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BY WAY OF BUCKNELL
FALLING FOR FALL
Leaf it to Bucknell to bring the autumn magic.
photograph by EMILY PAINE
If you would like a reprint of this photo, please fill out the form at go.bucknell.edu/PhotoOffer. We will send you a complimentary 8x10 print.
In Rooke Chapel, Rev. Angela Jones can often be found at the piano, guiding students and community members through gospel harmonies — while also creating something larger than music: belonging.
Now in her third term as Bucknell’s Gospel Music Fellow, Jones sees the role as a natural extension of her life’s work in music ministry, mentorship and higher education.
“I wanted to work with a diverse group of students and the community members, and I knew that this would be the place to do it,” she says.
Jones organizes community events and leads weekly rehearsals with a small group of students and local singers. The daughter of two pastors, Jones says she has long viewed music as both a refuge and a bridge — a way to unite people across faiths, cultures and generations.
A Washington, D.C., native, Jones is a singer, songwriter, producer and faith leader who has shared the stage with gospel icons. With her group, Brandon Camphor & OneWay, she has earned four top-30 positions on the Billboard Gospel Airplay charts. In 2025, she received a Stellar Gospel Music Award, one of the highest honors in gospel music.
“Gospel music is more than just a performance,” Jones says. “It’s about recognizing the importance of African American history, cultural experience, community engagement and artistic expression.”
Don’t miss the opportunity to see Jones perform. Visit go.bucknell.edu/gospelfellow for information.
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE
Taylan Stulting ’16, featured in our Spring ’25 issue, completed the 2,800-mile World’s Toughest Row across the Pacific Ocean — and made history. Stulting’s team set the world record for the fastest trio on the mid-Pacific route, and Stulting became the first openly transgender person to row any ocean. Read their update and see photos below.
Taylan Stulting ‘16 Breaks Waves — and Records
I n our spring issue, Taylan Stulting ’16 shared their plans for an epic adventure: rowing from Monterey, Calif., to Hanalei Bay, Kauai. As part of the three-person team Oar the Rainbow, Stulting made history, completing the 2,800-mile crossing in 38 days and 6 minutes, setting world records for both the mixed-gender trio and overall trio categories. We caught up with Stulting to hear about the highs, the challenges and the unforgettable moments of this extraordinary journey.
How did the crossing go overall?
It was phenomenal. I learned a lot about myself, teamwork and leadership — especially as the boat’s skipper. There were moments of pure joy, laughter, and even little whimsical distractions, like spotting shapes in the clouds to keep our spirits up.
What were some of the challenges?
Early on, our steering system broke, which meant we had to stop and hand-steer the boat for about 12 hours. It wasn’t physically taxing like rowing, but extremely mentally demanding. We also had to manage heat, shoulder and rib injuries, and seasickness among the team.
How did you deal with setbacks while aiming for a world record?
At first, we weren’t actively chasing the record. We just wanted to cross safely and efficiently. Once we realized the record was within reach, we calculated the miles we needed each day and adjusted our rowing schedule. The last stretch was intense: three of us rowing at a time, minimal breaks, and navigating in darkness after equipment issues with the autopilot and navigation systems.
What was the weather like?
The first few weeks were cold, windy and gray. As we approached Hawaii, it got hotter and sunnier, which caused some heat exhaustion.
What was your nutrition like?
Initially, I had little appetite, which is common on long expeditions. Later, I found joy in “wet meals” — simple, easy-to-digest pouches of beans that became the highlight of my day. Fresh meals on land after finishing were absolutely glorious.
How was the finish?
It was intense. Conditions slowed us down, and with 12 hours to go, we lost autopilot and navigated manually in the darkness. Crossing the finish line was surreal. We beat the world record by just an hour and a half, which was thrilling.
What are your takeaways from the experience?
I learned the value of challenging myself, letting go of expectations and balancing my doctoral studies with personal goals. Teamwork, determination and adaptability were crucial. Even small moments, like spotting flying fish or a resting bird on the boat, made the journey unforgettable.
What’s next for you?
In the near term, I plan to continue endurance sports, like running marathons and trying bikepacking adventures. In the longer term, I hope to attempt a solo Atlantic row after completing my doctorate at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and securing a tenure-track position.
Photo credit: World’s Toughest Row; On the cover: Cris Bierrenbach ’96 with his treasures. Photograph by Kevin Gaddis Jr.
BEFORE YOU DIVE into this issue, I want to give you a quick heads-up about what’s coming next. Each winter, Bucknell Magazine shifts gears for a special “University Report” edition, which is dedicated to highlighting major initiatives and progress happening across campus to advance Bucknell’s strategic goals. Because of this focused format, Class Notes will take a break in the winter issue — but don’t worry, they’ll return in the spring. We know how much you enjoy reading alumni updates, and we look forward to sharing them again soon.
The Price of Plastic
Thanks so much for “The Plastic Paradox” (Spring, 2025). It’s timely, beautifully written and illustrated, and important. I’m proud of the good work Bucknellians are doing to bring awareness to our plastic problem.
A few years ago, my team — Jonathan Sprout‘s Force For Good Music and Films — created a short music video called Plastic to shed light on this issue. It’s available on YouTube if anyone’s interested in taking a look.
I’ve made sustainable living a personal mission. I own a net-zero home in Bucks County, Pa., and recently gave a presentation called “Net Zero Living: Ways to Lower Your Carbon Footprint.” If Bucknell ever forms a net-zero alumni group, you can count me in.
Thanks for creating cover-to-cover must-read magazines!
I’m a proud member of the Class of 1974 with deep Bucknell roots. My parents met and graduated from Bucknell. My dad’s parents met and graduated from Bucknell, and my 97-year-old uncle, Bob Sprout ‘49, is also a proud Bucknellian.
Jonathan Sprout ‘74 Southampton, Pa.
I was very glad to see the plastics crisis, an important and complex topic, get top billing in the Spring 2025 issue and to learn how Bucknellians are involved. It‘s an issue that I‘ve been studying for the past four or five years. In addition to the points addressed in “The Plastic Paradox,” there are a few areas people could think about more:
Numerous studies show the concerning health impacts of plastic, especially for younger generations who are exposed to plastic beginning at birth. Microplastics are generated everywhere and by so many of our day-to-day products, such as synthetic clothing and food and drink packaging.
Chemical and “advanced” recycling of plastic are extremely toxic and energy-intensive processes, as well as inefficient. We can’t recycle our way out of this problem.
Strong legislation, such as New York‘s proposed Extended Producer Responsibility and expanded Bottle Bill laws, is needed, as well as whatever can be done at other government levels to protect us and our environment.
And as if all of that is not enough of a challenge, the petrochemical industry is on track to increase production of plastic threefold by 2060.
Helping people connect the dots and understand the entire lifecycle of products from the extraction of the resources (including labor) needed to build them to their disposal in a landfill or toxic incinerator could be a good starting point. It would also help if we could get away from our throw-away culture of single-use disposable products.
Thanks for your time and for producing a great magazine.
Kathy Lynch ’87 Skillman, N.J.
New Leadership Joins Board
Four alumni have been elected to membership in the University’s Board of Trustees. Each will serve a five-year term, bringing expertise from careers in education, finance, venture capital and private equity. Their collective experience will help guide Bucknell’s continued growth and mission.
Jaynemarie Angbah ’03 is an educator, consultant and adjunct lecturer at CUNY School of Professional Studies, specializing in equity-centered leadership and program design. She has spent nearly two decades helping young people and organizations thrive.
Fondest Bucknell memory
“Many of my experiences were in and around 7th Street House. That space served as a nexus of community, legacy, fellowship and joy. Even now, when I‘m on campus and I mount that first porch step, I smile.”
What excites me
“Bucknell has been a part of shaping me as a scholar, practitioner and advocate for social change. I‘m excited to join others who are deep in the trenches of thinking about how Bucknell grows and evolves.”
Barbara Rose O’Connor ’89, P’20 served for 25 years at the Baupost Group, one of the world’s largest hedge funds, where she rose to partner and CFO. She is now part-time CFO of the Klarman Family Foundation, a Boston-based family office, and holds the title of partner emeritus at Baupost.
Fondest Bucknell memory
“Going down the hill from Roberts to the UC (Elaine Langone Center) for an ice cream study break during finals week with my freshmen roommates.”
What excites me
“I am grateful for all the ways Bucknell prepared me for a meaningful life. I am eager to give back in a small way to help ensure that opportunity is broadly available for future generations.”
Steve Wise ’94 is a partner and co-head of Americas Corporate Private Equity at the Carlyle Group, where he leads over $20 billion in global investments, and serves on several health care company boards.
Fondest Bucknell memory
“Looking back on my time at Bucknell, I am reminded of what a special place it really is. The glue of it all was the social interactions. And of course, meeting my wife, Ellie ‘94.”
What excites me
“Lee Idleman ’54, P’86, G’16, G’22 mentored me and inspired me to give back. I look forward to helping Bucknell navigate this important time for higher education.”
Paul Wythes ’90 is a principal at Oakdell Capital, where he invests in climate tech and clean energy startups. He is also a principal partner in the ownership group of the San Francisco Giants. He has advised student entrepreneurs focused on climate innovation and sustainability.
Fondest Bucknell memory
“Taking geography classes with Professor Richard Peterec P‘82, P‘84, P‘86, P‘01 and then traveling with him to Eastern Europe in 1988.”
What excites me
“Bucknell opened up many opportunities for me, and I’ve never forgotten that. The next few years will be an interesting time for higher education. I hope to help the school thrive during this time.”
Photos: Justin Ifill-Forbes, Glenn Livermore, Courtesy of Steve Wise ‘94, Mai Mai Wythes
AROUND TOWN AND AROUND THE GLOBE
’burg and Beyond
In Lewisburg and far afield, Bucknellians make a positive and palpable difference
Aspiring physician Allan Alas ’26 spent the summer delivering medical care to remote villages in Peru.
Lima, Peru
In the hills outside Lima, Peru, MEDLIFE’s mobile clinics bring health care to communities often overlooked. Among the volunteers was biology major Allan Alas ’26, who discovered in those clinics how his passion for medicine and service could come together in a single path.
Alas learned about the international nonprofit, which partners with low-income communities to improve access to health care and education, through a campus email. He signed up to join a one-week service-learning trip to Lima, Peru, in 2024. It was an experience he describes as life-changing.
“I always knew I wanted to be a doctor,” says Alas, who grew up in Sloatsburg, N.Y. “But that trip made it real. It showed me how I could use medicine to directly support people who are often overlooked.”
What He Did
Inspired by that initial experience, Alas returned to Peru last summer for several weeks in a larger role with MEDLIFE. He worked alongside doctors, community leaders and local volunteer organizers in mobile clinics serving remote villages, provided Spanish-English translation for patients and helped lead outreach projects addressing local health disparities.
What’s Next
The experience, he says, confirmed his career path. “I’ve seen what compassionate care looks like in action,” he says. “Now I’m focused on becoming the kind of doctor who brings that mindset to every patient I meet.” — Bella Johns ’27
Marie Victoire Alexis ’26 is preparing for a career in counseling.
Lewisburg
When Marie Victoire Alexis ’26 stepped into Transitions, a crisis center in Lewisburg for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, she realized this internship would be unlike any classroom experience. Within days, the work was already shaping her — and the lives of the survivors she served.
The Role
As a summer intern, Alexis’ responsibilities went beyond providing a listening ear. She answered crisis calls, offered emotional support and connected those in need to community resources. Her approach was grounded in empathy and affirmation.
“I learned the importance of listening and validating their experiences,” says Alexis, who is originally from Haiti.
The Impact
As a psychology major who arrived at Bucknell after participating in the Bucknell Community College Scholars Program, Alexis says the skills she honed — particularly active listening — will benefit her both on campus and in her future career as a counselor. Her experience reinforced the essential role advocates play in helping survivors receive not only emotional support but also practical guidance and access to resources.
“This internship experience reinforced my goal of becoming a counselor,” she says. “I want to use the skills I’m developing to empower survivors and build a more compassionate world.” — Bella Johns ’27
Photos: Courtesy of Allan Alas ‘26 (top), Emily Paine (bottom)
Students in the 1960s Bertrand Library lounge catch up on the news, back when “scrolling” meant flipping pages.
The Heart of Campus: Bertrand Is Turning 75
For nearly 75 years, Bertrand Library has been more than a quiet place to study — it’s been Bucknell’s unofficial student center, a cozy crossroads where ideas spark, friendships grow and generations of Bucknellians feel right at home. From its postwar opening to today’s modernized study spaces, Bertrand has evolved with the times while remaining a constant in campus life.
The Birth of Bertrand Library
Before Bertrand Library opened in 1951, Bucknell’s collection was housed in the Carnegie Library, dedicated in 1905 in gratitude to industrialist Andrew Carnegie. By the late 1930s, the space was bursting at the seams, with a quarter of the collection boxed away and inaccessible. Then came Ellen Bertrand H’54 — a trustee and dachshund-breeding socialite — who generously donated $800,000 to help fund a new facility. The building expanded capacity from 120,000 volumes to room for up to 500,000, with seating for 500. Featuring grand reading rooms and a welcoming entrance, Bertrand quickly became a beloved campus centerpiece.
A Grand Opening
Bertrand Library opened its doors Sept. 26, 1951, with celebratory events, including a talk on book collecting by the Folger Shakespeare Library’s Louis B. Wright, student movie nights, faculty tea and tours for librarians from 74 Pennsylvania colleges. Two special exhibits — one tracing the evolution of the printed book, the other showcasing Pennsylvania artists — set the tone for decades of dynamic programming. From pirate lore and ocean voyages in 1953 to prison art in 1959 and Zimbabwean-style student paintings in 1960, Bertrand has always been a place where ideas, cultures and creativity meet.
THE STATS BEHIND THE STACKS
A Home for Bucknell’s History
In 1956, Bucknell took its first official steps to preserve its history by appointing Professor J. Orin Oliphant, history, as the University’s first archivist and establishing the University Archives within Bertrand Library.
Christmas Eve Close Call
On Dec. 24, 1960, a fire broke out in Bertrand’s clock tower. Thanks to quick action and the building’s sturdy construction, no books were lost — just a few soaked by fire hoses. The damage was estimated at the time at between $250,000 and $300,000.
A Rare and Remarkable Gift
In 1975, Lafayette L. Butler left Bertrand Library a generous bequest and 2,500 rare books and manuscripts, including treasures like a Shakespeare Second Folio and letters from Irish literary legends — forming the foundation of today’s Special Collections (see P. 64 to learn more).
President Horace Hildreth H’56, P’52, G’79, Ellen Bertrand H’54 and Trustee Joseph Henderson, Class of 1908, H’44 (L to R) at the library’s 1951 dedication.
Bigger, Brighter, Better
As a result of the Campaign for Bucknell, Bertrand Library underwent an $8.2 million renovation between 1983 and 1986. The expansion more than doubled the library’s size. Updates included a new Mac lab with 18 computers, revamped circulation and reference areas, expanded exhibit space and refreshed Special Collections and instruction labs.
Going Digital
In 1987, Bertrand launched its first online public access catalog, transitioning catalog searches, checkouts and acquisitions from a paper-based process to a fully computerized system.
Fueling Campus Life
Responding to student demand for convenient dining, the “Bison Express” food truck launched beside Bertrand in spring 2002 — paving the way for a popular café that opened on the library’s first floor in 2003.
Advancing Research
In 2012, Bucknell kicked off its journey into digital scholarship with a GIS and spatial thinking conference, soon followed by over $1.7 million in Mellon Foundation grants that continue to fuel cutting-edge research and innovation on campus.
Bertrand Today
Bertrand Library buzzes with activity — from Orientation’s lively “Library Unbound” event to late-night study sessions. Since the 1960s and 70s, the role of the academic librarian has changed tremendously. Today, staff join in the process of teaching and learning by sharing their expertise in information literacy sessions. In 2024–25 alone, staff led 396 instruction sessions for more than 3,659 students and held hundreds of one-on-one research consultations. Bertrand’s Digital Pedagogy & Scholarship team also helps bring tech into the classroom, partnering with the Dominguez Center for Data Science and others to support innovation across campus.
A Look Through the Decades
From its opening to today, Bertrand Library has been at the heart of our community. Explore this photo gallery celebrating 75 years of learning and connections. Learn how Bertrand is celebrating this milestone: bertrand75.blogs.bucknell.edu/
Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives (2)
U.K. native Freddie Lapworth ‘26 was named Patriot League Goalkeeper of the Year in 2024.
There’s No Stopping Him
AT 7 YEARS OLD, Freddie Lapworth ’26 slid on his first pair of goalkeeper’s gloves. While many kids imagine scoring the winning goal, Lapworth found joy in denying them.
He jokes, “Some of us are evil. We want to stop people from scoring.”
So he was stunned when, during the 2024 Patriot League Championship semifinal, men’s soccer head coach Dave Brandt shared an unexpected idea. With the match headed into penalty kicks, Lapworth wouldn’t just be asked to stop them — but to take one too.
“I’m not sure about taking a penalty,” Lapworth told his coach. But Brandt countered: “I trust you.” So Lapworth stepped up. The ball blazed past the American University keeper. Moments later, Lapworth dived right to save American’s third attempt, sealing Bucknell’s place in the final and, ultimately, its first Patriot League title since 2014.
That’s quite the storybook moment for Lapworth, who left Banbury, England, at 16 to train in English academies. A recruiting agency connected him to Bucknell, and a coach on the Bison staff sealed the deal — all without Lapworth ever visiting Lewisburg.
“I chose on gut instinct,” Lapworth says. “The degree, the alumni network, the chance to play — it felt right.”
It still does. Now double-majoring in economics and history with a real estate minor, he spent the summer of 2025 in Baltimore at Continental Realty, an internship arranged through JM Schapiro ’91.
Back on campus, Lapworth‘s alarm rings before sunrise. Twice weekly, he leads a 6:45 a.m. high-intensity interval training class for faculty and staff.
He‘s also president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, elected by his fellow athletes on a promise to strengthen Bucknell’s school spirit and bring more energy to the stands.
Lapworth does plenty of that on the field, using a mix of instruction and praise to support his teammates.
For his final season, Lapworth says he hopes for another title and a school shutout record. But his legacy goal is far simpler: “I want people to say I cared. That I was fully engaged in everything Bucknell offers — and helped them do the same.”
Photo: James T. Giffen
Multidisciplinary artist Le’Andra LeSeur ’10 creates immersive work that explores themes of renewal and transformation.
An Artist’s Homecoming
With support from two alumnae donors, an acclaimed video artwork finds a permanent home at Bucknell
B rooke Molinaroli ’90 and Lindsay Macdonald Danckwerth ’02 always knew they wanted to give back to Bucknell. It was just a question of finding the best way to do it.
“I work with a lot of emerging artists, so I thought it would be cool to help the Samek expand their collection,” says Molinaroli, who runs BAM Art Advisory in Larchmont, N.Y. When she reached out to Rick Rinehart, director of the Samek Art Museum, he says the perfect artist came to mind: Le’Andra LeSeur ’10.
“We presented an exhibition of Le’Andra’s art in 2021, and one of the standout works was Superwoman,” says Rinehart. Together, Molinaroli, Danckwerth and the Samek contributed funds to acquire the video as part of the museum’s permanent collection.
For LeSeur, who graduated with a degree in business administration before attending the Savannah College of Art and Design, the acquisition feels like one of life’s rare, full-circle moments. “I used to work at the Samek as a student, so having my piece acquired by the museum is just perfect,” says LeSeur, currently a Tulsa Artist Fellow in Oklahoma.
LeSeur has worked across a variety of mediums. Superwoman is a three-screen video installation that portrays her performance of self-baptism. The video represents both the passage of time and the processes of renewal.
“Life is full of phases of unraveling and becoming undone. This piece asks what it means to show ourselves grace in that process of returning to rework who we are,” says LeSeur. “I call it a ‘continuous becoming.’ ”
For Rinehart, video art is a signature form of modern art, and the acquisition strengthens the Samek’s representation of this important medium. “Le’Andra is a rising star,” he says. “The museum is honored to add this work to the collection for future Bucknellians to study and enjoy.”
Photo: Melissa Lukenbaugh
EXPLORATIONS
Plug Into Possibility
A student-built system has transformed how Bucknell’s makerspaces manage access — and now it’s ready to share with the world
Eli Foster ‘27, Matt Lamparter ‘06 and Aiden Cherniske ‘27 (L to R) collaborated to develop the fifth evolution of the Portal Box.
B ucknell’s makerspaces operate under a guiding philosophy of open access, empowered creativity and smart accountability. That approach is most clearly embodied in the Portal Box — a student-built access system that has evolved through multiple generations of makers and engineers.
It started in 2015 as a Senior Design project mentored by Professor Margot Vigeant, chemical engineering. Her vision was simple: create a device that could grant or restrict access to equipment based on the training the user had completed. The team succeeded, and the first Portal Box was born.
A decade later, that prototype has become a fully integrated access platform used in several of Bucknell’s makerspaces, including the Maker-E and Mooney Innovative Design Laboratory, as well as in the chemistry department’s electron microscopy suite.
In summer 2025, Aiden Cherniske ’27, a computer engineering major, and Eli Foster ’27, an electrical engineering major, led the development of its fifth and most recent evolution — one focused on accessibility, efficiency and wider deployment.
Eli Foster ‘27 (left) and Aiden Cherniske ‘27 fine-tune version five of the Portal Box, the smallest and most modular iteration yet.
The Portal Box lights up green when a student with verified training taps their RFID card.
How It Works
The Portal Box system controls access to equipment that requires verified training. It includes a physical access point (glowing acrylic boxes), embedded software that manages user interactions, and a database and web portal that tracks training and usage. Users insert radio frequency identification (RFID) cards into the box to activate equipment. If training is complete, the box glows green and grants access.
Maker-E staff and managers oversee the system online, adding users, updating access and tracking usage.
As it has evolved, the project has embraced the collaborative spirit of the maker community — it is open source, free and available to any lab in need of a smart access solution.
“The Portal Box is effective and inexpensive,” says Matt Lamparter ’06, director of electrical & computer engineering laboratories and current leader of the Portal Box project. “We know the broader maker community could benefit from our design.”
New Developments
In spring 2025, Lamparter guided Senior Design students in adding a touchscreen display for user feedback and multi-factor authentication.
Cherniske and Foster developed version five of the system, upgrading the microcontroller, installing the display and reducing component costs. By remapping the circuit board and redesigning the box, they created the smallest, most modular version yet, with interchangeable parts that allow users to swap out components and customize the setup.
“If another university or makerspace wants to implement something that will serve them better, they can design new pieces for the sides of the case,” says Foster. “Then they can share it to keep expanding the project.”
Lamparter presented the latest iteration of the tool at the International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces in August. He found that all makerspaces face the same problem — balancing access against accountability. “There are a lot of similarities in how we operate,” he says. “I‘m excited to explore ways to collaborate.”
“Our work feels like continuing a legacy of everyone who has ever worked on this box,” said Cherniske. “It just keeps getting better and better.”
Bucknellians began their 221-mile Camino journey in Roncesvalles, Spain.
Finding Their Way
In summer 2025, 12 Bucknell students set out across the Spanish countryside, following the winding paths that have guided pilgrims for centuries. Their journey was part of Pilgrims, Tourists and the Modern World, an immersive, interdisciplinary study abroad course exploring pilgrimage through the lenses of religion and tourism. Now in its fifth year — having launched in 2019 and resumed after a pandemic hiatus — the program is led by Professors Brantley Gasaway, religious studies, and Collin McKinney, Spanish.
The students began their study abroad in Granada with a week of classes and training walks before covering more than half of the nearly 500-mile Camino de Santiago to the historic city of Santiago de Compostela on foot. Along the way, they contemplated their answer to the course’s questions: What makes a journey religious — and how is a pilgrim different from a tourist?
Special thanks to Lauren Godfrey ’27, Brooklyn Edmonds ’27, Sara Ketron ’27, Bradley Weldon ’27 and Dara Dimitrova ’27 for sharing photos and insights from their Camino journeys.
A CAMINO CHAMPION
In 2011, Ann Loar ’75 hiked more than 500 miles on the Camino Frances. Over the past 14 years, she has walked six more Camino pilgrimages, completing the Camino Finisterre this September. “The Camino changed my life,” she says. Inspired, she dreamed of helping students do the same. When she learned that Professors Gassaway and McKinney launched Bucknell on the Camino in 2019, Loar began supporting students through annual gifts to the program. In 2024, she endowed the scholarship, making it a permanent fund and ensuring the program remains accessible for years to come.
Loar believes two key factors make Bucknell on the Camino distinctive. The first? Independence. “The professors designed the program so that students have control over their day-to-day experiences,” she says. “Unlike any other colleges’ programs, they do not travel as a herded flock of sheep. As a result, they experience both the positive and negative consequences of their own decisions. It’s a journey of self-discovery.”
The second is the growth of community – coming to understand that resilience is built through connection with, support for, and reliance on others. Despite the students’ disparate backgrounds and majors, they form solid bonds that enhance their time on the Camino and continue for years beyond.
“That’s what the Camino is about. Finding your center and realizing difficulties can be overcome through shared strength.”
Students encounter the Alto de Perdón (Hill of Forgiveness), an iconic Camino location just past Pamplona.
The Route
The Camino Francés spans 490 miles from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain. Bucknellians begin in Roncesvalles, the first Spanish town on the French Way, and walk to Logroño (about 81 miles). They then take a bus to León Cathedral before heading to Molinaseca for a time of academic reflection and rest. From there, they complete the final 140 miles to Santiago de Compostela on foot.
Roncesvalles → Zubiri → Pamplona → Puente la Reina → Lizarra/Estella → Torres del Río → Logroño | Bus to León, then Molinaseca → Cacabelos → Vega de Valcarce → O Cebreiro → Triacastela → Sarria → Portomarín → Palas de Rei → Arzúa → O Pedrouzo → Santiago de Compostela
Brooklyn Edmonds ’27 (left) found purpose in the journey. “I can say with 100% certainty that the Camino was one of the hardest things I have ever done but also one of the most rewarding.”
Self-directed
Unlike traditional study abroad programs with strict itineraries, Bucknell on the Camino de Santiago gives students the freedom to chart their own path.
Provided with daily destinations, lodging options and meal stipends, they choose where to eat, sleep and walk, and with whom. Each evening, they reconvene at the day’s destination.
“A lot of students are surprised at the physical challenge,” says Professor Collin McKinney, Spanish. “But when they get to the end, they say, ‘I cannot believe I did that. That was amazing!’ ”
Physical Demand
What do you get for walking approximately 20 miles daily? Blisters. Students are coached to remove their shoes during periods of rest, routinely change their socks and just keep going.
On their last day, Bucknellians attend the Pilgrim Mass at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela, believed to house the remains of St. James, an apostle of Jesus Christ. The culminating experience drives home the academic concepts and experiential learning of the course.
BREAKING IN EMMA YORKE ’26 COMPLETED A SUMMER INTERNSHIP IN NEW YORK CITY AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
photograph by JAMES T. GIFFEN
Cris Bierrenbach ‘96 with his eclectic collection of memorabilia in his Dallas home.
THE COLLECTOR
HE KNOWS WHAT WE TREASURE — AND WHAT WE’LL PAY FOR IT. INSIDE THE COLLECTING EMPIRE OF CRIS BIERRENBACH ’96.
A little more than two decades after leaving Bucknell to pitch full time for the New York Giants and just a decade or so before his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame, Christy Mathewson, Class of 1902, P1927 made a donation to his alma mater. He wrote out a check from his account at the Adirondack National Bank. It was dated Oct. 13, 1924. Check number 893. Endorsed with his signature, a looping, cascading script that sloped slightly downward from left to right. Written out in the amount of exactly $121. Nearly a century later, that check, with its vertical center fold line and yellowing hue so common in aged paper products, sold at auction for $18,000.
“In my business, this is called relative value,” says Cris Bierrenbach ’96, a partner at Heritage Auctions, the company that executed the sale of Mathewson’s check in 2019. “Nothing has a specific value or a retail price or anything like that. It’s all subjective, and final prices are ultimately decided by the bidders.”
Bierrenbach has spent the last two decades immersed in the world of collectibles, helping build Heritage Auctions into a $1.9 billion global powerhouse. He specializes in uncovering cultural artifacts that command surprising — and sometimes staggering — prices. From ancient coins to video games and designer handbags, he knows how to find value where others might see clutter. For him, collecting is not just a profession, but a way of understanding what people treasure — and why.
Number One Phan
In the early weeks of the spring semester of his first year at Bucknell, Bierrenbach heard unfamiliar music filtering through the shared wall of his dorm room.
“The guy next door in Harris Hall was blasting a song, so I asked him what it was,” says Bierrenbach. The band was called Phish, and they would be playing live in Bloomsburg in just a few weeks. Did he want to see the show?
“I said, ‘Definitely. Let’s check it out.’ ”
The Bloomsburg show not only transformed Bierrenbach into a bona fide Phish fan, or Phan, but it was there that he also noticed something unique about that particular fandom: People in the audience were recording the live concert. At the end of the night, Bierrenbach paid $2 for a copy of the evening’s performance. That purchase would launch his first collection.
“I didn’t realize it at the time, but I essentially started my first business in the computer lab of Bertrand Library,” says Bierrenbach, who began trading bootleg Phish cassettes on online message boards.
At first, the business administration major viewed trading as something like a game. He enjoyed having to think through the many variables that would help him produce a high-quality collection of cassettes. He studied the input costs of blank cassettes, and he learned why chrome tapes allowed for higher quality sound reproduction than lower fidelity ferric tapes. He learned that some concerts were rarer than others and, therefore, in higher demand.
“Sometimes, I would do a three-to-one exchange because one rare show was more valuable than three other shows,” he says.
By the time he graduated, Bierrenbach had, to his knowledge, built the most comprehensive Phish cassette library in existence. An international student from Brazil, he had no practical way to transport the hundreds of tapes in his possession back home, so he posted an ad in the mailroom of the Elaine Langone Center. A fellow Bucknellian purchased the collection for $2,500, and Bierrenbach returned to Rio de Janeiro.
It was the end of the Phish saga, but the collector was just getting started.
The Young Numismatist
Home in Brazil, Bierrenbach experienced a familiar rite of passage for new graduates: a first “real job” that didn’t quite fit.
“I worked in insurance, and I didn’t like it at all. I didn’t like being behind a desk or the politics of the corporate world,” he says. “So that is when I decided that I would buy and sell coins for a living on eBay.”
Whereas trading Phish cassettes was relatively niche, coin collecting — or numismatics — was a global, well-established market where there was serious money to be made.
“I could source coins across Brazil and sell them on eBay to international buyers for really good profits,” says Bierrenbach, who went on to become the youngest technical director of the Brazilian Numismatic Society at age 30. After 10 years building his business, he felt he’d reached a ceiling in Brazil, so he took a big swing.
“There was a company I admired called Heritage Auctions. I introduced myself and reminded them who I was because we had done some business,” he says. “I basically sent them an email asking for a job.”
Heritage Auctions was the creation of Steve Ivy and Jim Halperin, two competitors-turned-partners who, like Bierrenbach, had each launched their coin collecting careers in college — and quickly established themselves as the top coin and currency auction house in the nation. When Bierrenbach joined the team in 2007, he took over auction sales for World and Ancient Coins.
“I was in charge of developing the market for non-U.S. coins going back to the fifth century B.C.,” he says. “That included everything from the Ionians to the Romans, all the way up through the medieval era and modern Europe.”
Under Bierrenbach’s leadership, Heritage’s World and Ancient Coins auction sales grew from nearly $13 million to more than $41 million in 2011, the year he became a partner in the company.
From Nintendo 64 video games to rare figurines, Cris Bierrenbach ’96’s collection pays homage to pop culture.
Pop art icons like Andy Warhol and Keith Haring share space with contemporary collectibles.
The Collectibles Industry
Heritage Auctions, which recorded nearly $1.9 billion in sales in 2024, occupies a unique space within the collecting industry. The British-born auction houses of Sotheby’s and Christie’s, both established in the 18th century, have long specialized in the sale of fine art, while the comparatively young eBay operates more like an online swap meet. Heritage Auctions, a global company that’s headquartered in Dallas, has built its success on a different insight: that value can stem not just from prestige and pedigree, but from novel fandoms and nostalgic sensibilities alike.
In 2024 alone, Heritage sold the debut Superman comic for $6 million and a pair of Dorothy’s iconic ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz for $32.5 million. A three-day Game of Thrones auction generated more than $21 million in sales from mostly first-time bidders.
Heritage’s history is full of record-breakers. This is due not only to the provenance of the objects themselves, but also their attached cultural weights. Entertainment memorabilia, such as the infamous floating door from the movie Titanic and even filmmaker David Lynch’s personal espresso machine, now share the same playing field with Old Master paintings from the 18th century and rare literary manuscripts. Value is a product not only of high culture but of popular culture.
“There’s an entrepreneurial aspect to working within this company,” says Bierrenbach. To succeed, you have to be willing to explore new opportunities. Such was the case when a young hire presented him with an old, sealed Barbie video game and pitched it as the next big collectible category.
Bierrenbach supported her and ran with the idea. During the pandemic, small, weekly video game auction sales evolved into dedicated auction events that generated sales of $50 million in two years, including a $1.56 million sealed copy of Super Mario 64 issued in 1996. It turned out that video games were not unlike books or wine. Buyers sought out first editions and pristine copies. Not to play, but to display.
“Trophies,” Bierrenbach calls them. “A trophy is essentially what most collectors are after.”
The Aesthete
In his Dallas-area home, Bierrenbach has a trophy room of sorts where, with his wife’s blessing, he has complete artistic license to display his most prized possessions.
“My collecting tastes are pretty chaotic, so she has good reason to keep it all contained,” he says.
Works of pop art icons Roy Lichtenstein and Andy Warhol adorn the wall alongside the contemporary creations of Nina Chanel Abney and Takashi Murakami. So too are there records and posters of the Beatles, brilliantly colored skateboard decks, limited edition sneakers and striking figurines.
“I don’t really have a theme to what I collect,” says Bierrenbach. His tastes span styles, eras and countries of origin — the unifying thread is beauty. As he puts it: “I just really like pretty things.”
This does not mean that he buys on a whim. His professional insights shape his personal pursuits. What he calls “pretty” often reflects a deeper knowledge of history, culture and market trends.
This is evident in one of his most recent preoccupations: assembling the complete collection of the original Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) titles released in New York in 1985.
For Bierrenbach, the modern video game industry was born in 1985 with the release of 30 “black box” NES titles. While companies like Atari had beaten Nintendo to the punch, their games lacked staying power.
“Atari was a disaster of a company,” he says. The games were so overproduced that when the company went bankrupt, there was a surplus of sealed boxes and cartridges. “They destroyed their own potential for becoming a collectible.”
Bierrenbach has tracked down most of the NES titles, but one remains elusive. His proverbial white whale is a complete in box copy of Donkey Kong Jr. Math, an educational game in which players collect digits and arithmetic symbols to reach specific totals. By all measures, it was a commercial failure — panned by critics and ignored by buyers. However, it was the game’s lack of popularity that transformed it into a highly valued collector’s item today.
“A game like Donkey Kong Jr. Math is almost impossible to find,” says Bierrenbach, without a hint of exasperation. For him, all these years later, collecting is still like a game. He relishes the challenge. He enjoys the chase. He loves to play.
Photo: Danny Santos II
SUMMER SCHOOL
“So, what did you do this summer?” It’s a classic question, and Bucknell students have some pretty impressive answers. Their summer break experiences included everything from faculty-guided research on campus to internships in major cities. Here’s a glimpse into how they spent their time — and why at Bucknell, learning never takes a vacation.
Through a Shepherd Higher Education Consortium on Poverty internship, KATIE SCHADLER ’26 deepened her commitment to social justice and public health in Washington, D.C. The English — literary studies major from Wyomissing, Pa., worked for the National Alliance to End Homelessness, contributing to donor communications and researching Foster Youth to Independence vouchers. Her interdisciplinary coursework — spanning medical anthropology, cultural geography and carceral studies — has shaped her understanding of justice. “It took time to realize my interests — social work, public health, the arts — aren’t disparate. They’re all rooted in the same drive: a commitment to justice and equity.”
Photo: James T. Giffen
Last summer, JULIETTE VANLUVEN ’26 (on ladder) set out to uncover the ancient story of the Sylvan Dell wetland in South Williamsport, Pa. The geology and women‘s & gender studies double-major and Katherine Mabis McKenna Environmental Fellow worked alongside Professor Lorelei Curtin (far left), geology, using ground-penetrating radar and core samples to trace when the wetland formed and how it has changed over time. It was muddy, hands-on work, but for VanLuven, of Delmar, N.Y., the thrill of uncovering Earth’s secrets made it worthwhile.
Photo: Emily Paine
What can 60,000 flights in a single day reveal about the future of aviation? KADE DAVIDHEISER ’27 , a mechanical engineering and biology double-major from Barto, Pa., partnered with Professor Greg O’Neill, mechanical engineering, to analyze a day’s worth of U.S. air traffic data, modeling aircraft in CAD software and calculating energy usage to determine how electric planes could reshape the skies.
Photo: Emily Paine
For SANDA TAN ’28 (right), grammar is a window into how we make sense of the world. The linguistics and computer science double-major from Rockford, Mich., worked with Professor Heidi Lorimor, linguistics, to analyze children’s books to better understand how young readers comprehend language. Using Stanza, a Python-based natural language tool, Tan built a database to help educators support young readers. Her research bridges linguistics theory and machine learning — all in service of better literacy.
Photo: James T. Giffen
If you’re serious about a future in finance, there’s no better place to gain experience than New York City. BAY HARPER ’26 , a finance major from Brookville, Pa., was at the heart of it all as a private equity analyst intern at Brown Brothers Harriman (BBH). He found the opportunity through Bucknell’s Center for Career Advancement and landed the role after interviewing with BBH partner Brad Langer ’96, P’26, P’29. Harper gained experience in due diligence and portfolio support. He credits his Freeman College of Management education for preparing him well. “It’s an inch deep and a mile wide — but that broad exposure is exactly what you need in private equity,” he says. The summer confirmed it: This is the work — and the city — where he wants to be.
Photo: James T. Giffen
Staying ahead in the fast-paced world of media requires a sharp strategy. That’s where markets, innovation & design major EMMA YORKE ’26 found her stride during her second summer on Dow Jones‘ Strategy and Operations team, contributing to data analysis and competitive research supporting The Wall Street Journal’s live events. “I looked at what other big players like The New York Times and Bloomberg are doing in the events industry and how we can stay ahead,” she says. The Hamilton, N.J., native says being in New York City pushed her out of her comfort zone. “I dove straight into projects; it was exciting to feel trusted and capable. This experience helped me grow more confident, build meaningful connections and strengthen skills I’ll take with me wherever I go.”
Photo: Danny Santos II
An internship with RSM’s audit team in Washington, D.C., gave LAUREN GILLASPY ’26 a broader view of the accounting field — and a clearer vision for her future. The accounting major from Bloomsburg, Pa., connected with the firm during a Freeman College of Management networking event, where Alexander Romango ’17 encouraged her to apply. At RSM, she worked on a new client engagement each week, gaining experience in foreign currency translations, accounts payable and revenue testing. She says she especially enjoyed working in the middle market and learning the details that drive businesses. Her Bucknell courses gave her a solid technical foundation, but she credits the University just as much for helping her build the confidence to speak up and connect with others. It resulted in her securing an offer for a full-time role with RSM after graduation.
READ. RELAX. REPEAT. BERTRAND LIBRARY’S NEW PATIO IS A WELCOMING SPACE
video by KIRA MCNALLY
Unlimited Possibilities
AT CONVOCATION INAugust, I welcomed the Class of 2029 and new transfer students to our family of Bucknellians. Their arrival on campus was particularly resonant for me, given that this fall marks 50 years since I was a newly minted freshman, as first-year students used to be called.
Whether you arrived at Bucknell 50 or five years ago, the world has changed in ways you couldn’t have imagined during your orientation. Fortunately, a Bucknell education has never been simply about preparing for a career. It has always been, as I told our new students, about the ability to think critically, to debate with both conviction and humility, and to cultivate deeply the life of the mind.
The next four years of their lives will not be defined solely by the academic paths they take, the papers they write, the research they conduct or even the friendships they forge. This is the opportunity for them to begin to author the stories of their lives — stories they cannot even imagine today.
Here at Bucknell, these students will broaden their world views, come to understand themselves as never before and begin to discover the limitless possibilities that await. Entire technology and career categories will both disappear and arise in the years ahead. But they can approach and embrace the future knowing that they have the capacity to grow, to adapt and to overcome.
As they pursue their degrees, they’ll be able to experiment in seemingly unrelated fields and discover what lies within the depths and at the intersections of disciplines. Our faculty will encourage them to stretch themselves well beyond the limits of their previous experiences. In doing so, they will grow not only their intellect but also their sense of self and the values that will define them.
This will not come easily. Failure will be an inevitable — and vital — part of the process of building their futures. Today’s Bucknell students have access to a robust support network that will help them see that their willingness to learn from their struggles is the difference between temporary setbacks and real failure. Our alumni have an opportunity to be part of that network, and I know that many of you have given generously of your time to support subsequent generations of Bucknellians — thank you.
While today’s students may inhabit a radically different world from the one you did when you arrived on campus, their excitement, nervousness and sense of possibility would be very familiar. However many years it has been since you began your Bucknell journey, I hope that the education you received and the relationships you built here have sustained the never-ending evolution of your own life.
Photo: Emily Paine
STAY INFORMED. STAY CONNECTED. ’RAY BUCKNELL!
Photo: Courtesy of Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technologies
The Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technologies will perform on the Weis Center stage April 17.
ROOTED IN ART
Tap Into Nature
Discover, listen and grow with the Weis Center’s 2025–26 season
BUCKNELL’S WEIS CENTER for the Performing Arts has announced its 2025–26 season, themed around trees. The season will feature performances, creative projects, walks and lectures that explore their cultural, scientific and historical significance. The Samek Art Museum will partner on the theme, offering exhibitions and programs that invite reflection on our relationship with the environment.
Charly Lowry
Nov. 13, 7:30 p.m.
An Indigenous singer/songwriter from Pembroke, N.C., Lowry draws on her Lumbee/ Tuscarora heritage and her passion for social justice.
Bang on a Can All-Stars featuring the Bucknell Choir
March 1, 2 p.m.
Inspired by environmental books, this ensemble’s performance reflects on humanity’s relationship with nature.
Orchestra of Indigenous Instruments and New Technologies (OIANT)
April 17 , 7:30 p.m.
OIANT brings long-forgotten Indigenous instruments — many crafted from wood — to life in an immersive audiovisual experience.
READ THIS
JENNIFER PERRINE M’03
Beautiful Outlaw
Perrine presents her fifth poetry collection, which confronts the pervasive presence of gun culture in American life — from mass shootings and war to the violence embedded in homes and relationships. Weaving together language from pop songs, Buddhist teachings and experimental forms, Perrine explores how violence intersects with anti-Asian racism, xenophobia and heteropatriarchy. Through wry humor and inventive structures, the collection transforms stories of othering and loss into affirmations of community, resistance and healing. Perrine received her master’s in English at Bucknell and is the equity & racial justice program manager at Metro in Portland, Oregon. (Kelsey Street Press, 2025)
BOB THOMAS ’75
Divided States
In his debut novel, Thomas envisions a near-future America fractured by authoritarian control. When David Evans agrees to help stage a New Year’s Eve celebration in Pennsylvania, he unwittingly sparks a series of events that lead to the country’s unraveling. This dystopian speculative fiction explores freedom, resilience and how ordinary people can become catalysts for extraordinary change. Thomas double-majored in English and art history at Bucknell. (Willow River Press, 2025)
MELISSA LOFTUS ’03
The Literacy 50: A Q&A Handbook for Teachers
Loftus co-authored this handbook for Scholastic’s The Science of Reading in Practice series. Drawing on insights from her podcast, Melissa & Lori Love Literacy, the book provides research-based answers to teachers’ questions about reading instruction. Loftus, who double-majored in education and English at Bucknell, taught in Baltimore public schools and served as an adviser at Johns Hopkins University. (Scholastic, 2025)
ANIA JASTREBOFF ’98
The Oprah Podcast
The Yale School of Medicine endocrinologist joined Oprah Winfrey to discuss how obesity medications impact weight loss. A leading specialist in obesity and weight management and the director of the Y-Weight Yale Obesity Research Center, Jastreboff has been studying obesity for nearly 20 years. Her research focuses on GLP-1-based medications. Watch the conversation on Oprah’s YouTube channel or listen on major podcast platforms.
SUSIE MERSELIS PETTIT ’93
Love Your Life Show: Personal Growth, Mindset + Habits for Moms
A life and wellness coach, Pettit, who majored in French at Bucknell, shares actionable strategies on topics ranging from mindset and habit formation to codependency recovery, midlife reinvention and emotional wellness through perimenopause and beyond. The show is available on all major podcast platforms.
Bucknellians, have you recently published a book, launched a podcast, released a film or developed an app? We’d love to hear about it! Send your news to bmagazine@bucknell.edu
WITTY WINNERS
Here are our favorite caption submissions from the summer issue:
“Rarely seen photo documenting the experiment responsible for the closing of the human genetics lab.”
Mark Barbour ‘82
“LOOK MA, NO HANDS!”
Lisa Tilton Treible ‘83
“Just holding on by the seat of my pants.”
Beth O’Connor Moyles ‘89
“DOUBLE HEADER.”
Kirsten McLaughlin Davis ‘97
“Whether on the football field or the wrestling mat, conjoined twins Eric and Larry Wheeler were best known for being almost impossible to knock off their feet.”
Linds Adams ’89, M’92
“A RARE SIGHTING OF THE TWO-HEADED BUCKNELLASAURUS.”
Steven Prasinos ‘75
WRITE TO US
We love to hear from readers. Send your feedback, insights, compliments and complaints. Write to us: bmagazine@bucknell.edu
Bucknell Magazine, One Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837
LIGHT UP THE SEASON
Free tickets for Bucknell’s Christmas Candlelight Service are available through the Campus Box Office. Presented by the Office of Religious & Spiritual Life in partnership with the Department of Music, this cherished tradition is inspired by the King‘s College Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols. The services will be held Dec. 5, 7 and 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Rooke Chapel. While admission is free, tickets are required. Get your tickets at bucknell.edu/boxoffice
See the World
BUCKNELL’S WORLD-CLASS TRAVEL PROGRAM OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES FOR EXPLORATION TO MEMBERS OF THE BUCKNELL FAMILY, INCLUDING ALUMNI, PARENTS AND FRIENDS. LEARN MORE AT BUCKNELL.EDU/SEE-THE-WORLD
Photos: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives; James T. Giffen; courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives; Courtesy of Kelsey Street Press; Willow River Press; Scholastic
Paden Troxell ’15, M’17 leads engineering teams at Globus Medical, creating technology that improves surgical outcomes and the patient experience.
Engineering Better Care
Paden Troxell ’15, M’17 is turning complex surgical challenges into practical, patient-focused solutions. As a senior group engineering manager at Globus Medical, a Pennsylvania-based musculoskeletal technology company, Troxell is building an ecosystem of digital health tools to elevate the patient experience and improve long-term surgical outcomes. He’s also drawing on his foundation in entrepreneurship and human-centered design forged at Bucknell to reimagine how health care technology serves both providers and patients.
Troxell’s career began on Globus’ surgical robotics team, where he designed instrumentation for ExcelsiusGPS, a robotic navigation system that assists surgeons in accurately placing spinal implants. He played a key role in advancing the interbody solutions application from prototype to commercialization.
In his current role, Troxell is developing technologies that weave together the fragmented stages of a patient’s surgical journey.
“We’re thinking about how we can leverage the cutting edge of both software and hardware to make the full continuum of care more seamless and yield better outcomes for patients,” he says.
That systems-oriented mindset traces back to his time as a mechanical engineering major. At Bucknell, he worked as part of the Project for Sustainable Eye Care, which aimed to make prescription glasses affordable and accessible in remote, low-resource settings. Under the guidance of Professor Charles Kim, mechanical engineering, Troxell designed devices to measure prescriptions and cut lenses to match recycled frames, reducing costs and helping ensure the glasses could reach people in remote communities.
“It was always personal for me,” he says. “I have reduced vision in my left eye from amblyopia and strabismus. Glasses are vital to my quality of life. For someone living in extreme poverty, glasses can be life-changing.”
Beyond the technical challenge, Troxell and his team partnered with the Freeman College of Management to develop the business model and explore the feasibility of deploying the technology abroad. He continued the project through graduate studies at Bucknell, launching a pilot program in Nicaragua at the Nueva Vida Clinic in partnership with the Center for Development in Central America and the Bucknell Brigade, a service-learning program that connected students and faculty with global communities to address health care, education and infrastructure needs.
“These Bucknell experiences have been the cornerstone of my professional career and will continue to shape my path well into the future,” he says.
Photo: Caroline Conrad
Bridging Communities
Elizabeth Hueser Parmley ’99 is reconnecting communities via the I-81 project.
Elizabeth “Betsy” Hueser Parmley ‘99 is overseeing the largest infrastructure project in the history of the New York State Department of Transportation: the I-81 Viaduct Project. This initiative will reconnect Syracuse neighborhoods long divided by the elevated highway.
Parmley, who studied civil and environmental engineering, credits Bucknell for providing both a strong technical foundation and essential collaboration and problem-solving skills.
“I had a comprehensive education,” she says. “Bucknell helped me understand teamwork and the importance of community.”
That philosophy has guided her leadership, both in building effective teams and ensuring that infrastructure projects prioritize the needs of the public.
Working in a traditionally male-dominated field, Parmley says she is grateful for the camaraderie she found with fellow female engineering students at Bucknell. She recognized early on the value of having a strong, supportive network, both professionally and personally.
Racing Toward Reinvention
Michael Chauner ’08 blended coaching and innovation to launch an indoor cycling league to make cycling more dynamic, accessible and engaging for fans.
At Bucknell, Michael Chauner ’08 was never just racing toward a finish line — he was building the foundation for an enduring career in cycling. “Bucknell gave me the space to grow as both an athlete and entrepreneur,” Chauner says. “It helped me become a more well-rounded, opportunity-driven person — something I’ve carried into everything I’ve done since.”
Chauner is a professional cyclist turned coach and entrepreneur who’s working to redefine the sport in the U.S. with his company, World Cycling Limited.
He began racing at age 9 with the goal of turning pro. At Bucknell, he helped expand the student-run cycling team from six to 30 riders, often stepping into a coaching role for newer teammates. “The beauty of club sports — and Bucknell’s team in particular — is that we weren’t just teammates; we were friends helping each other improve,” he says. “It created a supportive, tight-knit culture that’s rare in elite racing.”
Chauner spent his summers competing in races across the country and abroad. By 2011, he was racing professionally in Sweden and the Netherlands. He also launched a coaching business, Vitesse Sport Performance, drawing on his Bucknell experiences.
“I still think about Management 101 and Sports Psychology,” he says. “They shaped how I built my business and coach.”
In 2020, he and his father — a two-time Olympian — began developing a new venture: TeamTrak, a professional indoor cycling league with a modern twist. Their vision includes high-tech velodromes, youth programs and a format that makes cycling more accessible and entertaining.
The first TeamTrak arena, the National Sports and Events Center in Coatesville, Pa., is expected to be ready in 2027.
“We believe cycling can be a true arena sport — a hub of activity, training and fan engagement,” Chauner says. “I’m channeling all my energy into building the next chapter.”
Photos: NYSDOT, Courtesy of Michael Chauner ‘08 (top)
In Memoriam
Robert C. Rooke H’10, G’06, G’07, G’12 and Natalie Davis Rooke G’06, G’07, G’12
Robert “Bob” Rooke and Natalie Davis Rooke, cherished members of the Bucknell community and partners in life, passed away just weeks apart — Natalie on June 16, 2025, at age 96, and Bob on July 10, 2025, at age 100.
Their devotion to each other was matched by their commitment to Bucknell. Over decades, the Rookes gave nearly $15 million in support of more than 30 initiatives, leaving a lasting mark on students, faculty and the campus itself.
Their generosity helped create signature spaces such as the Rooke Science Center, Holmes Hall and the Sigfried Weis Music Building as well as the Rooke Chapel Music Program. They endowed scholarships, faculty chairs and music fellowships.
In recognition of their extraordinary dedication, Bob and Natalie were honored in 2023 with the William Bucknell Philanthropic Award.
The Rookes’ multigenerational connection to Bucknell began with Bob’s father, Robert L. Rooke, Class of 1913, H’51, G’06, G’07, G’12, G’12, and continued through their children and grandchildren. Their family legacy — of service and generosity — remains woven into the fabric of the University.
Special Collections & University Archives
Susan Falciani Maldonado welcomes visitors to the Special Collections in Bertrand Library.
One of my favorite things about the space that houses Special Collections & University Archives is its atmosphere. Tucked inside Bertrand Library, it’s a room many students pass without noticing — but through the windows, you’ll glimpse warm lamps, rich woodwork and beautiful carpets that evoke a sense of history. It feels special, but it’s not meant to be exclusive. I want this to be a welcoming, open-door space where students feel not just permitted but encouraged to engage.
Over time, our culture has shifted from a hands-off preservation mindset to a dynamic, experiential learning environment. Students come here not just to see 100-year-old letters — whether from Irish literary figures or Bucknellians in World War II — but to handle them, make original discoveries and realize they have something unique to say.
“It’s not just about preserving history; it’s about putting it in students’ hands. History feels different when you’re holding it.”
Our collections span millennia: from Babylonian clay tablets to a Shakespeare Second Folio, a first edition of On the Origin of Species, and 20th-century firsts by Hemingway and Joyce. Our Irish literature holdings include letters by W.B. Yeats and Oscar Wilde and the world’s largest archive of Oliver St. John Gogarty.
We are the keepers of Bucknell’s story — from the 1846 charter to student scrapbooks, protest posters, and, as of 2025, the full digital run of The Bucknellian. Students uncover histories that echo their own, connecting with the people and movements that shaped this campus.
There’s a vibe in this room — a pause from the everyday — and I want more people to feel it. Yes, you have to ring the doorbell, but we’ll open it. And what’s inside might just change the way you see history.
If you’d like to visit, learn more about our collections or discuss donating materials, we’d love to hear from you.
Special Collections & University Archives is located in Bertrand Library (see P. 8). To learn more about the collection, visit go.bucknell.edu/scua and follow bucknell.scua on Instagram.
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