Susquehanna Currents: Fall 2019

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GOing STRONG FOR 10 YEARS ALUMNI RECOUNT LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES | PAGE 4

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE MAN ON A MISSION How an SU Alum Helped Put Man on the Moon

Vice President for Marketing and Communications AARON MARTIN Assistant Vice President for Advancement BECKY BRAMER ’92 DEITRICK Editor JENNIFER YURICICH ’00 SPOTTS Director of Strategic Communications Contributing Editor BETSY K. ROBERTSON Director of Special Projects Class Notes Editor JODI SWARTZ Administrative Assistant, Alumni, Parent and Donor Engagement Contributing Writers NAIREM MORAN Director of Athletic Communications AMANDA O’ROURKE Communications and Media Specialist HANNAH PHILLIPS ’20 LOGAN SWEET ’15 Associate Director of Advancement Communications Design JOSIE FERTIG Director of Design and Digital Marketing ERICA HOOVER Graphic Designer Contributing Photographer GORDON WENZEL Copy Editor KATHLEEN LARSON FLORIO

Fall 2019, Vol. 87, No. 2 ©2019 All publication rights reserved. Susquehanna Currents is published twice a year in the spring and fall by Susquehanna University, University Marketing & Communications, 514 University Ave., Selinsgrove, PA 17870.

SUSQU.EDU/CURRENTS Printed by Brilliant in Exton, Pennsylvania

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GOING STRONG FOR 10 YEARS SUSQUEHANNA CELEBRATES THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF ITS NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM, WHICH EXPOSES STUDENTS TO OTHER CULTURES AND GLOBAL ISSUES.

6 CONTINENTS, 6 COVERS — GO VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE In researching our GOing Strong for 10 Years feature, we discovered so many beautiful photographs of GO experiences taken by students — past and present — that it was difficult to choose just one cover image.

Instead, we designed multiple unique covers, each representing the six continents where Susquehanna students GO. Which cover did you receive? View all six covers at www.susqu.edu/currents and vote for your favorite. On Dec. 4, we will randomly select 10 respondents to win an SU travel item.

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GOing STRONG FOR 10 YEARS ALUMNI RECOUNT LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES | PAGE 4

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE MAN ON A MISSION How an SU Alum Helped Put Man on the Moon

SOUTH AMERICA

Vendor to place certified appropriate FSC logo.

Inside

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10 SPANNING THE GLOBE

S E C T ION S

See where Susquehanna students and graduates have landed domestic and international internships and jobs over the past four years.

DEPARTMENTS

2 First Word 16 People & Places 20 Scoreboard 24 The ’Grove Q&A · Syllabus · Forward Thinking

Kudos · Bragging Rights

46 End Notes

ALUMNI NEWS

30 Message Board

12 M AN ON A MISSION

31 Class Notes

Jon Haussler ’59 was part of the Apollo team that made world history when the U.S. landed a man on the moon 50 years ago.

And that was just at the beginning of his career.

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GOing STRONG FOR 10 YEARS

GOing STRONG FOR 10 YEARS

ALUMNI RECOUNT LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES | PAGE 4

ALUMNI RECOUNT LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES | PAGE 4

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Regional Chapter News · Deaths

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GOing STRONG FOR 10 YEARS ALUMNI RECOUNT LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES | PAGE 4

GOing STRONG FOR 10 YEARS

GOing STRONG FOR 10 YEARS

ALUMNI RECOUNT LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES | PAGE 4

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE MAN ON A MISSION How an SU Alum Helped Put Man on the Moon

ASIA

ALUMNI RECOUNT LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES | PAGE 4

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

MAN ON A MISSION How an SU Alum Helped Put Man on the Moon

MAN ON A MISSION How an SU Alum Helped Put Man on the Moon

AUSTRALIA

EUROPE

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

MAN ON A MISSION How an SU Alum Helped Put Man on the Moon

MAN ON A MISSION How an SU Alum Helped Put Man on the Moon

NORTH AMERICA

ON THE COVERS: All front cover photography was taken by Susquehanna students, faculty and alumni. Back cover photograph by Heather Necessary.

AFRICA

First Word

A Commitment to Inspire and Transform

dear susquehan nans, As most of you know, Susquehanna University’s seal features a globe under an arch of text reading Ad gloriam maiorem Dei. This phrase is typically worded Ad majorem Dei gloriam and means “For the greater glory of God.” It is a wonderful crystallization of the spirit and intent of the Missionary Institute of our founding.

Susquehanna was founded to help its graduates change the world for the better.

Much has changed since 1858, but our commitment to inspiring students to change the world has never been stronger.

One of the ways this commitment is made manifest is by richly engaging our students in cultures and places they had not known before. Celebrating its 10-year anniversary, Susquehanna’s Global Opportunities (GO) Program is an unparalleled academic initiative. We are one of only a handful of higher-education institutions that requires a study-away experience of all its students, and we are the only

“Susquehanna was founded to help its graduates change the world for the better.”

— JONATHAN D. GREEN

program that has a full curriculum to prepare students to meaningfully engage in the cultures they encounter, and likewise, to interpret what those experiences meant to them and how they were changed.

We are all citizens of the world, and in our increasingly more complex global society, our world desperately needs cosmopolitan leaders who are both respectful and informed about cultural differences and, more importantly, who have developed the sophistication to recognize how much more we all have in common. This is what the GO program has done and continues to do for thousands of Susquehanna graduates.

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Join Us!

SUALUM.COM

This issue of Currents is a celebration of Susquehanna’s commitment to global education and world citizenship.

Our students are truly learning “to be that change they want to see in the world,” and with each day they are realizing more deeply why that matters. You will also read about alumnus Jon Haussler, whose career at NASA has literally changed how we see our world and the universe.

How exciting it is to witness today’s generation of Susquehannans joining the procession of alumni who have steadfastly sustained a visionary commitment to nurture and strengthen our global community and our worldview.

At sualum.com, you can: you rs ev er,

Jonathan D. Green President

» Search the directory to find classmates or other alumni. » Post or search for jobs. » Register for SU alumni events. » Find an alumni chapter near you. » Submit a class note for Currents magazine.

» » » »

Request a transcript.

Make a gift.

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Access The Lanthorn digital yearbooks. » Read the latest editions of The Quill student newspaper.

FIRST TIME LOGGING IN? IT’S EASY. Click “First Time Login” to search for your name.

Enter your personalized ID number, which was shared with you in a recent email.

To request your ID, email alumni@susqu.edu.

Questions?

Contact the alumni office at 570-372-4115 or alumni@susqu.edu.

ing Stron

4 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

g for 10 Years Intercultural Competency Lessons Make Study Abroad More Than a Trip

W

HEN KATHERINE FORD ’13 TRAVELED TO AIX-ENPROVENCE, FRANCE, FOR HER GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES PROGRAM, IT’S UNLIKELY SHE FORESAW HOW THE EXPERIENCE WOULD CHANGE HER LIFE. AT THE TIME, SHE WAS A THEATRE MAJOR LOOKING FORWARD TO A CAREER IN DRAMATIC ART. BUT WHILE SHE WAS IN FRANCE, HER COURSE CHANGED.

By Amanda O’Rourke

By Amanda O’Rourke fa l l 2019 · Susquehanna Currents · 5

“Going abroad for a semester gave me the opportunity to view my major and career plans from a different perspective, and two things really occurred to me,” Ford remembers.

Photographs were taken by Susquehanna students, faculty and alumni during their GO experiences.

“One, I spent the semester not really missing theatre as much as I thought I should if I would do it for the rest of my life, and two, I really fell in love with French culture, language, history and living abroad.”

Her revelation had such a profound impact that Ford knew she wanted to help other students be open to similar experiences. Upon returning to Susquehanna, she reset her sights on a career in international education.

After graduation, she earned a master’s degree in European history from Cardiff University in Cardiff, Wales, and went on to spend four years at Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic, in its international programs office.

Today, Ford lives in Liverpool, England, where she is the study abroad manager for inbound students at the University of Liverpool.

“All students should have a crosscultural experience before they graduate in order to fully understand themselves before entering the workforce,” Ford says now.

“Studying abroad gives students the opportunity to deeply reflect on their own cultures and lives, and I think this is vital.”

WHY WE GO Experiences like Ford’s are what faculty and staff hoped for when they created Susquehanna’s Global Opportunities program 10 years ago.

Implemented in 2009, GO requires students to study away from campus.

In simpler terms, GO seeks to push students out of their comfort zones and into a world they may have never experienced before.

“We had a lot of students tell us that they came to Susquehanna because it was like their hometown,” says Scott Manning, dean of global programs.

“But their hometown is not what the world looks like, and we decided we were not serving our students if we didn’t somehow give them the opportunity to experience the world.”

The early 2000s were pivotal years at Susquehanna University, marked by considerable growth of the student body and the campus’ physical footprint. The university was also in

6 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

the midst of a reaccreditation review by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education, on the heels of which came the university’s development of new learning goals and the creation of its Central Curriculum.

It was during this time that a mandatory, study-away requirement gained traction.

“Faculty recognized a need for students to understand more about both global issues and domestic diversity. This came together in a focus on cross-cultural skills,” remembers Linda McMillin, retired provost and Degenstein Professor of Leadership.

“We came up with the GO program that would combine preparatory work in understanding culture, an immersion experience in a crosscultural environment (domestic or abroad), and then [post-travel] coursework to reflect and integrate the skills learned.”

campus in a GO Long program. GO Short is also a good fit for students who want more structure in a program with their own SU faculty.

In addition to length, GO Long and GO Short differ in that all of the financial aid a student receives on campus can be used while studying abroad for a semester. This is not the case for GO Short. To address financial need, the university dedicates nearly $1 million annually as financial aid for GO Short programs.

There also were concerns that a studyaway requirement could intimidate prospective students, says Chris Markle ’84, senior advancement officer, who at the time was director of admission.

GOING BEYOND BARRIERS Though the GO program today is linked inextricably with a Susquehanna education, it was not initially without its detractors.

RACHEL LAMBERT ’20, ITALY

GO let me achieve one of my dreams by going out of the country for the first time, knowing no one and being away from home for the longest I had ever been before — all proving to myself that I am capable of anything. I also met people from different countries and cultures who somehow are so much like me yet have so much to teach me. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience I will never forget!

Immediate concerns revolved around access — financial and academic.

Faculty worried that students of limited economic means would not be able to afford the GO requirement, while other faculty and staff wondered how their students would fulfill music, theatre or athletics obligations.

“These were all valid points faculty were raising,” Manning says now, “and the discussions surrounding how to overcome these challenges helped us build a better program that is all-inclusive.”

GO Short was largely developed for those students who are committed to on-campus activities. It allows them to fulfill their study-away requirement in a weeks-long excursion, rather than spend an entire semester away from

“The questions we received most about GO were, ‘How can I afford this,’ ‘How can I fit this in with my sport,’ and ‘Do I have to do this,’ which came mostly from men and some firstgeneration students with limited travel backgrounds,” Markle says. “Although some families were skeptical, most students and parents seemed intrigued by and excited about the GO program.”

In the years immediately after Susquehanna made study-away a requirement, first-year enrollment grew at the university. Despite ups and downs across higher education in subsequent years, SU’s enrollment today is greater than when GO was implemented in 2009.

And in 2013, the program was recognized with higher education’s most prestigious international education award, the Andrew Heiskell Award for Internationalizing the Campus, presented by the Institute of International Education. GO is also ranked as one of the most popular study-abroad programs in the nation.

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WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? Over the past 10 years, GO has grown from a handful of mostly pre-existing programs to more than 125 GO Long and GO Short programs on six continents. Ninety-five percent of SU students study in a foreign country, while the rest study elsewhere in the U.S. Though the number of U.S. students who study abroad continues to rise, there are still challenges.

Manning says GO is in need of additional endowed funds — such as the newly established Rebecca Shade ’54 Mignot Scholarship, which supported

its first three beneficiaries on their GO Short programs last summer — to give the program long-term stabilization.

“We’ve done more to equalize opportunities than any other school I know of, but GO is still a significant financial commitment for the university,” Manning says, “It is, however, one that sets us apart from other colleges. We hear from students all the time that GO is the reason they came to Susquehanna.”

Alumni and friends of the university have certainly put their money where their passports are.

In 2018–19, 185 students received a free passport through Susquehanna’s alumni-supported Passport Caravan, another of the university’s ongoing efforts to remove the barriers that can stand between students and cross-cultural study. Passport Caravan is on track to provide 250 passports this academic year.

Caroline Woodward ’19 received her passport through the Passport Caravan.

Having never traveled out of the country or even been on a plane, she made the most of her global opportunity and

SU’s Study Abroad Curriculum is the ‘Gold Standard’

S

usquehanna’s award-winning Global Opportunities program is unlike any other in the country, though it was implemented at a time when more and more students were studying abroad.

When Susquehanna launched GO in 2009, more than 260,000 U.S. students studied abroad for academic credit, according to the Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange. By the 2016–17 academic year (most recent data), that number had increased nearly 30%.

University President Jonathan D. Green, himself an avid traveler with a long history of supporting international education, remembers “envying Susquehanna when they announced that all students would have a study-away experience.

“Having been deeply involved in international education for many years, I have seen the myriad ways in which these experiences transform students.

Study abroad helps students to become more independent and self-sufficient, it gives them a framework to appreciate

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and better understand the context of their own culture and history,” Green says, “and when delivered in Susquehanna’s model, it strengthens their intercultural competence and gives them an enhanced ability to appreciate and celebrate difference.”

What distinguishes Susquehanna’s program from others is two-fold — study away is a graduation requirement pinned to a pair of bookended, credit-bearing courses taught by professors. One sevenweek course prepares students for their experiences and the other is a reflection course specifically tailored to the program’s academic and personal development goals.

“It’s the gold standard in the field of study abroad,” says David Imhoof, professor of history and director of curriculum for Susquehanna’s GO program. “It’s what allows us to connect GO with the university’s Central Curriculum.”

The preparatory courses students take before they embark on their experience familiarize them with the country they’re

about to visit in practical ways — What is their currency? What laws should I be aware of? What is relevant in their culture now? What is happening politically?

Senior Julie Ehm’s New Zealand prep course taught her about the long history of the country’s indigenous Maori people.

“What we learned translated in our experience there,” Ehm says. “The Maori culture today, in their carried-on traditions, speaks volumes to their heritage and values and what makes all cultures so special. This experience really opened my eyes to not just seeing a culture but being immersed in it.”

The pre-travel course also prepares students for their post-experience reflection by asking them to consider how their crosscultural experience is changing their preconceived notions of the world.

“So many Americans develop their views of other cultures with almost no direct personal experience,” says David Richard, London native and professor of biology at

chose a semester-long GO program in Macau, China.

country — yet always finding her way home.

Did she get lost? Yes, more than once.

She took the wrong bus. She couldn’t find her hostel. But she also stood on Victoria Peak in Hong Kong. She visited Tiananmen Square in Beijing. And she climbed the Great Wall of China.

“The absolute freedom I felt was unexpected and wonderful,” Woodward says. “I didn’t for a second believe that traveling by myself would be so personally fulfilling. I realized that I was indeed the biggest obstacle in my way.”

Woodward’s biggest takeaway from her experience is less tangible than souvenirs or snapshots. She gained a confidence that only comes from repeatedly getting lost in a foreign

Read how GO impacted the lives of other alumni at www.susqu.edu/GO-quotes.

SU Also Host to International Students Alex Mitrenko ’05 was a foreign exchange student at Selinsgrove Area High School when he decided to continue his education at Susquehanna.

Susquehanna. Richard leads two GO programs — one to Australia and one to Nepal. He was on the ground floor of GO’s genesis more than 10 years ago.

“Study abroad presents the opportunity to counter this by exposing students to other cultures that can help to develop their understanding of what it means to be different,” he says.

After students return to campus, they are required to assess their time away.

Imhoof thinks of this process as an onion, with the first layer being the more superficial, Instagram-able moments students remember. Deeper understanding comes through additional programming like that offered by the Career Development Center, which teaches students how to market their cross-cultural experience to potential employers. The reflection process comes full circle when students can articulate how their experience changed them and the way they view the world.

Judith Goltz ’11 had traveled internationally before her GO Japan program but had never taken the time to “step back to observe and appreciate the intricate details of different cultures.

“By reflecting on the differences, I learned more about myself and what I want to give back to the world,” Goltz says. “Now, nine years later, I am living and teaching in Jordan.”

It’s possible some students won’t travel internationally after the conclusion of their GO program, but their immersion in another culture while an SU student is something that can broaden their worldview for the rest of their lives.

“Sometimes these experiences get shoeboxed and then they’re only pulled out at certain times,” Imhoof says. “We want students to think about, what can I bring back to the culture I live in now?

It forces them to think in concrete ways about what was great about their experience and how they can make that part of their life moving forward.”

Since graduating with a degree in finance, Mitrenko earned his master’s degree in business administration from Drexel University and has spent the past 12 years as an associate with Prudential.

A native of Ukraine, he still remembers arriving in Selinsgrove as one of 100 international students coming to the U.S. “We’d heard about the states. No one had been there before, so everybody wanted to go to a city — New York, Los Angeles,” Mitrenko says. “I thought I was enjoying city life in Ukraine, but I just love Selinsgrove.”

He still lives in Selinsgrove; it’s his home.

This summer, he accomplished his long-held dream of obtaining his American citizenship.

“If I could do it all over again, I’d stay at SU,” Mitrenko says. “Susquehanna was a dream come true.”

Above: Alex Mitrenko stands with George Kinney after Mitrenko took his citizenship oath. Kinney hosted Mitrenko during his high school and college years; they remain close friends, as the two regularly travel to Ukraine together to visit Mitrenko’s family.

SPANNING THE GLOBE

OR

SU interns and graduates gain worldwide placement

CA AZ

BELGIUM

CANADA

NETHERLANDS

IRELAND

GERMANY

ENGLAND

AUSTRIA

ROMANIA

FRANCE ALBANIA

U.S.A.

PORTUGAL

SPAIN ITALY

CYPRUS GREECE ISRAEL

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC MEXICO

BELIZE

SENEGAL

U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS JAMAICA

THE GAMBIA

GHANA

COSTA RICA

ZAMBIA NAMIBIA

CHILE ARGENTINA

WHO IS WHERE? INTERNSHIPS EMPLOYERS BOTH 10 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

SOUTH AFRICA

ME

MT VT WI

NY

WY PA OH

IN

DC

CO

VA

KS

NH

MA

CT

INTERCULTURAL IMMERSION LEADS TO EMPLOYMENT IN OTHER COUNTRIES

NJ DE MD

NC

TN AR

SC MS

GA

AL

Many Susquehanna students maximize their Global Opportunities experience by completing an international internship, which for some acts as a springboard into an overseas career after graduation.

TX FL HI

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

“We know that intercultural competence in and of itself is a skill that many employers seek in their new hires and one that our Global Opportunities program instills through its unique curriculum,” says Molly Roe, director of Global Opportunities programs at Susquehanna. “Further bolstering our students with an international internship in their field of study can help them stand out even more as they enter the workforce.”

SOUTH KOREA JAPAN CHINA

TAIWAN

THAILAND

In 2017, Susquehanna’s Global Opportunities–London Program, offered through the Sigmund Weis School of Business, added a required, 10-week internship for all students enrolled in the semester-long program.

The business school has long had students interning in various parts of the world, but the London Program’s requirement strengthens the international exposure the school provides its students at a time when global experiences are increasingly important.

VIETNAM

SINGAPORE

The opportunity to complete an international internship is available to most students while they are on their GO experience.

AUSTRALIA

NEW ZEALAND

Data represents a sampling of countries from 2015–19.

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BY LOGAN SWEET ’15

M A N ON A How a Grad Helped Put Man on the Moon 50 Years Ago

“Want to see some rockets?”

As soon as he asks the question, a boyish grin spreads across his face. Twenty-five years have passed since Jon Haussler ’59 retired from NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, but time has not dulled his passion for space travel.

Haussler was triple-majoring in math, physics and chemistry at Susquehanna as the “Space Race” was heating up. It was an epic contest between two Cold War rivals — the United States and the former Soviet Union — to achieve various firsts in spaceflight, with the ultimate goal of landing a man on the moon.

“I had Dr. T. Townson Smith for physics at SU. In 1957, when I was a junior, the Russians launched the first satellite,” he recalls. “We came into class the next morning and had a lot of questions. Dr. Smith went to the board and worked through several long and difficult equations to show us what had to be done for Sputnik to stay in orbit. It was fascinating.”

As a boy growing up in nearby Sunbury, Pennsylvania, Haussler couldn’t have dreamed of the role he’d play in the United States’ journey to space because the technology didn’t yet exist.

As a Susquehannan, Haussler was coming of age at a critical moment in American history. Tens of millions of people across the United States and the former Soviet Union were tuned into the two competing superpowers, as each was vying to prove

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to the world that they, and they alone, had the best scientists, technology and economies in a post–World War II era.

The competition was intensely fierce. It was plagued with propaganda, but it also saw monumental scientific achievements, milestones that are everlasting. It’s why today, more than five decades later, we study Sputnik and Endeavor, why Apollo is not just a Greek god, and why names like Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Yuri Gagarin will be forever stitched into the fabric of history.

“I bought a copy of the Philadelphia Inquirer that had a write-up about that first satellite. I was so interested in space and the opportunities there, so when NASA was created, I was in my glory. I was ready to go,” Haussler beams.

And soon he was on the ground floor of the U.S. space program. a part of World history Prior to his graduation, Haussler was intrigued by a pamphlet circulating throughout the physics department. Its cover was stamped with the official seals of three government agencies, and its inside touted new and exciting opportunities for physicists, mathematicians and chemists. He felt it spoke directly to him.

“I wanted to go into civil service or use my skills to get some kind of government job that would give me and my future family the same benefits my dad had,” he recounts.

LJ ABRAMS

fa l l 2019 · Susquehanna Currents · 13

After receiving a call for an interview, he located Huntsville, Alabama, on a map, loaded his ’53 Mercury coupe and made the 12-hour drive. He was hired almost immediately in the Army Ballistic Missile Agency. Along with thousands of other young, eager scientists, Haussler possessed the skills, determination and unrelenting curiosity needed to build the nation’s burgeoning space program.

A year after moving to Alabama, Haussler became one of the first employees of NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, the U.S. government’s civilian rocketry and spacecraft propulsion research center.

As he reminisces about his roles in what are arguably some of humankind’s greatest scientific accomplishments, Haussler’s demeanor shifts. He sits a little taller in his chair. He speaks a little quicker and a little louder. The fleeting smile that appears after cracking the occasional joke lingers when he talks about the science that made NASA’s most famous missions possible.

He was at Marshall when it was first dedicated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower and when President John F. Kennedy made his announcement in 1961 that the United States was going to send a man to the moon.

By 1965, Haussler was one of 7,500 government employees working toward that goal. Though the term “aerospace” had only just begun to be used, he was given the title of aerospace engineer. As a member of the early Apollo missions, Haussler worked on flight evaluations, looking for anomalies between pre- and post-flight trajectories.

The Apollo 11 mission ultimately culminated with Neil Armstrong becoming the first person to set foot on the lunar surface. Haussler was an important member behind the scenes — he worked with a team to slingshot Apollo 11’s Saturn V rocket around the moon to avoid trajectories that presented collision hazards.

After Apollo 11 and the first moon landing, Haussler managed various elements of the Apollo missions that followed. For his role in the Apollos 13 through 17, he oversaw the lunar impact team, which was tasked with crashing the Saturn V into the moon to perform seismic measurements of the lunar surface.

mission, Haussler served as the interface between NASA and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).

Haussler also worked on the Hubble Space Telescope and, before his retirement in 1994, he helped with the development of the International Space Station.

“Looking back, I think of all the things that we achieved. At the time, we were just doing our jobs,” Haussler says. “We were given tasks and we were asked to make things happen, and we did. Now I see the significance of those jobs. I can see how important our work really was, and I’m thankful that I had an education that allowed me to be a part of that.”

He doesn’t say he’s proud of the work he has done, but he doesn’t really have to, either. The joy he experienced throughout his career is unmistakable, and the pride that he still feels is obvious.

“We’re the only country that’s gone to the moon. Not Russia or China or anyone else has been able to follow us. That’s quite the accomplishment,” he states. a hero to next-gens Today, Haussler volunteers as a docent at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. The center sits adjacent to his former workspaces at Marshall, and displays rockets, artifacts and achievements of the United States space program.

Each time he visits the museum, Haussler slips on a perfectly pressed white lab coat. A name badge is clipped to its front pocket, an American flag is sewn onto its sleeve and the dark blue NASA emeritus insignia boldly covers its back. It’s like he is going back to work. In a way, he is.

“I help people understand what’s on display at the center and answer the questions they have. I want them to be able to understand what they’re seeing,” Haussler says.

Often he’s interrupted by enthusiastic visitors. Each of them brings questions, new and old, which he answers with grace and enthusiasm. “Did you really work for NASA?” museumgoers often ask.

“There aren’t many of us original NASA guys still around,” he says, “who worked in the program and saw the Apollo missions from inception to completion.”

The Space & Rocket Center is also home to the internationally acclaimed Space Camp, a program that enables students from around the world to study space and the history of space travel.

Program graduates become historians, researchers and even astronauts. Campers often approach Haussler, hoping he’ll share his stories with them. As he does, they listen intently.

He later worked on Skylab, the first space station launched and operated by NASA, and then Spacelab, a reusable laboratory developed by the European Space Agency. During the Skylab

Unlike Haussler, Space Camp students have grown up with dreams of visiting space. Because of him, they might actually live their dream.

14 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

Celebrating the second class inducted in the Susquehanna football Ring of Honor.

MORE ON RING OF HONOR, PAGE 22

DEPARTMENTS

PEOPLE & PLACES

SCOREBOARD

THE ’GROVE

PEOPLE & PLACES

THE WHO, WHAT AND WHERE FOR ALL THINGS SUSQUEHANNA

3+2 = 2 in 5

Engineering Grads Garner Two Degrees in Five Years Students are now able to earn a bachelor’s degree from Susquehanna University in addition to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in engineering from one of three top-50 universities in the U.S. Susquehanna has launched two new dual-degree programs with Washington University in St. Louis and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

The university already offers a cooperative engineering program with Columbia University in New York.

“Our cooperative programs with Columbia, WashU and Case Western give our students a range of opportunities in multiple areas of engineering,” says Samya Zain, associate professor and chair of the Department of Physics at Susquehanna.

Hareem Zain

“

“Students taking advantage of these opportunities will receive the unique combination of a liberal arts and sciences education and an engineering degree from one of three of the leading universities in the country. It’s a coupling that will ensure they stand out in a highly competitive workplace.”

Through Susquehanna’s 3+2 dual-degree programs, in just five years students can earn a Bachelor of Science from Susquehanna and a Bachelor of Science in engineering from WashU, Case Western Reserve or Columbia. Degrees are conferred upon completion of the program, and students can choose to pursue a master’s degree.

Columbia One of Three Program Options

THE HIGH DIFFICULTY OF THE PROGRAM ALSO YIELDS FANTASTIC RESULTS AND REWARDS, AND THE RESOURCES THAT YOU GAIN FROM BOTH SCHOOLS ARE IMMENSE.

”

16 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

Hareem Zain (son of Dr. Zain) is one of the first students to study engineering at Columbia through Susquehanna’s 3+2 cooperative agreement.

Hareem will earn a physics degree from SU and a mechanical engineering degree through Columbia’s Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science.

“SU’s accelerated program is a good training for the intensity of Columbia’s engineering curriculum,” Zain says.

“You really need to want to do engineering and be fully dedicated to the program for all five years. The high difficulty of the program also yields fantastic results and rewards, and the resources that you gain from both schools are immense,” he adds.

Columbia’s School of Engineering and Applied Science is one of the top engineering schools in the United States and the world. It is ranked 14th among the best engineering graduate schools by U.S. News & World Report, and second within the Ivy League.

Anne Loeliger of Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania, is currently pursuing a civil engineering degree at Columbia, and Julia Hutsko of Harveys Lake, Pennsylvania, also was accepted into Columbia. A physics major, Hutsko plans to major in biomedical engineering.

“Getting a science degree at a liberal arts university allowed me to learn about important concepts that I otherwise wouldn’t have,” Hutsko says. “I’m getting a well-rounded education at Susquehanna because I’ve been able to explore multiple fields of study in addition to my major.”

“This is an incredibly challenging program and requires complete commitment from the students enrolled,” says Dr. Zain. “These students should be extremely proud of all they’ve accomplished thus far and know that the academic and personal development they’ve gained at Susquehanna will position them well to be successful at Columbia University and beyond.”

Four Majors Debut This Fall Susquehanna’s students can select from an expanded offering of majors beginning this fall.

Graphic design majors will now seek candidacy for a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA), a new degree program that requires 72 credits and serves students who are focused on achieving a professional career in graphic design, advertising, publishing or other industry sectors.

“Over the past decade, it has become essential for graphic designers to be as educated in interactive design as they are in traditional print design,” says Mark Fertig, professor and chair of the Department of Art and Design at Susquehanna. “Our new BFA program allows us to devote more attention to digital design and continue graduating students who are poised to tackle all aspects of design when they enter the professional marketplace.”

The Bachelor of Arts (BA) program, which has been a part of Susquehanna’s curriculum since 2003, continues as a 48-credit program that primarily serves students who see graphic design as a complementary second major. In addition, it includes a greater balance of courses in art history, studio art and graphic design.

Offered through the Department of Political Science, the new legal studies major is available to students who are interested in pursuing a career in law or the legal system.

Columbia University

This pre-professional program draws on courses from political science, sociology, anthropology and philosophy. Students in this major will receive a broad-based introduction — giving them the freedom to discover if they’d like to continue to law school or pursue a legal or related career, including court administration, criminal investigations, public administration or nonprofit management.

Real-world experience is available through a guaranteed, paid internship with Susquehanna’s Arlin M. Adams Center for Law and Society.

Two new majors are being offered through the Sigmund Weis School of Business — international business and management.

International business majors will develop the cross-cultural and business skills to effectively manage all types of enterprises in a global environment as well as prepare local and national organizations to expand across international borders. The program requires students to complete an international internship, enabling them to experience firsthand the differences and challenges of working in a foreign environment while also developing an understanding and appreciation of other cultures.

Intended for students who wish to manage and lead organizational activities, the management major provides a broad background in management. They will develop the ability to manage people and relationships in for-profit and nonprofit organizations and grow business opportunities.

fa l l 2018 · Susquehanna Currents · 17

PEOPLE & PLACES

Weaving a Culture of Diversity and Inclusion Susquehanna University held its first-ever Lavender Graduation Ceremony, an event to honor lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and ally students by acknowledging their achievements and contributions to the university.

The celebratory scene was one that David German ’84 could scarcely have imagined when he was a student, and he shed some happy tears at the sight of it.

German, the inaugural ceremony’s speaker, described his college experience as fulfilling, but lonely. A member of SU’s track team, a resident advisor and active in drug and alcohol awareness initiatives, German was a popular student on campus. But he never felt free to truly be himself.

Today, he is happily married to his husband, Andrew, and they have two sons, Ben, 17, and Matthew, 12. He is an assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at George Washington University’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences.

He said he has high hopes for the future of the current graduates.

“It doesn’t mean all is good,” German said. “There may be students who aren’t out to their families, who were afraid to come. I think that would have been me 35 years ago. But I hope everyone came tonight who wanted to.”

Susquehanna’s Lavender Graduation Ceremony is one of two affinity ceremonies that honor the accomplishments and experiences of students from historically marginalized and underrepresented communities. Now in its fourth year, Umoja — the Swahili word for unity — honors students of color at Susquehanna. Umoja ceremonies are held in the fall to welcome first-year students and in the spring to celebrate graduating seniors.

“We welcome them to the community as they arrive, and we send them off to take the world by storm,” says Stacey Pearson-Wharton, dean of health and wellness and director of SU’s Counseling Center.

At the graduation ceremonies, Umoja participants receive a stole made of Kente cloth, a fabric native to the Ashanti region of Ghana, and seniors at the Lavender ceremony receive a lavender cord to wear during commencement exercises, if they choose. Lavender is the chosen color for its significance to LGBTQ history. It is a combination of the pink triangle that gay men were forced to wear in concentration camps and the black triangle designating lesbians as political prisoners in Nazi Germany. The LGBTQ civil rights movement combined these symbols of hatred, making them symbols of pride and community.

David German ’84 at the first Lavender Graduation Ceremony

Olu Onafowora, Dave Ramsaran and Mimi Diallo ’19 celebrate Umoja 2019.

18 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

Sustainability and Literature Intersect Members of the Class of 2022 teamed up with staff from the Blough-Weis Library and the Office of Sustainability to plant an edible Shakespeare garden on campus.

A Shakespearean garden is simply a garden that contains some of the 175 plants and herbs mentioned in Shakespeare’s writings.

“If we were going to do a class project, I wanted to enrich the sustainability around campus and also include the students in it and make something interactive,” says Maddi Laubscher ’22, of Watsontown, Pennsylvania, of the Class of 2022’s involvement.

Susquehanna’s Shakespeare garden complements the Blough-Weis Library’s Jane Conrad Apple Rare Books Room, which focuses on the life and works of William Shakespeare and the Elizabethan and Tudor periods.

The collection includes a number of first and limited editions as well as rare books from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries.

Susquehanna’s Shakespeare garden includes marjoram (King Lear), parsley (The Taming of the Shrew) and rosemary (Hamlet), as well as calendula (The Winter’s Tale), hyssop (Othello) and much more.

“Herbs were a great way to get started and have a structure that will go from year to year,” says Meg Garnett, special collections librarian who researched Shakespeare’s writings and selected the plants for the garden.

The garden also includes signs that identify each plant and how it was used in Shakespeare’s writings.

“We hope that through this we can encourage students to take from the garden and use it for whatever they want to,” Laubscher says.

Above: Shakespeare Garden Left: Maddi Laubscher ’22

“ I wanted to enrich the sustainability around campus and also include the students in it and make something interactive.”

— MADDI LAUBSCHER ’22

fa l l 2019 · Susquehanna Currents · 19

SCOREBOARD

NEWS FROM SUSQUEHANNA ATHLETICS

ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES HONORED During Homecoming,

DR. MICHAEL CORDAS ’63 provided 13 years of outstanding service to Susquehanna athletics from 1976 to 1989 as the school’s medical director and team physician. As a student-athlete, he was a two-year letter winner for the SU football team as well as a member of the track & field program. He was also inducted into the Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers Society Hall of Fame in 2003.

BOBBY EPPLEMAN ’11 starred for Susquehanna on

the gridiron and as a field athlete on the track & field team. As punter/kicker, he helped the Crusaders to the 2009 Liberty League championship title and was named the 2009 Liberty Special Teams Player of the Year. He picked up three Landmark Conference Athlete of the Year awards in track & field — the 2007–08 Indoor Rookie of the Year, the 2009–10 Indoor Field Athlete of the Year and the 2008 Outdoor Rookie of the Year.

seven distinguished alumni were inducted into the Susquehanna University Athletics Hall of Fame for their exemplary achievements and contributions to the campus community and athletics program.

20 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

LINDSEY JANKIEWICZ ’11 BREINER was a standout on the volleyball court and in the pool. She graduated as the school and Landmark Conference record holder in kills with 1,757, ending her career as a three-time All-Landmark First Team selection and being named the 2010 Landmark Player of the Year.

As a backstroker, she was a three-time All-Landmark performer in the 100 backstroke, winning the event at the 2009 Landmark Conference Championships.

DEVIN LESSARD ’13 became Susquehanna’s

first-ever All-American in swimming when she finished fifth in the 200 butterfly at the 2013 NCAA Division III Men’s and Women’s Swimming & Diving Championships. She was the Landmark Conference Women’s Swimmer of the Year in her final two years and also the 2009–10 Landmark Women’s Rookie of the Year. She holds four school records, two Landmark Conference marks and the Landmark championship meet record in the 200 fly.

DON MCLOUGHLIN ’90 was the 6-foot-8-inch center

for the Susquehanna men’s basketball team. He helped lead the team to back-to-back Middle Atlantic Conference Northwest Section titles as a junior and senior. He averaged a team-best 7.9 rebounds and third-best 13.3 points in his final season, landing him on the MAC All-Stars First Team. He ended his career as a 1,000-point scorer with 1,121 points.

Known for hitting the long ball, CHRIS PRICE ’10 was named a D3baseball.com All-America First Team selection in 2008 at catcher after hitting .469 (a Landmark Conference season record) with 69 hits, 46 RBIs, 44 runs, 14 doubles, nine home runs and two triples. He holds the school records in hits (213), RBIs (158), runs (127) and home runs (20).

He also garnered two All-Landmark awards, including a first-team nod in 2008.

HAWK TALK Baseball athlete Steve Lorenz ’20 picked up American Baseball Coaches Association/ Rawlings Mid-Atlantic All-Region Third Team honors after leading Susquehanna to the program’s third Landmark Conference championship and an appearance in the NCAA Division III Baseball Championship Tournament.

Denny Bowers ’01 and his staff claimed their third Landmark Conference Baseball Coaching Staff of the Year award, while Ryan Monroy ’22 picked up the Landmark Baseball Rookie of the Year honor, becoming the fourth River Hawk to do so. Bowers guided the team to a 24–18 (14–4 Landmark) overall record and an undefeated mark in Landmark Conference Championship play, going 3–0 in the league playoffs. Monroy posted a 5–2 record with a 3.84 ERA and team-best 54 strikeouts in 61 innings pitched.

Men’s lacrosse athlete Dylan Abplanalp ’19 was named an USILA/Warrior and New Balance Division III All-America Honorable Mention, while Travis Yaga ’19 landed on the USILA/Warrior and New Balance Division III Scholar All-America Team. The duo helped the River Hawks reach the Landmark Conference championship game for the second year in a row, posting 10-plus wins for the second consecutive season.

CARA SWERDLOW ’11 dominated the pitching

circle for Susquehanna for four years. She still remains SU’s career record holder in strikeouts (593), innings pitched (508.2), wins (52) and shutouts (19). Named to the 2011 National Fastpitch Coaches Association (NFCA) All-East Region First Team, she was voted the Landmark Conference Co-Pitcher of the Year the same year after posting a 15–4 record with two no-hitters.

fa l l 2018 · Susquehanna Currents · 21

SCOREBOARD

New Class Inducted in 2019 Football Ring of Honor Fifth-year head coach Tom Perkovich welcomed the Football Ring of Honor’s second class during halftime of the Sept. 28 home game against Franklin & Marshall College. This year’s inductees are Rod Bamford ’84, Steve Briggs, Richard Caruso ’65, Bill Muir ’65, William “Rocky” Rees, Ernie Tyler ’72 and the 1991 Team.

Ring of Honor inductees

22 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

The Ring of Honor recognizes the accomplishments of players, coaches, administrators and staff involved with Susquehanna University football over the years. The nominees are voted on by registered members of the football program and selected by the Ring of Honor Committee. Visit suriverhawks.com/ring-of-honor for the complete story.

HAWK TALK Samantha Thompson ’19 was named the 2018–19 Landmark Conference Women’s Golf Senior Scholar-Athlete. She is the first-ever River Hawk to garner the Senior ScholarAthlete award for women’s golf. She finished her career as a two-time All-Landmark selection, including First Team honors in 2018.

RIvER HAwKs

MICHAEL “MIKE” TUBB

GABRIELLE “GABBY” HOLKO

Kasey Bost ’20 of the softball team repeated as a Google Cloud Academic All-District® Division III Softball First Team selection.

A two-time All-Landmark pick, she is a two-sport athlete (volleyball and softball).

JON GIRARD

New Year, New Faces The Susquehanna athletics department welcomes three new head coaches.

MICHAEL “MIKE” TUBB is the new head coach of the Susquehanna men’s and women’s swimming & diving programs, bringing seven years of coaching experience across the Division I and III levels. He possesses a solid background in building a culture of academic success. The past five seasons, he served as the assistant coach for The University of Illinois at Chicago, a Division I school.

GABRIELLE “GABBY” HOLKO becomes the women’s basketball program’s 12th head coach in its 60-year history. Her coaching style and philosophy are deeply rooted in the NCAA Division III principles of discover, develop, dedicate. The majority of her nine-year career, both as a player and coach, has been spent in Division III, with a one-year stop at the junior college level.

JON GIRARD brings over 10 years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach and holds certifications from the National Strength & Conditioning Association and the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association. He also owns a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Sports Performance Certification and a Precision Nutrition Level 1 Certification. Most recently, he served the University of Buffalo as assistant director of football strength & conditioning.

Sara Arbogast ’21 gained Landmark Outdoor Track Athlete of the Year laurels after capturing four individual titles in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash, long jump and triple jump. She also earned U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association All-Mideast Region honors in the 200-meter dash and the triple jump. She finished 20th in the NCAA Division III Outdoor Track & Field Championships in the triple jump.

Chris Petraskie ’20 garnered his second consecutive Landmark Outdoor Field Athlete of the Year accolade after winning four medals, including gold in the high jump and triple jump. Petraskie and Robert Marks ’20 both picked up USTFCCCA All-Mideast Region laurels in the high jump and javelin, respectively.

THE ’GROVE

STORIES FROM AROUND CAMPUS AND AROUND TOWN

Q&A Justin Rummel joined Susquehanna in March as assistant vice president for student financial services, bringing a broad range of experience in higher education over an 18-year career. Most recently, he was the director of financial aid at Salisbury University, Maryland. His career began in the public sector as a research analyst for the Republican Caucus in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and as a federal policy analyst for the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency.

Q: How early should families start planning to finance a college education? Any tips?

A: The earlier, the better. A variety of financial products can help families save for college, regardless of the child’s age. Education Savings Accounts allow families to save $2,000/year per child with a higher rate of return than a traditional savings account.

The accounts grow tax free, and education-related withdrawals are also tax free. 529 Plans are another popular, tax-free option, and they don’t have income or contribution restrictions. Another option is a Uniform Transfer/Gifts to Minors that can be used for non-educational expenses and the account’s contributor still receives a tax benefit.

Justin Rummel

Assistant Vice President for Student Financial Services

During a student’s senior year in high school, they should apply for as many scholarships as possible. Websites like fastweb.com and scholarships.com are great resources. I would also encourage students to get jobs to place funds in a savings account and get college credit during high school.

Q: Many people assume that a public university is more affordable than a private college. Are they correct?

“

AS A FIRST-GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT, I THINK MY PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCES CAN CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF NOT ONLY SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY STUDENTS, BUT ALSO HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND FAMILIES IN THE REGION AS THEY PREPARE FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER IN THEIR UNIQUE STORIES.

”

24 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

A: That assumption is fundamentally flawed because there are many variables that come into play. The key figure to focus on is the “net price” of college, i.e., the listed cost of attendance or “sticker price,” less the institutional merit and need-based aid provided by the institution. According to the College Board, private colleges award on average 10 times more merit and need-based aid than public institutions.

Q: Student loan debt is a growing concern. What do you tell families?

A: While the rise in student loan debt has received a lot of media coverage, what gets lost in the conversation is the fact that a higher education is the best investment you can make in your lifetime. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York recently released a report demonstrating workers with a bachelor’s degree on average earn well over $1 million more than high school graduates during their working lives. Families should research such criteria as college graduation rates, student-faculty ratios and opportunities for internships and research. Students also should think about their intended major and how it can be applied professionally.

Q: What attracted you to Susquehanna and this region?

A: Over the last 10 years, I’ve developed my career and started a family in the Washington, D.C. area, but the Susquehanna Valley has always held a special place in my heart.

SYLLABUS

Theatre Course Steals the Show Long before the curtains part, students in Erik Viker’s Stagecraft class are already hard at work behind the scenes.

Each year, as SU theatregoers book their seats, this cast of student stagehands creates the scenery that astounds audiences on opening night.

Professor and head of theatre, Viker has been teaching Stagecraft since his arrival at SU in 2003. He describes the course as an “immersion-learning” introduction to theatre technology. Students bring scripts to life as they learn the basics of scenic construction, installation and operations.

FORWARD THINKING

Study Reveals the Susquehanna River Isn’t Immune to Microplastics Microplastics are having a moment.

The public is becoming increasingly aware of the toll microplastics — particles less than 5mm in size — are taking on our environment.

But it’s not just oceans that are vulnerable.

As senior ecology major Timothy Parks found in research he presented at Senior Scholars Day, the smallmouth bass in the Susquehanna River are also affected.

Though the course is required for theatre majors, Viker’s crew welcomes students from all departments.

“Smallmouth bass are the top predators in these systems, so they are a good indicator of what the overall microplastic load is in the water body,” Parks says.

“Non-majors seem to find this different type of learning enjoyable,” Viker explains. “Stagecraft class is a valuable part of an overall liberal arts education, which should always help students learn how to think critically, communicate effectively and solve problems.”

Parks dissected the stomachs of 67 smallmouth bass taken from the Susquehanna River in 2017 and 2018. Ninety-five percent of the 2018 smallmouth bass contained microplastics — up from 87% the previous year.

Whether one is a major or non-major, performer or technician, Viker promises the results can be showstopping.

“There is a moment in every production when the audience and the artists come together and are changed, emerging from the experience somehow greater than they were before,” he says.

Viker’s students give the course a lot of props. Susquehanna alumna and former Stagecraft student Ashley Harman ’10 currently works as a carpenter for Cirque du Soleil, the world’s largest theatrical producer.

“I loved the hands-on aspect of the class,” recalls Harman, who majored in theatre production & design. “It was always rewarding to know that the scenery built was something that you created.”

After Susquehanna, Harman earned her MFA in scenic design & production from the University of Arkansas and spent three years working in the Broadway Touring industry.

Two years ago, she transitioned to Cirque du Soleil, joining an international tour across Russia, Europe and South America before transferring to the Amaluna tour.

“We’re not exactly sure why there was such an increase,” Parks says. “The water flow was up in 2018, so that could have something to do with it.”

Senior Scholars Day provides an opportunity for students completing research, scholarly or creative projects — in topics ranging from art and business to science and music — to present the results of their work to the public. It is a tradition that has continued for more than 30 years at Susquehanna, and is currently supported by the Office of the Provost and the Career Development Center.

Parks collaborated with Jonathan Niles, director of Susquehanna’s Freshwater Research Institute; the state Fish and Boat Commission; and the state Department of Environmental Protection. His microplastics research is a continuation of research that was begun in 2017 by Thomas Bluj ’18. Bluj went on to earn his master’s degree in management from the Pennsylvania State University and currently works as a solar energy consultant at Vivint Solar in Pine Brook, New Jersey.

Parks will continue his research this fall.

Today, Harman claims Viker deserves a standing ovation.

“Erik has a special ability to teach the curriculum of a class while sneaking in valuable life lessons,” she says. “I feel confident and comfortable taking on a variety of roles within my industry because of the preparation I gained through his course.” —Hannah Phillips fa l l 2019 · Susquehanna Currents · 25

THE ’GROVE KUDOS

Faculty Earns NEH Grant A joint project meant to encourage civil discourse through classroom discussions and community outreach is underway through an $83,820 grant awarded to Susquehanna professors from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Promoting Civil Discourse in a Polarizing World is a two-year curriculum development project creating two interdisciplinary courses for students as well as workshops that Susquehanna professors will conduct for other universities to help them build their own projects.

“We know we live in divided times, where people tend to be more isolated from those who have opposing worldviews,” Betsy Verhoeven, associate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and associate professor of English and creative writing, says. “Our project will engage students and faculty in projects that allow them to build and practice meaningful dialogue despite political and social differences.”

The project has three core subject areas: • R HETORIC engages students in the study of making better arguments.

• POLITICAL SCIENCE helps students understand aspects of partisanship and ideological polarization.

• MARKETING allows students to gain a greater understanding of rhetoric within the modern infrastructure, particularly online platforms and social media.

Co-directors are Nicholas Clark, associate professor of political science, and Emma Fleck, associate professor of management.

Susquehanna’s grant was awarded through the NEH’s Humanities Connections program, aimed at expanding the role of the humanities in undergraduate education. Created in 1965 as an independent federal agency, the NEH supports research and learning in history, literature, philosophy and other areas of the humanities by funding selected, peerreviewed proposals from around the nation.

Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this article do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Professors Receive Distinguished Awards Every year at Commencement, the university honors three members of the faculty with awards for scholarship and creative activity, teaching and advising.

The John C. Horn Distinguished Service Lectureship was awarded to Karla Kelsey, professor of English and creative writing, in recognition for her outstanding scholarship and conscientious service to the university. Kelsey joined the faculty in 2005. Since that time, she has built an impressive record of publications, including four books and two additional manuscripts in press. Each successive publication has expanded her reputation and recognition.

The Susquehanna University Donald D. Housley Teaching Award was given to Olu Onafowora, professor and chair of the Department of Economics. Since joining the faculty in 1989, Onafowora has established himself as a passionate teacher and prolific scholar. This past year, he led a joint project on inclusive pedagogy, the goal of which was to increase rigor and student understanding and success in economics.

The Lawrence A. Lemons Distinguished Academic Advising Award was given to Andrea Lopez, associate professor of political science. Lopez has been an active scholar and an excellent teacher since joining the faculty in 2000; however, her work as an advisor has been truly outstanding. She has worked with a range of students across several majors with complex curriculums. She is known as a font of information, a sympathetic ear and a supportive mentor.

26 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

Bragging Rights!

98%

96

64% HIGHER

OF STUDENTS ARE EMPLOYED OR IN GRAD SCHOOL WITHIN 6 MONTHS

(10 years after enrolling)

PERCENT

OF GRADUATING STUDENTS FINISH IN FOUR YEARS OR LESS

A MONG TOP 40 NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS UNIVERSITIES

For our contribution to the public good through promotion of social mobility, research and service —Washington Monthly, 2019

A MONG THE TOP 16% OF COLLEGES NATIONWIDE

For student success and learning —Wall Street Journal/Times Higher Education, 2019

2 019–20 BEST COLLEGES FOR YOUR MONEY

A quality education at an affordable price that helps students launch promising careers —Money magazine

2 019 BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK — TOP 100 OF COLLEGES IN THE NORTHEAST

—Washington Monthly

ONE OF AMERICA’S TOP COLLEGES 2019

—Forbes business magazine

N O. 117 ON NATIONAL LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES LIST

—U.S. News & World Report’s 2020 Best Colleges

TOP 5 IN PA FOR GETTING A JOB

The 10 Best Colleges for Jobs in Pennsylvania for 2019 —Zippia, The Career Expert

Susquehanna University is a proud member of The Annapolis Group, comprising approximately 130 leading national independent liberal arts colleges.

EARNINGS THAN NATIONAL MEDIAN FOR 4-YEAR COLLEGE GRADS

T OP 13% OF U.S. COLLEGES ANNUAL COLLEGE RANKINGS

Called out for “top-notch” creative writing program, “outstanding” music education program and “strong” science departments —The Princeton Review, 2020

N O. 6 NATIONWIDE AND NO. 1 IN PA FOR BACCALAUREATE STUDY ABROAD

—Open Doors 2018, Institute for International Education

NO. 4 AMONG BEST COLLEGES IN PA FOR DESIGN AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION

—Zippia, The Career Expert

N O. 20 AMONG BEST PRE-COLLEGE SUMMER PROGRAMS

For our residential programs for high school students —Value Colleges, 2018

N O. 27 AMONG U.S. ECONOMICS DEPARTMENTS AT LIBERAL ARTS COLLEGES

—Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, 2019

C REATIVE WRITING MAJOR RANKED NO. 6 IN PENNSYLVANIA

—Zippia, The Career Expert, 2018

O. 14 AMONG BEST SCHOOLS IN U.S. N FOR COMMUNICATIONS

—College Factual, 2019

The Sigmund Weis School of Business is among the top 5% of business programs worldwide — and one of the few undergraduate-only programs — to have earned AACSB accreditation, a mark of excellence.

S AV E T H E D AT E

DA Y

OF

IN GIV

G

W E D N E S D AY, M A R C H 4 , 2 0 2 0 OneSU

ONE DAY. ONE AMAZING IMPACT. WATCH FOR DETAILS ON: Challenge gift opportunities • Live video feeds from campus • How you can help www.susqu.edu/OneSU

As the Tony Award–winning musical Fiddler on the Roof delights audiences across the country on its revival tour, Danny Arnold ’07 delivers commanding performances in his dream role of Tevye.

MORE ON DANNY ARNOLD ’07, PAGE 34

PHOTOGRAPH BY JOAN MARCUS

MESSAGE BOARD

ALUMNI NEWS

CLASS NOTES

REGIONAL CHAPTER NEWS

DEATHS

CLASS NOTES

MESSAGE BOARD

Alumni Add Value to the University Did you know that Susquehanna has an Alumni Board that works hard to strengthen the connection between you and our alma mater? Consisting of alumni from the classes of 1968 to 2017, these exceptional individuals bring ideas and experiences as partners to the university’s Office of Advancement.

The board helps move forward the work of the alumni office and, most importantly, advances the visibility and value of Susquehanna for us all.

Expanding SU SERVE across the globe, creating Break Through (the studentalumni networking conference) and increasing alumni-giving participation through OneSU, Susquehanna’s annual Day of Giving, are all recent successes from this group of extraordinary volunteers. And most recently, they helped bring back the online alumni directory and advocated for online opportunities for alumni learning and engagement.

“If you think a small gift won’t make a difference, think again — it does.”

This year, the group will focus on two key areas: new ways to conduct alumni engagement, including online; and how to encourage more alumni to give to SU and then sustain their giving year after year. SU’s alumni giving has been on the rise for the past four years but participation continues to trail behind our peer schools. Alumni giving rates is a key factor in our national rankings, and some grant funding depends on a stronger alumni participation rate. So, if you think a small gift won’t make a difference, think again — it does.

— BECKY BRAMER ’92 DEITRICK

You are invited to engage in the SU alumni network at sualum.com.

s i n c e r e l y, Becky Bramer ’92 Deitrick Assistant Vice President for Advancement

A special thanks to the 25 Alumni Board members who represent the more than 20,000 SU alumni across the world.

• Megan McMullen ’02 Blue, President • Kyle Robertson ’11, First Vice President • Jamie Malachowski ’09 Hindman, Second Vice President • Luke Eddinger ’00, Immediate Past President

Exec. Board Members-at-Large • Afi Ahama ’17 • Sandra Altman ’11 • Valarie Bastek ’06 • Aaron Bilger ’91 • Matthew Curran ’92 • Aileen Carlson ’06 Dreibelbis • Dave Getz ’78

30 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

• Don Hamlin ’70 • Lany Hutchison ’80 • Anna Millheim ’84 Jordan • Jason Mammen ’00 • Jennifer McGonigle ’95 • Melinda Scovell ’77 McGrory • Charlie McLeskey ’68 • Andy Nagy ’08

• Kristi Gipe ’96 Ondo • Rachel Sauer ’14 • Caitlin Newman ’09 Thistle • Jacob Trevino ’02 • Dawne Fritz ’86 Veet • Emily Flickinger ’76 White

1951

Dr. Hazel Brobst ’51 Brown and Victoria Martz ’93 Velez (pictured right) attended the 24th Helping Hands Dinner and Auction fundraiser for United Church of Christ Homes in May at the Hershey Country Club. The event raises money for the Benevolent Endowment Trust Fund, which helps underwrite residents who are no longer able to pay for the cost of their care and who are not deemed eligible for government assistance.

1955

65TH REUNION

Share your life news with us. Submit your class note to sualum.com/classnotes.

was eventually crowned Super Bowl champion.

The book is available through Amazon or can be purchased or ordered at your local bookstore.

1958

1965

2019 marks the 43rd anniversary of the Good News Singers, which began in 1976 as the dream of Baird Collins ’58. Almost 400 people have been part of the group, presenting a total of 31 different cantatas.

The group’s commitment has been inspired by Baird’s dedication in giving unselfishly of his time, encouraging and motivating others, and dedicating his life to serving God through music.

1960

60TH REUNION

Share your life news with us. Submit your class note to sualum.com/classnotes.

1963

Still writing after all these years. Jim Campbell ’63, with co-author Ed Gruver, has written a book titled Hell with the Lid Off: Inside the Fierce Rivalry Between the 1970s Oakland Raiders and Pittsburgh Steelers, detailing his reminiscences as a game-day sideline worker for the Steelers. Included is Jim’s eyewitness account of Franco Harris’ “immaculate reception.” The bitter NFL rivals met five consecutive years in the AFC championship game; each time the game’s winner

55TH REUNION

Share your life news with us. Submit your class note to sualum.com/classnotes.

1970

50TH REUNION

Bruce Ficken ’70 was recognized as a Philadelphia Inquirer 2019 Influencers of the Law Award winner.

Bruce was chosen by a panel of experts based on accomplishments in his practice area, his business impact, and his civic and community service.

Bob ’69 and Carol Scherb ’70 Ray returned from a week’s mission trip to Sighisoara, Romania, that was eye-opening and rewarding. The Roma people, who are aided by Veritas, a charity begun by the Church of the Nazarene in the 1990s, are marginalized in schools, shops, work opportunities and daily life. The Rays accompanied a Veritas social worker to residents’ homes. The first was a 10’ x 10’ shack with no running water or toilet — its only electricity borrowed via a trailing wire from a neighbor who actually found semi-regular work. The father of four small boys had only found a day or two of work digging graves or collecting garbage in the last few months. His wife was in the forest collecting snails to sell when the Rays met him. The young father’s 3-year-old lay in one of the two rickety futons that the family of six

uses for beds. The children walk miles to school and if they get sick, the parents have no money to buy medicines. Seeing genuine poverty was a chance for the Rays to feel deep gratitude for the home, education, opportunities and worldly goods they have.

1971

Denny Packard ’71 credits his 10th grade English teacher with changing his life in October 1964. He was planning on dropping out of school when he turned 16 to get a job to help his financially strapped family. Instead she encouraged him to attend college, saying “Of course you are!,” and told him about college scholarships and financial aid. In January 1965, things got worse for his family as they were evicted from their home and were homeless for five months. But thanks to his teacher’s four banal yet life-changing words and a full financial aid package, he attended Susquehanna, eventually becoming a college professor. In addition to his federal work-study grant, he also worked in Susquehanna’s cafeteria, plus did odd jobs (once babysitting for President Weber’s grandchildren and mowing the development vice president’s lawn) and then as a bag boy at Weis Markets. His professors encouraged him, especially his advisor, Dr. Gerald Gordon, who advised him to go to graduate school. Denny is now retired after having taught English as a foreign language in France for 41 years. He has taught students from 93 countries, primarily in higher education, but has also taught business people, middle school special needs students, prison inmates and drug addicts (the latter two groups as a volunteer). Many left a

cl ass note s · Susquehanna Currents · 31

lasting impression on his life. Having experienced homelessness just two years before graduating from high school, he was inspired to become the executive producer of the 2014 documentary about four homeless people in San Francisco, Love Me Tenderloin, which won prizes at minor film festivals.

1974

The 401 girls from the Class of ’74 met in Avalon, N.J., for their annual reunion in memory of their dear friend and classmate, Debi Bechtel Fritz.

Paul ’74 and Diane Nolte hosted an alumni pool party on May 7 in Plano, Texas. In attendance were Tracy Kirk ’93, Janet Rice ’74 Trompert, Kara Kalustyan ’83 Posey, John Anthony ’58, Jack Trompert, Jeff King ’95 and Tyler Hertzog ’14.

1975

45TH REUNION

Tony ’75 and Rose Ann Seyler Sinkosky ’78 had an alumni get-together at their lake house. Tony is the CEO and president of Get the Picture Corp., a ride photography business based in Pennsylvania. He recently hired Justine McCarty ’16 as one of his top managers.

1976

William Swanger ’76 was one of 11 people named to the 2019 class of the College of Fellows of the

Public Relations Society of America. The college is an honorary organization in PRSA consisting of “350 active senior professionals and educators, each of whom has left a significant footprint on the public relations profession.” Bill is senior vice president of corporate communications with Diakon Lutheran Social Ministries and has served as an adjunct faculty member at Susquehanna since 2010.

1978

A reunion of music alumni was held at the home of Patty Sost Alercia ’78. A fun time was had by all, including John Clutcher, Connie Johnson Clutcher, Cindy Moore Wertz, Alan Babp, Cheryl Norcross Labriola, Kim Hannigan, Paul Daniels, Patty Sost Alercia, Steve Foreman, Vic Wertz, Mike Kammerer, Nancy Mott Kammerer, Ted Elias and Dave Lantz.

Looks like this will be an annual event!

1979

Dr. Samuel B. Hoff ’79 retired after a 30-year career at Delaware State University. He was awarded professor emeritus status by the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, becoming the ninth faculty member in DSU’s 128-year history to be so honored. He retains his title as George Washington Distinguished Professor with the Delaware State Society of the Cincinnati. A political scientist, he earned SU’s Alumni Award for Leadership in 2017.

1980

40TH REUNION

Share your life news with us. Submit your class note to sualum.com/classnotes.

1982

Marc Gutleber ’82 retired from the Department of Defense in May. His final position was building/ defending financial requirements to the Department of the Army for efforts to maintain software — fixing bugs, addressing cybersecurity, system updates, etc.

— for the Army’s intel, communications and mission planning/execution systems.

1984

Annual Class of 1984 reunion at The Lobster House in Cape May, N.J. Those in attendance were: Sacha van Riemsdyk-Altadonna ’84, Jenny Olson Smith ’84, Barb Schmunk Burdick ’84, Toni Pall Olson ’84, Sharon Citrano Licitra ’84, Carol Bartholomew ’83, Lynn Allen Endahl ’84 and Ginia Kiselica Apostolacus ’84. (See photo on page 40.)

Stephanie Farkas ’84 Salinas was elected to the Board of General Ministries of the American Baptist Churches in the USA. She is the pastor of the First Baptist Church of Westwood, Mass.

GET “NOTED” We love hearing about what our alumni are up to! Class Notes are a great way to share your accomplishments, service activities, alumni get-togethers and updates with your Susquehanna family. Submit your news and updates in whatever way is easiest for you.

Online: sualum.com/classnotes Mail: Susquehanna University, Office of Alumni, Parent & Donor Engagement, Attn: Class Notes, 514 University Ave., Selinsgrove, PA 17870 Spring 2020 issue submission deadline: January 31 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.

32 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

UPCOMING EVENTS CHRISTMAS CANDLELIGHT SERVICE

DEC. 10, 2019 BREAK THROUGH

FEB. 7–8, 2020 OneSU ANNUAL DAY OF GIVING The 401 girls from the Class of ’74: Dottie Varvaris Bauer, Cindy Smith Salvaggio, Karen Newson Forcine, Judy Turner Thomas, Debbie Quinn White, Vicky Rohm Steltz, Tonna Wendt Dougan and CarolLynne Wells Kirch.

MARCH 4, 2020

SAVE THE DATES FAMILY WEEKEND

OCT. 2–4, 2020 HOMECOMING-REUNION WEEKEND

OCT. 30–NOV. 1, 2020

Alums enjoying Paul ’74 and Diane Nolte’s pool party (pictured front to back, left to right): Tracy Kirk ’93, Janet Rice ’74 Trompert, Kara Kalustyan ’83 Posey, Diane, John Anthony ’58, Jack Trompert and Paul.

Friends gathered at the Sinkoskys’ lake house to catch up. Pictured left to right: Nancy Adams ’79 and husband, Sal Renda, friends Gerry and Valerie Ahnell, Tony Sinkosky ’75, Linda Pratz ’74 and Jess Hill ’75, Victoria Harpster ’75 and Rose Ann Seyler ’78 Sinkosky.

In the middle is “Red Ted,” a placeholder for Ted Watson ’75, who couldn’t attend.

The Washington, D.C. Alumni Chapter spent a summer evening enjoying local history, wildlife, flora and fauna, and the sunset, with their Susquehanna friends along the Anacostia River. The group heard about river cleanup efforts and was able to take in the amazing golden-hour views, including the majestic Bald Eagles!

ALUMNI CHAPTER EVENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR Cruises, museum visits, lectures, garden tours, sporting events, concerts and more.

Visit sualum.com/events for an updated list!

ALUMNI PROFILE

EDUCATION GRAD TAKES CENTER STAGE Some actors work their entire careers without playing their dream role. Danny Arnold ’07 landed his after attending one open call.

Arnold is currently touring the country as a cast member in the Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof. In addition to performing in the ensemble, he is the understudy of Tevye, the award-winning musical’s leading character.

“I attended an open call with hundreds of others and ended up getting a callback,” Arnold says. “Then I had two more callbacks after that, before finally auditioning for Tony Award–winning director Bartlett Sher and ultimately being offered the job,” he says.

“It was actually the first time I’ve ever auditioned for the show. To be able to play Tevye on stage nationwide is like a dream come true.”

Arnold has performed as Tevye 29 times in major cities such as Denver and Chicago.

DANNY ARNOLD ’07

“

“I’ve had kind of a unique path, because I wasn’t a theatre major in college,” Arnold adds.

Arnold chose to study at Susquehanna for its campus beauty and well-known music department. He planned to pursue a major in music education before ultimately shifting gears and earning a degree in elementary education.

Though musical theatre wasn’t his primary focus, Arnold was still able to express himself creatively and hone his craft. He participated in the theatre department’s student-led productions and was a member of the Susquehanna University Choir.

I HAD KIND OF A UNIQUE PATH, BECAUSE I WASN’T A THEATRE MAJOR IN COLLEGE.

”

Arnold credits Professor David Steinau with keeping his passion for musical theatre alive. “During voice lessons, Dr. Steinau encouraged me to sing pieces from theatre and always encouraged me to keep theatre there as an option,” Arnold says.

After graduating, Arnold was a full-time educator for nearly 10 years. He continued to be involved in local and regional theatre, and in 2012 he played his first role outside of college — Leo Frank in Parade at Bloomfield, New Jersey’s 4th Wall Theater.

Arnold has appeared as Ché in the Tony-winning Evita, as Theodore Roosevelt in Newsies and as Bobby in Stephen Sondheim’s Company. He has also performed roles in Guys & Dolls, Sweeney Todd, A Christmas Carol and Les Miserables.

“I loved teaching, but theatre really is where my passions lie,” says Arnold. “I’m going to continue to pursue them, and see where they take me next.”

Arnold is contracted to tour with Fiddler on the Roof through 2020. Since September 2018, he has performed 288 times in more than 30 cities. You can find a tour stop near you by visiting fiddlermusical.com.

34 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

1985

35TH REUNION

Share your life news with us. Submit your class note to sualum.com/classnotes.

1986

Doug Alderdice ’86 (pictured below) retired from the Buffalo (N.Y.) Public Schools at the close of the 2018–19 school year after serving his entire 33-year career at Buffalo’s Lafayette High School. Over the course of his tenure, Doug was a computer teacher, a technology integration specialist and a math teacher.

Outside of the classroom, he served as an advisor to several school clubs, including the amateur radio club, school newspaper and National Honor Society chapter, and worked closely with the school’s alumni association. The demographics of Lafayette’s student body changed several times, most recently serving new immigrants, primarily refugees, who are not only English Language Learners but are also Students with Interrupted Formal Education. The school boasts over 40 languages spoken by its students, and while there were many challenges working with these students, Doug found that they were among the hardest working and most personable of all the students he had contact with throughout his career.

Doug’s contributions to life at LHS received various accolades, including dedication of the school’s 2017 yearbook and induction by its alumni association onto the school’s wall of fame in May as a special contributor, since he is not a graduate of LHS. In retirement Doug looks forward to doing volunteer work at Lafayette and extending cottage time at his family’s summer cabin on Georgian Bay in Canada.

Andrew Gekoskie ’86 was named a Conn-Selmer educational clinician. He is music director of The Gardens Pops Orchestra and artistic director/ conductor of The Orchestra X Project, a professional chamber orchestra located in South Florida.

1988

After a career in logistics and in the airline industry, Margaret Masnick ’88 Smith went back to school and received her M.B.A. from Morgan State University in 2012.

1990

30TH REUNION

Jill Morrissey ’90 is now vice president, Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) officer at FineMark National Bank & Trust. She is based in Fort Myers, Fla.

1991

Matthew Lincoln ’91 published his first children’s book, Charley Chipmunk and the Chipmunk Race, an encouraging story that aims to help children with disabilities see their potential and inspires ablebodied children to cheer on their friends, regardless of their differences. The book is currently distributed via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart and other book sellers. Matt lives in Mendham, N.J., with his wife and their two children.

1992

A group of Susquehanna alumni, including Joe Saus ’92, Doug Lankow ’91, Gregg Zollo ’91, John Skehan ’92, Pete Beaumont ’91 and Peter DeHaas ’92, congregated in Washington, D.C., in March 2019 to see John Skehan ’92 perform with his band, Railroad Earth (http://railroad.earth).

Kristin Erdman ’92 Hambleton is the new vice president of sales and marketing at Presbyterian Senior Living (PSL) in Dillsburg, Pa. Her appointment follows a national search. Kristin will be responsible for the oversight, direction and management of marketing, communications and census development.

Internally, she will oversee lead management systems

and establish staff trainings and education for marketing and admissions personnel. She also will provide personalized direction to all marketing and sales staff at PSL’s more than 30 locations. PSL is the eighth largest not-for-profit senior living organization in the U.S.

1993

Victoria Martz ’93 Velez – see 1951

1995

25TH REUNION

Share your life news with us. Submit your class note to sualum.com/classnotes.

1998

Robin Ford ’98 Kelly married Shannon Kelly on Oct. 6, 2018, in a beautiful farm wedding.

1999

Dr. Kimberly Guyer ’99 is the new vice president for student affairs at Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y. She oversees advising, athletics, the Career Development Center, the Center for Academic Success, the Center for Student Involvement, dining services contract, the Institute for Cultural Unity, the Judson Leadership Center, the Office of Student Conduct, Opportunity Programs, Public Safety, Residence Life, the Wellness Center and the Equestrian Center. Partly what made the opportunity so attractive to her was the fact that the institution is located in a small, rural town and is reminiscent of Susquehanna in some ways.

Born to Anne Hartman ’99 and Dennis Borton, a daughter, Augusta Jane-Anne, Nov. 7, 2017.

2000

20TH REUNION

Matthew Anderson ’00 is the new dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College, Tifton, Ga.

cl ass note s · Susquehanna Currents · 35

ALUMNI PROFILE

BIO GRAD ADDS (LOW-SODIUM) SPICE TO LIFE Whitney Frederic ’16 has been cooking since she had to stand on a popcorn can to reach the kitchen counter. “I’m a cook at heart,” she says. “I learned from my mom and my grandma.”

A Coatesville, Pennsylvania, native of Haitian descent, Frederic remembers the meticulous way she and her grandmother prepared chicken — first washing it in lemon juice or vinegar, removing the skin, and seasoning it with cilantro, parsley, garlic, onion and pepper.

The family-inspired blend was one of the first Frederic included when launching It’s Seasoned, her business that offers her own unique seasoning blends — all of which are low-sodium, containing 40 mg or less per 50-gram serving.

The low-sodium aspect of her products is inspired by her father’s struggle with hypertension.

“There are many people who deal with hypertension, and a lot of times it’s due to the foods we eat,” Frederic says. “I found myself wondering, ‘What can I do to help?’”

WHITNEY FREDERIC ’16

“

I’M A COOK AT HEART. I LEARNED FROM MY MOM AND MY GRANDMA.

”

She turned to a longtime hobby — creating her own seasoning blends. It’s something Frederic has been doing since she was a student at Susquehanna, where she was among the first cohort of students in the university’s Broadening Intensive Opportunities for Scholarship (BIOS) program, which provided financial support to academically qualified biology students who are historically underrepresented in the sciences.

As a student, Frederic was always mixing her own blends from pre-existing seasonings to give her cafeteria food the home-cooked flavor she was used to.

After foregoing a meal plan as an upperclassman, she began cooking for her roommates — rice and peas with tilapia and fried plantains.

“My friends definitely helped me get better in the kitchen,” she says.

During her downtime from her ongoing full-time job as a researcher at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Frederic leaned on Google and the Free Library of Philadelphia for resources on how to start a business. Then she took a part-time job with Instacart, a same-day grocery service, to save some money.

Today, It’s Seasoned offers six seasoning blends and two seasoning bases. In addition to her web-only business, Frederic is trying to feature her blends at farmers’ markets while also holding various pop-up shops.

Frederic credits the BIOS program for helping her see a career path and her liberal arts education for bolstering her writing and speaking skills.

“I’ve always had that entrepreneurial thread but was afraid of taking that leap,” Frederic says. “[The BIOS program] taught us to be independent and not take no for an answer.”

36 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

2003

Susan Hochmiller ’03, D.M.A., is assistant professor of voice at the Sunderman Conservatory of Music at Gettysburg College. She wrote So You Want to Sing Chamber Music: A Guide for Performers, published by Rowman & Littlefield, and directs Orvieto Musica’s Art of Song summer vocal chamber music festival in Orvieto, Italy.

Jason Mammen ’00 attended the 40th annual Sports Emmy Awards, having earned his seventh overall nomination. His trailer for the Showtime documentary film Shut Up and Dribble was recognized in the “Outstanding Promotional Announcement” category. Jason (pictured above on right with Erik Friedman, executive producer) has four previous Emmy wins. He also received two PROMAX Gold Awards and two Bronze Awards in May for his work as creative director at Showtime. They encompassed work on multiple campaigns, including both documentary and series promotion and marketing of trailers and promos.

Jonathan O’Harrow ’00 married William Jared Baumann at their home in Altoona, Pa., on May 13.

Jennifer Yuricich ’00 Spotts is the director of strategic communications at Susquehanna University.

She previously worked for 18 years at Central Susquehanna Intermediate Unit, having served as communications manager for the last 10 years and as a public relations specialist for the first eight years.

2001

John Bickhart ’01 graduated from Immaculata University in May with his Doctorate in Educational Leadership.

Alexis Adamovich ’01 Thornton was elected to the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers in January. She will serve a three-year term as a regional director for the Mid-Hudson/ Westchester region of the state. She currently teaches French and Spanish in Putnam Valley, N.Y., and also serves as local director of Putnam Westchester Regions Foreign Language Educators. Alexis lives with her husband in Garrison, N.Y.

Deana Teeter ’03 Raymer serves as the principal at Shaull Elementary School in the Cumberland Valley School District located in Mechanicsburg, Pa. She resides in Carlisle with her husband and son, Cooper.

Born to Heather Messner ’03 and Duane Zimmerman, a daughter, Lydian Sarah, April 3.

2004

An alumna of Susquehanna University’s Writers Institute, Shanna Powlus ’04 Wheeler published her first full-length poetry collection, Evensong for Shadows, with Wipf and Stock publishers in late 2018.

The book is available on Amazon.

2005

The Pittsburgh Chapter enjoyed a private lunch at the National Aviary with President Jonathan Green and his wife, Ms. Lynn Buck.

A National Aviary trainer delivered fun facts while live birds displayed natural behaviors and showcased their unique traits. Following a question and answer session, the group walked the National Aviary and participated in the interactive events.

The chapter also gathered for a private wine tasting and an afternoon of reconnection at Narcisi Winery near Pittsburgh. They enjoyed a group lunch, live music provided by the soulful Delta Struts, and learning about their winemaking process from Narcisi’s sommelier.

15TH REUNION

Marisa Vicere ’05 was recognized in Pennsylvania Business Central’s Foremost Under 40 list in December 2018. Most recently, she was recognized as one of Pennsylvania Business Central’s Top 100 People in 2019.

2006

Ashley Nichols ’08 is a civil and commercial litigator focusing her practice in the construction, insurance and healthcare industries. She has been selected to the 2019 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. She is with the firm Saxton & Stump in Lancaster, Pa. Born to Allison Bankus ’06 and Chris Gibson, a daughter, Claire Elizabeth, March 28.

Bohemian Rhapsody may not have won Best Picture at the Oscars, but an alumni event definitely won Best Evening in the New Jersey and New York City Alumni Chapter’s book! In May, Sandy Rocks ’75 graciously opened up her Manhattan home once again to everyone who loves Susquehanna for Bubbles and Barrels, an evening of wine and whiskey tasting, appetizers and fellowship. As an extra bonus, President Jonathan Green and his wife, Ms. Lynn Buck, were in attendance! There are already plans for next year: Vino and Vodka.

Please consider joining an alumni regional chapter.

These volunteer-based organizations build ties between alumni, students, parents and the university through both professional and social networking, events and mentoring. There are so many ways to be involved, including SU SERVE, becoming an SU Champion, networking trips and Break Through. Alumni regional chapters help keep alive those connections that made you part of the SU family in the first place. For more information, visit susqu.edu/alumni.

ALUMNI PROFILE

ALUMNA EARNS EMMYS FOR ‘KNOCK-OUT’ PRODUCTION EARLY IN CAREER A year after graduating from Susquehanna, Cayla Spatz ’18 was standing on a red carpet holding not one, but two Emmy awards.

Part of the All Access: Wilder vs. Fury and All Access Wilder vs. Fury Epilogue production staff at Showtime Sports, Spatz says being part of an Emmy Award– winning team is still very surreal.

“I remember in the spring semester of my senior year being nervous and afraid that I wouldn’t find a job at all following graduation,” she says, “not even thinking of the possibility of landing my dream job at an amazing company.”

Her communications professor John Foltz linked her to the job opening that Susquehanna alumnus and current Showtime Sports Creative Director Jason Mammen ’00 relayed to the university.

CAYLA SPATZ ’18

“

A broadcasting major, Spatz was the successful candidate, and in just three months, she was promoted from production assistant to associate producer at Showtime Sports. She now spends her days promoting and broadcasting professional boxing matches across the U.S. With her creative mix of technical skills and media know-how, Spatz produces live events leading up to fights and edits highlights packages for other news media outlets to use. Prior to fights, she is instrumental in the portrayal of each fighter’s story — capturing training camp footage and editing pieces to use as short-form video elements featured during live shows.

I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRAVEL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY AND DO WHAT I LOVE ...

”

38 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

“I have the opportunity to travel all over the country and do what I love and also learn a lot, alongside extremely talented and creative individuals,” she says.

As an associate producer for All Access, Spatz helped manage media, organized footage and delivered it to editors, wrote transcripts and assisted with filming the night of the Wilder vs. Fury fight. She served as head producer on her most recent project, Best of Boxing 2018, a 30-minute show that recaps the previous year in boxing.

Spatz credits her communications professors and Susquehanna’s alumni network for playing a huge part in her success and preparation. From the high-tech television studio to her practicum, she believes that Susquehanna “enables you to get hands-on learning of everything involving a production that you aren’t able to easily get at big schools.”

2007

Mike ’07 and Christine Gordon ‘07 Miller welcomed a son, Ryan, on June 21. Ryan joins his big sister, Paige, who is 3 years old. (Pictured above, left.)

Born to Kendra Boyer ’07 and Paul Best, a son, Preston Andrew, on May 16.

Born to Anna Cooper ’07 and Dallas Miller, a daughter, Ava Jane, on July 8.

Born to Kim Stenman ’07 and Brett Schildhorn, a son, Nathan Gustav, April 29.

2009

Jen Cullin ’09 Hetrick married Bart Hetrick in Williamsport, Pa. on Oct. 13, 2018. In attendance were: Caitlin Newman ’09 Thistle, Alina Gayeuski ’09, Michelle Sullivan ’09 Malinovsky, Kayla Smith ’09 Murray, Michael Cole ’08, Ashley Evanoski ’09 Cole and Paul Thistle ’10.

Born to Elizabeth Rhoads ’09 and Bradley Greenaway, a daughter, Emma Elizabeth.

2010

10TH REUNION

Adam Rann ’10 published his debut novel, Such Outlaws, as a 6 ½-year passion project. The story is a modern re-imagining of the legend of Robin Hood

that follows a social revolution in the fractured American city. It is available on Amazon.

Katie Solon ’10 received her doctorate in acupuncture and Chinese medicine in 2017. She also married Luke Brown of Southampton, England, in July 2019 in St. John’s, Pa.

2011

Trevor Bell ’11 received a master’s in cybersecurity/ information assurance from New Jersey City University. He began his career as an information security analyst at Montefiore IT in Yonkers, N.Y. With the increasing landscape of cyber threats due to technological innovation, cybersecurity plays a vital role within every organization, big or small.

Meghan McLaughlin ’11 and Peter McCall ’11 were married on May 4 at The Washington at Historic Yellow Springs in Chester Springs, Pa. Pictured above from left to right: Amanda George ’11, Amanda (Keister) Gray ’12, Meghan McLaughlin ’11, Peter McCall ’11, Dave Foster ’11, Zach Soulliard ’11, Shaylyn Berlew ’12 and Aaron Abel ’11.

In April, Ali Ressing ’11 was promoted to associate director of academic advising in the Khoury College of Computer Sciences at Northeastern University.

2012

Tim Daley ’12 and Alexandra Roth ’13 married July 26 in Blue Bell, Pa. (See photo on page 40.)

In the spring, Sarah K. Myers ’12 graduated with a Master of Arts degree in American history from

Pace University, New York City. She works as collection development librarian at Messiah College, Mechanicsburg, Pa. Adam Puskar ’12 is in his third season with the Philadelphia Phillies’ AAA minor league affiliate.

He is manager of premium sales for the Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs, now in its 12th season in Allentown, Pa. On April 18, Julianne Vega ’12 received the Pillar Award for Belonging and Engagement from the University of Kentucky Graduate Student Congress for her organization and leadership in inclusive community lunches. These monthly gatherings covered topics surrounding diversity and inclusion, and challenged participants to become more aware of their surroundings and their contributions to it. The award is given to students who “significantly contribute towards creating a sense of community for graduate students by supporting their growth, challenging viewpoints and building lasting relationships.”

2013

Timothy Accurso ’13 joined the Opera Santa Barbara team in September 2018. He has been on music staff with Palm Beach Opera, Opera Saratoga and the Seagle Music Colony. To further his studies in opera, Tim earned a Master of Music degree in vocal coaching and accompanying from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where he studied with Dr. Julie Jordan Gunn. He then became a resident artist with Utah Opera, as well as a young artist with Opera Saratoga, where he now spends his summers on staff. Tim spends his time coaching the Chrisman Studio artists, engaging in the education initiatives of Opera Santa Barbara, playing mainstage rehearsals, cl ass note s · Susquehanna Currents · 39

and performing throughout the community in recitals and events with the company.

Molly Bogart ’13 was recognized as the 2019 rising star at the Emerge Maine Women of the Year event.

She is director of government relations for the Maine Department of Health and Human Services and has been a field recruiter for the Maine Migrant Education Program, advocate for the Maine Women’s Lobby and a regional field director for the Maine House Democratic Campaign. She has made it her mission in life to champion women and women’s rights in Maine politics.

Emily Burns ’13 has joined Penn State Lehigh Valley as a part-time lecturer in corporate communication.

She earned a Master of Education in higher education from Penn State University as well as a Bachelor of Arts in communications and public relations from Susquehanna University. She currently serves as the digital marketing director at a marketing agency based in Washington, D.C.

2015

Annual Class of 1984 get-together in New Jersey: Sacha van Riemsdyk-Altadonna ’84, Jenny Olson ’84 Smith, Barb Schmunk ’84 Burdick, Toni Pall ’84 Olson, Sharon Citrano ’84 Licitra, Carol Bartholomew ’83, Lynn Allen ’84 Endahl and Ginia Kiselica ’84 Apostolacus.

5TH REUNION

Taylor Brady ’16 and Michael ’15 Hethering were married Jan. 12. Alumni joining the celebration were: George Pachucy ’15, Ian Murray ’15, Haley Cheetham ’15, Cody Miller ’15, Ryan MacIvor ’15, Samantha Reese ’16, Jenn Canavan ’16, Kyle Van Laar ’16, Jared Minori ’16, Greg Rabiecki ’17 and Casey Crotty ’17.

2017

Susquehanna friends gathered to celebrate the wedding of Tim Daley ’12 and Alexandra Roth ’13.

Pictured back to front, L to R: Will Dyson ’13, Luke Delavan ’12, Colin Sabine ’12, Joseph Stellato ’12, Dan Silver ’12, Tim and Alexandra, Chris Lacy ’13, Jillian Terry ’13, Arthur DiCasimirro ’12, Ali Dervin ’12, Kristyn Guerci ’12, Katie Laffey ’12 Lloyd, Meagan Hyman ’13, Kenzie D’Angelo ’13, Ally Bradley ’13, Nicole Solino ’13 Lacy and Brianna Roth ’11.

Jennie Tressler ’17 has been accepted to Northwestern University in the Master of Arts in counseling program.

Friends had a festive time celebrating Taylor Brady ’16 and Michael ’15 Hethering’s union.

Pictured L to R: Samantha Reese ’16, Jenn Canavan ’16, Kyle Van Laar ’16, Taylor, Jared Minori ’16, Mike, George Pachucy ’15, Ian Murray ’15, Haley Cheetham ’15, Cody Miller ’15, Ryan MacIvor ’15, Greg Rabiecki ’17 and Casey Crotty ’17.

40 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

ALUMNI & FRIENDS MADE A MONUMENTAL IMPACT IN 2018–19!

$6,236,277 2,640 ALUMNI MADE GIFTS

was raised for the

SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY ANNUAL FUND!

48% OF 2019 GRADUATES

DURING OneSU, SUSQUEHANNA’S ANNUAL DAY OF GIVING,

$ 210,374 WAS RAISED BY 1,802 DONORS IN 24 HOURS!

20,000

MORE THAN $

WAS RAISED FOR SU’S 23 NCAA TEAMS DURING “23 IN 23”

MADE A GIFT TO SU

$917,465 was raised to support

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS

2,386 ALUMNI

PARTICIPATED IN SU EVENTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY

… INCREASED ALUMNI PARTICIPATION ALLOWS SUSQUEHANNA TO BE ABLE TO APPLY FOR GRANTS AND ADDITIONAL FUNDING

1,331 ALUMNI RETURNED TO CAMPUS!

337 ALUMNI participated in BREAK THROUGH career events.

GLOBAL OPPORTUNITIES is celebrating its 10TH ANNIVERSARY! 153 alumni made gifts directly to GO • 185 students received a free passport through Passport Caravan • 235 students were supported in GO Short programs

Visit SUSQU.EDU/MAKEAGIFT to help make an even greater impact this year!

DEATHS

1948

William “Peep” McClure ’48, Carlisle, Pa., June 12. After graduation from Lewistown High School in 1941, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and completed flight training school at Notre Dame and in Pensacola, Fla. He was then commissioned as an ensign and became a Navy pilot. Following military service, he graduated from Susquehanna University, where he was a member of Theta Chi fraternity. After retiring from Kinney Shoe Corp. in 1986, as vice president of finance, Peep enjoyed volunteering at Project Share, golfing and traveling to Florida. He was a former member of Allison United Methodist Church and was an active member of Middlesex United Methodist Church. Alumni survivors are granddaughter Bayley McClure ’22 and great-grandson Adam Morrow ’20.

1954

Marilyn Jane Fetterolf ’54 Bowers, Johnstown, Pa., Jan. 31. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority.

She was a member of St. John’s United Methodist Church, where she was also a member of the Fellowship Sunday School Class.

1956

Charles Bailes ’56, Orange Park, Fla., Feb. 18. In 1948, he joined the U.S. Navy. As a midshipman, he joined the Navy’s Flight Training in Pensacola and Corpus Christi, and became a commissioned officer and fighter pilot with the carrier-based U.S. Atlantic Fleet. After completing his military service, Charles attended Harvard School of Dental Medicine, where he earned his master’s in dental medicine.

His thesis, A Radiographic Analysis of the Quality of Dental Care in 129 College

Students, was published by Harvard School of Dental Medicine in 1967.

He later opened his private practice in Boston. Charles belonged to the American Dental Association, Massachusetts Dental Society, Pi Gamma Mu national social science honor society and the Harvard Odontological Society. In 1989, he moved to Orange Park, Fla., to enjoy its sunny and warm weather. He will be missed by his family and friends.

1959

Carl A. Horsfield ’59, Mount Carmel Pa., May 31. Carl graduated from Mount Carmel Senior High School in 1951 and served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict from 1951 to 1955. He graduated from Susquehanna University in 1959 with a Bachelor of Science in business administration. He was an office and credit manager for the Firestone Tire and Rubber Co. in Williamsport, Pa., for two years before his employment of 31 years with the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, where he was supervisor of utility analysts in the Trial Staff Division when he retired in 1991. He was a member of the Mount Carmel Masonic Lodge No. 378, Clover Hose Fire Company, Shamokin Moose, West End A.C. and the Mount Carmel American Legion Post 91.

He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Mount Carmel.

1962

Donald Earl Arbogast ’62, Fairview Township, Lewisberry, Pa., June 28.

After Susquehanna, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and was a graduate of the Thompson Institute, Harrisburg, Pa., where he studied accounting. He was a retired controller for Ryder Truck Rental in Harrisburg and Norfolk, Va. He was a longtime resident of Great Bridge in

42 · Susquehanna Currents · spr i ng 2019

Chesapeake, Va., where he was an avid sports fan cheering on the Philadelphia Phillies and Penn State.

Upon retirement, he moved back to Pennsylvania.

1964

Alan Bachrach ’64, Petersham, Mass., Sept. 2, 2018. Early that morning, Alan joined his canine companions that passed before him and went for a walk, surrounded by love as he began this journey. He received his veterinary medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. After finishing an internship at Henry Berg Memorial Hospital in Manhattan, Alan went on to complete a fellowship at Angell Memorial Hospital in Boston. His residency in ophthalmology was at The Ohio State University.

Alan founded his specialty practice in ophthalmology just outside of Boston.

In addition to practice, he was involved with many research projects, instituted clinical ophthalmology rounds at MSPCA Angell, and established the ophthalmology department at the Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine. For many years he provided clinical support to the university and contributed to the academic curriculum.

He loved to teach! His favorite zinger on the ophthalmology final at Tufts was to ask students to spell the name of the class. “Dr. B” was loved by his clients and known as a compassionate man with a great sense of wit and humor.

George Kirchner ’64, Allentown, Pa., April 20. He was a 1970 graduate of the Medical College of Virginia School of Dentistry. Dr. Kirchner served his dental internship at Allentown Hospital and his fellowship in the Academy of General Dentistry. He was a general/family dentist in Allentown for 43 years, retiring in 2013. After retirement,

George was a participant in H2Jamaica, a dental mission for the residents of Jamaica. He was a member of numerous organizations, including the American Dental Society; the Pennsylvania Dental Association, where he was also past president; the International College of Dentists; and the Pierre Fauchard Academy. He served on the medical/ dental staff of the Lehigh Valley Health Network, was a member of the American Institute of Parliamentarians and was a lecturer at Lehigh County Community College. He was an active member of The Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit, serving in many capacities there. He was a member of the cornet (trumpet) section of the Allentown Band since 1971, served as a board member, and was a member of American Federation of Musicians, Local 45. George was a soccer official since 1997 and a member of several soccer associations. He enjoyed hunting, fly fishing, reading and listening to music. He is survived by his wife, Carol Cox ’65 Kirchner.

1967

Vaughn Wolf ’67, Selinsgrove, Pa., May 9. Vaughn was a graduate of Selinsgrove Area High School, where he played football and baseball. After graduation, Vaughn enlisted in the Navy. He then enrolled at Susquehanna University, where he obtained his undergraduate degree in psychology.

He played on SU’s football team under head coach James Garrett. He later attended Penn State University to get his master’s degree in education.

In addition to football, Vaughn loved to play baseball and softball and was a force to be reckoned with. His teammates nicknamed his bat the “Bleacher Reacher.” Vaughn was employed as a psychologist/unit manager for the Selinsgrove Center,

DEATHS retiring in 1998 after 30 years of service.

He retired to have more time to enjoy fishing and golf, as a member of the Shade Mountain Golf Course. He was a member of Witmers United Methodist Church, Port Trevorton, Pa., where he taught Sunday school, led devotion, and taught vacation Bible school.

1968

Jeff Ketaner ’68, Bangor, Pa., Jan. 14.

He had worked as a systems analyst for Prudential Insurance Co. for over 25 years. He enjoyed reading and staying at home. Alumni survivor is his nephew, John Poliero ’78.

1969

Karen Frantz ’69 Griesbach, North Cape May, N.J., May 4. She was a music teacher at Cape May Elementary School and at Wildwood Crest Elementary School. Music was her life.

Jeanne Raiguel ’69 Howe, Fairhope, Ala., Feb. 3. Jeanne is survived by a loving and supportive husband. In lieu of flowers she requested that those who wished to honor her make a donation to Fairhope United Methodist Church, 155 S. Section St., Fairhope, AL 36532.

Cynthia Ness ’69 Lepley, Waterville, Maine, June 7. Cindy earned a Master of Divinity in 1986 from the Bangor Theological Seminary, where she graduated at the top of her class.

She was then ordained in the United Church of Christ and served as associate minister at the Winslow Congregational Church in Winslow, Maine, from 1986 to 1995. In 1995, Cindy accepted the position of assistant professor of psychology at Thomas College in Waterville, where she was eventually promoted to associate professor of psychology. She trained hundreds of

counselors, who today help thousands of people. Cindy also served as the Thomas College chaplain. She served in both capacities until her death. Alumni survivor is her husband, Doug Lepley ’69.

1970

Carol Scott ’70, East Stroudsburg, Pa., June 9. She graduated from West Nottingham Academy, and after Susquehanna University, she obtained a master’s degree in labor relations from St. Francis University. She retired after working over 37 years in the Bureau of Labor Relations of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Since then, she loved traveling and spending time at her house in Mesquite, Nev.

1973

David Coryell ’73, Lewisburg, Pa., March 26. He was a member of Susquehanna’s football team for three years, in addition to serving on the student newspaper and the university’s literary magazine. After earning a master’s degree in English from Mansfield University, David worked as a poet in the schools for the New Hampshire Arts Commission. In 1980, he was awarded the highly competitive Henry Hoyns Fellowship in fiction writing from the University of Virginia, where he was mentored by the Pulitzer Prize–winning author Peter Taylor and completed an M.F.A. in creative writing.

He married his love of athletics and writing by joining the UVA football athletic department as the chief academic coordinator under another storied head coach, George Welsh. He married Mary C. Still, and together they started a family. David later led the University of South Carolina’s academic advising program and then joined Syracuse University as an administrator in its honors program. He taught

screenwriting, film noir, indie film and documentary film at Syracuse’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications until 2015. David was a prolific creative writer of screenplays, short stories, poems and other works. A television series based on his screenplay Medicine Game is in development.

He worked closely with the nearby Onondaga Nation, helping to facilitate a partnership between Syracuse University and the People of the Hills.

As a descendent of Conrad Weiser, a respected negotiator between the Iroquois and the English, David carried on the tradition of bringing people together and creating harmony. He eventually returned to Pennsylvania to be near his aging mother, his ancestors and the Susquehanna River. David’s passing leaves a hole in our hearts and our lives, but whenever we catch a glimpse of a cardinal outside our windows or hear the tinkling of a wind chime twisting in the breeze, we know he is with us. In accordance with the Iroquois tradition that he found reassuring, he is now released to the stars.

1974

David Chester ’74, Painted Post, N.Y., Jan. 15, 2018.

1977

Joe Cramer ’77, Chesterfield, Mich., August 22, 2018. Written by Dan Ditzler ’77. Sometimes Google is not your friend. Like this afternoon when I sought to track down an old college friend who lived in Michigan and we’d all lost touch with some 15 years ago.

Instead, I discovered his obituary from last summer. Sadly, all of Joe Cramer’s immediate family had long predeceased him, so he had been alone for a long time. That was not the case for four years at Susquehanna and for many

years after, when Joe was a force of nature in the lives of many of us. He was one of the best runners on the cross-country team (looking like Dave Wottle in the ’72 Olympics). He convinced three of us to join him on a Shore Athletic Club world record– setting 100-mile relay. He was one of the sharpest minds in the biology department. He was one of the funniest, most spontaneous practical jokers on the planet. (Everyone has their own favorite Joe story.) He was a huge Phillies fan and fellow 700-level regular at the Vet. He perfected the Pete Rose slide in hallways around campus. He once streaked a campus center dance entirely covered in shaving cream.

He also was the original atomic mole person unearthed by excavation of the Alumni Gym in the April Fool’s edition of The Crusader (hence the name, Jim Alumni). He was a founding member of the Under the Hill Gang. He wound up with a civilian military job that took him to Michigan and to places as far away as Pakistan. He loved Tolkien, Civil War history, and aspired to write the Great American Novel in his spare time. He was a true original, and the world seems slightly off its axis given the off-kilter, uncompromising way Joe lived his life.

Rest in peace, man. Thanks for allowing so many of us to join you on your wild ride.

1981

Karen Loss ’81, Lewisburg, Pa., June 8.

She lived in southern California and worked for Lockheed for several years before returning to the East Coast and Virginia, where she spent the last 25 years, most of them in northern Virginia. She ran her own pet-sitting business, was a tour guide in Washington, D.C., and spent some years with the MITRE Corporation.

She traveled extensively, both across the U.S. and around the world. She

cl ass note s · Susquehanna Currents · 43

DEATHS supported five children through Compassion International, a Christian organization she highly believed in.

She became a fierce advocate and well-regarded speaker for lung cancer research and education when she was diagnosed in 2012. She beat the odds of survival for 6 ½ years, and she will be sorely missed by many who knew and loved her. Alumni survivor is her father, Kenneth Loss ’48.

1985

Greg Cordasco ’85, Bernards Township, N.J., April 24. A competitive cyclist who had ditched an earlier career on Wall Street to run his Liberty Cycle bike shop in Basking Ridge, N.J., Greg mixed a crowd of elite professional cyclists and his friends and neighbors at such events as the annual Labor Day bike races in downtown Basking Ridge. For 27 years, the Olde Mill Inn bike races drew professional cyclists from around the world, followed by the “kids’ races” for local children. Even while putting Basking Ridge on the map for competitive cycling, Greg always was sure to describe the Olde Mill Inn– sponsored event as the traditional end-of-summer get-together for locals before township schools started up again. Serious cyclists and families looking for their kids’ first bikes shopped at the shop co-owned by Greg and his wife, Ingrid. Greg won a gold medal and national cycling championship at the Master’s National Track Cycling Championship in South Carolina in 2017, besting his closest competition in his age group (55–59) by two seconds.

That was also the year he was diagnosed with glioblastoma, the same type of brain cancer that killed Sen. John McCain. Greg was 56 years old when he

lost his life to that form of cancer. He leaves behind not only his family but a community of friends and colleagues, including the many people who knew him as a neighbor and friendly shop owner in Basking Ridge and in the cycling world where he made his mark.

He was a state, regional and national champion, with more than 25 race wins in his competitive cycling career. Liberty Cycle also held collections for used bikes, which the shop refurbished to give to kids who couldn’t afford to buy new ones.

1993

Georgia Doherty-Sipes ’93, DeLand, Fla., March 4. She enrolled at Susquehanna at the age of 36 and helped to form a nontraditional student organization, ANTSA, on campus. She studied art and psychology, graduating summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Georgia was active in the Psychology Club, Women’s Choir, Psi Chi, the Women’s Resource Center, Take Back the Night and the Honors Program. She could also be seen working in various departments all over campus. After graduation, she married former campus technical manager Craig Sipes and worked at several social services positions in the area and in Orlando after moving to Florida. In 1998, Georgia utilized her life experiences, education and passion for teaching to begin a 20-year career as an owner-operator of a childcare center and a family daycare home in DeLand, Fla. Georgia enjoyed reading, crocheting, cooking, sewing, PBS dramas and teaching generations of children to read. She is survived by her husband, three sons, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

44 · Susquehanna Currents · spr i ng 2019

Chad F. Peeling ’93, Allenwood, Pa., Sept. 27. Chad grew up on the zoo grounds at Reptiland in Allenwood, Pa., and from an early age lectured to zoo visitors. At Susquehanna, he created his own major: zoo management, a mix of business and biology. He was a natural teacher and mentored young keepers at Reptiland — many of whom have gone on to careers in major zoological institutions.

An innovator who introduced new ideas to the family business, Chad played an essential role in maintaining Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation for Reptiland. Together with his brother, Elliot, and wife, Chris, he influenced the look and direction of Reptiland over the past 30 years.

Beginning in 1999, he and his brother collaborated in the conception, design and fabrication of six major traveling exhibitions that have been, and continue to be, hosted by more than 100 major museums, science centers and zoos throughout North America, including the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia.

Quick-witted and friendly, he was known as a critical thinker who often expressed skepticism of claims made without evidence. As one zoo professional said, “When he spoke before his peers he was respected, even by those with whom he disagreed. He was always prepared to back up his position with facts.”

Chad is survived by his wife, Chris, and their two sons, as well as his mother, father, brother, sister and nephew.

He and Chris loved to travel together, and they visited Australia, Africa, the Caribbean and the western United States — in most cases with their sons.

1994

Marianne Rosini ’94 Taylor, Lancaster, Pa., April 6. After college she lived and worked in Denver, Colo.; West Chester, King of Prussia and Reading, Pa.; and Baltimore, Md., eventually settling in Lancaster, Pa. Marianne’s children, Zachary and Regan, were her life and her heart. Some of her happiest times were spent watching her children play sports and cuddling on the couch with them while watching movies together.

Words and a few lines in a newspaper obituary could never express or describe the beautiful soul that was Marianne.

She was a wonderful, kind and sensitive person. When you became her friend, you were a friend for life. She was always smiling and had a special way of making those around her feel joy.

Marianne loved to laugh and had a fabulous and quirky sense of humor.

She loved 80s music and movies, especially any movie by John Hughes, and impromptu living room dance parties. She loved British humor and regularly quoted The Young Ones, Monty Python, Keeping Up Appearances and other programs. And she loved watching and often quoted comedians, a couple of her favorites being Jim Gaffigan and Sebastian Maniscalco. Marianne had many talents and accomplishments, but she was most proud of her successes on the basketball court and whitewater canoeing. She was a great athlete and excelled at basketball at Lourdes, Mercersburg and Susquehanna University. She was also adventurous and loved the outdoors. Growing up, she spent her summers at Camp Bil-O-Wood in northern Ontario, Canada, where, over the years, she canoed well in excess of 1,000 miles on the province’s lakes and rivers.

IN MEMORIAM

FRANK S. CHASE

1928–2019

F

rank S. Chase, professor emeritus of sociology at Susquehanna University, died July 14, 2019, at his home in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. He was 90.

Frank was a native of Richmond, Virginia, where he earned the rank of Eagle Scout before he and his family relocated to Chicago. He received a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, prior to enlisting in the U.S. Army National Guard field artillery. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Defense Artillery and served his country in that capacity for several years.

A member of a family of educators, Frank taught at the University of California at Santa Barbara and the Johnson School in Chicago prior to joining the sociology faculty at Kendall College in Evanston, Illinois. In 1970, he moved to Lewisburg and accepted a teaching position at Susquehanna University. He taught courses in sociology, anthropology and social psychology, and served as chair of the university’s sociology department.

Frank was a member of the Baltimore Urban Program, and he also created innovative practicums that focused on the Lewisburg Federal Penitentiary and the Yokefellow House for troubled youth. He retired from Susquehanna in 1993.

Frank’s wife, Janet, preceded him in death in 1998. Their sons, Frank and Stewart, survive. We extend our sincere sympathy to them and their family and friends.

cl ass note s · Susquehanna Currents · 45

b y l u k e du c e m a n ’1 8

End Notes

How the GO Program Changed My Life

Even before becoming a Susquehannan, I knew that I wanted to travel to a Spanish-speaking country to combine my love of music with my interest in the Spanish language and Latino culture.

While researching where to complete my Global Opportunities experience, I came across an independent organization, Performing Arts Abroad, which offered a music education volunteership. Shortly before my sophomore year, my GO Your Way proposal was accepted and I was on my way to Costa Rica — the “Switzerland of Central America.”

By fully immersing myself in San José, both the capital and heart of Costa Rica, I gained a better understanding of that culture, my own culture and the concept of culture as a whole. Sure, the cooking and dancing classes were nice additions to my experience, but most of my learning came from teaching Costa Rican children and learning about the music education system and the pedagogical philosophies and ideologies there, all of which improved my skills as an educator.

“I not only want to instill a joy of learning in my students but also have them gain an appreciation for another culture, just as I have.”

Teaching can be a challenge. Teaching music can be an even bigger challenge.

And teaching music in Spanish was probably the biggest challenge I had faced; yet, I loved every second of it. So, the summer after my junior year, I returned to Costa Rica for a month, thanks to Susquehanna’s Gundaker-Summers grant. In addition to volunteer work, I took private saxophone lessons with a local professor, attended an international arts festival, and even performed a concert for government officials at the Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto.

They say that the third time’s the charm, but was I to go to Costa Rica yet again?

The fall of my senior year I met with Dr. Karen Mura, faculty coordinator for postgraduate and fellowship advising. We discussed several options, such as the Peace Corps, and eventually landed on the prestigious Fulbright program as a possibility.

46 · Susquehanna Currents · fa l l 2019

The Fulbright application process is by no means quick or simple, and the wait to learn if I would be accepted was nothing short of excruciating. At that point, I was in the final semester of my undergraduate career and student teaching at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

I was excited when notified I was a semi-finalist for one of only two spots for an English Teaching Assistantship (ETA) in Costa Rica; but unfortunately, I was ultimately accepted only as an alternate, which didn’t come to fruition.

But everything happens for a reason. I went on with my life, finished student teaching, graduated from Susquehanna and taught at several schools afterward, including currently teaching music at Selinsgrove Area Middle School.

Dr. Mura stayed in touch and convinced me to reapply to the Fulbright program, and this past spring I was accepted as an ETA in Costa Rica. When I begin as an ETA in February, I not only want to instill a joy of learning in my students but also have them gain an appreciation for another culture, just as I have.

It’s hard to believe that what started out as just another requirement for my degree audit turned into an internationally recognized fellowship. Without the GO Program, I wouldn’t have learned what I know now.

First: Trust and believe in yourself. You’re not just an “insert major here,” and you are capable of much more than you think. Second: Life, unfortunately, is full of disappointments; but just because things are a certain way doesn’t mean they can’t be changed, even if it’s you who must change them.

Luke Duceman ’18 is Susquehanna’s ninth Fulbright recipient in the past seven years. He majored in music education and minored in Spanish.

fa l l 2019 · Susquehanna Currents · 47

UNSUNG HEROES OF THE JOHN APP CIRCLE John App made the first planned gift to Susquehanna University in 1858 by donating the land on which Selinsgrove Hall would be built.

Now, over 250 members of the John App Circle, Susquehanna’s legacy society, have expressed their commitment to the university by naming the school as the ultimate beneficiary of a planned gift. Members of the John App Circle span an age range of 31 to 102, and their gifts will support everything from scholarships and athletics to the arts and academics.

There are over 40 members of the John App Circle who have shared their intentions with the university but choose to remain anonymous to the public. We want to take this opportunity to thank them, and all of our members, for their commitment to leave a lasting legacy at Susquehanna. The university began with a planned gift, and it will be sustained for generations to come thanks to the members of our John App Circle.

To learn more about PLANNING YOUR LEGACY and to access our confidential wills planner, please visit:

SULEGACY.ORG

SUMMER 2020

PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAMS

for High School Students

LEARN. MAKE FRIENDS. SAMPLE COLLEGE LIFE. ALL AT SUSQUEHANNA UNIVERSITY!

Do you know students who are curious and want to jump-start their college experience?

Introduce them to SU through our immersive summer programs. They will enjoy a week on campus in rigorous and exciting workshops, making friends with students and mentors, plus they’ll build their college application résumés and experience campus life!

2020 SUMMER PROGR AMS INCLUDE: » ACTING

» LEGAL CAREERS

» CREATIVE WRITING

» NEWS AND SPORTS MEDIA

» ENGINEERING

» PUBLISHING & EDITING

» ENTREPRENEURSHIP

» STREAM ECOLOGY

» FINANCE

» VOCAL & INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC

» LEADERSHIP

SEE MORE AT

susqu.edu/summer-programs 570-372-4451 | SUMMERPROGRAMS@SUSQU.EDU

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514 University Ave. Selinsgrove, PA 17870-1164