Robin Stillwater, Providing Familial Support

LLC, and shares that D&E made him the person he is today. David and his wife, Michelle, are the proud parents of Sara ’17, Joseph and Marc.

1995

Dianne Dolly Foster, Louisville, Kentucky, shares that earning her bachelor’s degree at D&E was a crucial element in her career journey. She is now enjoying retirement from assistant dean at the University of Louisville School of Dentistry.

2005

Melissa R. Bonner Harlan, ’04, and her husband Kenneth are the proud parents of Rachel Anna Harlan, age 5. Rachel is a first grader at St. Luke’s Episcopal School and is loving every minute. Big “brother” Jake, their Great Dane enjoys taking Rachel to school and picking her up. Life is great for the Harlan family in Mobile, Alabama.

Rachel Anna Harlan, daughter of Melissa R. Bonner Harlan ’04. See 2005.

Robin Stillwater

Providing Familial Support

These days Robin Stillwater ’13 and ’14 finds it a lot easier to see life through someone else’s eyes. Not that empathy was ever missing from her character – it’s just that in the last year some new indelible experiences have come into her life. While working as a chaplain resident at a Veterans hospital in Brooklyn, New York, she provided support to families whose loved ones were dying from COVID-19. She realized the seriousness of the virus and used her strength to guide the families through their despair. Yet, she couldn’t absolutely put herself in their place. Then came the chills and a fever, and Stillwater knew from her experience she likely had COVID-19. As she suspected, her test was positive. “It was funny, a few days before this I had an overwhelming sensation everything was going to be OK,” Stillwater said. “I felt peace and clarity” With care from her roommates and good general health on her side, she began to see recovery peek through each day. “The worst part was that I was exhausted and couldn’t breathe,” she recalls. “I started doing breathing exercises and relied on my faith that God was going to see me through. “At some point in everyone’s life, they go through a trauma related to a physical illness,” Stillwater reckons. “Going through COVID was my first experience like that. It gave me the understanding of how to face fears and the unknown.” Now, she uses that insight in her daily professional life, especially in her work with patients who have recovered from COVID and with families whose loved ones are struggling with the virus. In addition, she provides support to the hospital staff to make sure they remain emotionally healthy. “They are the champions,” she said. Just when she thought the pandemic would be the end of her woes, racial tensions accelerated and riots broke out not far from where she traveled each day. Many of the veterans she counseled are Black. “Seeing racism online, even from people who say things and don’t mean to be racist bring up feelings and memories for these veterans,” she said. “This year our entire lives have changed, then to see the veterans who feel their identities are being erased … all of these things add up.” Strength and faith again saw her through and on to the next hurdle. One of her big life moments was also not the way she envisioned. With dual degrees in nursing and religion and philosophy from D&E, she went on to earn her master’s degree from Union Theological Seminary. In August,

Tucker County Teacher of the Year Megan Helmick ’06. See 2006.

2006

Megan Helmick, a third-grade teacher at Davis Thomas Elementary Middle School, was recently

Robin Stillwater ’13 and ’14

Stillwater was ordained as Reverend of the Unitarian Universalist Tradition. The ceremony still took place in her hometown Unitarian Church of Harrisburg (Pennsylvania), but instead of gathering with her family and guests to celebrate her accomplishments, the milestone played out in the virtual world. As the year comes to a close, Stillwater says she came out stronger and sees hope and encouragement around her. “I better understand the pain, not theirs specifically, but the pain we’ve all had. Just to say ‘I’m sad and I’m in pain, too’ is really helpful,” she said. “What gives me hope is seeing more people, especially younger people, helping one another; and more white people being willing to listen to the concerns of Black people.”