Wilson Magazine Fall 2017

“A College

on the

�

Rise

Wilson continues to make strides

Velculescu '97 Heads IMF Mission | Alumnae/i Survey Summary Environmental Advocate | Researching Troubled Waters | Hope for Haiti volume 90 | FALL 2017 | number 3

THE WILSON FUND

“Unrestricted funding is critical because it allows us to meet the greatest need at the institution. It really helps close the gap between the cost of running the institution and the tuition revenues that come in. Particularly today, the need for that kind of unrestricted giving just keeps going up and up.�

Barbara K. Mistick President, Wilson College

wilson.edu/makeagift

volume 90 | FALL 2017 | number 3

FEATURES 14 Smart Money

By Coleen Dee Berry Wilson’s student loan buyback program works to lower students’ debt and help them become more financially savvy.

16 Aiming for Economic Equilibrium

By Coleen Dee Berry Delia Moraru Velculescu ’97 shoulders a herculean task as IMF mission chief to Greece.

14

20 Advice from First-Years…

Members of the Class of 2021 offer some tips to high school seniors on how to choose a college.

22 Why You Should Give to the Wilson Fund

By Cathy Mentzer The fund supports students every day, but giving trends are a “cause for concern.”

08 2017 Alumnae/i Survey Summary 10 2016-17 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

16

AROUND

THE GREEN 26 “A Daily Call to Action” Danniele Fulmer ’16 graduates from Vermont Law School as an environmental advocate.

28 Reviving Lake Heritage Wilson students identify possible solutions for troubled lake in Adams County, Pa.

30 Staying Hopeful for Haiti Every year since 2011, Abigail Selman ’18 has returned to Haiti to teach English.

32 A New Conference and a New Sport Wilson will join the Colonial States Athletic Conference and add men’s baseball as a sport in 2018-19.

ALUMNAE/I 35 Alumnae Association President’s letter; giving report; 2018 trips; Family Weekend photos.

37 Class Notes 61 In Memoriam

DEPARTMENTS

02 Letter from the Editor

22

03 Wilson News Wilson gains recognition; enrollment tops 1,200; tuition remains steady; LEAP program begins; new board members installed; Lenfests receive Carnegie Medal; new programs announced; medical mission trip planned; pep band formed; VMT alumna receives state

award; Eden Hall Foundation executive director honored.

34 Hidden History: A Year in the Life of a Freshman

By Amy Ensley 64 Last Word: A Small Act of Kindness

By Kimberly Maske-Mertz ’08

ON THE COVER Wilson students on the new academic quad. Photo by Ryan Smith.

STAFF

WILSON MAGAZINE COMMITTEE Coleen Dee Berry, Managing Editor Mary F. Cramer ’91, Alumnae Association President Amy Ensley, Director of the Hankey Center Marybeth Famulare, Director of Alumnae/i Relations Lisbeth Sheppard Luka ’69, Alumnae Association Cathy Mentzer, Manager of Media Relations and College Editor Camilla B. Rawleigh, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Jeremy Shepherd, Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Communications Brian Speer, Vice President for Marketing and Communications Kendra Tidd, Graphic Designer Courtney D. Wolfe ’12, Class Notes Coordinator Judy Kreutz Young ’63, Alumnae Association Wilson Magazine is published quarterly by the Office of Marketing and Communications and the Alumnae Association of Wilson College.

Send address changes to: Wilson College Alumnae/i Relations, 1015 Philadelphia Ave., Chambersburg, Pa. 17201-1279, 717-262-2010 or mag@wilson.edu.

Opinions expressed are those of the contributors or the editor and do not represent the official positions of Wilson College or the Alumnae Association of Wilson College.

— letter from the —

editor

PHOTO BY JAMES BUTTS

Brian Speer Executive Editor Coleen Dee Berry Managing Editor Kendra Tidd Design Cathy Mentzer College Editor Courtney D. Wolfe ’12 Class Notes Coordinator Contributing Writers Coleen Dee Berry, Amy Ensley, Laura B. Hans �13, Cathy Mentzer, Kimberly Maske-Mertz �08 Contributing Photographers Associated Press, James Butts, Terry Clark, Daniel Glazier �18, Lisa Helfert, Matthew Lester, Dave Sinclair, Ryan Smith, Kendra Tidd, Courtney D. Wolfe �12 Cover Photo by: Ryan Smith

Not long ago the College was facing a number of challenges, including a troubling enrollment situation. But today— “because of the passion, creativity and persistence of a community committed to success,” as President Barbara Mistick puts it—Wilson is a college on the rise.

In her annual report, Looking Back to See How Far We’ve Come, the president charts the College’s significant progress since 2013. The report details Wilson’s new programs, campus improvements and academic partnerships formed over the course of four years, and the changes that have improved both the student experience and the College’s enrollment outlook.

The good news continues for Wilson with the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year: enrollment is up again, the College continues to receive national recognition and tuition will remain steady for another year. Wilson’s groundbreaking loan buyback program saw its first recipients, and the athletics department has plans to enter a new NCAA Division III athletic conference and add men’s baseball to the College’s sports offerings. Read about all these developments and also review some of the results of the 2017 alumnae/i survey.

And of course, there are more accomplishments by alumnae/i and students to spotlight. Danielle Fulmer ’16 became the first Wilson student to earn a Master of Environmental Law and Policy degree from Vermont Law School, under a 3+1 program put in place four years ago. This summer, a group of Wilson students in a watershed ecosystems course conducted research and made recommendations to help a troubled lakeside community.

Also in this issue, you’ll find a profile of the remarkable Delia Moraru Velculescu ’97, who came to Wilson from Romania to study economics, beginning a journey that led her to become the International Monetary Fund’s mission chief to Greece.

Here’s to another year of good news! Read on, and enjoy…

Coleen Dee Berry Managing Editor

CONTACT US: Wilson Magazine mag@wilson.edu 717-262-2790 www.wilson.edu/magazine Alumnae Association aawc@wilson.edu 717-262-2010 www.wilson.edu/aawc Office of Alumnae/i Relations ARoffice@wilson.edu 717-262-2010 www.wilson.edu/alumnae

You can read Wilson Magazine online at:

www.wilson.edu/wilsonmag Class notes are not published online for privacy reasons. If you would like to receive a PDF of the class notes, please email Wilson Magazine at mag@wilson.edu.

WILSON NEWS WILSON RECOGNIZED FOR VALUE, QUALITY W “Our goal is to select the best ilson’s programs, affordability and value, and overall

quality are increasingly gaining recognition nationwide.

In the 2018 U.S. News & World Report “Best Colleges” guide

released in September, Wilson College was ranked fifth in the “best value” category among regional colleges in the North, and was rated 11th overall in the same classification. Wilson also was named a “best college for veterans,” ranking sixth in the North region.

In addition, Wilson was named one of the nation’s Colleges of Distinction for its “commitment and proven achievement” in a variety of areas. According to Colleges of Distinction, the College has created a unique learning environment where students not only earn college degrees and valuable life experiences, but also participate in character-building first-year seminars, spring break service programs, multidisciplinary study, service learning programs, undergraduate research, study-abroad and internships in a collaborative academic environment.

Colleges of Distinction is a consortium of member institutions

schools that are 100 percent focused on the student experience and on producing the most well-rounded graduates who are prepared for a global society and economy.”

Tyson Schritter, chief operating officer for Colleges of Distinction

formed in 2000.

“Being recognized by Colleges of Distinction not only honors the strong academic core that has always characterized Wilson,

tions”—engaged students, great teaching, vibrant community

but also the exciting changes we’ve made on campus and in

and successful outcomes—and also includes a review of each

the student experience in recent years,” said President Barbara

institution’s freshman experience, as well as its general education

K. Mistick.

program, strategic plan, alumni success and satisfaction levels,

The annual process of selecting the nation’s Colleges of Distinction requires that institutions adhere to the “four distinc-

among others.

“Colleges of Distinction applauds Wilson College for enriching the college experience with high-impact educational practices and providing every student with an education that stretches far beyond what’s typically required from an academic major,” said Tyson Schritter, chief operating officer for Colleges of Distinction.

According to Schritter, Colleges of Distinction is more than an annual ranking. “Our goal is to select the best schools that are 100 percent focused on the student experience and on producing the most well-rounded graduates who are prepared for a global society and economy,” he said.

In addition to its U.S. News value ranking, Wilson remains a

PHOTO BY RYAN SMITH

“Tuition Hero” for holding tuition without an increase over the past seven years, affirming the College’s commitment to providing a high-quality, affordable education.

Wilson gains recognition for its student experience and unique learning environment.

— Cathy Mentzer

fall 2017 03

WILSON NEWS ENROLLMENT UP 11 PERCENT

PHOTO BY TERRY CLARK

Wilson’s total enrollment for fall 2017 stands at 1,216 students in all programs, up nearly 11 percent from last year, when the College saw the largest enrollment in its history at 1,098.

Wilson’s enrollment has grown steadily over the past four years, up nearly 84 percent since fall 2013, when total enrollment was 662. “Our efforts to make Wilson College affordable, give students academic programs that are attractive, raise visibility and prioritize the student experience continue to help us increase enrollment,” said President Barbara K. Mistick.

The largest enrollment gain is in the traditional undergraduate program, with a nearly 21 percent increase from 458 students last fall to 553 this year. This group, which represents more than 45 percent of total enrollment, includes 321 students who live on campus and 232 commuters. Fifteen percent, or 85, of traditional undergraduates are men, who represent approximately 17.6 percent of total enrollment.

Graduate programs grew by more than 11 percent to 390 students among 10 programs, compared to 350 students in fall 2016. The Master of Education program has the largest enrollment in the category at 167, followed by the Master of Science in Nursing at 46.

The number of students in the Adult Degree Program—for those who have been out of high school at least four years—decreased by almost 6 percent, from 290 last year to 273 this fall.

Wilson students—who come from as far away as California, Texas and Arizona—represent 21 states, including Pennsylvania.

The College has 31 international students from the following 17 foreign nations or territories: Albania, Armenia, Australia, China, Ecuador, the Gaza Strip, Ghana, Guatemala, Nepal, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Spain, Tunisia, Uganda, the United Kingdom and Vietnam. A total of 13 students are enrolled in the Single Parent Scholar Program. —CM

WILSON INITIATES LEAP PROGRAM This summer, 14 first-year students participated in Wilson’s inaugural session of the Rowland LEAP (Learning, Exploring, Achieving and Participating) program. The free, two-week residential program is designed to give incoming students extra academic support—this year focused on mathematics—as well as helping them successfully transition to college life.

In addition to taking math classes, students had a chance to hone their study and research skills and brush up on time management and note-taking techniques. Their two weeks here included off-campus trips to Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., and Caledonia State Park. The program also marked the beginning of the students’ orientation into the Wilson community, as topics such as the Honor Principle, gender relations, leadership opportunities and community development were discussed each day.

For participants, the LEAP program takes the place of the FirstYear Seminar, giving them one less course to take in the fall semester and allowing them to focus on their remaining courses, put study habits into practice and achieve in the classroom right from the start.

04 wilson magazine

As part of the first LEAP program, students spent time in the Hankey Center archives, researching the impact of the “Freedom Summer” of 1964 on the civil rights movement and then giving a presentation on their research at the end of the two weeks.

Part of that research included reading the letters and papers of Patricia Vail ’63, a civil rights volunteer who went to Mississippi that summer to help register black voters.

Patricia Vail ’63, center, surrounded by LEAP students after discussing her civil rights work The LEAP students during the “Freedom Summer” of 1964. had a chance to connect with Vail when she came to campus on Sept. 29 to speak about her civil rights experiences. —Coleen Dee Berry

ACADEMIC NEWS Wilson has added several new academic opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students: Widener Law Commonwealth Law Degree—A new articulation agreement between Wilson and Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg, Pa., guarantees qualified Wilson students admission to Widener’s law program and allows them to complete both a bachelor’s degree and a law degree in six years rather than the usual minimum of seven. The agreement to create the new “3+3” program was signed in August and is effective immediately. For additional information, visit www.wilson.edu/widenerlaw Thomas Jefferson University Master of Athletic Training—A new articulation agreement with Thomas Jefferson University (which recently merged with Philadelphia University) will provide Wilson health science and exercise science students with a fast track to a Master of Athletic Training degree. In this 3+2 accelerated program, students will complete their bachelor’s and master’s degrees in five years, one year less than is normally required. The program became available in fall 2017.

For additional information, visit www.wilson.edu/MAT LPN to BSN—Licensed practical nurses can obtain their Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree through this accelerated degree program. Courses are offered through a combination of online, evening and hybrid classes. Students will receive 18 semester-hours of credit for their LPN license. This program became available in fall 2017. For additional information, visit www.wilson.edu/lpn-bsn Master of Mass Customized Learning—This new graduate program prepares educators to create a student-centered learning environment that enables educators to tailor their teaching methods to the individual learning style of each student and provides variety in path and pace, based on each student’s needs. The program will be offered online and can also be presented to a cohort of teachers on location in school districts. The program became available in fall 2017.

For more information, visit www.wilson.edu/mmcl Master of Education: Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL)—Approved this fall, this new Master of Education degree—along with an English as a Second Language certification—allows educators to teach ESL in public and private schools. Graduates are also eligible to work for schools throughout the world, teach English to adults, and work with non-profit agencies, ministry, in the private sector such as businesses/healthcare, and in government agencies.

This program will be offered in fall 2018. For additional information, visit www.wilson.edu/TESOL

WILSON HOLDS THE LINE ON

TUITION FOR THE 8TH YEAR Wilson College will hold tuition at the current rate of $23,745 for undergraduates for the 2018-19 academic year, marking eight years in a row without an increase.

On the recommendation of President Barbara K. Mistick, the Board of Trustees voted at its October meeting to hold tuition for the majority of Wilson’s students—including traditional undergraduates and those in the Adult Degree and Teacher Intern programs. Graduate degree students in nursing will see their tuition increase $165 per three-credit course and accounting graduate students will see it decrease by $180 per course.

Along with the tuition freeze, the College approved a modest 2 percent increase in room (the first increase in four years) and 2 percent in board. Board members also approved a plan to replace individual fees with a new comprehensive fee. —CM

COLLEGE ORGANIZES FIRST MEDICAL MISSION TRIP This January-Term, 15 students and faculty members will travel to the Dominican Republic to take part in Wilson’s first medical mission trip. The eight-day trip, sponsored by the nonprofit Christian organization, Mission: Hope, will give nursing, Spanish and health sciences students the opportunity to assist health workers in both a hospital setting and a migrant work camp.

“Medical missions are often life-transforming,” Wilson Director of Nursing Carolyn Hart told prospective participants at a September information session. “We want those who participate to come away with an understanding of what it’s like not to have. There are a whole host of things that we take for granted— including clean water, healthy food and access to health care— that others do not have.”

The trip will be centered in La Romana, a city of about 250,000 on the island’s eastern side. Students will work at the city’s hospital, La Buen Samaritano, and at a field clinic for Haitian migrants.

Hart will accompany the students on the trip, along with Associate Professor of Spanish Wendell Smith. Hart and Smith said they hope the medical mission can become a yearly offering at Wilson.

A fundraiser for the trip and future missions, the “Hustle for Health” running event, will be held on campus on April 28, 2018. —CDB

fall 2017 05

WILSON WELCOMES THREE NEW MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES Margaret Hamilton Duprey is a lifelong horsewoman whose generous gift in 2015 made Wilson’s equi-assist program a reality. This innovative program, designed to train students to provide equine nursing veterinary care in a horse’s home environment, is a concentration within Wilson’s veterinary medical technology major.

Duprey has been a trustee for Cabrini University in Radnor, Pa., for more than 20 years, including serving as chair of the board.

She also has been a trustee for the United States Equestrian Team Foundation and currently serves as trustee for the Family Foundation, a private charitable organization that provides financial support primarily in the area of education—specifically literacy-based, educational programs in underserved Philadelphia area schools.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Cabrini, which also has conferred upon her an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Duprey and her husband own and operate Cherry Knoll Farm Inc. of West Grove, Pa., and Wellington, Fla., where they raise dressage, jumper and flat-race horses, as well as prize-winning Black Angus cattle.

Judith Coen Grove ’74 retired from full-

time employment in 2011, having served for 31 years in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Office of Comptroller Operations, which is part of the Office of the Budget. During her years of service, Grove twice received the state’s Office of the Budget Employee Recognition Award, with a

special citation each time for achievement beyond normal expectations. Currently, she works part time as a customer service associate in the pricing office at Wegmans Food Market.

Grove graduated from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in fine arts. Her family’s foundation, the Charles and Mary Coen Foundation, has been a generous benefactor of the College. She joins the board as an alumnae trustee, having been elected by the Alumnae Association of Wilson College to that position in June 2017. She served as an AAWC board member from 1987-89 and rejoined the board in 2014.

Patricia C. Shea is a partner in K&L Gates LLP in Harrisburg,

Pa., a legal practice that focuses on healthcare. She advises those doing business in the healthcare industry on compliance obligations under numerous federal and state laws, including privacy and security of health information, licensure and associated reporting obligations.

She is a frequent presenter to private clients on the topics of health insurance-related obligations under federal and state privacy laws, Medicare and Medicaid services requirements, and the Affordable Care Act. She also provides pro bono assistance to nonprofit child welfare and veterinary services in general governance issues.

Shea received her bachelor’s degree from George Mason University, a Master of Business Administration degree from Penn State University and a juris doctor from Widener University Commonwealth Law School. —CDB

EDEN HALL FOUNDATION'S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

RECEIVES AWARD

Wilson alumnae and friends were on hand to congratulate Eden Hall Foundation Director Sylvia Fields as she received the Greater Pittsburgh ATHENA Award in October. The Foundation’s support was critical in launching Wilson’s successful Single Parent Scholar program (formerly Women with Children program) in 1996. Pictured, Sylvia Fields (left) with Wilson President Emerita Gwen Jensen, who was instrumental in initiating Wilson’s SPS program.

06 wilson magazine

WILSON NEWS PHOENIX PEP BAND FORMED Director of Athletics Lori Frey announced in October the addition of a pep band to the Wilson athletics department, naming Samantha Marshall as the band’s director. Marshall will manage the overall pep band program, as well as coordinate the appearances of the Phoenix mascot.

The pep band will perform at various sports games and other events on campus, bringing “greater student engagement and vibrancy at athletic competitions for the fans,” Frey said. Membership in the pep band is open to all Wilson students with appropriate musical skill, school spirit and enthusiasm.

H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest, left, and Marguerite Brooks Lenfest ’55, right, with Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick, center, after the Lenfests received their Carnegie medals.

A graduate of Shippensburg University with a minor in music, Marshall is also a teacher in the Chambersburg Area School District. —CDB

LENFESTS AWARDED

CARNEGIE MEDAL OF PHILANTHROPY In June, H.F. “Gerry” and Marguerite Brooks Lenfest ’55 were named recipients of the prestigious Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in recognition of outstanding and innovative leadership in philanthropy. The Lenfests were among nine Carnegie recipients honored at a ceremony held at the New York Public Library on Oct. 3.

The Carnegie medal was established in 2001 and is awarded every two years to those whose philanthropic work embodies the ideals of Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), an American industrialist who built a fortune in the steel industry and then became a noted philanthropist whose impact is still felt today.

Since selling their cable television company, Lenfest Communications, to Comcast Corp. in 2000, the Lenfests have devoted their time and energy to philanthropy. Individually and through the Lenfest Foundation, the Huntingdon Valley, Pa., couple has made gifts of more than $1.3 billion to more than 1,100 organizations, supporting causes ranging from the arts to environmental programs and independent journalism. But their highest priority has always been to build self-sufficiency through education, according to the foundation website.

During Wilson’s “Leading with Confidence” capital campaign, the Lenfests pledged a total of $20 million toward the college’s endowment. Over the years, they have supported the Wilson Fund and unrestricted endowment, student scholarships, faculty development, Single Parent Scholars Program and facilities renovations—including a 2013 gift of $3.6 million to the library renovation project that created Lenfest Learning Commons, a student gathering and study space. —CM

VMT GRADUATE HONORED In August, Kari Herchelroth ’03 was named 2017 Certified Veterinary Technician of the year by the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association. The award is presented annually to recognize outstanding achievement in the field of veterinary technology.

Herchelroth, who received her bachelor’s degree in veterinary medical technology from Wilson, is program director of the veterinary technician program at YTI Career Institute’s York (Pa.) campus, where she oversees a staff of 11 and a student body of more than 150 students. She also led the school’s program through its American Veterinary Medical Association accreditation process in 2014. —CDB

fall 2017 07

And the Survey Says...

The 2016-17 Wilson College Alumnae/i Survey provides insight on a range of topics Preparing Wilson students to transition successfully to the working world is a central goal for College.

Between February and June of this year, we invited our alumnae/i to participate in a survey that serves as the foundation for connecting our students with alumnae/i to help graduates make the transition from college to the workplace easier.

With answers in hand from more than 1,300 completed surveys, college officials now have a greater understanding of the Wilson experience over time and can begin thinking more purposefully about a potential Phoenix Network. We will explore establishing affinity groups that allow alums to assist each other professionally, while also giving graduating seniors an advantage when entering the job market.

Response Rate

18%

1,308

Surveys Completed

What follows is a summary of some of the primary questions asked in the survey. Please go online to www.wilson.edu/17AlumSurvey for the full survey report.

60

176

402

236

70 114

119

111

1940

1950

1960

1970

1980 1990

2000

2010

Alumnae from the 1930s accounted for two completed surveys and 18 were returned as anonymous.

With which do you identify most closely? ’40s

’50s

’60s

’70s

’80s

’90s

The College Student Organizations Athletics Team Major Graduating Class = Top Response 08 wilson magazine

= Second Response

’00s

’10s

Overall satisfaction with Wilson student experience 40%

5% Dissatisfied 9% Neutral 86% Satisfied

Most Important Wilson Information Sources Wilson Magazine

27% 19%

Wilson Friends

9% .6%

1.4%

Alumnae/i Newsletter

3%

DISSATISFIED

SATISFIED

Wilson Website Traditional News Media

Would you choose to attend Wilson again?

Would you recommend Wilson to a student today?

14% 8% 6% 4%

Percentage of Alumnae/i Interested in Volunteering with the College

31% 36% 25% 28%

24% 24%

DEFINITELY NOT

DEFINITELY WOULD

WOULD NOT RECOMMEND

How deserving is Wilson of your financial support?

8% Not at All Deserving 15% Slightly Deserving 28% Moderately Deserving 30% Quite Deserving

14%

VERY STRONGLY RECOMMEND

Most Important Areas for Philanthropic Support Financial Aid Academic Facilities Academic Programs Technology Enhancements Career Development

19% Very Deserving fall 2017 09

2016-17 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

Looking Back to See How Far We’ve Come “Thunder is good. Thunder is impressive; but it is lightning that does the work.”

—Mark Twain When Wilson expanded coeducation to all of its programs in 2013, people around the country began to hear about the College. What they heard focused on a college’s decision to address a troubling enrollment situation. Since that time, however, Wilson has evolved and become new again—not because of coeducation, but because of the passion, creativity and persistence of a community committed to the success of the College.

Even for those of us closely engaged with Wilson, it is hard to understand the scope of change without pausing to contemplate the breadth of the Barbara K. Mistick work completed in transforming the institution into a college on the rise. Our primary indicator is enrollment, which has increased 84 percent in the last four years and currently stands as the largest in school history. But to fully appreciate how Wilson’s reputation continues to climb, we need to consider the entire range of what has been accomplished in a short time.

Strengthening Undergraduate Academics Not long ago, most people recognized Wilson for its veterinary medical technology (VMT) and equestrian programs. As recently as five years ago, these programs accounted for more than 50 percent of our annual undergraduate enrollment. Over the last four years, the College has made a concerted effort to diversify its academic offerings to meet the demands of its student population. We’ve consolidated a number of programs under the new global studies major; expanded our education offerings with new, middle-level options and a major in special education; and added new programs in nursing, health science, graphic design and animal studies.

In a tribute to the quality of the department, Wilson’s nursing programs received accreditation in 2017 after just three years. Nursing now represents the College’s fastest-growing area of enrollment and offers five degree programs: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master of Science in Nursing (MSN), RN-to-BSN, LPN-to-BSN and RN-to-MSN. We have also partnered with Widener University in Philadelphia to allow

10 wilson magazine

Wilson’s MSN graduates to enter an online nurse practitioner degree program to meet this growing professional need.

Clinical partners are critical to any nursing program, and Wilson has forged strong relationships with Summit Health, Keystone Health and the Carlisle Regional Medical Center, as well as Menno Haven Retirement Communities to help address the growing field of geriatric care. This fall we opened a newly expanded and renovated simulation lab, which includes five medium-fidelity simulation mannequins and—thanks to Summit Health’s commitment and generosity to our program—a new, high-fidelity simulation mannequin that provides outstanding learning opportunities for our students.

The healthcare industry is a growing area of opportunity and Wilson’s health science major provides a foundation for careers or continued study. From an institutional standpoint, it also serves as a precursor to exploring additional health science majors like nutrition sciences and speech pathology.

The College’s top undergraduate academic majors today are business, nursing, education, biology and VMT. This shift

2016-17 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT

Expanding Graduate Education In 2013, we introduced our third graduate program—the Master of Accountancy—and have since grown to offer a total of 11 master’s degree programs. Over that time, graduate enrollment has grown 329 percent, providing the second-largest group of enrolled students at Wilson, after traditional undergraduates.

Our first graduate program, the Master of Education, is still our largest and most successful. Building on that strength, four of the nine graduate programs to come online between 2013 and 2017 are education-related. The Master of Educational Technology, Master of Special Education, Master of Mass Customized Learning and Master of Education in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) provide forward-looking programs that both meet the needs of school systems and provide needed career advancement opportunities for teachers.

In tune with the market’s need for business graduate programs, the Master of Healthcare Administration (initially named Master of Healthcare Management for Sustainability) and the Master of Science in Management began in 2015 and 2016, respectively. These programs—which continue to evolve to

Wilson students to study conservation biology for a semester at the Front Royal, Va., campus of the George Mason University, Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation. Wilson faculty members have the chance to teach and conduct research at the school, as well.

Wilson has worked to develop a portfolio of opportunities for students to pursue advanced degrees in law and policy.

The first of these dual-degree programs was developed with the Vermont Law School (VLS), one of the nation’s premier environmental law schools. The initial offering begun in early 2015 is a 3+1 program that allows students to earn a Wilson degree in environmental sustainability in just three years and then attend VLS for one year, attaining a Master of Environmental Law and Policy. In 2017, we expanded our relationship with VLS to include 3+2 and 3+3 programs that let qualified students earn their bachelor’s degree in three years from Wilson and then pursue their Juris Doctor (J.D.) from VLS in a two- or threeyear program.

As the 2017 academic year was getting underway, we finalized a partnership with Widener University Commonwealth Law School on another 3+3 program. Widener offers an array of law programs, from government to business, providing further law degree options for Wilson students.

In addition to our nurse practitioner partnership with Widener University, we also established two programs in 2017 in the

meet student needs—along with the accountancy graduate program, strengthen Wilson’s business core at both the undergraduate and graduate levels.

Finally, the arts and humanities were expanded with the addition of the low-residency Master of Fine Arts, which was designed for professionally engaged artists. During the fourweek summer residency, visual artists and choreographers work collaboratively to expand their perspectives. The program’s unique home mentor program allows artists to work with both Wilson faculty and locally identified mentors, providing critical feedback and helping each student’s artistic vision to continue to mature.

health sciences. The first is a 3+2 program with Thomas Jefferson University for exercise science or health science majors to earn a Master of Athletic Training. A newly announced partnership with New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) allows exercise science majors who qualify to gain admittance to the NYCC Doctor of Chiropractic degree program.

Wilson has also built on its international partnerships, establishing recent agreements with the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics in Chengdu, China, and Hannam University in Daejeon, South Korea. These programs expand the international offerings available to our students, which in turn, enrich the nature of campus and classroom discourse.

Establishing National and International Academic Partners Our focus on enhancing the academic opportunities at Wilson doesn’t end with new programs. We have worked to create educational partnerships that also benefit our students. One of the most impressive for current undergraduates is our partnership with the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute. This program provides internship and academic opportunities for

Focus on the Student Experience In its halcyon days, Wilson was an elite college playing on a national stage. As enrollment issues grew, the ability of the College to provide a consistent student experience waxed and waned. At the same time, the students that Wilson attracted—and their needs—changed. Our current strategic plan, Setting the Balance: Prioritizing the Student Experience, builds

in top programs helps make the Wilson academic experience richer and more vibrant for students.

fall 2017 11

2016-17 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT on recent improvements in the student life program that have made the campus a more active and vibrant environment.

The transition to college can be difficult for first-year students. To help our students, we introduced a re-envisioned First-Year Seminar (FYS) program in 2015. A collaboration between the Office of Student Development and the Office of Academic Affairs, the new program covers a range of areas— from financial literacy to the demands of a Wilson education.

The FYS program was just the first step in helping our students reach their goals. The summer Rowland LEAP (Learning, Exploring, Achieving, Participating) Program gives incoming students a leg up on college by inviting them to campus for a compressed version of the First-Year Seminar that includes intensive study in an area of need. Attendance in the LEAP Program releases students from their fall FYS classes, leaving them more time to study and adjust to campus life. The first LEAP Program in 2017 was well-received by both students and their families.

This past summer also saw the introduction of our new, onestop student services center, which was established in response to student feedback about the difficulty of working with multiple offices to manage various aspects of college life. Each student, including Adult Degree Program and graduate students, now has a personal counselor who will work with them throughout their Wilson career on services such as financial aid

hints to help them successfully manage their workload and take full advantage of the opportunities college has to offer.

Student life has also been bolstered in many of the ways you would expect.

Athletics, which has expanded to now include 10 NCAA Division III teams, will leave the North Eastern Athletic Conference to begin competition in the Colonial States Athletic Conference (CSAC) in fall 2018 (see page 26 for more on this).

CSAC is comprised of small, private colleges like Wilson and will reduce student-athlete travel time, helping them focus on their studies. Our newest sport, baseball, will begin competition in spring 2019, playing on historic Henninger Field in Chambersburg, where Babe Ruth once hit a home run during an exhibition game.

Springing from the prestigious Orr Forum, which has brought prominent religion scholars to campus each spring for more than 50 years, the Common Hour speaker series has become an important fixture in bringing new perspectives to campus. Both Wilson faculty and visiting lecturers focus on a chosen theme, presenting an interdisciplinary view of the topic.

The series has addressed climate change and is currently looking at aspects of anxiety.

We have worked to keep students busy in mind, body and spirit. Internationally renowned artist Patrick Dougherty and his community “Stickworks” project; Trees for Tomorrow, which

and course registration, as well as dealings with the business office. Having one person to help navigate the administrative side of the Wilson experience is already receiving good feedback from students.

Over the last three years, the College has received two substantial grants that are having an impact on student life. In 2015, Wilson received a five-year, $2 million, Title III Strengthening Institutions grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant came as we were planning the new learning commons as part of the renovation of the John Stewart Memorial Library, and made possible many of the innovations students enjoy today.

Now in its third year, the grant has resulted in improved campus technology—including smart classrooms—and academic support services like the writing center.

Another boost for our students came in 2016 when the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation awarded the College a $100,000 grant to support writing instruction and student success. The grant is being used to create a series of micro-tutorial videos that not only provide insight for students on writing—from narrowing a topic to conducting research—but also give students

planted more than 300 trees in a riparian buffer on campus; Congressional candidate debates; and poverty simulations all beckon students, faculty and staff to come together. And the annual Student Research Day has become one of the most exciting times on campus, growing in just eight years from a handful of students presenting their research to now featuring work from more than 100 students representing disciplines across the curriculum.

12 wilson magazine

Changing the Face of Campus My tenure as president of Wilson began in 2011 with a failure in the college library’s boiler system that resulted in the need to close the building. Coming from my previous position as president of the Carnegie Library System in Pittsburgh, this was a particularly distressing moment for me. In many ways, the library was a microcosm of the College’s physical plant—old and lacking in care. Today when I walk from Sharpe House, past the college green and across the academic quad to the field house, I see a new, different face of the campus—a physical representation of the change Wilson has undergone in the last four years.

2016-17 REPORT OF THE PRESIDENT The renovation and expansion of the John Stewart Memorial Library would become a $12 million project funded entirely through the generosity of alumnae/i, faculty, staff and friends of the College. Renovations to the historic 1924 structure included the demolition of an outdated 1960s-era addition in favor of a new, modern learning commons with flexible group study spaces, smart classrooms, art gallery, college store and café, making the library the center of campus activity today.

But the impact of the library project didn’t end there. A plaza created outside the Lenfest Learning Commons led to a new academic quad, which replaced a parking lot in poor shape.

The academic quad, in turn, led to a partnership with the Borough of Chambersburg on a streetscape and pedestrian safety project that installed new sidewalks and lighting. As part of the project, Wilson constructed an inviting main entrance at Park Avenue, creating an entirely new arrival experience for visitors and the campus community.

Along with the library, which reopened in 2015, we found time to renovate our three largest residence halls—MacElwain, Davison and Rosenkrans—to great student reviews. We created new student center and fitness center spaces and updated Jensen Dining Hall. And because it would not be a college campus without parking issues, we expanded parking lots and added new campus signage.

Commitment to Value All of this work is driven in part by Wilson’s commitment to provide students and their families with a college experience that offers real value and affordability. Over the past eight years, Wilson has not only held tuition without an increase, but we actually lowered it 17 percent in fall 2014. This past year, the first students to benefit from our innovative student loan buyback program graduated (see page 14). This first-in-the-nation program allows qualifying students who graduate in four years or less to earn up to $10,000 toward their federal Stafford loans.

These efforts are also beginning to yield results and recognition from outside sources. Newly released data from the Student Loan Report shows that the average student debt for Wilson students is more than $4,000 below the Pennsylvania average. We expect the downward debt trend for Wilson students to continue as the data fully incorporates our tuition decisions. The College jumped into the top five in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Value” ranking for colleges in the North, up from the 10th spot three years ago, and in the overall category, Wilson rose from a ranking of 17 to 11 for the same period. In addition, we received word at the start of the 2017-18 academic year that we were named a College of Distinction, an indicator of excellence in academics and student experience.

New academic offerings, academic partnerships, support for student success, improved campus life options and enhanced campus facilities provide Wilson students with more than a degree. Students benefit from the rigorous, well-rounded experience that is the foundation of a liberal arts education, which prepares students not only for their first jobs, but also for their careers and lives. I am proud to be president of an institution that generates such pride and commitment. W

WILSON COLLEGE 2016-17 FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS REVENUE

EXPENSES

STUDENT TUITION/FEES.........71.6% PRIVATE GIFTS..........................7.8% GOVERNMENT GRANTS...........0.9% INTEREST & DIVIDENDS............. .5% OTHER SOURCES......................2.2% INTEREST FROM TRUSTS HELD BY OTHERS.....................2.0% AUXILIARY REVENUE.............15.0%

INSTRUCTIONAL....................19.0% ACADEMIC SUPPORT.............14.4% STUDENT SERVICES...............13.5% INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT..... 20.7% AUXILIARY ENTERPRISES......... 7.9% FINANCIAL AID.......................18.1% INFRASTRUCTURE/ DEFERRED MAINTENANCE......5.2%

Endowment Value in Millions $60

$60.3

FY13

FY14

$56 FY15

$47.3

$45.2

FY16

FY17

BY THE NUMBERS 1,216

Fall 2017 Enrollment

10.7%

Increase in Total Enrollment from Fall 2016 to Fall 2017

3.45

Average G.P.A. for Incoming Students

21

Number of States Represented in the Student Body

17

Number of Countries Represented in the Student Body

12:1

Student to Faculty Ratio

11

U.S. News Best College: North Region Ranking

4

U.S. News Best Value: North Region Ranking

35

Undergraduate Majors

11

Graduate Degree Programs

$1.3M

2016-17 Wilson Fund Giving Total

1,107

Total Number of 2016-17 Wilson Fund Donors

fall 2017 13

$mart Money

Wilson’s loan buyback program works to lower student debt

by Coleen Dee Berry

ome of the toughest questions college students face are not found on any exam—they come with every student’s decision on how to finance their education. “How much should I borrow?” “What type of loan should I take?” And then, there’s the high-anxiety question: “How much debt will I be able to afford and how will I pay it off?”

To guide students through these crucial decisions, Wilson officials have implemented a groundbreaking loan buyback program that also teaches all new students financial literacy, beginning in their First-Year Seminar courses. Students are attracted to the loan buyback of up to $10,000, but the key to the program is to get them thinking—and talking—about finances, according to College President Barbara K. Mistick. “It’s pretty universal that people don’t like to talk about finances,” she said. “That was one of our motivations in starting this program—to get students and their families talking about their college debt and to create an awareness of exactly what they are getting themselves into.”

Unveiled in 2013 as the first of its kind in higher education, Wilson’s loan buyback program gives students who meet certain academic requirements monetary awards when they graduate.

Under the plan, the College pays $5,000, $7,500 and $10,000 toward the federal Stafford loans of first-time college students who earn a diploma in four years or less of continuous, full-time enrollment at Wilson. The three-tier award system is based on a student’s grade-point average and became available to students entering Wilson in the fall of 2014.

The College has already seen its first two graduates benefit from the loan buyback program. Cassandra Watkins ’17 and Brant Swartz ’17 both graduated cum laude in May and qualified to receive $5,000 each. The monetary awards came a year sooner than expected because Swartz and Watkins—who entered Wilson as freshmen in fall 2014—graduated in just three years.

Watkins, who earned her bachelor’s degree in veterinary medical technology, took classes every January-Term in order to graduate early. After graduation, she completed an internship at Akron Veterinary Referral and Emergency Hospital in Ohio to finish her degree. Watkins praised the financial sessions she attended at Wilson as informative and helpful. “They helped me to understand what I was borrowing and informed me how to plan for how much to take out each semester, and what that money should be used for,” she said. “I felt that I was gaining valuable information that could save me money down the line.”

Swartz is currently enrolled in Wilson’s 3+1 program with Vermont Law School. After receiving his undergraduate degree in environmental sustainability from Wilson, he began studying at VLS this fall for his master’s degree in environmental law and policy. The buyback program “definitely was an extra incentive not to let my G.P.A. slip,” he said.

Wilson’s loan buyback program was Mistick’s brainchild, and for her, it’s not just about giving monetary awards to students at graduation. She sees the program—which also invites eligible students to meet informally as a group with College officials to

discuss finances several times a year—as the key to successfully teaching them financial literacy.

Mistick cites some sobering statistics.

Only five states require high schools to provide a financial literacy course and approximately 72 percent of parents From left, Cassandra Watkins �17 and Brant do not discuss fiSwartz �17. nances with their college-age children. “If parents aren’t talking to their kids about money and most high schools aren’t teaching them, where are the students going to get the information to make those responsible lending choices?” Mistick said. “Students are consumers of student loans and they need to be informed.”

Financial literacy is incorporated into Wilson’s required FirstYear Seminars, Vice President for Student Development Mary Beth Williams said. “Money is a scary topic for students and for their parents. Most parents have never talked about the hard realities of financial literacy with their children, and students are left to figure it out on their own during their college years.” Often students end up signing up for credit cards and loan agreements, completely blind to how these debts can hurt their future buying power. “This program serves to help empower students by educating them on financial literacy,” Williams said.

The buyback is keyed to federal Stafford loans because those loans pay only for enrollment costs, according to Mistick. Other student loans, such as Plus loans, will pay for things such as car loans or groceries. Students often use those loans like credit cards, not realizing how the interest adds up, Mistick said. “We want them to be making wise decisions about their debt,” she said. “That’s why another one of the requirements is to finish in four years. You can keep your debt down so much more if you’re not taking an extra year or two to finish.”

In order to qualify for the buyback, along with keeping up their grades and attending the financial literacy sessions, students must also demonstrate campus community involvement in order to develop skills beyond the classroom and to enhance the life of the College, according to Williams. Swartz was a member of the Wilson College Government Association and Watkins was VMT Club president and volunteered for horse shows.

Mistick believes it is part of the College’s obligation to talk about how to manage student debt. “We want students to be committed to their own success,” she said. “I am confident we are on a unique path here. Students learn how to learn when they’re at Wilson, but they also learn how to live—and part of learning how to live is learning how to manage financially.” W

fall 2017 15

PHOTO BY KENDRA TIDD

S

aiming for economic

equilibrium Delia Moraru Velculescu ’97 shoulders herculean task as IMF mission chief to Greece

D

by Coleen Dee Berry elia Moraru Velculescu’s path

ly propaganda, Velculescu also knew

Her fascination with those econom-

to becoming an economist with

little about the broader world or the

ic changes also led her to make the

the International Monetary Fund

Cold War.

decision to seek an American college

(IMF) began as a teenager in the

“I only came to realize the magni-

education. “I realized that the study

wake of the turbulent 1989 Roman-

tude of these problems later, once

of the kind of economics I was inter-

ian revolution.

the system changed after the 1989

ested in was not yet available at the

revolution,” she said. “All of a sud-

universities in Romania, so I decid-

den, an entire world of information

ed to apply to colleges in the United

and opportunity came into sight.”

States,” she said. One of those col-

Velculescu watched as private shops

leges was Wilson, which gave her the

and cafes started to appear and stores

scholarship she needed “to pursue

began to carry a wider array of goods.

my dream in America.”

Velculescu was 14 years old and living in the city of Sibiu when communist dictator Nicolae Ceausescu was overthrown. Growing up in the communist regime, she remembers frequent shortages of food and electricity—many times she had to do her homework by candlelight. However, “as a small child, I did not fully comprehend the difficulties of dayto-day life in communist Romania,” Velculescu ’97 said. With no television other than two hours a day of main-

16 wilson magazine

“Prices and people’s incomes—which

That dream of a career in economics

before were fixed—started to change

culminated in Velculescu now holding

in inexplicable ways. I was fascinat-

the formidable job of IMF mission

ed by these changes and wanted to

chief for Greece. The IMF, an inter-

understand what explained them,”

national organization headquartered

she said. “This is what ultimately

in Washington, D.C., is comprised of

drove me to study economics.”

189 countries working to foster global

International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission chief for Greece Delia Moraru Velculescu �97, right, with the European Commission mission chief for Greece, Declan Costello, center, and Greek Deputy Finance Minister Giorgos Houliarakis at a recent economy conference held in Greece. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

monetary cooperation; secure financial stability; facilitate international trade; promote high employment and sustainable economic growth; and reduce poverty around the world.

In her role with the IMF on behalf of Greece, Velculescu must negotiate ways to rescue the financially strapped nation from its mountain of debt. It’s a herculean task at best, as Greece has struggled with monetary crises for the past decade. To avert a

These challenges have also come with the greatest rewards, such as when one sees the reforms that we have helped design being put into law, helping to restore economic stability and changing people's lives.

Delia Moraru Velculescu ’97

financial disaster, the so-called “troika”—the IMF, European Central Bank and European Commission—helped

fall 2017 17

forge three monetary bailouts for

she has faced critical problems, but

cial made an insulting remark about

Greece over the past seven years.

said she relished those challenges.

Romanian women during a nego-

Velculescu is one of four international

The economic crises “required

tiation session, Velculescu calmly

representatives who work to deter-

complex analysis of difficult eco-

packed up her papers and without a

nomic problems such as a massive

word, walked out of the meeting with

banking sector collapse in Cyprus or

her entire delegation.

mine the Greek economy’s longterm growth rate and the factors that affect it. She was instrumental in the

a prolonged economic recession in

Today, Velculescu downplays any

Greece, and required finding innova-

contentiousness. “I led the sometimes

tive solutions and then the diplomatic

difficult discussions with the author-

skills to persuade the authorities and

ities about the economic reforms

other stakeholders to support these

needed to overcome Cyprus’ eco-

solutions,” she said. “These challeng-

nomic problems,” she said, adding

es have also come with the greatest

that the negotiated reforms, imple-

rewards, such as when one sees the

mented with the IMF’s help, allowed

reforms that we have helped design

the country to overcome its crisis.

being put into law, helping to restore

But she acknowledges that work-

economic stability and changing

ing in some traditionally male-cen-

people's lives.”

tric cultures is not always easy. “Per-

Velculescu’s IMF tenure in Cyprus

haps one of the few advantages of

earned her the moniker “Iron Lady”

growing up in communist Romania—

from the Cypriot media, who por-

where women and men had access

negotiations this year that led to the most recent $10 billion bailout for that country.

Velculescu joined IMF in 2003 after graduating from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in economics and earning both a master’s degree in

economics

and

doctorate

in

the philosophy of economics from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. “I always aspired to work for an international organization that helps people around the world, and was fortunate to be accepted at the IMF,” Velculescu said.

But Wilson for me was more than just a good education. It was the family away from home, the friendly guide that introduced me to a new country and culture, and the demanding but supportive coach that pushed me on toward making my dreams a reality.

Delia Moraru Velculescu ’97

She started as a junior economist in the IMF’s Western Hemisphere Department, working with Caribbe-

trayed her as tough and demand-

to equal education and salaries—

an countries. Within 10 years, she

ing in terms of fiscal consolidation

is that I did not consider myself to

was named IMF mission chief—first to

and the requirements she made for

be at a disadvantage because I was

Cyprus in 2012 and then to Greece

the country. According to one pub-

a woman. I think this mindset helped

in 2015. In both Greece and Cyprus,

lished report, when a Cypriot offi-

me do my best no matter the circum-

18 wilson magazine

stances,” she said. “This being said, I have of course observed and experienced the fact that women sometimes must work harder, get out of their comfort zones and prove themselves more to succeed in the workplace. I have treated this as a challenge and (an) opportunity to better myself every day.”

As the mother of three, Velculescu said another, more personal challenge “has been being able to manage this difficult work while also raising a family.” She met and married her husband, Dr. Victor Velculescu, when they were students together at Johns Hopkins. He is an oncologist and co-founder of Personal Genome Diagnostics of Baltimore, and helped develop

serial

analysis

of

gene PHOTO BY DANIEL GLAZIER ’18

expression—a revolutionary method for global gene expression profiling.

Velculescu and her husband, along with their twin daughters, visited Wilson during Reunion Weekend in June, when Velculescu was honored by the Alumnae Association as Outstanding Young Alumna for 2017. The award

Above, Wilson President Emerita Gwendolyn Jensen, left, presents Delia Moraru Velculescu ´97 with the Outstanding Young Alumna Award at Reunion 2017. At left, Velculescu at the negotiation table.

was presented by President Emerita Gwendolyn Jensen, who remem-

like part of a bigger family—including

that introduced me to a new country

bered the young Romanian as a stu-

by inviting us to their homes, where

and culture, and the demanding but

dent “deeply involved in the campus

we made ice cream and discussed

supportive coach that pushed me on

life.” Velculescu served as treasurer

all subjects,” Velculescu said. “I don't

toward making my dreams a reality.

for the WCGA and was a member of

think this is something that one expe-

“I am very grateful to Wilson for

the Muhibbah Club. Jensen recalled

riences at other bigger colleges, and

making this all possible,” she said.

her baking “delicious cookies called

I feel fortunate to have had this expe-

“I wish for every young woman now

‘the kiss of Dracula’” for the annual

rience at Wilson.”

at Wilson to trust and embrace their

Her Wilson education has been

college experience, to seek rather

“I have very fond memories of Wil-

instrumental in giving her a good

than avoid challenges, and (to) not be

son, especially of the warm atmo-

foundation for graduate school and

afraid to pursue their dreams.” W

sphere, the special friendships I

ultimately her career, Velculescu said.

made there and the wonderful teach-

“But Wilson for me was more than just

ers, who went out of their way to not

a good education. It was the family

only educate us, but also make us feel

away from home, the friendly guide

international dinners.

fall 2017 19

Advice from first-years...

To high school seniors on choosing a college

T

o high school seniors everywhere who are agonizing over the whole college choice process, Wilson first-year students know just what you’re going through. After all, they were in your shoes just a year ago.

Writing essays, filling out FAFSA forms, applying for financial aid and scholarships, deciding what major to pursue. Wilson firstyears have been there, done that. They feel your pain.

They know the factors that go into choosing a college. High school seniors not only have to consider a college’s academic reputation and the courses and majors offered, but also class size, extracurricular activities and sports teams. They want to know how many of the college’s graduates go on to find good jobs. They weigh whether the college’s size and location is a good fit for them, and of course, whether they will be able to afford the tuition and how much financial aid to take.

But Wilson first-years also know, through their own experiences, there are other, more nuanced factors that go into choosing the right college. Here’s their advice to the high school students now making that decision:

20 wilson magazine

“Visit the schools that you are interested in to get a feel for the campus and don’t shy away from asking questions about the school, whether it’s about academics, athletics, or about the campus itself. Pick a school that fits you socially and academically—don’t pick a school because your high school friends are interested/committed there.”

- Zachary Powell, Manassas, Va.

“Look for what fits you, not just because your friends are going there.”

- Avonlea Puckett, Dover, Pa. “Apply for all the schools of your dreams. Then apply for some local schools.

Do your research on all of them.”

- Delaney Keown, Margate, Fla. “Go where it feels like home and don’t stress. Everything will work out and you’ll find your way.”

- Brooke Wagner, York, Pa.

You elf. s r u to o ant bt y t u r o o n’t d t is imp ake “Do ld m ha u o w w u sh oa kno d yo going t es n a re rat you ou a incorpo gies. y e sur hat eolo ge t d id e n l l a nd s co iew es a you v c i r o re you r ch befo you r e u To r tim llege.” d, you o woo e c l l k a a a t m a to mit de S Canad , com any-Ja C f r, B - Tif uve o c Van

“If I could give advice to a high school senior, it would be have a backup major in mind and make sure the college is up to your standards.”

- Ciera Erwin, Philadelphia, Pa. “Be different, be you and don’t follow anyone— be yourself. Apply for scholarships and tour the colleges.”

- Daphne Buzard, Summerville, S.C. “Do your research and reach out to the college.

Always have a backup plan.”

- Megan Summerall, Chambersburg, Pa.

“Visit the campuses! Even if you think you might not get in, still apply. For me, I got the ‘Aha!’ moment as soon as I got to Wilson. Don’t give up on getting your ‘aha’ college, or you might regret it.”

- Darien Boyer, Womelsdorf, Pa.

“Take everything into consideration (food, rooms, campus) not just classes.”

- Jordan Abram, Mifflintown, Pa. “Look for the place where it’s your home away from home. Go where you’re most comfortable.”

- Marleigh Belk, Mount Airy, Md. “Really think about what your priorities are. A year ago I wanted to go away for school, and I didn’t apply to colleges nearby, but then switched. Keep your options open!”

- Abby Clark, Chambersburg, Pa.

fall 2017 21

Why you should give to the Wilson Fund

PHOTO BY RYAN SMITH

By Cathy Mentzer

22 wilson magazine

The fund supports students every day, but giving trends among alumni are 'cause for concern'

C

apital campaigns at colleges come and go but every year, year in and year out, alumni receive appeals from their alma maters asking for donations to the institution’s annual fund—known here as the Wilson Fund. But if the appeals seem never-ending, college officials say, so is the need.

Each year without fail, students need financial aid and the College must maintain buildings and heating systems and roads, all while trying to keep tuition affordable. And though the Wilson Fund is used to help balance the College’s operational budget and can pay for virtually anything, Wilson students are the single biggest reason to give to the Wilson Fund.

“There is no better way to support students than to make an unrestricted gift to the Wilson Fund,” said Vice President for Institutional Advancement Camilla Rawleigh. “It’s still the single and best way to help students on this campus.”

“Having a scholarship like this helped make my college dreams a reality,” said Shank, who is enrolled in the 3+1 communications and Master of Humanities program. “Without the scholarship money, I would not have been able to afford school.”

The Wilson Fund directly affects the bottom line for students in other ways, as well. Without it, “we may be forced to pass on a tuition increase, which we haven’t done in a long time,” Ecker said, referring to the College’s ability to freeze tuition for traditional students for the past eight years.

Money for the Wilson Fund is raised annually by the Office of Institutional Advancement, as well as class officers. It comes from alumni, employees and friends of the College, including parents and foundations. Of the $1,337,287 raised in the year that ended June 30 (fiscal 2017), 89.5 percent was contributed by

Providing much-needed funds for everything from college-funded scholarships, student activities and speakers to conferences, unexpected facilities repairs and faculty Wilson Fund giving support, the Wilson Fund is even a factor in how well 2007-2017 Wilson performs in college rankings like those from U.S. News & World Report, which influence FY 16 — $1,351,068 many prospective students’ decisions about FY 17 — $1,337,268 where to enroll. “Essentially, it touches every FY 15 — $1,112,064 thing,” said Rawleigh.

An unrestricted general fund is important at any college, but it is especially vital at a small institution like Wilson, which doesn’t have revenue-generating sports programs or a high percentage of students from upperincome families, according to Brian Ecker, vice president for finance and administration.

“It’s 6 percent of our revenue,” he said. “There would be some things we couldn’t do without the Wilson Fund.”

FY 11 — $1,097,968 FY 12 — $1,071,913

FY 10 — $1,061,228 FY 07 — $1,019,832 FY 13 — $994,000 FY 08 — $975,000 FY 14 — $960,000 FY 09 — $900,000

Katie Shank ’20 is one of scores of students who benefit— often unknowingly—each year from the Wilson Fund. She receives a range of financial aid, including a $12,000-a-year Presidential Scholarship, which is based on merit and may be funded by the Wilson Fund.

2,545 — FY 07 2,301 — FY 08 2,246 — FY 09 2,220 — FY 10 2,106 — FY 11

1,988 — FY 12 1,918 — FY 13 1,491 — FY 15 1,232 — FY 14 1,176 — FY 16 1,107 — FY 17

Number of donors 2007-2017

fall 2017 23

alumni and 81.5 percent of the total number of donors—1,107— were Wilson graduates, according to the advancement office.

Thanks to matching gifts made by philanthropist Marguerite Brooks Lenfest ’55, the College exceeded its Wilson Fund fundraising goals for the past three years, generating $1.1, $1.3 and $1.3 million, respectively. In the fiscal 2015 Lenfest Wilson Today Challenge, Lenfest matched contributions to the Wilson Fund, dollar for dollar, up to $300,000. She increased her matching gift to $500,000 in fiscal 2016 and ’17.

“I think (Lenfest’s matching gifts) were extraordinarily important” in reaching the Wilson Fund goal, Rawleigh said.

“She’s so widely respected in this community and at a time of flux at the College, Marguerite stepping up with a matching gift sent a very powerful signal to the community.”

While the fundraising goal has been reached for the past several years, alumni giving trends are worrisome. According to Rawleigh, there are several causes—some unique to Wilson and some that are not. One cause for concern is the trend in philanthropy toward restricted giving—making gifts for specific things—as opposed to making an unrestricted donation to an annual fund.

“Younger donors have a much keener interest in restricted giving,” said Rawleigh. “They want to see specifically what their gifts are going to. This is not a unique issue for Wilson. It’s just that all of these kinds of things are magnified by the size of our community.”

“Unrestricted funding allows us to meet the greatest need at the institution. It really helps close the gap between the cost of running the institution and the tuition revenues that come in.

—President Barbara K. Mistick Wilson’s historical small size is having a negative effect on fundraising, especially looking toward the future. Numbers of graduates in the traditional undergraduate college began to fall off in the late 1970s and class sizes fluctuated for 30 more years.

“The classes just got tiny after (the near-closure in 1979). We cannot artificially alter that in any way,” Rawleigh said.

Moreover, an analysis of class giving histories shows a sharp drop in contributions, particularly among those graduating since the mid-1970s. “We don’t have a class beyond 1976 that has more than single-digit participation in terms of percent of the class who give to the Wilson Fund,” said Rawleigh.

PHOTO BY RYAN SMITH

Wilson Fund giving data by class is listed in the Class Notes section of this magazine. Double-digit participation rates among classes of the 1940s to early 1970s eclipse the giving rates of the ensuing decades.

This decline in giving is being experienced, on some level, by colleges and universities across the board. Inside Philanthropy

24 wilson magazine

here in 2011 was faced with a raft of financial needs requiring fundraising, including a 75-year-old library forced to close because of a failure of its original heating system.

Mistick considers all gifts to the College important, but says Wilson Fund gifts are especially so. “Number one, it shows the commitment of the community to the College, long term,” she said. “Secondly, it’s unrestricted so it helps the College at every level. And third, it’s critical funding for the annual operations of the College. The annual fund is year in and year out.

Unrestricted funding allows us to meet the greatest need at the institution. It really helps close the gap between the cost of running the institution and the tuition revenues that come in.

Particularly today, the need for that kind of unrestricted giving just keeps going up and up.”

Above, Katie Shank ’20 on the field at AT&T Stadium, home of the Dallas Cowboys, during the Associated Collegiate Press/ College Media Association (ACP-CMA) National College Media Convention in October. At left, students enjoying lunch at the Jensen dining hall.

contributor Mike Scutari recently cited a survey by fundraising consultants Marts & Lundy which shows that although “mega-gifts” exceeding $10 million continue to rise, giving at what the industry calls “the middle of the pyramid” has dropped and “fundraisers are having a difficult time engaging younger alumni and growing the donor base.”

A February report by the Council for Aid to Education found that in 2016, gifts from alumni declined 8.5 percent over the previous year. One reason cited is the rise of “effective altruism” among younger donors, who are choosing to measure the impact of philanthropic gifts in “lives saved per dollar” (think Syrian refugee crisis, famines and other weather-related disasters).

While young donors may not view the needs of an alma mater with millions of dollars in an endowment as critical, they often are, according to college administrators.

“At Wilson, we’ve always had less money than we’ve had need,” said President Barbara K. Mistick, who upon arriving

It is increasingly important to educate and inform alumni and students still in school about the realities and need for annual gifts to the College, according to Rawleigh. “We are focused on helping younger alumni understand that the Wilson Fund is vitally important,” she said.

Conversely, Wilson alumni themselves—specifically those in the job market—also benefit from robust giving rates because of the positive effect on college rankings. Improved rankings increase the value of a Wilson degree and raise the visibility of the College among employers.

“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Rawleigh said. “Being a philanthropist goes both ways. It’s powerful. By and large, stakeholders feel good when they’re participatory. Most people feel some sense of reward. As Wilson has turned itself around, I sense a real feeling of pride in the institution.”

Shank said she shares in that pride, “just seeing the campus flourish and grow,” singling out the renovated and expanded library and updated residence halls. After she graduates and is on solid financial footing, she said she plans to give to the Wilson Fund to help do for future Wilson students what alumni have done for her. “I’d like to see more students like myself be able to get a Wilson education and experience the benefits and opportunities that Wilson gives its students,” said Shank.

If you would like to learn more or make a gift to the Wilson Fund, contact the Office of Institutional Advancement at advancement@wilson.edu or 717-262-2010. W

fall 2017 25

A DAILY CALL TO “

ACTION”

Danniele Fulmer ’16 graduates from Vermont Law School as advocate for environment

By Coleen Dee Berry

A

fter Danniele Fulmer ’16 stepped from the stage at Wilson with her bachelor’s degree in environmental studies, she found little time to relax. Almost immediately after commencement, she plunged into her studies at Vermont Law School, tackling five courses during the summer of 2016 before classes began for the fall semester.

The pace was frenetic, but Fulmer said her work paid off. “When I started in the fall, I had a pretty high confidence level that I could keep up with all the master’s degree students and the J.D.s (juris doctor candidates) in my courses,” she said.

That momentum propelled Fulmer through an eventful year to graduate in May 2017 as Wilson’s first student to attend VLS in the 3+1 program. Under an articulation agreement forged in 2014 between Wilson and VLS, she was able to complete her bachelor’s degree in three years at Wilson and then earn a Master of Environmental Law and Policy degree at VLS in one year.

This summer she worked as an intern at the nonprofit Chesapeake Climate Action Net-

26 wilson magazine

work, based in Tacoma Park, Md., which ended in the organization offering her a full-time job as executive assistant/special projects coordinator. She began those duties in August.

Unfortunately, the people who have contributed the least to global climate change will bear the heaviest burdens. I choose to work on climate change largely because I feel a sense of moral obligation to future and current generations.”

Danniele arrived at Wilson with an infectious enthusiasm to tackle the environmental challenges that confront humanity.

— Ed Wells, professor of environmental studies Growing up in rural Indiana, Pa., Fulmer said she was interested in nature and the environment from an early age. She chose Wilson with the intent of majoring in environmental studies. “I feel that climate change is the single most pressing issue of our time,” she said. “In the long term, nothing will go unscathed in the path of climate change.

Wilson Professor of Environmental Studies Ed Wells recognized that passion. “Danniele arrived at Wilson with an infectious enthusiasm to tackle the environmental challenges that confront humanity,” he said. Wells urged Fulmer to enter the College’s program with VLS.

AROUND THE GREEN

From left, Danniele Fulmer ´16 relaxes on the Moss Glen Falls trail in Stowe, Vt.; celebrating graduation day at Vermont Law School; hiking Stowe Mountain with dog friend, Eden.

When she decided in her second semester to sign up for the 3+1 program, she found herself a bit behind in the coursework required to graduate in three years. “I took a lot of January-Term and summer courses,” said Fulmer, whose summer courses involved her becoming one of the first two Wilson students to study abroad at the Southwestern University of Finance and Economics (SWUFE) in Chendu, China. She also interned in the environmental regulations division at Volvo International in Shippensburg, Pa., and her experience there led to her work at the Fulton Farm, where she performed the day-to-day duties required by the composting agreement between the College and Volvo, which began sending the farm its food waste in fall 2015.

“Danniele was instrumental in moving our Volvo/Wilson compost initiative forward,” said Chris Mayer, director of the Fulton Center for Sustainability Studies. “As a Volvo intern, she was in the perfect position to identify systems that made this program easily implemented by both sides.”

Her hands-on work at the farm, coupled with her coursework, allowed Fulmer to ”synthesize experiential learning with a foundation in the liberal arts, and move forward with a determination to effect social change through the law,” Wells said.

work on something that had to do with climate change and the D.C. area is a hub for environmental law and advocacy,” Fulmer said. Most of her time was spent working on the group’s efforts to pass a carbon pricing policy for the District of Columbia.

Juggling coursework with her internships at both Volvo and the farm was good preparation for the pace at VLS, Fulmer said, as she packed a lot into her year in Vermont.

“I made it a point never to say no to an opportunity,” Fulmer said. She became a member of the VLS Environmental Law Society when she was elected to serve as a senator to the society, representing master’s degree program students, and served on two of the society’s committees, the Earth Week Committee and the Environmental Education Committee, which taught environmental classes twice a week to elementary school students.

Under the group’s proposal, companies that buy and sell fossil fuels in the District would pay a steadily rising fee on each ton of fuel used, with the majority of the money going back to every D.C. resident. The highlight of Fulmer’s internship was testifying about the proposal before the D.C. City Council. “I put my Wilson communication skills to good work,” she said.

After obtaining her master’s degree, Fulmer sought work in the Washington, D.C., area and landed an internship with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network. “I wanted to

Fulmer looks forward to continuing to push for the passage of the carbon pricing policy in her new full-time role, as well as assisting with the day-to-day operations of the network’s main office. Working to help solve climate change challenges has been her ultimate career goal. “It's a daily call to action for me,” she said. W

fall 2017 27

AROUND THE GREEN

Top, Ashley Carbaugh �18, left, and Jenny Smith �18, right, take readings from a feeder stream leading into Lake Heritage. Bottom right, students count insects found in the lake and stream bed; and bottom left, water samples await testing.

28 wilson magazine

REVIVING

LAKE HERITAGE

Wilson students identify possible solutions for troubled lake

By Coleen Dee Berry

S

even Wilson students took on a formidable challenge this summer: research how to breathe life back into Lake Heritage in Gettysburg, Pa. Lake Heritage, a planned residential community developed in 1965 around a 154-acre man-made lake, faces significant ecological problems due to persistent algae blooms, low oxygen levels and other issues.

The seven members of the Stewardship of Watershed Ecosystems course led by Chris Mayer, director of the Fulton Center for Sustainability Studies, spent an intensive week in July studying the lake’s ecology and developing recommendations.

The magnitude of the problem became apparent the first time the students ran tests to measure the number of organisms— both good and bad—present in the lake.

“There was absolutely nothing registering on our dipsticks,” said Ashley Carbaugh ’18.

“The lake is virtually dead.”

Lake Heritage’s condition is compounded by decades of bad practices, Mayer said. “For example, when the community first started 50 years ago, residents dumped their washing machine water into lake,” she said. “This was before phosphates (in detergents) were banned. The community is still dealing with the consequences today,” as elevated phosphate levels continue to encourage algae blooms.

Lake and Dam Committee and the Property Owners Association. “The students really gave the committee a spark,” said committee member and homeowner Donna Scherer. “Their report was energizing. The lake has been in poor health for years and the committee was beginning to be worn down with dealing with this problem for so long.”

Matt Verdirame, chair of the lake and dam committee and a board member of the homeowners association, said he agreed with many of the students’ recommendations. “It was good to get another point of view and see if there are things that we could be doing differently,” he said. “A lot of the recommendations that the students made, we had already been doing them, so it validated our efforts, so to speak. It was good to hear that we were doing the right things.”

The committee will look further into three areas recommended by the students, according to Verdirame: monitoring the health of the nearby retention basin, increasing the number of the floating islands and involving the whole community in keeping the lake clean. “After the study by Chris and her students, the committee now has more tools to understand the lake’s ecology,” Scherer said.

After concluding their research, the students’ recommendations included: getting the entire Lake Heritage community involved in keeping the lake clean, weighing whether a solution is cost-effective over the long run, studying the health of the lake’s retention basin and undertaking further analysis of the effectiveness of existing floating islands and aeration systems.

Mayer said she is pleased that this year several business management students participated in the watershed ecosystem course, which is offered every summer.

“The business students had a whole different approach to the project and it was a fresh take on looking at an ecological problem,” she said. “They were factoring in cost effectiveness and efficiency and other good business practices.”

These recommendations were well-received by members of the Lake Heritage

Carbaugh, a Lean Six Sigma “black belt” graduate and adult degree student who

Lake Heritage in Gettysburg Pa.: 750 total acres with a 154-acre lake, 252 waterfront homesites and 600 additional homesites with lake access privileges. is studying for her business management degree, applied the business concept of continuous improvement to Lake Heritage.

One of the key components to this approach is engaging the whole community in the outcome of the project. “Implementing any improvement action doesn’t occur overnight: it takes planning, collaboration and a longterm focus,” she wrote in her recommendation. “You have to take a long view,” she said.

“You can’t just fix the symptoms and not look at the underlying causes, because the problems just keep coming back.”

When he signed up for the course, business management major Darren Mohammed ’18 said he expected to spend a week inside a classroom and was pleasantly surprised to spend so much time in the field. “It was pretty cool to be getting down into the lake and taking samples,” he said.

His recommendation was to expand the lake’s floating island system, calling the islands cost-effective measures with low maintenance needs. “I felt like I was making a contribution to finding a solution,” Mohammed said. “They have a real-world problem at Lake Heritage and we got to help work on solving it.”

The Lake Heritage homeowners association will be discussing Wilson students’ report further, according to Verdirame. “We know we have a long way to go with the lake. We’re looking for long-term solutions, not short-term. There are some good recommendations here.” W

fall 2017 29

STAYING HOPEFUL

FOR HAITI Abigail Selman ’18 leaves her heart in Ouanaminthe

By Laura B. Hans �13

I

n 2011, Abigail Selman ’18 joined her best friend, Michaela Roland, on a church mission trip to Ouanaminthe, Haiti, and discovered a calling.

Roland had been participating in mission trips with Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chambersburg, Pa., since 2009 to teach vacation Bible school. Roland’s enthusiasm became an inspirational force, Selman said. “She couldn’t stop talking about it. I decided it sounded like a fun week, so I tagged along.”

Selman returned the next two summers with Roland to help teach in Ouanaminthe. In 2013, something clicked for Selman. “One day, we were doing the morning worship for summer camp,” she said. “We were singing and … I got goosebumps and I started to cry and thought, ‘I’m supposed to be here.’ I think that was my big ‘aha’ moment.”

Selman has now traveled to Haiti more than 10 times and her most recent stay in July

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lasted one month. “I love seeing students, other teachers and friends that I have made over the years,” she said. “I feel so invested in learning about Haitian culture. I want to understand life from their perspective … If I can understand the world from their point of view, I can better serve people.”

Although Selman is interested in working in other countries, she says her “heart and mind are in Haiti.” She now visits independently of mission trips and teaches English as a volunteer at the school, Institution Univers (IU) in Ouanaminthe.

On the border of the Dominican Republic in northeastern Haiti, Ouanaminthe has a population of more than 140,000 people.

Despite economic barriers, there are educational and economic opportunities. “Ouanaminthe actually has over 100 schools,” Selman said. “Institution Univers, the school I teach at, is the largest in the area with 2,400 students.”

The United States-based charitable organization, Coalition of Children in Need Association, funds the school, along with a medical center, bakery, mechanics shop, farm and an apartment complex. These components employ Haitians and support economic development and community capacity development.

At IU, Selman has taught English to four fourth-grade classes and three thirdgrade classes with about 50 children in each classroom. English is the students’ third language—the first is Haitian-Creole, then French and then English. Selman has also taught 11th, 12th and 13th-grade advanced English classes and instructed adults at the free classes that IU offers its workers. She hopes “to see Univers successfully grow and continue to give children a good education, and that someday we can get (more) technology and less students in each classroom.”

AROUND THE GREEN

From left: elementary school children at Institution Univers in Ouanaminthe, Haiti; Abigail Selman ´18 with students from her class for advanced English; Selman in the classroom at Institution Univers.

I feel so invested in learning about Haitian culture. I want to understand life from their perspective … If I can understand the world from their point of view, I can better serve people.

— Abigail Selman ’18 A psychology major, Selman also assisted a traveling mental health team at Univers Medical Center and other clinics in Haiti's northeast region from 2014-16. The team completed assessments, wrote prescriptions, distributed medications and provided treatment recommendations to patients.

“Slowly, throughout the country, more hospitals and clinics focus on mental health,” Selman said. “When your priorities are food and shelter, the emotional things get

pushed aside, so this shows progress when things like mental health come to Haiti.”

Selman enjoys sharing her experiences and during the spring 2017 semester, presented a lecture at Wilson entitled, “Beyond the Poverty.” Crystal Lantz, Wilson director of international scholar services, said Selman “drove home the point that it’s not about having a savior complex and fixing developing countries’ problems because that never

works, but (it’s about) recognizing the value of coming alongside existing organizations and supporting the work sustained by people from those places.”

Selman, who earned college credits while teaching in Haiti, received Wilson’s Lucy Bremmer Global Citizenship Award and Study-Abroad Scholarship, which helped with her travel expenses. After graduating this December, Selman plans to earn her master’s degree and dreams of teaching English or practicing clinical mental health in Haiti. She feels her time there has given her insight into the country. “Haiti doesn’t need a handout,” she said. “Haiti needs (to forge its own) education, employment and progress.” W

fall 2017 31

A NEW

CONFERENCE Wilson to Join Colonial States Athletic Conference

By Cathy Mentzer

W

ilson College will join the Colonial States Athletic Conference in 2018-19, a move expected to enhance the overall student-athlete experience by aligning Wilson with other small, private colleges and providing more balanced conference competition.

“The CSAC is thrilled to welcome Wilson College as a full member of the conference,” said CSAC Commissioner Adrienne Mullikin. “Wilson is an institution on the rise and it is evident that intercollegiate athletics plays a pivotal role in the direction that the institution is heading. I am confident that this partnership will be a rewarding one for both Wilson and the CSAC."

Wilson, which competes in NCAA Division III athletics, will continue to play in the North Eastern Athletic Conference in the 2017-18 academic year, according to Wilson Director of Athletics Lori Frey. She said the move to the CSAC in fall 2018 will bring a number of advantages, including allowing the College’s 10 men’s and women’s sports teams to compete against similar schools, while reducing travel time to away games— in some cases by as much as half.

“One of the primary attractions for Wilson is that all of the CSAC member institutions are private, independent colleges, which aligns us with schools that have a similar philosophy,” Frey said. “With the CSAC, we’re going to be competing against institutions that have the same priorities in the academic success of the students. The competitive levels of the schools we’ll be playing will more closely match ours and the member institutions are closer to Wilson than many of the NEAC members. All of that, to us, equates to a better experience for the student-athletes.”

Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick agreed that the CSAC will be a good fit

32 wilson magazine

for Wilson, not only in terms of size, competitiveness and proximity of rival colleges, but also when it comes to conference members’ shared commitment to competitive excellence, sportsmanship and academic standards.

“We’ve had a good run with the NEAC and we are grateful to the conference,” Mistick said. “But the opportunity to elevate our student-athlete experience in 2018-19, the same year that Wilson begins play in its 10th sport—baseball—makes it the perfect time for a new beginning.”

The CSAC, which will also welcome current NEAC member Bryn Athyn College in 2018-19, sponsors 17 men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports in NCAA Division III, including men’s and women’s cross country, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, tennis and outdoor track and field. In addition, the conference sponsors field hockey, softball, women’s volleyball and men’s golf and baseball.

Ethan Russ ’19, center, during a men's soccer match against McDaniel College.

Wilson’s athletics program, which has been a member of the NCAA since 1996, has grown to include 10 sports, including five women’s teams and five men’s. The Phoenix women’s teams play field hockey, volleyball, basketball, soccer and softball.

Men’s teams currently play soccer, basketball, volleyball and golf, and recruiting for baseball is underway for the spring 2018 inaugural season. W

BASEBALL ADDED AS MEN’S SPORT; COACH NAMED Wilson will add men’s baseball to its intercollegiate athletic programs in the 2018-19 academic year, hiring John Poss as the first head coach of new baseball program.

Wilson’s historic first baseball game will be played in spring 2019 and Poss said he is currently recruiting. "I am looking for student-athletes who are a good fit for Wilson College both on and off of the field,” he said. “The players I will be targeting love the game, are great teammates and believe in the team-first philosophy."

Poss brings an extensive baseball background to Wilson, both as a professional player and successful coach. Between 2012 and 2017, he led the St. Mary's Catholic High School baseball team in Annapolis, Md., to a 123-28 record, preparing 22 student-athletes to go on to compete at the collegiate level. Prior to St. Mary's Catholic, Poss served as an assistant coach at his high school alma mater, DeMatha Catholic.

Poss, who played baseball for NCAA Division 1 programs at the University of Maryland Baltimore County and Winthrop University, played professionally in the Frontier and Atlantic Leagues, as well as for the Baltimore Orioles organization in 2000. —CDB

The Wilson Phoenix field hockey team rallies during a game.

PHOENIX SPORTS WRAP The 2017 fall season is underway for Wilson athletics as field hockey and men’s soccer are off to solid starts by notching important wins early in the season. Women’s soccer, women’s volleyball and men’s golf have also been in action.

FIELD HOCKEY is off to a hot 5-3 start and in their five wins, the Phoenix have outscored their opponents by a 20-6 margin.

During the annual Wilson College Invitational, the Phoenix earned the championship with wins over Ferrum College and Eastern Mennonite University. Miranda Long ’18 was named the tournament’s most valuable player for scoring three goals.

Long was also named the North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) Field Hockey Student-Athlete of the Week for her performance at the invitational. Michaela Singer ’21 currently leads the team and the conference with eight goals on the season.

After a challenging early season schedule, the MEN’S SOCCER team is primed to make a run toward the NEAC post-season. The Phoenix have won three of the last five

matches, including back-to-back 4-0 shutouts over Bethany College and the University of Valley Forge. Ethan Russ ’19 leads the team with four goals, including a hat trick in the victory over Valley Forge, which led to him earning NEAC Men’s Soccer Offensive Student-Athlete of the Week honors.

Featuring two seniors and seven freshmen, the WOMEN’S SOCCER team is very young, but has shown improvement as the season continues. Noemi Reagan ’20 leads the team with four goals.

WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL has shown improvement in year

two of the program. Although the team has yet to win a match this season, it has already won five more sets than last year, and three of the losses have come by a single set.

MEN’S GOLF opened the fall portion of its schedule by com-

peting at the Lebanon Valley Dutchmen Invitational. Sam Ritter ’20 led the Phoenix with a score of 93.

fall 2017 33

PHOTOS BY DAVE SINCLAIR

AROUND THE GREEN

— hidden —

history

A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF A FRESHMAN

By Amy Ensley

O

April: Dr. Warfield has decided the college rules are not strict enough. They have found out that some of the girls who go away to dances haven’t been so good so they are taking it out on us. They know very well what girls are ruining Wilson’s name—so why not kick them out and let us have a good time instead of making us suffer for other people’s sins? Next year, Dr. Warfield wants us to take a Chaperone Here are some excerpts: to the dance and return September: There is so much to do that afterwards in a bus!!! I am I have a hard time trying to find time wondering whether this is a to do lessons—and we have college or a reform school. enough work for ten people.

May: Measles have broken I know I have to work hard out here! Oh! Oh! Oh! If but I don’t know when to I should get measles for do so. Tonight, I had a the Prom! date with a smooth fellow May: I can hardly believe my from Gettysburg!

Freshman year is almost over.

December: The Christmas It’s been the most wonderful spirit has certainly pervaded year of my life and so much fun. the college—there is a May: Life is very mucky. Classes blanket of snow all around are over and I am spending every and the campus looks minute studying for exams and beautiful. We have a great what a grind! I haven’t stopped big Christmas tree on the once since yesterday except to lawn and trees in every dormitory. sleep, eat and go to the movies.

Wednesday night a group are June: I wish I could tell everybody going caroling and I am going, too. what a grand year it’s been. Just think January: It is pouring rain here of all I know that I didn’t know and I have decided to cut last year. Now I can conjugate Greek class—because it Olive Hammer �37 and her binder of letters home.

50 Greek verbs (2 of them is impossible for me to get perfectly). At first I worried anything out of that darn till 2 a.m. and got C’s and D’s. class and I might as well stay in my room and be comfortable.

Now I go to bed at 10 p.m. and have gotten A’s and B’s. Yep— January: What did you think of my bill? It nearly floored me and this has been one swell year—I don’t think there’ll ever be I hope you were sitting down when you got it. I don’t see where another one like it. I can hardly wait to get home. $74 comes from—but I guess it’s so ... Nothing else much new.

Hugs and kisses, A crowd of Gettysburg fellows came over here dead drunk the Olive other night and had to be kicked out by the police.

February: It seems that the teachers decided they weren’t giving us enough work before, so they are making up for it now! But I am rejoicing for one reason—I am not on probation!

live Hammer’s wryly humorous letters to her family during her freshman year at Wilson in 1933-34 represent themes that are instantly recognizable to alumnae/i—no matter what the year. Her mother kept her letters and had them beautifully bound in a volume called “Dearest Family,” which now resides in the C. Elizabeth Boyd ’33 Archives.

34 wilson magazine

ASSOCIATION NEWS Hello All, We held our Fall Weekend gathering at the end of September.

Highlights from our weekend included a campus focus session with Board of Trustees Chair Barbara Tenney ’67 and College President Barbara Mistick, and an overview on the revision of our bylaws—with comments and suggestions offered by those present. We also visited the current exhibit at the Hankey Center, “Empowered Women: Athletics at Wilson.” Speakers featured during the weekend discussed how to support the Wilson student experience, how to stay in touch through social media and how to advance plans for the 2018 reunion.

The association made an in-kind donation to the “People, Places and Plates” fundraiser for the Fulton Center for Sustainability Studies, which was held on Sept. 30. Tours of the Fulton Farm were available during the event, which also featured a locally sourced dinner.

The new academic year has begun. There are many avenues for you to be involved and engaged in our Wilson community. Donate to the Wilson Fund, donate to Sarah’s Cupboard (the campus food pantry), donate to our internship program and/or donate to our Silver Lining Fund.

Become an Aunt Sarah by contacting the alumnae/i relations office. Are you or your place of business available for interns? What a wonderful way to further career connections for students and fellow alumnae/i. You can also submit names of prospective students via the online referral form. Show your school spirit by attending athletic games both home and away. Schedules are located on the College website.

Save the Date for Reunion Weekend 2018!

Celebrating classes ending in 3 and 8.

Everyone welcome.

Many Paths

ONE WILSON REUNION 2018—JUNE 1-3 Send in your AAWC Award nominations by December 2017. Form and description available online at www.wilson.edu/reunion-weekend.

Contact the Office of Alumnae/i Relations for additional inquiries at AROffice@Wilson.edu or 717-262-2010.

The weekend of Oct. 20-22 was Alumnae Athletics Weekend on campus. Many joined us to support our student athletes in NCAA competition and participate in alumnae games. We enjoyed the “BBQ and Brew” celebration under the tent on Saturday.

So, you see we have many opportunities for you to volunteer your time, talent and treasure. Please check out www.wilson.edu/alumnae-association for more information. Also, the monthly e-News is a fountain of information. If we do not have your email address, you might be missing out.

Thank you for all that you do.

Mary F. Cramer ’91 President , Alumnae Association of Wilson College Marybeth Famulare Director of Alumnae/i Relations

fall 2017 35

ASSOCIATION NEWS AAWC Gifts: Fiscal Year 2016-2017 (includes financial giving and gifts in kind) Franklin County Club Operations Grace Rogers Brown ’54 Mary Cramer ’91 Edna “Denise” Sites Foreman ’48 Maxine Lesher Gindlesperger ’98 Robin Herring ’07 Janice St. Clair Kohler ’57 Betty Jane Weller Lee ’57 Mary Lingle McGough ’10 Lori Loreman Tosten ’01 Dorothy Van Brakle ’09 Carol Zehosky ’15 Franklin County Club Scholarship Cynthia Fink Barber ’73 Grace Rogers Brown ’54 Mary Cramer ’91 Edna “Denise” Sites Foreman ’48 Maxine Lesher Gindlesperger ’98 Leslie Hickland Hanks ’70 Robin Herring ’07 Patricia Markle Keffer ’96 Janice St. Clair Kohler ’57 Betty Jane Weller Lee ’57 Gretchen Mackey ’69 Betty Keefer MacLaughlin ’67 Peggy McCleary ’71 Lynn Forbes Muller ’68 Linda Raimo Lori Loreman Tosten ’01 Betty Miller Upperman ’59 Dorothy Van Brakle ’09 Martha Baum Walker ’69 Carol Zehosky ’15 Internship Gift Program Cynthia Fink Barber ’73— In Memory Of Dick O’Brien Sue Ann Morin Cook ’81 Reunion 2017 Raffle Carole Stoehr Ashbridge ’70 Cynthia Fink Barber ’73 Patricia Bennett ’68 Sue Ann Morin Cook ’81 Mary Cramer ’91

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Marybeth Famulare Janet Chamberlain Flinchbaugh ’69 Judith Coen Grove ’74 Susan Cocker Hopkins ’67 Cathie Sunderland Jenkins ’71 Cheryl Ewing Laney ’67 Martha Estep O’Brien ’65 Kristina Sweval Peters ’67 Sarah Weikert Wilson ’10 Silver Lining Fund Nancy Calahan Beckley ’66 Kimberly Chabot ’87 Class of 1971 Sue Ann Morin Cook ’81 Mary Cramer ’91 Lynne DiStasio ’74 Julia Fehler ’52 Martha Ewalt Grant ’72 Anne Grimes ’82 Margaret Bosworth Hall ’53 Leslie Hickland Hanks ’70 Susan Cocker Hopkins ’67 Alaina Hofer Irvin ’11 Patricia Markle Keffer ’96 Martha “Jane” Beattie Kitchel ’67 Betty Jane Weller Lee ’57 Betty Keefer MacLaughlin ’67 Jane Everhart Murray ’67 Carol Parssinen ’82 Ellen Singer Roberts ’67 Gail Saxton ’81 Judith Rush Scott ’72 Sara Washburn Stoops ’67 Barbara Tenney ’67 Joan Thuebel ’52 Pamela Cochrane Tisdale ’68 Charlotte Weaver-Gelzer ’72 Gladys “Faye” Wilson ’77 Judy Kreutz Young ’63 Unrestricted Donations Cynthia Fink Barber ’73 Anne Pearce Lehman ’49 Elizabeth Ashby Mitchell ’69 Shop for a Cause

AAWC trips for 2018 Need travel advice? Contact the AAWC Travel desk AAWCTravelDesk@gmail.com. Seasoned travelers who are members of the AAWC Tours and Travel committee will be happy to assist you.

April 18-26 River Life Along the Dutch Waterways

Nine days and seven nights on the deluxe small river ship M.S. Amadeus Brilliant, from Amsterdam to Ghent (or reverse). Early bird discount. Contact: GOHAGAN, www. gohagantravel.com or 800-922-3088.

July 11-21 Nordic Magnificence from Denmark to Norway

An eight-night small group tour. Spend three nights in Copenhagen, take an overnight ferry to Oslo for two nights and then a train to Bergen for three nights. Three-night extension to Stockholm available. Contact: AHI Travel, www.wilson.ahitravel.com or 800-323-7373.

Oslo, Norway

Oct.13-21 Flavors of Spain

Become immersed in the history and culture that shaped the Iberian seaside villages and its people. Fly to Barcelona and check into a boutique hotel in the village of Emporda.

Three-night extension in Barcelona available. Contact: ORBRIDGE, Wilson.orbridge.com or 866-639-0079.

Remember: Whenever you travel with Go Next, AHI Travel or Orbridge, be sure to mention you are a Wilson graduate. Your mention will prompt the companies to make a donation to the AAWC. This offer includes any trip, regardless whether it is sponsored by Wilson.

For more information, visit: www.wilson.edu/alumnaei-tours-and-travel

— last —

word

A Small Act of Kindness

By Kimberly Maske-Mertz ’08

T

o me, there is no worse feeling than the fear you experience when your family and close friends are in harm’s way—especially when you are 1,000 miles away with only social media and text messages to keep your sanity intact. And sometimes (most times), even that doesn’t help.

So, it was no surprise that I kicked into a full-on “Florida girl” mindset as Hurricane Irma barreled toward my home state. I was so stressed that I couldn’t sleep, so I did the only thing I could do as I watched and waited—I planned an emergency trip south.

Two days after Irma passed through Florida, I arrived safely in Ocala after a grueling 20-hour drive with my SUV packed with cases of water, canned goods, batteries and other supplies. By then I had already made contact with my family and most of my friends—all of whom were OK if not a little stormweary. But millions across the state were still without power. Gas was in short supply and flooding in some areas made travel nearly impossible.

During the drive down to Florida, I remembered Tom—a very generous and good friend of my mother’s who had recently lost his battle with cancer—and the church family that he had loved so much. The stories Tom told about them had always inspired me. They, along with my mom, had helped care for him in his final days.

I knew without a doubt that the members of Tom’s church would make sure that the supplies I brought would go to those who needed them the most. After contacting the Rev. Leroy Chandler with the New St. Paul Church in Flemington, I set out with my mom to deliver the supplies.

Flemington is tucked away in the more rural, unincorporated part of Marion County. As we drove, I witnessed the wrath of Irma—trees crashed into homes that were now uninhabitable, power lines down, ponds and streams cresting above their banks, flooded roads.

The sight really drove home the divide that seems to dictate which communities will recover quickly. Ocala and Gainesville were already restoring power and returning to normal. Orlando was “back to business.”

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But the smaller towns—some of which were dealt the worst damage—were still struggling.

The New St. Paul Church had been flooded on three sides, making it impossible to enter. Instead, we were invited to a house owned by the church. I had expected to see weary and weather-worn faces, sadness and anxiety.

Instead, I found smiles, laughter and joy from Chandler and his family, who were working tirelessly to clear debris from the yard. When I extended my hand, the pastor quickly pulled me into a hug. We were family now, he said. And families hug.

I could write a novel recounting everything I experienced that day and throughout my journey. Maybe I will someday. For now, I’ll summarize these three beliefs that were reaffirmed for me: Every person we meet in life comes into our lives for a specific reason; the smallest acts of kindness can have a huge impact; and leading by example can inspire others to action.

The world would be a much better place if we could all just step out of our own little comfortable bubbles and help one another.

Chandler drove that point home for me. He said that it would have been easy for me to stay home, but I didn’t. And even though I had no idea where to go to provide assistance when I set out, I made my way to a tiny town off the beaten path and where the supplies could go to people who desperately needed them.

On that day, I stepped out of my comfort zone to make a difference. And that hug and those smiles were all the thanks I needed. W —Kimberly Maske-Mertz ’08 is an adjunct instructor of English and communications and an adviser to the student publications, Billboard and Bottom Shelf Review.

Making Wilson

CAREER CONNECTIONS Help students prepare for life after Wilson: • Connect with the offices of Career Development and Alumnae/i Relations.

• Make a campus visit or host a workplace visit.

• Sponsor internships or job shadowing.

• Share employment openings.

• Give to the AAWC’s Internship Gift Program (www.wilson.edu/igp).

• Be a mentor.

• Come to our networking events.

CONTACT US: Linda Boeckman, director of career development, linda.boeckman@wilson.edu, 717-262-2616 Marybeth Famulare, director of alumnae/i relations, marybeth.famulare@wilson.edu, 717-262-2010

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