Wilson College will host a musical exploration of human experience represented by the four elements of life—earth, water, wind, and fire—during the Spring ’24 Concert presented by the Cumberland Valley Chorale at Wilson College (CVC). This free concert will be held Sunday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. in the Alumnae Chapel of Thomson Hall.
CVC is a unique community chorus which performs a diverse array of musical traditions including popular and contemporary music, classical, spiritual, and new choral works. The ensemble brings together members of the Wilson College and greater Central PA communities to perform songs of faith, laughter, and love. Rehearsals are held on Sundays from 3-5 p.m. Contact Dillon Beede, Wilson College Director of Choral Activities, at dillon.beede@wilson.edu for more information in joining the chorale.
Wilson College will hold its fifteenth annual Barsy-Colgan Student Research Day to recognize academic research achievements on Friday, April 19. The public is invited to attend, along with Wilson students, faculty, and staff.
Ten seniors will present their research findings from 10 a.m. through 3:45 p.m. in the auditorium of the Harry R. Brooks Complex for Science, Mathematics and Technology. Eleven additional undergraduates and student groups from psychology and sociology classes will participate in a poster session from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the front lobby of the Brooks Science Center, where their research will be on display. For more information, please visit https://www.wilson.edu/SRD2024.
The Barsy-Colgan Student Research Day is supported by Louise Barsy Colgan ’80 and her husband Sean. Their generous philanthropy supports academic research through grants students receive for research they complete in their senior year and present to the College community on Student Research Day.
Dave Lucchino ’89, the Senior Vice President of Operations and Operational Risk for Freddie Mac Single Family Operations, will address the graduating class of 2024 at Wilson’s 154th annual commencement ceremony Sunday, May 5.
Lucchino was one of the first graduates of the Wilson College Adult Degree Program, receiving his Bachelor of Science in business and economics in 1989. After graduation, he began his career working at a mortgage company in Frederick, Md., eventually moving into senior operational roles in mortgage loan origination and servicing for JPMorgan Chase, CitiMortgage, and other industry leaders, prior to becoming a consultant with Freddie Mac.
“We are honored that Dave Lucchino is returning to campus to help celebrate such an important day in the lives of our undergraduate and graduate degree students at Commencement,” said President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D. “His impressive business acumen and successful career will inspire our students to pursue their passions and make their dreams reality.”
Throughout his career, Lucchino guided global organizations through significant transitions to accelerate the delivery of both corporate and customer goals. Since officially joining Freddie Mac, he has focused on operations and leveraged his industry experience to identify and implement numerous opportunities to improve efficiency, reduce credit loss, and improve the experience for Freddie Mac clients and homeowners. His work has included overseeing Servicing Products, Securities Operations, Accounts Receivable and Operational Risk and Compliance. These departments focused on loss mitigation, investor reporting, accounts receivable, operational risk and compliance, back-office support for all mortgage-backed securities and a variety of other critical processes that support Freddie Mac and its origination, servicing, and investor partners.
Celebrate the arts at Wilson College as it hosts the second annual ArtsFest from April 1-5. The theme for this year’s event is “Art is…Transformation,” which highlights how art transforms human experience. ArtsFest is a week-long event that includes theatre and dance performances, a fashion show, open mic readings, and visual arts workshops. One highlight of the week will be a UNITY project, which will allow members of the community to help create a structure of intertwined yarn that will represent their interconnectedness. All events are free and open to the public. For a detailed schedule and event descriptions, please go to https://www.wilson.edu/artsfest.
“The ArtsFest committee is excited to share the exceptional, multi-disciplinary work of our students, faculty, and staff again this year,” said Dillon Beede, director of choral activities and chair of music. “This year’s theme is transformation and while that can certainly be unnerving and scary at times, it also provides us an opportunity to come together, recognize our commonalities, and chart a path of growth towards our collective good.”
The Arts at Wilson created ArtsFest to spotlight the remarkable art, artists, and artistic opportunities at Wilson. Distinguished by interdisciplinary programs and collaborative approaches to craft and inquiry, ArtsFest seeks to engage the Wilson College campus and greater regional community in art and art-making opportunities that reach across disciplines, subject, and boundaries, intending to foster relationships, connections, and ideas that effect positive change in our world.
Would it be good to live forever? This was the question posed by Deborah Lyons, professor of classics at Miami University of Ohio, during the recent Orr Forum held on March 12. Lyons provided insight into her research on the immortality of Greek gods to show that maybe their lives were not as good as they seemed.
As she investigated the concept of prolonging life, or eliminating death, Lyons looked at concepts in Greek mythology to find illustrations of how Greek gods differed from mortals. The myths she studied expressed some uncertainty. Could the god feel pain? In battle, Greek gods can sustain physical injuries that result in pain. Could the god feel grief? Falling in love with a mortal or watching one’s son die in battle created moments when the gods suffered most. Could the god die? Not really, but death could come close. As Lyons explained, there are several instances in Greek mythology when something happened to a god that approached the condition of death, such as a state of suspended animation.
Finally, the most important concept Lyons described was boredom. “Without the antics of mortals, [the gods] would be incredibly bored,” she said. The gods took great interest in war and gossip, especially gossiping about mortals. Lyons described the god Zeus as saying, “We tell [mortals] not to do things and they don’t listen. They are then hurt or killed, and they blame us.” Greek gods, particularly many goddesses, also tried to immortalize their children and their lovers and failed.
Ultimately, she explained, even though Greek mortals regard immortality as the peak of existence, they could not imagine gods who looked like them, yet who were completely free and immortal. For Lyons, the ultimate question then became whether we as humans would like to live forever after looking at these basic issues faced by the Greek gods. She said, “I think many of us, if we had the assurance that we would have enough health, money, and friends staying alive with us, we might like to live forever, but those are a lot of conditions.”
Lyons is the author of “Dangerous Gifts: Gender and Exchange in Ancient Greece” and “Gender and Immortality: Heroines in Ancient Greek Myth and Cult,” and the co-editor (with Kurt Raaflaub) of “Ex Oriente Lex: Near Eastern Influences on Greek and Roman Law” and (with Raymond Westbrook) “Women and Property in Ancient Near Eastern and Mediterranean Societies.” She earned a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University, and a master’s and doctorate in classics from Princeton University. She also studied at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies in Rome, the American School of Classical Studies at Athens, and the University of Heidelberg.
Since its inception in 1964, the Orr Forum has been Wilson College’s most widely known and perhaps most prestigious academic event. The Forum features discussions on the wide and shifting interests in religion studies in America.
Wilson College has a rich history of music and today the music offerings are growing and developing. Early childhood education major, Chelsea Zimmann '26, shares how music at Wilson is enhancing her experience on campus. "Ten Tones A Cappella especially has been a place where we can figure out who we want to be as a music group and are constantly growing and changing."
Wilson College welcomes Jason Knittle as the new director of esports. Prior to joining the College, Knittle’s experience includes working as the Overwatch head coach at Arcadia University and esports director at the YMCA in Harrisburg, Pa. He also founded and established the II4T Esports Gaming Lab, while serving as the esports director at the Innovation Institute for Tomorrow (II4T) in Franklin, Pa. The lab created an innovative learning environment for students aged 12-18.
Knittle holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management, Entrepreneurship, and Business Administration from Harrisburg University of Science and Technology where he received a full athletic scholarship in recognition of his exceptional dedication and outstanding performance in Overwatch esports. Knittle was a three-year member of the university’s Overwatch team which won consecutive national championship titles in 2019 and 2020, triumphing over 600 other competing teams.
“We believe that Jason possesses the skill, ability and experience to move Wilson College esports forward in great ways,” said Katherine Buck, vice president for student development. “We look forward to welcoming Jason to campus, where he will hit the ground running; coaching, recruiting, and managing the entire esports program.”
Wilson College’s esports teams compete in the Eastern College Athletics Conference (ECAC) in the following games: Overwatch, League of Legends, Rocket League, Hearthstone, FIFA 22, Madden 22, Halo Infinite, and Valorant.
Deborah Lyons, professor of classics at Miami University, will present her current project “Immortality and its Discontents: Greek Gods and the Modern Search for Eternal Life” at the 2024 Orr Forum hosted by Wilson College. The event will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, March 12, in the Lenfest Learning Commons of the John Stewart Memorial Library. It is open to the public and free of charge.
During the presentation, Lyons will discuss her research on ancient Greek views about the eternal life of their gods, most specifically the limits of immortality in ancient Greek thought. Her research asks, “If it wasn’t good enough for the Greek gods, why do we think it will be good enough for us?”
The Wilson College Christmas Vespers service, a time-honored tradition reaching its 103rd year, was a profound celebration of community, spirituality, and the arts on December 10, 2023. Under the guidance of Dillon Beede, Wilson’s director of Choral Activities and chair of Music, the event showcased the Cumberland Valley Chorale's talent through a curated selection of readings, anthems, and carols. These elements were thoughtfully chosen to echo themes of unity and compassion.
The service, inspired by the celebrated Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols from King's College, was not only a reflection on the holiday season's meanings but also a beacon of hope and joy. It brought together a diverse group of participants, including students, college leadership, and local community members, each contributing their voice toward a moving and shared human experience. The program aimed to foster a sense of belonging and collective reflection, urging attendees to carry forward the spirit of goodwill into the new year and beyond.
This event underscored Wilson College's commitment to nurturing a supportive and inclusive community through the power of music and storytelling, highlighting the enduring significance of the Christmas Vespers in the College's rich history of spiritual life.
The Foundry, at 100 South Main Street in downtown Chambersburg, will host an exhibition of artwork by Wilson College Studio Art and Graphic Design students. The exhibition will open February 2 and continue through February 27, 2024. The event is free and open to the public.
The exhibition will be the eighth such partnership between The Foundry and Wilson College. The Foundry, a grass roots, artist-led organization, shares a similar vision and mission as Wilson’s Division of Arts and Letters. Both are dedicated to promoting critical and creative thinking through artistic exploration and expression, as well as providing venues for exhibition of creative works of art that educate, inspire, and provide a framework for cultural expression of local and regional artists.This partnership provides opportunities for exhibition exchanges. Foundry artists exhibit their artwork at Wilson college each fall, and Wilson students have been given the opportunity to exhibit at The Foundry each winter.For more information about this partnership and the exhibit, contact Philip Lindsey, professor of fine arts at Wilson College at 717-264-2783 or philip.lindsey@wilson.edu , or Anne Finucane at The Foundry at 717-261-0706.
