Wilson College will join the Colonial States Athletic Conference in 2018-19, a move that is expected to enhance the overall student-athlete experience by aligning Wilson with other small, private colleges and providing more balanced conference competition.
"The CSAC is thrilled to welcome Wilson College as a full member of the conference. Wilson is an institution on the rise and it is evident that intercollegiate athletics plays a pivotal role in the direction that the institution is heading,” said CSAC Commissioner Adrienne Mullikin. “I am confident that this partnership will be a rewarding one for both Wilson and the CSAC."
Wilson, which competes in NCAA Division III athletics, will continue to play in the North Eastern Athletic Conference in the 2017-18 academic year, according to Wilson Director of Athletics Lori Frey. She said the move to the CSAC in fall 2018 will bring a number of advantages, including allowing the college’s 10 men’s and women’s sports teams to compete against similar schools, while reducing travel time to away games—in some cases by as much as half.
“One of the primary attractions for Wilson is that all of the CSAC member institutions are private, independent colleges, which aligns us with schools who have a similar philosophy,” Frey said. “With the CSAC, we’re going to be competing against institutions that have the same priorities in the academic success of the students. The competitive levels of the schools we’ll be playing will more closely match ours and the member institutions are closer to Wilson than many of the NEAC members. All of that, to us, equates to a better experience for the student-athletes.”
The CSAC, which announced today that Bryn Athyn College will also join the conference in 2018-19, sponsors 17 men’s and women’s intercollegiate sports in NCAA Division III, including men’s and women’s cross country, soccer, basketball, lacrosse, tennis and outdoor track and field. In addition, the conference sponsors field hockey, softball, women’s volleyball and men’s golf and baseball.
Wilson joined the NEAC in 2007 when the college’s previous conference disbanded. The NEAC is currently made up of 14 public and private institutions in the Northeast. The college currently plays non-conference games against some CSAC member colleges, including Cedar Crest, Rosemont, Notre Dame of Maryland and Cairn University.
Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick agreed that the CSAC will be a good fit for Wilson, not only in terms of size, competitiveness and proximity of rival colleges, but also when it comes to conference members’ shared commitment to competitive excellence, sportsmanship and academic standards.
“We’ve had a good run with the NEAC and we are grateful to the conference,” Mistick said. “But the opportunity to elevate our student-athlete experience in 2018-19, the same year that Wilson begins play in its 10th sport—baseball—makes it the perfect time for a new beginning.”
The CSAC was established in 1992 as the Pennsylvania Athletic Conference to “meet the needs of small, private, four-year colleges in eastern Pennsylvania,” according to the conference website: csacsports.com. The conference changed its name to the Colonial States Athletic Conference in 2008. The CSAC embraces a “student-first philosophy by ensuring that institutions place the overall educational experience and successful completion of academic programs above all else.”
Beginning in fall 2018, Wilson and Bryn Athyn will join current CSAC members Cairn University, Cedar Crest College, Centenary University, Clarks Summit University, Keystone College, Notre Dame of Maryland University and Rosemont College in competition. Cedar Crest and Notre Dame of Maryland are women’s colleges, providing nine schools for conference competition in women’s sports and seven for men’s teams. Most CSAC schools are located in eastern Pennsylvania, with one in Maryland and one in New Jersey.
Wilson’s athletics program, which has been a member of the NCAA since 1996, has grown to include 10 sports, including five women’s teams and five men’s. The Phoenix women’s teams play field hockey, volleyball, basketball, soccer and softball. Men’s teams currently play soccer, basketball, volleyball and golf, and recruiting for baseball is underway for the spring 2018 inaugural season.
Wilson College will host simultaneous receptions marking the opening of two free art exhibitions on Wednesday, Sept. 13—one featuring the work of members of The Foundry and one featuring the work of Hagerstown, Md., artist Kate Miller. The receptions will be held from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in their respective venues—The Foundry exhibit in Lortz Hall’s Bogigian Gallery and the Miller exhibit in the Wilson library’s Sue Davison Cooley Gallery.
The Foundry exhibition features a selection of member artwork from the Chambersburg artist cooperative, which is based at 100 S. Main St. The exhibition will include paintings, drawings, photographs, sculptures and more.
Entitled Chronicles, Miller’s exhibition is a collection of new and recent paintings inspired by the artist’s desire to “record the world as I experience it.” Miller, whose work is inspired by Vincent van Gogh, Henri Matisse and Alice Neel, has a bachelor’s degree in studio art from George Washington University and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Delaware, where she taught drawing and painting as a graduate student. She is a member of Tag Gallery in Frederick, Md., and has shown recently at the Washington County Museum of Fine Arts in Hagerstown.
Chronicles will continue through Dec. 8 in the Cooley Gallery, which is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; and 1 to 11 p.m. Sunday. The Foundry exhibit will continue through Oct. 13 in the Bogigian Gallery, which is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
For more information, contact Wilson College Professor of Fine Arts Philip Lindsey at 717-264-4141, Ext. 3305, or philip.lindsey@wilson.edu.
Wilson College in Chambersburg and Widener University Commonwealth Law School in Harrisburg today signed an articulation agreement that guarantees qualified Wilson student admission to Widener’s law program and allows them to complete both degrees in six years rather than the usual minimum of seven years.
A five-year agreement to create the new “3+3” program was signed today by Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick and Widener Law Commonwealth Dean Christian A. Johnson. It takes effect immediately. Successful students would earn a bachelor’s degree from Wilson College and a juris doctor degree—otherwise known as a law degree—from Widener.
Under the new program, students would complete the first three years of college at Wilson and three years at Widener, where they would complete the requirement for their Wilson bachelor’s degree while also completing courses for their law degree.
“(Widener) believes that the 3+3 agreement can be a huge benefit to undergraduate students who intend to go to law school,” Johnson said. “The most important reason is that the program enables students to reduce the total educational time commitment from seven years to six years. This results in students effectively saving a year in tuition costs, as well.”
In addition to the savings in time and money, qualifying Wilson students would be guaranteed admission to Widener Law Commonwealth, under the agreement.
“The fact that Wilson can offer graduates who qualify guaranteed admission to a highly regarded law school like Widener provides an incredible opportunity and value for our students,” said Elissa Heil, Wilson’s vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty.
The Wilson-Widener pact offers students other advantages, as well, according to Heil. “This innovative program also focuses students on choosing an undergraduate curriculum that will best prepare them for their graduate work, enabling them to be more fully ready for the demands of law school,” said Heil.
Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 35 majors and graduate degrees in education, healthcare, business and the arts and humanities. In fall 2016, 1,098 students were enrolled across all programs. In the 2018 “Best Colleges” guide from U.S News & World Report, Wilson is ranked fourth in the best value category for regional colleges in the North and 13th overall in the same group. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.
Widener University Commonwealth Law School was founded in 1989 and is accredited by the American Bar Association, which gave Widener its Outstanding School of the Year Award in 1994. Widener was named one of the top 20 law schools for government law in 2016 by preLaw magazine and has been recognized by National Jurist as the fifth-best law school in the nation for bar exam preparation. More information can be found at commonwealthlaw.widener.edu.
The Henry R. Luce Foundation has awarded a $200,000 grant to the editors of the academic journal Political Theology— Wilson Associate Professor of Religion David True and Vincent Lloyd, associate professor of theology and religious studies at Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
The Luce grant was awarded to True and Lloyd to help develop an interdisciplinary community of scholars interested in the intersection of religion and politics—building on the intellectual community that has already gathered around the journal, according to True, who also chairs Wilson’s Department of Philosophy and Religion.
“Political theology is a subject that’s addressed in an array of disciplines,” said True. “The grant will help us try to, in some ways, act as a catalysing force for those many different conversations—to try to bring them within shouting distance, so to speak; to try and create something of a shared conversation or at least a shared conversation space.”
True, who joined the editorial team of Political Theology in 2004, was originally recruited to serve as a book review editor and later was named journal co-editor. He helped launch the journal’s blog, Political Theology Today, which he serves as executive editor.
True, of Camp Hill, Pa., organizes Wilson’s annual Orr Forum on matters of religion, as well as the Common Hour discussions held throughout the academic year. He is a current recipient of Wilson’s Drusilla Stevens Mazur Research Award.
Do you or does someone you know suffer from joint pain, muscle pain, skin issues, fatigue, insomnia, brain fog, anxiety, odor sensitivities, sinus issues, digestive problems, heart palpitations, leg or foot cramps, severe headaches or food sensitivities? These are some of the classic, early symptoms of autoimmunity, which has been deemed an epidemic by many in the healthcare community.
Gain a better understanding of autoimmune conditions - which include diabetes, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, lupus, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, dementia, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and more - at a free presentation by herbalist Lori Wroten from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 16, in Warfield Hall auditorium at Wilson College. During "The Many Faces of Autoimmunity: Overview of an Epidemic and the Self-Care Practices That Can Make a Difference," Wroten will discuss how to recognize autoimmunity, as well as some natural approaches that can empower people to prevent, manage and possibly even reverse these debilitating conditions.
Wroten is a clinical herbalist practicing in the Chambersburg area. She has a master's degree in therapeutic herbalism and a certificate in herbal studies from Maryland University of Integrative Health; a first course in medical herbalism certificate from the North American Institute of Medical Herbalism; and a bachelor's degree in microbiology from Penn State. She is a member of the American Herbalists Guild and is enrolled in the AHG mentorship program to become an AHG registered herbalist. Learn more at her website: www.loriwroten.com.
The presentation is sponsored by Wilson's Fulton Center for Sustainability Studies.
This spring, the Fulton Farm at Wilson College began testing an in-vessel composter that can convert food waste into a soil amendment much more quickly than the static compost pile (windrow) method used on the farm previously.
On loan to the college farm for three years, the 300-gallon, state-of-the-art machine is manufactured by DTEnvironmental Inc., a Lynden, Washington-based subsidiary of dairy manure-handling manufacturer DariTech Inc. It is a smaller version of the company’s larger food waste composters.
The college is using the device to convert food waste into compost, which is then used as a soil amendment on the farm’s fields.
“We were looking for a place that could test it out and give it a little TLC,” said Steven Peerce, DTE’s new business representative. “The college benefits by being able to use it both for education and for their composting program, and for us, the farm operates as a test market for this model.”
The unit, which is capable of producing 300 to 350 pounds of compost a week, will enable the farm to generate compost at a much faster rate than the static compost pile/windrow method previously used, according to Chris Mayer, director of Wilson’s Fulton Center for Sustainability Studies.
Wilson has been composting food waste from the campus dining hall for more than 10 years. In 2015, the Fulton Center expanded the farm’s composting operation when it entered into an agreement with Volvo Construction Equipment in Shippensburg to compost the Volvo facility’s kitchen waste.
“Food waste, when it is sent to a landfill, is a significant contributor of methane gas,” said Mayer. “By diverting this waste from the landfill, we are demonstrating that small-scale systems can and do help curb greenhouse gas emissions.”
During the first six months of this year, the composter processed nearly 4,000 of the 8,871 pounds of food waste composted by the farm. The rest was broken down into compost through the windrow method, Mayer said.
While the DTE in-vessel composter is on loan to Wilson College, “our charge is research and development—to refine the compost recipe and develop a protocol for this type of machine,” said Mayer.
Besides providing compost for the campus farm, the machine will offer students studying chemistry and microbiology opportunities for research. “The in-vessel composter greatly accelerates the natural processes and allows for learning though experimentation and comparison,” Mayer said.
In addition, she said it will provide opportunities to educate people about innovative solutions for reducing food waste. Mayer hopes to hold public education sessions centered on the composter. “As we refine the process, this will be a great opportunity for public outreach,” she said.
DTEnviromental is the environmental branch of DariTech, which got its start manufacturing manure composters to provide bedding for dairy cows before branching out to make food waste composters.
Pittsburgh, Pa. — H.F. “Gerry” and Marguerite Brooks Lenfest, a 1955 alumna of Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., have been named recipients of the Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy in recognition of outstanding and innovative leadership in philanthropy.
Medal recipients are chosen for their distinguished and longstanding contributions to the public good, according to an announcement from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, made on behalf of the international family of Carnegie institutions.
“The medal reflects Andrew Carnegie’s enduring legacy of philanthropy and is rooted in two core principles,” said Vartan Gregorian, president of the Carnegie Corporation of New York. “First: with wealth comes responsibility. Second: individuals, whether guided by religious, civic, humanistic, or democratic aspirations, have the transformative power to use wealth for the betterment of humankind.”
“Just as our founder demonstrated, the recipients inspire a culture of giving through their leadership, providing a model for the next generation of philanthropists,” Gregorian added.
The Lenfests are among nine 2017 Carnegie Meal of Philanthropy recipients announced June 22. The other recipients include:
Mei Hing Chak, China; HeungKong Charitable Foundation
Azim Premji, India; Azim Premji Foundation
Julian Robertson, U.S.; Robertson Foundation
Jeff Skoll, U.S.; Skoll Foundation
Kristine McDivitt Tompkins, U.S.; Tompkins Conservation
Shelby White, U.S.; Leon Levy Foundation
Sir James D. Wolfensohn, U.S. and Australia; Wolfensohn Center for Development
Since selling their cable television company, Lenfest Communications, to Comcast Corp. in 2000, the Lenfests have devoted their time and energy to philanthropy. Individually and through the Lenfest Foundation, the couple has contributed millions to scores of causes, including Marguerite Lenfest’s alma mater, Wilson College in Chambersburg, Pa., and Gerry Lenfest’s alma maters, Mercersburg Academy, Washington and Lee University and Columbia University.
Personally and through the Lenfest Foundation, the couple has made gifts of more than $1.3 billion to over 1,100 organizations, supporting causes ranging from the arts to environmental programs to independent journalism. But their highest priority has always been to build self-sufficiency through education, according to the foundation website.
During Wilson’s “Leading with Confidence” capital campaign, the Huntingdon Valley, Pa., couple pledged a total of $20 million toward the college’s endowment, and over the years, the Lenfests have supported Wilson’s annual fund and unrestricted endowment, student scholarships, faculty development, Single Parent Scholars Program and facilities renovations — including a 2013 gift of $3.6 million to the library renovation project that created Lenfest Learning Commons, a student gathering and study space.
In 2000, Gerry Lenfest gave $35 million to his former prep school, Mercersburg Academy and in 2008, provided a $27 million grant to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The couple’s philanthropy has also included funding the Lenfest College Scholars program for central Pennsylvania high school students.
The Carnegie medal was established in 2001 and is awarded every two years to those whose philanthropic work embodies the ideals of Andrew Carnegie (1835-1919), an American industrialist who built a fortune in the steel industry and then became a noted philanthropist whose impact is still felt today.
Previous Carnegie Medal of Philanthropy recipients include Bill and Melinda Gates (Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), Michael Bloomberg (Bloomberg Philanthropies) and the Heinz family (Heinz Endowments).
The Carnegie institutions will award the medals during a formal ceremony at The New York Public Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building on Oct. 3. The Carnegie Corporation of New York will host the private event and Katty Kay, anchor of BBC World News America, will serve as master of ceremonies.
For more information about the medal and recipients, visit www.medalofphilanthropy.org/medalists
MEDIA CONTACT: Cathy Mentzer, Manager of Media Relations Phone: 717-262-2604 Email: cathy.mentzer@wilson.edu
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Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 34 majors and master’s degrees in education, educational technology, special education, the humanities, accountancy, management, nursing, fine arts and healthcare management for sustainability. Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation.
Located in Chambersburg, Pa., the college had a fall 2016 enrollment of 1,098, which included students from 18 states and 16 countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.
Tissa Jayatilaka, executive director of the United States-Sri Lanka Fulbright Commission, met with Wilson College President Barbara K. Mistick and other college officials today to discuss ways to renew the College’s ties with the island nation off the southern coast of India.
Wilson’s once-strong relationship with Sri Lanka, which regularly brought outstanding students here to study for their undergraduate degrees, has waned in recent years. It was the idea of Wilson alumna and Trustee Pamela Francis Kiehl ’66 and her husband, William – both of whom are former diplomats – to bring their friend, Jayatilaka, to campus to meet Mistick and discuss how Wilson can step up recruiting efforts in Sri Lanka.
After giving a brief tour of Wilson’s renovated library and state-of-the-art science center, Mistick hosted a working lunch with representatives from academic affairs, student development and admissions, who brainstormed ways the College can reach out to Sri Lankan high school students.
Wilson has a strong international student population and is committed to admitting students from all parts of the world, according to Mistick. “International students benefit us as much as we benefit them,” she told Jayatilaka. “It does make our campus richer.”
With only 14 universities in Sri Lanka, it is difficult for students to get into those institutions, which makes U.S. colleges attractive – providing they are affordable and/or financial aid and scholarships are available, Jayatilaka said. “Money is a problem for the generality of Sri Lanka,” he said, adding that in that country, nine of 10 college students’ education is financed by parents rather than through student loans.
Jayatilaka, who said his organization can help direct students to Wilson College in a variety of ways, also suggested the possible creation of a semester-abroad program that would send Wilson students to Sri Lanka. The group discussed getting Sri Lankan Wilson graduates involved by speaking about their Wilson experiences in their home country, as well as helping the college admissions team contact select high schools in Sri Lanka.
The meeting ended with a promise from Jayatilaka and Wilson officials to work together to strengthen connections between Sri Lanka and the College.
Twenty-eight students in the Wilson College Teacher Intern Program were recognized at a May 5 ceremony at the college.
TIP completers are: Dara Boden, Alexander Bolinger, Sarah Codner, Jennifer Cordell, Emily Eckert, Italia Guarino, Keenan Lee, Kendra Ogden, Jadylee Ramos, Elizabeth Robinson, Glenn Smith, Andrew Allshouse, Erin Brennan, Maribel Gonzalez, Stacey Hicklin, Carol Smith, Rebecca Streletz, Daniel Beneventano, Dodie Bishopp, Stephanie Myers, Michael Patten, Joseph Sell, Kyla Swope, Alison Hile, Katrina Smith, Ethan Miller, Michael Miller and Stephanie Yetter.
Approximately 40 people attended the recognition ceremony, which was held in the Brooks Science Complex and included remarks by Wilson President Barbara K. Mistick.
Approved by the Pennsylvania Department of Education in 1985, Wilson’s TIP program allows those who already have bachelor’s degrees to become certified to teach. A variety of certifications are available, covering all grades and including specialized areas such as special education.
Wilson College Professor of Fine Arts Philip Lindsey is one of only 119 artists chosen from among 849 applicants whose work will be showcased in the 50th Annual Art of the State exhibition, opening Sunday, June 11, at the State Museum of Pennsylvania, Harrisburg.
The exhibition, which will open with a free awards ceremony from 1:30 to 4 p.m., will run through Sept. 10 at the museum, which is located at 300 North St., Harrisburg. A nominal admission fee applies to the show. More information about museum hours and fees is available at www.statemuseumpa.org.
Lindsey, the only artist from Franklin County whose work will be exhibited in the show, has been a member of the Wilson College faculty since 2000. He works primarily in oil, as well as charcoal. His exhibition piece—one of 130 works selected from nearly 2,200 entries—is an oil-on-canvas painting entitled “St. Patrick’s Day.”
Lindsey, who has a Master of Fine Arts from the Maryland Institute College of Art in Baltimore, won first prize in the Art of the State exhibition several years ago. He describes his painting style as Romantic. “I’m interested in the experience of life, emotional expression, imagination and personal narrative,” said Lindsey, who lives in Chambersburg with his wife and daughter. “’St. Patrick’s Day’ is part of my larger body of work addressing personal narrative.”
More than $7,000 in cash prizes will be awarded in the state exhibition, which showcases work in the following categories: craft, painting, photography, sculpture and work on paper. Exhibit works can be viewed online at https://phmc.info/AOS50.
The exhibition is co-presented by the museum and Jump Street, a central Pennsylvania nonprofit arts organization. WITF Public Media and the Higher Information Group are exhibition sponsors.
MEDIA CONTACT: Philip Lindsey, Professor of Fine Arts Phone: 717-264-4141, Ext. 3305 Email: philip.lindsey@wilson.edu
Founded in 1869, Wilson College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college offering bachelor’s degrees in 34 majors and master’s degrees in education, educational technology, the humanities, accountancy, management, nursing, fine arts and healthcare management for sustainability. Wilson is committed to providing an affordable education that offers value to its students beyond graduation.
Located in Chambersburg, Pa., the college has a fall 2016 enrollment of 1,098, which includes students from 18 states and 16 countries. Visit www.wilson.edu for more information.
