Wilson College is excited to announce plans to install a new state-of-the-art artificial turf field with the goal of having it ready for the Fall 2025 athletic season. The new turf field will be over 100,000 square feet and will upgrade the existing Rhonda Brake Shreiner Soccer Field in Kris’ Meadow.
“The artificial turf field installation will elevate campus amenities at Wilson College, especially the Phoenix athletic facilities. We are excited to take our athletic facilities to the next level for greater competitiveness on the field, and stronger overall student-athlete recruitment and retention,” said President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D.
Wilson will install the new turf field in the 28-acre parcel of land known as Kris’ Meadow, where the College’s soccer and softball fields are located. The turf field will replace the grass soccer field, home of the Wilson College women’s and men’s soccer teams and women’s lacrosse and the new home for the field hockey team.
"Converting our grass field to artificial turf is a game-changer for the Phoenix. This marks a significant investment in the future of our programs, ensuring that our student-athletes have access to a safe, durable, and high-quality playing surface for years to come," said Tina Hill, director of athletics. "The project also demonstrates Wilson’s commitment to providing the best possible environment for student-athletes to train and compete. It will enhance their athletic performance and overall experience, helping to drive the overall growth and success of our sports program."
The new artificial turf will provide a quality field comparable to competitive intercollegiate programs in the region and allow teams to play more often and be less impacted by adverse field conditions because of weather.
The fields in Kris’ Meadow have been in use since 2000, when Kris Rodger Sammons ’64 and her husband, William Sammons, donated funds to purchase land for use by the athletics program. The College constructed and dedicated the Rhonda Brake Shreiner Soccer Field in 2002, in memory of the daughter of Harold and Dolores Brake, and sister of Randall Brake (a Wilson College Everett-Pomeroy Trustee, having served from 1996 to 2005), whose company The Charles E. Brake Co. donated an additional piece of land to the College. The softball field was constructed in 2003.
“Shared Stories,” an exhibition featuring artwork by visual arts and graphic design faculty from Wilson College and Hagerstown Community College will open Wednesday, Feb. 26, in the Sue Davison Cooley Gallery of the Wilson College John Stewart Memorial Library. Wilson College will host an opening reception in the Gallery on Wednesday, Feb. 26, from 4:30 to 6 p.m. The show runs through Apr 30, 2025. Admission to both the reception and the exhibition is free.
Sara Swacina, HCC Adjunct Visual Arts Instructor dropping off her paintings for the exhibition.
This year’s exhibition will center on Wilson’s ArtsFest ’25 theme “Shared Stories.” ArtsFest is an annual celebration of the arts in our community, showcasing the remarkable art, artists, and artistic opportunities at Wilson. ArtsFest ’25 will run from April 7 to 11, 2025.
As part of ArtsFest ’25, the faculty show in the Cooley Gallery will center on community, or “Shared Stories” of participation, practice, cooperation, collaboration, presence, and engagement. Participating artists explore human experiences through narratives of identity, hopes, dreams, anxieties, and perspectives. Visitors can expect to see work in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, photography, design, and sculpture.
Wilson College President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D., is one of six new members recently elected to the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC) Board of Directors. Fugate’s three-year term will end in January 2028.
With headquarters in Washington, D.C., the CIC is an association of over 700 nonprofit independent colleges and universities, state-based councils of independent colleges, and other higher education affiliates, that works to support college and university leadership, advance institutional excellence, and enhance public understanding of independent higher education’s contributions to society. “It is my honor to have received a nomination and election to the Board of CIC. I am grateful for this expanded opportunity to work with my colleagues, and this esteemed association, to advocate on behalf of higher education and the invaluable contributions independent colleges and universities make in our society,” said Fugate.
The CIC Board comprises up to 38 members, including a maximum of 26 chief executive officers from member colleges and universities and a maximum of 12 additional members drawn principally from senior executive ranks of American business corporations and philanthropies. The Board typically reserves two positions for individuals with State Council experience as chief executives, member president, or corporate members.
“I am excited to expand our Board with new members who will bring informed perspectives and insights to our work. Together, we will accomplish a great deal to make a positive impact on the independent higher education sector,” said CIC President Marjorie Hass.
The CIC Board of Directors generally has the power to set policy, manage, and direct the affairs of the member organization led by Hass and a staff of approximately 30. The Board is self-perpetuating and elects each incoming class of new directors and officers. The Board seeks nominations for new directors from CIC Institutional and International Member college and university presidents, chief executives of State Councils, and other board members.
Wilson College business students received some real-world business knowledge during their classes on entrepreneurship and management. Rodney Salvadia and Liz Ortiz, representatives of Fastenal, a distributor of wide-ranging industrial and construction products, recently visited campus to share skills and knowledge for developing a good sales pitch and an understanding of career competencies, or how a person’s knowledge and behaviors lead them to be successful in a career. Director of Business & Assistant Professor of Business Lance Cain’s entrepreneurship and small business management classes welcomed Salvadia and Ortiz for several days in October.
In the entrepreneurship class, students work throughout the semester to create business and marketing plans for fictional businesses they develop as groups. The Fastenal representatives walked the students through what an elevator pitch was — a brief introduction to a product or service that takes as long as an elevator ride—and explained the components of a successful pitch during their guest lecture. Each student developed a pitch for their group’s fictional business, presented them, and their peers ranked them. The winning pitches went to Vu Nguyen ’27 and Alexis Shreiner ‘26.
Adding an element of competition allowed Cain to introduce the concept of writing and presenting an elevator pitch while also having some fun. “Having Fastenal in the classroom was 100 percent a practical approach. They provided real-life examples from the real world,” Cain said. “It also created the opportunity for the students to connect with professionals and build their networks.”
The Fastenal representatives also visited Cain’s introduction to management class. This class took a career readiness assessment to evaluate each student’s career competencies, such as critical thinking, communication, and leadership. The students also researched and made presentations based on the different competencies—what they are and how they impact an individual’s career.
As a bonus, members of the class also received their individual assessment results. The assessment revealed a personalized strengths and weaknesses report, along with an explanation of how to build upon or improve each. For example, if a student needed to strengthen their leadership skills, the results suggested they take on a leadership role in a club.
“[The visit from Fastenal] helps students think like a professional versus as a student. It helps them answer, ‘Why is being a professional different from my part-time jobs or my work as a student’,” Linda Boeckman, director of Career Development said. “The more exposure we can provide students to people doing the work, day-in and day-out, the better. They validate what faculty say from an exterior source.”
Wilson College is now accepting applications for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy’s inaugural cohort expected to start classes in January 2026 with the first graduating class to receive diplomas in December 2027. Prospective students can apply through December 5, 2025, through the Occupational Therapy Centralized Application Service (OTCAS).
The new hybrid accelerated Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program is the first online doctorate to be offered by Wilson College. The OTD educational model will include flexible online learning, in-person lab immersion experiences, and fieldwork opportunities, culminating in a capstone project and preparation for board examination. Wilson’s accelerated OTD program allows students to complete the program in two years rather than the average three or more years in a traditional OTD program. The condensed timeline allows graduates to enter the workforce sooner and with less debt. Evidence In Motion (EIM), a leading provider of online and hybrid healthcare education, provides the unique hybrid program structure and curriculum.
Wilson College President Wesley R. Fugate said, “We are excited to welcome the first OTD cohort to Wilson. The addition of this program furthers our mission to innovatively provide high quality, affordable education while providing students access to a high-demand program that will ultimately benefit them and their communities.”
The hybrid structure of the program makes it accessible to students in areas beyond the state or region who want to remain in their own communities for the online and fieldwork portions of the program. Travel to the Philadelphia metropolitan area is required eight times during the two-year program for hands-on lab immersions. The Wilson College faculty, with decades of combined expertise in occupational therapy, developed the course curriculum. The program coursework involves innovative educational methods, current research, cutting-edge software, and personalized support that will empower future generations of leaders in occupational therapy.
Wilson OTD Program Director Michael Gerg, DOT, OTR/L, said, "Wilson College’s commitment to academic excellence and innovation has provided the foundation for a curriculum that not only prepares students for clinical success but also inspires them to become transformative leaders in the field of occupational therapy. I eagerly anticipate welcoming students from both the local region and across the country, fostering a diverse and dynamic learning community."
Occupational therapists evaluate and treat people across the lifespan, focusing on occupational tasks, daily skills and personal goals that promote independence. According to the latest data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual pay for occupational therapists in 2023 was $96,370, and the profession is expected to grow by 11% (faster than average) through 2033.
For more information visit: https://www.wilson.edu/doctor-occupational-therapy.
The Ten Tones have returned! This much-loved a cappella ensemble originated in the late 1950s and provided entertainment through musical performances on campus and regionally for several decades. According to its former and current members, the group embodies the core of what Wilson is: a welcoming mixture of ages, abilities, and interests that inspire, encourage, and support each other through music.
Congratulations to all the students who made the Wilson College Dean's List for Fall 2024.
Wilson CollegeOffice of the RegistrarFall 2024 Dean’s List
Hope AdamsJill AhlgrenAdesewami AjirotutuHannah AkerManal Hamdan S AlanaziPaige AlbrightRusbelly AlmonteEsteban Alvarez MaganaKelley ApplebyEric ArbogastSydney BabicekBarbara BakerBrady BaknerAcadia BanisJennifer BannonRachel BardsleySydney BarkerKaley BarnhartEmmy BaschoffAveri BassettHana BellowsPayton BennettRachel BieseckerJulie BinderMichaela BlackJade BlaggKaitlyn BlizzardJason BoakEliza BoehmerMadison BootieHannah BostShelby BowmanKayli BradyEmily BrechbielLaura BreighnerMadison BriggsMatt BrowningMia BrunetLexi BuckleyMadelyn BushSarah BusheyYasmin CalderonSophia CallahanEdrick CartagenaJustine CastroCinthya ChavarriaAllison ClaytonJamie ClendeningWynter CooleyElizabeth CordonJorge CortezTyler CottoneFaith CrawfordSarah CroweKatelyn CrupAllie CullisonKaren CutlerColin DavidsonCrystal DavisMaddie DavisSara DawsonAdaira DeckerEmma DelicatoJordan DevincentIsabella Di TroiaAutumn DicandiloGrace DickinsonSarah DiehlOlivia DingzonKassandra DottererMadison EbersoleZoie EcholsJulia ElliottOlivia EwingSadie FikeAnna FlennerPatty FlookMadeline FloresAngelina Flores RosaChelcie ForresterRebecca FoxRaegan FranzDanica FrushourClaudia FumagalliLyssa GableTrinity GandyKylie GardinerDanielle GarmanEmily GarnerHamida GawhariHomaira GawhariOlivia GelbaughAndrew GervasiMary GingrichLainnie GlennErin GoheganShannon GougeMargaret GreeleyGrace GregoryJasmine GruverNessa HakeHaley HamrickMadison HamrickTaylor HardestyMiranda HardyShelby HarmonAndrew HarnerSydney HartleElysabeth HaughElla HawbeckerCarrie HeberligAddie HebertOlivia HeidrichAlyvia HennemanNikki HockenberryOlivia HoffmanEmily HollandAbigail Howard GoisJenna HowellLexie HubbardSusan HubbardAce HudnellKyra HuebnerSamantha HutchinsonJada JenkinsEmily JohnsonCasey KauffmanChloe KelleyBreaunna KelsoStacy KerrTrea KeysElivia KipeMaria KleinRyan KoontzAlexa KosofskySage LagueElizabeth LandonAudrey LekeRiley LeMayMichael LightMatthew LineKarlee LisinskiEmma LivelsbergerKalyna LloydEthan LocklearAliya LockmanKendi LongElena LotruglioJeremiah LoyerAdrian LugoSavanna MackieCarleigh MagersKinsey MancillAmanda MargesonElaina MarkerDanielle MartinEmily MartinSydney MarzaNevaeh MatlackChloe MaurerPayton McCauleyGaberiella McConnellJacob MccoyMadelyn MccoyChristine MckayJordan McKenzieCadence McmahonCarley McNewDrue MealsAndrea MedinaDeah MenedisGianna MenziettiBenjamin MetzTori MeyerKlarissa MileyEmily MillerMadison MillerNadia MitrovichSummer MoffettWaverly MoffettSkylar MolnarMackenzie MonnAbby MorelandLia MortKiaya MouerNatalie MullenAlayna MyattVincent NataleRachel NewswangerPaige NeyMarianne Ngo Bapa Ba BoumtjeAmanda NussTyler O'BrienKiera O'BrineAriatna OchoaCaitlin OlivieroMara ParisAnya ParkolayIttai PayneKalea PechartLiam PepolJalen PierceRylee PiperCaden PollardKaylee PomfretRosa PortillaBrooklyn PresleyLexi Ramirez-TeoEmily RandallsTobias ReeseJosie ReinhardtMakayla ReiterKayla RichardsIsaiah RifeAshley RingquistMichael RiosKris RobinsonLesley RodriguezPiper RohrbaughAbby RosenberryEmma RosetErin RoszkowiakMimi RubioReilly RyanSam RybackiNicole SadlowskiOlalla SanchezLynn SariskyLeila SchreinerNiki SchusslerKatelynn ScottSavanah SeablomAlycia SemancoKate SeymourHalley ShafferMadison ShanholtzMegan ShankSophie ShatzerAlysa SheatsKayla ShepardConnor ShopeHannah ShultzKristina SlattAlea SmithAnna SmithJamie SmithKim SnodgrassLindsey SnyderRegina SnyderBianca SommersCassidy SowersBrynn SpangenbergerSkyler SpeigleElla SponheimerEmily StamperJessica StartzelHailey SteeleKayla SteinmetzCamden SternerAshley StevensBarry StocksAbigail StonerCheyenne StrenskiAdrianna StricekHennessy StrineHayden SturgeonChase SupenskyIsabella SwanKatie SweigartJade SytoKayla TalbertAlexis ThomasAlyssa ThomasDiana ThomasMegan ThompsonElley ThorntonJustin TimmonsJewels TorresRyan TorresWinter TrammellSenta TrateRebekah TuckeyGretchen TurnerShawn TurnerJulie UhlerFinley VandevanderJenesis VegaAmayah WalkerErin WalshGillian WaltersJulie WarnickQuincey WarrenAllison WatkinsSierra WaylandBella WeaverXavier WebberAlex WeberLaci WeinholdRachael WestonHelena WestraZoey WhitmoreLea WilhelmJulia WilkesPaige WilkinsCourtney WilliamsJace WilliamsJudi WolfJackson WolfeJade WolfeAnne WolfrumMarissa WoodwardTristan WorlockHannah YaiderLiam YeatmanDylan YoumansEmily D. YoungJade YoungEmily ZavadakOlivia ZieglerEllen ZimmermanAnthony ZinziHunter Zittle
Wilson's Muhibbah Club held a sampler dinner where the members talked with students, faculty, and staff about their home countries, customs, and cultures. They offered small tastings of international candies, hot sauces, breakfast foods, beverages, and more.
Muhibbah is an international, intercultural group that represents diverse populations of students. The club comes together to create eclectic dinners, cultural evenings, and other activities to promote cultural awareness.
On the road proudly supporting Pennsylvania educators!
Faculty and staff from Wilson College’s education programs recently attended the PACTE - The Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators' Education Assembly where they discussed critical topics facing educators across the commonwealth and how to better connect with Gen Z.
Pictured left to right: Beth Byers, Director of Teacher Certification Pathways, Khalid N. Mumin, Secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, Janet Foor, Assistant Professor of Special Education, and Amy Fetterhoff, Education Office Manager.
Learn more about Wilson’s undergraduate and graduate education degree programs and Teacher Certification Pathways at https://www.wilson.edu/education-offerings
Check it off the bucket list!
That's what Wilson's international students are doing. The group packed their semester with serving the community, exploring the South Central Pennsylvania area, and, of course, attending classes and being involved on campus.
At the end of the semester, these were just some of the items the students could check off their "must-experience" lists:
✅ Experience “Hersheypark Happy”
✅ Explore Shenandoah National Park and Luray Caverns
✅ Participate in Trunk-or-Treat
✅ Attend a classic holiday theater production
✅ Hop on board a yellow school bus
✅ Make scarecrows at Wilson Weekend
✅ Ride on the Wilson College float in the Chambersburg Christmas parade
✅ Volunteer on campus
