Wilson College will host a free seminar for aspiring writers age 14 and older from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 9, in the Brooks Science Center. The Wilson College Colloquium on Creative Writing will be led by six published authors ─ including two Wilson faculty members ─ who will offer sessions on fiction and poetry, and discuss such topics as writing technique, developing characters and plotlines, engaging readers, creating concrete imagery and making revisions.
After the included lunch, the colloquium will conclude with a question-and-answer session with all of the instructors, who will answer any question─from how to come up with story ideas and how to get published to writing tips and more.
“The colloquium is for anyone who has a passion for writing or has a desire to learn more about writing creatively,” said Michael Cornelius, Wilson Professor of English and author/or editor of 18 books. “This is a great opportunity to spend time with authors who are working writers, who have published with large publishing houses, multiple books in some cases, to be able to ask them questions about the publishing industry and what it’s like to be a writer in this day and age.”
Colloquium instructors are:
• Cornelius, an award-winning author whose published works include five novels and short story collections. His short fiction has been published in a number of journals, magazines and anthologies. He is director of Wilson’s Master of Humanities program. • Matthew Diltz McBride, a Wilson instructor of English and creative writing whose first book, City of Incandescent Light, was published in 2018. • Hagerstown Community College Assistant Professor of English Alicia Drumgoole, a published writer whose first novel, Premonition ─ written under the pen name Agnes Jayne ─ is available through Amazon and major retailers. • Fiction and humor writer Seth Fried, author of the forthcoming novel, The Municipalists, and a recurring contributor to The New Yorker’s “Shouts and Murmurs” and NPR’s “Selected Shorts.” In addition to presenting a session on creating compelling plotlines, Fried will also offer a keynote reading of his work ─ open to anyone, whether or not they are attending the colloquium ─ from 12:30 to 1 p.m. in the science center auditorium. • Heather Hamilton, a prize-winning poet whose works have appeared in a number of journals and who teaches at Penn State Harrisburg. • Penn State Harrisburg instructor Eric Bliman, whose chapbook, Travel and Leisure, won the Poetry Society of America's National Chapbook Fellowship in 2012 and whose poems have appeared in a number of literary journals.
More information on the colloquium instructors and workshop topics can be found at www.wilson.edu/cwc, where students also may register for the colloquium. Space is limited so those who plan to attend should register early. Registrations must be completed by March 1.
For more information, contact Michael Cornelius at michael.cornelius@wilson.edu or 727-262-4841.
When Wilson College expanded its teacher certification program last fall to include an online-only option, it offered a limited number of Pennsylvania teacher certifications, including all secondary (7-12), as well as Spanish and business certifications. Now, based on current enrollment and inquiries, the college has expanded its offerings.
Starting immediately, students can enroll and pursue certifications in early childhood preK-4, middle level 4-8 (English language arts, math, science and social studies), and health and physical education. In addition, Wilson is offering dual certification in preK-4, middle level, secondary and special education.
For more information about all of Wilson's Teacher Certification Pathways program, including the online-only option, visit www.wilson.edu/tcp.
An exhibition of artwork created by members of the Wilson College staff and faculty will open with a reception from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 6, in the Bogigian Gallery, which is located on the second floor of Lortz Hall. The exhibit, which is free and open to the public, will run through March 8.
The exhibition - a mix of serious and playful explorations in creativity - is a diverse show of traditional and nontraditional work, including painting, drawing, photography, ceramics and quilting.
The Bogigian Gallery is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday or by appointment. For more information, contact Professor of Fine Arts Philip Lindsey at 717-264-2783 or philip.lindsey@wilson.edu.
Wilson College will be able to digitize its archived collection of print editions of its student newspaper, The Billboard, thanks to a $6,000 grant from the Council of Independent Colleges. The CIC grant was made possible by a contribution from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Digitizing issues of The Billboard will make copies of the newspaper, which dates to 1921, widely available to researchers and others from virtually anywhere, according to Amy Ensley, director of Wilson’s Hankey Center. The Hankey Center houses and manages Wilson’s C. Elizabeth Boyd ’33 Archives.
“These newspapers cover every turning point in the last 100 years through the eyes of students. They also represent nearly 100 years of women’s history,” Ensley said, referring to the fact that for most of the time period, Wilson was a women’s college. The college went coed in 2013.
Digitizing Wilson’s collection of student newspapers enhances its value as a historical record by making it searchable, which means the wealth of information contained within newspapers will be easier to tap by anyone researching a variety of topics─from gender and social issues to national and world affairs.
Once published weekly, The Billboard today is published every three weeks.
The timetable for completing the digitization project and details about how the collection will be accessed off campus will be announced in the coming months. On campus, users will be able to access the newspapers using JSTOR Forum, a software platform that allows digitized materials to be organized, accessed and shared.
Founded in 1956, the Council of Independent College is the leading national association for nonprofit, independent colleges and universities, working “to support college and university leadership; advance institutional excellence; and enhance public understanding of private higher education’s contributions to society,” according to the organization’s mission statement. More information can be found at www.cic.edu.
The Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation recently awarded Wilson College a $720,000 grant to fund scholarships for students with financial need through the Stabler Scholarship Endowment.
The endowment has provided scholarships for 305 Wilson students since the program began in 2008. Students are selected for scholarships based on financial need, academic achievement and service to the community.
Students who receive Stabler Scholarships sign a “debt of conscience” indicating that when they are able, they will make contributions to the endowment in an amount equal to what they received. The agreement, while not a formal legal pact, serves as a commitment to future philanthropy on graduation.
“We are thankful for this gift from The Stabler Foundation because it will enable deserving students who need financial assistance to receive an education at Wilson College,” said Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick. “We are tremendously grateful for the foundation’s faithful and generous support.”
Since 1985, The Stabler Foundation has provided Wilson with more than $5.5 million in funding for a number of programs, including the Stabler Scholarship Endowment; Curran Scholars program, which promotes student volunteerism; and daycare support for students in Wilson’s Single Parent Scholars program.
Located in Harrisburg, The Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation was established by the Stablers in 1966 exclusively for charitable, religious, scientific, literary or educational purposes. The foundation awards grants to educational institutions, parochial or church-related schools, nonprofit hospitals and medical facilities. The foundation also supports religious institutions and social service organizations that seek to preserve and instill traditional moral and ethical values, respect for the family, concern for others, self-reliance and a productive life.
Wilson College has received a $4,500 grant from F&M Trust. The grant will augment the existing F&M Trust Scholarship Endowment, which provides scholarships for Wilson adult students (those who earned their high school diplomas or completed their G.E.D. at least four years ago) with financial need. F&M has a history of supporting Wilson dating back at least 20 years. To date, the bank has contributed more than $121,000 to the college through the scholarship endowment, capital campaigns and the annual fund, in addition to supporting Wilson's annual golf tournament for a number of years. A subsidiary of Franklin Financial Corp., F&M Trust is an independent community bank headquartered in Chambersburg. With approximately $1.2 billion in assets, F&M Trust has 22 community-banking locations in Franklin, Cumberland, Fulton and Huntingdon counties.
Wilson College and Hagerstown Community College have reached an agreement guaranteeing qualified HCC students admission to Wilson bachelor’s degree programs and allowing them to transfer all credits earned with a grade of C or higher.
The dual admission and articulation agreement, officially signed today by college officials at a ceremony on Wilson’s campus, offers HCC associate degree graduates additional advantages that make continuing their education as seamless as possible, including receiving full junior status at Wilson if they transfer 60 credits, as well as having Wilson’s admission fee waived. Qualified HCC students will also receive coordinated academic advising by both colleges to ensure that they take courses that can be applied to their bachelor’s degree.
The goal is to encourage more HCC graduates to pursue a bachelor’s degree after they complete their associate degree by making the transition as smooth and economical as possible, according to officials at both institutions.
“Partnerships like these allow students to complete their bachelor’s degrees in less time, saving them money while preparing them for the ever-changing 21st-century employment landscape,” said Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick. “Not only is a bachelor’s degree required for a growing number of jobs, but it is also the key to more earning power over the course of a career. At Wilson, we are committed to improving access to our programs for all students.”
Specifically, to qualify for a Wilson bachelor’s degree pathway under the dual admission agreement, HCC students must graduate with an associate degree with a minimum, cumulative grade-point average of 2.0, and they must have submitted an intent form upon completing 30 credits at HCC. Students may transfer to Wilson a maximum of 72 credits earned at HCC.
“We are excited to enter this agreement with Wilson College,” said HCC President Jim Klauber. “It will give our graduates, especially those pursuing a master’s degree, more options and opportunities. I am always excited to open more doors of opportunity for our graduates.”
Mistick and Klauber signed the accord, as well as Wilson Vice President for Academic Affairs Elissa Heil and HCC Vice President of Academic Affairs and Student Services David Warner.
The benefits of higher levels of education extend to both employers and students. “The data are clear: a college degree is key to economic opportunity, conferring substantially higher earnings on those with credentials than those without,” according to The College Payoff: Education, Occupations Lifetime Earnings, a report on lifetime earnings by level of education published by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce.
Drawing from U.S. Census Bureau data, the report outlines the increased earning potential over the course of a lifetime, with an associate degree holder earning, on average, $423,000 more than a person with only a high school diploma, and a bachelor’s degree yielding an average of $541,000 more than an associate degree.
About Wilson College Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college in Chambersburg, Pa., offering bachelor’s degrees in 35 majors and graduate degrees in education, healthcare, nursing, business and the arts and humanities. Ranked as a top college and a "best value" in the region by U.S. News & World Report, Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation. Wilson, located in Chambersburg, Pa., had a fall 2018 enrollment of 1,499. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.
About HCC Hagerstown Community College was founded in 1946 and is a two-year public community college offering more than 100 areas of study in both transfer and career-oriented programs, as well as continuing education classes. The college is accredited by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools and serves more than 6,000 credit students and 7,000 continuing education students each year. Since 2003, early college enrollment has grown to nearly 900 high school students who take HCC classes each year through the ESSENCE Program and the STEMM Technical Middle College. To learn more, visit www.hagerstowncc.edu.
The Office of the Chaplain has been awarded a $6,000 grant to allow Wilson students to continue partnering with a central Pennsylvania Presbyterian relief organization, Lend A Hand, to undertake disaster relief trips in 2019.
The grant was awarded by the Synod of the Trinity, Presbyterian Church (USA), which oversees 16 Presbyteries in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. The Synod has provided the chaplain’s office with an annual gift for more than 25 years, but this year, the process was different. “The Synod redefined its giving program this year as a competitive grant for campus ministry,” said Margaret Light, Wilson director of corporate and foundation relations. The result was a grant that is significantly greater than in the past.
“I was stunned to get $6,000,” said the Rev. Derek Wadlington, the College’s Helen Carnell Eden Chaplain. “I think this is a tremendous opportunity and I’m grateful for this funding, which allows us to engage students in a service-learning activity that will return tenfold on its investment.”
Last January, Wadlington and nine Wilson students worked with a dedicated group of volunteers in the Lend A Hand group−a disaster relief team coordinated by the Synod’s Camp Hill, Pa., base−to help families in Princeville and Tarboro, N.C., where the communities are still struggling to recover from 2016’s Hurricane Matthew. The funding for that trip was pieced together with a collection taken at the 2017 Christmas vespers service and money provided by President Barbara K. Mistick’s office, Wadlington said.
With the new funding, Wadlington said his office will be able to take two relief trips in 2019. He plans to lead a return trip to North Carolina over the upcoming January-Term and another relief mission over Alternative Spring Break in 2019, the location of which has yet to be determined.
The disaster relief trips are important, not just in helping Americans in need, but also in terms of developing Wilson students’ character, according to Wadlington, who said working with the Lend A Hand volunteers last January was an “awesome” experience for students. “It educated and empowered a number of students who went on the trip in a way that was transformative for them,” he said. “It also exposed them to a group of people who give because of their faith … and also offered conversations to folks who want to talk about faith and spirituality. I do believe that spiritual growth and discernment should be part of their college time.”
Wilson College senior Wendy Arispe will host her capstone art exhibition from 4:30 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 13, at the Bogigian Gallery in Lortz Hall on the Wilson campus. Admission is free and open to the public.
Arispe is majoring in graphic design, with a secondary emphasis in photography. Her capstone project focuses on human emotion, incorporating poetry, photography and poster design. Additionally, a series of her photographs will be on display.
Early in her student career, Arispe was introduced to the work of American photographer Minor White. “It was then that my interest in high-contrast (infrared) photography and the beauty of the formal elements began,” she said. “I enjoy the drama that high contrast creates in a photograph and with the use of infrared film, I am able to capture dream-like images and various patterns of light in nature.” The Bogigian Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For additional information or an appointment, contact Professor of Fine Arts Philip Lindsey at 717-264-4141, Ext. 2783, or philip.lindsey@wilson.edu.
The John Stewart Memorial Library (JSML) at Wilson College will host the Glass Room Experience - a portable, pop-up exhibition on data and privacy - through Dec. 10. The exhibition, which uses art objects to raise awareness about technology and its impact on our lives, is free and open to the public.
Described as an art exhibit, learning experience and powerful statement on the role of technology in our daily lives, the Glass Room uses art objects to make issues involving online privacy and data collection accessible and tangible.
"See what scale of the company behind the platform you use every day, understand what data can be gleaned from your selfie, and figure out what you're agreeing to with the privacy policies you rarely read," according to the Tactical Technology website, which further describes the Glass Room as "an immersive ‘tech store with a twist’ that disrupts our relationship with technology and encourages visitors to make informed choices about their online life."
Visitors can check out the exhibition on the first floor of the library during normal operating hours. The JSML is open Mondays through Thursdays from 7:45 a.m. to 11 p.m., Fridays from 7:45 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 11 p.m.
More than 60,000 visitors have visited the Glass Room exhibitions around the world. For more information about the exhibition, visit theglassroom.org.
