Mercersburg Magazine - Spring 2010 by Mercersburg Academy

Mercersburg A magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

VOLUME 37 NO. 1 spr i ng 2010

Math + Science =

Discovery page

VOLUME 37

NO. 1

spriNg 2010

Math + Science = Discovery

A magazine for Mercersburg Academy family and friends

Mercersburg 1,039 Words

Take a seat. Page 8

RoboCops

Students use math, science, ingenuity, and determination to build machines that tackle real-world problems. Page 12

Prize Fighter

Nobel laureate Dr. Burton Richter ’48 talks about the discovery of a lifetime and the ongoing wrestling match between science and politics. Page 20

Mercersburg Profiles

In medicine, meteorology, and high-tech pursuits, these alumni are making moves. (For one man in particular, it truly is rocket science). Page 25

My Say

A salute to the Keystone State from Mercersburg’s own H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest ’49. Page 56

You Should Know

Mercersburg’s boys’ swimming team captured first place at the 2010 Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming Championships, the biggest prep-school aquatic event in the nation and one of the most competitive high-school meets in the country; the girls’ team finished an impressive fifth. The boys’ team title is its first Easterns championship since 2002, and the fifth in head coach Pete Williams’ tenure at the school. Pictured with Williams is the Storm’s Easterns-champion 200-yard freestyle relay team (1:23.58) of Chris Hoke ’10, Nick Thomson ’10, Tareq Kaaki ’11, and Nikolai Paloni ’10. Look for more coverage in the summer issue of Mercersburg magazine. Photo by Renee Hicks. Photo credits: p. 2 Chris Crisman; p. 3 Ryan Smith; p. 4 (Brinson/Flohr/Day) Stacey Talbot Grasa, (Ammerman) courtesy Boston University; p. 5 (Simonis/Willis) Grasa, (Suerken) Mercersburg Academy Archives; p. 7 Ward/Miller Photography; p. 8–10 (all photos) Bill Green; p. 11 (top left, middle left) Renee Hicks, (all other photos) Green; p. 13–14 Eric Poggenpohl; p. 15–16 Bruce Weller; p. 17 Poggenpohl; p. 18 Weller; p. 19 Poggenpohl; p. 20–21 courtesy Stanford Linear Accelerator Center; p. 22 Grasa; p. 23 Poggenpohl; p. 26–27 courtesy Dean Hosgood; p. 28 courtesy Bruce Kemmler; p. 29 Mercersburg Academy Archives; p. 30 Patrick Yost/University of Oklahoma; p. 31 courtesy Andy Tyson; p. 32 Penn State College of Medicine; p. 33 courtesy Megan Filkowski; p. 34 courtesy Sam Schlueter/Aerojet; p. 35 (bottom right) Lee Owen, (all other photos) Green; p. 36 (top left, bottom left) Green, (top right, bottom right) Matt Maurer; p. 37 (Chorale) Green, (Magalia, Octet) Owen, (all other images) courtesy Kristy Higby; p. 38 (Osman/Riford) John Duda, (field hockey) Green; p. 39 (football) Green, (soccer) Dave Keeseman; p. 40 Keeseman; p. 41–42 (all photos) Green; p. 56 Ward/Miller Photography. Illustrations: cover, p. 25: Anders Wenngren

Green Inks

From the Head of School Via Mercersburg Irving-Marshall Week Arts Athletics Alumni Weekend Alumni Notes Mercersburg magazine is published three times annually by the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications. Mercersburg Academy 300 East Seminary Street Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236

2 3 10 35 38 41 43 Editor: Lee Owen Alumni Notes Editor: Natasha Brown Contributors: Shelton Clark, Tom Coccagna, H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest ’49, Susan Pasternack, Zally Price, Jay Quinn, Lindsay Tanton, Wallace Whitworth

Magazine correspondence: Lee_Owen@mercersburg.edu

Art Direction: Aldrich Design

Alumni Notes correspondence: NewsNotes@mercersburg.edu

Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications: Wallace Whitworth

Alumni correspondence/ change of address: Leslie_Miller@mercersburg.edu

Assistant Head for Enrollment: Tommy Adams

www.mercersburg.edu

Head of School: Douglas Hale

Assistant Head for External Affairs: Mary Carrasco

Mercersburg Academy abides by both the spirit and the letter of the law in all its employment and admission policies. The school does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, or national or ethnic origin.

From the H e a d o f S ch o o l

Connecting the Dots...Together Many claim that Sir Isaac Newton is the single most important contributor to the development of modern science. After all, it was Newton who perfected and galvanized what we now commonly call the scientific method. In his Opticks Sir Isaac writes, “As in mathematics, so in natural philosophy… the investigation of difficult things by the method of analysis ought ever to precede the method of composition. This analysis consists of making experiments and observations, and in drawing general conclusions from them by induction.” Yet for a long time, the world of science and the world of the arts and humanities have been at frosty odds. Thankfully, that has been changing over time, due in large part to scientists who are also writers and poets who see their respective scientific disciplines in much more colorful, integrated, and human ways. As such, they are bridge-builders to other artists, philosophers, theologians, and just everyday people who revel in the mystery and majesty of science; they are not particularly interested in dogma, but in searching, asking, and trying to connect the dots of the cosmos. Consider, for example, The Mind of God (1992) by theoretical physicist and cosmologist Paul Davies, a truly accessible writer who manages to come close to getting science and religion to walk hand-in-hand. Or consider Frank Tipler, professor of mathematical physics at Tulane University, who invented the Omega Point theory and wrote The Physics of Immortality (1994). One reviewer in the mainstream media commented that his book “… proves the existence of the Almighty and inevitably of resurrection, without recourse to spiritual mumbo jumbo… Tipler does it all.” It strikes me that the critic’s reference to “mumbo jumbo” provides at least one key to improved relations between the disciplines. Perhaps the primary issue all along has never been that science is anti-religion, or philosophy and religion are anti-science, but that our language has been insufficient. We are still searching for a common and workable vocabulary and a time when truly deft practitioners of that vocabulary would come to the fore and get the rest of us to say, “Oh, now I see just what you mean.” Which brings me to my ultimate point: no one discipline has ever had the corner on discovery, knowledge, and innovation. To get the fullest answers, achieve the most remarkable advances, and understand the ramifications of both for humanity and our planet, we all need each other. Religion can and must inform science. Science can and must inform religion. Art can and must enlighten the mathematician. And the mathematician can and must expand the mind of the artist. It can happen on a grand scale or on a very personal, intimate level any morning in class in Irvine Hall. So… as much as I respect the title of this issue, I’d like to amend it just a bit: Math + Science + Philosophy + Art + Religion = Discovery. That’s the Mercersburg Method.

Douglas Hale Head of School

cersbu rg Magazi n e D at es Mtoe rRem em b er

Mercersburg A roundup of what’s news, what’s new, and what Mercersburg people are talking about.

sPring 2010

Jun 4 Jun 5 Jun 10-13

Baccalaureate, 7 p.m.

sep 7

2010–2011 Opening Convocation (Sep 8: classes begin)

Oct 22–24

Fall Alumni Weekend

Commencement, 11 a.m. Reunion Anniversary Weekend (for classes ending in 5 and 0)

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Ripped From the Headlines Examining Iranian-American relations Best-selling author and journalist Hooman Majd, the 2009–2010 Jacobs Residency Lecturer, was on campus for two days in December to interact with students and faculty. His December 7 talk for the school community, “The Ayatollah Begs to Differ,” shared its title with Majd’s 2008 book of the same name—one of five books from which Mercersburg students and faculty chose a summer reading selection in 2009. Born in Iran and raised and educated in America, Majd is a sought-after expert on Iran, one of America’s top foreign-policy concerns. The Ayatollah Begs to Differ was a New York Times best seller; it was the top-selling foreign-policy book and the No. 1-selling book on Islam at Amazon.com in 2008, and was named an Economist Book of the Year. “When it comes to the Iran/U.S. equation, I believe that both sides are wrong and both sides are right,” said Majd, who is a citizen of both countries and has been described as “both 100 percent Iranian and 100 percent American.” He spoke about everything from nuclear issues and the relationship between Islam and secular Iran to schools and youth culture in the country.

Hooman Majd

“Iranian youth are as connected to the world and to pop culture as you guys are,” he told the students. “If you walked into a high school in Tehran, everyone would look basically like you do, with the exception of the girls wearing scarves on their heads. And Iran is very connected; Farsi is the No. 2 language for blogs on the Internet.” Majd, who travels frequently between the two countries, has served as an adviser and/or translator for Iranian presidents Mohammad Khatami and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad while traveling with them to the United States. Majd writes for various publications, including Salon, The New Yorker, GQ, and Time, and is a blogger on The Huffington Post. “I don’t believe our interests are always at odds,” he said. “We have more in common than people realize. We have some sticking points on Israel and the Palestinian

question—but also common interests in Afghanistan and in the Persian Gulf.” Majd has also had a long career as an executive in the music and film business; he served as executive vice president of Island Records and head of film and music at Palm Pictures. He has worked with U2, Melissa Etheridge, and the Cranberries. The Jacobs Residency is endowed in memory of John Alfred Morefield, father of John ’52 and Fred ’53, in recognition of Wilmarth I. Jacobs, the school’s former assistant headmaster and director of admission, who personified a strong quality of non-elitism. The objective of the endowment is to minimize the risk of isolationism through concrete activities such as workshops and small-group discussions, with a goal of enriching the experience of students and faculty within the school.

(left) Majd with Hannah Miller ’10 following a workshop in the Edwards Room

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’Burg’s EYE VIEW

CAMPUS NOTES

Faculty member James Brinson, a veteran choral director, organist, and versatile music administrator, has been named Mercersburg’s fourth carillonneur. Anton Brees (1926 to 1928), Bryan Barker (1928 to 1981), and James W. Smith (1983 to 2009) preceded Brinson as Academy carillonneurs. Smith passed away in August 2009. “Jim has great breadth and depth in terms of his musical capabilities,” Head of School Douglas Hale says. “Like his friend and mentor Jim Smith, he can play the organ, teach music classes, accompany and direct vocal groups, and play the carillon. Such versatility, particularly when executed at such a high level, is a rare combination to find.” Brinson, who came to Mercersburg in 2003, holds a bachelor’s degree from Rhodes College in Memphis, Tennessee, and a master’s in sacred music from the school of music at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. Before coming to Mercersburg, he served as organist and choirmaster at St. Mary’s Episcopal Brinson School in Memphis, and has also worked at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and School in Winter Haven, Florida. “Following in the footsteps of my friend and teacher, Jim Smith, is a humbling proposition,” Brinson says, “but I see my appointment as an opportunity for me to honor the long and illustrious tradition of bells at Mercersburg.”

Nancy Ammerman, a professor and chair of the Department of Sociology at Boston University and author of several books about religion, served as this year’s William C. Fowle Scholar-in-Residence . She addressed the school community in November in the Irvine Memorial Chapel. Ammerman served on a panel convened by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Treasury to make recommendations after the government’s confrontation with the

Branch Davidians at Waco, Texas, and later testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee on the same topic. In 2000, she participated in Columbia University’s “The American Nancy Ammerman Assembly” on issues of religion and public life. She is frequently quoted in the news media. Ammerman’s books include Everyday Religion: Observing Modern Religious Lives; Pillars of Faith: American Congregations and Their Partners; Baptist Battles: Social Change and Religious Conflict in the Southern Baptist Convention; and Bible Believers: Fundamentalists in the Modern World. Her visit was made possible by a gift from the Edward E. Ford Foundation in memory of Fowle, who served as Mercersburg’s fourth headmaster (1961 to 1972).

Ted Braun, a professor at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts and writer/director of the 2007 documentary Darfur Now, spoke in January as part of a school meeting. Darfur Now won the NAACP’s Image Award for 2007; Movie Maker Magazine named Braun, along with Errol Morris, Oliver Stone, Robert Redford, and George Clooney, as one of 25 filmmakers whose work has changed the world. The film was screened and Braun offered further remarks that evening in the Burgin Center for the Arts’ Simon Theatre. Darfur Now stars, among others, Clooney and Don Cheadle. Braun is a college friend of Mercersburg alumna, parent, former faculty member, and current White Key chairperson Nancy Moore Banta ’77, and her husband, Neil; Nancy Banta introduced Braun before his talk. In his remarks, Braun called the situation in Darfur “the greatest humanitarian crisis of the 21st century,” adding that the genocide has lasted longer than World War II. He ended his talk by telling the students

that “no community has done more to help the people of Darfur than students in the United States—both high school and university students.”

The College Board recognized recent graduates Sara Eshleman ’09, Natasha Fritz ’09, and Ellen Pierce ’09 alongside current student Spencer Flohr ’10 as National AP Scholars for exceptional performance on advanced-placement exams in 2009. To qualify, students must earn an average grade of at least 4 on all AP exams taken, as well as grades of 4 or higher on eight or more exams. Eshleman attends Georgetown University, Fritz is enrolled at Duke University, and Pierce is a student at Oberlin Flohr College. Flohr is a Mercersburg senior participating in the School Year Abroad program in Italy this year.

Six Mercersburg students of French were chosen to receive allexpenses-paid trips to France for cultural and linguistic study during spring break and summer 2010, respectively, through the John H.

Day

Montgomery Award program. Four of the recipients (William

Day ’10, Maggie Goff ’10, Ryan Hao ’10, and Andrea Metz ’10) traveled to France during spring break; the other two recipients (Olivia Rosser ’12 and Harrison Yancey ’11) will participate in a four-week immersion program during the summer. The Montgomery Award program honors John H. Montgomery, who taught French at Mercersburg from 1918 to 1958, and

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is made possible through the generosity of Dr. Edward T. Hager II ’50. Additionally, seven Mercersburg students of German have earned national awards for their performance on the 2010 American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) National German Examination , while another seven students received certificates of merit for their efforts. National award winners scored in the 90th percentile among the nearly 25,000 students that participated in the program this year. They include Nathaniel Bachtell ’11, Lorraine Simonis ’10, Brandon Adams ’11, Adam Chilcote ’12, Brooke Ross ’12, Abby Ryland ’12, and Greta Unger ’12. Bachtell and Simonis took the Level 3 exam as third-year students of German, while the Simonis five others (secondyear students) tackled the Level 2 exam. The seven are eligible to apply for a fourweek, all-expenses-paid trip to Germany for further study. The AATG national exam has been given for more than 50 years, and Mercersburg German teacher Peter Kempe has administered the exam to his students since arriving at the school 16 years ago.

Will Willis, Mercersburg’s director of international programs who also coordinates sustainability efforts on campus, was one of a handful of American educators selected to attend a bi-national conference in November on sustainable development and education. The event, which was organized by Fulbright Japan, was held in Portland, Oregon. The weeklong summit, known as the Fulbright Japan Conference on Best Practices in ESD (Education for Sustainable Development), was the inaugural event in a new Japan/United States ESD teacherexchange program. It brought together 15 innovative teachers from both the United States and Japan in hopes of deepening a

sense of global interconnectedness in four vital areas: food and sustainable nutrition, environment, energy and resources, and international underst anding Willis and cooperation. (Willis was chosen from a national pool of nearly 120 educators.) Willis, who has been at Mercersburg since 2001, assumed his current role as director of international programs in 2005. He is a graduate of Colgate University and taught English and American culture as a Fulbright Scholar in the former East Germany in the mid-1990s. Willis and his wife, fellow faculty member Betsy Willis, are the dormitory deans in Culbertson House on campus.

Fo r t h e t h i r d s t r a i g h t y e a r , Mercersburg magazine garnered a CASE District II Accolades Award in the independent-school magazine category. The publication, which is produced three times annually by the Academy’s Office of Strategic Marketing & Communications, is the only independent-school magazine in the Mid-Atlantic region to win an Accolades Award in each of the past three years.

Paul Suerken: 1938–2010 Paul Suerken, an emeritus faculty member who was a fixture in the music department at Mercersburg for 32 years, passed away March 21 in Erie, Pennsylvania. He was 71. Suerken, who came to Mercersburg in 1964, taught English, coached cross country, and served as a dorm dean and as faculty adviser to the Irving Society in addition to numerous musical duties, which included directing the Octet and various other musical ensembles. Suerken suffered paralysis below his shoulders following a fall at his Erie home in July 2008, and had been recovering in an assistedliving facility. He retired from the Mercersburg faculty in 1996. “Paul Suerken was important to and dearly loved by many who attended Mercersburg during his more than three decades on the faculty,” Head of School Douglas Hale said. “He was truly a dedicated and inspiring teacher who gave the entirety of his adult life to Mercersburg.” Suerken held bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Dartmouth College and taught at Cranleigh School in England during the 1981–1982 school year. He ran 13 marathons (including two Boston Marathons). In October 2009, current members of the Octet traveled to Erie to surprise Suerken with a concert. “I feel certain Paul enjoyed it, and it was a wonderful experience and an almost magical trip for our boys,” said Richard Rotz, who directs the Octet. A celebration of Suerken’s life will be held August 21 at 6 p.m. in the Burgin Center for the Arts’ Simon Theatre on campus; all members of the Mercersburg community are invited. For more, visit forpaulsuerken. blogspot.com. Memorials may be made to the Paul Suerken Scholarship Fund at Mercersburg Academy, 300 East Seminary Street, Mercersburg, PA 17236.

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Ford Foundation Grant Supports Environmental Initiatives The Edward E. Ford Foundation has awarded Mercersburg a $50,000 challenge grant for the development of up to five environmental programs this summer in support of the school’s Accreditation for Growth environmental stewardship objective. Ford (right) was a member of Mercersburg’s Class of 1912 and is the namesake of Ford Hall, which houses the school’s dining facility, student center, post office, and various administrative offices, and was built in 1965 after a gift from the Ford Foundation. This spring, a competitive selection process is identifying faculty-generated environmental proposals that will receive $7,500 each for research, time, expenses, and collaboration required in support and development of a full proposal. A Mercersburg committee of faculty, administration, alumni, and parents will select the proposals that best fulfill the established criteria. The Academy

will then invest matching funds and the remainder of the Ford Foundation funds in the implementation of the best of those proposals. (Watch for further details on the winning proposals in a future issue of Mercersburg.) Born in 1894 in Binghamton, New York, Ford was the son of A. Ward Ford, whose manufacturing business became part of International Business Machines (IBM). Edward Ford’s Mercersburg classmates included future headmaster Charles S. Tippetts and Olympic gold medalist Ted Meredith. After graduating from Princeton University, Ford worked for IBM in various capacities, and was involved in several business enterprises in the Midwest and in Florida. He established the Edward E. Ford Foundation in 1957, and donated the funds to build a new Mercersburg dormitory, Tippetts Hall, in 1960. Ford died in 1963.

A November 2010 deadline has been established for the school to raise $100,000 to match the foundation’s grant. For more information on the grant or to contribute, contact Gail Reeder in the Office of Alumni & Development at 717-328-6323 or reederg@ mercersburg.edu.

From the Mailbag I was truly astounded at the beauty of the campus upon arrival at the Academy on October 5, 2009. It was a day more attached to summer with ample temperatures and clear skies; the quadrangle showing off its new beauty as an uninterrupted lawn of green looking down from the Chapel to Lenfest. To see the new trees embracing the new quadrangle is to be able to return to campus in the future and mark their progress. In a way, the growth of trees is indeed a metaphor for the growth which our students obtain while at the Academy. After meeting in the daytime at the Burgin Center and after a lovely dinner in Ford Hall prior to the lecture, it was fantastically stunning to return to the Burgin Center after sunset and see the building illuminated from within and glowing beautifully. To me this new building has the crisp, modern lines found in modern Scandinavian architecture with an overall Japanese-like quality to the combinations of wood, stone, metal, and glass.

Of course, the real pleasure for me was watching the expressions on the students’ faces during the lecture, as well as afterward at the informal question-and-answer period. It is always a refreshing and somewhat humbling experience to feel the pulse of the students and share with them for a moment both their insights of the present and dreams of their future. I feel very fortunate indeed to live 90 minutes from the Academy for much of the year. It is now more accessible than ever and I would encourage any and all alumni and families to come and visit the campus. There are so many opportunities during the school year: performing arts events, outside speakers, and athletic events are always a good reason (or excuse) to visit Mercersburg again and be revitalized. –Andrew C. Ammerman ’68 Washington, D.C. The author sponsors the annual Ammerman Family Lecture Series.

Letter submission guidelines We welcome letters to the editor on topics relevant to the magazine or the Academy. Typically, letters to the editor should address a single issue and be no more than 150 words. Please include your name (and class year, if applicable), address, telephone number, and email address for verification. Submission does not guarantee publication; Mercersburg reserves the right to edit submissions for content or clarity. Letters may appear in print or online. Send letters to: Editor, Mercersburg magazine 300 East Seminary Street Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236 Lee_Owen@mercersburg.edu

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Mercersburg’s Latest Gold Medalist H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest ’49 received the prestigious Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement from The Pennsylvania Society at its annual dinner December 12 at New York City’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. Lenfest, a graduate of Mercersburg, Washington and Lee University, and Columbia Law School, is a president emeritus of Mercersburg’s Board of Regents. Past recipients of the Gold Medal include former Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush; former Supreme Court Justice Owen J. Roberts; industrialist Andrew Carnegie; entertainers Fred Rogers (of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood) and Bill Cosby; and Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno. Dick Thornburgh ’50, the former Pennsylvania governor and United States attorney general, received the award in 1988. Lenfest and his wife, Marguerite, are exceptionally committed supporters of Mercersburg; Lenfest Hall, which was built in 1992, houses the library, classrooms, media rooms, and offices. In 2000, the couple established the Lenfest Foundation, which provides scholarships for students from rural Pennsylvania counties to attend one of four college-preparatory schools (including Mercersburg) through its Lenfest College Preparatory Program.

Gerry Lenfest at the podium; to his immediate left are his wife, Marguerite, and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell.

Lenfest, a communications executive who served as managing director of Triangle Publications’ communications division (which included Seventeen magazine and several cable-television properties), founded

Lenfest Communications in 1974; he later sold the company to Comcast. To read a portion of Lenfest’s speech from the gala, turn to page 56.

Look for coverage of the March campus visit and talk by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright; the 2010 Cum Laude Convocation featuring invited speaker and Board of Regents member Liz Logie ’81; coverage of Mercersburg’s 117th commencement exercises; and more.

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1,059 Words

Five chairs bathed in blue light, five dressed in red light. The Simon Theatre fills with students, faculty, parents, and friends in the final few moments before Declamation 2010. Emily Bays â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10 took first place and the Scoblionko Declamation Cup to lead Marshall to its fourth-straight victory in the annual IrvingMarshall competition; for more photos, turn to page 10.

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Irving-Marshall Week 2010

MARSHALL 1075 IRVING 875 Marshall: four straight victories for first time since 1994–1997

Irving declaimers (standing, L–R): Gilbert Rataezyk ’10, second-place winner Paul Suhey ’10, Mike Pryor ’12, Ellis Mays ’10. Seated: third-place winner Lorraine Simonis ’10.

Marshall declaimers (standing, L–R): Sam Rodgers ’11, Robert Forbes ’10, John San Filippo ’12, first-place winner Emily Bays ’10. Seated: Eliza Macdonald ’10.

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Scoblionko Declamation Cup winner Emily Bays â&#x20AC;&#x2122;10

Using science and math, students build machines that tackle real-world problems By Lee Owen

Robotics is like real lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;

perhaps as much as any other course offered in a high school anywhere in America. Your success in roboticsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;or your struggle to keep upâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; depends on determination, creativity, problem-solving skills, and plain old common sense. As in the real world, intelligence is important, but so is attitude.

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“You can never predict by SAT scores or grades in previous courses how a student will do in robotics,” says Mercersburg alumna and faculty member Julia Stojak Maurer ’90. She holds three degrees, including a doctorate in materials engineering, from the University of Dayton, and worked as a consultant and researcher in the engineering field before returning to her alma mater to teach math and science; she created the school’s robotics curriculum in 2004. “The skills you need to succeed in robotics are different than what we think of as ‘book smarts.’ The kids that take the course learn a lot about themselves and about how they deal with adversity.” Mercersburg students who have completed math at the 30-level (algebra II) and a physical-science class are eligible to enroll in the yearlong robotics course, which is broken up into three terms (fall, winter, and spring) and combines elements of mathematics, physics, and computer programming. Topics in the course quickly move from an introduction to programming, simple machines, and sensors to advanced programming algorithms. In short order, students are assembling and testing their own robots, both physically (parts used in the course bear a striking resemblance to Legos, since the kits students use are manufactured by the Lego Group) and at computer workstations, where the robots receive their instructions in the form of programming. Those commands are transferred to the robot via a USB cord. Robotics is a direct and highly practical application of math and science, and it provides instant feedback: either your robot performs its expected task—navigating a maze, crawling through a pipe, locating objects of a particular color on a table—

YOUR MISSION (CHOOSE TO ACCEPT IT) A sample assignment from the winter term of the robotics course: Design a robot that will travel through a pipe and measure its length in terms of rotations.

+ + + +

Your robot must store the number of rotations in a container. Your robot must then use the value on the container to back up and exit the pipe. Your robot must exit the pipe completely. Your robot must also display the value of the container for 5 seconds after the beep.

or it doesn’t, meaning it’s up to you to figure out what went wrong in the design or programming process. “For a lot of kids, programming a computer might not be that interesting, but programming a robot has mass appeal,” Maurer says.

How it all began

When she arrived at Mercersburg as an 11th-grader, Maurer was entering her fifth different school in a five-year span; her father’s career in the banking industry meant frequent moves for her family. She begged her parents to let her finish her high-school career in one place. The family had just relocated to nearby Hagerstown, Maryland, but thought it would remain in the area for just a year before yet another move, this time to New York. “So my parents looked at boarding

school for me for the first time,” Maurer recalls. “Mercersburg was 25 miles away. The first time we came to campus was in the middle of the summer; almost no one was here, and Gene Sancho [a longtime faculty member and the school’s academic dean since 2001] actually ended up giving us a tour. We took one look at the school and said, ‘This will do just fine, thank you very much.’ “I went here for two years and graduated— and my parents never did move. They still live in Hagerstown, and both of my sisters [Jenny ’93 and Jess ’07] ended up coming here as well. So we kind of stumbled on Mercersburg because of circumstance, and our family’s love affair with the school began.” While still in high school, Maurer interned at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, and

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gained firsthand experience working on robotic attachments for satellites. “I worked in the building where all the satellites were programmed and developed,” she says. “It was my first exposure to robotics, and I thought it was really cool.” She landed a job after college as a consultant and programming analyst for Andersen Consulting in Cincinnati and also worked as a contract researcher

spring 2010

“THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO SUCCEED IN ROBOTICS ARE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE THINK OF AS ‘BOOK SMARTS.’ THE KIDS THAT TAKE THE COURSE LEARN A LOT ABOUT THEMSELVES AND ABOUT HOW THEY DEAL WITH ADVERSITY.” —Robotics teacher Julia Stojak Maurer ’90

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for Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. As a graduate student, Maurer served as an instructor in a laboratory classroom, and discovered that she enjoyed teaching. “I wanted to work as a professor after I got my Ph.D.,” she says. “When I started interviewing at colleges for professorships, everybody wanted someone who would teach one class and do 80 hours of research a week. My field was very specialized; they all wanted me to do high-level microscopy. I had just had my daughter and was pregnant with my second child, and I didn’t want to not be able to ever see my family. I wanted, primarily, to teach and maybe do research or supervised research on the side. “As a happy accident, my 10-year reunion was happening at Mercersburg about that time. I had just interviewed at a university in Virginia for a position there; we swung back through for the reunion and ran into Gene, Jim Malone, and Neil Carstensen. Gene was my U.S. history teacher, Jim was my pre-calculus teacher, and I worked with Neil on the school farm while I was a student here. These were dear teachers for me, and they persuaded me to consider coming back to teach at Mercersburg. So I sent my resume, they brought me up, and lo and behold, I was back here.” Maurer would spend five years as chair of the math department, and became Mercersburg’s first associate academic dean last fall. She teaches one of the two sections of robotics as well as a section of AP statistics. A c c o r di n g t o S a n c h o , M a u r e r arrived as a math teacher at a time when the Academy was beginning a larger conversation about the value of application-based courses as part of its curricular offerings. “In

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“THESE ARE REAL-WORLD SITUATIONS WE’RE PUTTING STUDENTS IN. THEY FIND THAT FOR EVERY GOOD IDEA, THERE ARE LOTS OF FAILURES BEFORE IT WORKS. THEY LEARN TO WORK WITH ONE ANOTHER AND SHARE IDEAS.” —Robotics teacher Andy Schroer

spring 2010

terms of preparation for college and beyond, students need that hands-on u n d e r s t a n di n g o f h ow a c a d e mi c disciplines relate to the world of practical things,” Sancho says. “Another thing that’s important for us to emphasize is the value of collaboration and how it’s something we practice day in and day out when solving problems.” “When we started looking at things we could do on a high-school level, robotics struck me as something that could work as a distinct type of class to expose kids to programming and other cool stuff about engineering that would interest students on their level,” Maurer remembers. “And building an engineering lab would have been a monumental challenge in terms of finances and doing it well—but robotics, because you have parts and sensors that are ready to go (and it’s a more modest enterprise)—could teach a lot of the

ROBOTICS RULES NOT TO LIVE BY A whiteboard in the Irvine Hall robotics classroom lists the following creative blocks for students in the course to avoid as they approach projects in the course: 1. Looking for one right answer 2. Being too logical 3. Only following the rules 4. Being too practical 5. Believing play is frivolous 6. Sticking to your own area of expertise 7. Being afraid to look foolish 8. Avoiding ambiguity 9. Believing “to err is wrong” 10. Thinking you are not creative

+ + +

OTHER NOTES: Failure is acceptable and expected in the design process In real life, the difference between a successful product and a total flop is the amount of “debugging” and testing done before the product hits the marketplace Self-evaluation is a valuable critical-thinking skill—can my design work better, look better, use fewer parts, be more solid, or use more efficient programming?

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principles of math, engineering, and computer programming. It’s a nice blend of those things and computer science.”

Behind the nuts and bolts

Faculty member Andy Schroer, who teaches a section of robotics in addition to AP calculus and honors pre-calculus, describes the class as “discovery” for the students. “The course lets students solve problems on their own and discover what things will work, what things won’t, and which designs are good and which ones are bad,” he says. “We give them the basics and let them take it wherever it takes them. “In a typical lecture classroom, you’re explaining everything for students at first.

But these are real-world situations we’re putting them in. They find that for every good idea, there are lots of failures before it works. They have to learn to work with one another and share ideas. You might not like what someone else is doing, but you have to work together with a common goal in mind to get things done.” Darius Glover ’10 plans to major in computer engineering next year at Lafayette College, where he’ll also play football. He enjoys the challenge of being turned loose in the lab to approach the kinds of problems the course presents. “No one tells you how to solve the problems—you have to figure it out for yourself,” Glover says. “You can go to your

teacher for help if you need it, of course, but it prepares you for the real world. “I like being able to figure things out. You have to think five steps ahead to make a good structured program that will make the robot do what you want. It’s not just memorization; it’s critical-thinking skills.” Gina Grabowski ’10, who is attending Mercersburg as a postgraduate student before entering the U.S. Naval Academy, sees a direct application for the course and her future; she plans to go into weapons engineering. “This is hands-on,” Grabowski says. “You build something and you make it run. So there’s an obvious engineering aspect to it, and also the aspect of working together. It’s

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spring 2010

“it’s a different atmosphere than other classes because we’re all working together and moving around and it’s very collaborative.” —Robotics student Gina Grabowski ’10 a different atmosphere than other classes because we’re all working together and moving around and it’s very collaborative. It’s a really good way to get your brain geared toward math and sciences.” According to Glover, it also gets the competitive juices flowing. “It’s my favorite class,” he says. “I’m getting everything I expected out of it— and it’s very competitive. Everyone likes to win, whether it’s the fastest time or some other type of competition. I like winning, and I don’t like to lose—ever. “Robotics isn’t as hard as people might think, and it’s a lot more fun than they might think. Most people with decent reasoning skills can figure it out. You don’t have to be a math whiz, but knowing math helps.”

The future is now

Visitors to the Maurer house may happen upon robots that vacuum and wash the floors. “We can set them to a specific time, and we come home and the floors are always clean,” she says. And that’s no small feat; Maurer and her husband, Matt (a theatre and English instructor at the Academy), have five children at home. Many might remember The Jetsons—a cartoon television program set in the future, with robots performing almost every imaginable task for the human population. “Some of those things are not far off,” Maurer says. “Social robotics is a fast-growing field; when you go into an office building in Japan today, the ‘person’ who greets you may actually be a robot. It may have ‘skin’ and a voice, and can send a digital signal to an employee that a visitor is here for an appointment.”

There are the other obvious applications as well—robots, of course, are widely used today in search-and-rescue situations, or in places where it’s impractical or impossible for humans to go (inside a sewer pipe or natural-gas pipeline to look for a crack, or in military situations to search for explosive devices or survivors). “In health care, for example, there are robots that allow doctors to perform surgeries from remote locations,” she says. “And at Carnegie Mellon, I even got to ride in a car without a human driver—the car essentially was the robot and drove us around a test track.” Teams of Mercersburg students have competed at regional, national, and international RoboCup Junior competitions since 2004. Using robots they’ve created, students t ake on

competitors from other schools in events ranging from search-and-rescue to robotic soccer. This spring, nine different students placed either first or second in their respective categories at regional events in Durham, North Carolina, and New York City—qualifying them to represent the U.S. in the international RoboCup Junior event in Singapore this June. “The stuff that kids are able to see and experience at these competitions is mindblowing, as far as what’s cutting-edge in the field of robotics,” Maurer says. “There are a lot of benefits for the kids that go; it’s the kind of experience that changes your life forever. They can look back at it as a pivotal moment. You’re competing against the best in the world. I think that’s really great.”

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A Conversation with Nobel Laureate

BURTON RICHTER ’48 Interview by Lee Owen

(left) Richter shortly after the discovery of the psi particle; (right) Richter today

Dr.

Burton Richter received the 1976 Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery of the J/Ψ meson with his team at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). A native of the Far Rockaway section of Queens, New York, Richter came to Mercersburg in 1946 (before his 11th-grade year) because he desperately wanted to earn acceptance to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and his father, Abraham, thought that a diploma from Mercersburg or another Eastern prep school would be more attractive than one from the local high school. (It worked out well; Richter earned a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. from MIT in 1952 and 1956, respectively.) After completing his doctorate, Richter headed west to Stanford University; he has been affiliated with the school in ever since, working his way up to assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and eventually as holder of an endowed chair as the Paul Pigott Professor in the Physical Sciences. It was at Stanford that Richter and his team discovered the J/Ψ meson (originally called a psi particle) in 1974. Across the country, at Brookhaven National Laboratory on Long Island, a group led by Samuel Ting made a similar discovery; Richter and Ting were jointly awarded the Nobel in 1976. Richter served as technical director and director of SLAC from 1982 to 1999, and remains the organization’s director emeritus. In 2006, he was one of the founders of Scientists and Engineers for America, or SEA, an organization dedicated to increasing scientific awareness among the public, elected officials, and the next generation of students—and on furthering insight into the political process for scientists. His new book, Beyond Smoke and Mirrors: Climate Change and Energy in the 21st Century, was published in April by Cambridge Press. (More information about the book is available at www.beyondsmokeandmirrors.com.)

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Mercersburg magazine: Let’s start at the beginning: at what point did you decide you wanted to be a scientist? Richter: It’s hard to remember exactly when it started,

but it did start for me pretty early. I had a fancy chemistry laboratory with a friend of mine; we did all sorts of things… microscopes, looking at cells, all the standard things kids did back then with science. We could do all the things that kids interested in such things today aren’t allowed to do because of safety. If you give a kid a chemistry set today that doesn’t have anything in it that allows him to make something that will blow up, it’s hard to see how he can maintain interest [laughs]. We could blow things up, and we did. MM: How do you think the two years you spent at Mercersburg influenced you? Richter: Mercersburg was really a

very broad and very good experience, and I expect that it still is. I had good math classes and science classes there, but I think what’s even more important is that I had good history classes, good culture classes, I took languages, there were lots of sports… I had what I call an education for a citizen—not an education for the “educated workforce.” Even today, I always tell people it’s more important to be an educated citizen than an educated employee. If you’re an educated citizen, you won’t tolerate a lot of the nonsense that comes out of Washington. Besides being something of a nerd, I was also something of a jock. I wrestled, I played football—I never made the varsity but was on the junior varsity— and I was a substitute tennis player. One of the best things about Mercersburg was its well-roundedness— in addition to the sports, I was also president of the chess club and one of the graduation orators. MM: Can you talk about the discovery of the psi particle in 1974, and how it happened? Richter: The process for something like this is usually

spring 2010

pretty long, especially in particle physics. Experiments are big; they last a long time. I started off much earlier as one of the pioneers in a field now called colliding beams, where you could deliver much more energy to induce reactions by colliding a beam with another beam than with a target at rest in a laboratory. I was one of the four people (two senior and two junior—and I was one of the junior) that built the first practical colliding-beam device. I’ve had a career as sort of an accelerator builder and accelerator user and led the building of the facilities to do the physics I thought was important. What I really wanted to do was to look at the structure of unstable particles. In the 1950s and 1960s, the high-energy physics community had found so many things called mesons and baryon resonances that it was hard to regard them as fundamental entities. The question of the mid-1960s and early 1970s was, what kind of simplifying system is there that might explain how all these might be made from combinations of simpler and smaller numbers of entities? The colliding-beam accelerator that I built with my group was aimed at uncovering more about what was going on—and it succeeded. The collaboration that built the detector came together very rapidly, and less than two years after we started doing the physics experiment, I guess you could say we struck more than gold—we struck platinum. It truly revolutionized the way we looked at the structure of elementary particles and how they were put together. The actual experiment was very complicated. We started seeing things that were unexpected, but it wasn’t clear how unexpected they were until I had the group go back over a certain region and find what should not have been there—a new particle of a very long lifetime relative to the other ones. We had a model for how things were put together, and that model predicted that certain kinds of particles could exist and other kinds couldn’t. This discovery was the first ever of one of the class of particles that

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was not allowed under the theory of the time. It came to be called the “November Revolution”; the word went out in November 1974, and it really changed particle physics. MM: How would you describe the elation a scientist feels when a discovery like this is made? Richter: It’s sort of dizzying. It’s something that

everybody hopes they’re going to do, and I was a lucky one because it happened. The experiments we were doing were important, and they would have been important had we not discovered the particle, but I wouldn’t have a Nobel Prize without it [laughs]. A Nobel Prize is like being struck by lightning—it happens sometimes, but there’s a lot of good work that’s been done and there aren’t so many Nobel Prizes. So it’s a terrific honor to have.

MM: Is it possible to estimate the odds of two separate teams—yours and Samuel Ting’s—discovering the same new particle almost simultaneously? Richter: The thing that’s really unique here is that the two

discoveries were arrived at totally independently, using very different approaches. So it wasn’t as if Sam Ting and I were doing the same experiment—we were doing related experiments, but starting from entirely different points. You have to be looking for the right thing, and all too many experiments are only designed to look for what people expect to find rather than what’s there.

MM: What is life like for a Nobel laureate, especially right after you’ve been chosen as one? Richter: Going over to Stockholm [to accept the Nobel]

is like living in a fairy tale for a week. We took our kids along for all the festivities—our daughter was 15 and our

SEA = Change

become interested in the issues when they’re

Mercersburg is home to a newly formed

in science when they get to college—and if not,

student chapter of Scientists and Engineers for America (SEA), a nonpartisan organi-

zation founded in part by Nobel laureate

they may still develop a continual interest in important scientific issues.”

In recent history, the intersection of science

Dr. Burton Richter ’48. The chapter is one

and politics has been the site of many a fender-

school campus; several colleges already

as a political-action group formed by scientists

of the very first to be organized on a high-

have established groups on their campuses, including Harvard University, Northwestern University, and the University of Texas.

Jae Nam ’10 is serving as president of the

fledgling Mercersburg chapter after working

as an intern last summer at SEA’s headquar-

Jae Nam ’10

still in high school, it may lead them to major

ters in Washington, D.C. John Burnette, who

teaches math at the Academy, is the group’s faculty adviser.

bender. SEA (www.sefora.org) originally began who grew tired of scientific decisions being

influenced by politics. “Things that are scien-

tific in nature should be argued from a scientific standpoint, not from a political or emotional

standpoint,” Burnette says. “We’ve turned everything into a political debate when we

should be talking about the science involved, and that’s a problem.”

The national SEA organization hopes to

“The main goal of SEA is to bridge the

draw attention to politicians’ stances on dif-

between science and the public,” says Nam,

energy and climate change, and created the

gaps between science and politics, and

who was the first recipient of Mercersburg’s new Herbert C. Lebovitz ’48 Math/Science

Internship Award; funds from the award

supported Nam’s summer work with SEA. “By the time students get to college, a lot

of the people interested in science like this are already science majors. But if students

ferent science-related issues like renewable Science, Health and Related Policies Network (SHARP) as an online database for catalog-

ing those positions for members of Congress. One of the ways students active in various SEA chapters can contribute to the greater

effort is by researching how elected officials voted on pertinent issues and posting the data

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son was 13—as well as my father and stepmother. You are the hero of Stockholm when you’re there; they want to know everything that’s going on. One of the things you get as a Nobel laureate is your own limo and driver, and one night, we were going off to dinner at the palace and the kids were getting kind of sick of all the rich food. So I told the driver to take the kids out for hamburgers. The next morning, the picture on the front page of the Stockholm newspapers was of our kids going into some hamburger joint in downtown Stockholm. MM: You’ve been a consistent voice for scientific freedom and for attempting to keep politics from interfering with science. In that vein, can you talk about your work with Scientists and Engineers for America (SEA)—and the importance of things SEA fights for? Richter: SEA is the outcome of a lot of scientists talking

spring 2010

about what to do. It is an important thing to try and get science done and reported honestly. We all know that there are real political and foreign-policy considerations when it comes to government actions on issues with a major science component. But the important thing is—reaching whatever conclusions you reach—that the science part of the input needs to be honest and correct. We started SEA to try and do something totally nonpartisan; our board has wellknown Democrats and well-known Republicans on it. We have a program that helps scientists that are interested in getting into politics at any level learn how campaigns work, how fundraising works, and all the rest of it. We’ve run several workshops with instructors from Congress and from various organizations— again, a mix of Democrats and Republicans. It’s been relatively popular.

in SHARP’s specialized Wikipedia-like, open-

party. Politicians are really good at talking

“An awful lot of students these days incor-

but some are not very knowledgeable about

Burnette says. “[Students] don’t always see

the scientific debate could be separated from

should. It’s remarkable that when you con-

the political process more efficient, but it

made in our lifetimes, how anyone could miss

“It’s not just the fault of politicians.

to speak up about how different political

source repository.

about how the issues will affect their parties,

rectly think science has ‘already been done,’”

the scientific issues that are so important. If

for up to two Mercersburg students each

science as a continuing enterprise—and they

the partisan debate, not only would it make

math and/or science research and explo-

sider all the amazing advances that have been

would benefit all of us as well.

that things are still being pushed forward on

Scientists are to blame too—a lot of people

“Sputnik first launched right around the

scientists from pursuing political office. Not

and the feeling that science would solve all

in political debates and issues, but they need

a continuous basis.

in the scientific community tend to discourage

time I was born. I lived through the space race

only do scientists need to have more interest

problems, and governmental support of all technology. There wasn’t a political party for

going to the moon; we just made up our minds that we were going to go there.”

The Stanford-bound Nam, who attended

hearings on Capitol Hill as part of his SEA internship, was surprised by how quickly discussions of scientific issues morphed into par-

tisan political diatribes. “One of the hearings I attended dealt with the American Clean Energy

and Security Act [which passed the House in June 2009],” he says. “They started out talking

about science, but it moved pretty fast into debate about how [the bill] would affect each

John Burnette

issues will affect issues in science.”

The Lebovitz Award supports expenses

year who hold internships in the fields of ration. Lebovitz, who died in 2008, taught

mathematics at the Massachusetts Institute

of Technology and Boston University. The award was established by his sons,

Peter M. Lebovitz ’72 and James A. Lebovitz, and widow, Martha B. Lebovitz. —Lee Owen

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MM: In addition to establishing chapters on college and even high-school campuses [page 22], what other kinds of work is SEA involved in? Richter: SEA maintains a website [the Science,

Health and Related Policies Network, or SHARP] that reports what all the members of Congress do about scientific issues. We simply say, “Here is a scientific question, here are the voting records—and if you want to contact your congressman, here’s how to get in touch.” We don’t push a particular side. One of the most interesting projects we’ve got going now is a group of mathematicians and political scientists working together on how to reform the redistricting process [in the House of Representatives]. Redistricting is the key to electoral stability, and the key to opening up previously closed, one-party electoral districts to some real competition. There’s a lot of posturing and talk from members of Congress about how important it is to do [redistricting] fairly, but deep down all the members want their districts organized in such a fashion that their political party is the totally dominant voice, and they’ll be secure.

MM: From an energy perspective in this country and in the world, what should we be doing that we aren’t? And what are we doing right that we should be doing more of? Richter: My book is all about this, and it’s designed

for the general public—not for the experts. I go into how we know the greenhouse effect is real, how we predict the temperature rise in the future, and the energy and policy options that can reduce the damage from global warming. I will get both ends of the spectrum mad at me. I don’t like the fact that the media’s love of controversy seems to only give voice to the deniers and the exaggerators. That’s not healthy. My book is an attempt to get the real story into the hands of the general public so that people can make up their own minds. There are many things that we’re doing well, and many things that we’re doing badly. The whole capand-trade program that came out of the House of Representatives is far too complicated, and they had to buy off too many special interests by diluting its

effect. We can do better. There’s too much talk about renewables and not enough talk about reducing greenhouse gas emissions. If you look at costs, solar photovoltaics are extraordinarily expensive, and you could do a lot better by converting coal-fired plants into natural gas. This way, you’d eliminate twothirds of the carbon dioxide, and you can make a big impact fast. What we need is a good program that looks at the long-term issue and tries to capture the things that can do the most soon, for the least money. Among those is energy efficiency, which should be everybody’s No. 1. You don’t see a lot of subsidies for energy efficiency, although the new secretary of energy, Steven Chu, is trying to push things in that direction. You see policies that don’t really make a lot of sense, and you see claims of things that don’t make a lot of sense either. I talk about the three S’s: the sensible, the senseless, and the self-serving. Of the policy options that are put forward, the senseless and the self-serving truly dominate the sensible. MM: If it’s possible to ask for a prediction of the future, what do you see as the next big discovery in physics or in science as a whole? What awaits us on the near horizon? Richter: I’d say that what’s going on now in what I

call astroparticle physics is very important. There is the mysterious dark energy; 10 years ago, nobody had heard of dark energy. What is it? It seems to account for 75 percent of all the energy in the universe. It’s really pretty humbling to know that we didn’t even know it existed until recently. There’s another 20 percent that is so-called dark matter. We knew it existed, we did not know what it was, and we still don’t know what it is. So that leaves us knowing a lot about what amounts to 5 percent of the stuff in our universe: our familiar, normal matter—so the big chase now is to find out more about the mysterious 95 percent. As for the 5 percent, there is a huge amount of work going on in condensed-matter physics and biology; if I had to make a real guess, I’d say that technology will come mostly from condensed-matter physics and biology, while a deeper understanding of the universe will come from astroparticle physics.

Mercersburg Profiles

MATH SCIENCE

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CONNECTING THE DOTS To identify causes of disease, Dean Hosgood crunches the numbers

By Lee Owen

Hosgood at the Shilin (Stone Forest), a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Yunnan Province, China

On average, one of every two American men and one in three American women will develop some form of cancer. Behind the scenes, H. Dean Hosgood ’98 and his colleagues at the National Cancer Institute are designing studies and analyzing important data to identify causes and risk factors of all forms of the disease—and hopefully, to help save lives and even keep people from getting sick in the first place. “In our complex environment today, people run into many common exposures in their everyday lives that they are unaware of, and that may cause adverse health outcomes,” says Hosgood, an environmental and molecular epidemiologist in the National Cancer Institute’s Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. “Some of the things are in drinking water or in the air we breathe; you can’t see them, smell them, or taste them. We’re integrating the health sci-

ences, the hard sciences, and statistics to protect people from cancer, which is one of the most complex diseases out there.” As an epidemiologist, Hosgood delves into what he calls “the whole gamut of factors” to determine why some people are more likely than others to be stricken with cancer. “Everyone knows that smoking causes lung cancer, but we’ve all heard a story about someone’s grandmother who smoked two packs a day and never got lung cancer,” he says. “So how come she didn’t get cancer, but the guy who smoked one pack a day did? I try to figure out what causes the individual differences and why some people are more susceptible to developing the disease than others.” Hosgood, who moved to nearby Greencastle, Pennsylvania, in the fourth grade, spent all four years of high school at Mercersburg. He remembers designing

strategies using laboratory methods to tackle questions in an AP chemistry course taught by Frank Rutherford ’70—a clear precursor to Hosgood’s work today. The experiences in Rutherford’s class and others in Eric Hicks’ introductory biology course and Peter Kempe’s German classes, coupled with a longtime interest in science and math, led him to Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, where he completed his undergraduate degree in chemistry. “When I arrived at Carnegie Mellon, I felt like I was already a semester ahead—if not two semesters ahead—of everyone else in terms of time management and the ability to handle all the independence you receive in college,” Hosgood says. “Mercersburg prepares you very well for that. And it turned out that once I got there, the material in a lot of my classes was review from what I had done at Mercersburg.”

Hosgood spent a year working in a malaria lab at Yale University before deciding to concentrate on epidemiology, where his full focus could be on helping populations affected by various environmental and genetic factors. He earned a master’s of public health in environmental health sciences and a Ph.D. in cancer epidemiology from Yale. As a graduate student, Hosgood did research in El Salvador and Guatemala; most of his studies today are in Asia, so he visits China, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan two or three times a year (for up to five weeks at a time). Much of his current research focuses on the association between the burning of coal and wood and lung cancer. “We look for natural experiments—places in the world where people burn a lot of these fuels in their homes—and we go and see if there’s an association,” he says. “If you think something is harmful to an individual or a population, you obviously wouldn’t ethically go in and expose people to a particular thing the way you typically would in a laboratory with mice or rodents. “So we look for natural experiments; we look at people with high levels of exposure to coal smoke in their homes as a byproduct

“WE’RE INTEGRATING THE HEALTH SCIENCES, T H E H A R D S C I E N C E S, A N D STAT I ST I C S TO PROTECT PEOPLE FROM CANCER, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST COMPLEX DISEASES OUT THERE.” —H. Dean Hosgood ’98

of their regional way of life, and compare them to people with low levels of exposure. And since we’re looking at humans who differ based on genetics or their diets or their smoking history, we do a lot of statistical analysis and work with big data sets to tease out all the factors to determine if what we’re studying is actually associated with a particular cancer.” The participants in one of Hosgood’s studies in the Chinese city of Xuanwei exclusively use coal—unventilated—for all of their heating and cooking needs. “So the people there are highly exposed,” Hosgood says, “and we designed a study and went there and trained all the physicians in the hospitals on how to conduct the study. When we go visit, we make sure the protocols are being followed, and we answer any questions the physicians have and look at the biological samples that have been collected to make sure they’re ready for analysis.” Hosgood also works on other exposures, including benzene, formaldehyde, and trichloroethylene.

The results from these studies provide the data necessary for policymakers in the United States and abroad to set safe levels of exposures—and to implement interventions if necessary to protect populations. One of Hosgood’s studies, for example, showed that the installation of portable stoves for heating and cooking with coal decreased lung-cancer mortality by about 50 percent compared to the use of unventilated fire pits. At any given time, Hosgood and the other members of his four-person team at the NCI headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland, are typically managing about 10 or 15 different studies; each individual project can involve up to 150,000 subjects apiece. “Aside from meeting with the team and going over logistics and what needs to be done for different studies, I spend a lot of time analyzing data that comes in, working on publications for medical journals, and designing newer studies,” he says. “A lot of the work is ongoing.” Because of the 12-hour time difference, Hosgood often finds himself online late at night corresponding with colleagues on the ground in Asia. Hosgood, who joined Mercersburg’s Alumni Council last year, was the first of three siblings to attend the Academy; his sister, Emily Weiss ’08, was the salutatorian of her graduating class and is a sophomore at Colgate University, while their brother, Connor Weiss ’13, is in his first year at Mercersburg. “A lot of what we do is driven by the desire to protect populations as a whole—to try to determine healthy levels for all these exposures,” Hosgood says. “We want to ensure that people aren’t being excessively exposed if it’s an occupational exposure, and if we’re talking about an environmental exposure, to ensure people are protected at safe levels. It’s what drives me, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.” An indoor cooking area in Xuanwei, China

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suddenImpact Bruce Kemmler’s products are on the fast track to success By Shelton Clark

Bruce Kemmler ’68 had a chemical reaction of sorts at Mercersburg, and now Kemmler runs a polymer-manufacturing business in which knowledge of polymer chemistry is crucial. In Kemmler’s case, the cliché about the shortest distance between two points being a straight line doesn’t quite reflect the more circuitous route he took to his current station in life. “My science teacher, Eric Harris, instilled in me a love of chemistry at Mercersburg,” says Kemmler, president and CEO of Mooresville, North Carolina-based Kemmler Products. “And the headmaster, Dr. [William] Fowle, was a friend as well as a headmaster. He and his wife were wonderful to everyone. Mercersburg fostered my wanting to learn; personally, college was less influential as a scholastic and life experience than Mercersburg.” Kemmler took his love of science to Dickinson College, where he diverged from the conventional point-A-to-point-B route. “I started out in the pre-med program, but I got discouraged with it,” Kemmler says. “I decided I wanted to do work in the areas I truly liked, and double-majored in English and political science, with additional studies in economics.” It was that minor field of study—economics—that led him to a 27-year career in finance. While still in his 20s, Kemmler opened one of Merrill Lynch’s “small-city” offices in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, before starting his own financial-services company in the 1980s. Kemmler helped his Mercersburg friend (and former Academy faculty member) Tom Mendham become a Merrill Lynch colleague; Mendham was working as director of the school’s alumni and development office when Kemmler’s first child was born. “I called Tom to let him know that Alexis

Kemmler would be in the Mercersburg Class of 1993,” Kemmler says. Indeed, Kemmler’s enthusiasm as a Mercersburg parent reaffirmed what the Mercersburg experience had meant to him. Yes, his daughter did end up in the Class of 1993. Alexis Kemmler Simpson earned a scholarship to the University of Virginia, where she graduated as a distinguished physics scholar. She went on to the Candler School of Theology at Emory University, became a Methodist minister, and now works at Phillips Exeter Academy with her husband, Tom. Kemmler’s son, Bo ’96, is finishing five years of research in his Ph.D. work in immunology at the University of Colorado, and Kemmler’s stepson, Benjamin Clousher ’97, is a financial planner and portfolio manager in Charlotte, where he also works as a night-

club consultant and entrepreneur. “After my stepson graduated from Mercersburg, my wife Bonnie and I decided that we wanted to move south,” Kemmler says. “In the mid-1990s, I had started working on a project with polymers, so I re-educated myself.” For Kemmler, that meant developing an “air-froth” process by which a high atomic weight, dense polyurethane elastomer is made for a gel-foam hybrid (a product which now goes by the trade name SHOCKtec®) and used in high-impact padding. As a result, the combination of lower weight and greater density creates a unique material with a superior ability to dissipate energy and greatly diminish the harmful effects of blunt-force trauma. “A colleague told me that he was convinced that I was able to do this because I

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the

original survivor am not a full-time scientist,” Kemmler says. “He said that most scientists don’t clearly see beyond the end task at hand and often have difficulty envisioning the end product.” It is with some irony and amusement that he recounts a Mercersburg teacher’s comment to his parents: “Give Bruce enough time, and he’ll figure out anything.” Though his company is headquartered in Mooresville (about 30 miles north of Charlotte), most of Kemmler Products’ manufacturing takes place in Georgia. With his company’s location in the stock-car hotbed of North Carolina, many NASCAR drivers have become some of Kemmler’s best customers, using his products to protect themselves against extreme impact. Likewise, his products have been used in a variety of sporting goods, from shoe insoles to football girdles. More recently, his primary customer— “by mistake,” Kemmler adds—is the U.S. military. Independent testing by Florida State University and the U.S. Army (including drop tests and blast tests) found that Kemmler’s products withstood blunt-force impact better than other padding products on the market. Manufacturers now use Kemmler’s products in flak vests, helmets, vehicle seats, and heavily armored vehicles that are replacing Humvees on the battlefield. In addition to his careers in finance and manufacturing, Kemmler, a longtime Rotarian, has always been involved in a number of nonprofit and community ventures. “I’ve always said to my children, ‘You are blessed. Your role should be to help people less fortunate than yourself.’”

Bruce Kemmler ’68 with granddaughter Madison Blair Clousher (the daughter of Ben Clousher ’97)

One part soldier, one part scholar, and one part real-life MacGyver, Cresson Kearny ’33 literally wrote the book on surviving a nuclear attack. Kearny (pronounced “CAR-nee”), one of seven Rhodes Scholars to have attended Mercersburg, was an international authority on nuclear-war survival. His experiences as a geologist in the jungles of South America, as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve and the Office of Strategic Services in China during World War II, and later as a researcher at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, resulted in variety of inventions ranging from underwater spear guns to homemade devices capable of measuring radiation levels during a nuclear siege. His 1979 book, Nuclear War Survival Skills, sold more than 600,000 copies worldwide and includes instructions Cresson Kearny ’33 as an for constructing fallout shelters and Irving debater devices for survival out of everyday materials found in most American homes. The most famous of these was the Kearny Fallout Meter (KFM), first tested in 1977. Kearny’s book boasts that the KFM could be successfully constructed by everyone from “junior highschool science classes to grandmothers making them for their children and grandchildren.” The Washington Post described the device as “the first radiation detector for the average American family.” Among the materials needed to build a KFM are a metal can, aluminum foil, a wooden pencil, tape (duct tape, masking tape, or Scotch tape can be used), two rubber bands, a small piece of sheetrock or a modest amount of silica gel, and clean, fine thread (for which human hair can be substituted in a pinch). Kearny was named the “Best Individual Debater” at Mercersburg’s 1933 Irving-Marshall Prize Debate (the forerunner of today’s Declamation event at the Academy); his brother, Clinton ’35, also graduated from the school. Cresson Kearny graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University, studied at Oxford University, and earned the Legion of Merit for his military service, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a consultant for the Scripps Institution of Oceanography before joining the Hudson Institute and later Oak Ridge National Laboratory, from which he retired in 1979 to take a more active role in civil-defense preparations. Kearny is credited with the origination of more than two dozen inventions and numerous books and articles. He died in 2003 at age 89, but his work lives on. To view a free online copy of Nuclear War Survival Skills, visit www.oism.org/nwss.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

Taking on

MoTher naTure Amy McGovern uses data to look for patterns in severe weather By Tom Coccagna

Lessons learned in youth often mold the most lasting impressions. When Amy McGovern ’92 was a student at Mercersburg, her field-ecology instructor, Brent Gift, assigned a project to her and fellow student Robert Trace ’93. Their task: to study the effects of pollution from a local tannery on a nearby stream. Picture a high-school girl, clad in hip boots, wading in a stream while clutching a camera and trying to keep her balance against the current. “We had a ton of fun going into the stream from a farmer’s field, getting stuck in the muck in those knee-high boots,” McGovern recalls. But fun turned out to be only part of the project. “Her efforts led to a citation to the tannery for pollution,” says Gift, who has been a faculty member at the Academy since 1971. And although McGovern may not have realized it at the time, the experience became a defining moment in her life. “Looking back, it was probably the start of my desire to work on projects that had a real impact in the world,” she says. She is now Dr. Amy McGovern, assistant professor in the School of Computer Science at the University of Oklahoma. Her work has gone far beyond studying worms in a local stream, but her work ethic is every bit as alive as it was during the stream project. McGovern directs the university’s IDEA (Interaction, Discovery, Exploration and Adaptation) Lab. One of her special interests is severe weather, and because of her research in that area, she earned a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award covering the years 2008

McGovern (far right) in the classroom at the University of Oklahoma

through 2013. She received a $500,000 grant for her project, “Developing Spatiotemporal Relational Models to Anticipate Tornado Formation.” Much academic writing is geared toward impressing the academic community, but McGovern took a lesson from her streambound roots. Her desire is to produce analysis with practical applications. Or, as she insists, “I want my research to matter in the real world”—and in Oklahoma, nothing is more real than the threat of tornadoes. “Here, weather is one thing you can’t ignore,” she says. “Oklahoma is unlike anyplace else I’ve ever lived.” During her childhood, her burgeoning fascination with severe weather found an outlet as thunderclouds swept toward her home in Ohio. “I would be in the garage watching a storm with all the

thunder, lightning, and hail. It was cool,” she remembers. As McGovern grew into adulthood, so did her curiosity about weather. “I was involved with weather enough to be fascinated by it but not enough to become a meteorologist,” she says. “I always wondered why they couldn’t predict the weather better and what I could do to help through my research.” Even though Ohio is cert ainly not immune to perilous storms, it comes nowhere close to experiencing the danger Oklahoma faces on a regular basis. Severe weather often ravages the so-called “Tornado Alley” that covers a huge chunk of the Great Plains. Meteorologists are forever trying to discover ways to predict when and where tornadoes will strike. No research has been able to pinpoint tornado formation exactly, even on one of those notorious “outbreak days,” when

“I WANT MY RESEARCH TO MATTER IN THE REAL WORLD. HERE, WEATHER IS ONE THING YOU CAN’T IGNORE. OKLAHOMA IS UNLIKE ANYPLACE ELSE I’VE EVER LIVED.” —Amy McGovern ’92

numerous tornadoes are likely to form— but McGovern believes simulations can be valuable nonetheless. “Radars have turned out to be as good as they’re going to get for predicting tornadoes, but they don’t see the full atmosphere,” she points out. “With our simulations, we tell the full story of the atmosphere: pressure, temperature, everything you could need.” McGovern uses dat a mining to figure out why one system will generate a tornado while a similar one will not. Dat a mining, put simply, involves sifting through many diverse databases to discover patterns and meaningful relationships. The simulations have other practical uses besides trying to predict tornadoes. One involves turbulence, which usually goes unnoticed on the ground—yet anyone who has ever flown in an airliner has experienced the unsettling feeling of being jostled by upper-air disturbances. But while tornadoes can’t be predicted with any reasonable accuracy hours ahead of time, turbulence can be measured. “Say there’s a thunderstorm over Mercersburg,” McGovern says. “The effects of it are going to spread out over space and time from Mercersburg. There is going to be turbulence right near the storm, and a couple of hours later, if a pilot is flying over where the storm was, the turbulence may still be there. A storm may also generate turbulence really far away.” And, she adds, “The turbulence the pilots can’t see is what we’re trying to predict.” Back on campus, Gift predicted a successful career for his erstwhile stream surveyor.

“Amy had a great analytical mind and a great sense of humor,” says Gift, who was also her volleyball coach at Mercersburg. “I expected her to be an impact player in her field.” McGovern’s interest in computers came early, when her parents purchased a Commodore 64 when she was 6. “My mother taught me how to program it, and I played games with my dad,” she says. “When I went to college, I wanted to learn how to build computers. I quickly found out I was not interested in that. I was interested in making them smarter.” She earned a bachelor’s degree in math and computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, and a master’s and Ph.D. at the University of Massachusetts. McGovern and her husband, Andrew Fagg (who is also a professor of computer science at Oklahoma), have a 5-yearold son, whom she is introducing to computers. She has indeed developed “smarter” computers through her studies in artificial intelligence (the ability of a machine to perform tasks thought to require human intelligence). Now, some 18 years after her graduation from Mercersburg, McGovern continues to reach toward the sky. But the same excitement that tempted her to wade into a stream won’t prompt her to risk coming face-to-face with a tornado. “My students have invited me to chase,” she says, “but I have a 5-yearold, and I’m not going to do anything to endanger my family or myself.”

LOOKING FOR SOMEONE? Visit www.mercersburg.edu/magazine to read profiles from previous editions of Mercersburg featuring more alumni working in science and math-related fields: Dr. Edward Brown ’99 postdoctoral resident/research fellow, Harvard School of Dental Medicine (summer 2007 issue) John Drew ’63/Richard McCombs ’65 Drew: chairman/CEO, Spokane Recycling Products/Waste Paper Services/Bluebird Recycling McCombs: chief operating officer, MBA Polymers (summer 2009) Dr. Stephan Falk ’75 head physician, Pathology Associates Frankfurt (winter 2007–2008) Dr. Tony Furnary ’76 surgeon/director, Portland Diabetes Project (summer 2007) Matt Jackson ’04/Court Shreiner ’04 automotive physics students/race car drivers (spring 2009) Dr. Deirdre Marshall ’79 chief of surgery, Miami Children’s Hospital (spring 2009) Dr. James Porter ’65 ecology professor, University of Georgia (summer 2002) Dr. Kimball Prentiss ’92 physician, Boston Medical Center (winter 2007–2008) John Rich ’71 energy developer/president, Waste Management & Processors Inc. (spring 2006) Andy Tyson ’87 (pictured below) owner/co-founder, Creative Energies (summer 2009)

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

The Beat Goes On

On the frOntline Of the fight against heart failure By tOm COCCagna

After performing thousands of surgeries, giving countless lectures, earning abundant accolades, and experiencing the benefits of numerous technological advances, Dr. Walter Pae ’67 has never lost one thing— the wonder of it all. In an era in which new technology is about as common as toothpaste, Pae (pronounced “pay”) preserves his kid-in-acandy-store outlook as he works with lifesaving devices that flood the medical field each year. “It’s exciting,” Pae says. “It is the future.” Pae is the William S. Pierce Professor and Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. He has also served as the hospital’s director of cardiac transplantation since 2007. Pae has been standing with one foot in the future, it seems, ever since he was in medical school at Penn State in the 1970s. (Pierce, a pioneer in artificial-heart technology and a retired Penn State surgeon and professor, was Pae’s mentor.) Back then, the development of total artificial hearts was the avant-garde idea many felt would revolutionize cardiac surgery and prolong lives. “I took on the left ventricular system,” Pae points out, “and I’ve been involved in it for what seems like years and years.” One of the outgrowths of the research at Penn State was the LionHeart, a fully implanted artificial device that assists in the pumping function of the left ventricle. Penn State Hershey Medical Center teamed with Arrow International, a Reading, Pennsylvania-based manufacturer of medical equipment, to develop the LionHeart in the mid-1990s.

The required trial document ation was submitted to the Food and Drug Administration, but while Arrow and Penn State Hershey waited for FDA approval, the device was given the green light for use in Europe. The first implants were done in Germany in 1999—“I scrubbed right in and did it,” Pae says—and FDA consent was granted in 2001. The first U.S. LionHeart recipient, a 65-year-old man, died about four months after surgery, though his death was not related to any problems with the device itself. Gayle Snider, a 35-year-old man from York, Pennsylvania, was the first patient to leave the hospital with an implanted LionHeart. Pae performed Snider’s surgery in May 2003; Snider was later cleared to receive a heart transplant. A year after the LionHeart surgery, Snider said, “I probably wouldn’t have had a chance to get a transplant without the LionHeart, because I probably wouldn’t be here.” Snider received a heart transplant in 2004 and eventually died in 2008. “He was a young guy... we implanted him and he had a wonderful experience,” Pae says. “After he was transplanted, he really cleaned up his act and he lived for several more years. He said he wished he would have kept the device because he felt better on the device than he did after the transplant.” The LionHeart is just one of many artificial devices Pae has worked with. He estimates that perhaps 50 patients have been implanted with the LionHeart, and thousands with other devices. The LionHeart has easy name recognition because of its association with Penn State’s Nittany Lion mascot.

Ventricular implants are not designed to replace the heart; instead, they assist the heart’s pumping ability before or after major surgery. As coronary bypass surgery became more common during the 1970s and 1980s, so did problems in patients’ recovery. “The need for ventricular assist devices came out of open-heart surgery,” Pae notes. “We sometimes couldn’t wean people from the heart-lung machine, and the devices came out of that. We needed to rest the heart so it could recover, and

“THE SURVIVAL RATE HAS BEEN NOTHING LESS THAN SPECTACULAR. WE’VE HAD AN 85 PERCENT TWO-YEAR SURVIVAL RATE. NOW I HAVE GUYS IN THEIR 70S WHO HAVE RECEIVED IMPLANTS AND ARE SKIING.” —Walter Pae ’67

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GETTING INSIDE THE MIND over time, our ability to protect the heart improved. Today, very few patients have difficulty being weaned from the heart-lung machine.” Pae says two pivotal papers were published on ventricular implants. The first dealt with the implant’s ability to help patients survive after bypass surgery. “People were dying because we couldn’t separate them from the heart-lung machine,” he says. The second outlined the implant’s importance of serving as a bridge to a transplant; “it keeps a patient alive until a donor can be found.” Today, Pae is implanting artificial devices to help patients suffering from congestive heart failure, a degenerative condition in which the heart becomes an ineffective pump and can no longer supply enough blood to the rest of the body. Implant technology is becoming more readily available for patients with congestive heart failure. “The survival rate has been nothing less than spectacular,” Pae says. “We’ve had an 85 percent two-year survival rate. Now I have guys in their 70s who have received implants and are skiing.” Congestive heart failure may be a natural process of aging, but saving a life never grows old for Pae. “It’s rewarding to see it, and it’s rewarding to be a big part of it,” he says. Even as a student at Mercersburg, Pae knew he wanted to be on the cutting edge of medicine. “I had pretty much decided way before Mercersburg that my path would be in medicine,” he recollects, “but Mercersburg gave me a big head start for college.” Eric Harris, former head of the science department at Mercersburg, “really gave me a tremendous background” and fostered Pae’s love for chemistry. Pae went on to graduate from DePauw University in Indiana with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry before heading to Penn State for medical school. And now, more than 40 years after his graduation from Mercersburg, Pae continues to break new ground in artificial implant surgery. Not only does he perform surgery, but he also teaches it. “If you teach 26 residents and each one operates on 10,000 people,” he says, “you’ve touched a lot of lives.”

As a supervisory research coordinator in the department of psychiatry at Emory University, Megan Filkowski ’01 works on an experimental study investigating the effectiveness of deep-brain stimulation on treatmentresistant depression, or TRD. Deep-brain stimulation has been approved by the Food & Drug Administration for patients with Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and dystonia, but has not yet received FDA approval as an approach to attacking depression. “While depression can be effectively treated in the majority of patients through medication or evidence-based psychotherapy, 20 to 30 percent of patients fail to respond to standard treatment,” says Filkowski, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Emory. She became interested in the field after taking an adult abnormal-psychology course; while still an undergraduate, she worked on a schizophrenia study. Heading the study is Dr. Helen Mayberg, one of the world’s foremost experts in the neuroimaging of psychiatric disorders, and Dr. Paul Holtzheimer, an expert in TRD. Due to the study’s experimental status, the accuracy of the screening process is of the essence. “Patients must have suffered from depression for at least a year, and failed to respond to a number of antidepressant medication trials, psychotherapy, and electroconvulsive therapy,” Filkowski says. “I recruit potential patients, review their medical records, assess their symptoms, and screen for other psychiatric disorders.” The study involves the implantation of two electrodes into a region of the brain known as the subgenual cingulated area 25. Patients remain awake during the first part of the surgery in order for the patient and the surgeon and study team (including Filkowski) to communicate; afterward, the patient undergoes general anesthesia during the implantation of a pulse generator, which provides power to the electrodes and “is like an alwaysrunning pacemaker located just below the collarbone,” she says. A deep-brain stimulation study conducted by Mayberg in Canada showed that two-thirds of patients responded favorably to the treatment. As of February 2010, 17 patients have taken part in the study at Emory.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

Rocket Man

Sam Schlueter gives a boost to spacecraft and automotive safety

As a child, Sam Schlueter ’79 watched A m e r i c a ’s s p a c e p r o g r a m — s p e ci f i cally, NASA’s Apollo missions—capture the national imagination and inspire a generation. “I had a big three-by-four-foot poster of the Apollo command module’s control panel taped to the ceiling above my bed,” Schlueter says, “so when I lay in bed at night, I could look up there and pretend I was in the command module.” Schlueter is now the ballistics lead at Sacramento-based Aerojet, which specializes in missile and space propulsion for space and defense purposes. “I remember sitting up at night and watching Neil Armstrong set foot on the moon, and I thought that was the neatest thing in the world,” Schlueter says. “As a kid, I loved building model rockets and I loved launching them and getting them back and fixing them up and making them a little bit better, so I was always kind of headed in that direction.” But it was Mercersburg that helped launch him (so to speak) on his career path. “Charles Burch was my physics teacher at Mercersburg,” Schlueter says. “He really opened my eyes to physics, and I just fell in love with it with him as a teacher. He was a

great teacher, and that pretty much set me on my way toward aerospace engineering.” After his graduation from Mercersburg, Schlueter earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering at Ohio State University. From there, he started in the scientific computer-programming department at Aerojet in September 1985; by November, the head of the ballistics department had recruited him to join that division. Two months later, in January 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after its launch from Cape Canaveral. “After the Challenger blew up, NASA put out requests for some studies to be done, and I got put on that, and we started working on a replacement for the shuttle’s solid rocket motors,” Schlueter says. “I was in on the ground floor on that, and I worked on that for eight years. I basically cut my rocket-motor teeth on the largest solid-rocket motor in the world, and it was fantastic. I loved it.” Schlueter left Aerojet to work for Breed Technologies in Lakeland, Florida, where he designed automotive airbags. “That was really fascinating, too,” Schlueter says. “It was a completely different aspect of what I do; it’s just hot gas flow through things. I spent about a year there going in and designing a new automotive airbag every single day, scratching it out on a piece of paper and handing that to the guys in the shop in the back. They would start making it, and then I would run around and look at what I had designed yesterday or the day before or the day before that. They would have things built and fired within a week. “I designed about 200 airbags, and finally we got one that worked just absolutely perfectly. I’m happy to say that they’ve been making millions of them a year for the past 15 years. I have seven patents in those areas—of course, I don’t make any money off them, but that’s fine—I just love the fact that

By Shelton Clark

I got to be a part of it, and that my designs are running around the world’s streets and saving people’s lives every day.” Schlueter returned to Aerojet in 1997 and started working on the Titan program. The Titan rockets were used in the Gemini and Apollo space missions, as well as for ICBMs and satellites. “I’m really happy to have been a part of that because the Titan program started at Aerojet in the 1950s,” Schlueter says. “I got back here in the late 1990s and they were doing an upgrade on it, and I helped with that. So it’s really neat— you feel like you’re a part of history when you work on something that’s been around that long. I designed new turbine starter cartridges for that and they flew on the last 15 missions on the Titan program. Then, while that was kind of winding down, I got onto the Atlas program, which is a large solid-rocket motor, not as big as the shuttle, but pretty darn big. It’s about 50 feet long and it has about 100,000 pounds of propellant in it. We got that up and running, and that’s in production right now. We’re making those and launching satellites with those. “Between all of that, I got to my 20th anniversary at Aerojet. I started at Aerojet in 1985—I was 25 years old, the youngest kid in the group—and now I’m the old guy. I’ve got a bunch of people working for me. I’m trying to train them to be the best ballistics department in the world, and I think I’m doing a pretty good job. We’ve got some good people here.”

Arts

D ate s to Re me mb e r

May 29

Senior Project Art Show Reception, 7 p.m. Cofrin Gallery, Burgin Center for the Arts Senior Production, 8 p.m. Simon Theatre, Burgin Center for the Arts

May 30

Senior Recital, 2 p.m. Boone Recital Hall, Burgin Center for the Arts

Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Dance director: Denise Dalton

(above) Kenzie Shoemaker ’13 and Kayleigh Kiser ’11 (right) Paige Seibert ’11, Alissa Poller ’11, Patrick Young ’10, Sara Milback ’13, Kristen Dietch ’10

Instrumental Music

directors: Richard Rotz, Jack Hawbaker, Michael Cameron Concert Band

ARTS NOTES

Michael Cameron conducts the String Ensemble at the Christmas Candlelight Service

Dan Kwak ’11 (clarinet) and Robin Jo ’12 (violin) were selected as members of the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association District 7 Orchestra… Kwak and Ciero Wang ’11 (tenor sax) were chosen for PMEA District 7 Band… Wang, Nathaniel Bachtell ’10 (percussion), Elizabeth Casparian ’13 (oboe), Kip Hawbaker ’10 (tenor sax), and Brooke Ross ’12 (clarinet) performed in the Franklin-Fulton County Band Festival… Bethany Pasierb ’11 finished third in Shepherd University’s annual vocal competition.

Stony Batter Players directors: Laurie Mufson, Matt Maurer

(above) Aaron Porter ’10 and John Henry Reilly ’10 in Pippin

(below) Ryan Ma ’11, Laney deCordova ’12, Kelsey Albert ’12, and Nnanna Onyewuchi ’12 in Pippin

(above) Kaleigh Myers ’12 and Gilbert Rataezyk ’10 in The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales

ARTS NOTES Stony Batter took its production of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales on the road to four local elementary schools (at right, the cast enjoys a light moment backstage). The production, directed by Matt Maurer, was adapted from a children’s book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith.

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spring 2010

faculty: Mark Flowers, Wells gray, Kristy Higby

Mari Kato ’13, self-portrait

(above) Piano Cake (Ariel Garafolo ’12, ceramics) (below) Cubist Chair (Chris Atkinson ’10, acrylic)

Vocal Music directors: richard rotz, Jim brinson

(left) Magalia, (bottom left) Octet, (below) Chorale

Athletics D ate s to Re me mb e r

May 8

MAPL Championships: Track & field at Mercersburg Baseball/softball at Princeton, New Jersey (The Hun School) Golf at Pottstown, Pennsylvania (The Hill School) Boys’ tennis at Bethlehem, Pennsylvania (Lehigh University)

May 12

PAIS State Track & Field Championships at Pottstown, Pennsylvania (The Hill School)

May 25–29

PAIS State Baseball Tournament (locations TBA) Schedule subject to change; for a full and updated schedule of events, visit www.mercersburg.edu

Fall Varsity Athletics Roundup Boys’ Cross Country

Boys’ Cross Country Award (most outstanding runner): Nebiyu Osman ’10 Boys’ Coaches’ Award (most improved runner): Matt Cook ’11 Charles R. Colbert ’51 Award (sportsmanship): Ellis Mays ’10 Head coach: Matthew Kearney (2nd season) MAPL/state finish: 3rd/6th Highlights: It was a Mercersburg sweep of the boys’ and girls’ Mid-Atlantic Prep League individual titles, as Osman won the boys’ crown and Mackenzie Riford ’11 placed first in the girls’ division… in a dramatic finish, Osman stormed from behind to edge Blair’s Scott Chamberlin for the MAPL win, giving the Storm its third individual male leaguechampion in four years (James Finucane ’08 won in 2006 and 2007)… Finucane and Osman will be teammates next year at Penn… Mays joined Osman on the All-MAPL team after placing sixth at the MAPL meet… Osman (fourth), Cook (14th), and Mays (15th) all placed in the top 15 at the Pennsylvania Independent Schools State Championships… Cook was named Academic All-MAPL.

Girls’ Cross Country

Girls’ Cross Country Award (most outstanding runner): Mackenzie Riford ’11 Girls’ Coaches’ Award (most improved runner): Julia Simons ’10 Charles R. Colbert ’51 Award (sportsmanship): Sarah Duda ’10 Head coach: Betsy Willis (7th season) MAPL/state finish: 3rd/7th Highlights: Riford is the first Mercersburg female runner to capture an individual league crown since the Blue Storm joined the MAPL in 2000; she finished eight seconds ahead of the second-place runner… Riford has been an All-MAPL selection in each of her first three years, and was also an Academic All-MAPL team member… Simons finished ninth and Liza Stalfort ’11 was 16th at the MAPL meet to help the Storm improve its league finish by two spots from the 2008 season… Riford placed fifth at the Pennsylvania Independent Schools State championships, which Mercersburg hosted… the team defeated Hill in a dual meet behind a 1–2 sweep from Riford and Abby Colby ’12. (left) Individual MAPL cross country champions Neb Osman ’10 and Mackenzie Riford ’11

Field Hockey

Captains: Cammie Reilly ’10, Anmargaret Warner ’10 Field Hockey Award (most outstanding player): Reilly Beck Field Hockey Improvement Award (most improved player): Kiersten Sydnor ’12 Becki Peace ’75 Field Hockey Award (most inspirational player): Warner Head coach: Gretchan Chace (5th season) Record: 8–7 (1–4 MAPL) Highlights: The team compiled a winning record for the third straight year, and also played what is believed to be the first home outdoor athletic contest at night—under the lights at the new Regents’ Field against Forbes Road… Sydnor earned first-team All-MAPL honors and was named an area All-Star by the [Chambersburg] Public Opinion… she led the team with 13 goals and five assists, and had a three-goal game in a win over Southern Huntingdon… Reilly and Liza Rizzo ’11 were honorable-mention All-MAPL selections… Rizzo was a second-team Public Opinion All-Star selection, while Reilly and Jane Banta ’11 earned honorable-mention honors from the newspaper… Reilly earned varsity letters in all four seasons… Warner and Andrea Metz ’10 were named Academic All-MAPL.

Football

Captains: game captains selected Football Award (most outstanding player): Darius Glover ’10 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Michael Howland ’11 Head coach: Dan Walker (7th season) Record: 3–6 (1–4 MAPL) Highlights: The season began with a 43–6 rout of Spingarn [Washington, D.C.], and finished with back-to-back wins over Peddie (13–10, the Storm’s second win over Peddie in as many years) and Kiski (a 39–0 shutout)… Glover and A.J. Firestone ’10 (both linemen) were first-team All-MAPL selections, while quarterback Paul Suhey ’10 and linebacker Tom Flanagan ’10 earned honorable-mention allleague honors… Firestone lettered all four years… the Public Opinion’s area all-star team included Firestone (first team), Flanagan (second team) and Suhey, fullback/linebacker Troy Harrison ’10, and wide receiver David Erichsen ’10 (honorable mention)… Firestone posted 57 tackles and six sacks on defense and also made three field goals and 11 extra points as a placekicker… Suhey and Charlie Fitzmaurice ’10 earned Academic All-MAPL honors… Glover will play at Lafayette and Charles Thompson ’10 at Bucknell next fall.

Boys’ Soccer

Captains: Bill Flanagan ’10, Tyler Mulloy ’10 Boys’ Soccer Award (most outstanding player): Jake Shorr ’11 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Joe Strider ’10 Schweizer Cup (hard work/determination): Mulloy Head coach: Quentin McDowell (2nd season) Record: 8–6–2 (1–4 MAPL) Highlights: The team started the season on a 5–0–1 streak which included five shutouts and a win over regional power Martinsburg [West Virginia]… included among the season’s eight victories was a 4–0 blanking of Hill on Alumni Weekend… midfielder Joey Roberts ’11 earned first-

team All-MAPL honors, while fellow midfielder Shorr was an honorable-mention selection; both were first-team Public Opinion All-Star honorees, and Flanagan made the paper’s honorable-mention squad… David Marshall ’11 and Matt Timoney ’11 represented the Storm on the Academic All-MAPL team as distinguished scholars… Roberts and Carlos Garcia ’10 led the team with eight goals apiece, while Shorr and Andy Chan ’10 added four goals each… Roberts recorded a team-high seven assists… the team capped the year with an 11-0 victory over Kiski in the season finale… the league’s coaches selected Mercersburg to receive the MAPL Sportsmanship Award.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

Girls’ Soccer

Captains: Trisha Bassi ’10, Paige Harry ’10, Hannah Miller ’10, Laura Rahauser ’12 Girls’ Soccer Award (most outstanding player): Ana Kelly ’11 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Camille Hodges ’11 Hendrickson-Hoffman Coaches’ Award (spirit): Harry Head coach: Jason Bershatsky (2nd season) Record: 7–9–1 (0–5 MAPL) Highlights: The Blue Storm opened the season with victories in three of its first four games… five of the team’s seven wins were shutouts, and six of the victories were by two goals or more… Harry, a defender, was a first-team All-MAPL selection, and Rahauser, a midfielder, earned honorablemention honors… Harry and Hodges represented Mercersburg on the Academic All-MAPL team... the squad captured the MAPL Sportsmanship Award… Kelly led the team with eight goals; Rahauser added seven goals and was tops in assists (five)… Kate Vary ’10 earned varsity letters all four years.

Girls’ Tennis

Captain: Julianna Dabhura ’10 Girls’ Tennis Award (most outstanding player): Nikki Wolny ’11 Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Nerissa Lam ’12 Head coach: Mike Sweeney (6th season) Record: 2–8 (0–5 MAPL) Highlights: Wolny, the team’s top-ranked player, was a first-team All-MAPL selection… she compiled a 9–3 singles mark on the season, including wins over the top players from Lawrenceville, Blair, and Peddie, and against regionally ranked opponents from State College and Notre Dame Academy and captured the #1 singles flight at the State College Invitational with consecutive 6–0, 6–0 victories… Wolny and Sarah Allen ’12 combined to form the top doubles team and posted a 7–3 overall mark… team victories came over Notre Dame and Foxcroft… the team entered the season returning just two of its top 10 players from last year… Allen represented the squad on the Academic-All-MAPL team.

Volleyball

Captains: Sarah Kolanowski ’10, Taylor Riley ’10 Erin Carey ’91 Memorial Volleyball Award (most outstanding player): Kolanowski Coaches’ Award (most improved player): Melody Gomez ’13 Head coach: Kylie Johnson (2nd season) Record: 3–15–2 Highlights: Kolanowski was a first-team Public Opinion All-Star selection, and Riley earned secondteam honors… Kolanowski tallied 131 kills, 45 blocks, 89 digs, and 24 aces; she posted 19 kills, seven digs, and four aces in a victory over Highland School… the team also defeated Berkeley Springs and St. Maria Goretti, both by 3–0 scores… Riley, a four-year letterwinner, contributed 107 digs, 103 kills, and 27 aces on the season; she posted 17 digs and 13 kills in a match against Washington and 16 digs (in just two sets) against Westtown… Paige Pak ’11 received special academic recognition as a distinguished scholar.

Alumni Weekend

Board of Regents President Denise Dupré ’76 hits the official “first ball” on the new Regents’ Field as the field hockey team looks on

October 16–17, 2009

(L–R) Director of Athletics Rick Hendrickson, Arno Niemand ’52, head wrestling coach Nate Jacklin ’96

Back together again (L–R): classmates Rachael Porter ’09, Shaniqua Reeves ’09, Kyihara Anderson ’09, Annie Birney ’09, Ashley Irving ’09, Lucia Rowe ’09, Anika Kempe ’09 (L–R) Amy Hoober Ahrensdorf ’75, Debbie Ross Cipriano ’75, Chris Russell Vick ’75, Rebecca Peace ’75

Students enjoy Steps Songs

The Hicks family (Renee, Emma, and Eric) braves the rain for the dedication of Regents’ Field

(above) Dick Klopp ’39 and Head of School Douglas Hale (left) Will Day ’10 and Ellis Mays ’10 lead cheers during Steps Songs

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

Alumni Notes Submit alumni notes by visiting the Alumni Online Community at www.mercersburg.edu/ podium or by contacting your class agent. Submissions may appear online or in print. Mercersburg reserves the right to edit submissions for space or content, and is not responsible for more than reasonable editing or fact-checking. When sending or uploading photos, please submit images of the highest quality possible; some images captured by cell phones or other cameras may not be suitable for print.

’35 Loyalty Club members: Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today! u Bob Johnson 203-248-7834

u Bob Smith BaldBobSmith1@cs.com

’37

sally Harris Dumas, daughter of Bill Harris and aunt of Alec Harris ’00 and Evan Harris ’07, died October 29, 2009.

u Lew Scott lpsmd@aol.com

u Dick Hoffman 859-846-5512

u Harry McAlpine 703-893-3893

’45 ’46 ’47

ann Haines braham, wife of Walter Braham and sister of Jim Haines ’58, passed away October 15, 2009.

u Hugh Miller hcmfaia@comcast.net

u Bill Alexander 740-282-5810

’48 ’49

u Dick Zirkle 703-502-6996

u Dave Ulsh ducu1960@comcast.net

Wyn Goodhart’s wife of 56 years, althea, died March 28, 2009.

u Ed Hager edward.t.hager1@adelphia.net

’50

Dick Thornburgh, former governor of pennsylvania and u.s. attorney general, was saluted in the December 2009 issue of Washingtonian magazine as “one of ten legendary lawyers who will forever leave their mark on the District’s legal landscape.” Thornburgh is counsel to the international law firm K&L gates, a firm he first joined in 1959. He served as pennsylvania’s governor from 1979 to 1987 and was u.s. attorney general under presidents ronald reagan and george H.W. bush from 1988 to 1991.

u Jack Connolly jackconnolly@cfmr.com

’54

The international alliance for Youth sports, which was founded by Fred Engh, has announced a partnership with children international, a u.s.based humanitarian organization that assists more than 335,000 children worldwide. “sports, when they are done the right way, teach children so many valuable skills that they will carry with them for the rest of their life,” says Fred, who is president of iaYs. “no child anywhere in the world should ever be denied those opportunities.” in January, baseball legend cal ripken Jr. announced his support for the iaYs “game On!” youth sports program.

u Bob Walton waltonrr@comcast.net

u Guy Anderson guykanderson@att.net u Red Erb 610-566-6653 u George Kistler gwkistler@aol.com u Steve Kozloff riokoz@cox.net u Ross Lenhart rlenhart@sc.rr.com u Jim Starkey starkyj1@universalleaf.com u Bill Vose wovose@kaballero.com u Alan Wein alan.wein@uphs.upenn.edu

’55 ’56 ’57 ’58

health, life, and other insurance options to employees of 16 federal agencies.”

u Bill Thompson thomp132@mc.duke.edu

Ross Lenhart was inducted into the Marietta college alumni association Hall of Honor.

u Clem Geitner hkyleather@aol.com

Tim Kearns ’61 at Alamitos Bay in Long Beach, California.

’59

’60 Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today! Gil Kindelan writes, “i am a proud father of five and grandfather of six. i retired in 2002 after 35 years in the army and u.s. Foreign service. From 2002 to 2007, i was the business area manager at saic in McLean, Virginia, and since 2005, i have been the president of garner-anderson LLc in Vienna, Virginia. From 2003 through 2009, i was also chairman of the board of compass rose benefits group, providing unique

’61

Tim Kearns writes, “greetings from california! i’m starting to think about the 50th class reunion in 2011. How about you? For anyone who remembers Tim Kearns as saddle shoes, cheerleader, and bass player, i am still active in the last two, figuratively at least—and i sail passionately. Married to geri for 47 years, after a five-year courtship, we are one together with our small but tight family unit of five; including grandson Luke, who just turned 7 and lost his second tooth while vacationing with his parents at cape cod. i work in real estate (my niche), at last, within a crazy quilt of professions, all interesting and most rewarding. i am a blessed person, more so in observing the prosperity of Mercersburg. sail on!”

u Jon Dubbs j.dubbs@rcn.com u Jack Reilly jackreillysr@verizon.net

’62

Bruce Eckert, ceO of eastern insurance Holdings inc., presented at the Keefe, bruyette & Woods annual insurance conference in new York city last september. Business Insurance magazine named eiHi one of the “best places to Work in insurance” in the fall. “We are honored to be recognized as one of the best places to work in insurance,” bruce writes. “Our continued growth and

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today!

’70

◆◆Paul◆Mellott◆ pmellott@mellotts.com

◆◆Joseph◆Rendina jjrendina@comcast.net

’71

Dorothy Moore, mother of◆John◆Moore, grandmother of◆John◆Malcolm◆’94, and widow of P.◆William◆Moore◆’35, died november 9, 2008. Randy Judd ’67

success would not be possible without our exceptional employees, and we are committed to providing them with an excellent work environment. With eiHi’s geographic expansion last year, we are particularly pleased that this national program includes employee survey results from our new regional offices in indiana and north carolina.”

◆◆Mike◆Radbill meradbill@gmail.com

’64

Russell◆Gee drove his 1966 porsche 911 in the 2009 La carrera panamericana, a 2,000-mile, six-day road race from Huatulco to nuevo Laredo, Mexico. “How could it get better than this?” he wrote. “also, i just welcomed grandson number three, Otto Vincent guttormsson—what a mouthful!”

Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today!

’65

’67

Randy◆ Judd writes, “upon receiving my ‘good luck in public school’ message from Mercersburg, i did just that. i visited once while driving home from Florida and then again for the 15th reunion. i stay in contact with◆ Tom◆ Motheral, and Sam◆ Stites returned a Facebook message. i practice a little law, teach scuba, lead trips to those places on the Travel channel, and give back to my community (board of zoning appeals). i owe Motheral a Detroit Lions tee due to the Wings losing to the pens in the stanley cup (i know what you’re thinking… i don’t get it either).” On another note, randy has been married for 36 years and has one son who just moved to colorado again.

◆◆Tom◆Hadzor T.Hadzor@Duke.edu ◆◆Eric◆Scoblionko◆ wekdirscobes@aol.com

’72

Brian◆ Joscelyne writes, “after a career in industry (including Digital equipment corporation) where i was based in ireland, albuquerque, and scotland, i started my own graphic design business which i sold 15 years later and retired gracefully at age 58, in 2005. We moved from south Wales to our current home in the historic and wonderful city of York, in the northeast of the uK. We also bought a home in albuquerque where we spend about four months of the year, soaking up the sunshine that we rarely get in the uK! i look forward to meeting up with Mercersburg alumni, and please let me know if you need a place to stop over in the uK. i look forward to our 45th reunion in June 2010.”

Charles◆ Stocksdale is living in Dublin, Ohio, and has been married to his highschool sweetheart for 35 years. He says he would love to catch up with ’burg friends.

◆◆Kevin◆Longenecker kklong@epix.net

Liz◆ Mayer◆ Fiedorek writes, “in 2007, i married bruce D. Fiedorek. My daugheolyne Kelly Tunnell, mother of Rob◆ ter, Jamie (who i adopted from china), Tunnell, wife of the late Robert◆ W.◆ is now 7 years old.” Tunnell◆ ’32, and grandmother of Ashley◆ Bastholm◆ Piraino◆ ’93 and Chesley◆ Bastholm◆Nonemaker◆’98, passed away september 26, 2009.

’66

’69

John◆ Brink writes, “classmates may find the following of interest: yes, i’m still at it. i have for sale a live cD of a cabaret/fundraiser and plan to have a website before the end of 2010. i’m currently job-hunting. email me at ironmstr@innernet.net.

’74

Steve◆ Flanagan had pieces featured in the atlantic gallery’s 2009 holiday show and sale in new York city.

◆◆Charles◆Alter ca@buckeye-express.com ◆◆Bill◆Ford hmsoars@snet.net ◆◆Rich◆Helzel rhelzel@mac.com ◆◆Bruce◆Kemmler kemmler@kemmlerproducts.com ◆◆Mike◆Kopen kopen@goeaston.net ◆◆Tucker◆Shields shieldst@mercersburg.edu ◆◆Clarence◆Youngs clarence4150@aol.com

◆◆Rick◆Fleck aspnrick@aol.com ◆◆Dick◆Seibert rseibert@knobhall.com

’73

Judge◆ John◆ Jones was the 2009 recipient of the geological society of america’s prestigious president’s Medal. The award was established in 2007 to recognize individuals whose impact has profoundly enhanced the geoscience profession.

’68

◆◆Jere◆Keefer jsklrk@embarqmail.com

◆◆Stan◆Westbrook fswest1@verizon.net

◆◆Allan◆Rose byrose@superior.net ◆◆Ed◆Russell martnwod@bellsouth.net

Bruce◆ Wagner married Judy Frigiola January 2, 2010, in rosslyn, Virginia. attendees included bruce’s brother, George◆’66, and James◆Markwood◆’72.

◆◆Joe◆Lee◆ jos.lee@comcast.net

Liz Mayer Fiedorek ’74 with her husband, Bruce, and daughter, Jamie.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

June 10-13

Reunion

Reunions for classes ending in 0 and 5 and the Loyalty Club (Class of 1959 and before)

October 22-24

2010

AnniveRsARy Weekend

FAll Alumni Weekend ’75 Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today! ◆◆Molly◆Froehlich mollyfro@aol.com ◆◆Greg◆Morris mormgtlisa@aol.com

◆◆Ann◆Shabb◆Warner ann@howardspub.com

sara elizabeth Moyer rafuse, mother of Andrew◆Rafuse, Elise◆Rafuse◆’78, and Susan◆ Rafuse◆ Kelly◆ ’81, passed away October 29, 2009.

’76

Anna◆ DeArmond◆ Boykin writes, “after seven years of living in London, interspersed by two in new York city, my husband, richard, and i have made what we hope will be the last move for a while. We are now in McLean, Virginia. Our son, Jeffery, is in graduate school at the university of north carolina-Wilmington, and our daughter, Margaret, just began her freshman year at barnard college. now that the last chick has flown the coop, we’re planning a lot of travel—some related to my husband’s work (he’s an international tax consultant with baker & McKenzie), some for pleasure, and some to visit friends left behind in the uK. i’m an avid hiker, and am reuniting with my old hiking group in London next month for a two-day hike on the south coast of england. call us if you’re in the greater D.c. area!”

◆◆Lindley◆Peterson◆Fleury lindley285@yahoo.com

Lindley◆ Peterson◆ Fleury writes, “We need to work on getting the word out to other ’77’s to join the alumni Online community! Hope everyone is doing well.”

Scott◆Summers writes, “i hope everyone had a safe and wonderful summer.”

◆◆Heidi◆Kaul◆Krutek hkrutek@bellsouth.net

◆◆Gretchen◆Decker◆Pierce grdnfrk@gmail.com ◆◆Carol◆Furnary◆Casparian furnaryc@mercersburg.edu

Molly◆ Hall-Olsen met Carol◆ Furnary◆ Casparian in new York city in January to celebrate Molly’s birthday. a Thai dinner followed by the broadway show Mamma Mia! made for a perfect celebration.

’78

Jim◆Roy earned his pga champions Tour card for the 2010 season in november in scottsdale, arizona. Jim drained a six-foot birdie putt in a playoff to earn the fifth and final full exemption for this year’s tour, which was once known as the senior pga Tour. Jim played on the pga Tour in the early 1980s and competed in the u.s. Open in 1983 and 1989. His son,◆ Kyle◆ ’07, is a junior and member of the golf team at the university of Tampa.

’77 Jim Roy ’78 (right) accepts his 2010 PGA Champions Tour card from Champions Tour president Mike Stevens.

’79

Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today!

’80

◆◆Dave◆Dupont david.dupont@rbc.com

◆◆Dave◆Wagner wags1262@sbcglobal.net ◆◆Greg◆Zinn greg@zinn.com

◆◆Andy◆Alpert adalpert@comcast.net ◆◆Rich◆Nace nacer@chubb.com ◆◆Lynn◆Putnam◆Hearn hearn005@comcast.net ◆◆John◆Ryland rylandfamily@frontiernet.net

’81

ATHLETIC team reunions for swimming & diving, cross country & track & field alumni, honoring Mercersburg Olympians and re-dedication of Nolde Gymnasium

◆◆Todd◆Wells todd.wells@jetblue.com ◆◆Duncan◆White duncan.m.white@accenture.com

◆◆Bruce◆Ricciuti jbr@birchcapital.com

’83

Following years of moving around the world, David◆ Leberknight has settled in new zealand with his wife, Lili. He asks that you check out his blog at www.leberknight.com/worldtour and email him at davidleberknight@gmail. com. He’s anxious to re-connect with Mercersburg alumni. Joan porcarelli, mother of Guido◆ Porcarelli and Rob◆ Porcarelli◆ ’87, died February 15, 2009.

’84

◆◆Tom◆Hornbaker tshornbaker@yahoo.com ◆◆Betsy◆Rider-Williams brider-williams@goberkscounty.com

’82

Jim◆ Laingen has been promoted to captain in the u.s. navy. John◆Lucas is senior vice president for investments at union bank of switzerland in san Francisco.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

Marriages

’85

Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today! ◆◆Susan◆Corwin◆Moreau moreau.s@verizon.net

Bruce Wagner ’71 to Judy Frigiola, January 2, 2010.

Theodore◆ Lichtenstein writes, “i recently got together with Kirk◆ Dwyer. We hadn’t seen each other for about 24 years. Kirk is doing sound work out in Hollywood and traveling all over the world for projects with pbs. While i live in Tallahassee, Florida, i am also traveling all over the world, but in my case, i am teaching bridge. Later this month i will begin a five-month bridge teaching trip that will include many countries in the Far east and africa. after this trip, i will have taught bridge on every continent (if you count Tierra del Fuego, south america, as antarctica).” Theo and Kirk both plan to attend the 25year reunion.

Lois Findlay ’80 to Al Homans, May 15, 2009. Asia Walker ’09 to Joey Castro, August 30, 2009.

The wedding of Laurel Kalp ’02 and Stephen Sviatko III, August 8, 2009, in Mercersburg (L–R): Melissa McCartney ’05, Lauren McCartney ’02, Laurel and Stephen, Bryan Stiffler ’02.

’86

Shawn◆Meyers, a Mercersburg attorney, was elected to the pennsylvania court of common pleas as a judge representing Franklin and Fulton counties.

Kris Reisner ’94 and Juanita Trent on their wedding day, June 20, 2009, in the Irvine Memorial Chapel.

Chet Tippen ’06 married Teresa Lam August 1, 2009, in Dauphin Island, Alabama.

◆◆Louis◆Najera louis@davincicomm.com ◆◆Audrey◆Webber◆Esposito awesposito@yahoo.com

’87

Haseeb◆Anwar was on campus this past summer with his brothers, Mumtaz◆’83◆ and sahel, to direct a squash camp. Lucy◆ Harrington◆ Floyd writes of the alumni Online community, “Yet another little Facebook-type group to be a part of. i feel so important! glad to see the ’burg has settled into the 21st century… sad to see the news [about Mr. Jim smith’s passing]. Hello to all of my classmates! Our 25th is around the bend.” Adam◆ Viener’s company, imwave, was recognized as one of Inc. magazine’s top 5,000 fastest growing private companies for 2009.

The wedding of Ian Wauchope ’99 and Teaya Fitzgerald, June 20, 2009, in Byfield, Massachusetts (L–R): Patrick Koch ’99, Ian and Teaya, KellyMay Koch.

◆◆Susie◆Lyles-Reed ebsl_reed@yahoo.com

◆◆Zania◆Pearson◆ zmp2work@verizon.net ◆◆Ames◆Prentiss aprentiss@intownvet.com

Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today! Colleen Corcoran ’99 and Timothy Yates on their wedding day, November 22, 2008, in Saratoga Springs, New York.

◆◆Treva◆Ghattas tghattas@osimd.com

’88 ’89 ’90

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

◆◆Dean◆Hosgood dean.hosgood@gmail.com ◆◆Beth◆Pniewski◆Bell bethannbell@gmail.com Jim◆ Kaurudar is an assistant store manager at Metro bank (formerly commerce bank) in Lancaster, pennsylvania. He won the 2009 WOW! award for the top assistant store manager at the bank’s annual employee recognition ceremony. Jim spent most of last summer training and assisting the new Metro bank call center. He serves on the s. June smith center’s battle of the banks committee and the Leukemia & Lymphoma society’s Light The night Walk planning committees in Lancaster and York. Jay◆ Lee accepted a new position with nemacolin Woodlands resort in Farmington, pennsylvania. He will be working in the front-office division of the resort with a concentration in front office operations and accounting. The resort, located in the Laurel Highlands of southwestern pennsylvania, is ranked among the top hotels and spas in the world; it is one of just 21 hotels and resorts with aaa five-diamond lodging and dining.

◆◆Jenn◆Flanagan◆Bradley bradleyj@mercersburg.edu ◆◆Jess◆Malarik jmalarik@gmail.com

Francisco Fernandez ’93 stopped at Mercersburg during Family Weekend in September with his friends Mayte, Montse, Jorge, and Berni during a whirlwind trip across the U.S.

◆◆Kim◆Lloyd kim_lloyd@sbcglobal.net ◆◆David◆Qua davidquach10@yahoo.com Treva◆ Ghattas had her first gallery exhibit at the Washington county arts council gallery in downtown Hagerstown in november. she had five pieces on display. Her pieces were all oil on canvas in the realism style. Kim◆ Lloyd has relocated from chicago to new London, new Hampshire. she is the assistant swimming coach at colby-sawyer college and head swimming coach at Lebanon High school. This winter, Sara◆Surrey starred as bella in a touring production of neil simon’s Lost in Yonkers which ran in Jupiter, Florida; cleveland, Ohio; and at the paper Mill playhouse just outside new York city in Millburn, new Jersey. “nothing like a nice long run,” she says.

◆◆Helen◆Barfield◆Prichett helenprichett@yahoo.com ◆◆Laura◆Linderman◆Barker laura.linderman@t-mobile.com

’91

Jennifer◆Sadula◆deVore works in ip law at rothwell, Figg, ernst & Manbeck in Washington.

◆◆Peggy◆Burns peggyburns@hotmail.com ◆◆Emily◆Gilmer◆Caldwell gilmercaldwell@yahoo.com ◆◆Chip◆Nuttall◆ cliffnuttall1@comcast.net

’92

Chip◆ Nuttall was appointed to the alumni council in October, and recently represented Mercersburg at a school fair in nashville.

◆◆Danielle◆Dahlstrom dlld93@hotmail.com

◆◆Tim◆Gocke tim.gocke@gmail.com ◆◆Rob◆Jefferson rmcjefferson@gmail.com

’93 ’94 ’95

Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today!

job. pete is working at the Miller coors plant in irwindale and we bought a home in san Marino. We have four children now and are enjoying southern california!” Jamie◆Wollrab recently finished a play by adam rapp, Red Light Winter, in boulder, colorado, and also directed a music video for the song “Werewolf Heart” by Dead Man’s bones (a band featuring actor ryan gosling). Jamie is now artistic director of Moth Theatre.

◆◆Lori◆Esposit◆Miller lori_esposit@msn.com ◆◆Geraldine◆Gardner geraldide@hotmail.com

’97

◆◆Emily◆Peterson emilyadairpeterson@gmail.com ◆◆Chris◆Senker chris.senker@cookmedical.com

Pete◆Watkins and Liz◆Curry◆’98 got engaged in December, and will be married in august 2010.

◆◆David◆Danziger ddanzige@earthlink.net Meredith◆ Glah◆ Coors writes, “i have moved to Los angeles for my husband’s

’96

◆◆Liz◆Curry ecurry@tigglobal.com

’98

’99

Colleen◆ Corcoran married Timothy Yates november 22, 2008, in saratoga springs, new York. Jenn◆Flanagan◆Bradley was the maid of honor and Jenn◆ Barr◆ Weiss was a bridesmaid. colleen lives in saratoga springs and works in advertising as an account executive for palio communications. Flynn◆ Corson◆ spent summer 2009 studying in Middlebury’s bread Loaf school of english program in asheville, north carolina. While there, he ran into faculty member Chip◆ Vink◆ ’73, who is also in the program, along with classmate Adam◆Brewer. Luke◆ Swetland is working as a civilian contractor in computer systems for the military, and will be stationed for the next year in Kabul, afghanistan. Ian◆ Wauchope married Teaya Fitzgerald June 20, 2009, in byfield, Massachusetts. ian works as an independent contractor for real-estate closings and is exploring opportunities as a climbing guide/outdoor educator, while Teaya teaches seventh and eighth grade and coaches ice hockey, field hockey, and lacrosse at berwick academy in Maine. ian recently spent a weekend at an ice-climbing festival in the adirondacks while representing the access Fund, a national advocacy organization dedicated to conservation and keeping climbing areas open in the u.s.

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

’00 Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today! ◆◆Kevin◆Glah kevglah@gmail.com ◆◆Taylor◆Horst taylorhorst@gmail.com ◆◆Andrew◆Miller amiller@pioneeringprojects.org Laura◆Bushong◆Weiss◆writes, “My husband, stu, and i welcomed our second child, David Harrison, on December 12, 2009. He joins big sister Madeline (2). We live in new York city, where i am a seventh-grade english and social studies teacher.” During his career as a student at Tufts university, Taylor◆Horst was a member of the beelzebubs, a male a cappella group. in December, the ’bubs finished second on the nbc show The Sing-Off.

◆◆Ann◆Marie◆Bliley abliley@gmail.com

’01

Ben◆ Larson has joined the football coaching staff at the university of Tennessee. He spent the past three years as a graduate assistant at Louisiana Tech university under Derek Dooley, who became Tennessee’s head coach in January.

Sierra◆Nixon writes, “after several years in new York city, i am starting to crave green grass and clean air. My friends here are always entertained by the notion that i grew up amongst horsedrawn carriages in amish country in pennsylvania. i started working at empire, a boutique event-production company, after leaving Warner Music about a year ago. We produce highend, entertainment-driven events for corporations, nonprofits, and even private individuals; some of our recent work includes the opening celebrations for the atlantis resort on palm island in Dubai, and the Film society of Lincoln center’s salute to Tom Hanks. i am helping launch a broadcast division of our live-event business, in hopes that we will both broadcast our TV-worthy events going forward and also take on more televised projects, such as the MTV Video awards, VH1 Fashion rocks, and Macy’s Fourth of July spectacular.”

◆◆Bryan◆Stiffler bryan.stiffler@gmail.com ◆◆Liz◆Stockdale lstockdale@foxcroft.org ◆◆Ian◆Thompson ianmthompson@gmail.com

’02

Noelle◆Bassi◆Smith writes that she and her husband, Justin◆ ’03, are still living in Dallas and celebrated one year of marriage in september. “i started a

ph.D. program in clinical psychology at southern Methodist university, so we will be here for a few more years,” she writes. “We would love to meet up with any fellow Mercersburg alumni in the area.” Laurel◆ Kalp married stephen sviatko august 8, 2009, in the irvine Memorial chapel. The couple lives in edinburg, Virginia, where Laurel is a teacher and stephen works for the Department of parks and recreation.

◆◆Nate◆Fochtman◆ ◆ fochtmann@mercersburg.edu ◆◆Jennifer◆Hendrickson jennhendrickson@gmail.com ◆◆Jessica◆Malone maloneje@gmail.com ◆◆Vanessa◆Youngs veyoungs@gmail.com

’03

Rob Rice would like to let everyone in arizona know he can be reached at rice7r@gmail.com.

◆◆Katie◆Keller kkeller@alum.bucknell.edu ◆◆Nick◆Mellott nhmellott@gmail.com

’04

Former Mercersburg baseball player Mike◆ Marron is an assistant coach at stony brook university, which is an ncaa Division i member and plays in the america east conference. He spent the past four years as an assistant coach at uMass-Lowell. Matt was a three-year starter at Holy cross, where he captained the team his senior year; he helped the blue storm to the 2000 pennsylvania independent schools state title.

’05

Reunion Anniversary Weekend is June 10–13; register today! ◆◆Zander◆Hartung zanderhartung@gmail.com ◆◆Alexis◆Imler alexis.imler@gmail.com ◆◆Tammy◆McBeth tammy.mcbeth@gmail.com ◆◆Nick◆Ventresca◆ ventresca.nick@gmail.com

Katie◆ Eckhart graduated from Franklin & Marshall college with a degree in government. she studied in Oxford during the spring 2009 semester and is now working for the pennsylvania state senate in Harrisburg. Jamar◆Galbreath is in graduate school at penn state university, studying college student affairs. He graduated from allegheny college with a degree in creative writing and black studies. Karla◆Gartner graduated with distinction in pre-med from the university of Toronto, and is attending medical school in Frankfurt, germany. she says she still does judo with passion. Molly◆ Goldstein moved to Washington state and transferred to evergreen college. Jeff◆ Greenberg graduated from Tufts university with a degree in international relations and chinese. He is studying for a master’s in international affairs at columbia university. Zander◆ Hartung is the videographer and editor of Mercersburg’s “True blue” videos. He filmed Jordan◆Jefferson◆’09 in november 2009 and filmed Dianna◆Lora◆’00 in March. Halley◆ Heard works for american background information services in Winchester, Virginia.

Emory◆ Mort◆ finished second overall in the 2009 philadelphia Marathon in november. His time of 2:24.31 was more than a minute ahead of the third-place finisher. emory, a former Mercersburg faculty member (2005 to 2008) ran and later coached at cornell university; he is back at Mercersburg as a volunteer assistant coach for the blue storm track & field teams, and continues to work for LetsRun.com.

Birgit◆ Heraeus finished business school at the WHu-Otto beisheim school of Management in germany. she works at the grameen creative Lab, a project founded by 2006 nobel peace prize recipient Muhammad Yunus and Hans reitz, and is traveling the world and loving it. Alexis◆Imler writes, “Hi everyone! i am the reunion chair for our five-year reunion this summer. i hope everyone is planning on coming back. We are beginning to plan lots of fun events. Looking forward to seeing everyone.”

Rick◆Naething◆spends most of his time in austin, Texas, where he will finish a ph.D. in electrical engineering at the university of Texas next summer. He also travels to albuquerque, new Mexico, to work on his thesis involving radar systems. rick is engaged to Windsor standish; an October 2010 wedding is planned. Carlos Campos ’04 with President Barack Obama at Carlos’ May 2009 graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy.

Arjun◆Kalyanpur graduated from Harvey Mudd college with a degree in engineering and is studying biomedical engineering in graduate school at Duke university.

Births/Adoptions To Zack Gipson ’93 and his wife, Megan: a son, Connor, June 9, 2009. To Laura Bushong Weiss ’00 and her husband, Stu: a son, David Harrison, December 12, 2009.

Faculty

Sonya Karbach is living in San Antonio and doing research on aging at the University of Texas Health Science Center. Alicia Krawczak graduated from Elon University with a degree in environmental studies, biology and Spanish. She is in graduate school at Vanderbilt University, where working toward a master’s of science in nursing; she hopes to become a women’s health nurse practitioner. Jenica Lee is living in Germany and working and researching at the University of Bonn.

To Jason Bershatsky and his wife, former staff member Angela Wood Bershatsky: a son, Jacob Henry, January 11, 2010.

Mark Lesak graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he studied mechanical engineering. He is working in Georgia to become a military intelligence officer, and says he will be going to Afghanistan or Iraq in the future.

To David Grady and his wife, Hope: a son, Dominic Peter, December 30, 2009. To Julia Stojak Maurer ’90 and Matt Maurer: a daughter, Mary Elizabeth, January 5, 2010. Olivia, daughter of Karen Pak Oppenheimer ’93 and her husband, Charles, born August 6, 2009.

Jackie Lora graduated from Syracuse University and is pursuing a master’s in childhood education at Hunter College of the City University of New York. Maher Milly graduated from Bentley University with a degree in finance, and is now working in equity investment for Endurant Capital. Jorck-Julian Odewald is working toward a degree in business administration in Madgeburg, Germany. Whitney Pezza is pursuing a master’s in sport management at Drexel University. She has joined the five-year reunion committee and is helping to organize Mercersburg events in Philadelphia. Nora Posner is studying for a doctorate in clinical psychology at George Washington University.

Jennifer Sadula deVore ’91 and her husband, Peter, with their children, Sarah (born August 26, 2008), and Thomas (born November 16, 2009).

Piper Alex, daughter of Michael White ’88 and his wife, Daniella, born July 31, 2009.

Sarah Powell graduated from Haverford College with a degree in English and French, and was also in the pre-law program there. She is working toward a J.D. in international law, comparative government, and international relations at Emory University. Seth Price graduated from Lafayette College with a degree in civil engineering, and is now studying structural engineering at Texas A&M University. Anne Puhl is in her seventh semester of studying to become a pharmacist. She traveled to Spain last year to learn Spanish. Giannina Schaefer graduated from college last year in Bremen, Germany, and is studying chemistry and chemical biology in graduate school at Harvard University.

McKenna Dorothy, daughter of Patrick Koch ’99 and his wife, KellyMay, born November 11, 2009.

Konstantin Schaller graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in economics and philosophy. He lives in

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Tubingen, germany, and is applying to graduate schools to study political science. Kathleen Sicuranza graduated from george Washington university, where she studied international affairs, italian literature, european studies and conflict, security, and art history. she is pursuing a J.D. at the university of richmond. Robert Slowikowski is finishing college in ingolstadt, germany, and then wants to stay in germany to either move back to Hamburg or look for other opportunities. Dan Snyder graduated from brandeis university with a degree in history. He is now studying at new York university’s carter Journalism institute (with a concentration in magazine writing) and is working at TheFasterTimes.com. Janelle Sunderland graduated from Washington & Jefferson college with a degree in accounting. she works as an assistant manager at World Marketing of america. Jonas Vetter is working for the german air Force; he is stationed in Texas and will be there for at least the next year.

◆ Joy Thomas jatho2@wm.edu ◆ J.T. Wilde jt.wilde@furman.edu

’06

Jarvis Hodge played in eight games this season as a reserve running back for boise state, which was one of two major-college football teams to finish the season undefeated after knocking off Tcu in the Fiesta bowl. Jarvis’ Mercersburg teammate Vincent Rey earned second-team all-atlantic coast conference honors this season as a senior at Duke, and is considered one of the top outside linebackers in the country. in 2009, Vincent compiled a teamhigh 98 tackles and two interceptions. He became the 13th player in Duke history to surpass 300 tackles, finishing his career with 330. Chet Tippen is serving in the u.s. coast guard.

and John Richey ’09—are Mercersburg alumni, and two additional alums— Clinton Brown and Clayton Young ’08—are on the JV team. aidan, allan, and clayton (and Scott Nehrbas, who plays at Franklin & Marshall) were blue storm teammates of Valentin Quan ’08, the top player at Middlebury. u.s. squash ranked Valentin in the top 20 nationally in his division this winter. Evan Harris is busy developing an electronic music blog called “You Would if You Had robot ears” and working as a DJ around downtown nashville. The blog is growing quickly and was projected to reach nearly 100,000 views in the month of January. evan has accepted a position with binary records in Los angeles this summer and would love to meet up with anyone in the area who might be around during that time. Bryan Morgan writes that he has had a couple of musical projects recorded, including a woodwind quintet called “Flutey pebble,” which, as bryan says, is “based on an obstinate with the bassoon, French horn, clarinet, and oboe with the melody in the flute.” bryan, a junior at Duke university, also happens to be the starting center for the blue Devils’ football team.

Andrew Sowers appeared on the FX television show It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

◆ Chris Freeland freelandc@comcast.net ◆ Hannah Starr hs1218@messiah.edu

’08

Bill Campi earned honorable-mention all-Liberty League football honors for the second consecutive season as a defensive lineman at the university of rochester. bill had 51 tackles, two forced fumbles, and a fumble recovery.

Travis Youngs, a junior at ursinus college, won both the triple jump and high jump at a meet in December.

’07

’09

Four members of the u.s. naval academy’s varsity squash team—Aidan Crofton, Allan Lutz, Billy Abrams ’09,

Caroline Lovette ’09 became the first University of Richmond women’s golfer to win an individual tournament title when she captured the 2009 Spider Fall Invitational.

Tim Rahauser, a junior at Dickinson college, was named to the 2009 allcentennial conference men’s soccer team. He helped Dickinson to a 14–4–2 record and the finals of the league tournament, and was also a third-team nscaa all-region selection.

Gussie Reilly started all 17 games as a freshman for the Washington college field hockey team, and scored the game-winning goal in a win over swarthmore.

◆ Xanthe Hilton xanthe89@gmail.com ◆ Chuck Roberts cer2141@columbia.edu

West Virginia defensive lineman Curtis Feigt ’09 and Mercersburg head football coach Dan Walker at the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day in Jacksonville, Florida. Curtis redshirted this year for the Mountaineers.

◆ Kiersten Bell 09bellk@earthlink.net ◆ Annie Birney annieb14@aol.com ◆ J.B. Crawford crawfordj304@gmail.com ◆ Ariel Imler animler@edisto.cofc.edu ◆ Rachael Porter

rmp413@lehigh.edu ◆ Shaniqua Reeves reevsd9@wfu.edu ◆ Andrew Reynolds reynola@purdue.edu ◆ Molly Serpi serpim@comcast.net ◆ Bond Stockdale stockdaleb7@gmail.com ◆ Coralie Thomas coraliemlthomas@gmail.com Kiersten Bell, a swimmer at Kenyon college, posted automatic qualifying times for the ncaa Division iii championships in november. she beat the automatic qualification standards in the 500 freestyle and 1650 freestyle, and was named the north coast athletic conference’s swimmer of the Week for her efforts. Tempest Bowden is on the squash team at Mount Holyoke college, and won her first four matches as a collegian. Michael Lo’s “combo” teapot, which won a national scholastic art awards gold Medal last year, is on display through spring 2010 at the u.s. Department of education’s Lyndon baines Johnson building in Washington. Michael’s “combo” and “rocker” teapots

are featured alongside a ceramic sculpture by classmate Min Seok Kim in Experiencing Clay, a new ceramic book by Maureen Mackey. Asia Walker married Joey castro august 30, 2009. asia has joined the u.s. army reserve and is being shipped to Fort Jackson, south carolina, for boot camp, while Joey will be at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

Faculty Mark Cubit, Mercersburg’s head boys’ basketball coach for the past 11 seasons, was inducted into the Delco [Delaware county, pennsylvania] athletes Hall of Fame. cubit starred at sharon Hill High school, the university of Vermont and syracuse university, and as a professional player in england. Wells Gray is one of four high-school educators whose curriculum is featured in the latest edition of the Advanced Placement Art History Teacher’s Guide. Wells has taught at Mercersburg since 1999.

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Obituaries

Obituaries ’31 Joseph R. Shreiner, February 23, 2008. (Irving, football, baseball) Joe attended Colgate University and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps in North Africa and Italy during World War II. He is survived by a son (Joe ’64), a daughter, and five grandchildren.

’32

Abraham C. Troup, March 16, 2009. (Marshall) A graduate of Princeton University, Abe was co-owner of Troup Bros. Piano and Furniture Store in Harrisburg from 1936 to 1965. From 1965 to 1979, he was with the trust department of the Commonwealth National Bank in Harrisburg. He was an Army veteran of World War II, and was predeceased by his wife and a son. He is survived by his sister-in-law, two nephews, and a niece.

’35

David J. Benjamin, June 30, 2008. (Marshall, Glee Club, News Board, football, baseball, swimming manager) A graduate of Yale University, Dave served in the U.S. Army as a junior-grade infantry officer during World War II. In 1946, he started the Benjamin Coal Company in central Pennsylvania; during the 1970s and 1980s, the company was the largest surface mine operator in the state. In 1964, he was the only industry representative to be appointed by the governor to serve on Pennsylvania’s Surface Mining and Land Reclamation Board. The board was to develop coal surface mining reclamation laws, which became a model for the federal government’s regulations for the industry. He co-founded and later served as a board member and president of Penn-Mont Academy, the second Montessori school to be established in the United States when it opened in 1961. Survivors include his wife, Paula; a daughter and two sons; three grandchildren and a great-granddaughter; and a nephew, Greg Morris ’75. William W. McCune, February 1, 2009. (Marshall, Chapel Choir, Glee Club, swimming) Bill graduated from Haverford College and the University of Pennsylvania Medical School. He was a Navy veteran of World War II, serving in both the European and Pacific theaters. He practiced medicine as an obstetrician and gynecologist. He was predeceased by his wife of 48 years, Darinka Alexich McCune, in 1996. Survivors include three children (including son George ’72), three grandchildren, and a great-grandson. John M. Seabrook, February 11, 2009. (Irving) Jack graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University. He went to work at Seabrook Farms, which his grandfather and father built from a small farm in Cumberland County, New Jersey, into one of the largest industrialized farms in the world. He became president in 1954 and built the business into one of the world’s largest producers of frozen vegetables

and prepared meals. In 1959, he joined I.U. International, a utilities company headquartered in Philadelphia. As chief executive, he built a global corporation with interests in energy, mining, shipping, and transportation and food products. He was predeceased by brothers Belford ’28 and Courtney ’28. Survivors include four children and five grandchildren, as well as step-nephew Joe Huber ’64.

’36

Stewart N. Bolling, August 1, 2009. He was president and owner of Erie Engine and Manufacturing Company until his retirement in 1973. Survivors include his wife, Ruby. J. Charles Hays, January 6, 2009. (Irving, Camera Club, Chemistry Club, track) He received a master’s degree in education from the University of Pennsylvania, and was an Army veteran of World War II. Following the war, he served as vice principal and principal at Salem High School in Salem, New Jersey, until his retirement in 1967. Henry B. Heyl, October 27, 2009. (Marshall, Chemistry Club) Brad graduated from the University of Michigan and was a Navy veteran of World War II. A retired electrical engineer, his survivors include his wife, Anne; three daughters; and two grandchildren. Walter Neustadt Jr., January 5, 2010. (Irving declaimer, Stamp Club, wrestling, basketball, Blue and White Melodians) A graduate of Yale University, Walter was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Oklahoma, where he served as a trustee on the University Foundation. In 1977, he received the school’s Distinguished Service Citation. He served in the U.S. Army Air Force in World War II. He was president of Westheimer-Neustadt Corporation and senior partner of Neustadt Land and Development Company. His brother, Jean ’40, preceded him in death. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Dottie; his brother, Allen ’46; and three daughters and six grandchildren.

’37

Andrew W. Bisset, September 26, 2009. (Marshall, swimming, track) Andy graduated from Lafayette College and was a captain in the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II. He was awarded the Bronze Star with a Combat V for his service in the Pacific theater from 1941 to 1946. He graduated from Yale Law School and was a partner in the law firm Bisset & Adkins in Connecticut and New York City, specializing in estates and trusts. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Holly Beverly Bisset; three sons (Andrew ’63, Doug ’65, and Paul ’69); eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; and three sisters. J. William Daugherty, July 28, 2008. (South Cottage, Marshall, Marshal of the Field, Class Day Committee) Bill attended the University of Pennsylvania and the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Tulsa, Oklahoma. He worked at Bendix Aviation before serving in the Army

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Air Corps during World War II. Following the war, he joined Frankoma Pottery in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, where he became vice president and general manager. His long career in ceramics and engineering skills helped make Frankoma Pottery an internationally known manufacturer. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rosemary Allen Daugherty; two sons and two daughters; and six grandchildren. Fletcher Hanks Jr., March 16, 2008. (’Eighty-eight, Irving, Chapel Usher, wrestling, soccer, cross country) A graduate of Lehigh University, Fletcher was a Pan Am Airways co-pilot flying supplies to India, Central America, South America, and Alaska. From July 1942 to August 1945, he flew 347 flights in unarmed C-47s delivering supplies to inaccessible areas of China, using “The Hump,” a path from India over the southern Himalayas. He was the proprietor of the Maryland Clam Company and Hanks Seafood Company in Easton, Maryland. He invented and patented the hydraulic conveyor clam-digger—an invention that landed him an appearance on the television game show What’s My Line? He retired from the seafoodpacking business three decades ago. He was predeceased by his brother, Doug ’34. Survivors include two sons (including Chris ’72), three daughters, and his widow, Jane Foster Hanks, who died October 17, 2009. John W. Sheibley, June 15, 2005. (Irving, Concert Band, Academy Band, Blue & White Melodians, Assembly Orchestra) William B. Simpson, November 25, 2009. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Y.M.C.A. Cabinet, Les Copains, choir, Glee Club, football, swimming, tennis) Bill graduated from Lehigh University and served with the U.S. Marine Corps as a commissioned officer with an engineering battalion in the Pacific theater in the Bougainville, Guam, and Okinawa campaigns. He remained in the reserves following World War II and was reactivated during the Korean War. In 1992, he retired as president from the family business, Simpson and Brown Contracting Engineers, in Cranford, New Jersey. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Mary Huber Shaffer, as well as his father, Charles (1900), and brother, Jim ’34. He is survived by six sons (including Charles ’65), 13 grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren.

’38

E. James Bryner, September 22, 2009. (Marshall, Stamp Club, Glee Club) A graduate of Lafayette College, Jim instructed U.S. Navy V-5 flying cadets at the Allentown-Bethlehem Airport during World War II. He was the retired president of the Pennsylvania Oil and Gas Association. He was predeceased by his wife, June Andrews Bryner, and brother, John ’32. Survivors include a son, three daughters, and four grandchildren. Robert B. Charles, August 9, 2004. (Irving, wrestling) Roy A. Dye, August 6, 2008. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, choir, Glee Club) A graduate of Haverford College and a Navy veteran of World War II, Roy was twice cited for the Distinguished Service Medal. Throughout his career, he was associated with Republic Steel Corporation. He was predeceased by his first wife, Louise Cummins Dye. Survivors include his wife, Ethel, six children, and 10 grandchildren.

’39

William M. Kelly, April 30, 2009. (Irving) Bill graduated from the University of Michigan and was a lifetime resident of Birmingham,

Michigan. He was a retired sales engineer and projects manager for General Motors. Frederick K. Price, January 5, 2008. (Irving, baseball) Fred’s entire business career was spent in the freight marketing and sales department of Conrail and its predecessor companies, the Pennsylvania Railroad and Penn Central Transportation Company. He retired from Conrail in 1985. He was a member of the Board of Associates of Hood College for more than 40 years and was a past chairman of the board. Survivors include his wife, Deanne Thompson Price; a daughter; and two granddaughters and four great-grandchildren.

’40

Howard R. Flock, October 3, 2009. (Main, Irving, The Fifteen, News associate editor, Press Club, KARUX Board, Les Copains, Lit associate editor, Glee Club, Concert Orchestra, track, tennis, Cum Laude, salutatorian) Howard earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, a master of fine arts from Harvard University, and a Ph.D. from Cornell University. He served as an officer in the Navy during World War II, and fought on a destroyer escort ship in the Battle of Okinawa. Howard was a longtime professor at York University in Toronto, and helped build an influential psychology department at the school. He authored numerous articles in his field and was a pacesetter in the research of visual perception. He lived in New York City at the time of his death, and made a substantial bequest to support international travel by Mercersburg students. He was predeceased by his brother, Manfred ’37; survivors include a sister-in-law and two nieces. John L. Speer Jr., January 23, 2009. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, News Board, Chapel Usher, Radio Club, cross country, track, baseball) John was an Army Air Force veteran of World War II. He graduated from Lafayette College and New York University. For 32 years, he was a teacher and counselor for the Public Schools of Pittsburgh; he retired in 1981. He is survived by his wife, Jean Dunlap Speer; a son and daughter; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren and four step-grandchildren. His father, John (1910), preceded him in death.

’41

George E. Chambers, October 15, 2009. (Marshall, KARUX, Stony Batter, Chapel Usher, cross country) George, who served in the U.S. Coast Guard, retired in 1985 after 40 years as a river pilot on the Delaware River and Delaware Bay; he was a third-generation river pilot in his family. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jane Barnard Chambers, and his son, John ’79. Survivors include two sons, a daughter, eight grandchildren (including Tyler ’08), and four great-grandchildren. John F. Dickey, September 28, 1999. (Keil, Irving, Glee Club, football, Concert Orchestra) W. Tracy Estabrook Jr., November 21, 2009. (Main, Irving, Chapel Usher, swimming, track) He was a fighter pilot in the Army Air Corps during World War II, flying 67 combat missions in the European theater. He spent most of his business career in electronic engineering and sales, and retired in 1988. In addition to his wife, Mary, survivors include a son, a daughter, four grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. J. William Hirt, May 22, 2006. (Marshall)

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

’42

Mark W. Deichman, October 18, 2009. A graduate of Penn State University, he was a retired plant manager and quality control director with Southern Wood Piedmont Company in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Whitmore Deichman, and father, Mark ’14. Survivors include a son, a daughter, and two grandchildren. Robert J. Rosenau, April 6, 2009. (South Cottage, Irving, football, baseball) Rob was a radio operator and navigator in World War II. Following the war, he was called upon to replace his ailing father in managing Nannette Manufacturing Company, a children’s clothing manufacturer in Philadelphia. Along with his uncle and cousin, he took the company to being one of the largest and best-known in the industry. He was preceded in death by his wife, Doris Samter Rosenau. Survivors include three sons, five grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

’43

R. Boyd Adrain, September 7, 2006. (Irving, Laucks) Boyd was a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War.

Charles R. Bepler, December 19, 2007. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Laticlavii, spider football, track, cross country, Marshal of the Field) Carl A. Cantera, April 5, 2009. (Keil, Marshall) Carl served in both the Army and Navy. Following World War II, he earned his degree in civil engineering at the University of Delaware and joined Cantera Construction, the family business started by his father in 1924. Under Carl’s leadership, the business expanded and became Bellevue Holding Company, developing office buildings, apartment complexes, banks, shopping centers, and residential waterfront properties. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Betty J. Cantera; four children and six grandchildren; and his brother, Charlie ’46. William B. Wisner, May 14, 2008. (South Cottage, Marshall, Lit Board, News Board, Concert Band, The Fifteen, Laticlavii, Les Copains, Chemistry Club, soccer, Class Ode Committee chairman) An Army veteran of World War II, Bill graduated from Princeton University. He was associated with several agencies and taught insurance classes at Syracuse University. Survivors include his wife, Marcia Musante Wisner, three sons, and two grandchildren.

’44

John A. Hague, May 21, 2009. (Keil, Irving debater, Les Copains, The Fifteen, choir, Glee Club, Football/Concert Bands) He received an undergraduate degree from Princeton University and a doctorate from Yale University. A Woodrow Wilson Fellow, he won a Morse Fellowship for post-doctoral studies. He joined the faculty at Stetson University in 1955, directed the National American Studies Faculty from 1971 to 1977, and served as a Fulbright lecturer in Belgium in 1988. He was the founder and chair of Stetson’s American studies program, a position he held until his 1992 retirement as professor emeritus. In addition to his wife of 56 years, Janet Rogers Hague, he is survived by a son, two daughters, and two grandchildren.

’45

Hale E. Andrews, December 7, 2009. (South Cottage, Marshall, Class President, Senate, The Fifteen vice president, Les Copains, Chemistry Club, Cum Laude, valedictorian) Hale graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University, and served in the Navy during World War II. He was a longtime aviation enthusiast and was particularly fond of aerobatic flying, owning a number of different aircrafts through the years. In 1985, after a 22-year career, he retired from Pennsylvania Glass Sand Corporation, serving for the last 17 years as president and CEO. He also served 15 years on Mercersburg’s Board of Regents. In addition to his wife of 41 years, Luella, he is survived by four children, three stepchildren, 23 grandchildren, and 17 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his brother, Fred ’46. James C. Riley, November 25, 2008. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Glee Club, soccer, track) A graduate of the University of Delaware, Jim began his lifelong career with Gilpin, Van Trump & Montgomery in 1955. He rose through the ranks and became president and CEO in 1975. Survivors include his wife of 57 years, Nancy Gill Riley; and a son, three daughters, and four grandchildren.

’46

Eugene M. Goldberg, July 30, 2009. (South Cottage, Marshall, El Circulo Español, Radio Club, Camera Club, soccer) Gene attended Cornell University and completed his degree at the University of California, Los Angeles. He joined the California Air National Guard and was called to serve in Germany. Originally a salesperson for the Elgin Watch Company, he moved to a career in life-insurance commerce in 1966, first with the Equitable and later with Massachusetts Mutual Life. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marlene, and a granddaughter. Survivors include a son, two daughters, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Ellis N. Harter, June 2, 2007. (Marshall) Paul V. Rogers, August 20, 2008. (South Cottage, Irving vice president, Senate secretary, News business manager, baseball captain, football, wrestling) “Sam” studied at the University of Virginia until the outbreak of the Korean War; he fought with the 38th Infantry Division and was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge and two Bronze Stars. Following the war, he owned several small businesses in Leesburg, Virginia. In 1962, he moved to Florida, where he established himself in the insurance business. He retired in 2002. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his father (a World War I veteran), his mother, and his grandfather (a veteran of the Civil War).

’47

David A. Graffam, January 16, 2009. (Irving, football) After serving as an officer in the Army during the Korean War, Dave was president of Graffam Floors, a wholesale distributorship of carpet, linoleum, tile, and installation supplies in Cleveland with warehouses in Pittsburgh and Youngstown. In addition to his wife, Helen Huchinson Graffam, survivors include two daughters, two grandchildren, and a nephew, Steve ’76. James H.S. Pierson, October 11, 2007. (’Eighty-eight, Irving, Les Copains, Chemistry Club, soccer)

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’48

Karl J. Kaufman, November 21, 2008. (South Cottage, Irving, Caducean Club, baseball) A graduate of Gettysburg College and the Pennsylvania College of Optometry, he was an optometrist in Wayne, Pennsylvania. In addition to his wife of 51 years, Leah Cohen Kaufman, survivors include three daughters, a son, and nine grandchildren.

P. Kahler Hench, October 28, 2009. (South Cottage, Irving, Rauchrunde, Chapel Usher, Stony Batter, Caducean Club, Varsity Club, swimming, track, cheerleader) A graduate of Lafayette College and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Kahler interned at the University of Colorado Medical Center and completed residency and fellowships at the Mayo Clinic. He was a guest investigator at the National Institutes of Health and pursued postgraduate education at rheumatologic centers in Scandinavia and Russia. He began his career with the Division of Rheumatology at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in 1965. He served as head of the division from 1974 to 1982; he later became a senior consultant and a professor at the Scripps Research Institute. He retired in 1998. Survivors include his wife of 55 years, Barbara Kent Hench; two sons and a daughter; five grandchildren; a brother, John ’61; and a great-nephew, Ben Veghte ’01.

Mark A. Mosolino, December 18, 2009. (’Eighty-eight, Irving president, Class Secretary, Senate, Les Copains, Y.M.C.A. Cabinet, Stony Batter, Varsity Club, football captain, swimming, track, Marshal of the Field) Mark graduated from Syracuse University and was a decorated Army veteran of the Korean War. He owned and operated Fuel & Tank Cleaning Services in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania, before retiring to Florida. He was predeceased by his wife, Anne McGrory Mosolino, in 1995. Survivors include a daughter, five sons, and six grandchildren.

James P. Gordon, November 12, 2009. (Marshall, wrestling) A graduate of Stanford University, Jim was president and CEO of Gordon Construction Company in Denver. In addition to his wife, Gail, survivors include a son, two daughters, and seven grandchildren.

John Perkins, September 5, 2008. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, El Circulo Español, Glee Club, Gun Club, football, swimming, track) A graduate of Rutgers University, John served in the U.S. Navy Reserve. He was CEO of John Perkins Industries and Perkins Enterprises in Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to his wife, Nancy Lorita Miller Perkins, he is survived by three daughters and a son.

’49

Edward A. Hagenbuch III, June 28, 2009. (Main, Marshall, Radio Club) Ed served four years as a radio operator in the Navy, and later graduated from La Salle University. In addition to his wife, Dorothy, survivors include a son, a daughter, and four grandchildren. Evan O. Kane III, March 4, 2009. (South Cottage, Marshall, The Fifteen, Les Copains, Stony Batter secretary-treasurer, Senior Club, baseball, soccer) “Tom” graduated from Syracuse University. During a career of more than 40 years, he was a partner in several firms in Syracuse, New York, acting as project architect, designer, and industrial group head. A former Mercersburg class agent, he was predeceased by his brother, Orlo ’48. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Cindy Brown Kane; two daughters; a son, Andy ’79; and nine grandchildren.

’50

Paul M. Alexander, October 2, 2009. (South Cottage, Marshall, El Circulo Español, Chemistry Club, swimming) He graduated from Colgate University and the Carnegie Institute of Technology. Throughout his life, he was an avid sailor on New York’s Lake Chautauqua, and he loved his association with the Chautauqua Institution. Paul was predeceased by his father, William Jr. ’20; survivors include a brother, Bill ’49. Donald J. Fitch, October 22, 2009. (Main, Marshall, El Circulo Español, Glee Club, Concert Band, Blue & White Melodians, orchestra) Survivors include his wife, Joan; a son and daughter; and two grandchildren.

Gerald N. Rapoport, January 1, 2010. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, El Circulo Español, football, baseball) A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Gerry served in the Navy and worked in the furniture business. While working at J.H. Harvey in New York, he developed the ready-to-assemble furniture concept. He later opened a chain of stores, Everything Goes, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He retired in 1990. Survivors include his wife, June, and a sister. Robert T. Renfrew Jr., December 5, 2009. (Maple Cottage, Marshall president, basketball, football, baseball, Marshal of the Field, El Circulo Español, Varsity Club) A graduate of Lafayette College, Bob was head mining engineer for Bethlehem Steel in Cornwall and Bethlehem for 30 years. In addition to Anne, his wife of 53 years, survivors include three children and seven grandchildren.

’51

Norman S. Greenberg, January 19, 2008. (South Cottage, Irving debater, Les Copains, Chemistry Club, Caducean Club vice president, Chess Club, Stony Batter, baseball, Higbee Orator, Cum Laude) He graduated from Princeton University, attended medical school at New York University, and did his post-doctoral training at San Francisco General Hospital and Stanford University. He practiced pediatrics for 20 years at Kaiser Hospital in Santa Clara, California. In addition to his wife of 48 years, Bette Bovens Greenberg, survivors include three children and five granddaughters. William C. Hendricks Jr., March 28, 2009. (South Cottage, Marshall, Les Copains, Chemistry Club, Chapel Usher, Caducean Club, Jurisprudence Society, soccer, basketball, baseball, Varsity Club) A graduate of Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, he continued his training at Geisinger Medical Center. In 1963, he began a fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic in the field of neurosurgery. He began his medical practice in Erie in 1968. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Janet Ketner Hendricks; three daughters; and three grandchildren. He was predeceased by his father, William ’18. Edward B. Stephenson, July 24, 2009. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, El Circulo Español, Laticlavii, Christian Service Group, Glee Club, Octet, cross country, track) Ed earned a Navy ROTC scholarship to Duke University, and served on ships deployed throughout the world. He would attain the rank of captain in the Naval Reserve. He worked on Atlas and Polaris missiles at Cape Canaveral, and

Mercersbu rg Magazi n e spri ng 2010

later worked at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California for Martin Marietta. He retired in 1999. Survivors include his first wife, Alma Furlow; his second wife, Margaret Sams; a daughter and stepson; and two grandchildren.

’52

Rolf B. Kreitz, October 16, 2009. (’Eighty-eight, Marshall, Glee Club, Octet, Stony Batter, baseball) Rolf graduated from Lehigh University. His Army career included tours in Korea, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Among his numerous military citations were the National Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and the Bronze Star. He retired from active duty with the rank of lieutenant colonel in 1980. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Anne Kreitz. Survivors include two sons and a daughter.

’53

Ernest H. McCoy, July 14, 2009. (Irving) A graduate of Penn State University, Ernie was senior partner at Bruce & McCoy in Oakland, California. His specialty was patent and trademark law. In addition to his wife, Nancy, survivors include a son, three grandchildren, and five stepsons.

’54

Peter L. DeWalt, January 1, 2010. (Keil, Marshall, Chemistry Club, football, soccer, basketball, track) Pete enlisted in the Navy and served aboard the USS Des Moines in the Mediterranean. Following his naval service, he graduated from Waynesburg University. He began his business career in sales and marketing at PPG Industries in Pittsburgh; in 1985, he founded Advance Textiles. He retired in 2004. Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Susan David DeWalt; a son and daughter; and four granddaughters.

’58

David C. Downie, December 29, 2008. (Main, Irving vice president, Student Council, Stony Batter, Chapel Usher, Dance Committee, The Fifteen, Les Copains, News Board) A graduate of Dartmouth College and the Wharton School of Business, David’s business career included executive directorships of several organizations. Among his survivors are his longtime partner, Anna Coscoluella, and two brothers, including Bob ’56.

’63

Philip W. Small, July 7, 2009. (Main, Marshall, Class Day Committee, Jurisprudence Society, News, Varsity Club, tennis) A graduate of Duke University, Kip earned an MBA from INSEAD (originally called the European Institute of Business Administration) in France. He served in the Navy aboard the USS Forrestal, and was commissioned as a lieutenant in the Naval Reserve. Among his employers was IBM World Trade Europe. Survivors include a brother, a sister, and numerous nieces and nephews.

’64

Paul H. Bradley, October 19, 2009 (Main, Irving, Les Copains, Caducean Club, Engineers Club, Stony Batter, soccer, tennis) A graduate of McGill University, he was a systems analyst for the Mitre Corporation. He was an avid sailor who possessed a captain’s license and

was engaged in the building of sailboats in Rockport Harbor, Maine. In addition to his wife, Karla, survivors include two stepchildren and two grandchildren.

’65

Christopher B. Cochran, August 5, 2009. (Main, Marshall, Stony Batter, Engineering Club, Chess Club, Bridge Club, Chapel Reader, football, tennis) Chris was president of Cochran Consultants in Worth, Illinois. Survivors include his wife of 34 years, Linda Zwirblis Cochran, and two sons.

’66

William L. Huffman Jr., September 20, 2009. (Irving, Chapel Usher, Blue Key, Caducean Club, Ski Club, Stony Batter, football) A graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, his career was in the banking industry. Survivors include his wife, Ann Thurber Huffman, a son, and two daughters.

’72

James S.A. Kirk, September 5, 2009. (Marshall, Spanish Club, Film Club, football captain, lacrosse, wrestling, Varsity Club) Survivors include a brother, John ’69, and stepdaughter, Jennifer Panasiti ’90.

Falk F.C. Ischinger, June 6, 2000. (tennis)

’97 ’99

Robin E. Dzvonik, September 25, 2007. (Fowle, Irving) He graduated from Reed College in Portland, Oregon. Survivors include a sister, Anna ’00.

Former faculty/staff/friends David A. Cofrin, philanthropist, father of David H. Cofrin ’66 and Paige Cofrin ’70, and grandfather of Sable Cofrin ’07, August 11, 2009. James D. Conlin, former faculty member, November 10, 2009. Jim served on the faculty from 1954 to 1970, and during his time at Mercersburg was head of the math department and coached basketball. He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving in Germany and with Eisenhower’s headquarters in France. Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Martha Price Conlin, as well as a son, a daughter, and six grandchildren. James S. Furnary, father of Tony Furnary ’76, Marie Furnary ’78, Carol Furnary Casparian ’79, and Jeanne-Marie Furnary ’83, and grandfather of Alicia Furnary ’09, Nicholas Casparian ’11, and Elizabeth Casparian ’13, March 29, 2009. He was chief resident at Case Western Reserve and University Hospitals of Cleveland. He was in private practice as a general surgeon, and served on staff at several hospitals in the greater Johnstown, Pennsylvania, area. In addition to those listed above, survivors include his wife, Helen Ondeck Furnary, and son-in-law, Mike Stapp ’83 (husband of Jeanne-Marie Furnary). Philip J. Mara Jr., former faculty member (2002–2003) and director of annual giving, November 5, 2009. Survivors include his wife, Milbrey Southerland (Mibs) Mara, son, P.J., and daughter, Charlotte. Paul M. Suerken, faculty emeritus, March 21, 2010. [page 5]

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M y Say

It really is a humbling privilege to be chosen by you—the distinguished

members of The Pennsylvania Society—to be honored this evening. I want to thank all of my friends that are here tonight, which I really appreciate—so would you stand and be recognized, all three of you? [Laughter and applause] I know it’s a big state, but thank you all for being here—very much. Excerpt from Pennsylvania Society Gold Medal Address by H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest ’49 When I consider the extraordinary list of those who have received [The Pennsylvania Society’s Gold Medal Award for Distinguished Achievement], it’s really daunting. The Pennsylvania Society’s list of honorees is a fascinating roll call of history. It salutes so many outstanding and worthy individuals, and I am proud, for this brief moment, to stand before you and honor those who came before me for their contributions to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. I owe a lot to Pennsylvania. My mother was from Pittsburgh; her ancestors were Scots-Irish and helped settle the area in the 1700s. She died when I was 13, and I was sort of a disoriented child. So my father decided to send me to Mercersburg Academy; my mother had mentioned Mercersburg to my father because she had a distant cousin named Jimmy Stewart [’28], the actor from Indiana, Pennsylvania. So he sent me to Mercersburg and that turned me around and instilled in me the desire to learn and also the feeling that if I tried hard that I could be successful in life. After college at Washington and Lee, and the U.S. Navy, and Columbia Law School, I practiced law in New York. In 1965, I went to Philadelphia to be house counsel for Walter Annenberg’s Triangle Publications. After five years as house counsel, Walter let me purchase two of his cable systems with two gentlemen from Lebanon, Pennsylvania, who put up the money and who I later bought out. We went from 7,600 subscribers in 1974 to over 1.2 million when we sold to Comcast in 2000. Selling the company in 2000 provided Marguerite and me the opportunity to give money away—because we both feel that wealth is responsibility, and we didn’t want to leave too much money to our children and grandchildren and their unborn children.

We have given most of our wealth away to support the causes that we feel would have the most impact for good. We have learned in the process that the true quality of life is not how many cars you own or homes you own or airplanes you own, but who you are as a person. And we have tried very hard to achieve that. As Ben Franklin said, “A man wrapped up in himself makes a very small bundle.” Pennsylvania has been our home, the home of our children—they’ve grown up in Pennsylvania and now live in Pennsylvania—and it’s been the source of my success in business and the source of our philanthropy. So we’re both proud to be Pennsylvanians. Thank you all for this honor. Lenfest received The Pennsylvania Society’s Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement December 12. For more information about the award, turn to page 7.

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