M A G A Z I N E
Uniting Nations U.N. DIPLOMAT CAROLYN SMITH STRAINIC ’11
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SAVE THE DATE HOMECOMING AND FAMILY WEEKEND SEPTEMBER 21–23, 2018
All Bears are invited to one “big” weekend to celebrate the best of Ursinus! We are merging two signature campus events, Homecoming and Family Weekend, to offer more robust programming and meaningful experiences to the entire UC community.
Schedule of events and details: ursinus.edu/homecoming
VOLUME #123 | SPRING/SUMMER 2018
Third class postage paid at Utica, N.Y. Ursinus Magazine is published seasonally three times a year. Copyright © 2018 by Ursinus College Editorial correspondence & submissions: Ursinus Magazine 601 E. Main Street Collegeville, Pa. 19426 610-409-3000 ucmag@ursinus.edu
DEAR READERS,
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Thomas Yencho tyencho@ursinus.edu MAGAZINE EDITOR Ed Moorhouse emoorhouse@ursinus.edu CREATIVE DIRECTOR Bill Burg bburg@ursinus.edu GRAPHIC DESIGNER Erica Gramm CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ISSUE Photography: Jeff Fusco, Dan Z. Johnson, David Morgan and Jim Roese Editorial: Mary Lobo ’15, Susan Tuttle and Jennifer Meininger Wolfe MAGAZINE ADVISORY BOARD Elizabeth Burns ’12, Abbie Cichowski ’10, Mary Lobo ’15, Mark Ouellette, Rosemary Pall P’12, Pamela Panarella and Jennifer Meininger Wolfe URSINUS COLLEGE PRESIDENT Brock Blomberg SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Jill Leauber Marsteller ’78 ONLINE MAGAZINE (URSINUS.EDU/MAGAZINE) Erin Hovey ’96 Aubrey Basla ’18 (Multimedia) The mission of Ursinus College is to enable students to become independent, responsible and thoughtful individuals through a program of liberal education. That education prepares them to live creatively and usefully and to provide leadership for their society in an interdependent world.
As I look back on this academic year, I am filled with pride and impressed by the quality of work and the passion of our faculty, staff and students. At commencement, I told our graduating class of 2018 that they have shown a fearlessness and willingness to take risks to pursue their goals. That’s also true for so many members of the Ursinus community, such as the three alumni you’ll read about in the pages of this edition of Ursinus Magazine. They have committed to making a global impact through international relations, humanitarian efforts and global sustainability. They have developed into confident, compassionate and engaged citizens who are learning from other experiences and cultures, and who are empowered to seek out answers to the world’s most pressing problems. Our goal at Ursinus has always been to transform your sense of what is possible and to help you become leaders in an interdependent world. I’m hopeful that each member of our community can carry that forward and enrich the lives of others. It’s a hallmark of the Ursinus experience and I am inspired by these stories.
BROCK BLOMBERG
President
“Our goal at Ursinus has always been to transform your sense of what is possible.”
CONTENTS
12 On the Cover Carolyn Smith Strainic ’11 was introduced to the United Nations by her mentor, the late U.S. Ambassador Joe Melrose ’66, when she was a student at Ursinus and a member of the national Model U.N. program. Today, she is a diplomat to the United Nations at the U.S. Mission in New York, representing the United States in negotiations with 193 other countries in the U.N.’s General Assembly, usually focusing on budgetary issues and peacekeeping operations.
(above) U.N. photo by Andrea Brizzi
Getting to Know
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When she’s not leading collaborative research projects and teaching innovation in biology, Rebecca Roberts, an associate professor of biology, acts in local plays and musicals.
Office Space
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The new Institute for Inclusion and Equity, which supports activities surrounding equity, diversity and social justice, has a centrally located space on campus in Wismer Center.
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The Road Less Traveled
Vanessa Scalora ’17 self-funded a trip abroad for three months to take on an environmental project.
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The Burning Question
Civil wars are one of the most pressing problems in international politics. Ursinus scholar Johannes Karreth offers ways to manage armed conflicts before they escalate.
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The Humanitarian
The Anatomy Of
Ryan Welby ’13, who grew up on a family-owned farm near Ursinus, works at a nonprofit, where he helps people in developing nations with sustainable farming techniques.
On the Thomas Field pitcher’s mound, David Drea ’19 takes us through his mechanics as a left-handed starter for the Ursinus baseball team.
THE GATEWAY
Researching Changing Landscapes
Ursinus’s Fulbright Fellow Ben Allwein ’18 will spend a year at the Translational Health Science & Technology Institute in Delhi, India, to research antibiotic-resistant tuberculosis. He is just one of 65 students nationwide to earn the prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Student Research Award. Allwein’s work seeks to foster international cooperation between governments and researchers with the aim of addressing the evolution of antibiotic resistance, an emerging public health crisis in many countries. He is the 11th Ursinus student to be awarded a Fulbright scholarship since 2007.
The Tenth Soldier On Friday, May 11, Ursinus dedicated a plaque in recognition of Merrill Yost (Class of 1915)—the Tenth Soldier. The Alumni Memorial Library (now the Berman Museum) was erected in 1923 in memory of the alumni and students who died during World War I. A marble engraving lists the nine who died as a result of their war injuries. Missing from that engraving was Yost, who died in 1924, one year after the building opened. The new plaque honors his memory and tells his story as the tenth soldier.
Ursinus is one of 23 colleges nationwide that have been awarded a prestigious Humanities Connections grant from the National Endowment of the Humanities. The $30,000 in funding will enable Ursinus faculty and students to participate in an interdisciplinary project that researches human influence on nature. In cooperation with local partners, a team drawn from the English, biology, environmental studies and history departments will examine the suburban environment from literary, historical, scientific and social scientific perspectives.
(second from left) Ellen Matten, a descendant of Merrill Yost, and her husband Bill.
Social Justice Through Spirituality Roseangela Hartford ’18 and Doug Hickey ’15 have been selected as the inaugural recipients of the Charles Rice Postgraduate Research Fellowship, which allows Ursinus alumni to research and explore the intersectionality of religion and social justice. Hartford (below) will evaluate how religious institutions assist in the long-term wellness of women and families who have been exposed to violence. She will observe and partner with organizations throughout Peru, Bolivia and the Dominican Republic. Hickey will focus on the psychological impact of war and mental health among combat veterans, drawing upon spiritual practices and working with institutions in Australia and the Czech Republic. He will also accompany Vietnam War veterans on a spiritual humanitarian service-based journey throughout Japan, South Korea and Vietnam.
BUILDING ON A LEGACY
A $1 MILLION GIFT FROM ADELE BOYD ’53, a revered Ursinus professor and field hockey coach who passed away in January, will help fund a resurfacing project for Eleanor Frost Snell Alumnae Field. Boyd was appointed head field hockey coach at Ursinus in 1972, taking over for Eleanor Frost Snell, who led the Bears for nearly 40 years and developed the program into a national powerhouse. The usual replacement timeline for a turf is 10 years, and the playing surface on Snell Field is 13 years old and showing its age. The $1.5 million resurfacing project includes installation of a new AstroTurf 12 field surface. Work is expected to begin during spring 2019, with the renovation complete by the fall 2019 field hockey season. photo provided by DAVID MORGAN/STYLISH IMAGES
Eleanor Frost Snell Alumnae Field was dedicated in 2005. Since then, the Ursinus field hockey team has won a national championship in 2006, advanced to the NCAA Division III Final Four seven times and won 11 Centennial Conference championships. Boyd’s 17-year career as coach included 16 winning seasons. She took the Bears to three consecutive second-place finishes in the AIAW Tournament during the late 1970s. Her 1983 squad won the Eastern College Athletic Conference title and her teams were consistently nationally ranked in the Top 20, many of them considered to be among the best in the nation. She was a member of the Philadelphia Association Team from 1953-67 and played on the U.S. national team from 1959-67.
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photo JEFF FUSCO
GETTING TO KNOW
REBECCA ROBERTS A biology professor and … a thespian? When she’s not identifying proteins, the Ursinus College scientist takes her turn on the stage.
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ebecca Roberts has performed in Methacton Community Theater’s productions of Evita and The Little Mermaid, as well as Tune Out, a film by Tommy Armstrong ’20, and The Vagina Monologues, which was organized by Ursinus peer advocates. Of that performance, Roberts said, “It pushed me personally to stand up in front of students and release the professor in me and embrace the character.” Ursinus Magazine recently had a chance to take center stage with Roberts. You teach a course called Innovation in Biology. What’s the most innovative tool or technique you’ve seen or used in your teaching career? In Innovation in Biology, students learn that innovation is simply identifying a problem and coming up with a way to solve it. A big problem in teaching biochemistry and structural biology is that the molecules are too small to see. I would have to say that the most innovative techniques that I use are all aimed at getting over this problem and allowing students to appreciate what’s really going on at the molecular level. We use computer modeling software to explore the shape of proteins, we build proteins out of paper or tubers (imagine small pool noodles), or anything I can find that might work. I spent part of my spring break at a workshop in Baltimore on developing biomolecular visualization literacy in students. I will be heading to the Milwaukee School of Engineering this summer to learn how to develop
and print protein models using the 3D printers we have on campus. These protein models will be just one more tool that I can use in the classroom to solve the problem.
Your research lab is your scientific stage, but you’re also known to take a different stage from time to time. What do you enjoy about acting?
If you could invent something truly innovative to help you and your students with your research, what would it be? Assume anything is possible!
Wow—this is a hard one! Lately, it’s been sharing the stage with my three kids and husband through a local community theater and fostering a love of theater in my kids. I love the theater community—it is open, diverse and passionate. Much of a professor’s life is spent thinking alone, so the cooperative aspect of the theater is a joy for me. Working hard together on a creative level is invigorating and fun!
Glasses that would let you see proteins in action in real time! Proteins are incredibly dynamic and often respond quickly to environmental changes—seeing them directly respond to something we add in the lab, such as estrogen or bisphenols, would be astounding.
“Innovation is simply identifying a problem and coming up with a way to solve it.”
Do you have a favorite musical, play or movie? Star Wars and The Sound of Music. I’m a kid of the ’80s, so you can add pretty much anything from that era to the list. Are there any similarities between acting and “doing science?”
Under a National Science Foundation grant, you helped develop a project that challenges students to discover unknown protein functions. What is the best part of making those discoveries? Celebrating the successes of the students as they make new discoveries. They are doing true research and that journey can be demanding and frustrating. The best part of my job is supporting them through the process and celebrating both the big ta-da moments and the small victories.
To do either well you need to keep the big picture in mind while focusing in on the details. Both involve communicating to an audience. Both require perseverance and practice. If you were to write a musical about protein function research, who would you cast in the lead role? Ha! Um, not sure—I would have to hold auditions!
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OFFICE SPACE
“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” Those words from Barack Obama greet visitors to the Institute for Inclusion and Equity, the newest “office space” on campus. Images of Maya Angelou, Muhammad Ali and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. line the walls. Norman Rockwell’s iconic “The Problem We All Live With” is placed outside of a flexible classroom space. Inside that classroom, the simple phrase “Love Wins” stands out among powerful imagery and striking art. photos JEFF FUSCO
Near the entrance, a photo of Unity House, which stood as part of the Ursinus campus for 100 years, hangs in homage to the former “studio cottage,� once home to the Office of Diversity. Centrally located on the lower level of Wismer Center, at the hub for student life on campus, the institute serves to better coordinate dialogue, programming and activities around issues of equity, diversity and social justice. The IIE supports the larger mission of the college, preparing students for leadership in an increasingly complex, diverse and interdependent world.
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UNITING NATION by Ed Moorhouse
When she was a student at Ursinus, it was easy to imagine CAROLYN SMITH STRAINIC ’11 working at the United Nations like her mentor, the late U.S. Ambassador Joseph H. Melrose Jr. ’66. Today, she carries forward his legacy in the same section he used to lead.
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photo 2018 JEFF FUSCO Ursinus Magazine • Spring/Summer
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Joe Melrose shared thousands of stories with his students. “He spent decades in some of the world’s most awful conflict situations,” Strainic remembers. “But one of the things he was trying to impress upon us was the importance of building personal relationships.” When Strainic was a student at Ursinus, Melrose was acting U.S. representative for management and reform at the United States mission to the United Nations. He introduced Strainic to Ursinus’s Model U.N. program and helped her land an internship at the United Nations during her graduate study. Those stories—and his advice—still resonate with her today. “I see it every day in my job,” she explains. “Whether you’re negotiating a peace deal in Sierra Leone during a civil war or negotiating the budget for a special political mission for the U.N., you’re dealing with people who come from very different backgrounds and very different experiences. You need to find a way to establish some level of familiarity and trust.”
photo JEFF FUSCO
The examples Strainic uses aren’t hypothetical. Melrose is best known for serving Sierra Leone during its civil war and brokering a peace treaty to bring an end to hostilities. Strainic respectfully refers to him as a mentor and a father figure and credits him for her career path.
“I see it every day in my job ... you’re dealing with people who come from very different backgrounds and very different experiences.” She is a diplomat to the United Nations at the U.S. Mission in New York, representing the United States in negotiations with 193 other countries in the U.N.’s General Assembly, usually focusing on budgetary issues and peacekeeping operations. Strainic also supports negotiations in the Security Council, which determines the existence of a threat to peace or act of aggression.
“A lot of what I handle is technical. It’s wonky,” she says. “It’s not the hightension political stuff. I’m not doing North Korea sanctions. I’m more in the weeds. We are on the front lines.” Strainic leads four or five negotiations a year, which can last for weeks— and sometimes months—at a time. She may call it wonky, but it’s the technical aspect of the job that she loves. Her committees, she says, are policy- and administrative-oriented, dealing with human resources and civilian protection issues, such as sexual exploitation and abuse by U.N. peacekeepers toward members of local populations. It’s a grim reality, but she has led several negotiations “that have really moved the dial forward” to protect the victims, passing a resolution aimed at preventing sexual exploitation and abuse by those under U.N. mandate. She says it’s one of her proudest moments as a diplomat. “There are a lot of discouraging moments where it feels like you take two steps forward and one step back, but when you do have those moments where you see a resolution gaveled through in the General Assembly, there is no better feeling in the world.”
(right) Strainic with Joe Melrose during Ursinus Homecoming
“It’s the best opportunity to make the U.N. better,” she says. “It’s what my section is supposed to do—to make the U.N. the most efficient it can be.”
to keep that separate as much as possible and try to forge cooperation based on the issue we are dealing with at the time.”
It can be hard to turn on the news and not worry about the state of world affairs. Headlines trickle in concerning Russia, China, North Korea and Syria. There are crises in every corner of the world; threats that seem like they come right out of a script for a Hollywood summer blockbuster. But it’s real life.
“Working at the U.N., you’ll never find a more hardened group of idealists anywhere,” she says. “It gives you hope that there are a lot of people out there trying to make things better.”
“I’m more in the weeds. We are on the front lines. We are the ones doing the negotiating.” Strainic has spent 2½ years— spanning the Obama and Trump administrations—on the job at the U.N. No matter who sits in the Oval Office or which party holds the purse strings in Congress, she says that everyone in the world is watching what is happening in the U.S. “There is certainly an impact on my work, sometimes for the better and sometimes not, depending on the U.S.’s policy,” she says. “That’s also true of our bilateral policies. There’s no way to insulate my negotiations fully from whatever is going on at that level, but it’s important to not focus on things that are beyond my control. It’s best
In those instances, Strainic often draws upon that relationship-building advice from Melrose. “I try to approach situations the way he would,” she says. Melrose embodied the ideal of global citizenship and, while at Ursinus, advocated for a liberal arts curriculum that cultivated sensitivity to cultural, demographic, economic and political differences. The Melrose Center for Global Civic Engagement was established at Ursinus in his name to develop future global leaders and help enact social change. In some ways, Strainic was one of the first Melrose fellows, considering his mentorship of her and of many others that have been inspired to carry out his life’s work in their own careers. “It fits in with the whole philosophy of Ursinus,” she says. “We’re taught to think and not to view the world as black and white or through academic principles. Ursinus is about grappling with moral and ethical issues in realworld situations; being able to think on your own and come up with your own arguments and defend them; and also to learn from other people’s experiences and cultures.” “Those are the kind of people best equipped to deal with the problems that diplomacy presents.” Spoken like a true Melrose fellow. Editor’s note: Strainic spoke to Ursinus Magazine in a personal capacity and not as a representative of the State Department. Any opinions expressed are her own.
photo provided by CAROLYN STRAINIC
A DELEGATION FROM URSINUS
More than 5,000 future world diplomats gathered in New York City in March for the National Model United Nations conference, where they discussed current global issues in a real-world context. The Ursinus contingent, representing Morocco, earned four awards during the summit, including best position paper and honorable mention for best delegation. “Being in Model U.N. is a humbling experience because you have a chance to work through some of the real-world issues that our international community is dealing with every day,” said Mary AttaDakwa ’18, Ursinus’s head delegate. “It improves your interpersonal skills and that can take you pretty far in the international community.” National Model U.N. provides students with a forum to hone skills in diplomacy, negotiation, critical thinking, compromise, public speaking, writing and research. The students had a chance to meet with their real-life Moroccan counterparts and had dinner with Carolyn Smith Strainic ’11. View a video about the Model U.N. program at ursinus.edu/magazine.
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HUMANITARIA by Mary Lobo ’15
RYAN WELBY ’13 grew up in Vernfield, Pa., on a family-owned farm just 20 minutes away from Ursinus College, with most of his life structured around agriculture. As he began to dedicate his time to volunteer work, a new passion emerged: a desire to help those in developing nations.
AN
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“I know that for a lot of those people, I was probably providing one of the only opportunities they had to enhance their own lives.”
In Togo, a West African nation on the Gulf of Guinea, Welby would often wake to a knock on his door. It was his neighbor, MoÏse, a 12-year-old boy from an English class Welby taught. “He was just making sure that I wasn’t going to be late,” Welby said in a Skype conversation with Ursinus Magazine from Haiti. “He really liked my English class.”
Welby was there from June 2013 to July 2015 as a Peace Corps volunteer tasked with teaching local farmers sustainable farming techniques. But outside of that work, he sought out other opportunities to work with the people of the village. So, he began to teach English.
Some students and college graduates talk about having transformative experiences abroad. It can be an overused expression, but making an impact on the level Welby experienced—from the sustainability initiatives to the English lessons—was eye-opening. It opened a new door.
“I was always inspired by the students,” he said.
“I used to want to be a corporate attorney,” Welby reflected. “But my focus changed when I could see a tangible impact I had with the farmers in Togo.”
It was common for teachers not to show up for their own school classes on a regular basis, Welby explained, and MoÏse’s passion and drive showed Welby just how his students and others in this community were motivated to succeed.
The students were so enthusiastic about learning English from Welby and wanted to gain confidence in speaking the language. It inspired him to ensure that the people of the village had their own opportunities for success, he explained.
The gentle reminder was a welcome start to the day—an act that reminded Welby that his contributions, however small, had a big impact. Feet hitting the floor, Welby set out to do his part.
“It’s why I push myself to continue doing work like this,” Welby said. “I know that for a lot of those people, I was probably providing one of the only opportunities they had to enhance their own lives. That’s just the sad reality of poverty in a lot of rural contexts. It pushes and drives me to work really hard so that I can make their experiences better.”
Upon graduating from Ursinus, Welby, who majored in political science, arrived in Haloukpaboundou, a village with no running water or electricity that is home to about 2,500 people. The residents, living in simple mud houses, speak Kabiye and French.
“I really fell in love with development work and poverty alleviation when I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Togo,” he said.
His path now clear, Welby turned to a new opportunity in Haiti, where he currently works as an agriculture research and development specialist for Meds & Food for Kids, a nonprofit social enterprise organization that manufactures ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), a peanut butter product fortified with vitamins, fats, minerals and other nutrients. “Children who are malnourished often cannot improve with ordinary food, which does not have optimum proportions of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals,” Welby explained. “They have small stomachs and need very concentrated, excellent nutrition. The World Health Organization has declared that RUTF is the gold standard treatment for
(above right) Ryan Welby coordinates agriculture programing with MFK’s Haitian staff members
malnutrition in the world today. It is outpatient treatment, always given away free to the needy child and is 85to-90 percent curative.” In the 15 years of MFK’s manufacturing of RUTF in Haiti, its Haitian employees have saved the lives of over 330,000 children in Haiti and in 14 other countries, he said. According to the organization’s website, one in 10 children in Haiti is acutely malnourished and one in five is underweight. One in 14 will die before reaching age 5. More than 9 million people live in Haiti. More than onethird of them are under age 14. Many children in Haiti have one meal per day. Some have less. When considering those facts, it’s easy to see why the situation is so dire, and why the work of the nonprofit— the work that Welby is so passionate about—is so important. “These numbers give testament to the difficult circumstances that people face in Haiti,” Welby said. “They also highlight a tremendous opportunity for social innovation. I hope that when people see these statistics they are not disheartened or disinterested, but rather they take time to consider how their skill set can be used to redress these issues and help make the world a more equitable place.” Currently, MFK produces enough readyto-use therapeutic food to treat and
save the lives of more than 100,000 children annually across 14 countries, mostly in Haiti, Central America and West Africa. MFK has plans to increase its production capacity and to expand into preventive products in the future. Welby is responsible for several tasks as an agriculture research and development specialist. His duties include coordinating agriculture programming with MFK’s Haitian staff members, working on the implementation of a behavioral economic research trial, and developing and implementing a randomized impact evaluation for its farmer training program.
Welby has been working on a pilot program that has helped farmers diversify their household income
through adopting new crops and increasing chicken egg production; holding farmer training sessions in rural Haiti that help farmers enhance crop outcomes and improve their current techniques; and visiting local markets, restaurants and beaches. To date, 2,403 farmers have been trained through the program. As for his future, graduate school and then, perhaps, his own company. “I want to start an organization that would improve the lives of smallholder farmers and people in West Africa through enhancing nutrition,” he says. A dream just a knock on the door from reality.
“My focus changed when I could see a tangible impact I had with the farmers in Togo.”
photos provided by MEDS & FOOD FOR KIDS
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Tibet
Dharamsala Nainital New Delhi Jaipur
Nepal
Agra
Kathmandu
Ilam
Ranthambore National Park
India
Traveled: The Road Less
IN SEARCH OF THE GREEN BUDDHA
by Jennifer Meininger Wolfe
Sri Lanka
KEY Original Path Path Taken
Bhutan
China
Myanmar
Laos
Thailand
Cambodia Vietnam
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by ERICA Ursinus Magazine •illustration Spring/Summer 2018 GRAMM
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ager to blend travel with her passions for environmental and social justice, VANESSA SCALORA ’17 applied for a prestigious yearlong Watson Fellowship by proposing a project she called “In Search of the Green Buddha.” The goal was to explore the extent to which Buddhist communities practiced environmental sustainability, all while she traveled a unique route: the same path that Buddhism had spread through Asia. An ambitious and impressive project to be sure, especially for someone whose farthest journey out of the country ever before was on a Caribbean cruise at age 13. But when the Watson folks turned her down, the former Ursinus gymnast got to work, taking on three jobs after graduation to fund a three-month version of the trip on her own. You had the trip of a lifetime mapped out as part of your Watson application. How did your travels differ from your original itinerary? Initially my plan was to start in Nepal, and then head to India, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. I was going to end by going north along the Silk Road into China, Bhutan and Tibet, and then finish in Dharamsala, India, where the Dalai Lama and Tibetan Buddhist refugees are in exile. Since I was doing the trip in only three months, it needed to be altered. I began in India, exploring New Delhi, Agra, Ranthambore National Park and Jaipur. From there I went north, at the last minute deciding to swap Dharamsala for Nainital, which is also in the foothills of the Himalayas. Next I crossed the border into Nepal, where I spent time in Kathmandu and Ilam. At the tail end of the trip, I visited Thailand, Cambodia and then Vietnam, where I traveled the length of the country by bus. Where did you stay along the way? Part of my plan for the Watson was to stay with local farm families, and in hostels and monasteries. I stayed true to that plan in part with two farmstays—one in Nepal and one in photos provided by VANESSA SCALORA
Thailand—through Workaway, a website that matches hosts with volunteers who work in exchange for food and lodging. Getting to the farm in Nepal was an adventure in itself. Transportation included 24 hours on a public bus, a very bumpy and dusty three hours in an open-air taxi up a mountain, and a 45-minute hike from the village to the farm. I found my way by approaching non-English-speaking locals outside of their homes and saying my host family’s name—“Deepak Kulung?”— while pointing down the road. The nods I received in return confirmed I was headed in the right direction and eventually led me to the tiny blue farmhouse I was looking for. What was daily life like while you were working on the farms? The landscape was breathtaking. The region was mountainous and covered in rolling green hills that were terraced with tea plants. The nearest Wi-Fi was a 45-minute walk to the village. There was no running hot water and sometimes no electricity. These all probably sound like inconveniences, however they allowed me to immerse myself into the culture and form quality relationships with the host
family, as well as the other volunteers, who came from different parts of Europe. I learned how to harvest, roll and dry green and black tea; cook traditional Nepalese food over an open-flame stove; and perform other tasks associated with running a selfsufficient farm. With markets being so far away, the family grew most of their own food. No refrigeration or livestock meant that they ate 100 percent vegan (which was convenient for me since I’m a vegan). To me, this was an illustration of how affluence can be key in the consumption of animal products. It was also interesting because they actually did have goats, about 15, but they kept them exclusively to create compost for the crops and tea plants. Your time spent on the farms clearly had a profound impact on you.
Nepalese and Thai villages were living in the only way they knew how: working hard to optimize the use of their land, and using natural resources as much as possible in order to minimize their need to purchase goods. Their goal was simply comfort. The average American would probably consider these people poor, but they were extremely happy and never expressed a want for more. In the process, they had a minute impact on the earth as a result of their veganism, minimal use of electricity and their creation of only compostable waste (there wasn’t even a trash can in the house). To top it off, they were the most hospitable people I’ve ever met. Throughout Asia, the local people were always willing to do anything for or give anything to me, especially those who had the least. What’s your next big adventure?
The farmstays were two of the most meaningful experiences I had during the trip. I fell in love with the humble lifestyle of the farming community. It facilitated my connection with other people and to nature more than anything I have experienced. It also put some things into perspective to me. For example, I realized that wealth is extremely relative. The people in the
I returned from my trip and jumped right into an internship with Frances Moore Lappé’s Small Planet Institute in Boston. Next I’ll submit applications for graduate school for fall 2019 and then head east again. I loved Asia so much and was so happy while I was there. Three months was simply not enough. I still have so much to see.
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CONVERSATIONS
by Johannes Karreth, assistant professor of politics and international relations
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Each side fears that the other side will not hold up its end of a potential peace deal.�
ivil wars are a central humanitarian challenge of the 21st century. As of April 2018, the civil war in Syria has claimed several hundred thousand lives. Violent conflicts elsewhere in the world have equally devastating effects. Civil wars expose large numbers of people to physical, sexual and psychological abuse, public health crises, and long-term damages to social communities. Organized violence forces people to flee. For many, forced migration leads to long and dangerous journeys with uncertain long-term prospects to find a safe haven. The international community faces a massive challenge of how to respond to emerging political violence in a decisive and effective way. A prime candidate for conflict resolution, the United Nations, engages in preventive efforts in some cases, but not in all violent conflicts. As the Syrian conflict illustrates, though, the U.N.’s hands are tied if the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council cannot come to agreement. Overall, slow and ambiguous international responses to political violence have repeatedly emboldened governments and dissidents to use force to push for their demands, leading to long and brutal conflicts.
connections to highly structured IGOs faced a considerably lower risk of escalation, reduced by up to a half. Representative of this pattern, the history of East Timor illustrates how international organizations can successfully incentivize conflict parties to negotiate and resolve political disputes before they escalate. In Indonesia, a crisis originated when the East Timorese opposition demanded independence in the late 1990s. After an initially violent response by the Indonesian government, highly structured IGOs, most notably the International Monetary Fund and World Bank, threatened and imposed sanctions on the regime. The regime yielded to the pressure from these IGOs. Both sides reached a settlement and avoided a full-scale civil war. East Timor has since made notable economic improvements, partially supported by resources coming from highly structured IGOs. Highly structured IGOs and the incentives they bring to political disputes provide one way to limit the dramatic costs of violent conflicts. Coordinating their efforts may provide the international community with an additional important piece in the conflict resolution toolbox.
Political scientists suggest that one of the key challenges in ending civil wars is the commitment problem. By default, neither governments nor dissidents can credibly commit to laying down their arms. Each side fears that the other side will not hold up its end of a potential peace deal. Instead, each party will use negotiation phases or cease-fires to better prepare for a future offensive and strike when the conditions are favorable. Some international organizations can, however, address this commitment problem. These highly structured intergovernmental organizations (IGOs) include established institutions with bureaucracies and economic leverage such as the World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank, or the Economic Community of West African States. When highly structured IGOs engage in a country, both governments and dissidents can expect clear costs from escalating violence: it will lead to a disengagement of highly structured IGOs and withdrawal of their staff, resources, and other benefits. Highly structured IGOs also carry the promise of rewards for keeping the peace by providing resources and benefits conditional on the absence of further violence. My research suggests that the engagement of highly structured IGOs in member countries is indeed associated with a substantial decline of the risk that political conflicts escalate to civil wars. Since World War II, roughly one-third of more than 260 separate low-level armed conflicts have escalated to civil war. But conflicts in countries with more photo JEFF FUSCO
Johannes Karreth, who holds a doctoral degree from the University of Colorado Boulder, teaches courses on political violence and international political economy. He also serves as faculty adviser to the Ursinus delegation to the annual National Model United Nations conference. His book Incentivizing Peace: How International Organizations Can Help Prevent Civil Wars in Member Countries (with Jaroslav Tir) is now available from Oxford University Press. Listen to a podcast on this topic with Karreth at ursinus.edu/magazine.
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Conversations
THE ANAT MY
F
the perfect pitch
Baseball great Satchel Paige said, “My pitching philosophy is simple: keep the ball away from the bat.” But as David Drea ’19 knows, it’s a bit more nuanced than that. The left-handed pitcher for the Ursinus baseball team broke down his mechanics for Ursinus Magazine.
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Drea says pitching is 90 percent mental. As he “comes set,” he visualizes throwing strikes. He pitches from the stretch—a simpler, more compact pitching position.
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Drea begins his stride toward the plate, remaining balanced and driving off his back leg. The ball is hidden from the hitter’s view as he aims for the catcher’s belt buckle on a fastball, or somewhere else if the ball breaks or runs.
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Bringing his left arm up, Drea keeps a consistent arm slot, an advantage for pitchers because it means that the hitter isn’t likely to differentiate between the four types of pitches he throws: a two-seam fastball, curveball, change-up and splitter.
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Drea whips his arm forward and releases the ball, his momentum carrying him forward.
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photos 2018 JEFF FUSCO Ursinus Magazine • Spring/Summer
Conversations
LOST & FOUND
AD
The cracked spines and faded pages seen here belong to some of the oldest books that can be found in the special collections section of the Myrin Library. They once belonged to John H.A. Bomberger, the founder of Ursinus. This selection contains many rare volumes (some of which were brought to the U.S. from Europe by Bomberger’s grandfather), which helped form the basis of the first library at Ursinus College. They are now being archived in Ursinus’s digital commons and can be viewed online at digitalcommons.ursinus.edu.
Save the Date INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY CENTER DEDICATION AND CELEBRATION
Save the date for the dedication and celebration of the Innovation and Discovery Center at Ursinus College. Saturday, October 27, 2018 The Innovation and Discovery Center Ursinus College 601 E. Main Street Collegeville, Pa. 19426 12:30 p.m. Dedication Ceremony and Reception
2 – 4 p.m. Celebration and Tours
URSINUS.EDU/IDC
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Ursinus College welcomed alumni back to campus to see what’s new—and to remember the traditions that make Ursinus special— during Alumni Weekend on April 20-21. Activities also included a celebration of milestone reunions for the classes of 1973, 1968, 1963, 1958 and 1953.
ALUMNI WEEKEND photos JIM ROESE
LIFE IN PIXELS
COMMENCEMENT
Bachelor’s degrees were bestowed upon 377 graduates on Saturday, May 12, on the lawn outside the Berman Museum during Ursinus’s 145th commencement ceremony. Roald Hoffmann, an American theoretical chemist who won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry and is a published author of plays and poetry, delivered the commencement address and received the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters. He spoke to the Ursinus class of 2018 about the intersection of creativity, science, art and the humanities. “I want you to serve your soul and mind, to read and think, to look at nature and art, to care,” he said.
photos DAN Z. JOHNSON
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CLASS NOTES Ursinus’s History Scholar The Bucks County Historical Association created the Ross Doughty History Award to be presented annually to a high school student during its National History Day competition. It is named for Ross Doughty ’68, a retired Ursinus professor of history. The National History Day regional competition for Bucks and Montgomery Counties is an annual academic enrichment program for students in grades 6-12 that encourages thoughtful historical research, project-based learning and a dose of friendly competition. The award was presented for the first time in 2018 at the regional competition on March 24. The winning student project is one that is focused on Pennsylvania history. Hosted by Ursinus College since 1996 and facilitated by staff and volunteers of the Mercer Museum & Fonthill Castle in Doylestown, Pa., and from Ursinus, it allows high school and middle school students to take history beyond the classroom.
1940s
David L. Fisher, M.D. ’49 reports that he resides at the Springwell Senior Living Community in Baltimore, Md.
1950s
Marna Feldt ’53 writes that there are fewer classmates to remember, but we have not forgotten those no longer with us, especially Adele Boyd ’53. Sander E. Kabel ’55, M.D., writes that a third generation family member, Ethan Kabel ’20, is studying genetics and biochemistry and molecular biology at Ursinus. Martha Kriebel ’56 is retiring as pastor of Trinity Reformed United Church of Christ in Collegeville, Pa. She was the church’s sixth pastor, and each pastor before her was an Ursinus College graduate.
Ismar Schorsch ’57 shares that his book, Leopold Zunz: Creativity in Adversity came out in December 2016 (University of Pennsylvania Press). Faith Helmle Stanley ’56 writes that she sang soprano in the Assembled Choruses of the Eastern Shore of Maryland during Alumni Weekend at Ursinus. She is a member of Pine Tone Chorus of Ocean Pines, Md., and participated in the National Senior Olympic Games in Birmingham, Ala. Deanne Farese Donia ’58 and Joseph Charles Donia ’57 happily became greatgrandparents to Cole, born in Jan. 2018. James M. Kriebel Jr. ’59 of the U.S. Navy Reserve has retired.
1960s
James W. Wenhold ’60 has been retired for 15 years and says that it is the best decision he made … after the decision to attend Ursinus. Go, Bears! Robert J. Broselow ’62, M.D. FACOG, retired from medical practice after 52 years. He has joined his brother, James B. Broselow, M.D., a wellknown medical innovator in BrosCode Communications, an exciting new venture producing barcodes that can be programmed using the BrosCode app. Duke Duffie ’65 writes that he is adjusting to retirement. The top student honor awarded by the Maryland Student Legislature has been renamed the Dr. Herbert “Herb” Smith Award for Distinguished Career of Service in honor of the 1968 Ursinus
BEARS’ DEN
alumnus. Smith is a professor of political science at McDaniel College in Westminster, Md., where he has taught political science since 1973. He also serves as director of government relations at McDaniel.
1970s
Stephen “Steve” K. Miller ’75 P’02 is a four-time grandfather and has been managing director of family-owned Wetzel Funeral Home in Hanover, Pa., for 35 years. Brian P. Keller ’78 and Larry Mroz ’79 are playing in a golf tournament to help send Ralph Johnson ’77 on a rebuilding trip to Haiti.
1980s
Raine Mackinshy Fussner ’85 has been working at Merck & Co. for the past 31 years. She and her husband have become empty nesters. Their kids are in Michigan, Limerick, Pa., North Carolina (one in Raleigh and one at North Carolina State University) and Colorado (at Colorado University). She regularly gets together with her Ursinus friends.
1990s Births
Cecylia Kelley ’97 and Bill Jesunas, a daughter, Stefania Marie, on Feb. 14, 2018.
2000s
Branden Brooks ’02 was recently hired as a prosecutor in the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office. He previously worked as a child advocate attorney at Voices for Children.
Births Jennifer Brink ’04 and Stephen Rote ’05, a son, Ryan Christopher, on Jan. 23, 2018. Katie Mastoris Schoenman ’09 and Erich Raymond Schoenman, a daughter, Julia Lynn, on April 1, 2018.
2010s
Colleen Vineer ’11 was promoted to the role of care and clinical services director with the Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA). In her new role, she oversees MDA programs and services such as MDA Summer Camp and other support initiatives as well as MDA’s care team in the northwestern United States. Elizabeth (Bethani) Zeller ’12 had her original art, as well as her fashion line, debut at the Philadelphia Visionary Arts Gallery. She has been offered a position as a resident artist in the gallery.
Robert Glanville ’17 graduated from officer candidate school on March 17, 2017, and is now a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps serving in Quantico, Va. Kelly Johnson ’17 has accepted a Princeton in Latin America fellowship to Bolivia.
DEATHS 1940s Mary Ellen (Peterson) Hess ’43 died Jan. 7, 2018. Robert “Bob” Rapp ’43, M.D., died April 14, 2018. Emma K. (Hartman) Barclay ’44 died March 1, 2018. Portia (Mollard) Imle ’44 died Feb. 2, 2018. Mary C. Deisher ’46 died March 11, 2018. Ruth (Strathmeyer) Wimbrow ’46 died March 7, 2018. Virginia (Myers) Byerley ’47 died Jan. 31, 2018. Joseph G. Newlin ’47 (V-12 Program) died April 15, 2017. William L. Nikel ’47 (V-12 Program) died March 1, 2018.
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Margaret (Schafenacker) Hankin ’48 died Feb. 13, 2018. Norma J. (Veith) Kelley ’48 died April 20, 2018. Forrest W. Miller ’48 died March 8, 2018. Walter E. Chambers ’49 P’73 (V-12 Program) died Jan. 7, 2018.
1950s LeRohn D. Deysher ’50 died Feb. 11, 2018. Mary Ruth (Muffley) Henefer ’50 died March 2, 2018. David R. Hunsberger ’50 died March 8, 2018. Harlan “Buck” P. Ross Jr. ’51 died March 14, 2018. Claude “Bob” R. Dearolf ’52 died Jan. 12, 2018. Richard J. Radel ’52, Ed.D., died Jan. 18, 2018. Rev. Charles R. Summers ’52 died Feb. 8, 2018. Ellsworth E. Faust ’54 died Jan. 27, 2018. Leonard M. Krause ’54 died Feb. 28, 2018. Thomas J. Mauro Jr. ’54, M.D., died April 1, 2018. Robert “Bob” F. McCarty ’54 died Feb. 23, 2018. William “Bill” J. Stout ’55 died April 18, 2018.
Edwin “Ed” S. Mack ’58 died Jan. 13, 2018. Robert “Bob” C. Sharp ’58, M.D., died Jan. 10, 2018. William A. Davies III ’59, M.D., died Jan. 17, 2018.
1980s Ronald D. Baltz ’81 died April 12, 2018.
1990s
1960s
Eva M. Goodrich ’91 died Feb. 19, 2018.
Jane (Berger) Colin ’61 died April 13, 2018.
Theresa “Teri” A. (Hennessey) Woodward ’94 died April 11, 2018.
Elizabeth “Betty” (Heale) Grady ’61 died Dec. 8, 2017. Christine D. (Freed) Reid ’61 died April 21, 2018. Linda H. Gehling ’64 died Jan. 5, 2018. Virginia “Ginny” M. Collins ’65 died March 5, 2018. J. William “Bill” Siebenson ’65 died Jan. 9, 2018. Harry J. Hughes Jr. ’67 died April 7, 2018. Lloyd Richard Keyser ’67, Ph.D., died March 15, 2018.
1970s Edward F. Podolak ’73 died Jan. 17, 2018. Helen Marie (Welding) Dean ’74 died March 7, 2018. Frederick E. Simkins ’76 (Evening) died Feb. 28, 2018. Charles E. Avery ’77 died Feb. 15, 2018.
2000s Thomas P. Lynch Jr. ’06, Ph.D., died April 28, 2018.
Friends of the College Horace Ashenfelter, spouse of Lillian (Wright) Ashenfelter ’45, died Jan. 6, 2018. Donald Ashenfelter P’77, spouse of Edith (Hess) Ashenfelter ’48 and Berman friend, died April 18, 2018. Robert V. Everest, spouse of deceased alumnus Nancy Jeanne Everest ’47, died Aug. 19, 2017. C. Gerard “Gerry” Kramer P’79 P’82 P’84 P’85 died March 1, 2018. Peggy B. Loughran P’75 P’77 P’85 died March 14, 2018. Richard J. Whatley, former dean of men, head football coach, track and field coach, and associate dean of student life, died May 12, 2018.
Bears’ Den
Visit ursinus.edu/monthlygift or call 610-409-3585 Ursinus Magazine • Spring/Summer 2018
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WEDDINGS
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1 Joe Hoy ’13 and Nicole Cianciarulo ’14 were married on May 20, 2018. 2 Lauren Fogarty ’11 and Michael Schwager ’10 were married on Oct. 1, 2016. 3 Amanda Birnbrauer ’14 and Joseph Christofas were married on Oct. 6, 2017. 4 Molly Guntli ’07 and Matthew McDonald were married on May 6, 2017. 5 Julia Kurtz ’11 married George Yauneridge on Oct. 21, 2017. 6 Brooke Mitchell ’12 and Garrett Smith ’12 were married on Dec. 29, 2017.
URSINUS WEDDING PHOTOS Ursinus Magazine publishes wedding photos in the magazine as well as online. Please send your favorite wedding memories. Digital photos can be emailed to ucmag@ursinus. edu. Ursinus College reserves the right to reject publication of photos that are not of publishable quality. We regret that we are not able to return print photographs. Questions can be addressed to the Office of Alumni Relations, 610-409-3585, or by emailing ucmag@ursinus.edu.
IT’S
easy
TO FALL IN
Wedding packages are available for Summer 2018 and 2019! Alumni receive a 25% discount on space rentals!
AT
Ursinus
Contact case@ursinus.edu or 610-409-3002.
Bears’ Den
ALUMNI AWARDS On April 21, four Ursinus alumni and two graduating students were recognized for their academic and professional accomplishments, humanitarian efforts and exemplary loyalty to Ursinus during alumni weekend. from left to right: Tan, Raiguel, Gould, Cutler, Becker, Cook
KARA RAIGUEL ’94, Alumni Award for Professional Achievement
WINNIFRED BERG CUTLER ’73, Alumni Award for Service to Humanity
HARRIET METZGAR GOULD ’68, Henry P. and M. Page Laughlin Educator Award
Recognized for significant professional achievements and exemplary leadership, Raiguel is president and CEO at General Re Corporation, preeminent property, casualty and life and health reinsurers. She determines how to expand the company while maintaining high underwriting standards and customer relationships.
This award pays tribute for time volunteered to benefit a community or nonprofit institutions. Cutler’s recent research has contributed to the international debate over routine prophylactic mammography. She founded the Athena Institute and in 2007 formally launched its Pre-Med Hospice Volunteer Program.
An individual who has made outstanding contributions in the field of education, Gould was an elementary principal and K-12 curriculum director for Raymond Central Schools in Nebraska. There, she developed programs that led to its designation as a “National Blue Ribbon School” by the U.S. Department of Education.
KELLY BECKER ’10, The Rising Star Alumni Award
ALLISON COOK ’18, Senior Alumni Award
CHRISTOPHER TAN ’18, Senior Alumni Award
Becker has been leading the innovation partnerships division at Under Armour since 2014. She helps identify burgeoning ideas that are influencing her industry. Becker has remained connected to Ursinus as a member of the outreach committee for the GOLD Council and is a loyal philanthropic supporter of the college.
Cook received her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies. She devoted much of her time to advancing sustainability initiatives on campus, serving as president of Ursinus College Environmental Action (UCEA) and as a sustainability fellow. She hopes to start her own community-supported agriculture farm.
Tan earned bachelor’s degrees in applied economics and international relations. A member of the finance scholars program, National Model U.N., wrestling team and student government, he plans to work in financial services. He was a member of the political science and international economics honor societies.
photo JIM ROESE
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REMEMBRANCE OF PROFESSORS PAST: AN APPRECIATION OF OUR MENTORS by Ross Doughty ’68 and Herb Smith ’68
The following is an excerpt of a submission to Ursinus Magazine. Read the entire piece at ursinus.edu/magazine.
who lectured, who responded, who graded, who recommended, who instructed. And so it is with us.
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We remain eternal students who sat in the classroom of Ursinus’s true masters, the professors who taught us so much. Despite our differences in disciplines, temperaments, and possibly, study skills, our choices closely paralleled: Miller, Armstrong, Jones and Zucker were the most influential and memorable.
halk, blackboard and add some Ursinus professors into the mix. Those were the ingredients back in the 1960s. Old school indeed. We completed the assigned papers and filled blue book after blue book until our hands were cramped and our arms felt numb. In the process, we learned: how to research, how to write and how to think beyond the confines of established convention. We graduated in that tumultuous year of 1968 and went our separate ways. Ross went north to Harvard, and Herb moved south to Johns Hopkins, both following the daunting academic path that lead to what some consider the academic holy grail—and others believe is an elevated trade union card of respective Ph.Ds. Ross returned to Collegeville and anchored the Ursinus history program beginning in 1975. Herb stayed in Maryland and found his political science station at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) in 1973. We teach, we mentor, we write, we comment and gather the culminating semesters one by one. Now, after eighty-some years of cumulative professing, it’s time for some thanks to those Ursinus professors who guided us on our way, a remembrance of sorts of mentors past. Presidents and provosts, trustee chairs and benefactors have portraits sprinkled campuswide. Bomberger and Patterson still hang in chapel, their 19th-century presence a testament to their institutional contributions of merit and renown. Yet ask the students who they remember from their greenswarded years; and it’s those who stood at the front of the classrooms,
In Ken Bain’s What the Best College Teachers Do (2004), a common theme emerges. The best classroom instructors demonstrate, consistently and persistently, a personal investment, an intense professorial commitment to their students. In short, they are passionate about what and how they teach. Students sense the authentic and respond. These four professors—Miller, Armstrong, Jones and Zucker—established that selfsame devotion to us and our education. Each day, when we walk into our Collegeville or Westminster classrooms, we try to convey those gifts to yet another generation of students.
“We remain eternal students who sat in the classroom of Ursinus’s true masters, the professors who taught us so much.”
Donald Zucker ’66
Maurice Armstrong ’66
Eugene Miller ’69
And for that, we join in a sincere and heartfelt thank you. Ross Doughty ’68 is a retired professor of history at Ursinus College. Herb Smith ’68 is a professor of political science and director of government relations at McDaniel College.
H. Lloyd Jones ’84
REFLECTIONS
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INTERESTED? If so, we would like to talk to you about a deferred payment charitable gift annuity. This special version of a charitable gift annuity is available to qualified persons during our Keep The Promise comprehensive campaign. It may be especially appealing to people who have not yet retired, but would like to supplement their future income once they do. Please contact Mark Gadson for a complimentary, personalized illustration outlining the benefits based on your specific circumstances. MARK P. GADSON Executive Director of Leadership Giving and Advancement Resources Direct phone: 610-409-3164 | Email: mgadson@ursinus.edu Note: Each annuitant must be at least age 60 at the time the annuity is created. Gift annuities are not offered in all states.
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