Susquehanna Currents: Spring 2017

spring 2017 · vol 85 · no 1

also in this issue

FINDING MYSELF AT SU THE HOLINESS OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE HOLY LAND

A PRESIDENT

TAKES HIS LEAVE PA G E 1 6

Inside

spring 2017 · vol 85 · no 1

A P R E SI D E N T TA K E S H I S L E AV E L. JAY AND MAR SHA LEMONS, PIC TURED HERE WITH THEIR C ANINE COMPANIONS, GROVER (LEF T) AND LILY (RIGHT), REFLEC T ON THEIR 16 Y E AR S AT SUSQUEHANNA.

F E AT U R E S

SECTIONS

4

DEPARTMENTS

Finding Myself at SU

2

First Word

The Holiness of Everyday 10 Life in the Holy Land

44 People & Places

16 A President Takes His Leave

48 Scoreboard 52 The ’Grove

Q&A · Syllabus · Forward Thinking · Kudos

68 End Notes ALUMNI NEWS

56 Class Notes

Message Board · Regional Chapter News · Weddings & Gatherings · Deaths

Chief Communications Officer ANGELA BURROWS Assistant Vice President, Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement BECKY BRAMER ’92 DEITRICK Editor VICTORIA KIDD Associate Director, Advancement Communications

4 FINDING MYSELF AT SU C reative writing and studio art major Morgan Richardson ’17 talks about how she found her passion at SU.

Class Notes Editor JODI SWARTZ Administrative Assistant, Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement Contributing Writers EMILY GIBBS ’18 AMANDA O’ROURKE Digital Communications and Media Specialist MORGAN RICHARDSON ’17 KELLY VERGIN Director, Athletics Communications Graphic Design AMANDA LENIG ’07 Creative Director ERICA HOOVER Graphic Designer Copy Editors BETSY K. ROBERTSON Director, Digital and Print Communications KATHLEEN LARSON FLORIO

10 T HE HOLINESS OF EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE HOLY LAND estern Wall Plaza, the site of the ancient "Wailing Wall" in W Jerusalem, is one of the many ancient sites SU students visited during the university's first Global Opportunities (GO) trip to Israel.

WAYPOINTS What I Like About SU Watch students talk about their favorite things at Susquehanna.

www.susqu.edu/Currents-What-I-Like Be Social Check out all the ways you can stay connected to your Susquehanna tribe.

www.susqu.edu/Currents-Social Community Matters Learn more about how Susquehanna engages in the broader community.

www.susqu.edu/Currents-Community

SUSQUEHANNA CURRENTS ONLINE: www.susqu.edu/currents

Susquehanna University is a proud member of

THE ANNAPOLIS GROUP

comprising approximately 130 leading national independent liberal arts colleges that have similar interests and concerns centering on the values of liberal arts education that inform their missions. The Annapolis Group provides a forum for member institutions to share best practices, seek higher levels of excellence, and advance the cause of liberal arts education on a national scale.

Looking to the Future, Reflecting on a Distinguished History dear alumni and friends 2017 promises to be a year of exciting change for Susquehanna University. As we look ahead to the future with eagerness and anticipation, it’s a welcome opportunity to also reflect on our university’s distinguished history, and especially the outstanding leadership provided by L. Jay Lemons.

I have had the privilege of knowing Jay as his chair for 10 years and before that as a board member. Since joining the university in February 2001, he has provided enthusiastic, insightful, empathetic and courageous leadership, and always made the well-being of our students his top priority.

Jay’s arrival at Susquehanna coincided with a period of tremendous change in higher education, as well as profound upheaval in our country and around the world. Yet Jay’s faith in the mission of Susquehanna and his focus on our students, staff and faculty never wavered. He maintained his commitment to putting the students of Susquehanna first, and to helping the university grow and strengthen both its visibility and its reputation.

“By any standard, Jay’s accomplishments as president are remarkable.”

—JOHN R. STRANGFELD ‘75

As chair of the Susquehanna University Board of Trustees, John R. Strangfeld ’75 has worked closely with President L. Jay Lemons through the years.

The Prudential chairman and CEO retired from the board in February. Under his leadership, the 56-person board has been lauded for its effectiveness by governance experts across the country. Strangfeld is succeeded as board chair by Signe Gates ’71, retired senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary for the Barnes Group, a global industrial and aerospace manufacturer and service provider headquartered in Bristol, Conn.

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By any standard, Jay’s accomplishments as president are remarkable. During his tenure, the university’s enrollment grew by more than 30 percent, with impressive gains in diversity across the student body and expanded programming to enrich the student experience. He supported the work of academic leadership to build on an already-distinguished faculty that serves as both instructors and mentors for our students. He oversaw implementation of a rigorous, multi-disciplined central curriculum designed to prepare students to lead and serve both personally and professionally. In addition, he directed the launch of our Global Opportunities (GO) program, the innovative study-away requirement that encourages students to embrace diverse experiences around the world.

Jay also initiated key investments in our campus. He oversaw the $125-million capital improvement campaign that spurred construction of both our LEED-certified Natural Sciences Center and our new admission building. He also supported the acquisition of land for new student housing and a partnership with Geisinger Medical Center to ensure a first-rate student health complex.

The results of Jay’s vision and leadership are clear. Susquehanna is now consistently ranked among the nation’s top liberal arts institutions and is well-prepared to build on its already-proud history.

Of Jay’s many accomplishments, what I have admired most is his commitment to Susquehanna’s students. He has always made it a point to get to know them by name, to talk with them, to welcome their ideas and respond to their concerns. I know that

John R. Strangfeld ’75 and L. Jay Lemons

one of his great joys has been to watch our students grow and develop at the university, and then to cheer as they move on to succeed in ways they may never have imagined possible when they first arrived on campus.

I know I speak for everyone in saying that Jay, Marsha, Olivia, Maggie, Thomas and Meredith will always be considered part of the Susquehanna family. And on behalf of the entire Board of Trustees, I extend our heartfelt thanks and best wishes for success to Jay as he embarks on his next challenge.

Now, everyone at Susquehanna can look forward to tackling new challenges under the leadership of incoming president Jonathan Green, who is ideally positioned to help the university build on its long tradition of preparing students to thrive. With Jonathan’s leadership, and the steadfast support of our new board chair, Signe Gates ’71, and the entire Board of Trustees, as well as the talent of Susquehanna’s students, staff and faculty, our university can look to the future with great confidence.

w i t h wa r m r e g a r d s ,

John R. Strangfeld ’75, Trustee Emeritus and Former Board Chair Susquehanna University Board of Trustees

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AT SU

By Morgan Richardson '17 EVERYONE DOODLES A FEW TIMES IN THEIR LIVES, BUT IT WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING MORE TO ME. IT STARTED WITH COMIC BOOKS AND SATURDAY MORNING CARTOONS. SURE, KIDS ARE SUPPOSED TO LOVE THOSE THINGS, BUT I HAD AN EXTREME FASCINATION WITH THEM. I TRIED DRAWING THOSE CHARACTERS AND TRACED THOUSANDS OF THEM FOR PRACTICE, BUT I NEVER COULD GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST, SECOND OR EVEN THIRD TIME. spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 5

Until she came to Susquehanna, Morgan Richardson didn't think a career marrying her love of writing and studio art was possible.

or years, I thought drawing was a lost cause for me. Yet it never stopped me from surrounding myself with art. I befriended a lot of artistic people, and I continued watching cartoons when everyone else started branching off to other channels.

I admired comic book artists and animators from afar, and I doodled on almost every assignment I ever had. I bought sketchbooks and art supplies that I thought experts would use (as if that were the secret behind their work.)

Every journal or diary that I ever owned had at least two attempts at drawing something or a page full of small sketches. Admittedly, the desire to create art was always there. I just kept it to myself, thinking I couldn’t possibly be like those talented people who seemed to draw with ease. I just kept my head down and my grades up, and focused on my first love, creative writing.

I always thought my sole calling was writing. I was so in tune with it, I went out of my way to look for an excellent creative writing program, which led me to Susquehanna. I thought that was exactly what I wanted

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to do, but it was never quite enough. The gnawing desire to express myself in not only words, but also images, continued to grow. My confidence just needed to catch up with that growing desire.

Self-conscious about my artistic skill level, or lack thereof, I never even took an art class in high school.

I was too nervous, worried about what other students would think of me. What I didn’t know at the time was that drawing is a skill, not a natural talent. It can be learned and improved upon.

Unfortunately, some issues were rooted much deeper in me than a desire to create art. I recognized too late that my mental health needed attention. Normal pressures took a bigger toll on me than most people, and I held myself to impossibly high standards that turned every minor mistake into a crippling failure.

My mind was simply never in the right condition to take that chance in art. It never felt as if I had the right stuff to become an artist, and those negative thoughts stunted my sense of adventure and risk-taking, which is what art is all about.

This poor state of mind carried into my first couple of years in college, and truthfully, coming to Susquehanna was the start of an avalanche of

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 7

the people I met and the experiences I had as a Susquehanna student helped me find … emotional turmoil that kept me from taking advantage of all the opportunities I could have had. Yet coming to Susquehanna was also the igniting force I needed to start taking drawing and painting seriously. I added studio art as a second major, but it wasn’t until I studied abroad in Cyprus that I reached a real turning point in both my art and my self-confidence.

It was then that I decided to stop putting my passions on the backburner. My first two years of college I spent primarily ticking off classes required by SU’s Central Curriculum, but now I was ready to take the leap. I signed up for two drawing classes taught by Elizabeth Doering, an American woman living in Cyprus. She had an eccentric personality, much like the stereotype of an artist, and her classes were set up in a way I always imagined a professional studio art class would be, complete with live models.

a place where I can tell—and draw—stories that inspire the next generation, just like those cartoons and comic books inspired me. So what does that goal look like for me?

I’m proud to say that I’m no longer afraid to admit: I want to take over Marvel Comics and become the next Stan Lee. A lofty goal, for sure, but one I finally think I’m up for tackling.

But why does my journey matter? Because the people I met and the experiences I had as a Susquehanna student helped me find who I really was deep inside. It’s been a hectic ride of self-discovery but I don’t regret it— in fact, I recommend it to everyone.

It was intimidating at first, but before my self-doubt could get the best of me, Professor Doering reached out to me like a light at the end of a tunnel. She made me feel like a “real artist,” and taught me how to appreciate every small victory in my progress.

It’s not fun and it’s draining, and a part of me still wishes these discoveries would have happened earlier in my life.

But one thing is certain: I’m a lot more comfortable with the person I am now than the one who walked onto the Susquehanna campus four years ago. I hope my classmates can say that as well.

Confidence slowly replaced my fear, and I finally stopped hiding. I stopped making excuses for not putting in the work, and today I feel like I am closer to being the person I should have always been, before I allowed fear and self-doubt to consume me. In May I graduate and begin the next adventure, which is hopefully graduate school. I want to be in

Morgan Richardson is a 2017 graduate from Dumfries, Va., who majored in creative writing and studio art. Among her work-study assignments, she was a student writer in the Office of University Communications for two years.

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Senior creative writing and studio art major Morgan Richardson at the opening reception on March 25 for what's commonly called "The Senior Show." This annual exhibition in the Lore Degenstein Gallery, which featured some of Morgan's art this year, showcases the accomplishments of graduating graphic design and studio art majors.

... WHO I REALLY WAS DEEP INSIDE.

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 9

By Angela Burrows Susquehanna’s Global Opportunities (GO) program is aimed at giving students a broader view of the world. We live in a global economy, so from a practical standpoint, our students need exposure to different cultures. But beyond the practical, our lives are far richer when we’re open to diverse viewpoints and people different from ourselves. It’s how we grow. Despite variations in faith, race, ethnicity, language, gender identity and sexual orientation, we share a common humanity.

SCENES FROM 17 DAYS IN JERUSALEM AND THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

“Before this trip, I was primarily concerned with issues and conflicts immediately around me or impacting me. It was easy to look past struggles of those in other parts of the world. After coming face-to-face with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the tension surrounding holy spaces, I have a new appreciation and respect for international struggles. Since the trip, I have come to realize the skewed view of the conflict that we are too often presented with. Because of this trip I am more aware of the conflicts abroad and make sure I find accurate and balanced representations of the situation before forming an opinion.”—ABIGAIL RALL ’17, SOCIOLOGY MAJOR FROM ELKINS PARK, PA

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I

n January, I had the privilege of traveling to the State of Israel and the Palestinian Territories with eight Susquehanna students, University Chaplain Scott Kershner and Rabbi Nina Mandel of Congregation Beth El in nearby Sunbury, Pa., who is also an adjunct faculty member at Susquehanna. The 17-day GO Jerusalem experience is one of more than 125 options open to students, all of whom are required to study away from campus in a culture different from their own. The majority, 85–90 percent, study abroad.

It was a privilege to visit a part of the world that is so critical—a place where tensions are high, divisions deep, and the longtime quest for peace continues. It was wonderful to experience the interfaith dialogue, meet with advocacy groups, visit with Palestinian families, hear the story of a Holocaust survivor, and see the sights with a group of students who were both engaged and engaging.

Throughout the trip, I was struck by the diversity—from Israeli and Palestinian, to Reconstructionist, Orthodox, Conservative, Reform and secular Jews, to Muslims and Christians. The myriad of cultures was not unlike the multitude of colors and spices that greeted us on each trip to the “shuk,” or market.

Each encounter, planned and unplanned, presented a lesson.

The Palestinian mother whose children don’t remember life before the wall that separates the State of Israel from the Palestinian Territories, but who has fond memories of the days when she could travel freely into Jerusalem …

The Holocaust survivor who talked about her “mothers”—the woman who bore her and those who became surrogates after she was separated from her birth mother at only 6 years old …

The administrator of Jerusalem Open House for Pride and Tolerance, an LGBTQ advocacy and support group that has faced a number of challenges as it works toward increased understanding, acceptance and respect …

“I learned many things through my encounters: Faith should bridge gaps, not expand them. Ethnicity should provide a path toward cultural appreciation, not hatred. Universal languages include, but are not limited to, love and laughter.” —TROY SPENCER ’18, RELIGIOUS STUDIES AND PSYCHOLOGY MAJOR FROM HUMMELSTOWN, PA

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TOURISTS

by Yehuda Amichai

Visits of condolence is all we get from them.

They squat at the Holocaust Memorial, They put on grave faces at the Wailing Wall And they laugh behind heavy curtains In their hotels.

They have their pictures taken Together with our famous dead At Rachel's Tomb and Herzl's Tomb And on Ammunition Hill.

They weep over our sweet boys And lust after our tough girls And hang up their underwear To dry quickly In cool, blue bathrooms.

Once I sat on the steps by a gate at David’s Tower, I placed my two heavy baskets at my side.

A group of tourists was standing around their guide and I became their target marker. “You see that man with the baskets? Just right of his head there’s an arch from the Roman period.

Just right of his head. But he's moving, he’s moving!” I said to myself: redemption will come only if their guide tells them, “You see that arch from the Roman period?

It’s not important: but next to it, left and down a bit, there sits a man who’s bought fruit and vegetables for his family.”

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“As a journalism student, being in Jerusalem was an incredible opportunity to see the limits and biases of international journalism.

Prior to the trip, everything I knew about Israel came through media, whether it was news articles, broadcasts or even books. All of these sources are limited in what elements of the conflict and culture they can portray, and they all contain inherent biases in what information they present and how they present it. Being able to experience Israel for myself transformed my understanding of the area.” —JUSTUS STURTEVANT ’17, DIGITAL MULTIMEDIA-JOURNALISM AND ECONOMICS MAJOR FROM VERGENNES, VT

The founder of Tent of Nations, a Palestinian Christian who refuses to see himself as a victim even as he battles aggressive attempts to confiscate his family’s farm and squelch his hope …

The two young men—one a Palestinian Muslim and the other an Israeli Jew—who are involved in Roots, a movement aimed at promoting understanding, nonviolence and transformation among Israelis and Palestinians …

The choir of young singers from East and West Jerusalem who work toward peace in their communities by engaging with one another through music and dialogue …

The Lutheran pastor and peace advocate who believes there can sometimes be too much religion in the Holy Land and not enough focus on improving the lives of the people there …

The shopkeeper in the Old City of Jerusalem, who, along with his sons, shared his rich personal history with our students, an experience the students will remember for years to come.

The poem Tourists by Israeli poet Yehuda Amichai was the focus of a group discussion during our first day in Jerusalem. It set the tone for our entire trip.

Its lesson is simple: If we travel to the “Holy Land” to see only the historic sites but are blind to those going about their lives in an incredibly complex, tension-filled part of the world, we have missed the point.

Amid the ancient holy sites in Jerusalem is a heavy military presence. Israel is the only country in which military service is required of both men and women.

As our students observed, the holiness rests in the people and their relationships. In the midst of the tensions, they raise their families, go to school, work their jobs, and for many, continue their quest for peace. All of us are called to do the same.

Angela Burrows is the chief communications officer at Susquehanna University.

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A

BY ANGELA BURROWS

L. JAY LEMONS NEVER SET OUT TO BE A COLLEGE PRESIDENT. A CHILD OF THE 1960S AND ’70S, THE SCOTTSBLUFF, NEB., NATIVE LEFT HOME FOR NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY IN 1978 TO FURTHER HIS EDUCATION AND TO RUN FOR WOODY GREENO, THE SCHOOL’S LEGENDARY TRACK AND FIELD COACH. HIS PLAN WAS TO PURSUE A CAREER IN TEACHING AND COACHING. BUT FATE HAD A WAY OF INTERVENING, LEADING HIM FIRST TO ONE COLLEGE PRESIDENCY AND THEN ANOTHER.

LEMONS’ ABILITY TO CONNECT WITH PEOPLE, COMBINED WITH HIS IMPECCABLE INTEGRITY, HUMILITY AND DEEP KNOWLEDGE OF HIGHER EDUCATION—BOTH PRIVATE AND PUBLIC—HAS BEEN AT THE HEART OF HIS SUCCESS AS A UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT, ACCORDING TO COLLEAGUES AND FRIENDS.

emons will step down as president of Susquehanna University on June 30 to become president of Academic Search, a Washington, D.C.–based executive search and leadership development firm. The transition will be somewhat bittersweet for him after serving as a college president for 25 years. His time at Susquehanna’s helm is double the average tenure of a university leader.

SWEET HOME SUSQUEHANNA Lemons left the chancellor’s role at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise (UVA-Wise) in January 2001 and traveled 500 miles north to Susquehanna with his wife, Marsha, and their four very young children.

Central Pennsylvania quickly became home.

(See family reflections, pp. 36–41) “I struck gold twice as a president,” Lemons says. “I enjoyed my time at Wise. I loved the people, the culture, the music, the pace of life. … There was so much potential there, and I had the privilege of helping to light a fire in a place that has taken off like a rocket ship.”

As for Susquehanna, it is a true gem, a place where a very talented faculty encourages students to reach their fullest potential, says 57-year-old Lemons, who will remain connected, perhaps doing some teaching if the opportunity presents itself, and supporting President-elect Jonathan Green in any way he can.

“Lots of institutions chew through leaders, but this campus community has afforded me a full measure of grace. The people of Susquehanna have a generosity of spirit, and there’s a good sensibility about this place.

People here believe in our mission, love the work they do, and have the collective strength to meet the inevitable challenges.”

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Susquehanna has had many successes, as well as challenges, during Lemons’ tenure. (See sidebar, pp. 26) Through it all, Lemons says his consistent guideposts have been what is in the best interest of students and the university.

“Presidents are stewards of their institutions, and those persons who love their colleges and universities put an enormous amount of trust in a president to protect, guard and promote what is in the best interest of the university. It has been enormously sustaining for me to be buttressed by a Board of Trustees and a senior leadership team that are grounded in great integrity and faith in our mission. The board’s grace and the grace of the university community have been generous.”

AN EARLY TASTE OF THE PRESIDENCY UVA-Wise gave Lemons his first taste of a college presidency. In 1992, then only 32 and fresh out of a Ph.D. program at UVA, he was named interim chancellor of the school, a selective, public, liberal arts college in southwestern Virginia. Initially intended as a temporary assignment, Lemons stayed for 8½ years.

Former UVA President John Casteen, who appointed Jay to Wise, says his plan had been for Lemons to serve there temporarily while UVA conducted a national search for a chancellor.

“But soon after he arrived, the local board at the school contacted me and said they wanted him to stay, so we halted the national search and dropped the ‘interim’ from his title.”

A longtime mentor of Lemons, Casteen remembers him as an extraordinarily talented doctoral student who had landed a highly coveted internship in UVA’s president’s office. Lemons was so good that after he earned his Ph.D. in higher education administration, Casteen hired him as his executive assistant before tapping him for the Wise position.

“If you looked at Jay’s qualifications on paper, you would have thought John [Casteen] was being unrealistic when he appointed him to Wise,” recalls Leonard Sandridge, who was serving as UVA’s chief budget and planning officer when he crossed paths with Lemons in the president’s office. “He was young and relatively inexperienced. But Jay went down to Wise, a dying coal town, and stayed in touch with us,” Sandridge says.

“He was not afraid to reach out for help. He was a good listener, who was learning all along. And he fit in there. Staff, alumni and faculty loved him, and he could sit in a diner and talk with people.”

The two things that stood out about Lemons were his intelligence and his ability to manage it, Sandridge adds.

“He was always so practical and understood and respected people. It was never about him; it was about doing the best job he could for those he was responsible to.”

Michele DeMary, Susquehanna’s speaker of the faculty and political science department chair, agrees. “Jay is widely respected, but isn’t arrogant. He is a collaborative leader who by and large has always paid attention to all our constituencies, not privileging one over the others. He recognizes and appreciates the role everyone plays.”

His 16-year tenure with the university has enhanced Lemons’ ability to make significant contributions to Susquehanna, but he would be the first to admit he’s not done it alone, says Board of Trustees Chair Signe Gates ’71. “He has an appreciation for shared governance and understands the central role the faculty plays, as well as the administration and the board.”

OLD FRIENDS STAY CONNECTED Scott Miller, president of Virginia Wesleyan University and chair of the board of Academic Search, has known Lemons for nearly 30 years. They first crossed paths as young college presidents when Lemons was at Wise and Miller was at Lincoln Memorial University. When they reached their mid-50s, they had a conversation about what their futures might hold.

Miller, who opted to move on to his fourth presidency, aggressively recruited Lemons for the Academic Search role.

“Jay has impeccable integrity, sound judgment and is self-motivated.

He has cultivated relationships at the national level for Susquehanna, which have elevated his visibility and the university’s.

He’s served as

“JAY IS WIDELY RESPECTED, BUT ISN’T ARROGANT. HE IS A COLLABORATIVE LEADER WHO BY AND LARGE HAS ALWAYS PAID ATTENTION TO ALL OUR CONSTITUENCIES, NOT PRIVILEGING ONE OVER THE OTHERS. HE RECOGNIZES AND APPRECIATES THE ROLE EVERYONE PLAYS.” — MICHELE DEMARY spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 21

president of both a private institution and a public, so he’s well-known by the Council of Independent Colleges, as well as the American Association of State Colleges and Universities. He is highly respected in both quarters.”

Miller cited Lemons’ leadership in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) as rare for a president at a Division III school. Lemons currently serves as vice chair of the NCAA’s board of governors and last year spent three months as interim chair. He is also chair of the NCAA’s Division III President’s Council, and co-chair of the NCAA’s ad hoc Committee on Diversity and Inclusion.

“THERE WAS NO PLACE I’VE WANTED TO BE BESIDES HERE, SO I DIDN’T WANT TO MOVE ON TO ANOTHER COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY. SUSQUEHANNA HAS FIT US SO WELL. BUT YOU ALSO HAVE TO KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO MOVE ON.” —L. JAY LEMONS

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“The president of a small, private college moving to the top of a mega billion-dollar national organization is amazing. It shows his caliber as a leader and a person,” Miller says.

Gates agrees, crediting Lemons with enhancing Susquehanna’s reputation through his very active involvement in a number of national higher education circles. “He’s done an extraordinary job, building on the history and foundation established at Susquehanna and putting it on an upward trajectory on a number of fronts.”

Lemons’ rise to prominence is no surprise to Annette Gibbs, retired professor of higher education and longtime director of the Center for the Study of Higher Education at UVA’s Curry School of Education.

Gibbs met Jay and Marsha Lemons in 1988 when the Lemons were at Texas A&M University. Jay Lemons spent three years at Texas A&M working in student affairs. Recognizing their talent, Gibbs encouraged one or both of them to move to Charlottesville and enroll in UVA’s doctoral program, which focused on law, business management and higher education.

One of Gibbs’ first impressions of Lemons was that he genuinely liked students. “He brings that extraordinarily perfect blend; he’s very human, very humane and extremely competent.”

Gibbs, who has stayed in touch with Lemons over the years, added that he is always fully present in the place he is serving. “Wherever he decides to be is always the best place, and that was certainly true of both Susquehanna and Wise.”

UNDERSTANDING VOCATION Lemons’ contentment stems from a deep understanding of vocation, and Susquehanna is a place where he gained an appreciation for the Lutheran notion of vocation, something he often discussed with former University Chaplain Mark Wm. Radecke.

“I always felt called to the field of education,” says Lemons, the son of two teachers. “But Mark helped me understand that there are two dimensions to vocation— the internal and the external. It’s a matter of answering the questions, ‘What are my passions and who are the people who can provide opportunities for me to pursue those passions in the service of others?’”

Lemons’ journey has led to encounters with many people who cleared the way to paths he may not otherwise have taken. But after Susquehanna, another college presidency was never an option, he says. “There

“HE HAS AN APPRECIATION FOR SHARED GOVERNANCE AND UNDERSTANDS THE CENTRAL ROLE THE FACULTY PLAYS, AS WELL AS THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE BOARD.”

was no place I’ve wanted

“Jay has longto be besides here, so I term experience, which didn’t want to move on is funny because those to another college or of us who knew him university. Susquehanna at UVA remember him has fit us so well. But you as the young guy. He’s also have to know when a good listener, a good it’s time to move on.” analyst and understands —SIGNE GATES ’71 As important as leaderinstitutional needs. He has ship stability is, it also has its extraordinary talents. Consullimitations, says Lemons, who tants have a lot to do with how chose to step down from the presidency colleges and universities plan to handle at the end of his third contract. the future. My guess is Jay will emerge as one “Those who stay too long can deny their institutions of the very best consultants of this sort.”

Although unplanned, Lemons’ path to Wise, the refocusing opportunities that come with a ‘shifting Susquehanna and now Academic Search has been of the prism.’ I believe that new perspectives and fresh rewarding. The chance to embrace new professional questions are essential to creating a renewed sense of challenges, even as he remains tied to Susquehanna, urgency and agency.”

Lemons’ presidential colleagues are pleased he’ll promises to be a good arrangement for someone who, be moving on to Academic Search, where he’ll have an Gibbs says, has never forgotten where he came from opportunity to recruit college presidents and shape the even as he’s moved forward in life. future of higher education leadership for years to come.

His new role will provide him with an opportunity “Search consultants are essential in higher educato continue to pursue his passion, which is service to tion,” notes Casteen, Lemons’ longtime mentor. “A higher education. “Foundational to the work of higher person who would make for a good president at one education, especially liberal arts institutions, is encourinstitution would not necessarily make a good president aging students in the internal work of finding their for another. vocations,” says Lemons. Clearly, he has found his own.

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“I’VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE LIKE HIM WHEN IT COMES TO INTERACTING WITH STUDENTS. HE HAS A REAL COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY, BELIEVES IN THE GOLDEN RULE AND LIVES BY IT. HE’S REMAINED STEADY AND HAS BEEN DECISIVE, EVEN WHEN DECISIONS HAVE BEEN DIFFICULT. JAY HAS DONE A GOOD JOB AND HAS CLEARLY MOVED SUSQUEHANNA TO THE NEXT LEVEL.” —Mike Coyne, vice president for finance and administration and co–chief operating officer, Susquehanna University

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MANY EGO DEMANDS. I

of both public and private higher education, and they are

HAVE GREAT REGARD AND AFFECTION FOR JAY.” —­Richard Chait, professor­ of education emeritus and­

different. The head winds are stronger than they’ve ever been; all the more reason you need a very able person selecting the right president for the right institution at the right time.”

director, Study of New­

—David Warren, president of the National Association

Scholars, Harvard University

of Independent Colleges and Universities

“JAY’S GREATEST STRENGTH IS HIS UNMATCHED ABILITY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO LIVE UP TO THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE.”—JAKE SCHRUM, PRESIDENT OF EMORY & HENRY COLLEGE

“ I BELIEVE THIS IS THE MOST CHALLENGING TIME TO BE A COLLEGE PRESIDENT. THE ACADEMIC SEARCH BOARD WAS PRETTY SMART IN SELECTING JAY. HE IS VERY WELLKNOWN AND WELL-RESPECTED IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION COMMUNITY. I BELIEVE HE’LL BE OUTSTANDING IN HIS NEW ROLE.” —Don Francis, president of the Association­ of Independent Colleges & Universities of Pennsylvania

“ Jay made a presentation at the Council of Inde-

“ I met Jay the first day he moved into Pine

pendent College’s new presidents seminar when

Lawn. In fact, I had an opportunity to meet

I was a new college president. He was so calm,

the whole family then—Marsha, the kids,

good-humored and transparent about the chal-

Jay’s parents. … They are all very down-

lenges of a college presidency. He has a genuine

to-earth people. Jay is able to talk with

concern for students, Susquehanna and higher

anyone and understand their point of view.

education. He is a true believer who lives from

He acknowledges and recognizes people.

his convictions.” —Marjorie Hass, president

He just has a special gift.”

of Austin College and former provost at Muhlenberg College

—Jeff Schreffler, plumbing and HVAC­ supervisor, Susquehanna University

S T R E N G T H S + C O N T R I B U T I O N S W H AT O T H E R S S AY

+

+

+

+

Honing the university’s identity and earning a place among national LIBERAL ARTS INSTITUTIONS.

CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS OF MORE THAN

INCREASED DIVERSITY ON MANY FRONTS: diversity in the student body has nearly tripled, policies supporting diversity and inclusion have been adopted, and significant strides have been made to further diversify faculty and staff.

ACQUISITION AND DEVELOPMENT OF KEY REAL ESTATE, allowing for additional student housing, a Geisinger Medical Center– affiliated student health complex, and a research lab that assists in ensuring the water quality of the Susquehanna River and, indirectly, the Chesapeake Bay.

+ Enrollment growth from 1,639 students to more than

2,200.

$125 MILLION including the LEEDcertified Natural Sciences Center and a new, soonto-be-opened, admission building.

+ Completion of two highly successful MIDDLE STATES ACCREDITATION reviews and three strategic plans.

26 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

+ Successful completion of Susquehanna’s LARGEST FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN.

+ ENDOWMENT GROWTH TO MORE THAN

$150 MILLION AND CASH RESERVES OF $25 MILLION.

+ DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION of an ambitious, innovative and rigorous central curriculum that includes the distinctive Global Opportunities (GO) requirement; identification of new academic programs to meet the evolving needs of 21st-century students.

MANAGING

TUITION INCREASES and ensuring adequate financial aid for the neediest students.

Ensuring enrollment in times of shifting demographics and DECLINES IN THE NUMBER OF TRADITIONAL COLLEGE-AGE STUDENTS.

FISCAL REALITIES that resulted in some years when faculty and staff received no salary increase.

-

Hurt experienced by some alumni who disagreed with the university’s

A 2007

2016

MEDIA STORY

-

alleging a cancer cluster at an offcampus property where a number of students lived.

The story was proven false.

A 2015 NCAA violation that resulted in a TWO-YEAR PROBATION OF SUSQUEHANNA’S FOOTBALL TEAM.

CHANGE IN NAME AND MASCOT.

ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES SUSQUEHANNA HAS HAD ITS SHARE OF SUCCESSES AND CHALLENGES DURING LEMONS’ TENURE. ABOVE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS. AS FORMER BOARD CHAIR JOHN STRANGFELD SAYS, “LIFE AIN’T LINEAR. THERE’S AN ART TO ROLLING WITH THE PUNCHES SO THAT YOU CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD.”

“ Jay is one of the most respected people in private higher education. He’s a giant among men and has been an incredible mentor to me. He is unerringly ethical.

“ I first met Jay Lemons through his work on the NCAA Presidents’ Council for Division III. It was clear from our first encounter that he was a strong, thoughtful leader with the respect of his fellow presidents. As Jay moved onto the Board

Susquehanna could count on him

of Governors with responsibility for all of the NCAA, his lead-

as someone who operated from

ership skills became even more apparent. Successful associa-

fundamental ethical principles.”

tion governance requires exceptional collaborative abilities,

—Tori Haring-Smith, president of

patience, vision and strong values, all attributes Jay has in

Washington & Jefferson College,

abundance. Add in his delightful sense of humor and charm,

chair of the Annapolis Group, and chair of Susquehanna University’s 2014 Middle States Review Team

and you have an extraordinary leader.” —Mark Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association

“JAY HAS SERVED SUSQUEHANNA SO WELL. HE REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE FULL CONTEXT OF HIGHER EDUCATION —THE BROAD PATTERNS, TRENDS AND CHALLENGES. HE’S A NATURAL, AN EXTRAORDINARILY INSPIRING TEACHER AND MENTOR.” —Richard Ekman, president of the Council of Independent Colleges “ I FIRST MET JAY AT AN ANNAPOLIS GROUP MEETING WHEN I WAS SERVING AS PROVOST OF GETTYSBURG COLLEGE. WHEN I MOVED INTO THE PRESIDENCY, HE WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO WELCOME ME AND TO OFFER HIS SUPPORT. HE HAS NOT ONLY BEEN A GREAT LEADER OF SUSQUEHANNA, BUT HE HAS BEEN A GREAT LEADER IN THE WORLD OF HIGHER EDUCATION. AND HE’S BEEN A STAUNCH ADVOCATE OF THE VALUE OF RESIDENTIAL LIBERAL ARTS EDUCATION AND FOR THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING IT ACCESSIBLE.” —JANET RIGGS, PRESIDENT OF GETTYSBURG COLLEGE

“ I’ve known Jay through a number of national organi-

“ I met Jay when he was on the public

zations that provide service to higher education. He is

side of higher education. I was one

widely recognized and respected by college presidents

of the few women college presidents

around the country. He has helped to shape the presidencies of hundreds of college presidents through his work with the Council of Independent College’s new presidents program. At the annual workshop for new presidents, he talks about how one is called to the presidency, which is not only a call to leadership, but also to service.

at the time. It was nice to walk into a room and find someone so welcoming.

He is an excellent listener—genuine, sincere and humble. If he commits to something, he’s all in. He has been a great servant to higher education.”

—Muriel Howard, president of the

—Tom Hellie, president of Linfield College and

American Association of State ­

board chair for the Council of Independent Colleges

Colleges and Universities

S T R E N G T H S + C O N T R I B U T I O N S W H AT O T H E R S S AY

“JAY IS HIGHLY COLLABORATIVE AND IS A REAL BELIEVER IN TEAM. ALTHOUGH HE’S COLLABORATIVE AND ENGAGING, HE CAN BE DECISIVE, AND ONCE HE’S MADE A DECISION, HE DOESN’T LOOK BACK. EVEN WHEN HE’S MADE TOUGH DECISIONS THAT HAVE DIRECTLY AFFECTED PEOPLE, HE’S DONE IT WITH HUMANITY. WORKING FOR JAY HAS ALSO BEEN FUN. THERE’S BEEN A SENSE OF ADVENTURE AND GENUINE KINDNESS.” —Linda McMillin, provost and dean of the faculty and co–chief operating officer, Susquehanna University

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 29

AT THE

HEART OF T H E L EMONS PRESID ENCY . . .

32 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

...

ARE THE STUDENTS

BY ANGELA BURROWS

DESPITE HIS LO N G ST R I D E S ,

a trip across campus can be a long one for Susquehanna President L. Jay Lemons. He stops to say hello to students, greeting them by name, offering hugs and asking how they’re doing. He remembers their majors, their activities and, in many cases, their families.

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 33

LEMONS, WHO ORIGINALLY PLANNED A CAREER IN STUDENT AFFAIRS,

REFERS TO STUDENTS

AS OXYGEN.

Lemons, who originally planned a career in student affairs, refers to students as oxygen. He attends their events, engages them in conversations around books and current issues, and has been known to teach a class when time permits. Moreover, each student has an opportunity to attend one of his invitation-only lunches, a tradition that has been a hallmark of his presidency.

His affinity for students goes back to the University of Virginia’s College at Wise, where he spent more than eight years as chancellor before moving to Susquehanna.

“The students at Wise referred to President Lemons as the ‘fourth wise man,’” said Jim Dunlop ’01, a student representative on Susquehanna’s Board of Trustees when Lemons arrived on campus in 2001. “They were sad to see him go.” But Wise’s loss was Susquehanna’s gain as Lemons moved north, spending much of his first week as Susquehanna’s president with students, including Dunlop.

FIRST ENCOUNTERS SPARK LASTING RELATIONSHIPS “We went to class together; he hung out with me and my friends in our residence hall, and even went with us to the Brew Pub,” says Dunlop, who remembers the new president as “a tall, lanky guy, who was impressive because he connected with people and remembered their names. It’s been 16 years since their first meeting, 34 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

but Dunlop’s connection to Lemons remains intact.

He and a group of college friends were invited back to campus in 2011 for Lemons’ 10-year anniversary celebration as president. Lemons spent a great deal of time with them, sharing a meal and taking them on a campus tour.

Dunlop says the university has made tremendous progress under Lemons’ leadership. “My friends and I have joked that we might not get into Susquehanna today!”

During his first week on campus, Lemons was taking tours rather than leading them. One of his guides was Gretchen Anderson ’03 Brinza, then a resident assistant in Smith Hall.

“I thought it was such an honor to meet the new president and get to know his human side. Incredibly humble, he cares about students and treats them like family. He models what it means to connect, which is so important in today’s society. Very few people have that gift. When you’re talking with him, you get the sense that nothing matters but you.”

Now living in Chicago, Brinza doesn’t get back to Susquehanna often, but when she does she can count on Lemons to recognize her and give her a hug. “I remember going back for my 10-year reunion. He immediately recognized me and called me by name.

He made me remember how Susquehanna had been my home away from home.”

MAKING THE TIME FOR STUDENTS A busy man, who travels often and works long hours, Lemons has consistently made time to provide guidance and support to students. December 2016 grad Cecelia Giglioto sought him out for career advice last fall when she realized she would complete her studies a semester early. “I was feeling a little lost and thought he would be a great resource. He made time to meet with me. I was really touched by that. He goes out of his way to make every student feel like they belong at Susquehanna and that he personally appreciates their presence.”

Miles Collins ’17 has also experienced that personal touch. During his first semester on campus, Collins, now one of two student representatives on the university’s Board of Trustees, encountered Lemons at the entrance to the Degenstein Campus Center. Lemons opened the door for him and called him by name. “It was amazing.

I had never met him, yet he knew who I was.”

Some on campus were skeptical at first, assuming that Lemons’ efforts to make personal connections would wane as he got busier, but nearly 20 years later, he’s still the same.

“He’s the real deal,” Collins says. “He knows students personally and is incredibly smart and quick-witted. And he has an unrelenting commitment to his values.”

The university’s sense of community was something that stood out for junior Basil Mokhallalati, who visited more than 60 schools before

choosing Susquehanna. An active and engaged student, Mokhallalati has spent a good deal of time with Lemons, whom he credits with setting the tone that makes Susquehanna special. “This is a place where an effort is made to give everyone a voice and feel acknowledged.

That only happens if you have a leader who fights for that, and President Lemons has done that.”

Whether you’ve agreed or disagreed with Lemons’ decisions over the years, Kelly Jockwer ’16 is confident they’ve been made for the right reasons and in the best interest of Susquehanna. “I appreciate his commitment, his transparency around his values, his openness and his fairness. I respect the way he comports himself.”

Signe Gates ’71, chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, has had the opportunity to stand with Lemons on two occasions that mark rites of passage for students—Convocation, as they enter the university, and Commencement, as they leave.

“We stand at the top of the field house steps as the students go by. At Convocation, he high-fives them and spots the ones who are a little uncomfortable, reaching out to them in a way that doesn’t single them out. Then graduation comes and he knows their names and remembers details of their lives. It’s a joy to watch him.”

Senior Katherine Allebach will be among those graduating this year.

“I feel a debt of gratitude toward him,” she says. “I want him to know that he’s inspired me to be someone who makes people feel better after they leave me.”

“HE’S THE REAL DEAL. HE KNOWS STUDENTS PERSONALLY AND IS INCREDIBLY SMART AND QUICK-WITTED. AND HE HAS AN UNRELENTING COMMITMENT TO HIS VALUES.” —MILES COLLINS ’17 spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 35

W

hile Jay settles into a new ­ job, Marsha Lemons intends to spend the next year settling into their new home, enjoying their youngest daughter Meredith’s final year of high school and completing her college search. And then, she plans to “take a deep breath.”

“We have been on the fast track for the last 25 years in the role of president and his family, here and at UVA’s College at Wise,” Marsha explains.

She says she looks forward to exploring the world beyond Susquehanna, but in reality, she’s already an active and influential member of the broader community. She currently serves on the boards of the Greater Susquehanna Valley United Way and Transitions of PA domestic abuse shelter.

She sits on the Snyder

BY VICTORIA KIDD County Library’s fundraising committee, co-chairs Selinsgrove’s downtown holiday decorating committee, and is involved in a book club at the local prison.

“I will continue to be involved in those things, and perhaps more. And someday,” she jokes, “maybe I’ll decide what I want to be when I grow up and get a job.”

Funny thing is, she’s had a job (and then some) all along. From her days as an event planner at UVA—“a great education for what was to come,” she says—to the countless dinner parties and receptions she hosted at Pine Lawn, Marsha has been the silent partner and secret ingredient in Jay’s success.

T H E P RESI DEN CY FRO M A

FAMILY P ERSPECTI VE

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 37

“ I T’S NOT A DAY JOB. IT’S A LIFESTYLE.” —MARSHA LEMONS

“ I’LL NEVER FORGET DAN PHILLIPS, THE CATERING MANAGER, DOWN IN THE BASEMENT HELPING OUR 10-YEAR-OLD OLIVIA GLUE HER NATIVE AMERICAN PROJECT TOGETHER WHILE JAY AND I HOSTED AN EVENT UPSTAIRS. IT TAKES A VILLAGE, FOR SURE.” —MARSHA LEMONS

“It’s not a day job. It’s a lifestyle,” she says. But it’s a lifestyle she wouldn’t trade.

“I had always wanted to have a family, and so in many ways, I’ve felt I really had the best of both worlds—work and family. I was able to stay at home with my children, but at the same time, I was very involved in an adult world. We have always hosted and attended events on campus, so I got to meet incredible and smart people, and engage in conversations and decisions that led me out of the house and into the ‘office.’”

CALLING CAMPUS “HOME” The Lemons’ four children, Olivia, Maggie, Thomas and Meredith, have lived on a college campus all their lives, and Marsha cannot think of a better place than Pine Lawn to have raised them over the last 16 years.

“We have a football field and a library in our backyard.

It doesn’t get any better than that,” she says.

“When I walk across campus at 6 a.m. to meet a friend for our workout at the gym, I am constantly reminded of the beauty and serenity of this place.

Watching the sun come up over the football field and above the mountains in the distance is one of the most reflective moments of my day. We have been so blessed to live on this gem of a campus.”

Marsha says she and Jay have always felt like “privileged guests” in the official residence of the Susquehanna presidency, but it is most definitely home to their four children. “Olivia, our eldest, cried when we told her we were leaving the presidency and would need to move out of Pine Lawn. I think she always thought she would come home to the SU campus and Pine Lawn,” Marsha says.

Pine Lawn has also served as an “animal menagerie” over the years. Guinea pigs, cats, dogs, parakeets, hamsters, a cockatiel, lizards and fish all found a home there.

“Jay and I were both away once when our dog ate a pair of kid’s underwear,” Marsha recalls. “We had to call our neighbor, the good chaplain Mark Radecke, and have him throw a turkey baster of hydrogen peroxide down Sadie’s throat so she would throw it up. He also performed many pet funerals for us. … Oh, the memories.”

The family played ball in the backyard, learned to ride bicycles and walked the dogs on campus, took swimming lessons at the pool and music lessons in the Music Prep program, and used the library to get homework done. SU students were the children’s babysitters, and to this day, Marsha says she is amazed by how they managed to corral four “little people” with a house full of guests on the first floor. Often the catering staff ended up helping, she says.

“I’ll never forget Dan Phillips, the catering manager, down in the basement helping our 10-year-old Olivia glue her Native American project together while Jay and I hosted an event upstairs. It takes a village, for sure.”

COUNTING BLESSINGS “There is no way to adequately count or explain our blessings,” Marsha continues. “We have four amazing children, again, thanks to the village that helped to raise them. We have become friends with countless guests of the university, SU families, alumni, benefactors and students. Our blessings extend from the campus security officers who come every time I set off the fire alarm with my stovetop cooking … to the facilities staff who have taken such good care of us over the years, to the university trustees who have become dear friends, and everyone out in that wide world who has touched our lives through their connection to SU.” Yet the job and its blessings come with a price.

“When the kids were young, I would ask Jay’s secretary to schedule him to be home a couple of nights a week so we could share a family meal. That became less possible over the years because of his schedule and the schedules of our four children,” Marsha says.

Oftentimes playing the role of a single parent, Marsha says one of her earliest coping mechanisms was to have no expectations. “I think that has helped—so if he is home, it’s a bonus, and if he isn’t, I don’t have resentments.

“Jay has put 150 percent into the Susquehanna presidency, and we are the very fortunate beneficiaries of being along for the ride.”

As for regrets, Marsha unequivocally says, “Absolutely none!”

MEMORIES FRO M THE LEMONS KIDS

AS PRESIDENT LEMONS LEAVES OFFICE, HE AND HIS FAMILY ARE ALSO MOVING OUT OF PINE LAWN, THE HOUSE THAT HAS BEEN HOME FOR 16 YEARS. FOR OLIVIA, MAGGIE, THOMAS AND MEREDITH, JAY AND MARSHA’S FOUR CHILDREN, PINE LAWN WAS THEIR CHILDHOOD HOME AND THE SUSQUEHANNA CAMPUS THEIR PLAYGROUND. EACH WAS ASKED FOR THEIR FONDEST MEMORY OF SUSQUEHANNA. THOSE RECOLLECTIONS ARE SHARED BELOW.

“ SUSQUEHANNA HAS BEEN MY HOME FOR AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER. I WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO WALK THE CAMPUS IN MY MIND AND RELIVE MEMORIES OF THE PLACE. THIS HOME EXTENDS FROM ONE END OF THE CAMPUS TO THE OTHER … PINE LAWN, THOUGH, HAS ALWAYS BEEN MY TRUE HOME. I WILL ALWAYS BE ABLE TO PICTURE THE LAYOUT OF THE HOUSE AND MY ROOM, AND REMEMBER SO MANY WONDERFUL MEMORIES OF MY FAMILY’S TIME WITHIN THOSE WALLS.

“ Susquehanna is and always will be my home. The majority of my childhood memories are set in Pine Lawn or on the campus with Susquehanna’s faculty, staff, students and families. As I begin my own college search, I can only dream to find a place as inviting and inclusive as Susquehanna has been.

The people that have surrounded my family and me have given me a sense of community that I will look for as I journey forward. “ We have had the privilege of making good friends with other families that are connected to Susquehanna, and the Coyne family is one of them. Mike Coyne is someone you should meet if you have not. He is the CFO here at SU and loves kids. When I came here I was a baby, and Mike used to call me “Merriment.”

We’ve been friends—and jokesters—since then.

“ One of my greatest memories is when I was ­ between the ages of 9 and 12. My dad would come home from a long day of work and spend time with me before I went to bed. One of the things that we always did was play FIFA on the Nintendo DS. I remember spending countless hours playing FIFA on the Nintendo DS. I enjoyed every second of my time with my dad, and I wish I could go back to those times. They mean a lot to me, and make me so proud of who my dad is. He has always worked so hard as the president of Susquehanna, yet still found time to spend hours playing Nintendo with me.”

Because I am known for being spirited and sassy, and Mike is too, we have had fun teasing each other. He also has the greatest laugh, and although I think I am taller than he is now (I like to tease him about that!), he is a big man in my eyes and will forever be linked to my memories of the Susquehanna family that became our own.”

—THOMAS

—MEREDITH

“GROWING UP IN PINE LAWN MEANT HAVING VERY UNCONVENTIONAL, OFTEN TRANSIENT NEIGHBORS, BUT IT ALSO MEANT GROWING UP SURROUNDED

BY THE NURTURING EMBRACE OF THE LARGER SUSQUEHANNA COMMUNITY. “A COLLEGE CAMPUS WAS THE BEST PLACE TO GROW UP.

So much of my childhood was enriched by conversations in the dining room, events in Degenstein Theater, and ­ a constant trickle of interesting and engaging ­ people who made the community tick, whether as students, educators or staff. Some of my best friends to this day are people I used to chase around during Capture the Flag at year-end staff picnics. The Susquehanna family is one I feel blessed to be a part of.”

indulged us.

When we wanted to create our own movies, our babysitters held the camera.

There were “My absolute faalways events vorite memory is of going on, lectures —OLIVIA the year SU students to attend, concerts to decorated Pine Lawn for listen to, bouncy houses the holidays. Several dozen to play in, and adults to enstudents dressed the tree, hung tertain. Plus, there are few things the garland, lit the menorah, and filled more exciting to an extroverted kid than the halls of Pine Lawn with laughter, music and “grown-up” college students willing to listen to good cheer. There was a mountain of cakes and endless stories and watch Lemons kids’ productions popcorn balls, and hot chocolate with all the fixings. of Broadway plays. (Thank goodness there are­ I trace my love of holiday decorating back to this no videos!) moment. It was magical. It also perfectly captures how lucky I was to grow up on Susquehanna’s “My siblings and I all learned the value of comcampus. I was always supported, challenged ­ munity from Susquehanna … When we first arrived and loved, and surrounded by intelligent, kind, ­ at SU, unsuspecting people let me, age 6 at the incredible people. For that, I am so grateful. ­ time, take them on long—and long-winded—tours LOVE, LOVE, LOVE YOU ALL!” of Pine Lawn. When my siblings and I decided we —“MAGS” (AKA MAGGIE) wanted to sell wool outside of our house, students

www.susqu.edu/ champions

IT’S EASIER THAN YOU MIGHT THINK!

1 Write a welcome note to an incoming student.

2 P ledge the hours you volunteer at community organizations near you.

3W ear your SU gear on May 1 for Orange and Maroon Day, and send us a picture.

4 Make a gift to the Susquehanna University Fund.

5 Submit your business card and advice for our students.

men and women who annually support Susquehanna in these and AND NOW THERE ARE MORE WAYS The other ways are truly Champions for Growth. Join this select group today.

THAN EVER TO BECOME A CHAMPION! www.susqu.edu/champions

Departments PEOPLE & PLACES

SCOREBOARD

THE ’GROVE

Men’s basketball enjoyed another great season with 23 wins (Coach Frank Marcinek’s 400th), and an appearance at DIII’s Sweet 16 tournament.

MORE ON MEN’S BASKETBALL, PAGE 48

PEOPLE&PLACES

the who, what and where for all things susquehanna

Summer Research Contributes to Grad School Success Postgraduate success stories are nothing new for Susquehanna. In fact, 98 percent of the Class of 2015 were employed or in graduate school within six months of graduating, and rates above 90 percent are regularly reported in the university’s annual postgraduate surveys.

Ahmed Lachhab Associate Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences

Alumni Matthew Beren ’14, Siobhan Fathel ’11, Ben Kopec ’10, Phoebe Nicholls ’13 and Brian Zuidervliet ’14 are part of that successful tradition, thanks to their hard work, support from the foundation established by visionary philanthropist Charles B. Degenstein and the care of a singular professor who never minded going the extra mile for them.

Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Ahmed Lachhab was that professor, a research partner and mentor to each of them. “Without the Degenstein Foundation, these [young alumni] would not have accomplished what they have or be where they are now,” Lachhab says. “Most of them spent two summers of research with me.”

As university grants coordinator Malcolm Derk ’05 explains, “Through the generosity of the Degenstein Foundation, which supports the summer research program, students stay on-campus and work full-time with their faculty mentor. Over the course of the summer, they learn valuable skills for future careers and graduate programs.”

Right: Ahmed Lachhab and Ben Kopec ’10 performing summer research when Ben was still a student at Susquehanna.

Fathel now holds a doctorate degree in hydrology from Vanderbilt University. Kopec received his doctorate degree in hydrology from Dartmouth University, while Nicholls received a master’s degree in hydrology from New Mexico Tech. Zuidervliet’s master’s degree in environmental engineering is from Bucknell University, and Beren’s master’s degree in hydrogeology is from Clemson University.

“My time at Clemson University was a rewarding and challenging experience,” says Beren, “which would not have been possible if it had not been for Dr. Lachhab and the work I completed with him during my time at Susquehanna.”

“As a student at Susquehanna University,” says Zuidervliet, “I was fully immersed in interdisciplinary learning, which equipped me with the tools I needed to adapt to a complementary field of study—environmental engineering. Dr. Lachhab’s guidance provided me with technical skills and research experiences that translate well to graduate school applications and eventually graduate program interviews. “[He] taught me to always ask questions and worry about the answers later, as the answers would manifest through determination, careful work and sometimes a little luck,” Zuidervliet adds.

SUSQUEHANNA’S NEW ADMISSION HOUSE opens this year on the corner of University Avenue and the entrance to the university’s main parking lot. The $7 million construction project, which began last spring, is fully funded by contributions from the Board of Trustees. The 15,500-square-foot building was designed by architect Peter Bohlin of Bohlin Cywinski Jackson.

“ T HE ADMISSION HOUSE IS OUR GATEWAY FOR PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES,” SAYS MADELEINE RHYNEER, VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT AND MARKETING. “IT IS A DOOR OF OPPORTUNITY, AND THE DESIGN OF THIS NEW BUILDING IS CONSISTENT WITH THE HIGH-QUALITY ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE ALL STUDENTS CAN EXPECT TO FIND AT SUSQUEHANNA.”

“ E ACH PERSON YOU MEET HELPS YOU GET A LIT TLE BIT FURTHER ALONG ON THE RIGHT PATH ... It was extremely difficult in the early stages. We had no idea how to build such a product, and we really relied on those mentors early on.” —PHIL DIMURO ’12

An App That Keeps You in the “Loople” As newly minted college graduates, business administration majors Phil DiMuro ’12 and Dave Phelan ’12 spent their time away from the office doing what most young grads do—socializing.

“We were 21, recently out of college, had a little bit of money and wanted to be social,” DiMuro says. “But when it came to knowing what was going on, we were limited, just going to the same locations.”

With his finger already on the pulse of the bar and restaurant business through his sales job for the Samuel Adams Brewing Co., DiMuro began to use his off-time for something else.

He and Phelan, who at the time was working at LVR Inc. in Allentown, Pa., devised a mobile application to help wouldbe customers explore their local social scene.

Loople (a combination of Google and the phrase “being in the loop”) is a city-specific, crowd-sourced app that tracks food and drink specials, happy hours, live music and more in real time.

Not trained as developers, DiMuro and Phelan relied on mentors they met along their brief professional journeys to help develop the app.

“Each person you meet helps you get a little bit further along on the right path,” DiMuro says. “It was extremely difficult in the early stages. We had no idea how to build such a product, and we really relied on those mentors early on.”

In June 2015, after the app launched in Baltimore, DiMuro and Phelan left their jobs to work full time as Loople’s chief executive officer and chief marketing officer, respectively.

Since its launch, Loople has been downloaded more than 25,000 times and has expanded into the Washington, D.C., and Annapolis markets. The company has also grown to include three additional full-time employees and several interns.

The entrepreneurs have shared their experience with aspiring business students through Susquehanna’s Leadership Institute for Entrepreneurship (LIFE) summer program, which introduces high school students to finance, banking, stock and bond markets, sales, advertising and global trade concepts.

“We want to pay it forward to other people who are interested in doing what we’re doing,” Phelan says.

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 45

PEOPLE&PLACES

VALUEADDED ACCOUNTING Know any high school students interested in becoming accountants?

If so, tell them about our accounting program, head and shoulders above most others!

LEARN MORE AT WWW.SUSQU.EDU/ACCOUNTING!

91%

of our accounting majors complete the 150 credit hours required to sit for the CPA exam within four years.

SAVING A YEAR OF TUITION AND STARTING A JOB SOONER!

Onethird have job offers before they begin their senior year.

MANY RETURN FROM THEIR SUMMER INTERNSHIP BETWEEN JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR WITH AN OFFER IN HAND.

69%

of our senior accounting majors already had offers by February in cities including New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and at the Big Four accounting firms of Deloitte, KPMG and PwC. spri n g 2 01 47 · Susquehanna Currents · 47

SC OR E B OARD

news from susquehanna athletics

STUDENT-ATHLETE HONORED FOR ACHIEVEMENT, LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE The university has had its share of great student-athletes, accomplished both academically and in their sports. Many have made an impact in the community as well, but perhaps none more so than Steven Weidlich ’17 of the men’s basketball team. He has combined all three markers of excellence into his collegiate career and earned national recognition for his accomplishments.

STEVEN WEIDLICH ‘17 Landmark First Team All-Star Landmark Player of the Year NABC Allstate Good Works Team

As senior captain of the basketball team, Weidlich led the River Hawks to a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance, a school record for wins in a season, and the most wins for any four-year stretch in school history. He did so by scoring an incredible 1,800 points, which ranks No. 2 on the all-time scoring list. He earned Second Team All-Landmark Conference honors as a sophomore and junior, and was a First Team All-Star and the Landmark Conference Player of the Year as a senior.

But Weidlich is much more than a great player. The finance major maintains a grade point average above 3.6 and has also made a substantial impact on Selinsgrove with his community service efforts.

He has organized and taken part in food drives, worked at an area soup kitchen, and helped elderly and disabled individuals attend weekly mass at the local Catholic Church.

After his junior season, when head basketball coach Frank Marcinek was diagnosed with throat cancer, Weidlich acted quickly to organize an awareness campaign and fundraising drive for throat cancer research through the sale of bracelets.

His efforts on and off the court have not gone unnoticed. The National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), in conjunction with Allstate Insurance Co., annually honors student-athletes for their excellence in the areas of academic, athletic and community service success. This year, Weidlich was selected as one of only five players in the country from NCAA Division II and III and NAIA schools to be selected to the NABC Allstate Good Works Team for 2017.

The awards ceremony was held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Tournament in Phoenix, Ariz. Weidlich selected his brother and fellow River Hawk basketball player, David ’19, to travel with him when he was honored at the banquet in April.

48 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

HAWK TALK Erin Byrne ’17 of the volleyball team earned a second straight All-America selection from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).

Hannah Stauffer ’18 and Amy Kaschak ’17 of the women’s cross country team earned national All-Academic honors from the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Head basketball coach Frank Marcinek eclipsed the 400-win plateau for his career with a road win over Catholic on Jan. 25. The 28-year head coach, led the River Hawks to the two best seasons in school history with 24 wins in 2015-16 and 23 wins in 2016-17 as well as back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances.

Association (USTFCCCA) in the fall. Members of the All-Academic squad needed to have at least a 3.3 grade point average and finish in the top 25 percent of the field at the NCAA

New Athletics Staff Join “The Team”

Regional Championship meet.

With the new year came new staff in the Office of Athletics Communications.

Veteran sports information director Kelly Vergin (pronounced ver-GEEN) became the university’s new director of athletics communications, and Molly Payne was hired as the assistant director.

Year after winning three individual events and

Vergin brings nearly 20 years of experience in athletics communications to the position. He most recently served on the sports information staff at St. Lawrence University for two years following a 10-year stint as director of athletic communications at The College at Brockport, State University of New York (SUNY).

The 1989 graduate of SUNY Brockport has also directed the sports communications offices at the University at Albany, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) and SUNY Plattsburgh. In addition, he was the sports room director at Las Vegas Sports Consultants for five years and a sports reporter for the Watertown Daily Times in northern New York for two years.

Payne joins the staff after graduating from Bloomsburg University in 2016. She worked for two years as a student assistant in Bloomsburg’s sports information office under the tutelage of Tom Maguire and also completed an internship with the Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer team.

Payne was appointed to the two-year assistant director’s position as part of the university’s Athletics Internship Program, founded by former Board Chair John R. Strangfeld ’75 and his wife, Mary Kay, and expanded by Trustee Edward Schmidt ’69.

Ashlee Weingarten ’17 was named the Landmark Conference Female Swimmer of the being part of two winning relays at the 2017 conference championship in February.

Four Track & Field athletes earned special awards at the 2017 Landmark Conference Indoor Track & Field Championships held on campus in February.

Chris Petraskie ’20 was named the Male Field Athlete of the Year. Matthew Gass ’17 was the co–Male Track Athlete of the Year. Samantha Reed ’20 was the Female Rookie of the Year, and Sarah Rinaldi ’17 was the co–Female Field Athlete of the Year.

Emily Sullivan ’19 of the women’s soccer team was voted the conference’s co–Offensive Player of the Year.

S C O R E B OA R D

“ T he programs here are amazing, the campus is beautiful, and the professors are a big help in the recruiting process." —KATIE ROBBINS ’96

Alumna Gives Back to Team in Honor of Former Coach Susquehanna has a proud and storied history when it comes to coaches who have worn the orange and maroon. It is rare, however, for an assistant coach to have a major impact on a sports program.

Katie Robbins ’96, assistant swimming & diving coach, has not only made that impact but continues to do so as she recently completed her 21st season as part of the coaching staff and 25th year with the program, including four years as a student-athlete.

“I only planned to be at Susquehanna for a couple years,” says Robbins, who, along with head coach Jerry Foley, diving coach Josh Powell and fellow assistant coach Haley Townsend, were named the Landmark Conference Women’s Swimming & Diving Coaching Staff of the Year in February.

“At first I wasn’t sure Susquehanna was a perfect fit for me.

I was wrong, and more than 20 years later, I am still here.”

Her longevity with the program has proven to be an asset for recruiting and for alumni relations.

50 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

“I refer to her as the glue of the program,” says Foley, who completed his eighth season as head coach and has led the women’s team to seven consecutive Landmark Conference team titles. “Katie is the connection we have to all the athletes who have gone through the program. She stays in contact with them and can rally the troops when needed.”

As a recruiter, she is able to tell the Susquehanna story from a first-person point of view.

“The school sells itself,” Robbins says. “The programs here are amazing, the campus is beautiful, and the professors are a big help in the recruiting process. Susquehanna offers a great experience and great academics.”

Robbins admits that she really didn’t have a specialty as a swimmer, but she did her best to compete in whatever event needed her participation. Under the late G. Edward “Ged” Schweikert III, emeritus professor of psychology and Susquehanna’s first head swimming coach, Robbins developed a love for the sport, which began at an early age when she competed on a local summer team.

Athletics Success

BY THE NUMBERS

OF STUDENTS PLAY ONE OR MORE OF OUR

23 NCAA

D - I I I I N T E R C O L L E G I AT E S P O R T S

OUR TEAMS HAVE CHALKED UP: 77 All-Americans 9 National Championships 73 Conference Championships 35 Academic All-Americans 14 Landmark Conference Coaching Staff of the Year Awards ( in just three years! )

4 teams

F I N I S H E D O N T O P O F C O L L E G E FA C T U A L ’ S 2 0 1 7 N AT I O N A L S T U D E N T - AT H L E T E R A N K I N G S Men’s basketball and women’s volleyball in top 15 % Men’s lacrosse in top 10 %

+ Women’s softball in top 5%

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 51

T H E ’G R O V E

stories from around campus and around town

Q&A

Angelo Martin Director of Public Safety

SC: You signed on as SU’s new public safety director last year, following a tumultuous spring in which tensions between the department and students ran high. By the time you assumed the role in October, the divisiveness of the presidential election was at a fever pitch.

With 28 years of state police work already behind you, why did you decide to take on such a challenging job?

critical to maintain and continue to build on the great relationship with the Selinsgrove Police Department and other law enforcement entities to maximize our shared resources in protecting the community.

AM: Susquehanna has been an integral part of my life in Selinsgrove. I have spent many hours on the campus over the years.

My children have run on the track, played on the football fields and walked on the grounds countless times. Further, I have come to know many of the faculty and staff, and witness their dedication to the institution and its students. Challenges make it that much more appealing, as I feel compelled to help the university succeed.

AM: As you might imagine, I took great pride in being a Pennsylvania state trooper. It has a long history and tradition of striving for excellence and respect for others. Every trooper takes a pledge to uphold the Pennsylvania State Police Call of Honor, which, in part, says our duty is to enforce the law without prejudice and to be of service to anyone in danger or distress.

SC: As a relative newcomer—you’ve been on the job about seven months now—what do you see as Susquehanna’s biggest public safety challenge?

AM: As with most colleges, there are a great number of open spaces and access to buildings. Such an environment is critical to the mission of higher education. However, these advantages always come with the challenge of providing security from those that may wish to harm others. I believe it is

SC: What, in your experience as a Pennsylvania state trooper, prepared you to lead the efforts to address these issues?

Susquehanna has a similar history and tradition. In a lot of ways, I believe it is a natural fit.

SC: How’s the job going so far?

AM: I’ve had a great deal of assistance in learning this new environment and all of its special requirements. While I know I have a great deal left to learn about this complex position, I do feel good about the many new relationships I’ve gained across many constituencies of the university, including students. That makes me optimistic about my future success.

“CHALLENGES MAKE IT THAT MUCH MORE APPEALING, AS I FEEL COMPELLED TO HELP THE UNIVERSITY SUCCEED.” —ANGELO MARTIN 52 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

Students taking the class Eating Ideologies in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century France, taught by Visiting Assistant Professor of French Sylvia Grove ’07, enjoy a potluck dinner in class with dishes from different regions of the French-speaking world.

FORWARD THINKING Is Diet Soda Making Me Fat? For many trying to lose weight, one of the first steps in the process is eliminating sugar and replacing it with calorie-free alternatives.

SYLLABUS Food, Politics and French Lit Who would have thought that what we eat could reveal so much about our philosophies and the social issues affecting our country today? Students in the class Eating Ideologies in Twentieth and Twenty-First Century France, a combination of a French literature seminar and senior capstone class for French majors, learned just that last fall.

Alumna Sylvia Grove taught the class while serving as a visiting assistant professor during Associate Professor of French Lynn Palermo’s sabbatical leave. Grove, who graduated from Susquehanna in 2007 with a double major in French and creative writing and holds a master’s degree in French literature, used food scenes in 21st-century French literature to have students analyze the ways in which power, racism and national unity are formed—in part, by how people eat and how people write about what they eat.

As part of the class, students read three novels written by authors of the French-speaking countries of Morocco, Algeria and Cameroon who now live in France. Their political, social and racial divides are much like those in the United States today, Grove says.

In light of this, Grove had her students do an “off-syllabus” assignment. She asked her class to write op-eds in English (the class is typically taught and spoken in French) about the political relationship between Thanksgiving and the 2016 presidential election. A handful of the students went on to have their op-eds published on The New Food Economy blog on Election Day. Natalie Ciabattoni ’17, a French and philosophy major whose article In Praise of the Symbolic Plate was one of the op-eds published on the blog site, says she “never considered food and eating ideologies as a form of social and political critique. Being able to not only conceptualize these ideas but to communicate them in French has been a very rewarding experience.”

For a portion of their final exam, the students had a potluck dinner with dishes from different regions of the French-speaking world.

During the meal, students described the dishes they brought to the table and how they were made, and their significance to the French literature they read in class.

Not so fast. New research from Professor of Biology Tom Peeler and his students has found that consumption of certain types of artificial sweeteners may, over time, cause us to actually gain weight.

Peeler and his students found that the introduction of saccharin into the body speeds up the conversion of adipocytes—cells that have the potential to become fat cells but have not yet made the conversion, a process known as adipogenesis.

“THIS RESEARCH IS A STARTING POINT IN PROVING THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF COMPOUNDS SUCH AS ARTIFICIAL SWEETENERS ON THE HUMAN BODY.” —ANDREW MUCKIN ’17 “It’s not the amount of fat, but the rate of conversion,” Peeler says. “A certain number of cells will convert naturally, but 90 to 95 percent of these cells will convert if you add saccharin.”

Interestingly, Peeler and his students tested the effect of other artificial sweeteners, such as sucralose and stevia, but did not find the same results.

Although they do not yet know why saccharin elicits different results than sucralose or stevia, they continue to investigate that, as well as the effects of spicy food on fat-cell conversion.

“This research is a starting point in proving the negative effects of compounds such as artificial sweeteners on the human body—an unfortunate truth for products that are commonly advertised as being a ‘healthy alternative,’” says biology major Andrew Muckin ’17, of Lake Winola, Pa. Muckin is one of several students who have assisted Peeler in the research. “As we began, Dr. Peeler informed us of the current state of research regarding adipogenesis,” Muckin says, “and taught us the lab techniques required to conduct our research—from sterilization techniques, to growth procedures, to quantifying and interpreting our results.” spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 53

KUDOS Service Leaders Program Established at SU Susquehanna University has received a $7.1 million gift from an anonymous donor to establish the Susquehanna Service Leaders Program, in which SU students will serve community organizations that support youth development in the Susquehanna Valley. The gift enables the university to support all aspects of the program, including the hiring of a program coordinator, and will fund scholarships for the first six cohorts of students. The incoming Class of 2021 will have 10 SU Service Leaders, and in four years the program will be fully enrolled with 40 students, 10 in each class.

Data Shows SU Degree Pays Off SU grads earn $16,600 more a year than the typical college graduate, within 10 years of enrolling at the university, according to data from the U.S. Department of Education.

Data from the U.S. College Scorecard, which is overseen by the Department of Education, shows the average Susquehanna grad is making $50,000 annually, compared with the $33,400 average earned by all college graduates 10 years after starting college.

Moreover, Susquehanna alumni earn $4,300 more than the median for all Annapolis Group schools, according to the Scorecard. The Annapolis Group is an alliance of the nation’s leading liberal arts colleges, including Susquehanna.

Professor of Creative Writing Gary Fincke, who founded the Writers Institute at Susquehanna University, may have retired from teaching in December 2016, but his prolific writing career has done anything but slow down.

Founding Director of Writers Institute Retires After stepping down as director of The Writers Institute in January 2015, Professor of Creative Writing Gary Fincke continued teaching for more than a year. But in December, the SU community bid a fond farewell to the retiring 37-year veteran.

Fincke continues his prolific writing career with 33 published books and six national book prizes under his belt. In addition to a Flannery O’Connor Prize for Short Fiction and the Ohio State/The Journal Prize for Poetry, he recently won four more prizes, including the Elixir Press Fiction Prize for his collection of short stories The Killer’s Dog and the Robert C. Jones Prize for Short Prose for his collection of essays The Darkness Call.

Read more about Fincke’s career in the spring 2015 cover story of Susquehanna Currents at www.susqu.edu/Currents-Fincke.

A Leader in Work Study Susquehanna has been ranked No. 8 in Pennsylvania for the amount of federal work-study financial aid awarded to its students. The ranking is part of a study released by the Student Loan Report. Using Peterson’s Financial Aid Data released last August, the Student Loan Report calculated the total federal work-study aid awarded to thousands of colleges and universities in the United States.

SU employed 708 students in work-study jobs this year, which amounted to $795,571 in financial aid. Of Susquehanna’s total student population, 54.8 percent are eligible for federal workstudy financial aid.

Contributing writers to the departments are Emily Gibbs ’18, a creative writing and English major from Hanover, Pa.; Victoria Kidd, associate director of advancement communications; Amanda O’Rourke, digital communications and media specialist; Morgan Richardson ’17, a creative writing and studio art major from Dumfries, Va.; and Kelly Vergin, director of athletics communications.

54 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

Alumni News MESSAGE BOARD

CLASS NOTES

REGIONAL CHAPTER NEWS

DEATHS

More than 100 alumni and 552 students participated in the annual Break Through student-alumni networking conference, held on campus Feb. 9-11.

READ MORE ABOUT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS, PAGE 56

CLASSNOTES Message Board

Opening Doors for Our Students

You know that feeling you get when you’re introduced to someone you’ve admired from a distance? You’ve thought about how cool it would be to meet her someday, then suddenly there you are, shaking hands with her. You search for what to say, wonder if this is really happening, and in 30 seconds it’s over. “I sure hope I did not just make a fool of myself,” you think as you walk away.

Our students get to have that feeling a lot when they meet SU alumni. While students may not know alumni in quite the same way, students do see their future possibilities in the faces and voices of alumni who are doing the things they dream of. To students, alumni are rock stars.

And we’re grateful that, through alumni connections, many doors are opened for students.

February 2017 marked the fifth year of Break Through, our student-alumni networking conference. In March our third annual Women’s Leadership Symposium brought 25 students to New York City to interact with alumnae who work there. These two programs are designed to enhance postgraduate outcomes for our students, and they are working.

“We’re grateful that, through

alumni connections, many doors are opened for students.”

—Becky Bramer ‘92 Deitrick

For many years, programs and activities like these were only available to juniors and seniors in the Sigmund Weis School of Business. Today, all students have access to them, and it’s common for first-year students to participate. There is a much greater awareness of how valuable alumni connections are, and so many SU grads have stepped forward to help current students plan for their careers.

One of the easiest ways we ask alumni to support these efforts is by sending us your business card. We get hundreds of them every year. We put them on display for current and prospective students, so they can see the possibilities that await them after graduation. Please send yours—and if you’re not working in the traditional sense or are retired, please send along a piece of advice that you think would be beneficial for our students. One of my favorites, shared by an 82-year-old graduate a few years ago: “The person next to you may be smarter than you, but work harder than he does and it’ll take you farther.”

Please send your business cards or advice to: Office of Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement • 514 University Ave. • Selinsgrove, PA 17870

S i n c e r e ly, Becky Bramer ’92 Deitrick Assistant Vice President of Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement

Parents, Save the Dates!

Mark your calendars for Nov. 3–5 and plan on visiting campus for Family Weekend 2017!

We’ll be rolling out the welcome mat for families and offering them an entertaining and informative weekend full of

• Information sessions

• Sporting events

• Family-fun activities • A student musical

Learn more at www.susqu.edu/family-weekend and check back often for more details as they become available.

56 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

1967 1969

50TH REUNION

Fred Hait ’69 received the George F. Douglas Amicus Curiae Award, which recognizes outstanding and industrious appellate advocacy, from the Pennsylvania Association for Justice at the association’s annual retreat in June.

1971 Patricia Kilshaw ’71 McAteer was elected national fort captain of the Daughters of ’98, a heritage group for descendants of Spanish-American War veterans, at the national convention in Chattanooga, Tenn., in September 2016. She is a retired middle school/high school principal from Annville-Cleona School District in Annville, Pa. Her husband, James McAteer ’70, was elected national president of the Sons of the SpanishAmerican War Veterans at the same convention.

1972

45TH REUNION

1974 The Rev. Harold Hand ’74 was inducted into the Allen-Rogowicz (Schuylkill County) Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame. He was honored for meritorious service over the course of almost 40 years.

1976 Jack Rader ’76 was re-elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on Nov. 8 and was sworn in on Jan. 3. This is his second term. Rader’s business background includes three decades as the manager and vice president of Mountain Springs Resort.

He lives in Reeders, Pa., with his wife, Susan.

They are the proud parents of four children and three grandchildren.

1977

40TH REUNION

1978

1997

In December, John Oglesby ’78 released a new CD of original compositions for Native American–style flutes and rim-blown flutes. Called Musings, the CD was released by Spirit Wind Records. This is Oglesby’s sixth CD.

1982 1983

35TH REUNION

Robert Long ’83 released his first single recording, a cover of Blessings by Laura Story. The single is available on iTunes and all streaming sites. Long has served as director of music ministries in several churches and cathedrals, including two years as director of music at Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. He lives in the Poconos with his wife, Ann-Marie.

1987 1992

30TH REUNION

Mark O’Donovan ’92 was named chief executive of auto finance at JPMorgan Chase & Co. He joined the leadership team of Chase’s consumer and community banking division, working out of the company’s New York office.

1992 1994

25TH REUNION

Chris Bowen ’94 was promoted to vice president of sales at Avere Systems. He joined Avere in 2010 and has been a key force in the company’s growth.

1995 Heather Stull ’95 married Charles C. Williams, March 21, 2015. Heather was named planning director of Berkeley County, W. Va., on Dec. 15.

20TH REUNION

Nicki Brenneman ’97 married Mike Beauchamp, April 23, 2016, at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Hollidaysburg, Pa. SU friends and teammates Becky Page ’94 Young, Dina Fornataro ’97 Healey and Alison Hepler ’95 Wolfgang were there to help celebrate the happy occasion.

Born to Stephanie Dowling ’97 and JB Brown, a son, Leonidas (Leo), May 2013. Stephanie is a first officer for Southwest Airlines.

1998 CORRECTION (from fall 2016 issue): Born to Melissa S. Hahn ’98 Davis and Matthew Davis, a son, Charles Warren, Jan. 26, 2016.

1999 Courtney M. Brenner ’99 and Rebecca L. GlassmanPayne ’94, opened Reruns Consignment Shop in Wyoming, Pa., on July 16. A ribbon-cutting ceremony took place with Mayor Robert Boyer. Brenner is the president/owner, and Glassman-Payne serves as general manager. The shop recently won The Sunday Dispatch Readers’ Choice Best of Greater Pittston Award for Best Consignment Shop. Brenner remains CEO of C. Brenner Enterprises, a real estate investment and property management company, and GlassmanPayne is a GPS supervisor with Luzerne County Children & Youth Services.

Jason Wolfe ’99 is a program officer in the Global Development Program at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in Seattle, Wash.

Anne Hartman ’99 married Dennis Borton, April 9, 2016, at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Chattanooga, Tenn. SU alumnae Lauren Lezak ’99 and Kelly Hartman ’02 Roberts were in attendance.

Mark Lanks ’99 and his husband, David, adopted a son, Lincoln Jonas, born Jan. 28, 2016.

spri n g 2 01 7 · Susquehanna Currents · 57

2000

2005

David Crider ’00 published his first book, Performing Personality: On-Air Radio Identities in a Changing Media Landscape, through Lexington Books. The book analyzes and explains how radio announcers carry out the day-to-day tasks of crafting and performing their on-air personalities.

Crider is an adjunct professor in communication studies at SUNY-Oswego.

Born to Stacy Weston ’00 and Michael Johnson, a son, Carter Alexander, Oct. 10. He joins big sister Kaylie. Stacy is a third grade teacher at G.W. Carver Elementary School in Salem, Va.

2001

Lindsay Nevins ’05 married Nathan Gaines in New Milford, Conn., on Aug. 20. Celebrating with them were Lisa Carlino ’05 Alt, Jessica Paulshock ’05 Cody, Danielle Zaborowski ’05, Megan Steese ’07 and Sarah Russell ’07. In October, the couple moved from New York to Marina del Rey, Calif.

Emily Torricelli ’05 was awarded a doctorate degree in theatre, film and television from the University of York in the United Kingdom. Her research is in the area of Scottish cinema, and she has had an article reprinted by the British newspaper The Independent.

Born to Matt ’05 and Allison Karpy ’05 Hubbard, a son, James Matthew, Aug. 25.

Ryan Cidzik ’01 is the director of strength and conditioning at the University of Buffalo.

Sara Sohlman ’01 Weand, M.A., L.P.C., recently met fellow SU alumna Hannah Driskell ’12, M.S., while working for Youth Advocate Programs Inc. as mobile therapists.

Shannon Brock ’01 married Shane Markworth on Oct. 2, 2015, on Hilton Head Island, S.C., where they met nine years earlier.

2002

2009

15TH REUNION

Born to Megan McMullen ’02 and Greg Blue, twin daughters, Olivia and Madeline, Nov. 28.

2003 Stephen Bealer ’03 was named to On Wall Street’s Top 40 Under 40 in investing. A wealth management adviser with Merrill Lynch, he was ranked No. 25 on the list of highest-producing advisers.

Frank Dumbreski ’03 graduated from Wilkes University with a master’s degree in business administration and was inducted into the Delta Mu Delta honor society.

58 · Susquehanna Currents · spri n g 2 0 1 7

2006 Valarie Bastek ’06 was promoted to director of production management and business solutions at Wyndham Hotel Group. She is leading the strategy around the best products to power the organization’s new, responsive websites.

Zach Fowler ’09 was selected to the 2016 Pennsylvania Rising Stars list, which consists of less than 2.5 percent of Pennsylvania lawyers. He was selected for his achievements in business litigation.

James Miller ’09 studied coral reef ecology and the conservation of marine systems along the Great Barrier Reef in Australia last summer. A sea turtle rehabilitation specialist at the Turtle Hospital, James lives in Villanova, Pa. He took the graduate course in pursuit of his master’s degree from Miami University’s Global Field Program.

Jessica Goldsmith ’09 married James Rice on Sept. 17 in Linden, Va. Alumni in attendance were Alex Ulsh ’07, Rachel Weir-Ulsh ’09, Jessica Davila ’09 and Ann Victor ’09.

2010 Ben Kopec ’10 earned his doctorate degree in earth sciences from Dartmouth College.

2011

Born to Aileen Carlson ’06 and Adam ’07 Dreibelbis, a son, Tobias Rowan, Dec. 22. He joins big sister Hannah.

Siobhan Fathel ’11 earned her doctorate degree in hydrology from Vanderbilt University.

Born to David ’05 and Jenna Fredericks ’06 Antoniewicz, a son, Andrew David, Aug. 3.

Emily Strittmatter ‘11 graduates in May with a master’s degree in physician assistant studies from the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

Born to Gillian Prince ’06 and Joseph Szymanski, a daughter, Laila Joy, on Feb. 4, 2016. She joins big brother Ethan.

2007

10TH REUNION

Born to Christine Gordon ’07 and Mike ’07 Miller, a daughter, Paige Elizabeth, April 15, 2016.

2008 Born to Alli Baugher ’08 and Nate Crowell, a daughter, Eliza, Jan. 5.

2012

5TH REUNION

William Egensteiner ’12 graduated with a master’s degree in journalism from the Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute at New York University in 2013. The following year he married Victoria Miller.

He is now an associate editor at Outside magazine and loving the outdoors in Santa Fe, N.M.

CLASSNOTES Caleb Heisey ’11 has parlayed his love of the outdoors and the graphic design degree he earned at Susquehanna into a project to raise money and awareness for parks like the one he enjoyed as a child.

Fond memories of his parents taking him and his siblings to Little Buffalo State Park near their Perry County, Pa., home for hiking, swimming and fishing influenced his idea to help state parks remain admission-free.

“I really fell in love with the outdoors,” Heisey says. “If we wouldn’t have had that free resource, we wouldn’t have been able to go as often.”

Through his PA Patch Coalition, Heisey is designing promotional patches to honor Pennsylvania’s 121 state parks. So far, he’s completed 45 designs.

“Patches are a great visual way to get people interested and get a gist for what is at the park,” he says. “And it’s something that people can keep.”

Designing Patches in Support of State Parks Caleb Heisey ’11

For example, Heisey’s patch for Ricketts Glen State Park, comprising 13,000 acres in Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties, features a waterfall. The patch for Shikellamy State Park represents the confluence of the north and west branches of the Susquehanna River at Sunbury. And the patch for Point State Park, located at the confluence of three rivers at the tip of Pittsburgh’s “Golden Triangle,” features the waves of a river, a tree line and a cityscape.

Heisey’s Kickstarter campaign, which has already surpassed its $6,000 goal, will fund the embroidery of 10 of the patches, with about 200 available of each.

“I REALLY FELL IN LOVE WITH THE OUTDOORS. IF WE WOULDN’T HAVE HAD THAT FREE RESOURCE, WE WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GO AS OFTEN.” —CALEB HEISEY ’11

The patches are available for purchase at www.calebheisey.com. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to the Pennsylvania Parks & Forest Foundation (PPFF), the park system’s official nonprofit partner. Plus, with a donation of at least $10, donors will receive a six-month membership to the foundation.

“We applaud Caleb’s effort to capture the beauty of our state parks,” says Marci Mowery, PPFF president, “and thank him for supporting the work of the Pennsylvania Parks and Forests Foundation through the sale of the patches.”

After earning his master’s degree at Tyler School of Art at Temple University, Heisey opened his own design studio, Good Bones Studio, in Philadelphia, where he specializes in branding, packaging and web design.

CLASSNOTES

2013 Liam Michener ’13 passed the Kentucky bar exam and is a real estate/closing attorney for Mattingly Ford Title Services in Louisville.

Phoebe Nicholls ’13 earned a master’s degree in hydrology from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology (New Mexico Tech).

Rebeka Torlay ’13 studied desert and marine landscapes through ecological and social field

methods in Baja last summer. She took the graduate course in pursuit of her master’s degree from Miami University’s Global Field Program.

2014 Matthew Beren ’14 received his master’s degree in hydrology from Clemson University.

Andrew Budsock ’14 joined the board of directors for Global Sourcing Council as its youngest member.

GSC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the

Marisa Dadurka ’11 married Kyle Smith on Nov. 19 in Chantilly, Va. SU guests included 2011 graduates Paul and Stephanie Russick, Andree Hilsher and Erica Muthard. Marisa is employed

by Marriott International as a senior catering sales executive.

Tau Kappa Epsilon brothers from the Class of 1978 celebrated their 60th birthdays together.

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education and advocacy of sustainable and socially responsible practices globally.

Brian Zuidervliet ’14 graduated with a master’s degree in environmental engineering from Bucknell University.

2015 Michael Suttora ’15 accepted a position as a global foreign exchange analyst at Northern Trust Corp. in Tempe, Ariz.

Sara Lauver ’04 with longtime CBS Sunday Morning host Charles Osgood for an exclusive radio interview for Sunbury Broadcasting Corp., just days before his final broadcast as program host.

Alumni chapter members from the Garden State and the City of Brotherly Love united for an event that received rave reviews on both sides of the Delaware. They gathered at the ever-popular Flying Fish Brewing Co. in October for the happy hour to end all happy hours. There were complimentary appetizers, a beer tasting—complete with a souvenir glass—and a tour of the brewery.

Shannon Dewees ’11 married Jeremy Umble in Morgantown, Pa., on Aug. 20 at Historic Joanna Furnace.

In attendance were, left to right, back row: Eric Sweeney ’11, Jim Valentine ’11, Michael Ubbens ’09, Adam Krushinskie ’11; front row: Jennifer Tarbox ’11, Shannon, Molly Earhart ’11 Rogers, Meghan Harvey ’11, Taylor Crawford ’11 Moyer and Colton Moyer ’12.

Paul Searing ’01 and wife Jennifer Hoff were serenaded by Gavin Mutter ’01, Tony Frey ’01, Paul’s twin brother, and other friends at his Sept. 4 wedding. Other SU alumni in attendance were Debbie Alwine ’01 Frey and Chris Keiper ’01.

Lauren Nitroy ’13 married Daniel Reinhart ’12 on Sept. 4 in Manchester, Vt. Pictured are, left to right: Charles Reece, Maura Olsewski ’13, Bonnie Reece, Emma Waite ’16, Katie Auchenbauch ’15, Justin Zaracka ’12, Emily Leboffe ’17, Katie Guild ’13 and Cory Edwards ’14.

In October, the Central Pennsylvania Regional Alumni Chapter asked the age-old question, “What could be better than a twopart alumni event on a fall afternoon?” The day started at Caitlin’s Smile, where Susquehannans assembled craft kits to brighten the day of small patients fighting big battles. Then they headed to CrossWinds Winery at Hershey, where they had a private wine tasting. In addition, craft vendors were set up as part of the winery’s Sip and Shop event, which paired Pennsylvania wines with Pennsylvania artists.

In November, the New England Alumni Chapter held an afternoon event with a view! They hosted a family-friendly gathering of the Orange and Maroon at Stony Creek Brewery. It was the perfect site for a day of fun and fellowship—and the amazing views did not disappoint! There was beer and food; it was an unusually warm November afternoon, and the sun was shining. What was not to love?

In November, the Philadelphia Regional Alumni Chapter got in the holiday spirit with their fellow Susquehannans at the iconic Byers’ Choice in Chalfont, Pa. This family-friendly event started with a private, catered lunch, followed by a tour of the facility and gift shop. There was even a BONUS! Byers’ Choice created a special-edition Susquehanna University Santa Claus packaged in a Byers’ Choice gift box.

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CLASSNOTES How do you do your job so well that no one notices?

That’s what Ashley Leitzel-Reichenbach ’02 does day in and day out as a Broadway hairdresser.

“There is a saying in our field that if you don’t know we were there, then we did our job,” Leitzel-Reichenbach says. “The best compliments I have received in my career were when someone said, ‘Wait! That was a wig?’”

Leitzel-Reichenbach graduated from Susquehanna with a degree in theatre arts. She wanted to be an actor but was worried she wouldn’t be able to support herself. Still longing for a future in theatre, Leitzel-Reichenbach earned her master’s degree in wig and make-up design from the North Carolina School of the Arts.

Grad Styles the Heads on Broadway Ashley LeitzelReichenbach ’02

“BROADWAY IS THE TOP LEVEL OF THEATRE, SO IT HAS TO BE YOUR BEST WORK EVERY SINGLE DAY.” —ASHLEY LEITZEL-REICHENBACH ’02

Since then, she has worked on NBC’s The Sound of Music Live! and Peter Pan Live, and Broadway’s Mary Poppins, Sister Act, Bridges of Madison County and An American in Paris. She has had the good fortune of working with stars such as Julie Andrews.

“She was amazing. Kind, smart and generous,” Leitzel-Reichenbach says. “She gave opening-night gifts to everyone, down to the lowest position, with a handwritten card.

She was just lovely.”

Shows like Mary Poppins and The Sound of Music Live! have given Leitzel-Reichenbach the opportunity to travel in time.

“Hair and make-up are amazingly transformative,” she says. “We can make a person look completely different by changing the shape of their nose or the color of their hair, and transport their appearance to a different time period.”

Her greatest challenge has been the repetitive nature of her work, creating the same styles over and over again for a long-running show.

“Broadway is the top level of theatre, so it has to be your best work every single day,” she says. “We have to take into account the microphone packs, which we put on the actor’s head under the wig, while we also are doing our best to replicate real life.

That is sometimes hard.”

Leitzel-Reichenbach pointed to her time at Susquehanna, and the mentoring of theatre professors Doug Powers and Andy Rich, for setting the stage for her current success.

“They gave me the tools to follow my own path, even when that wasn’t their expertise,” she says. “They pushed me forward instead of holding me back.”

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UPCOMING EVENTS FOOTBALL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION GOLF OUTING

JUNE 10 MEET OUR NEW PRESIDENT FRANKLIN INSTITUTE, PHILADELPHIA The SU invasion of Tri-Cities Opera continues with a performance of LA TRAVIATA. Pictured are, left to right: Dante Doganiero ’16, Bill Snyder ’75, Jake Stamatis ’13, Stacey Geyer ’14, Gina Moscato ’15 and Starletta Noll-Long ’16. Jake sang the role of Marchese d’Obigny and Stacey sang Annina. Dante and Bill each got a few solo words as Flora’s servant and the commissioner, respectively. Jake and Stacey are resident artists with Tri-Cities Opera. Gina and Star are in the Master of Music in Opera program at Binghamton University. Dante is studying voice at Binghamton University. Bill is in his 24th year as classical music director and midday host at WSKG.

JUNE 22 INAUGURATION OF PRESIDENT JONATHAN GREEN

OCT. 20 HOMECOMINGREUNION WEEKEND

OCT. 20–22 FAMILY WEEKEND

NOV. 3–5 Diana Swope ’03 married Yshmael Salas on June 25 in Lewisburg, Pa. Pictured are, left to right: Janna and Brad Whitenight ’02, Jessica ’03 and BJ Kaledas, Diana and Yshmael, Andrew ’02 and Crystal Kissinger, Katelen Marr ’03 and Kristen Sawyer ’03.

Please send your alumni news and class updates to the Office of Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement: SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY 514 University Ave. • Selinsgrove, PA 17870-1025 • Phone: 570-372-4115 • Email: swartzj@susqu.edu

OR SUBMIT YOUR NOTES ONLINE AT WWW.SUSQU.EDU/CLASS-NOTES.

Stay connected to Susquehanna by joining a regional alumni chapter near you.

Chapters are volunteer-based organizations that build ties between alumni, students, parents and the university through professional networking, social networking, events and mentoring. There are so many ways to be involved, from SU SERVE and admission events, to networking trips and Break Through. Regional alumni chapters help keep alive those connections that made you part of the SU family in the first place.

For more information, please visit www.susqu.edu/alumni today!

Material received on campus by July 31 will be included in the fall issue.

Susquehanna Currents reserves the right to edit class notes for space and clarity and to select the alumni-submitted photos that appear in each issue. Preference will be given to print-quality photos of weddings and other gatherings that include the most alumni.

REGIONAL ALUMNI CHAPTER EVENTS HELD THROUGHOUT THE YEAR

Cruises, museums, wineries, breweries, tours, baseball games, brunch and so much more!

Please visit www.susqu.edu/alumni for an updated list of alumni events.

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ARE YOU A FORMER STUDENT-ATHLETE? THE PARENT OF A FORMER OR CURRENT STUDENT-ATHLETE?

IF SO, THEN YOU KNOW THE CENTRAL ROLE ATHLETICS PLAYS IN THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENT-ATHLETES.

ABOUT 25 PERCENT

OF THE STUDENT BODY PLAYS VARSITY SPORTS. Competing in a varsity sport while also maintaining academic excellence prepares them well for postgraduate success. Help us continue to provide needed resources so they can compete at the highest level and enhance their overall collegiate experience.

JOIN THE ORANGE AND MAROON CLUB TODAY BY MAKING A GIFT TO THE SPORT OF YOUR CHOICE. Visit our new and improved website, www.susqu.edu/orange-and-maroon-club, for more details!

AND DON’T FORGET! June marks our second annual 30 Donors in 30 Days campaign.

A gift to this crowdfunding campaign will also earn you a spot in the Orange and Maroon Club!

DE AT H S Charles “Buss” Carr ’52, Bethlehem, Pa., Dec. 23. He earned a master’s degree from Penn State University and served in the Army during the Korean War. After spending nine years as a music teacher, guidance counselor and football coach at Troy (Pa.) High School, he returned to Susquehanna and served for 25 years as director of alumni relations. He was director of development for Mansfield University and a consultant with Ketchum and Co. before retiring in 1990.

Buss was an avid golfer and sportsman. His love of football took him from playing the game to coaching and officiating. At Susquehanna, he played tackle on the undefeated football team of 1951 coached by Amos Alonzo Stagg Sr. and his son A.A. Stagg Jr. Buss was the District IV Officials Representative for the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association and later served as treasurer and a member of the PIAA Board of Control. He officiated high school and college football and was the high school football rules interpreter for the state of Pennsylvania for many years. Buss was a longtime member of Sharon Lutheran Church

in Selinsgrove, where he was the director of the Senior Choir for almost 30 years. He is survived by his wife, Vi Dietz ’52 Carr.

Jean Rarick ’53 Detwiler, Orwigsburg, Pa., Dec. 15.

She was a member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and in the past, was part of the Youth Choir. After Susquehanna, she attended Kutztown University for additional schooling in grade school education. She worked as a teacher for the Blue Mountain School District, teaching music and kindergarten for more than 35 years.

Barbara Dalrymple ’74 Dunn, Downingtown, Pa., Aug. 6. She was a wealth advisor and senior partner at the Pickering Group of Thrivent Financial for 25 years. She is survived by her husband, David Dunn Sr. ’72.

Irene Beverly Fladmark, Selinsgrove, Pa., Jan. 2. Irene was born Sept. 26, 1926, in Colton, S.D., a daughter of the late Lewis and Torbjor (Tveidt) Larson. On June 8, 1949, she married Kenneth Fladmark, professor emeritus of management at SU, who survives. They celebrated 67 years of marriage before her passing.

Irene was a 1944 graduate of Colton High School and received a Bachelor of Arts degree in music and secondary education in 1948 from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, S.D. A devoted wife and mother, she was an active member of First Lutheran Church and later Sharon Lutheran Church, where she directed various choirs for many years.

She loved music and was an accomplished singer and pianist. She was a member of Sigma Alpha Iota music sorority, as well as a founding member of the Susquehanna Valley Chorale. She also volunteered at Sunbury Community Hospital, SUN Home Health and many other organizations.

Genette Arlene Henderson ’66, Durham, N.C., Jan. 27. She was a retired high school Spanish teacher from Middletown Township (N.J.) School District. She is survived by a sister, Margaret Henderson ’54 Davenport, and brother-in-law William C. Davenport ’53.

H. Sheldon Horne ’62, Wyomissing, Pa., July 13.

Stephen Jordan ’04, Gray, Maine, Jan. 1. While working

on his master’s degree, Steve had worked for The Haven in White River Junction, Vt., and had also been a high school English teacher for six years in New Jersey and New Hampshire. For the past five years, he was an academic advisor for Kaplan University. He was a member of the Maine Volleyball Association. He enjoyed doing anything outdoors, including hiking, landscaping and Tough Mudders. Steve will be remembered for many different fun and loving qualities, including his spontaneity, his big heart and his sense of humor.

John Luscko ’63, Bluffton, S.C., July 6.

Donald Puffer ’83, Oct. 5, 2015.

Katherine Schilling ’86, Ed.D., Pittsburgh, Pa., March 17, 2016. Kathy was a medical librarian, a well-published researcher and a college professor who helped educate a generation of students in the evolving field of health informatics. She earned a doctorate degree in education from Boston University in 2002 and a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 1989. She was a 1982 graduate of

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IN MEMORIAM Paul D. Coleman 1918–2016

S

usquehanna universit y alumnus and longtime friend paul d. coleman, namesake of the paul d. coleman physics center, died on May 5, 2016. he was 97.

Paul was born on June 4, 1918, in Stoystown, Pa., the only child of Clyde Rhoads and Catherine Livengood Coleman. He graduated from Somerset High School in 1936 and married Betty Louise Carter on June 20, 1942, whose death preceded his. They had two children, Susan and Peter.

Paul began his extraordinary academic career at Susquehanna in 1936, when he came here as a freshman. He graduated in 1940 with honors and degrees in physics, mathematics and chemistry. It was Paul’s relationship with Susquehanna Professor Paul J. Ovrebo that inspired him and led to his lifelong affiliation with Susquehanna.

Paul received a master’s degree in physics from Penn State University in 1942. Later that year, the U.S. Air Force at Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, recruited him to do research on electronic countermeasures and radar. For this work he received a USAF civilian meritorious award in 1946.

Paul received his Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1951. As part of his theses, he conceived the “magnetic wiggler,” a key component of the free electron laser, one of the world’s most powerful lasers.

Immediately following his graduation from MIT, Paul accepted an associate professorship in the College of Engineering at the University of Illinois (Urbana) where he established the Electro-Physics Laboratory to conduct research on physical and quantum electronics. He retired in 1988 as emeritus professor but continued to pursue sponsored research for another 10 years. More than a dozen of Paul’s Ph.D. students have been recognized as alumni of distinction by the University of Illinois.

In 1980, in recognition of his dedication to the university and his physics profession, Susquehanna awarded him a distinguished alumni award and in 1984 an honorary Doctor of Sciences degree. In celebration of Paul’s 90th birthday in 2008, his family, friends and colleagues made contributions to Susquehanna resulting in the naming of the physics center in Fisher Hall.

Countless lives have been changed both through Paul’s longtime support of Susquehanna and his commitment to teaching. He was a superlative scientist who was most proud of the many students who studied under him during his long and prestigious career.

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Valley High School in New Kensington, Pa. She was a tenured associate professor of health informatics at Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI). She taught in the School of Library Science after serving as head of information management and education in the Medical School Library at Boston University. Her career also included work as a medical librarian at the University of Pittsburgh and as a librarian at Carnegie Library in Pittsburgh.

Kathy was a sister in Alpha Xi Delta sorority. She enjoyed being with her family and friends, and especially loved traveling. In addition to her daughter, Mattie, Kathy is survived by her parents and siblings, including Donna Schilling ’84 Ginader, and her aunt, Sally Stephenson ’63 Gibney.

Karen Goeringer ’61 Snider, Mechanicsburg, Pa., Jan. 12.

She began her career with the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare as a social worker. She was appointed

secretary of public welfare

by Gov. Robert P. Casey in 1991 and served through the remainder of his tenure.

After retiring from the state, she was the chief operating officer of Northwestern Human Services in Philadelphia. She founded Susquehanna Consulting and Financial Group in Harrisburg, which counseled clients in the Pennsylvania human services system. She transitioned her focus toward community and charitable activities while continuing a rigorous work schedule.

She was executive director of the Harrisburg Public Schools Foundation at the time of her death.

Karen also served in leadership positions at numerous area service organizations, including the United Way of the Capital Region, the Foundation for Enhancing Communities, the Rotary Club of Harrisburg, Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA, YWCA of the Harrisburg Area, Homeland Center, Harrisburg Area Community

College Foundation, the Governor’s Commission on Children and Families, the Mental Health Association of the Capital Region and the Red Cross of the Susquehanna Valley. She received numerous awards throughout her life, including the Susquehanna University Service Award in 2016, the Humanitarian Award of the United Way of the Capital Region and the Harrisburg Chamber of Commerce Athena Award. In 2014, the Harrisburg School District named a wing of Camp Curtin School as the Karen F. Snider Family and Student Health Center. She is survived by her husband, Jack Snider ’61.

Joanne Quick ’55 Spangler, formerly of Columbus, Ind., Jan. 4. She was a member of Kappa Delta sorority, past president of the Women’s Auxiliary of the National Asphalt Pavement Association and worked as a legal secretary.

University in 1953. He was self-employed as a general practitioner for more than 40 years, starting in 1954. He was also a U.S. Navy veteran who proudly served two years as a naval officer and ship’s physician. He is survived by his wife, Susan Foltz ’51 Tietbohl, and son Jon Tietbohl ’81.

Patricia Bodle ’60 Winey, Warminster, Pa., Aug. 15. She earned her master’s degree from Trenton State University in 1975. She worked as a teacher for homebound students while her children were young, then became an English teacher at William Tennent High School, where she taught for 23 years. She enjoyed taking her students to England and working with the National Honor Society. She is survived by her husband, Donald Winey ’60.

Ralph Tietbohl Jr. ’49, Wyomissing, Pa., Nov. 9.

Ralph received a medical degree from Temple

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End Notes

From Havana, With Love … and New Understanding

b y j o n at h a n h . g a b o f f ’ 1 7 In January, Associate Professor of History María Muñoz and Scott Manning, dean of global programs, led a group of Susquehanna students on the university’s first Global Opportunities (GO) study trip to Cuba. Jonathan Gaboff ’17, a finance major from Jackson, N.J., contributed this personal essay based on the first paper he wrote for the required reflection class that follows every GO experience.

My experience in Cuba was certainly different than what I expected. I thought the Cuban people would be unhappy with their lives because of the impact of socialism and communism in their country. As Americans, we tend to have a negative view of socialist tendencies and often associate countries like Cuba with being a terrible place to live.

However, I was surprised to see that although the country has many economic and social problems, Cubans are still generally happy people.

I also expected Havana to be more dangerous than most cities I’ve visited. I found that assumption to be rooted in similar American perceptions, based on the negative implications surrounding communism and long-held hostilities between the United States and Cuba.

“The only way to get the truth about something is to experience it for yourself.”

— Jonathan Gaboff ’17

I actually felt extremely safe in Havana. Cubans didn’t have the negative feelings toward Americans that I expected they would, considering the political tension between our countries. I quickly learned that some Cubans may not like the U.S. government, but as far as Americans in general, they do not have a problem with us.

When I returned to the states, people were surprised to hear what I had to say about Cuba.

Some even argued with me about how Cubans live and their economy, but I experienced it firsthand, and there’s more to this long-isolated island nation than meets the eye.

For example, we cannot fathom why anyone would want to be a surgeon for $20 a month, but in Cuba, that is normal. The doctors today grew up in the socialist system. To them, it is normal to study something you find interesting and become the professional you want to be, regardless of the compensation.

Above (left to right): Jonathan Gaboff with senior business majors Joseph Bien from Manchester, Md., and Jourdan Stewart from Danbury, Conn., at El MalecÓn, Havana's famous seaside esplanade and thoroughfare.

Realizations like this have taught me an important lesson: Never judge a country, or anything else for that matter, based on what you hear or how the media portray it. The only way to get the truth about something is to experience it for yourself, because what you learn from outside sources is often biased. This bias is even apparent in our education system.

Think about how the Cuban Missile Crisis and Fidel Castro were portrayed in our high school history books. Many Americans do not realize there is more to the country than just Fidel and the missile crisis. The people of Cuba listen to music, go to clubs, walk along the water and play sports, just like us. Their government may be much different than ours, but that does not make it a bad place, or make Cubans bad people.

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Allison Grebe ’94,

who chose a career in nonprofit, knew

“I’LL NEVER HAVE MY NAME ON A BUILDING OR ENDOW A FULL SCHOLARSHIP, BUT THIS I CAN DO.” THIS is a planned gift and one anyone can make!

Allison made SU the beneficiary of her retirement-plan account.

Why? Because,

“ALUMNI GIFTS MADE A DIFFERENCE IN OUR STUDENT EXPERIENCES, EVEN IF WE DIDN’T KNOW IT AT THE TIME. TODAY’S STUDENTS ARE SMART AND TALENTED AND AMBITIOUS, AND THEY DESERVE OUR SUPPORT.”

Learn more about the legacy you can leave to Susquehanna University: Visit www.susqu.giftplans.org.

Or contact Tamara Ozlanski ’06, gift planning advancement officer, at ozlanskit@susqu.edu or 570-372-4618.

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY 514 University Ave. Selinsgrove, PA 17870-1164

Get Groovy IN THE ’GROVE THIS FALL

Join us for a far-out Homecoming–Reunion Weekend 2017

OCT. 20–22

as we celebrate “Greenstock” (like Woodstock) in honor of our new president, the musically talented Jonathan Green, D.M.A.

Catch up with classmates and relive fond memories of the ’Grove while making new ones. There’s something for everyone, so bring the family!

We’ll be celebrating reunions for the classes of 2012, 2007, 2002, 1997, 1992, 1987, 1982, 1977, 1972, 1967, 1962, 1957, 1952 and all emeriti classes who have already celebrated their 50th reunions.

Bonus!

We will formally inaugurate President Green on Friday, Oct. 20. Come early and welcome him and his wife, Lynn Buck, to the Susquehanna family.

Tent parties • Athletics events • Class reunions • Kids Carnival • And more!