York College Magazine 2022 Vol. 1

COLLEGE MAGAZINE

SECOND CHANCE

COMMUNITY REENTRY FOR INMATES

As part of The Small World Initiative, students participate in an experiment to find new options for antibiotics.

As a HOPE Scholar, Rayven Dickson ’24 works with 6th–8th grade students from the York City School District. Kids from her neighborhood come to campus to talk and learn leadership

“

Small

The Small World Initiative project allows first-semester students to be a part of scientific discovery from the very start of their academic careers at YCP.” — Professor Wendy Boehmler

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Rhiannon Swartz ’20

Swartz was the first woman in her military unit, and one of the few in state history, to become a Field Artillery Officer in Combat Arms

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VIEW FROM MY WINDOW

Given current events, I have been pondering how those in positions of leadership guide their communities through times of great difficulty and strife. Most recent examples include pandemics, wars, and economic downturns. What characteristics shape a leader so that they rise to the occasion when called upon to serve? If you believe the Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi: “Leaders aren’t born, they are made. And they are made just like anything else, through hard work.” I would posit, while hard work is important, so, too, are the experiences from which to learn and practice effective leadership skills.

Colin Baker in his 2021 article, “Are Leaders Born or Made?1” makes use of a study that identified common traits of exceptional leaders. These include: 1) accepting responsibility 2) constant learning 3) motivating to action 4) adapting to change and 5) showing empathy. At York College, we recognize that we are preparing graduates for careers, but also for a future in which they will be called upon to lead, sometimes unexpectedly. We take this responsibility seriously; it is at the core of who we are as an institution.

The educational experience we provide couples theory with practice and experimental learning. Much of this occurs in project- and community-based courses, internships, and co-ops. There are no textbooks; no long lectures, no exams. Rather, it is an opportunity for students to learn from one another and community partners. It reflects our understanding that thinking creatively and logically and developing emotional intelligence and ethical reasoning are skills and traits that will benefit them regardless of what forces will be at play in the future.

I take tremendous inspiration from individuals who faced great adversity and change, applied their problem-solving tools and skillset to answer an often unforeseen call to adapt and lead. During our spring commencement, we recognized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with an Honorary Degree. We did so in recognition of his leadership on behalf of the Ukrainian people currently under siege by a foreign aggressor, and for providing hope to those who choose liberty over oppression around the world. Mind you, it wasn’t that long ago that President Zelenskyy was an entertainer, a nationally known actor and comedian. I imagine that he did not foresee the situation in which he now finds himself. Is this an example of leadership taught or was he predisposed to it by qualities manifested early in his life? A mix of both is most likely.

Many years ago, one of my mentors gave me a book: Inspire. What Great Leaders Do. To my thinking this is the most important role of a leader and one that I consider a priority in my role as President of York College.

YORK COLLEGE

President

Pamela Gunter-Smith, Ph.D.

Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

Laura Niesen de Abruña, Ph.D.

Vice President, Development

Troy M. Miller

Chief Communications Officer

Mary Dolheimer

Vice President, Enrollment Management

Brian Hazlett, M.A.

Assistant to the President for Capital Projects and Facilities Utilization

Kenneth Martin, Ph.D.

Dean of Student Development and Campus Life

Rick Satterlee, Ph.D.

Vice President, Finance and Campus Operations

Anthony DeCocinis, MBA

Dean, Center for Community Engagement

Dominic DelliCarpini, Ph.D.

Head of School, York Country Day School

Christine Heine, Ed.D.

YORK COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Director of Editorial Services

Gail R. Huganir

Director of Creative Services

Lance A. Snyder ’05

Graphic Designer

Ryan Kidd ’13

Design Consultant

Skelton Sprouls

Photographer

Emily Rund

Writer

Colleen A. Hiltl

Senior Administrative Assistant

Colleen M. Adamy

Spring 2022 Interns

Breanna Hoffner ’22, Eva Savill ’22

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

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York College Magazine is published three times a year (May, August, December) by the Division of College Advancement, York College of Pennsylvania, York, PA 17403-3651. Periodicals postage paid at York, PA, and additional mailing offices. Permit No. 174. © 2022 York College of Pennsylvania. Printed in U.S.A.

Pamela Gunter-Smith, Ph.D. President, York College of Pennsylvania

1 https://leaders.com/articles/leadership/are-leaders-born-or-made/You’re

We welcome your news and comments at yorkmag@ycp.edu. York College of Pennsylvania does not discriminate because of race, color, religious creed, disability, ancestry, national origin, sex, or age in employment or in recruitment and acceptance of students.

ready.

SHOULD SOCIAL MEDIA BE REGULATED?

Tamara Schwartz, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Cybersecurity and Business Administration

We often hear that if the service is free, then the product is our eyeballs, but this is not entirely correct. The truth is far worse. With respect to social media, we are a commodity, like iron ore or crude oil. Social media is designed as an “extraction architecture” with the sole purpose of extracting as much raw material—our behavioral data— from us as possible. This “behavioral surplus” is not an accidental by-product of using technology as big-tech would have us believe. It is intentional. The loss of privacy is not inevitable, but engineered to capture our decision rights and cede them to the highest bidding advertiser. Regulation of social media is absolutely necessary to thwart what Shoshana Zuboff refers to as “Surveillance Capitalism.”

John Weaver, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Intelligence Analysis

No, generally speaking. The one thing that differentiates the United States from other countries (especially those with more repressive policies on social media) gravitates around free speech. More pointedly our Constitution guarantees it. That said, there have been bad actors from nation-states and non-state actors that have used our openness to free speech to attempt to influence behavior in our country. That said, free speech (social media included) can be regulated. Incidents, where free speech is not protected, gravitate around such topics as obscenity, speech fostering illegal behavior, hate, and speech leading to illegal action. Those monitoring social media need to walk a fine line to avoid infringing on one’s First Amendment rights while looking to prevent bad actors from using our openness against us.

Yuzhang Han, Ph.D. Assistant Professor, Business Administration

Yes and no. Social media gives everyone the possibility to impact the whole world. It is such a powerful tool that can amplify one’s opinion immensely and rapidly. Unfortunately, its power has been used to spread harmful content, such as misinformation, spams, and hate speech. During the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of fake news accounts on Twitter have been detected. People’s attitudes toward public issues are becoming more and more polarized. Regulation is a necessary, and the most effective, method to limit the spread of such harmful content on social media. Nevertheless, regulation itself should be regulated. Regulation should be only applied to harmful users and their content, to mitigate fake news and cyberviolence. Regulation should never be used to disturb everyone’s privacy and freedom.

“ The loss of privacy is not inevitable, but engineered to capture our decision rights and cede them to the highest bidding advertiser.”

— TAMARA SCHWARTZ, P h .D.

completing his Civil Engineering major at York College with a minor in Environmental Sustainability.

Last fall, he took a significant step in understanding the role of engineering in environmental sustainability from a global perspective. In November 2021, Spencer was one of 10 students chosen to represent the American Chemical Society at COP26, the 26th international gathering known formally as the Conference of the Parties, or the United

Spencer says everyone was discussing possible solutions, such as pumping emissions into the ground to enrich soil or injecting it into concrete—and recycling.

The conference was “a little overwhelming at first,” but Spencer says he made it through in part because of the guidance of two York College Chemistry Professors, Dr. Keith Peterman, who retired in 2020, and Dr. Gregory Foy, who acted as group advisers. “They’ve been to numerous COPs,” Smith says. “They’ve been fantastic.”

Both professors have been instrumental in guiding Smith’s college career, he notes—from general Chemistry classes and class projects to sustainability ideas for the Student Senate and an educational trip to Costa Rica. He’s also presented to students during some of Dr. Foy’s classes, including a Zoom lecture he participated in while at COP26.

The professors advocated for Smith when he served as Vice President of Student Senate and was chairperson of the ad-hoc Sustainability Committee. Through that role, he was accepted as a member of the President’s Task Force for Campus Sustainability (PTFCS) at York College.

FORMER AUDITOR GENERAL TEACHES PUBLIC POLICY

After serving as Auditor General of Pennsylvania and running for Congress, Eugene DePasquale found an opportunity he had always wanted to pursue: teach a public policy class at York College of Pennsylvania.

“I always liked giving guest lectures,” DePasquale says. The pieces came together quickly last spring to craft the course for the Fall Semester, pulling from his experience as a “lawyer by trade” who worked in policymaking.

Illinois native Ashley Hines ’23, the current Master of Public Policy and Administration (MPPA) Scholar-inResidence at York College, expected the course would be a great one.

“There’s no better person to teach politics and policy than someone who has

APPELL FELLOWSHIP EXHIBITION

June 2–July 2, 2022 Marketview Arts

The exhibition of work is the culminating Fellowship experience of Appell Fellow Jeannine Dabb ’20. Call 717-815-1354 for information.

Spencer Smith with his two professors, Drs. Gregory Foy and Keith Peterman (rear).

Lindsey Lively, Hungry, 36 × 48 inches, oil, 2021

Lindsey Lively, Dogscape, 36 × 48 inches, oil, 2021

Events are subject to change. Please check

really gotten their hands on it and been in the arena,” she says. DePasquale’s experience and personality bring the subject to life. “He does a really good job of bringing in the details of law.”

Allison Siegelman, who, like Hines looks to complete her MPPA in 2023, has already had a career in finance and served on several local, regional, and national boards, which sparked an interest in policymaking. She is still finding a lot to learn from DePasquale. “I find that Eugene’s class is really a great foundation for understanding the dynamic between law and public policy,” she says. “It’s given me much more understanding of how agendas get set and how you have that interplay between what has become law and policy and how they influence each other.”

Both Hines and Siegelman say they’ve found it interesting to learn the extent of the influence the judiciary branch of government has on public policy.

One of the most important things DePasquale conveys in the course is rooted in simplicity: making their writing or presentations more concise. It can be a challenge, he says, switching gears from more academic writing—such as 25-page

What are you most passionate about and why?

I am passionate about traveling and learning about the world. Meeting people and understanding other perspectives is desperately needed in our society today. The more that I travel I am reminded about how large this world is and how much we have to learn from one another.

Why is studying abroad and global collaboration important to you and your students?

Study Abroad is important to me because it is a high-impact way of learning about other cultures and environments firsthand. Students can gain direct experience that will help prepare them as global citizens. Being able to participate in a Study Abroad class provides opportunities for students to learn, experience, and reflect upon their role in the global community.

What role does sustainability play in your profession and how are you and your students working toward a more sustainable future?

LINDSEY LIVELY: DETECTABLE CHANGE

July 15–September 3, 2022

Marketview Arts

Lively earned an M.F.A. in painting from Cranbrook Academy of Art in 2021. Call 717-815-1354 for information.

As a geographer, I see sustainability as something that is really large and complex, and as an educator, I find that students often don’t see or understand the complexities of our everyday decisions regarding sustainability. There is no single discipline or country that will solve any of the global issues that we face today, and what I try to do in the

classroom and abroad is to illuminate the complexities so that students realize the value in working with interdisciplinary and intercultural teams toward creating a more sustainable future.

What kinds of hands-on projects have you and your students recently accomplished?

For the last decade I have taken students to Southern India as part of a service-learning course that works with a nonprofit organization based in the United States that runs an orphanage. Students spend their winter break learning about how the organization works, helping the staff with day-today operations, as well as seeing and experiencing Indian culture. I plan to continue to offer opportunities for students to travel and learn about the world in which we live. For those who are not able to travel, I hope to bring more global learning opportunities to our classrooms and community.

— C.H.

MEET DAVID FYFE, PH.D.

“The more that I travel I am reminded about how large this world is and how much we have to learn from one another.”

— DAVID FYFE, PH.D.

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Eugene DePasquale, Ashley Hines ’23, and Allison Siegelman ’23.

that need to make a faster point.

That skill is one of three goals DePasquale has for his students. Another is for them to gain a growing appreciation for the complexity of law, and the third is to move “beyond ideology” to understand the best ways to make policy work, he says.

REFUGEE SUPPORT

Russia invaded Ukraine on Thursday, February 24, 2022. By Friday afternoon, Professor Klaudia C ´ wie˛kała-Lewis began brainstorming with her students for ways they could help the Ukrainian people.

Only three months earlier, the Stabler Department of Nursing at York College had entered into a partnership with the State University of Applied Sciences in Włocławek, Poland. The University is connected with another Polish university only 30 minutes from the Ukrainian

border, where they were opening a shelter for Ukrainian refugees.

The University sent Professor Lewis a list of items needed at the shelter. She discovered that the fastest and cheapest way to get items where they are needed is to order through Polish Amazon. Goods are delivered directly to the partner university in Włocławek, where students and faculty unpack, organize, and load everything into a van. They make a biweekly 10½-hour drive to the shelter near the Ukrainian border.

“Helping is the human thing to do,” Professor Lewis says. “I want to teach my students that nursing is not only about the bedside. It’s a serving profession.”

Professor Lewis also has set up GoFundMe and Venmo accounts for monetary donations and is accepting checks to help with the purchase of items through Polish Amazon. This has proved the most effective method, saving donors the shipping fee they pay when ordering from their own Amazon accounts.

Even after the war ends, Professor Lewis plans to continue the project until Ukrainian refugees no longer need help. “The refugees are still going to be there, even if the war stops tomorrow,” she says. “There are millions of Ukrainian refugees in Poland now.”

For instructions on how to donate, contact Dr. Klaudia C ´ wie˛kała-Lewis at klewis18@ycp.edu.

TELLING THE YORK STORY

When Rayven Dickson ’24 watches the news, she doesn’t see a full picture of the city where she grew up. She sees coverage of crime and fire, but not the good parts of York. “They don’t look at how the community comes together,” she says.

Rayven wants to tell her own story— and the stories of people like her. She hopes to get there with a degree in Public Relations and a minor in Criminal Justice from York College.

As a HOPE Scholar, she works with 6th–8th grade students from the York City School District. Every few weeks, kids from her neighborhood come to campus to talk, learn leadership and life skills, and even go to the dining hall.

It’s something positive for the kids to do after school—and for Rayven it’s fulfilling to give them an experience that wasn’t available when she was a kid. “I grew up here. I’m from here,” she says. “I know there’s a lot of potential that isn’t always used.”

JEREMY TARR: ET IN ARCADIA EGO

August 20–October 5, 2022

Brossman Gallery

AROUND CAMPUS EVENTS

A portion of the exhibtion will feature wand-scanned images of VHS, alongside honeysuckle sculpted to grow around a lattice of carbon fiber rods used for contemporary arrowsmithing.

Call 717-815-1354 for information.

Jeremy Tarr, Install Jeremy Tarr, Landscape VII, Tall Grass, lase printed on aluminum

BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Nursing students Katarina “Kat” Richardson ’22, Nora Osowski ’24, Lydia McCleary ’24 with Dr. CwiekalaLewis standing behind them.

The York College Community Opportunity Scholarship Program (YCCOSP) is the biggest reason she chose York College. The program, open to students in the York City School District, covers her tuition in full, plus room and board. It’s one more way York College is reinvesting in York. YCCOSP has provided Rayven the opportunity while giving her a sense of community and a solid support system at the College. “It’s like a second family from the one I have back at home,” she says.

They give back to the community through volunteer work such as serving Thanksgiving dinner to those in need, partnering with the United Way of York County, even digging up and planting a new flower bed. For Rayven, it’s not enough to better herself. “I want to make sure that York is better for everyone,” she says.

York College supports students as they work to turn career dreams into reality. Some 99% of new, full-time students receive financial assistance or scholarships. A variety of scholarships and grants are available, based on both merit and financial need.

A STRUCTURED APPROACH

Forensic Chemistry major with a PreMed focus, sophomore JaNýa Brown’s love of true crime shows sparked her interest in the field. But a greater purpose is driving her. “I’d love to help find out how someone died, help give the family closure,” she says.

research—using recombinant DNA to help people with chronic diseases like diabetes. She’s already been able to learn a lot since her majorspecific classes are interspersed with general education.

I was looking for,” she says. “You can get that professor-to-student connection that you don’t find at many other schools.”

Program at York College, JaNýa opted to spend her first year in a living and learning community, taking over an entire dorm floor with other science, technology, engineering, and math majors. “It helps to build a tight-knit community that you can learn from and rely on,” she says.

is pretty much an extension of her arm. You’ll never see her without it. When it vibrates, she knows she’s got 10 minutes to get from wherever she is to her next activity. It vibrates a lot. “My calendar is immaculately spaced out,” she says. “I’m a person who needs structure to be able to fully focus.”

Activity Board Trivia Chair, and Resident Assistant. She’ll also drop by the occasional Anime Club event and is

ESTA TIERRA ES TU TIERRA

(This Land is Your Land)

September 15–

October 22, 2022

Marketview Arts

A juried exhibition explores the complexity and diversity of the Latinx experience in the U.S. Call 717-815-1354 for information.

excited about a new organization building a community for Black students on campus, Owning My Blackness.

“You can find people you really

“I grew up here. I’m from here. I know there’s a lot of potential that isn’t always used.”

— RAYVEN DICKSON

OVERHEARD

“Educational games are one active and effective way of engaging students with material while also providing additional motivation to tackle challenging concepts”

Ashley Earle, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, wrote an article titled “A How-to Guide and Template for Designing a Puzzle Based Escape Room Game,” that was published at CourseSource.

“War is scary. Nuclear war is scarier. Biden needs to ensure that the NATO Secretary and General, and the alliance member countries, remain engaged with the D.I.M.E. instruments to avoid escalation of the conflict to something akin to World War III.”

Mudrick, Associate Professor of Sport Management, York College, wrote “Fans have come to accept tanking, but not throwing games,” for Sports Business Journal, March 23, 2022.

“They know they are the next generation of folks that will be providing care,” said YCP’s Carrie Pucino, who also worked as a critical care nurse. She noted conditions for healthcare workers right now are not “ideal” with stress and long hours. She teaches her students to prioritize their mental health.

“Food insecurity while in college can have detrimental effects on students’ academic performance and health,” she said. “The Spartan Food Pantry can help reduce food and basic needs insecurity for our students.”

The York Dispatch is running a series of stories written by student journalists as part of a mentoring program with York College. Senior Ulices Samaniego wrote “Spartan food pantry seeks donations for York College students in need,” March 9, 2022, and quoted Ines M. Ramirez, Interim Director of the College’s Student Diversity and Inclusion Office.

John Weaver, Associate Professor of Intelligence Analysis, York College, wrote “York College professor: Biden should rely on DIME to keep pressure on Putin,” York Dispatch, March 24, 2022.

Carrie Pucino, Associate Professor of Nursing, York College, was quoted in an article by Jamie Bittner who wrote “The next generation of nurses prepare to step into the pandemic,” FOX43, September 9, 2021.

“To all fans, regardless of whether they even support tanking, any deliberate attempt to ensure that a game is lost in the midst of a contest crosses a line. Such acts have a negative impact on both the team and league’s brand, which is certain to have bottomline ramifications.”

Michael

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GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

STAUFFER’S COOKIE MURAL

The Stauffer Biscuit Co. began in 1871 when D.F. Stauffer bought a small bakery in York, Pennsylvania. His small company would grow over the next 150 years until it consisted of numerous multistory buildings that produced crackers and cookies.

During the Fall 2021 Semester, the Center for Community Engagement (CCE) was approached by Stauffer’s to create a mural in Marketview Arts to celebrate the company’s 150th anniversary.

The mural contest began in September 2021 when students were invited to submit designs to Stauffer’s staff. Those staff members selected three winning murals; the student artists then created a 10-by 5-foot mural at Marketview Arts, with all material costs covered by Stauffer’s.

While the experience was a good opportunity for students to share their work, it also provided them with a glimpse into what work in that field could look like, according to Appell Fellow Jeannine Dabb ’20, who helped mentor the students throughout the process.

“This is a huge opportunity for York College students and alumni, because it creates a real-life working simulation,” says Dabb. “It also gives the students a chance to work with me, someone who has successfully created work for Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center, and who understands how to process work from design to finished product and delivery. I am able to mentor the students through a real design process situation.”

The three winners, all Fine Art majors, were Brittany Dao ’23, Taste for All; Jessilet Antonio ’24, Circus in the Park; and Rhiannon Harbold ’22, Sweet Universe. While these students had their designs selected, all participating students were included in the muralcreation process.

Dao expressed her gratitude for Dabb’s mentorship. “Without her help and expertise in mural creation and processing, none of this would have been possible.”

For many students, a substantial mural project like this might be intimidating, but Rhiannon looked forward to the challenge and says, “I like painting [in] large [format] and have previous experience painting a mural, so I felt it would be a great opportunity to pursue. I like painting [these kinds of projects] because it allows me to put in more detail and give love to some fine areas that usually get missed in smaller paintings. Additionally, I was encouraged to join the contest because Stauffer’s has been a big part of my childhood. I mean, who doesn’t love animal crackers?”

bigger than I initially expected,” she says, “but with the assistance of other creators, the piece turned out more beautiful than I could ever have expected.”

The experience has also made Rhiannon reflect back on her time as a York College student. “The entirety of my studies as a Fine Art major at YCP has made me a more flexible and multidisciplinary artist. Recently, I’ve been really interested in printmaking, and my love for it has furthered because of my experiences in Printmaking I,” she says. “It’s amazing to learn new techniques of artmaking and push my practice and style to their limits, [which makes] me a more open-minded creative.”

Although their experiences have been different throughout the process, the students agree that the most excitement comes from the idea of people finally coming into the space and seeing their work.

Jessilet says, “What I’m most excited about is seeing the reaction of everyone once it’s done. Sometimes even I can’t believe that we are working for a company who saw potential in us as art students.”

Thinking about the process as a whole, Jessilet says, “Working to get my degree has been a challenge, as I’m sure it’s been for everyone these past two years. Getting to work in-person, in the studio, working with my friends and professional artists, it feels almost surreal. It’s the first step of my career being an artist, and it’s just a great privilege to get to work with all of these talented people. It gets me excited to see where these artists are going in their future and what creations are coming our way.”

Jessilet also credits Assistant Professor of Art M. Ry Fryar for his encouragement. “I would say a professor that has impacted me the most to keep creating would be Professor Fryar,” Jessilet says. “Once I completed the design for the mural, I asked if I could get his thoughts on what I could add or improve. His encouragement helped me feel more confident in my ability to create pieces like these.”

Dao’s primary works are often paintings and she had never completed a large-scale mural. “The task was much

While Rhiannon expresses a similar sentiment, she says, “I’m so excited to see the mural hung inside of the cookie outlet. I toured the location before I started painting and am ready to see those white walls be full of art and whimsy. Seeing the mural hung in its intended location will be rewarding because the project will not only have come full circle, but will be providing even more fun for Stauffer’s visitors and employees.”

Dao says, “The excitement and anticipation for the mural to be hung up is almost too much. Everyone is ready to look at the pieces that we all contributed to and see how the mural shows who we are as artists and the passion we have for our art and our community. Gazing upon all of the pieces together will be the most rewarding thing of all.”

The mural is now on display for all visitors to see at the Stauffer’s Cookie Outlet located at 375 South Belmont Street in York.  — E.S.

“What I’m most excited about is seeing the reaction of everyone once it’s done. I can’t believe that we are working for a company who saw potential in us as art students.”

— JESSILET ANTONIO ’24

SUE KLINEDINST

A pioneer is the perfect word to describe Sue Klinedinst.

After 42 years of service to the College, she is retiring at the end of the 2022 Spring Semester. Klinedinst spent 22 years as the Spartans’ head athletic trainer and has been a member of the faculty for her entire tenure at York. She came to York in the fall of 1982. Prior to her arrival, varsity coaches were responsible for the physical care of their athletes. In addition to her athletic training responsibilities, Klinedinst was a member of the physical education faculty. A position that would pave the way for her to transition to being a full-time faculty member in 2004.

“I have had a wonderful career at York College,” says Klinedinst. “Being the first athletic trainer at York allowed me to do what I love, working with student-athletes to help them heal and return to play. Getting the freedom to build an athletic healthcare program from scratch was something that was very satisfying to me. I was very fortunate to have great working relationships with our coaches, athletic director, team physicians and other community medical professionals. I also was very blessed to have many dedicated student-athletic trainers and intern-athletic trainers who enabled us to provide the highest quality of care for our student-athletes. I am very thankful for all of those relationships which are a big reason that I loved my job so much.”

Klinedinst’s impact on the athletic training room has been long-lasting according to current head athletic trainer Nate Cooke. “Sue’s passion and dedication to her craft as an athletic trainer was, and still is, unmatched,” says Cooke. “She cared deeply for the students and athletes she interacted with on a daily basis. She was a hardworking, no-nonsense, no-excuses type of leader. She was exactly the type of supervisor I needed for the start of my career! I look back at that time and feel

incredibly grateful for what Sue poured into me to help mold me as a confident, professional athletic trainer. One of the things that really stuck with me was Sue’s emphasis on education as one of the most important tools that we as athletic trainers can use when bringing an athlete from injury to full recovery.”

In 2004, Klinedinst made the decision to retire from athletic training as she was pursing her doctorate and believed it was the right time to make the move. Cooke had been Klinedinst’s assistant for six years and was ready to take over. Klinedinst served as

the assistant athletic trainer covering wrestling and men’s lacrosse before officially retiring prior to the start of the 2005-2006 academic year.

Klinedinst took a sabbatical in the fall of 2005 and returned to the classroom in January of 2006 as she joined the Sport Management faculty while she still conducted physical education classes.

Dr. Molly Sauder, the current Chair of the Sport Management program, knows the importance of Klinedinst’s contribution to the College and the department. “Sue has played a crucial role in steering the Sport Management program through its many transitions to be the stellar major that it is today,” says Dr. Sauder. “Something that continually impresses me is her willingness to adapt, embrace, and advocate for whatever new direction is needed for the benefit of both students and colleagues. She is an inspirational sport professional, academic leader, mentor, and friend. I, along with so many others, will miss her terribly even as I wish her every happiness in her well-deserved retirement.”

Klinedinst served other roles within the Athletic Department during her time on campus. She was the women’s athletic coordinator, the physical education coordinator and Chair of the Sport Management Department. She has been the York College NCAA Faculty Athletics Representative since 2018, and was inducted into the York College Athletics Hall of Fame in the spring of 2006. ►

YCPSPARTANS.COM

“Being the first athletic trainer at York allowed me to do what I love, working with studentathletes to help them heal and return to play.”

— SUE KLINEDINST

“Sue has played a crucial role in steering the Sport Management program through its many transitions to be the stellar major that it is today.”

— DR. MOLLY SAUDER

SPARTAN SHORTS

The Women’s Basketball program reached two major milestones in a 57–54 comeback win at Albright on February 15. Graduate student

Kayla Ferris became the 17th Spartan in program history to score 1,000 career points and Head Coach Betsy Witman earned her 400th career victory.

JASON BADY ’20 INKED PROFESSIONAL CONTRACT IN PORTUGAL

York College Men’s Basketball alumnus

Jason Bady ‘20 signed a professional contract to play basketball for Beira-Mar in Division I of the Portuguese League located in Aveiro, Portugal.

Jason has been working toward his goal of professional basketball since his gradu ation from York College in August 2020.

Spartan athletes compiled 18 AllMiddle Atlantic Conference honors throughout the winter season. Kayla Ferris (Women’s Basketball), Jared Kuhns ’22 (Wrestling), Julia Pena ’23 (Track & Field), Dalton Rohrbaugh ’22 (Wrestling) all earned first-team honors.

Three members of the Wrestling team qualified for the NCAA National Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Seniors Dalton Rohrbaugh (133 lbs.) and Camden Farrow (197 lbs.) each placed first at the NCAA Southeast Regionals, while graduate student Eric Hutchinson (157 lbs.) placed third.

Men’s Basketball senior David Giuliani was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-District 4 squad. Giuliani is a Business Administration major while also pursuing a minor in Biology. He is a five-time member of the York College Dean’s List and owns a cumulative GPA of 3.91. He also earned All-MAC Commonwealth honors this past season for his performance on the court.

Jason collected a slew of honors as he was the Capital Athletic Conference Player of the Year, an NABC First Team All-Regional honoree, and an NABC Third-Team All-American. He was the third player to earn the award at the time.

Spartan Men’s Basketball Head Coach Matt Hunter is thrilled to see Jason get the opportunity to take his skills to the next level.

“We are extremely proud of and excited for Jason,” says Hunter. “He put an incredible amount of ‘unseen hours’ into his game

YORK COLLEGE TO ADD WOMEN’S WRESTLING TO VARSITY LINEUP

York College is proud to announce the addition of Women’s Wrestling as the school’s 24th varsity sport. Work will begin immediately on the first recruiting class as the Spartans prepare to compete in the fall of 2023. Wrestling will be the 13th varsity sport offered for women at the College.

Women’s Wrestling has been identified by the NCAA as an emerging sport for women—intended to help schools provide athletic opportunities for women and sport-sponsorship opportunities for institutions, with the ultimate goal of achieving NCAA Championship status.

Assistant Dean for Athletics and Recreation Paul Saikia is happy to see Women’s Wrestling joining the stable of Spartan sports offerings.

“We are excited to be among those sponsoring Women’s Wrestling at the NCAA level,” says Saikia. “We look forward to being active in growing Women’s Wrestling, providing additional intercollegiate

that hard work pay off. He bought into the program and did what we asked him to do to the best of his abilities. He did it all with dignity and class, representing our Spartan program to the highest standard possible.”

“I am hopeful that I will be able to have a good season that allows me to continue to work my way up the ladder of professional basketball. My goal is to reach the highest level that I am capable of,” says Jason.

athletic opportunities for women on our campus, and competing at a high level.”

The women’s program joins a men’s program that is one of the most decorated in school history. The Spartan men have had 29 wrestlers earn All-American honors, including Head Coach Duane Bastress who won back-to-back national championships from 2005–2006.

Bastress believes the Spartans will be competitive immediately.

“The emergence of this program is something that I am passionate about and believe that we have the resources to become very successful in a short period of time,” says Bastress. “As a father of two young daughters, it excites me that they will have role models showing them that women can accomplish amazing things. Interest in women’s wrestling is growing across the country and I am eager to see our program open up new doors for female student-athletes.”

The Spartan Athletic Department will begin an immediate search for a full-time Wrestling Assistant who will support the women’s and men’s team. Bastress will serve as the Head Coach for both programs.

SMALL WORLD INITIATIVE

McKenna Seashole ’25 wondered what kind of bacteria she might be living next to on the York College of Pennsylvania campus. So, she stepped outside her dorm and collected a sample of dirt.

For the Biology/Pre-Med student, that sample held so much potential. It was the start to what she hopes is an experiment in finding new options for antibiotics— a topic that could largely influence her career and the world of medicine.

McKenna and other first-year Biology students are part of The Small World Initiative, a global research team that is searching for antibiotic-producing microbes in soil. The innovative program encourages students to pursue careers in science while addressing a worldwide health threat: superbugs and the diminishing supply of effective antibiotics.

“It’s not uncommon for a lot of colleges to have first-year students in cookie-cutter labs, where the students and the professor know the outcome of that work,” McKenna says. “This project isn’t like that.”

“I’m just interested to see if we could find a new antibiotic and if our class could really do something that makes a difference. It’s taught me to learn how to work with a team, and to know that failure is part of the process.”

— KENDRA WINKLEBLECH ’25

First-year Biology students, Ian Shelley in the foreground and McKenna Seashole in the background.

Three York College faculty members applied for and have been trained to participate in this original research program: Associate Professor of Biology

Wendy Boehmler, Instructor of Biology

Anthony Botyrius, and Associate Professor of Biology Meda Higa.

Starting this semester, Professor Boehmler and her colleagues are participating in the research program with first-year students in Biology, Environmental Science, and Environmental Horticulture. Because most antibiotics come from soil microbes, students begin their hunt for novel antibiotic-producing soil bacteria by heading outdoors to collect a soil sample.

Then, they isolate the diverse array of bacteria in the lab and test them for antibiotic activity against known human pathogens. Those displaying antimicrobial properties will be analyzed further by a series of genetic and biochemical tests to identify species of bacteria. The ultimate goal is to chemically extract the antibiotic and further test it.

“We pride ourselves in including all students in our research endeavors—it is part and parcel to our program,” Professor Boehmler says. “However, this opportunity is usually reserved for third- and fourth-year students. The Small World Initiative project allows first-semester students to be a part of scientific discovery from the very start of their academic careers at YCP. It is my hope that it reinforces their passion for STEM, which in turn can lead to better retention of our future scientists.”

Kendra Winkleblech ’25 was excited to jump on this initiative within the first week of classes at York College. She collected her sample near a water source, where there is often more diversity in microbes.

“I’m just interested to see if we could find a new antibiotic and if our class could really do something that makes a difference,” she says. “It’s already taught me to be more open to things, to learn how to work together with a team, and to know that failure is part of the process.”

Faculty in the Biology program have a long history of engaging students in scientific research.  — E.S.

Paul Vigna

Lecturer, School of the Arts, Communication and

Global Studies

Lecturer of Rhetorical Communications Paul Vigna joined the York College community and brought The Spartan student newspaper back to life. He has a long history of working in the field as a sports and news writer and editor for various publications. He remains active in the field, currently working for PennLive

Through The Spartan newspaper class, students have the opportunity to explore areas of the College and topics that interest them and strengthen their writing and interviewing skills. They hold regular editorial board meetings to discuss possible leads and angles of stories. “We have profiled departments, students, and alumni, featured ‘best of’ lists of restaurants, coffee shops, and unique spots around York, and also covered games and focused on aspects of the College’s Athletic Department,” says Vigna.

He believes no matter their chosen field or career, strong writing, editing, and interviewing skills will serve students well. “They are asked to come up with ideas, interview both sides of an issue, and accurately incorporate quotes and other facts into something readable,” Vigna says. He also asks them to take photos, write headlines, and later transform that story for another platform, such as a podcast.

Passion for this work is something he instills in his students. “It’s the process that I hope students can use down the road,” says Vigna. “The curiosity to look for story ideas, the assertiveness to create and ask questions and follow up, and the organizational skills to take that information and turn it into a story.”  — C.H.

“It’s the process that I hope students can use down the road.

The curiosity to look for story ideas, the assertiveness to create and ask questions and follow up, and the organizational skills to take that information and turn it into a story.”

— PAUL VIGNA

Paul Vigna stands with Mass Communications student, Karisma Boyd ’24.

COMMUNITY REENTRY

PENNSYLVANIA CORRECTIONS AND PAROLE EXPERTS LOOK TO REENTRY AS A WAY TO INTRODUCE INMATES TO BECOMING SUCCESSFUL, CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.

SECOND CHANCE

When Kelly (Hassinger) Evans ’90 thinks of prison reform programs, a man from Dauphin County immediately comes to mind. For years, while she worked for the county probation and parole department, she watched him experience stints in and out of prison for various drug charges.

When he eventually landed in a state prison, he decided he was ready to change his life. Today, that man is a mentor at a halfway house in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. He rewrote his story by taking advantage of programs that taught him career skills. Now, he’s helping other people do the same.

“Between 90 and 95% of incarcerated people are going to get out and return to society,” says Evans, who now serves as Deputy Secretary for Reentry for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. “We have to believe in second chances and that people have the ability to change.”

Portraits by Emily Rund.

A FOCUS ON HELPING PEOPLE

When she graduated from York College of Pennsylvania with her degree in Criminal Justice, Evans jumped head first into her career with Dauphin County Adult Probation and Parole. “I found this field to be fascinating,” she says. “I was able to help those less fortunate or those who made bad decisions turn their lives around and be successful. In this position, we are able to look at the barriers individuals who are reentering have faced for so many years and make real changes. We can make a difference in their lives.”

In her current position, she oversees the release process for inmates, with a role in every program from treatment to activities, religion, and education. She also works with reentry parole staff to see every aspect of life that may hinder someone from being successful, then provides assistance so that issues such as housing, job skills, and transportation don’t become barriers.

“Many cities in the region are beautifying their neighborhoods and growing with luxury housing options. That provides fewer affordable options for those trying to turn their lives around,” Evans says. It’s a particular concern in places like Harrisburg, where people attempting to return to familiar city neighborhoods can’t find places to live that fit their rent budget.

“I think we’ve made great strides when it comes to the stigma about hiring someone with a criminal record,” Evans states. “In the last three years, our statistics have been steady for employment. But housing continues to be a concern. When you don’t have a safe, affordable place to go to at the end of the day, you lack that stability in life. That’s part of the bigger picture we need to address.”

STUDYING THE IMPACTS OF REENTRY

Pete Leasure, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Community Impact Research Fellow for the Arthur J. Glatfelter Institute for Public Policy at York College, has taken a particular interest in reentry programs. He has spent about five years studying collateral consequences of conviction, primarily those related to housing and employment. He has also studied the effectiveness of rights restoration mechanisms.

Professor Leasure says the topic in general is understudied. “I think that it’s safe to say that criminal history has a clear impact on employment and housing outcomes, but research has shown that the level of that impact depends on the type of criminal history, one’s race/ ethnicity, and one’s gender. It’s a complicated topic, and I

“ We are able to look at the barriers individuals who are reentering have faced for so many years and make real changes. We can make a difference in their lives.”

Kelly (Hassinger) Evans ’90, Deputy Secretary for Reentry for the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections

Kelly (Hassinger) Evans ’90

Pete Leasure

really believe that the field could benefit from replication research [where studies are able to produce the same outcome in similar situations]. And, unfortunately, there are not a lot of true replication studies on these topics yet. So, I think that we have a long way to go when it comes to understanding the impact of criminal history as well as the mechanisms that are best suited to help those with criminal history secure fundamental necessities such as housing and employment.”

Professor Leasure focuses much of his research on Ohio, where he’s originally from. There, legislators have implemented Certificates of Relief, a rights restoration mechanism aimed at relieving some of the negative impacts someone with a criminal history might face in employment and housing. While research on the effectiveness of this particular mechanism has so far produced mixed results, Professor Leasure says it is important to recognize that more and more jurisdictions are actively pursuing policies that aim to reduce the negative impacts of criminal history. He believes it is crucial to continue to evaluate each of these policies to ensure that reentering offenders are given the best chance for success.

Regarding the importance of students learning about reentry, Professor Leasure states, “I think it is critical for students to grasp the role of reentry in the criminal justice system. A lot of literature argues that failing to address collateral consequences of conviction can create a criminogenic cycle, not only for individuals, but for communities as well. If we can identify programs and policies that can effectively reduce the negative impacts of criminal history, then it will not only be a benefit for reentering offenders, but for society as well. So, it is critical that students understand the importance of reentry, because the students of today will be the researchers and policymakers of tomorrow.”

A RIPPLE EFFECT

When Evans helps someone reconnect with their family, secure a job, or sign the lease on their first apartment, she knows that person is getting a fighting chance at changing their life. And not just their own, she adds. Helping one person leave the prison system and start their life anew means they are impacting the other people in their life.

“Each person who walks out of here has a family,” she says. “They have children of their own, they have parents, they have siblings. They are loved by someone who wants to see them succeed. And I want that for them, too.”

“If we can identify programs and policies that can effectively reduce the negative impacts of criminal history, then it will not only be a benefit for reentering offenders, but for society as well.”

Pete Leasure, Assistant Professor of Criminology and Criminal Justice and Community Impact Research Fellow for the Arthur J. Glatfelter Institute for Public Policy at York College

INCREASING SUSTAINABILITY AWARENESS

York College held a Campus Sustainability Awareness Campaign for two weeks in April. It was sponsored by the President’s Task Force for Campus Sustainability (PTFCS), established by Dr. Gunter-Smith in 2019 to support climate leadership and related activities at York College. Events open to the Spartan community included the shaved ice machine, wild flower “bombs,” student research presentations, and a guest lecturer on geohumanities. A student is pictured here in the shaved ice machine, which is powered by a human hamster wheel.

Photo by Emily Rund

The Fort Apache reservation consists of 1.67 million acres in east-central Arizona. It ranges in elevation from 2,600 ft. in the Salt River Canyon (shown in photo) to over 11,400 ft. at the top of Mount Baldy.

Designing for a real client, Josh Sims ’21 followed his capstone project out of the classroom and into the mountains of Arizona.

APACHE RESERVATION PROJECT

It was an “aha” moment. The ramada—a structure with open sides and a roof—designed by Josh and his team of fellow York College Civil Engineering students, Nicholas Fisher ’21 and Zachary Michali ’21, was supposed to be relatively easy to build. They made sure all the lumber and parts needed could be found at any Home Depot or Lowes.

It wasn’t until Josh saw the land where the ramada would be built and met the people who would be using it that he understood the miscalculation his team had made. Their clients, members of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, needed access to local materials, rather than visiting larger hardware stores.

Equipped with this crucial information, his team updated its design for round timber instead of flat wood. It was the kind of real-world experience you only get from working with real clients. And it’s just one of the reasons Josh jumped at the opportunity to spend his last college break traveling from Pennsylvania to Arizona to meet the clients of his team’s capstone project in person.

LOW-TECH, HIGH IMPACT

Capstone projects for Civil Engineering students are common, but capstone projects with real clients are more unusual. “The students are definitely more motivated because they’re working for real clients,” says York College Civil Engineering Associate Professor Paul Ackerman, Jr. “It’s not busy work. These clients are going to use this research, data, and design for their needs.” In addition to Josh’s team, a second team comprised of Nathan Chandler ’21, Lucas Ensor ’21, and Brett Hackett ’21 was also doing similar projects for the same client at the reservation.

Two of last year’s capstones came from the Highland Support Project that supports Indigenous people to live on their land, in their community, and with their culture. They reached out to Professor Ackerman, who’d worked with them previously, about two low-technology but high-impact projects.

Left: The old ramada structure.. Below and right: Time was spent doing the prep work—clearing brush from an old canal, surveying the land, and removing the old ramada and its collapsed roof.

Josh Sims ’21, York College Civil Engineering student, on the Fort Apache Reservation in Arizona for his capstone project.

Virtual meetings connected the York College seniors with their clients in Arizona. “We realized just how much of an impact something like this would have on the local community and how important it was to get it right,” says Josh.

SEIZING AN OPPORTUNITY

It was only a remote possibility at first. But, when the timing of a group of volunteers heading to the White Mountain Apache Tribe Reservation lined up with the last break in his senior year at York College, Josh jumped at the opportunity to travel with his professor to learn more about the people and place his project was designed for.

Stepping off the plane in Arizona in June, Josh and Professor Ackerman ran smack into a wall of 114-degree heat. It was cooler in the mountains on the reservations, but the experience really drove home the importance of the ramada. It was intended to provide shade for workers of a community garden and to collect rainwater.

“You can pull a lot of stuff from the Internet,” Professor Ackerman says, “but there’s nothing like being able to walk the site.” Their time was spent doing the prep work for the two capstone projects—clearing brush from an old canal, surveying the land, and removing the old ramada and its collapsed roof. It was hard, but rewarding work.

“It was nice to be able to help people,” Josh says. “You learn more about their culture and how they live if you’re helping them rather than as a tourist just passing by.”

Josh says the trip to Arizona was invaluable. He brought all kinds of information to his team, and they were able to design plans that incorporated aspects of the White Mountain Apache Tribe’s historic ramada design with their own.

The result was something that will benefit the people on the reservation for years to come—and something Josh and his team could be proud of. “This isn’t just homework,” he says. “This is going to be real.”

“It was nice to be able to help people. You learn more about their culture and how they live if you’re helping them rather than as a tourist just passing by.”

“ We realized just how much of an impact something like this would have on the local community and how important it was to get it right.”

Josh Sims ’21

— Josh Sims ’21

Below: Connecting with community members at the celebration dinner on the last night of the trip.

CONNECTIONS

INNOVATION THROUGH COLLABORATION

Gift to Fund Creation of Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation

York College has been planning for several years the creation of a centerpiece organization to promote innovation through collaboration across the entire campus. A transformative gift from York businessman Don Graham, through the Graham Foundation, will allow for those plans to come to fruition with the creation of the Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation (GCCI).

“This gift will allow York College to move forward with a very important initiative that will distinguish us from many other institutions,” said President Pamela Gunter-Smith. “The GCCI will promote some of the most important aspects of a York College education: high-impact, experiential learning; innovation; collaboration; and community engagement.”

York College has long been known for its practical and experiential approach to education, focusing on real-world experiences that allow students to apply their learning beyond the classroom walls. With the creation of the GCCI, the College distinguishes itself from other institutions by providing a “home base” for such initiatives to ensure every student is engaged in the cornerstone of learning at York College: high-impact practices, opportunities that range from internships to active, project-based learning that engage and challenge students, and promote deeper understanding.

The GCCI will promote collaboration throughout the entire campus on the College’s distinctive focus on experiential learning, according to Provost Laura Niesen de Abruna. “This refers to student experiences that are active and engaged, and includes project-based learning, problem-based learning, clinicals, international and global experiences, co-ops, internships, field experiences and student teaching, community-based learning, student-faculty research, internships as well as independent studies and tutorials that have an experiential focus. These experiences are what make

Dominic DelliCarpini, Ph.D., Dean of the Center for Community Engagement and the Naylor Endowed Professor of Writing Studies, has been named interim Executive Director of the Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation.

“The internal focus of the GCCI is to provide a collaborative space across divisions,” said DelliCarpini. “It will be a place to grow ideas that are not contained within individual units of the College, ideas that cross units.”

Funding provided by the GCCI will be available for faculty and staff with innovations that can

support our strategic goals.

“The requirements are that the project must include at least two units, show collaboration, and include a business plan,” he said. “Our response to proposals will not be an immediate yes or no, but rather a conversation that can better help us craft projects collaboratively. I’ll work to bring people together around shared and interdisciplinary goals.”

To stay true to the collaborative nature of this Center, DelliCarpini has begun listening sessions with York College faculty and administrators. He is also planning a five-part workshop series

York College so different from other institutions that might look like us but cannot offer this range of active learning to their students.”

The GCCI serves as the unifying element for three interconnected campus entities: 1) the Engaged Scholars and the Graham Collaborative Innovation Fellows, a corps of innovative student leaders from diverse disciplines who learn through real-world experiences;

2) the Center for Academic Innovation that develops, supports, and encourages faculty to make high-impact educational practices and digital pedagogy central features of a York College education;

and 3) the Knowledge Park, a learning

and certificate program that will feature both external speakers and York College faculty; this series will bring together the College and community stakeholders. The GCCI will be headquartered in the Mill House and will be alongside the Knowledge Park, one of its components. The other components of the GCCI are the Engaged Scholars and Graham Innovation Fellows, and the Center for Academic Innovation.

A formal launch of the GCCI, including tours of the Mill House, is being planned for the fall.

laboratory that enhances opportunities for students and faculty to interact with local businesses and organizations.

“I happen to be extremely high on what I call entrepreneurial thinking, which really encompasses risk-taking and collaboration throughout an entire organization,” said Graham. “It’s hard to keep an entrepreneurial spirit in a company as it grows. We tend to build departmental silos in industry and in education. You cannot get anything done without collaboration between all disciplines. The Center will draw people from every discipline across the campus to work together.”

Continued on page 30

“We tend to build departmental silos in industry and in education. You cannot get anything done without collaboration between all disciplines.”

— DON GRAHAM

you can’t avoid it. That is why we’re taking this opportunity to have a curriculum that provides a basic education to students about risk management.”

Tim Bentzel Senior Director of Food and Nutrition Services, WellSpan Health

While the minor is a natural fit for business majors, students studying other areas would also benefit from learning about risk management. “The program is designed to get students to think about the exposures to loss we all have, and how we should manage risk in a way that allows us to achieve our goals in life,” Campisi said. “If we don’t manage it well, it’s going to impact our ability to achieve our desired goals and enjoy life.”

Tim Bentzel ’85 believes a meal can make a world of difference, whether it’s for a patient who needs important nutrients to heal or a visitor seeking comfort while they wait for a loved one.

As the Senior Director of Food and Nutrition Services at WellSpan Health, Bentzel oversees 400 employees across eight hospitals, primarily making sure the right systems are in place to meet the nutritional needs of a diverse healthcare population.

While he’s been in that role for nearly a decade, his career started 40 years ago. As a student at York College of Pennsylvania, Bentzel worked part-time at WellSpan York Hospital as a food service employee. While he also took advantage of the tuition reimbursement program, the job had a much larger impact on him beyond the financial assistance.

Colleges the size of York do not typically offer a risk management program as part of their curriculum. “I see this as a way for YCP to step into an opportunity that other colleges of comparable size are just not pursuing,” Campisi said. “This is a very mature industry according to its workforce demographics. We are going to be seeing 50 percent or more of the current workforce retiring in the next decade. Schools are not turning out enough risk management professionals to meet the current and future needs of the insurance industry.”

Bentzel was inspired by his role, although it was just one component in a large hospital system, to make an impact on a patient’s day. Choosing what they want to eat, and enjoying that meal, is a small pleasure he felt he could provide.

semesters I did have to take 18 credits to catch up, but it all worked out.”

Today, Bentzel knows his courses aided him in his early career. From management theory to leadership, accounting, and strategic planning, he says, those classes were instrumental in his career launch.

After graduation and a job with another health system, Bentzel returned to WellSpan York Hospital in 1992. It was a homecoming in many ways.

Through the years, he was promoted and given opportunities to grow. He met his wife at WellSpan, and the two would build their careers and grow their family under the healthcare umbrella.

“My responsibilities have grown over the years, but the blessings have been magnified,” Bentzel says. “I’m fortunate to get to work with some of the most dedicated employees you’ll ever find who are doing jobs that aren’t always appreciated by the outside world. It’s my job to make sure they know how important they are to this system and their community.”

The time is ripe for York College to offer a risk management minor, and Campisi recognized that as he contemplated how to support his alma mater during its EVOLVE Campaign. He and his wife, Stef, previously established the Campisi Family Scholarship Fund at the College, but he wanted to do more. “I recognized the need for talent in the area of risk management and insurance. There really is nobody in our area that is doing this. Larger colleges that have these curriculums are most often preparing students for an actuarial science career. The industry as a whole, and specifically our South Central Pennsylvania Region, needs a broader and more comprehensive course of study. This minor is a great addition to the curriculum at York College, and a wonderful opportunity for students to be better prepared to manage risk and potentially pursue a very challenging and rewarding career in the world of risk management and insurance.”

Bentzel landed at York College after knowing many friends and relatives who went there. He wanted to be able to

commute and work during his college experience, and he knew he could find that at York College.

He was so intrigued by his work at WellSpan York Hospital that he decided to change his career path. After about two years into his education, he switched majors to Business Administration—and was still able to graduate within four years.

“I worked with several professors and career counselors who really helped me make that change,” he says. “A couple of

He now manages a budget of about $30 million, and he believes his early finance courses gave him a solid foundation to grow into a role that supports that knowledge. “I know there are things [from] then that [have] influenced me,” he says. “It helped me become the person I am today.”

Bentzel remembers the hours he spent washing dishes early in his career. Now, he tries to open the doors for others who want to grow. He knows it’s his job to help the next generation of leaders find their place in WellSpan Health, and he sees York College as a natural feeder to the variety of career opportunities in healthcare.

“It’s a win-win for both entities,” Bentzel says. “It’s one community relationship I’m proud to say goes way back.”

“I’m fortunate to get to work with some of the most dedicated employees you’ll ever find who are doing jobs that aren’t always appreciated by the outside world. It’s my job to make sure they know how important they are to this system and their community.”

Graham’s gift also endows the Graham Fellows (formerly known as the Graham Innovation Scholars) and ties the group to the GCCI. “The Center broadens the base of what we are trying to do in the Fellows program, by involving faculty and community in collaborative activities,” said Graham. “The CCI will be home for the Graham Fellows, and will also serve as an extension. More people—faculty, students, and the community—will be drawn into collaborative activities.”

“The Graham Fellows program is one of the student arms of the GCCI,” said Dominic DelliCarpini, Dean of the Center for Community Engagement. “The Fellows, along with the Engaged Scholars, will be central to engaging other students across campus in the work of the GCCI.”

An Executive Director of the GCCI will be hired and report directly to President Pamela Gunter-Smith. The GCCI office will be located in the Mill House on Kings Mill Road. “Pulling the pieces together for the GCCI couldn’t have happened at a better time,” said Jeff Vermeulen, Assistant Vice President for External Relations. “The GCCI will be an established, functioning unit of the College, ready to incorporate the first phase of Knowledge Park partners under roof in the late fall/early spring next year.”

Graham was a member of the York College Board of Trustees from 1983 to 1995, and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree in 2002. Through his business, Graham made the initial gift that launched the York College Community Opportunity Scholarship Program (YCCOSP).

He also made significant gifts to York College to name the Graham School of Business and Graham Field at the Grumbacher Sport and Fitness Center.

“Entrepreneurial thinking encompasses collaboration,” Graham said. “Entrepreneurs figure out how to involve input from all areas, or they will fail. Collaboration is just necessary for activity of all sorts. The Center will enhance students in their profession and throughout their lives as they experience innovation through collaboration. Hopefully, this will be a real difference maker for YCP as competition for students gets tougher.”

PHILANTHROPIC INVESTMENT CAROL EICHER MBA ‘90

Carol S. Eicher MBA ’90 got her start in business at York College. Now, she’s giving back to help the next generation of York College graduates. For Eicher, York is like a magnet— its invisible force tugs at her heart no

While Eicher’s decades-long career as a CEO and business executive has taken her all over the world, it’s the community of York and York College of Pennsylvania, where she earned her MBA and got her start, that calls to her.

Now the benefactor of a new scholarship program for women in STEM and the Secretary of the Board of Trustees at York College, she’s helping nurture that community she holds so dear.

Eicher earned her degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania, but she always knew her future was in business. For her MBA, she turned to York College. “There was a very strong connection to the community for me,” Eicher says, “and there still is.”

That connection started with Eicher’s mother, Doris E. Cohen MBA ’79, who was in the first graduating class for the MBA program at York College.

Eicher started her career working at DuPont and chipped away at her MBA requirements over 10 years, with a fouryear hiatus while she lived in North Carolina. Graduating from York College and earning her MBA in 1990 was a proud moment—one that served as a springboard for the rest of her career.

Eicher didn’t have any grand plan to become a CEO. What she did have was a strong work ethic, a talent to lead, and a drive to move up the ranks and increase her responsibilities.

When there was a new project to work on or a problem to be solved, Eicher was the first to volunteer. “I constantly had my hand up in the air,” she says.

And she got the job done. She could look at a project and figure out what was important, what wasn’t, and show people how they could work together.

“I truly like being the boss; I like being in charge,” she says. “I think what I enjoy about work is the ability to lead a team and to get people focused on a set of goals and objectives or achieve a strategic vision.”

Those skills carried her through as she advanced in the chemical industry, eventually landing as Business President at Dow Chemical and then as the President and CEO at Innocor, Inc., where she retired in 2018.

As a female executive in a STEM field, Eicher had her fair share of negative experiences. However, she doesn’t dwell on them. She wants to flip the narrative, focusing on how she can make things more positive for women today.

That’s why she started a new scholarship specifically for women in STEM at York College. “I want to continue to support women who want to pursue careers in the scientific field,” she says. “What would it look like if it was different for the generations of women behind me?”

She was lucky to have had several great male mentors over the years, but she hopes her scholarship can help more women move into those critical role-model positions.

It’s been years since Eicher lived in York, but giving back to the community where she got her start is still important to her. “I’m very proud of what I’ve been able to achieve, and my education at York was a key part of that,” she says.

Eicher calls York College “the best kept secret this side of the Mississippi River.” She donates not only her money, but her time and expertise.

“There’s that sentimental attachment that I have to the York community, and I feel that the College is a cornerstone of that community,” she says.

The magnetic pull of Eicher’s history with York drives her to use her talents to help make York College the best it can be. “I can make a difference at York College,” she says. “And I think York College can make a difference for students and for the York community.”

“I want to continue to support women who want to pursue careers in the scientific field.”

— CAROL EICHER

EVOLVE CAMPAIGN EARLY SUCCESS, INCREASED GOAL

York College of Pennsylvania celebrated the early success of the EVOLVE campaign, the College’s first comprehensive campaign in its over 200-year history, at an event in October 2021 but as Campaign Co-Chair Tony Campisi ’76 explained, there is still more work to be done to support Spartan students.

“One year ago, during a worldwide pandemic, York College launched the EVOLVE campaign to transform the YCP experience with a $55 million goal,” Campisi said. “As of this past October, the EVOLVE campaign has raised over $65 million toward that goal. This is tremendous and a testament to the trust our donors and our community have in York College of Pennsylvania.

“Yes, we have already had a tremendous effect on our York College. Yes, tonight we celebrate. Yes, there is still need, and for this reason, we are announcing a new goal of $70 million in support of York College.”

Pledges and gifts made through the EVOLVE campaign support the College in many ways, but all contribute to meeting the goals of the current strategic plan. College President Pamela Gunter-Smith shared the effect the campaign is having on the campus and how the campaign will continue to make York College distinctive in the future. “We appreciate the support of our alumni and our friends,” she said. “They see the mission and vision of the College, and they want to support our students

and our faculty. Their investment makes us better; a better institute of higher learning for our students, and a better partner with our community. It is my sincere privilege to thank every donor who invested in EVOLVE: The Campaign for York College.”

Sophie Barnes, Student Senate president and a senior Literary and Textual Studies major, has seen the direct effect of the campaign on the College, on its students, and on her studies. “With the support of donors, including many of my fellow students, we have had a positive effect on the College and my future alma mater. The lessons of the pandemic taught

destination for student-centered engagement, is not yet fully funded.

The Knowledge Park, the new experiential learning laboratory where YCP students can connect with local industry, is not yet fully funded.

And, while over $17 million has already been raised for student scholarships, the gap between what a student can afford and what financial aid can provide is not yet fully funded.

This is the reason for the increased EVOLVE campaign goal, which will encourage alumni and friends of the College to join those who have made gifts to reach this new level of support.

Campaign Co-Chair Bill Shipley

me that it takes a community working together to get through tough times. And, while the effects of the EVOLVE campaign will last much longer than my time on campus, I will continue to be a proud alumna and ask that my fellow students give back to a place that gave us so much.”

The success of the EVOLVE campaign has been incredible and is a testament to the confidence the community has in York College of Pennsylvania, according to Vice President of Development Troy Miller.

“And while the $65 million raised is more than double the amount ever raised for a York College campaign, the important outcome is not how much has been raised but rather how the campaign has and will continue to transform the College.”

Still, not every priority has been funded, according to Miller. Spartan Commons, the new gateway to learning and a centrally located institutional

and his family support EVOLVE: The Campaign for York College in honor of his late father. “My father was, among many other wonderful things, an accomplished Dixieland jazz drummer,” he said. “Music was a source of joy for him. He passed after 15 years of progressive dementia. During that time he gradually declined and at the end, lost the ability to speak or move— except when he heard music. He would tap his foot and smile. Music always had the ability to reach him. That was the inspiration for our family and his friends to create the William Stewart Shipley II Fund for Music at York College of Pennsylvania in his memory.”

To learn more about the EVOLVE campaign or to make your philanthropic investment in York College, go to www.evolve.ycp.edu.

— Troy Miller, Vice President, Development

“The important outcome is not how much has been raised but rather how the campaign has and will continue to transform the College.”

— TROY MILLER

RHIANNON SWARTZ ‘20

Rhiannon Swartz ’20 was a junior in the Nursing program at York College when she joined the Pennsylvania Army National Guard. She was a newly licensed nurse when she began her career in the Reading Hospital Emergency Department in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. And she was the first woman in her military unit, and one of the few in state history, to become a Field Artillery Officer in Combat Arms last summer.

Resilient and dedicated, Swartz credits her professors at York College with teaching her a skill crucial to thriving in her chosen fields: adaptability.

Joining the military during her junior year presented logistical challenges, but Swartz says all of her teachers were behind her. Her academic adviser, Nursing Laboratory Coordinator Patty Myers, helped her plan each semester and coordinate her college schedule with her military obligations.

“There was a group of people from the Nursing Department that truly made the process easier. I think that’s what makes York College what it is. It’s the people,” she says.

When COVID-19 forced classes to go remote in Swartz’s last semester, her professors made the transition as smooth as possible. She praises their professionalism in the face of adversity.

“I would say I learned my biggest lesson of adaptability then,” she says. “To just take the situation and make the best of it.”

Now a second lieutenant in the National Guard, Swartz sees a lot of similarities between that job and being an emergency department nurse. “Whether it’s advocating for your patient or advocating for your soldiers, the communication is very similar,” she says.

Swartz’s dream job is to work for the Federal Emergency Management Agency or the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency. “I think that would bring together my military and nursing careers in one ultimate job,” she says.

in the ranks of the military, she’s sure to face new challenges and obstacles, but she’s ready for them.

“There’s so much out there in the world, so many experiences,” Swartz says. “You have ‘X’ amount of time on this Earth. Don’t let fear stop you.”

SHARE YOUR UPDATE AND SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE

Throughout the year, York College graduates share milestones and successes from around the world. From wedding, engagement, and birth announcements to job promotions, creative projects, travel, and fun, Class

Notes show what’s happening in the professional and personal lives of alumni. Class Notes are published three times per year in an electronic format. Submissions are subject to edits and space restrictions. To view Class Notes or to submit your news, please visit www.ycp.edu/alumni. Any questions? Email alumni@ycp.edu.

Rhiannon Swartz (center) with two colleagues in the Pennsylvania National Guard.

CLIFTON “LEFTY” HEATHCOTE ‘17

In 1918, the St. Louis Cardinals prepared for their June 14 face-off against the Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field. In this historic 13-inning game Cliff Heathcote ’17, a Glen Rock, PA native and York Collegiate Institute (YCI) legend, made his Major League Baseball debut. But it was basketball that made him a hero in York County—not baseball.

Heathcote was born in 1898 and attended Glen Rock High School before transferring to YCI in 1915. He was an immediate and dominant force on the basketball court, scoring 641 points (58% of YCI’s total) for the Orange and White over his two years with the team. As the leading forward and Captain during both seasons, Heathcote was

widely regarded as the best player in the county. While he attended YCI, Heathcote also participated in track and field and was a member of the Phi Sigma Literary Society. At his graduation on April 17, 1917, he delivered an oration titled, “The Aim of Life.”

After graduating from YCI, Heathcote enrolled at Penn State and shortly afterward left to attend a St. Louis Cardinals training camp. It was there that his pro career began. Heathcote spent 15 years as a Major Leaguer with a career .275 average over 1,415 games. An interesting career note is that Cliff “Lefty” Heathcote was one of the first players to suit up for two teams in the same day: He was traded by the Cards to the Cubs on Memorial Day 1922 during a double header.

— Kyle Murry ’20 and Karen Rice-Young ’92

York College’s Archives welcomes donations of college-related materials. Contact Karen Rice-Young ’92 at kriceyou@ycp.edu, 717-815-1439 for more information.

TOP: The 1915–1916 Orange & White team. Heathcote is second from left.

ABOVE: Article from the Nov. 7, 1929 YCI newspaper, The Chronicle, about alumnus Heathcote.

441 Country Club Rd. York, PA 17403-3651

www.ycp.edu/yorkmag

⚫ Provides hands-on (or experiential) learning experiences for our students.

⚫ Creates a campus location for real-world problem-solving and innovation, with the intellectual capital of our students and faculty.

⚫ Convenient location in the Heart of York County.

⚫ Prepares students for life after graduation and pathways to employment with on-campus internships, co-ops, and special project work.

THAT’S THE KNOWLEDGE PARK.

Support current and future students’ opportunity to grow into the changemakers of tomorrow with a gift to the Knowledge Park at EVOLVE.YCP.EDU