Towering Titans
COLLEGE HONORS ITS OWN DURING HOMECOMING WEEKEND
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estminster Alumni Award Citation honorees are leaders in their fields who have made significant contributions, achieved success and served their communities.
These were learnings that helped shape the rest of my life. What a great place for a young man from a small town in Western Pennsylvania and a family of modest means to get a quality education.”
The newest honorees made their mark in diverse endeavors—business, industry, education, public policy and military service—but got their start at the same place, an experience they say was critical to all they’ve accomplished. From the inspirational and empowering liberal arts education to the relationships they formed, skills they developed and new experiences, their years at Mother Fair were foundational and life changing.
Douglas Hill ’76 said the College’s commitment to “a quality and intimate liberal arts experience encouraged me to look inward, to explore my capabilities, to expand my goals, to encourage curiosity— and concurrently pushed me to look outward, to broaden my community and world interactions, to understand and value every person and social setting, to engage in meaningful work and service.”
“Westminster College provided me the guidance, positive vision and inspiration to learn about myself, the world, and be open and eager to the many opportunities that could lie ahead,” Michael Anthony ’77 said. “The desire to travel, to appreciate different cultures and challenge social norms, to become more of a world citizen.
young alumni awards
“Being a student in a thriving and vibrant music department was amazing. Not only did I have excellent professors but they were also wonderful role models,“ Karen Campman Emmett ’75 said. “Westminster was such a great place to live for four years. Not only did it prepare me for my vocation as a vocal music teacher but living and learning in the fine arts
“Westminster taught me the importance of getting into ‘good trouble,’” Rebecca Bonner ’80 said, invoking the late civil rights icon John Lewis’ exhortation to buck the status quo to advance the social good. Maj. Robert Lytle ’97 said he was inspired by the College’s commitment to helping students develop the knowledge and skills that distinguish human beings “at their best” and the ideals and values of his Theta Chi fraternity and the Air Force to lead a life of “service on the global scale as a world citizen.” “The Westminster experience encapsulates everything,” Lytle said. Westminster presented Alumni Award Citations, Young Alumni Awards and Rising Titan Awards as part of the 2021 Homecoming & Reunion Weekend.
Recognizing alumni of 10 years or less who are making significant contributions as they build careers and serve their communities or the College
KELLY LAKE '11 A summa cum laude Honors graduate with a degree in English, Lake is an associate producer of animated films at Illumination Entertainment. She’s worked on the “Despicable Me” films and other hit productions. An active volunteer with Big Brothers/Big Sisters, she also works on an artistic outreach program to public schools. The resident of Pasadena, Calif. said her Westminster experience inspires her service. “The faculty and staff are so helpful and invested in helping students succeed, that it really inspires you to be invested in others as well,” she said.
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environment and with other students who shared the same core values helped make me a more well-rounded individual.
MIKE DISOTELL '11 A magna cum laude graduate with a degree in English, Disotell went on to The Ohio University School of Law, where he graduated with honors. He joined a multinational law firm and litigated highprofile class action cases and was recognized for his pro bono work and community involvement. He joined the firm Dentons Cohen & Grigsby in May and practices in the labor and employment field. He lives in Wexford, Pa. “Westminster taught me to be comfortable outside my comfort zone, to take on new challenges with an open mind and to enjoy the experiences along the way,” he said.
