FALL | WINTER 2016-17
UNIVERSITY REVIEW
Featuring
BUG’S LIFE Millersville Entomologists on bees, black flies and more | PAGE 8
NEW CONSTRUCTION advances services and campus aesthetic | PAGE 4 Educational Partnership between Sweden and MU | PAGE 6
Greetings, Two years ago we embarked on a new course for Millersville
In addition, the total giving to Millersville increased from
University. We called it “Our Bold Path.” It was a comprehensive
$4.7 million to an amazing $10.4 million; total monies from
plan aimed at preserving what the University does well —
faculty grants have increased from $4.2 million to $6.3 million
engaging our students in the most creative learning experiences
and we have recruited more out-of-state and international
possible — and, at the same time, assuring a sustainable future.
students, which generates additional income.
In this issue, you’ll learn about students who are engaging in
2016 was indeed an exciting year here at Millersville, and I am
internships here and around the world; see the construction
confident this is just the beginning. As president, I couldn’t be
and improvements we have made to take the University into
more pleased about our progress and more proud of our faculty,
the future; and read about the important research our faculty,
staff, students and alums. Thank you for your support. I look
students and alums are doing with insects.
forward to working with all of you in 2017.
We have worked hard on the Bold Path and completely eliminated
Now sit back and enjoy the fall/winter edition of
our financial deficit, which amounted to approximately
Millersville University’s magazine, The Review.
$10 million, and we did it a year ahead of schedule. We were able to accomplish this amazing feat by instituting prudent cost controls in every department and introducing a new tuition
Best regards,
model that not only generated additional revenue, but leveled the playing field for students with high financial need. This new model generated over $9.1 million in additional income, which allowed us to address our deficit and increase financial aid for students from $1 million to $3.2 million.
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John M. Anderson, Ph.D.
UNIVERSITY REVIEW
Fall | Winter 2016-17 | VOLUME 131 | No. 2
The Review is published by Millersville University, a member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education. PRESIDENT Dr. John M. Anderson MILLERSVILLE REVIEW STAFF Adam Owenz, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications | Janet Kacskos, Executive Editor Kate Hartman, Editor | Cheryl Lockley, Designer Ethan Hulsey, Sports News | Denise Berg, Alumni News Kirsten Shoemaker, Class Notes CONTRIBUTORS Laura Knowles | Devin Marino ’17 | Gabrielle Redcay ‘18 PRINTED BY PEMCOR, INC. ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Scott Bailey ’98 (president), Mike Henry ’83, (president-elect), Richard Moriarty ’72 (treasurer), Kelly Davis ’95 (secretary), Leslie Arnold ’78, Jennifer Bertolet ’92, Chad Bolt ’08, Katie Breit ’02, Nathan Claycomb ’01, Theresa Dozer-Daniel ’77, Christopher Driscoll ’01, Kathy Focht ’70, ’75M, Kitty Glass ’53, Alicia Good ’14, David Hernandez ’71, Amy Hoffman ’94, Patrick Leahy ’97, Jonathan Mimm ’08, Ashley Nowak ’12, Carroll Staub ’72, ’90M, Matthew Storm ’12, ’14M, Ashley Tose ’14, Steve Yacovelli ’93, Cheryl Youtz ’69, ’72M, Lori Dierolf ’91, past president PASSHE BOARD OF GOVERNORS Cynthia D. Shapira (chair), David M. Maser (vice chair), Aaron A. Walton (vice chair), Sen. Ryan P. Aument, Rep. Matthew E. Baker, Audrey F. Bronson, Secretary of Policy and Planning Sarah Galbally, Rep. Michael K. Hanna, Ronald G. Henry, Jonathan B. Mack, Daniel P. Meuser, Guido M. Pichini, Secretary of Education Pedro A. Rivera, Sen. Judy Schwank, Harold C. Shields, Governor Tom Wolf MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES Michael G. Warfel ’84 (chairman), Richard L. Frerichs ’64 (vice chairman), Kevin F. Harley ’86 (secretary), James P. Argires, Gibson E. Armstrong, William B. McIlwaine, Brian A. Rider ’87, Gerald S. Robinson, Esq., Ann S. Womble, President John M. Anderson, ex officio, Chancellor Frank T. Brogan, ex officio MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION BOARD Jan L. Graybill ‘80 (president), Anne Jackson ‘78 (vice president), Saul Fink ‘85 (secretary), Barry E. Miller ’77 (treasurer), Daniel Biemesderfer ’71, Beverly Hacker Breniser ’69, ’73M, Neysa Callahan ‘81, Ximena Catepillan, Benjamin Del Tito Jr. ’77, Steven J. Fellin ’87, Joseph Garner ’90, Nicole Guy ‘16, Darryl Landis ’85, M.D., Julie Lombardi, Elizabeth Martin, William B. McIlwaine, Robert Patterson, Gerald Robinson, Kathryn Ross, Robin Russo, James Warner ’80, John G. Williams ’64, Ann Womble, Benjamin Daniel Yoder ‘15 Millersville University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution.
TABLE of CONTENTS 4 | M U’S EVOLVING LOOK
The quad and residence halls are officially open, and Gordinier is getting a new look. There’s a lot going on at MU.
6 | G LOBAL CONNECTIONS
A partnership between Lancaster and Sweden forged courtesy of an education alumna and MU professors.
8 | I T’S A BUG’S LIFE
MU professors, students and alumni are entrenched in insect research that’s important to all of our futures.
14 | H OMECOMING 2016
Relive the excitement of Homecoming through pictures.
16 | A LUMNI NEWS 20 | C AMPUS NEWS 22 | S PORTS 26 | C LASS NOTES 31 | W HY I GIVE
CONTRIBUTING
Student Writers
DEVIN MARINO is a junior speech communication major
with a concentration in public relations who expects to graduate in December 2017. Marino began working for University Communications in July 2016. He is a native of Philadelphia who loves to fish and customize his Ford Mustang in his spare time. GABRIELLE REDCAY is a junior digital journalism major and linguistics minor who began working for University Communications in May 2016. She currently resides in her hometown of Quarryville. Redcay enjoys exploring by foot, bike or kayak; creating with food, words and music; and living life with family and friends.
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What’s
NEW
at
MU?
BY D E V I N MA R I N O From the recently completed living-learning communities to a freshly renovated dining hall, there is a lot that’s new and exciting on Millersville’s campus. Stop by and see for yourself.
THE VILLAGES AT MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY People who haven’t visited campus in a while may notice something different. All of the on-campus student population is now located in one residential quad, the South Quad. MU decided to get rid of the outdated residence halls in favor of new living-learning communities. During the summer months, construction projects were underway to complete the West Village and restore the South Quad between East Village and West Village. The completion of the West Village student housing complex is the last piece of a $150 million student-housing project, the largest in MU history. The East and West Village, which are carbon copies of each other, have 601 rooms. The new residence halls have various room options, including double and single suites with private bathrooms shared among the suitemates. In addition, East and West Village have four pods, which are units separate unto themselves in which 10 students reside with a shared common area and two shared bathrooms. All of the halls have various study lounge areas as well as common spaces where students can socialize and participate in residence life programming. All of the buildings have swipe-card access that works with students’ MU ID cards.
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The buildings within each Village were given historical names in order to preserve the University’s traditions and provide context for future students. The new residence halls were constructed as part of a “public-private partnership” between MU and Student Services, Inc. (SSI). This type of arrangement occurs at many instituions nationwide so that old residence hall infrastructure can be replaced with new facilities to meet today’s academic needs.
EXPANDED GORDINIER HALL When it reopens after the new year, Gordinier Dining Hall will be the central dining facility on campus. The dining hall was expanded and renovated because the on-campus student population is now housed in the South Quad, which is adjacent to Gordinier. Boasting a new 22,000 square-foot two-story addition, Gordinier
What’s NEW at MU?
PHOTO TAKEN BY PRESIDENT ANDERSON'S DRONE.
now provides enlarged windows for a wider view of the campus; additional restrooms on both floors, as well as a gender-inclusive bathroom on the first floor; expanded dining on the upper-level deck with mixed seating, such as tables, booths and conversational setups. There are also expanded food stations for more menu diversity. The upper deck area expansion now offers a panoramic view of the South Quad, East Village and West Village. An outside patio on the first floor provides outdoor dining and seating. Before the renovation and expansion, Gordinier Dining Hall had seating for 354 people. The new seating capacity is 600. Also included in the $13 million renovation and expansion is a multipurpose room for special events and meetings that can accommodate 36 seats in a seminar configuration, or 40 seats in a banquet. The foyer of the new addition has 42 seats and outside
seating for 40. The total seat count for the overall project is 678 interior plus 40 exterior seats. Millersville hopes that this renovation and expansion, coupled with the new residence halls, will help give it a competitive edge when it comes to attracting potential new students.
NEW RECORDING STUDIOS IN THE WINTER CENTER They say that change brings opportunity, and that is exactly what the additional state-of-the-art recording studios in the Winter Center will bring to MU. As of fall 2016, students in the Music Business Technology (MBT) concentration now have two new studios in which to compose and record music. The studios were built with acoustical design by the Walters-Storyk Design Group; engineering was provided by Spillman Farmer Architects, the architectural firm responsible for the transformation of Lyte Auditorium into the Winter Center; and audio installation was done by Clair Solutions. The new studio facilities include two 5.1 surround audio rooms with specialized audio isolation booths made by Noise Barriers. The entire operation is centered on the revolutionary customizable Avid S6 M40 console, which is used in major studios and production houses all over the world. This project was prompted by a major boost in interest from potential MBT students. Enrollment in the program grew over 600 percent in the past three years. In total, the project cost $489,000.
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MAKING
International Connections Millersville professor and alumna connect students with teaching opportunities in Sweden BY K ATE HAR TMAN Millersville University was founded as a teacher’s college in 1855. While the University has greatly expanded its programs of study to include STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), social work, meteorology, nursing and fine arts — to name just a few — education continues to be an important program for current students and alumni. Many education graduates choose to take their degrees and pursue careers locally in the Lancaster region, throughout Pennsylvania or across the country, but there are some who choose to travel abroad and influence the international community with the education and experience they gained at Millersville. NICOLE DOTY, who graduated from MU in 2008 with a dual degree in elementary and special education, is one such alumna. A trip to Switzerland and Mallorca with a family she babysat for during her junior year sparked an interest for travel within her. Prior to that, she had never left the country. After graduation, she moved to Florida and taught for a year in a fifth-grade classroom before her wanderlust inspired her to look for international opportunities. “That spring I felt this itch like I need to travel,” says Doty. “If you don’t do this now, you start to settle down somewhere. I tried to figure out how to get to Europe. I wasn’t sure if my qualifications would [allow] me to teach in Europe, but I had heard about people becoming au pairs.” Doty spent a year with a family in Stockholm, which she considers the “best decision” she could have made. When her contract was up and she needed
“We created a multilayer project with a partnership between Millersville and my school. “Because teachers are coming from all around the world — 50 percent of our teachers are from Sweden, and 50 percent are from around the world — they all receive a different education. I wanted to find a common ground,” she continues.
to figure out her next step, Doty decided to stay in Sweden instead of moving back to the United States or exploring another country. She got a job teaching English to sixth- to ninth-grade students at a newly built public school called Internationella Engelska Skolan Nacka (International English School Nacka). This school is part of an organization started by an American woman, which now includes 30 schools throughout Sweden. “It was amazing. It was a whole other world of education,” says Doty. “We wrote the whole curriculum. We chose what we would teach. There was a huge [emphasis] on mentorship. That is 50 percent of your job besides teaching. It’s a lot of work, but you put a lot of passion into it.” Over the next six years, Doty learned a lot — about herself, about education and about the world. She moved through several different positions in the school, and finally became what is called a “first teacher.” Part of her responsibility in that position was to launch a new project, and that is where Doty turned back to her alma mater. “I wanted to develop the special education program. I called Dr. [Thomas] Neuville and we started brainstorming,” says Doty.
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“She was seeing that students that had some learning disabilities were not getting what she thought was a good education,” explains Neuville, Disability Studies Advisor and founder of the Career & Life Studies program at Millersville. “She thought, ‘We need to learn how to do this better, and we need more Millersville students.’” Doty was joined by her Head of School in Sweden, Donald Christian, on a trip back to Millersville in early spring of 2014 to lead workshops and recruit students. That May, Neuville traveled to Sweden to observe classes and host several workshops. Through his observations he identified three main areas of growth to strengthen the special education program — co-teaching, the act of two teachers working together in one classroom; differentiated instruction, a teaching framework that involves providing different students with different avenues to learning; and universal design for learning, a blueprint for creating instructional goals, methods, materials and assessments that works for all students. These three techniques have been useful in special education classrooms, but Neuville says they are applicable to all students. These practices were implemented, and while the program is still a work in progress,
Christian says there is already a marked change. The whole program was replicated this past year, and will continue into the future. Partnerships between Kutztown University and Salisbury University in Maryland have also been forged for recruitment and expertise. “We went from, like most schools in Sweden, a pull-out-and-educate methodology to a total-inclusion methodology,” explains Christian, who is originally from upstate New York. “We went from no co-teaching taking place in our school to having co-teaching in all our theoretical subjects.” “I think there has been a shift in leadership, awareness and method,” says Neuville. Doty has moved on from her position as first teacher at Internationella Engelska Skolan Nacka. She now works as an academic coordinator at another school within the organization in the countryside, where she says there are plans to implement a similar program in the future. She maintains strong relationships with all involved in the program and many of her former professors here at MU. She says she’s “pretty set” on her life in Sweden, and doesn’t see herself moving back to America. “I have hopeful plans to continue the work that I started with the Millersville professors,” she says. “They have had a major impact on my success both at MU and my career in Sweden. I am forever thankful for their ongoing support and dedication.” The program continues at Nacka with Christian at the helm. He is committed to solidifying the lessons the school has learned and continuing the education of teachers to get everyone on the same level
and committed to the same educational goals. Stateside, Neuville is in the process of handing the reins off to Dr. Jason Petula, assistant professor of early, middle and exceptional education here at MU, and Dr. Gwen Beegle, an education professor at Salisbury University in Maryland. They are planning a trip to Sweden in January and are in the process of writing a MU course that would allow students to complete coursework in Sweden. That plan will be implemented in January 2018. Other MU professors have gotten involved in the last two years. Drs. Elizabeth Powers and Deborah Tamakloe were instrumental in planning the study-abroad component that has allowed students to travel and work abroad in Sweden. Many Millersville students have taken advantage of this partnership and been hired as teachers in Sweden. Gabrielle Pratz, a 2015 graduate, spent a year teaching math, science and English to fourth- and fifth-graders. Originally, she was not very interested in the opportunity but decided to give it a try after a teacher unexpectedly resigned from the school and they were looking for a replacement. “The experience was truly priceless and
I [wouldn’t] trade it for anything. If I could go back and do it again, I definitely would,” says Pratz, who now teaches in Florida. “That being said, it was challenging and scary, and there were days that I just wanted to pack and come back to what was familiar to me. “Teaching abroad humbled me beyond belief,” she continues. “Living and teaching abroad and facing challenges I didn't anticipate, I now know that I could move anywhere in the world and make it. I grew and changed in ways I never thought I would, but am so grateful to my students and supportive colleagues that helped me along the way.” Neuville encourages all education majors at Millersville to look into this teaching opportunity because of the undeniable value it adds to their learning experience and that of the Swedish students. “To be a good teacher, you need experience to draw on that’s worldly,” says Neuville. “The opportunity to work abroad for a year with no real effort on your part–it’s one hell of an opportunity.” Christian calls this partnership “a win-win for the professors, the students, for us and for our children here in Sweden.” “Everyone we met and continue to meet is excited about bettering education whether it’s at Millersville University; elementary, middle and high schools; or even internationally,” says Christian. “I think that’s a brilliant thing we’ve discovered. Love of education is universal.”
NICOLE DOTY
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It’s a
BUG’S Life — rather, an Insect’s Life — with Millersville Entomologists BY LAUR A KNOWLES
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Some might call them bugs. For Millersville alumni and students in the field of Entomology, they are insects, and these creatures are their life's work. BUSY AS BEES
“Many people think of insects as pests, and many of them can be dangerous, like disease-carrying mosquitos, which kill as many
Take the honey bee. It may sting, but it provides honey, the one
as a million people a year” says Dr. John Wallace, Millersville University biology professor and director of Millersville’s Center for Environmental Sciences — known to many as the “Bug Guy” at MU. Wallace came to the University in 1998 to pick up the entomological torch that Dr. Syd Radinovsky, aka “Dr. Rad,” passed to him. In addition to the many entomological courses he teaches, Wallace has
food that never spoils. Honey bees are the pollinators of the earth, responsible for pollinating just about every crop there is from cherries to peaches to oranges. Quite simply, we would all die without honey bees to pollinate our food sources. Wallace and two students, Rob Parkes and Dorian Seibel, started an on-campus apiary last summer. The pair
been advisor to the Entomology Club that “Dr. Rad” started 52 years ago. As Wallace points out, insects have an important role in the earth’s ecosystem. Those pesky mosquitoes are part of the food chain. Without them, other creatures like bats would have
Typically there is only one queen bee in a bee hive. Long live the Queen!
received two grants to cover the cost of the bees, their hives and related beekeeping gear like smokers, beekeeping suits, netting and gloves. MU alum and local beekeeper Dan Bleeker provided two hives with between 6,000 and 10,000 honey bees to the University.
nothing to eat.
“This is very exciting news for Millersville.
“Sure, from a medical entomological
As far as I know, we may have the first apiary among the State
perspective, mosquitoes are the most
System universities,” says Wallace.
important insect in terms of the medical
The goal is to increase the number of hives to at least eight in the
and economic costs annually to humans and livestock. So when you have a mosquito buzzing around you, it might seem like a good idea to just get rid of them, but that can have a
coming years. Each hive can house as many as 15,000 bees and produce up to 60 pounds of honey each year.
catastrophic effect,” says Wallace. “The diversity
“ The apiary project we started will allow students to gain valuable
of the earth depends on insects. Everything is
entomological, service and potentially research experiences long
interrelated. While it might be hard to
after we have graduated,” says Parkes. “It is exciting to leave a mark
believe, human survival depends
and provide opportunities for future students to learn.”
on insects.”
JOHN WALLACE & KAYLI THOMAS ’17
CONTINUED
MIKE BROOMALL
MOSQUITO SPECIMENS
FRANK RINKEVICH
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It’s a BUG'S Life
MOSQUITOES, BLACK FLIES & MORE The University’s insect population extends beyond bees to include a variety of insects like black flies and mosquitoes for students who hope to pursue entomology as a career.
The specimens will be used in a study of a new mosquito trap, which is being developed by Novelty Manufacturing Co. here in Lancaster.
Millersville grad Dr. Gary Miller has a margarodid scale named after him: Stigmacoccus garmilleri.
Recently, MU students have been doing research on the deadly mosquito, which has received a lot of publicity in the last year due to the rise in the dangerous Zika virus. The main culprit for this disease is the Aedes aegypti, also called the yellow fever mosquito, but there is also a second species, Aedes albopictus, known as the Asian tiger mosquito, which has been linked to the virus. Millersville students like seniors Kayli Thomas ’17 and Phil Hutchinson ’17 have been hard at work raising these mosquitoes.
Dr. Gary Miller ’80 USDA, AGRICULTURE RESEARCH SERVICE, SYSTEMATIC ENTOMOLOGY LABORATORY
Much of DR. GARY MILLER’S research involves the identification and classification of insects. His work relates to naming and describing new species, as well as providing a final identification authority for aphids and related groups that are intercepted at U.S. ports of entry. In his research of aphids, which are also known as plant lice, he has discovered more than 30 new species of insects. One of them is a mealybug named Dysmicoccus radinovsky after Dr. Syd Radinovsky.
Several alums are also getting involved in mosquito research. Recent alum Ryan Walker ’16 worked with Dr. Wallace to develop a dichotomous key for larval mosquito identification, which will be useful for the Hunterdon County Department of Public Health West Nile Control Program. Also, alumna Calen Wylie ’15 has researched a new approach to control adult mosquitoes using plant extracts from the Tree of Heaven, a deciduous tree native to northeast and central China, and Taiwan.
Black flies are another insect species that current MU students and alums are dedicated to observing and researching. Molecular biology major Frank Herr ’17 is at work examining how current
focus on Caddisflies (Trichoptera). His studies relate to the ecology of aquatic systems in natural and human dominated landscapes, looking at insects from the perspective of how people living closer to streams today affects where insects live.
Dr. Frank Rinkevich ’02 USDA-ARS HONEY BEE BREEDING, GENETICS AND PHYSIOLOGY
DR. FRANK RINKEVICH is doing his part to save the threatened honey bees. Now living in Baton Rouge, Rinkevich works for the USDA-ARS researching honey bee breeding, genetics and physiology. Through the course of his career, he has studied insects such as house flies, diamondback moths, Colorado potato beetles and mosquitoes. His current research includes evaluating insecticide sensitivity among honey bee subspecies to agrochemicals and mosquito-control products.
Dr. Rachel McNeish (Barker) ’09 POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOW AT LOYOLA UNIVERSITY CHICAGO
DR. RACHEL MCNEISH’S interest in studying insects began in Ecology Lab at MU when her labmate wanted to study aquatic macroinvertebrate communities in a tributary of the Little Conestoga River for their semester project. She pursued graduate school because she discovered that she loved working in river systems in Wallace's research lab and wanted to expand her research and education opportunities. She is currently studying how much microplastic is incorporated into aquatic food webs and how it impacts microbial communities throughout Lake Michigan.
Michael Broomall ’05 DR. GARY MILLER
Dr. Robert F. Smith ’00 ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, BIOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT LYCOMING COLLEGE
DR. ROBERT SMITH became enamored with insects while he was a biology student at Millersville. He is an assistant professor at Lycoming College, and researches aquatic insects, with a recent
STROUD WATER RESEARCH CENTER, AVONDALE, PA.
MICHAEL BROOMALL credits Millersville University and working at Stroud Water Research Center with giving him the opportunity to study insects in different streams, rivers and lakes, from the headwaters of Pennsylvania streams to the mighty Mississippi River. He researches aquatic macroinvertebrates, freshwater insects and a few non-insects, that live a portion of their lives in freshwater.
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MICHAEL BROOMALL
It’s a BUG'S Life larval control methods that kill black flies influence the microbial community structure in rivers and streams. Microbes are important organisms at the base of these aquatic food webs because they help to make leaf matter palatable for aquatic insects. Damage to these microbes can have major effects on the whole system.
birds from birth to fledgling, when they are experiencing a dietary shift from an insect-based diet to one of grains and seeds.
The emerald ash borer is destroying the ash wood used for famous Louisville Slugger baseball bats.
Several students are examining the links between members of an ecosystem. In addition to her work with mosquitoes, Thomas is also working on a collaborative project with alum Rebecca McCabe ’13 which examines the potential transmission of avian pathogens by louse flies on migrating hawks. Jenn Houtz ’18 is also focusing on the connection between insects and birds. She is working with Dr. Brent Horton and Wallace on a microbiome project focused on tracking the microbial community shifts in nestling
Insects play a crucial role in the world’s ecosystem. While they may be considered a pest to some, Millersville University students, professors and alums understand their importance and are working on many valuable projects that could have a great impact on all of our futures. We would be wise to tune into the all-important conversation surrounding insects because as Wallace reiterates in his favorite quote courtesy of famous naturalist John Muir, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, one finds it attached to the rest of the world.”
Scott Starr ’08
Rebecca A. McCabe ’13
TEACHING ASSISTANT, TEXAS TECH UNIVERSITY, DEPARTMENT OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, TEACHING CONSULTANT FOR THE TEACHING, LEARNING & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CENTER (TLPDC)
HAWK MOUNTAIN SANCTUARY, NOVELTY MANUFACTURING CO.
SCOTT STARR first became interested in insects when he learned about the fishing lures that are used in fly-fishing. Many of the lure patterns attempt to imitate specific species of insects and invertebrates that live within the streams and rivers. He is currently working on his Ph.D. in biology at Texas Tech University, studying dragonflies and damselflies of the Order Odonata and the invertebrate communities of playa wetlands.
Kristin Sloyer ’11
In her work with Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, REBECCA MCCABE’S research focuses on birds of prey, like eagles and hawks. While trapping and banding migrating raptors, she decided to collect the louse fly, which can only be seen when “you have a bird in hand” and is an ectoparasite that feeds on the blood of their host. The study is expanding to look at the microbial diversity and community of these louse flies as a collaborative project with Wallace’s lab and Michigan State University. She is also working for Novelty Manufacturing Co., assisting with field tests and the launch of a new type of mosquito oviposition trap.
FLORIDA MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY LABORATORY IN VERO BEACH, FLA.
KRISTIN SLOYER is proof that studying creepy-crawly things is not just for men. She is currently working on her master’s degree studying medical entomology at the University of Florida, and is working in Dr. Nathan Burkett-Cadena’s lab at the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory in Vero Beach. At the Research and Education Center of the University of Florida, she is doing research on biting midges in the Culicoides genus, commonly known as no-see-ums — those tiny, pesky biters that are nearly invisible.
“This project demonstrates that insects are connected to all forms of life, including birds,” says Houtz, who plans to enter a doctorate program in zoology.
REBECCA A. MCCABE
Joe Receveur ’16 GRADUATE STUDENT, MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY
At Millersville, JOE RECEVEUR undertook a unique honors thesis that focused on cutting-edge research addressing the
impact of large storm events such as Hurricane Sandy on mosquito habitats and how larval mosquito control agents influence the microbial environment in which they live. He has continued his research on mosquitoes, in particular the Aedes aegypti mosquito that is linked with the Zika virus. Currently, he is a graduate student at Michigan State University in the lab of Eric Benbow, working on mosquito oviposition (where mosquitoes lay their eggs) and the chemical compounds produced by bacteria that attract adult mosquitoes.
Jennifer Stough ’03, M. ’16 PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Working with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, JENNIFER STOUGH is involved in the West Nile and Zika Programs, where she conducts surveillance and controls for the mosquitoes that transmit these diseases. Her work includes setting mosquito traps in response to West Nile and Zika cases; controlling for mosquito larvae in areas such as storm water basins, tires, ditches and sewage treatment plants using various bacterial products; conducting adult mosquito control sprays; training personnel on all aspects of mosquito biology and educating the public about mosquitoes.
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LEARNING JOB ON THE
MU students get ahead through on- and off-campus internships BY K ATE HAR TMAN In today’s economic climate, college graduates enter into an immensely competitive job market regardless of their degree and chosen profession. Unlike decades past, securing a job requires more than just good grades and a college degree. Students are expected to enter the working world with experience that demonstrates they are fit for the job. That is where internships come in. “Participating in a credit-bearing internship expands academic opportunities for students by providing them with unique experiences that complement their learning in the classroom,” says Michele Boté, assistant director of experiential learning. There are many current MU students who pursued valuable and exciting internships this past semester. Here are just five of them.
“It was a perfect fit,” says the biology major, who is concentrating in marine biology. “A lot of what I’m learning in my classes pertains to this internship.” Her morning routine consists of making rounds and feeding the animals. At 10 a.m. she gives a talk to the public while she feeds the wood turtles. “The public really loves that,” she says. “The animals are more what I’m interested in, but being able to interact with the public and getting groups that are really interested, I enjoy that.” O'Neill calls her time at the aquarium “a highly positive experience overall.” However, she says she isn’t entirely sure what she wants to do after she graduates. Her immediate goal is to get scuba certified so she can dive in the aquarium tanks. “Ideally I would like to be out in the field and do fieldwork,” she says, “but with the experience I’ve had here, I can probably get an [entry-level job] at any aquarium.”
Collin Long
HERSHEY ENTERTAINMENT & RESORTS, HERSHEY
Megan O’Neill
Senior COLLIN LONG always wanted to intern for Hershey Entertainment & Resorts. He worked for them in different capacities in the past and his mother works for the company, so she would keep him in the loop about opportunities. When a marketing intern position opened, he was quick to apply.
Senior MEGAN O’NEILL is currently interning at the Baltimore Aquarium — a dream job for ocean and animal lovers — though she admits the internship wasn’t immediately on her radar. She assumed it would be a good experience and decided to apply for it; and she was right.
“What’s nice about Hershey Entertainment is that they own so many different brands,” says Long, who is a business student with a focus on marketing. “You could be working on the Hershey Park or the Hershey Bears. One day you could be working on the Hotel Hershey, and the next you could be
BALTIMORE AQUARIUM, BALTIMORE
MEGAN O’NEILL
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COLLIN LONG
LEARNING ON THE JOB
working on dining. It’s something different every day.” As a marketing intern, Long’s main focus is competitive research. He does a lot of work with pricing and competitive offers. “I think [an internship] gives you an up-front, hands-on view of what you’ll be doing,” he says. “You can learn so much in the classroom, but until you get some hands-on experience, then you can base what you want to do on that.”
Every day Rai completes a battery of routine testing and sometimes helps other employees with different projects, but right now his main focus is on an important project involving the testing of polymers with solvents. He volunteered for the project because he recognized the potential importance. “Polymer testing is important for the production,” says Rai. “That’s why I stood up and requested they give this project to me.”
Jessica Graham
LANCASTER FARMLAND TRUST, STRASBURG
For the past five years, senior JESSICA GRAHAM has worked on a dairy farm. Agriculture has always been important to her, and she was looking for an internship that could combine her extracurricular interests with her geography major. “I heard from another classmate who had interned with the [Lancaster] Farmland Trust. I thought I really want to do that,” she says. Graham is one of two interns this semester and she says her job centers on mapping and updating building layouts because she has geographic information system (GIS) knowledge. She also gets the opportunity to go on monitoring visits to various farms, which she says is the fun stuff. “Since [the Lancaster Farmland Trust] mostly deals with Plain Sect farmers, it can sometimes be difficult to establish a relationship,” Graham explains. “It helps if you have an agricultural background. You know what you’re talking about. You know what it means to milk a cow every day.” The coolest thing she’s gotten to do at her internship? “Having the opportunity to see a herd of water buffalo,” she says.
Deepak Rai
FENNER PRECISION, MANHEIM
Senior chemistry major DEEPAK RAI is a full-time employee at Fenner Precision in Manheim, but he is also receiving college credit that is getting him closer to his May graduation. Rai is a nontraditional student who balances a full-time job with his course load. It was through some smart advisement that Rai JESSICA GRAHAM
realized he could receive college credit for some of the work he does at Fenner.
DEEPAK RAI
After graduation, Rai plans to stay at Fenner Precision and hopefully move up from being a lab technician to other positions within the company.
Liel Pollock
CLINIC FOR SPECIAL CHILDREN, STRASBURG
LIEL POLLOCK says she completely wrote off the internship at the Clinic for Special Children when she first heard about it because she assumed it was geared toward medical students. As an English major she didn’t see the connection, but when she learned the position was for a public health writing intern, she decided to apply. “Originally they wanted me to take things that were very complicated and write them in an eighth-grade level of understanding. Many of the people who come are Amish or Mennonite, and they only have an eighth-grade education,” says Pollock. “Along the way they have added a more journalistic aspect because they want to take really interesting patient stories and present them to people who are donating or who are interested in what we do.” The aspect of her internship that’s the most exciting and unexpected is when she’s able to interview Amish or Mennonite people in their homes. “It shows me a culture I’ve never been exposed to before,” she says. Pollock says she isn’t sure what she will do after graduation, but this internship and all the experience she has gained with scientific writing has definitely diversified her portfolio and allowed her to think outside the professional box.
LIEL POLLOCK
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HOMECOMING 2016
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Oct. 21 & 22
HOMECOMING | 2 0 1 6
Can't wait to see you at
Homecoming 2017 Oct. 13 & 14
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ALUMNI NEWS | E V E N T S
Today We Are ONE On Oct. 5, the Millersville
community banded together to support student scholarships and funding for up-to-date equipment, facilities and programs through donations to the annual ONE DAY GIVE campaign. Alumni, faculty, staff and students were encouraged to “BE ONE” who made a difference for student success. And they did. In total, $123,630 was raised throughout the day — beating the $100,000 goal by a significant margin. The number of gifts reached 457.
AT MILLERSVILLE, WE WORK TO BE ONE EVERY DAY. Give the gift of education. www.millersville.edu/give/ where-to-give/one-day-give.php
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ALUMNI NEWS | E V E N T S
SIX HONORED at 2016
Each year, Millersville University’s Alumni Association sponsors four awards to honor outstanding members of the community. Recipients of these awards have distinguished themselves professionally, served the community, reached admirable personal achievements and practiced philanthropy.
Waters leads not only as the associate director of operations for undergraduate admissions for the University of Maryland in Baltimore County, but also as a member WATERS PIZZOLI of several collegiate boards, a speaker at events for professionals and a featured author in College & University Journal.
The 2016 alumni award winners were recognized on Sept. 24 at the Honors & Awards Ceremony. The following awards were presented at the ceremony:
Pizzoli is a popular children’s author and illustrator whose work has been featured in The New York Times, Communications Arts and 3X3 Magazine.
DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI Award
HONORARY ALUMNUS/NA Award
The 2016 recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award is Lt. Col. Paul MacNamara ’84. After holding various positions of leadership during MACNAMARA his 20-year military career, MacNamara helped to restore his college fraternity, the Millersville chapter of Sigma Tau Gamma, and now serves as an advisor. He is also active in the Gold Star Teen Adventure, an adventure program for children of fallen Special Operations service members, and is a partner and CEO of the start-up investment firm Strategic Investment Partners LLC.
The 2016 recipient of the Honorary Alumnus Award is Dr. Dennis Denenberg. He initiated the “Hooray for Heroes” program while DENENBERG teaching at MU, which he took on a national tour after retiring. His own hero, his late sister, who was a MU alumna, inspired him to set up the Diana Denenberg Durand Spirit Garden and Statue, the Diana’s Dreamers: Determined to Defeat Breast Cancer endowment, and the annual Breast-a-Ville event.
Honors & Awards Ceremony
This award was established in 1971 to recognize graduates of Millersville University who have brought honor to the individual, the University or the Alumni Association through their distinctions.
YOUNG ALUMNI ACHIEVEMENT Award
This award was created in 2012 to honor recent Millersville University graduates who have reached notable accomplishments in their professions within five to 20 years of graduation.
BERNHARDT
The 2016 recipients of the Young Alumni Achievement Award are Dr. Thomas Bernhardt ’96, Dr. Kristin Albright Waters ’05 and Greg Pizzoli ‘05.
Bernhardt is one of the world’s leading microbiologists, who assumed a tenured professor position at Harvard Medical School, where he carries out nationally funded research to develop solutions to antibiotic resistance.
This award, created in 1993, is presented to individuals who provide continuous service of time, talent or wealth to Millersville University, despite not actually graduating from the University.
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER SERVICE Award
This award recognizes volunteers who devote a significant amount of time and effort to serving the Millersville University Alumni Association or the University as a whole.
The 2016 recipient of the Outstanding Volunteer Service Award is Robert “Bob” Lehr ’57. Lehr hand-carved the Marauder statue, located in the athletic recruiting room in LEHR Jefferson Hall. After nearly one year of work, he whittled a 1,200-pound block of basswood down to 550 pounds. Lehr also served on the engagement committee of the MU Alumni Association, attends Homecoming festivities and stays involved on campus.
VISIT MILLERSVILLE.EDU/ALUMNI FOR MORE DETAILED BIOS. To nominate deserving Millersville University alumni for these awards, go to millersville.edu/alumni/awards/index.php.
MU After WORK
A great way to end the work day while networking and socializing with fellow alums. Complimentary appetizers provided by the MU Alumni Association. Events begin at 5:15 p.m.
January 18 | Federal Taphouse, Lancaster
June 8 | Fox & Hound, King of Prussia
March 15 | The Pressroom, Lancaster
July 19 | Loxley’s, Lancaster
May 17 | Copper Hill at Crossgates Golf Course, Millersville
OTHER ALUMNI EVENTS: March 18 | Jonah, Sight & Sound Theatre, Strasburg April 22 | Jazz & Java, Millersville University
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ALUMNI NEWS | E V E N T S
ALUMNI REUNIONS are always a large component of Millersville’s Homecoming Weekend. This year was no exception, with a wide variety of alumni coming back to campus to reunite and reminisce about their time here. Reunions included the Class of 1966’s 50th reunion, the Class of 1951’s 65th reunion, large reunions of both the Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Thrillersville and much more. Below are just a few photos from the events. For more Homecoming photos, please go to facebook.com/MillersvilleAlumni.
CLASS of 1956 60th Reunion & CLASS of 1951 65th Reunion
Members of the Classes of 1951 and 1956 met for a reception where they reminisced about their time at Millersville State Teachers College. After the reception, they joined the Class of 1966 for dinner to welcome the newest members of the Ad Astra Society. They enjoyed a brief presentation by President John Anderson and remarks by Betsy Faga, representing the Class of 1966.
CLASS of 1966 50th Reunion
The Class of 1966 marked their 50th reunion with a weekend full of events including tours of campus, hors d’oeuvres in the Biemesderfer Center and a great view of the parade from the Duncan Alumni House. They capped their celebration with a reception and dinner with President Anderson.
Left to Right FRONT ROW: Linda (Clark) Lawton; Joanne (Longenecker) Sauder; Nancy (Hostetler) Watson; Jean (Smith) Woland; Sheryl Curran Smith; Patricia (Orris) Robertson; Carole (Campbell) Gallis SECOND ROW: David Sauder; Ruby (Jacobs) Ifkowitz; Barbara (Gouker) Rupp; Jane Henry Myers; Dr. John Anderson, University President THIRD ROW: Deanna (Hoover) Frankovich; Milly (Engel) Keefer; Ann Larkin; Betsy Faga; Gail (Smith) Alexander, John Baillie BACK ROW: Eloise (Haag) Laskowski; Patricia Hoffman; Romaine (Reinhold) Campbell; Ruth (Reitz) Grim; Joyce (Hall) Heiserman; Barbara (Chestnut) Baillie CLASS of 1956 Left to Right FRONT ROW: Jeannie (Mumma) Park; La Verne (Brown) Hyman; Donna Lou (Detwiler) Petters; Barbara (Brown) Yingst BACK ROW: Frederick Park; Jere Schuler; Paul Cunningham; Richard Sherr; Donald Kugle
CLASS of 1951 Left to Right FRONT ROW: Catharine (Shenk) Horn; Dorothy (Morgan) Nye; Mary Ellen (Kauffman) Reid; Allen Eckert BACK ROW: Renee (Genbauffe) O’Leary; Marilyn (Young) Herr; Elizabeth “Shethra” (Jones) Rigg
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’70s DECADE Reunion
Class members who graduated in the ’70s gathered together to celebrate their time at the University over dinner, where they were joined by Dr. Aminta Breaux, Vice President for Advancement.
Left to Right FRONT ROW: Deborah (Marquette) Maialetti ’76; Barbara (Reiner) Lashley ’70; Patricia (Long) Lysinger ’70; Lois (Latherow) Frazier ’76; Sandy (King) Brown ’76; Lynn (Sinapi) Matsko ’76; Dr. Aminta Breaux MIDDLE ROW: Linda (Rose) Steffy ’70; Allen Steffy; Deborah (Lykens) Owen ’76; Sandra (Knecht) Eberts ’76; Jean (Madigan) Young ’71 BACK ROW: Mike Sauder ’76; Bill Etsweiler ’76; Paul Beideman ’71; Jeff Vermuth ’71; Ruth Ann Bromfield ’71; Jeanne (Hoffman) VanDerSchaaf ’71
ALUMNI NEWS | E V E N T S
DELTA PHI ETA 75th Anniversary
The sisters of Delta Phi Eta celebrated their 75th anniversary by sharing their experiences over lunch and bringing memorabilia from their years at Millersville.
SIGMA PHI DELTA 50th Anniversary Six decades of sisters of Sigma Phi Delta, including founding members, came together to celebrate the sorority’s 50th anniversary over lunch. A program was presented with the sisters joining in to sing and chant some of their Sigma Phi Delta favorites.
Left to Right FRONT ROW: Kaitlyn Lanzetta; Lauren Drill ’16; Eliza Birkelbach ’15; Kelly Sorace; Renee (Genbauffe) O’Leary ’51; Dorothy (Morgan) Nye ’51; Catharine (Shenk) Horn ’51; Colette (Seyfried) Borden ’93; Sheri Fisher ’10; Jess Wilson ’09; Theresa (McCoy) Graybill ’82 SECOND ROW: Ann Shambaugh ’88; Michelle (Samsel) Camilli ’89; Patricia Hoffman ’66; Aimee Sowa-Currier ’94; Amy Hoffman ’94; Lynn Lechner-Weidner ’91; Dana (Yelagotes) Keares ’93; Melissa (Detz) Ostrowski ’92; Jennifer Bertolet ’92 THIRD ROW: Marcia (Wenger) Kreider ’73; Barbara (Reiner) Lashley ’70; Emily Dalbey ’16; Samantha McCulloch ’14; Ashleigh (Seifrit) Rissler ’06; Chrystal Woollett ’05; Rachel Tadlock ’04; Rebecca (Valvano) Walton ’05; Melissa (Yelagotes) Vulopas ’92; Cynthia Shelton ’93; Heather Conlon-Keller ’93 BACK ROW: Abigayle Wagner; Naomi Snyder; Ashley Orehek; Holly Finkey; Caitlin Brown; Karen (Hozza) Worrell ’06; Terri (Blaise) Sweeney ’04; Laura Dieter ’05; Lisa (Sharp) McHenry ’92; Maureen (Blair) Davis ’91 Left to Right ROW 1: Sopy Sou ’06; Kristen (Feldman) Smondrowski ’08; Amanda (Quirin) Pavetto ’08; Mary Flounders ’08; Katie Zargiel ’09; Melissa (Hanzl) Purnell ’08; Tiffany (Hoffman) Black ’08 ROW 2: Kathy (French) Sekula ’79; Patti (Wall) Erbe ’78; Mary Jane (Schuler) McKeeman ’68; Marcia (Raffensperger) Zinkel ’69; Sara Jane (Lessig) McCurdy ’68; Terry Dunn ’68; Diane (Allen) Schadle ’68; Kelly Duffy; Kathryn (Gregory) Chandler ’09; Alexis Vastardis ’09; Louise (Connor) Wingate ’70 ROW 3: Mary Kay (Conahan) Hennessy ’79; Mary Ava Sheridan; Kathy (Lewis) Costello ’74; Barb (Martin) Kamen ’77; Debbie (Marinello) Evans ’74; Penny (Meyer) Dusak ’73; Lois (Hossler) Brewer ’73; Joanne (Kaufman) Kurtz ’73; Tanya (Thomas) Meyers ’75; Marilyn (Owens) Bradley ’74; Vicki (North) Holbrook ’74; Marlys (Foster) Prescott ’74; Vicki (Ritter) Stover ’74; Brittany (Hutchings) Haddad ’10; Krista (Derk) Buckwalter ROW 4: Elaine (Talley) Bevan ’80; Ann (Sheridan) Martin ’74; Nancy (Taylor) Joyce ’78; Marianne Dishong ’81; Cecilia McGough ’82; Cyd (Napier) Owens ’82; Helen (McGroerty) Wright ’82; Madalyn Weaver; Ashley Gunnet; Carol (Duryea) Greene ’78; Mandy Podlesny ’07; Shelley (Raubenhold) Olsen ’71; Betty (Atwood) Doller; Suzie (Lord) Linebaugh ’70 ROW 5: Jess Shelleman; Carlotta (McCafferty) Myers ’99; Susan (Longley) Detwiler ’01; Allison Picco ’00; Elaine (Dimitt) Mickelson ’81; Sharon (Geubtner) Shoemaker ’81; Wendy (Glatfelter) Jarrett ’81; Fotini (Tzinis) Stratis ’05; Jackie (Tyszka) Gillard ’05; Ingrid (Benjamin) DeBellas ’71; Barb (Lawson) McElvogue ’71; Diane (Alexander) Bridi ’71 ROW 6: Linda Locker; Judy (Brewer) Rinehart ’76; Jodie (Johnson) VanDenHengel ’82; Denise (Mackley) Hartman ’83; Kelly Volkert ’14; Sarah Stuckey ’11; Bonnie (Gaul) Sherpinsky ’12; Erin Salabsky ’15; Kimberly High ’10; Christina (Fogel) Gehman ’11
PHI SIGMA PI Reunion
The members of Phi Sigma Pi, a co-ed honor fraternity, met over lunch to discuss their times at Millersville. Colleagues brought memorabilia which created spirited discussions as they reminisced about their time with Phi Sigma Pi.
Left to Right FRONT ROW: Amanda Ward ’14; Julia (Verba) Haigh ’04; Creighton Klein; Bob Null ’02; Kaitlin Hoak; Amanda Stone ’16 MIDDLE ROW: Linnea Golden ’04; Lina (Kempf) Kozeniewski ’04; Fritz Salomon ’84; Kim Johnson ’91; Ryan Schgier ’16 BACK ROW: Gerardo Diaz ’15; David DeFina ’95; Mark Lloyd ’87; Jeff Johnson ’87
Winter
COMMENCEMENT
THOMAS BALDRIGE, president and CEO of The Lancaster Chamber of Commerce & Industry, took to the stage as the commencement speaker for the 2016 Fall Commencement Ceremony on Dec. 18 , held in Pucillo Gymnasium. There were 484 graduates.
Baldrige has been at the helm of the chamber, a 2,200-member organization dedicated to creating business and community vitality, since 2000. He received the designation of Certified Chamber Executive in 2008 from the American Chamber of Commerce Executives.
County Transportation Authority, and the City Reinvestment and Improvement Zone (CRIZ) Authority. He recently served as chair of the board of directors of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives.
BALDRIGE
He serves on a variety of boards and commissions including Leadership Lancaster, Economic Development Company of Lancaster County, Discover Lancaster, the Workforce Development Board, the Lancaster
Baldrige earned a B.S. from Ithaca College and has completed graduate courses at Elmira College. He resides in Conestoga with his wife Susan, a reporter. They have three grown children and two grandchildren.
Jacob McClellen ‘16 provided the moment of reflection at the ceremony, Student Senate President Justin Pierre ‘18 offered greetings and Dijon Eggleton ‘16 presented the senior class gift. Elizabeth Stavniychuk ‘16 sang the National Anthem and led the alma mater.
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CAMPUS NEWS | Fall/Winter Five-Time National Diversity Award Recipient For the fifth year in a row, Millersville University was nationally recognized as a winner of the INSIGHT into Diversity Magazine’s Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award. The HEED Award recognizes the efforts and successes of colleges and universities to encourage diversity and inclusion on their campuses. This award is the only one of its kind, which makes it a true honor to receive.
APSCUF Strikes Over Contract Negotiations with State System On Oct. 19, the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) called for an immediate work stoppage at all 14 state universities in Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education (PASSHE), including Millersville University. The strike continued for three days, during which time the campus remained open and fully operational, and the classes taught by nonstriking faculty continued as scheduled. The strike ended on Friday, Oct. 21, after a tentative contract agreement was reached.
PHOTO COURTESY OF DR. ANA BÖRGERGRECO, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF SPANISH.
achieving diversity, equity, accessibility and social justice on campus. “My main mission is to serve as a resource to University departments and organizations to create an inclusive and welcoming environment on campus,” says Dorman.
MU Prof. Collaborates on $2.5 Million NSF Grant Middle school students in Chicago, Massachusetts and the North Slope of Alaska will participate in a new computational weather-forecasting curriculum, which will transform their classrooms into dynamic weather stations, courtesy of a $2.5 million DRL – STEM + Computing (STEM+C) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The grant was secured through collaboration between the Concord Consortium, Argonne National Labs, The University of Illinois – Chicago and the work of MU STEM education professor Dr. Nanette Marcum-Dietrich. She will lead the education research for the project with help from a team of graduate and undergraduate students.
MU gets New Director of Diversity & Social Justice Tchet Dereic Dorman joined the University as the new Director of Diversity & Social Justice in mid-August. He will support the President’s TCHET DORMAN Commissions on the Status of Women, Cultural Diversity & Inclusion and Gender & Sexual Diversity. His goal is to plan and implement training, programs, events and activities related to
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American Dream Scholarship Ride Raises Over $45,000 More than 100 people gathered in the early hours of Sept. 17 to participate in the 2016 American Dream Scholarship Ride. The participants rode and walked to support student scholarships, community-awareness efforts on the environmental and health benefits of bicycling, and to promote MU as a bicycle-friendly campus. The 2016 fundraising goal for this event was $25,000, with sponsors Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority and the Millersville University Alumni Association leading the way. In total, $47,161 was raised by the event.
CAMPUS NEWS | FALL/WINTER
Freshman Receives Inaugural Pennsylvania Society Scholarship Triniti-Lynn Thornhill, from Willow Grove, Pa., a freshman double-majoring in international business and business management at Millersville University, was one of 25 students selected to receive the Pennsylvania Society Scholarship. In its first year, the Pennsylvania Society, and the Maguire Foundation, has offered over $200,000 in scholarship awards for Pennsylvania students to attend college in the state. Thornhill will receive an annually renewable $8,000 scholarship for four years of undergraduate study at MU.
Big Boys, Big Band, Big Sound An eclectic mixture of popular hits and old classics filled the air at Millersville University during the APSCUF strike in October. This lively soundtrack energized the crowd, encouraged car honks and drew attention across campus and beyond, but it did not come from a radio or a DJ — it came from the BIG BOY BRASS BAND. The Big Boy Brass Band came together only a month before the strike. The group consists of recent graduates and current college students, most of whom are enrolled at Millersville University. The Boys are a mix of music education, music business and music performance majors who share a passion for creating beautifully unique melodies.
TRINITI-LYNN THORNHILL
Millersville among Best Colleges for Early Childhood Education Teacher.org ranked Millersville University number 10 out of more than 425 qualifying colleges in their “Best Colleges for Early Childhood Education” rankings at the end of the summer. The list was compiled by scoring several areas, including relative size of the program, graduation rates, default rates, tuition affordability and online education options availability. “We pride our College of Education as being one that not only prepares students for teaching, but also has faculty who are top in their field, our clinical aspect is rigorous and our graduates fare well as they seek teaching jobs,” says Dean of Education and Human Services, Dr. George Drake.
“Our original idea was to jam out New Orleans brass band tunes, catchy pop songs and funky jazz on a street corner. We were thinking, ‘What's the worst that will happen? We play a tune and they ask us to leave?’” explains bandleader Connor Devlin. So, they did just that. On Sept. 2 of this year, 11 Big Boys took their talents to the streets of Lancaster City. Vincent Shickora, Michael Duncan and Ben Ewing were on trumpet; Anthony Cherego, Ryan McGlashen and Nick Franks played the saxophone; Tim Zettlemoyer, Sam Yoder and Chaz Richardson grabbed their trombones; Connor Devlin put his tuba to use; and Matthew Woodson assumed the drums. The rest, as they say, is history. The Big Boy Brass Band now regularly brings traditional brass band, pop, funk and jazz music to the streets of Lancaster every first and third Friday. They performed at Tellus360 in downtown Lancaster on Oct. 27 and Nov. 18. The members meet once a week at Millersville University to add their unique style to the songs they cover, to write their own music and to enjoy the companionship of fellow musicians. “It’s one thing to play in a group that is really talented or that plays with a tight sound. But to go out night after night and play with people you enjoy being around is a completely different experience,” says MU music performance major and saxophonist Ryan McGlashen. “We are all pretty good at feeding off of each other and the energy of the crowd. Everybody in this group brings something different to the table, and to see it flourish either on a street corner in Lancaster or outside the MU Library is something special.” M I L L E R S V I L L E U N I V E R S I T Y • w w w. m i ller sv i lle. edu
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SPORTS | 2016
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME
Impressive athletes honored during Homecoming weekend BY E THAN HULSE Y The Millersville University Athletic Hall of Fame honored its 2016 and 22nd annual class of inductees as part of Homecoming weekend on Oct. 21. The class includes Dr. Ralph “Doc” Anttonen (contributor); Ernest Eric Guyll ’77 (wrestling); Sue Heckler ’87 (women’s basketball); Derek Kline ’11 (baseball); Sean McLaughlin ’09 (men’s soccer); Jennie Rohrbaugh Bonitz ’04 (women’s volleyball) and Aaron Wyley ’81 (football). DR. RALPH ANTTONEN, better known as Doc Roc to Marauders, has been a fixture in Pucillo Gymnasium, serving as the public address announcer at men’s basketball games for the last 44 years, beginning in 1972. Doc has also announced Millersville volleyball matches since the early 2000s. A tireless supporter of Millersville athletics, Doc served as the chairman of the department of academic and student development and coordinator of the exploratory program as well as the advisor for student radio station WIXQ until his retirement in 2013. Millersville’s first-ever NCAA Division III Wrestling Champion, ERNEST ERIC GUYLL, took the title at 190 pounds in 1976 and remains one of only five Marauders to win a national championship. Guyll was a two-time All-American and four-time place winner at the PSAC Championships, scoring runner-up honors twice. He posted an 87-23 career record and set a school record for victories at the time of his graduation. His .791 winning percentage is among the best in program history. A two-time All-PSAC East First Team selection basketball player, SUE HECKLER was a key contributor to two PSAC Championship teams and the first two NCAA Tournament appearances in program history. Heckler led the 1986-87 club in scoring and rebounding, helping it to a conference championship and the NCAA East Regional final. She averaged 10.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game over a four-year career and ranks third all-time in field goal percentage. Heckler was named All-American Third Team as a senior.
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A true two-way star for the Marauder baseball team, DEREK KLINE established himself as not only the top hitter in program history, but also a MLB Draft-worthy pitcher. Kline set Marauder records for hits (247), doubles (61) and RBIs (148) during his four-year career, hitting .346 over 200 starts at first base. He also became a formidable starting pitcher in the PSAC East, posting a 3.46 ERA and winning 13 games in 27 starts in three seasons. Kline was drafted as a pitcher following the 2009 season but elected to return to Millersville, where he helped the Marauders to a NCAA Atlantic Regional Championship as the starting pitcher in the title game. A dynamic playmaker for the legendary 2008 men’s soccer team, SEAN MCLAUGHLIN was a three-time All-PSAC selection, earning first-team status twice and PSAC East Player of the Year recognition as a senior. McLaughlin finished his career with 90 points and totaled 38 of them in 2008 with 14 goals and 10 assists. He was voted Daktronics and NSCAA All-Atlantic Region First Team and the Atlantic Regional’s Most Outstanding Offensive Player after leading the club into the NCAA Quarterfinal for the first time in program history. One of only two four-time All-PSAC East First Team selections in Marauder volleyball history, JENNIE ROHRBAUGH BONITZ was an offensive and defensive playmaker. She set the Millersville career record for digs and held it for a decade. She finished her career ranked second in career kills with 1,208. In an era of run-heavy offenses in football, AARON WYLEY was a rare breed. Wyley was a three-time All-PSAC First Team selection at wide receiver from 1977-79, setting records for single-season catches, single-season yards, career yards and career touchdowns. Wyley was a big-play threat, averaging over 20 yards per catch as a junior. His 701 receiving yards in 1977 stood as a school record until 1991, and his 18 touchdown grabs still rank fifth all-time. His play was vital to the 1977 club reaching the PSAC “State Game” and winning the PSAC Eastern Division.
SPORTS | 2016
CROSS COUNTRY COACH
Immortalized
Not only did EUGENE “CY” FRITZ coach athletes, he developed people. That is how the former Millersville University cross country and track and field coach will be forever remembered after the dedication of a plaque with his likeness and career accomplishments was installed at Chryst Field at Biemesderfer Stadium on Homecoming Saturday. “I have been so blessed to be able to coach here at Millersville. I have been so blessed to be able to reach these young people because not only were they successful in college, they have become successful people in life, and that is most important,” said Fritz during the ceremony. On hand for the dedication ceremony were Millersville University President Dr. John Anderson, Director of Athletics Miles Gallagher and numerous alums who ran under the tutelage of Fritz. Among the speakers were Millersville
hall of fame runners Jeff Bradley ’74, Tom Ecker ’75 and Greg Cauller ’83, and chairman of the Cy Fritz Foundation, Bob Vasile ’83. A member of the Millersville University Athletics and Pennsylvania Sports halls of fame, Fritz served students at Millersville from 1968-1997 as a coach, member of the faculty and as the associate director of men’s athletics. Fritz led Millersville men’s cross country to a 126-16 record, two Intercollegiate Association of Amateur Athletes of America titles and the 1981 NCAA Division II Championship—the first national championship in Millersville history. “I want to thank [Cy] personally for your dedication, all your years of service as an educator, coach, as a mentor, as an administrator,” says Dr. Anderson. “I’ve heard a great deal about [Cy’s] service. More than that, Cy stands as an inspiration for all the student-athletes that he served and all those that have yet to come. This plaque will be here.
Students will walk by this and read about this leader, and it will inspire them on to great things.” “After having the chance to talk with Cy, I could see right away why he is such a mentor to so many people and how much he cared about Millersville University, how much he cared about the current student-athletes,” says Gallagher. “In athletics, we talk about what our vision is. It is to provide a championship experience and develop leaders who can change the world…Cy is the perfect example of a coach that embodied the principles of serving our students. I couldn’t think of a better person to do this for.” As part of the weekend festivities, Fritz was recognized on the field during the Homecoming football game, and members of the 1981 national championship team attended a reception to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the win.
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SPORTS | 2016
FIELD HOCKEY
TA K ES PSAC CH A MPIONSHIP THE 2016 SEASON WAS AGAIN HISTORIC FOR MILLERSVILLE FIELD HOCKEY. The Marauders finished the season 17-5, and on Nov. 6, the Marauders received second-half goals from Arianna Grays and Margaret Thorwart to beat Shippensburg 2-1 for the PSAC Championship. It was the program’s first conference championship since 2013 and only the fourth in program history. Millersville received the NCAA Division II Atlantic Region’s No. 1 seed for the first
time ever and reached the NCAA Semifinals for the third time in the last four seasons. In four seasons, Millersville’s eight seniors—Carly Castle, Arianna Grays, Olivia Hershey, Taylor Parker, Samantha Rumler, Robyn Spatichia and Margaret Thorwart—played in four PSAC championship games and four NCAA tournaments, winning two conference titles and a national championship in 2014. The senior class compiled a record of 74-14.
ANDERS & GREENE
Lead Golf Programs During Fall Semester Men’s golf senior RODNEY ANDERS shot a 7-over-par score to finish in a tie for third place at the PSAC Championships hosted at Hershey County Club East Course. Anders was joined by Connor Sheehan (tied for sixth) in the top 10. Anders posted three top-3 finishes in four tournaments during the fall season. Sheehan won two of the five events in which he played, totaled four top-10 finishes and was named PSAC Men’s Golfer of the Week twice.
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Women’s golf’s DANIELLE GREENE shot a final round 3-over-par 75 at the PSAC Championships to finish as the tournament runner-up. Greene, a sophomore, now has two top-10 finishes at the conference championship event. She totaled five top-5 finishes in the fall season. Millersville won two tournaments as a team: the Alvernia Invitational and Eastern Invitational.
SPORTS | 2016
Men’s Soccer
MU FOOTBALL Most Postseason Honorees Since ’09
Makes PSAC Tournament Championship Game
For the second season in a row, the MILLERSVILLE MEN’S SOCCER team reached the PSAC Tournament Championship game. The Marauders closed the season 12-6-2 and have now played in conference championship games five times since 2008. Chris Sosa and Kyle Finsterbush were named All-PSAC First Team and Nathan Delgado was named All-PSAC Second Team at season’s end.
Punter EVAN STAHL, linebacker SEAN DUGAN, wide receiver KEVIN WIGGINS and safety P.J. SANTOS were named All-PSAC East, giving Millersville football its highest number of postseason honorees since 2009. Stahl led the PSAC in punting average (41.6) and became Millersville’s first All-PSAC East First Team punter since George Rule in 1980. Wiggins, a second-team selection, was Millersville’s first wide receiver honored since Jamal Smith in 2009. Dugan and Santos were also second-team picks. Dugan led the PSAC in solo tackles and total tackles. His 111 tackles were the most by a Marauder since 1999. Santos’s five interceptions ranked third in the PSAC, and he finished his career ranked sixth in Millersville history.
Jon Shehan Named Chuck Tanner Collegiate Head Coach of the Year Following a season in which he led the Millersville University baseball program to a NCAA Division II runner-up finish, JON SHEHAN was named Chuck Tanner Collegiate Baseball Head Coach of the Year by the Rotary Club of Pittsburgh. Shehan was recognized at the 10th annual Chuck Tanner Awards Banquet on Saturday, Nov. 12, at the Rivers Club in Pittsburgh. Also honored at the banquet was Dusty Baker of the Washington Nationals, who was named the organization’s Major League Baseball Manager of the Year. “This award isn’t just about success on the field; it is about winning off the field as well,” says Shehan. “The success we have had on the field, in the classroom and serving the local community is a major credit to our players, coaching staff, support staff and administration. I can’t thank them enough. This award is just as much about them as it is about me. It is an honor to be mentioned in the same sentence with Chuck Tanner, let alone receive an award named after him.” Shehan’s 2016 Marauders set both program and PSAC records with a 53-7 record, going 25-3 in PSAC East play en route to a fourth consecutive division crown. Millersville won the NCAA Atlantic Regional for the third time since 2011 and went on to reach the best-of-three series for the national championship, becoming just the third team from the PSAC to play for the title.
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CLASS NOTES | 2016 1950s
manager by Univest Bank and Trust Co. in their Lancaster County office.
Robert E. McCann ’54, Seven Valleys, retired from teaching English at William Penn H.S., in New Castle, Del., in June 1985. He went on to teach at York College and proof documents at York Steno. He retired in 1997.
William Sonntag ’79, Arlington, Va., has been seconded from USEPA to the UN World Meteorological Organization, Group on Earth Observations Secretariat for work with Earth observations data and statistical support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
1960s Harriet (Kohlbrenner) Kuberski ’63, Chadds Ford, met with other ’63 grads for a wine and painting session in Glen Mills, Pa., in August. Joining the ladies was Brook Kuberski ’19. Richard Frerichs ’64 was inducted into the Pottstown School District Alumni Wall of Honor and awarded the Pennsylvania School Board’s Association Allwein Advocacy Award. Jay Sensenig ’64, Grayslate, Ill., and wife Emilie celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 8/12/16. They have had many adventures, including living and working in various places around the world such as Venezuela, Mexico City and Europe. Ralph Singer ’66, Cornelia, Ga., retired and teaches two graduate online courses and serves on master's- and doctoratelevel examination committees.
1970s John Selcher ’70, Middletown, published a book, Becoming an Enthusiastic Church, in 2007. Elizabeth (Pinkham) DeMatto ’72, Langhorne, retired from The College of New Jersey as an associate director. Donald Stoy ’72, Lewisberry, was reappointed to the State Board of Vehicle Manufacturers, Dealers and Salespersons by Governor Tom Wolf. Appointment was confirmed by the State Senate. Jeffrey Wolgemuth ’74, Mount Joy, was hired as a vice president and relationship
1980s Kenneth Cressman ’80, Greensboro, N.C., recently retired to devote more time to his writing. He has published four books and is currently working on his fifth. Jane Kostenko ’83, California, Md., was promoted to Principle Agent Associate with the University of Maryland Extension, where she has been a member of the faculty since 2005, and teaching nutrition to low-income audiences. She also manages her county’s Food Supplement Nutrition Education project. Dean Baker ’85, Lancaster, was promoted to president of Intelligence Printing Company in Lancaster. Janice McCracken ’86, Harleysville, is the CFO of QNB Bank and was featured in Philadelphia Business Journal’s 9/16/16 edition as a “Woman to Watch” in banking. Amy Randolph ’86, Harrisburg, retired after being employed as a geologist for over 30 years with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
1990s
their health and safety department. She also started her own business, called Open Door Training & Development, focusing on leadership and healthcare support training. Virginia Sassani ’91, Bellevue, moved to Pittsburgh and works at AAA East Central as an Auto Club Branch Specialist. Matthew Ritter ’92, Fairfax, Va., is a broadcast meteorologist and weather blogger for the WTOP-FM/NBC4 partnership in Washington, D.C. Camille Hopkins ’93, Lancaster, received the designation of Distinguished Principal by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and the National Institute for School Leadership. Jonathan Rothermel ’95, Wellsboro, was promoted to associate professor of political science at Mansfield University of Pennsylvania. Jennifer Strobel ’95, Hummelstown, is the Vice President of Human Resources for Flagger Force Traffic Control Services. She was recognized by the Associated Builders and Constructors Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter as the 2016 Woman of the Year. John Cooke ’96, received his Ed.D. in educational leadership and management. He currently serves as president of Monsignor Bonner & Archbishop Prendergast Catholic High School. Joseph Wowk ’97, Lehighton, Pa., was promoted to Vice President of Offline Media for Dealer World, LLC.
Rachel (Isaacson) Cooke ’91, Alexandria, Va., accepted the position of U.S. Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Perth, Australia. She is a career diplomat with 15 years in the U.S. Foreign Service.
Shelby Cunningham ’97, Lancaster, received her doctoral degree in education leadership management and policy from Seton Hall University in May 2016. She is now an administrator with the School District of Lancaster.
Lori Dierolf ’91, Millersville, accepted a position as an adjunct instructor at Northampton Community College in
Anthony Brown ’98, Marysville, received a degree from North Carolina State in May 2012.
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CLASS NOTES | 2016
Birks / Bechtel Wedding
Wilson / Granzow Wedding
Michael Trout ’99, Lancaster, was hired as a vice president and relationship manager by Univest Bank and Trust Co. in their Lancaster County office.
2000s
Nathaniel Wardle ’10, Mechanicsburg, has accepted the position as an Emergency Preparedness Public Information Officer with the Bureau of Public Health Preparedness at the Pennsylvania Department of Health.
Jeffrey Ratcliffe ’01, Abington, accepted a position as a featured analyst of CBS Sports Network’s NFL pregame show.
Jason Tabor ’10, Lancaster, accepted the position of Communications Director at the Boys and Girls Club in Lancaster.
Matthew Peitzman ’02, Telford, attended a 5-day institute on teaching and building an electric guitar with 10 other Millersville graduates.
Jeremy Young ’12, Lancaster, accepted the position of community and economic development manager for the Lancaster City Alliance.
Nicole Brewer ’05 and Justin Drabick ’04, Philadelphia, work together as a reporter and meteorologist for CBS3.
Jordan Ott ’13, ‘14M, Lancaster, works at Lebanon Valley College as Assistant Director of Annual Giving and also recently got engaged.
Jon Leeking ’06, Rehoboth Beach, Del., moved to Delaware in fall 2013 to help organize/start the Practical Nursing Program at the Owens (Georgetown) Delaware Campus of DTCC. He recently had a successful site survey/accreditation from the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing and was granted an initial 5-year accreditation. Michael Albright ’06, Marshall, Minn., accepted a tenure-track position as an assistant professor of English at Southwest Minnesota State University.
M A R R I AG E S Alexis Sargent ‘68 and Julio Chavez, 6/16/16. Angela Bopp ’87 and Berkeley Martin, 6/24/16. Rasheed Boatright ’95 and Jamarr King, 1/30/16. Brian Hughes ’97 and Abbe Chapman, 10/1/16.
2010s Heather Bauscher ’10, Sitka, Alaska, was a featured artist at an art show this past summer.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Shane McQuaid ’14, Millerstown, accepted a position with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
Tyarra Browning ’09 and Zachary Toomey, 7/9/16. Samantha Campbell ’11 and Michael Piccinino ’10, 4/30/16.
Campbell / Piccinino Wedding
Emily Birks ’13 and Robert Bechtel ’11, 4/16/16. Margret Wilson ’14 and Robert Granzow ’14, 6/4/16.
BIRTHS Jacquelyn (Sell) Brensinger ’01 and husband Brian, a son, Robert Roy III, 1/31/16. Mike Craney ’03 and wife Kiersten, a son, Maxwell Arthur, 7/2/16. Abbey (Wagner) Miles ’03 and husband Brian ’04, a daughter, Hannah Faith, 7/31/16.
D E AT H S Doris Jean Batturs, Lebanon, died 7/11/16, at the age of 83. Shirley Bear (Staff), Lancaster, died 6/6/16, at the age of 88. She worked for over 20 years as an administrative assistant at Millersville University, retiring in 1991. Joan Godfrey (Faculty), Lancaster, died 11/6/16, at the age of 79. She was a public health nurse and helped start the nursing program at Millersville. Barbara Porter, Pittsburgh, died 9/29/16, at the age of 70. She was the wife of Ron Porter ’67 and employed as the Assistant Dean of Graduate School of Public and International Affairs at the University of Pittsburgh.
We are proud of you! Share your professional achievements, personal accomplishments and life milestones with us, so we can share them with fellow Marauders. www.millersville.edu/alumni M I L L E R S V I L L E U N I V E R S I T Y • w w w. m i ller sv i lle. edu
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CLASS NOTES | 2016
CLASS NOTES | 2016 Deaths June Thumma (Staff), Vero Beach, Fla., died 10/2/16, at the age of 93. She was employed as an executive secretary for the Vice President of Administration at Millersville from 1966 until her retirement in 1983. Genevieve (Boyer) Crapper ’40, Lancaster, died 7/27/16, at the age of 97. She worked in education for 26 years. Elmer Bodie Jr. ’48, Wrightsville, died 6/4/15. He served in the Air Force and taught in the York City School District until he retired in 1977. James Breitegan ’49, Lancaster, died 10/6/16. He served in the Marine Corps with the 2nd Marine Division. He was employed for 35 years by the School District of Lancaster as a teacher and guidance counselor. Richard Hacker ’49, Potomca, Md., died 8/28/16, at the age of 90. When he was a student at Millersville, he was the Editorin-Chief of the “Snapper.” He served in the Amphibious Force and the United States Naval Reserve. Daniel Sopchan ’52, Poughkeepsie, N.Y., died 5/30/15, at the age of 94. He was a communicant of St. Gregory Orthodox Church, where he served several years as warden, financial secretary and choir member. Frederick Edward Willing III ’52, Ivyland, died 2/14/15, at the age of 87. He taught chemistry at Pennsbury High School for over 30 years, where he also served as chair of the science department. Janis Sloka III ’57, Elizabethtown, died 5/18/16, at the age of 82. He worked for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry for his entire career.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU
Stanley David Deen ’59, Lancaster, died 7/22/16. He was an English teacher and theatre director at Penn Manor and then Garden Spot High school until retiring in 1997. Jeanee (Swartz) Gruver ’59, Chambersburg, died 4/28/16, at the age of 79. She was an eighth-grade English teacher from the Chambersburg Area School District until her retirement. William Strickler ’60, Wyomissing, died 2/18/16, at the age of 84. He was employed at Mount Penn High School for 30 years, where he was a math teacher and girls’ basketball coach.
Quintelle Yvonne Miller ’66, Edgewater Park, N.J., died 3/25/08, at the age of 65. She was employed as a nursing supervisor at Cooper Hospital in Camden, N.J., and then as a nurse for the School District of Philadelphia. Thomas F. Rothwell ’66, Elizabethtown, died 10/15/15, at the age of 76. He was a teacher for the School District of Lancaster for 30 years until his retirement. James Cognato ’70, Norristown, died 2/4/16, at the age of 67. He taught at Paul V. Fly Elementary School and then as a comptroller at Zummo Hardware.
Ruth Longer ‘61, Hollidaysburg, died 7/19/15, at the age of 88. She was a firstgrade teacher and also worked for the IU8 until her retirement.
William McIntosh ’72, Myersville, Md., died 3/28/16, at the age of 66. He was a high school teacher and football coach, receiving many accolades for both.
Jeanette (Seifert) Fiorentino ’64, Pittsburgh, died 12/28/15, at the age of 98. She was a school nurse in the Dover Area School system until her retirement.
Linda Marshall Thompson ’72, Delta, died 1/4/15, at the age of 64. She was a teacher for the Red Lion Area School District.
James Lenox ’64, Island Heights, N.J., died 6/4/16, at the age of 76. He was a teacher, principal, educator and administrator during a 30-year career at the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf.
Andre Lewis ‘73, Philadelphia, died 5/26/16, at the age of 66. He was a teacher, social worker and counselor in Philadelphia. Andre was described as a humanitarian who volunteered his time to those in need.
Barbara Hess Reinbrecht ’64, Warminster, died 6/23/16, at the age of 74. In the 1970s she taught first grade in Japan and moved back to Pennsylvania in 1980 and developed Reinbrecht Associates Business until she retired in 2014.
Andrew Steinman ’08, Newark, Del., died 10/5/16, at the age of 30. He was employed as a Safety Manager for Chelten House Products, Inc., of Logan Township, N.J.
Donald Testa ’64, Pottstown, died 4/19/16, at the age of 74. He was a high school teacher for 38 years for the Philadelphia School District. He also coached football at Lincoln High School for 20 years until retiring.
Qwan Lewis ’15, Hatfield, died 8/21/16, at the age of 23. He studied broadcasting and communications at Millersville.
We are proud of you! Share your professional achievements, personal accomplishments and life milestones with us, so we can share them with fellow Marauders. www.millersville.edu/alumni
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CLASS NOTES | PROFILES
JEFFRY LOHR ’76
Master Woodworker Teaches Next Generation BY GABRIELLE REDC AY
JEFFRY LOHR was not supposed to go to Millersville University. With less-than-exemplary SAT scores, he was not expected to attend college at all. But as a talented woodworker who benefitted from the high-caliber industrial arts department at Conestoga Valley High School, all Lohr needed was a chance. Millersville University’s June/ January probation system in 1972 was that chance. Lohr entered college that same year and never turned back. He excelled under the impactful instruction of professors William Geiger and J. Richard Steinmetz and continued to hone his skills as a student teacher. By the time he graduated in 1976, the young man who struggled to gain admittance into college was recognized for his excellence as a student in the field of technology by being inducted into the Epsilon Pi Tau honor fraternity. The honor was only the start, an indication of the personal and professional successes to come. Only a month after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in industrial arts from Millersville, Lohr secured employment at Norristown Area School District and in 1986 won the first district-wide Teacher of the Year award. Although he enjoyed his time as a teacher, a transition in the public school curriculum from industrial arts to technology education in the mid-1980s did not sit well with Lohr. “I did not find any joy, or value for that matter, in teaching what I recognized as being so impractical and hollow in the newer technology education curriculum,” explains Lohr.
So after 14 years in the classroom as a woodshop teacher, Lohr and his wife Linda took an unexpected step, a step away from their lives in the past and one that would shape their lives in the future. They bought a farm in Schwenksville, Pa. Sitting on the property of that farm was a fresh start in the form of an 1800-square-foot barn. The structure was transformed into the Lohr Woodworking Studio, which opened for business in 1988. In that studio, Lohr crafted both reproduction pieces and original furniture that eventually led to a two-year order backlog. Armed with an established studio and strong reputation, the Lohrs began construction on a 3600-square-foot woodworking shop that would become the JD Lohr School of Woodworking. Opening in 2001, Lohr’s woodworking school is still in commission, offering total immersion woodworking and furniture-making courses in a state-of-the-art facility. Male and female students of all ages come from all over the country and world for the school’s week-long programs. “About 60 percent are hobbyists seeking to better their woodworking skills, 10 percent are just seeking a rewarding educational type of vacation and a good 30 percent enroll here hoping to make a career change into woodworking,” Lohr explains with regard to the students.
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CLASS NOTES | PROFILES Although he is beginning to pass the leadership of his woodworking school on to younger protégés, Lohr continues to work on personal and commissioned projects through the studio. He is also extremely passionate about the Moringa Community School of Trades, a charity he, his wife and co-founder Abubakar Abdulai created in Ghana, West Africa to fight poverty through trade education rather than handouts. Lohr never expected to go to college, he never envisioned himself as the namesake of a woodworking school and he never planned to found a charity. But Jeffry Lohr is a man driven by his passions, and one who is willing to go wherever they may lead. lohrwoodworkingstudio.com
TYLER & KATHERINE PRICKETT ‘05 MU Graduates Buy Red Caboose Motel and Restaurant BY GABRIELLE REDC AY TYLER AND KATHERINE PRICKETT were just like any other imaginative children. They both loved to “play” restaurant or hotel, managing those fictional establishments with creativity and innovation. But unlike most children, the Pricketts’ imaginative childhood dreams have become their new reality.
excellent leadership, instruction and guidance.” In particular, Tyler’s time as the station manager of the campus television station, MUTV, in 2004 and 2005 ingrained lessons of overcoming budget challenges, adopting innovative routes and remaining dedicated to a mission.
In July 2015, Tyler noticed that the Red Caboose Motel and Restaurant, in Ronks, Pa., “In our professional careers, we’ve had a a beloved destination for his family in the host of instances where we’ve had to make 1980s and 1990s, was up for sale. Owning a the best of a difficult situation,” Katherine business had always been in the back of Tyler TYLER & KATHERINE PRICKETT ’05 explains. “Good fortune will not always and his wife Katherine’s mind due to their be handed to you; sometimes you have to work for it! Being in business-oriented backgrounds. Therefore, even after establishing leadership positions at MUTV and NBS taught us both how to work careers as an account executive at WGAL and a producer and talent with others and gave us the opportunity to make mistakes, take risks at the Pennsylvania Cable Network, the sentimental appeal and and let creativity blossom.” the unique opportunity was just too alluring. So it was that on Feb. 1, 2016, the Pricketts and Tyler’s parents, Todd and Debra, became the new owners of the 38 cabooses, two dining cars, mail car and baggage car which comprise the Red Caboose Motel and Restaurant. “It was definitely a very unexpected transition, but not a big surprise,” explains Katherine. “While this might be a surprising step in our career path, it’s a very natural fit with our skill sets.” Majoring in communication and theatre with an emphasis in broadcasting would not be the typical track of individuals with aspirations of owning a business. But when Tyler and Katherine did so at Millersville University, the former graduating in December 2005 and the latter in May 2005, the information and experience acquired during those college years prepared them for this next journey, 11 years in the future. “The hands-on experience and connections we were able to make because of attending Millersville were crucial,” says Tyler. “We got to be a part of the campus radio and television stations, as well as participate in groups like the National Broadcasting Society. We had
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The Pricketts have a fresh opportunity to put all that knowledge honed through experience to work at the Red Caboose Motel and Restaurant. They have already rebranded the restaurant, refocused staff on the mission of cleanliness and customer service, renovated rooms and enhanced guest experiences to provide visitors with a taste of Lancaster County. In the future, the new owners plan to introduce a full-service, 1950s-style ice cream parlor, rehabilitate several cabooses and debut a Premium Caboose. While these changes have helped to get the Red Caboose Motel and Restaurant back on track, the Pricketts are also enthusiastic about the relational aspect of this new career and life path. Katherine says, “We get to meet and interact with people from all over the world who come to Lancaster County to experience the area culture. We are excited to raise our growing family here and teach our children to have a good work ethic and values. And we hope that our faith and grace come through and are imparted in all we do to every single guest, every time, to our staff, our business neighbors and beyond.” redcaboosemotel.com
WHY I GIVE
WHY I
JIM WARNER ’80 & KERRY SACCO ’82 Fostering the Future Talent of Lancaster County
The story of JIM WARNER & KERRY SACCO begins at Millersville. The two first met when they were both attending the University — Warner for secondary education and social studies, and Sacco for fine arts — in the late ’70s. It would take 24 years for the pair to reconnect, fall in love and get married, but the seed of that relationship was sown at MU, so naturally it remains a special place for both of them.
of the Millersville University Foundation Board and regularly supports the American Dream Ride Scholarship Fund. Sacco has made it a priority to support student-athletes at MU because playing lacrosse was a large part of her college experience and continues to be a passion of hers.
“It’s nice to have a shared history,” says Sacco, who also played lacrosse at MU and continues to referee college games. But their passion and continued investment in the University extends beyond their own story. The two credit Millersville with giving them the tools and the networks to be successful after graduation. Sacco is an artist in the Lancaster area, and Warner is the chief executive officer of the Lancaster County Solid Waste Management Authority (LCSWMA). “I thought that [Millersville] offered a terrific value in getting a college degree,” says Warner, who played football for MU. “Like a lot of kids, I didn’t come from a family that could afford college. At least the price afforded me the opportunity to get myself through college. I thought it was a great education.” Warner says he’s “not a huge philanthropist.” Instead he picks and chooses the organizations and causes he supports, but his alma mater has always remained high on his list. He is a member
“I wanted to put a little bit back into an institution that meant so much to me and my family, too,” says Sacco. “I was the first to go to college in my family. My younger sister graduated from MU, too. As a college official, I have to be very neutral. I don’t root for any particular team, but I support something like a scholarship endeavor because I know how hard it is. In Division II, they can’t really give out the financial assistance that other schools can.” Through LCSWMA, Warner has made contributions to support the new net zero Lombardo Welcome Center and to support student development because he recognizes the value graduates offer to the local community. LCSWMA has hired MU graduates in the past. “Millersville University is a very important component to the local economy,” says Warner. “Businesses need talented, bright people to succeed. Having a university like Millersville train and produce those types of employees who get their education there and then eventually mature into capable management and good employees; it’s a big reason why Lancaster County has a big, successful, diverse economy.”
INTERESTED IN GIVING TO MILLERSVILLE UNIVERSITY? There are many ways to get involved and support student scholarships, educational programs, cutting-edge technologies, student-faculty research and sports teams. Learn more by visiting millersville.edu/give.
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By insisting on FSC-certified paper, Millersville University helps to expand the protection of water quality, prohibit harvest of rare old-growth forest and prevent the loss of natural forest cover.
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See what people have been posting online during their time at The ‘Ville!
Getting ready for the big event tonight #VILLEVOTES16
JOHN ANDERSON @VILLEPRESIDENT Great international students at Millersville University!
Great to have Dr. Corkery discussing the Common Read, Disgraced, with AASIF MANDVI, who played the main character, Amir. Getting insights into the play AND a great reading of Mr. Mandvi’s — hysterical — original work were highlights of a great evening out at Millersville University.
ALUMNA LIZ FULMER performs original song, “Fighter,” at 2016 Breast-a-Ville.
D.BLOCK11 The showdown. #Gaige #GaigeHall #Millersville #MillersvilleUniversity #Demolition #LancasterCounty
JOHN ANDERSON @VILLEPRESIDENT Pride Fest is starting at MU! Come to the Student Memorial Center. Free food and t-shirt.
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Published on Jan 18, 2017
Magazine for alumni and friends of Millersville University.
