invested in our students Phyllis Shambaugh Meenan was a native of Carlisle who graduated from Shippensburg State Teachers College in 1954 with a degree in education. She came from a modest background and was the first in her family to attend college. Like many students, she worked on the weekends at Bowman’s Department Store in Carlisle to help pay for her tuition. Following graduation, she taught fourth grade in the Carlisle Area School District for thirty-eight years where she loved working with children. Phyllis believed in working hard, saving money, and investing wisely. She valued her education and knew how difficult it was to attend college and work at the same time. She created the Phyllis (Shambaugh) Meenan Elementary Education Scholarship through her estate to invest in future elementary educators from the Carlisle area. Her hope was to alleviate financial stress for students, so they could focus on their studies and enjoy their college experience. The Phyllis (Shambaugh) Meenan Scholarship was awarded for the first time this academic year and is benefiting three elementary education majors who graduated from Carlisle High School.
LEAVING A LEGACY
Phyllis Shambaugh Meenan ’54
Dr. Angelo Costanza, beloved When I served as his graduate Shippensburg University English assistant, I realized his incredible professor who recently passed commitment to inclusion and away, was a lifelong learner and diversity went far beyond the teacher. He began his career classroom. As the first editor of at Shippensburg in 1966 and Proteus and as a member of the continued to make an impact Black Heritage Committee, he on students long after his worked incessantly to encourage retirement in 1997. cultural awareness by bringing In 1998, Angelo and his wife, notables, such as Arthur Ashe, Dr. Angelo Costanza Dolores “Dee,” established the Harry Belafonte, Henry Louis Dr. Angelo and Mrs. Dolores Costanzo Gifted Gates, and Toni Morrison, to campus. Our Minority Student Scholarship Fund. Angelo entire community will always cherish our and Dee continued to add to their memories of Dr. Angelo Costanzo, who has scholarship fund over the years with annual passed to each of us a legacy of kindness, gifts using charitable IRA rollovers, and a thoughtfulness, and storytelling.” planned gift using a charitable gift annuity. Dr. Mary Stewart, professor emeritus, “I wanted the endowment to support shared, “I will always remember Angelo more than one student because the need as one of my greatest mentors. Before I for scholarship support is so critical. To reached Shippensburg University, I was me, the IRA rollover was an excellent already familiar with his pathbreaking vehicle to use to accomplish my goal,” said monograph—The Surprizing Narrative: Constanzo in a 2016 SU Magazine article. Olaudah Equiano and the Beginnings of Last year their scholarship supported Black Autobiography—a book rightfully three students. Angelo also was one of the praised by the titans of African American founding faculty members of the HOPE Studies—including John W. Blassingame and Diversity Scholarship Fund that provided Henry Louis Gates Jr. Angelo’s wisdom and scholarship support to twenty-six students example taught me so much about writing, last year. literature, and history. More than anyone else, Dr. David Godshalk, professor of history, his gentleness and thoughtfulness educated said, “Dr. Angelo Costanzo was a gentleman, me in the skills that I have developed in a scholar, and a mentor to his students, reaching out to my students. Once when I including me. In 1983, I became a graduate went with Angelo to pick up a speaker at student in Angelo Costanzo’s course the airport for SU’s Proteus Lecture series, on Black authors. His love of American a former student recognized him and literature and understanding of the slave vigorously shook his hand while thanking him narratives touched us all. He wanted us to for changing his life. I simply wish Angelo develop ‘keen minds and humane hearts.’ were still here with us. I will always miss him.”
Francis B. “Ben” Kolbenschlag ’50 lived to the age of ninetyfour and was a proud graduate of Shippensburg State Teachers College as evidenced by his Francis B. “Ben” philanthropy to his alma Kolbenschlag ’50 mater. Ben supported the SU Foundation’s Annual Fund, and in 2013, he established the F.B. Kolbenschlag Endowed Track Scholarship. His planned gifts during his lifetime, including charitable gift annuities, made him a member of the SU Foundation’s Honor Society. Arriving at Shippensburg in 1946 after serving his country in the US Air Force during World War II and the Korean War, Ben participated in the Catholic Club and the Boarding Men’s Council. He played football and was co-captain of the men’s track team. Ben graduated with a BS in Secondary School Administration in 1950. His time in education was brief, spending his career as a management analyst at the National Security Agency in Fort Meade, Maryland. At the NSA, Ben received a master’s degree from the University of Maryland. Upon retiring, Ben returned to his hometown of Hollidaysburg where he was a member of St. Mary Catholic Church and volunteered for many years at the Blair County Genealogical Society of Hollidaysburg. Ben enjoyed genealogy, traveling, boating, playing softball, and golf. He played in a men’s softball league for many years and enjoyed playing golf well into his late eighties. He also followed Shippensburg University Raider football, men’s and women’s basketball, and track. Ben was a regular at the PIAA Finals State Track meets held at Ship. Ben’s legacy and love for his alma mater live on.
Shippensburg University Foundation 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257 Phone: (717) 477-1377 • Fax: (717) 477-4060 Visit us on the web at sufoundation.org. Like us on F The SU Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is the official gift-receiving entity for Shippensburg University.
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A LABOR OF LOVE
Six years in the making, a small, remote island in Haiti now has access to quality medical care thanks to the efforts of the Shippensburg University community. This spring, a fully staffed medical dispensary opened in Community Gros-Mangles, bringing the dream of a late professor and her students to reality.
STEWART HALL RENOVATIONS COMPLETE
Having served Shippensburg as an athletic facility, student hub, classrooms, children’s theatre, and more, the newly renovated Stewart Hall now stands as a welcome center for new students, families, and alumni.
PREPARE, RESPOND, EVALUATE, REPEAT
Since the pandemic took hold of the nation at the start of the year, alumni remained on the front lines working to keep Pennsylvanians safe.
ship’s log 32 SHIP CONNECTS
33 CAREER CORNER
34 ALUMNI PROFILE 40 PHOTO ALBUM
FRONT COVER, A long-term service-learning project has created a special bond between a small Haitian town and the Shippensburg University community.
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from the president
Celebrating the Return to Campus U N I V E R S I T Y M A G A Z I N E VOL. 17, NO. 2 FALL 2020 Published by Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, a member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education. PENNSYLVANIA STATE SYSTEM OF HIGHER EDUCATION
Cynthia Shapira, Chair, Board of Governors Dr. Dan Greenstein, Chancellor LAURIE A. CARTER President, Shippensburg University KIM GARRIS Vice President, External Relations and Communications EDITOR IN CHIEF
Liz Kemmery ’04 Director of Creative Services ASSOCIATE EDITORS
Anne M. Detter Schaffner Director of Marketing, SU Foundation William Morgal ’07-’10m, Sports Information Director Lori Smith ’95-’07m Director, Alumni Relations CLASS NOTES EDITOR
Stephanie Swanger, Alumni Relations PHOTOGRAPHER
William J. Smith INTERNS
Samantha Goss ’21 Michaela Vallonio ’20 DESIGN AND LAYOUT
Kimberly Hess, Creative Services Coordinator Shippensburg University Magazine is published three times a year for alumni, parents, friends, and associates of Shippensburg University. Portions of the magazine may be reprinted without permission if Shippensburg University Magazine is credited.
How exciting it was to welcome our university community BACK TO CAMPUS to kick off the fall 2020 semester! They said we couldn’t do it, yet here we are—living our commitment to students and their education.
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t’s been quite a journey for us to get to this semester. I am grateful for the unwavering efforts of our faculty and staff to help our students launch or continue reaching for their educational dreams at Ship, despite the unexpected obstacles faced during this worldwide pandemic. While online education has its benefits, we know—with the correct COVID-19 prevention and mitigation strategies—we can get through the semester learning and experiencing as much as we can. The past six months have been a testament to Ship’s resiliency, creativity, and fortitude. In this magazine, you’ll see the results of our reimagined August commencement, the creativity of our community to pivot events and traditions during a pandemic, the amazing efforts of our admissions team to continue reaching new students and families, and the daunting tasks our alumni faced on the front lines of the state’s pandemic response. We’re also thrilled to share a feature about our renovated and reopened Stewart Hall, now taking on a new chapter as the university’s Welcome Center. Plus,
our Global Languages and Cultures Department shared an exciting milestone this spring. A medical dispensary, the department’s longtime service-learning project for a remote town in Haiti, opened with full staff and services in June. We will persevere together this fall. We will get through the challenges that lie ahead—from different modes of learning, to necessary and, at times, uncomfortable mitigation protocols, to important conversations that inspire actions on social justice, bringing us closer to inclusion and equality for every member of our community. This semester feels different for many reasons. Physically, we must keep our distance, but as a community, we must come together more than we ever have before. For all our Ship community has done and will do to make this semester successful, I am so proud and grateful.
President Laurie A. Carter
For change of address, please e-mail alumni@ship.edu.
Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania, in compliance with federal and state laws and university policy, is committed to human understanding and provides equal educational, employment, and economic opportunities for all persons without regard to age, color, national origin, race, religion, disability, veteran status, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Direct requests for disability accommodations and other inquiries to the Office of Accessibility Resources, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299, (717) 477-1364, oar@ship.edu.
HOW TO CONTACT SU MAG BY MAIL:
BY FAX:
Ship Letters Box 35 Shippensburg University 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299 (717) 477-1253
BY TELEPHONE: (717) 477-1201 BY E-MAIL:
sumag@ship.edu
SENIOR APPOINTED TO STATE SYSTEM BOARD OF GOVERNORS Senior Stephen L. Washington Jr. is the newest member of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors. Appointed by Gov. Tom Wolf, the board establishes broad educational, fiscal, and personnel policies and oversees the efficient management of the State System. “It is an honor to assist the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education as it navigates through these historic times. I am excited and humbled by the appointment,” Washington said. Washington, a graduate of Carson Long Military Academy, is a business management information systems major and military science 4
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minor. He began his time at Shippensburg University in the Academic Success Program (ASP) and has since served in several leadership roles across campus. He participated in the ROTC program, was an ASP peer leader, a resident assistant, and was the student-at-large member of the Shippensburg University Student Services Inc. (SUSSI). He served as the student member of the Shippensburg University Council of Trustees for the 20192020 academic year, and now serves as Student Government Association President.
campus Cheers to the Class of 2020
A Social Distancing Commencement Celebration
“While it was not the idea to start this Senior Week with virtual programming, when their last semester was cut short because of COVID-19, it was important to make sure we provided different ways to celebrate this class,” said Michael Duignan, director of the CUB and student activities. “Thinking creatively and collaboratively was what made this possible. It was about being able to see students message one another on social media, cheer each other on during a dance party, or recent graduates driving up for a quick photo with their cap and tassel on campus. This was not the original plan, but we were proud that we were able to get something together for the Class of 2020.”
Capping off an unusual spring semester, Shippensburg University organized a new celebration for graduating seniors amid the complications of COVID-19.
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icking off at the end of April, different groups hosted several activities and events to celebrate and support the achievements of students through their academic careers. With the challenges that students faced by moving to remote learning in the spring semester, faculty and staff focused on providing ways to cheer on students’ achievements with peers, friends, and family. The university sent graduating seniors Class of 2020 T-shirts, their commencement caps, and tassels. Other offices and departments shared additional treats to celebrate virtually. Students participated in activities held by the Academic Success Program, Wood Honors College, the Students First office, and the Pride Center. “Recognizing the diligent work of all graduates is extremely important because our students work hard to obtain their
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degrees. First-Generation students on average, start their college careers with more barriers than their continuing-generation peers,” said Rochelle Plummer, executive director for student retention. “To celebrate the Class of 2020 first-generation graduates, it was an honor and privilege. There was never a thought that we would not celebrate our graduates; we just needed to figure out how to do it safely.” This year also marked the start of Senior Week. When the semester went online, students were polled to see what events and activities they preferred. Those ideas quickly became reality. By mailing students their caps and tassels, and providing programs that allowed them to connect, they gained a sense of community and participated in events such as trivia and Bingo.
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See next page for more from the day of Commencement. >
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from FACULTY—how to use D2L and Zoom to best deliver classes from STUDENTS—access to equipment and online courses
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from EMPLOYEES—work-from-home resources such as VPN (virtual private network), phone access, etc.
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7 degrees awarded to doctoral students 187 degrees awarded to graduate students 795 degrees awarded to undergraduate students
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…let’s leave the world better than we’ve found it by being leaders in our fields who work together to solve these complex problems. I have full confidence in our ability to succeed, because it’s not just the right way, it’s the Raider way and facing these kinds of challenges comes easy when you are a Shippensburg Raider.
You have reached this goal in perhaps the most challenging collective moment of our generation.
Aven Bittinger ’20, Student Government Association President
President Laurie A. Carter
COMMENCEMENT 2020 combated COVID-19 with a
drive-in ceremony that included honking car horns instead of applause as hundreds of graduates and their families celebrated from their cars in a non-traditional approach to a Shippensburg University tradition. Elbow bumps and smiling eyes did not dampen the enthusiasm of families and friends who cheered on their graduates as their names were recited during the walk to receive their diplomas.
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Head downtown for shopping and discounts with the Raider Bucks program! This new student initiative is a partnership between the Shippensburg Revitalization Group and the university, connecting campus life with trusted business and community partners. Visit ship.edu/life for details.
WELL-DESERVED RECOGNITION went to two Greek life organizations at Ship for their dedication to service. Alpha Omicron Pi served the most community service hours and Phi Sigma Sigma raised the most money for its philanthropy during the 2019-2020 academic year. FURRY FRIENDS GAINED NEW LIFE when Ship Greek life students donated their stuffed animals to a good cause. The Tau Lambda chapter of Alpha Omicron Pi gave stuffed animals to a children’s hospital through a Panda Drive, putting lots of smiles on many little faces.
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Admissions Gets Creative to Connect with Students
Whether in person or online, the Ship admissions team is working hard to meet prospective students and families where they are in 2020.
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s universities transitioned to a remote setting due to COVID19 in the spring, the admissions team quickly identified new ways to provide services to incoming families. On-campus tours became virtual visits. Counselor sessions were held one-on-one online. Orientation shifted to a remote setting. Knowing the pandemic had a drastic impact on many families, the university emphasized its holistic approach to the admissions process, said Bill Washabaugh, associate dean of admissions. “We understand what families are going through.” The SAT and ACT scores for students who apply are waived, and admissions counselors are instead focusing on high school transcripts. Confirmation and housing deposits also have been reduced. After students take a virtual tour of campus, they can do an individual session with an admissions counselor who is available to answer any questions. “We’re trying to be accessible. We get some phone calls and some video calls,” Washabaugh said. This fall prompted the first virtual orientation, which Ashley Spencer, director of new student and family programming, said included great interaction with families. “We changed the tone from attending to what the expectations are,” she said. “There were many benefits. We didn’t have to worry about students getting to campus, it was a shorter day, and we continued our interaction with them. We were able to give them a little bit of information at a time.” Sophomore Katelin Homskie said her role as an orientation leader hasn’t changed at all, but the way she delivers that role changed tremendously. “Online, it wasn’t possible to create connections through silly games or ice breakers—laughter really connects everyone. We are left to conversation, which can be beneficial. Being online has narrowed the focus of connection through communication, and I’ve had to learn a lot more about facilitation than I had previously known.”
Families can visit ship.edu to view the new virtual tour (above), then sign up with admissions counselors for a personal online session.
An enhanced virtual orientation experience will be rolled out in the spring. No matter what may happen in the coming months, Washabaugh makes one thing clear, “We are as accessible, maybe even more accessible, than ever. We haven’t missed a beat with student communication.” Spencer added, “We’ve been able to create more connections… We have new opportunities to connect in different ways.” Instead of viewing the problems and challenges that come during a worldwide pandemic, the admissions team has adopted a “can do” attitude for the future. “I am incredibly proud of my team for making the pivot to online events and appointments. They accomplished it in record time and allowed us to continue to engage students at all levels in the recruitment pipeline,” said Jennifer Haughie, associate vice president for enrollment management. “The events are extremely well done, and student feedback has been very positive.”
AROUND CAMPUS
SU Moves Up in U.S. News Ranking Moving up in this year’s rankings, Shippensburg University has again been named a U.S. News & World Report Best Regional University and Top Public School.
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n the 2021 “Best Colleges” rankings, Ship is ranked 25th among Top Public Schools on the list for Regional Universities (North), up from 27th place in 2020. Ship is ranked 88th on the Best Colleges list for Regional Universities (North), up from 100th place in 2020. Ship also ranked 61st as a Best Value School and 57th as a Best College for Veterans. The ranking recognitions are on trend with the university’s increases in enrollment and record retention rates. The acrossthe-board growth affirms Shippensburg University as student-first institution and a stand-out university of the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education.
According to U.S. News & World Report, the magazine’s ranking model offers uniform data analysis regarding “1,452 U.S. bachelor’s degree-granting institutions on seventeen measures of academic quality” to allow parents and students an easy guide for comparisons. “It is a testament to the dedication of our faculty and staff that our university is recognized with this momentous climb in the U.S. News ranking model,” said President Laurie A. Carter. “Although rankings do not fully capture the educational experience, this demonstrated growth and distinguished recognition is a great source of pride and affirms our commitment to excellence, equity, and access as a public institution in southcentral Pennsylvania.”
It is deeply rewarding to be recognized with this noteworthy climb in rankings on the nationally-recognized Best Colleges list.
“It is deeply rewarding to be recognized with this noteworthy climb in rankings on the nationally-recognized Best Colleges list,” added Tom Ormond, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. “This achievement is reflective of our renowned faculty, our diverse array of accredited programs, and our everexpanding commitment to student learning and success.”
University Earns National Endorsement for Multiple Programs
SHIP LISTED NO. 3 AMONG TOP MARKETING SCHOOLS IN US Shippensburg University is one of the top marketing schools in the United States, according to Study.com. Ship is No. 3 on Study.com’s recently published list of the 2020 Best 50 Marketing Schools. This ranking follows the evaluation of hundreds of schools. Selections were based on many factors that include program accessibility, quality of education, and career resources for marketing students. Study.com’s profile of the university for this ranking notes Ship’s AACSB accreditation, low costs, and facilities. The John L. Grove College of Business offers a marketing major, BSBA program, and a marketing minor. Study.com recently recognized other Ship business programs. The university was named to relevant lists as a top school for supply chain management (No. 3), human resources management (No. 3), and finance (No. 31). Elsewhere, Ship was recently lauded for financial planning and its Master of Business Administration program by Financial Planning and The Princeton Review, respectively.
Colleges of Distinction advocates for schools whose undergraduate experiences are grounded in a philosophy of well-rounded, individualized engagement. Ship has excelled at having students graduate and enter the workforce with solid, well-developed critical thinking skills as well as the ability to adapt in an ever-changing society. Now, more than ever, it’s important for those entering the job market to have the kind of experiential education offered in the business, education, and engineering programs at Ship. Already honored as a College of Distinction for its high-impact approach to education, Shippensburg has received specialized recognition in business, education, and engineering. These additional accolades were born out of a need for college curricula that are comprehensive not only in course material, but also in practical and softskills development. Ship has met these needs with a blend of liberal arts education,
program-specific training, and abundant opportunities for real-world application. “We complete a thorough review of the programs before granting the honors,” said Tyson Schritter, chief operating officer for Colleges of Distinction. “We’re looking for qualities such as accreditation, breadth of program, advising and mentoring, integration of career services, and successful outcomes for students. It’s wonderful to see how Shippensburg University really exemplifies these qualities.” To view Shippensburg University’s profile or to find more information about the services and experiences it offers, visit CollegesofDistinction.com.
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Photo by Carmine Scicchitano.
IN A RACE TO END CANCER, students gathered in the Red Zone to compete in a Mario Kart tournament to fundraise for Colleges Against Cancer’s Relay for Life event. The winner of the tournament received a T-shirt, a $25 Giant gift card, and a voucher for a meal at Relay for Life. Ship’s chapter of Colleges Against Cancer hosts Relay for Life every year to support the American Cancer Society and its efforts toward ending cancer. (Photo taken prior to COVID-19.)
1918 FROM THE VAULT
As COVID-19 continues to impact 2020 across the globe, Ship looks back more than 100 years ago to the impact of the Spanish Flu on campus. The arrival of the Spanish Flu at Ship came one month after cases peaked in Philadelphia. “In the course of four days, forty members of the school received a free ride on the stretcher” in October 1918.
• On October 5, flu symptoms began to spread across campus. With overwhelming cases, and a lack of stretchers, symptomatic students were carried in chairs to the infirmary. Stretchers were brought in Tuesday and by Wednesday, the fourth floor of the Administration Building (Old Main) was turned into a hospital. •
TRAVELS TO THE IVORY COAST were recently displayed in an exhibit by Chandler Kouakou, a junior in the BSBA program, in Ezra Lehman Memorial Library. Kouakou showcased his heritage with photos and artifacts from his trip to the Ivory Coast in August 2019, illustrating the rural part of the country where most of his family members live. Learning more about his culture prompted him to share it with the Ship community. 100 YEARS OF WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE was on display in the Capitol Rotunda thanks to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives collaboration with the Shippensburg University Fashion Archives and Museum (FA&M). To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, the exhibit featured suffragist clothing from FA&M honoring the women who worked tirelessly for the legislation that secured American women the right to vote. 10
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On October 10, school adjourned for two weeks for a “flu vacation.”
• Two weeks later, students remaining on campus participated in an organized outdoor hike. The following day, it was noted that “flu departments were vacated.” By the end of October, some Ship students began returning to campus, but were quarantined as “no students were wanted in town.” • Records indicate alumnus Harley Bleasdale Surface lost his life to the flu on October 29, 1918.
RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENT ART SUBMISSIONS SHOWCASED > The 42nd Annual
Juried Student Art Exhibition is now available in a virtual web gallery. A total of forty-five undergraduate students submitted 163 entries for consideration, the most entries of any Ship student art exhibit. Jurors selected eighty-eight pieces and award winners. The exhibit includes ceramics, digital fine art printing, drawing, graphic design, mixed media, painting, photography, printmaking, and sculpture. The exhibit is available until April 30, 2021. Visit the virtual exhibit by scanning the QR code or go to tinyurl.com/yy5l5jf6.
• World War I came to a close in November 1918, and a parade, led by Professor Stewart (Stewart Hall’s namesake), marched through town with all students to celebrate. But there were some students who could not march in the parade. “They were those who were afflicted with the flu, whose knees were yet weak, and whose heads were yet swimming.”
• The 1918 Hallowe’en Social was pushed to November 16 due to the flu vacation students received. November brought a host of normal school activities including athletics, club meetings, church, and even a Thanksgiving feast. • By December 1, the flu returned to campus. • Notably, Professor Shearer (for whom Shearer Hall is named) acquired and survived the flu in December 1918. Professor Stewart developed similar symptoms in December but it turned out only to be neuralgia (headache/nerve pain).
AROUND CAMPUS
Newman Civic Fellowship Awarded to Sophomore Education Major
SHIP VOTES RECEIVES $10,000 GRANT Ship Votes was awarded a $10,000 grant by the Students Learn Students Vote coalition, a nonpartisan organization promoting civic learning and engagement on campuses. The grant will fund voter registration events and voter education outreach for students at Shippensburg. This includes details on changes to voting laws. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Ship Votes created an in-person, remote plan that adheres to social distancing requirements. The plan encourages students to vote and aims to mobilize all members of the university community. Dr. Catherine Clay, recently retired associate professor of history, spearheads Ship Votes with Dr. David Monaghan, assistant professor of sociology, and Eyoel Delessa, instructor at Ezra Lehman Library. The organization collaborates with students, faculty, and staff to plan voter education and registration events and coordinate student transportation to polls Election Day. Ship is nationally recognized as a Voter Friendly Campus by nonpartisan organizations Campus Vote Project and NASPA-Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education for its efforts in encouraging students.
Demonstrating her dedication to service at the university and in her community, sophomore Margaret “Meg” Harmon earned the 2020 Newman Civic Fellowship.
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n high school, Harmon loved helping others through teaching and volunteer work. She carried this desire to serve to college, finding opportunities during the university’s Day of Service, in her teaching placements through the early childhood/elementary education program, and with the Shippensburg Rotary Club. The Newman Civic Fellowship is a yearlong program that provides students with learning opportunities to develop skills as agents of change in their community. Harmon said, “receiving this award is humbling and fuels my fire to help others even more.” Working with her classmates, she helped landscape a new trailhead along the Cumberland Valley Rail Trail. The student team installed landscape timbers, cleared rocks, spread soil, and completed work on a deck that provides ADA-compliant accessibility to a new railroad museum along the trail. Harmon serves as vice president of the Rotaract Club of Shippensburg, a service club sponsored by the Rotary Club of Shippensburg that focuses on helping the
local community through studentled service. She started Rotaract during her first year at Ship with the help of friends and university and community members. “I would not be where I am today without all their support.” Rotaract holds a number of events to promote physical and social wellness in the Shippensburg community, including kickball and dodgeball tournaments, an annual Christmas charity, and volunteering at King’s Kettle Food Pantry. The club also seeks to develop international understanding and peace by giving all proceeds to LifeStraw, an organization providing safe water for children everywhere. Harmon plans to continue to volunteer in college and help develop Rotaract with her friends. She ultimately hopes to work as a kindergarten teacher and inspire the same love for volunteering in her students.
ROTC OFFERS NEW FITNESS OPTIONS TO CAMPUS ROTC COMMISSIONS The ROTC Military Science While the Army will NEW ARMY OFFICERS Department gave the provide the majority of the campus community a new equipment, some compooption to get active with nents needed to be locally the installation of fitness resourced. In light of this, a stations in the recreation parent of one of the cadets fields. The customized donated materials that pull-up bar, dip, and sit-up allowed for the installation stations were installed of the new stations. in collaboration with “These fitness stations, The university community can take the university Facilities which are open to all memadvantage of new outdoor fitness Management and Planning bers of the Shippensburg equipment thanks to ROTC. Department. University community, fill Through improved understanding of a critical need of the Military Science Departexercise science and physical training, the ment, while enhancing accessibility to fitness Army is transitioning from the Army Physical equipment and promoting healthy lifestyles Fitness Test to the Army Combat Fitness Test. for all at Ship. I’d like to personally thank New equipment is vital to helping ROTC cadets our donor, as well as the wonderful Facilities prepare, train for, and administer the new test, Department, in their work to make this hapwhich aims to strengthen fitness culture, reduce pen,” said Lt. Col. Chris Morton, recently retired injuries, and increase Army readiness. chair of the Military Science Department.
The Military Science Department commissioned eleven new second lieutenants into the US Army on June 13 during a live broadcast ceremony. The 28th Infantry Division Deputy Commanding General, Brig. Gen. Stephen Radulski, addressed the cadets and soon-to-be officers, commending their accomplishments and encouraging them to continue to seek knowledge and self-improvement. Each cadet recited the Army Oath of Office from their location to officially commission them as second lieutenants. The commissioning class included Vincent Acri, Evan Corman, Lucas Garner, Ulyses Hernandez, Conner Hill, Matthew Hinkley, Shadrack Kiprop, Rachel Lapp, Kaylee Neff, Faith Negron, and Nicholas Smith. During a September 19 ceremony, Claudia Waltz was commissioned.
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With Fickel’s Will, There’s a Way STUDENT MEETS COMMUNITY NEEDS DURING COVID-19 BY SAMANTHA GOSS ’21
What started as a simple high school hobby has made Rebecca Fickel, a sophomore marketing and management dual-major, a local hero in more ways than one.
uring the rapid development of COVID-19, masks quickly became scarce, leaving many frontline workers without the valuable personal protective equipment they needed to care for others. A friend of the Fickel family who works at a nursing rehabilitation center found herself in that situation, and had a request for Fickel this spring—could she sew some masks? In high school, Fickel enjoyed wearing headbands and scrunchies but could not always find, or afford, what she wanted in stores. So she did the next best thing—she learned how to make them. She taught herself to sew by watching YouTube videos, and eventually offered her homemade styles for sale on her Instagram page. With the friend’s recent request, Fickel again turned to the internet for instructions and learned how to sew cloth masks. She bought supplies, found a design she liked, made the mask, and posted a photo on her Facebook page. From there, it took off.
I truly believe it takes a village to raise kids, and as a community, we have a responsibility to make sure people are taken care of.
Overnight, Fickel received a flood of requests for masks. What started with a few friends quickly spread to requests from all over the country. As she worked to complete orders, her machine broke, and she struggled to keep up with supplies, but she was determined to meet the need. Thanks 12
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to a local pastor, she was able to get a new sewing machine to keep her work going. Fickel said it has been crazy and overwhelming, but she loves it. Her mother helps her measure and cut fabrics so Fickel can keep up with orders. She has completed more than 600 masks. Despite the number of masks she has managed to make, Fickel only asks for a small donation for her efforts, and she has not kept a single cent of the money that she has collected. Her donations go to the local PAW Packs program in Newville. PAW Packs ensures that kids in the Big Spring School District receive meals. As the pandemic continues to impact local families, the need for PAW Packs has tripled. The program is working to feed about 400 children. “I chose PAW Packs because I see the difference they make in my community. Their mission is to make sure kids in the community are fed, and that is so important to me,” Fickel said. “I truly believe it takes a village to raise kids, and as a community, we have a responsibility to make sure people are taken care of.” To date, she has raised over $1,750 for PAW Packs. Fickel chose to accept donations because her reason for sewing masks was to help others, not for profit. She was fortunate enough to continue classes at Shippensburg and remain employed during the pandemic, so she still had income. From this experience she learned, “that it is so valuable to use the resources we’re given and skills that we have to help others. I know how to sew. I had access to a sewing machine. And BAM—I was able to help hundreds of people protect themselves and provide financial relief to a program that feeds hungry kids.” Even though her new project sometimes feels overwhelming—especially on top of college classes and work—she said it wasn’t a hard task to continue. “All it took was the willingness to help others, and I learned during this time just how powerful that willingness is.”
spotlight on ROTC CADET WILLIAM LAMONT
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Hometown: Collegeville Major: Supply Chain Management Year: Junior
Why did you ask for a 3D printer for Christmas? I was seeing a lot of videos of them and the things you can do with them. I thought it would be pretty fun to have one. What first inspired you to make 3D face shields? I have a lot of family, friends, and neighbors in the health care industry and, after seeing online videos of others with 3D printers helping, I decided to reach out to my network to see if they needed the supplies. They said, absolutely. What were the first groups you reached out to help? First it was my neighbor who works at an emergency room in Reading, then my mom and sister who work in nursing homes. Then, the rest of the family and friends heard what I was doing, and I got overwhelmed with requests. That's when I found PA COVID-19 Makers (formally Phoenixville Area COVID-19 Makers) that helped me fulfill my orders, and then I started helping them fulfill theirs. What requests did you receive for face shields? At first, an order of twenty-five, then an order of seventy-five, then an order of 100, then 200. By then, I had a backlog of orders, and that’s when I reached out for help. How did you find out about PPEforPA? I found them through another Facebook group of worldwide makers making medical supplies for COVID-19 responses. I saw a post about their group, asking if anyone in Pennsylvania needed help fulfilling orders or if anyone wanted to help, they could join.
How long does it take you to print one mask? At first, it was taking me an hour-and-a-half to print one. After modifying the software I use to format the file for printing and putting a larger nozzle on the printer, I could print one in about thirty-five minutes. What has this experience taught you? It's kind of helped show me firsthand and solidified what I already knew—that in times of great need in the community, people from all walks of life will come together to help those less fortunate than them. With PA COVID-19 Makers, Lamont has produced to date more than 8,000 3D-printed face shields, 4,000 cloth masks, and 1,500 ear savers for frontline workers. His work earned recognition from the US Army, and his story appeared on their main website this spring.
Samantha Goss ’21 is an intern for SU Magazine.
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New Circumstances Require New Conditioning BY BILL MORGAL ’06-‘10M
O
n the morning of Friday, March 13, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) announced the suspension of all athletic competition through the end of the spring semester. That announcement came one day after the NCAA decreed that its remaining championships for the winter and spring of 2020 were canceled. Those two decisions—historic for college athletics—came just one day after the SU baseball, lacrosse, and tennis teams held regular season contests. In the span of forty-eight hours, the athletics calendar transformed from a vibrant and action-packed schedule of games to literally no competition. With two months remaining in the semester, SU’s studentathletes had no time to adapt. Everybody had to figure it out. Philosophically, the department staff wanted to do whatever it could to keep the student-athletes moving forward. Dennis Kerstetter (right), head strength and conditioning coach, was among those who leapt into action and began to develop programming. “I care deeply about the athletes’ well-being in a holistic sense,” he said. “While my main job is to increase their athleticism while decreasing injury rates, I think a big part of my job is to be a mentor and to discuss things that will help lead them to success once their playing days are over.” One of the initial barriers was mandated legislation by the NCAA and the PSAC, which stated that any workouts had to be personally requested by student-athletes. In response, Kerstetter created and uses SU strength and conditioning social media accounts as a platform for student-athletes to access 14
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Much of my motivation and inspiration was directed in two ways: how it could affect them as an athlete, and how it would be connected to their continued success outside of athletics. daily content. By making the accounts public, anyone can use it, not just student-athletes. “Much of my motivation and inspiration was directed in two ways,” he said. “How it could affect them as an athlete, and how it would be connected to their continued success outside of athletics.” As the semester ended and the transition to summer began, he instituted regular programming each weekday on social media: Motivational Monday, Technique Tuesday, Wisdom Wednesday, Thoughtful Thursday, and Feature Friday. “He’s taking so much time out of his day, every day, to give back to the studentathletes,” said Michael Lingard, a senior on the men’s track and field team and the 2020-21 Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) president. “He never misses a beat and steps outside the box to think of ways to help motivate and educate athletes during these times.” Kerstetter spoke of the importance to engage the student-athletes, especially
during a time when many felt isolated due to their respective quarantine situations. “He reaches out asking if you need anything, asks how you’re doing, and the whole nine yards,” Lingard said. “He’s done more than anyone can ask for, and I personally appreciate him a ton.” Despite all the work, the sheer unfamiliarity of the overall situation was still an inevitable and very difficult matter for student-athletes to process. “When you only see the same people and four walls every day, every day passes by and seems like the same old song,” Lingard said. “The motivation to get things done becomes minimal to none.” Making it to the end of the semester was a significant mile marker for studentathletes. While the future is still cloudy, its pursuit at least provides motivation for improvement. “There came a time when the semester ended, and I told myself this is the perfect time to improve physically and mentally,” Lingard said. “Sitting on the couch playing video games and watching movies won’t help my team win PSACs or help me make the Dean’s List. Everything being closed makes it difficult to find things to do, but that’s where creativity comes into play. “As of late I’ve been working out more, working a job, and just getting outside to do new things. I almost feel like my normal self again.” Bill Morgal ’06-’10m is SU’s sports information director.
The @SU_IronRaiders Instagram became a daily source of programming provided by strength and conditioning coach Dennis Kerstetter.
RAIDER SPORTS
sport shorts Shippensburg posted a 24-7 record, including an 18-4 mark in PSAC play, which resulted in the PSAC Eastern Division championship and the East’s No. 1 seed in the PSAC Tournament. MEN’S BASKETBALL //
After a 69-66 victory over Millersville in the PSAC Quarterfinals, Shippensburg earned the right to host the PSAC Final Four for the first time in history. The Raiders defeated Mercyhurst in the PSAC Semifinals, 59-51, before losing to No. 7 IUP in the championship game, 77-59. SU received the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Atlantic Region Tournament and was scheduled to face Fairmont State in the first round before the NCAA Championships were canceled. Junior guard Jake Biss (right) was named the PSAC Eastern Division Men’s Basketball Athlete of the Year and was later named to the NABC All-District First Team and D2CCA All-Atlantic Region First Team. Biss led the Raiders in scoring (15.9) and ranked fourth in the conference with 4.4 assists per game. Senior forward John Castello was named to the AllPSAC Eastern Division First Team and NABC All-District Second Team after finishing as the PSAC’s leading rebounder this season (9.4). Senior guard Lamar Talley was named the PSAC Eastern Division Defensive Athlete the Year, making him the first Raider to ever receive the honor. Talley was handed SU’s top defensive assignment each game and served as the key to the Eastern Division’s top defense. Head coach Chris Fite was named the PSAC Eastern Division Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year. Fite directed SU to its first Eastern Division championship and its third divisional championship overall. Ship posted its fifth straight twenty-win season under Fite.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL // Shippensburg posted
a 21-9 record and a 17-5 mark in PSAC play, which resulted in the PSAC Eastern Division championship and the East’s No. 1 seed in the PSAC Tournament. The Raiders defeated Shepherd in the PSAC Quarterfinals, 73-57, before falling to West No. 2 seed and eventual PSAC Champion Gannon, 74-58, in the PSAC Semifinals. Junior guard Ariel Jones (above) was named the PSAC Eastern Division Women’s Basketball Athlete of the Year and was later named to the D2CCA All-America Third Team and the WBCA All-America honorable mention squad. Jones led the nation with 219 made free throws and 265 free-throw attempts, finishing ninth in the nation in scoring after averaging 22.3 points per game. Jones became just the third player in PSAC history to record three seasons of 600 or more points. Jones was one of three Raiders named to the All-PSAC Eastern Division Team along with junior Destiny Jefferson (First Team, top right) and sophomore Aunbrielle Green (Second Team, middle right). Head Coach Kristy Trn (bottom right) was named the 2019-20 PSAC Eastern Division Coach of the Year. Trn guided Shippensburg to its seventh twenty-win season during her tenure and the school’s twelfth overall. The Raiders led the nation with 548 made free throws and ranked among the Top 20 rebounding teams in the country. SU posted a 13-1 record at home.
(From left) Jake Biss, John Castello, Lamar Talley, and head coach Chris Fite.
(Clockwise from top) John Castello, Lamar Talley, and head coach Chris Fite.
Follow Raiders sports on shipraiders.com
G ShipAthletics Ö ShipURaiders e ShipRaiders FALL 2020
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Shippensburg won its tenth consecutive PSAC Indoor Championship and thirteenth overall, posting a 47.5-point margin of victory. SU totaled thirty-one scoring performances, including eight event championships and 18 All-PSAC Top 3 finishes. MEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD //
Redshirt-sophomore Aaron Arp Jr. was named the 2020 PSAC Indoor Championships Outstanding Track Athlete and was later named the 2020 PSAC Men’s Indoor Track Athlete of the Year. In a record-setting season, Arp was an NCAA All-American and Division II Championships qualifier in three events: the 60-meter hurdles, the 400-meter dash, and the 4x400-meter relay. He posted the PSAC’s fastest times this season in the 200-meter dash (school-record 21.43 seconds with track conversion), the 400-meter dash (schoolrecord 47.40 seconds), and with the 4x400meter relay (3:12.83). He also ranked second to teammate Charles Bowman in the 60-meter hurdles (7.99). All four performances resulted in USTFCCCA All-Region classifications. At the PSAC Championships, Arp won the 400meter dash with a school and championships meet record and contributed to the victorious 4x400-meter relay. Drew Dailey was named the 2020 PSAC Men’s Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year after being named the 2020 PSAC Indoor Championships Most Valuable Athlete.
He won three PSAC titles, including individual wins in the mile (4:21.10) and the 800 meters (1:55.37), as the second man in PSAC history to win both events in the same year. Dailey’s third PSAC title came as the anchor leg of the 4x800-meter relay. He earned three All-Region classifications: 1:53.17 in the 800 meters at VMI, 4:15.92 (converted from 4:19.18) in the mile at Bucknell, and with the 4x400-meter relay. Dave Osanitsch (top right) was named the 2020 USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Men’s Indoor Head Coach of the Year and also earned his tenth consecutive PSAC Men’s Indoor Track and Field Coach of the Year award. In addition to the PSAC Championship, the Raiders recorded sixteen USTFCCCA All-Region classifications and qualified five athletes for the NCAA Championships.
Aaron Arp Jr.
Drew Dailey
Doug Knol (bottom left) was named the 2020 USTFCCCA Atlantic Region Men’s Assistant Coach of the Year. Knol’s sprints/hurdles crew totaled eighty-six points from five events at the PSAC Indoor Championships. Among his athletes were two individual NCAA qualifiers: Bowman, who broke the PSAC all-time record in the 60-meter hurdles (7.88), and Arp. The NCAA Championships were canceled before the start of the meet. The USTFCCCA awarded All-America honors to all five SU qualifiers. In addition to Arp, Bowman earned two (60-meter hurdles, 4x400-meter relay), and Dailey and freshman Stephon Brown earned one for the 4x400-meter relay.
WOMEN’S INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD // Shippensburg finished fifth at
Five members of the Shippensburg University indoor track and field teams qualified for the 2020 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships at the Birmingham (Alabama) Crossplex. (From left) Head coach Dave Osanitsch, Charles Bowman, Josh Booth, Zarria Williams, Stephon Brown, Aaron Arp Jr., and assistant coach Doug Knol.
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the PSAC Indoor Championships by scoring 66.5 points. SU achieved sixteen individual scoring performances at the conference meet and finished the year with five All-Region performances. Senior Zarria Williams (top right) won SU’s only indoor conference championship with a victory in the long jump. Her top mark of 19 feet, 3¼ inches (5.87 meters) was enough to qualify her for the NCAA Championships for the second straight season. She was named a USTFCCCA AllAmerican. The NCAA Indoor Championships were canceled before competition. Sprinter Leah Graybill (bottom right) was named the 2020 PSAC Women’s Indoor Track and Field Freshman of the Year. She set two school records: running 7.67 seconds in the 60-meter dash and 25.14 seconds (24.76 seconds with track conversion) in the 200 meter-dash.
SOFTBALL // Shippensburg finished with a
10-4 record before its season was canceled due to COVID-19. The team had yet to play any PSAC Eastern Division contests. Senior outfielder Kayla Bonawitz was named to the 2020 Academic AllDistrict® 2 Softball Team, a prestigious scholastic award selected by the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA). Bonawitz, a biology major concentrating in pre-physical therapy, maintained a 3.73 cumulative grade-point average (GPA) while in her final semester. Career statistics were used to select this year’s Academic AllDistrict award winners, a change from the routine of identifying honorees based off their current season of competition. Bonawitz was a two-time All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) performer and a 2019 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-Region Second Team honoree. Senior Meghan Klee was named a recipient of the NCAA Division II Degree Completion Award. Klee, an early childhood education major and a coaching minor, made 149 starts between the infield and the outfield for the Raiders.
WRESTLING // Shippensburg posted
(From left) Colton Babcock, Matt Milbrand, Alexi Castro, and Derek Berberick.
an 8-10 dual meet record in 2019-20. The Raiders placed ninth as a team at the 2020 NCAA Division II Super Region 1 Championships, with redshirt-junior DeAndre Reed (left) finishing third at 149 pounds to extend Shippensburg’s streak to 18 consecutive seasons with at least one NCAA Division II National Championships qualifier. At regionals, Shippensburg had five place-winners. In addition to Reed’s national qualifier, sophomore Colton Babcock finished fifth at 174 pounds, sophomore Matt Milbrand finished sixth at 141, redshirt-junior Alexi Castro finished sixth at 197, and senior Derek Berberick took sixth at 285. The 2020 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships were canceled.
BASEBALL // Shippensburg finished with a MEN’S SWIMMING // Shippensburg placed
fourth at the PSAC Championships with 373 points, achieving its best finish at the conference meet in nine years. The Raiders totaled twenty-seven individual scoring performances and advanced twentyone swimmers into evening finals. Ten Raiders contributed at least one point to the overall team score during the week. Sophomore Matt Bochanski (above, and right) claimed gold in the 200-yard breaststroke with a time of 2:02.63. Bochanski contributed 63 points toward the team score, finishing third in the 400 IM, fourth in the 100 breaststroke, and sixth in the 200 IM in addition to swimming on both of SU’s medley relays. Senior Jeff Beyer (right) totaled fifty-one points at the meet, finishing sixth in the 200yard freestyle and the 1,650-yard freestyle, seventh in the 1,000-yard freestyle, eighth in the 500-yard freestyle, and swimming on all three of Ship’s freestyle relays. He scored in every single one of his individual swims spanning four years at the PSAC Championships.
6-12 record before its season was canceled due to COVID-19. The team had yet to play any PSAC Eastern Division contests.
WOMEN’S SWIMMING // Shippensburg
finished seventh at the PSAC Championships with a total of 463 points. The Raiders totaled twenty-seven individual scoring performances and advanced twentyfive swimmers into evening finals. Ten Raiders contributed at least one point to the team score either with individual scoring or a relay. Senior Gabriella Johnson (top left) was named a 2019-20 CSCAA All-American. She qualified in the NCAA Championships 100yard and 200-yard breaststroke, but did not compete because it was canceled on Day 2. She earned two All-PSAC classifications based on a second-place finish in the 200yard breaststroke and a third-place finish in the 100-yard breaststroke at the 2020 PSAC Championships.. Senior Gracee Tothero (top right) was named the PSAC Champion Scholar and selected to the CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large Team for the second consecutive year. Tothero is a biology major concentrating in pre-med who had a 4.0 cumulative GPA starting her final semester. She is a member of the Wood Honors College who scored in four events at the 2020 PSAC Women’s Swimming Championships.
LACROSSE // Shippensburg finished with a
3-3 record before its season was canceled due to COVID-19. The team played just one PSAC Eastern Division match, a loss to No. 2 West Chester. TENNIS // Shippensburg finished with an
0-9 record before its season was canceled due to COVID-19. The team had yet to play any PSAC Eastern Division matches. MEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD //
No season due to COVID-19.
WOMEN’S OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD //
No season due to COVID-19.
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Resilient Research
MINDS@WORK REIMAGINED IN A VIRTUAL SPACE
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verything was running smoothly. By the time classes let out for spring break in March, Dr. Marc Renault, professor of mathematics, had a healthy submission of student research projects for Shippensburg’s annual Minds@Work conference. Then, COVID-19 turned the world upside down. In a matter of days, faculty and students moved to remote learning, events were canceled, and the campus shut down. It was quickly evident that the in-person conference would not be rescheduled. “A week or two after spring break, it appeared we weren’t coming back,” Renault said. However, hundreds of students worked with faculty on countless hours of research. They had put the work in. They just needed a new venue to share it.
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“We thought we could do an online version,” he said. “We were surprised by how much interest we had.” This pivot presented legitimate hurdles, Renault said. Some faculty couldn’t connect with students to complete their research, while other students lacked the resources to finish. Others, though, awaited the opportunity to present their findings through poster projects and panel discussions. “I spoke to Provost Tom Ormond, and he really wanted to see a virtual Minds@Work happen,” Renault said. “I credit him 100 percent for providing the enthusiasm to get this launched. We both wanted to celebrate and highlight the success of our students and education at Ship.” Renault and other participating faculty started hammering out the logistics for a weeklong virtual conference in April. Fortunately, he said, students are so tech savvy that the online transition proved to be fairly easy. Students interested in the virtual event were asked to register again, submit a PowerPoint slide, and record a three-minute video discussing their work. As submissions steadily rolled in, a reimagined Minds@Work research celebration became reality. “The unexpected benefit of going online is that we could take other forms of submission,” he said.
FACULTY FOCUS “Students did what worked best for their research.” The conference included dozens of videos as well as essays, written works, posters, and online discussions. The research showcase featured work from more than fifteen students representing thirteen different academic departments, covering topics such as “Coding with Social Studies in Elementary Classrooms,” “Horsemanship of the 18th Century,” and “Color Vision.” Seth Edwards was one of many students who presented research virtually
during Minds@Work. The dual political science and communication/journalism major discussed “Water Tensions Across the World: Exploring the Middle Eastern Conflict for Water.” “I, along with many other students, have spent hours of our time passionately researching our projects and prepping them to be presented among our peers, faculty, and community,” he said. “With the circumstances we have encountered due to the COVID19 pandemic, presenting virtually allowed us to still have the opportunity, despite the circumstances, to present our hard work.” Junior early childhood and special education major Kayla Waterman took the lead on an eight-member research project to showcase the work the team did on “Creating Curriculum for Teachers in Rural Jamaica.” The group couldn’t swing the planned spring break trip to Jamaica this year because of mounting concerns with the pandemic, but they wanted to share their work on the handbook they created for teachers who have little access to outside resources.
“These lessons don’t have to specifically relate to students in Jamaica—most of these lessons can be applied to all students no matter their location,” Waterman said. “And right now, in the time of virtual learning across the country, some of these lessons and activities could even be used by parents while their kids are at home with them.” Moving Minds@Work to a virtual space benefited the education majors, as now more of them were able to participate and share their full handbook with the public. In several instances, the online conference provided more flexibility and availability for participants. It also opened up the showcase to a broader audience. “The audience participation was good,” Renault said. “Alumni came out, retired faculty came, the SU Foundation sent out invitations, and students could show off their work to family. We had a wide reach.” By the end of the virtual conference, a total of 316 students and twenty-two faculty presented research. Participants and guests were happy for the opportunity, and Renault said the provost “was delighted by the impact.” “Faculty and students were grateful to have their work presented and show the world what they’ve been working on,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind a virtual Minds@ Work again.”
Presenting virtually allowed us to still have the opportunity, despite the circumstances, to present our hard work.
Students worked hard on research this past year, so Dr. Marc Renault (far left) worked hard to create a venue for them to showcase their results.
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IN THE WORDS OF…
DR. ANDREA BARRICK
Dr. Andrea Barrick, assistant professor of social work, researches domestic violence, agenda setting, policymaking at the state supreme courts, and pedagogy issues. Recently, she earned the Faculty Professional Development Council Grant for her proposal “The Not So Many Faces of Domestic Violence Victims.” What inspired you to research this topic now? I’ve always been interested in how the role of gender shapes policies and politics. This research gives me the opportunity to explore how gender shapes media stories that involve domestic violence victims. What is your background with this area of study? I am still learning as I go, but my dissertation explored gender, politics, and policies. I have presented at national and international conferences in regard to different facets of domestic violence. I recently had an article published in State & Local Government that looks at the role of policymaking of state supreme courts for protection orders. I have an article forthcoming in Journal of Policy Practice and Research that maps the Violence Against Women Act and answers the question of how gender entered the discussion of violence.
Do you have any theories of what your research might show? I think my research will show that media portrayals of domestic violence victims has changed very little over the last thirty years. What is your timeframe for completing this research, and what has your work shown so far? My goal is to complete this research by summer 2021. Preliminary findings show that African Americans and Hispanics are underrepresented among the pictured victims of domestic violence. Why is this an important topic? Photo editors’ stereotypes can be crucial to understanding misrepresentations in media coverage of domestic violence victims. If the media is providing inaccurate beliefs about domestic violence victims, it deflects attention away from systemic causes of domestic violence and policy solutions that would address racial inequality and patriarchal socialization.
In addition to studying the change over time and the coverage of minorities versus Caucasians, what other factors are you researching? I will be looking at male versus female victims (as well as age). I have the age categories split into three categories: 0-17 (children), 18-64 (adults), and 65 and older (senior citizens). Do you have plans on publishing or presenting your research? Yes, I have plans on presenting my research at the Western Political Science Association in April 2021. I would also like to present my findings to the Center for Social Research at Shippensburg University. It is my goal to submit this manuscript to Mass Communication & Society for publication.
faculty briefs DR. ALLISON CAREY, professor of sociology and anthropology, co-authored the new book Allies and Obstacles: Disability Activism and Parents of Children with Disabilities. The book dissects the relationship between parents of children with disabilities advocating for their child and disability rights activists who view parental activism as working against their independence and dignity. The authors use four case studies that focus on intellectual disability, psychiatric diagnoses, autism, and a broad range of physical disabilities including cerebral palsy and muscular dystrophy. The book delivers a new perspective on disability activism, policy, and the family. Her new book is available through Temple University Press. DR. STEVE HAASE, professor of psychology, published the paper “Extending a Focused Attention Paradigm to Critically
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Test for Unconscious Congruency Effects” in the March 2020 edition of the journal Visual Cognition. DR. CLAIRE JANTZ, professor of geography/earth science, was named a 2020 Campus Sustainability Champion by the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Coalition. This title is awarded to students, faculty, administrators, and staff of Pennsylvania colleges and universities who make meaningful contributions benefiting social, economic, and/or environmental sustainability on their campus, in their community, or in society at large. DR. JONATHAN SKAFF, director of international studies, published the chapter, “Early Medieval China’s Rulers, Retainers, and Harem,” in The Cambridge World History of Violence, Volume 2: AD 500-AD 1500, with Cambridge University Press.
DR. STEPHANIE WITMER, assistant professor of communication/journalism, wrote “Why Politics Makes You So Angry, According to Psychologists,” in Good Housekeeping, featuring comments from DR. ALISON DAGNES, professor of political science and author of Super Mad at Everything All the Time: Political Media and our National Anger. The article discusses the scientific reasons people get angry about politics. In Memoriam: DR. KEN WINTER, retired professor of philosophy, May 9, 2020 DR. ANGELO COSTANZO, retired professor of English, May 27, 2020 SHIRLEY SMITH, retired administrative assistant, June 5, 2020 DR. EUGENE DEARDORFF, retired professor of chemistry, September 6, 2020
Director of Technology Support Services “It’s been interesting to see everything change. It’s just amazing how much has come and gone in that time with technology,” said Jamie Rhine, who has worked on staff since he started as a student employee at Shippensburg in 2004. Despite the changes in his time at Ship—and a flood of adjustments in 2020—Rhine still hangs onto pieces of his original job. “Your roles grow and change over the years. There are literally things I did fifteen years ago that I still do now,” he said. “New staff comes in with varied experiences… and we end up tweaking responsibilities over the years to see what people are best suited for.” Initially hired as a microcomputer lab coordinator, he handled all computer labs, hardware, software, and a robust student staff. Rhine later moved into an associate director role for academic technology support, providing technology support to computer labs, classrooms, and faculty/staff. Today, he serves Ship as the director of technology support services. “I always considered myself a very hands-on manager,” Rhine said. “I enjoy a mix of being in the office to get things done, but also being in the field.” Rhine wants to ensure that he’s doing hands-on work, staying on top of current projects, and assisting with issues at the Help Desk. He oversees eight employees and, in part, manages nearly forty-five student workers on Help Desk, in labs, and doing back-end tech support. As word of a worldwide pandemic heated up at the start of the year, IT quickly shifted its efforts from in-class support to remote services. Rhine said the beginning of the year is a blur, but they are doing what they can to keep students, faculty, and staff connected in person and remotely. “The core mission is the same. Our team is out there to make sure that faculty, staff, and students have the technology resources they need while making sure those things are working appropriately, and we’re providing support for them.” Although the mission is the same, the format in which Rhine and his staff deliver that support has become much different. In March, that meant very quickly finding, repurposing, and redistributing laptops for staff who were now working from home. Rhine estimates they took more than 120 laptops from space across campus and repurposed them for staff remote work situations. But finding the necessary devices was just the first step.
“The challenge didn’t stop there,” he said. “We were handing individuals computers they never used before that didn’t have the software or tools they needed.” For the last decade, Rhine said the Help Desk has assisted staff through plenty of remote support. On campus, staff members call in an issue, and IT can remotely connect to their computer to assist. While working from home, Rhine said the Help Desk staff did that almost exclusively. On the student side, the Help Desk had to rethink how they offered support. Students ran into different challenges from one day to the next. The Student Help Desk was repurposed to determine how to provide technology access to students off campus, whether that be getting them devices, connecting them to hotspots, troubleshooting Zoom and D2L, and everything in between. “We reevaluated people’s strength and how to pivot for a little while,” Rhine said. “It went as well as it could have. I am still totally amazed.” Rhine and his staff continue to work quickly and securely to find solutions to the issues in front of them. It’s an all-in effort, he said, with collaboration from IT, faculty, and staff to deliver better online instruction. “It was a lot of communication from a lot of people. We tried to stay one step ahead and anticipate what questions would come up, then make things better based on that feedback.” To Rhine, the opportunity to learn about and implement new technology is what motivates him. He works to anticipate what’s next in the world of tech, while also determining what’s needed from the users at the university. “There’s never a day that’s expected.”
BEHIND SCENESWITH…
JAMIE RHINE ’08-’14m
THE
The core mission is the same. Our team is out there to make sure that faculty, staff, and students have the technology resources they need while making sure those things are working appropriately…
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a
Labor ofLove
TWO SMALL TOWNS CONNECT In the midst of a year seemingly full of negative headlines, a group at Shippensburg is celebrating some almost magical news. BY KATIE (PAXSON) HAMMAKER ’93 Six years in the making, students, faculty, and alumni involved in Project Gros Mangles are seeing the fruits of their labor unfold in Haiti. A muchneeded medical dispensary on a remote Haitian island opened to the public this spring, thanks to the results of a service-learning project initiated by Shippensburg’s Global Languages and Cultures Department. Now, residents of this isolated Caribbean island have access to quality health care in their community. Previously, the closest medical center was at least two hours away over difficult, mountainous terrain. For nearly a decade, students from Shippensburg University have been providing service work for the community Gros-Mangles, a small village on the island of La Gonâve in the Republic of Haiti. The group has collaborated with the village to meet their most pressing needs, including a safe playground for children and the newly completed medical dispensary. Although the pandemic thwarted the group’s annual trip to Haiti this past spring, they were thrilled to hear the dispensary was fully staffed and operating in June. 22
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“This is a Ship family story,” said Dr. Blandine Mitaut, professor of global languages.
Outside the Comfort Zone
Ship students who participate in Project Gros Mangles witness firsthand a level of poverty that is unimaginable to most Americans. Yet, the students return home with a wealth of experience and insights gained through this service-learning opportunity. Project Gros Mangles was started by Mitaut and the late Dr. Agnès Ragone, a retired professor of global languages. The two were searching for a service-learning project to get members of the French Club involved in issues that affect the Frenchspeaking world. Each year, the group dives into Haitian culture and history before embarking on a service-learning trip. For most, the trip to Gros-Mangles is a huge step outside of their comfort zone. In addition to the unfamiliar foods and social norms, students must manage without running water
Eight years in the making, the collaborative work of faculty and students at Shippensburg University and a small village in Haiti has led to the opening of a muchneeded medical facility this spring.
and limited access to electricity and the internet. “Students witness extreme poverty from up close, with no possibility of escaping or ignoring it,” Mitaut said. “They have to grapple with their own, unearned privilege.” “In spite of being relatively short, this experience is deeply transformative for our students,” she continued. “Students repeatedly comment that not a day goes by without them thinking about Haiti and the challenges of instability and poverty, not only there but closer to home as well.” Haiti is the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere. An estimated 80 percent of its residents live in poverty. “The Haitian people have very little,” Ragone said in a 2016 magazine article. “There is no running water, no electricity, no trash pickup. People often eat once a day because they don’t have enough food.” But Haiti also has a long and distinguished history, overcoming many injustices wrought upon them by the outside world. Its people emerged from the only successful slave revolt in history to found the world’s first Black-led republic.
Haitians have contributed beautiful art, music, and literature to the world. “This is a small town in the US connecting with a small island in Haiti,” Mitaut said. “We’re growing relationships, growing something beautiful.”
Down to Business
In 2010, a 7.0 magnitude earthquake rocked Haiti to its core. In just minutes, the natural disaster injured or claimed the lives of 200,000 and left behind a wave of damage to an already impoverished nation. Many members of the campus community showed concern for the Haitian residents, but Michael Celius ’15 was particularly affected. Celius immigrated to the United States from Gros-Mangles as a child. He followed his father, Jonas Celius, who had left Haiti in the 1980s during a time of upheaval. At the time, Ragone was providing pro bono translation services for their adoption paperwork. Michael expressed grave concern for his native community, and wanted to help. Project Gros Mangles was created with a dual mission of improving the
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Gros-Mangles community while providing a valuable learning experience for Ship students. Jonas attended an initial fact-finding mission with Ragone and Mitaut to assess the needs of the Gros-Mangles community. Mitaut noted how important it was to form a village committee and listen to what locals wanted and needed. One of the top priorities was creating a safe place for children to play. “Not all residents have shoes,” said Andrew Hutchinson ’17, who attended four service trips. He explained that the island has rocky terrain that can hurt to step on and bacteria that can cause infection. Construction of a school playground, the group’s first project, began at l’Ecole Presbterale in 2012 and was completed the following year. Any preconceived notions that Hutchinson had of being a “hero” were quickly dissolved on his first trip. “The Haitians are fiercely independent,” he said. “They don’t want to be thought of as charity cases. We are there as friends.” It was hard work. Volunteers helped gather rocks and hand-mix concrete with buckets of water carried from a nearby well. Ship volunteers worked side by side with local residents who were hired at fair wages. Hutchinson was very impressed with them. “It’s so hot, and there is so little shade. The locals worked all day, but we could work at most three hours at a time before we needed shade and water.” Work crews received additional “supervision” from local children, who enjoyed interacting with the volunteers. “The kids thought it was hilarious that we got sunburn and would push on our skin,” Hutchinson said. “They also tried to braid my hair, which did not work so well.” While in Gros-Mangles, the volunteers lodged with Jonas’s sister and her family. They were one of few local families with a generator and electrical outlets, providing a rare opportunity for students to charge their devices. “They were wonderful hosts,” said Allison Hill ’14. “They wanted to help and serve us.” The Celius women were up before dawn to prepare food. Most meals consisted of rice, beans, and plantains, with some locally caught seafood when it was available. There 24
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A small, remote town in Haiti now has access to quality medical care thanks to an ongoing project with Shippensburg students, faculty, and alumni. After six years of work, the medical dispensary (opposite page) opened this spring. The late Dr. Agnés Ragone (above, far left) initiated the connection as a service-learning project with her French students not long after a major earthquake rocked the already fragile country in 2010.
is very little fresh produce on the island, nor the means to refrigerate food. Evenings were spent on the Celius porch enjoying music and conversation with the locals. “Meeting the Haitian people was one of my favorite parts,” Hutchinson said. “Everyone was so friendly and welcoming. It’s a very communal and social place. Just to walk from one end of the village to the other takes forever, because you stop and talk to everyone.”
Building Trust
Students study Haiti’s interesting and complicated history and culture before attending trips. This helps them to build rapport with residents. It also helps that Ship work groups have returned to Haiti several times. “Some aid workers help for a week, then never come again,” Hutchinson said. “When we return, it really helps to build trust with them.” “The Haitians thought we were getting paid to be there,” Hutchinson continued.
“We told them that we actually paid for the opportunity to be there. I think it helped them trust us more.” Students must cover their own transportation costs and other trip-related expenses. Volunteers returned in 2014 to pave and expand the playground, nearly doubling its size. The following year, the foundation for the medical dispensary was laid. Construction can be a painfully slow process. Only six to eight volunteers can attend a trip, and funds must be secured for each project. All equipment and supplies, including fresh water, must be shipped ahead or delivered from the mainland. “I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t a bit discouraging,” Hutchinson said. “But there has been a lot of progress from my first trip to my last. So much has improved.” It would take five more trips to raise the medical dispensary walls, place the floors, and add a roof to the solar-powered building. Construction was stalled beginning in 2018 when the US government issued a travel warning due to political unrest in Haiti.
All group trips were canceled, but Jonas made several solo trips to keep the project moving. He also met with Haitian physicians to create a staffing plan, and he personally recruited a doctor to oversee the new dispensary. “Simply put, there would be no Project Gros Mangles without Mr. Celius,” Mitaut said. The Centre de soins communautaire Belval, eight years in the making, finally opened in June. The facility was dedicated in memory of Ragone, and bears her maiden name as a dual honor to her father, a former physician. The medical staff has already provided emergency treatment and routine checkups for many patients, including the delivery of its first baby in July. In another case, one grateful dad watched as the doctor removed a stick that was stuck in his young son’s ear. Excitement for the dispensary was tempered only by Ragone’s passing in February after a battle with cancer. While Ragone did not live to see the opening, Mitaut was able to update her on its progress and near completion. “Never in our wildest dreams did we think the center would be what it is,” Mitaut said. “The fact that this is picking up and working is almost magical.”
Continuing the Experience
For many students, the learning experience continues after they arrive home. A second but equally important part of the Project Gros Mangles mission is to provide meaningful service, education, research, and cultural enrichment experiences for Ship students. Taren Swartz ’19 first met Drs. Ragone and Mitaut when they visited her high school
French Club to talk about an upcoming Haiti trip. Swartz decided to attend Ship in part because she wanted to participate. Unfortunately, the trip Swartz was scheduled to attend was canceled due to the travel warning. It was devastating news for Swartz. But, she was so committed that she created a marketing campaign for Project Gros Mangles for her Honors capstone research project. The campaign resulted in an attractive website and new project logo. Swartz also initiated partnerships with several nonprofits operating in Haiti for support of future service trips. According to Mitaut, students majoring in biology, business, criminal justice, geoenvironmental studies, international studies, political science, and psychology have participated in Project Gros Mangles trips. “While in Haiti, mornings are spent participating in the service project, and afternoons are reserved for visits and class activities,” Mitaut said. “Students also collect data for their research projects.” Students pursue a major-related research topic, such as deforestation, the Haitian education system, and the place of women in Haitian society. Upon return, students complete their research, which they share with the Ship community at the Minds@Work conference in April. The annual event features the achievements of undergraduate and graduate students from all disciplines. Hill produced the documentary, A Project for Haiti, for her senior communication/ journalism class. The documentary provides marketing for the group, and it also helped Hill secure her first job as a photojournalist in television news.
Effective marketing is key to the success of Project Gros Mangles. They depend on contributions from members of campus and the community to fund future construction projects. “Frankly, Haitians can spare our untrained hands and lack of experience,” Mitaut said. “What they need is the money.” The group has no plans to stop. They are currently raising an additional $20,000 for the medical dispensary to purchase a generator, more solar panels, and to start an ambulance service. Efforts also are underway to raise $35,000 annually to sustain the dispensary’s operations. “Ultimately, I hope that people will come to see Haiti as more than just a poor country in the Caribbean,” Hutchinson said. “It’s a wonderful place, and I am so glad that I got to experience this.”
How to Help
To learn more about Project Gros Mangles or to make a donation, visit projectgrosmangles.com.
Katie (Paxson) Hammaker ‘93 is the director of development and marketing for the Susquehanna Chorale and is a freelance writer based in Mechanicsburg.
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Stewart Hall, Ship’s iconic building at the entrance to campus, has been restored to its former glory through a major renovation project. ❚ Now, the second oldest building on campus is making an amazing first impression on alumni, prospective students, and other visitors. It will function as a welcome center, special events venue, and a gallery showcasing precious Ship memorabilia. BY KATIE (PAXSON) HAMMAKER ’93 “They did a beautiful job of capturing Stewart Hall’s history, but making it look contemporary,” said Jen Haughie ’94-’98m, associate vice president for enrollment management. “It’s a mix of yesterday and today. It’s appealing to both students and parents, especially if they are alumni.” “We are so happy with the results,” said Mary Jo (Kreider) Grove ’69-’70m. “I can’t wait until everyone else gets to see it.”
Mary Jo and her husband, Dr. Gary Grove ’68-’70m, met and began dating while attending Ship in the 1960s. They are among countless students who have learned, created memories, and built lifelong friendships within Stewart Hall’s walls. “I have many fond memories of Stewart Hall,” Mary Jo said. “We feel very connected to it because we spent so much time there. It was the social center of campus.”
RENOVATIONS COMPLETE
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The latest Stewart Hall upgrades feature an open floor plan, original exposed beams, and natural lighting.
The couple attended dances there on weekends. As a commuter, Gary spent time between classes in the Day Men’s Lounge located in the basement of Stewart Hall. “I went there to study,” Gary said. Mary Jo added, “But, there was also poker, ping pong, and TV.” The couple lost touch with campus for several years while pursuing their careers and raising a family. They reconnected when their daughter, Elizabeth (Grove) Wickersheim ’94, attended Ship. “When we visited Stewart Hall after so many years, we cringed,” Mary Jo said. “It did not look like the building we remembered. You couldn’t see the beautiful ceilings, and there were holes in the track. We knew how beautiful it used to be, and we had to do something.” The Groves soon learned they were not alone. As national co-chairs of the Charting the Course, Lighting the Way comprehensive campaign through the Shippensburg University Foundation, Gary and Mary Jo met and talked to many alums who also had fond memories of Stewart Hall and wanted to support its restoration. The Groves pledged the lead gift toward the project, and helped the SU Foundation raise in excess of $1.5 million for the renovation.
Restoring Stewart Hall’s History
Stewart Hall was constructed as the campus gymnasium in 1894. It was a cutting-edge facility for its day. A prominent
feature was the second floor running track, suspended from the trusses of the roof. At one time, the track provided a training ground for future Olympian Jim Thorpe, known as “the world’s greatest athlete.” Since then, Stewart Hall has been repurposed numerous times. The building served as housing during the post-World War II student boom, then became the student union building for two decades. The Communication/Journalism Department occupied Stewart Hall in the 1970s and ’80s, and most recently it housed a children’s theatre. The building was dedicated with its namesake in 1950, in honor of faculty members John Keats Stewart and Harriet Wylie Stewart. It also was at this time that the last major interior renovations were made to Stewart Hall. The focal point of the new Stewart Hall is the Gary and Mary Jo Grove Exhibition Hall on the main level. Partitions that once divided the room into classrooms have been removed, leaving it open from the main level floor to the second floor ceiling. A drop ceiling that obscured the running track and original wood beam vaulted ceiling was removed. “The ceiling beams were just waiting to be exposed,” said Terry Starr, associate director for planning, design, and construction who oversaw the Stewart Hall renovation. The ceiling was restored to its original form, and a mix of track lighting and suspended chandeliers now cap the room.
Starr said they were able to find light fixtures that closely matched Stewart Hall’s original gaslight chandeliers. Unfortunately, the original suspended track on the second floor was damaged beyond repair and had to be replaced. Just one section of the original track was preserved and is the floor outside of the small meeting room added to this level. The track now serves as a mingling space. The gymnasium floor was rebuilt with reclaimed oak, maintaining an authentic look to the building. The room is surrounded by the original exposed brick walls, restored after the painstaking removal of multiple layers of paint. All of Stewart Hall’s windows were replaced. The tall, custom-made windows, empty of treatments, illuminate the room with ample natural lighting. Improvements to Stewart Hall’s heating and water systems have made the building more energy efficient. Two large ceiling fans were installed to circulate air, and LED lighting is now standard throughout. This includes the historic light fixture above the front entrance, which was refinished and refitted for LED. A new staircase just inside the front entrance leads to both the upper and lower levels. Guests can also travel via an elevator, added at the rear of the building along with a handicapped accessible entrance. Previously, Stewart Hall did not have an elevator. This, along with other updates, brought the building up to current code.
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Stewart Hall now wows new students and families as the campus welcome center and a new alumni event space.
On the exterior, Stewart Hall’s distinctive turrets and arched entryway were maintained, as were the double set of winding steps leading up to the front door. A brick patio was added to the front lawn, and will make it possible to host outdoor events at Stewart Hall. The patio was constructed with engraved bricks purchased by alumni, faculty, campus groups, and others through a campaign by the SU Foundation.
Raider Day Kickoffs
For the Admissions Department, Stewart Hall is a wish come true. They now welcome potential students and their families in the exhibition hall for Raider Days. “We see thousands of students every year through our Raider Day visits,” Haughie said. “It is one of our main recruitment events.” Previously, Raider Day visits opened in Old Main or Rowland Hall, depending on the number of guests. “The rooms were functional but not the most welcoming,” Haughie said. “There was no ‘wow’ factor.” She added that the rooms were difficult for newcomers to locate. The admissions process is extremely competitive today, Haughie explained, and expectations of college visits have increased dramatically. “Other colleges have newer, beautiful welcome centers. As much as we want to say this should not be a deciding factor, it is. Stewart Hall gives us an edge, and makes a great first impression of Ship.” Raider Day groups can vary in size from ten to more than 100, and Stewart Hall is 28
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equipped to host both. “We use the large screen and projector for large groups, but for smaller groups, we use a large screen television along the side of the room, and sit on couches,” said Maya Mapp, director of admissions. Soon, both floors of Stewart Hall will be transformed into an exhibition gallery showcasing some of Ship’s extensive collection of memorabilia. “Some families arrive early to campus, and some parents are alumni,” Mapp said. “They will be able to see the historical displays and things that make Ship so unique.” “The admissions staff is honored that we get to showcase this building as part of our campus,” Haughie said.
A Homecoming for Alumni
For Lori Smith ’95-’07m, director for alumni relations, “It’s the beauty of Stewart Hall. No other space on campus looks like this.” Smith is particularly impressed by how Ship managed to preserve and showcase the proud history of Stewart Hall, while making it modern and operational for today’s students. Smith will proudly begin holding multiple alumni-related events in Stewart Hall. The Alumni Association hosts at least a dozen events on campus annually, ranging from small receptions to larger gatherings such as homecoming and Alumni Weekend. “It’s always been a challenge, finding available space on campus for events,” Smith said. “There is a lot of competition,
even among campus groups, for space.” Stewart Hall is open for the campus community, including students, to reserve for meetings and events. Another perk, according to Smith, is the built-in, user-friendly audio-visual technology. The main hall includes a projector and large screen, as well as two flat screen televisions. “This helps when your guests are arriving and you don’t have time for a long tutorial on how to work the equipment.” A small kitchen in Stewart Hall now allows campus catering a space to operate when serving dinners and receptions. Increased parking alongside the building provides better access for guests. Smith and other Alumni Relations staff maintain their offices at the nearby Rife Alumni House on Prince Street.
Celebration Event
Ship is excited to celebrate the completion of Stewart Hall’s renovations with students, alumni, and the community. Initially planned for this year’s Alumni Weekend in June, the grand opening was postponed when COVID-19 forced campus to close for the remainder of the academic year. Please watch for more information regarding the rescheduled celebration! Katie (Paxson) Hammaker ‘93 is the director of development and marketing for the Susquehanna Chorale and is a freelance writer based in Mechanicsburg.
PATHWAY HOME: ENGRAVED BRICKS STILL AVAILABLE
Did you miss the chance to purchase an engraved brick for the new pathway that leads to Stewart Hall? The bricks will be offered again in the future. Three sizes are available, and you can personalize a message with your name, to honor a past/future graduate, give a shout out to your favorite professor, or memorialize a classmate. For more information, visit the SU Foundation website at sufoundation.org or call (717) 477-1377.
PREPARE RESPOND EVALUATE REPEAT ALUMNI ON THE FRONTLINES OF A PANDEMIC The rumblings of a highly contagious virus in China started making national and international headlines not long after the New Year. On January 29, the CDC launched an agency wide COVID-19 response. At the Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, media relations specialist Barbara Schindo ’11-’18m is used to the unpredictable nature of her work. But by the end of February, this felt different.
“It dawned on me, this is going to be a big deal. How are we responding to this, and how will it change the world?” Following the CDC announcement, WellSpan Health’s Julie Kupchella ’07, strategic communication coordinator, and Jeannie Constable ’08, director of marketing and public relations, began developing the mounting messages they needed to communicate to their wide range of key publics. “Nothing tests you like a global health pandemic. In this new normal, we had to be better communicators,” said Constable. Devon Heberlig ’11 (right), director of the Division of Emergency Planning and Safety Operation for the Department of Human Services, studied the situation as it unfolded across the country and prepared for what was to come. During an emergency, he said it’s important to get the right information to the right audiences at the right time. But the unpredictable nature of the pandemic made this goal challenging. “It’s hard to make sound and timely decisions with incomplete and inaccurate information.” On March 3, the CDC published the first report with guidance on how to prepare for a COVID-19 surge in the United States. By Monday, March 16, Governor Tom Wolf announced that all K-12 Pennsylvania schools were to close. Dr. Khalid N. Mumin, superintendent at Reading Area School District, empathized that the closure, “… turned how we educate kids upside down.” Like so many educators, Rasheed Dandridge ’17 (right), 2020 Teacher of the Year at Stetson Academy in Philadelphia, committed to transitioning his relationship-centered English classroom to online learning, knowing there were students who still needed his support. On March 27, the CDC released a Level 3 Pandemic Global Health Alert, and began publishing weekly morbidity and mortality reports. “The way the world changed overnight is mind blowing,” Schindo said. Around the same time, COVID-19 hit Pennsylvania full force and “things really came to a head,” said Caryn Earl ’98, director of the Bureau of Food Assistance and Department of Agriculture. Despite the crisis, in every situation, Ship alumni rose to the occasion, applying their skills and experience around the clock to keep Pennsylvanians safe and healthy.
An Unfolding Emergency Responding during the height of the pandemic, Barbara Schindo ’11-’18m shares important information with the public from Penn State Hershey.
Services, treatments, procedures, and operations all changed in a matter of days for the healthcare industry. At WellSpan Health, Kupchella and
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Constable communicated internal updates on procedure and new safety protocols to nurses, doctors, and staff. Externally, they shared as much information as they could to the public and patients in need of services. Penn State Hershey quickly set up an incident command center, aligning the leadership of different entities in one place. Schindo also took on the role of a public information officer during the pandemic, while continuing to balance her daily work responsibilities. “The volume of output of our team increased tenfold…It was very important to us to be transparent. We created a public dashboard with the number of new cases, deaths, and how it was affecting us and the communities we serve,” Schindo said. The barrage of questions constantly shifted, according to Schindo, from information about the virus, to readiness and preparedness, to availability of supplies, to changes in services. Segmenting and tailoring those messages to each specific public was key, Constable added. From births, to end of life, to daily operations, the information had to be clear and swift. “Julie [Kupchella] gets a lot of credit [for] the amount of messages she quickly got out to educate people on the dos and don’ts. Or important messages [such as], ‘Hey, if you tested positive and recovered, donate your plasma’,” Constable gleamed. Many communication professionals took on fluid, round-the-clock days, nights, and weekends to handle the increased public
Working from home didn't stop Julie Kupchella ’07 from managing COVID-19 messaging for WellSpan Health.
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RASD Superintendent Dr. Khalid Mumin, and "Kid Superintendent", aka Jermaine Edwards, deliver pep talk in a viral back-to-school video message.
Let’s give each other grace, not grief. We’re all in this together and media interaction as the world adapted to online education and work.
Meeting Increasing Demand
As the healthcare industry adapted to handle the needs of the pandemic, families across the country were adjusting to online education and work under one roof. The transition was not without challenges, and new concerns quickly emerged. Some parents who were unable to work remotely were forced to quit their jobs to provide childcare and schooling. Many families who already were struggling to provide daily meals were now being asked to provide expensive technology for students to learn from home. For Mumim’s students in the Reading Area School District, the technology dearth is pervasive. “For a district that is 99% underserved, we are now starting to see a true digital divide between the school districts that have the means and school districts that do not.” Mumin (right) says the district has a “fiscally responsible” plan to implement a student digital platform over the next three years. But technology was just one of the challenges for his district’s families. Children who took advantage of meals at school no long had daily food security. And, many caregivers who were already struggling to support their families were furloughed or lost their jobs during the quarantine. The demand for services from food banks sharply rose, and Caryn Earl ’98, director of the Bureau of Food Assistance and Department of Agriculture, had to determine how to meet that need with
new operations during the height of the pandemic. “There was a 55 percent increase in demand for food banks across the state,” she said. Earl employed her background with Feed America, and worked with state and national legislators to rethink food bank operations, to move to a low-contact, pre-packaged method that minimized interactions between clients and volunteers. She successfully pushed to lift the typical paperwork so that anyone in need could easily access food. “It took a lot of legwork with the food banks and USDA to meet requirements,” Earl said. “It was critical to be able to serve the increased demand.” Heberlig carefully watched the trends in other states to determine what needs Pennsylvanians might face. He worked with agencies across the state and country to coordinate efforts, identify unmet needs, and share resources. “There is a rush to acquire scarce resources, and their limited supply makes allocations difficult, so hard choices are being made daily,” Heberlig said. The situation reminded Earl of the economic downturn in 2008-09, and similarly, she expects the need to remain high. “Even as people get back to work and back to normal, you have to consider that they might still face food insecurity,” she said. “This is going to be our new normal. It is starting to level off, but will remain high.” “The economic impact has a real bearing on what happens next,” said Heberlig. “With unemployment being so high, those who lost jobs may become food and financially insecure, placing even more pressure on state government.”
Fortunately, Earl said Gov. Tom Wolf and his administration have been fully supportive of these needs. “It’s been incredibly hard, but I’m very proud of working with our legislature,” Earl said. Herberlig added, “The DHS Emergency operations team, along with other commonwealth agencies, work together to ensure no one goes hungry. In the first few weeks, hundreds of thousands of meals were allocated to support the community at food banks and [volunteer] organizations.”
Hanging onto Hope
Despite the rapidly developing state of emergency, stories of hope surfaced. Those stories are what kept our dedicated Ship alumni going. “We needed positive news,” Constable said. “We found a tremendous sense of community in Franklin and Cumberland counties…I feel so proud. It was really an incredible effort.” Before strict social distancing orders, members of the community wrote supportive messages to WellSpan staff members in chalk, tied white ribbons to the trees, and donated a tremendous amount of food. WellSpan also developed a way to securely deliver a message of hope to members of the team. “They were able to feel that love in a safe way. There is power in words,” Constable said. Dandridge said his personal motto, “find a way to make a way,” helped him finish out his school year online. Mumin mirrored Dandridge’s perseverance and positivity with an inspiring pep talk in a back-toschool video for the Reading Area School District, which has now gone viral. The video features a Kid Superintendent, aka Jermaine Edwards I, who reminded us all, “Let’s give each other grace, not grief. We’re all in this together”.
Looking Back, Moving Forward
Six months later, the pandemic continues to ravage the world, and those frontline heroes continue to care for patients, track trends, adjust procedures, and stay ahead of what might be next. Although the country yearns for normalcy, Heberlig reminds people to remain cautious and listen to professionals. “Even though guidance changes, there are some very smart medical professionals trying to keep you safe.” Heberlig and Schindo reiterated the importance of getting information from trusted sources. “Don’t save or share information if you don’t check the source. Think critically,” Schindo said. And, Heberlig’s most important advice, “Don’t panic. Be informed.”
BEEFING UP THE COVID-19 CONVERSATION WHO’D HAVE THOUGHT that the meatiest coronavirus information to sweep the Twitterverse would come from the voice of frozen meat sheets? When coronavirus took hold of the US around March 13, the strategy team and Jesse Bender ’97 (right) account director at Steak-umm’s PR Partner, Allebach Communications, took a step back to listen. “We heard the right’s position, the left’s position, and we just wanted to hear the human position. We needed a verifiable position.” Having worked hard to develop a Twitter persona for Steak-umm that was quirky and fun, Bender said they knew they had a place in this conversation—it was just a matter of where. From encouraging kindness to thanking community members to cautioning against misinformation, the brand quickly became an unusual source of truth during the pandemic. A 37-word Tweet on April 6 garnered more than 73.7K likes that day, and beefed up traffic on the Steak-umm website by more than 460 percent. It read: “friendly reminder in times of uncertainty and misinformation: anecdotes are not data. (good) data is carefully measured and collected information based on a range of subject-dependent factors, including, but not limited to, controlled variables, meta-analysis, and randomization” The response was swift. People who never heard of Steak-umm now followed the account and pledged their loyalty. Twitter user @j_chytown responded “Never in my life have I eaten a @steak_umm. I bought 2 packages today solely because their social media team has been a voice of reason during #Covid_19.” Another, @gorskon, shared, “The frozen steak company is correct and providing better critical thinking advice than nearly all pundits.” That slice of reason amid chaos, even when coming from a meat company, hit home. “We let the information guide us. We were providing some peace of mind in the midst of the unknown,” Bender said. Steak-umm is part of Quaker Maid Meats, Inc., out of Reading. Bender said the company is honest, true to its values, and good to its employees. This is evident, too, in its partnership with Feed America, as they recently donated $25,000 to their local community. “That’s what makes them successful,” he said. “We poke the bear, but it always comes back to ‘Steak-umm bless’.” And if they poke the bear too far, they acknowledge it. “When we go sideways, or ‘make a misteak,’ we own up to it. It’s OK, everyone makes mistakes.” When it comes to hot topics—like worldwide pandemics and systemic racism—companies and brands feel pressure to make a statement. Bender encourages them to hold that thought, and listen. The viral moments with his clients are fun to watch, Bender said. “We’ll get back to sly videos, TikTok, and memes of beef sheets. But, right now, we’re listening.”
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alumni
Ship Connects!
TAP INTO YOUR SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY NETWORK
Ship Connects makes it easy for alumni and students to leverage the power of connection and achieve professional goals through the Shippensburg University community.
S
hip Connects is the university’s official online platform for networking, bringing together alumni, faculty, and staff in support of other alumni and students. Alumni and students can connect, share professional experiences, and seek career advice from alumni, faculty, and staff. Alumni select ways to engage with the Ship family via mentorship, job shadowing, industry insight, or professional development. Ship Connects enables networking and mentoring by giving advice to students and fellow alumni from those who can share their experience. These connections create a powerful advantage for those launching a career. SUPPORT SHIP STUDENTS. Ship students are looking for answers and mentors as they pursue their passions and contemplate careers. Ship Connects allows them to find the answers they seek by networking with alumni who have similar interests, participating in discussions, and taking part in one-on-one matching mentoring programs. HELP US HELP STUDENTS. Participate in Ship Connects and amplify our students’ development and preparation—plus,
gain access to exceptional talent. Provide advice and guidance, share your stories of success, offer internship and employment opportunities, and deepen your connection with the university. When you join the community, you can: • Connect with alumni in your city or industry of interest • Join discussion groups based on your interest • Support students and fellow alumni through mentoring • Find a mentor • View the job board, or post opportunities
Making Connections
Once you create your account, start exploring! Notice the tabs across the top of your screen:
» NETWORK | The Network shows
profile cards for all users. These users are here to help you. Use the <Filter> option to specify your search by city, major, industry, employer, clubs and organizations, and more. Then, click “Let’s Connect!”
HOW DO I GET STARTED? b Visit shipconnects.ship.edu. c Click “Connect now.” d Sign in using your LinkedIn account or valid e-mail address (your university affiliation will be confirmed).
e
Complete your profile (hint: you can import information from your LinkedIn profile).
f
Start exploring the platform to ask questions, explore the tabs, and reach out to fellow alumni.
» DIRECTORY | The Directory includes users who have opted into Ship Connects and those who have yet to join. Messages you send to those who have not opted in will go to the registered e-mail and hopefully drive them to Ship Connects.
» JOBS | Here you can view jobs that
have been posted by human resource professionals or shared by fellow users. Share an opportunity to help the Ship Connects community get hired!
» GROUPS | Groups are smaller forums
for discussion defined by industry, region, and social groups. Join the group where you have an interest or affiliation: • Business, Consulting, Finance • Education, Nonprofit, and Human Services • Government, Law, and International Affairs • Fraternity and Sorority Life
ALUMNI RELATIONS STAFF 〉 Lori Smith ’95-’07m, director; Lauren Hill, coordinator, alumni events; Stephanie Swanger, clerk typist
ALUMNI BOARD OF DIRECTORS 〉 Robert Sisock ’05-’06m, president, deputy court administrator, Administrative Office of Pennsylvania Courts; Tim MacBain ’03, president-elect, educator, Upper Dublin School District; Caryn Earl ’98, past president, director, Bureau of Food Distribution, Department of Agriculture; Paula Alcock ’92, fiscal contract supervisor, PA Key; Tim Bream ’87, IT compliance lead, Spark Therapeutics; Joe Carothers ’76, retired director sales and marketing; Sarah Charles ’05, director of public engagement, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Josh Shapiro; Lynne Daley ’83-’84m, senior vice president business solutions, Bank of America; DeAngelo Harris-Rosa ’13, trial commissioner, Philadelphia Court of Commons Pleas; Moriah Hathaway ’19, special assistant, Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf; Carol Verish Houck ’99, attorney, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC; Johanna (Williams) Jones ’92-’00m, counselor, Carlisle Area School District; Elizabeth Karper ’17, IT specialist, Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP); Josh Lang ’13, county commissioner, Bedford County; Stephen Latanishen ’12, liaison for boards and commissions, Office of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf; Michele Legge ’88, owner, Magnolia Heights Marketing; Holly Lubart ’99, director of government affairs, Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association; Kenneth Minefield ’87, intake supervisor, Allegheny County Child, Youth, and Families; Melissa Morgan ’06-’08m, legislative policy analyst, Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors; Julie Perez ’91, educator, Washington County Schools, Maryland; Hayden Rigo ’16-’17m, government relations associate, Greenlee Partners; Keith Russell ’17, financial advisor, UFinancial/MassMutual; Steve Thomas ’04, planning director, Franklin County of Pennsylvania; Dave Thompson ’69, retired copy editor; Evan Wabrick ’12-’13m, tax manager, Smith Elliott Kearns & Co; Daniel Wise ’95, Cpl. Officer-in-Charge, Millersburg Police Department.
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SHIP’S LOG • Health Professions, Public Health, Life Sciences • International Life—Going Global • LGBTQ+ • Multicultural Alumni and Students • New York City • Public Relations, Communications, and Media • Small Business Owners and Operators and Entrepreneurship • Technology, Engineering, and Physical Sciences • Women Leaders
» PROGRAMS | Raiders Connect
365 is a yearlong career mentoring program for Shippensburg University students with alumni and industry employers in the student’s chosen career field. The program provides intentional and meaningful relationships for students with topics on professional development, career guidance, and networking. The mentor/mentee relationship is one of the most rewarding experiences in which students, alumni, and employers can be involved. The Career, Mentoring, and Professional Development Center will match mentors and students for optimal fit and will provide programming for mentees and mentors to discuss in person, on the phone, or via video conference. Tab to Programs, and Join the Program.
» DISCUSSION | Discussion is a forum to
ask questions to anyone on the network.
» RESOURCES | Find resources on how to use the platform, as well as specific resources for mentees and mentors. Resources also highlight an alumni business directory.
Questions?
Send general inquiries to shipconnects@ship.edu.
Brought to you by Shippensburg University Alumni Relations and the Career, Mentoring, and Professional Development Center.
CAREER CORNER
VIRTUALLY PREPARING STUDENTS Making connections now is key for students preparing to launch their careers in the midst of a worldwide pandemic, said Victoria Kerr, director of the Career, Mentoring, and Professional Development Center. Headlines about the impact of COVID-19 on the economy can feel dire to students who are ready to start their careers. Fortunately, there are jobs available. That’s why Kerr stresses that networking is vital and can lead to job offers down the road. “Instead of having students postpone their job search, we thought it was important to keep the networking connections with employers open,” Kerr said. For the Career, Mentoring, and Professional Development Center (CMPD), that means offering all normal services, including resume appointments, coordinating virtual career fairs, conducting job searches, and more. Kerr said it’s admirable to witness the resilient nature of Ship students, especially recent graduates. She encourages students to reach out and work with the CMPD to establish connections that will help when the job market returns to normal. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics states over 70 percent of employers hire from people who were recommended to them. Ship students and alumni employers also make great connections through the winter break job shadow program, spending the day with an alumnus or employer to see the job firsthand. If the pandemic affects the job shadow program, Kerr said it will continue virtually. “Let us help them now during this time,” she said. Although interviews will be held virtually for the foreseeable future, Kerr said students should prepare as normal. Research the company, know the position, and discover goals for the company in preparation for an interview. She reminds students they need the required equipment to conduct an online interview and should make sure it works. Kerr also suggested avoiding shortcuts during an online interview. “Don’t make the mistake of dressing from the waist up. You will feel more put together if you are 100 percent dressed OF EMPLOYERS HIRE and treating it like an in-person PEOPLE WHO WERE interview.” RECOMMENDED TO THEM
>70%
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Learning to Soar: Alumna Uses Flight to Help Students Succeed BY KATIE (PAXSON) HAMMAKER ’93
E
ncouraging students to soar high—literally and figuratively— is a key to student success for Barbara (King) Walters-Phillips ’71. She has inspired thousands of students and teachers nationwide with her aeronautics workshops, classes, and “first flight” experiences over the past three decades. Her work and enthusiasm recently led her to be honored by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) with its 2019 Katharine Wright Trophy. As a licensed private pilot and a teacher whose career spanned nearly four decades, Walters-Phillips continually searched for ways to incorporate her love of flying into the classroom. “I’ve always been around aviation,” she said. Her dad was a private pilot and owned a Cessna 172.
“Flying was a novelty back then, and he loved sharing that with people. If our neighbors expressed interest in flying, he would take them. He gave so many people their first airplane ride.” Walters-Phillips frequently accompanied her dad on flights. Sometimes, he would even fly to a small airport near campus and transport her home to Mifflintown for weekends during college. Flying is a passion she shares with her husband, retired US Air Force pilot Lt. Col. Patrick Phillips. In fact, the couple spent twelve years restoring their own Piper J-3 Cub and have traveled the country in it. “We would often meet at the airport on Fridays after work and fly off to an air show.” Walters-Phillips began her career teaching fifth grade in Hagerstown,
Aviation has opened so many doors and given me the opportunity to meet amazing people.
(Above) Barbara (King) Walters-Phillips ’71 presents Astronaut Joe Edwards with a plaque for being a keynote speaker during the Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Educators’ Workshops; (right) Walters-Phillips with her restored Piper J-3 Cub.
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Maryland. In 1986, she attended the National Congress on Aviation and Space Education. The decision charted a new life course for her. “I fell in love with what I learned, and the excitement has never left.” Walters-Phillips immediately saw the potential in using aviation to motivate and teach students, particularly in math and science. She obtained a grant to start Aviation Invasion, an aerospace workshop designed to motivate middle school girls to study math and science. A family friend allowed them to use her family’s private hangar at a nearby airport for the course. “They came ready to learn,” WaltersPhillips said. “Their enthusiasm inspired me.” She taught the program for two years before relocating to Florida with her husband in 1992. Here, she continued to teach the aviation course at an Orlando airport. The program caught the attention of the local Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) chapter, who recruited Walters-Phillips to write curriculum for the Orlando Youth Aviation Center classes. The eight-week course, open to all students in grades 7 to 12, includes an introduction to aeronautics, lessons in meteorology and flight instruments, with a focus on aviation-related careers. For their final lesson, students write a flight plan with stops at three Florida airports. The course culminates in a graduation flight where each student takes a turn as co-pilot. “I love teaching aviation because, for the majority of students, it’s new to them. It gets them excited about learning.” She
SHIP’S LOG DID YOU KNOW?
from the alumni association When you want your Ship News, chances are you want it ShipNow! (Above left) Walters-Phillips teaches students to build and fly drones; (above right) students graduate from the winter Intro to Aviation session.
has witnessed students who were struggling in school turn their grades around after completing the aviation program. Walters-Phillips additionally took a position teaching middle school. Again, she found a way to incorporate aerospace education into her classroom—literally. She obtained a grant to purchase a Cessna 150 cockpit as a learning tool. “Well, I knew I could not have the whole plane in my classroom,” she joked. Along with her husband, WaltersPhillips searched local airplane junkyards until they found one. “But it was too wide for the window at school,” she said. “So, the principal allowed me to break a window to get it into the classroom.” Walters-Phillips is credited with integrating the Civil Air Patrol’s Aerospace Connections in Education (CAP ACE) program into the Orange County, Florida, school system. This includes aviation, character education, and physical education. In 2011, she served as director of a national CAP event to inspire over 750 at-risk youth toward a better future using aviation and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). Walters-Phillips also chairs the annual Sun ’n Fun Aerospace Educators’ Workshop in Lakeland, Florida. “I arrange all the presenters and the keynote speaker, who is usually an astronaut,” she said. “We have had Winston Scott, Hoot Gibson, and Story Musgrave, to name a few.” Flying is not quite the novelty that it once was, Walters-Phillips noted. Students can gain flight experience
ShipNow (shipnews.org) is your new homepage for headlines, announcements, exhibits, and events—basically everything Shippensburg University. Our ShipNow news page includes news headlines on alumni, faculty, and students. Read the features of the week, university announcements, and posts of Ship in the news. Visit our news and information site at shipnews.org regularly. Then get alumni news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to the bi-monthly alumni newsletter. The electronic newsletter is delivered to all alumni inboxes every other Friday morning. Update your e-mail address with the Office of Alumni Relations. Complete an alumni information update (ship.edu/ alumni/alumni_information_update_ form) to update your e-mail, your mailing address to receive SU Magazine, and employment information to help us locate resources with certain industries and employers; or e-mail alumni@ship.edu with your updates. Thank you for staying connected to Ship!
through computers and simulators. Still, she encourages her students to consider careers in aviation. There are many career opportunities, and scholarships are available. “Aviation has opened so many doors and given me the opportunity to meet amazing people.” Walters-Phillips officially retired from teaching in 2018, but she continues to work with teachers as a math and science coach. To honor all of her achievements, the NAA presented Walters-Phillips with the 2019 Katharine Wright Trophy. The award honors an individual who has “contributed to the success of others or made a personal contribution to the advancement of the art, sport, and science of aviation and space flight.” The award is named for Orville and Wilbur Wright’s sister and her unsung contributions to their achievements in the field of flight. “Receiving this award was very humbling, and a huge surprise,” WaltersPhillips said. But her biggest reward has always been seeing her students succeed. “I love what I do. When you see young people taking an interest and the difference it makes in them, it makes it all worthwhile.” Katie (Paxson) Hammaker ’93 is the director of development and marketing for the Susquehanna Chorale and is a freelance writer based in Mechanicsburg.
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Art Alumnus Shares Joy, One Cartoon at a Time BY MICHAELA VALLONIO ’20
How do you spread positivity during a national pandemic? Cartoons! Mike Bennet ’12 spends his time creating lifesized cartoons that he hides in public spaces.
B
ennet is a full-time illustrator, but his hobby is no joke. His idea started when he moved to Portland, Oregon, in 2016 and began painting watercolors of bystanders with their pets at local parks. Now, he recreates popular memes or famous cartoon characters. While he isn’t a fan of reselling someone else’s original ideas, he puts a twist on his work. Bennet creates fanart of his favorite
cartoons or contributes his own signature style. With a growing social media following of over 50,000 on Instagram and 1 million on TikTok, Bennet produces his art with the simple goal of making people happy. Having earned his bachelor’s degree in art from Ship, he spends most of his time in art education. He decided to take his personal work one step further by creating wholesome, life-
With limitations comes creativity. I had to find a way to bring people together without touching things.
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sized cartoons using reclaimed wood and recycled paint. Bennet said he is fortunate to have established his art style and a loyal fan base before the pandemic. “With limitations comes creativity. I had to find a way to bring people together without touching things.” Bennet’s plans of creating city-wide scavenger hunts with over 60 pieces of work has now turned into home installation art. He created A to Zoo, an alphabetical zoo in his front lawn that displays a new animal every day. Neighbors and fans of his work still have something to anticipate and enjoy. On Instagram, he posts short videos about each piece and educational information about every animal. He finds the most joy in being able to paint real animals and give them his own artistic characteristics. The A to Zoo project also opened up charitable opportunities. He offers specialized T-shirts based on his work with proceeds going to One Tail at a Time, a volunteerbased dog rescue organization. So far, Bennet has sold over 700 shirts, raising over $6,000 for the organization. He also previously held an art auction in the fall that raised $16,000 for the Australian fires. Bennet loves to witness people’s reactions to his work. “That’s what drives me to keep doing it,” he said. “The reaction is so positive—I love it.” Bennet’s brain is constantly immersed in different cartoon worlds. If he could, he’d hop into one of his favorites. “I’m a huge fan of Ratatouille and my close second would be to live in the world of Monsters, Inc.”
Michaela Vallonio ’20 is an intern for SU Magazine.
60s Dr. Jacob W. Kipp ’64, Lawrence, Kansas, in March celebrated his fiftieth anniversary of the awarding of his Doctor of Philosophy Degree from Penn State University. Kipp’s graduate work for his PhD was in Russian and East European History. Patricia (King) Shaeffer ’67, Stewartstown, retired after forty-five years as a self-employed public accountant. John S. Coffman Jr. ’68-’70m, Fallston, Maryland, was awarded status of professor emeritus by the board of the community colleges of Baltimore County.
70s David P. McNichol ’70 and Flo (Leidig) McNichol ’70, Derry, recently celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary. Kay (Everhart) Piotrowski ’74, San Dimas, California, retired June 30 after thirty-three years as the librarian at Shull Elementary. Bob ’73 and Kay will celebrate forty-five years of marriage this year. J. Sharlene Lehman ’75, Uniontown, released her third novel, Panama, with her cousin Nanci Myers under the pen name Jens Mitchell. It is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other bookstores. Donald B. Aungst ’77, Danville, Virginia, is vice president and chief financial and operating officer at Averett University. Jay Cohen ’79, Boyce, Virginia, retired from a thirty-six-year career teaching earth science: fifteen years with Frederick County, Virginia, and twenty-one years at Loudoun County High School, Leesburg, Virginia.
80s Randall Faulkner ’80, Perkasie, recently was re-elected to a second term with Perkasie Borough Council. Crystal (Bair) Hull ’80, Carlisle, received a promotion last fall from SpiriTrust Lutheran® upon the implementation of a new leadership structure that brought programs and services together as a unified system. The communications and public relations functions were consolidated into an agency-wide vice president position, resulting in Hull’s promotion. Hull joined the agency in July 2008 as corporate director of communications and PR. Her responsibilities now include managing the vision and
CLASSNOTES Tell us your latest accomplishments and milestones by
submitting your news to Classnotes. Alumni news, which is compiled from your submissions and previously published materials, is arranged in the magazine alphabetically within each class year. In Memoriam is published as a separate column. Please note, Classnotes may take up to six months to appear as a result of the publication schedule. Photo submissions are welcome and are published as space permits. Please submit original, high-resolution photos (300 dpi). There are four ways to submit information. For standard mail or fax, complete the ‘Signal Us’ form on page 39. We look forward to hearing from you! STANDARD MAIL: Alumni Relations, Shippensburg University, 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299 FAX: (717) 477-4071 E-MAIL: alumni@ship.edu ONLINE: sumag.org and click on “Contact”
execution of the agency’s internal and external communications and public relations program, including corporate brand awareness and management; media relations, crisis and issues management; communications counseling; community relations; event planning; and social media. She also plays an integral role in overall agency marketing efforts. In addition, she provides leadership to the agency-wide communicationspublic relations-marketing advisory group; serves as the webmaster for five agency-related sites; is the managing editor of the corporate magazine and team member newsletter; and provides leadership to the communications team.
JoAnn Baldwin ’81-’89m, Harrisburg, met with Ship President Laurie Carter who attended the African American Read In at Steelton-Highspire Elementary School in February, hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc, Epsilon Sigma Omega Chapter, and in collaboration with the AKA
Foundation of Central Pennsylvania, Inc. Pictured, President Carter is far right, and Baldwin is next to her. Dr. James G. Ptaszynski ’83m, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is vice president, Digital Learning Division
SHIP’S LOG of Academic Affairs, at University of North Carolina System. Ptaszynski was interviewed for a Forbes Magazine article that featured best practices used by the University of North Carolina System as faculty and staff moved 50,000 face-toface classes online in response to coronavirus. The article details the development of an online resource guide “Moving to Alternative Instructional Formats” to support faculty with this accelerated transition. Zoe (Maun) Burd ’85, New Bloomfield, was elected to a fouryear term that started in January as the Prothonotary and Clerk of Courts for Perry County. Stephen A. Glennon ’85, Los Angeles, California, recently signed on to teach in the Office Technology/Computer Information Systems Department at Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California. He also teaches a financial literacy class for prison inmates at Men’s Central Jail, Twin Towers Correctional Facility, and the Century Regional Women’s Detention Facility in Los Angeles. He also is a professional screenwriter and host of the television program Transit TV Teacher, which aired for six years on all Metro buses and subways in Los Angeles County and can be seen on YouTube.
CELEBRATING CHRISTMAS SHIP STYLE 3 Alumni
had a reunion at McFaddens over the holidays, including (from left) Jennifer (Buss) Moddrel ’91, Tina (Ciavaglia) Scannapieco ’91, Aleta (Mann) Kammerer ’91, Brad Ingersoll, Kim (Schonauer) Ingersoll ’90, Chris McFadden ’90, Don Moddrel ’90, Max Scannapieco ’91, Chris Scannapieco ’91, Nicole (Lalic) Delson ’90, Jill (Campion) Walsh ’90, and Jenny (Mitchell) McFadden ’90.
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Patricia (Pahoski) Richards-Service PhD ’86, Clarks Summit, is an instructor in the Communication Arts Department at Marywood University. She was recently notified by the US Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) and World Learning that she has been recommended by the Peer Review Panel for placement on the Fulbright Specialist Roster for a tenure of three years. She is now eligible to be matched with projects designed by host institutions in more than 150 countries globally. The Fulbright Specialist Program is unique among programs in the Fulbright portfolio in that host institutions lead the project development process. This ensures that any outside expertise requested through the Fulbright Specialist Program meets a need that the institution has identified as a critical area for its growth and development. While a PhD candidate at Marywood University, Richards-Service earned a FulbrightSchuman student research grant to the European Union. She researched early intervention and best practices in breast cancer prevention efforts and was affiliated with Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland, in addition to conducting research in Romania using European Union policy archives. Catherine Conlow ’87, Bangor, Maine, was honored recently at the Maine Town, City, and County Management Association’s Annual Institute at the Sugarloaf Mountain Hotel in Maine. Conlow, who has led her city for seven years, won MTCMA’s Linc Stackpole Award, which is the organization’s most prestigious annual recognition. Conlow has worked in municipal government for thirty years, including as Orono Town Manager before starting in Bangor. Her nomination also cited various community positions she holds in the Greater Bangor area and her leadership on the Municipal Review Committee, which develops and provides oversight for an innovative regional solid waste facility. Dr. Robert M. McGee III ’87, Mount Holly, New Jersey, was appointed superintendent at Neshaminy School District. Dr. Edward M. Taliff ’87m, Mount Union, retired from Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland.
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Raymond D’Agostino Jr. ’88-’90m, Lampeter, was elected to his first term as a Lancaster County Commissioner. Previously, he served for ten years as CEO of the Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership (LHOP), a regional US Treasury certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) that is focused on housing affordability. D’Agostino also served as the first Chief of Staff for former State Senator Smucker (now Congressman) and spent seventeen years in local government as a municipal and authority manager in central Pennsylvania. He is a retired veteran of the US military, having served twenty-two years in the Naval Reserve and Pennsylvania Army National Guard. Through his leadership, the CRIZ developed and implemented a small business loan and grant program and LHOP developed a low-cost, flexible revolving loan fund for housing and mixed-used projects serving southcentral Pennsylvania. He is chair of the Lampeter-Strasburg Area Republican Committee. D’Agostino and his wife, Memory (Smith) ’88’92m, have two children. Bryon C. Black ’88, Middletown, Maryland, was promoted and appointed as Frederick County Attorney. Black has served as senior assistant county attorney since 2018. Prior to joining the public sector, he was a partner at Schaffer & Black, PC, where he focused on the areas of criminal and contract law, property disputes, family law, administrative law, personal injury, and estate planning. He also worked in the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office as an assistant state’s attorney.
90s Heather (Watts) Claycomb ’90 and husband Rodney ’90, New Zealand, started a charity, All Good Ventures (www.allgood.ventures). They provide money, mentorship, and muscle to people who want to start social enterprises from any country. Shannon (Shaffer) Kurta ’91, Belle Vernon, accepted a position in March as director of Finance and Administration for Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation.
SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
THE 90s ARE BACK 3 Roommates from the 1990s got
together in Hershey for their annual reunion, including (from left) Sherry (Elliott) Jendrek ’93, Jennifer (Gmeiner) Perkovich ’94, Heidi Ruth McCarver ’92, Diana (Ireland) Unitas ’93, and Alina (Car) Perinotti ’92. Gail (Schaffer) Struss ’91, Allentown, who made history as Allentown police’s first female assistant chief, has retired from the department after a twentythree-year career. Struss joined the department in 1997, starting her career on patrol for the 4th Platoon. After two years, she transferred to the vice and intelligence unit and five years later became a detective in the youth division. In 2005, Struss became a school resource officer and was assigned to Raub Middle School for almost six years. She was then promoted to sergeant and supervisor of the youth division. In 2012, she was promoted to captain, then promoted to assistant chief in 2016 by former Chief Keith Morris. James C. Valletta ’93, Sellersville, began his third term as president of the Pennridge Education Association in June 2019. He also has served as chief negotiator for PEA during the last two rounds of negotiations. He is completing his twenty-sixth year as a teacher at Pennridge High School. Michael R. Long ’98, Potomac Falls, Virginia, was named to Forbes Magazine as a top financial advisor for the state of Virginia in 2020. Carol (Verish) Houck ’99 and husband Jared Houck, Harrisburg, welcomed a daughter Lila Jane on February 21. She joins big sister Linden. Carol is Of Counsel in the Real Estate Group at McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC in Harrisburg.
00s Jeffrey A. Benevit ’00, Tavares, Florida, was appointed general manager of hospice services at VITAS Healthcare in Florida’s Lake and Sumter counties. Emily (Doutre) Genua ’04 and husband Mark C. Genua ’03, Philadelphia, welcomed a son, Adam Rocco, on January 2, 2019. Stacy C. Morris ’06 married Travis Miller on June 19, 2019, in Harrisburg. The couple lives in Mechanicsburg. Caitlin (Troxell) Christ ’07, Sykesville, Maryland, accepted a new position as the Chesapeake Regional Director of Development for Acts Legacy Foundation. Acts Retirement-Life Communities are the largest nonprofit continuing care retirement communities in the United States. Christ will focus on major and planned giving, as well as managing philanthropic education and stewardship programs in five retirement communities in Maryland and Delaware. Jonathan D. Naff ’07, Lancaster, joined High Environmental Health and Safety Consulting LTD as a health and safety consultant. The consulting firm performs safety audits, trainings, and industrial hygiene tests for a wide variety of industries. Theodore R. Them ’08, Charleston, South Carolina, was the first author or co-author of seven peerreviewed manuscripts published in 2019.
SHIP’S LOG Joseph A. Brubaker ’09-’12m, Rockingham, North Carolina, was hired as a social studies teacher at SandHoke Early College High School in Raeford, North Carolina, teaching US history and civics.
10s Christopher Gray ’10, Washington, DC, is now Deputy Chief of Staff of the US Small Business Administration, an appointment that comes after two years of service at the SBA, during which time he held two titles: White House liaison and senior advisor to the administrator. After the president nominated then-US Treasurer Carranza to serve as SBA administrator, Gray served as her Sherpa, helping guide her to an 88-5 confirmation vote in the US Senate. He previously held roles in the Trump administration, including senior associate director of intergovernmental affairs at the White House and senior advisor at the Export Import Bank. Before that, he worked in the private sector and served four years in the Administration of Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett.
Travis ’11 and Caley ’10 (Tate) Smith, Glen Mills, will welcome their second child in November. Travis is a production manager for Ingersoll Rand in West Chester and Caley is the marketing manager for Tropical Smoothie Café in West Chester. (From left, Travis, Caley, son Jace, and dog Camo.) Michael Spiro ’10, York, accepted a position with Wagman Inc. as senior marketing and proposal coordinator. Jeffery Thompson ’10, Bennington, Vermont, was hired as professor of mathematics/physics at Mount Wachusett Community College in Gardner, Massachusetts, for fall 2019. Brielle (Dalious) Wertz ’11 and husband Cody ’10, Severn, Maryland, welcomed a daughter, Nora Grace, in May 2019. Matthew P. Fritz ’13, Hillsboro, Oregon, earned his PhD in 2019, and is working as a process engineer at Intel Corporation.
Cody R. Demmel ’14, Center Valley, joined Morton Brown Family Wealth as a financial advisor, where he will use financial tools and planning techniques to build portfolios that meet short-term and long-term goals of his clients. Nicole M. James ’16, Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, accepted a position as the new content manager for Exit Zero in Cape May, New Jersey. Derrick Scheetz ’17, Windsor Mill, Maryland, is working with a team of researchers to investigate COVID19 impacts on workplaces and the US economy using data human resource professionals, American workers, and small businesses. Kailee Tressler ’17 married Matthew Benson in October 2019. The couple lives in Chambersburg. Miranda Wallace ’17 and Marc Bollinger ’16, Mifflinburg, welcomed a son, Whit Bollinger, in fall 2019.
signal us …about your change of address, new job or promotion, advanced degrees, marriage, or births/adoptions.
Name_______________________________________ Address_____________________________________ City____________________State______ Zip________ Year of Grad._________________________________ Phone (H)________________ (W)_______________ Phone (Cell)_________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________ Maiden Name_______________________________
Karen Eriksson-Lee ’18m, Front Royal, Virginia, is the founder and artistic director at The Northern Virginia Academy of Ballet with a busy year of classes and performances ahead. Details at nvaballet.com.
Your Occupation_____________________________
Jenna Neiderer ’18 married Collin Godshall ’18 in September 2019. The couple lives in Dillsburg.
Recent News for Classnotes___________________
Amanda K. MacLaughlin ’18, Centreville, Virginia, graduated from the seventy-fifth session of the Fairfax County Virginia Criminal Justice Academy on February 13. Officer MacLaughlin will be stationed at the Reston Police Department.
In Memoriam Martha (Line) Eastep ’36 Kenneth Cromwell Madden Sr. ’39 Catherine (Fleck) Hastings ’45 Phyllis (Shellenbarger) Iannicelli ’46 Rose (Buhrman) Giardine ’49 Philip H. Angle ’50 Gerald Richard Wilson ’50 John R. “Dick” Fore ’51 William L. Gilliland ’51 Robert M. Shumaker ’52 William R. Smith ’52 James R. Feather ’53 Vera (Staub) Manning ’54 Nathan P. Pearson ’55 Edward L. Gant ’58 Margaret (Love) Slaven ’58 Theodore N. Barnhart II ’59 Edwin E. Stenger ’59-’66m
Name, Address of Employer___________________ ____________________________________________
____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ ____________________________________________ Mail: Alumni Relations Shippensburg University 1871 Old Main Drive Shippensburg, PA 17257-2299 Fax: (717) 477-4071 E-mail: alumni@ship.edu
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John Frank Jr. ’60 Ruth (Fisher) Poppe ’60 Jean Spangler ’60 Susan (Wolfinger) Diller ’62 Janet (McCreary) Erjavek ’62 B. Joyce (Funk) Schaff ’62 Glenn R. Cordell ’63-’68m Berlyn E. Cornelius ’63 Diane (Luzzatto) Unger ’63 Donald R. Bumgardner ’64 Polly (Seibert) Finkenbiner ’64 David M. Heckler ’65m Anna M. Kepner ’65m Janice A. Showalter ’65-’68m Sandra (Hawk) Snoke ’65 William L. Landauer ’66-’67m David E. Kottmyer ’66 Myles Maravich ’67-’76m-’78m Patricia (Miller) Rode ’67-’71m David L. Delbaugh ’68 Carol (Metz) McCormick ’68-’72m June (Gillam) Peters ’68m Anthony W. Bushey ’69-’72m H. Rodney Fitz ’69m Laverne Seibert ’69m Jean (Gulatsi) Snow ’69 Betty Lou (Hickle) Washburn ’69-’72m Patricia (Steele) Scott ’70 Christian V. Ahrens ’71 Bruce L. Buhrman ’71 Thomas A. Harner ’71 Constance (Cibort) Petravage ’71 Ralph E. Byers ’72m Avadna (Seward) Coghill ’72m Dwane F. Gochnour ’72m John M. Oyler ’72 Gloria (Conrad) Stewart ’72m
Donald D. Donaldson ’73m Franklin J. Fonner ’73m Gen. John W. Foss ’73m Vivian P. Leidy ’74m Edwin M. Aguanno ’75m Virginia Olsen ’75m Elizabeth (Elsebough) Prosser ’75 Linda (Griffith) Sanders ’75-’78m Elizabeth (White) Hall ’76 Joanne (Hamilton) Rockwell ’76m Col. Lawrence W. Hoffman ’76m Robert W. Baldwin ’77-’83m Scott A. Maurer ’77 Craig G. Strohm ’77 Stephen E. Haviland ’78 Eveline (Bulatovic) Sweet ’78 Maj. Gen. Jack C. Wheeler ’79m Rev. Stanley J. Rexroth ’80-’87m Linda Marie (Battaglia) Lee ’83 Robert L. Schoffstall ’83 Nora T. Day ’84m Glenn A. Herd ’84 Robert L. Mullen ’84m Wanda W. Mays ’86m Rev. Robert E. Custer ’87m Denise Decker-Flum ’87 Tom Maurer ’91 Roger I. Anglin ’93m Verna A. Nichols ’95 Monica A. (Hardison) Soccio ’95 Susan L. Jamison ’96m Sarah M. Foose ’03 Douglas W. Carmody ’06 Capt. Tyler R. Erdman ’13 Gail M. Meckley ’15m
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Jeane Eschenmann, honorary alumna
Stay informed!
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Is Shippensburg University Magazine your primary means of receiving news and event information from your alma mater? The magazine is delivered to mailboxes three times a year— the alumni e-newsletter is delivered two times a month. Now is the perfect time to ensure your e-mail addresses are on your alumni record. The alumni e-newsletter is delivered to recorded alumni e-mails every other Friday morning. Don’t delay, update your alumni record today! Fill out an alumni update form at https://bit.ly/shipupdate or e-mail the alumni office at alumni@ship.edu.
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SHIP’S LOG
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photo album
b-c Alpha Phi sorority sisters caught up with one another virtually. Pictured in b Row 1: Billie Jo (Shellenberger) Keller ’00, Michelle
Figueras ’00, Sara (Graff) Adams ’98, Becky (Huegel) McCracken ’99; Row 2: Holly (Oughton) Lubart ’99, Rachel (Singer) Corson ’98, Robin (Wherley) Saner, Kriston (Hudson) Ohm ’99; Row 3: Anita (Delaney) Grandeo ’00, Maggie (Wessell) Takach ’99; in c Row 1: Maggie (Wessell) Takach ’99, Kim Lukens ’99-’04m, Michelle Figueras ’00, Row 2: Amy McCready ’98, Billie Jo (Shellenberger) Keller ’00, Janel (Mickey) Rollin ’01, Row 3: Becky (Huegel) McCracken ’99, Caryn (Long) Earl ’98, Holly (Oughton) Lubart ’99. d-f Alumni and faculty from the Political Science Department mingled at a government relations alumni mixer hosted at Greenlee Partners in Harrisburg by Matt Steck ’83, Council of Trustees, and Hayden Rigo ’16-’17m, Alumni Association board of directors. Pictured: d Dr. Tom Ormond, Shippensburg University provost, Dr. Alison Dagnes, political science faculty, Benjamin Sites ’13-’18m, Nicole Sites ’07-’19m, and Dr. Niel Brasher, political science faculty and department chair; e Matt Krupp ’04, Megan McDonough ’13, and Jeff Iseman ’19m; f President Laurie Carter speaks with David Atkinson ’77-’84m and Kathleen (Gundaker) Butler ’79. g-h g Kerry (Hendrickson) Pepper ’91 and h Tabitha (Millsaps) Curtis ’18 enjoy the Ship Alumni Hospitality Suite during IceFest in Chambersburg. i Melissa Engel-Unruh ’93 created a special Ship SHiNE Dance Fitness class for alumni and students. j The Greek Reunion Planning Committee met at Maxie’s Brewhouse in Shippensburg pre-COVID 19. Pictured: Johanna (Williams) Jones ’92-’00m, Bob Smith, Jennifer (Guri) McCormick ’95, Tim Bream ’87, Josh Bream ’20, Keith Russell ’17, Caryn (Long) Earl ’98, Michelle (Gegg) Legge ’88, Paula (Biesecker) Alcock ’92, and Mark Bodenhorn ’84. 1)-1! Sigma Delta sorority sisters host a Zoom alumni reunion during social distancing. 1@-1$ Hannah Famulare ’20 can now officially sport the Ship band alumni T-shirt. 1$ Pictured with her father, band director, Trever Famulare, 1# with parents Trever and Marybeth Famulare ’05m, and 1@ alumni and Ship friends celebrate graduation for 2020 Ship graduate Hannah Famulare.
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CONTRIBUTE TO THE SU LGBTQ+ HISTORY PROJECT
SHARE YOUR STORIES! Our Roots Run Deep
The Shippensburg University Archives, Pride Center, and Dr. Steve Burg of the History and Philosophy Department have collaborated for the new SU LGBTQ+ History Project. The project’s purpose is to help Shippensburg University understand the campus LGBTQ+ community through sharing experiences and collecting memorabilia. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to submit personal stories, photos, videos, e-mails, or letters that will become part of the archives’ permanent collection. Dr. Burg’s HIS 501 graduate students plan to conduct oral history interviews with students this fall to launch the initiative. Shippensburg University kicked off the project with Barry Loveland, chair of the Central Pennsylvania LGBTQ History Project, in September as he discussed efforts to share stories of LGBTQ+ individuals and organizations in Pennsylvania. Professor emeritus Dr. Mary Libertin and Ship alumni joined Loveland to share their stories of LGBTQ+ life on campus. All LGBTQ+ students, faculty, staff, and alumni are invited to share their stories for this ongoing project. Visit the virtual exhibit by scanning the QR code or go to ship.libwizard.com/f/lgbtqhistoryproject.
The Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, in conjunction with the African American Organization and the Latino Student Organization, is calling all alumni of color to contribute stories and pictures of your time at Ship to our “Our Roots Run Deep” project. The journey at Shippensburg University for people of color has been filled with trials and triumphs that have and will continue to impact our lives. Let us collect, catalog, and capture our past to motivate our current and future students to achieve their dreams. Use your Google account to send your slice of Ship life by scanning the QR code and entering your information, or by e-mailing MSA@ship.edu.
Reminisce with Ship— 100 Years of Yearbooks Now Online The 1917 to 2018 versions of The Cumberland, Shippensburg University’s yearbook, are now available to the public in the digitized archives.
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hristy Fic, university archivist and special collections librarian, said the digitization project took a year-and-a-half to complete. “Most people think that digitization is simple—scan the item and put it online. But there are actually many steps involved. We used an outside vendor, Backstage Library Works based in Bethlehem, to scan the yearbooks. There were over 20,000 pages to scan in 100 years of The Cumberland.” This major undertaking required many helpful hands. University Archives and Special Collections received assistance from three graduate assistants who worked on the project over multiple semesters. First, the yearbooks were prepped and packed before being sent to Backstage. Graduate assistant Julie Sanders helped this process by calculating the number of pages, assessing their condition, then packing them into boxes. After Backstage converted the yearbooks to the newly created digitized files, Fic spent 42
SHIPPENSBURG UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
much of fall 2019 reviewing all 20,000 pages for quality. Afterward, graduate assistant Martavis Washington started uploading the PDFs to the digital archives, and graduate assistant Tara Quinlivan finished the process in August 2020. The Backstage staff performed its own quality check, converted files, then combined all the files into a single PDF for each year. Finally, the files were run through optical character recognition software to make the PDFs keyword searchable, Fic explained. In the past, alumni contacted Archives and Special Collections for photos or information on relatives who attended Ship. Alumni may now view The Cumberland online and reminisce about playing for Ship athletics or participating in student clubs. “Yearbooks are like time capsules,” Fic said, transporting alumni back to their years spent as a Raider and sharing their favorite memories with friends and family. To view the yearbooks, scan the QR code or go to https://bit.ly/3lHLnQ3.
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Shippensburg University Foundation 1871 Old Main Drive, Shippensburg, PA 17257 Phone: (717) 477-1377 â&#x20AC;¢ Fax: (717) 477-4060 Visit us on the web at sufoundation.org. Like us on F The SU Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is the official gift-receiving entity for Shippensburg University.
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SHIPCHAT #ShipIsIt
3 but do you know Ship? This spring, we wanted to see how up close and personal you are with your alma mater. Did you guess any of our photos correctly? G /ShippensburgUniversity
#NEVERFORGET 3 Faculty, staff and students joined ROTC cadets in front of the library to remember and honor the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. e /ShippensburgUniv Continue the conversation with Ship and our more than 30,000 friends online. We’ll be looking for your contribution. Who knows—your Ship-related posts, tweets, and pics could be shared in ShipChat!
3 In times of great need, our community steps up! University Grille provided meals to campus during stay-at-home orders at the height of the spring coronavirus outbreak. Ð @shippensburgU ShippensburgUniversity shippensburgU #ShipIsIt ShippensburgUniv ShippensburgAlumni SHIP_ALUMNI #ShipHappens
3 The best studying happens when the right tunes are playing! Our students shared their favorite songs to create the ultimate spring semester finals study playlist. /spoti.fi/39Jc4hb
3 Was your dish on the chopping block? Or were you the Ship Chopped champion? If you managed to make something appetizing from SAAC’s three ingredient challenge each week, congrats! You’re a winner in our book. Ð @ShipSAAC
