York College Magazine 2023 Vol. 1

COLLEGE

FROM GREAT TO GREATER DR. PAMELA GUNTER-SMITH LEAVES A FUTUREFOCUSED LEGACY

Assistant Professor of Environmental Horticulture Dr. Jason Smith says HRT200 students grew about 500 pansies in the greenhouses. With help from the College grounds crew, they planted the pansies across campus.

VIEW FROM MY WINDOW

Where has the time gone? It is hard to believe that I will soon retire and that this is my last “View from my Window.” As you can imagine, I have spent a great deal of time during the past several months thinking about my tenure as President—things accomplished and those still on the to-do list. I recall my inauguration speech on October 13, 2013. Titled Time and Place, I discussed Time as being related to external factors impacting the College with Place related to internal factors. My point was that the College must continually evolve to a new Place in response to changing Times. As it turns out, my remarks were definitely prophetic.

During my 10-year tenure, there has been a lot of change, not just at YCP, but nationally and globally—much more than I could have imagined. The Black Lives Matter movement brought increased attention to issues of social justice, but also unrest; the war in Ukraine and other conflicts renewed international tensions, and concerns about rising student debt have led many to question the value of a college degree. Coupled with lower birth rates, this has increased competition for college-going students and the necessity for institutions to be distinctive. Artificial Intelligence (AI) will continue to change the parameters by which we work and live in unimaginable ways. Technology increasingly alters our social constructs. And of course, never did I anticipate leading the College through a pandemic and its aftermath, which fundamentally changed the workforce and workplace.

So, what does all of this mean for York College? It means that the College must continue to innovate to ensure that our graduates are prepared to live and work in an increasingly changing world; that the value of their degrees must increase with time rather than diminish. Most importantly, the College must now lead from the front rather than follow, creating the Times rather than simply responding to them. Our Strategic Plan 2.0 is meant to do just that: to lead the College to a Place that is distinctive, a model worthy of emulation.

I have always understood my role as YCP President as creating a vision that inspires others (our strategic plan), raising the resources (the EVOLVE campaign) that allows them to do their best work, and to leave the College stronger than I found it. I hope that my legacy as the fourth President of YCP will be just that.

On behalf of JL and myself, thank you for your support and all that you do to help move York College from Great to Greater. It has been a privilege to serve this wonderful College and the broader York community. Just the other day, I was asked by a parent of a prospective student, “what makes York College special.” I replied, “the people, our Spartan family.”

I look forward to seeing the future growth of the College as it will now benefit from the vision and talents of my successor. Although we say farewell to our official roles at YCP, we will always be members of the Spartan family and carry with us many fond memories of our time here.

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

YORK COLLEGE

President

Pamela Gunter-Smith, Ph.D.

Interim Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

Patrice DiQuinzio, Ph.D.

Vice President, Development

Troy M. Miller, CNP, CFRE

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

Sarah Smith ’22

Senior Administrative Assistant

Colleen M. Adamy

Spring 2023 Interns

Emma Simpson ’23

Khamelia Henderson ’23

CHANGE OF ADDRESS

Send address label along with new address to: Division of College Advancement

York College of Pennsylvania

York, PA 17403-3651

717-815-1410 or email yorkmag@ycp.edu

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. © 2023 York College of Pennsylvania. Printed in U.S.A.

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.

WHAT ARE THE PROS AND CONS OF FREE SPEECH?

Dr. Mike Zerbe Professor/Chair, Communications and Writing Department

Do you like to live in a country in which you can express yourself freely? I sure do. Watching what you say, and to whom, is stressful, exhausting, and, in many parts of the world, even dangerous. And watching what I say is not something that I’m inherently good at anyway; as my students will tell you, I’m an impatient sort who’s not shy about telling them exactly what I think about a whole host of topics. Free speech is, then, far,

Dr. Madhavi Reddi Assistant Professor of Mass Communication

Dr. Kim Fahle Peck Director, Academic Success Center and Writing and Communication Studio

far more “pro” than “con.” If students have an opinion about a professor, or if citizens have something to say about a politician or policy, they can declare it without fear of reprisal. However, with freedom comes responsibility. Any use of language is an ethical action; as such, the power of free speech must be wielded thoughtfully. For some, perhaps this responsibility is a “con,” but I don’t see it as such. My Communications and Writing colleagues and I spend a lot of time talking with our students about the ethical use of language. Far from a con, though, for us, it’s a blessing.

Our understanding of free speech has evolved alongside sociocultural and technological shifts and innovations. Today, social media critically shapes social and political discourse. As a public arena for conversations/debates on countless topics, social media platforms have the potential to facilitate positive social change, but also enable the spread of mis/disinformation. For example, Asian American communities have reported a spike in violence and hate since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Digital activists harnessed the wide-reaching power of social media to speak out and spread awareness of this issue through hashtags such as #StopAsianHate. They utilized the internet to exercise their fundamental right to protest injustice on a large scale. Simultaneously, hate spread

Freedom of speech is an important right in our country primarily because of the protection it grants to speak truth to power. I believe it is one of the cornerstones of our democracy

via the same social media platforms used to protest it. Mis/disinformation targeting AAPI communities was rampant in the early months of the pandemic, inflaming anti-Asian sentiments that manifested in violent ways both on and offline. While social media platforms continually update their community guidelines to address the ongoing hate, we need to develop more conclusive strategies to untangle the conceptually paradoxical nature of free speech.

that individuals can protest and share their views and experiences without fear of legal prosecution from our government. However, I believe a problem with free speech is that many people misunderstand freedom of speech to mean speech without consequences. In other words, that freedom of speech equates to the ability to say whatever you want, whenever you want, to whomever you want with no negative repercussions. However, freedom of speech does not protect us from the impact of our words on their audiences, both intended and unintended. Freedom of speech might protect me from prosecution from my government, but it does not shield me from altering or damaging personal or professional relationships, especially when my words cause harm, whether that was my intention or not.

“Any use of language is an ethical action; as such, the power of free speech must be wielded thoughtfully.”

“We need to develop more conclusive strategies to untangle the conceptually paradoxical nature of free speech.”

“Freedom of speech does not protect us from the impact of our words on their audiences, both intended and unintended.”

COMMUNITY AROUND CAMPUS

SUPPORTING FIRST-GENERATION STUDENTS

Being a first-generation college student whose parents did not go on to higher education can be a daunting experience.

York College has long aimed to make that transition easier.

Adrienne Brenner, Behavioral Science Lecturer and adjunct faculty member, has taught a First Spartans First-Year Seminar (FYS) course for first-generation students for years and has overseen numerous efforts to support them.

What are your summer plans?

“They’re managing full-time college responsibilities but often have tremendous responsibility for their families at the same time,” she says.

Literary and Textual Studies major Madison Sweitzer ’23 (York, PA) experienced the frustrations of being a first-generation college student. Unsure of how to apply to college, she made mistakes on her FAFSA and had to take a gap year after graduation from high school. After enrolling at York College, the transition was rough.

It took her a while to realize that her story was worth embracing. By her junior year, she was ready to get more involved on campus.

She joined the Tri-Alpha Honor Society for first-generation students, and was elected President. She has led the Society’s effort to help other students more smoothly transition to college.

Professor Brenner works to create a sense of pride for first-generation students. In 2021, she incorporated design-thinking workshops into her classes to explore ways to improve their well-being.

She also gathered faculty, staff, students, and alumni who had been first-generation themselves to discuss support strategies, creating the First

Spartans Advisory Board. With the help of Brian Hazlett, Vice President for Enrollment Management, the TriAlpha Honor Society was established. Advisory Board members identified several faculty and staff who had been first-generation college students. They posted stickers and printed T-shirts to announce that they were “First-Generation Proud.”

In November 2022, the College hosted a week of programming for first-generation students. During this week, inductions into the TriAlpha Honor Society took place. The events recognized those students’ accomplishments, and photos from

“I’m looking forward to being on Co-Op with New Ridge Engineering. I’m also going to be coaching my neighborhood swim team.”

Luke Schlevensky ’25, Electrical Engineering major from Haymarket, VA

“They’re managing full-time college responsibilities but often have tremendous responsibility for their families at the same time.”

— ADRIENNE BRENNER

LEFT TO RIGHT: Dr. Kay McAdams, Madison Sweitzer ’23, and Behavioral Science Lecturer Adrienne Brenner

“I am excited about traveling to Greece with the Scholars program this summer!”

Conner Everett ’25, Cybersecurity Management major from Whippany, NJ

the week captured them with signs stating why they came to York College.

As a former first-generation college student who left her comfort zone for a career in academia, Dr. Kay McAdams has walked in her students’ shoes.

Her outreach to first-generation students is about not just helping them to understand college, but helping them become part of a community and celebrating their unique identity.

She understands the financial pressures first-generation students might face. Many work more than 30 hours a week to support their education and their families. Because of this, Dr. McAdams hopes to expand scholarship opportunities to assist with basic materials for first-generation students.

“It can be lonely being a firstgeneration college student if you don’t have people around you to talk about your experiences,” she says.

First-generation alumni who are interested in mentoring first-generation college students can reach out to Adrienne Brenner at abrenner@ycp.edu. Those wishing to donate to Alpha Alpha Alpha (Tri-Alpha) Honor Society can send a check to the address below made out to: Tri-Alpha Honor Society.

York College of PA

Enrollment Management

441 Country Club Road York, PA 17403-3561

What are some of your job duties as Vice President of Enrollment Management?

As the Vice President for Enrollment Management, I oversee the development and implementation of the College’s long-range Strategic Enrollment and Marketing Plan. The plan allows the College’s enrollment strategies to be adaptable and cultivate new directions for YCP to address the ever-changing higher education landscape. At the core, my job is to make sure we “admit to graduate” and enroll students representing our community’s broad diversity.

What is your vision for enrollment management?

It is not my vision for enrollment management but the collective vision of the YCP community. Our process to build the College’s plan for enrollment has been collaborative and purposely aligned with YCP’s Strategic Plan 2.0. We came together over the past year to develop our roadmap to identify the core elements and student populations that will help better position YCP in the future. We must continue to grow and expand our brand to make YCP’s position in the marketplace more sustainable.

What are you most passionate about in enrollment management and why?

The student populations we serve are rapidly changing and we must start to pivot to meet their unique needs. As a first-generation college student, I have always had a passion for serving this student population. At YCP, about 18% of our students are first-generation. For me personally, my college degrees have afforded me significant opportunities. During my undergraduate experience, several faculty members recognized and embraced my lived experience as a firstgeneration student. Their mentorship and care served as the tipping point to ensure I crossed the stage as a graduate. I want to provide that same level of care for YCP’s first-generation college students. To start that process last year, I started our chapter of Tri-Alpha, a national honor society for first-generation students, and currently serve as one of their advisors.  — S.S.

MEET BRIAN HAZLETT

“As a first-generation college student, I have always had a passion for serving this student population.”

— BRIAN HAZLETT

Vice President of Enrollment Management

“It can be lonely being a first-generation college student if you don’t have people around you to talk about your experiences.”

— DR. KAY MCADAMS

AROUND CAMPUS

OUTREACH YCP PROFESSOR NAMED HEALTHCARE HERO

York College Nursing Professor Klaudia Ćwiękała-Lewis, Ph.D., RN, APHN-BC, was recently honored with the Central Penn Business Journal 2023 Healthcare Hero Award.

The Healthcare Hero designation is awarded to an individual or organization who goes above and beyond their normal sphere to bring attention to a current issue in healthcare or solves a health problem facing the community.

Dr. Ćwiękała-Lewis, who has been teaching Community Health at the undergraduate and graduate levels for almost six years, was nominated for several projects: leading the collection of necessary items for Ukrainian refugees in Poland, leading Nursing students with helping administer COVID vaccines to the York community during the COVID pandemic, and also for leading Nursing students in service-learning activities, which required students to work with the greater York community. These activities ranged from clothing drives for York schools to dental hygiene education, wellness checks, and Thanksgiving dinners for low-income families.

“I am extremely humbled to win this amazing award,” Dr. ĆwiękałaLewis says. “However, this award belongs to the amazing team of my adjunct faculty that helps me with introducing the importance of caring, compassion, and the upstream approach of preventative care to our student nurses.”

Dr. Ćwiękała-Lewis emphasizes the importance of the work that community and public health nurses do, by working with the greater community to provide accurate and accessible care.

“Public health nurses work with other providers of care to plan, develop, and support systems and programs in the community to prevent problems and provide access to care,” she adds. — S.S.

OUTREACH SERVICE IN INDIA

York College classes are designed to ensure that students finish their degrees with experiences that allow them to build on the education they received in the classroom. Experiences come in many forms, such as

What are your summer plans?

“I am extremely humbled to win this amazing award.”

— DR. ĆWIĘKAŁA-LEWIS

LEFT TO RIGHT: Isabel Cox ’23, Reilly Deckert ’25, Paige Miller ’24, Julianna Orkin ’23, Glory S. Janes, Executive Director of HOINA, Piper Johnson ’23, Sarah Beck ’23, Kate Snader, Khushi Lyer ’24, and Abby Piotrowski ’22

“I’m really excited to have the opportunity to go to the Netherlands this summer to learn about sustainability and renewable energy and to be able to apply that to my co-op in hydroelectric design and my future.”

Branden Goromaru ’25, Mechanical Engineering major from Lancaster, PA, Graham Collaborative Innovation Scholar

internships, volunteer opportunities, or study abroad trips like the mission trip to India led by Dr. David Fyfe, Associate Professor of Geography, in December 2022. Eight students attended this trip, including Sarah Beck ’23, who viewed the program as a great opportunity. She says, “I have always wanted to travel to another country to work with children and do service work. This interest of mine started when I was in high school, when I worked

at a camp located on a farm (it was STEM-focused) and they brought kids from inner-city Baltimore and refugee kids from Sudan. I absolutely loved working with the kids from Sudan and learning about their culture.”

International travel requires a lot of planning and preparation.

Dr. Fyfe’s class worked to get students ready for this trip and ensure that everyone was well-prepared.

“The class had so many discussions about India,” Sarah says. “We had to read newspaper articles from India to keep up with news, and we also had weekly articles Professor Fyfe assigned to us for in-class discussions that were hard topics but started really great conversations. On top of all of that, we had days where we prepared for the trip by talking about what to and what not to pack, how to apply for our VISAs, and so much more.”

The goal of this trip was to assist children at an orphanage called HOINA. Sarah says one of her favorite parts of the trip was getting to spend time with the children there.

She says, “I loved playing outside with the kids—especially playing volleyball with the boys and badminton with the girls—listening to music while painting the fences on the orphanage campus with some of the HOINA kids and students from York College, spending quality time with the kids, and going sightseeing. I remember talking with all of the other students who went on the trip and how much HOINA felt like home to us.” —

#YCPGIVES

TOGETHER, WE EVOLVE 2023

Results

$203,750

Raised 1,919 Donors

$35,200

Challenge dollars

5 Challenges

57

Alumni classes represented ’56 ’22

Oldest Youngest class class

691 370

Alumni Youngest alumni donors donors (2012–2022)

$6,540

Advocate-inspired gifts

37 Advocates

198 398 181

Student Parent Faculty/Staff donors donors donors

40 States represented 2,702 Miles traveled by farthest gift

Many thanks to our Spartan Community who supported YCP students in February 2023!

A total of 1,919 donors gave $203,750, making #YCPGives 2023 a record-breaker.

E.S.

“This summer I am excited to have a nurse externship in the emergency department at the Cleveland Clinic where I am excited to practice what I have been learning at school and become more confident in my nursing skills. I also am looking forward to being able to spend more time outside and go hiking in some of my local parks.”

Talon Basiewicz ’24, Nursing major from Cleveland, OH, Gordon Scholar

“I will be working through York College’s Medical Lab Science Summer Externship Program as a laboratory assistant at WellSpan Gettysburg Hospital!”

Natalie Swingler ’25, Medical Laboratory Science major from Hanover, PA

Brian P. Hazlett, Vice President for Enrollment Management, York College, was interviewed for U.S. News & World Report, “End-of-Year High School Mistakes to Avoid,” February 15, 2023.

Jacqueline Beatty, Assistant Professor of History, York College, wrote “Nikki Haley capitalizing on gender stereotypes has long-term costs,” The Washington Post, Made by History, March 22, 2023.

Erec Smith , Associate Professor of Rhetoric, York College, currently Visiting Scholar of Politics and Society for the Cato Institute, was quoted in “Former DEI director claims refusal to use pronouns, gender-neutral language got her fired,” Fox News digital, March 15, 2023

“A good historical cryptologist has to be part accountant— able to very carefully keep track of numbers and statistics—but they also need to have the spirit of Mozart.”

Craig Bauer, Professor of Math, York College, was interviewed for “Why Historical Cryptologists Need to Be ‘Part Mozart, Part Accountant’, for Vived get connected, March 13, 2023.

“Students can make the process [college test preparation] more social and enroll in a prep course with a group of friends. This will allow students to engage with each other and have a little fun at the same time.”

“As we begin to assess the results of the myriad changes in the way we deliver education, it’s clear that our students’ needs are greater than ever.”

Lisa Lawmaster Hess, Adjunct Faculty, York College, wrote an article in The News Motion, titled “So Over COVID!–Faculty Focus,” February 20, 2023.

“As I’ve similarly experienced, Dr. Lee is being punished for being ‘the wrong kind of black person:’ one dedicated to classical liberal understandings of equality, individualism, reason, and free speech.”

“Haley is following in a long line of female candidates in both major parties who have seen an opportunity to reposition stereotypical assumptions about feminine weakness as uniquely feminine forms of power.”

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GRADUATE AND PROFESSIONAL STUDIES

PROVIDING SANCTUARY FOR VETERANS

Students Volunteer at Glenn Hope Care Farm

Aimee Morris’s grandfather, Glenn F. Cunningham Sr., was a World War II veteran and a farmer who raised his family on the land that Glenn Hope Care Farm sits on in Felton, PA. She began fulfilling her grandfather’s legacy in 2015 after an honorable discharge from the Marine Corps in 2000 and nine years in the healthcare field.

Care Farms originated in the Netherlands in 1949 and spread throughout western Europe. Morris says the organization encourages healing through farm activities and is most successful at helping people with depression, mental health problems, drug and alcohol addiction, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

“Glenn Hope was created to be a place where veterans can come to reconnect to the earth, animals, nature, and themselves,” Morris says.

SPARTANS GET THEIR HANDS DIRTY

Morris believes York College students who volunteer at Glenn Hope benefit from their interactions with veterans, hearing their stories, and learning about how combat affects our veterans.

“They learn the true cost of freedom,” she explains.

Sophia DeBolt ’25 is a sophomore Nursing major who volunteered at Glenn Hope during the Fall 2021 Semester. Sophia chose to volunteer at the farm because she knew the organization helped veterans and its mission resonated with her because of her own family’s military history.

At the farm, Sophia helped children decorate pumpkins, spoke with attending families, and served 300 people drinks and ice cream donated by Turkey Hill.

“I learned that compassion and help for a veteran’s family are just as important as compassion and help for the veteran,” Sophia says.

Morgan Sauers ’25 is also a sophomore Nursing student who volunteered twice at Glenn Hope during the Fall 2022 Semester. Morgan enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere and appreciated that volunteers were encouraged to give ideas about how to set up for the farm’s Fall Fest.

“The event attracted many locals and offered good food, music, and activities for the kids,” Morgan adds.

THE GLENN HOPE STORY

At Glenn Hope, veterans connect with nature through animal husbandry and horticultural therapy. Veterans can take part in canning, raising poultry, and butchering all while reconnecting and building camaraderie with other veterans. All the food raised and harvested on the farm is produced by veterans, and while a small portion is sold to sustain the farm’s mission, most of the food is donated to veterans and organizations that support veterans. Morris prioritizes mental health awareness by creating music, wood tinkering, painting programs, sound and vibration therapy, and demolition therapy.

Sergeant Alex Kelly, who graduated from York College with a Nursing degree in 1998, is an Army Combat veteran and an active participant at Glenn Hope. She joined the farm because of its dedication to the veteran community. She cites the benefits she’s received from Glenn Hope. “Camaraderie, being with like-minded individuals, peace, supporting and promoting the veteran community, supporting and promoting the farm, which provides a sanctuary for veterans.”

Kyle Lowry ’24 is a junior Nursing major who has been volunteering at Glenn Hope since October 2021, his first year at the College, when he was enrolled in the Changemakers First-Year Seminar.

Kyle helped set up a successful Fall Fest. “Volunteering at Glenn Hope gave me an eye-opening experience about different organizations that are out there whose mission is to help out veterans,” Kyle remarks.

Morris understands the value of community when it comes to volunteers and partnerships with institutions such as York College. Student volunteers get to experience the day-to-day inner workings of a small, nonprofit farm.

“Glenn Hope is grateful for all of the community support that we’ve gotten over the years. Our mission would not be fulfilled if not for the people of York County and our partnership with York College,” Morris says. — K.H.

York College works with the Honors Community from day one to help them form their dreams into a personal mission, which is supported with financial and other assistance. They leave York College with a record of achievement that will gain the attention of employers, graduate schools, or others who provide entry into the next step in the extraordinary lives they imagine for themselves.

“I learned that compassion and help for a veteran’s family are just as important as compassion and help for the veteran.”

— SOPHIA DEBOLT ’25

“Glenn Hope was created to be a place where veterans can come to reconnect to the earth, animals, nature, and themselves.”

— AIMEE MORRIS

NEW TENNIS COMPLEX

York College’s tennis teams have played for years on outdated courts wedged between parking lots on Main Campus. Their challenge did not go unnoticed by the College or by the fans who support them, like Doug and Theresa Lehigh of York. They began asking how they could help when their son, Devin, came to York in 2014 to play tennis.

“We kept in touch with Paul Saikia, the Athletic Director, while Devin was here,” said Doug, a 1993 graduate of York College. “I saw how he was able to transform the baseball facilities, and I believed he could do the same for tennis.”

The Lehighs pledged $25,000 in 2020 to help improve the tennis facilities at the College. The timing was key, said Doug, as the Spartans were moving from the Capital Athletic Conference (CAC) to the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC). “When the College moved conferences, we thought the teams could really compete well in the MAC,” Doug said. “We remained in the middle of the pack every year in the CAC, because it was tougher to get recruits after they came to campus and saw our courts.”

Their support coincided with that of Mrs. Barbara Myers, as well. She has been a steadfast supporter of various initiatives at YCP, as had her late husband, Donald. The College was proud to honor this by naming the complex after the Myers family and the first court after the Lehighs.

The Lehighs also chose to make their pledge at that time in support of EVOLVE, the College’s first comprehensive campaign. “Our goal was to make it better for future studentathletes,” Doug said. “We wanted them to have a great experience at the College and give them the best opportunity to compete at the highest level while getting their degree.”

The couple has personally experienced the value of a York College degree. Doug earned an Associate Degree in Computer Programming in 1985 and then returned to the College to complete a Bachelor of Science degree in Secondary Education-Business. He is currently the Director of IT Strategic Services at WellSpan Health in York.

Doug and Theresa’s children have also prospered as York College graduates. Son Devin earned a Bachelor

of Science degree in Marketing in 2018. He is currently the Assistant Tennis Coach at York College and an Internet Marketing Consultant at WebFX in Harrisburg, PA.

Their daughter Kelsie graduated in 2014 with a Sport Management major and Human Resources minor. She currently works for AllSearch Recruiting in York as a Delivery Manager. Her husband, Greg, graduated in 2013 from York College with a Political Science and History degree, then earned a Master’s Degree in Urban Affairs from Hunter College in New York. He is a Project Manager at WellSpan Health.

“We have seen what York College has done over the years as we watched our kids look at colleges,” Doug said. “They chose York because their academic programs were the best. Participating in athletics was important, but that was second.”

The new tennis complex the Lehighs are supporting will be built in phases, according to Saikia. “There will be six courts, initially, in phase one,” he said. “When the project is completed, we will have eight or nine courts, depending on how we decide to build out. The facility will also have a building with locker rooms, restrooms, and storage. Some or all of the courts will be lighted.”

The Lehighs are happy that they are able to offer their financial support to the College, and they are encouraging others to do the same. “We are happy to talk with others about supporting this project and others,” said Doug. “We are looking to create a program with levels of support, to make giving more accessible.”

“We are all about supporting local and doing things for the community and the College,” said Theresa. “This just felt like something we wanted to do.” — M.D.

“Our goal was to make it better for future student-athletes.”

— DOUG LEHIGH

Doug and Theresa Lehigh

STANDOUT LACROSSE COACHES

Recruiting advantages are found in many different forms in Division III athletics. Top-notch academic programs, outstanding facilities, along with history and traditions are just a few that come to mind.

The York College Men’s Lacrosse program can add another one to the list of advantages: their coaching staff. Head Coach Brandon Childs, the national Division III Coach-of-the-Year in 2018, has assembled an incredible staff that features three coaches who are also currently professional players in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL).

Defensive Coordinator Matt Whitcher ’18 was a member of the league champion Waterdogs in 2022. He has been in the PLL for three years after starting his professional career in the Major League Lacrosse (MLL). He went professional after a highly decorated York College career which included first-team USILA AllAmerican honors as a senior. Whitcher started his career with the Atlanta Blaze as he became the first Spartan to be drafted professionally in 2019.

Ryan Drenner is the Spartans offensive coordinator and has been a longtime stalwart in the PLL. Drenner is a three-time PLL All-Star and won a championship with the Whipsnakes in 2019. He was a two-time USILA All-American at Towson and was the 28th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

The third Spartan professional is former two-time, first-team AllAmerican Ryan Kennedy ’20, who made his PLL debut last summer with the Redwoods. Kennedy, who was the 2021 USILA National Defender-of-theYear, came back to the Spartan staff and serves as a defensive assistant coach for the Green and White.

Childs believes this staff is equipped to get the most out of his Spartan student-athletes. “Obviously, there are a number of aspects of our program that are attractive to potential studentathletes,” says Childs. “Our coaching staff is a strength of our program.

Players know when they get here, they will be coached at a high level to get the most out of them as people and players. They know there is a pathway to professional lacrosse and I am not sure there are many Division III programs that have three playing pros on their coaching staff.” —S.G.

CLOCKWISE: Matt Whitcher ’18 playing for the league champion Waterdogs in 2022, Ryan Drenner playing for the Cannons, and Ryan Kennedy ’20 playing for the Redwoods.

“There are a number of aspects of our program that are attractive to potential student-athletes. Our coaching staff is a strength of our program.”

— HEAD COACH BRANDON CHILDS

PURSUITS

TWO FLEDGLING COMPANIES RECEIVE BACKING FROM WEINSTOCK VENTURE INVESTMENT FUND

The founders of Owning My Blackness Consulting and Lehr Labs, who are all York College of Pennsylvania alumni, earned support from the Weinstock Venture Investment Fund based on their potential for success. Owning My Blackness Consulting, which helps educators reduce systematic racism, and Lehr Labs, which is focused on innovative 3D printing and manufacturing space, are this year’s recipients of seed money from the fund.

The fund at York College aims to promote innovation and entrepreneurship among students and alumni as they work to turn their ideas into successful businesses. It also helps them gain valuable experience and skills to prepare for a career in entrepreneurship.

The fund provides money and support to businesses that demonstrate the potential for success. It offers up to $5,000 in seed funding as well as mentorship, networking opportunities, and business development support.

MEETING ALL THE CRITERIA

Briaunna Embrey-Banks, a Criminal Justice major who graduated in 2022, launched Owning My Blackness as a club while a student. It focused on raising awareness about the challenges that Black students face in predominantly white institutions.

In 2021, Embrey-Banks branched out to form Owning My Blackness Consulting, a company that works with educators to reduce systematic racism in kindergarten through 12th grade and in higher education through diversity training, rewriting of policies, and speaker events that address these issues.

“The Weinstock funding has allowed me to be able to get the materials I need to get my business off its feet,” Embrey-Banks says. “It has taken a huge weight off my shoulders to not have to worry about coming up with the funds to launch my business.”

Embrey-Banks’s consulting work focuses on closing the achievement gap between Black and white students across the country. She has seen data that show that Black students fall behind in every category and are more frequently disciplined. Her goal is to raise achievement and ensure that Black students have the same opportunities for success as their white counterparts.

While building that side of her business, Embrey-Banks has benefited from the mentoring that the fund provides.

“As a young entrepreneur, it is very nice to have the wisdom and advice of people who have been in the business longer to bounce ideas off,” she says.

Her dedication to her work has earned her recognition and the opportunity to speak at conferences, including the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Association for College and University Housing Officers’ LeadHership Conference, which highlights women in leadership. There she discussed issues facing Black students and how Owning My Blackness Consulting aims to address those challenges.

“I really want to help our Black students succeed,” Embrey-Banks says. “There’s a real crisis in America right now and they’re in jeopardy. I’m really excited to be part of the solution.”

TURNING A LONGTIME PASSION INTO A BUSINESS

Lehr Labs, founded by Evan Lehr ’21 and Marcos Rivera ’20, received funding from the Weinstock Venture Investment Fund to advance its 3D printing business. Lehr and Rivera were Mechanical Engineering majors whose passion for design, engineering, and 3D printing led to the creation of Lehr Labs.

“Give an engineer a caliper, a CAD [computer-aided design] machine, and a 3D printer and they’re pretty much invincible,” Lehr says.

Lehr, who has been designing and building things as a hobby most of his life, found 3D printing to be a costeffective option for redesigning and printing parts. Rivera was introduced to 3D printing while building a radio telescope at York College.

Their 3D printing business has allowed them to create high-quality

“I really want to help our Black students succeed. There’s a real crisis in America right now and they’re in jeopardy. I’m really excited to be part of the solution.”

— BRIAUNNA EMBREY-BANKS ’22

models of products using hightemperature materials for applications in industries from healthcare to space exploration. The Weinstock funding will help them 3D print the parts for a high-performance 3D printer for high-temperature materials.

“Developing engineering skills and knowledge while knowing I’m helping to push manufacturing in York brings a lot of satisfaction,” Lehr says.

Lehr Labs’ goal is to be better than the industry standard and to position itself at the forefront of metal and other high-heat materials 3D printing. Lehr and Rivera want to move into a bigger space, possibly York College’s Knowledge Park, with two more high-end 3D printers within a year and the ability to laser print large metal parts within five years.

Adrienne Brenner Lecturer, Behavioral Science

Professor Adrienne Brenner is no stranger to hands-on learning. In fact, it’s at the core of her teaching philosophy.

“My teaching philosophy is interactive and group discussion-based,” she says. “Having that discussion really creates opportunities for community and conversation.”

time, Sociology Professor David Polk said, ‘Oh, it’s the best job ever, because every 15 weeks, whatever didn’t work, you get to start over and try something new,’ ” she says. “I’ve been joking lately that I took him way too seriously because I feel like every semester, I’m doing that.”

“I think the best part of this experience isn’t just having the solution to things,” says Rivera. “It’s how can you present it to people to create that need and generate that call to action?”

Operating Lehr Labs has been an excellent opportunity for Lehr and Rivera to pursue their passion for 3D printing and engineering. They are excited to see where their business will go thanks to the assistance of the Weinstock Venture Investment Fund.

Lehr Labs and Owning My Blackness Consulting have a strong focus on creating positive change in their respective fields and envisioning a bright future. The Weinstock Venture Investment Fund’s support will help them strive for their goals and continue to make a significant impact in their fields.

To create that sense of community and interactive environment, Professor Brenner, who mostly teaches First-Year Seminar (FYS) classes, incorporates activities into her learning that force students to get out of their seats and interact with one another. These activities range from hikes at local Lake Redman and scavenger hunts in downtown York to ziplining at Ski Roundtop and yard games on campus.

“There’s a lot of evidence that the more you can get students to stay on campus and to build community and create a sense of belonging, the more likely they are to stay,” she says. “So I try to create opportunities for students to really get to know each other and spend time together socially.”

Even though Professor Brenner has been teaching at York College for 17 years, she’s always trying something new.

“When I first started at the College, I was nervous about teaching, and at that

In the classroom, Professor Brenner incorporates project-based learning and real-world deliverables. Last year, her FYS class worked with Dean of the Center for Community Engagement and his design-thinking team Unbound. Students worked in groups and were tasked with brainstorming ways they could improve their well-being, and help the larger York College campus thrive.

“I always learned by doing and interacting. I try as best as I can to teach the way I learned,” she says.

Professor Brenner’s favorite part about teaching is when students maintain the relationships they formed in class with their classmates and with her. That’s when she knows she’s succeeded, she says.

“I really, really, like when students come back to me to say, ‘You would like this,’ and ‘We talked about this,’ ” she adds. “I feel like that’s so neat that they’re excited about learning. They’re curious about learning and then they want to continue that relationship.”  — S.S.

“Give an engineer a caliper, a CAD [computer-aided design] machine, and a 3D printer and they’re pretty much invincible.”

— EVAN LEHR ’21

“I try to create opportunities for students to really get to know each other and spend time together socially.”

— ADRIENNE BRENNER

Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith Leaves a Future-focused Legacy at York College

The President of 10 years created a student-centric, community-minded culture that will serve the institution well, whatever the future might hold.

THE STUDENTS’ PRESIDENT

When Dr. Gunter-Smith began her tenure as President in 2013, students, faculty, and staff immediately noticed something different in her leadership style. Not only was she the first woman and person of color to serve as President, but she quickly became the students’ President, adopting the title of Dr. G-S, signaling how approachable she was. Students regularly found her and husband J. Lawrence (JL) Smith, fondly known as the “First Dude,” in the bleachers at a Spartan basketball game or cheering on the sidelines of the baseball field.

George Glatfelter, former Chair of the Board of Trustees, led the presidential search committee that chose Dr. Gunter-Smith. As the panel narrowed the field of candidates, he began to consider what type of person not only had the necessary credentials but could take York College to the next level.

“I began to think deeper and came to the realization that the people I’ve known in that role at different colleges throughout my life, the one thing that differentiated those who really made a difference, they were student-centric,” he says. “That is the key differentiator between Pamela and all the other candidates.”

“If people talk about [Pamela’s] legacy in the future, above and beyond everything else she’s done, she brought York to the College and she brought the College to York.”

STRATEGIC PLAN FOR A GREATER YORK COLLEGE

Dr. Gunter-Smith’s passion for students extended well beyond the athletic fields. She wanted every student to leave York College career-ready, with a professional network in place. At the same time, she wanted the College to have an overarching vision and direction.

“When I came to York,” she says, “one of the things that I found was that there was the President’s plan, and then each department or unit set their own individual plan.” She thought it important that first, the College have an overall direction that everyone could look to, and second, that every unit on campus have ownership of the plan. She didn’t want it to be hers alone; she envisioned a strategic plan for the College as a whole.

She brought the offices and departments of the College together and set out to develop the 2016-2021 Strategic Plan for a Greater York College. It had five main goals: academic excellence, robust enrollment, distinctiveness and alumni engagement, engagement with communities and practices of higher education, and financial support and sustainability.

Laura Wand has served on the Board of Trustees for 11 years and now is the first female Chair of the Board. She met Dr. Gunter-Smith as a member of the presidential search committee.

“She deeply understands the institution. She knows where it needs to go,” says Wand. “And it’s been evident if you look back over the 10 years she’s been with us that she has taken us forward and done that thing that all good presidents of institutions should do, which is to make that diploma more valuable than it was previously.”

EXPANDING THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

Through the development of the Strategic Plan and Dr. Gunter-Smith’s student-centric approach, the College embraced a greater focus on experiential learning. Dr. Gunter-Smith saw this method of education as important not just for students in Engineering and Nursing, where it was employed, but for students in every major. One avenue to expand that type of learning was the Center for Community Engagement (CCE).

“One of the things in the first Strategic Plan that I’m particularly proud of is the Center for Community Engagement,” says Dr. Gunter-Smith.

The CCE existed before Dr. Gunter-Smith came to York College, but under her leadership its reach greatly extended. That expansion of the CCE brought together her passion for experiential learning and a desire to more strongly connect the College with the York community. Through the CCE, York College students could learn about service, civic engagement, and social justice. The CCE offers a variety of programs and initiatives to help students connect with the community and make a positive impact.

TROY MILLER, YORK COLLEGE VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT

Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith has been a trailblazer and an inspiration during her decade as President of York College of Pennsylvania. As she retires, her legacy of transformational leadership and community engagement will continue to carry the College forward.

FROM GREAT TO GREATER

While the CCE provided opportunities to improve the community, that wasn’t Dr. Gunter-Smith’s main goal. The CCE offered a way for York City and York County to become a living laboratory where York College students could get hands-on experiential learning while making a difference.

Dr. Dominic DelliCarpini, Dean of the CCE, also was a member of the presidential search committee. When he met Dr. Gunter-Smith, he saw her enthusiasm for creating a student-focused institution that could make an impact on the local community and for enhancing the role of the CCE.

“What the President brought to this is an understanding that the need extended much further,” Dr. DelliCarpini says, “and that it was great for our students’ education to be able to think beyond what we did right on our main campus and getting them out into a place like York City and to the county more generally.”

Through the leadership of Dr. Gunter-Smith and Dr. DelliCarpini, the CCE mission expanded to Marketview Arts, a York City working gallery that opened the door for visual arts students to gain hands-on experience in the field.

Another outgrowth of the CCE was the Glatfelter Institute for Public Policy, which moved the College toward becoming a think tank and a research center for the community. A Master’s degree program in Public Policy Administration took shape as well.

EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING ACROSS DISCIPLINES

Experiential learning opportunities weren’t limited to the CCE. Dr. Gunter-Smith envisioned a York College where every program offered the chance for project-based learning to teams of students from across disciplines.

“We’re trying to expand co-ops, and we’re also trying to expand internships so that students have that experience when they leave,” Dr. Gunter-Smith says.

Hospitality Management students worked on projects for the renovation of The Yorktowne Hotel. Recreation Leadership and Sport Management majors engaged with students from York City schools to offer mentoring and leadership development. Art students held gallery openings at Marketview Arts. Communication majors helped promote and document a music festival. The College’s Honors Community created study-abroad programming. Across every school, experiential learning opportunities blossomed.

Beyond such project-based learning, Dr. Gunter-Smith readily listened to students and worked with them to make

their visions a reality. Brothers and Biology majors Brandon and Brody Cain ’23 approached Dr. Gunter-Smith with the idea of bringing an Emergency Medical Services program to campus. The twins had served on their hometown EMS squad and saw the need for faster on-campus medical care.

Dr. Gunter-Smith not only encouraged the idea, she funded training for every student interested in becoming an Emergency Medical Technician who was willing to serve on the campus EMS squad.

HANDS-ON INFRASTRUCTURE

While Dr. Gunter-Smith is about to begin the next stage of her journey, parts of her legacy are still taking shape Early in her tenure she began working on a vision for the Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation (GCCI), an outgrowth of the first Strategic Plan that became a primary focus of Strategic Plan 2.0 (SP2.0), which activated in 2022.

The GCCI, which consists of three parts, aims to create project-based interdisciplinary learning initiatives, connect with the business community, and provide innovative solutions as it incorporates some of the elements of the first Strategic Plan.

The first part of the GCCI is the Knowledge Park, which will offer space for area businesses and nonprofits to collaborate with faculty, students, and each other.

“I’m very proud of what the Knowledge Park is going to do for our students in terms of launching their careers,” says Dr. Gunter-Smith. “I think it’s going to move us to the next level as an institution.”

Dr. DelliCarpini, who was instrumental in launching the GCCI, agrees.

“The Center for Collaborative Innovation and the Knowledge Park that it will house are in many

The CCE offered a way for York City and York County to become a living laboratory where York College students could get hands-on experiential learning while making a difference.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith, Kevin Schreiber ’02, Dr. Dominic DelliCarpini, and former York Mayor C. Kim Bracey at the CCE opening.

ways a way to be able to acknowledge that this community is better because of the intellectual capital that the College brings to this work,” he says.

The Honors Community, the second element of the GCCI, comprises the Honors Community and its scholarship programs, while the third part, the Center for Academic Excellence, supports faculty members as they seek collaboration and work across disciplines.

Through these three components, Dr. Gunter-Smith hopes the GCCI will become a model for other institutions.

“I think the Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation and the Center for Community Engagement together will serve a similar purpose for the College and that is to continue our march toward being the premiere institution for experiential learning in this region and perhaps across the country,” Dr. DelliCarpini says.

EVOLVE TOWARD THE FUTURE

The GCCI was able to move forward in part because of the EVOLVE fundraising campaign. The effort initiated by Dr. Gunter-Smith amassed $20 million for the GCCI, which will support the Center for Community Engagement, the Doris and Bernard Gordon Center for Jewish Student Life, the Knowledge Park, the York College Community Opportunity Scholarship Program, and the York College Urban Collaborative.

The EVOLVE campaign was the College’s first comprehensive fundraising effort, with a goal of $70 million. The campaign focused on seven priorities: the GCCI, the York College Fund, a new Spartan Commons, scholarships, Spartan Athletics, academic excellence and innovation, and York Country Day School, an affiliate of the College.

York College Vice President of Development Troy Miller headed the EVOLVE campaign. It launched virtually in 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic, with an initial goal of $50 million. The goal was increased to $70 million, but the campaign surpassed that amount and raised more than $90 million. Dr. Gunter-Smith wrapped up the EVOLVE campaign on December 31, 2022, six months early, and shifted her focus to stewarding the funds.

“Through her leadership, we had over 10,000 donors to the campaign, and over 10% of our entire alumni base gave to the campaign,” Miller says.

AN INSIGHTFUL REORGANIZATION

Apart from funding infrastructure initiatives, Dr. G-S set out to ensure that the College was organized in a way that advanced its more than 50 baccalaureate majors. Under her watch in 2020, the College reorganized its 11 departments into five schools: the Graham School of Business; the School of Nursing and Health Professions (now known as the Dr. Donald E. and Lois J. Myers School of Nursing and Health Professions); the Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences and Technology; the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education; and the School of the Arts, Communication and Global Studies.

“The reason to have the five schools was actually to bring the disciplines together,” Dr. Gunter-Smith says. Decisions such as moving the Hospitality Management and Sport Management programs under the Graham School of Business and including Behavioral Sciences and Education in the same school helped students broaden their interdisciplinary focus and made them more well-rounded.

“It’s really going to enable us to grow academically and programmatically in a different space,” Dr. Gunter-Smith says.

Since reorganizing, the College has added, among other majors, a Civil Engineering program and an Environmental Horticulture program, with infrastructure in the works for both. Dr. Stacey Dammann was named the first Dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences and Education. The new structure offered opportunities for synergy between the majors and brought graduate programs together under a Director of Graduate and Professional Programs.

“I think that we came up with a really good plan for the five-school structure,” Dr. Dammann says. “It really moved the institution more toward a university structure, if you will. That brings some really great opportunities that I think the faculty who had been here for a while hadn’t experienced.”

Dr. Pamela GunterSmith and husband J. Lawrence (JL) Smith

FROM GREAT TO GREATER

OVERCOMING THE ODDS

Near the end of her tenure, Dr. Gunter-Smith faced a challenge never before confronted by a York College president: a global pandemic.

Her combined background in science and academia made Dr. Gunter-Smith the right leader at the right time. She acted quickly to set up systems of remote learning.

“We were early in the game for getting cameras in our classrooms to be able to offer Zoom instruction for students who could not be here in person, as well as classroom opportunities socially distanced and with every safeguard that we could come up with,” says Dr. Dammann.

The controversial decision to reopen the College to in-person classes in the fall of 2020 proved a benefit in the end, getting the College back on track and providing an outlet for students who felt they were stuck in limbo. As part of that decision, Dr. Gunter-Smith oversaw an increased focus on student mental health, wellness, and well-being initiatives, ushering in services such as TimelyCare, a virtual health and well-being offering, and supporting the campus Counseling Center.

BEYOND THE CAMPUS

Despite those challenges and feeling as if she had lost two years of her presidency to the pandemic, Dr. Gunter-Smith continued to expa nd her focus beyond York College to have an impact on the York community.

“One of the things that I wanted when I came here as President and that attracted me to this position was the ability to be in a place that mattered, one where the College mattered to the community and the community mattered to the College,” says Dr. Gunter-Smith.

Dr. DelliCarpini saw that passion in Dr. Gunter-Smith when he met her during the interview process.

“I remember from the start how impressed I was with the clarity she was bringing to what she wanted to do as President of the College,” he says. “She understood that this was a community much in need of the anchor institution that York College could be.”

C. Kim Bracey, CEO of YWCA York and a member of the York College Board of Trustees, was the Mayor of York City when Dr. Gunter-Smith became President. She recalls sitting down with her over dinner at The Yorktowne Hotel as Dr. Gunter-Smith debated whether to take the position at the College. As the first person of color to serve as York City Mayor, Bracey believed that she and Dr. Gunter-Smith shared a certain grit.

“She was methodical, every step that she took, and knew what she wanted to get done at York College and how she really wanted to bridge the gap between the City, the community, and the College,” says Bracey. Over the course of a decade, Bracey watched Dr. Gunter-Smith bring that vision to life. She was at the table with community leaders, helping guide the conversations to build not just a greater York College, but a greater York.

Looking back at the four presidents of York College, Troy Miller sees a natural progression from great to greater.

“They all brought something special to this institution,” he says. “President (Ray A.) Miller moved us from a two-year school to a four-year school. President (Robert V.) Iosue developed the financial model that we still use. President (George) Waldner made our campus the campus it is today. But Pamela, what she did is she made this York’s college. And I think if people talk about her legacy in the future, above and beyond everything else she’s done, she brought York to the College and she brought the College to York.”

“She leaves the College stronger than she found it,” Wand says. “We have new majors. We have schools that have been set up to focus on expanding the majors that are valuable to both students and to the communities. We are a bit more open as a community, as an institution. We have found our footing on who we best serve. We have found our mission.

“She leaves us with a vision for the next five years with our Strategic Plan 2.0, and she leaves us with a highly successful, first-ever comprehensive campaign, the EVOLVE campaign. So not only do we have a blueprint for what we need to do going forward, we have the resources to make it happen.”

“Not only do we have a blueprint for what we need to do going forward, we have the resources to make it happen.”

— LAURA WAND, CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Troy Miller and Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith

STRATEGIC PLAN 2.0

REINFORCING THE COMMITMENT TO STUDENT-FOCUSED EDUCATION

As York College of Pennsylvania

President Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith prepares to retire, she is leaving behind a framework to keep the school moving forward: Strategic Plan 2.0. Great institutions must adapt and change. That is a mantra that Dr. Pamela Gunter-Smith, President of York College of Pennsylvania, has used to guide the institution through a decade rife with global uncertainty.

Through strong leadership coupled with personable communication and an open office door, Dr. Gunter-Smith led the development of the original Strategic Plan for a Greater York College, which served as a guide from 2016 through 2021.

In May 2022, after extensive input from faculty, staff, and students, the Board of Trustees approved Strategic Plan 2.0 (SP2.0). The document guides the College into the future with five key goals:

1 York College will develop a national reputation for innovation and experiential learning (High-Impact Practices).

2 York College will attract, enroll, and retain a robust and diverse undergraduate, graduate, and nontraditional student body.

3 York College will empower students for personal and professional success.

4 York College graduates will be career-ready professionals, prepared for the competitive global market and engaged with their alma mater.

5 York College will ensure organizational resiliency by fostering mission-based philanthropy, managing its resources effectively and sustainably, providing financial support to its students, and engaging and empowering a thriving employee base.

AN INSTITUTION-WIDE VISION

Dr. Stephen “Drew” Wilkerson, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, leads the Long Range Planning Committee, tasked with ironing out details of SP2.0 and helping to implement the plan. One of its greatest strengths, he says, is the focus on experiential learning.

The Engineering and Nursing programs have long had experiential learning components, with required internships and hands-on educational opportunities. Under the direction of Dr. Gunter-Smith, the College has seen such opportunities expand to an array of programs. With the unveiling of SP2.0, Dr. Wilkerson hopes to see further expansion, so that every student is career-ready and has a network in place before graduation.

“We have a good school with good faculty,” Dr. Wilkerson says. “Our students are going to be professionals when they leave here.”

Former Student Senate President Charlie Green, ’23 (Philadelphia, PA), a dual Accounting and Finance major, serves on the Long Range Planning Committee. After the COVID-19 pandemic, he saw SP2.0 as a good reset point for the College as it braves a new world in higher education, where institutions have seen an unprecedented drop in enrollment since the pandemic.

Attending a four-year institution allowed Charlie not only to serve on the Student Senate but to participate in sports and have multiple internships. He’ll graduate with a full-time job lined up at an established accounting firm.

“The classroom can only teach you so much,” Charlie says. “They [York College] do the best to bring that piece to get you out in the field and learn from hands-on experience.”

ATTRACT, ENROLL, RETAIN

The second-most important goal of the plan, Dr. Wilkerson says, is to attract, enroll, and retain a diverse student body. He and his colleagues have conducted outreach in many local schools, not only stressing the importance of STEM education, but also opening students’ eyes to all that York College has to offer.

Recruiting and retaining new students also means shifting current programs to better fit what students need.

“Part of SP2.0 is about recruiting students and thinking about how we talk about ourselves, but also thinking about how we create a pipeline of students to come here,” says Dr. Pamela GunterSmith. She adds, “so you probably will see more summer programs, dualenrollment programs with high schools, more graduate programs, certificate programs, and 3+2 programs where they go to York College for three years and then start doing the graduate program.”

Looking to the future of York College, Dr. Wilkerson emphasizes the importance of a strong leader as President who sets the tone, agenda, and direction of the institution. Faculty members take their mission of serving students seriously and aim to provide a unique educational experience that prepares them for successful careers.

“I’ve appreciated the commitment to bettering the College campus and the students’ experience and really preparing for life after graduation,” Charlie says.

THE MISSION IS THE STUDENTS

As Strategic Plan 2.0 is being implemented, the Long Range Planning Committee, with its 31 faculty members, administrators, and student member, is hard at work to ensure its success. The Committee asked each of the College’s schools to report five things happening at the College about which they are excited.

Strategic Plan 2.0 is a key part of the College’s commitment to provide a top-quality education and prepare students for success after graduation.

“The mission here is the students,” says Dr. Wilkerson. “The faculty here is focused on the students, and I think it shows.”

“Every president should plan on leaving the institution in a better place than she found it,” Dr. Gunter-Smith says. “The growth that I think my legacy will be is re-envisioning what we can be and putting us on that path.”

EVOLVE CAMPAIGN CELEBRATION PICNIC

EVOLVE campaign donors and their families gathered to join the campus community for a celebration picnic on Saturday, April 29. As you will see in the photos, they enjoyed good food, fun, fellowship and the opportunity to meet students and learn more about the impact of the campaign. The EVOLVE campaign was built on the foundation of a carefully crafted strategic plan that positions York College for the future. Together, we successfully met this goal. The strong Spartan spirit was definitely on show at this event! Thank you again for your support, which will make all the difference in the lives of Spartans.

LEFT TO RIGHT:

OUTREACH HONORS COMMUNITY

‘MAKERS & DOERS’

Honors Community Represents Cutting Edge of Experiential Learning

Each year, around 25 students begin their York College of Pennsylvania experience as members of the Honors Community.

“If you need help, the community is there for you.”

— KHUSHI IYER ’24

“My voice matters. I can make things happen.”

— TALON BASIEWICZ ’24

“I love traveling and wanted to see the world.”

— MATTHEW SHARRAR ’23

“You have to kickstart your future and yourself.”

— HANNAH ZINN ’25

HONORS COMMUNITY

York College of Pennsylvania is home to a thriving Honors Community composed of scholars with an array of interests. One factor brings them together: a drive to design extraordinary lives.

When Dr. Dominic DelliCarpini, Dean of the Center for Community Engagement and Executive Director of the Graham Center for Collaborative Innovation, was given the opportunity to build a new type of student experience, he started with a different formula for selecting students.

“Rather than just look at GPA and more traditional factors, I looked for students who were highly motivated to succeed in careers and had a clear sense of what they wanted to achieve in life,” he says. “I wanted what I called ‘makers and doers.’ ”

GRAHAM COLLABORATIVE INNOVATION FELLOWS

The first Honors group to evolve out of this mindset was the Graham Collaborative Innovation Fellows.

“That is how what would be the Honors program began, in collaboration with Mr. Don Graham,” Dr. DelliCarpini says. “We both wanted to provide students with hands-on learning to supplement their classes.”

Matthew Sharrar ’23 (Newark, DE) is a Supply Chain Management Operations major with a minor in French. During his senior year in high school, he learned of the Graham Collaborative Innovation Fellows program at York College and was drawn to its entrepreneurial focus and opportunities to study abroad.

“I love traveling and wanted to see the world,” he says. While the program afforded him the chance to study in France for a semester, he has gained so much more from being a Graham Fellow. Matthew helps lead the Student Academic Innovation Lab (SAIL), which brings together faculty members and students to innovate the ways faculty teach and students learn, using Human-Centered Design (Design Thinking) to facilitate collaboration.

Unbound, a student-led Design Thinking consultancy agency, grew out of SAIL. Matthew and other Honors Community members bring Design Thinking into the classroom and into the community, teaching the principles at nonprofits and schools.

In the summer of 2022, Matthew traveled to Greece with other Honors Community students. While there, they connected with a local university and taught Design Thinking to the students. The students developed a bond that Matthew hopes will remain strong as they explore new ways to collaborate.

“My favorite part of the whole program is the community that makes up the program,” he says.

At the heart of being a Graham Fellow is an entrepreneurial spirit. “He [Dr. DelliCarpini] really brought that idea to a whole new meaning,” says Matthew. “You can start a business, or you can take those ideas and apply them to some of your projects, taking ownership, figuring out and problem solving in methodical and appropriate ways.” Matthew hopes to use what he’s learned as a Graham Fellow in a career in green supply chain management.

EISENHART COMMUNITY SCHOLARS

A year after Dr. DelliCarpini founded the Graham Fellows program, York College initiated the Eisenhart Community Scholars. This was the first of a group of programs that would make up the Honors Community, brought together under the leadership of Dr. Karin Swartz and comprised of the Presidential Research Fellows, Gordon Leadership Scholars, DelliCarpini Community Arts Scholars, Hope Scholars, and STEM Scholars.

Eisenhart Scholars are students with a passion for serving their community. They receive an annual scholarship and commit to creating or joining in community service initiatives while forming partnerships throughout the local community.

Nursing major and Gerontology minor Khushi Iyer ’24 (Downingtown, PA) knew she wanted more out of her college experience than just earning a nursing degree. The Eisenhart focus on helping individuals and creating projects drew her in.

During her first year at York College, Khushi connected with Marketview Arts, a downtown gallery and studio space for students and local artists.

“Our mission was to bring the community together through the arts and collaboration by creating programs that have the ability to engage diverse backgrounds and perspectives,” she says.

Khushi worked on creating virtual events and exploring ways to draw visitors into the building to interact with the art. She helped organize visiting speaker events and dialogue-focused programming aimed at sparking conversations around various viewpoints. She also continues to serve on the executive board of Unbound.

Each year, Eisenhart Scholars can choose a community endeavor to start or be involved with. As Khushi has developed along her career path, she’s started to shift her focus to tying together her interests in nursing and working with the elder population to create opportunities for intergenerational relationships. She hopes to someday build an intergenerational bridge between the College community and local elders. “If you need help,” she says, “the community is there for you.”

PRESIDENTIAL RESEARCH FELLOWS

Presidential Research Fellows receive a four-year scholarship of full tuition and fees. As part of the scholarship, they design a research project that they develop throughout their undergraduate program.

Environmental Horticulture major Hannah Zinn ’25 (White Hall, MD) came to the Presidential Research Fellows program with a deep interest in research. Throughout high school, she worked on several projects exploring mental health and education issues.

“I love learning new things, just for the sake of it, whether I get graded on it or not,” she says.

While still early in her Presidential Research Fellows project, Hannah hopes to focus on the impact of plants on mental health and education in the classroom.

“I’m passionate about helping people find themselves through agriculture,” she says. “I found a sense of peace with myself through agriculture.”

For Hannah, the most rewarding aspect of being a Presidential Research Fellow has been the connections she’s made through the Honors Community. They have helped her overcome the pressure to perform at a certain level and be accepted as well as the intimidation one can feel when speaking with professors and community members.

“I really hope that other students can see that I’ve been very lucky to have this opportunity,” she says, “but I wouldn’t have been able [to have this opportunity] if I didn’t try and put myself out on a limb. You have to kick-start your future and yourself.”

GORDON LEADERSHIP SCHOLARS

The Gordon Leadership Scholars program is available to four students each year who are interested in learning about leadership through the lens of the Jewish culture.

Nursing major Talon Basiewicz ’24 (Cleveland, OH) strived to be a leader in his Jewish community throughout high school. He was involved at his synagogue.

As a Gordon Scholar, Talon became involved in Hillel, a Jewish campus organization open to all students who celebrate Jewish culture and traditions. He also performs community service, volunteering several hours each month. Talon hopes that while at York College he can bring new awareness to Hillel and encourage more students to come to its weekly meetings and special events.

“I love doing things instead of sitting and talking about doing things,” he says.

Being part of the Honors Community has been a highlight of Talon’s time at York College. The connections he’s made in the community, coupled with opportunities to have a voice on campus and express creative freedom in his leadership opportunities, continually inspire him to take the next step.

For Talon, travel opportunities also have been an important part of being in the Honors Community. In the summer of 2022 he traveled to Greece and in December 2022 he visited Poland.

Being a Gordon Scholar has helped him realize how impactful one person can be for the better.

“My voice matters,” he says. “I can make things happen. That’s a unique position to be in as a junior in college.”

MAKING AN IMPACT

While the Honors Community continues to evolve, the core elements remain in place. Community engagement begins on day one of a student’s first year. Every Honors Community member is focused on project-based learning and utilizing empathetic Design Thinking strategies to make a lasting impact on the community.

“We believe in experiential learning,” says Dr. Karin Swartz. “We see the Honors Community as leaders in that effort.”

She encourages high school students looking to design an extraordinary future to consider applying for one of the many programs that are part of the York College Honors Community.

“The key,” she says, “is to take the opportunities that are available to you.”

“I hope everyone considers joining any of the Fellows or Scholars programs,” Matthew says. “It gives you a great foundation and network of support.”

York College works with the Honors Community from day one to help them form their dreams into a personal mission, which is supported with financial and other assistance. They leave York College with a record of achievement that will gain the attention of employers, graduate schools, or others who provide entry into the next step in the extraordinary lives they imagine for themselves.

“We believe in experiential learning. We see the Honors Community as leaders in that effort.”

— DR. KARIN SWARTZ, ASSISTANT DEAN OF THE CENTER FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

CONNECTIONS

CLASS NOTES

1970s

Alan C. Clark ’78 (Magnolia, DE) was appointed Director of Internal Affairs with the Delaware Department of Correction. He has 40 years of law enforcement experience, including 27 years as a City of Philadelphia police officer.

1980s

Susan M. (Messner) Hoffman ’87, BSN, RNC-MNN, RNC-OB (Hanover, PA), was elected as a Director of National Certification Corporation (NCC). She is the Clinical Manager of Family Birthplace at Carroll-Hospital Center in Westminster, MD.

Jay H. Stephan ’80 (York, PA) has written and published a book, Hati about his father, who was a member of the 285th F.A.O.B. in World War II. The book takes a deep look into the how and why of the Malmedy Massacre that happened at the beginning of the Battle of the Bulge.

1990s

Lt. Col. William R. Church ’92 (Fairfax, VA) retired from the U.S. Air Force after 33 years of service. His military service started with the College’s Army ROTC program and the Pennsylvania Army National Guard.

2000s

Ian S. Kobos ’05 (Red Lion, PA) was appointed Chief Sales Officer and Partner with Holla Spirits.

Kate Kosturski ’00 (Norwalk, CT) recently joined the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) in the newly created role of Open

Access Sales Manager. In her new role, Kosturski will be moving customers to ACM’s digital library of journals and conference proceedings to a new subscription model that incorporates publishing of research open access and free to read without a subscription.

Christina A. (Carlson) McCullough ’04 (York, PA) was hired as Director of Business Development with Stewart & Tate.

Dr. Molly J. Scanlon ’06 (Davie, FL), Associate Professor in the Department of Writing and Communication, College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences at Nova Southeastern University, received Honorable Mention for the Conference on College Composition and Communication (CCCC) Research Impact Award for her publication Stories of Becoming: Demystifying the Professoriate for Graduate Students in Composition and Rhetoric by Claire Lutkewitte, Juliette C. Kitchens, and Molly J. Scanlon.

2010s

Aaron J. Althouse ’19 (Dover, PA) was promoted to Supervisor with SEK, CPAs & Advisors.

Dr. Neil Amin ’14 (Columbus, IN) has joined Columbus Regional Health as a Hospitalist to treat patients through Hospital Care Physicians.

Jedd E. Dillman ’12 (Leola, PA), 514th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron flight nurse, received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor while serving in Afghanistan. This is the first time in Air Mobility Command

history that aeromedical evacuation aircrew members were among the recipients of the award. The Distinguished Flying Cross is the fourth highest award for extraordinary aerial achievement and is awarded for heroism while participating in aerial flight.

Desvan L. Moody ’12 (Baltimore, MD) was awarded the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) Leading for Equity fellowship for the 2023-2024 cohort. This yearlong program is designed to increase the number of leaders of color represented in the c-suite within organizations in the college attainment field. He is currently an Associate Director with KIPP Baltimore.

Thomas C. Turnbaugh ’11 (Spring Grove, PA) has been promoted to Vice President of Finance and Accounting with Rutter’s. He has been with the company since June 2020.

2020s

Nora S. Gleason ’22 (Baltimore, MD) has joined Mercy Family Care Physicians as a Certified Registered Nurse Practitioner.

Kylie M. Good ’22 (East Berlin, PA) was crowned 2022 All-American Quarter Horse Congress Queen. She will travel the country serving as an ambassador for the AAQH Congress and the equine industry. She is also a Supply Chain Analyst for Wolfgang Confectioners.

Beth A. Myers ’22 (York, PA) was named a Nurse of Distinction for the Northeast Region of the Wound, Ostomy, and Continence Nurses (WOCN) Society for 2022.

TOP TO BOTTOM: Alan C. Clark ’78, Christina A. (Carlson) McCullough ’04, Aaron J. Althouse ’19, Jedd E. Dillman ’12, Kylie M. Good ’22

WEDDINGS & ENGAGEMENTS

Scott D. Cohen ’03 married Stacy Trachtenberg on June 12, 2022, in Huntingdon Valley, PA. The couple reside in Rydal, PA.

Amanda M. Fairburn ’19 (Abingdon, MD) married Dakota Shope in September 2022.

Marissa M. Gass ’20 and Justin M. Cambra ’18 were married on June 11, 2022, at The Loft at Landis Creek in Limerick, PA. The couple resides in Royersford, PA.

Megan Headley ’04 (West Islip, NY) married Jeremy Schiff on August 4, 2021, at Nalo Gardens in Waimānalo, Hawaii. The couple resides in Pasadena, CA.

Jeffrey D. LaCroix ’05 (Baltimore, MD) married Jean-Marie Fahey on January 14, 2023, at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club in Stevensville, MD.

Kimberly M. Mogensen ’14 (Clark, NJ) married Alec Scully on June 17, 2022, at Kent Manor Inn in Stevensville, MD. The couple resides in Chester, MD.

Laura E. Neidig ’08 (Baltimore, MD) married Ryan Nelson on August 27, 2022, at the Main Street Ballroom in Ellicott City, MD.

Sarah E. Zimmermann ’04/’14 (Hanover, PA) married Joshua P. Vyskocil in York, PA, on October 10, 2021. The couple resides in Hanover, PA.

For news about alumni events and to submit information for Class Notes, please visit www. ycp.edu/alumni. Any questions? Email alumni@ycp.edu

Mary Heltzel ’78

Mary Heltzel ’78 knows how important perseverance is. Heltzel, who grew up in York, majored in Respiratory Therapy with the goal of working in the field. She worked as a supervisor before she quickly realized that respiratory therapy was not for her.

“I didn’t have the business background for the job,” she explains. So, she went back to York for a business education, and “literally fell in love with finance.”

“The one lesson I learned in that time was that education never stops,” she says. “It just keeps going, and if you want to reach a certain level in your career, education will get you there.”

Heltzel certainly took that lesson to heart. She worked to support herself through college, which consumed a large portion of her time. But York College, she explains, made accommodations for her busy schedule.

“I enjoyed going to York College. I did not get involved in many activities at the College because I was working to support myself while in school,” she explains. “The College provided a flexible schedule for me to work, and my employers allowed time for me to study and attend classes.”

Now, she has major accomplishments that commend her perseverance and hard work. In addition to receiving the York College Alumni of the Year Award in 2022, Heltzel, who has worked in the financial planning and investments field since 1994, and who currently works as the Senior Vice President/ Investments at Stifel, was recently named to Forbes 2023 America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors Best-in-State list—for the second year in a row. Before that, she also won Forbes America’s Top Women Wealth Advisors in 2020.

“It is very exciting to receive recognition from such a well-respected publication,” she says. “I am very honored.”

Heltzel’s advice for students on the same path as her is twofold: never stop learning, and don’t be afraid to reconsider a career that’s not right for you.

“If you find your first career choice isn’t exactly for you, then don’t be afraid to search or keep your mind open to other opportunities. I have never regretted my decision to change careers,” she says. “And never stop learning, expanding your goals, and looking to the future.”  — S.S.

“Never stop learning, expanding your goals, and looking to the future.”

— MARY HELTZEL ’78

When Jimmy May ’72 passed away, Ralph Pickwick ’72 was reminded of when they became members of York College’s first freshman class. As a friend of his mother’s told him, “high school friends come and go, but college friends you keep for life.” A profound statement that stuck with him. The group of friends included sports stars, cheerleaders, student senate president, class president, yearbook editor, and founders of an early version of the radio station. They participated in the famous class boycott to reverse the dress code. The idea for the Rock came out of this group and many were involved in the formation of the first social fraternity on campus, Tau Sigma Sigma. Post-college careers were just as diverse. “We had teachers, entrepreneurs, corporate executives, members of the military, and new product developers. Some went into sales. We can boast a current member of the York College Board of Trustees.” Even though they are separated geographically, “We still try to get together a couple of times a year. When we do, we are magically transported back to a simpler time before cell phones and social media. The old stories quickly rise to the surface, the ones we’ve heard a hundred times. It is also quickly apparent why we’ve stuck together all these years and still enjoy each other’s company. We are friends for life.” Rest in Peace Jimmy May ’72.

Pictured: Mark ’73 and Ruby Schmidt, Meriette (Petrosillo) ’72 and Joe Arwady, Vince ’72 and Kathy Rice ’74, Pete Hartzell ’74, Daryl ’72 and Anna (Readinger) ’72 Miller, Jim ’69 and Pat Freedy, Mike ’73 and Maureen Beck, Al ’72 and Linda (Nigro) ’72 Burrows, Jim Vail ’71, Ralph ’72 and Pat (Mason) ’72 Pickwick

in Shiloh, PA, for over 40 years. He is survived by his wife, Josie, son, Christopher, and two grandchildren.

Carole E. (Harman) Heberlig ’95 (Ocean View, DE), January 22, 2023. She also earned a master’s degree from Penn State University and retired as a seventh-grade teacher from Northeastern School District in York. She continued to substitute teach in Delaware. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Frank, three children, seven grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

IN MEMORIAM

Alumni

Scott A. Anderson ’83 (Tempe, AZ), October 3, 2022. Scott was an exceptional musician and had a passion for teaching, including guitar, ukulele, and banjo. He is survived by his wife, Lynn, two children, three stepchildren, and five grandchildren.

Jeffrey J. Bauer ’90 (Marysville, PA), February 3, 2023. He also attended Bloomsburg University and worked for the Environmental Protection Agency for 25 years. He is survived by three sisters, three brothers, and many nieces and nephews.

Jeffrey S. Bedford ’89 (Harrisburg, PA), February 10, 2023. He was an accountant for the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System and an Eagle Scout. He is survived by his wife, Judy, four daughters, and twin grandsons.

David P. Braunstein ’90 (Bethesda, MD), June 14, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Felicia, and daughter, Skyler.

Charles L. Hake ’72 (Dover, PA), December 4, 2022. He was the owner and operator of Hake’s Home Furnishing

Kevin L. Heiland ’81 (York, PA), December 7, 2022. He was a systems analyst for several York County companies. He also played in several baseball, softball, and soccer leagues. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Debra, three children, and two granddaughters.

James M. “Jim” Hoffman ’51 (York, PA), February 13, 2023. He was a graduate of York Junior College, then enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served in Korea. He earned a degree in Engineering from Penn State University. He worked for Mailman’s department store for over 30 years. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Sheila, a daughter, and two grandchildren.

Shawn M. Long ’95 (Lititz, PA), January 7, 2023. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1985-1991 then went on to earn degrees from the College and Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law. He was an attorney at Barley Snyder, becoming a partner in 2007. In 2022, he was unanimously recommended to the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas and was confirmed as a judge in July 2022. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Jessica, four children, and many other family members.

Ralph H. McGregor ’59 (East Berlin, PA), January 19, 2023. He was a York Junior College graduate and also attended International Stockman’s School for eight years. He held many volunteer positions, including the Dover Area School Board, the Washington Township Board of Supervisors, and posts in farming and agriculture, including the Pennsylvania Beef Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Cattleman’s Beef Promotion and Research Board. He is survived by five daughters, seven grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren.

Tonya W. (Taylor) Mason ’04 (Darlington, MD), January 2, 2023. She worked as an emergency room nurse, a school nurse, registered nurse, and a nurse case manager. She is survived by her husband of 12 years, Jeremy, and son, Brody.

Larry B. Mummert ’85 (Hanover, PA,) February 11, 2023. He also attended Juniata College. He worked as an accountant for National Can and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, retiring in 2007. He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Barbara Jean, two children, four grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Michael M. Rawicz ’87 (Dover, PA), January 10, 2023. He was the owner of Industrial Lubricants & Products in Emigsville, PA. He is survived by his wife, Marta, and three children.

Elaine L. Reibert ’58 (Deerfield Beach, FL), January 2, 2023. She was a graduate of York Junior College and held secretarial and administration positions her whole career. She is survived by her son, two grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.

Thomas E. Stipe ’75 (Ellsworth, ME), February 5, 2023. He taught junior high math and

science in West Virginia, then relocated to Maine in 1988, working as a certified nurse’s aide at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital. He is survived by his wife of 34 years, Nenie.

Robert J. Wescoe ’88 (North Wales, PA), December 25, 2022. He was a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms for 34 years, where he earned numerous awards and commendations. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Donna, and four children.

Friends

Geraldine F. “Gerry” (Strausbaugh) Altland (York, PA), February 15, 2023. She was employed at the College as a cook, as well as working as a baker and at the post office in Seven Valleys, PA. She is survived by two sons, three grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Michael D. Bubb (New Holland, PA), February 2, 2023. He worked as a teacher, principal, and administrator for the Red Lion Area School District for more than 30 years. After retiring from the classroom, he supervised student teachers at the College and Millersville University. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Pat, two children, and four grandchildren.

Dolores (Tyszka) Donnelly (York, PA), February 16, 2023. She retired from the College and previously worked for Two Guys department store. Her husband of 63 years, Thomas, passed away in 2017. She is survived by six children, 10 grandchildren, and 12 great-grandchildren.

Patricia B. Oden (Sequim, WA), January 22, 2023. Pat was an Adjunct Professor of Geography at the College, retiring in 2004. She is survived by her husband of 63 years, Jerry, their three children, and two grandchildren.

KINSLEY BROTHERS TRIBUTE

Tim and Jonathan Kinsley died in January 2023, but their legacy will live on at York College of Pennsylvania.

York College of Pennsylvania would not be what it is today without the dedication and generosity of the Kinsley family. With the tragic and untimely passing of Tim and Jonathan Kinsley in a skiing accident in January, the College and community alike suffered a great loss. Yet the brothers’ impact will continue to be felt for generations to come.

Dr. Gunter-Smith, President of York College, says, “The Kinsley family’s impact is felt nearly everywhere on our campus and the York Country Day School. Like their father, Jon and Tim embodied the family legacy of business excellence and philanthropic leadership. They served countless organizations, individuals, and institutions. Our students will continue to enjoy the benefits of the Kinsley family’s generosity for decades to come. Their experiences will be enhanced by the gifts of time and treasure bestowed upon the College first by Bob, and then his sons Jon and Tim.”

A LIFESTYLE OF DEDICATED SERVICE

Tim and Jon served as pillars of leadership at York College. Tim, who was President of Kinsley Properties, joined the inaugural Advisory Board for the J.D. Brown Center for Entrepreneurship in 2011. Through his input and expertise, the J.D. Brown Center grew into a hub of innovation with its business incubator that has hatched numerous entrepreneurial endeavors in York.

Jon, who was an executive of Kinsley Enterprises, began serving on the York College Board of Trustees in 2017. He served on the Advancement and Finance committees as the College

completed its first comprehensive fundraising campaign, EVOLVE, helping to secure the future financial soundness of several College initiatives.

“We were particularly honored when Jon joined the board and that he could bring not only his acumen but also his deep commitment to the College and to the community,” says Board of Trustees Chair Laura Wand. “The whole family, and Jon in particular, were so engaged with how they could help, especially with institutions in York. I think that was just how they lifted up the world.”

Apart from the EVOLVE campaign, during Jon’s time on the Board he helped walk the College through crafting a vision for the future with Strategic Plan 2.0. He also helped guide the College through a global pandemic, enabling it to come out stronger on the other side.

“At end of the day,” says Wand, “he brought his acumen to bear and asked the right questions in the right way to make us all stronger.”

Jon and Tim followed in the footsteps of their father, Robert “Bob” Kinsley, who died in 2020. Bob attended York Junior College before founding Kinsley Construction in 1967. He dedicated many years to serving on the York College Board of Trustees. In 2017, the Kinsley family committed a gift of $5.5 million to York College, after which the College created the Kinsley School of Engineering, Sciences and Technology. The family’s generous gift allowed the College to bring Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Computer Science, and all Engineering programs under one umbrella.

“The Kinsley family—first Bob and then his sons—literally helped build York County over the past few decades,” Dr. Gunter-Smith says. “Their contributions go beyond the family business, however. Following in their father’s footsteps, Jon and Tim gave their time and financial assistance to many individuals and organizations. York College was lucky enough to be among those, and we are forever grateful.”

FROM RADIO TO SPORTS EDITOR

Ken Schott ’85 of The Daily Gazette

For almost 40 years, Ken Schott ’85 has been working in the sports world as a reporter and writer. He currently serves as Sports Editor for The Daily Gazette in Schenectady, NY.

At York College, he was a statistician for the Men’s Baseball team for his first two years, the Men’s Basketball team for all four years, and the Women’s Volleyball team for his last two years. He did the Men’s Basketball and Baseball team play-by-play on WVYC AM for all four years and completed a semester as Sports Information Director.

Schott’s Speech Communication major included working for the WVYC Radio Station, which influenced his career. He was in charge of the AM station for a year and a half, and then promoted to FM Program Director late in the spring semester of his junior year. He served in that capacity for a year before becoming the Station Manager in the second half of his senior year.

During his junior year, Schott took a journalism class that required him to do a one-day internship at the York Daily Record. He covered the Baltimore Orioles playing a charity basketball game. The Sports Editor liked his story so much that Schott was offered a part-time writing position in November 1983. He worked at the paper until August 1990 covering the Hershey Bears Hockey team and the Harrisburg Senators Baseball team.

In 1990, Schott moved to Schenectady to cover college hockey for The Daily Gazette. The company had a podcast called The Daily Gazette Sports Podcast with another host. As Associate Sports Editor, Schott took over the podcast and renamed it The Parting Schotts Podcast Schott says, “The whole York College experience was wonderful. What the school has done and how it’s grown from when I was there to what it is today is just amazing. I’m so proud to be a York College of Pennsylvania alumnus.”  — K.H.

ALUMNI SERVING THE COLLEGE

The Young Alumni Council (YAC) and the Alumni Board of Directors help to keep alumni connected with each other and current students through programming and mentor programs. The YAC consists of 25 members who serve two-year terms for up to six years and have seven leadership positions. The Alumni Board of Directors consists of 20 members who serve three-year terms for up to nine years and have four leadership positions. Starting with this issue, it is a pleasure to introduce members to you.

Julian Albero ’20 General member of the YAC, Philanthropy Committee

What is your favorite part about working with the Young Alumni Council?

My favorite part about working with the Young Alumni Council is being able to maintain a connection with YCP, as well as being able to build relationships with my fellow alumni.

Why did you join the YAC and why should other young alumni join?

I joined the Young Alumni Council because I wanted to have the chance to give back to the campus community that provided so much for me during my four years at YCP. I would encourage others to find it in themselves to give back as well and join the YAC as the feeling of giving back and making a tangible impact is truly priceless.

How has your YCP experience impacted your current job?

YCP without a doubt set me up for success in my current role with my company. I think one of the great things that York does is that it not only provides students with the technical skills to succeed, but also puts students in a position to grow their soft skills, which I would argue are actually much more important in the professional world. However, I always believed that I would be successful wherever I ended up due to my education and the skills I was able to build on while studying at York.

I cannot emphasize enough how thankful I am for all the relationships that I was able to foster during my time at YCP. I’ve said it before and will say it again: I truly believe there is something special to be said about YCP graduates, as this school really does prepare you for success in whatever future endeavors you decide to undertake.

Samantha Bollinger ’97 Alumni Association Board Member

What is your favorite part about working with the Alumni Association Board of Directors? I love York College. I was very involved when I was a student, and being a part of the Alumni Board gives me that snapshot of what is happening at the College for this next generation of students.

Why did you join the Alumni Association Board of Directors and why should other alumni join?

I was always interested in being a part of the Board, but wasn’t quite sure how (or brave enough) to look into it. Then the Alumni Director reached out to me to see if I was interested. I was so excited. I had missed being a part of the College and it was just what I needed. If someone out there is interested in joining, we need you! Don’t just wonder if you should. If you love York and want to show your pride, join and help make a difference for our future Spartan alums!

How has your YCP experience impacted your life and current job?

My YCP experience has given me lifelong friends that I treasure. It’s taught me how to be the second-grade teacher at New Oxford Elementary School that I am today. However, the coaches and professors are who taught me the most about building relationships and caring about the students that I teach.

ON THIS SITE: A History of the Campus and the Home of the President, Part 3

We continue our story in 1899, when local entrepreneur Grier Hersh (Hersh Alley on West Campus and Hersh Field on Main Campus are named for him) begins to sell off his land.

— Karen Rice-Young ’92

1899

The Country Club of York open land and structures purchased from Grier Hersh.

1905

Hersh sells plots on West Springettsbury Avenue for residential housing. Plot 134 is sold to Kate Small, niece-inlaw of Samuel Small, founder of York Collegiate Institute.

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

DIGITAL VERSION:

https://issuu.com/yorkcollegepa/docs/ president_s_home_book_v5_single_pages

1906

Kate Small’s Georgian Revival house is completed (This will become the home of YCP’s President in 1969).

1929

The Out Door Club buys the Country Club of York’s land and facilities.

441 Country Club Rd. York, PA 17403-3651

www.ycp.edu/yorkmag

YOUR YORK EVOLVED BECAUSE OF YOU.

We cannot express our gratitude enough to the over 10,000 donors who supported EVOLVE: The Campaign for York College over the course of the last five years. The purpose of the EVOLVE campaign was to advance the entire college: this was a big reach, and with your support, we met this goal together.

Collectively, we raised $91,800,765.62 to support the phenomenal work and journeys of our students. This type of success is not the work of only a few. Every member of the Spartan Family was involved. Thank you for your investment, your generosity, and your commitment to the Spartan Spirit.

SPARTANS FOR LIFE!