Bucknell Magazine Spring 2025

Spring 2025

BY WAY OF BUCKNELL

BY WAY OF BUCKNELL

LIGHT SHOW
On October 10, 2024, the aurora borealis illuminated the skies above Bertrand Library with a magical glow.

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 8×10 print.

LIGHT SHOW
On October 10, 2024, the aurora borealis illuminated the skies above Bertrand Library with a magical glow.

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 8×10 print.

Pathways

Emma Feld on one knee giving her dog a treat while it's sitting
From animal lover to dog trainer
by Sarah Downey ’25
photograph by emily paine
As a high schooler in New York City, Emma Feld ’26 discovered her passion for animals as a volunteer at a local animal shelter. After arriving at Bucknell, the early childhood education major and member of the women’s swimming & diving team decided to prioritize academics and athletics and put volunteer work on hold.

That changed after she met Megan Leavy, a Bucknell chemical engineering academic assistant who raises dogs for Susquehanna Service Dogs (SSD). Inspired by Leavy’s impactful work, Feld felt compelled to contribute while still honoring her academic and athletic commitments.

She founded the SSD Club at Bucknell and became certified to raise service dogs in training. Under her leadership, the club trains puppies to assist people who need support. This year, Feld and three other students are sharing the responsibility of raising two Labrador retrievers on campus. The brothers, SSD Douglas (pictured) and SSD Martin, are learning to navigate crowded places, retrieve dropped items and turn lights on and off.

“I picked my major because I love helping people,” Feld says. “Training service dogs is an extension of that. SSD assistance dogs give people the confidence to live more independently — they really change lives.”

Table of Contents

From Animal Lover to Dog Trainer
Conveniences and Consequences
The 2024-25 Forum series wrapped up a star-studded season.
In Lewisburg and far afield, Bucknellians make a positive and palpable difference.
Campus-wide program encourages students, faculty and staff to come together in conversation.
Bison men’s soccer rises from last place to first.
Data Science Student Fellows are solving data-centric problems.
A Bucknell team is preserving rare, fragile Japanese films, making cinematic history available to a new generation.
Chris Sims ‘25 is a rare two-sport athlete, excelling on the track and the football field.
Trust and twin instincts enable Matthew ’89 and Nathan Johnson ’89 to co-lead successfully.
The Campus Shop helps transform student visions into viable ventures.
FEATURES
Plastic’s greatest strength is also its biggest flaw: It lasts forever.
Rowing 2,800 miles across the Pacific is a grueling test of endurance, strength and courage.
Marking the 175th edition of the University’s most anticipated event of the year.
’RAY BUCKNELL
In the Face of Uncertainty, Follow the Mission
Professor Ben Barson, music, explores how Black musicians influenced the world of music in his new book.
As an engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Serena Tramm ’20 has turned her dream career into a reality.
For high school teacher John Quinn ’18, a quality education goes beyond the classroom.
Johnathan Coleman ‘19 uses his law degree to address societal injustices.
Using data and AI, Uttam Kumaran ’18 helps businesses make smarter decisions.
Alex Golden ’17 keeps the music alive on Broadway.
Bucknell choirs reunite on campus.
Marilyn Ekiss Fries ’59 is finally inducted into Tau Beta Pi.
Remembering a generous Bucknellian who supported athletics programs.
Honoring a dedicated supporter who funded the creation of Hildreth-Mirza Hall.
Your opportunities to get involved.
Our favorite caption submissions.
Beyond Unison a cappella group.
Bucknell
magazine

Volume 18, Issue 2

Vice President For Marketing & Communications
Heather Johns P’27

EDITOR
Katie Neitz

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Barbara Wise

DESIGNERS
Erin Benner
Ashley M. Freeby ’15

PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Emily Paine

ASSISTANT EDITOR
Matt Jones

CLASS NOTES EDITOR
Heidi Hormel

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Kim Faulk

Contributors
Dave Block, Sarah Downey ’25, Shana Ebright, Mike Ferlazzo, James T. Giffen, Matt Hughes, Brad Tufts, Christina Masciere Wallace P’22, Kate Williard

Website
bucknell.edu/bmagazine

Contact
bmagazine@bucknell.edu
Class Notes:
classnotes@bucknell.edu
570-577-3611

Bucknell Magazine
(ISSN 1044-7563), of which this is volume 18, number 2, is published in winter, spring, summer and fall by Bucknell University, One Dent Drive, Lewisburg, PA 17837. Periodicals Postage paid at Lewisburg, PA, and additional mailing offices.
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Circulation
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Postmaster
Send all address changes to:
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© 2025 Bucknell University

From the Editor

Conveniences and Consequences

Plastic is everywhere, yet we hardly give it a second thought — until it hits home. After a rear-end collision in December, I saw my Subaru’s crumpled plastic bumper and realized just how much impact it absorbed, keeping me and my son safe. From the laptop I use for work, to the smoke detector in my home, to the container that keeps my medicine secure, plastic makes life easier and safer.

That said, I’m also mindful of the environmental challenges plastic brings, especially single-use plastic and its lasting effects. This issue dives into that dilemma. In “The Plastic Paradox”, Assistant Editor Matt Jones highlights how Bucknell faculty and students are exploring more sustainable plastics. He also spotlights Bucknell alumni rethinking how we use plastic.

As part of Bucknell’s commitment to sustainability and our mission to enhance the reader experience, we’re launching a new digital partnership. Beginning with the summer issue, we’ll be working with eMagazines — a platform used by Sports Illustrated, Time and Fortune — to offer a more engaging digital edition. This will provide an improved reading experience, including a new audio feature that will allow you to listen to stories.

Additionally, we will have a robust online archive to make past issues more accessible, and Class Notes will now be available online for easy desktop viewing.

We are excited about this change and will share more details in the summer issue.

Thank you for being part of our Bucknell Magazine readership as we continue finding new ways to share stories that inform and inspire.

Katie Neitz
Editor / k.neitz@bucknell.edu

plastic mini model of Bucknell courtyard on working table with tools and light surrounding it
Photo: David Gilliver

Behind the Scenes

For this issue’s cover, photographer David Gilliver aimed to convey the ever-growing presence of discarded plastic in our daily lives. Using HO gauge model railroad props, he reimagined Malesardi Quadrangle, creating a striking contrast between nature and plastic waste. The result? A miniature scene with a big message. Check out our digital edition for a short time-lapse video of Gilliver’s intricate setup coming to life.

Our cover story, “The Plastic Paradox”, features the work of two Bucknellians.

Former environmental correspondent and Boston Globe book critic Robert Braile ’77 writes about plastic’s journey from groundbreaking innovation to global environmental challenge.

Meanwhile, Ashley M. Freeby ’15 brings the story to life. This issue marks Freeby’s debut as a designer for Bucknell Magazine. Since her Bucknell days, she’s earned an MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and now serves as the communications director and head designer at the Ox-Bow School of Art & Artists’ Residency in Saugatuck, Mich.

Four people seated in a row on high stools, engaged in conversation.

Big Ideas, Big Moments at the Bucknell Forum

by Katie Neitz
Bucknell University’s 2024-25 Forum series, themed “World in Transition,” continued during the spring semester, bringing high-profile speakers to campus who shared insights into business, technology and society.

Actor and activist George Takei opened the semester’s events on Jan. 28, recounting his childhood experience in a World War II internment camp. On Feb. 18, the series featured Kevin O’Leary, chairman of O’Shares Investments and Beanstox, best known as “Mr. Wonderful” from Shark Tank.

The final event on Feb. 23 was an entrepreneurship roundtable featuring 14-time MLB All-Star Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore ’93 and Bucknell trustee Jordy Leiser ’06.

Following the roundtable, the trio attended a Bucknell-Army men’s basketball game. There, Rodriguez took a half-court shot to win $10,000 for Owen Garwood ’27. He nailed it, igniting a thunderous celebration (see ‘ray Bucknell).

Forum speakers Jordy Leiser, Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore, Kevin O’Leary and George Takei engaged in conversation in front of a backdrop with the words "Bucknell University" repeated across it.
Two people posing for a photo while sitting on a couch.
Photos: Emily Paine, James T. Giffen
Forum speakers Jordy Leiser ‘06, Alex Rodriguez, Marc Lore ‘93, Kevin O’Leary and George Takei (clockwise from top) engaged with students on campus.

Enhancing Student Support

Maureen McGuinness named Fritz Family Dean of Students
by Mike Ferlazzo
Maureen “Moe” McGuinness has joined Bucknell as Associate Vice President & Fritz Family Dean of Students. McGuinness brings more than 25 years of higher education experience and most recently served as the Title IX coordinator for the University of North Texas System.

“I am excited to collaborate with students, faculty and staff to enhance the programs and services that support students’ overall development,” she says. “I look forward to building on the strong foundations of excellence and student success at Bucknell.”

News Ticker

HIGH RANKS

Bucknell earned strong marks in U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 rankings. Among national liberal arts colleges, Bucknell was ranked No. 5 for Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs list, No. 6 for Most Innovative Schools and No. 17 for First-year Experiences.

BEST IN BUSINESS

Freeman College of Management Professor Annetta Grant was named one of the “50 Best Undergraduate Business Professors of 2024” by Poets&Quants. Recognized as an emerging leader in consumer research, Grant has conducted work on sustainable consumption.

BUCKNELLIAN LEADS FDA

As of press time, Martin “Marty” Makary ’93 was expected to be confirmed by the Senate as commissioner of the FDA, the agency responsible for regulating the nation’s food supply, vaccines, medicines, cosmetics and tobacco. Makary is a physician who specializes in surgical oncology at Johns Hopkins University.
Around Town and Around the Globe
Aiden Cherniske seated at a table, working with colorful building blocks or small construction pieces.
Photo: James T. Giffen
Aiden Cherniske ’27 organizes hands-on robotics activities for kids during STEM Saturdays at the Lewisburg Children’s Museum.

’burg and Beyond

In Lewisburg and far afield, Bucknellians make a positive and palpable difference
Orange Right Arrow

Lewisburg

Every Saturday, Aiden Cherniske ’27 heads to the Lewisburg Children’s Museum to play with robots. As a volunteer for STEM Saturdays, he introduces young learners to science, technology, engineering and math through robotics activities. Growing up in Kent, Conn., Cherniske discovered his passion for technology through a library STEM program, where he learned about coding and robotics. That experience led him to volunteer with the program in high school. Now, the computer engineering major is paying it forward in Lewisburg.

What He Does

Cherniske aims to grab the attention of children under 10 with interactive robotics demonstrations. His work represents a larger mission of the museum to bridge the gap for rural students who are disadvantaged when it comes to STEM education. Cherniske also helps run a LEGO robotics program for middle schoolers at the Donald Heiter Community Center.

The Impact

“It’s so fun to see the kids’ creativity,” he says. They begin with base projects, such as building a helicopter or carousel, and then they experiment with seeing how fast they can make it turn without breaking. One group even asked how they could make the helicopter ADA-accessible. “Seeing them develop those problem-solving skills is the greatest part,” Cherniske says. “Thinking in that way is so important in STEM.”

What’s Next

Looking ahead, Cherniske hopes to expand robotics programming at the museum and start a robotics club there with assistance from Bucknell’s Center for Community Engaged Leadership, Learning & Research.

— Sarah Downey ’25

Around Town and Around the Globe
Terian Williams headshot
Photo: James T. Giffen
Terian Williams ’26 uses his platform as a Division I athlete to give back to underserved families in Atlanta.

’burg and Beyond

In Lewisburg and far afield, Bucknellians make a positive and palpable difference
Orange Right Arrow

Atlanta

In 2023, Terian Williams ’26 turned his platform as a Division I athlete into a force for good by founding the It Takes a Village Family Foundation. Through the nonprofit, Williams organizes Christmas and Father’s Day events in his hometown of Atlanta that provide families with housing assistance, groceries, clothing and other essentials. “I wanted to give back, support underserved communities and bring Atlanta together,” he says.

Williams began his college journey at Stanford University, where he spent two years before transferring to Bucknell in fall 2024. “I chose Bucknell for its close-knit community,” he says. “The football team, especially, feels like a family.” As a defensive back, Williams uses his name, image and likeness (NIL) — the legal right that allows student-athletes to earn income through sponsorships — to fund his foundation. Partnering with over 60 brands, he has secured support to drive his mission.

What He’s Done

Recently, the sociology major partnered with Cheez-It and the Extra Yard for Teachers initiative to donate $10,000 to his former elementary school in honor of his third-grade teacher. “Mr. Hayes was so instrumental in my life,” Williams says. “Being able to give back to the school where I met lifelong friends and formed the foundation of who I am today was amazing.”

What’s Next?

As Williams looks to expand his impact in the Lewisburg area, he has plans to partner with Bison Cares, a Bucknell student-athlete initiative, to co-sponsor charitable events. “When people face tough moments, it’s essential to remind them that positivity and support still exist,” he says.

— Sarah Downey ’25

Fostering Empathy Through Dialogue

by Katie Neitz
A group of seven people are seated in a circle on chairs in a well-lit room, engaging in what appears to be a discussion or meeting.
Photo: Emily Paine
Jocelyne Scott ‘11 (center), senior director of equity & strategic initiatives, facilitates a Dignity & Dialogue Circle.
In an age where many conversations happen through social media comments or quick text exchanges, it’s easy to lose the depth and connection that meaningful in-person dialogue can offer. That’s why in fall 2024, Bucknell’s Division of Equity & Inclusive Excellence launched Dignity & Dialogue Circles, a campus-wide program that encourages students, faculty and staff to come together to share experiences, reflect deeply and communicate respectfully.

The program has proven impactful for Bucknellians like Kathy Graham P’03, P’05, associate vice president of university advancement, who attended a session on post-election civility. “It inspired me to approach family conversations with empathy rather than trying to debate or convince,” she says.

Facilitators report that participants apply circle principles across campus to improve communication.

Graham, for example, integrated circle principles into a workshop for her team to encourage constructive discussions. And Kurt Nelson, director of religious & spiritual life, has used the framework in grief support groups. “For students dealing with loss, these circles create a space to feel understood and supported,” he says.

Celebrating a Milestone

2025 marks 150 years since Edward McKnight Brawley became Bucknell’s first Black graduate. To honor this milestone, the Division of Equity & Inclusive Excellence is organizing a yearlong series of events. Learn more: go.bucknell.edu/blackexcellence

Bob Gamgort stands at the front of a lecture hall, addressing a group of people who are seated facing him.
Photo: Lewisburg Studio by Melo Foto
Bob Gamgort ‘84, P’16 is providing financial aid to students.

Two Significant Gifts Propel Bucknell’s Financial Aid Initiatives

by Kate Williard
Bucknell’s commitment to access has taken a major step forward with two transformative gifts: one dedicated to merit-based scholarships and another to need-based financial aid.

A new endowment from Bob ’84, P’16 and Sue DeMent Gamgort ’84, P’16 will ensure Bucknell’s ability to meet 100% of demonstrated financial need and eliminate loans for students in the Gamgort Family Gateway Scholars Program. Established in 2023, the program provides financial support and mentorship to first-generation college students.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, the Malesardi Arts & Sciences Scholars — named in gratitude for a generous estate gift from the late Robert Malesardi ’45, P’75, P’79, P’87, G’08 and his wife, Doris Fisher Malesardi — awards merit scholarships to academically high-achieving students.

“These gifts exemplify the transformative power of financial aid,” says Bucknell President John Bravman. “They open doors for talented students who might otherwise be unable to attend Bucknell and strengthen our community with exceptional thinkers who will go on to change the world.”

Call It a Comeback

Bison men’s soccer rises from last place to first
by katie neitz
A group of soccer players in white athletic uniforms with blue stripes celebrating
Group photo of soccer players smiling and holding trophy.
Soccer team group photo in front of scoreboard.
Photos: Lianne Garrahan ‘25
Men’s soccer claimed its fifth Patriot League championship with a win against Colgate, with Francisco “Kiko” Hidalgo ’27 (top) celebrating the victory.

Call It a Comeback

Bison men’s soccer rises from last place to first
by katie neitz
B

ucknell men’s soccer capped a stunning turnaround season by defeating Colgate, 3-0, to claim the Patriot League championship before 1,400 fans at Emmitt Field in November. Waldemar Kattrup ’25 and Nick Prime ’25 scored in their final home games, leading the Bison to their highest-scoring match of the year. This is the program’s fifth Patriot League title — and first since 2014. The Bison were one of only two Division I teams to rise from last place in 2023 to a conference title in 2024. “Things happened fast, and it was a tough build, but I’m so happy for our guys,” said head coach Dave Brandt, named the Patriot League Coach of the Year. “For our upperclassmen and especially our seniors to be able to experience something like this is just a joy to see.”

Data science in action
four women sitting at a round table with laptops in front of them and observing a child with her arms up
Professor Haley Kragness, Claire Engel ‘25, Gwen Radecki ‘25 and Claire Cahoon (L to R) are investigating how to best measure children’s movements to music.

Data’s Creative Twist

by Kate Williard
photograph by Emily Paine
D

ata science isn’t just for engineers or analysts. It has the power to advance many different fields of study, sometimes in surprising ways. For example, it can help psychologists better understand children’s movement patterns or inspire creative writing. Showcasing the versatility of data science is a goal of Kelly McConville, director of the Dominguez Center for Data Science. Students who participate in the Data Science Student Fellows program are matched with project stakeholders and data-science mentors who guide fellows through technical and theoretical approaches to data-centric problems. Fellows are encouraged to apply their diverse perspectives to develop solutions. This spring, 29 students are working on 13 projects, gaining experience across a range of fields. Here’s a look at three.

Data Dance

The Question: What musical features influence movement in children, and can algorithms assess them as effectively as human observation?

The Collaboration: Led by mentors Professor Haley Kragness, psychology, and Claire Cahoon, digital pedagogy & scholarship specialist, fellows Claire Engel ’25 and Gwen Radecki ’25 are exploring how music and dance affect children’s physical and emotional development and how to measure those effects efficiently. Their project blends developmental psychology, music cognition and computer science.

Engel’s computer science & engineering major complements Radecki’s psychology and linguistics double-major, bringing a cross-disciplinary perspective to their work. They’re studying different ways to track movement in children’s dance by comparing methods like automatic tracking to manual labeling to determine the most effective approach for researchers.

“While I lack the technical expertise to implement automated movement extraction alone, this project provides me with the potential to address a major challenge in my work,” says Kragness. Using home videos of children dancing, they are comparing automated movement extraction to manual annotations to assess its viability in children’s dance research.”

Data Bloom

The Question: How can data inspire ecowriting — writing that explores the relationship between humans and the environment — to raise awareness and spark the development of creative solutions?

The Collaboration: Professors Sara Stoudt, mathematics & statistics, and Elinam Agbo, English — creative writing, are partnering with fellows Shaheryar Asghar ’28 and Caitlyn Hickey ’26 to explore how data and storytelling can intersect and inspire ecowriting for the journal The Dodge.

Asghar, a double-major in mathematical economics and psychology with a minor in English — creative writing, and Hickey, who studies applied mathematics and business analytics, are combining their skills in data analysis, app design and creative writing to develop an interactive app.

The project involves selecting nature-related datasets, developing writing prompts, and showing how data-driven insights can enhance creative expression. “Statistics requires creativity,” says Stoudt. “This project highlights that creativity while emphasizing the important role of writing in the statistical investigation process.”

Data Play

The Question: Can predictive modeling provide actionable insights for coaches?

The Collaboration: Professor Jimmy Chen, analytics & operations management, is teaming up with Palmer “PJ” Steiner, assistant women’s soccer coach, and fellows Katherine Vice ’27 and Aiden Kim ’27 to develop a tool that will simulate Patriot League Women’s Soccer Tournament standings and clinching scenarios. By incorporating home/away status, past matchups and team performance metrics, they aim to support data-driven decisions during the season.

Kim, a computer science and data science co-major, and Vice, an economics major, are combining their skills to develop an interactive simulation dashboard. Kim is focused on predictive models and design, while Vice is analyzing results. “This project provides both a learning opportunity for students and practical benefits for the women’s soccer team, demonstrating the power of interdisciplinary collaboration,” says Chen.

Explorations
John Ogunwomoju working with a camera
John Ogunwomoju ’27 is part of a Bucknell student team digitizing rare Japenese films.

A Reel Discovery

A Bucknell team is preserving rare, fragile Japanese films, making cinematic history available to a new generation
by Sarah Downey ’25
photography by Emily Paine
A

nearly forgotten piece of cinematic history has been brought back to life, thanks to the research of Professor Eric Faden, film/media studies, and a team of Bucknell students. Their work has revived a rare set of Japanese short films from the 1930s while taking them across the globe in search of even more lost media.

Faden found the films by fluke in 2017 during a teaching fellowship in Kyoto. While researching another project at the Toy Film Museum, he discovered a set of reels made from paper, a medium rarely used in filmmaking. “The only other films made on paper were copies of early American ones for copyright deposit,” Faden says. “The Japanese paper films are very different in that they were meant to be projected from the get-go.”

However, due to the films’ fragility, museums were hesitant to project them.

Determined to preserve the films digitally, Faden began meticulously photographing each frame with the intention of stitching them together as a video. The task proved to be far from simple. Although each film only lasts between two and 12 minutes, it could take Faden up to four and a half hours to photograph one. Even then, the result didn’t achieve the desired effect of watching a continuous movie.

Recognizing the need for a new preservation method, Faden recruited the expertise of professors and students across disciplines. Alina Arko ’23, who studied mechanical engineering, designed a scanner delicate enough to handle the fragile paper reels while capturing them as a continuous video. Then, computer science students Yuhan Chen ’23 and Jackson Rubiano ’27 developed software to recognize frames and stabilize the images, ensuring the films could be projected in a fluid sequence.

The films represent a fascinating mix of genres, including wartime propaganda, instructional exercise reels, early anime and mythological stories featuring ninjas and samurai.

From the beginning, Faden’s goal was preservation, not restoration. “We wanted to show the films — warts and all — with their inconsistencies and the over-scanning so the audience could see how the film is working. A restoration project would remove all that.”

Professor Eric Faden working with a camera
close up of a gloved hand working with film strips on a reel
Professor Eric Faden, film/media studies, recruited students for help designing a special scanner delicate enough to handle the fragile paper reels while capturing them as a continuous video.
In summer 2024, Faden and a group of Bucknell students traveled to Japan in search of more paper films. Between visits to museums, shrines and temples, they examined additional reels, deepening their understanding of Japan’s cinematic past.

“It gave me perspective about the history and culture of Japan, which helped me understand the films I had been working on,” Rubiano says.

In August, the digitally preserved films were screened at a Brooklyn theatre. “I thought we would have six people, aside from my family,” Faden joked. Instead, the event was packed — 75 people were turned away once the venue hit capacity.

For his dedication to preserving these films, Faden was awarded the 2025 Sumie Jones Prize for Project Leadership in Japan-centered Humanities by the Association for Asian Studies.

This video includes clips from a variety of Japanese paper films that have been supplied by the Kyoto Toy Film Museum, collector Natsuki Matsumoto, and Tsuyoshi Yamabata of the Itabashi Science and Education Museum.
Professor Eric Faden and a team of students will return to Japan this summer. Learn more about the project — including screening dates — at kamifirumu.scholar.bucknell.edu. To support this effort, visit give.bucknell.edu/JapanesePaperFilm
Chris Sims jumping up with his arms out on the track
Photo: Emily Paine
Chris Sims ’25 is a rare two-sport athlete who soars at the track and tackles on the football field.

Leaps and Bounds

by Bryan Wendell
Inside Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium, track & field events take place just a hop, skip and jump away from the football field. But for Chris Sims ‘25, the two sports represent a world of difference.

For the triple jumper and cornerback, the journey from one sport to the other requires time management, no-days-off determination and a willingness to transform his physique from one season to the next.

As a football player, Sims needs muscle mass to jam or tackle, while as a track athlete, he requires lean muscle to run fast and soar far. Like 47 feet, 1 inch far, Sims’ best triple jump distance.

“After track season ends, I start to pack on my football weight,” he says. “I gain back about 10 to 15 pounds. It’s a totally different lifting program and training routine. Then, at the end of football season, that weight comes off, and I start my track training.”

This physical transformation is why some colleges avoid recruiting dual-sport athletes. Sure enough, in Sims’ junior year of high school, recruiters from other schools asked him to pick a lane. “They felt if I did two sports, it would take away from one,” he says. “In a way, I agree with that. I mean, I sometimes wish I did spring training for football or fall training for track. But it all comes together in the end, which makes it a really good experience for me.”

This do-it-all attitude formed at age 5 when Sims sought a way to connect with his athletically inclined older brother, Micah ’20. By middle school, Chris excelled in football, basketball and track at The Haverford School in the Philadelphia suburbs. Bucknell’s track team first offered him a spot, and the football team allowed him to walk on.

“It was a dream come true to start at a Division I level and play two sports,” says the economics major. “I just want to help the teams in whatever way possible.”

His team-first mentality explains why Sims was selected by his peers to be track team captain. He is willing not just to motivate his fellow jumpers but also to lift up the whole team.

Sims knows individual performances can boost the entire team’s morale, similar to how a key interception can change a football game. “If a distance kid runs really well, that’s awesome for our team,” he says. “It’s not just, ‘Oh, he set a PR [personal record]’ — it takes the whole team higher.”

Chris Sims headshot
Photo: James T. Giffen

Instant Replay

THE NEW PASCUCCI TEAM CENTER
“In terms of recruiting, it will help so much — it’s a lot more appealing. And the weight room? It’s more than a weight room. It’s a collective team bonding experience.”
FLYING HIGH
“In the triple jump, there are times when I’m mid-air, and I know this will be a big one. You look up, and that number is there. It’s a really good feeling.”
HE’S OPEN
“Academically, people would say I’m open to learning, available to listen and a critical thinker, always looking to solve problems.”
Ask the Experts

TEAMWORK

by Katie Neitz
headshots of Matthew and Nathan Johnson
Photos: Richardo River
In April, Matthew ’89 (left) and Nathan Johnson ’89 will co-deliver the Freeman College of Management’s Walling Lecture as part of Freeman Week.
Orange Right Arrow
Identical twins Matthew ’89 and Nathan Johnson ’89 didn’t just attend Bucknell together — they now co-lead several businesses, the largest being TruConnect. As co-CEOs, they’ve transformed that company into a thriving business that breaks down financial barriers to wireless connectivity, ensuring underserved communities have access to essential digital tools. Leading five companies, they’ve mastered collaboration, delegation and trust — key components of any successful partnership.
How do you divide responsibilities?
Matthew: It happens naturally. We don’t have formal conversations about who handles what. When a challenge arises, one of us instinctively takes the lead, and the other trusts that decision. We have a very unique situation because we think alike and trust each other’s judgment.

Nathan: Exactly. We don’t micromanage each other, and that lets us be in multiple places at once. We can divide our time between meetings in Washington, D.C., state capitals and international operations without losing momentum.

What are the advantages of co-leadership?
Matthew: The biggest advantage is that the company benefits from two minds on every major decision. We bring complementary strengths to the table, and our similar problem-solving approaches keep our decisions consistent.

Nathan: Another advantage is continuity. One of us is always available, whether for travel, negotiations or strategic decision-making. In a single CEO structure, all that responsibility falls on one person, which can slow things down.

How do you endure alignment in decision-making?
Matthew: Since we grew up together, we have a built-in trust that removes ego from the equation. We don’t compete for control or recognition — it’s about what’s best for the business. Many co-CEO arrangements fail when leaders fight over who’s the “real” CEO. For us, the title is secondary to the company’s success.

Nathan: We also communicate constantly. Our thought processes are so similar that if one of us makes a decision, the other would have likely made the same choice. This consistency provides clear direction for our team.

What advice would you give to others considering co-leadership?
Matthew: Trust is essential. If you’re second-guessing your co-leader, it won’t work. You must share the same vision and have confidence in each other. Another key factor is hiring the right executive team. Taking the time to hire the right people pays dividends.

Nathan: Your team’s strength directly impacts the company’s success. We’ve made mistakes in both directions — hiring too quickly and not acting fast enough when someone wasn’t the right fit. Surround yourself with people who complement your strengths, and the business will thrive.

Empowering Entrepreneurs
Waina Ali walking from the Campus Shop while holding a shopping bag
Waina Ali ’26 is helping the Campus Shop become a launchpad for Bucknellian innovators and creators.

From Passion to Prototype to Profit

The Campus Shop helps transform student visions into viable ventures
by Kate Williard
photography by Emily Paine
W

hen people think of entrepreneurship, they might picture tech startups, venture capital pitches and Silicon Valley innovators. But entrepreneurship often starts closer to home, with grassroots efforts, creative passion projects and small businesses that weave themselves into the fabric of everyday life.

Bucknell is embracing this vision with the Campus Shop — a new retail space launched by the Perricelli-Gegnas Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation (PGCEI) and housed at the historic Campus Theatre in downtown Lewisburg. The shop gives Bucknellians an opportunity to sell their products and market their services directly to consumers, providing students with a hands-on understanding of entrepreneurship.

Waina Ali ‘26, a fellow with the PGCEI, has firsthand experience with the power of entrepreneurship. When her family relocated to Bloomsburg, Pa., in 2021, her parents took a leap of faith and opened a small grocery store.

“It taught me that entrepreneurship isn’t just about knowing everything from the start; it’s about figuring things out as you go,” she says. “My parents didn’t even have high school diplomas, but they built something meaningful by taking a chance.” Her family poured its energy and determination into the venture, creating not just a business but a hub of connection within the community.

“This space isn’t just about products — it’s about empowerment.”
WAINA ALI ’26
Watching her parents navigate challenges, adapt and build something from the ground up taught Ali the value of risk-taking and resilience.

Now, Ali is channeling her insights into helping others. She’s passionate about making the Campus Shop a space that welcomes all students, especially those who might not see themselves as traditional entrepreneurs.

“The shop shifts the focus and shows students that entrepreneurship is for everyone,” Ali says. “If you braid hair or knit scarves or make art, you can sell your pieces here. If you’ve come up with an innovative new product and want to test your prototypes with real consumers, you can do that here too.”

Erin Jablonski, director for the PGCEI, plays a key role in empowering students as they pursue their ventures. She provides coaching in areas like production and cost analysis, supporting students as they navigate the complexities of bringing their products to market. Once products hit shelves, Jablonski will review sales data and trends with the students to help them make strategic decisions to refine and grow their ventures. Students profit directly based on their pricing strategy, with 10% of sales going to the Campus Shop to fund its general operations.

Beyond students, the Campus Shop hosts entrepreneurs-in-residence, showcasing the work of Bucknell-affiliated artisans alongside the student vendors. Intertwining commerce and philanthropy offers students invaluable experience in managing, marketing and profiting from their creative endeavors while supporting the broader Bucknell community.

“This space isn’t just about products — it’s about empowerment,” Ali says. “As I talk to other students, I keep hearing, ‘I have an idea, but I don’t know what to do with it.’ The Campus Shop is here to help with that. You don’t have to know everything to start something.”

hand-knitted hats, scarves, and gloves on a shelf
Zodicatz stickers and display rack on a shelf

Creativity on Display

These student-owned ventures are gaining traction in the Campus Shop
Lyric Abdul-Rasheed ’26, chemical engineering, creates lip products that provide nourishment and protection from the elements under her brand, Lyric’s Lip Candy.

Jaycee Birkemeier ’27, biology, is using the Campus Shop to get her art in front of buyers.

Freeman College of Management student Sofia DelGrosso ’27 sells her collection of astrological cat stickers, Zodicatz (above, right).

Alexa Helmke ’27, undeclared, crochets accessories, including hats, mittens and handbags under her brand, the Crochet Wizard (above, left).

Freeman College of Management student Scarlet Kashuba ’27 owns Scarlet’s Stitchery and produces a variety of crocheted items.

Dani Kuck ’27, undeclared, creates artistic stuffed animals.

Becca Lipsky ’25, music education, markets vocal lessons for solo and choral singers.

Peace by Piece, a nonprofit organization led by Bucknell students, sells individual students’ creations to support humanitarian causes.

Features

TESTING LIMITS Taylan Stulting ’16 is preparing to row across the Pacific
photograph by Kelly Davidson

The Plastic Paradox

Plastic’s greatest strength is also its biggest flaw: It lasts forever*. How will future generations manage this enduring material and its double-edged legacy?
by Matt Jones

photography by DAVID GILLIVER

*It takes hundreds to thousands of years for plastics to break down. They often turn into microplastics that linger indefinitely.
I

n November 2024, more than 3,000 delegates from around the world converged on Busan, South Korea. The meeting was meant to mark the conclusion of a two-year global process that had a single, ambitious goal — to resolve one of the most urgent environmental crises of our time: plastic pollution.

“For years, the UN had been working on adopting resolutions and encouraging governments, the private sector and environmental groups to address the issue of plastic waste leaking into the oceans,” says Stewart Harris ’95, who majored in biology at Bucknell and is now managing director of global affairs for the American Chemistry Council. “That issue evolved into the creation of this Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee to develop a treaty.”

Established by the United Nations Environment Programme — the world’s highest decision-making body on the environment — the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution had been tasked with forging a legally binding, international treaty to curb plastic waste. “Back in 2022, when they adopted the resolution, it was a very emotional time. There was a lot of enthusiasm and excitement about the road ahead,” says Harris, whose role as an observer and leader of the global chemical and plastic industry delegation requires him to provide professional expertise to the negotiators.

That road ran from Punta del Este, Uruguay, where the committee held its first session, through France, Kenya and Canada before arriving at its terminus in the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center, where roughly 3,300 delegates — including representatives from 170 nations and observers from more than 400 organizations — gathered to hash out the details.

However, what became clear over the course of the fifth session was that it would not, in fact, be the last. “When we got to Busan, I think there was a recognition that governments just hadn’t given themselves enough time to work through the complexity of these issues,” says Harris.

In less than a century, plastic has become quite literally embedded in every facet of life on earth. It inhabits both lung and brain tissue, can be found on Mount Everest and in the Mariana Trench, and is used to create everything from lifesaving medical and surgical devices to clothing, kitchenware and electronic components. The complexities of figuring out how to regulate such a material are many, to say the least.

What the INC negotiations prove is there is an overwhelming consensus that plastic pollution is a global problem. The lack of a treaty, however, demonstrates that there is decidedly less unity around a global solution, though this does not mean there isn’t one. As deliberations continue into 2025, Bucknellians of all stripes — scientists and researchers, economists and industry leaders — are working toward a future in which plastics are as sustainable as they are necessary.

Miniature figures sunbathing on deck chairs atop colorful bottle caps.

The Plastics Life Cycle

Most of the plastic life cycle is pretty straight-forward. Raw materials such as oil, coal and methane gas are extracted from the earth through some combination of drilling, mining and fracking. These materials are then refined through a variety of complex, chemical processes that render raw materials into resins and nurdles, which are small plastic pellets. Manufacturers use these nurdles to create a wide range of products distributed across intricate supply chain networks throughout the world and into the hands of consumers who use and dispose of them.

One widely accepted method for understanding the environmental impacts of this cycle is to perform what’s called a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment (LCA).

“You’re looking at the life cycle from its infancy when raw materials are extracted from the earth, all the way to where a product ends up in the end-of-life scenario,” says Rochelle Fisher Bradford ’94, a Bucknell chemistry graduate who led the sustainable materials team for global packaging at Coca-Cola. (Coca-Cola was somewhat of a trail-blazer in this space and is often credited with having performed the first LCA in the country in 1969 when it examined emissions outputs and waste flows of beverage containers.)

For most consumers, the lifespan of a plastic product begins and ends with its usability. This is particularly true of single-use plastics. A high-density polyethylene grocery bag exists for the half hour it takes to get food from the checkout counter to the kitchen pantry. A polyethylene terephthalate (PET) water bottle lives and dies between the first sip and the last. A polypropylene wet wipe survives the few seconds it takes to wipe down your hands. Then, poof: into the garbage or the recycling bin.

However, there is a vast distance between the lifespan of the product and that of the polymer. Polyethylene and polyurethane can take hundreds of years to decompose, if not longer. Current estimates suggest the world produces between 350 and 450 million tons of new plastic waste each year, approximately half of which is composed of single-use plastics, so there is a significant push to focus pollution mitigation efforts on the tail end of the life cycle.

“What the industry is trying to do as a whole is find a better alternative than throwing it all in a landfill,” says Bradford, who in her role at Coca-Cola helped shepherd an initiative to make all consumer-facing plastic recyclable in the coming years. “Using a method called mechanical recycling, you can basically take a PET bottle that’s been used, chop it up into a bunch of pieces, clean and sterilize it and melt it down and form another bottle.”

An emphasis on recyclable materials is a step toward the cradle-to-cradle approach, in which products and materials can exist in a closed loop of infinite circulation rather than becoming waste.

In theory, every type of plastic is recyclable insofar as it has the ability to be recycled. In practice, however, challenges remain.

A pile of small blue plastic pellets on a white background.
Photo: LS Visuals/Shutterstock

A Plastics Lexicon

bioplastics: materials that include bio-based, bio-derived and biodegradable plastics produced from biomass sources, such as starches, sugars and lipids

chemical recycling: an advanced form of recycling that seeks to convert plastic waste back into raw materials for the manufacture of new plastics

mechanical recycling: the processing of plastic waste without altering the chemical structure of the waste; includes the collection, sorting, washing, drying and shredding of waste materials

microplastics: plastic particles less than 5 millimeters in size, the majority of which are produced by synthetic textiles, car tires and city dust

nurdles: very small beads or pellets of plastic that serve as raw material in the manufacture of plastic products (pictured above)

Plasticene: a proposed new age in Earth’s history, contained within the Anthropocene epoch, which begins with the proliferation of plastics in the 1950s and the incorporation of plastics into the geologic record

single-use plastics: goods made from fossil fuel-based chemicals that are meant to be disposed of after use:

water bottle icon
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET)
bottles, cutlery, cups
milk bottle icon
High-density polyethylene (HDPE)
shampoo bottles, milk bottles
plastic bag icon
Low-density polyethylene (LDPE)
bags, food packaging, freezer bags
wet wipes icon
Polypropylene (PP)
drinking straws, microwave dishes, bottle caps, wet wipes
spoon and fork icon
Polystyrene (PS)
cutlery, plates, cups
to go coffee cup icon
Expanded polystyrene (EPS)
protective packaging, hot drink cups

The Afterlife of Plastics

The first plastics recycling plant was born in Conshohocken, Pa., in 1972, against the backdrop of a swelling environmental movement. As a response to public backlash over the proliferation of plastic pollution, much of it generated from single-use plastics, producers and manufacturers started advertising recycling as a solution.

“They did something really clever to save face and keep the heat off their industry, which was to create the recycling code numbers with the three arrows that you find on plastic products,” says Thomas Kinnaman, Bucknell’s Charles P. Vaughan Chair in Economics, who researches global trends in recycling. “They were worried that plastic would be banned, so rather than change their product, they shifted to telling the public that everything was recyclable.”

Post-consumer plastics are typically labeled with numbers, starting with one designating PET, the most commonly recycled plastic, all the way up to number seven, a catchall that includes everything from nylon to polycarbonate.

While PET and high-density polypropylene are more easily and therefore more commonly recycled, certain specialized plastics, such as those coded seven, can contain mixed materials or toxic substances that are difficult to process. However, challenges aren’t purely technical, as recycling infrastructure — or the lack thereof — significantly affects recyclability.

“It doesn’t matter if you create a magic material if you can’t scale it,” says Bradford. “The whole idea of recycling is dependent on a lot of different parts of the value chain working together. Not only does the material have to be recyclable, but somebody has to collect it. Somebody has to sort it. Somebody has to clean it. Somebody has to break it down to its original polymers and put it back together. And there has to be a market for it.”

A chaotic assortment of colorful plastic utensils and containers, including straws, forks, spoons, and cups.
Photo: photka/Shutterstock
Since the 1950s, about 8.3 billion tons of plastic have been created — with about 6.3 billion tons becoming waste.
Recycling contributes to a circular plastics economy, but a closed-loop system doesn’t automatically eliminate pollution. This is perhaps no more true than in the case of PET bottles recycled to make polyester clothing. “The primary way that we introduce plastics into the environment is one that people don’t realize — laundry,” says Sally Rocks ’04, who studied chemistry at Bucknell and is now a bioinorganic and environmental chemistry professor at Utah Valley University. “Clothing made from polyester, nylon, rayon — these are all plastics. When you do your laundry, you abrade tiny bits of those plastic fibers off that go out with your wastewater.”

Microplastics, classified as particles less than 5 millimeters in size, are transported not only through water, but air, dust, rain and snow, by which they’re deposited in remote locations all across the world, from Antarctic sea ice to deep ocean trenches.

The ubiquity of microplastics raises serious questions about pollution mitigation efforts that focus on the end of the plastic life cycle, if only for the simple fact that the life of plastic doesn’t really have an end. So a cradle-to-grave analysis is somewhat of a misnomer, as plastic neither dies nor rests; it just breaks down into infinitely smaller and smaller particles, eventually achieving a kind of omnipresence. The paradoxical truth about plastics is that it is impossible to imagine a world without them — for better and for worse.

Perhaps the answer lies in reimagining what plastics are altogether — from the first stage to the last.

a lesson from ‘the Graduate’

by Robert Braile ’77
Two men in suits conversing near a pool at night, with two other people in the background.
Photo: PictureLux / The Hollywood Archive / Alamy Stock Photo
Benjamin Braddock knew. In The Graduate, the prescient 1967 film about an America soon to explode, Braddock — played by Dustin Hoffman — is cornered at a dinner party by the insidious Mr. McGuire, who advises the recent college graduate of his brightest career prospect. “Plastics,” McGuire says, an arm over Braddock’s shoulder, a finger in his face. Braddock’s skepticism, his outer fascination masking his inner revulsion, foretold the future of plastics in our society.

The dark actualities beneath the sparkling appearances of plastics were clear to Braddock, figuratively in the duplicitous characters around him and literally in the duplicitous career before him. The actualities were also clear to us, or plastics as a metaphor for the characters would have failed in the film. But it worked because it expressed the essence of plastics in America: like the characters, glitzy at first glance but destructive at heart.

Plastics were patriotic when they entered American life after World War II, having provided parts for airplanes, weapons and other military needs. They enabled a consumer culture previously unknown to us, fueling our American idolatry of efficiency, affordability, effectiveness and ease. “Plastics: A Way to a Better More Carefree Life,” declared House Beautiful magazine in 1947.

All that glitters is not gold. By the first Earth Day in 1970, the same year President Richard Nixon created the EPA, the ecological costs of plastics were stark. Smog from factories making everything from Frisbees to Barbies smeared the sky, trash incinerators burning plastics further toxified the air and mountains of plastics rose in landfills, recycling and regulation nascent. Ever since, as plastics have become more prevalent and harmful — last April, the same EPA called plastics pollution “ubiquitous”— we’ve discovered plastics everywhere in our world and in ourselves, exacerbating societal ills from cancer to climate change.

“There’s a great future in plastics,” McGuire says. “Think about it. Will you think about it?”

“Yes, I will,” Braddock responds.

“Ssh, enough said,” McGuire whispers. “That’s a deal.”

Robert Braile ’77 is a former environmental correspondent and book critic for The Boston Globe.

Sustainable Solutions

Let’s go back to the beginning.

Before plastic is recycled or deposited in a landfill, before it is used or consumed, before it is transported to store shelves or processed and manufactured, it is extracted from the earth in the form of oil, gas or coal.

Or at least, this is true of 99% of plastics. Contained within the other 1% is a range of novel technologies and materials that reconceptualize the entire life cycle of plastic.

“People tend to use the terms ‘bio-based plastics’ and ‘biodegradable plastics’ interchangeably, but they’re actually different,” says Professor Kat Wakabayashi, chemical engineering, who for the last 15 years has been working with polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-based and biodegradable plastic material derived from fermented plant starches. “Our lab works on modifying these bioplastics so that we end up with a more consistent, more well-behaved product.”

To do that, he and his students purchase commercial PLA pellets, roughly the size and shape of Nerds candy, and reinforce them with bio-based cellulose fibers derived from wood pulp from a sustainably managed forest in Maine. Using his lab’s solid-state shear pulverization extruder, he compounds small pieces of these cellulose fibers with PLA to create a stronger, more reliable material that resists softening at low temperatures.

Wakabayashi’s research is also concerned with the end-of-life scenario for PLA. Its low heat stability can make it challenging to mechanically recycle, but it can biodegrade within months under the right industrial composting conditions. In collaboration with the Bucknell Farm, Wakabayashi and his students developed a custom soil degradation apparatus to evaluate the biodegradability of their PLA samples. “We have actually seen signs and measurements of polylactic acid degrading in our controlled environment in the lab, so that’s a good sign,” he says.

While PLA is one of the most prevalent commercial bioplastics worldwide, among the most promising polymers of the future is polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) — a bio-derived and biodegradable plastic.

“PHB is made as an emergency food source in bacteria,” says Professor Hannah Yocum M’16, chemical engineering. Yocum’s research in metabolic engineering started with making precursors to antibiotics, though she eventually discovered that the application of different enzymes to those precursors could be used to produce bioplastics like PHB. “We found you can take the genes that code for the enzymes that make the bioplastic and put them into another microbe and make more bioplastic,” she says.

PHB is easily and quickly biodegradable and biocompatible, meaning that it is well suited for biomedical applications, such as medical implants and sutures.

”We’re trying to design materials from the bottom up so their recyclability is inherent in them from the beginning.”
Mara Kuenen ’18
The appeal of bioplastics, particularly those derived from sugars, celluloses and bacteria, is that they offer an alternative to fossil fuels. Bio-derived plastics do not rely on the extractive economies of oil, coal and gas; however, just because a plastic is biodegradable does not mean it is without hazards. Even PLA and PHB produce microplastics and nanoplastics that can potentially harm natural environments.

The end-of-life scenario of even bioplastics poses familiar challenges. One solution for reducing waste could lie in reengineering traditional plastics to better close the life-cycle loop.

Students working to reduce

society’s carbon footprint

Two people smiling and drawing on a whiteboard with pink sketches.
Photo: James T. Giffen
Mikey Brandt ’26 and Brooke Barry ’26 created a biodegradable dry-erase marker.

Mikey Brandt ’26, markets, innovation & design

EcoMark: a biodegradable marker

“During an entrepreneurship class, my professor’s Expo marker ran out, and he made a comment about how he feels like he throws one out every day. I looked up how many Expo markers get tossed a year, and it was over 400 million just in the United States. That sparked the idea for EcoMark, a biodegradable dry-erase marker I developed with Brooke Barry ‘26 [accounting]. We are working to finalize the marker design and get a prototype ready for production.”

Morgan Powell ’26, civil engineering

Trapped Grass: Replacing unused grass with native plants

“As an intern in the Office of Campus Sustainability, I’ve been working with Erin Jablonski, director for the Perricelli-Gegnas Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and Brennah Kennedy ’26 [electrical engineering], on the Trapped Grass Project. Our goal is to replace areas of unused grass on campus with native plants, wildflowers and potentially even food gardens. This reduces the need for mowing, assists with runoff and supports our carbon emissions-reduction goals.”

Zack Yardley ’25, Spanish and finance

Forevergreen: Tracking and offsetting carbon footprints

“My co-founder and I saw a gap in the carbon credit market, so we created Forevergreen, an app that allows people to calculate and track their emissions and offset them with carbon credits. With many of us facing climate anxiety, Forevergreen is our way of making a sustainable future more accessible for everyday people.”

A Catalyst for Change

Polyethylene is the most common type of plastic in the world. The low-density varieties are used to make water bottles and food wrappers, while medium-density and high-density polyethylene is found in everything from shopping bags and shower curtains to milk jugs and detergent and shampoo bottles. The qualities that make polyethylene so useful — its versatility, durability and high chemical resistance — also make it difficult to recycle.

Though not all methods of recycling are created equally.

Mechanical recycling involves the melting and shredding of material without altering the chemical composition. “You can melt polyethylene down and reprocess it, but there’s a finite number of times you can do that,” says Mara Kuenen ’18, who majored in chemical engineering and is now a postdoctoral researcher in chemistry at the University of Minnesota. “With chemical recycling, you actually break down waste at a molecular level to return it to those original monomers.”

Kuenen’s research with polyethylene involves devising strategies to make traditional plastics more recyclable. “We’re trying to design materials from the bottom up so their recyclability is inherent in them from the beginning,” she says. “We want to make those strong chemical bonds breakable under specific circumstances, so something like your water bottle doesn’t degrade in your hand while you’re drinking from it, but it does easily degrade with the right trigger.”

In Kuenen’s research, that trigger involves using small alcohol molecules to break down her polyethylene-like polymers into individual molecules that can be repolymerized into new, high-quality plastics. The same premise informs the work of Philip Onffroy ’22, who studied chemical engineering at Bucknell and is now a doctoral candidate at Stanford University.

Miniature figurines in swimsuits on a transparent rod beside a metallic can.
“A different method of recycling is UV-based recycling,” says Onffroy, who was introduced to sustainable polymers and bioplastics as a student in Wakabayashi’s lab. “When you shine the correct wavelength of light on a piece of plastic designed for photo-initiated degradation, that light will hit the reversible bond in the plastic and break it, so you can then convert it back into its original feedstock.” Of course, one drawback of creating plastic with more readily reversible bonds is that it may not be as durable as plastics with stronger, irreversible bonds.

Plastics recycling that relies on specific biological catalysts is still in the early stages of research, but the technology could help build a circular economy and reduce plastic waste.

Even so, the existence of the proverbial “magical material” is still constrained by problems of scale and economic viability. “I can do things at my lab bench to make something that is recyclable, but if there’s not an economic incentive for it or a policy to support it, then it’s not going anywhere,” says Kuenen. “My polyethylene materials aren’t going to solve the plastic waste crisis. Sure, they may be a part of a solution, but for these global changes to happen, we really need policy changes.”

In the spirit of circularity, it all comes back to Busan and the need for a global treaty.

“While they didn’t finish the negotiations, they did make a ton of progress on some key areas,” says Harris. “Things like extended producer responsibility are in there. Things like calling on governments to establish targets for recycling rates and for access to recycling are in there.”

As someone who has witnessed the negotiation process from its inception, Harris foresees an eventual treaty as a necessary catalyst to inspire a broad array of solutions, from improved and expanded recycling infrastructure to greater investment in bio-based and biodegradable plastics. “It’s not going to be a one-size-fits-all, universal solution,” he says. “Once governments complete negotiations and they move to implementation, the private sector in general is going to have a huge role to play in implementing the solutions. The treaty sends a signal to the private sector to accelerate investments and innovation.”

Taylan Stulting ’16, who discovered rowing at Bucknell, is gearing up to cross the vast Pacific Ocean.

Waves of Change

Rowing 2,800 miles across the Pacific is a grueling test of endurance, strength and courage. But for Taylan Stulting ’16, a greater mission drives every stroke.

by Caleb Daniloff
photography by Kelly Davidson
A

t first glance, horseback riding and ocean rowing might seem like entirely unrelated pursuits. But for Taylan Stulting ’16, growing up in the saddle in South Carolina turned out to be more than just a childhood pastime — it would serve as a foundation for something much more extreme.

When faced with eight-foot waves during an overnight training row off the coast of Massachusetts, Stulting instinctually engaged their core and hips, rolling up and over the surging waters with remarkable balance and poise.

“It’s like riding a mechanical bull,” says Stulting, who is non-binary. “It’s not uncommon to fall off your seat. That’s why you’re always tethered.”

Waves of Change

Rowing 2,800 miles across the Pacific is a grueling test of endurance, strength and courage. But for Taylan Stulting ’16, a greater mission drives every stroke.

by Caleb Daniloff
photography by Kelly Davidson

Taylan Stulting poses while holding a large rowing oar and standing on a narrow pier walkway beside a docked boat

Taylan Stulting ’16, who discovered rowing at Bucknell, is gearing up to cross the vast Pacific Ocean.

A

t first glance, horseback riding and ocean rowing might seem like entirely unrelated pursuits. But for Taylan Stulting ’16, growing up in the saddle in South Carolina turned out to be more than just a childhood pastime — it would serve as a foundation for something much more extreme.

When faced with eight-foot waves during an overnight training row off the coast of Massachusetts, Stulting instinctually engaged their core and hips, rolling up and over the surging waters with remarkable balance and poise.

“It’s like riding a mechanical bull,” says Stulting, who is non-binary. “It’s not uncommon to fall off your seat. That’s why you’re always tethered.”

Stulting first learned to row at Bucknell in 2012, never imagining that one day they would attempt to row 2,800 miles from California to Hawaii. But that’s exactly what’s in store this June, when together with two teammates, Stulting will attempt the arduous passage from Monterey, Calif., to Hanalei Bay on the island of Kauai.

The racing event, organized by World’s Toughest Row, pits rowers against each other and the vast and unpredictable Pacific Ocean with the promise of “sleep deprivation, hallucinations, blisters, sores, tears and pain” alongside “camaraderie, self-discovery and unparalleled pride.”

As one of eight boats preparing to set a course for Hawaii this spring, Stulting’s team aims to complete the crossing — a distance greater than the width of the Atlantic Ocean — in around 40 days (with an eye on the world record of 38 days and 12 hours), navigating a wild waterscape with waves as high as 20 feet while avoiding cruise ships and container vessels.

But the challenge is not just about physical endurance or chasing a record. It’s about transcending mental and emotional barriers — pushing through exhaustion, confronting fears and overcoming the isolation that comes with spending weeks on the water with minimal rest.

It’s also about representation. If successful, Stulting, a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, will be the first out transgender rower to complete the feat.

“Growing up in South Carolina, there wasn’t much visibility for trans people, especially in sports,” Stulting says. “This journey is about proving that we belong.”

Callouses and Camaraderie

Fresh off a 21-hour training row this past October, Stulting and teammates Courtney Farber and Julie Warren relaxed on the patio of Mission Boathouse, a waterfront restaurant overlooking Beverly Harbor, about 20 miles north of Boston. Under clear, breezy skies, they compared calloused hands and dug into plates of pasta and snacks, their faces chapped by wind and saltwater spray.

As the breeze picked up and the pasta quickly disappeared, their conversation shifted to the technical aspects of the sport, including how to deploy the para-anchor, a parachute-like device that sits just below the water’s surface, keeping the boat in place when heavy weather prevents rowing. They practiced putting on the immersion suit, a crucial piece of gear that allows a team member to stay dry while performing tasks like cleaning barnacles off the hull or repairing a damaged rudder (sometimes a casualty of marine life collisions). They also reviewed person-overboard drills, tested different row-shift patterns and honed the logistics of eating, sleeping and using the bathroom in cramped quarters.

“Basically, we’re figuring out how to exist on a 29-foot boat in tight spaces,” Stulting says.

“I realized I had the potential to tackle anything with the right support.”
Taylan Stulting ’16
This was the third time the team had gathered to row together, though the union had been nearly two years in the making. In 2022, Stulting began following the record-breaking journey of a four-woman crew rowing across the Atlantic.

“When I first learned about ocean rowing, I thought it was just for wealthy people who could take six months off and buy a boat,” Stulting says. “But this four-woman team seemed like average folks.”

A seasoned world traveler with a taste for offbeat pursuits like roller derby, flying trapeze and skydiving, Stulting was inspired to pursue the same dream. They put out a call for potential teammates on Facebook and interviewed more than 25 candidates across several months. “You have to make sure you’ve got the right people for something like this,” Stulting says. “How do you handle conflict? What are you like at your worst? What is your ‘why’? This journey is as much about the people you’re rowing with as it is about the ocean itself.”

Taylan Stulting ’16 and their crew will row — and eat and sleep — aboard Emma for about 40 days.

Taylan Stulting ’16 and their crew will row — and eat and sleep — aboard Emma for about 40 days.

Farber, a 55-year-old personal trainer and mother of three from Silver Spring, Md., was the first to join. She began rowing in her 30s.

“On a personal level, I want to know what I’m made of,” Farber says. “This will be a serious test. And as an ally, it’s about walking the walk and normalizing that there’s space for us all.”

Warren, a collegiate rower from Smith College, works as a rowing coach and nanny in Chicopee, Mass. She was drawn to both the challenge and the inclusive nature of the venture.

“It’s important to do hard things in life,” Warren says. “I don’t know yet what the ocean will teach me, but I know it will teach me something worth finding out. And supporting a charity that helps LGBTQIA+ athletes — it’s amazing to be able to support an organization working to make sure we all can continue to have a place in sport.”

Stulting named the team “Oar the Rainbow” and founded a nonprofit to raise funds for Doctors Without Borders and Athlete Ally, an organization working to combat homophobia and transphobia in sports.

For Stulting, the journey goes beyond advocacy. “I’m a survivor of child sexual abuse, and sports have always been a way for me to reclaim my body and rewrite my narrative,” they say. “Doing something on this scale is the ultimate reclamation.”

Finding One’s Place

At Bucknell, Stulting found more than just a passion for rowing, which became a source of peace and belonging. They also discovered the importance of being true to themselves. After a year of studying engineering, they made the decision to switch majors and colleges, an experience marked by a supportive response from the dean of engineering.

“I realized that I had the potential to tackle anything with the right support,” says Stulting, who decided to pursue a major in women’s & gender studies. “It was empowering to know that I could make decisions based on what I wanted to do, not just what others expected of me.”

This support extended to their activism in LGBTQIA+ causes across the state. “I missed class more than I should have,” they say. “But my professors worked with me to figure out how to make up assignments because they knew what I was doing outside of school was important to me.”

Braving the Pacific

While the human crew is at the heart of the journey, the boat — Emma — will be home for weeks at sea. Docked near Mission Boathouse, Emma is no ordinary rowboat. A 2018 Rannoch R45, this sleek 1,000-pound carbon vessel is equipped with solar panels, sleeping berths, and navigation and communication tools. This will be her fifth ocean voyage (an average boat makes 10 crossings). Her last adventure took her across the Atlantic, helmed by a Canadian and American crew.
close up of Taylan Stulting and one of their crew mates rowing on Emma
Ocean rowers stay secured with harnesses and lifelines, but the rolling waves of the Pacific can still knock them off their seats.

Designed for safety, Emma is a self-righting vessel. Rowers are tethered by harnesses and lifelines, and the boat carries a life raft, satellite phones and an emergency go-bag. Even the oars are clipped in, with a spare pair on hand. One of the watertight hatches stores the lithium-ion batteries that supply power to the boat’s technology and lights. It also runs the watermaker, which desalinates seawater, producing up to 18 liters of potable water daily for drinking, washing and hydrating dehydrated meals.

The boat features small cabins at the stern and bow: One houses the autopilot and navigation system; the other stores medical supplies and repair tools. Both berths serve as sleeping quarters, with just enough headroom to kneel. “We call them our New York City apartments,” Farber quips. Despite the high-tech gear, Emma offers no luxuries — rowers rely on buckets for waste and hygiene, with “foolproof” methods to tell them apart in the dark, Stulting says with a wry grin.

Like any extreme sport, ocean rowing requires rigorous preparation — mental, physical and technical. The crew undergoes extensive safety courses, navigation drills and radio training. Their coach, Duncan Roy, a seasoned English ocean rower and world record-holder, stresses the importance of mindset.

“Quite often, the biggest challenge is the unknown,” Roy says. “Over the past two years, Taylan has shown relentless drive, determination and focus. These qualities will be invaluable on the Pacific Ocean.”

While the team is still working out the shift cadence, the launch will likely require all hands on deck. Launching off Monterey’s coast is expected to be tricky due to the tides, waves and varying depths. Emma will weigh close to 2,800 pounds fully loaded. “Wind can push a rowboat more quickly than a rower can row,” Stulting says. “A big concern is being blown ashore or into rocks.”

back view of a T-Shirt bearing an illustration of the route from Monterey, Calif., to Hanalei Bay on the island of Kauai
close up of Emma‘s advanced navigation and communication tools
close up of Taylan Stulting hands displaying their hard-earned callouses
The route; Emma‘s advanced navigation and communication tools; hard-earned callouses (L-R).
The route; Emma‘s advanced navigation and communication tools; hard-earned callouses (top-bottom).
As the crewmates prepare to set sail, sea-life encounters are high on their wish list. They hope to see dolphins, whales, sea turtles and even sharks. “Flying fish can land on the boat or even smack you in the face in the dark,” Warren says with a laugh. “Then you have to throw them back, and the boat smells like fish.”

Once the boat is past the continental shelf, the path will be wide open. Stulting anticipates the first few weeks will be cool and rainy, followed by sunnier conditions. Sun shirts, wide-brimmed hats and sunscreen will be essential for the journey.

And when those final strokes are taken in Hanalei Bay, the crewmates fire off celebratory flares per tradition and awaiting friends and family come into view, Stulting imagines stepping onto the beach with wobbly legs and a mix of triumph, pride and transformation. “We have to wade through the water to get to land, and I think a lot about how it will be this almost poetic transition.”

Back at the dock in Beverly, boats are mooring as the sun begins sinking, gulls wheeling overhead. From Emma’s stern, an American flag and a pride flag flap in the breeze, a testament to the team’s mission and identity. Nearby, a pleasure boat flies American and Trump 2024 flags. Despite the political climate surrounding the transgender community, Stulting reports no hostility from other boaters.

“For this journey, being trans simultaneously has mattered a lot and meant nothing,” they reflect. “Once we’re on the boat, we’re just there to eat, sleep and row. That’s all we do.”

The Boat: Emma

Emma is an R45 made by Rannoch Adventure in 2018.
This will be her fifth ocean crossing.
crescent moon and stars icon

Night Rowing

The cabins use red interior lighting so the crew’s eyes can more easily adjust to the dark.

A tricolor navigation light is on top of the bow cabin on about a foot-and-a-half-long pole so it can be seen above waves at night: A white light is facing stern, a red light on port and a green light on starboard.

water droplet icon

Watermaker

The Schenker Smart 30 watermaker is tasked with desalinating the approximately 18 liters of water required each day to hydrate, rehydrate the dehydrated meals and periodically wash off saltwater, sweat and grime from bodies.
ocean icon

Pacific Ocean

The largest ocean, covering more than 30% of the Earth’s surface, is bigger than all the continents combined and more than twice the size of the Atlantic.
top view illustrative spec diagram of the Emma
spoon and fork icon

Nutrition

With over 5,000 calories burned each day, eating will be a huge chore. Most calories will come from freeze-dried meals and daily snack bags — a personalized gallon bag of snacks for each rower that day. The crew won’t have fresh fruit.

In Stulting’s bag: Pop-Tarts (cookies and cream), Pringles and Trader Joe’s chocolate wafer cookies with peanut butter dipping sauce.

barbell icon

Land Training

Ergs, squats, deadlifts and pullups, plus cycling and horseback riding.
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Playlist

“I Love It” by Icona Pop. “We used to listen to it in the Bucknell boathouse,” Stulting says. Plus, audiobooks, the Moana soundtrack, pop, R&B, classics, sea shanties. “It’s eclectic.”
top view illustrative spec diagram of the Emma
crescent moon and stars icon

Night Rowing

The cabins use red interior lighting so the crew’s eyes can more easily adjust to the dark.

A tricolor navigation light is on top of the bow cabin on about a foot-and-a-half-long pole so it can be seen above waves at night: A white light is facing stern, a red light on port and a green light on starboard.

water droplet icon

Watermaker

The Schenker Smart 30 watermaker is tasked with desalinating the approximately 18 liters of water required each day to hydrate, rehydrate the dehydrated meals and periodically wash off saltwater, sweat and grime from bodies.
ocean icon

Pacific Ocean

The largest ocean, covering more than 30% of the Earth’s surface, is bigger than all the continents combined and more than twice the size of the Atlantic.
spoon and fork icon

Nutrition

With over 5,000 calories burned each day, eating will be a huge chore. Most calories will come from freeze-dried meals and daily snack bags — a personalized gallon bag of snacks for each rower that day. The crew won’t have fresh fruit.

In Stulting’s bag: Pop-Tarts (cookies and cream), Pringles and Trader Joe’s chocolate wafer cookies with peanut butter dipping sauce.

barbell icon

Land Training

Ergs, squats, deadlifts and pullups, plus cycling and horseback riding.
play button icon

Playlist

“I Love It” by Icona Pop. “We used to listen to it in the Bucknell boathouse,” Stulting says. Plus, audiobooks, the Moana soundtrack, pop, R&B, classics, sea shanties. “It’s eclectic.”

175 Commencements

medal seal styled title; 175 Commencements

From its modest start with just seven graduates to today’s grand celebration of nearly 900, Commencement is the University’s most anticipated event of the year. As we mark the 175th edition of this tradition, we look back at the milestones that shaped this event — each a testament to Bucknell’s growth and enduring legacy.

by Susan Falciani Maldonado, Eir Danielson and Katie Neitz

photographs: courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives by James T. Giffen

An undated photo captures Commencement between 1926 and 1932 (top); the legacy continues in 2024 (bottom).

medal seal styled title; 175 Commencements

An undated photo captures Commencement between 1926 and 1932 (top); the legacy continues in 2024 (bottom).

From its modest start with just seven graduates to today’s grand celebration of nearly 900, Commencement is the University’s most anticipated event of the year. As we mark the 175th edition of this tradition, we look back at the milestones that shaped this event — each a testament to Bucknell’s growth and enduring legacy.

by Susan Falciani Maldonado, Eir Danielson and Katie Neitz

photographs: courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives; by James T. Giffen

Origin Story

Bucknell, initially known as the University at Lewisburg, held its first Commencement August 20, 1851. Seven men earned degrees before an audience that included future U.S. President James Buchanan. The University was described as “carved out of the wilds of Pennsylvania,” which wasn’t just poetic. The trek from Philadelphia involved a 25-hour journey by stagecoach, canal boat and train.

Dressing the Part

Bucknell’s first seven graduates shared a single academic gown, exchanging it behind the platform before stepping up to deliver their speeches. Caps and gowns became the standard in 1891; their use before then was debated. By the 1890-91 academic year, students had embraced the tradition, seeing it as a symbol of academic success. A look through our archives reveals the timelessness of this custom. Grads from each decade share the same look. Only their hairstyles and shoes — and the attire of family members — hint at the changing eras.
black and white photo of two young female graduates taking a photo with two older women on a lawn

Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives

color image action shot of Bucknell grads tossing their caps in celebration

Photo: Emily Paine

black and white photo of an early female Bucknellian grad seated and wearing a floral gown beneath her grad robe
Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives

Changing Venues

Bucknell’s first ceremony was held in the Academy Building (now Taylor Hall), following a procession that began at old Lewisburg Baptist Church, where classes were first held. From 1855 to 1857, the festivities were held in the Grove. By 1858, the event had shifted indoors to Old Main (now Roberts Hall). When Bucknell Hall opened in 1886 with funding from William Bucknell, the Commencement procession began there before ascending to Old Main. In 1926, the ceremony moved to the College Quadrangle, with the porch of the Carnegie Building serving as the platform. Starting in 1933, Hunt Hall became the backdrop. By 1938, Commencement moved indoors to the newly constructed Davis Gymnasium. It remained there until 1970, when the ceremony moved to the Academic Quadrangle, now known as Malesardi Quadrangle. Today, seniors participate in a Commencement Eve candlelighting ceremony. On Commencement Day, they process through the Christy Mathewson Gates.
high angle faded image of a large event gathering held in a wooded grassy area
faded image of a large building on the Bucknell campus

Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives

Honoring Luminaries

In 1851, Bucknell became the first U.S. institution to award an honorary doctorate. Since then, Bucknell has honored a variety of achievers, including composer and songwriter Irving Berlin H’40 (above, farthest left) and 38th Vice President of the United States Hubert Humphrey H’68 (above, farthest right).

Honoring Luminaries

In 1851, Bucknell became the first U.S. institution to award an honorary doctorate. Since then, Bucknell has honored a variety of achievers, including composer and songwriter Irving Berlin H’40 (top, left) and 38th Vice President of the United States Hubert Humphrey H’68 (bottom, right).
black and white image of Irving Berlin H’40 (top, left) with another man, both stand on the porch of a brick building
Vice President of the United States Hubert Humphrey H’68 walks with another gentlemen in front of a brick building, both men dressed in faculty regalia

Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives

When Duty Called

Bucknell’s history includes wartime disruptions. In 1863, students formed the University Guards to defend Harrisburg from Confederate soldiers. Commencement was almost canceled, but the seniors returned just in time for the ceremony. During World War II, Bucknellians again answered the call to serve. From 1943 to 1946, the University hosted a Navy V-12 training unit, where aspiring officers trained while fast-tracking their bachelor’s degrees.
wide black and white image of a Navy V-12 training unit in their white sailor uniforms seated outdoors for event

Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives

Bucknell’s colors, orange and blue, made their first appearance on the Commencement platform in 1887.

Photo: April Bartholomew

wide view of the stage at Bucknell commencement

Steps Toward Equality

Women had studied at the University since its founding, but primarily in secondary education programs in the Female Institute, a seminary affiliated with the University. In 1885, Chella Scott became Bucknell’s first female graduate. Scott’s achievement occurred when higher education for women was still a relatively new concept.

In 1875, Edward McKnight Brawley became the first Black student to earn a bachelor’s degree from Bucknell. Brawley went on to become a minister, religious scholar and journalist who served as the president of Selma University and Morris College.

black and white headshot of Chella Scott
black and white headshot of Edward McKnight Brawley

Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives

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Bucknell is commemorating the 150th anniversary of Brawley’s graduation this year. Learn how the Division of Equity & Inclusive Excellence is celebrating this milestone here.
portrait image of Jessica Livingston ’93
Photo: Harry Crowder

Jessica Livingston ’93 To Address 2025 Graduates

Jessica Livingston ’93, co-founder of Silicon Valley’s renowned startup incubator Y Combinator, will deliver the 175th Commencement address May 18. A leader in entrepreneurship and innovation, Livingston has helped launch over 5,500 startups, including Airbnb, Reddit and Stripe. Livingston, who majored in English, exemplifies how a Bucknell education can lay the foundation for a transformative, world-changing career.

Editor’s note: This feature benefited greatly from the expertise of Susan Falciani Maldonado, Bucknell’s university archivist and director of special collections, and Eir Danielson, assistant university archivist and records management coordinator.
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Learn more about their work at researchbysubject.bucknell.edu/scua and by following bucknell.scua on Instagram.

‘ray Bucknell

'ray Bucknell logo
a-rod for the win! MLB legend alex rodriguez scored $10,000 for owen garwood ’27. (see Big Ideas, Big Moments at the Bucknell Forum.)
photograph by Lianne garrahan ’25
From the President department heading
John C. Bravman headshot
Photo: Emily Paine

In the Face of Uncertainty, Follow the Mission

rapid change has swept the nation in recent months, as new federal actions and guidance from numerous executive offices have dominated headlines and conversations.

The new year ushered in a pervasive sense of uncertainty for higher education that is perhaps unmatched in modern times, and it impacts all of us, regardless of our political beliefs and regardless of ultimate outcomes.

We are closely monitoring all developments and working to identify the best courses of action we may need to take to follow the law while also upholding our institutional mission and values. This is challenging, as the legal implications of the multitude of actions and statements coming from Washington are not always clear, and they sometimes contradict Pennsylvania law.

What is clear to me, as the proud president of Bucknell for nearly 15 years and as a professor and administrator at Stanford for even longer than that, is that higher education in the United States now faces a potentially seismic shift. After spending the last 50 years “in college,” as I like to say — and living on a campus for 46 of them — I know more than a bit about the complex inner workings of these special and in many ways quite decidedly American institutions. I also am deeply aware of the broad spectrum of beliefs regarding what higher education is and what it should be. And I must urge everyone to not fall for the easy platitudes I hear repeated by all sides.

Whether public or private, large or small, colleges and universities are bracing for the potential loss of federal funding for research, which will impact medical and scientific advances for decades to come. They’re preparing for the possibility of increased visa scrutiny for current and future students and professors, which could reduce enrollment and faculty expertise. They’re studying the impact of potential cuts to federal student aid, which could put paying for college out of reach for students of modest means.

At the same time, the abrupt elimination of federal jobs has affected tens of thousands of workers, which directly impacts those with children in college and could increase their need for financial aid.

These issues are complex and in many ways challenge the basic foundational principles of our work as educators. We are constantly evaluating our legal obligations as circumstances continue to evolve. While we will meet the institution’s legal obligations, we will uphold our core values of academic freedom and student-centered residential education in a welcoming community where everyone can thrive.

Above all, we remain deeply committed to our mission and to serving and educating all Bucknell students, all of whom deserve to be here. We must continue to facilitate their learning and growth so they can develop intellectually and personally and discover their purpose in life. We must ensure Bucknell is an inclusive community that welcomes free expression and the exchange of ideas — a place where all can thrive and reach their fullest potential. These values drive every decision we make and unite us in purpose, as they have since our founding.

Higher education is facing complex challenges, but it is worth noting that a crisis can be the catalyst for unexpected breakthroughs. This moment in Bucknell’s history presents the opportunity to recommit to our mission in new ways. As we navigate a changing landscape, we will consider all options to best meet the evolving needs of our community. With thought and care, we will focus on being more innovative than ever before and emerge even stronger. Our commitment to you, and to all Bucknellians to follow, remains steadfast.

John C. Bravman digital signature
John C. Bravman
President
Book Talk typography
Brassroots Democracy book cover
Photo: Courtesy of Wesleyan University Press

The Rhythm of Change

by Matt Jones
History doesn’t necessarily repeat itself, though it does have its own set of rhythms. Governments rise and fall. Economies crash and recover. Industries boom and disappear. Where inequality swells, revolution follows. Time marches on to the drumbeat of civilization. As Professor Ben Barson, music, argues in his new book, history’s musical undercurrent is far more than a symbolic tool for understanding how the world has changed.

In Brassroots Democracy: Maroon Ecologies and the Jazz Commons, which was named a Best Book of 2024 by PopMatters, Barson explores how Black musicians shaped music into a world-making force that impacted everything from the Haitian Revolution to Reconstruction and the birth of jazz. Building on Julius S. Scott’s The Common Wind, a book that details the networks of information about the Haitian Revolution that spread across the Caribbean, Barson’s research demonstrates that music was a powerful force in responding to systems of slavery and imperialism. “I wanted to call attention to this acoustic, kinetic moment that inaugurated this new age of revolution and trace how song, rhythm and instrumentation articulated itself in these pivotal moments,” says Barson.

Both a jazz musician and a community activist, Barson has long been interested in the relationship between music and social movements. While he was an undergraduate at Hampshire College, his African American studies courses revealed a connection between the ethos of music and the history of the campaign for equal rights. Barson continued to investigate these topics while pursuing his doctorate in music at the University of Pittsburgh. “It was acknowledged that the 1960s were a time of convergence between questions of social relations, the political imaginary and developments in music,” he says. But Barson also questioned whether there was a deeper, more dynamic history to be unearthed. “This book emerged from my Ph.D. research, and my Ph.D. research emerged from feeling the power of music across historical contexts.”

Of particular importance to grassroots democracy movements was the formation of large brass bands, which were composed of both freedpeople and formerly enslaved people. These bands frequently performed at mass meetings, rallies and parades, often improvising musical arrangements as a mode of political expression. “Being innovative and being able to improvise were markers of being politically aware,” says Barson.

Spontaneous improvisation is commonly associated with jazz music, which Barson links to the mass movements of freedpeople that mobilized in confrontation with the institution of slavery. “Improvisation has always had a dynamic social commentary that reflected the spirit of the times,” he says.

Given the improvisational nature of jazz, there is a commonly accepted refrain that you’ll never hear the same jazz performance twice. In this way, jazz does not repeat itself, though it contains the rhythms of history.

Brassroots Democracy: Maroon Ecologies and the Jazz Commons was released by Wesleyan University Press in 2024 and can be found at weslpress.org.

Faculty & Alumni Books

Professor DeeAnn M. Reeder P’16
The Lives of Bats: A Natural History
(Princeton University Press, 2025)

Professor DeeAnn Reeder P’16, a renowned expert in bat biology, offers a comprehensive exploration of bats, which play an essential role in ecosystems worldwide. The Lives of Bats offers a visually stunning look at these often misunderstood creatures. With over 1,400 species of bats inhabiting nearly every part of the globe, they contribute to controlling insect populations and pollinating plants, yet they remain largely underappreciated.

Editor’s note: The magazine will explore Reeder’s work — including her role as a research associate for the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution — in an upcoming issue.

Richard Zanetti ’61, M’64
Vector: A Thriller
(Archway Publishing, 2024)

Zanetti, a retired publishing executive, chemical engineer and Army veteran, brings his diverse experiences to Vector. His background, including work in environmental safety, informs this suspenseful story.

Share Your Work With Us

Bucknellians, have you recently published a book, launched a podcast, released a film or developed an app? We’d love to hear about it!
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Send your news to bmagazine@bucknell.edu
30 Under 30 Honoree
Serena Tramm posing in front of a NASA space rover
Photo: Jeannette Tramm P’20
As an engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Serena Tramm ’20 has turned her dream career into a reality.

A Stellar Career

NASA engineer Serena Tramm ’20 gathers data from distant worlds to answer some of science’s biggest questions
by Matt Jones
For millennia, humans have turned their eyes skyward and wondered what lies beyond our planet. Yet only a few actually play a part in finding answers. “My job bridges the question and the data that can answer it,” says Serena Tramm ’20, an applied science systems lead engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in La Cañada Flintridge, Calif.

Tramm didn’t always dream of exploring space. But an internship as a systems operations engineer with Northrop Grumman and an astrophysics class taught by Professor Michele Thornley, physics & astronomy, got the mechanical engineering major thinking about how she could apply her skills to the great beyond. “I was able to dip my toe into the subject at Bucknell, which helped me realize it was something I wanted to explore more,” she says.

With the help of her professors, she was accepted into a graduate astrophysics program at Rochester Institute of Technology. There, she discovered a love of instrument engineering for astrophysics, which involved launching sounding rockets carrying scientific instruments into space. Her research helped her formulate a clear picture of her ideal career. “I didn’t think it was possible to work for NASA — it’s everyone’s pipe dream,” she says. “But when I got the job offer, I knew it was what I wanted to do.”

At JPL, Tramm has worked on instrument operations for the Mars Perseverance rover and Earth-observing satellites like Sentinel-6, which measure sea-surface heights to understand climate change. “Everyone I work with is doing something that’s never been done before,” she says. “We’re always doing things for the first time.”

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In 2024, the Center for Alumni & Family Engagement named Serena Tramm ’20 as one of Bucknell’s 30 Under 30. Learn more and nominate a 2025 honoree at go.bucknell.edu/30Under30
30 Under 30 Honoree
John Quinn ’18 smiles while standing in front of a Bucknell University step and repeat and holding a glass award
Photo: April Bartholomew
John Quinn ’18 draws upon his experience as a Posse Scholar to inform his career as an educator.

Life Lessons

For high school teacher John Quinn ’18, a quality education goes beyond the classroom

by Matt Jones

As a posse scholar at Bucknell, John Quinn ’18 learned the importance of giving back to his community. After graduating with a degree in history, Quinn returned to his home district of Prince George’s County Public Schools, where he teaches AP and IB psychology and government at Frederick Douglass High School. He has also advised the National Honor Society, coached the debate team and helped found the school’s mental health club.

Quinn’s time at Bucknell taught him that the value of education extends beyond the classroom. “The experience at Bucknell was just as much about what happened outside of the classroom as inside of the classroom,” he says.

In his first year of teaching, Quinn was named High School Male Educator of the Year by his district. He went on to earn his master’s from Teachers College at Columbia University, where he wrote a thesis on implementing a positive psychology curriculum to explore adolescent identity development.

“A Bucknell education instills in you how important it is to learn about the injustices in society, the inequities, especially in public education,” he says. For Quinn, tackling those injustices often takes place at the individual level. “Mentorship between students and young teachers is key,” he says. “Being able to connect with young people is both important and rewarding.”

Looking ahead, Quinn aims to drive systemic change as an administrator. He joined his district’s aspiring leaders program and hopes to become an assistant principal and, eventually, a principal.

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In 2024, the Center for Alumni & Family Engagement named John Quinn ’18 as one of Bucknell’s 30 Under 30. Learn more and nominate a 2025 honoree.
30 Under 30 Honoree
portrait image of Johnathan Coleman ’19 wearing a black suit, a burgundy button up and a patterned tie
Photo: Courtesy of Johnathan Coleman ‘19
At Bucknell, Johnathan Coleman ’19 was a Posse Scholar, member of the water polo team and the Commencement student speaker.

Restoring Justice

Johnathan Coleman ’19 uses his law degree to address societal injustices
by Matt Jones
Johnathan “Chief” Coleman ‘19 felt torn between a career in politics or law until a study abroad trip to South Africa showed him a path forward. “Learning about South Africa’s restorative justice process after apartheid inspired me,” he says. “I grew up in a lower-class socioeconomic area, and one reason I wanted to go to law school is that the criminal justice system had impacted my family. I thought that having a better understanding of the law would protect us from injustice.”

While studying at University of Southern California Gould School of Law, Coleman joined the Post-Conviction Justice Project (PCJP), where he provided pro bono representation to incarcerated individuals before the California Board of Parole. “These people have been rehabilitated and paid their debt to society, so we should help them reintegrate,” he says.

His work with the PCJP led him to pilot a restorative justice program in Long Beach, Calif., where community members help determine responses to crime. “It’s taught me that, sometimes, people just need a second chance,” says Coleman, who serves as the vice chair of the Ethics Commission for the City of Long Beach.

In addition to his commitment to restorative justice, Coleman practices intellectual property and privacy law. “In private practice, I represent large corporations in relatively sophisticated matters,” he says. “Shifting from my practice to restorative justice work reminds me of why I went to law school in the first place. It’s an honor to advocate for others.”

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In 2024, the Center for Alumni & Family Engagement named Johnathan Coleman ’19 as one of Bucknell’s 30 Under 30. Learn more and nominate a 2025 honoree.
Entrepreneur Spotlight
portrait image of Uttam Kumaran ’18 wearing a grey suit jacket and a linen dress shirt
Photo: Courtesy of Uttam Kumaran ’18
Uttam Kumaran ’18 majored in computer engineering but took advantage of opportunities to learn about finance and entrepreneurship at Bucknell.

Powering Progress

Using data and AI, Uttam Kumaran ’18 helps businesses make smarter decisions
by Katie Neitz
Retailers improving customer experiences, manufacturers streamlining supply chains and marketers crafting targeted campaigns all rely on advanced data and AI. Uttam Kumaran ’18 helps businesses maximize these technological advancements.

In 2023, he founded Brainforge, a company that helps organizations uncover insights, cut costs and grow revenue. For Kumaran, Brainforge represents the culmination of years spent solving complex problems and improving decision-making. As a leader, he prioritizes fostering a culture of continuous improvement and a fail-fast mentality. “Every day, we challenge ourselves to be better than we were yesterday,” he says.

Kumaran traces his entrepreneurial mindset to Bucknell, where mentors and resources from the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) helped shape his approach to problem-solving. “The collaborative environment at Bucknell gave me the tools to think critically and creatively about real-world problems,” he says.

The son of first-generation immigrants, Kumaran planned to attend college in his native California but followed his father’s vision for a liberal arts education on the East Coast. A chance meeting with a professor during an impromptu tour of the Dana Engineering building convinced him Bucknell was the right fit. “Getting a one-on-one tour was a game-changer,” Kumaran says. “It showed me that Bucknell was a community where people care.”

Kumaran majored in computer engineering but explored beyond his field. As a sophomore, he approached Professor Curtis Nicholls, the Kiken Family Chair in Management, about joining Bucknell’s Student Managed Investment Fund, which is typically reserved for senior management students. With the help of Nicholls, Kumaran took summer courses to acquire the prerequisites for the capstone course. He also got involved in the SBDC and co-launched Maker EDU, a venture that helped schools build makerspaces, which gave him his first taste of entrepreneurship.

After graduating, Kumaran worked in data roles at startups like WeWork and Flowcode, managing projects from sales analytics to scaling data teams. Seeking more independence, he launched Brainforge, leveraging his network — including Bucknell connections — to build the business. Today, Kumaran leads with a focus on empowering clients and exceeding their expectations. “Our goal is to be indispensable to them,” he says.

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In 2024, the Center for Alumni & Family Engagement named Uttam Kumaran ‘18 as one of Bucknell’s 30 Under 30. Learn more and nominate a 2025 honoree.
30 Under 30 Honoree
Portrait orientation outdoor photograph view of Alex Golden smiling in a multi-colored floral style pattern dress (dark blue/white/black/dark forest green) as she is standing in front of Broadway theater in New York as the theater sign display says The Notebook The Musical Now in Previews as there are lots of people nearby the entrance of the theater
Photo: Midge Zuk
As an associate music director, Alex Golden ’17 makes the Broadway production of The Notebook really sing.

No Business Like Show Business

Alex Golden ’17 keeps the music alive on Broadway
by Matt Jones
At Bucknell, Alex “Goldie” Golden ’17 was always busy — working as an orientation leader, music directing an a cappella group or directing music as part of her senior thesis. “I look back and wonder, ‘Did I sleep?’ ” says Golden, who majored in theatre. That fast-paced schedule prepared her for life as a music director.

“Young music directors tend to take on a lot of far-flung contracts. I‘ve done theatre in Indiana and Massachusetts. I’ve toured with Beautiful: The Carole King Musical and Mamma Mia!,” says Golden, who has hit most of the continental U.S. while touring on productions. “But all of that adds up. Every job I’ve had has led to the next job, which has now led me to New York City.”

During The Notebook‘s 10-month run on Broadway in 2024, Golden worked as the production‘s associate music director and associate conductor. If there is a dictum that undergirds her work, it is that practice makes perfect.

“It begins with three weeks in the rehearsal room, where I teach music to the actors and act as a liaison with the rest of the creative team,” she says. Then comes tech rehearsal, where she helps integrate design elements — like a scene featuring live rain on stage — and works with the orchestra. When the production went live, Golden attended eight shows weekly. “Even after our 250th show, we were still refining things,” she says.

Golden’s role came full circle when she found herself working alongside composer, singer and songwriter Ingrid Michaelson, who composed The Notebook’s music. “At Bucknell, my a cappella group, Two Past Midnight, performed Ingrid Michaelson songs,” says Golden. “Years later, I was able to translate her new music into the show and teach it to the actors.”

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In 2024, the Center for Alumni & Family Engagement named Alex Golden ’17 as one of Bucknell’s 30 Under 30. Learn more and nominate a 2025 honoree at go.bucknell.edu/30Under30
A Musical Legacy
Portrait orientation indoor photograph of participants that include students and alumni from the Bucknell University Choir, Rooke Chapel Choir and other choral groups all together standing beside each other as they are performing songs with a choir director individual standing in front of them situated in the right center middle position conducting this choir performance with the audience watching upon them
Plans are underway to make the Choral Reunion, which was held on campus in October, a biennial event.

Bucknell Choirs Reunite

by Katie Neitz
In October, Bucknell hosted a historic Choral Reunion, bringing together over 120 participants, including students and alumni from the Bucknell University Choir, Rooke Chapel Choir and other choral groups, for a weekend of music and memories.

The event, led by University Choir Director Caleb Hopkins and Rooke Chapel Choir Director Emeritus Bill Payn P’00, was the first of its kind in more than a decade. “For many alumni, singing in a choir was a seminal part of their Bucknell experience,” Hopkins says. “This was an opportunity to celebrate the shared legacy of choral excellence between them and the current students.”

The weekend included rehearsals, social events and a banquet. The highlight, Hopkins says, was a joint performance featuring works beloved by alumni and students, including Elaine Hagenberg’s “O Love,” Ola Gjeilo’s “The Ground” and Payn’s own “Walk Humbly.” The concert also premiered “Who Walk This Way,” a newly commissioned piece by Professor Emeritus Jackson Hill.

Despite limited rehearsal time, Hopkins says alumni arrived well prepared, blending seamlessly with students. “It was amazing to see everyone connect and make music together,” he says.

Breaking Barriers
Portrait orientation indoor black and white vintage photograph view of Marilyn Ekiss Fries ’59 (first row, second from right) was welcomed into Tau Beta Pi by her classmates and professors as they all are gathered together for a group picture
Photo: Courtesy of L’Agenda
Marilyn Ekiss Fries ’59 (first row, second from right) was welcomed into Tau Beta Pi by her classmates and professors.

A Long-Awaited Induction

Once overlooked due to gender bias, Marilyn Ekiss Fries ’59 has been awarded her place in Tau Beta Pi
by Kate Williard
Marilyn Ekiss Fries ’59 was among the first women to pursue a chemical engineering degree at Bucknell University. Although she earned a place in the prestigious Tau Beta Pi national engineering honor society, the association did not admit women at the time. Instead, Fries was made an honorary member and awarded the Tau Beta Pi Women’s Badge from the national organization — a gesture of recognition but not official membership.

Fries pursued a master’s degree in computer science at the University of Washington, leading to a remarkable career that advanced the cause of women in technology.

In the June 4, 1979, issue of Computerworld magazine, an article titled “Women vs. Chauvinism: A DP [data privacy] Showdown” documented one of Fries’ quiet advocacy efforts. Frustrated by a clerical computing task she suspected was assigned due to her gender, Fries crafted a report deliberately using feminine pronouns to challenge the status quo. Her thoughtful approach blended technical expertise with a quiet stand for equality, leaving a clear message without disrupting her work.

Though Fries excelled professionally, she had yet to receive official recognition of her academic achievements at Bucknell. Tau Beta Pi began admitting women as full members in 1968 and extended an invitation to Fries in the early 1970s, but she was living in Seattle with young children and unable to attend the induction ceremony.

It wasn’t until the fall of 2024 that Fries received her due. She reached out to Bucknell with a simple request: Could she be inducted?

Thanks to the efforts of Erin Jablonski, director for the Perricelli-Gegnas Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, and Wendelin Wright, head of Tau Beta Pi at Bucknell and professor of mechanical and chemical engineering, Fries was formally inducted into the honor society. On October 6, she finally received her Tau Beta Pi pin — a long-overdue recognition for her academic excellence and an acknowledgment of her groundbreaking contributions to women in engineering and technology.

IN MEMORIAM

1946

Marion Turner Clump, Oct. 13, Pawtucket, R.I.

Jean Brock Wallace, June 26, Whitehouse Station, N.J.

1947

Alberta Novick Killian, Sept. 1, Lancaster, Pa.

1948

Jess Davis, July 21, Yeagertown, Pa.

Peggy Rowe Harrison P’81, July 12, Rochester, N.Y.

Marion Rodan Steele, July 11, Willow Street, Pa.

1949

Al Fischer P’77, June 15, Chambersburg, Pa.

Marion Mayfield-Johnson, Sept. 23, Asheville, N.C.

1950

Betty Deisroth Clark, Aug. 6, Fort Pierce, Fla.

Lester Murray P’82, July 13, Anderson, Ind.

1951

Richard Reigle, July 3, Severna Park, Md.

1952

Robert Carman, Aug. 10, Minneapolis

Josephine “Dodie” Hildreth Detmer P’76, P’79, Aug. 23, Cumberland Foreside, Maine

George “Bud” Keen, Aug. 16, Virginia Beach, Va.

Drew Seibert P’91, G’20, Aug. 23, Lakewood, N.J.

1953

Isabel Aitken Brooker, Oct. 15, Kingsport, Tenn.

Robert Cooper, July 16, Charlottesville, Va.

Mary Ann Fairchild Dilworth, Aug. 31, Pittsburgh

Lynn Gordon, Oct. 28, Ossining, N.Y.

Nancy Schreiner Hubley, Aug. 15, Harwich, Mass.

Edward Knorr, June 16, 2023, Indianapolis

Homer Middleton, July 29, Nashville, Tenn.

Jeane White Spoor, Oct. 16, Saint Johns, Fla.

Dolores “Dee” Staley Stover, Oct. 19, Pittsford, N.Y.

Michael Suber P’81, Nov. 28, Princeton, N.J.

John Troast P’79, P’85, P’87, G’06, G’08, Sept. 19, North Palm Beach, Fla.

1954

Joseph “Stu” Boldry P’80, July 15, Dayville, Conn.

Theodore “Ted” Buley P’82, Oct. 4, New Paltz, N.Y.

Richard Kern, Aug. 8, Upper Saddle River, N.J.

Mason Linn, June 24, Frederick, Pa.

Vincent “George” McMann P’90, Oct. 25, Mendham, N.J.

Arthur Simon, Sept. 7, Suffern, N.Y.

1955

Julius “Bob” Kelz, Aug. 21, Southbury, Conn.

Claire Marshall McLean, Sept. 25, Shady Side, Md.

Susan Fleming Roberts, April 23, 2024, Audubon, Pa.

1956

Mary Lou Adams, Aug. 31, Margate City, N.J.

Patricia Quinn Behre, July 13, Gettysburg, Pa.

John Hayes P’81, Oct. 26, Phoenix

Janet Pope Knorr, Aug. 15, Indianapolis

Ken Larson, Dec. 22, Montoursville, Pa.

Merrill Lynn, Nov. 3, Morton, Pa.

William Martens P’79, G’11, Dec. 4, Pownal, Maine

John McKee P’86, Aug. 29, Rockville, Md.

Floyd Naugle, May 12, Smith River, Ore.

PollyAnn Keller Owen P’81, P’84, P’86, G’22, G’28, Dec. 2, Trumbull, Conn.

Lorraine Soresi Tweed, Dec. 26, Richmond, Ill.

1957

Mary Woodward Beringer, July 13, Richmond, Va.

Becky Cecil Brown, June 22, Baltimore

Carol Christ Steele, March 27, Jupiter, Fla.

Peter Tillotson, Aug. 31, Towaco, N.J.

1958

Gerald “Blaine” Bardo, Aug. 31, Lounsberry, N.Y.

Robert Biglow P’91, Dec. 7, Naples, Fla.

George Brown, Aug. 22, Wernersville, Pa.

Ellen Campbell Champlin M’60, P’94, Sept. 19, San Francisco

Gail McMullen McCain, Nov. 13, Stowe, Vt.

Norma Jean Renninger Reed P’84, P’97, July 10, Lewisburg, Pa.

Merrett Stierheim, July 7, Pinecrest, Fla.

Corbin Wyant, July 2, Naples, Fla.

1959

Annamarie Neff Anderson P’92, Oct. 9, Ft. Washington, Pa.

Fredric Campbell, June 26, Milton, Pa.

Helmar Nielsen, Nov. 20, Saint Petersburg, Fla.

Gregory Ogden, June 16, 2023, Tampa, Fla.

William Sharkey, June 29, Midlothian, Va.

1960

Robert Aymar, Aug. 6, Folly Beach, S.C.

Charles Devereaux P’85, July 11, Scott Township, Pa.

Richard Goeller P’91, P’98, June 25, Towson, Md.

Edward “Ted” Treadwell, Oct. 26, Blowing Rock, N.C.

1961

Jackson “Jack” Fox, June 17, Tampa, Fla.

Jane Krimsley Matcha P’85, Sept. 16, Sugar Land, Texas

Isabel Fleming Millward, July 6, Seneca, S.C.

Lynne Pawlitz Pennell, Nov. 7, Jacksonville, Ill.

Lawrence Rajnik, July 8, Corning, N.Y.

1962

Carol Kurtz Chapman, July 14, Shoreline, Wash.

Deanna Rosen Gerber P’90, July 22, Stamford, Conn.

Diane Bowles Pucko, Nov. 14, West Chester, Ohio

Patricia George Scolaro, Sept. 5, Syracuse, N.Y.

1963

James Cusick P’93, P’10, Nov. 1, Shrewsbury, N.J.

Mark Kaplan, Sept. 24, Branford, Conn.

Clement Noble P’95, July 21, Wilmington, Del.

1964

Roger Beardslee M’68, June 20, Hector, N.Y.

Robert Dretar P’89, P’94, G’22, Dec. 20, Vestal, N.Y.

James Hicks, Aug. 6, Stokesdale, N.C.

Nancy Talbott Iak, Sept. 19, Franklin, N.C.

John Tozier, Oct. 10, Greensburg, Pa.

1966

Joan Reichley Scott, Nov. 8, Golden, Colo.

Constance Timm, Dec. 12, Lewisburg, Pa.

1967

Barbara Boden Chamberlin, Aug. 5, Mountain Top, Pa.

Matthew McMonigle, Sept. 19, Ashland, Va.

1968

Peter Hender, Oct. 17, Barnegat, N.J.

George “Doc” Roenning, Oct. 19, Sevastopol, Wis.

Robert Vater, Dec. 10, Greenville, N.C.

Richard Wildonger G’28, July 12, Landenberg, Pa.

Susan Foster Willett, Dec. 30, Stone Harbor, N.J.

1970

Peter Aron P’02, Dec. 3, Centreville, Va.

Gregory Bock, Dec. 9, Stratford, Conn.

Dennis Bradish, Sept. 14, Franklin, N.H.

George Warmath, July 11, Glen Allen, Va.

1971

Thomas Ficklin, Oct. 9, New Haven, Conn.

Bruce Mortimer, Dec. 1, Lutherville, Md.

Paul Pickard, Sept. 7, Oak Bluffs, Mass.

Phil Reese, May 31, Leesburg, Ga.

Pamela Sprenkle, Aug. 21, Valentine, Neb.

1972

Lester Becker, Nov. 15, Springfield, Va.

Thaddeus Prusik, Aug. 2, Stroudsburg, Pa.

1973

Diane Fairclough, March 2, 2024, Denver

FRANK SAWICKI P’95, Dec. 28, Atlas, Pa.

1974

William Freeman, Aug. 10, Elko New Market, Minn.

Robin Hummel Kenner P’03, P’08, Dec. 13, Allentown, Pa.

1975

Thomas Blankley, Aug. 23, Princeville, Hawaii

1976

Douglas Starr, Dec. 16, Merrimack, N.H.

1978

Timothy Cherney, Oct. 19, Brewerton, N.Y.

1979

Denise Hartley Baden, Dec. 6, Friendswood, Texas

1980

William Matthews, Sept. 27, Malvern, Pa.

Steven Young, Sept. 15, Sayville, N.Y.

1981

Karen Hauptly DuBois, July 16, Madison, Wis.

1983

Cheryl McInroy P’20, July 3, Ridgewood, N.J.

1984

Thomas Jacobson, Oct. 30, Spring Lake, N.J.

1985

Joanne Gehas, Oct. 22, Bradenton, Fla.

1990

Virginia Hood Dreier, July 11, Barrington, R.I.

1991

John Wigger, Sept. 28, Mechanicsburg, Pa.

1993

Cornelius “Allen” Bottomley, Sept. 13, Hanover, Mass.

Kevin Kane, Aug. 12, Easton, Pa.

1996

Kevin Schilling, Dec. 18, Pitman, N.J.

2003

Kenneth “Ronnie” Light III, Dec. 14, West New York, N.J.

2009

Margaret “Meg” Wyatt O’Rourke, Nov. 11, Dublin, Ohio

2010

Thomas Ertel, Nov. 3, Williamsport, Pa.

2018

John “Jack” Napor, June 29, Conshohoken, Pa.

2028

Calvin Dickey, July 12, Land O’ Lakes, Fla.

Master’s

William Bosso M’64, Aug. 1, Macungie, Pa.

Paul Farnsworth M’54, Sept. 19, Elysburg, Pa.

Norman Foster M’03, Oct. 20, Selinsgrove, Pa.

David Green M’62, June 1, York, Pa.

Betty Richwine Guidara M’66, Nov. 25, Dillsburg, Pa.

John “Dave” Henry M’64, Sept. 2, Mecosta, Mich.

H. George Hinston M’65, Nov. 30, Montoursville, Pa.

John Irving M’71, Aug. 2, Louisburg, Kan.

George Lowrie III M’69, Nov. 2, Ann Arbor, Mich.

James Matz M’77, Oct. 27, Fairport, N.Y.

Paul Ottoson M’66, Feb. 22, 2024, Springfield, Ill.

Christine Kuruna Rehrig M’78, Dec. 13, Middleburg, Pa.

Mark Wagner M’98, Oct. 26, Millersburg, Pa.

Carl Winey G’09, M’64, Nov. 22, Lewisburg, Pa.

Atsuko Ouchi Yamamoto M’56, Dec. 14, 2023, Piedmont, Calif.

Faculty and Staff

Robert Albert, Jan. 6, Milton, Pa.

Jeffrey Bowen P’15, Nov. 23, Ithaca, N.Y.

Ann de Klerk, Nov. 8, Verona, Pa.

John Fernsler, July 10, Urbana, Ill.

Todd Hollenbach, Nov. 27, Selinsgrove, Pa.

Jeffrey Holmes, Sept. 24, Lewisburg, Pa.

Andria Laurence, Oct. 13, Milton, Pa.

Terry Lloyd, July 9, Williamsport, Pa.

Evelyn Mabus, Sep. 27, Turbotville, Pa.

John Murphy P’90, Oct. 10, Lewisburg, Pa.

David Pearson P’94, May 26, Lewisburg, Pa.

Frank Siler, Nov. 5, Lewisburg, Pa.

Robert Sloan, Oct. 6, Gratz, Pa.

Howard Smith, Oct. 21, Wales, U.K.

Barry Solomon, Aug. 14, Watsontown, Pa.

Friends

Daniel Gamache P’28, Sept. 25, Lynnfield, Mass.

Todd Hack P’28, Sept. 12, Staten Island, N.Y.

Melissa Kirby P’27, Oct. 10, Towson, Md.

Casimir Pierz P’28, May 5, Yonkers, N.Y.

Digital vector illustration icon of a minimalistic simple orange color outlined trace scroll sketch containing a leaf object positioned in the middle of the scroll that acts like a pen with a squiggle signature situated below it

CLASS REPORTERS

EMERITI

NICOLE CONNOR TAYLOR ’01
nicole_connor1979@yahoo.com

AMY MEDELL POE ’89
amyb.poe@gmail.com

1950

HOLLY HINCHMAN REIGNER ’96
hehreigner1@gmail.com

1951

FAITH BRADLEY KING
faithbking@sbcglobal.net

1952

CAROLYN KNIES ERDLE
liberty384@comcast.net

1953

CHRISTINE HILL KILLOUGH
chkillough@gmail.com

JOHN MANBECK
manbeckj7@yahoo.com

1954

BONNIE MACKIE ASPINWALL
bmaspinwall@gmail.com

1955

ELEANOR MACKIE PIGMAN
empigman@gmail.com

1956

JOSEPH EBERHART
jdocyardleye@aol.com

1957

CAROLYN “CALLIE” MEYER
meyerwrite@comcast.net

1958

ROBERTA BAYER SCHLACKS
robertaschlacks@gmail.com

1959

If you have news to share, please email Heidi Hormel, Class Notes editor, at hjh006@bucknell.edu.

1960

1961

1962

If you have news to share, please email Heidi Hormel, Class Notes editor, at hjh006@bucknell.edu.

1963

PENNY WEST SURITZ
pennysuritz@gmail.com

1964

BETH WEHRLE SMITH
bethdonsm@aol.com

1965

JACKIE HORNOR PLUMEZ
Plumez.dr@gmail.com

1966

JACKIE PEARSON WEIDENFELLER
theweids@verizon.net

1967

1968

1969

1970

LYDIA HALLER DODD
lydiadodd@yahoo.com

1971

LOU KISSLING
L_KISSLING@msn.com

1972

ANNE SMITH BENBOW
anne@benbow.net

1973

SUSAN LATIMER CURLETT
slcurlett@aol.com

1974

NORBERT W. CHURCH JR.
churchandchurch@yahoo.com

1975

NANCY QUAY BRADLEY
nancy.bradley6@gmail.com

1976

GAIL WATERBURY FERRI
waterburyferri@gmail.com

MARY LOU KUPFER
maryloukpfr6@gmail.com

1977

SUSAN HUNSICKER
8elsiemarie@gmail.com

BRIAN KNAPP
cbknapp@charter.net

1978

KATHY MCDONALD ADELBERGER
tedkathy@comcast.net

1979

1980

DEBORAH L. HENNEL
dhennel@aol.com

1981

CAROL CHRISTIE ROSNER
ccrosner@aol.com

1982

BECKY GOODWIN KANGOS
rgkang@aol.com

1983

TRACEY TRUSK EICK
tteick@bellsouth.net

1984

ALLISON ABOUCHAR CROSS
14380th@gmail.com

1985

CAROL RHEAM TEVIS
rheamtev@ptd.net

1986

JOAN DAUGHEN CADIGAN
jcadigan@mac.com

1987

LAUREN SLAVIN WROBEL
laurenwr@optimum.net

1988

STACIE VELISARIS DE LA PARRA
svdelaparra@yahoo.com

1989

RENEE LEAVITT BARLOW
reneebarlow999@gmail.com

1990

LAURA MICHALEC OLSZEWSKI
laura.michalec@gmail.com

1991

LISA DuBUSC MILLER
lisa@dubusc.com

1992

LISA BLOCKUS BROWN
lisa.blockus.brown@gmail.com

LINDA MASSA SAFFLE
lindaoncapecod@gmail.com

1993

1994

SARAH A. SMITH
ssmith4321@yahoo.com

1995

JENNIFER BLOB BONER
jenboner@gmail.com

1996

1997

SARA BLOOM BRUCE
sarabloombruce@gmail.com

1998

HEATHER MURPHY LOUDON
heather_loudon@yahoo.com

1999

2000

2001

HEATHER POLLARD ADRIAN
hdpollard@aol.com

2002

KATY ZACHRY VANDEGRIFT
kzvandegrift@gmail.com

JANELLE WEAVER FOSTER M’04
janelleweaver02@gmail.com

2003

PAIGE NICOLE WIEDERSPIEL BASKWILL
pnjacobson@gmail.com

2004

JENNIFER BUNCH WEBLER
jen.webler@gmail.com

2005

NIKKI HOLLISTER OLSZYK
nikkiolszyk@gmail.com

2006

2008

LAURA LEVISKI HYDE
laura.leviski@gmail.com

2009

NIKKI SEAMAN ISELIN
Nseaman006@gmail.com

2010

DAVID ISELIN
dtiselin@gmail.com

2011

2012

If you have news to share, please email Heidi Hormel, Class Notes editor, at hjh006@bucknell.edu.

2013

MASHA ZHDANOVA
mz008@bucknell.edu

2014

2015

COLIN HASSELL
cmh027@bucknell.edu

2016

2017

2018

2020

CHANDLER HOULDIN
cwh021@bucknell.edu

2021

MACKENZIE GROSS
mag052@bucknell.edu

2022

JASMINE MINHAS
jkm030@bucknell.edu

2023

KATELYN COLLINS
kec019@bucknell.edu

2024

MEGAN COLLINS
mlc048@bucknell.edu

In Memoriam

Bill Graham ’62

Portrait orientation headshot photograph view of Bill Graham smiling in thin chrome outer frame see-through prescription eyeglasses while wearing a dark charcoal grey business blazer suit, white button-up dress shirt underneath, and multi-colored tie pattern style equipped (red/dark blue)
Photo: Lewisburg Studio
Bill Graham ’62, a generous benefactor and successful business leader who co-owned The Philadelphia Inquirer, passed away Jan. 29. As chairman and CEO of The Graham Company, one of the largest insurance firms in the U.S., he built a thriving enterprise while also dedicating himself to philanthropy.

In 2004, Graham and his wife, Fran, made a $5.6 million donation to Bucknell, helping to reinstate varsity wrestling, which fulfilled his vision of a packed Sojka Pavilion. His contributions extended beyond wrestling; an $8 million gift supported the creation of Graham Field for field hockey and women’s lacrosse and an endowment for women’s athletics. In recognition of his contributions to Bucknell Athletics, he was named University Division Donor of the Year in 2007 by the National Association of Athletic Development Directors. In 2018, he was named to the Bucknell Athletics Hall of Fame. Graham also served on Bucknell’s Board of Trustees for nine years.

He is survived by his wife, two children and four grandchildren. Donations in his name can be made to Bucknell wrestling at give.bucknell.edu/Graham.

In Memoriam

Josephine “Dodie” Hildreth Detmer ’52, P’79

Portrait orientation outdoor photograph headshot view of Josephine Hildreth Detmer smiling in a multi-colored floral pattern style t-shirt (turquoise/dark blue/light blue)
Photo: Gordon R. Wenzel
Josephine “Dodie” Hildreth Detmer ’52, P’79, a lifelong Bucknell supporter, passed away Aug. 23 at the age of 94.

She was the daughter of Horace Augustus Hildreth H’56, P’52, G’79, who served as Maine’s governor before becoming president of Bucknell University in 1949. Detmer began her college education at Vassar College but transferred to Bucknell, where she earned a degree in political science.

In 2017, she and her daughter, Zareen Taj Mirza ’79, made a transformative gift to the University, funding the creation of Hildreth-Mirza Hall, home to Bucknell’s Humanities Center. Detmer and Mirza also established the Josephine Hildreth Detmer & Zareen Taj Mirza Professorship in Islamic Studies, Bucknell’s first position dedicated to the study of Islam. Her experience living in Pakistan while her father served as the U.S. ambassador from 1953 to 1957 informed her commitment to cross-cultural understanding. Detmer spent much of her career teaching history and religion at Waynflete School in Portland, Maine.

She is survived by her daughter.

DO

Laptop displaying a virtual tour of a modern lobby with seating area, stairs, and pendant lights.

Explore Campus

Bucknell has introduced a new interactive 360-degree campus tour, giving prospective students the opportunity to explore campus remotely. Visitors can navigate key locations like Malesardi Quadrangle and academic buildings, gaining a glimpse of campus life from anywhere. Since launching in December, the tour has been viewed more than 1,600 times with the average viewer spending more than five minutes exploring the tour.
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See it for yourself: go.bucknell.edu/tour

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

We’re grateful to everyone who participated in the 2024 Alumni Engagement Survey. The results are providing valuable insights that are helping us shape our path forward.
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Get Career Advice

Schedule a free, confidential meeting with our alumni career coach to develop your search strategy.
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Connect with us bucknell.edu/ACS
Write In
Attention members of Pi Mu Epsilon! This mathematics honor society is celebrating its 100th anniversary at Bucknell. The Department of Mathematics & Statistics is collecting memories and photos that will help sum up a century of excellence.
Share submissions at: go.bucknell.edu/mathmemories

Crowdsourced

Which class or project challenged you the most as a Bucknell student?

“Physics 211 and Physics 212 were both extremely challenging and incredibly rewarding courses. Not only did I gain a broader understanding of different subtopics within the discipline of physics, but I also strengthened my abstract thinking skills and was able to apply what I had learned to better understand biochemical processes in the fields of cellular and molecular biology. The support I received from the physics department, particularly during office hours and extra help sessions, was extraordinary, and without a doubt enhanced the success of my learning.”
Morgan Thomas ’23
“English 243 with Professor Marilyn Mumford M’59 was one of the more difficult courses I took as an undergrad at Bucknell. We read The Canterbury Tales in Middle English, had to learn the correct pronunciation of the dialect and were tested on it! At the end of the semester, we were rewarded for our hard work with a ‘medieval feast’ at Professor Mumford’s house. It was a difficult course, but I learned a lot about how to be a good writer.”
Jason Snyder ’95, M’98
“Sparks & wires!! Only passed it after two tries by promising not to take another electrical engineering course.”
Matt Dominy ’69
“In English literature, it was assumed that freshmen had already mastered college-level writing, so the emphasis was on classical reading and analytical writing. My first assignment for Professor Withim was marked up in so much red critique that I could barely decipher it. With each assignment, the red marks diminished. By the end of the semester, my writing had finally caught up with the quality of thought I was trying to convey. I passed the course with a C, but I believe Professor Withim had given me a learning gift far outweighing any academic grade.”
Kim Onsdorff ’69
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Mark your calendar!

Plan ahead to join us for our signature campus experiences this fall.
Bucknell Family Weekend
Sept. 19–21, 2025
Bucknell Homecoming
Oct. 3–5, 2025

Answer This:

If you could visit Bucknell right now, what’s the first thing you’d do?
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Join our LinkedIn community to stay in touch, share feedback and respond to future prompts: linkedin.com/school/bucknell-university

Caption Contest

Caption Contest
Recognize yourself or the Bucknellians in this photo? We’d love to hear from you. Share your nostalgic story with us at bmagazine@bucknell.edu
two female students creating large bubble around male student
Photo: Courtesy of University Archives/Special Collections
Submit your caption BMAGAZINE@BUCKNELL.EDU
Compose a clever caption. The five best will win a cool Bucknell T-shirt.
SUBMIT A PHOTO Have a vintage Bucknell image that deserves captioning?
Send high-resolution images to bmagazine@bucknell.edu for consideration.

WATCH COMMENCEMENT

Bucknell’s 175th Commencement, celebrating the Class of 2025, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Sunday, May 18, on Malesardi Quadrangle. The ceremony will feature Jessica Livingston ’93, a Silicon Valley investor and startup leader, as the keynote speaker (see P. 37) and will be livestreamed.

Nominate a Bucknellian

The Bucknell University Alumni Association is seeking nominations to join its board, a diverse group of passionate alumni who care about maintaining a strong bond between alumni, the University and its students.
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Learn more and make a nomination today. bucknell.edu/BUAA

Witty Winners

Three young people playing and throwing leaves in an outdoor autumn setting.
Photo: Courtesy of University Archives/Special Collections

Submit your caption for the retro photo on the opposite page to bmagazine@bucknell.edu.

Here are our favorite caption submissions from the last issue:
“When people literally start throwing shade.“
Sarah EnDyke Yeager ’02
“Jamie laughs with delight as her roommate, who foolishly forgot her safety glasses, is permanently blinded by a fusillade of leaves to the face during the fall showcase of Sorority Amazon Rampage. Cleverly, Jamie plans to rearrange their dorm room furniture daily until her roommate has to return to the safety of her home, leaving Jamie with a single.”
Gary Treible ’80, M’84
“Environmental majors research fully compostable celebration materials.”
William C. Miller ’72, P’02
“Between classes, there’s always time for a little comic re-LEAF.’’
Jay Sullivan ’69
“See, you can have fun AND collect leaf mold samples for your bio project.”
Bob Owen ’74
“We promised our parents that we’d turn over a new leaf once we graduate.‘‘
Ruairi Palmer ’17
Where I Belong

Beyond Unison A Cappella Group

Marlee Olsson in group singing circle with Beyond Unison
For Marlee Olsson ‘27 (center), Beyond Unison isn’t just about singing; it’s about creating, connecting and belonging.
“Music has always been important to me, and Beyond Unison gives me a place to share that passion with others who feel the same way.”
by Marlee Olsson ’27
photograph by Emily PainE
The first time I saw Beyond Unison perform was during Admitted Student Day. When I walked into the Weis Center auditorium and heard them, a feeling washed over me — I just knew that I belonged there.

Music has always been an integral part of my life. I played the piano, played guitar and sang in a variety of choral groups throughout middle and high school. I decided to major in both biology and environmental studies at Bucknell, which don’t include music in their curriculum, but I knew I wanted music as part of my college experience.

Flash forward to my first year on campus: I saw Beyond Unison again at the Activities Fair. A tall, enthusiastic guy named Caiden approached me. “Can you sing?” he asked. I told him that I liked to sing, so I signed up to audition and got in. From the moment I joined, it felt like I was part of a family. We have different backgrounds and come from different places, but we are all united by our love for music.

Music touches that part of your heart where passion lives. When we sing together and create amazing music, that energy fosters a deep sense of connection.

What I love about our rehearsals is that everyone arrives tense from their day at school — you can feel it — but then when we start singing, we click. We lock in. And soon, everyone is smiling.

The power of 18 voices together is incredible. In Beyond Unison, every person has an important role. We might be each singing our own parts, but the way those parts connect makes the music beautiful and the experience special.

Men’s basketball head coach John Griffen III ’08 earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bison to a 13-5 conference record and the No. 1 tournament seed. The summer issue will spotlight his coaching partnership with former teammate Pat Behan ’10, who is now battling ALS.

photograph by James T. Giffen

Men’s basketball head coach John Griffen III ’08 earned Patriot League Coach of the Year honors after leading the Bison to a 13-5 conference record and the No. 1 tournament seed. The summer issue will spotlight his coaching partnership with former teammate Pat Behan ’10, who is now battling ALS.

photograph by James T. Giffen

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