WINTER 2020 | VOLUME 97 | NUMBER 3
A
NEXT-LEVEL Global Education
22 PAGE
THEN & now classrooms
As we kick off a new semester in a new decade, we explored the archives to see how classrooms have changed over the years. View additional photos on Pages 22-23. Left: Professor of Modern Languages Wright Kirk and Micheline Ricois (a Fulbright scholar from France) teach a class in the Electronic Language Laboratory in the Tome Scientific Building around 1960. Right: Assistant Professor of Educational Studies Kirk Anderson connects with students in his Educational Psychology class in Denny Hall, Room 211.
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Photos by A. Pierce Bounds ’71
14 PAGE
BLURRING THE DIVIDES
HERE & THERE kudos 4
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bragging rights 6
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your view 7
24
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fine print 9
DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON A Next-Level Global Education Six international students offer an inside look at their Dickinson experience.
PAST & PRESENT our Dickinson 44
| obituaries 62
President Margee Ensign Vice President of Marketing & Communications Connie McNamara Editor Lauren Davidson Lead Designer Amanda DeLorenzo Class Notes Designer Neil L. Mills College Photographer Carl Socolow ’77 Contributing Writers Nicole Beidleman ’20 MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson Matt Getty Kandace Kohr Marie Laverdiere ’21 Tony Moore Magazine Advisory Board Alexander Becket ’08 Catherine McDonald Davenport ’87 Jim Gerencser ’93 Donna Hughes Gregory Lockard ’03 David O’Connell Megan Shelley Dapp ’05 Adrienne Su Kirk Swenson Alisa Valudes Whyte ’93
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happenings 10
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in the game 13
34
Midyear Impact Report Explore the impact of your giving and how you can help Dickinson reach its goals.
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Alumni Profile: Saying “Yes” London-based ABC News editor Jonathan Haworth ’04 discusses his globe-trotting professional path and how Dickinson taught him to seize opportunities.
| before you go 64
© Dickinson College 2020. Dickinson Magazine (USPS Permit No. 19568, ISSN 2719134) is published four times a year, in January, April, July and October, by Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, Cumberland County, PA 17013-1773. Periodicals postage paid at Carlisle, PA, and additional mailing office.
D I C K I N S O N M A G A Z I N E Winter 2020 | Volume 97 | Number 3
Address changes may be sent to Dickinson Magazine, Dickinson College, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013-2896.
Stephanie Teeuwen ’20 and Bruno Kaboyi ’21 display their home-country pride with flags from the Netherlands and Rwanda, respectively. Learn more about them and a handful of other international students in “A Next-Level Global Education” on Pages 24-31. Photo by Carl Socolow ’77.
www.dickinson.edu/magazine | dsonmag@dickinson.edu | 717-245-1289 Printed by Progress Printing Plus in Lynchburg, Va.
ON THE COVER
SUSTAINABLY PRODUCED
Printed using wind energy and soy-based inks on Finch paper. All Finch papers are produced in Glens Falls, N.Y., using 66% on-site sustainable energy sources: emission-free hydroelectricity from the Hudson River and biomass co-generation from wood waste. Finch sustains natural American forests, supports independently certified fiber sourcing and reduces fossil fuel emissions.
Head to the web for more. View a related video.
From poetry to political analysis, academic approaches to astronomical anomalies, Dickinson faculty, administrators and students were featured in prominent media outlets in recent months, including The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New Yorker.
Featured Faculty Assistant Professor of Political Science and Latin American Studies Santiago Anria published two opeds, “The Latin American Left Isn’t Dead Yet” in The Conversation and “Is Bolivia’s Democracy in Danger? Here’s What’s Behind the Disputed Presidential Election” in The Washington Post. Under the Creative Commons license, the piece also was published by a number of other prominent outlets, including Chicago Tribune, Canada Standard, Nigeria Sun, Argentina Star and Trinidad Times. Anria also was quoted in The Nation story “Bolivia’s Remarkable Socialist Success Story” and The New York Times report “Bolivia Crisis Shows the Blurry Line Between Coup and Uprising” and co-authored “Bolivia After Morales” for Foreign Affairs. Associate Professor of Biology Scott Boback was quoted in a Huffington Post report on President Trump’s alleged idea to construct a snake-filled border moat. In addition to dozens of faculty, staff, students and members of the local community, the Astronomy Club’s Transit of Mercury event attracted local media attention. It was featured on CBS21 and ABC27 news. Professor of Physics & Astronomy Robert Boyle and Aidan Pidgeon ’20 gave on-camera interviews. Visiting Assistant Professor Sarah Bryant is an editor and author in A Celebration of the EDGE Program’s Impact on the Mathematics Community and Beyond, published by Springer. Her chapter, “The EDGE Program: 20 Years and Counting,” provides an overview of this program,
DICK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 4
which has supported more than 260
Obama Legacy is Complicated
women as they prepare for graduate
for Joe Biden in 2020” and “The
studies in math. Since being a
Republican ‘Bloodletting’ Continued
participant in the EDGE 2002 cohort,
in the Philadelphia Suburbs. What
Bryant has returned as mentor,
Does It Mean for Trump In 2020?”
guest speaker and instructor. Last year EDGE was recognized with a Presidential Award for Excellence in STEM Mentoring, the highest honor for mentors who work with underrepresented groups to develop the nation’s human resources in STEM. Bryant also co-wrote a chapter, “Striking the Right Chord: How Math Circles Promote (Joyous) Professional Development,” on the impact of her outreach work. Analysis by Professor of Religion and Sophia Ava Asbell Chair in Judaic Studies Andrea Lieber was referenced in a Haaretz (Israeli newspaper) story on Orthodox and Ultra-orthodox women finding voice and power on Instagram. Visiting Professor of International Security Studies Jeff McCausland published an opinion piece with NBC News THINK. In it, he endorsed military senior officers’ position that President Trump should not intervene in legal cases involving service members. The Chronicle of Higher Education highlighted Lecturer in International Business & Management Joy Middaugh’s FirstYear Seminar, Paying the Game of Life, as an innovative financialwellness course in its story “Why More Colleges Are Teaching Financial Wellness.” Middaugh and students Jessie Zinderman ’23 and Sam Campbell ’23 were photographed for and quoted prominently in the story. Assistant Professor of Political Science Sarah Niebler was quoted in two election-related stories in The Philadelphia Inquirer: “Why the
Assistant Professor of Political Science David O’Connell was quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer story “For Joe Biden, Trump’s Impeachment Inquiry Emphasizes His Strong Standing While Also Testing It.” Associate Professor of History Emily Pawley was interviewed in The Sentinel’s two-part series “Reclaiming the Square” and quoted in the Los Angeles Times story “How ‘Molly of Denali’ Helps Native American Children Feel Seen.” Associate Professor of Philosophy Crispin Sartwell’s latest op-ed, “Rural Voters’ Pride and the Left’s Prejudice,” was published in The Wall Street Journal. Assistant Professor of English and Film Studies Greg Steirer was a guest on the program Knowledge@Wharton, discussing Spider-Man rejoining the Marvel cinematic universe after Sony made a deal with Disney. Analysis and commentary by Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies Kristin Strock was published in the report “Cancer-Linked Contaminants in Point Pleasant Area’s Water.” The report was published in 95 editions of Patch.com’s network of news sites throughout New Jersey and New York. “An Hour Later, You’re Hungry Again,” a poem by Professor of Creative Writing and poet-inresidence Adrienne Su that presents a multigenerational feast, was published in The New Yorker. Her poem “Personal History” was featured on Dec. 4 in the Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day series.
HERE & THERE / kudos
Administrator Accolades & Noteworthy Coverage U.S. News & World Report featured the College Farm in its story “Why College Campuses Are Going Green.” College Farm Director Jenn Halpin was quoted. Assistant Director of Media Relations Craig Layne, host and co-producer of “The Good,” Dickinson’s awardwinning monthly podcast, was quoted in the University Business column, “Podcasting: A Voice of the Future of Higher Ed?” Vincent L. Stephens, director of the Popel Shaw Center for Race & Ethnicity and contributing faculty in music, Len Spoden
published Rocking the Closet: How Little Richard, Johnnie Ray, Liberace, and Johnny Mathis Queered Pop Music (University of Illinois Press, 2019). He also has an article, “Impact by Intention: An Argument for Forensics as a High Impact Practice,” in National Forensic Journal (Fall 2019, Volume 36,
President Ensign in the News
Issue 1). A press release announcing the reimagined certificate program with Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (read more on Page 10) was published by DanceLand News and on the websites of more than 60 news and television outlets. The Sentinel, ABC27’s Good Day PA, WITF and WITF’s Smart Talk promoted Genocide, Justice and Hope in advance of the event, which was hosted by Dickinson. The Sarajevo Times published a story by ABC27 news, which covered the event. (Kudos as of Dec. 4.)
President Margee Ensign’s latest op-ed, “It’s Time to Pass the Global Fragility Act,” which she co-authored with a former ambassador to Qatar, Patrick N. Theros, was published in The Hill. nsign, Bridge student Patience Bulus and former CNN journalist E Isha Sesay led a Q&A session about the Boko Haram kidnappings in Chibok at Midtown Scholar bookstore in Harrisburg. The event was covered by PennLive. nsign was quoted in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette story “Major E Businesses and Higher Education Institutions in Pennsylvania Urge State Leaders to Accelerate a Low-Carbon Future.” uring a Nov. 21 ceremony in Washington, D.C., Ensign accepted the D Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization (pictured above), a prestigious national award that formally affirmed Dickinson’s role as a leader in global education. The award was presented by NAFSA: Association for International Educators, the world’s largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education. Dickinson is one of eight institutions to be bestowed NAFSA’s highest honor in 2019 and the first college in NAFSA’s history to earn the award twice.
Dickinson.edu/inthenews
I n advance of their panel discussion, Rwanda 25, which took place on campus on Dec. 2, Ensign and Nelly Teta ’22, a native of Rwanda, were in-studio guests on WITF’s live radio program, Smart Talk. 5
HERE & THERE / bragging rights #DSONPROUD For the first time since 2011, Red Devils
The Princeton Review
ranked Dickinson
No. 3 on its list of
TOP 50 Green Colleges
football took both the Little Brown Bucket and Conestoga Wagon trophies in heated rivalry matches that date back to 1889 and 1963, respectively. Dickinson beat Gettysburg soundly in the Bucket game, 56-20, racking up nearly 600 total yards along the way. The Wagon game found the Red Devils beating Franklin & Marshall in a tense overtime thriller 17-10.
Last fall, Dickinson’s Office of Marketing & Communications added four awards to its list of accolades. Recognizing achievement across the international spectrum of marketing, communications, public relations and advertising, the MarCom Awards are bestowed by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals, one of the largest creative organizations in the world.
Viral Moments DID YOU KNOW the Washington Nationals’ “Since Today” fan is none other than Dickinson alum John Loughney ’03? And that Charlie Gaines ’15 sank a layup, a free throw, a 3-pointer and a half-court shot, all in a span of 30 seconds, to earn a check for $500 and a standing ovation from the crowd during a University of Maryland basketball game?
DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 6
•
Platinum: Magazine Dickinson Magazine, spring 2019 issue
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Platinum: Print Dickinson admissions viewbook
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Gold: Video/Film “Dickinson & Slavery Project”
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Honorable mention: Web Video “Education Abroad: Teaching English Through American Football”
[
YOUR VIEW
Correcting History: “The Red Devil’s New Clothes”
] The Social Spot
The fall edition of Dickinson Magazine found its way to my mailbox here in Tucson today. As I perused the material, my attention was drawn to the article “The Red Devil’s New Clothes.” I was fascinated by the evolution of the Red Devil but scratched my head when I read that “the first concrete indication that the college’s administration officially embraced the Red Devil was in 1980, when it was painted on the hardwood floor of the shiny new Kline Center.” In actuality, the Red Devil appeared at center court in the old Alumni Gymnasium at least nine years earlier. Having haunted the hardboards in the Alumni Gym from 1969 to ’73, I was certain the Red Devil made its debut there in the early ’70s. To support my recollection, I provide a photo taken from one of our games against Washington College during the 1971-72 season. This pic was “snipped” from game film that the college has digitized. It’s clear that as my teammates bring the ball up the court they are about to pass by the Red Devil at half court. I reviewed a film from the 1969-70 season and the Red Devil had not yet been painted at center court. Also, here’s the team picture from our 1971-72 season. You’ll note the Red Devil front and center. Understand, I’m not trying to criticize but rather clarify the history of the Red Devil from my perspective. GUY BRUNT ’73
TUCSON, AZ
FOLLOW US:
dickinson.edu/socialmedia Editor’s Note: After sharing Guy’s message and evidence with the archives, we agree that “the film footage doesn’t lie” and clearly the Red Devil made an earlier appearance than our records indicated. Thanks to Guy for his eagle eye and great memory!
We want to hear from you! Send letters via email to dsonmag@ dickinson.edu or mail to: Dickinson Magazine, P.O. Box 1773, Carlisle, PA 17013. Letters may be edited for length and clarity.
We Need You!
We’re looking for help with a few upcoming story ideas. Email Editor Lauren Davidson (davidsol@dickinson.edu) if you: ¨ are involved or know someone involved with the 2020 Summer Olympics ¨ have made a dramatic career shift or pursued a totally new “second act” occupation ¨ took or taught what you would consider the coolest or most innovative class at Dickinson in the last decade
¨ would like to share a story of how your Dickinson network has made a difference in your life ¨ would recommend a must-read book of the last decade ¨ have a bold prediction for what the next decade will bring—in education, in technology, in literature, in the world. 7
HERE & THERE
Separated by Miles;
UNITED BY BOOKS
There are myriad ways that alumni stay connected beyond Dickinson’s limestone walls. From alumni global adventures to beautiful destinations like Galapagos, Iceland and Italy, to regional events and more, the bonds formed at Dickinson transcend physical barriers. Like many alumni rekindling their connection to the college, Megan Shelley Dapp ’05 stays in touch with her fellow alumni by encouraging academic discourse through the Alumni Book Club. An avid reader for many years, Dapp recently learned about the book club through the alumni network, and it was the perfect marriage of communication, connection and camaraderie. “I tend to stick to a similar genre, and when I started to get involved and share books with other individuals, and was exposed to different types of reading, I really enjoyed that. It gave me a different perspective.”
Dapp is one of nearly 500 members of the Alumni Book Club, which was formed by Dickinson’s Office of Alumni Relations, a division of college advancement. All alumni, parents, faculty and staff are welcome to join this free club, which convenes via an online forum. Members represent the classes of 1952 through 2019. “As Dickinsonians, we share a love of learning, and the book club offers a way to connect with each other through intellectual discussion once again,” says Liz Glynn Toth ’06, director of alumni relations. “We are excited to offer a way to connect with each other from around the world.” A book club facilitator denotes the timeline for completion of the book and sets the schedule for interactive discussions about a chapter or section of the book. Once the topic of discussion is posed, members are encouraged to engage, whether they wish to react to the selected passages or the book as a whole. The group is now working through its third book. Members vote based on a shortlist of books comprising other member recommendations. All of the books that the group has read so far—Ribbons of Scarlet, co-written by Laura Croghan Kamoie ’92, A Gentleman in Moscow and Educated—are award-winning books in some capacity, including New York Times bestsellers. “The books have all been slightly different, and it’s been interesting to see the evolution. It’s nice to be able to weigh in with our individual interests, and it’s a great opportunity,” says Dapp. For Dapp, her sentiment is likely one that many of her fellow alumni share as well: the appreciation for the continued support from the Dickinson community. The club offers alumni the chance to keep in touch and reinvigorate the lifelong learning culture they fostered at Dickinson, and it allows alumni to forge bonds beyond campus events like Homecoming and class reunions. “This has been a way to connect in more of an academic atmosphere,” Dapp says. “And I think for many Dickinsonians, they’re lifelong learners, and it’s nice to go back to the portion of my life where I was unpacking the meaning of something that’s written and how the history of the times affected the content. It’s nice to reconnect that part of my brain that I might not have utilized in a very long time.” —Kandace Kohr
Alumni, parents, faculty and staff are encouraged to join the conversation at dson.co/bookclub.
DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 8
HERE & THERE / fine print
Couples and Family Therapy in Clinical Practice
Breathe, Empower, Achieve
By Ira Glick ’57 (lead author)
The Experiment
Wiley-Blackwell
For so many women, work-life balance is a myth. Moralis, a psychotherapist, coaches readers through 50 “mindful breaks” that promote calm, bolster self-confidence and help you to set and conquer goals.
Couples and Family Therapy in Clinical Practice has been the psychiatric and mental health clinician’s trusted companion for over four decades. This new fifth edition delivers the essential information that clinicians of all disciplines need to provide effective family-centered interventions for couples and families. Lead author Glick is professor emeritus of psychiatry at Stanford University School of Medicine.
Michelangelo, God’s Architect By William Wallace ’74 Princeton University Press This is the untold story of Michelangelo’s final decades when he came out of retirement at the behest of the pope to work on a dozen architectural projects including, most importantly, St. Peter’s Basilica. Wallace is the Barbara Murphy Bryant Distinguished Professor of Art History at Washington University in St. Louis. This is his fourth book on Michelangelo.
Fiction
By Shonda Bear Moralis ’92
O Jackie! By Alexander Carver ’95 J. New Books In his debut novel, author, screenwriter and playwright Carver tells the story of a playwright obsessed with the glamour, glory and gloom of the Kennedy era. Called “wonderfully funny and stylish,” O Jackie! is a story about the internal and external chaos created when an artist with both a Superman and an inferiority complex chooses to be the person he wishes he was, instead of who he truly is.
Troy on Trial: An Intermediate Latin Reader By Kristin Masters ’02 (author), Jared Meyer (editor) Enchiridion Press Masters has been an adjunct professor of Latin at Rowan University since 2010 and specializes in Roman history. She is the author of several articles, and Troy on Trial is her second textbook. By using the “eyewitness accounts” of later Latin works on the Trojan War, the book enables intermediate Latin students to develop critical reading skills while evaluating and analyzing the entirety of the war and its aftermath.
Nonfiction 9 9
HERE & THERE
happenings Snippets of stories from around campus Dickinson.edu/news
The Dickinson College Ballet Certificate Program With Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB) is the next step in a nineyear partnership between the two organizations. Students pursuing the certificate will take preprofessional-level dance courses as well as courses in dance history, world dance and business management—all of which will count toward graduation requirements. The certificate will provide a multidisciplinary path to serious dancers who want to combine their interests while preparing for graduation.
DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 1 0
Carl Socolow ’77
Dance, Dance
Ceramicist Residency Informs, Inspires Professional artists come to Dickinson annually thanks to the Sylvia J. Smith Visiting Artists Fund. This fall’s resident artist was ceramicist Will Preman, owner and designer of Philadelphia’s Yum Yum Ceramics. He has served in prestigious residences at the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing, Urban Culture Project in Kansas City and the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington state. While at Dickinson, Preman worked on his own creations, exhibited his work, hosted open studio hours, provided career talks, visited classes and gave feedback to senior studio art majors.
Carl Socolow ’77
Joe O’Neill
Electric Color Electric boxes around Carlisle got a face-lift thanks to Color Carlisle, an initiative in partnership with the Downtown Carlisle Association to bring more public art to the area. Local artists submitted proposals and six were selected, including alumna Cassie Lier ’15 (art & art history), who painted the box on the corner of High and College streets.
Run Honors Veterans
Carl Socolow ’77
In the early morning hours of Veterans Day, Dickinson cadets from the Blue Mountain Battalion ROTC program led a run around Dickinson Park to Biddle Field to honor those who serve. The event included the presentation of a generous donation from the Warrior Brotherhood Veterans Motorcycle Club that will provide scholarship support for at least two outstanding ROTC candidates.
Carl Socolow ’77
Charge Up Dickinson now has three electric vehicle (EV) charging stations on campus, each with two charging plugs, allowing for six electric vehicles to charge at once. These stations are one more way Dickinson demonstrates its innovative commitment to sustainability and carbon neutrality.
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[
IN THE GAME
]
Fall sports had some major milestones, with women’s soccer advancing to the Sweet 16 of the
Chris Knight
NCAA National Championship, women’s cross country earning numerous accolades and the football team bringing home both rivalry trophies for wins against Gettysburg and Franklin & Marshall. Soccer Women’s soccer (16-3-4) advanced to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA National Championship for the third time in program history. The Red Devils captured the regular season title in the Centennial Conference (CC), going undefeated with an 8-0-2 record and tying the school record for wins. Ted Zingman was voted Coach of the Year and Meg Tate ’23 earned Rookie of the Year and first-team AllConference. Seven players earned All-CC, including four first-team selections, and four were named U.S. Soccer Coaches Association All-Region. Accolades also included Mideast Region Coaching Staff of the Year. Goalie Carli Boyer ’22 set school records with 12 shutouts and a 0.52 goals-against average.
Don Nichter
Bridget Hughes
Men’s soccer (10-8) earned the No. 3 seed in the conference playoffs. Kevin Gilbert ’20 earned his second All-Mid-Atlantic Region honor and was named All-Conference for the third straight season. He finished his career with 35 goals to rank third in program history. Brendan McGovern ’20 and Isaac Bradbury ’23 were also named All-Conference. Cross Country Women’s cross country placed ninth at the NCAA National Championships and second at the CC and NCAA Mideast Regional meets. Don Nichter was voted conference Coach of the Year, while Isabel Cardi ’21 was named CC and Mideast Region Runner of the Year, capturing individual titles at both championships. She went on to earn AllAmerica honors with a third-place finish at nationals. The Red Devils extended their Little Three Championship streak to 26 straight while earning four All-Region and three All-CC honors. Sarah House ’20 was named Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year for women’s cross country. Men’s cross country captured its 23rd consecutive Little Three Championship and placed third at the CC meet. Bryce Descavish ’20 claimed back-to-back CC Runner of the Week to start the season and ran to first-team All-Conference honors. Brothers Charles ’22 and Christopher Scharf ’22 earned AllRegion honors, leading the Red Devils to fifth at the NCAA Mideast Region Championship.
Field Hockey Field hockey (9-8 overall, 5-5 in the CC) was in the playoff hunt until the final game of the season. It was a dominant force at home, going 7-2 on Biddle Field. Marie Laverdiere ’21 was named second-team All-Conference for the second time and the Scholar Athlete of the Year with the highest GPA on the All-CC squad. Hannah Spiri ’22 earned second-team honors and Jillian Beemon ’20 received her third All-CC honor. Beemon scored the first goal of her career to trigger a 3-2 upset of No. 9-ranked Ursinus, topping the Bears for the first time in program history. Volleyball Volleyball (15-10) had a strong showing under firstyear Head Coach Jenn McMonagle. Emma Lange ’22 was named All-CC, earning second-team honors. She ranked second in the conference with a .331 hitting percentage and in the top 10 for kills and blocks. Her 71 blocks tie her for 10th on the program single-season list while moving her into ninth all-time with 135 in just her first two years. She holds the school record with a remarkable career hitting percentage of .288, recording 450 kills with just 134 errors in 1,096 attempts. Alex Berezan ’20 moved into the top 10 in program history with over 800 career assists. Football Football (5-5) captured both rivalry games to take back the Conestoga Wagon and keep the Little Brown Bucket for the fourth straight year. The team had eight All-CC honors, including four firstteam selections. James Turner ’20 earned his third All-CC nod, finishing second all-time in program history with 372 combined tackles, setting the school record with 215 solo stops. The offensive line provided outstanding protection as the Red Devils set the school record for passing yards in a season, throwing for 2,342, allowing just nine sacks. Jordan Hollander ’20 earned a pair of All-CC honors as the first-team punter and honorable mention on defense.
Cheer on your Red Devils! Check out all the stats, scores, schedules and highlights at dickinsonathletics.com. Watch free live broadcasts online, produced by students in the Red Devil Sports Network (RDSN). Follow @DsonRedDevils on Twitter, Dickinson Red Devils on Facebook and @DickinsonAthletics on Instagram for daily updates. #DsonRedDevils DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 1 2
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Wherever There’s a Court
Carl Socolow ’77
An international student, an international sport, an international love for the game Leo Sorkin ’22 (computer science) made a strong debut on the tennis team, earning Centennial Conference Player of the Week two times and first-team honors in singles and doubles competitions as a first-year student. But Sorkin’s tennis career originated long before his Dickinson days; it started as a family rivalry. “I have an older brother who played tennis before me,” says Sorkin. “At the beginning and when I was small it was more like a competition, so I couldn’t stop playing because he was playing, and I couldn’t lose to him.” Sorkin went 13-5 in singles last year (only dropping one Centennial Conference match), won nine out of 10 singles matches and was ranked 18th in the Atlantic South regional poll. While continuously dedicating time and energy to tennis, Sorkin balances his athletic career with a web developing work-study at the Media Center. “I like my major, I like tennis, I like my work, so I vary what I am doing during the day, like if I study for three hours, I work for three hours, I play tennis for three hours, then I don’t get tired. So, I enjoy my day, every day,” he says. “After you play tennis for 15 years you can’t stop ... it’s just a habit.” Sorkin began his NCAA career expecting the rigor of 5 a.m. practices, afternoon fitness sessions and endless weekend matches. He took these challenges in his stride, becoming the first Dickinson tennis player to be named Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year—without even knowing the recognition existed. One of three international students on the team, Sorkin was born in Russia and moved to Spain when he was 11. The previous Dickinson tennis coach caught his interest by enthusiastically recruiting him via email and Skype, ultimately convincing Sorkin to apply Early Decision. Sorkin has played wherever there’s a court, in Russia, Spain and now the United States. While his life at Dickinson is far from home, with the family-like support of the tennis team, he continues to thrive. “I love my teammates. I feel like the team is my family. That’s more important than how the team performs in general. I believe that we’re going to be friends forever.” Sorkin and Sam Coan ’22 finished their debut season 16-4 overall in doubles, tallying 16-0 in dual matches and 9-0 in Centennial Conference play. During the 2019 fall season, many upper-level players studied abroad, providing Sorkin the opportunity to step up as a sophomore captain. He led the team through two practice matches and has his sights set on a successful spring, when the Red Devils’ season kicks off on March 10 against Hampden-Sydney, during the spring break Florida trip. “I can’t get Rookie of the Year anymore, right?” he says with a laugh. “I’m not as concerned with how I perform as much as I hope my teammates can perform well too. While I’m at Dickinson, I hope to learn as much as possible while I have time. I really hope I can get to regionals at some point, and I hope I can get an internship over the summer that will help me with my future.” “Leo is hard working and disciplined on and off the court, and when he shows up for match day he’s focused and in the zone,” says Head Tennis Coach Brad Tulenko. “Leo hits the ball insanely hard, and the work that goes into that—from the footwork all the way up to keeping his head still—is amazing. His focus and determination are unmatched.” —Marie Laverdiere ’21 13
HEADER HEAD
BLURRING THE DIVIDES There’s less ‘theatre magic’ and more authenticity in theatre right now.
F
Dickinson’s fall theatre & dance performances continue to break with convention
rom the start, the audiences for Dickinson’s two fall mainstage productions knew something unusual was afoot. On arrival for the play We Are Pussy Riot (or Everything Is P.R.), the audience was divided into small groups and led through the backstage area and onto the stage. Audiences for the dance concert, Art Works, were met with a preshow happening—an exhibition by faculty artists and dance by the Dance Theatre Group (DTG) and the Hypnotic student club.
We Are Pussy Riot (WAPR) shined the spotlight on a real-life Russian feminist art collective, made world-famous after a brief performance on the steps of an iconic Russian cathedral. Staged in protest of the election of Vladimir Putin, the performance led to the protesters being placed in jail.
These are the latest examples of convention-bending theatre at Dickinson.
Witnessing a reenactment of the protest heard ’round the world, the WAPR
DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 1 4
By blurring the divides between art forms, and between theatre seat and stage, Dickinson’s Department of Theatre & Dance signals that new approaches to performance have arrived.
audiences moved from the backstage area to the stage, where they found their seats. All were asked to show respect for the “cathedral” they’d entered—the men removed their hats; the women were offered headscarves. Continuous video broadcasts and soundscapes, created by students, added to the immersive experience. Throughout the show, a shadow puppet of Vladimir Putin, created by Professor of Theatre Sherry Harper-McCombs, loomed over the scene. Art Works—a collaboration among the art & art history, creative writing, music and theatre & dance departments; the Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet (CPYB);
Photos by A. Pierce Bounds ’71
HERE & THERE
y bringing audiences into B the performance as invested bystanders, we created experiences that were different each night. So the students had to be ready to accept anything the audience brought to the performance.
Hypnotic dance group; and DTG—broke the barrier between audience and performers, and between backstage and onstage, in the opposite way. Instead of bringing audiences onstage, the performers came to them. All of the behind-the-scenes workings—tech gear, sound crew and so on—were visible. The interarts elements were the foundation of the show. The choreography was created in direct response to faculty works—verse by poet-in-residence Adrienne Su; costumes and puppets by Harper-McCombs; visual works by art professors Anthony Cervino, Ward Davenny and Todd Arsenault ’99;
performances by music professors Jennifer Blyth and James Martin; and a composition by Professor of Music Robert Pound. The concert also featured Leah Blatt ’22, a student in the Dickinson College Ballet Certificate Program With Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet. Naturally, these interdisciplinary partnerships present logistical and artistic challenges. So too does performing nearby audience members, says Karie Miller, assistant professor of theatre. “By bringing audiences into the performance as invested bystanders, we created experiences that were different
each night,” says Miller, who directed WAPR. “So the students had to be ready to
accept anything the audience brought to the performance.” These are timely concerns—inclusive, social-justice-tinged productions are all the rage at younger, edgier companies. “There’s less ‘theatre magic’ and more authenticity in theatre right now,” says Sarah Skaggs, associate professor of dance, “and it fosters a more empathic connection with the viewer than during a formal mediated experience, when the audience is separate from the stage.” —MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
15
HEADER HEAD
Questions With
Carl Socolow ’77
Rabbi Marley Weiner
Rabbi Marley Weiner, the first full-time director of the Milton B. Asbell Center for Jewish Life, discusses her background, her transition to Dickinson and her vision for the future of Jewish programming.
1.
What brought you to Dickinson? I came to Dickinson because I was looking for the next step in my career working with college students. I love working closely with students, faculty and administration (which is unusual for most Hillel directors). Having the opportunity to be in control of the vision and culture of the Asbell Center is really exciting. And I’m very appreciative of the warm welcome I’ve received on campus!
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What is your vision for Jewish life at Dickinson? College is a great time to take risks. I want the Asbell Center to be a place where people feel comfortable taking a risk, whether that’s doing Jewish learning for the first time, taking on a leadership role or just coming to a program and meeting new people. I want students to feel welcomed and supported so they can come here and try something new!
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There’s a lot of excitement on campus about having a full-time director. What are you most excited about? Programs like Sukkot on the Farm were not possible where I went to school in New York. It’s so neat to be able to partner on such out-of-the-box programming. I’m excited to offer opportunities I would have enjoyed when I was in school. I have also started offering opportunities for Jewish learning, both as classes and as one-on-one study sessions. In the fall I offered a class where we examined the Jewish values in the NBC comedy The Good Place. This spring I’m offering Spiritual Care for Social Activists, which discusses how to keep your values intact while pursuing social change.
HERE & THERE / 10 questions
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Where did your “lifelong love of Hillel” begin? Lifelong is a bit of an exaggeration, but I was active in my college’s Hillel and it very much shaped the rabbi and the Jew that I am today. I was a regular attendee at both the Conservative and Reform services. I served on the pluralism committee, and I was the vice president for the Reform group when I graduated from Barnard College in 2010. The staff taught me that there are so many valid and engaging ways to be Jewish, and my fellow students (many of whom were more religious than I was) showed me what it means to fully immerse in Judaism as a way of life. I want to bring some of those lessons to the students here at Dickinson.
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How do you plan to engage students from within and outside of the Dickinson Jewish community? I think the most important thing in engagement is relationship building. There’s something very powerful and valuable about sitting down with someone one-on-one and just talking. As I get to know what students are passionate or curious about, I can shape the programs here at the Asbell Center around what they want to see.
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You are the head supervisor of the kashrut in Dickinson’s dining hall. Can you explain what “kashrut” means? Kashrut is the series of rules that govern Jewish eating and cooking. In order to ensure that food is properly kosher, a rabbi or someone else knowledgeable in Jewish law must supervise the kitchen to make sure everything is being done properly. I visit the kitchen once or twice per week to check ingredients and make sure everything is being done properly.
“ I see my work as a campus rabbi as helping students discover what they are passionate about and how that can become part of their lives.”
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Can you expand on the idea of Torah Lishma and how it will be a part of Dickinson’s Jewish life? Torah Lishma means “Torah for its own sake.” In college, so much of our learning is for a larger purpose: to get a good grade, to get an internship or a good job or to get into grad school. The idea of Torah Lishma is that sometimes learning is its own reward. I want to offer classes that are fun and that help students reflect meaningfully on their lives, values and the choices they are making. One example of this was the class on The Good Place I mentioned earlier. It was not for credit, but it was an opportunity to do something fun and relaxing that also transmitted Jewish values.
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You mention your plan to shift the programming to better reflect how students draw connections between their faith traditions and everyday life. How do you plan to make this shift? I see my work as a campus rabbi as helping students discover what they are passionate about and how that can become part of their lives. That’s going to be different for different students. For one student, learning about early American Jewish history is a passion. For another, it’s Jewish feminism. For yet another, it’s art and music. And I am reevaluating our speaker series this year to invite speakers from a broad range of Jewish experience so that our speakers reflect the broad diversity of Jewish experience that already exists on our campus. Our speakers for the spring include a historian of LGBTQ+ Jewish history and a Dickinson alum who is a disability activist and rabbi. My goal is to bring experts who can show, through their stories and expertise, a little bit of the many different ways it is possible to fit into the broader spectrum of Jewish life and community.
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Your mentors at Barnard College Hillel shaped who you are today. How do you plan to be a mentor to Dickinson students? The thing about my mentors at Barnard is that they did not necessarily, consciously, try to educate me on the qualities I found most powerful. They simply showed up and acted from the courage of their convictions. I was impressed by their behavior and found it worth emulating. As a rabbi, so much of my work is showing up and doing the work by being true to myself and clear about my values. Some values that I hope to embody as a rabbi are that Judaism is fun and meaningful, that you should never judge someone until you have really listened to their side of the story and that the most important thing in life is to act in a way that you can be proud of.
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You are a big believer in student-led culture. How do you plan to foster this on campus? Part of building relationships with students is helping them to see that they can build things they are passionate about. Any time a student comes to me with an idea for a program, I say, “We can do it if you find four friends who want to do it too.” And then I invest in those ideas. So far this year, that policy has led to a class with coloring and discussing Jewish texts, The Good Place class and a trip to Philadelphia to see the Ruth Bader Ginsburg exhibit at the Museum of American Jewish History. And hopefully next semester there will be many more similar programs! —Nicole Beidleman ’20
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Thiago Leite
Jamey Harman ’18
HERE & THERE
Dickinson Introduces NEW Study-Abroad Initiatives Dickinson has been consistently recognized for its international approach to education, and one of the things that makes it distinctive is the Dickinson-run study-abroad programs. The “Dickinson in” model works to build long-term, sustainable, reciprocal relationships and create meaningful exchanges and interactions with sites around the world. Dickinson builds partnerships with universities in the host cities, engages in community projects, hires local staff and faculty and hosts exchange students. And recently Dickinson announced its newest program in Brazil and the relocation of its Australia program to New Zealand.
we want doesn’t exist,” explains Brandauer. “We have the capacity and know-how to build our own program, and we’re actually offering something that other schools will be interested in because we can be the first at the University of São Paulo because we can do our model, which is to support direct enrollment and dual-language immersion.”
In the past, Dickinson sent students to São Paulo, Brazil ,
Dickinson had run a program with the University of Queensland in Australia since 1999. In 2018, the CGSE staff began looking for alternatives because true “Dickinson in” components, including faculty mobility, community engagement and joint projects, had started to diminish in Australia.
through CIEE, a study-abroad provider. In 2017 CIEE moved its São Paulo program to Rio De Janeiro. Carolina Castellanos , associate professor of Spanish & Portuguese, and Samantha Brandauer ’95, executive director of the Center for Global Study & Engagement (CGSE), traveled to Brazil to explore alternative programs. Top: Roy’s Peak, New Zealand. Bottom: Ponte Estaiada in São Paulo, Brazil.
“We came back from that trip two years ago knowing that what
In fall 2020, the first group of Dickinsonians will enroll in the Dickinson in São Paulo program. Castellanos is especially excited, noting that it has been her “dream since joining Dickinson in 2010 to have a strong presence in Latin America.”
Members of the CGSE team visited the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand , and found that the values at the
core of a Dickinson education— community, collaboration and sustainability—are deeply a part of the New Zealand culture. The University of Otago is interested in learning more about our liberal-arts model and collaborating beyond oneway student mobility. Several Dickinson faculty members have already collaborated with faculty at the university and have hosted visiting scholars in Carlisle. Students will begin participating in the program in fall 2021. “My time in New Zealand has been one of the biggest highlights of my Dickinson career, and I’m excited to see the program expand,” says Kirsten Brodeen ’20, who spent the 2018-19 academic year studying business at the University of Otago. “Studying in Dunedin allowed me to experience a larger school while providing me the opportunity to explore the raw beauty of New Zealand. I’m looking forward to more Dickinsonians sharing in this incredible opportunity!” —Nicole Beidleman ’20
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HERE & THERE
NRDC’s Joel Reynolds Connects With Students, Faculty Through Rose-Walters Prize Residency In November, Joel Reynolds, NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council) western director and senior attorney, met with students, joined class discussions and delivered a lecture as part of the Sam Rose ’58 and Julie Walters Prize at Dickinson College for Global Environmental Activism, which was awarded to NRDC in May 2019. The $100,000 prize is given annually to an individual or organization that makes a defining difference and advances responsible action on behalf of the planet, its resources and its people. Last year, at Commencement, Reynolds accepted the prize on NRDC’s behalf along with actor, environmentalist and longtime NRDC supporter Pierce Brosnan. “We exist to protect the environment for people and for wildlife,” said Reynolds. “We believe environmental protection is a fundamental right.”
Photos by Carl Socolow ’77
In addition to the lecture, “Crisis: Climate Change, Biodiversity Loss, and the Pebble Mine,” Reynolds and Jacob Scherr, a member of NRDC’s Global Leadership Council, led students, faculty and staff through a two-hour workshop focusing on the challenges of environmental advocacy at the international level. “Building an International Environmental Campaign Workshop with NRDC” featured an in-depth analysis of the strategic elements that NRDC has used in its international campaigns to protect Alaska’s Bristol Bay from a devastating mineral exploration project known as Pebble Mine and preserve the World Heritage Site and Biosphere Reserve at Laguna San Ignacio in Baja California Sur, the last undisturbed breeding and calving lagoon for the Pacific gray whale. With insights gained from these campaigns, faculty and students were invited to consider a new campaign to protect Lighthouse Point, a natural treasure at the southernmost tip of the island of Eleuthera in the Bahamas that is threatened by a proposal by the Disney Corp. to develop a massive cruise ship port. Previous recipients of the Rose-Walters Prize are: Our Children’s Trust, the advocacy organization supporting the plaintiffs in Juliana v. United States, a landmark climate-change lawsuit; Brett Jenks, CEO of conservation nonprofit Rare; Pulitzer Prize-winning author Elizabeth Kolbert; award-winning actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo; author and environmental activist Bill McKibben; Apple’s vice president of environment, policy and social initiatives and former EPA administrator Lisa Jackson; and award-winning nature photographer James Balog.
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First Snowfall of the Decade
@DickinsonLibrary
@cumberlandcountypa
@piercebounds
On Jan. 7, the first snow of 2020 was captured and shared by members of the Dickinson and Carlisle communities.
@cgoodie226
@dickinsoncollege
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HERE & THERE
Chemistry
German
Photography
Spanish
Earth Sciences
Computer Science DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 2 2
Mathematics Psychology
Art
Classics
Biology
THEN & now classrooms
History 23
A
NEXT-LEVEL Global Education By Marie Laverdiere ’21 Photos by Carl Socolow ’77
Dickinson provides students with an array of off-campus study opportunities, but for some, Carlisle is the perfect abroad experience. Each year, students from around the world choose Dickinson as the place they want to study. Whether they come for the small classroom setting, the relationships with professors or the heart-of-America small community feel, these students bring global perspectives and connections to Carlisle.
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Stephanie Teeuwen ’20 Home Country: Netherlands Major: international studies
What made you decide to come to Dickinson?
The main reason I decided to study in the U.S. was so that I could receive a liberal-arts education, a concept that I believe is rather unique to the U.S. More specifically, I applied to Dickinson because I liked the focus on international education and study abroad.
How do you stay connected to your culture on campus? I share my culture with friends through stories and food. Various multicultural organizations on campus, such as We Introduce Nations at Dickinson ( WIND), are good places to share different cultures. Additionally, I often bake Dutch cookies with my roommate.
What are the most exciting aspects of being an international student?
I love the fact that Dickinson’s campus has such an international focus. Not only is a large part of the student population international, but a lot of students also study abroad. I appreciate the diversity of cultures and views this brings to the classroom.
How has your experience met or defied your expectations?
I have been enjoying my time at Dickinson. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to study in three different countries for my undergraduate degree (the U.S., Italy and India). I do not think I will ever get tired of studying, and there are many more subjects I would have wanted to study at Dickinson. However, I am also excited to graduate and put my education to work.
What advice would you give to future international students?
Make use of all the opportunities that Dickinson has to offer and study abroad while you can!
What are your plans after graduation?
I hope to do an internship at a Dutch embassy, either in the U.S. or in a Spanish-speaking country so I can improve my Spanish. After that, I want to continue studying for my master’s degree in international studies and human rights, probably at a university in Europe.
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How do you stay connected to your culture on campus?
I feel like my culture stays with me through small objects and symbols I keep on me. I have a bracelet that says “Rwanda” on it that I wear as much as I can. I try to represent where I am from whenever I have chance. If you come to my room, the first thing you will see is the huge Rwandan flag on my wall.
Bruno Kaboyi ’21 Home Country: Rwanda Major: math and computer science
What are the most exciting and challenging aspects of being an international student?
Being that far from people that you care for while also being in a whole new cultural environment was very nerve-wracking. I was lucky enough to be integrated into a friend group that became my support and still is to this day. Without them my experience at Dickinson would definitely have been different. On the other hand, the culture at Dickinson makes it so that I am proud of being an international student here. Being culturally unique and having lived an experience that most people cannot relate to is advantageous. It gives me a different perspective to attack obstacles and a wider variety of tools to thrive in this college environment.
How has your experience met or defied your expectations?
My expectations of college, or even Dickinson more precisely, were shallow and mostly academic. I was expecting a challenging, while engaging, academic curriculum that pushed me to grow. However, college has been way more than that. I have made valuable connections that will last forever and involved myself in spaces that I would have never thought I could find myself.
What advice would you give to future international students?
Do not limit yourself—try everything that you want to try while you are still in college. Question everything and anything that you deem questionable. Stay true to who you are and use this time as an opportunity for personal growth.
What are your plans after graduation?
I hope to strengthen my resume and build my practical skills. I am planning to take a temporary break from studies while I work and enhance my financial stability. I am interested in working for a prominent organization in a major city in the United States before I continue my education in graduate school.
“Do not limit yourself.” DI CK INSON M AGAZINE Winter 2020 2 6
“ You are strong and competent, so don’t let anyone make you think otherwise.”
What made you decide to come to Dickinson?
I was looking for a small liberal-arts college with a diverse student body that would allow me to create deep and meaningful relationships with people from around the world. Dickinson fosters engagement inside and outside the campus community with its small class size, diverse student clubs and servicelearning opportunities.
How do you stay connected to your culture on campus?
My culture is in me, so it’s in every space, every conversation, and every role I occupy. To be specific, I am the president of WIND, which is a club on campus for international and domestic students to share and experience different world cultures. This role allows me to plan and organize different cultural events on campus, including those that are specific to my home culture, like Diwali (Tihar) and Holi. I also work for the Center for Spirituality & Social Justice as a training coordinator, so I facilitate a workshop (Faith Zone) that helps the campus community understand and have conversations around worldviews, religious traditions, faith practices and meaning-making. During the workshop, I share my personal experiences and relationship with my faith and engage in interfaith dialogue to help create a more inclusive climate for people across religious and spiritual backgrounds. For me, it’s finding the balance between representing my culture but also not solely being defined by it.
What are the most exciting and challenging aspects of being an international student?
Flying across the globe to come to Dickinson— away from everything I’ve ever known—was a difficult transition. However, I enjoy the everyday achievement of speaking, eating and socializing in a way other than my own. Being able to meet and engage with other international students is also an exciting aspect of being an international student. I’ve met so many amazing people from all around the world, some of whom have become my best friends. I think the aspect that has been the most challenging for me is finding my fit. I am a woman of color in the U.S., but I am also a woman of color from a third world country, which means that although I share the same reality, I share a different history.
Sagun Sharma ’21 Home Country: Nepal Major: educational studies and psychology
What advice would you give to future international students?
Being an international student is not a deficiency. You are strong and competent, so don’t let anyone make you think otherwise.
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Why did you choose Dickinson?
As an international student, I didn’t have the opportunity to visit; however, I had a very specific list of things that I wanted for my college, and Dickinson fit. Those categories were location (in the Northeast), weather (not too cold, not too hot), openness toward international students (the class of 2021 has close to 100 international students! That is a record number and it really makes me feel welcome here) and the quality of education. Financial aid was another big factor.
How do you stay connected to your culture on campus?
My culture is one of the most important parts of my identity, and I think its influence is visible in everything I do. During class discussions, whenever we talk about some culture-related topics or social issues, I try to provide background from Vietnam before I voice my opinion. I hope this helps people understand that the world looks very different from another angle. I also try to celebrate Vietnamese holidays or find opportunities to engage people in activities where I show some part of my culture or tradition. For example, I made a big dinner to celebrate the Lunar New Year in a traditional way with some Vietnamese friends and we invited some American students to the meal as well.
What are the most exciting and challenging aspects of being an international student? The most exciting part of my education here at Dickinson is the chance to learn new things. For instance, before coming to the U.S., I never thought that one day I would learn French, but the liberal-arts environment really encouraged me to explore more. The most challenging part for me is adapting to the food here. Even though I have been enjoying a lot of dishes made by Dining Services, especially the food in the KOVE, the entire philosophy of food in the United States is different from Vietnam. And as the chef in my family at home, I have not yet found a way to wrap my head around this.
What advice would you give to future international students?
Kat Pham ’21
There will always be new things that Home Country: Vietnam will seem incomprehensible at first. I Major: quantitative economics have been in the U.S. for three years, and I and math still don’t quite understand certain things (like fast food or chicken nuggets). But we should consider that a learning opportunity. Also you don’t have to agree with how things run in a different culture from yours. Sometimes the greatest inventions come from a mistake; maybe a great change can come from your frustration, but you must know how to control it.
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“ Find ways to give back.� Why did you choose Dickinson?
As one of the oldest colleges in the U.S., Dickinson stood out as a great opportunity for me, particularly with its strong emphasis on sustainability and sense of community.
What are the most challenging aspects of being an international student?
Having certain personal and social encounters that are out of my comfort zone. However, these challenging events are also the exciting aspects of being an international student. These experiences often unfold as opportunities of personal and professional development that can be enlightening on the path of becoming a global citizen.
Soban Ali ’21 Home Country: Pakistan Major: quantitative economics
What advice would you give to future international students? Make use of the numerous resources at Dickinson from the start, and pave your paths to the top. At the same time, find ways to give back to the Dickinson community and the world beyond.
What are your plans after graduation? After graduation, I plan to work with a tech multinational in Europe or Australia.
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“ We grow up the fastest outside of our comfort zone.” Guoxuan (Allan) Chi ’20 Home Country: China Major: computer science and psychology
How do you stay connected to your culture on campus?
I never intentionally tried to emphasize my cultural background, but I feel obligated to expose it when people are talking about politics. When others offer a Western interpretation of what’s happening in my home country, I can’t help but offer insights as a student who spent the first 18 years of his life in China. I learned that disagreements do not impede me from making friends or force me to comply. The philosophy of tolerance might be what I brought from my culture.
What are the most exciting and challenging aspects of being an international student?
Initially, the language barrier was a big challenge. My First-Year Seminar was about war and memory in East Asia, which supposedly was something I was familiar with. However, writing college-level essays in English was not as easy as I imagined. I am very proud of myself.
What advice would you give to future international students?
Sometimes not knowing exactly what you are going into is not a bad thing. When there is no clear expectation, you might be surprised what life can bring you. It’s OK to be afraid of doing a lot of things, but don’t avoid them. We grow up the fastest outside of our comfort zone.
What are your plans after graduation?
I don’t have a solid plan right after graduation yet, but I want to be a full-time user experience researcher working on the connection between human beings and technologies. I’m preparing for graduate school (master’s or Ph.D.) while exploring opportunities in the industry.
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International students=
13% of
Enhancing the International Experience: Overseas Student Assistants
the student body hailing home from countries
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In addition to the many international students who call Dickinson home for four years, Dickinson also hosts 13 Overseas Student Assistants (OSAs) each year.
We asked these six students to bring an object to their photo shoot that has a connection to their home country. Those objects ranged from flags and photographs to a handcrafted lantern and a giant stuffed panda bear. Each object held meaning and memories for the student, and some are visible in the preceding photographs. We thank these students for sharing their stories with us!
Visit Dickinson.edu/ magazine for an additional international student profile. And if you are or were an international student and have something to share, send it to dsonmag@dickinson.edu!
“OSAs are non-degree-seeking students from Dickinson’s institutional partners abroad,” says Sonja Paulson, director of international student and scholar services in the Center for Global Study & Engagement. “They are charged with tutoring, leading language tables and facilitating conversational components to foreign language courses.” Margaux Cantie found Dickinson based on the college’s connection to her home university, Institut Catholique de Toulouse (ICT), which partners with Dickinson’s French program. “I really liked the proximity I had with this college thanks to its physical presence in Toulouse,” says Cantie. “I had the chance to meet professors and students from Dickinson, so I started to feel close to the school even before knowing I could go.” In addition to Toulouse, OSAs come from partner institutions in Málaga, Bologna, Bremen, Mendoza and Moscow. Dickinson also brings Fulbright Teaching Language Assistants for the Arabic and Portuguese programs.
In her third and final year studying psychology at ICT, Cantie hopes to eventually apply for a master’s degree in neuroscience research. For now, she’s staying busy teaching, tutoring and taking psychology courses right here in Carlisle. “Being able to teach and to participate in different clubs or activities are brand new experiences for me,” she says. “I like the way all students get involved in campus life.” Although each OSA’s stay is shorter than traditional international students, they’re able find their place in Dickinson’s small community by meeting students in class or in extracurriculars. “I am really grateful to be able to attend sport classes, dinners and conferences whenever I want,” says Cantie. “I never get bored. On top of that, all professors and students are dynamic and welcoming, which is very comforting for new arrivals like me.” —Marie Laverdiere ’21
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spaces we lcve Photo by A. Pierce Bounds ’71
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2019–20 MIDYEAR GIVING IMPACT REPORT From the Desk of President Margee M. Ensign executed and well-documented progress toward comprehensive internationalization—especially those using innovative and creative approaches.” For a college to win this award twice is unprecedented in the history of this organization.
Paul Coker
NAFSA has been impressed by our incorporation of intercultural training throughout our curriculum, its links to a strong drive for campuswide inclusivity, as well as our extensive and growing international and global studies programs. We teach 12 foreign languages, and more than half of our courses have significant international content. Over 60% of our students spend time studying abroad while the national average is only about 10%.
Dickinson College was born of the American Revolution and established to educate citizenleaders who would lead lives of meaning and consequence as they worked for the common good. We have always had to be particularly attuned to the emerging challenges the country would face. This was true in 1783 and is still true today. We are forward looking. This is why we say the revolution continues, and it must continue. For several decades, Dickinson has been known as a leader in addressing two of the towering issues of our time: climate change, with its nearly endless human and environmental repercussions, and the internationalization of human life on a shrinking planet. This semester has witnessed significant progress in both these areas, and we are pleased that our progress has received outside recognition as well. In November we accepted the Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization—for the second time! In the words of NAFSA: Association for International Educators, which selected Dickinson for this distinction, the award “recognizes U.S. colleges and universities that are making significant, well-planned, well-
This internationalization has become a hallmark of our college, and we are proud to have been singled out as vanguards of U.S. higher education. The future we all face will require a level of international cooperation and coordination unparalleled in human experience. It will require that the leaders of our society—all sectors of our society—are able to understand, communicate and work with their fellow humans from all over the globe and have the experience and skills to do this work effectively. We are educating those leaders. Last fall we hosted representatives from many colleges and universities from across the nation for two distinctive events: the BE.Hive Summit and the Global Engagement in the Liberal Arts Conference. The BE.Hive drew environmental advocates, youth climate activists, sustainability professionals, behavioral scientists and other leaders to explore how college communities can take the lead in promoting sustainable behavior and policies in the face of the global climate crisis. We are enormously proud of what our campus has already achieved in this regard and were happy to share our experience with others.
In a world where it is too easy to become discouraged in the face of the magnitude of our challenges, this conference overflowed with new ideas and tales of success. The Global Engagement in the Liberal Arts Conference was the sixth such conference of this new organization. The theme was Creating Inclusive Global Communities, and topics included global education, inclusivity, diversity and social justice. As with the BE.Hive, it was Dickinson’s national leadership role in these areas that drew participants to Carlisle. Finally, our Revolutionary Challenge, which launched last spring, has yielded 49 proposals from the greater Dickinson community. This initiative sought to elicit new and innovative ideas for the college from students, alumni, faculty, staff and friends. During the open comment period, more than 5,000 comments on the proposals were reviewed by the President’s Panel on Innovation, and that panel selected four proposals to present to the community in the spring: Developing Leaders for 21st-century Revolutionary Challenges; the Dickinson College Data Science Initiative; the Food, Agriculture and Resource Management (FARM) Lab; and FutureLab: Collaborative Innovation for the Greater Good. You can read more about this initiative at Dickinson.edu/ revolutionary, and join us on campus on May 2 for the presentation of the full proposals. This is a time of great change in the world, in our nation and in American higher education. It requires of us all an open-minded and thoughtful agility, a willingness to seek out new ideas and to work with others to accomplish new goals. One of the joys of being here at Dickinson is that we have forged a diverse community so willing and eager to do so, and with alumni who both understand and enthusiastically support our work. As you will see in the following pages, your support makes a tangible impact on our students and our campus. Your support is, quite simply, indispensable. We hope we can continue to count on you.
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MIDYEAR GIVING IMPACT REPORT
See yourself here: Where can donors see themselves at Dickinson? Literally, all over the map. That’s because any gift to the Dickinson Fund, no matter the size, makes an immediate, visible, tangible impact all over campus—and beyond. Take a look at some of these highlights and imagine where you might see your Dickinson Fund gifts at work.
25 GIFTS OF $200 to the Dickinson Fund pay for the licensing for the ArcGIS software that enables students like Nick Seck ’20 to master big data analysis through a liberal-arts lens. “Thank you for supporting vital tools like the Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Lab. As a quantitative-economics major, I’ve found it to be incredibly relevant to my studies. Many economic problems are geographic problems. What is the quickest way to get from one place to another? Where is the best place to start a business? With the proper data, all of these questions can be answered with GIS.” —Nick Seck ’20
17 GIFTS OF $100 to the McAndrews Fund for Athletics paid for the new one-man blocking sled that enabled senior linebacker James Turner ’20 to prepare for football season. “Being able to use this sled every day helped get me ready for what has been my best football season at Dickinson. Thanks in part to this, we were able to reclaim the Bucket and the Conestoga Wagon from Gettysburg and F&M for the first time since 2011.” —James Turner ’20
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YOU ARE
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16 GIFTS OF $25 provided one of the Oculus Quest virtual-reality headsets Associate Professor of Psychology Suman Ambwani uses in her Research Methods in Clinical Psychology course to study how mood and personality shape perception.
With every gift you make, you are here!
YOU ARE
HERE
YOU ARE
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“There is burgeoning interest in using virtual reality for clinical research because you can expose people to different types of situations within a controlled, safe environment. It’s wonderful that our students are getting the opportunity to use this technology and stay ahead of the curve.” —Suman Ambwani, Associate Professor of Psychology
YOU ARE
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10 JOHN DICKINSON SOCIETY-LEVEL GIFTS OF $2,500 provided one year of the scholarship that enabled Justin Burkett ’20 to merge his passions at Dickinson, double majoring in history and archaeology, landing two leading roles in Mermaid Players productions and performing with the Dickinson Jazz Ensemble. “Thank you for supporting the scholarship that has allowed me to come to Dickinson, where I’ve been able to build confidence and learn not only through my classes but also by participating in theatre arts.” —Justin Burkett ’20
3,006
$7,515,698
Thus far in 2019–20, donors have committed to empower students and faculty across campus and around the world. 37
You are here.
Every day, Dickinson students are becoming the change we all want to see in the world, and everyone who makes a gift to Dickinson is right here with them. Your gifts to the Dickinson Fund show the world that there is a strong community of alumni, parents and friends who believe in and support a Dickinson education.
Participation Goal: 25%
Participation Total: 11% (44% toward goal)
11% 20%
ALUMNI PARTICIPATION
Participation Goal: 35%
Participation Total: 20% (57% toward goal)
PARENT PARTICIPATION Participation totals as of Jan. 1, 2020
Did you know?
Gifts from alumni, parents and friends not only help today’s students—they also impact the value of a Dickinson degree. Support for the Dickinson Fund demonstrates the value of a Dickinson education and affects important college rankings like U.S. News and World Report’s “Best Colleges.” Last year, Dickinson’s alumni giving rate was 25%, while many of our peers and the highest-ranked colleges had participation rates of 50% or higher. Every gift, no matter the size, helps to make a difference.
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11 GIFTS OF $200 provided the internship grant that enabled Lauren Kageler ’20 to intern at the Hastings Research Laboratory (Loyola University Maryland), where she learned how to harness biochemistry to reduce waste. “Through my own experience and networking with other professionals at this internship, I have gained a better understanding of what a research career entails and the next steps that I will need to take to pursue graduate studies.” —Lauren Kageler ’20 YOU ARE
HERE
YOU ARE
HERE
YOU ARE
5 GIFTS OF $500
With your gift, you stand behind our students and faculty, helping them to deliver on the college’s mission to prepare engaged citizens for lives of purpose.
HERE
“I was able to go to a continent I’d never been to before and really immerse myself not just in one culture, but two. I am so fortunate that Dickinson has these programs that work so well with the academic curriculum.” —Alana Richards ’20
MIDYEAR GIVING IMPACT REPORT
Help us stay on the map!
helped pay for the local transportation allowance that enabled Alana Richards ’20 to study abroad in two South American countries—Ecuador and Argentina—for a full academic year.
MAKE YOUR GIFT TODAY! dickinson.edu/gift
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ALUMNI PROFILE
SAYING ‘YES’
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London-based ABC News editor Jonathan Haworth ’04 discusses his globe-trotting professional path and how Dickinson taught him to seize opportunities. By MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
By his mid-20s, Jonathan Haworth ’04 had two advanced degrees and several global adventures in his back pocket; he’d also made stage appearances in London’s West End. His next adventure: TV journalism. But with no related degree or experience, would he really be able to break into this notoriously competitive field? A Washington, D.C., native, Haworth majored in American studies at Dickinson—a subject broad enough to wrangle his diverse interests—and studied abroad in London during spring of his junior year. He was elected twice as class president and once as VP, sang a cappella with the D-Tones, was a WDCV officer/ DJ, gave campus tours, joined a fraternity, played intramural sports and got involved as a community volunteer.
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DISTINCTIVELY DICKINSON / alumni profile
“ I wanted to try everything,” “On a typical day, I ran into him at least once—he was everywhere,” affirms Haworth’s sister, Susannah Haworth Dunn ’06, who fondly remembers being roped into her brother’s campus tours at the spur of the moment. “It was his enthusiasm that convinced me that Dickinson would be a great school for me too. He has a contagious joy for life.” After Dickinson, Haworth earned two master’s degrees— in cultural studies at Goldsmiths College, University of London, and theatre at London Centre for Theatre Studies. Then he gave acting a go, appearing in West End productions of Vegemite Tales and Dark of the Moon. Haworth enjoyed the work, but not the modest and unpredictable income. With his 30th birthday looming closer, he switched gears to a stable job at a public relations firm. It seemed a good idea at the time, but … “For me, it was soul-destroying,” says Haworth, whose clients included a toilet brush manufacturer (he hit a low point at the world’s largest toilet brush manufacturer convention). “I wanted to be the journalist receiving those pitch calls, not the guy making them.” It wasn’t a crazy notion: Journalists are quick, tenacious, adventurous, socially intelligent, curious and personable— all signature Haworth traits. So despite the odds stacked against him—odds that continued to grow exponentially, as news outlets folded—Haworth dived in. “What I learned at Dickinson was that I could try new things without fear of failing,” he explains. “I learned I could make my life what I wanted it to be. I learned to say ‘yes.’ ” Haworth sent out resumes for nearly two years. Every weekday for six months—until he was asked to stop—he called a hiring manager at ITV News. Then, on his 29th birthday, when an ITV journalist trainee opportunity opened on Capitol Hill, Haworth got the call. As a new journalist, Haworth took every available shift and learned all he could. A job offer followed at ITN London, which in turn led to field producing, producing and news editing “permalance” gigs with Sky News, NBC London and CBS. Moving into the digital realm, Haworth oversaw 20
Haworth says.
reporters, selected and published stories, wrote scripts and put his acting chops to work in video voice-overs as news editor at Newsweek’s London bureau. And in 2019, Haworth was named London news editor at ABC, one of the mostread, most-watched American outlets. Over the years, Haworth has interviewed NFL stars and Olympic athletes. He covered the assassination of Muammar al-Gaddafi, the trial of Conrad Murray, the 2015 Paris attacks and the terror attacks at London Bridge. Small-news moments also stand out in his memory—most recently, a piece that generated thousands in donations to cover medical expenses for an abused puppy, while sparking national conversation about animal abuse laws. “I have to pinch myself. I can’t believe that I get paid to ask people questions, travel, learn about the world and tell stories like these,” says Haworth. “The notion that somebody has given me the keys to this car? I’m very blessed.” Chatting by phone from the pub where he’d stopped for a quick after-work pint before dinner with husband Nick Munn, Haworth is remarkably chipper for 8:30 p.m. on a weeknight, given the chronic sleep deficit that plagues his profession. He remains in touch with close Dickinson friends, and he makes time each year to meet students during Dickinson’s annual student-alumni networking event in London. He’s currently mentoring two. “I tell them that it’s OK if they don’t know exactly what they want to do yet, because most people change jobs several times anyway,” he says. “If they stay open, work hard and keep trying new things, they’ll find the job that fits.”
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BEFORE YOU GO
Alumna Finds Treasure in Library Giveaway BY LORI “BEE” BAINBRIDGE ’84
I
was exiting the library on Homecoming Weekend when a sign on a book trolley caught my eye: “Free Books—Take as Many as You Want.” A small book captured my attention: Occasional Addresses, published by Philadelphia-based Lea & Febiger in 1956. Inside the cover was a handwritten inscription: “To Howard Rubendall, a fine school master, a worthy Dickinsonian and a good Phi Kap—Boyd Lee Spahr, January 1, 1957.” I was holding not only a piece of the college’s history but also a part of my own—a book written and signed by our library’s namesake and published by the now defunct 200-year-old firm that gave me my first editorial job. Because Lea & Febiger was a medical publisher, my guess is that Spahr’s volume was a vanity publication; it was so different from the textbooks the firm produced at the time, like Gray’s Anatomy, or the lesser known titles they assigned to me, like Reproduction in Farm Animals, which tested the boundaries of my liberal-arts education and had me running to co-workers’ desks shrieking, “Hey, look at this!” In defense of my professionalism, I was 22 and a city girl.
“ In our days there was a freshman banquet. Ours was at the Wellington Hotel. Despite the physical attack of a piratical group known as the Class of 1899, every member of our class got to the banquet. The following year we were on the offensive and succeeded in kidnapping three of 1901 … and confined them in a country tavern … clad only in their underwear, which plus guards, effectively prevented any escape….” The class of 1900 had moxie, perhaps edging toward criminal mischief— behavior so unexpected from a man who became a college trustee and served as acting president (1945-46). But who was Rubendall? The archives revealed that Howard Lane Rubendall ’31 was Dickinson’s 24th president (1961-75). The Spahr library was erected during his tenure, and the Rubendall Recital Hall bears his name.
Without a tall ladder and a can of spray paint, my name is unlikely to appear on a campus building. But leafing through this old book got me thinking about what these luminaries were like in their day and how Boyd Lee Spahr, class of 1900, stands outside the Spahr Library with President Howard Lane Rubendall ’31 in things might have been if we had attended 1967. (From the Dickinson Archives) Dickinson as contemporaries. Mr. Spahr, Instead, as Spahr’s foreword explains, given our mutual fondness for shenanigans, his work was a collection of addresses preserved for his I believe we would have been great friends—or at least cellmates. grandchildren. Notable speeches included his 50th-reunion President Rubendall, when you caught the vibe of the 1960s address to the class of 1900 and “Philadelphia: Its Historic and relaxed some campus social policies, I’m sure I would have Position as a Publishing Center.” warmed up to you. Having given the opening remarks at my 35th reunion dinner, I was curious to see what Spahr had said to his peers 69 years earlier. We both spoke about school pride, and where I had alluded to the high jinks of balancing an empty keg on a Quad building ledge, nothing we did compared with the antics of these turn-of-the-last-century pranksters. As Spahr recounts:
Although I treasure this volume, it is not at home on my shelf. I would be happy to return it to the Dickinson library, or to any members of the Spahr family—after all, the author meant it for you in the first place.
Lori Bainbridge lives in Philadelphia, where she spent nearly 15 years in the medical publishing business, working for houses that included Lea & Febiger and J. B. Lippincott Company, leaving the industry in 1998 after serving as managing editor of Current Medicine. She is now a partner at Ardelis Health, a pharmaceutical advertising and strategic consulting agency (LBainbridge@ardelishealth.com).
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Day of Giving
2020
Tuesday, April 7
SAVE THE DATE AND GET SOCIAL Join us on Tuesday, April 7, and help make this another record-breaking Day of Giving for Dickinson! Be sure to post on social media with photos showing how you celebrate and connect with other Dickinsonians! Last year, nearly 3,900 Dickinsonians came together to make a gift to the college on Day of Giving and show that they stand behind every Dickinson student. Their gifts totaled more than $1 million in a single day—an amazing accomplishment for our community. This year, let’s try to outdo that effort and prove—once again—that great things happen when Dickinsonians come together. #dsonproud
P. O . B O X 1 7 7 3 C A R L I S L E , P A 1 7 0 1 3 - 2 8 9 6 W W W. D I C K I N S O N . E D U / M A G A Z I N E
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I get to sit in a room all by myself and play God. on why he loves his career as a fiction writer. Read more at dson.co/harrison92.
A S H L E Y H A R R I S ON S M I T H ’ 9 2
It forces you out of your comfort zone. You get dropped off in a country and live in this place where you have to figure it out, and you have to build your own identity. on her experience as a Peace Corps volunteer. Read more at dson.co/bailey18. LIV BAILEY ’18
The future will require—of us, our students, our children—a level of international understanding, coordination and cooperation unparalleled in human history. P R E S I DE N T M A R G E E E N S IG N ,
while accepting the Paul Simon Award for
Comprehensive Internationalization
Stay true to who you are and use this time as an opportunity for personal growth. Advice from B RU NO K A B OY I ’ 2 1 , a math and computer science major from Rwanda. Read more of his and other international student perspectives on Pages 24–31.
Having dogs as co-workers is pretty incredible!
Using specially trained dogs, M A I R I P OI S S ON ’ 1 6 works to conserve wildlife for future generations as a field research scientist for Rogue Detection Teams. Read more at dson.co/poisson16.
INSIDE: Then & Now: Inside the Classroom | Book Club Unites Alumni | A Next-Level Global Education: International Student Perspectives | Midyear Giving Impact Report | Jonathan Haworth ’04: Saying “Yes”