Wilson College Magazine Winter Spring 2013 by Wilson College

Redefining Wilson Winter/Spring 2013

Magazine

WILSON

Contents:

Message from the President

Redefining Wilson

8 Convocation: Opening Doors Across the Gender Spectrum 12 Viewpoint: Larry Shillock, Ph.D., Professor of English 13

1979: Save Wilson

16 Environmental Sociology Course Benefits Students and Community

18 Renaissance Woman Carole Gallagher Retires 20 Artist Beck Metzbower â&#x20AC;&#x2122;13, Rehoboth, oil on canvas, 2012 22

From Around the Green

30 Alumnae Association Board Nominees 32

Association News

Class Notes

MAGAZINE

WILSON

Wilson Magazine WInter/Spring 2013 • Volume 86 • Number 1

Redefining Wilson WINTER/SPRING 2013

On the cover: Professor John Elia holds class outside on the Green.

Wilson Magazine aims to enhance pride in the College, inform readers of activities on campus and within the Alumnae Association, and engage alumnae/i with the campus and one another.

Photo by Debra Collins.

President of the College

Dr. Barbara K. Mistick

Wilson magazine Email: mag@wilson.edu Phone: 717-262-2607 Web: www.wilson.edu/magazine Alumnae Association Email: aawc@wilson.edu Phone: 717-262-2010 Web: www.wilson.edu/aawc The Wilson Fund Email: advancement@wilson.edu Phone: 717-262-2010 Web: www.wilson.edu/give

Social Media www.facebook.com/WilsonCollege www.youtube.com/wilsoncollegevideos twitter.com/wilsoncollegepa www.wilson.edu/linkedin

Scan with your smartphone to be directed to the alumnae section of Wilson’s website.

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Camilla B. Rawleigh Vice President for Marketing and Communications

Brian Speer Managing Editor

Emma Lewis Wilson Magazine Committee

Amy Allen Boyce ’73 Mary Cramer ’91, Alumnae Association President Debra Collins, Director of Communications Marybeth Famulare, Director of Alumnae/i Relations Emma Lewis, Managing Editor, Wilson Magazine Denise McDowell, Director of Advancement Services Cathy Mentzer, Manager of Media Relations and College Editor Camilla B. Rawleigh, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Brian Speer, Vice President for Marketing and Communications Contributors

James Butts Debra Collins Lesley Eichelberger ’16 Amy Ensley Dianna C. Heim Emma Lewis Amy Lucadamo Cathy Mentzer Brian Speer Beth Weixel Design

ED W IT NT RI

Correction: The editors wish to correct the following error in the fall issue of Wilson Magazine under “In Memorium.” On page 46, Dr. David Sellers Platt was incorrectly listed as faculty emerita and should have been “emeritus.”

WI ND EN www.NewWindEnergy.com

Jennifer Glosser, 2 Pug Design, Inc.

Wilson Magazine (USPS-685-580) is published quarterly by the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Alumnae Association of Wilson College, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. Periodicals postage paid at Chambersburg, Pa. 17201 and additional post offices. Subscriptions are $15/year. Postmaster: Send address changes to: Wilson College Alumnae/i Relations, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201-1285, 717-262-2010 or mag@wilson.edu. Opinions expressed are those of contributors or the editor and do not represent the official positions of Wilson College or the Alumnae Association of Wilson College.

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message from the president | BARBARA K. MISTICK

he coming of spring serves as an apt metaphor for the College and the Wilson community. The board’s approval of the strategic ideas that came from the commission process presents an opportunity for change. Yet change is never easy. We all carry an indelible image of Wilson, whether in memory or in practice, and regardless of our view on the College’s new direction, each of us needs to find our own way through the process of renewal. It is at times like these that we often see the best in our community. Wilson College Chaplain Rosie Magee is presenting a semester-long labyrinth project that hopes to assist the community in finding its way. Unlike a maze, where one might become lost, a labyrinth moves forward along a single path to its outcome. Rosie has reached out to various classes, clubs and activities to incorporate the theme and has been delighted with the response. The project will culminate with the community working together to create a labyrinth on the green beginning on April 29. You can read more about the project at wilson.edu/labyrinth. Faithful supporter Marguerite Lenfest ’55 has invested in Wilson’s future by committing to provide a $3.6 million gift with matching elements for the John Stewart Memorial Library project. Prior to this gift, we had raised $2.4 million with a goal of having 80 percent of the cost of construction—about $8 million— in hand before we break ground. This matching gift provides the impetus to our community for realizing the library project. In meeting the matches established, we will achieve our goal of providing an outstanding academic facility for future generations of Wilson students. Read more about the gift on page 22, and see more about the project at www.wilson.edu/reimagine. What began as a conversation between student development and resident assistants has blossomed into the “I Love Wilson” effort. WCGA, athletics and the Campus Activity Board have joined in to create a campaign for students, faculty and staff to declare the things they love best about the College and to participate in community events. The endeavor, though imagined independently, dovetails with the alumnae association’s “Proud to Be Wilson” reunion theme, which has been expanded to include on-campus events as well. Now is the time for us all to embrace opportunity. The work ahead will be difficult, but ultimately rewarding. I have been heartened by the offers of support many of you have made. As we work to implement the plans of the College, we will find ways to broaden our efforts and effectively incorporate our alumnae resources. Thank you all. Sincerely,

Dr. Barbara K. Mistick President

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heading |

Redefining Wilson

Higher education and its need to change in order to adapt to the demands of the market has become a common topic. But real change—historic change—is rare. “Every trustee really understood the momentous nature of the decisions that we had to make and the challenges before us,” said Leslie Durgin ’69 of the Board of Trustees’ January 13 vote that set into motion a plan to transform the future of the 144-year old College. Durgin is a Trustee and chaired the Commission on Shaping the Future of Wilson College.

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Meeting in a special session, board members approved the plan presented by President Barbara K. Mistick to increase enrollment and achieve financial sustainability. The plan, which includes the enrollment of male students across all constituencies, redefines Wilson’s struggling College for Women. Of the 12 initiatives put forward by Mistick, only five required board approval. While Trustees voted on each initiative separately, the measures of the plan are interdependent and work in concert toward success. “There is not a single solution to the problem. Wilson needs to use every arrow in its quiver to get to the solution,” said Wilson College Board Chair John Gibb. “We have a number of programs, but we need to apply them all. One by itself, or all but one, will not be successful.” Other initiatives include making a Wilson education more affordable, addressing facilities and infrastructure, increasing and improving marketing, and creating a Division of Health Sciences. In response to today’s concerns over affordability and student

debt, the College will lower tuition for fall 2014 by approximately 17 percent to $23,745 and establish an innovative student debt buyback program. Students completing identified parameters regarding academics and community involvement at Wilson will receive up to $10,000 from the College to be paid on their federal debt. Full details of the program are currently being established. Wilson’s second initiative matches facilities to mission—funding campus infrastructure to support learning and provide a stimulating campus environment. In an era of increasing competition, appealing, well-maintained facilities are crucial to attracting and retaining students. The board approved the goal of budgeting for $10 million in deferred maintenance and $2 million a year for depreciation. “Forward-thinking institutions budget for depreciation,” said Mistick. “Wilson has not done that and that puts Wilson at a disadvantage.” While all capital expenditures, including maintenance, must be approved by the board, Mistick says this will enable the College to save money to fund unexpected infrastructure needs or make

Inside the Plan “Wilson College – Positioned to Thrive,” presented by President Barbara K. Mistick to the Board of Trustees was approved on January 13. 1. Adopt the Wilson Value Equation: Lower the book tuition rate of the College to $23,745 and establish a student debt buyback program. 2. Extend coeducation to the undergraduate college. 3. Establish an Integrated Marketing Committee and launch an integrated marketing campaign. 4. Evaluate creation of a Division of Health Sciences. 5. Repair Wilson’s ailing infrastructure: Plan for and fund Wilson’s future infrastructure needs, commit funding for deferred facility maintenance and fund annual depreciation to implement needed repairs and improvements. The following recommendations are also part of President Mistick’s proposal, but did not require action by Trustees: • Create “transfer student receiving culture” at Wilson College. • Establish a campus-wide focus on student retention. • Craft opportunities for “global” extra-Wilson experiences for students and create opportunities for non-Wilson students to have these experiences here. • Establish the position of community liaison/fundraiser. • Improve alumnae/i relations and internal communications. • Establish an Office of Nontraditional Educational Initiatives to promote, sustain and manage Wilson’s hybrid, online and other alternative delivery courses and program offerings. • Create distinctive new programs that demonstrate a high, positive impact on enrollment. 4 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

investments as needed over time. Priorities on Wilson’s list of infrastructure needs include residence halls and athletics facilities, with the John W. Stewart Memorial Library project as the College’s top fundraising objective. In addition, the board approved funding of $500,000 over the next two fiscal years for a new student center space to open in fall 2013. The project is still a “blank slate,” according to Mistick. “The first thing to decide is what our students want,” she said. “To that end, we will rely on our students to help shape the project and determine its programming needs.” The third initiative deals with academic programs and builds on Wilson’s current academic strengths in the sciences. Beginning with a feasibility study, Wilson will establish a Division of Health Sciences. According to 2011 PSAT and Department of Health Education data, the health sciences field is the top-ranked choice of college students. In addition, jobs in the health care industry have increased in each of the last five years. With more than 60 percent of Wilson students enrolled in science-based majors, the potential in health sciences is a good match with one of the College’s current strengths. Ten of the newly proposed academic programs will fall under this division and will include both online and onsite offerings. Signature programs and areas of opportunity identified by the commission are under continued evaluation through standard curriculum processes. Marketing and visibility must also be a top priority, according to Mistick. To that end, Wilson—which last fall centralized its marketing and communications efforts—will implement a comprehensive integrated marketing program. The immediate process will include focus groups and market research aimed at creating strategic messages to serve as the foundation for the College to tell its story with clarity. A corresponding review of the visual brand identity will work in concert with the message platform to market Wilson consistently among potential students and others. Metrics and support for enrollment and advancement goals will serve as assessment measures for the program. Coeducation—while one piece of a larger proposal—became the focal point of the plan for many. The change in the core mission of the College was intensely debated, by the commission, the community at large and the board. “People place value on the merits of a single-sex education historic perspective of where the college has been,” said Gibb. “(The board was) trying to match that with the financial health of the College and how we as (Continued on page 7.)

Wilson Today Wilson College and its Board of Trustees have set in motion a transformative plan that will best position the College to remain a vibrant, rigorous academic institution. The Wilson Today plan addresses issues of affordability and value, infrastructure improvements, academic programs, coeducation, marketing, recruitment and retention, and establishes a blueprint for increasing enrollment and providing financial sustainability. Assessment and adaptability are central to the plan’s success. As aspects of the plan are implemented, Wilson will remain diligent in tracking progress. Committees have been formed to help guide an inclusive implementation process. These initial committees have varying charges and life spans— some will guide and implement work while others will report out to larger bodies. Each committee has Cabinet representation and the Cabinet will oversee the implementation process. Wilson Today committees include: Gender Equity/Women-Centered, Pedagogy and Curriculum, Marketing, Coeducation Recruitment, Traditions, Affordablity and Value, Student Retention (with a subcommittee on Orientation and Residence Life) and the Student Center. Standing academic committees for health sciences, education, animal studies, fine arts, business, food sustainability and global studies are charged with putting together proposed curricula that will be considered through the normal academic processes. See http://www.today.wilson.edu for more information on committee membership and charges as well as events and updates on the implementation process.

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Standing Against the Decision “We … alumnae and supporters of Wilson College are of one mind and agree that Wilson should remain a women’s college and that the primary focus of the College for Women is to continue and strengthen its tradition of fostering outstanding educational experiences for women.” With that declaration, an alumnae-led group against coeducation at Wilson formally established itself through the Pines & Maples website. The group had formed in the wake of the Sept. 4, 2012, open campus meeting of the Commission on Shaping the Future of Wilson College. Though the topic of coeducation had previously been broached, it was at this meeting that the notion the College was actively considering male students as a viable option became a reality for many. After this meeting, an alumna created the Wild Wilson Women Facebook page, which came to serve as a means of informing fellow alumnae about the still forming ideas of the commission, and created a dialogue around ways to help the College address its problems without the need for coeducation.

Student protests followed the meeting and letters and opinion pieces began to find their way to news outlets. Margaret Killmer ’66 expressed a growing sentiment among those opposed to coeducation in a Nov. 23, 2012, op-ed in the Harrisburg Patriot-News. She wrote, “Wilson College alumnae and students have joined together to express their serious reservations about the assumptions and calculations used to determine that going coed is the only way to achieve a sustainable future.” As the debate was growing acrimonious, a group of alumnae led by Deborah Barnes ’71, Nicole Noll ’03, Kendall Hopkins ’80, Melissa Behm ’76 and Carol Noon ’87 (key players in Pines & Maples and the Wild Wilson Women) began working with staff from Wilson’s Office of Institutional Advancement on the “Double-It! Matching Fund” fundraising campaign designed to demonstrate to the College and Board of Trustees that alumnae could answer the call to support the College if given a chance. The effort would raise approximately $81,000 in four weeks from 242 donors. Despite the effort, on Jan. 13 the Board of Trustees voted in favor of all of the recommendations presented, including coeducation. Soon after, the Wild Wilson Women Facebook page became a closed group reported to be focused on discussion of how to overturn the decision. Then on Feb. 7, a letter from Gretchen Van Ness ’80 was published in the Chronicle of Higher Education, further indicting the commission process. A member of the commission, she amplified the voice of those who asserted that the data used by the commission and the process itself was flawed.

By the time of the commission’s second open campus meeting in October, the Facebook group had defined itself as an outlet for those in opposition to admitting male students. Members encouraged one another to stand up and speak to the value of Wilson as a women-only college and against changing what they defined as the College’s most distinguishing and defining characteristic. Active alumnae began reaching out to current students as well in an effort to coordinate their actions, and some 815 members signed onto the Pines & Maples pledge to support Wilson as a women’s college. Both alumnae and students opposed to coeducation attended the Oct. 17 open meeting. Many asked questions aimed at identifying deficiencies that, if addressed they believed, would help move the College forward. Carolyn Schaffer ’50, gave voice to the thoughts of many when she declared of coeducation, “It’s not a dirty word to be a woman’s college. I hope there is a place for a woman’s college in this world because I think we need more Wilson women in this world.”

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By mid-February, the Wilson College Women (another Facebook group) started a petition asking alumnae and their supporters, as well as women-only education supporters, to sign in favor of their efforts to have the decision overturned. The petition states, “Wilson College has all the attributes needed to thrive as a women’s college and should not be destroyed by a rushed and unnecessary decision made by its President and members of its Board of Trustees. On Jan. 13, 2013, the Board of Trustees of Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., in a divided vote, dissolved the college for women and replaced it with a coeducational college. This decision should be reversed.” Prior to the February board meeting, the petition site added a post stating the Wilson College Women group would examine legal avenues to overturn the decision if the board did not reverse itself. The Trustees instead affirmed their decision. The petition had 1,185 signers at press time. Editor’s note: Publicly available materials were used as source for this article. Wilson Magazine attempted to contact figures central to the group opposed to coeducation in order to produce a piece that would more directly represent the voice of those involved. They declined to participate, citing concerns over accuracy.

(Continued from page 5.) a board can best be good stewards of the College. The two were not necessarily in sync with each other.” It became apparent that without coeducation, the College would continue to struggle to overcome its annual budget deficits and meet its financial responsibilities. In addition to greatly expanding the prospective student audience, the move to coeducation at other women’s colleges has brought increases in female applicants and elevated the overall student academic profile, as well as leading to an affirmation of traditions and culture. “We had a lot of information available to us,” said Gibb. “We did not address this matter cavalierly. We wanted to do what was best for the College, and our vote reflects consideration of all the information.” The board’s vote results in male students being admitted for fall 2013 as commuter students, and as residential students beginning in fall 2014. Approval of the full plan presented by President Mistick brings to fruition the charge of the commission: to identify the optimal scenario for the College to thrive. Now begins the hard work of

implementing change at Wilson (see sidebar, p. 4). The College is determined to retain the essential aspects of its identity—its core values and traditions—and to use its history of women-centered education as a guide in shaping the future of the College. “I see a college that is going to be more vibrant because we’ll have more students on campus,” Gibb said. “A college that is going to create more academic challenges for students. I see a thriving college.”

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Convocation

Opening Doors Across the Gender Spectrum Convocation Speaker Lisa Marsh Ryerson, president of Wells College, was well-received by members of Wilson’s community during her speech on the topic of transitioning from a single-sex to a coeducational institution. Beginning in fall 2005, she led Wells—a women’s college for 150 years— through a successful changeover that has increased enrollment by 45 percent. She is the first alumna president at Wells and is nationally recognized for her progressive views on higher education and community partnerships. Ryerson speaks and writes about the benefits of inclusive coeducation, gender equality in education and society, women in leadership, and business-education partnerships, according to the Wells College website. She has a bachelor’s degree from Wells College and a Master of Science in Education degree from the State University of New York at Cortland.

hank you to my colleague, President Mistick, for that wonderful introduction and for inviting me to be here today to participate in this incredibly important and valued tradition. Thank you to the Wilson College community for your warm welcome and for your openness to learning from our experience. For Wells and Wilson, while unique and individual institutions, share much in common. Although I haven’t been on campus in some time, my return reminds me of the many connections between Wells and Wilson. When I was a student at Wells, our beloved dean, Nenah Fry, came to us from Wilson, and I worked together on the Wells senior staff with your vice president for enrollment, Mary Ann Naso. I have also enjoyed working for many years with a tireless Wilson ambassador, Director of Athletics Lori Frey. We have worked together as members of the Atlantic Women’s College Conference and now the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC)—and I expect our relationship will only strengthen as you develop more teams against whom we will compete. Indeed, chartered just one year apart in March of the late 1860s, Wells and Wilson share much common ground. We were both founded to provide a special kind of education—an education devoted exclusively to women. Since then we have shared similarities in mission, in temperament, in commitment and innovation, and most recently we have shared the struggle of women’s colleges in a changing cultural environment and an ever-shifting landscape for higher education. For surely, we do exist within that greater universe and not as islands unto ourselves. Like so many of our sister colleges who began their existence as women-only, over time, and especially as more and more colleges began to include women, we too began to broaden our horizons with new

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programs and offerings—and in nearly all cases—by opening our doors, in whatever iteration, across the gender spectrum. In my case, I saw and experienced these shifts firsthand, first as a student at an all-women’s Wells, then as dean of students and then president of Wells, as well as through my time as chair of the Women’s College Coalition. And like my alma mater, my own views toward coeducation have evolved. I benefitted from an all-women’s education and it was an experience I treasure. As a dean and president, and leading the Women’s College Coalition, I was passionately determined to see our institutions remain single sex. Over time, and facing ever-daunting financial and societal realities, I came to value the existence of our colleges more so than their gender make-up. Through it all, however, I continue to value women’s-only and women-centered experiences, and I am incredibly grateful that they remain available. I have seen women’s education and small liberal arts colleges evolve through many changes—not just the change to coeducation. For coeducation was not for us, as is true for you, the answer to crafting a vibrant future! How this plays out for us as institutions, and how it affects our current students, however, may be quite different. For as institutions, this moment of change occurs within the context of centuries of existence, with financial realities at the core. For each individual student, it is just that—an individual reaction, possibly a major change within the context of a major life decision about choosing one’s college. Whether students choose a college because it is women-only, or come to appreciate the ethos of our campuses, it is true that women’s colleges—and now historically women’s colleges—have a tendency to feel safe, to be open and inclusive, to embrace difference in a way that can be both comforting and empowering. As we make the transition to coeducation, we have to be committed and conscious in remaining

Convocation places where acceptance is the norm and difference is cause for celebration, not concern. We cannot morph into some of the dominant norms of our larger world in which some of us are disregarded, marginalized and asked to take a seat on the sidelines. Our charge to care about the status of women continues. We have to advance that charge and broaden the dialogue—and hopefully the outcomes will ultimately reflect a more inclusive, just consideration of our condition. Even so, for me, the hardest part of our decision at Wells was knowing that, at that moment, some of our students were sad and they were suffering. As firm as I was in knowing it was the right decision for the College, I felt terrible about causing any student pain. Nonetheless, for us as institutions, the reality of today’s world is that the questions of access are much broader than gender. Is higher education an entitlement, a right, a necessity? How do we serve nontraditional-age students, our local and regional communities, the needs of lifelong learning and demands of career-specific education? How can we fully address the need to provide access across the socio-economic spectrum? At Wells, we knew the future of single-sex institutions was in question as early as 1969 when we changed our charter, even though it wasn’t until 2005 that we began to admit men. Your college faced that same reality with the 1979 vote to close the college. Despite such an overwhelming swim against the current, those women’s colleges that survived and determined to remain single sex, continued to offer a very special approach to education, developed some of the best programs in the country, and—I think we can all agree—graduated some of the most accomplished and talented alumnae. The path we pursue for the next century does not negate that. Rather, your determination, creativity and perseverance provide Wilson with a remarkable foundation on which to build and to continue the legacy of the Wilson way. For indeed, the challenges, overall, facing colleges—especially small and more rural institutions, far surpass the question of audience. We

have been called on and will continue to need to change in myriad other ways to adapt to a changing economy, the shifting regard for and demands on higher education, a more diverse student population in every sense, the awareness of our role in assuring environmental sustainability, the failure of our societies to assure basic human rights right here at home and across the globe, the need to educate the next generation of ethical citizens and leaders, and countless other realities. What I have to share with you today, however, is specific to your choice to broaden your scope to admit men as full-time residential students. I’m happy to share some thoughts about my experience which, though similar to yours, is also singular. I hope also to convey my sense of optimism and joy for you as you create a strong future for Wilson College. Wells and Wilson have endured similar journeys to reach the place where—along with programmatic, physical and financial improvements—we decided that expanding our audience was the right next step. As critical and as central as these other initiatives are, it is the decision to swing wide open the doors to admission that elicits the strongest response. And I assure you, even if you adamantly disagree with that decision, those who are charged with making it have done so with the very best interests of Wilson College—and her future—at heart. Your board and your president have done exactly what they had to do, with the best information; with the fullest consideration of all the consequences, intended and unintended; and with deeply held care for the institution and her people. While it is certainly O.K. to oppose the decision (or to be deeply disappointed that we live in a time and place where the decision is, in fact, necessary), please don’t attack the individuals who made it. Indeed, while each and every person has a unique relationship with the college and all are entitled to their own reactions—and I’m sure those reactions span the full range of possibilities from positive to resigned to negative—please allow others the grace of their individual positions—and know too that positions may change over time.

The Wilson College Choir performs Mary Lynn Lightfoot’s “Cantate Hodie,” under the direction of music director Elizabeth Thorpe.

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Convocation

Which reminds me of the range of reactions in my own household in 2004—for I have raised only daughters—and might have assumed they would have similar opinions. I couldn’t have been more wrong! My oldest daughter, Annie—a proud Wells graduate who selected Wells as a women’s college and was studying abroad when she learned of the decision as well as the strong reactions via online communications—called to ask me if I was O.K. In the tumult of change, she worried about her Wells community and being distant from it. Carol, my middle daughter—a high-schooler at the time— said, “Oh good, maybe now I’ll apply.” Like so many of her generation, the idea of a single-sex college just didn’t seem relevant to her life—even though she was clearly, and thoroughly, exposed to it through her entire life! And her reaction was borne out in what we saw – not just that men applied to Wells, but that a much broader range of women became willing to consider us. Indeed, today’s students expect a diverse study body in all respects, not only sex and gender. And, Julie, my youngest, still in elementary school, commented, “Boys are gross!” And while maybe this was to be expected given her age and maturity, it was this anti-male stance—when voiced by those much older and presumably much wiser and more mature—that was, and remains, particularly troubling for me. In having made the choice to open our doors, we fully and completely welcomed our new students into the Wells family. Every student we admit is a student we care about, a student we are committed to treating with respect and regard, with acceptance and dignity. In this, I was incredibly proud of the Wells community, for no matter their range of opinions about the decision itself, they welcomed the new students. That’s not to say there weren’t bumps along the way, but as a community of talented, engaged, smart women, we had no reason to assume that the men who chose us wouldn’t be just as smart and engaged. And, in many ways you are ahead of us in this area; you already have smart, active, Wilson men on your campus! As much as we expected our community to accept our new students, we also had to be incredibly deliberate and practical about making it work. For example, in making housing decisions, instead of declaring where, when and if we would have single-sex and coed housing, we involved our students themselves, through their existing committee structures and by hosting directed discussions about specific living and learning issues. So when we reserved one of our most historic 10 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

buildings as a residence for upper-class women only, and offered a range of coed living choices—and then changed those options as student interest shifted—it was authentic for our students. For our faculty, who were concerned that having male students would change the dynamics in the classroom—and wanted to be as prepared and educated as possible on the topic—we held workshops and invited academics from formerly all-women’s colleges to help them work through their thinking. On the other hand, trust your community and be willing to let some things evolve naturally! We were convinced that in order to make everyone feel truly welcome we had to pay attention to language and make the necessary changes to a more inclusive habit of writing and speaking. And so, as one example, we carefully changed the words in our alma mater to be gender-neutral, and yet it just hasn’t caught on. Everyone— including our male students and alumni—still sing “thy daughters!” Moreover, in some areas, a broader range of students has just simply meant broader opportunities for inclusion and activity. Like Wilson, at Wells we are devoted to our traditions—however antiquated or just plain “odd” they may seem to outsiders. Like you, we have May Day, bell-ringing, Convocations and Odd/Even traditions complete with song competitions, special colors and the like. Despite some concern that these and other traditions might fall by the wayside or be diminished by the presence of men, at Wells our male students have embraced our traditions, and, for example, have added to the fun of Odd/Even with a dodgeball game to complement the basketball game preserved for women only, and a chili cook-off to the delight of all! Odd/Even has become even more prominent on our campus—partly because with more students, there is more liveliness, and partly because the elements added by men have extended the festivities year-round. Like you, music also plays a large part in our campus culture and traditions. So in a similar way, we let students take the lead in determining the make-up of our traditional a cappella groups: one group opted to include male voices and one chose to remain all-women. Although getting to this point has had its ups and downs, eight years into coeducation, while much has changed, much more has remained the same. For in our nearly 150-year histories, this moment of change is just that—a moment—and it is one of many changes that we have endured or embraced in the past century and a half, and that we are sure to face in the next hundred years. Our histories aren’t erased by this change and our futures aren’t determined by it, although how we handle this moment can set the stage for the next chapter.

Convocation

As colleges, we are devoted to the rigorous pursuit of education, to pushing the boundaries of knowledge, to challenging assumptions— importantly, within a humane and ethical framework. And as such, we value our communities and the diversity of viewpoints that make up our communities. We encourage each person—from faculty, staff and students on campus, to our alumnae, alumni, trustees and extended community—to participate in the dialogue and express their opinions and perspectives. And I know it can be disheartening when is seems that our voices aren’t heard, and when a decision is made that doesn’t reflect the input you offered, you can feel betrayed. As honor-bound members of such communities, the best advice I can offer is to remember that our exploration of ideas is also dependent on a commitment to civil discourse, to respecting all voices, to assuring that we don’t hold anyone in any less regard for their viewpoint. Because I have been through it, I can assure you that the commission, your president and your board have heard and considered an enormous range of ideas and opinions, and even when the ultimate decision is at odds with some perspectives, they nonetheless have heard and are respectful of your voice. It is O.K. to have strong feelings—and as Wilsonians, you’re expected to have strong feelings—but on our campuses we should not say things in the heat of anger without regard for the consequences, or attack well-meaning people—people who have accepted the responsibility and the charge for assuring that Wilson is strong and vibrant well into the next century. I am mindful that at Wells, when we were deeply engaged in the dialogue, and the aftermath of the decision, the chance to come together in respectful dialogue often brought people closer. Relationships, which are so central to our places, developed among people who might not have otherwise been engaged with one another, for there is no substitute for sitting down and talking, face to face. How well I remember sitting with our students, sometimes well into the evening, to get to the heart of their concerns, sometimes their fears, and ultimately their hopes. And I continue to have a special bond with some of the most strident student protesters, who are now among our most loyal alumnae. I always knew the depth of their concern was a mark of the depth of their caring. As I mention protests and alumnae, I have to take just a moment to comment on one aspect of alumnae reaction. While the conventional wisdom was that our most senior and most generous alumnae would be the most agitated with the coeducation decision, nothing could have been further from reality. On the one hand, these women had experienced lifetimes of change—from telegrams to cellphones—and many had tried in vain to convince their daughters and granddaughters to consider Wells, and this, really, seemed like a very sensible move to them. On the other hand, they were also the most invested in Wells’ success and they were not at all interested in any sentiments that included “better dead than coed.” They very much understood the lifetime value of a small, personalized, academically challenging education and they were committed to assuring that kind of experience for generations to come. Likewise, at Wells we had the dual reactions of the threat that alumnae would stop giving (which our data revealed tended to come from those who weren’t currently donors) and the promise that more alumnae would give if we remained single sex. The difficulty with that

position is that even if it were to occur on an ever-increasing and absolutely predicable annual basis, we simply weren’t appealing to enough students who found us valuable enough to pay for what we were offering—and we had to change that dynamic. And having done that, just as you have, the real responsibilities and challenges for your community and your leadership don’t end with that decision. The decision to open your doors to the full gender spectrum is simply a new starting point, a new opportunity to come together around your core educational values and talk about how to extend that work. Like Wilson, at Wells our work has always included care for the advancement of women—and it still does! That commitment hasn’t diminished. Rather, we have a new platform, a new environment, in which to further that commitment, for even within the context of greater inclusion, and a care for all of humankind, we maintain a special and specific focus on women and women’s roles and rights. We are deliberate in paying attention, in drawing more people into the dialogue, and in lifting up voices that might not otherwise be heard. One of the real joys on our campus has been to see men embrace a more traditionally women-centered approach. It is gratifying to know that we are extending the benefits of our histories, our practices, our role models and our traditions to a new population. For Wells alumnae who know firsthand the benefit of a Wells education to now be able to send their daughters and sons, granddaughters and grandsons, nieces and nephews—and all of the bright, curious, talented learners in their lives—to Wells has been a real plus for us and for them! Our ceremony to mark the occasion of the decision has now become a poignant reminder of the ongoing legacy of Wells through time, through change and through our alumnae—and now alumni. But actually, I knew, I knew in my gut and before the evidence confirmed it for me, that Wells was going to be all right when—on the last day of classes in our first year of coeducation, at one of our wonderful traditions, women and men were joined in the circle holding hands singing around the Sycamore tree—as “classmates” and “friends” and simply as “Wells people.” For Wells, coeducation has been a change—and that change has been for the better. Nonetheless, even as the decision to become coeducational was entirely the right decision for Wells College, it hasn’t guaranteed that we have been free from the ongoing challenges that face us as a small, rural, liberal arts college. It has though, perhaps, assured that we have remained in existence and that we are here to tackle those challenges. For just as you have, we identified a multifaceted set of initiatives to increase enrollment, enhance our programs and the student experience, leverage our best assets, and ensure financial sustainability well into the future. We never saw coeducation at the “end-all, be-all,” but as one of many solutions to address a very complex set of circumstances that aren’t unique to Wells or even to higher education. If I can leave you with just one thought today, it is that if you respect and care for one another, you trust in the integrity of your community, and you continue to speak up for what you believe in, you’ll be fine! And Wilson College will continue to make a real and positive difference in the lives of her students and contribute to the intellectual dialogue and the common good for generations to come. Visit us at www.wilson.edu l 11

Viewpoint

Viewpoint Larry Shillock, Ph.D. Professor of English

n mid-January, the Board of Trustees announced that Wilson would begin admitting male students to the residential college in fall 2013 and allow men to reside in campus housing starting with the 2014 academic year. Leslie Hoover ’13, vice president of the Wilson College Government Association (WCGA), spoke for many in the Wilson community when she responded to the announcement by asking John Gibb, chairman of the Board of Trustees, what would happen to the women-centered education that has long defined the College once men were admitted. Leslie’s question is important and forwardlooking. Because I have taught at Wilson for almost two decades, and because English and mass communications faculty members teach classes that male students often take, I would like to offer a provisional, two-part answer to it here. First, as the students in the College for Women (CFW) and Adult Degree Program (ADP) know, men already take our classes. At about 12 percent of the student body, such men are a decided minority. Still, the sons of Wilson employees can be found in day-school fare like English 108 College Writing or FirstYear Seminar, and men take education-related courses and pursue graduate studies in the evening. Wilson women have welcomed men with a spirit of matter-of-fact generosity. They work with them in conference groups, observe their presentations intently, and banter about matters large and small. Male students, for their part, fit in with our women- and learningcentered culture. Indeed, I cannot remember a time when a male dominated a classroom or was less than whole-hearted in his support of women’s opportunity. Disagreements can of course happen in any class, and yet the

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gender-inflected differences that sociologists have studied at length—where men are prone to interrupt women and women can become more passive in the presence of male peers—appear to have been absent here. To be sure, women students have shown their surprise when a male peer arrived on the first day of classes, and men have confided being a bit anxious about attending a women’s college for the first time. Later, those same men report being pleased with how they were accepted by peers. If students, alumnae, and faculty want a reason for why this is so, they might entertain the idea that a women-centered education— one attentive to historical nuance, generous in the face of learning differences, inclusive in the best sense of the term, and rigorous—is good for all. Studies show that women students benefit from an education that writes them into, not out of, history. Men, too, could be expected to appreciate classrooms that represent a more accurate account of the human condition and offer a respite from the competitiveness that informs, and can deform, masculinity. My second answer to Leslie’s question is part acknowledgment, part prediction. Yes, growing the College’s enrollment and increasing the percentage of male students will impact our culture. At minimum, we will need to change some of our regulations and make a place for men in the dorms. Women students will share leadership positions with men. How much the presence of men changes us will nevertheless depend on how seriously we hew to our values as learners and educators. It is not news that Wilson students come here to better themselves and prepare for active citizenship. They sense how competitive the job market has become and point themselves, laserlike, toward the work world that awaits. It is

hard to imagine that such ambitions will change as the number of male students on campus increases. For their part, many faculty members are feminists who do not shy away from that term and the responsibilities that accompany it. As educators, we discuss the historical accomplishments of women in our classes. We recognize, and do not overstate, the obstacles to women’s fulfillment that mark the past and present. And we pride ourselves on teaching in ways that will enable women students to pursue the same dizzying opportunities that more privileged men have long enjoyed. Whether feminist or not, faculty members believe in liberal learning that is based in the critical, multidisciplinary self-reflection and historical knowledge that increases all students’ freedom. At Wilson, such an education is not for the few or the elite, but for the many. I promised a prediction, and here it is: Classes will not differ much once men become more of a fixture. I do not believe that chemistry and English and fine arts and sociology and all other academic disciplines will be taught so differently once men students become common. I hold to this view because Wilson faculty and students alike see classrooms as places where transformation is possible. Too often, administrators, faculty and staff isolate such transformation by speaking of the changes that our students undergo. But faculty and staff members too have been transformed by working in our women’s community—by aligning themselves, in a phrase, with the Wilson women they have taught and simultaneously learned from. I trust that those changes and their explicit values will not abrade when the doors are opened further to men in 2013 and the years beyond.

archives

Banner created by Alison Hunt ’81.

and managing the Preservation of Wilson College Trust to raise funds to keep the College open, the College was preparing to close at the end of the academic year. Valuable objects, including art, china and silver were removed from campus to prevent theft. Prospective students were informed of the closing, and faculty and staff began to find employment elsewhere, in some cases leaving their offices abandoned. Letters went out to donors and those with Wilson College in their wills, encouraging them to instead entrust their bequests to the Wilson College Foundation. On May 7, 1979—78 days after the announcement of Wilson’s closing—the hearing in the Franklin County court began. Judge John W. Keller instructed the parties that the burden of proving it impractical or impossible to continue the operation of the College rested with the Board of Trustees. Five days of testimony from students, alumnae, faculty, trustees, staff, the president and expert witnesses followed. Meanwhile, 37 former members of the faculty filed their own lawsuit seeking $669,906 in severance pay from Wilson College, claiming that their termination was handled improperly. Fundraising efforts of the Save Wilson Committee continued as well, reaching $1.1 million before the end of the hearing. On May 25, 1979, Judge Keller ruled that Wilson College would remain open. The ruling was rushed to campus by students who were awaiting the decision at the courthouse and given to Prof. Jim Applegate, who read it to a crowd of students, staff and faculty outside of the library. A mood of elation spread across campus as the bell in Edgar Hall rang out. The scene at the Save Wilson headquarters was described as “bedlam.” Students and faculty celebrated throughout the night. The details of Judge Keller’s ruling harshly criticized the Board of Trustees. He ruled that the board neglected its duties to Wilson in many ways, and unlawfully implemented the closing of the College and allocation of its assets before seeking the approval of the court.

Waggoner was immediately removed from the Board of Trustees and was admonished for “gross abuse of authority and discretion.” While commencement for the 44-member Class of 1979 was scheduled for May 27, there were issues and tensions still to be worked out before then. The day following the ruling, Trustees met on campus and 13 members resigned. Elisabeth “Nan” Hudnut Clarkson ’47, one of the remaining board members, was elected as temporary chair of the board and President Waggoner’s resignation was announced. Dr. Donald Bletz, a political science professor, accepted the role of acting president of Wilson. The Save Wilson Committee moved its operations onto campus on May 30. Besch, still its chair, was appointed to serve on the Board of Trustees. The other vacancies on the board were selected from a list of names prepared in advance by the Save Wilson Committee, with Clarkson becoming the full-time chair of the board. With nearly half its faculty and staff already departed, alumnae and their families, board members and students assumed roles within the College’s administrative offices. Many more alumnae and students answered the call of their alma mater that summer, volunteering for jobs from weeding and painting to office work in order to prepare the campus for the fall 1979 semester. Bletz would, by design, serve as president until 1981, by which time the search for a new president resulted in Mary-Linda Merriam assuming the Office of the President. That same year Wilson would introduce the first pre-professional program—veterinary medical technology—to its curriculum. And in 1982 the College would launch the Division of Continuing Education, now the Adult Degree Program, allowing women and men, at least four years out of high school, to enroll in degree programs. This story is based on archival documents from the Hankey Center for the Education and Advancement of Women. A full bibliography is available online at www.wilson.edu/savewilsonbiblio. Visit us at www.wilson.edu l 15

Environmental Sociology Course Benefits Students and Community By Lesley Eichelberger ’16

A hot air balloon launch reminds children they can conquer their fears of domestic violence as part of a project coordinated by Alyssia Rice ’14 with local Chambersburg children’s advocacy groups.

For the ambitious student, college is a time of exploration as well as academic and personal growth. Students are exposed to all of the above through “Environmental Sociology,” a class taught by Dr. Ed Wells, associate professor of environmental studies. The class, which incorporates a problem-based service learning curriculum, allows students to learn and grow while also providing valuable support to the local community. “These projects foster personal investments from the students,” said Wells. “They work closely with a community organization or business, and they do not want to let them down.” Students are free to choose their community partner, as long as their project goal identifies a problem within the community and provides a possible solution. Wells introduces students to a variety of potential community partners. One such partner is the Elm Street Program, a Pennsylvania-run program for neighborhood revitalization that serves a large portion

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of Chambersburg’s downtown area and offers direct networking opportunities for many community advocates. Jack Jones, director of Elm Street, along with Isabel Stennett, director of BOPIC (Building Our Pride in Chambersburg), talk about their organizations with students at the beginning of the semester. “The invitation several years ago from Dr. Wells has been a welcomed aid to Elm Street’s mission,” Jones said. “We recognize that the youth in this area are not getting realistic, meaningful opportunities commensurate with their abilities. They are disconnected from their community and it is a huge waste of potential, for both the youth and those that could benefit from their skills. These projects also help to get Elm Street exposure, helping to further our work.”

Marissa Feldberg ’14 is one of the students who chose to partner with Elm Street for her project. On Nov. 9, 2012, she hosted a job fair at the Chambersburg Recreation Center. The event focused on providing relevant information and resource contacts for the unemployed Hispanic population of Chambersburg. “I notice the long, constant line outside of the temporary job agency that I pass on my way to work every day,” said Feldberg. “They line up in the cold. It makes me want to help them somehow. Her project enlisted the services of Wilson’s Office of Career Development; officials from Pathstone, an agency for senior citizen employment; attorney Victoria Edwards, who discussed worker’s compensation issues; House of Grace/Dress to a Tea, a non-profit mentoring service for women and their affiliated consignment clothing shop; and Aerotek Staffing Agency, a job placement service that does not take a cut of the worker’s salary. The job fair was sponsored by Elm Street funds and, with the help of Stennet as a translator, drew in 25 Hispanic participants. “The overall unemployment rate is 8.2 percent for Pennsylvanians,” Feldberg said. “It is 17.5 percent in the Hispanic community. The loss of manufacturing jobs in this area, outsourcing and the move toward a national service economy leave fewer jobs in a competitive job market. Social issues such as immigration and racism, and a lack of job services to address these issues, leave the Hispanic population at a severe and unjust disadvantage.” Another student, Alyssia Rice ’14, chose to focus her project on educating young people about domestic violence. Her motivation came from her own painful personal experience of abuse and her inability to recognize a dangerous situation. “My dad would kick and push me. He would constantly tell me that I was worthless,” Rice said. “I slept with a bag packed with my clothes and stuff so I would be ready to escape in case he came after me while I was sleeping.” It was not until her freshman year at Wilson, during an introduction to sociology class, that she came to understand that her experience constituted domestic abuse. To help prevent other children from remaining victims of domestic violence, Rice partnered with Elm Street and Network Ministries, a Christian-based children’s advocacy group that provides educational and nutritional support to poor children in the Chambersburg area. “I created a Power Point slideshow that told about my experience and that emphasized that abuse comes in many forms, but none of it is O.K.,” said Rice. “My main goal was to make them understand that they are not alone, that there is someone out there that they can trust to talk to and ask for help.” As a final reminder to the children that fear does not have to determine their lives, Rice and Elm Street provided them with a hot air balloon to launch. The children were asked to write their fears

on the paper shell of the balloon. At dusk, the group watched as the glowing symbol for empowerment rose into the sky. “It was awesome,” said Jones. “This project was as much about (Rice) healing as it was about her helping those children. She seemed like a weight was lifting from her shoulders as that balloon floated away.” It is this type of transformative experience that Wells hopes his students will gain from his class. He feels that their commitment and drive, combined with the hands-on practical experience needed to be successful in these projects, promotes the attributes necessary to be successful in real life. “I failed at my first job out of college,” Wells said. “I was smart, but I did not know how to take initiative. I was given the task of a county planner, but I didn’t even realize what that meant or how to get started. I sat at my desk for a few weeks and eventually resigned. I want to make sure that my students are more prepared than I was.” Wells hopes classes that used problem-based service learning will help students gain the experience and confidence to be future leaders, while also preserving and strengthening their school’s academic reputation and relationships with the community. “This type of applied learning has so many benefits for students, the community and the school. It is part of what the school needs to move forward,” said Wells.

Visit us at www.wilson.edu l 17

Renaissance Woman Carole Gallagher ’98 Retires After 27 Years By Cathy Mentzer

Members of the Wilson community gathered in Lenfest Commons in January to thank Carole Gallagher for her long service to the College (1985 to 2013) and celebrate her retirement. Current and former trustees also honored her during a reception in February, thanking her with the first of six benches that will be placed around campus. Each bench will have a plaque with her name and a quote by her favorite poet, Robert Frost, that reads: “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less travelled by, and that has made all the difference.”

model of discretion with just the right mix of intelligence, tact and diplomacy—and an expert on the Irish potato famine—Carole Gallagher ’98 spent the past 27 years as executive assistant to four Wilson College presidents. Gallagher, who retired recently, is a published author who can speak more than a little French and is learning to play the violin. Before restarting her career by joining Wilson in 1985 as a part-time secretary in the president’s office, she spent 14 years raising the four children she had with her husband, Don. “She is this Renaissance woman,” said former Board of Trustees Chair Trudi Blair ’76, who in a note read at a recent Trustee reception for Gallagher, used superlatives such as “gracious, supremely efficient and beautifully articulate” to describe her. During her years at Wilson, Gallagher worked for former Wilson presidents Mary-Linda Merriam, Gwen Jensen and Lorna Edmundson. She was involved with the past two presidential searches, including the one that brought Dr. Barbara K. Mistick to the College, and served under Mistick from July 2011 through January. True to form, Gallagher won’t even hint at which Wilson College president is her favorite. “Each time a new president would come, the challenge would be how to best serve that person. It’s a different answer each time,” she said. “They were all very different, and I learned things from every one of them.” Often referred to by fellow employees as Wilson’s “institutional memory,” Gallagher planned to retire last year, but was persuaded to stay when Mistick asked her to remain through the Board of Trustees’ vote to adopt a framework for the future. When the board’s vote was postponed until Jan. 13, Gallagher wanted to see it through

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and help ease the transition for her replacement, Melissa Imes ’91, who has served the College in other capacities in the admissions and business offices. “I have really enjoyed working for Barbara,” said Gallagher. “It was a hard decision to make.” But her many interests beckon. At 72, Gallagher plans to fill her days enjoying the many pursuits she hasn’t had time for until now. She intends to spend more time with her grandchildren and friends, and indulge her interests in gardening, cooking, travel, going to the movies and learning to play the violin her son, Dan, made for her a few years ago. “I have a long list of things I’d like to do,” she said. “I have books to read – many, many books to read. I think maybe I’ll do some writing. I want to do something for my children and grandchildren involving family history. I think I’ll pursue that in various ways.” A trip to Ireland this fall for a gathering of the Gallagher family could be in the offing. Gallagher graduated from Pierce Business College in her hometown of Philadelphia. She enrolled in the University of Pennsylvania to study English but before graduating, marriage intervened. For a time, she worked as secretary for the Rotary Club of Philadelphia, the fourth-largest Rotary Club in the world at the time. Then along came her children – Jim, Dan, Kevin ’03 (director of computer services at Wilson) and Anne. The family moved to Chambersburg for Don’s job and by 1985, Gallagher was ready to re-enter the work force. She applied for the Wilson position because she had most of the qualifications — except she had never used a computer.

She still remembers her first day. “I went in and Mary-Linda had bought an IBM PC,” said Gallagher, who joined executive assistant Marian McAttee in the president’s office. “There was a manual there and they said, ‘You’re going to learn how to use it.’” So she worked at it an hour each day until she got the hang of it. When Jensen arrived in 1991, McAttee and Gallagher switched roles and Gallagher took on more responsibilities. While working for Jensen, Gallagher decided she wanted to earn her long-delayed bachelor’s degree and Jensen suggested that she take a year-long, unpaid sabbatical to take classes. “I had the best time. I loved it,” said Gallagher, a self-described perennial student. “I took everything I wanted to take and I was a work-study student in the president’s office.” Gallagher received her bachelor’s degree and continued taking classes even afterward, for fun. “She’s very smart, and I found I could use that intelligence to help me find my way through to the other side of a problem,” Jensen said. “I can’t write these words without mentioning one of her most wonderful attributes – her superb memory. She simply forgets nothing.” One of the most interesting experiences Gallagher had during her Wilson career occurred during Jensen’s time as president. “She needed someone to provide support in addition to what the advancement division was able to do at that time, and offered that opportunity to me,” said Gallagher, who performed prospect research and arranged meetings and events, working closely with advancement and donors. “It was virtually a full-time job for a few years.” While working at Wilson and with the encouragement of her oldest son, who owns a book packaging business in New Jersey, Gallagher wrote two junior high school-level books for school libraries – one about Christopher Columbus and another about the Irish potato famine. She says she loved researching the books and learned a lot. Gallagher enjoyed many things about her job at Wilson, including the unceasing challenges, variety and campus setting, but she especially enjoyed working with the presidents and with the many Board of Trustees members she got to know through the years. “I had wonderful relationships with Trustees,” she said. “It was one of the absolute joys of the job, to get to know the Trustees.” The feeling is mutual. Trustees honored Gallagher at a Feb. 22 reception, presenting her with the first of six benches that will dot the campus, each with a plaque with her name and a quote by her favorite poet, Robert Frost. They also made a tribute gift to the Wilson Fund. “Carole was the grand ghostwriter, I think for probably all the chairs of the board,” Blair said. “She just had this way of making us – at least me – sound more gracious than I was. The other thing she brought was that history. She knew how to say things in the context of her 27-year history at Wilson, and that’s important.”

President Barbara K. Mistick shares her memories of working with Carole during a reception to celebrate Carole’s retirement on Jan. 29 in Lenfest Commons.

Friend and colleague Regina Parson (right) gets emotional as she thanks Carole for being her ally in the President’s Office.

Joan Foresman Edwards ’58 spoke fondly of her interactions with Carole and the President’s office.

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Rehoboth Oil on canvas, 2012, 24" x 36" Beck Metzbower ’13 My artwork is about connections and disconnections. I bring these ideas to life through abstraction. I allow my work to take on a life of its own as I unconsciously pour myself into the work. In short, I process life’s experiences through my artwork. When the medium has dried, I find myself wholly attached to the piece that so accurately reflected a certain feeling, place, or time.

Rehoboth is a piece about my connection to location. I’ve visited this place every October since I was a young girl. This location is known for its brilliant sunrises bursting with color. My goal for this painting was to recreate the sunrises. It is now a cherished piece of mine and every time I see it I count down the months until October, when I will take my own children to this beloved haven.

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NEWS | from around the green

Lenfest Gift Challenges Alumnae and Alumni

he John Stewart Memorial Library fund recently received a momentum boost with a $3.6 million matching gift from Marguerite Lenfest ’55. “It is my hope that this gift shows the strength of my commitment to Wilson today and inspires others to support the library project, which is essential to the academic core of the College and of great importance to both current and prospective students,” said Lenfest. The gift serves as an impetus for donors and stresses the significance of the library project. Contributions to the library fund will be matched by the Lenfest gift, doubling the impact of individual donors to the project. “We are excited about the plans for a progressive, modern library with a learning commons that will become the center of our academic community,” said President Barbara K. Mistick in announcing the gift at a meeting of the board in February. “I cannot overstate how important the library project is because of its positive impact on our efforts to attract and retain students.” The College began a fundraising effort in 2011 to renovate and restore the historic 1923 library building, while razing a 1961 addition and replacing it with a learning commons equipped to meet the changing needs of today’s educators and students. Prior to the Lenfest gift, Wilson had raised $2.4 million for the project. Though these contributions do not qualify for matching, they provide an essential foundation toward reaching the project goals. 22 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

Lenfest has a history of matching gifts—which serve to energize and expand the number of donors—to Wilson. During the Leading with Confidence campaign, a gift from Lenfest and her husband, Gerry, matched donations from 301 donors totaling $8.46 million. With the implementation of the Wilson Today plan to transform the College into a thriving liberal arts institution, including adding programs, improving infrastructure and expanding coeducation, an updated library will be an important component of Wilson’s revitalization.

“I am excited about the transformation recently put in motion at Wilson College,” said Lenfest. “I am proud to be able to demonstrate my support and to help address the College’s most urgent need.” The Lenfests are longtime supporters of Wilson College, contributing generously to the College’s unrestricted endowment, student scholarships, faculty development, the Women with Children program and facilities renovations. Marguerite Lenfest served as a member of the Wilson board of trustees for many years and was awarded an honorary degree in 2006.

NEWS | from around the green

First Vice President for Marketing and Communications Wilson has its first vice president for marketing and communications in Brian Speer, an award-winning communications professional with more than 20 years of experience in communications and design. Speer, who joined Wilson in October, is responsible for college-wide strategic marketing and marketing communications programs, as well as media and public relations. He will oversee the marketing and communications department, including Debra Collins, director of communications; Emma Lewis, managing editor of Wilson Magazine; Cathy Mentzer, manager of media relations and college editor; James Butts, associate director for online marketing and analytics; and Courtney Wolfe, administrative assistant. Speer is currently conducting a search to fill the position of graphic designer. Speer most recently served as director of integrated marketing and design at Colby College in Maine, a U.S. News & World Report top 20 national liberal arts college. He has

led research projects, positioning/repositioning initiatives, and message development and deployment. He has also developed innovative marketing programs using both traditional and new media. “It’s an exciting time to join Wilson College,” Speer said. “The board’s decision has set the course for the College and for the marketing and communications program. We are at a pivotal moment for Wilson, and I’m eager to work with the community to move the College forward.” Speer’s work has received numerous awards from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) and the University and College Designers Association (UCDA) among others. Speer has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Ohio University in graphic design. After spending two years as a designer in Chicago, he worked in Portland, Maine, as a freelance designer before joining Colby.

Brian Speer

New Development Director Brings Valuable Experience Bea Sanford recently joined Wilson’s Office of Institutional Advancement as the new director of development and gift planning. Sanford, who most recently worked in the Office of Gift Planning at North Carolina State University, has broad experience in estate planning and finance. She began her career at Bank of America, working in trust administration in Naples, Fla. Sanford later became a vice president for Merrill Lynch Trust Co., where she assisted financial advisors and their clients with estate planning. In 2001, she moved to North Carolina to serve as director of gift planning for Elon University for more than five years before joining North Carolina State. Sanford says she enjoys development work, especially helping donors achieve their goals for the assets they entrust to Wilson and providing scholarship support for students and funds to attract and retain faculty members.

“College changed my life,” said Sanford, who went to college as an adult. “I would not have had the opportunities that I had. So for me, it’s a way to give back.” Wilson appealed to Sanford for several reasons, including aligning with her values about environmental sustainability and adult learning. She also appreciates the small college atmosphere, where “you immediately can see the impact that you’re making.” Sanford has a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Regents College in Albany, N.Y., and a master’s degree in liberal studies from the University of North Carolina, Greensboro. She also has a certificate in nonprofit management from Duke University’s Office of Continuing Education. Sanford, who is originally from near Philadelphia, lives in the North End of Chambersburg with her husband, David.

Bea Sanford

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NEWS | from around the green

Student Profile: Casey Beidel ’13 By Cathy Mentzer

asey Beidel ’13 has a unique perspective on Wilson College. He is a male student the same age as most College for Women students, and he has thrived here. The son of a Wilson administrator, Beidel is enrolled through the College’s employee provision and has strong family ties to Wilson: his mother, Patty, and two sisters, Jennifer and Emilee, are graduates. But when it was his turn to decide on a college, Beidel’s first choice was not Wilson. He enrolled in a nearby liberal arts college that is highly regarded. Although he enjoyed the classes and instructors there, something was missing. He didn’t feel welcome. “It was like walking into a fraternity where the whole college was the fraternity,” said Beidel. After discussing it with his family, Beidel decided to transfer to Wilson for his sophomore year. Initially, he struggled with the feeling that he didn’t quite fit in, but he soon became comfortable and began to flourish. Once at Wilson, Beidel discovered an unexpected talent for creative writing. “Casey has a real natural talent for writing. He can tell a story incredibly well,” said Dr. Michael Cornelius, English instructor and Beidel’s adviser. “He’s one of the most naturally gifted writers I’ve ever worked with.” Beidel settled on English as his major and mapped out a course for his future. Last spring, he was named the Disert Scholar, an honor reserved for the student with the best honors thesis proposal.

Beidel says he couldn’t have done it without the nurturing and supportive environment at Wilson, where he has embraced every challenge and come to appreciate a liberal arts education. Beidel credits English professor Larry Shillock for awakening his appreciation of literature. It was Shillock’s interpretation of John Cheever’s short story, “The Swimmer,” that triggered Beidel’s imagination. “That story in particular became much different when I re-read it,” he said. “I realized there was something deeper to it. … You start looking at things in a different way and your brain starts thinking differently.” Cornelius has become a role model, helping Beidel craft a plan for his future. He hopes to go to graduate school and become a college instructor, while continuing to hone his writing chops in a newly born genre of fiction called New Wave Fabulism. “Instead of being just one number on a big grid of people who don’t care about you, I feel like I got the attention here I needed,” he said. “If my adviser had 50 other people, I wouldn’t have felt that. It wouldn’t be the same if I didn’t have the personal relationships that I do here.”

Gates Millennium Scholar: Shaylah McQueen ’16

ilson’s first Gates Millennium Scholar, Shaylah McQueen ’16 decided to enroll in the Women with Children Program with her 2-year-old son, Zaccaeus, after hearing about Wilson College from a high school social worker. “I chose Wilson because it was closest to my hometown, and I fell in love with the campus when I visited for my interview,” said McQueen, who is from New Haven, Conn. The Gates Millennium Scholars (GMS) program, established in 1999 by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is open to high school seniors who have a grade-point average of 3.3. The program selects 1,000 talented students each year to receive a “goodthrough-graduation” scholarship to use at any college or university of their choice. McQueen was recommended for the scholarship during her junior year of high school. Despite the challenge of becoming a mother while still a high school student, McQueen excelled academically and was ranked first in her graduating class, earning her the honor of valedictorian. Throughout high school, she was very active as a community service volunteer, tutor, actor and 24 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

softball player. She founded the James Hillhouse Attendance Buddies Program, which mentors students with poor attendance records. McQueen, who lives on campus with her son, finds the Wilson community very accommodating. “The staff here really wants to help and encourage,” she said. “They believe in us just as much as we believe in ourselves.” McQueen plans on pursuing a major in education with a concentration in Spanish. She also intends to minor in business management and dance. After graduation, McQueen wants to attend a graduate school. “I plan to become a teacher and teach in my hometown,” said McQueen. The GMS program, which is administered through the United Negro College Fund, was created with the goal of developing Leaders for America’s Future™. Scholarships provide outstanding lowincome students with an opportunity to complete an undergraduate college education in any discipline they choose. To date, more than 16,000 students have received GMS scholarships, attending more than 1,500 schools.

NEWS | from around the green

In Remembrance: Col. Alfred “Bud” Kitts By Cathy Mentzer

fter his retirement from the U.S. Army, Col. Alfred “Bud” Kitts brought his talents to Wilson College, where he nurtured and developed the equestrian program into one of national prestige. Along the way, he had a profound influence on scores of Wilson students who, by all accounts, adored him. Kitts, who for many years owned a horse farm in the Newville area north of Chambersburg, died on Feb. 26 at the age of 87. He is survived by his wife, Gretchen, son Chris and daughter Amy. His passing was mourned by the entire Wilson College community, including former acting president Donald Bletz, who hired the award-winning rider and former Olympian in 1981 to develop and strengthen what was then called the “equitation” program. “When I came to Wilson in 1975, there was equestrian activity on campus, but no academic program, even though a number of students brought their horses to Wilson,” Bletz said. At the time, the College was using the stables and riding facilities it had acquired from the former Penn Hall campus in 1973. “It occurred to me that the resource might be better exploited,” said Bletz, who was already thinking of bringing in Kitts. The two men had served their last Army tour of duty at the U.S. Army War College in nearby Carlisle. By the time the Board of Trustees approved the idea and the faculty O.K.’d it, Bletz was no longer acting Wilson president but served on the curriculum committee and was instrumental in getting Kitts to join the faculty as program director. “I must say this took some persuading, but he did it and, as the saying goes, the rest is history,” said Bletz, who credits Kitts with virtually single-handedly developing Wilson’s equestrian studies major. “Bud was a good friend, and good soldier, a good man and a good Wilson College professor,” Bletz said. Kitts was the son of Army Capt. Isaac Kitts, a well-known horseman who won a bronze medal in the 1932 Olympics. Kitts followed his father’s path, learning to ride and joining the Army after military school. He spent the next 32 years as an Army artillery officer, serving in the Pacific in World War II and later in Vietnam, where his gallantry in action earned him a Silver Star. While in the military, Kitts rode for the Army equestrian team and qualified for the American Olympic equestrian team. He received many awards and accolades for his riding abilities and was also highly sought after as a judge on the international dressage circuit. He taught clinics in equitation, dressage, jumping and combined training around the U.S. and in other countries. Col. Kitts and his wife, Gretchen, are surrounded by the many students and friends who shared their personal stories about Kitts during the 2011 Reunion Weekend Faculty Award presentation.

Here is what some Wilson graduates said about Col. Kitts on Facebook: “His passing is a great loss.” — Sarah Muller Smith ’85 “Col. Kitts was one of the reasons that I attended Wilson College. He was a great influence on my life and I cherish all the memories that I have of him. Rest in peace, sir. You did great things in your life and are fondly remembered by so many of your girls.” — Kristen Tshudy Sims ’89 “(The) Colonel was a true gentleman who respected and honored Wilson College’s mission. His influence and passion lives on in so many of his students.” — Kristen Bardell ’94 “Col. Kitts was, quite simply, the best. A great horseman and wonderful teacher.” — Virginia Sciarpelletti ’95 “I felt honored to have had him as an instructor and teacher.” — Maria Ludwig-Hayes ’98

Col. Kitts instructs Jennifer George Yaukey ’87 on Flash in spring 1984.

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NEWS | from around the green

Defining Wilson College Wilson’s Office of Marketing and Communications is conducting an electronic survey of alumnae. It will include questions about your Wilson experience, your perceptions of the College and the best ways for Wilson to communicate with you. If you would like to receive a paper copy of the survey, please email us at communications@ wilson.edu or call us at 717-262-2607 and tell us: your name and class year, mailing address, and phone number. The survey may be accessed at www.wilson.edu/survey.

Boyd Archives Launches New Online Exhibit A new online exhibit, “Campus Places & Spaces,” is now available on the C. Elizabeth Boyd ’33 Archives webpage. The informative exhibit lets you browse more than 100 years of images of the Wilson campus, its buildings and their interiors. You can visit the exhibit at www.wilson.edu/eba.

Muhibbah Club Hosts Dinner Guests attending the annual Muhibbah Club Dinner in March enjoyed a Middle East dance, performed by Anush Petrosyan ’14 and Ayorkor Dua ’15. Not pictured is exchange student Shumaila Bhatti and Azusa Terajima ’16. Several performances followed an international meal served by Muhibbah members in the Jensen Dining Hall. Part of the proceeds from the dinner will go to IMA World Health, a nonprofit faithbased health care organization providing aid and assistance to those in need in developing countries. 26 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

Legendary Sylvia Earle to Speak at Wilson Commencement

amed oceanographer, explorer, environmentalist and author Sylvia A. Earle will address the graduating class at Wilson College’s 143rd commencement ceremony, to be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 19. Former chief scientist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Earle — a leading proponent of protecting the earth’s environment and resources — has been called “A Living Legend” by the Library of Congress and “Her Deepness” by the New York Times. Time magazine named her its first “Hero for the Planet.” Today, Earle’s work focuses on developing a global network of areas, both on land and in the ocean, called “Hope Spots” that would “safeguard the living systems and that provide the underpinnings of global processes, from maintaining biodiversity and yielding basic life support services to providing stability and resiliency in response to accelerating climate change,” according to Earle’s website.

Wilson Admits First Traditional-age Male Student

ilson admitted its first traditional-age male student to the undergraduate college in early February. He paid his enrollment deposit eight days later and will arrive this fall as a commuter student with quality academic credentials. By mid-March, another male student had been admitted and six others are in the process of completing their applications. Twelve additional male students have inquired about Wilson for the fall. Wilson operates on a policy of rolling admissions, which allows students to make application to the College up to August. Admissions also reports increased interest from counseling staffs at 31 area high schools. Staff members visited the schools to inform them about the changes taking place at the College. Although January and February are not months during which high school guidance counselors typically welcome college representatives, “the schools have been very receptive to a visit from Wilson,” Vice President for Enrollment Mary Ann Naso said. “Many said that they expected to hear from us when the move to full coeducation was announced. In many instances we met with the entire guidance counseling staffs at the schools.” Four community colleges that are within commuting distance have also been visited for the purpose of explaining all of the changes at Wilson. “From the perspective of the admissions staff, the reception we are receiving is fantastic,” Naso said. “The schools want to learn more about Wilson College, now that the doors are open to all of their students.” Admissions staff also reports interest at college fairs is brisk and enthusiastic.

NEWS | from around the green

Campus Comes Together to Celebrate Wilson

everal projects are under way on the Wilson campus to bring the community together after what proved to be a difficult time as the College debated its future course. The Labyrinth Project at Wilson College originated with Rosie Magee and will, in her words, “provide intentional space and place for reflection, renewal and rest as we journey through the semester and beyond.” Another project grew out of discussions between the Office of Student Development and resident assistants (RAs) in January. The “I Love Wilson” project came about as students and staff discussed the Board of Trustees vote on coeducation and other recommendations. “They were tired of the negativity. They were tired of the emotional upheaval,” Wilson Residence Life Director Sherri Sadowski said of the students. “They wanted to get back to a more positive place.” The campaign was launched on the day of spring convocation (Feb. 12) with pride buttons and punch cards and a “With Wilson We Stand” banner held up during the ceremony. “I Love Wilson” is open not only to students, but also to faculty and staff. The campaign involves creating buttons printed with declarations of what community members love about Wilson and a punch card system to encourage community members to attend events held on campus by providing rewards, such as T-shirts and gift cards. Posters are also being created with responses to the question, “What do you love about Wilson?” And personalized, plastic wristbands are being given to RAs for those students who are setting an example of the kind of behavior that is “consistent with Wilson values,” according to Sadowski. She said the person receiving the wristband will be asked to repeat the sequence. “We’re asking our community to pay attention to each other and reward those things that are positive within the community,” said Sadowski. The “I Love Wilson” campaign will culminate on Mother’s Day weekend with a day of service, which is tentatively planned to take place at the grave of Sarah Wilson. The Office of Alumnae/i Relations, in conjunction with the Alumnae Association of Wilson College, will officially launch its Reunion 2013 theme of “Proud to be Wilson” on the Friday (May 31) of Reunion Weekend, but the theme is being expanded to include on-campus activities such as handing out 300 boxes of Girl Scout cookies to students (see p. 35).

The “I Love Wilson” campaign was launched during Spring Convocation by students holding up a banner that reads, “With Wilson We Stand.”

“I Love Wilson” buttons declare what students and faculty love about Wilson and punch cards encourage community members to attend events.

Wilson Celebrates Women’s History Month “Women Inspiring Innovation through Imagination” was this year’s theme for National Women’s History Month in March. Wilson College celebrated it with a month-long series of on-campus events. Highlights included a talk by Sarah Weikart Wilson ’10 called “Margaret Criswell Disert — A Story: The Undercurrents of American Feminism before 1960,” an opening reception for a new exhibit in the Hankey Center entitled “Change at Wilson College,” and the showing of the film, “The Women of Summer,” which tells the story of working-class women who attended the Bryn Mawr Summer School for Women Workers that operated from 1921 to 1938. The series of events was coordinated by Wilson’s Women’s Studies Program and the Hankey Center.

Sarah Weikart Wilson ’10, gives a presentation called “Margaret Criswell Disert — A Story: The Undercurrents of American Feminism before 1960,” as part of the College’s Women’s History Month celebration. Disert was the longest-serving dean of Wilson from 1938-1964 and was a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy WAVES during World War II.

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NEWS | from around the green

Fall and Winter Sports Round-ups

Hannah DeMoss ‘13

Megan Schneck ‘14

Soccer ended the season with a 3-15 record (1-10 NEAC), with victories over Trinity University, Valley Forge Christian College and North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) opponent Morrisville State. Junior Courtney Bernecker led the team this season with eight goals. In her rookie season, freshman Emma Kurtenbach contributed two goals and two assists. In her final season, senior captain Hannah DeMoss was selected to the NEAC All-Conference third team as a defender. DeMoss anchored the Phoenix defense for four years at the center back position. She has started and played every minute of her 63-game career at Wilson, combining for over 5,670 minutes spent on the soccer field. Senior goalkeeper Katie Murphy recorded 177 saves, with a .697 save percentage. “This team makes progress and improves each season,” said head coach Beth Weixel. “Unfortunately, we say goodbye to a talented and dedicated group of seniors, but they have set a tremendous example for our younger players. We are looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish next year.” Field Hockey ended its season on a high note, winning seven of nine games in October. In the final game of the season, the Phoenix took nationally ranked Christopher Newport into overtime. Wilson held a 1-0 advantage throughout most of the game, but the eighth-ranked Captains were able to tie the game and eventually score the winning goal in the overtime period. The Phoenix finished 12-7 on the season. Freshman Arissa Ward led the team with 11 goals and two assists. In her sophomore campaign, Hillary Swartz followed with seven goals

28 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

Tara Fields ‘13

and nine assists. In her senior season, Maggie Sipps totaled nine goals and two assists. Freshman Gina Weigold and senior Brandy Holtzapple split time in the cage for the Phoenix. Weigold recorded 76 saves with a .760 save percentage. Holtzapple totaled 14 saves with a .636 save percentage. “I was very proud of our accomplishments this season,” head coach Shelly Novak said. “The team was dedicated and worked hard. They displayed a high level of excellence competing against a nationally ranked team taking them to overtime. While we ended the season with a loss, it was a great motivator moving into next season to show the team what they can accomplish.”

Basketball finished the 2013 season with a 3-19 record and was 1-17 in the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC). The Phoenix kicked off the season 2-0, defeating Cedar Crest and Bryn Mawr colleges to win the first annual Women’s College Tip-off Tournament. Wilson’s third win came late in the season with a 77-75 upset victory over NEAC rival Penn State Harrisburg. Junior Vanessa Whitfield led the Phoenix in virtually every offensive statistical category. Whitfield averaged 16 points per game with 9.3 rebounds per game and 12 double-doubles. This season she also surpassed the 1,000 careerpoint benchmark in the Feb. 17 game against the State University of New York (SUNY) Ithaca, on her way to earning NEAC third team all-conference honors. In her senior season, Tara Fields was a threat for the Phoenix on both sides of the ball, averaging 14.3 points and 2.7 steals per game.

Vanessa Whitfield ‘14

Fields ended her basketball career with 1,424 points, ranking her fourth among Wilson’s alltime career scorers. Sophomore Ashlee Yealy continued to be a presence in the paint for Wilson, averaging 10.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game, and accumulating 32 blocks this season. “Overall I am proud of how this team battled and finished this season playing our best basketball,” said head coach Angie Grove. “I am looking forward to continuing to develop our younger players and building our program into a NEAC conference contender.”

Gymnast Stands Tall Jenny Miller ’15 represented Wilson gymnastics as an individual competitor with tremendous dedication and passion in the final year of competition for the Phoenix program. “Jenny is one of the bravest gymnasts I know,” head coach Kirsten Mull said. “Her true character has shown through, despite all the obstacles we have faced this season. Her hard work and determination are evident day in and day out.” As part of on an ongoing evaluation of varsity sports teams, the College has decided to discontinue gymnastics following the 2012-13 academic year. The sole member of Wilson’s gymnastics team, Miller, an all-around gymnast, posted her best performance of the season scoring 30.275 in Wilson’s final home meet on Feb. 2, when Wilson hosted Rhode Island College and the State University of New York (SUNY) Brockport. Prior to the start of the meet, alumnae gymnasts marched in with Miller and were recognized in celebration of the program.

NEWS | from around the green

Coach’s Profile Brett Cline: Head Softball Coach Alma Mater: Temple, 1981 Career record: 158-165-1, spanning 12 years Awards: About Coach Cline: Coach Cline enters his 13th season at the helm of Wilson’s softball team. Last season, he led the Phoenix to their second straight NEAC South Division regular season championship and fourth consecutive NEAC Championship Tournament appearance. In 2012 Wilson finished the regular season 26-5 overall and undefeated at 20-0 in the NEAC South. Cline is employed at the South Mountain Secure Treatment Unit (STU) School, where he teaches business and computer technology. What is your favorite memory of your career at Wilson? “I have really enjoyed building a team culture

• 2010 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Co-Coach of the Year • 2012 NEAC South Division Coach of the Year that centers on our concept of the Wilson softball family. With every new season, the team becomes part of that legacy. I also love seeing the success we have achieved on the field, like winning the NEAC regular season championship, reaching the NEAC final four and playing in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) softball championship. Our next goal is focusing on winning the NEAC championship and reaching the NCAA playoffs.” Why do you love coaching? “I love the idea of giving back to the game that gave me so much in my youth. Being part of a team is a unique experience in life where a group of individuals come together to focus

on one common, competitive goal. I also enjoy getting to know young people and watching them grow and mature as leaders on and off the field.” What do you hope to leave your studentathletes with when they graduate? “I hope that I can somehow make a difference in their lives, perhaps help them develop leadership skills that will assist in their chosen professions, and help them become productive members of society. Above all, I hope that their time spent on the field is an enjoyable experience and provides positive life-long memories.”

Student-Athletes Attend Conference, Develop Plan to Prevent Substance Abuse

Jenny Miller ’15

Past and present Wilson gymnasts were recognized and received a bouquet during the final gymnastics meet on Feb. 2. They are (l-r): Elizabeth Verhey Neale ’82, Laura Beck ’12, Elizabeth Bush Meck ’11, Amber Rhyne Karkan ’04, Jenny Miller ’15, Heidi Eiwen ’99, Sarah Kramer Seachrist ’07, Rebecca Finch-Rose ’07, Susan Grove Pfaff ’86, Dana Brown Phares ’84 and Jessica Brandt ’07.

Wilson College student-athletes and staff members participated in the Athletic Prevention Programming and Leadership Education (APPLE) Conference in Charlottesville, Va., in January. APPLE was developed and coordinated by the NCAA and the Gordie Center for Substance Abuse Prevention with the goal of helping student-athletes’ health and wellness. This year’s conference focused on peer mentoring and leadership education to enhance substance abuse prevention efforts and develop alcohol, tobacco and other drugs policies with student input. According to Tracy Randall-Loose ’09, head athletic trainer and APPLE team coordinator, “The APPLE Conference is a valuable training symposium for our student-athletes,” she said. “It helps them become peer educators and develop an action plan emphasizing student-athletes’ health to help our campus programming throughout the year.” In addition to serving as Wilson’s APPLE team leader, Randall-Loose also presented on one of the conference’s breakout-session panels entitled, “Strategies for Success After APPLE.” As a member of the panel, Loose discussed how to implement the work completed at the conference, including how to best work with the higher-level administration, how to establish a buy-in for the plans and how to deal with challenges that might arise. Wilson College has participated in APPLE for 15 years.

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association news

Alumnae Association Board Nominees lumnae/i can vote by mail or online at www.wilson.edu/nominees. Online voting will close on A May 30, 2013, before Reunion Weekend. Members can vote in person during the annual Alumnae Association General Meeting on Saturday, June 1, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Alumnae Chapel. Jane Appleyard ’66 graduated from Wilson and three career moves later, she is back at CCPL, selecting fiction with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and minors in sociology and biology. Appleyard enjoyed a long career with the Department of Public Assistance as well as working in real estate and as assistant manager for the Weathervane Museum Store at the Landis Valley Village and Farm Museum in Lancaster, Pa. Now retired, she volunteers with the Lancaster County Office of the Aging “Friendly Visitor” program and the North Museum of Natural History, where she coordinates a major fundraiser. Appleyard has been honored for her service with two top volunteer awards. She served as president of the Philadelphia Club of Wilson College, was a member of the Lancaster Club of Wilson College and is currently the chair of the AAWC board’s Heritage Committee.

materials and periodicals for the library. Hopkins has volunteered on local school committees, serves her church as a Sunday school and youth leader and is secretary of the community food pantry. She is proud to say she was a founding member of the Chambersburg Seven.

Laureen Lutz ’08 graduated from Wilson with a degree in business management. Over the past 18 years, Lutz has held positions in sales and customer service with CenturyLink. She has served as the ambassador for adult degree program students at Wilson. A 2009 Leadership Franklin County recipient, Lutz has been an active member of the Chambersburg community and currently serves as treasurer of the Franklin County Club of Wilson College.

Harriet Bassler Argentiere ’71 graduated from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in art history and studio art, with a minor in biology. Argentiere worked for 35 years as an administrator in financial management in the Washington, D.C., area. A lifelong learner, she also earned licenses in real estate, insurance and brokerage sales. Argentiere has served on various committees of D.C. area chambers of commerce and was a member of the board of directors of the Bowie, Maryland, Chamber of Commerce and with the board of the Annapolis/Anne Arundel County Society for the Prevention and Cruelty of Animals (SPCA), serving as its treasurer. She retired in 2006 and currently lives in Chambersburg, where she serves on the executive committee of the Patriot Federal Credit Union’s board of directors and is a fundraising volunteer at the Cumberland Valley Animal Shelter.

Kendal Hopkins ’80 graduated from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in French literature and studio art. In the early 1980s, Hopkins managed the art gallery at College Misericordia before moving into public relations and admissions at the college. After moving back to Maryland, she took a position on the information staff of the Carroll County Public Library (CCPL). Twenty-five years

30 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

Patricia E. Szabo, M.D. ’73 graduated from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in chemistry. Szabo went on to earn her medical degree from Semmelweis Medical University in Budapest, Hungary, and has worked as a physician since. After operating a solo practice for 23 years, she now belongs to the Crozer Keystone Health Network in Drexel Hill, Pa. A member of the Delaware County Medical Society and the Pennsylvania Medical Society, Szabo has been recognized by Delaware County Memorial Hospital with its top service award. A volunteer with a local homeless shelter, she has served on the board of the Wyncote Church Home and as president and church elder with the Collenbrook United Church.

Sarah Weikert Wilson ’10 graduated from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in art history. A native of Chambersburg, Pa., Wilson received the Margaret Strode Haines Award and the Wilson College Fine Arts Prize in her senior year before moving on to earn a master’s degree in American studies from Penn State University. A former

association news

Mail-in Ballot Form Tear off and mail to: Wilson College Alumnae Association of Wilson College 1015 Philadelphia Avenue Chambersburg, PA 17201-1285 program coordinator at the Council for the Arts (CFTA) in Chambersburg, she worked with the Council’s board and served as interim director. While an undergraduate, Wilson was a volunteer with the C. Elizabeth Boyd ’33 Archives and remains an active volunteer with CFTA. She currently works as the archival assistant at the Hershey Community Archives and has been accepted to the American studies doctoral program at Penn State for fall 2013.

NOMINEES FOR ELECTION TO THE ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION BOARD SLATE 2013-2016 Vice President

Sue Ann Evans ’81 graduated from Wilson with a degree in history. After graduation, she went to work at the Philadelphia Stock Exchange and then at the Commodities Exchange in New York City. Evans then returned to Vermont to raise a family and work in marketing and sales for a number of local businesses. In 1995, Evans earned an M.B.A. from Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H. She currently works remotely from Vermont as a proposal associate for a global contract research organization dedicated to the management of the drug development process.

Kendal L. Hopkins ’80 Treasurer Sue Ann Morin Evans ’81 Alumnae Trustee Patricia Westervelt Bennett ’68 Directors Jane Appleyard ’66

Patricia Westervelt Bennett ’68 graduated from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in English. She earned a master’s degree in journalism from Quinnipiac University, where her thesis was presented before the American Journalism Historian’s Association in 2005. An award-winning reporter and columnist, as well as a historian of American media and a specialist in the Civil War press, Bennett continues to study the evolution of the media while maintaining her website at trishbennettjournalism.com. She is currently a director of the alumnae association, serving on the Heritage and Student/Parent Relations committees and the Reimagining the John Stewart Memorial Library Fundraising Advisory Committee.

Patricia E. Szabo, M.D. ’73 D’Arcy Charney Wagonhurst ’90 Sarah Weikert Wilson ’10 Laureen Lutz ’08 Nominating Representative Harriet Bassler Argentier ’71

❒ Vote for ❒ Vote against

D’Arcy Charney Wagonhurst ’90 graduated from Wilson with a degree in print communications. Born into a Philadelphia military family, she attended Vassar for two years before later completing her degree at Wilson. Wagonhurst has worked with the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency and as a reservist for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A retired mother of two, Wagonhurst continues to work part time with her son, a financial adviser with Wells Fargo, and lives in Mechanicsburg. She is an active member of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and is a member of several regional clubs.

Name/Class Year

Date

Vote online before May 30, 2013 at: www.wilson.edu/nominees

Visit us at www.wilson.edu l 31

association news

Hello, The Office of Alumnae/i Relations has been very busy during the past several months. We hope you are enjoying our monthly e-news, which we started sending in July 2012 to all alumnae/i for whom we have addresses. This is an informational piece of the happenings on campus and with the Association. There is now a tab on the Alumnae Association website for volunteer opportunities. It fosters outreach between alumnae/i and students, faculty and staff. e, The Office of Alumnae/i Relations, in conjunction with the Student and Parent Relations Committe of is reinvigorating the Aunt Sarah Program. Alumnae graciously gave holiday cards with various notes working are We students. 48 encouragement and gift cards for a holiday version of the program. We reached Due with a committee of volunteers to plan a series of alumnae/student activities for the spring semester. activities all coordinate to comments/feedback from the students and WCGA, we are asking that alumnae s. through the alumnae/i relations office. Please contact Marybeth Famulare with your ideas and suggestion The Fund. Wilson Thank you to the 243 alumnae who raised over $80,000 in just 26 days for the campaign was called the “Double It! Matching Fund.” On Jan. 5, the alumnae association held a special meeting to discuss how alumnae can help the College. lity. By the Several Cabinet members were also in attendance to provide insight into their areas of responsibi recruitwith assist to end of the meeting, we had established four task force groups and developed ideas were ment, retention, fundraising and marketing. During Winter Retreat Weekend, these task force groups met, has group force task introduced into our existing committee structure for further deliberations. Each forces, developed a charge and initiated an action plan. If you are interested in serving on any of these task ’80 Hopkins Kendal to you” please contact Marybeth Famulare in the alumnae/i relations office. A big “thank for all of her efforts in this endeavor. with In January 2013, the association awarded an internship gift to Yolanda Cabrera ’13. She is working cumulative the United Way of Franklin County. She is majoring in business management and currently has a GPA of 3.43. Yolanda is a student in the Women with Children program. Reunion Weekend is just around the corner. The theme this year is “Proud to be Wilson.” The of fun and Engagement Committee and alumnae/i relations office are working together to provide an array meaningful activities for all of Wilson’s constituents. Recent emails sent by alumnae/i relations staff members on behalf of the association has caused some confusion among recipients. We have now set up our own email account for communications to and from the Alumnae Association of Wilson College. It is aawc@wilson.edu. Thank you for all that you do for Wilson.

Mary Cramer ’91 President, Alumnae Association

32 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

This Phoenix pop-up card was a surprise delivery to a Women with Children student as part of the Aunt Sarah program.

association news

Writer’s Corner

Marilyn R. Mumford

Ann Revere Reed ’75 incorporates her passion for beach life in her debut novel, On a Dime: Senseless in Lewes. Published in June 2012, the book introduces readers to Marshall Hamilton Stewart III (a.k.a. Mars), a bank manager living a charmed life in the beach town of Lewes, Del. A few moments of reckless passion leads him down a troubled path of being framed for embezzlement by a woman from his past. Mars must struggle to return to the family he hopes will still be waiting for him. Reed is a former bank/information technology manager. A native of Rehoboth Beach, she lives in Lewes, Del.

Marilyn R. Mumford received her Ph.D. in English from Penn State. Her dissertation analyzed the work of a 15th-century Scottish poet, Robert Henryson. From 1959 to 2000, Mumford taught medieval literature and women writers at Bucknell University. She co-edited and contributed a critical essay to That Great Sanity: Critical Essays on May Sarton (U of Michigan P, 1992). Her fiction, poetry, and essays have appeared most recently in The Healing Muse (Syracuse NY), in SKIRT! (Charleston SC), and in The Post and Courier (Charleston SC).

KEEPING MOST OF OUR MARBLES IN PLAY

KEEPING MOST OF OUR MARBLES IN PLAY is a collection of primarily humorous essays and one children’s story. The title challenges the notion of seniors “losing our marbles,” and offers us, instead, a contrary vision that laughter keeps us limber, puts a shine on our marbles, and strengthens our resolve to enjoy life to the full. The three more serious essays in the collection acknowledge that life is not all fun and games, but suggest that if we meet the challenges of aging with courage, critical awareness, and an open heart, we make room for humor to nourish our spirits.

K E E P I N G M O S T OF OU R M A R B L E S I N P L AY Mar i l y n R . Mu m ford

Marilyn “Marti” Mumford ’56 has authored Keeping Most of Our Marbles in Play. The book is a collection of essays, mostly humorous but some serious, and one children’s story. Mumford, professor emerita of English at Bucknell, says, “Laughter keeps us limber, puts a shine on our marbles, and strengthens our resolve to enjoy life to the full.” She earned her Ph.D. at Penn State University and taught children’s literature, medieval literature and women writers at Bucknell from 1959-2000.

ENTER YOUR CREATIVE WORKS FOR AN ALUMNAE/I ART EXHIBITION Wilson College • Hankey Center Aug. 26 – Dec. 6, 2013 Wilson College Department of Fine Arts and Dance, Office of Alumnae/i Relations and C. Elizabeth Boyd Archives announce a call for entry for works of fine art for an exhibition of alumnae/i artwork to be held at the Hankey Center from Aug. 26 – Dec. 6, 2013.

Entry

Schedule

Each artist may submit one work of art. Artwork is to be exhibition ready (2D work wired/framed as appropriate; 3D work ready for display on wall or pedestal). Artists are responsible for shipping costs (return pre-paid shipping label is to be included inside shipping package). There is no entry fee.

Deadline to notify Wilson of your intent to exhibit is May 1, 2013. Artwork delivery deadline is Aug. 15, 2013. Exhibition Dates are Aug. 26 – Dec. 6, 2013. Opening Reception is Sept. 27, 2013, during Leadership Weekend. Artwork pickup for local alumnae/i is Dec. 9-13, daily from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Sales

Questions? Please contact Philip Lindsey at philip.lindsey@wilson.edu or call 717-264-4141, Ext. 3305.

Artist will have the option to offer their work for sale. Wilson College will retain a 20 percent commission on sold work.

Entry information to be sent to Wilson College.

Mail to: Philip Lindsey, Wilson College, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, PA 17201

Artist Class of Artwork title Date of completion Medium Sale price Insurance value if not for sale

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association news

The Conococheague Society

he Conococheague Society celebrates the philanthropy that has been an integral part of the College since Sarah Wilson provided the first gift of $30,000. Wilson was the first living woman in the United States to endow a college for women. The Pennsylvania Legislature granted the original charter on March 24, 1869. The Conococheague Society was created to recognize and thank the individuals who have invested in Wilson’s future through a planned gift. The Conococheague Society honors many alumnae/i and friends of Wilson College who share Sarah Wilson’s vision and commitment to fostering rigorous intellectual pursuits. Conococheague Society members are vital partners whose generosity sustains a legacy of giving that directly impacts Wilson’s ability to prepare all of its graduates for fulfilling lives and professions, ethical leadership and humane stewardship of our communities and our world.

Membership Conococheague Society membership is offered to individuals who make a planned gift commitment in support of Wilson College. There is no minimum gift amount; however, written documentation of the gift is needed before membership is offered. Once inducted, Conococheague members have various opportunities to become more fully engaged with the College and

like-minded individuals. Members will receive invitations to special events on campus and to Alumnae Association events held throughout the country.

There are numerous ways to make a deferred gift: • A bequest through a will or trust. • A life income gift such as a charitable remainder trust or charitable gift annuity. • Providing for Wilson College through a lead trust, private foundation, donor-advised fund or supporting organization. • Remainder interest in a residence or farm. • Naming Wilson College as a beneficiary of an Individual Retirement Account (IRA) or other retirement plan. • Assignment of a life insurance policy.

Planning Your Legacy Please consider joining other alumnae/i and friends of Wilson College by providing for the College through a future gift. Like Sarah Wilson, you can create a legacy that will help to secure a promising future for Wilson College. For more information, please contact Bea Sanford, director of development/gift planning, by calling 717-262-2010, ext. 3188, or by emailing beatrice.sanford@wilson.edu.

Will You Represent Wilson College? Have you received an email asking, “Will You Represent Wilson College?” Alumnae/i Programs Manager Dianna Heim has been in touch with alumnae/i asking them to represent Wilson at presidential inaugurations of other colleges and universities. Thanks to those who have stepped forward on behalf of Wilson: • Joan Hoover Hellwege ’56 – New College of Florida, Sarasota, Fla., on Feb. 15, 2013.

• Linda Myles Gates ’63 – Baldwin Wallace University, Berea, Ohio, on Oct. 11, 2012.

• Betsy McGowen ’75 – Woodbury University, Burbank, Calif., on Oct. 20, 2012.

• Dr. Shannon Dalton ’02 – Northampton Community College, Bethlehem, Pa., on Oct. 4, 2012.

• Beverly Ryon Gassdorf ’51 – Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Mich., on Oct. 20, 2012.

• Samantha Ainuddin ’94 – Lincoln University, Lincoln University, Pa., on Sept. 22, 2012.

• Lucille (Lucky) Carley Harrison ’52 – Sofia University, Palo Alto, Calif., on Oct. 19, 2012.

• Gretchen Van Ness ’80 – Emerson College, Boston, Mass., on Sept. 14, 2012.

• Erin Shore ’97 – Saint Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, Pa., on Oct. 12, 2012.

• The Rev. Elizabeth (Lee) Beckhusen ’73 – Keuka College, Keuka Park, N.Y., on May 4, 2012.

34 l Wilson Magazine l Winter/Spring 2013

association news

BALTIMORE CLUB GATHERING

The Baltimore Club had a luncheon at the Rusty Scupper in Baltimore on Jan. 17. Some members in attendance were Carolyn Trembley Shaffer ’50, Mary Snider Boldt ’84 and her mother, Rose Ohler Snider ’48.

GIRL SCOUT COOKIES AND AUNT SARAH PROGRAM

Also in attendance were Patricia C. Dischinger ’66 and Marianne “Merry” Scott Perry ’68.

ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION WINTER RETREAT The Alumnae Association gave Women with Children student Yolanda Cabrera ’13 an internship award during Winter Retreat. Yolanda is a business management intern at the United Way of Franklin County in Chambersburg during spring semester.

In February, Samantha Ainuddin ’94 and Julie Houser Showalter ’94 handed out Girl Scout cookies to engage students in the Aunt Sarah Program, which is being coordinated by Sharon Jaymes Falk ’93 and Lorrie Rejonis Trader ’05. Alumnae around the globe made donations to purchase the cookies. Thanks especially to Dr. Janet Foley ’83 for coordinating this sweet project. All alumnae/i and student engagement is coordinated through Marybeth Famulare, director of alumnae/i relations.

Pictured are: Jennifer Nickle Banzhof ’94, Cabrera, Mary Cramer ’91 and Lorrie Rejonis Trader ’05.

Franklin County Club Candy Sale The Franklin County Club held a candy sale in February with all proceeds benefitting the Franklin County Club student scholarship fund.

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Your Wilson Fund donation impacts every day life on campus. Your commitment to Wilson recognizes your experience here and allows current students educational opportunities to change the future. Gifts of all sizes make a difference. Join your classmates, faculty/staff, parents, community members and friends and make a difference by supporting the Wilson Fund.

Wilson College’s Fiscal Year runs from July 1 until June 30. For information on ways you can support and volunteer for Wilson, visit our website or contact the Institutional Advancement office at 717.262.2010

Alumnae Association of Wilson College Board of Directors

President Mary Cramer ’91 Vice President Marian “Mimi” Stevenson ’74 Secretary Patricia Markle Keffer ’96 Treasurer Jennifer Nickle Banzhof ’94 Alumnae Trustees Nancy Kostas ’64 Lisbeth S. Luka ’69 Amy Allen Boyce ’73

Directors Jane Appleyard ’66 Cynthia Fink Barber ’73 Trish Bennett ’68 Sue Ann Morin Evans ’81 Rita Handwerk Fisk ’64 Cazella Hinojosa Goodall ’70 Diana Hollada ’07 Kendal Hopkins ’80 Cathie Sunderland Jenkins ’71 Laureen Lutz ’08 Martha Estep O’Brien ’65 Susan Ross ’66 De-Enda Rotz ’05 Sarah Muller Smith ’85 Lorrie Rejonis Trader ’05 Dorothy M. Van Brakle ’09 Bob Ziobrowski ’02

www.wilson.edu/waystogive

Wilson College Board of Trustees Chair John Gibb Vice Chair Paula S. Tishok ’71 Secretary Elizabeth Van Dyke McDowell ’59 Treasurer Julie Englund Amy Allen Boyce ’73 Mary F. Cramer ’91 Susanna N. Duke ’71 Leslie L. Durgin ’69 Tami L. Fratis Sheldon Goettel Richard C. Grove J. Samuel Houser Edgar H. Howells, Jr. Pamela Francis Kiehl ’66 Nancy A. Kostas ’64 Tracy C. Leskey ’90 Heather E. Long Lisbeth S. Luka ’69 Barbara K. Mistick, ex officio Jane E. Murray ’67

Jill A.R. Roberts ’88 Marsha A. Sajer James A. Smeltzer Nancy C. Smith Phoebe H. Stevenson Judith R. Stewart ’73 Ronette M. Stoner Betty Lou L. Thompson’60 Nancy D. Washington Cabinet Dr. Barbara K. Mistick, President Brian Ecker, VP for Finance and Administration Mary Hendrickson, VP for Academic Affairs Mary Ann Naso, VP for Enrollment Carolyn Perkins, VP for Student Development Camilla B. Rawleigh, VP for Institutional Advancement Brian Speer, VP for Marketing and Communications

1015 Philadelphia Avenue Chambersburg, PA 17201-1285

Reunion Weekend May 31 – June 2, 2013 50th Reunion • 1963 • And all years ending in 3 & 8 Weekend Highlights Friday • Alumnae/i Colleges with topics from Beekeeping to Women with Children and the Fulton Center for Sustainable Living and More • President’s Pines & Maples Society Reception (by invitation) • Welcome Picnic on the Green, Celebrate “Proud to Be Wilson” during a familyfriendly picnic with music and kids’ corner

Saturday • State-of-the-College with President Barbara K. Mistick • All-Alumnae Luncheon • Alumnae Awards Presentation • Class Dinners Sunday • Memorial Chapel Service • Faculty Award Brunch

Look inside for more information or register online at www.wilson.edu/alumnae/reunion.

Join alumnae/i and friends as we honor our award recipients! Alumnae Association Awards Presentation Saturday, June 1, at 3:30 p.m. in the Brooks Complex Auditorium Distinguished Alumna Award Susan Whitmore Brooks 1963 Outstanding Young Alumna Award M. Nicole Zvarik 2003 Distinguished Adult Degree Program Alumna/us Award Stephen C. Oldt 1999 TIFT Award Cynthia Dimmick Grove 1963