The College’s 2014 Strategic Plan established the creation of “enhanced academic experiences” as a priority. One particular area of emphasis under this rubric has been enhancing and expanding our focus on global experiences for our students. We believe that Lycoming’s mission of graduating “ethical, informed, and engaged individuals” would be better served by providing a broader and more regular range of international study options.

The Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences (CEAE) led by Associate Provost Susan Ross, Ph.D., has enthusiastically assumed responsibility for building and increasing global experiences. The array of available options now includes semester-long approved study programs, May Term travel courses, summer study options, and overseas research with faculty. The College has also forged exchange relationships with several international universities, which are a very affordable way for Lycoming students to have a semester-long experience while also making it possible for additional international students to study at Lycoming.

At present, five direct exchange agreements have been forged with international universities. They include SIAS International University in China, Westminster Business School in London, the University of Grenoble in France, Otto-Friedrich University in Bamberg, Germany, and UPAEP in Puebla, Mexico. Several of the eleven students who studied abroad for the entire spring semester enrolled in one of the exchanges, while others went to Ecuador, Italy, or South Korea.

Six students also spent the spring semester in Cyprus as part of a program directed by Lycoming College faculty member Pam Gaber, Ph.D. The four courses offered at this site examined the processes by which objects are discovered, recorded, curated, and brought to museums as well as how objects are accessioned, curated, conserved, and presented to the public in exhibitions, tours, and classrooms. In addition, the students completed a research project examining the history of one western museum in depth.

We have invested meaningful resources in supporting May Term travel courses as they tend to be very popular with our students. The courses typically involve three to five weeks of international travel beginning in early May and concluding in June. During the past year, students traveled to the Dominican Republic to learn about the use of solar energy in the developing world or assist with research on water quality and learning English as a second language. Eighteen students followed the Norman Conquest of England as they began their studies in Paris, traveled through Normandy, took a ferry to England, and continued their studies in England, starting with the Battle of Hastings. The art department built upon its rich tradition of travel courses with an array of art courses in Barcelona, Spain. Finally, five students studied the art of Spain and traveled with faculty members Barb Buedel, Ph.D., and Sandy Kingery, Ph.D., to Madrid over spring break to study classic works first-hand in museums such as the Prado and the Reina Sofia.

Some learning opportunities extend throughout the summer. For example, four students are currently in Guatemala with Jessica Munson, Ph.D., studying laboratory methods in archaeology in which they are working with artifacts from Munson’s Maya research site of Altar de Sacrificios. Five additional students are studying in programs in Ecuador, England, France, and the Netherlands that last most of the summer.

For the upcoming 2018-19 academic year, we have students scheduled to complete semester-length studies in Australia, Ecuador, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Scotland, and Spain. Additionally, plans are underway for eight faculty-led travel courses focusing on topics such as the colonization of the Pacific with travel to Australia, environmental anthropology and philosophy with travel to Iceland, and action filmmaking in Portugal.

Global travel courses and study abroad generate valuable outcomes for students beyond knowledge of the particular discipline or country in which the study takes place. We know that students discover new strengths and learn new skillsets, become more independent, build cultural confidence, and become more self-assured. Having an international experience also often translates into a competitive edge in seeking employment or admission to graduate or professional school.

In some cases, the experiences prove life-changing and students discover a passion that focuses their life beyond college. Hunter Jackson, a history major seeking secondary education certification, completed his freshman year by participating in the May Term travel course, “The Norman Conquest.” It was Hunter’s first time out of the country, and he was so engaged by the experience that he contacted the CEAE immediately upon his return to explore options for a full semester of study abroad. Hunter anticipates that his global experiences will impact what and how he teaches to his future students. Evan Armstrong from Lewisburg, Pa., had a similarly transformative experience as a result of participating in the trip to the Dominican Republic as part of the class, “The Politics of Energy.” During a conversation over dinner in the President’s House, he excitedly shared that he is now eager to study in France as part of his study of the French language, and his career interests have been expanded to include international economic development.

Our goal is to create experiences like the ones had by Hunter and Evan, and your support is vital to making that a reality.

Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D., is the 15th president of Lycoming College.

Cullen Chandler, Ph.D., associate professor of history and department chair, as well as director of the Scholars Program at Lycoming College, has been appointed the Donald Bullough Fellow in Mediaeval History by the University of St. Andrews in Scotland.

The residential fellowship, awarded on the basis of an international application process, will allow Chandler to spend the 2019 spring semester abroad working in the St. Andrews Institute for Mediaeval Studies on his research project, “Early Medieval Food and Culture.”

The Fellowship carries with it no teaching duties, though Chandler is expected to take part in weekly seminars with other mediaeval historians during his stay in St. Andrews. He is also expected to present a research paper at the seminar and lead a workshop attended by faculty and postgraduate students.

Chandler will be provided with an office alongside other mediaeval historians in the Department of Mediaeval History, which was founded in 1955 and is the largest of its kind in the world. He will also have access to the university library’s excellent collection for mediaeval historians.

“This fellowship means a great deal to me. There is only one Bullough Fellow every year, and it is quite an honor to be selected to join such a distinguished list of past fellows, particularly since most come from larger research institutions. I am proud to represent Lycoming College and spread the word to other countries about what we do,” said Chandler. “I am really looking forward to working in the world-class facilities at St. Andrews. Beyond that, the opportunity to work alongside and engage regularly with so many other medieval historians will be beneficial to my work as it will stimulate me to sharpen my thinking while allowing me to share and therefore develop my ideas with feedback from others. I will be able to make a good deal of progress much more quickly than I would otherwise.”

Ultimately, Chandler plans to produce a book manuscript on the subject of early medieval European food history with emphasis on Charlemagne’s empire during the eighth and ninth centuries. There is a considerable body of modern work on medieval food, but most historians have concentrated on later developments, especially in the fifteenth century, because the nature of surviving evidence makes it easier to study. Chandler’s goal is to offer a study that touches on economics, religion, and everyday life that both specialists and newcomers to the field will appreciate.

In 2017, Chandler introduced his first-year seminar course, “Medieval Food and Culture,” at Lycoming. The highly popular course explores how food practices were shaped by social class, status, gender, and religion, and encourages students to think about how they still are. “I have found that students, regardless of their main academic interests, can identify with the societies of the past when we approach them through the avenue of food. The more I learn about medieval food and culture, especially from the research I will conduct at St. Andrews, the more I will be able to help Lycoming students and others achieve a greater understanding and awareness of this topic.”

This spring provided excitement and adventure for many Lycoming College students as they broadened their horizons and traveled to various parts of the world for a variety of learning opportunities. Four May Term courses provided 55 students travel experiences to England, France, Spain, the Dominican Republic, and the Adirondacks.

“Travel courses expand the boundaries of the classroom and allow students to experience the course material out of the textbook and in reality, connecting students to the content in a more profound way,” said Allison Holladay, coordinator of study abroad and travel courses for the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences at Lycoming. “The learning experience expands well beyond the course content, broadening the students’ cultural understanding and expanding their world perspectives on an international level.”

Lycoming offered the following 2018 May Term courses.

Barcelona as an Artistic Center

Students ventured to Barcelona, Spain, where they were accompanied by Lycoming art faculty Andreas Rentch, Howard Tran, and Seth Goodman, department chair. As part of the course curriculum, students compiled artistic portfolios encompassing photography, painting, and sculpture, and wrote an extensive research paper on a single artist whose works were viewed during the trip, such as Antoni Gaudí, Pablo Picasso, Joan Miró, and Antonia Tàpies. Artwork from these portfolios will be exhibited this fall in the Lycoming campus gallery in the art building.

The group visited several museums, including the Museo Europeo de Arte Moderno, Picasso Museum, Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, Fundación Joan Miró, National Art Museum of Catalonia, Fundació Antoni Tàpies, and the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona. Highlights included tours of the Gothic Quarter, La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Palau de le Música Catalana, the Dalí Theatre and Museum, and several Gaudí houses. In their free time, participants scavenged street markets, strolled along the beach, watched a flamenco show, and enjoyed the local cuisine.

“As much as I'd like to think of myself as a true explorer, this trip enabled me to experience so many things that I would not have been able to afford when traveling solo,” said Nam Do ’18, a commercial design major from Viet Nam. “Apart from visits to all the major museums, cool galleries, and architectural wonders, we also wandered the quiet and beautiful city of Girona, explored the street art scene of Barcelona, hiked the rocky range of Montserrat, and savored internationally recognized Cava (the Spanish equivalent of champagne) at a family-owned winery. Barcelona has made it to the top five of the 60+ cities I have traveled to, and here's my impression in a nutshell: The people may take siesta, but their culture never sleeps.”

Economics of Public Lands and Backcountry Travel

During this travel course, students explored the beautiful scenery of the Adirondack Park by canoe while learning about the economics surrounding our public lands. Michael Kurtz, Ph.D., assistant professor of economics, co-led the group with the College’s Outdoor Leadership & Education program on the 14-day canoe excursion that traveled from Old Forge, N.Y., to Saranac Lake, N.Y.

Participants engaged with a wide range of environmental economic concepts such as non-market valuation, environmental cost-benefit analysis, property rights, and public/private land ownership. They explored many base economic concepts such as resource scarcity and the division of labor in production, as well as the functions and historical development of money. Being removed from modern luxuries allowed students to experience these base concepts first-hand in ways not possible in the traditional classroom.

Participants had the opportunity to gain activity-specific skills required to explore wide lands in an expeditionary canoe environment. Learning in the out-of-doors enabled the students to be free from modern distractions while also facing new challenges to allow for greater insight and personal development. Students paddled 8-9 miles daily, carried equipment and boats over portages to access new lakes, and endured variable weather conditions throughout the trip.

“The ability for the students to experience economic concepts first hand really helped them understand many of the complex issues surrounding public land use,” said Kurtz.

The Norman Conquest

Students studied the Norman Invasion of England and traveled to historical sites of the Norman Conquest in England and France. The course was led by Cullen Chandler, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of history, and Todd Preston, Ph.D., associate professor of English, both of whom co-coordinate the Medieval Studies program at Lycoming.

Arriving in France, students visited sites important to William the Conqueror, including travel to the medieval centers of Rouen and Caen in Normandy. Side trips included a visit to Bayeux to view the famous Bayeux Tapestry. A ferry ride to England allowed participants to follow William’s route to the Battle of Hastings in southern England. London was used as a base to visit the important political, religious, and academic centers of Westminster Abbey and Cambridge University. Finally, a trip north to York provided exploration of the medieval city and the nearby battle site of Stamford Bridge.

“Our class’s journey was certainly one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life,” said Julia Nagle ’20, a Spanish and political science double major. “Learning about an event and its background in a classroom is one thing, but going directly to the sites to immerse oneself into the history and culture is a priceless holistic experience. Waking up in Europe every day for two weeks and knowing that an adventure was awaiting me — replete with delicious meals, amazing sights, and laughs with friends and faculty — is a feeling I know I won’t ever forget, and I feel so lucky to have been able to take part in the May Term.”

“The Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences helped Dr. Preston and me create an academically-oriented tour that proved to be a memory for life,” said Chandler. “This group of students, representing various backgrounds and areas of academic interest, was one of the best I have had the privilege to work with. Witnessing bright young people plugged in to what they were seeing, and reading their reflections and analysis of the interplay between the medieval past and the present — these were the highlights for me.”

The Politics of Energy

Students explored how solar power can provide access to reliable and affordable energy in the developing world when they accompanied Jonathan Williamson, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of political science and director of the Center for Energy and the Future, and Caroline Payne, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and director of the Interdisciplinary Program in the Dominican Republic and the Warrior Coffee Project, to the Dominican Republic. Continuing reading here about this and other initiatives that were carried out during the recent visit to the Dominican Republic.

Travel to the Dominican Republic provided an interdisciplinary approach for Lycoming College faculty and students in the departments of political science, chemistry, and education, as well as the Center for Energy and the Future, in May 2018. Participants continued to advance the Warrior Coffee Project, studied reliable drinking water sources and the chemical composition of green coffee, helped bring impoverished populations more reliable access to energy, and developed improved pedagogical programming.

Caroline Payne, Ph.D., associate professor of political science and director of the Interdisciplinary Program in the Dominican Republic and the Warrior Coffee Project, introduced students to the Warrior Coffee Project, through which Lycoming College buys the community’s coffee at a fair price. Payne first developed the project in 2013 as part of her course, “Globalization in the Developing World.” Joined by Karl Fisher, owner of Alabaster Coffee & Tea Co. in Williamsport, Pa., and roaster of Warrior Coffee, Lycoming students and faculty conducted a coffee cupping (or tasting) with local coffee farmers to better understand the demands of the international coffee market in order to expand their sales networks and increase incomes in the future. “This cupping serves as another step in preparing farmers to represent themselves on the international coffee market and acquire additional buyers besides Lycoming, thus achieving economic independence,” Payne said.

Jeremy Ramsey, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, was joined by two student research assistants, Paige Rockwell ’20, a chemistry major, and Cayla Treaster ’20, a biology major in the ecology track. The group researched the characterizing sources of drinking water with respect to bacterial content and the remote measurement of chemical properties of agricultural products related to coffee. “We spent our time in the Dominican Republic asking more detailed questions about the water sources that are used in the homes of residents in Peralta and Las Terrenas, more specifically how development in the Dominican Republic impacts their sources of drinking water,” said Ramsey. “In addition, we performed remote measurement of antioxidant capacity of coffee berries using smartphone photography in an effort to characterize the chemical markers of flavor quality in coffee beans during processing.” The group tested the antioxidants in green coffee. Payne explained that most chemical analyses of coffee are done on either green coffee that has been dried and stored for months or on roasted coffee beans, so this is possibly the first time that measurements of this nature have been performed in an actively growing coffee field.

Jonathan Williamson, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of political science and director of the Center for Energy and the Future, worked with seven students to explore how solar power can provide access to reliable and affordable energy in the developing world through the course, “The Politics of Energy.” Participants installed a solar system on the Las Terrenas International School, which educates children of European, Canadian, and American ex-pats (who pay tuition) alongside scholarship students from the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The savings realized from solar energy will allow them to invest more in student opportunities and further their goal of educating the next generation of diverse Las Terrenas leaders together.

Participants also assisted a local entrepreneur in Peralta, Rady Ramirez, launch his solar business. “We used profits from Lycoming’s Warrior Coffee Project to purchase small, pico solar systems that serve as his initial stock. As a result, Rady is able to sell these much-needed products to local residents and receive small, micro payments back over time, thus making the products affordable and accessible,” said Williamson. “As Rady’s business grows and he is able to repay Lycoming for the cost of that original stock, we will find other projects where those funds can both enhance Lycoming student learning and the quality of life in these Dominican communities.”

The students from Williamson’s course further enhanced their understanding of energy in the developing world by learning to install a small, off-grid solar system at the apartment in Peralta where Lycoming Fellows live year-round while working to advance the full range of Lycoming’s projects in the Dominican Republic. Not only will this system provide more reliable electricity to the fellows, but it will serve as a demonstration project for Ramirez’s business to work with members of the community who may look to upgrade to systems with additional capabilities beyond what pico solar products offer.

Finally, the students conducted needs assessment interviews with the members of the community of El Jamito about their energy needs, access, and affordability. The results of this needs assessment work will shape future collaborations in El Jamito by groups of Lycoming students and faculty traveling to the Dominican Republic.

Students enrolled in the “The Politics of Energy” course included: Evan Armstrong ’21, political science and economics double major and energy science minor; Brittney Gross ’18, Spanish and international studies double major and political science minor; Caleb Herrin ’21, political science major and energy science minor; Karina Leal ’19, political science major; Lilian Muhoza ’18, political science major and French minor; Mikayla Schappert ’20, biology major in the ecology track and German and energy science double minor; and Zach Staver ’21, undeclared major.

“We also launched the second year of the Lycoming College International Development Fellowship Program,” said Payne. The program allows two recent Lycoming graduates to live in Peralta, work to advance existing College projects like coffee and solar, and initiate their own sustainable quality of life projects to address pressing community needs. Furthermore, the apartment the fellows live in now has solar power, thanks to the installation provided by the “Politics of Energy” students during this trip. Payne added, “Not only is this needed for the fellows — given power is usually only available 8-12 hours a day here — but it will serve as a demonstration system for Rady when he is ready to begin selling larger solar systems.”

“The students’ work with our Dominican partners to provide access to solar photovoltaic systems in a variety of local contexts gave them an extraordinary opportunity to better understand the energy challenges particular to the developing world,” said Williamson.

Emily Sampsell ’19, a Spanish major pursuing early childhood teaching certification, served as a research assistant to Rachel Hickoff-Cresko, Ed.D., assistant professor and chair of education. Their research involved conducting needs assessments of the educational systems in the Peralta and Las Terrenas regions. The data collected will serve to inform education-related projects during a May 2019 travel course for students in the education program. Sampsell’s experience is part of the College’s Student Research Grant program, and she will present her research as an on-campus poster in the fall. Sampsell and Hickoff-Cresko also plan to present the information at a scholarly conference.

A Lycoming education creates global citizens with the adaptability, cross-cultural competency, and deep appreciation for truth and lifelong learning that powers business and fuels democracy. Study abroad experiences, such as this field experience to the Dominican Republic, provide students the ability to deepen their intellectual curiosity and expand their worldviews to understand the most important human and societal questions that define their local and global communities.

“My trip to the Dominican Republic has really provided that global and cultural awareness that Lycoming values,” said Armstrong. “This experience has not only shown me other ways of life, but it has made me realize that mine is just one of many that isn't necessarily any better or worse. That idea is reflected in the work we do down there, focusing on sustainable development to improve the quality of life, rather than change the way of life."

All photos were taken by Jeremy Ramsey, Ph.D.

As part of a newly-developed institutional partnership, three Lycoming students began their summers with an internship at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C. Katie de Melo ’19 (Tiverton, R.I.), Jazmin Jones ’20 (Gloversville, N.Y.), and Xiyue Yang ’20 (Beijing) each lived in Washington, D.C., and interned in various Smithsonian offices and museums from May 14-June 8.

Their internships were made possible through a new program sponsored by the College’s Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences (CEAE), which gives Lycoming students the opportunity to participate in an internship experience at a Smithsonian facility for four weeks. As Smithsonian interns, de Melo, Jones, and Yang worked on individual research projects, assisted with museum events and publications, and worked closely with internship mentors to achieve desired learning goals.

Jones, who interned with the National Museum of Natural History, researched shark-bitten bones from the Miocene and Pliocene times nearly 23 million years ago. Focusing her research on whether prey increased their body size over time to avoid predation, Jones read professional articles and catalogued more than 100 shark-bitten bones.

“The Smithsonian internship has allowed me to apply my passion for the past in a hands-on environment,” Jones explains.

de Melo also applied her passion for the past during her internship with the Smithsonian Office of Fellowships and Internships (OFI). She sharpened her research skills by studying the history of the Smithsonian fellowship program. After presenting the findings to her mentor, de Melo’s work was published on the OFI website. Additionally, de Melo worked to plan intern activities, publish blogs, create newsletters, and draft emails.

Yang’s work from her internship with the Digitization Program Office can be found online as well. During her time as a Smithsonian intern, Yang used her knowledge as a commercial design major to restyle the two main office websites. After receiving feedback and comments from museum employees and professional web designers, Yang worked to create an accessible interface that met museum expectations.

Each of these interns were chosen through a competitive application process created by the CEAE. In addition to submitting a resume and three references, students were evaluated on essays detailing why they wanted the internship, why they believed they were a good fit for the position, and how the internship would relate to their career goals. The CEAE worked closely with each student to develop their professional skills and ensure success in their positions. More information about their internship experiences will be available during the Enhanced Academic Experience and Career Advising Expo hosted by the CEAE on Tuesday, Sept. 4 in the Pennington Lounge of the College’s Academic Center.

Lycoming College’s Clean Water Institute (CWI) took part in the Middle Susquehanna River Keeper’s floating classroom program aboard the Hiawatha Paddlewheel Riverboat in Williamsport on July 10. The CWI presented a workshop focused on water quality of the West Branch Susquehanna River and requested that community participants bring a water sample from their local stream or creek for testing.

The floating classroom consisted of four stations where CWI student interns tested participants’ water samples for pH, conductivity, clarity, nitrate, and phosphorous. An interactive mapping application from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) was accessible for community members to search for and learn more about streams and creeks within their hometowns. The mapping application exhibited information corresponding to the 2016 Integrated Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment Report, such as stream names, impairment sources and causes, categories, and use of local waterways.

Handouts on water quality parameters and home water testing were available, as well as the 2017 annual report from the Susquehanna River Heartland Coalition for Environmental Studies (SRHCES). Several posters and projects were also on display, providing more information on the CWI and its student-faculty research efforts.

“One of the goals of the CWI is educational outreach, especially promoting the message of understanding the importance of clean water,” explained Mel Zimmerman, Ph.D., professor emeritus of biology at Lycoming College and director of the CWI. “I enjoy observing the development of our CWI interns in communicating their knowledge of aquatic biology and environmental watershed issues to a variety of people of different ages and backgrounds. The CWI’s educational outreach is one part of Lycoming College’s commitment of engagement in the local community.”

Turnout for the workshop consisted largely of young children and their parents, a group that appealed to Brooke Millisock ’20 of Milroy, Pa. “I’m grateful to be able to work with the CWI because of opportunities like this,” said Millisock. “I really enjoy fostering the kids’ interest in science.”

This marks the second and final floating classroom workshop for the CWI this summer. On June 12, the group presented a program on the biology of the eastern hellbender.

The CWI is comprised of Lycoming College faculty and students, and contributes to the area’s understanding and health of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River and its tributaries, providing students with the opportunity to gain hands-on field experience in our local waterways. For more information on the CWI, visit http://www.lycoming.edu/cwi/.

Lycoming College is pleased to announce the appointments of endowed professorships to six faculty members. Made possible by established gifts to the College, endowed professorships are one of the highest honors that Lycoming awards faculty members to recognize a career marked by exceptional teaching, scholarship, and service.

The Shangraw Chair in the Liberal Arts was awarded to Sascha Feinstein, Ph.D., professor of English.

The John P. Graham Endowed Teaching Professorship was reappointed to Gary R. Hafer, Ph.D., professor of English.

The M.B. Rich Chair was awarded to Steven Johnson, Ph.D., associate professor of religion.

The Logan A. Richmond Professorship was awarded to Sandra Kingery, Ph.D, professor of modern language studies.

The Frank and Helen Lowry Professorship was reappointed to Chriss McDonald, Ph.D., professor of chemistry.

The Robert and Mary Jackson Shangraw Professorship was reappointed to Mehrdad Madresehee, Ph.D., professor of economics.

Recipients are competitively chosen by their peers from among the full professors at the College, and retain their positions for a five-year period. Each nominee receives the support and approval of Philip Sprunger, Ph.D., provost and dean of the College, the faculty endowed chair review committee, President Kent Trachte, Ph.D., and the board of trustees.

“Lycoming College’s strong academics stem in part from a culture of teaching excellence in the classroom and professional success outside of it,” said Sprunger. “These faculty members exemplify some of the best Lycoming has to offer, and the honors bestowed upon them are meant to recognize their achievements.”

On July 9, Lycoming College officially broke ground on the Krapf Gateway Center and initiated a multiphase project of historic significance. Executive Vice President Chip Edmonds ’98 opened the festivities, and speakers included Pennsylvania Secretary of Community and Economic Development Dennis Davin, Sen. Gene Yaw ’70 (R-23), Board Chair Stan Sloter ’80, and Mayor Gabriel Campana, Ed.D. As president, I had the honor of offering reflections and introducing our naming donors, Dale Krapf ’67 and Dallas Krapf ’13H.

A $12.5 million investment, the Krapf Gateway Center will house the Office of Admissions, Office of Alumni Relations, Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences, and the Center for Outdoor Leadership and Education, as well as a 202-seat modern presentation space, seminar rooms, and study rooms. As the construction of the building is completed, Franklin Street will be realigned and Basin Street converted into a beautiful two-way boulevard. Additional improvement to the public infrastructure will quickly follow. Millions of dollars to help finance these projects will come from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and we acknowledge the support of Sen. Yaw, his colleague Senate Majority Leader Jake Corman (R-34), Rep. Jeff Wheeland (R-83), and Gov. Tom Wolf.

The Krapf Gateway Center and investments in infrastructure in the East End of Williamsport will open the door to an exciting future for the College and the neighborhood that surrounds it. It is important to understand, however, that the inspiration for this project has been drawn from the past, from an earlier era when a campus building known as Old Main towered over the homes and businesses of the sector of the City in which the College is located. During this time, the East End of Williamsport — this oldest section of the City — was filled with residences, businesses, churches, a railroad, and the students and faculty of Lycoming College. It was a bustling and prosperous place.

For more than a century, Old Main functioned as the center of campus; in its prime it was a multipurpose facility that housed administrative and faculty offices, faculty residences, classrooms, the chapel, library, dining areas, and dormitory rooms. In addition to its prominent role on the campus, Old Main was also the front door to the seminary and later the College. The steps on the south side of the building connected the campus to the thriving neighborhood in which the school was located. As we reached the middle of the 20th century, however, both Old Main and its surrounding neighborhood had fallen into a slow decline. In December 1968, the College demolished Old Main and an era came to an end; the College’s entrance no longer faced south or served as the physical point of connectivity to the City.

The groundbreaking ceremony that we held on July 9 represented the first step in resurrecting Williamsport’s East End and restoring it as a thriving residential and retail district. When the Krapf Gateway Center opens in the fall of 2019, the College’s main entrance will again face south toward the grand Susquehanna River, Bald Eagle Mountain, and the Old City of Williamsport. Like Old Main, this multipurpose building will become a physical manifestation of the College’s connectivity to the neighborhood and the City. Inspired by the past, we look with great anticipation toward the future.

Fundamental to the creation and execution of this compelling vision for the future have been the partnerships the College has forged with the City of Williamsport administration and City Council. PennDOT and the Williamsport Water and Sanitary Authorities have also become critical partners in executing the larger project. Local matching funds will be provided by Lycoming County, the First Community Foundation Partnership, and the Lycoming Economic Development Foundation. I thank the commissioners and the leadership of the two foundations for their support.

When the work is finished, in addition to the improvements to Franklin and Basin Streets, we will have new streetscape on East Third and Fourth Streets, a resurfaced East Third Street, improved water and sanitary systems in the East End, a green walkway along Willow Street, and an access to the Riverwalk at the mouth of Basin Street. We are confident that these infrastructure improvements will attract millions of dollars in private investment into the East End and that the area will again be filled with businesses and urban residences.

As Chair Sloter stressed in his remarks, the Krapf Gateway Center represents a strategic investment that will strengthen the College’s capacity to recruit students. Imagine a prospective family coming to Williamsport. They take the Basin Street exit and turn right onto Basin Street. At the corner of Basin and East Third Streets, they encounter a boulevard with appealing streetscape and Lycoming banners signaling that they have arrived at the College. They see mixed-use buildings on the left that include a coffee shop, bistro, and campus store. Pedestrians, including students, are walking along the street. As the family approaches Fourth Street, the stunning new building enters into the center of their vision. They turn, park, and walk a short distance to the entrance. Entering the building, they are standing in a three-story atrium with a climbing wall visible to the left and offices for Outdoor Leadership and Education to the right. The family will see students hanging out in the atrium, maybe even climbing the wall. An open staircase will take them to the second level where large windows showcase our beautiful and historic Upper Quad. On the right, they will see more students who are using the resources in the Center for Enhanced Academic Experiences. Signage lets them know that this Center is an integral part of Lycoming’s 21^st-century liberal arts and sciences education and will help them secure internships, choose study abroad destinations, and collaborate with faculty on research. Another sign tells them that career advising is a critical part of the Center’s work. They now enter the Office of Admissions, having already formed a strong positive first impression of the College and our home in Williamsport.

As I close this letter, I want to express my heartfelt thanks to all the trustees and friends of the College who have made gifts totaling more than $5.5 million to support the construction of the Krapf Gateway Center. We are also benefitting from a $2 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and a $500,000 grant from the First Community Foundation that will be used for site work to make possible the realignment of Franklin Street and the creation of the Gateway Corner. During the coming year, we are hopeful of receiving another $1 million in pledges from our alumni and friends. Together, we have dared to dream, and we continue to build a Greater Lycoming!

Kent C. Trachte, Ph.D., is the 15th president of Lycoming College.

Lycoming College’s film and video arts department recently welcomed four panelists to a discussion as part of is visiting filmmaker and artist series. The virtual event provided students with an opportunity to hear first-hand about these industry professionals’ experiences, ask questions, and listen to the advice of seasoned experts.

The film and video arts department at Lycoming College balances film production and postproduction with film theory as aspiring student filmmakers, animators, and content creators study and produce works that represent humanity, culture, and society. Leah Bedrosian Peterson, professor of film and video arts at Lycoming College and chair of the department, moderated the panel discussion.

“On the cusp of launching their careers, it’s crucial for students to hear from professionals about the different paths they followed to finding success. Film and video arts majors, as well as many others from the Lycoming College community, found motivation and inspiration in their words,” said Bedrosian Peterson. “We’re grateful for the time these very busy individuals dedicated to young people who seek to follow in their footsteps.”

Panel participants included:

Molly Collier ’13 has been working as an artist in New York City since she graduated from college, though the road has not always been easy! She was most recently seen originating the role of "Jennifer" in Pulitzer Prize winning playwright, Stephen Adly Guirgis’, “Halfway Bitches Go Straight To Heaven” at the acclaimed off-Broadway house, Atlantic Theater Company. Before that, Collier was in the extended run of “Salutations! I’m Creative Dave” by EST Youngblood, Jake Brasch. She has performed at locations such as: Joe’s Pub (The Public Theater), Theatre Row, The Kennedy Center, and is a member of the renowned Labyrinth Theater Company. As a producer, Collier co-wrote a web series called “What Am I Doing Here?” with Juilliard playwright, Alex Riad. They had a successful fundraising campaign that provided them the funding to produce three episodes. The series premiered in Los Angeles at the HollyWeb Festival and is currently available to watch on YouTube. More information on Collier can be found at www.mollycollier.com.

Linda Larkin is an actor and producer best known for providing the speaking voice of Princess Jasmine in Walt Disney’s classic animated feature film, “Aladdin,” as well as every animated Aladdin sequel and spin-off, including “The Return of Jafar,” “Aladdin and The King of Thieves,” and the Emmy-nominated 100-episode “Aladdin” television series. She can also be heard as Princess Jasmine in the critically acclaimed “Kingdom Hearts” video game series, Disney Junior’s “Sofia the First,” and in the 2018 Oscar-nominated animated feature “Ralph Breaks the Internet.” From read-along story books, Jasmine toys, and interactive educational tools, to “Disney on Ice” and Tokyo Disney’s Aladdin theme park attraction, Larkin’s voice can be heard wherever Princess Jasmine appears. In 2011, Larkin was honored with the Disney Legends Award, recognizing her extraordinary and integral contribution to The Walt Disney Company.

Christina Moliterno ’14 is a designer, animator, and illustrator working in New York City. Currently, she is the lead motion graphics designer at Rockstar Games. Starting her career fresh out of college as a freelance filmmaker, Moliterno pivoted to motion design once she realized she couldn't stop animating. Landing an internship in New York City opened up many doors, allowing her to work at a fast-paced pharmaceutical ad agency, freelance at Nick Jr., then eventually land a job at Rockstar Games as a mid-level motion designer in 2017. She rose to lead in less than 4 years and now manages a team of other amazing mographers. Her work can be viewed at christinamoliterno.com.

Yul Vázquez is a recent inductee into the prestigious Academy of Arts and Sciences, and is known for his distinguished performances across film, television, and stage. He has never shied away from playing enigmatic characters. Vázquez was recently seen as ‘Detective Yunis Sablo’ in HBO’s drama series THE OUTSIDER, based on Stephen King’s best-selling novel of the same name, opposite Ben Mendelsohn and Cynthia Erivo; and in Hulu’s feature film, BOOKS OF BLOOD, opposite Anna Friel. Prior to this, Vázquez was seen on Netflix’s Emmy-nominated series, RUSSIAN DOLL opposite Natasha Lyonne, and created by Lyonne, Amy Poehler and Leslye Headland; and on TNT’s miniseries I AM THE NIGHT, directed by Patty Jenkins and opposite Chris Pine. Vázquez will next be seen starring in the Apple TV+ series, SEVERANCE, opposite Adam Scott and Christopher Walken, and directed by Ben Stiller.

To support academics at Lycoming College, please visit https://campaign.lycoming.edu/give-now/ to make a gift to the Lycoming Fund.

On April 9, 10, and 11, Lycoming College students Esmeralda Luna ’21, Valeria Rivera ’22, and Kellie Mooney ’21 presented talks at the SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium. The event gathered nearly one hundred student speakers from across the northeast to share achievements in undergraduate research.

Luna, a Spanish and political science major with a minor in Latin American studies, presented her talk on “Erasure as Resistance: Ana Teresa Fernandez’s Borrando la frontera.” Business and commercial design major Rivera, with a minor in art history, presented “Paula Santiago: Body and Memory.” Mooney, a senior dual-majoring in art history and medieval studies and minoring in archaeology, gave her talk on “Biblical Stories Through Anglo-Saxon Eyes: A Study of the Junius Manuscript and the Old English Hexateuch.”

Although held virtually this year, the SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium has offered scholars a platform to showcase their work since 2018. According to the Symposium’s mission statement, it exists “to provide an inviting, nurturing, and inclusive space for undergraduates to give their first professional talks as well as develop increased self-confidence.” Mooney, Luna, and Rivera represented Lycoming alongside many other prestigious schools across the region, including Ivy League universities.

In the fall semester of 2020, Luna and Rivera took a course on “Art & Politics in Latin America,” taught by Erin McCutcheon, Ph.D, assistant professor of art history at Lycoming.. They transformed their final papers on Mexican women artists into talks for the Symposium. Although neither are art history majors, both students have excelled in the discipline. “I feel their work demonstrates just how interdisciplinary the field of art history is!” said McCutcheon, speaking to the possibilities that exist in a robust liberal arts education.

Experiences such as this provide Lycoming’s students with not just avenues for interdisciplinary applications, but valuable opportunities beyond the classroom that help prepare students for graduate studies as well as careers.

“Participating in the Art and Politics Symposium went beyond what people would usually think of a conference. It was open to students of all majors, so it was great to see how many students could talk about something that wasn't necessarily related to their field. As a political science and Spanish major, my specific artwork was related to my interests, so it was great getting to share that with others,” said Luna. “The experience made me reflect on my education at Lycoming and how I've been able to connect my knowledge across different areas, like politics, language, history, and sociology. Overall, being part of the symposium proved my ability to share knowledge that might not be related to my field, and I think that's a skill that will contribute a lot to my future after Lycoming.”

These students’ research has already reached beyond the classroom and the Symposium. Luna and Rivera worked alongside McCutcheon on a small team of student researchers to add biographies of five Mexican women artists to the virtual archive of Archives of Women Artists, Research, and Exhibitions (AWARE). This international non-profit focuses on gender issues and the place of women in the arts. McCutcheon’s team was part of an initiative to expand AWARE’s archives to include artists outside of the European and American majority. Luna and Rivera’s work will be published on the archive’s website later this spring, along with text by fellow Lycoming students Julissa Aguilar ’22, film and video arts major and political science and gender, sexuality and women’s studies minor.

To support academics at Lycoming College, please visit https://campaign.lycoming.edu/give-now/ to make a gift to the Lycoming Fund.

Lycoming Art Professor Howard Tran teaches students that art is a reflection of culture. Now his students are practicing that message in the broader community.

On April 27, Lycoming’s Modern Language Studies Department Chair and Logan A. Richmond Endowed Professor Sandra Kingery, Ph.D., presented her translation of “The Treatment,” a play by Spanish writer Pablo Remón. The Lycoming theatre department presented a selection from the first act of the play virtually as a staged reading performed by Lycoming students and directed by C. Austin Hill, Ph.D., visiting assistant professor of theatre.

The translation of Remón’s “El Tratamiento” was inspired after an evening at the theater while Kingery was visiting Madrid. “I loved the play so much that I wrote the playwright the next morning to ask him if I could translate it,” she said. He wrote back immediately giving her the rights, and the project began.

Despite the challenges that come with translating theatre, Kingery was excited about the undertaking. “The reason I’ve never translated theatre is that theatre is all dialogue and I think that dialogue is one of the hardest things to translate well,” Kingery said. “Even when the translator captures the ideas of the dialogue correctly, it’s really hard to make it sound natural. There is so much meaning that is carried in the way that people speak. I was a little bit nervous. But I love theatre, and I love translating, and I started thinking it would be fun to combine those two passions of mine.”

“The Treatment” is a contemporary play that entwines Spanish history with the life of the main character, including scenes during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s to the country’s political transition from dictatorship to democracy in the 1970s and beyond. Here, Kingery was met with another challenge of translation. While a Spanish audience would understand the references made in the play, many Americans watching a translated performance would not. “I had to fill the gaps of the general knowledge base of the audience,” says Kingery, “but in a way that still feels natural in the dialogue.”

Yet another obstacle to theatre translation is the limited avenues for publication and performance. In order to publish a translated piece, the translator must certify that they have heard the work performed. With the assistance of a Professional Development Grant, Kingery was able to complete the translation and pass it on to the Lycoming theatre department.

Hill directed six student performers in the production, including Erin Fallon, Amber Fry, Emma Gawlas, Kirsten Houseman, Shania Jackman, and Zoe Pew. According to Kingery, “C. Austin Hill did an amazing job directing this dramatized reading on Zoom, and the six student actors were absolutely outstanding! They performed 12 roles between them and left the audience wanting more.”

Kingery’s translation was also performed at the Out of the Wings Winter Warmer festival in February. She has submitted the translation to be considered for a workshop and festival called Out of the Wings, an organization based out of King’s College in London that celebrates Spanish-language plays and holds an annual festival in which translators and actors can read, discuss, and develop translated works.

Kingery submitted the translation to an organization called Out of the Wings, based in King’s College in London, that celebrates Spanish-language plays and holds monthly workshops in which translators and actors can read, discuss, and develop translated works. They will be workshopping The Treatment in June. A selection of the translation was also performed at the Out of the Wings Winter Warmer festival in February.

To support academics at Lycoming College, please visit https://campaign.lycoming.edu/give-now/ to make a gift to the Lycoming Fund.

Caroline Payne created the Warrior Coffee Project to provide hands-on experience in sustainable development and international trade. Read about how the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced what higher education professionals have known for a long time—that a global education is essential because it prepares students for the interdependent world in which we now live.

“I’ve always felt a little bit outside of any club,” explains writer/singer Angela Carole Brown, “living on the fringes, not really doing things in the way that would be expected of me as a woman, as a black person, as an artist.”

Featured in the Summer 2021 issue of Brilliant Corners, this interview with Brown focuses on her three decades as a jazz singer in the L.A. area and its influence on her writing, especially the jazz-saturated novel “Trading Fours” (recipient of the North Street Book Prize for literary fiction) and the 100-word story collection “Aleatory on the Radio.” As a visual artist, she has most recently been focusing on Alcohol Ink on Yupo, and her piece “Northern Lights” appears on the issue’s cover.

In addition to the Brown interview, the Summer 2021 issue of Brilliant Corners features poems by Sandra McPherson (author of 12 books and the founding editor of Swan Scythe Press), Richard Jackson (winner of Guggenheim, NEA, and Fulbright Fellowships), and Robert Wrigley (recipient of the Poetry Society of America’s Celia B. Wagner Award, five Pushcart Prizes, and many other honors). The prose includes an essay by Gerald Majer, author of “The Velvet Lounge: On Late Chicago Jazz,” and a short story by Robert Leonard Reid, who was recently inducted into the Nevada Writers Hall of Fame.

Brilliant Corners is a biannual journal that highlights an exceptional collection of literature and art pertaining to jazz. Founded in 1996, the journal bears strong ties to Lycoming College, with Sascha Feinstein, Ph.D., Robert L. and Charlene Shangraw Professor of English at Lycoming College, who serves as the managing editor, and Gary R. Hafer, Ph.D., John P. Graham Teaching Professor of English at Lycoming College, who serves as the production design editor. The publication is funded in part by the College, the Pennsylvania Council of the Arts, and private endowments.

A subscription costs $12 per year ($18 for international orders), and checks or money can be sent to Brilliant Corners, Lycoming College, 1 College Place, Williamsport, PA 17701. More information can be found at www.lycoming.edu/BrilliantCorners or on Brilliant Corners’ Facebook page.