BY WAY OF BUCKNELL
Creativity and beauty converge at Bucknell Hall, home of Bucknell’s Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts. Learn about a new poetry program the center launched this spring on P. 7.
BY WAY OF BUCKNELL
Creativity and beauty converge at Bucknell Hall, home of Bucknell’s Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts. Learn about a new poetry program the center launched this spring on P. 7.
Pathways
photograph by emily paine
The Poland-born daughter of Russian and Hungarian parents, Lajos grew up paying yearly visits to family across Central Europe — amid a packed extracurricular schedule.
“My mom put me in every activity I could possibly do. Ballet, piano, horseback riding, swimming,” says Lajos, who spent her childhood in Russia. “I started playing tennis, and for some reason, that stuck with me.”
Lajos began playing tournaments at eight years old and was soon training at tennis academies in Spain during the summer. Then a career change for her father took the family to Abu Dhabi, where she attended high school.
When searching for colleges, Lajos wanted to attend a school on the East Coast of the U.S. “I spent some Christmases here with my family and came to love the country,” she says. “Tammy Cecchini [Bucknell’s women’s tennis head coach] was one of a hundred coaches I emailed, and she called me the same day. I ended up being the first international student she ever recruited.”
Lajos is now pursuing a major in international relations at Bucknell — alongside her position on the women’s tennis team — with the goal of someday working within the United Nations.
“I’ve had so much experience living in different places. I want to continue to be in an atmosphere filled with different languages, cultures and political views,” she says. “The UN is an organization where there are so many opportunities to make a difference.”
Pathways
photograph by emily paine
The Poland-born daughter of Russian and Hungarian parents, Lajos grew up paying yearly visits to family across Central Europe — amid a packed extracurricular schedule.
“My mom put me in every activity I could possibly do. Ballet, piano, horseback riding, swimming,” says Lajos, who spent her childhood in Russia. “I started playing tennis, and for some reason, that stuck with me.”
Lajos began playing tournaments at eight years old and was soon training at tennis academies in Spain during the summer. Then a career change for her father took the family to Abu Dhabi, where she attended high school.
When searching for colleges, Lajos wanted to attend a school on the East Coast of the U.S. “I spent some Christmases here with my family and came to love the country,” she says. “Tammy Cecchini [Bucknell’s women’s tennis head coach] was one of a hundred coaches I emailed, and she called me the same day. I ended up being the first international student she ever recruited.”
Lajos is now pursuing a major in international relations at Bucknell — alongside her position on the women’s tennis team — with the goal of someday working within the United Nations.
“I’ve had so much experience living in different places. I want to continue to be in an atmosphere filled with different languages, cultures and political views,” she says. “The UN is an organization where there are so many opportunities to make a difference.”
Pathways
photograph by emily paine
She arrived at Bucknell set on a pre-law track. But a sociology class inspired her to reconsider that plan. “We learned about educational disparities in different parts of the country, and it really interested me,” she says. “It was like I had an awakening.” When a Teach for America recruiter visited campus, “I decided to jump in with both feet.” After graduation, she moved to Boston and spent the next five years teaching seventh-grade math. “It was hard but meaningful work.”
In 2020, the pandemic and a second baby on the way prompted her and husband Jesse Scheimreif ’16 to reassess their goals. “We were grinding, and we realized we wanted a different environment for raising our kids,” she says. So in 2021, they returned to Lewisburg.
The relocation enabled Scheimreif to lean into her lifelong love of interior design. She had never considered it a career option — until now. When her local Lowe’s was hiring a kitchen designer, she went for it. “It was a steep learning curve, but I loved it,” she says. “I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
Scheimreif connected with Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop thriving businesses. With the SBDC’s guidance, she launched Highland Design by Chrissy in 2023. From her Lewisburg home office/studio, Scheimreif helps clients transform their spaces into personalized reflections of style and functionality.
“I’m lucky I had the opportunity to do this,” she says. “Taking a big risk to follow my dream wouldn’t have been possible without the support I had.”
Pathways
photograph by emily paine
She arrived at Bucknell set on a pre-law track. But a sociology class inspired her to reconsider that plan. “We learned about educational disparities in different parts of the country, and it really interested me,” she says. “It was like I had an awakening.” When a Teach for America recruiter visited campus, “I decided to jump in with both feet.” After graduation, she moved to Boston and spent the next five years teaching seventh-grade math. “It was hard but meaningful work.”
In 2020, the pandemic and a second baby on the way prompted her and husband Jesse Scheimreif ’16 to reassess their goals. “We were grinding, and we realized we wanted a different environment for raising our kids,” she says. So in 2021, they returned to Lewisburg.
The relocation enabled Scheimreif to lean into her lifelong love of interior design. She had never considered it a career option — until now. When her local Lowe’s was hiring a kitchen designer, she went for it. “It was a steep learning curve, but I loved it,” she says. “I knew this is what I wanted to do.”
Scheimreif connected with Bucknell’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC), which helps aspiring entrepreneurs develop thriving businesses. With the SBDC’s guidance, she launched Highland Design by Chrissy in 2023. From her Lewisburg home office/studio, Scheimreif helps clients transform their spaces into personalized reflections of style and functionality.
“I’m lucky I had the opportunity to do this,” she says. “Taking a big risk to follow my dream wouldn’t have been possible without the support I had.”
Gateway
An Agricultural Legacy
While President Bravman may have imagined himself a farmer as a young boy, one of his predecessors was a real farmer. Charles H. Watts II H’79, P’80, who served as Bucknell’s president from 1964 to 76, grew up on a farm in Freedom, N.H. Called High Watch, it was a large and prosperous farm that employed many farmhands from the surrounding area. At his father’s insistence, Charlie was one of those farmhands during the summer months when he returned home from boarding school, and later college.
In 1955, while on the English faculty at Brown, Charlie and his wife, Patricia P’80, purchased a farm near High Watch and called it High Meadow Farm. More than a “hobby farm,” High Meadow Farm operated for over 45 years, primarily selling eggs, apples, wood and hay. High Meadow Farm was the Watts’ favorite getaway where they both enjoyed being outdoors and contributing physical labor to the farm’s operations. After leaving Bucknell in 1976, Charlie and Patricia split their time between High Meadow Farm and a home in Boston. As fate would have it, Charlie suffered a fatal heart attack while working at the farm in September 2001 at age 74.
The Bucknell Farm is a great example of Bucknell’s commitment to sustainability. It’s a wonderful interdisciplinary space for academic connections, sustainable food production, student life and wellness, and community engagement. I can’t help thinking how the Bucknell Farm reflects the values that Charlie and Patricia Watts embodied and that guided their work as lifelong conservationists. And I smile when I imagine how pleased they’d be to know that a working farm has been integrated into the life of our beloved university. Perhaps unknown to its developers and volunteers, the Bucknell Farm is a fitting and living tribute to one of our greatest presidents.
Dave Stacy ’73
Middletown, Del.
Disc Jockey
R. Christopher Stokes ’06
Los Angeles
Write to Us
Defining Data Science
I first learned what statistics is from Paul Benson ’34, M’34, P’68, P’78’s Intro to Statistics course during my sophomore year at Bucknell. Our course text was a book published by Bill Mendenhall ’45, M’50, who taught mathematics at Bucknell from 1959 to ’63. In Chapter 1, he wrote, “The objective of statistics is to make inferences (predictions, decisions) about a population based upon information contained in a sample” and “statistics is an area of science concerned with the extraction of information from numerical data and its use in making inferences about a population from which the data are obtained.”
My training and experience as a biostatistician before the origin of “data science” heavily involved the broader set of activities concerning data quality, interdisciplinary approach and reliance on complex computer algorithms, which are often cited to distinguish data science from statistics. That experience included many consulting sessions at Merck with Princeton Professor John Tukey, a renowned mathematician and statistician. He stressed the importance of concern about the origin and nature of the data, and of learning about the client’s science and context of his/her problem, as essential parts of practicing statistics. This further supports that statistics could have been called data science from the outset; then there wouldn’t be a dispute between those two terms.
James Bolognese ’74
Woodbridge, N.J.
Before Internet Surfing
Kelley Palsa
Aliquippa, Pa.
Christena Johnston-PulliaM ’94
Rockville, Md.
Table of Contents
Volume 17, Issue 3
Heather Johns P’27
EDITOR
Katie Neitz
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Barbara Wise
DESIGNERS
Kory Kennedy Design
(features, covers)
Amy Wells
(Gateway, Class Notes)
PHOTOGRAPHY EDITOR
Emily Paine
ASSISTANT EDITOR
Matt Jones
Heidi Hormel
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
Kim Faulk
Contributors
Dave Block, Megan Collins ’24, Sarah Downey ’25, Shana Ebright, Mike Ferlazzo, James T. Giffen, Matt Hughes, Brooke Thames, 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
(ISSN 1044-7563), of which this is volume 17, number 3, 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.
Permit No. 068-880.
Circulation
49,000
Postmaster
Send all address changes to:
Office of Records
301 Market St., Suite 2
Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837
© 2024 Bucknell University
More to Learn
The majors
Chinese and Japanese: Previously offered as concentrations within the East Asian studies major, these areas of study will now be available as separate majors for students aiming to develop comprehensive language skills and a deep understanding of Chinese and Japanese heritage, history and social dynamics. These new offerings allow students to specialize in a particular area of study while enabling the East Asian studies major to evolve and offer a broader cultural competency in both China and Japan.
The minors
Health humanities: Housed within the College of Arts & Sciences, this program will draw upon history, philosophy, cultural studies and the social sciences to create a well-rounded, humanistic understanding of health and medicine. The curriculum includes 30 courses, five of which are required to complete the minor. The program was developed over the past two years with funding from a $150,000 National Endowment for the Humanities grant.
Markets, innovation & design (MIDE): The Freeman College of Management is expanding access to its MIDE program by introducing it as a minor available to students University-wide. This will allow a broader range of students to develop an understanding of consumer behavior that can help drive innovation across industries.
News Ticker
Bright Minds
Excelling & Innovating
Clearing the Air
’burg and Beyond
Lewisburg
Poetry can be a powerful tool to stimulate children’s intellectual curiosity, promote emotional growth, and enhance language and vocabulary skills. With those benefits in mind, the students, faculty and staff of Bucknell’s Stadler Center for Poetry & Literary Arts approached Lewisburg Area School District with the idea of launching a series of poetry workshops for students in first through 12th grades, timed to National Poetry Month in April. Their goal? To make the literary art accessible and fun while building the imagin-ations and confidence of budding writers.
’burg and Beyond
Peru
When Alondra Freundt Olaya ’27 moved to the United States from Peru in 2011, she did more than just cross borders. She entered into a new world of opportunity. In rural Peru, due to lack of support systems, only about 36% of girls graduate from high school. In America, Freundt Olaya realized her access to resources could help to close that gap.
A Bison Stronghold
photography by Emily Paine and JAMES T. GIFFEN
The center was funded by Michael ’58, P’81, P’87, G’21, G’22 and Jocelyn Pascucci P’81, P’87, G’21, G’22, whose $40 million pledge in 2021 stands as the largest single gift in the University’s history. Of their commitment, $10 million developed the Pascucci Family Athletics Complex, enhancing the area around Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium. Supplemental support for the complex ensured the project was 100% donor-funded.
Earlier phases of the project included the installation of a modern LED video board at the south end of Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium in 2021 and the completion of a turf practice field in 2022.
“The initial phases of the Pascucci Family Athletics Complex have already had a significant positive impact on student-athlete performance and the game-day atmosphere at Christy Mathewson-Memorial Stadium,” says Jermaine Truax, vice president, director of athletics & recreation. “We are incredibly excited about the completion of the Pascucci Team Center. The modern training facility will even further enhance the student-athlete experience for multiple Bison programs. We are profoundly grateful for the support of Michael Pascucci and all of the donors who helped make this team center a reality.”
The remaining $30 million of the Pascucci pledge supports unrestricted, need-based financial aid.
Board of Trustees Elects New Chair
Board of Trustees Elects New Chair
Drapeau’s tenure as a trustee has been marked by significant contributions, including chairing the Human Resources Committee and the Executive Resources Subcommittee, as well as serving on various other committees. She has also been an advisory board member for the Freeman College of Management and is an active participant in alumni and admissions activities.
Drapeau, who studied chemical engineering at Bucknell and received an MBA from Dartmouth, is an executive coach who most recently served as chief people officer at Toast, a Boston-based software company. Beyond her professional endeavors, Drapeau serves on the board of directors of the Posse Foundation, a nonprofit providing scholarships and leadership training to students from diverse backgrounds. She also chairs the Posse Boston Advisory Board, demonstrating her commitment to education and community engagement.
“Bucknell’s distinctive academic depth and breadth, vibrant community and dedication to ensuring every voice is valued and heard make it a truly exceptional institution,” Drapeau says. “I am excited to work alongside President Bravman and the talented faculty, staff, students and fellow trustees to further advance Bucknell’s mission and ensure its continued success.”
Drapeau succeeds Chris O’Brien ’80, P’18, P’20, who served two terms as board chair and helped the University navigate the COVID-19 pandemic while being a champion for the University’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, and freedom of expression.
a fresh take on dining
“Dining is a critical part of the student experience. It’s important to not only meet our students’ nutritional needs, but also to fully integrate dining into the residential educational experience,” says Lisa Keegan, vice president for student enrollment, engagement & success and co-chair of the Dining Steering Committee.
Chartwells intends to reimagine Bucknell’s dining program. A newly created position of campus culinary liaison, for example, will work closely with students in cultural clubs and organizations to create a dining experience reflecting students’ preferences and backgrounds.
By offering diverse food options and supporting initiatives that ensure access, Chartwells aims to help Bucknell foster a more equitable dining structure.
The company also prioritizes sustainability and will use locally sourced food, including produce grown at Bucknell Farm, as much as possible to create delicious and nutritious meals for the campus community.
Chartwells, which serves more than 300 colleges and universities, was selected after a yearlong process that included campus presentations and tastings. The vendor was the top choice of students, faculty and staff.
How to Be Alone: Religion, Solitude and Loneliness
When I taught How to Be Alone: Religion, Solitude and Loneliness in spring 2021, it was clear that the students were invested in the conversation from day one. They exhibited a proactive curiosity that usually takes weeks to develop. We wrestled with questions for which there are no clear answers: What is the cause of loneliness? How does it differ from solitude? Does a religious tradition amplify or alleviate one’s sense of disconnection from the world? Why, in the age of the internet, do Americans seem lonelier than ever?
Students develop a deeper sensitivity to how religion shapes and is shaped by our world through exploring long-standing questions about social isolation. But they also sharpen a set of mental habits that will serve them beyond the classroom. For example, I encourage them to engage in a range of “solitude exercises” — eating alone at the cafeteria, sitting alone on the Quad, going to a movie alone, or writing a letter to a friend — without a phone nearby.
Pop Quiz: Danny Gevirtz ’16
A Life Like a Movie
In which historic cinema house did the film make its big-screen debut?
- Campus Theatre, Lewisburg
- TCL Chinese Theatre, Los Angeles
- Music Box Theatre, Chicago
- Keswick Theatre, Glenside, Pa.
Ready for Launch
Glenn was initially drawn to the solitary freedom of single sculling. “You can go wherever you want, do what you want and everything is on you,” she says. But when she arrived at Bucknell, she found synergy with varsity eight, an eight-person boat.
“I really, really love the eight,” she says. “It’s such a cool feeling when you have all eight people rowing in perfect sync. It’s the epitome of a team sport because every person has to be on the same exact page.”
The computer science & engineering and applied mathematics double-major also appreciates her sport’s connection to her academic pursuits.
A Clear View of Science
photography by Emily Paine
A Clear View of Science
photography by Emily Paine
o really appreciate the zebra-fish, you have to look closely. Because at first glance, the diminutive member of the minnow family appears to be a perfectly ordinary, if not unremarkable, organism. The adults possess a restrained style, with characteristic horizontal stripes that adorn their small bodies, but the newly hatched aren’t much to look at — literally — because they’re only a few millimeters long and nearly fully transparent. However, under a microscope, the zebrafish emerges as a model organism for biological research, both at Bucknell and throughout the world.
“Students can use model organisms to explore questions ranging from the molecular level, like how individual neurons are built, all the way up to the systems level, like how neural circuits drive specific behaviors,” says Professor Matthew Clark, biology. “There are all these different kinds of model organisms, like mice, zebra-fish and fruit flies, that can be studied to better understand how more complex networks of cells and neurons are working together to perform particular functions.”
Pomp It Up!
Features
From Boomers to Zoomers
oday’s modern workplaces boast unprecedented diversity that extends beyond race and ethnicity. Age diversity is more pronounced than ever as five distinct generations are working together for the first time in history. At one end of the spectrum, there are people who are living — and working — longer. At the other, there is the most populous and diverse generation on earth whose oldest members began entering the workforce around 2019.
As this broad intergenerational mix of people converges in conference rooms and on Slack channels, it’s clear that its different communication styles, perspectives on career success and expectations of leadership are already shaking up workplace dynamics.
Generation Z, which includes our newest alumni (see “Oh, The Places They’re Going!”), is frequently burdened with negative stereotypes regarding its work ethic. These employees are often seen as being overly attached to their phones, having short attention spans and lacking loyalty to employers. The truth, of course, is more nuanced (see “Stereotypes vs. Reality”). Like the generations before them, their preferences, skills and behaviors have been shaped by external factors beyond their control, including economic conditions and technological advancements.
Oh, the Places They’re Going!
Oh, the Places They’re Going!
Amber Cutler ’24
“Before Bucknell, when I told people I wanted to be a writer, I’d hear that I should pursue a ‘real job.’ The Bucknell Community College Scholars Program gave me access to resources that enabled me to pursue my creative endeavors and manifest my dreams. I found a nurturing environment within Bucknell’s English — creative writing department, and interning with Bucknell’s literary journal, West Branch, gave me valuable practical publishing experience.”
Called to Serv
Between Service and Student
While balancing classes, extracurricular activities and the many social opportunities that beckon college students on the weekends, a core group of students finds the time to volunteer at William Cameron Engine Company while pursuing EMT and firefighter certifications. From left, Danielle Kuck ’27, Christopher Oko ’26, Kathryn Wrynn ’26, Olivia Jaye ’26, Matt Otto ’24, William Burson ’26 and Isabel Byrnes ’27.
Bucknellians have always served their community in unique and necessary ways. Now, a group of students is bringing back a decades-old club that prepares the next generation of emergency service responders to provide critical support in communities at Bucknell, in Lewisburg and beyond.
photography by Emily Paine
The solution was simple: start a club of her own. Or, rather, revive a club that has, over the past four decades, and under the banner of different names — Volunteer Services, Bucknell Emergency Services Team, University Emergency Medical Services — been a hub for students who want to help people while preparing for careers in medicine. With the help of Olivia Jaye ’26, a cell biology/biochemistry major from Hopkinton, Mass., Wrynn relaunched a medical services club in 2022. Student Emergency Response Volunteers (SERV) is an education and community outreach organization that gives students hands-on training in EMS, fire and rescue by partnering with Lewisburg’s fire and EMS provider, the William Cameron Engine Company.
Photo of Bucknell Emergency Services Team: Susan Naughton Chong ‘96, P’27
The Bucknell Emergency Services Team, here in 1993, was composed of student volunteeers who collaborated with the William Cameron Engine Company to serve as a campus resource group.
‘ray Bucknell
photograph by EMILY PAINE
Finding Your People
Times may change, but many of the difficulties faced by past generations of students are the same for today’s collegians. After I arrived at Stanford in 1975, I quickly discovered that I was completely unprepared. I had no idea how to study and nearly flunked out. The worst part, though, was feeling overwhelmed and alone on the huge campus, so far from my native New York.
The Accidental Collection
“When I started to reread all of these pieces, I noticed I’d been working on a lot of really similar themes. I’ve been writing stories about loneliness, about loss, about the ways these things shape and haunt our lives without us always recognizing that they’re in the background,” says Henry. “I didn’t sit down to write a bunch of stories that were really thematically linked, so I think of this book in many ways as an accidental short story collection.”
Practice for Becoming a Ghost, his debut story collection, is a work of magical realism, a genre that blurs the boundary between fantasy and reality by incorporating fantastical elements into otherwise familiar narratives. The 16 stories were composed across different eras of Henry’s academic career, though he traces some of the most impactful advice he received to his time as a student in Bucknell’s Master of Arts in English program.
Modernizing Elder Care
The idea was born from Kaul’s personal experiences. As a child, he volunteered at a local nursing home in Livingston, N.J., with his father and brother. They’d spend hours playing bingo and keeping the residents company at meal times. “My dad wanted to instill an appreciation and respect for elders in us,” he says.
After graduating from Bucknell as an anthropology major, Kaul decided to attend medical school. But life threw him a curveball when he found himself in the position of being the legal guardian for a family member in a nursing home. “Juggling intensive care along with medical school was one of the most difficult things I had done,” he says. “I couldn’t imagine how overwhelming it could have been without professional familiarity with medicine.”
Fluent Futures
Following her heart meant pursuing a different path. She became a management major, earned her MBA and found success and satisfaction in positions at MetLife, Bankers Trust and T. Rowe Price.
But six years into her career at T. Rowe Price, she had another change of heart. “When I had my twins in 2003, I realized I wanted to share my love of language and culture with them,” Peyton says.
Peyton was raised in a bilingual household by Costa Rican parents. She says she always had an appreciation for her parents’ heritage, language and culture, but it became more pronounced when she had children.
The Big Picture
Following stints as a producer at ABC, CNN and National Geographic, Park is now a senior producer at The New York Times, where she manages a field-reporting team and guides visual storytelling. It’s her job to not only commission and assign news stories, but to oversee her team throughout the editorial process. “I am always asking questions, making sure we’re getting the answers we need and talking to the right people. And so I serve as collaborator and editor,” says Park.
Rooke Family Receives William Bucknell Philanthropy Award
“The name Rooke is synonymous with our University,” says President John Bravman. “This award celebrates not only what they have done very concretely with bricks, but it also recognizes Bob, Natalie and the Rooke family legacy. Our University is a stronger, more vibrant institution because of their generosity.”
The Rooke family’s impact is evident across Bucknell’s campus — from the Robert L. Rooke Chapel to the Rooke Science Center. Bob and Natalie have backed more than 30 initiatives, with their contributions nearing $15 million. They have supported infrastructure, giving generously to the Bucknell University General Building Fund and the Holmes Hall building project, and bolstered Bucknell’s music program through gifts to the Sigfried Weis Music Building, the William A. Payn Music Scholarship, the R. C. Rooke Chapel Music Program and the Rooke Chapel Organ Assistants Fund.
Bridging the Gap
IN MEMORIAM
1944
1947
Josephine Pierce Sierer, Jan. 19, Fort Collins, Colo.
1948
1950
Robert Rothermel, March 29, Danville, Pa.
Caryl Schmidt Williams, Dec. 25, Tempe, Ariz.
1951
Dale Ranck P’77, Jan. 16, Milton, Pa.
1952
Mary Jane Brokaw Swanson, March 10, Hendersonville, N.C.
1954
Barbara Davenport Neville, Feb. 19, Center Tuftonboro, N.H.
1955
Dean Beugless, Feb. 2, Warminster, Pa.
Stuart Berelson ’59, P’85, P’91
Photo: Courtesy of Special Collections/University Archives
After graduating from high school at age 16, Berelson attended Bucknell, where he was a member of ROTC and joined Bucknell’s inaugural men’s swimming and diving team. He went on to earn a law degree from New York University School of Law and served two years in Germany as a military police officer for the Army. Following his military service, he began his distinguished law career. He specialized in taxation and estate planning, representing a wide range of clients in commercial and residential real estate and construction.
Berelson was a dedicated and generous alumnus of Bucknell, serving on the Board of Trustees and as an emeritus trustee. In 1993, he established the Berelson Center for Jewish Life at Bucknell, creating a vibrant space for Jewish life on campus. His contributions were recognized with the Alumni Association’s Loyalty to Bucknell Award in 2009.
Berelson is survived by his wife, Betty P’85, P’91, four children, including Joel Berelson ’85 and Wendy Berelson ’91, and three grandchildren.
Donations in his memory may be made to the Berelson Center for Jewish Life at give.bucknell.edu.
in memoriam
Michael “Mick” Smyer
Photo: Cardoni Photography
During his tenure as provost from 2008 to 2015, Smyer distinguished himself as a visionary leader, overseeing academic and student affairs with a blend of wisdom and compassion. His expertise in psychology, particularly in understanding the aging process and its societal implications, earned him national recognition. Beyond academia, Smyer was committed to leveraging the influence of older individuals to drive positive change in environmental policy, a cause to which he dedicated his later years.
Following his time at Bucknell, Smyer embarked on a new chapter as the founder of Growing Greener, an organization devoted to empowering individuals and groups to take meaningful climate action through psychology-informed strategies and engagement tools. Additionally, as a senior fellow in social innovation at Babson College’s Lewis Institute (now the Institute for Social Innovation), he continued his work to apply entrepreneurial thinking to address climate challenges.
Smyer is survived by his wife of nearly 49 years, Pat Piper-Smyer, two sons, a daughter, and four grandsons.
DO
Reconnect with Classmates
Photo: Emily Paine
Swing by Campus for a Swing
As its senior tribute, the Class of 2024 collaborated with Bucknell’s Facilities team to have four A-frame bench swings installed on campus. The swings, which have been placed in the Grove and at the South Campus Apartments, are aimed at fostering a sense of community among students. One swing honors the memory of their classmate Christian Samay ’24.
Mark your calendar!
Bucknell Family Weekend
Sept. 20–22, 2024
Write to Us
We love to hear from readers. Send your feedback, insights, compliments and complaints.
Answer This:
If you could go back in time and change your major, what would you study instead, and why?
share feedback and respond to future prompts: linkedin.com/school/bucknell-university
See the Weis Center’s New Look!
In addition to preparing for upcoming performances, the Weis Center is also undergoing renovations this summer. The center’s HVAC and architectural lighting systems are being updated with new LED lighting and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems to align with the University’s sustainability practices. When the center reopens in the fall, you’ll notice some updated features of the Weis Center atrium lobby.
Crowdsourced
What song reminds you of your college years?
“I look back fondly on my days playing music on the campus radio station 90.5 WVBU and jamming with my friends to ‘Cbat’ by Hudson Mohawke, which was featured on Workaholics.”
Tom Murphy ’17 DJ’ing in 2013.
“ ‘Crazy Train’ by Ozzy Osbourne and ‘Holiday’ by Green Day. I had so much fun playing those two songs at the Bucknell basketball games with the Bison Band!”
Caption Contest
Alumni Recognized for Dedication and Service
Loyalty to Bucknell Award
Michael Sinkus ’74, M’76, P’90
Sinkus routinely engages with alumni to encourage others to give back to the University. He has served on the Bison Board for Athletics, the Bucknell University Alumni Association Board of Directors (including the executive committee) and multiple Reunion committees. He is a member of both the William Bucknell Society and the Bertrand Society. Throughout his 45-year career at the fundraising firm Marts & Lundy, Sinkus used his knowledge of higher education to advocate for financial aid, the liberal arts and programs that encourage critical thinking.
Outstanding Achievement in a Chosen Profession
Robert J. Gamgort ’84, P’16
Throughout his 38-year career in consumer products and entertainment, Gamgort has led various iconic brands and blue-chip companies. He serves as CEO of Keurig Dr Pepper, one of North America’s largest beverage companies, and moved into the role of executive chairman in 2024. In addition, Gamgort is a director for Chobani and NVA and Ethos Veterinary Health companies. He and his wife, Sue DeMent Gamgort ’84, P’16, financially support the Gateway Scholars Program.
Service to Humanity
Richard Pollard ’74
After joining the Peace Corps post-graduation, Pollard taught in a Nepali village, where poor sanitation motivated him to pursue a master’s degree in water resources management. He led sanitation, research and policy advisory efforts across the globe through the Water and Sanitation Program at the World Bank, serving in Lesotho, Pakistan, Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia, as well as across Central Asia and the Middle East. In retirement, he volunteers at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum and as a court-appointed special advocate for children.
Young Alumni Award
Eric Diamond ’09
Diamond founded MainLine Solar as a post-graduation entrepreneurial venture, then transitioned into military service as a Chinook helicopter pilot. Subsequently, he worked for Uber, Etsy, Tesla and the federal government before joining Greencastle Consulting. As president of the implementation firm, Diamond contributes to the company’s military influenced approach to project management, change management, process improvement and business intelligence initiatives.
Witty Winners
Submit your caption for the retro photo on the opposite page to bmagazine@bucknell.edu by Aug. 30.
On the Susquehanna River
photograph by Emily PainE
Spending so much time in nature has allowed me to practice gratitude. Because the water is such a quiet place, the smallest aspects of nature become amplified. Whether it is the way the sun is hitting the water, or the sound of the water flowing, or the way the hills frame the river in just the right way, it is all so incredible and gives me a deeper appreciation for this planet we live on.
My favorite time to be on the water is at sunrise, when the world is quiet. It allows me to find a sense of peace and focus before beginning my busy day. I love being able to see where the starry night meets the orange glow of the sun, and then it emerges into some amazing colors that are different each day. The stunning backdrop of the morning sky makes the sacrifice of sleep worth it.
photograph by Howard Lao
