Farewell to our 14th: Cover Story in the latest Westminster Magazine

SPRING 2016 • VOLUME XXXIV, ISSUE 3 COLLEGE MAGAZINEWestminster

THE DORMAN ERAPresident Richard H. Dormanleaves his mark on Westminster

INSIDE > ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIPS 2016 - 2017

WestminsterSPRING 2016Volume XXXIV, Issue 3

EDITORIAL STAFFElizabeth Fontaine Hildebrand ’92Editor & Designer

Rick SherlockSenior Director of Marketing & Communications

ALUMNI RELATIONS OFFICEKara H. MontgomeryCynthia Dafler ’03Linda Wilson

ALUMNI COUNCILJames A. Giel ’74, President Karen Campman Emmett ’75, Past President

PRINTERPrinting Concepts, Inc., Erie, PA

EXECUTIVE OFFICERSDeborah Platt Majoras ’85Chair, Board of Trustees

Dr. Richard H. DormanPresident

Dr. Neal A. Edman Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students

Kenneth J. Romig ’85Vice President for Finance & Management Services

Dr. Thomas H. Stein Vice President for Enrollment & Marketing

Matthew P. StinsonVice President for Institutional Advancement

Dr. Jane M. Wood Vice President for Academic Affairs & Dean of the College

Photography credits: Tiffany Wolfe Shaffer, Elizabeth Hildebrand ’92, Nathan LaRiccia, Brad Weaver, Katie Hilliard Bittner ’08, Nicole Crumbacher Hunter ’12, Terry Clark, Kukucka Photography

Contact us at:[email protected] or 724-946-8761

Mailing address:Westminster College319 S. Market St.New Wilmington, PA 16172-0001ATTN: Westminster Magazine Editor

COLLEGE MAGAZINE

Westminster Magazine is published twice a year by the Office of Marketing and Communications. Westminster College does not discriminate, and will not tolerate discrimination, on the basis of race, color, national or ethnic origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity and expression, age, handicap or disability, marital status, veteran status, genetics or any other protected class as those terms are defined under applicable state or federal law, in the administration of any of its educational programs, activities, or with respect to admissions and employment. In its employment practices the College may, however, consider the individual’s support of the philosophy and purposes of Westminster College as stated in the Undergraduate Catalog. Inquiries may be directed to the Equal Opportunity Officer, Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA 16172-0001, 724-946-7247. Westminster College is related to the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) through the Synod of the Trinity.

THE FUTUREAWAITSAnother Westminster Commencement is in the books. For more coverage, see page 14.

2 President’s Message

3 Campus News

7 Alumni Spotlight: David Robbins ’82 — The Liberal Arts Foundation of Success

10 Farewell to Our Fourteenth: President Dorman retires

12 Alumni Feature: Carleton Young ’73 — Letters in the Attic

14 Commencement 2016

17 Legacy Graduates

18 Alumni News & Notes

28 WC Memories

WHAT’S INSIDE

STAY CONNECTED

contentsSPRING 2016 | Volume XXXIV, Issue 3

URAC 2016

W e s t m in s t e r C o l l e g e M a g a z in e 1

This message to Westminster’s alumni and friends will be my final one as I embark on retirement after 40 years in education. It has been an exhilarating career beginning as a high school vocal music teacher, followed by various administrative positions at Penn State, the University of Louisville, Otterbein University, and finally Westminster College. What a ride it has been! How very grateful I am for having had the opportunity to serve this wonderful liberal arts College as the capstone to a fulfilling career.

The best part for me about being president of Westminster College has been seeing the faces of excited anticipation on each graduating senior as they are next in line to have their name called to receive their diploma at Commencement. All that they have done for the four years previous has led to this moment and their expressions mirror the joy in their hearts. No one else at Commencement shares the angle of sight I have at that second, and for the past eight years it has been a very special privilege to stand in that spot, at that time, to celebrate this distinctive achievement in the life of each student. I will miss that the most.

Each diploma distributed at graduation carries with it the spirit of Westminster that is so special. That spirit contains the dedication of a faculty and staff committed to the personal, moral, and intellectual growth of the student, yielding graduation outcomes that continue to rank among the very best in the nation. The solid liberal arts education they received has prepared them well to achieve great things in whatever field of endeavor they choose. The spirit of Westminster is also manifested in a Board of Trustees of highly dedicated volunteers

committed to student achievement and the success of the College. And our alumni remain among the most loyal and engaged of any alumni body it has been my privilege to work with over four decades. It is the people of Westminster that make this such a special place.

There are some special memories that I will take away from Westminster. The Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration (URAC) held each April has grown over the years to become a wonderful showcase of achievement and talent as hundreds of students share their Capstone projects and special gifts with the entire campus community. I am amazed at the projects these students present, representing the fruits of the educational bond between teacher and student. I will cherish the memories of spending a week with students during several Spring Breaks assisting Chaplain Mohr as we volunteered for Habitat for Humanity in some of the poorest areas of our nation. My wife, Bev, and I loved having students to the house for “Dinner with the Dormans” as an opportunity to get to know them better, and they us. (Confidentially, I learned more about what was happening on campus from these students than from any meetings with the staff!). I shall never forget having to comfort a student 15 minutes after she learned that both her parents were killed in a head-on crash as they were driving to campus to pick her up for the summer, and the incredible generosity of our Board of Trustees that stepped up to offer to pay her tuition for her coming senior year. Where else would that happen other than Westminster? And as a former music teacher, I shall always remember the pride I felt as president listening to the instrumental, vocal, and orchestral ensembles that rival the best collegiate music programs in the Commonwealth. These are but a few of the hundreds of indelible memories I shall take from my time here.

It has been an enormous privilege and blessing serving Westminster over the past eight years. Bev and I wish to thank all of you for your support and friendship during our tenure. We also wish to extend our congratulations and best wishes to Drs. Kathy and Randy Richardson who shall succeed us. We know that they will find Westminster to be equally as special as we did. And as I write down these thoughts, I look forward to Commencement and the final opportunity to see the faces of expectant graduates about to be recognized for the greatest achievement of their young lives. After all, everything we do at Westminster is all about the students.

Most sincerely,

Dr. Richard H. DormanPresident

MESSAGE FROM THE

PRESIDENT

A

2 w w w.w e s t m in s t e r. e d u

Westminster has signed articulation agreements with two regional community colleges, Butler County Community College (BC3) and the Community

College of Allegheny County (CCAC).

The agreement will allow BC3 students to transfer credits towards

earning a bachelor’s degree from Westminster College. The BC3

transfer programs and Westminster programs included in the

agreement are: early childhood education/Pre K-4 (Associate of

Arts) to early childhood/special education (Bachelor of Arts) and

child development education (Associate of Arts and Sciences) to

child and family studies (Bachelor of Arts).

The program agreements provide a seamless transfer of credits

that will allow BC3 students the opportunity to complete the second

two years of a four-year degree, said BC3 Dean of Humanities and

Social Sciences Bill Miller.

“The School of Education is pleased to be able to provide an avenue

for BC3 students interested in early childhood education and special

education K-8 and child and family studies to transition into a four-

year degree granting program without losing any credits,” said Dr.

Amy Camardese, chair of Westminster’s School of Education.

CCAC students will also have a similar opportunity with the

collaborative agreement that will allow the transfer of CCAC students

into seven baccalaureate programs at Westminster.

The agreement provides students who earn an associate degree

an academic pathway to transfer into a parallel bachelor’s degree

program at Westminster College. The agreement, which takes

effect immediately for graduates who have met the requirements of

programs in the current catalog, will facilitate the transfer of CCAC

students into the following baccalaureate programs: accounting,

business, biology, criminal justice studies, psychology, theatre, and

early childhood/special education.

The coordination of transferable coursework, supported through

academic advising, will help ensure a successful transition. Students

are encouraged to work with CCAC and Westminster counselors to

carefully plan their course of study.

When transferring, CCAC students must apply for admission,

submit required transcripts, and meet Westminster’s admissions

requirements.

“As today’s students seek greater flexibility as they appraise the

higher education choices available to them, this agreement provides

improved access and affordability to achieve a quality education

through this partnership of two outstanding institutions,” said

Westminster College President Richard H. Dorman.

Westminster signs agreements with BC3, CCAC

CAMPUS NEWS

SPRING BREAK WITH A PURPOSEOver 30 students participated in the Spring Break with a Purpose trip to Georgetown, South Carolina, this year. The group, coordinated by Westminster College Chaplain the Rev. James Mohr, far left, and accompanied by President Richard H. Dorman, back center, helped build a house, assisted in flood rehabilitation projects, and provided assistance in other various areas of need.


THREE STUDENTS,THREE STORIESDoltyn Snedden ’17 partnered again with Westminster to develop an electronic message to alumni which was emailed to alumni and friends in May following commencement. If you missed it, you can view it on Westminster’s Facebook page or by visiting www.westminster.edu/thankyou.

Westminster College welcomed a micro-volume spectrophotometer to campus through a grant, enhancing biological and chemical teaching and research for more than 250 students.

The Pittsburgh Conference Memorial National College Grant (PCMNCG), awarded by the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh (SACP) to support science education, provided Westminster College with a gift of $10,000.

“Many students have used the spectrophotometer to quantify the amount of DNA, RNA, or proteins in a sample for their research projects,” said Dr. Pete Smith, professor and chair for the Division of Biological, Chemical, and Environmental Sciences. “The aspect of the micro-volume spectrophotometer that is most beneficial to our students is that it only requires one microliter of sample — about 50 times smaller than a typical drop of water.”

Prior to receiving the micro-volume spectrophotometer, students and faculty would create a sample of DNA, RNA, or protein in solution and sacrifice a large portion if the sample for initial analysis.

“This new instrument allows our students and faculty to measure the concentrations of biological molecules in their samples without having to sacrifice any of the sample,” said Smith.

The grant, entitled “Many Measuring the Minute: How a Micro-volume Spectrophotometer will Enhance Biological and Chemical Education at

Westminster College,” was authored collaboratively by faculty members Dr. Matt Baker, assistant professor of chemistry and chair for materials science; Dr. Joshua Corrette-Bennett, associate professor of biology; Dr. Sarah Kennedy ’02, associate professor of chemistry and chair for biochemistry; Dr. Diana Ortiz, assistant professor of biology; and Dr. Erin Wilson, associate professor of chemistry.

College welcomes state-of-the-art science equipment

Behind every accomplishment stands many people who haveguided and paved the way to success.

More than 300 Westminster College students accomplished something amazing as they walked across the stage to receive their diploma on May 14. Each of those students carried

with them a unique dream and a seal of hope scripted by your generous support. Experience just three among hundreds of stories in which you have helped write.

Thank you for caring, for sharing, and for being part of the Westminster story.


Dormans creatememorial scholarshipfor Ohio students

President Richard H. Dorman and his wife, Beverly, have established the Colin and

Nathan Kane Memorial Scholarship Fund.

This scholarship was created to honor the brief lives and memory of their first grandchildren, twin boys, who died in the days and weeks following their birth.

The scholarship is intended to financially assist promising students enrolled at Westminster College from the central Ohio region where Kelly Kane, daughter of President and Mrs. Dorman, and her husband, Kevin, reside. The twins’ parents requested that the scholarship be provided to students intending to work in the health profession, in honor of the medical staff of the University of Cincinnati Hospital who so ably and professionally cared for the children while they were in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Recipients of the scholarship must be a resident of Ohio with preference given to those individuals residing in the following central Ohio counties: Franklin, Delaware, Fairfield, Pickaway, Licking, Union, or Madison and is intended for students seeking a career within the health sciences.

The scholarship is renewable for up to three years provided the recipient maintain a 3.0 GPA average.

New digital journalism major approvedA new major in digital journalism — a program that “prepares students for careers in a

new age of storytelling” — has been approved for the fall semester.

“Over the past several years, the landscape of journalism has shifted because of the radical changes in the way news is covered, produced, delivered, and consumed,” said Dr. Deborah C. Mitchell, professor of English and film studies and chair of the Division of Communications, Arts, Languages, and Literature.

Digital journalism majors will complete a blend of courses in digital journalism, broadcast communications, public relations, and communications to fulfill a required 64 credit hours. A digital journalism minor will also be offered.

Program outcomes are focused on student news delivery, critical thinking, writing, analytical, research, media literacy, journalism, technology and visual competence skills, preparing students for a wide range of post-graduation opportunities.

URAC SPEAKERDr. Nathan Carlin ’01, associate professor at the McGovern Center for Humanities and Ethics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, speaks during the annual Undergraduate Research and Arts Celebration in April.


Board approves phase one of Tiny House Project

This spring, the Westminster College Board of Trustees approved phase one of the proposed Tiny House

Project – the development of a unique living and learning experience that integrates concepts of sustainability, simple living, and environmental studies into students’ coursework and lifestyles.

Tiny houses, which have piqued social and environmental interest across the globe, are loosely categorized as homes that are between 100 and 400 square feet. These houses require less energy and economic consumption, and support the ideas of simplification and sustainability.

“We would like to capture the fascination that our neighbors and larger community have with the tiny house movement and turn that into an educational experience,” said Dr. Helen Boylan ’95, Westminster College

professor and program coordinator and chair for the environmental programs.

In the exploratory phase, a team of students will help design and plan the building of the first house.

“Ideally, we will construct the tiny house through a community build, where students, faculty, staff, community members, and alumni are able to support the building of the house through physical participation in the build, donations, or other contributions,” said Boylan. “Pending success and support of phase one, we will plan for two or three more houses.”

Location and design of the tiny house, zoning ordinances, building codes, and residence life rules and regulations are being considered as part of the current exploratory phase.

“Student learning objectives associated with tiny living will be meaningfully

integrated into tiny house linked coursework,” said Boylan. “This novel educational model which incorporates tiny living into the student’s academic experience will position Westminster College as an innovator in sustainability education.”

In April, tiny house construction expert Bill Rockhill presented “Big Man. Little House: How a Guy from the Bronx ended up in the Adirondacks building Tiny Houses before the Tiny House Movement Even Started.”

Rockhill, the owner of Bear Creek Carpentry, a family-run business building tiny houses for almost 25 years, has been providing his expertise to Westminster’s Tiny House planning team over the phone for the past two months.

You can follow the developments of the Tiny House Project on Facebook, Twitter, and westminster.edu/tinyhouse.

TINYHOUSETINY LIVING. BIG LEARNING.

THE LIBERAL ARTSFOUNDATIONof

SUCCESS


It’s an argument almost as old as Plato himself — that the liberal arts education just isn’t enough to truly

prepare graduates for the workforce. While others who followed career paths at larger universities are attaining wealth and prosperity, those who matriculated at liberal arts colleges can most likely be found unemployed, unsuccessful, and unqualified for life’s real opportunities.

David Robbins ’82 might disagree.

When Robbins graduated from Westminster in 1982, he left campus clutching a Bachelor of Arts degree in English. Today, he is a leader in Silicon Valley, the mecca of high-tech companies and breeding ground for entrepreneurs. Currently CEO of the mobile application intelligence company Apteligent, he is also widely recognized as the former president and CEO of the security tech company BigFix, which he sold to IBM for $400 million in 2010.

“A liberal arts education prepares you for whatever career you choose,” said Robbins, who returned to Westminster College in April to accept the 2016 Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the School of Business. “People talk about the need to communicate, but Westminster provided the well-roundedness.”

Being well-rounded has enabled him to move between disciplines and communicate effectively.

“When I give a presentation — and some of my meetings are several hours long — I work from memory,” he said. “It’s all from my liberal arts education. I learned how to consume information, process it, and regurgitate it.”

But beyond his ability to communicate effectively, the values-based leader said it was his relationships at Westminster that taught him compassion. “It’s the people — friendly, open, easy to engage and interact with. It’s where I learned to grow and move forward.”

“Success is building something with a group of people — when everyone gave their best effort, accomplished their goals, and created something bigger than themselves,” he said.

Robbins recognizes that he lives and works in an environment where greed and ambition are prevalent, but a simple plan — another product of the liberal arts education — has kept him grounded and successful.

“Belief, honesty and integrity,” he said. “Remain true to your values and principles — they are the foundation for everything you do in this world.”

David Robbins ’82 with wife Kathy Gyulai ’81. The couple reside in Ramon, California, and are the parents of three children.

By ELIZABETH FONTAINE HILDEBRAND ’92

THE LIBERAL ARTSFOUNDATIONof

SUCCESS

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT


TITAN HALL OF FAMESix new members were inducted i nto the Titan Sports Hall of Fame last fall. The Class of 2015, pictured above from left to right, are Scott Froelich ‘05, Football; Scott “Scooter” Renninger, coaching; Katie McDermott-Gouldin ‘07, volleyball; Desiree Sterling ‘07, women’s basketball; Steve Jones attending for his father Arthur Jones ‘51, men’s track & field; and Ryan Trunk ‘07, men’s swimming & diving.

The Westminster College Department of Athletics and the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) hosted the 13th Annual WESPY (Westminster Exceptional Sports Performances of the Year) Awards in May.

The WESPYs honored team MVPs for all 21 varsity sports, as well as several annual awards and recognition of top athletic achievements throughout the 2015-16 academic year.

Highlighting the event was the awarding of the David B. Fawcett and Marjorie A. Walker awards, given annually to honor and acknowledge individuals who best exemplify the qualities of fairness, sportsmanship, leadership, determination and competitiveness. The Fawcett Award was given to men’s basketball/track & field senior Paul Carswell and the Walker Award was presented to track & field senior Marissa Kalsey.

The WESPY Award was given to the top athletic performance by a Titan male and female student-athlete. The men’s WESPY went to men’s soccer senior Tyler Little and the women’s WESPY went to women’s swimming & diving sophomore Megan Douds.

To view the whole story and the complete list of award winners, please visit our athletics page at athletics.westminster.edu.

Student-athletes take home WESPY awards

Above: Taking home the coveted David B. Fawcett Award and the Marjorie A. Walker Award were Paul Carswell, left, and Marissa Kalsey, respectively. Below: The WESPY Award for the top athletic performance by a male and female student-athlete went to Tyler Little, right, and Megan Douds.


The Piano Guys

Saturday, September 24, 2016 ADAM TRENT: THE FUTURISTStar of the Broadway hit show The Illusionists - and the #1 selling magic show in the world!Sponsored by First National Bank Thursday, October 6, 2016 DEFYING GRAVITY: Stephen Schwartz and FriendsCelebrated Broadway composer Stephen Schwartz who gave us the beloved musicals Wicked, Godspell and Pippin accompanied by two highly accredited Broadway vocalists in an unforgettable evening of musical theatre!Sponsored by Huntington Wednesday, November 30, 2016 THE PIANO GUYSWhat do you get when you mix up a marketing genius that does video, a studio engineer that writes music, a pianist that had a successful solo career, and a cellist that does pretty much everything? The Guys’ original blend of classical music with pop that has made them an international sensation!Sponsored by Jameson Health System

CELEBRITY SERIES2016–2017 SEASON

Tuesday, December 6, 2016 SANDI PATTY CHRISTMAS BLESSINGS TOURThe most awarded female vocalist in Gospel music history, with 40 Dove Awards and 5 Grammy Awards, will sing her most beloved tunes in this Christmas leg of her Forever Grateful: The Farewell Tour. Come and enjoy "The Voice" one last time! Sponsored by Giant Eagle Saturday, May 6, 2017 THE DOO WOP PROJECTFeatures the songs and the stories of the great vocal groups of the 1950s featuring current and former stars of Broadway’s smash hits Jersey Boys and Motown: The Musical!Sponsored by Springfield Restaurant Group

SPECIAL SHOW (not part of season ticket)Saturday, April 1, 2017 JOHN DENVER MUSICAL TRIBUTETed Vigil, one of America's greatest John Denver Tribute Artists, pays homage to all the great John Denver songs “Annie's Song,” “Leavin' on a Jet Plane,” “Thank God I'm a Country Boy,” “Calypso” plus many, many more.

THE DOO WOP PROJECT

JOHN DENVER MUSICAL TRIBUTE

www.westminster.edu/celebrity • 724-946-7354

Farewell Fourteenth

RICHARD H. DORMAN CONCLUDES TENURE AS PRESIDENT

to our


As Dr. Richard H. Dorman marks the end of his tenure as the 14th President of Westminster College, we pause to reflect on his eight years at Mother Fair.

Just three months after taking office in July 2008, Dorman unveiled his vision for the future in his strategic plan, “Advantage: Westminster.” This plan, which won a bronze medal from the Higher Education Marketing Report in the nation’s largest educational advertising awards competition, shaped the course of Dorman’s next eight years at Westminster’s helm.

Some of the highlights during Dorman’s tenure include:

• Completing Ever Higher, the largest comprehensive campaign in the history of the College, raising over $52 million in gifts and pledges.

• Completing nearly $10 million in capital improvements, including the renovation of Patterson Hall; completion of the Berlin Village Townhouse complex; renovation of dining facilities; and the creation of new studio and classroom space for its Fine Arts program.

• Signing a faculty exchange program agreement with Western Galilee College in Akko, Israel.

• Receiving a $7 million estate gift — the largest in the College’s history — from Helen Louise Lemmon.

• Being named by Forbes.com “The Best College in America for Women Entering the S.T.E.M. Disciplines.”

“I have been very fortunate to serve higher education in a variety of successful capacities in my nearly forty years in the profession, culminating in my service to Westminster as president. I will look forward to having the time now to focus on sharing those experiences with others in a variety of ways at a time of enormous change for colleges and universities.”

He and his wife, Beverly, will relocate to Columbus, Ohio, where they will be closer to family and where Dorman will pursue his writing and research interests on higher education.


ALUMNI FEATURE

LETTERSin the

ATTIC

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

By elizabeth fontaine hildebrand ’92

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When Carleton Young ’73 was cleaning out the attic of his boyhood home in Churchill, he expected to find the usual long-forgotten

treasures: old Christmas ornaments, furniture from another era, perhaps a family heirloom or two. But what he found instead was the chance to be the voice of two Civil War soldiers.

Young’s discovery — an old wooden box jam-packed with 250 letters written by two brothers, Francis and William “Henry” Martin, to their parents in Vermont — sent him on a 12-year-long mission: to find a way to tell the story of these Grand Army of the Republic soldiers.

Young — who graduated from Westminster with a degree in economics but caught the history bug his senior year and went on to earn a master’s in history from Ohio University and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh — enlisted the help of his wife

and some friends, and together they spent years transcribing each letter, a task which proved to be quite difficult.

“Not only was the handwriting sometimes hard to read, but the authors often conserved paper by using cross-writing — turning the letter sideways and writing across the words that were already written,” said Young.

What they gleaned from the letters was that Francis and Henry fought in the early Peninsula Campaign, then at South Mountain, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, the Wilderness and Cedar Creek.

While many Civil War letters home tended to gloss over the topic of war and stick to mundane details of everyday life, the Martins’ letters proved just the opposite. In fact, because of their great detailed accounts of

battles and army life, the letters proved to be quite significant historically. They also tell the story of two brothers who left the relative safety of Vermont to fight for the Union, a cause that cost one brother’s life and the other a limb.

“One letter describes the burning of dead bodies, rather than burials, by Union soldiers at Antietam,” Young said. “When I showed that letter to a National Park Service ranger at the battlefield, he told me he had heard of this occurring but that he had never before seen a firsthand account confirming it.”

Young said he knew he was in possession of something quite special, but wasn’t sure what to do with his letter collection. Then about five years ago, he was leafing through the Class Notes section of Westminster Magazine when he read a note from an alumna, Milann Ruff Daugherty ’69, who had a similar experience and wrote the book Your Affectionate Son based on Civil War letters discovered in an old dresser drawer.

“I contacted Milann and after hearing about her experiences, I became convinced that I needed to follow in the same direction,” he said. Young began traveling to various sites mentioned in the letters — retracing his soldiers’ steps — trying to uncover more details of the Martin brothers’ lives. He even made trips to the Martins’ home in Williamstown, Vt., to learn more about their story.

Finally, after 12 years of intense research and travel, Young decided it was finally time to share their story with others. Voices From the Attic: The Williamstown Boys in the Civil War contains excerpts from their letters as they travel through war.

“Henry and Francis were witnessing history, making history, and recording history all at the same time which makes them both very valuable sources,” Young said. “I just wanted these soldiers to tell their own story in their own words.”

Voices From the Attic: The Williamstown Boys in the Civil War is available at amazon.com.

LETTERSin the

ATTICWilliam Henry Martin

Francis Martin

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Honorary degree recipient George Berlin, center, with Board of Trustee Chair Deborah Platt Majoras ’85, right, and President Richard H. Dorman, left.

more than 250 students earned undergraduate diplomas and 25 took home master’s degrees at the ceremony, which was held in Buzz Ridl Gymnasium. The day began with the annual morning baccalaureate

service with the Rev. Dr. Theodore Martin ’84, senior pastor of Hampton Presbyterian Church in Gibsonia, presenting “Wow! What a Sandbox.”

The afternoon commencement ceremony opened with remarks from Westminster College Board of Trustees Chair Deborah Platt Majoras ’85. An honorary doctor of business administration, honoris causa, was presented to George R. Berlin, former member and chair of the board and president of Allegheny Investing Group of Poland, Ohio.

“Be optimisitic,” Berlin told the graduates. “Realize what a great opportunity you have and try helping others. You have only one life on this earth. Make it count.”

Dr. Timothy Cuff ’78, professor of history and chair of the faculty, discussed a few simple words inscribed on a plaque in the Bell Tower Room of Old Main, reminding students of their place in the history of humankind, the history of Westminster, and their role in the world.

“We have all been warmed by fires we did not build and drunk from wells we did not dig.”“We have all benefited from those who preceded us — often without even knowing

us,” Cuff said. “And now it’s time for you to start digging wells. It’s time to start

THE RAIN ON MAY 14 DAY DIDN’T DAMPEN THE SPIRTS OF THOSE PARTICIPATING IN WESTMINSTER’S 162ND COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY.

2016

The Rev. Dr. Ted Martin ‘84 speaking at Baccalaureate services

Commencement

building fires. Because that is what Titans do. We warm others. We quench thirsts. Together, Titans will move the world.”

Olivia L. Martin, an All-College Honors student with a double major in English and fine arts and a magna cum laude graduate, provided the senior address and offered three lessons learned while at Westminster.

“Show up,” she said, adding that the future will not always be bright and difficult days lie ahead, but half the battle is simply showing up.

“Titans don’t give up,” she said.

“Speak up. Westminster is a family of people who speak up. We are a college of clear voices,” she said, adding “When it’s time to speak up, we do.”

“Be kind,” she said. “Always carry the spirit of kindness with you.”

See Legacy photos on page 17.

Senior speaker Olivia Martin

Commencement

What Westminster professor loves Shakespeare, has appeared on Jeopardy!,

and has earned the 2016 Distinguished Faculty Award? If you answered “Who is Dr. Richard Sprow?” you are correct.

Sprow, who retired at the end of this academic year after 40 years at Westminster, received the coveted faculty honor this spring.

“He doesn’t just add color within lines that already exist — he has helped to draw many of the lines that contain the colors of Westminster,” said Dr. Jane Wood, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the College.

Sprow, who also earned professor emeritus status, has said he has been fortunate to have had the opportunity to teach all the subjects he loves most: Shakespeare, Stephen King, John Irving, film, popular culture, and dozens of literature courses. He is most proud of his contributions to interdisciplinary Quest program, of which he was a founding member, and the new Westminster curriculum.

Sprow’s proudest extracurricular accomplishments include his 1989 appearance on Jeopardy! and his competition at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

Sprow earned a bachelor’s degree at St. Lawrence University and his master’s and Ph.D. from Purdue University.

The Distinguished Faculty Award is presented to a tenured faculty member who has demonstrated characteristics of the most outstanding faculty: intellectual vitality, effective communication skills, the ability to motivate or inspire compassion and concern for student success, collegiality, and leadership.

Retiring English professor earns faculty award


Christian James with parents Louis ’80 and Cheryl Snyder James ’80

2016 LEGACY GRADUATES

Renee Cantrell with father Ronnie Cantrell M’10Kathryn Becherer with grandfather Robert Zorn M’64 and brother Sam Becherer ’12

Ethan McCarthy with parents Brian ’90 and Ronda Robinson McCarthy ’86

Emily Frasier with father Dan Frasier M’69

Allyson Meighen with sister Jenna Meighen Tofani ’14

Abigail Miles with father Gary Miles ’81

Catherine and James Foltz with mother Lynn Lowry Foltz ’80

Paul Carswell with brother Adam Carswell ’13


MESSAGE FROM ALUMNI COUNCIL

Dear Friends and Fellow Alumni:

As Bob Dylan sang in the 1960s, the “times they are a-changin’.” I remember that song as an undergrad at Westminster during 1970-1974, and those lyrics still hold true today. Times they are a-changin’ at Westminster.

Graduation concluded in May, and we say “hail and farewell” to another class of outstanding students who now join our ranks as alumni. Many of us fondly remember our graduation day, walking across Senior Terrace (or if it rained in Memorial Field House or Orr Auditorium) to receive our diploma and bidding farewell to friends and professors — the end of one part of our journey and beginning of another. Best wishes and God bless each of you. May your time at Westminster be remembered fondly and may you

always remember to come home.

This summer we also say “hail and farewell” to our 14th President, Dr. Richard H. Dorman, and his wife, Bev, as they conclude their eight-year tenure as Westminster’s first family. Rick and Bev have done much at Westminster to make our alma mater one of the finest small, liberal arts schools in the nation. During Rick’s term we have seen changes to our curriculum and facilities; the development of the Westminster Way; and the completion of the most successful fundraising campaign in the College’s history. Rick and Bev, your time here at Westminster was “More than You (or We) Imagined” and we can’t thank you enough. Enjoy the next part of your life’s journey — and be sure to come back often!

With President Dorman’s retirement, we say “hail and welcome” to our 15th President Dr. Kathy Brittain Richardson and her husband, Randy, in July. We all look forward to working with her to advance Westminster as we continue to provide students with relevant curriculum to meet the challenges of today’s world. Welcome, Kathy!

I hope that many of you are taking advantage of the various regional alumni events throughout the country. If you live in an area that has a concentration of alumni and would like to start an alumni event group, please be sure to contact Cindy Dafler ’03 in the Alumni Relations office. That Westminster connection is important in supporting our College during this time of change.

Remember to put Homecoming 2016 (October 7-9) on your calendars and plan to return to campus. Come home to remember, refresh, and reunite with some of the best people — your fellow Westminster Titans!

In closing, I am reminded of a saying that hangs on the wall in my office that was often quoted by Debbie Swatsworth Foster, my dear friend and classmate and Westminster’s first woman chair of Board of Trustees:

Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass.It’s learning to dance through the raindrops!

That has been true since 1852 and true today as change continues at Westminster. Mother Fair has always faced the storm of life head-on, made changes, and danced through the raindrops to be better every day.

Best wishes for a healthy, busy, and restful summer!

Jim Giel Jr. ’74Alumni Council President


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Westminster College Office of Alumni Relations319 S. Market St.New Wilmington, PA 16172-0001

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PHOTOS: We love to publish photos of alumni and future Titans! Please follow these guidelines when submitting photos:

PHOTOGRAPHIC PRINTS: We accept all sizes of photographs, but prefer them to be at least 4x6 inches in size. Both color and black and white prints are acceptable.

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DEADLINES: Because Westminster Magazine is published just twice a year, significant lead time is required.

Update your details and stay connected atwww.westminster.edu/KeepInTouchIf you would prefer to send us your updates by mail, you can fill out the form below and return it to:Alumni Updates, Westminster College, Office of Alumni Relations, 319 S. Market St., New Wilmington, PA 16172-0001

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1957Dr. Robert S. Gardner was recently awarded the Distinguished Merit Award from the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity. The award is given to an Alpha Sigma Phi alumnus whose professional achievements bring honor and prestige to the fraternity. Gardner is a retired cardiovascular surgeon. He and his wife, Monika Becker, reside in Venice, Fla.

1968

Glenn Thompson won a photography contest inspired by “Ansel Adams: Eloquent Light,” an exhibition of Adams’s photographs on view exclusively at Reynolda House Museum of American Art. Thompson’s “Black Water Reflections” received the most votes of three finalists in the “The Modern Landscape: Black and White Photography Contest,” a competition that celebrated the inspiring beauty of the magnificent American landscape, exemplified by the work of Adams. Thompson, who serves on the Westminster College Board of Trustees, resides in Butler.

1971Dr. Donald McKim has published John Calvin: A Companion to His Life and Theology and is the author of New Members: Call to Discipleship workbook for the Presbyterian Church (USA). He and his wife, LindaJo, live in Germantown, Tenn.

Pamela Rydstrom Latta retired after 32 years serving seniors and people with disabilities through the Oregon State Medicaid Program. A member of Oregon Thespians, she also worked as a co-curricular theatre arts teacher at Joseph High School for 19 years. She and her husband, Leigh, make their home in Joseph, Ore.

1972

Christine Carson Filipovich, MSN, RN, was appointed deputy secretary of health for quality assurance by Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf. Her responsibilities include regulatory oversight of licensed and certified health care facilities and agencies, the prescription drug monitoring program and healthcare-associated infection prevention. Her daughter, Elizabeth Carson Filipovich ’15, held the Bible during the swearing-in ceremony.

1974Francine Todd Gedeon, a retired teacher, sang with Michael W. Smith at the Kennedy Center in Washington and with Casting Crowns at the Dove Awards in Nashville. She and her husband, Neal, reside in Jeffersonville, Ind.

1975Dr. Lillian Rubash Baribault has retired after 41 years in K-12 education, during which she was a foreign language teacher, elementary and middle school principal, curriculum director and, for the last 13 years, assistant superintendent for instructional support – elementary. She and her husband, James Baribault ’75, reside in Glendale, Ariz.

1976Shirley Bigley LaMotte was named general counsel for Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, Inc., headquartered in Baltimore. She oversees legal affairs for the national not-for-profit agency that facilitates resettlement of migrants and refugees into the United States.

i PASS YOUR NOTES ALONG!

Keep your fellow Titans posted on what’s happening.

ONLINEwestminster.edu/alumni

[email protected]

SNAIL MAILWestminster College Office of Alumni Relations319 S. Market St.New Wilmington, PA 16172

OR EVEN BY FAX724-946-7366

CLASS NOTES

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1978Kristin Hayes Van Slyke has accepted a position as development associate at Buffalo State College. She and her husband, William Van Slyke ’78, make their home in North Tonawanda, N.Y.

Mark Humphrey retired as manager of network analysis with Conrail after 45 years of service. He resides in New Castle.

1979Amy May Snider of Gaithersburg, Md., is a kindergarten aide and research assistant at Trinity Christian School in Fairfax, Va.

1980F. J. Hartland, visiting assistant professor of theatre at St. Francis University in Loretto, recently had five productions of his plays: Mother Tongue, Philadelphia; Games of the Mind, Pittsburgh; Nana’s Home Movies, Pittsburgh New Works Festival; and Be Our Guest, New York City and Trafford.

1982Cyndi Blacka Tommasi and Jennifer Laitta Moore recently launched their business, YoToGo. YoToGo is a portable

neoprene container, equipped with an ice pack and spoon, that keeps individual Greek yogurt cups cold. The classmates and ZTA sorority sisters formed their business partnership last fall with a common goal in mind — to inspire people to eat healthy on the go. YoToGo is available at 150 Giant Eagle stores in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Maryland and West Virginia. It is also available in select stores in Georgia and Wyoming. For more information, go to yotogo.net.

1991Susan Miller Donat earned a Ph.D. in administration and leadership studies from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. She is employed in the provost’s office at Messiah College and is responsible for curriculum and assessment of student learning. She and her husband, Dave, and three children live in Mechanicsburg.

1992Danielle Chopp Hitson and her husband, Bob, opened Bellisimo’s Pizza and Deli in Wexford. Danielle, Bob and their sons live in Sewickley.

Jackie Jaros was named the 2015 Warren E. Shull National Middle Level Advisor of the Year by the National Association of Student Councils, having previously received regional and state recognition. Jackie is a guidance counselor and student council advisor at Deer Lakes Middle School in Cheswick.

1997Renee St. Denis Jones M’03 earned a Ph.D. in education with a specialization in training and performance improvement. She makes her home in Safety Harbor, Fla.

1998Kevin Swift earned his Ph.D. in journalism and public communication from the University of Maryland and is department chair of mass communications at Methodist University. Kevin and his wife, Kimberly Levandosky Swift ’97, live in Fayetteville, N.C.

1999 Melissa Miller Chastain is associate dean for Spalding University’s College of Social Sciences & Humanities in Louisville, Ky. She is responsible for the first year freshman seminar as well as the schools of business, communication and liberal studies.

Stacey Weber-Fève, associate professor of French at Iowa State University (Ames), was honored with the 2015 national Nelson Brooks Award for Excellence in the Teaching of Culture given by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages. The award recognizes a foreign language educator who has contributed significantly to the teaching of culture in the foreign language classroom. She and her husband live in the Des Moines area.

2002Amanda Kopp Ruiz earned her license as a professional counselor and is an outpatient mental health therapist living and working in Lancaster.

2005Amanda Ventrone Staymates earned a master’s degree in music education and Kodaly certification from Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.

2007 Ryan Hauck is an associate in the Worker’s Compensation Department of Marshall Dennehey’s Pittsburgh office. His practice focuses on the defense of employers and insurance companies in workers’ compensation matters, including Medicare compliance issues.

Matthew Kerns is assistant dean of admissions, scholarships, and enrollment data at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s William H. Bowen School of Law.

Dan Prokop was recognized as the Grand Marketer of the Year by the American Marketing Association in Pittsburgh. As the marketing manager for MECCO, a Cranberry Township manufacturer, Dan’s strategy and execution for rebuilding the company’s marketing department earned him western Pennsylvania’s only results-based marketing award.

2013Nicole Tesla graduated from Ohio Northern University School of Law. (See also Weddings.)

W e s t m in s t e r C o l l e g e M a g a z in e 2 1

WEDDINGS2007u Emily Wall and David Byce, Oct. 24, 2015, at Wallace Memorial Chapel. Alumni in the wedding party included Amy Sasfai-Petroff ’06, Katie Hammond ’08, Erin Wall ’10 and Evan Wall ’13.

2011u Mallory Ferrence and Mike Codita, July 24, 2015. Alumni in the wedding party included Rachael Hayden, Sarah Schultz, Matt Monahan, Justin Flowers ’10, Jason Mezyk ’12 and Wade Grubbs.

u Jamie Swarm and Andrew Saporito ’07, Oct. 30, 2015, at First United Methodist Church in Irwin. Alumni in the wedding party included Paris LaVelle ’14, Carly Neal ’10, Tyler Dever ’12, Cat Copolla Cantella, Sara Ergen, Meagan Ostrwoski, Katelyn Livingston, Garrett Horvath ’08, Aaron Schade ’08, Alex McLuckey ’08, Justin Flowers ’10, Christopher Dymond ’08 and Mark Sadler ’07.

2013u Caitlin Fleckenstein and Brian Chinchilla ’12, Sept. 26, 2015. The couple resides in Coraopolis.

Megan Power and Bob Craven, Nov. 1, 2015. They live in Pittsburgh, where Bob is a grassroots organizer for PennEnvironment.

u Nicole Tesla and Yashwanth Chimmani, Aug. 12, 2015, at Walt Disney World in Orlando. Maid of honor was Jordyn Williams. (See also Class Notes.)

u WEDDING ALBUM

Swarm-SaporitoWall-Byce

Fleckenstein-Chinchilla Tesla-Chimmani

Ferrence-Codita

Email your story to [email protected] or mail to Westminster Magazine, Westminster College, 319 S. Market St., New Wilmington, PA 16172. In addition to your story, please include your name, class year, address and email address.

A current photo or a snapshot from your days at Westminster would be appreciated, as well.

The power of a Westminster education needs to be told. How has your Westminster degree helped you become the person you are today? Share your story of how your Westminster experience shaped your life. We’ll run responses in a future issue of Westminster Magazine.

SHAREYOURSTORY

1998Jessica Naples Franchi and her husband, Jason: a son, Enzo Ulivo, on Nov. 13, 2014. The family lives in Pittsburgh, where Jessica is a kindergarten teacher at Bower Hill Elementary School.

1999Julie Bach Zebrine and her husband, Michael Zebrine ’00: a daughter, Lucia Marie, on Aug. 17, 2015. She joins siblings Maria and Sophia (8), Olivia (7) and Nicholas (4) in Allison Park.

u Lindsay Russo Biondi and her husband, Arin Biondi ’97: a son, Enzo Lucio, on Nov. 19, 2015. He is welcomed by big brother Geno.

2004u Stefanie Maccaglia Priore and her husband, Sean: a son, Wesley James, on Jan. 2, 2016. He joins Greyson (2) at home in Economy.

2005u Nikki Ferrari McMahon and her husband, Doug McMahon: twin sons, James Christopher and Ethan Timothy, in January 2014. They join big sister Adeline Frances (4) at home in Geneseo, N.Y.

2007u Jason Montgomery and his wife, Kara: a daughter, Gracie Joy, on Jan. 30, 2016. Kara is Westminster’s director of alumni relations.

2009u Julie Evenoski Peles and her husband, Daniel: a son, Val Joseph, on Aug. 6, 2015. The family lives in Neshannock Township.

2013u Julie Blechman Angstadt and her husband, Joshua: a son, James Rory, on Nov. 5, 2015. The family resides in Bellefonte.

NEW ADDITIONS

u TITAN TOTS

Enzo Biondi Wesley Priore Gracie Montgomery Val Peles

James & Ethan McMahon

James Angstadt

&OWNED OPERATEDBUSINESS INFORMATION

ARE YOU A BUSINESS OWNER?

We want to help support our alumni by listing any businesses that are owned or operated by Westminster College alumni on our website.

Email [email protected] and include the following:

• Your name and work email

• Name of business

• Location of business

• What type of services or products you offer

• Business website

• If you wish to extend a discount or special offer to Westminster alumni

We are currently collecting content and will soon dedicate a portion of our website to this effort. Thank you for your participation.

Questions? Contact the Westminster College Alumni Office at 724-946-7364.


Regional events are open to all alumni and friends of Westminster College. The Office of Alumni Relations works with volunteers to plan events in cities

and regions across the country. Get connected with alumni in your area!

REGIONAL CONNECTIONS

1. TAR HEEL TURNOUTS — Thirty alumni and guests enjoyed a North Carolina reception hosted by Bill ’80 and Barbara Davis Burig ’79 and Michael ’92 and Kay Kearns Kirschman ’92 in at the Hickory Tavern in Charlotte on Feb. 27. The Burigs and Robin Davis Hunt ’76 hosted a second alumni event on March 12 at the Ruddy Duck Tavern in Moorhead City, N.C., with 19 alumni and guests in attendance. Another North Carolina alumni event, hosted by the Burigs and Kirby Dunton Carespodi ’82, was held April 16 at Tyler’s Taproom in Durham City, N.C., with 42 alumni and guests attending. Kelli McKee, senior director of development, made the trip to North Carolina for the Feb. 27 and April 16 gatherings.

2. OTTER OUTING — Twenty-five alumni and guests, including two accepted students and parents for the 2016-17 academic year, joined trustee host Tom Tupitza ’79 for an Erie Otters Hockey game on March 6. The evening featured a pasta buffet on the box level of Erie Insurance Arena and was planned jointly with Tom and the Erie Regional Alumni Committee. Attending members were Christy Fetterman Berg ’03, chair, Cathy Sargent Mester ’69, Jessica Buckeye Natemeier ’98, Christine McCammon Palattella ’90 and Jennifer Nygaard Pontzer ’90. Also in attendance were Rob Klamut, major gifts officer, and his wife, Kelly; Jim Dafler, director of athletics; and Cindy Dafler ’03, assistant director of alumni relations.

3. COLUMBUS CROWD — An alumni reception was held at the home of Bill ’65 and Judy Hazen in Columbus, Ohio, on March 12. Westminster First Lady Bev Dorman attended the event along with several Westminster staff members including Tom Stein, vice president for enrollment and marketing; Kelli McKee, senior director of development; Jim Dafler, director of athletics; and Cindy Dafler ’03, assistant director of alumni relations.

4. HOCKEY HOSTS —Twenty-eight alumni and guests, including four accepted students and guests for the 2016-17 academic year, joined the Columbus Regional Alumni Committee for a Columbus Blue Jackets hockey game on March 13 featuring a pre-game reception at Nationwide Arena. The event was planned by the Columbus Regional Alumni Committee and committee members attending were Andrew Dafler ’11, Mark Drabick ’10, and Bob ’61 and Gloria Hagus Patterson ’61. Also attending were Tom Stein, vice president for enrollment and marketing; Kelli McKee, senior director of development; Jim Dafler, director of athletics; and Cindy Dafler ’03, assistant director of alumni relations.

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5. MARTIN LECTURE — Dr. Russell Martin presented a Russian art lecture and book signing at Hillwood Estate, Museum and Gardens in Washington, D.C., on March 22. Trustee Harold Hartley ’79 and several of his guests attended.

6. PENS PARTY — Thirty-two alumni and guests enjoyed a Pittsburgh Penguins hockey game in Consol Energy Center on March 31. Prior to the hockey game a reception was held at the Cambria Suites adjacent to Consol. The Pittsburgh Regional Alumni Committee planned the event and attending from the committee were Becky Rickard ’98, committee chair, along with Molly Harbst ’98, Jim Giel ’74 and Melissa Wiley ’00. Westminster staff attending were Roxann Williams, director of donor relations; Amber Scalfari ’08, assistant director of donor relations; Aleya Tylinski ’12, admissions counselor; Linda Wilson, secretary of alumni relations; and Cindy Dafler ’03, assistant director of alumni relations.

7. SAA NETWORKING — Seven Student Alumni Association (SAA) alumni and 23 current SAA members joined together for the first SAA alumni networking session in the Witherspoon Room in McKelvey Campus Center on April 5. Each SAA alumnus manned a networking table where they could provide current members with networking tips and career information. The whole group enjoyed dessert and more networking at the end of the evening. SAA alumni participating were Andria Alessio ’13, Katie Gray ’11, Richard Humphrey ’06, Tawni Darby Orloski ’13, Sarah Webster Quinn ’07, Colleen Wilson ’97 and Emily Winn ’11.

8. FLORIDA CRUISE — On a beautiful evening on April 10, 41 Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg alumni and their guests enjoyed an evening dinner cruise aboard the StarLite Sapphire ship out of the St. Petersburg Beach area. This was the seventh annual cruise for Florida alumni hosted by alumnus and trustee, Keith McCauley ’68. Westminster staff attending were Tom Stein,

vice president for enrollment and marketing, and Rob Klamut, major gifts officer. Keith is already planning next year’s cruise, which will be held Sunday, April 23, 2017. All Westminster alumni, faculty and friends of the College are welcome to join this group for an evening of dancing under the stars, a beautiful sunset, and dining on entrees of filet mignon, chicken, and shrimp. For additional information, contact the Alumni Office or McCauley at [email protected], 330-465-0181 or 330-465-0181.

9. FRIDAY DINNERS — The fourth “Friday Dinners with Alumni” was held April 22 and paired students and local alumni for dinner. Seven alumni opened their homes to 40 students. Alumni hosts were: Sara Surgenor Arblaster ’02 and husband, Mark; Marshall Campbell ’03 and wife, Heather; Kelly Hartner M’05; Tim Kelly ’07 and wife, Sharon; Kim Worse Lawrence ’10 and co-hosts Linda Farnham Keefer ’10 and Nichole Batey Patton ’10; and John ’98 and Jennifer Pepperney Matyasovsky ’97. Members of Student Alumni Association, Student Government Association, and other student organizations were invited to participate. The event is an alumni initiative by the Alumni Council Events Committee.

10. CELEBRITY SERIES — Forty local alumni and guests gathered April 23 for dinner in the Lakeview Room of the McKelvey Campus Center before the Celebrity Series performance of You’ve Got a Friend. The event was hosted by Karen Campman Emmett ’75, chair of the Lawrence-Mercer-Clarion-Youngstown Regional Alumni Committee. Also attending were Trustees Barbara Braden Guffey ’70 and Ben Nelson ’06; Alumni Council member Dennis Schotsch ’75; Laura Ceraolo Kubyako ’75 from the regional committee; Matt Stinson, vice president for institutional advancement; Rob Klamut, major gifts officer; and Amber Scalfari ’08, assistant director donor relations. SAA members helping with the dinner were Andrew Henley ’17 and Madison Ordonez ’18.

SAVE the DATEHomecoming & Reunion Weekend • October 7-9

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IN MEMORIAM

ALUMNIGeorge Mahfouz ’42 of Dayton, Ohio, Nov. 26, 2015.Nancy Stewart Cameron ’42 of Cranberry Township, July 14, 2015.George Tea Feick ’43 of Sylva, N.C., March 30, 2015.Ruth Ward Knauper ’43 of Medina, Ohio, Feb. 28, 2013.Grace Boal Burr ’44 of Corry, Aug. 30, 2014.H. Lyle Duffey ’44 of Big Cove Tannery, Dec. 28, 2012.James “Jim” McLaughry ’44 of Arden Hills, Minn., June 30, 2015.Arthur Yarnell ’46 of Lake San Marcos, Calif., Oct. 18, 2014.Beverly Hagadorn O’Leary ’47 of Beaver, June 21, 2015.Mary Eliza Cummings ’48 of Merritt Island, Fla., May 2, 2015.Jane Davis Richards ’49 of Westminster, Md., Nov. 29, 2012.Stephen Feltovich Jr. ’49 of Sharpsville, March 9, 2015.Joanne Moffat Hillegass ’49 of Oldsmar, Fla., Jan. 5, 2012.Arthur Buell ’50 of Oakdale, Minn., Nov. 13, 2015.Frederick Lipp ’50 of Raymond, N.H., Nov. 21, 2012.Helen Papazickos Alex ’50 of Burr Ridge, Ill., Dec. 23, 2013.Robert E. McEwan ’51 of White Oak, Jan. 28, 2016.Milan “Spike” Stupka ’51 of Hermitage, Oct. 16, 2009.Anthony “Joe” Amiano ’52 of Bourbonnais, Ill., Jan. 29, 2016.Joan Boyd ’52 of Willoughby, Ohio, July 18, 2015.Dorothy Burley Wright ’52 of North Tonawanda, N.Y., Jan. 24, 2016.Pauline Christos Jackson ’52 of Neshannock Township, Jan. 19, 2016.Ann Hankey Eckles ’52 of Willow Street, July 25, 2015.Richard S. Banick ’53 of Miami, Fla., Feb. 25, 2016.Glenn Bates Morris Jr. ’53 of New Wilmington, March 10, 2016.Joyce Grine Kegel ’54 of Venice, Fla., Oct. 30, 2016.Dorothy Kirker Doran ’54 of New Bern, N.C., Nov. 6, 2015.Rose Rearick Tanguy ’54 of Lancaster, April 28, 2016.William English ’55 of Maple Shade, N.J., June 19, 2015.Viola Geverd Holdsworth ’55 of Springfield, Dec. 7, 2010.Harold Kimmins ’55 of Moon Township, Nov. 20, 2011.Elizabeth Merrill Stephenson ’55 of Plymouth, Mass., Dec. 24, 2015.Robert Ross Donaghy ’56 of Port Richey, Fla., March 19, 2016.

Word has reached us of the passing of the following alumni and friends of Westminster College. To submit information for the In Memoriam section, please provide a complete obituary notice (if available) to the Office of Alumni Relations.

Doris Gething Holter ’56 of Marietta, Ga., Feb. 26, 2015.William P. McKee ’56 of Libertyville, Ill., Dec. 17, 2013.Jon Michael “Mike” Berg ’57 of Hartville, Ohio, April 24, 2014.Donna Morgan Jaeger ’58 of Hayesville, N.C., July 21, 2015.The Rev. Lee Wayne Parker ’58 of Lecanto, Fla., July 8, 2014.Vernon Mook M’59 of Hermitage, May 6, 2015.Leah Schill Bork ’59 of Amelia Island, Fla., Feb. 19, 2016.Charles Ward ’59 M’62 of Ambridge, July 3, 2015.Michael Hura M’61 of Boardman, Ohio, April 14, 2013.John B. Ague II ’62 of Ashtabula, Ohio, May 15, 2014.Susan Kelso ’63 of Pittsburgh, Nov. 5, 2015.Salvatore Traficant ’63 of North Lima, Ohio, Feb. 1, 2014.Charles E. Young ’63 of Hamburg, N.Y., July 7, 2012.Jeanne Sewall ’65 of Lincoln Park, N.J., Nov. 1, 2015.Steven Carl ’66 of Wattersonville, Dec. 27, 2010.Judith Marshall Lavey ’66 of Saratoga, Calif., Dec. 14, 2012.Sharen K. Eckert ’67 of Parma Heights, Ohio, April 22, 2015.Karen Edgar Beauchamp ’67 of Virginia Beach, Va., Aug. 6, 2014.Stanley Straight ’67 of Vero Beach, Fla., Sept. 22, 2014.Frances L. Williams Dunlap ’67 of Seattle, Wash., May 28, 2015.William “Bill” Battey III ’68 of Sisters, Ore., June 8, 2015.Ronald Slipkasky M’68 of Youngstown, Ohio, June 8, 2015.Joseph Genovesi M’70 of Norwalk, Ohio, Oct. 1, 2015.Barbara Pershing Power ’70 of Meadville, Jan. 27, 2016.Phillip Papenhausen ’71 of Sarasota, Fla., Aug. 26, 2014.Gregory “Bruce” Yingling ’72 of Okatie, S.C., May 18, 2013.The Rev. Frank “Fats” Cubellis M’73 of New Castle, Sept. 5, 2015.Beatrice Fleo Santner ’78 of Kansas City, Mo., April 18, 2014.Timothy M. Steenberg ’78 of Hamburg, N.Y., March 8, 2016.Lonny Robinson ’80 of San Luis Obispo, Calif., Oct. 8, 2015.Hanada Hamameh Carbone ’83 of Torrington, Conn., Nov. 17, 2015.Jane H. McKee ’85 of Pittsburgh, Dec. 22, 2015.Gary Clark ’86 of Conneaut Lake, May 23, 2015.Jeffrey Renshaw ’93 of Hartford, Conn., Nov. 27, 2015.

FRIENDSDR. WILLIAM M. WRIGHTJan. 26, 2016Dr. William Wright served as Westminster’s dean of students from 1978-1982 and taught classes in higher education and guidance. He and his wife, Nancy, former director of continuing education at Westminster, had retired to his home state of Maryland, returning to New Wilm-ington in 2004.


When Susan Hough Donovan ’78 was searching for a property in the Tampa Bay region in the fall of 2011, she came across a house in Oldsmar, Fla., that, although entirely vacant, was perfect. It wasn’t until several months after she purchased it that she

discovered her Westminster connection with it.

One afternoon in November 2012, just 13 months after living in her new home, Donovan was leafing through an Alpha Gamma Delta/Alpha Epsilon chapter alumnae directory from the 1990s.

Thumbing through the book, Donovan recalled finding the name Joanne Moffat ’49 who was living in Oldsmar. Thinking “I should know her,” Donovan flipped to the front section of the directory to find out where Moffat lived, only to discover that Moffat’s full name was Joanna Moffat Hillegass and her address belonged to the home in which Donovan was now calling her own.

“I bought my house from a Westminster Alpha Gam and did not even know it!” said Donovan, who confirmed her affiliation with Westminster and the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority on the internet.

Donovan said she fell in love with her new house even more.

“Homeowners name their homes for many reasons, such as The Lake House or The Beach House. I decided to name my house, The Alpha Epsilon Southern Chapter Room of Alpha Gamma Delta,” she said, adding that her home floor plan is a great room concept similar to the chapter room in Ferguson Hall. “It was the perfect name.”

Hillegass passed away in January 2012 after a lengthy illness, just a couple months after Donovan purchased the house.

“I never met Joanne, but, oh, how I wish I had,” Donovan said.

Donovan said that although Westminster, Alpha Gamma Delta, and Alpha Epsilon were only four years of her life, they all played an important role, and she still remains in contact with many of her sorority sisters.

“There are not many Westminster Alpha Gams in the world and to find one in Oldsmar in this manner is truly amazing,” she said.

Keeping the house in the family

Susan Hough Donovan ’78

Are you receiving theWiley House Wire?

If not, SUBSCRIBE to the e-newsletter today and catch up on all things alumni related! To subscribe, contact the Westminster College Alumni Office at 724.946.7364 or [email protected].

WC MEMORIES


~ Compiled by Dorothy Pollock ’46

In April 1907, the Westminster College Board of Trustees approved the purchase of land on the east side of campus. Although the land was earmarked for a men’s dormitory as soon as funds were available, it was another 50 years before anything was built. In the fall of 1958, as part of President Will Orr’s (1949-1967) expansion program, ground was broken in that space for a women’s residence hall. Construction was completed January 1960 at a cost of $519,000. Roughly 150 women moved from Hillside to Shaw Hall for the second semester in 1960.

The hall was named for Walter C. Shaw, a generous benefactor of Westminster and chair of the board of the G.C. Murphy Co. in McKeesport. The new hall building also housed the Mrs. (Virginia) Walter C. Shaw Student Health Center and Counseling Center, which replaced the old medical center from World War II days when barracks were donated to the College.

The infirmary featured a waiting room, reception desk, doctor’s office, nurses’ room, separate wards for men and women, small kitchen, X-ray room with dark room, linen room, drug storage room, isolation ward with two beds and bath, and two private examination rooms. The infirmary was outfitted with 22 beds. Students with more serious cases were sent to the hospital.

Today, the health center operates as an acute ambulatory care center for acute illnesses and injuries. While there is no longer a need for two separate infirmary wards, the center still features a reception desk, waiting room, two exam rooms, doctor and nurse offices, a counseling services office, and storage areas, as well as a health education room, a yoga room, and a relaxation room.

SHAW HALL 1960


For information on ways to give in support of Westminster students through both current and future gifts,please contact Roxann Williams, director of donor relations, at 724-946-6995 or [email protected].

There can be no better way to preserve the future of Westminster College than through giving.Every gift of every size contributes to student success.

YOUR GIFT. MORE THAN YOU IMAGINE.

WHY DO YOU GIVE?

CHAPLAIN JIM MOHR & ASHLEY DAVIS ’97

ASHLEY DAVIS, ALUMNA AND TRUSTEE, IS A PROUD SUPPORTER OF THE STUDENT EMERGENCY FUND.

As a commitment to the students of Westminster College, the

Westminster Student Emergency Fund was established in January

2016 to provide emergency relief toward expenses relevant to the

student’s ability fulfill his or her responsibility while a student at the College.

It will provide an opportunity for any student to request assistance for an

emergency outside the normal realm of attendance. If all other avenues of

financial assistance have been exhausted, this fund can benefit a student. A

student may apply for assistance or may be identified for assistance at any time

during the academic year through the Office of Faith & Spirituality.

For more information about the Westminster Student Emergency Fund, please contact Roxann Williams, director of donor relations, at [email protected].

“

”

The reason I felt so passionate about supporting the Student Emergency Fund is because it is the best way to be sure that Westminster College’s culture and tradition shows through – and it allows students to feel comfortable enough to succeed.

~ Ashley Davis

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Documents

Farewell to our 14th: Cover Story in the latest Westminster Magazine