Ten Lycoming College interns shared the results of research they completed over the past year at the 10th Annual Susquehanna River Symposium held at Bucknell University Nov. 13-14. The symposium’s theme was “The River, Its Landscapes, and Our Lives.”

Lycoming College’s Clean Water Institute sponsored the internships that supported a variety of research projects on local waterways.

“The high-quality research compiled by these students has helped us continue to build on our understanding of how human interactions affect our local environment,” said Mel Zimmerman, biology professor and director of the Clean Water Institute. “These internships provide students with a high impact experience that fosters an appreciation for their world and prepares them well for future careers.”

The ten biology majors include: senior Peter Gnocchi, junior Dominic Novella, senior Samuel Wanner, sophomore Ryan Orgitano, senior Clayton Good, senior Jennifer Monico, junior Alison McNett, senior Hannah Dulovich, junior Kalynn Newman, and junior Abigail O’Connor.

Find out more about Lycoming’s Clean Water Institute at http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/.

Senior biology majors Johanna Hripto and Julian Jones received a Campus Sustainability Champion award through the Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium. The award recognizes people who have made meaningful contributions to sustainability efforts that benefit their college, community or society either economically or environmentally.

As the leader in food recovery, Jones has organized the recovery of more than 25,000 lbs. of leftover food from the college’s dining services and delivered them to a local food pantry maintained by the American Rescue Workers. Meanwhile, Hripto has coordinated and expanded the recycling efforts at the college, particularly with TerraCycling, which creates useable products from hard-to-recycle materials that are sold to raise funds that are then donated to communities across the world that don’t have ready access to clean water.

The two also have played a key role with the completion of the college’s annual environmental audit, and encourage participation by students, faculty and staff in the Recycle Mania, TerraCycle and Food Recovery Network programs. They also have hosted the regional Food Recovery Network meeting at the college.

“Their accomplishments require hours of time, tremendous organizational skills and vision,” said Ryan Adams, Ph.D., assistant professor of anthropology who guided Lycoming’s sustainability efforts during the previous year. “Through their efforts, our college is reducing our landfill footprint, making better use of resources, and helping to alleviate human suffering here in Williamsport and abroad.

“They are remarkable students and worthy of the important recognition they have received,” he said.

Hripto and Jones have been members of Lycoming College’s Sustainability Committee for four years and have helped coordinate the group’s efforts for two years. The two students also earned the Outstanding Community Service Award at the annual Lycoming College Leadership and Service Awards Banquet, which is held in April every year. The Sustainability Committee, including the food recovery program, earned the award in 2014.

“Both women are campus leaders with a passion and commitment to promote environmental and sustainable practices through their influence and hard work on campus,” said Mel Zimmerman, Ph.D., biology professor and director of Lycoming College’s Clean Water Institute.

As part of the recognition, Hripto and Jones were invited to be panelists for the Sustainability Champions session at the annual conference at the Pennsylvania State University campus in October. During the panel session, they shared ideas and successes to inspire others.

Zimmerman and Dan Miller, Ed.D., vice president for student life, nominated them for the award.

Pennsylvania Environmental Resource Consortium brings faculty and staff at more than 70 colleges and universities across the state together to connect and share knowledge about research and best practices. More information is available at: http://www.pagreencolleges.org/about_us/.

Robert Jacques, Ph.D., an adjunct professor of philosophy at Lycoming College, recently released an unprecedented portrait of the U.S. in his book “The Republic” this month.

In his book, Jacques identifies the middle class as the greatest class ever, business as the worlds’ source of liberty and tolerance, and the family as the sovereign union that stands vigilantly between children and the state. Citizens of all backgrounds as well as teachers and theoreticians will find this book to be the clear and concise celebration of the republic they have long awaited.

“The Republic” consists of a large number of short, clearly written chapters. The book will appeal to the average reader and concerned citizen for its accessibility. It also will appeal to teachers and scholars for the clarity of its fundamental analysis of the history and the concepts of republics in general and the American republic in particular.

The book was published by Bottom of the Hill Publishing in Memphis, Tenn. and is available for purchase online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble, and can be ordered from any book store.

Jacques received his Ph.D. in philosophy from the Pennsylvania State University. He also attended the University of Bonn on a Fulbright-administered DAAD German scholarship to further his studies. His philosophical interests include the history of philosophy, and German and American philosophers of the 19th and 20th centuries.

He received his bachelor’s degree in finance economics and philosophy at the University of Notre Dame. He then pursued his interests in the philosophical foundations of economics at the University of California, Riverside, where he studied Marxist economics, and at UC Berkeley, where he studied neo-classical theory.

Jacques is also the author of “The Cat Who Loved Beethoven,” a family story about love, home and happiness.

The recently released issue of “Brilliant Corners,” a unique blend of literature about jazz, features an interview by prominent jazz author Willard Jenkins. Sascha Feinstein, Ph.D., professor of English and creative writing at Lycoming College, conducted the interview last May.

The publication includes excerpts of three of Jenkins’ writings and an excerpt from an earlier interview he gave. Under Feinstein’s guidance, Jenkins shares some of the larger influences on his writing style and love for music, particularly jazz.

Willard Jenkins is a journalist, arts consultant and presenter, and co-author of “African Rhythms: The Autobiography of Randy Weston.” His writings have appeared in scores of publications specializing in music. He also has written liner material for records and CDs of a number of jazz greats, including Dizzy Gillespie, Clifford Jordan, Joe Lovano and Cannonball Adderley.

Readers also will find an enticing array of poetry, stories and essays about the musical genre by a variety of authors, including Al Young, a former poet laureate of California and author of four books; poet and trombonist Tony Whedon; Robert Gibb, whose work has earned a National Poetry Series award and a Pushcart Prize; and poets Linda Susan Jackson and Richard Jackson, who have earned multiple fellowships for their works.

Founded in 1996, the journal is edited by Feinstein and published biannually. A subscription costs $12 a year ($18 for international orders). Send check or money to Brilliant Corners, Lycoming College, 700 College Place, Williamsport, PA 17701. More information can be found at www.lycoming.edu/BrilliantCorners.

Published at Lycoming College, "Brilliant Corners" is funded in part by Lycoming College, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts and private endowments.

Several middle and high school students shared their experiences with coming to the United States, learning the English language, and adjusting to a new culture with Lycoming College’s student teachers in mid-November.

Members of the panel included Fei, a 10th grade student from China living in the U.S. for about five months; Nilson, a 7th grader from El Salvador living in the U.S. for about 7 months; and Christian, an 11th grader from Venezuela living in the U.S. for about eight years. (From left to right in the front in the photo.)

The students discussed the techniques and approaches that were most helpful when starting in the U.S. school system, the greatest challenges they faced in school and in the community, and what they miss most about their home countries.

“Learning how an English language learner transitions into an English-speaking school system was eye-opening,” said Kasey Uppling, a student teacher in Lycoming’s Education program. “I learned how valuable something so simple as daily conversation between the teacher and a student who doesn’t speak the language well can truly be.”

Another student teacher, Taylor Kendra, agreed the discussion was helpful. “It was interesting to see that, although they may not be able to put the answer into words, they had understood the question. It was also great to break down the barriers that language can put up and just see each other as people by swapping stories and jokes during our dinner together.”

“They gave us some great tips as well as what worked/works best for them. I will try to relate what I’ve learned to improve my teaching strategies with English language learners in the future,” said Casey Maguire, another student teacher who attended the meeting.

Accompanying the students were Sam, a Lycoming College sophomore from China who helped with translating for Fei (back left in photo), and Jody Lantz, an English instructor for international students at Lycoming College who organized the event (back right).

Ms. Lantz also serves as the Executive Director and ESL Instructor for Thrive International Programs, a community-based outreach program with the goal of welcoming and supporting international people living in our community. Ms. Lantz earned her B.S.W. from Eastern University, her M.A. TESOL from Biola University, and has taught English language learners since 1994, both in the U.S. and Thailand.

Leah Handwerk ’16, of Hockessin, Del., earned the Joanne Day Student of the Year Award in the liberal arts category from the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Employers (PENNACE) on Dec. 3. Handwerk was recognized for her work as a social work intern at the Ronald McDonald House of Delaware this past summer. She will receive her award at the annual conference in Pittsburgh, Pa. in May 2016.

“Leah has continually maintained a positive attitude and a desire to be a point of light in bringing about positive change for those she serves,” said Handwerk’s advisor Betty McCall, Ph.D, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology at Lycoming College. “Her level of confidence, patience and determination are rare for a young woman. Her supervisor at the Ronald McDonald House and the families she worked with were touched by her compassionate professionalism.”

She will receive $500 and state-wide recognition through PennACE for her outstanding performance providing support to families facing a medical crisis in the life of their child.

“Our member schools nominate dozens of deserving interns for each category, so being selected is truly an honor,” said Anne M. Landon, internship coordinator for Lycoming’s Institute of Management Studies and long-time PennACE college representative.

Awards are given in four categories — technical, liberal arts, business, and associate degree programs. PennACE is a non-profit service organization dedicated to support and advocacy for experiential education, career development and employment in Pennsylvania. Membership is composed of more than 80 colleges, universities and employers throughout the commonwealth.

This year marks the second in a row that a Lycoming College student won the competitive award.

Terrence Roberts, Ph.D., will discuss the lessons learned from the desegregation of schools at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 in Clarke Chapel at Lycoming College. Roberts was among the first African-American students to enroll at schools for whites in the south during the 1950s. The presentation is free and open to the public.

Roberts was one of the group of nine African-American students, later referred to as the Little Rock Nine, who were the first black students to enter classes at Little Rock Central High School in 1957. The desegregation of the school gained national attention when Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus ordered his state's National Guard to prevent the students from entering. A month later, President Eisenhower sent U.S. troops to allow the students to enter the school, despite the angry mobs, and protect them while there. In 1999, Roberts and the other Little Rock Nine were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal by President Bill Clinton.

As a result of the subsequent closing of Little Rock’s high schools during the 1958-1959 school year, Roberts completed his senior year in Los Angeles, California. He continued his education at California State University, Los Angeles and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology. He received his master’s degree in social welfare from the UCLA School of Social Welfare, and his Ph.D. in psychology from Southern Illinois University, Carbondale.

Over his career, Roberts has taught at a number of colleges in California, including Antioch University Los Angeles. He also served as the director of mental health at St. Helena Hospital and Health Center for eight years. He is currently principal of the management-consulting firm, Terrence Roberts Consulting. Along with the Congressional Gold Medal, he has earned a number of awards including the Robert S. Abbott Memorial Award, for extending the frontiers of democracy, and the Outstanding Teacher of the Year, from Southern Illinois University.

The presentation is sponsored by the Office of Student Programs and Leadership Development to kick off Black History Month by discussing the social and racial climate of America during the Civil Rights Movement and today.

Lycoming College students preparing for a career in teaching shared the highlights of their student teaching experiences during an exhibit held on campus Dec. 10.

“The relationships our students formed with the teachers and students over the fourteen weeks of teaching at schools leave a lifelong impression,” said Rachel Hickoff-Cresko, Ph.D., chair of Lycoming’s Education Department. “They have learned first-hand about the practical aspects of teaching students with a diverse set of abilities and learning styles.”

The students also benefitted from networking with local educators during mock interviews held Dec. 9. Twenty teachers and administrators from five local school districts conducted 45 individual interview and feedback sessions with the students. Each student participated in three interviews that provided them with valuable advice that will help them prepare for interviews after graduation.

Educators participating in the event included: Rick Coulter, Gerry Fausnaught, Wayne Fausnaught, Marilouise Mazzante, Phil Thomas, and Kris Datres, all who retired from Williamsport Area School District; Brandon Pardoe, Principal from Williamsport Area High School; Justin Ross, Assistant Principal from Williamsport Area High School; Robyn Hannan, from Williamsport Area Middle School; Laura Schmack, from Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School; Richard Poole, Principal from Hepburn-Lycoming Primary School; Darrin Feerrar, principal from Loyalsock Valley Elementary School; Linda LaCoe, from Loyalsock High School; Ken Dady, Ph.D., principal from Jersey Shore Middle School; Jill Robbins, from Jackson Primary School; Patti Jones, from Curtin Intermediate School; Marc Haas, from Lyter Elementary School; Erin Hamilton, from Cochran Primary School; David Reichelderfer, retired from Bald Eagle Nittany Area School District; and Hickoff-Cresko from Lycoming College.

“We can’t thank the schools and educators enough for their support of our program every semester,” said Hickoff-Cresko. “Our students sincerely appreciate the professional guidance they’ve received to adapt what they’ve learned in the classroom into actual practice and to prepare them for future employment.”

Students who completed their student teaching experience this semester include: Bridget Norris, of Williamsport, Pa.; Megan Fox, of Williamsport, Pa.; Chelsey Poorman, of Bellefonte, Pa.; Casey Maguire, of Egg Harbor Township, N.J.; Erica Spero, of Chantilly, Va.; Kelsey Harshman, of Hamilton Square, N.J.; and Elisa Novak, of Ambler, Pa.; Dillon Durinick, of Milford, Pa.; Torey Donato, of Williamsport, Pa.; Alana Myers, of Montoursville, Pa.; Kasey Uppling, of Montoursville, Pa.; Melvin Wentzel (Secondary Supervisor), Marlene Cauley (Elementary Supervisor), Taylor Kendra, of Sellersville, Pa.; Elise Matalavage, of Milton, Del.; Stephen Hinton, of Montclair, Va.; and Zachary Martin, of Montoursville, Pa.

Lycoming College staff members who organize the student teaching experiences and the concluding exhibits and interview events include: Hickoff-Cresko; Amy Rogers, Ph.D., certification supervisor; Student Teaching Supervisors Marlene Cauley (elementary) and Melvin Wentzel (secondary); and Kris Datres, placement coordinator.

Several members of Lycoming College’s ROTC program helped package food for holiday delivery early in December as part of the National Day of Giving.

Cadets from the Bison squad, which includes students from Lycoming College and the Pennsylvania College of Technology, prepared the packages at the Williamsport Food Panty as part of their commitment to serve their community.

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank distributes more than 40 million pounds of food and grocery products, equivalent to nearly 33 million meals, every year to more than 800 soup kitchens, shelters, and food pantries in 27 central Pennsylvania counties. These agencies directly feed thousands of hungry families throughout central Pennsylvania.

Several members of Lycoming College’s ROTC program helped package food for holiday delivery early in December as part of the National Day of Giving.

Cadets from the Bison squad, which includes students from Lycoming College and the Pennsylvania College of Technology, prepared the packages at the Williamsport Food Panty as part of their commitment to serve their community.

The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank distributes more than 40 million pounds of food and grocery products, equivalent to nearly 33 million meals, every year to more than 800 soup kitchens, shelters, and food pantries in 27 central Pennsylvania counties. These agencies directly feed thousands of hungry families throughout central Pennsylvania.

Sanh Brian Tran presents his collection of self-portraits, called Bóng Lại Cái, at the Lycoming College Art Gallery, from Jan. 22 to Feb. 19. A reception will be held Jan. 22, from 5 to 9 p.m. with an artist gallery talk at 5:30 p.m. The gallery is located at 25 W. Fourth Street in Williamsport. The events are free and open to the public.

“Bóng lại cái” is a derogatory term for gay men in the Vietnamese language and translates to “feminine shadow” or “shadow of a girl.” In this collection, Tran takes queer identity out of the shadows, creating characters that satirize constructed archetypes of masculinity and femininity.

Sanh Brian Tran was the first person in his immigrant Vietnamese family to join the ranks of the white-collar worker. He broke his first-generation parents’ hearts by quitting his attorney profession in San Francisco to become a self-taught photographer in rural central Pennsylvania. Influenced by his background, he explores themes of identity and class through fashion and taste culture.

“Since relocating to rural, central Pennsylvania from having lived in San Francisco and Los Angeles for most of my life, I am now faced with a new question as a self-identified queer Asian man living in the country,” said Tran. “How do I fit in my rural landscape amongst the white faces, red barns, and camouflage? To answer this question I make photographs that present queer gender performances and expressions in the country but that are largely missing from representations of the country.”
Sanh Brian Tran received his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of Law. He quit his attorney profession to become a self-taught photographer. Tran moved from San Francisco, California, to a small town in central Pennsylvania, and currently lives and works in Lewisburg, Pa. See more about his work at: www.sanhtran.com.

Lycoming College and its president, Kent C. Trachte, were recognized by the Williamsport Sun-Gazette as the “Person of the Year” for 2015. The honor is given at the end of each year to an individual, group or organization with a significant positive impact on the Williamsport community.

“We are honored to have been recognized for the many bridges our faculty, staff and students have built into the community over the years,” said Trachte. “We sincerely appreciate the support we’ve gotten from our neighbors and we are committed to continuing to be an engaged and vibrant community partner.”

The award acknowledges the cultural, economic and social advantages that come with being a college town, and highlights two new facilities that demonstrate the college’s outward-facing ethic. The Lycoming College Art Gallery, which opened to the public in downtown Williamsport in October of 2014, showcases artwork by students, faculty and artists across the nation. The Lynn Science Center, which opened for classes in September of 2015, will host astronomy, physical geography and earth science programs for kindergarten through 12th grade students, preschoolers and local civic groups to spark a curiosity about the world and inspire future scientists.

The award further recognizes Trachte’s championing of a long-term plan to revitalize the “Old City” neighborhood of Williamsport on the southern edge of Lycoming’s campus. The revitalization will allow the school to grow while bringing in new businesses and job opportunities.

The award also honors the many hours of volunteer work performed by campus members.

The college and its president were among six candidates for 2015, which included Williamsport’s Repasz Band in its 150th year; the capital campaign committee that raised $2.3 million in private funding for revitalization of the Williamsport Area High School athletic complex; a Jersey Shore boy who put together a borough traffic control plan in the wake of a friend's fatal bicycle accident; Sister Henry Lambert and St. Anthony Center's 35 years of feeding the poor; retiring Lycoming County Register and Recorder Annabel Miller for her 60 years of service; and three brave rescuers — two men who saved two runaway girls who fell through freezing ice in the Susquehanna River and a state trooper who rescued the tenants of a burning apartment building.

Read the full story.

Sidra Montgomery, a Ph.D. candidate, will discuss how being wounded in combat affects veterans’ identities and how they experience everyday life on Feb. 2, at 4 p.m. in the Mary Lindsay Welch Honors Hall located on the corner of Fourth and Basin Streets. The event is free and open to the public.

Her presentation is based on her dissertation “Identity Work, Stigma, and Status among Wounded Warriors,” which distills the experiences gathered from dozens of in-depth interviews with combat injured veterans and 14 months of field work with local non-profit organizations. She examines the symbolic meaning of the popularized term “wounded warrior,” and how it is defined as a social construct. Through that construct, she traces the shift in how wounded veterans are perceived and treated with the unprecedented growth of infrastructure, support, and resources for wounded veterans over the past 15 years. She also explores how the term affects the wounded veteran community, their self-identities and lived experiences.

Sidra Montgomery is a Sociology Ph.D. candidate at the University of Maryland College Park. Her research focuses on the military and veteran community, specifically examining how social context impacts identity. She also researches the experiences of service members and their families who are transitioning out of the military. Montgomery received her B.A. in Sociology from Beloit College, and her M.A. in Sociology from University of Maryland College Park. She is a Navy spouse and currently serves on the advisory board for the Military Family Advisory Network (MFAN).

This lecture is the first event of Coming Home: 2016 Lycoming College Spring Symposium on Veteran Issues. It is sponsored by the college’s Equality Affinity Community Housing, which is a student community created to promote discussion of equality in various categories including race and ethnicity, religion, gender, sexuality, disability, and social class.

Information about other upcoming symposium events can be found at: www.lycoming.edu/vets. Questions can be directed to Lynn Estomin, estomin@lycoming.edu, 570-321-4055.

Lycoming College will be holding an open house in the Lynn Science Center on Feb. 5 from 6 to 9 p.m. as one of Williamsport’s First Friday events. The public is welcome to attend this free event to enjoy exhibits and planetarium shows at 6:30 and 7 p.m.

The new Detwiler planetarium has the most advanced projection technology from Spitz Inc., the world’s leader in full-dome education. Visitors will be able to explore the boundaries of the universe and the depths of the earth in stunning high definition detail.

Throughout the evening, students will staff a number of science-related exhibits including research performed on local waterways and a video about students’ shark dive this past summer, both sponsored by Lycoming’s Clean Water Institute. Students also will demonstrate the capabilities of the new physics labs, present a microbiology show, explain how solar panels power equipment in three labs, and identify aquatic insects and fish in the college’s saltwater aquarium.

Admissions staff will be available to share information about preparing for college admissions, financial aid, scholarships and the Lycoming campus.

Light refreshments will be served. No registration required.

Three senior Lycoming students presented research at the 10th Annual Moravian College Undergraduate Conference on Medieval and Early Modern Studies in December.

History student Jack Abbate, discussed his research paper titled “The Black Death: An Identity Crisis,” which examines the effects of the plague in the 14th century when it decimated nearly 50 percent of the world’s population. Lindsay Decker, who is pursuing a major in history and archaeology, shared her research about “The Political Influences of the Women in Charlemagne’s Family” during the 9th century. Michael Tusay, also a history and archaeology major, presented his findings about the political and cultural environment of the Middle East during the 1200’s with his research titled “Loyalty and the Formation of the Mamluk Sultanate.”

“The conference provides students with the opportunity to share important research and build public speaking skills,” said Cullen Chandler, Ph.D., a history professor at Lycoming College. “It is an important first-step toward becoming recognized as experts in their respective fields.”

About 200 students, faculty and historians from about 30 colleges and universities attended the conference. The conference was open to all college students who conducted research about the Medieval and Early Modern periods in any field of study, including art, history, English, philosophy, religion or languages. Students also could present period musical or theatrical productions.