Preservation Pennsylvania is holding its annual Statewide Conference on Heritage at Wilson College this week and the organization invites the general public to attend two free events─a free workshop and a film about the Commonweath's historic barns─on Thursday, June 20. Both events will be held in Thomson Hall's Alumnae Chapel.
Community members are invited to join Preservation Pennsylvania for a panel discussion on "How to Save Barns, Farms and Rural Heritage" to be held from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. Questions to be addressed include: What are the key threats to historic barns and farm structures and what solutions are available? What are preservation priorities in an agricultural context? Where do I find funding? When is a structure beyond rehabilitation? How do I preserve the landscape as open space?
The panel will be moderated by Dianna Clemens-Heim of Fayetteville, a Wilson College employee and author of the book, Cumberland Valley Barns: Past and Present.
Experts from the state historic preservation office and organizations involved in land conservation, barn preservation and cultural heritage will provide helpful insights into the challenges that exist regarding agricultural preservation and conservation, as well as offer useful ideas, free tools and resources. Those attending will learn about preserving a local "sense of place" and how to get involved in local, county and state planning for historic and agricultural districts.
From 6:30 to 8 p.m., a documentary film called Barns of the Susquehanna Valley will be screened. Participants are encouraged to come along on a film journey to discover the agricultural, architectural and historical significance of the barns of Southcentral Pennsylvania. The documentary features interviews with farmers, landowners, historians, architects, authors, preservationists and fellow barn enthusiasts. The film will be followed by a brief question-and-answer session.
Those who plan to attend one or both of the free events are asked to register at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-celebration-of-barns-how-to-preserve-farm-buildings-and-open-space-tickets-61805022486.
Preservation Pennsylvania is the Commonwealth's only statewide, private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the protection of historically and architecturally significant resources. More information about the organization can be found at preservationpa.org.
The Wilson College Child Care Center was recently awarded a $14,760 Keystone STARS Education and Retention grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Office of Child Development and Early Learning. The grant will be used to pay stipends to child care center staff to recognize educational achievements.
Earlier this year, the same office awarded the child care center the highest possible rating in its Keystone STARS program—a STAR 4. The child care center, which is licensed by DHS, previously had a STAR 3 designation.The Keystone STARS (Standards, Training/Professional Development, Assistance, Resources and Supports) system promotes quality improvement in early learning and development programs, and school-age child care by offering families a way to evaluate the quality of child care programs so they can make informed decisions that best meet their needs.
Located in Prentis Hall, the Wilson College Child Care Center can accommodate up to 45 children ages 20 months to five years, year-round. Eight full-time and three part-time staff members work at the center, which is open to children of Wilson College students and employees, as well as those of Chambersburg families.
The weather was perfect for the 151 Wilson graduates earning bachelor’s or associate degrees and the 97 receiving master’s degrees the morning of Sunday, May 19.
College President Barbara K. Mistick reminded the audience that this year’s commencement celebration was a particularly special one, coinciding as it did with the 150th anniversary of the College’s founding in 1869, which represents a milestone in the life of the College. “We have watched you grow in so many ways during your time here, learning to think and act with bold intention," she told graduates. "We share your sense of triumph and are all very proud of your many achievements. I hope you set your sights high, act boldly and challenge yourselves.”
“We did it!” Natasha Goessel told her fellow graduates from the podium. She had earned her bachelor of arts degree, with the support of Wilson’s Adult Degree Program—a program designed to help people who’ve been out of high school for at least four years go to college. Her Wilson journey began as “a woman, on her own, the sole provider and caretaker of two little kids. A woman who was now determined to change her entire life and then did.” It ended as a proud Wilson College Phoenix. “Step boldly into your future, even if you're not sure what that is yet because that's ok,” she said. “The truth is, it changes every day with the choices you make. Congratulations, Class of 2019!”
After receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws from the College, Laura Stein, executive vice president and general counsel at The Clorox Co., delivered the commencement address. She talked about the importance of being both bold and kind and advised the graduating class to focus their energy on their passions and big plans instead of wasting time on backup plans or thinking about reasons to play it safe.
Class of 2019 President Marissa Rankin and Vice President Dana Kessler presented the College with a gift of $4,000 on behalf of the senior class to build a recreational area for students. It will be called the “Odds Quad” and will have a fire pit, horseshoe pit, tables and seating where students can play games and socialize.
Forty-two students in the Wilson College Teacher Certification Pathways program were recognized at a May 10 ceremony at the college.
TCP completers are: Kayla Carlson, Ciji Holthaus, Sara Wikfors, Kirstin Belluscio, Cristina Clark-Cuadrado, Eileen Grob, Adrienne Macknair, Taylor Stuckey, Justin Alleman, Angela Cordle, Kathleen Elmore, Thomas Fallon, Steven Guthrie, Jessica Ingraham, Sarah Jansen, Derf Maitland, Karin Moore, Marc Peterson, William Renninger, Marlene Seifert, Andrew Simms, Brett Smyers, Matthew Stackhouse, Justin Staub, Odessa Trinkle, Ellen Bearn, Mark Bingaman, Shana Bonetti, Julie Brookens, Fumiko Brown, Megan Crawford, Celia Cuadrado, Kaleigh Herring, Patrick Hudson, Rebecca Hoke, Shelly Novak, Vanessa Paskaitis, Thelma Reibsome, Natalie Roll, Nick Roman, Dirk Brown and Erin Smith.
Approximately 40 people attended the recognition ceremony, which was held in the Brooks Science Complex and included remarks by Wilson Teacher Certification Pathways Director Beth Byers, Wilson Dean of Faculty Elissa Heil and Associate Professor of Education Lynn Newman, who also chairs the Division of Education and Business. Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick also attended and shook hands with the TCP completers who attended.
Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 1985, Wilson’s TCP program allows those who already have bachelor’s degrees to become certified to teach. Three distinct pathways fall under TCP: the TIP, FLIP (Foreign Language Intern Pathway) and TOP (Teacher Online Pathway) programs. A variety of certifications are available, covering all grades and including specialized areas such as special education.
Wilson College honored students and faculty members at its annual Academic Awards ceremony held Friday, May 3, in the Harry R. Brooks Complex for Science, Mathematics and Technology.
The following students and faculty received awards:
Edward and Sarah Anderson Psychology Prize, which is given to a graduating senior for outstanding scholarship in the discipline of psychology, was awarded to Heather Schuler.
James Applegate Award, which is awarded to a student with an interest in drama and theater, went to two students: Nicole Downey and Kelsey Winton.
Suzanne Blumenthal Prize in French, which is awarded to a graduating senior for academic excellence in the disciplines of French language and Francophone cultures, was given to Evan Kelly.
The C. Elizabeth Boyd ’33 Award, which is given to a senior member of Orchesis for outstanding performance and choreographic contributions to the group and in recognition of artistic development, went to Ashley Henderson.
Lucy Bremmer Global Citizenship Award, awarded to a student who participates in the service learning component of Wilson’s global citizenship initiative and provides assistance with expenses and travel to another country, was given to two students: Kaitlynn Bjonnes and Patricia Mari-Marquez.
CRC Press General Chemistry Award, given for outstanding achievement in general chemistry, was awarded to two students: Megan Wingert and Alyssa Wood.
Marel Harlow Cheng Memorial Prize, awarded to a student who has done well in international studies or has made some noticeable contributions to international understanding, went to Evan Kelly.
Class of 1957 Civic Engagement Award, given to a student who exemplifies civic engagement at Wilson College through involvement in volunteer roles on and off campus, was awarded to Jessica Larkin.
Virginia Dodd Cooper Prize, awarded is a junior or senior who has demonstrated excellence in French and in all of his/her academic work, went to Heather Schuler.
Regina Shaputnic Cuomo Mathematics Award, given to a student or students who exhibit outstanding ability and are pursuing a major in mathematics, was awarded to Nicholas Beitzell.
Margaret Criswell Disert Honors Scholarship, given to a rising senior who has, in the judgment of the selection committee, submitted the proposal for senior advanced study and research considered most worthy of support, was awarded to Joy Merchant.
Estep-Lawson Memorial Prize, awarded to a student in lower-level French course who demonstrates excellence and shows future promise in French studies, went to Jessica Rice.
Mildred Franklin Prize, given to a senior for excellence in Latin or Greek and who has shown an understanding of the literature and thought of ancient civilizations, was awarded to Alyssa Engel-Swift.
Donna Gomer VMT ADP Award for an adult degree student displaying excellence in the study of veterinary medical technology went to Trista Kalathas.
Davison Greenawalt Grove Award, which is given to a member of the junior or senior class participating in research in physical and life sciences, was awarded to Zachary McMaster.
Richard C. Grove Award in Business and Economics, which goes to a student who has demonstrated outstanding ability and distinguished themselves academically in accounting, business administration, financial mathematics or economics, was awarded to Natasha Goessel.
Dorle Haas Memorial Prize, awarded to a senior for outstanding service within the greater Chambersburg area, was given to Noel Robinson.
Margaret Strode Haines Award, which recognizes a student with outstanding qualities of scholarship, interest in the humanities and strength of body, mind and spirit, was given to Ethan Kron.
Gloria Randle Scott-Frances Richards Hesselbein Prize, awarded to the senior who has demonstrated outstanding volunteer service during their four years at Wilson College, was given to Keion Adams.
Joanne Harrison Hopkins Literary Achievement Award, given for the finest piece of imaginative literature in fiction, poetry or drama produced during the academic year, went to Patricia Mari-Marquez.
Lt. Col. William A. Knaus Award for Veteran’s Service, which is awarded in memory of Lt. Col. William A. Knaus─father of Wilson College President Barbara K. Mistick─to the veteran in the senior class with the highest academic achievement, went to Seth Watts.
Josef Michael Kellinger German or Foreign Language Award for a student who has demonstrated excellence in German or foreign language studies was given to Elsa Zavala Hurtado.
Catherine Herr Langdon Award is, by vote of the students with the approval of the Dean of Students and the President of the College, bestowed upon a senior or seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence and who have fully, unselfishly and willingly given comfort, compassion, encouragement, guidance, help and understanding to fellow students during the year and was awarded to Keion Adams.
Mary-Eleanor Maule Travel Grant, awarded to graduating seniors or students entering their junior or senior years for travel planned in support of study in Spanish, was given to two students: Desiree Serrano and Elsa Schaefer.
Alta Lindsay McElwain Prize, awarded to the best student in Latin or Greek in the freshman class, went to Savannah Bell-Bussler.
Robert Shannon McElwain Prize, awarded to the best student in mathematics, went to Joshua Howells.
Helen Adams Nutting History Prize, presented to the member of the junior or senior class who has demonstrated outstanding ability in the field of history, was given to Jennifer Murphy.
Organic Chemistry Award, given to the student in organic chemistry who earned the highest grades for the year, went to two students: Lilian Boyle and Rianon McKee.
Outstanding Peer Teacher Award, given to honor exemplary service as a First-Year Seminar peer teacher for the year, went to Lauren Monahan.
Nicky Hoffman Reich Award, given to the student whose work with animals shows commitment to humane treatment, was awarded to Molly Lemke.
Helga Rist Prize, which is given to a dedicated, successful, American Wilson College foreign language student who has demonstrated integrity, promise and potential, was awarded to Caylin Walp.
John D. Rose Award in Environmental Studies, given to an outstanding junior majoring in environmental studies or biology to fund a summer research project or internship, went to Grace Ruback.
William and Ivy Saylor Prize, established through the Academy of American Poets to support young poets at colleges nationwide, was awarded to Molly Lemke.
Grace Tyson Schlichter Award in Communications, which is given to a senior who has shown general academic excellence and outstanding promise for a career in a field of communications, went to Ian Frazier.
Mary Beers Sheppard Prize, awarded to the member of the senior class who has shown the keenest understanding and appreciation of literature, was given to Evan Hoke.
Joan M. Thuebel ’52 Earthwatch Prize, which sponsors a Wilson student or faculty member to participate in an Earthwatch Institute project of his or her choosing, was awarded to Nicole Downey.
William P. Van Looy Business Prize, awarded to the junior or senior business and economics major who has demonstrated excellence in business studies and in service to the well-being of both the Wilson College community and larger community, went to Abigail Siner.
E. Grace White Prize, which is awarded to a senior whose major field is biology or biochemistry, and who has demonstrated outstanding achievement and plans a career involving the biological sciences, was given to Zachary McMaster.
E. Grace White Summer Scholarship, which is awarded to outstanding juniors in biology for use at approved laboratories, was awarded to three students: Abbey Heinbaugh, Rianon McKee and Samuel Ritter.
Wilson College Education Award, given to one elementary education major and a student preparing for teacher certification in a secondary school level who have shown outstanding achievement in both their academic studies and in their professional preparation, was awarded to Brenna Shilling and Benjamin Wingerd.
Wilson Equestrian Award, which goes to a graduating senior who has excelled in academics and equitation, went to Kayley Thompson.
The Wilson College Fine Arts Prize, awarded to a graduating senior for outstanding achievement in both art history and studio art, went to Donna Werling.
Wilson College Nursing Department Award, which is awarded to a student who has demonstrated continuous support of the nursing department through hard work and efforts that echo the department’s philosophy, was given to two students: Shelby Fogus and Cathy Rice.
Wilson College Nursing Clinical Leadership Award, given annually to a student who demonstrates outstanding overall ability to excel in his or her clinical work within the nursing program, went to Heather Robinson.
Wilson College Nursing Leadership Award, presented to a student who has demonstrated nursing leadership abilities both outside and inside the classroom, was awarded to Rachael Garland.
Wilson College Scholar-Athletes, those who have maintained a grade-point average of 3.4 or higher and participated in at least one Wilson varsity athletic team, are: Keion Adams, Jasmine Bankert, Ashlee Bourquin, Meghan Bradley, Jennifer Cail, Jenna Carty, Tiffany Cobb, Payton Dziemburski, Lamar Estep, Ian Firestone, Ian Frazier. Joshua Harvey, Ashley Henderson, Aaron Hoke, Evan Hoke, Kieren Marshall, Brianna Martin, Oliver Perry, Megan Potter, Hannah Quarry, Katelyn Roth, Grace Ruback, Aaron Russ, Ethan Russ, Katie Shank, Carrie Stemple, Justin Vizzi, Caylin Walp and Amber Watkins.
Carolyn Zeleny Prize, which goes to a sociology student in the junior or senior class on the basis of academic excellence and/or community service, was awarded to Aaron Hoke.
Several faculty members were honored during the awards ceremony, including the following faulty who received the Donald F. Bletz Award for Excellence in Teaching: senior faculty award, Edward Wells, professor of environmental studies; junior faculty award, Abigail Berkey, assistant professor of biology; and adjunct faculty award, Susan Livermore, adjunct instructor of English.
Recognized for her legal and business acumen, as well as her work on behalf of women and equality issues, Clorox Executive Vice President and General Counsel Laura Stein will address the graduating class at the 149th annual Wilson College commencement ceremony, to begin at 10 a.m. Sunday, May 19.
Stein, who will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the college, is an attorney who has had a successful career in business and been recognized with a number of awards for her work as a lawyer, businesswoman and volunteer.
This year, approximately 151 students will receive bachelor’s and associate degrees during Wilson’s commencement ceremony, which will be held outside on the college’s main green. (In case of rain, the ceremony will be held in Laird Hall.) Approximately 97 graduates of Wilson’s master’s degree programs in accountancy, education, educational technology, special education, fine arts and nursing will receive degrees.
A baccalaureate service will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, May 18, in Thomson Hall’s Alumnae Chapel.
Stein has been executive vice president and general counsel of The Clorox Co. since 2015. The following year, she was given additional responsibility for corporate affairs. Stein, who speaks six languages, is responsible for global legal, compliance, communications, corporate responsibility/ESG, community affairs, enterprise risk management, internal audit, crisis management/business continuity, security and government affairs matters for Clorox. Before joining Clorox, she was senior vice president and general counsel at the H. J. Heinz Co.
Stein’s work has been recognized by numerous organizations, including the American Bar Association, which has given her its Margaret Brent Award─the organization’s highest award for women. She has also received the Legal Momentum Women of Achievement Award, Sandra Day O’Connor Board Excellence Award, Ted Craig Humanitarian Award and Corporate Board Member America’s Top General Counsel Recognition Award. The National Law Journal named Stein as one of the 20 most influential general counsel in America.
Stein received a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1987 and has bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Dartmouth College.
More than 170 Wilson College students will present the results of their undergraduate and graduate research covering a variety of disciplines and topics at Wilson’s 10th annual Student Research Day on Friday, May 3. The public is invited to join Wilson students, faculty, staff and administrators at all events.Approximately 23 students will give oral presentations based on their work, which was produced in conjunction with faculty advisers, beginning at 8:45 a.m. Sessions will run concurrently in the Brooks Science Center auditorium and John Stewart Memorial Library’s Lenfest Learning Commons. In addition to the oral presentations, other students will share their work graphically in a poster session to be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on the first floor of the original library building. Along with the poster session, students in the Women in Antiquity course will display a pop-up museum exhibition at the same location. At 11 a.m., students in Classical Mythology will perform scenes from ancient Greek theater outside on the library patio, weather permitting, and dance students in the Performance Projects course will perform Dancing in a World of Change, at 11:40 a.m. on the first floor of the original library building. All presentations will conclude by 4:30 p.m. “Student Research Day continues to be my favorite day of the academic year because the research presented, undergraduate and graduate, is the culmination of the academic experience at Wilson College,” said Elissa Heil, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty. “This year’s event is extra special because we are also celebrating our institution’s Sesquicentennial—the 150th anniversary of the founding of Wilson College.” Presentations will focus on the humanities, sciences and social sciences, including the prestigious Disert Scholar session from 3:45 to 4:15 p.m. in the Brooks auditorium. The Disert award, given to the student with the best honors thesis proposal, went this year to Elen Harutyunyan of Yerevan, Armenia. She will present the results of research that examines the impact of sociocultural trauma on the Argentine-Armenian community. Harutyunyan’s research project, In the Shadow of 1915: Post-Genocide Identity Preservation among Argentine-Armenians, investigates the process of identity formation, development and preservation following genocide. Her project is supported by a variety of rich qualitative data, including interviews and ethnographic research. Other presentations will include examinations of: how minority student-athletes experiences at large, primarily white universities or colleges compare to those experienced at small institutions; political engagement among college students at Wilson and beyond; the impact of Alaskan commercial fishing on Chinook salmon; the effects of federally mandated restaurant menu labeling on people with eating disorders; the impacts of pre-operative physical therapy on people undergoing knee replacement; and the effects of urban tributaries on larger bodies of water (specifically how tributaries in Hagerstown, Md., affect the Antietam Creek). Group presentations will include several case students analyzing real-world cases of fraud committed by financial firms and the techniques those firms used to defraud investors. Wilson’s Student Research Day will conclude with the annual Academic Awards presentation at 6 p.m. in the Brooks Science Center auditorium. Student Research Day at Wilson was founded in 2010 as a way to recognize and celebrate the research, scholarship and creative activities of students and their faculty mentors. For more information, visit https://www.wilson.edu/student-research-day-and-academic-awards-ceremony.
Wilson College seniors Jaimi DeVitto, Kiara Scarbrough and Donna Werling will host a capstone exhibition of their art from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 28, at the historic High Line Train Station on South Jefferson Street in Greencastle, Pa. In addition, selections from the students’ bodies of work will be shown at Wilson’s Bogigian Gallery, where a reception will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, May 1. The Bogigian exhibit will run until May 20.
DeVitto is majoring in graphic design, with a secondary area of emphasis in photography. For her capstone project, she created a body of work addressing her own personal grief. Her work reflects on living with loss, sorrow and anxiety through design and photography.
Scarbrough is majoring in studio art (painting) and business. Her current body of work explores how society plays a major role in the development of individuals. “I strive to create work that pushes the viewer out of their comfort zone and into the content and expression of the work," said Scarbrough. "Through paint and found objects, I invite my audience to see the world in a new light.”
Werling is majoring in studio art, with a concentration in painting. Her series of paintings explores those who understand the basic concepts of feminism and consider themselves feminists. Through the presentation of Feminist Selfies: Confessions of People Who Think Women Are People, she hopes to evoke an awareness in her assertion that being a feminist only means one believes that women should not be treated as “less than.”
All three students will present their scholarship in brief talks during Wilson’s annual Student Research Day on Friday, May 3.
The Bogigian Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Admission is free. For additional information or an appointment, contact Professor of Fine Arts Philip Lindsey at 717-264-2783 or philip.lindsey@wilson.edu.
On Thursday, April 4, Wilson College’s nursing honor society celebrated becoming the newest chartered chapter of the prestigious Sigma Theta Tau International (Sigma)—an organization that promotes and recognizes excellence in nursing scholarship, leadership and service worldwide.
Being accepted into Sigma “is really quite an honor and testament to the quality of Wilson’s nursing program,” said Sherri Stahl, senior vice president of hospital services for WellSpan-Summit Health and Wilson’s honor society president.
Wilson’s chapter, Omega Eta Chapter of Sigma, was officially welcomed into the organization by Kenneth W. Dion, assistant dean of business innovation and strategic relations at Johns Hopkins School of Nursing. He told the audience that Sigma has more than 135,000 active members in more than 530 chapters in over 90 countries around the world. It supports nurses throughout their careers and collaborates with organizations to improve the health of the world’s people.
“This is a big deal because it elevates the profession of nursing in this community,” said Julie Beck, director of Wilson’s nursing program and chief nursing officer, as well as honor society faculty counselor. She said this honor reflects well on the quality of Wilson students and the community in general.
At the same event, 53 nurses and nursing students were inducted into the society. Sigma “only extends membership to students who have demonstrated superior academic achievement, academic integrity, and professional leadership potential and to nurse leader candidates exhibiting exceptional achievements in nursing,” Dion said. Our membership includes top-notch nursing executives, clinicians, educators, researchers, policymakers, entrepreneurs and others.”
“You have met or exceeded the rigorous standards required to receive an invitation to join Sigma, and you truly deserve our congratulations,” Dion told the inductees.
All the inductees are either current students enrolled in or graduates of Wilson’s nursing program.
Wilson College will host the 2019 Orr Forum on Monday, April 15, in the John Stewart Memorial Library. The forum will feature guest lecturer Nora Rubel, Ph.D., of the University of Rochester in New York.
Rubel, who is the Jane and Alan Batkin Professor in Jewish Studies, associate professor and chair of the Department of Religion and Classics at the university, teaches and writes on a wide variety of topics related to gender, race and ethnicity in American religion, particularly in relation to food and popular culture.
During the Orr Forum, she will present at two sessions in John Stewart Memorial Library’s Lenfest Learning Commons. Both are free and open to the public. The first lecture, which begins at noon, is entitled Reading Cookbooks: An Exercise in Religious Material Culture. The second session, to begin at 6 p.m., is called Recipes for the Melting Pot: Reading the Settlement Cook Book.
The Orr Forum, established in 1964, is an endowed lecture series focused on reflecting the wide and shifting interests in religion studies in America. This year’s forum is sponsored by the Office of the Chaplain, the Philosophy and Religious Studies Program and the Office of Academic Affairs.
