2025-26 Annual Report | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences

Students Discover by Excavating the Earliest Tavern in Lancaster County

During the fall semester of 2025, more than two dozen Millersville University Archaeology students participated in the excavation of the Galbraith Ordinary, a Scots-Irish tavern built between 1718 and 1720 in East Donegal Township, north of Marietta, PA. Dr. Timothy Trussell, archaeologist and associate professor of Anthropology, led the expedition as part of the MU Archaeology program’s ongoing Lancaster Colonial History project.

Students in the field school first located the site through archaeological testing on a farm north of Marietta, PA, in East Donegal Township, then excavated the original foundation of the Galbraith Ordinary, recovering numerous artifacts. Historical documents indicate the building was likely the earliest “ordinary” (an English legal term meaning “a small proprietor licensed to sell spirits”) in Lancaster County. The excavation was featured in multiple newspaper articles and local TV news reports and was covered nationally by Fox Online.

Excavations revealed that the builder of the ordinary, John Galbraith, constructed a rather moderate stone house of two stories, with two rooms on the main floor and a single room on the basement floor. Each main floor room was just 14x15 feet, comparable to small medieval ordinaries dating as far back as the 14th century found in Ireland and Scotland, suggesting Galbraith tried to reconstruct the type of building he remembered from his childhood. The small size quickly led to the building being outclassed as a public meeting place in the area, as larger ordinaries were quickly built over the next decade, and the structure soon became a small single-family dwelling, which it remained for the rest of its use-life. The structure appears to have burned around 1900, and the location remained an unremarkable farm pasture for the next century, prior to the MU archaeological work at the site.

Over 30,000 individual artifacts were recovered, and analysis of those artifacts will provide the basis for a senior honors thesis for an MU student in the coming year, continuing the educational and training opportunities for students provided within the Archaeology program. Most gratifyingly, several of the students who were trained on this excavation have now graduated from Millersville and are working as full-time professional archaeologists, aided by the experience they received during the project.

Prepared by Dr. Tim Trussell.

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Select Internships

• Kaela Thompson (History & Philosophy) had an internship at the Lancaster Medical Heritage Museum during the summer of 2025. Her main project was curating a museum exhibit for quack (unnatural) medicine primarily between 1850 and 1900.
• Bryanna Nase (History & Philosophy) was an Exhibit Curatorial Intern at the LGBT Center of Central PA, Harrisburg, PA. During her internship, Bryanna assessed networks of activism in Central Pennsylvania catalyzed by the Stonewall Uprising through digital archival records.
• Sydni Chieffo (Communication & Theatre) worked with a $10 million fundraising campaign for Blue Rock Fire Department to create a campaign promotion video.

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Historical and Literary Translations of the Experience of Genocide: the 41st Conference on the Holocaust & Genocide

Millersville University’s 41st Conference on the Holocaust & Genocide focused on the theme of “Translating Trauma into Literature and Performing Arts.” Treating the horrors of the Holocaust as an experience that is nearly incomprehensible to those who have not lived through it, the Conference featured artists and scholars whose work aimed to “translate” the Holocaust for generations distant from it – whether because of geography, the passage of time, language or a combination of these factors.

The 2026 Alan and Linda Loss Keynote Lecture speaker was Moisés Kaufman. He is a Tony-and Emmy-nominated director whose Broadway credits include, among others, “Paradise Square”, which received 10 Tony Award nominations, and Doug Wright’s “I Am My Own Wife”, which won the Tony Award. Kaufman is also the co-author of “The Laramie Project”, which was originally developed through Tectonic Theater Project, a company Kaufman founded and made famous for its unique documentary-style theater. Kaufman’s keynote address focused on his play “Here There Are Blueberries”, which was a 2024 Pulitzer Prize finalist. It tells the true story of a mysterious Nazi-era photo album donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, and the shocking discoveries the museum curators made about the people who ran the Auschwitz concentration camp. During his keynote address, Kaufman engaged in a conversation with Barry Kornhauser of the Office of Visual and Performing Arts, discussing the play’s creation and original production processes, ethical and philosophical questions raised by its contents, and the ways in which theater can “translate” trauma for its viewers. To provide a context for the conversation, a team of student actors led by Professor Jonathan Strayer prepared a dramatic reading of key scenes from the play. The scenes were interwoven into Kaufman’s conversation, creating a rich and innovative experience for the audience, which the artist himself praised as highly original.

Another set of Conference events centered around the literal translation of Holocaust literature from other languages. The first event was a workshop supported by the Jewish Community Alliance of Lancaster for local teachers and teacher candidates titled “Echoes That Cannot Be Silent: Bearing Witness to the Holocaust Through Poetry in Translation.” The workshop was led by the accomplished translator and professor of Translation Studies at Kent State University, Joanna Trzeciak Huss, who introduced participants to the process and challenges of translating Holocaust poetry. She illustrated her points with the work of two Holocaust poets, Avrom Sutzkever (originally writing in Yiddish) and Tadeusz Różewicz (writing in Polish); she used examples from her own translations of Różewicz to discuss translation challenges and dilemmas.

The workshop was followed by a public panel discussion and reading of the translated work of Polish-Jewish poet Zuzanna Ginczanka. Ginczanka rose to fame in Poland between 1934 and 1941 as a unique and bold poet of the Polish language. Nazi persecution forced her into hiding; however, she did not survive and was executed by the Nazis in 1944 at the age of 28. Her poetry is a powerful record of a young female artist reaching maturity in the shadow of Nazism and the Holocaust, and it has recently seen a resurgence of interest internationally.

The panel featured three English-language translators: Joanna Trzeciak Huss, Mira Rosenthal (a poet, translator and professor of creative writing at California Polytechnic State University) and Alex Braslavsky (Ph.D. candidate at the Slavic Department of Harvard University). In a discussion moderated by Dr. Kasia Jakubiak, the chair of the Conference’s Organizing Committee, the panelists talked about Ginczanka’s life and work, their personal relationship to her poetry, and the process of translating Ginczanka’s poems involving complex linguistic, cultural and ethical considerations. The panelists read selected poems in Polish and in multiple translations. The event was attended by nearly 150 people, including students, faculty, staff and community members. In an informal poll, students expressed their appreciation for the way the panel opened their eyes to the complexity of literary translation and to the significance of a translator’s choices when transmitting literature of trauma. As one student commented, “I started to see [translation] not just as moving words from one language to another but as a deep dive into reading and a responsibility to do the right thing.”

Prepared by Dr. Kasia Jakubiak.

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A Year at the Eckert Art Gallery

During the 2025-2026 academic year, the Eckert Art Gallery showcased three exciting exhibitions of professional artists: “Equinox: At the End and in the Middle,” curated by Morgan Hobbs; “Insight,” a selection of artworks by the faculty of the Art and Design Department; and Echo Valley Art Group’s 81st Annual Exhibition.

“Equinox: At the End and in the Middle” featured nine professional artists for a theme-based exhibition that included painting, drawing, photography and sculpture. Curator Morgan Hobbs selected pieces that tell a story of how artists reflect on cycles of life, moments of symmetry, communal rituals, mythology and human experiences of time and location. Selected artists were Bambi Alder, Natessa Amin, Elizabeth Johnson, Melanie Johnson, Monique Muse, Addison Namnoum, Sarah Peoples, Michele Pierson and SK Reed.

“Insight” was a selection of artworks by the faculty of the Art and Design Department. Each artist was invited to select one artwork from an earlier point in their career, and the second more recent. This framework of then and now gave insight into the arc of each faculty member’s creative practice. Participating artists included Line Bruntse, Dorothy Frey, Shauna Frischkorn, Leslie Gates, Ed Kahler, Heidi Leitzke, Becky McDonah, Tedd McDonah, Zach Mellman-Carsey, Adam Omar, Brant Schuller, Deborah Sigel, Dante Weikel and Autumn Wright-Hess.

Finally, the Eckert Art Gallery hosted the 81st Annual Exhibition of Echo Valley Art Group. Founded in 1945 on Echo Valley Farm near Neffsville, PA, the Art Group began as a regular gathering of local artists and remains a close-knit collective of 25 professional artists. While meetings now take place in homes and studios rather than a barn, the Group’s commitment to in-person connection, artmaking and giving back to the community remains. The participating artists included Abby Rudisill, Amy Edwards, Ann DeLaurentis, Becky Blosser, Becky McDonah, Brant Schuller, Carol Morgan, Claire Giblin, Daniel Burns, Deborah Sigel, Evan Kitson, Jeff Geib, Jeremy Waak, K. K. DePaul, Lou Schellenberg, Mariko Swisher, Marlin Bert, Matt Allyn Chapman, Megan Zettlemoyer, Milton D. Friedly, Richard Whitson, Rob Evans, Scott Cantrell, Susan Gottlieb and Zach Mellman-Carsey.

The total number of visitors who saw the exhibits this year exceeded 1,000. The generous supporters of the Gallery, Susan and Jerry Eckert, sponsored the Equinox show and a paid student intern, Natalie Dorosz. Natalie was trained to work as the Student Gallery Manager and gained valuable professional experience in the field of museum studies and commercial galleries.

Prepared by Professor and Gallery Director Heidi Leitzke.

AHSS Fellow Meghan Emery

This year’s recipient of the donor-funded College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Fellowship is Meghan Emery, a rising senior pursuing a dual degree in Fine Arts (BFA) with a concentration in Printmaking and Art Education (BSE). The fellowship provides Meghan with the opportunity to expand her technical and conceptual knowledge of lithographic printmaking through intensive studio experience, mentorship and in-depth research. Meghan will be working in a residency-style setting alongside Professor Brant Schuller to develop a series of large-scale multicolor lithographs, requiring separate limestones for each color. She will work alongside her professor as he conducts his own artistic research, experiencing full-time idea development, experimentation and assisting him with his larger projects.

The Fellowship affords Meghan unrestrained time to refine her lithography technique full time with one-on-one guidance from an experienced printmaker. Dedicating time to the laborious process-oriented nature of stone lithography with the largest limestones in the studio and studio equipment is not possible during the academic year with a full class schedule and other classes occupying the studio. In addition to spending the summer pursuing lithography full time, Meghan plans to travel and expand her knowledge of historical and contemporary printmaking. She will visit the Sue Coe print collection at HACC, The Print Center in Philadelphia, the National Gallery in D.C., and Print Center New York to study lithographs in person.

This ambitious summer-long project will be a key component of Meghan’s culminating spring 2027 BFA exhibition. The time, space, studio equipment and mentorship will be a springboard for her future artistic development. Beyond the immediate opportunity of this Fellowship, the works she produces during this time will contribute to her portfolio as she applies to graduate printmaking programs in the future.

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Awards and Research

Communication & Theatre students attended the Broadcast Education Association Convention.

• Bozhena Sobkevych, Brianna McHugh, Haven Thomas and Gabriel Wolford (Communication & Theatre) were inducted into the Alpha Epsilon Rho International Honor Society, based on excellence of work; demonstrated leadership qualities; service to the organization, community and industry; and acquired GPA.
• Claire DeVinney (History & Philosophy) received the Raymond J. Cunningham Prize from the American Historical Association for her article “‘This Popular & Malcontent Temper’: Pennsylvania Currency and Transatlantic Commerce, 1720-1723.”
• Kaela Thompson (History & Philosophy) was accepted to two McNeil Center for Early American Studies’ programs: 1) the Undergraduate Research Workshop and 2) The Lost World of Handwriting: A Workshop in English Paleography, 1500-1850.

Six students from the Department of History and Philosophy participated in the Phi Alpha Theta International History Society’s 2026 regional conference with the following presentations:

• Hamida Abdelhalim, “Tracing Systemic Racism: American History in the Underground Railroad and A Raisin in the Sun”
• Halle Beears, “Reclaiming Conestoga: Revisiting the Historical Record and Modern Repercussions of the Conestoga Massacre of 1763” (awarded Best Paper Award)
• Emily Czyzyk, “Failure Turned American Martyr: How Nathan Hale’s Spy Mission Contributed to 18th-Century American Mythology”
• Sarah Casler, “A Historiography of Disease and Infection in the American Civil War”
• Logan Lutz, “The Election of 1916: Woodrow Wilson and Military Preparedness” (awarded Best Graduate Poster)
• Morgan Pickle, “The 1926 Pennsylvania Primary and Prohibition” (awarded Best Undergraduate Poster)

Dr. Stacey Irwin (second from the left).

Dr. Stacey Irwin (Communication & Theatre) received the 2026 Service Learning and Community Engagement Showcase Award at the Service Learning and Community Engagement Division of the Broadcast Education Association convention for her Project Green Lancaster website created by MU students.

Professor Davis at Carnegie Hall.

Professor Morgann Davis (Music) was awarded first prize for a duo performance in the Advanced Division of the 2025 American Protégé Woodwinds and Brass Competition in addition to being named the Judge’s Distinction Award winner. She performed the first movement of “Kaoru” by Christopher Theofanidis with duo partner Matthew Angelo at the American Protégé Winner’s Recital at the iconic Weill Recital Hall.

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Publications, Presentations, Exhibitions and Performances

Dr. Xun Pan (Music) performed the Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15 with the Lancaster Symphony Orchestra during the 2025 Lancaster International Piano Festival at the Barshinger Center for Musical Arts.

Dr. Xun Pan (Music) performed a chamber music concert with the Gabriel Chamber Ensemble at Qaitai Grand Concert Hall in Wuhan, China.

Dr. Jennifer Jester (Music) contributed to “The Modern Band Handbook” released by Oxford University Press.

Dr. Joshua Rea (English & World Languages) gave a presentation on Community Writing at the Rhetoric Society of America.

Left: Professor Frey standing beside her piece “Vessels and Apron (Generations).” Right: The announcement piece for her exhibit at The Bowery Gallery, “Waiting in the Wings.”

Professor Dorothy Frey (Art & Design) had a solo exhibition, “Glass Hatchet,” at the Bowery Gallery, New York.

Dr. Stacey Irwin (Communication & Theatre) presented “Writing Toward Understanding: A Civic Engagement Study Through Sustainability Web Writing” at the Broadcasting Education Association’s Annual Convention.

Dr. Caleb Corkery (English & World Languages) presented “Imitating Chatbots to Teach the Power of Human Writing” at the Conference on College Composition and Communication, Cleveland, OH.

Dr. Victoria Khiterer (History & Philosophy) participated in a podcast about her book “Bitter War of Memory: The Babyn Yar Massacre, Aftermath, and Commemoration” with Dr. Waitman Wade Beorn, The Holocaust History Podcast, “Episode 73 – Babi Yar History and Memory.”

Dr. Victoria Khiterer (History & Philosophy) gave the following presentations: “Americans at Babyn Yar, Babyn Yar Commemoration in America” to the 57th Annual Conference of the Association for Jewish Studies, and “Echo of the Jewish Anti-Fascist Committee Affair in Kyiv” to the 57th Annual Convention of the Association for Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies.

Dr. Katarzyna Jakubiak (English & World Languages) gave an online panel presentation with students at the 2025 English Association of Pennsylvania State Universities (EAPSU) conference.

Dr. Katarzyna Jakubiak (English & World Languages) gave a public reading of her creative nonfiction at the “Eastern European Voices for Resistance and Reinvention” event at the 2026 Association of Writers and Writing Programs conference in Baltimore, MD.

Dr. Leslie Gates (Art & Design) presented “Lingering Questions as a Provocative Bridge between Theory and Practice” at the National Art Education Association Annual Convention in Chicago, IL.

Dr. Leslie Gates (Art & Design) co-presented “Having Difficult Conversations” at the Pennsylvania Association of Colleges and Teacher Educators Fall Conference in Harrisburg, PA.

Dr. Leslie Gates (Art & Design) presented “Student to Student Feedback” during the Pennsylvania Art Education Association Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, PA.\

Dr. Leslie Gates (Art & Design) had her artwork displayed during the PAEA Artist & Art Educator Show in Pittsburgh, PA. The piece “Words That Cut” won third place in the Standard Ceramics exhibition, juried by Rita Wilson.

Dr. Stephanie Jerstad (Criminology, Sociology & Anthropology) presented “Policies addressing access to long-term care facilities for people convicted of sex crimes” at the annual Association for the Treatment and Prevention of Sexual Abuse.

Dr. Stephanie Jerstad (Criminology, Sociology & Anthropology) was the keynote speaker at the National Association for Rational Sexual Offense Laws.

Summer Workshops for High School Students

Over the course of June 14-20, the College of AHSS launched Beyond the Console: Live Audio/Lighting and Recording Workshops supported by a statewide grant from Play PA Live. The granting agency focuses on workforce development in the audio and live event fields.

The summer program at AHSS consisted of two residential workshops that provided students ages 15-18 with hands-on learning experiences utilizing the facilities of the Winter Visual and Performing Arts Center and Dutcher Hall. Professors Jennifer Jester, Adam Boyer and Logan Ressler taught guided instructional tracks in Studio Recording, Live Audio and Lighting. The workshops were also supported by the current students and recent graduates who utilized the skills learned in their degree programs to support high schoolers looking to follow in their footsteps to pursue a career in the live event industry. In addition to their practical learning at the College’s facilities, workshop participants also visited external worksites to speak with professionals at area companies such as Sight & Sound Theatre, Hear Hear Studio, 4Wall, Thornwall Studios and Clair Global.

Students who attended the program gained valuable insight by collaborating with their peers on a shared passion under the guidance of faculty expertise and the mentorship of MU students. They came away with a meaningful head start into their chosen field. The feedback that the faculty received was outstanding.

Prepared by Workshop Director Professor Logan Ressler

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Student Films Exhibited at Penn Cinema, and MidnightRun24 Goes Global

In early February, five MU student films were written, shot, edited and completed in 24 hours as part of the long-running MidnightRun24 film competition led by Professor James Machado (Department of Communication and Theatre). The student film competition has been organized since 2018; however, for the first time, student films received a public screening at Penn Cinema in Lititz as a result of a partnership developed by Professor Machado and Penn Ketchum, the owner of Penn Cinema. An audience of about 100 students, alumni and members of the Lancaster County community watched the films together on the big screen. The event culminated with the announcement of the judges’ rankings and an opportunity for audience members to vote for their favorite film.

The change in venue for MidnightRun24’s screening this year was part of a multiyear strategy to expand the event beyond Millersville University’s campus and support student filmmakers by helping them find wider audiences and diverse collaborators. By participating in this film competition, students benefit from the opportunity to work on projects within a short time frame while being constrained by preset rules, thus providing a real-world simulation of the difficulties of professional filmmaking. In addition, the young filmmakers receive feedback from a panel of faculty and industry professionals who score the films on their innovative application of the rules and the quality of filmmaking.

Furthermore, this academic year, Professor Machado brought MidnightRun24 to the historic city of Lecce, Italy, as part of an Erasmus+ Staff Mobility invitation at Università del Salento with support from a PASSHE Faculty Professional Development grant. Eight student groups submitted short films as part of the event, a first of its kind in Lecce. Professor Luca Bandirali, associate professor at Università del Salento and film scholar, described it as a highly innovative contest that made a major impact both on student engagement and the university’s reputation as an environment for creative and stimulating activities. This year’s pilot at Università del Salento set the stage for future collaborations. Professors Machado and Bandirali are now preparing future partnerships, including a study abroad program that would bring Millersville University students to Italy and produce their films in cooperation with Università del Salento students.

Prepared by Professor James Machado

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Agreement Brings NJ Students to MU to Study Music Industry

Millersville University and Bergen Community College in Paramus, NJ, have signed an articulation agreement that will allow Bergen students to complete a bachelor’s degree in Music Industry at Millersville at a discounted tuition rate, beginning in fall 2026. This is the program’s first agreement with a school located in New Jersey; Bergen is the state’s largest community college.

“This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to empowering students, expanding access and supporting academic and professional growth,” says Dr. Gail Gasparich, provost and senior vice president of academic affairs at Millersville. “By providing a clear pathway for talented students to advance their education and careers in the music industry, we are investing in the next generation of creative leaders and innovators. We look forward to welcoming Bergen County Community College graduates into our vibrant campus community and helping them achieve their aspirations.”

Commercial Lab Band practicing for a performance.

“We are very excited that the articulation agreement with Millersville University is now in effect,” says Dr. Andrew Krikun, music professor at Bergen. “We have been working closely with the music faculty and administration from Millersville University to create a strong curricular partnership.”

“This partnership expands regional access to high-quality music industry education, strengthens cross-state collaboration and creates new pathways for students seeking hands-on, industry-connected training in music production and live audio concentration,” says Dr. Jennifer Jester, Millersville associate professor of Music Industry.

Bergen students enrolled in the Associate of Fine Arts in Music program can transfer to Millersville after earning 60 credits and pay 80% of typical costs for in-state students to complete Millersville’s Music Industry degree.

“Through a revised fee structure for out-of-state students under the Bergen agreement, Millersville now becomes a highly competitive and financially viable alternative for students,” says Dr. Barry Atticks, professor of Music Industry at Millersville.

Students take foundational courses in music industry, recording, production and music and select one or more of the three concentrations. They have access to a dedicated building for live audio production classes, a partnership with Clair Global that allows them to study live audio at the organization’s headquarters with industry professionals, and a 24-week live sound engineering program at the Blackbird Academy in Nashville.

Prepared by Mary Dolheimer

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Overhaul in the Costume Shop

For more than 40 years, the Costume Shop, housed in the Department of Communication and Theatre, has served the greater Susquehanna Valley region. It started in 1982 with a gift of over 10,000 costumes by Mrs. Jean Loeb, who had successfully run a costume rental service out of Columbia, PA. The Costume Shop’s collection grew exponentially under the supervision and curation of Ms. Priscilla Kaufhold. Countless productions on Millersville University’s campus and surrounding areas benefited from the Costume Shop’s bountiful holdings.

During the last two years, the Costume Shop has undergone significant changes to help it better align with the needs of the University and the various creative communities that it serves. The College of AHSS brought in a theatrical costuming expert to assess the Costume Shop’s holdings and the University’s capacity to maintain them. This effort resulted in a more selective and focused collection. At the conclusion of this extensive inventory review, the current collection was relocated and can now be found on the ground floor of Lyle Hall. This space provides better climate-controlled conditions for the delicate items in the collection and streamlines access to the costumes for potential clients.

The next step will be the creation of a digitized inventory of the Costume Shop. Soon, those interested in renting costumes will be able to use a searchable database and see detailed descriptions and photos of the items online. We are confident that the resulting experience will provide a more contemporary and lasting framework for the Shop and its customers.

Prepared by Dr. Lowery Woodall

Adam J. Rineer (Music) received the 2026 Jonathan Larson Grant, a national award from the American Theatre Wing, which supports emerging musical theater creators.

Michael Monte (Communication & Theatre), pictured right, was involved in the broadcasting coverage of the 2026 Winter Olympics.

Morgan Scott (Art & Design) was accepted with full funding at Indiana University of Bloomington for MFA (the top-ranked sculpture program in the nation).

Kellee Roberts (Music) has been appointed Orchestra Director at Northeastern High School, where she will lead and develop the school’s string program.

Featured Donors

Bruce and Lyn Limpert

Longtime friends of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, Bruce and Lyn Limpert decided this year to designate their charitable giving to support students who pursue internships and seek to launch their professional careers. Previously, Mr. Limpert actively supported the Providence Project, run by Dr. Marlene Arnold, a distinguished anthropology professor.

This exciting initiative involved creating an extensive study of the culture and history of the Lancaster area and was overseen by a community-based advisory board, of which Mr. Limpert was a member. Based on his work with the Providence Project, which is coming to a close, Mr. Limpert sought ways to continue supporting valuable learning experiences for our students, with a particular focus on opportunities for professional growth. With this purpose in mind, Mr. and Mrs. Limpert created the Limpert Scholarship to cover tuition costs for students pursuing internships in the fields of cultural and historical preservation, with an emphasis on this region’s heritage and in collaboration with the LancasterHistory organization.

The first recipient of the scholarship is already benefitting from the Limperts’ support during the summer of 2026. Both Bruce and Lyn Limpert have a deep commitment to devising ways for students’ learning through service or experiential experiences. Mrs. Limpert holds a doctorate degree in Education Administration and has worked on developing service-learning programs. After serving in senior management for Wenger’s Feed Mill, Inc. and Country View Family Farms, Mr. Limpert established CPS Management Services, LLC, a value-based business management consultancy, and developed a web-accessible business management system, CPS Mgmt. Toolkit™.

In addition to their extensive professional experiences, Mr. and Mrs. Limpert have been dedicated and highly active members of the surrounding community, supporting nonprofit organizations and serving on numerous boards and in leadership positions in churches, educational institutions and local community groups.

Prepared by Dr. Ieva Zake

Ken Procter

For Ken Procter ’76, an alumnus of and a donor to the Department of Art and Design, drawing was the foundation of a remarkable career. When Mr. Procter enrolled at Millersville State College in the summer of 1973, the course Drawing I was held in a makeshift space before Breidenstine Hall opened that fall. As one of the first students to study in the new building and later receive his own studio space, he found an environment that nurtured creativity, experimentation and growth. “That studio made all the difference,” he recalls. “The Millersville experience – art faculty, student peers, facilities, etc. – launched my career as an artist, professor and administrator.” Mr. Procter describes his experience in the Drawing I course as transformative. It taught him not only technical skills but a way of working: exploring ideas, embracing failure, evaluating results and persevering.

Those lessons fueled a lifelong commitment to drawing and shaped his philosophy as an educator. After earning an MFA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Mr. Procter built a distinguished career as an artist, professor, department chair and dean. He served at both the University of Montevallo and Georgia College. Known for his atmospheric landscape drawings created with powdered charcoal, he has exhibited widely and written for leading art publications. He also earned representation with Alan Avery Art Company in Atlanta.

In recognition of the impact that the University had on his life and career, Mr. Procter recently established a scholarship in honor of his parents, Edward Collins Procter and Virginia Ann (née Miller) Procter, and MU’s art faculty of the 1970s. The scholarship will support outstanding drawing students in the Department of Art and Design. Through this new scholarship, Mr. Procter hopes to help future Millersville University artists discover the same inspiration and opportunities that set him on a path of creative and professional success.

Prepared by Professor Shauna Frischkorn

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Music For Everyone

Music For Everyone has been an important partner of the Tell School of Music for many years. Through scholarships, educational programs and community partnerships, the organization has supported our students and strengthened music education across Lancaster County. The recent $125,000 endowment gift continues that commitment and will create opportunities for future generations of Millersville music students.

Scholarship support has helped students in Music Education, Performance and Music Industry as they prepare for professional careers in music and music education.

But the impact of the relationship extends well beyond scholarship support. Music Education majors have worked alongside public school music teachers across the region, assisting in classrooms, supporting instruction, working with small groups and gaining practical experience with young musicians. These opportunities help students connect their university preparation with the realities of teaching in today’s schools and support local music programs. Students in the Music Industry program have also gained experience in live sound reinforcement, audio production, recording and event technology.

The partnership has also helped create a pathway from university study to professional employment. Many Tell School of Music graduates now work with Music For Everyone and other community organizations as teachers, program coordinators, performers, administrators and arts advocates. The partnership’s impact is best understood through the experiences of students and graduates whose educational and professional journeys have been shaped by Music For Everyone.

The recent endowment is an investment in the future of music education in Lancaster County. Students who receive support from the fund will develop their skills at Millersville, gain practical experience through schools and community programs, and graduate prepared to contribute as teachers, performers, arts leaders and advocates. Through their work with children, schools and community organizations, they will sustain and strengthen the region’s musical life. The endowment’s impact will be felt not only among the students it supports today but also among the generations of young musicians and music educators it inspires in the future.

Prepared by Dr. Mícheál Houlahan

From left to right: Emily Shank, Jovanne Cortez, John Michael Zirpoli and Colin Miller

2025-2026 Music for Everyone Scholarship Recipients:

• Emily Shank is pursuing degrees in Music Education and Music Performance.
• Jovanne Cortez earned degrees in Music Education and Music Performance.
• John Michael Zirpoli earned degrees in Music Education and Music Performance.
• Colin Miller earned a degree in Music Industry with concentrations in Music Production and Live Audio.

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Largest Gifts to AHSS in 2025-2026

$45,000+ | Music For Everyone • Patrick J. Tell • Jason R. ’98 & Therese A. ‘01 Wicht

$15,000-$44,999 | Kenneth J. ’76 & Wai-Dor C. Procter • Sylvia ’74 & Robert C. Shellenberger Alan K. & Robert L. Wyand

$7,000-$14,999 | Gerald C. & Susan C. Eckert • Joseph W. ’90 & Elizabeth J. ’91 Garner Pamela M. Haver • P. Alan & Linda K. Loss

$3,000-$6,999 | Andrew H. Appel • Jewish Community Alliance of Lancaster (JCAL) Max Kade Foundation • Pennsylvania National Guard Steven R. ‘89 & Lynn A. ‘91 Pomponi • Nicholas F. & L. Jean Selch

$1,000-$2,999 | Barry G. & Amie A. Atticks • Kenneth Bates • James A. & Claudia N. Bates Phyllis A. ’67 & Steven C. Giberson • Nancy R. Mata • Timothy C. Miller PA Society of Sons of the Revolution – Lancaster Chapter • Jeffry B. Porter

$200-$999 | Dennis & Doris Abrams • Lee & Judith Atticks • Carole L. Beech • Joshua R. ’08 & Lauren E. ’07 Belice • Bradley A. ’09 & Kathryn M. ’09 • Chandler Sean E. Crossman ’88 • Kerry E. ’88 & Tracy A. Cunningham • Jillian A. Gallagher ’01 • Elaine B. Jones • Theresa B. Hay ’79 • Kimberly A. Mahaffy • Mark W. Phillips ’72 • William T. & Jan Rice • Helene J. ’90 & James A. Robinson • Roma J. Sayre • Frederika E. Schmitt • Brant D. Schuller • Joseph A. ’99 & Kelly Schulter • Deborah S. Sigel • Mary M. Sproat ’67 • Kenneth A. Twiford • J. Samuel & Patricia C. Walker • Tracey M. Weis • Jeremy R. ’12 & Melissa Young