Valley: Lebanon Valley College Magazine
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6. V. C- MEMORA8IUK ™ E R Inside: The Valley Revisited and meet popular local jazz musician \Wley Tom Strohman. Summer 1988 Lebanon Valley College Magazine John A. Synodinos Elected 15th President The Board of Trustees elected John A. Synodinos, Lancaster, PA, as the fifteenth President of the College on Friday, May 6. He begins his new duties on July 1. Alumnus Thomas Reinhart, chairman of the presidential search committee, said, "Synodinos was selected from among 200 candidates because of his strength in institutional ad- vancement, especially development, admissions, alumni rela- tions, and public relations." Svnodinos, who for the past four years has headed his own educational consulting firm, John A. Synodinos and Associates, takes over as the College prepares for its 125th an- niversary celebration in 1991. Asked during a recent press conference why he gave up his educational consulting business to become President, Synodinos said, "I fell in love with LVC, its people, its spirit." Raising the endowment is at the top of his list. "I'd love to see it at $30 million or $40 million," he told reporters. After endowment, Synodinos' other goals include: improv- ing the visibility of the College, enhancing alumni relations, improving faculty salaries, creating a coherent campus plan and technological improvements, and keeping student quality intact as the college weathers demographic changes in the next decade. In 1984, Synodinos ended a 16-year career as an ad- ministrator at Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, and began his own educational consulting firm. He served as associate director of development at F&M from 1968 to 1971, worked for a short time as administrative assis- tant to the F&M president, then was vice-president of development until 1984. Previously, from 1960 to 1968, he served in various administrative posts at The Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. An active member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Synodinos teaches in the sum- John A. Synodinos mer program of Carnegie-Mellon University's College Management Program. He holds a master's degree in education from Temple University and a bachelor of science degree in history from Loyola College, where he graduated cum laude. Additionally, he holds a certificate from the Institute for Education Management at the Harvard Business School. He was selected an Outstanding Educator of America in 1973. At home on the stage, Synodinos has had dramatic parts in many productions in the central Pennsylvania region over the years. Until his recent appointment, he was president of both the Board of Arts Council in Lancaster and the Schubert Festival Foundation, and was Chairman of the Board of the Pennsylvania School of the Arts, Lancaster. He is a board member of Music at Gretna. Synodinos and his wife, Glenda, currently reside at 1824 Edenwald Lane, Lancaster, and will move into the president's house sometime this summer. They are the parents of two daughters, Jean Synodinos and Victoria Synodinos- Gertenbach. THE Yfcdley ® Table of Contents Lebanon Valley College Magazine 4 Lone Ranger: Strohman embodies the theme to jazz fans by Harriet Wesley Vol. 5, Number 1 Summer 1988 6 The Valley Revisited by Stanley F. Imboden Editor, Maril A. Weister Assistant Editor, John B. Deamer Director of Alumni Services and 8 Alumni News Parents' Programs, Mary Jean Bishop The Valley is published four times a year by Lebanon Valley College and distributed 11 Campus Update without charge to alumni and friends. Send address changes to: The Valley 16 Faculty Profile LVC Communications Lebanon Vallev College Annville, PA 17003 17 LVC Sports 18 Classnotes May '88 graduate Glenda Shetter, Chambersburg, PA. was among three seniors honored for her outstanding athletic achievements at the All Sports Banquet, April 28. See 'Seniors Lead List . .', page 17 for story. Acknowledgement : In the winter/spring issue, we forgot to give credit to Millie Burns, NYC, for her photograph of Steve Scanneillo 78. Cover photo: Lebanon photographer John Stauffer catches May '88 graduate Wesley Soto, Lititz, showing his bachelor of arts degree to future LVC students. Lone Ranger: Strohman embodies the theme to jazz fans by Harriet Wesley For the Patriot-News Think of "The William Tell Overture." Who comes to mind? As Strohman began developing an original style he listened If you answered: "The Lone Ranger," you aren't an area jazz to a wide assortment of instrumentalists, Ray Anthony and fan. Jazzers would respond: "Tom Strohman." Harry James topping that early list. Strohman admired James Strohman has been sailing through that Lone Ranger radio for his blues solos in the low register of the trumpet, describ- theme on flute for almost 30 years. And he's only 35 now. ing them as "airy." The Lebanon resident learned the musical work while in Strohman's parents took him to see plenty of jazz artists elementary school, plaved the piece well enough to win area while he was young — Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis, Sal Nistico talent competitions galore and finally, at the ripe age of 8, and Richie Cole included. Then, the budding artist studied plaved it while a contestant on the "Ted Mack Amateur Hour" the performances of Buddy Rich, Cannonball Adderley, John in New York City. Coltrane and Sonnv Rollins. Now, he includes Phil Woods Strohman has come a long way since then. His musical bent and Michael Brecker as favorites. began at age 6, when his father started teaching him how to play the piccolo. Flute was next and then came saxophones, clarinets and assorted flutes. Keyboards came later. So did violin. Strohman's parents were both music teachers and per- Strohman's newest accomplish- formers. His mother taught vocal music in the Lebanon elementarv schools. Dad was an instrumental teacher and ment is having been named direc- junior high school band director in Lebanon. So, coming to music was natural for Strohman. But it wasn't tor of the Lebanon Valley College until high school that he chose music as a vocation. By then he had packed away his violin and concentrated on all the in- Jazz Band - the second time stuments in the woodwind family. He played in the school marching band, concert band, or- around. chestra and jazz band as well as rock bands for a well-rounded musical experience. Then came Lebanon Valley College and Lots of milestones were reached by Strohman while he was in college. Along with bassist Jim Miller, he formed the A lot of milestones were reached popular quartet, Third Stream. At the Quinnipiac Inter- collegiate Jazz Festival he garnered personal awards two years by Strohman while he was in running — Best Saxophone Soloist in 1973 and the Louis Arm- strong Outstanding Musician in 1974. college. Over the years Strohman has performed with Buddy DeFranco, Johnny Coles, Ira Sullivan, Dave Stahl, Al Martino, Sonny and Cher, Eddie Fisher, Delia Reese, Patti Page, Steven Gilmore, Al Grey, Derek Smith, Steve LaSpina and Bobby Rosengarden. more music, culminating in his being tapped for student band With Third Stream he has shared the bill with Herbie Han- director of that institution's jazz band in his senior year. cock, Stanley Turrentine, Chick Corea, Tower of Power, Jeff During those college years Strohman worked with New Beck, Barney Kessel, Livingston Taylor, Deodato, Spyro Gyra York jazzman Walt Levinsky, an alumnus of Lebanon Valley and others. College who returned to perform there numerous times. Also Also with Third Stream, Strohman recorded the single, 'In during that time, Strohman studied under Frank Stachow, Remembrance" in 1979. The next year the band released its head of the college music department. first album, "Gettih It Together." Strohman was joined by a Of Stachow, Strohman said: "He was a walking en- dozen other jazzmen in 1982 for the album, "Just Friends." Its cyclopedia of music — an open teacher who encouraged a success led to the follow-up LP "Just Friends Again" the sense of curiosity about music. He knew where a student next year. needed help but also knew when to stay quiet so that the stu- Third Stream recorded a smash hit Christmas tape that has dent could create on his own." Strohman told that Stachow sold out so many times that its master tape has worn thin. It once drove all the way to Pittsburgh so that Strohman could will be re-recorded in time for the next holiday season. A com- perform one solo number. After the song, they drove straight panion tape will also be recorded that will feature a new back to Lebanon. assortment of Christmas songs and carols. The Valley 4 Jim Miller, bass, Tom Strohman, woodwinds and keyboards, Jim Easton, guitar and synthesizer and John Peiler, drums, comprise the popular jazz quartet Third Stream. What does the future hold for Strohman? "Probably more of The jazzman also said that if he went on the road for short- the same," he said. "Third Stream isn't one-dimensional. We term gigs averaging three months, he would relinquish play everything for everybody. That's why we've become such regular engagements he now enjoys playing free-lance and a popular commercial band that doesn't have to look with Third Stream. "The band would have to replace me in for work." my absence." Strohman also spoke of his love of teaching. "I have begin- And so, Tom Strohman continues to live in Lebanon with ner kids, struggling young students and retired adults — his wife Sherie, who teaches musical instruments in the novice through advanced," he said. Annville-Cleona elementary schools and is band director of When asked why he stays in the area instead of auditioning the combined school band. for the big time, Strohman said that he has turned down Strohman's newest accomplishment is having been named several offers, including one to travel with singer Judy Collins.