Wilson Magazine Spring 2018 by Wilson College

Happy in

Her Skin

Many Paths

ONE WILSON REUNION 2018—MAY 31-JUNE 3

Go online at www.wilson.edu/2018slate to vote on AAWC slate and bylaws changes. If you didn’t receive your copy of the slate brochure in the mail, visit www.wilson.edu/reunion for an electronic copy. Contact the Office of Alumnae/i Relations at 717-262-2010 or ARoffice@wilson.edu

volume 91 | SPRING 2018 | number 1

FEATURES 10 Good Samaritans By Coleen Dee Berry Wilson’s first medical mission aids sugar cane workers in the Dominican Republic. 18 Happy in Her Skin By Cathy Mentzer Ashley Henderson ’19 brings her own style to playing basketball, dancing, creating videos and telling stories about social injustice. 18

22 A Stronger Voice By Lori L. Ferguson Indie film producer Melissa Torriero ’88 strives to showcase women’s skills. 28 Keep Calm and Hug a Dog Cuddly canines can help ease end-ofsemester blues.

32 Program Builder A career change leads to state award for Kari Herchelroth ’03. 34 Inspiration Through Service Wilson’s service-learning projects benefit both community and campus.

36 Coming Together Common goal pushes men’s basketball team to playoffs.

ALUMNAE/I 38 Alumnae Association President’s letter; AAWC awards; Reunion 2018 40 Class Notes 57 In Memoriam

DEPARTMENTS 02 Letter from the Editor

AROUND THE GREEN

03 Wilson News Wilson receives $1 million gift for new veterinary education center; College reaches new agreement with New York Chiropractic College; Eden Hall provides research grant for Single Parent Scholar Program; Newman Civic Fellow named; Learning Campus VISTA grant renewed; Hankey director to present on Wilson suffragette; new faculty welcomed; child care center gets STARS grant; Muhibbah Club holds annual dinner; students and faculty perform at dance conference.

08 Alumnae/i News Nominee for Authors Hall of Fame announced; Florida visits. 16 Viewpoint: “Up to Our Elbows” By Associate Professor of Spanish Wendell Smith 26 President’s Forum: Wilson Leading on Access By President Barbara K. Mistick 31 Hidden History: Happy Anniversary to the Hankey Center! By Amy Ensley, director of the Hankey Center 60 Last Word: The Value of Volunteering By Noel Robinson ’19

STAFF 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, Frances Caroscio, Amy Ensley, Lori L. Ferguson, Bobbi A. Hoffman, Cathy Mentzer, Noel Robinson �19, Wendell Smith Contributing Photographers Jenny Cisney, Terry Clark, Laurie Ferguson, Daniel Glazier �18, Lisa Helfert, Matthew Lester, Cathy Mentzer, Dave Sinclair, Kendra Tidd, Travis Tosten, Ryan Smith Cover Photo by: Kendra Tidd

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 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.

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

— letter from the —

editor

Long before the advent of Alternative Spring Break and Make-A-Difference Day, Wilson students were committed to the ideals of community service. Early graduates became missionaries and social workers, and many 20th-century Wilson students volunteered for the Peace Corps and civil rights organizations. As another new century approached, the campus embraced service learning, which incorporated community service into the college curriculum. Wilson’s first medical mission trip this January to the Dominican Republic was an important addition to this tradition of service. Nursing and non-nursing students took part in the mission, which brought medical aid to the isolated sugar cane camps where Haitian “guest workers” live. Read about their moving experiences and take in the “Viewpoint” written by Associate Professor of Spanish Wendell Smith, who was part of the mission and provides some valuable perspective on what the Wilson team encountered in the Dominican Republic. The medical mission is just one of several recent service-learning projects undertaken by Wilson students. As Wilson’s chaplain, the Rev. Derek Wadlington, said, “Service learning is a big piece of Wilson’s history and it’s a vital part of the ongoing mission of the school.” Find out how Wilson students continue to make a difference, both on and off campus, and read about Wadlington’s plans for future projects. This issue also spotlights one of Wilson’s remarkable students, Ashley Henderson ’19, and another creative alumna, Melissa Torriero ’88. Both use the medium of video to convey stories about social issues. Read their stories and discover more about the career of Kari Herchelroth ’03, who was just named Outstanding Young Alumna by the Alumnae Association of Wilson College. As usual, there is more good news to be found in this issue, including: Wilson Trustee Margaret Hamilton Duprey has donated $1 million toward the College’s new veterinary education center; Wilson has formed a new educational partnership with New York Chiropractic College; and another Wilson student has been named a Campus Compact Newman Civic Fellow. Reunion 2018 is not far away. The AAWC section of the magazine features the full list of the association’s 2018 awards and some advanced tips on what to expect during Reunion. Hope spring has found all of you at last! Read on—and enjoy! Coleen Dee Berry Managing Editor

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 RECEIVES $1 MILLION GIFT FOR VET ED CENTER

$1 million gift for Wilson’s new veterinary education cen-

medical technology field, said Duprey, who lives in Welling-

ter has been pledged by Margaret Hamilton Duprey, a

ton, Fla. “In order for Wilson to expand its vet tech program to

member of the college Board of Trustees. With three other major

include Equi-Assist®, I thought this was a very important gift

gifts for the veterinary education center from two Wilson alum-

to make the program one of the best in the country,” she said.

nae, including two contributions totaling $975,000 from Susan

“That’s basically why I gave it—to make sure the vet tech program

Breakefield Fulton ’61, Duprey’s gift brings the total raised for the

becomes the best, whether for small or large animals.”

new VEC to $2,075,000. The total estimated cost of the project is $2.8 million, officials said. While the College continues to raise money for the new facility, which will replace the 20-year-old Helen M. Beach ’24 Veterinary Medical Center, Duprey’s gift will allow Wilson to break ground on the new VEC sometime in June, with completion expected in January 2019, according to Brian Ecker, the College’s vice president for finance and administration. “We are deeply grateful to Margaret for her leadership as a trustee and her commitment to the institution,” said Wilson Vice President for Institutional Advancement Camilla Rawleigh. The VEC—which houses surgery suites, skill labs, dog kennels, offices and other spaces—is a hub for students in Wilson’s four-

Architect's rendering of new vet ed building.

year veterinary medical technology (VMT) program—one of the College’s most popular majors. A lifelong horsewoman, Duprey contributed $1.5 million to

Duprey joined Wilson’s College Board of Trustees in fall 2017. She and her husband, Bob, own and operate Cherry Knoll Farm,

Wilson in 2015 to establish an Equi-Assist® concentration within

which is the home of dressage, open jumpers and hunter com-

the College’s VMT program. The innovative Equi-Assist® pro-

petition horses, as well as prize-winning Black Angus cattle. The

gram trains students to provide home health care to horses,

farm has locations in Pennsylvania and Florida.

under the guidance of a veterinarian. Replacing the outdated Beach veterinary facility is important if Wilson College is to remain in the forefront of the veterinary

Wilson officials saw a need to significantly upgrade or replace the veterinary facility after the American Veterinary Medical Association’s reaccreditation process identified deficiencies in the modular facility—including the need to replace the heating,

I thought this was a very important gift to make the program one of the best in the country.” Margaret Hamilton Duprey Wilson College Trustee

ventilation and air conditioning system, according to Ecker. He said the new VEC will be 9,000 square feet in size compared to the 5,400-square-foot Beach facility, which will be razed after the new veterinary building is completed. The new center will be built on the west side of the Brooks Science Complex. Plans call for it to include two surgery rooms, a dental room, recovery room and isolation room, as well as kennels and an indoor run for dogs, a cat room, office, lounge, clinical practice area and laundry facilities, Ecker said. The College has retained R.S. Mowery & Sons of Mechanicsburg, Pa., as the general contractor for the project and Benedict Dubbs of Murray Associates Architects of Harrisburg, Pa., as the architect. — Cathy Mentzer

spring 2018 03

WILSON NEWS WILSON, NEW YORK CHIROPRACTIC COLLEGE SIGN AGREEMENT A new educational partnership between Wilson and New York Chiropractic College (NYCC) will guarantee qualified Wilson graduates who receive a bachelor’s degree in exercise science a spot in NYCC’s Doctor of Chiropractic program. Under an articulation agreement between the two schools, students majoring in exercise science who graduate from Wilson with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.0 or above are assured admission to the three-year NYCC program, as well as being awarded a $1,500 merit scholarship by NYCC. “The partnership with NYCC came out of a desire to support Wilson’s goal of enhancing academic opportunities for students and to answer an increased national demand in allied health and complementary medicine,” Tonia Hess-Kling, assistant professor of exercise science, said. “As our program continues to grow and prepare students for work in these fields and for graduate school, this partnership ensures that students who want to study chiropractic can continue their education at a premier school.”

Within their first two years of study at Wilson, interested exercise science majors will be asked to submit a letter of intent to NYCC, asking to join its chiropractic doctoral program. Each student who signs a letter of intent will then be assigned their own NYCC admissions counselor for ease of transition from Wilson to NYCC. Under the agreement, students interested in the NYCC program who graduate from Wilson with a G.P.A. of 2.5 or greater will receive special consideration for admission to NYCC. Wilson’s Bachelor of Science degree in exercise science is designed to prepare students to pursue careers in the fitness and wellness industries, personal and group fitness training and exercise physiology. It will also prepare students to enter graduate programs in athletic training, exercise physiology, cardiac rehabilitation, physical therapy, chiropractic, occupational therapy and recreational therapy. —Coleen Dee Berry

Hankey Center Director to Give Presentation at London Conference PHOTO BY DANIEL GLAZIER ’18

Amy Ensley, director of the Hankey Center, will present a paper on the life of Hannah J. Patterson, Class of 1901, at the Education, College Women and Suffrage: International Perspectives Conference at the Royal Holloway University in London in June. This international, interdisciplinary conference, to be held on June 13 and 14, will explore the links between education and suffrage campaigns, and the roles played by college women in the campaigns. Patterson attended Wilson during the intersection of the social gospel and progressive era reform movements in the United States. After graduating from Wilson, Patterson formed the Allegheny Equal Suffrage Association in 1904 with several other young college-educated women. By 1912, she was the chairman of the Woman’s Suffrage Party of Pennsylvania, and in 1916, was

04 wilson magazine

elected secretary of the National American Woman’s Suffrage Association under Carrie Chapman Catt. When NAWSA leadership offered its organizing abilities to aid the American effort in World War I, Patterson was named resident director of the Woman’s Committee for the U.S. Council of National Defense and earned the Distinguished Service Medal from the U.S. Army. During this time, Patterson continued her relationship with Wilson. In 1911, she became president of the alumnae association and in 1914, she was elected as one of the first alumnae trustees of the College. In 1915, Patterson arranged for noted suffragette Anna Howard Shaw to speak on campus. Patterson also inspired Wilson students to establish a chapter of the College Equal Suffrage Association. Patterson died unexpectedly in 1937 after a short illness. At her memorial service, Sarah Soffel, Pennsylvania’s first female judge, said, “Hers is a name that must not wither. Youth must ever see in Hannah Patterson, the pioneer, feminist leader who pointed the way and blazed for them the trail.” —CDB

COLLEGE RECEIVES $25,000 GRANT FROM EDEN HALL FOUNDATION In 2016, Endicott College published a research study that examined eight undergraduate student-parent programs, including Wilson’s, and recommended further research on the effects of such programs on participants’ children. “While the positive impacts on single parents may be more apparent in terms of the increased earnings, independence and stability associated with college degree completion, impacts on children of these single parents are more nebulous,” Wilson’s grant application states. “Positive impacts may be academic, social-emotional, physical and/or behavioral in nature.” Anecdotally, the effect of living in an academic environment has been positive on the children—with some even returning to Wilson to seek their own degree—but no formal research has been conducted. Findings of the new research study would be shared with the Eden Hall Foundation and potentially other stakeholders, including the higher education community. In addition, study results may be used to help identify improvements to the SPS Program. The Eden Hall Foundation was established in 1984 in accordance with the will of Pittsburgh philanthropist Sebastian Mueller, who had been vice president and a director of the H.J. Heinz Co. —CM

PHOTO BY KENDRA TIDD

Wilson College was recently awarded a $25,000 grant from the Eden Hall Foundation to fund research on how the children of students in the Student Parent Scholar Program are affected by their parent’s participation. SPS, formerly called the Women with Children program, allows single parents to live on the Wilson campus with their young children while they pursue their degree. The grant will allow Wilson and an external research partner to conduct interviews with current and former Single Parent Scholar Program participants, as well as current and former program directors, to develop an exploratory research study on outcomes for children who lived on the Wilson campus while their parent attended college. Wilson was invited to apply for the grant by the Eden Hall Foundation, a private Pittsburgh-based foundation that helped launch the Women with Children program in 1996, providing $946,000 in 1997 and 1998 to renovate Prentis Hall as housing for program participants. In 2015, the program was opened to single fathers and renamed the Single Parent Scholar Program. Currently, 13 single parents are enrolled in the SPS Program. Over the past 20 years, the program has touched the lives of 120 student-parents and at least that many children, according to the College.

UNITY AMONG NATIONS Wilson College's international student organization, the Muhibbah Club, hosted its annual spring dinner in Jensen Dining Hall on Saturday, March 3. The meal, which featured dishes from around the world, was followed by entertainment presented by the students in Laird Hall.

spring 2018 05

COMEDIAN JANE CONDON NAMED WILSON 2018 COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER Nationally known comedian Jane Condon will address the Wilson College senior class at the 148th annual commencement ceremony, to be held at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 13. Condon, dubbed “an uppercrust Roseanne” by the Associated Press, has performed on a number of television programs, including ABC’s The View, NBC’s Today Show and Last Comic Standing, and Lifetime’s Girls’ Night Out. The Wall Street Journal calls her “a rarity” whose material “never needs to be laundered.” Condon graduated from Wellesley College in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and later earned a Master of Education in children’s television from Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. She began her career as a journalist for Fortune and Life magazines, according to her biography at www. fortyover40.com, which honored her in 2015 by naming her to its “40 Women to Watch over 40” list. While living for a time in Tokyo, Condon authored the 1985 bestselling book, A Half Step Behind: Japanese Women of the ’80s, which sold out in Japan. According to fortyover40.com, “… when she would lecture about Japan, people would laugh. A new career was born.” Condon was named “Audience Favorite—New York” on Last Comic Standing. She also won the nationwide “Ladies of Laughter” contest and appears in theaters around the country with the “Ladies of Laughter: Funny and Fabulous” tour. Condon was named one of “10 Comedy Best Bests” in the annual Backstage comedy issue. Her bio at www.fortyover40.com describes her as “a wife and mom who balances her life by getting lots of great material for her stand-up routines from her family, as well as her hometown of Greenwich, Connecticut.” Condon performs at functions ranging from large charity fundraisers to national television. She delivered the 2011 commencement remarks at Wellesley, as well as at the University of New Haven in 2012. —CM

06 wilson magazine

NEWS

IN BRIEF

CHILD CARE CENTER RECEIVES KEYSTONE STARS GRANT The Wilson College Child Care center recently received a $12,920 Keystone STARS Quality Improvement Grant, which will provide stipends for child care center staff in recognition of educational achievements. The grant was awarded by the YWCA of Greater Pittsburgh through the Keystone STARS program, an initiative of the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development and Early Learning to improve, support and recognize the continuous quality improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania. Wilson’s child care center accommodates 36 children ages 20 months to 5 years, year-round. The center provides early care and education for children of Wilson College students and staff, as well as those of Chambersburg families, through a curriculum that is child-centered and developmentally appropriate.

STUDENTS, FACULTY ATTEND DANCE CONFERENCE Both undergraduates and graduate students enrolled in Wilson’s Master of Fine Arts program, as well as faculty members, attended the American College Dance Association’s Mid-Atlantic South Conference at Virginia Commonwealth University March 4-7. At the conference, MFA Director Joshua Legg taught advanced ballet and MFA candidate Shylo Martinez taught contemporary ballet en pointe and musical theater jazz. Visiting Assistant Professor of Dance Megan Mizanty presented her research on Project Trans(m)it, an international dance/technology collaborative, to faculty and students. Four Wilson undergraduate dancers—Sardrick Owusu, Ashley Henderson, Shannon McKenzie and Sami Heckendorn—attended classes, workshops and performances. Heckendorn and Martinez performed a section of Martinez's graduate thesis for adjudication.

NEW FACULTY FOR 2017-18 Wilson welcomed the following new faculty for the 2017-18 academic year: • Thomas Armstrong, assistant professor of finance • Abigail Berkey, assistant professor of biology • Kathryn Sarachan, assistant professor of chemistry • Joseph Crouse, assistant professor of economics • Kathleen Cunniffe-Pena, lecturer of Spanish

WILSON NEWS AMERICCORPS/VISTA GRANT RENEWED FOR THIRD YEAR The AmeriCorps/VISTA Wilson will receive a third AmeriCorps/ coordinator recruits, trains and VISTA grant for the migrant education tumanages volunteer tutors for toring program, Learning Campus, allowthe Learning Campus proing program coordinator Jamie Burnett ’17 gram, which provides literacy to remain for the 2018-19 academic year. and math enrichment services The College recently received approval to children in kindergarten from the Corporation for National and through 5th grade within the Community Service (CNCS) and the LIU’s Migrant Education ProPennsylvania Campus Compact (PACC) gram. Wilson students who volfor the yearly grant. Jamie Burnett ’17, kneeling at right, will return as unteer to tutor, many of whom Learning Campus program coordinator for 2018-19. The eight-year-old tutoring program, are majoring in education, also done in partnership with Lincoln Intermebenefit from the program through experiential learning. diate Unit 12, has provided after-school tutoring for children The Learning Campus program is overseen by Wilson Vice of migrant farmworkers in the Chambersburg area. The program President for Student Development Mary Beth Williams, along is intended to build connections for elementary school students with Lynn Newman, Wilson’s education division chair, and Eric with hands-on enrichment activities provided by Wilson’s acaMandell, LIU student support specialist. —CDB demic departments.

PHOTO BY JENNY CISNEY

SOPHOMORE PRATIKSHYA GAIHRE HONORED AS 2018 NEWMAN CIVIC FELLOW Pratikshya Gaihre ’20 has been named Wilson’s Campus Compact 2018 Newman Civic Fellow, an honor given to civic-minded students who have demonstrated “an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country and abroad.” Gaihre, one of 269 Newman Fellows named across the country, is an international student from Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. A Curran Scholar who volunteers with the College’s Learning Campus tutoring program for children from migrant worker families, Gaihre also volunteers with Menno Haven’s Elder Day adult daycare program at Penn Hall. She is parliamentarian for the Wilson College Government Association and is a member of the Muhibbah Club for international students. She also works as a resident adviser (RA). Gaihre, who is majoring in accounting and financial mathematics, has a history of civic engagement activities in high school. As president of a social service club, Gaihre—with the help of her parents—raised $15,000 to buy and install solar panels to provide electricity for 14 families and a school in the remote village of Bhojpur in eastern Nepal. “I did it because there are so many students, especially in rural areas, that help their parents with households or take care of their farms,” she said, adding that they are only able to study at night—which is difficult without electricity.

After a bus ride of more than 12 hours, Gaihre and the installers from the company she purchased the solar panels from had to walk seven more hours to get to the village. “It was hard, but it was worth it,” she said. When Gaihre was in 11th grade, she was part of an effort that donated computers and books to establish a library in a poor village in the western part of Nepal. “It just makes me happy,” she said of helping people in need. After graduating from Wilson, she wants to continue her studies and get a master’s degree in the same field. Then she plans to return to Nepal and find a job—perhaps with the United Nations, a UN-based organization or an international corporation—and continue helping Nepali people in need. “I’m interested in providing service to the people. There are rural places in Nepal that need to be helped,” she said. “I would also like to do something related to accounting.” Gaihre is Wilson’s third Newman Civic Fellow. The fellowship, named for Campus Compact co-founder Frank Newman, is a one-year experience emphasizing personal, professional and civic growth. Through the fellowship, Campus Compact provides a variety of learning and networking opportunities, including a national conference of Newman Civic Fellows in partnership with the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. Campus Compact is a Boston-based, nonprofit coalition of more than 1,000 colleges and universities committed to “the public purposes of higher education.” —CM

spring 2018 07

ALUMNAE/I NEWS

Naples, Fla. Luncheon—Feb. 1, 2018 Hosted by John and Beverly Farber Wernette ’66 Seated, from left: Louise Buttrick Davies ’53 and Patricia Vail ’63. Middle row, standing, from left: Vice President for Institutional Advancement Camilla B. Rawleigh, Susan Kauffman LaPointe ’70, Karen Stentz Grace ’67, Elizabeth Strong Papagiannis ’60, President Barbara K. Mistick, Sue Goranflo Martin ’52, Margaret Ward ’65, Christine Heroy Muddell ’63, Kathleen Shannon ’71 and Joyce Dorian Richter ’65. Back row, from left: Judy Kreutz Young ’63, Trustee Robin Bernstein, Suzette Gallagher Kneedler ’67 and Beverly Farber Wernette ’66.

IT’S NO MYSTERY—RIDA JOHNSON YOUNG RECEIVES AUTHORS HALL OF FAME NOD The 2018 Wilson College Authors Hall of Fame inductee is one of the most successful songwriters of the early 20th century—Rida Johnson Young, Class of 1894. “We are going back quite a ways with this one, but she truly is a very prominent former Wilson student,” said Michael Cornelius, professor of English and head of the authors nominating committee. Young wrote more than 30 Broadway musicals and plays, and more than 500 songs. She was inducted into the national Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970. Born in Baltimore, Young came to Wilson to study music. Although she remained for only a year, her experience at Wilson left a big impression. Her first Broadway hit, Brown of Harvard, was a college

08 wilson magazine

romance that included a climatic rowing match. “People ask me why I wrote it,” she said in an interview years later. “I loved my own little college—Wilson College of Pennsylvania—and I loved sports and I loved young people.” The play was made into a movie three times, and the 1926 version was famous for being actor John Wayne’s debut film. One of Young’s most popular songs, Mother Machree—a sentimental Irish ballad written in 1910—sold more than 2 million song sheets and early gramophone recordings. Young would later donate a month’s royalties from the song to the Wilson endowment fund. In her most successful venture, Young wrote the book and lyrics for the operetta, Naughty Marietta, composed by Victor Herbert and

Sarasota Club Annual Luncheon—Feb. 3, 2018 Hosted by Trustee Pamela Francis Kiehl ’66 Seated, from left: Joan Hoover Hellwege ’56, Ann Vanderhoff Watral ’50, Jeanne Dunning Tyrer ’50, Damaris Swartz Weidner ’55 and Dorothea Holberton Brown ’62. Standing, from left: Patricia Vail ’63, Vice President for Institutional Advancement Camilla B. Rawleigh, Sarah Walker Risher ’63, Betty Mills Vantine ’67, Jane Preston Rose ’64, Peggy Kauffman Hyde ’64, Valerie Oakley ’64, Julia Solleveld Osborne ’64, Pamela Francis Kiehl ’66 and President Barbara K. Mistick.

CALLING ALL WILSON AUTHORS produced by Oscar Hammerstein. It opened at New York Theatre in 1910, ran for 136 performances and was frequently revived. A 1935 film version received an Academy Award nomination for “Best Picture.” A song from Naughty Marietta reached modern audiences when director Mel Brooks used Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life! in his classic 1974 comedy, Young Frankenstein. The Authors Hall of Fame celebrates members of the Wilson community who have made significant contributions to the literary tradition and culture of the College. The induction ceremony will be held during Reunion Weekend, June 1-3.

The Wilson Authors Wall highlights the literary achievements of Wilson College community members. This special section, located in the John Stewart Memorial Library, is set aside for books by Wilson authors. All members of the extended Wilson community—alumnae/i, current and former faculty, staff and administration—are invited to send us a copy of your published book(s) to add to our collection. Send your books to: Wilson College Office of Alumnae/i Relations Authors Wall 1015 Philadelphia Avenue Chambersburg, Pa. 17201

spring 2018 09

Good Samaritans Wilson’s first medical mission aids sugar cane workers in the Dominican Republic by Coleen Dee Berry

hey are a forgotten people. The Haitian “guest workers” who cut sugar cane in the Dominican Republic

have been “guests” in that country for almost a century. In the remote areas near the sugar cane fields, they spend their lives in bateyes—companyowned villages that often lack the basic necessities of life: clean water, electricity and sewage facilities. With limited transportation, batey residents seldom venture far outside of their village. There are no nearby medical facilities, or even a local pharmacy. And so, those living in the bateyes are dependent on the volunteer teams who visit twice a year, bringing doctors, nurses and medicine to provide basic medical care for workers and their families.

At right: Nursing student Makenzie Shank is surrounded by curious Haitian children in one of the bateyes visited by the Wilson delebation.

10 wilson magazine

spring 2018 11

In January, 11 Wilson students (including eight nursing

there, in the batey, she had to keep working every day or

students) and three faculty members became part of one

she wouldn’t get her wages. And the ankle wasn’t getting

of those Dominican volunteer teams. Within four days, the

any better.”

Wilson team assisted in medical visits to three bateyes (Cre-

Laman accompanied a Good Samaritan doctor into the

ole, pronounced: ba-TIES) and a neighborhood clinic, helped

women’s living quarters to assist in dressing the wound.

treat 375 adults and more than 200 children, and dispensed

“She was putting on a brave face for her family but I knew

more than 1,500 medications. This was Wilson’s first med-

it was very painful for her. The doctor put antibiotic cream

ical mission trip, which was coordinated by the Christian

on it, but what the woman really needed to do was stay off

nonprofit organization Mission: Hope. The organization

it, which she couldn’t do ... I keep thinking about her. I feel

connected Wilson with La Buen Samaritano (the Good

awful that she had to keep working.”

Samaritan) Hospital in the southeastern coastal city of La

The mission trip was Laman’s first trip outside the United

Romana, which runs medical trips to approximately 100 bat-

States. She said she wanted to go to the Dominican Republic

eyes twice a year.

to learn about another culture. “I really didn’t know what to

Since it was Wilson’s first medical mission, participants were not sure what to expect, according to Sherri Stahl, senior vice president for hospital services at Summit Health in Chambersburg, who accompanied the Wilson team. “But at that first batey, they did not miss a beat. I came away totally impressed by the quality of the Wilson students,” she said. “I’ve been very interested in following the (nursing program) progress at Wilson and can’t wait to have these students become full-fledged members of our nursing community.” “Our students were fantastic,” said Wilson Division of Nursing and Health Sciences Chair Carolyn Hart, who coordinated and took part in the trip. “They showed a great deal of compassion and sensitivity, which allowed them to reach out and make connections with the people they were treating.” Associate Professor of Spanish Wendell Smith, who also participated in the trip along with three of his students, said that he was “proud of the way our group of Wilson students adapted quickly to this new environment and pitched in to work—and proudest of the efficient and tightknit team we formed with our Good Samaritan partners.”

S Jennifer Laman ’19 can’t forget the Haitian woman with

expect,” she said. “The conditions in the bateyes were bad. The hospital doctors told us they are really dependent on volunteers—they need the volunteer workers in order to

the wound on her ankle. “The wound would not heal,”

do all their medical trips to the work camps. So I felt that I

Laman said. “If she was here in the United States, she could

was helping.”

rest, put it up and take antibiotics and it would be OK. But

12 wilson magazine

At left: A typical home in a Dominican batey inhabited by Haitian ‘guest workers.’ Above: Wilson medical mission volunteers meet with patients in a clinic set up inside a batey church.

At the bateyes and the neighborhood clinic in the town of San Pedro, the Wilson nursing students took blood pressure and vital signs for the Good Samaritan doctors, assisted them in their examinations and helped hand out medications. Smith and Spanish-speaking students would help register patients and provide assistance with Spanish translation. This could be tricky, Smith said, as many of the Haitian batey residents spoke Creole French, while the Dominicans spoke Spanish. “Most of the Haitian children could speak some Spanish,” he said. One of the most unexpected obstacles volunteers encountered was the unavailability of medicines most Americans take for granted. “We, the volunteers, had to buy all the medications we needed each day for a clinic,” Hart said. “Everything from antibiotics to blood pressure medicine to ibuprofen. The doctors who went with us had to look at the medications each visit to see what was available, so that they could determine what the treatment could be for that day. That’s a very different experience for students who are used to having just about any medication on hand available for treatment.”

some,” Hart said. “For our next mission trip, we will bring a good supply of medications with us.” Even with medicine, the care provided by the volunteer teams could only extend so far.

I came away totally impressed by the quality of the Wilson students. I’ve been very interested in following the (nursing program) progress at Wilson and can’t wait to have these students become full-fledged members of our nursing community. Sherri Stahl, Summit Health senior vice president for hospital services Alison Shockey ’20 can’t forget the man with the high

At the last batey clinic, the team ran out of ibuprofen.

blood pressure. “He came in with really high numbers, like

“It wasn’t like you could just go to the corner store and buy

250 plus, and with numbers like that back home, he would

spring 2018 13

have been immediately sent to the emergency room for help.

saries for older family members. With the mission trip tak-

All we could do was give him some blood pressure medi-

ing place early in January, it was still the Christmas season

cine,” she said. “They live so far away in the bateyes. They

on the island and the Wilson students had purchased many

don’t have access to hospitals and the clinics are all they

small items before they left—such as crayons, pencils and

have, but they can only do so much. I keep wondering what

coloring books—to hand out at the clinics. The promise of a

happened to him.”

gift was a good incentive to get the children lined up to take

The conditions at the bateyes were daunting at first,

an anti-parasitic medicine that tasted particularly nasty.

Shockey said. Besides the lack of clean water and electricity,

“The kids there got so excited if we gave them a pencil.

broken glass and trash were strewn everywhere. “But we had

Just a pencil!” Shockey said. “You really don’t understand

this saying—‘different eyes’—that helped us understand,”

what poverty is like until you go to a place where people

she said. ”It meant that to our eyes it looked terrible, but to

have nothing.”

their eyes, this was their lives and this was normal.”

Some of the Wilson students were able to lend a hand in

One of the constants at their clinics was the children.

other areas. Cathy Rice ’19, a nursing student who is minor-

Despite the living conditions, the children were open and

ing in medical Spanish, spent most of the mission trip work-

friendly, crowding around the bus to greet the medical team,

ing with a dentist. “I had worked in a dental office years ago,

leading their foreign visitors around by the hand to show

so I was comfortable assisting her,” Rice said. The dentist

them their village and often acting as translators and emis-

performed mainly simple extractions without the aid of a dentist’s chair. Most patients were seated against a wall for the procedure. “We couldn’t use the water there for the patients to rinse out their mouths. It was too contaminated. We used a lot of gauze,” said Rice. “I’m never taking clean water for granted again.”

S Even the non-nursing students found a purpose on the mission trip. Katie Shank ’20 is a communications major at Wilson, “but I’ve taken three semesters of Spanish. I wanted to go on the mission trip for the Spanish experience, and also because for communications, I’ve been thinking about working for a nonprofit and I thought this would be good experience.” During the team’s first batey visit, From left, Desiree Serrano ’19, Anastasia Case ’20, Katie Shank ’20 (holding hands with children), Elsa Schaefer ’20, Sherri Stahl and Cathy Rice ’19 walk through a Dominican batey.

14 wilson magazine

Shank stepped off the Good Samaritan bus, walked up to one of the Haitian women and asked to hold her baby. From then on, she became “the batey baby cuddler,” in the words of Smith, her Spanish professor, who was profoundly moved by Shank’s initial gesture. “I’m not one of the nursing students and I wasn’t really sure how I could help,” when the bus first pulled into the batey, Shank remembered. She had noticed that in La Romana and in the bateyes, parents did not have baby carriers and were holding their infants in their arms as they went about their work. “So when I asked them if I could hold their baby, I

Haitian workers and their families line up to be seen at a clinic.

was trying to give them a break from holding (the babies) all the time,” she said. “The first time I did it, the mom invited

La Romana, Hart said. “We want to stay connected with the

me into the family’s house, and I sat down and really was able

hospital and develop a relationship with them because we

to have a conversation with the family.” The gesture became

feel their philosophy meshes well with the College. They

an ice-breaker. “It gave me a chance to connect with the peo-

believe in treating people with respect, regardless of their

ple there,” she said.

status, without prejudice. It’s a philosophy we can support.”

I have been told by many people these trips are transformative, and I found that to be very true of our Dominican experience. Carolyn Hart, Wilson Division of Nursing and Health Sciences chair That connection Shank formed became apparent at the

Summit Health is also looking to partner with Wilson to support the mission trips and would consider sending their own physicians on a future trip, according to Stahl. “Next time, we’ll be more prepared, now that we’ve been to the area,” she said. “For example, now we know about the limited availability of medications and we can plan what supplies to bring.” The week spent in the Dominican Republic was eye-opening and life-changing for students and organizers alike. For Rice, her experience on Wilson’s medical mission emphasized that “as a country, we can’t afford to be xenophobic

end of one of the clinics, Hart recalled. “The kids from the

about the plight of other countries,” she said. “We can’t just

batey surrounded our bus to say good-bye—and they all

close our eyes to their problems when we can help.”

started chanting Katie’s name as we pulled way.” Back at Wilson, many of the students said they would not

Hart said she started thinking about a Wilson medical mission trip when she began designing the college’s nursing

hesitate to return to the Dominican Republic for another

program four years ago. And this trip was a first for her

medical mission trip. More medical missions will become

personally. “I’ve coordinated several of these trips before,

part of Wilson’s regular service-learning programs for stu-

but this is the first time I’ve actually gone on a mission,”

dents, according to Hart, who said the next trip might not

Hart said. “I have been told by many people these trips

take place until 2020.

are transformative, and I found that to be very true of our

Wilson’s next medical mission trip will return to the

Dominican experience.” W

Dominican Republic and the Good Samaritan Hospital in

spring 2018 15

—

viewpoint — �UP TO OUR ELBOWS� By Associate Professor of Spanish Wendell Smith

PHOTO BY KENDRA TIDD

few years ago at orientation for one of the first groups of Wilson College nursing students, I encouraged them to become bilingual, Spanish-speaking nurses. As part of their student experience at Wilson, I promised there would be a mission trip to somewhere in the Spanish-speaking world, where we would immerse ourselves in treating those who have limited access Wendell Smith to healthcare—where we would find ourselves “up to our elbows in unmet medical need.” It’s not hard to find such a place. As scholars and the media have been pointing out for a long time, we currently live in a world where what decides who gets sick and who dies is often simply poverty and a lack of access to medical care. Redressing this injustice is an obvious undertaking for healthcare providers. This is the purpose of a mission trip. Wilson’s first medical mission trip took place this January in the Dominican Republic. On that first morning, our team boarded a school bus with “Buen Samaritano” (Good Samaritan) painted on the side and left the city of La Romana for the vast sea of sugar cane to the north. I was excited that we were going to hold a clinic in one of the most egregious examples of neglect in the Western Hemisphere—the Dominican batey. For more than 100 years, Dominican sugar cane has been harvested by guest workers from neighboring Haiti. Those workers are exclusively housed in villages of company-owned tin or cinder-block shacks—often isolated miles away from main roads out in the fields—called bateyes. The bateyes often lack running water, sewage facilities and electricity. Although built as temporary housing, the bateyes have become the permanent home to generations of sugar cane workers and their families stuck in a cycle of poverty, with the men working seven days a week during the six-month harvest, cutting that sea of cane with machetes and loading it onto ox-drawn carts.

16 wilson magazine

At the bateyes, I knew we would experience not only a magnitude of unmet medical need, but we would also see how discrimination and exclusion prevent cane workers and their families from obtaining medical care. I had my own firm beliefs on this subject from working as a Spanish-English medical interpreter during apple harvest in Pennsylvania, helping visiting nurses take health histories of workers from Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. Since that experience, I had been thinking and reading as much of the literature as I could, about how fear of immigration authorities leads people to avoid seeking medical care. I even thought that perhaps this trip would allow me to get a toehold on how to study this problem comparatively. It is one thing to go abroad to a country you have never visited before with ideas in your head about what you want to learn. It is another thing, however, to be there. That first morning in the bateyes really was a shock. When we pulled into Batey Agua Blanca where we were to work, the Good Samaritan workers hustled off the bus to begin setting up the clinic in the village church. The Wilson group lingered behind in their seats, silent. I guessed that many were asking themselves, “What will I be able to do out there?” Surveying the signs of poverty, the shacks, the outhouses and the trash strewn everywhere, it was easy to despair at the overwhelming thought that this looks like a place that’s not safe, like a place where I won’t know how to do what I have come here to do. I felt a need to say something, and for once I think I said the right thing. “Remember,” I told the group, “that this all looks very strange and different to you. But also remember that that difference is just what’s inside your head. To them, this is normal. This is how they live every day. And they are just people, like any other in the world. People all have the same needs. Like to see a doctor. So let’s get to work.” One of the first off the bus was Katie Shank ’20, and what she did next changed the tone for everyone. She went up to the first woman she met and asked to hold her baby. While we figured out what our jobs were that day, there was Katie holding an infant. On the days that followed, this became a theme. As soon as she got off the bus, Katie became the batey baby cuddler.

Over the course of the next four days, we developed a routine with our Good Samaritan partners and saw more than 375 patients. We had a very successful week and I was proud of the way our group of Wilson students adapted quickly to this new environment and pitched in to work. I was proudest of the efficient and tightknit team we were able to form with our Good Samaritan partners. We learned a great deal from the pride Good Samaritan took in being a pastoral outgrowth of a long-established Haitian Baptist church in La Romana. And we will remember the many residents we met in the bateyes: kids who brought us sugar cane and coconuts to try, boys who flirted with our Wilson girls, adults respectfully bringing family elders to the doctor and who had common health problems like anywhere else. On one of the last days in La Romana, I sat down at the MisKatie Shank ’20 (aka ‘the batey baby cuddler’) holding a Haitian infant. sion House to interview Emilio, the interpreter from Buen Samaritano who was in charge of our clinic week. I was still curious about how the legal ramifications of undocumentpered him with questions about what it means to be a Haitian living ed status affect people in the bateyes and their healthcare. I pepin the Dominican Republic. “As far as we’re concerned,” Emilio told me, “discrimination doesn’t exist. If you walk around this city, you’re going to see Haitians everywhere. And that’s why I say that really discrimination doesn’t exist.” It turned out that what I thought was important about healthcare in the Dominican Republic—the politics of immigration—wasn’t the most important thing for his work at all. I was so focused on the problem that I was blinded to the solution: the very people we were working with at Buen Samaritano, an outgrowth of the Haitian immigrant community, helping themselves with a lot of needed support from the U.S.

It is one thing to go abroad to a country you have never visited before with ideas in your head. about what you want to learn. It is another thing, however, to be there.” — Wendell Smith

associate professor of Spanish

In hindsight, I realize that this professor needed to learn his own lesson, a lesson that I knew well from working with Pennsylvania apple pickers but had forgotten in my enthusiasm for explaining a foreign experience. It’s a lesson that is driven home continuously by the practice of healthcare. I was too interested in the politics of discrimination in the bateyes to see that the Haitian residents are just people, like any other. They have the same needs as ours. But without a lot of help from homegrown institutions like Buen Samaritano and volunteers like Wilson students, their needs will go unmet.

spring 2018 17

18 wilson magazine

PHOTO BY TERRY CLARK

Ashley Henderson ’19 ‘Owns Her Own Style’

shley Henderson ’19 is focused like a laser on what she wants to do after college. Every week she makes a schedule of her academic goals, prioritizing time for study, work, playing basketball, participating in clubs and making videos. She doesn’t mind working hard to achieve her objectives. “I know that I want to be somewhere in life,” she said. “I know what I want to do and that I have to work hard to get there.” Henderson, who’s played basketball since she was 3 years old, wants to go pro with a European women’s league after graduation. But the communications major from suburban Washington, D.C., has another long-term goal: She wants to tell stories in visual form through documentary-style videos.

PHOTO BY KENDRA TIDD

“I feel like I could do both at the same time—like I do now,” Henderson said of playing basketball and making videos. “But I know for a fact if I don’t go pro, then I’m definitely going to pursue communications.

That’s something I would never give up on.” Henderson currently plays point guard on Wilson’s women’s basketball team. After sustaining a devastating ACL tear in her knee in her third game as a freshman, she worked to get back into shape and by the next season, was back on the team. The experience made a lasting impact. “It makes you realize that everything is not guaranteed,” said Henderson, who no longer takes her ability to play basketball for granted. “That’s what keeps me going. I’m able to do things some kids can’t do, aren’t able to do. That pushed me a lot to stay positive and stay focused and get back on the court.” Henderson’s play has been getting better and better. In February, she achieved a career-high 30 points in a game against Penn State’s Berks Campus and a few weeks later, she was named to the North Eastern Athletic Conference all-conference team. The driven 22-year-old, who holds a work-study position in the athletics

by Cathy Mentzer department, has created or helped produce a number of team videos. “A lot of the season previews that you saw last year, actually Ashley put those together for me,” said Jeremy Shepherd, associate athletics director. “She did all the video editing and the music and that type of thing. What you see as the final product, she did for us.” Henderson’s talent for conceiving, shooting and editing videos is evident in her work for athletics, but it was the video she made for National Coming Out Day last fall that got her noticed on campus and beyond. Blending music and facts about the LGBT experience with interviews with Wilson students about being gay and coming out to family and friends, Henderson created a simple yet powerful mini-documentary that got a lot of attention. “I found out about it, not through Ashley, but through a student who said, ‘You should see this really cool video that Ashley did,’” said Mary Beth Williams, vice president for

Above left, Ashley Henderson has a style all her own. Above, right, Amber Jones ’18, sitting; Henderson, standing; and several other students work on a project in the Brooks Science Complex.

student development. “There was a really positive energy about it. The students who were in it, I think were honored to be a part of the project.” The reactions of Williams and others on campus was gratifying for Henderson. “I was shocked at the fact that it spread so fast around campus,” said Henderson, who initially posted it on sendvid.com (watch at sendvid.com/zzvunhm9) before later

and her friends temporarily split up on a shopping trip in Washington, D.C., and she found herself in an alley with some young men who began harassing her. “These guys were making catcalls at me and I ignored them. That’s when they attacked me, saying ‘Oh you want to act like a dude, I’m gonna treat you like one.’ They hit me, pushed me, kicked me,” said Henderson, who managed to get away with some bruised ribs and a busted lip.

PHOTO BY DAVID SINCLAIR

Stories of those kinds of experiences—especially stories with themes of social injustice—are the kind of stories Henderson most enjoys expressing through videos. “I do feel like I am a storyteller,” she said. “I want to tell stories about real-life things, things that are actually true, things that I deal with or have dealt with.”

Henderson has a strong presence on the basketball court.

posting it on YouTube. “Students and faculty were telling me how good it was. Some professors I didn’t even talk to came up to me. I was getting emails, too. It felt good to know that my video had such a big impact.” Filmed on her phone and set to the poignant Same Love by Macklemore, Happy in My Skin: A Mini-Documentary has been viewed at least 2,563 times, according to Henderson. In the video, she talks of her own experiences, including a physical attack for being gay while she was a freshman in high school. It happened when she

20 wilson magazine

Henderson’s latest video project is about what it’s like to be a student of color on a mostly white campus. She got the idea to make the video for Black History Month in February, but was unable to finish the project in time. The video includes interviews with Wilson students and, like the coming out video, combines historical events and information with personal stories. “It’s about what black students go through being a minority at this school,” Henderson said. “Stuff they have dealt with, that they feel uncomfortable in some circumstances. Basically, it’s things from our point of view.” At press time, Williams and Henderson were in discussions about a possible screening of the video on campus. “I’m always open to having more conversations around race and inequality and any tensions that may exist on campus,” said Williams. “I’m all for students having conversations, even though they may be difficult. We’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go.”

Henderson believes there is progress to be made in terms of diversity at the College, and she hopes her video can make a difference by bringing about awareness and becoming a basis for conversation. “I’m hoping this will make the campus aware of how we feel about things,” she said. “If people actually got the time to sit and talk to people who are minorities … you would see that everybody’s the same. Everybody has feelings. Everybody came here to get an education. Just sit down and have a conversation and see things from their point of view.” Inspiration for the video came over Christmas break. “I was listening to this song and I just got an idea in my head,” Henderson said. The song, A Dream by rapper Common, samples Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream” speech throughout while expressing a message of determination in the face of racism. Henderson, who recently got a new Nikon camera for her videos, says she learned about using cameras and video editing software in school, but her creative process is as based on instinct as much as anything. “I’ve got a good vision of how I want certain things to be. How I want a video to be, how I want a poster to be,” she said. “I see it and I just go with it.” Since arriving at Wilson in fall 2014, Henderson has become involved in a lot of campus activities, including Billboard, Orchesis and Black Student Union. She’s also a member of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. She strongly identifies as an athlete, a person of color, a lesbian and a dancer—in no particular order. All inform her perspective as a videographer. “I really want people to know the truth about so much,” she said. “I would even tell somebody else’s story if they let me.” Henderson, who has a campus rep for making people laugh and telling

Henderson, who is minoring in dance, brings diverse experience to her dance courses and to Orchesis. “I’ve been dancing since I was five. I did tap, ballet, church dance (litur-

does with some of the assignments she’s given in both the dance technique and dance history classes. She has a very individualistic style. She takes something I give her and she makes it distinctly Ash.” Henderson originally committed to play basketball at Trinity Washington University, a women’s college in the nation’s capital, but Wilson’s then-women’s basketball coach, Jared Trulear, convinced her to visit the Wilson campus. “I came on a visit. I liked it. That’s how I got here,” said Henderson.

PHOTO BY TRAVIS TOSTEN

it like it is, exudes a creativity and confidence that make others take notice. “She owns her own style,” said Megan Mizanty, visiting assistant professor of dance and Orchesis adviser. “She knows who she is and she’s very comfortable with being herself. I think that’s why people are so drawn to her—because she’s authentic. She’s very honest.”

jects such as LGBT issues or struggles minority students on campus face, according to Assistant Professor of Communications J.Z. Long, who is Henderson’s adviser. “She’s a great communicator. She’s not afraid,” Long said. “It’s nice when the students themselves bring that up and add that to the conversation.”

PHOTO BY KENDRA TIDD

“Her energy is always inspiring,” Williams said of Henderson. “She’s an amazing basketball player. She’s a great student. But she does not like attention. She likes to give a voice to the voiceless. She always helps me think about things from a new perspective.”

Above: Henderson edits her video, My Education. My Race., on a computer in the library. Above, right: Henderson performs a number she choreographed for an Orchesis performance.

gical), lyrical, hip-hop. Hip-hop is my favorite,” said Henderson, who is adding her own stamp to the storied modern dance ensemble for this spring’s performance. “This semester, she’s choreographing a piece and it is in her style so yes, this semester we will have a hiphop piece,” Mizanty said. “She’s very creative with the movement she composes. I really like seeing what she

She doesn’t regret her decision. “It’s hard. Wilson challenges you academically,” she said. “But I make sure I have enough time for my work. Every Monday I write out a schedule of what day I’m going to do what. It helps a lot.” Henderson is always prepared in class and her openness adds to the conversation—even when it may involve talking about difficult sub-

Recently, when an all-campus email sought the names of student candidates for a leadership program called the Phoenix Leaders program, Matt Allen, head coach of the women’s team, nominated Henderson. “I think she has a mindset of getting somewhere and doing something positive,” he said. “She is a kid who is very confident in who she is, but at the same time still kind of learning her way through life from a perspective of, ‘How do I become the best person I can become?’ I think she has a lot more to give than she understands.” W

spring 2018 21

A Stronger Voice Indie film producer Melissa Torriero ’88 strives to showcase women’s skills by Lori L. Ferguson

After graduating from Wilson with a bachelor’s degree in English, Torriero was unsure what to do next, so she enrolled in the Peace Corps. “I’m fluent in French, so I figured they would send me to a French-speaking country to teach. Instead, they sent me to Thailand and asked me to serve as a teacher of English to speakers of other languages,” she said with a bemused chuckle. For the next two years, Torriero taught high school students and led teacher training courses. It turned out she was a natural in that arena, too. Torriero enjoyed teaching so much that when she completed her tour of duty and returned to the States in 1991, she enrolled in graduate school and earned a master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) from the Vermont-based School for International Training Graduate Institute.

PHOTO BY LAURIE FERGUSON

ilm producer Melissa Torriero ’88 is a natural storyteller. It becomes apparent just moments after engaging her in conversation. “I started my career as a teacher, although I didn’t take a single education course in college,” Torriero said. See how she did that … she’s already set the hook to her story.

spring 2018 23

After graduating, Torriero moved to the Midwest and began teaching English to non-native speakers. Then came 9/11 and in its aftermath, the number of foreign students seeking classes dropped precipitously and many English language teaching programs closed. Once again, Torriero found herself with a skill set she wasn’t sure how to use. “I moved back east to Connecticut and spent a few years trying to decide what to do next. Then one day I asked myself, ‘What did I want to be when I grew up?’ And the answer came back: a writer.”

Torriero is also working to promote women artists by co-producing SWAN, a short documentary celebrating the 10-year anniversary of the women-only Support Women Artists Now (SWAN) Day event that takes place annually

Torriero realized she had an interest in storytelling, particularly as it applies to movies, so she began to investigate the film industry on the East Coast. “I immediately started finding opportunities to write for films and I realized this idea had legs,” she recalled. Torriero’s writing skills, together with her skill for organization, eventually led her to take on the role of film producer because, “Someone has got to be the grown-up in the room and make sure everyone gets paid.” Today, Torriero makes her living as an independent screenwriter and producer at Late Bloomer Productions, the company she founded in 2012. Producing duties overshadow writing of late, she conceded. “I’m trying to get into the next level of producing and working hard to make connections in the world of film financing, which is incredibly exciting, so I don’t mind having a little less time to write.”

Above: Filming on location for Henry & Ethos, a short film cowritten by Torriero for the 48 Hour New Haven Film Project. Right: Torriero credits Wilson with contributing to her success.

While producing is time-consuming and the process of bringing a film to life can be protracted, the chance to have an impact is compelling, Torriero said. She is particularly interested in the issue of gender equity and helping other women gain a stronger voice in the film industry. “The only places we’re seeing women receive increased recognition in the field is where we’re making it happen for ourselves,” she said.

in Connecticut. The film is currently in post-production, undergoing editing and color-correcting by co-director Sarah DiMeo. “We don’t have a date or a site for the premiere yet, but it will likely be shown somewhere in Connecticut and no place else,” Torriero said. “Sarah and I hope to have the film finished by this year’s SWAN Day, which takes place on April 14, but in any case, we will host a screening for all our supporters as soon as it is finished and then submit it to festivals where others can also see it.” Screenings will also be announced on her website (www.latebloomerproductions.net).

For the last three years, Torriero has been active in the Women Only Project, a film industry initiative founded to showcase women’s skills through the creation of short films that use women for every aspect of a project. “From costuming to casting, acting to writing, everyone involved with these projects is a woman. Even our caterer is female,” she said.

The recent #MeToo movement protesting the sexual exploitation of women in the industry has also caught her attention. Torriero said so far her work has not been affected by the events in Hollywood that brought down Harvey Weinstein and other industry giants, but is quick to add that the film industry on the East Coast is markedly different from

Hollywood. “Don’t get me wrong, you still encounter big egos now and then—and I’ve had my share of crazy encounters with sexist male directors and financiers—but by and large, everyone in the industry here has been very helpful.”

to assist them.” The film is small in Hollywood terms, with a budget of $2-5 million, and Torriero is currently seeking recognized talent to direct it. “The Weinstein debacle has worked in our favor in that more female directors are now

During my time on campus, I learned how to be a self-started and a leader. Now I'm enjoying success as a film producer, and I'm certain that the organizational skills and leadership abilities that serve me so well today come from my time at Wilson. —Melissa Torriero �88

Torriero is currently working on several projects with local talent. She is partnering with Connecticut-based author Glenn Cheney as a screenwriter on two projects: a feature film and a television series for cable. Both projects focus on an historical figure named Gangazumba, the legendary leader of a band of runaway slaves who lived in the rainforests of Brazil in the late 17th century. While the film’s script is still in development, “the pilot script for the television series has made its way out into the world,” Torriero said. “We’ve submitted the script to HBOAccess (HBO’s mentoring program for emerging filmmakers), as well as to several film festivals, and we’re working on securing an agent so that we can find a buyer for the series. It’s an incredible story and deserves to be on the History Channel—it’s of that caliber.” Torriero is also serving as a film producer for a family drama entitled Calico Jack. “It’s a fun film involving two kids on vacation with their dad in Puerto Rico. Dad is kidnapped during a pirate festival and his kids set out to rescue him by bringing an old pirate, Calico Jack, back from the dead

actively seeking work,” she said. “If we can secure someone who’s got name recognition in the industry, the finances will come together quickly.” Torriero’s success in the independent film industry hinges largely on her ability to hustle, network and maintain momentum, she admitted. She’s confident that, thanks to Wilson College, she has what it takes. “I was a ‘Judy Joiner’ at Wilson—involved in all sorts of clubs and activities—and I had a wonderful time.” But the experiences resulted in more than happy memories, Torriero said. “During my time on campus, I learned how to be a self-starter and a leader. Now I’m enjoying success as a film producer, and I’m certain that the organizational skills and leadership abilities that serve me so well today come from my time at Wilson.” W

spring 2018 25

— president’s —

forum

WILSON LEADING ON ACCESS By Barbara K. Mistick, president

giving to your alma "S top mater.” Complete and

PHOTO BY RYAN SMITH

utter nonsense.

An April New York Times opinion piece by Harold Levy, former New York City public schools chancellor, recommends that graduates stop giving to their alma maters unless and until their colleges start providing better support and access for lower income students. Unfortunately, his entire argument is as myopic as most of the national discussion about higher education. Mark Twain once warned, “Facts are stubborn, statistics are pliable.” In support of his case that there is weak support for lower income students across the board in higher education, Levy points to data gleaned from “a group of 38 selective colleges, including five in the Ivy League,” “the top 100 universities” and “30 elite schools.” This encapsulates the problem seen in debates over access, free tuition programs, student debt and more. Instead of looking across the whole higher education landscape—which includes some 5,300 colleges and universities in the United States—to fully understand issues and develop solutions, selective data is used to support predetermined positions. Levy suggests questioning your alma mater about the economic makeup of your school and what it is doing to help low-income students be successful—a kind of report card. Let’s take a look at how Wilson stacks up and why your continued support of our annual fund and endowed scholarships is critical to access for our students.

26 wilson magazine

The College has committed itself to providing an affordable education in large part because of who our students are. Despite being a small liberal arts college, Wilson’s primary overlap schools are Shippensburg University and Penn State’s main campus, two public institutions with greater resources than Wilson. While Levy uses the U.S. median family income level of $59,000 to delineate lower income students, we’ll use the higher ed standard of Pell Grant eligibility or family incomes up to $50,000. Using the most recent data (2015-16) from the federal government’s Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), we can see that Wilson is already ahead when it comes to access.

% PELL ELIGIBLE

AVG. NET PRICE: INCOME $30-48K

Penn State (main campus)

12%

$22,463

Penn State Mont Alto

36%

$17,918

Shippensburg U.

33%

$16,788

Wilson College

40%

$16,522

COLLEGE

Over the last five years, an average of 40-45 percent of our incoming class was Pell eligible and about 35 percent was firstgeneration college students. And don’t get me started on the average net price. The general perception has always been that public schools are more affordable because the sticker price is lower. When you factor in financial aid—which is supported through donations to colleges—publics are simply not the best value for students. Wilson has also been expanding our dual enrollment agreements with high schools in the region. These programs

allow high school students to begin accumulating college credit, which can help reduce the amount time they need to obtain their college degree. These programs are becoming more popular as a way of helping to reduce the cost of college.

Culturally, Wilson is and has been about personal connections and relationships. Out of this foundation, we have been creating programs that not only help support student success, but also make them part of a community that cares. We have revamped orientation and First-Year Seminar programs to better help students transition to Wilson. This includes financial literacy to help our students take ownership of their financial futures. And last year we introduced a summer bridge program called LEAP (Learning, Exploring, Achieving, Participating) that brings students to campus early to give them extra academic support to help them succeed early in their college careers. Student persistence is about keeping students engaged and successful through their first and second years. To help

We have been working hard over the past few years to put a support experience into place that not only helps students graduate, but also helps them make the transition from high school to college with as few bumps in the road as possible.” — President Barbara K. Mistick

PHOTO BY LISA HELFERT

Of course, beyond access is a supportive community. Levy argues for programs like the City University of New York’s ASAP program, “which provides intensive advising, money for textbooks and even MetroCards to smooth a student’s pathway to his or her degree.” We have been working hard over the past few years to put a support experience into place that not only helps students graduate, but also helps them make the transition from high school to college with as few bumps in the road as possible. our students progress, we’ve put in place a personal librarian and personal financial counselor, and are currently crafting a new student coaching/mentoring program and a second-year experience program that—along with first-year initiatives— will form a two-year plan that will help students clear many of the hurdles they encounter at college. But the College is not a lone actor in providing support for students in need. In fact, the relationship between Wilson and its alumnae/i is most powerful when we work together to help our students. The Alumnae Association of Wilson College— which helps run the Aunt Sarah program to help students feel welcome in the community—maintains the Silver Lining Fund, which is available to assist students with financial emergencies. Sarah’s Cupboard, which is stocked through food donations, is an on-campus food pantry that helps students with food insecurity find a meal during trying times. What makes much of this work possible are donations to the Wilson Fund and scholarships—which brings us back to our report card in support of access (affordability) and support for low-income and first-generation students. I’d give Wilson a solid “B” and say that we, like our students, are striving for an “A.” We still have work to do to be even better at who we are—a supportive community. And we can’t do it alone. We can’t match our peers in endowment support, which is why assistance from alumnae/i, grants and foundations means so much in helping relieve financial stress at the College and allowing us the freedom to continue to build on our support for student success. The most important thing to know about your support is that it helps low-income and first-generation students succeed, and it does so in an environment that you are very familiar with—one that values personal relationships and community. W

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Keep Calm and Hug a Dog How some cuddly canines are curing end-of-semester blues Term papers plus capstone projects plus looming final exams all equal a ton of end-of-semester stress. Wilson’s counseling services department offers this advice for stressed-out students: Don’t panic—take some time for a dose of canine calm. Therapy dogs returned to Lenfest Lobby the week before spring finals to offer some furry de-stress sessions for students with the end-of-semester blues. The sessions are part of the Animal-Assisted Stress Relief series offered by Wilson’s counseling services department. Recent studies show that canine interaction increases a human’s level of oxytocin, a hormone that reduces anxiety and blood pressure. One of those studies, conducted by the University of British Columbia, found that exposure to therapy dogs helps boost college students’ well-being. Students in the study reported feeling less stressed and more supported for as long as 10 hours after some pooch time.

Wilson counselor Robin Witmer-Kline attended an animal-assisted interventions seminar in April 2017 and on returning to campus, implemented the first therapy dog session before finals week at the end of the fall 2017 semester. The sessions were a hit. “Everyone just loved spending time with the dogs, and you just see how the students would relax as they were petting one of the dogs,” Witmer-Kline said. Megan Cavanaugh, who became director of counseling services in January, said she wanted to bring the program back for the week before spring finals. “There are a lot of studies to support the benefits of interacting with animals,” she said. “And we’re fortunate that we have so many members of the Wilson community who are willing to volunteer their pet’s time for the program.” The session this spring will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday, April 30, through Friday, May 4, in Lenfest Lobby. Some of the canine counselors who will be on hand:

Name: Koda “the bear” Shupp Breed: (Chubby) Pug Age: Almost 10 years (acts like he is 2) Human: Matthew Shupp How did you and your human meet? I was hanging out with my five brothers and my human sat down on the floor, lined all of us up and said something that sounded like, “Which one of you is Koda?” His lap looked comfy so I ambled on over, crawled up on his chest and took a nap. Next thing I knew, we were at my human’s house. What is your favorite thing about your human? He has comfy beds, chairs, couches and pillows and he lets me sleep all day. He also feeds me occasionally—but not as often as I’d like. How and when did you become a stress relief dog? My human brought me to Wilson College one day last semester. A lot of other humans let me sit on their laps and I took a lot of naps. It was fantastic. If you had another job, what would it be? What’s a job?

Name: Easton Breed: Pomapoo Age: 5 years Human: Brie Burdge What do you call your human? Mummy What is your favorite thing about your human? She loves to take me places and I love going places so it works out perfectly. You are going on America’s Got Talent, what trick will you do? I will “do a little dance” during which I stand up on my hind legs and twirl in a circle, but only if Mummy gives me a treat. You are going to be on the cover of Modern Dog. What feature do you want them to highlight? My cute little teddy bear face.

Name: Kobe Breed: Golden Retriever Age: 8 years Human: Brie Burdge You have won a personal chef for the day. What dish do you want prepared? Meatballs! You are going to be on the cover of Modern Dog. What feature do you want them to highlight? My beautiful feathers. Golden retrievers are known for their feathers on their legs, chest and hind end. What is your perfect day? Going for a short walk and then sleeping on my big cozy bed in the living room. If you had another job, what would it be? I do have another job—it is guarding the house of course! It looks like I am just sleeping, but I am really on high alert 24/7.

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Name: River Breed: Golden Retriever Age: 1 year Human: Samantha Snyder How did you and your human meet? She chose me out of my 11 brothers and sisters. What can I say? I was perfect from the start. You are being sent to a secluded island and can take one toy. Squeaky ball. It squeaks and squeaks and it’s a ball! You are going on America’s Got Talent. What trick will you do? I’ll retrieve anything you want. Even things you don’t want. How and when did you become a stress relief dog? I am a service dog for my mom, so on my off time I looove to visit my human friends. I’m already well-behaved so my mom says that’s a plus.

Name: Remy Ray Williams Breed: Siberian Husky Age: 8 months Human: Mary Beth Williams What do you call your human? Ruff (Ha!) “Giver of Walks and Treats” You are being sent to a secluded island and can take one toy. My human’s 12-year-old son James, so I can chew on him and he can throw balls to me. You have won a personal chef for the day. What dish do you want prepared? STEAK! What is your perfect day? Wake up and take a long walk in snow to Wilson College, eat STEAK, chase squirrels, chase birds, sleep, REPEAT.

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history

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, HANKEY CENTER! By Amy Ensley

he Hankey Center, home of the C. Elizabeth Boyd ’33 Archives and Baron Bluett Hunnicut Classics Collection, will mark its 15th anniversary on June 7. The Hankey Center was the vision of retired U.S. Navy Capt. Joan R. Hankey ’59 and made possible by former Wilson President Gwendolyn Jensen, along with major funding from Hankey and her family, and enthusiastic support from many others. A number of people at Wilson have worked to preserve the history of the College over the years. Mary Belle McElwain (Class of 1895 and former dean) frequently wrote about Wilson people and events and Nettie Hesson Lloyd (Class of 1897) compiled a history from 1870–1910. But it was Boyd, an alumna and former registrar whose passion and fierce insistence that the college community retain its records, who most inspired Hankey’s interest. While serving on the Board of Directors for the Alumnae Association of Wilson College and the AAWC’s Preservation and Restoration Committee, Hankey worked with Boyd and others to organize the archives under less-than-ideal conditions. Hankey then approached Jensen with a plan to create a dedicated facility worthy of its purpose. After the decision was made to renovate Sharpe House as the new home of the college president, Jensen proposed modifying the former president’s house for the archives. Hankey and Boyd began working to transform the 100-year-old house into a state-of-the art repository and exhibit gallery. The plan was to go beyond properly housing the archival collection, with the ultimate goal of creating a research center to study the history of the education of women and girls.

Rooms that were once the private space of college presidents or the sitting room for a faculty/student tea are now classrooms for learning about those presidents, laboratories for restoring documents and textiles, and galleries for showcasing college artifacts and antiquities. The modern spaces flow seamlessly into the former historic residence. Today, the Hankey Center buzzes with activity. Student workers digitize photos and create online exhibits using digital humanities tools. Alumnae volunteers reminisce as they transcribe letters. Students work on research projects about student activism and gender stereotypes. High school students learn about the response of Wilson students to World War II. And descendants of alumnae still come to find photographs of their greatgreat-grandmothers. Wilson staff, as well as outside researchers, make regular use of the archival material as part of their scholarly research on the history of women’s education and women’s changing roles in work and society. As we look forward to celebrating the College’s sesquicentennial, we also celebrate the education and work of women—and of the visionaries who transform dreams into reality. — For more information on the Hankey Center’s C. Elizabeth Boyd ’33 Archives, please send email to hankeycenter@wilson.edu or call 717-262-2562.

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PROGRAM

PHOTOS BY KENDRA TIDD

BUILDER

A career change leads to state award for Kari Herchelroth ’03 By Bobbi A. Hoffman

njuries from a serious car accident in 2008 forced Kari Herchelroth ’03 to re-evaluate her career path, propelling her from her job as a certified veterinary technologist to director of the new veterinary technology program at the YTI Career Institute in York, Pa. Her exemplary performance in helping to create and then directing YTI’s program earned Herchelroth the 2017 Certified Veterinary Technician of the Year Award from the Pennsylvania Veterinary Medical Association. She was honored at the Keystone Veterinary Conference, held last year in Hershey. Megan Baylor, a former YTI faculty member and current adjunct instructor, nominated Herchelroth for the award because “Kari has been very focused on improving the veterinary technician profession through educating the next generation.” Herchelroth is committed to her staff and students and willing to go above and beyond to ensure a student’s success, Baylor said.

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Although Herchelroth had a long-time interest in education and tutored some classmates while she was at Wilson, she had no experience working in adult education or curriculum development. “It was terrifying because it was so different,” she said about creating the YTI program. “But it was fantastic. I love working with students. I was so excited to build a faculty and build a program, but it was all new to me.” Before her 2008 car accident, Herchelroth worked as a certified vet tech at Donegal Animal Hospital in Mount Joy, Pa. After her accident, she had to learn how to walk again. She returned to her job at Donegal but had trouble performing some of the physical parts of the job. “I decided to start looking to see if there was a way I could continue to be a vet tech, but not have to get up and down off the floor all day. It was really hard on my body and I was having trouble doing it,” Herchelroth said.

Herchelroth’s practice manager encouraged her to attend an open forum about a new vet tech program YTI was proposing. “I shared my opinions and they called me a few months later and asked if I wanted to consult on the program,” Herchelroth said. She advised YTI on the program’s curriculum, books, equipment and facility. When the program director position opened up, she applied and was hired for the job in November 2012. The first YTI vet tech class graduated in February 2013 with 24 students. The program now has 140 students, two full-time veterinarians, seven full-time faculty members and several part-time instructors. Students range from recent high school graduates to senior citizens. Herchelroth is responsible for leading the program, directing the faculty, advising the students and maintaining the program’s accreditation. She also teaches classes in an-

esthesia, hematology and other subjects as needed. “I love being able to share my knowledge and experience with the students,” Herchelroth said. The Alumnae Association of Wilson College will recognize Herchelroth with its Outstanding Young Alumna Award in part for her success with YTI during Reunion Weekend in June. The YTI program moves quickly and is designed for students who want to get into the vet tech field as soon as possible, according to Herchelroth. Graduates of the 21-month program receive an associate degree in specialized technology. To become certified as vet techs, they must pass a national exam and apply for licensure through the state they will work in—the same procedure as a Wilson graduate with a bachelor’s degree. Herchelroth—who lives in Lancaster County with her wife, their new daughter Emerson and a houseful of rescued animals— is thankful she chose Wilson's four-year route. “The bachelor’s degree allowed me to get the program director position at YTI. Without that, I would have had to do additional schooling.”

Herchelroth, left, and YTI veterinary technology student Jenna Swartz examine Chloe the cat.

Herchelroth, who grew up in Bainbridge, Pa., began her college education as a biology major at Millersville State University. She considered becoming a biology teacher but then landed a part-time job as a veter-

College as a second-semester sophomore, choosing the College because some of the vet techs she worked with at Donegal were Wilson graduates. “They were big advocates of Wilson College. Even the doctors there were,” she explained.

My instructors were fantastic. The small class size was amazing because you got so much hands-on experience. It instilled in me the confidence to take a chance and challenge myself in my career.

She advises students to attend Wilson when it’s a better option for them. “For example, when I have students who are considering going to veterinary school, I direct them to Wilson because it's better for them to have a bachelor's degree,” Herchelroth said.

Wilson turned out to be the perfect choice. “I wanted a smaller school, and Wilson was the perfect size for me. It was just a great fit,” she said.

Herchelroth credits Wilson with providing a solid foundation for her career. “I couldn’t have asked for a better education than the one that I received at Wilson College,” she said. “My instructors — Kari Herchelroth ’03 were fantastic. The small class size was amazing because you got so much hands-on experience. It ininary assistant at Donegal Animal Hospital. stilled in me the confidence to take a chance That experience led her to change her col- and challenge myself in my career.” W lege plans. Herchelroth transferred to the veterinary medical technology program at Wilson

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Wilson chaplain Derek Wadlington, in foreground of top photo, with Wilson students on a January service trip to help repair homes damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Below, students work on a roof.

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INSPIRATION THROUGH SERVICE Wilson’s service-learning projects benefit both community and campus By Coleen Dee Berry

hen the Rev. Derek Wadlington became Wilson’s new Helen Carnell Eden Chaplain in 2017, one of his first goals was to expand student opportunities for service learning. Wadlington plans to increase off-campus mission trips, broaden the Curran scholarship program and engage more students in projects to improve the College’s campus and facilities. “Service learning is a big piece of Wilson’s history and it’s a vital part of the ongoing mission of the school,” he said. “It builds on the experiential learning that is the trademark here on campus. Plus, you feel better about yourself when you volunteer.” In January, Wadlington led a group of nine Wilson students to Tarboro and Princeville, N.C., to help repair homes damaged in 2016’s Hurricane Matthew. He hopes to make a return mission trip to the area later this year. “One of the points we’re making to the students is that when there is a natural disaster, there is an immediate outpouring of help and donations, but then—what happens six months, a year later?” he said. “People in those areas are still recovering and still need help, even if they are no longer in the news.” While in North Carolina, Wilson students were able to interact with displaced residents, something that did not always happen in previous home repair mission trips. “When I met the owners of some of the houses … I felt like I was actually helping someone who needed it,” said Danielle Stafford ’21, whose team helped complete repairs on one couple’s Princeville house. The team’s hard work was rewarded when the homeowners finally got to see their refurbished home. “The difference it made for

that couple … I can’t even put it into words how they felt,” Stafford said.

Chambersburg,” O’Keefe said. “We want to give it a real personality.”

The North Carolina trip opened Stafford’s eyes to other ways of helping those in need. “I want to help people by becoming a doctor, but I never saw myself having a hammer in one hand and nail in the other, trying to put this board together. I never saw myself doing something like this,” she said. “I heard Chaplain Derek is going to have more trips like these and I am just going to jump at the opportunity because I want to go back.”

O’Keefe and three other students—Daniel Perry ’19, Meagan Potter ’20 and Hong Nguyen ’18—came up with idea of renovating Sarah’s Coffeehouse during an informal late-night conversation last semester. “It just seemed like a space that no one was using that much and we thought we could turn it into a gathering place,” said Perry, president of the Wilson College Government Association. Work on the project will continue beyond Spring Break.

Their experience in North Carolina showed students that volunteering affects not only those who need help, but those who offer to help, as well. “You will learn something that will inspire you,” said Sina Kim ’20. Service learning can give back not only to the community, but also to the campus, Wadlington said. With that in mind, the College’s traditional Alternative Spring Break project this year became the renovation of Sarah’s Coffeehouse in Lenfest Commons. “This project is student-inspired, student-designed and student-led,” Wadlington said.

Wadlington said he will be looking at other possibilities for service-learning projects around campus, such as landscaping and painting. The campus work will be useful for Curran scholars, who must complete a minimum of 260 hours of community service in an academic year. In his search for more service opportunities for Curran scholars, Wadlington said he has reached out to area community groups, as well as reconnected with the Presbytery of Carlisle. The Presbytery’s Lend A Hand nonprofit group helped coordinate Wilson’s January trip to North Carolina and will assist with the return mission.

During the break, students removed the white wooden beams from the room’s ceiling and a contractor restored the brick walls to their original color. The project will eventually add a stage, revamp the lighting and sound system, construct a new entrance and include different furniture— some new, some recycled, according to Daniel O’Keefe ’21, one of the coordinators of project. “We want to transform this space into more of a real metropolitan coffeehouse—kind of an urban oasis in rural

Ultimately, service learning should encompass the whole campus community, from staff and faculty to students and alumnae/i, Wadlington said. “Alumnae/i have given funding for service trips in the past and I’d love to have an alum lead a trip,” he said. “Wilson’s rich tradition of service continues with professors who incorporate service learning in their classrooms and those who have supervised our Habitat for Humanity trips, and I want to continue to build on that.” W

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COMING

TOGETHER

Common goal pushes men’s basketball team to the playoffs By Frances Caroscio

t was a fantastic finish. Wilson’s men’s basketball team, which began the season with a 6-5 record, returned from the holiday break in January with a new determination and reeled off 13 regular season wins, with only one loss. “Everyone knew they had potential to make this team really good, and we had the potential to be on the top of the NEAC,” said Phoenix guard Trevor Floyd ’21. The second half of the season consisted almost entirely of North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) games, so the team had to perform well in the conference if the players wanted to make it to playoffs. With the goal of making it to the post-season, the team worked together and advanced to the program’s first post-season game. After its strongest regular season to date, the team competed in the NEAC final four and won its first post-season game against Gallaudet University before falling to eventual champion Lancaster Bible College. Wilson was then selected as the top seed in the Eastern College Athletic Conference post-season tournament, but did not advance. The team, which finished the season with a 20-8 overall record and a 12-3 record in the NEAC, has come a long way since it was added as the College’s second male varsity sport in 2013. In its first season in 2014-15, the team had a 3-19 record and fielded only 11 players, eight of them first-year students. In the 2015-16 season, Brian Zoeller took over as head coach and has focused on recruiting and team-building. “I think big picture,” he said. “One of the most important things to do is just surround yourself with the right people.”

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Under Zoeller’s direction, the men’s basketball coaching staff has grown to five members, including assistant coach Brian Carroll, who leads the recruiting effort. He and Zoeller look for dedicated players who conduct themselves as excellent student-athletes both on and off the court. “The first year was a grind,” Zoeller said of the 2015-16 season. He was making the transition from coaching high school to coach-

the college’s Student-Athlete Mentor program, conducted two workshops for the team to increase individual focus, concentrate on what allows them to be successful, identify what distracts them and get to know themselves and their teammates in general. It was important to encourage these skills, Zoeller said, because, “basketball is a naked sport … everything’s out there. It’s easy to get distracted.”

The best part is how close we are as a team. We’re like a family.” — Martez Beckett ’18 ing college and the players were adjusting to a new coach. By the 2016-17 season, the team had improved a great deal, but “our record didn’t necessarily reflect it,” he said. “Injuries were an obstacle.” Zoeller compared the process of team-building to the way a tree’s roots take hold before it can sprout. For this season, “The foundation had been laid the previous year. It just didn’t show,” he said. “(And) this year, we were lucky.” His starting line-up didn’t sustain any long-term injuries and the team chemistry was just right, thanks to the energy that the players brought to the game. Team members spent six days a week on the court, either practicing or playing in games. Zoeller also stressed to his players the importance of academics and attitude. Cindy Shoemaker, former director of counseling at Wilson and the current coordinator of

Guard Martez Beckett ’18 has been a member of the basketball team since it first began. He said this year, the chemistry was tighter than in previous years and the team had “the hardest-working group of freshmen” Beckett has seen during his four years at Wilson. Their goal to be on top of the NEAC united them to work harder, he said. “I’m going to miss this group because they were fun,” said Beckett, who will graduate in May. He said that this year’s players got together on their own time to go to the gym, train in the weight room and play pickup ball, which was something they hadn’t done as much in the past. The time they spent together off the court brought them closer as a team unit and helped them compete on the court. Team member Floyd echoed those sentiments. “The best part is how close we are as a team,” he said. “We’re like a family.” W

PHOTO BY DAVID SINCLAIR

The men’s basketball team gets psyched before tipoff in a Feb. 20 NEAC tournament game against Gallaudet University. The Phoenix won 75-73.

PHOENIX SPORTS WRAP WOMEN’S BASKETBALL had its best season since 2001, as the team reached the 10-win mark. Jordyn Day ’19 became just the seventh player in program history to score 1,000 career points. The achievement came in a 61-57 North Eastern Athletic Conference (NEAC) victory over Gallaudet University. Ashley Henderson ’19 was honored by earning a spot on the NEAC AllConference Third Team.

The historic MEN’S BASKETBALL season was capped off with the team earning a No. 1 seed in the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament, where the Phoenix fell to eventual champion Widener University. Individual accomplishments on the team included Keion Adams ’19 becoming the first men’s player in program history to score 1,000 career points. Adams also became the first Phoenix men’s player to earn First Team All-NEAC honors. He was joined on the NEAC All-Conference

Team by Willie McDowell ’18 and Rashaan Bean ’20, marking the first time multiple Wilson men’s basketball players received post-season honors. MEN’S VOLLEYBALL got off to the best start in program history, with the team reaching six wins at the midway point before a string of setbacks. Aaron Hoke ’19 was named NEAC Student-Athlete of the Week for the week ending Feb. 4 for his performance in victories over Bard College and Keuka College. Hoke currently leads the team in kills and attacking percentage.

The SOFTBALL team traveled to North Carolina and opened the season with a 7-4 victory over the William Peace University Pacers. Fastpitch News Preseason All-American Meagan Potter ’20 earned the win, while striking out five Pacer batters. MEN’S GOLF hosted the Wilson College Invitational on

April 6.

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s A

Spring has arrived! Seniors are getting ready to graduate—and become members of the Alumnae Association of Wilson College. You can help us welcome them to our organization by coming to campus for commencement on May 13 and joining the Blue and Silver Line (which escorts in the graduating class). Contact the Office of Alumnae/i Relations for details. Then return to campus for Reunion Weekend, May 31-June 3. All are welcome. The theme for 2018 Reunion Weekend will be “Many Paths, One Wilson.” Check out the brochure in the winter issue of the Wilson Magazine for the full schedule of exciting and meaningful activities for the weekend. There will be many informative and thought-provoking alumnae/i college sessions on Thursday and Friday. Join us Friday for the familyfriendly welcome picnic. On Saturday, offer congratulations to this year’s award recipients. Come early and take in all campus has to offer! The schedule and additional information can be found online at www.wilson.edu/reunion-weekend. Our “Aunt Sarah” program continues to be popular. We currently have 125 active pairings and a total of 150 volunteers, as some of you give random gifts for special occasions. Consider becoming an Aunt Sarah. It is rewarding for both alumna/us and student. AAWC student outreach included hosting Food for Finals in December and assisting students through the Silver Lining Fund. This spring, we will co-host a third event to pay tribute to employees who are also alums of the College. In May, we will once again host Food for Finals and also participate in the Graduation Fair. We continue to promote traditions and women-centeredness and have an ongoing commitment to co-sponsor activities on campus that help promote alumnae/i and student interaction. Thank you to our alumnae/i volunteers who serve in various capacities for the activities of the association. Connect and support Wilson traditions.

Mary F. Cramer '91

AAWC President

Marybeth Famular e

Director of Alumnae/i Relations

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Message for 50th Re union Class of 1968

Mary Flournoy and Lyn n Guteku nst Rickard, co-cha irs of the Cla ss of 1968‘s 50th reu nion committee, encourage class memb ers to send in their reg istration forms, $25 class dues and a don ation to the class gif t, which will endow a sch olarship for the Sin gle Parent Scholar Progra m. Payment of the class dues will ensure you receive a copy of the 50th Class Re uni on yearbook-even if you can’t ma ke it to Chambersburg in Jun e.

FLAT PHOENIX SIGHTING!

Director of Alumnae/i Relations Marybeth Famulare treated her Flat Phoenix to a December trip to the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Do you have a Flat Phoenix adventure you’d like to share? Email your photo and caption for posti ng on the Wilson website to ARoffice@wilson.edu. Need a Flat Phoenix of your very own? Go to www.wilson.edu/ flat-phoenix-photos to download one.

Reunion Raffle

Duri ng Reunion Weekend 2018, the AAWC will agai n sponsor a round-robin raff le to raise funds for the association, whic h is currently accepting raffle donations . Dona te a piece of Wilson memorabilia (in good condition), a merchant gift card, a themed basket or an item personally tied to your busi ness, hobby or art. For more information on the raff le or how to donate, please contact aawc@wil son.edu.

*AAWC reserves the right to deem some donations better-suited for its garage sale .

How to Give Back

AAWC Announces Award Recipients The Alumnae Association of Wilson College (AAWC ) Board of Directors has announced the 2018 AAWC award recipients, who will be honored at Reunion Weeke nd: • Distinguished Alumna Award — Alice DeNormandie ’68 and Patricia Vail ’63 • Distinguished ADP Alumna/us Award — Becky H. Morgenthal ’90 • Outstanding Young Alumna Award — Kari L. Herchelroth ’03 • Tift College Award —Nanc y Adams Besch ’48 • Facult y Award —Carl Larson Please join us in honoring these recipients during the awards presentation on Saturday, June 2. If you would like to nominate a classmate for a future award, please send an email to ARoffice@wilson.edu. In addition, the AAWC board has named two recipie nts of the Legac y Scholarship Award: Amber Wenschhof ’19, daughter of Deanna Wenschhof ’91; and Katelin Mowen ’18, daughter of Susan Mowen ’97.

SING, SING, SING! 8 plans gear As your Re union We eke nd 201 a Turc hi and up, Wilson C hoir Dir ect or Lis word to your I enc oura ge you to spr ead the reunion, and classmates: First, C OME to sec ond, SING, SING, SING. inclined alums We invit e any and all musically n," including Ten to join us in a "Musical Re unio s or anyone Tones ve terans, choir member be plenty of who just love s to sing. The re will Ste p-Sing, cha nce s to sing at Song Wars, , rehearsal or Sunday morning cha pel service anc e. perhaps during a spe cial per form reunion broc hure More de tails will follow in the nion-we eke nd. or online at www.wilson.e du/reu Join us and SING! - Judy Kre utz Young ’63

to Your Alma Mat

ee is ardship Committ gnition and Stew ve to be a co ha Re C n’t W es AA do e It Th back to Wilson. ve gi to d Judith ys an wa g discussin Cindy Barber ’73 tion. Here’s how nkey Center: na Ha do e y th ar at et ing on m ck by volunteer ba ve ga ’74 e Coen Grov the

hours at ent approximately 30 Cindy and I have sp handwritten are transcribing the e W er. nt Ce ey nk Ha ’38, who was th McGeorge Sullivan be iza El of ce en nd boxes correspo She left 13 archives 2. W W in Ps AS W one of the first scribing the llege. By digitally tran Co e th to ce en nd po them to of corres es), we are enabling fil ord W o int em th letters (typing out Elizabeth e enjoying learning ab ar I d an dy Cin . ed highly be shar a commercial pilot. I be to les gg ru st ar and her post-w eat feeling to you are able. It’s a gr if t, ou g lpin he d en recomm rich history. ‘74 help preserve Wilson’s –Judith Coen Grove

arn more about nter volunteer! Le Ce ey nk r Ha a lping to make ou You, too, can be Wilson while he of m ry fro to e— his m g lco tin we the fascina skill sets are to ever yone. All llections to le co r ab fo ail s av rie ry to to en his g inv raphs and creatin its and reading digitizing photog s into online exhib m ite e niz ga or nt ac t Kiri g discover y. Co using software to make the next bi or to du rts po n.e re lso d wi ol through n.mcghee@ archivist, at kiera ge lle co e, he cG M ion. r more informat 717-262-2049 fo

Tips for Travelers Do you have a travel question? Do you need travel advice? The AAWC has opened a virtual travel desk to assist you. Contact AAWCTravelDesk@gmail.com and members of the alumnae travel commit tee will respond to your inquiries. Volunteers are seasoned travelers with a variety of expertise. To see a list of the available trips for 2018, please click on www.wilson.edu/alumnaei-tour s-and-travel Did you know? Whenever you purchase a tour directly from the following partners, be sure to mention you are a Wilson graduate. Your mention will prompt the companies to donate to the alumnae association. This offer includes any trip, regardless of whether it is sponsored by Wilson, from hundreds of educational tours offered by our partners around the world. Partner Companies: AHI Travel: www.ahitravel.com at 800-323 -7373. GOHAGAN: www.gohagantravel.com at 800-922-3088. GO NEXT: www.gonext.com at 800-842-9023. Orbridge: www.orbridge.com at 800-639-0079. The Barge Lady: www.bargelady.com at 800-880 -0071.

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The value of volunteering and service learning By Noel Robinson �19

hoosing to volunteer is one of the biggest commitments one can make in life. It requires motivation and dedication to help those in need, but the results can be incredible. I have volunteered for the past three years at Chambers Pointe Retirement Community (formerly known as Penn Hall at Menno Haven) as part of my Curran scholarship at Wilson. As a Curran Scholar, I perform at least 260 hours of community service every year for four years.

Volunteering and service learning benefit students, as well the wider community, because they strengthen connections between Wilson and the surrounding community. That’s how it was for me. Volunteering means more to me than just earning hours for my scholarship. I get to meet—and help— people I wouldn’t ordinarily have met. One resident named Judy frequently visits both of the gift shops I work at and buys many of the knickknacks and gifts we sell for her daughter and grandchildren. She’s friendly and upbeat every time I see her. Recently, Judy’s daughter died unexpectedly. Judy, who wanted her daughter’s memorial services to be videotaped, asked if I would record the service. She could have asked anyone, but she chose me. I was honored to be asked, but I was nervous that something might go wrong. Memorial services are important and only happen once—there’s no room for error. Despite my nerves, I arrived early that day and a Chambers Pointe chaplain and I reviewed the order of the service. I videotaped it to the best of my ability. After the service, Judy thanked me and said, “You’re very special to me.” Hearing her say that made me realize the impact I can have on the people I volunteer with every day.

60 wilson magazine

PHOTO BY CATHY MENTZER

When I started volunteering at Chambers Pointe, I was scared because I didn't know if I would really be of use to the residents. But once I started learning how to run the gift shops, help with the facility’s technology needs and form relationships with residents, I began to appreciate and value these experiences. Robinson ’19, right, helps a customer at a Chambers Pointe gift shop.

Since I started volunteering at Chambers Pointe, I’ve noticed more and more Curran Scholars are volunteering there, as well. Different generations learning from and helping each other strengthens our community as a whole. What I’ve learned from volunteering is that the effort you put into it means a lot. The time you give to someone can make a huge difference in their life. Chambers Pointe relies heavily on volunteers. Everything I do there is valued on a daily basis. Volunteering, especially for college students, has benefits as well. Besides networking opportunities, being a volunteer is incredibly gratifying and worthwhile. Whether I am working in the gift shop or just having a small conversation in passing, I know that I am helping and giving my time to someone who really needs it. There is no better feeling. W

The Wilson Fund SUPPORTING WILSON STUDENTS TODAY

MAKE YOUR GIFT BY JUNE 30 www.wilson.edu/makeagift

“Having a scholarship like this helped make my college dreams a reality. Without scholarship money, I would not have been able to afford school.” Katie Shank ’20 President, Class of 2020 Presidential Scholarship recipient

1015 Philadelphia Ave. Chambersburg, PA 17201-1279

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Greencastle, PA Permit No. 10

RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED

Wilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first medical mission sends both nursing and non-nursing students to the Dominican Republic as volunteers to aid Haitian sugar cane workers. More on page 10.