Meet Vincent “Vinny” Natale ’26, a health and physical education major and participant in the Phoenix Leaders Program, which encourages students to explore their potential and develop the confidence to be leaders.
Natale serves as vice president of the Fighting Phoenix and the Student Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC), captain of the men’s volleyball team, and a member of the men’s soccer team, along with President for the Class of 2026 and a resident assistant.
Read more about the Phoenix Leaders Program in the latest edition of the Wilson Magazine or in our digital edition, https://mag.wilson.edu/empowering-students-to-rise-as-future-leaders
Spotlight on Erin Roszkowiak ’25, the President for the Class of 2025 and Phoenix Leader!
Roszkowiak uses her leadership skills learned from the Phoenix Leaders Program to empower others as Pre-Vet Club president, Women's Soccer Team Academic Captain, and Omicron Delta Kappa Vice President.
Learn more about Erin's journey and the Phoenix Leaders Program in the latest Wilson Magazine: https://mag.wilson.edu/empowering-students-to-rise-as-future-leaders
The annual Wilson College Creative Writing Colloquium welcomes writers of all levels to a day of immersive learning, insightful discussions, and inspiring connections. Hosted by the Wilson College English and Master’s in Humanities programs, this event will be held on Saturday, February 8, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Harry R. Brooks Complex for Science, Mathematics and Technology Center. The Colloquium is free and includes lunch. All attendees are required to register by February 7 at https://www.wilson.edu/CWC-registration
This year, Alicia Drumgoole, , will present the keynote address. Writing under the pen name Agnes Jayne, she is the author of two novels, “The Problem with Power” and “Premonition,” and short stories published in the anthologies “Last Writes: Haunting Tales from the Mountain Scribes” and “The Appalachian Compilation.”
Morning sessions will feature workshops in fiction and poetry on the following topics:
Action and Emotion: Balancing Intensity and Introspection in Writing
Explore how to craft powerful action scenes that balance physical tension with emotional depth. Presented by author and entrepreneur Kirsten Hubbard, who published her debut novel “Milwaukee Deep: An Ambrose Nobel Novel” in 2023 under her pen name Kirstie Croga. She will release the audiobook and sequel “One White Mule” later this year.
The Fiction of Jeffrey Bardwell
A look at selections from the work of the late Jeffrey Bardwell, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Wilson, who presented a session on newsletters at the 2024 colloquium. Bardwell was the author of several epic fantasy novels with elements of darkness, steampunk, and romance. Sherri Buerdsell, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Wilson College and a good friend of Bardwell, will share insights on his work and she encourages attendees to bring samples of their own writing for the discussion.
Public Health as Muse
The subtle but powerful approaches to creative writing that incorporate public health. Presented by Katy Giebenhain, author of “Sharps Cabaret” from Mercer University Press, who also co-hosts the First Friday poetry series at The Ragged Edge Coffeehouse in Gettysburg.
Revision in Theory and Practice
A session to address reasons the revision process can be challenging and several techniques to help. Presented by Noel Sloboda, Ph.D., professor of English and creative writing at Penn State York and the author of two poetry collections, seven chapbooks, and published works in journals, edited volumes, and periodicals.
The Wilson College Creative Writing Colloquium receives support from the Arts for All grant opportunity of the Greater Harrisburg Community Foundation, a regional foundation of The Foundation for Enhancing Communities.
For more information, visit https://www.wilson.edu/CWC
Wilson College and Northern Pennsylvania Regional College (NPRC), a two-year institution located in Warren, Pa., signed a guaranteed transfer agreement to enable NPRC Associate of Applied Science in Early Childhood Education graduates to transfer into Wilson’s Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education or Bachelor of Arts in Special Education programs with no loss of credit.
Through this pathway, Wilson College will accept a maximum of 60 hours of college-level coursework offered by NPRC. Such courses may be used to fulfill a portion of Wilson College’s general education curriculum and portions of the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education degree or Bachelor of Arts in Special Education. The terms allow students enrolled in NPRC’s Paraeducators Pathway Program to continue their education at Wilson College and complete their goal of becoming a K-12 special education teacher. Ultimately, this is a step for both NPRC and Wilson College towards fulfilling the need for qualified professionals in special education that is problematic not just in Pennsylvania, but around the United States.
The agreement will also allow learners to complete their bachelor’s degree remotely, with a combination of asynchronous and live instruction, and the opportunity to fulfill their student-teaching requirements at the school district they are currently employed in as a paraeducator. Another key attribute of the signing is it helps provide important accessibility for NPRC graduates to complete their goal of leading a classroom of their own someday soon, without having to uproot their career and life to gain access to advanced education.
Wilson College’s Lynn Newman, Ph.D., director of education and associate professor of education, said, “Wilson College is proud to partner with Northern Pennsylvania Regional College in providing an online opportunity for paraprofessionals to earn their bachelor’s degrees and teaching certifications. As a response to the current teacher shortage, Wilson and NPRC are working together to make a difference in the teaching profession.”
NPRC’s Ben Malczyk, Ph.D., vice president of academics, added, “What I really love about this pathway from NPRC to Wilson College is it allows paraeducators, who are already working in a school, to remain there while they complete their student-teaching. They are already working in that school and have a strong connection to the learners. The fact that this agreement allows NPRC graduates to stay in their day-jobs, complete student-teaching where they are, complete remaining coursework in the evenings, and grant funding is available to support their education will all help ensure that becoming a teacher is more achievable for our students than ever before.”
NPRC will provide academic advising for general education and other prerequisite courses to prepare students who wish to complete the Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education or Bachelor of Arts in Special Education degrees through Wilson College. In addition, NPRC will help them prepare the Wilson College transfer admission application. Wilson College and NPRC agree to monitor and support the provisions of this agreement to ensure program consistency, quality, and transferability will benefit students of both institutions. About Wilson College: Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 34 majors and 40 minors in high-demand and innovative fields including education, nursing, equine studies, veterinary nursing, and sport management, as well as graduate degrees in education, fine arts, the humanities, nursing, and organizational leadership. Offering degree programs in person and online, the College achieved the highest total enrollment in its history for Fall 2024, as it makes higher education accessible and affordable for today’s students. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.
About NPRC: Northern Pennsylvania Regional College (NPRC) is authorized by the PA Department of Education to award associate degrees and certificates in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. NPRC is an open-admission, two-year institution of higher education. The College's mission is to provide affordable and accessible post-secondary education to the residents of northern Pennsylvania. NPRC brings affordable education to a 10-county region (Cameron, Crawford, Elk, Erie, Forest, McKean, Potter, Tioga, Venango, and Warren). With flexible scheduling options at numerous instructional locations as well as remote, attending Northern Pennsylvania Regional College is an excellent option for individuals interested in furthering their education close to home or who need flexibility in their educational journey. With a growing team of high-quality industry-leading instructors directing our classrooms, students are empowered by a welcoming community to change their lives and brighten their futures. NPRC is a candidate for accreditation with the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE). https://regionalcollegepa.org.
Wilson College has named Joseph Ryan MBA, MSBA, as the new vice president for finance and administration (VPFA). Ryan brings to Wilson a skill set developed after nearly 20 years in higher education at multiple institutions, with strengths in key areas of strategic leadership, budget and financial planning, operations, and resource management. He will begin his responsibilities at Wilson on February 1.
Beginning at Temple University in Philadelphia, Ryan has progressed through continually increasing levels of responsibility and leadership roles, currently serving as the chief financial and administrative officer at the University of Delaware’s College of Engineering. In this capacity, his responsibilities include financial planning, analytics, facilities management, human resources, and information technology. Prior to joining the University of Delaware, Ryan spent over a decade at Temple University, in both the university controller’s office, and at the Fox School of Business as the college’s senior associate director of research, budgets, and administration. Over the course of his professional career, he has held numerous roles critical to the function and operations of higher education administration, most notably in budget and finance, procurement, operations management, and research.
With the assistance of Academic Search, an executive recruitment firm specializing in higher education leadership roles, Wilson conducted an exhaustive national search for this important position. “As we begin the development of a new strategic plan to help the College thrive into the future, we sought a strategic leader who understands the challenges facing higher education and brings a record of successfully navigating an institution to a position of strength,” said Wilson College President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D. “Joseph is a creative thinker who will be able to provide proactive solutions. He has a deep understanding of analytical forecasting and facilities management, which will be critical to our future success.”
Reporting to the president of the College, the vice president for finance and administration collaborates with the president and other senior administrative team members in setting the direction of the college and achieving key strategic goals. The position works closely with the president, the executive team, academic deans and directors, faculty, staff, students, and the Board of Trustees to manage the College’s operating budget, financial accounting, and endowment, risk, and contract management.
“I am excited to join the Wilson family and look forward to working with President Fugate, the faculty and staff, and everyone in the Wilson community to continue the great work already being done, as we build together to position the College for a strong and successful future,” said Ryan.
Ryan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business from The Pennsylvania State University and Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Master of Science in Business Analytics (MSBA) degrees from the Fox School of Business at Temple University.
Empathy — the ability to understand and share the feelings of another — is a powerful subject for leaders according to recent Master of Organizational Leadership graduate Virginia “Ginny” Harriger ’24 M.S.
"I am so task driven that sometimes I forget that as a leader you have to bring other people in,” she said. “With this project, I was helping the organization, and I was learning from it. I got away from trying to do everything myself and became a different type of leader.”
Harriger is the executive director of the Greater Chambersburg Chamber Foundation and volunteers with her church's Diaper Depot ministry, which offers free diapers to qualifying area residents each month.
Read more about Ginny and her story in the latest Wilson Magazine, https://mag.wilson.edu/leading-from-the-heart/
Meet Rebecca Diehl, who recently completed the Teacher Certification Pathways program.
“The Wilson College TCP program stands out because of its comprehensive curriculum, experienced faculty, and flexibility which allowed me to work full time while completing all program requirements in just 18 months. Wilson College equipped me with the necessary skills to become an effective and impactful teacher, and the support I received throughout the process, everything from scheduling, advising, to mentorship, has been superb,”
Rebecca DiehlTCP Completer ‘24, Secondary Education
Rebecca’s TCP Program completion at Wilson College means the education profession welcomes an exemplary educator! Rebecca is a champion for students and is an advocator and innovator, committed to making a difference in the lives and families of students.
Fifteen students from Chambersburg Area Senior High School and Career Magnet School will end the fall semester with college credits from Wilson College that they earned without leaving their high school campuses. Through a new agreement, Wilson became a preferred partner of both schools and now offers dual enrollment classes on site at each location.
The Chambersburg Area School District and Wilson College began conversations last winter and reached an agreement during the summer. The high schools aligned their Advanced Placement (AP) courses—seven subjects this fall—with the Wilson curriculum to ensure both schools meet their required learning outcomes. Interested students were then required to work through the standard Wilson admissions and registration processes to enroll. Qualified high school teachers who meet the College’s requirements for credentials and qualifications will teach the courses. Wilson College applies the same interview and vetting process to the dual-enrollment teachers as they do to adjunct instructors.
While Wilson already offers dual enrollment courses at its Philadelphia Avenue location, one of the main benefits of this new program is to provide access to dual-enrollment courses for more students. “We’re providing opportunities for the students who don’t have transportation to get to the Wilson campus,” said William Sommers, Wilson College Vice President for Enrollment Management.
The high schools also saw increased enrollment in their advanced classes because the dual-enrollment course is automatically transferable at the college level. Without dual enrollment, an AP student needs to earn a passing grade for the course as well as take the AP exam and score high enough to transfer the credit to their selected college or university. Wilson College benefits from the agreements by garnering a more direct relationship with area schools. “This program helps create greater awareness of Wilson College, not only among the students who are taking these courses but also among the staff, the counselors, and the teachers,” said Sommers.
Master of Organizational Leadership students are required to complete a project in which the students propose, design, organize, and carry out a service-oriented community/campus enterprise. This project could be a fundraiser, a conference, a series of workshops, or other service project designed to demonstrate the application of student learning and benefit the broader community. Angela Wilt '25 planned a fundraiser for two local nonprofits, The Salvation Army of Chambersburg and the Cumberland Valley School of Music.
On Thursday, December 5th, the Coyle Free Library Conservatory was transformed into a winter wonderland for the Sweaters, Sweets & Sips Festive Fundraiser, bringing together the community for an evening of holiday cheer and charitable giving. With cozy vibes, live music, and a raffle tree brimming with prizes, the event was a joyful celebration of the season—and a huge success for two local nonprofits.
Guests in their best holiday attire enjoyed delicious charcuterie, participated in holiday trivia, and danced to festive tunes. Attendees also had the chance to win big with the evening’s highlights: the Best Holiday Outfit competition and the coveted Raffle Tree grand prize.
Thanks to the generosity of the community, Sweaters, Sweets & Sips raised an impressive $1,810 to benefit The Salvation Army of Chambersburg and the Cumberland Valley School of Music.
BCM Payroll’s sponsorship and dedication ensured every dollar raised went directly to supporting these vital nonprofits.
Event organizers extend their heartfelt gratitude to everyone who attended, donated, and contributed to the success of the fundraiser. This event proved to be a shining example of how community spirit can come together to make a meaningful difference during the holiday season.
Two Wilson alumni who work together at the Abraxas Youth Center (AYC) recently returned to campus to share their experiences with the Gender, Crime, and Justice class taught by Julie Raulli, Ph.D., professor of sociology. AYC is a multi-faceted treatment center for adjudicated delinquent male youth in South Mountain, Pa.
Teaghan Ewing ’24, a psychology and criminal justice major, and Ethan Kron ’24, a history and political science major with minors in sociology and philosophy, both work at AYC. Their majors and minors are what Raulli called great examples of the varied academic experiences you can have at Wilson. In fact, Ewing first visited Abraxas as an undergrad when another of Raulli’s classes toured the facility where Kron was already working. Ewing started working there as a youth development specialist shortly after her graduation in May.
Although they work in different areas, Ewing and Kron shared how they each play a part in the lives of the male youths placed in their care. Treatment at the Center focuses on three main areas—residential, clinical, and education—and while each area focuses on different aspects of treatment, they all follow the same rules and expectations. “All three areas complement each other, but we’re all consistent in our approach with the students,” explained Kron. Ewing works in the residential area while Kron teaches in the education department.
Kron said he began working at AYC after he searched for a less conventional teaching opportunity than a regular classroom. The Center has two different programs; one for younger juveniles who display early signs of sexual predatory behavior or fire setting tendencies, and another for older high school students who have continually shown patterns of concerning behavior, leading them to more serious criminal offenses. Kron works with the high school students where the goal is to address their systemic issues, their trauma, and the reasons that they act out in the classroom. Ultimately, he explained, AYC teachers try to help students find an alternative path to avoid funneling into the adult criminal justice system.
AYC students attend classes each morning and the rest of the day they are part of the residential program where Ewing works. During the afternoons and evenings, Ewing makes sure that students read and do homework, clean, eat dinner, take part in recreational activities, and attend a group session that focuses on different aspects of the students’ criminal history.
Most of the students Ewing and Kron work with are in AYC’s 6-month reset program, what Kron referred to as a crash course to being a good kid. “A lot of the skills that we are trying to teach them are transferable skills that they’ll need to take with them when they leave our facility. For them to be healthy, safe and successful in the outside world,” said Kron.
While Ewing said it was a shock how extreme everything was when she first started working at AYC, she also explained how her work experience directly correlates to the education she received at Wilson. “Everything that I learned in school has something to do with the training that we do at the facility,” she said. Kron agreed as he told the class, “A lot of the things you are learning about in your coursework with Dr. Raulli are theoretical. When you get out into the real world, that theory becomes application in your everyday life.”
At the end of class, Ewing and Kron answered questions that included a discussion on the impact of the AYC program. Each of their students has a tough story, and Ewing and Kron explained how they try to help each one start on a new journey after leaving the facility. While they may not always be successful, Raulli reminded her students that Ewing and Kron are really doing great work to make a difference in the lives of those in their care.
