The Earlhamite - Fall 2023

Earlhamite

SPACE FOR LEARNING

features

Outside Earlham 12

Life beyond the indoor halls of Earlham offers students and community members the chance to grow, connect and learn life skills that only close contact with nature can provide.

Everything under the sun 22

12

These alumni and students know the joy of working outdoors.

30 34 38

Deep dive Environmental connection Healing through adventure

Few resources in human history have caused more conflict than water — and according to Eric Garner ’84, that won’t change anytime soon.

Malia Staab ’18 finds community and connection in her work with native resources and wildlife.

Before becoming the director for Colorado’s outdoor education program, Conor Hall ’13 turned to nature for fun and, ultimately, to cope with a cancer diagnosis.

istock.com illustrations: page 14

Galapagos Frame, page 17 Bozena Fulawka, page 18 leventina, page 32 Hugy, page 36 Saemilee.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Earlhamite

The magazine of Earlham College

INTERIM EDITOR

Alicia Anstead

CLASS NOTES EDITOR

Cooper Cox

DESIGNER

Emily Aldrich, AldrichDesign.biz

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Brian Zimmerman

WRITERS

Kelsey Kimbler

Adam Knaub

Jensen Pennock ’16 ESR ’22

VICE PRESIDENT FOR

MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

Kristen Lainsbury

Read the latest alumni profiles, submit class notes, check out upcoming events and more at earlham.edu/alumni.

Earlhamite magazine is the oldest college alumni magazine in continuous publication in the United States. Today it is published twice yearly and continues to follow the statement of purpose that has guided it since its 1873 founding: “a regular messenger going out and bearing tidings of prosperity and vicissitudes of Earlham to its friends and supporters, and bringing all associated here into communication with one another.”

Opinions expressed in the magazine are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the views of the editors or the official position of Earlham College.

Send story ideas to earlhamite@earlham.edu

Send class notes, obituaries and address changes to alums@earlham.edu

Please recycle after reading. Paper for the Earlhamite is printed from 10% recycled fiber and is FSC, SFI and PEFC certified.

© 2023 Earlham College.

There is no shortage of research showing the benefits of being outdoors: improved mental health, lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol, lower blood pressure and enhanced immune system function—to name a few.

I have lived these benefits and more. As a field biologist, I have spent much of my career in nature. My children’s summers were spent at a series of field stations, from the Appalachians to the Midwest to northern Canada and southern California. In the mountains, the forests and prairies, the desert and the seaside.

As Earlham’s president, it is a great honor to lead an institution that is blessed with the most extensive array of field sites I have seen at a liberal arts college. Offering students the opportunity to work outdoors alongside faculty can be life-changing. It was for me. Conducting research in the California desert and then in the deep intertidal zone of Baja at 19 years old were the first experiences that convinced me I should go to graduate school and become a professor. My life trajectory would have quite different without that experience.

So, too, would the life trajectories of the Earlhamites profiled in this issue. As you read, you will discover how time spent in nature has changed and enriched the lives of generations of Earlhamites. You will learn about new initiatives to make Earlham’s rich natural resources more accessible to our neighbors in Indiana. You will see how our students bring sustainability and stewardship to life on campus today. And you will be inspired by the diverse ways in which our students and alumni work to preserve and advocate for our planet’s environment.

Earlham and its people have made these experiences possible, because that is what we do. We provide an extraordinary, immersive education that empowers our students to go on to change the world—the Earth—for good.

The Suzanne Hoerner Jackson Equestrian Center, a state-of-the-art 25-stall barn and one of the only horse stables in the country run primarily by students, reopened to the public and offered summer horse riding lessons for the first time.

In addition to professional riding lessons, the equestrian center partnered with the Earlham Summer pre-college immersion program for Indiana high-school students and the Richmond nonprofit Girls Inc. to provide opportunities for area students to meet and ride horses. The equestrian center team will also offer informal opportunities for the community to meet horses and tour the facility.

Earlham continues to sponsor a hunt-seat equestrian team, based on the tradition of fox hunting, in the Intercollegiate Horse Shows Association under Coach Jordan Wilson. Team members train weekly and participate in several shows a semester at peer institutions.

Earlham also offers a unique equestrian management minor, which recognizes the significant work students do as part of their training and leadership managing Earlham’s barn and stables and teaching the program’s curriculum.

Historian Tom Hamm retires

Tom Hamm, one of the world’s foremost experts on Quakerism in the U.S., describes his arrival on Earham’s campus in 1987 as a matter of good timing and, perhaps, good luck.

“As a historian of Quakerism, there are maybe four or five institutions in the United States that would be looking specifically for a Quaker historian,” Hamm said. “I was fortunate that at the time I was looking for a job, Earlham was looking for a historian.”

In a 36-year career, Hamm has become a mainstay on the College’s history faculty as a professor, a longtime archivist and director of the Friends Collection, a two-time clerk of the faculty and recording clerk, and a Quaker scholar-in-residence. He officially retired in the spring of 2023.

“We originally hired Tom because Earlham needed a first-rate archivist, but Tom has turned out to be so much more,” said Len Clark, who hired Hamm when he was provost and academic dean.

“He has preserved Earlham’s history and made it more widely available by publishing wonderful histories of the college,” said Clark, an emeritus professor of philosophy. “Tom’s affection for Earlham and its history is obvious to all. But he has never let himself or others of us ignore the problems we have faced and sometimes created. His understanding and teaching about both Earlham and Quakerism have been clear-eyed, and have been all the more valuable for that objectivity.”

In his celebrated career, Hamm has authored several books, chapters and papers, including two that are largely considered the authority on Earlham’s 175-plus years of history.

He also has the rare distinction of being a two-time clerk of the faculty in 2002-2004 and 2021-2023 — only the third two-time clerk in the College’s history — leading faculty through careful discernment of many key decisions at two markedly different times in the College’s history. During his first term, the main issues before the faculty were approving a new strategic plan, implementing changes in general education, revisiting judicial policies and outsourcing housekeeping. When he returned, most of the discussion surrounded transitions related to the Covid pandemic in addition to proposed changes to the curriculum, which included an expansion of the curriculum to include new majors in engineering and accounting.

“I had already been here for 15 years when I became clerk the first time and had the opportunity to watch past clerks before I took the position,” Hamm said. “I enjoyed being clerk, and I think I was good at it.

“I’m also a lifelong Quaker,” he said. “It helped that I had a lot of experience in Quaker meetings for business, monthly meetings, quarterly meetings, yearly meetings,” he said. “I also had done a lot of research on Quaker-

“We originally hired Tom because Earlham needed a first-rate archivist, but Tom has turned out to be so much more.”

ism and had read quite a bit about how Quakers should and should not conduct business.”

What’s the secret sauce to be an effective clerk of a Quaker meeting?

“Very careful listening is the first thing,” Hamm notes. “The second thing is accepting that when you’re clerk there has to be a certain degree of vulnerability. You have to be prepared to put forward propositions knowing that people may tell you that you’re wrong and that’s just part of the process.”

“On the other hand,” he added, “careful listening has to be combined with thinking on your feet. You have to take a number of things that people have said, see where there are common currents and then ask yourself if there are different ideas that are fundamental to the discussion or are simply outliers.”

A self-described technophobe, Hamm also reluctantly became one of two clerks in the College’s history to lead faculty meeting using teleconferencing software. It felt like a cruel joke to the 66-year-old, who does not carry a cell phone and referred to his first office computer as an “instrument of the devil.”

“Conducting faculty meetings over Zoom is something I could not have imagined when I came here,” Hamm said. “I can also begrudgingly say it was a lifesaver. I don’t know what we would have done if we weren’t able to carry on during the worst of the pandemic.”

Hamm’s legacy will live on in perpetuity. He and his wife Mary Louise Reynolds are making a gift to the College in support of the expansion of the Friends Collection in the College’s archives.

“When that wing of the library was opened in 1992, I estimated that we had space to grow for 15-to-20 years,” he said. “That was 30 years ago. We’re simply at the end of our available storage space. We need to renovate over there to create more space because we could better house things that we already have. There will be new material coming in that we will need space for. We’ve started to look at the possibilities.”

Hamm never considered leaving Earlham — not even in his retirement. He will continue to volunteer at the College’s archives and hold the title Quaker Scholar-in-Residence.

“I’m essentially a cautious person,” Hamm said. “I have been happy here. Why take the chance on giving up on happiness? More than anything else, I just had a feeling that this was where I was meant to be.” ■

Earlham College has earned a spot on the “Best Value Colleges for 2023” list in The Princeton Review for the sixth year in a row.

“We commend—and recommend—each of the 209 schools that made our ‘Best Value Colleges’ list for 2023,” said Rob Franek, editor-in-chief of The Princeton Review. “They share three exceptional distinctions: stellar academics, strong career prospects for their graduates and affordable cost via generous financial aid or a comparatively low sticker price—or both! For these reasons and many others, our Best Value Colleges are truly a select group. They comprise only about eight percent of the nation’s 2,637 four-year undergraduate degree-granting institutions.”

The rankings are based on 40 data points from surveys of administrators at more than 650 colleges. The educational services company also factored in data from its surveys of students attending the schools and data from PayScale.com surveys of alumni about their starting and mid-career salaries and job satisfaction.

Prepared to deploy

Justin Garlitz ’14 was a field support unit leader in the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s response to the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year. The train, which caught fire while carrying more than 100,000 gallons of toxic chemicals, raised national concerns over rail safety in the U.S.

A 2014 graduate, Garlitz was responsible for coordinating deployments of FEMA staff nationally. In East Palestine, he provided assistance to responders on the mobilization and demobilization processes.

Since being hired by FEMA, Garlitz has been assigned to FEMA’s response to hurricanes and tropical storms, flooding and tornadoes in the U.S. He also supported the setup of mobile COVID vaccination centers.

“We have to be prepared to deploy on a two-hour notice,” he explained. “You never know what’s going to happen in a week. That’s a big reason why I love my job. I’m always doing and learning new things or preparing for different exercises.

“There’s a lot of opportunity to do good at FEMA whether one is interested in disaster response like me, nature-based solutions to climate change, environmental and historic preservation or many other fields.” ■

The popular El Bronco and El Rodeo restaurant group in Richmond has made a three-year gift commitment in support of Earlham College’s recreational tennis programs.

The gift will support renovations to the College’s recreational tennis courts and establish an official home for the youth tennis program at Amigos, a nonprofit organization for Richmond’s Latino community.

“Earlham and Amigos have been working together for decades to support Richmond’s Latino community,” Earlham President Anne Houtman said. “This wonderful gift will strengthen that partnership and establish a free place for local youth to learn, grow and play.

“The Earlham community also benefits,” she added. “Many of our community members are avid tennis players and enjoy giving back to the community as volunteer coaches and mentors.”

The Amigos tennis program was established in 2014 with a grant by the U.S. Tennis Association and is free for children 5-16 years old in Wayne County. The program started with a summer camp that served about 25 children and now offers year-round programming for beginning and advanced players. More than 100 children participate in the program annually, and people of all ages contribute to its success.

“The El Bronco and El Rodeo family of restaurants is delighted to contribute to the growth of the Amigos tennis program,” said Jesus Melendez, owner and founder of the restaurant group. “We’re

“There’s a lot of opportunity to do good at FEMA.”

—JUSTIN GARLITZ ’14

especially pleased to support wellness programs at Earlham College. The campus community has supported our business from the very beginning and helped us become a popular food and dining destination that has now expand-

ed to three locations in Richmond.”

Gene Hambrick ’73, Earlham’s senior executive director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Creativity, helped jumpstart the Amigos tennis program, modeled

after programs he facilitated for underserved communities in Atlanta and Pittsburgh.

Hambrick and Howard Lamson, a senior adviser for Amigos, were recently recognized by the USTA with the Brad Holmes Award, which is given to a volunteer within the Central Indiana Tennis District who continually strives to promote youth tennis primarily at the local level. ■

“The El Bronco and El Rodeo family of restaurants is delighted to contribute to the growth of the Amigos tennis program.”

—JESUS MELENDEZ

Jesus Melendez, pictured left, is the owner of the El Rodeo and El Bronco restaurant group. He is pictured with his daughter, Jessica, and his son, Omarr.

2023 grads selected for prestigious awards, fellowships

CORA-CRUZ HOANG WALADE

Marisol Cora-Cruz ’23 has been selected as one of 42 undergraduates nationally for the prestigious Watson Fellowship for the 2023-24 academic year.

Watson Fellows are awarded a stipend of $40,000 to pursue independent research in locations internationally. The title of Cora-Cruz’s project is “Understanding Maternal Healthcare Around the World.”

“Quality of life is a human right,” Cora-Cruz said. “It means having all the necessary components to live a healthy, peaceful and long life without extraneous barriers, including having access to quality healthcare. This level of care requires evidence-based, people-oriented and safe services to be delivered in a timely, integrated and efficient manner at the disposition of all individuals.”

Cora-Cruz is the 44th Earlhamite to earn the Watson, continuing Earlham’s proud tradition of producing curious and confident global scholars. Her project will take her to Bolivia, England and Germany. This is her second major award in a year. As a junior, she earned the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, one of the nation’s top undergraduate awards given in the natural sciences, engineering or mathematics.

Vaishnavi Walade ’23 is the recipient of a $10,000 grant from Projects for Peace to develop and lead climate education workshops at eight elementary schools in India.

The project is one of 126 funded by the Projects for Peace 2023 cohort. Hosted by Middlebury College, the global program encourages young adults to develop innovative, community-centered and scalable responses to the world’s most pressing issues.

Walade worked this summer with the Citizens Association for Child Rights and local volunteers to facilitate the project. Giordano Margaglio, a disaster preparedness program analyst for the United Nations Development Programme, is a mentor on the project.

The project was inspired by a volunteer experience during Walade’s winter break in her senior year at Earlham. Working with a local nonprofit, she facilitated workshops for elementary school students on water safety. Along with the workshops, they installed tanks, taps and water purifiers at each school. The project spanned a month at Zilla Parishad schools in Uran, a coastal town just south of Walade’s hometown of Mumbai.

Walade, who graduated with a degree in economics this spring, returned to India for the two-week initiative in July. She will return to the U.S. in the fall to begin graduate school at Georgetown University.

John Hoang ’23 has been selected for the Bill Emerson National Hunger Fellowship.

Named after the congressional leader who founded the Emergency Food Assistance Program, the fellowship trains and inspires new leaders in the movement to end hunger and poverty in the U.S. Hoang is among the 15 fellows selected for the 2023-24 cohort from a pool of 250 applicants nationally.

Fellows receive a stipend that covers living expenses for the entire year and gain vital first-hand experience through placements with community-based organizations as well as policy-focused organizations in Washington, D.C. The program bridges gaps between local efforts and national public policy. Fellows support partner organizations with program development, research, evaluation, outreach, organizing and advocacy projects.

“This is life-changing for me,” the politics major said. “This is an opportunity to absorb as many experiences as I can in the anti-hunger and anti-poverty movement and be a part of meaningful change. Past Fellows have presented their research and findings to Congressional leaders and work with thinktanks like Brookings. They leave the program with connections from all over the country.” ■

WATSON FELLOWSHIP / PROJECTS FOR PEACE / BILL EMERSON NATIONAL HUNGER FELLOWSHIP

Teaching English around the world

As a junior in her spring term on Earlham’s off-campus program in Granada, Spain, Emma Guenthner ’20 volunteered with a nonprofit organization working with the city’s immigrant community. Her first assignment was teaching English —for which she had no experience.

“I didn’t really know what to do. I was trying to teach adults that had no background in the English language,” said Guenthner, who is bilingual in Spanish and English. “I didn’t like it because I wasn’t given any guidance, and I didn’t feel like I could help them.”

An Earlham-sponsored internship through the Freeman Foundation in Shanghai, China, that summer gave Guenthner a second chance at teaching and a new perspective on the profession. Today, Guenthner has taught English in five countries, and was selected as a Fulbright Scholar in Argentina for the current academic year. She also has taught English to preschoolers and kindergartners at The Little Mountain School in Guatemala. During the pandemic, she was on assignment with the Americorps Vista program working as a teacher assistant and tutor at a community college in her hometown of Lexington, Kentucky.

“Every experience has been so unique and different,” Guenthner said. “When I was in Spain and the United States, I was working with adults, and

in China and Guatemala, I worked with children. I’ve now worked with kids and adults and enjoy working with people of all ages. I really value getting to experience lots of different environments and lifestyles through this type of work.”

Being an English-language assistant

requires finding common ground with her students.

“It helps that I already speak Spanish, but I remind my students that I’m always still learning — just like they are learning English,” she said. “It’s important for me to acknowledge that sometimes people ask me things that I don’t even know about in the English language. I tell them, ‘Let’s Google it.’ Hopefully, that helps people feel more comfortable and less nervous.”

Guenthner expects to continue teaching before pursuing graduate school, adding to the degrees in Spanish and Hispanic Studies and Human Development and Social Relations she earned at Earlham.

“My career has really forced me to think about what it means to teach the English language outside of the United States and how much privilege and power there is in that,” Guenthner said. “Many of my students struggle with the idea that English is a universal necessity. Some students don’t really enjoy learning and speaking English, but they are choosing to because they feel it is needed. I recognize that their situation and experience learning another language is not my own, and I definitely struggle with that. Learning English unlocks a lot of opportunities around the world. I just happened to learn English as my native language. There is something very humbling about it.” ■

“I really value getting to experience lots of different environments and lifestyles through this type of work.”

—EMMA GUENTHNER ’20

Lynne Perkins Socey at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

The Earlham College Theatre Department returned to Scotland this summer to bring the next installment of a local author’s steampunk odyssey to life.

The department spent two weeks at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in August and performed The Further Misadventures of Martin Hathaway: Shipwrecked off Heramathea’s Cove.

Written by Richmond author Kathryn Clare Glen and adapted for stage by Earlham professor

Lynne Perkins Socey, the 85-minute play is the second in a trilogy chronicling the journey of an eccentric crew of pirates on the Airship Nephthys. The first installment, The Misadventures of Martin Hathaway, was performed by the Theatre Arts department at the 2019 festival.

“The International Collegiate Theatre Festival producers loved our first production and were excited that we would be

sharing the next part of the trilogy this summer,” said Perkins Socey, an associate professor of theatre arts. “We were very excited to return to Scotland with a second group of students and to see how they would be influenced by the wide variety of performance styles from artists around the world. They can learn a great deal about themselves through this international tour experience.”

“Every student who went with us to Edinburgh in 2019 said this experience was a highlight of their Earlham education,” she added. “About half of the participants are theater arts majors but

after the first trip, we saw an immediate shift in all students—they became much more focused, more personally invested in getting the kind of education they really want for themselves. They gained clarity about what they want to do after graduation.”

The newest play debuted on campus in April at the McDaniel Studio Theatre in the Center for Visual and Performing Arts.

Following the on-campus performances, the Theatre Department took a break for almost three months before returning to campus and re-

“We saw an immediate shift in all students— they became much more focused, more personally invested in getting the kind of education they really want for themselves.”

—LYNNE PERKINS SOCEY

Lynne Perkins Socey

suming rehearsals. Twelve students and three faculty members — professors Mia Slayton and Emmy Weldon also joined Socey on the trip — represented Earlham at the Fringe, which is the oldest and largest celebration of arts and culture in the world. The festival includes theater, comedy, dance, circus, cabaret, children’s shows, musicals, opera, music, spoken word, exhibitions and events.

Four performances of the play took place during two weeks in August when the department was in Scotland. The team was prepared for the rigorous work that comes with mounting a work in a festival setting.

“Each theater company had a twohour slot,” Perkins Socey said. “That includes 15 minutes to load in and 15 minutes to load out and prepare the space for the next show. That means that if our show runs 90 minutes and starts late or runs long because of audience reactions, we mess up the schedule for the entire festival. So, if a show runs long, the venue can cut the company off before the performance is over.”

In addition to performing the play, students participated in a variety of cultural experiences while touring Edinburgh and the Scottish countryside. Students were also required to attend at least 15 theatrical productions that will inform the independent research project they design for their Epic Advantage experience.

“Many of our students will attended 25-to-30 different productions,” Perkins Socey said. “They got to explore all of the different aspects of theater. We wanted students to get the most out of this experience as possible.” ■

A tasty change

Earlham Commons, an exciting new food and dining development on land owned by Earlham College, will open in January 2024 as part of continued efforts to elevate the student experience and revitalize campus life.

The College is finalizing deals with a retail consultant to bring up to four tenants to the development located at the corner of National Road West and College Avenue.

Parlor Doughnuts, an upscale coffee and donut shop, is expected to occupy the eastern side of the development. Roots by Tree Hill Farms, a farm-totable restaurant and bar, has been proposed to locate on the western side.

Earlham Commons is one of many projects planned to enhance the student experience. Work is also underway to renovate several residence halls. Renovations for a lobby expansion in Bundy Hall include new surfaces and fixtures in kitchens and bathrooms; updated flooring and reconfigured hang-out spaces at the U (Mills, Warren and Wilson Halls); and upgraded hallway flooring and student lounge spaces in Barrett and Olvey-Andis Halls. ■

Wilson Hall

Earlham Commons

Life beyond the indoor halls of Earlham offers students and community members the chance to grow, connect and learn life skills that only close contact with nature can provide.

By JENSON PENNOCK ’16 ESR ’22

OUT

EARL

SIDE HAM

uch of college life can often center around activities and knowledge that take place indoors inside of classrooms, labs, gyms and libraries. At Earlham, the landscape and its bounties also serve as a classroom and a reminder of a value system that embraces community, accessibility, wellness and sustainability. Earlham has a rich history and many resources that support student exploration of all the ways environment is integral to a well-rounded college experience. What students learn in the barns, gardens, farmlands, hiking systems and beyond are lessons they take with them when they become citizens in the world after graduation.

“What I do know of Earlham is that there’s always been a deep respect for where we live,” said Rick Stephens, interim provost at the college. “Stewardship is a huge component of who we are. For students, [regardless of the] area of study they may be in, be it health sciences, business, education or others, a piece of the value system we hope they learn is stewardship of the earth.”

The following is a survey of the outdoor life Earlham students and others in the community enjoy, learn from and—indeed grow from.

Center for Environmental Leadership

Earlham’s Center for Environmental Leadership (CEL) helps students explore the connections between social and environmental systems. Whether through academic study or hands-on programs, students work on the problems within these systems to develop solutions that are both creative and just. Individual courses and projects also offer opportunities to enjoy nature, connect with peers and learn new skills.

Programs housed under the CEL include Earlham’s Outdoor Education program, Miller Farm, Student Sustainability Corps, additional sustainability initiatives and academic programs. The Student Sustainability Corps takes the lead on a number of projects including collecting compost, running a free thrift store on campus, overseeing the repair room and the Heart Market (where students and faculty sell their wares), and planting initiatives on back campus.

“Stewardship is a huge component of who we are.”

—RICK STEPHENS

EARLHAM NATURE RESERVE SYSTEM INCLUDES:

> back campus

> Sedgwick’s Rock Preserve

> Wildman Woods

> Iverson Woods

> Reller’s Woods

> Test Study Area

Miller Farm

Miller Farm participants focus on sustainable agriculture. The farm, which is student-run as much as possible, provides opportunities to learn about sustainable farming, do hands-on work and sell and share crops with others.

“There’s power in growing, but also power in experiential learning and the liberal arts education,” said Tony Noble, the farm manager. “Almost any aspect of life you can find here at the farm: business, marketing, science, biology, geology, communication, math, construction, soil science, animals, spirituality. It’s a great place to connect.”

Miller Farm is a hub of knowledge and education, a place where people can learn, teach and then teach others to teach. It’s some of the most practical education that Earlham offers. Students can work at the farm and in the greenhouse, learn how to engage with the community at the farmer’s market and gain both hands-on practical skills and life skills.

In addition to the garden beds on the property, including dedicated space for community gardens, areas for growing, gathering, cooking and working are also available.

Earlham Nature Reserve System

The Earlham Nature Reserve System (ENRS) is an initiative uniting multiple properties and more than 400 acres of land managed for diversity, sustainability, research, teaching and recreation in the Wayne County area.

The natural areas that comprise the ENRS—the College’s back campus, Sedgwick’s Rock Preserve, Wildman Woods, Iverson Woods, Reller’s Woods and the Test Study Area—include ponds, creeks, rivers, prairies, forests and recreational trails for hiking and biological study, showcasing some of Richmond’s interesting topography.

The goal for the ENRS is to make the properties more accessible to the public.

“In Indiana, a lot of large pieces of land are privately owned,” said Jalen Sleet ’18, the property manager. “That creates a barrier to people having access to simple things like shade or green space, which really make a difference to quality of life.”

Sleet, who teaches the Trail Building and Invasive Species Removal course at Earlham, is enthusiastic about hosting events to encourage those in the community to get outside and explore these lands.

“There’s a lot to be learned, even if it’s not related to your major,” said Sleet. “Standing next to 250-year-old trees or seeing dozens of spring ephemerals blooming at the same time can be a therapeutic and educational experience for anyone.”

Outdoor Education

Since 1971, Earlham has been at the forefront of training outdoor leaders and educators. Earlham’s approach combines on-campus courses, field experiences and leadership practice for developing both technical and interpersonal skills—all of which encourage exploring the outdoors in a principled way.

The core principles and attitudes promoted by Earlham’s Outdoor Ed include the adventuresome spirit, sense of place, servant leadership, the contemplative spirit and simplicity.

Kimberly Reid ’07, director of outdoor education, sees a number of ways that students are positively impacted by the program. “It’s a safe place to challenge yourself, to grow and to stretch your comfort zone,” she said. The skills that students learn in the Outdoor Ed program at Earlham underscore leadership, community engagement,

“It’s a safe place to challenge yourself, to grow and to stretch your comfort zone.”

—KIMBERLY REID ’07, DIRECTOR OF OUTDOOR EDUCATION

hands-on outdoor preparedness and more, and can be transferred to any field students pursue.

Those involved in the Outdoor Ed program run the campus rock climbing wall and the bike share, oversee the gear room (where students can check out outdoor equipment), support the student-run outdoor club and Outdoor Ed House, and offer many activities and even academic courses throughout the year.

Of all of the programs, activities and experiences offered through Outdoor Ed, the August Wilderness program may be the best known. “It’s one of the oldest and most well-respected programs in the country,” said Mads Chomentowski ’20, who oversaw the program while Reid led Earlham’s New Zealand trip during the spring semester of 2023.

During August Wilderness, a group of incoming students, led by faculty and student leaders, backpack the Uinta Mountains in Utah for 11 days. Group permits for hiking the Uintas are limited these days, said Chomentowski. But the Earlham group has retroactive status. “It’s a cool legacy,” Chomentowski added. “We just celebrated our 50th anniversary.”

Equestrian

As the only student-run barn and collegiate horse program in the U.S. (with support from faculty advisers and horse professionals), Earlham’s equestrian program provides opportunities for leadership and community not available at any other college or university.

The operations of the Suzanne Hoerner Jackson Equestrian Center, a 25-stall barn and indoor riding space, are managed by a student barn staff. As a member of the Earlham College Stables Cooperative, students care for school horses in exchange for the riding privileges free of cost, which makes horseback riding accessible to many who have not been able to experience it before.

Approximately 30 students were involved in the co-op during the 2022-23 academic year, gaining experience in community leadership. The shared responsibility brings its own rewards.

“It’s about developing that ability to communicate and lead,” said faculty advisor Emmett Smith. “That makes people learn more about themselves, develop and grow as people and become more able to interact with humans around them. It spills into the rest of your life.”

While some students arrive with considerable experience as riders, faculty advisor Thea Clarkberg emphasizes that Earlham’s equestrian program welcomes all levels. Students can take lessons, give lessons, take on management roles and minor in equestrian management.

Convenience is another benefit of the equestrian program. Participants can take advantage of the campus trail system for riding without ever having to leave campus.

“The fact that our barn is on campus is extremely rare, and the fact that it’s right next to the trails means we don’t have to trailer horses anywhere,” said Smith. “That’s another part of the accessibility issue—it’s an advantageous part of our program.” ■

“…people learn more about themselves, develop and grow as people and become more able to interact with humans around them. It spills into the rest of your life.”

—EMMETT SMITH, FACULTY ADVISOR

Everything under the sun

Alumni and students

know the joy of working outdoors.

by Kelsey Mackey

outdoor education

wildfire control

community forestry

geology camp

natural history

wilderness therapy

’24

Nathen Peck

Off the beaten path

Nathen Peck ’24 is a senior with a double major in biology and studio arts. He also coordinates eco tours for Earlham College’s Joseph Moore Museum and is a leader for outdoor education, particularly anything related to climbing. His combination of interests has helped him build a portfolio of work that is both impressive and diverse.

Peck’s studies have also taken him abroad to experience a different culture and setting. He spent a semester in New Zealand focusing on cultural and environmental issues.

“I was really interested in both of those things,” he said. “I think an indigenous way of thinking about biology is something I want to learn more about. I really wanted to go to New Zealand because I liked the outdoor component of it—this is a gorgeous place with a lot of outdoor opportunities, and I wanted to be outside in that sort of way.”

It was also was important for him to learn more about Māori culture, art and nature stewardship. Māori art focuses on weaving, carving, tattooing and painting and is an integral part of life in New Zealand.

“I want to approach science and the environment with less of a westernized viewpoint,” he said.

On this trip, his cohort did a lot of outdoor recreation and adventuring, focusing on well-known places and activities. Afterward, Peck and a group of friends stayed in New Zealand when the official trip ended—exploring off the beaten path.

“It was really nice to take it slower.” he said. “We’ve been doing more of a freeform adventure, which has been fun. The other night I slept in a cow pasture on the side of the road, because it got dark before we got to our destination.”

Planting beauty

Madeline Gullion ’21 was an environmental sustainability major and outdoor education minor whose first position after graduation propelled her to her current career. In the fall of 2022, she worked as an urban naturalist at Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., an environmental and community organization.

“I loved it. I spent every day outside learning so many new things,” she said about the seasonal internship that employs college students and recent graduates. The program provides interns with job skills and professional development opportunities so they are prepared for impactful careers in environmental fields, Gullion noted.

“As soon as a full-time position opened up, I applied, and now I’m a community forestry coordinator,” she said.

Keep Indianapolis Beautiful, Inc., is an environmental and community nonprofit with a mission to help people and nature thrive. The nonprofit contracts with the City of Indianapolis and Citizens Energy Group to plant 1,500 trees for each organization.

Gullion’s job is to see the project through from start to finish. She researches native species, locates appropriate places to plant trees and even helps with the planting herself when needed.

She spends a lot of time outside working—and she appreciates it.

“I’ve always loved being outside. I am disabled, and being active helps me function. It is hard for me to sit and live a sedentary lifestyle,” she said. “It is also great for my mental health to be outside and see the positive impact I’m making firsthand, instead of being removed by a desk.”

In fact, she envisions a future with Keep Indianapolis Beautiful for years to come.

“I hope to eventually become a certified arborist, but this is a place that I want to stay. It’s a place I can see myself growing. This is the start of my professional career, but I can also see myself staying for a while,” she said.

’21

Madeline Gullion

Chasing fire

Regan Lowring ’17 is using his environmental studies major to make a difference with the U.S. Forest Service as a lead firefighter. He currently works in Bend, Oregon, trying to keep the landscapes under control with prescribed burns and to respond to major fires in nearby areas.

The prescribed burns help control wildfires and potentially save houses and lives. During fire season, Lowring could be called out to any location that needs extra hands on deck.

While it’s stressful not knowing where you’ll be working and having to spend significant time away from loved ones, Lowring loves the unpredictability.

“That’s what’s kind of awesome about the job,” he said. “Every day is different. We’re always changing to different jobs. It’s very flexible, and you get to go to cool parts of the country and world that other people may never see.”

While Lowring loves his job and the scenery, the work can be very challenging.

“Physically, it’s a lot,” he said. “We’ll be working as many as 16 hours a day, usually carrying 30-to-45 pounds of gear on our backs. We’re also working on the fire’s edge, so it’s super hot. And it’s also challenging mentally. It takes a toll on you after working a full fire season.”

Still, he is doing what he loves and gets to work outside with gorgeous scenery.

“It’s pretty spectacular living in this place and working outside,” he said. “There are so many cool things about being outside in nature. It’s like this childhood joy that it brings.”

’17

Regan Lowring

For the shore

Kiyomi Johnson ’24 has been involved in a little bit of everything during her time at Earlham College. A museum studies major with a biology focus, she has also spent a lot of her time working with Joseph Moore Museum (Earlham’s natural history and science museum) and a certain iguana named Judi Dench.

From lizard handling to student organizations, when Johnson sees something she wants to be a part of on campus, she goes for it. That directness also helped secure her summer internship with the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC) on the shores of Chesapeake Bay about an hour from Washington, D.C.

During the summer of 2022, she spent time conducting research on parasites in shrimp and their effect on the ecosystem. Her job was to look at the prevalence of these parasites over time.

“This internship was a lot of field work,” she said. “This was the first time I actually got to go out and collect data.”

After completing this internship, she was offered another internship for the summer

2023, this one a partnership between SERC and the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. She spent most of her summer in Edgwater, Maryland, with some traveling to Washington, D.C., to dissect and collect her samples from the parasitology lab at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.

This internship excited her because she knew she’d be working with curators of one of the biggest museums in the world.

“They’re doing what I think I want to do with my career,” Johnson said.

And she’s thankful to Earlham College for giving her this opportunity to explore her protentional career field now.

“Without Earlham, I wouldn’t have had either of these internships. I wouldn’t even have known that they existed,” she said.

’24

Kiyomi Johnson

Por amor a la geología

Katherine Liu ’23, a geology major and Spanish and Hispanic studies minor, joined her two disciplines for a geology field camp experience in Spain through Epic Advantage, Earlham College’s funded research, internship or travel experience for all students.

“Field camp is a capstone class that geology students take their senior year,” she said. “It acts as a cumulative task where you both learn and apply a lot of field skills.”

Her cohort spent their days in the field looking at stratigraphic columns (think layers of rock types) and geological maps—something she didn’t have much hands-on experience with.

Studying structural geology helped refine what she wants to do in the future. It won’t be rocks alone.

Liu wants to combine her love of geology with the “human

element.” With an interest in pursuing opportunities with the U.S. Geological Survey or state level geographic study, she wants her future work to focus on how geology effects human lives.

“I enjoyed talking to people about the work we were doing,” she said. “I was also doing that in Spanish, and being able to do that in another language made me proud of myself.”

Whatever she does in her future career, she wants it to be outside.

“I love the way being outside grounds you in a sense of place,” she said. “I enjoy being able to stand there and know where you are, as far as structural history or even when talking about changes in recent history.

“It also just feels good to be outside, up and moving.”

’23

Katherine Liu

Therapeutic wilderness

Berto Edwards ’22 graduated with a major in neuroscience and an applied minor in contemplative studies. Now, he’s in Asheville, North Carolina, working as a wilderness field instructor.

“I work in wilderness therapy, leading groups of kiddos ages 10-to-17 in the woods. I teach them wilderness skills while also making sure they’re safe, warm and dry.”

Recommended for treatment through their therapists, these students look to Edwards to help them meet individual goals.

“The theory is that being in the wilderness is inherently therapeutic,” Edwards said. “We are separating kids from a troubling environment and putting them in a space that is both challenging and safe.”

And no prior outdoor experience is required—which makes Edwards’ job both difficult and rewarding.

“One of my favorite parts of the job is to work with kids who have no wilderness experience,” he said. “They go on a hike and halfway through they’re sobbing

Berto Edwards

’22

and miserable—I work with them a month later, and they’re the OG of the group, teaching and advocating for the newer kids.”

Edwards was inspired by both his therapist father and his experiences at Earlham College to pursue this opportunity. And he loves both working outside and making a difference in the lives of the children he teaches.

“Seeing these kids grow is one of the most gratifying things,” he said. “Sometimes this job is really hard. I’ve had challenging weeks where I’ve wanted to pull my hair out and cry. But talking to the kids reaffirms that what I’m doing is helping.”

While Edwards loves this position, he will eventually return to school to become a professor, researcher or therapist. But he will always value the lessons he learned as a wilderness field instructor.

“As a job right out of college, this has been a really unique experience that I’ve learned a lot from,” he said. ■

DEEP DIVE

FEW RESOURCES IN HUMAN HISTORY HAVE CAUSED MORE CONFLICT THAN WATER, AND ACCORDING TO ERIC GARNER ’84, THAT WON’T CHANGE ANYTIME SOON.

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BY JENNIFER GOSE

In the popular understanding of climate change, emissions are often the leading topic of debate. Fair enough; emissions are a major contributor to the changing climate of the planet. But there’s another vital consideration, says Eric Garner ’84.

CARRIE ROSEMA

Garner has spent his career in water law—a path he never would have imagined for himself if you’d talked to him during his first semester as a biology major at Earlham College.

“I figured I’d get a master’s degree and work for a nonprofit or in academia,” he says. “No one in my family was in law. It was just not something I had considered.”

During his first year at Earlham, Garner took a peace and global studies course. It was there that he wrote his first paper on rainforest destruction and was introduced to the fascinatingly complex world of environmental policy issues. To further explore these topics, he picked up a political science major in addition to biology.

Late in his junior year, Garner met with political science advisor and professor George Lopez who suggested Garner take the LSAT and apply to law schools. Not yet sold on the idea of law school, he also applied for several joint degree programs—but ultimately settled on attending the University of Michigan for his J.D.

While studying in Michigan, Garner interned with the International Wildlife Federation. He still imagined himself finding a position with a nonprofit after graduation. After all, working as an environmental lawyer in private firms typically means representing major corporations and defending toxic dumpers—not exactly what he had in mind for a career.

But after taking a course on water law, Garner began a deep dive into the subject and landed an interview with a private firm in California that specializes in water rights. He’s been with them ever since and has been managing partner for the last 18 years.

“People need water, the environment needs water, farms need water—and there’s no right answer,” says Garner. “Everything about water law is in shades of gray, and that suits my personality.”

The following is an edited Q&A with Garner.

Here in Richmond, Indiana, water rights aren’t something we think about that often. What kind of stakes are you working with in your cases? Water rights don’t matter if there’s enough water, so in some regions like the Midwest, it’s not an issue right now. But in the western U.S. and many places in the world, that’s not the case.

When it comes to water, there’s human domestic consumption and there’s agriculture usage, which comprises about 80 percent of water usage worldwide and in most states—and then the environment needs water, too.

When the water rights allocation system was first created, the environment wasn’t part of the equation. It was in the 1970s that we realized we needed to include water for the environment in these allocations.

Most of the cases we see in California involve public agencies needing drinking water, so they are cities and water districts competing with agriculture for water usage.

The Colorado River is a great illustration of water issues at the macro level. In 1922, they allocated water to seven states and Mexico when they built the Hoover Dam. They thought they were set—the allocation was resolved.

“Climate change is really all about water—too much or too little,” he says. “Rain and snowfall, superstorms, droughts—water and water rights are only going to become more important, and the potential for conflict will continue to increase.”

Then, in the 21st century, we realized there’s not as much water as we originally thought, and now there’s climate change, too. What do we do? There’s been a lot of back-and-forth between the States and Mexico trying to deal with the cutbacks needed. And the resource is always moving, so it’s hard to have a fixed solution.

What’s the best possible outcome you would want to see in one of your cases? At first I thought that after water for domestic use, you take water away from whatever user, and you give it to the environment. But there are also times you have to realize that taking thousands of acres of agriculture out of production has a big impact on food supply, farmers and farmworkers.

The nice thing about representing government agencies is that they need the resource to be there in ten, 50, 100 years. So there’s an inherent desire to conserve the resource and manage it for the long term, as opposed to private interests, which sometimes are more focused short-term profits over long-term conservation.

In my cases, I typically find myself right in the middle, which is the right place to be when it comes to water.

You can look around the world, and nowhere do we do a good job of managing water, particularly groundwater. I’ve worked in Africa, Asia, Trinidad, the Middle East, and it’s the same issues everywhere. It’s not about culture, religion, race or country; it’s a human issue.

But if anyone can solve these problems, California will. We have the money, the infrastructure and the brain power to throw at this problem.

What is the best case your opponents in litigation will typically come up with, and how do you counter it? Water rights priority. Usually, it’s the priority arguments that are the most challenging.

Governmental agencies came later in time to agricultural interests. Farming developed first, then there were small towns, then, all of a sudden, big cities emerged. Ventura County between L.A. and Santa Barbara, for example, is still the twelfth largest agricultural county in

the U.S. Water has had existing uses there for a long time, and they feel that the city shouldn’t be able to take the resource, or if it does, it should pay for it.

These cases are complex and involve a lot of parties, so they take a long time to resolve. To determine the rights to groundwater, you have to bring in everyone who uses it or claims a right to it, which can be in the thousands. One case had nearly 20,000 parties. That case took 22 years to resolve.

But these issues are complex, and it’s our most important resource, so it should be that way.

That sounds a lot like consensus. Yes! Earlham, and being raised Quaker, that Quaker training and consensus have come in incredibly handy in handling these cases. Most of the parties settle. But it takes sitting in rooms for hours and days and months on end, listening to people’s points of view, trying to find common ground and going back and forth.

I got involved in one case because two parties were so at odds, nothing was getting done. I sat in the room with them for several weeks, and finally managed to broker a deal and get it settled. The parties wouldn’t talk to each other, but I could talk to each of them to move the process forward.

That’s really been a theme of my career with this firm. Part of my job is managing partners, and we’ve had maybe two votes in the last 18 years, because we mainly work through consensus.

What do you see the trend being for the future of water rights? Let me try to strike an optimistic note. I try to be an optimist.

The potential for conflicts around water is increasing. As populations grow, water becomes scarcer. With climate change on top of that, it’s hard to predict how weather patterns will change. But the trend will likely be more competition for the resource, and therefore the potential for more conflict.

That said, most of the time, countries—even countries with serious histories of disagreement—are able to work out resolutions.

It’s too important of a resource to tamper with, so they almost always have to come to a resolution. ■

Environmental connection

Malia Staab ’18 finds community and connection in her work with native resources and wildlife. Both have confirmed her commitment to preserving ecosystems and educating the next generation of informed stewards.

By BILL ENGLE

Malia Staab found her calling while lying down in a contemplative moment on a prairie in her early years at Earlham College. She was imagining that she was a seedling, growing up through the soft ground of the earth. Seedlings are the very definition of potential, of course, and that day, as Staab explored the natural world, she was also setting down roots as an activist, and as a spokesperson, teacher and advocate for Hawai‘i, the land she calls home.

The 2018 Earlham graduate arrived at college undecided about a major. She thought about psychology but then took ecological biology from plant biologist Professor Brent Smith — who led the experience that day on the prairie.

“I just thought that was so cool. No other class would have me do that,” she said. “I felt very anchored in place at that moment. I was very drawn to that type of learning, to learn with imagination and fun, and learn outside the classroom.”

Nurtured by her time at Earlham, Staab followed her dream and works as a conservation field technician for the Hawai‘i Department of Land and Natural Resources (DNLR) Division of Forestry and Wildlife, and teacher at a local high school. She lives on the island of O’ahu, and her work is “almost 100 percent fieldwork,” spending long days in the Wai’anae and Ko’olau mountains removing invasive plant species, planting native species and educating students on native ecosystems.

“We drive into the mountains and hike into the fields with chain saws, handsaws and herbicide,” she said. “The more rigorous the work the more I love it. I feel very fortunate to be able to be doing this work.”

Staab also leads volunteer groups into the mountains on special projects expanding and learning about intact ecosystems. The work is rigorous and sometimes disheartening. Has she cried removing invasive species only to know they are going to grow back? Sure. Has there been despair? Of course. But she looks to the friends around her to help her carry on. “I really get support from my blood family, a family

of my Earlham friends whom I stay in contact with and really depend on, and my co-workers,” she said. “They are my communities.”

A professional journey

Each summer for the last four years Staab has traveled to Alaska where she works for the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) as a backpacking and sea kayaking instructor teaching leadership, wilderness living skills and the ecology of the region. Her first year in Alaska she took a training course and worked the rest of that first summer as an instructor.

Her experience working between the two jobs has been priceless.

“I love how the environment of Alaska is so different than Hawai‘i but also similar as the glacial landscape of Alaska and the volcanic landscape of Hawai‘i are both very raw and new in terms of ecological succession,” Staab said. “They are also very rich with abundant plant and animal species.”

At Earlham, while working on a double major in biology and environmental studies with a designation in outdoor education, Staab returned to Hawai‘i to complete an internship in environmental studies. She started working for the Americorps organization Kupu, which means “to sprout” or “to grow” in Hawaiian.

The organization was a perfect next step for Staab as she participated in hands-on training in conservation, sustainability and environmental education with young adults.

Starting stewardship early

After graduation, she returned to Hawai‘i to work for the DNLR and at Le Jardin Academy, a private K-12 school on the Windward Side (or eastern shore) of O’ahu. “I particularly like working with students in Hawai‘i, challenging them, impressing upon them to view the land, the plants and animals as resources, to help them understand that they take care of us,” she said. Most of her work at the high school is natural resource education and student stewardship projects at the nearby Kawainui Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary.

“So much of this love and appreciation for the land starts with education,” she said. “If you don’t learn about

something, how can you understand it, appreciate it and protect it?” After a few years back home working in conservation, she enrolled in graduate school at the University of Hawai’i, earning a master’s degree in natural resource and environmental management in 2022.

The flame of her passion was lit at Earlham where Staab took advantage of every outdoor study opportunity she could find. She worked at the college’s climbing wall and on August Wilderness, a pre-orientation field-based expedition. She went on canoeing trips to Canada and rock-climbing trips to Kentucky. She did her Earlham study abroad in New Zealand in 2016 and then led a study abroad return trip to New Zealand in 2020.

“At Earlham, that was the first time I ever camped for several days, and I had never canoed in the wilderness like that before,” she said. “For me it was simple living. It was about building friendships based on a love of being outdoors.”

Her Earlham experience helped clarify her desire to return to Hawai’i.

“The opportunity it provided me was so special,” she said.

“Right before my senior year I knew that that’s what I wanted to do, to give back to the place that raised me and to do impactful work. A big inspiration for me is going and volunteering and seeing hundreds of other people volunteering, giving their time and their love. That to me is community.”

Her experience at the Le Jardin Academy stoked her related love of teaching.

“A lot of my students ask me why they should care about the environment. I tell them that if they drink fresh water, they should care about native ecosystems and healthy watersheds,” said Staab. “I believe you have a responsibility to learn about the places you live or travel to and give back. Earlham taught me to appreciate simplicity. I believe in appreciating what you have and finding good people to surround yourself with. Sharing that love with people makes me hopeful that there are enough of us out there that care about protecting wild spaces and the development of human and environmental connection.” ■

Healing through

adventure

Story by Brian Zimmerman

Photos by Ian Fohrman

Conor Hall ’13 grew up in the remote town of Crestone, Colorado, where mountain peaks tower over the landscape at 14,000 feet and encircle some of the nation’s most picturesque stretches of wilderness in the country.

“I have a twin brother, as well as a younger sister and brother, and we spent our childhoods running around in the woods. We didn’t have cable television at home,” Hall said. “We’d be free-soloing cliffs, exploring mine shafts, building boats to go down white-water rapids. We just spent every waking moment running around outside. We were kind of wild kids.”

Hall’s wild side was met with near-death experiences that included falling off a cliff, crashing and flipping a car to dodge a deer and being stalked by a cougar. On another occasion, he made an unplanned emergency landing in a cow pasture in a skydiving mishap.

“These kinds of things would happen, and I would just walk away mostly unscathed,” Hall said. “That happened all through childhood and high school, and it just really started to permeate into my mentality a little bit. When you walk away from that many things, there’s a bit of a feeling of invincibility.”

That sense vanished when a cancer diagnosis forced him to

grapple with his mortality and postponed his life’s plans. The experience, which occurred during Hall’s time on the Earlham campus, and his eventual recovery drew him closer to nature and inspired a lifetime of helping others do the same.

Today, Hall is a champion and advocate for the nonprofit First Descents, which introduced the 20-year-old Hall to the outdoors in a way that was new to him: alongside other young adults affected by serious health conditions.

“There’s a healing that comes through adventure,” said Hall, who is director of the Outdoor Recreation Industry Office for the State of Colorado.

“It shows that you are alive,” he said. “Nature, in my opinion, is just one of the most grounding, healing things we have in this world. There’s adrenaline that comes from experiencing adventure with others and a deep bond that forms. That’s where the magic is.”

The diagnosis

On the final day of his sophomore year at Earlham in 2011, Hall finally had succumbed to the rigors of finals week and a mysterious illness that he couldn’t shake.

Before becoming the director for Colorado’s Outdoor Recreation Industry Office, Conor Hall ’13 turned to nature for fun and, ultimately, to cope with a cancer diagnosis.

“I had been taking way more credits than I was supposed to and had spent the last couple of weeks writing all night and day without much sleep,” said Hall, who earned a degree in politics from Earlham. “I wasn’t feeling super healthy, but I just attributed it to stress and lack of sleep.”

Hall visited the campus health center to get a decongestant and was walking out the door when he noticed a swollen lymph node on the right side of his neck. He turned around and asked the doctor on call to take a look. The doctor urged him to visit nearby Reid Hospital and get a CT scan before leaving campus.

“They wouldn’t tell me the results immediately,” Hall said. “They brought me back to campus and asked if I could call my twin brother and get my mom on the phone. That’s when I started suspecting that something might be pretty wrong.”

Hall’s instincts were right. The scans detected multiple tumors that had wrapped around his heart and lungs, and had extended into his neck. Hall would later be diagnosed with stage two bulky Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“After hearing about cancer and the size of the tumors, I thought, ‘I’m going to die from this,’” Hall said. “I didn’t say anything. I went into consoling mode, telling everyone who was crying that it was going to be OK. I didn’t want everyone to know what I truly thought the outcome would be.”

In an instant, Hall’s summer plans changed. Instead of spending the summer in Washington, D.C. for a prestigious internship and preparing to study abroad in Nepal the following fall, Hall flew home to Austin, Texas, where his parents were living.

Chemotherapy followed. During treatment, Hall vowed to stay sharp by reading books, and playing memory games and intramural volleyball with friends.

“Once I really understood what chemotherapy is and what it does—basically killing poison in your body with another poison—I was concerned about physical and mental degradation,” said Hall. “So I came up with a plan. I taught myself economics, investment theory and some Spanish.”

Playing sand volleyball proved especially beneficial after enduring six-hour chemotherapy sessions. “Sometimes I really had to push to do that, but it was important for a number of reasons,” Hall said. “To me it was significant that even if this was tough, I wasn’t going to let it change what I wanted to do, how I wanted to live or the things I took joy in. There’s something about getting out with your close friends, doing something physical. The act of being outside and being in community was really powerful and healing.”

A turning point Hall decided to return to Earlham the fall after his diagnosis in 2011, not as a student but to celebrate the completion of his chemotherapy treatment. By all indications, he was responding to treatment and heading toward remission. His brother, Patrick Hall ’13, his sister, Maura Hall ’13, and his girlfriend (now wife), Harper Lodge-Rigal ’13, were on campus eager to mark the occasion.

A phone call from a new oncologist, however, sullied the celebratory mood. The cancer was not gone. Hall would have to do another round of chemo as well as radiation.

“That next morning was a low point,” he said. “It was really tough after thinking that I had beaten it.”

The news about Hall’s prognosis quickly spread around campus. During breakfast the following morning in the dining hall—Saga—friends and other Earlhamites formed a line to embrace their classmate and show support. Josie Lee Demeo, the late food services worker known affectionately by Earlhamites for decades as “Jo the Bouncer,” started the proceedings.

“It felt like everyone in Saga was wrapping me up in a big hug,” Hall said. “When I was at the lowest of lows, it was one of the most beautiful exhibits of community and support that I’ve ever experienced. It was really representative of the type of community that Earlham is.”

The concept of community would continue to play a significant role throughout Hall’s second round of treatment, which ended on December 22, 2011, after eight months total. As Hall crossed the finish line, his primary oncologist recommended he join a program helping young-adult cancer survivors heal and connect through outdoor adventure offered by First Descents. Participants spend a week surfing, rock climbing and kayaking in majestic natural locales around the country.

“I remember thinking that I didn’t need a support group, but that I would go surfing for a week with them,” he said. “When I got there, it was a powerful experience. It turns out, I did need to be surrounded by other young people who had shared a similar experience of deeply facing their own mortality in a serious health crisis.”

Hall was so moved by the experience that he decided to do whatever he could to spread awareness about the program and support its future growth and success. He is an avid volunteer for First Descents programs and has served as an ambassador at various events. He has held fundraisers and donated both time and money. He is also an alumni advisory board member.

“The act of being physical and being in community was really powerful and healing.”

“We all need connection and community support,” Hall said. “I had a great community around me going through this experience—at Earlham and down in Austin with supportive family and friends—but I didn’t know anyone else my age who had gone through something like this. It would have been great to have people my age who fully understood it even without having to talk about it, just being in those same rooms. That’s where First Descents was so helpful. It was inspiring, and it was a relief, like a weight off my shoulders while I was with them.”

Nature for all

Eight years ago, Hall was tapped to support the creation of the State of Colorado’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry while working as a key advisor for then-Governor John Hickenlooper’s administration. A year and half ago, Governor

legislature started in recent years. Through the program, the state awards grants to nonprofits and businesses, education institutions and tribes to break down barriers of access to the outdoor experience for BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and disabled communities.

“It’s incredibly fulfilling, worthwhile, high-impact work,” Hall said of his position as the state’s director for the outdoor recreation industry. “We’ve done a lot of great projects there. Don’t tell the governor but, honestly, I think I have the best job in government.”

On the horizon is a project that Hall believes could result in a national gathering place for the outdoor recreation industry and combine his passion for nature and community. The goal is for the event to be comparable to South by Southwest, which draws hundreds of thousands of people to Austin, Texas, for an annual celebration of technology, film, music, education and culture.

“We’re taking a big risk doing this, but I think it’s the right thing to do,” Hall said. “There’s a need for it. We’re meeting with key stakeholders right now.

“I feel so lucky to be in the role that I am,” he said. “We’re trying to bring together community in nature in a way that is both accessible and sustainable. This has many benefits—for the economy, people’s physical and mental health, and the environment. It’s also just incredibly fun, interesting work. I get to see the fruits of our work all the time in nature and in the people who are experiencing it. I see it also in the people who work with me to protect it. I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

These kinds of bold endeavors, Hall said, are taking priority over the risky adventures from his childhood. But not all of them.

Jared Polis appointed Hall to lead the office he helped create. The office serves as the central steward for one of the state’s lifeblood industries in Colorado, with about $63 billion in economic impact every year. It involves more than 500,000 jobs, nearly 20 percent of the jobs in the state.

More recently, the office has transformed into a grant making entity with plans to directly award or support in the disbursement of more than $11 million in grants. One of those programs is the Colorado Outdoor Equity Fund, which the

“My wife would tell you I’m still a risktaker, but the types of risks I’m willing to take and the way I think of them have changed,” Hall said. “When it comes to doing crazy things in the outdoors, I’ve dialed it back. I’m taking calculated risks, and I’m more aware of the safety precautions I need to take. I want to set a good example to others as well.

“Earlham prepared me for this part of my life,” he added. “That idea to think critically and dream big—taking those big swings—was heavily reinforced by everything I learned.” ■

Conor Hall (second) and friends in Silverton, Colorado.

Congratulations to our 2023 Alumni Award winners and Hall of Fame inductees!

Earlham College Athletics Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Award Winners

Randall ’68 & Alice Shrock ‘68

The longest-serving faculty pair in the U.S., Randall and Alice Shrock shared a history professorship at Earlham for 40 years—from 1973 until their retirement in 2013. Their impact on Earlham has been profound and undeniable, as generations of Earlhamites have benefited from their guidance.

Outstanding Alumni Award Winners

Alice Wong ‘96

Alice Wong is a disabled activist, media maker, consultant, and the founder and director of the Disability Visibility Project (DVP). Calling herself a “Disabled Oracle,” Alice has helped to create numerous platforms for people with disabilities to share the fullness of their experiences and to advocate for better public policies and public access.

Daniel Hunter ‘01

Daniel Hunter is an activist’s activist—always aiming to empower individuals, engage grassroots organizations, and embolden institutions to make change for good. Through his work with 350. org and other organizations, Daniel represents the Earlham spirit with every fiber of his being.

Learn more about our Alumni Awards at earlham.edu/alumni

Markous Jewett ‘07

Markous Jewett led Earlham’s men’s basketball team to championships at the Lon Varnell Classic (2002), the Equinox Tournament (2005), and to the semifinals during the 2006 NCAC Tournament.

Bill Kinsey

Since 2005, Earlham athletic trainer Bill Kinsey has been handling Earlham’s studentathletes’ health and wellness concerns—all the bumps and bruises, aches and pains that come with athletic training and competition.

Randal Sadler ‘73

A longtime contributor to Earlham’s athletic programs, Sadler was a celebrated pitcher on some of the Quakers’ best baseball teams of his era. He and his wife, Melissa, are among Earlham Athletics’ most ardent and generous advocates, supporting the construction of new baseball and softball facilities and the reestablishment of golf and tennis.

Thomas E. Smith ‘65

Thomas E. Smith was the goalie for the Earlham men’s soccer team in 1963 when they were crowned co-national champions of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Softball ramps up for 2024

After hiring new head coach Stacey Goyette, Earlham College softball team has been taking shape in preparation for its first competition date in March 2024. Coach Goyette, who has been recruiting for a year, has 16 first-year players lined up for the program’s rebirth. Construction began over the summer for the all-new softball facility built next to Sadler Stadium.

The program will be associated with the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference, where Earlham already sponsors 16 sports in competition. The first conference matchup for EC is slated for Saturday, March 30, at Bluffton University in Ohio, with the first home game against league competition scheduled for Saturday, April 6, against Transylvania University in Kentucky. The program will schedule upwards of 40 games for the spring of 2024, including a spring break trip to Florida to begin the season.

Construction began over the summer for the all-new softball facility built next to Sadler Stadium (rendition pictured above).

SATURDAY, APRIL 6 FIRST HOME GAME

Transylvania University in Kentucky

Earlham College

ATHLETICS | STANDOUT QUAKERS

The baseball team concluded its season with a 20-18 record, and a 10-12 mark in the HCAC for a seventh-place finish.

Dillon Fischer ’24 earned first team honors after leading the Earlham starting rotation on the mound this season. Fischer started nine games with a 3-4 record, and went complete three times this season. He also earned one shutout and one save. In more than 63 innings tossed, Fischer had 65 strikeouts and held opponents to a .261 batting average. Nathan Lancianese ’23 landed on the first team all-conference and second team all-region listings as an outfielder. The 2023 graduate started all 38 games this year with a .424 batting average and 1.168 OPS, both team highs. He recorded 64 hits with 18 doubles, two triples and four home runs. With 40 runs scored and 31

BASEBALL

RBI, Lancianese accounted for over 26 percent of all runs scored by the Quakers this season. He also led EC on the basepaths with 17 successful stolen bases. In the field, Lancianese had a .989 fielding percentage with just one error on the year. Sean Jeffries ’26 earned second team honors as a freshman in the Quaker lineup. Jeffries saw action in 23 games with 20 starts. He was effective at the plate with a .385 batting average with 30 hits, seven doubles, two triples, one homer and 18 RBI. In his 95 plate appearances, Jeffries struck out just seven times. Max Fries ’23 (below) was given honorable mention as an outfielder for Earlham. Fries posted a .328 average with 43 hits, 16 doubles, three triples, four home runs and a team-high 44 RBI. Fries hit as both a designated hitter and in right field this season, typically in the cleanup spot.

MEN’S LACROSSE

The men’s lacrosse team set the program record for highest winning percentage in a season at a 4-8 record. Donovan Shea ’24 earned second team honors after leading the Quaker defense this year. Shea was credited with 47 caused turnovers, and he picked up 96 ground balls this season. He also won a team-high 51 faceoffs. Shea bookended the season with offensive production, dishing out an assist in the season opener against Concordia Chicago and scoring a goal in the finale against Anderson.

MEN’S TENNIS

The men’s tennis team earned two all-conference selections in Sarthak Sharma ’23 and Hyunseon Ahn ’23. Sharma played at No.1 singles for EC with three wins, including a three-game win against Manchester University. Ahn posted a 4-9 record at No.2 singles for the Quakers this year. Sean also picked up a conference win against Manchester with a 6-0, 6-3 final score. The pair teamed up at No.1 doubles for EC this season and had a 4-9 record with sweeps against Manchester and Olivet.

TRACK AND FIELD

The women’s program finished the season with a sixth-place finish at the conference championship meet. Madison Huelskamp ’23 was named women’s jumper of the meet after earning All-HCAC honors in both her jumping events. The junior won the long jump with a leap of 5.16 meters. Huelskamp also earned the honors in the triple jump on Friday with a mark of 10.31 meters. The women’s 4x400 relay team of Liv Kyrk ’24, Huelskamp, Lily Schamel ’25 and Elena Stirn ’24 got second place with a time of 4:19.3.

WOMEN’S MEN’S MEN’S GOLF

The men’s program earned 38 points and finished in ninth place at the conference championship meet.

Conner Kimball ’23 won the 800-meter run with a new school record of 1:53.63. The senior was fastest in the prelims on Friday, and he won the event by over two seconds over the field. Connor Del Carmen ’25 earned all-conference honors with two second-place finishes in the 5,000- and 10,000-meter runs. The sophomore ran a 31:55.19 in the 10k on Friday, and he recorded a 15:23.71 in the 5k on Saturday.

WOMEN’S GOLF

The women’s program completed a busy spring at the HCAC Championship round hosted by Defiance College. The Quakers finished the event in 10th place with a total score of 1,432 at Moose Landing Country Club. Mary Josephine Easley ’24 (left) led the Quakers with a 301 in the three-day event. The junior had a best round of 98 on Saturday. Easley finished in 36th place individually. Makinzie Laughlin ’26 totaled 307 on the weekend with a best round of 98 on the final day of the tournament. The first-year finished in 37th place.

The men’s team finished in fifth place in the HCAC Championship Tournament with a combined score of 693. Mychal McKelvey ’25 led the Quakers at the tournament with a fourth-place individual finish. McKelvey earned all-tournament honors for the championship and was named all-conference based on his season’s performance.

Doing good for humanity

BY GRETCHEN CASTLE, DEAN OF THE EARLHAM SCHOOL OF RELIGION

Listening to a consultant from our seminary accrediting association last spring, I heard that a seminary that has a denominational attachment is only as strong as its denomination. The Earlham School of Religion is only as strong as our Quaker communion.

I am one among many concerned that Quakerism, particularly in the global north, is diminishing in numbers. It is astonishing to think that a meeting at the Philadelphia Yearly Meeting with 20 members once had 600 members, for whom the historic meetinghouse was built. Another meeting I attended in Philadelphia once had 100 members; now only 15 remain.

At the Quaker Leadership Center conference in April, those gathered from various Quaker traditions and across many yearly meetings quickly realized our concern is broadly held. (For more information on the conference, contact Andy Stanton Henry at andy.recoveringabundance@gmail.com.) At the Ohio Valley Yearly Meeting, I encouraged Friends to be part of the evolution we are in, acting as co-creators with God and each other. Covid, climate justice, Black Lives Matter and the #MeToo movements have changed our perception and heightened our sense of how, as a human family, we must respect all of life. The movements interface with important and persistent questions in religious life.

As those of us connected to Earlham can attest, our Quaker testimonies and ways of being offer an important perspective to the world. Quakers encourage radical love and spiritual presence. At Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion, we embody the Quaker testimonies of community, equality, peace, simplicity and integrity, with a smattering of good stewardship in the choices we make. We respect all people and our beautiful, fragile earth. We respect all life. Earlham provides the space to practice this and consider what more we can do for the good of humanity and the world.

I am grateful to be part of this Quaker effort. I am grateful to be part of this Quaker seminary where spiritual formation and ministry serve the world. And I am grateful to work to “keep the Q in Earlham.” It matters and will, I am sure, make a big difference to those whose lives Earlham touches.

“At Earlham College and Earlham School of Religion, we embody the Quaker testimonies of community, equality, peace, simplicity and integrity, with a smattering of good stewardship in the choices we make.”

EVERYTHING WE DO, WE DO FOR GOOD.

The good we do shines far beyond the Earlham campus. Help us build a future that includes more Earlhamites doing more good in more corners of the world.

We believe that a truly great school is the one doing the greatest good for those who need it. That’s why we’re focused on maximizing the good Earlhamites can do. Here’s how we will empower and inspire students, and how you can be part of it through For Good: The Campaign for Earlham College.

Widen the Path to Earlham

$ 35 million

Here’s how we’ll do it:

• Enhance recruitment initiatives

• Expand endowed scholarships

• Strengthen the Earlham Fund

Enrich the Epic Journey

$ 35 million

Here’s how we’ll do it:

• Invest in the Epic Advantage

• Expand endowed travel funds

• Support student-faculty research

Elevate the Student Experience

$ 15 million

Here’s how we’ll do it:

• Endow the Clarence Cunningham

Student Emergency Fund

• Transform the residential experience on College Avenue

• Invigorate donor-supported initiatives

Join

Earlham students in Turkey during summer 2022.

Commencement 2023

“Joy is something that we produce through collective activity with family, friends, lovers and comrades and by building a fairer, more just world. Joy, in other words, is something we find solidarity in.”

—Ryan Murphy, associate professor of History and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies

Members of the Class of 2023 celebrate with pride, joy and community spirit. Congrats to all! more online View a gallery of commencement photos at earlham.edu/commencement.

CLASS NOTES

Send us your news > The deadline to submit entries for the next issue is Dec. 1, 2023. Go to earlham.edu/classnotes to submit yours, or write to alums@earlham.edu. Submissions may be edited for length of other editorial considerations. This issue of Earlhamite magazine includes notes and obituaries received by May 1, 2024.

1944

Judy Johnstone: “I moved from Arizona to Kansas City in February to be near my son Mark and his family. I was bemused to note in the Earlhamite last year that my former husband Don Nichols ’55 was memorialized with no reference to our marriage and three children. Don and I met at Earlham and were married for more than 20 years. We remained friends when he remarried and last saw each other at the high school graduation of our oldest grandchild. I am grateful for our marriage and for our sons, who are pillars of my life today.”

1959

Diana and Neil Sowards celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Feb. 2, 2023. Their foundation, Friends of Burma, was founded in 1985 and has helped build seven buildings, develop two hospitals, given out more than 11,000 scholarships, supported 175 orphans

and sponsored the development of more than 60 women’s self-help groups. Last year, the organization took in $695,704 used mostly to help refugees from the Civil War in Burma.

Neil Sowards is working on his fifth book, When God Was Most Real To Me, which is a gathering of individual experiences on the topic. He invites Earlhamites to join him in sharing their experiences with the next generation.

1963

Michael Johnson (MLJ), widowed for two years, continues to work on the Burbank Senior Citizens Board, a State mandated group, attendant to and advising the City on matters related to senior issues, care and needs. He maintains public speaking skills with Toastmasters, enjoys family life with daughter Kirstin Ciovacco, with whom he who shares an apartment in Los Angeles and would welcome visits from Earlhamites.

1973

For class chair contact information, please visit earlham.edu/classchairs.

The chairs serve as goodwill ambassadors and are encouraged to help organize class reunions and other alumni gatherings.

CLASS CHAIRS

David Nagle: “Upon reaching age 70, I ceased teaching German and ESL at Northeastern State University. I continue my interest in German language and culture by serving on the Board of Directors of the German American Society of Tulsa and as an instructor in their community adult language classes. We have a guest bedroom at our home here

in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and Earlhamites are always welcome.

1988

Rebecca Kuder was interviewed about her debut novel, The Eight Mile Suspended Carnival, on the Book Nook at WYSO. She also spoke with the hosts of The Scapegoat Guild podcast about obsessions as inspiration, the creative process, writing, raising human beings, and being human. Her play Dust was staged at the Yellow Springs Ten Minute Theater Festival in June 2022. She had the pleasure of collaborating on this project with dear friend and classmate Patrick Lacey ’88.

1993

After 15 years in Lawrence, Kansas, David Weis and Canan Aker have relocated to Ewing, New Jersey, where Weis has taken a job as a scientist at Bristol Myers Squibb. “We are getting to know the area and have even made contact with a Friends meeting in Pennsylvania. Would love to hear from other Earlhamites in the area.”

1997

Jason Karnezis: “Still up in the Pacific Northwest focused on ecological preservation and restoration activities in the lower Columbia River estuary. Day by day trying to stick my head out of the weeds and reconnect more with folks. Created Earlham alums on Zwift for all you bike

nerds. Would be up for hosting alum mountain bike rides if you’re in the general area. Hope you’re all well.”

2010

Anina Estrem currently manages FISH of Vancouver Food Pantry, the largest food pantry in Vancouver, Washington, with an emphasis on abundance and client dignity. She also writes the food justice and food banking blog Who Deserves to Eat at whodeservestoeat.com. Estrem is engaged to Kern Herron, and they live in Portland, Oregon.

Josh Friedberg: “In 2022 I worked at two colleges as a writing tutor with my master’s degree in English, and I am hopefully passing on what I learned at Earlham to new generations of college students. I also got my first peer-reviewed journal article published at James Baldwin Review, as well as online articles published at PopMatters, Good Men Project and The Daring. I’m running a subscription blog, Spectrum Sounds, at joshfrmusic.substack. com. I would love to hear from other Earlhamites via email at joshfrmusic@gmail.com.”

2012

Laura Gerritsen married her husband, Josh, in July 2021 at a farm on the island of North Haven, Maine. They have since welcomed the birth of their first child William, who was born September 2022 and named after Laura’s late father. Laura works for Epocrates, a division of Athenahealth, where she does sales strategy.

2013

Mary Thomforde is living in Philadelphia with her partner and dog. She is currently working for a fintech startup called Philanthropi as a marketing manager. It is a position in which she finds herself thinking of Earlham and her classmates often, as it creates avenues for the everyday philanthropist to do good in the world. When she isn’t working, you will find her in the local ceramic studio, taking hikes with her dog in nearby state parks or training for her next marathon. She is looking forward to Homecoming 2023.

LOOKING BACK

After 70 years: I (still) do!

In the spring of 1953, Marianne Nelson, known as Mally to her college friends, was named Queen of the May, graduated from Earlham College with honors and married John Nelson ’50, all within a few weeks. John had just completed his first year of medical school before joining hands with his bride in Stout Meetinghouse to start their long lives together. On June 9, 2023, John and Marianne Nelson left their home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to return to Stout Meetinghouse and renew their vows on their 70th wedding anniversary.

ALUMNI COUNCIL SPOTLIGHT

Celebrating Our Summer Volunteers

The summer season was a vibrant time for our community, thanks to the incredible dedication of our alumni volunteers. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to each and every one of you who took the time to contribute to the welcoming spirit of Earlham!

A heartfelt thank you is in order for those who passionately stepped forward to extend warm greetings to the next generation of Earlhamites as part of the New Student Orientation. Your presence and support have left a positive impact on the start of their journey. Your efforts to make them feel at home on campus are truly appreciated.

But that’s not all. Let’s also shine a light on our remarkable alums who lent their time and enthusiasm to the College That Changes Lives fairs, spanning various corners of the country this summer. Your commitment to representing Earlham’s transformative experience is deeply appreciated.

We want you all to know that your contributions, whether on campus or across the nation, have not gone unnoticed. Your dedication embodies the spirit of Earlham and the power of our community. Thank you for being an integral part of what makes our Earlham community so strong and vibrant.

With heartfelt appreciation,

Michelle King

Associate Director of Alumni Engagement kingmi@earlham.edu

ALUMNI BOOKSHELF

ALL THE BEAUTY

Jay Kidd’s ’79 poetry chapbook takes a personal look at the life of a poet and the emotional journey that comes with childhood, young adulthood and surviving while learning to thrive in work and love.

THE FEMINIST POLITICAL CAMPAIGN FOR EUGENIC LEGISLATION IN NEW JERSEY

Channeling more than 30 years of research on the history of medicine and genetics, the newet book by Alan R. Rushton ’71 explores the period between 1910 and 1942, when social feminists in New Jersey campaigned for legislation that would permit eugenic sterilization of citizens. He has conducted research on the history of medicine and genetics for more than 30 years and has written five earlier books.

TIPPING THE SCALES: ONE MAN’S FREEDOM

Inspired by the 1954 Fair Housing case in Columbus, Ohio, attorney Stanley U. Robinson, Jr., started this manuscript to provide insights into laws and practices that have changed. His son, David Robinson ’80, finished his father’s work and has posthumously published this book to show that while times may change, some underlying attitudes tend to stay the same.

THE EIGHT MILE SUSPENDED CARNIVAL

The debut novel by Rebecca Kuder ’88 tells a story of woman with no memories—and no name—finding a home at a carnival and becoming entangled with the carnival boss (and his vendetta).

Staff

Carol Ann Goss, registrar’s office

Russell Philip Norman, unknown

MaryLou Rosser, secretary

Connie K. Schlak, foreign language department

Crystal Simpson, intercollegiate athletics

Virginia J. “Ginny” Bright, registrar’s office

Alumni

1942

Wilhelmina Edna “Mina” (Eckey) Terry

1947

Mary Lea Bailey

Rose Hijiakata

1949

Elizabeth Ann (Pomory) Carpenter

Peg (Schafer) Cobine

George G. Ranck

Captain Malvern Eugene Soper

1950

Keith Adair Castelluccio

Allen Jay Neave

1951

Helen Emmons Marshall

Olive M. Ranck

1952

Robert Luckhardt

Paul A. Newlin

Lewis R. Robbins

1954

Joann Campbell Jones

Marshall D. Malcolm

1955

Anna Deutsch Clampitt

Cristine Fish

1956

William J. Cope

Elizabeth “Betsy” Squires Gaw

Betty Joyner Gothelf

Donald L. Smith

1957

Clyde Reed

Clarice Mae Elder Warrick

1958

Norman Davis

Robert Charles “Bob” Young

1959

G. Holger “Hogie” Hansen

1960

Judith Ann Kessinger

Marjorie Ellen Nelson Perisho

1961

Jay Allen Decatur

1962

Peter G. Beidler

Richard Louden

Gordon Stewart Whitten ‘62

1963

Benjamin R. Johnson

1964

Leslie R. (Hansen) Apostalon

Lawrence “Larry” Brown

Miriam Swaney Elkins

Dortha Marie Meredith

1965

Bruce Reynolds

1966

Susan D. Alsberg

1969

Sarah Elizabeth “Sally” Shirk

1971

Manuel Davis

1974

Lloydette Tate

1977

Donald Clark Donahue

David W. Sodano

1978

Michael Collier

Jonathan Kutler

1981

Tom Chase

Cory R. Etchberger

Kathryn Louise “Kate” Filemyr

1984

Carl Howard Hackenbracht

Erin Kelley Thompson

Dr. Michael B Worrell

Michelle Clarke

2004

Matthew Scott Emerson

more online

Obituaries are available online at earlham.edu/obits.

EARLHAM SCENE

The HeartShake

In August 2019, President Anne Houtman started a new Earlham College tradition by bringing the HeartShake to campus. Every fall before classes begin, the Earlham community — faculty, staff and students — gathers at The Heart, a circular sidewalk in front of Earlham Hall, to form a giant chain of handshakers. Whether shaking hands, first bumping or waving from a distance, the Earlham community is given the chance to personally welcome every person to campus for the start of the new academic year. In 2022, a new feat was achieved in this growing tradition: The greeting-chain encircled the entirety of the sidewalk around The Heart, proving to be the biggest turnout to date.

What valuable lesson have you learned fom the outdoors?

We asked Earlhamites to share wisdom about being in the natural environment.

▶ As a Water Wilderness alum (Fall 1989) and a Scout Leader, the lesson I have learned is: Always be prepared for any weather you encounter as you travel or around your neighborhood, city or even in back country. If you do that, you will always be safe and comfortable.

BILL ASCH ’93

▶ The biggest thing I learned about being in outdoor spaces while at Earlham is that having a safe and inclusive community can make all the difference

Being in new places (which happens all the time in the field) can be incredibly challenging, but knowing the research team you’re a part of will be there for you makes focusing on the work itself much easier and enjoyable! At Earlham, I am able to better realize my worth in both a work and social setting—and that is because I’m surrounded by people who tell me I’m valued and loved.

CALAMITY WEBSTER ’24

▶ Ornithology and Field Botany completely opened my eyes to the

diversity right around me in back campus. How could I have never noticed those plants and birds before? Earlham’s Southwest Field Studies made me think about understanding a landscape in its totality From these lessons, came a 40-year career conserving special places like the Columbia Gorge and Chesapeake Bay. I trace it all back to Earlham’s interdisciplinary education, field biology and wilderness programs.

JONATHAN DOHERTY ‘80

▶ The outdoors taught me that no matter what, hydration is the key to success, even if you have to jog down a path and capture it from a trickle in a stream while munching on a carrot! It also has taught me that laughing in the pouring rain is usually better than being cold from it. (AKA: Laughing at life is better than being angry at it.)

SERENA PISACANO ‘22

▶ As someone who works outdoors all year round, one lesson I’ve learned is not to ignore the impact of the environment on my sense of self awareness. Being present for a variety of sensory experiences from season to season offers a richer experience of time, and with it come challenges that provide opportunities for self-reflection

As I adapt to ever changing conditions and stimuli, I simultaneously become better at self-regulating and maintaining a sense of equilibrium in difficult situations.

JALEN SLEET ’18

BRENT WILSON

Support Earlhamites outside the box.

Earlhamites are at their best when they’re unrestricted— and that’s why donations to our unrestricted fund are so important.

Your gift through the Earlham Fund fills the gap between tuition and the true cost of an Earlham education, allowing us the agility to respond to Earlham’s most pressing needs as we work to recruit and retain a diverse student body and a nationally ranked, world-class faculty.

Pleaseapplymygiftto: Financial Aid Student/facultycollaborativeresearch Earlham Fund (unrestricted)