Wilson College has continued its multi-year trend of intentional growth, reaching its highest-ever point-in-time enrollment for the start of the Fall 2026 semester with 2,089 students enrolled across all programs. This reflects an 11% increase over Fall 2025 enrollment and marks a historic milestone as Wilson surpassed its highest traditional, in-person enrollment, since in 1968, and achieved its largest residential student population since 1970.
This total includes all traditional undergraduate, graduate, online, and professional programs. By expanding online and hybrid learning opportunities while maintaining a strong residential experience, Wilson has diversified its enrollment base and reduced reliance on any single student population.
"Wilson is reaching more students than ever before as we continue to invest in programs and services that help students access higher education and persist through graduation," said President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D. "We are investing in the programs students want, providing the support they need to succeed, and ensuring that a Wilson education remains affordable and accessible.”
The official fall enrollment will be finalized in October after enrollments for the Fall 2 term have commenced. However, early indicators suggest strong demand continues across many of Wilson's signature academic areas, including animal studies, veterinary nursing, health sciences, business, education, psychology, biology, art and design, and the rapidly growing computer science and cybersecurity programs.
Education programs remain among Wilson’s greatest strengths. The College's Teacher Certification Program serves more than 487 students and, when combined with undergraduate and graduate education programs, more than half of Wilson students are preparing for careers in education.
Wilson has also strengthened its commitment to student success through investments in advising, retention, and support services. The College established the RISE Center (Resources Inspiring Student Excellence), bringing together tutoring, accessibility services, success coaching, testing services, and personal librarians in one centralized location. Wilson also added a Dean of Student Success and expanded coaching services to support student retention and degree completion. As a result of these initiatives, the College recorded increases in undergraduate student persistence year to year—8 percentage points from second to third year, and 6 percentage points from third to fourth year.
Additionally, the College recently expanded its graduate and professional offerings with the launch of its Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Wilson's King of Prussia campus. Additional healthcare programs, including a Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology, will begin classes in 2027, supporting regional workforce needs while creating new pathways for student enrollment and career advancement.
Written by Parker Knepper '27
On Wednesday, September 16 we had the pleasure of hosting artist Marcia Wolfson Ray and her work “The Ten Thousand Things” in the Cooley Gallery. Wolfson Ray showcased two- and three-dimensional artwork which reflects her deep affection for nature. The displayed sculptures are composed of burnt and bleached wood that were gathered from marshes in Maryland, as well as willow dowels tied together intersecting the wood stumps. Wolfson Ray describes her asymmetrical artwork as having a progress of evolution and being totally random, giving her a sense of content. She shared with her audience “The importance of art is to explore”.
Alongside Wolfson Ray’s presentation of artwork there was an incorporated message of self-improvement and exploration. She highlighted the importance of how peer feedback from college professors and even a physical therapist helped improve her artwork for the better. “Compliments are great…but do they help you push your work further?”. Wolfson Ray encourages people to explore new directions within their work, leading to new places they wouldn't have thought they could reach.
“The art is very beautiful and so different, especially with the natural materials used. Very interesting and different from what Wilson typically shows” - Riley Braswell ’28
“When you’re an artist a part of the great thing is getting your work out for people to see.”- Marcia Wolfson Ray
Wilson College Director of Choral Activities and Chair of Music Dillon Beede enjoyed a summer of professional accomplishments. In May, Beede earned a Doctor of Education degree in music and music education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Then, in July, he was selected by his peers to serve as panel chair for presentations at the 37th International Society for Music Education (ISME) World Conference.
While Beede has presented internationally before, this was his first time chairing a panel discussion on a stage of this scale. He set the stage for discussion and drew connections between five different presentations across diverse music education contexts.
“Experiences like this allow me not only to contribute to international conversations in music education, but also to bring new perspectives back into my teaching, research, and artistic work at Wilson.” said Beede.
The panel discussion, Building Bridges or Walls? Diverse Perspectives on Policy Work Across Music Education Landscapes, explored how educational policy shapes music education across a variety of contexts, from collegiate marching bands and rural music education to music education perspectives from female leaders of the Global South and DeleuzoGuattarian reconceptualization of policy development.
Beede said, “We were joined by one of the preeminent policy scholars in music education, who served as a respondent to our work. It was a highlight for me as a young scholar to be chairing a music education policy panel that was well attended by leading researchers in music education.”
For Beede, the achievements represent both personal accomplishment and the support of a campus community that has encouraged his development as a scholar and musician.
He added, “I am so thankful for Wilson College and its support during this critical point in my scholarly development.”
For Beede, the summer’s accomplishments also reflect the institutional support that accompanied the final stages of his doctoral work and continued development as a scholar and musician.
“I am deeply grateful to Wilson College for its support during such an important period in my scholarly development,” he said.
Wilson College will present its award-winning Drone Show on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at 8 p.m. during Wilson Weekend, the College's annual homecoming and parents’ weekend. Free and open to the public, the show will feature 300 synchronized drones forming illuminated images above campus that celebrate the nation, Chambersburg, Franklin County, and Wilson College. Community members and visitors of all ages are invited to attend this memorable event.
“Wilson Weekend is a time to bring together alumnae, alumni, families, students and our neighbors throughout the region,” said Wilson College President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D. “We are delighted to once again share this award-winning event with the community and welcome guests to campus for a memorable evening. Through the Drone Show, we celebrate not only Wilson's legacy, but also the people and communities of Chambersburg and Franklin County that continue to shape our future.”
The 15-minute show will feature hundreds of synchronized drones illuminating the night sky with stunning imagery that pays tribute to America, Franklin County, and Wilson College. The show will include a symbolic flight of the phoenix and other captivating visuals, accompanied by a custom soundtrack and narration accessible via smartphone.
Event Details:
This event is made possible through the generous support of Wilson College, Cherry Knoll Farm, and the Franklin County Visitors Bureau.
For more information visit www.wilson.edu/drone.
Wilson College will open an art exhibit featuring artwork by Baltimore visual artist Marcia Wolfson Ray on Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, in the Cooley Gallery, located on the second floor of the John Stewart Memorial Library (JSML). The exhibition will run through Dec. 11, 2026, and is open to the public at no cost. Wolfson Ray will deliver a public talk on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 2 p.m. in the Cooley Gallery, and a reception will follow.
The exhibition will showcase two- and three-dimensional work by Wolfson Ray, primarily a sculptor, who investigates processes of transformation and evolution in materials. Wolfson Ray collects pine wood, willow, and a variety of marsh grasses from Maryland’s Eastern Shore and then arranges them into complex forms exploring modular units, patterns, and the repetition and variety of forms.
Each winter, the Eastern Shore marshes are burned. This controlled burn allows for healthy spring growth, increases plant variety, and enhances wildlife habitat. The patterns of nature created by the process act as a catalyst for her ideas. Wolfson Ray builds pine scaffolding with willow dowels, then weaves, ties, and glues smaller sticks and grasses to the structure. She writes: “With each work I create, I take a journey in a very physical sense with a destination that reveals itself step by step. The initiation of this process, which begins when I am out in the landscape, allows me an intimacy with the natural world, which helps me feel connected to the very thing that makes my existence possible.”
A native of Baltimore, Wolfson Ray earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Maryland Institute College of Art and taught in Baltimore City public schools for more than 25 years. She has exhibited widely on the Atlantic coast at venues including Coastal Carolina University, College of Southern Maryland, University of Connecticut, Hillyer Art Space in Washington, D.C., Blue Spiral 1 Gallery in Asheville, N.C., among others.
The exhibition is opening during JSM Library’s regular hours, Sunday 3-11 p.m., Monday through Thursday 7:45 a.m.-11 p.m., and Friday 7:45 a.m.-5 p.m. The Library is closed on Saturday.
By Faith Crawford ’26
Thanks to the generous donation of alumna Joan Thuebel ’52, students at Wilson have the opportunity to pursue education outside of the classroom through Earthwatch research expeditions around the world. Students can submit a proposal for the expedition of their choice and pursue this uniquely hands-on experience that takes learning to a new level.
In December 2025, Alyvia “Lyv” Henneman ’27 traveled to Sarasota, Florida, to participate in shark research at Mote Marine Laboratory. The expedition, focused on tracking sharks and rays, gave Henneman the opportunity to gain firsthand experience conducting marine research in the field.
Henneman is pursuing a double major in biology and veterinary nursing and hopes to enter the field of animal research. During her Earthwatch expedition, she participated in shark surveys, assisting researchers in immobilizing and tagging sharks, measuring them, and collecting fin samples for genetic testing. The research helps scientists better understand shark populations and supports ongoing conservation efforts for these important marine species.
Measuring the shark
Because of the medical knowledge and training she has gained through Wilson’s veterinary nursing program, Henneman was also able to draw blood from a shark, a unique learning experience in the field of animal medicine. In addition, she participated in both laboratory and field research, helping test shark repellent strategies with baby sandbar sharks.
Taking a blood sample from a shark
Through the Joan M. Thuebel ’52 Earthwatch Prize, Henneman was able to contribute to meaningful scientific research while gaining experiences she never imagined, including swimming with the baby sandbar sharks in the lab.
Swimming with a baby shark
Henneman described the experience as “a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” and said she made valuable connections with researchers in the field. Those connections may lead to an internship opportunity and help provide valuable guidance as she pursues her career in animal research.
Wilson College supporters contributed nearly $7 million during fiscal year 2026, demonstrating a strong commitment to the College's mission and helping create new opportunities for students to learn, grow, and succeed. The total includes more than $2 million raised through the Wilson Fund, the College's annual giving program, which is the highest amount raised for the Fund in the College’s history. The year was marked not only by significant financial contributions but also by broad participation from the Wilson community, including 747 first-time donors.
"Every gift to the College, regardless of size, strengthens the Wilson experience and creates opportunities for our students to learn, grow, and succeed," said Wilson College President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D. "We are deeply grateful to our alumnae, alumni, families, friends, and supporters whose generosity continues to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students."
During the fiscal year, the Wilson Fund expanded to allow donors to direct their gifts to areas that reflect their interests and passions, including academic excellence, athletics, scholarships, the arts, campus beautification, animal-related programs, and unrestricted support. In addition, a new athletics-focused fundraising initiative generated more than $52,000 in support of Wilson's 13 varsity athletic programs, providing resources that enhance the student-athlete experience both on and off the field.
“The generosity to Wilson this year is an amazing vote of confidence in the next generations of students who choose to call Wilson home,” said Lisa Tiffin, D.E.L., G.P.C., vice president for institutional advancement.
Wilson College is pleased to announce the opening of “Life, Death, and Objects That Move Us: Three-Dimensional Art,” a new exhibition showcasing the work of five women artists whose practices span ceramics, enamel, metal, mixed media, and sculptural assemblage. The exhibition is on view through September 5, 2026, in the Sue Davison Cooley Gallery of the Wilson College John Stewart Memorial Library. Admission is free and open to the public.
Curated in collaboration with graduate students enrolled in Wilson College’s Master of Fine Arts summer residency program, the exhibition explores the relationships among material, memory, transformation, and human experience. While each artist approaches her work through distinct materials and personal concerns, unexpected conversations emerge across the exhibition.
The artists are:
“The exhibition's title, Life, Death, and Objects That Move Us, invites multiple readings,” said Joshua Legg, co-curator and professor of interdisciplinary practice. “It speaks not only to movement through physical space, but to the emotional, psychological, and spiritual movement that art makes possible.”
The exhibition emerged from the MFA summer residency course Curation and Dramaturgy, a four-week intensive in which students examined the role of the curator as a facilitator of dialogue. Throughout the course, students considered what it means to curate not simply by arranging objects within a gallery, but by creating meaningful relationships among artists, artworks, and ideas.
Congratulations to our Full-Time and Part-Time Dean’s List Recipients for Spring 2026.
Hope AdamsEsther AjirotutuElizabeth AlfaroFarha AliEsteban Alvarez MaganaJessica AlwineKayla AngleEric ArbogastReagan ArigoMary ArnoldEleana ArrowsmithSedona AshmanElla AshwayAshlynn BabbittBarbara BakerAcadia BanisJennifer BannonTristin BarnhartEmmy BaschoffCheyenne Bates-WintersKassandra BeaghanRaina BeaugrisPersephone BeckerHana BellowsJackson BennettPayton BennettRachel BieseckerMichaela BlackAmanda BlountJason BoakRachel BogdanEmma BoothMadison BootieHannah BostElliott BowenJalen BowieKayla BoydGracyn BrandtLaura BreighnerMadison BriggsBenjamin BrownTrinity BrownHaley BruckLillian BuchinskiJessica BunnSarah BusheySophia CallahanAngelina Carleo DitroiaJustine CastroAlexa CatalanoKarma ChalfantCinthya ChavarriaDerek ChaveraCarson CinqmarsAllison ClaytonKatelyn CleverJuliana ColamarinoIdalia ColonSarah CookCole CooperNaomi CoradoElizabeth CordonTyler CottoneMonique CoutuAva CoxBrianna CoxonMaddie CramerGavin CreamerSarah CroweKatelyn CrupRylee CurleyBrady CurranBryson CurtisGrace D'AmatoDorothy DansoAdaira DeckerEmma DelicatoAngela DewaldIsabella Di TroiaMasen DiceKatelyn DickenGrace DickinsonAmanda DiemPayton DietrichOlivia DingzonSarah DisneyKelly DitsonHope DivelyKassandra DottererAlexis DoyleKaydence DunlapElisha DunnKyle DunnAllison EarnshawMadison EbersoleAbby EmerickTaylor EspenshadeYazlin Estrada GallegosOlivia EwingPayton FahlandChristianna FarrarHeather FeightJanna FelixAlexis FerrellCrystal FeusnerSadie FikeAnna FlennerTillee FlohrChelcie ForresterLaura FrancisHailey FrankhouserDanica FrushourEthan FultonKrystal GableLyssa GableBridget Garcia BabcockKylie GardinerHomaira GawhariOlivia GelbaughAndrew GervasiMary GingrichLainnie GlennAndrea GloverErin GoheganTara GohnMargaret GreeleyAbby GroshMaya GroveNessa HakeHaley HamrickMadison HamrickTaylor HardestyAndrew HarnerKadejah HarrisonSydney HartleElysabeth HaughElla HawbeckerKatlin HeatonCarrie HeberligAddie HebertOlivia HeidrichEmma HeltTheresa HeltAlyvia HennemanMackenzie HermannCassandra HessMadeline HigginsFaith Lynn HobbsSarah HobbsNikki HockenberryOlivia HoffmanEmily HollandTatiana HollinsheadLibby HousemanAlison Howard GoisJenna HowellJunchen HuangLexie HubbardSusan HubbardKyra HuebnerTashema HuffmanArmani JonesIan JonesSara JonesSylvania JusteLily KamarerJessica KauffmanAbby KeckKatelyn KellerAvery KellumJiyu KimLyndsey KlineParker KnepperRyan KoontzJade KruszewskiMelissa LabritzSidney LandisElizabeth LandonAmoreena LaneLeah LaubachYeonwoo LeeAudrey LekeHeather LemasterRiley LeMayAbigail LerchHailee LittleKalyna LloydAliya LockmanKalin LoneyKendi LongJaylyn LopezElena LotruglioLexy LottKayla LoveLaney LowryJeremiah LoyerAshley LyonsShavani MaharajAlaina MarekPeter MarstonMariela Marte SantanaEmily MartinSage MartinSydney MarzaKaitlin McclainJacob McCoyMadelyn McCoyJacob McFarlandCarley McNewDrue MealsGage MellottLily MetzDelaney MillerJermane MillerMadison MillerRyan MillerSummer MoffettWaverly MoffettAmanda MonicoJennifer MontgomeryAbby MorelandGabriella MorrowJayden MosqueraGrayson MossKiaya MouerChristine MulherinNatalie MullenBelle MusselmanCharles MusserAlayna MyattChristopher NataleVincent NataleRachel NewswangerPaige NeyMacEy NicholsonBrandi NissleyBrett NolanAmanda NussKiera O'BrineAriatna OchoaOladipupo OguntolaBreanna OlivieroEsteban Padro-RodriguezCristel PalmasSalem PalmerAnya ParkolayLaura PaxsonIttai PayneKalea PechartDiane PeckMikayla PetersenAngie PetersonLeah PetrunakJalen PierceRylee PiperHeidi PisleMason PlaterCaden PollardKaylee PomfretRosa PortillaEmily RandallsWes ReallYaquelin Recinos OrtegaTobias ReeseQuinton RenigarAislynn RichardsChrista RichardsonIsaiah RifeAshley RingquistMichael RiosCrystal RodriguezPiper RohrbaughZoe RosenAbby RosenberryCameron Rothstein-EppDevin RotzAnna RozensonReilly RyanSam RybackiEthan Josiah SalvatierraOlalla SanchezKaylea SandersLynn SariskyKristin SawyerIsabella ScarlatoErilyn SchleighEleanor SchmoyerLeila SchreinerKatelynn ScottSavanah SeablomKate SeymourHalley ShafferMadison ShanholtzSamantha SharpSophie ShatzerTyson ShaullAlysa SheatsKayla ShepardJessica ShoweOlivia ShullHannah ShultzLeah-Faith SidmanAnna SmithAlexa SnyderLindsey SnyderRegina SnyderElla SponheimerLoralei StambaughEmily StamperKayla SteinmetzAmara StengerCamden SternerLuke StevensonAllie StieritzRylie StoneAbigail StonerAlexis StonerCheyenne StrenskiJordan StuckiCourtney StudyHayden SturgeonPaige SullivanChase SupenskyAndrew SvibenIsabella SwanFiona SweeneyJade SytoKayla TalbertKarson TaylorAlexis ThomasAlyssa ThomasDiana ThomasJewels TorresTori TostenWinter TrammellErin TrinhMikayla TrowbridgeRebekah TuckeyGretchen TurnerGoma UpretyCassie VanbuskirkFinley VandevanderMegan VinsonRegan WagnerAmayah WalkerErin WalshJulie WarnickSierra WaylandBella WeaverMelissa WeaverJade WeedonLaci WeinholdDakota WertsJordan WeyandtEmily WheilerJulia WilkesCourtney WilliamsJace WilliamsJulie WilsonEmma WinkAlyssa WittersJackson WolfeAnnie WolgemuthAddison WoodsMarissa WoodwardErin WoodworthJoseph WorkmanElena WorthingtonLiam YeatmanQuazell YoungEmily ZavadakAshley ZengerleJoseph ZiercherEllen ZimmermanHunter Zittle
Erin AcampaAjoke AdebayoYadi AmayaJoanna AponteLaura ArmbrechtJennifer AselKaeden BabcockSydney BabicekPennyjo BachBianca BaezAshley BareAshley BarloweShelaine BaxterNatalie BecknerAshawni BennettAshlie BennettGabrielle BidwellOrlando BrooksBrittany BrownTabitha BrunnerPetra-Gay BuntingHaley Ann BurgessCiera ByrdKeegan CarrollCourtney CatheyMichaela CavallaroGlorimar Centeno PereiraEmma ClementeDevan ClementsPeggy CooverMegan CornellJaneil DavisHaley DeckerNeil Dela CruzSarah DiehlSydney DoyleGiani DupreeJen Dyment-GilbertEman EbrahemLesa FennerChristina FineSamantha FoltzHamida GawhariNatalie GibsonAmanda GrayBrenda GreenKierstyn GreenJess GressMallary HainzeySamantha HammondNicole HanlonAmirah Henson-MclaughlinKendra HolleyDylan HonafiusAlexis HornMaggie IckesLeah IsraelAbdoulie JallowChristina JohnsonRegina JohnsonChastity JonesAnastasiia KaniaStacy KerrMekha KhuvaydullaevaElivia KipeDannelle KiskoAlexa KosofskyMariah LaughmanKiara LawyerJacques LegentDani LloydSarah LoveDerrik LuszikBrigitte LuttrellHannah MachulczMerina MallaKatie MartinWidpierre MathiasAlyson MatthewsDebra MaxErica MccoyChristine MckayCamrynn McMillanTori MeyerJeremy MilbrandtMallory MillsMorgan MillsAutumn MitchellAshley MorganLauren MorrisetteAlannah MoultonNicole MyersAmanda L. NelsonChristine NgureBrooke NicolChristiana NormanyoBrittany OckerTika OliverNana Akosua Agnes OwusuJing Yi PanDwendy ParlinNicole ParrotteDanielle ParsonNicole PateAbby PatrickKerry ProcascoDaniel QuintilianCorina ReddingMadison ReedShawna ReedHalle ReisingerRegina RemsbergRenata ReyesMegan RobinsonAmy RogersBrittany RohrbaughMichen RubioMatthew ScharfHailey ShafferKelly ShannonCourtney SheppardJackie ShuttleworthSadie SimmonsKristina SlattBrittany SmalleyBecca SmithIrene SmithStephanie SnyderJennifer SodanoKarlenis Solano MazaHeydi Soto-MontanoCasey SoudersKristina StoltzNatalie SylvainJeremy TaylorDanielle TheodoreSara TheritJourden ThomasMichelle ThompsonRachael ThrockmortonTravis TimmonsKassandra TopperElizabeth TracyOlia TurchynRhoda UkiweBri UpholdJohana ValenzuelaSimon VigolettiKatelyn WeidnerRylynn WelshKristine WenrickMargaret WiseKellie Wise-StantonSara WolfMaddy WolfgangMelissa WoomerJade YoungNaima Ziraoui
Wilson College is proud to announce the launch of its new Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, an innovative, hybrid, accelerated degree designed to prepare practice-ready physical therapists in two years. Classes are expected to begin in August 2027, with applications for the inaugural cohort opening on July 15, 2026.
The Wilson College DPT program offers a dynamic educational experience that emphasizes clinical excellence, leadership, and community impact. Students will benefit from a carefully structured curriculum that focuses on developing the advanced clinical skills and professional judgment required in today’s healthcare landscape. Evidence In Motion (EIM), a leading provider of online and hybrid healthcare education, partners with Wilson College to deliver the program’s hybrid structure and curriculum.
“Our Doctor of Physical Therapy program reflects Wilson College’s commitment to forward-thinking education and preparing graduates to lead in meaningful ways,” said Wilson College President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D. “We are equipping students not only with technical expertise, but also with the leadership mindset needed to improve healthcare outcomes and transform patient experiences.”
Wilson’s DPT program features a hybrid accelerated format, combining online coursework with intensive, in-person lab immersions led by nationally recognized faculty. These immersive experiences take place in a state-of-the-art facility in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, ensuring students receive high-quality, hands-on training.
The demand for skilled physical therapists continues to grow across healthcare settings, including hospitals, outpatient clinics, schools, sports organizations, and home health environments. Wilson College’s DPT program prepares graduates to work with a wide range of populations and across specialties such as musculoskeletal, neurology, sports medicine, primary care, and chronic disease management.
“At Wilson, we believe physical therapy is about more than movement. It’s about helping people restore purpose, independence, and quality of life,” said Tony Varela, D.P.T., Ph.D., O.C.S., Doctor of Physical Therapy program professor and program director.
Applications for the Doctor of Physical Therapy program are submitted through the Physical Therapist Centralized Application Service (PTCAS). The program offers multiple entry pathways, including options for students with a bachelor’s degree as well as licensed healthcare professionals with relevant patient-facing experience. Certain licensed professionals, including athletic trainers, EMTs, nurses, and physical therapist assistants with at least one year of patient-facing experience may qualify for waived prerequisite requirements.
For more information visit: https://www.wilson.edu/doctor-physical-therapy.
