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LAMPTHE
SUMMER • 2014
FROM THE PRESIDENT
WAYNESBURG UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION
President Douglas G. Lee
Chancellor Timothy R. Thyreen
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jacquelyn Core
Senior Vice President for Enrollment and University Relations Robin L. King
Chief Financial Officer John Olon
Vice President for Student Services Mary Cummings
THE LAMP - SUMMER 2014
The Lamp is published by the Office of University Relations at Waynesburg University, 51 West College Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370. Waynesburg University is a Christian university offering more than 70 programs of study at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels.
Editor Ashley Wise
Contributing Writers Robert Fox Kayla Longstreth Samantha McClintock Ashley Wise
Photography Joey Kennedy Randy Laskody Dave Miller Gregory Reinhart Marc Soracco Ray Viglione
Art Direction Carrie McAfee
Contributing Designer Corin Schipani
Alumni Services [email protected] Phone: 724.852.3300 Fax: 724.627.3225
Correspondence [email protected] Phone: 724.852.3293
All rights reserved®.
Unauthorized duplication of publication or material is strictly prohibited without express written consent of the copyright holder.
With this edition of the Lamp, I am pleased to share with you some of the many incredible academic, service, faith and leadership initiatives our students, faculty and staff have begun.
As our campus continues to transform and renovations of Stewart Science Hall move forward, we anticipate enhancing our rigorous academic programs with facilities to match. The $23 million project will provide state-of-the-art facilities for future leaders in biology, chemistry, forensics, mathematics and medicine.
Nationally, the University continues to gain recognition for its effectiveness and the achievements of its graduates. We recently received word that Waynesburg University has been ranked a top value college in an outcome-based college rankings index compiled by Educate To Career (ETC).
This index confirmed something we already knew – a Waynesburg University education is a good value. Objective measures regarding our institution’s effectiveness and value continue to demonstrate our University’s commitment to excellence.
For example, our freshman retention rate this year was near an all-time high. Additionally, according to the federal government's College Scorecard, the loan default rate for Waynesburg graduates is 4.5 percent, which is substantially lower than the national average of 14.7 percent.
Another objective measure that illustrates the caliber of individuals at Waynesburg is our career path rate. Within one year of graduation, 96 percent of 2012 graduates reported working full-time within their chosen field or attending graduate school.
While it is informative to look at these facts, the most compelling examples of the value of a Waynesburg University education can be found in the successes of our students, some of which you will read about in the following pages. Through the liberal arts education they receive at Waynesburg, students graduate ready to faithfully transform their communities and the world. They graduate prepared to be good citizens and leaders in all aspects of their lives, from their careers to faith and service.
We are thankful for your continued support, and I encourage you to celebrate with us the path of progress, innovation and faith that the University continues to follow.
Douglas G. LeePresident
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 3
23
FROM THE PRESIDENT
The Inauguration of Douglas G. Lee In March, the University officially welcomed its new president with an Inaugural Ceremony, a Day of Service and a performance by a Grammy winning artist.
Worthy of Trust and ConfidenceGerald “Jared” Edgreen, a 2007 alumnus, shares what it’s like to be an officer in the U.S. Secret Service.
Just a Scar Faith, determination and the support of friends help junior sports management major R.J. Tonks overcome a debilitating diagnosis.
Journeys of a Lifetime From Japan to Peru and beyond, six Waynesburg University students study abroad through the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women this summer.
Features
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Recent Developments
Features
Campus News
Sports Update
Alumni News
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IN THIS ISSUE
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RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
4 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Waynesburg University’s graduate career path analysis report and National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) results indicate an institutional commitment to a high level of faculty and student interaction.
Through its student survey, The College Student Report, NSSE
annually collects information at hundreds of four-year colleges
and universities about student participation in programs and
activities that institutions provide for their learning and personal
development. Results outlined in Waynesburg University’s NSSE
report indicate a campus culture in which faculty place high
importance on providing mentorship and interacting with students
one-on-one.
According to NSSE, survey items on The College Student Report
represent empirically confirmed “good practices” in undergraduate
education. That is, they reflect behaviors by students and
institutions that are associated with desired outcomes of college,
one of which is a high career path rate, which measures the amount
of graduates on the career path they set for themselves.
Waynesburg University’s career path rate, which states that 96
percent of 2012 graduates reported working full-time or attending
graduate school within one year of graduation, is reflective of a 77
percent response rate and is, in part, a result of practices outlined in
the NSSE report.
NSSE provides participating institutions with reports that compare
their students’ responses with those of students at self-selected
groups of comparison institutions. Waynesburg University’s NSSE
report indicates that, in comparison to other Council for Christian
Colleges & Universities (CCCU) schools:
• 28 percent more Waynesburg University students talked about
career plans with a faculty member
• 20 percent more Waynesburg University students discussed their
academic performance with a faculty member
• 7 percent more Waynesburg University students worked with a
faculty member on activities other than coursework
• 15 percent more Waynesburg University students participated in a
learning community or some other formal program
• 23 percent more Waynesburg University courses have included a
community-based project (service learning)
“At Waynesburg, our students are our priority,” said Dr. Jacquelyn
Core, Waynesburg University provost and vice president for
academic affairs. “Every decision we make takes into account our
Christian mission and tradition. We are constantly asking, ‘how can
we best serve our students?’”
University demonstrates "good practices"
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 5
Waynesburg University ranks high for degree value, graduate employabilityWaynesburg University was recently ranked a top value
college in an outcome-based college rankings index
compiled by Educate To Career (ETC),
which describes its rankings as an effort
to deliver on the promise of the federal
government's College Scorecard by
providing “actual college outcomes
data.”
“The Index empirically determines the
economic value added by each of the
over 1,200 colleges ranked within our
system,” said ETC founder Michael R.
Havis. “We calculate the improvement
in earnings and employability of persons
who attended specific colleges, relative
to persons who are similarly situated in
other colleges.”
Waynesburg University ranked No. 104
out of the more than 1,200 schools
listed in the nationwide ETC College
Rankings Index. Included in the ranking
are four-year colleges with annual
enrollments greater than 1,000 students.
According to ETC, colleges in the top third of the ETC Index
have a relatively high percentage of graduates employed in
their field of study and the earnings of
graduates are relatively high. In addition,
a majority of students graduate in four
or five years and loan default rates are
very low.
According to the federal government's
College Scorecard, the loan default rate
for Waynesburg graduates is 4.5 percent,
which is substantially lower than the
national average of 14.7 percent.
The ETC Index analyzes the quality
of students when they enter a given
college, the total costs related to
attending the college and the outcomes
of the students when they enter the
labor market. The rankings results are
determined by which schools did the
best job of improving the earnings and
attainment of quality employment of
their students, according to a description
of the index on the group's website.
Waynesburg University was recently selected by U.S.
News & World Report as a Best Value School – Regional
Universities (North) in the 2014 "U.S. News Best
Colleges" ranking, which identifies the top 15 "Best
Value Schools" in the northern region of the country.
As defined by U.S. News & World Report, schools
named to the list are above average academically and
cost considerably less than many other schools when
the financial aid that they dispense, in the form of need-
based grants and scholarships, is taken into account.
U.S. News & World Report names Waynesburg a Best Value School for the North
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS
6 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Waynesburg University named one of “50 Most Beautiful Christian College & University Campuses in the World”Waynesburg University was recently selected as one of “The 50 Most Beautiful Christian College & University Campuses in the World” by the editors of ChristianUniversitiesOnline.org.
The schools on the list were chosen from a global pool of Christian
colleges and universities that were considered broadly evangelical
in their theological outlook and were known to the editors of
ChristianUniversitiesOnline.org.
“The University has managed to balance its exemplary historical
edifices and unspoiled rural surroundings with modern facilities as
well,” the ranking stated.
According to the editors, the list was put together as an aid for
prospective students looking for a Christian school where their
quest for truth will be enhanced by truly beautiful surroundings.
“Many universities and colleges across the globe provide both high-
quality education and a thorough devotion to Christian principles,”
the ChristianUniversitiesOnline.org article stated. “However, some
institutions associated with the teachings of Jesus excel not only
academically and spiritually, but also aesthetically – boasting some
of the loveliest looking campuses anywhere on Earth.”
In 2013, ChristianUniversitiesOnline.org named Waynesburg
University one of the most beautiful Christian colleges in America.
All of the schools included on the domestic list were members or
affiliates of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities.
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 7
“We were alphabetically seated back then,” John said. “If there were
one less seat in that classroom, we might not be here today.”
Coulson, a 1947 education alumnus, and Conley, a 1944 social
studies alumna, spent those early years at Waynesburg in a flurry
of activities – he a star basketball player and she a high honors
student. They attended dances together and shared the same group
of friends, but they hesitated to develop a serious relationship when
John enlisted in World War II.
“During the war, we went our separate ways and would keep in
touch maybe once a year,” Patricia said. “Then out of the blue, John
called me and asked me out.”
When he returned from the war, John did indeed take Patricia out.
Soon after, the pair married.
This year, on the couple’s 67th wedding anniversary, they visited the
very room where they first met. As they laughed and talked together,
marveling at the “miraculous” changes to Waynesburg University
since their time and recalling old friends and classmates, any
onlooker could observe that they are still very much in love.
The Coulsons, who live in Sewickley, Pa., both had careers in
education. Patricia taught students Latin and English at Saltsburg
High School until her retirement. John, who earned a master of
education degree from Duquesne University, taught at Saltsburg
High School before becoming the county superintendent and
assistant director of the Armstrong-Indiana County Intermediate
Unit until his retirement in 1979.
They remain passionate about education and Waynesburg
University’s mission of educating students to lives of purpose for
the glory of God. They attend Homecoming and alumni events
regularly to reconnect with classmates and to watch the continuing
growth and prosperity of Waynesburg University.
Over the years, they have been generous supporters of the
University. They are members of the Stewart Society and were the
second couple in the University’s history to be named Distinguished
Alumni Award recipients in 2000.
John, who still looks fondly at his wife, advises students to enjoy
college – a place where joy can begin and endure for many, many
years.
“If you’re having a great time, recognize it now if you can,” he said.
“So many people take 10 years to look back and say, ‘those were the
best days of my life,’ but you don’t have to wait that long.”
Seventy-three years ago, John Coulson’s professor assigned him a lucky seat beside Patricia Conley in a history class on the third floor of Waynesburg University’s Miller Hall. The historic building has seen many stories, but perhaps none so endearingly fateful as theirs.
A Return to Campus
8 | The Lamp • Summer 20148 | The Lamp • Summer 2014 Summer 2014 Summer
Waynesburg University held its annual Commencement exercises Sunday, May 18, honoring approximately 600 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students.Laura E. Ellsworth, a partner at Jones Day and vice chair of the board of the Pennsylvania State
System of Higher Education, delivered the Commencement Address, during which she shared
personal stories and words of wisdom from inspirational leaders including Mother Theresa and
Maya Angelou.
Ellsworth urged graduates not to be afraid of failure, reminding them that people who have failed
have learned to overcome obstacles.
“Failure makes us stronger and better,” she said. “It’s up to us to choose how we are going to
learn from it.”
The following graduates were named valedictorians:
• Kaitlyn Grace Berkebile, an early childhood education major from Friedens, Pa.
• Alyssa Brooke Crile, an early childhood education major from Washington, Pa.
• Daniel Vincent Czajkowski, a criminal justice administration major from Frederick, Md.
• Corin Rae Schipani, a digital design major from Duquesne, Pa.
• Hannah Michelle Szymanik, an early childhood education major from Mount Holly Springs, Pa.
Czajkowski delivered the valedictory to the University on behalf of the valedictorians. Elizabeth
Hardy, a graduate of the Master of Business Administration Program from Canonsburg, Pa.,
represented the graduate program students.
Two graduates, Samuel A. Lombardo, a criminal justice administration major from Canonsburg,
Pa., and Ryan E. Walters, a finance major from Pleasant Unity, Pa., were commissioned Second
Lieutenants in the Army of the United States of America during the Commencement ceremony.
Ellsworth and Rev. Thomas M. Hall II, senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh,
were awarded honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees. The degrees were conferred upon
Ellsworth and Hall for the ways in which they parallel Waynesburg University’s mission of faith,
learning and serving.
Prior to commencement exercises, Hall delivered the Baccalaureate Address, “Where Have All
the Heroes Gone?” to graduates and their parents, during which he referenced Luke 8:26-39. He
urged graduates to let God step into their lives so that they can live out His calling.
“Heroes say ‘I will be who God calls me to be,’ in a world where others say ‘Be all you can be,’”
Hall said.
To view photos from Baccalaureate and Commencement, visit www.waynesburg.edu/2014grads.
Commencement2014
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 9 The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 9
10 | The Lamp • Summer 201410 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Blazing atrail for women
Historical Perspective:
When Phoebe Jane Teagarden was born on March 25, 1841, she had no idea the influence she would make during her lifetime.
She didn’t know she would become the first female physician in Greene County or that she would use her skills, knowledge and compassion to serve those around her. Regardless of her inability to tell the future, God knew, even then, how He would use her to make a difference in the lives of many.
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 11 The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 11
trail for
One of four children, Teagarden grew up watching her father, Isaac
Teagarden, fight for what he believed in. A mill-wright by trade,
Isaac also strongly displayed his political beliefs, arguably one of his
most passionate being that of liberty and equal rights. When the
question of slavery arose, Isaac did what he could to assist in the
organization of the Abolition Party and cast one of its first votes in
Greene County.
With such an ardent father to look up to, it’s no surprise that
Teagarden began a similar journey of her own. When
the time came to pursue higher education, she
turned her attention to Waynesburg College
and graduated with honors. She taught for
several years, but quickly realized she
wanted to do more.
She wanted a medical degree.
During the time, medicine was
not an easily accessible profession
for women, but if Teagarden
had learned anything in her
upbringing, it was that anything
was possible. With as much drive
and determination as her father,
Teagarden entered a three-
year program at the Woman’s
Medical College of Pennsylvania
at Philadelphia, graduating as part
of the class of 1882.
Teagarden was a Republican and
fervently promoted woman’s suffrage.
While in medical school, she befriended
Susan B. Anthony, a fellow abolitionist and
a pivotal role model of the woman’s suffrage
movement. She later persuaded Anthony to give a benefit
lecture at her alma mater, Waynesburg College.
“At that time, Waynesburg College was being ‘financed’ by nearly
every teacher, student and woman in Greene County,” wrote
Teagarden in a 1920 article from “Woman Citizen,” as she looked
back on the event.
“I at once asked Miss Anthony to come to give a benefit lecture for
the College at her convenience, during the spring or early summer
of that year. We had some correspondence, and a date during the
second week of May was decided upon. Miss Anthony gave two
lectures, and on Sunday afternoon a talk in the Town Hall. A goodly
sum was handed over to the College authorities.”
That was only the beginning of her influence.
After graduating from medical school, Teagarden opened her own
practice in Waynesburg, becoming the first female physician in
Greene County. Her horse and buggy clambered along the
streets as she went door to door, visiting with sick
patients. During those early years of her practice,
Teagarden happily taught first aid courses to
young women at Waynesburg College. She
was heavily concerned with the welfare
and health of needy children and, out of
that concern, helped to establish the
Greene County Children’s Aid Society
and served as its president for 25
years.
Despite all of the things she was
involved in, nothing ever appeared
to be too much for Teagarden. She
was a member of the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church, the Daughters
of the American Revolution, the Dolly
Madison chapter Colonial Dames
of Pittsburgh, the National Society of
Daughters of 1812, the Pennsylvania
Historical Society, the State Humane
Society, the Waynesburg College faculty
and the Waynesburg Women’s Club. She also
held the offices of secretary, vice president and
president of the Greene County Medical Society.
Even as she grew frail from age, her passion for equal rights drove
her forward. After the women’s suffrage movement succeeded
and the 19th Amendment was ratified, Teagarden pulled together
the strength she had left and graciously cast her vote, historically
becoming the first woman to vote in Waynesburg.
Teagarden lived a life full of meaning, becoming an inspiration in the lives
of the many people that she touched. Now, she stands as an example
of what it means to live a life of purpose for the glory of God.
the time came to pursue higher education, she
turned her attention to Waynesburg College
and graduated with honors. She taught for
several years, but quickly realized she
Teagarden was a Republican and
fervently promoted woman’s suffrage.
While in medical school, she befriended
Susan B. Anthony, a fellow abolitionist and
streets as she went door to door, visiting with sick
patients. During those early years of her practice,
Teagarden happily taught first aid courses to
young women at Waynesburg College. She
was heavily concerned with the welfare
and health of needy children and, out of
that concern, helped to establish the
Daughters of 1812, the Pennsylvania
Historical Society, the State Humane
Society, the Waynesburg College faculty
and the Waynesburg Women’s Club. She also
held the offices of secretary, vice president and
president of the Greene County Medical Society.
12 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
A Day of Service A University-wide Day of Service kicked off the inaugural events Saturday, March
22. Locally, approximately 300 volunteers contributed more than 1,000 service
hours at 20 local organizations. Alumni with graduation years as early as 1955
and as recent as 2013 also served in their own communities, spanning from
North Dakota to New Hampshire to Moldova.
Service Sites• Adopt-A-Highway
• American Cancer Society
• Bridge St. Commons
• CBM camp
• Eva K. Bowlby Public Library
• Greene County Food Bank
• Greene County Humane Society
• Greene County United Way
• Lions Club
• Merit Badge University
• Mobile Medical Van
• Red Cross SAFE Program
• Red Cross Sheltering
• Rolling Meadows Nursing & Rehabilitation
• Special Olympics
• Saint Ann Catholic Church
• The Salvation Army
• Washington Salvation Army
• Waynesburg Borough Parks
• WWJD Center
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14 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 15
Historically, inaugurations are important days made up of pomp,
speeches, traditions and regalia. At Waynesburg University, prayer,
scripture, service and a performance by a Grammy winning artist
were added to the multi-day celebration.
On the morning of Tuesday, March 25, 2014, the excitement on
campus was palpable. Students and staff alike donned suits, bowties
and orange scarfs. From the tops of the light poles in Johnson
Commons, banners portraying distinguished alumni from the
University’s earliest years waved a welcome to special guests from all
over the country.
The 11 o’clock ceremony began with delegates from institutions of
higher education and learned societies joining the University faculty,
trustees and principle administrative officers in procession at the
academic ceremony in a packed Roberts Chapel.
As Chancellor Timothy R. Thyreen presented the University’s
great Chain of Office to Lee, two eras of leadership and one united
mission converged at the front of the Chapel. And as Mark Fox,
chair of the University’s Board of Trustees, proudly stated the
words: “I now present to you, friends of the University, the fifteenth
president of Waynesburg University, Douglas Lee,” all present were
on their feet and applauding an official, heartfelt welcome to the
new president.
During his inaugural address, Lee, who officially became president in
July 2013, focused on the University’s founding principles as well as
its current state.
“With our feet planted firmly on our foundation and our eyes and
minds to the future, we will combine the best of the past with the
best of the present to produce leaders and scholars for tomorrow,”
he said.
Lee discussed the virtues of a liberal arts, globally conscious and
Christ-driven education for Waynesburg University students. He
thanked Waynesburg’s faculty and staff for their commitment to
shaping young minds and preparing students for “lives of purpose
for the glory of God.”
For the 15th time in 165 years, Waynesburg University has inaugurated a president.
The Inauguration of Douglas G. Lee
16 | The Lamp • Summer 201416 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Heavily referencing the University’s mission, which dates back to
1849, Lee showed gratitude and humility for the leaders who came
before him.
“Fueled by the prayers and work of the generations before us, we are
not afraid of the future because we have been strengthened by the
past,” he said. “We have survived wars, depressions and lean, hard
years, and through this process have grown stronger than ever with
a resolution and commitment to faith and learning exemplified by
the words carved in stone on our library and cast in bronze plaques
on our buildings.”
He also challenged his colleagues, friends and guests to join him on
a journey of continued faith and courage and to remain confident
in the University’s students.
“While the issues they [our students] face are large, we will not let
them lose confidence because we will not lose confidence in them.”
Lee said. “We must be the great encouragers.”
Echoing sentiments from the various speakers throughout the
service, Lee spoke about the quality of students that Waynesburg
University readies for the world.
He asserted his confidence that the University’s students, faculty,
staff and alumni make an impact in the lives of others through
service, describing one of the aims of a Waynesburg University
education as “developing students with the personal integrity that
comes when the connections between faith, learning and serving
are so many and so intertwined that a life's purpose is not mere
existence but transformational.”
Fox conducted the investiture of Lee prior to the President’s
inaugural address, during which he praised Lee’s reverence for the
University’s heritage and his commitment to the success of the
students, stating that Lee’s attention to the past is evident in his
vision for the future.
“Widely respected for his creative pattern of intellectual leadership,
he has embraced the challenges of today’s changing world,
serving as a pillar of sound judgment while further advancing the
University’s vital role as a leader in Christian higher education.”
Fox described Lee as “a man of great faith who embodies the very
characteristics the University strives to instill within its students,”
and noted that Lee is a servant leader who leads by putting others
first.
“We have confidence that you
[President Lee], with your
unique vision, will work with the
University community to shape
the institution, as together, we
move into the future.”
– Charles A. Beiter,
professor of English
“I knew President Lee many years ago when he was a student at Waynesburg College. I remember him being very friendly and very polite then, and he is still that way today. It is wonderful to see the kindhearted, ambitious leader he has become.” – Norma Harper, academic affairs secretary and class of 1977
“The community has welcomed Doug with open
arms because he shares the values that have made
Waynesburg University a beloved institution for 165
years – faith, knowledge, principle and family. I have
no doubt Doug will carry on these traditions with
distinction and the humility of a man who follows in
Christ’s footsteps.”
– Written by U.S.
Congressman Tim Murphy,
read by his Deputy Chief of
Staff Lou Lazzaro
GREETINGS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 17 The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 17
“President Lee, the board of trustees has chosen you as president of
Waynesburg University,” Fox said. “Yours will be the great privilege
and responsibility of leading the University as it continues in its
mission of inspiring and challenging students to lives of leadership
and purpose for the glory of God.”
He also urged Lee to “draw inspiration from the students who
aspire to become world changers; from the alumni who serve as
examples of success; and from the faculty and staff who nurture and
challenge the spirit of their students while remaining accomplished
scholars and discoverers in their own right.”
Following the investiture and the presentation of the medallion,
Dr. Carolyn Thyreen presented a Bible that belonged to Margaret
Bell Miller, the wife of Waynesburg University’s third president, A.B.
Miller, to President Lee’s wife, Kathryn Lee.
“Today, Mrs. Miller’s Bible is passed down through the first ladies of
the institution, a tangible symbol of Mrs. Miller’s steadfast devotion
to faith, a reminder of our heritage and an inspiration to the
individuals who lead Waynesburg University today,” Fox said.
Before the investiture, greetings were delivered from the United
States House of Representatives on behalf of U.S. Congressman Tim
Murphy by his deputy chief of staff Lou Lazzaro; the Pennsylvania
Senate by Senator Tim Solobay; and the Pennsylvania House of
Representatives by Representative Pam Snyder.
Greetings were also delivered on behalf of the faculty by the
University’s most senior professor, Dr. Charles A. Beiter, professor of
English; from the staff by Norma Harper, the University’s longest
serving employee; from the alumni by Jack Hinds, class of 1975;
and from the student body by Daniel Czajkowski, Student Senate
president.
Prior to joining the academic procession, Lee delivered remarks to
students in a packed Rudy Marisa Fieldhouse, where they viewed
the event via a live feed.
“The people before us, like those on the banners in Johnson
Commons, represent individuals who have done great things
not only on their own, but together, for the greater good of the
community and the University – that is our tradition,” he said.
“I bring greetings from
the senate of Pennsylvania
congratulating Doug and his
family on this very special day,
and also to the University and
the opportunities that it now
has.”
-Senator Tim Solobay
“[President Lee’s] vision and
passion for the future of this
University and his love of its
history is simply inspiring. We
are truly in good hands for the
long haul.”
–Jack Hinds, class of 1975
“President Lee believes in us, and as students,
we believe in President Lee. We believe in
President Lee because he stands behind us,
prays over us, goes above and beyond for us,
and most importantly, challenges us to reach
for the heights of Christian leadership.”
– Daniel Czajkowski,
Student Senate President
“As I stand before you this morning, there are two things today that I know. I know that we are all blessed to be gathered here together as Doug Lee becomes the fifteenth president of our beloved University. And the other thing I know – I know that President Lee will carry forth this University’s
Christian mission, and I know he will be committed to the next generation of students that come into these hallowed halls.” -Representative Pam Snyder
18 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
■ ■ ■
“Today, Mrs. Miller’s Bible is passed down through the first ladies of the institution, a tangible symbol of Mrs. Miller’s steadfast devotion
to faith, a reminder of our heritage and an inspiration to the individuals who lead Waynesburg University today.”
■ ■ ■
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 19
Thank you, Judge Allen, for your beautiful solo. Thank you to
Vice President King for leading us in the National Anthem
and also to Dr. Depriest and Director Catana and all of our
musicians for the magnificent music.
Thanks to Marshall Waddell for leading the processional, to
our colleagues in higher education; and to the presidents
and delegates representing their fine institutions, we are
honored by your presence and participation today.
Thank you to Senator Solobay and Representative Snyder
and to Congressman Murphy, represented here by Mr.
Lazzaro. We are grateful for your leadership.
Thanks also to the members of our Board of Trustees, led by
Chariman Fox and to Chancellor and Dr. Thyreen for their
work and support during this transition. Thank you to the
members of the faculty and staff of Waynesburg University,
led by Provost Core and Vice President Cummings, and to
the students, alumni and friends of Waynesburg University
who are present and watching by broadcast.
Thank you to our building and grounds staff, who day in and
day out work tirelessly to keep this campus beautiful.
And thank you to Mary Fox and all the members of the
Inauguration Committee who have worked so very hard over
the last nine months to make this day very special and very
appropriate for this great institution.
Kathryn and I are so happy all of you are here and that
many of our family and friends, including our brothers and
sisters, our daughter Lauren, son-in-law Mike, grandson
Connor and my mother, Donna, were able to join us for this
celebration. We ask God’s protection for our son Brendan,
on deployment with the United States Air Force. And we
also remember my late father Gilbert and father-in-law Joe,
who we know are rejoicing in that celestial city of the Lord.
Almost 24 years ago, President Timothy Thyreen concluded
his inaugural address with the words of one of our finest
President's, A.B. Miller. It was A.B. Miller who laid the
foundation of this University and set it on its course and at
the close of his 40 years as President, he said, “If I had any
conviction of providential direction in my life, it is that God
led me in the course I have pursued in regard to our college.
How much better another person could have discharged the
duties of this place, I cannot know. It is a source of comfort
to have the internal assurance that I have done as well as
was in my power to do, in performing a work to which my
heavenly father called me, and which I have been able to do
only through a sense of sustaining grace.”
We who have watched the progress of this University since
President Thyreen repeated the statement of President
Miller have witnessed those words become a testimony not
only to the work of President Miller, but also to the work
and commitment of President Thyreen. A commitment that,
against all odds, returned us to our founding mission and
in the process, transformed a small struggling college into a
vibrant university with a clear sense of purpose.
The words are also inspiring because they not only embody
the work of those two great presidents, but also represent
the type of love and devotion exhibited by the countless
faculty and staff who have served this University since our
founding.
Today we celebrate not only an Inauguration, but also the
day when, 164 years ago, our Charter was granted. It is
The Inaugural Address
20 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
therefore an appropriate moment for us to reflect on the
great mission of this University.
A mission born out of the “Second Great Awakening”
which strengthened and fueled the woman's suffrage
movement and abolition. A mission that brought Susan
B. Anthony to our campus in 1880 to speak for women
and saw African American ministers ordained in the
Cumberland Presbyterian Church in the 1800s. A mission
that has given our nation and the world leaders of integrity
with a strong commitment to service. Graduates who
founded universities, established churches, ministered to the
poor and cared for lepers. Others who served as governors,
judges, and in Congress, as leaders in the military including
at least one who received the
Congressional Medal of Honor
for rescuing a wounded comrade
at the Battle of Gettysburg. Still
others who were personal friends
of presidents and prime ministers,
leaders of business and industry,
those who engaged in medical
research, helped find a cure for
polio or directed part of Project
Gemini.
The sons and daughters of
Waynesburg University have
functioned at all levels of society,
living lives of purpose distinctly
affected by what they were taught here.
Our symbol is the Lamp and our motto "Fiat Lux," Let
there be light… We seek to bear witness to the true light
that illuminates all knowledge. The Bible tells us that the
faithful do not place a lamp under a bushel, but rather on
a stand for the world to see, and to let our light so shine
before others that they may see our good works and glorify
our Father who is in heaven. The founders of this University
and those that followed were dedicated to bringing the
light of truth into the world through education. Although
they are gone, their prayers remain and many, including
President and Mrs. Miller, have their final resting place in
the cemetery that sits on this hill with this Chapel.
Today, I stand before you and pledge everything I am and
all that I have to that mission. It is my prayer, that at the
close of my Presidency, the words of President Miller and
Chancellor Thyreen may also be my words.
At a time in our history when the goals and values of higher
education are under scrutiny, our lamp burns bright. Fueled
by the prayers and work of the generations before us, we are
not afraid of the future because we have been strengthened
by the past. We have survived wars, depressions, and lean,
hard years, and through this process have grown stronger
than ever with a resolution and commitment to faith,
serving and learning exemplified by the words carved in
stone on our library and cast in bronze plaques on our
buildings.
Our programs and majors are
blessed with scholarly and
experienced faculty. We were
nationally recognized this year
for our academics and value. We
consistently achieve one of the
highest levels of scholar athletes
in our conference, and the career
placement of our graduating
seniors and retention of our
incoming freshmen is near an
all-time high, a testimony to
our faculty, staff and students.
One hallmark of a Waynesburg
University education is faculty/
student interaction and faculty
commitment to mentoring students. In this area, we
consistently rank near the top in surveys of peer institutions.
Our campus has been nationally ranked for its beauty. Our
service learning program was early in that field, and we
consistently receive national recognition for it.
Not only that, but the unique perspective of a Waynesburg
University education prepares students to be more than
wage earners or technocrats, but rather individuals with
a sense of purpose and mission. For this is one of the
aims of a Waynesburg University education. To develop
students with the personal integrity that comes when
the connections between faith, learning and serving are
so many and so intertwined that a life's purpose is not
mere existence but transformational. This is our tradition.
President Paul R. Stewart said many years ago, “All schools
aim at the acquisition of knowledge. Most schools add
■ ■ ■
Our symbol is the Lamp and our motto "Fiat Lux," Let there be light… We seek to bear witness to the true light that illuminates all knowledge.
■ ■ ■
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 21
the training of the faculties. Some schools further add the
formation of character. To all these, Waynesburg adds a
fourth which in the normally constituted student guides the
other three: the early development of an individual purpose
in life.”
Nor has our perspective on faith changed. A.B. Miller wrote
in the 1850s: “You cannot do good in the most important
sense unless you are in sympathy with the Cause of Christ.
The Cross is the center of moral power on the earth.”
Our students come from many faith backgrounds and
our intention while they are here is for them to grow in
an understanding of Jesus Christ. They have the rest of
their lives to develop all the
theological nuances. Our hope
for them is to consider not
only His teachings, but the
transformational impact of what
faith in Him brings to their lives.
To ponder the implications of
the great commandment of
loving the Lord your God with
all your heart, mind and soul and
loving your neighbor as yourself.
To consider the parable of the
good Samaritan and how that
teaching instructs us on service
to others. To ponder the meaning
of rendering unto Caesar what
is Caesar's and unto God what
is God’s. To begin to develop
an ethical construct that will guide them through life, built
upon the solid foundation of Jesus.
Through learning, we want to prepare our students to meet
the demands of their career paths and to graduate well
prepared for careers that currently exist and those that will
exist in the future. And while preparing them vocationally,
our desire is also to equip them for a lifetime of learning in
the way that only a liberal arts education can. For I believe
that a liberal arts education is the best way the inheritance
of knowledge is passed from one generation to the next.
As one of our faculty has so eloquently written:
Are our students complacent about suffering? Let them
read the poetry of the First World War, or the harrowing
camp literature of Solzhenitsyn and Primo Levi. Are they
estranged from heroism? Let Plutarch teach them about
Cato the Younger, or St. Perpetua communicate with them
on the eve of her martyrdom. How better to remind our
students to be grateful for the prosperity, freedom and
relative peace they do enjoy than to expose them to the
malevolent will to power lurking behind the writings of
Nietzsche, Lenin or Mussolini? Let them hear the world
through Mozart, the moral voice of Woody Guthrie, the
poetry of Longfellow or b. f. maiz. Let them see the world
through the eyes of Rembrandt, Georgia O’Keeffe or H.O.
Tanner, and help them to understand the significance of a
single life through Ghandi, Harriet Tubman or Judge John
Knox.
This is their birthright, the
opportunity to learn from the
great ideas and struggles of the
preceding generations. To engage
in the dialogue that can only take
place in the classrooms of higher
education. To deny them this
knowledge and understanding is
to deny them their birthright.
More significantly, a liberal arts
education is, in the long view of
history, critical to the continued
success of culture, society and
civilization. As Blessed John
Henry Newman so brilliantly
wrote in “The Idea of a University,” “[A] University training
is the great ordinary means to a great but ordinary end; it
aims at raising the intellectual tone of society, at cultivating
the public mind, at purifying the national taste...at giving
enlargement and sobriety to the ideas of the age...It is the
education which gives a person a clear, conscious view of his
or her own opinions and judgments, a truth in developing
them, an eloquence in expressing them, and a force in
urging them. It teaches one to see things as they are, to
go right to the point...to detect what is sophistical and to
discard what is irrelevant. It prepares a person to fill any post
with credit, and to master any subject with facility. It shows
a person how to accommodate oneself to others, how to
throw oneself into their state mind, how to influence them
and to come to an understanding with them.”
■ ■ ■
Our students come from many faith backgrounds and our intention while they are here is for them to grow in an understanding of Jesus Christ.
■ ■ ■
22 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
In service we seek to put into practice what we have learned
and what we believe. Through the daily examples of all at
this institution who collectively provide more than 50,000
hours of service in the community, nation and world
annually, we are touching lives. Each year I am inspired with
moving accounts of the work of our students, faculty and
staff, both here and abroad. They have helped to drill wells
for water in Africa, aided the suffering in Haiti, the poor in
Guatemala, and the homeless in our own cities. They have
volunteered in churches and government, in after-school
tutoring and countless public service organizations. As a
recent speaker and guest to Waynesburg observed, “Service
is in our DNA.” It is the essence of who we are. But we
cannot rest upon accolades. We must use service not only
as a way to minister, but also as a way to solve the problems
of this world. To develop
sustainable models of service
that not only help people meet
daily needs, but empower them
to take control of their destiny.
In doing all these things, we
will prepare our students not
just for their needs, but the
needs of their world. I often tell
the students at Waynesburg
that their generation will be
the next great generation to
serve on the world stage. I am
not alone in that observation.
Many of the great thinkers that
I have met in my short time as
President express a similar idea.
While the issues facing them
are complex and large, we will
not let them lose confidence
because we will not lose confidence in them. We must be
the great encouragers; for what great coach has ever told
his team before a game that all is lost? It is incumbent
upon us to give them the tools and outlook to face these
challenges. The perspective of a Waynesburg University
education can prepare our students to do this. Rather than
hiding their faith, we want our students’ faith to be a guide
for addressing the world problems, in part, by shaping its
institutions.
This idea has a long heritage.
John Calvin had in his vision for the Geneva Academy “a
place to teach students in order to prepare them for the
ministry and for the civil government.”
Alexis De Tocqueville made the following observation
of our education system and our democracy in 1835.
“It cannot be doubted that in the U.S., the instruction
of the people powerfully contributes to the support of
the Democratic Republic; and such must always be the
case, I believe, where the instruction which enlightens the
understanding is not separated from the moral education
which amends the heart.”
And implicit in the tradition of our democratic government
is the fundamental understanding
of the moral limitations of
individuals.
As Reinhold Niebuhr noted in
his work, “The irony of American
History,” “The Political philosophy
that underlies our Constitution
is characterized by a shrewd
awareness of the potential
conflicts of power and passion in
every community.”
As educators, we have been given
an amazing opportunity to serve
at a time when perhaps the world
most needs what Waynesburg
University can offer. Let us make
the most of this opportunity.
With our feet planted firmly on
our foundation and our eyes and minds to the future,
we will combine the best of the past with the best of the
present to produce leaders and scholars for tomorrow.
May our lamp forever be a light that bears witness to the
true light of this world.
For the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has
not overcome it.
Fiat Lux.
■ ■ ■
With our feet planted firmly on our foundation and our eyes and minds to the future, we will combine the best of the past with the best of the present to produce leaders and scholars for tomorrow.
■ ■ ■
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 23
An Evening with Michael W. Smith
The inaugural events concluded with a concert for the
University community, “An Evening with Michael W.
Smith,” in Roberts Chapel.
Between songs, Smith apologized for not wearing
Waynesburg orange and expressed his admiration for
the University’s important mission.
Smith has sold more than 15 million albums, scored
28 No. 1 hits and earned three Grammys and more
than 40 Dove Awards. Throughout his career, he
has had the opportunity to sing for United States
presidents and national leaders, and he counts among
his friends the Reverend Billy Graham and his son,
Franklin Graham.
But for all of Smith’s accolades, for his involvement in
his teen outreach, leadership in his local church body,
the business of being an artist, an author and a record
label executive, Michael sums up his goal as this: “To
be remembered as a God-fearing man who loved his
wife and kids well.”
24 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Put to the test time and time again, Waynesburg University alumnus Gerald “Jared” Edgreen proved to the U.S. Secret Service that he has what it takes to be a vital part of their elite organization. Now, he guards the President of the United States of America...and sometimes, he plays with the First Family’s dog, Bo.
Worthy of Trust and Confidence
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 25
In 2006, Gerald “Jared” Edgreen sat
quietly in a classroom on the campus of
Waynesburg University, listening to his
professor, Tom Reddington, tell stories
about when he was in the United States
Secret Service.
With an occasional dream of becoming
a Secret Service agent himself, the 2007
Waynesburg University graduate had
written papers about the agency in high
school, and his interest was again sparked
as he listened to the veteran recall his time
of service.
The Waynesburg, Pa., native thought there
was no way he could ever be an officer
himself. Not a chance.
Not until, of course, what seemed
impossible came true.
“Only a couple years after Reddington was
telling his stories, I found myself standing
next to the President.”
Edgreen, currently an officer-technician
for the Motorcade Support Unit of the
U.S. Secret Service, works to ensure that
all motorcade routes for President Barack
Obama and Vice President Joe Biden are
safe and secure. With his unit, he mitigates
any threats as they come and is also called
upon for protective missions all over the
United States as well as internationally.
The journey to his spot next to the
President was not an easy one, but for
Edgreen, it was worth it.
“The long interview process was worth it
because it was a job worth waiting for, and
I knew that the end result was a career
that would open doors and give me many
opportunities in life.”
The long and tedious interview process
began with a lengthy written application,
background questionnaires, a written test,
panel interviews, the successful completion
of a polygraph test and a home interview.
Once he completed that round, it was time
for round two – a three-day assessment to
determine if he could meet the rigorous
physical and mental requirements of the
agency. Again successful, Edgreen then
spent six and a half months in training
at the Federal Law Enforcement Training
Center (FLETC) in Glynco, Ga., and the
James J. Rowley Training Center near
Washington, D.C. During this time, his
areas of study included academics, driving,
fighting, physical fitness, shooting and
tactics.
"Pretty much the things you see on TV,”
Edgreen said, who didn’t simply pass the
Secret Service’s tests.
He excelled at them.
During his classes at FLETC, Edgreen earned
the Academic Achievement Award, which
is given to one individual within each class
who has the highest cumulative grade
average. Edgreen’s was 98 percent.
“Without the classes I took at Waynesburg
University and the professors who invested
in my learning, I would not have been so
prepared for a career in law enforcement,”
said Edgreen, who majored in criminal
justice administration at Waynesburg.
Through all of the physical, mental and
intellectual challenges of the interview
process, the successful candidate must also
demonstrate the core values of the Secret
Service: justice, duty, courage, honesty and
loyalty, and above all, one must be “worthy
of trust and confidence.”
Edgreen proved that, beyond a doubt, he
is. With unwavering integrity, he remains
vigilant regardless of his task.
“There are stressful days and days that are
calm and quiet. But either way, the mission
is still the same. We are to stay vigilant no
matter how things seem. One day you are
meeting celebrities and standing with the
President, and the next you’re standing in a
deserted hallway for 12 hours,” he said.
As a part of one of the most elite law
enforcement organizations in the world, no
matter where Edgreen stands, he stands firm
in his commitment to Christ.
“My faith in Christ is the foundation to
which I model my life. My ethical decision-
making, both before this job and now on
the job, has furthered my career and has
provided me the opportunity to be a light,”
he said.
Edgreen (right) pictured with a friend at the James J. Rowley Training Center in Washington, D.C.
26 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
As chair and professor of the Department of Nursing at
Waynesburg University, Dr. Nancy Mosser has personally instructed
every traditional baccalaureate nursing student who has graduated
from Waynesburg. She came to Waynesburg University in 1986,
just in time to teach the first graduating seniors of the program.
Since then, she has imparted wisdom on a new generation of
leaders in healthcare.
With more than 32 professional presentations and a number of
peer-reviewed articles and research topics under her wing, the
accomplished nurse inspires her coworkers and students to pursue
continued education and professional development.
“I try to present or publish on an annual basis because I believe
that scholarship enhances teaching,” Mosser said. “It is also a way
to start professionally developing students as I talk to them about
the conference experience and what I learned.”
Mosser is published in many areas, including leadership, an area she
became familiar with while earning her doctor of education degree
in educational leadership studies with a minor in nursing. She also
received a master of science in nursing in primary health care with
a focus in maternal-child and family, as well as her bachelor of
science in nursing degree.
She has published best practices for preparing and developing
students for the National Council Licensure Examination for
Registered Nurses (NCLEX-RN), an area in which she has great
experience.
Under her direction, the Waynesburg University Baccalaureate
Nursing Program has consistently achieved 97 percent to 100
percent pass rates on the NCLEX-RN for six consecutive years.
Waynesburg University was the only baccalaureate program in the
state of Pennsylvania to achieve a 100 percent pass rate in 2012.
“We start preparing students at the sophomore level through a
combination of standardized testing, a rigorous curriculum and
excellent clinical experiences,” Mosser said. “It’s not just about
passing tests; we really care about the students and we mentor
them through the advising process. It’s a comprehensive approach
that helps to produce a Waynesburg University nursing graduate.”
EDUCATOR AT Heart
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 27
She has served on a number of state and national committees,
including the American Association of Colleges of Nursing
(AACN) Doctor of Nursing Pactice (DNP)
Roadmap Task Force, the Pennsylvania
Higher Education Nursing Schools
Association, the Southwest Regional
Medical Center Board of Trustees and
more.
Students are inspired by Mosser’s
commitment to the field of nursing
education and her genuine desire to help
students succeed.
“Dr. Mosser has a profound drive for
excellence and success,” said Melissa Paul,
a senior BSN student at Waynesburg
University. “She ensures her students are
well prepared in the clinical setting, have
abundant critical thinking skills and are
professional. Dr. Mosser invests a great deal
of time into her students to make sure we
succeed in our future professional careers.”
Mosser is constantly inspired to ensure
Waynesburg’s BSN Program is top quality
because she takes the role of a professional
nurse very seriously.
“Nurses have so much direct responsibility
for patient well-being, and the care has
become very complex,” Mosser said.
“When healthcare institutions hire
baccalaureate-prepared nurses, patient
morbidity and mortality rates significantly
decrease. The liberal education that
BSN students receive helps them to
communicate well and think critically.”
Mosser is a champion of both
baccalaureate and graduate nursing
education; she was instrumental in developing Waynesburg
University’s DNP program, from which 58 students have
graduated since its inception in 2007. At
that time, the DNP program was one of
only 25 in the United States.
“DNP students and graduates are change
agents for improving healthcare,” said
Mosser. “They use best evidence to design
system-wide projects that improve patient
care outcomes over a short period of time.
Traditional research approaches take years
to affect change.”
In 2012, she was one of only 20 nursing
deans nationwide invited to attend a
meeting with First Lady Michelle Obama
and Dr. Jill Biden about the Joining
Forces Program, an initiative designed to
educate the nation’s three million nurses,
including Waynesburg students, about the
unique health needs of service members,
veterans and their families.
Mosser has built a department of
educators who truly care for their students
and has received multiple grants and
scholarships that paved the way for critical
simulation equipment and experiences for
Waynesburg students. She has remained
committed to the well-being and
professional preparation of each and every
nursing graduate for 28 years.
“Developing and mentoring students is so
important to me. When you look back on
your career, I think you’re most surprised
by things you didn’t plan,” she said. “I
didn’t expect to impact so many students;
that’s what I’m truly passionate about. I’m
a nurse, but I’m also an educator at heart.”
Students practice a simulation scenario, which Mosser helped to create by obtaining a Pennsylvania Community and Economic Development Grant for Simulation Lab Development.
28 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Employment of mental health counselors and substance abuse and
behavioral disorder counselors is projected to grow 29 percent and
31 percent, respectively, from 2012 to 2022 – much faster than the
average for all occupations, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics (2014).
Growth is expected because more people have addiction and mental
health counseling services covered by their insurance policies.
“Waynesburg University’s Ph.D. in Counselor Education and
Supervision Program was developed based on a national need for
counselor educators,” said Dr. Scott Tracy, director of graduate
programs in counseling and assistant professor of counseling at the
University. “Government agencies and insurance companies have
come to grips with the magnitude of mental health in America.
There’s a push to have more counselors, and as a result, we need
more counselor educators.”
The Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program will be
available September 1 and can be completed in three years.
With an over-arching goal of preparing leaders for the field of
counseling, the Program was designed to develop students in the
Christian tradition of Waynesburg University and prepare them for
leadership roles in the counseling field.
Beginning this fall, Waynesburg University will offer a Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision through its reputable Graduate and Professional Studies Program.
University’s new Ph.D. program to develop leaders in counseling
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 29
“As a University dedicated to Christian service, the founding goals
of the institution closely mimic that of the counseling profession,”
Tracy said. “Our Christian identity makes this program distinctive,
and we will be able to say the same about future graduates.”
The program is intended to prepare individuals for employment as
counselor educators in colleges and universities and as leaders in
clinical mental health counseling, addictions counseling or school
counseling.
“The Waynesburg University Ph.D. in Counselor Education
and Supervision Program provides doctoral students with the
information and skills required to carry out scholarly research,
lead organizations and create new knowledge,” said Dave Mariner,
director of program development for Graduate and Professional
Studies.
In addition to core doctoral classes in research, students will also
have experiences in college teaching and counselor supervision.
Some advanced courses in counseling practice are also offered. The
program consists of a minimum of 54 semester credits beyond
the master’s degree, a clinical practicum, a specialty practicum, an
internship, a candidacy examination and a dissertation.
With strategic curriculum developed by the fulltime counseling
faculty at the University, the Ph.D. is designed to attract experienced
professionals who hold master’s degrees and who want to become
leaders in the counseling field.
“Specifically, we’re targeting for leadership positions in community
mental health counseling, addictions counseling and school
counseling,” Tracy said.
Tracy worked with fulltime counseling faculty on the curriculum for
the Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision Program. The
team also received guidance from Mariner.
Waynesburg University master’s degree programs in clinical mental
health counseling and addiction counseling are accredited by the
American Counseling Association’s Council on Accreditation for
Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP). The
School Counseling and Ph.D. Counselor Education specializations
are in the application phase of the accreditation process.
For more information, contact Dr. Scott Tracy at 724-743-2259
■ ■ ■
“As a University dedicated to Christian service, the founding goals of the institution closely mimic that of the counseling profession. Our Christian identity makes this program distinctive, and we will be able to say the same about future graduates.”
■ ■ ■
30 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
When a Waynesburg University freshman first learned of an expensive treatment for a debilitating diagnosis, his friends and classmates rallied around him to raise money for the cause. Today, the junior sports management major is feeling better than ever, thanks in large part to the continuous love and support he receives from the students who help with ongoing treatment.
JUST A SCAR
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 31
When he was eight years old, R.J. Tonks developed a virus. But unlike many children who develop bacterial or viral infections, Tonks has had to live with the consequences of a simple, childhood virus for more than a decade. Instead of the virus leaving his body, it attacked his brain.
“It’s scary how fast things can be taken away from you,” Tonks said. “There are so many of us who take our God-given abilities for granted; they can be gone in a blink of an eye.”
A scar formed, which would, for many years, impair Tonks’ hand-eye coordination, mobility, speech, balance and fine motor skills. Within a few months of “recovering,” from the virus, he could barely walk.
“It was a pretty rapid decline,” Tonks said. “My body developed immunity to the steroids that doctors gave me, and I quickly found out that my hand-eye coordination was completely gone. I was too young to really understand what was happening. I just knew that there were things I couldn’t do anymore, and I didn’t have an explanation for that.”
Throughout junior and senior high school, Tonks, now a Waynesburg University junior sports management major and marketing minor, struggled to live in a body he couldn’t control. He was forced to quit sports, which he loved, and eventually became dependent on a wheel chair.
That is, until Tonks and his family found Carrick Care, an international, nonprofit organization committed to providing financial support to individuals who require neurological treatment and therapies but cannot otherwise afford them.
In November of 2012, Tonks began life-changing, week-long treatments at the Carrick Brain Center in Marietta, Ga. Since 2012, he has traveled to Georgia eight times for week-long treatments.
Today, RJ can walk with the assistance of a walker. He sits without lolling his head and he no longer sways off his seat. His
handwriting is the most legible it has been since grade school, and his speech and syntax are clear. Last semester, his G.P.A. was the highest it has ever been.
“I’m not as down on myself anymore,” Tonks said. “I know that God has a plan for me to walk again, I just don’t know when. He has been with me all along through this journey, guiding me through a dark tunnel.”
As Tonks’ balance and coordination grow better each day, a community of friendship and service also grows stronger around him. His friends band together to help Tonks
perform daily strengthening exercises, many of which require Tonks to sit passively while others move his limbs for him.
“This is a Christian University, and we believe in service to others. Students want to find a way to help their friend who is in need,” Tonks said. “I didn’t really ask anyone to help me; they all volunteered. I don’t think I would have that experience at another college.”
Before Carrick Care offered Tonks the financial assistance for full coverage of his treatments, the campus community held student-led fundraisers for Tonks to receive the treatment he needed.
“It means so much to me that my fellow students and classmates want to see me get better and see me walk around campus,” Tonks said.
But students aren’t interested in helping Tonks out of pity for his difficult situation; they simply gravitate toward his positivity and winning smile.
Erin Kern, a senior psychology major, is inspired not only by Tonks’ improvement, but also his unwavering optimism.
“He has come so far since freshman year by walking in a straighter line, having a sharper focus, and his reaction times have quickened,” Kern said. “The exercises sometimes take a while, but it is definitely worth it in the end to see how much he has improved since the beginning.”
In a personal blog post, one student called Tonks “either mad, brave, or a little of both” for attending a college known for its hilly terrain, all while doing so with a gracious attitude.
“Whenever you’re in the situation that I was, coming to a campus on the side of the hill and knowing that you’ll need a power chair, you almost have to be brave to make that decision,” Tonks said. “But I knew that the people I would be surrounding myself with and the professors and great education would outweigh any struggle. It was so worth it to come here.”
Tonks’ optimism continues to inspire countless Waynesburg University students, faculty and staff each day. Students flock to Tonks in the cafeteria; professors light up when he laughs; and strangers approach him to ask where his joy comes from, which he always attributes to God, his family and the relationships he’s built at Waynesburg.
“You know, despite the long diagnosis name, it’s just a scar,” Tonks said. “If it settled somewhere else on my brain, I might not be able to talk or breathe on my own. Things could be a lot worse than they are.”
“I’m happy.”
■ ■ ■
“You know, despite the long diagnosis name, it’s just a scar. If it settled somewhere else on my brain, I might not be able to talk or breathe on my own. Things could be a lot worse than they are.”
■ ■ ■
32 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
A select group of 50 small business owners and other key influencers were invited to the White House in February to participate in Healthcare Reform talks. Among them was Waynesburg University alumnus Mark Watson.
An Invitationto the White House
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 33
While walking through the wide hallways
of the historic building as he made his
way to his meeting location on the fourth
floor – just below Vice President Joe Biden’s
office – Mark Watson thought about the
great leaders who walked those same halls
over the years and about the decisions they
debated in each room he passed.
“There's so much rich history at the White
House and in the Eisenhower Executive
Office Building where we later met, it's hard
not to get caught up in the significance of it
all,” Watson said. “But it made
me all the more determined
to have a focused discussion
about the issues and to clearly
share thoughts and concerns
with whomever I could get an
audience.”
Eager for feedback and the
opportunity to facilitate a
meeting pertaining to health
reform issues, the White
House Business Council
hosted the meeting on the
“Economic Case for Medicaid
Expansion,” and also included
senior administration from
the Department of Health
and Human Services in the
discussion.
“This has been a hot topic in Washington
and at the state level ever since the
Supreme Court ruled on June 28, 2012, that
mandatory expansion of Medicaid under
the ACA was unconstitutional. Since that
time, President Obama’s Administration
has taken to various grass roots strategies,
ostensibly to raise awareness and stir
meaningful dialogue around the issue,”
said Watson, who received the invitation
as one who is somewhat outspoken
around healthcare reform issues and an
active participant with the Small Business
Administration.
Participating in a White House Business
Council discussion on this particular topic
was an opportunity that fit well with his
personal mission and purpose.
Watson cited his faith as the foundation
for everything he aspires to do in this life,
stating that he first and foremost seeks to
“trust God in all things,” which he relates
back to the Bible verse, Mark 10:27. “This
has proven to be the greatest challenge,
but most rewarding aspect of my life, both
personally and professionally.”
“With that said, my most prominent
single goal, professionally, is to use the full
measure of my skills and abilities to make
a positive difference in the lives of current
and future generations related to health and
wellness,” Watson said.
Drawn to Waynesburg University’s MBA
Program, partially out of a desire to explore
more deeply how he might make a larger
impact in the world, Watson’s professional
goals evolved as he progressed through the
Program. While enrolled, Watson’s interest
in business and administration deepened.
He eventually decided to forgo his original
plan of attending medical school following
the completion of his MBA and instead
started a consulting business – a move
which would, eventually, land him in the
White House.
“There are a number of
breakthroughs that have come
in my professional life since
completing my education
at Waynesburg University,
which I would relate back to
my experience in the MBA
Program,” said Watson, who
completed his MBA in Health
Systems Administration in 2007.
Watson is president and chief
executive officer of Watson
Healthcare Solutions, located
in Greensboro, N.C. Watson
Healthcare Solutions’ mission is
to build and improve healthcare
businesses to maximum
profitability and value, while
creating a favorable environment for
employees.
In addition to his MBA, Watson also holds
a Master of Physical Therapy degree from
Duquesne University and is currently
completing his Doctor of Physical Therapy
degree in Executive Practice Management
through Evidence In Motion in Louisville,
Kentucky.
■ ■ ■
“There are a number of breakthroughs that have come in my professional life since completing my education at Waynesburg University,
which I would relate back to my experience in the MBA Program.”
■ ■ ■
34 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
As students of one of Pennsylvania’s first colleges to educate women, Waynesburg University’s young women have a legacy of renowned scholarship to uphold. With significant financial assistance from the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership, six will study abroad among the soaring skyscrapers of Tokyo, beautiful temples of Southern India, lush forests in Costa Rica and Peru, and an ancient village in Romania this summer.
Each year, the Vira I. Heinz Program awards scholarships to young
women from only 15 Pennsylvania higher education institutions.
Approximately three from each school are admitted into the one-
year Program. This year, Waynesburg University was granted six
scholarships rather than the traditional three. Last year, four were
chosen to participate in the Program, indicating a consistently
positive upswing in the success of Waynesburg’s women in the
Program.
Pat Bristor, associate dean of students and the Waynesburg
University coordinator of the Vira I. Heinz Program for almost 20
years, said that the young women represent the best of Waynesburg
University.
“We are pleased to have such bright young women at Waynesburg
University who are interested in the world around them,” said
Bristor. “To have six women chosen speaks to the quality of our
academics, faith integration and service opportunities.”
Collectively, the six women received more than $37,600 in
scholarship money through the Vira I. Heinz Program.
“It is so rewarding to continually watch the outstanding young
women at Waynesburg enhance their leadership abilities and
team effectiveness,” said Carol Larson, director of the Vira I. Heinz
Program. “Each year, I look forward to mentoring all the present
and past awardees from Waynesburg and to hear of their many
accomplishments.”
Cassandra Gates will travel to Costa Rica to study and volunteer
with species monitoring and trail cleaning, and Ellen Limback will
travel to Cuzco, Peru, to teach children English in a small village
school. Rebecca Shindelar will spend her summer taking online
courses and volunteering at an orphanage in Brasov, Romania.
Allyson Wernert will travel to Tokyo, Japan, to take Japanese
language classes while experiencing the culture. Caley
Blankenbuehler will teach English and mathematics to students
in Southern India and Sri Lanka, while Perretta will study mental
health in Vienna, Austria.
“I am most looking forward to the experiences and growth that will
come with the scholarship,” Gates said. “I have the chance to meet
other women who value becoming global leaders. Without the
scholarship, I would not have been able to do this.”
Upon their return, scholars attend a fall retreat where they learn to
process and reflect on their international experience. The women
As students of one of Pennsylvania’s first colleges to educate women, Waynesburg University’s
Journeys
OF A LIFETIME
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 35
are required to complete a Community Engagement Experience
(CEE) in which they must identify a need in the community and
then must work as a team to implement the project.
The two retreats and the CEE help the young women to recognize
and share cultural differences, the relationship between global
scholarship and their fields of study, career goals and thoughts
about citizenship.
The Vira I. Heinz Program has a history of developing Waynesburg
University women into passionate global advocates in business,
education, faith and science.
Gabrielle King, one of the 2013 Vira Heinz recipients and a senior
marine biology major at Waynesburg University, studied through
the Australian Wildlife, Environment and Conservation Program at
the University of New South Wales.
“I was able to gain an appreciation for the natural world through
hands-on experiences as well as in-class lectures,” King said. “This
international experience will help me achieve my career goals by
helping me better understand what it means to be a biologist.”
Rebecca Lane, a junior education major and Vira Heinz recipient
at Waynesburg University, volunteered with an orphanage for
individuals with physical and mental disabilities in Jamaica, that
summer. While there, she worked on a daily basis to help a child
with cerebral palsy learn how to walk for the first time.
“Overall, this experience has started a passion in my soul for
individuals with special needs,” Lane said.
Heidi Weaver, a 2012 Vira Heinz recipient and human services
alumna of Waynesburg University who traveled to India to build
clean water wells for communities in need, allowed the experience
to change her life.
She now works at Hope International, a large network of
microfinance institutions and savings and credit associations that
aims to alleviate poverty.
"My time in India completely changed the path of my life,
professionally and personally,” Weaver said.
“My career in international development is more fulfilling and
joy-filled than I ever imagined a job could be, and I attribute much
of this to the opportunity to live and learn abroad through the Vira
Heinz Program.”
This summer, the 2014 scholars will build their relationships
with God as they see first-hand how He blesses international
cultures with beauty, how He works through different languages to
communicate love and how He can inspire thoughtful leadership
on a summer journey.
“At Waynesburg I’ve learned a lot about what it's like to be a
Christian and I have developed a relationship with God, so I
know that He will be there with me through my whole trip,”
Blankenbuehler said.
The 2014 Waynesburg University Vira Heinz Scholars are:
• Caley Blankenbuehler, a sophomore mathematics (secondary education) major
• Cassandra Gates, a sophomore chemistry (biochemistry) major
• Ellen Limback, a junior early childhood education with special education major
• Madison Perretta, a sophomore sociology (urban studies) major
• Rebecca Shindelar, a junior human services (social sciences) major
• Allyson Wernert, a junior international culture and political science major
The Heinz Endowment supports efforts to make southwestern Pennsylvania a premier place to live and work, a center
for learning and educational excellence and a region that embraces diversity and inclusion.
CAMPUS NEWS
36 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Waynesburg University student elected to national AMSA Board of Trustees
Isaiah Cochran, a Waynesburg University junior from Akron,
Ohio, was recently elected the pre-medical trustee for the 2014-
2015 American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Board of
Trustees. The election was held in New Orleans in March, and
the biology (pre-med) major assumed his position May 1.
As pre-medical trustee, Cochran will work directly with the
national president of AMSA. In his position, he will also work
with the five pre-medical region directors as a liaison between
the national and local levels of the organization.
Previously, Cochran served as president of the Waynesburg
Chapter of AMSA, which he initiated as a freshman. As a
sophomore, Cochran was elected one of five national pre-
medical region directors for AMSA, with the responsibility to
oversee more than 105 university and college AMSA chapters
across 12 states. During his tenure in that position, AMSA
recruited more than 3,000 new members in all five regions.
Olon joins University as CFOJohn Olon joined Waynesburg University as chief financial officer in April. Olon provides executive level direction and management oversight for financial planning, budgeting and budget analysis.
“Mr. Olon will certainly be
an asset to Waynesburg
University,” said University
President Douglas G. Lee.
“With his experience,
educational background
and strong analytical mind,
he will serve the Business
Office and University well.”
Olon brings to Waynesburg University an impressive background
as well as an enthusiasm for Christian higher education.
“I am happy to have been asked to join the Waynesburg family,”
he said. “There is a lot of excitement here, and I look forward to
being a part of it.”
With a blend of experience in both the higher education and
corporate industries, Olon most recently served as the vice
president of financial planning and analysis at Dick’s Sporting
Goods, where he directed short- and long-term forecasting,
analysis, store performance tracking, supply chain costing and
competitor comparisons to promote strategic decision making
and to develop earnings guidance.
Previously, he served in a variety of roles at the Education
Management Corporation, most recently as vice president/
assistant controller. In this role, he directed enterprise accounting
operations including general ledger, revenue, fixed assets and
financial reporting.
Olon has additional corporate experience as the manager of
corporate financial planning and analysis of ALCOA, Inc., the
world’s leading producer of aluminum, miner of bauxite and
refiner of alumina.
A certified public accountant, Olon holds a master of business
administration from Carnegie Mellon University and a bachelor’s
degree in finance from Pennsylvania State University.
He is an active member of Saints John and Paul Parish and is
involved in community fundraising committees, including active
involvement in support of the Anna Seethaler Hospital (TASH) in
Oaxaca, Mexico.
CAMPUS NEWS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 37
Jacobs joins University as dean of institutional effectiveness and planningDr. Jamie Jacobs joined Waynesburg University as the dean of institutional effectiveness and planning in February. In her role, she provides administrative oversight for the University’s institutional effectiveness, assessment and accreditation processes.
“There is no person who could possibly
be a better fit for this position than Dr.
Jacobs,” said Dr. Jacquelyn Core, provost
and vice president for academic affairs at
Waynesburg University. “She will play an
integral role in the future of our institution,
and the excitement which has followed her
arrival has been palpable.”
Dr. Jacobs will also be responsible for data
management, grant writing, institutional
documents, institutional reporting and
supporting various institutional objectives.
“I am very excited to contribute to the
continued excellence of Waynesburg
University and am already working with
faculty and staff on several exciting
projects,” said Dr. Jacobs. “I feel very blessed
to have been given this opportunity to
be a part of the Waynesburg University
community.”
With experience in administrative roles
and as a faculty member, Dr. Jacobs
brings to Waynesburg University a diverse
background as well as an enthusiasm for
Christian higher education.
Prior to joining Waynesburg University,
Dr. Jacobs served in various roles at West
Virginia University (WVU), most recently
as the director of the Faculty and Staff
Assistance Program and an assistant
professor in the Department of Behavioral
Medicine and Psychiatry. As the director of
the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program,
Jacobs was responsible for program
operations and assessment. She also assisted
with programmatic accreditation, evaluated
services and recommended evidence-based
practices.
Previously at WVU, Dr. Jacobs worked as
a clinical therapist for the Department of
Behavioral Medicine and Psychiatry and an
assistant professor for the Department of
Political Science.
WVU repeatedly recognized Dr. Jacobs
for her exceptional work as an educator.
Among her many awards are the Eberly
College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding
Teacher Award (2003), the Golden
Apple Outstanding Teacher (2002) and
the Department of Political Science
Outstanding Teacher Award (2002).
Published extensively, Dr. Jacobs’ recent
CAMPUS NEWS
38 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
titles include “NGOS, the European Union and the Case of the
Environment,” (with Anthony Zito) in Transition Activism in the
UN and EU: A Comparative Study and “Civil Society in Argentina:
Opportunities and Challenges for National and Transnational
Organisation,” (with Martin Maldonado) in the Journal of Latin
American Studies.
Dr. Jacobs has presented at a wide range of conferences, including
the National Association of Social Workers Spring Continuing
Education Conference in Charleston, W.Va., in 2013.
She holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree, both in political science
from the University of Pittsburgh, a master’s degree in counseling
from WVU and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida.
Active in her community, Dr. Jacobs currently serves as the president
of the Board of Directors for the Morgantown Dog Owners Group
and on the Advisory Panel for City of Morgantown dog parks. Since
2011, she has been an associate advisor of Venturing Crew 21.
Venturing, a co-ed youth development program of the Boy Scouts
of America for men and women aged 14 through 20, provides
positive experiences to help young people mature and to prepare
them to become responsible and caring leaders.
University welcomes two trustees James R. Lowe Jr. and Rev. Dr. Donald P. Wilson were reelected to the Waynesburg University Board of Trustees during the February 2014 board meeting. Lowe previously served on the University’s Board of Trustees
from 1972 until 1995. Rev. Wilson served as a member of the
University’s Board of Trustees almost every year since 2000 and
recently as the interim director of Christian life at Waynesburg
University.
Both began their new terms in May 2014.
Lowe graduated from Waynesburg College in 1963 with a
Bachelor of Arts degree in social studies. In September of that
year, he joined the IBM Corporation in Pittsburgh. Until his
retirement from IBM 30 years later, Lowe was tasked with the
worldwide responsibility of identifying and resolving IBM product
deficiencies for five IBM media sectors.
In addition to his many honors, Lowe served as IBM’s
representative on President Jimmy Carter’s National Taskforce on
Ridesharing in 1979.
After retiring from IBM in 1993, Lowe became project director
of the Taxation and Revenue Information Management System
(TRIMS). He worked on a project to develop a fourth generation
language technology tax and revenue system for the state of New
Mexico.
In 1999, Lowe rejoined IBM as a member of a special group
of IBM retirees devoted to recruiting new employees from
acquisitions and outsourcing opportunities.
Rev. Wilson earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1964 from
Waynesburg University and a Master of Divinity degree from
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary.
In 1992, Waynesburg College awarded Rev. Wilson an
honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree for his professional
achievements, his community service activities and his significant
leadership and involvement with the University. He also served
on the University’s Alumni Council from 1991 to 1999.
Rev. Wilson served for more than 30 years as the pastor of
Lebanon United Presbyterian in West Middlesex, Pa. He fulfilled
interim appointments as the Executive Presbyter of Washington
Presbytery and pastor of First Baptist Church of Waynesburg, First
Presbyterian Church of Waynesburg and Hewitt Presbyterian
Church in Rices Landing.
For more than 20 years, Rev. Wilson served the West Middlesex
Area School Board and has acted as a consultant to the County
Courts in Youth Services for a number of years.
CAMPUS NEWS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 39
University presents donation to Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire CompanyWaynesburg University presented the Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company with a $10,000 check, the second of five installments totaling $50,000, to offset the $417,000 cost of the company’s 2013 Sutphen Rescue Pumper fire engine.
This donation, along with the first, was given in memory of Robert W. Fox, a member of the Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company from 1948 to 2011, who died May 15, 2012, at the age of 83. Remarkably, Fox was still actively answering fire calls until 2009.
Fox served in many leadership capacities within the fire company during his 62-year tenure, including president for 28 years. His father was a member of the company from 1941 to 1965, and Robert’s four sons and four of his grandsons are active members of the fire company.
Waynesburg University President Douglas G. Lee, who served as a member of the Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company for nine years, emphasized the importance of contributing to the long-term safety of the community.
“For many years, the Waynesburg-Franklin Township Volunteer Fire Company has been a key component of the community’s safety,” said Lee. “As a former member, I am proud Waynesburg University can help support this vital service to the community.”
This donation to the fire company from Waynesburg University continues the University’s long-standing support of fire safety in the community. Previously, the University had presented the company with $50,000 for the purchase of the Fire Simulation Training Trailer and $30,000 towards a new fire truck from 2005 to 2007.
University presents donation to Waynesburg Borough Police Canine Fund
Waynesburg University presented the
Waynesburg Borough Police Department with a
$1,000 check for the Department’s Canine Fund
January 23 to aid in the purchase of equipment
and additional training for a recently acquired
police dog.
Asa Winters, one of the Department’s patrolmen,
recently led an effort to obtain and train a police
dog for the department. A 3-year-old German
Shepherd, Izzy, was acquired by Winters in March
2013 and was officially hired by the Department
in December. Winters, with the help of other local
police dog handlers, has been training Izzy to aid
in the Department’s law enforcement efforts.
The dog will be able to assist officers in everything
from a drug search of a vehicle or a home to the
tracking of a missing person or a suspect of a
crime.
Izzy has been certified through the North
American Police Work Dog Association in a
number of areas of police work and has been
trained in tracking and narcotics detection as well
as article, area and building searches.
CAMPUS NEWS
40 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Pennsylvania Business Central selects Lee for “Top 100 People”
Douglas G. Lee, President of Waynesburg University, was recently named to The Pennsylvania Business Central’s Top 100 People list of 2013.
According to the Pennsylvania Business Central, the Top 100 People
list includes top executives from some of the most successful
companies, along with business people from all levels who have
made a major impact in their community and business-to-business
world throughout the past year.
“I am honored to be recognized by The Pennsylvania Business
Central in this way,” Lee said. “In accordance with our mission,
Waynesburg University has always placed high significance on
serving the local community as well as contributing to the growth
and development of the region.”
Lee was elected President of Waynesburg University by the Board of
Trustees in September 2012 and took office July 1, 2013. He joined
Waynesburg University as Executive Vice President in October
2009.
Prior to joining Waynesburg, Lee was a partner in the law firm of
Steptoe and Johnson, PLLC where he was a practice group leader in
the Labor and Employment Department of the firm. He was active
at Waynesburg University, being instrumental in the formation of
the University’s Alumni Council and serving as its first President.
He later served as a member of the Board of Trustees in a variety
of leadership roles including Chair of the Academic Matters
Committee and as Board Secretary.
He has been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America®, having
spoken and written extensively on Workers Compensation and
Labor and employment law topics.
Lee is an Elder in the Presbyterian Church, served on the Greene
County Planning Commission and is a graduate of Leadership West
Virginia. He is an Eagle Scout and has served on the Executive Board
for the Mountaineer Area Council Boy Scouts of America. He has
also served on the Board of Directors for the Union Rescue Mission
in Fairmont, W.Va., the Harrison County Bar Association Board of
Directors, the Westminster Foundation of West Virginia, and the
Howe Cemetery Board. He was a volunteer fireman for more than
13 years.
Lee holds a Juris Doctorate from West Virginia University and
a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from
Waynesburg University.
Pennsylvania Business Central, based in State College, is a biweekly
business publication serving a sixteen-county region in central
Pennsylvania.
Scholarly Clips are now available online!
Visit www.waynesburg.edu/achievements to view a collection of scholarly achievements recently made by faculty, staff and students.
CAMPUS NEWS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 41
Waynesburg counseling student achieves top score on NCE
Students in Waynesburg University’s Master of Arts
in Counseling Program achieved a milestone during
the most recent National Counselor Examination
for Licensure and Certification (NCE), collectively
scoring above the national average for accredited
counseling programs. One Waynesburg University
student obtained the top national score, an honor
shared with the top 5 percent of examinees
nationwide.
More than 4,000 graduate counselors sat for
the exam. The NCE is used for two purposes:
national counselor certification and state counselor
licensure. The purpose of the NCE is to assess
knowledge, skills and abilities viewed as important
for providing effective counseling services.
Satisfactory performance on the NCE is one of the
criteria used by the National Board for Certified
Counselors to identify professionals who may be
eligible to become National Certified Counselors.
Waynesburg University’s Master of Arts in
Counseling Program is accredited by the Council
for Accreditation of Counseling and Related
Educational Programs (CACREP). CACREP is an
independent agency recognized by the Council for
Higher Education Accreditation to accredit master’s
degree and doctoral programs in counseling.
To achieve accreditation, programs voluntarily
submit a self-study that is reviewed against the
CACREP Standards by counselors and counselor
educators to ensure that students receive a quality
educational experience.
Department of Business Administration granted candidacy for accreditation status The Department of Business Administration at Waynesburg University has
been awarded the status of Candidate for Accreditation by the International
Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE). The Department
of Business Administration has affirmed its commitment to excellence in
business education and is eligible to undergo an accreditation review of its
business programs.
At its meeting in San Diego, Calif., April 7, through April 8, 2014, the
IACBE Board of Commissioners determined the Department of Business
Administration at Waynesburg University has developed an appropriate
outcome assessment plan; has satisfied candidacy requirements relating to
its business programs, resources and operational processes; and is eligible to
undergo an accreditation review.
MBA Program offers new concentration in project management Beginning in the fall of 2014, Waynesburg University will offer a new
concentration, project management, within its Master of Business
Administration (MBA) Program.
The project management concentration joins six other MBA degree options
including applied business, energy management, finance, human resources/
leadership, health systems administration and market development.
Students pursuing an MBA with a focus in project management will
study project management software, practice portfolio management
principles, create a risk management plan and prepare to sit for the Project
Management Professional (PMP) certification.
For more information, contact Janice Crile at 724-743-2269 or
CAMPUS NEWS
42 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Paul Carrol BinkleyAcclaimed Nashville guitarist Guitarist, composer and musical theatre director Paul Carrol Binkley performed on campus February 20. A highly regarded Nashville, Tenn., musician, Binkley is known for his abilities as an acoustic guitarist, performing in live shows and recordings for Music City acts. He has backed performers such as country group Alabama, but also records regularly as a solo artist. He has played on television programs including the Grand Ole Opry, Church Street Station and Nashville Now.
Andrew GinsbergVice president and director of advancement at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USAWaynesburg University’s Christ and Culture Lecture Series featured Andrew Gins-berg in a three-part event April 14 through April 15, during which he shared his experiences as a Jewish follower of Christ and addressed many of the issues he faced as a Christian in the healthcare industry. Ginsberg serves as the vice president and director of advancement at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, a nationwide college ministry that establishes and advances witnessing communities of students and faculty.
Dr. Morris Harper Executive vice president, chief medical officer and chairman of the advisory board for Correctional TeleCare SolutionsDr. Morris Harper, executive vice president, chief medical officer and chairman of the advisory board for Correctional TeleCare Solutions (CTS) in Pittsburgh, served as the speaker for Waynesburg University’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day Convocation January 20. Harper, a frequent lecturer on HIV and AIDS, among other topics, directed the statewide expansion of telemedicine HIV/AIDS care throughout the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections.
Guest Lecturers & Performers
CAMPUS NEWS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 43
Dr. Jordan KassalowFounder and CEO of VisionSpringWaynesburg University’s DeVito Lecture Series hosted Dr. Jordan Kassalow’s lecture “Social Entrepreneurship: How to Change the World” February 25, during which Kas-salow shared the many challenges one encounters in finding purpose, and once found, translating that into action and impact. Kassalow is the founder and CEO of Vision-Spring, a social enterprise that allows people in developing countries access to afford-able quality eyeglasses. VisionSpring has served more than one million customers through a network of 9,000 female vision entrepreneurs in more than 18 countries.
Marilyn Chandler McEntyreProfessor at UC Davis and the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical ProgramMarilyn Chandler McEntyre, poet and advocate of the well-being of language, served as Waynesburg University’s b.f. maiz Lecturer January 22. She has a profound interest in the relationship between words and painting and is a spokesperson for the idea of medicine and poetry. McEntyre teaches at the University of California Berkeley and the University of California at San Francisco Joint Medical Program.
Congressman Tim MurphyWaynesburg University hosted guest speaker Congressman Tim Murphy April 23. Murphy spoke on mental health especially in relation to gun violence, post-traumatic stress syndrome for veterans and his role on the House Energy and Commerce Committee as Chairman of Oversight and Investigations. Murphy relies on his three decades as a psychologist to advocate for meaningful reforms in the U.S. healthcare system. As one of only a handful of members of Congress with a background in healthcare, he quickly established himself as a leader on the issue.
Jonathan WatermanWriter and photographer Waynesburg University hosted Jonathan Waterman as the Glenn A. & Jane L. Crosby Lecture Series speaker March 4. Waterman’s lecture, “Plastic Garbage Patch,” was based on his 2,500-mile sailing journey from San Diego to Honolulu with 37 re-searchers. During this voyage, Waterman worked as the ship journalist of the 132-foot brigantine Robert C. Seamans, studying the amount of plastic and Japanese tsunami debris in the water.
44 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
futurethe
at Waynesburg University!
By making an unrestricted gift to the Fund for Waynesburg, you support educational programs and operational needs of the University as well as financial aid for students.
To make your gift, VISIT waynesburg.edu/giving or CALL the O�ce of Institutional Advancement at 724.852.3378.
You can
futurethe
You canshape
CAMPUS NEWS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 45
at Waynesburg University!
By making an unrestricted gift to the Fund for Waynesburg, you support educational programs and operational needs of the University as well as financial aid for students.
To make your gift, waynesburg.edu/giving or CALL the O�ce of Institutional Advancement at 724.852.3378.
You can
Waynesburg’s PRSSA Chapter receives Star Chapter Award
Waynesburg University’s chapter of the Public Relations Student
Society of America (PRSSA) was awarded the Star Chapter Award
for meeting specific chapter and professional development goals.
The chapter was one of 27 from around the country honored with
the prestigious award.
“This is a huge step for us at Waynesburg PRSSA,” said Molly
Winters, a junior public relations major and the president of
Waynesburg’s chapter of PRSSA. “We are up to par with some of
the best chapters around the country.”
A chapter must meet eight of the 10 Star Chapter requirements to
earn the national award.
“The stars or requirements range from participating in Ethics
Month, applying for national scholarships and holding an annual
event,” said Winters. “We actually completed all 10 stars.”
In just its fourth year of existence, Waynesburg’s chapter of PRSSA
is one of 328 other schools from around the country nationally
associated with PRSSA, the student counterpart to the Public
Relations Society of America (PRSA).
“To do it in three years and to do it in a chapter with
approximately 25 dues-paying members, I think is an extraordinary
accomplishment,” said Richard Krause, the adviser for Waynesburg’s
chapter of PRSSA and assistant professor and chair of the
Department of Communication. “It speaks volumes to the
dedication of our students.”
Students travel locally and abroad for service trips
More than 215 students and 20 faculty and staff members served others both domestically and abroad during the 2013-2014 academic year. The University offered 14 service mission trips covering a variety of academic and professional interests that give students the opportunity to serve the Greene County community and beyond.
Service Trips
• Barnabas Ministries – Sebis, Romania
• Center for Student Missions – Nashville, Tenn.
• Greene County Pa. Immersion – Greene County, Pa.
• Habitat for Humanity – Concord, N.C.
• Habitat for Humanity – Greene County, Pa.
• Hurricane Sandy Relief – Highland Park, N.J.
• John Perkins Foundation – Jackson, Miss.
• Medical Mission Trip – Nassau, Bahamas
• Nutritional Center – Patzun, Guatemala
• Strong Missions – Carillos, Costa Rica
• The Pittsburgh Project – Pittsburgh, Pa.
• Trans World Radio – Bonaire, special municipality of the
Netherlands
• Urban Promise – Camden, N.J.
• Whitefields Foundation – Hato Mayor, Dominican
Republic
photo credit: Zach DiBeradin
CAMPUS NEWS
46 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Student newspaper named regional winner Waynesburg University’s student newspaper, the Yellow Jacket, was recently named a regional winner in the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) annual awards contest for the Best All-Around Non-Daily Student Newspaper category.
“The SPJ awards are the top of the line for student journalism
contests, and this category is akin to a best in show award that
judges the entire publication, so we are quite excited,” said Brandon
Szuminsky, instructor of communication at Waynesburg University
and faculty adviser to the Yellow Jacket.
Nick Farrell, a senior communication (sports broadcasting/sports
information) major and the executive editor of the Yellow Jacket,
took home two regional awards for General News Reporting.
The awards recognize his article on past Waynesburg University
president A.B. Miller’s diary returning to campus and his series on
the University’s student senate changes.
“Having the piece on Miller’s diary recognized was a gratifying
experience for me, especially since I found out about the award a
few weeks before President Lee’s inauguration and at a time when
the campus community is greatly in touch with its history,” Farrell
said.
While the Yellow Jacket typically wins at least one award from SPJ
each year, this is the first time it has won an SPJ Best All-Around
award in nearly a decade. The Yellow Jacket won SPJ All-Around
awards in both 2004 and 2005, a time when Szuminsky, then a
student at Waynesburg University, was editor of the paper.
WCTV selected a winner in the 35th annual Telly AwardsWCTV, the Waynesburg University student television station,
recently earned a bronze award from the 35th annual Telly Awards
for its piece titled “The Buzz: November 11, 2013.”
Waynesburg’s piece stood out among nearly 12,000 entries from all
50 states and numerous countries.
“The Buzz” is a show that focuses on feature stories in Waynesburg,
the nation and the entertainment world. It began in the fall of
2013 under the direction of Kelly Witas, a 2014 communication
(electronic media) alumna and former general manager of WCTV.
The winning episode of “The Buzz” featured stories about a
10-year-old boy who suffers from Aspergers, the Boston Red
Sox winning the Major League Baseball championship and the
Waynesburg University fall play.
Waynesburg University Alumni
@wbgalumni#waynesburgalumni
Waynesburg University Alumni and Waynesburg University MBA Alumni
Waynesburg Alumni #waynesburgalumni
flickr.com/waynesburgalumni
waynesburgunited.com
STAY IN TOUCH WITH YOUR ALMA MATERConnect with former classmates online and stay up-to-date with alumni events, campus news and more!
CAMPUS NEWS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 47
University faculty members honored with emeritus status and Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence AwardsOne Waynesburg University faculty member was honored with the title of professor emeritus and three others received the University’s 2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Awards during the University’s Chapel Service in Roberts Chapel April 29.
On behalf of the University, President Douglas G. Lee conferred
upon Dr. Robert LaCount, professor of chemistry, the title of
professor emeritus. LaCount retired from his full-time position
in August 2013. He joined the University in 1965, and during
his 49 years of service to the University, he eagerly incorporated
the education of Waynesburg University students into his
groundbreaking research.
Dr. Gordon McClung, professor of marketing and chair of the
University’s Department of Business Administration, received the
2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a faculty
member with a history of teaching excellence.
Dr. McClung, who joined the University in 2007, holds a Ph.D.
from the University of Pittsburgh as well as a bachelor of science in
business administration and a master of business administration
from West Virginia University.
Dr. Chad Sherman, assistant professor of communication, received
the 2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching Excellence Award for a faculty
member with a relatively recent history of teaching excellence.
He joined the University in 2011 and holds a bachelor’s
degree, master’s degree and a Ph.D. from Indiana University of
Pennsylvania.
Carol Guthrie received the 2014 Lucas-Hathaway Teaching
Excellence Award for a non-full-time faculty member. Guthrie is a
lecturer of mathematics.
Guthrie joined the University in 2009 and holds a bachelor’s degree
in mathematics and a master of education in mathematics and
computer science from California University of Pennsylvania.
The Lucas-Hathaway Charitable Trust has established an endowed
fund that provides two annual teaching excellence awards for
full-time faculty members and one award for a part-time faculty
member. Faculty members were nominated by students, faculty or
alumni. Each recipient of the Lucas-Hathaway Award for Teaching
Excellence received a commemorative plaque and a $1,200 award.
The Trust is funded by J. Richard Lucas and C. Joan Hathaway Lucas,
members of the class of 1950.
CAMPUS NEWS
48 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Stover Scholars visit major political and legal leaders in Washington, D.C.During the Stover Scholars whirlwind tour of Washington, D.C., this fall, the 21 undergraduates had sessions with U.S. Senator Robert Casey; Associate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia; National Public Radio Correspondent Mara Liasson; Georgetown University Law Center Professor Charles F. Abernathy; Institute for Justice constitutional litigator Scott Bullock; former Congressman David McIntosh; and political activist Wesley Goodman.
“The Stover Scholars met with major players in the Washington,
D.C., political scene and critically engaged with them in meaningful
and substantive constitutional discussions,” said Dr. Lawrence
M. Stratton, director of the Stover Center for Constitutional
Studies and Moral Leadership and assistant professor of ethics
and constitutional law. “The political and legal leaders we visited
thoroughly appreciated the Stover Scholars’ positive spirit.”
Just after voting on the Senate
floor on two cloture votes,
Senator Casey stressed his
ongoing quest to overcome
partisanship and encouraged
the students to pursue lives
of public service. Justice
Scalia told the students that
America is free because of the
U.S. Constitution’s structural
protections of checks and
balances and the Separation
of Powers even more so than
the Bill of Rights.
At the new headquarters of National Public Radio, Mara Liasson
described her career path in radio journalism and emphasized
nurturing the skill of writing succinctly and clearly, which she
mastered by providing five minute news summaries on NPR for
over a decade. She also assessed America’s current state of political
polarization and the need for leaders to bring America together.
The students also participated in a Civil Procedure class at
Georgetown University Law Center taught by constitutional scholar
Charles F. Abernathy, who later provided insights to the students
about pursuing legal careers. Former Congressman, White House
lawyer and Mayer Brown Partner David McIntosh, a co-Founder
of the Federalist Society, urged the students to take up the mantle
of leadership to preserve the U.S. Constitution’s values, which he
views as the best hope for freedom in the world. Scott Bullock, the
lead constitutional litigator in the 2005 U.S. Supreme Court case,
Kelo v. New London, described his public interest legal practice
of strategically enhancing
property rights protections.
Wesley Goodman, leader of the
Conservative Action Project,
encouraged the Stover Scholars
to “talk about the American
dream again” as they pursue
public leadership. The students
also visited the U.S. Senate
Gallery and toured both the
Library of Congress and U.S.
Supreme Court.
“The D.C. trip was a great
experience because we were
able to meet those in the Nation’s Capital who you hear and read
about. Meeting Senator Casey, Justice Scalia, NPR’s Mara Liasson,
constitutional lawyer Scott Bullock, and many more political
leaders put faces to names. It was fascinating to pick their brains,”
said Andrew Stanko, freshman sports broadcasting major from
Lewisburg, Pa.
Waynesburg University’s Stover Center for Constitutional Studies
and Moral Leadership explores national and international issues
in the context of constitutional law and Christian ethics with the
objective of creatively transforming the polis.
Stover Scholars with U.S. Senator Robert Casey
CAMPUS NEWS
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 49
Stover Center hosts joint lecture “Washington, D.C. Behind the Veil: Reflections on both the Constitution and Federal Communications Law”Georgetown University law professor Charles F. Abernathy and former federal communications commissioner Kathleen Quinn Abernathy led a lecture titled, “Washington, D.C. Behind the Veil: Reflections on both the Constitution and Federal Communications Law,” as part of Waynesburg University’s Stover Center for Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership Lecture Series April 9.
According to Dr. Lawrence M. Stratton, director of Waynesburg University’s Stover Center for
Constitutional Studies and Moral Leadership and assistant professor of ethics and constitutional law, the
Stover Center was privileged to welcome the Abernathys to Waynesburg University as “stellar” examples
of American political, intellectual and professional leadership.
Kathleen Quinn Abernathy was appointed by President George W. Bush to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in 2001 and
confirmed unanimously by the U.S. Senate. She shaped American communications law regarding broadband communications, broadcast,
cable, satellite and wireless both on the FCC and as a Washington, D.C., lawyer. She is currently executive vice president of external affairs
at Frontier Communications Corporation.
Charles F. Abernathy, professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, is the author of several books and articles including the first
modern case book on federal civil rights law, “Civil Rights and Constitutional Litigation,” and the premier introduction to the American
legal system for international lawyers, “Law in the United States.”
Stover Scholars Visit Pittsburgh Mayor Peduto, Judges Hornak and Flaherty and the Imani Christian AcademyWaynesburg University’s Stover Scholars met with Pittsburgh
Mayor William Peduto, Federal District Judge Mark Hornak,
Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas Judge Thomas Flaherty,
First Presbyterian Church of Pittsburgh Senior Pastor Tom Hall,
and visited the Imani Christian Academy April 25.
Mayor Peduto gave the Stover Scholars a tour of Pittsburgh’s
mayoral suite and the city council meeting room and laid out
his vision for Pittsburgh’s future. Judges Hornak and Flaherty
both provided insights into the operation of the American legal
system in the quest for justice.
The students also toured the Imani Christian Academy and
heard the school’s principal, Terri L. Ayers, discuss the inner-
city school’s determination to help students discern their own
divinely inspired purpose.
The senior Stover Scholars were then honored at a Duquesne
Club Dinner, which featured an address by Rev. Hall, who
reflected upon his pilgrimage of faith from his thirty-year career
as an Air Force Colonel before becoming a Presbyterian minister.
50 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
The Waynesburg University athletic programs produced a number
of memorable experiences for both themselves and their fans during
the 2013-14 school year. The Yellow Jacket men’s and women’s
teams combined for seven seasons with .500 overall winning
percentages or better and another Presidents’ Athletic Conference
(PAC) title for one of the school’s most successful programs.
FALL 2013
Once September rolled around, many
wondered how the Yellow Jacket football
team would follow up its co-PAC
championship from 2012. Though
Waynesburg was unable to successfully
defend its title, it recorded an eighth-
straight season with a .500 record or
better (7-4) and qualified for an Eastern
Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC)
bowl game for a third-straight season. The
Jackets battled Brockport (N.Y.) State in
the ECAC Northwest Bowl.
The high-powered Waynesburg offense
was led by first-team All-PAC quarterback
Carter Hill, who etched his named in the
Yellow Jacket record book after posting
some truly prodigious numbers. The
junior set new single-season records for
passing yardage (3,102), touchdown
passes (28), pass completions (292) and
pass attempts (473). The Columbiana,
Ohio, native was a four-time Corvias
ECAC Division III Southwest Offensive
Player of the Week and a two-time PAC
Offensive Player of the Week. He was also
lauded as a third-team member of the
D3football.com 2013 All-South Region
Team.
On the other side of the line of
scrimmage, senior defensive end Brandon
Fedorka proved to be one of the most disruptive forces in all of
Division III. Fedorka put together a fantastic final season on the
gridiron. He set new personal bests with 67 total tackles (46 solo
stops), 11.5 sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. He showed off his
diverse skill set with six pass breakups, three forced fumbles and
three fumble recoveries. Those numbers earned him first-team
All-PAC honors, PAC Defensive Player of the Year applause and
first-team D3football.com 2013 All-South Region recognition. The
Clinton, Pa., native wrapped up his award haul by being named to
the prestigious Associated Press Little All-American Team, which
recognizes the top players from NCAA Division II and Division III, as
well as the NAIA.
Hill and Fedorka led a group of five first-
team All-PAC honorees that included
senior safety Bryan Gary, who became a
rare four-time first-team all-conference
selection after leading the team in total
tackles (90). Waynesburg also saw four of
its own lauded as second-team honorees,
and nine picked up honorable mention
All-PAC applause.
Both the Waynesburg men’s and
women’s soccer teams stayed in playoff
contention throughout their respective
seasons. Unfortunately, both squads
came up painfully short of qualifying for
their respective postseasons. The Yellow
Jackets men finished one-half game
out of the fourth-and-final playoff spot
after going 3-3-2 in PAC play, while the
Jacket women were tied for fourth in the
conference at 5-3-1, but missed out on
the postseason due to a tie-breaker.
The Orange and Black men were led
by senior Tim Fields, who was named
first-team All-PAC after firing in a team-
high eight goals and posting 19 total
points. Fields was also listed on the 2013
NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division
III Men's All-Great Lakes Region third-
team squad.
Senior Susie Godwin led a trio of
women’s soccer standouts after drilling four goals and adding an
assist for nine total points. Like Fields, she found her way onto the
2013 NSCAA/Continental Tire NCAA Division III Women's All-
Great Lakes Region third team.
Second-year head coach Carl Griffiths, who led both teams in 2013,
SPORTS UPDATE
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 51
SPORTS UPDATE
was honored as the PAC Men’s
Soccer Coach of the Year after guiding
his squad to a 10-4-3 overall mark. He
also led the Jacket women to an 8-8-1
season record.
The Waynesburg men’s and women’s
cross country teams both enjoyed
high levels of success in 2013. The
Yellow Jacket men made team
history when it won the Chatham
University Invitational, which is
believed to be the program’s first
team championship in modern
history. They followed that up with
a third-place showing at the PAC
championships, placing behind only
traditional powerhouse Grove City
and four-time defending champion
Saint Vincent. Sophomore Ben
McAuley and senior Jonathan Blatt
were honored as second-team All-
PAC picks after finishing in ninth and
13th place, respectively.
The Jacket women ran to one of their
finest seasons in recent memory.
Under the guidance of head coach
Chris Hardie, Waynesburg won
both its home invitational and the
Chatham Invitational, while adding
third-place performances at two other
regular season meets. The Orange
and Black carried that regular season
success over into the conference
championships, where Waynesburg
took second out of 10 teams. The
Jackets were led by the freshman twin
sisters Emily and Katie Latimer, who both earned second-team All-
PAC distinction after placing eighth and 10th, respectively.
Under the guidance of 16th-year head coach Ron Christman,
the Waynesburg women’s tennis team had one of its best regular
seasons in recent memory. The Yellow Jackets went 11-4 overall,
which features the program’s highest win total since before 2003.
The Jackets placed fifth at the annual PAC Championships.
Moving inside to the volleyball
court, the Yellow Jackets were led by
sophomore setter Jessica Dorazio,
who earned honorable mention
All-PAC accolades after leading the
Orange and Black in digs per set
(4.94) and service aces (26). Dorazio’s
efforts highlighted Waynesburg’s 7-23
season.
WINTER 2013-14
The Yellow Jacket athletic scene really
heated up as the temperatures outside
the newly renovated Rudy Marisa
Fieldhouse dropped during weeks
of sub-freezing temperatures and
seemly relentless snowfall. All three
winter programs enjoyed seasons
to remember on the newly installed
hardwood floor of their home
gymnasium.
It was business as usual for the
Waynesburg wrestling team, which
hosted and won the 2014 PAC
Wrestling Championships. The
victory, which featured four individual
champions, was the Jackets’ fourth
at the event over the past five
years. Freshman Filippo Crivelli
(133 pounds), junior Jake Vitolo
(141), senior Luke Lohr (149) and
sophomore Greg Kumer (285) all
won their respective weight classes to
power the win. Sixth-year head coach
Ron Headlee was named PAC Coach
of the Year for a fourth time.
As satisfying as a fourth conference title trophy was to the Jackets,
their biggest highlights were still to come as the postseason wore
on. For a second-straight year, Waynesburg qualified three of its
own to compete in the NCAA Division III National Wrestling
Championships, as Lohr, senior Cameron Fine (184) and senior
Anthony Bonaventura (174) made the trip to Cedar Rapids, Iowa,
52 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
SPORTS UPDATE
for the event. Bonaventura made program
history by upsetting the number-two and
number-three wrestlers in his weight class to
become the Yellow Jacket to wrestle for an
NCAA Division III national title. Bonaventura
wound up taking home the silver medal at
174 pounds.
As a team, the Jackets won the most dual
matches in recorded program history after
putting together a 15-6 overall record.
Speaking of record-setting win totals,
Bonaventura’s 42-5 overall mark features the
most individual wins in recorded program
history.
Moving from the mats to the court, sixth-
year head coach Sam Jones continued to
build upon his ever-growing legacy of success
with the Waynesburg women’s basketball
team by leading the Yellow Jackets to their
fourth-straight winning season (15-12).
Win number 13 was particularly sweet for
Jones, as it moved him into first place on the
program’s list for wins by a head coach (85).
The Jackets advanced to the semifinal round
of the PAC Championships, where they fell
to Thomas More, which was ranked number
one in the country by the end of the regular
season. However, Waynesburg scored the
most points of anyone the Saints faced in
2014 during the 106-88 setback.
Even with all of the wins and accolades from their fellow winter
squads, no team seemed to capture the attention of the campus
community like the resurgent men’s basketball program. Under the
guidance of 2014 PAC Men’s Basketball Coach of the Year Mark
Christner, the Yellow Jackets posted their first overall winning record
(15-12) since the 2005-06 campaign. The achievements continued
to be earned, as the Orange and Black hosted and won its first PAC
quarterfinal matchup since the 2005-06 season and qualified for an
ECAC tournament (Southwest) for the first time since 1998.
SPRING 2014
Perhaps the biggest obstacle faced by
Waynesburg’s eight spring programs was
the cold, snowy weather that persisted well
into the month of April. However, by the
time May came around, the various Jacket
coaching staffs managed to put together
quality seasons of work before graduation.
Under the guidance of second-year head
coach Maria Shepas, the women’s lacrosse
team set a new program record for wins in a
season by going 3-9 in the 2014. The team’s
third win came against fellow PAC member
Washington & Jefferson, which marked
the first time the Yellow Jackets defeated a
conference rival in their seven-year history.
New individual standards of success were
also established by the standout senior Toria
Shepherd. Not only did she become the
all-time team leader in career goals (93) and
total points (115), but her 34 goals this past
spring are the most ever tallied in a single
season by a Jacket player.
Though the Waynesburg softball team didn’t
win as many games as it would have liked
during a 10-22 season (6-12 in PAC play),
there were a few definite highlights for the
squad, which was led by sixth-year head
coach Lou Giachetti. The Jackets pulled one
of the biggest upsets of any team in the
conference when they upset Thomas More
4-3 in a 12-inning thriller that gave the then 6-0 Saints their first
PAC loss of the season. Waynesburg also put together a fine sendoff
for its seniors during the last home doubleheader of 2014. The
home team swept visiting Chatham by the final scores of 1-0 and
5-1.
The Waynesburg golf teams were invigorated by some very
successful new faces that made immediate impacts on their
respective squads. The Yellow Jacket men were led by first-year
junior Tyler Tracy, who was the team’s lowest scorer at every one
of its six spring events. Tracy earned honorable mention All-PAC
laurels at the league’s spring championships. The Waynesburg
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 53
SPORTS UPDATE
women, who already
boasted one of the top
competitors in the PAC,
senior Madison Presto,
added freshman Paige Lane
to its ranks. Presto was
lauded as a second-team
all-conference pick, while
Lane played well enough
for honorable mention
accolades.
After experiencing its
share of struggles during
a 3-8 regular season, the
Waynesburg men’s tennis
team found its groove at
the right time and won its
final two matches of the
2014 campaign. Led by
Christman, the Yellow Jackets rode that momentum into the annual
PAC Championships and placed fourth at the event after finishing
the regular season in seventh place.
The Jackets were led by freshman Timothy Harris and junior Philip
Littlejohn, who took second place at second and third singles,
respectively. Harris added another silver medal performance by
teaming up with junior Isaiah Cochran at first doubles. Littlejohn
and classmate Colin Philips took third at second doubles.
The Waynesburg men’s and women’s track & field teams faced
some lofty expectations this spring after historically high finishes at
the 2013 PAC Outdoor Track & Field Championships. Some major
losses due to graduation contributed to the Jacket women dropping
to fourth place this spring after they won their first conference team
title in 2013. The Waynesburg men experienced a less precipitous
drop by placing third as a squad after claiming second place a year
earlier.
Junior Byrum Louco stole the show at the conference
championships by taking home both the PAC Track MVP award
and PAC Track & Field MVP award after an outstanding Saturday
of competition. He scored individual gold medals in both the
400-meter dash and 400-meter hurdles, respectively, and added
honorable mention All-PAC laurels in the 110-meter hurdles
after crossing the finish line in third place. He was also part of
Waynesburg's first-place
4x400-meter relay team,
which qualified for
the upcoming Eastern
Collegiate Athletic
Conference (ECAC)
Championships.
Last, but certainly not
least, the Waynesburg
baseball team was on
the cusp of qualifying
for the four-team
PAC Championship
tournament as April
turned into May. The
Yellow Jackets were
in fifth place in the
conference standings, one
game behind the number-
four squad. With veteran head coach Mike Humiston at the helm,
an extremely young group of players (three seniors, seven juniors,
nine sophomores and 17 freshmen) were looking to qualify for the
conference postseason for the first time since 2005.
ACADEMICS
The Yellow Jacket athletic programs enjoyed their share of academic
accolades throughout the school year. Waynesburg boasted the
most honorees on the PAC Fall Academic Honor Roll for a third-
straight year after 73 student-athletes were featured on the list.
That total was 14 names higher than the school with the second-
most honorees. The PAC Academic Honor Roll recognizes varsity
student-athletes who have earned a grade-point average (GPA) of
3.6 or higher on a 4.0 scale during their semester of competition.
In addition to their representation on the PAC Fall Academic
Honor Roll, the Waynesburg football, men’s cross country, women’s
cross country, men’s soccer, women’s soccer and wrestling teams
all added a variety of recognitions for their team’s efforts in the
classroom. Junior linebacker John Sikora highlighted the athletic
department’s individual academic honors by being named to
the Capital One All-America Division III Football Team, which is
selected by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America
(CoSIDA).
The Waynesburg University men’s and women’s cross country teams both placed in the top three of their respective PAC championship meets. The Yellow Jacket women took second, while their male counterparts took third.
Alumni & Fr iends EventsSeptember 2014 Washington, PA (TBA) Women's Alumnae Luncheon
October 10-11, 2014 Homecoming
October 23, 2014 Baltimore Area Alumni & Friends Dinner
November 6, 2014 Dave & Buster’s Recent Grad Night
November 13, 2014 Greensburg Alumni & Friends Dinner
January 28, 2015 Pittsburgh Networking Lunch
February 4, 2015 Washington County Networking Lunch
February 14, 2015 WU Sweethearts Dinner
February 26, 2015 Phantom of the Opera in Pittsburgh, Pa.
March 2-5, 2015 Florida Alumni & Friends Events
March 17, 2015 Arizona Alumni & Friends Dinner
March 24, 2015 166th Charter Day Celebration and Donor Recognition Dinner
April 11, 2015 Alumni Dinner Theatre
April 15, 2015 York Alumni & Friends Dinner
April 16, 2015 New Jersey Alumni & Friends Dinner
May 3, 2015 Commencement
For more information on Alumni & Friends events, visit www.waynesburgunited.com.
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 55
BIGDIFFERENCE
There are easy ways you can make a
at
Maybe you thought you couldn’t afford to make a significant gift to Waynesburg. Maybe you thought that a meaningful gift was something that “other people” do. There are five easy ways that you can make a gift that not only helps the University, but could help you, your estate and your heirs.
For information on ways to make a planned gift, visit plannedgiving.waynesburg.edu or contact Heidi Szuminsky, Executive Director of Institutional Advancement, at 724-852-3258 or [email protected].
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Bequests
Insurance Policies
Retirement Plan Assets
Charitable Gi� Annuities
Charitable Remainder Trusts
ALUMNI UPDATE
56 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Alumnus gains national recognition through PBS award for classroom innovation
Ryan Devlin, a 2007 Waynesburg University secondary English education alumnus, was one of 100 educators selected for the 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators Program. Devlin teaches 11th grade English and technology at Brockway Area High School in Brockway, Pa.
The PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators Program rewards tech-
savvy K-12 educators from across the country who incorporate
digital media in the classroom to promote student engagement and
achievement.
“Great schools and great teachers constantly evolve and adapt,” said
Devlin, whose classroom is 100 percent paperless. “Technology is
going to continue to play an increased role in both life and the work
place. If we don’t teach students relevant 21st century skills, we are
failing to prepare them for their future.”
The 2014 PBS LearningMedia Digital Innovators will receive year-
long professional development opportunities that include virtual
trainings, access to premium, exclusive resources and invitations to
special events.
The top 16 applicants, including Devlin, will serve as leaders of the
program and will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington,
D.C., to take part in a two-day digital education summit. There, they
will participate in hands-on learning, collaborate with peers and
hear from leaders in digital technology.
Devlin, who has taught at Brockway Area High School for seven
years, was named the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year in 2013. He
was also named one of four finalists for the 2014 National Teacher
of the Year award.
Devlin received his bachelor’s degree in secondary English
education from Waynesburg University, where he became familiar
with technology in the classroom and gained hands-on experience
with modern instructional technology. Devlin also holds a master’s
degree in educational leadership. He also holds teaching certificates
in English (grades 7-12), business/computers (grades K-12) and
library science (grades K-12).
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 57
Want to find out about the latest alumni events, news, campus happenings, class notes and more?
Visit us online at www.waynesburgunited.com!
VISIT THE WAYNESBURG ALUMNI WEBSITE
ALUMNI UPDATE
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CLASS NOTES: NOW AVAILABLE ONLINE AT WWW.WAYNESBURGUNITED.COM/CLASSNOTESAre you wondering where the Class Notes section went? To provide you with the timeliest information about what your former classmates are up to these days, Class Notes are changing to an online-only format. Send your updates to [email protected] or visit www.waynesburgunited.com/classnotes*
*Due to privacy policies you must login to view Class Notes online. If you have any questions, please contact the Alumni Office at 724-852-3300.
WAYNESBURG ALUMNI E-NEWSLETTER
You can receive monthly updates from Waynesburg University Alumni by updating your email address. The Alumni Newsletter is the best way to get the latest information about upcoming alumni events near you, campus updates, sports news and more every month!
Email us at [email protected] or call 724-852-3300 to update us with your most current email.
ALUMNI UPDATE
The Lamp • Summer 2014 | 59
Trustee visits St. Joseph's CathedralOn a recent visit to Vietnam, University Trustee John D. Woodward visited St. Joseph's Cathedral in Hanoi. The French colonial government built this Cathedral in 1886 in an architectural style resembling Notre Dame in Paris.
The Cathedral served as the center of worship for Hanoi's Catholics
until the Communists came to power in North Vietnam in 1954.
The Communist government ordered the Cathedral closed and St.
Joseph's did not reopen again until Christmas Eve 1990. These days,
the cathedral conducts daily masses.
Former resident directors win national award
Former Waynesburg University resident directors Chuck Ellis and his wife, Sally (Stalder) Ellis, recently received a national award for their family-owned business, Pearl Valley Cheese. A panel of international cheese experts judging the 2014 World Championship Cheese Contest in Madison, Wisc., awarded Pearl Valley a gold medallion in the Rind-less Swiss Cheese Class.
Pearl Valley's Swiss was also recognized as one of the top 16
cheeses in the entire competition, a feat among 2,615 entries from
22 countries. Pearl Valley is a four-generation business located
in Fresno, Ohio. The Ellis’s both served as resident directors at
Waynesburg University and have a son, Tom Ellis, who is a current
student.
The only way to receive the most current, real-
time information from Waynesburg University
is to update your information.
Update your information at
www.waynesburgunited.com/updateyourinfo
UPDATE
YOUR INFO
60 | The Lamp • Summer 2014
Dallas Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – January 23, 2014
Houston Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – January 21, 2014
Richmond Regional Dinner – November 7, 2013Connecticut Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – October 16, 2013
Alumni Gatherings
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Marisa Men Reunion – May 2-3, 2014
New Jersey Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – April 10, 2014
West Palm Beach Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – March 3, 2014Pittsburgh Networking Lunch – February 27, 2014
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Other Events (not pictured)
Dave and Buster’s Recent Grad Gathering – November 14, 2013
Hilton Head Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – February 20, 2014
Ft. Meyers Regional Alumni and Friends Lunch – March 2, 2014
Jacksonville Beach Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – March 5, 2014
Alumni Dinner Theatre – April 5, 2014
Denver Regional Alumni and Friends Dinner – April 8, 2014
Recent Grad Night at PNC Park – June 28, 2014
Waynesburg University kicked off its first Alumni and Friends Summer Travel Program to Greece June 12 through 23, 2014. The group walked in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul while enjoying the sights and sounds of the Greek islands. Want to be the first to find out where our next trip will take place? Email us at [email protected]!
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Make plans now to attend
HOMECOMING 2014OCTOBER 10-11Homecoming is the perfect time to reconnect with classmates and
visit your alma mater. Contact your friends and make plans to spend the weekend of October 10 through 11 in Waynesburg!
CLASS REUNIONS
2004 - 10 Years1989 - 25 Years1984 - 30 Years1979 - 35 Years1969 - 45 Years1964 - 50 Years1963 and before - 50+ Years
LOOK FOR YOUR OFFICIAL HOMECOMING INVITATION SOON!
VISIT WWW.WAYNESBURGUNITED.COM/HOMECOMING14 TO GET ALL OF THE LATEST HOMECOMING 2014 UPDATES.
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