the wells express: fall 2014

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FALL 2014 VOLUME XXX NUMBER 1FALL 2014 VOLUME XXX NUMBER 1

Wells

THE MAGAZINE OF WELLS COLLEGE ALUMNAE/I AND FRIENDSTHE MAGAZINE OF WELLS COLLEGE ALUMNAE/I AND FRIENDS

Centered on Academic Excellence

IN THIS ISSUE

• President’s Message

• Academic Centers

• Aurora Express

• Faculty Notes

• Annual Report of Giving

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Managing Editor Editors

Design Editorial Assistant

Contributing Writers

Photography

Ann S. Rollo David Foote ’11Michael R. McGreevey Laura E. SandersPamela Sheradin ’86Office of Communications & Marketing Jessica CorterMichele VollmerMarian BrownHallet BurrallPresident Thomas de WittRichard KeglerMichelle LandersMike LindbergKevin MilesBradley Murray ’15 Nicole Pellegrino ’05Chandler Smith ’18Cindy J. SpeakerGriffin SpencerKatrina La Douce Wilson ’93 Tim Frazier ’16Mauricio Romero ’18Neil Sjoblom Wells College ArchivesExpress Athletics Archives

Wells

BOARD OF TRUSTEESKaren Frankel Blum ’67 Carrie A. Bolton ’92, Chair Lisa Mazzola Cania ’79Marie Chapman Carroll ’75, Vice-Chair Sarah C. Chase ’69, SecretaryThomas E.J. de WittFiona Morgan Fein ’65 Pamela Edgerton Ferguson ’69 Daniel J. Fessenden Sarah J. Jankowski ’92 Judith Lavelle ’14 Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86Reneé Forgensi Minarik ’80 Brenna Toomey ’13Betty Rodriguez Vislosky ’78Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61Stephen L. Zabriskie

HONORARY TRUSTEESAnne Wilson Baker ’46Nancy Burton Barclay ’56David Barclay Sara Clark Brummer ’56 Gordon BrummerGail Fletcher Edwards ’57 George D. Edwards Jane Demarest Engel ’42Lueza Thirkield Gelb ’52Margery Leinroth Gotshall ’45Suzanne N. Grey ’72Joanne Lowell Johnson ’70Shirley Cox Kearns ’54 Stanley J. KottDavid M. LascellAlan L. MarchisottoEdward E. MatthewsMarcia Goetze Nappi ’56Janet Taylor Reiche ’52Frank P. ReicheElizabeth Bowman Rothermel ’66Shirley Schou Bacot Shamel ’58George S. SlocumPriscilla H. Slocum Virginia Grace Small ’50Susan Wray Sullivan ’51Gail Zabriskie Wilson ’60Henry F. Wood, Jr.

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICERS President Thomas E.J. de Witt Provost and Dean of the College Cindy J. Speaker Director of Communications and Marketing Ann S. Rollo Chief Operating Officer Terry Newcomb Vice President for Advancement Michael R. McGreevey Dean of Students Jennifer Michael Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Susan Raith Sloan ’86

The Wells Express is produced by the College’s Office of Communications and Marketing. Article submissions from the extended Wells community are welcome. Send manuscripts to: Editors, the Wells Express, Office of Communications and Marketing, Aurora, N.Y. 13026. Postmaster: Send address changes to the Wells Express, Pettibone House, Aurora, N.Y. 13026. Telephone: 315.364.3200; FAX: 315.364.3362; e-mail: [email protected]; Web site: www.wells.edu

On The Cover

Students enjoy an early fall day on the Wells campus: Jane Fillion ’18 is an admissions tour guide in her first year at Wells and a legacy student, daughter of Joanne Kelley ’83. Leslie Green ’17 won the 2014 Koch Price for Best Freshman Paper and has been working on a special faculty-student research collaboration (see more on p. 20). Keegan Evans ’15 is serving as vice president of Collegiate Cabinet and head of the student group Film Production Club. Curious why he’s not wearing a Wells shirt? Parker Lane Productions, LLC, is a photography and video production company that Keegan co-founded with his brother Colin Evans ’12 in 2009.


Fall 2014 Contents

4 President’s Message

6 Presidential Search

8 Centered on Academic Excellence

Center for Sustainability and the EnvironmentSullivan Center for Business and EntrepreneurshipBook Arts CenterOffice of Academic Advising and Success

20 Faculty-Student Research

22 Honoring Wells Alumnae

24 Aurora Express

30 Athletic News

32 Faculty Notes

36 Board of Trustees

38 Annual Report of Giving

58 Rededication of Zabriskie Hall

Centered on Academic Excellence

Wells’ specialized academic centers provide practical learning opportunities tied to liberal arts values.

Editor's Note: As we were going to press we were notified of a grant for renovations to the gym from the J.M. McDonald Foundation. As referenced in the President's message, this generous lead gift will allow that project to move forward!

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As I look back on the 16 months I have been privileged to lead this extraordinary College, I am amazed by what the entire Wells family has accomplished. Perhaps the most significant change is the one least quantifiable, namely a new sense of optimism manifested in its embrace of a promising future. Faculty and staff, Trustees and the alumnae I have met – all see the potential for creating a stronger Wells, an institution capable of facing the uncertain decade in higher education that lies ahead. My own confidence is grounded in the systemic changes that are being institutionalized: a recognition that our curriculum must adapt to shifting student interests without compromising our commitment to excellence; a faith that we hold our future in our own hands and are not hostage to the vagaries of uncontrollable events; a renewed pride in our campus; a stronger focus on the residential life experience; a sense of responsibility to and accountability by all who work here; and a renewed focus on the bottom line.

Financial StabilityOptimism turns quickly Pollyanna-ish if it is not rooted in responsible financial management. After years of deficits, Wells has registered two balanced budgets; after five years of salary freezes, we have given raises for two years and have even begun to tackle salary inequities. Deferred maintenance remains a major challenge, but we are investing close to one million dollars over two years.By adopting a strategic financial planning model that projects the consequences of major decisions five years out, we avoid unpleasant surprises. No matter how boldly we dream, however, the Trustees and Senior Staff are well aware of the constraints imposed by the imperative to balance budgets. In the coming decade, cash will be king. Small colleges that have not improved their liquidity, relying instead on heavy endowment spending and/or lines of credit, will not survive. That is why we are exploring a

“No matter how boldly we dream, however, the Trustees and Senior Staff are well aware of the constraints imposed by

the imperative to balance budgets.”

EMBRACING A POSITIVE FUTUREOptimism Grounded in Systemic Change

range of opportunities to strengthen our financial reserves, from selling selective pieces of art, to the potential of a solar farm to cut our electricity costs, and/or a residential development. Of course, the sale of Aurora Inns Inc. was the first move designed to ensure Wells’ financial stability. The proceeds from that sale reduce our need to borrow, and other ventures will enable us to gain more favorable terms if we must, when we confront a student housing shortage in the coming years.


Spring InitiativesIf my thirty years in higher education management have taught me anything, it is that construction is the best antidote to a demoralized campus. You do not invest in bricks and mortar if you expect to close your doors soon. Repairing the steps and patio in front of Macmillan upon my arrival was the down payment. Transforming the iconic Zabriskie Hall in the middle of our campus into a high-tech teaching laboratory housing the Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship, the Center for Sustainability and the Environment, as well as a modern college store and café, was the closer. We now have Wells red banners and WiFi across the campus; modern furniture graces common areas; students are engaged with professors on research projects over the summer; and successful professionals “in residence” will engage students during the academic year. Most importantly, we are offering twelve new majors and minors – from Sustainability to Graphic Design, Criminal Justice and Business – that are imbedded in our acclaimed liberal arts curriculum. On the horizon: a pub and coffeehouse designed with the help of students is scheduled to open in the new year. If we can raise the funds, we also want to give the gym a professional facelift.

Alumnae, Alumni and Friends of the CollegeYou have made all this possible. Your support has sustained Wells through some difficult years. Your continued commitment makes a bright future possible. Come back and visit.

Thank you.

Thomas E.J. de Witt

President

P R E S I D E N T I A L M E S S A G E

“My confidence is grounded in a recognition that our curriculum must

adapt without compromising our commitment to excellence; a faith that we hold our future in our own hands;

a renewed pride in our campus; a sense of responsibility and accountability to all who work here; and a strong focus

on the bottom line.”

Revenues

Expenditures

2013-14 Finances

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The Presidential Search: An inclusive process in pursuit of excellence

Following the retirement of long-time president Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 in the spring of 2014, the College’s Board of Trustees voted to move forward with a national Presidential search for Wells’ 19th President, and constituted a search committee to be led by Marie Chapman Carroll ’75, vice chair of the Board. The search committee is representative of faculty, staff, students, alumnae/i and Trustees.

With assistance from AGB Search consultants Tom Courtice and Veryl Miles ’77, the search process has included community-wide input from all stakeholders informed by feedback gathered during campus visits, in follow-up emails, and through other communications about Wells. The search profile for Wells’ next President outlines the unique opportunity the Wells presidency offers and highlights the desired attributes for Wells’ next leader. The full profile, as well as all community-wide updates, can be found at www.wells.edu/about/presidents-office/search.aspx.

PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH COMMITTEE

The 12-member Presidential Search Committee is representative of Wells’ varied constituencies.

Trustees: Marie Chapman Carroll ’75, Committee ChairBetty Rodriguez Vislosky ’78, President, Wells College Association of Alumnae and AlumniLisa Mazzola Cania ’79Daniel J. FessendenRenée Forgensi Minarik ’80Stephen L. ZabriskieCarrie Bolton ’92, Board Chair, ex officio

Faculty:Deborah Gagnon, Associate Professor of PsychologyScott Heinekamp, Professor of PhysicsKatie Waugh, Assistant Professor of Studio Art

Student: Jamyra Young ’15, Collegiate Cabinet President Staff: Kevin Miles, Director of the Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship

Presidential Search

EXECUTIVE DECISION

“I am very excited to be a part of the AGB Search consulting team selected to assist Wells with this search. Leadership matters tremendously to every institution, and the next leader of Wells will have an opportunity to be a visionary and inspiring leader at an amazing college where students are prepared for the wonderful possibilities of life.”

Veryl Miles ’77 AGB Search Consultant


AN UNCOMMON OPPORTUNITY FOR LEADERSHIPThe Board of Trustees and the Presidential Search Committee invite nominations for Wells College’s 19th presidency

A residential college, rooted in the liberal arts tradition, Wells comes to this search having benefitted from the interim presidency of Thomas E. J. de Witt, Ph.D. During his brief time at Wells, Dr. de Witt has brought energetic leadership to the College resulting in early initiatives around curricular revision, new financial modeling and budgeting practices, the invigoration of the Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship and the Center for Sustainability and the Environment, and significant campus facilities and services upgrades.

This extraordinary interim period offers the next president of Wells College a platform for extending the current campus-wide momentum for change. The Wells community seeks a collaborative, creative and visionary president who will continue this critical revitalization. The next president must be enthusiastic and effective in leading sustainable change at Wells, at a time when the College will celebrate its 150th anniversary.

Wells College Presidential ProfileAGB Search

P R E S I D E N T I A L S E A R C H

The announcement for this search has appeared in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Education, Women in Higher Education, Hispanic Outlook, Diverse Jobs, and Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, and the search profile has been shared directly with over 4,000 individuals. We have received numerous nominations from those closest to Wells, and we are most grateful for this support.

The review of application materials is already underway and the Search Committee will reconvene in December to begin narrowing the candidate pool. The process will continue to move forward in the hopes of making a recommendation for the College’s 19th President to the Board of Trustees at the February 2015 meeting.

While the recommended deadline for the submission of letters of candidacy is December 1st, we continue to welcome nomination, which may be forwarded to Veryl Miles ([email protected]) or Tom Courtice ([email protected]).

“We are excited to move forward with this important and momentous work – and are confident that an inclusive, collaborative process, conducted with professionalism, integrity and transparency will result in an excellent pool of candidates and, ultimately, in a leader with the courage and capacity to lead this wonderful College into the next chapter in her proud history.”

Marie Chapman Carroll ’75Board of Trustees

Chair, Presidential Search Committee

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The Intellectual meets the practical in our classrooms and our programs

Ensuring Academic Excellence for Today’s Students

A word from Provost and Dean of the College Cindy Speaker

A Wells education has always been grounded in the tradition of the liberal arts and sciences. As Jane Marsh Dieckmann ’55 noted in “Wells College: A History,” Henry Wells’ view of education was that it be “leading forth to fuller development of all the faculties of the physical, intellectual and moral nature.” He believed that such an education provided in our small home-like environment best prepares students for their current and future duties. That is, a Wells education prepares her students for their lives. As lives have changed, so too has the College’s curriculum. Today’s students are still required to develop a breadth of knowledge as well as expertise in their chosen major field. Our curriculum today and our approach to it facilitate students’ understanding of connections across disciplines and the collaboration needed for solving today’s complex problems.

Additionally, and with intentionality, we strive to prepare students for their professional lives. At Wells, the development of each individual student is supported through an exploration of how to understand the world in intellectual and personal pursuits and how to apply that knowledge in an interconnected and ever-changing world. The

Center for Sustainability and the Environment

Marian BrownSullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship

Kevin MilesThe Wells College Book Arts Center

Richard KeglerOffice of Academic Advising and Success

Nicole Pellegrino ’05

breadth of a liberal arts foundation, depth of focused knowledge, and a developed skill set prepare students for their futures. Students graduate as lifelong learners with the ability and initiative to create, share, and apply knowledge. They are aware of the responsibility they have to themselves and others to share the privilege of their educations. With a communal consciousness, they are motivated to make a difference and improve the world around them. They understand the past and the present in order to envision the future.

We asked the directors of four academic centers to talk about the ways that programs they oversee contribute to and strengthen our liberal arts education. Whether they are “new faces” or hold a longer connection to Wells, these educators work with students, faculty, and staff to support strong academic programs and a vibrant, connected community. Each of these areas holds numerous connections to the academic and social history of Wells; rather than try to tell all of these stories, we’re hoping that hearing from directors in their own voices and from their points of view will provide a snapshot of today’s curriculum. As happens at Wells, our students have grown to know them well; now we’d like to introduce them to you.

CENTERED ON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCEFocal points for an exceptional education


Center for Sustainability andthe Environment

SUSTAINABILITY & ACADEMIC OUTREACH

Sustainability and Academics

I am not a traditional academic – unless you take into account my advanced degree from the School of Hard Knocks - so my approach to sustainability education is highly interdisciplinary and very much grounded in the application of knowledge and skills to real-world problems. I have seen first-hand the power and value – both in terms of enhanced student learning and in advancing campus operational sustainability efforts – of having our students tackle real-world sustainability challenges and partner with college staff to envision, research, and cost-justify new, more sustainable methods of operation. Students appreciate making a positive difference and potentially having a tangible impact on their campus.

An Offbeat Approach to Education

I am a fan of seizing any and all teachable moments, like placing informational signage about appropriate separation of commingled recyclables over the new separation stations in hallways. Our

“Installments” newsletters have become a popular fixture in our ongoing educational efforts about new sustainability programs and efforts. “Installments” is a double play on words: these newsletters are placed inside bathroom cubicles (“in stalls”) and are changed out monthly (in “installments”). This informational content – placed where a captive audience views it several times a day – offers a prime example of how we avail ourselves of unusual educational opportunities. Introducing Orson the Owl as our unofficial Center mascot allowed us to show that “it is not so important to be serious as it is to be serious about the important.” Some sustainability challenges seem

daunting, but if we approach our effort with a sense of humor and a hopeful, positive attitude, we will have greater success engaging minds and winning allies.

In reaching out to invite regional experts and returning alumni for our new Sustainability Perspectives speaker series, my usual guide is: “what do I want to learn more about..?” I seek to create

robust networks of guest speakers to further my own education and that of anyone interested in joining me to listen and learn. Our speaker series, which is free and open to the general public as well as to the entire campus community, is diverse and wide-ranging. We found two terrific collaborators with whom to share speakers this fall: the Peachtown Native American Festival and the College’s weekly Science Colloquium. For spring, we are exploring new collaborations with the Visiting Writers Series and the Book Arts Center, to bring in speakers of mutual interest and maximize financial resources.

Beginning at Home

I was delighted that one of the expectations for my role as Center director included developing and teaching the new Introduction to Sustainability course, completion of which is required for the new academic minors in Sustainability and Sustainable Food Systems. Students in this intro course learn by doing: I impart a great deal of sustainability-related content in class, but their homework assignments require students to apply what they have learned to their own experiences. For example, students were tasked to examine several of their own garments to identify the fabric composition, country of manufacture and the purchase price. That simple exercise opened up our class discussion to a wide range of sustainability-related topics: from conventional vs. organic cotton production, the chemistry of synthetic fabrics, industrial globalization, outsourcing, sweatshop apparel production all the way to decisions about disposal of old clothing. The students’ final project is to take everything they have learned in the course and devise their own solution to a particular campus sustainability challenge.

Part of the Center’s focus is to support faculty desire to infuse considerations of sustainability into curricula across disciplines. We are also reaching out to community, governmental and

MARIAN BROWN

Marian has served as a teacher, counselor, laboratory coordinator, and in varied administrative roles. A native of the area, her time with the Union Springs and Southern Cayuga School Districts and at Ithaca College grant her an essential familiarity with the resources and challenges of the Wells’ environment.

Prior to joining Wells, Marian spent ten years working as Ithaca College’s Special Assistant to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs for Sustainability as well as Special Assistant for Campus and Community Sustainability.

This work—supporting faculty efforts in the classroom, developing curriculum, managing projects, scheduling speakers, and much more—contributed to Ithaca College’s AASHE STARS Gold certifications in 2011 and 2013, AASHE Sustainability Leadership Award in 2008, and inclusion in the Princeton Review’s annual “Guide to Green Campuses.”

Marian is also a founding board member of Sustainable Tompkins, the Sustainability Center, and Ithaca Carshare as well as steering committee member of the New York Coalition of Sustainability in Higher Education, Ithaca Zimride and more.

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C E N T E R S O F E X C E L L E N C E

“This is an exciting time for Wells students who are interested in environmental sustainability.

Through interdisciplinary coursework and hands-on experience, they

are acquiring the knowledge and skills to meet current and future

environmental challenges.”

Milene Morfei, Professor of Psychology, Sustainability Minor Coordinator

comprehensive recycling program by working with our waste hauler to introduce “commingled” recycling, in which almost all recyclable materials can be placed in the same recycling bin. As part of this new program, we introduced Carry In/Carry Out classrooms and offices. The next phase of this program is to standardize the appearance, placement, and signage over the containers in the separation stations so it is even more obvious what goes where. As a result, we have already seen a marked uptick in the amount of material diverted from landfill trash into recycling, offering us significant financial benefits as well as having positive environmental impacts.

We worked with Staples Advantage to establish a corporate account with more favorable pricing on key office products and to create a “sustainable products” menu of items with high recycled content or that can be refilled to extend their useful life. We worked with the Office of the Provost and the Information Technology department to take advantage of favorable state contract pricing for the 30% post-consumer recycled-content white office paper now used in all networked printers. We also worked with our preferred supplier for printed material, like letterhead and envelopes, to reduce costs as well as highlight that many of these printed items are certified by the Forest Stewardship Council to be manufactured from paper pulp sourced from responsibly managed forests.

organizational partners to establish new relationships and collaborations and create additional opportunities for student experiential learning related to sustainability.

Sustainability in Action

On the sustainable operations front, the Center is working with Buildings and Grounds on a number of different projects, from implementing various energy efficiency measures, to exploring possibilities for renewable energy integration, to partnering with the Building Care group to identify and integrate more sustainable custodial cleaning and paper products. One

of the most visible shared efforts we undertook was to enhance our

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“Environmental concerns are broad and far-reaching, and the founding of the Center

for Sustainability helps Wells address the complex realities of environmental problems

and environmental problem-solving. Through the work of the Center and its staff we have a great opportunity to diversify and

integrate our various sustainability efforts, and to expand the reach of sustainability into

the life of the campus.”Niamh O’Leary, Professor and Chair of

Environmental Studies, Herbert E. Ives Professor of Science

WASHOKU SHOCK JAPANESE FOOD PROJECTProfessor Kurt Pipa introduces a “homegrown” food project on campus

This fall, Wells Lecturer in Japanese Kurt Pipa continued the ongoing Washoku Shock project, one of several cross-cultural educational opportunities he’s introduced at the College. The project, which started out as an educational dinner in the preparation and eating of Japanese food, has grown into a multi-disciplinary local foods effort.

Taking advantage of the former campus garden south of the College’s McGordon House, Kurt worked with students in Japanese language courses, exchange students from Doshisha Women’s College, and Professor Emerita of Chemistry Linda Schwab and Professor of Anthropology Ernie Olson to establish a patch of Japanese greens and white turnips early this fall. The food grown in the garden was collected by Kurt and his students and used to create an authentic Japanese home-cooked meal.

“The event has two major benefits to the students: they get to see firsthand how food is prepared traditionally in Japan, as well as take a part in growing it from the ground up,” said Pipa. “And I think the whole thing connects very well with a lot of the efforts that Wells is undertaking to promote sustainability on campus. Just to have the interaction with food they’ve grown themselves is an opportunity not all students get, especially in language classes.”

The Washoku Shock project was first proposed and presented to the community as part of Wells’ Celebrating Scholarship and Engagement Series in April of 2012; the first dinner that fall included organic vegetables from local gardens donated by Wells faculty and staff.

Co-Creating the Future

When I applied for this new director position, I was asked to formulate my own vision for what the Center could become. I was deeply honored to be invited to join the Wells community for this new shared journey. Upon my arrival, I discovered my incredible good fortune that professors Milene Morfei and Niamh O’Leary had already done the “heavy lifting” to create a concept of what the Center can and will become for Wells College. Our vision for the Center for Sustainability and the Environment is admittedly lofty and ambitious, but it is also exciting and progressive. We trust that everything the Center has to offer now—and what will emerge in the near future—will entice current and future Wells students to join us and co-create a just, resilient, more sustainable future.

Business and the Liberal Arts

Education is an individualized, unique experience for every student. As professionals entrusted with this education, the Wells’ business faculty is charged with the responsibility to facilitate learning and growth academically, personally, and ethically. We strive to accomplish these objectives while guiding students to develop the core competencies named in the College’s mission: thinking critically, reasoning wisely and acting humanely.

We understand that academic interests are as diverse as our students and thus provide choices that contribute to flexibility in the learning process.

Experiential learning in the form of practical, hands-on work is the cornerstone of a Wells education. Internships are available around the world in for-profit businesses, non-profit organizations and social impact enterprises. As a proponent of liberal arts education, I am proud of the multi-faceted skills that our students develop through these opportunities. The blending of business and the liberal arts prepares students to function effectively and efficiently in the global business world.

Teaching Business to Today’s Students

As a result of unprecedented changes in professional practices during the last decade, the business world is more dynamic than ever. My goal as director of the Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship is to develop and maintain a curriculum of courses, workshops and learning experiences that prepare Wells students for a vibrant economic landscape.

Every business and entrepreneurship faculty member is currently working in diverse business roles such as entrepreneur, company president, CEO, CFO, solicitor, accountant, consultant, etc. The organizations with which the faculty work include non-profits, small businesses, corporations, government agencies and benefit corporations verifiably committed to contributing to positive social change. My role and the role of our entire team of business faculty is to mentor and facilitate the flow of information and new concepts from the field to our students.

To engage my students, I often begin by crafting stories that draw them into the thick of the learning experience. Behind every accounting step, financial formula, statistical technique, economics concept and theoretical management argument is a vivid anecdote, and I believe that it is my job, in part, to share those stories with my students as a means to facilitate the learning process.

THE INNOVATION LABErinn Ryen, Lecturer in Business

The Wells Innovation Lab provides an interactive space for students to dream, play and imagine innovative solutions. “I use a variety of challenges and experiential exercises to teach the creative, human-centered problem-solving process called ‘design thinking.’ This approach, developed originally by a company called IDEO, can develop innovative solutions for products, processes, or even be used to address complex societal challenges,” says Erinn G. Ryen, Lecturer in Business.

The class integrates the design thinking process with the concept of streamlined life cycle assessment. Streamlined life cycle assessment is a semi-quantitative way to illustrate how the prototype’s social, environmental and economic issues in each life cycle stage (production, use and disposal) compare to the baseline situation. Students have re-imagined experiences on the Wells campus to be more sustainable and engaging, developing solutions related to dining services, the athletic facilities and even Main Building’s “esophagus” (an underutilized but highly-used space).

This semester, the class has the unique opportunity to collaborate with a manufacturing company in Auburn. Some of the students’ prototyped solutions may even be “printed” on the company’s 3d printer! Our hope is that the Innovation Lab will provide additional service-based learning opportunities for students by collaborating with for-profit companies and non-profit organizations in the area.

The Susan Wray Sullivan ’51 and Pike H. SullivanCenter for Business and Entrepreneurship

BUSINESS EMBEDDED IN THE LIBERAL ARTS

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To challenge and to be challenged by my students is my second goal. Every student possesses unique capabilities that can be shared with others, through brainstorming sessions and group presentations for example, if she or he is given the appropriate support. Both as an undergrad and a graduate student, the professors for whom I developed the most respect where those who knew the subject matter but were open to being challenged. While I rely on my education, research and broad business experience, when I become “stuck,” I seek the input of my colleagues, my books and the endless array of resources available. As a result, I am able to share with students the answer that I’ve found as well as the process I went through to discover it.

Finally, I attempt to inspire growth in my students by giving them tools to take into other disciplines and into other domains of their life. Among these tools are a sense of curiosity, open-mindedness and a thirst for knowledge. I would like my students to observe and begin to question various business methods and concepts.

The Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship is a unique place for learning and discovering because each of our faculty members share these goals.

New Projects, Ongoing Initiatives

The center’s first project under my direction last spring was to redesign the business plan competition. More Wells students than ever participated in the 2014 “Be Your Own Boss” business plan competition, and for the first time faculty members participated on entrepreneurship teams while others served as advisors. The judges were surprised by the quality of ideas presented by Wells’ aspiring entrepreneurs; three of the ventures presented in the competition subsequently started up and are now revenue-generating businesses.

Currently, we’re expanding the Personal Financial Management (PFM) program as a result of a generous gift from an alumna. Students and their parents face increased challenges in financing a college education. PFM courses provide important knowledge and valuable skills that can assist with these tough decisions and will prove valuable throughout our students’ lives. We’re also developing a PFM workshop for parents, alumni and employees of the college. In addition, and in collaboration with several Cayuga County businesses, SCORE, the Small Business Administration, and several executives from the Greater Philadelphia Senior Executive Group, we are developing a series of business and financial management courses and workshops that will be offered throughout the academic year and during the summer months.

Another ongoing project involves the Investment Management and Strategies course. Students learned a valuable lesson with their

mock investments earlier this semester when the market took an unexpected and significant dip. Building on this, we are planning an advanced investing course in which students who successfully complete the introductory course will have the opportunity to hone their skills as they develop portfolios and make real-time, real-money trades.

While we have very qualified faculty, small colleges do not benefit from the breadth of resources available at large universities. In order to expand our resources, the Sullivan Center is leveraging professional relationships with colleagues at these other institutions, some of which are among the nation’s elite business schools. These

KEVIN MILES

Before coming to Wells, Kevin Miles was co-founder and president of Avantras Group, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in start-ups and acceleration of new businesses and non-profits. The company was formerly affiliated with the holding company and venture investment firm, SEMA Corp., where Miles served as co-founder, president and CEO.

As head of SEMA Corp., he funded independent new ventures and started, grew and exited 11 start-ups operating in six states and internationally in Aruba and Germany.

Miles also has experience as guest lecturer and/or mentor at Saint Joseph’s University’s Haab School of Business MBA Entrepreneurship program, Villanova University Entrepreneurship program, StartUp Corps and Bucknell University’s Small Business Development Center.

His community work includes time on the Mentor and Advisory Board of StartUp Corps, as Chair of Mentoring and Entrepreneurship Committees for the Greater Philadelphia Executive Group and past president of Kiwanis International.

“Blending business and the liberal arts prepares students to function

effectively and efficiently in the global business world”

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relationships will permit Wells students to benefit from research and knowledge at larger institutions while earning a Wells liberal arts degree. In collaboration with several colleges and universities, we are also developing a consortium to share information, research and resources. Further, as part of this collaborative initiative, Wells students will have the opportunity to learn leadership skills as they mentor aspiring entrepreneurs at the Cayuga-Onondaga BOCES.

Wells currently has a 4+1 articulation arrangement with Clarkson University, whereby students can pursue an MBA with only one additional year after Wells. We are in discussions with two universities that host upper tier, nationally ranked MBA programs in order to offer additional 4+1 articulation options to Wells students.

The first business outreach project by the Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship involved the innovation course offered at Wells, which is based on the design thinking process. Our students are working with the executive team of a company in Auburn, N.Y., to introduce design thinking to their creative department. The company owners are impressed by the Wells Innovation class and have offered to host internships for Wells students interested in learning about their industry. This project may expand in the future as a result of interest from other businesses.

Additional plans include participation in a new business incubator and accelerator located in Cayuga County. The incubator-accelerator will provide start-up support to aspiring entrepreneurs, which may include Wells interns or even student start-ups.

If you are planning to visit the campus, be sure to stop by the Sullivan Center at our new home in Zabriskie Hall. If you are interested in learning more, if you have ideas to share, if you would like to mentor students, or if you can provide support or assistance to our students and the business and entrepreneurship program, please contact us by emailing me at [email protected].

PERSONAL FINANCE MANAGEMENTA very personal gift in support of a real-world curriculum

With a new $1,000,000 gift, the College’s program in business and entrepreneurship has the opportunity to create a unique and comprehensive program in Personal Finance Management. Building on a popular introductory course which focuses on the knowledge and skills needed to make ethical and informed financial decisions, topics will include transactional accounts, savings, loans, credit cards, mortgages, taxes, compensation systems, residential decisions and basic investments, including retirement account options. The new curriculum will explore areas such as credit score management, responsible large-ticket purchasing, living within one’s means, managing financial aid for the long-term and the role of philanthropy in one’s life.

With program seed money and an endowment to ensure sustainability, this special gift provides the impetus for faculty to develop expanded programing, including real-life applications, guest speakers, lectures and workshops and to take advantage of emerging expertise and technologies to make connections on and off campus. In addition, with workshops that address topics such as “Budgeting and Financial Planning in Troubled Times” and “Helping your Family Afford College or Retirement,” the College will extend this important learning opportunity to faculty, staff and alumni. Provost and Dean of the College Cindy J. Speaker notes, “A gift of this nature will allow the College to expand education concerning personal finance management beyond one course to become truly integrated into the liberal arts education offered at Wells.”

Having graduated from Wells with an English degree this long-time donor (who has asked to remain anonymous) recently visited to learn more about how the College of today is navigating the changing higher education landscape. She shared her concern about the national issue of rising college costs and the increase in student debt – and was pleased to see the development of the new business program, including attention to personal finance. In her words, “I am honored to be able to help Wells lead the way in providing the foundational skills for students and others to understand and navigate the complexity of financial decisions they will face throughout their lives. It's exciting to know that Wells will be among the very first colleges to offer such a comprehensive curriculum; one that covers the broadest possible concepts of what it means to be financially literate, combined with such a practical, realistic, real-world approach.”

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What are the Book Arts?

The question is usually asked: What is Book Arts? The answer is not a quick one, but it encompasses many facets of artistic production and the practical considerations of how personal expression meets the nuts and bolts of construction. You might consider Book Arts to be the slow-food movement of books.

Book Arts and Wells

The Wells Book Arts Center was founded in 1993 through the convergence of the Jane Webster Pearce Class of 1932 Bindery and the Robert J. Doherty Typographic Laboratory as well as the revival of the Wells College Press, founded in 1941 by prominent book artist Victor Hammer. The rooms of Morgan Hall contain a treasure trove of specialized hand-printing and binding equipment that rival any other comparable undergraduate (or graduate) book arts program. Despite growing national and international interest and activity in hand printing and the book arts, Wells College features one of only a handful of undergraduate book arts centers in the nation.

In addition to the legacy of Victor Hammer, his predecessor JJ Lankes is seen as one of the key figures in the revival of wood cut as an art form in the early 20th century. Archives of both artists are hosted by Long Library. Additional donations of materials from prominent private presses including Joseph Bumenthal’s Spiral Press, Robert Greenlee’s Gay 90s press, The Oliphant Press of NYC, and from the library of Syracuse University Professor Emeritus David Norton have enhanced the resources of the Center to make Wells an exceptional working laboratory of fine press printing.

A Foundation of Relevance

While the historical collection at Wells Book Arts Center is in itself a researcher’s paradise, the true focus of the Center is the integration of historical techniques into contemporary practice. The techniques of printing, binding and papermaking date back hundreds of years to the time of Gutenberg and well before then. These processes may seem quaint and outdated to most people living in the era of ebooks and ipads, but the fundamental basis for all technology and learning essentially stems from the innovation of printing as the great equalizer of the dissemination of knowledge.

The Wells College Book Arts Center

HISTORICAL CRAFT FOR THE MODERN ARTISAN

RICHARD KEGLER

Richard Kegler’s forays into contemporary book arts and the history of fine press and printing have been far reaching. He is the founder of Buffalo’s P22 type foundry, where he developed and designed a great number of broadly varied typefaces for professional use.

Kegler is also the founder and Artistic Director Emeritus of the Western New York Book Arts Center in Buffalo, New York; a trustee for the American Printing History Association; and former chairman of the board for the Society of Typographic Aficionados (SOTA).

He has taught courses at SUNY Buffalo, RIT, Daemen College, and Hamilton Wood Type Museum and given lectures or presentations across the United States and internationally for the International Conference on Typography and Visual Communication, Reading University (UK), the Royal Academy of Art (Denmark), ATypI, TypeCon, and many more.

BRINGING EMERGING BOOK ARTISTS TO CAMPUSJenna Rodriguez, Victor Hammer Fellow

The Victor Hammer Fellowship was established in 1998 and honors Victor Hammer, who taught at Wells in the 1940s. An internationally known and respected printer, book designer, artist and typographer, Hammer is perhaps best known for designing the medieval-looking typeface American Uncial. The two-year Hammer Fellowship brings emerging book artists to Wells to teach, help in the various printing projects of the Book Arts Center and develop their art.

Jenna Rodriguez has been named the eighth Victor Hammer Fellow in the Book Arts. Ms. Rodriguez received her MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College in Chicago in 2013. While at Columbia, she taught letterpress printing, was an installation assistant, and held a Print Production Fellowship in offset printing. Since then she has been a teaching artist at Chicago’s Spudnick Press teaching letterpress, relief printing, and polymer plate making; has been a graphic designer and print production output technician at Fisher Printing in Bridgeview, Ill.; and has been a private art instructor at the Academy for Urban School Leadership, teaching graphic arts, design and bookmaking to children grades 6, 7 and 8. In the summer of 2012, Ms. Rodriguez was an intern at the Wells Book Arts Summer Institute.

Ms. Rodriguez is teaching Hand Bookbinding, Art on the Press and an introductory Graphic Arts course.

“Working across the curriculum and integrating disciplines shows how book

arts is not a stand-alone specialization, but rather a cross discipline field that fosters

collaboration”

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The structure and format of a book has remained virtually unchanged since handwritten manuscript days. Web “pages” with “bookmarks” and distinct “fonts” where designers are concerned about “kerning” and “leading” are all terms that should really have no place in new technology, but are all direct references to physical terms of printing and books that are unshakable parts of everyone’s common experience. A physical book-even if it is made from cloth-is a child’s first introduction to reading.

Handmade from Paper to Press

The book as ART is something that covers a wide range of territory. Book art is something that has existed since the first books. With the industrial revolution, mass production took precedence over the finer details. The reactions of artistic visionaries such as William Morris reclaimed “the book” as something in which all details should be attended to in order to make a beautiful thing as well as a vessel for information.

A similar reaction as Morris’ to the Industrial Revolution is the current DIY maker movement’s to the current digital era of convenience: a quest by many to work with their hands and make something that is personal and not mass produced. The medium of letterpress was once the only way to print. It was also something that took years of apprenticing to master and eventually make one’s trade.

The formation of the Wells Book Arts Center was prescient to the current demand for letterpress classes and goods. Now over 20 years running, the Wells Book Arts Center cultivates and instructs on timeless techniques, as well as on individual self-expression. The editioned book can allow a writer, artist, historian or collaborative partnership from several disciplines to produce something driven by their own vision. Online print-on-demand book companies can accommodate this desire also, but only in a very limited capacity. Artist books or livre’s d’artists were a popular medium for such famous artists as Joan Miró, Henri Matisse and Marc Chagal. The medium of the book made artists prints accessible and affordable to a wider audience.

Professional Connections: Bringing in the Experts

Wells Book Arts Center has hosted such contemporary book artists as Johanna Drucker and Julie Chen as well as other visiting artists through its visiting lecturer program. The ongoing interaction with contemporary book artists gives students insight into the somewhat specialized but still vibrant world of book arts. Working across curriculum and integrating creative writing in English with

SUMMER INSTITUTE AT THE BAC

The Book Arts Center is already preparing for the annual Book Arts Summer Institute! The Center recently decided to add a 3rd week and is now finalizing the list of instructors for this year. The 2015 Book Arts Summer Institute will take place:

Week 1 July 12th - 18th Week 2 July 19th - 25th Week 3 July 26th – August 1st

Keep an eye on the Book Arts Center blog at wellsbookartscenter.wordpress.com for updates to registration and class listing information.

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studio art shows how book arts is not a stand-alone specialization, but rather a cross-discipline field that fosters collaboration. History and chemistry are invoked as well as math and economics. All come together in addressing what it takes to plan, design, produce and market a book.

The working collection of metal type at Wells may be unique in the world. Most book arts centers, letterpress print shops and teaching centers often rely on donations of old type and make do with what they can get their hands on. Along with having typefaces designed by Victor Hammer during his time at Wells, the Book Arts Center has the good fortune of being in proximity to a working metal type foundry. The proprietor is also an instructor in the Wells Book Arts program. Michael Bixler and his wife Winifred run the Bixler Press and Letterfoundry in Skaneateles N.Y. Michael has supplied Wells with a full range of sizes of classic English Monotype typefaces in quantities that allow students to not be limited or worry about shopworn type restricting their options. The Bixlers have been typesetting and printing for some of the finest publishers (both private presses with limited distribution and major publishing houses) since the late 1960s. Their Finger Lakes studio receives orders of new type from around the world. Wells is very fortunate to have such a resource at hand. Students visit each semester and learn how metal type is made; understanding your tools can give great insights to how to use them.

Looking Ahead

The Wells Summer Institute is a unique program that offers access to the Wells facilities to a wider audience for specialized week-long classes in printing and book arts. These classes, taught by some of the finest practitioners in their fields, attract a wide range of practicing artists looking for new techniques and educators looking to broaden their knowledge base. The Summer Institute is a great way for alums to come back to Wells and take book arts classes they may have missed the first time around in the beautiful setting of Cayuga Lake in the summertime.


Plans for the revival of the Wells College Press as a student-driven project, the creation of the Lost Greenhouse Paper Mill and cross-curriculum book arts classes that infuse the experience and expertise of multiple departments will drive the future of Wells Book Arts Center as a world-class book arts facility and educational program.

NICOLE PELLEGRINO ’05

Nicole’s appointment as Director of Academic Advising and Success isn’t surprising, considering her years of experience helping students acclimate to the academic and social aspects of college life. After earning her master’s from Boston College, she spent four years as resident coordinator at Philadelphia’s La Salle University, supervising resident advisor staff, adjudicating conduct cases, and advising the Residence Hall Council.

Following this, Nicole returned to Wells as Director of Student Activities and Leadership, honing her skills in supporting student life before stepping into her current role as Director of Academic Advising and Success. Nicole now works directly with staff in the offices of the Provost, Registrar, Dean of Students, Student Achievement, and Experiential Learning and Career Services—not to mention with the students directly—to provide detailed, personalized advice and support to those who may be struggling with difficult choices regarding their majors, hands-on learning, or other aspects of their academic experiences.

Nicole graduated from Wells in 2005 with a major in psychology. She was chair of Wells Community Court during her senior year, was named Collegiate Trustee by her classmates, served as a board member for the Friends and Recent Graduates organization and as her Reunion social chair.

Office of Academic Advising and Success

MEETING ACADEMIC CHALLENGES

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Learning to Swim

These days going to college is a lot like learning to swim in the deep end of the pool. For some students, they have been swimming their whole lives, and they are content to throw out any reservations and dive head-first into the deep end. For others, there is a cautious process of wading in from the shallow end and an ensuing panic when they realize that their feet no longer touch. What that means for those of us who work in the Learning Commons at Wells is that we spend a lot of time helping students learn to not just survive, but to succeed.

Strategies for Success

One thing is a given when you work to ensure student success: no two days will be alike. As the Director of Academic Advising and Success, I spend just as much time with the students who dive in head first as I do the students who wade in little by little. For many students, it is not until they surface for air after the dive that they begin to realize that they aren’t quite sure how to swim. This

means talking to students about time management, helping students employ strategies to combat learning disabilities, teaching students to take notes, and connecting them to the many resources available to them. At Wells, we take student success one step further: we don’t just give them the tools for success, we get to know them as people.

Knowing our students as people means that all of the staff in the Learning Commons can work together to help our students succeed. There is a delicate balance that exists between knowing when to tell a student to drop the excuses and to just put one arm in front of the other and get across the pool, and

when they need to see the Assistant Director of Student Success to set up some tutoring, or learn more about strategies to employ to succeed, despite the challenges they might be facing. Together with Experiential Learning and Career Services and the Library Staff, we are able to meet students where they are and help take them to the next level.

PEER TUTORING PROGRAM EARNS CERTIFICATION

The Wells College Peer Tutoring Program, managed by the Office of Student Achievement, earned certification from the College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA). As a result, all Wells College student tutors who go through training and tutor for a minimum of twenty five hours are eligible for an internationally-recognized certification.

“It’s an exciting recognition of the work that our student tutors put in,” said Megan Riedl, Assistant Director of Student Success. “Our students are very good at demonstrating what they’ve learned and sharing their knowledge with their classmates and fellow students. We’re hoping this helps us not only expand the program in the future, but helps our tutors showcase their own academic development.”

Last academic year, 20 students served as tutors, covering subjects such as chemistry, biology, calculus, Spanish, sociology, political science and English. These students were able to assist about half of the student population throughout the year.

The Office of Student Achievement also offers assistance and advice with learning and time management strategies and oversees disability services and accommodations.

“We take student success one step further: we don’t

just give them the tools for success, we get to know

them as people”

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Creating Positive Results There are days that I go home and can only think of all the unfinished business left on my desk; the students who are still searching for the right major, or the student who continues to miss class despite warnings from faculty that they can’t miss anymore. But for every thought I have about unfinished business, I have many more moments of feeling like we are making a real difference in the lives of these students. Each time a student walks across the stage at Commencement I think about the look on their face when they come back to report the B+ on an exam in the class they were struggling in, or the student who comes back to my office with a

fistful of Silly Putty and happily tells me that playing with the Silly Putty has allowed her to finally concentrate on what the professor is saying.

At Wells we don’t believe in letting our students either sink or swim, we believe in making sure that our students know how to swim before they dive in, or cross into the deep end. We make sure that the students know that even the best swimmers sometimes have to take a break and tread water for a few minutes to catch their breath.

Most importantly, our students know that no matter what, there is always a life raft within reach, and for most of our students, the knowledge that we are there is the best gift that we can give them. For this reason, most of our students don’t just learn to swim, they genuinely love being in the pool.

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Education: Beyond Student Teaching

Assistant Professor of Education Sara LevyChandler Fitzgerald ’16Paul Hernon ’15

Professor Sara Levy’s students are experiencing first-hand the behind-the-scenes work of educational research. In addition to real-life work in the classroom (all students in Wells’ education program spend time in classrooms throughout their program and complete a semester as student teachers), two students were chosen to help benefit Wells’ education program while reinforcing their own skills and talents.

First, the students helped set up a large-scale study of Wells graduates who are now working as teachers. This involved developing interview protocols, finding participants, making surveys and researching methods of conducting the study—and the students were able to contribute to each stage. Second, they furthered a project based on the research interests of Professor Levy that examines the role of emotion in the classroom as conceptualized by history or social studies teachers.

This type of research, in addition to the standard teacher preparation and classroom theory, puts Wells’ education students well ahead of the curve.

Biochemistry: Molecular Simulation

Assistant Professor of Chemistry Lauren O’NeilCourtney Fesko ’15Angelo Papagelos ’15

Professor Lauren O’Neil’s projects provided two biochemistry majors with a chance to engage in computational chemistry research, allowing them to become familiar with scientific tools and methods that are universal to the field and all but required for graduate studies. One of these projects focused on a protein called Kalata B1 that is known for its antibacterial, anti-viral, and hemolitic properties.

Using molecular dynamics simulations, the students analyzed the protein’s fascinating structure—a Mobius twist in its backbone that is required for its unique properties.

In order to diversify their experience and shore up their knowledge, the research also included plenty of reading about the history and current scientific data related to their projects. With time, this

Faculty-Student ResearchPutting Theory into Practice. Early in his tenure, President Thomas de Witt challenged the Wells community to submit new College initiatives: plans for improving college and campus life. The best and most practical ideas would be developed, funded, and become a part of Wells.

A number of these proposals involved faculty-student research collaborations across the disciplines in the liberal arts. These projects offer a two-way benefit: Wells’ professors receive assistance with professional research, and students gain experience working in their field at a level rarely seen in undergraduate work.

These types of interactions are suited perfectly to Wells’ academic atmosphere, where scholarly discussions unfold between students and their instructors in and out of our classrooms. In this connected atmosphere, four varied projects took shape:

“The summer research grants allowed me to start two long-term projects. The students

benefited by learning the excitement of doing research and have been able to excel in their course ... and other students have expressed

interest in doing similar work.”

Jackie Schnurr, Associate Professor of Biology

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R E S E A R C H

research conducted at Wells may go beyond simple “student experience,” contributing to advancing scientific knowledge through conference presentation, publication and further development in future studies.

Biology: Exploring the Environment

Associate Professor of Biology Jackie SchnurrNiaome Hickman ’16Kathryn Sweeney ’15

Professor Jackie Schnurr and her student team studied the development of flowering plants in forested areas. Throughout the summer they monitored research plots on campus to see what grew, how long the plants lived and how many seeds were produced. They also tested the soil nearby to get an idea of what conditions contribute to the growth of the plants.

The second part of this project involved collecting samples for a “seed bank” study (referring to the seeds that are stored in the soil) within Wells’ greenhouse. The students took soil from the forest in order to count and identify any plants that grew from it.

Each student found additional ways to tailor the project to their own interests by developing skills with statistics and mathematics and by taking advantage of the time in the greenhouse to care for the rest of Wells’ plants over the summer months.

Sociology: Masculinity and Self-Perception

Associate Professor of Sociology Daniel RenfrowCaroline Clabaugh ’14Leslie Green ’17Valerie Provenza ’14Alissa Toner ’15

There are many varied ways that masculinity is defined or expressed in our culture. One of Professor Dan Renfrow’s sociology courses addresses this topic; and when students in that seminar began adapting their discussions to practical projects in a research methods class taking place in the same semester, it led to a collaborative project and two academic papers.

Throughout the spring and summer, Professor Renfrow worked with his student team. They conducted research and interviewed 45 men of differing ages, levels of education and occupations. Their aim: to investigate men’s perceptions, experiences and habits in regards to exercise, eating and personal grooming. Further, they explored the way that these perceptions impact judgments of one’s self and others.

The team’s resulting manuscripts will be submitted for professional publication and were shared with prospective students during campus visits over the summer.

“It’s great to be able to work this closely with faculty, and I’m really getting a chance to experience what it would be like to pursue

this kind of a career. This opportunity exemplifies why I love the academic

experience that I have at Wells.”

Leslie Green ’17, Sociology Major

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The WCA Award 2014: Sally L Hunsdorfer ’78

The 2014 recipient of the WCA Award, Sally L Hunsdorfer ’78, gave a touching and inspiring acceptance speech at Reunion Weekend, referencing lessons learned at Wells, ongoing connections with classmates, and the life-changing journeys she’s taken since graduating.

Fifteen years ago, Sally and her family packed their bags and spent a year travelling the world. The experience that made the most impact was a two-month stay in remote areas of Nepal. Touched by the country’s natural beauty and cultural fragility, Sally established The Himalayan Project, an organization dedicated to the cultural preservation of the indigenous people of the Himalaya.

Since 2001, Sally has traveled to Nepal every year, leading fundraising treks, delivering fleece jackets, hygiene and school supplies and collaborating with community leaders. Most recently, Sally has focused on a school in Chaurikharka originally founded by Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953 which now serves 400 students.

Honoring Alumnae

Recognizing Young Alumnae for Outstanding Achievement

A new award was established to recognize the achievements of younger Wells alumnae and alumni. Among our recent graduates are dedicated civic leaders, non-profit visionaries and activists, astute businesspeople and highly-skilled professionals in many fields. This year, the award, named for President Emerita Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81, honored the achievements of three deserving inaugural recipients:

Keela Dates Grimmette ’06, founder and CEO of Reason2Smile, a nonprofit organization that provides education and housing for orphaned or at-risk children abroad. Reason2Smile currently supports the Jambo Jipya Academy and Children’s Home in Mtwapa, Kenya, and AMAF Primary and Secondary School in Nairobi.

Laurie Munroe Abkemeier ’92, book editor, literary agent, and creator of publishing advice app Agent Obvious. Her career has included work on five New York Times bestsellers; representation of over fifty journalists, bloggers, poets, academics and artists; and negotiation of film and television deals for her authors.

Crystal Purcell Cosentino ’98, chief compliance and operations director at Home HeadQuarters in Syracuse, a housing development organization dedicated to revitalizing neighborhoods in Central New York. Crystal received a Women of Distinction Award from the Seven Lakes Girl Scouts and has been widely recognized for her achievements locally.

Formal award ceremonies offer the opportunity to publicly acknowledge and celebrate the accomplishments of our extraordinarily talented alumnae and alumni. This past year, two awards were established: one jointly by the WCA and the College, honoring our most recent graduates and, the other established by the Board of Trustees to honor extraordinary achievement in behalf of the College. They join the alumni association’s highest honor, the WCA Award, which has been awarded annually since 1968.

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The Wells College Medal of Excellence

Wells' Board of Trustees created the Wells College Medal of Excellence to recognize extraordinary members of our community. The Medal was conceived “to bestow significant honor on individuals who are singularly important in the life of the College,” and “reserved for those who have brought great distinction to the College, provided extraordinary service or fundamentally shaped the course of our development,” said Wells President Thomas de Witt. The Medal will be awarded from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

President de Witt bestowed the inaugural medal on the first recipient, Pleasant Thiele Rowland '62, at Commencement in May. Ms. Rowland was chosen as the inaugural recipient for her exceptional career as an educator, entrepreneur and philanthropist. Throughout her life Ms. Rowland has proven extraordinarily resourceful and generous, undertaking the restoration of historically-significant properties at Wells and in the village of Aurora; sharing her commitment to education through teaching, writing kindergarten and primary-grade academic programs, and founding the Rowland Reading Foundation; and forming American Girl, known for its historically-accurate dolls, books and accessories.

Ms. Rowland’s work has also been recognized with the Wisconsin Governor’s Award; honorary degrees from the University of Wisconsin, the University of Hartford and Edgewood College; induction into the American Academy of Achievement; inclusion among America’s Top 50 Women Business Owners; membership with the International Women’s Forum and more.

“Pleasant Rowland is a distinguished and honored educator, entrepreneur and philanthropist — descriptors that are as distinct as they are intertwined,” President de Witt said at the Commencement ceremony. “The fact that she is also a Wells College graduate is

H O N O R I N G A L U M N A E

“The story of how Pleasant became one of the most important philanthropists in Wells’ history

reflects the power of transformation that a woman, armed with a quality

education, can bring about.”President Thomas de Witt

neither a coincidence nor a distant memory for her. Her remarkable success was no accident, and reflects her acute intelligence, unflagging creativity, and courage in pursuit of her visionary ideas.”

“The story of how Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’62 became one of the most important and generous philanthropists in Wells’ history reflects the power of transformation that a woman, armed with a quality education, can both experience and bring about,” said President de Witt. “Taking to heart the College’s motto ‘to have and to share,’ Pleasant has generously shared her creativity, intelligence and energy. She has inspired us, in her own words, ‘to reach beyond the obvious, to have a big vision, and to settle for nothing less than excellence.’”

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Aurora Express“Liberal Arts and ‘Street Smarts’: The Making of a Business” with Entrepreneur Julie Burnet ’72As opening speaker for Celebrating Scholarship and Engagement (CSE) Day, special guest Julie Burnet ’72 gave the talk “Liberal Arts and ‘Street Smarts’: The Making of a Business,” about her entrepreneurial journey. Her talk was co-sponsored by the Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship. As a Wells graduate with a degree in Romance Languages, Julie entered the male-dominated world of paper companies to successfully build her own company, Yellow Dog Packaging.

Julie, a 38-year veteran of the paper and packaging business, had held management and administrative roles with international packaging companies in New York City, Oakland and San Francisco before founding Yellow Dog Packaging in 2004.

During her time as owner, Julie took Yellow Dog Packaging from nothing to a $100 million company in seven years and earned the opportunity to work with the Apple corporation on the packaging for one of their revolutionary products, designed to be as unique and interesting as the product it contained. Julie shared her story of how she used her talents to become a successful entrepreneur and continues to follow her passions in her work with Youth Homes and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

The CSE Series was inaugurated in the 2011-12 academic year in order to provide a day during which the Wells community comes together to explore the work and research of students, faculty and staff members. CSE day featured twelve events relating to topics such as entrepreneurship, international relations, athletics, dance and student internships.

Students Experience in Professional Medical Work through Rural Health Immersion ProgramFor a second year, faculty and staff worked with a local community hospital and Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) to present the innovative Rural Health Immersion Program, a unique and beneficial opportunity for students thinking of entering health professions after graduation.

Six current Wells students, Kyle Admire ’16, Maia Baskerville ’17, Bailey Brown ’17, Julie Cavanaugh ’16, Antonaia Merritt ’17 and Devean Theriault ’17, traveled to River Hospital in Alexandria Bay, N.Y., to shadow hospital staff and emergency service crews. The students learned first-hand about techniques related to radiology, laboratory services, clinic, nursing, physical therapy and emergency rooms. They also met and interviewed health care officials and providers including a flight nurse, the director of behavioral health, a registered dental hygienist, hospice director, a county public health department official and the community members themselves. At the end of the week, the students gave presentations on the program and discussed their time in Alexandria Bay as well as their own potential futures as health care professionals.

In addition to experience with the medical field, the program includes the chance to become familiar with other important aspects of professional medical care: developing an understanding of the community through its economy, specific public health needs, local resources and the individuals who make up its social structure. Through their work with River Hospital, Wells students experienced first-hand the broad range

of geographic and cultural situations in which health professionals work.

Additionally, the Rural Health Immersion Program benefits both Wells College and surrounding communities—students earn experience and career preparation while rural hospitals receive much-needed assistance with patient interaction and in surveying the needs of the local community. Due to shifts in demographics, there is a rising need for dedicated health professionals and quality medical care in rural areas. Students who shadow professionals often find themselves positioned for careers in similar areas in the future.

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“Passages” 2014 Faculty Dance ConcertThe Theatre and Dance Department proudly presented “Passages,” the 2014 Faculty Dance Concert this past March.

“Passages” featured new and repertory work by long-time Wells dance faculty Jeanne Goddard and Elizabeth Wilmot-Bishop, performed by the students of the Wells College Dance Ensemble. Goddard re-staged her brightly costumed comic piece “The Kitchen Revue,” featuring a pot and its lid, a whisk, a broom, a dishcloth and a distraught hostess. The dance was originally commissioned by the Ithaca-based chamber ensemble, Music’s Recreation, and is set to a score by Bohuslav Martinu (“La Revue de Cuisine”/1927).

Goddard also recreated “Three Studies for a Decorated Vessel,” a quintet premiered last summer, with live accompaniment by Steven Stull, baritone, and William Cowdery, pianist, who performed lieders by Strauss, Brahms and Schumann. Goddard’s epic new ensemble piece, “Voyage,” was inspired by poetic images from Antarctic explorations and was accompanied by the music of contemporary composer Michael McLean. The mood of this abstract work progresses from mysterious to exuberant as winter melts into spring.

Ms. Wilmot-Bishop offered two repertory works and one premiere. “Mere Images” (1985), set to the music of Mannheim Steamroller, portrays a woman looking back at the stages of her life, remembering her childhood, her teen years and her marriage. Wilmot-Bishop’s powerful “9/11 Remembered” was created in 2003 for the Hardenberg Dance Theater, to honor local heroes. The accompanying score moves from Irving Berlin’s “God Bless America” through texts and other songs. Finally, the concert closed with Wilmot-Bishop’s infectiously joyous new work, “Swing the Mood,” set to the foot-tapping arrangements of Jive Bunny.

A U R O R A E X P R E S S

Documentary Screening and Discussion at Morgan Opera HouseThe historic Morgan Opera House in downtown Aurora presented a screening and discussion with filmmaker Nelson de Witt/Roberto Coto, son of Wells College President Thomas de Witt. Nelson screened parts of his film “Identifying Nelson/Buscando a Roberto” and discussed the events of his life that led to its creation.

In 1997, Nelson de Witt, a 16-year-old adoptee from Boston, Massachusetts, discovered that he had been identified as Roberto Coto, an infant who disappeared in 1982 after a deadly government raid on three guerrilla safe houses in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

The raid rescued a kidnapped businessman and also resulted in the disappearance of a dozen Salvadoran revolutionaries, including Roberto’s biological mother, Ana Milagro Escobar. Today, a generation after one of the bloodiest conflicts of the Cold War, the wounds of the Civil War in El Salvador are still open and the truth about them has been obscured.

Margaret Ward, Nelson’s adoptive mother, ended the event with a brief discussion of her own nonfiction book, “Missing Mila, Finding Family: An International Adoption in the Shadow of the Salvadoran Civil War.” Margaret is Professor Emerita of German at Wellesley College, where she taught from 1971 to 2010, held the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professorship, and helped establish the Women and Gender Studies department.

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Student Lindsey Bush ’14 Speaker for CommencementLindsey Bush, from Averill Park, N.Y., was selected to be the student speaker for the College’s 146th Commencement ceremony.

After five semesters of soaking up the best of what Wells has to offer—as a dedicated student and a devoted athlete—Bush sought to expand her horizons overseas while pursuing her English major and anthropology minor. Going abroad was a wonderful experience for Lindsay. “Initially, I was terrified,” she said of her travel abroad experience at the University of Sterling in Scotland. “I was going to a new country, I didn’t know anyone, and I had no idea what was going to happen when I got there.” Despite her initial nerves, Bush could not be more satisfied with her decision to go abroad in the spring of her junior year.

What did happen? Bush played for the school’s water polo team, joined a faith-based group of her peers, studied creative writing alongside Scottish history, and traveled to Paris, Copenhagen, London, Iceland and Norway—all in the span of four life-changing months.

After living in a foreign country and exploring new cities on her own, Bush cites studying abroad as a major boon to her confidence. These new experiences under her belt, Bush returned to Wells ready to lead. She served as Vice Chair of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee and tutored her fellow student-athletes in her spare time.

In the fall of 2013, Bush represented Wells at the NCAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference in Providence, R.I. The women’s soccer player reports that the conference—which drew in students from Syracuse University to Duke University—was both fun and informative. Lindsey “is sure the experiences she had because of Wells College will carry [her] far and wide!”

Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’62 Delivers 2014 Commencement AddressThe College was pleased to host Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’62 as the College’s 146th Commencement ceremony speaker. An innovative and dedicated educator, award-winning business woman and highly respected philanthropist, Ms. Rowland’s career and life reflect the substance and values of the liberal arts education she received at Wells.

Pleasant Rowland is a successful business executive best known for her creation and leadership of American Girl, the collection of books and dolls lauded for teaching history to millions of girls over the past thirty years. She is the author of reading and language arts textbooks for primary grade students used widely throughout the country today and chairman of the Rowland Reading Foundation, publisher of innovative curriculum materials and provider of training and professional development for classroom teachers. Through the Pleasant Rowland Foundation, her philanthropy focuses on her lifelong interest in the arts, education and historic preservation.

In a speech delivered when she received the College’s Alumnae Association Award, Ms. Rowland noted that her liberal arts education “gave me a breadth of knowledge that I have used as a constant resource in a variety of very different jobs; the ability to think as a generalist, the written and verbal skills to clearly and accurately express my thoughts, a standard of excellence, and the self-confidence to tackle the rocky terrain in the roads that lay ahead.”


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Activism Symposium Keynote Mariam Raqib ’97Since 2002, Wells’ Activism Symposium has given students, faculty, staff, and guests a forum to discuss—and sometimes disagree—about what we can and should do for our world. Each year, the community has come together and engaged each other regarding sustainability, culture change, school segregation, conservation efforts, gas storage and transportation, human rights, peace and more. Opportunities to freely debate increasingly pertinent issues, such as sustainability and climate change, open a discourse among the community concerning the possibilities of positive change in the world.

The thirteenth Annual Activism Symposium on campus explored the theme “Where Do We Go from Here: Identity, Culture and Climate.” Dr. Mariam Raqib ’97, a Wells alumna and founder of the non-profit organization Afghanistan Samsortya, gave the keynote address. Reflecting upon her youth, Raqib remembered her hometown outside of Jalalabad, Afghanistan, ornamented with majestic acacia trees. Despite the hand of war crippling her birthplace, Raqib decided to return to her native country in 2004 after fleeing from Soviet Occupation in the 1980s.

Upon her return, Raqib was overwhelmed by the deforestation and environmental degradation she witnessed. Inspired by her childhood nostalgia for the acacia tree, Raqib created Afghanistan Samsortya to improve the conditions of local Afghans through subtle, yet fundamental, environmental restorations. However, Raqib notes that in order to produce national change, Samsortya must be a part of a greater effort. Therefore, the organization donates acacia trees and other plant life native to Afghanistan and teaches locals the agricultural techniques needed to raise them.

During the Symposium, Dr. Raqib spoke about global activism to promote a sustainable environment. Through her speech and impact on environmental affairs Raqib demonstrated the importance of activism in order revitalize, restore and protect the environment from the damages of cultural and climate impact.


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Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month Various events were held across campus in honor of 2014’s National Hispanic Heritage Month. With the concerted efforts of the Spanish Club officers, Spanish faculty members Elizabeth Juarez-Cummings and Gerardo Cummings, Louis Jefferson Long Library’s Acting Director Lisa Hoff, and the supportive administration on campus, programming was not only offered to faculty, students and staff, but also to members of local communities. National Hispanic Heritage Month honors the incredible heritage and growing contributions of Hispanic people to the collective American culture each year. This celebration started in 1968 when Congress declared a week in September National Hispanic Heritage Week to celebrate the contributions and achievements of the diverse cultures within the Hispanic community. The dates were chosen to commemorate two key historic events: Independence Day of all Spanish-speaking Central American countries—honoring the formal signing of the Act of Independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua on September 15, 1821—and Mexico’s Independence Day, which denotes the beginning of the struggle against Spanish control on September 16, 1810. It was not until 1988 that National Hispanic Heritage Week was expanded to a month-long period, which includes El Dia de la Raza on October 12, a day that celebrates the influences of the people who came after Christopher Columbus and the multicultural, multiethnic society that evolved as a result. To celebrate, Wells’ students attended film screenings, special lectures and more. Throughout Hispanic Heritage Month students and community members had the opportunity to attend the following film showings: “Quinceanera,” “Cesar Chavez,” “Mojados,” “La Comunidad,” “Abre los ojos,” and “The Skin I Live In.” Lectures included Dr. Lauren Shaw from Elmira College on “Song & Social Change in Latin America,” Visiting Instructor of Spanish Elizabeth Juarez-Cummings on “Language in the Media: The Effect of Style in the Speech of Radio Announcers of Veracruz Mexico,” and special guest speaker José Gómez from the Salvadoran NGO FUNDAHMER. The events of Hispanic Heritage Month extended into November with a poetry reading as a part of the Wells College Visiting Writers Series. Kevin González, acclaimed poet, fiction writer, magazine editor, and anthologist shared his poetry with students and faculty.

New Minors Expand CurriculumTwelve new academic minors in the fields of business, criminal justice, global and international studies, graphic design, environmental science, healthcare management, holistic health studies, journalism, museum studies, sport management, sustainability and sustainable food systems have been introduced. Current students now have the ability to declare these minors immediately, and incoming students can plan their academic experiences to include one or two of the minors in addition to their chosen major. The new minors have been added to the list of 38 minors already offered; they were passed by Wells’ faculty earlier this year.

“By adding minor offerings in these areas, Wells is responding to her students’ interests and directions for their professional lives,” said Provost and Dean of the College Cindy J. Speaker. “And with an increasing need for professionals who are knowledgeable and skilled in more than one area, we are committed to giving our students additional opportunities for cohesive educational programs.”


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Languages for Your SensesModern Language professors organized a special community event last spring, bringing together students for a brief series of presentations, displays and activities. The event, titled “Languages for Your Senses,” invited the Wells community to sample the food, music, dance, literature and more from France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries. Presentations included:

Latin American Literature Presentations by Spanish 206: Professor Gerardo Cummings’ students discussed some of the specific authors and works that they had examined in their class.

Japanese Calligraphy and Origami Workshops with exchange students from Doshisha Women’s College: Students gathered to paint calligraphy characters and learn origami techniques, accompanied by a video demonstration of Japanese music and dance.

A Taste of the French and Francophone World by French 124 and French 102: Students from Professor Maimouna Phelan’s classes discussed projects examining French cultural topics such as cinema, literature, sciences and gastronomy.

Japanese Dance Talk and Performance: Doshisha Women’s College exchange student Misa Masui discussed and held a performance of Kyoto dance.

Showing Love through Songs by German 102: The members of Professor Mona Pohen’s course sang “Autobahn” by Kraftwerk and “She Loves You” by the Beatles in German, inviting the audience to sing along.

Gestures across Cultures: Japan and the U.S. by Japanese 102: The students in this class discussed and demonstrated some of the non-verbal

communication commonly used in Japan and ways that gestures differ between society, including differences in the game of “Rock, Paper, Scissors.”

La Poesía Universal/Universal Poetry: Students read original works of Spanish poetry and translations, discussing the meaning behind the works they had selected and the events of the poets’ lives that may have influenced the works.

On the Conservation of Critical HabitatsDr. Jorge Orejuela, Colombian conservationist and Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at TC3, visited Wells for a presentation titled “The Orchids of the Cloud Forests of Southwestern Colombia: Private Efforts to Conserve Critical Habitats.”

Orejuela is director of the Cali Botanical Garden in Cali, Colombia, and professor in the Environmental Sciences Department at the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente; he is currently also a Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence at Tompkins Cortland Community College. His interests combine protected area management, education for conservation and sustainable community development.

Orejuela’s research has been used to promote the establishment of three national parks (Utría and Uramba-Bahía Málaga in the Chocó bio geographical region and Gorgona Island in the Pacific Ocean) and three nature reserves: La Planada in the cloud forests between Colombia and Ecuador; Acaime in the Central Andes; and the Calima River basin, which is still basically unexplored.

Although trained as an ornithologist, his initial work sponsored by WWF was concerned with the identification of endemic bird areas with conservation potential; the work included research with species as varied as orchids, spectacled bears, and bats. His first major conservation achievement was the identification and establishment of La Planada, the first private nature reserve in Colombia.


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Wells College: a place like no otherIn my first month as the Director of Athletics, I can’t tell you how many times I heard this sincere welcome from members of the community. It was comforting and invigorating to be so quickly accepted. I have to admit, however, that I was curious about what people meant when they said that “Wells is a place like no other.” I am finding Wells to be vastly rich in tradition as experienced by my first Odd/Even basketball game, won by the Odd Line in a 6-to-4 barnburner. Wells is also dedicated to the personal growth and development of every student. Over the years, Athletics has become a valued part of the Wells experience. Our 14 varsity sports offer an opportunity for 190+ student-athletes to discover their potential, hone skills that transcend sports and commit themselves to something greater than the sum of the individual parts. As Director, I will seek to connect unique opportunities for student engagement while heralding our longstanding traditions. In the spirit of pride, loyalty and partnership, I appeal to you, our alumnae and alumni, to continue your support of Wells. It truly is a place like no other!

Mike LindbergDirector of Athletics Mike Lindberg joined the College in August. A native of Homer, N.Y., he served Ithaca College for nearly 30 years, most recently as Associate Director of Athletics for 27 varsity sports, 80 full-time coaches and nearly 800 student-athletes.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS• MEN’S SOCCER The men’s soccer team earned the 2013-

14 NEAC Sportsmanship Award, a NSCAA Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Silver Award, and was honored for their efforts to raise money for the family of Mike Smith, a long-time Finger Lakes-area referee who died unexpectedly.

• STUDENT-ATHLETE HONORS 57 student-athletes from Wells earned 2013-14 NEAC Scholar-Athlete recognition. At least one member of each of Wells’ NCAA Division III teams and nine multiple-sport athletes were included.

• CROSS COUNTRY The cross country teams picked up United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Division III All-Academic Team awards following the 2013-14 season.

• MEN’S LACROSSE The men’s lacrosse program saw two student-athletes lead all NCAA Division III players in key statistics: freshman Alex Milliken ’17 averaged 3.92 goals per game; and junior Hayden Shuster ’15 caused an average of 4.6 turnovers per game.

• FIELD HOCKEY The Wells field hockey team picked up its 100th victory in team history, in a game that also marked only the 10th time since the program’s inception in 1976 that the team scored seven or more goals.

• WOMEN’S TENNIS Women’s tennis concluded another strong season in 2013-14, qualifying for the postseason for the third consecutive year. The Express have won 16 regular season NEAC matches dating back to the 2010-11 season and have qualified for the league’s West Division championship match in two of the last three seasons.

• ALUMNAE/I NEWSLETTER The Department of Athletics website features an alumnae/alumni section, containing updated program record books, all-time award winners, and the opportunity to enroll in a future Athletics alumnae/i newsletter.

WWW.WELLS-EXPRESS.COM/ALUMNAE

News from Athletics

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A T H L E T I C N E W S

EXPRESS CHAMPIONS• WOMEN’S BASKETBALL The women’s basketball team, in

only its fourth year of NCAA-era existence, set numerous program records en route to their first NCAA Division III tournament appearance in 2014. To earn their place in the 64-team tournament, the Express upset the host Chargers of Lancaster Bible College to win the College’s first-ever NEAC women’s basketball championship. The team, piloted by fourth-year Head Coach Mike O’Brien, posted a loss to the eventual NCAA Division III National Champions in the opening round of the tournament, but the loss did not tarnish what proved to be a historical season for the Express, including a program record nine-game winning streak. At season’s end, the Express picked up 19 wins, and senior captain Ashley Roser ’14 claimed her second consecutive NEAC Player of the Year title. As a senior, Roser earned D3Hoops.com First Team East Region and D3Hoops.com Women’s All-American Honorable Mention after falling just one career double-double shy of tying the all-time NCAA Division III record.

• SWIMMING The women’s swimming program had another outstanding season, shattering five program records before claiming their third-straight North Eastern Athletic Conference Championship. Since joining the NEAC prior to the 2007-08 season, the women’s swim team has racked up three league titles, the most of all sports at Wells. Head Coach Trish George earned NEAC Coach of the Year recognition for her work with the men’s swimming program in 2013-14. Entering her 11th season at Wells, George is the only coach in conference history to win five or more championships in both men’s and women’s swimming combined.

NEW COACHES• WOMEN’S SOCCER Mara Primmer of Oneonta, N.Y., joined the Express in January to become the College’s first-ever single-

sport women’s soccer coach. Most recently, Primmer served as the Assistant Coach of women’s soccer at SUNY Oneonta. A 2008 graduate of St. Bonaventure University, Primmer played professionally in Germany, suiting up within the Women’s Bundesliga for 1.FC Saarbr�cken, SV Dirmingen and SV Furpach.

• FIELD HOCKEY and WOMEN'S LACROSSE Kat Heterbring, who hails from Java Center, N.Y., began her first season as field hockey and women’s lacrosse coach in August. She comes to Aurora from Newberry College, where she served as the Assistant Field Hockey Coach, and prior to that, the Graduate Assistant for the field hockey and women’s lacrosse teams at Elmira College. Kat is a 2011 graduate of American International College in Springfield, Mass.

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Faculty Notes

This past April, Catherine Burroughs, Professor of English, published a collection of her father’s and grandmother’s letters entitled, “Sweet Dreams: Letters Between Mother and Son During the Pre-Korean War Conflict (1947-1948).” The book’s letters tell two stories: Julian Burroughs’ experience as an 18-year-old Staff Sergeant in the U.S. Army between 1947 and 1948; and his mother’s struggle to run a funeral home with her second husband in Rockingham, N.C. Julian is preoccupied with concerns that permeate the missives of American men who have gone to war: the girl he left behind and the morale of his family. Meanwhile, his mother confronts her loneliness and isolation in a home that doubles as a gallery for the dead.

Milene Morfei, Professor of Psychology, contributed a chapter titled “Psychology, Sustainability, and Sense of Place” to the book “Teaching Sustainability: Perspectives from the Humanities and Social Sciences.” She also co-presented a pair of related sessions for the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) conference in Portland, Ore. In October, Professor Morfei gave a talk at the Association for Continuing Education at Case Western Reserve University titled, “Promoting Environmentally Sustainable Behavior with Applied Psychology.”

Gerardo T. Cummings, Assistant Professor of Spanish, co-organized, chaired and presented a panel centered on Luis Buñuel at the Kentucky Foreign Languages Conference at the University of Kentucky. The panel, titled “Buñuel: Terrorismo, surrealismo, poder institucional y el proceso de la adaptación,” included fellow experts Carlos Jerez-Farrán (University of Notre Dame), Christopher Kozey (The Johns Hopkins University), Denis Rémi Pra (Southern Illinois University) and Buñuel’s most important critic Victor Fuentes (University of California, Santa Barbara). Dr. Cummings was also invited to serve as peer reviewer for the journal HISPANIA article “La sensibilidad queer latin en cine latino: La transformación, el melodrama y el performance como subversión del orden hegemónico.”

Niamh O’Leary, Professor of Environmental Studies, assisted with the organization of a Cayuga Watershed Community Conference held at Wells in April. The focus of the conference was a discussion of ongoing efforts to monitor the health of Cayuga Lake, particularly in its southern basin where water quality has been impaired by high levels of phosphorus.

While it goes without saying that Wells faculty are accomplished and dedicated teachers and advisors, in addition to their work with our students, Wells faculty are recognized scholars in their fields. Below is just a sampling of their many contributions on campus and beyond. The full list of faculty accomplishments is posted monthly to the website and can be seen at www.wells.edu/faculty.

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FA C U LT Y N OT E S

Professor of Anthropology and Religion Ernie Olson presented three papers this academic year on issues of culture, land, and energy extraction. Professor Olson delivered the first paper “Current Changes: The Flow of Water, Oil, and Money along the Upper Missouri River” last November for the session “Technology, Energy, and Dispossession: The Greening of Capitalism and Sustainability” at the American Anthropology Association Annual Meeting, held in Chicago. In March, Professor Olson presented “Oil, Water, and the Green Garden” for the session “Traditional and Alternative Health Care” at the Society of Applied Anthropology Annual Meeting held at Albuquerque, New Mexico. This April, Professor Olson presented another paper “Big Ag and the Little Garden: The Loss of the Garden and Gardening Culture in the Golden Triangle of Eastern Montana” for the session titled “Environment/Landscape/Food” at the Northeastern Anthropological Association Annual Meeting, held at SUNY-Potsdam in Potsdam, N.Y. Along with a number of Wells College faculty and students, Professor Olson also provided a photography exhibit for the performance installation, “Unintended Consequences…The Best Laid Plans,” held on campus in Barler Hall this past April.

Gehan Shanmuganathan, Assistant Professor of Business, participated in two programs conducted at Taj Samudra Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka. The first program was a guest speech on “Challenges in Sharing Marketing Knowledge” with special references to cultural perspectives. The second program was a workshop on “Strategic Planning for Sustainable Competitive Advantage.” The central aim of the workshop was to develop awareness of the elements that shapes strategy, including macro factors (political, economic, socio-cultural and technological), and micro factors (corporate capabilities, vision, mission, culture and business domain).

Professor of Political Science Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo published a book chapter entitled “Why Katanga’s Quest for Self-Determination and Secession Failed,” (Chapter 11) in Redie Bereketeab (Ed.) Self-Determination and Secession in Africa: The Post-Colonial State, Routledge: Taylor and Francis Group, 2014.

This summer, Professor Lumumba-Kasongo was invited by the White House Forum on “The Role of Diasporans in Investing in Africa,” a platform of the Leaders Summit for African Diasporan leaders. He was also invited by the White House to attend the Presidential Summit for Young African Leaders. Professor Lumumba-Kasongo attended the 23rd World Congress of the International Political Science Association where he presented the paper “Rethinking Peace, Security and the Post-Conflict Reconceptualization in the Great Lakes Region of Africa: A Multipolar Perspective.” He also served as discussant on a panel entitled: “Global Governance and Local Sovereignty” and chaired the panel “Global Governance: For Whom? By Whom?”

In May, he attended the inaugural conference of a new Springer Open Journal titled “Bandung: Journal of the Global South” on the theme “Envisioning South-South Relations and Development: Past, Present and Futures” and presented the paper “Rethinking the Bandung Conference in an Era of Unipolar Liberal Globalization and Movements Toward a Multipolar Politics.” The conference took place at the City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.

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F A C U L T Y N O T E S

As the U.S. Professor of Theatre for the inaugural Theatre Summer School, Siouxsie Easter, Associate Professor of Theater, conducted Advanced Studies in England during the months of June and July. While there, Ms. Easter taught British Theatre History and Acting: British Style. With her students from colleges and universities in the U.S. and Bath, England, Ms. Easter produced an evening of contemporary theatre, Restoration theatre, and devised theatre work in a public performance venue in the heart of Bath.

This past July, Christopher Bailey, Professor of Chemistry, participated in the NSF sponsored VIPEr (Virtual Inorganic Pedagogical Electronic Resource) faculty development workshop “Coordination Chemistry at the Frontiers of Bioinorganic Chemistry,” at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill. While at the workshop, Professor Bailey worked with colleagues from across the country, including current leaders in the field of Bioinorganic Chemistry, to learn about recent developments in the field and to develop pedagogical materials based on these new developments. Two of these have been published by VIPEr and are listed below. In both cases the co-authors are Peter Craig (McDaniel College), Carmen Gauthier (Florida Southern College), Christopher Bailey (Wells College), Elizabeth Bajema (Northwestern University), James Jeitler (Marietta College) and Shaun Schmidt (Washburn University).

Professor of Economics Kent Klitgaard presented a paper entitled “Beyond the Fiscal Cliff” at the conference of the International Society for Ecological Economics in Reykjavik, Iceland, on August 15, 2014.

Elizabeth Juárez-Cummings, Visiting Lecturer in Spanish, participated in the AP Spanish exam Reading in June, in which more than a hundred thousand language exams were graded. She published her article “Tendencias de uso de Ser y Estar en la Ciudad de México” in the IULC Working Papers. She was also accepted to present her paper “Variación estilística en una estructura sintáctica: Ser y Estar en la radio mexicana” at the Hispanic Linguistics Symposium, which will be held at Purdue University this November.

“A Midsummer Night’s Dance” produced by Jeanne Goddard, Professor of Dance, showed at the Kiplinger Theatre, Cornell, as commissioned by the Cornell University Summer Session. The July concert featured collaborations with dancers and choreographers from across central New York and with musicians Steven Stull, John White, Richard Montgomery and Peter Chwaik. The performance included her ensemble choreography “Voyage II,” her solo performance of “Sea Songs,” and the comic piece, “Service with a Smile” in collaboration with Steven Stull. In August Professor Goddard co-directed and choreographed a production of Teleman’s opera, “Don Quixote at the Marriage of Comacho” at the CRS Barn Studio in Ithaca, N.Y. Also at CRS she produced “Moving Landscapes, an evening of dance and music,” which featured “Voyage III,” collaborative improvisations with pianist John White, and a new text-and-movement solo, “Dog Stories.” Ms. Goddard performed an improvisational solo with pianist John White, by invitation, at the Ithaca College Summer Piano Institute.

Jaclyn Schnurr, Associate Professor of Biology, was certified a Senior Ecologist by the Ecological Society of America. Her summer research project was written up in the Finger Lakes happenings, published by the Finger Lakes Institute, describing her work on campus this summer with Katie Sweeney ’15 and Niaome Hickman ’16.

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This section features a faculty representative and member of the senior class from each division and the books they’ve been reading.

C.J. Koepp, Professor of History, discovered Dan McMillen’s new book, “How Could This Happen: Explaining the Holocaust” for her seminar on writing history. McMillen presents “a persuasive, compelling, and beautifully written...understanding of this horrific tragedy that many have claimed is beyond explanation or comprehension.” She is also finishing “The Maid’s Version” by Daniel Woodrell. “It is an amazing read,” said Professor Koepp, “about a mysterious 1929 explosion ... narrated by a 12-year-old who comes to understand the event through his grandmother, who is on her own search for justice.”

Katie Lamanna ’15, creative writing major and history minor, recommends “The Catcher in the Rye” by J.D. Salinger and “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee. “Both texts are coming of age novels. ‘Catcher’ has a twist in that Holden Caufield, the protagonist, does not follow the typical path of development. I think this is what draws me to it; every time I learn something new about both Holden and myself. “I feel very similarly about ‘To Kill a Mockingbird.’ The way that Lee uses Scout’s voice as an adult to reflect back on Scout’s childhood is so simple, yet so lovely. This voice was also the inspiration for my senior thesis!”

Jackie Schnurr, Associate Professor of Biology, read Carl Hiaasen’s “Scat” to her son. “The basic plot is that kids can help preserve the endangered Florida panther. Comical parts are juxtaposed with a serious message. I highly recommend it for anyone with children. “One that I require for some of my classes is ‘The Botany of Desire’ by Michael Pollan. It follows the natural history of 4 different plants: the tulip, apple, marijuana and potato, and makes the argument that these plants are using humans to allow them to succeed in the world. It’s a great read - thought-provoking and clever!”

Samantha Blair ’15, biology major, suggests “Blood: An Epic History of Blood and Commerce” by Douglas Starr. “If you love science and history then you’ll love this book concerning animal blood, politics, transfusions, and disease. The story’s three sections, blood magic, blood war, and blood money truly fit into the history of blood.” She’s also reading “Grave Mercy” by Robin LaFevers, which “brings history and fictions together in a captivating tale of assassinations, political intrigue, and religion in 15th-century Brittany. It is sure to attract feminist readers and romantics alike.”

Professor of Anthropology and Sociology Laura McClusky is reading Linda Tirado’s “Hand to Mouth: Living in Bootstrap America.” She calls it “a highly accessible personal account of what it’s like to be working poor” that humanizes the social problem of poverty and dismisses some strongly-held myths. She’s also picked up Neil Gaiman’s series of graphic novels titled under The Sandman. “The series is wonderful modern mythic creepy stuff, and the artwork is excellent.” she noted. “Ironically, I started reading the series while suffering a bout of insomnia.”

T.J. Wissick ’15, sociology and anthropology major and Japanese minor, recommends “S.” Created by director J.J. Abrams and written by author Doug Dorst, the story-within-a-story draws the reader into the world of the book’s characters and two other readers as they attempt to decode mysteries and secrets hidden throughout the novel. “Through text, carefully-layered subtext, and correspondence in the margins of the book, the mystery becomes not just about who the novel’s protagonist is or was, but about who the book’s author was and who the two reading it are,” said T.J.

Literati

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VICE CHAIR

Marie Chapman Carroll ’75 received her bachelor’s degree in economics and management from Wells and her master’s in finance from Washington University in St. Louis. She is retired senior executive from Anheuser-Busch Inc. and currently leads Carroll Consulting.

Board of Trustees

CHAIR

Carrie Bolton ’92 is the Senior Manager at Vanguard Financial. A graduate of the University of Pennsylvania’s Fels Institute of Government with a degree in government administration, Carrie was a history major and German minor at Wells.

SECRETARYSarah Chase ’69 is a fundraising and development expert formerly with the Republican National Committee and the U.S. Department of the Interior. Sarah majored in English at Wells and is a long-time class leader and fundraiser for the College.

2014-15 Board Officers

Retiring Board Members

As the terms of the following Board members have come to an end, we thank them for their loyal service to Wells. The hours spent and energies devoted to the betterment of the community are much appreciated.

• Arthur J. Bellinzoni, Professor Emeritus of Religion at Wells, Board member since 2008.

• Stephen T. Golding, Board member since 2012.

• Stanley J. Kott, Board member since 2006.

• Alan L. Marchisotto, Board member since 2005.

• Kevin Wilson ’12, Collegiate Trustee from 2012 to 2014.

The Wells College Board of Trustees assume—as volunteers—fiducuary responsibilty for the College. Philanthropists in the truest sense, they bring to bear their experiences, their expertise and countless hours in service to the College and her community. Newly-elected Board members, officers and honorary Trustees are noted below; the complete membership can be seen at www.wells.edu/about/presidents-office/trustees.aspx.

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New Members of the Board

Karen Frankel Blum ’67 is an Associate Dean and Professor of Law at the Suffolk University Law School. She lives in Boston, Mass., and is the 2010 WCA Award winner. Her work exemplifies a commitment to lifelong learning and social justice.

New Honorary Trustees

Stanley J. Kott just completed his term as Chair of the Board. He is a special advisor for Montpelier U.S. Insurance Company and former CEO of Montpelier Underwriting Inc.

Alan L. Marchisotto is vice president, general counsel and secretary for Moran Towing Corporation. He received a bachelor’s from Trinity College and his law degree from Vanderbilt University.

Gail Zabriskie Wilson ’60 has served on Wells’ Book Arts Center board since 2003. She has also served as WCA Trustee and class fundraiser. Gail is an advisor to the Greenwich Arts Council board of directors.

Judith Lavelle ’14 is a Collegiate Trustee and currently a graduate student in Science Journalism at Boston University. She graduated from Wells with distinction in English: creative writing, magna cum laude, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa.

Lisa Mazzola Cania ’79 received her bachelor’s in English at Wells, her M.Ed. from St. Lawrence University, and has a certificate from Harvard’s Management Development Program. She has long served St. Lawrence University and is currently the Vice President for Community and Employee Relations.

B O A R D O F T R U S T E E S

2013-2014 ANNUAL REPORT OF GIVINGHighlighting Extraordinary Philanthropy

Giving Clubs and Societies

Henry Wells Society $25,000 and aboveAurora Society $10,000–$24,999Tower Society $5,000–$9,999E.B. Morgan Club $2,500–$4,999Sycamore Club $1,000–$2,499Cayuga Club $500–$999Minerva Club $250–$499Stagecoach Club up to $250

President’s Circle All gifts of $5,000 and above. The President’s Circle includes the Henry Wells Society, the Aurora Society and the Tower Society.

FARGO Giving Clubs (Friends and Recent Graduates Organization includes the last 10 graduating classes)

FARGO Leaders $150–$249FARGO Friends $50–$149FARGO Club Up to $50

Legacy Circle

Lifetime membership upon planned giving arrangement.

DONOR RECOGNITIONAnnual gifts, planned gifts, and corporate matching gifts all qualify an individual for membership in a giving club or society. Donors are recognized in the following categories:

Every attempt is made for accuracy in reporting of gifts. We regret any error and ask that you please contact [email protected] or (315) 364-3200 to report any errors and we will gladly make changes to our on-line report.

39 A Message of Thanks

40 President’s Circle

42 Sycamore and E. B. Morgan Clubs

44 Giving by:

Alumnae and Alumni GivingClass GivingReunion GivingParent GivingSenior Class of 2014Faculty and Staff GivingFriends GivingCorporate and Foundation Giving

52 Tribute Giving

55 Legacy Circle

56 Volunteer Service

58 Rededication of Zabriskie Hall

Wells College and her extended community had a remarkable year in 2013-14 in so many ways! With the arrival of interim President Thomas E. J. de Witt came a renewed sense of purpose–a reinvigorated commitment not just to the College’s

future, but to her very present state. Tom called on all of us and challenged us to reenvision the Wells College we have known and loved. He invited widespread participation in current initiatives designed to make an immediate impact on our academic programs, the quality of student life, and our attractiveness to potential new students. He laid the groundwork for a fundamentally more solid financial footing to provide the bedrock for an exciting future.

The campus community has responded with enthusiasm. Indeed, the wider Wells community has added its support with equal measure of enthusiasm! Over 2,000 individuals and organizations, alumnae and alumni, parents of current and former students, Trustees and volunteer leaders, and of course our dedicated and talented faculty, staff and students made Wells a priority in their philanthropy and their service. Many of your gifts, as they have for generations, were given simply to the College in support of the greatest needs and priorities and to further opportunities and innovations, others directed in response to specific needs or programs or made in honor of someone special. Collectively, your contributions surpassed the $4 million mark. How remarkable indeed not only for a College so small, but for a community who have been called on so often over the years as Wells embraced both its challenges and its opportunities.

Over the course of the following pages, and in greater detail on our website, we pay tribute to the individuals and organizations whose care and support truly makes a Wells education possible. While such lists are both meaningful and impressive, I will continue to look for and cherish the individual opportunities to personally extend my gratitude on behalf of the College. Your giving to Wells makes a profound and immediate difference for today and for the future!

Michael R. McGreeveyVice President for Advancement

GIFTS RECEIVED FROM ALL SOURCES JULY 1, 2013–JUNE 30, 2014

Source Wells Fund Special/Restricted Endowment Total Gifts

Alumnae/i $1,630,338 $894,178 $75,799 $2,600,316

Parents & Friends $229,095 $561,318 $834,467

Corporations $60,265 $5,050 $65,315

Foundations $21,750 $276,500 $287,000 $585,250

Faculty & Staff $18,060 $38,765 $3,000 $59,825

Totals $1,959,509 $1,775,811 $409,853 $4,145,173

Please note that due to the multiple relationships a person may have with the College, a single donor may fall into several giving categories. In the table above, gifts are counted only in one category. Throughout the publication, however, we recognize giving more broadly.

hank youT In Celebration of a Remarkable Year

WWW.WELLS.EDU 39

Susan Wray Sullivan ’51^

Ruth P. Thomas*

John L. Zabriskie* and Adelaide Zabriskie

AURORA SOCIETYAnonymous

A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, Inc.

Ann Harden Babcock ’45^

David M. Barclay and Nancy Barton Barclay ’56^

Berkshire Charitable Foundation^

Christopher J. Williams and Carrie Bolton ’92^

Carnahan-Jackson Foundation

Marie Chapman Carroll ’75^

The Cayuga Foundation

G. Alan Clugston^

Gerald W. Codner

Mimi Collins ’59

Linda Glick Conway ’61^

Ann Mueller Coughlin ’51^

Sharon Whatmore Cowles ’58^

George D. Edwards Jr. and Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57^

Sally Emery ’64

Alexander Ewing and Anne Maddock Ewing ’43^

Pamela Edgerton Ferguson ’69^

Scott M. Hand and Ellen MacMillan Hand ’69^

Sylvia Henry*

Alan J. Heuer and Jean Wahl Heuer ’63^

Christian A. Johnson Endeavor Foundation

Mary Dean Johnstone ’42*

Anne Churchill Jones ’50^

David T. Kearns * and Shirley Cox Kearns ’54^

Edward E. Matthews^

Elizabeth Bowman Rothermel ’66^

Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’62^

Ryder System Charitable Foundation

Shirley Schou Bacot Shamel ’58^

George S. Slocum and Priscilla H. Slocum^

The Starr Foundation^

The President’s Circle recognizes donors to the College of $5,000 or greater. Encompassing the Henry Wells Society, the Aurora Society and the Tower Society, the 134 members of the President’s Circle contributed $3,316,358 in 2013-14.

As the College responds to the ever-shifting environment for higher education, providing our students with an education that is rigorous, relevant and practical requires extraordinary and sustained philanthropic support. Wells is fortunate and grateful that such generosity truly set the pace for a remarkable year at the College.

Gifts at this leadership level represent a special commitment to the College and are made after considered thought and usually through a personal connection. Thus, the work of the President’s Circle Committee, led by chairperson Fiona Morgan Fein ’65, is especially deserving of the College’s gratitude. Their efforts provide the foundational strength of the President’s Circle.

HENRY WELLS SOCIETYAnonymous (2)

Jean Ashby ’73^

Stefanie Korol Barley ’64^

S. Gordon Brummer and Sara Clark Brummer ’56^

Salvatore Cania and Lisa Mazzola Cania ’79^

Sarah C. Chase ’69^

The Fred L. Emerson Foundation^

Jane Demarest Engel ’42^

Fiona Morgan Fein ’65^

Margery Leinroth Gotshall ’45^

Hagedorn Fund^

Carolyn Ledgard Hallman ’51^

RESIDENT’S

IRCLE

PC

“The College needs all of us to stretch beyond what we thought were our limits as she continues to offer a distinctive education that really matters in the lives of her students and graduates.”

Fiona Morgan Fein ’65

40

^ = 5+ years continuous giving* = deceased

Jean Flowers

Barbara A. Frank ’69^

Frank M. Hutchins* and Jeanne Bahn Hutchins ’43^

Sarah J. Jankowski ’92^

Jephson Educational Trusts

Involut Vogel Jessup ’54^

Wenche Wollmar Johnson ’56*

Silas L. Keehn and Marcia Lindquist Keehn ’51^

Barbara Kennedy ’64^

Stanley J. Kott^

David M. Lascell and Donna Hopf Lascell ’64^

Lark Ludlow ’73^

Alan L. Marchisotto and Mary Jane Spellane Marchisotto ’75^

Virginia A. McGuire Foundation^

Elise Unhoch Mock ’56

Alice Hanawalt Morgan ’54^

Park Foundation, Inc.

William Reinhardt and Janet Poole Reinhardt ’51^

George E. Farenthold Jr. and Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81^

Barbara Smith ’38*

The John Ben Snow Foundation

Scott and Karen Sommer^

Ann Stratton ’46*^

Charles W. Sullivan*

Lins J. Upton

Nozomi Williams

G. Robert Witmer Jr. and Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61^

TOWER SOCIETYAmerican Endowment Foundation

John T. Bailey and Katherine Gerwig Bailey ’52^

Patricia Robinson Benson ’47^

Kristina Wheaton Berg ’71^

Isabel Longyear Besse ’80

Karen Frankel Blum ’67^

Elizabeth Boveroux ’57^

John H. Callahan and Patricia Wenzel Callahan ’79^

Jean Clark ’45^

Robert D. Corrie and Ann Cameron Corrie ’48^

Barbara Osborn David ’64^

Thomas E. J. de Witt and Margaret Ward

Betty Snyder DeVoll ’52

Florence Dowdell Fasanelli ’54^

Daniel J. Fessenden^

Dan Fultz and Helen Holler Fultz ’75^

Anne-Marie Mohn Glenn ’60^

Elizabeth Bowlby Gomez ’44

Janet Couperthwait Goodyear ’53^

Nancy Peek Hallenbeck ’36*

Roberta Henderson ’80^

Ernest Henderson III^

John B. Dubeck and Susan Hotine ’70^

The Alexander and Marjorie Hover Foundation^

Charles M. Howe and Joan Farnham Howe ’48^

Joan Shepherd Jones ’48^

Frederick Kaempffe and Lisa Knapp Kaempffe ’80^

Sara Keller ’78

Randy R. Kissell and Frances Trubilla Kissell ’78^

Frances Ford Luellen ’56^

The Lyric Foundation for Traditional Poetry,^

Scott F. McIntyre and Robin Hogan McIntyre ’81^

Deborah J. McLean ’74^

Daniel McNaughton and Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86^

Sally Small Merrick ’47^

Marcia Goetze Nappi ’56^

Mary Jean Ogden ’46*

John Panhuise and Vicki Keller Panhuise ’74

Judith Coulson Pitman ’64

Gail Vander Horst Procter ’64^

Gail Reid ’88^

Ann Skerratt Richardson ’49^

Jane Borsch Robbins ’61^

Suzanne Waldowski Roche ’88

Betty Rodriguez Vislosky ’78^

Donna Haacke Rohs ’69

Dorothea Smith Sawicki ’66^

Barbara Getschel Sawyer ’62^

Helene Shumate

Peter W. Smith and Lynn Perrott Smith ’70^

Robert Spofford and Susan Allerton Spofford ’63^

Kenneth R. Stevens and RoseMary Dugan Stevens ’81^

Gail Slocum Thornton ’67^

Sis Van Dorn ’69^

Patricia Parnie Wahlen ’66^

Janet Lauster Witzeman ’52^

Henry F. Wood Jr. ^

Martha Zalles ’29*^

LIVING WELLS TO THE FULLESTInvolut Vogel Jessup ’54

“We had the best time, and everyone wanted to stay longer!” says Involut Jessup ’54, reflecting on Reunion ’14. “I was excited to see what Wells students have access to, and I am pleased to see practical programs now offered in addition to the liberal arts. It’s vital for today’s students to get prepared for the job market – that’s the qualifier.”

Invie sees her Wells degree in psychology as the footing from which she qualified for a master’s program in counseling, attained teaching credentials (she taught in the Highland Park school system, just outside of Detroit), and helped her husband Dick conceptualize and grow Jessup Engineering from an entrepreneurial home-based startup to a leading manufacturer of metal-finishing equipment. “We built the first prototypes in our house,” she adds with a laugh.

“I took Industrial Psychology at Wells – a class customized for me by the professor,” she recollects. “I think it may have been beneficial early on in our business.”

Appreciative that her time in Aurora made a difference, Invie and Dick give annually to the Wells Fund and have included the College in their estate plans. “We agree with what Wells is doing and believe there are tremendous things happening,” she notes. “It was delightful to come back. Great friendships developed out of knowing everyone’s joys and struggles. We support the College because we hope current students are living Wells to the fullest.”

P R E S I D E N T ’ S C I R C L E

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 4 1

Named for iconic college symbols, the E. B. Morgan and Sycamore Clubs recognize the leadership-level contributions of those donors who contribute between $1,000 and $4,999 annually. In the 2013-14 fund year, 256 individuals stepped forward with collective contributions of nearly $486,093. Indeed, these donors embody

the true spirit of the Wells motto, “habere et dispertire.”

All gifts to the College help assure that today’s students have the resources necessary to pursue an education that artfully blends the best of rigorous liberal arts academics with the practical, hands-on experiences that an ever-changing career outlook demands. Sycamore and E. B Morgan Club members lead the way.

Donors to all giving clubs and societies – at all levels – are recognized on the College’s website at www.wells.edu/giving.

Sycamore & E. B. Morgan Clubs

E.B. MORGAN CLUBAnn Bernhard Alford ’49 Patricia Buell Anderluh ’56^Lenore Elman Asher ’49^Roger S. Bagnall and Whitney

Scofield Bagnall ’67^Douglas Bates Arthur J. Bellinzoni^Melissa Berger-Stoller ’86^Branich Enterprises, LLC Mona Williams Brown ’51^Sara Petersen Buell ’71^William Chester and Priscilla

Penfield Chester ’48*Êdward Curtis and Claire Gumaer

Curtis ’51^The Gladys Krieble Delmas

Foundation Perrie apJones Drysdale ’52^Cynthia White Foster ’69Ânn and Richard Frobose Jane Gilbert ’71^Stephen and Carolyn GoldingÊthel Harkness Grace ’09*^Sara Tallaksen Greene ’78 Ruth Harlow ’69^Judith Cox Hollohan ’63Êlizabeth Boehme Howe ’64^Ralph S. Johnson Jr. and Joanne

Lowell Johnson ’70Âlfred Jones and Sally Colegrove

Jones ’69^David Marshall*

Suzanne Combs Mieso ’67^Robert Munden and Kristine

Swanson Munden ’90^Mary McAllister Nijhout ’70^Joseph Nye and Molly Harding

Nye ’61Ândronike Leondis Passios ’58Ântoinette Ptak ’84 Sherry Hansel Qualls ’79 Harold Reed Frank P. Reiche and Janet Taylor

Reiche ’52Êugene M. Sneeringer and Susan

Hengerer Sneeringer ’76^Cindy Speaker Susan Standfast-Wright ’57^Michael Belknap and Rachelle

Stanko ’90^Patricia Kauffman Strickland ’71^Donald S. Swanson and Mary Ann

Emma Swanson ’78^Barbara Wood and Robert Vivian Gail Zabriskie Wilson ’60^William Yeckley and Ellen

Fleming Yeckley ’65^

SYCAMORE CLUBAnonymous (2)Laurie Munroe Abkemeier ’92^Joan Horsburgh Ainsworth ’65^Lew AllynRichard Angle and Barbara

Buddington Angle ’64^

Sally Wilson Arbuthnot ’64^Mary Arthur ’83Ânne Wilson Baker ’46^Winifred A. Baker ’75 Cynthia Manley Baldwin ’94 Shelley Osmun Baranowski ’68 William Deehan and Leigh

Barbour-Deehan ’77 John Golon and Jennifer

Barnett ’88^Virginia Edgecombe Barr ’68Êlizabeth Elkinton Barr ’73^Jane Chamberlin Bartrum ’65^C. Hunt Salembier and Roslyn

Beecher ’91 Richard Bennett and Ruth Harris

Bennett ’40^Louise Cameron Benson ’52 Cynthia Billings ’54^Raelene Lyons Bowman ’66Êlizabeth Brady ’84^Diana Phillips Brashears ’46^Geoffrey Brooks and Crary

Reynolds Brooks ’87Âudrey Edwards Brown ’46 Cynthia Greene Buchwald ’59^Katherine Keller Bulette ’56^Julie Burnet ’72^Suzanne Ingersoll Burrows ’89 Nancy Phipps Byrne ’73^Carol Carbary ’93Ânn Linden Wagner Carlisle ’62^Charles Wentz Carter Memorial

Foundation

Anne Coventry Cassidy ’64^Candyce Cavanagh ’74 Judith Southerton Clark ’56 Linda Law Clark ’72 Donna Cohen ’70 Constance Coles ’67^Suzanne K. Smith Collins ’58^Nancy Lennox Collis ’45^Shauna Coolican ’81 David and Carolyn Corson Carol Lynn Courtney ’80^Hanley Bird Cox ’64Ânnabel Goan Cronin ’84^Mary Pastore Cryan ’84^Jane Fawcett Dearborn ’81^Birgit Nielsen Deeds ’58Êlizabeth Balch Dickinson ’54^Joanna Crowe Dillon ’59^Kathleen Dooley ’82^Charenton Zelov Drake ’76 Barbara Shields Drenning ’63 Juliana Dunlap ’82 Harry Dutchyshyn and Valentine

Picking Dutchyshyn ’53^Susan Eddy ’64^Judith Ehren ’68Ânn Perkins Entenman ’48 Pamela Hotine Espenshade ’65^Corinne Howard Farnham ’50^James Ouichi and Barbara Faust ’71Ânne Langfitt Fawcett ’54 Jamie Figenbaum ’64 Joan Alexander Fordham ’64^Karen Kennedy Gallimore ’68^

42

A VESTED INTEREST:Jean Wahl Heuer ’63

As loyal and generous supporters of Wells College, Alan and Jean Wahl Heuer ’63 understand the importance of giving back to Jean’s alma mater. Having been in the President’s Circle for almost 10 years, it’s clear that Alan and Jean have a vested interest in ensuring that the gift of a Wells education continues to be a reality for generations of future students.

Their support of the College is not just a financial one. The Heuers also hosted the annual Florida luncheon in the Naples area this past February at the Bonita Bay Club, an event that was well attended by over 30 alumnae and friends!

Alan and Jean shared, “We believe Wells is a special College and are happy to support the personal education Wells affords its students.”

Joan Hovorka Gault ’50 Barbara Day Giesen ’64 Beatrice Clyde Girolamo ’59^Frank Golay and Inga Anderson

Golay ’71^Mary Mitchell Goodman ’70^Kristine Selander Gordon ’80^Karen Eckberg Gottovi ’62^Suzanne N. Grey ’72^Barbara Knapp Hamblett ’48*Ann Shaver Hammer ’60^Barbara Bennet Hart ’54 Margaret McKinlay Hemnes ’64 Lucinda McIlroy Higgins ’69^James Hill and Lisa Montgomery

Hill ’88^Susan Hemmersley Homestead ’61^Denise Hoogland ’75^Janet Staley Howard ’49^Nancy Hubbard ’69^Virginia Galloway Jacob ’46 Alan and Jean JankowskiÊllin Messolonghites Johnson ’57^Heidi Russell Johnston ’86 Mary Ella Wagner Jones ’65 Ann Tacchino Kelly ’75 Richard and Karen Kimberly^Gail Kirkpatrick ’74 Jane Wadhams Kitchen ’47^Linda Gilgore Klopfenstein ’61^Heather Kowalski ’90^Donna Kuhn Laidlaw ’65^Jane Lang ’68^Duncan Lawrence ’11 Margaret Neenan Leahy ’84^Thomas Elliott Leggat and Barbara

Boyle Leggat ’61Ârnold Leibowitz and Sandra

Adler Leibowitz ’52Âlice Lesney^Susan Rice Lewis ’65^Jane Langfitt Lind ’57^George Loomis and Kathryn

Mayo Loomis ’50^Katharine Lydecker Lowe ’48^Donna Krager Lyon ’74^Sandra Maceyka ’62 Olivia Mayer Marks ’72^Judith Trencher Marshall ’61^Robert Marx and Frances

Ludwick Marx ’58^Kelsey Kastner Mason ’61 Lisa Matt ’74^Catherine Mawicke ’71 Ellen Brenton McAllister ’74^Rhonda Mead McConnell ’76 Meghan McCune ’03 Candace Lee McDowell ’66^Mary Melone McIsaac ’52 McMead Realty Corporation

^ = 5+ years continuous giving* = deceased

Margaret Viele Meath ’46Âmi Dudzinski Mehr ’98 Alice Morse Mellin ’64 Emilie Van Petten Merritt ’50^Barbara Aex Miller ’63 Susan L. Mills ’68^Renée Forgensi Minarik ’80^Minnesota Wells Club^William Moench and Pamela

Stephans Moench ’76^Mary Potts Montgomery ’64 Wendy Lippman

Montgomery ’69^Helen Anderson Morey ’45^Milene Bills Morfei ’89^Joan Morrison Deborah Murphy ’91^Burton Nadler Carolyn Colburn Narasimhan ’64 Sarah Burton Nelson ’46^Henry Nesbitt*Terry and Kathleen Newcomb Camilla Roeder Nielsen ’60 Quincy Lockett Northrup ’61^Janet Lutton Olt ’57 John and Rose Olver Joseph Ondrick and Patricia

Richter Ondrick ’62^Shirley King Orr ’52^Mary Tompkins Osborn ’64^Kathryn Wenner Palmer ’65^Sally Parnell Miller ’78Êlsa Perkins ’64 Sarah Petersen Patricia Profeta ’75Ânn Crimmins Rafano ’57^Lee Rancier and Emily Bryant

Rancier ’66^Leigh Anderson Rappole ’64 Susan Haber Rauch ’64^Gretchen Wegner Reed ’59 Jean Reid ’67^Shane Logie Rood ’64^Sally Hurlburt Rosemond ’52^Ripley Ross ’74 Muriel Borg Ruhle ’42*^Carolyn White Sampson ’57Âubin Redfield Sander ’51 Paula Scali ’71 Cornelia Hamlin Schade ’61 Merrie Schippereit ’74^Genevieve Savarese Schubert ’55Êberle Schultz ’04 Martha Ryan Severens ’67^Gehan Shanmuganathan Jeffrey Shepard and Frances

Cantwell Shepard ’74Êlizabeth Shola Bonnie Baron Shrager ’63^Shirley McKee Shreiner ’49^

Sandra Scheurle Sinclair ’61Ôlivia Ray Singleton ’49^Virginia Grace Small ’50^Joseph Smith and Alice Margaret

Woodson Smith ’70 Leigh Spencer Sorensen ’64^Suzanne Spencer ’64^Carol Steele ’71 Margaret Good Stockwell ’64 Ken Stutz and Lynn Schneider

Stutz ’81Êllen McFarland Sutton ’45Êrika Rich Sweeney ’90Ânne Parker Tack ’55 Alice Tanner ’79 Arthur Tauck Nancy Tillinghast ’69^Time Warner Cable Robert Ullrich^Lynn Crear Valenti ’63^Tobie Tyler van der Vorm ’70^Cornelis and Lori van Hoekelen Elizabeth Van Ranst ’67^Marcia Cox Vaughey ’65^Carol Voorhees ’67 Elizabeth Winslow Wagner ’65^Gail Funston Wasson ’68^Rachel Welch ’92^Pamela Welch ’77^Katharine Hutchins Welling ’70^Phyllis Bellows Wender ’56 Margaret Richie Weymouth ’64Êlizabeth White ’61

David Williams and Joanne Elrod Williams ’66^

Bess Woodworth Harriet Husted Wooten ’44^Roberta Husted Young ’74^Stephen L. Zabriskie and Randall

Shaw Zabriskie ’74^

S Y C A M O R E & E . B . M O R G A N C L U B S

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 4 3

In 2013-14, more than 1,600 alumnae and alumni “answered the call” from their alma mater. Led by WCA National Annual Giving Chair Mary Pastore Cryan ’84, scores of volunteers reached out to encourage contributions and engage volunteers. As has been true throughout the history of the College, such thoughtful and

generous support has made a critical difference.

This past year, as the College pursued new initiatives – some designed to have an immediate impact on visiting prospective students, others which have artfully combined Wells’ traditional liberal arts offerings with a practical career-oriented approach – alumnae and alumni signaled their enthusiasm with contributions totaling over $2,600,000. These changes are having an immediate impact on enrollment, helping to revitalize campus culture, and contributing to the College’s long-term financial health.

Wells remains deeply grateful for – and reliant upon – alumni support to assure that today’s students have access to an education that challenges their assumptions and prepares them for their futures. Alumni support also signals to the world beyond that a Wells education matters; thus our charge for the coming year will include improving the 25% alumnae/i participation rate. The complete class donor lists and recognition of class volunteers can be found on the website at www.wells.edu/giving.

Alumnae & Alumni Giving

G I V I N G W I T H A G R AT E F U L H E A R T :Donna Hopf Lascell ’64

“It is comforting to remember Wells as I knew it fifty years ago… the beautiful campus, the traditions that connect us, the mournful cry of the geese in the fall, the community of teachers and learners gathered together in common purpose, the sense that our four years there were shaping who we were to become. I wouldn’t be who I am today if it weren’t for those years at Wells. But there are so many exciting and wonderful things happening today in Aurora that looking ahead to the future is just as compelling.

President de Witt has kept us informed of exciting changes on the campus and in the curriculum, and we feel a part of the College’s continuing history. It’s inspiring to see men and women together on campus, taking advantage of new educational initiatives relevant to twenty-first century realities. What an exciting time to be a student at Wells! There is a part of me that wants to be a student again, to be challenged to do my best in such a personal and caring environment, to study and achieve in such a beautiful setting. It keeps calling to me.

“But the truth is David and I never really left Wells. Soon after I graduated, he began his long tenure as a Trustee, and our commitment has never waivered. Wells is a treasure, and we want it to always be here offering its unique gifts and preparing students for the future. Whatever we can do to support Wells, we do with grateful hearts, trusting it will continue to attract the brightest and most promising students, and that they will love being here for four years, as I did, and then go out proudly to change the world.”

“Each gift, no matter the size, provides a critical base of funding on which today’s programs and tomorrow’s successes rest.”

Mary Pastore Cryan ’84

44

1909-1940

$29,66719 donors

1947

$12,3689 donors

30%

1954

$98,20622 donors

42%1941

$2,0007 donors

64%

1948

$23,80522 donors

41%

1955

$6,54323 donors

37%1942

$408,40812 donors

43%

1949

$24,82020 donors

45%

1956

$81,37732 donors

44%1943

$26,1074 donors

24%

1950

$59,30019 donors

41%

1957

$27,60531 donors

44%1944

$8,6756 donors

30%

1951

$145,41922 donors

47%

1958

$84,35539 donors

45%1945

$57,70411 donors

37%

1952

$31,71725 donors

53%

1959

$21,83440 donors

49%1946

$25,76615 donors

45%

1953

$11,81527 donors

48%

1960

$18,31846 donors

54%

Top Ten Class Gifts

The class gift lists record the collected donations of members of the classes named. The classes ranking in the top ten for their gifts to Wells committed over $1.5 million to the College.

YEAR DONORS PARTIC. TOTAL

1942 12 43% $408,408

1962 37 44% $289,207

1965 45 44% $177,498

1951 22 47% $145,419

1969 59 53% $116,108

1954* 22 42% $98,206

1964* 79 61% $95,716

1958 39 45% $84,355

1956 32 44% $81,377

1963 51 44% $76,084

SUSTAINABLE CHANGESIn order to reduce paper use and in keeping with the College’s commitment to environmentally-responsible practices, we are not including the full lists of donors for the 2013-14 year in this magazine.

We are extremely grateful to all of our donors, and a full list recognizing those who contributed to Wells is available on our website at www.wells.edu/giving.

* Includes alum pledges and/or gifts from family and friends in honor or memory of members of the reunioning class.

From the time new students arrive in Aurora, class identity becomes a foundational element of the Wells experience. Whether Odd or Even, friendships made—often in those very first days —at Wells stand the test of time; the camaraderie of classmates remains throughout the course of alumni-hood. Class volunteers, including Reunion Fund Chairs, Reunion Social Chairs and Class Secretaries, take special responsibility for stewarding these ongoing connections.

The table below and on the next two pages captures the spirit of giving by class. The complete class lists and acknowledgement of class volunteers/leaders can be found on the website at www.wells.edu/giving.

CLASS GIVING

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 4 5

1961

$43,27834 donors

35%

1970

$29,15256 donors

36%

1979

$57,77529 donors

27%1962

$289,20737 donors

44%

1971

$26,36643 donors

29%

1980

$20,73526 donors

21%1963

$76,08451 donors

44%

1972

$13,50538 donors

33%

1981

$36,05531 donors

33%1964

$95,71679 donors

61%

1973

$42,79334 donors

20%

1982

$5,64521 donors

19%1965

$177,49845 donors

44%

1974

$31,45641 donors

32%

1983

$5,05021 donors

22%1966

$58,38348 donors

40%

1975

$39,51723 donors

19%

1984

$14,34432 donors

27%1967

$30,70757 donors

41%

1976

$10,11524 donors

20%

1985

$1,18412 donors

11%1968

$18,48252 donors

39%

1977

$5,46727 donors

23%

1986

$13,75216 donors

17%1969

$116,10859 donors

53%

1978

$24,85022 donors

19%

1987

$2,0506 donors

7%

Notes: The Wells College fiscal year is July 1–June 30. Matching gifts for which donors or their partners/spouses are eligible are credited to the donor when the College is notified of the match. Contracted planned gifts are recognized in the year in which Wells is notified of the arrangement. For classes celebrating a reunion, giving society membership is based on pledged gifts payable by June 30, 2016, as well as received gifts. Gifts made by family members or friends in honor or memory of alumnae/i celebrating a reunion, as well as the Class of 2014, are counted in class gift totals.

YEAR DONORS PARTIC. TOTAL

1941 7 64% $2,000

1964 79 61% $95,716

1960 46 54% $18,318

1952 25 53% $31,717

1969 59 53% $116,108

1936 2 50% $5,250

1937 4 50% $992

1959 40 49% $21,834

1953 27 48% $11,815

1951 22 47% $145,419

Top Ten Participation

Alumnae and alumni giving participation rates are a tangible example of support. These figures play a role in determining college rankings and positively affect our ability to attract grants from foundations. This year the following classes rank in the top ten for participation rates:

C L A S S G I V I N G

46

1988

$18,49114 donors

18%

1997

$8507 donors

7%

2006

$1,82012 donors

14%1989

$14,35411 donors

15%

1998

$1,4506 donors

10%

2007

$953 donors

3%1990

$10,80513 donors

13%

1999

$2,59814 donors

19%

2008

$1764 donors

7%1991

$3,42514 donors

17%

2000

$1405 donors

8%

2009

$1,43211 donors

10%1992

$31,26520 donors

21%

2001

$7003 donors

3%

2010

$2659 donors

6%1993

$2,0425 donors

7%

2002

$2204 donors

6%

2011

$1,80318 donors

12%1994

$4,53213 donors

18%

2003

$1,6435 donors

5%

2012

$48012 donors

8%1995

$6803 donors

4%

2004

$2,5546 donors

8%

2013

$37311 donors

8%1996

$1,3705 donors

7%

2005

$8818 donors

10%

2014

$1,76018 donors

18%

Every attempt is made for accuracy in reporting of gifts. We regret any error and ask that you please contact [email protected] or (315) 364-3200 to report any errors, and we will gladly make changes to our on-line report.

20 F O R 20 C L U G S T O N C H A L L E N G EProfessor Emeritus Matches Giving

This past year, beloved English Professor Emeritus G. Alan Clugston offered a challenge to recent alumni: join him in supporting Wells by making a gift, and he would match each gift with $20 of his own. We were grateful enough for this generosity, but he wasn’t done yet. Professor Clugston took it one step further and offered to donate an additional $20 per month for every recent alum who scheduled a recurring monthly credit card donation. We set an ambitious goal of $20,000.

The response we received was wonderful. Our recent grads rose to the challenge with 220 gifts totaling over $18,900. With Professor Clugston’s match, we were able to surpass our goal for a remarkable total of $28,908. These contributions provide a critical base of funding that Wells can apply wherever the need is greatest—scholarship, faculty support or campus renewal.

Thank you to those who took part in the challenge. Your generosity ensures that today’s Wells students have the tools they need to become tomorrow’s leaders.

C L A S S G I V I N G

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 4 7

REUNION GIVING The celebration of Class Reunions is often the impetus for a special gift to the College. Marking the passage of years and the value of longtime friendships, and perhaps acknowledging the role of education in life’s journey, reunions include concentrated fundraising efforts—led by dedicated Reunion Fund Chairs and supported by other class volunteers. Reunion class fundraising efforts span three fund years; classes celebrating five-year reunions this year raised over $497,000.

The full list of results, including acknowledgement of class volunteers, can be found on the website at www.wells.edu, within the “Giving by Class” section; snapshots of this year’s efforts are below.

The Class of 1964 returned to campus to celebrate their 50th Reunion last June. Led by class chairs Sally Wilson Arbuthnot and Barb Kennedy with assistance from Cynthia Frederick Bright, San Eddy, Jamie Figenbaum, Betsy Boehme Howe and Gail Vander Horst Procter, the class enjoyed reconnecting with each other and made Weld House their home for the weekend. They also enjoyed an opportunity to engage with current students. Barb noted, “The students were amazing—helpful, cheerful, hanging out with us to hear our stories, and engaging in serious discussions. They are smart, would like to change the world for the better, and love Wells. We somehow have found the right kids for the place, and I look forward to seeing them as reunionees.”

So when the College asked the members of 1964 to increase their giving to honor their 50th Reunion, the class didn’t hesitate. More than 75 members generously gave over $95,000 to Wells knowing that their support provides vital resources for our students. A portion of their money was earmarked for naming a classroom in the newly renovated Zabriskie Hall. The class of 1964 is not only a part of Wells’ past, but also its present and its future.

50TH REUNIONClass of 1964

45TH REUNIONClass of 1969Year after year the Class of 1969 has stepped up and supported Wells. They are consistently on the top ten lists for dollars raised and participation. The members of the class celebrated their 45th Reunion in June—and while some might not see that as a particularly notable milestone, the Class of 1969 would disagree. Not only do they know how to have a good time at Reunion, but over half of the class contributed to the total gift of $116,108, the highest amount raised by any of this year’s Reunion classes.

Having been the class gift chair since 1978 and elected “Class Gift Chair for Life” at their 25th Reunion, Sarah Chase says, “My classmates love Wells and get really excited about giving. Their willingness to volunteer as gift agents and their responses to appeals have been phenomenal. While they have different areas of interest at the College, they come together for the total class effort and always expect 1969 to be among the leaders. It has been an honor and great fun to work with these remarkable women all these years. I’m very proud of them.”

We are fortunate to have so many extraordinary women in the Class of 1969 and thank them for their continued generous, loyal support each and every year. Stay tuned to see what their 50th will bring!

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Members of the Class of 2014 made gifts and pledges to the College totaling $393; all unrestricted support of the Annual Fund. In addition, parents and friends of the class gave $1,367 in honor of the class, bringing the class gift total to $1,760. The Seniors focused on collecting gifts of $20.14, and several class members pledged to support Wells with an additional gift of $20.14 six months after graduation.

Thank you Class of 2014 and all who participated! Your generosity strengthens and encourages future graduates to participate in this long-standing tradition. The list of Senior Gift donors can be found at www.wells.edu/giving.

Committee: Ethan Beardsley, Hillary O’Grady, Britta Kilbourn, Jessica Stolt, Fahad Rahmat, Emily Middlebrook, Jessica Lyons, Molly Heslin, Rebecca Rose, Pamela Badian-Pessot, Shane Puskar, Valerie Provenza.

PARENT GIVING Who knows better than the parents of our students the transformative possibilities in a Wells education? Parents entrust their children’s futures to Wells, and we take that incredibly seriously. And we are equally as honored when they acknowledge the value of Wells with a gift—above and beyond tuition. Walter and Dee Nishioka, parents of junior Kylie Nishioka, took that to heart when they stepped forward and asked fellow parents to join them in recognizing the strength of a Wells education with a gift to the parents fund. In 2013-14, the families of 125 current and former students contributed over $418,000. The full listing of parent donors can be found at www.wells.edu/giving.

“As part of the Wells family, we all have a role, and making an annual gift is our way of supporting today’s programs and contributing to the long-term success of the College.”

Walter & Dee Nishioka

C O N F I R M I N G T H E VA L U E O F A W E L L S E D U C AT I O NAlan and Jean Jankowski

It has been nearly 25 years since Sarah J. Jankowski ’92 started her college search with her parents. When they visited Wells it seemed to be the right fit. Jean Jankowski, Sarah’s mother shares, “We can recall an early campus visit where we met with alums who had returned to share their journeys since graduation. We were impressed with this accomplished and articulate group of women who chose diverse paths but still held a passion for this small and special school. It was a clear confirmation of the value of their Wells education.”

Alan and Jean Jankowski watched their daughter Sarah thrive during her four years in Aurora, participating in corporate affiliate internships and a term abroad in Germany. Upon graduation she was offered a position in New York City with Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57, who remains a mentor and confidant to this day. Sarah now resides in Boston and serves as a College Trustee, and that same devotion and loyalty to her classmates and Wells still exists.

The Wells motto habere et dispertire—To Have and To Share—has been taken to heart by Alan and Jean. “We pledge our support annually so that this gem of a college can continue to offer young people the opportunity to have these experiences and obtain an outstanding education. We have concluded that our financial support of Wells College is an extremely worthwhile endeavor and a concrete way to show our appreciation for Sarah’s excellent education. We will continue to do so, along with securing matching support from the GE Foundation.”

”Seniors get to take part in giving back and begin a new relationship with the school that has already given us so much as (almost) alumni.”

Ethan Beardsley ’14

SENIOR CLASS 2014

G I V I N G B Y

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 4 9

FACULTY & STAFF GIVING

FRIENDS GIVING

As the College embraces a new vision for her future, it is perhaps faculty and staff who know best the power of “rolling one’s sleeves up” and creating that reality. Day in and day out, the College relies on the dedication and talent of our employees—and they deliver, day in and day out. So it is not surprising that when one (or two!) of their own asked for more, they responded—with enthusiasm and generosity.

Associate Professor of Sociology Dan Renfrow and Director of Academic Advising and Success Nicole Pellegrino ’05 took the lead as 40 members of the College’s faculty and staff contributed nearly $80,000 in support of Wells and our students. The full listing of faculty and staff donors can be found at www.wells.edu/giving.

“Above and beyond many of us working together day-to-day, making a gift helps ensure that Wells continues to move in a positive direction and that new initiatives come to fruition.”

Nicole Pellegrino & Dan Renfrow

NICOLE PELLEGRINO ’05A vested interest in student success

For Nicole Pellegrino ’05, giving back to Wells ensures that the students she works with on a daily basis are able to receive the same quality education that she did as a student. “I give to the College because my life is good and meaningful because of my Wells experience, and I want others to have the same opportunities.” As the Director of Academic Advising and Success, Nicole expresses her admiration for Wells students, referencing their motivation, involvement and passion for learning. “I know that Wells students are being prepared for a lifetime of success.”

Having previously served as the Director of Student Activities and Leadership at Wells for several years, Nicole now serves as Director of Academic Advising and Success. Throughout the day-to-day advising appointments and staff meetings, the importance of giving is never far from her mind. “As a staff member, I have a vested interest in Wells’ continued success, now and in the long-term.” Keeping in mind how fortunate she was to have attended Wells, and wanting to support the College as both an alumna and staff member, Nicole has been a regular annual donor. Additionally, she’s also a loyal promoter of memorial prizes for students, giving each year to the William Liberi ’05 Memorial Prize for TLGBQ Activism and Scholarship and the Ariel Lawson ’08 Memorial Prize.

Wells’ circle of friends extends far and wide. Whether longtime members of the Wells family or just becoming acquainted with the College, their generosity is remarkable and we are deeply grateful. In 2013-14, 186 friends of the College contributed—and many contributed their time and talents as well. The Wells experience for our students is richer, indeed, for the friendship of so many caring individuals. Please see the website at www.wells.edu/giving for the complete list.

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CORPORATE & FOUNDATION GIVINGWhether in response to a particular need, arising out of a philanthropic mission, or in recognition of employee giving, the spirit of philanthropy is manifest in the 75 corporate and foundation donors to Wells in 2013-14. These organizational donors contributed over $660,000 in support of critical program needs, including $63,000 through corporate matching gift programs. Thank you for your partnership.

CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION DONORS

HENRY WELLS SOCIETYThe Fred L. Emerson Foundation^Christian A. Johnson Endeavor FoundationHagedorn Fund^Ryder System Charitable FoundationThe Starr Foundation^

AURORA SOCIETYAnonymousBerkshire Charitable Foundation^Carnahan-Jackson FoundationThe Cayuga FoundationJephson Educational TrustsVirginia A. McGuire Foundation^A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, Inc.Park Foundation, Inc.The John Ben Snow Foundation

TOWER SOCIETYThe Alexander and Marjorie Hover Foundation^The Lyric Foundation for Traditional Poetry, Inc.^

E.B. MORGAN CLUBBranich Enterprises, LLCThe Gladys Krieble Delmas Foundation

SYCAMORE CLUBAnonymousThe Allyn Foundation, Inc.Charles Wentz Carter Memorial

CAYUGA CLUBFranklin Cole Foundation^Presentation Concepts CorporationUpstate Temperature Control, Inc.

MINERVA CLUBLynch Furniture Company

STAGECOACH CLUBBobby K. EntertainmentCayuga Landscape Co., Inc.VirtualGiving, Inc.

MATCHING GIFT ORGANIZATIONS

Abbott FundAmeriprise Financial Employee Giving CampaignAnalog Devices, Inc.Apple Matching Gifts ProgramAptarGroup Charitable FoundationAXA FoundationBank of AmericaBank of New York MellonBASF CorporationBechtel FoundationBoeing CompanyBridgestone Firestone Trust FundBristol-Myers Squibb FoundationChevron CorporationClorox Company FoundationCoridan Business Solutions, Inc.Display Sales CompanyFidelity FoundationFiduciary Trust CompanyFirstEnergy FoundationFrontier Capital Management CompanyGeneral Electric FoundationGoldman, Sachs & CompanyInternational Business MachineJohnson & Johnson Family of CompaniesLockheed Martin CorporationMacy’s, Inc.Marsh & McLennan Companies, Inc.McKesson Foundation, Inc.MeadWestvaco FoundationMerck & Company, Inc.Microsoft CorporationMorgan StanleyNorthern Trust CompanyPhillips 66 CompanyRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Ryder System Charitable FoundationShell Oil Company FoundationThomson ReutersTravelers Companies, Inc.UBS Wealth ManagementUnited Technologies CorporationVanguard Group FoundationVanguard Group, Inc.Verisk AnalyticsVerizon FoundationZeon Chemicals Incorporated

^=5+ years giving

WWW.WELLS.EDU 51

G I V I N G B Y

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Donors occasionally choose to honor others with their gifts to Wells. Giving in tribute to a dear friend, to honor exceptional service, or in memory of a loved one, provides immediate, tangible benefit to today’s students, while expressing heartfelt appreciation for a special relationship. The lists that follow are the names of

those so honored, while the complete lists that also include those who have offered tributes in honor of and in memory of may be found online at www.wells.edu/giving.

Annie Marsh Ryerson ’08

Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81

George & Priscilla Slocum

Dione Sroka ’05

Paige N. Stone ’13

Susan Wray Sullivan ’51

Professor Crawford Thoburn

Adrian Trninic ’11

Eric Vaughn

Mary Vaughan Ward ’81

Deveron McLeod Waybright ’92

WCA Leaders Past & Present

Wells College Advancement Staff

Wells College Academic & Student Life Office

Wells College English Program

Wells College Faculty

Wells College Faculty, Staff & Students

Wells College Odds/Evens

The Wells Express

Sarah Wetherill

Victoria H. Williams ’14

Molly Murphy Woods ’16

In Memory OfSusan Anderson ’64

Diana Mullet Anderson ’60

Jacqueline K. Aronson ’49

James Avery Jr.

Avery Ayers

Elizabeth Lloyd Bagg ’20

James Hawkins Howard ’14

Melissa Jordan ’08

Alice Jordan ’05

Faye Justicia-Linde ’01

Barbara Kennedy ’64

Britta C. Kilbourn ’14

Stanley J. Kott

Judith M. Lavelle ’14

Sophia Liang ’71

Randy & Cori Lombardo

Lark Ludlow ’73

Michelle Horner Macris’95

Mary Melone McIsaac ’52

Holli Pavlus McLamb ’94

Jeremiah Miller ’14

Molly R. Moen ’99

Madalyn Mosher

Bradley Murray ’15

Molly Myers ’14

Patrick O’Callaghan ’14

Hillary O’Grady ’14

Kate LeBoutillier O’Neill ’66

Pamela Badian-Pessot ’14

Virginia C. Payne ’80

Patti McGill Peterson

Robert A. Plane

Shane Puskar ’14

Charlotte Dunn Quay ’44

Elisabeth Rollo ’12

Jessica Root ’10

Elizabeth Bowman Rothermel ’66

Pleasant Thiele Rowland ’62

In Honor OfSally Wilson Arbuthnot’64

Demi Walsh Ayres ’69

Bruce Bennett

Karen Frankel Blum ’67

Jonathan Bonds ’14

Lois Brock ’37

Marie Chapman Carroll ’75

Sarah Curry Chase ’69

Class of 1940

Class of 1963

Class of 1984

Class of 2008

Class of 2009

Class of 2014

Deborah A. Cotter ’90

Thomas E. J. de Witt

Waltraut Deinert

Susan Brennan Eddy

Elizabeth B. Edgerton ’42

Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57

Sissy Farenthold

Jamie Figenbaum ’64

Erika Keller Giacalone’94

Nancy Gil

Walter Gillespie

“My Grandparents”

Ralph Groskoph

Talyse Hampton ’09

Sarah Hatfield ’99

Tribute Giving

T R I B U T E G I V I N G

Jeannik Méquet Littlefield’41

Chalmers MacCormick

Crosbie Eccles MacMillen ’44

Janet Mapstone

Diether Markees

David B. Marshall Jr.

Nancy Scott McCabe ’60

Colleen McCarthy ’99

Grant J. McConnell

Virginia A. McGuire ’31

Bertha Rich Metcalf 1905

Mr. and Mrs. James Mills

Dennis Montgomery

Jane C. Morgan ’34

“My Parents”

Richard H. Osberg

June Sheldon Osberg

Margery Grant Page ’38

Mary Cornell Park ’71

Catharine Sitterley Pasmantier ’64

Janice Peck Patterson ’50

David M. Poore

Charles R. Puglia

Thomas R. Pugh III

Emily Hsu Landau Quach ’83

Ann Quackenbush ’59

Condie Aller Reynolds ’69

Janet Young Richardson ’50

Debbie M. Robertson ’69

Anne J. Russ

Theresa Ruta ’84

Karlene W. Salamon ’55

Linda Berry Santino ’81

Nancy Peek Hallenbeck ’36

Nancy Smith Harnsberger ’55

Nancy Wagner Hart ’52

June Heap Heaton ’50

Suzanne Hecht

Janet S. Hengerer ’40

Carol White Herbel ’64

Eleanor Marsh Hillers ’54

Charlie Hitchcock

Alice Duncan Hopgood ’38

E. Margie Filter Hostetter ’62

Fran & Paul Huber

Patricia Herrick Janssens ’55

Karen Dolch Jochelson ’63

Sabra Briggs Johnson ’44

Kaye Harding Jones

John T. Jones III

David T. Kearns

Ann Frankel Keenan

Richard Keithline

Ann Sorensen Kennedy ’62

Susan Crandall Kenyon ’52

Elizabeth Essick Kimberly ’26

Elizabeth Drake King ’40

Elizabeth Gatchell Klein

Mildred Kestenbaum Klein ’57

Elsa Jung Kreiner ’42

Harriet Spencer Lacy ’29

Jane Winand LaFever ’70

Ariel Grace Lawson ’08

Barbara Betham Lewis ’51

Linda L. Lewis ’59

Will Liberi ’05

Mildred Dawson Ball ’28

Edwin J. Baranowski

Vahan D. Barooshian

Elise Barrow

Ann Palmer Bayliss ’46

Lillian Lacy Beale 1905

Carolyn Taylor Behnke ’61

Louise Baker Berkett ’34

Martin Bernal

Margaret Bannerman Betts ’33

Karol Kavanagh Bibbs ’57

Phyllis Jenkins Biddle ’43

Diane Biglow

Allan D. & Mary Jane Bishop

Linda Phillips Brown ’63

Jane Nye Burditt ’40

Nancy Fairchild Caban ’64

Anne Erskine Carey ’49

Susan Roush Carpenter ’57

Christine Patton Chapman ’54

Lawrie Chisholm ’72

Pati Coleman ’84

Mary Hamlin Combes ’41

Gretchen Combs

Katharine Cornell ’68

Linda Parker Daghlian ’63

Harriet Decker ’41

“Departed Classmates”

Albert S. Drucker

Margaret Utter Durant ’48

Elizabeth M. Eaton ’89

Elizabeth Bahn Edgerton ’42

Sheila Edmunds

Dennis Fitzgerald

Else Fleissner

Otto Fleissner

Daniel F. Flowers, Sr.

Marjorie C. Foley

Ann Bowers Frankel

Margot Domizi Freeman ’60

Vincent & Frances Gabis

Eleanor Ganter

Caroline Murray Gates ’48

Carol Schrier Gelles ’50

Susan M. Getzendanner ’65

Susan Cantrell Gilchrist ’69

Geraldine Gosselink

Barbara Dorr Greene ’35

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 5 3

[

As part of Alumni Weekend, College trustees joined alumni, friends, faculty, staff and students on a warm fall afternoon to celebrate the official dedication of the College’s new Lisa Marsh Ryerson ’81 Commons. Encompassing both the dining hall and new outdoor terrace, Ryerson Commons was dedicated in recognition of President Emerita Ryerson’s unwavering commitment to the students of Wells College. This wonderful outdoor space provides a year-round programming and gathering space for students. Overlooking Cayuga Lake, it is also a scenic venue for alumni and community events and is already being enjoyed by many. Ryerson Commons was made possible by generous contributions from nearly 200 donors to the Presidential Fund for Student Success. The complete list of those who donated to this fund may be found online at www.wells.edu/giving.

T R I B U T E G I V I N G

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Irving SchoenfeldSusan Shola ’78Maartje Breed-Sieburgh ’63Audrey C. Simmons ’46Carol Hudson Smith ’63Janet B. Smith ’59Lisabeth Phin Steinmetz ’23Cynthia A. Stewart ’72Patricia A. SullivanPike H. SullivanCarol Whitney Thomason ’69Edna TyldsleyHarriette G. Ullrich ’41Alberto J. VaronaElizabeth Bagg Vaughan ’46Jean Cappers Vivian ’49Nancy Rung Vujovich ’49Gordon WagnerKaren Walakavage ’96Frances E. WeberClare Butler Weisman ’54Pamela A. Wells ’75Rosemary WelshEleanor Booth Wentz ’38Barbara Sterling Willson ’73John D. WilsonMargaret Conner Wilson ’49Edward Wirsing Jr.Anne McCurley Wise ’35Carolyn Bunn Wood ’52Mary Armbrister Young ’61K.D. Sprout Zabriskie ’82John L. Zabriskie Jr.Arcadia C. & Jorge E. ZallesRose & Ernest Zelinski

I N G R AT I T U D EDuncan Lawrence ’11

Since graduating in 2011, Duncan Lawrence has been able to fulfill his dream of working with technology and social media. As a psychology major, he acknowledges that the current job market fails to cater to a particular discipline or focus of study. “It has been critical that I am able to find an interest of mine and then see how my education can help me work within it. Wells gave me the ability to do that.” It’s for this reason that Duncan is compelled to give back to the College. “Wells has enabled me to be as successful as I am, and I know that many people helped to make my education possible. I’m glad to know that I can continue that cycle.”

Duncan has made regular gifts to Wells, supporting both the annual giving efforts and the Ryerson Fund for Student Success. Recognizing the hesitation that many young alumni have towards giving back to their alma mater, Duncan is quick to suggest that every gift can make a difference, regardless of its size. “Donating increases participation rates, increasing the likelihood of the College receiving a grant…your gift could be the tipping point.” It’s clear that Duncan’s Wells experience has helped to shape his perception of the world around him, and by giving back to the College, he’s ensuring that future students will have that same opportunity.

RYERSON COMMONSCelebrating a Passion for Students

[

REALIZED BEQUESTS AND PLANNED GIFTS

Ethel Harkness Grace ’09Martha Youmans Gregory ’46 Anna Hale ’30 Nancy Peek Hallenbeck ’36Barbara Knapp Hamblett ’48Sylvia HenryWenche Wollmar Johnson ’56Mary Dean Johnstone ’42Henry NesbittMary Jean Ogden ’46Barbara Smith ’38Ann Stratton ’46Charles SullivanRuth ThomasMartha Zalles ’29

TRUST OR ANNUITYAnn Jennings Jones ’55Carolyn Decker Whipple ’49

POOLED INCOME FUNDAlice Hanawalt Morgan ’54

IRA AND 401(K) ARRANGEMENTSEileen Kraskouskas ’67

WELLS IN WILLDeborah Nelson Aylesworth ’65Stefanie Korol Barley ’64Sally Emery ’64Ann Jennings Jones ’55Sis Van Dorn ’69

For many in the Wells community, establishing a planned gift has been the ultimate way to demonstrate devotion and support the mission of the College. A thoughtful planned giving strategy — tailored to the donor’s vision — allows assets to be put to work for any chosen aspect of Wells, while the donor and the College share the benefits. This creative philanthropy produces win-win solutions while impacting the education of tomorrow’s leaders.

In recognition of these heartfelt gifts, donors who have embraced Wells in their estate plans become part of our Legacy Circle. The exceptional

generosity and forward thinking of Legacy Circle members confidently affirms that Wells will be shaping meaningful lives for years to come.

A LEGACY CIRCLE STORYMary Dean Johnstone ’42

When Mary Dean Johnstone ’42 graduated from Wells, it’s unlikely she could have envisioned the significant mark she would make on the College nearly seven decades later. By 1953, the Chicago native had married, was employed with Porter Cable Machine in San Francisco, and had invested in shares of Union Pacific as well as a young company named Mobil Chemical (later Exxon Mobil).

At Wells, Mary majored in history, was active in the Athletic Association and served as president of the Dance Club. She gave consistently to Wells throughout her lifetime, typically a couple hundred dollars or so annually. When asked in 1995 to increase her giving, she politely responded with a handwritten note that she was “fond of the College but unable to do so.” She continued to give as she always had—retiring from the Council of State Governments along the way—until her death in 2011.

Five years after her nice note and unbeknownst to Wells, Mary created a family trust that named the College as one of three beneficiaries, a true testament of her selflessness and forward-thinking for the benefit of her alma mater. In 2014, the gift—just shy of seven figures, thanks in part to Mary’s savvy investments—was received from her estate with the stipulation that the College use it where it was needed most. This type of legacy support provides valuable financial flexibility, allowing Wells to enhance programs, infrastructure and the overall student experience.

“A Wells education enriches people’s lives. To attract the best and brightest students, we need more resources. Your planned gift will help us get there.”

Arthur J. Bellinzoni

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 5 5

Legacy Circle

For many in the community, establishing a planned gift has been the ultimate way to demonstrate devotion and support the mission of the College. A thoughtful planned giving strategy—tailored to the donor’s vision—allows assets to be put to work for any chosen aspect of Wells, while the donor and the College share the benefits. Led by

National Planned Giving Committee Chair Arthur J. Bellinzoni, planned giving efforts help generate win-win solutions while impacting the education of tomorrow’s leaders. In recognition of these heartfelt gifts, donors who have embraced Wells in their estate plans become part of our Legacy Circle. The exceptional generosity and forward thinking of Legacy Circle members confidently affirms that Wells will be shaping meaningful lives for years to come. New members in 2013-14 are listed below; for a complete listing, visit www.wells.edu.

While the College has long relied on the generosity and selflessness of our volunteers for their contributions of time and talent, what is perhaps most noteworthy this year is that those listed below earned the “Triple Crown” of volunteerism in sharing their treasure, as well as their time and talent. Such total dedication and generosity is both deeply appreciated

and bodes well for Wells’ future. The lists below name those who served during the 2013-14 year.

Nancy Barton Barclay ’56

David M. Barclay

Sara Clark Brummer ’56

Gordon Brummer

Gail Fletcher Edwards ’57

George D. Edwards Jr.

Jane Demarest Engel ’42

Lueza Thirkield Gelb ’52

Margery Leinroth Gotshall ’45

Suzanne N. Grey ’72

Joanne Lowell Johnson ’70

Shirley Cox Kearns ’54

David M. Lascell

Edward E. Matthews

Marcia Goetze Nappi ’56

Frank P. Reiche

Janet Taylor Reiche ’52

Elizabeth Bowman Rothermel ’66

Shirley Schou Bacot Shamel ’58

George S. Slocum

Priscilla H. Slocum

Virginia Grace Small ’50

Susan Wray Sullivan ’51

Henry F. Wood Jr.

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLECOMMITTEECHAIR


COMMITTEE MEMBERS


Carrie Bolton ’92

Sarah C. Chase ’69

Sarah J. Jankowski ’92

Lark Ludlow ’73

Mary Jane Spellane Marchisotto ’75

Robin Hogan McIntyre ’81

Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86

Gail Reid ’88

BOOK ARTS ADVISORY BOARDCHAIR

George D. Edwards Jr.

BOARD MEMBERS

Bruce Bennett

David Corson

Robert J. Doherty

Steven Galbraith

Nancy Gil

David R. Godine

Ron Gordon

Barbara Kretzmann

Frances Ludwick Marx ’58

Stanley O’Connor

Katherine Reagan

Sarah Roberts

Cindy Speaker

Deirdre Stam

Donald Swanson

James Tyler

Gail Zabriskie Wilson ’60

BOARD OF TRUSTEESCHAIR

Stanley J. Kott

VICE CHAIR

Carrie Bolton ’92

SECRETARY

Sarah C. Chase ’69

BOARD MEMBERS


Lisa Mazzola Cania ’79

Marie Chapman Carroll ’75

Thomas E. J. de Witt


Pamela Edgerton Ferguson ’69

Daniel J. Fessenden

Stephen T. Golding

Sarah J. Jankowski ’92

Alan L. Marchisotto


Renée Forgensi Minarik ’80

Betty Rodriguez Vislosky ’78

Brenna Toomey ’13

Kevin A. Wilson ’12

Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61

Stephen L. Zabriskie

HONORARY TRUSTEESAnn Harden Babcock ’45

Katherine Gerwig Bailey ’52

John T. Bailey

Anne Wilson Baker ’46

56 SPRING 2014

Volunteer Service

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WCA 140TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONThanking those who made it happen

Many thanks to the WCA Celebrations Committee for their year-long efforts to honor the 140th Anniversary of the Association. Their hours of planning and research paved the way for an informative and fun-filled year of events, articles, exhibits and presentations. A special highlight was a reading and book signing at Reunion by author Jane Marsh Dieckmann ’55 who wrote “Wells College, A History.” As chair Fran Trubilla Kissell ’78 wrote, “This 140th Anniversary of our Association is a marvelous opportunity to renew our commitment to each other and to Wells College.”

WCA 140TH ANNIVERSARY COMMITTEE

Betty Rodriguez Vislosky ’78 Fran Trubilla Kissell ’78 Renée Forgensi Minarik ’80 Amy Cerand McNaughton ’86 Pamela J. Sheradin ’86 Travis Niles ’09

WELLS COLLEGE ASSOCIATION OF ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI BOARD

PRESIDENT


VICE PRESIDENTS

Mary Mitchell Goodman ’70

Fran Trubilla Kissell ’78

Margaret Neenan Leahy ’84

WCA TRUSTEES

Pamm Edgerton Ferguson ’69


Nancy Wenner Witmer ’61

NATIONAL ANNUAL GIVING CHAIR

Mary Pastore Cryan ’84

AWARD COMMITTEE CHAIR

Virginia Meeker Munkelwitz ’67

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE

Tiffany Hancock Clark ’93

Sarah Messenger Gleason ’88

Travis Niles ’09

ALUMNAE AND ALUMNI RELATIONS DIRECTOR

Pamela Sheradin ’86

WCA NOMINATING COMMITTEEVICE PRESIDENT


COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Sue Eskedahl ’79

Heather Kowalski ’90


Ami Dudzinski Mehr ’98

Deb Murphy ’91


WCA AWARD COMMITTEECHAIR

Virginia Meeker Munkelwitz ’67

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Melisa Bishop ’91

Patricia Wenzel Callahan ’79

Megan Donovan ’88

Karen Eckberg Gottovi ’62

Lynn Perrott Smith ’70

FRIENDS AND RECENT GRADUATES ORGANIZATION BOARD OFFICERSCHAIR

Alex Schloop ’12

VICE CHAIR

Emily Ambrose ’11

SECRETARY

Samantha Sheehan ’12

WCA LIAISON

Travis Niles ’09

NATIONAL PLANNED GIVING COMMITTEE

CHAIR


COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Anne Wilson Baker ’46

Sally Colegrove Jones ’69

Frank P. Reiche

Lynn Schneider Stutz ’81

EVENT HOSTSMary Pastore Cryan ’84

New York, New York

Alan and Jean Wahl Heuer ’63

Bonita Springs, Florida

Sally Colegrove Jones ’69

Ridgewood, New Jersey


Durham, South Carolina

Deborah Long ’84

New York, New York

Katherine White McCullough ’67

Atlanta, Georgia

Eugene and Ami Dudzinski Mehr ’98

Upton, Massachusetts

Cherie Buhlmann Mitchell ’87

Minneapolis, Minnesota

V O L U N T E E R S E R V I C E

W W W. W E L L S . E D U 5 7

On a mercurial fall day in November 2014, 100-year-old Zabriskie Hall was rededicated for a new century of learning. In between the unexpected sleet and a welcome burst of sunshine, a crowd of Zabriskie’s stood

side-by-side with the Wells President and “cut the ribbon” signaling the grand reopening of Zabriskie Hall.

Just moments before, Stephen L. Zabriskie, current Trustee and former Chair of the Board, shared his thoughts on the connections, deep and long, between Wells College and the Zabriskie family, symbolized by the enduring—yet modernized—presence of Zabriskie Hall. “When you believe in something, when you are devoted to the cause, you contribute in every way you can.”

When President Tom de Witt first arrived on campus, he noticed that Zabriskie Hall stood right at the entryway of campus, vacant and lonely—essentially abandoned for the brighter, shinier Stratton Hall. Symbolic of his determination to revitalize the academic program, he tackled Zabriskie Hall, determined to both pay homage to its historical steadfastness and thoroughly modernize it for the kind of Wells education he envisioned. His guiding principle: to generate, like the building itself, an education that combines the very best of the traditional, historical, liberal arts that has stood the test of time, and infuse that completely and creatively with a modern, practical approach to an education that prepares students for life in the real world. And as he noted at the rededication ceremony, the new Zabriskie is indeed, “a physical manifestation of the revitalization of this College.”

Side-by-side with traditional liberal arts disciplines in the social sciences, stands the Susan Wray Sullivan ‘51 and Pike H. Sullivan Center for Business and Entrepreneurship; the College’s brand new Center for Sustainability and the Environment; PC and Mac labs; a media arts audio and video production lab; a trading room; a social science observation lab; various collaborative learning spaces; classrooms and seminar rooms; a bright, fresh College store; a cool café (soon to be managed as a student enterprise); and a student reading lounge with possibly the best view. Ever.

Zabriskie Hall welcomes students, faculty, families, prospectives, guests and passers by to campus. Some, like Professor of Psychology Milene Morfei ‘89, who knew and loved the “quirky, old” Zabriskie, are, as she noted in her dedication remarks, “just thrilled with the way the new Zabriskie draws poeple in.” Unlike other places perhaps, at Wells disciplines are not defined by buildings and vice versa, spaces don’t isolate programs or majors; rather they

serve as centers for drawing a wide range of people into their programs. Just as the programs themselves are designed to be multi-disciplinary, and majors have symbiotic relationships with minors, with other programs, and with one another, Zabriskie Hall is a sort of hub that invites people in from all directions.

“Every time I walk through, I’m struck by what this project really means for our campus,” said President de Witt, “it’s symbolic of the connections between past and present, between disciplines, and between the liberal and the practical arts.”

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R E D E D I C AT I O N O F Z A B R I S K I E H A L L

The connections between Wells College and the Zabriskie family are symbolized by the enduring—yet modernized—presence of Zabriskie Hall.

“When you believe in something, when you are devoted to the cause, you contribute in every way you can as our family has done for generations.”

Stephen L. ZabriskieBoard of Trustees

Revitalizing Wells: Symbolizing Connections

WWW.WELLS.EDU 59

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Today’s Wells students rely on your next gift to become tomorrow’s leaders. To question, seek new ideas, and take risks—all in real-world settings.

At Wells, wonderful transformations take place as students SEE new possibilities, new ideas, new perspectives. LEARN to think, to reason, to question. BECOME explorers, leaders, groundbreakers.

Who’s Next? What’s Next?

What will your next gift make possible?

www.Wells.edu/giving 315.364.3200

Office of Advancement • Pettibone House170 Main Street • Aurora, New York 13026

THEWELLSFUND

the wells express: fall 2014

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