The College announced a scholarship drawing for students vaccinated against the COVID-19 virus. Three lucky students will win scholarships in the amounts of $5,000, $3,000, or $1,000 that they can use toward their spring semester, 2022, education.
Every vaccinated student will be entered into a random drawing. To be eligible, students must show proof of vaccination by Oct. 18.
“I want to encourage all members of our community to get vaccinated,” Wilson College President Wesley R. Fugate said. “The data is very clear: those who get the vaccine are less likely to contract the virus, spread the virus, have severe illness, be hospitalized, or die.”
He noted that the Delta variant was “a great deal more contagious than the original strain of the virus.” And because Delta is the dominant variant nationally and locally, we have to redouble our efforts to combat the virus on campus and in the community.
“I know that we all are exhausted from the challenges facing us because of the pandemic,” Fugate said. “Let me remind you to afford each other patience, kindness, and understanding.”
Chambersburg, Pa. — A free exhibition of artwork will open Wednesday, Sept. 8, at the Bogigian Gallery, Wilson College, featuring the work of members of The Foundry. The gallery is in Lortz Hall.
A reception to mark the opening will be held at the gallery from 4:30 to 6 p.m.
The exhibition will include a selection of member artwork from The Foundry—an artist co-operative located at 100 South Main St., Chambersburg, Pa. Current members have been invited to exhibit two works of art. Viewers can expect to see paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures, and more!
Wilson College and The Foundry have partnered on a number of exciting exhibition opportunities for Wilson students and Foundry members.
For additional information or an appointment, contact Philip Lindsey at 717.264.2783, or philip.lindsey@wilson.edu.
Wilson College is the first college in Pennsylvania to offer post-baccalaureate teaching certification in American Sign Language (ASL). This teaching certification, awarded through the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), is accepted in most states.
ASL is growing in popularity with students across the country. According to a recent survey by the Modern Language Association, ASL almost pipped German to be ranked the fourth most popular language taken by college students. And increasingly, ASL is being offered in high, middle, and even elementary schools as a "foreign language" equivalent.
"ASL is the fourth most used language in the world," Theresa Whitbread, one of Wilson's first ASL certification students, said. "It makes sense that it should be offered as a foreign language option. Not to mention, there's always a chance you could lose your hearing as you age. Why not start early to allow yourself a life filled with communication?"
However, there are not enough qualified teachers to meet the demand. When the Bethlehem School District decided to offer ASL to high schoolers, they recruited ASL interpreters to teach. Whitbread and two other experienced ASL interpreters jumped at the chance to teach students the language. Unfortunately, they could not earn the professional certification required by the state because there was no program in place to certify teachers in ASL. That's when PDE approached Wilson and asked us to develop a path to ASL certification.
Beth Byers, Wilson's director of teacher certification pathways, said the department chose us because we have a long track record of providing qualified individuals with the instruction they need to become certified teachers. Our Foreign Language Intern Pathway (FLIP) is primarily online, and students complete their certification while teaching.
PDE and the College worked out the requirements, and Wilson has accepted its first four students. "The program offers insightful classes that educate us while also allowing me to have the ability to work full time and take care of my children," Whitbread said. "The asynchronous online approach is not just me and my computer. My professors are always willing to communicate with me, and they set the classes up in a way that makes learning enjoyable."
Whitbread teaches students from 9th grade through 12th grade. She said they choose the class for a variety of reasons, "from they took other languages and wanted to try something different to they think this will be easier than other languages." In her experience, the one common misconception is "that ASL is just a signed version of English. Once students start to learn true ASL, they realize that, just like any other language, there are rules and grammar that must be followed. It takes some getting used to when switching from learning a spoken language to a visual language, but when the students take the time to learn about the language and culture, they end up really enjoying their educational opportunity."
FLIP is for teachers who already have a bachelor's degree and wish to become certified in the subject they are teaching. Some colleges offer ASL certification as part of their undergraduate degrees. However, Wilson College is the only institution in Pennsylvania to offer this certification for those who already have a bachelor's degree in another subject. To qualify, a student has to be currently employed by a school (schools can hire teachers without certification if they agree to pursue certification within a given amount of time). Prospective students must also pass the ASL Proficiency Interview run by Gallaudet University and pass the state's general competency tests. School districts often reimburse the costs of certification for their teachers. To learn more about teacher certification at Wilson, email tcp@wilson.edu or go to www.wilson.edu/teacher-certification.
The College is pleased to announce the appointment of Erica N. Johnson, Ph.D., as our first director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI). Johnson will oversee initiatives to ensure Wilson is welcoming to and supportive of all its constituents. “Wilson College has a rich history of empowering marginalized groups,” Johnson said, “as evidenced in the founding of the institution [to educate women], and the commitment to this new position just builds on that legacy of diversity, equity, and inclusion.”
Wilson President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D., has made expanding access to a liberal arts education to people from all backgrounds a cornerstone of his presidency. The new position and Johnson’s appointment come directly out of his “President’s Commission on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.” This commission identified areas where the College could improve in terms of inclusion and recommended hiring a director to oversee and promote such programs and initiatives.
Johnson comes to us from Loras College, Dubuque, Iowa, where she was the Assistant Director of the Center for Inclusion and Advocacy and served on the President’s Task for Transformative/High Impact Learning, the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Access and Equity subcommittee, and the Interfaith Strategic Committee.
Dean of Students Mary Beth Williams said, “I am thrilled to bring in someone with such a wealth of knowledge and experience. She has great energy, and I look forward to the programs and initiatives she will implement across campus to positively impact our students, faculty, and staff.”
Johnson added, “I am so excited to be joining the Wilson family and having the opportunity to work with students and the entire campus community. I look forward to advancing work and conversations around justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout campus.”
Johnson received her doctorate in educational policy studies and evaluation in higher education from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, Ky. Her dissertation was titled, “Lifting As We Climb: Experiences of Black Diversity Officers at Three Predominantly White Institutions in Kentucky.” She also has a master’s in education from Western Kentucky University, Bowling Green, Ky., and a bachelor’s in psychology from Transylvania University, Lexington, Ky.
Wilson College Office of the Registrar Spring 2021 Dean’s List
Kimberlee Nicole Ahlers Amber Lynn Allen Brady Lee Andre Brittney Lynne Aubin Hannah Anastasia Aument Yolanda Lynn Bair Taylor Paige Baker Sara B. Ball Jasmine A. Bankert Delaney Elise Banzhof Annmarie Batey Cierra M. Beaver Nicholas Jordan Beitzell Maeson Isabella Belk Marleigh Eloise Belk Kaylee Alise Bill Alyssa Grace Bingaman Nadira M. Boddie Talia Grace Boresow Connor Michael Bowers Shane D. Bowie Adrianna Sue Broome Jacob G. Brouse Faith Marie Brown Katelyn E. Brown Shelby A. Burkett Madelyn Teresa Bush Reagan Faith Bush Daphne L. Buzard Maricruz Cabrera Lucero Samantha Brooke Cantrell Shae Daniel Cardenas Kallie Helena Carter Jenna N. Carty Kathryn Mary Chenaille Olivia C. Churchman Kelby M. Cloose Joseph Danley Cofer Kara Nicole Collingsworth Bethany Jordan Comp Shawnee Cordero Kelly C. Cormier Corinne Mattia Corsaro Geneva Luree Dardick Elizabeth Rose Deboer Cheyenne I. DeGraeve Hannah Alysabeth Deline Elizabeth Destacamento Amanda L. Dietz Xavier J. Dowtin Kaitlin Marie Duda Taylor Leigh Emlet Kayla Nicole Enck Olivia Kay Epstein Ciera Taylor Erwin Marasol Marie Esquivia Caeley Rae Etter Anaida Fahradyan Robert Andrew Farrell Cortney Faustner Kevin Richard Finn Amelia Fuentes Walquer Mary J. Gantt Darryl Ivan Garib Emily Christeena Gavlak Jarrett H. Gelsinger Efelomo Vanessa George Anna Elizabeth Gibaud Kelly Elizabeth Gibson Pheonix S. Gilbert Luis M. Gonzalez Ayala Kaitlynn C.L. Gordy Lexie Saige Goshorn Siara N. Gossert Sierra Kay Green Sierra L. Gress Madison Lynn Griffin Elizabeth R. Grim Abigail Mae Gross Santina Allyn Gutshall Kimberly Ann Hale Samantha Paige Hall Dino Hamzabegovic Tosha Danielle Harbaugh Mia Deanne Harris Hannah Melissa Hartman Joshua Dean Harvey Danielle R. Harwood Samantha Rae Hayhurst Divine Justice Hilliard Brittany Nicole Hocking Megan Renee Hoffeditz Emma Lynne Holliday Cassandra Elaine Holt Eric Paul Holz Shealyn Jean Holzinger Joshua Evan Howells Jillian Mary Hubert Caitlin Nicole Hunsecker Jaeseong Jeong Sumin Jo Julia Melissa Johnson Tia Renae Jones Madison Taylor Kaetterhenry Simone Alaire Karustis Alyssa M. Keefer Ta'Niya Diamond Kees Catarina M. Keifman Mariah Kiefer Kristen Marie King Ashlee Nicole Kitner Elijah E. Klopp Michelle Knox Hayley Alisha Koller Madison Renee Koontz Nicholas P. Kowalski Rachel Marie Laidlaw Aura Kathryn Langley Bethany Lavin Kayleigh Nicole Layfield Rachael Elisabeth Leubecker Max Allan Little Marielis Lopez Emma G. Lowman Margaret Mae Lutz Adriane Ann Markle Nicholas Hunter Mattson Alexis Martina Mayer Jordan Faith McCoy Olivia Joanna McDonald Max C. McDowell Michael R. McGee Kayla Angelee McHugh Brianna Angela McMenimen Andrew Stephen Melhorn Brandt Allen Mellott Emily Pearl Metcalfe Michelle Alyce Miller Mickayla Ann Moffitt Julia Marie Mohler Lauren Nicole Monahan Alyssa Mae Monn Jacqueline Suzanne Morrison Lauren Marie Moss Samira Tatiana Murphy Bethany Jayde Murray Madeline Rachel Neway Ariel Kathleen Noel Michaela G. Oberholzer Kylea Daun O'Donnell Daniel M. O'Keefe Kaitlyn Jade O'Shea Lindsey Dawn Palmer James Immanuel Pasaribu Justina Lynn Peffer Elias Jorge Perez-Zetune Kellyn Allena Perry Amanda N. Peterson Ethan Brady Phillips Tioleaoauli Christina Posiulai Zachary M. Powell Jacob E. Pryor Allison Marie Reber Kassie Sierra Reeves Elizabeth Lan Yu Rentsch Amber L. Rexrode Elizabeth Marion Rhyne Jessica Lynne Rice Brandom Rios Katelyn Marie Ritenour Kristen Roop Madison Ann Ross Tyler John Rothka Bailee Nicole Rowles Gabriella Maria Rueda Rose K. Runyan Eryka Nicole Sager Javier Sanchez Ria Lynn Santiago Sarah Mei Schaffner Allison Rose Schulz Nancy Rose Scouller Kelly Mae Shank Breeann J. Sheaffer Kenna R. Shearer Olivia R. Shirk Michaela Mae Singer Mikaela Leanne Small Tiffany-Jade Miracle Smallwood Amanda P. Smida Madison Nicole Smith Makenna Renee Snider Baylen Lanai Snyder Chloe Ivy Sprecher Johnathan Douglas St. Clair Destiny J. Stephenson Mazie G. Sterner Drew Christine Stevens Lydia Jane Story Moriah Kathryn Story Rae Ann Stup Meghann T. Sullivan Megan Renee Summerall Zachary William Sutherland Ava M. Swartz Haley Emma Swartz Madison Kinsey Sweitzer Taylor Paige Tarabori Cole Nathaniel Taylor Elizabeth Grace Theriault Shaylene Alejandra Vargas Blanca Villeda Rebekka N. Visniesky Elizabeth Claire Vuxta Madison Leigh Walker Janae Leigh Watkins Cheyanne Elizabeth Weaver Rebecca L. Webb Kylee M. Weber Jacob Kenneth Whittington Madison Elizabeth Williard Abigail Marie Wilson Danielle Marie Wilson Matthew Aaron Wilson Morgan Patricia Wineburg Megan Anne Wingert Juliann Nicole Winkler Kayla Igrayne Winton Calista L. Wolfe Alyssa Rose Wood Hannah M. Woodward Samuel Worthen Grace Lucile Yingling Monserrat Zavala
Wilson College recognizes and celebrates the 101 students who earned Pennsylvania teacher certification this year. Our Teacher Certification Pathways program is popular with working professionals who want to earn their teacher certification at their own pace while continuing to work. The program is flexible, adaptive, convenient, and affordable and is open to anyone with a bachelor’s degree or higher. Financial help is available to those who qualify, and Pennsylvania teacher certification is accepted in most states.
The number of graduating students this year, the largest class in over a decade, is in part due to the COVID-19 lockdown. During this period, many people reconsidered their goals and ambitions in life, and many concluded they wanted to pursue a more fulfilling and stable career such as teaching. Those who completed their certification are grouped by their teaching specialties.
We congratulate all 101 new teachers!
Early Childhood Education Rachel Althoff, Shaina Bridges, Katie Capoferi, Jessica DeHart, Emily Foster, Kelly Giannascoli, Megan Hess, Kelly Humphrey, Gabriella Meridionale, Shanon Mummert, Alyssa Rowe, Katelyn Schindler, Lindsey Thomas, and Annie Walsh.
Middle Level Education Anna Bogetti, Hannah Bowers, Stacy Bruker, Thomas Hogue, Aimee Jacobs, Carly Keilholtz, Sarah Redding, Cindy Rensch, and Darren St.Clair.
Secondary Education Kristen Adams, Michael Angelo, Dodie Bishopp, Amanda Carey, Robert Cattie, Benjamin Cohen, Andrew Davis, Gretchen Ehritz, James Grammond, Courtney Guimaraes, Jennifer Hare, Raymond Kerr, Kathryn Marquis, Margery Milham, Jennifer Murphy, Elizabeth Porter, Lyndsay Riedel, Zachary Rugg, Neal Smith, Micah Stevenson, and Luke Stoltzfoos.
PK-12 Education Allison Baney, Keri Blymire, Kimberly Bogati, Holly Bream, Linet Caban, Renee Chirico, Zachary Cleale, Jeanine Cliningsmith, Amanda Cool (Kuchinski), Marc Corsi, John Cottrill, Casey Dodson, Joseph Durika, Natalie Faith, Shawn Gatten, Grazyna Geer, Ashley Hershey, Angela Johnson, James Kearns, Travis Kreider, John Krulock, Kendall Krulock, Gladys Lacourt-Pelka, Del Levin, Teresa Lowery, Makenzie Magnotta, Ryan Maloney, Rachel McBride, Dana McCaskey, John Myers, Kimberly Pope, Megan Racioppo, Tiffany Ramsburg, Jacob Reis, Shane Roxberry, Jonathan Sauve, Jennifer Scheetz, Crystal Shaffer-Tomecek, Caitlin Smith, Joseph Steber, Ronda Stepler, Budimka Uskokovic, Justin Vecchiolli, Khala Wade, and Zachary Zirk.
Dual Certification Kate Becket, Alexandra Camero, Jared Colicchie, Rebecca Cross, Lisa Gasdaska, Hope Geesaman, Nicole Houck, Margaret Mancuso, Kylee Mitchell, Connor Muir, Kacie Young, and Justine Zaccaria.
Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D., president of Wilson College, was recently elected to the Board of Trustees for the Omicron Delta Kappa Society and Educational Foundation, Inc. His three-year term at one of the Society’s at-large trustees will begin on July 1, 2021.
The announcement of the election was made by Tara S. Singer, president and chief executive officer of O∆K. Singer said, “Omicron Delta Kappa is excited to have Wes Fugatejoin our Board of Trustees. Dr. Fugate’s passion for supporting and recognizing student leaders is exceptional. His work represents our Society’s values, and we have long appreciated his commitment to O∆K. My fellow trustees and I look forward to working with him in this capacity.”
Fugate is a 2001 collegiate initiate of the Centre College Circle (chapter) of Omicron Delta Kappa. He was instrumental in the revitalization of the circle at Randolph College and participated in and supported the effort to establish the circle at Wilson College in 2020.
In addition to his membership in O∆K, Fugate is an initiate of Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity. Currently, he is serving as the chairman of the fraternity’s chairman of Foundation Board of Trustees and is a member of the board of directors for the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity.
After receiving his bachelor’s degree in dramatic arts and economics at Centre College, Fugate earned a master’s degree from Vanderbilt University in higher education administration with an emphasis on institutional advancement. He received a doctorate in higher education from the University of Georgia. He is the recipient of the Alice L. Beeman Research Award in Communications and Marketing from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).
About the appointment, Fugate said, “The Omicron Delta Kappa Society plays a vital role in nurturing and developing leaders on college and university campuses. At a time when our communities, nation, and the world need sophisticated and adaptive leaders, I am deeply honored to join the women and men of the Board of Trustees as we advance the important mission of the Society.”
Omicron Delta Kappa Society, the National Leadership Honor Society, was founded in Lexington, Virginia, on December 3, 1914. A group of 15 students and faculty members established the Society to recognize and encourage leadership at the collegiate level. The founders established the O∆K Idea—the concept that individuals representing all phases of collegiate life should collaborate with faculty and others to support the campus and community. O∆K’s mission is to honor and develop leaders; encourage collaboration among students, faculty, staff, and alumni; and promote O∆K’s ideals of collaboration, inclusivity, integrity, scholarship, and service college and university campuses throughout North America. The Society’s national headquarters are located in Lexington, Virginia.
A Nobel Laureate and the CFO of the United States Secret Service will address the classes of 2020 and 2021, respectively, at this year’s ceremonies.
The College will have two commencement speakers this year to honor the classes of 2020 and 2021. The 150th annual commencement ceremony, scheduled for May of last year, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Instead, the College’s 2020 graduates will be honored at a commencement ceremony Saturday, May 15. The 151st commencement ceremony, honoring the class of 2021, will take place Sunday, May 16.
Mario Capecchi, a molecular geneticist and co-winner of the 2007 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine, will address the 2020 graduating class. Capecchi shared the Nobel Prize with two other scientists for discovering a method of deactivating ─ or knocking out ─ specific genes in mice. The technique provided a much more reliable method of altering animal genomes. This is used in gene targeting and has contributed to the development of new treatments for diseases in humans, including cancer and diabetes.
In addition to his distinguished career in science, Capecchi has a fascinating personal story. He was born in Italy in 1937, the son of Italian air force officer Luciano Capecchi and American poet Lucy Ramberg. When World War II broke out, Capecchi and his mother were living in the Italian Alps. His mother was arrested for her anti-fascist activities and sent to Dachau, the first Nazi concentration camp.
Expecting to be arrested, Capecchi’s mother had paid friends to let her son live with them. But when the money ran out, they turned him out of their house at age 4 ½. Capecchi lived on the streets with other homeless children, as well as occasionally in orphanages, for five years. He spent the final year in a hospital, where he nearly died of malnutrition.
After Capecchi’s mother was released from Dachau, she spent two years searching Italy for him. She eventually found him at the hospital. Soon after, they came to live in the United States, settling in a utopian commune in Pennsylvania co-founded by Lucy’s brother, physicist Edward Ramberg, and his wife, Sarah.
Gwendolyn Sykes, the United States Secret Service CFO, will address the 2021 graduating class. Sykes is responsible for the execution, development, and stewardship of the Secret Service’s resources and currently manages a financial team that includes budget, financial management, relocation, and financial systems experts.
Sykes is the first African American female to have served as the CFO at NASA, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Nominated by the President of the United States and confirmed by the United States Senate, she was responsible for this $16 billion agency’s financial management and health. She led more than 500 finance professionals, located across ten geographically dispersed locations throughout the United States, to develop and execute financial policies, processes, and procedures.
Sykes has also served as Yale University’s CFO, the first in that university’s 306-year history, and CFO for Morehouse College. Previous government experience includes working within the Department of Defense and in the office of U.S. Senator Ted Stevens.
Sykes holds a Bachelor of Arts in accounting from Catholic University and a Master of Public Administration from American University, where she also serves as an adjunct professor in the School of Public Affairs. She has been recognized for her achievements by Black Enterprise, Newsweek, the Today Show, and the National Black Caucus of State Legislators.
Wilson College has entered the wildly popular esports arena with the appointment of two co-head coaches, Josh Bound and Mike Pittenger, to train the new Phoenix esports teams. The coaches will begin recruiting players immediately from current and prospective students with the goal of teams competing in fall 2021. The Phoenix esports program will initially enter teams in “Overwatch” and “League of Legends” tournaments and later in “Rocket League” competitions.
“We are thrilled to announce this new sports program for returning and incoming students,” said Mary Beth Williams, the college’s dean of students. “Competitive video gaming is what students want, and we are excited to provide them this opportunity.” The college is building an esports “arena” for the new teams — a dedicated room fitted out with computers, gaming chairs, and access to high-speed internet where the teams can train and compete.
Esports — competitive video gaming — is a global phenomenon that has almost 500 million viewers and generates over $1billion in annual revenue. In 2020, more people viewed the League of Legends World Championship finals than watched the Super Bowl. Asian countries still dominate esports — China and South Korea in particular — however, the rest of the world is catching up quickly. Currently, the top-earning professional esports player is Denmark’s Johan Sundstein. And the US government now recognizes professional esports players as professional athletes.
“I’m excited to build the esports program from the ground up at Wilson,” co-head coach Mike Pittenger said. “I will be coaching ‘League of Legends,’ a team-based game that requires strategy and critical thinking just as much as quick reflexes and precise control. It will be a good fit for Wilson since students will learn and develop teamwork, communication, and leadership skills in a competitive scenario.” Pittenger says the program will “foster an inclusive but competitive environment that will see Wilson recognized in the esports community nationally and beyond as well as provide the students another avenue to represent and support their school.”
“As the Coach of the ‘Overwatch’ team, I look forward to establishing the Phoenix esports program and being a mentor to our competitors,” co-head coach Josh Bound said. “Esports are team sports and, as with any sport, establishing camaraderie among the players and building team chemistry is fundamental to what we do.”
The college is exploring conference affiliations and should make those decisions by the time the teams are ready for competition.
Wilson College is now offering master’s degrees in Humanities and in Applied Leadership online. These programs help working professionals or anyone with an undergraduate degree advance their careers, change professions, or prepare to enter a Ph.D. program. The degrees are designed to be flexible and customizable. They work with the student’s schedule, and the student can tailor them to fit their profession or specific area of specialization.
Anyone interested in earning one of these degrees can learn more at an online Open House on Tuesday, April 6 at 6.00 pm. It’s a great opportunity to learn more about the programs, ask questions, and see how these programs may work for you!
To join the Zoom Open House, you need to register here. If you can’t make the open house, just email Michael Cornelius, Ph.D., the director of both programs, to set up a time to talk: mcornelius@wilson.edu.
To learn more about each program, go to Master of Arts in Humanities or Master of Applied Leadership.
