CLARION
U N I V E R S I T Y

M A G A Z I N E

WINTER 2018

CLARION CELEBRATES

150 YEARS

In the past 150 years, the world has changed and so has our school.
We have adapted to new ideas and technologies, while staying true to
our roots.

We are Courageous. Confident. Clarion. We’re celebrating our remarkable
past while looking to our bright future. The year-long celebration began
Founders Weekend with the Distinguished Awards presentations.
Visit WWW.CLARION.EDU/150.

CLARION

W I N T ER 2 0 18
VOLUME 4
NUMBER 3

FEATURES
12 Mural fortitude

As a child, Dan
McAdoo took art
classes to help
manage Wilson’s
disease. Art has
become not only
his livelihood,
but a way to
communicate with
the world.

18 Betterment of humanity
Dr. Michael Rastatter was
inducted into the National
Academy of Inventors for his
development of devices that
made a tangible impact on
humanity.

24 Clarion University:


Seminary to normal school

Take a look back at
the first 50 years of
Clarion University
history to learn
how the university
evolved from its
beginning as a
Methodist seminary.

ON THE COVER
Founders Hall in
autumn

DEPARTMENTS
4 Clarion Digest
Pete Fackler returns to Clarion as interim
president; science students and faculty help
Girls Rock Science at Carnegie Science Center;
three students complete the Pennsylvania
State Trooper Academy; alumni Christopher
Albrecht (M.Ed. ’95) and Stanley Spoor (’00)
are recognized for excellence as educators;
enrollment is up; Li awarded NSF grant for
nanoscale research.
10 Homecoming
Clarion welcomed home
24 former kings and
queens to celebrate the
sesquicentennial on a
special float during the
ALF parade. Alumni from
14 states took part in the
weekend festivities.
32 Sports Roundup
Four years of building a winning culture is paying
dividends for soccer coach Sean Esterhuizen
and his players; new leaders emerge, GPAs soar,
on men’s golf team; volleyball makes best start
since 2014; optimism is key as football program
rebuilds.
40 Alumni News & Class Notes
48 Courageous Endeavors
Last summer, ROTC Cadet
Jessica Kenny spent a
month in Estonia as part
of the ROTC Cultural
Understanding Language
Proficiency program,
then later attended Army
Airborne School in Fort
Benning, Ga.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

1

CLARION
UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE
President: Peter C. Fackler
Executive editor: Tina Horner
Co-editors: Sean Fagan (sports); Amy Thompson
Wozniak (’02, M.S. ’06)
Design: Brenda Stahlman, Debbie Henry
Contributors: Michelle Port, Sammi Beichner,
Jessica Funk
Photographers: Adam Reynolds (’15), George Powers
(’81), Jason Strohm (’01, MFA ’05), Brett Whitling,
Bri Nellis (’16)
Address comments and questions to:
Clarion University Magazine
Center for Advancement

Pennsylvania State System of
Higher Education Board of Governors
Chair: Cynthia D. Shapira
Vice Chair: David M. Maser
Vice Chair: Harold C. Shields
Sen. Ryan P. Aument
Rep. Matthew E. Baker
Audrey F. Bronson
Sarah Galbally
Molly Gallagher
Rep. Michael K. Hanna
Shaina Marie Hilsey
Donald E. Houser Jr.
Barbara McIlvaine Smith
Marian D. Moskowitz
Thomas S. Muller
Pedro A. Rivera, secretary of education
Sen. Judith L. Schwank
Samuel H. Smith
Brian Swatt
Neil R. Weaver
Gov. Tom Wolf

Clarion University of Pennsylvania
840 Wood St., Clarion, PA 16214
Email: alumni@clarion.edu
Visit Clarion University on the Web at www.clarion.edu
Clarion University Magazine is published by the
Division for University Advancement for alumni,
families of current students and friends of Clarion
University. Alumni information is also located at www.
clarion.edu/alumni.
It is the policy of Clarion University of Pennsylvania
that there shall be equal opportunity in all of its
educational programs, services, and benefits, and
there shall be no discrimination with regard to a
student’s or prospective student’s gender, gender
identity, race or color, ethnicity, national origin
or ancestry, age, mental or physical disability,
religion or creed, genetic information, affectional
or sexual orientation, veteran status, or other
classifications that are protected under Title IX of
the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with
Disabilities Act of 1990, and other pertinent state
and federal laws and regulations. Direct inquiries
to the Title IX Coordinator, Clarion University of
Pennsylvania, 103 Carrier Administration Building,
sfenske@clarion.edu or phone 814-393-2351, or the
Director of Social Equity, 210 Carrier Administration
Building 16214-1232; Email asalsgiver@clarion.
edu or phone 814-393-2109. Inquiries may also be
directed to the Director of the Office for Civil Rights,
Department of Education, 330 Independence Avenue,
SW, Washington, DC 20201.

Council of Trustees
Chair: J.D. Dunbar (’77, MS ’79)
Vice Chair: Melissa Bauer (’84)
Secretary: James L. Kifer (’83)
Dr. Syed R. Ali-Zaidi
Susanne A. Burns
The Honorable R. Lee James (’74, ’83)
The Honorable Donna Oberlander (’91)
Randy Seitz (’09)
Howard H. Shreckengost (’83)
Neil Weaver (’00)
Edward Green, student trustee

Alumni Association Board of Directors
President: Jeff Douthett (’79)
President-elect: Theresa Edder (’91, ’05)
Treasurer: Jonathan Catanzarita (’11)
Secretary: Virginia Vasko (’88)
Lindsay Banner (’07)
Angela Brown (’80)
Michael Chapaloney (’99)
Kimberly Griffith (’87)
Lee Grosch (’62)
Sandra Jarecki (’69)
Bridget Kennedy (’90)
Thomas Launer (’10)
Chris Myers (’12)
Michael Phillips (’03, ’04)
Michael Polite (’86)
Will Price (’11)
David Reed (’09)
Georgia Yamalis (’15)
Glenn Zary (’97)
Christopher Enos
Eagle Ambassadors president
Peter C. Fackler, ex-officio
Interim President of Clarion University

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LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Clarion family,
Last fall, I was given the opportunity to serve as
interim president of Clarion University while a search
is conducted for the university’s 17th president. I’m
honored to serve in this capacity.
It’s a fantastic time to be here, as we mark Clarion’s
sesquicentennial. This magazine issue takes a look at
the first 50 years, from our founding as a Methodist
seminary in 1867 to our transition to a normal school.
Celebrations of the past are an ideal time to plan for the
future, and that is where my efforts will lie during my
presidency.
My focus during this nine-month period is to set the
table, as best I can, for the incoming president. That work includes continuing the positive
momentum in Clarion’s recruitment, retention and graduation rates, and introducing new
academic programs that are relevant and in demand. It will also involve balancing the
budget for the current fiscal year and to develop the budget for 2018-19.
The values that built and shaped our university are in evidence through you, our alumni.
For 150 years, we have been Courageous. Confident. Clarion. Let’s carry on in that proud
tradition.

Peter C. Fackler
Interim president
Clarion University

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

3

STUDENT NEWS I CLARION DIGEST
Student shadows PennDOT
communications team
Alexis White, a senior
strategic communications
major with a minor in women
and gender studies, spent
a day with transportation
secretary Leslie Richards in
the PennDOT communications
office in Harrisburg. White is
the student representative
for Clarion’s Presidential
Commission on the Status
of Women and recently was
promoted to specialist in the
Army National Guard where
she serves as a military police
officer. She hopes to continue
her education at law school to
become an attorney.​​

Thomas (’68) Wilkinson (center,
with other volunteers) helped with the
cleanup of Houston houses decimated
by the flooding from Hurricane Harvey.
Thomas donned his Clarion University
gear as he worked to restore the houses
to living condition. His wife Tana (’69)
was also part of the work crew.

Clarion students complete State Trooper
Academy, are assigned to barracks
Clarion University students Josh Wiskeman, Nick Schmader and Jacob Beers were
among 90 cadets to graduate from the State Trooper Academy Sept. 8.

Wiskeman

Wiskeman, of Leechburg,
graduated from Clarion in
December with a Bachelor of
Science in criminal justice
administration. He received
two awards during graduation
from the State Trooper
Academy: the American
Legion Award for integrity,
discipline and ethics, and
the Colonel Ronald L. Sharpe
Award for leadership. It
is rare for one student to
receive both awards. He has
been assigned to Troop B,
Uniontown.

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Schmader

Schmader, of Leeper,
graduated in 2014 with
an Associate of Science in
criminal justice. He has been
assigned to Troop E, Franklin.

Beers

Beers, of DuBois,
graduated in 2016 with
a Bachelor of Science in
Education in secondary
education/history. He has
been assigned to Troop D,
Kittanning.

The ceremony marked the culmination
of 27 weeks of classroom and physical training
and brings to 21 the number of Clarion students
who have become state troopers.

GIRLS
ROCK
SCIENCE
Science faculty members
Dr. Jessica Thomas and
Dr. Craig Scott participated
in KDKA’s Girls Rock Science:
An Exploration of Stem Sept.
23 and 24 at Carnegie Science
Center, Pittsburgh. Thomas
and Scott, along with biology
students Naaila Ali, Cody Little
and Marissa Paredes, hosted
an interactive anatomy and
physiology booth that was a
favorite among the event’s
4,000 visitors. The event was
held to promote STEM to girls
ages 6 to 18.

EDUCATION ALUMNI

(M.Ed. ’95) has been named the 2018
New York State Teacher of the Year.
He has taught at Fred W. Hill School,
Brockport, N.Y., for 20 years, the last 14
teaching fourth grade.

“Christopher Albrecht not only
teaches academics, but helps build
character, humor and a positive
attitude in every student,” said
MaryEllen Elia, state education
commissioner for New York.
“Chris is an outstanding
practitioner and creates one of the
best classroom environments you
could ever hope to experience,”
said Fred W. Hill School Principal
Brandon Broughton. “Where he
really separates himself, even
among exemplary educators, is his
dedication to the whole child and
to building a deep relationship with
both his students and their families.
Being in his classroom can be a
life-changing experience for a child.
I have witnessed him dedicate a
great deal of his own time to helping
students reach their personal goals
both in the classroom and beyond.”
In 2015, Albrecht began an
afterschool running program for

fourth- and fifth-grade students with
a focus on building self-confidence
in special needs children. This team
has grown from five to 19 students
with all students completing a 5K
road race. He started an annual
spelling bee at the school and a
yearbook committee, which he
continues to advise. Albrecht has
also coached high school baseball
and soccer.
In the community, Albrecht sits
on the Board of Trustees for the
Western Monroe Historical Society
and is a trustee on the Board of the
Clarkson Historical Society.
He will serve as an ambassador
for teachers throughout the state
over the next year and will have the
opportunity to travel to the White
House to meet President Trump.
Albrecht, a native of upstate New
York, earned his bachelor’s degree
in elementary education from St.
Bonaventure University.

Albrecht

CHRISTOPHER ALBRECHT

ALUMNI NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

Education alumni ALBRECHT and
SPOOR recognized for excellence
School of Technology in Wilmington, Del., was named 2017
Delaware Secondary Principal of the Year by the Delaware
Association of School Principals. Spoor has been the principal of
Howard since 2012.
During his tenure, the school has received prestigious national
and statewide recognitions:
2013-15, 2017: Recognized by U.S. News and World Report as
a Bronze Medal School
2015: Named a School of Continued Excellence by Delaware
Department of Education
2014: Named Reward and Recognition School by Delaware
Department of Education
2013: Recognized by Verizon as an Innovative Learning
School (one of 12 in the U.S.)
2013: Recognized by Apple as an Apple Distinguished
Program for innovation, leadership and educational
excellence
Among the initiatives Spoor has developed at Howard High
School of Technology are the 1:1 iPad initiative which provides
access, through technology, to opportunities for teachers and
students, and the iLead Program, which is designed to enhance
leadership skills in students.

Spoor

DR. STANLEY SPOOR (’00), principal of Howard High

Prior to becoming principal, Spoor was
assistant principal at Howard for five years. He
earned his bachelor’s degree in education from
Clarion University and two master’s degrees and
a Doctor of Education degree from Wilmington
University.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

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CAMPUS NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

MAKING STRIDES
The ASN Nursing Club hosted its fourth
annual Breast Cancer 5K Run Oct. 12 on the
Samuel Justus trail, near the Clarion University
– Venango campus.
Club advisor and ASN nursing instructor
Chris Weidle said this year’s turnout was the
best so far, and they raised $2,000 for “Making
Strides for Breast Cancer” – American Cancer
Society.
This year’s 5K was in memory of Liz
Stephenson, a tenured member of the ASN
nursing faculty for 25 years. She retired last
fall and passed away Sept. 26. In addition to
community members, Stephenson’s son, two
sisters-in-law, a niece and several cousins
participated in the walk. Former students also
returned to honor her.

PETE FACKLER SELECTED AS INTERIM PRESIDENT
The Board of Governors
of Pennsylvania’s State
System of Higher Education
in October selected Peter
C. Fackler to serve as
interim president of Clarion
University.
“It is important that we
maintain strong leadership
during the search for a
new, permanent president
for Clarion University;
someone who can keep
the university moving
forward during this period
of transition,” said Board
of Governors Chairwoman
Cynthia D. Shapira. “Mr.
Fackler has demonstrated
his leadership throughout his career, including during his previous
tenure at Clarion. His familiarity with the university and the State
System should be of further benefit as he assumes this new role.”
Fackler previously served as the university’s interim vice
president for finance and administration from 2012 to 2015. In that
role, he worked with the president and others to align staffing with
the university’s strategic direction and to address a significant
structural budget deficit. He also worked with the provost on
strategic changes to the university’s financial aid program to utilize
it as a means of helping to grow enrollment in targeted ways, and
with the vice president for student affairs to put in place a plan to
expand athletics offerings and athletics scholarships for women.
“Peter already has provided enormous contributions to Clarion
University,” said State System interim Chancellor Karen M. Whitney,
who, prior to being selected by the board earlier this year to serve

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in her current position, was Clarion’s president for seven years.
“As a member of the administrative team, he worked closely with
the university’s top leadership in developing key initiatives. That
experience will be important as he takes on this new role and
guides the university during this time of transition.”
Fackler, a native of Unionville, Chester County, holds a bachelor’s
degree in economics from Duke University and a Master of
Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He also
studied at both Harvard University’s Institute for Educational
Management and Columbia University’s Teachers College.
He has more than 30 years’ experience in higher education,
after beginning his career as an accountant with Price Waterhouse
(now PricewaterhouseCoopers) in New York. He most recently
served as interim vice president of finance and administration
at Misericordia University.
“I am looking forward to reuniting with friends and colleagues
at Clarion University during the transition to a new president and to
working with faculty and staff in service to the university’s students
and the local Clarion and wider Pennsylvania communities,” Fackler
said.
Fackler will serve as interim president at Clarion until the
successful conclusion of a national search for a permanent
president.
The Board of Governors is responsible for hiring university
presidents within the State System. When the need for
temporary leadership at a university occurs, the chancellor – in
consultation with the chair of the Council of Trustees – makes a
recommendation to the Board of Governors, which then meets to
ratify the selection. An interim president serves as the university’s
chief executive officer, with the same responsibilities and authority
as a permanent president.
Follow the search at WWW.CLARION.EDU/PRESIDENTIALSEARCH.

150 YEARS I CLARION DIGEST
CYMBAL OF APPRECIATION
Dr. Todd Pfannestiel, interim
provost, took a break from his
administrative duties and gave the
Golden Eagles Marching Band some
assistance. He played suspended
cymbal in the pit section during the
homecoming game Oct. 15. With
him is freshman band member
Zachary Zalewski.

Pfannestiel said he joined
the band to show the
university’s continued support
for their amazing effort.
“As I have helped (band
director) Dr. Teske to grow
the marching band over the
previous three years, the
students have accepted me

(and my wife Aimee and
unofficial band mascot, our
dog Rocky) as one of them,”
Pfannestiel said. “I felt it
would be best to show my
appreciation for all their hard
work by taking it on myself.”

DEBRA SOBINA APPOINTED DIRECTOR OF
CLARION UNIVERSITY – VENANGO
Debra D. Sobina
(’83, MBA ’91) of Oil City
has been appointed
director of Clarion
University – Venango. In
this role, she will oversee
administrative functions for
Venango campus and West
Penn School of Nursing in
Pittsburgh.
“I look forward to this
new opportunity to provide leadership for the Venango and
Pittsburgh campuses and to work with the faculty and staff who
have a tremendous amount of vision and energy for providing
high quality educational opportunities,” Sobina said. “This new
model allows for great synergy as enrollments continue to grow
in Clarion University’s professional preparation programs and
on all of Clarion’s sites and in all learning modalities.”

Sobina will work with the academic deans of the College
of Health and Human Services, the College of Business
Administration and Information Sciences, and the College
of Arts, Education and Sciences, who maintain office hours
at Venango campus. Together, they will create and place
in-demand programs and degrees at the Venango and
Pittsburgh sites.
Sobina, previously director of finance and administration for
Venango campus, earned her Master of Business Administration
and bachelor’s degree in economics from Clarion University.
She sits on the Oil Region Alliance of Business Industry &
Tourism Board and serves as the treasurer. Additionally, she is a
member of the Venango Catholic High School Board and chairs
the organizational committee as part of Oil City Main Street.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
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CAMPUSSTEELERS
NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

CONNECTIONS

Charlie Batch discusses leadership
at Venango campus

Charlie Batch, who earned two Super Bowl rings during his
time as backup quarterback for the Pittsburgh Steelers, presented
“Expect Your Best” Sept. 13 at Clarion University – Venango.
Batch shared stories about his personal successes and failures
in the NFL and in life that taught him how to become a leader. For
Batch, it all comes down to expecting the very best from yourself
and those around you. He shared three keys to leadership: Be ready,
be resilient, be the pro.

Steelers’ Griggs shares
secrets to success

Anthony Griggs, former Pittsburgh Steelers player development director,
presented “Life’s a Sport. Win It!” Sept. 19 in Gemmell Student Complex.
The event launched Clarion’s 2017-18 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration.
Griggs used his skills to maximize the potential of the Steelers players
off the field, so they could be their best on the field. He served as assistant
strength and conditioning coach and was responsible for overseeing the
progress of each player’s fitness development and administering the
players’ programs (continued education, career development, financial/
business management seminars and family assistance).

Blue and gold shoots
black and gold

Brian Cook has been covering the NFL
since graduating with a communication
degree in 2003. He previously worked for
other broadcasters and covered the Steelers
for Pittsburgh-area media, but now he has his
own production company, Golden Sky Media
Company, LLC, for which he shoots, edits and
reports. Cook is often seen on the Pittsburgh
sidelines during games and conducting postgame locker room interviews. He has covered
seven Super Bowls.

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CLARION SCORES NSF GRANT TO
EXPAND NANOSCALE RESEARCH
The National Science Foundation has awarded a grant
of $151,940 to physics professor Dr. Chunfei Li, bringing to
$700,545 the total in NSF grants awarded to Li since 2011. This
award will be used to purchase an electron back scattering
diffraction, an attachment for the existing scanning electron
microscope, which will enable researchers to gather information
regarding crystallography, down to 100
nanometers.
The instrument will especially benefit
the research activities in the fields of
physics, anthropology, biology, geology
and chemistry.

ENROLLMENT UP
FOR 2017-18 YEAR

As Clarion University celebrates its sesquicentennial, overall student
enrollment numbers are up for the first time since 2009. After the first
day of classes, enrollment stood at 5,256. The number of new students
(undergraduates, transfers and graduate students) is up by nearly 100, the
second year in a row that number has grown.
“More than simply turning the corner, Clarion University is accelerating
toward a vibrant future in which students are choosing Clarion first for
professional preparation,” said Dr. Todd Pfannestiel, interim provost.
“Students increasingly recognize that our programs in education, business,
the health sciences and liberal arts continue to keep pace with new
employment opportunities in the region.”
Improvements in student activities and programs such as living learning
communities are contributing to a robust campus community,
which attracts students.

Vega releases fourth edition of
‘CLIMATOLOGY’ textbook
Dr. Anthony Vega, professor of biology and
geosciences, recently published the fourth edition
of his textbook, “Climatology,” co-written with
Robert V. Rohli.
The fourth edition features a completely revised,
full-color art program that enhances clarity and
gradation of all maps, climographs and images
to help readers better understand the diversity
of climate within varying climate types. The text
covers the basics of atmospheric science in the
early chapters and provides the breadth and depth
of topics to challenge the more experienced reader.

CAMPUS NEWS I CLARION DIGEST

STATE SYSTEM
ADDRESSES REDESIGN
Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher
Education continues to move forward
with its effort to redesign itself to better
serve students and the commonwealth.
More than half a dozen task groups
will be deployed to provide expertise
and perspective on specific objectives
related to the three System priorities
previously identified by the Board of
Governors: ensuring student success,
leveraging university strengths, and
transforming governance and leadership
structures. Regular progress reports on
the task groups will be provided at
www.passhe.edu/SystemRedesign.

Clarion earns top five
ranking
Military Times has named Clarion
University one of the top five, four-year
universities in Pennsylvania for military
students. The “Military Times Best:
Colleges 2018” list includes 218 colleges.
The rankings were more competitive
than ever this year, according to
militarytimes.com. A record number
of schools participated in the annual
survey, and less than half made the
cut. Colleges were evaluated in five
categories – university culture; academic
quality and outcomes; policies; student
support; and cost and financial aid.
CLARION UNIVERSITY
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HOMECOMING 2017
ALUMNI from the CLASSES of

1954-2017
attended HOMECOMING

500+

attended the
PARADE RECEPTION
at Hart Chapel

500

24 FORMER

18

SCIENCE
SYMPOSIUM
at
the

150th T-Shirts were
given out at the
Parade Reception

22 ALUMNI

VOLUNTEERED
TO SERVE AS CAREER
MENTORS FOR
CURRENT STUDENTS

162 ALUMNI UPDATED THEIR INFORMATION
WITH THE ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT OFFICE

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60

attended
the BBQ for
softball and baseball alumni

WERE GIVEN OUT
AT THE ALUMNI
ASSOCIATION TENT
ON FARMERS AND
CRAFTERS DAY

EIGHT

ALUMNI presented

Alumni
Baseball Game

800
SHOPPING TOTES

HOMECOMING KINGS AND QUEENS
PARTICIPATED IN THE PARADE

affinity groups celebrated
alumni gatherings

The alumni baseball team
beat the current student
team at the

850

hot dogs

325

cans of pop

880

bottles
of water

21 ALUMNI volunteered
to serve as regional contacts

ALUMNI FROM THESE STATES
WERE HERE FOR THE WEEKEND

Ohio
New York
Pennsylvania
Connecticut
New Jersey
West Virginia
Virginia
North Carolina
South Carolina
Georgia
Colorado
California
Florida
Texas

CLARION UNIVERSITY
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DAN McADOO

Mural fortitude
WHEN CLARION UNIVERSITY ALUMNI DAN MCADOO WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH WILSON’S DISEASE AT 8 YEARS OLD,
HE WAS PRESCRIBED A FORM OF THERAPY THAT SHAPED
HIS COLLEGE MAJOR, AS WELL AS HIS FUTURE CAREER.

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According to the Mayo Clinic,
Wilson’s disease is a rare, inherited
disorder that causes copper to build up
in a person’s liver, brain and other vital
organs. When copper isn’t eliminated

properly, it can be life threatening and
bring on a host of other symptoms such
as liver complications, neurological
problems, psychiatric concerns and
other health issues.

ART HAS NOT
ONLY GIVEN HIM
AN OCCUPATION,
BUT A WAY OF
COMMUNICATING
WITH THE WORLD.
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McAdoo struggles with chronic
headaches, some movement fluidity
and speech issues as a result of his
diagnosis. He takes medication and
avoids copper-rich foods to control his

Wilson’s symptoms and does the one
thing he was prescribed as a boy: art
therapy. Only now, McAdoo makes his
living as an artist.
“When they found out (about his
diagnosis) they put him in art classes as
therapy,” McAdoo’s wife, Erin, said.
Art, he says, has not only given
him an occupation, but a way of
communicating with the world. And if
his art is any indication, he has a lot to
say.

Mural fortitude

One spring day, McAdoo sat down
for an interview in a place where he
painted a large mural on four walls – or
1,220 square feet of painted space.
The mural is in Vincent Dougherty’s
taxidermy display in Fairmount City.
It complements the mounts that
Dougherty has; each mount connects
to a full, painted body of accurate
dimensions, which McAdoo created.
He also painted the backgrounds,
which beckon the locations of where
the animals originated – places like the
African Savannah or the mountains in
Alaska.
Dougherty was afraid to trust anyone
with the mural, fearing the piece
would end up being “cartoony,” so he
asked McAdoo to paint just one wall
at first, Dougherty’s daughter, Sharon
Shreckengost, said.
“Then this happened,” McAdoo
quipped of the large four-wall mural.

McAdoo paints in layers, and one day
the piece started to become something
more than just layers, Shreckengost
said. Dougherty liked what he saw and
decided to let him paint the remaining
three walls.

The mural took five months to
complete, with McAdoo painting
Monday through Friday.
“It just grew, because Dan
just did such an amazing job,”
Shreckengost said.

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A closer walk with thee

McAdoo describes his painting
as impressionistic in nature with
Van Gogh-style hash marks. As
he’s gotten older, however, he has
started to paint exactly what he
sees. No matter how he chooses
to paint, there is no shortage of
customers who want a Dan McAdoo
original painting or mural.
McAdoo’s work can be found all
over Clarion County in restaurants
like the RRR Roadhouse, churches
of every denomination, the
Fraternal Order of Eagles, the
Moose Lodge 101 and the VFW Post
2612.
McAdoo, a Limestone native, has
since moved to the Cleveland area
but continues to paint for people in
western Pennsylvania.
When he paints, he said he thinks
about “the Lord. Just the Lord.”
McAdoo, a Christian, shares his
message of hope through paintings
created during church services. He
paints a Christian-themed painting
in roughly one hour while people
watch him.
He recalls that one time he didn’t
think a particular painting – of
mother Mary and Jesus as a child –
was going so well. Then, he stepped
back and the painting just popped.
“When I stepped back, I said,
‘Wow,’” McAdoo said.
It’s that change in perspective
that is common in McAdoo’s life.
McAdoo doesn’t consider his
diagnosis a disability.
“It can be a lonely life because
you are looking at the wall,” Erin
McAdoo said Dan once told her of
being an artist.
The loneliness could also be said
of Wilson’s disease complications
and how it affects communication.
“That’s why I talk to Jesus while I
paint,” McAdoo said.

Sculpting happiness

McAdoo seems to look at his Wilson’s
disease and his art as equal gifts.
“Don’t let it stop you,” is his message
to others who have been diagnosed with
disabilities or illnesses. “I want to inspire
others,” McAdoo said.
McAdoo, who is in steady demand
to paint murals and paintings, said his
education at Clarion helped him learn to
paint quickly.
He also refurbishes furniture and sculpts.
“I found a love for sculpture while
attending (Clarion University). I added
sculpture as a second concentration. I have
combined painting and sculpture in my
furniture making,” he said.
His love of sculpting was found, in part,
because of his favorite professor, Kaersten
Woodruff.

“She really challenged her students.
Her ideas of sculpting challenged our
abilities and minds,” he said. “She made
sculpting exciting to where I fell in love
with it.”
His artistry also enabled him to meet
people when he was a student.
“I was blessed to gain a lot friends
at Clarion who encouraged me as an
artist,” McAdoo said. “I loved the long
studio hours – being with other art
majors, staying up all night, painting
or sketching at Eat ‘n Park. I loved
being in the sculpture studio, building
furniture or creating three dimensional
sculptures from clay.”

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

17

150 YEARS I CLARION DIGEST

THE FIRST 50 YEARS
CARRIER SEMINARY OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
In 1859, local citizens generated a
proposal for the creation of a seminary

program as early as 1871. The courses

During Clarion’s year-long

in Clarion. The proposal was forwarded

of study included ancient and modern

sesquicentennial celebration,

to the Erie Annual Conference of the

classics, mathematics, natural sciences,

this magazine will take a look –

Methodist Episcopal Church, but Civil

commercial calculation, painting,

War engulfed the nation before any

drawing, penmanship, music and normal

action could be taken. The proposal lay

science. Carrier’s calendar called for

dormant, eventually revived by the end

three, 13-week terms with tuition as

of the war and the upcoming centennial

follows: Common English branches:

celebration of American Methodism.

$6, Higher English branches: $7, and

Preachers and laymen convened

Languages: $8. Carrier was described

50 years at a time – at how a
Methodist seminary developed
into the Clarion of today.
The next pages take a walk
through the first 50 years of the
university, from its founding
as a seminary to its transition

March 13, 1866, in Clarion to initiate the

as “the only Normal College for the

establishment of a seminary. It is the

perfection of teachers under the

to and early years as a normal

earliest recorded evidence of an institu-

supervision of the M.E. Church.”

school. Take a walk through

tion of higher education for Clarion,

history, meet the presidents who

according to Caldwell’s Illustrated

students, and lack of support – both

have guided the institution and

Historical Combination Atlas of Clarion

financial and administrative – led to the

see the buildings where the first

County.

demise of Carrier. On Sept. 10, 1886,

Courageous. Confident. Clarion.
students learned and grew.

exactly 19 years from the day classes

were held in the old academy building.

first met, the buildings and grounds

The Seminary was a coeducational insti-

were sold.

as principal and Miss A.E. Rinehart as
preceptress.

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Financial woes, competition for

Lacking facilities of its own, classes

tution with the Rev. James G. Townsend

18

Carrier Seminary offered a normal

150 YEARS I CLARION DIGEST

1867-1918
SEMINARY HALL
The cornerstone for Seminary Hall
was laid June 16, 1868. The building
was completed in the fall of 1871. Total
cost, including furniture, was $75,000.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
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19

A.J. Davis
(1887-1902)
Aaron J. Davis became the first
principal of the Clarion State Normal
School when it opened its doors April 12,
1887.
Davis’ era of principalship was one
of growth, expansion, development and
partial maturation. Between his first and
last years at the helm, enrollment grew
from 149 to 509. As early as 1890, Clarion
was outdrawing more heavily populated
normal school districts and by 1895 was
sixth in enrollment among the 13 state
normal schools.
A student cadet corps was formed
in 1891. During the Spanish-American
War, Davis, a major, and a number of his
cadets served with the National Guard
from April 1898 to January 1899.
Davis left the institution under
problematic circumstances involving
the construction of Hart Chapel.
He was involved in a scandal that
accused him and a group of other
founders and educators of receiving 10
percent ($2,750) of the $27,500 special
appropriation bill for the construction of
the building.

The first faculty of Clarion State Normal School consisted of 11 members.

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FOUNDERS HALL

Founders Hall, originally
Science Hall, completed in
1894, featured busts of
Clarion University’s
founders above the exterior
archway. Students who were
upset over a scandal
involving university officials
receiving kickbacks from the
construction of Hart Chapel
defaced the busts with red
paint. Because the red paint
could not be removed, the
busts were chiseled off. The
building is still used today
for classes and offices without the busts.
CLARION UNIVERSITY
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21

HART CHAPEL

MOORE HALL (FORMERLY MUSIC HALL)
Moore Hall, completed in 1890, once the official residence of the university president, is now used for special gatherings.
Hart Chapel, completed in 1902, is used today for classes, lectures and performances.

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Samuel Weir
(1902-1904)

Dr. Samuel Weir was born in Canada
and received a doctorate from the
University of Jena in Austria. Before
coming to Clarion, he taught in the public
school system, up to the university level.
When Weir entered his term as
principal in 1902, he found himself trying
to repair the damage of the Davis scandal
and turn around an enrollment decline.
The entire class of 1903 transferred to
Indiana State Normal School, leaving no
graduating class that year.

Weir made some academic changes
while he was in charge, including
lengthening the curriculum to a threeyear program. This was adopted to meet
the standards set during a meeting of the
normal school principals in Harrisburg.

An extensive program of girls’
calisthenics and physical
activities was in operation by
1892. Baseball was part of the
interscholastic program as early
as 1890, and football was
introduced in 1901.

Basketball for both men and
women was added the following
spring. The first competition
with another normal school
appears to have been a baseball
game with Slippery Rock in
May 1905.

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J. George Becht
(1904-1912)

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J. George Becht was born in Lycoming
County in 1865. He received bachelor’s
and master’s degrees from Lafayette
College and honorary degrees from his
alma mater, as well as Bucknell University.
Before making his way to Clarion, he was
an administrator for multiple schools.
Becht completely changed Clarion’s
curriculum. In 1910, normal schools were
changed to four-year programs, which
caused a dramatic enrollment increase.
In 1904-1905, enrollment totaled 392.
By 1911-1912, enrollment rose to 650.

In 1908, Navarre Hall, the first structure
to be built in a non-traditional style, was
completed. Known today as Becht Hall,
the cream-colored building with a red
tiled roof was built on the site of the
men’s wooden dormitory. The women’s
dormitory was remodeled to be a men’s
dormitory and renamed Stevens Hall.
Becht left Clarion in 1912 to become
secretary of the State Board of Education.
He held this position until he died in 1925.

BECHT HALL

Becht Hall, originally called Navarre Hall, was completed
in 1908 during the administration of J. George Becht.
Utilizing a Spanish/French style, the building is a striking
contrast to the buildings surrounding it. When it opened,
Navarre Hall housed 160 women on the third and fourth
floors, a student infirmary and teacher’s rooms on the other
floors, and a dining hall. It was renamed following the
Becht’s death in 1925. Becht Hall has been completely
renovated, reopening in 2015 as a student services center.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
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25

H.M. Shaffer
(1912-1913)
Born in the Midwest, Shaffer
received degrees from Eureka College
and Harvard University. He was head
of the normal schools in California,
Washington and Oregon.
Shaffer’s greatest concern as
principal revolved around Clarion’s
athletic policy. He felt too much
emphasis was placed on competition,
overpaying coaches, and recruiting
student athletes solely for the
purpose of increasing the school’s
athletic prowess. According to Shaffer,
such practices should “be opposed by
all educators who have at heart the
real welfare of the student body as a
whole.”
During his brief tenure at Clarion,
Shaffer worked to introduce more
“intergroup and intraclass” contests
within the school as a way to increase
physical activity among all students,
not just athletes.

Dr. Amos P. Reese, who was Dr. Smith’s vice
principal at Mansfield, became principal
following Smith’s departure. He was educated
at Mansfield State Normal School, Lafayette
College and Columbia University and worked in
the administrations of various schools.
His tenure, along with Smith’s, was dubbed the
“Mansfield Era.”

Amos P. Reese
(1914-1918)

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It is characterized by a movement
toward state control and a drastic decline in
enrollment. Even though World War I limited
funds that were available to the state, Reese

Andrew T. Smith
(1914)
Having one of the shortest
terms as principal, Dr. Andrew
T. Smith came to Clarion after
serving as principal of Mansfield
State School for almost 15 years.
He received degrees from West
Chester State Normal School,
Lafayette College and New York
University.
Smith left Clarion quite
suddenly when he was offered a
higher salary to be the principal
of the Thomas Normal Training
School of Detroit.

and his administration pushed plans to fully
acquire operational control of the normal
school. With many corrupt actions happening
among stockholders in all of the state schools,
the state agreed to purchase them. The
first to be purchased was West Chester in
1913. Clarion was later purchased in 1915 for
$20,000 to satisfy stockholders and $49,653
to satisfy indebtedness.
Enrollment fell dramatically under Reese,
from a record high of 650 under Becht to 287.

Seminary Hall no longer stands, but these early students from the first 50 years serve as a reminder how
students have changed in style, but not in eagerness to learn.

Special thanks to Dr. Samuel Farmerie, author
of “A 125th Anniversary History of Clarion
University of Pennsylvania,” for his efforts in
compiling Clarion’s history. Farmerie’s work
was an invaluable resource in sharing Clarion’s
first 50 years. Farmerie, professor emeritus of
education at Westminster College, is a 1954
graduate of Clarion University.

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SpeechEasy

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Carly Simon, Mel Tillis,
Bill Withers, Elvis Presley.
These four American
singers have more in
common than being able
to carry a tune: Each of
them stuttered when they
spoke. When they sang,
though, the words were
emitted fluently.

Why? According to Dr. Michael Rastatter, these people
and others whose stutters disappear when they sing are
experiencing the choral effect.
The choral effect occurs when people who stutter
speak or sing in unison with others and their stutter is
dramatically reduced or even eliminated.
Knowing this, Rastatter (’72) and two East Carolina
University colleagues and research partners, Dr. Joseph
Kalinowski and Dr. Andrew Stuart, posed the question:
How can we make the choral effect happen in the brain?
The answer is life-altering: the SpeechEasy.
“When someone wears a SpeechEasy device and
speaks, their words are digitally replayed in their ear with
a very slight delay and frequency modification,” Rastatter
said. “As a result, the brain perceives that it is speaking in
unison with another person. This perception of speaking
in unison creates the choral effect, thus becoming a
stuttering treatment that can reduce or even eliminate
stuttering.”
One SpeechEasy user, whose name Rastatter can’t
divulge, is “the lead singer of one of the most dynamic
bands ever. … He told me he never gave an interview
for 45 years due to his stuttering. Now he speaks freely,
without any sign of stuttering.”
Rastatter and his colleagues applied for a patent on the
device, which was granted in 1999. The first SpeechEasy
was sold in 2001 and is now sold throughout the United
States and in 30 other countries. Janus Development
Group has the rights to the SpeechEasy, and Rastatter,
Kalinowski and Stuart receive royalties. Rastatter isn’t
sure how many devices have been sold, but he said the
royalties are healthy.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
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29

Reading Scholar

Rastatter graduated from Clarion
University in 1972 with a bachelor’s
degree in speech pathology and
audiology. He continued his education,
earning a master’s degree, then a PhD in
neuroscience.
After research and development
of SpeechEasy concluded, Rastatter
directed his research interests toward the
neurodynamics underlying reading and
reading disorders.
“Over a period of nearly 10 years …
I developed a model of reading from a
neurolinguistics perspective,” Rastatter
said. “I found an auditory signal that
shifts the speaker’s voice, which
stimulates a dormant area of the brain in
poor readers, specifically the operculum.”
“Under conditions of stimulation,
children and adults with reading
disorders read nearly at a normal level.
A person has to read out loud at first, or
there’s no signal. The signal turns that
system on.”

The result of his findings is a software
program called Reading Scholar, on
which he holds additional patents. Its
users comprehend what they’re reading
more accurately and efficiently.
“My son, who has a reading disability,
took the SAT and had a terrible score. I
had him put on the device and read for
15 minutes a day,” Rastatter said. “Within
months, his score went to 1450.”

“My son, who has a reading disability,
took the SAT and had a terrible score.
I had him put on the device and read
for 15 minutes a day. Within months,
his score went to 1450.”
– Michael Rastatter
Below (L-R), Stuart, Kalinowski and Rastatter.

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The betterment of humanity

Now, retired, Rastatter, formerly
of Erie, was honored at the John F.
Kennedy Library and Museum in Boston,
for his lifetime efforts in translational
research and the development of United
States patents, all directed toward the
betterment of humanity.
This year, he was inducted into the
National Academy of Inventors. Election
to NAI Fellow status is the highest
professional distinction accorded
solely to academic inventors who
have demonstrated a prolific spirit of
innovation in creating outstanding
inventions that have made a tangible
impact on quality of life, economic
development and the welfare of society.
He is the recipient of East Carolina
University’s Lifetime Achievement Award
for Research and Creative Activity.

“My colleagues and I never set out to
develop a patent portfolio,” Rastatter
said. “Rather, our efforts in this area
materialize because of our work, not
because of some personal directive.”
Rastatter said he has come full circle
“from a young, shy boy who came
to Clarion so many years ago to play
basketball.”
He is proud to have come from a
densely blue-collar school and family
and to have made his way from
undergraduate studies at Clarion to
a PhD, all fully funded because of his
credentials.

Rastatter (center) at his induction into
the National Academy of Inventors.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

31

SPORTS ROUNDUP

SOCCER

[Focus on a winning culture]
helps soccer program reach goals

WHEN A COACH COMES IN TO

rebuild a sports program, that person
will often say that the most important
factor toward future success is getting
players, old and new, to buy into the
program’s ideals and methods. Even
when times are tough and positive
results are rare, getting the players to
believe in the process usually portends
good things down the road.
For Sean Esterhuizen, the fourthyear head coach of the Clarion
women’s soccer team, four years of
building a winning culture and earning
the trust of his players is paying
dividends on the pitch. According to
him, the players that have been with
him the longest are the ones taking
charge.
“We’ve got nine seniors on this
team. Seven of them start, and all nine

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On Oct. 3, the United Soccer
Coaches’ Association ranked
them 10th in the Atlantic
Region, the first time Clarion
had ever earned such a
recognition.
play a significant role,” Esterhuizen
said. “The intensity they’ve brought
to every single game, the leadership,
the example they set … it’s all been
extraordinary.”
Those who spend a lot of time
around Esterhuizen know that
“extraordinary” might be the favorite
adjective in his lexicon. It seems apt
in 2017, especially when considering
the leap the Golden Eagles made from

the previous season. Clarion won just
two total games in 2016 but flipped
the script this past year. Before the
calendar reached October, the Golden
Eagles had already won six games,
tying a program record, and their five
PSAC wins by that point was already
a team record. On Oct. 3, the United
Soccer Coaches’ Association ranked
them 10th in the Atlantic Region, the
first time Clarion had ever earned such
a recognition.
Esterhuizen says that he first got
the inkling that the 2017 team would
turn heads at the conclusion of the
2016 season, during one-on-one
interviews with players before the
beginning of their offseason. Without
exception, he says, the rising seniors
were not interested in taking an
extended break.

SPORTS ROUNDUP
“They were ready to get back on
the field and for the season to start
back up,” Esterhuizen said. “There was
no bitterness about the fact we had
only two wins that year. They were
focused on putting in the work needed
to improve from the team we were to
the team we wanted to become. When
they came back in the spring, they
were more conditioned and more fit
than ever before.”
One of those senior leaders
has been defender Marina Kelly, a
converted midfielder that led the
Golden Eagles in scoring a year ago.
Along with transfer senior Jessica
Kenny and sophomore Andie Hill, Kelly
solidified a defense that frustrated
opponents all season long. At one
point in the season, Clarion went
four straight games without allowing
a goal. Through 13 games, they had
allowed just one opponent to score
more than two goals in a game.
Offensively the Golden Eagles
benefited from the return of McKenzie
Sheesley, who did not play during the
2016 season. Never one to turn down a
shot, Sheesley notched three goals in
the early part of PSAC play, including
game winners against IUP and
Mansfield. That led to her being named
the PSAC West Athlete of the Week
Sept. 25. Senior classmate Aaliyah
Odom had three goals and two assists
through 13 games, while freshman
Dani McNally sat just behind her with
seven points.
The net has been manned by a
number of capable keepers, but the

player taking the tightest grip of the
reins is junior Krista Mosi. One of the
top goalkeepers in the conference,
Mosi posted three straight shutouts
and shared another with Brigid
Stermel during the Golden Eagles’
unprecedented conference undefeated
streak in the middle of the year.

Mosi posted three straight
shutouts and shared
another with Brigid
Stermel during the Golden
Eagles’ unprecedented
conference undefeated
streak in the middle of the
year.
One of the reasons the bigger
picture has improved, according to
Esterhuizen, is that the Golden Eagles
have focused on the smaller one. This
year’s team mantra has been “one by
one,” with the team placing an extra
emphasis on not looking too far ahead.
“We don’t talk about the future, we
don’t talk about the playoffs, nothing
of that nature,” Esterhuizen said. “We
focus on the next game, and that’s it.
Whether we win or lose on any given
night, we try not to dwell on it. Once
we reach the next day, it’s all about
focusing on that next opponent.”
The other buzzword around the
team this year is “control.” Like their

Aaliyah Odom

“one by one” mantra, the team’s
conversations about control are all
about facing what is front of them
and not worrying about the things
that are out of their hands. The
process, Esterhuizen believes, will take
care of the outcome.
“As a team we need to focus on
controlling what is actually in our
control,” Esterhuizen said. “We can’t
always control the result, but we can

Marina Kelly

control how hard we work. We can
control how hard we play defense.
We can control making the correct
decisions and being mentally tough.
I tell the players, ‘Don’t focus on
winning. Focus on being in control,’
and it’s exciting to see how we
have adopted and embraced that
philosophy.”
The nine seniors leading
the way in 2017 will all be
gone at the conclusion of the
year, but Esterhuizen believes
the culture shift of the team
portends good things from his
underclassmen in the future.
“From last year to this year
there has already been a huge
shift in mentality,” Esterhuizen
said. “Despite what the
records say, when we walk on
the field, we expect to win.
When next year’s returners see
the way our seniors approach
the game, they’re learning
how to prepare themselves for
success as well.”

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33

SPORTS ROUNDUP

MEN’S GOLF

NEW LEADERS EMERGE
ON MEN’S GOLF TEAM

MEN’S GOLF CONTINUES to improve

steadily under head coach Marty Rinker,
with a veteran crop of golfers showing
well during the 2017 fall season.
With the graduation of two-time
NCAA Atlantic Regional qualifier Sean
Edgar, the challenge for Clarion this year
has been to find the individual player
ready to step into that role. To date, that
player has been junior Nathan Sandberg,
who leads the team with an average

score of 75.9 per round and has a low
round of 71 this year. That latter number
also ranks as the best on the team this
year. Sophomore Mitch Faulkner remains
hot on his heel with an average round of
76.7. Freshman newcomer Jake Smithco is
tight with the pack at the top, though.
The best result of the year came at
the Mercyhurst Invitational, when the
Golden Eagles took second place at Lake

Nathan Sandberg

View Country Club. Sandberg took
second place with a two-day score of
145, just two strokes behind the leader,
while Faulkner came in fourth place
with rounds of 73 and 74. Clarion shot
the lowest first round of the teams
in attendance with a 297 on day 1,
and ended up just one stroke behind
eventual champion West Chester.

3.547

Men’s golf honored
with PSAC Team
GPA Award
The Clarion men’s golf team has
long been about academic and
athletic achievement, and earlier
this year they were honored as the
winners of the PSAC Team GPA
Award.
The 2016-17 Golden Eagles boasted
a team GPA of 3.547, the best among
the eight PSAC institutions that
compete in the sport. That mark was
the best among all men’s sports at
Clarion and second overall only to the
cross country team GPA of 3.639.
Now in their sixth year of
existence, the awards are issued
across 21 sports. With eight different
institutions claiming an award, it ties
the most in league history (2013-14).
The awards, released at the
conclusion of the academic year,
honor the teams with the top
cumulative team grade point average
in each of the sponsored sports
within the PSAC. The league hosts
23 championships; however, for the
award purposes, indoor and outdoor
track & field are counted as a single
sport.

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SPORTS ROUNDUP

WOMEN’S GOLF

UNDER NEW
HEAD COACH

WOMEN’S
GOLF
PROGRESS
TANGIBLE
Christan Bowshier

THE WOMEN’S GOLF TEAM

welcomed new head coach Gregg
Fritz to Clarion earlier this year,
and one need only look at the
scorecards from this year to see
the progress the Golden Eagles are
making on the course in 2017-18.
Fritz is no stranger to the local
golf scene, having served as the
head golf professional at Pinecrest
Country Club in Brookville for 28
years before landing at Clarion. In
addition, he served as the head
girls’ golf coach at Brookville High

School, and his years of instruction
and experience have helped the
Golden Eagles make progress
throughout the year.
The most obvious place to see
the team’s cumulative progress,
though, is on their team scores. Last
year the Golden Eagles broke 400
in just three total rounds, spring
or fall. This year they have already
done it four times, with a full spring
slate still on the way. In short, the
progress is tangible, and it is real.

Junior Elisabeth Papa has taken
charge for the Golden Eagles,
slicing an average of two strokes
off her play from a year ago
through four events in the fall.
Sophomore Christan Bowshier,
last year’s top performer, sits little
more than a stroke behind Papa
on the team leaderboard, while
newcomer Morgan Johnson has
also shown ability this early in her
college career.

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35

SPORTS ROUNDUP
Rich in veteran players,
volleyball makes

BEST START
SINCE 2014

MUCH LIKE A YEAR AGO, the Golden Eagle volleyball team
entered the 2017 season with plenty of experience but very
few firm answers. After missing the PSAC Tournament for the
first time since 2008, head coach Jennifer Herron was faced
with the question of how to get the team back to its usual
place near the top of the conference. So far, she seems to
have found the winning formula.
One of the things in her favor? The experience of the
returning roster. Clarion lost just one starter and three total
seniors from a year ago, providing the Golden Eagles the
opportunity to bring along their cadre of freshmen slowly
while the veterans jumped right back in. The team leapt out
to a 9-3 record in non-conference play, their best start to a
season since winning 13 straight to open the 2014 season.
Confidence gained from that run led to a 3-1 start to PSAC
play, including a 3-1 victory over West Chester in the home
opener Sept. 29.

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VOLLEYBALL

SPORTS ROUNDUP

That’s not to say the early portion of the
schedule did not have its share of challenges.
One of the biggest facing the coaching
staff was an injury to junior outside hitter
Marissa Robertson, a six-rotation player with
considerable responsibilities on offense and
defense. To that end, two-time All-PSAC outside
hitter Taylor Braunagel picked up the slack,
relishing the new role as a two-way contributor
and ranking second on the team in digs.

Braunagel’s offense didn’t dip at all,
either, as she still leads the team in
kills.
The revelation of the early part of
the season was the ability for a pair
of players to learn new positions.
Sophomore Julia Holden came to
Clarion as a middle hitter but settled
nicely into her role as an outside
hitter, ranking second on the team
in kills. Possessing a potent swing,
she took the lion’s share of attempts
on the offense. Lauryn Driscoll is
another converted middle learning a
new position, with the junior having
had her best season to date on the
right side. Setter Leah Vensel also
vastly improved over a year ago,
ranking among the conference
leaders in assists.
That is to say nothing of the
defense, which pulled ahead of
last year’s pace in blocks, digs and
opponent hitting percentage. Senior
libero Catherine Ferragonio enjoyed
the best season of her career and
accumulated nearly as many digs
through 17 matches as she did in 30
matches in 2016. Olivia Olson led the
defense at the net, ranking at or near
the top in the PSAC in blocks per
set throughout the season. She also
developed a strong offensive game,
earning PSAC Southwest Player
of the Week honors Sept. 19 after
averaging 3.50 kills and 1.12 blocks
per set and hitting .364 at the WJU/
WLU Invitational.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

37

SPORTS ROUNDUP

CROSS COUNTRY

Allison Gates and
Haley Schaller arrived
at Clarion in August
and immediately
jumped out to
the front of
the pack.

CORE STRENGTHENING HOISTS HARRIERS
The cross country team, under the
direction of third-year head coach
Eric Laughlin, continues to grow
into a formidable unit in the PSAC.
With the addition of two talented
freshmen to this year’s squad, the
Golden Eagles are beginning to form
a core that will move up the ranks in
conference championship and NCAA
Regional meets.

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Allison Gates and Haley Schaller
arrived at Clarion in August and
immediately jumped out to the front
of the pack, with the two harriers
posting the fastest finish on the team
in two races apiece to start the year.
Schaller was the first Golden Eagle to
cross the finish line at their seasonopening meet at Westminster and
again at the D-II/D-III Challenge

at Kutztown, while Gates claimed
supremacy at the Lock Haven XC
Open/Invite and the Washington &
Jefferson Invitational.
Junior Kayce Bobnar continues
to impress, having claimed a top-10
finish at Washington & Jefferson.
Seniors Megan Schwerzler, Maria
Snyder and Danielle Stoner have all
contributed as well.

SPORTS ROUNDUP

FOOTBALL

Optimism tempers frustration
as football

program rebuilds

Layne Skundrich
The youth movement continued for
Clarion football in 2017, and, as is often the
case, the growing pains were frustrating.
At the start of the season, 31 of the 44
players on the team’s depth chart were a
sophomore or younger in eligibility, to say
nothing of the players manning special
teams positions.
When those young players began to
show signs of maturation and growth,
though, it was easy to become optimistic
about the future of the Golden Eagle
football program.
The offense was the area hit hardest
by attrition from a year ago, with new
starters at eight of the 11 positions on
that side of the ball. Nowhere was the
change more apparent than at the wide
receiver position, where receivers Kevin
Genevro and Matt Lehman finished off in
2016 some of the best careers in Clarion
history. Stepping up in their absence were
players like sophomore Greg Leonard,
a contributor on last year’s squad but a
major factor in the passing game in 2017.
Leonard’s ability to break big plays was
among the best in the conference, with the
slot receiver averaging better than 22.0
yards per reception early in the season.
The running game was also challenged
to pick up the slack left from Delrece

Greg Leonard

Williams from a year ago, and after
a rocky start they began to pick up
steam. The duo of junior Kyle Evans and
freshman Mylique McGriff rounded into
form at the start of PSAC West play,
totaling 270 combined yards through
two divisional games. Like Leonard,
McGriff displayed his big play ability
by ripping off the two longest runs of
the season in each of those games.
The improvement in the running game
coincided with the improved play of
a young offensive line, one bolstered
by returning All-Super Region 1 center
Zack Morris, but also including a number
of underclassmen taking on increased
roles.
Comparatively speaking, the defense
welcomed back a wealth of experience,
and, through the early part of the year,
it shined through. The Golden Eagles
forced nine turnovers in the first five
games, with senior cornerback Myles
Edmonds picked off passes in each of
the first two games and the defense
as a whole forced five fumbles. The
defensive line of Alec Heldreth, Tyrone
Archie, Saif Khan and Brandon Vocco
were disruptive from the get-go, while
junior linebacker Layne Skundrich
topped 10 tackles in four of the first five
games and ranked among the PSAC
leaders in the category.
The challenges remain for the
coaching staff, under the direction of
third-year head coach Chris Weibel, as
they continue to rebuild the program in
their image. Though the road has not
been easy, the signs of progress point to
further maturation ahead.

Mylique McGriff

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

39

A look back…
1912 Mandolin Club

Submit your photos on Facebook
or Twitter with #Cuhistory

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ALUMNI
NOTES
SUMMER 2017
1975

Lynn Watson is president of Watson
Excavating, Inc., Turbotville. He
resides in Watsontown, Pa., with his
wife, Susie. They have two children,
Eric and Brandy.

1977

Larry McLouth retired from Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory. He
and his wife, Premwadee, reside in
Benicia, Calif. They have two sons,
Joel and Tait.

1980

Ken Hannold recently received
a Master of Science degree in
organizational development and
leadership from the University of the
Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas.
He is a vice president of professional
development manager for SunTrust
Bank, Richmond, Va. He resides in
Glen Allen, Va., with his wife, Janice.
They have a daughter, Kathleen.

1981

David King is employed by JP
Morgan Chase, Columbus, Ohio. He
resides in Columbus. He has two
sons, David and Dan.

1991
Jodi (Pezek) Burns completed
her doctorate in sports
management with focus on sport
leadership through the United
States Sports Academy, Daphne,
Ala. She earned a master’s degree
in student leadership from Indiana
University of Pennsylvania in 1998.
Jodi lives in Shippenville. She
and her husband, Joe, have five
children: Karly, Ellie, Olivia, Jacob
and Korrin.
Christopher Thompson is
a national director of site
acquisition, EBI Consulting,
Burlington, Mass. He resides in
York, Pa., with his wife, Rachel
Bush, and sons: Tyler, Colby and
Gunnar.

1992

Dr. Lori (Welch) Murtha recently
received a Doctor of Education
degree from the University of
Pittsburgh. She is a supervisor
of special classes for early
intervention for the Beaver Valley
Intermediate Unit 27, Monaca, Pa.
Lori resides in Rochester, Pa., with
her husband, Mark, and children,
Lauren and Austin.

1995

Bill Germuga is a general
manager for St. Louis Screw &
Bolt, Madison, Ill. He resides in
O’Fallon, Ill., with his wife, Lucy,
and daughters, Stephanie and
Amber.
Karen (Callahan) Archambault
is a special education teacher for
Hartford Public Schools, Hartford,
Conn. She received her master’s
degree in early childhood special
education from The University
of Saint Joseph, West Hartford,
Conn., in May 2016. Karen resides
in Unionville, Conn., with her
husband, Kris, and sons, Jacob
and Luke.

1996

Leslie Croston is a digital
media specialist for Discovery
Communications, Silver Spring,
Md. She resides in Silver Spring.

1999

Sara (Miller, M.S. ‘02) Hoffman is
a supervisor of special education
for Clairton City School District,
Clairton, Pa. She resides in
McDonald, Pa., with her husband,
Paul.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

41

WE WANT TO

know about YOU!

And so do your Clarion classmates. It’s easy to share your latest personal milestones and
professional accomplishments in the pages of Clarion University Magazine. Just send us a note!
Visit www.clarion.edu/alumni-update

2000

Shawn Morrow is a mortgage specialist
for Equity Resources Inc., Beaver, Pa. He
resides in Beaver with his wife, Stacia, and
daughter, Whitley.

2004

Kimberly Blanchard is a special education
teacher for Great Meadows Board of
Education, Great Meadows, N.J. She resides
in Califon, N.J., with her husband, Timothy,
and children, Lillian and Oliver.

Looking for
ALUMNI to help
EMPOWER our
Golden Eagles

2006

Lance and Victoria (Lucas) Astorino
reside in Inwood, W.Va. Lance was
recently named assistant principal at an
elementary school in the Jefferson County
School System.
Tom Stumme is employed by Vanguard,
Malvern, Pa. He resides in Conshohocken,
Pa.

2010

2011

Alexander and Hannah (Arnett ‘15)
Campbell reside in Pittsburgh. Alexander
is a lead business analyst of client
technology solutions for BNY Mellon,
Pittsburgh.

2012

Ashlee Swales-Frambes and Brandon
Frambes (‘13) reside in Palm Coast, Fla.

Rich Eckert is a vice president for
Beardstown Savings Bank. He resides in
Beardstown, Ill, with his wife, Ashley, and
daughter, Reese.

2014

Sara Mancine is an account analyst
for Crown Castle, Canonsburg, Pa. She
resides in Pittsburgh with her son, Jace.

• HIRE A GOLDEN EAGLE
• POST A JOB OR INTERNSHIP
• ATTEND A JOB FAIR ON CAMPUS
• BECOME A MENTOR
• PARTICIPATE IN A CAREER
WORKSHOP OR PANEL

CLARION UNIVERSITY

CENTER FOR CAREER AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Learn more at CLARION.EDU/ALUMNICAREER or call 814-393-2323.

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MARRIAGES
Matthew Lucotch (’88) and Debra Moore, Oct. 15, 2016
Kris Archambault and Karen Callahan (’95), June 14, 2017
Kyle Vickers and Rebecca Hoover (’11), June 24, 2017
Adam Deiter (’13) and Brittany Miller (’13), Aug. 5, 2017
Alexander Cambpell (’11) and Hannah Arnett (’15), Aug. 26, 2017

Nathan Hundertmark

May 30, 1996 – Sept. 18, 2017

IN MEMORIAM
1930s

Dorothy Pearson (’37), March 19, 2017

1940s

William Crissman (’48), April 27, 2017

1950s

E. Helmintoller (’52), June 20, 2017
Nancy George (’58), March 16, 2017
James Graziano (’59), March 15, 2017

1960s

Karlene Molinaro (’60), March 20, 2017
Lee Rouse (’60), April 16, 2017
Herbert Burns (’61), May 18, 2017
William Powell (’65), May 8, 2017
Adele Gammiere (’66), May 11, 2017

1970s

Elaine Schreibeis (’70), March 15, 2017
Deborah A. (Turcheck ’71) Chislock,
Feb. 7, 2016
Roberta Couch (’72), May 7, 2017
Martha Kline (’73), April 5, 2017
Sara Steffee (’73), May 15, 2017
Earl H. McDaniel Jr. (’73), June 19, 2017
Mary Reese (’74), March 16, 2017
Joyce Rowland (’75), April 2, 2017
Joan Ellis (’78), April 24, 2017
Maxine King (’78), June 9, 2017
Deborah Fleming (’79), Dec. 12, 2016

1980s

James Caldwell (’81), April 1, 2017
Susan Almes (’82), April 12, 2017

1990s

Roberta Wielandt (’91), June 20, 2017
Christine Slippy (’95), May 22, 2017

2000s

Eric O’Neil (’05), May 12, 2017

2010s

Frederick Clark (’10), April 13, 2017

Friends

Don McCormac, March 25, 2017
(former staff)
Roger Horn, June 6, 2017 (retired
faculty)
Ernie Goble, June 23, 2017 (retired
staff)

Nathan Hundertmark, 21,
of Clintonville passed away
unexpectedly Sept. 18, 2017.
Born May 30, 1996, in Grove City,
he was the son of Gary and Linda
McIlvain Hundertmark.
Nathan was a 2014 graduate
of Franklin High School. He
continued his education at Clarion
University, majoring in computers
and information systems. He was a
senior and had worked in computer
maintenance.
He enjoyed music, especially
playing guitar and writing his own
songs. His love of music began at
an early age and increased as time
went on. He was a member of the
Franklin High School Black Knight
Band and Jazz Band. He was
also a member of the Academic
Games team, going to nationals in
2008. He enjoyed playing vintage
computer games.
Surviving are: his parents,
Gary and Linda Hundertmark
of Clintonville; his sister Megan
Hundertmark of Clintonville; his
maternal grandmother Janet
McIlvain of Franklin; his aunts,
Pamela Hoover and husband Todd
of Franklin, Kimberly Warwick and
husband Ronald of Chesapeake,
Va., and Beth Kellner and husband
Robert of Harrisville; his uncles,
Jeff McIlvain of Ravenna, Ohio, and
Eric Hundertmark and wife Mary of
Collegeville, and many cousins.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

43

CLARION
UNIVERSITY

Our gift to baby Eagles of Clarion alumni is a dashing new bib! To receive a bib, let
us know about the new addition to your nest by emailing to alumni@clarion.edu:
• Parents’ names
• Full address
• Graduation year of alumni
• Baby’s name and gender
• Date of birth
Once you receive your bib, take a picture of your Eaglet putting the bib to use, and
email a high-resolution photo to us for inclusion in Clarion University Magazine.

LUCILLE

Lucille James Mealy, daughter
of Jonathan (’10) and Wendyl
(Haws ‘15) Mealy, born Feb. 27,
2017

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CALVIN

Calvin Daniel Whitney, son
of Ryan (’05) and Lindsay
(Barringer) Whitney, born
Sept. 7, 2016

ALLISON

CJ

Charles “CJ” Kirby, son of
Charles and Ashley (Carter ’06),
born Aug. 22, 2017.

AUGUST

August Benjamin Little, son of
Philip and Tara (Roberts ’06,
07), born May 17, 2017.

JENSEN

Jensen Tyler Duffola, son of
Brad and Jessica (Hummel ’05)
Duffola, born May 9, 2017.

Allison Grace Kooser, daughter
of Jason (’06) and Christine
Kooser, born Aug. 25, 2017.

JETT

Jett Aaron Goodman, son of
Jesse and Andrea (Evans ’99)
Goodman, born March 16, 2017.

VIOLET

NATHANIEL

Violet May Anderson, daughter
of Madeline (Baldizar, ’05) and
Daniel (’04) Anderson, born
April 2, 2017.

Nathaniel Allan Fox, son of
Michael and Kelli (Straw ’05)
Fox, born July 8, 2016.

JESSICA

Jessica Juanita Hill, daughter of
Kári King-Hill (‘95) and Warren
Hill, born April 20, 2017.

KACESON

Kaceson Jesse Boyles, son of
Charles and Kelsi (Wilcox, ’07,
’13) Boyles, born July 6, 2017.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

45

Jones-Stofan

Amanda Jones and Eric Stofan
were married June 24, and
multiple generations of Clarion
alumni were with them to
celebrate, including Amanda’s
father, Gary Jones (’89).
Amanda teaches first grade in
the Moon Area School District.

Jim Dieterle (’88), Gary Jones, (’89), Peter McMillen, (’90), Kathy McMillen (’92),
Greg Dibiase (’90), Brittni Nassan (’14), Cierra Schneider (’15), Andrew Fragale (’15),
Brynne Buchner (’15), Cameron Derr (’15), Katie Burns (’17) and Hanna Smiley (’17).

Schopperth-Dauber

Erik Dauber and Kristin Schopperth met at Clarion University and married Aug. 5, 2017,
in Stroudsburg. Kristin is a speech-language pathologist, and Erik is a high school
history teacher.

Front row: Greg Snelick (’75), Shealin Mulcahy (’13), groom Erik Dauber (’14), bride Kristin (Schopperth ’14,
‘16) Dauber, Jenn Zdarko (’14, 16), Megan Sutton (’14, ’16), Trinity Letteri (’14, ’15) Jamie (Dauber ’01, 04),
Cassie (Kriegel ’10) Carnovale, Dan Carnovale (’09). Second row: Alyssa (Katz ’14, ’15) Domitrovich, Josh
Domitrovich (’13, ’15), Alicia Young (’14, ’15), Drew Morici (’13), Emily Morgan (’13), Rebecca (Schlimm ’14, ‘15)
Cowan, Wyatt Zacchero (’15), Kelin (Linnan ’01) Dauber. (Not pictured by in attendance were Susan (Mann)
Kelly and David Herbstritt (’12).

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DISTINGUISHED

Awards

2018

The Clarion University Alumni
Association Distinguished Awards were
established by the alumni association in
1966 to recognize exceptional alumni and
university friends.
Nominations are now being accepted
for the 2018 Distinguished Awards in
these categories:
• Distinguished Alumni:
Recognizes alumni who, over an
extended period of time and/or
through a singular achievement,
have achieved exemplary success
in their own field, extraordinary
service. They have personified
qualities and character for all Clarion
students and graduates to emulate.
• Distinguished Venango Alumni:
Presented by the Venango
Distinguished Alumni Award
Committee to former campus
students with a minimum of 30
credits who have been supportive
of and brought favorable attention
to Clarion University – Venango
through their professional
accomplishments and extraordinary
service.

• Distinguished Faculty:
Recognizes Clarion University faculty
members for their excellence in
teaching, scholarship and
leadership. Recipients are dedicated
to their profession, have a record of
professional development and
growth, and demonstrate care for
and are an inspiration to their
students.
• Distinguished Service:
Presented to any individual who
has given time, talent and/or
resources to the university.
Recipients have made contributions
that have significantly influenced the
university community and/or
have a record of extraordinary
volunteer service and active
involvement with Clarion University.

2017 Distinguished Faculty
DR. BRUCE SMITH ’84
Science education, retired

Nominations forms are available by visiting
www.clarion.edu/nominate or by calling 814-393-2572.

CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

47

COURAGEOUS

endeavors

JESSICA KENNY

“

I NEVER
EXPECTED TO
LEARN SO MUCH
ABOUT MYSELF
AND ANOTHER
CULTURE IN
JUST ONE
MONTH.
Last summer, Clarion University
ROTC Cadet Jessica Kenny spent a
month in Estonia as part of the ROTC
Cultural Understanding Language
Proficiency program, then later
attended Army Airborne School in
Fort Benning, Ga. Kenny has summed
up these Courageous Endeavors in her
own words.
“Traveling is something that I
have always loved to do. Having this
incredible opportunity to travel to
Estonia for a month with 29 other
cadets and four cadre members was a
very eye-opening experience. I never
expected to learn so much about
myself and another culture in just
one month. I was able to expand my
knowledge, get out of my comfort
zone and experience things from a
different perspective.
“I embraced the Estonian culture
and learned so many new things

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ranging from customs, different
foods, military tactics and differences
between physical training in a training
environment. I am beyond blessed to
have had this opportunity and really
enjoyed my time in Estonia.
“Airborne school is an experience I
will never forget. The first two weeks
consisted of ground week and then
tower week. For these two weeks we
trained consistently in the terrible heat
and humidity.
“We ran many miles each day to
stay in shape, jumped out of the 34foot tower, practiced mass exits on
mock doors, used the swing landing
apparatus and, most importantly,
learned our parachute landing falls.
Each day was long and tiring, with
much repetition.
“We constantly jumped and fell,
leaving each soldier very sore the
next morning. We practiced over and

over again so that each parachute
landing fall became second nature.
At the end of tower week, 322
soldiers/Air Force/Marines/Navy
personnel were ready to become
paratroopers.
“Five jumps later, I can now say
that I am a paratrooper. Airborne
leads the way.”

“Oh Clarion, dear Clarion, oh college on the hill…”

ARE YOU A PAY-IT-FORWARD GOLDEN EAGLE?
Giving back to Clarion University and helping
generations of new students just makes you feel good.

LET ME SHOW YOU HOW EASY IT CAN BE.
Larry W. Jamison ’87
Director of Planned Giving
Clarion University Foundation, Inc.
Seifert-Mooney Center for Advancement
840 Wood Street, Clarion, PA 16214-1232
814-393-1926 Fax: 814-393-1834
ljamison@cuf-inc.org
CLARION UNIVERSITY
MAGAZINE

49

NONPROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 2
CLARION, PA

840 WOOD STREET
CLARION, PA 16214-1232
WWW.CLARION.EDU

CUAA wants you

Clarion University Alumni
Association is accepting
applications for board
members. If you believe
in and advocate for the
values, mission and vision
of CUAA, Clarion University
Foundation, Inc., and
Clarion University, consider
applying.
Terms consist of two fiscal
years, beginning July 1 and
ending June 30. A member
may serve up to four
consecutive terms.
For more information
about applying to become
a board member, email
alumni@clarion.edu or call
814-393-2572.