Mercersburg Magazine - Spring 2022 by Mercersburg Academy

SPRING 2022

Foodand Health page 22

CONTE SPRING 2022

Did You Know? Mercersburg’s football team won the Keystone State Football League title in November by defeating Perkiomen School in a dramatic overtime contest. For more shots of the first full autumn of Blue Storm sports in two years,

FEATURES

see page 20.

22 Home Plate The Food for Thought Springboard course, which is open to students in Mercersburg’s senior class, uses food as a lens to examine broad issues of importance in today’s world

28 Pivoting on a Dine Director of Dining Services Bill Korhammer takes us inside Ford Hall’s kitchen (safely) during this continuing global pandemic

30 Your Very Own Mercersburg-

Recommended Mini-Cookbook

Clip and save these beloved recipes from Mercersburg’s faculty and staff; your taste buds will thank you

NTS

Editor: Lee Owen P ’24 Senior Contributor: Megan Mallory Contributors: Debra Collins P ’14, Wynne Elser ’22, Melody Howe ’22, Amy Marathe, Tyler Miller, Bube Osaji ’22, Cody Parks, Zally Price, Jillian Wilkerson Design: Mid-Atlantic Media Cover Art: Jean-Manuel Duvivier Acting Head of School: Quentin McDowell P ’25 Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications: Amy Marathe Mercersburg Academy magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Strategic Marketing and Communications Magazine correspondence: magazine@mercersburg.edu Class Notes correspondence: classnotes@mercersburg.edu Alumni correspondence/change of address: alumni@mercersburg.edu 800-588-2550 Main school phone: 717-328-2151 Read us online: mercersburg.edu/magazine To receive this magazine exclusively online and to be notified electronically when a new issue is available, email magazine@mercersburg.edu. © Copyright 2022 Mercersburg Academy. All rights reserved. No content from this publication may be reproduced or reprinted in any form without the express written consent of Mercersburg Academy.

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, age, or national or ethnic origin.

Look for this image throughout the magazine to indicate additional photos, videos, and other content online at mercersburg.edu/magazine.

DEPARTMENTS 2 From the Acting Head of School

3 Calendar 4 Social Media

5 Living the Values

31 Alumni Life

10 A Mercersburg Moment

41 Class Notes

12 By the Numbers

57 Class of ’32 Award

13 Campus Life 20 Athletics SPRING 2022

FROM THE ACTING HEAD OF SCHOOL

Never Miss a Meal

ver a period of time, life at a boarding school can begin to feel like a cyclical affair, filled with a certain sense of predictability year after year. While our members,

particularly students, come and go at a regular cadence, most of the rituals, routines, and traditions of the institution have remained steadfastly in place. This is, in fact, one of the ties that binds us all together. The shared experience of living, learning, and working at Mercersburg Academy is unique and altogether special. It is central to what makes us a community, to what makes us Mercersburg.

“Meals are often less about what is on our

One of the most difficult aspects of the pandemic thus far has been the need to disrupt a few of our key practices in order to ensure the health and well-being of our students, faculty, and

plates and a lot more

staff. Most glaring for me personally has been the near absence of

about who we share

how much you miss something until it is gone,” but I have come

family-style meals. Perhaps it is a classic case of “you don’t know

the table with. They

to realize just how incredibly powerful the act of all gathering in

are chances to see,

spend under one roof, breaking bread, connecting, and forging

hear, and know the people around us.”

Ford Hall together to share a meal each day truly is. The time we relationships is food for our souls. We will get back to family-style meals soon enough, but it is important for me to not lose sight of the lesson I learned. Meals are often less about what is on our plates and a lot more about who we share the table with. They are chances to see, hear, and know the people around us. And at Mercersburg, they are about building and maintaining the community we love. I, for one, cannot wait to hear that bell ring again.

Quentin McDowell P ’25 Acting Head of School

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Calendar Commencement for the Class of 2022

Irving-Marshall Week

MAY 28

FEBRUARY 27–MARCH 3

FEBRUARY/MARCH Irving-Marshall Week (look for full coverage in our next issue) February 27–March 3

Spring Pops Concert April 8 Ammerman Family Lecture: Robert Sapolsky April 12

Winter term ends March 3

Spring Music Concert April 22

Spring term begins March 22

APRIL

Reunion Weekend Special: Makeup Reunion for classes ending in 0, 1, 5, and 6 April 30

Cum Laude Convocation April 1

MAY

JUNE End of academic year for non-seniors June 3 Commencement for the Class of 2020 June 4 Reunion Weekend June 9–12 Last day to give to the 2022 Mercersburg Annual Fund June 30

Spring Dance Concert May 14

SUMMER 2022 Look for the next issue of Mercersburg Academy magazine to arrive in your mailbox!

Mercersburg Intensive (for non-seniors) May 23–June 2 Baccalaureate May 27 Commencement May 28

Stony Batter Players present Matilda April 1–2

Reunion Weekend

All events and schedules are subject to change. Please visit mercersburg.edu for the most up-to-date information related to our virtual and in-person activities.

JUNE 9–12

SPRING 2022

CMYK / .eps

SOCIAL MEDIA

@mercersburg

What better way to mark a special someone’s 156th birthday than with pretzel pie? Happy birthday to Mercersburg’s founding headmaster, Dr. William Mann Irvine, who was born on this day (October 13) back in 1865. To celebrate, students enjoyed the school’s signature dessert during lunch.

Mercersburg’s Community Engagement team presented faculty member Jeff Cohen with a $1,500 check for Christian World Service. Cohen made 500 loaves of banana bread to raise money for CWS’ efforts to find homes for Afghani families in the Lancaster area. #WeDoGoodWork

/mercersburgacademy

How do you say “welcome” where you are from? During the school meeting today, the Mercersburg community officially welcomed 46 new international students who represent 21 nations. This celebration was led by returning students from those 21 countries, members of the Student Council, and faculty members Renata Williams (director of diversity, equity, and inclusion) and Justine O’Connell (director of global programs). The student body concluded the meeting by singing the Alma Mater with full hearts and loud swelling cheers!

/mburgalumni

@mburgalumni

/mercersburg1893

Four alumni have joined the ranks of Mercersburg’s faculty this fall: Phoebe Moore Miller ’13 as an assistant director of admission and financial aid, Amy Shaffer Post ’02 as a counselor in the Rutherford Health and Wellness Center, Emily Schoenberger ’15 as an English and history teacher, and Sarah Firestone ’13 as an athletics fitness and performance coordinator. Welcome to all four!

Mercersburg Academy Summer Programs is all about fun! Our campus provides the perfect setting for a wide range of opportunities for learning, personal growth, and most importantly, fun. #MburgSummer

@mercersburghos Pictured L-R: faculty emeriti Ron Simar P ’86, ’90, ’91, Brent Gift, Paul Galey P ’00, ’02, Karl Reisner P ’94, ’97, Ray Larson P ’97, ’01, ’06, and Jack Hawbaker P ’10, ’14. “We get together somewhat frequently for lunch, movies, etc.,” Hawbaker says. “This inspired the creative mind of Brent Gift to name the group OTHERS (short for Over the Hill Emeriti Resisting Senility).”

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Photo Credit: Ms. Swope

Thinking of all of those impacted by Hurricane Ida as Mr. Hendrickson and I try to do our part to keep up with the rain that made its way into Traylor Hall.

Be sure to check out all of Mercersburg’s Instagram accounts! @mburgburgin @mburgathletics @mburgsac

@mburggreenteam @mburgglobal @mburgsummer

@lenfestlibrary

Living the

VALUES

The traditional Christmas Candlelight Service returned to the Irvine Memorial Chapel in December after going virtual in 2020. Student performers included members of the Chorale and String Ensemble.

SPRING 2022

LIVING THE VALUES

BRINGING MERCERSBURG’S VALUES TO LIFE

n this section, we highlight individuals in our community—students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends—who are living Mercersburg’s core values: lofty ideals, great faith, noble integrity, and ceaseless devotion to a mighty task. Read more about the individuals highlighted

here on Mercersburg’s website. Want to nominate someone for possible inclusion in a future issue? Contact us at magazine@mercersburg.edu.

for more about these individuals

#CeaselessDevotion JACQUEE ROSS GRACE ’07 For Jacquee Ross Grace ’07, four years at Mercersburg was just not enough. Grace, the Academy’s special events manager, helps organize and is the go-to person behind many of the school’s events taking place on campus, off campus, and even virtually—from Zoom hangouts for alumni classes to larger events like Family Weekend and Reunion Weekend. “I love being able to connect with so many people,” says Grace, who was about to return from maternity leave in early 2020 when the global pandemic turned nearly everything upside-down, including the ways we gather together. As the problem-solver she is, Grace worked to help the Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations keep alumni connected and found joy in creating virtual alternatives to bring the school community to those who could not return to campus. Her position now resides in the head of school’s office, giving her an even more central role in the planning and execution of events across (and even off) campus. “I like to think of the events as a puzzle; you really don’t see the masterpiece until the end,” says Grace, who adds that her friendly but introverted personality allows her to simply enjoy the intricacy of what goes on behind the scenes of the events she helps manage. “There is something about Mercersburg that just feels like home, and it is only when you leave that you appreciate the full effect of it.”

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

LIVING THE VALUES

#LoftyIdeals JACK REED ’22 When it comes to climbing, the limits for Jack Reed ’22 are, well, limitless. Reed, a new postgraduate student on campus, has already made significant contributions to Mercersburg Outdoor Education. After learning about Mercersburg’s support of MOE and its resources, Reed was motivated to head north and join MOE’s outdoor climbing program; he had already been climbing competitively indoors with Sportrock Climbing Center in his native Northern Virginia. “MOE is one of the best PGAs on campus,” says Reed, who was inspired to pursue a postgraduate year in part due to the positive experience his father, John, had as a

postgrad at Deerfield Academy. His decision has been Mercersburg’s (and MOE’s) gain; Reed has clearly enjoyed what he calls the inclusivity of Mercersburg’s after-school activities, and was pleasantly surprised with MOE’s emphasis on teaching skills that accommodate a variety of climbers, who may be skilled or brand-new to the sport. Reed has already taken more than a half-dozen off-campus climbing trips with MOE and lists the New River Gorge in West Virginia (a regular MOE destination) as his favorite place to climb. He hopes to lead climbing trips in college and is interested in a career in the field of climbing photography.

#GreatFaith EMILY PARSONS P ’21, ’22 AND THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM

In more than 20 years at Mercersburg Academy, Emily Parsons has positively impacted almost every segment of the school community. Parsons, who grew up in Mercersburg (and whose late father, Sonny ’59, graduated from the Academy), has taught history and worked with students

as an adviser, helped with the Karux yearbook and Writing Center, served as a dorm dean and committee head, and was the first director of the Springboard capstone program. This year, she became the school’s director of Community Engagement, and her tremendous love for the community makes her a perfect fit in the role. In the fall, Parsons and students on the Community Engagement team hosted the second annual SO Glow Run on campus in support of Special Olympics Maryland, which has a longstanding relationship with the Academy. Parsons and the students raised $14,300 (their original goal was $12,000) for the organization and the 9,000 athletes with intellectual disabilities that it serves. Parsons hopes to implement service-learning course opportunities within the program, which would allow classes, teams, and advisories to take on meaningful service projects. She wants all students to have access to Community Engagement—not just those students involved in the after-school activity. “Kids from all walks of life can feel supported here,” says Parsons, whose oldest son, Jay ’21, attends the Maryland Institute College of Art, and middle son, Evan ’22, is a member of the senior class. “In our busy fragmented world, I don’t know of too many community-oriented places like Mercersburg Academy.”

SPRING 2022

LIVING THE VALUES

#CeaselessDevotion KATHLEEN AND LIAM CHATTERTON A sudden change in life can impact a person’s emotional wellbeing and satisfaction, and can shift that person’s life positively or negatively. No one understands this more than Interim Dean of Enrollment Management Liam Chatterton and his wife, Kathleen, who works in the school’s business office as an analyst. In spring 2021, the Chattertons received not one but two sudden changes. Kathleen was pregnant with twins (siblings to big brother Maverick and big sister Kennedy) and Liam learned he would shoulder more responsibility within the Office of Admission after then-Director of Admission Anna Crouch departed Mercersburg for another opportunity. Liam was tasked with welcoming multiple new admission counselors to the team, making adjustments to the office’s structure, researching and recommending a plan for access and affordability as part of the school’s strategic design, and gearing up for the 2022–2023 admission season.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

“The past few months have been a whirlwind for our family, and we are so grateful for the support of the Mercersburg Academy community as we continue to navigate these changes in our lives,” Liam Chatterton says. “The thoughtfulness and care we have been shown has been a true gift, and is a testament to the type of community that is present at Mercersburg.” While a mountain of change hit their home at one time (including the arrival of twins Campbell and Hayes), it was hard to know it as the Chattertons continued to give their all for the school. Liam and Kathleen are generous with their time, authentic in their desire to serve Mercersburg, and share a responsibility to steward the school for future generations—when no one is looking, and when everyone is looking.

LIVING THE VALUES

#LoftyIdeals SAM GOLDMAN ’17 Sam Goldman ’17 was blazing trails even before she graduated from Mercersburg. Goldman was not the first female athlete to play for the school’s football team, but she was the first to score points in a varsity game— in 2014, as the Blue Storm’s placekicker. She kicked for Mercersburg for three seasons (and also won a state championship in basketball as a member of the Storm’s 2016 PAISAA title team). Always a standout athlete, Goldman connected with the football

program at the University of Miami before she enrolled there following her Mercersburg graduation. She worked with then-assistant coach Manny Diaz (who later spent three years as the head coach and is now the defensive coordinator at Penn State). First it was assisting with practice and during games (helping with practice drills, serving as a ball-runner on the opposing sideline during games—“It was interesting being around the dynamics of other teams,” Goldman says); her role then evolved into that of a student assistant to the head coach, allowing her to work different alumni events and with recruiting on game days. She even helped create and implement a football clinic for female fans of the Hurricanes. Her work led to a connection with the NFL’s Miami Dolphins, who share a stadium with their college neighbors. She attended the NFL Women’s Careers in Football Forum at the 2020 NFL Combine in Indianapolis, and, following graduation, began working for the Dolphins as a finance staff assistant (Goldman completed a master’s from Miami in December 2021). “Finance is the foundation of everything you do as a business, but at the same time, I love being involved with a team,” says Goldman, who is working on team and sponsorship accounting and stadium events. “I want to give 110 percent in everything I do.”

#NobleIntegrity MARK HERRING ’09 Pediatric dentist Mark Herring ’09 goes to work every day with the intention of “helping kids out”—a theme that runs central to his profession and volunteer work. “During my time at Mercersburg, I was very much aware of my privilege of being at the school, and I knew that not every kid has these opportunities,” says Herring. “I have taken a lot of time to reflect on that and have taken the time to pay it forward for other folks who are not as lucky.” As an undergrad at North Carolina State University, Herring was a campus mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Triangle. He has led mission trips to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic; the latter was a medical-service trip while he was in dental school and included teaching dental hygiene and nutrition to elementary-school students and training adults in health-care literacy so they can be a resource for others. During his dental residency, Herring worked in a joint dental and medical residence program, staffing a clinic at homeless shelters in Philadelphia dedicated to women and children. He has also served Mercersburg as Reunion Weekend committee chair for his 10-year reunion. Herring speaks Spanish daily in his dental practice and has used it often as a volunteer. He credits Mercersburg teachers Wendy Valenteen P ’06 and Tom Rahauser ’74, P ’05, ’07, ’12 for fostering and encouraging his interest in the language. “I had originally enrolled in dental school thinking I would go into general dentistry, but I saw a need for providers who are comfortable working with children, plus those who speak Spanish,” he says. SPRING 2022

A MERCERSBURG MOMENT

As is tradition, the Class of 2022 marked Spirit Week of its senior year with paint— blue paint, white paint, and lots of it. Check it out on your next trip to campus (at the Davison Gate entrance off Route 16); it’ll be there until the fall.

Mercersburg’s

BEAUTIFUL CAMPUS AND THOSE WHO CARE FOR IT BY THE NUMBERS STAFF MEMBERS MOW MORE THAN

10 ATHLETIC FIELDS

THE GROUNDS CREW MAINTAINS

125 ACRES

TOTALING ALMOST 25 ACRES OF TURF

OF GRASS EACH WEEK ON CAMPUS

EXPERT PERSONNEL OPERATE A 96-INCH MOWER THAT CAN MOW UP TO PER HOUR

11 1/2 ACRES

AND TRAVELS AT MORE THAN 12 MILES PER HOUR

DS E HAN N N I IS OW V IR ITH H

N PUS W N A N CAM M O FOU M ES A NDIN I E L R G HEADM T ASTER WIL OF DS E NDR U H D PLANTE

UP TO

40 TONS OF SALT USED DURING THE WINTER SEASON TO KEEP SURFACES CLEAR

IN THE WINTER, SNOW MUST BE REMOVED FROM

3 MILES OF ROADS

4 MILES OF SIDEWALKS

5 ACRES

OF PARKING LOTS

In the fall, Linden Amster ’23 (center) portrayed Mr. Mushnik in Stony Batter Players’ production of Little Shop of Horrors. In the winter, he performed with the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association’s District 7 Band (trumpet) for the third consecutive year.

CampusLIFE SPRING 2022

CAMPUS LIFE

Mercersburg’s New Mayor: Michael Pedersen ’95

Michael Pedersen ’95 was elected mayor of the Borough of

Kellems ’89 and Kristin Pedersen Garbinski ’89 and brother

Mercersburg in November, and took office in January.

Cameron ’92). His mother, Cherie, is a past editor of this

Pedersen has served on the Borough Council since 2018 and owns and operates Brownstone Chiropractic, which is

magazine. As mayor, Pedersen succeeded former Academy

located on South Main Street near the town square. He is

facilities employee Roger Defibaugh, and is at least the fifth

a graduate of Brigham Young University and the Palmer

Academy alum to serve as mayor of the borough the school

College of Chiropractic, and was one of four siblings to

calls home. Others have included John “Mac” Myers (1923),

attend Mercersburg (following sisters Shari Pedersen

Henry Steiger ’42, Tom Ralston ’60, and Jim Zeger ’65.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

CAMPUS LIFE

Convocation: Jim Malone Gives Address

Above: Malone At left: class flags on display

“My main wish is that all of

Longtime faculty member Jim Malone P ’01, ’03 was the featured speaker at Mercersburg’s 2021–2022 Opening Convocation in September. The event marked the official start of the Academy’s 129th academic year, and was held for the first time in the Hale Field House. As a COVID-19 precaution, in-person attendance was limited to students, faculty, and staff. “What do I wish for all of you as students?” Malone asked the assembled student body. “My main

you find some

wish is that all of you find some intellectual topic that fascinates you so much that you want to study it

intellectual topic

physics.

and learn about it the rest of your lives. For me, those areas have been evolutionary biology and modern “Some of you will develop those interests while you are here, but that’s not necessary for you to have

that fascinates

a rich and intellectual life. You may find your passion in college or afterward, but it is my sincere hope

you so much

engaging with a truly interesting and sophisticated idea.”

that you want

Mercersburg in 1979; aside from one year spent at a school in Colorado in the mid-1980s, he has been

to study it and

that all of you get to experience the intellectual pleasure, the intellectual buzz, that comes from deeply Malone is in his 42nd year as a member of the science and mathematics faculty. He arrived at a fixture on campus ever since. Malone has coached football and basketball, worked with the TREK program (the predecessor to Mercersburg Outdoor Education, or MOE), serves as the faculty adviser to the Black Student Union, and has

learn about it the

helped organize community-service efforts for students and faculty. He has held the school’s John L. and

rest of your lives.”

of Michigan.

Cora I. Grove Chair since 1997. Malone grew up in the Philadelphia area and is a graduate of the University He and his wife, faculty emeritus Sue Malone, met on a blind date arranged by a then-Mercersburg student in 1981 and got married the next year. The Malones are the parents of Molly ’01 and Jessica ’03.

–Jim Malone

Mercersburg began the 2021–2022 academic year with 446 students, including residents of 29 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, and 36 countries. The Class of 2022 (the senior class) numbers 140, with 123 upper middlers (11th graders), 100 lower middlers (10th graders), and 83 juniors (9th graders).

SPRING 2022

CAMPUS LIFE

Liu, Sowah Earn Student Prizes

Acting Head of School Quentin McDowell P ’25 with Eric Liu ’22 and Erika Tso Sowah ’24

During Convocation, Acting Head of School Quentin McDowell P ’25 announced this year’s recipients of the Robert H. Michelet ’30 Prize (Eric Liu ’22) and John H. Culbertson ’24 Prize (Erika Tso Sowah ’24).

New Endowed Chairs/Teaching Award Recipients

James Brinson

David Grady P ’16, ’22, ’25

Kristen Pixler

Andy Schroer P ’07, ’08

Doug Smith P ’23, ’24

Dan Walker P ’19, ’23

arts faculty, organist, and carillonneur Bess Simon Teaching Chair

mathematics faculty and boys’ cross country/indoor track & field head coach Mary Keeler Lawrence Distinguished Teaching Chair

The Michelet Prize is given to the student who, during the upper-middler (11th-grade) year, most distinguishes himself or herself in scholarship, character, and school spirit. The award is supported by an endowment established by Simon Michelet in memory of his son, Robert ’30, whose career at the Academy and at Dartmouth College was almost ideal in its quality and influence. The yield on the endowment is presented each year to the recipient on the assumption that it will be for use during the senior year.

arts faculty and head girls’ soccer coach Palmer Chair for the Fine Arts

mathematics faculty Robert R. Black (1925) Chair

Liu, of Hagerstown, Maryland, is a dormitory prefect and has competed for the boys’ varsity tennis and cross country teams. He has played in the Concert Band and Jazz Band and received a number of year-end academic awards, including the Rollin P. Gilbert Chemistry Prize. Liu has served as a Language and Media Center fellow and a student Math and Science Center assistant. The Culbertson Prize is supported by the F.M. Kirby Foundation, which established an endowed program of scholarships to honor the late John H. Culbertson ’24. It recognizes a student entering the 10th grade who gives evidence of exceptional promise and who has already demonstrated outstanding accomplishment. Sowah, of Princeton, New Jersey, serves as a tour guide for the Admission Office and as a Lenfest Proctor in the school’s library. She is a member of the girls’ cross country and outdoor track & field teams.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

school archivist, Class of 2025 grade dean, and head golf coach Ammerman Distinguished Teaching Award for Religious and Interdisciplinary Studies

history faculty and Class of 2024 grade dean Zern Excellence in Teaching Award

CAMPUS LIFE

It’s Back: Family Weekend Returns to Campus For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Mercersburg held an on-campus Family Weekend in October 2021. More than 550 parents and family members visited campus to take part; due to the pandemic, attendance was limited to members of a student’s immediate household(s). Throughout Family Weekend, guests experienced school traditions like Step Songs at Main Hall and a bonfire on Tippetts Beach, plus athletic contests and a performance of the Stony Batter Players production Lost in Yonkers. To kick off the school year’s theme of Health and Wellness, a school meeting was held in the Hale Field House featuring alumni and parents who work in these fields. The panel was moderated by Jen Cort P ’18, ’23 and included Stephanie Comer-Concordia P ’22, ’22, ’24, Sarah Firestone ’13, Amy Shaffer Post ’02, and Steph Turner McGraw ’06. Cort is a Montessori high school counselor in Baltimore and an education consultant, McGraw is a nurse practitioner in the Rutherford Health and Wellness Center, Firestone is a fitness and performance coordinator in Mercersburg’s Department of Athletics, and Post is a social-emotional learning counselor in the school’s Counseling Office. Other highlights included college counseling sessions for parents, a tailgate lunch featuring the inaugural “Mercersburger” competition [see page 26], and a Chapel service.

SPRING 2022

CAMPUS LIFE

Hello,

New Faculty Mercersburg welcomed 18 new faculty members to campus in the fall. They include: Michelle Eichelberger P ’20, science Sarah Firestone ’13, athletics Kayla Hart, admission Mary Cate Hauenstein, counseling Rich Heffron, history Justin Ledesma, college counseling William Linch, science Richard Mahoney, admission Sheri Mahoney, science Glenn McKevitt, language

Phoebe Moore Miller ’13, admission Rebecca Rose, English Emily Schoenberger ’15, history Morgan Seymour, athletics Amy Shaffer Post ’02, counseling Vicki Thompson, college counseling Haley Tyree, dorm dean Renata Williams, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion

PREPARING STUDENTS

for the world’s expectations Education is the foundation of promise and progress. It is the accelerator and amplifier of human potential. Your gift to the Annual Fund helps us prepare students for the world’s expectations as it touches every aspect of our students’ experience from distinguished speakers to innovative curriculum, experiential programming, and financial aid. Thank you for supporting Mercersburg’s transformative education.

mercersburg.edu/annualfund

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2/4/22 4:44 PM

CAMPUS LIFE

Scan this QR code to learn more about Mercersburg’s ongoing strategic design implementation and the school’s continued academic focus on meaning and mastery.

CHOOSE

re u nt ve d A YOUR

ODAY! ENROLL T

GRAMS SUMMER PRO

2022

CAMPS

ADVENTURE BASKETBALL ESL+

LACROSSE

SOCCER STEAM SWIMMING

T H E AT R E YOUNG WRITERS

AGES

8-1197

SPRING 2022

CAMPUS LIFE

It was a memorable return to a full competition schedule for Mercersburg athletic teams in fall 2021. Some highlights included the Blue Storm football team winning its first Keystone State Football League title in dramatic fashion with an overtime victory at Perkiomen, the Storm golfers breaking the school record for a nine-hole match and later finishing second at the PAISAA State Championship, and the volleyball squad earning the IPSL Cup Series title.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

SPRING 2022

Foodand Health IN SHORT, FOOD AND HEALTH ARE ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE. The simple act of breaking bread—whether as a communal experience like Mercersburg’s beloved family-style meals or sharing a cup of hot cocoa on a brisk day—nourishes the mind and body and sustains our physical and mental outlook and well-being. We invite you to fill your plate by continuing on to read about a capstone course for members of Mercersburg’s senior class that uses food as a lens to examine our relationships and our humanity, and to make a difference in our world; learn about last fall’s inaugural “Mercersburger” competition; meet Director of Dining Services Bill Korhammer; peruse some beloved recipes submitted by community members; and get to know four alumni for whom food and health are central to their professions in a variety of ways.

Home Plate

IN FOOD FOR THOUGHT, STUDENTS USE FOOD AS A LENS TO EXAMINE ISSUES IN SOCIETY AND THEIR OWN LIVES By Lee Owen P ’24

who might not otherwise be able to partake of a meal at all. Those preparing the goulash, butternut squash soup, biscuits, and brownies are members of Mercersburg’s senior class enrolled in the Food for Thought Springboard course, and are making the meal for a group living at the Franklin County Shelter for the Homeless in nearby Chambersburg. Later, two students in the course will leave the kitchen of the 1893 House on campus and join faculty members and Food for Thought teachers Maggie Howes and Michele Poacelli P ’24 to deliver the meal to the shelter, which is located about 15 miles northeast of the Academy campus in Chambersburg (population: 20,000). Sadly, in Franklin County (as in almost all of the 3,100-plus counties in the U.S.), issues of food scarcity and insecurity are not limited to large urban areas. In April 2021, a community food pantry called My Neighbor’s Bounty opened on Church Hill Road in Mercersburg, nside the kitchen of a house in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, a meal is being prepared.

from the school (including the Food for

Water is boiling, ingredients are

Thought course and the Community

dutifully measured, ovens are heated to

of Mercersburg native and faculty member

baking, and dessert is taking shape.

Emily Parsons P ’21, ’22) volunteer regularly at the location, which supports community

Meals, of course, are created and cooked every

members in need without requiring proof of

day all across the borough of Mercersburg, the

income, an application, or anything similar.

state, the country, and the world.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Engagement team, under the leadership

the appropriate temperature, biscuits are On its own, this is not overly remarkable.

just a short walk from the Academy. Groups

“It was a really special experience,”

What makes this meal notable is that it is

Poacelli says of having the students prepare the

being crafted specifically for a group of people

meal for the homeless shelter in Chambersburg.

“I loved that moment.” “Our students want to act, and that’s why the food pantry was so inspiring to them,” says Howes. “Amanda [Woodring, a local resident who is the chairperson of My Neighbor’s Bounty] saw a need locally and handled it in a no-nonsense way. It really draws attention to the reality that not everyone has the same choices in terms of having access to food. For some of our students, this has never been an issue; for others, it may have been a constant issue in their lives. It’s really important for our students to learn this as they go out into the world.” Springboard is in its ninth year as a capstone experience for members of Mercersburg’s senior class. All seniors must complete either a yearlong Springboard course or MAPS (Mercersburg’s Advanced Program for Global Studies, a two-year program) to fulfill the school’s graduation requirements. Howes and Poacelli are both members of the English department; Poacelli serves as the director of the school’s Writing Center, while

a number of their other classes in addition to

and thorny. But food itself is a way into a lot

Howes also teaches American studies in the

the Springboard course.

of difficult topics. Everyone has their own

history department. Both of their spouses—

“Food can be a very disarming way

personal connection to food.

Assistant Head of School for Student Life

to investigate lots of issues in our world,”

and Culture Chris Howes and fellow English

Poacelli says. “Many of those issues can be

practices, and food and spirituality, where they

teacher Todd McGuire P ’24, respectively—

of a sensitive nature. For example, one of the

may not have thought about connections—such

also serve on the faculty. Poacelli and Maggie

topics our students examine in the course is

as, why do some groups eat fish on Christmas

Howes are teaching the course together

that of cultural appreciation versus cultural

Eve? We’re encouraging deeper dives by our

for the second year, and have intentionally

appropriation as it deals with food. It’s not an

students into the material and going down

utilized various concepts surrounding food in

easy topic; it’s extremely nuanced and complex

rabbit holes, in a good way.”

“We’ve talked about food and faith

SPRING SPRING2022 2022

“I’ve never had a class that’s been as hands-on in the same way as this one. You really have the opportunity to explore in this class.”

explore topics of identity, culture, community, equity, and the environment. Instead of a textbook, students are issued an apron, a whisk, measuring cups, a mixing bowl, and various pots and pans. “Food for Thought is unlike any class I’ve ever taken, which is one of the things that makes it special,” says Molly Willis ’22, one of the 13 students enrolled in the course. “I’ve never had a class that’s been as hands-on in the same way as this one. In science classes, you go into the lab, but

—Food for Thought student Molly Willis ’22 “We want our students to be interested

it’s different because there’s usually not as

enough in parts of their own lives that will

much room for creativity. You really have

allow them to link to other people in their

the opportunity to explore in this class.”

lives,” Howes says. “In their research, we

Willis, the daughter of longtime

want them to find themselves three hours

Mercersburg faculty members Betsy

later immersed in an investigation that’s

Cunningham and Will Willis, calls the work the

intriguing and meaningful. Springboard

students have done with My Neighbor’s Bounty

really is perfect for that.”

the “most valuable moment” of the course.

The course’s guiding principle—its

“I’ve lived here my entire life, and didn’t really

“North Star,” as Poacelli calls it—is that

know about the issues of food insecurity and

food is a shared lens through which to

poverty here until just recently,” she says. “It’s

Announcing:

The Inaugural Mercersburger (Pass the Kimchi)

As part of Mercersburg’s first in-person Family Weekend in two years in fall 2021, the school invited students, employees, alumni, and parents to submit their favorite burger recipes for the first-ever “Mercersburger” competition. In September, students in the Food for Thought Springboard course worked with Meriwether Godsey (the school’s food-service provider) to prepare submitted recipes for the first round of the competition to tantalize the palates of a star-studded list of discerning yet eager judges. The lineup of judges included Senior Class President Monique Garcia ’22, Student Council President Avo Reid ’22, Director of Dining Services Bill Korhammer, and a number of faculty members. Three recipes emerged from the test kitchen as finalists and were served at a tailgate lunch during Family Weekend in October, when attendees could sample all three nominees and vote for their favorite. Finalists included the “MAPL” Bacon Burger, submitted by Julie Gerstel P ’22 of Great Falls, Virginia; the Kimchi Burger, submitted by Reagan Houpt ’25 of Mercersburg; and the Everything but the Bagel Burger, submitted by Marta Willoughby P ’25 of Midland, Texas. After lots of tasty taste-testing, the votes were tallied, and Houpt’s recipe

Finalists Julie Gerstel P ’22 (pictured on phone held by her husband Andrew P ’22), Reagan Houpt ’25, and Marta Willoughby P ’25

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

was declared the winner. (Houpt received a special prize package that included a one-of-a-kind Mercersburger apron.)

“The course really is a vehicle for the generosity of our community,” Poacelli says. “People have generously offered to share their passions with our students.” Students in the course nominate and tackle what are termed “passion projects” as a culminating experience in the class. Last year’s crop of projects included a video by a student Maggie Howes

Michele Poacelli

from China describing how his grandmother would reward him for good grades by taking him to McDonald’s (a trip to a Western fast-

great to see how this is helping with some of

sourced from his experiences traveling

food establishment was a special treat) and

those issues.”

around the world as a recipient of the Watson

a PowerPoint-style presentation by another

Fellowship. Director of Library Services

student on how many of her experiences over

for collaboration with Mercersburg alumni,

Alexandra Patterson helped the students

food at different locations across the U.S. have

parents, and employees. Arlo Crawford ’06,

bake her family’s recipe for Italian waffle

shaped her memories and outlook on life.

who wrote a book titled A Farm Dies Once a Year

cookies called pizzelles, and talked about her

about his family’s farm in Fulton County (over

grandmother’s experiences as an immigrant to

find a topic that they really want to claim and

the mountain from Mercersburg), spoke to

America. Cookbook author and Food Network

pursue,” Howes says. “The class is structured

the class about the expression of experiences.

host and personality Melissa d’Arabian P ’24,

and built exactly for this—and all classes

Crawford’s Mercersburg classmate Rahde

’25 worked with students in last year’s course

should be. It’s really exciting as a teacher to be

Franke ’06 prepared five different flatbreads

on cookbooks they created.

part of that process.”

The structure of the course has allowed

“We’re really excited for our students to

∫ RECIPES OF ALL THREE BURGERS ∫

Everything But the Bagel Burger

“MAPL” Bacon Burger

Kimchi Burger

Marta Willoughby P ’25

Julie Gerstel P ’22

Reagan Houpt ’25

INGREDIENTS • 4 lbs ground beef • 1 ½ cups Everything but the Bagel seasoning, mixed well

INGREDIENTS • ground beef • kosher salt • pepper • garlic powder • egg • Worcestershire sauce • caramelized onions • bacon • maple/bourbon syrup

INGREDIENTS • ground beef (or beef substitute such as Beyond or Impossible) • soy sauce • teriyaki sauce • kimchi • shredded carrots • cucumber • ginger • dried seaweed (nori)

DIRECTIONS Season ground beef with first five ingredients, then mix ground beef with caramelized onions. Brush bacon with maple/bourbon syrup and bake until cooked; add optional blue cheese crumbles or goat cheese to mixture. After bacon is fully cooked, crumble bacon into the mixture. Form patties and make impression with a thumb print in the middle. Grill until done. Garnish with lettuce, tomato, and honey barbecue sauce; serve on toasted bun or lettuce wrap.

DIRECTIONS Marinate beef in soy-teriyaki glaze. Grill; garnish with all toppings and a light wasabi aioli on top slice of a sesame-seed bun.

DIRECTIONS Divide evenly into patties and grill. Garnish with cream cheese, jalapeño jelly, lettuce, tomato, and grilled onion. Serve on an “everything bagel” bun.

SPRING 2022

Pivoting on a Dine

HOW THE SCHOOL FEEDS ITS FAMILY DURING A CONTINUING PANDEMIC By Amy Marathe

Starting a new job can be filled with a desire to be challenged, provide new insight, or make significant changes. Little did Bill Korhammer, director of dining services, know that he would be put to the test as he started working at Mercersburg Academy in the early stages (August 2020) of the pandemic. Instead of setting up the kitchen and dining experience he would normally provide for a school, Korhammer and his staff at Meriwether Godsey had to adapt and shift how they would welcome students back for the 2020 fall term and to Ford Hall. To start, Meriwether Godsey created scrum teams to help their clients, like Mercersburg, make decisions on how to serve food, what items needed to change on the menu, what the protocols would be for cleaning and sanitizing, and how schools would implement pre-packaged, to-go meals. Although Korhammer had to change a few things in order to protect the health and safety of the Mercersburg community, he says the food was largely prepared as it always had been. Despite the need to implement certain measures based on health guidelines, the staff didn’t miss a beat in preparing vegan and gluten-free meals—or school favorites like pretzel pie. The biggest challenge, ultimately, was how to serve the meals. “We have changed how we served our food seven to eight times since August 2020,” says Korhammer. “We started with pre-packaged meals that were delivered to the students in their dorms; then, later, those meals could be picked up in the dining hall. Next, the dining staff served the students from a buffet, and then we bought bento boxes for everyone to serve themselves from a buffet and take food to go. We then allowed the community to serve themselves food and eat in the dining hall. We’ve had to adapt to the evolution of the pandemic.” In fact, family-style meals, a beloved tradition at Mercersburg, have only occurred on a very limited basis since the start of the pandemic. The school is hoping to fully resume family-style meals by the spring term. Despite the challenges that the pandemic has brought to the dining hall, there is exciting news for the future of Ford Hall. Part of the school’s strategic design is to transform the dining hall and kitchens. The last full upgrade occurred in the 1970s, but Korhammer is quick to compliment the current kitchen as a well-equipped space where everything is fully used. He suggests he might rearrange a few things, but he is most excited about the addition of more storage space and refrigeration. Students have frequently asked if they can stay longer in the dining hall after a meal to socialize or work on a project together. Korhammer believes it’s important for the dining hall to become a place that promotes wellness and sustainability and is excited about the future of the space. “What I like about Mercersburg is that they understand food is a big selling point for the school and are willing to invest in the dining program,” says Korhammer. “We can shine for the school, and renovating the space will help make sure students want to come here all the time.”

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Bill Korhammer

SPRING 2022

Your Very Own

Mercersburg-Recommended Mini-Cookbook

Enjoy this selection of recipes from Mercersburg faculty and staff; to find instructions and ideas for even more mouthwatering dishes, visit mercersburg.edu/magazine.

Coach Sipes’ Smokehouse Chili Make a fast break for this dish from the kitchen of Paul Sipes P ’22, interim director of athletics for outreach and operations and head girls’ varsity basketball coach. • 1 lb cubed steak or cubed brisket (already smoked) • 1 lb cubed kielbasa • 8 oz tomato paste • 1 Vidalia onion • 12 oz can of beer • 1 regular can dark kidney beans • 1 regular can light kidney beans • 1 can diced tomato • 1 cup chili powder • 2 tsp cumin • 1 tbsp crushed oregano • 1 tsp paprika • 1 tsp salt • 3 tbsp olive oil • 8 oz water Julienne the onion and brown in olive oil. Brown steak and kielbasa in large pot, drain fat, then return to pot. Add cooked onion, water, tomato paste, beer, and spices to the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Garnish with sour cream and cheddar cheese. Optional: serve over rice.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Broccoli Salad My mother created this recipe decades ago based on a similar side dish she had at a restaurant in Georgia. It’s a regular request for holidays and I’ve taken it to potlucks and BBQs—the dish always comes back empty. It’s a delicious (and not-so-healthy) way to eat broccoli. —Amy Marathe, director of strategic marketing and communications

• 2 bunches of broccoli (just the heads), chopped in small bite-size pieces • 1 cup dried cranberries • ½ lb bacon, cooked and crumbled • ¹/₃ cup pecans, chopped (or substitute other nuts like pine nuts or walnuts) • ½ cup cubed cheddar cheese (optional) Dressing: • 1 cup Hellmann’s mayonnaise • ¼ cup sugar • 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar • ½ tsp salt • ¼ tsp pepper

Mix the salad ingredients in a bowl and set aside. Then mix the dressing ingredients and pour over the broccoli mixture. Refrigerate for an hour and serve. I like to hold the bacon until ready to serve so the bacon stays crispy. This recipe is very versatile. You can eyeball the salad ingredients based on what you like; for example, sometimes I only use ½ cup cranberries and only half the dressing.

SPRING 2022

Grandma’s Buckeyes • 1 stick softened butter • 1 ½ cups peanut butter • 1 lb (3 ½ cups) confectioners sugar • 1 tsp vanilla extract • Milk chocolate coating chocolate for dipping Blend well with mixer and roll into balls. If you place them in the freezer for a bit, it will make it easier to dip in the melted chocolate. Using a toothpick in the top of the buckeye, dip in melted chocolate, leaving the top uncovered. (No refrigeration necessary.)

I had never heard of buckeyes until I married Jack in 1990 and moved to Mercersburg. His mom taught me to make them, and they have been a favorite of my boys, Kip ’10 and Kyle ’14, as well as my family. If I don’t make buckeyes for Thanksgiving and Christmas, well, let’s say I would hear about it. —Karen Hawbaker P ’10, ’14, School Store clerk and school driver

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Molly Willis ’22 (and friends) perform a contemporary piece at the Fall Dance Concert. The piece was choreographed by classmate and fellow dance student Joie Xiao ’22.

Alumni LIFE SPRING 2022

ALUMNI LIFE

SCOTT KEMP ’84

Raising the Bar to Fight Food Insecurity By Debra Collins P ’14

SCOTT KEMP ’84 SPENT MORE THAN TWO DECADES IN SALES AND DELIVERY OPERATIONS AND BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT IN THE CORPORATE WORLD—FOR BOTH PEPSICO AND COCA-COLA. BUT ABOUT THREE YEARS AGO, HE SAYS, HE HAD AN EPIPHANY WHILE CONTEMPLATING LIFE IN HIS FIELD.

To describe it, Kemp paraphrases some

Kemp left Coke soon after and—in

make? How much money will we save?’ And

of the lyrics from the Talking Heads song

a stroke of serendipity—the same day he

making people happy is about how they can

“Once in a Lifetime”: “This is about my

walked out of his job, he was accepted to the

produce more.”

beautiful house. This is about my beautiful

University of Connecticut’s Encore! Program,

life. My God! What have I done?”

which helped transition his corporate skill set

Kemp says he enjoys working in the

and experience into working for nonprofits.

nonprofit sector because “people are willing

And then he asks, “Who have I helped?” In the summer of 2021, Kemp joined

Through Encore!, Kemp not only learned

In contrast to the corporate world,

to take the time to talk with you” and they

the Connecticut Food Bank and Foodshare

the nitty-gritty about nonprofits but also

as its director of food operations. He works

identified his passion and the area of work

with 8,000 volunteers to pick up, deliver,

he would pursue. “When I was growing up,

to be here. I have never been welcomed to a

and distribute 50 million pounds of food

my father had a part-time farm, so I began

job like I was in this role… I love coming in

annually to 700 community-based hunger-

looking into agriculture and food equity,” he

every day. And I have a lot to do.

relief programs, including food pantries,

says. “I narrowed [my focus] to food equity,

community kitchens, and emergency

food security, and skill development.”

shelters. Kemp is also responsible for

For those interested in working in

are helpful. “I am happy,” he says. “I am privileged

“Sometimes I write down good memories of the Connecticut Foodshare, memories with warehouse folks and drivers,” he continues.

engaging food donors and ensuring that the

the nonprofit world, Kemp recommends

“They have conversations with me about

organization complies with food safety and

volunteering first.

what’s going on in the world and society that

worker and volunteer safety regulations. His motto? “Treat people with dignity.

Before landing his job at the

are so on-point and so insightful that it makes

Connecticut Food Bank, he volunteered

me tear up. I joke with them now, because I

Do things with passion, compassion, and

for a farm in Albany, New York, and then

did it early on, saying, ‘You guys got me

enthusiasm.”

worked with Foodshare during his time at

crying again.’”

Kemp’s desire for change intensified while attending a University of Pennsylvania centennial celebration hosted by his

Coke before Foodshare merged with the Connecticut Food Bank. Kemp has also volunteered as a member

One such conversation was a discussion with a driver who expressed his concern for fentanyl addicts in the New Haven area. He

fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha. He earned a

of Mercersburg’s Alumni Council and is

recalls the driver saying, “Scott, we can’t

bachelor’s degree from Penn’s Wharton

a member of the school’s Black Alumni

just lock these people up and expect the

School in marketing and finance.

Association, which is working to develop

problem to be solved. We need to help them

bylaws and a mentor program as well

get well and then find them work.

“As I was talking to different people, I realized they were facing the same challenges,”

as hosting some social events with alumni.

he says. “I spoke to brothers in the clergy,

The group plans to also do more regional

and the people we serve every day are just

nonprofit, and for-profit worlds who were

gatherings.

amazing.”

doing well but saying, ‘What am I doing? Can I do more? Can I raise the bar higher?’”

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

“In the corporate world,” he says, “it’s about ‘How much money are we going to

“The volunteers are very good people

In addition to his work at the Food Bank, Kemp and his wife, Melba, have established

ALUMNI LIFE

“I am privileged to be here. I have never been welcomed to a job like I was in this role… I love coming in every day. And I have a lot to do.”

the Two Acres and a Bull Micro Farm, based in

of borrowing among the community versus

Mr. [Ernie] Staley,” he says. “I had that hard

Ridgefield, Connecticut, where he is creating

banks.”

Pennsylvania accent. It was cool to say ‘ain’t.’

herbal teas and she is cultivating flowers. Research for his farm led to Kemp

A variety of farmers have joined the Connecticut group. “Some have small

He broke me of it. He really did, and he did it in such a nice way.”

becoming a founding member of the

farms, some are urban, and some are in the

Connecticut Department of Agriculture’s

country too,” says Kemp. “When someone

11th, and 12th grades. He wrestled for a time

Working Group to Improve Diversity, Equity,

hears about ‘diversity’ in agriculture, they

and played football all three years, serving

and Inclusion. The newly established group

immediately think ‘urban.’”

as team captain his senior year. He recalls

is committed to helping diverse farmers get

The group has lists of working farms,

Kemp was class president in the 10th,

his days at Mercersburg as fun and has

started, be successful, and help them grow

and Kemp’s job with the Food Bank allows

returned for Reunion Weekend to catch up

and network. The group is still narrowing its

him to network with individuals at the state’s

with classmates and faculty and to see the

scope of work, but planned projects include

Department of Agriculture. “We’re not going

campus with its new facilities. “We went into

resourcing, land acquisition, financial

to solve everything, but we will pick one or two

the Hale Field House and found it amazing,”

preparation, and access to resourcing and

things and do them right,” he says.

he says.

planning. Having grown up working on his father’s

Kemp attended Mercersburg for three

When Kemp is on campus, he is pleased

years. He lived in Swank Hall—which was then

to see that a piece of his family remains at

a boys’ dorm—and later Main Hall, where he

Mercersburg. “Near the water fountain at the

Kemp understands the importance of finding

enjoyed his senior-year location, “on the first

end of the football field, there’s a sweetgum

resources. “When I think of my father

floor, under the steps, where you could sneak

tree,” he explains. “We didn’t have a lot of

[Leonard], when he had a farm, access to

girls in through the window.”

money, but my dad was so proud. He loved

100-acre farm in western Pennsylvania,

resources was tough,” Kemp says. “There

The faculty members he remembers

Mercersburg. He brought this sweetgum tree

was no Internet. We drove around looking

most are Wirt Winebrenner ’54, Bo Burbank,

up and planted it. It is still there, and it is kind

for information. Financially, it was difficult

and Jim Malone. “They were all good, but

of cool, because I think of it as watching over

to get access to capital and there was a lot

the teacher I should really thank the most is

the football field.”

SPRING 2022 35

ALUMNI LIFE

LEAH ROCKWELL ’97, P ’25 Guidance Counselor By Megan Mallory

IN THE SPRING OF 2020, LEAH ROCKWELL ’97, P ’25 WAS WORKING AS THE DEAN OF EXPERIENTIAL PROGRAMMING AT MERCERSBURG ACADEMY AND STRUGGLING TO BALANCE FULL-TIME WORK AND A DESIRE FOR MORE TIME WITH HER DAUGHTERS. THEN THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAPPENED.

“It felt really incongruent for me to continue on in what I was doing,” Rockwell says. “I wanted to use the skills I have in a way that would be helpful to people in need and also have the flexibility that I would need to manage my life as a parent.” Over her years at Mercersburg—serving as a dorm dean, the director of global programs, and ultimately the dean of experiential programming—Rockwell also pursued her degree as a licensed professional counselor, and she felt acutely that now was the time to draw on that skill. As a result, she stepped back from her work at Mercersburg and founded Rockwell Wellness, a counseling practice offering online therapy for women’s mental-health issues. She is licensed to treat patients in Pennsylvania and Maryland. “I mostly work with women on so much anxiety,” says Rockwell. “Some of it is postpartum, but a lot of it is what people have lived with over the past year and a half. What was deniable before or manageable before has just crept up because of all the time inside with one’s kids, with one’s self, with one’s thoughts.” In some ways, perhaps, it is not unusual that Rockwell found herself moving into a role as a mentor and counselor. As a student at Mercersburg, she built her own confidence through her

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

ALUMNI LIFE

“There’s so much excitement and beauty in just allowing yourself to follow whatever comes in a free moment. Don’t get in your own way by deciding exactly how you have to use it.”

friendships, relationships, and gossip, and I

daily virtual newsletter that kept students

love that in our relationship, it gets to be fully

connected to one another from their homes

her thing.”

around the world. “I thought, ‘Oh my gosh,

As for her advice to current students,

I love doing this,’” she says. “So now that is

she says, “I want them to learn how to

a significant part of my business. I have an

embrace down time for what it is: time to do

entire day where that’s all I do is writing,

nothing other than just be. It is such a rare

and I don’t see any clients that day because

and precious gift, and I see how many of my

that is energetically feeding for me, and it

clients struggle to simply rest without the

got reignited [at Mercersburg] during a really

overarching need to find a way to be busy or

dark time when I was making really difficult

‘productive’ if given a moment of free time. I

decisions.”

hope students, when met with an unexpected

While she sometimes misses the

free period, will go burn popcorn together

direct work with students that she had at

in a common room or discover some rare

Mercersburg, she also takes great comfort

and secret corner of campus that they had

and pride in the support that the Mercersburg

no idea existed. There’s so much excitement

community has given to her. Many of the girls

and beauty in just allowing yourself to follow

who lived in Rockwell’s dorm when she was

whatever comes in a free moment. Don’t get

a dorm dean, and who also gave her so much

in your own way by deciding exactly how you

support when she was a new mom, are now

have to use it.”

becoming moms themselves.

This is advice that Rockwell tries to

“One of the most motivating things for

follow in her own self-care. As a strong

me in starting the business and connecting

introvert, she respects the need to curate her

back to Mercersburg was that a lot of the girls

energy. “I build into every day the things

who I had been the dorm dean for reached out

that feed my energy and moderate what will

and said, ‘I can’t think of a better person to

deplete my energy,” she says. “For me, every

be doing this work. We’re so excited for you.’

morning I either swim when I can, or I take

“None of this would have been possible

long walks and listen to podcasts. I go very

had all of that not happened. I have so much

internal for at least the first hour of the day.

gratitude for the girls from the Class of 2008

I take that time very much for me. I am really

and on for that period of time. First, they

careful about what I say yes to. If I have a day

were schooling me on how to be a mom. They

work and her close relationships with others.

where I have four clients, that would not be a

were the first ones to ask, ‘Can we hold her

“One of the most life-changing things for

day for me to plan dinner with friends.”

while you open the snack closet? Can we do

me was being a Peer Group Leader and really

As she thinks about the future, Rockwell

this for you so you can do these other parts

learning the power of group work and what

is excited to build her practice. “I really

of your job?’ You can’t do any of this work

it’s like to be heard and to offer listening to

enjoy working with moms right now on

in isolation. It takes a community—whether

others,” she says. “That really sparked an

the motherhood identity experience and

in person or online. That validation from the

interest in being in a relational field later on.”

managing their own anxieties,” she says.

people who really saw me in my formative

“Something I’m really interested in is

time has been important.”

Rockwell’s current work also allows her more time with her two daughters, Louisa ’25

bridging some of my services into the world

and Eve Gunkelman, and she enjoys watching

of coaching and doing parent coaching for

Mercersburg through her daughter’s eyes. “I

other parents of teenage girls.”

developed a lot of independence that I would

She also loves the opportunity she has

not have gotten otherwise, and now I’m

now to do more writing, a passion that had

seeing that in my own child,” says Rockwell.

fallen away over the years but was rekindled

“As a parent, I get to sit back and watch and

at Mercersburg just as the pandemic took

ask completely uninformed questions about

hold. Rockwell was put in charge of the

SPRING 2022

ALUMNI LIFE

ANDRE WATKIS ’08 A Fulfillment Like No Other By Debra Collins P ’14

LIVING A MEANINGFUL LIFE FOR ANDRE WATKIS ’08 MEANS HELPING OTHERS, A DESIRE HE FELT AT AN EARLY AGE. “SINCE I WAS 13, I HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO WORK AND SUPPORT OTHER PEOPLE,” HE SAYS. “ORIGINALLY, I WAS THINKING ABOUT GOING INTO PSYCHOLOGY, BUT HERE IN CANADA, THE SOCIAL-WORK FIELD ALLOWS ME MORE EXPOSURE—AND BECAUSE OF THAT, I DECIDED TO FOLLOW THIS ROAD.”

After graduating from Mercersburg, Watkis, who is a native of Jamaica, attended the University of Toronto, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology, French, and exceptionality in human learning. He recently completed a bachelor’s degree in social work from Dalhousie University in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. Watkis recognizes Mercersburg for giving him the confidence necessary to follow his dreams. “My education and my time at Mercersburg helped me get into college,” he says. “I think about the many people who mentored me while I was there, and it’s that mentorship that allowed me the confidence to feel that I was able to pursue my childhood dream of working and making a life out of supporting others,” says Watkis. His mentors included faculty members Peter Kempe P ’09, ’13, ’18, “Madame” (Heather Prescott), and his adviser Jeff Pierce. Since 2017, Watkis has worked for several service organizations in a variety of roles and served diverse populations that have broadened and strengthened his knowledge and skills. These groups include the homeless, refugee children, families and children with mental health and developmental needs, individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, and individuals who live with both mental-health and addiction issues. He also spent three years at Dalhousie investigating the harms of HIV criminalization as part of a team of researchers. Today, Watkis is a mental-health and addictions worker for Thresholds Homes and Supports, a nonprofit in Wellington, Ontario, that works to “transform the health and security of individuals by taking a comprehensive approach to mental health, addiction, and housing,” according to its website. He is also a child youth worker and consults with a local school district about how to best provide support for students with special needs and behavioral challenges. In his current role, Watkis says he enjoys the complexities of supporting individuals living with mental health and addiction issues. “It is a vulnerable population that struggles with their addiction… and many still live in poverty, so my role with each individual is unique, and I enjoy that there’s a lot of dynamics with the position,” he says.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

ALUMNI LIFE

“It is really all about relationships. If you’re able to make a connection with someone on a personal level, that’s where the therapeutic benefit starts, and that connection is often enough to start the process of healing or progression in whatever they may be struggling with.”

“I help them with resources for their addictions, and with housing. A lot of them can’t easily afford even the basic necessities of life, so I help them get connected to food sources, clothing, and medical attention.” Helping people starts with making a personal connection, according to Watkis. “It is really all about relationships. If you’re able to make a connection with someone on a personal level, that’s where the therapeutic benefit starts, and that connection is often enough to start the process of healing or progression in whatever they may be struggling with. Once that connection is there, we can work together. It is a partnership.” Watkis realized the power of human connection early in his career. “I don’t know if I was able to appreciate it then,” he says. “I connected with an isolated senior. And, for me, we didn’t do that much. I just checked in with him to see how he was doing and we played a few games. But just from that individual sharing his story and expressing that he had no family, no connections… those few hours that we spent together each week may have not cost me much, but for him, it meant a great deal. So, just knowing that in one person’s life, to see that direct impact and to help them in a deep way, that was definitely meaningful to me.” While Watkis gains fulfillment from supporting all populations, he is especially drawn to helping teens. “I feel that I connect with youth and teenagers on their perspectives and I understand some of their challenges; it can match my frequency in terms of the way that I operate and exist,” he says. “I also support those with mental health and addiction. As I see it, all these experiences with different groups are cumulative and help me sharpen my skills so that I can provide the best support for whomever I am working with.” Watkis says he stays mindful of practicing self-care to avoid burnout. “With the work we do, you do get involved,” he explains. “You bring your whole self to what you do. We can be impacted just from hearing their stories, so focusing on self-care and maintaining a good work-life balance can help.” As a Mercersburg student, Watkis lived in Keil Hall and played soccer. His fondest memories are of classmates David Strider ’08 and Valentin Quan Miranda ’08, traveling to soccer games with his teammates, attending homecoming, and spending time in Ford Hall. “It was definitely good times being with different people,” he says about the diversity of the school community. Watkis believes his career experiences and Mercersburg have helped to shape him. “Mercersburg helped me to push myself,” he explains. “It was an environment that encouraged excellence and that, to this day, has helped me in my career, my mindset, and my approach to my work and my various roles.” His recommendation for those who are interested in social work: “Go for it. It’s surprising how many needs there are that people have. So, if someone has a passion for it, I would encourage them to explore it. “You don’t get into social work for the money. It is not the most lucrative field, but if you have that inner drive to work with people, the fulfillment that you get from it is like no other.”

SPRING 2022

ALUMNI LIFE

GEOFF MOORHEAD ’90 Saying “Cheese” By Lee Owen P ’24

AFTER THEIR PRACTICES, WORKOUTS, AND COMPETITIONS, THE ATHLETES GIVING THEIR ALL ON THE VARIOUS PLAYING SURFACES OF THE BOSTON SPORTS INSTITUTE IN WELLESLEY, MASSACHUSETTS, SEEK OUT GEOFF MOORHEAD ’90 FOR A “LEGIT” GRILLED CHEESE. (Their words, not his.)

report from Moorhead’s adviser, French

able to learn and understand the culture and

Moorhead is the owner and operator of

teacher Stephen Wildfeuer, which her son

become part of the community there.”

the Cheesy Street Grill inside the mammoth complex, which is 130,000 square feet and

stumbled upon. “He really took an interest in seeing

That led to a master’s language program at Middlebury College and the

features two NHL-sized hockey and skating

me grow, as did all the teachers and the

teaching and coaching position at Episcopal

rinks, a pair of indoor pools, a turf field,

folks on my floor in the dorm,” Moorhead

(a fellow Mid-Atlantic boarding school, like

courts for basketball and other sports, and

says. “I probably didn’t bring the best study

Mercersburg). He took students from the

a large indoor walking track, along with

habits to Mercersburg at first, but the school

school to Spain every summer and, over the

doctors’ offices and physical-therapy and

put me on the right course and helped me

course of a couple of summers, completed a

adjust.” Moorhead captained the squash team

master’s from the University of Salamanca.

rehabilitation clinics. It’s also home to Moorhead’s operation,

his senior year for head coach Bo Burbank

Fast forward a few years; Moorhead’s

which is the only concessionaire in the

P ’76, ’80, ’81, ’83, ’89, ’95. “What a cool

wife, Cristina, is a successful doctor, and

complex and one of four Cheesy Street Grill

guy and a great coach,” Moorhead says of

he sees an opportunity to move from his

franchise locations. The restaurant concept

Burbank, who chaired the mathematics and

position with Fidelity Investments into a

began as a Connecticut-based food truck in

arts departments during his almost-35-

position where he can run a restaurant and

2014, and has expanded into a go-to spot

year Mercersburg career in addition to his

also get to spend more time with the couple’s

for post-workout or between-hockey-game

legendary work with the school’s squash

two daughters (who are now age 5 and 10).

teams. (Burbank passed away in January

It was a leap of faith, especially when the

as this magazine was being produced.)

COVID-19 pandemic hit just months after the

comfort food. “We’re in a unique kind of place— we’re really fortunate to have this kind of facility

After earning a bachelor’s degree

restaurant’s 2019 opening.

here,” says Moorhead, a former Peace Corps

in Spanish from Denison University

volunteer who later taught and coached squash

(and studying abroad for a year in Spain),

of the pandemic. “But we’ve been able to come

at Episcopal High School in Alexandria, Virginia,

Moorhead found himself working on the

back, and I’ve been very fortunate to have a

and worked in finance before making his first

floor of the New York Stock Exchange,

great group of high-school kids that work for

foray into the restaurant business. “Usually

and described himself as “a little restless.”

me at the restaurant. We’re open every day

these kinds of places have concession stands,

He had a couple of friends who served in the

but Tuesday.”

but we are lucky to be the food option here.”

Peace Corps, which is how he ended up in

Moorhead grew up in Bethesda, Maryland, and never forgot that Mercersburg

Bolivia for two years with the organization. “It was all these wonderful

“You could never plan for that,” he says

So next time you happen to be in New England and fancy some classic comfort food between two slices of bread (or no bread at

was a great experience for him—“a life-

experiences,” Moorhead says. “I didn’t just

all—the restaurant sells mac and cheese,

changing experience,” he says—but was

get to visit and travel as a tourist would,

soups, salads, and smoothies too), consider

reminded all over again when going through

but I truly got to live in a place that was so

Moorhead’s Cheesy Street Grill.

some papers following his mother’s passing

much different from Mercersburg or any

a couple years ago. She had kept a comment

other place I’d ever experienced. I was really

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

“You can make some really interesting grilled cheeses,” he says.

Class

The Octet basks in the bright lights of the Simon Theatre stage during a number in the Fall Pops Concert.

NOTES

SPRING 2022

Weddings CLASS NOTES

Y ea Eun Kwak ’07 married Dongkyum Daniel Lee April 3, 2021, in Korea.

T he wedding of Georgia Baker ’11 and Cal Bailey September 18, 2021, in Manchester, Vermont. Attendees included (front row, L-R) Camille Hodges ’11, Nikki Hyrkas Moyle ’11, Sarah Wilson ’11, Liza Rizzo ’11, Susie Klein ’11, Georgia and Cal; (back row) Jack Moyle (Nikki’s husband), Eli Littlefield ’11, Axel Amar (Susie’s husband), Jack Flanagan ’14, Natalie Burkardt ’14, Christina Hyrkas ’13, Michaella Hoehn-Saric ’13, Josh Lloyd (Michaella’s boyfriend).

Mark Herring ’09 and Steph Zhang, April 28, 2021.

Kathy Clarke ’12 and Andrew Reynolds ’09, October 17, 2021.

Staff members Amy Piper and Jeff Rion, July 10, 2021.

A nnette Hull ’11 married Daniel Mizrach April 10, 2021, in Richmond, Virginia.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

M argaret Burnett ’13 married Sean Purcell August 21, 2021, in Cleveland, Ohio.

CLASS NOTES

Births/Adoptions

To Maureen Smeltz Ryals ’01 and her husband, Christopher ’01: a daughter, Madeline Clare, September 28, 2020. To staff member Kathleen Chatterton and her husband, faculty member Liam Chatterton: a son, Hayes Corbyn, and daughter, Campbell Ryan, August 12, 2021.

To former faculty members Anna and Tim Crouch: a son, Henry Leon, June 6, 2021. To Matt Von Lunen ’07 and his wife, Carolyn: a daughter, Ruth Ellen, December 3, 2020.

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CLASS NOTES

on si is m SubDeadlineis ue ext iss

n for the l 15, 2022

Apri

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70th Submit class notes via email to classnotes@mercersburg.edu or online at mercersburg.edu/ classnotes. The submission deadline for the next issue is April 15, 2022. Submission does not guarantee publication. Mercersburg reserves the right to edit submissions for space or content, and is not responsible for more than reasonable editing or fact-checking. When submitting a photo, please provide the highest-quality version possible, and include the names of all persons pictured and their Mercersburg class years. Due to size and quality considerations, some images may not be suitable for print.

Acting Head of School Quentin McDowell P ’25 with former Board of Regents presidents Nick Taubman ’53 and Edgar Masinter ’48.

’49 Stephen Black writes, “My latest book, The Puck Stops Here, has been published under my pen name of Philip Stephens and is available on Amazon. My children’s book, Charlie, is also published under my pen name, and my first book, Berlin and Beyond, was published under my own name.”

’54 John Willenbecher had a virtual show featuring recent acrylic paintings from October 2021 through January 2022. Stuart Williams lives in the beautiful old colonial city of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, “on the edge of a beautiful park, where I exercise daily,” he says. “The Spanish I learned under Bob Black (1925) at Mercersburg so many years ago comes in very handy here.”

’56 CORRECTION The Summer 2021 issue mistakenly listed the late Francis “Buck” Stultz as a member of Mercersburg’s Class of 1968; he was a member of the Class of 1962. Mercersburg regrets the error.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Gail T. Hodges, wife of Jim Hodges, died July 1, 2021.

’58 Roy Wetzel’s wife, Phoebe, passed away April 5, 2019.

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Dr. Frank Shipper contributed an annotated bibliography on employee ownership to the online research hub 65thth 50 Oxford Bibliographies. Frank is professor emeritus of management at Salisbury University in Maryland.

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Lou Prevost reports that he and his wife, Susan, welcomed their eighth grandchild, 50th 35th Palmer Julianne Prevost, during the height of the pandemic. Allan Rose writes, “Life goes on—COVID 45th has certainly affected a great number 30ofth people over the last 18 months. For me, not so much. I have been working my 40-hour week at Advance Auto Parts and 40thth playing a little golf. Twice this year I have 25 been able to get together with Corky

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Several members of the Class of 1966 together in St. Michaels, Maryland. Left to right/back to front: Tom Maccubbin, John VerStandig, Chris Spurry, Joe Kyle, Steve Mallory, Steve Marstiller, Rob Robison, Bill Gordon, Phil Yates, Brock Vinton, Bill Goodfellow, Tom Trunzo, Jack Seto, Larry Way, Dave Birchenough.

Gilmore and Hud Connery ’68 for golf and lunch. Also, got together with a small group of alumni from the Albany area when Jenn Flanagan Bradley ’99 arranged an outing at Hud Connery’s country club. Great alumni relations! Remember—our 55th is just a few months away. Please make yourself available for our first June reunion. I am very much looking forward to seeing all of you.”

’68 After 20 years on Roanoke Island in the Outer Banks, Michael Gery and his wife, Susan Haynes Cates, moved to Fearrington Village near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. “Our first visitors were Craig Moyer and his wife, Lois, who were traveling through. We invite any mates as cool as they are to write and visit here.” Some of Michael’s work can be found at MichaelLetters.com.

’71 Paul Dickman appeared on CNBC’s Street Signs in April 2021 to speak about Japan’s plan to release treated radioactive water from the Fukushima nuclear plant into the Pacific Ocean. Paul was the 2021 recipient of the Alumni Council Medal for Distinguished Achievement.

’72

Bob Dorer ’72 (far left) and his family together at Mount Hood just before the pandemic began.

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Bob Dorer retired in 2019 after a rewarding 43-year career in transportation 45th safety engineering and management. “I’m actually loving retirement,” he writes. “It allows me to dig deeper into working on our local newspaper’s board, helping with 40th local, state, and national elections, refining my photography, kayaking on the Concord, and just plain enjoying life. My wife, Sarah, and I have been blessed with two great th kids (Whitney and James) and three 35 fantastic grandchildren, the last one born this past January.”

30 R.J. Dutton retired in 2020 after 25 years as director of the Office of Border Health at the Texas Department of Health, working on public health programs 25th along the Texas-Mexico border. th

Jeff Frankel and his wife, Dara, both retired December 31, 2020—“after four decades 20th of wealth management at Morgan Stanley for me and Dara giving up her super power of teaching children to read,” he writes. “We’ve enjoyed multiple West Coast trips 15th to reconnect with our four granddaughters,

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Dara and Jeff Frankel ’72 with their grandchildren.

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and 45 days of skiing, and lots of sailing, fishing, and tennis. Looking forward to our 50th reunion. I doubt we resemble those old men we remember returning after half a century.”

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Rich Haskell writes, “The 50th Reunion work commenced on June 3, 2021, the 49th anniversary of The Great Class of 1972 graduation. We are well underway to make it a terrific reunion with recordbreaking attendance and contributions. In July, classmates volunteered for the reunion committee; 26 classmates have committed to attend the reunion to date.

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“Duckie” Doug Mendelson ’72 navigating Class IV rapids in Brown’s Canyon in Colorado.

Bruce Schneider ’75 and Rick Jenkinson ’75 got together in Christmas Cove, Maine. Bruce lives in New Harbor, Maine, and Rick has a summer cottage nearby on Heron Island.

In August, the Facebook group page was finalized and is active with 47 members (facebook.com/groups/mercersburg72). Monthly communications with a special class template started in September. Please save the date and join the fun!” Ned Lightner is enjoying semi-retirement from a 40-plus year career in TV and video. He lives along the coast of Maine and recently got his non-commercial lobster license. He looks forward to seeing many of his classmates at the 50th reunion in June. For the past four years, Tim McNair has served as the board chair of Empower Erie, a nonprofit that was successful in creating a plan for a new community college in Erie County, Pennsylvania. The plan was accepted by Erie County in 2017. “A long campaign ensued to overcome opposition from vested and political interests, and we were finally successful in June 2020, when the State Board of Education approved the application and established Erie County Community College of Pennsylvania as the Commonwealth’s 15th community college,” he says. “The college began classes on September 1, and enrollment is exceeding expectations; 35 percent of the students are people of color. We are quite proud of this accomplishment.”

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70th Bob Everett ’76, David Wright ’76, Trip Emerson ’72, Pete Emerson ’75, James Kegley ’76, Charlie Wood ’76, Tony Tito ’75, and Charlie’s wife Kathy gathered on campus in August for a mini-reunion before heading up to camp at Cowans Gap for the weekend. (Not pictured but in attendance: Dave Ditto ’75.) th

Douglas Mendelson retired as an environmental geologist in Denver in 2018 after working for engineering firms for the last 30 years. “The last 18 years, I was in charge of overseeing the demolition and remediation of the old Stapleton Airport,” he says. “I now live in the south end of the Arkansas Valley at the headwaters of the Arkansas River. I chose this area as there is a ski resort 20 minutes away, whitewater kayaking out my back door for 60 miles, dirt bike and mountain bike trails surrounding the town, and no traffic. I have had several classmates come out to ski and have had dinner with the ones in the Denver area. For fun, I am a classic rock DJ on the local radio station, serve on the Salida Planning Commission, and help

build affordable housing with Habitat for Humanity.”

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Louis DiLalla, father of Richard DiLalla, father-in-law of Ann Marks DiLalla ’82, and grandfather of Aric DiLalla ’12, th James DiLalla ’17, Mary DiLalla ’19, 45 and Emma DiLalla ’24, passed away August 7, 2021.

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MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

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55th Mark Montgomery ’81, Dave Wagner ’81, and Doug Burbank ’81 joined Walter ’53 and Barbara Burgin for an August 2021 dinner in New 50th Hampshire to talk about old times and current events. “It was a fabulous gathering and great opportunity to thank two people who did so much for us and the Academy,” Dave says.

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Jessica Boyatt writes, “I can’t believe our 40th reunion is coming up! I’m still in35th the Boston area working as a clinical psychologist and neuropsychologist in English and Spanish. Some interesting things of late are working with a group th 30 providing assessment and counseling to families that were separated at the border. I also developed and am running an online class for the Infant-Parent th Training Institute examining how the25 intersections of privilege and oppression along racial, gender, and socioeconomic lines has shaped the discourse in the th 20 field of psychological development— with the goal of thinking together about how to move the field towards something that actually represents, th researches, and helps all babies and 15 their families.”

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Classmates Bruce Ricciuti ’83 and Scott Sundstrom ’83 met up last summer at Youngstown Country Club in Ohio, where Scott is the head 60th golf professional.

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55th 65 s Julia Clark MacInnis ’86 completed an associate’ degree in nursing and earned her RN license in July She has started a bachelor’s program th 502021. (RN to BSN) at the University of Virginia and began working in the Inova Health System in th the 60 fall. She says, “That makes three college students in this family, as both sons are in college too!” th

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Chipper Lichtenstein writes, “I was recently the featured guest on two 50th episodes of the podcast ‘Gambling with an Edge.’ I used a pseudonym during the interviews because I didn’t want any casino executives or surveillance personnel 45 to th have even more information about me than they already do. You guys should be able to recognize my voice, though.”

Julie Sommer is an attorney in Seattle and serves 40th on the board of the Drake Group, which defends academic integrity in higher education from the corrosive aspects50 ofth commercialized college sports.

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Lemuel F. Eldridge, father of Chris Eldridge and John Eldridge ’91, died August 10, 2021.

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Ema Naito-Bhakdi is volunteering with a30 group called TCKs of Asia. “We run th discussion forums a couple times a year to explore what it means to be a third culture 40th kid—children who grow up between two or more worlds—with an Asian twist,” she 25th writes. Ema lives in Singapore.

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Michelle Spinney Rosypal is a massage therapist, yoga teacher, and private 25th

SPRING 2022

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CLASS NOTES

Josh Bratter ’91 (center) was in Philadelphia for a hearing and spent some time with Chase Lenfest (right), son of Gerry ’49 and Marguerite Lenfest, at the inauguration of his new squash facility. While there, Josh organized a reunion with classmate and Board of Regents member John Henry ’91 (left). They had an absolute blast together sharing Mercersburg stories and remembering days in Swank Hall.

Michelle Spinney Rosypal ’92 with her husband, Yuri, and their three children, Willow, Oakton, and Acer.

New Alumni Council member Danielle Dahlstrom ’93 joined current member Scott Cummings ’71 for a drink and Mercersburg catch-up in Vienna, Austria, where Danielle lives and Scott was visiting.

Dana Gryniuk ’92 met up with classmate Eileen Sheffler Prugh ’92 last summer while on vacation with her family in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

caregiver. “I stopped working to be a stayat-home mom, and looking back now I have no regrets,” she writes. “It has allowed me to really focus on family, memories made, and milestones celebrated. My husband, Yuri, and I live simply and happily on 24 acres of quiet Pennsylvania countryside with our three children. Our faith is our center and foundation. We

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

have participated in multiple mission trips overseas and we love to volunteer and work with those in need. Life has not always been easy but it has been a rewarding, fulfilling, blessed, and amazing journey thus far! Looking forward to celebrating our 30th class reunion.”

’95 Tommy Wang has moved to Puerto Rico, where he is chief investment officer at AT Gekko, a late-stage venture capital firm making investments in environmental, social, and global companies looking to save the planet.

Kirsten Goerl Becker ’97, Beth Rawley Rail ’97, and Megan Glah Woodman ’97 got together in September in Littleton, Colorado, for their fantasy football draft. They’ve been playing in a league Kirsten and Beth created along with honorary Class of ’97 member Julie Hasson Wells ’98 for 12 seasons, and rarely have a chance to draft together—so this was extra special!

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Matt Von Lunen is the chief economic development officer for the Greater 10th 20th Nashville Regional Council.

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Heidi Anderes Hollier ’01 and Jonathan Palmer ’99 connected in Denver, where their children attend the same school.

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25th Michael Rodriguez is the senior legal administrator for I Corps, Office of the 20th Staff Judge Advocate, located at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and is starting his 23rd year of military service. He and his wife, Tammy, have four 15th children.

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Michael Rodriguez ’97 with his wife, Tammy, and their four children.

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Former faculty member Tom Dugan was interviewed by CNN about teaching in a post-9/11 world. Tom is the director of theater and the chair of performing arts 5th at Suffield Academy in Connecticut.

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20th Sarah Marano Walsh and Kevin Walsh are th living in Pittsburgh with their children15 Julia (9) and William (5). Kevin is a neurosurgeon and the director of adult spinal deformity for the Allegheny Health Network, and Sarah is an oncology account manager 10th for Jazz Pharmaceuticals after 14 years at Genentech. They are both excited to celebrate their 20-year reunion (which is also a celebration of their first date)! 5th

’06 Caity Barnes Yoxtheimer serves as the 0th head of people at Zipline, a company that manufactures and operates delivery drones. Zipline’s mission is to provide every person on Earth with instant access to vital medical supplies.

Clayton Young ’08 has moved to Elmhurst, Illinois, where he spends his time working as a technology consultant for Accenture and is involved in fishing and wildlife conservation.

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Kiersten Bell earned an education specialist degree (Ed.S.) in school psychology from James Madison 10th University in August 2021. She is a school 0th psychologist for Chesapeake Public Schools in Chesapeake, Virginia, where she works with students in grades K-12. Kiersten taught biology and chemistry 5th for five years at Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg before entering graduate school.

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35th Gerverus Flagg ’10 graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, and earned a master’s in sports management from Columbia University. 30th Gerverus, who played football at Georgetown, worked for the National Football League Office for two years and is now a social marketing manager for Black community programs at Meta.

35th Lane DeCordova ’12 ran the London Marathon in October and finished with a new personal record. She lives in New York City, and encourages all classmates to come back to campus for Reunion Weekend in June.

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’11 Annette Hull Mizrach and her husband, 20th Daniel, live in Los Angeles, where Annette is a business development specialist for the law firm of Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.

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10th John-Eric Bell won the novice division of 5th the Patriots Triathlon—which was his first half-Ironman triathlon—on September 11 in Jamestown, Virginia. Kathy Clarke-Reynolds and her husband, 0th Andrew Clarke-Reynolds ’09, live in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Andrew is a mechanical engineer for MGS Machine and Kathy works for Nonin Medical as a customer advocate for those living in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. 50

Dikachi Osaji ’14 has completed a master’s 25 in th medical science and a thesis year as a graduate research assistant in the Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine at Brigham 30th and Women’s Hospital in Boston. Dikachi is in her 20ofth first year of medical school at the University Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Ryan Mahaffey has moved to the San Francisco Bay Area, where he is working as a software engineer for Unqork. Katherine Pierce is living in Chicago, where she works as a program coordinator for the Jewish United Fund. She says she is looking forward to seeing her classmates this June!

for Meridian Strategies’ NYC Vaccination 20th Outreach Program.

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5th 10 Kaufman Butler graduated in May 2021 from Occidental College and moved 0th to Washington, D.C., where she works at the Department of Education in the 5th of the Inspector General. “I just Office started school at American University, where I am pursuing a master’s of public administration,” she says. th

’15 Grace Piotrowski was a featured speaker in a school meeting on campus last spring in celebration of National Poetry Month. After Grace performed several pieces of her work, Lian Wang ’21 interviewed her about her experience at Mercersburg and how she got into performance poetry. Grace took up poetry—writing and performing—during her time at Mercersburg, and she performs regularly in her home city of Chicago. Grace is working as a deputy program director

Maddi Jones graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and is in North Charleston, South Carolina, where she is training as an ensign at the Naval Nuclear Power Pipeline. She is looking forward to seeing everyone at the reunion in June.

CLASS NOTES

AVA PAUL ’18: ON SCREEN If you live in the Philadelphia area or you peruse social media, you may have stumbled across a Pepsi commercial set in a Philly cheesesteak restaurant. And you might have recognized one of the actors: Ava Rose Paul ’18. The commercial was filmed in an actual Philadelphia steak shop in August 2021, and the guy behind the counter really does work there. But the actual eating of the food? No, Paul didn’t do that. She’s vegan and gluten free. She told

Felix Eckert ’17 is finishing a degree in industrial engineering from the University of Bayreuth in Germany. He recently hosted his Mercersburg roommate Alexandros Nanos ’17 and is hoping to see more of his classmates at their 5th reunion in June 2022.

the director, “I can’t eat it, but I can fake it.” And that’s exactly what she did. The Pepsi commercial is just one of many projects Paul is working on. She also appeared with Norah Jones in the video for Jones’ holiday song “Christmas Calling (Jolly Jones)”; she’s the Santa who pulls Jones on stage. “I pinch myself every day,” says Paul. “I’m very lucky. Luck is on my side, but I also hustle.” Acting is something that Paul cultivated as a student at Mercersburg. She is also quick to point out that her fellow classmates made a huge impact on her, including two who have tragically passed away since graduation: P.J. Flaherty ’16 and Joe Beauregard ’18. “I just try to be so grateful for the opportunities I have,” Paul says, “and everything I do is for [Joe] and for my friends who didn’t get to have what I had. I always try to give back.” If Paul could offer advice to her younger self, she would say, “Keep hustling and you’ll get there. But have fun on the way.”

Caroline He ’19, Rebecca Feng ’20, Gigi Fung ’19, and Priscilla Zhang ’19 at a mini-Mercersburg reunion in Boston.

’19 Brent Ditzler is working in the Cote Research Lab at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, analyzing metallic powders and moisture effects on their flowability and providing data to the graduate students of the group for upcoming publications.

’20

Former Faculty/Staff

Jack Kothari writes, “Sophomore year at Penn has been a much welcomed one with the return to in-person classes and then the arrival of more Mercersburg alumni. It’s great to have Kevin Chen ’21, Jesse Zhang, and Noah Choi on campus this year for the first time!”

Dave Ciafre has been inducted into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Dave was Mercersburg’s head wrestling coach from 1990 to 1992 and has coached at Sharon High School in northwestern Pennsylvania since 1993. He has coached three PIAA state champions and 18 state placewinners and served as a Junior Nationals head coach for Pennsylvania USA Wrestling.

Jack Yeager has transferred from Virginia Tech to Penn State University.

SPRING 2022

In Memoriam

c ’36 J. Martin Myers Jr., July 20, 2021. Martin graduated from Mercersburg at age 16. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University and a medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. After serving in the U.S. Army Medical Corps, he became medical director and psychiatrist in chief for the Institute of the Pennsylvania Hospital. He was among the earliest to demonstrate the value of lithium in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Martin retired from the University of Pennsylvania School of medicine as professor emeritus of psychiatry in 1985. He served as a consultant to the National Institutes of Health, the Health Care Finance Administration, and the Veterans Administration, and was president of the American College of Psychiatrists, the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society, the Philadelphia Psychiatric Society, and the National Association of Private Psychiatric Hospitals. He was preceded in death by his wife, Marjorie, as well as two brothers, Walter (1921) and John (1923); an uncle, Garry (1902); and a brother-in-law, Clarence Daub ’27. Survivors include two daughters, two grandsons, and a nephew, W. Kendall Myers ’55. c ’41 James M. Rodney, August 30, 2021. Jim attended Dartmouth College and founded Detroit Forming Inc., which designs and manufactures rigid plastic packaging. He served on the board of directors for the Mackinac Center for Public Policy and lived in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Jim was a member of Mercersburg’s Marshall and Irving Alliance. He was preceded in death by

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

his wife, Patricia; survivors include three sons, a daughter, and a granddaughter, Destiny ’22. c ’43 Thomas Massey III, June 13, 2021. Tom was a standout wrestler at Mercersburg; he was the school’s first two-time champion at the Lehigh Interscholastic Tournament (now the annual and prestigious National Prep Tournament). He graduated from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School. Tom served in the U.S. Navy, making five war patrols in Japanese waters aboard the USS Razorback during World War II. After the war, he worked for Delaware Trust Bank and eventually opened his own collection agency. He was known to later generations of Mercersburg students as a frequent leader of Step Songs on the steps of Main Hall. Survivors include three granddaughters and a great-grandson. c ’45 Sam T. Knappenberger, September 26, 2021. Sam earned a bachelor’s degree from Wittenberg University and a doctorate from New York Medical School. He interned at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit and completed his residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. He joined the Navy; during his service, he worked at Albert Schweitzer’s hospital in Gabon and visited 40 countries in Africa. Sam practiced urology for 30 years at St. Bernardine Medical Center in San Bernardino, California, eventually becoming the chairman of its board of directors. He was preceded in death by his wife of 64 years, Margaret. Survivors include two daughters, two grandchildren, and a great-grandchild.

c ’46 Philip H. Kelly, March 2, 2021. Phil followed his father, Ralph (1920), to Mercersburg. He later studied at Florida International University, the University of Miami, and Ursinus College. Phil previously worked at Westchester Hospital and lived in Cutler Bay, Florida. Richard S. Stoeltzing, October 13, 2021. Dick received a bachelor’s degree from Lehigh University and a master’s from Penn State University. He was a longtime employee of Westinghouse, where he developed and patented the proximity-sensing device for elevators. He also served on the board of directors for the Pittsburgh Opera. Dick was preceded in death by his first wife, Patsy. Survivors include his wife of 33 years, Adele, as well as five grandchildren and six greatgrandchildren. c ’47 Lawrence C. Otto, January 26, 2018. Larry graduated from the University of Michigan. He was a chemical engineer who retired from DuPont and founded the St. John Center and the Coalition for the Homeless in Louisville, Kentucky. Survivors include three daughters, a son, six grandchildren, and three greatgrandchildren. c ’48 John B. Lowry, June 10, 2021. John, the son of the late John B. Lowry (1918), graduated from Princeton University and Harvard Law School. He served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army’s Artillery Division during the Korean War. He worked for McCutchen Doyle Brown & Enersen, where he became a partner and specialized in tax law. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sarah,

as well as two sisters and a brother (William ’55). Survivors include five sons, 10 grandchildren, and two sisters. c ’49 James P. Johnston, July 13, 2019. James earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees concurrently while enrolled in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s honors program, and also received a doctorate from MIT. He worked at Ingersoll-Rand before being named an assistant professor of mechanical engineering at Stanford University; he became a full professor in 1973 and retired in 1995. He was a foremost authority on fluid dynamics. James was preceded in death by his wife, Joan. Survivors include three daughters, two sons, 13 grandchildren, and a sister. William S. Long Jr., September 10, 2021. Bill was a manufacturer of concrete products for many years in Mars, Pennsylvania. Survivors include four children (including Bill III ’82), seven grandchildren, a brother, and his longtime companion, Carol Grady. Richard G. McCann, August 29, 2021. Dick attended the University of Tulsa and was stationed in Germany with the U.S. Army. He returned stateside to work for the Akron Porcelain Company for most of his career. He lived in Melbourne, Florida. Survivors include his wife of 65 years, Carolyn; three children, including Barry ’86; and two grandchildren.

Bill Clutz ’51

Preserved in Painting

illiam H. Clutz, a successful artist elected to the National Academy of Design and whose pieces can be found in the collections of some of the nation’s most prestigious art galleries, died July 26, 2021, at his home in Rhinebeck, New York. He was 88. Born March 19, 1933, in Gettysburg, Clutz attended Mercersburg at a time when the Academy did not offer art classes, but studied privately with Mercersburg resident Thomas Danaher (whose wife, Ellen, was the daughter of legendary faculty member and coach Jimmy Curran). He graduated from the University of Iowa before moving to New York City. During a time of abstract expressionist painting, Clutz was known for his paintings and pastels of pedestrians in light set in the urban landscape. The New York Times once wrote, “Since the late 1950s, Mr. Clutz has been painting the street life of New York, simplifying its complexity to the brink of abstraction.” Clutz’s work hangs in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden in Washington, and in dozens of galleries, museums, and corporate collections throughout the U.S. He taught painting at the University of Minnesota, the Gerrit Rietveld Academie in Amsterdam, and (for 22 years) at New York’s Parsons School of Design. He received Parsons’ Distinguished Teaching Award in 1989 and was chosen for membership in the National Academy of Design in 2005. Clutz was preceded in death by his life partner of more than 30 years, John Sheehy, as well as two alumni relatives: a brother, Henry ’48, and an uncle, Henry Hartman ’34. Survivors include his brother, Dave ’55, as well as a number of nieces and nephews.

c ’50 James W. Braham, June 10, 2021. Jim followed his uncle, the late William Whitla (1919), and brother, the late

SPRING 2022

IN MEMORIAM

Walter Braham ’47, to Mercersburg. He graduated from Princeton University and served as a first lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He started his career at Mellon Bank and then became an investment banker at Parker/Hunter, where he specialized in IPOs for more than 40 years. Jim served on Mercersburg’s Alumni Council and was the benefactor of the W. Walter Braham Fund. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Jane Vance Braham, who was the longtime host of Romper Room on WTAE in Pittsburgh. Survivors include his wife of 47 years, Kathleen; two daughters and two sons; eight grandchildren; and a brother-in-law, Jim Haines ’58. Richard H. Krebs, February 12, 2018. Richard attended Gettysburg College and served in the U.S. Air Force. He retired from the U.S. Postal Service in 2000 and lived in Henderson, Nevada. c ’51 Isaac N. Smith IV, June 22, 2021. Ike earned bachelor’s and law degrees from Washington and Lee University and was a well-known businessman and banker in Charleston, West Virginia. He joined Kanawha Banking & Trust Company in 1960 (later becoming president and CEO) and served as president of United Bank and United Bankshares following a 1986 merger. In addition to his banking responsibilities, Ike managed four family land companies that merged in 2000 to form KanawhaRoxalana Company, of which he served as president and CEO until his retirement in 2017. Some of his many leadership positions included chairman of the Charleston Area Chamber of Commerce and district governor for

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

Rotary International; he was a trustee of Washington and Lee and the University of Charleston, and served on Mercersburg’s Alumni Council from 1973 to 1976. Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Stuart; three sons and a daughter; 10 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; and two brothers. Homer E. Williams, October 4, 2021. Homer served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and rose to the rank of sergeant. He worked at Mack Trucks for more than 30 years before starting his own stained-glass studio; he was known for the restoration of lamps and church panels. Homer was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth; survivors include two daughters and a son, a grandson, and a brother and sister. c ’52 Paul Y. Adams Jr., July 6, 2013. Charles A. Austin III, May 31, 2021. Charlie attended Lehigh University and served in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Antietam (CV-36); he was also stationed at the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island. He worked for Price Waterhouse before joining State Street Research and Management, where he became a partner. He then worked as an investment advisor for several firms and retired from Anchor Capital in 2018. Charlie was preceded in death by a son, a daughter, and a sister. Survivors include his wife of 35 years, Catherine Scifres, as well as a daughter, two sons, three grandchildren, a brother (Louis ’55) and a sister, and a cousin (David Young ’55). Albert C. Baker, May 28, 2021. Al graduated from Bethany College and worked for National Steel Corporation. He lived in Bettendorf, Iowa. He

was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannine. Survivors include three sons, three grandchildren, and a sister. G. Frederick Grove, August 7, 2021. Fred attended the University of Michigan and served in the U.S. Army. After his military service, he graduated from Shepherd College and built the businesses of the Don S. Grove Company, Pittsburgh Abrasive and Supply Company, and Aloma Shim and Manufacturing Company—all of which he served as chairman. Survivors include his wife, Lynn, and two children. He was preceded in death by a daughter. c ’53 Richard D. Mayer, October 9, 2017. Dick attended the University of Michigan and lived in Cary, North Carolina. He was preceded in death by a brother, Bob ’51. c ’54 Joseph G. Eyler, September 24, 2021. Joe attended Syracuse University and served in the U.S. Air Force. He became the first tattoo technician for the U.S. Trotting Association and traveled the nation tattooing horses. He also owned Freestate Standardbred Horse Sales Company and Eyler Stock Farm, and worked for several trucking firms. He was preceded in death by his wife, Harriett, and a son. Survivors include a son and two daughters, three grandchildren, and a brother. Gerald R. Hoover, September 17, 2021. Gerald graduated from the Altoona School of Commerce. He served in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of staff sergeant. He retired from Blair Clay Products in Altoona, Pennsylvania, and

following his retirement he enjoyed jockeying cars for Hertz and local car dealers. Gerald was preceded in death by his wife, Ruby. Survivors include a son and daughter, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren. Edward P. Wish Jr., August 13, 2021. Ed graduated from Denison University. After graduation he served as a naval officer assigned to the USS Hissem. He later joined his father at Castle Stationery Company; together and separately, they also acquired and ran Casalandra Metal Stamping, Terrace North Apartments, and other residential and commercial rental properties and businesses. He was preceded in death by his wife, Deanna. Survivors include his companion, Faith Hassan; a daughter and a son; five grandchildren; and a sister. c ’56 A. Jeffrey Dando, July 18, 2021. Jeff received a degree in civil engineering from Cornell University and graduated from Cornell Law School. He began his legal career in Boston at Bingham, Dana & Gould, and moved to Goodwin Procter & Hoar, where he became a partner and retired in 1998. Survivors include his wife, Marge; a daughter and son; a sister; and several nieces and nephews. c ’57 E. James Andrews Jr., September 2, 2021. Jim, the son of the late Edson J. Andrews ’29, graduated from the University of Colorado and received a medical degree from the University of Florida. He was appointed an officer in the Public Health Service’s Infectious Disease Control with the naval rank of lieutenant commander. He completed

a residency at Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology in St. Louis and a fellowship in cardiovascular radiology with the National Institutes of Health, and then entered private practice in Alabama and Florida. Jim later became medical director for a medical costmanagement company in Nashville, Tennessee, and spent 11 years as an assistant professor of radiology at Vanderbilt University. He also held associate and adjunct professor positions within the departments of radiology at the University of South Alabama and University of Florida. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Winifred, along with two sons, six grandchildren, and three greatgrandchildren. Richard S. Dittmar, December 6, 2017. Dick joined the U.S. Army after graduating from Middlebury College. He worked as an insurance adjuster for Aetna and lived in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Survivors include three daughters, two grandsons, and two granddaughters. He was preceded in death by two sisters and a son. c ’58 David M. Bliley, July 15, 2021. Dave graduated from Lycoming College, earning a bachelor’s degree in business in 1962. David worked his entire life at Bliley Electric Company (now Bliley Technologies), a business founded by his father. He began his career in sales and was named vice president of marketing, a position he held for more than 20 years until retiring in 1998. Survivors include his wife of 41 years, Mary Ann Morton Bliley; three daughters (including Ann Marie Bliley-Ester ’01) and a son; three grandchildren; and a sister, two brothers, and a stepbrother.

Mark E. Cohen, August 25, 2021. Mark

earned a bachelor’s degree and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania. He was a researcher and chemist who worked for Gulf Oil in San Diego; among his projects was research and development of reverse-osmosis membranes for water desalination. Mark lived in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina. He was preceded in death by his wife, Georgia. Survivors include two sons, a stepson, and two grandsons. c ’60 Stephen E. Sellery, June 2, 2020. Steve followed his father, Robert ’30, and uncle, Harry ’28, to Mercersburg. He attended the University of Bridgeport and was president of The Sellery Group. Steve lived in Los Angeles. Among his survivors are two sons, a daughter, a brother, and a grandson, Robert ’23. c ’61 A. Jefferson Carpenter III, June 18, 2021. Jeff attended Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts. He worked in sales and kitchen design for a number of companies, most recently for Norwood Fine Carpentry. Jeff lived in Marlborough, Massachusetts. c ’62 Thomas W.M. Long III, June 1, 2021. Tom graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He served in the U.S. Navy and as a lay minister, worked in the insurance business for many years, and was active in local politics in Fannin County, Texas. Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Linda Grounds Long; a son and a daughter; two grandchildren; and a brother and a sister.

SPRING 2022

IN MEMORIAM

John H. Mackey, September 29, 2021. John graduated from Ursinus College. He served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1966 to 1974. For most of his career, John worked for Travelers Insurance Company in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Before retiring, John was employed by Reliance Surety in Philadelphia. Survivors include a daughter, three grandchildren, three brothers, and a sister. c ’63 Edgar M. Cheely Jr., May 31, 2021. Ed was an Eagle Scout and graduated from Carnegie Mellon University. He later received an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh. He worked in finance for Alcoa for 30 years, retiring in 2000. Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Mary Lynn McWhorter Cheely; a son and a daughter; two grandchildren; and a brother and a sister. c ’66 Linwood C. Uphouse, July 6, 2021. Woody, who was the son of the late Harry Uphouse ’37, attended the University of South Carolina. He worked in marketing and as a professional golf caddie; he caddied at nearly every private club in the Philadelphia area as well as in Naples, Florida. c ’67 Thomas H. Fritz, October 3, 2021. Tom graduated from Dickinson College. He had recently retired as president of Fritz Equipment Service. Tom was preceded in death by his wife of 37 years, Margaret; survivors include two daughters, five grandchildren, a sister and a brother, his mother, and his companion, Hope Powers.

MERCERSBURG ACADEMY MAGAZINE

c ’69 Steven W. McCune, August 30, 2020. Steven worked as a physical therapist in the Boston area. He lived in New Hampshire. c ’71 William J. Moore Jr., June 12, 2021. Bill attended Wittenberg University. He was the owner of W.J. Moore Insurance in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, until his retirement in 2019. Survivors include his wife, Brenda, as well as a son, a daughter, and two granddaughters. c ’73 Robert J. Stringert Jr., August 8, 2021. Rob graduated from Kenyon College and worked for his family’s business, Stringert Inc., in McKees Rocks, Pennsylvania, for 30 years. He was a member of Mercersburg’s Marshall and Irving Alliance and lived in Sewickley, Pennsylvania. Survivors include his fiancée, Victoria Graham, as well as six nieces and nephews and four greatnieces and great-nephews. c ’75 David R. Killius, September 10, 2021. Dave attended Carnegie Mellon University and Hamilton College. He was the business office manager for the Country Club of Harrisburg and lived in Adamstown, Pennsylvania. c ’79 Lisa Ferrington Shock, January 2, 2019. Lisa attended St. John’s College and later attended culinary school. She lived in Phoenix, Arizona. Survivors include her brother, Carter Ferrington ’81.

c ’82 Howard F. Harris, June 12, 2021. Howard graduated from the University of Kentucky and worked in architecture and business. He lived in Daniels, West Virginia. Survivors include a son, a grandson, and his mother and sister. c ’09 Michael E. Dodson, November 1, 2021. Mike earned a bachelor’s degree in neuroscience from Occidental College and a master’s in biomedical science from Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He was a biomedical researcher at the University of Pennsylvania focusing on the study of arthritis before working on COVID-19 testing and research at Georgetown University. Survivors include his parents, his grandmother, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. c Former

Faculty/Staff/ Friends

Bouldin G. “Bo” Burbank, faculty emeritus, January 14, 2022. (Look for a full obituary in our next issue.) Patricia A. Goglin, former Health Center nurse (2009–2011), June 10, 2021. Lucia Kempe, wife of faculty emeritus Peter Kempe and mother of Anika ’09, Stefan ’13, and Antonia ’18, December 27, 2021.

Hadzor to Receive Class of ’32 Award

chosen to receive the Class

from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE)—a

of ’32 Distinguished Alumni

global nonprofit association dedicated to educational advancement—as

Award, which is Mercersburg’s

well as the University & College Designers Association and the Academic

highest honor. The award is presented

Library Alumni and Development Network.

homas Hadzor ’72 has been

Hadzor’s development work has garnered five national awards

annually to members of the alumni

Hadzor has served Mercersburg in just about every fundraising

body who have most distinguished

position possible, and has been a member of the Board of Regents since

themselves through character,

2012. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Muhlenberg College and

service, and achievement.

a master’s in higher education administration from Michigan State

Hadzor has worked as an education advancement professional

University. Hadzor and his wife, Susan Ross, have six children and six grandchildren and live in Durham, North Carolina.

for more than 40 years, and has served Mercersburg with hard work

“I am pleased to congratulate Tom on receiving the Class of ’32 Distinguished Alumni Award,” said Acting Head of School Quentin

and dedication throughout that time. As associate university librarian

McDowell P ’25. “It is hard to think of anyone more deserving of this

for development at Duke University, he oversees fundraising and

recognition. Tom’s contributions to Mercersburg Academy have been

communications for the Duke Libraries. Hadzor previously worked

extensive and his impact will be felt for generations.”

at Wilkes University and Scranton Prep School, and from 1979 to 1981,

Hadzor and his fellow Alumni Council Award recipients

he was Mercersburg’s annual fund director and coordinator

will be saluted during Reunion Weekend June 9–12, 2022. Visit

of special programs.

mercersburg.edu/reunionweekend for more information.

“My fundraising background has been an important skill in each of my paid positions and nonprofit volunteer roles,” said Hadzor. “All I’ve learned about philanthropy is built upon my very first job in the Annual Fund at Mercersburg, thanks to the great mentoring of Don Hill and Jay Quinn.”

Announcing:

NEW ALUMNI LEADERS

New on the Board of Regents

New on the Alumni Council

Ann Marie Bliley-Ester ’01 Fort Collins, Colorado Tracy Baker Johnson ’86 Bethany Beach, Delaware

Danielle Dahlstrom ’93 Vienna, Austria

Ashley Frederick ’13 Latrobe, Pennsylvania

Aaron Mendelson ’55 Longmeadow, Massachusetts

Chris Spurry ’66, P ’89 St. Michaels, Maryland

Diane “DeeJah” Wynter ’74 Monmouth Junction, New Jersey

Fred Klein ’72, P ’11 Washington, D.C.

Michaella Hoehn-Saric ’13 Salisbury, Maryland

Nonprofit Org.

100 Academy Drive Mercersburg, Pennsylvania 17236-1524

U.S. Postage PAID Suburban, MD

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Permit #4889

me o h me o C TO MERCERSBURG

JUNE 9-12, 2022

mercersburg.edu/reunionweekend