Wilson Magazine Spring 2012

Magazine

WILSON Wilson College’s Adult Degree Program Celebrates 30th Year ... see page 6

SPRING 2012

Contents: Feature Story: 6 Adult Degree Program Celebrates 30th Year 8 ADP Graduate Shares Experience

In Every Issue: 4

Message from the President

10 ‘Mid A Group of Pines & Maples: News from Around Campus 14 Odds & Evens: Alumnae News 18 Athletics 22 Shaping the Future: Advancement News 24 Class Notes 42 Life Lines

Cover photo by Ryan Smith, C & S Photography

Scan with your smartphone to be directed to the alumnae section of Wilson’s website.

Students and professors take advantage of the spring weather by holding class on the main green.

Photo by Pamela Lambert

Wilson Magazine SPRING 2012 • Volume 85 • Number 2 Executive Editor Ann Terry

Managing Editor Emma Lewis

Contributing Writers Debra Collins Dianna C. Heim Emma Lewis Cathy Mentzer Meta Porcella ’14 Beth Weixel

Contributing Photographers James Butts Debra Collins Dianna C. Heim Pamela Lambert Emma Lewis Cathy Mentzer Alicia Mills ’13 Shelly Novak Beth Weixel

Design Jennifer Glosser

President of the College Barbara K. Mistick

Director of Communications Debra Collins

Director of Alumnae Relations Marybeth Famulare

Alumnae Association of Wilson College Board of Directors President Paula Spezza Tishok ’71

Vice President Marian “Mimi” Stevenson ’74

Secretary Patricia Markle Keffer ’96

Treasurer Jennifer Nickle Banzhof ’94

Alumnae Trustees Nancy Kostas ’64 Tracy Leskey ’90 Marie Behler Schleicher ’68

Directors Jane Appleyard ’66 Cynthia Fink Barber ’73 Trish Bennett ’68 Sandra Griggs Clark ’85 Mary Cramer ’91 Tina Robertson Dorsey ’92 Rita Handwerk Fisk ’64 Cazella Hinojosa Goodall ’70 Kendal Hopkins ’80 Cathie Sunderland Jenkins ’71 Kristina Heuck Knubel ’02 Laureen Lutz ’08 Rebecca Ross ’05 Susan Ross ’66 De-Enda Rotz ’05 Sarah Muller Smith ’85 Lorrie Rejonis Trader ’05 Dorothy M. Van Brakle ’09

Nominating Committee Amy Allen Boyce ’73 Cathie Sunderland Jenkins ’71

Wilson Magazine (USPS-685-580) is published quarterly by the Office of College Advancement and the Alumnae Association of Wilson College, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, PA. Periodicals postage paid at Chambersburg, PA 17201 and additional post offices. Subscriptions are $15/year. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Wilson College Alumnae Office, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, PA 17201-1285, 717-262-2010 or aq@wilson.edu.

Opinions expressed are those of contributors or the editor and do not represent the official positions of Wilson College or the Alumnae Association of Wilson College.

Message from the President

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his year, Wilson is celebrating a milestone — 30 years of educating adult students. Wilson was one of the first colleges in the region to recognize the need to educate adults when it established the College for Continuing Education for adult men and women. Throughout the years, the program has grown and it has helped to sustain the College. Today, over 50 percent of Wilson’s students are enrolled in what is now called the Adult Degree Program. These students are focused on degree completion and bring to our campus a wide variety of experiences and strong determination to learn. Thirty years of enriching adult lives is truly a reason to celebrate.

As we recognize the program’s 30-year anniversary, Wilson is not only looking back but also looking forward. We are following the College’s Strategic Plan, identifying ways to make Wilson sustainable, reviewing our program offerings and moving forward with the renovation of the library.

In February, the Trustees approved some updates to the College’s 2010-15 Strategic Plan. High strategic impact goals that can be achieved in the short term have been identified and are being implemented in the areas of strengthening the student experience, enhancing academic excellence, offering distinctive and innovative programs, increasing enrollment and student retention, and enhancing facilities and financial sustainability. Both the College for Women and the Adult Degree Program provide a diverse range of options and are important in meeting the strategic plan goal of enrolling 1,000 students.

The Commission on Shaping the Future of Wilson, which has been charged with finding ways to make Wilson sustainable in the long term, is also meeting regularly and collecting information that will be shared during Reunion Weekend and in subsequent issues of this publication. In addition, the faculty is completing an academic program review to identify and strengthen Wilson’s signature programs.

The library planning continues with community meetings, and donations have been jump-started by a $1 million gift from Thérèse Murray Goodwin ’49. You will hear more about this soon, but I want to take this opportunity to offer my heartfelt thanks to Terry for this generous gift to Wilson. In addition, Murray and Associates of Harrisburg — a 70-year-old architectural firm that provides professional architectural planning and interior design services — has been hired to reimagine the renovation of the John Stewart Memorial Library.

Completing our strategic plan goals and identifying ways to make Wilson sustainable will build upon what we value most – our mission to prepare students well for life in a global community. In the coming months, I look forward to sharing more details about this work and what it all means for those of us who care about Wilson.

Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara K. Mistick President

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Implementing the Strategic Plan A Roadmap for Success

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ike individuals, organizations need a map, a plan and a timetable, or they can get lost. Wilson College’s 2010-15 Strategic Plan is our roadmap to success.

In 2009-10, an extensive, five-year strategic plan with 81 goals was completed and approved by the Board of Trustees. To implement the plan in the most effective and efficient way, President Barbara Mistick, along with Cabinet members, met in August and identified 11 achievable, strategic, high-impact goals for the short and long terms.

Then a group of faculty and administrative staff met in January to further define and create action steps for many of those goals, using the SMART goal-setting model (smart, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound).

By spring 2012, all of the goals will have been considered.

Although most of the College’s Strategic Plan remains unchanged, including the vision and mission statements, it was determined that the three original goals should be expanded to five. These were presented to the Trustees during the winter board meetings and the faculty in February and shared with the broader community during an All-College Forum in March.

The goals, which center on language from Wilson’s vision statement, are the key themes of the plan, including: “national recognition,” “academic strength,” “innovative programs” and “well-prepared graduates.” Some goals have already been implemented and are partially achieved. Continuing with the newly revised plan will keep Wilson on the right path to future success.

The full plan is available at www.wilson.edu/strategicplan.

Strategic Plan Goals 

trengthen the Student Learning S Experience – Build on Wilson’s proud heritage of rigorous, women-centered education and distinctive pedagogy by providing all students with opportunities to develop a stronger sense of self and the capacity to become confident, articulate leaders in and outside of the classroom.

Vision Wilson College will gain national recognition as a small, independent college known for its academic strength, distinctive pedagogy, innovative programs and well-prepared graduates.

Mission Wilson is an independent college with a proud history of educating women since 1869 through rigorous study of the liberal arts and sciences. Today, Wilson’s mission also includes women and men enrolled in adult degree and graduate programs. Guided by the Honor Principle and distinguished by its commitment to transformative student growth, Wilson College prepares all of its graduates for fulfilling lives and professions, ethical leadership, and humane stewardship of our communities and our world.

 P rovide Distinctive Innovative

 I ncrease the College’s Visibility

 S trengthen the College’s Long-Term

 E nhance Campus Facilities – Improve

Programs – Engage students in a liberal arts education that is distinguished by themes that are threaded throughout the curriculum and prepare students for global citizenship in a dynamic society.

All programs and services will meet the needs of different constituencies of learners.

Financial Stability – Complete a strong, integrated strategic plan that sets optimal enrollment numbers for undergraduate and graduate students and enable longterm financial equilibrium.

and Reputation – Establish and implement integrated marketing and communications best practices to build Wilson’s brand among key constituents, identify target audiences and develop engaging messages and programs to increase enrollment and grow financial support for the College.

infrastructure of the College through facility enhancement that meets the College’s immediate needs, improves the current campus environment and creates master plans for future development.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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SPECIAL Feature

Wilson College’s Adult Degree Program Celebrates 30th Year Wilson College is celebrating the 30-year anniversary of the integration of the Adult Degree Program on campus. Originally known as the College for Continuing Education, the program has brought many adult learners to campus for a variety of reasons.

Although the program has undergone a few changes in its history, the original goals remain the same.

by Emma Lewis educating stay-at-home mothers through distance learning. As many other colleges and universities began to recognize the need in our communities to offer an alternative to traditional college degrees, so The fall 2002 issue of the alumnae mag- did Wilson. A press release from 1975 azine celebrated the 20-year anniversary announced a special “College Day” for and gives us some insight into the reasons area women and that many colleges “have for establishing the program. The article re-examined their role in the field of contitled College for Continuing Education tinuing education…the college must be Celebrates its 20th Anniversary, written by more responsive to the educational needs Marilyn Ross, explains that Dr. Mary-Linda of the community…” Less than a year later, Merriam Armacost, the College president Wilson had seven evening courses on its in 1982, officially integrated the program schedule and held evening classes at and developed the program’s core philoso- Waynesboro Hospital that allowed regisphy. The article states, “Dr. Armacost tered nurses to pursue their bachelor’s recalls, ‘The impetus was to get the wonder- degrees. ful faculty and programs we had and to By 1982, the College committed to the utilize those, to extend our educational program to ensure its success. At the time, program out into the community, which we there was a national trend observed at broadly drew not only as Chambersburg many institutions of higher education in but as our region, from Harrisburg to which women were leaving the home and Hagerstown.’” transitioning to the workplace. Wilson The College began educating the College also capitalized on this new direcnontraditional student in the mid-1970s. tion of education. According to the fall Archival documents from as far back as 2002 article, one-third of all students pur1974 supported the College’s attempt at suing education at a higher learning facility

1974 Wilson initiates distance learning classes for stay-at-home mothers.

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were adults 25 years of age and older.

Furthermore, the modernization of technology in many fields or work made it necessary that employees refresh their skills and knowledge in their respective fields. For this reason, the College officially implemented the program for adults to come back to campus to complete their degrees as nonresidential students. Now, courses are not only offered for bachelor’s degrees, but also for career development, certificate programs, associate degrees and noncredit courses and are offered both on and off campus and online.

Wilson College continues to offer adults the opportunity of an education in an adult-friendly atmosphere. There are no time restraints for adult students, so they are free to take semesters off and can choose how many classes to take in a semester. Both men and women that have been out of high school for four years are eligible for the program. According to Beverly Evans, the director of the Adult Degree Program, the average adult student is working full time with a family. These other responsibilities make school a third

1975 College Day is held on campus for adult women.

1976 Evening classes are held at Waynesboro hospital for registered nurses to obtain bachelor’s degrees.

SPECIAL Feature

An information session will be held May 15 at the Hankey Center from 5:30 – 7 p.m. Please visit www.wilson.edu/admissions and click on the ADP tab for more information.

priority, so flexibility in scheduling classes is crucial for the successful completion of a degree. There are five majors that can be completed by attending only night classes: accounting, business management, elementary education, English and communications studies.

There is also a challenge to enrolling adults because of the fear of coming back to school after taking time off. Mary Foltz Berberich, associate director of ADP admissions, explains that the toughest hurdle for adults to overcome is simply taking the first step. “They acclimate quickly, and once they are here, they never feel not accepted or not included in their educational experience,” said Berberich. “Many adult students just want to prove to themselves that they can complete an unfinished degree. Others want to set a good example for their children.”

Furthermore, the dynamic relationships between traditional students, nontraditional students and faculty are mutually beneficial for all. The traditional students learn from the life experiences the nontraditional students bring to the classroom, while traditional students help the adult

learners become reacquainted with different learning styles and techniques. Faculty members appreciate the drive that adult learners have, which creates a better learning environment in the classroom.

Evans says that Wilson recruits students for the Adult Degree Program from area community colleges, local businesses and communities, like Letterkenny Army Depot.

Recruitment is also done through the mail, online, and on the radio and television.

Monthly informational meetings are also hosted on campus, and faculty are available to answer prospective students’ questions.

Evans explains that the best recruitment tool for the program is simply word of mouth. “Happy students are our best recruiters.”

Students enrolled in the Adult Degree Program have all the same benefits afforded to traditional students, with the exception of participating in College athletics. They may join any club or be a part of campus activities. Adult degree students are also encouraged to participate in the many study-abroad programs that Wilson offers.

They are encouraged to use various

student services, too. The academic support center offers tutoring and paper critiques while the career development center can assist with internship and job searches, graduate school information, resume critiques and other career services. Adult learners may also stay overnight on campus with the flexibility of staying as little as one night a week renting rooms as needed.

After graduating, adult degree students are afforded the benefits of membership into the Alumnae Association of Wilson College, which is active both on and off campus. Members of the association receive the Wilson Magazine and invitations to campus and regional events. They also are given the opportunity to serve on the Alumnae Association Board of Directors.

Wilson College is dedicated to educating the nontraditional student and has been doing so for over 30 years. The Adult Degree Program’s success is evident through its many graduates. Wilson’s flexibility and adult-friendly atmosphere have enabled many adult students to become part of the campus community and remain life-long learners.

1982 Wilson officially integrates the

1986 Bachelor’s degrees are offered

2012 Wilson celebrates 30th

College for Continuing Education.

through the Continuing Education Program.

year anniversary.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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SPECIAL Feature

ADP Graduate Sees the Difference a Liberal Arts Education Can Provide

by Dianna C. Heim worked with me on this, but I hoped Wilson would allow more flexibility in the coursework.”

Almost immediately, Norcross discovered he had chosen the right college which to transfer. “I had a great experience dealing with the administration. The registrar’s office was so easy to work with compared to anywhere else. They made it a wonderful experience.”

He delved into business classes along with his general education requirements. “I loved the smaller class sizes. It was more hands-on. My largest class here was probably statistics, and I think we had 18-20 students in the class. If you’re at a state school, that would be 80-100 students. My education here felt very personalized.”

He recalls enjoying courses in economics, with Dr. Abdolreza Banan, and French, with Dr. Ray Cormier. “The instructors here were much friendlier. I had one-on-one discussions. It seemed more like a coffee club than a rigid extension of high school.

There was an exchange of ideas, not a professor lecturing to me all the time.”

“…a liberal arts education…makes us more nimble of mind…”

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t’s hard for Ralph Norcross to believe that he will celebrate his 20th Reunion this June as a Wilson graduate. His love of finance, along with his business management degree, helped him reach a position as an associate general agent with Paladin Financial Services, which he couldn’t have imagined back in 1989. Then, the Franklin County native was working at a local newspaper and attending classes full time at a nearby public university while serving with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

“It was challenging. Even though (the other school) was more geared, at that time, to the traditional student, I had to work and work in all my classes. If I had a noon-time class, I had to take a longer lunch break which meant coming in earlier to work and working later in the evening,” he recalls. “My employer

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He enjoyed the interaction with his fellow students as well. “I had to take this ‘women in business’ class. I was dating a woman at the time who told me, ‘you’ll never pass that class.’ She was wrong. It was so much fun. It allowed for a good deal of free thought and expression. You had these traditional students, 18 or 19-year-old young women, with non-traditional students older than me, in their 40s and 50s, with a different world view – it made it so interesting.”

Norcross believes it was Wilson’s commitment to his education that impressed him the most. “I remember I had the language requirement to fulfill and I took French 2. There were only three of us, all non-traditional students, who had signed up and Wilson could have said, ‘Sorry, we’re going to pull this.’ Instead, they said, ‘Because you made this commitment to fulfill your requirements, we will fulfill our responsibility to you’ – to help us get the courses we needed. And you know, it was one of the best classes I had here.”

SPECIAL Feature

He experienced that commitment again when Wilson allowed him to complete course work elsewhere while fulfilling his Guard requirements. As an enlisted man, he had to complete officer basic training in Oklahoma to become a commissioned field artillery officer. With correspondence classes at Oklahoma University, Norcross explains, “I did my course work, put the stamp on every week and sent it off to OU. I still root for OU now when they play football on TV. Wilson made it possible for me to work on both efforts.” He is now retired from the Guard with 22 years of combined enlisted and commissioned service.

As a nontraditional student, Norcross was glad to have the influence of military discipline in his studies. “I knew I would go further if I had a college degree with the Guard. It kept me focused. I knew, even in the full-time job I had, that I wanted more out of life and more out of my interest in business.”

Now, with a family and business of his own, he still gives back to others. He is a former Cub Scout den leader and currently works with youth in a local Venture Crew, a youth development program of the Boy Scouts of America. He also lends his business savvy to his United Methodist Church’s finance committee. “I see how all my experiences molded me. They motivate me to give back. It’s all about repaying that debt you owe people who gave to you when you were younger.”

In his work with life insurance and securities, Norcross sees the difference a liberal arts education gives a businessman or woman. “The value is in the interpersonal relationships you build. It’s knowing how to address someone in a position of responsibility. You know how to make your ideas and challenges known – you know how to communicate. You can think outside of the box and be able to embrace different ideas a lot easier than others. It makes us more nimble of mind.”

Dr. Gunlög E. Anderson, director of the Adult Degree Program from 1986-96, was instrumental to its success.

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s the national need for higher education kept growing, Wilson College enlarged its commitment to nontraditional students. In 1986, the faculty approved the concept of offering bachelor’s degrees to adults who would study at their own pace. Dr. Gunlög E. Anderson, assistant professor of fine arts, was charged with the task of organizing this project.

She recruited students, offered academic advising and directed the course planning.

“It helped that I had recently experienced the life of being a nontraditional student in graduate school myself. I worked as advisor and director with an enormous amount of enthusiasm, but I could never have done [this work] without the faculty,” she recalls.

According to Anderson, the program demanded a big commitment by the faculty, since the adult program put new

demands on course scheduling and work loads. Little by little, faculty and the traditional students discovered that the returning adults had much to contribute.

Anderson believes that Wilson College was a path breaker in higher education in terms of the individual assistance tailored to every student’s needs. “This had always been the gold standard for Wilson. But the foundation for the success of the Adult Degree Program, its high rate of retention and graduation, was the result of working with the students one–on-one and close cooperation with financial aid officers,” she said. For Anderson, the work became very personal and resulted in many close relationships. The College is indebted to the years of hard work and enthusiasm that Dr. Gunlög E. Anderson gave to the College and the Adult Degree Program. Now in retirement, she takes great satisfaction from seeing how the program continues to flourish.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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‘MID A GROUP OF PINES & MAPLES News from Around Campus

Students Tour Sites of the Reformation Wilson College offered a unique experience to students enrolled in the course The Reformation in Britain, taught by the Rev. Rosie Magee. The course ran Jan. 3-22, and the class flew across the Atlantic to tour relevant Reformation sites in England and Scotland to conclude the course. Below is a portion of one student’s journal, Meta Porcella ’14, documenting the travel component of the course.

Saturday – 1/14/12

Our very first tour started at Westminster Abbey. I was surprised to see how many people were buried there, or at least had a plaque dedicated to their birth and death. It was also interesting to see the architectural differences contributed over the passage of time.

We also got to see the Parliament. Near Parliament, there was a statue of Oliver Cromwell, who was executed to end the civil wars within England.

Sunday – 1/15/12

Another beautiful day in England! We went to St. Paul’s Cathedral, the first cathedral to be built after the Reformation, for church this morning! The singing by the choir was beautiful and relaxing.

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Monday – 1/16/12

We went to Canterbury today and spent pretty much the whole day there. It was a refreshing change to see what a historic town looked like that didn’t get completely destroyed by fire. Canterbury Cathedral was so beautiful— stained-glass windows galore! The cloister ceilings were filled with so many different coats of arms from families who donated money to restore them; it was remarkable.

It was also interesting to think about how it all started with the King of Kent allowing the monks to stay in Canterbury, and how the one event was so significant even though it probably didn’t seem so at the time.

Tuesday – 1/17/12

After the church service, our tour guide took us to a lot of different Reformation sites. First she took us into St. Bride’s Cathedral, where we got to see a copy of the Geneva Bible.

It was staggering to read how many people were held prisoner and/or died at the Tower of London. They even preserved the carvings people made into walls while they were being held there. I also was surprised to hear that people actually lived there.

One thing I thought was interesting to think about was how much the sites we saw were affected by the Great Fire in 1666. I wondered how different things would look if that fire had never happened.

Seven ravens are kept within the tower as tradition to maintain the belief that the tower and kingdom will fall if less than six ravens are present at the tower (one extra is kept in case a raven dies).

We got to take a look at the National Portrait Gallery! I liked the ones of Queen Elizabeth I. One of the paintings had new research regarding her dress. Parts of her dress looked gold in the painting, but due to some color fading, those parts of her dress originally looked more like a reddish-gold. The new research mentioned that her face would have looked a tad more flushed originally. It’s interesting how the passage of time can change even timeless things like paintings.

After lunch we made our way over to Hampton Court.

One of the earlier parts of the court had an “original Tudor clock.” It had many parts to it, including astrological signs and a way to tell the tide—very useful in those days.

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Hampton Court was absolutely beautiful, especially with the garden! Even the interior was gorgeous, with all the ornate, intricate, beds and lovely staircases, and exquisite ceilings. I can’t imagine what it must have been like to live there like royalty. The armory room was especially impressive.

‘MID A GROUP OF PINES & MAPLES News from Around Campus

Wednesday – 1/18/12

We got a nice little day-adventure in Oxford! So since we were in Oxford, we naturally got to see the Oxford martyr site and where Latimer, Ridley and Cranmer were imprisoned and burned under Queen Mary I’s reign.

Thursday – 1/19/12

Today was our last day to experience London! We toured the Banqueting House, where the ceiling was especially impressive. The Banqueting House is the only thing left of King Henry VIII’s Whitehall Palace.

Friday – 1/20/12

We made it to Edinburgh safe and sound. First, we visited the John Knox house. I enjoyed reading the John Knox book in class. Even though he says that, “To promote a woman to bear rule, superiority, dominion, or empire above any realm, nation, or city, is repugnancy to nature; contumely an insult to God, a thing most contrary to his revealed will and approved ordinance; and finally, it is the subversion of good order, of all equity and justice.” I do still like him for his accomplishments, at least. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, I suppose.

Later on, we trekked up the hill to Edinburgh Castle.

The view of Scotland was breathtaking.

Saturday – 1/21/12

We went to the Palace of Holyroodhouse today. I was shocked to hear more of the back-story regarding Mary, Queen of Scots. Apparently no matter how many times David Rizzio’s bloodstains from his brutal murder are scrubbed away, they still reappear.

The ruins of the Abbey were my favorite thing to see at Holyroodhouse. I had the privilege of seeing the ruins by myself right after it had stopped raining and the sun was out. Everything the light touched stole the air from my lungs.

Sunday –1/22/12

The trip was wonderful and enlightening and unique, but most importantly, it was my own experience. Seeing the Reformation sites with my own eyes was truly an awesome and educational experience. Rosie and Becky [the Rev. Rosie Magee and Becky Hammel, associate dean of students] did a fantastic job with organizing the trip and making sure we all got the maximum amount of both knowledge and fun while we were there. It felt like we were all in good hands, and that made the experience all the better.

Meta Porcella ’14 is a VMT major from Kutztown, Pa. On campus, she is on the campus activities board and in the fencing club, as well as being the academic affairs chair for Wilson College Government Association (WCGA) and the Honor Council representative for her class. Porcella is exploring where her major will take her after graduation, whether it would be to work in a veterinary practice or doing research in a lab.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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‘MID A GROUP OF PINES & MAPLES News from Around Campus

Interim Vice President for College Advancement and Director of Alumnae Relations Named Cynthia Wood has accepted the position of interim vice president for college advancement, effective March 1. Wood comes to Wilson College with extensive development and alumni relations experience.

Since 2009, she has served as a strategic philanthropy consultant working with colleges, universities and other nonprofit organizations.

Previously, Wood was vice president for institutional advancement at Rollins College, a liberal arts institution in Florida, where over the years she also held the titles of assistant vice president for alumni relations, executive director of the alumni association, and director of community and donor relations.

Wood, a resident of Winter Park, Fla., is a member of the Registry for College and University Presidents, the nation’s premier interim leadership firm in higher education.

She will serve the College as interim VPCA while a search is conducted for a permanent vice president. Executive search firm Archer-Martin Associates, which led Wilson’s presidential search, will assist in the process.

Marybeth Famulare joins the Wilson College community as the new director of alumnae relations. Famulare, who began on March 26, brings a background of extensive experience in higher education and organizational management. In her previous positions, Famulare worked on behalf of the Pennsylvania Office of Long Term Living and as the assistant director of university relations for Shippensburg University. Look in the next issue for more on Famulare and her future as the director of alumnae relations.

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‘MID A GROUP OF PINES & MAPLES News from Around Campus

Student Profile

Sidra Khan

By Cathy Mentzer

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hen Sidra Khan came to Wilson College in January as part of the U.S. Department of State’s Global Undergraduate Exchange Program in Pakistan, she wasn’t sure how she would be received by Americans. But almost instantly, she realized that her worries were unfounded.

“People are really very, very good. They are very friendly. They love to talk with you. They love to know about you,” she said. “These are some of the golden moments of my life which I am spending over here. I am happy that I’m going back to Pakistan, but I am sad because I will miss the United States and my friends here.”

Sidra is a sophomore at Punjab University in her home city of Lahore, Pakistan, studying environmental sciences. She hopes to become an environmentalist working to save the planet. Though she is passionate about it now, it wasn’t her first career choice. She wanted to study medicine, but when she wasn’t admitted to one of Pakistan’s highly competitive government colleges and attending a private institution was too expensive, she pivoted.

“I thought if I’m not a doctor, then I have to do something really extraordinary in my life,” Sidra said. “I want to help Pakistan to face the global challenges and I want to contribute my part to make Pakistan independent in the field of environmental science. I really want people to be aware.”

Sidra is active in her homeland, co-founding Green Minds and serving as a coordinator for the Pakistan Sustainability Network, both environmental organizations run by Pakistani youth.

She is also a member of the Youth Parliament of Pakistan, an initiative founded by a well-known singer to engage youth and encourage them to make a change in the future.

“So it’s a small step to improve the politics in Pakistan, to lead Pakistan toward a democratic state where everyone has the ability to speak and make a difference,” Sidra said.

Sidra comes from an upper-middle class family that she describes as very religious. Her father is a government officer and her mother, a former teacher, is currently a homemaker. Sidra has three sisters and three brothers, including a twin brother.

“My mother and father help us to be good human beings.

They want us to be a good person, a good Muslim and then a

good Pakistani,” she said. “After my God, my parents are the most inspiring and motivational source for me.”

Sidra is the second girl in her family to study abroad on a scholarship. She was intrigued by the Global Undergraduate Exchange Program.

“It was a very good opportunity for me to go to a country like the United States, which has a high standard of education,” she said. “It was also a good opportunity to study American people, American life.”

The Global UGRAD-Pakistan program provides its students with one academic term of non-degree undergraduate U.S. study. Students are chosen on a highly competitive basis, according to the program, and represent a diverse group of emerging student leaders from underrepresented sectors of Pakistan.

As part of her obligations to the exchange program, Sidra is supposed to be a cultural ambassador. She’s given presentations about Pakistan and its culture at Penn Hall, at a local elementary school and at Wilson’s Muhibbah International Dinner. She is also performing community service at Penn Hall and at Wilson’s Child Care Center.

“People are very curious. They have lots of questions to ask and I love to answer their questions,” Sidra said. “It’s a very good opportunity to show them where I’m from and what I’m all about.”

As for her Wilson College experience, she said it has been eye-opening in many ways.

“It’s a great and challenging environment, I must say. The studies are very challenging,” said Sidra, who especially likes Wilson’s promotion of critical thinking skills. “The professors really want you to have your own point of view.”

On a more personal note, she said people have been very kind and accepting.

“I have loads of friends here,” said Sidra. “My professors are happy with me. Whenever I need them, they are always there for me. Paul Miller (Wilson’s international student adviser) has always been very, very kind and helpful.”

Sidra hopes to return to the U.S. after earning her bachelor’s degree to get a doctorate in the environmental sciences.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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ODDS & EVENS Alumnae News

Facebook Notes: The Adult Degree Program turns 30 this year! How has the program impacted you, either as a graduate or current student? Were you an adult degree student? Did you take classes with AD students? How did their input affect class discussions?

Erika Raines ’06 – I loved my classes with AD students! Their wisdom and experience took undergraduate discussions to a new level. It was also nice to sit next to them in class and be on the same page, so to speak. It was good to think that even after having the experience(s) they’d had, they could still recapture a sense of wonder when learning new things.

Angella Dagenhart ’14 – Before I knew about Wilson’s AD Program, I never dreamed I would be able to afford a private, liberal arts education. Needless to say, the day I met Mary Foltz Berberich at HACC Gettysburg changed the course of my future.

The education I have received, as well as the wisdom and guidance from the professors I have had the opportunity to study under (especially Dr. Cornelius, Dr. Shillock and Dr. Woolley), have given me confidence to reach toward my potential instead of settling for what comes easy. And the payoffs are already being realized. My short story, “Hunger Pangs,” has been accepted for publication in an anthology coming out next year.

Lisa Berrier Myers ’08 – I earned my degree as an adult at Wilson. It was the third college I attempted, and I’m happy to say I found a home at Wilson College. My instructors were wonderful and genuinely cared about the success of their students. Wilson not only helped me attain a degree, it taught me patience and gave me confidence. If there are adults out there reading this post who want to earn a degree, I would definitely recommend Wilson’s AD program! Thank you Wilson College AD Program!

Earn your Master of Humanities degree from Wilson College!

Graduate work will prepare you for a career in the following fields, plus many more!

• Education • Publishing • Communications • Nonprofits • Government • Arts

www.wilson.edu/MAHum Contact Program Director Dr. Michael G. Cornelius at mcornelius@wilson.edu or 717-264-4141, ext. 3308.

ODDS & EVENS Alumnae News In February, Wilson alumnae met for a cruise in Sarasota, Fla. In attendance were (seated l–r) Dorothea Holberton Brown ’62, Joan Hoover Hellwege ’56, President Barbara K. Mistick, Ruth Terhune Entrekin ’32, Rosemary Bowler ’51 (middle l–r) Anne Walker Reiner ’55, Patricia Roberts Cohen ’50, Jane Forsyth Messimer ’50, Robert Messimer, Marcia Spencer, (back l–r) Samuel Reiner, Raymond Watral, Ann Vanderhoff Watral ’50, Conrad Hellwege, and Peggy Kauffman Hyde ’64.

Elizabeth Van Dyke McDowell ’59 recently visited Bangkok and connected with Nataya “Mint” Masavisut ’94. Masavisut has a job arranging cultural events for Bangkok and was completing arrangements for an annual arts and crafts exhibition sponsored by the Queen of Thailand.

April Davila ’13 was presented with the Alumnae Association Legacy Award Scholarship by President Paula Spezza Tishok ’71 at the association board’s winter retreat, attended by alumnae and current students.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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ODDS & EVENS Alumnae News

News from the Alumnae Association Board of Directors The Board of Directors recommends the following changes to the bylaws of the Alumnae Association of Wilson College.

The change to Section 3.9. Nominations and Elections is recommended since Pennsylvania law does not yet distinguish between US postal mail and electronic mail. Currently, Section 5758(b) of the PA Nonprofit Corporation Law provides that member voting, “may be by ballot, mail, or any other reasonable means provided in a bylaw adopted by the members.” Based on this provision, we propose to use electronic balloting only for elections to allow for a full vote of the membership since many members are unable to attend the Annual Meeting. Therefore, we propose electronic ballots as a reasonable method for the Association and want to ensure that it is specifically permitted in the bylaws.

The change to Section 7.1. Fiscal Year was first recommended by our auditing firm, Schultheiss and Associates, to be consistent with the fiscal year of the College. This change will help us during the budgeting process and make it easier for us to conduct a financial review at year-end.

These recommendations will be brought forth for discussion and vote of approval at the Annual Meeting on June 2, 2012, at 10:15 a.m. to be held in the Alumnae Chapel.

Section 3.9. Nominations and Elections a. Each year at the winter meeting of the Board, the Nominating Committee shall submit to the Board a slate for approval consisting of: (1) The names and biographies of at least five (5) nominees to serve as Directors.

(2) The name and biography of one (1) nominee to serve as Alumnae Trustee, which nominee shall have been previously approved by the Board of Trustees’ Committee on Trusteeship.

(3) The name and biography of one (1) nominee to serve as an elected member of the Nominating Committee.

(4) The name and biography of one (1) nominee for the office to be filled on a rotating three (3) year cycle: (a) The President (b) The Vice President and the Treasurer (c) The Secretary b. The slate of nominees shall be presented to the Association no less than thirty (30) days prior to the Annual Meeting through the medium of the Wilson Magazine and the alumnae page on the College web site. Included with the slate shall be a mail ballot for return to the Office of Alumnae Relations and instructions for submitting an electronic ballot. c. Members may vote on the slate of nominees by casting a vote in person at the Annual Meeting, by mail ballot or by electronic ballot and that such participation shall be counted toward the quorum requirement for the meeting. d. The results of the election shall be certified and reported by the Secretary of the Association at the Annual Meeting. The new Officer(s), the Directors, the Alumnae Trustee, and the member of the Nominating Committee shall assume their duties immediately following the conclusion of the meeting of the Board subsequent to the Annual Meeting.

Section 7.1. Fiscal Year

The fiscal year shall coincide with the academic year – July 1 through June 30.

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ODDS & EVENS Alumnae News Join Wilson alumnae for:

An Insider’s Perspective

Prague

May 6-14, 2013

Photos by: AHI Travel

The Alumnae Tours & Travel Committee invites you to explore PRAGUE — a European metropolis steeped in centuries of tradition and lore. Experience a behind-the-scenes look at Prague castle and gardens, Old Town and the Strahov Monastery.

Discover the city’s theater and music traditions with backstage visits to the Estates Theater and Laterna Magika. Seven nights’ accommodations will be at the deluxe Art Deco Imperial Hotel. $2,895 per-person double (air and some meals are extra).

Call Dianna Heim in the Alumnae Relations Office at 1-866-446-8660 for details.

The Alumnae Tours and Travel Committee wants your opinion on domestic and international trips!

Please visit www.surveymonkey. com/s/JHNYRY5 to complete the survey.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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WILSON ATHLETICS

Basketball Recap

by Beth Weixel

The Wilson College Basketball Team ended the season with a 2-21 record, with both Phoenix wins over conference opponent Penn State Abington.

Junior Tara Fields ’13 (Berryville, Va./ Clark County) was a threat for the Phoenix on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Fields topped Wilson’s stat sheet, averaging 17.2 points per game, ranking her fourth in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC). On Feb. 4, she hit the 1,000 career point benchmark against conference rival Keuka College, and has now totaled 1,110 points to date. Defensively, Fields led the Phoenix with 3.7 steals per game, which places her third among NEAC opponents.

For her efforts this season, the 5-foot-4-inch ball handler was selected to the North Eastern Athletic Conference’s All-Conference Third Team.

According to Head Coach Angie Grove, “I am excited and very proud of Tara. She works extremely hard, and she deserves this recognition for her efforts.”

Ashlee Yealy ’15 (Hanover, Pa./ Hanover) has also made an impact on the Phoenix in her freshman season. For the year, Yealy averaged 8.9 points per game and 8 rebounds per game. In addition, she recorded 2.3 blocks per game, which ranked her third in the NEAC. “We encountered some growing pains this season. However, we have promising young talent that continues to work hard and improve. I look forward to building upon that work ethic and developing the program for long-term success,” said Coach Grove.

Student Athlete Profile:

Alyssa Bernard ’12 Hillsborough, N.J. – Hillsborough High School Lacrosse – #20 – Midfield Soccer – #23 – Forward Major: Veterinary Medical Technology and Biology Minor: Chemistry Alyssa is a senior at Wilson and is involved in the Student Athlete Advisory Committee, Athletic Association, APPLE Team, and is a tour guide for the admissions office. She is very proud of being a multiple sport athlete. According to Bernard, “It’s not too often you can talk to someone who has played two or three sports during a single academic year at the collegiate level. That is something that makes Wilson unique, because here you have that opportunity. At Wilson, I play two sports that I love because I want to work hard and be out on the field competing. Through Wilson athletics I have grown not only as an athlete, but also as a person, and have developed more assurance of myself.”

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WILSON ATHLETICS

Wilson Athletes Partner with Special Olympics

by Beth Weixel For the 2011-12 academic year, the NCAA Division III and Special Olympics has formed a partnership designed to improve the lives of Special Olympics athletes through their involvement with Division III student-athletes. The partnership also provides a mutual learning experience between student-athletes and Special Olympics athletes.

Wilson Athletics has teamed up with the local Franklin County Special Olympics organization in order to participate in this initiative.

Throughout the year, small groups of Wilson student-athletes have volunteered to provide assistance at Special Olympics events including bowling practice and tournaments and swimming practice. This spring, the Phoenix will continue their efforts by helping with multisport training, where Special Olympic athletes will practice activities such as basketball, bocce ball and softball.

Athletic Event and Facility Manager Ashley Kisner has coordinated Wilson’s involvement with Special Olympics activities and has found the programs to be valuable learning experience for all athletes involved. According to Kisner, “This has been a very positive experience and a great opportunity for our student-athletes to become more involved in Chambersburg’s local community. I think the most surprising and wonderful aspect of this experience was to discover that both groups of athletes are very similar. Both play for the love of the game, are competitors, and are trying to find and reach their fullest potential.”

Greatest Sports Accomplishment at Wilson: “I was the first person to score a goal for the Phoenix for the modern day lacrosse team. I can remember how exciting it was, because the lacrosse program was new to Wilson Athletics, and a majority of people on the team had never picked up a stick prior to joining. I believe that first goal signified how far we had come from the first day of practice and reassured us that even though we were a young team, we had the ability to compete successfully with teams that were more experienced.”

Bernard’s Career Stats:

Goals Assist Points Games Played/ Starts Lacrosse 22 7 29 31/31 Soccer 1 0 2 35/35

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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Holding the Line on Tuition The topic of college affordability continues in the national news, but Wilson’s students can be assured their tuition will hold firm for the 2012-13 school year. During their winter meetings, Wilson’s Trustees voted to hold tuition at the 2011-12 rate of $28,745 – along with a small bump in fees to cover only the direct increases in the College’s cost of providing the services. The result is that Wilson students will pay just 1.2 percent more next year for tuition and fees. Here are excerpts from an opinion editorial that President Barbara K. Mistick wrote at the request of Chambersburg’s Public Opinion newspaper, which was published on March 11, 2012.

We want as many students as possible to be able to afford to come to Wilson without having to increase their debt load. With cuts to the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) student grant program in the offing, maintaining tuition at its current level was one step we could take to help students be able to afford to continue their education at Wilson College.

But the decision to keep tuition level next year is difficult — and we must guard against sacrificing academic excellence. This year, however, it was the right thing to do. Nationally, college debt has mushroomed to the point where student debt exceeds total credit card debt at $870 billion outstanding, as reported March 6 by the New York Times. One of the key reasons, along with the rising cost of delivering quality education, is the weak

President Mistick and Students at Lobby Day President Barbara K. Mistick accompanied a group of students to Student Lobby Day in Harrisburg, on April 3, to meet with representatives and senators to express their concerns about continued state support for student financial aid. Pictured on the steps of the state capital are: (row 1) Brie-Anne Asbury ’12, President Mistick, Assistant Professor of Political Science Jill Hummer; (row 2) Caitlin Madden ’13, Richard Holliday ’13 and Kimberly Adams ’13. Not pictured is Wilson’s Financial Aid Coordinator Chris Knouse.

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economy. Many families have simply exhausted their savings for college while trying to ride out the prolonged recession.

Wilson is providing more aid to students than ever before, increasing annual scholarship assistance from $3.3 million in 2007 to more than $5 million this year. Forty-six percent of our students are the first in their families to attend college. They and their families are negotiating the complex world of financial aid for the first time. Wilson’s financial aid counselors work directly with them to identify scholarships and help students understand the options for financing their degree. But we and other institutions must be more transparent about the full cost of a college education and help students develop a plan to pay. Therefore, we are also preparing to offer a course in financial literacy as part of our first-year seminar class that will help students avoid taking on more debt than they can afford after graduation.

Institutions of higher education are always trying to rein in costs and help as many potential students as possible who want to enroll, but the gap between what we can provide and what families can contribute is widening. Solving the problem of education access and affordability will also take a sincere commitment from the federal and state governments as well. We must do whatever it takes to place achieving a college degree within reach of all who want one. This starts with ensuring access to education and keeping a bachelor’s degree affordable. To that end, federal and state financial assistance programs for students must be protected, if not increased. Although the federal Pell Grant program is secured for this budget year, it is sure to be threatened in the future. We all must call on our leaders to make sure this important source of federal student aid is not cut.

At the state level, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett’s 2012-13 budget proposal targets the need-based PHEAA grant program for a 5 percent ($19.1 million) decrease in state appropriations.

If you live in Pennsylvania, I encourage you to contact the governor’s office, as well as the offices of your local state senator and representative, and ask that this program — the only program at the state level that goes directly to students — be fully funded or increased.

Now is not the time to cut funding so desperately needed by students and their families.

Wilson College 2012 Equestrian Riding Camps 8 – 15 Year Old Co-Ed

Pee Wee Camp for children 5-8 years old July 9 – 13 9 a.m. – Noon or 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. $185 per student $20 Second child discount

This camp is geared to teach young children to respect and love horses. Children will learn to groom, lead, feed and care for a horse. Each child will ride each day and learn the basics of walking forward, stopping and steering. Participants will play games on horseback to enhance riding skills. *8 year olds are strongly encouraged to attend Pee Wee Camp unless they have attended Wilson Riding Camps during previous years.

Beginner Day Camp June 18 – June 22 or August 6 – 10 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. $345 per student $20 Second child discount Beginner Day Camp is designed to take students with very little or no experience and begin to prepare them for independence on horseback. Children will be grouped according to experience level. Students will begin to learn what is involved in owning a horse of their own and will participate in at least one mounted lesson per day.

10-15 Year Old Girls

Overnight Camp

July 16 – 20 Sunday 6 p.m. until Friday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. $500 per student $20 second child discount

The Overnight Camps is designed for students who already have riding experience. Students must be able to tack up and walk and trot independently. Participants are encouraged to bring their own horses, but if they need to borrow a school horse, they may.

• Pony Club format.

• Meals are provided.

• Overnight accommodations will be in dorms – allowing them a glimpse into college life.

• Movies and fun activities will take place in the evenings.

• Public schooling show on Friday evening – campers may participate as additional activity.

Registration deadline is June 1, and a 50% non-refundable deposit is due at time of registration.

All proceeds benefit Wilson College.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu

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SHAPING THE FUTURE Advancement News

Leading with Confidence Campaign surpasses original $45 million goal

O

n Feb. 24, leadership donors joined President Barbara K. Mistick to celebrate the success of the Leading with Confidence Campaign, which officially ended on Dec. 31, 2011 having raised just over $51 million from 4,528 donors. We are grateful to those alumnae, parents, faculty, staff members and friends who responded so generously in supporting Wilson. This extraordinary demonstration of philanthropy will not only impact our current students, faculty and staff, but will also benefit Wilson for many years to come.

The president of the Board of Trustee’s, the Campaign Committee co-chairs, and a faculty and student representative each spoke on the impact of the campaign. From adding new facilities, enhancing technology, providing for scholarships, and engaging alumnae support to ensuring international experiences, all of Wilson has been touched.

Philanthropy is about making positive change in the world by devoting your resources and your time to something you believe in. Thank you for your confidence in Wilson College.

President Barbara K. Mistick, Leading with Confidence Campaign Co-chairs Betty Lou Leedom Thompson ’60 and Cynthia Dimmick Grove ’63, Wilson College Board of Trustees Chair John W. Gibb and immediate past chair, Trudi Warner Blair ’76

“I feel confident that the opportunities provided to me...will serve me well as I continue to pursue a medical degree. I am excited as well, for the new students as they will have the addition of the biochemistry major to consider and greater opportunities for research and personal development.

And finally, I am excited for Wilson. How lucky she is that she is supported by so many who continue to believe that educational opportunities for our community are worthwhile endeavors...

On behalf of the students, thank you so much for your contributions to make the renovations to the science center a reality.”

— Lori Fedorczyk ’94, Wilson student

Campaign Celebration “Your support of this project has brought the vision to reality for our students who are engaged in the classrooms and laboratories; who work side-by-side with faculty in guided research projects and side-by-side with fellow students in study sessions. Science of today is ‘hands on,’ experiential in nature, self-discovery and student-driven with faculty mentorship. The evolution from the days of the ‘cook book’ and observational approach are history. With your help, Wilson College has been on the crest of this transformation, and we stand ready to be responsive for what the future may hold...Thank you for making that happen!”

— Dr. M. Dana Harriger, associate professor of biology and assistant dean and head of sciences division

The Leading with Confidence Campaign celebration video shown at the event can be viewed at www.wilson.edu/campaignvideo.

Leading with Confidence Campaign Co-chairs Betty Lou Leedon Thompson ’60 and Cynthia Dimmick Grove ’63

Although Marguerite and Gerry Lenfest were unabl e to attend the celebration, they ask ed President Mistick to read this letter.

Dear Guests, What a grand occasion cel ebrating the completion of our successful “Leading Wi th Confidence Campaign.”

I am glad that so many fee l the way that we do— supporting worthwhile ins titutions and organization s.

Many of us have close conn ections to Wilson College, but all who contr ibute are doing so because they know it plays an imp ortant role in education.

Just look at the accomplis hments of our alums.

Thank you to all who have stepped up to the challenge and may you conti nue to participate and stay connected to the growth and success of Wilson College.

Marguerite & Gerry P.S. Have a great evening.