LOOKING BACK:
In preparation for our 175th Anniversary, a timeline reflects on our rich history.
PAGE 14
LOOKING FORWARD:
A look at where Waynesburg University is now, and where it’s headed.
PAGE 21
HONOR ROLL OF DONORS: The generous individuals and organizations who make a profound impact on our students.
PAGE 68
This edition of the Lamp & President’s Report is an especially meaningful publication to me. The following pages reflect on Waynesburg University’s heritage, as well as provide updates on the University’s current state, and, importantly, share our vision and plans for growth.
As we prepare to celebrate the University’s 175th anniversary and the many milestones that have brought us to this moment, it’s equally important to pause for reflection on the great contributions of our late Chancellor, former President Timothy R. Thyreen.
He was a visionary, national educational leader whose steady dedication to glorifying God through Waynesburg University’s mission is an exemplar of how one person can creatively and ethically shape the world and advance Christ’s kingdom.
His presidency was a time of unparalleled growth in the long history of the University. He restored the University’s Christian mission of 1849 and created an institutional commitment that educates students to make connections between faith, learning and serving so they might faithfully transform their communities and the world.
Through the foresight of this great institution’s former leaders, paired with our current momentum, the generosity of our alumni and friends, and God’s abiding grace, we are in a position for continued growth.
As we launch our 175 Years of Light Fundraising Initiative, we are thankful for your support and encouragement, and we are confident that the resources needed to continue moving this institution forward will come if we remain true to our mission.
Fiat Lux.
Douglas G. Lee Waynesburg University PresidentPresident
Douglas G. Lee
Provost
Dr. Dana Cook Baer
Chief Financial Officer
Laura Coss
Vice President for Information Technology Services and Chief Information Officer
William Dumire
Vice President for Institutional Advancement and University Relations
Stacey Brodak
Vice President for Enrollment
Dr. Shari Payne
This publication is published by the Office of University Relations at Waynesburg University, 51 West College Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370.
Waynesburg University is a Christian University offering more than 70 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels.
Editor
Ashley Wise
Contributing Writers
Kayla Ayers
Robert Fox
Rachel Pellegrino
Matthew Stultz
Ashley Wise
Art Direction and Design Carrie McAfee
Photography
James DePriest Paul Hicks
Alumni Services
fdolfi@waynesburg.edu
Phone: 724.852.3300
© 2023. All rights reserved.
Correspondence
mwhite@waynesburg.edu
Phone: 724.852.3293
Unauthorized duplication of publication or material is strictly prohibited without express written consent of the copyright holder.
OF TRUSTEES
2021-2022
Gregory J. Halvatzis Chair
Cheryl L. Allen Vice Chair
Mark A. Harner Vice Chair
John H. Goodish Secretary
Mary Ann Meloy Treasurer
Cheryl L. Allen
Stuart D. Broberg
Frederick D. DePalma
Laura E. Ellsworth
Mark E. Fox
Patrick A. Gallagher
John H. Goodish
Gary L. Guerrieri
Gregory J. Halvatzis
Mark A. Harner
John K. Hinds
J. William Hook
James R. Lowe Jr.
Mary Ann Meloy
J. W. Montgomery III
Carroll K. Morrison
Terrence H. Murphy
Heidi J. Watson
Marilyn H. West
Donald P. Wilson
EX-OFFICIO
Douglas G. Lee President
EMERITUS TRUSTEES
Charles R. Baily Sr.
H. Mathilda Horst
Martha D. Smith
BOARD SECRETARY EMERITUS
Barbara H. Duffield
HONORARY TRUSTEE
John W. Knox II
What’s happening at Waynesburg University?
Student-run PRSSA chapter recognized for excellence for 6th consecutive year
Waynesburg U. unveils new esports arena
Waynesburg U.’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program recognized nationally as a “Rising Star”
WCTV wins record-setting seven Communicator Awards
Waynesburg University receives top-of-theline equipment
FirstEnergy awards one-time grant to Waynesburg’s science programs
University develops new initiative to serve veteran, military member students
Waynesburg faculty to be featured in Yale documentary
Waynesburg U. receives grants from EQT Foundation for University initiatives
A Service of WitneSS to the reSurrection And celebrAtion of the life of timothy r. thyreen
September 25, 2022 Roberts Chapel
Waynesburg University celebrated the life of Chancellor Timothy R. Thyreen with a special service held in Roberts Chapel on Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022.
It was an opportunity for his wife, Dr. Carolyn Thyreen, and other members of the Thyreen family, to join the Waynesburg University community in remembrance of the man who dedicated much of his life to the transformation and growth of the University.
The service included touching music, such as the performance of “I Will Lift Mine Eyes,” performed by the Waynesburg University Lamplighters Touring Choir. Featured throughout the service were hymns and songs, including a rendition of “Children of the Heavenly Father” performed by soloist Robin King, and scripture readings delivered by Thyreen’s grandchildren, Amy, Alexie, Tiffany, Stefan and Luke.
A welcome and remarks were offered by President Douglas G. Lee, in addition to memories shared by family and friends of Thyreen, including his brother, Daniel Thyreen, and friend, Mark Fox.
The meditation was given by Rev. Dr. Stuart D. Broberg, titled “Unstoppable for God.” His message focused on Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Rev. Broberg reflected on Thyreen’s commitment to restore the University’s Christian roots of 1849 and how, through his steadfast faith in Christ, was able to watch this vision come to fruition.
Chancellor Thyreen served as president of the University from 1990 until 2013 and as Chancellor from 2013 until his passing in May 2022.
During his 23 years as president, Thyreen oversaw the construction of 12 new buildings and the renovation of 10 others.
In addition, Waynesburg College became Waynesburg University, master’s and doctoral programs were added, enrollment doubled and the University’s endowment grew by 900 percent.
He was dedicated to providing students with the educational tools necessary to make connections between faith, learning and serving so they might faithfully transform their communities and the world.
In accordance with the wishes of Chancellor and Dr. Thyreen, the Thyreen family has planned to donate their family farm in Greene County, Pennsylvania, to the University. The farm will be used as a retreat center to provide a place of peace and renewal, much as it did for the Thyreen family throughout their time there.
Chancellor Thyreen will long be remembered for his many accomplishments and inspiring leadership, but, perhaps more so, for his servant’s heart and unwavering faith in the Lord.
For generations, Waynesburg University has delivered on the promises made with the signing of the University’s Charter. Today, as in the past, the University continues to educate students with the character, courage, faith and compassion to shine brightly in these modern times.
-Matthew 5:14
In 2024, Waynesburg University will celebrate its 175th anniversary. As the University prepares for this special anniversary year, we launch our 175 Years of Light Fundraising Initiative. Collectively, we can secure the University’s future for the next 175 years and beyond as we continue producing graduates of integrity to lead and serve in today’s world.
Please consider a meaningful gift to our 175th Anniversary Fund, which will support our highest needs. To learn more about special giving opportunities as part of this 175th Anniversary initiative, please go to www.waynesburg.edu/175.
Throughout Waynesburg University’s history, its mission of faith, learning and service has been a guiding light for students, alumni, faculty and staff, encouraging them to live lives of purpose for the glory of God.
As the University prepares for its 175th anniversary in 2024, we reflect on the transformational moments in our history that have brought us to this milestone.
“Fueled by the prayers and work of the generations before us, we are not afraid of the future because we have been strengthened by the past. We have survived wars, depressions and lean, hard years, and through this process have grown stronger than ever with a resolution and commitment to faith and learning exemplified by the words carved in stone on our library and cast in bronze plaques on our buildings.”
– President Douglas G. Lee, Inauguration, March 25, 2014
1850
Reverend Joshua Loughran of Greene Academy becomes the first president of Waynesburg College and serves until 1855.
On March 25, 1850, Waynesburg College receives its charter from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
1850
A female seminary is established and led by Margaret Kerr Bell (Miller), who later marries future Waynesburg College President Alfred Bashear Miller (A.B. Miller) in 1855. The first classes of the female seminary are held at the Waynesburg Baptist Church.
1851
The first building of Waynesburg College, known as Hanna Hall, is completed. Hanna Hall, which is home to the Department of Business Administration, is a National Historic Site.
1857
The first female students, Lydia Weethee, Laura Weethee and Margaret Needham, enroll at Waynesburg College. They become the first females to be conferred bachelor’s degrees at the College, also making Waynesburg one of the first colleges in the nation to grant degrees to women.
1859
Dr. Alfred Bashear Miller (A.B. Miller) is named the third president of Waynesburg College and serves until 1899. A minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, Miller and his wife, Margaret, set the University on its faith foundation and mission
1899
“The New College,” built with bricks made by Waynesburg College students from clay excavated from “Lake Winetta,” is completed. This new building, which took 20 years to build, is later named Miller Hall in 1935 in memory of former President A.B. Miller.
1921
Dr. Paul R. “Prexy” Stewart becomes the 10th president of Waynesburg College and serves until 1963.
1955
Construction for Eberly Library is completed and students begin moving books from Miller Hall to the new library. The books were moved from Miller Hall to the new library by a human chain of students passing each book to the next student
1964
The Paul R. Stewart Science Building is dedicated and named in honor of former President Paul R. “Prexy” Stewart. The “New Achievements Campaign” of 1963 is responsible for raising the funds to complete the facility.
1935
“The New College” building is named Miller Hall in memory of former President A.B. Miller. Miller Hall is currently home to several administrative offices and is a National Historic Site.
1959
Benedum Hall is built and hosts the Student Union on its first floor.
Mrs. Corella Bonner is presented with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree by President Thyreen at the 1996 Commencement ceremonies.
The Service Learning Program is established as part of the campus curriculum. Students begin taking 30 hours of community service while enrolled in a semester-long service learning course.
Waynesburg College is chosen to participate in the Bonner Scholarship Program, founded by The Corella and Bertram F. Bonner Foundation of Princeton, New Jersey. Currently, the University is one of only 21 universities in the country to offer this program.
The Buhl Humanities Building is completed. This building was funded by and named in appreciation of a challenge grant from the Buhl Foundation of Pittsburgh.
Timothy R. Thyreen is named the 14th president of Waynesburg College and serves until 2013. The first 10 years of Thyreen’s presidency were hailed as “The Decade of Transformation” due to the expansive growth achieved on campus and the number of new programs undertaken during that time.
The Goodwin Performing Arts Center is established and replaces the former Madison Hall.
1997
Waynesburg College establishes its Graduate and Professional Studies Program with the purpose of developing high-quality graduate programs offered both on its main campus and off-campus sites in the Pittsburgh region.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Stover Campus Center is held in September 1998. The building is named in honor of alumnus Dr. W. Robert ’42 and Joan Stover.
The Graduate and Professional Studies Program moves its center to Southpointe in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. This is where its graduate and professional classes have continued to be offered, recently finding a new home at The HQ at CNX, a coworking space in the CNX Resources Center, in October 2022.
Waynesburg College is granted university status in 2007, officially becoming Waynesburg University. To celebrate, a campus photo was taken around Stover Campus Center which included students, faculty and staff wearing shirts that said “I am Waynesburg University.”
The Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership is established with the help of Dr. W. Robert Stover. The purpose of the Center is to educate students through their immersion into the constitutional, moral and spiritual contributions of the nation’s leaders.
Named in memory of Sherl Levi Roberts and Sarah Bertha Earnest Roberts by their son, Dr. Roy Raymond Roberts ’42, Roberts Chapel is dedicated in September 2011. The Chapel is located at the highest point of campus and serves as a symbol of the Christian principles upon which the University was founded.
Douglas G. Lee is inaugurated as the 15th president of Waynesburg University and resides as the current president with Mrs. Kathryn Lee. Lee’s inauguration was held Tuesday, March 25, 2014, a day which also marked the University’s 165th year and the 164th anniversary of the University’s charter by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Portrait
of Dr. Robert and Mrs. Joan Stover, which hangs in the Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership conference room on the 3rd floor of the Eberly Library.
View our complete Strategic Plan and Strategy for the 21st Century.
In recent years, under President Douglas G. Lee’s leadership, Waynesburg University has continued its history of growth.
Waynesburg University’s current story is being told through a steadfast commitment to mission, outcomes and value, which have been paramount in building the University’s reputation to this point in its history.
The University’s current five-year strategic plan, which began in 2018, was built on our vision statement to be a premier institution of Christian higher education recognized for a commitment to its strong mission and its preparation of 21st century leaders through innovative, student-centered learning experiences.
As a result, the themes of the current strategic plan - learning experiences, affordability and recognition - were developed and continue to guide our work through the focus on outcomes and value.
In tandem with the strategic plan, Waynesburg’s leadership launched the Strategy for the 21st Century. Through these strategic initiatives, the University is guided to provide quality educational opportunities that deliver the best value and outcomes for students.
Consistently ranked a best value school, Waynesburg University has built a reputation for value, high-quality education and outcomes.
The University’s focus on service annually impacts thousands of individuals in its local communities and internationally, and its Strategy for the 21st Century affirms its commitment to developing an entrepreneurial mindset and ethical leadership skills for all students. Top programs include nursing, counseling and criminal justice, which rank among the best nationally. Read more about these rankings on page 25.
Waynesburg University offers more than 70 undergraduate major concentrations and several graduate and professional programs, both online and in-person; and its Pathways Center provides comprehensive student support services to help all students succeed and grow in their vocation and calling.
Rooted in its mission of faith, learning and service, the private, Christian university is located on a beautiful, traditional campus in the hills of southwestern Pennsylvania, with an additional site for graduate and professional studies in the vibrant business community of Southpointe.
Throughout the past year, Waynesburg University continued to earn regional and national recognition, building on many consecutive years of ranking institutions highlighting Waynesburg’s overall value and quality.
Waynesburg University was named to the 2022-2023 Best Value Regional Universities North list, which recognizes schools for their high-quality academic programs combined with low costs. The University ranked No. 3 among the 14 Pennsylvania schools listed.
Waynesburg was also included on U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Universities North list, as well as the Top Performers on Social Mobility Regional Universities North list.
“We are proud that Waynesburg University continues to be recognized nationally for its value and outcomes. We take seriously our ability to consistently offer a private, Christian education that is affordable and accessible.”
-Waynesburg University President Douglas G. Lee
Waynesburg University was recognized as a 2022-2023 College of Distinction for its commitment to helping undergraduate students learn, grow and succeed, marking the seventh consecutive year for the honor.
The University was also named a Pennsylvania College of Distinction and a Christian College of Distinction.
Institutions are honored for utilizing high-impact practices that prioritize ways that enable students to have a fulfilling, individualized college experience both inside and outside of the classroom.
“We’re inspired by the ways in which Waynesburg University immerses students in their fields, all while fostering a welcoming community that will support them through and beyond their college years.”
-Wes Creel, founder of Colleges of Distinction
Waynesburg University was recognized as a “Best Bachelor’s Degree” College in the state of Pennsylvania by University HQ. The University ranked No. 16 out of the 100 institutions listed.
The University was also ranked among the top 15 “Best Master’s Degree Colleges” in Pennsylvania by University HQ.
Waynesburg’s graduate studies offer a variety of programs for students to explore, including athletic training, business administration, counseling, criminal investigation, education and nursing.
Top-performing academic programs across our undergraduate and graduate areas of study.
Waynesburg University qualified as a 2022-2023 College of Distinction and received specialized recognition for its business field of study.
Waynesburg’s Master of Arts in Criminal Investigation (MACI) Program was ranked as the No. 1 online program in the nation by Intelligent in 2022 for the third consecutive year and earned the distinction as the “Intelligent Pick.”
Counseling
Waynesburg’s Addictions Counseling Program was recognized as a 2022 “Top 50 Master’s Counseling Program for Addiction Counseling” by Addiction Counselor, ranked No. 4 in the nation.
Waynesburg University qualified as a 2022-2023 College of Distinction and received specialized recognition for its education field of study.
Waynesburg University qualified as a 2022-2023 College of Distinction and received specialized recognition for its nursing field of study.
Waynesburg’s Department of Nursing was recognized as a 2022 “Best Nursing School” in Pennsylvania, ranking No. 11 out of 80 schools across the state.
Waynesburg University’s Nursing Program was ranked No. 8 in the 2022 “Best Colleges for Nursing” national rankings by Scrubs and Beyond.
Read more about the University’s awards and recognition for value, excellence and outcomes at waynesburg.edu/value.
As the University continues to distinguish itself as a leader in value and outcomes, various academic programs have earned national recognition for their innovation and award-winning work.
Waynesburg University’s Entrepreneurial Leadership Program was presented with the Rising Star Award for Excellence in Curriculum Innovation in Entrepreneurship at the 2022 Deshpande Symposium at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
Recipients of the Excellence in Curriculum Innovation in Entrepreneurship Award are recognized for their demonstration of and commitment to innovative educational courses and/or programs that promote institution-wide entrepreneurship education.
The Deshpande Symposium is dedicated to integrating entrepreneurship education and opportunities into campus life at colleges and universities across North America. This year, conference participants explored the impact higher ed institutions have on regional economic and social ecosystems as well as the opportunities collegiate entrepreneurship programs create to diversify the professional talent pool and foster greater equity and inclusion in the workplace.
About the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program Launched in 2018, the mission of the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Waynesburg University is to provide students across all majors with the educational framework to instill an entrepreneurial mindset. Through the use of cross-disciplinary coursework, students from various disciplines with an interest in entrepreneurial leadership are able to develop that mindset through problem-solving skills transferable to any profession.
One of the unique aspects of Waynesburg’s Department of Communication is the opportunity for experiential student learning through state-ofthe-art equipment and facilities.
“The Deshpande Symposium is a national gathering of entrepreneurship educators, policy planners, and practitioners. The awards are peerreviewed. Being recognized by our peers across the country as a rising star in curricular innovation is exciting and affirming. Having others recognize our work will help us tell the story of innovation at Waynesburg University and hopefully attract students.”
-Mindy Walls, Director of the University’s Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program and the W. Robert Stover Chair for Entrepreneurial Leadership
In recent years, the department has added an iMac computer lab for web and print design studies, updated its mobile television production setup, enhanced its photography studio and, most notably, outfitted its television studio with the most current HD equipment in the field.
These projects have enabled the Department to continue to provide quality instruction and to deliver award-winning, industry-standard experiences for communication students.
The Department also continues to be a regional leader in student success, with many of the Department’s student-run organizations earning special recognition.
Waynesburg’s chapter of the Public Relations Students Society of America (PRSSA) is a six-time “Chapter of the Year,” an honor that has been bestowed by PRSA Pittsburgh consecutively since 2017.
The University’s student-operated television station, WCTV-14, also received seven Communicator Awards in 2022, breaking their 2021 record of six.
Waynesburg’s Criminal Justice Administration Program is consistently ranked at the bachelor’s and master’s levels for academic excellence and value throughout the region and nation. The program not only features faculty members who are expert practitioners from the criminal justice field but also provides students with unique, hands-on training, utilizing cutting-edge technology.
In 2018, Waynesburg acquired a new Laser Shot Firearms Training Simulator. The simulator enables students to gain experience in conflict resolution, judgment, tactics and weapons familiarization.
The upgraded system doubled the number of use-of-force scenarios from the original version, where participants utilize verbal de-escalation and other techniques, preparing for various possible outcomes. At the time of acquiring the first Laser Shot simulator in 2011, Waynesburg was the only institution of higher education in the region to offer this type of training.
Then, in 2022, the program added a patrol simulator to its collection of state-of-the-art equipment, which includes PatrolEyes body cameras in addition to the Laser Shot simulator.
The patrol simulator is a driving simulator outfitted with the elements of a patrol car, including lights, a siren and a mobile digital terminal. It enables students to experience real-life scenarios through a series of exercises to enhance their understanding of being on patrol. The simulations can revolve around distracted driving, pursuits and navigating severe weather conditions.
“This is a training tool that, once again, puts us in a position to be one of the only schools in the United States to provide this type of immersive experience for our undergraduate students.”
-Adam Jack, chair of the Department of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences and professor of criminal justice
During the past few years, Waynesburg Athletics has experienced a period of tremendous growth, not only on the field of play with individual and team success, but with key physical and aesthetic enhancements.
Adam Jack…
Locker Rooms
“As the Athletic Programs continue to grow, we turned four small locker rooms into two large locker rooms and significantly renovated all three locker room areas in the field house and then also created a ‘real’ locker room at Wiley Stadium. Our reasoning was to provide an atmosphere for student-athletes to prepare for competitions together, not in several different areas, allowing for an enhanced game-day atmosphere.”
“The lobby area of the original Gym was renovated into a Recruitment Lounge, where coaches can meet with prospective student-athletes in a comfortable area, displaying images of the athlete on the video screen in the lobby and showcasing uniforms from the sport on mannequins in the display case.”
“This project has made a huge difference in not only the game day atmosphere, but also the experiential learning for students working with the video board, creating content for events. With the large banners, video board and scoreboard, we now have one of the premier venues for basketball, wrestling and volleyball in the region. This video board can also be used to show movies or stream content to the campus community for a variety of events.”
“The video board has been a great addition to the facility over the past two years. It brings excitement to all contests at Wiley Stadium and allows student-athletes to get the ‘big-school’ treatment through player introductions, hype videos and game highlights. In conjunction with the Department of Communication, this is another example of experiential learning.”
Waynesburg University launched its esports program in the fall of 2022 and unveiled a new, state-of-the-art Esports Arena, made possible by a $400,000 in-kind gift from an anonymous donor that supported the development of the program within the Department of Athletics.
The Esports Arena is located in Buhl Hall and is home to the esports program under the direction of Matthew Pioch, esports director and head coach.
The arena is one of the largest in the region, with 25 stations, each equipped with the following:
→ Alienware Aurora R12
→ Alienware 38’’ Curved Gaming Monitor
→ Alienware Gaming Mouse
→ Alienware Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
→ An electric height-adjustable standing desk
→ Bose QuietComfort Noise Cancelling Headphones
The space is also equipped with an Optoma projector and a separate viewing room. The arena and the viewing room are separated by a 4’ x 8’ SmartGlass window.
Waynesburg’s Rocket League team won the 2022 National Esports Collegiate Conference Emergents Appalachia Division title and did so with an 8-0 undefeated regular season and a perfect 3-0 run through the postseason.
At Waynesburg University, students experience much more than just lectures. Both within the classroom and beyond, they experience the “WU factor” – opportunities to learn how to live lives of purpose and professional success that will positively impact them and the communities where they will eventually live and work.
These opportunities stem from the pillars of Waynesburg’s mission: faith, service and learning.
Faith is the foundation of the student experience at Waynesburg. Students have the opportunity to grow in their faith at a level comfortable to them while also discovering ways in which they can apply faith to their professions.
The Waynesburg student experience is also immersed in service through service learning courses, international and domestic mission trips and other personal service initiatives.
All of these unique factors of the student experience culminate in the classroom, where Waynesburg University students grow in a culture that is championed through academic excellence and personalized guidance to nurture the mind, spirit and future.
Adrienne Tharp Director of the Center for Service Leadership and Bonner Scholars Program
Service is at the heart of the mission at Waynesburg University. Traditionally, our students participate in an average of 12-16 service trips annually, both domestically and internationally. After an almost two-year pause due to travel restrictions related to the pandemic, service trips have once again returned to the schedule for the 2022-23 academic year.
Fall Break 2022 service trips included:
→ Greene County Immersion (Greene County, Pennsylvania)
→ Greene County Habitat for Humanity (Waynesburg, Pennsylvania)
Winter Break 2023 service trips included:
→ A Rocha Marine Conservation (Titusville, Florida)
Spring Break 2023 scheduled service trips include:
→ Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
→ The Philadelphia Project (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
Adrienne Tharp, director of the Center for Service Leadership and Bonner Scholars Program at Waynesburg University, helps to organize and plan the University’s service trips each semester, encouraging students, faculty and staff to get involved where they can.
What are a few of Waynesburg’s most popular domestic and international trips?
AT: Pre-COVID, I would say that the Habitat for Humanity trip to North Carolina and the Guatemala trip were two of the most popular. Rea Redd’s trips would be a close runner-up. He often has a lot of returning students from previous trips. I also think Bonaire was very popular for communication students.
What types of service activities do students participate in with these different trips?
AT: It depends on the service trip and where they go. Habitat for Humanity is very hands on. Students work closely with a team to build a house, paint, roof, etc.
Almost all of the trips include cultural and educational pieces, especially on international trips. We like to try to incorporate as many educational aspects as we can but also include cultural activities. We encourage groups to eat locally and support local businesses, but the work and service they do will vary from trip to trip.
What could be considered unique aspects of these trips and learning experiences?
AT: Each trip is different. I think that is what attracts students to them – no two trips will be the same. The trips offer a mix of things for students and push them out of their comfort zones. I also use the phrase, “participate, don’t anticipate.” They need to be in the moment and really experience the work they are doing and what they are learning. Most of our trips are repeated year after year. We’ve built relationships with several of the communities and people, so it’s neat to return back to those locations.
What impact can these trips have on students?
AT: I believe service trips are very transformative for students. Our trips can expose them to new places, cultures and people. It opens their eyes to new things and also challenges them. We always try to encourage students to participate in service opportunities and to find ways to connect it to their academic and career goals. When students do that, it opens up a new world for them. Often times, if they go on one trip, they’ll go on more. It’s something they want to keep coming back to.
Rea Redd Director of the Eberly Library, Librarian IV and Professor
Since 2015, Waynesburg University has organized eight service trips to locations in the National Park’s Civil War History Parks. A total of 112 Waynesburg students have participated, with some attending more than once or year after year.
Service sites for these popular historycentered trips have included:
→ Gettysburg National Military Park
→ Gettysburg Seminary Ridge Museum
→ Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Society’s Daniel Lady Farm
→ Adams County Historical Society (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania) and Antietam National Battlefield Military Park
→ Harpers Ferry National Historic Park
→ Tolson’s Chapel Historic Site (Sharpsburg, Maryland)
→ Sharpsburg Maryland Historical Society
→ Little Antietam Creek Historic Preservation Site (Maryland)
→ National Museum of Civil War Medicine, Pry’s Mill Farm, historic medicinal garden at Antietam National Battlefield Park
Rea Redd, director of the Eberly Library, librarian IV and instructor at Waynesburg University, has led several trips to Gettysburg and Antietam throughout the years and has seen the benefits to both students attending and the service sites firsthand.
Are these trips designed for a specific major or are they open to any WU student with an interest in history?
RR: They are open to all. The trips have included students from all majors. Alumni are also welcome to join us and some have; sometimes there is a reunion element on the trip.
Criminal justice majors meet with National Park police, and a question I ask each National Park staff person who is in front of the students is, “How did you get your job?”
What type of service work do students complete on these trips and what is the benefit to students who participate?
RR: The service learning trips to the National Parks of Gettysburg, Antietam and Harpers Ferry include both tours with licensed guides
and National Park staff. Common chores at these parks include landscape maintenance, which includes stonewalls, woodlots and visitor access paths.
Additionally, the trips have included service in Sharpsburg, Maryland, at Tolson’s Chapel and School, which is a historic African American restored building. It was built in 1866 and served as a church and a Freedmen’s Bureau school for Black residents of Sharpsburg in the years following the American Civil War. Also, the Sharpsburg Historical Society’s historic building and the American Civil War historic medicinal garden managed by the National Museum of Civil War Medicine, located in Frederick, Maryland, are locations our students serve.
In addition, in Gettysburg students have served the Adams County Historical Society, the Seminary Ridge Museum and the Historic Daniel Lady Farm operated by the Gettysburg Preservation Society. Sundry chores at these locations have included cleaning historic barns, building Virginia Worm Fences, winterizing deer shelters, the moving and storage of public documents and landscape maintenance.
At each of these locations, students are introduced to not only the care of historic sites, but also the historic significance and the administration of each facility.
What impact do you believe these trips have had on students who have participated?
RR: The trips’ impact upon students is dynamic. Their understanding of the federal and local management of these historic sites is increased by the trips. The students realize that volunteers are essential to the care and maintenance of these public parks. They learn that these sites exist due to their own efforts. They begin to grasp the necessity of the ‘behind the scenes’ volunteers as crucial and that their own work at these sites is very important.
RR: Typically, the site managers are effusive in their appreciation for the variety of tasks and the amount of work WU students have accomplished. Site managers readily accept my offers to bring WU student volunteers to their buildings and gardens.
Faith is another integral part of the Waynesburg University mission. Countless opportunities exist for faith-based activities on campus, designed to help students grow in Christian discipleship.
Joshua Sumpter, University Chaplin and associate professor of biblical and ministry studies, oversees the Center for Campus Ministry, which offers many of these activities with the goal of enriching the spiritual development of Waynesburg University students.
Chaplin Sumpter, along with various student leaders and mentors, helps make these faith-based experiences possible, all of which further enrich the growth of students.
How is faith infused into the student experience at Waynesburg University?
JS: As a Christian comprehensive university, faith is not simply a program or an accessory to our mission at Waynesburg University, but it is at the center of who we are. Thus, students will have opportunities to be engaged in spiritual formation throughout their student experience: in the classroom, through residence life, on the athletic field and through campus ministry programs that foster faith formation for students.
What classes exist for students to learn more about their faith, regardless of major?
JS: All students will have the opportunity to take a Bible course that will engage them to make connections with their own story and calling. Students are also welcome to take a great variety of courses that can introduce them to Christian theology, church history, ministry leadership and further study of the Bible.
Describe the weekly Chapel experience. How can this positively impact students’ growth in their faith?
JS: WU Chapel is offered on Tuesdays at 11 a.m. in Roberts Chapel. This is a weekly opportunity for students, faculty and staff to come together for a time of worship, prayer and a message rooted in scripture. Chapel features a variety of speakersboth on-campus ministry staff and guest speakers including local pastors and faculty members. It’s a great space for students to
experience Christian fellowship with peers and faculty/staff at WU.
Describe Upper Room. What makes this gathering so unique?
JS: Upper Room features student-led worship and student testimony every Sunday evening at 8 p.m. in Roberts Chapel. Rather than a sermon, the emphasis is on students sharing how Jesus is transforming their story. This space for worship, testimony and Christian community on Sunday evenings is often fuel for the week ahead as students navigate their classes and schedules.
Share other specific opportunities that exist for students on campus to gather for faith-based activities.
JS: Almost every day of the week features a Christian student organization, Bible study or campus program geared towards faith formation at Waynesburg University. Student organizations such as Upper Room, Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA), Newman Club and Delight Women’s Ministry meet weekly on campus. We also encourage WU students to attend and get involved with local churches in the area.
How would you encourage students to initially get involved with a faith-based activity?
JS: All students are always welcome to stop by the Center for Campus Ministry (1st floor Stover) to learn more about faith-based opportunities on campus or to simply ask questions. Students can also ask their Resident Mentors, Resident Directors, faculty members or campus ministry staff for more information on how to get connected.
Is there anything else that you’d like to add about faith at Waynesburg?
JS: Waynesburg University welcomes students from all denominations and places on their faith journey. My prayer is that all students are pointed to the good news of Jesus Christ. It is in Christ that we find unity, hope, identity and mission, while at Waynesburg University.
Course Name: ENT 355 Social Entrepreneurship
Instructor: Cassy Dorsch, eHIVE Program Director
Course Description:
This course examines the question, “How do I develop a socially focused venture?” Through case studies and projects, students will learn how to start and maintain businesses and non-profit organizations that promote social change.
Instructor Commentary:
“When I began teaching Social Entrepreneurship, I wanted to give students the ability to have a real-world experience working with a socially focused project. When the pandemic shut down our service trip, Project GROW was formed. Project GROW is our remote class project where students use their business skills to help empower a small, impoverished women’s group in the Dominican Republic. So often in social entrepreneurship classes and when studying the complexities of world poverty, we talk about people living in the developing world, but there is rarely an opportunity to meet or learn from people in them. Through this class, students have a direct link to necessity entrepreneurs in the developing world. Students educate and empower the group through remote business coaching and mentoring. Last year, students aided the group in becoming a legally registered organization and mentored both a jewelry and bakery startup. This social change is at the heart of social entrepreneurship.”
Student Commentary:
“Waynesburg University introduced me to both service and Entrepreneurship, so it just made sense to take a class that encompassed both of these aspects on a deeper level. Social Entrepreneurship opened my eyes to ways to create revenue while exploring my spiritual calling to serve others. Our class mentored a group of women in the Dominican Republic, teaching them product development, business management, finance and marketing techniques that we had previously learned on campus. My time working with this intelligent group has provided me with inspiration to find new ways to provide sustainable solutions in the real world.”
Course Name: COM 339 Creativity Theory and Practice
Instructor: Dr. Marie Leichliter-Krause, Assistant Provost for Academic Affairs and Institutional Effectiveness
Course Description:
Creativity Theory and Practice focuses on the theory (why) and application (how) of creative problem solving to the various fields of communication. Students will study the nature of creativity in relation to person, product, process, and environment. Throughout the course of the semester, students will be exposed to many facets of creativity. Students become increasingly aware of their creative-self and will learn how to nurture their creativity skills using assorted creativity techniques.
Instructor Commentary:
“Creativity appears on virtually every list of top skills employers are seeking in today’s ultrafastpaced, dynamic world. The great news is that creativity is not a mythical gift bestowed only on a select few. Everyone can be creative. Creativity is a skill that can be learned and, like all skills, must be practiced if it is to improve. Most of us cannot sit down at a piano for the first time and play one of Beethoven’s sonatas. With practice, however, we can play – even occasionally master - the most difficult pieces of music. Creativity allows us to see what others do not see and think what others are not thinking. Creative thinkers are able to break away from established patterns to connect the unconnected. In Creativity Theory and Practice, students use creative thinking to solve complex, real-world problems and develop a “toolbox” of techniques to help them generate unique ideas. Just like digital and information literacy, creativity is a 21st Century skill that gives students a competitive edge for their future career.”
“I took Creativity Theory and Practice with Dr. Leichliter-Krause in the spring of my sophomore year. At first, I was a bit intimidated by the expectations, but I quickly found out how beneficial they were to me and my growth within the field I am pursuing. Every week was something new, and each assignment/project we did expanded my knowledge in ways I never could have imagined. My classmates and I were encouraged to not just think outside-the-box, but to redefine it. It was so interesting to understand the different creative processes and just how much goes into creativity as a whole. I would wholeheartedly recommend this class to anyone interested.”
“I took the class last semester during the spring of 2022. I honestly really enjoyed the class. I enrolled in it because it was required for my double major of Digital Design and Communication.
I enjoyed the class despite the workload because the work we were assigned was engaging and fun. I got to work on a large project with one of my close friends in the class. We were responsible for creating a product that would be beneficial for our field. My friend and I created a website that was a mock-up of what the actual product would look like if it did exist. We had a lot of fun being creative with the process. The class isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination, but it challenges students to think differently than they would in their everyday lives in order to cultivate creative minds.”
Course Name: CHE212 Organic Chemistry II (Lab)
Instructor: Dr. Takashi Suyama, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Course Description:
The continuation course in organic chemistry, employing recent theoretical concepts and current techniques; laboratory emphasis on techniques, synthesis, and qualitative organic analysis. Three hours of lecture and one three-hour laboratory period each week. Prerequisites: CHE 211 with a grade of C- or above. (Course Outcomes: “Propose a multistep synthesis, Adapt literature procedures, Execute synthesis, Purify products, Characterize and prove structures, Oral & written presentation of the synthesis”)
Instructor Commentary:
“The ‘synthesis project’ is an exciting, semester-long project in which each student will choose a molecule that they are interested in and is relevant to their vocational interest, research the primary scientific literature, propose a synthesis of the molecule based on the literature, have the department provide/purchase the necessary chemicals, execute the synthesis, troubleshoot, purify and analyze the product, and present their project outcome to the class. In this process, students make a huge step toward transforming into scholars from pupils and get to go through the whole realistic process of scientific R&D that ‘real life’ scientists participate in. Upon completion, this is something that they put on their CV to showcase their WU education in chemistry.”
- Dr. Takashi Suyama, Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Student Commentary:
“Organic Chemistry II was one of the coolest classes I took during college. My favorite part of the class was the fact that we got to design and synthesize a compound of our own choice. I chose to make a compound which is used as a clinical drug. Through this class, I learned how to problem-solve and think outside the box, which made me feel like an actual scientist.”
- Andrew Gordon, biochemistry major from Strongsville, Ohio.
“The class is challenging, but being able to synthesize your own product(s) with the newfound understanding of how chemicals interact on a molecular level is rewarding.”
- Samantha Boni, forensic science major from Canonsburg, Pennsylvania
The 2021-22 Waynesburg men’s basketball season saw the Yellow Jackets enjoy their most success on the court in seven years. The Orange and Black posted a 14-14 overall record that included a 9-9 mark in Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). It was the first time Waynesburg finished with a .500 record in both league and overall play since the 2014-15 campaign.
The Yellow Jackets really caught fire from midNovember to mid-December, when they won sixof-seven games and jumped into first place in the conference with a 3-0 start to the league schedule. Following its hot start, the team ended the season on a high note by not only upsetting Geneva in PAC postseason play, but qualifying for the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) for the first time since 2015.
The Jackets were led by the inside-outside duo of graduate student Nijon Kirkman and senior guard Matt Popeck. Kirkman provided Waynesburg with a toughness in the paint and consistent presence on the glass. A transfer student, Kirkman finished his lone year in Orange and Black by averaging 12.4 points and 9.4 rebounds. He saved his best showing of the year for the team’s postseason victory at Geneva, during which he logged 28 points and 17 rebounds.
Popeck proved to be one of the top scorers in the PAC this past winter. He was named first-team All-PAC and first-team All-ECAC after he finished second in the PAC with a 20.7 points per game scoring average.
Popeck posted the top individual scoring performance of the season when he exploded for 41
points in a win against non-conference opponent Stevenson on Dec. 30. In that 83-69 win, he grabbed the number-eight spot in Waynesburg’s all-time list for single-game scoring and it was the most points scored by any Waynesburg men’s player in the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse. His 11 made three pointers in just 13 attempts were the most ever made by a Yellow Jacket.
Popeck racked up five 30-plus point scoring games, the second-most of any PAC player. His 10 20-plus point games were most of any Waynesburg player. By the time the season ended, he was lauded three times as a PAC Player of the Week. Not surprisingly, the native of Washington, Pennsylvania, joined Waynesburg’s 1,000-point club.
The Waynesburg women’s basketball team had its own star to lean on in senior Brooke Fuller, who, like Popeck, was named first-team all-conference.
Fuller was a double-double machine, accomplishing the feat a PAC-high 10 times over the season. She finished second in the league in scoring (16.4 points per game) and first in rebounding (10.6 boards per game). Her .473 field goal percentage was good for sixth in the conference and her 1.2 blocks per contest ranked fourth.
During the season, the veteran post standout became the 13th member of Waynesburg’s 1,000-point club. She was named PAC Women’s Basketball Player of the Week on Dec. 6.
The Jacket women finished the 2021-22 campaign with a 6-20 record that included a 5-13 mark in conference action.
It was the end of a fantastic era on the mats for
the Waynesburg wrestling team, as veteran head coach Ron Headlee led his squad for a 14th-and-final season that was highlighted by junior heavyweight Rocky McGeary winning the PAC title at 285 pounds. With McGeary’s win, Waynesburg ran its streak of conference heavyweight crowns to eight.
McGeary nearly earned his second trip to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament, but came up just one win shy of the third-place bout. The top three finishers in each weight class had their tickets stamped for nationals.
The Jackets hosted the 2022 PAC Championships at the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse and took third place in the team standings. Waynesburg logged a 2-12 overall dual record for the campaign.
Less than a month after the conclusion of the season, Waynesburg announced the hiring of former NCAA Division I wrestler and West Allegheny High School head coach Aaron McKinney as the new leader of the program.
Junior Katherine Henderson led the Waynesburg University track & field team as it competed in indoor competition. Henderson, a standout in multiple field events, was named the PAC Co-Most Outstanding Performer From the Field at the PAC Indoor Championships. She picked up the honor after placing in the top eight of all three jumps at the meet. Henderson highlighted the Yellow Jackets’ efforts by winning the long jump with a distance of 5.20 meters (17-0.75). She added a silver in the high jump after clearing 1.45 meters (4-9) and placed sixth in the triple jump (9.61 meters, 31-6.5).
Senior Aubrey Wingeart placed second in both
the 3,000 and 5,000-meter runs as she added another entry into an amazing distance career for both the Waynesburg cross country and track & field teams. Junior Michaela Rose proved once again that she is one of the top sprinters in the PAC by earning silver medals in both the 60 and 200-meter sprints and the conference championship meet. Junior Becca Dolce gave Waynesburg a standout performer in the throws. Her toss of 10.94 meters (35-10.75) in the shot put gave her fourth place out of 29 competitors. Dolce outdid herself in the weight throw, where she earned the bronze with the number-three distance of 12.55 meters (41-2.25).
On the men’s side, sophomore Kai Herbert and junior Josh Derricott earned bronze medals in the 60-meter hurdles and high jump, respectively. Waynesburg top male thrower was freshman Garrett Hillard, who took fifth in the shot put after accomplishing a distance of 12.61 meters (41-4.5).
Once the weather warmed up to melt the snow from a cold southwestern Pennsylvania winter, the Waynesburg spring programs took center stage and no team shone brighter than the Yellow Jacket softball team, which made history on the diamond.
Led by freshman pitcher Sydney Wilson and a slew of veteran standouts, the Jackets won their first PAC title since 1993 after going 27-11 overall and 13-5 in PAC games. Thanks to their conference crown, Waynesburg earned the program’s first-ever trip to the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament. Though the Jackets went 0-2 at the event, they nearly pulled the biggest upset of the entire event when they fell 4-3 to Eastern Connecticut
State, the number-three team in the nation.
Wilson collected a pile of individual accolades including PAC Newcomer of the Year and PAC Pitcher of the Year, while head coach and Waynesburg native Brett Shimek was named PAC Coach of the Year. Reflecting the true team-first nature of the season, eight Jackets were named to the all-conference squads. Sophomore third baseman Sydney Senay joined Wilson as a first-team pick, while junior catcher Brin Hunter, junior outfielder Reghan Benschoter and junior utility player Ella Brookman received second-team applause. Sophomore infielder Kayla Gratton joined freshman outfielders Kiana Bagnell and Mackenzie Kearns as honorable mention selections.
Wilson went on to be named ECAC Pitcher of the Year, and was joined on the all-star team by Senay and Brookman.
With no seniors on last year’s squad, the Jackets are poised to make a run at a second-straight conference crown and a deep run in the 2023 NCAA Division III playoffs.
Staying on the diamond, the Waynesburg baseball team opened a new chapter in its program as long-time assistant coach and Frontier League Hall of Famer Perry Cunningham took over as the program’s head coach. The Jackets went 14-25 overall, but ended the season on a high note with victories in five of their final seven contests. The Orange and Black went 10-17
in conference play.
A trio of Waynesburg players earned All-PAC recognition, including a pair of freshmen in secondteam pick Alec Engelmore, who shined on the field, at the plate and on the pitcher’s mound, and honorable mention selection Bryce Bedilion, a native of nearby Clarksville, Pennsylvania.
Senior pitcher Corey Fischer ended his collegiate career by earning honorable mention applause.
The 2022 women’s lacrosse season saw the Jackets go 0-12 on the season, but there were positives to celebrate. Junior Eve O’Sullivan earned honorable mention All-PAC accolades after scoring a team-high 22 goals and tallying a squad-best 24 total points.
Following the season, head coach Gennaro Bonaventura resigned to pursue other career paths. He was replaced by Steph London, who played on four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) championhip teams that advanced to the NCAA Division II national title game at West Chester University.
The Waynesburg men’s tennis team qualified for the PAC postseason tournament after going 6-8 overall and 2-5 conference action. Needing a win to qualify for the playoffs, the Yellow Jackets defeated Washington & Jefferson 7-2 in their final match of the regular season.
Following the season’s conclusion, which was the
last for head coach Ron Headlee, senior Joey English earned first-team All-PAC honors as a singles player. English went 4-9 at the number-one flight for the Jackets. He added second-team laurels as a doubles competitor. English teamed with sophomore Ethan Lown to post an 8-6 mark at the number-one position.
Speaking of Lown, he earned honorable mention all-conference applause for his work at number-three singles, where he posted a team-best mark of 9-4. Lown was joined as an honorable mention singles competitor by freshman Rory Montreuil and graduate student Conor Cassidy. Montreuil went 5-7 on the season, with a 5-6 mark at fourth singles, while Cassidy logged a 7-6 record, all at the number-two spot.
The Waynesburg men’s golf team capped a solid 2021-22 campaign by placing third at the PAC Spring Championships. Combined with their efforts in the fall championship tournament, the Jackets took fifth place overall. Senior Luke Diel earned secondteam All-PAC laurels after carding a 79 on Saturday, including a hole-in-one on a par 4, that allowed him to compile a three-round total of 230.
The Jacket women’s golf team closed out its year with a seventh-place overall finish at the PAC Championships. Freshman Audrey Rose Abatti fired an 18-hole score of 109 that gave her the number-21 total score of 319 over the fall and spring.
Powered by many of the same performers that led it in the indoor season, the Waynesburg track & field squad made a seamless move outdoors.
The Jacket women took fifth at the PAC Outdoor Championships and were led at the event by Wingeart. The all-time great in the distance events was named PAC Most Outstanding Performer on the Track after winning the 10,000-meter run in 39:13.76 and the 5,000-meter in 18:08.16. As if those two gold medals weren’t enough, Wingeart added a bronze in the 1,500 with a mark of 4:54.31.
Rose also logged multiple top-three finishes in the sprints that included a pair of silver medal performances. She took second in both the 100 and 200 meters, thanks to times of 12.78 and 26.18 seconds, respectively.
Dolce and freshman Megan Barry earned silver medals in the shot put and javelin, respectively.
On the men’s side, Waynesburg finished eighth in the team standings and saw several of its own earn top-eight individual medals. Herbert led the charge with a fourth-place time in the 110-meter hurdles.
After returning from summer break, the Waynesburg University football team opened a new chapter in its existence during the fall of 2022. Dr. Cornelius Coleman (’00) became the newest head coach of the Yellow Jackets in early December of 2021. He, along with his staff, infused renewed excitement
into the gridiron, as Waynesburg opened the season by winning four of its first seven games. Included in that stretch was a 52-14 blowout of Gallaudet, which went on to qualify for the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament.
The Jackets also defeated long-time rival Geneva 37-30 and nearly upset eventual PAC champion and NCAA tournament qualifier Carnegie Mellon on homecoming. In Mid-October, Waynesburg earned back-to-back conference triumphs by downing Bethany and Thiel on the road by the respective scores of 34-17 and 34-8.
Though Waynesburg’s season ended with threestraight losses, there’s no doubt that Dr. Coleman and his staff have the Yellow Jackets trending in the right direction. Along with winning their most games in a season since 2018 and picking up back-to-back road triumphs for the first time since 2014, several Jackets were also rewarded with prestigious individual awards.
Senior running back Justin Flack earned his second set of first-team All-PAC accolades in his decorated collegiate career. Sophomore wide receiver Dakota Romantino and senior offensive lineman Chase Espen added second-team applause, while graduate student quarterback Tyler Raines, graduate student running back Nick Hall and senior defensive lineman Joel Zellem were named honorable mention selections.
Sophomore running back Hunter Cameron was named the PAC Offensive Player of the Week on Oct. 17, while freshman linebacker Austin Derr was twice named PAC Rookie of the Week. Romantino and Zellem both earned national recognition by being named to the D3Football.com Team of the
Week. Raines earned the honor of being named a semifinalist for the 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy, which recognizes an individual as the absolute best football scholar-athlete in the nation for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership.
Moving from the turf at John F. Wiley Stadium, to the hardwood of the Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, thirdyear head women’s volleyball coach Emily Grossman guided a young squad through a testing season that was marred by injuries that left their mark on the team’s final overall record of 3-22.
However, the year wasn’t without highlights, one of which was a 3-0 shutout of PAC rival Franciscan. Exactly one week later, Waynesburg nearly knocked off perennial conference power Westminster, before dropping a heart-breaking 3-2 contest.
Following the conclusion of the 2022 campaign, the Jackets were represented on the all-conference teams by senior Kayla Stohon, who was lauded as an honorable mention selection.
The Waynesburg University men’s and women’s soccer teams were guided this fall by Treg Lunger and George DeAugustino, respectively, who both completed their second seasons on the job. The Jacket men posted a 3-9-5 overall record, while the women logged a mark of 5-7-5.
Waynesburg’s men enjoyed a 2-1-2 stretch in early September, while the women ended their schedule on a high note with back-to-back victories over Penn State Beaver and Geneva.
After the conclusion of the soccer season, senior Samuel Hawkins and junior Tyler Mohrbacher were
both given the nod as honorable mention All-PAC picks. The Jacket women did their male counterparts one better with three all-league selections. Junior Kate James was named second-team All-PAC, while seniors Kennedy Schuck and Courtney Grove earned honorable mention applause.
In terms of weekly accolades, freshman Chloe Zook highlighted a fine first season at Waynesburg by being named PAC Rookie of the Week on Sept. 26.
Speaking of standout newcomers, the Jacket men boasted a pair of PAC Rookies of the Week in freshmen Tyler Martin and Luke Griffith. Thanks to their efforts, Waynesburg’s men’s team was one of just two squads along with Grove City to have two such award winners in the 2022 season. Sophomore Michael Francus represented the team’s veterans well by being named PAC Defensive, Goalkeeper of the Week on Oct. 3.
An infusion of youthful talent allowed both the Waynesburg University men’s and women’s golf teams to put together solid seasons. On the men’s side, freshmen Matthew Karpeal, Hudson Pincavitch, Alex Solomon and Matt Ankrom provided a big lift to the program. Karpeal really shined as the team’s top producer throughout the fall campaign, which he capped by placing 18th out of 40 golfers at the PAC Fall Championships.
On the women’s side, rookies Maeve Hanley and Karina Volitich teamed with Audrey Abatti to give the Jackets a young core that the coaching staff can build around in upcoming years. Abatti posted Waynesburg’s top scores at the fall league championships.
The Jacket golfers were led by coaches Mike Cipoletti, Dave Mariner, Rachel Rohanna Virgilli and
Chris Smithley.
Randy Pettit, who was already serving as an Assistant Athletic Director, Strength & Conditioning Coach and Director of the Waynesburg University Fitness Center, added another title to his ever-growing business card this fall: Interim Head Men’s and Women’s Tennis Coach. Not only did he guide the Yellow Jacket netters through a very busy fall, but he logged his first victory as a collegiate head coach when his women’s team defeated La Roche 9-0 on Sept. 16.
The abbreviated men’s season – their official season is in the spring – was highlighted by the efforts of junior Ethan Lown. Lown not only went a perfect 2-0 at first singles, but he teamed with junior Adam Huckstein to earn a victory at first doubles during a non-conference match against fellow PAC member Saint Vincent.
The 2022 cross country season was bitter-sweet for the Waynesburg women, as one of the greatest runs of sustained success came to an end at this year’s PAC Championships. The Yellow Jackets saw their six-year run as conference team champions come to an end, but the seeds of another memorable stretch may have been planted this season with the emergence of several young standouts.
Freshmen Reagan Pettis and Grace Tanksley emerged as two of the team’s top runners by the time the PAC Championships rolled around. Combined with juniors Gabi Reifsnyder and Joula Anderson, as well as sophomore Jaylene Mundorff, veteran Director of Cross Country and Track Chris Hardie may have the building blocks of another championship team.
Moving to the men’s side, sophomores Luke Whisel and Nolan Curran, along with junior Andrew Kasper made up the core of Hardie’s latest roster. Freshman Christian Michaels made a steady climb up the Jackets’ roster in terms of contributing times to final team scores as the fall wore on to its conclusion.
Last, but certainly not least, a brand-new chapter in Waynesburg University athletics was opened with the founding of the Yellow Jacket Esports program. Director/Head Coach Matt Pioch and assistants Jayden Hawk and Scott Miller built a 19-person co-ed roster that competed in Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, Overwatch 2, League of Legends and Rocket League.
Waynesburg qualified for the postseason in all four games, but really shined in Rocket League, where it took an undefeated record into the championship game of the National Esports Collegiate Conference divisional playoffs on Dec. 10.
Thanks to a $400,000 donation from an anonymous giver, Waynesburg competes in one of the finest Esports arenas in the region. The facility, along with the tireless efforts of the program’s coaching staff, have the Yellow Jackets on the fast track to success in the school’s latest athletic program.
Saturday, April Thirtieth and Sunday, May First Two Thousand Twenty-Two
Waynesburg University honored the Class of 2022 during Commencement Exercises Saturday, April 30, and Sunday, May 1, on the Lawn of Miller Hall, honoring more than 400 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.
The Honorable D. Brooks Smith, Senior Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit; and Laural Ziemba, Director of Public Affairs at Range Resources; addressed the Class of 2022 as the Commencement speakers and Marilyn West, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of M.H. West and Co., served as the Baccalaureate speaker.
Smith and West were awarded honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees, and Ziemba was presented the Timothy & Carolyn Thyreen Service Leadership Award, which celebrates Timothy and Carolyn Thyreen’s legacy of serving others and is presented to those who exemplify servant leadership in their daily lives, resulting in a transformational effect on their area of focus.
The following students were named valedictorians:
• Kenneth Cairns III from North Huntingdon, Pennsylvania
• Sophie Kipe from Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
• Rachel Pellegrino from Yardley, Pennsylvania
Pellegrino addressed the Class of 2022 at the undergraduate ceremony, and Dennis Winkler, Ph.D., addressed fellow graduates at the Graduate and Professional Studies ceremony on Saturday.
Additionally, Alyson Johnson, an athletic training graduate from Raceland, Kentucky, was awarded the 2022 Douglas G. and Kathryn D. Lee Servant Leadership Award.
Laural Ziemba
The Honorable D. Brooks Smith
Dennis Winkler
Marilyn House West and family
Waynesburg University held its annual Homecoming Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, through Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022. The event included a variety of virtual and in-person offerings across the three-day celebration.
The first two events were held virtually Thursday evening. They featured a welcoming ceremony that included President Lee, the Alumni Office and representatives from the Department of Athletics, followed by a virtual trivia night.
Friday and Saturday included several events held on the University’s main campus and throughout Waynesburg, consisting of golf at the Greene County Country Club, the AllAlumni Celebration at the Denny House, the 26th annual 5K Run/Walk and the Class of 1972’s 50th Reunion Brunch.
Other Homecoming activities included alumni reunions for graduates of the Department of Biology, Environmental Science and Health Science, Bonner Scholars, Stover Scholars, and the track and field and cross country teams.
The weekend concluded with three games at John F. Wiley Stadium that showcased the Yellow Jackets’ football team and men’s and women’s soccer teams.
During halftime of the football game, Gabriel Reed and Rebecca Shank were crowned the 2022 Homecoming King and Queen.
At Waynesburg University, we are committed to discovering new ways to maximize the opportunities available to students throughout all scopes of their journey on campus. With that goal in mind, along with the generous support of our alumni, friends, parents, faculty and staff, the University hosted a first-ever crowdfunding campaign, Orange Week, in March 2022.
The focus of Orange Week was to raise funds for program-specific campaigns designated by participating University academic departments and athletic teams. These campaigns sought donations for various items meant to positively impact student experiences within each department or team, such as equipment, upgrades to technology, educational trips, conference attendance and more.
“Orange Week was a new crowdfunding event with a unique opportunity for departments and teams to directly impact the everyday lives of their students. Participating departments and teams selected a specific item or need within their program that they felt would provide their students with a more valuable experience, and they raised money for that purpose, specifically. We partnered with Student Development to create fun events for students and the campus community to build excitement around Orange Week. The Institutional Advancement Office was extremely pleased with the success that the teams and departments achieved, enhancing the educational experience of our students.”
- Donna Nypaver, Director of Donor Relations and Annual GivingTotal Donations: 560
Total Raised: $42,619.55
Academic Goal Leaders
• Department of Chemistry and Forensic Science
• Biblical and Ministry Studies
• Department of Communication
Athletic Goal Leaders
• Football
• Men’s Soccer
• Women’s Soccer
View the complete 2022 results and fundraising campaigns on our Orange Week page.
waynesburg.edu/orange-week
As a way to get students excited and involved in the week-long fundraising initiative, daily activities were hosted throughout the week by the Alumni Office and Student Activities Board (SAB), which included bingo, a coffeehouse evening event, a campus-wide “orange out” and more.
Academic Participants
• Department of Biology, Environmental Science and Health Science
• Biblical and Ministry Studies
• Department of Business Administration
• Department of Chemistry and Forensic Science
• Department of Communication
• Department of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences
• Department of Education
• Entrepreneurial Leadership (eHIVE)
• Department of Fine Arts
• Graduate and Professional Studies
Athletic Participants
• Baseball
• Football
• Men’s Basketball
• Men’s Soccer
• Softball
• Track and Cross Country
• Volleyball
• Women’s Soccer
• Wrestling
Waynesburg University’s 2022 Day of Giving was a record-breaking year that ended with more than $601,000 from nearly 1,000 donations. The entire Waynesburg network of alumni, friends, students, parents, faculty and staff came together, once again, to share their support of a Waynesburg University education and its mission.
Total Raised: $601,000+
Total Donations: 990+
Total Alumni Donors: 355
Total States Represented: 42*
*plus the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands and the Canadian province of New Brunswick
View our thank you video.
“We are so grateful for the success of our seventh annual Day of Giving. These funds will immediately impact our campus, benefitting current and future students. The University continues to be blessed with wonderful support from its entire community. I think that is a testament to how much Waynesburg means to so many people and how the University has touched so many lives.”
Donna Nypaver, Director of Donor Relations and Annual GivingThe Day of Giving is an all-encompassing fundraising event that benefits a variety of featured initiatives, academic departments, athletic teams and unique University programs. Each gift ensures that the students of tomorrow have even more opportunities to learn, succeed, develop and grow at Waynesburg University.
Overall Champion – Softball ($19,100+)
Academics First Place – Business Administration
Academics Second Place – Biblical & Ministry Studies
Athletics First Place – Football
Athletics Second Place – Men’s Basketball
2022’s record-breaking year also saw the University surpass its alumni donor goal of 350, unlocking a $10,000 challenge award from Fred DePalma (’79), a member of the Waynesburg University Board of Trustees.
“It is always such a joy to see the pride our alumni have in their alma mater through the many ways they support Day of Giving. We are so grateful to all those who helped us reach our goal of 350 alumni donors, unlocking an additional $10,000 in challenge funds from Board member Fred DePalma (’79). Beyond that, though, many of our graduates helped spread the word with fellow alumni and friends. They also shared encouraging messages about the profound, positive impact Waynesburg has had on their lives and why they choose to give back. To all our alumni who pitched in to make this our most successful Day of Giving to date, thank you!”
David Floyd, Director of Development and Alumni Relations.View our DOG Dashboard.
A college experience interrupted by work to earn money to finish.
A short stint as an investment broker at Parker/Hunter.
A radical shift to farming and “starting over.”
All of which resulted in farming sheep and providing lamb to some of the finest restaurants in the country.
That’s the story of Keith Martin ’82, born and raised in Greene County.
He was recruited to play football for Waynesburg University, staying local to pursue a business degree, specializing in finance, knowing that the Big Eight accounting firms recruited heavily from the University.
To earn that business degree and have an employment opportunity with these well-known firms, Martin first had to overcome the financial stress of college, ultimately leaving after his second year to “cobble together some money with the intention of coming back,” as he says.
For the next three years, Martin worked at the Southwestern Pennsylvania Water Authority to collect enough money to pay tuition and earn his degree.
“It’s just amazing,” Martin explains. “How you run into the right people or how the right people are put in front of you, whether they’re mentors or whether they’re in some other form of relationship.”
“It took me three years to find out and three years to get out,” Martin always shares regarding his transition from the financial world to the farming world.
The type of work before him wasn’t resonating. He was yearning for more meaningful work.
“It wasn’t what I thought it was,” he reflects.
What did resonate was the influence of his client base, a majority of which had one thing in common: they were farmers.
Martin recounts how he would make excuses to leave the city and visit clients on their farm, not to talk about mutual funds but to experience homecanned peaches, fresh cream and homemade ice cream.
“It was just awesome,” he said.
And that’s the paradigm shift for Martin.
“They all had such a strong influence on me - just tremendous individuals, great people,” he said. “I want to be like them, so I’m going to become a farmer.”
Of course, he admits, that welcomed - and perhaps warranted - a lot of “you’re crazy” or “you’re nuts” comments.
But what mattered most to Martin was his wife, Mary, and their family, all of whom supported him 100 percent.
It’s another moment in his life journey of things lining up without explanation. Or, as he likes to say, “I had nothing to do with [it].”
The credit goes to Mary for naming the farm and business. For Martin, it’s another example of “I had nothing to do with it.”
Elysian, defined by Merriam-Webster, means “blissful, delightful.” In Greek mythology, it refers to “the home of the blessed after death.”
Mary, who works as a flight attendant, was staying in a hotel on a layover and stumbled upon “Elysian Fields” in a book she found in her room. That’s the moment Elysian Fields Farm was born.
The idyllic meaning behind the name is an authentic representation of Martin’s values that led him to create his own lamb process. He uniquely controls every aspect. He and his team are the breeder, farmer, butcher and distributor.
This deliberately organic approach immediately paid huge dividends when Martin first connected with John Ruggeri of the former Ruggeri’s Food Shoppe in Pittsburgh during the early 1990s.
Martin describes Ruggeri’s mouth falling open when he tasted the product that Martin delivered in a styrofoam cooler by way of his father-in-law’s station wagon.
“He said, ‘Where did you get this?’,” recalling the conversation with Ruggeri. “I said, ‘Well, I raised this.’” Ruggeri immediately placed an order for the following week.
The next boost came from the late Jane Citron, a longtime cooking instructor and food editor for The Pittsburgh Press Magazine and Pittsburgh Magazine. Citron, described by Martin as the “lynchpin on the
business side,” initially tasted the lamb - she bought a leg of lamb at Ruggeri’s - and had the same reaction as Ruggeri during Martin’s first visit.
She eventually wrote an article around Easter highlighting the lamb at Ruggeri’s Food Shoppe, which catapults Elysian Fields into the spotlight. Immediately next was a relationship with the Duquesne Club that continues today.
“I’m so blessed,” Martin again stressed. “These things just come into your world, your life. There is a reason and purpose for these events. There is most definitely a design.”
But the most pivotal part of this design came in 1996 when Citron dined at Chef Thomas Keller’s three-Michelin star French and Californian cuisine restaurant, The French Laundry in California.
Citron scored an opportunity to meet one-on-one with Keller, where she unselfishly promoted Martin’s lamb, basically telling Keller that his lamb was “okay” and “excellent,” but not as good as what she knew from Keith.
So, Keller, described as generous, kind and considerate by Martin, called him. And when Martin initially declined to send the product to California, not sure that he could support that ask, Keller responded patiently, “Keith, you might want to rethink that.”
“Was I driving the boat?” asked Martin. “Yeah, but, you know, the currents take you sometimes where you need to go.”
Through the journey, which continues to evolve, Martin doesn’t lose sight of being properly focused on principles and values.
From Waynesburg to Parker/Hunter to Elysian Fields, each chapter has contributed to his thought processes
and constructed his business practices.
“I made a life-changing decision, and if it wasn’t for Waynesburg College and the foundation of education and understanding how to build relationships, I don’t think I would’ve been nearly as successful in this business,” Martin shared.
“If you like the lamb, thank the lamb.”
An expression by Martin that acts as a guiding principle aimed at keeping the focus on the animal.
“It’s giving is absolute,” he said. “We’re dealing with a life energy. If we’re properly focused on every breath that animal takes, knowing it’s eventually represented in its product, then that has an influence on [our] decision making.”
This philosophy drives Martin to focus on the life of the animal, being respectful and reverent. It’s a philosophy shared by Keller at The French Laundry.
“If you take care of it, then it will take care of you,” he always says.
Together, they embrace this idea of holism and “walk the walk” concerning the ethical side of the business. This is evidenced in Martin’s Pure Bred brand, a system that offers a fully-traceable and data-supported product.
“Our focus is back on this animal’s entire life, not just the few days when it’s in product form,” he said. “[It’s] how we pay back.”
It’s important for Martin to support a quantifiable process that shares the life of each animal - where it came from, what it ate and what it drank. It’s even possible at The French Laundry, through Martin’s
tracking system, to learn that history.
“At the finest restaurant in the world, you can connect to Greene County,” Martin proudly shared.
“God’s greatest gift to us is free will,” believes Martin, a Christian who constantly makes decisions with faith and God in mind.
Martin is reserved to the notion that he’s not responsible for his 40-plus-year journey; he’s just a tool, an instrument.
Referencing Psalm 139, he emphasizes that we are all uniquely and fearfully made in the eyes of our Lord, and his advice is to enter into a unique and personal relationship with your Creator.
“It’s really important what you do while you’re here,” he said. “And it’s really important how you exercise that free will. That gift [is] crazy important; a tremendous amount of responsibility.”
Martin hopes he can be an inspiration for others, particularly students, by sharing his unique perspective, but that the ultimate answer for purpose and mission lies within them and their discovery.
“Again, it’s the exercise of free will,” said Martin. “If you do it consciously and conscientiously, your steps are guided.”
Upon reflection, Martin believes each person can understand the pieces of their journey - the combination of people and influences - and how they come together to form a unique experience. Nothing about the journey, he says, is chaotic.
“There is order,” Martin stressed. “But there [is] only order in faith. You want chaos? Be without faith.”
Tiffany and her son, Mark, participated in a collaborative art project led by Pittsburgh artist Laura Jean McLaughlin that brought together community members to assist with creating the mosaics pictured. The mosaics make up a 117-foot mural set in the walls of two curved benches at the top of the park that overlooks the borough.
For the past 20 years, Tiffany Merovich-Winter has continued to give back to Waynesburg University for the many gifts it has given her.
The 2003 alumna said Waynesburg always felt like a “home away from home.”
“I felt so welcome every time I was on campus. The professors helped me find my path and provided sage advice when I asked for it,” she said. “I am so thankful that I was able to attend college at Waynesburg and that my courses and experiences truly helped me grow into who I am today.”
Merovich-Winter graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in management and a minor in marketing. She currently works at PPG Industries, Inc., in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as an IT Asset & Vendor Management Specialist III in the IT department.
As the purchasing liaison for her team, she manages the largest spend requisitions in ePro (75k-1M+). Her career path was aided by the opportunities she received at Waynesburg.
“I still reflect on how fortunate I was to job shadow a Human Resources associate and sit in on a union discussion at the local mine and see some of the difficult parts of the role,” she said. “Working on campus… taught me what it was like to work in an office setting and that you have to ‘pay your dues’ to get the chance at the opportunity you are striving for.”
In addition to providing the skills to succeed professionally, Waynesburg allowed MerovichWinter to grow in both faith and service.
She said the two pillars provided a greater way for her to make a difference in the lives around her while in school and after graduation.
“My years at Waynesburg were some of my happiest memories. I learned so much about myself, my gifts and blessings from God,” she said. “Waynesburg helped me realize what potential I had in making a difference in the world. I learned leadership skills and how to give back to my community through job experiences and volunteer experiences I had on and off campus.”
One of the greatest honors she received at Waynesburg was the Harry E. Gardner Student Service Award for her fundraising with the nonprofit Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).
Her family became involved with the local nonprofit and the annual fundraiser, “JDRF One Walk,” when she was diagnosed with Type I diabetes at 11 years old.
Since then, her team, “Merovich Marchers,” has
raised more than $80,000 through donations from friends, family and colleagues.
“In my senior year, I asked permission to sell paper sneakers in Stover during lunch. Some friends donated a dollar, but by the time we walked that fall, my fundraiser total was $600 from family and friends,” she said. “It is my way to give back to a nonprofit that supports me and helped me learn to be an advocate for myself.”
Merovich-Winter’s dedication and inspiration to give back to those who have supported her doesn’t stop at JDRF.
Every year, she also donates to Waynesburg University, through the Day of Giving as well as other general scholarship funds and special memorial gifts for those who have had an influence on her time as a student.
“Without scholarships, attending Waynesburg would not have been as feasible for me,” she said. “My parents always told me to give back when I could, and my time working the ‘phone-a-thon’ by calling alumni helped me realize that other, older alumni loved their time at Waynesburg as much as I did. Because alumni took the time to donate, I received my scholarships.”
With the rise in cost of secondary education and the increasing improvements being made on campus to foster opportunities for students, Merovich-Winter said donations allow Waynesburg University to remain top-notch and competitive with other schools.
Because of this and her personal experience, she emphasizes the importance of giving back when you can, no matter the amount.
“A gift of $10 could be what is needed to complete a project when 50 other people have sponsored it already,” she said. “That same $10 could also make it possible to fulfill a scholarship for an additional student who isn’t able to come to Waynesburg otherwise.”
In addition to donating, Merovich-Winter has also served on Waynesburg’s Alumni Council. For her, it was another way she could make a difference on campus.
“Even though my time on the Alumni Council ended because we were starting our family, being on campus and learning about all of the plans and updates to Waynesburg was nice to see that the values and legacy that fostered my future were continuing after I graduated,” she said.
As the years continue to pass by, Merovich-Winter will continue to make a difference at Waynesburg University, the place that gifted her so much.
“I am so thankful that I was able to attend college at Waynesburg and that my courses and experiences truly helped me grow into who I am today.”
The Waynesburg University community runs deeper than its students, faculty, staff and alumni alone. Within this close-knit network are also many friends, donors and community members who have made an impact through their support of the University’s mission throughout the years.
Martha Smith, Waynesburg University Emeritus Trustee, first became involved with the University after her interview and nomination to join the Board of Trustees. With a desire to use her God-given gifts and talents to make an impact, she joined the Board and served from 2002 to 2009 and 2011 to 2013.
From her service as a trustee, she came to know campus and her connection with the mission grew.
“It’s a lovely campus with remarkable staff that are interested in educating young people and nurturing them,” said Smith. “Service is a very important component of their educational journey. The curriculum and facilities on and off campus are designed to meet the needs of today’s students.”
As she became more involved with the University, Smith felt moved to provide support through financial contributions, knowing it would assist in the improvement and expansion of facilities and development of new programs on campus.
One of Smith’s favorite parts of supporting the University has been seeing the difference it has made in the lives of students and the opportunities it has provided for future students as the University continues to grow and expand its reach.
“It is a joy to contribute to the success of Waynesburg as an institute of higher learning,” said Smith. “The trajectory of the expansion of programs and the recruitment of students from a wider area is an indication of meeting the needs of a broader student population.”
Smith’s advice to anyone within the Waynesburg community considering a financial contribution to the University is to “give whenever you can.” Her generous support has contributed to the development of many important initiatives, including the MUM Early Alert System.
The MUM Early Alert System allows University faculty, instructors and staff to relay any student concerns and connect with students in need of support. These concerns can range from academic
concerns such as attendance or exam performance to personal concerns like grief, stress or physical health.
There are several qualities that make a Waynesburg University education unique for anyone looking to pursue a college degree, according to Smith.
“The size of the student population gives everyone a chance to thrive and develop long lasting friendships,” explained Smith, who watched two of her grandchildren become alumni of the University. “Tuition is affordable and there are many scholarships available to assist students. The off-campus facilities for graduate students are conveniently accessible for people with full-time jobs. The atmosphere of the whole Waynesburg experience is my definition of Christian mission.”
That welcoming atmosphere and personalized support was experienced firsthand by Smith’s grandson, John Joseph (Joe) Smith (’15). During John’s time as a student, an unexpected elective in ceramics and encouragement from faculty led him to discover a passion and skillset he didn’t know he had. This discovery, Smith claims, has continued to make a difference in John’s life as he continues to pursue his love for pottery.
Throughout the time she has spent at Waynesburg, Smith has been captured by several memorable moments herself, from attending football games and Commencement ceremonies to learning more about individual faculty members and graduates and the talents they have brought to campus. One of her most memorable moments, however, was having the opportunity to hand her late grandson, Andrew Smith, his diploma during Waynesburg’s annual Commencement ceremonies in 2009.
Prior to joining the University’s Board of Trustees, Smith worked as a high school mathematics teacher and served several organizations in various capacities, including Girl Scouts of the USA, World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS), Mars Home for Youth Board and Presbytery Council. She was also a Sunday school teacher and clerk of session of the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh.
With the support and encouragement of her family, Smith is grateful for the opportunities she has had to make an impact on the lives of those she has encountered throughout her career.
“The trajectory of the expansion of programs and the recruitment of students from a wider area is an indication of meeting the needs of a broader student population.”
YOU ARE VIEWING AN ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE 2021-2022 PRESIDENT'S REPORT
July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022
If you would like to view the full version that includes the Honor Roll of Donors, please request a hard copy from the Office of Institutional Advancement at (724) 852-3256.
Selden Barbor, Friend
Edna (Rice) Barger 1946
Richard L. Bartges 1950
Pete Battistoni, Former Student
Velma C. Bell, Friend
Marion (McCall) Berryhill 1969
Kevin B. Blanc 1977
Gerald F. Bonaroti 1963
Anthony H. Brnusak 2003
Daniel E. Brown 1959
Diane (Fedak) Bujdos 1963
Patrick R. Bush 1967
Craig F. Busse, Former Student
Robert W. Cahn, Former Dean
Rosemary (Schaefer) Carr 1962
Randolph D. Carter, Friend
Anna (Lyjak) Chorazy 1958
Ronald W. Corman, Former Student
John R. Coulson 1947
Mitchell T. Curley 1963
Joseph E. DeMasse 1991
Rosetta (Kormuth) DeVito, Friend
Mark A. Doppelheuer 1984
Wade C. Driscoll, Friend
Robert English 1955
Robert (Bob) Faiola 1962
James A. Ferrell 1963
Nancy (Hoar) Ferrell 1962
Thomas C. Fisher 1967
Bernard C. Flory, Former Student
Milton P. Foster 1943
Betty Anne (Gideon) Fox, Friend
John J. Garber 1959
Gary M. Good 1965
Joseph A. Graff, Former Dean/Faculty
Earl L. Henderson 1960
Sally Ann (Ricketts) Hofelt 1963
Thomas F. Hoy 1958
H. Lee Hufton 1960
Chester Gerald “Jerry” Huhn 1962
William A. Hull 1966
Ronald L. Hungate 1966
Robert J. Joyce 1960
Norma (Mackenzie) Kelley 1960
Leslie Ann Kozak 2003
Beverly A. Krom 1969
Regis R. Lacey 1964
Joseph J. Lafko 1958
Paul R. Lee 1952
Sharon (Smith) Lehr 1966
Kevin D. Lemley 1976
James E. Lonergan 1962
Erica (Sneden) MacBeth 1964
Michael I. Mackor, Jr. 1989
Del Malone, Former Student
Larry A. Marshall 1968
Betsy (Munce) Martin 1975
Robert T. McCracken, Friend
Royal G. Mulhorn 1958
Peter E. Novosel 1950
Jay P. Null, MBA 2009
Scott S. O’Neil 1970
John L. Owen 1999
Donna (Brubaker) Parish 1976
George R. Petrisin 1950
Richad K. Petrovich 1969
Rebecca Phillips, Friend
Margaret “Peggy” (Sever) Pierson 1949
Jay S. Pifer, Former Trustee
Anthony Pittsment 1960
Eleanor (Bodnar) Price 1960
Stephen M. Priselac 1962
Nancy (Harkins) Prugh 1965
Robert A. Raho 1961
Donald J. Renn 1957
Sandra J. Rhodes, Former Employee
Harry G. “Rabbits” Riley 1962
Jay F. Romano 1981
Lynne (Marcus) Romesburg 1966
Carl E. Rossi 1962
Lois (Coffman) Roupe 1997
Michael R. Russell, MBA 2002
Natalie (Crooks) Schroeder 1984
Scott E. Schultz 1997
Dennis F. Sendrey 1968
Mary (Roach) Shamble 1954
Janet (Daugherty) Silbaugh 1990
Marie (Christopher) Simmons 1947
Patricia W. Smith, Friend
Allen Neil Smith 1961
Wallace “Wally” Smith 1957
Robert E. Solomon 1952
Donald J. Souffrant Jr., Former Student
Linda (French) Sroka 1961
Victoria (Van Verth) Stamm, Former Student
Marilyn J. Talman 1968
Jeanne M. Taufer, MSN 2014
Margaret (Schroll) Terembes 1957
Chancellor Timothy R. Thyreen
Rebecca (Ramsey) Troutman 1953
William N. Tuscano, Former Student
David A. Urban 1966
Barbara (Wunder) Weimer 1968
Douglas C. Wible 1976
Thomas R. Wiley 1958
Betty L. Williams 1961
Charlotte (Stoney) Winsheimer, Former Student
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Waynesburg, PA 15370
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WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY EDUCATES STUDENTS TO MAKE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN FAITH, LEARNING AND SERVING SO THEY MIGHT FAITHFULLY TRANSFORM THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THE WORLD. AS A CHRISTIAN COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITY, WE STRIVE TO INSPIRE AND CHALLENGE EVERY UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENT TO A LIFE OF LEADERSHIP AND PURPOSE FOR THE GLORY OF GOD.
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