Learn About Swift Foxes, Clean and Sustainable Energy, Armenian Refugee Resettlement, Gypsy Moths in Michaux Forest, and Much More at Wilson’s 14th Annual Barsy-Colgan Student Research Day
Our 14th annual Barsy-Colgan Student Research Day is Friday, April 28, and is free and open to the public. Enjoy beverages and light snacks while you experience some of the fantastic research and creative projects our students have done this year with the guidance of their faculty mentors. From ways to block cancers from metastasizing to paternal bonds in Shakespeare’s plays, Wilson students have contributed to our understanding of science, medicine, art, and civilization. The student researchers will present their research in person or display it on posters in the library’s Lenfest Learning Commons and the Brooks Science Center. Seventy-five students representing multiple disciplines will present their work.
The live oral presentations will explore the likely spread of tick-borne diseases in Pennsylvania, poems about heartbreak, nursing students’ experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, and much much more. Presentations at the Brooks Science Center auditorium will kick off at 9 a.m. with a welcome address by President Wesley R. Fugate. Presentations in the library’s Lenfest Learning Center will kick off at 9 a.m. with an address by Dean of Faculty Elissa Heil. After a break for lunch around noon, oral presentations will resume in the Brooks sudatorium at 1.30 p.m. They will conclude with this year’s Disert Scholar Morgan Wineburg presenting her research on the effects of a beta blocker on glioblastoma (a type of brain cancer) migration and cytotoxicity.
Visitors can view the research posters displayed in the front lobbies of both the Library and Brooks Science Center. The research will cover subjects as wide-ranging as organic waste composting, horse bedding, mange in red foxes, treatments for various diseases, and the war on drugs. The student researchers will be available to discuss their projects and answer your questions between noon and 1.30 p.m. at both locations.
Louise Barsy Colgan ’80 and Sean Colgan are generously endowing student research grants and underwriting the “Barsy-Colgan Student Research Day” to honor two Wilson College alumnae—Louise Barsy Colgan and her mother, Helen Yeager “HiY” Barsy ’44. The Colgans hope their support encourages students to passionately pursue their interests and to follow the patterns of the universe’s minute and immense handiwork. For a complete schedule, go to wilson.edu.
Saturday night, members of Wilson's Muhibbah Club put on various performances after a cultural dinner. The international group is known for promoting cultural awareness and celebrating diversity. A portion of the proceeds from the evening are being given to Habitat for Humanity.
Son Huasteco Dance by Claudia Martinez Taba (Mexico) and Tiyas Chakraborty (India)
Son Huasteco is a form of traditional Mexican music that takes its name from the region known as "La Huasteca", in the Northeastern area of Mexico. This type of music is performed by three musicians that play three string instruments a violin, a jarana and a quinta huapanguera. "La petenera" is one of the most popular songs of Son Huasteco and other traditional Mexican music.
Poem "America" by Claude McKay read by Ryan Reinhardt (US)
Claude McKay was a Jamaican American poet who lived from 1890-1948. He was a prolific writer during the Harlem Renaissance writing primarily about race during the 1920s in America.
Jensen Dinir "Lewanay Waziri" Dance by Tayyaba Shahid (Pakistan)
Attan is the traditional dance originating from the tribal Pashtun regions of North Western Pakistan. It is conducted in weddings, engagements, and other informal gatherings. The dancers gather in a circle, and are followed by music which starts slow at first, and then gradually speeds up.
Song "Tumi Sondharo Meghamala" ("Night Flowers") by Rabindranath Tagore sung by Tiyas Chakraborty (India)
A Song of Love. Tagore is describing the beauty of the blooming night flowers. He dedicated the song to his wife and lover who lived a thousand miles away From him at that time.
"Parmani" Dance by Anaida Fahradyan (Armenia)
Armenian women's lyrical solo folk dances are noted for their expressive and lyrical use of the hands, arms, and upper body, combined with unique traveling steps that evoke images of delicate beauty, embodying elements from nature.
Dance to "Candy" by H.O.T. and "Permission to Dance" by BTS performed by Eunbi Lee , Mingyo Jung, Gayoun Cho, Hyunju Lee, Seongyeon Cho, Jungin Yang, Jooyoung Jang, Jeonghyun Cho (South Korea)
These songs represent the K-pop genre and are composed of the Korean language. The song "Candy" by H.O.T was selected as the most popular song at the time when K-pop was first popularized.
"Permission to Dance" is a song by BTS that has been nominated for a Grammy Award every year. These songs show the evolution of K-pop from the beginning till now, when it's more famous.
The first annual Wilson College ArtsFest was a huge success! Campus was immersed in dance, design, visual art, and song over three days. Here are just a few photo snippets of the events.
Musical Beauty: A Social Art Collaboration
Open Choir Rehearsal
Work in Progress Choreography Showing
Gallery Crawl
Open Mic Poetry Reading
Coffeehouse Cabaret
Liquid Spine: Art as Activism Film Screening & Talk Back
Mike Bloomford’s Open Studio
A SHADOW THAT BROKE THE LIGHT
Mariah: Acts of Resistance Film Screening & Talk Back
Empathy Lab Immersive Installation
Create Your Own: ArtsFest 2023 T-Shirt Press, Shirt Making, & Button Making
Over spring break Chaplain Derek Wadlington led an Alternative Spring Break service trip to New Bern, NC. The trip partnered with Lend A Hand, the Camp Hill based volunteer agency from Carlisle Presbytery. Teaming with Chaplain Derek was Crystal Lantz, Director of International Scholar Services, and six others: Claudia Tabbas, Fulbright Scholar and Spanish TA; James Pasaribu ’22; Carly Ashway ’24; Heather Judge ’26; Tiyas Chakraborty ’27; and Marta Davidova ’27.
The group, along with eleven volunteers from Lend A Hand, worked on about half a dozen homes doing projects ranging that included roof repair, drywall and insulation replacement, subfloor and floor replacement, plumbing, drywall mudding, priming, and painting. Plus a number of other random tasks. The group volunteered with the Craven County Disaster Recover Alliance, a non-profit that spans three counties in the New Bern area providing repairs to homes of those in need. It was a very successful trip – as a group, the Wilson/Lend A Hand team logged over 860 volunteer hours.
Everyone on campus is feeling smarter after Brain Awareness Week! Brain Awareness Week is a global campaign to foster public enthusiasm and support for brain science.
Monday kicked off with a Brain Scavenger Hunt. Brains could be redeemed for raffle tickets to be entered into a drawing for Target gift cards.
Shannon Murphy, Licensed Professional Counselor, shared a presentation "Intro to Art Therapy".
She answered questions such as "What is art therapy?, How does it help?, and Who benefits?"
The Kona Ice truck was parked in front of Lenfest on Wednesday for a Brain Freeze Fundraiser.
Hennessy Strine '25 and Lesley Rodriguez '25 shared posters on "The Zombification of the Brain"
Mia Harris '23 and Simone Karustis '23 led a Kahoot! Brain Tease at lunch on Friday.
Thanks goes to the Wilson College Psychology Club for a week of brainy events to support brain science.
Seven Wilson College seniors presented the results of their research at the 2023 Annual Meeting of the Pennsylvania Academy of Science (PAS), held March 17-19 at Gannon University, Erie, PA.
The students began their projects in the spring of their junior year by writing a research proposal based on a specific question that they were interested in studying. In the fall semester, they completed the lab work and collected data. This semester they have been focused on data analysis, writing a thesis and preparing to communicate their results at PAS. All students represented Wilson College with confidence, poise and professionalism. The biology, biochemistry, and chemistry faculty are proud of the students’ efforts in the laboratory/field and their dedication in preparing for the meeting. They look forward to sharing their results on campus during Student Research Day.
The Pennsylvania Academy of Science judged oral presentations and posters and provided a monetary award for the top three places and honorable mentions in each category. Oral presentations were assessed in categories for scientific merit (ranging from experimental methodologies to analysis of results) and presentation qualities, including visual impact and fielding of questions. The overall score was reflective of all subcategories.
Two Wilson students received awards at PAS for their oral presentations. Rose Runyon, senior biology major, received the 3rd place award for her presentation entitled “Development of a method for rapid boldness scoring of individual swift fox (Vulpes velox) during husbandry visits and assessment of its applications across varying populations”. Rose’s research was funded in part by the John D. Rose Award in Environmental Science and the E. Grace White Summer Scholarship. She conducted the research in collaboration with graduate student Kimberly Todd at the National Zoo Conservation Biology Institute (NZCBI). Rose was also awarded the Joan M. Thuebel ’52 Earthwatch Prize to go on the South African Penguins expedition to Robben Island in Cape Town, South Africa. The expedition focused on recovering the population of South African penguins, an endangered species, in this area. She is currently employed as an intern at NZCBI.
Morgan Wineburg, senior biochemistry major, received an honorable mention her presentation on “Effects of the Beta Blocker Propranolol on Human Glioblastoma Migration and Cytotoxicity”. Morgan’s project was partially funded by a Student Research Award 2022. She is the 2023 Disert Scholar and plans to attend medical school.
Five other seniors in biology also presented their research results at PAS. Kelly Lepouski gave an oral presentation for the project titled “Effects of combination treatments of epigenetic inhibitors (Belinostat and 5-Azacytidine) on human glioblastoma cells”. The remaining four students participated in a poster session
• Alexis Alleman “A study of musculoskeletal symptoms experienced by Lyme disease patients”
• Camryn Mountz “Gypsy Moths (Lymantria dispar) Ovipatory in Michaux State Forest based on Tree Species and Age”
• Kara Rosander “Comparative Study of the Effects of Precipitation on Microplastics in the Conocoheague Creek” recipient of the E. Grace White Summer Scholarship.
• Ryder Wallace “Multifactor Analysis of The Spread of Deer Tick (Ixodes scapularis) Borne Diseases in Pennsylvania” recipient of the John D. Rose Award in Environmental Science and the E. Grace White Summer Scholarship
The faculty and students wish to thank Wilson College for supporting this research, which is an integral component of the curriculum for biology, biochemistry, and chemistry majors. The three semester research sequence prepares students to enter the job market or to pursue graduate or professional education.
Abstracts (in alphabetical order)
Alexis Alleman A study of musculoskeletal symptoms experienced by Lyme disease patients According to the CDC, Lyme disease is the number one tick-borne vector disease in the United States with approximately 20 to 30 thousand people diagnosed per year. Most cases of Lyme disease go undiagnosed for a period of time because the symptoms are associated with other conditions, such as general aging and arthritis. Early diagnosis is important because treatment is more effective in early stages of the disease; therefore, it is important to develop new tools that can help physicians identify the presence of Lyme disease sooner. The purpose of this study was to observe whether there is a relationship between musculoskeletal symptoms and the pain thresholds of patients diagnosed with Lyme disease. An IRB-approved anonymous survey was distributed by a physician who is known to specialize in treating Lyme disease. Survey results were analyzed to determine what musculoskeletal symptoms were experienced as well as the pain threshold severity. Using NCSS, it was determined that there is insufficient statistical significance to begin developing an evaluation tool for musculoskeletal symptoms and pain thresholds that could be used by physicians as an indicator to test for Lyme disease before ruling out other diagnoses. A much larger data set would need to be collected to determine the potential of an evaluation tool Research Advisors: Deborah Austin and Kathryn Sarachan
Kelly Lepouski Effects of combination treatments of epigenetic inhibitors (Belinostat and 5-Azacytidine) on human glioblastoma cells Many cancers, including glioblastoma (GB), are difficult to treat, have low survival rates and high recurrence rates, and develop resistance to conventional treatments. Genetic and epigenetic factors play a role in these undesired outcomes. Recent research has identified epigenetic factors, including DNA methylation, histone modification and small noncoding RNAs (miRNAs), that are altered in many cancers. Some of these changes in the cancer epigenome can be reversed with epigenetic inhibitors, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTi) leading to new therapeutic approaches. The use of single inhibitors has shown limited clinical success; however, combination therapies have shown more positive results. This study tested the cytotoxicity of belinostat (an HDACi) and 5-azacytidine (a DNMTi) alone and in combination on human glioblastoma cells. Glioblastoma cells were plated in 96-well plates containing 10,000 cells per well, and the % cell viability was determined using an MTT assay. Dose response curves were generated (0 to 10 µM concentrations) using six different treatment conditions: no treatment, media, DMSO, HDACi alone, DNMTi alone, and HDACi and DNMTi combined. Belinostat and 5-azacitidine were both shown to be cytotoxic to GB cells in a dose-dependent manner. Belinostat was more effective than 5-azacitidine. A synergistic effect was also observed when the drugs were used in combination. Combination therapy using both belinostat and 5-azacytidine could represent a promising treatment for glioblastoma in the future. Research Advisors: Brad Engle and Kathryn Sarachan
Camryn Mountz Gypsy Moths (Lymantria dispar) Ovipatory in Michaux State Forest based on Tree Species and Age Gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar) are an invasive species that defoliate forests across North America. The USDA estimated that industry, agriculture, and land management stakeholders spend $26 billion annually trying to control invasive species across the country. Gypsy moths complete holometabolous stages with an annual life cycle whose larvae feed on hardwood vegetation, and possess few North American predators or parasites to control their spread. Gypsy moths threaten many native trees along the east coast, causing mass defoliation which decreases tree species biodiversity. Approximately 150 different species of trees have been identified to be susceptible to gypsy moths, the main target being Oak species. This study seeks to observe the relationship between the presence and number of egg mass and tree maturity and species within Michaux State Forest, Franklin County, Pennsylvania. Preliminary results indicate Gypsy moths prefer depositing egg masses on adult Chestnut Oaks. Research Advisors: Jeffrey Bardwell and Sherri Buerdsell
Kara Rosander Comparative Study of the Effects of Precipitation on Microplastics in the Conocoheague Creek Water pollution is a significant global issue. It is estimated that 14,000 people die each day from water pollution worldwide. Pollutants can enter the air, soil, or water and change their physical, chemical, and biological characteristics, which can cause harm to humans and aquatic life. Microplastics are plastic particles that are less than 0.5 mm and these can enter water sources, specifically the creek by surface water runoff after heavy rain, wastewater (treated and untreated), industrial effluent, degraded plastic waste, and atmospheric deposition. Microplastics pollute the environment and waterways because they take up to thousands of years to chemically degrade. In the environment, they can act as vectors for harmful containments like heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, and bacteria. The small size of microplastics allows them to easily be ingested. The Conococheague Creek is the source of drinking water for Chambersburg. This study investigated whether the introduction of microplastics into the Conococheague Creek is correlated with precipitation. Two sites along the Conococheague Creek were selected-one upstream from Wilson College and one downstream. Although the results show no statistical significance between precipitation and microplastic concentration, a significant difference was identified between fibers and both films and fragments (p<0.025). Research Advisors: Deborah Austin and Sherri Buerdsell
Rose Runyan Development of a method for rapid boldness scoring of individual swift fox (Vulpes velox) during husbandry visits and assessment of its applications across varying populations The swift fox (Vulpes velox) is a canid species that inhabits the northern Great Plains region of the United States and Canada and faces continuous threats to population expansion and growth. Subsequently, the Fort Belknap Department of Fish and Wildlife and Smithsonian Institution launched a five-year reintroduction plan in 2020 to translocate individuals from established populations in Colorado and Wyoming to the Fort Belknap Reservation in northern Montana. The aim is to create a self-sustaining population that will expand and connect with fragmented northern and contiguous southern populations across the species’ range. During this time, research is being conducted to understand how bold personality affects individual fitness with implications for population-level dynamics. This study aims to create a method for evaluating individual swift fox boldness levels prior to release in the form of a survey that may be completed by technicians in the field. The survey was created based on behavioral observations of videographic data collected during the 2021 translocation, provided by the Smithsonian, and utilizes Likert scale and multiple-choice style questions for easy scoring. However, because the videographic data processed focused solely on a Wyoming release cohort, concern arose for the applicability of this survey across source populations. Therefore, the second part of this study utilizes videographic data from both Colorado- and Wyoming- sourced foxes to compare activity budgets between source populations. Contrary to the initial hypothesis, data analysis has revealed significant differences in the activity budgets between these two populations, which may have implications to their fitness post-release. This study will provide a broad-based methodological tool to assist ongoing research in swift fox recovery. Research Advisors: Sherri Buerdsell and Deborah Austin Research done in collaboration with National Zoo Conservation Biology Institute, Kimberly R. Todd, Nucharin Songsasen, and Hila Shamon
Ryder Wallace Multifactor Analysis of The Spread of Deer Tick (Ixodes scapularis) Borne Diseases in Pennsylvania Deer ticks (Ixodes scapularis, Class Arachnida) are ectoparasites found throughout the eastern and midwestern regions of the United States and responsible for 95% of vector-borne diseases in the country. I. scapularis prefer feeding on the white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) and the white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) but sometimes parasitize humans. I. scapularis carry an array of diseases such as Lyme Disease, Babesiosis, and Anaplasmosis. This study uses Lyme Disease data to generate historical and future linear regression models, which can then be used to identify future trends for Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis in Pennsylvania. Unlike Lyme Disease, these two diseases are both prevalent in New England and currently spreading south. Using countylevel data, this study aims to understand the conditions that could lead to the spread of Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis across three Pennsylvania counties: Northumberland, Snyder, and Union. Independent variables include I. scapularis populations, human populations, temperature levels, precipitation levels, and currently reported locations for all three diseases in Pennsylvania. The dependent variable is normalized disease presence (frequency of collected potential disease vectored ticks / county population). Using R library packages dplyr, magrittr, stats, and tidyr, a linear regression model shows statistical significance for population (t-statistic: 2.348, p-value = 0.0312) and intercept (t-statistic: - 2.347, p-value = 0.0313) for Union County. This predictive model can be used to create a county-level choropleth map to document twenty-year historic trends of Lyme Disease and forecast future prevalence of Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis in Northumberland, Snyder, and Union counties. This model creation can be used by other researchers; civilians; and people at risk of Lyme Disease, Anaplasmosis, or Babesiosis to warn about potential locations susceptible to the spread of these diseases. Research Advisors: Jeffrey Bardwell and Brad Engle
Morgan Wineburg Effects of the Beta Blocker Propranolol on Human Glioblastoma Migration and Cytotoxicity Approximately 250,000 people in the world are diagnosed with glioblastoma annually and 200,000 die from the disease. It is the deadliest form of brain cancer, with the average age of incidence peaking at 75-84 years. One important factor in the clinical outcomes of cancer is migration. Glioblastoma has a high rate of migration causing the cancer to become metastatic quickly. Studies have shown that beta blockers, specifically propranolol, can attenuate the migration of various pancreatic and cervical cancer cells. This study will assess the ability of propranolol to arrest migration in glioblastoma cell cultures. The experimental groups were treated with 150, 200, and 250 µM propranolol, respectively. Cell cultures were incubated at 37 °C for three hours to allow for cell adhesion to the inserts then treated with propranolol for 24 hours. Each treatment was replicated twelve times. A cell migration assay was used to quantify the degree to which treated and untreated glioblastoma cells penetrate the 8.0µm barrier. Propranolol significantly (p=0.00445) inhibited the migration of glioblastoma cells irrespective of treatment groups. In addition, an MTT assay was done to assess propranolol-induced cytotoxicity at concentrations of 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 µM. Propranolol significantly (p=0.00626) reduced cell viability in all treatment groups. Cytotoxicity increased among the groups as propranolol concentration increased (p=0.0004). Research Advisors: Kathryn Sarachan and Brad Engle
Wilson will hold a reception at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, March 29, to mark the opening of the Annual Juried Student Art Exhibition. The show, presented by Arts at Wilson, will continue through April 21 in the Bogigian Gallery on the second floor of Lortz Hall.
The exhibition provides a venue for our students to share their creative work with the community. The show will feature drawings, paintings, graphic design, ceramics, photographs, and mixed-media artwork with a wide array of subject matter and content.
This year’s juror is Ashley Gogoj, a local artist and Art & Design Program Chair at Carlisle Area High School. Ms. Gogoj holds a bachelor’s in art education from Kutztown University, a master’s in teaching and curriculum from Penn State University, and principals certifications from Penn State University. Her students’ artwork is regularly accepted into Wilson’s annual juried high school student art exhibition.
The Bogigian Gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Admission is free. For additional information or an appointment, contact Professor of Fine Arts Philip Lindsey at 717-264-2783 or philip.lindsey@wilson.edu.
The Thoroughbred Education and Research Foundation (TERF) awarded Adrianna “Andie” Swanson ’23 $5,000 in scholarship support. Swanson, an equine studies major, is one of the three Swanson triplets who attend the College. All three ride and participate in equestrian events.
She has loved horses her whole life and rode on trails and around her family’s farm until she discovered and taught herself “showing” at an early age. “I have two Thoroughbreds named Eros and Bear,” she said. “Eros is a 6-year-old, grey off-the-track Thoroughbred from a Pennsylvania racetrack. I have had him with me all through college and have ridden him in all my equitation classes at Wilson. Bear is an 8-year-old, dark bay, almost black off-the-track Thoroughbred that I just got this summer from a racetrack in California.”
Swanson used Bear in her training class this past semester. The class helps “restart” young horses so they can go “from not being touched or ridden to being well mannered under saddle.” Although Bear had been ridden before, she needed holes in her training and behavior filled in. “Bear started this class being a horse that would push you around and just get really anxious. Towards the end of the semester, she didn’t push me around and was really relaxed under saddle. This is why I love this class so much; even though my horse was already able to be ridden, I was able to see some of the training she was lacking and was able to go back to the basics and fix them.”
She hopes for a career working with horses. The training class “really helped to prepare me for what to expect when I start training off-the-track Thoroughbreds after graduation.” She will use the TERF scholarship to help pay for her Wilson education.
TERF awards scholarships consistent with its mission of promoting equine education and research by sponsoring scholarships in veterinary medicine and supporting organizations that are educating the public in the proper care of horses. Since 2015, 23 students at Wilson College have been awarded TERF scholarships to continue their education, totaling $82,000 in awards.
The College’s president, Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D., was named to the City & State 2023 Higher Education Power 100. This accolade recognizes him as “one of the most powerful individuals in Pennsylvania education.” The 100 leaders profiled “have helped their institutions not just survive but thrive.”
“Recognition such as this reflects the excellent work of our faculty and staff,” Fugate said. “They are the people deserving of such high praise, as they are working day in and day out to transform the lives of our students. I am honored to represent them through inclusion on this prestigious list of higher education leaders.”
Fugate was chosen for his success in launching a series of affordable online degree programs, increasing the first-year retention rate by 4%, and growing the College’s unrestricted fund by nearly 75%. The organizers also noted his passion for innovation, fundraising, opportunity, and making the campus animal-friendly. They added, “Fugate has also celebrated Wilson teams’ conference championships in several sports and raised the profile of the school’s arts programs.”
While one group of Wilson students was in the Dominican Republic on a service learning trip during January break, another group was in New Bern, NC, working alongside a team from Lend A Hand, a Presbyterian disaster agency.
Seven people from Wilson and eight from Lend A Hand repaired a half-dozen homes in the New Bern area by painting, repairing drywall, shoring up rotted joists, and replacing flooring.
The team put in over five hundred volunteer hours over the course of a week.
Wilson Chaplain Derek Wadlington shared "What I love about the trip is watching students learn new skills, like using a variety of power tools and problem solving, and see how they grow in confidence over the course of the week. Many of the Lend A Hand volunteers are in their sixties and seventies, and it is awesome to watch two very different demographic groups work alongside each other and spend time teaching and learning from each other. And, when the opportunity arises, students who are able to interact with homeowners learn about the impact of giving their time, and the gratitude that homeowners have for people traveling six hours from home to spend a week helping others."
