The Saturday of Commencement Weekend was a full day of ceremonies recognizing student accomplishments. Here is a selection of moments from the events that took place.
Commencement Weekend kicked off with the Ring It Forward ceremony on Friday evening. As a way to support ties and traditions of the College, Wilson alums, and students, the Ring It Forward program matches donated rings with current students. Thank you to all of the alums who generously offered up rings. The rings’ new owners will take pride in carrying the Wilson spirit with them wherever they may go.
May 6 through 10 is National Teacher Appreciation Week and today is National Teacher Day! To celebrate we are spotlighting Charnea Worlds '24 Teacher Certification Pathways (TCP) Completer in Early Childhood Education.
Charnea's practicum supervisor shares "Charnea is a gifted educator! Her classroom is safe and inclusive environment, where all students are encouraged to be curious and are challenged to be critical thinkers. She makes learning fun and keeps expectations high. As a result, Charnea’s students consistently achieve at high levels. Her ability to teach and inspire was further showcased as the student speaker at the TCP Completer Ceremony on May 4, 2024. With Charnea’s TCP Program completion, the field of education officially welcomes an inspiring educator!"
To learn more about Teacher Certification Pathways (TCP) visit: https://www.wilson.edu/TCP
Morgan Kelly '24, an environmental science major with a biology minor, is the president and co-founder of the environmental club and can be found organizing environmental awareness projects and hands-on learning at many events on campus. She accomplishes all this while raising her daughter as part of the Single Parent Scholars Program.
Chris Mayer, Assistant Professor shared "Morgan is an outstanding example of a student who embraced her education here at Wilson."
Wilson's Single Parent Scholar Program was recently mentioned in this NPR article.
Congratulations to all of the students and faculty recognized at the 2024 Wilson College Academic Awards Ceremony.
Victoria Cooper ’24 - Lt. Colonel William A. Knaus Award for Veteran’s Service
Shawnee Cordero ’24 - Lt. Colonel William A. Knaus Award for Veteran’s Service
Hannah Lyons ’24 - The Dorle Haas Memorial Prize
Keaira Lutz ’26 - 1957 Civic Engagement Award
Judith Wolf ’25 - Excellence in Organic Chemistry Award
Erin Roszkowiak ’25 - Barsy-Colgan Academic Research gift awardHailey Steele ’25 - Barsy-Colgan Academic Research gift award
Kaylee Pomfret ’27 - General Chemistry Award
Victoria Cooper ’24 – The Wilson Glencairn Bowlby Equestrian Award
Paige Schade ’24 - The Nicky Hoffman Reich Award
Sydney Caprara ’24 - Sophie's Six Award
Andrew Gervasi 26 - The Margaret Strode Haines Award
Jasmine Gruver ’25 - The Mildred Franklin Prize
Matthew Line ’25 - The Alta Lindsay McElwain Prize
Ryan Reinhardt ’25- The Alice Martin Brumbaugh Award in Sociology
Hennessy Strine ’25 - The Carolyn Zeleny Prize
Natalie Beckner ’26 - The Joanne Harrison Hopkins Literary Achievement Award
Ryan Reinhardt ’25 - Lucy Bremmer Global Citizenship Award
Maddie Flores ’24 - The Helga Rist Prize
Katherine Kimmel ’25 - E. Grace White Summer Scholarship
Abby Sentz ’24 - The Davison Greenawalt Grove Award
Lydia Story ’24 - E. Grace White Prize
Ellisa Gamby-Mickey ’27 - The Robert Shannon McElwain Prize
Saria Alshaikhali ’24 - The Richard C. Grove Award in Business and Economics
Madelyn Bush ’24 - The Virginia Dodd Cooper Prize
Chelsea Zimmann ’25 - The James Applegate Award performance
Erin Roszkowiak ’25 - Joan Thuebel - Earthwatch Prize
Chris Mayer - Joan Thuebel - Earthwatch Prize
Hailey Steele ’25 - The Margaret Criswell Disert Honors Scholarship
Wendell Smith - The Donald F. Bletz Awards for Excellence in Teaching
Bonnie Rock - The Donald F. Bletz Awards for Excellence in Teaching
Hailey Haffey - The Donald F. Bletz Awards for Excellence in Teaching
Not pictured:
Cassidy Sowers ’25 - E. Grace White Summer Scholarship
Zeke Changuris ’24 - Joan Thuebel - Earthwatch Prize
Alyssa Wenger ’24 - Lt. Colonel William A. Knaus Award for Veteran’s Service
Haiden Brookens ’24 - Sophie's Six Award, The Edward and Sarah Anderson Psychology Prize
Nicole Sadlowski ’25 - The Donna Gomer VMT ADP Award
Brittney Parker ’24 - The Estep-Lawson Memorial Prize
Rebecca E. Galvin ’24 - The Gloria Randle Scott-Frances Richards Hesselbein Prize
Jordan F. Hastie ’24 - The Grace Tyson Schlichter Award in Communications
Julianna Vaughan ’24 - The James Applegate Award scholarship
Emma Lowman ’24 - The Josef Michael Kellinger Award
Mariah Kiefer ’24 - The Mary Beers Sheppard Prize
Madeline Neway ’24 - The Mary Beers Sheppard Prize and The William and Ivy Saylor Prize
Andrea Sandova ’24 - The Suzanne Blumenthal Prize in Healthcare and Medical Humanities
Brady Andre ’24 - The William P. Van Looy Business Prize
Melissa Green ’24 - Wilson College Nursing Clinical Leadership Award
Raina Sylvestre ’24 - Wilson College Nursing Division Award
Mercy Osei ’24 - Wilson College Nursing Division Award
Abigail Buck ’24 - Wilson College Nursing Leadership Award
Five Wilson College seniors presented the results of their research at the 2024 Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science (PAS), held April 12-14 at Messiah University, Mechanicsburg, PA.
The students began their projects in the spring of their junior year by writing a research proposal based on a specific question that they were interested in studying. In the fall semester, they completed the lab work and collected data. This semester they have been focused on data analysis, writing a thesis and preparing to communicate their results at PAS. All students represented Wilson College with confidence, poise and professionalism. The biology, biochemistry, and chemistry faculty are proud of the students’ efforts in the laboratory/field and their dedication in preparing for the meeting. They look forward to sharing their results on campus during Student Research Day.
The Pennsylvania Academy of Science judged oral presentations and posters and provided a monetary award for the top three places and honorable mentions in each category. Oral presentations were assessed in categories for scientific merit (ranging from experimental methodologies to analysis of results) and presentation qualities, including visual impact and fielding questions. The overall score was reflective of all subcategories.
Two Wilson students received awards at PAS for their oral presentations. Lydia Story, biology and chemistry major, received an honorable mention for her presentation entitled “The Effectiveness of Sulfur-Containing Compounds on the Inhibition of Growth of Streptococcus pyogenes. Lydia is the 2024 Disert Scholar and a member of the Omicron Delta Kappa Honors Society. Her research was funded in part by the Disert Scholarship and a Barsy-Colgan Student Research Grant. Lydia completed an internship at the Boyce Thompson Institute at Cornell University in the summer of 2023 and will participate in the USDA-ARS Plant Biological Science Internship program in summer 2024. She will attend graduate school at Michigan State University to pursue a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.
Connor Bowers, biology major, received an honorable mention for his presentation “Analyzing the Effect of Aldosterone on Symptoms of Vestibular Dysfunction in Mice”. His research was supported in part by an E. Grace White Summer Research Scholarship. He plans to attend medical school at the Meritus School of Osteopathic Medicine when the first class is admitted in fall 2025.
Three students participated in a poster session:
Chloe Antalek – “The effects of vitamins, supplements, and other naturopathic therapies on the outcomes of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patientAllyson Reese – “Inhibition of Streptococcus equi growth by five types of equine bedding”
Abby Sentz – “Sarcoptic Mange Susceptibility in Juveniles and Adult Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) by Camera Trapping”
The faculty and students wish to thank Wilson College for supporting this research, which is an integral component of the curriculum for biology, biochemistry, and chemistry majors. The three semester research sequence prepares students to enter the job market or to pursue graduate or professional education.
Abstracts (in alphabetical order)
Chloe Antalek – majors in biology and animal studies, minor in psychology
The effects of vitamins, supplements, and other naturopathic therapies on the outcomes of Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients.Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a muscle wasting disease caused by mutations to the dystrophin gene. Treatment options such as exon-skipping and gene therapy are available but limited to certain patients depending on age or mutation location. Steroid treatment continues to be used as the standard of care to help slow the progression of the disease. While research correlating various genotype/mutations with Duchenne outcomes is currently being done, research into other factors that may improve outcomes, such as nutritional supplements, is limited. Supplements are a readily available option and can potentially help lessen the inflammation that contributes to devastating outcomes for Duchenne. This study aimed to determine if certain supplements had an impact on the outcomes of ambulation and cardiac and pulmonary function. Data used in this research were obtained from Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy’s Duchenne Registry (TDR) version dated 31OCT2023, which collects patient-reported data including a “Nutrition and Supplements” registry module detailing patients’ intake of vitamins and supplements. The supplements analyzed in this research were vitamin E, coenzyme Q10, B 50 complex, magnesium, CBD (cannabidiol), vitamin beta carotene, melatonin, calcium, and vitamin D. Data were analyzed to determine if there was a benefit in cardiac function based on the left ventricle ejection fraction determined from an echocardiogram, which is used to measure the amount of oxygen-rich blood pumped out to the body. Histograms and Welch’s two factor t-test (statistical software, R) indicated that there was no significant difference in cardiac function by patients taking the supplements (all supplements analyzed had a p-value > 0.05). Analysis on pulmonary function and ambulation status was difficult to effectively accomplish due to limited data.
Research Advisors: Brad Engle and Marit Delghandi
Connor Bowers – major in biology with minors in chemistry and psychology
Analyzing the Effect of Aldosterone on Symptoms of Vestibular Dysfunction in Mice. Meniere’s disease is a debilitating malady, caused by endolymphatic hydrops, a build-up of fluid within the inner ear, which leads to a variety of symptoms including vertigo (dizziness), tinnitus (ringing in the ear), and hearing loss, which worsen with time. Meniere's has no true cure, causing individuals to rely on medications to alleviate symptoms. This study aims to focus on the impact of aldosterone in leading to symptoms associated with Meniere’s disease caused by endolymphatic hydrops. Aldosterone is a hormone that functions to retain fluid within individuals to help maintain homeostasis. Aldosterone in elevated amounts has been shown to lead to endolymphatic hydrops within the ear due to increased fluid retention. Behavioral tests and a behavioral ethogram will be used to examine the hypothesis that increased amounts of aldosterone given for a longer duration will lead to more severe symptoms of vestibular dysfunction than less amounts given for a shorter period. The data was tested for normalcy using histograms and a Shapiro-Wilkes test, and residuals normalcy examined with a quantile-quantile plot. These tests showed that the data was not normal, so either a robust parametric or nonparametric test would be required. Three single variable linear regression models were then used to determine that the amount of aldosterone given predicted the greatest variance on mouse balance with an r-squared value of 0 .100, the duration of aldosterone administered had a mid-level impact with an r-squared value of .04, and mouse gender had the least effect on balance with an r-squared value of 0.003. Behavioral data and aldosterone blood level data will continue to be collected and analyzed using regression models throughout the remainder of this experiment. This study will determine if further research into the impact of aldosterone on vestibular dysfunction seen in Meniere’s disease patients warrants further investigation.
Research Advisors: Jeffrey Bardwell, Brad Engle, Carolyn Tatsch
Allyson Reese – major in biology, minor in equine management
Inhibition of Streptococcus equi growth by five types of equine beddingStreptococcus equi causes strangles, one of the most infectious domestic equid diseases, that affects horses, donkeys, mules, and ponies. Five types of equine bedding were tested including Pinus echinata (southern yellow pine), Linum usitatissimum (flax), Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar), Hordeum vulgare (barley straw), and shredded newspaper. S. equi is vectored to equines through bedding, contaminated equipment, and through direct contact with an infected equine. Although most equines recover from strangles, some may die from asphyxiation due to swelling around the trachea. The focus of this research was on whether specific types of equine bedding would inhibit the growth of S. equi. Mueller-Hinton agar plates were inoculated with S. equi. Seven wells were made in each plate and small particles of each bedding were placed in individual wells. One well remained empty as a negative control, one well contained sterile deionized water as a negative control, and one penicillin disk was placed in the center of each plate as a positive control. Plates were incubated at 37 ℃ for 24 hours and examined, and if zones of inhibition were present, they were measured. Using one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s post-hoc test, it was determined that southern yellow pine (p=0.000024) and eastern red cedar (p=0.000007) were statistically significant in their ability to inhibit S. equi over the other three bedding types. The spread of S. equi could be reduced in equine facilities by using southern yellow pine, eastern red cedar, or a combination of both bedding types.
Research Advisors: Sherri Buerdsell and Deborah Austin
Abby Sentz – major in biology with a minor in conservation biology
Sarcoptic Mange Susceptibility in Juveniles and Adult Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) by Camera TrappingSarcoptic mange (Sarcoptie scabiei) is a highly contagious parasitic disease commonly found in over 100 mammal species worldwide. In North America, sarcoptic mange has been reported in fox species, coyotes, wolves, black bears, porcupines, rabbits, squirrels, and raccoons. It is essential to monitor this parasitic disease in the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) population due to the high transmission rate of the S. scabiei mite. Red fox individuals were evaluated using camera trapping to determine the relative incidence of sarcoptic mange in juvenile and adult red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Motion-sensitive cameras were placed in six Adams County, PA locations for two months to determine the four most active sites for data collection. These sites were along farmland, national parks, creeks, and forests. The photos were then assessed for coat condition to determine if the red fox individual had sarcoptic mange. No symptoms of mange were observed in any fox individuals recorded. Chi-square analysis indicated that activity levels differed between seasons, with the highest activity occurring in the fall (spring: 8.63%, summer: 32.99%, fall: 49.75%, and winter: 8.63%). More fox activity occurred in areas that were close to humans (86.29%).
Research Advisors: Sherri Buerdsell and Brad Engle
Lydia Story – majors in biology and chemistry
The Effectiveness of Sulfur-Containing Compounds on the Inhibition of Growth of Streptococcus pyogenes.This study focused on identifying chemical compounds that can be used as an alternative to traditional antibiotics to treat strep throat infections caused by the Group A Streptococcus (GAS) strain, Streptococcus pyogenes. Antibiotics often cause undesired side effects or are not effective against continually mutating microbes. To potentially combat this, allicin (diallyl thiosulfinate), dimethyl sulfoxide, diallyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide, and diallyl sulfide were tested as inhibitory agents. These compounds were evaluated to determine if certain functional group(s) were responsible for the effectiveness against S. pyogenes. Antimicrobial activity was assessed by a Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay, using each compound in the pure liquid form. Diallyl disulfide, allyl methyl sulfide, and diallyl sulfide, were mixed respectively with dimethyl sulfoxide to observe the effects of these combinations. The antibiotic penicillin was used as a positive control, to ensure the accuracy of the results. Measurements of the diameter of the zones of inhibition were used to determine the antimicrobial effectiveness of the solutions. Statistical significance was determined by one-way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey HSD (confidence level: 95%, alpha value: 0.05). The ANOVA ran for compounds, mixtures, and compounds v. mixtures, respectively had p-values of <0.00001. Results of the Tukey HSD indicated that the disulfide bond may be necessary for antibacterial properties. Diallyl disulfide (allicin metabolite) was statistically the most effective compound (p-value <0.001), following penicillin (positive control). A mixture of allyl methyl sulfide and dimethyl sulfoxide was also statistically more effective than the pure allyl methyl sulfide compound tested (p-value <0.001), suggesting an allicin molecule could be formed in situ. This research illustrates that compounds with disulfide bonds could serve as candidates for novel antibiotics against gram-positive bacteria. Future studies will need to be performed in vivo to ensure the disulfide compounds will be safe for human consumption at effective concentrations.
Research Advisors: Deborah Austin and Jeffrey Bardwell
Some lucky students will have a skilled and passionate teacher in the near future. Sierra McKimmy '24 is excited to graduate in May and go on to become an educator.
Her Wilson College supervisor, Robert Dortenzo, shared this,
"Sierra has displayed exceptional teaching skills throughout the pre-practicum and practicum experience. Her lesson preparation and implementation, along with the ability to adapt to unexpected situations are indicative of an experienced teacher."
Beth Byers, director of teacher certification pathways at Wilson College, joined Gov. Josh Shapiro, state lawmakers, and other distinguished guests at a news conference in Harrisburg, Pa., on Wednesday April 10, to celebrate the announcement of the state's first-ever student teacher stipend. The program, which launched April 11, compensates eligible student teachers up to $15,000 while going through their apprenticeship, and offers an additional $5,000 for working in a high-needs district.
“We are optimistic that this is a pivotal moment for educators across the state,” said Byers. She explained that 45% of all students seeking teacher certification in Pennsylvania attend one of the state’s 90 independent nonprofit colleges and universities, like Wilson. These students are required to report for 60 days without any compensation to complete their certification.
With the addition of this stipend, Byers explained how several barriers to teacher education will be removed. She said, “One, it’s going to help attract and retain students who may not have considered a teaching profession due to that unpaid student teaching semester. Two, it will alleviate the financial burden of unpaid student teaching for twelve weeks, especially for adults completing a certification program. Three, it will encourage student teachers to consider high-need districts for their student teaching experience. And four, it will increase the willingness of excellent educators to serve as cooperating teachers in the classroom.”
Lynn Newman, Associate Professor of Education and Division Chair of Education & Business; Amy Watson, Placement Coordinator; Beth Byers, Teacher Certification Pathways Director
This program is administered by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) and selection for the stipend is competitive. Student teachers must apply to the program, demonstrate they are student teaching in Pennsylvania in an approved education program, maintain a 3.0 minimum grade point average, and promise to teach in Pennsylvania three years after graduation. Visit pheaa.org/studentteacher for more information.
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.
