West Chester University
S PRING 2019
MAGAZINE
A CULTURAL CORNUCOPIA OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS
IN THIS ISSUE
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n December, the student-led University Theatre ensemble rallied groups from across the campus to help raise a record-breaking $17,000 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS, an organization that provides services nationwide for those living with AIDS and HIV. Four variety show-style performances were staged in the E.O. Bull’s Mainstage Theatre, with each class from the Department of Theatre and Dance, as well as various other campus groups, performing. In all, about 80 students participated in the student written and directed work.
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On the Cover: The Arts at WCU
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WCU offers Chester County and the region a robust cornucopia of free or reasonably priced, high quality visual and performing arts events.
Alumni Profile: Derek Frey ’95
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Leading Tim Burton’s production company since 2001, Frey had been working since 2016 on the $150-plus million film, Dumbo.
WCUAA Board of Directors Candidate Bios
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Background information and candidate statements for the nominees for the WCUAA Board of Directors.
WCUAA Board of Directors Ballot
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The WCUAA Nominating Committee is pleased to announce the 2019 WCUAA Board of Directors ballot.
4 University News 10 Sports News 11 WCU Events 12 Cover Story
20 Chapter News 21 WCUAA President’s Message 22 Alumni Notes 26 Donor Profile
wcupa.edu/socialmedia Digital version of the WCU Magazine is available at issuu.com/wcuofpa.
SPRING 2019
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
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n much the same way that West Chester University has transformed its learning environment, it has also dramatically recast its place in the community as a center stage for artistic and cultural expression. From rotating art and design exhibits to eclectic theatre and dance productions to dynamic faculty and student concerts to renowned speakers and performances, exploring the arts and cultural offerings on West Chester University’s campus has never been so stimulating. Over the years, talented faculty, students, and alumni have helped to enhance the University’s narrative by infusing the arts and culture in all aspects of the WCU experience. We have many to thank for this, including alumnus John Baker, for whom the John H. Baker Art Gallery is named and who helped integrate the arts into the life of our University. In keeping with this commitment, WCU takes seriously its role to equip today’s students with professional skills that can be applied directly to thriving careers in the visual and performing arts. This issue of the West Chester University Magazine takes a holistic look at some of the many ways that West Chester University enlivens our region through the continuous contributions of gifted students, faculty, and alumni who inspire audiences every day. These Golden Rams merit recognition for making West Chester University known for its cultural enrichment, celebration of the arts, and appreciation for creative excellence. I hope you will enjoy reading the pages that follow. Sincerely,
Christopher M. Fiorentino President
Editor & Executive Director of Communications Nancy Santos Gainer Associate Editors Matt Born Loretta MacAlpine Design JoAnne Mottola Photography Erica Thompson ’10 Contributors Bruce Beans Anna Brown Christine Kozsuch President Christopher M. Fiorentino Vice President for University Affairs John Villella ’76, M’82 Interim Director of Alumni Relations Jenna (Cardaciotto) Birch ’06 The West Chester University Magazine is published three times a year for the alumni, families, students, and friends of West Chester University. We welcome letters concerning magazine content or issues pertaining to the University. Letters must be signed and kept to one typed page. Please include address and daytime phone number. Send correspondence to: Editor, The WCU Magazine, West Chester University, West Chester, PA 19383 West Chester University Magazine is published by the West Chester University Office of Communications
www.wcupa.edu WCU is an AA/EEO institution
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West Chester’s Department of Theatre and Dance presented Emma Goidel’s Local Girls, which ran for six performances on campus March 1 – 7, 2019. President Christopher Fiorentino joined the cast onstage following one show. Those cast and crew pictured include (Front Row L to R): Annika Jorgensen, Coral Reef Sebadra, President Christopher Fiorentino, Taylor Mattes, Alex Harding. (Back Row L to R): Sarah Ford, Austin Carlson, Clare McKernan, Elizabeth Powel. Each year, the department commits to producing at least one show written by a female playwright.
WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY COUNCIL OF TRUSTEES Thomas A. Fillippo ’69 (chair) Nicole Boylan (student) Christopher A. Lewis Barry C. Dozor ’71 J. Adam Matlawski ’80 (vice chair) Christopher Franklin ’87 Marian D. Moskowitz (secretary) Jonathan Ireland ’95, M’03 Eli Silberman Stephen Kinsey ’81 Robert M. Tomlinson ’70 The West Chester University Foundation Board of Trustees Officers Paula D. Shaffner ’80 (president) Deborah J. Chase ’76 (vice president) Kathy Leidheiser (treasurer) John H. Baker ’74 (secretary) Christopher P. Mominey (chief executive officer) Jennifer Coffey (assistant treasurer and CFO) Trustees Keith Beale ’77 R. Lorraine Bernotsky, ex officio Frank Branca ’70 J. Alan Butcher ’88, M’92
Millie C. Cassidy Edward N. Collison ’93 Zebulun R. Davenport, ex officio Paul D. Emrick ’88 Thomas A. Fillippo ’69, Council of Trustees Representative Christopher Fiorentino, ex officio Maury Hoberman David P. Holveck ’68 Joan M. Kaminski ’69 Donald E. Leisey ’59 Sandra F. Mather ’64, M’68 Todd Murphy, ex officio Tahany Naggar John N. Nickolas ’90 Michael Peich Robert H. Plucienik Lewis Raibley, III ’83 James Shinehouse ’80 May Van M’89 John Villella ’76, M’82, ex officio Roger B. Ware Jr. ’82 Christine Warren ’90, M’99
West Chester University Alumni Association President Lisa Wright Bryant ’87 Vice President Nick Polcini ’00, M’05 Treasurer TBA Secretary William Scottoline ’74 Past President Matt Holliday ’09 Directors Lauren Bolden ’12, M’14 Lisa Wright Bryant ’87 Mark Drochek ’86 Robert Fanelli ’60, M’66 Dean Gentekos ’07 Jamie W. Goncharoff ’82 Matt Holliday ’09
Jonathan Long ’03 Alison Maguire ’07 Elaine Mann ’91 Edward Monroe ’89 Stephen Nicolai ’08 Patrick O’Connor M’93 Alyssa Polakowski ’09, M’11 Nick Polcini ’00, M’05 William Scottoline ’74 Denise Bowman Trigo ’98 Andy Truscott ’09 Ruthann Waldie ’80 Emeriti Carmen Evans Culp ’52, M’64 (deceased) Janice Weir Etshied ’50 (deceased) Karl Helicher ’72, M’82, M’87 Joseph F. Kienle ’72, M’74 Richard D. Merion ’59, M’69 John F. Murphy ’43 (deceased) Luther B. Sowers ’49 (deceased)
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
More Than 1,200 Students Graduate President's Speaker Series Ceremonies atThe Three Winter Commencement at West Chester University
From one pro to another: Doris Kearns Goodwin, world-renowned presidential historian, Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and noted baseball fan, autographs baseballs for MLB.com columnist Paul Hagen, 2013 recipient of the J. G. Taylor Spink Award by the Baseball Writers’ Association of America recognizing a lifetime of excellence in baseball writing. Receptions affording the opportunity for students, staff, faculty, and guests to meet the speaker are part of the President’s Speaker Series tradition.
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n March 23, West Chester University was honored to welcome Pulitzer Prize-winning author and presidential historian, Doris Kearns Goodwin as part of the President’s Speaker
Series. The prolific Kearns Goodwin has spent the last five decades studying American presidents, bringing history alive by examining their leadership triumphs and failures. Her books have topped bestsellers lists, won prestigious awards, and have been tapped for television and film adaptations. She is also recognizable for her television appearances on news shows and in documentaries. Kearns Goodwin is a self-proclaimed baseball fanatic. The sold-out event, enjoyed by nearly 1,200 attendees, packed the Emilie K. Asplundh Concert Hall in Philips Memorial Building. Prior to the event, Kearns Goodwin attended a small dinner hosted by WCU President Christopher Fiorentino and Dr. Sue Fiorentino, in their residence at Tanglewood. A post-event reception was held in the Philips Autograph Library for donors and other friends of the University. Kearns Goodwin was a gracious host, autographing books (and baseballs).
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The President’s Speaker Series brings to campus two distinguished guests each academic year, who first speak and then do an on-stage question and answer session with the president. Funded through the WCU Foundation, the series was formerly known as the Philips Lecture Series and was originally funded through an endowment created by George Morris Philips, WCU’s president from 1881 – 1920. Past speakers include Jane Pauley, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Woodward, Elie Wiesel, and Maya Angelou, among many others. The President’s Speaker Series is just one way that West Chester University welcomes the community onto its campus to enjoy highquality, low-cost entertainment. The WCU Live! Performing Arts Series is curated with the community in mind to attract all ages and interests. In addition, presentations and exhibits in the Wells School of Music and in the Departments of Art + Design and Theatre & Dance welcome the public, offering many programs for free. WCU recently launched www.wcupa.edu/arts, a new web page that boasts news and information about the many arts offerings on our campus. Be sure to check back in August, when arts programming for the 2019-2020 academic year will be announced.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Spots still available for Grandparents University 2019
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amilies keep returning to WCU for the summer Grandparents University experience, where grandparents and their grandchildren laugh and learn side by side in such courses as creating a family newscast in the University’s TV studio and learning about wind power by making “land yachts.” Some “grands” even take adventure to new heights on the WCU ropes course. Grandparents University 2019 runs Monday, June 24, through Wednesday, June 26. Participants live in one of WCU’s residence halls (or can choose to commute), share meals at the dining hall, attend interactive classes, and enjoy evening entertainment and activities. The camp isn’t limited to families affiliated with West Chester University. Members of the public are invited to participate as well. This year, the WCU Alumni Office is coordinating this unique, memorable experience. Online registration and the latest news about Grandparents University 2019 is available at www.wcupa.edu/GPU.
National Publication Names WCU’s Division of Student Affairs a “MOST PROMISING PLACE TO WORK"
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iverse: Issues in Higher Education, a leading source of national news covering diversity in higher education, has named West Chester University’s Division of Student Affairs as one of the “Most Promising Places to Work” for 2019. Having been selected from numerous higher education institutions from across the U.S., West Chester University is one of only two universities in Pennsylvania to have earned a prestigious distinction that was awarded to just 20 select universities and colleges in the country. Diverse recognized West Chester University and other winners during the American College Personnel Association (ACPA) annual meeting in Boston, MA, in March. The research findings were published in the magazine’s March 7 issue.
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
More Than 1,200 Students Graduate
at Three Winter Commencement Ceremonies
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amilies and friends of 933 undergraduates and 279 graduate-level students attended WCU’s three Winter Commencements on Saturday and Sunday, December 15 and 16, in Hollinger Fieldhouse. All three alumni who presented commencement addresses spoke about taking chances, seeking ways to make positive contributions to society, and striving for excellence. On Saturday, Gerard “Jerry” Sweeney ’79, president, CEO, and trustee of Brandywine Realty Trust, addressed 270 master’s degree and four doctoral degree candidates, plus five individuals who completed their graduate coursework at WCU’s Philadelphia campus. Sweeney, whose 6 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY
five siblings are WCU alumni, advised graduates to “make the decision to be different, to be exceptional. … You can change your trajectory today by recognizing that your true value rests in the difference you can make. You will realize who you can be is not defined by the work you do, but really by your integrity, your character, and the internal drive to excel.” He also received the President’s Medallion for Service, honoring him as a long-time WCU benefactor. Sweeney is a member of the University’s Business and Public Affairs Advisory Council and a former co-chair of the Undergraduate Business Center Campaign Leadership Commit-
tee. He received the President’s Circle Award in 2014. Regionally, he is a member of the Real Estate Roundtable, the National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, and the Urban Land Institute. He is chairman of the Schuylkill River Development Corporation and the Center City District Foundation and is chairman of the board of the Philadelphia Regional Port Authority. On Sunday morning, Susan Yoder Schick ’88, vice president of U.S. talent at QVC and a member of the President’s Corporate Advisory Board, told graduates that earning her bachelor’s degree in marketing from WCU “was one of the hardest-earned accomplishments of my entire life.” She had been working, then
came to WCU as a non-traditional student so that she could add value to her resume and for her employers. “The trick is to align your passions with the needs of your employer, your prospective employer, or your customers. To achieve satisfaction and success, your goal is to help them succeed, while always staying true to yourself and your values.” Schick encouraged graduates to “Find and follow your passion. Try lots of things and fail fast, because the only way to know things is to learn them and the best way to learn is through experience. So the more experiences you gather, the better.” Frank Branca ’70, president of Branca-Rampart Agency, a fullservice life, disability, long-term
UNIVERSITY NEWS
care, and annuity provider for independent agents and financial planners, shared with the audience on Saturday that, like a number of them, he was his family’s first college graduate. His commencement ceremony was held at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, the old venue for 76ers and Flyers games and concerts. “My degree allowed me to build a life, travel, and give back,” he said, explaining that he established a scholarship in memory and honor of his first wife, the late Carol A. Branca, whom he met in his first year at WCU. It benefits a communications studies major. Communications are key to success, he said. “The most important thing is critical think-
Gerard Sweeney ’79
Frank Branca ’70
Susan Yoder Shick ’88
May Van M’89
ing. Be able to write clearly and verbally express your ideas. Learn that here, and you’ll do very well in your first job.” He also spoke about the difference between great versus extraordinary. A boss told him that he hadn’t hired Branca and others to be mediocre, explaining, “Great is the expectation; extraordinary is the real goal.” Branca is a member of the WCU Foundation Board of Trustees. Two of his children are alumni: Frank Branca, Jr. ’96 and Victoria Branca-Beerer ’01. May Van M’89, founder and president of Brelyn Coaching and Consulting, received the received the President’s Medallion for Service.
Van credits her success and philanthropic spirit to the WCU professors who taught and challenged her, encouraging her to be a servant leader. It is one reason Van considers her involvement with West Chester University a privilege. Carrying her commitment forward, she established the Helen Man Memorial Scholarship to honor her mother’s legacy. The women from the College of Business and Public Management (CBPM) who earn this scholarship meet with Van once a semester to develop a long-term mentor/mentee type of relationship. Van co-founded and co-chaired for three years the CBPM Women in Leadership program, in which women students were selected
to become fellows and plan and host a forum with women business leaders invited as speakers. With Sweeney, she co-chaired the capital campaign for the College of Business and Public Management building. She has been a winter commencement speaker and received the 2012 WCU’s President’s Circle Award. She continues to serve the University as a member of the West Chester University Foundation Board of Trustees and a member of the CBPM’s Business Advisory Board.
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UNIVERSITY NEWS
WCU Achieves Enviable Rankings with US News and Others
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est Chester University has achieved high scores recently in a number of ways, from a number of sources, and across academic and non-academic divisions, confirming the University’s excellence. The most recognizable ranking source is US News, which issued its 2020 Best Graduate Schools lists this spring. WCU’s Graduate Social Work (MSW) program made the top 100 at #96. US News ranked West Chester at #112 in Best Nursing Schools: Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) and #176 in Best Nursing Schools: Master’s (MSN). The nursing program undergraduates also propelled the University to first-place ranking out of 1,922 programs with regard to pass rates in the United States among programs that had 10 or more graduates take the National Council Licensing Examination (NCLEX-RN) from April through September 2018. US News’ 2020 Best Graduate Schools lists WCU at #165 for Public Affairs. In late 2018, they ranked the University’s online MBA at #58 and at #33 in Best Online MBA Programs for Veterans. Another ranking entity, TheBestSchools.org, has listed West Chester’s Doctor of Public Administration as its number-one Best Online Public Administration Doctorate Program.
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US News included (without numerical rankings) WCU’s graduate public health and graduate business programs on those respective lists. The list of speech-language pathology programs, where WCU is #199, has not yet been updated. WCU has again earned the 2019-2020 Military Friendly Schools designation from VIQTORY (previously Victory Media) and achieved Bronze status for the first time, recognizing the University’s coordinated system of service and support for veterans, active military, and those whose support them. The Greg and Sandra Weisenstein Veterans Center coordinates activities and services for WCU’s student veterans. In addition, WCU has been named one of the top 100 Best Schools for Veterans in the first-ever rankings from the organization The College Consensus. WCU has received the Top Colleges and Universities designation from Military Advanced Education & Transition from 2014 through the present. And WCU is one of only 20 select institutions nationwide whose Division of Student Affairs was named one of the Most Promising Places to Work for 2019 by Diverse: Issues in Higher Education. Only two Pennsylvania universities received this recognition.
UNIVERSITY NEWS
2019 Drum Major For Justice honoree Darren Lipscomb ’08, M’11 (left) with President Christopher Fiorentino.
Celebrating the Legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr.
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he University held its annual celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr., Day on Friday, January 25. It began with the sold-out 26th annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Brunch, a scholarship fundraiser hosted by the University and the Frederick Douglass Society in Sykes Student Union Ballrooms. The event celebrated Dr. King’s life and legacy through images, spoken-word performances, and the WCU Gospel Choir. Darren Lipscomb ’08, M’11, the director of outreach, recruitment, and enrollment services at Delaware County Community College, was honored as this year’s Drum Major For Justice — a title taken from a Dr. King sermon. Lipscomb’s service encompasses academic, professional, community, and military endeavors. Currently enrolled at Temple University’s Beasley School of Law, he earned both
his bachelor’s (marketing) and master’s (counselor education) degrees from WCU, and his doctorate in higher education leadership in 2018 from Widener University. As a WCU undergraduate, Lipscomb was president of the Black Men United student organization; served on the Multicultural Recruitment Team and Student Activities Council; and was named Citizen Leader of the Year. While completing his master’s degree, Lipscomb was an officer for the Philadelphia Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi and mentored undergraduate members from WCU and other regional universities. He was also a volunteer and leader with the Philadelphia chapter of the Minds Matter mentorship organization. As a long-time Pennsylvania Army National Guard intelligence analyst, he supported Hurricane Katrina relief efforts and was deployed to Iraq in 2009.
Currently, Lipscomb chairs the Mayor’s Commission on African American Males for the City of Philadelphia and is vice president of the Overbrook Park Civic Association. The day concluded with a free presentation in the Sykes Theater of the film The Hate You Give, which depicts a young African American woman after she witnesses her best friend being killed by police. On January 31, 268 volunteers — students from about 40 student organizations, 29 faculty / staff members, and 15 community members — made 96 no-sew blankets for children at Nemours A.I. DuPont Children’s Hospital, patients at Chester County Hospital, and “Fleece for Keeps” for children in foster care. The University’s Office of Service-Learning and Volunteer Programs coordinated the project.
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SPORTS NEWS
Joey Wendle ’12
Photos by Will Vragovic
WCU’s Native Son
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ormer WCU standout on the baseball diamond, Joey Wendle ’12 was honored with the 2019 Native Son Award from the Philadelphia Sportswriters Association. A collegiate All-American who led West Chester to its first NCAA Division II national championship his senior year, Wendle was selected for the award following his first full season in the major leagues with the Tampa Bay Rays last summer. Wendle, who hails from West Grove, PA, finished fourth in the American League Rookie of the Year balloting. Wendle led the Rays in hitting with a .300 batting average while adding 33 doubles, 6 triples, 7 home runs, and 61 runs batted in. He also scored 62 runs and stole 16 bases. Defensively, he committed just four errors all season at second base, where he played 101 games, including 85 starts. His .336 batting average after July 1 ranked second in the American League behind the league’s batting champion, Mookie Betts of the Boston Red Sox. 10 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY
WCU EVENTS
MAY 17-19
Brandywine Ballet: WCU EVENTS HIGHLIGHTS
CINDERELLA
MAY
3 Criterions Jazz Ensemble
17-19 Brandywine Ballet: Cinderella
18 WCU Organ Competition
JUNE 5-8 Poetry Conference 24-26 Grandparents University
29 Shakespeare on the Quad: A Midsummer Night's Dream
JULY
JUN 24-26
18 Criterions Jazz Ensemble Alumni Reunion Concert
Grandparents University
JULY 18 For a full schedule of events please visit wcupa.edu/arts
Criterions Jazz Ensemble ALUMNI REUNION CONCERT S P R I N G 2019 | 11
COVER STORY
WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY A CULTURAL CORNUCOPIA OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS M U S I C
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D E S I G N
COVER STORY
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or both students and the general public interested in high-quality visual and performing arts, WCU offers Chester County and the region a robust cornucopia of free or reasonably priced events — hundreds of exhibitions and performances that enrich the lives of nearly 100,000 people each year. Over the past year, these have included student theatrical productions of Antigone, My Fair Lady, and Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill: A Musical Voyage — a production that theatre and dance students staged both on campus and at Philadelphia’s Fringe Festival — and student dance concerts and the Brandywine Ballet. In April, the Department of Theatre & Dance staged a rousing production, geared for children, of The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales. Meanwhile, WCU’s two art galleries continuously exhibit the work of students, faculty, and regional, national, and international artists — including last year’s Andrew Bale/ Jon Cox platinum-palladium print photo exhibit of the Ese’Eja, an Amazonian tribe suffering from gold mininginduced mercury poisoning. One previous exhibit stop: the Smithsonian. “There’s always something outstanding to see in our art galleries, and our theatre productions are amazing,” says Jen Bacon, dean of the College of Arts and Humanities. “We also align our productions with local curricula, so hundreds of high school students saw Romeo and Juliet for free.” The award-winning Wells School of Music annually offers more than 200 mostly free performances: large and small ensembles and choirs; student and faculty recitals; and guest artist lectures, concerts, and master classes. In January, the Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band became the first Division II marching band to win the prestigious Sudler Trophy. “The quality of our faculty and student work constantly garners national attention,” says Wells School of Music Dean Christopher Hanning. “We also Livestream many of our events, so the public can enjoy our concerts at home. Many of our ensembles also tour local public schools and perform at music festivals and community events.” Building upon more than 100 years of musical instruction, the Wells School also offers a community
music program with lessons for children and adults throughout the region; partners with Liberty Winds and The Kennett Symphony Children’s Chorus to nurture young instrumentalists and singers; sponsors a High School Honors Percussion Ensemble for tri-state students; and offers K-12 students a multitude of summer camp experiences. In addition, WCU Live!, which just completed its 24th year, presents the best of touring international artists, which this past season included Irish dancing, Japanese taiko drumming, a Broadway musical tribute, and the Missoula Children Theatre’s The Pied Piper, which featured 50 local K-12 students. WCU Live! also offered the President’s Speaker Series, featuring Steve Forbes, CEO and editor-and-chief of Forbes, and Doris Kearns Goodwin, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian. Both Bacon and Hanning agree that the 2007 opening of the state-of-the-art Swope Music Building and Performing Arts Center and the adjacent Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre, followed by the extensive 2009 renovation and expansion of the E.O. Bull Center for the Arts, significantly elevated WCU’s visual and performing arts regional presence. There are now six performance venues ranging from 60 to 1,200 seats, and the Bull Center’s 2,000-square foot John H. Baker Art Gallery is as large as the three art galleries previously used. Besides the Baker gallery, the Bull Center renovation upgraded two theatres and allowed for a significant increase of art and design majors, thanks to first-rate art studios, computer labs, and private studios for seniors — all of which, notes John Baker (see pg. 26), the professor emeritus who oversaw the renovation — contributed to the accreditation by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design. “It’s made it easier to recruit quality students and faculty because of our state-of-the art facility,” adds Peggy Schiff Hill, professor and chair of the Department of Art + Design. “We have talented and energetic faculty who are finding new ways to build a vibrant and creative culture and prepare our students to make an impact on the local, regional, and national art and design community.”
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Constance Case
Media and Culture Major Takes Off Fast
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Plastic Fantastic:
Constance Case’s Sustainable Dresses
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ne black-and-white dress features VHS tape woven through a drycleaning bag. A snappy red, white and yellow number? Target and ShopRite shopping bags. Another is festooned with colorful, carnation-like plastic-bag flowers. A fourth is a Bubble Wrap wedding gown. One woman’s trash is another woman’s fashion statement and, in this case, it’s all about saving the environment. Costume designer Constance Case, associate professor of theatre, designed the four dresses from recycled plastic as part of “Carnival of Ruin,” an interactive performance installation that she, Maria Urrutia, and Gretchen Studlien-Webb (both associate professors of dance) will preview on campus at a May 1 sustainability seminar. The performances continue next year at WCU and local community parks. Noting that the U.S. recycles less than 10 percent of its plastic, Case says, “We want to change how people view garbage and where it goes. And I love how we’re turning non-traditional materials into something beautiful.” Funded by a $10,000 WCU Provost Research Grant, Case is collaborating with Studlien-Webb and Urrutia, associate professors of dance, stage designer Martin Dallago, assistant professor of theatre, and with students. Case came to WCU in 2013 after 16 years at Muhlenberg College in Allentown. She has designed costumes and makeup for more than 50 theatrical productions and over 100 dance pieces, including at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Archives, the Washington and Michigan operas, and Virginia’s Wolf Trap. Recently, she published an e-book, Costume Construction: Basic Theatrical Sewing Techniques. “I love it here,” she says. “I feel like we’re making some really great stuff with our students and, thanks to the liberal arts, we’re creating whole human beings, not just good actors, dancers, or costumers.”
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aunched in fall 2018, the Department of Communication and Media’s new media and culture major already has 131 students. The major, says Dean Jen Bacon, illustrates the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of the arts. “While not a traditional visual or performing arts degree, many students interested in media and culture are training to be media performers and makers, as well as thinking critically about the ways our media culture is changing the very nature of what it means to make art and perform. “ ‘YouTube star’ wasn’t a career that a young person could even aspire to 10 years ago, and so it’s really important that we’re training our students to be creative adapters who can tell stories in all sorts of ways. The newscaster of tomorrow may not perform on TV or radio, but on a fully digital platform that may not even exist yet. “Similarly, the dancer, actor, and painter of the future will be bringing their skills to venues beyond the stage and the easel. It’s an exciting time to be studying the arts and the humanities, as we discover new ways to make, new materials to make with, and new audiences to make for!”
COVER STORY
Jeremy Holmes
Jeremy Holmes: Exquisite Illustrations that Elevate Storytelling
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eremy Holmes had a dilemma. The assistant professor of art + design was illustrating a children’s picture book, The Eye that Never Sleeps, which explains how detective Allan Pinkerton foiled a plot to assassinate Abraham Lincoln as he traveled to his 1861 inauguration. Eight would-be assassins were planning to shoot Lincoln in Baltimore. But because it was a children’s book, Holmes couldn’t depict any guns. Says Holmes, “I tell my students, ‘Don’t show me Lincoln being shot, that’s what the text already says. Show me something that elevates
the content, some iconic image.’ It’s the art of storytelling.” Holmes’ solution: an image of Lincoln’s stovepipe hat riddled, as his would-be assassins imagined, with bullet holes. The book — written by renowned children’s author Marissa Moss — was lauded as one of Publishers Weekly’s best books of 2018 and as a Notable Children’s Book of 2019 by the Association for Library Service to Children. PW praised Holmes’ etching-like digital scratchboard technique, which gives the book an appropriate Victorian-period feel.
Blair Kidd: From Just Playing Music to Performing and Conducting It
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Blair Kidd
he summer before she entered WCU, Blair Kidd was the first violinist in a youth orchestra that played classical music throughout Italy, including a crowd gathered at St. Peter’s Square awaiting an audience from Pope Francis. Now, besides performing as the West Chester University Symphony Orchestra’s second violinist, you can also catch her in cafes and night clubs where — either solo or as part of a four-piece string group — she plays R&B and light jazz from the likes of Minnie Riperton, Jill Scott, and John Legend. “It feels less strict than classical music,” she says of the paid gigs, “and you can put your own play on the music.” Which isn’t to say that the music education major (violin concentration) and African
A father of two boys who lives in Abington, PA, Holmes came to WCU in 2014 after spending the previous 15 years as a graphic design lecturer first at Philadelphia University, his alma mater, and then the University of Pennsylvania. Building upon a prize-winning 2009 picture book, multiple chapter books, and The Eye, he has children’s book projects scheduled for the next two years. Says Holmes, “The security of my full-time, tenure-track position at West Chester has been great for my creative process and the time it has allowed me to spend in my studio.”
American studies minor doesn’t appreciate her rigorous WCU training. “When I entered West Chester, I couldn’t sight read or play anything outside of the classical realm. But besides being more open to any genre or setting, I have also gained technical prowess.” Some of that didn’t come just from her string professors. “My orchestra professor, Joseph Caminiti, is a horn player, but he’s taught me a lot about performing, about phrasing, and being in the moment to actually play instead of just reading. And he’s also taught me how to conduct, which I love,” says Kidd. After graduating in May 2020, Kidd hopes to become a high school or middle school music teacher, but the resident of North Philadelphia’s Logan neighborhood ultimately has a bigger goal: “I hope one day to start an orchestra at one of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities,” she says. S P R I N G 2 019
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COVER STORY
Melissa Dunphy ’09
Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band Honored with Prestigious Award
I Photo by Mike VanHelder
Melissa Dunphy ’09 Really Digs Composing
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hen composer Melissa Dunphy ’09 and her husband Matt bought a defunct magic theater in Philadelphia in 2015, they envisioned launching a multidisciplinary performing arts venue, the Hannah Callowhill Stage. But then they learned that two privies buried within the foundation walls contained what archaeologists have called artifacts of “national importance,” including a 1770s ceramic bowl. “It’s too cool to ignore,” she says of their ongoing excavation, which has delayed the venue’s opening until next year. An immigrant from Australia, the violist/cellist graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of music degree in theory and composition in 2009, then earned a doctorate in music composition from the University of Pennsylvania. “The West Chester faculty offers the resources to allow you to go way past the curriculum, which
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enabled me to go straight into Penn’s Ph.D. program,” she says. Dunphy is now an acclaimed composer specializing in vocal, political, and theatrical music. She first gained national attention with a piece she conceived at WCU with the encouragement of Robert Maggio, chair of music theory and composition: “The Gonzales Cantata,” which the Wall Street Journal and MSNBC’s The Rachel Maddow Show covered. Dunphy’s works have since been commissioned and performed, winning awards throughout the country. She has been a composer-inresidence, including for the St. Louis Chamber Chorus; composes and designs sound for regional theaters; and is the director of music composition at the National Puppetry Conference. Speaking of both the theatre building and her career, she says, “You take a chance and go where your passions lead and, suddenly, you’re living an adventure.”
n January, the Wells School of Music received amazing news: The Incomparable Golden Rams Marching Band would be the first band from a Division II school to be honored with the prestigious Sudler Trophy. Presented by the John Philip Sousa Foundation, the Sudler Trophy is known as the “Heisman Trophy of the collegiate band world.” It is awarded every other year to a college or university marching band which has demonstrated high musical standards, innovative routines, and has made important contributions to the advancement of performance standards. On September 21, 2019, representatives from the Sousa Foundation and the Sudler Committee will come to West Chester to present the 22 ½" trophy (the same measurement as one standard marching step) at halftime of the football game. Four generations of Incomparable Golden Rams Band Directors will accept the award to be placed on proud display in the Wells School of Music: James Wells ’54, the School of Music’s namesake and director of the marching band from 1968-92; John Villella ’76, M’82, vice president for University Affairs and chief of staff, and director of the marching band from 1992-2007; Andrew Yozviak ’91, current director of bands and former marching band director from 20072018; and Adam Gumble ’05 and ’16, current director of athletic bands.
COVER STORY
Liz Staruch
E
Liz Staruch: Celebrating the Bauhaus’ 100th Anniversary with Dance and Film
arlier this year, the multimedia art installation “A Thing is Determined by Its Nature” surrounded visitors to the University’s Knauer Gallery with architectural design, audio recordings, and film projections, including dance for film. It was all to celebrate the Bauhaus, a daring, influential German experiment in arts education. The installation was created by choreographer Liz Staruch, associate professor of dance, and her long-time collaborator Mark O’Maley, the dance technical director at Bennington College who handled production design and film editing. “The Bauhaus was founded 100 years ago on the principle that all arts — architecture, dance, music, theater, visual — would eventually be brought together, the very definition of interdisciplinary as we now call it,” says Staruch. “Its ideas of minimalism and community still permeate popular culture.” Constance Case, associate professor of theatre & dance, created and constructed the costumes, hair, and makeup of the three dance minor alumni performing in the dance for film: Mackenzie Holmes ‘15, Morgan Miller ’16, and Kelsey Zolochik ’16. Both Holmes and Zolochik continue to dance and teach professionally. “Our dance minor program is very strong,” says Staruch. “Besides technique classes, we also engage our students in theory, choreography, pedagogy, and dance history. “Our graduates run their own dance studios and dance therapy practices, teach at the university level after earning their graduate degrees in dance, and perform on cruise ships, in amusement parks, and with Philadelphia companies such as Philadanco. They have even toured nationally with Broadway shows. Anywhere that dance is a profession or asks for an audience, we’ve got people in place.”
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Derek Frey ’95
Derek Frey ’95:
Helping Director Tim Burton Make Dumbo Fly
F
ive weeks before the March 29 release of Disney’s liveaction Dumbo, Derek Frey ’95—who produced the film for legendary director Tim Burton—discussed it with his older son, Desmond. The four-year-old, who had visited Pinewood Studios in London, where the film was shot, asked, “But is Dumbo real?” “What do you think?” Frey asked. “I guess we’ll see,” Desmond responded dubiously. The head of Burton’s production company since 2001, Frey had been working since 2016 on the $150-plus million film, which stars Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, and Alan Arkin. Among the challenges for the team that Frey assembled for Burton: retaining the emotional pull of the original 1941 animated classic while incorporating humans much more into the re-imagined story. While some of Burton’s previous films have relied heavily on
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computer-generated imagery, the young flying elephant is the film’s only significant computer-generated element. “Four-year-olds will enjoy it as much as adults will,” Frey reported by phone from London. “It has a rich fable look and feel to it. And like almost all of Tim’s films, it centers around an outsider, Dumbo, dealing with a world that views him as strange.” At WCU, the communication studies major had considered journalism as a career path. He co-edited The Quad, anchored WCUTV and WCUR news broadcasts, and interned with 6ABC Action News. But he and his friends also loved making movies on campus. During his final semester, faculty member Thomas Reed gave him access to a high-quality camera and video editing system, which he used to create a nearly hour-long horror film, Verge of Darkness. Recalling its packed Schmucker auditorium debut, Frey says, “To get a standing ovation and have people tell me it made
them cry was outrageous, but it gave me the confidence to pursue a film career.” Less than a year later, Frey, who as an Upper Darby High School senior dragged his friends to see Burton’s Edward Scissorhands five times, was working in Los Angeles as one of Burton’s assistants. Since then, he has worked on 13 Burton films, including associate producing 2010’s Alice in Wonderland, which grossed over $1 billion worldwide, and coproducing 2012’s Frankenweenie, which earned an Oscar nomination for best animated feature. “Tim’s always looking to do something fresh and original, so I’m constantly being challenged and growing as a filmmaker,” says Frey, who also edited the award-winning book The Art of Tim Burton; and worked with Museum of Modern Art curators to create “The World of Tim Burton” current touring exhibition. When not producing high-stakes studio films, Frey directs music videos and short films. The latter have earned numerous film festival awards, including more than 50 each for his 2016 Hawaiian horror film, Green Lake, and his 2017 dark comedy, Kill the Engine. His future plans include spending more time with his wife, Leah Gallo (Burton’s set photographer) and their two children in their Chester County home. While here, he wants to make his own featurelength films, including Awkward Endeavors with the Minor Prophets, his frequent comedy collaborators. “It goes back to my time at West Chester,” he says, “and how much I love having a camera in my hands and creating my own films.”
RAMS IN THE SAND AUGUST 3, 2019 6:30 to 9:30 PM
DEAUVILLE INN, STRATHMERE (SEA ISLE CITY), NJ
REGISTER NOW! WCUALUMNI.ORG/BEACH
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CHAPTER NEWS For more information about any chapter or its events, contact the chapter directly or the WCU Alumni Office at alumni@wcupa.edu.
ALUMNI DANCE CHAPTER
The Alumni Dance Chapter performed at its 11th Annual Winter Festival in January to benefit the Barbara J. Lappano Dance Scholarship. Our chapter remains active in promoting the current dance programs at WCU and providing a network for alumni dancers. Are you a WCU Dance Team alumnus and interested in getting involved with this chapter? Follow us on Facebook: WCU Alumni Dance Chapter or contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
BALTIMORE METRO AREA ALUMNI
Our Baltimore alumni are energized and looking ahead to our summer events and service projects. Stay connected with our upcoming events and meetings on our chapter page www.wcualumni.org/BaltimoreMetro. Interested in getting involved? We are always looking for new alumni to join us! Follow us on Facebook: BMAC WCU or contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
BANDS ALUMNI
We were thrilled with the enthusiasm and alumni engagement at Homecoming this year and are looking forward to connecting with more bands alumni at our future events. Are you an alumnus of WCU bands and interested in getting involved with this chapter? Follow us on Facebook: WCU Bands Alumni Association or contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
BLACK ALUMNI CHAPTER
We are getting ready to host our Third Annual Black Alumni Scholarship Luncheon on May 4 at Penn Oaks Golf Club and are thrilled to be awarding more than $3,000 in scholarships and awards to WCU students. Follow us on social media for updates on future events, including the 2019 Mentee Skate Party and the scholarship luncheon plus the Kente Cloth Ceremony on May 9. Facebook: WCU BAC.
CHESTER COUNTY CHAPTER
We had yet another sellout crowd for our Fourth Annual Princess & Superhero Brunch in March and are excited about the success of our spring golf outing at Radley Run Country Club to support our scholarships. We meet monthly and hope to see you at the next event! Make sure you LIKE our Chester County Facebook Page to stay tuned with the latest and greatest. Facebook: WCU Chester County.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE CHAPTER
As the newest alumni chapter, we are seeking all criminal justice alumni interested in reconnecting to get involved and join our chapter. We’re excited to be hosting our kick-off event during Alumni Weekend and are looking forward to continuing to grow. Interested in getting connected? Contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
DELAWARE COUNTY CHAPTER
We’re looking forward to hosting some summer events as part of our brewery/winery tour. We hope to see you there! Interested in getting involved with our chapter? Contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
FRIARS ALUMNI
Looking forward to our upcoming golf outing at Honey Brook Golf Club on May 3, and our annual summer events! Stay connected and up to date on all of our events and initiatives supporting our Friars by following us on Facebook: Friars’ Society Alumni Association.
HONORS COLLEGE ALUMNI
The Honors College Alumni Chapter was officially created in May 2014 and is committed to engaging alumni of the Honors College through their participation in on-campus social and service events. It is our hope that honors alumni may network with each other as well as provide valuable insights to current students. Are you an Honors College alumnus interested in getting involved with this chapter? Contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
IMAC MILITARY CHAPTER
Are you an alumni veteran interested in getting involved or taking on a leadership role with this chapter? Stay in touch with all that is going on within our alumni veteran community by contacting the WCU Alumni Office.
LAW ALUMNI CHAPTER
Alumni and students participated in the annual Law Alumni Chapter panel discussion, “What to Expect in Law School.” It featured alumni in various years of law school providing insight to prospective law students about the process and education. Are you an alumnus employed in a legal-related field who is interested in getting involved with this chapter?Contact our chapter representative: wcu.law.alumni@gmail.com.
OMEGA DELTA CHAPTER
We awarded our first Dr. Walter N. Ridley Memorial Scholarship to Justin Gibson last fall and look forward to the growth of our scholarship initiatives. We frequently host events and
ALUMNI participate in local service projects and hope to see you. Please join us on June 29 for our annual scholarship fundraiser. Register online at wcualumni.org/OD. Follow us on Facebook: Omega Delta Chapter of Omega Psi Phi.
A Message from the Alumni Association President
POLITICAL & GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS ALUMNI
The Political & Government Affairs Alumni Chapter enjoyed reconnecting with fellow alumni at our annual Homecoming reception and hope to see you at our next event. Interested in getting involved? For upcoming events and information, follow us on Facebook: WCUPGA.
Lisa Wright Bryant ’87
SW FLORIDA RAMS & SNOWBIRDS CLUB
We enjoyed a fun-filled week of events all over Florida in March, including our first-ever event in Orlando and our annual events in Venice, Sarasota, and Clearwater. Thank you to everyone who joined us and we hope to see you again soon. If you’re interested in getting involved, contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
WASHINGTON D.C. CHAPTER
Our chapter is hosting elections. We are looking for new and returning alumni to join our chapter and continue the legacy of our nation’s capital alumni chapter. For more information on how to join or take on a leadership role among your fellow alumni, follow us on Facebook: WCUAA, Washington D.C. Chapter or contact the WCU Alumni Office: alumni@wcupa.edu.
YORK COUNTY CHAPTER
York County alumni welcome you joining us at our annual networking and scholarship event this May. Be sure to register online at www.wcualumni.org. Each year, our chapter awards scholarships to deserving York County high school seniors who are planning to attend WCU in the fall. Last year we awarded two $1,000 scholarships and two $500 scholarships. To learn more about the longestrunning WCU Alumni Association Chapter, participate in community outreach, or attend future events, contact the WCU Alumni Office.
UPCOMING CHAPTER ADDITIONS
Interested in getting involved in our new chapters? Contact the Alumni Office to find out how you can be a part of leadership in the WCU Alumni network. Philadelphia Chapter Montgomery County Chapter. School of Music Alumni Chapter
Happy Spring Everyone! The birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and the 2018-19 school year is slowly coming to a close. In just a few weeks, we will be welcoming nearly 2,800 worldwide into our WCUAA fold, which means there will be approximately 112,000 alumni worldwide. Rams Up to that fact! This past year, the Alumni Association hosted many exciting events, such as the “Lights, Camera, Action” murder mystery presented by our WCU students, our first sensory-friendly Evening with Santa, and a four-day Rams on the Road to Florida alumni event. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the closing of an awesome year than with this year’s Alumni Weekend. There are many events planned with you in mind, so we definitely want to see you on campus. Speaking of the campus, the Alumni Association is one of the sponsors for the campus-wide “Ramboree Spring Festival,” which will be held on Friday, April 26, from noon to 8 p.m. So plan to arrive early to enjoy the festival, then join us from 5 pm to 7 pm in the Philips Autograph Library for the wine and cheese reception that officially kicks off Alumni Weekend. Please go to wcualumni.org to register for this and other events that we have planned. Oh, and please make sure you look for Jenna (’06), Brigid (’12), Diane, and any of our awesome, hardworking Board of Directors members. We would love to meet you! On behalf of the West Chester University Alumni Association board of directors, I thank you for your continuous and valued support! It is because of you that we are the incredible West Chester University Alumni Association! Rams Up, Lisa Wright Bryant ’87 President, WCU Alumni Association S P R I N G 2019 | 21
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1970s Tom Faustman ’70 published his fifth book, Dylan’s Devils.
Whitman ’75
Heinerichs ’99
Jones ’87
Long ’03
1950s Gloria Krug ’53 was inducted into the United States Track & Field Hall of Fame. She set six world records in throw events and the triple jump as well as earned 10 national titles. During her time at West Chester State Teachers College, she was active as a Valkyrie. Rudolph Cusumano ’56 was awarded the French Legion of Honor medal for the many years he spent writing and publishing research and giving lectures in the United States and France on the history of the French support for George Washington during the Revolutionary War. The award is the highest French order for military and civil merits. The official document was signed by France’s President, Emmanuel Macron. Iris Gray Dowling ’56, M’66 celebrated the release of two picture books on October 8, 2018. The titles are The Morning Surprise, the story of the black swallowtail butterfly, and Praying Mantis: Disappearing 22 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY
Metcalf ’92
Flamini ’94
Lyons ’16
Friend, a children’s classroom discussion of how we need to protect our insect helpers. The praying mantis book was also illustrated with Iris’ photos and original paintings. She now has 15 books to her credit. She also recently received the Individual Historic Preservation Achievement Award from the Oxford (PA) Area Historical Association for writing the History of Churches in the Oxford Area.
1960s Tina Sloan Green ’66 continues to expand lacrosse into communities of color through the Philadelphiabased Black Women in Sport Foundation she helped found in 1992. Betty Getz Culver ’67, retired teacher of computer science from the School District of Philadelphia, is currently the co-owner of the Peppermint Dance Club in Plymouth Meeting, PA. She has been teaching ballroom, Latin, and swing dancing, and hosting dance parties for 19 years.
Betty G. Wesner ’71 was inducted into the Kutztown University Athletics Hall of Fame for serving as the head field hockey coach from 1980 to 2012. One of the winningest field hockey coaches in NCAA Division II history, she is also the longesttenured head coach in Kutztown athletics history. Bob (Robert) McCracken ’72 guest starred on NCIS New Orleans, Hawaii 50, Here and Now, The Exorcist, and Bosch. He also can be seen in the film The Last Champion. James Barr ’73, M’82 retired after 37 years of teaching and coaching in Pennsylvania and Florida with a coaching record of 570-240 in swimming and volleyball combined. George Grund ’75 of the Fusion Jazz Trio performed on keyboard as the trio completed its second live CD recording in the Jazz Upstairs series. Rick Whitman M’75 completed a doctorate in education and a certificate in college and university teaching at Ball State University. Janice Leone ’76 was recognized when her company, Corporate Interiors, was ranked the No. 2 WomanOwned Business by the Philadelphia Business Journal. Joseph Lignore ’76, M’09 was presented with the Class of 1996 Rafael Laserna Award for Outstanding Teaching on June 10, 2016, during the graduation ceremony at The Haverford School. Each year, the graduating senior class presents this award to one of their influen-
ALUMNI
tial teachers who inspires students to excel in the classroom and in life. Lignore has taught 5th-grade English at the school since 2008. Jeri Myers ’76, M’78 achieved her 500th win as the varsity field hockey coach at Dallastown High School. She finished her 38-year coaching career with a 511-158-53 record and, as the high school boys and girls swim team coach for three years, her record was 53-19, making her the school’s winningest coach. In June 2019 she plans to compete with the USA over-60 Masters Field Hockey team in the Grand Masters 2019 European Cup Tournament in Belgium. Louis C. Vangieri ’77, M’90 is revered in his Williamsburg, VA, community for his infectious musicality. He continues a string of performances at local venues, including an appearance at the Hampton History Museum’s Holly Days Open House. He and his wife Lauren Bachner Vangieri ’81 have been married since 1985 and recently retired in Williamsburg. Carl Weber ’78 was promoted to director of public relations for the Earthworm Society of Britain’s Washington, DC, office. He recently completed a speaking tour of agricultural colleges throughout the Midwest lecturing on the topic “Those dirty worms…The sex lives of Annelida.”
1980s Gail Mindlin ’84 retired after 31 years of teaching health and physical education in the Hamilton Township (NJ) School District. Jennifer Walsh Means ’86, M’89, associate professor in the WCU Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, recently published her book School Programs
in Speech-Language Pathology: Organization and Service Delivery (Plural Publishing).
tion devoted to exclusively funding innovative lymphoma research and serving the lymphoma community.
Eli Kahn ’88, president and founder of E Kahn Development, was awarded Business of the Year for 2018 by the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce.
Gary H. Slatko M’92 was appointed chief medical officer of Aquestive Therapeutics, a pharmaceutical company based in Warren Township, NJ.
Patrick Jones ’87 has been named chancellor at Penn State Schuylkill. He was formerly assistant vice president for academic affairs, online learning, at Drexel University.
Stephanie Flamini ’94, head women’s basketball coach for the past 16 years at Guildford College in Greensboro, NC, was named the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Women’s Basketball Coach of the Year. This is the second time she has won the award in the past four years.
Terri Galarus Weber ’87 recently joined the banking team at Huntington Valley Bank, where she specializes in commercial deposits and loans. Kevin Guskiewicz ’89 was appointed chancellor at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, where he was previously dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
1990s Melissa Jarratt ’91 became the new director of human resources at the Boys and Girls Club of Delaware. James Ackerman ’92, M’96, M’16 presented the paper “The ‘Hunt’ for the Wind Music of Paul Wranitzky (1756-1808)” at the 2018 IGEB (Internationale Gesellschaft zur Erforschung & Förderung der Blasmusik) in Wadgassen, Germany. The paper will be published in a forthcoming issue of the IGEB Journal Alta Musica. Deidre Gray ’92 completed her master of science degree in organizational leadership and management from Pierce College. Kimberly Metcalf M’92 was elected to the board of directors of the Lymphoma Research Foundation, the nation’s largest nonprofit organiza-
Shelby Nauman ’98 was hired as the chief operating officer for the Lancaster Housing Opportunity Partnership. Michelle Forsell ’99 was elected to the 2019 board of the Upper Perkiomen Valley Chamber of Commerce. Scott Heinerichs ’99 was named dean of the College of Health Sciences at West Chester University. He brings to the University more than 17 years of extensive leadership in the field of health sciences, in addition to vast experience in specialized and regional accreditation. Chris Jackson M’99 was named the 2018 Pennsylvania Elementary Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Pennsylvania State Association for Health, Physical Education Recreation and Dance, Inc. (PSAHPERD) convention. He was honored by the North Allegheny Foundation as a health instructor and physical education teacher at Peebles Elementary School in McCandless, PA. Lt. Col. Jeff McGeary ’99 was recognized by local Army reservists when he was recently promoted to S P R I N G 2 019
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the rank of lieutenant colonel. He serves as a brigade executive officer with the 99th Readiness Division at Fort Dix, NJ. Brooke Cortese Tesche ’99 was named chancellor of education for the Catholic Diocese of Allentown
2000s Anna Downes ’01, M’06 was selected as the new executive assistant to the CFO/AVP for Finance and Business Services at West Chester University. Paige Brookins ’02, M’04 was promoted to assistant dean of Kutztown University’s College of Business. Patrick Flickinger ’02 has become the chief engineering architect for Microsoft’s AI for Earth program. Within nine months, he built a machine learning inference system that gives environmental scientists a means to host their models on Azure, which unlocks worldwide distribution and contribution capabilities. This work includes a crime heat map ranger route planning service that combats worldwide animal poaching and a one-meter-resolution land cover mapping service to aid in land conservation. Jonathan Long ’03 was appointed to the Chester County Bar Association’s Judicial Evaluation Committee. The committee is charged with evaluating the qualifications of candidates for any vacancy on the Chester County Court of Common Pleas, as well as any candidate for a vacancy on a Pennsylvania appellate court who is a member of the Chester County Bar. Michael Shoremount ’03 was appointed director of music at Grace Church United Methodist in Wilmington, DE.
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Jonas Homa ’05 was recently named vice president, commercial lending officer, at QNB Bank. Jon Kinsella ’05 was named as one of the Association Forum’s 2018 Forty under 40, which celebrates talented professionals in the association and nonprofit sector. He is a senior marketing strategy manager for AH (Association Headquarters) in Mt. Laurel, NJ, which services nonprofit clients. Casey (Leyden) Bosler M’06 was awarded the 2019-20 educational services professional of the year award by Lenape High School in Medford, NJ, where she works as a guidance counselor. Andy Forsythe ’06 was honored as one of the Commercial Finance Association’s Top 40 under 40. He is the controller of the Siena Lending Group in Stamford, CT. Jeffrey Markovitz M’06 has his newest novel, Permanent for Now, published by Unsolicited Press. Kyle Mullins ’07 was elected as the state representative for Pennsylvania’s 112th District in Lackawanna County. He served a decade as a state senate staffer. Allison Hurwitz ’08 was selected as academic affairs agreements and contracts coordinator at West Chester University. Josh Maxwell ’08, three-term mayor of Downingtown, PA, announced his candidacy for Chester County commissioner. Christina M. Kemmerer ’09 took the oath as the newest part-time police officer in Newtown Borough, PA, on December 27. Matthew Holliday ’09, Chester County Prothonotary, was honored
with the 2018 Senator Robert J. Thompson Public Service award from the Exton Region Chamber of Commerce as a public official who has made an outstanding contribution to the Exton area.
2010s Jacob Martin ’10 was commissioned as a patrol officer in the South Whitehall Township (PA) Police Department. Doug Atkins ’12 starred in a production of Buyer & Cellar at the Montgomery Theater in Souderton, PA. Maureen O’Shea ’12 was hired as county agriculture business coordinator for the Office of Economic Development of Cecil County, MD. Andrew Jenks ’13 was recognized for extensive work raising awareness and improving social conditions for people with disabilities. Jenks is currently a doctoral candidate at the University of Delaware in political science and international relations. Sarah Alderman ’14 and Ryan Beacher’s grassroots documentary Bypassed, which illuminates both the plight and hope of Coatesville, PA, was premiered there last summer. Nikolay Gavlishin ’14, world-renowned musician, gave one of his eclectic classical guitar performances at Norristown’s Centre Theater last September as part of the theater’s free First Sunday concert series. Anna Kislitsyna M’14, guest pianist, and guest soprano Fiona Gillespie Jackson, performed “A Night with the Schumanns,” a concert under the direction of Berks Sinfonietta founder David McConnell, at the Atonement Lutheran Church in Wyomissing, PA, in January. Danaé Reid ’18 was featured as a model in Starbucks Coffee’s national holiday ad series. She has also done work with Kodak, Urban Outfitters Philadelphia, Polaroid, and local brands.
ALUMNI
Engagements (1) Sean Lowery ’11 to Shelby Miske ’11
Marriages (2) Bradley Williams ’06 to Kate Williams in September 2018 (3) Lauren Deacon ’12 to Constantine Giannaris ’12 in October 2018
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future alumni (4) Dr. Linda Jacobi Acker ’03, M’09 and Elliot Acker ’08 welcomed Linda Carol Acker in November 2018. Colin Bagwell ’04 and Colleen Bagwell welcomed Jackson Douglas Bagwell in July 2018. (5) Bill Christman ’08 and Tracy (Pedron) Christman ’07 welcomed Elizabeth Anna (“Ellie”) Christman in March 2019. (6) Andrew German ’09, M’14 and Katie German ’08, M’14 welcomed Julia Jean German in October 2018. (7) Kira Labagh Jahoda ’08 and John Jahoda welcomed Kaylee Rose Jahoda in September 2018. (8) Travis Olszewski ’05 and Lauren Jumper ’07, M’11 welcomed Caroline in January 2019. (9) Bill Scanlan ’13 and Brittany Watts Scanlan ’15 welcomed Liam James Scanlan in December 2018.
SUBMIT your class notes to the Office of Alumni Relations to alumni@wcupa.edu.
In Memoriam 1944 Mary Wagner 1944 Phyllis Hendrickson Atkinson 1949 Luther Sowers 1952 Virdie Westney Hansen 1956 Alva Campbell Deutsch 1958 John Dilworth 1958 Richard Hammann 1959 Marie Campise Baker 1959 William Gerstemeier 1960 Richard Branton 1961 Rosemarie Lonzi Milles 1962 Frank Scheck 1963 Virginia Van Horn Eby 1964 Richard Beckett 1966 Anne Clark McLaughlin 1968 Gail Finnical Hooker
1973 Walter Hall Jr. 1974 James Knappenberger 1984 Sandra Chew Reynolds 1995 William Fish 1998 Raylene Grazer Ballard 1999 Heather LeRoy Riddleberger 2002 Jeannie Carpenter Latimer DEATH NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE Contact the Alumni Relations Office with a copy of the decedent’s obituary from a newspaper or the internet, or a copy of a letter or email from a family member of the deceased. Please note: Death notifications will not be accepted via telephone.
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John Baker ’74
John. H. Baker with his mixed media platter, “Andrew’s Brush,” which is named for Andrew Snyder, the assistant professor of studio art who runs the pottery lab; he created the Japanese-like paint brush in the center of the platter. The work was inspired by Baker’s visit last year with Japanese potters.
Retirement Has Failed to Slow John H. Baker ʼ74
K
ate Stewart, associate professor of art, painting, and drawing, was pleasantly surprised when she recently spotted John H. Baker ’74 outside the large natural-light art gallery he has endowed and which bears his name in the E. O. Bull Center for the Arts. Pointing to his mixed media cement platter adorned with crackled paint, which is mounted outside the gallery entrance, she said, “I really like that piece.” “I needed something to fill the void on the wall, and I had a lot to pick from,” Baker replied with a smile. “I’ve been really productive.” Since retiring four years ago as chair of the Department of Art + Design, Baker continues to refute F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous dictum: “There are no second acts in American lives.” After spending 45 years at WCU as an undergraduate, ceramics professor and, for 19 years, department chair, Baker has been spending much more time in his home studio in West Grove, PA. The professor emeri26 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY
tus has also traveled extensively around the world and has served in a number of community art leadership positions. In fact, when Stewart saw Baker in early March, he had just returned from Ethiopia, where he explored 12th and 13th century Christian churches literally carved out of subterranean rock. Last year he visited a village in Japan populated exclusively by families of potters, and two years ago, he scoured Chile from the high Atacama Desert to Patagonia and Easter Island. “I come back from these trips inspired by the different weather, environment, culture, or architecture, and it really influences what I create in my studio,” he says. For example, in Chile he was stimulated by the play of light on the Atacama Desert, the subtle blues and whites in Patagonia’s glaciers, and the sculpture-like qualities of the rocks carved by the glaciers. Baker, who also used to direct the namesake gallery he helped design, still promotes the arts. He is the president of the Chester County Art Association’s board and is a
member of West Chester Borough’s Public Arts Commission and of the Art Trust Gallery at Meridian Bank’s board. He also serves on the West Chester University Foundation Board of Directors. “I feel that my community service for the arts ties in with what I’ve done for 40-plus years at the University,” says Baker, “both promoting the arts and supporting our local and regional artists.” And he loves returning to his namesake gallery, where his endowment continues to fund special programming. “Last year, we brought in James Watkins, an African American ceramic artist from Texas who did a three-day student workshop, and this spring we brought in Chinese painters and calligraphers who, besides exhibiting their work, conducted a three-day residency for our students and alums. “It helps enhance the curriculum,” he says, “and to me that’s one of the more rewarding aspects of creating an endowment for the gallery.”
ALUMNI
2019-2022 WEST CHESTER UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION The Nominating Committee of the West Chester University Alumni Association is pleased to announce the 2019 WCUAA Board of Directors ballot. Six members will be elected to serve a three-year term of office beginning on July 1, 2019. The results of the election will be posted online at www.wcualumni.org before July 1, 2019, and published in the fall issue of the West Chester University Magazine. The background information on each nominee for the 2019-2022 term appears on the following pages. Please note that nominees are listed in the same order that they appear on the ballot. Questions regarding the election should be directed to the Office of Alumni Relations at 610-436-2813 or alumni@wcupa.edu.
MIMI BUTLER
Education: WCU, B.S., Music Education, 1978 Through the West Chester Foundation, I have created a scholarship for a music education junior. I have always been involved in volunteering, even as young as 21. In my 40 years since graduating from West Chester, I have been extremely active with Einstein Hospital of Philadelphia, the American String Teachers Association, and the Symphony in C. Volunteering is extremely important to me (thanks to my mom’s influence).
GRANT HUBBARD
Education: WCU, B.S., Chemistry-Biology, 2014, Drexel University College of Medicine, Doctor of Medicine, 2018 What an honor! I’ve always been a “West Chester Guy”: growing up down the road from our University before attending for an amazing four years, and as a proud alum! It has been a joy to watch WCU grow and flourish through my time in attendance and now beyond. One of the key aspects of this success clearly stems from the involvement and passion of the alumni body. I am so excited about this opportunity!
LOVISHA D. LOVE-DIGGS
Education: WCU, attended from 1996-1999, Chestnut Hill College, B.S., Marketing, 2007, Keller Graduate School of Management, M.S., Accounting & Financial Management, 2014 I’m interested in serving on the WCUAA Board of Directors because of my passion and loyalty for West Chester University
as a result of its significant influence in both my personal and professional life. I’ve benefited tremendously from my time at WCU and it would be both an honor — and a personal requirement for me — to give back of my time, talents, and gifts to the continued success of the University and its students, alumni, and community as a whole.
JOHN ADELSBERGER
Education: WCU, B.S., Criminal Justice, 1976, PA. State Police Academy, Municipal Police Certification, 1979, US Secret Service Special Agent Training Academy, Criminal Investigator Certification, 1984, US Secret Service Special Agent Training/ Protection, Dignitary Protection Training, 1984 As a graduate of West Chester University, my time at this esteemed educational institution has opened many professional doors during my 40-year career. I am most appreciative for the opportunities afforded me along the path since graduation.
JUSTINA CAMPANA
Education: WCU, B.S., Accounting, 2013, Columbia University, Sports Industry Essentials Certificate Program, 2018 West Chester University introduced me to many avenues for success. I hope to have the opportunity to show prospective students all that WCU has to offer and help lead current students down a successful path with everything they learn from WCU. In addition, I hope to help keep the pride alive through graduation and beyond. Being a recent graduate, I believe I can provide valuable advice for students transitioning to West Chester University Alumni. Thank you for your consideration.
LISA WRIGHT BRYANT
Education: WCU, B.S., Liberal Studies, 1987, Jameson College, B.A., Theology, 1997, Chesapeake Bible College, Masters in Theology, 2003 I want to continue to serve as a role model for students past, present, and future. I have been honored to serve on the board over the past few years and have been a part of a mission to provide programming to encourage all alumni to become engaged with our beloved alma mater and the Alumni Association. I believe this mission is essential as we continue to grow as an Alumni Association. S P R I N G 2 019
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ALUMNI
WILLIAM (BILL) SCOTTOLINE
Education: WCU, B.S., Secondary Education-Biology, 1974 My motivation to become a WCUAA board member three years ago was to become more involved with the development of current University students via mentoring. Over the past three years, I have been fortunate to have been a part of several alumni-to-student events where I have been able to share my career experiences with students. I have also had the opportunity to mentor an incoming freshman one-on-one. The WCUAA is working to create more of these opportunities in the future and I hope to continue that pursuit.
MARK PENNYPACKER SR.
Education: WCU, B.A., Philosophy, 1982, Virginia Theological Seminary, Master of Divinity, 1982, Shenandoah University, M.S., Educational Administration, 1982, Mississippi State University, M.S., Geosciences, 2010 As a lifelong educator, I believe the importance of an education cannot be overstated. Having been the first member of my family to attend college, the path taken was incredible. West Chester provided the framework by which my life has been structured. Without the support, guidance, and care that I received at West Chester, my life would be very different. It would be an honor to give back to West Chester what has been given to me.
BERNARD J. CARROZZA
Education: WCU, B.A., Elementary Education, 1966, Temple University, Ed.M., Counseling and Guidance, 1971, Ed.D. Educational Psychology, 1984 I regard our alumni as a most critical group in furthering the cause of WCU. Having been in volunteer service to the University for the past 38 years, it would be an honor and a privilege to continue to serve our University through working with and for our fellow graduates in an effort to show our appreciation for the tools we have been given to succeed.
RICK DANIELS
Education: WCU, B.S., Health & Physical Education, 1975, M.Ed., Health & Physical Education, 1981 West Chester University has been a large part of my adult life from an undergraduate student to being head football coach, to having two daughters and a granddaughter graduate from WCU. I have organized and led annual WCU athletic scholarship fundraising campaigns and managed an annual operating budget achieving consistent on-plan financial performance. I
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have earned a reputation as motivational speaker at a wide variety of venues including community organizations, high school and midget football banquets, coaching clinics, and booster clubs. I would like to bring my 46 years of experience coaching college and high school football teams to successful winning records and my leadership, organization, and interpersonal skills to help advance the University as a member of the WCUAA Board of Directors.
ALYSSA POLAKOWSKI
Education: WCU, B.A., Psychology, 2009, M.Ed., Secondary School Counseling, 2011 As a two-time graduate of WCU, I have a strong affinity to the University and have been an involved alumna, participating in and attending events, as well as volunteering for the Alumni Association since graduating. Currently, I am an active board member and have had the privilege of serving as the co-chair for the WCUAA Homecoming Committee for the past four years. During this time, we have worked hard to improve Homecoming events and better engage alumni. As a former Student Activities Council board member, I hope to continue to enhance programming in creative ways that will help grow and strengthen our network of alumni.
TIFFANY POTTINGER-SUTTON
Education: WCU, B.S., Biochemistry, 2006, Temple University, M.S., Quality Assurance/Regulatory Affairs, 2010 It would be a privilege to serve on the WCUAA Board of Directors to give back to the outstanding academic institution that shaped my life personally and professionally. My education and time at WCU gave me a great sense of pride and I believe that I would be a successful advocate and representative for the University. I believe that WCU offers students an unparalleled experience based on leadership values and quality education.
ALUMNI
WCUAA BOARD OF DIRECTORS 2019 BALLOT Candidates for Board of Directors
Voter 1
Voter 2
Mimi Butler ’78
❍
❍
Grant Hubbard ’14
❍
❍
Lovisha D. Love-Diggs
❍
❍
John Adelsberger ’76
❍
❍
Justina Campana ’13
❍
❍
Lisa Wright Bryant ’87
❍
❍
William Scottoline ’74
❍
❍
Mark Pennypacker Sr. ’82
❍
❍
Bernard J. Carrozza ’66
❍
❍
Rick Daniels ’75, M’81
❍
❍
Alyssa Polakowski ’09, M’11
❍
❍
Tiffany Pottinger-Sutton ’06
❍
❍
Signature of Voter 1_____________________________________________ Print Voter 1 Name/Year_________________________________________ Signature of Voter 2_____________________________________________ Print Voter 2 Name/Year_________________________________________ Street________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip_________________________________________________ Telephone (with area code)_______________________________________ E-mail_______________________________________________________
Please seal the ballot in an envelope, one ballot per envelope. Clearly write your name(s), class year(s), and address on the outside, and mail to: WCUAA Nominating Committee, Office of Alumni Relations, 202 Carter Drive, West Chester, PA 19382. The ballot must be received by mail no later than 12 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2019.
VOTING GUIDELINES Alumni listed on these pages have been nominated for election to serve on the Board of Directors upon the recommendation of the WCUAA Nominating Committee. Each has agreed to serve if elected. All WCU graduates are eligible to vote for a maximum of six (6) candidates. There are two ways to cast your ballot: online and this original written ballot. Alumni who choose to vote online can go to www.wcualumni.org and select 2019 Board of Directors Election. Follow the voting instructions. If you do not wish to vote online, please check the box next to the name of the candidate(s) of your choice as listed. Couples who are both WCU graduates may use one ballot, indicating Voter 1 and Voter 2. The Office of Alumni Relations will verify the name(s), class year(s), and address on each mailing envelope as requested by the Nominating Committee. The order of names on the ballot are random. For this ballot to be considered valid: only this magazine ballot with the alumnus’ mailing address on the reverse will be accepted. No copies or scans will be permitted. Each voter must sign and complete the name, class year, and address section of the ballot. Please print or type. The ballot must be received by mail no later than 12 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2019.
S P R I N G 2019 | 29
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Upcoming WCU Alumni events! wcualumni.org/eventscalendar MAY 9th Annual Friars Alumni Golf Outing Black Alumni Chapter Scholarship Luncheon York County Chapter Scholarship Reception JUNE WCU at Dorney Park Grandparents University National Athletic Trainers Association Alumni Reception AUGUST Rams in the Sand OCTOBER Homecoming (25-27)
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