Retirees Honored at Appreciation Dinner

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Saturday, May 20, 2017

 

Forty five members of the Lehigh employee community retired in the last year.  At the recent Lehigh Appreciation Dinner, those new retirees in attendance gathered for a group photo. We wish all of our retirees an enjoyable and well-deserved next chapter in their lives.

 

Karen Adams
Administrative Director, Athletics

37 years of service

 

Louise Adams
Office Manager, Lehigh University Child Care Center

Louise worked in the child care center for her entire Lehigh career. When asked to tell a memorable story, she replied, "The children tell funny stories or say funny things every day. To pick just one is very hard." She always encouraged student care givers to be patient and compassionate with the children. As she noted, "The children are always wanting to be hugged or loved." Louise is sharing her love with a new puppy in retirement. She is also enjoying digging in to remodeling her home.

 

Barbara Bertsch
Enrollment Support Coordinator, Admissions and Financial Aid

18 years of service

 

Helen Bobeck
Secretary, lacocca Institute

Helen held secretarial positions in quite a few areas at Lehigh, including Foreign Languages, the College of Business and Economics Dean's Office as well as several other CBE offices. She enjoyed the diversity of her experiences. "I especially enjoyed the varied opportunities at the Iacocca Institute, meeting individuals from around the world," she said. In retirement, Helen is spending time with her five grandchildren and attending as many of their events as possible. She's also traveling with her husband and volunteering in the community.

 

Richard Brandt
Director, lacocca Institute and Global Village

Dick spent his career at Lehigh encouraging· international exchange. In addition to keeping the Global Village and PSGE programs going for twenty years, he served as an adjunct in the College of Business and Economics, taught during PreLUsion, and co-chaired the GPS committee for HR. Dick says a high point for him was starting the Lee Iacocca International Internship program in 2009, which has sent hundreds of Lehigh students overseas for work opportunities. In addition to fishing, boating and golfing, Dick will be spending his retirement continuing to teach both at Lehigh and at the Esigelec Engineering School in Rouen, France.

 

Robert Bruce Brownell
Manager, Research Accounting

37 years of service

 

Ward Mitchell Cates
Education

Dr. Ward Cates received his doctorate degree from Duke University. After teaching in Kansas and Virginia, he came to Lehigh in August 1991 as an associate professor and was promoted to professor in August 200 l. He served as Associate Dean for the College of Education from November 2005 until June 2016. In 2008, Dr. Cates was honored with the Distinguished Service Award from the Association for Educational Communications and Technology, the organization's highest honor, which is given to an individual who has shown outstanding leadership in advancing the practice of educational communications and technology. He is also the recipient of the 2016 Hillman Faculty Award. Dr. Cates and his wife look forward to settling in North Carolina and enjoying being near his daughter.

 

Stephen H. Cutcliffe
History

Dr. Stephen Cutcliffe earned his PhD from Lehigh University in 1976. He served as Director of the Science, Technology and Society Program from 1988 to 2016 and specialized in American environmental history, the history of technology, and contemporary technology-society relationships. He published numerous essays and authored or co-edited seven: books including In Context: History and the History of Technology; Ideas, Machines, and Values: An Introduction to Science, Technology and Society Studies, and The Illusory Boundary: Environment and Technology in History. From 1977 to 2012, he edited the Science, Technology, and Society Curriculum Development Newsletter. His research interest has been at the intersection of environmental and technological history. Dr. Cutcliffe is the 2010 recipient of the Hillman Faculty Award.

 

Jeanne Dearden
Accounting Coordinator, LTS Administration and Planning

29 years of service

 

Linda E. Dreisbach
Coordinator, Sherman Fairchild Lab/Center for Photonics and Nanoelectronics

During her time at Lehigh, Linda also worked as an administrative assistant for Dr. Marvin H. White. She is proud to have assisted graduate students in securing additional funding for their education by handling the Sherman Fairchild Fellowships. She was honored by the IEEE for her 20 years of service as the Electron Devices Society recruiter at their international meetings. She also enjoyed assisting with the Sigma Xi banquet and was awarded the Donald Hillman nonexempt staff award during her years at Lehigh. Linda has moved to Hilton Head, South Carolina, to enjoy her retirement. She also plans to travel and volunteer.

 

 

Robert Eichenlaub
Director, Internal Audit

37 years of service

 

Elizabeth Fifer
English

Dr. Elizabeth Fifer earned her PhD from the University of Michigan. Dr. Fifer is the author of Rescued Readings: A Reconstruction of Gertrude Stein's Difficult Texts (1992). She has been writing essays on American drama and world literature. Her most recent publication, "Dead Reckoning: The Darkening Landscape of Contemporary World Literature" was featured in the March 2017 issue of World Literature Today. Dr. Fifer is the recipient of the 1999 Stabler Award for Excellence in Teaching and 2006 Hillman Award for Excellence in Graduate Advising.

 

Richard Freeman 
Director, Risk Management

29 years of service

 

Gail Fullman
Business Intelligence Analyst, LTS

In her decades of service to Lehigh prior to the role from which she retired, Gail worked with computers as a manager, a data coordinator and a computer operator. Gail is now making the most of retirement. She is volunteering with her church, traveling with Operation Sunshine, spending quality time with family, reading, gardening and enjoying sporting events.

 

Edward Gallagher
English

Dr. Edward Gallagher earned his PhD from the University of Notre Dame. He was promoted to the rank of professor in 1984 and served as the department chair of English from I 987 to I 994. Dr. Gallagher is a specialist in Early American literature. He teaches primarily in computer classrooms, is an online teaching veteran, and has served as Lehigh Lab Fellow, pioneering classes in-digital video, iPods, and (as EdwardScholarhands) virtual worlds. Six of his web projects are part of Lehigh's Digital Library under the title History on Trial, a seventh on "The UFO Controversy" is under way, and his work on the discussion board has received significant attention. Dr. Gallagher is the recipient of the 1974 Alfred Noble Robinson Faculty Award and the 1991 Hillman Faculty Award.

 

Michael George
Director, Centennial School

What is most dear to Michael in terms of fond memories are the outpourings of gratitude from parents, children, graduate students and others for having played a part, however small, in changing their lives for the better.

 

 

Lois Groff
Coordinator, Physics

30 years of service

 

Roy Gruver
Director, LTS Technology Management

Roy spent his entire Lehigh career in LTS, but he reached beyond his department as a member of the Council for Equity and Community and Co-Facilitator, Arts 250, Culture, Communication, Attitude and Behavior. He was also a member of the LTS Diversity and Inclusion Working Group. In retirement, Roy is focusing on his artistic side as resident artist in newly formed R & R Glass Studio in Bethlehem; and teaching kiln-formed glass at the Banana Factory in Bethlehem, and at The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass. When asked what he did to further the mission of Lehigh during his career, Roy replied, "I tried to listen to the genius of others."

 

James Gunton
Physics

Professor Gunton earned his PhD from Stanford University and is a statistical physicist whose current research interests are in the theory and application of phase transitions, how order develops from less ordered systems, such as a liquid becoming a solid. This encompasses a wide range of fundamental and practical problems in several interdisciplinary fields. He started his academic career at the University of Western Australia, continuing with Temple University from 1968 and Lehigh University since 1988. Dr. Gunton served as dean of the College of Arts & Sciences from 1988 to 1994. His research work has been carried out with grants from institutions in Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Switzerland and US. Dr. Gunton is the recipient of the 2009 Hillman Faculty Award.

 

William Haller
Professor of Practice, Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

16 years of service

 

Sandra Holsonback
Director, Small Business Development Center

27 years of service

 

Patricia S. Jones
Coordinator, Alumni Relations

Patricia spent most of her career at Lehigh in Alumni Relations, working on the reunion team and as office coordinator. She was highly committed to our alumni. She recalled: "An elderly alumnus called and informed me he really wanted to attend his reunion but had no way of getting to campus. I made arrangements to have someone pick him up and bring him home. With the help of a student worker, we made his room comfortable. I also purchased a cell phone for him to use in case of emergency during his stay. I believe this action showed that we believe that all of our alumni are important." Patricia is looking forward to doting on her new granddaughter, whose birth is expected this month.

 

Karen Krajczar
Admissions Receptionist, Admissions and Financial Aid

Karen also worked in the Civil Engineering Department and Registrar's Office during her career at Lehigh. She took part in fun activities like the Bed Races. Karen recalls being approached in a restaurant by a mother and daughter who looked vaguely familiar. "The young lady had just finished our freshman orientation, and both she and her Mom thanked me for helping them when she had visited as a prospective student," she said. "She had a great visit, and they told me the main reason for her accepting our offer of admission was because of me, and the kindness I showed them." In retirement, Karen is volunteering at an animal shelter and church. She's also enjoying a bit of travel and spending more time with family and friends.

 

Hattie Laudenslager
Mailroom Technician, Mailing and Printing Services

12 years of service

 

Jane Lenner
Administrative Coordinator, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs

In addition to the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, Jane also worked in Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and the Energy Research Center. During her time at Lehigh, she took the opportunity to attend programs offered by Human Resources and attended retreats with the office of the Vice Provost for Research. Jane remembers that in the days before electronic grant submissions, she and her colleagues would often work "well after the quitting hour" to prepare a grant proposal for mailing. As she puts it "This was indeed the case of a group working together to get the job done and certainly loyalty and dedication to the University.

In retirement, Jane plans to spend more time with her family and take day trips.

 

Robert Lychak
Maintenance Technician, Facilities Services

13 years of service

 

Charles Lyman
Materials Sciences and Engineering

Dr. Charles Lyman earned his PhD from MIT in materials science. Dr. Lyman joined the Electron Microscopy Laboratory of Lehigh University in 1984. Dr. Lyman's research interests include electron microscopy and microanalysis of metals, ceramics, and heterogeneous catalysts. He was president of the Microscopy Society of America ( 1991) and president of the Microanalysis Society (2000) .Dr.Lyman was Editor-in-Chief ofMicroscopy and Microanalysis (2000-2008) and is currently Editor-in-Chief of Microscopy Today. Dr. Lyman has been a co-organizer of the annual Lehigh Microscopy School since 1985. He has co-authored three textbooks and over 100 technical articles.

 

George Eadon McClusltey, Jr.
Physics

Professor George McCluskey earned his Ph.D. in Astronomy from the University of Pennsylvania in 1965. He came to Lehigh in 1965 as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy and was promoted to Full Professor in 1976. He served as Department Chair from 1998-2000. In 2001, he joined the Department of Physics and took part in the initiation of major degree studies in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Professor McCluskey has had numerous grants from NASA related to his studies of satellite ultraviolet photometry and spectroscopy of interacting binary systems. He has numerous publications in prestigious astrophysics journals. He is a member of the Royal Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union. Professor McCluskey retired at the end of 2016 after 51 years at Lehigh University.

 

Theresa McGinley
Coordinator, LTS

After 18.5 years of service, Theresa looks forward to traveling and playing more golf in retirement.

 

Susan Meyers
Coordinator, Chaplain's Office

Prior to working in the Chaplain's Office, Susan was the coordinator in the Alumni Office. Susan was an active member of the Lehigh community. She served on ERAC, chaired the University Awards Committee, and volunteered for MOOV, among many other activities.

She noted, "Lehigh is more than just a place where students spend four years working toward their degree. It is a community/family for a lifetime. As a member of the alumni office team we worked to instill that bond to students and alumni. The same can hold true for employees and retirees! I am a proud member of the Lehigh family."

 

Edward P. Morgan
Political Science

Dr. Edward Morgan earned his PhD from Brandeis University. He was appointed Assistant Professor of Political Science at Lehigh in 1976 and became a Distinguished University Professor in 1999. As a member of the Africana Studies faculty, he served as Interim Director in 2008-2010. Dr. Morgan most recent book publication is What Really Happened to the l 960's: How Mass Media Culture Failed American Democracy, along with numerous articles and other books. Dr. Morgan is the recipient of the 1992 Christian & Mary Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and the 2012 Hillman Faculty Award.

 

Daniel Moyer
Senior Hardware Technician, LTS Technology Infrastructure and Operations

22 years of service

 

Gary Muth
Maintenance Technician, Facilities Services

39 years of service

 

Jean Nonnemaker
Senior Analyst, LTS Enterprise Systems

In addition to her role as a senior analyst, Jean also served as adjunct faculty in the College of Business and Economics. She participated in group fitness classes on campus and also volunteered for MOOV and the United Way Day of Caring. Jean was part of a team of nearly forty LTS staff who came to work on New Year's Day 2000 to make sure that the Y2K process went smoothly. Unfortunately some wires got crossed. "Y2K went fine," she recalled, "but we were told lunch would be provided and found one little tray of finger sandwiches and two bags of chips ... Forever etched in our collective memory at Enterprise System." Jean is staying busy teaching computer courses in retirement.

 

Tulga Ozsoy
Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics

Dr. Tulga Ozsoy earned his PhD in Mechanical Engineering at the Technical University of Istanbul. Dr. Ozsoy has served as technical consultant to companies in development, installation, administration and training of computer-aided engineering systems, product data management systems with team environment and enterprise resource planning systems. He has also served on the faculty of the Technical University of Istanbul. He is recipient of the CASA/SME University Lead Award for Excellence in Computer Integrated Manufacturing educational program development and the ASME Curriculum Innovation Award for his efforts toward Lehigh's Integrated Product Development program.

 

Martin Reph, Jr.
Maintenance Technician, Facilities Services

15 years of service

 

Nancy Ross
Lecturer, Journalism and Communications

30 years of service

 

 

 

Eric Salathe
Mathematics

Dr. Eric Salathe earned his PhD from Brown University. He came to Lehigh in 1967 as Assistant Professor for the Center for the Application of Mathematics and reached the rank of professor in 1977. Dr. Salathe research interests have been in applied mathematics and physiological transport phenomena. He served as chair of Department of Mathematics from 1985 to 1988. He also served as professor and director of the Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Mathematical Biology.

 

Jeffrey Schmoyer
Digital Imaging Systems Technician, Mailing and Printing Services

42 years of service

 

Elia Schoomer
Manager, Instructional Media Services

Elia began his career at Lehigh in the Psychology Department. He moved with the creation of the Media Center in the library and then ultimately became part of the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. He served on ERAC for two terms, including one as chair. Of the evolution of media during his career,he noted, "We went from preparing overheads and fully colored slides by hand to being early adopters of fully computer generated graphic slides ... From a few dim, massive, complicated three-gun projectors we moved to ubiquitous, small, maintenance-free laser systems that are ten times brighter. Most importantly, I've always been impressed by our student's creativity and our faculty's interest in taking chances on new technologies and approaches."

Mary Jo Schulze
Software Specialist, LTS

During her career at Lehigh, Mary Jo also worked in the Microcomputer Store and Information Resources Hardware Repair. She was an active volunteer, participating in United Way Day of Caring, Holiday Hope Chest, and various campus committees. Mary Jo said she enjoyed solving both hardware and software related questions and concerns for faculty, students, and staff. She noted, "As both a spouse and a staff member, the personal interactions of meeting and chatting with fellow Lehigh faculty, students, staff, and visitors are some of my fondest memories."

In retirement, she will be enjoying family time with her grandchildren and exploring the United States and the world. She also plans to delve into hobbies including genealogy, reading, and boating.

Jill Sperandio
Education

Dr. Jill Sperandio earned her PhD in Educational Policy and Administration from the University of Chicago. She held leadership positions in a number of K -12 international schools abroad before joining Lehigh's College of Education in 2004. She has continued to serve international schools through workshops, training and program evaluation for the International Baccalaureate Organization and the Council for International Schools. Dr. Sperandio's research while at Lehigh has focused on girls' education and women in educational leadership worldwide. She is the recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship for research and teaching in Azerbaijan.

 

Arnold R. Spokane
Education

Dr. Arnold Spokane earned his PhD in Counseling Psychology from Ohio State University. He came to Lehigh in 1989 after serving as assistant and associate professor at the University of Maryland. He is the author of more than 100 journal articles and book chapters including Career Intervention. Dr. Spokane is the recipient of the Exemplary Service Award from the American Academy of Counseling Psychology and served as Academy's president from 2012-2014.

 

Donna Szczepanski
Administrative Clerk, Facilities Services

Donna enjoyed working with students, faculty and staff at Lehigh. In addition to her work, she also served as a computer liaison. As she put it, "I just love to help people." In retirement, she is continuing to help by taking family and friends to doctor's appointments and volunteering at her church. She's also spending time with her dogs, and, as she says "Oh, yes, taking naps once in a while."

 

Janet T. Walters
Academic Coordinator, History Department

Janet helped transition her department to computers in 1984.As she noted "There were many kinks involved in the learning curve for me and the professors I worked for. I assisted them until all became proficient." For Janet, serving the students of the University was the best part of working at Lehigh. She said, "I always treated them like I would want my own child treated." During her time, she even saw a second generation of students arrive, as when she learned one of her work-study students was the daughter of a former History major. In retirement, she is serving as a caregiver, meeting with friends, knitting, reading and taking day trips.

 

Richard N. Weisman
Civil and Environmental Engineering

Dr. Richard Weisman earned his PhD in Civil Engineering from Cornell University. He did research in water resources engineering for 25 years before serving as Associate Dean of Engineering for 11 years. He helped found the Lehigh Chapter of Engineers Without Borders and continues to work with students designing and building water supply projects in developing countries. Dr. Weisman helped creat.e the Lehigh in Costa Rica program, the first program at Lehigh in sustainable development. He also enjoys playing the trumpet and is a member of the university orchestra. Dr. Weisman is the recipient of the 2008 Stabler Award for Excellence in Teaching and the 2006 Hillman Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Advising.