LYCOMING COLLEGE SUMMER MAGAZINE 2023

LYCOMING COLLEGE

SUMMER 2023

then NOW }

Prior to their matchup against Greensboro College in February 2023, the last time the

Warriors had taken to the field was May 1971, giving head baseball coach Rick Oliveri the daunting task of building a brand-new program comprised of 34 players, including 32 new to the College. Oliveri’s first win with the Warriors came two days after the season debut on Feb. 20 as they toppled Greensboro, 16-3. The Warriors’ first home game was a 9-5 MAC Freedom victory over DeSales University, one of three wins for the Warriors this year against teams that made the MAC Freedom Championship, at Muncy Bank Ballpark at Historic Bowman Field. On April 2, the Warriors swept Delaware Valley University in a MAC Freedom doubleheader, 12-7 and 6-4, the team’s first sweep since downing Juniata College on May 16, 1970. The Warriors, voted to finish ninth in a preseason coaches’ poll, finished tied for sixth in the league standings, as the team stayed in the hunt for a conference championship slot until the second-to-last day of the regular season. The Warriors finished 12-23 overall and 9-14 in the MAC Freedom, and Oliveri was named the 2023 MAC Freedom Coach of the Year after leading the Lycoming baseball team in their first season in more than five decades. “My goal is to work to ensure that every student-athlete who comes through the baseball program is given an experience that they will remember long after their time at Lycoming,” said Oliveri.

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LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SUMMER MAGAZINE

1924 baseball team

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From Presiden the

he summer issue of this magazine annually marks significant moments in the cycle of the academic year, and this year was no exception. On May 13, we celebrated the graduation of another remarkable group of Lycoming students, the Class of 2023. On the same day, the College’s board of trustees held its annual spring meeting and made several important strategic decisions. The Class of 2023 is a truly exceptional group that experienced more than two and a half years of pandemic disruption to their Lycoming experience. They persisted, however, and demonstrated determination, resilience, and a passion for learning. On May 13, the Fultz Quadrangle was filled with joyous celebrations as each member of the class walked across the stage and received their diploma. The Commencement speaker was Alicia Tillman ’97, recently named chief marketing officer for Delta Airlines. She inspired the graduates to build upon their Lycoming education with the words: “Dream of all that you can do, not all that you cannot do. Dream of possibilities, not limitations. Don’t limit your challenges, challenge your limits.”

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LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SUMMER MAGAZINE

t’s Desk

The decisions made by the board of trustees build upon its commitment to investing in the quality of the student experience at Lycoming College. A debt restructuring plan was approved, and it will enable the College to continue improving the quality of its facilities, potentially residence halls and academic buildings. In addition, the board authorized the administration to continue collaborating with the City of Williamsport on a plan to construct a collegiate quality baseball field in Brandon Park adjacent to campus. This latter initiative is necessary to support our baseball team and a roster of 35-40 student-athletes in 2023-24. Although the timing is still to be determined, the board also authorized the demolition of Forrest Hall, the three story residence hall located near the center of campus. Built in 1968, the dormitory’s suite-style arrangement with an adjoining bathroom between two rooms was unique for that time. James M. and Katherine ’28 Forrest Mathers named Forrest Hall in memory of Mrs. Mathers’ parents, Dr. and Mrs. Fletcher Bliss Forrest, and sister, Anna Forrest Burfeindt. The offices of college advancement and alumni relations will be sharing opportunities to celebrate and commemorate the legacy of Forrest Hall. Finally, I want to thank all the donors who made a gift during the recent Days of Giving. We are both humbled and inspired that alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students, foundations, and friends established records in number of donors (1,439), number of gifts (1,749), and total given ($485,320). We are also deeply grateful to the board of trustees who supported the campaign with trustee matches. It is the support of all these constituent groups that enables Lycoming College to be one of the premier liberal arts colleges in the nation. Enjoy the summer months!

Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D. President

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LYCOMING COLLEGE MAGAZINE

VOL. 38, NO. 2 SUMMER 2023

EDITOR Amy Chandler marketing@lycoming.edu ASSOCIATE EDITORS Joe Guistina Marcus Helminiak ’24 Marla Kramer Bailey (Spencer) Innerarity ’23 Lynn (Detwiler) Zitta ’11

ART DIRECTOR/DESIGNER Murray Hanford

PHOTOGRAPHY Chris Cooley

Heather Necessary Samantha Robinson Eric Stashak Gordon Wenzel M. Mitchell Wheary ’20

Max Wilhelm Ralph Wilson

As Lycoming students, we are, if only for a few years, part of the Williamsport community.

CLASS NOTES EDITOR Terri (Neufer) Brewer ’14

ADMINISTRATION Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D. President Chip Edmonds, Ed.D. ’98 Executive Vice President

Susan M. Ross, Ph.D. Dean of the College Philip Sprunger, Ph.D. Provost & Dean of the Faculty

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FROM THE PRESIDENT’S DESK

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NOTEWORTHY

COMMUNITY BASED LEARNING: LEARNING THROUGH SERVING

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CELEBRATING THE 175TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

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LYCOMING SOFTBALL DELIVERS IN A BIG WAY IN 2023

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT: LAURI (CERO) KREMER ’88, MBA, CPA

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FACULTY & STAFF NEWS

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ALUMNI HAPPENINGS

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ALUMNI WEEKEND 2023

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2023 AAEB ALUMNI AWARDS

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CLASS NOTES

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CONNECT: JOSH DWEH ’20

LOVE & GRATITUDE: COL. ELIZABETH “BETSY” (JOHNSON) CHECCHIA ’73

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GO PAPERLESS. To receive a link to an online version of Lycoming College Magazine rather than a paper copy, email marketing@lycoming.edu with “online magazine subscription” in the subject line. Include your name, class year, and mailing address in the message.

Copyright© 2023 Lycoming College. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or duplicated without the prior written permission of the publisher. Lycoming College is an equal access/equal opportunity institution.

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NOTEWOR

LYCOMING’S TOUR CHOIR RESUMES DOMESTIC TRAVEL PERFORMANCES

JOE FEERRAR ’02 NAMED LYCOMING COLLEGE ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR

Since its inception in 1946, Lycoming College’s Tour Choir has traveled all over the United States. Tour Choir affords students the opportunity to make music in extraordinary places and forge relationships with classmates and professors that last a lifetime, all while offering the gift of music to people far and wide as some of Lycoming’s finest ambassadors. The Tour Choir was thrilled to resume its domestic travel during Spring Break in March 2023 after a hiatus during the pandemic. The choir performed its traditional send-off concert in Clarke Chapel on March 8 before departing campus on March 11. The choir then made subsequent stops at Damascus, Md., Washington, D.C., and ended the tour in Williamsburg, Va., on

March 14. Making this year’s trek particularly meaningful were the connections made with Lycoming alumni and friends along the way. Peggy (Giauque) ’69 and the Rev. Walt Edmonds ’67 are a special connection point to Damascus United Methodist Church, where Walt is the former pastor and founder of the Charles Wesley singers. The Edmonds’ grandson, Matthew Baldridge ’25, is a current Lycoming legacy and member of the Tour Choir and was excited to perform at his hometown church. Carol “Missy” (Marsland) Schoch ’73 joins Bruton Parish Church in Williamsburg for three special concerts held annually at the church and was incredibly

Birds Brewing, with locations in Audubon and Jersey Shore, Pa., as well as Four Birds Distilling in Havertown, Pa. It was when Feerrar was a store manager at Commerce Bank where he worked on a loan for Victory Brewing Company that he learned a lot about craft beer from the owners during the lending process. He was so enamored with the craft beer business that he started to save money with the aspirations of opening his own brewery one day. Eleven years later, Feerrar opened Bald Birds Brewing Company in Audubon. “Lycoming’s been an incredible family throughout the entire time. It’s because I went to Lycoming that we’re sitting here today.” Feerrar currently serves the College on the President’s Leadership Council. Also see page 27.

On March 2, 2023, Lycoming College recognized entrepreneur Joe Feerrar ’02 as Alumnus of the Year at the 22nd Annual Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce Education Celebration at the Williamsport Country Club. Following a heartfelt introduction from his former faculty advisor, Philip Sprunger, Ph.D., the College’s provost and dean of the faculty, Feerrar acknowledged the role Sprunger and Lycoming have played in his life, professionally and personally. A Jersey Shore, Pa., native, Feerrar played football for the Warriors and studied finance while at Lycoming. His 15-plus-year career as a banker in both the retail and commercial sectors gave him a firm foundation to follow his entrepreneurial spirit. Feerrar and his wife and business partner, Abby, own Bald

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RTHY

LYCOMING PARTNERS WITH WIDENER UNIVERSITY COMMONWEALTH LAW SCHOOL

pre-law offering at Lycoming,” said President Kent Trachte, Ph.D. “Law school entrance can be incredibly competitive, and Lycoming is providing its students a favorable advantage through this agreement.”

helpful in sourcing a venue for an alumni dinner prior to the Tour Choir’s concert, while fellow church member Sue Saunders, who served Lycoming as dean of student affairs in the early 2000s, was the head usher at the concert. Schoch and Saunders sing together a few times a year in Williamsburg in various concerts.

in writing with their intent to participate in the program by the end of their first semester and must maintain at least a 3.0 GPA. They must also earn a law school admission test score and Lycoming GPA at or above the median of Widener’s prior year entering class. “Lycoming College’s pre law program prepares high performing students for law school entry with theoretical studies and LSAT preparation, as well as with hands-on experience through practicums, internships, and other work experiences that can give them an edge. The agreement with Widener Law Commonwealth serves to strengthen an already robust

In a signing ceremony on April 17, 2023, Lycoming College and Widener University Commonwealth Law School announced a 3+3 law degree program that will provide Lycoming students the opportunity to earn both a bachelor’s degree and a juris doctorate degree in just six years. Instrumental in the partnership between both institutions, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice P. Kevin Brobson ’92, graduate of Lycoming College and Widener Law Commonwealth, was in attendance at the signing ceremony. Lycoming students interested in pursuing a law degree at Widener must notify the school

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PENNSYLVANIA POLITICS COURSE TAKES LYCOMING STUDENTS TO STATE CAPITOL

LYCOMING MARKS FIRST UNDERGRADUATE HUMANITIES RESEARCH CONFERENCE A SUCCESS a Lycoming student for “The Cause and Cycle of Child Labor in Mexico.” Deported with

represented in this young administration. In the judicial branch, students interacted with Lycoming alumnus Justice Kevin Brobson ’92. The group met in the Supreme Court Chamber and learned about the artwork, architecture, and history surrounding them. Brobson fielded questions about the jurisdiction of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the experience of running a statewide campaign. The class also met with alumnus Sen. Gene Yaw ’70, who serves as chairman of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. The students asked questions about the perception of lobbying having a negative influence on politics, and learned that it’s an avenue for different causes to be heard. Part of the week included shadowing jobs at the Capitol. Some shadowed professionals in lobbying firms or interest groups, while others spent time learning from legislative committees and communications staff. One student even spent time in the lieutenant governor’s office. Throughout the week, the class attended committee hearings and had a first-person experience of how the policy process works in Pennsylvania.

Nine Lycoming College students spent Spring Break 2023 fully immersed in Pennsylvania government and politics through the first-ever Applied Political Experience course, taught by Sen. David G. Argall ’80. They spent the week in Harrisburg, Pa., attending meetings and learning from members and staff of all three branches of government. The students conducted meetings with Gov. Josh Shapiro and Lt. Gov. Austin Davis. In each of these meetings, they came prepared with questions on goals for the 2023-24 budget, increasing the minimum wage, and making college more affordable, particularly for children of immigrants. The two highest-ranking members of the executive branch spoke highly of Generation Z. Shapiro shared, “Generation Z matters,” noting that they have “powerful voices” for “driving change.” He added that they are “gifted at using social media to drive out a message.” Davis shared, “the people closest to the pain should be closest to the power,” noting the importance of having young people, women, and working-class individuals

Lycoming College held its inaugural Undergraduate Humanities Research Conference in early April 2023, with more than 100 conference goers representing 24 institutions of higher education from across the region and beyond. Participants attended student presentations and a keynote address, all while helping to deepen their understanding and bridge the gap between their status as students and their futures as professionals in their fields. The conference consisted of four sessions, each tackling research within the humanities and its related disciplines of history, literature, philosophy, art history, modern and classical languages, religious studies, interdisciplinary humanistic studies, and social sciences with a humanistic emphasis. Six students were presented awards for their dedication to excellence in research. Lycoming’s Jeovannee “Geo” Castillo ’23, a biology (anatomy and physiology) and Spanish dual major, won the award for the best research paper by

his family to Mexico at age 11, Castillo worked for three years before affording a trip back to the United States, determined to attend high school and college. “Lycoming College offered me that opportunity, for which I am incredibly grateful,” he said. “The interdisciplinary, humanities-focused format of our conference is unique, and we are really excited about the quality and breadth of submitted research that engages medieval literature, Chinese philosophy, Mediterranean archaeology, African American history, Cold War politics, indigenous identities, feminist art, popular culture, and much more,” said Andrew Leiter, Ph.D., professor of English and director of the College’s Humanities Research Center.

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LYCOMING COLLEGE 2023 SUMMER MAGAZINE

GIRARDI STADIUM

DEDICATION

September 9, 2023

JOIN US for Lycoming College Football’s home opener as we officially dedicate the stadium in honor of FRANK GIRARDI .

LYCOMING STUDENTS GIVE BACK TO COMMUNITY DURING SPRING CLEAN-UP EVENT “This country will not be a good place for any of us to live in unless we make it a good place for all of us to live in.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Lycoming College held its annual Spring Clean-Up Day on Earth Day, April 22, 2023. The event is in partnership with the local non-profit Favors Forward Foundation, which pairs groups of college volunteers with service locations across Lycoming County. These locations included parks, organizations such as the YWCA and Salvation Army, and homes of individuals facing hardships. Volunteers met early that morning in Keiper Recreation Center on campus before spreading out in groups to the service locations. Seniors Sofia Odemena ’23 and Isabelle Thomas ’23 helped clean up trash in Brandon Park, while student-athletes cleared debris at the Williamsport Cemetery and other locations throughout town. “During this year’s annual Spring Clean-Up in partnership with Favors Forward, with the

service of 187 student-athletes and leaders, faculty, staff, and community members, Lycoming College was able to serve at 38 different service sites, assisted nine different non-profits, and 29 families or individuals,” said Sophia Stabley, the College’s director of community service and involvement and one of the event’s organizers. “This annual service event provides the opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the greater Williamsport area, learn from those they are serving, and recognize the ways in which they can impact our community.” Students, faculty, and community volunteers came together to give care to the people and places who needed it most in our area, demonstrating a strength of unity and compassion for our environment.

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Thank you for choosing LYCOMING COLLEGE!

$ 485,320 TOTAL GIVEN

Every student matters. Every moment counts. We came together, stronger than ever, to show our Warrior pride and support for the College. Your generosity makes a difference. Thank you for choosing Lycoming College on DAYS OF GIVING! Through the collective generosity of our Lycoming community on April 18 & 19, 2023, 1,439 donors raised $485,320 to provide a first-rate education and create opportunity for our students. www.lycoming.edu/dayofgiving

NEW DONORS 295

1,439 NUMBER OF DONORS

NUMBER OF GIFTS

# of DONORS BY SEGMENT

1,749

Alumni

942

Current Faculty and Staff

119

Individual

318

Parent

114

Past Parent

$ 277 AVERAGE GIFT AMOUNT

47

Student

8

Foundations/ Corporations

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Learning Through Serving COMMUNITY BASED LEARNING

What is community-based learning (CBL), and why is it beneficial?

Q

A CBL is a pedagogical strategy that combines academic coursework with community engagement by leveraging mutually-beneficial partnerships between a class and public organization or group to solve community identified problems.

Lycoming College’s Office of Community Based Learning supports faculty efforts to effectively integrate service-learning, community-based research, and class-community exchanges into their courses in order to provide students with exceptional learning opportunities solving real world problems at the local, state, national, and international levels.

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Laying the Groundwork Lycoming College’s last two Strategic Plans have prioritized what is broadly known as civic engagement. Under the umbrella of civic engagement falls a multitude of initiatives across campus, including In an effort to prioritize the integration of civic engagement into the curriculum in a coordinated fashion, the College created within the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences (CEAE) a part-time position dedicated to the curricular-based work. The Office of Community Based Learning was born, and Caroline Payne, Ph.D., was appointed director. “Many faculty at the College

Significant research shows that CBL is exceptionally effective at improving a multitude of student outcomes... Caroline Payne, Ph.D.

1 community-based learning 2 community service 3 engagement

with the political process, applying

an unbiased, non-partisan approach

have already been doing fantastic community-based learning, and their work inspired the creation of this Office. We want to support more faculty who want to incorporate CBL into their courses,” said Payne. “Significant research shows that CBL is exceptionally effective at improving a multitude of student outcomes, such as improved learning connections between classroom concepts to real-world applications, critical thinking, civic engagement, pre-professional development, and retention.” Putting it into Action Designing and beginning the implementation of a community-needs assessment and an organizational assessment is vital to ensure that all CBL projects are meeting a true community need, and projects are selected and executed in a manner that can assure a positive impact for community partners as well as students.

Building the infrastructure and resources to support faculty who are interested in doing CBL is paramount. “This is critical, as the Office of CBL is not an office that directly supports students, but instead empowers and supports faculty members who then enhance the educational experience of all of their students by integrating a CBL component into their courses,” explained Payne.

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a voter registration drive that saw nearly 70 students register to vote, either locally or in their home states. Voter education also played a role in the effort, ensuring that students understood how and when to request and return absentee ballots. Classroom content included two guest speakers — State Sen. Gene Yaw ’70 and Williamsport Mayor Derek Slaughter — helping to ensure that students connected the talks with other strategies for continuous civic engagement. “The ALL IN Voter Challenge provided a unique opportunity for the students in Civic Engagement to work together on a service learning project aimed at directly assisting our campus community, while also examining the impact that students’ democratic participation can have on the larger community in which the College is situated,” said Kurtz. JAMES V. BROWN LIBRARY What would a local community library have in common with a 19th-century French literature class? Graphic novels, of course! Students enrolled in the French

Century in [Speech] Bubbles), which has students explore graphic novel adaptations of classic literary works, I partnered with Dr. Caroline Payne and Nina White, youth services consultant for the North Central Library District, to develop a community based learning experience for my students,” explained Andrew Stafford, Ph.D., assistant professor of French. “To better understand the needs of the library, we met with Nina for a tour of the building and to learn about the services it offers. We learned that the Tween & Teen floor is often unstaffed, and that Nina was working to create activity prompts using marker boards, window paint, building blocks, word tiles, etc., for the patrons to interact with.” Stafford’s students jumped at the occasion and created prompts for visitors to draw themselves as a superhero, inspired by a recent class discussion about what makes a hero. Students were asked

Payne is building relationships with local organizations to ensure that when faculty and students do partner with them, they do so as an equitable partner. “Essentially, we are building a program that adheres to the principle of ‘reciprocity’ to ensure that the work is not only about Lycoming, but also contributes positively to our community.” The Office of CBL coordinated projects academic year, Payne said at least four new collaborations with the departments of English, history, biology, and biochemistry will be added to the existing projects. “We want more faculty using CBL, and we’re excited to see more disciplines come on board.” Below is a sampling of some of the successful CBL projects that were offered this past academic year. ALL IN VOTER CHALLENGE Lycoming’s campus celebrates the important ways it can take part in the democratic process, and the ALL IN Voter Challenge focused on three main components: voter registration, turnout, and education. The challenge helped students, faculty, and staff engage in civil public discourse and close voting gaps based on age and race during the pivotal 2022 midterm elections. Students enrolled in Lycoming’s Civic Engagement course, taught by Angela Kurtz, Ph.D., worked together to organize for nine courses during the 2022-23 academic year. For the upcoming

course partnered with the James V. Brown Library in Williamsport on a project centered on graphic novels. “To better engage with the themes of my course, Dessiner le 19ème siècle en bulles (Drawing the 19th

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to periodically visit the library to document the interaction and change the prompts. They noticed that there was greater engagement with holiday-themed prompts and adapted their activities accordingly. What I enjoyed most about this collaboration was definitely the chance to give back to the community. Maya Jenkins ’23

“What I enjoyed most about this collaboration was definitely the chance to give back to the community. As Lycoming students, we are, if only for a few years, part of the Williamsport community,” said Maya Jenkins ’23. “I was able to help make the library a little more interactive for local students and gain some A n d r e w yourself as a turkey’ for the Thanksgiving season. Another student in the class chose ‘draw yourself as a superhero,’ which I loved because it allowed students to express themselves and imagine themselves in an empowering way.” “Although the prompts were sometimes erased when the students went to check on them, they reflected on how enriching it was for them to see signs that young adults had interacted with the activities they prepared,” Stafford said. “Furthermore, the students were impressed with the library itself and all that it offered. I look forward to partnering with the library again in the near future!” R u b é n skills in community outreach by inventing creative projects! One of the prompts we chose was ‘draw

Martinez (left)

What I most enjoyed about working with the Thrive community was the ability to cause changes that benefited individuals in our community.

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Juan Martinez ’25

This was an incredible example of reciprocity where the heritage speakers served as interpreters and translators for Thrive community members, and in doing so found a new appreciation for their “Connecting our Spanish heritage speakers’ students with the local Hispanic population using Thrive’s Legal Service Program has dramatically impacted my class

own bilingual identity.

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instruction,” shared Varona. “Students engaged with the community, learned through experience, and improved their linguistic skills and cultural understanding, leaving a mark on the community.” Verona adds that this partnership promotes positive attitudes toward the Spanish language and culture. It is mutually beneficial because, while using their bilingualism to meet the community’s specific needs, students reaffirm their identities through contact with the Hispanic community and their different backgrounds. Juan Martinez ’25 said, “I gained a new insight on how a second language can help others in your community while helping better your own language fluency. What I most enjoyed about working with the Thrive community was the ability to cause changes that benefited individuals in our community.” “I would love to continue this collaboration with Thrive in future classes because it allows me to connect what we learned in the classroom to real-world needs, provoking thought, reflection, and discussion,” Varona said.

Students engaged with the community, learned through experience, and improved their linguistic skills and cultural understanding, leaving a mark on the community.

Rubén Varona, Ph.D.

THRIVE INTERNATIONAL Rubén Varona, Ph.D., assistant professor of Spanish, led a course for Spanish heritage speakers that collaborated with Thrive International, an organization that “promotes diversity, equity, and belonging for people from international cultures in our region through increased language proficiency and cultural competence, immigration legal assistance, and mutually beneficial community connections.”

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Most importantly for me, this role aligns with the community centered approach that I emphasize

Directing the Office of Community Based Learning Caroline Payne, Ph.D., is associate professor and chair of political science at Lycoming College. She also serves as director of the Interdisciplinary Dominican Republic Program and associated Warrior Coffee Project, which provide opportunities for Lycoming students to gain valuable field experience in the Dominican Republic through participation in meaningful, long-term service-learning projects that help solve real-world community problems. In 2022, Payne assumed the additional role of director of the Office of Community Based Learning, where she brings her enthusiasm and breadth of knowledge for the same community-centered, needs-based approach that she’s successfully developed through her extensive work in the Dominican Republic. “Most importantly for me, this role aligns with the community-centered approach that I emphasize, speak about (TEDx), and publish on in academic and educational press outlets,” said Payne. “Developing an office with the CEAE to support CBL is an important academic strategy of the 2021 Strategic Plan, and Dr. Payne has worked for nearly a decade to champion a sustainable and reciprocal model of community development within the Warrior Coffee Project and the Interdisciplinary Dominican Republic Program,” said Susan M. Ross, Ph.D., dean of the College. “In bringing together an interdisciplinary team of Lycoming faculty and their student collaborators, Dominican community stakeholders, and members of the Williamsport retail community — including Alabaster Coffee Roaster & Tea Company and the Wegmans Williamsport grocery store — Dr. Payne has directly applied her theory of community-centered CBL (which she has outlined in her contributions to the Journal of Political Science Education and the TEDx program). We are pleased to have her applying her theory as both a CBL educator within her own coursework and as an institutional capacity builder with the CEAE.”

During a trip to the Dominican Republic in May

2023, Payne met with a women’s group about starting a women’s entrepreneurship project. (seated L to R) Rei Saar ’25, Sanjeeta Choun ’24, Payne, and Brittney Gross ’18

“CBL has long been an educational cornerstone for several Lycoming faculty, especially within the education and social sciences programs, and we are delighted to have Dr. Payne working to build capacity for both faculty engagement and Williamsport community partnership incorporation of this powerful pedagogical tool,” continued Ross.

Learn more about the Office of Community Based Learning at www.lycoming.edu/community-based-learning.

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Your support enhances access to mental health

& wellness counseling

Your gifts make internships , study abroad experiences , and faculty-led research possible

Each gift impacts Warriors of the past, present, and future. Scholarships, academics, research, and other programs continue to grow because of annual gifts made to the College. We rely on that support to

generate the best opportunities for our students in all aspects of their Lycoming experience.

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MAKE A GIFT TODAY AT www.lycoming.edu/givenow Every Warrior . Every Year . Creating Opportunity Since 1812

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Celebrating THE 175TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

Lycoming College held its 175th Commencement Ceremony on May 13, 2023. The Class of 2023 traversed five of their eight semesters through unprecedented adversities presented by a global pandemic, yet their perseverance was celebrated during a beautiful afternoon on the Fultz Quadrangle. “You have demonstrated that you are determined, resilient, and passionate about learning,” championed President Kent Trachte, Ph.D. D. Mark Fultz ’80, chairman of the board of trustees, added, “I, like my fellow trustee alumni, look back on my Lycoming years as being truly transformative…. As time moves on from this day forward, you all will gain a growing realization of how impactful your Lycoming experience was. And I guarantee you’ve all gained something special here at Lycoming.” Fultz’s niece, Helen Hassett ’23, senior class treasurer, delivered the student address at the Baccalaureate service the day before, where she spoke about how Lycoming “is the place where we all change to realize our true, authentic selves.”

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Your graduation today marks the completion of an education that has prepared you to take on anything. ANYTHING. There are no excuses when you have an education. - Alicia Tillman ’97 ’23H

Tillman delivers keynote address, receives honorary degree Alicia (Klosowski) Tillman ’23H, an executive leader with more than two decades of experience at the highest levels of global marketing, sales, and strategy, delivered the commencement keynote address. During the

Choir, and baseball team manager. Additionally, Wolfe worked on campus as a tour guide for admissions as well as a staff member for the Keiper Recreation Center.

Wolfe also completed several professional internships and service learning experiences during her time at Lycoming, including internships at Covation Center and Paradigm, and voter registration at American Rescue Workers. Following graduation, she plans to pursue a career in political advising and campaign management in Washington, D.C. “We are the only graduating class that will know college before, during, and after COVID, and it was daunting. But we are so much more than that…. It takes guts to climb a hill that you can’t see over and even more so to trust that it will come back down on the other side,” said Wolfe. Rogers named Chieftain Lycoming College named Preston Rogers ’23 the recipient of the Chieftain Award, the highest honor given to a graduating senior. A Lycoming Scholar and biology major who earned a spot on the College’s dean list all four years, Rogers was recognized for his leadership and advocacy for student health, his passion in tutoring his fellow students, and extensive volunteerism. Rogers’ demonstrated excellence in biology Freshmen and Freshman Biology Award. He worked more than 80 hours in the UPMC’s emergency department in Williamsport, studied in the Microbial Friends and Foes Research Experience in the Rudd Lab at Cornell University during the Summer of 2022, and worked as a personal care aide/medical technician at the Towanda Personal Care Home where he provided care to more than 75 residents. Lycoming extends its congratulations to the remaining outstanding Chieftain nominees: Gricelda Arredondo ’23, Harshita Bandhu ’23, Rosemary Tovar ’23, and Emma Wolfe ’23. awarded him the Lycoming College S-STEM Scholarship, along with both the M.B. Rich Endowed Prize for

ceremony, she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws. “All of you have been given this gift of life,” said Tillman to the Class of 2023. “Don’t spend it trying

to be someone else. Look deeply into your soul and decide what you want from life and who you want to be. And then go for it. I promise you, it will be an adventure you won’t want to miss.” Recently named chief marketing officer for Delta, Tillman leads the airline’s brand strategy, overseeing the marketing, creative services, and community engagement teams to bring Delta’s story to life and deepen relationships with customers around the world. As a member of Delta’s Leadership Committee, she will influence the airline’s vision and strategy. Previously, Tillman served as global chief marketing officer for technology giant SAP and had an 11-year tenure at American Express, where she led marketing, public affairs, and business services for the travel division. Most recently, she was chief revenue officer of Capitolis, a leading fintech and one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies. Tillman earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing and mass communications from Lycoming, where she was elected president of the Student Senate, was a sister of Gamma Delta Sigma sorority, and was instrumental in starting the women’s lacrosse program. A graduate of the Chief Marketing Officer program at The Kellogg School of Management, she has been named one of the Most Influential CMOs in the World by Forbes. Wolfe delivers senior greeting Emma Wolfe ’23, a managerial economics and international studies dual major with a minor in German, delivered the senior greeting to the Class of 2023. Wolfe’s academic achievements include Dean’s List, a member of Alpha Psi Omega (theatre) and Omicron Delta Kappa (leadership), and the IRUSKA Society. Leadership roles include Student Senate, Gamma Delta Sigma sorority, Panhellenic Council, Chamber

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W

hen Rachel DeWolfe ’24 stepped up to the plate in the bottom of the sixth inning in a MAC Freedom Championship elimination game against King’s on May 5 with the Lycoming College softball team down by a run and two runners on, the team had the perfect player at bat — the veteran junior who already had two game-winning hits during the season. Her game-winning base hit that sent the Warriors to the conference final for the first time in 18 years was more than dramatic, though. It was cathartic. “That is definitely something I will remember in all my career of softball,” DeWolfe said. It was the first year without COVID threats in these seniors’ careers. It was Lycoming’s last sport to play as a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference, and as the season unfolded, the Warriors played for more than each other, and it showed. After all, along the road to a school-record 25 wins in 2023, there were long slumps, injuries, and unexpected deaths. After the game, head coach Melissa

softball DELIVERS in a Montoro said, “I didn’t even know what to say to them in the team huddle. I’m so proud of them.” LYCOMING BIG WAY in By Joe Guistina Kylie , 23

Rachel

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Rachel DeWolfe ’24 DeWolfe entered 2023 with a .175 career batting average, having started for nearly every game in her first two years. No player on the team signified the change more than the New Cumberland, Pa., junior. She started the year by hitting .565 while leading the team through a 6-2 week in South Carolina to open the season. When the team returned to Williamsport, she hit her first career home run to walk-off with a 2-1 win over FDU-Florham. “That was amazing,” DeWolfe said. Pitcher Kylie Russell ’24 added, “She came into the season determined to win a spot in the lineup, and she did an amazing job. I loved seeing her confidence continue to increase in every game.” Even at the end of the year when an injury slowed her, DeWolfe was still the team’s second

leading hitter, and it was her at the plate that sent the team to the conference final. She finished with a .326 average, 13 runs, 30 hits, five doubles, two homers, and 16 RBI, all marks that were higher than she had in her career before the season started. “Coming off the two seasons that she had, to have those big hits in the regular season and then to have that hit in the playoffs,” center fielder Morgan Wetzel ’23 said, “that was the confidence she needed, and she gave it to the rest of the team, too.” Kylie Russell ’24 If ever there were a pitcher born to pitch, she is Russell. Her mother, Heidi, was a two-time state champion at Williamsport Area High School before pitching at Kutztown University. Russell grew up tossing big games routinely for

Morgan

Jersey Shore Area High School, a left-hander with a devastating changeup and precise location. Her first year at Lycoming was no exception, as she posted a 2.22 ERA as a reliever. Her sophomore year was derailed, though, when she slid awkwardly into second base while practicing. A right shoulder injury turned into a bicep tendon tear. She played through it, and somehow still had the team’s best ERA, but it took summer surgery and six months of rehabilitation to get healthy.

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“Even though it was my right arm, it still affected my pitching in the season,” she said. “I was not throwing as hard, and I would get fatigued a lot quicker.” Russell lost three of her first five decisions in 2023, but after a five-out save in a 3-1 win over DeSales, she won her next eight games, throwing a four-hit shutout against NCAA Championship participant Lebanon Valley. Even after a loss to Susquehanna, she rebounded with an eight-inning, two-hit shutout of regionally ranked King’s. “King’s was a great team, and I just remember being so anxious and nervous about the game. My teammates were there to pump me up, which is what I think made me throw one of my best games,” Russell said. The left-hander was 7-0 with a save and a 0.42 ERA in conference play, making her the unanimous pick for the MAC Freedom’s Pitcher of the Year. “I am extremely proud of her and her hard work and dedication to softball,” DeWolfe said. “She really inspires me. She is an all-around great person on and off the field.” Morgan Wetzel ’23 Wetzel had been friends with Riley Houser for years. The pair grew up together, eventually playing on the same softball team at Central Mountain High School, along with another Warrior teammate, Madalyn Bechdel ’23.

For both of them, softball came easy. For Wetzel, it had always been second nature. She was hitting .536 when COVID ended her first year with the Warriors in 2020, and she followed that by hitting .423 as a sophomore. In 2022, Houser was going to join Wetzel for the spring semester at Lycoming and play third base for the Warriors. That never came to be. Houser passed away on Jan. 24, the day that the team was supposed to begin practice. “I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel walking back on the field,” Wetzel said. “To have my teammates there, to have Riley’s jersey hanging in the dugout every game, that meant a lot to me and her family. She loved to play sports. She loved to play baseball. I think it’s awesome that her memory is going to live on here. I am glad I had the teammates I had when I was here, because I don’t know if I would have done it without them.” It’s hard to say that hitting .340 is struggling, but Wetzel’s junior year came with more struggles than any before that. “In the beginning, softball wasn’t the same for me,” she admitted. “I went with the mentality of doing it for Riley instead of thinking about doing it with her this year. I am really happy that we made it to the conference championship. In a sense, we did that for her.” Wetzel became the second Warrior to notch 50 hits in a season and was in the top 10 in seven statistical categories, and she broke three school records in 2023. “I was beyond excited to see Morgan have an amazing senior season,” Russell said. “With all that she went through last year, she deserved a season full of happiness and breaking records.”

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Every gift can be designated to a specific sports team, divided among multiple programs, or allocated to the Warrior Club General Fund, which supports all of Lycoming athletics. WARRIOR CLUB Help ensure that our Warriors have everything they need to compete at the highest level .

FOR ADDITIONAL DETAILS: contact Glenn Smith ’07, director of athletics development and associate director of major gifts (570) 321-4455 or smithg@lycoming.edu

lycoathletics

SAVE THE DATE

OCT. 6 - 8, 2023

HOME COMING

10 I 6 I 23

10 I 7 I 23

10 I 7 I 23

ANNIVERSARY 75 ANNIVERSARY

TH YEAR

ANNIVERSARY

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FACULTY SPOTLIGHT

LAURI KREMER, MBA, CPA ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ACCOUNTING

Discovering a LOVE for TEACHING L auri (Cero) Kremer ’88 took one business course in high school — essentially an introduction to balancing a checkbook. That was not, however, what sparked her interest in accounting. She began her journey at Lycoming College as a psychology major, but one of her friends needed to take an accounting course for her business major. “She begged me to take it with her so she was not alone,” recalled Kremer. “The rest is history!” “I was blessed to have Logan Richmond, Eldon Kuhns ’70, and Dick Wienecke ’66 as professors and mentors,” she said. “They genuinely cared about the success of their students by making us think outside of the box and about our short- and long-term plans. Classes with them were not easy or always enjoyable, but I learned so much. I always felt extremely qualified and was promoted often because of the many things I learned from them academically and professionally.” Kremer began her career in public accounting as a tax preparer and auditor, but eventually the long hours and travel associated with public accounting became difficult for her and her family. In a serendipitous turn of events, Kremer received an invitation to meet with Wienecke and Kuhns about giving back to her alma mater. That     

conversation led to an opportunity for her to teach part time at the College to cover courses during a sabbatical. “That was 27 years ago, and I discovered that I had a knack for connecting with students and sharing accounting information by telling them about my experiences in public accounting and administration. That made the subject matter I was teaching more relatable.” Kremer initially took the position because she was in search of a better work/life balance. “I have remained in higher education because I love teaching more than I ever thought I would, and my students are amazing.”

I love seeing my students learn new things that they can apply in their everyday lives and use beyond graduation.

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What career paths have some of your former students taken, and what would you tell prospective students and their families about pursing a degree in accounting? Many of our students begin working in public accounting upon graduation. We design our program to ensure that our graduates have the tools necessary to be successful in public accounting, working at firms including PwC, E&Y, and KPMG, and passing the CPA exam. Other students have worked in governmental areas like the GAO, FBI, or state and local government. UPMC, Geisinger, Hershey Foods, Disney, Legg-Mason, and First Quality are just a few industries where our students are employed. We have several students working in the real estate and private equity industries as well. When asked about pursuing degrees in accounting, I share that the possibilities are endless. Roughly 27 percent of today’s CFOs have public accounting backgrounds, while approximately 29 percent of CEOs have a degree in accounting, business, economics, finance, or a related degree.

I hope that my students learn how to think analytically and rationally.

What is your favorite aspect of accounting and why? I love seeing my students learn new things that they can apply in their everyday lives and use beyond graduation. It is rewarding to hear from my former students when they pass the CPA exam or when they are promoted. Everyone uses accounting in their everyday lives. What is it that you find most fulfilling about teaching and engaging with students? One of my favorite aspects of my job is assisting students with their practicum placements and watching their growth over their four years at Lycoming. I have an open-door policy, and it makes my day when a student comes into my office to tell me about an employment opportunity.

What do you hope students will gain from your classes? Are there aspects of accounting courses that you think are beneficial to all students, not just majors? I hope that my students learn how to think analytically and rationally. When working on problem-solving questions, such as “If you win the lottery, do you take a lump sum payment or an annuity?”, I ask them if their answers make sense. I think our financial accounting course is one of our most important courses. We teach to broad disciplines, not just accounting and business. It makes me happy when we have students from majors like biology, theatre, or art and design who take the course because other students have told them how much they have learned.

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