Wilson College announced the 2024-25 schedule for its Common Hour lecture series dedicated to fostering inquiry and conversation across the campus community. The Common Hour event series is open to the public and will be held throughout the academic year.
This year, the fall Common Hour sessions will coincide with plenary sessions of Wilson’s first-year seminar course (FYS). These events will provide an added opportunity for FYS faculty and the College’s annual Orr Forum scholar to present their research to the FYS seminar students while also sharing with the broader community. One hallmark of Wilson’s FYS course is the students’ “WISER projects” that allow for research and exploration of ideas of great personal interest. Each student completes a WISER project, which culminates in an oral presentation on their topic. The WISER faculty presentations during Common Hour will help model both the end-product of FYS and the passion and dedication to research and learning that is so integral to Wilson.
In Spring 2025, Common Hour will return to its roots, focusing on faculty research presentations in more intimate settings, allowing for plenty of time for questions, conversation, and consideration. The College’s annual ArtsFest celebration will incorporate an arts-related Common Hour presentation in April.
For more information, visit https://www.wilson.edu/common-hour.
Congratulations to all the students who made the Wilson College Dean's List for Spring 2024.
Hope AdamsJill AhlgrenHannah AkerPaige AlbrightBrady AndreEric ArbogastHannah AumentBrady BaknerTaylor BarkerEmmy BaschoffAveri BassettJenna BenkeRachel BieseckerKamila BisMichaela BlackJordan BlizzardEliza BoehmerHannah BostConnor BowersShane BowieShelby BowmanCassidy BrandesEmily BrechbielHaiden BrookensMatt BrowningLexi BuckleyMadelyn BushReagan BushSarah BusheyMackenzie Caldwell-DegnonSophia CallahanElisabeth CampleseAngelina Carleo DitroiaBriar CastellowAllison ClaytonJamie ClendeningCaryn CordellShawnee CorderoElizabeth CordonJorge CortezTyler CottoneAva CoxFaith CrawfordAllie CullisonKaren CutlerJordan DaphneyColin DavidsonMaddie DavisElizabeth DeboerAdaira DeckerEmma DelicatoIsabella Di TroiaPaige DillKassandra DottererAmelia EdensMarissa EisenhauerJulia ElliottOlivia EwingTeaghan EwingMorgan FaithChristianna FarrarSadie FikeJustin FleigMadeline FloresRaegan FranzDelaney FulferClaudia FumagalliLyssa GableEllisa Gamby-MickeyHomaira GawhariOlivia GelbaughAndrew GervasiAnna GibsonMary GingrichLainnie GlennErin GoheganBilly GossShannon GougeHunter GriebelAbigail GrossMaya GroveJasmine GruverNessa HakeVincent HallMiranda HardyShelby HarmonJordan HastieElysabeth HaughElla HawbeckerLibby HeatonCarrie HeberligLuke HelmanAlyvia HennemanNikki HockenberryHaden HoffBrittany HooseAnna HouseholderLexie HubbardKyra HuebnerMelanie KanatusSoojeong KangNate KaraffaShannon KellyBreaunna KelsoMichael KeoughPaige KephartStacy KerrKrystal KienastEunhye KoRyan KoontzAlexa KosofskyRobert KozickiGracen KreiderSage LagueElizabeth LandonJayden LeachAudrey LekeRiley LeMayMatthew LineKendi LongEmma LowmanJeremiah LoyerAdrian LugoJason LynchAmanda MargesonElaina MarkerDanielle MartinEmily MartinSydney MarzaPayton McCauleyGaberiella McConnellJacob MccoyMadelyn MccoySierra MckimmyCarley McNewAndrea MedinaDeah MenedisBenjamin MetzJordan MilesKlarissa MileyDelaney MillerEmily MillerMadison MillerSkylar MolnarAbby MorelandMarcus MorenoAdam MoweryRyleigh MullinsAlayna MyattBreauna MyersVincent NataleDaniel NillAriel NoelKiera O'BrineMyla OwensLexi PalmerMara ParisBokyoung ParkLiam PepolBlake PerryRylee PiperCaden PollardKaylee PomfretRosa PortillaBrooklyn PresleyHaley PrivettLexi Ramirez-TeoRyan ReinhardtHalle ReisingerLeyna RibnerKayla RichardsZoe RosenErin RoszkowiakJulie RuggieroGia RyanNicole SadlowskiNiki SchusslerKatelynn ScottAlycia SemancoToni SennKate SeymourHalley ShafferMadison ShanholtzKenna ShearerConnor ShopeDylan SkeeleAnna SmithJamie SmithRegina SnyderBianca SommersMarlyn Soto-VelasquezCassidy SowersShannon SpatzSkyler SpeigleJessica StartzelCameron SteedHailey SteeleCamden SternerMazie SternerAshley StevensBarry StocksLydia StoryHennessy StrineTrent StroheckerPaige SullivanAndrew SvibenKatie SweigartRaina SylvestrePeyton TaylorAlexus TestermanMegan ThompsonJewels TorresRyan Torres RodriguezSenta TrateGretchen TurnerJenesis VegaRay WagnerAmayah WalkerErin WalshGillian WaltersJulie WarnickBella WeaverLaiken WelshAlyssa WengerRachael WestonNikki WetzelLea WilhelmMaddie WilliardSaskia WillutAlyssa WittersJudi WolfJade WolfeAnne WolfrumHannah WoodwardMarissa WoodwardTristan WorlockLiam YeatmanDylan YoumansEmily D. Young
Wilson College recently announced the promotion of Dylan Ward as the new head coach of the women’s basketball team. Ward had been the assistant coach for the Phoenix during the past two seasons and helped lead the team to postseason both years, with the 2022-23 campaign being the team’s best season in 22 years.
“Wilson College is a terrific school, with excellent academics and tremendous support from the students, faculty, and staff. I am thrilled to continue being a part of the Wilson College community, especially in my new role,” said Ward. “I am excited to lead this group of talented young women and continue the success of the foundation we have built over the last few seasons. We have set some expectations that we will meet with patience, hard work, and a team-first style of basketball. Go Phoenix!”
Prior to working at Wilson, Ward was on the coaching staff at Cumberland Valley Christian School in Chambersburg from 2014 to 2022. He took over the head coaching job there in 2018 and increased the team’s wins by 15 games in his first season. During his second year, the Blazers improved even more and finished with a record of 23-9. Ward’s experience also includes working at Carlisle Christian Academy and Cumberland Valley Christian as a middle school educator and athletic director.
“Coach Ward’s background in education will serve our program and campus well. He readily seeks to be involved in all areas across campus and will position our students to be the best they can be, both on and off the court,” said Tina Hill, director of athletics.
Ward earned his undergraduate degree from Davis College where he played basketball for four seasons and held the all-time program record for games played. He also helped lead the Davis men’s basketball team to second place in 2012 and the national championship title in 2011 and 2013 at the annual Bible College National Invitational Tournament.
Linette Hernandez '24 has been a major presence on campus, as she has served as WCGA social media coordinator, residential assistant, Class '24 Treasurer, BSU Vice President, and participated in Intervarsity Bible Study, CAB, VMT Club, and Phoenix Against Violence. And anywhere you saw Linette, her adorable and faithful dog Becky was not far away.
"My experience at Wilson College has been invaluable. It provided me with a sense of home when I was far from my own. Parting ways is difficult after such a transformative four-year journey, as Wilson has become a place of comfort for me. Having my beloved dog Becky by my side throughout this adventure made it all the more special, and I'm grateful to Wilson for accommodating that."
Read more about Wilson's business programs and Linette's experience as a business management major in the Wilson online magazine: https://mag.wilson.edu/pushing-the-envelope-on-deliverables/
With an aim to enrich community access to library resources, The John Stewart Memorial Library at Wilson College is partnering with the Franklin County Library System to provide public library users access to books and research available at the Wilson College library. Public library users need only to present an existing public library card and a state ID to borrow books and access the College library databases using campus-provided computers. As part of this exchange, Wilson College students can use their student IDs to borrow books from any library within the Franklin County Library system.
This partnership simplifies access to a broader range of resources, benefiting both public and academic library users. “It is a powerful united front in knowledge sharing. The partnership between the Wilson College library and the Franklin County Library System bridges resources, expands access, and empowers our communities to thrive academically and informationally,” said Denise Sandell, director of the Wilson College library.
The joint initiative raises the profile of all libraries involved while also encouraging greater use of their resources and underscores the unique strengths of these different libraries. While academic libraries provide access to specialized databases and advanced research materials, public libraries excel in offering the latest fiction, children’s books, e-books, audiobooks, and various educational events for the whole family.
“Wilson has always been a great supporter of the Franklin County Library System and everything that we do, and we are immensely grateful to have the support of such a beloved institution. This partnership embodies what our library system is all about: providing an exceptional and broad array of information and resources to our community while eliminating obstacles to those resources. We are extremely excited to be partnering with Wilson College on this endeavor. Our community is better when we work together,” said Andrew C. Vickers, executive director of the Franklin County Library System.
For more information visit library.wilson.edu.
Reunion 2024 was a packed weekend with the State of the College, class processions into the traditional luncheon, celebrating the class of 1974's 50th, and much more. Thank you to all who attended and those who volunteered their time to make it a successful and memorable weekend!
Wilson College Vice President for Student Development Katherine M. Buck, M.S.W., has been selected as one of the 2024 Trailblazers in Higher Education. Her inclusion in this list, announced May 28 by City & State Pennsylvania magazine, places Buck among a dedicated group of scientists, linguists, attorneys, lobbyists, and administrators who are responding to the economic, social, and technological changes impacting higher education today.
Buck joined Wilson in October 2022, bringing to the position more than 30 years of experience as a collaborative and community-minded student affairs leader. Buck is responsible for providing vision, leadership, and effective administration of the College’s student development division and its many functions and services. The position works closely with the president, the executive team, academic deans and directors, faculty, staff, students, and the Board of Trustees to strengthen the co-curricular dimensions of student life and enhance the Wilson experience and a sense of community and belonging for all students.
Wilson President Wesley R. Fugate, Ph.D., said, “We are delighted that Kathy is being recognized as an innovative leader in higher education. She understands the importance of creating an inclusive, supportive learning community to guide student development. Her insight, energy, knowledge, and experience are an integral part of our administrative team.”
Prior to her position at Wilson, Buck served as vice president for student life and mission integration at Saint Elizabeth University (formerly College of Saint Elizabeth), N.J. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in psychology and education (elementary and special education) from Clark University, Mass., and a master's in social work with concentrations in administration, policy, and planning from Rutgers University, N.J.
The 2023-2024 equestrian season ended with Wilson College making unprecedented marks as Julie Warnick ‘26 (New Oxford, Pa.) won the national championship in open reining. The Phoenix family has been celebrating this amazing feat, given it is the first national title in the program’s history and in the history of Wilson College!
Julie Warnick at Nationals
In addition to the open reigning accomplishment, Samantha Gilley ‘26 (Sykesville, Md.) placed fifth in intermediate equitation on the flat in the hunt seat discipline.
Samantha Gilley at Nationals
This is the first time Wilson College has had a rider in the Western discipline advance to nationals. For hunt seat, it's been since 2009 that the Phoenix have been represented.
Warnick's and Gilley's road to nationals started in the regular season. On the Western side approximately 380 colleges totaling 8,000 riders attempted to obtain the qualifying points to advance to regionals. From there, the top two riders qualify for semifinals. The top four riders of each discipline, from each of the four regions, advance to nationals. Likewise, the top 16 riders in each class in hunt seat from semifinals move on to compete for the national title.
Nota at Nationals
In addition, Wilson was invited to bring horses to the national competition in Tryon, N.C. – an honor, especially for a relatively new and growing program. The Phoenix horses won top awards, with Nota in the individual rookie event. He and his rider from the University of Findlay won the national champion title.
Ned at Nationals
Ned, a new addition to the Wilson equestrian program, showed in the individual open reining. He and his rider from North Carolina State University were reserve national champions.
Perry, also a new addition to the Wilson program, was in the individual rookie class, where he and his rider from the University of Findlay won third place.
Congratulations to Warnick, Gilley, Nota, Ned, and Perry. Students, horses, and coaches alike represented Wilson well and have positioned the College’s equestrian teams for greater achievement in years to come.
Here are a few moments from the Commencement Ceremony last weekend. It was a special day to celebrate all the amazing graduates of Wilson College, Class of 2024. This is just the beginning of their incredible journey.
For anyone who missed the ceremony, here is a link to the recording: https://www.wilson.edu/commencement-video-2024
The Saturday of Commencement Weekend was a full day of ceremonies recognizing student accomplishments. Here is a selection of moments from the events that took place.
