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Campus News
WHY I GIVE
JENNIFER EDDER LUTZ ’12 HISTORY
Home:
Saxonburg, Pennsylvania
Professions:
Currently a stay-at-home mother
Giving History:
First-time donor in 2020; second-generation lineage of giving
Why Jennifer Gives:
“I come from a family of Westminster graduates! My mother and father (Rich Edder ‘84 and Judy Brooks Edder ‘85) met there and both graduated from there. The legacy of the Westminster liberal arts education was evident in how my brother and I were raised; we were always encouraged to ask questions, to learn and to think through our decision-making. When it came time to make my own college decision, Westminster already felt like home. I wouldn’t trade my years at Mother Fair for the world. I learned so much about myself, about people and about how to think. My education influences the way I parent and the way I live my daily life. It is an exciting prospect to give so that future generations may reap the same benefits and have the same opportunities I had. Westminster truly makes the world a better place.” F or the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has named Westminster College among the top-performing national liberal arts schools for social mobility.
Listed in its 2022 Best Colleges guide, U.S. News placed Westminster at the No. 10 slot, advancing four spots from last year. Westminster is the only national liberal arts college from Pennsylvania to place in the Top 10.
According to U.S. News, economically disadvantaged students are less likely than others to finish college, even when controlling for other characteristics.
U.S. News' Top Performers list, established in 2019, assesses how well schools graduate students who receive federal Pell Grants, a form of need-based federal financial aid. Pell Grant recipients come from households whose family incomes are less than $50,000 annually, though most Pell Grant money goes to students with a total family income below $20,000.
Committed to academic excellence that facilitates social mobility, Westminster has a number of initiatives in place to enhance opportunities for degree completion including the Academic Success Center and the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) program.
Westminster was named to the 117 spot among the best liberal arts colleges in the nation in the U.S. News Best Colleges edition, which evaluated 1,466 colleges and universities on 17 measures of academic quality such as first-year student retention, graduation rates and strength of faculty.
In addition to the U.S. News rankings, Westminster climbed in Washington Monthly’s annual 2021 College Guide and Rankings, this year jumping 32 spots to claim a Top 100 position in the publication’s “Best Liberal Arts Colleges” list.
Westminster named a top performer in social mobility
Music recording technology, supply chain management new this fall
Westminster has approved two new academic offerings—a music recording technology track and the supply chain management concentration— giving students more flexibility to pursue their interests.
The music recording technology track with a Bachelor of Arts degree in music enables students to gain a broad background in music and also concentrate specifically on technologies that music professionals use to record, edit and produce recordings of musical performances.
Supply chain management is an independent concentration that can be declared by students in any major. Students will gain an understanding of how products reach their consumers— from manufacturing to delivery. Students will learn about various operational functions including transportation and logistics, procurement, operations planning and forecasting techniques. The Beals Music Gallery in the School of Music, with a recording studio attached, provides ample space for small ensembles to record.
Whitman serves as visiting fellow
Students across multiple disciplines had the unique opportunity to discuss topics ranging from careers in politics to climate change to conflict management with former New Jersey Gov. Christine Todd Whitman during a series of virtual sessions in October.
Whitman, a Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Visiting Fellow and former administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), spoke with students in political science, environmental science, accounting and communications classes.
Whitman also shared her perspectives with first-year students and those involved with the Analyst Program. A campus-wide conversation, "Environmental Policy and Politics," was also held.
Whitman served as New Jersey’s 50th and first female governor from 1994 to 2001.
She served the EPA under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. She now is president of the Whitman Strategy Group, a consulting firm that specializes in energy and environmental issues.
The CIC Visiting Fellows program brings prominent artists, diplomats, journalists, business leaders and other professionals to college campuses across the United States.
WHY I GIVE
Joe jordano ’85 telecommunications
Home:
Lakewood Ranch, Florida
Profession:
Baseball coach with IMG Academy
Giving History:
Long-time recurring donor
Why Joe Gives:
“The day I arrived on campus was a defining moment in my life. I did not know what to expect and was uncertain of my future. From that day until today, the Westminster experience prepared me for my future. I was fortunate to meet life-long friends, was a member of a very competitive baseball team, became the voice of the Titans and received an strong education that prepared me for my future. The support I received from faculty, staff and support personnel was invaluable in my personal and professional development. I will always be grateful to Westminster and to those who guided me throughout my four years on campus.”
A FRESH START
Student Government Association President Noah Pollio ’22 welcomes more than 300 new students during Opening Convocation, the official start of Westminster’s 169th academic year. Pollio urged the newcomers to “treat this time reverently, to pursue goals and your interests, and to do it with gusto.” The Class of 2025 represents 25 different states, with most students hailing from Pennsylvania, Ohio, Florida, Maryland, New York and Virginia. Business administration, biology, nursing and psychology make up the most popular majors for the newest members of Westminster’s student body.
DO YOU MATCH?
Did you know that you can double or triple your year-end giving with a matching gift? Many employers sponsor matching gift programs and will match charitable contributions made by their employees or members of their boards.
CHECK WITH YOUR EMPLOYER TODAY. New faculty 2021
Five joined the Westminster College faculty this academic year:
Gwendolyn K. Deger
Assistant Professor of Education
Dr. Eric C. Fields
Assistant Professor of Cognitive Neuroscience
Dr. Matteo Luisi
Assistant Professor of Physics
Heather M. Muchowski
Dr. John C. Winters
Visiting Assistant Professor of History
Students, faculty collaborate on summer research projects
Female authors, kombucha and electrowetting properties were just some of the topics researched this summer by student-faculty pairs selected to serve as Summer Research Fellows.
This year's winning teams—chosen by the Drinko Center for Undergraduate Research—and their projects were:
Iris Davis Hall, a junior public communication and leadership major, and Dr. Randy Richardson, communication studies, on the project “The Emerging Feminine Style of Freshmen Congresswomen, Lauren Boebert and Marjorie Taylor Greene.”
Jill Douglas, a senior psychology major, and Dr. Sherri Pataki, psychology, examined views and understandings of male and female students in regard to sexual violence and rape myths.
Molly Frank, a senior English major, and Dr. Kristianne Kalata, English, on the project “Magic, Mayhem, and Womanhood: A Reclamation of the Witch in Modern Fantasy by Women Authors.”
Owen Meilander, a senior physics and mathematics major, and Dr. Craig Caylor, physics, on the project “Exploring the Properties of Electrowetting.”
Noah Pollio, senior biology major, and Dr. Karen Resendes, biology, on the project “Investigating the Role of PCID2 in BRCA2 Nuclear Export and Centrosomal Localization in Breast Cancer Cells.”
Lillian Quick, a sophomore political science major, and Dr. Shannon Smithey, political science, on the project “Defensive Attorneys of Probationers.”
Sydney Rankin, a senior biochemistry major, and Dr. Jessica Sarver, chemistry, on the project “Antimicrobial Activity and Antioxidant Levels of Kombucha.”
Seth Schrader, a senior chemistry major, and Dr. Peter Smith, chemistry, on the project “Synthesis and Characterization of Europium-Substituted Aluminum Phosphate Catalysts for the Oxidation of Cyclohexane.”
Sara Small, a senior environmental science major, and Dr. Patrick Krantz, environmental science, on the project “Analysis of Microplastics in Honey and Feasibility Study of Local Honey Co-Op.”
Lauren Turturice, a junior molecular biology major, and Dr. Karen Resendes, biology, on the project “The Ability of PCID2 to Regulate Centrosome Duplication through BRCA1 Localization.”
Students and faculty from all disciplines were encouraged to apply for the fifth annual competitive research fellowship, which provides stipends for both the undergraduate researcher and his or her faculty mentor.
Consider a January gift to celebrate WC’s birthday
Westminster College will celebrate its 170th birthday on January 21. Like other years, we will again showcase our support for the school we love through our Wear Westminster Day efforts. But more so, 170 we will also shift our traditional Giving Tuesday efforts that occur in November to a special concentration aimed in joyful jubilation of Mother Fair's birthday. So, save up your dollars and come January, make your extra special gift in honor of Westminster College through our crowdfunding efforts. We guarantee you will find a project you will love to support in honor of this momentous occasion!
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Year-end tax planning
$300 charitable contribution deduction
Westminster College
The CARES Act allows a $300 deduction for charitable contributions even if you don't itemize your deductions for 2021.
For the 2021 tax year, people who take the standard deduction can deduct up to $300 of cash donations to charity. If you're married and filing a joint return, you can deduct a total of $600 on your 2021 tax return. For individuals who itemize their deductions and have the resources and desire to contribute to charitable organizations they support, an individual may deduct any qualified cash contribution so long as the contribution does not exceed 100% of the individual’s adjusted gross income.
