Ursinus College Annual Report 2014

“

LET URSINUS CONTINUE TO BE URSINUS

­—PRESIDENT BOBBY FONG, 2014 STATE OF THE COLLEGE ADDRESS

”

URSINUS COLLEGE 2014 ANNUAL REPORT

2 / URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

LET US BE URSINUS! The 2013-2014 academic year was one of growth and optimism for Ursinus College. In the following pages, you’ll come to learn more about the outstanding accomplishments of our faculty and students—and the impact of their work on campus in Collegeville and beyond. Their interests span the rainforests of Costa Rica to new energy efficiency policies here on campus, representing a dynamic partnership among faculty, staff and students that has become a cornerstone of our liberal arts experience.

HOW WE COMPARE The relationships among faculty and students is a hallmark of the Ursinus experience. In a 2014 student survey* of 14 institutions, Ursinus significantly outperformed peer schools in a number of academic and curricular categories:

94.2% say faculty are willing

91.6% say faculty pose challenging ideas in class.

91.6% say their nonclassroom interactions with faculty have a positive influence on their intellectual growth.

79% say faculty challenged their ideas in class.

to spend time outside of class.

IN REMEMBRANCE

THE LEGACY OF PRESIDENT BOBBY FONG Bobby Fong, 15th President of Ursinus College, died Sept. 8, 2014. The campus and the community came together to mourn the man who brought them together as good neighbors.

One of the few Asian American leaders in higher education, Bobby Fong was a scholar of writer Oscar Wilde, and a fan of baseball, which helped introduce this son of Chinese immigrants to American culture.

What is Bobby Fong’s legacy at Ursinus? He firmly believed that a liberal arts education “keeps on giving” to graduates, long after they have moved on in their chosen fields or found it necessary to learn new technical skills.

He believed that at Ursinus, the “cultivation of personhood” is taken seriously; that education contributes to the process of “individualization,” so that each student is afforded the opportunity to develop a sense of self in relation to the world.

In these pages you will find not only a snapshot of the 2013-2014 fiscal year, but also a broad portrayal of the Ursinus College liberal arts education that develops the qualities of intellect and character that Bobby Fong both lived and encouraged. There is no better tribute to Bobby Fong than for the Ursinus College community to embody what Bobby had to offer as a selfless and generous leader, mentor and advocate for the liberal arts.

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

85% say faculty are

interested in helping students grow in more than just academic areas.

98.3% say Ursinus expected them to think critically and challenge assumptions.

*Survey results from the Higher Education Data Sharing Consortium (HEDS) 2014 Senior Survey.

CONTENTS 2 HOW WE BEGIN 4 WHO WE ARE 6 HOW WE THINK 8 HOW WE LEARN 10 WHERE WE ARE 12 WHAT WE VALUE 14 HOW WE REACH OUR PERSONAL BESTS

16 WHY WE CREATE 18 HOW WE ENGAGE 20 THE YEAR IN REVIEW

IN REMEMBRANCE / 1

2014 externship with Megan Helzner ’08 and Katie Iobst ’14 at the National Museum of Jewish History.

2 / THE 2 / COMMON URSINUS INTELLECTUAL COLLEGE / ANNUAL EXPERIENCE REPORT 2014

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

INDEPENDENT LEARNING EXPERIENCES THE COMMON INTELLECTUAL EXPERIENCE

HOW WE BEGIN Summer reading for all incoming students: ‘The Allegory of the Cave,’ from ‘Plato’s Republic.’ An individual forced from a cave begins to question his previous beliefs and returns enlightened about the world.

Like the cave dweller, Ursinus students challenge their beliefs as they spend the year debating three perennial questions: How should we live our lives? What does it mean to be human? What is the universe and how do we fit into it?

Recent graduate Kelsey Miller completed her Independent Learning Experience as an intern at a government laboratory working to protect consumers from foodborne illnesses. The Biology major and Biostatistics and Statistics minor worked at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, gaining experience in a field she hopes to pursue. She presented the research she conducted at a national conference in Nebraska in May.

The CIE is the foundation for a broad, four-year program that allows graduates to adapt to an ever-changing world, enabling them to think critically, communicate effectively, work cooperatively, and act ethically, characteristics valued by employers. Through the Independent Learning Experience (ILE), Ursinus students study abroad, conduct research, student teach or complete an internship.

Philosophy Professor Kelly Sorensen teaches a CIE section

process on the fly.

It’s the ability to pull together disparate bits of information. There is no better preparation for living your life. It gives you the insight these connections.”

Laszlo Bock, Google’s senior vice president in charge of hiring, during a spring visit to Ursinus.

Epiphany Summers ’14 majored in Psychology and Sociology and minored in African American and Africana Studies. Before college, she had not envisioned going abroad.

Epiphany studied in London with the CAPA International Education Program, and was an intern at Baytree Centre in Brixton, a nonprofit that helps disadvantaged urban females. “I never thought I would ever have the opportunity to go out of the country but Ursinus helped me to make what I thought was impossible possible,” she said. She is attending George Washington University for her MA in Sociology.

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EXTERNSHIPS PLANNED FOR 2015 An increase of 20 students from the Class of 2014

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

It’s the ability to

and ability to make

The Common Intellectual Experience (CIE) is more than a class. It is, as its name suggests, an experience that introduces students to the Ursinus intellectual community, where the answers are not always clear but discussions are part of what makes Ursinus College distinctive.

Such reflection on life and beliefs should be a lifelong endeavor. During this past year, 14 years since its first pilot program, the CIE was brought to staff and to alumni.

“Expanding CIE helps others understand the value of a liberal arts education,” explained Stephanie Mackler, a CIE coordinator and associate professor of Education. “We should be an intellectual community at large... No matter who you are, where you are, you are always a liberal art-ist.”

“It’s learning ability.

WHAT EMPLOYERS WANT “It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success,” 2013. Among the key findings: Employers give hiring preference to college graduates who can contribute to innovation in the workplace; Employers say a candidate’s demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than their undergraduate major; Employers give hiring preference to candidates who demonstrate ethical judgment and integrity; intercultural skills; and the capacity for continued new learning.

CIE TEXTS (a selection)

The Book of Job Descartes’ Discourse on the Method Allison Bechdel’s Fun Home The Declaration of Independence Darwin’s Origin of the Species

COMMON INTELLECTUAL EXPERIENCE / 3

LIVE A SATISFYING, SUCCESSFUL, AND USEFUL LIFE.

4 / STUDENT 2 / URSINUS SNAPSHOT COLLEGE AND/ OUTCOMES ANNUAL REPORT 2014

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CLASS OF 2018 • 1 out of 5 students at

Ursinus is Pell Grant–eligible, demonstrating a commitment to access for an underserved population

• Both the Classes of 2017

and 2018 include 23 percent who are first-generation college students

•

18 student organizations focus on diversity or inclusion

497 STUDENTS

An increase of 72 students from the Class of 2017

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STUDENT SNAPSHOT AND OUTCOMES

WHO WE ARE

STATES REPRESENTED

What do 8 competitive mathematicians, 168 community service volunteers, 115 team captains, 51 musicians, 3 published authors and a glassblower have in common? They are members of the Ursinus College fall 2014 entering class—intelligent, motivated, and academically curious.

The Princeton Review cited a “healthy extracurricular lifestyle” as a contributor to academic success at Ursinus College. (Only the top 15 percent of America’s 2,500 colleges and universities are included in the publication.) Ursinus students are known for their curiosity and innovative thinking.

They study across the disciplines, make connections across subjects and apply multiple perspectives to problems and issues. These traits reflect a 2014 employer survey from the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).* Ursinus is committed to accessible education, historically admitting students, regardless of economic circumstances, who demonstrate they can succeed at Ursinus. Ursinus is among the top 50 schools in a new, rankings project from the New York Times based on commitment to accessibility. “The Most Economically Diverse Top Colleges” examines 100 top colleges and universities from across the U.S. that have four-year graduation rates of 75 percent or higher, and ranks them based on the share of firstyear students who are Pell grant (for lower income households) recipients, and on the net price of attendance for low- and middle-income families. Ursinus College is 32nd on this list. *It Takes More Than a Major: Employer Priorities for College Learning and Student Success. The survey finds that nearly all employers surveyed said that “a demonstrated capacity to think critically, communicate clearly, and solve complex problems is more important than [a candidate’s] undergraduate major.” The employers give priority to skills that will help employees contribute to innovation in the workplace.

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+Puerto Rico

28% STUDENTS OF COLOR A 5% increase from the Class of 2017

OUTCOMES • More than 97 percent of

students in the Class of 2013 who responded to a survey are either employed, in graduate or professional school, or have chosen service such as the military or a fellowship.

•

Ursinus’s graduation rate of 80 percent is 20 percent higher than the national average.

MEET A FEW UC STUDENTS Codey Young ’14, a Philosophy and Sociology major with a minor in African American and Africana Studies, was one of only 43 students across the country to be selected as a Thomas J. Watson Fellow traveling for a year to the Dominican Republic, Brazil, Germany and France to explore black men’s use of artistic expressions to create a sense of identity. In the spring of 2014, he went to Lingnan University in Hong Kong to train Chinese students to become partners in classroom teaching.

It was the first time the program was administered in China.

Watson Fellows were selected from 700 candidates and 150 finalists. In the Philadelphia region, Ursinus was one of only three colleges to have a Watson Fellow this year.

Meet Zachary Birch ’17, an Environmental Studies major with a minor in Biology. He plays defensive end for the Ursinus football team, and dabbles in intramural basketball and badminton. He is also our latest Kemper Scholar. Ursinus is one of only 16 colleges and universities nationally where students are eligible for Kemper Scholarships, based on leadership potential.

Danielle Miller ’14 had plans to study the sciences, but she developed a passion for the Spanish language and culture.

That explains her double major: Spanish and Biochemistry & Molecular Biology (with a minor in Chemistry). She was one of the 24 Fulbright research grant recipients selected to travel to Spain, where she is conducting biomedical research at the Institute for Research in Biomedicine at the Barcelona Science Park.

STUDENT SNAPSHOT AND OUTCOMES / 5

LIVE A SATISFYING, SUCCESSFUL, Pfahler Hall of Science is reflected in the Kaleidoscope Center for the Performing Arts

AND USEFUL LIFE.

6 / INTERDISCIPLINARY 2 / URSINUS COLLEGE CREATIVITY / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

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18% OF OUR STUDENTS AND MORE THAN 50% OF FACULTY PARTICIPATE IN U-IMAGINE PROGRAMS.

INTERDISCIPLINARY CREATIVITY

HOW WE THINK

The next big idea may come from Ursinus College, from innovative products, to software apps, to new concepts for the processing and delivery of scientific and medical information. The 2014 U-Innovate competition asked students to pitch an innovative idea for a product or service that fulfills a market need and/ or solves a social problem.

At Ursinus College, learning across the disciplines is a given. Students are encouraged to uncover the knowledge and research that lie at the intersections of the disciplines. It is where the Center for Science and the Common Good and U-imagine, The Center for Integrated and Entrepreneurial Studies find their energy.

The Center for Science and The Common Good (CSCG) addresses the ethical, political, and religious context in which science operates to foster the judgment needed to consider how scientific endeavors best advance the common good. Founded in 2012 with a four-year, $800,000 grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the CSCG encourages discussion of the kind of crucial human questions examined in the CIE as future scientists and leaders confront the kinds of dilemmas that will challenge them in the course of their careers. Fellows of the center are peer models who encourage other students to want to be good citizenscientists and good citizens. FUTURE Students of the center are selected from underserved populations and given research opportunities to help ensure that they remain in scientific fields.

The U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies builds on the Ursinus culture of creativity and collaboration by connecting integrative thinking with an entrepreneurial mindset. The U-Imagine center fosters the innovative thinking that develops entrepreneurial competencies in students regardless of major or post-graduate goals. Directed by an interdisciplinary faculty team, the U-Imagine center wants students from any major to feel comfortable developing an idea. E-thinkers know how to think rather than what to think; they imagine then innovate, and follow their vision. They challenge conventional thinking and see connections where others do not. They solve problems in novel ways, understand the value of teamwork, and make a positive difference in society.

ISGP 2014 Pandemics Conference at Ursinus

PIONEERS FOR CHANGE Are we ready for the next pandemic outbreak? How can we respond in a timely and effective way, while respecting national borders, political authority and indigenous cultures? This balance between science and public policy defines the Center for Science and the Common Good. The 2013-2014 year culminated in a major conference, Emerging and Persistent Infectious Diseases: Focus on Pandemic Preparedness, in partnership with the Institute for Science and Global Policy.

Ursinus students were the first undergraduates in the U.S. to be part of this model, which included scientists, policy makers and educators. Sixteen Ursinus students had prepared by taking a course, “Pathogens, Pandemics and Preparedness.”

IN THE FIRST YEAR OF U-IMAGINE, 3 NEW BUSINESSES WERE LAUNCHED.

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THE NEXT BIG IDEA?

$16,400 IN COMPETITIVE PRIZE MONEY HAS BEEN AWARDED AS PART OF U-IMAGINE. AUBREY PARIS CSCG Fellow and U-Innovate winner “When I signed on to become a Fellow of our CSCG program, I had no idea that it would lead me to a job with an international organization, or that it would indirectly turn me into an entrepreneur.”—Aubrey Paris ’15 Chemistry major and Fellow with ISGP Aubrey’s CSCG internship was with the Institute on Science for Global Policy (ISGP), which influenced her to propose the establishment of a publicly accessible, global infectious disease reporting database updated in real time by physicians for a Biomedical Ethics class project.

Professor Kelly Sorensen encouraged her team to enter it into the inaugural U-Innovate Competition. GEMS has been registered as a limited-liability company (LLC). “We hope that within a year or so we will be partnered with a local hospital to test the prototype version of the application.”

INTERDISCIPLINARY CREATIVITY / 7

2013 Goldwater Scholar Dominic Castanzo '14

8 / RESEARCH

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PRESENTING OUR WORK

RESEARCH, CONFERENCE ...JOB

Summer Fellows study alternative methods to pesticides.

RESEARCH

HOW WE LEARN Whether presenting research on producing unstable nuclei in the laboratory, studying at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory, or examining the process of living cell generation in the red salamander, Ursinus students are at the forefront. The willingness of faculty to guide and nurture independent research attracts a singular type of student interested in this formative experience that is often not attainable until graduate school.

Ursinus fosters the development of critical thinking and refines the written and oral communication skills that are so important to the work of a researcher. New and improved facilities could inspire a greater level of success among our future classes, but it is what Ursinus offers in terms of a history of academic intensity, exposure, and cultivation of creative thought that defines the College.

Ursinus seniors and juniors travel to California, Florida and Chicago to present their research and are sometimes the only undergraduates participating. They spend months studying cultures abroad and work in the fields and farms of Pennsylvania to identify pests that may preclude a need for chemical insecticides. Our students commit themselves, studying for entire summers for the sake of their research. What makes them so passionate, competitive and devoted to their work? Ursinus offers something different. We have proven through our robust numbers of Ph.D. candidates that sophisticated research is done at a small liberal arts college.

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Environmental Studies major Megan Maccaroni ’14 presented a paper, “Exurban Forest Metabolism? A Political Ecology of Material Landscape Transformations in Southeastern PA.” at the Annual Meeting of the Association of American Geographers in Tampa Bay, Fla., in April 2014. The paper draws on Megan’s honors thesis research in the Stone Hill conservation area outside of Schwenksville, Pa., and faculty member Dr. Patrick Hurley’s ongoing research on the political ecology of urbanizing formerly rural areas of western Montgomery and Bucks counties. She is now working as an environmental scientist/ geologist at an environmental services company in New Jersey doing soil sampling, project management, and preparing reports and grants.

Every year Biology Professor Rebecca Lyczak accompanies her top students to the American Society for Cell Biology. “This is the premier meeting for cell biologists,” says Lyczak. “The students not only present their work, but also hear talks by Nobel Laureates. Almost all the other students there presenting work are graduate students or post-graduate fellows. This is a great way to see that people who publish aren’t on a pedestal.”

368 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED Celebration of Student Achievement

NSF GRANT SUPPORT Six student researchers under Dr. Tom Carroll studied ultracold Rydberg atoms with grant support from the National Science Foundation and gave conference presentations on their work.

67 SUMMER FELLOWS

(Eight-Week Research Program 2014)

UNDERGRAD RESEARCH Professor of Physics Lewis Riley draws students who want to study topics in nuclear physics, specifically looking at exotic nuclei using gamma-ray spectroscopy. Their research culminates in attending the APS Nuclear Division in April where students take part in an undergraduate poster presentation.

RESEARCH / 9

Monica Reuman ’15 in Chile.

10 / GLOBAL EXPERIENCES

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

Sweden

On a Barley Farm

GLOBAL EXPERIENCES

WHERE WE ARE From exploring volcanos and running with the bulls to gaining international business experience, Ursinus students take their passion for discovery across borders by fully immersing themselves in different cultures.

While the majority of Ursinus students pursue academic coursework in an international context, increasingly they are plunging headfirst into internships, service learning, or in-depth research.

In addition to studying with other programs, Ursinus faculty lead special programs for Ursinus students. Ursinus in Yucatan is an interdisciplinary intensive experience that takes students to various Mexico sites of biological and archaeological interest for classroom study, field work and research. A recent addition to the roster is a faculty-led semester in Beijing.

Biology majors Cody Nagy and Mark Gapinski studied the impact of organic agricultural practices on insect pest control as part of their Summer Fellows research on an organic barley farm in Sweden with Cory Straub, assistant professor of Biology.

Portugal

Poetry in Motion Emily Duffy ’15 of Keene, N.H., studied in Lisbon, Portugal, taking her courses in Portuguese in order to challenge and strengthen her language skills. She became particularly interested in the Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa, and studied his work in both English and Portuguese.

According to the Ursinus Center for International Programs, about 25 percent of Ursinus students study abroad by the time they graduate. Contrary to the national trend, however, most Ursinus students immerse themselves for a full semester rather than a short 3-to-6-week stint. Most study in Western Europe and English-speaking countries, however, more and more students are studying in non-traditional destinations including Latin America, Africa and Asia. Many undertake formal internships or participate in service learning programs to which they dedicate 16 or more hours per week working in organizations in the public or private sector. Ursinus students have worked abroad in the British Parliament, Spanish schools, non-governmental organizations in Europe and Africa, agencies and companies in Australia, and more.

Art in Florence Jack Meyer ’15 wrote in the Huffington Post that he interacts with the art and artists in a way that would not be possible without being on site. He calls these artisans the “gatekeepers of the new Renaissance.”

CAPA International Education, with which Ursinus partners for international programs, featured the American Studies major and Art History minor on its website.

Spain

Running With the Bulls Costa Rica

Amanda Lucock '15 in Morocco.

Italy

Rainforest Research Regina Powers ’15 traveled to the far corners of Costa Rica studying ecosystems. She camped on beaches and in forests, stayed in biological stations, and hiked and backpacked through the rainforest. She immersed herself in her topic of choice: bats, which led her just outside of the cloud forest where feeders were set up to observe the bats and their behavior.

Living in Madrid for the summer, Benjamin Jumper ’15 ran with the bulls in Pamplona, and developed independence and patience. “It was hands down the best eight weeks of my life. I lived with a host family, took a Spanish culture class, and had an internship as a quality assurance intern at a large pharmaceutical company.

I learned a lot about myself and was pushed out of my comfort zone. All in all, I would do it again in a heartbeat and I strongly encourage every college student to have a study abroad experience.”

STUDENTS STUDIED IN

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COUNTRIES 2013-2014

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GLOBAL EXPERIENCES / 11

Working on the Ursinus Organic Farm is a popular service activity for orientation and during the academic year.

12 / CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

CLIMATE COMMITMENT WISMER ON WHEELS Last year, 5,000 pounds of food were donated to community members by Wismer on Wheels, an on-campus community service organization whose members pack food daily through the semester and deliver food twice a week to Missionaries of Charity, a Norristown emergency food and shelter service organization.

UC Office of Sustainability sponsors a sustainable move-in and move-out for students.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

WHAT WE VALUE The Ursinus experience is about gaining the skills to live a life of purpose, to graduate students whose success is intertwined with the welfare of others. The Ursinus Center for Advocacy, Responsibility and Engagement (UCARE) is the focal point for community service and civic engagement at Ursinus.

It introduces students to the needs of the community and provides opportunities to connect the classroom and society. It encourages students to make positive change, and helps develop the skills and motivation to make a difference. From growing produce to tutoring, Ursinus students make an impact in the Collegeville community.

65% OF STUDENTS ENGAGE IN COMMUNITY SERVICE

Among many volunteer sites are Heartland Hospice, ACLAMO in Norristown, America Reads tutoring sites, Montgomery County Victim Services, the Greater Norristown Police Athletic League, Columbia Cottage and Trinity United Church of Christ. The Ursinus Office of Sustainability is actively engaged in the greater community.

Last year the Ursinus Organic Farm partnered with the Collegeville Economic Development Corporation (CEDC) as a vendor at the Collegeville Farmers’ Market, selling freshly harvested produce and talking with community members about a shared love of local agriculture. The offices of Sustainability and Facilities Services, the Environmental Studies program and UCARE participate in the annual Stream Cleanup organized by the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy (PWC). Thirty student volunteers worked 768 hours in a sustainable “MoveOut,” and donated 829 pounds of clothing.

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

URSINUS COMPOSTED 1,200 LBS OF FOOD-RELATED WASTE EACH WEEK, AND IS ONE OF 26 SCHOOLS RECOGNIZED

BY THE EPA FOR THE FOOD RECOVERY CHALLENGE. TREE STEWARDS Last year, the Environmental Studies faculty obtained grants from the Schuylkill River Restoration Fund and the Pennsylvania TreeVitalize Program to plant trees in Hunsberger Woods, a protected area near the campus that Ursinus owns jointly with Collegeville Borough.

As a signatory of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, the Office of Sustainability has developed a Climate and Sustainability Action Plan for multi-building campus energy efficiency strategies, and campus and community education. The 500page plan includes guidance for the entire campus.

UC BIKESHARE BIKES WERE USED MORE THAN 400 TIMES BY 119 CAMPUS MEMBERS. GOOD NEIGHBORS Neighboring assisted living residence Columbia Cottage was among selected sites during Community Week, during which volunteerism is particularly emphasized.

Senior Maureen Lannon appreciates that the residents of Columbia Cottage remember the volunteers by name, “which shows just how meaningful our visits are to them,” she said. She enjoys listening to their stories and tells her own stories. She felt rewarded by “how happy they were to have someone to talk to... They have so much wisdom and experience...”

FACULTY AWARD Patrick Hurley, Associate Professor and Chair of Environmental Studies, was recognized by the Perkiomen Watershed Conservancy for teaching within our community with the 2013 Teaching Excellence Environmental Award.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY / 13

Ali Hemp ’17 (left) and Bryn O’Neil ’14 (right) celebrate the Centennial Conference title.

14 / ATHLETICS

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ATHLETICS

9-TIME CHAMPS

HOW WE REACH OUR PERSONAL BESTS

The field hockey team captured its ninth Centennial Conference Championship, improved to 9-0 all-time in Centennial title games, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III tournament. Sophomore midfielder Megan Keenan was named a First-Team All-American and the Centennial Conference Player of the Year, the first Ursinus player to earn that honor since 2009, and the eighth Ursinus player to be named top player in the conference.

Three players were named to the 2013 All-Centennial Conference field hockey squad.

MAKING A SPLASH

Every Ursinus College student-athlete knows there is someone cheering them on, pushing them to succeed on the field and in the classroom. Ursinus College is an original charter member of the Centennial Conference, which encourages athletic competition among national liberal arts colleges and universities that share the same high quality academic aspirations, deny the use of athletic scholarships, and maintain a commitment to the total educational experience of students. Of conference members, Ursinus is the only school to compete across all 24 varsity teams, plus gymnastics. And the 2013-2014 season was one for the record books.

“At Ursinus, we don’t just teach our sport—what we provide is an educational experience outside the classroom that is vital to the Ursinus experience. For our students, being part of a team deepens their sense of dedication, leadership, and community, and helps form relationships that will last far beyond their college years.”—Kevin Small, Head Coach, Basketball “I think what I love best about coaching here at UC is the positive energy you get from so many diverse groups…swimming, in particular, can sometimes be a forgotten sport. I never felt that way here at Ursinus and our success shows just that! The students, professors, facilities staff, campus safety, admissions and all the services so vital to student achievement are all on board with help and support.”—Mark Feinberg, Head Coach, Swimming

The championship field hockey team.

Coach Mark Feinberg led the Ursinus College women’s swimming team to its first Centennial Conference title.

Senior Malena Lair Ferrari became the second woman in conference history to win the 200 backstroke four times and was named the outstanding performer of the meet. Senior Bryn O’Neill was named the Centennial Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year for women’s swimming. Three on the team were named to the College Swimming Coaches Association of America Honorable Mention Scholar All-American team.

11-TIME WINNERS The Centennial Conference wrestling championship trophy came to Ursinus for the 11th time and second straight season. Eight wrestlers made the championship finals, and four captured gold. The Bears placed second in NCAA East Regionals, and sent four wrestlers to the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Eight wrestlers were named to the 2014 All-Conference team, including freshman Derek Arnold who was named Centennial Conference Rookie of the Year. The National Wrestling Coaches Association named four wrestlers Scholar All-Americans, and the team was honored as a Top 30 Scholar team. Head coach Bill Racich was named Centennial Conference Coach of the Year, and East Coast Region Coach of the Year.

GO, BEARS! Kyle Rush, head men’s soccer coach, was named the Centennial Conference Coach of the Year for 2013.

Caroline Cannon ’13, captain of the women’s lacrosse team, was named the Centennial Conference Scholar Athlete of the year for her sport.

53 Ursinus studentathletes were named to All-Centennial Conference teams in 2013-14.

96 Ursinus studentathletes were named to the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll, 29 fall sport athletes, 28 winter sport athletes, and 39 spring sport athletes.

539 students (35% of the student body) participated in varsity athletics in 201314, including 188 freshmen (43.6% of that class).

Director of Athletics Laura Moliken was inducted into the National Field Hockey Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

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ATHLETICS / 15

Erica Anne Bossman ’14 with chorus in Wonderful Town, Feb. 2014, a collaboration between the Theater, Dance, and Music departments.

LIVE A SATISFYING, SUCCESSFUL, AND USEFUL LIFE.

16 / 2 THE / URSINUS ARTS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

MUSIC ENSEMBLES Ursinus College Choir; Meistersingers; Wind Ensemble; String Ensemble; Jazz Ensemble.

THEATER AND DANCE Each semester, we produce two full theater productions and a dance concert.

8,200 WORKS OF ART IN PERMANENT COLLECTION Professor John French, holder of the Heefner Chair of Music.

THE ARTS

WHY WE CREATE Ursinus-educated artists inspire, teach and effect social change through the arts. The arts at Ursinus reflect the heart of the Common Intellectual Experience: cultivating the skills to question, to challenge, and to provoke thought.

This past year, the Theater and Dance Department collaborated with the Music Department to present the College’s first largescale Broadway musical, Wonderful Town. The Music Department also made College history when John French, holder of the Heefner Chair of Music, conducted Handel’s Messiah for the 35th year, surpassing the previous conductor’s record.

The Berman Museum of Art celebrated a significant gift when Nancy Berman and The Berman Foundation—the legacy of founding philanthropists Philip and Muriel Berman—gave a gift of more than 1,300 works of art worth several million dollars.

Showcasing that art, the exhibition “A to Z: Highlighting the Berman Collection,” allowed student curators to present art in alphabetical order by the artist’s last name, an unconventional strategy designed to foster new ideas and unexpected connections.

For more information on the Berman Museum of Art and the recent Berman Foundation gift, see special video: www.ursinus.edu/berman

“Art proved (for Philip and Muriel Berman) to be a means of selfeducation, community engagement, cultural expression, and even social justice through making art public, accessible, and ever present. They wanted to share that with others. . . . The arts are the basis for creativity not only for the arts but for all sorts of problemsolving in what seem distant disciplines such as science or business.”

—Nancy Berman, President of The Berman Foundation, on the occasion of The Berman Foundation Gift, Fall 2013

EXPLORING THE BERMAN COLLECTION When curating “A to Z: Highlighting the Berman Collection,” Olivia Schultz 2015 reached her hand into a hat and drew the letters S and X. Her charge was to select pieces from the Berman collection by artists with last names beginning with those letters. For S, she chose a traditional Gilbert Stuart, an oil of John Fitzgibbon, Chancellor of Ireland. For X, D. Xeinkin’s “Peasant Woman Carrying Water” was the only choice, but it was serendipitous. “I felt that I had to do justice to this piece,” she said. She used artistic description and analysis in her text panel, imagining the barefoot peasant woman walking back to the stream day after day without tiring, wondering if the woman was an “archetypical heroine who brings to her town lifegiving water (and color)?”

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STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN THE ANNUAL EXHIBITION (16 art majors & 26 non-art majors)

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THE ARTS / 17

FISCAL YEAR 2014

HOW WE ENGAGE During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2014, Ursinus College achieved its greatest fundraising year ever, with $14,457,215 in outright gifts received from 3,763 donors. The Annual Fund received $1.56 million in contributions. And a recently launched Annual Fund Scholars Program had a landmark first year.

Support from philanthropic partners is vital to Ursinus’s enduring success as a liberal arts college. The generosity of our benefactors—whether alumni, corporations, foundations, parents, students, faculty, staff, or friends—enables the College to maintain the programs, environment, and opportunities through which students can thrive as individuals and future leaders.

Thank you to all of those who supported the College in fiscal year 2014.

You can view a full list of supporters online at: www.ursinus.edu/report.

Giving in Action

THE ANNUAL FUND SCHOLARS PROGRAM The new Annual Fund Scholars Program allows donors to create a term scholarship that is awarded annually.

Donors who commit $5,000 per year for five years are directly connected to the student they support. During the 2014 fiscal year, nine of these crucial scholarships were established:

NEW GIFTS AND COMMITMENTS

BY CATEGORY

OUTRIGHT GIFTS BY CONSTITUENCY TYPE

2013-14

2013-14

James ’64 and Irmgard Barrett Annual Fund Scholarship

Susan A. DeCourcey ’88 Scholarship Fund

John M. Fessick ’85 Annual Fund Scholarship

Judy R. Hoak Annual Fund Scholarship

The Inspirational Women’s Scholarship

The Knoebel Family Scholarship Adam Sager ’90 and Stephanie Sager Scholarship

Unrestricted Annual: 22% Restricted Annual Operations: 8% Restricted Annual Academic Center: 1% Capital: 38% Endowment: 25% Unspecified: 2% Government/Research Sponsorship: 4%

Alumni: 62% Parents: 19% Friends: 5% Students: >1% Business and Corporations: 3% Faculty and Staff: 8% Foundations: 2% Other Organizations: 1%

“The opportunity to give back to Ursinus by

Grand Total: $8,161,397

Grand Total: $14,493,882

—Susan DeCourcey ’88—Donor, Annual Fund Scholars Program

Rev. Dr. Harold C. Smith ’55 Annual Fund Scholarship The Sockel ’93 Family Annual Fund Scholarship

supporting the Annual Fund Scholars Program has provided me with a personal way to preserve and pass on the legacy of the Ursinus experience.”

“To me, scholarship assistance means much more than just financial help. It represents an opportunity

FY10 $100.2M

FY11 $119.6M

FY12: $113.9M

FY13: $122.5M

The Ursinus endowment continues to grow. Favorable performance led to a 14.5 percent increase in the overall endowment for the College, and it closed the 2014 fiscal year valued at $140.2 million as of June 30.

18 / FISCAL YEAR

FY14: $140.2M

for a great education while also bringing to light the natural human instinct to help others.”

—Prince Patterson ’17—Recipient, Susan DeCourcey ’88 Scholarship

For more information on the Annual Fund Scholars Program visit: ursinus.edu/scholarsprogram

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

“I give to Ursinus because it helped open my eyes to the world, and many points of view, and let me find, develop, and live a value system and meaningful life. By supporting the College it is my prayer that others will have such an experience and find and live full, fulfilling, productive lives.”—Rev. Dr. Harold C. Smith '55

ENGAGING ALUMNI:

ENDOWED FUNDS

The National Council alumni and parent

We are grateful to our generous philanthropic partners who established the following named endowed funds during fiscal year 2014:

volunteer network grew to more than 50 members and added chapters in New Jersey, Southern California, and Chicago, joining existing groups in New York, Boston, Washington, D.C., Florida, San Francisco, and Philadelphia. To learn more about the National Council visit: www.ursinus.edu/ alumni/alumni-groups/national-council

The Advancement Office started a new

Alumni Admission Ambassador outreach program in collaboration with the Office of Admission. Twenty-four alumni volunteers made more than 200 total calls to accepted students, yielding 42 enrolled students for fall 2014.

Logan Family Scholarship The Benjamin J. Maliken ’54 and Nancy M.

Maliken Scholarship Fund The Rev. Dr. Harold C. Smith ’55 Endowed

Chair in Christian Studies The Standing on the Shoulders, Class of

1963 Essay Prize Fund

BUDGET AND ENDOWMENT PERFORMANCE The College finished the 2013-14 academic year with a wellbalanced budget.

3%

PRIVATE GIFTS AND GRANTS

The Summer Send-Off program was

launched during 2013, hosting gatherings for incoming freshmen and their families in New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco. Philadelphia was added in the summer of 2014.

8%

The Robert and Shurley Knaefler

Whittaker Environmental Research Station was formally dedicated on April 22, 2014. The farmland parcel in Trappe serves as a valuable resource for the College’s Environmental Studies and Biology programs, and was made possible through the generosity of the Whittaker family and friends.

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

58%

$57.8 M

for classes celebrating their 50th reunion and beyond moved to April from June.

Alumni now have the opportunity to interact with students and faculty and experience a variety of academic and cultural events over three days. and faculty gathered on campus last spring for a celebration of the Brownback-Anders Pre-Health Society and Minority Association of Pre-Medical Students, with a panel on current trends and issues within the healthcare industry.

>1%

GOVERNMENT SUPPORT

ENDOWMENT TRANSFER

NET TUITION AND FEES

OPERATING REVENUE

In spring 2014, Alumni Weekend festivities

More than 100 alumni, friends, students,

1%

SERVICES, RENTALS, INVESTMENTS, AND SALES

29%

2013-14

COLLEGE ROOM AND BOARD

INNOVATION AND DISCOVERY CENTER LEADERSHIP SUPPORT The late John F. (Jack) Rodenbaugh ’55 and his wife, Patricia, made a transformative $5 million contribution to Ursinus in support of the College’s planned Innovation and Discovery Center project. The gift honors James L. Boswell, a former faculty member who was Chair of the Economics Department, and who served as a mentor and inspiration for Mr. Rodenbaugh. The Innovation and Discovery Center will provide essential new interdisciplinary space designed to bolster the integration of the sciences to the liberal arts on campus.

5%

5%

INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT

ACADEMIC SUPPORT

4%

OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT

10%

52%

FACILITY OPERATIONS

$57.8 M

COMPENSATION

OPERATING EXPENSES 2013-14

14%

STUDENT SERVICES

5%

PROJECT TRANSFERS

5%

DEBT SERVICE

FISCAL YEAR / 19

THE YEAR IN REVIEW June 2014: Sixty-seven students embark on eight weeks of working with faculty mentors as Summer Fellows.

May 2014: Commencement speaker Zainab Hawa Bangura inspires a standing ovation as 360 students graduate in the 141st commencement ceremony.

Her story leads coverage in The Chronicle of Higher Education.

May 2014: Zachary Birch ’17, is named Kemper Scholar. Ursinus is one of 16 colleges and universities nationally where students are eligible for this program.

April 2014: Brian Thomas ’17, wins the prestigious Iris N. Spencer Undergraduate Poetry Award from West Chester University.

April 2014: The Richard T. Schellhase Essay Prize in Ethics, launched by The U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies, considers student essays on a topic of ethical or moral importance.

April 2014: Students and faculty participate in the first fully undergraduate conference with the Institute for Science and Global Policy: “Emerging and Persistent Infectious Diseases: Focus on Pandemic Preparedness.”

April 2014: Ursinus is one of 322 colleges profiled in The Princeton Review’s Guide to Green Colleges 2014.

April 2014: Fifteen potential business plans vie for recognition in the U-Innovate!

Competition, demonstrating that Ursinus students are independent and creative thinkers.

20 / YEAR IN REVIEW

April 2014: Google Senior VP Laszlo Bock tells campus audience how his company hires based on skills needed for a lifetime of career success.

January 2014: Alumni and current students meet in the inaugural Externship Program which gave students a career shadowing experience.

March 2014: Danielle Miller ’14, says she will combine passion for science and Spanish as a Fulbright research grant recipient in Spain conducting biomedical research.

December 2013: The interdisciplinary center, The U-Imagine Center for Integrative and Entrepreneurial Studies, builds on the Ursinus culture of creativity, collaboration, and integrative thinking. The Philadelphia Inquirer and KYW-News radio feature the center.

March 2014: Codey Young ’14, was named a Thomas J. Watson Fellow.

Ursinus is one of 40 U.S. colleges whose students are eligible to compete for this creative study year abroad.

March 2014: Two students and a faculty member show Chinese students how to collaborate in the classroom teaching process at Lingnan University in Hong Kong.

February 2014: Ursinus was selected as one of 14 schools nationally to offer the Peace Corps Preparation program.

February 2014: The Philadelphia Inquirer publishes President Bobby Fong’s op-ed, “Liberal Arts Are as Vital as Ever.”

February 2014: The Theater, Dance and Music departments collaborate on the first large-scale musical, Wonderful Town, a 1953 Tony Award winner with music by Leonard Bernstein.

February 2014: The newly named Office of Career and Professional Development has a new home with the Office of Academic Affairs, and hosts a record-breaking Job, Internship & Networking Fair.

January 2014: Ursinus Campus Active Minds, which promotes mental health awareness, advocacy and education, is named the January 2014 Chapter of the Month by the National Organization.

December 2013: Ursinus College is among 26 schools that have been recognized by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for joining the Food Recovery Challenge.

December 2013: Ursinus Music Professor John H. French conducts Handel’s The Messiah for the 35th straight year, with the College Choir and Meistersingers.

URSINUS COLLEGE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Wilbert Abele ’61 Jeffrey D. Beck ’70 David E. Bloom ’87 Geoffrey B. Bloom ’63 Robert L. Brant Esq. ‘77, P’10 Bradley S. Brewster, Esq. ’74 Carl V. Buck III, Esq. ’84 Susan Callahan ’85 Michael L. Carter, M.D. R.P. P’04, P’07 Patricia K. Clark ’73 Francis M. Correll Jr., Esq. ’83 John E. F. Corson P’04, Chair of the Board Emeritus

October 2013: Students and campus volunteers plant 480 trees in Hunsburger Woods to help reforest the tract.

October 2013: The Philip and Muriel Berman Museum of Art mounts A to Z: Highlighting the Berman Collection in celebration of a major gift of art from the Berman Foundation.

October 2013: A $5 million gift to Ursinus College from a 1955 alumnus results in the best fundraising year in College history.

September 2013: More than 750 media outlets feature an Associated Press article and video highlighting writer J.D. Salinger’s short semester in 1938 at Ursinus, and the Creative Writing Scholarship winners who have lived in his dorm room.

July 2013: Ursinus leads representatives of four liberal arts colleges which meet under a Teagle Foundation grant to discuss first-year courses.

Joseph M. DeSimone, Ph.D. ‘86, P’12, Vice Chair Cynthia A. Fisher ’83 Catherine M. Geczik ’84 Carol K. Haas, Ph.D. ’70, Secretary Michael W. Hardy ’76 Michael J. Lewis, Ph.D. ’67 Thomas P. Loughran Jr., M.D. ’75 Graham Mackenzie ’74 Michael C. Marcon ’86, Treasurer Alan P. Novak, Esq. ’71, Chair Kim T. O’Brien ’80 Nancy Opalack ’71 Henry W. Pfeiffer ’48 Michael T. Piotrowicz ‘78, P’05 Aakash Shah ’10 Robert R. Sing, D.O. ’75 Harold C. Smith, D.Min. ’55 Ellen J. Staurowsky ’77 Nina B. Stryker, Esq. ’78 Rob Wonderling, P’17

URSINUS COLLEGE / ANNUAL REPORT 2014

THE POWER OF THE LIBERAL ARTS Liberal arts colleges produce graduates who are among the best prepared for success in their personal, career and community lives.*

80% of surveyed employers say liberal arts graduates have the broad knowledge they want in their hires.

93% of employers say the ability to think critically, communicate clearly and solve complex problems is more important than the choice of a major. — Students in smaller private schools are more likely to volunteer and contribute more to the public good than their peers. — Students of color graduate at higher rates from smaller private colleges and in a shorter average period of time. *Council of Independent Colleges 2014

URSINUS COLLEGE 601 EAST MAIN STREET COLLEGEVILLE, PA 19426

Thank you to all of those who supported the College in fiscal year 2014.

A full list of donors can be found online at: www.ursinus.edu/report.