythm and learning social cues, but it’s also what she finds most fun. “I like possibilities, not definites,” she says in an endearing moment of clarity. “There’s a lot of hope and optimism in possibilities.”
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Joining a Legacy Tieperman is the 15th Fulbright Scholar from Moravian College, with Fulbright accolades dating back to 1965 (see a full list of Greyhound Fulbright Scholars below). The Fulbright program is the U.S. Government’s premier scholarship program, placing American students in over 100 nations each year to study and conduct research for one academic year. The grant covers the students’ expenses while providing them with opportunities for personal and professional development. Rianne Stowell ’13, the most recent Fulbright from the College, spent the 2013-2014 academic year in Sevilla, Spain working at the town’s university as a research scholar. She was able to return to the Jose Luis Venera lab, where she conducted research during her study abroad semester, and deepened her connections to her research and the area. “The Fulbright program fosters a sense of independence and academic cultural understanding,” says Stowell, who is now a graduate student at the University of Rochester studying neuroscience. “I learned how to think on my feet and work independently in a lab environment and I use these skills every day in my current laboratory research.” Cynthia Dretel ’10 also went onto graduate school after spending her Fulbright year in Poland and is currently finishing her master’s in musicology from Indiana University Bloomington. Julie Anderson Shoults ’05 took her Fulbright journey to Germany in 2005, teaching English for grades 7–10 at the GeorgWeerth Oberschule in Berlin. Upon her return, Shoults continued her German studies, earning a master’s in German in 2009 from UConn, where she later received a graduate certificate in women’s studies. Just last month, she received her Ph.D. in German from the same institution and will be returning to the Lehigh Valley to begin her career as a German Instructor at Kutztown University.
“Building bridges across cultures is a major goal of the Fulbright program, and this is a lesson that I emphasize in all of my classrooms — increasing cultural awareness and understanding so that students develop as world citizens,” she says. Courtney Rice Schnyderite ’01 also taught English in Germany during her Fulbright exchange (she was in Großschönau). Now a German teacher at Northampton Area High School, Schnyderite honed her education skills will researching the Moravian educational system and her own Moravian roots. “Teaching in a German school for a year gave me an enormous amount of insight into the culture that I can incorporate daily into my lessons while teaching my students here,” she says. Jamie Thierolf Dease ’12 also pursued an education career after her Fulbright experience, and is now a fourth grade teacher in Virginia. “I was able to travel, teach and meet many other wonderful friends.”
FULBRIGHT SCHOLARS from Moravian College Robin Tieperman ’15 Rianne Stowell ’13 Jamie Thierolf Dease ’12 Cynthia Dretel ’10
Anne Dutlinger ’11, former associate professor of art Rebecca Brandt ’05 Julie Anderson Shoults ’05
Leigh Carusoa Gunther ’04 M. Leslie Smith ’02 Courtney Rice Schnyderite ’01 Daniel Byrne ’00
Marianne Zwicker ’99 Fred Rooney ’75 Patricia McAndrew ’68 Helen Bachonin ’65
LEFT: Rianne Stowell ’13 is all smiles during her stay in Sevilla, Spain. CENTER: Former Fulbright Julie Anderson Shoults ’05 (third from left) graduated from UConn with her Ph.D. in German this May. RIGHT: Jamie Thierolf Dease ’12 traveled to Croatia while fulfilling her Fulbright in Madrid, Spain.
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Another Way to Give Back
Intern: Dior George ’15 Alumnus: Joe Hoffmeier ’88 Employer: Morgan Stanley
More and more alumni are recognizing much of their success stems from their Moravian College education. Their preferred way of giving back? Paying it forward — in the form of offering valuable internships to young Hounds following in their footsteps. Here are four such stories. By Nina Elias
W
hen Dior George ’15 rode home from a networking trip to New York City with the career center at Moravian College, she was a little bummed: Joe Hoffmeier ’88, a branch and portfolio manager at Morgan Stanley, spoke at the event, and George didn’t get the one-on-one opportunity she was hoping for. Hoffmeier reached out to the career center for her information anyway and, after two interviews, offered George an internship creating spreadsheets for financial advisors, researching performance and risk and learning about the assets side of banking with Hoffmeier himself. “I feel more well-rounded knowing the financial side of things,” says George, a business management major with a focus in human resources. After completing her Morgan Stanley internship, she landed a recruiting internship with Major League Baseball just after graduation in May. “It gave me a better
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understanding of what goes on outside of human resources and the things it takes to run a successful business.” Hoffmeier hires interns on an as-need basis, but looks to Moravian College students for their quiet confidence and ability to adapt quickly. “The students from Moravian come in and work hard. They want to get involved and figure thing out on their own,” he says. His own experience as a journalism major at the College prepared him for leadership roles in his career, and encourages other alumni to consider this new way of giving back. “I like helping out the next generation,” he says. “I had people that took care of me and gave me opportunities — like Dave Calvo ’76 — and I like to continue the tradition.”
Intern: Thomas Moyer ’16 Alumnus: Brynn Saltzer Buskirk ’04 Employer: Phoebe Ministries
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hen a Hound is thinking about a potential career path, they go right to the source: and for Thomas Moyer ’16, a marketing major with a minor in healthcare services, Brynn Buskirk ’04 was one of several alumni Moyer hoped would bring clarity and sage advice to his future plans. As the director of marketing and community relations at Phoebe Ministries, Brynn offered more than some career coaching — she offered him an internship. “Tom has a genuineness about him that stood out to me,” she says. “He was eager to get to work and was helpful in any way possible, even if it was something out of his realm of comfort.” All qualities important for a future in marketing, no doubt. Moyer jumped right in and spent his semester writing press releases, designing flyers, performing data analysis and facilitating real marketing
initiatives for the senior and special care facility. After one semester, Moyer now knows he’s on the right track for his career. “It makes me want to help out students that were in my shoes and offer any sort of intern position at my future company,” he says. Buskirk herself is a third generation Hound. As a student, her internship with the Red Cross pointed her toward a career in marketing, and her time as the vice president of recruitment for her sorority and a tutor for the writing center helped catapult her career while teaching the importance of giving back. “I think about my journey, and I love seeing the same journey occurring within the students I meet,” she says. “Plus, I work in Muhlenberg territory, so seeing Moravian students succeed is even sweeter!”
Intern: Chernoh Shaw ’16 Alumnus: Gary Martell ’76 Employer: Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem
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t takes a certain type of person to thrive in the hands-on work environment of the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem, according to Gary Martell ’76, the club’s chief professional officer. His interns work directly with area children who participate in the national after-school program, and duties include providing homework help, mentoring and facilitating drug and alcohol and gang prevention initiatives. “You really do get an education as to what the world is really like,” he says. It’s the flexibility, compassion and patience of Hounds like Chernoh Shaw ’16 that keeps Martell looking to his alma mater for capable interns. “What we have here is controlled chaos,” explains Martell, an assistant football coach and past president and chairman of the Blue & Grey Club. “I knew Chernoh’s work ethic and great attitude from the football team, especially his willingness to learn and seize new opportunities, so he was naturally a good fit for this internship.” “I was a club member growing up, so I can relate to the kids in many different way,” says Shaw, a sports management major. “It’s important for the kids to have someone they can identify with as a mentor and a role model.” It’s also important to think on your feet, a skill B&G Club interns pick up quickly. When Shaw handled a particularly challenging situation with grace one Saturday this spring, Martell dubbed him a member of the B&G Club family for life.
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Interns: Karlee Corvasce ’15 Alumnus: Ashley Heiberger ’00 Employer: Bethlehem Police Department
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shley Heiberger ’00 came to Moravian College as an adult learner, graduating with a bachelor’s in sociology in the law and society track. By that time, he was already working as a police officer for four years. Fifteen years later, Heiberger is now a Captain and the Professional Standards Division Commander for Bethlehem Police Department while giving back to his alma mater in two ways: as an adjunct in the law and society track at the College, and by providing hands-on internships to current sociology majors. His office is overflowing with internship applications each semester, but Hounds are quick to stand out from the rest, year after year. “We’ve always been impressed with the intelligence and performance we get from Moravian College students,” he says. His relationship with the College serves as an example of the importance of networking for his interns. Interns at the police department are exposed to as many aspects of the job
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as possible—including observing emergency response and crisis negotiation teams and even going on ridealongs with patrol officers. “The real world is about relationships, and we try to instill upon them the importance of cultivating professional relationships and building a positive reputation in your field,” Heiberger says. Heiberger believes in the importance of a liberal arts education in relation to criminal justice. He believes his career is that much stronger thanks to his liberal arts education from Moravian College and is quick to give back. “Given the tremendous power and authority most people involved in the system have, who better to benefit from the liberal arts, especially critical thinking and the ability to examine the world a little more deeply?” he says. “I recognize the opportunities that Moravian provided for me, so I feel a great obligation to this institution. This is just one way I can pay it back.”
InFocus:
the First Cycle
InFocus is an innovative thematic programming sequence that promotes the analysis and examination of complex issues facing human beings in the 21st century: poverty and inequality, sustainability, health care and war and peace. Grappling with these problems from multidisciplinary perspectives better prepares our graduates to contribute to the world they enter. Take a look at the first four-year cycle. By Nina Elias SUMMER 2015
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Gordon Weil has always known the value of good old-fashioned groupthink— after all, interdisciplinary dialogue is a cornerstone of the liberal arts, especially at Moravian College. In 2010, the College began piloting “InFocus theme years,” putting important topics and ideas of our time in the spotlight for discussion and analysis. After teaching a course on poverty for four years, the recently retired Dean of Faculty called a meeting of the minds of sorts to discuss the topic—what else could the College as a whole be doing to address the issue? Were there other issues worthy of exploring? But he knew having a meeting in a stuffy boardroom wasn’t going to draw out the creative genius of his faculty. What would: wine and cheese. “As social scientists, sociologists, religion professors, nurses, musicians and more, we all had different stakes in poverty as a topic,” he says, reflecting on the “party” that would eventually give birth to InFocus as we know it today. “The beauty of being the Dean is that you can ask all these people to talk about it. I felt like I was a commander of this powerful army that could do so much more.”
held a public conversation about poverty and inequality, calling it an “issue of the present,” and the Moravian College Alumni Association’s Lifelong Learning Program tailored its spring symposium to the topic: “The Crash of ’08: Reflections On and Lessons from the Great Recession.” The following years expanded upon InFocus’ strong foundation. Diane Husic, professor of biological sciences, and Don St. John, professor of religion, used The Earth Charter, the “best example of a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach to sustainability,” to guide their 2012-2013 year of sustainability. They launched an environmental film series, hosted a Campus Sustainability Day and co-sponsored the Lehigh Valley Watershed Conference, among an impressive list of speakers. Virginia O’Connell, associate professor of sociology, and Kerry Cheever, chair of the nursing department, made healthcare an accessible topic to students and faculty members in all disciplines during the 2013-2014 academic year. Lucky Hounds could hear Stephen Lewis, celebrated humanitarian and former United Nations special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, speak on campus, they planned a health-themed musical concert and even managed to infuse healthcare into the annual student mathematics conference with the
Sonia Aziz, then assistant professor of economics, chimed in quickly. Her most recent research involves valuation of arsenic in drinking water in rural Bangladesh, where poverty is widespread, and suggested poverty be the focus of investigation for an entire year. Aziz’s idea of a broader, more accessible topic spurred a rapid-fire round of ideas: “Climate change is a huge issue right now and will be for a long time.” “You’re right—we should do a sustainability year!” “What about health care? There’s so much to explore on a global level.” “War affects all generations in some way or another.” “Peace, too. How about war and peace?” “What if we rotate them?” Suddenly, InFocus began to take shape, and Weil now had a list of topics that would provide a unifying focus for the faculty, staff and students each year. Faculty across all disciplines could integrate them into their courses as they see fit, knowing whatever they invested in a topic wouldn’t be wasted, as it would crop up again four years later. And from Weil’s perspective, all four topics of investigation: poverty and inequality, sustainability, health care, and war and peace, can be seen through the lens of the others. “These are issues students will face all their lives, but they’ll have examined it from the point of view of economist theory, literature, music and more,” says Weil. “It’s a wonderful way of doing the real liberal arts: analyzing complex problems from many different perspectives.” And so it began with poverty and inequality for the 2011-2012 school year. Aziz and John Reynolds, professor of political science, served as directors. They shaped the future of InFocus with a dynamic first year of programming that infused the center of investigation (not a theme, as Aziz insisted from the start) into the patchwork of the campus. Aziz and Reynolds worked with Christopher Shorr, director of Moravian College Theatre, to produce relevant play readings accompanied by discussions. Judge Fern Fisher, deputy chief administrative judge for New York courts, spoke about the inequalities that exist in the justice system in New York and the work she has done to better the city she has served for years. The Reverend Jessie Jackson
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TOP: Environmentalist Winona LaDuke kicks off the 2012-2013 year of sustainability with her keynote speech, “Building a Green Economy: Indigenous Strategies for a Sustainable Future,” during Fall Convocation. MIDDLE: Stephen Lewis delivers his lecture, “Race Against Time: An Evening with Stephen Lewis,” in March 2014. BOTTOM: Dave Leidich, assistant to the director of Payne Gallery, introduces a body of work at the opening of War and Peace: Photographs and Paintings. SUMMER 2015
TOP: Lambright and Aziz meet with the people of Bangladesh while doing field work there in 2014. talk, “What can mathematical models tell us about losing and gaining weight?” by Montclair State’s Diana Thomas. War and peace finished out the four-year cycle this past year. Kelly Denton-Borhaug, chair of the religion department, and Daniel Jasper, associate professor of sociology, arranged for the college to host the LVAIC War and Peacebuilding Conference on campus. An art show at Payne Gallery showcased works of respected artists and photography by student veterans, and the Lehigh Valley Veterans Symposium and Education Fair brought local veterans to campus. All the events, and the many more not listed, continued the learning of these topics out of the classroom, providing multiple lenses for investigation and reflection. “We’re doing some of the best liberal arts work with this program, and each year it has gone deeper and deeper,” says Weil. That same year that InFocus started, Aziz crafted an affiliation agreement with the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research in Bangladesh (ICDDR,B), an international health research institution that addresses critical health concerns in Bangladesh. Aziz used InFocus as the vehicle to cement an opportunity that would allow students to do research there. “When InFocus came around, it was the perfect research palette to try and learn something new,” she says. “An opportunity to translate research into action.” That was also the start of Emily Lambright’s ’15 freshman year at Moravian College. She was randomly assigned to Aziz for academic advisement and quickly learned she had a passion for microeconomics (like her adviser). Lambright became a teaching assistant for Aziz and they began spending a lot of time together. “When we first met, neither of us knew that we would be having conversations around the valuation of water quality in Bangladesh,” says Aziz, sitting across from Lambright on a sunny afternoon in May. Lambright would graduate just days later with a 4.0 GPA and her bags packs for a fullyfunded fellowship at Duke University where she’ll earn her Ph.D. in public policy and economics. “I didn’t realize she was going to focus so deeply on an area that I particularly specialize in.” Lambright’s interests took her to Bangladesh for five weeks during the summer of 2014, under Aziz’s guidance as well as with support
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from SOAR and the environmental studies program. She was interning on a large scale project on household willingness to pay for water quality in urban slums funded at ICDDR,B by the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation. Aziz accompanied Emily to Bangladesh where she spends most summers doing research on water quality. The two had weekly meetings, field trips and many long car and rickshaw rides discussing everything from research methodology to adjusting to the culture. When Lambright discovered a methodological flaw in the research, Aziz coached her on gaining her point while adhering to complex hierarchical research structures and protocols. For Lambright, this showcased the inherent challenges in, and care needed to do good work under the aegis of Poverty and Inequality. “I always thought I wanted to do work in development economics, and this reinforced that for me,” says Lambright. “It was completely different than anything I had ever experienced. It makes you think about the context in which you live as well.” Due in part to this experience, Lambright chose a graduate school that will allow her to continue field work in developing countries. “The InFocus themes aligned with what I wanted to study, and it made working in those areas more of a priority for the professors here and the work I was already doing.” Aziz beams as Emily describes her work. While their journey as faculty and student ends here, Aziz is confident their journey as colleagues will continue—as well as Lambright’s extremely bright future. “Am I proud of her? I’m over the moon about it,” she says. “This is what I dream about for our students, to be able to take a significant body of work that you reflect on at Moravian and get a chance to operationalize it in the field. For all arms of InFocus. Not just to consume knowledge, but to produce it.” As for the future of InFocus, Weil is confident it will continue to grow. His dream: the program would provide $10,000 to a student or group of students that came up with the best way to address an InFocus center of investigation, and publish their research. All it needs, he says, is the funding. InFocus is one of Weil’s proudest projects—for the College, and the future of the liberal arts. “Every generation has idealistic, smart people that can make a difference. Let’s provide them an opportunity to realize their true global impact.”
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THE MORAVIAN EFFECT: Ekow Bedu-Amissah ’06
MAN on the MOVE
By Matt Cordes
Ekow Bedu-Amissah ’06 isn’t afraid to take big leaps — be it his career or his zip code — to be the best he can be.
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For Ekow Bedu-Amissah ’06, the long road to Moravian College began in West Africa. Growing up in Takoradi, an industrial and commercial hub in western Ghana, Bedu-Amissah was born to Englishspeaking parents who understood both the value and opportunity that education had to offer. “My mother, a teacher, raised me to understand that education was important,” he says. “And my dad, who was an entrepreneur, always told me that you have to make your own way. My mother said you get your best ideas in the morning when your brain is fresh, so I would wake up at 5:00 every morning to do my work, and I brought that habit with me to America.” To the bold 18-year-old, that encouragement to forge his own path and see an education as all-important manifested in a desire to learn abroad. His brother was already a student at Lehigh University, and that was precisely the nudge BeduAmissah needed. Like many who have grown up abroad, he imagined the United States to be much like what he knew from western film and television — a nation that was primarily a mix of California and New York City. “It was very different from Ghana. Everything was very neat and orderly!” he says. The contrast, though, served an important purpose. “It was great for me to open up the way I think, though. It was a big adjustment to enter western culture, but that was a great experience.” Just a few weeks later, he was on campus and ready to begin his freshman year. Bedu-Amissah worried that his West African education would hold him back both in and out of the classroom. Ironically, one of the things that made the transition easier was the fact that he had traveled so far to study at the College. “Everyone was curious about why I came all the way from Ghana,” he says. “The fact that so many people were interested in my story really helped with the transition.” He also coped by throwing himself into a demanding major and several clubs. When the time came to select a major, Bedu-Amissah knew that he wanted to work in business, but he found himself torn between economics and accounting. In the end, the abstract nature of economics lost to the logical, orderliness of accounting, and he paired his accounting major with a minor in French. His involvement with the International Club, Accounting Club, Christian Fellowship, The Learning Connection (TLC) and other organizations, offered experiential learning opportunities while helping him come to grips with the notion of diversity. “In Ghana, there’s not much of an international community,” he says. “There are different ethnic groups and cultures, but we were all Ghanian.” The International club, in particular, gave Bedu-Amissah a chance to interact with people from many different countries and backgrounds; he says that Sharon Brown, the College’s director of multicultural studies at the time, was instrumental in helping him hone that understanding. “That’s where I learned how to lead and raise funds,” Bedu-Amissah says. “Those lessons had an impact on my life and helped me to grow as a person and a professional — in particular when I later had an opportunity to lead and advise
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other employees while working at Moody’s. I truly believe the emotional intelligence I learned at Moravian helped me succeed.” Bedu-Amissah looked to his fellow Hounds like Aditya Khanna ’05 to fill out his support network. “He was from India and was one of those people I met who really showed me how to balance studies with whatever else was going on. I still talk to him, and he’s been a good friend.” After graduation, Bedu-Amissah quickly found work in his field — first as a staff accountant with Lehigh Heidelberg Cement Group in Fogelsville, Pa., then as a financial data analyst with Moody’s Investor Service in New York City, where he was promoted to lead financial analyst. He credits Joann Mckweon, professor of French, with helping him make the jump to Moody’s. “She always challenged me to be a better person. That’s part of the reason I minored in French, and that minor was a big part of why I got the job at Moody’s.” When Bedu-Amissah decided to pursue his MBA, he sought out a small, comfortable atmosphere that might mirror his experience at Moravian College. In the end he settled on the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Wisconsin School of Business, where he earned a Master’s of Business Administration in Corporate Finance and Investment Banking. While in Madison, Bedu-Amissah won a spot on the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management Fellowship — an honor he says led directly to his eventual employment at Starbucks. After proving himself over the course of three months, Starbucks brought Bedu-Amissah back full-time. Today, he is a senior financial analyst working in channel development and emerging brands with the global coffee giant, and he credits the education and experiences he acquired at the College with making that career possible. “Living at Moravian exposed me to foreign cultures and taught me to be open-minded,” he says. “Meeting all those people made me very adventurous. I learned to love traveling and meeting new people, and that open-mindedness helped me make the move to Seattle when I had to. “Moravian might not be known by too many people in the U.S., but it made a great difference in my life. I learned strong values there, and that has helped me become who I am today.” It’s a long way from Bethlehem to Seattle, but for someone who made the decision at just 18 to move across an ocean to attend Moravian College, this was not his first long move. And if the past is precedent, it won’t be his last.
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greyhoundsports
THE END OF AN ERA Two long-time leaders of the Moravian College Athletics community announce their retirement.
Jim Walker Retires After 36 Seasons The College hires alumnus to continue men’s basketball success
By Andrew Mengel ‘17 When a basketball program loses their coach to retirement after 36 straight seasons, a transition year is usually what follows. However, with the hire of alumnus Justin Potts ’00, Moravian College looks to transition to a championship contending team, instead of a rebuilding one. After an accumulated 442-440 coaching record over his 36year career as a Greyhound, Jim Walker has decided to retire from his post as head coach of the men’s basketball team. His career in coaching started at Drew University from 1978-79, followed by a move to Bethlehem, Pa., which would become his home for nearly four decades. Walker led Moravian College to two NCAA Tournament bids and guided the Greyhounds to 10 conference playoff appearances, with six of his teams earning national rankings. Aside from his success on the court, Walker was committed to his athletes’ full liberal arts education — including the important element of community service. “I’ve always felt our efforts in community service have been something I’m proud of. I started it as soon as I got to Moravian and continued through all 36 years,” said Walker. “We’ve helped out at Burnside Plantation and the Boys and Girls Club of Bethlehem and, for the last 10 years, we’ve been involved with the Cops ’N’ Kids organization, helping them move books and cleaning out and painting their storage spaces and the like,” said Walker. Now in retirement, the future for Coach Walker is as dynamic as ever: he’s considering assistant coaching at a higher level or even trying out sports journalism. But first, in the near future he will travel for 10 days to Costa Rica, where he will consider a job to coordinate travel and guide international teams through summer basketball tours in the Caribbean country. He can do so with a clear conscience — Walker leaves the College with no regrets.
“Coaching involved long hours and a lot of challenges, but it never really felt like work,” he said. Walker (left) and Potts on the sidelines Now Moravian during the 2001-2002 season. College will turn to Justin Potts ’00, who first got his start as an assistant coach with Walker before becoming the assistant coach at East Stroudsburg University in the 2002-03 season. Potts now returns to his alma mater for his first head-coaching job, and has a lot of enthusiasm, “I am going to bring a lot of energy and passion to the program. We are going to play 94 feet; we will run and press for 40 minutes which will be a very distinct style and one that I believe will be an advantage for us,” said Potts. With the departure of Coach Walker, it seems that there would be some large shoes to fill, as Walker has been the face of the men’s basketball program. Potts doesn’t look at it that way, “I don’t see it as stepping into his shoes I see it as a new pair of shoes on the sidelines. I need to concentrate on impacting the young men that I coach on a daily basis. I will work relentlessly to elevate the program.” Potts is in a familiar atmosphere in order to achieve that success on the court. Memories from his time as a student-athlete and a coach will continue to flood in long after his inaugural season — but Potts has a bright future and high-set goals to keep him on track. “I believe the greatest obstacle is getting the guys to understand that it is a process. We need to work daily to get better and elevate the program,” he said. “If we can all buy into that we will be on the right path to achieving success.”
FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE SPORTS NEWS, VISIT WWW.MORAVIANSPORTS.COM
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Saying Goodbye to Scot Dapp The Athletic Director and long-time football coach announces his retirement after 28 years
“Scot has done so much for Moravian over the last 28 years,” said President Bryon Grigsby ’90. “He was an outstanding football coach and has done just as well since becoming the Director of Athletics four years ago.” Since beginning his tenure as athletic director in June 2011, Dapp has been nothing short of prolific: he was instrumental in the upcoming return of men’s and women’s lacrosse to varsity status as they begin competition next spring, as well as to the addition of the fitness center on Timothy Breidegam Fieldhouse, renovations to Johnston Hall and the new turf field that will replace the HUB Quad field in 2016. He has worked closely with the Moravian Hall of Fame Committee and the College’s Blue & Grey Club, and organized a Players Council comprised of one representative of each team and then meets with this group once a month to discuss a variety of topics concerning Moravian athletics each year. Dapp arrived at Moravian in 1987 as Head Football Coach, a position he held through the 2010 season. On the gridiron, Dapp posted a 144-103-1 record over 24 seasons, the most wins in school history. Dapp’s teams strung together 11 consecutive winning seasons (1988-1998), the longest streak in school history. His Hounds were Middle Atlantic Conference Champions in 1988; Commonwealth League Champions in 1993 and made postseason trips to the NCAA playoffs in both of those seasons, a first for the college in ’88. Five of his teams also earned postseason berths in ECAC Championship games, winning titles in 2005 and 2010. He received Coach of the Year accolades from the Middle Atlantic Conference in 1988, 1993 and 1997. Dapp also served as a member of the teaching faculty in Moravian’s Physical Education Department and was an assistant coach for the Greyhound women’s softball team from 1994-2004.
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Dapp was active in national issues for Division III and served for three years as the Chairman of the Division III Football Council. In 1999, he was elected to the Board of Trustees for the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and was elected president six years later, making him only the fifth Division III coach to hold that position in the 83-year history of the Association at that time. “Scot has been a tremendous asset for Moravian for the last 28 years, first as football coach and then as athletic director,” 22-year Head Softball Coach and Associate Athletic Director John Byrne ‘82 said. “He has been an amazing mentor, colleague and friend since he came to Bethlehem. We’ll miss his leadership and his passion for Moravian.” In 2002, Dapp was recognized by the All-American Football Foundation with the John Vaught Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding performance in his profession. That same organization also honored him in 2007 with the Outstanding Association President Award. In 2006, he received the John Whitehead Award at the Nike Coach of the Year Clinic and, in 2008, Dapp was inducted into the Boyertown High School Football Hall of Fame. “I’ve had 28 unbelievable years in Bethlehem,” said Dapp. “From the hundreds of football players and even the softball players I coached as an assistant with John Byrne, those are the people that make Moravian what it is.” As for what he’ll do with his “spare” time, he’s leaving that up to the fates—he’s going to “soak up” his time and make a decision as things come along. While not an easy decision, he is confident the current leadership will continue to take the college in the right direction. “Moravian College is not my alma mater,” he said, “but in my mind, I will forever be a Hound.”
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alumninews Happy Hounds are Enjoying Hound Hours! Three young alumni happy hours were recently held in Asbury Park, NJ, Bethlehem, Pa., and Manayunk, Pa., and over 60 young Hounds came out to sip on a “Greyhound” cocktail while they catch up with, er, “old” classmates and reminisce about their time at the College. 1
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1 Jenelle Mirro ’11, Jon Baltz ’11, Joe Melchionna ’10, Joe Hoffmeier ’88, Ashley Stone ’10, Amy Heffner ’11, Leslie Pope ’10 2 Amy Neff ’07, Greer Hockemeier ’05, Nicole Volk ’14, Syzane Arifaj ’06 3 Back row: Luke Smith ’11, Chelsea Blacker ’11, Ryan Walker ’06, Michael Grillo ’04; Front row: Gary Grimes ’10, Kara Grimes ’11, Amanda Werner ’13, Jessica Grillo ’08, Reve Anderko ’09
A Day on the Green The Blue and Grey Club hosted its annual Golf Classic at Woodstone Country Club in May. The day included 18 holes of golf, an awards dinner, raffles and lots of sunshine. All proceeds from the day support athletics and student athletes at the College. 4
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4 Jane Stone eyes up her putt. 5 Denise O’Neil ’87 swings for good luck at the Money Putt hole. 6 Fred Green, Jon Conrad ’82, Jeff Zimskind and Christie Jacobsen ’00 are all smiles during the Classic. 7 Dan Nigito ’78, Tom JeBran, Bob Ternosky ’78 and Jim JeBran stop for a snack before finishing the course.
To reach the Office of Alumni Engagement: 610 861-1366 or www.moravian.edu/alumni
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Good Times in the Sunshine State
LEFT: Steve Strohl ’08, host Bruce Spencer ’87, President Bryon Grigsby ’90, hostess Colleen Spencer, Christine Palermo ’91 and Scotty Crouthamel smile at the Boca Raton gathering. RIGHT: Neil Eskolin ‘61, guest, Roland Passaro ’57, President Grigsby ’90, hosts Shirley and Scott ’75 Ingold, Don DaVanzo ’75, Anthony Perez ’14 and Alex Perez gathered in Miami.
President Bryon Grigsby ’90 gathered with alumni in Sarasota, Lighthouse Point and Miami, Florida in March to enjoy some sunshine and share what’s happening on campus. Ben Melusky ’60, Scott ’75 and Shirley Ingold, and Bruce ’87 and Colleen Spencer all hosted receptions for the President and fellow Florida-living Greyhounds.
Student and Alumni Gather in our Nation’s Capital Thirty-two alumni gathered with President Bryon Grigsby ’90 at the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C.,on March 18 to network with current Moravian College students. Students spent the day on the town, touring the Capitol and CSpan prior to the networking reception.
LEFT: Kim Christman ’95 and Angelo Frattore ’16 take advantage of the networking opportunity. CENTER: Lizzette Arias ’11, Sam Sheridan ’13, Michael O’Gorman ’13 and Torie Clark ’13 catch up at the reception. RIGHT: Grigsby addresses the group of students, staff and alumni.
Helping the Earth and Helping a Hound On March 31, the Environmental Coalition, or ECO Club, brought alumni currently working in the environmental field back to campus for a night of speed networking. Alumni shared their unique career paths with the budding environmentalists, and even discussed open positions in their fields.
SAVE THE DATES! For details or registration, contact 610-861-1366 or www.moravian.edu/alumni.
July 31 Weyerbacher Brewery Tour and Tasting
August 22 Young Alumni Hound Hour of Belmar, N.J.
October 24-25 Homecoming
December 4-6, 11-13 Vespers LEFT: Students soak in important environmental work by Sarabeth Brockley ’10. RIGHT: Jillian Olsen ’00 shares sage advice with ECO members.
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classnotes MORAVIAN COLLEGE MAGAZINE publishes all class notes that we receive. We reserve the right to edit for space or style. Some information may appear only online at www.moravian.edu/classnotes. All class correspondents with an e-mail address are listed within the notes. Some correspondents without e-mail access are listed below. If your class year is not shown or does not list a named correspondent either here or online, e-mail your information to alumrel@moravian.edu or mail to Pat Hanna, Alumni Relations Office, Moravian College, 1200 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018. DEADLINES FOR SUBMISSIONS: August 1 for the fall 2015 issue. December 1 for the winter 2016 issue. PHOTO POLICY FOR CLASSNOTES: • Please send us your image as a jpg file at 300 dpi. • We publish one photo per wedding or birth. • We welcome photos of gatherings of alumni and will publish as many as space permits.
1946
Ada Zellner Flower; 834 Hilltop Road; Oyster Bay, NY 11771; bromzel@aol.com Finally on the mend after a fall down steps in December while in Missouri for the holidays. I did feel more like myself by the end of January. Full steam ahead, I thought, when I managed to pick up a virulent cold that lasted all of February. I am fine now, though noticeably slower. I was able to attend a delightful alumni get together in Sarasota at the home of Ben Meluskey ’60. He was a great host and generously opened his lovely home to us. President Bryon Grigsby ’90 was there and told us much about the advancements of the school’s programs, and about the students. It was a good visit. While I was in Missouri during the holidays, I stayed with my younger daughter, Heather. We all attended my granddaughter, Samantha’s graduation, where she received her Master’s degree in Math. She led the class scholastically, and after her first year of teaching was named teacher of the year. Meanwhile my grandson, Henry, had just
moved back to St. Louis from California, where he continues his position as audio engineer for the California firm, working from home. He has enrolled in the Master’s program at the University of Missouri, St. Louis. Back here in Bradenton, I continue attending the opera, theater and concerts with my friends. My daughter Linda and her husband live around the corner, and have a little pup that is dropped off occasionally, so I do get in lots of long walks with the little fellow. Linda and Bill and I play an afternoon of scrabble each week and we go out for lunch once a week. When I read of the winter weather up north and in the mid-west, especially this year, I am doubly grateful to be living here in sunny Florida. And finally, I am expecting Ann Root Meyer to visit in the fall. She has promised to come, as we are long overdue for a reunion!
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Don and Joann Vogel also took an Alaskan Cruise to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in 2013. While on the cruise, the ship lost one engine and the trip was aborted. So for their 51st, they were given a free cruise in August 2014 which they loved. Don also writes that he is quite a brew master turning out batches of homemade beer. Joann had open heart surgery a couple years ago and is now doing very well.
James Houser; jjhmd0831@yahoo.com or Peter French; drplfrench@aol.com Since Peter French, Ph.D. retired he has served as Carnegie Corporation of NY Consultant to the University of Ghana in Accra, West Africa, continuing visits in 2008-2015. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Yale Graduate School Alumni Association 2011-1014. Peter also served as a Moravian Trustee from 1986-1994 and was a Comenius Alumni Award recipient in 2005.
1961
Sam Maczko; sfmaczko@yahoo.com Beverly House Jones is quite proud of her
twin granddaughters. The twins have been on the honor roll or high honor roll since fifth grade. They are also in the National Honor Society, Key Club, and band. They both play field hockey and will be in track and field this year. In prior years they have played softball and run cross country. Both will be off to college in the fall.
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Merr Trumbore; Lomer07@yahoo.com or Emma Demuth Williams; eldw@ptd.net Linda Waters is currently the author of children’s picture books. Her website is www. lindawaters.tateauthor.com. Her books are available on Amazon and can be ordered from bookstores as well.
Bill Leicht; 16819 N. 59th Place; Scottsdale, AZ 85254 wcleicht07@gmail.com
Hello everyone. I have received a lot of 1963 alumni news that I want to share with everyone. After many of us returned to campus in 2013 to celebrate our 50th graduating year, a lot of us have recently celebrated our 50th wedding anniversaries and taking exciting trips. Dick and Bonnie Bedics celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past year and went on an Alaskan Cruise with son Tom & wife Colleen and grandkids Carson 13, Cole 11 and Ty 5. They enjoyed hiking at every port they visited.
James Meixell writes from St. Petersburg, FL where he and wife Judy have spent the past 11 winters. They had a surprise dinner party in celebration of their 50th wedding anniversary given by their two sons Tod and Scott. It was a very happy and emotional event with about 35 friends and relatives attending. They reflect back on the past 50 years with memories of dating and OGO parties. Stan (Stosh) and Gwynne Grey ’64 Gilbert are now both retired and adjusting to the change. Gwynne surprised the whole family in October 2014 by requiring triple heart by-pass surgery. She is doing real well and recovering nicely. The Gilberts are planning a trip to Belgium and the Netherlands in March. Gary Sandercock and wife, Donna moved to Texas a little more than 3 years ago and left the rest of the family back in California. Over the past couple years both daughters joined them in Texas with the grandchildren. They agree that people are busier after retirement than when working. Donna always says “Have bag, will travel” and they do. The Sandercocks have a standing invitation: “Y’all come see us!”
For more information on Class Note submissions, go to www.Moravian.Edu/classnotes
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LEGACY GRADUATES For many of our alumni and students, a Moravian education is a family tradition. There were several members of the class of 2015 carrying on this proud legacy. Pictured are several recent graduates following in the footsteps of their parents, siblings and other loved ones who are Moravian alumni. Chelsea Bortz ’15 sister to Heather ’05 and Philip Bortz ’12
Sam Boyer ’15 son of Yvonne ’77 and John Boyer ’76
Jessica Davies ’13 sister of Kyle Davies ’15
Martha Giesler ’15 daughter of Christina ’84 and J. Christian ’83 and sister of Andrew Giesler ’10
Courtney Kunkel ’12 daughter of Wendy Kunkel ’15
Jack McAdoo ’15 son of Jim McAdoo ’82
Samantha Dunn ’15 daughter of David Dunn Sr. ’80 and sister of David Dunn Jr. ’14
Elias Hasenecz ’15 son of Nadine Hasenecz ’88
Carl Selmansska ’96 MBA uncle to Allison Miller ’15
Frank Safar ’74 father of Alexander Safar ’15
Donna Smith ’85 mother of Shelby Smith ’15
SUMMER 2015 ’61 grandmother of Robin Tieperman ’15 Louise (Smull) Negley
Michael Vitone ’15 son of Linda Vitone ’90 and brother of Kaitlyn Vitone ’17
Kelsey Kaintz ’15 sister of Abigail Kaintz ’12
Christopher Ossont ’15 brother of Michael Ossont ’07
Paul Sulovski ’79 father of Morgan Sulovski ’15
MORAVIAN COLLEGE Gary Yerger ’86 fatherMAGAZINE of David Yerger ’1525
classnotes Chuck and Bonnie Stoltz will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary this fall but will be taking the family to Bermuda in July. Both continue to play tennis and battle the snowfalls. Chuck hosts a weekly ping pong gathering in their basement. Their son is an IT guy for Sacred Heart Hospital and daughter is a gentle, dental hygienist in Allentown. They enjoy following Moravian basketball and haven’t missed a Vespers service since graduation. Grove and Ann Woltjen Stoddard will celebrate 52 years of wedded bliss this May and are enjoying Grove’s recent retirement from 48 years with the same law firm in Bridgeport, CT. A few years ago Ann sold her gift shop, “The Country Mouse” after 27 years. They are missing the terrible northeast winter by renting in Venice, FL for February and March. They spend time playing golf, bridge, jogging and traveling. They will be off to Portugal this spring. Greg has a little E-Bay business. Two grandchildren live with Mom & Dad in Nantucket, MA and two other grown kids live in Connecticut and Washington State. Carol Rockovits Leicht ’64 & I celebrated our 50th wedding anniversary in June 2014. We took our daughter, Dianne and grandkids Blake 16 and Ty 11 (all from AZ) to New York City for 3 days to see the sights and a Broadway play. Both Dianne and other daughter, Michelle, gave us a 50th brunch with about 50 friends and family at a country club in Montgomery County, PA where Michelle lives. Then Dianne gave us another brunch here in AZ. I am still selling real estate and probably
will for a while. I really enjoy it although I do referral business only now. We both play golf and are very active in our church. We are finally building a real Catholic church after 20 years in a temporary facility. Carol and I were co-chairs for the capital campaign committee to raise the necessary funds. We will be taking a Panama Canal cruise in April. It begins in Lima, Peru with other stops in Peru and Ecuador, through the canal and then ports along the western Caribbean to Miami, Charleston and ending in NYC. Carol and I met with Patricia Price, Moravian Director of Planned Giving, Dennis Bleam ’61 and Dr. Kim Ghali-Rao ’01 for lunch in Scottsdale, AZ in February. It was to make preliminary plans for an Arizona alumni gathering with College President Bryon Grigsby ’90 in late 2015 or 2016. We have helped with several AZ gatherings over the years. Received an email from Mario Medici, a longtime friend of Patricia M. Donchez ’63. He was sad to report that Pat was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2009 and is currently in an assisted-living facility. I would love to hear from more 1963 alumni. My email is wcleicht07@gmail.com. — Bill Leicht John Shigo, M.D. received the honor of a 3-year American Medical Association — Physician Recognition Award for excellence in Medical Education — March 18, 2015 till
Fun Reunion In Florida
March 18, 2018. He is returning to the Active Practice of Medicine this year. During his short retirement he traveled to Germany, France, Italy, Spain and Monte Carlo and experienced their life styles and medical care from the citizens point of view.
1964 Ron dePaolo; rondep@myfairpoint.net Andrew Semmel; andsemm@aol.com Ray Pfeiffer, Sr. and Ray Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. ’87 received the Accounting Club’s Pinnacle Award as a father-son team at the annual accounting banquet on Sunday, April 26. Ray, Sr. is retired director of the Lehigh Valley Area IRS office. Ray, Jr. is associate dean of TCU’s business school. Warren Brill, D.M.D. is Past-President, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry — Clinical Associate Professor, Pediatric Dentistry, University of Maryland School of Dentistry.
1967 Kathie Broczkowski Klein; kathieklein45@aol.com Elaine DeReamer Connor writes: I have my Masters Degree in English from Lehigh University. I retired in 2006 after 31 years of teaching. I was a volunteer at Camp Compass for several years. I am an avid tennis player and serve as Board Secretary at Oakmont Tennis Club in Allentown, Pa. I am also a member of Winning Touch Tennis Club. After becoming a team Middle States champ, I went to Nationals in Indiana Wells, CA, in 2007 with a team from Winning Touch Tennis. I recently received the 2014 Courage Award from USTA/MS/EPD in March at Moravian. Along with this I was also presented with a PA Senate Recognition Proclamation. “It is even more exciting for me because I am returning to my alma mater to get the award.” Rev. Ruth Harris Runkle is a volunteer visitation pastor who gives practical assistance to medically needy adults in the community and she serves her local church as the organist. Her community service also includes serving the nonprofit New Sweden Centre, based in Wilmington, Delaware, as a board member and education consultant.
Laura Young ’78, Bertie Francis Knisely ’69, Odell Guyton Esq. ’77 and Karen Boyer Guyto ’78 enjoyed a mini reunion at Odell and Karen’s home in Safety Harbor, Florida in March. Laura was visiting Karen and Odell with her partner, Jerri Harris. Laura and Jerri are from Roswell, Georgia where Laura is director of communication for Choice Point. Karen and Odell split their time between Safety Harbor, FL and Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula, where they have a little off-the-grid place on forested land with sweeping views of the Hood Canal and the Cascade Mountains.
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Alan Herd writes: Our Greyhound tennis teams, up to a few years ago, visited us here on Hilton Head Island for a lively week of collegiate matches. I never bought more Gatorade in my life, as often both Moravian and Penn State chose the same week to visit. We would love to see our MoMo teams again.
SUMMER 2015
The Merr Trumbore ’62 Tennis Award
The Merr Trumbore ’62 Tennis Award, in honor of his wife, Lois Trumbore, is presented annually to the player on the men’s tennis team that has exhibited the most dedication and commitment throughout the season. This year, there was too much Greyhound talent to pick just one! Lewis Cooper ’15 (left) and Matt Tourto ’16 (right) accept this award from tennis coach Art Smith ’68 on their lefts and Merr, right.
1968 Jill Stefko; ravenfirephd@yahoo.com Judy Jackson; judithrjackso@gmail.com Rev. Richard Gerber retired in December 2014 after 28 years serving pastorates in two congregations and 15-1/2 years as associate general secretary of Home Missions and Church Extension for the Orthodox Presbyterian Church.
1969
Tim Tedesco; tatsrr@aol.com W. David Saltzer, Ed.D. writes: He is recently retired from college teaching and private practice. He is enjoying playing with his grandson, Reid, five months. Dave and his wife Sally, babysit Reid everyday while his parents are working. Dave’s other grandchildren are Nolan 6, Justin 17, Braden 6 and Tylor 13. Dave has reinvested in his music career. He has purchased seven new guitars, a banjo and a great amp to go with them. He has set aside his Martin 12 string and Guild 6 string which are original and much too valuable to play at clubs. Dave is learning the banjo and can play two songs already. Penn State had asked Dave to teach again this summer, but he is having too much fun with the grandkids and music. Dave and Sally have not had the chance to travel with watching Reid and taking care of Nolan after school until their parents get home. Dave and Sally are very proud of all their children. Brynn is the Marketing Director for Phoebe Homes, a three county home for retirement people. Devon is Senior Occupational Therapist in the brain injury department of Good Shepard Home. Jon, Brynn’s husband, is a Mounted Police Patrol Officer for the City of Bethlehem. David is a 911 Supervisor, President
SUMMER 2015
of the Fireman’s Union in Bethlehem, and a paramedic. Heather is a Pharmacy Tech.
1973 Dennis Jones; djones@lkqcorp.com Priscilla Barres Schueck; priscilla@volunteerlv.org Paul Shelly writes: Last year I celebrated by 25th anniversary working for NJ Association of State Colleges and Universities and this year I am celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary. I remain active with two national higher education associations: the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU) and the International Town & Gown Association (ITGA).
1975
Susan Bacci Adams; sba402@aol.com Linda Davis-Wallen writes I was honored to revive and carry on the live mascot tradition with the College, Athletic Department and OGO fraternity for 10 years with my retired, rescued racing greyhounds, Lightfoot and Shiloh from 2005-2009 and Kiowa from 2010-2014.
1977
attorneys in the field of Social Security and SSI disability in Ohio for 2015. This is Cliff’s third consecutive year being recognized as a top lawyer in Social Security. No more than 5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by Super Lawyers. Cliff is the only Ohio attorney recognized as a top lawyer in the field of Social Security disability for 2015. Cliff is a partner in the firm of Manring & Farrell, with offices in Columbus and Lebanon, Ohio.
1982
Lori Vargo Heffner; laheffner@ptd.net Lori Vargo Heffner has filed a petition to run for Northampton County Council. Lori is a licensed psychotherapist, with advanced degrees from both Temple University and Kutztown University.
1987
Diane Hvizdak Taylor; dianektaylor@hotmail.com Ray Pfeiffer, Jr., Ph.D. and Ray Pfeiffer, Sr. ’64 received the Accounting Club’s Pinnacle Award as a father-son team at the annual accounting banquet on Sunday, April 26. Ray, Sr. is retired director of the Lehigh Valley Area IRS office. Ray, Jr. is associate dean of TCU’s business school.
Deborah Slahta writes: I have been a resident artist at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem, Pa. since May 2000. I am represented by Liz O’Brien Gallery 306 in New York City. I was featured on the PBS39 program Focus (Season 2 episode 14).
1991
1978
Dawn Allen; Dawnallen726@gmail.com
Judith Tobias Chuisano works for Merck & Co. and has just written an article for CIO Insight Magazine.
Clifford Farrell, Esq. has been named to the Ohio Super Lawyers list as one of the top
Amy Ellenberger Cara is engaged to Joel Ninos, a May 2015 wedding is planned.
Melissa dePamphilis Jarman; mdepamph@yahoo.com or Christine A. PalermoWallach; capw516@aol.com
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WHATAWEEKEND! Hounds return home for Alumni Weekend On May 29-30, Moravian College welcomed back alumni and their guests from classes who graduated 50 or more years ago for 50+ Alumni Weekend. The celebrations started on Friday with Founder’s Day to celebrate the founding of the women’s college some 273 years ago. Attendees enjoyed plenty of tea and traditional Moravian sugar cake before taking in the Lovefeast service and lunch in the Clewell dining hall. Alumni weekend kicked off with a champagne toast to the class of 1965, who celebrated their 50th reunion and their induction into the 50+ Club. All those in attendance enjoyed entertainment by alumni band The JazzHounds, who performed a set of jazz and big band selections as a memorial concert for Al Lazaro ’11, who passed away tragically in August 2014. The Alumni Association held their annual meeting and included three education sessions: “Reeves Library: Today and Tomorrow,” “The New Moravian Classroom Experience” and “Moravian Graduate Education: What Have Our Alumni Discovered Through Their Classroom Research?” President Bryon Grigsby ’90 updated the group on many exciting new initiatives with his State of the College address before the alumni returned home, but with more memories in tow.
“Unlike some of the previous “class reunions” where alumni talked about their current work accomplishments and challenges, this time the atmosphere was different: nearly everyone was retired and was reflecting on their lives. It was actually fun to relive some of our past experiences, and it certainly gave everyone a chance to learn about their classmates in a less competitive and more personal way [President Grigsby’s] call to alumni was most compelling — to believe in the treasures of Moravian College and help support it so future students can build on the great foundation already established, as others had done before us. Moravian College is a gem, and I am planning to accept your challenge and support Moravian College as best I can. I got the sense from other class members they will be doing the same.”
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— Russell E. Morgan, Jr. ’65
“Our “bucket list” reunion was a success…The centerpiece of our coming together was just what had been planned — lots of time to sit and talk where memories poured out along with stories of lives lived for half a century. The topics of conversation ranged from science and ebola research to nutrition and what makes the best ice cream. There were lengthier conversations on what had brought us to Moravian in the fall of 1956 and lots of agreement that it was our parents who were a source of encouragement. It was easily agreed that we were so fortunate to have come to Moravian.”
SUMMER 2015
— Peter French ’60
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classnotes Lauren Gass Johnson ’07 married Freddie Johnson, III on October 25, 2014. Kaitlyn Dymond ’11 married Andrew Hoppes on November 1, 2014 in Allentown, Pa. Alyssa Beller ’12 was a bridesmaid and AngelaRae Schneider ’11 was in attendance. Stephen Cunningham ’13 married Megan Schroeder on April 25, 2015 in St. Pete Beach, Fla. Included in the wedding party were groomsmen, John Diener ’13 and Albie Moran ’13. Also in attendance: Vincent Skorton ’13, Katia Ponomareva ’11, Holly Fleming ’12, Kelianne Comitalo ’15 and Eddie Harper ’13.
Births
Juliana Deborah Sharphouse
Michael and Amy Pellicano Sharphouse ’05 welcomed a daughter, Juliana Deborah Sharphouse, last June 29, 2014.
Jon Buskirk ’03 and Brynn SaltzerBuskirk ’04 welcomed Reid Devon Buskirk on July 10, 2014. He joins a brother, Nolan Russell Buskirk.
Lauren Gass Johnson ’07 and her husband Freddie Johnson III welcomed a daughter, Sage Phoenyx Johnson, on January 22, 2015
Jennifer Palmer Smith ’04 and her husband Kyle welcomed a baby girl, Whitney Lyn, on March 23, 2015. Whitney joins big brother, Austin, age 3.
Daniel A. Corey ’05 and Heather L. Corey ’05 are proud parents of their first son, Daniel James Corey, and celebrated his first birthday on May 20, 2015.
Dan Kent ’99, his wife Jen and son Benjamin are pleased to announce the birth of a baby girl, Sabrina JoAnne, on March 5, 2015.
Reid Devon Buskirk
Daniel James Corey
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1992
John S. Nunnemacher; moravian92@me.com or Michael Q. Roth; mgr@moravian.edu Lieutenant Colonel William T. Beck currently is serving as the Tactics Division Chief for the Combined Arms Directorate at Ft. Leavenworth, KS. He had recently completed a one year tour in South Korea as the 2nd Infantry Division Training and Exercise Chief after serving three years as the Professor of Military Science at Oklahoma State University.
1995
Derek Reusser; dreusser@ptd.net Clifford Farrell, Esq. has filed a petition to run for Northampton County Council. Mickey is an attorney and chief operating officer of Saucon Valley Manor and Whitehall Manor, assisted living and Alzheimer’s care facilities. Mickey graduated from Syracuse University College of Law and is also COO of Pennsylvania Venture Capital, an investment company owned by developer Abe Atiyeh.
Hey, Coach! Bertie Francis Knisely ’69, Donna Owen Baur ’69 and Myra Heimbrook Jones ’66 enjoyed their time catching up with former coach Chris Wytock Jackson. Wytock Jackson coached the women in field hockey and basketball as the former director of women’s athletics. She relocated to Bethlehem this past winter, but spends the warmer months at her home in Maine.
2004
Jessica Naugle Bodor; jln13@comcast.net
2003
Regina Lacombe Laine; pjfairy@aol.com Lea Trenge and George Mosellie are pleased to announce their engagement and upcoming marriage. Lea is a fifth grade teacher at Fountain Hill Elementary and George is part owner of Easton Baking, Inc. The couple plan to be married in 2016.
Congratulations go out to Borko Milosev, owner of Post Road Management. Three years ago Borko purchased the 10-story office building located at 65 W. Elizabeth Avenue here in Bethlehem, with a vision to convert the upper floors into upscale apartments. The Bethlehem Zoning Hearing Board, by unanimous vote, recently approved his plan to convert the top six floors into 48 upscale apartments. The next step is the needed approval of the city’s Planning Commission. Good Luck Borko.
2009
Cassidy Thomas; CassidyThomas@alumni.moravian.edu Kristina Cherrier and Louis Corominas are engaged to be married on July 18, 2015. Kristina has a Master’s Degree from Lehigh University in Special Education and works for the Norristown Area School District. Kristina and Lou live in Chester Springs, Pa.
Father and Son Win Accounting Club Pinnacle Award
Ray Pfeiffer Sr. ’64 and Ray Pfeiffer Jr. PhD ’87 received the Accounting Club’s Pinnacle Award as a father-son team at the annual accounting banquet held Sunday, April 26 on campus. Ray Sr. is retired director of the Lehigh Valley Area IRS office and Ray Jr. is associate dean of TCU’s business school. They are both pictured with Jackiee Gordon ’15.
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classnotes 2010
2014 and is now an associate with Driscole, Kelly Schneider Parise; kellytparise@gmail.com Howell, O’Leary in Allentown. Laura Hullfish is engaged to marry Jason Caiola. Laura is a graphic designer at N.A.C.C.M.E. Her fiancé is a manager of institutional marketing at Harding Loevner. A wedding is planned for October 17, 2015. Phil Viglione, Esq. graduated from Widener University School of Law in Harrisburg in May 2014. He passed the Pennsylvania bar in October
Rachel Beck and Anthony Falco, D.P.T. are engaged to be married. A July 2015 wedding is planned. Rachel is a social studies teacher at Heritage Middle School in Livingston, NJ and Anthony is currently employed at Sports Training Physical Therapy in East Hanover, NJ. In 2013 Anthony received a Doctorate of Physical Therapy from Jefferson University.
2013
Michael O’Gorman; mw.ogorman@gmail.com or Emmy Usera; emmyleanna@gmail.com Note from Elizabeth (Lizzy) Sgambelluri: I have been accepted to Antioch University where I will be completing my masters degree in Environmental Studies; Conservation Biology. I have also been accepted into the biomedical graduate program at the University of Edinburgh. I will be completing and receiving my certificate in Biological, Wildlife, and Ecosystem Health in correlation with my masters studies at Antioch.
In Memoriam ‘May the Souls of the Faithful Departed Rest in Peace.’ Gertrude Miller Smull ’36 • February 3, 2015
Donald M. Cohen, MD ’52 • December 2, 2014
Thirza “Letty” Ward Janecek ’39 • January 21, 2015
Mary Pongracz ’52 • April 3, 2015
B. Leona Quinn ’39 • March 24, 2015 Maxine Sortwell Kerrigan ’43 • March 17, 2015 Dorothy Freytag Reed ’43 • March 3, 2015 Dr. Frederick Sutliff ’43 • February 12, 2015 Betty Wachstetter Griffis ’45 • February 27, 2015 Jean Baxter McCracken ’48 • February 18, 2015 James Dundon ’49 • February 26, 2015
Allen Lilly ’53 • April 5, 2015 Sam Spagnola ’53 • February 23, 2015 Donald Sweeney ’54 • March 19, 2015 Joyce Honey LaBar ’57 • March 15, 2015 James R. Owen ’58 • February 11, 2015 Reuben Lilly ’59 • February 18, 2015 William Fishel ’63 • February 11, 2015 Maria O’Connors Passante ’65 • May 20, 2014
Janet Chorney Connor-Hanninen ’69 • January 29, 2015 John Kuzmick ’70 • December 23, 2014 Paul Shelly ’73 • June 2, 2015 Jeffrey Werkheiser ’78 • March 16, 2015 Joan Tayler Gilbert, wife of the late Daniel R. Gilbert, Sr., PhD, longtime Moravian College Professor • January 28, 2015 Katherine Merle-Smith — artist, teacher, humanitarian, and friend of Moravian College and Seminary • February 21, 2015
Additional Class Correspondents 1943 • Margaret L. Albright, 129 N. 11th Street, Allentown, PA 18102 June Bright Reese, 801 N. Wahneta Street, Apt. 203, Allentown, PA 18109; bjreese@ webtv.net 1945 • Jane Smith Ebelhare, PO Box 360 Masonville, CO 80541; jabelhare@aol.com 1947 • Margaret Loveless Browne, pegbrownenj@medleas.com George Kirkpatrick, 11250 Caravel Circle, No. 308; Fort Myers, FL 33908-5236 1949 • Norma Boldt Wynne, nbwynne@aol.com 1954 • Helen Desh Woodbridge, 3574 Browning Lane; Bethlehem, PA 18017; casw1@verizon.net 1955 • Helen Varady Keyser, 2038 Kemmerer Street; Bethlehem, PA 18017 1957 • Pearl Stein, steinpearl18@gmail.com 1958 • Daneen Jones Phelps, daneenphelps@gmail.com 1959 • Kathy Werst Detwiler, kathydetwiler@comcast.net
1965 • Robert Houser, bobhouser1@atmc.net James Hertzog retired from Delaware Department of Education in April 2014. 1966 • David Berg, dgberg@erols.com 1971 • John Madison, moravianalum@aol.com 1972 • Terrell McMann, terrellmcmann@gmail.com 1974 • Cyndee Andreas Grifo, cyndeegrifo@mac.com 1976 • Lisa Mansback Berk, lman405@msn.com June Rhoda, june.rhoda@yahoo.com 1980 • Molly Donaldson Brown, unsinkable2010@hotmail.com 1981 • Marla Rowe Fannin, marfannin@outlook.com 1983 • Karen Skoyles, skoyles@lakesnet.net 1984 • Diane Sciabica Mandry, dmandry@pohatcong.org 1985 • Lynn Muschlitz LaBarre, labarre@ptd.net 1986 • James and Lynda Farrell Swartz, jfswartz@kingspry.com 1988 • Dianne Pelaggi Irr, denise.bradley@tevausa.com 1989 • Kerri Selland Pepoy, kerripepoy@yahoo.com
1990 • Mary Beth Sierzega Afflerbach, afflerbachmb@yahoo.com 1994 • Denise Bradley, skoyles@lakesnet.net 1996 • Deb Yuengling Ferhat, jdferhat@comcast.net 1997 • Tiffany Shenman, Tiffshen2@aol.com 1998 • Jennie Joshi, Jenniejoshi@hotmail.com 1999 • Christina Fulton, cfulton1124@yahoo.com 2000 • Faithann Cheslock Barron, LadybugFVC@aol.com Lisa Hahn-Egan, Lisahahn13@hotmail.com 2001 • Courtney Parrella, sunshine92779@msn.com 2002 • Brienne Wilson Rodriguez, briennewilson@gmail.com 2005 • Regina LaCaruba, regina.lacaruba@gmail.com 2006 • Lauren Bahnatka Bachner, mollysmomlb@gmail.com 2008 • Amelia Dietrich, ameliajdietrich@gmail.com 2011 • Rachel Kleiner, Kliner.rachel@gmail.com 2012 • Ali Zucal, alizucali@gamail.com 2014 • Casey Hilferty, caseyhilferty@gmail.com
For Comenius Center alumni notes: Dee Lohman, lohmand@eastonsd.org or Sherron Quinn, Shquinn222@yahoo.com
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MORAVIAN COLLEGE MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2015
MORAVIAN PROUD READY FOR LAW SCHOOL LSAT-score averages of Moravian College law-school applicants have been higher than those of their peer group. From the pitcher’s mound to the classroom, Elizabeth Tillou ’14 has worked hard following her passions. The two-time Landmark Conference Academic All-American is now pursuing a J.D. at Drexel University School of Law. She is one of three 2014 graduates in law school.
Our Pride is Showing www.moravian.edu/proud
Non-Profit Organization U.S. Postage
1200 Main Street Bethlehem, Pennsylvania 18018
PAID
Lehigh Valley, Pa. Permit No. 521
THE MORAVIAN EFFECT
Man on the Move Page 18
Ekow Bedu-Amissah ’06 is one of thousands of alumni who followed the passions they discovered at Moravian and today are leaders in their field.
Ekow Bedu-Amissah ‘06 Senior Financial Analyst Starbucks