2017-2018
URSINUS COLLEGE YEAR IN REVIEW 2017-2018
Over the past year, Ursinus has produced unparalleled opportunities for each member of its community, fostering creative and innovative thinking; strengthening diversity and inclusion across campus; recruiting and retaining high caliber students, faculty and staff; and ensuring long-term financial stability in order to strengthen Ursinus’s position as a national leader in the liberal arts. This bold vision is deliberately reflected in Ursinus 150, the college’s ambitious strategic plan. This year-in-review presents a closer look at the significant progress made toward the plan’s seven objectives and the three pillars on which they are built: learning, living together and building lifelong connections. Intentionally interwoven among the objectives are stories of just some of the faculty, staff, students and alumni who have helped us meet those goals and shape our year.
STRENGTHEN OUR PROGRAM IN LIBERAL E D U C AT I O N , C U LT I VAT I N G LIFELONG LEARNING Urs i nu s h a s a n i n c re d i b l e l e ga cy: We e m p owe r students to build their own educational experience in prepar at ion for their fut ure as innovators, e n tre p re n eu rs , l e a d e rs a n d c re a to rs . We a re d r i ve n to expand these oppor t unit ies—and provide the academic support and guidance that is allowing our students to flourish.
1 An expansive new inquiry-based core curriculum and new first-year advising program prepares students to think even more critically and independently.
2 The Gateway Scholarship, which guarantees eligible students $30,000 a year for four years, is expanded to make Ursinus an affordable option for even more high-achieving students.
3 Collaborative research allows students to work in partnership with faculty from day one, creating transformational experiences that encourage innovative and creative thinking.
4 The Innovation and Discovery Center officially opens, uniting policy, entrepreneurial learning and scientific study under one roof for the first time in the college’s history.
5 A new digital fellows program is created to pair students with faculty interested in incorporating digital components into their current teaching methods, and to support faculty members with in-class technical workshops and assignments. It is supported by the Pennsylvania Consortium for the Liberal Arts via a grant from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundations.
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CLARA BAKER ’19 It’s clear to see that Clara Baker has made quite a splash in her athletic career. She is the most decorated female swimmer in Ursinus history and a Centennial Conference record holder. Coach Mark Feinberg describes her as a once-in-a-generation swimmer. But her contributions to the team and the campus out of the pool are actually what make her so special. “She approaches every situation with humility, a positive attitude, tremendous work ethic and that infectious smile,” Feinberg says. She’s “someone who future student athletes will look up to for years to come.”
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B BEN A L LW E I N ’ 1 8 The key to effectively addressing issues of access to health, education and food security? Cooperation. And Ben Allwein is the ultimate arbiter. With a Fulbright scholarship in hand, Ben is seeking to foster international partnerships between governments and researchers with the goal of addressing antibiotic resistance, an emerging public health crisis. His choice to defer his graduate study at the Weill Cornell Medicine Graduate School of Medical Sciences allows him to actively pursue this incredible opportunity at the Translational Health Science & Technology Institute in Delhi, India. “I have come to appreciate the importance of researching threats to human health that challenge us all,” he says. 8
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PROMOTE A VIBRANT AND INVITING CAMPUS ENVIRONMENT
We a re c re a t i ve l y wo r k i n g to m a ke th e ca m pu s m o re inviting to visitors, even as we continue to suppor t exciting activities and learning opportunities for all f a c u l t y, s t a f f a n d s t u d e n t s .
1 Ursinus broke ground and began construction on the Commons, a true welcoming gateway to campus with a bookstore, coffee shop and common spaces for students, alumni and members of the neighboring community.
2 During the summer of 2018, Ursinus was one of 18 residential sites across the United States that hosted the prestigious Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY).
3 The college’s conferences and special events office (CASE) now accommodates over 130 event planning requests every year, from both internal and external audiences.
4 Among them is SummerBurst, which offers athletic camps, summer courses and community events. More than 3,000 children attend our summer programs annually.
5 Our new Summer’s End Festival brought our Collegeville neighbors to campus to participate in an evening of food and entertainment and capped off a successful first “Movies on the Lawn” series that began in June in collaboration with the Collegeville Economic Development Corporation.
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R REBECCA LY C Z A K Rebecca Lyczak has spent her 16-year career perfecting the science of discovery. Backed by over $1 million in grants, the professor of biology and her undergraduate lab partners have sought new genes to combat neurodegenerative diseases, basing tests on a pivotal protein identified by her 2006 team. Comprehensive and sensitive, she encourages noble failures. “I help students see the silver lining in a refuted hypothesis, that it can allow you to travel new, exciting paths.�
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AMANDA PA L L A D I N O ’ 1 8 Amanda Palladino finds balance in all parts of her life. From the beam to business and economics, her drive leads her to success across the academic and athletic field. “Give her the spotlight and she will impress you with knowledge, skill and ability,” shares Jennifer VanGilder, an associate professor of business and economics, who praised Palladino’s gentle confidence in the classroom and on the mat. Amanda participated in the NCAA Career in Sports Forum and is Ursinus’s nominee for the 2018 NCAA Woman of the Year award.
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INTENSIFY OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION
B y d e v o t i n g o u r r e s o u r c e s a n d e n e r g y t o d i v e r s i t y, we are building a more inclusive cult ure in which ever y individual, regardless of background, is p o i s e d t o e x c e l a n d t o f i n d r e s p e c t f o r o n e a n o t h e r.
1 The Institute for Inclusion and Equity has more than doubled programming around diversity and social justice in its first year, and student engagement has tripled.
2 More than 300 students participated in the week-long inaugural Martin Luther King Jr. celebration. The event featured programs, lectures, research, film screenings and a day of service.
3 The public art exhibition Scene/Unseen spanned campus and aimed to foster conversation about marginalization of visible and invisible minorities.
4 Two new funding opportunities for faculty, staff and students were established to support the college’s efforts to create an even more diverse and inclusive campus environment: inclusive community grants and inclusive community fellowships.
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JULIN EVERETT AND CARI FRENO For an entire semester, Julin Everett and Cari Freno transformed the Ursinus campus into an indoor/outdoor studio for badges of dishonor turned into badges of honor. Their installation Scene/Unseen contained 19 photographs of Jewish people proudly wearing the yellow star that branded them as inferior in Nazi-ruled nations. Everett, an assistant professor of French, and Freno, an assistant professor of art and art history in drawing and sculpture, created a subtly powerful public dialogue with persecuted people who empower themselves by changing—and recharging—symbols of shame.
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B B R YA N N A JONES ’19 Home is where the heart is, and Bryanna Jones knows this better than most. Her research on the impact of special interest housing on the wellbeing of young students of color has raised important questions about identity and community. She is the youngest 2018 Active Minds Emerging Scholars Fellow and is contributing to the program’s goals of completing independent mental health projects and expanding the conversation on behavioral health, particularly in younger communities.
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CHAMPION RISK TA K I N G
We co n t i nue to b e u n a f r a i d to te s t b ou n d a r i e s , r e c o g n i z i n g t h a t c r o s s i n g d i s c i p l i n a r y, s o c i a l a n d cult ur al front iers can lead to great achievement. T his entrepreneur ial att it ude is leading to a better-rounded cur r iculum and a more thr iving wor k environment.
1 With generous support from Trustee Will Abele ‘61, his wife Joan and the Abele Family Foundation, Ursinus established the Abele Scholars Program. The Scholars receive funding for “startup” costs such as the purchase of a laptop or required books; academically enriching pursuits such as internships, summer courses or academic conferences; and assistance with student debt upon graduation.
2 The Charles Rice Post-Graduate Research Fellowship was launched with the aim of providing alumni with the means to design an experience abroad during one full calendar year.
3 The first cohort of 18 Melrose Fellows were selected. The Melrose Center for Global Civic Engagement develops leadership skills through experiential learning and community service.
4 An affiliation agreement with the Villanova University M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing allows Ursinus students to earn an accelerated BSN degree after they graduate.
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WILL ABELE ’61 Will Abele ’61 was an undergraduate when he adopted the philanthropic mantra of Richard T. Schellhase ’45, his religion professor, wrestling coach and mentor: “Someday this is going to be your responsibility.” He and his wife, Joan, take that to heart. They established the Abele Family Foundation to drive their philanthropic efforts. At Ursinus, they are funding the Abele Scholars Program, which provides scholarships to students and is supplemented by internships, debt-reduction advice and good-citizenship training. Their creative, communal contributions also include campus safety improvements, the Bear2Bear Student Emergency Fund, the Richard T. Schellhase ’45 Ethics Prize, new science equipment and a summer finance course. 25
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T TONY NADLER Tony Nadler is tuned into why consumers trust and distrust news producers. Supported by a fellowship from Columbia’s Tow Center for Digital Journalismthe assistant professor of media and communication studies researches media attitudes in the Germantown section of Philadelphia, a largely African-American community with leftist leanings, and Montgomery County, a largely Caucasian community with political rivalries. Proposals for broader, better local coverage ranged from history lessons to citizen reporters, and Nadler plans to interview conservative-news producers while helping students navigate the news/rumor/propaganda jungle.
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C E L E B R AT E URSINUS: PA S T, PRESENT AND FUTURE
As we head toward our sesquicentennial, we are more pr ideful of our accomplishment s, increasing philanthropy to suppor t our st udent s’ success, and embr acing innovat ive approaches to engage alumni, p a r e n t s a n d f r i e n d s i n t h e c o m m u n i t y.
1 We celebrated the largest giving day in our history in November 2017, when 1,611 donors participated in our annual #Giving2UCday.
2 U.S. News & World Report once again named Ursinus among the 100 best liberal arts colleges in the nation and Ursinus also appeared on the publication’s list of “best value” schools.
3 A campus-wide committee continues to work diligently on plan’s for the college’s 150th anniversary during the 2019-20 academic year.
4 An annual community conference invites faculty and staff to join together for important discussions about the college. This year, the conference focused on identifying the core values of the college and participants contemplated how our day-to-day roles at the college are guided by the four questions of the core curriculum.
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J JILL LEAUBER MARSTELLER ’78 What does it mean to be a “Bear for Life?” Here is one shining example. In roughly 45 years associated with Ursinus—as a student and alumna, lecturer and advancement professional—Jill Marsteller has provided exceptional service and leadership to the college. Her strategic vision is unparalleled and, as she guides the ambitious $100 million Keep the Promise comprehensive campaign to the finish line, Marsteller reflects on her legacy. “I feel very deeply that we all stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, and I am very grateful to have been mentored by others while having the great pleasure to mentor the next generation of advancement officers,” she says. 30
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DOUG HICKEY ’15 Doug Hickey strives to serve veterans in the same way they have served our country: selflessly, passionately and relentlessly while upholding the values of honor, duty and integrity. As a clinical research coordinator at the Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center of Excellence at the Philadelphia Veterans Affairs Medical Center, he ensures that these heroic men and women receive the care they deserve. And, as an inaugural Charles Rice Postgraduate Research Fellow, Hickey will travel aboard to research the invisible wounds that soldiers carry with them upon returning from war.
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INVEST IN THE PEOPLE OF OUR COLLEGE AS OUR MOST I M P O R TA N T ASSET Ursinus is laser-focused on recr uit ing—and ret aining—high-qualit y st udent s, facult y and s t a f f w h o a re co m m i t te d to ou r s h a re d v i s i o n . We are building a more tr ansparent cult ure of tr ust, with the goal of becoming a magnet for a modern, diverse and innovat ive wor k force.
1 Lower Wismer, a central location of student activity on campus, has been reconfigured to better serve our students. It is now also home to the Institute for Inclusion and Equity and the Institute for Student Success.
2 The Bear2Bear Student Emergency Fund was created to help meet the immediate needs of students experiencing crisis situations or facing temporary financial hardship.
3 The college’s first-ever culture study will be used to create a more entrepreneurial, communicative and open community.
4 Senior staff was reconvened to allow for more transparent and open communications. Coupled with the Campus Planning and Priorities Committee, these staff members strategically contribute to discussions surrounding institutional priorities.
5 A new human resources committee of the board of trustees is working to identify ways in which Ursinus can become a first-choice destination for current and future faculty and staff.
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S TA N EXETER “I get you guys for four years. You get me for life.” It’s a promise that Stan Exeter makes to his players because, as Carter Usowski ’19 explains, the wisdom he imparts “will stay with me forever and will probably be lessons I teach to my own family.” Lessons that go beyond the baseball diamond: gratitude, graciousness, leadership. The best coaches are lifetime mentors and allies. “He has made me a better baseball player and more importantly, a better person,” Usowski says. Exeter earned the 2018 Centennial Conference Sportsmanship Award.
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A ANNEMARIE BARTLETT As Ursinus’s director of institutional research and effectiveness, Annemarie Bartlett works tirelessly to make sure faculty and staff feel supported with assessment and institutional effectiveness. Described as meticulous, thoughtful and knowledgeable, she has a talent for taking the fear out of terms like “self-study” and “accreditation.” Annemarie has been instrumental at the departmental, programmatic and administrative level to improve educational and institutional practices. This year, she was recognized by her peers with the Laughlin Distinguished Administrator Award for exceptional work as conduit, collaborator and counselor. She served as president of the North East Association for Institutional Research. 38
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ENSURE L O N G -T E R M FINANCIAL S TA B I L I T Y
We a re m a k i n g exce pt i o n a l e f fo r t s to p r i o r i t i z e a n d a l l o c a t e o u r r e s o u r c e s t o m a x i m i z e t h e c o l l e g e ’s asset s: people, progr ams, buildings, technology and investment s. T his is result ing in a more contempor ar y campus infr astr uct ure that adapt s with our st udent s’ interest s and academic pursuit s.
1 Ursinus is embarking on an ambitious campus master plan focused on aligning facilities with the academic mission and vision set forth in the Ursinus strategic plan, and to ensure those facilities will support our academic, residential and athletic programs so that they may fulfill that mission.
2 A significant overhaul of the college’s budget model now incorporates longterm planning and more effective multiyear projections, while encouraging leadership to think more creatively and collaboratively about major institutional priorities.
3 Our annual giving programs are vital sources of support for the college, providing essential, unrestricted funding that touches every corner of the Ursinus experience. More than $2.2 million was raised through the annual fund this fiscal year.
4 Keep the Promise, Ursinus’s ambitious $100 million comprehensive campaign, recently surpassed three-quarters of its campaign goal, with more than $75 million raised.
FISCAL YEAR 2018 IN REVIEW
Ursinus College is continuing forward with its $100 million Keep the Promise comprehensive campaign, impacting every aspect of the campus community. With support from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, corporate and organizational partners and friends, the college reached 74% of its campaign goal by the end of fiscal year 2018 (June 30). The tangible effects of such generosity are now being felt at Ursinus, particularly as the Innovation and Discovery Center opens its doors. Thank you to all of our donors who showed their Bear pride by making a contribution to the college during the last fiscal year.
GIFTS AND COMMITMENTS The college closed the 2018 fiscal year having raised $8,593,455 in total gifts received from 5,130 donors. This includes approximately $2.28 million for our Annual Fund. As of June 30, we had raised $74.6 million in cash and pledges toward our Keep the Promise campaign goal.
NEW GIFTS AND COMMITMENTS BY CAT EG O RY
TOTA L G I F TS RECEIVED BY CONSTITUENCY TYPE
2%
1%
2%
1%
6% 10%
12%
17%
28%
GRAND TOTAL
3%
$10,327,502
GRAND TOTAL
$10,327,502 $8,593,455
47%
15%
20% 22%
14%
UNRESTRICTED ANNUAL
ALUMNI AND STUDENTS
ENDOWMENT
FOUNDATIONS
CAPITAL
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES
GOVERNMENT/RESEARCH SPONSORSHIP
BUSINESS AND CORPORATIONS
RESTRICTED ANNUAL OPERATIONS
FRIENDS
OTHER/UNSPECIFIED
PARENTS
RESTRICTED ANNUAL ACADEMIC CENTERS
FACULTY AND STAFF OTHER ORGANIZATIONS
ABOUT THE ENDOWMENT
Ursinus’s long-term stability relies, in part, upon the strength of its endowment. Endowed funds are invested, with the principal remaining intact and only the income spent each year. This enables them to serve as a crucial source of funding for the college, while also existing in perpetuity and growing in value over time. They allow donors to put their own names—or someone else’s—on a fund, and honor a legacy of support indefinitely into the future.
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NEW ENDOWED F U N D S E STA B L I S H E D We are truly grateful to our loyal supporters who established the below endowed funds during the 2018 fiscal year: Betty H. Sell ’50 and Kenneth D. Sell ’50 Scholarship Fund Don M. and Alethia G. White Student Enrichment Fund Harold A. Beyer ’36 and Harold L. Beyer ’75 Scholarship Fund Michael ’54 and Mary Sprenkle ’53 Neborak Student Enrichment Fund Roger V. Wiest ’62 Endowed Scholarship Fund
M A R K E T VA LU E O F T H E E N D OWM E N T AT 6 / 3 0/ 201 8 : $1 3 8 . 8 M I L L I O N
O PE R AT I N G EXPE N S E S 2017-18
O PE R AT I N G R EVE N U E 2017-18 1%
2%
5%
4%
4%
5%
5%
1%
10%
6%
GRAND TOTAL
10%
$59,826,000*
GRAND TOTAL
54%
$59,826,000*
50%
30% 14%
COMPENSATION
NET TUITION AND FEES
STUDENT SERVICES
COLLEGE ROOM AND BOARD
FACILITY OPERATIONS
ENDOWMENT TRANSFER
INSTITUTIONAL SUPPPORT
PRIVATE GIFTS AND GRANTS
DEBT SERVICES
SERVICES, RENTALS, INVESTMENTS AND SALES
OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROJECT TRANSFERS
*UNAUDITED TOTALS
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