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 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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.
Wilson College is pleased to announce Lisa Tiffin, D.E.L., G.P.C., as the new vice president for institutional advancement. Tiffin brings more than a decade of senior-level experience in higher education advancement to this role, with a strong record of success in fundraising, government relations, corporate and foundation partnerships, and organizational leadership. She joins Wilson College after serving as assistant vice president of government, corporate and foundation relations at Champlain College, where she led transformational growth in external funding.
In five years at Champlain, Tiffin increased institutional funding from $1 million annually to more than $34 million and helped secure the college’s largest award in public funding appropriations to date of $12 million. She built and led a high-performing advancement unit, expanded corporate and government partnerships, and supported capital projects, endowed scholarships, and faculty programs across the institution.
With the assistance of Academic Search, an executive recruitment firm specializing in higher education leadership roles, Wilson conducted an exhaustive national search for this important position. “Lisa brings the experience, vision, and collaborative leadership Wilson College needs at this pivotal moment,” said Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D., president of Wilson College. “Her proven ability to build relationships, secure transformative resources, and align fundraising strategy with institutional mission will be invaluable as we advance Wilson’s priorities and ensure long-term sustainability.”
Prior to Champlain, Tiffin was recruited to build the grants program at Roberts Wesleyan University and Northeastern Seminary, where she spent seven years leading grant development and advancement initiatives. During her tenure, she secured nearly 70 percent of submitted grants, supported a $42 million comprehensive campaign, and played a key role in securing the institution’s largest gift of $7.5 million for a Community Engagement Center.
“I am extremely honored to join Wilson College,” Tiffin said. “The work of small colleges like Wilson includes ensuring a lasting legacy of an educational institution where students find community and a pathway to both career and impact in their future communities. I am so excited to join such a vibrant community of learners and look forward to meeting the supporters who make the vision of Wilson a reality.”
Tiffin holds a doctorate of executive leadership from the University of Charleston, West Virginia, where her research focused on risk mindset and positive turnaround in higher education. She also earned a master’s degree in American literature from the State University of New York at Brockport and a bachelor’s degree in English and secondary education from Roberts Wesleyan College. She is Grant Professionals Certified and remains active in national higher education and fundraising organizations.
Meet Aaron Meredith TCP Completer ’26 and fourth grade teacher in the Chambersburg Area School District. After transitioning into teaching as a second career, Aaron credits Wilson College with preparing him to step confidently into the classroom.
“I’m thankful for Wilson College providing a way that I could switch to a second career and enter it feeling qualified and confident,” Aaron shared. "Their innovative internship program offered me a comprehensive experience and superb mentorship.”
That preparation is evident in Aaron’s classroom each day. According to his practicum supervisor, Wendy Royer, Ph.D., Aaron’s enthusiasm for math and commitment to hands-on learning create an engaging environment where students feel valued, safe, and excited to learn. "Aaron's enthusiasm for math is contagious and creates a classroom where students want to learn and work hard to meet expectations. Aaron creates lessons with authentic hands-on learning opportunities resulting in high levels of engagement. Aaron places a high value on building strong relationships with his students. Every student is valued and treated with respect. As a result, learners feel safe and are willing to take risks. He encourages collaboration, critical thinking, and responsibility for learning. He is deeply committed to the success of every student in his classroom and works tirelessly to achieve this expectation. Aaron is a gifted teacher with natural talent. He has fun teaching, and students have fun learning! It's a winning combination."
Building on this momentum, Aaron has chosen to continue his academic journey at Wilson and is now enrolled in the Master of Education in Educational Leadership program, further strengthening his commitment to education and leadership.
Learn more about Wilson College’s Teacher Certification Pathways.
