Alumna funds liberal arts education for future Presidents The liberal arts education Lyn Dyster ’80, Ph.D., received at Washington & Jefferson College has always stayed with her. “I do my job well because of my liberal arts training. My years at W&J began my career as a lifelong learner in very diverse subjects,” Dyster explained. Dyster identifies her time at W&J as a transformational experience during which she was challenged academically and personally. A biology major, she realized while in the laboratory and with the assistance of her adviser, Dr. Richard Dryden, that her passion was in-depth research. But Dyster found more than her professional passion at W&J. In Professor Hugh Taylor’s art history class her senior year, Dyster discovered her personal love of art and architecture.
FEBRUARY Naples, Fla. Sarasota Lyn Dyster, co-founder and senior vice president of Kinex Pharmaceuticals, regularly hosts W&J students as interns, imparting valuable knowledge and experience.
the College must morph and evolve over time, our core mission is preserved.” Dedicated to seeing W&J’s mission preserved long into the future, she and John are shaping the lives of future Presidents by establishing the Lyn Celenza Dyster and John Dyster Endowment Fund.
Dyster has shown her gratitude to her alma mater by giving back in many ways, and helping to foster future generations of leaders. As the co-founder and senior vice president of Kinex Pharmaceuticals, located in Buffalo, N.Y., a company dedicated to developing next-generation anti-cancer drugs that target the molecular basis of the disease, Dyster regularly hosts current W&J students as interns.
“With our gift, we hope to do our part to provide a liberal arts education to generations of future students,” Dyster said. “This is the type of education that creates better citizens, and that’s what we need.”
Through her ongoing relationship with today’s students, Dyster sees that while the curriculum may change, the core values of the W&J education remain the same. “W&J is still the wonderful place it was when I was a student. The current faculty are as dedicated, wonderful and spirited in their work as the faculty we had,” Dyster said. “The College continues to produce young people of uncommon integrity who are lifelong learners. These are the people who will become successful in life. While
to a city near you. JANUARY Dallas
“When I travel, I love to learn the history of a city through art,” Dyster said. “The knowledge I learned in Professor Taylor’s class will stay with me forever.”
Treating her alma mater with more than just affection, she has made W&J students a real part of her family, inviting them to reside with her and her husband, John, while they complete their internships at Kinex. Most important, she continues that mentoring relationship well beyond their time with her company. Her former interns often visit her home for long weekends and email her with exciting news in their lives.
THE PRESIDENTS ARE COMING
By creating the fund and supporting the College’s endowment, Lyn and John are opening new doors for future generations. They chose not to restrict the fund, allowing the College to use it for the greatest priorities within endowment funding.
MARCH Pittsburgh APRIL New York City New Jersey Chicago MAY Washington, D.C. Denver
For a full calendar of alumni and parent events, go to www.jayconnected.com/events.
“My goal is to keep the College thriving into the future. With our gift, we are telling W&J, ‘Do what is needed more. I trust you to do what is needed to keep it vibrant,’” Dyster explained. Lyn and John continue to support the W&J Fund as well, recognizing the immediate assistance to W&J’s operations. “A gift—no matter what size—helps the College provide today’s and tomorrow’s students with the same quality of education we received,” Dyster said. “We have to count on our alumni to support the College and its future.” Alumni interested in learning more about financially supporting W&J may contact Michele Abate Hufnagel ’93, W&J’s associate vice president for development and alumni relations. – KERRI DIGIOVANNI LACOCK ’09
To create your legacy at W&J, visit www.washjeff.edu/give-to-wj. The Honor Roll of Donors, highlighting donors from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, will be available online beginning November 1, at www.jayconnected.com/honorroll.
WASHINGTON & JEFFERSON COLLEGE
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