Three Lycoming College students recently presented at the second annual Food Waste & Hunger Summit at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. The students who presented included Jen Carmody, a sophomore with a major in digital communications from Burlington, Connecticut; Julian Jones, a junior with a major in ecology from Washington, New Jersey; and Johanna Hripto, a sophomore with a major in ecology from Montrose.

The Food Waste & Hunger Summit convenes student leaders who are pioneering solutions to the interrelated problems of food insecurity and food waste. The Summit gives students a forum to learn from experts in the fields of social justice, social enterprise, public health, non-profit management and related fields in addition to the opportunity to share best practices. There were break-out sessions throughout the day, ranging from increasing volunteers and awareness for your programs, hunger issues in rural, elderly, low-income areas to increasing local food in school cafeterias and creating a zero-waste campus.

“The Food Waste & Hunger Summit was a zero-waste event, meaning that everything that was used at the event from utensils to posters was compostable,” said Hripto. “All presentations were distributed electronically and mason jars substituted for plastic water bottles.”

The three students were invited by the National Food Recovery Network to present a student panel session about strengthening relationships with your partner agencies as a result of the Lycoming College chapter’s success. Jones and Hripto spoke about the relationship the Lycoming chapter has developed with the American Rescue Workers, a non-profit that gives spiritual and material aid to those in need. Part of this development was made possible through Kaylin and Michael Kane, two Lycoming College alumni who are currently staff members at the American Rescue Workers. Since its founding in January 2014, the Lycoming chapter of Food Recovery Network has saved over 17,000 pounds of food from the landfill by donating it all to the American Rescue Workers.

The Summit was co-hosted by the Campus Kitchen Projects and the Food Recovery Network. The National Food Recovery Network organization paid the conference registration and accommodations for the three students as a thank you for the success of the Food Recovery Network Eastern Regional Summit that was hosted at Lycoming College in September 2014.

Guest speakers included: Doug Rauch, former president of Trader Joe's and also the founder and president of Daily Table, and Dr. Caree Cotwright, a prominent leader in children's nutrition who has worked with first lady Michelle Obama on her various nutrition campaigns.

Jones and Hripto are co-coordinators of the Sustainability Committee on campus. The Sustainability Committee consists of students, faculty members and administrators, and serves in an advisory capacity in relation to sustainability initiatives on campus. Jones is also the project manager of food recovery on the Lycoming campus, and Carmody will be her successor for the upcoming 2015-2016 academic school year.

Lycoming College students teamed up with Favors Forward to sponsor a Spring Clean-Up Day on April 18. About 150 students spent the day doing yardwork for many families within the local community.

Steve Wiser, assistant football coach, is the chief coordinator of the Favors Forward event. He coordinated the student volunteers, which included members of the football team, student senate, campus ministry, the accounting society, the pre-health society and various other athletic teams.

Favors Forward is a local non-profit service organization that provides a network of volunteers uniting their time, talent, and treasures to assist children and adults in Lycoming County facing life-changing hardships. They focus on individuals and families that are not receiving ongoing assistance from other agencies and organizations. Favors Forward differentiates itself from other service organizations by requiring clients to complete a contract that they will “Pay it Forward” once they are back on their feet and are able to do so.

Lycoming College will hold commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2015 on Saturday, May 9 at 2 p.m. on the Quad. Three hundred and twenty seven undergraduates will receive degrees during the college’s 167th commencement. In the event of inclement weather, the ceremony will in the Recreation Center. The Baccalaureate service will be held the prior day, May 8, at 5 p.m. in the Recreation Center.

Lycoming will confer two honorary degrees during commencement. Peter R. Lynn ‘69, president and chief executive officer of Government Retirement & Benefits, Inc. will receive the degree Doctor of Laws. Lynn is completing a term as Chair of the Lycoming College Board of Trustees. The Honorable Thomas I. Vanaskie ‘75, Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, will receive the degree Doctor of Laws. Vanaskie will serve as commencement speaker.

Lynn was employed by the U.S. General Accounting Office in Washington, D.C., for 17 years. Upon leaving the GAO, he founded Government Retirement & Benefits, Incorporated. Lynn has been a member of the Lycoming College Board of Trustees since 2002 and was appointed Chairman of the Board in 2011. Lynn and his wife Joyce made the lead gift for the Lynn Science Center , which is expected to open in the fall of this year.

A distinguished jurist, Vanaskie serves on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, which is one step below the Supreme Court. In 1994, President Bill Clinton nominated him to the United States District Court for the middle district of Pennsylvania, a seat he held from 1994-2006. In 2010, President Barack Obama nominated him to the Court of Appeals. In 2013, Vanaskie was inducted to the Academic All-America Hall of Fame of the College Sports Information Directors. In 2014, the NCAA Division III featured him as one of forty student-athletes who, during the first forty years of Division III, best exemplified the values that define Division III sports.

Bridget Bellmore, of Curwensville Pa., was selected to bring greetings from the senior class. Bellmore has majored  in creative writing and minored in business administration.. She is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the English honor society and recently completed departmental honors in English.  She has also been elected to membership in Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective collegiate honor society for all academic disciplines.  She serves as the president of United Campus Ministries and has been a member of the Lycoming College Choir, Chamber Choir, and Tour Choir.  Bellmore served as the Managing Editor of the Tributary, Lycoming's literary magazine and worked as a writing tutor in the Writing Center.

Four seniors have been selected to address the class during the Baccalaureate service: Emily Schumann, from Fair Hills, N.J., has majors in both creative writing and painting; Taylor Kendra, from Sellersville, has majors in both archaeology and creative writing and recently received the college’s prestigious Chieftain Award; Nathan Bahn, from Abbottstown, has majors in both German and international studies; and Michael Stefan, from Bel Air, Md., has a major in criminology. Upon the close of the ceremony, Dr. Edward Gabriel, Ph.D., will offer a brief charge to the guests.

Gabriel is an associate professor of biology and environmental science and will be retiring after 38 years with the college. Over his tenure, he served as the academic advisor for many students and the Health Professions Advisory Committee Chair for over 25 years. His special interests include genetics, radiation and cellular biology.

Lycoming College students teamed up with Favors Forward to sponsor a Spring Clean-Up Day on April 18. About 150 students spent the day doing yardwork for many families within the local community.

“I had seven wonderful, polite gentlemen here to trim hedges and remove all the weeds from my flower bed,” said Irene Gohrig, of Williamsport, “Lycoming should be proud of these students – they were so pleasant and helpful."

Steve Wiser, assistant football coach, manages the Favors Forward event. He coordinated the student volunteers, which included members of the football team, student senate, campus ministry, the accounting society, the pre-health society and various other athletic teams.

Favors Forward is a local non-profit service organization that provides a network of volunteers uniting their time, talent, and treasures to assist children and adults in Lycoming County facing life-changing hardships. They focus on individuals and families that are not receiving ongoing assistance from other agencies and organizations. Favors Forward differentiates itself from other service organizations by requiring clients to complete a contract that they will “Pay it Forward” once they are back on their feet and are able to do so.

Karen Gerofsky, a Lycoming College alumna, won an American Movie Award for her movie “Get It Together.”

“It was kind of crazy to win this award because we all worked so hard on pulling this funny short film off,” said Gerofsky. “We've had a lot of fun making this film and when we found out, the director, Ingrid Stobbe, and I were literally jumping up and down.”

Gerofsky played Sarah, one of the main characters in the short film, and managed all of the color correction editing. She also assisted with the creation and development of the story, in conjunction with Ingrid Stobbe, director, Elizabeth Mezzacappa and Ericka Maatman.

“Get It Together” is a movie about a relationship columnist with a book deal on the line who is dumped by her boyfriend. With time running out she turns to her friends to find all there is to know about the Boston dating scene. Against all odds, these four friends work to find dating research worth publishing. The trailer for the short film can be found on  Karen Gerofsky's website.

At the American Movie Awards, the Official Jury chose a single Grand Prize Winner along with one Silver Prize Winner and one Bronze Prize Winner based on review and analysis of all the nominees in over 25 categories. Gerofsky’s film was recognized as the Grand Prize Winner for the Produced Screenplay category. Recognition as an American Movie Awards Winner, Nominee or Official Finalist puts films, screenwriters and producers in an esteemed group of exceptional film industry talent.

Gerofsky graduated from Lycoming College in 2010 with a degree in digital media communication and a minor in media writing.

The Lycoming College Art Gallery will host Ellen Rich’s “Good News” exhibit from Friday, May 15 to Saturday, July 18. A reception and gallery talk will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 15 at 25 W. Fourth Street, Williamsport. This exhibit is free and open to the public.

In her “Good News” exhibit, Rich explores relationships and connections, the places we meet, and the spaces between us, in a variety of media. Bright, energetic color characterizes the work and adds to the overall sense of fullness and density. Her approach to making the work is intuitive and explorative with the goal of creating a piece that speaks with emotion to the viewer.

Rich grew up in Williamsport. She earned a Master of Art Education from Massachusetts College of Art and returned briefly to Williamsport to earn a teaching certificate at Lycoming College. She maintains a studio in Boston and has exhibited extensively in the northeastern United States. For more information on Rich and her artwork, please visit her website.

The Lycoming College Art Gallery is open on Thursdays and Fridays from 2-8 p.m. and on Saturdays from 1-9 p.m. The gallery features regional and national exhibitions in addition to the annual Art Faculty Show and Senior Show. For more information on the Lycoming College Art Gallery and the upcoming exhibitions, please visit the Lycoming College Art Gallery Web page.

Lycoming College inducted eight students into Alpha Kappa Delta, the international honor society for sociology and anthropology students during a ceremony on April 8.

The student inductees included: Katelyn Lord, a senior with a major in business health care administration from Kingston, Pa.; Amber Seibel, a senior with majors in German and anthropology and sociology from McDonald, Pa.; and Oluwatosin Fayinminu, a junior with a major in sociology and anthropology from Tampa, Fla.

Alpha Kappa Delta seeks to acknowledge and promote excellence in scholarship within the study of sociology, the research of social problems, and other social and intellectual activities that lead to improvement in the human condition. To qualify for membership, students must have a major in sociology-anthropology, maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 on a four point scale, and rank in the top 35% of their class in general scholarship.

Lycoming College recently inducted eight students into the Alpha Phi Sigma criminal justice honor society during a ceremony on April 8.

Alpha Phi Sigma recognizes academic excellence of undergraduate and graduate students of criminal justice, as well as students pursuing their Juris Doctor degree. The goals of Alpha Phi Sigma are to honor and promote academic excellence, community service, educational leadership and unity. Alpha Phi Sigma is the only criminal justice honor society that is a certified member of the Association of College Honor Societies and affiliated with the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences.

Student inductees included: Deidre Lupia, a senior with a major in psychology from Reading, Pa.; Elizabeth Perez, a senior with a major in psychology from New City, N.Y.; Connor Keenan, a senior with a major in criminal justice from Exton, Pa.; Alexander Bottorff, a senior with a major in history from Cicero, N.Y.; Adam Beacker, a junior with a major in psychology from Ulysses, Pa.; Gwynneth Montis, a junior with a major in psychology from Williamsport, Pa.; Nicole Calella, a sophomore with a major in criminal justice from Branchville, N.J.; and Daniyel Snyder, a sophomore with a major in criminal justice from South Williamsport, Pa.

Alec Minnick, a recent graduate with major in biology from Montoursville, received a third place award for his research poster presentation at the 91st Annual Pennsylvania Academy of Science meeting held at Lebanon Valley College on April 9-12. Minnick, along with five other students, also presented research papers at the meeting.

Minnick’s project summarized four years of pre- and post-monitoring of the water quality of a stream after agricultural best management practices were adopted on four farms in Lycoming County. This project was a cooperative effort by the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute, Lycoming County Conservation District and the Lycoming County Office for Environmental Planning.

Also presenting papers at the meeting were: Samuel Wanner, a senior with a major in biology from Benton, Pa.; Peter Gnocchi, a senior with a major in biology from Bristol, R.I.; Justin Potuck, a junior with a major in biology from Dushore, Pa.; Sarah Pedrick, a senior with a major in biology from Salem, N.J.; and Alison McNett, a sophomore with a major in biology from Canton, Pa.

All students were supervised by Melvin Zimmerman, Ph.D., professor of biology and director of the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute, and Peter Petokas, Ph.D., research associate with the Lycoming College Clean Water Institute.

Since 1924, the Pennsylvania Academy of Science has been educating and supporting scientists throughout Pennsylvania by striving to promote science, technology, education and the diverse interests amongst their members. They are Pennsylvania’s vital and valuable resource for Pennsylvania science professionals, faculty and students. For more information, please visit www.pennsci.org.

Lycoming College celebrated the contributions of its staff members and presented its top five awards during Staff Appreciation Day on Wednesday, May 20. The awards are given annually on the basis of dedication and service to the college. Nominations were received from faculty and staff members, and the award-winners were voted on by a committee of their peers. In addition, 29 Service Awards were presented for every five years of completed service.

Jessica Hess, associate director of admissions, received the Rookie of the Year Award. The award recognizes a newcomer who has demonstrated a combination of outstanding service, dedication and significant contributions to his or her department. Hess began working at the college in 2013.

Steve Wiser, assistant football coach, was recognized with the Warrior Spirit Award. He has worked at the college since 1974. The award is given to an employee who has a spirit of volunteerism, collaboration, commitment and integrity.

Lisa Mendler, assistant to the provost, received the Benjamin Crever Outstanding Service Award. She has worked at the college since 2008. The award is given to an employee who has demonstrated excellent service and has made significant contributions to his/her department, division and/or the campus community.

Stephanie Fortin, assistant director of counseling services, was presented the Blue and Gold Leadership Award. She began working at the college in 2002. The award is given to an employee who acts as a mentor for others by providing advice, guidance, and has a supportive attitude.

Barbara Carlin, executive administrative assistant for admissions, received the Employee of the Year Award. She began working at Lycoming in 1980. The employee of the year award is given to the employee who exemplifies characteristics defined for the Rookie Warrior, Warrior Spirit, Outstanding Service, and Leadership Award categories.

Lynn Estomin, professor of art at Lycoming College, will have two pieces of her exhibit, “SHAME,” featured at the Gallery of Best CSS, an online gallery of innovative websites, and the IndieGo Alley Festival in Aviles, Spain. Her pieces, “A Stitch in Time” and “Fashion to Die For,” both draw attention to the human rights violations in the global textile industry.

“A Stitch in Time,” an online interactive website, tells the stories of various women who worked at the Weldon pajama factory in downtown Williamsport and other areas in Central Pennsylvania.

“Fashion to Die For,” a documentary, focuses on exposing the human rights violations that occur throughout the global textile industry. Estomin’s documentary has also won an Award of Merit at the San Francisco Film Awards; and been featured in the following: New York Audience Now Film Festival, Bucknell University's Samek Art Museum and Downtown Art Gallery; SIGGRAPH’s Enhanced Vision – Digital Video, an international survey of today’s most exciting and innovative digitally-enhanced video art works; the Utah Arts Festival Fear No Film Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah; and in the “Women’s Rights to Dignity, Security and Justice: The Rana Plaza Collapse” and “Triangle Fire: Consequences and Accountability” exhibits at Fordham University School of Law at Lincoln Center, New York, New York.

Estomin teaches graphic design, digital imaging, web design and interactive media at Lycoming College. She creates art about gender, social issues and the environment. Her award-winning documentaries have been screened at international film festivals and broadcast on PBS. Her websites and interactive art have won awards from Adobe, the Webby Awards, Site of the Day and Canadian Web Association. Estomin received her Master of Fine Arts from the University of Cincinnati, College of Design, Art, Architecture & Planning.

“SHAME,” combines image transfer, an interactive website, video, magazine ads from clothing manufacturers, donated clothing labels, sculpture, silk-screening, stitching and photographs to draw attention to the history of human rights violations in the textile industry.

Former Lycoming College Board Chair and Trustee Emeritus Dr. Robert L. Shangraw ’58 H’04 passed away on Thursday morning, June 11. He was 82.

A native of Jersey Shore, PA, Shangraw was asked to join the Lycoming College Board of Trustees in 1985 and in the spring of 1989, he became the Chair of the Board. He spent 16 years in that role, working hand-in-hand with President James Douthat to help grow Lycoming’s endowment from $14 million to more than $100 million at the end of his term.

A man of seemingly endless energy, he served as chair for three fundraising campaigns (1986, 1990, and Campaign 2000), which raised more than $36 million. He also helped oversee the construction of the Heim Science Center, Mary Lindsay Welch Honors Hall, the Douthat Commons, the Recreation Center and was active in the expansion of the College’s boundaries to Market Street. Honors Hall is also the proud home to the Robert L. and Charlene Shangraw Performing Arts Center. A significant supporter and advocate for athletics, Shangraw led a fund drive to build a new athletic stadium in 1998 transforming David Person Field into one of the best small college athletic facilities in the Northeast. In recognition of his generosity and leadership in completing the project, the Lycoming College Board of Trustees named the Robert L. Shangraw Athletic Complex in his honor.

In 1994 Shangraw was presented with the Angela R. Kyte Outstanding Alumnus Award to recognize "a lifetime of service to humanity and whose life exemplifies those qualities encouraged and fostered at Lycoming College." In 2004, Lycoming College awarded Shangraw an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws.

Shangraw worked for most of his career in the Williamsport area and was the first person from Williamsport to chair the college’s board in nearly 70 years when he took the position in 1989.

Dr. Shangraw’s service extended beyond the College to the greater Williamsport area.

As such, Dr. Shangraw was not just active in the Lycoming College community, but also the greater Williamsport area. His impact and commitment to serving others stands as one of his most significant legacies. Over the course of his career, he served on the boards of the Susquehanna Health System, First Community Foundation of Pennsylvania, River Valley Regional YMCA, Jersey Shore YMCA, Little League International, Ross Club, Lycoming Business-Education Coalition, and the Williamsport Area Joint School Authority.

His generosity and fundraising impacted virtually every major not-for-profit in the greater Williamsport area. A member of the Lycoming County Capital Campaign Review Committee, Shangraw chaired capital campaigns for the Children's Development Center, and was involved in capital campaigns for Little League Baseball and the Hiawatha Riverboat. Additionally, he was adviser for campaigns for the Jersey Shore YMCA, Treasure Lake Church, River Valley Regional YMCA and Susquehanna Health.

Most recently, Shangraw was honored by the United Way of Lycoming County with the 2014 Douglas C. Dickey Humanitarian Award. The Dickey Award, given annually to a person who demonstrates commitment and leadership, is the United Way's most prestigious honor.

Dr. Shangraw began his professional career at Bell Telephone of Pennsylvania and spent the latter part of his career climbing the ranks at Merrill Lynch as a financial consultant, assistant vice president, vice president and first vice president of investments.

His memberships include the Lycoming County United Way Tocqueville Society, Lycoming College 1812 Society and Tower Society, and the Williamsport Country Club.

Mehrdad Madresehee, Ph.D., professor of economics at Lycoming College, recently had a research paper published by Pennsylvania Economic Review, a peer reviewed journal, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Economic Association.

His paper, “A Comparative Study of the Williamsport MSA’s Economy,” looks into the peculiarities that have been present in the economy of the Williamsport Metropolitan Statistical Area since 1970.
Madresehee’s research was supported by a professional development grant from the college.

The Pennsylvania Economic Review publishes scholarly articles and book reviews submitted from anywhere in the world and in all economic areas.

The Pennsylvania Economic Association (PEA) is a professional association of economists and allied social scientists in Pennsylvania and neighboring states. PEA conferences have attracted economists not only from Pennsylvania and the surrounding states of Maryland, New York, New Jersey, Ohio and West Virginia, but also from other countries including Japan, Austria, Canada, Germany, Belgium, Mexico, India, France and Taiwan. Noted economists from business, government, academia, and the Federal Reserve System address the luncheon and dinner sessions of the meeting.

Lycoming College has selected 21 students to participate in the Williamsport Internship Summer Experience (WISE). Now in its second year, WISE gives Lycoming students the opportunity to participate in an internship within their area of academic interest in the local community.

“Students in the WISE program have the valuable opportunity to learn about their career of interest first-hand from local businesses and organizations,” said Kristin Laudenslager, career coordinator at Lycoming College.

The WISE Committee works to form partnerships with local businesses and organizations so they can match each student with an internship in their area of interest. Together, the college, student and business partner create specific learning objectives for the student to maximize their experience and takeaways. In order to enhance the learning aspect of the internship experience, students in the internship program also meet weekly for a professional development seminar.

“During the professional development seminar, students set learning objectives, reflect on their experience, and learn the importance of soft or ‘employability’ skills, which are highly valued by today’s employers,” said Anne Landon, internship coordinator and assistant director of Institute for Management studies at Lycoming College.

Having the internship experience and the professional development seminar together gives students the opportunity to discuss the real world application of skills they have learned in the classroom.

“Students reflect on how their liberal arts education has empowered them to think critically, communicate clearly, demonstrate complex problem solving, but more importantly, how these skills can be applied in a real-world setting, while gaining exposure to a specific industry,” said MaryJo Campana, director of career services.

Zackary Collevechio, a rising senior with majors in actuarial science and mathematics from Summit Hill, Pa., is interning with Henry Dunn Insurance through the WISE program.

“The WISE program has provided me with the opportunity to gain valuable experience and insight to my career,” said Collevechio.

Along with Collevechio, the following students are interning with businesses and organizations in the community:

• Rising seniors: Jack Abbate, a history major from Andover, N.J., with the Thomas T. Taber Museum; Oluwatosin Fayinminu, a sociology and anthropology major from Nigeria, with the Lycoming County Celebrates the Arts Alliance; Nicholas Neverman, a business marketing major from Mechanicsburg, Pa., with Susquehanna Health; Hoang Nguyen, an economics and psychology major from Vietnam, with the Uptown Music Collective; Emily Rupe, a photography major from Wrightsville, Pa., with the Community Dark Room; Joshua Thomas, a physics major from Fort Wayne, Ind., with L-3 Communications; Georgiana White, a French and creative writing major from Williamsport, Pa., with RegScan; Paul Ferrante, a corporate communications major from Glen Cove, N.Y., with the Sunflower Cafe & Bakery; Hieu Tran, an accounting and business finance major from Vietnam, with the American Rescue Workers; Emily Hiller, an actuarial science and mathematics major from Allenwood, Pa., with Hudock Capital Group, LLC; Robert Hodes, a biology major from Gilbertsville, Pa., with the Susquehanna Community Health and Dental Center; Shannon Lafferty, a business finance major from Langhorne, Pa., with the Wayne Township Landfill; Bryan McGinnis, a painting major from Levittown, Pa., with the Centered Earth Clay Arts Studio & Gallery; Huy Pham, an accounting and business finance major from Vietnam, with Larson Design Group;

• Rising juniors: Alfonce Mutuku, a criminal justice major from Hyattsville, Md., with the Lycoming County Department of Children and Youth; Hannah Davy, a French and Spanish major from Lock Haven, Pa., with the Lycoming County Department of Children and Youth; Victoria Wilson, a biology major from Ringwood, N.J., with Susquehanna Health; Le Dieu Linh Nguyen, an economics major from Vietnam, with the American Rescue Workers;

• Rising sophomores: Kelly Ambruso, a chemistry major from Stewartsville, N.J., with the Williamsport Sanitary Authority; and Chau Dang, of Vietnam, with Moff & Associates.

Businesses interested in hosting a Lycoming College student intern should fill out the program registration form on the WISE Web page. Businesses are welcome to submit a registration form year-round.

The Williamsport Chamber Music Festival will hold its series of concerts Monday, June 22 – Friday, June 26 from 12-1 p.m. each day in Clarke Chapel, unless otherwise noted. All concerts are free and open to the public.

On Monday, June 22, the weeklong concert series kicks off with the Jim Lyon and Friends Concert in Honors Hall, on the corner of Fourth and Basin streets in Williamsport. Lyon is a renowned violinist and music professor at Penn State University. He maintains an international performing career as violinist with the Castalia Trio and Duo Concertant. Tours with these ensembles have taken him to much of Asia and western Europe in recent years.

The Children’s Concert will be held on Tuesday, June 23. The Williamsport Chamber Music Festival faculty and students will bring story characters to life through live music. Special guest, Nina White, of the James V. Brown Children’s Library will narrate the story.

Wednesday’s concert, June 24, will feature the Eaken Piano Trio. The Grammy-nominated Eaken Piano Trio has over 28 years of critically acclaimed music making and audience-building residencies, including three Carnegie Hall performances, 10 tours in Europe and Asia and 12 CD releases on the Naxos, Catalpa and Con Brio labels.

The Williamsport Chamber Music Festival Faculty Concert will be held on Thursday, June 25, and feature a collaboration among the seven members of the music festival faculty. The faculty members include: Emily Rolka, director of the Suzuki Program at Robert M. Sides; Andrew Rammon, principal cellist of the Williamsport Symphony and adjunct faculty member at Lycoming College; Kenneth Sarch, concertmaster of the Bloomsburg Symphony; Robyn Greene, violist with the Williamsport Symphony and the Susquehanna Valley Chorale; Amanda Gunderson, assistant professor of music at Lycoming College; William Ciabattari, Ph.D., director of bands and associate professor of music at Lycoming College; and Donald Fisher, M.M.E., percussionist with the Williamsport Symphony Orchestra, Billtown Brass, Susquehanna Valley Chorale, Williamsport Chamber Choir and Orchestra.

The series of concerts will conclude on Friday, June 26, with the Williamsport Chamber Music Festival Student Concert. The students who participated in the music festival will perform the final concert and culmination of festival events. A reception will follow and all are welcome to stay and congratulate the students on their performances.

The Williamsport Chamber Music Festival (WCMF) was created to offer dedicated music students of all ages the opportunity to study and perform chamber music. Music educators and performers work together to craft this experiential program, benefiting the community of Williamsport. For more information, please visit the Williamsport Chamber Music Festival Web page.