Allegheny Magazine

Winter 2014

V.P. for Enrollment and College Relations

Brian F. Dalton

Associate V.P. for Marketing and Communications

Rachel H. Garza

Editor

Richard D. Stanley

Designer

Penny Drexel

Contributors

Nahla Bendefaa

Heather L. Grubbs

Jesse Lavery

Derek Li

Brian Martone

Sean O'Connor

Kathleen Prosperi-McClard ’11

Camron S. Terwilliger ’04

Bernadette Wilson

College Photographer

Bill Owen ’74

Combinations

Meet the Class of 2018

 

One of the goals of Allegheny’s Combinations 2020 strategic plan is to create a multicultural campus promoting the global understanding of both international and domestic students.

Allegheny took a significant step to further internationalize the campus this year, as 18 Brazilian students are spending the academic year at Allegheny as part of the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program (BSMP). The program provides scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students from Brazil for study at colleges and universities in the United States. After completion of an academic year, students return to Brazil to complete their degrees.

Last year, Allegheny hosted three students from the BSMP. This year, because of the College’s international reputation for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) excellence, the program grew to 18 students—meaning Allegheny has the second-highest Brazilian program placement among private colleges in Pennsylvania.

“The Brazilian government recognizes the rigorous curriculum Allegheny offers and believes the College provides the education needed to train future leaders,” says Brian F. Dalton, Ph.D., vice president for enrollment and college relations. “In addition, our partnership with the BSMP has helped us to continue internationalizing our campus, which allows our students to be exposed to diverse cultures and learn different ways of thinking.”

Learning the Ropes

Pedro Luiz, Bruno Marques and Ana Nasser are three of the 18 Brazilian students who are on campus this year. Once they arrived at Caflisch, Walker and Ravine-Narvik residence halls in August, the students say they immediately saw the benefits of Allegheny’s diverse campus.

“I can have Japanese friends, Chinese friends, Latin friends and more,” Luiz says. “We even noticed the accents from our roommates who are from different parts of Brazil. This is awesome for me.”

Since day one, Luiz, Marques and Nasser, who are all biomedical science majors, noticed several differences from their public universities in Brazil. This includes having roommates for the first time, the decreased reliance on public transportation in the United States and the many food options students have at each meal.

One of the biggest surprises, they say, was seeing the variety of STEM classes offered, such as biochemical metabolism, cellular biology, systems neuroscience, cognitive neuropsychology and epidemiology.

“In Brazil, if you want to be a physician like we do, you go straight to a university after high school, and everyone has the same class schedule,” Nasser says. “Here, we have more options.”

The length of classes and their structure also differ from Brazil.

“At home, we go to class Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon and from 2 to 6 p.m.,” Nasser says. “Here, the classes are shorter, which leaves more time for us to study.

“We’re also surprised by how well you can get to know your professors here,” she continues. “In Brazil, we have a professor for one class, and then the next day we will have a different one. In two years, I’ve had more than 50 teachers.”

Brazilian students who are interested in the BSMP go through a yearlong application process. If they are accepted into the program, they are assigned to a U.S. college or university.

Marques, who is interested in pursuing a career in cardiac surgery, admits that when he first learned he would be attending Allegheny, he was a bit nervous.

“My first thought was, ‘Where is Allegheny?’” he says. “But now that I’m here, I know it was a good surprise. I wouldn’t choose another school. I really love it here.”

“Once I heard that I was coming to Allegheny, I connected with students on Facebook, and everyone said good things,” adds Luiz, who someday wants to be a surgeon. “This is a unique opportunity that our government is providing for us to contribute to our academic success. We are very grateful.”

America 101

In addition to academics—and enjoying their first true Thanksgiving dinner—the three students hoped to learn more about the American culture and way of life during their time at Allegheny.

“I’m here to make friends and meet people from different countries, learn the difference in the American culture and other cultures, travel the United States and eat different foods,” Luiz says. “I’m also excited to learn about how the American system of health works. I want to teach what I learn to the people in our country.”

The group—who didn’t know each other until they arrived in Meadville just one week prior to classes starting—admits that they miss their families and friends in Brazil. They say they are thankful for technology like Skype to help them keep in touch.

Despite being a bit homesick at times, they agree that the Allegheny community has been very welcoming.

“We have a good support system here. There are so many people ready to help you,” Luiz says. “We miss our family, but we feel at home because we are surrounded by good people.”

“From the moment we arrived, we received a schedule and knew what we were going to do,” Nasser adds. “Everything is so organized here.”

“This is a wonderful group of students who is eager to meet new friends and learn about our community all while taking time to teach us about their beautiful country of Brazil,” says Jenny Kawata, Allegheny director of international education. “They are taking advantage of every opportunity available to them at Allegheny, from individual academic research projects in neuroscience to activities sponsored by the Outing Club like kayaking on Lake Erie. We are very fortunate to be able to host them on our campus.”

Although they are still learning the intricacies of life in the United States, the students already have a few words of advice for students thinking about applying to the BSMP.

“Don’t be afraid to come here; enjoy the experience,” Luiz says. “Once you’re living it, you will learn how good it is.”

“Be open-minded. Be yourself. Enjoy the time you have here,” adds Marques. “This is an experience I will take with me forever.”

A Second Home

International Students Join the Allegheny Community

By

Heather L. Grubbs

Dan Conant ’07 is helping to make West Virginia a cleaner, forward-looking place when it comes to renewable energy. The Allegheny alumnus recently established Solar Holler, an innovative solar-financing company that is bringing renewable energy to nonprofit organizations in the Mountain State.

Conant, who graduated from Allegheny in 2007 with a degree in international studies, says that even though he had moved away from Jefferson County to attend college and later for graduate school and work, his heart has always been in his home state of West Virginia. That’s why he is excited to be able to bring sustainable energy sources to its residents.

Shepherdstown Presbyterian Church, located in Conant’s hometown in the eastern panhandle, agreed to allow Solar Holler to launch its pilot project there. The church hopes the project will become a model for similar undertakings across the state and the Appalachian region.

The church installed 60 solar panels on its roof that are providing about 40 percent of the church’s energy use, helping it to reduce its utility bills. But what is groundbreaking about the community project is the way it was paid for—with the church and its members paying just $1 for the system. Rather than pay upfront for the church’s solar system out of pocket, or by running a traditional fundraising campaign, Conant describes the project as “building a virtual power plant in a first-of-its-kind project.”

From the development of the model to the installation of the solar panels, the project took a full year, a timespan that Conant thinks will be reduced to three months for future projects.

Solar Holler is unique, not because it benefits nonprofits, but because it brings solar energy to churches, municipalities and libraries for $1. “Nonprofits, churches and municipalities—those groups that need energy savings the most—face hurdles that homes and businesses don't,” he says. “It’s really hard for nonprofits, because all of the solar incentives are through tax credits. If you don’t pay taxes in the first place, you can’t get a credit. Because of these hurdles, few nonprofits have gone solar. But that's why I founded Solar Holler, to help West Virginia's community groups go solar.”

The Shepherdstown project uses a crowdfunding option in which efficiency savings from electric hot water heaters are used to pay for the church’s solar system. Solar Holler puts a twist on traditional crowdfunding, which is the practice of funding a project or venture by raising monetary contributions from a large number of people.

Here is how Conant explains the Solar Holler model:

1. Community members, both homeowners and small businesses, volunteer to have their electric water tanks outfitted with a remote control installed by Mosaic Power, a smart grid technology company in Frederick, Maryland. Mosaic can turn water tanks on and off at a moment's notice, helping to reduce blackouts and pollution. Mosaic pays for all the equipment, and pays property owners $100 per tank per year. But instead of taking the money and spending it, community members donate the $100 annual rebate to help pay for the solar project.

2. Once enough community members sign up to support the project, Solar Holler pays for the solar system and sells it to the community organization for just $1.

3. Solar Holler pays off this investment with the donated income from the water tanks. Once the system is paid off, further income is recycled into more solar projects with West Virginia nonprofits.

By implementing a crowdfunding project in such a model, Shepherdstown Presbyterian and Solar Holler managed to recruit more than 100 families and businesses in this small community to come together, without putting the financial burden on individuals.

Laura Nagel ’07, Dan Conant’s wife and Allegheny alumna, handles many of the logistics for Solar Holler, including integrating water heaters into the virtual power plant, and keeping everything running smoothly.

“People came together and donated their time and talent to blaze a sustainable path forward for towns and hollers across West Virginia. And for that I couldn't be more grateful,” says Conant.

Conant insists that in order to tackle the issue of climate change, there’s no more important place than West Virginia in terms of controlling carbon emissions.

“We're an energy state; it's what we do. It's time that we started repowering West Virginia for the 21st century. That's what we're doing with Solar Holler, building a renewable energy industry in a state that desperately needs one,” says Conant.

Solar Holler has a goal of completing solar projects in all 55 counties of the state in the next five years.

Protecting the environment isn’t Conant’s only motivating factor. West Virginia is experiencing a significant “brain drain” that is emptying small towns. “I can count my high school classmates who are still around. And it's because the 21st century jobs are in other states. But I'm not willing to accept that for our state, and fortunately we don't need to.” he says.

Allegheny College played an important part of his life, says Conant. During his time at Allegheny, Conant took on different leadership positions, including Allegheny Student Government, which taught him to dream of new ways of doing things and then going out and making them happen. Conant also gives his senior comp some credit. His comp blended international studies and environmental sciences. “My comp focused on the political and economic reasons that the United States and the European Union had parted ways on climate change,” he says. “At the end of the day, it came down to the way our government is structured and the importance of fossil fuels to local economies. Those economies and their representatives make up a large part of the U.S. Senate.”

It is this insight that his research provided that pushed him to look for ways to make renewable energy affordable, and to bring it to traditional fossil fuel states such as West Virginia that would otherwise be hurt economically in a transition to renewable energy. “It makes sense that West Virginia is proud of coal; it has powered the country and the local economy for more than 100 years. But the world is changing, and if West Virginia wants to remain an energy leader, we have to be creative and forward-looking.” he says.

On upcoming projects and developments, Conant says: “We'll continue to innovate and create new tools that help communities in West Virginia go solar so that we can scale up our impact and progress. I'm ambitious and not willing to take ‘maybe someday’ for an answer. Now's the time for solar in West Virginia, and we'll make it happen, faster than anyone can even imagine.”

Sun-Kissed

Solar Holler is Repowering Appalachia

 

By

Nahla Bendefaa

The Bicentennial

Plaza Ceremony Kicks Off Fall Semester

On the afternoon of Oct. 17, 2014, the College revealed its new Bicentennial Plaza near Schultz Banquet Hall.

The plaza is elevated above the patio in front of Schultz Hall, and the patio has been redesigned and landscaped in ways that call to mind the Alumni Gardens that were in that spot in an earlier time in Allegheny’s history. Leading to the plaza from Bentley Hall is the History Walkway that includes 43 bronze plaques that feature memorable events in the College’s 200-year timeline.

The new space will be a gathering place for Commencement, concerts and speeches throughout the years. President James H. Mullen, Jr. delivered the keynote address at the ceremony. The president’s words set the tone for Allegheny’s yearlong Bicentennial celebration.

Hear the keynote and choir performance using the player below. Read the full text of President Mullen’s keynote after.

Good Afternoon.

As the 21st President of Allegheny College, it is a special honor for me to welcome you to this dedication ceremony. I welcome Chair Rob Smith, Vice Chair Tim Reeves and the Board of Trustees who are stewards of a legacy that extends back to our founders; our faculty who carry on and enrich a distinguished tradition of academic rigor and excellence; our staff and administrators who every day work quietly and effectively to create the best residential liberal arts experience in the nation; our students whose idealism and promise are sources of hope for our nation’s future; and our alumni, including our Alumni Council, whose devotion to Allegheny gives life to our tradition.

I offer special thanks to the College’s Bicentennial Committee, colleagues from across campus whose work has set the foundation for the celebration of this historic year.

I also thank Roger Gildea and Gilcon Construction Company, as well as other contractors whose work made this plaza a reality and in a very special way, to our colleagues Cliff Willis, Jed Miller, Chris Howard and to Brian Gillette and, as always, the team in Physical Plant, not only for their work on the plaza, but for maintaining the most beautiful campus in America.

I welcome Congressman Kelly, Mayor Soff, Representative Brooks, Representative Roae, Commissioner Lynch, elected officials and our fellow citizens of Meadville and Crawford County. Our relationship with this city and region is deep and enduring, grounded in our common commitment to building community and enriching the lives of those who live here. From our founding, the people of Northwest Pennsylvania have supported the College—we have grown together across two centuries and in so many ways we have become the institution we are because of what this community has meant to us. We are today and always proud that we are so much a part of Meadville and that Meadville is so much a part of us.

I also acknowledge Bishop Bickerton and the special role that the Methodist Church has played in Allegheny’s history. Our College would not be here today without the commitment of the Methodist Church at a crucial time in our history. Moreover, our connection to the church has informed our values, most profoundly our commitment to service and to social justice—and it has stood as a constant reminder that we are all part of something larger than ourselves; something that is good and worthy yet beyond easy definition or simple rationalization.

I thank those whose generosity has made this beautiful plaza possible. In particular, the Great Class of 1965, whose efforts were led by Carole Williams; to Fred Isaac and Robin Reiner, who are always there to support critical needs of the College; to the Lord Family who two centuries ago donated the land upon which Allegheny would grow and prosper; the Shultz family, whose extraordinary contributions to our community are forever commemorated through Shultz Hall which is a landmark of this campus.

And, of course, to Carol Tillotson, Class of 1954, whose character, dignity, generosity and love of this place reminds us all of what it means to be an Alleghenian and whose family stands among the most significant and beloved in our College’s history. Immediately following this ceremony, it will be my pleasure to join with Carol and the Tillotson family to dedicate a tree in their honor, one more way on this historic day to say thank you to her and to them for all they mean to us.

Today’s ceremony marks the official beginning of our College’s Bicentennial celebration…a moment that joins each of us to generations past and future. This plaza and the 43 historic plaques that line the walkway from Bentley Hall combine to tell the remarkable story of an iconic place.

It is a story that begins with Timothy Alden, whose deep religious faith, courage and vision led him to the western frontier of a new nation, where he and the people of this community joined to establish a college that 200 years later stands as one of the most distinguished in America. It is a story framed by a remarkable line of faculty—men and women whose commitment to residential liberal learning has never wavered and has transformed the lives of Allegheny students through the decades. It is a story carried forward by generations of alumni, who in their love of this place and the achievements of their lives have honored the best traditions of our College and shaped the history of our country.

If we were to do nothing else this day but acknowledge the extraordinary story of Allegheny College and the people who shaped its past, we would share a wonderful and worthwhile celebration.

This day, however, should be about something more than the remarkable story that is Allegheny’s history—it should also be about the possibilities of our future; as much about what can be as what has been; about the chapter that our generation will write and the legacy we will leave. As we celebrate the first two centuries of Allegheny College, we are accountable to define its third.

This celebration is really all about generational responsibility; about what it means to inherit, build upon and bequeath an historic trust.

It is about our responsibility to those who preceded us—to steward the institution they labored to build. It is also about our responsibility to those who will follow us; our obligation to those who will teach here in the next century and those who will graduate on this plaza and influence the history of their time. We will never know most of them, but the work we do in this moment will shape the Allegheny that they inherit.

The significance of this moment calls us to boldness; to write a chapter worthy of an institution that has traced the arc of our nation’s history—a chapter that at once honors those who have come before us and is true to those who will follow; a chapter that is not only meaningful for Allegheny, but one that contributes to the future of all American higher education.

Our moment challenges us to reaffirm our historic commitment to a student experience rooted in the values that have been core to Allegheny across generations—an experience shaped by academic rigor, integrity and civility; It challenges us to ensure an experience that is at once true to the best of the liberal arts tradition and relevant for the 21st century—an experience that ensures that students will have opportunities to understand and embrace the diversity of the world around them; that they will have the chance to reflect and examine in meaningful ways on the career options that await them; that they will be inspired to answer the call of citizenship—contributing to well-being of their communities, nation and world; that they will grow as human beings who are sensitive, compassionate, hard-working and committed to excellence.

This moment invites us to examine our College’s place in and its responsibilities to a wider society and a wider world—a world of extraordinary complexity and constant change; a world in which instantaneous communication has transformed how we interact with each other; a world in which cultures intersect in ways never before seen; a world in which the right and wrong of history inform the reality of the present and our expectations for the future.

It is our responsibility to prepare our students to engage that world in all its complexity—and, moreover, to succeed in that world and lead in it. The vision and rigor that we bring to this ongoing work should inform all of higher education.

Ours is a moment of historic privilege—one that no other generation of Alleghenians will enjoy. It is our choice as to how we embrace this privilege. As we do so, I would ask that each of us reflect on the story told on this walkway; that every alumna and alumnus of the College reflect on the lessons you learned here, the faculty who taught you here, the friendships you made here. I would ask that each of you think about how your life is different because of Allegheny and the years you spent here.

And then I would ask that each of us commit ourselves to this College and its special place in our nation’s past, present and future. I would ask that each of us embrace our generational responsibilities to those who preceded us and those who will follow us. And I ask that each of us join to define a third century for Allegheny that is worthy of this moment and true to the historic privilege we share—a third century in which this great and historic place sets the standard of excellence for liberal arts learning in America.

That is a great and worthy quest, one that should carry us in the tomorrows that await us and—one that I am honored to share.

Thank you.

Class Notes

Notes, Unions, Arrivals and Obituaries

’51

Nancy Luse Johnson says she and her husband, Bob, live at Shannondale of Maryville, an assisted living facility that includes private homes. Maryville is southwest of Knoxville, Tenn.

’54

Roger Jackman retired Jan. 1, 2014, after 27 years of Army service and 55 years in the practice of medicine.

’58

Chuck Hawkins is co-chair of the Senior Leaders Greenville program sponsored by Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Furman University. This yearlong course is designed to prepare participants with background information to enhance their efforts to meet the needs of the growing senior population in the Greenville, S.C., metropolitan area.

Thomas Jones has released another book, From Outside Looking Further Out, published in March 2014 by Balboa Press. “The contents of the book were written over many years beginning more than 15 years ago, directed at the medical and social structures of our societies, and designed to try to focus attention on some serious flaws in the system,” says Jones. “My new book was based on editorials I wrote, many in the Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases while I was editor. The sad news is that since I wrote those editorials nothing has changed­—the good news is that maybe it is time that something could happen.”

Kicking Off Allegheny’s Bicentennial on a High Note

Crawford Thoburn ’54

By Heather L. Grubbs

During the College’s initial Bicentennial planning, James Niblock ’97, assistant professor of music and director of choral activities, began thinking about how the music program could contribute to the celebration. That’s when he inquired about having a musical piece commissioned to be debuted at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new Bicentennial Plaza and History Walkway, which took place Oct. 17.

“When the Bicentennial Committee approved the idea, one of the first people I thought of asking was alumnus Crawford Thoburn,” Niblock says. “His distinguished music career speaks for itself, and his family has a strong connection to Allegheny. It would be difficult to find someone who embodies that continuing connection to the institution as much as he does.”

During his time at the College, Crawford Thoburn ’54 studied theory, arranging and conducting with music program/choir director founder Morten “Luvy” Luvaas and sang with the mixed choral group called the Allegheny Singers. He is now emeritus professor of music at Wells College in Aurora, N.Y., where he served as chair of the arts division and director of choral activities and taught voice, conducting, theory, composition and music history.

So when Thoburn received the call from Niblock about commissioning the piece, he was touched.

“Although the Allegheny choirs have sung other choral works by me in the past, to be asked to write a piece celebrating the College’s Bicentennial is truly a special privilege and honor,” he says.

After the call, he immediately knew where he would draw his inspiration.

“Years ago I did a successful setting of a text titled ‘Wisdom Exalteth her Children’ for women’s voices, and more recently I had intended to compose a new version for mixed voices. When Professor Niblock called about the Bicentennial, I knew this was the text I wanted to use,” he says. “It’s always held a special place in my heart.”

“The piece is a great sentiment for celebrating the longevity of an institution like Allegheny that is all about the pursuit of wisdom and embracing that in a joyful way,” Niblock adds.

Throughout the years, Thoburn has published more than 100 choral compositions, arrangements and editions, including those that Allegheny choirs past and present have sung. He also is a recipient of Allegheny’s Gold Citation, in recognition and appreciation of the honor reflected upon the College by virtue of his professional achievements.

’60

Joe Leech’s latest book, The New Affordable Free Retirement Guide—For Everyone, has been published by Create Space. It is available on Amazon, as are some of his previous works. This is a short work but contains information everyone should be aware of. He lives near Naples, Fla.,with his wife, Ruth Ann.

’61

Linda Huffington says she gathered with Allegheny friends from the Class of 1961 this summer in the Pittsburgh/Akron areas. Pictured are, from left, front row: Nancy Joslin Wible, Judy Dufur Johnson, Jan Jenks Everett. Back row: Linda Huffington, Mimi Jackson Lewellan, Bobbi Heller Watson, Anne Herzog Lamotte.

'62

Joseph D. O’Neill P’95 was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2015 in the fields of commercial litigation, labor and employment, plaintiff’s personal injury, medical malpractice law, product liability litigation, criminal defense: white collar and non-white collar and driving under the influence/driving while intoxicated defense. He also was named “Plaintiff’s Lawyer of the Year” for 2014 Atlantic City personal injury litigation. He is the only lawyer in New Jersey to be selected in eight categories of selected practice.

’68

Glenn Hanniford and his wife, Barb Pelander Hanniford, traveled with their children and grandsons to the Pacific Northwest for a family wedding. Their youngest grandson, Nigel, was born April 1, 2013. Barb is retired from her full-time position at Cleveland State University, but is still working part time teaching graduate courses and coordinating continuing education programs.

Scott McGill received the Distinguished Service Chapter Citation from the Delta Tau Delta Fraternity. The citation is Delta Tau Delta’s highest service honor. Across three decades, Scott has been a dedicated alumnus while working with chapters at Allegheny, Kettering, Michigan State and Western Michigan in the roles of chapter adviser, advisory team member, alumni supervisory committee member, house corporation member and division vice president.

’74

John Morris was elected president of the Society of Toxicology. He previously served as interim dean of the University of Connecticut’s School of Pharmacy.

Michael Piraino has been named one of The NonProfit Times’ Power and Influence Top 50 honorees this year. Michael, CEO of CASA for Children, has built a network of 77,000 volunteers serving more than 243,000 abused and neglected children across America.

Carol Reardon, a professor at Pennsylvania State University who also has taught at West Point and the U.S. Army War College, was one of the recipients of the Bachelder-Coddington Literary Award from the Robert E. Lee Civil War Roundtable of Central New Jersey. The award is presented annually to the work that most significantly contributes to the knowledge of the Gettysburg campaign or to its memorialization.

Francis “Ric” Rivette is proud to announce the release of the second novel by his wife. Judith LaManna Rivette (pictured) has written Saint Carmella’s Grotto, set in the early 1900s featuring resettled immigrant families, intrigue and a belief in the malocchio. Visit judithlamanna.us.

Dan Pride has launched his new mobile app, Solomon’s Chariot.

’75

Robin Menge Hoffman has retired after being a speech-language pathologist in the California public schools for 37 years. She looks forward to now having time to come to Allegheny class reunions and seeing classmates.

’76

Rich Miller (second from the right) and Duke Miller ’73 (right) met at the Marine Corps Museum in Quantico, Va., where Rich’s son, Geoff, was commissioned a second lieutenant. Also pictured at left is their brother Spurge, named for their grandfather, 1913 Allegheny graduate Charles Spurgeon Miller, who was also a former Allegheny professor.

’77

Dr. Joseph Polito, a partner at Ophthalmic Associates, Johnstown, Pa., is proud to share that both of his daughters graduated as Gators! Sara ’13 and Catherine ’14 are attending Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Both graduated summa cum laude, were honored as Doane Distinguished Scholars and received major field honors.

’78

Kirsten Peterson P’08, director of pre-professional advising, presented a poster on the Health Coach Program at the annual meeting of the National Association of Advisors for the Health Professions in San Francisco on June 28. The poster, “Health Coaching: Rx for a Healthier Community,” described the collaborative work between Allegheny and the Meadville Medical Center to train students to serve as health coaches for at-risk adult patients in the Meadville community.

’79

Laurie Hughes was featured in an article in The River City News for being a part of “With and Without Challenges,” an art show in Covington, Ky. In the show, Laurie offered a series of clay vessels that she created after her father passed away.

Jonathan Spencer says nine Phi Delts from the Class of 1979 gathered for their biennial reunion in central Oregon. Activities included four days of whitewater rafting on the Rogue River, visits to Crater Lake and wine tasting. Pictured (with their river guides) are, back row: Phil Gustafson, Doug Lifton P’08, Ray Johnson, Jonathan Spencer, Rich Scott, Steve Bice and Ray Meeks. Front row: Jim Goduti and Tom Wormer.

Mark Wassell P’15 reports that this was the 30th year that a group of Delta Tau Deltas have held an annual reunion. Since 1984, the brothers have been gathering in Warren, Pa., for a long weekend to catch up on their families, jobs, etc. and to recall Allegheny memories. The event typically has involved some outdoor adventure, like canoeing, hiking, rappelling or paintball. In attendance at this year’s festivities, along with annual host Dave Winans ’53 P’80/’83, were Gary Bax ’80, Frank Bradenburg ’80, Joseph “Rich” Govi ’81, Gary Hunt ’80, Jeff Mazero ’83, Kevin O’Connor ’80, Chip Pinto ’83, Keith Visconti ’80 and Mark Wassell.

’81

Susan Gola (pictured) has been elected president of the Mercer County Chapter of the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants and has started a new position as a senior consultant with Real Possibilities LLC in Skillman, N.J. “I can also be found working as a steward at Punchdrunk’s New York City production of Sleep No More, an immersive, interactive work of theater.”

Sherry Ibbs attended the Healthcare Documentation Integrity Conference in Las Vegas with her company, M*Modal, and was named Healthcare Documentation Specialist of the Year for 2014. She has been working as a medical transcriptionist for 27 years.

Carolyn Berrigan Severo says the Class of 1981 held a “mini-reunion” Aug. 21-24, in Cape Cod, Mass. Pictured left to right are Lisa Culhane, Bob Orr, Jean Boice Mahserjian, Mark Kangas, Karen Jackson Kangas and Carolyn Berrigan Severo. Missing from the photo is Doug Anson. Lisa, Jean, Karen and Carolyn were freshmen roommates in Caflisch Hall.

Jon Speak (pictured) graduated from Cornell University with an MBA from the Johnson Graduate School of Management on May 24. “It is a surreal feeling to graduate again before your children in the audience,” he says. He is supporting the efforts of Special Olympics International with ideas to improve their operational efficiencies on a global stage. He resides north of Boston in Newbury, Mass.

’82

Jonathan Cooper (pictured) was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015 in the fields of mass tort litigation/class actions—defendants. He has a juris doctorate from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

’83

Michael L. Sidor has again been included in the Best Physicians in South Jersey, this time in the 2014 edition.

’85

Timothy J. Downing (pictured) was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2015. He is a partner at Ulmer & Berne LLP in Cleveland. He received his juris doctorate from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Bruce G. Harvey has published a new book, World’s Fairs in a Southern Accent: Atlanta, Nashville and Charleston, 1895-1902, with The University of Tennessee Press. He is an independent consultant and documentary photographer and owns Harvey Research and Consulting in Syracuse, N.Y. He has a bachelor’s degree in history.

’86

Wendy Wilson Leyland shares this photo and says, “Celebrating our 50th birthdays together in Old Town Alexandria, Va., and a visit to Mount Vernon.” Pictured are Cindy Morse McGinnis ’86, Wendy Wilson Leyland, Barbara Bonn Powell ’86, Ellen Stephens Johns ’86 and Michelle Edwards Kiersarsky ’87.

Laura Swaim says, “In June, some crazy Allegheny women from the Class of 1986 met up in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest-Hood Canal, Wash., to relive some memories and make some new ones. We pondered the trajectories of our lives and reaffirmed our friendships founded during our years at Allegheny. We had a wonderful time, sharing memories from 28 years ago. It just goes to show the Allegheny bond lasts a lifetime. Thank you, Allegheny!” From left to right are Gwen Herron-Moon ’86 P’17, Peg Borza-Petrie ’86, Mary Jo Boylan ’86, Laura Swaim, Rhonda Franklin ’86, Mary McLaughlin ’86, Laura Ciesielski-Ankeny ’85 and Sherri Anderson ’86.

’87

Glenna Shultz Antenucci is a senior business analyst—global supply chain—for Cummins at the Charleston, S.C., turbo plant. She also is working part time as a personal trainer at East Shore Athletic Club. Her son Noah is starting his freshman year at Clemson, and her daughter is in seventh grade at Gregg Middle School.

’88

Beth Diamond (pictured) received her badge and credentials after completing training as an investigator with the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) of the U.S. Department of Labor. She began working for the EBSA as a legal intern and became an investigator after graduating from Suffolk University Law School in 2013.

Michael Greenberg joined PrintReleaf Inc., a tech startup based in Colorado, as partner and CFO. PrintReleaf measures a company’s paper consumption to determine forest impact and funds reforestion projects around the world to replant the trees that were consumed.

Donna Zaccardi McGinley (pictured) joined St. Barnabas Health System as an admissions counselor for its independent living retirement communities in Gibsonia and Valencia, Pa. She lives with her husband, Rich, and their three teenage daughters: Chloe, Jessie and Rachel in Hampton Township. As her daughter prepares for her college years, she reflects fondly on her time at Allegheny and encourages any Alleghenian to connect with her: dmcginley@stbarnabashealthsystem.com.

’90

Dr. Joseph Aracri has been selected as the system chairman of pediatrics for the Allegheny Health Network based in Pittsburgh. He continues his clinical work at Pediatric Alliance in Greentree, Pa. He is married to Katherine Baur Aracri ’90, and they have two children, Will, 15, and Alexandra, 12.

Mark Yeager and his wife, Renee Bracken Yeager ’89, (pictured) have opened a new office for Yeager Marketing at City North in Phoenix to accommodate the growth of the company. Mark has produced marketing programs for more than one-third of the technology companies within the Fortune 500, winning six American Marketing Association awards between 2013 and 2014.

’92

Dana Jarvis wrote a blog post titled “10 Reasons Wrestlers Rock in Business.” The post draws insight from his 20-plus years of experience in the wrestling world, including wrestling at Allegheny. Look for the post on his LinkedIn page.

’93

Chris Alonzo was featured in a Philadelphia Inquirer article titled “Mushrooms Have Deep Roots in Pennsylvania Demographics and History.” He is president of Pietro Industries, a mushroom farm in Kennett Square, Pa.

Maris Harrington, her four children and French dog have moved back to Sweet Home Chicago after living in Paris for 20 years. She works at Loyola University Chicago as principal gifts officer.

Bryan Ignozzi hosted a book signing for Max Potter ’93 and his book, Shadows in the Vineyard. The event was held in August at BRYTER, Bryan’s boutique family winery in California.

Lisa Drew Kropinak has been approved by the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church (UMC) to enter provisional elder status. This is the probationary time prior to ordination in the United Methodist Church. She has been serving Windham UMC in Ohio and has been appointed to York UMC in Medina, Ohio.

’94

Mike Lenahan and Kristi Evans Lenahan ’95 have been living in Bangalore, India, for the last two years and are on their way to Beijing, China, for another couple of years. “But on the way, we stopped in Meadville to make sure our kids got a proper splash of Allegheny influence,” they say. Pictured are Evan, 11, Maggie, 9, and Katherine, 7, showing their Gator pride.

’96

Kathleen Harrill shares that she is engaged to be married.

Keith Stern has been named chief of staff to Rep. Jim McGovern. According to Rep. McGovern, Keith has been a trusted adviser to him on the Rules Committee for 15 years and has overseen his national efforts to end hunger.

’98

Jeff Schaefer has been named vice president, integrated services, at SKM Group, a full-service marketing communications agency in Buffalo, N.Y. He was director of integrated services and has been with SKM since 2011. He received his bachelor’s degree in environmental science.

’99

Jen Tomon, Amy Amuso Bloomer, Jessica Bunnel Sheffield and Taraka Dale, all from the Class of ’99, got together for their annual reunion in Siesta Key, Fla. The classmates have been taking annual trips together since they graduated.

Judson Wible celebrated 10 years as a civil engineer with Parsons Brinckerhoff and says he’s taking on a new challenge. Since August, he has been embedded with the Port Authority of New York/New Jersey for one year.

Extraordinary Outcomes from a Liberal Arts Education

Paula Ross ‘99

By Kathleen Prosperi-McClard ’11

Paula Ross graduated from Allegheny with a degree in environmental studies and English thinking she might spend her life in a laboratory. Instead, 15 years later, she finds herself employed as a fundraising executive in a community cultural organization.

“That’s the value of a liberal arts education,” says the former Paula Kovacs, who graduated in 1999. “Who would have thought that an environmental studies and English double major would end up working in nonprofit executive management? But, if you look at my experiences and career trajectory, it makes sense and it is possible. I wasn’t pigeonholed into one type of career.”

Ross recently was named executive director of the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre and Academy (MBT), a nonprofit arts-education organization in Montgomery County, Maryland.

As a student at Allegheny, she thought she might like to work in a laboratory. But a study-away experience in Central America working in sustainable development changed her mind.

“It made me realize that I wanted to be outside, working on different projects every day. I applied to a lot of jobs my senior year. At that time, I could not pinpoint what my ideal job was going to look like,” says Ross.

She decided that the communications side of environmental work would better fit her skill set and fulfill her interests.

Following graduation, she went to work for DecisionQuest-EIM, a niche public relations firm that managed strategic communications for environmental cleanup projects. She then followed its managing director to an independent power producer, which is where she worked until the company folded when the energy market collapsed (in the wake of the Enron scandal).

She then ventured out on her own to build a small public relations practice. Her newest position, she says, fell into her lap when a friend introduced her to the nonprofit organization. She was the director of development and marketing at MBT for 20 months. During that time, her major accomplishments were highlighted by MBT’s relocation to a new facility, as well as developing and implementing the organization’s first-ever capital campaign. Her efforts also resulted in the formation of MBT’s first large-scale, free-residency program at a Title 1 elementary school in Gaithersburg. As a result, she moved into the executive director position.

“There is a lot more work that still needs to be done,” Ross says about her new job as the group’s chief executive.

MBT is dedicated to providing a premier dance education to more than 300 students, offering accessible, professional ballet performances, and bringing dance outreach to underserved members of the Gaithersburg community. “My responsibilities include most of the business aspect of the company,” Ross says. “I am also the voice of MBT. A lot of what I do is meeting people outside of the office. To be able to represent and take a 25-year-old company, gain exposure for it and ensure it remains relevant … is fun and I am enjoying it.”

Ross recently was named executive director of the Metropolitan Ballet Theatre and Academy (MBT), a nonprofit arts-education organization in Montgomery County, Maryland.

 

’00

Becky Smullin Dawson, assistant professor of global health studies and biology at Allegheny, has published the textbook Understanding Epidemiology: Concepts, Skills & Applications, which teaches undergraduate students the skills required to think critically about public health problems. The text takes an interdisciplinary approach to solving epidemiology problems through case studies and exercises.

Dr. Jill Muchnij Rahaim joined the department of chemistry at Oklahoma State University as the organic lab coordinator in May 2014.

Emily Chivers Yochim, assistant professor of communication arts/theatre at Allegheny, is part of a group from Allegheny working on a project in collaboration with Conneaut Lake residents. “Fostering Livability through Art, Nature and Culture” will involve two community arts engagement events for both year-round and summer residents at the lake. These events will be used to gather community stories and images, which will be integrated into design and implementation of a public art trail connecting Ice House Park and the central downtown business district to Fireman’s Beach.

’01

Andrew D. Bryer accepted the position of regional advancement officer at Allegheny. He has a bachelor’s degree in political science and master’s degree in leadership from Duquesne University.

Dr. Jessica Frieder, assistant professor and co-chair for the behavior analysis graduate program at Western Michigan University, accepted a 2014 Student Committee Outstanding Mentor Award from the Association for Behavior Analysis International (ABAI) in May. Each year, ABAI student members nominate individuals who have shown exceptional dedication to educating and guiding students of behavior analysis.

Maryann Borsick Herman received tenure and was promoted to associate professor of biology at St. John Fisher College in Rochester, N.Y.

’02

Kelly Mack Boulton, sustainability coordinator at Allegheny, presented on “A Lot with a Little: Leveraging Outside Resources to Augment Your Energy Management Program” at the U.S. Department of Energy Better Buildings Summit, a national summit to catalyze investment in energy efficiency across the public, private, commercial, industrial and multifamily housing sectors. She also attended a reception at the White House recognizing leaders for their innovation and accomplishments. In addition, she attended a Princeton Review reception for inclusion in its Guide to 322 Green Colleges.

’03

Jason Harrier shares that he and a group of Gators had an unofficial 11-year reunion at Seven Springs Mountain Resort in Pennsylvania this year, “because our 10-year reunion was so much fun,” he says. Pictured left to right are Sam Urick ’03, Dana Urick, Joe Vickless ’03, Sarah DeYoung, Mike McGrath ’03, Stephanie Harriman McGrath ’04, Jason Harrier, Leann Petrilla Harrier ’04, Jeremy Rex ’03 and Maggie McCleland.

’04

Marco Arment has released an app called Overcast, “a powerful yet simple iPhone podcast player.”

Megan Burdelsky, J.D., has accepted the position of senior planned giving officer at Allegheny. She graduated from Duquesne University Law School in 2007.

’06

Dave DiCello was featured in the Pittsburgh media as a local photographer who “goes the extra mile to capture shots of Pittsburgh.” He estimates he has taken more than 50,000 photos of Pittsburgh. To see his work, go to davedicello.com.

’07

Patrick Malie was awarded a doctor of osteopathic medicine degree from Georgia Campus-Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine in May. He has a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics and a master’s degree in biomedical sciences from Georgia Campus-Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He is continuing his medical training in internal medicine at Corpus Christi Medical Center, Texas.

Andrew Peterson became the associate dean of students and director of residence life at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C., in June.

’08

Michaelene Gates (pictured) graduated in May 2014 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine with a doctor of veterinary medicine degree. After studying in St. Kitts, West Indies, for three years and Baton Rouge, La., for one year, she has accepted an associate veterinarian position at Norwin Veterinary Hospital in North Huntingdon, Pa., where she treats companion and exotic animals.

Joshua Trembulak has joined UnitedHealthcare as an account executive. As part of the organization’s western Pennsylvania sales team, he works with brokers who represent employers with two or more employees. He has a bachelor’s degree in managerial economics.

Afua Osei co-founded She Leads Africa, an organization promoting entrepreneurship among African women. She is a graduate of the University of Chicago with master’s degrees in business administration and public policy. She previously served as a Fulbright Scholar in Malaysia and a communications staffer for Michelle Obama.

’09

Stephen Daly graduated magna cum laude from the Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law in May 2014. He joined Potter Anderson & Corroon in Wilmington, Del., as an associate attorney this fall. He resides in Philadelphia.

Samantha Perry is an attorney adviser with the Social Security Administration in Baltimore, Md. She received her juris doctorate from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2012 and has “slowly been trading her yinz for a y’all since moving to the area in 2009.”

’10

Julianne Baron received her Ph.D. in infectious diseases and microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health in June 2014. She is applying for fellowships and postdoctoral positions.

Jessica Kenemuth graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine with honors in community service in May 2014. She will be doing her residency at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center in New York, N.Y. She plans to focus on cosmetic and family dentistry.

Courtney Thomas and Mark Bordo ’10 became engaged on Aug. 16, 2014. They met during freshman orientation in 2006, and their wedding ceremony is anticipated in fall 2015.

’11

Alexandria Lappas received her juris doctorate from Georgetown University School of Law in May 2014.

Harrison Lopes was awarded the 2014 Intelligence Specialist of the Year by his agency at the Department of Homeland Security. He also received a master’s degree in public policy from the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University.

Nicole Mascia and Christopher Cantwell ’09 (pictured) are happy to announce their engagement. Christopher proposed to Nicole on her birthday, June 26, in Pittsburgh. They are planning a 2016 wedding.

Britni Mohney was named the women’s basketball, track and cross-country coach at Division III Salem College in Winston-Salem, N.C. At 25 years old, she becomes one of the youngest basketball coaches in the NCAA at any level.

’12

Kevin Caja and Stephanie Blystone ’14 (pictured), who met at Allegheny, became engaged on May 17, 2014, at the Cleveland Botanical Gardens. The two plan to be married in July 2015 and make their home in Cleveland. Kevin and Stephanie will be pursuing careers in the medical field.

Jessica McDonald accepted a position as a high school English teacher in Gainesville, Fla., after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University with a master’s degree in literary and cultural studies. She is working at St. Francis Catholic High School, where she is teaching advanced placement and honors English classes.

Abby Sorensen has been named assistant men’s and women’s golf coach at Allegheny. She previously served as the women’s golf head coach at Gannon University. During her golf career at Allegheny, she helped three teams qualify for the NCAA Division III national tournament. She turned in six top-10 finishes, highlighted by a second-place effort at the 2011 Allegheny Invitational.

’14

Kyle Davis (pictured) entered the professional baseball ranks, being signed by the Raton (N.M.) Osos of the independent Pecos League. Kyle was a four-year standout for the Gators, both on the mound and at the plate.

Philippa Panayiotou, a Mobile, Ala., native, has been accepted into the Actors Theatre of Louisville’s 43rd Apprentice/Intern Company. She was chosen as an intern in stage management. Each year, Actors Theatre of Louisville invites the most talented and highly motivated early-career theatre professionals in the nation to undertake this nine-month training program.

Miranda Santucci (pictured) was named a Women’s Golf Coaches’ Association All-American Scholar for the second consecutive season. The criteria for selection for the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in college athletics, as a golfer must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher while posting a season stroke average of 95 or lower after 12 or more rounds.

Oliver White has been named a Cleveland Golf/Srixon Division III All-America Scholar for the second consecutive season. A total of 13 players in the history of men’s golf at Allegheny have been named Scholar All-America, while Oliver is one of just four to be recognized twice, joining Matt Donahoe ’12, Nathan Smith ’01 and John Wiler ’95.

’78

Peter D. Fleming married Brian R. King on Aug. 9, 2014, in the back yard of their home at the Jersey Shore, surrounded by a small group of family and friends. Peter is a senior audit communications consultant for MetLife’s Internal Audit Department. They reside in Brooklyn, N.Y., and Asbury Park, N.J.

’05

Jen Alabran married Andrew Peckham on Sept. 1, 2014, at Allegheny. They live in Portland, Ore., where Jen is a research associate at Oregon Health & Science University. Gators in attendance were Jessica Henriquez ’06, Jessica Buck Montesano ’05, Dierdre Richardson ’05, Ashley Meyer ’05, Stephanie Bruggeman ’05, Brian Ong ’05, Keith Montesano ’04, Brett Snyder ’04 and Chris Pavlekovsky ’04.

Michelle Casella married Jarred Thomas ’99 on Oct. 26, 2013. Gators in attendance included Scott Chapin ’99, Kim Buchheit ’99, Rob Ahlin ’04, Leah Shouey Ahlin ’05, Lindsey Shouey Snyder ’05, Megan McShea Tomaino ’06, Katie Kuba Minsker ’05, Joe Casella ’02, Patti O’Connor Casella ’02, Leigh Seskero Edleman ’04 and Julie Wilson Jakicic ’04. The couple reside near Pittsburgh and are employed by PPG Industries.

’06

Jessica Dabrowski married Steve Haberley on May 10, 2014. Allegheny alumni who shared in the celebration were bridesmaid Emily Naples ’06, Jessica Hays Robinson ’06, Adrienne Genovese Barlak ’06, Sarah Quilhot Rood ’06, Rebecca Milbert Grant ’06, Rose Turshen Drybala ’06, Sarah Grudevich ’06, Tony Fusaro ’03, Brittany Eaves Andy ’05, Sara Roberts ’06 and Sean Lattimore ’93.

’08

Judit Borsay married Perry J. Ganchuk on March 29, 2014, in front of family and friends in the Pittsburgh area. Pictured left to right are Adam Heim ’08, Amy Fischer Heim ’08, Danielle Gray ’08, Dr. Ryan Farmer ’08, Judit Borsay Ganchuk, Perry J. Ganchuk, James Soffietti ’08, Cate Flanagan ’08, Jess Sarkis Safko ’08 and Rob Safko.

’10

Marisa Frey married Craig Charley on May 31, 2014. Gators came from near and far to celebrate, including fellow members of the Class of 2010, Marisa’s stepmom and several other friends and family members. “It was, as always, a great day to be a Gator!” Marisa says. Pictured from left to right are Jamie Williams ’02, Meghan Perry ’08, Erin Sweeney ’10, Emily Fidago ’10, Lauren Staiger ’10, Laurie Holding ’80, Andy Wright ’03, Betsy Zirpoli ’10, Marisa Frey and Caitlin O’Brien-Rice ’10.

’11

Rebecca Lendyak married Joe McMahon ’09 on June 28, 2014, in Ford City, Pa. Other Gators in attendance included Beth Muller ’11, Caileigh Hughes ’11, Emily Norton ’11, Kristin Collins ’12, Emily Pfeufer Kelly ’08, Elizabeth Straus ’08, Peter Sotherland ’09, Erich Wittmer ’09, Bobby Campbell ’09, Megan Hepner ’09, David Boger ’09, Benny Limegrover ’09, Justin Shapiro ’04, Mark Fisher ’08 and Kristin Kramarik Dobish ’04.

’91

Mark Miceli and his wife, Zeynep Ferah Miceli, announce the birth of their son, Derin Alexander Miceli, who was born Aug. 22, 2014. Mark and his family reside in Manhattan. He is the medical director of the acute inpatient psychiatric unit at Hoboken University Medical Center.

’94

Martin Vaughn and his wife, Meredith Houle Vaughn ’98, welcomed their second child. Thatcher Reese Vaughn was born May 30, 2014, weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces and measuring 21 inches long. He joins big brother Jameson, 3. Meredith also was promoted to associate professor of science education and granted tenure at San Diego State University in May 2014. They reside in La Mesa, Calif.

’98

Kristi Dienes Reklinski and her husband, Christian, (pictured) welcomed a son, Christian “Bo” Anthony Reklinski, on May 9, 2014. Bo joins his sister, Diana Nicole, 2.

’00

Daren Morgante and his wife, Anne Marie, (pictured) welcomed their second daughter, Evalena Anne Marie, on May 26, 2014. Evie joins big sister Charlie Jae, 2. The family resides in Monroeville, Pa.

Alex Douglass Perry (pictured) had twins, Harper and Kamden, on Aug. 9, 2013. They join big sister Ella, 4. Alex lives with her husband, Evan, in Pittsburgh, where she is a special education teacher in the North Allegheny School District.

Lynn Barrett Utchell and her husband, Brian, (pictured) welcomed a baby girl, Kendall Marilyn Utchell, on April 7, 2014. Kendall joins her older brother, Carson, 3. The Utchells live in Cecil Township, Pa.

’01

Kate Brabender Clark and her husband, Chris, (pictured) announce the birth of their first child, Alexandra “Ally” Elizabeth Clark, on March 9, 2014. She weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces and was 20 inches long. They reside in Annapolis, Md., where Kate is a clinical psychologist for Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth.

’02

Lindsay Thelin Wagner and Eric Wagner ’03 welcomed baby girl Kaya Mae on May 29, 2014. She joins big brother Garen, 2. The family lives in Smithfield, R.I.

Neetu Sehgal and her husband, Sachin Dewagan, (pictured) welcomed their first child, a son, Akash Sehgal Dewagan. Akash was born at 1:59 a.m. on May 3, 2014. He weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces and was 20.5 inches tall. Neetu works as associate general counsel for DTZ, a property services firm, specializing in business and employment law. They live in Massachusetts, and Neetu welcomes correspondence from Gator friends.

’03

Britt Rusert (pictured) and Russ Leo welcomed their daughter Lucille “Lucy” Marie Leo on Nov. 18, 2013. Britt, Russ, Lucy and their dog Jada reside in Princeton, N.J.

’04

Keith Montesano and Jessica Buck Montesano ’05 (pictured) welcomed their first child, Maya Marie, on May 14, 2014. She weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces and was 19 inches long.

’06

Hikmat Daghestani and his wife, Sarah Martini, welcomed Emma Daghestani on Aug. 15, 2014, at 12:01 p.m. weighing 8 pounds, 5 ounces and measuring 20.25 inches. Hikmat, Sarah and Emma reside in Durham, N.C.

’36

Evelyn Sleightholm Saunders on July 3, 2014. She pursued a graduate degree at Duke University. She worked at Eubanks Drug Store in North Carolina, then at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill Purchasing Department and Alumni Office. Survivors include her daughters, Nancy Gabriel and Betty Graybeal, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

’41

Walter A. Maziarz on June 2, 2014. At Allegheny, he was on the football team and worked at Talon Inc. in the payroll department. Survivors include his children, Kathleen Costa and Ronald Maziarz; five grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren and four step-grandchildren.

’42

Marian Donaldson Davis on Aug. 7, 2014. She had an RN degree from the University of Rochester and worked in obstetrics at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, N.Y. Survivors include her children, Emily and Wendell Davis and Leslie Desrosiers, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Margaret Fitzpatrick Moller on June 26, 2014. She had a master’s degree from Columbia University Teachers College in New York. She taught in New York; Houston; Yokohama, Japan, and Perth, Australia. Surviving is her daughter, Jane.

’43

Bernard D. Dusenberry on Aug. 4, 2014. He was a member of Phi Delta Theta. During World War II, he served in the U.S. Army Air Force. He was a CPA and partner at Main, Hurdman & Cranston, now KPMG. Survivors include his children, Denee Stevenson, Debra Koll, Daryl Rahenkamp and Diane Welling, five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

’44

Nancy Lawrence O’Mahony on June 10, 2014. She graduated from a nursing program sponsored by Saint Luke’s Hospital School of Nursing in Cleveland and Allegheny. She taught at C.H. Buhl Hospital (now Sharon Regional Health System) School of Nursing and later wrote the program for educating practical nurses in Mercer County. She also served as an instructor and program coordinator in Mercer. Survivors include her children, Margie Miller, Rick O’Mahony, Lynn Plummer Trestrail, Kim Hofstetter and Lori Ruder, 12 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Donald F. Weller, Sr. on June 16, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he attained the rank of sergeant. He owned and operated Weller’s Restaurant in Emlenton, Pa., and then became the manager of J.P.’s Pub in Toledo, Ohio. Survivors include his wife, Jean; his children, Diane Hoffman and Toni, Donald and James Weller; four grandchildren and his sister, Marjorie Grumling.

’45

Margaret Sullivan Green on May 7, 2014. A longtime resident of California, she is survived by her husband, Dick Green ’43; her children, Jon, Charles and Margaret Anne Nichols and six grandchildren.

Ruth Fenn Starman on July 27, 2014. She graduated from Boston School of Occupational Therapy and worked in occupational therapy at many venues. Survivors include her sons, John, Dave and Charlie; her brother, David Fenn; five grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; six great-grandchildren and three step-great-grandchildren.

Jane Adams Wells on June 4, 2014. She had a bachelor’s degree in history and was a member of Alpha Gamma Delta. Survivors include her son, John Wells, five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

’46

Marguerite Kift Barraclough on Aug. 9, 2014. She graduated as an art major and then attended the University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon, becoming an art teacher in the Bethel Park School District. Survivors include her children, Barbara Carney, Jan Ruzicka and David Pritchard; four stepchildren, Barbara Cross and Susan, Mike and David Barraclough, 11 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

’47

Marjorie Bosworth Kepner Hileman on July 28, 2013. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega and was an economics major. Survivors include her children, Karen Kepner Tobias ’74 and Dr. Craig Bosworth Kepner, four grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Barbara Walters Voelckers on Aug. 3, 2014. She graduated from the University of Iowa. Survivors include four children, 12 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren.

John C. Kuentz on Sept. 8, 2014. Following graduation from Allegheny, he joined his father in the family printing business and enjoyed success as the president of the former Central Lithograph Co. of Cleveland from 1975 until his retirement in 2000. In 1995, he was inducted into the Graphic Arts Council of Cleveland Hall of Distinction. He was also a U.S. Navy veteran, lifelong member of the United Church of Christ and a loving father and grandfather.

’48

Robert B. Dietsch on Aug. 21, 2014. He had a chemistry degree and served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He was employed at the New Process Co. (later Blair Corp.), retiring as a vice president of women’s merchandising, as well as a member of the board of directors. Survivors include his children, Deborah Dietsch Hunter ’74 and Allen ’71 and Andrew Dietsch, eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Joan Peters Miller on July 1, 2014. She was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta and a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. Survivors include her husband, Stephen; her children, Allyn Perry, Stephen Jr. and Andrew; four grandchildren and a great-granddaughter.

Ruth Jones Sammis on July 12, 2014. She pursued a career in social work, graduating with a master’s in social work from Hunter College at age 65. Survivors include her children, Susan Spiess, Clay Sammis and Elizabeth Roberts, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

’49

Donald S. Acker on June 21, 2014. He was a World War II veteran. After receiving a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Illinois, he worked for E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Co. and was named inventor on 17 U.S. patents and several foreign equivalents. He then transferred to DuPont Textile Fiber Departments and served in various technical management positions. Survivors include his sister, Ruth; three children, Debra Ray and Donald and James Acker, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

’50

Dr. Millard Mershon on Aug. 3, 2014. He was in the U.S. Navy, attended flight school and completed a bachelor’s degree in education, science and social studies from Edinboro. He then graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine. He worked as a veterinarian, then as a toxicologist and pharmacologist for the U.S. Army in Maryland. Survivors include his wife, Joyce Mershon; his children, David, Charles and Eileen Mershon; his siblings, Homer, John and Geraldine Mershon, four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Harold E. Wallace on Aug. 21, 2014. He had a juris doctorate and master of laws from Wayne State University, Detroit. He was a personnel director at Hoover Universal and NSK Corp. He also was a U.S. Navy veteran, serving in World War II. Survivors include his children, Scott, Craig and Dean Wallace; a sister, Lois Hess, and three grandchildren.

’52

John B. Chick, Jr. on Aug. 1, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army and graduated from Harvard. He worked as a real estate appraiser for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Survivors include his wife, Barbara Berg Chick; his siblings, William Chick and Cynthia Pittsinger; four children, Betsey Wilmot, Martha Chick-Ebey and Nancy and John Chick, III and 12 grandchildren.

Dr. Fred C. Richardson on June 30, 2014. He graduated from Hahnemann Medical School, Philadelphia. He specialized in ob-gyn medicine and began his medical career with a residency in the U.S. Navy. Survivors include his wife, Nancy; his children, Pam Sheehan, Michael and Brian Richardson, Amy Brown, Addie O’Brien, Sheila Page and Terri Swett; 17 grandchildren and two brothers, Archie and Wilson Richardson.

Patricia Riddell on Aug. 6, 2014. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa and served as a teacher in Argentina. She then dedicated her life to full-time Christian missionary service. She earned a master’s degree in religious education from Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, Calif. Surviving is her sister, Judith Cummings.

William Paul Jack on Sept. 6, 2014. After graduation from Allegheny, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He attended Officer's Candidate School, and was selected to be a commanding officer with the paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, N.C. After serving in Germany, he returned to the United States and went to the pharmacy school at the University of Pittsburgh. After graduation, he started his life as a pharmacist—first, with his father in Meadville, Pa., and then in the Charleston, S.C., area. Bill is survived by his wife, Mary Jo Pontoriero Jack, two daughters and a son.

’53

Joan Quiggin Davis Locklin on Aug. 12, 2014. She had a bachelor’s degree in education. She taught high school and then was an adult education instructor in New Haven, Conn. Survivors include her daughter, Sue Locklin Wais; two grandchildren and two brothers, Richard and Timothy Davis.

The Rev. Lee Wayne Parker, Jr. on July 8, 2014. At Allegheny, he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta, the basketball team and the Allegheny Singers. He taught American history and coached basketball in the Mercer school system and served in the U.S. Army. He then worked at the Parker Lumber Co. while earning a master’s degree in science and education at Westminster College. He then graduated with a master’s of divinity degree from Drew University and served as a United Methodist Church pastor. Survivors include his wife, Faye; his children, Linda, Donald, Christopher and Melanie; one granddaughter and his sister, Florence Parker Alexander.

’54

Clyde E. Rickard, Jr. on June 16, 2014. He was captain of the football team at Allegheny. He was vice president of Ideal Products Inc. and vice president and general manager of the Shakespeare Co. Survivors include his wife, Ann; his children, Melinda Haldeman and Clyde, III, Dr. George and Jeffrey Rickard; 10 grandchildren; two great-grandsons and a sister, MaryAnn Huber.

Donald W. Whiteside on July 8, 2014. He served in the U.S. Army in research laboratories of the Chemical Corps and Medical Corps. His career with Hagan Corp. and its successor company, Calgon Corp., included engineering and research positions. Survivors include his son, Gregory; two grandsons and a sister, F. Jeanette McQuistion.

’55

Nancy Borden Deneen on June 19, 2014 in Melbourne, Fla. She was a member of Alpha Chi Omega sorority and previously taught at Julian Curtis School in Greenwich, Conn. Survivors include her husband, Tom Deneen, two sons and two grandchildren.

’58

Dr. Ralph P. Witherspoon on July 14, 2014. He was a member of Sigma Alpha Epsilon. He served in the Air Force and retired in the rank of colonel. His Air Force career was split between the missile field as a launch control officer on a combat-ready launch crew at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., and the intelligence career field. Following retirement he worked as a senior program manager for several defense and intelligence agency contractor organizations. He received an MBA from Pepperdine University and a Ph.D. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech) in public administration and policy. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. Survivors include his wife, Ann; his children, Pamela, Robert and Sandra, and four grandchildren.

’59

Susan McCreary Baker on April 18, 2014. Survivors include her husband, Robert ’58; her children, Bob, Mike, John and Laura, and six grandchildren.

Wilford E. Miller on June 25, 2014. He had a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and worked at Avtex Fibers Inc. Survivors include his wife, Carolyn Boyd; his children, Linda Lenhart, Mary Klingler and Raymond Miller ’89; 13 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Dallas H. Vaughn on Aug. 21, 2014. He served in the U.S. Air Force during the Korean conflict. He ran Vaughn Industrial Associates. Survivors include two daughters, Jill and Amy Vaughn, and two granddaughters.

’60

Dr. Donna Guenther on Sept. 4, 2014. She graduated from Temple University’s School of Medicine and was an allergy specialist in California and Georgia. She was widely traveled. In addition to serving as the ship's physician on a semester at sea voyage, she had a deep connection with the people of India, traveling there frequently, being an activist for women, and after retirement, documenting the effects of loss of life due to HIV/AIDS. She also established a foundation—The Forgotten Faces of Aids—to heighten awareness of this disease and its effects on families. She served as a member of Allegheny’s board of trustees for several years. She is survived by a son, Geoffrey Scott; a granddaughter and a brother, John Guenther.

Brian L. Walton on Sept. 10, 2014, with his wife, Charlene J. Lewis, as a result of an automobile accident. He was a U.S. Coast Guard veteran who served his country during the Vietnam War. In addition to his employment as a truck driver and school bus driver for a number of years, he enjoyed being the volunteer coordinator for Special Olympics, woodworking, doing handyman work, sailing, motorcycles, and playing with his grandson. He is survived by a daughter, Jessica Walton-Kenyon; two sons, John Walton and Patrick Walton; a stepson, James A. Turner, four grandchildren and a sister, Valerie Walton.

’71

Judith Ericson Johnson on Aug. 13, 2014. She had bachelor’s and master’s degrees and taught Spanish. Survivors include her husband, Rick Johnson ’71; her children, Kristen Kaelin and Bryan Johnson, and three grandchildren.

Dr. Daniel Kuehl on June 28, 2014. He studied civil war history at Allegheny and was a member of Theta Chi. He had a master’s degree from Temple University and a Ph.D. from Duke University. He was an Air Force officer and educator, working as a professor of information operations at the National Defense University’s iCollege in Washington, D.C. He then taught in the Intelligence Program at Mercyhurst University. Survivors include his wife, Susan; his daughter, Kimberly; one grandson; his mother-in-law, June Novet, and his brother, Gilbert Kuehl.

’74

Jane L. Montz Richards on June 16, 2014. She had a bachelor’s degree in education and was a member of the Allegheny Alumni Association. Survivors include her husband, Dr. Gregory Richards ’75; three daughters, Elizabeth Stephens, Megan Alves and Christine Richards, and her mother, Mae Montz.

Maj. Gen. Robert Lee Smolen on May 18, 2014. He had a degree in communications and was a member of Theta Chi. He also had a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Oklahoma and a master’s degree in international relations from Auburn University. He served in the U.S. Air Force and was a senior national security fellow for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, Calif. Survivors include his wife, Adriane Smolen; his children, Mandy, Robert Lee, II and Emily Smolen, and his mother, Gladys Smolen.

’78

Deborah Ruggiere on Aug. 9, 2014. She had a master of fine arts from Case Western Reserve and was a district manager with H&R Block. Survivors include two brothers, James and Richard Ruggiere.

’80

Carol Lin Hartley on June 29, 2014. She completed postgraduate courses at the University of Wisconsin’s Madison campus and worked as a computer instructor at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. She also had worked as a computer programmer for IBM. Survivors include her husband, William Maitland, Jr.; her parents, Dr. Harold Hartley, Jr. and Carolyn Callaway Hartley; her sons, Benjamin and Keith Maitland; two brothers, Dr. Harold Hartley, III and Dr. David Hartley, and her mother-in-law, Pauline Ladensack.

Rich Klein on Oct. 20, 2014. He was born in Jamestown, N.Y. He graduated from Jamestown High School, Allegheny College, Western New England Law School and Georgetown Law. He was a member of the Allegheny golf team and followed his passion for the game throughout his life. He was a proud brother of Phi Delta Theta Fraternity and an active Allegheny alumnus. He was a prominent tax partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers, having worked there since 1991. He was a member of Westchester Country Club and Temple Israel. He tenaciously fought cancer for the past six years and inspired everyone with his courage and strength. He is survived by his wife, Sue; his children, Niki and Ashley; his brothers, Michael and Joel, and his mother, Shirley.

’82

John Levine on Sept. 4, 2014. He was employed for 23 years as a quality control manager with BASF of Linden followed by five years as plant manager with Ronson Corp. of Woodbridge. He is survived by his wife, Jacqueline, and children, Jennifer Anneliese Levine and Jesse Jules Levine.

’85

Philippe Deve on July 12, 2014. He was a partner at GrayRobinson, a Florida law firm.

’89

Kimberly Belden Pitt on July 11, 2014. Survivors include her husband, Paul; her children, Alex ’14 and Sarah Levy, and her brother, Keith Belden ’90.

’96

Darcy Chase Frisina on March 2, 2014. She majored in English and was active in Alpha Phi Omega. She worked as a language arts teacher at Hope Hall in Rochester, N.Y, and then as a stay-at-home mother to her son, Zachary. Besides her son, she is survived by her husband, Vincent ’95; her parents, Joan and Warren, and her brother, Derrek.

’98

Mark Nemetz on July 23, 2014. He graduated from New York Law School and worked for the law department of the City of New York. Survivors include his parents, Lee and Donna Nemetz, and his brother, David Nemetz.

Friends

Rev. John Thomas Dugan on Aug. 25, 2014. He served as director of campus ministry.

Shirley E. Goodman on June 2, 2014. She worked as secretary to the alumni director.

Robert D. Buckeye, Sr. on Sept. 6, 2014.

Dane T. Velie ’70 says that his wife of 33 years, Isabella Velie, passed away on Aug. 9, 2014. She was an ambassador-at-large for Scotland.

On the Hill

News & Events



Recent Project Grants

$300,000 installment of $750,000

Anonymous donor

In support of the Community Wellness Initiative, a series of programs related to food and nutrition and physical activity, including the creation of a model neighborhood garden as well as hiking and educational trails at the Meadville Area Recreation Complex (MARC). A second grant of $250,000 and a third of $200,000 will be awarded in 2015 and 2016, respectively, upon successful achievement of the previous year’s program goals. Kerstin Martin, Allegheny’s garden manager, is the project director.

$613,690

National Science Foundation (NSF) S-STEM program (Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

To extend the impact of a successful 2009 S-STEM grant that supported a program targeted at increasing the representation of students from under-represented groups in the sciences. Professor of Physics Dan Willey and Professor of Geology Ron Cole are the project leaders.

$229,136

The National Science Foundation

To Marty Serra, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, in support of his project Research at Undergraduate Institutions: Thermodynamics of RNA Structural Motifs. The grant will provide funding for six Allegheny students over three years to collaborate with Serra in developing models to predict the structure of RNA molecules from their sequence.

$85,000

Orris C. Hirtzel and Beatrice Dewey Hirtzel Memorial Foundation

To support the development of an electroencephalography (EEG) laboratory that will benefit hundreds of students each year who are enrolled in a range of neuroscience, psychology, biology and global health courses or who work with faculty on collaborative research projects in those fields. Allison Connell Pensky, assistant professor of psychology and neuroscience, is the project director for the development of the lab.

50th Anniversary Inspires Voting Rights Act Programming

Many of the events planned at Allegheny in 2014-15—in the academic year of the college’s bicentennial in 2015—celebrate the 50th anniversary in 2015 of the Voting Rights Act.

A keynote speaker for the Year of Voting Rights and Democratic Participation at the College will be civil rights activist and Algebra Project founder Robert Moses at 7 p.m. on March 30. Lani Guinier, the first woman to be appointed to a tenured professorship at Harvard Law School, spoke on Nov. 14.

Another centerpiece of the year’s programming will be an undergraduate conference on the theme on April 10-11. Keynote conference presentations by five renowned scholars and activists—John Aldrich, Anne Boxberger-Flaherty, Joy James, Gabriel Sanchez and Carol Geary Schneider—will be open to the public.

In addition, students enrolled in the one-credit course “Voting Rights and Democratic Participation” will explore issues surrounding the theme by attending lectures and events together to stimulate discussion of the issues.

Events also include a theater production related to the theme. Playshop Theatre will present four performances of “Clybourne Park,” a play by Bruce Norris that takes its inspiration from Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” Feb. 26 to March 1.

More information on times and locations—as well as events planned for spring 2015—can be found at allegheny.edu/200.

Expert on Election Reform Gives Lecture

Allegheny observed Constitution Day with a lecture by Tova Wang, an expert on election reform and political participation in the United States and internationally. Wang spoke on the topic “The Right To Vote and the Politics of Voter Suppression” on Sept. 17 in Ford Chapel.

Constitution Day is held on Sept. 17 each year to celebrate the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. Wang’s presentation also was part of the College’s Year of Voting Rights and Democratic Participation, which celebrates the 50th anniversary in 2015 of the Voting Rights Act and explores the state of voting rights, broadly defined, in the world today. The Year of Voting Rights and Democratic Participation is the academic centerpiece of the College’s Bicentennial celebration.

2014 Lacrosse Academic Honor Squad

The 2014 Allegheny women’s lacrosse squad was named an Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches’ Association Academic Honor Squad on Aug. 11. One of four North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) institutions named to the prestigious listing, the Gators earn their seventh-consecutive IWLCA honor and the first under head coach Ashley Hughes ‘08.

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Gator lacrosse program, the 2014 Allegheny squad re-wrote the record books, setting program records in most wins (15), the best start in program history (10-0) while hosting a NCAC Tournament contest for the first time since the 2011 season. The Gators placed a program-best seven student-athletes on the season-closing All-NCAC squad as rising junior McKenzie Bell was named the 2014 NCAA Statistical Champion in assists per game, averaging 4.63 per contest.

One of 125 total Division III institutions named to the listing, the Gators earned Academic Honor Squad designation with a total team GPA of 3.00 or higher.

How To Be a Feminist in the Workplace

Patti Provance ‘93 returned to campus on Sept. 29 for an informal talk on “How To Be a Feminist in the Work Force.” While visiting, she met with students both in class and informally to discuss the careers they can build with their majors.

Provance is deputy director of the National Women’s Studies Association, which promotes and supports the production and dissemination of knowledge about women and gender through teaching, learning, research and service in academic and other settings. Her visit was sponsored by the College’s Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies program and supported by the William Beazell Memorial Fund.

Newest Executive in Residence

The managerial economics department selected Kyle O’Conner, commercial initiatives leader at GE Capital in Toronto, as this year’s Executive in Residence. He visited campus in October.

Academy Award–Winner Speaks with Film Class

“The liberal arts is a fantastic background if you are interested in filmmaking. I have used something I learned in every one of my classes here.”

Who could forget the buzzing sound of the light sabers during the dual between Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi in “Star Wars”? Or how about the voice of the little alien in “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial”?

They were the creations of Academy Award–winner Ben Burtt ’70, who visited Professor Mike Keeley’s film production class in the Vukovich Center for the Communication Arts on Nov. 10. Burtt is a graduate of Allegheny, where he majored in physics. He received an honorary doctorate from the College in 2004.

Burtt counts the “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” films, “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” and “Raiders of the lost Ark” among his many film credits. He also graduated from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts with a master of fine arts degree in film production.

‘All-American Redneck: Variations on an Icon, From James Fenimore Cooper to the Dixie Chicks’

Matthew J. Ferrence, an assistant professor of English, published a new book with the University of Tennessee Press, “All-American Redneck: Variations on an Icon, From James Fenimore Cooper to the Dixie Chicks.”

An insightful examination of the faux redneck within the context of literary and cultural studies, “All-American Redneck” traces the icon’s foundations in James Fenimore Cooper’s Natty Bumppo, as well as the downtrodden rural lifestyle in Erskine Caldwell’s “Tobacco Road.”

Photo by Harmony Motter

Saving Kermit

One of the leading international science journals, Nature, featured the research of Matthew D. Venesky, visiting assistant professor of biology, and his colleagues on vaccinating frogs against a harmful fungus. The paper appeared as the cover story and was published July 9, 2014.

According to the group’s paper, titled “Amphibians acquire resistance to live and dead fungus overcoming fungal immunosuppression,” a fungal pathogen has been linked to the declines of many amphibian species worldwide.

“Using vaccines to induce resistance in captive-bred amphibians prior to a return to the wild could make it possible in the future to repopulate areas that have seen catastrophic declines,” Venesky explained.

Venesky was involved in three of the four experiments that were presented in the Nature paper, and on one of them he was the lead investigator.

Instructor Advances to Final Five

Voice Instructor Diane Kalinowski was selected as one of only five sopranos worldwide to compete in the finals for the 2014 Elizabeth Connell Prize, an international singing competition for dramatic sopranos. She won a spot in the final five after her performance in the competition’s semifinals, which were held in July at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City.

Kalinowski is the 2014 winner of the American Opera Idol Award from Connecticut Concert Opera, a winner of the Alfredo Silipigni Vocal Competition at the New Jersey State Opera and a grand prize winner of the Rochester Lyric Opera LaDue Professional Recital Competition. She has been a voice instructor at Allegheny since 2011.

Heritage Tour

Just in time for the College’s Bicentennial, Art Professor Amelia Carr and students involved in humanities research have produced a free downloadable app for smartphones that provides a brief tour of Allegheny’s iconic campus. Titled “Historic Allegheny College,” the app takes in all the architectural gems on campus.

Many of the buildings date from the first century of the development of the campus. The austerity of the early days is reflected in the vernacular Greek Revival of Bentley and Ruter halls, both designated landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places. Later buildings evoke more opulent historical styles such as the Neo-Romanesque (but now demolished) Wilcox Hall, the Beaux-Arts elegance of Reis Hall or the warm Italianate Villa style of Cochran Hall, now housing the Patricia Bush Tippie Alumni Center.

The app was assembled with support from an Andrew W. Mellon Foundation grant for collaborative undergraduate research in the humanities.

Arts & Culture

Combat Paper Workshop Is Centerpiece of Conference

A Combat Paper workshop, in which veterans and other workshop participants reclaim their uniforms to collaboratively create works of art, was the centerpiece of a conference and art exhibit, “Word Made Flesh,” Sept. 29 through Oct. 4.

Artist Nathan Lewis led workshop participants in the weeklong papermaking and bookmaking workshop in which uniforms and other cotton clothing of personal significance such as work uniforms were cut up, beaten into pulp and formed into sheets of paper. Participants then created artwork and/or wrote stories on the paper as a healing process to deal with traumatic events in their lives. The resulting pieces were exhibited in the Allegheny art galleries in conjunction with artworks made by national and international artists on sheets of combat paper.

Image © Andrew Stanbridge

Playshop Theatre Marks 85th Season

The Allegheny Playshop Theatre opened its 85th season with “Market Growth,” a community celebration at the historic Meadville Market House, during the Second Saturday Community Market Harvest Festival on Sept. 13. The day’s events included two comedy improv groups and musical performances on a garden-themed stage.

“Market Growth” was the first production of its kind in the United States and was based on Tanja Beer’s “Living Stage,” which premiered at an arts festival outside Melbourne, Australia.

Organist Christian Lane Performs

Christian Lane, winner of the 2011 Canadian International Organ Competition, performed on Sept. 13 in Ford Chapel.

The program ranged from J.S. Bach’s “Jig” Fugue and Toccata and Fugue in D Minor to Calvin Hampton’s “Lullaby” and John Knowles Paine’s “Variations on the Star Spangled Banner.” Works by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Franck, Sowerby and Cooman also were included in the 65-minute program.

One of America’s most accomplished, respected and versatile young organists, Lane is also vice president of the American Guild of Organists. His concert at Allegheny was supported by the Chapel Organ Recitals Fund established by Dr. Edward S. Hodgson Jr. ‘47.

Art Galleries Present ‘8 Hour Projects’

The art galleries of Allegheny presented its “8 Hour Projects” on Aug. 30. The annual event featured 13 artists making art on site with the public invited to observe.

This year’s artists, who were invited to consider themes of loss and change, were Rafael Abreu-Canedo, John Bavaro, Julia Betts, Heather Brand, John Garrett, Darren Lee Miller with Ricky Gindlesberger and Miriam Patterson, Lucia Nhamo, Steve Prince (pictured working, above), Byron Rich, Ian Thomas and Jeff Willis. Each of the artists, who work with a variety of materials, were assigned a wall or floor space of approximately 12 x 12 feet.

This exhibition was supported in part by Pennsylvania Partners in the Arts (PPA), the regional arts funding partnership of the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency.

WIRE DRAWING (detail)

2007

8 x 12 x 6 feet

Steel, copper, brass and aluminum wire

Artist: John Garrett

Photo: Margot Geist

Single Voice Reading Series Begins

The Single Voice Reading Series at Allegheny began its 2014-15 season on Sept. 25 with authors Joanna Luloff and Leslie Anne Mcilroy reading from their work.

Joanna Luloff received her M.F.A. from Emerson College and her Ph.D. from the University of Missouri. Before graduate school, she served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Sri Lanka. Her short story collection “The Beach at Galle Road,” published by Algonquin Books in 2012, was a Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers selection. She is an assistant professor of English at University of Colorado, Denver.

Leslie Anne Mcilroy won the 1997 Slipstream Poetry Chapbook Prize for “Gravel” and the 2001 Word Press Poetry Prize for “Rare Space.” Her new book, “Slag,” is forthcoming from Main Street Rag in 2015. Mcilroy is managing editor of HEArt—Human Equity through Art—and lives in Pittsburgh.

Antaeus Dance Performs Free Concert

Antaeus Dance, a Cleveland-based company founded by Joan Meggitt ’92, presented its annual fall concert in the Montgomery Performance Space on Sept. 27. The company also offered a free master class.

Antaeus performed two danceworks that explore life and death through dynamic movement and evocative imagery. Meggitt presented “Events Leading Up to My Death.” Four dancers—Jessica Hodges, Heather Koniz, Shannon Sefcik and Rhian Virostko—moved through a series of vignettes, beginning with the last and moving inexorably back in time toward the first.

Antaeus Dance has been performing at Allegheny annually since 2001.

Allegheny Partners with Bayer on Teens Science Camp

Sixteen high school students—eight from Germany and eight from cities throughout the United States—spent two weeks this summer at Allegheny for the Bayer International Science Teens Camp. The camp was sponsored by the Bayer Science & Education and Bayer USA Foundations and organized by Creek Connections, an outreach program of Allegheny that brings hands-on, inquiry-based education about watersheds to students ranging in age from elementary to high school.

Campers, selected by Bayer, participated in hands-on, field-based learning on this year’s theme: wildlife research and management. In addition to Creek Camp staff, camp instructors included college professors, Allegheny students and alumni, and other scientific experts in the field.

Photo: Bayer International Science Teens Camp campers and staff.

Senior Crystal Stone Earns Good Citizen Scholarship

Allegheny senior Crystal Stone was one of only nine students at private colleges to receive a 2014-2015 Commonwealth Good Citizen Scholarship from the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Pennsylvania (AICUP) Foundation.

The scholarship, a $1,500 award from the AICUP Foundation to students who demonstrate an extraordinary commitment to community service, is awarded to full-time students with a GPA of at least 3.0 who are enrolled in an undergraduate program at one of AICUP’s 88 member institutions. Stone, who is from Pottstown, Pa., is majoring in English, with a minor in psychology.

Photo: Crystal Stone, third from left, with other volunteers at Sigma Tau Delta’s World Book Night.

You Chomped the Vote!

Allegheny’s faithful mascot has enjoyed many different looks over the past 90 years. Not wanting to miss out on the big 200th birthday celebration, Chompers is ready for a new look to greet the new century. We asked for help and you answered the call.

Earlier this month, 5,811 alumni, students, faculty, and staff used our online “Gator Rater” to vote for their favorite costume color. The results have been sealed and delivered to the “lab” so final adjustments can be made. The big reveal will happen mid-semester. Stay tuned!

Ande Diaz

Associate Provost for Diversity and Organizational Development

Position:

Diaz provides direct leadership for the implementation of programs to create a welcoming and inclusive campus and support efforts to diversify the campus community.

“Allegheny represents the best of higher education—outstanding faculty, skilled and committed staff, and curious and passionate students,” said Diaz. “I am thrilled to join this learning community dedicated to living, working and caring for others in a complex and global society.”

Previous:

Most recently, Diaz directed the Intercultural Center at Roger Williams University, where she also taught American Studies and first-year seminars.

Education:

Diaz holds a B.A. from Yale University, an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a Ph.D. in human and organizational development from Fielding Graduate University. She also holds a Certificate in Arts Management from the University of Massachusetts.

Armenta Hinton

Associate Dean, Director of the Center for Intercultural Advancement and Student Success (CIASS)

Position:

CIASS works collaboratively with the campus community and external constituencies to develop strategic initiatives that enrich the academic, social, cultural and personal development of Allegheny students while creating opportunities to promote intercultural competence through discussion, dialogue and self-reflection.

“I am excited to take this journey with the Allegheny College community as we embark on the next 200 years of providing unusual combinations which prepare students for an interconnected world,” Hinton said.

Previous:

Before coming to Allegheny, Hinton was associate director of the Center for Diversity and Social Justice and International Student Services at Susquehanna University, as well as a lecturer and field instructor in the Marywood University MSW Program at Susquehanna University.

Education:

Hinton received a B.F.A. in music history and piano from Alabama State University, a historically black college and university, and also studied at Roosevelt University’s Chicago Musical College. She received her Post Graduate Certificate in Psychotherapy from Birmingham City University and her Ph.D. in Leadership and Change from Antioch University.

Cornell B. LeSane II

Dean of Admissions

“It’s been great becoming better acquainted with Allegheny College,” said LeSane. “I’ve been met with such a warm reception and am honored to be a part of the community.”

Previous:

Most recently, LeSane served as associate director of admission at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU).

Education:

LeSane earned a B.A. in political science from Hampton University and a master of public management, with a concentration in leadership in higher education, from CMU.

Catherine Pope

Title IX Coordinator

Position:

Pope has primary responsibility for ensuring institutional compliance with Title IX laws and regulations. In this role, she directs education, training and outreach programs related to Title IX. She also monitors the development and implementation of the college’s discrimination and sexual harassment policy.

“I’ve been very impressed at the commitment to Title IX at Allegheny and want to continue the good work already taking place,” Pope said.

Previous:

Pope joins Allegheny from Purdue University, where she served as Title IX deputy coordinator and managing director of the Butler Center for Leadership Excellence.

Education:

Pope holds a B.A. in English from the University of Dayton and two master’s degrees: one in philanthropic studies from Indiana University and one in interdisciplinary studies from Iowa State University.

Campus Leaders

In September 2013, I found myself waiting in traffic on the Champlain Bridge, my car suspended over the white-capped waves of the Saint Lawrence River. A newly minted Fulbright scholar, I was bound for the glass and steel skyline that lay ahead—Montreal.

Nestled on an island at the river’s center, Montreal is a cosmopolitan city with a fascinating past—a town founded in equal measure by native people and a mélange of French priests, nuns, explorers, and fur trappers. Montreal has occupied my imagination ever since I began writing a novel about the French and Indian War a few years after graduating from Allegheny, the place that first formed my twin passions for history and writing.

I had received the Fulbright in order to research the book with the assistance of McGill University’s Institute for the Study of Canada. Titled Yet Wilderness Grew in My Heart, the story takes place both in colonial New York and Quebec, focusing on a mysterious counterfeiter who the other characters attempt to locate—and bring to justice—amid the chaos of the war.

Often overshadowed by the American Revolution, the French and Indian War might be forgotten by many Americans if it weren’t for the ’90s film adaptation of The Last of the Mohicans starring Daniel Day-Lewis.

However, to me, North America before the revolution is a period of endless fascination. It’s a time when so much of what we take for granted was up for grabs.

Our continent was controlled in part by English speakers, in part by the French, and in part by Native Americans who pitted these powers against one another for their own ends. In short, my time learning about this amalgam of cultures has entirely upended my notion that our multicultural world is something of recent invention.

After arriving in Montreal, I took up residence in an apartment overlooking a street of fieldstone row houses and the forested summit of Mont-Royal, a park rising up from the city center, crowned by an illuminated crucifix. Here I was: wandering the same streets and seeing the same cathedrals and nunneries that my characters would have known. Every day I walked to McGill’s campus, a beautiful composite of austere granite and vivid green copper roofs. I spent hours in the library reading the letters and memoirs of soldiers, traders, and Jesuit missionaries. I enjoyed the experience of research more than words can say. Yet, as I read book after book, I also had the sneaking suspicion that something about my process of actually writing the manuscript wasn’t quite right.

Mainly, I felt underwhelmed by the story. No matter how I approached my characters, I couldn’t get excited about them. The more I wrote, the less they felt like flesh and blood people. More often they felt like a set of pawns that I jockeyed about as I prayed for some mysterious spark to ignite. Unsure what to do, I kept reading history books. I read. And read. And read some more. I was hoping to find a connection to the past that would animate the novel. But no… I never did. As I looked out my window to Mont-Royal or heard the mix of French and English ringing up from the streets, I felt hopeless. Some days I would even feel physically dazed—like a person suddenly hit with sunstroke.

“Why did I get myself into this?” I thought. “What on earth am I trying to do with all this research?”

The answer to these questions came to me by reflecting on a class I took at Allegheny freshman year. After growing up in the Rust Belt, my first experience of the world at large came through English 200 with Professor Christopher Bakken. I still remember having a feeling of shock as the course exposed us to worlds beyond our own. Professor Bakken prowled the classroom, calling on us to explain Heart of Darkness or the poetry of Walcott, heady books that brought me to places I never imagined: Africa, Europe, the Caribbean. But it didn’t stop there. Professor Bakken also required us to reflect on our own connection to these places. Often, we discussed the colonial imbalance of power between the west and everywhere else. And it was in this way that I first realized fiction wasn’t just a game for passing the time. It was a window on the way cultures competed, overlapped, and intermingled. In this struggle, the most vital stories were the ones told by people marginalized by our society: the colonized.

With this in mind, I decided to set out for a place where I could hear the story of the French and Indian War from those that don’t normally get to tell it.

I decided to go to the reservation of Kahnawà:ke. On the banks of the Saint Lawrence south of Montreal, Kahnawà:ke is a reservation of the Mohawk people, the easternmost nation of the Iroquois League, a sophisticated confederacy that often found itself caught between England and France’s warring colonies. Although it was founded as a Jesuit mission, Kahnawà:ke appears like most other small towns today: a grid of two-lane roads lined by modest houses and stores. Still, if you look closer, you’ll see that it’s no typical town. All the stop signs are in the Mohawk language, Kanien’kehá. And on every street you’re bound to find the proud purple flag of the Iroquois Confederacy waving in the air.

Near the center of Kahnawà:ke, you’ll also find one of the epicenters of traditional Mohawk culture: Kanien’kehá:ka Onkwawén:na Raotitióhkwa Language and Cultural Center (KORLCC). After calling the center, I was invited to spend part of my Fulbright at KORLCC, researching in its library and consulting with Thomas Deer, KORLCC’s cultural liaison. It would be an understatement to say Tommy helped me with my project. In fact, he single-handedly reinvigorated my passion for it. Our relationship began in the form of my weekly visits to KORLCC, where he would smile his way through my countless questions about Mohawk culture and history, then point me to books where I could learn more. However, our interactions soon evolved into something far more important.

Ultimately, Tommy showed me how the events of the past have shaped modern Mohawk life. Thanks to him, I can see the consequences of history, the ways in which our colonial origins have reverberated up to the present.

Once, after inviting me to a traditional meal of cornbread and mush with his family, Tommy drove me around Kahnawà:ke in his pickup truck, relaying facts about its history—both recent and ancient—along with a smattering of anecdotes you’ll never find in books: ghost stories, political gossip, and tall tales of Kahnawà:ke's iron workers, river men, and impish ne’er-do-wells.

Listening to his stories, it was easy to see that all the struggles of the 16th and 17th centuries are still alive in Kahnawà:ke. Specifically, the three-way struggle for agency between the Mohawks, the English, and the French still plays out every day in Kahnawà:ke's efforts to maintain autonomy in the face of the provincial government of Quebec and the federal government of Canada. Issues such as schooling, the boundaries of property, and law enforcement are influenced by this colonial past in very real ways. In the best of times, things find an uneasy balance. In the worst of times, violence erupts, such as the “Oka Crisis” of 1990, when Mohawks seized the Champlain Bridge in protest of a neighboring city’s plan to turn a Mohawk burial ground into a golf course. None of this—of course—will appear in my novel. But learning about it has given me a new understanding of why the past is worth writing about. The past remains relevant forever.

Now, back in the United States, I’m left to translate what I learned at KORLCC into fiction. It’s a puzzling task since everything I thought I knew has been complicated and expanded. Still, it always helps to think back to all the postcolonial authors to which Professor Bakken introduced me.

Every time I stumble along the path of writing, I find myself recalling what Tommy said, then combining it with what I learned in English 200. That—always—is enough to begin again.

The Last Word

An Alleghenian Novelist in Québec

By

Cam Terwilliger ’04

Fulbright Fellow

Thomas Deer, KORLCC’s cultural liaison, with Terwilliger

 

 

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