Six-time Champs For the sixth time in seven years, the women’s swimming and diving team took home the Colonial Athletic Association cham- pionship title. This year they beat their competitors by more than 200 points. Senior Kaitlin Burke won her third individual title with top performances in the 200-yard, 500-yard and 1,650-yard free- styles and was the CAA Women’s Swimmer of the Year for the second consecutive season. Senior Melanie Rowland was named to the CAA All-Academic Team. In addition, Tiger Head Coach Pat Mead was named CAA Women’s Swimming Coach of the Year, the seventh time he has earned the honor. TALKING TRASH 8 ES John Long ’92/’94 leads an army of volunteers waging war on UR debris choking the waters of southeastern Baltimore County. AT WHAT A FEELING 12 FE Towson dance team wins 16 straight championships. REINVENTING THE GLEN 14 Volunteers are transforming TU’s historic Glen into a 21st century resource. GROWING UP ON THE SIDELINES 18 Against the backdrop of the NFL, Gerry Sandusky’s book reflects on the complex journey a father and son make throughout life. WAR STORIES 20 WWII collection gives eyewitness accounts of those who served. PRESIDENT’S LETTER 2 NTS NEWS AND NOTES 3 ME T ALUMNI NEWS 23 AR Homecoming Information Distinguished Alumni and Deans Recognition Awards DEP A Baltimore Tradition in Florida Class Reunions: 1944, 1949, 1954, 1959, 1969, 1974 and 1979 PHILANTHROPY 33 Securing the STEM for Future Apples Presidential Scholar’s Growing Initiatives CLASS NOTES 36 The Warrior From Uganda to Nicaragua Pipeline to Success FIND MORE ONLINE magazine.towson.edu o many memorable achievements have dominated campus life these last few months. So I am thrilled to share just a few of our many success stories. Towson students keep winning recognition for their scholarship and talents. For the third time in four years, STowson won the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition, NOTES while a physics major won a 2014 Outstanding Student Award for Un- & dergraduate Research from the National Society of Physics Students, American Institute of Physics. The debate team made history as the first black female pair to win a Cross Examination Debate Association NEWS national championship. And three undergraduate students were just awarded prestigious Gilman scholarships to study abroad. Our distinguished faculty continues its award-winning research and service. Jonathan Lazar acquired a U.S. patent for a SoundsRight CAPTCHA that allows the visually impaired easier Web access. During the 30th annual Service Awards Celebration last spring, Victor Fisher, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice, was recognized for being the first to reach 50 years of service. Towson also scored in athletic arenas. Towson’s dance team took home a national championship title for an unprecedented 16th con- secutive year. For the sixth time in seven years, the women’s swimming and diving team took home the CAA Association championship title MESSAGE and the women’s lacrosse team won the CAA tournament champion- S Towson students ’ ship for the third consecutive year. Our alumni also bring credit to the institution. Anne Cross ’91 keep winning M.ED., a fifth grade teacher at Gunpowder Elementary School, was recognition“ for“ named Baltimore County’s Teacher of the Year. Patrice Helsinki Goldys ’77/’80 M.ED., principal of Norwood Elementary School, was named their scholarship PRESIDENT Baltimore County’s Principal of the Year. These are but a few of the numerous triumphs of the students, and talents. faculty and staff at Towson that make me proud to be part of Towson University. Thank you for your continuing support of the students and the Towson we love. MARAVENE LOESCHKE, PRESIDENT BOX TOWSON Using 49,625 lbs. of Utopia Two Maravene Loeschke Assistant Photographer Published three times a year by the Division sheets saves the following: President DeCarlo Brown of Marketing and Communications for Towson SAVED: 50 TREES University’s alumni, faculty, staff and friends. Ginny Cook Contributors Please send comments and contributions to Towson, NET ENERGY: 22 MILLION BTUs Editor Christine Collins, Emily Koch, Marketing and Communications, Towson University, GREENHOUSE GASES: 4,309 LBS CO2 Jan Lucas, Kate Lyons and 8000 York Rd., Towson, MD 21252-0001. Lori Armstrong WASTEWATER: 23,372 GALLONS Associate Vice President, Sedonia Martin Telephone: 410-704-2230. Please send address changes to Alumni Relations, Towson University, Alumni Relations SOLID WASTE: 1,564 POUNDS Office of Alumni 8000 York Rd., Towson, MD 21252-0001 or email Relations [email protected]. Environmental impact estimates were made Lori Marchetti using the Environmental Defense Paper Calculator. Art Director/Designer 410-704-2234 or 800-887-8152 Both the cover and text pages of Towson are Kanji Takeno www.towson.edu printed on forest-friendly Utopia Two paper, Staff Photographer www.towsonalumnimagazine.com using Eco-Pride inks. http://magazine.towson.edu 2 Winning Words TU debaters become first black female pair to win national championship NOTES Members of TU’s debate team, is exemplified by their & Ameena Ruffin ’15 and Korey Johnson ’16, passion, dedication made history at the Cross Examination and commitment to Debate Association (CEDA) national the art of debate, NEWS championship in March. and the leadership “Ruffin and Johnson are the first of Towson Univer- African-American women’s team to win a sity’s debate coaching national tournament,” says Mike Davis, staff, Amber Kelsie president of the Cross Examination and Ignacio Evans.” Debate Association. In fact, no individual Preparation for the African-American woman has ever won debate was demand- the tournament before, he adds. ing. “It requires a tre- The Towson team beat Oklahoma mendous amount of in the final round to claim the national work,” says Johnson. title. The competition featured teams “I’m sure I do about from Harvard, Trinity, Michigan, four or five hours Minnesota, Texas, Wayne State, Cal CEDA National Debate Champions Ameena Ruffin and Korey Johnson hold of preparation and State Fullerton, Florida, Bard College, the championship cup. practicing on a Pepperdine, Sacramento State, Vander- normal day.” bilt, NYU and others. The Maryland Senate and House of All of this top-level Ruffin and Johnson also earned a first- Delegates recognized the accomplish- competition has honed the students’ skills. round bid to the 2014 National Debate ments of the two women, presenting “I think we’ve improved by learning what Tournament, an invitation-only national them with citations April 4. type of debaters we are, and playing to championship for collegiate policy debate “We are thrilled and very proud of our strengths,” Johnson continues. “I in the United States. (They lost in one of Ameena and Korey on this amazing have learned to do tremendous amounts the early rounds.) accomplishment,” says Susan Picinich of work while still taking care of myself Their historic achievement at CEDA TU’s dean of the College of Fine Arts and and not stressing out too much.” n caught the eyes of those in Annapolis. Communication. “Their historic success A Melodic Sendoff James Anthony, professor of music, retires More than 200 friends, family, stu- Trained as an organist, he also performs dents, colleagues and former colleagues regularly at Towson, in Connecticut and at celebrated James Muse Anthony’s retirement after 43 years in TU’s James Anthony Department of Music. James Anthony has taught more than 21 The musical celebra- different courses at Towson since 1971. tion, coordinated by fellow music professor Carl Schmidt, featured instrumental and vocal music performed St. John’s Episcopal Church in Glyndon, by faculty and students including a world where he is organist/choirmaster. premiere of Joy in Music (JIM) (Fanfare) Anthony has lectured for various written by Jonathan Leshnoff, also a Baltimore performance organizations and music professor. serves as board chairman of the Maryland Anthony has taught more than 21 Boychoir and Pro Musica Rara. He has James Anthony different courses at Towson since 1971, also been active in the Abell Improvement enlightening the minds of generations of Association and is an active supporter of students in music and history of literature. area opera performances and concerts. n 3 from attacks while keeping their state Sen. Arthur Dorman, who Christopher T. McDonald, dep- NOTEBOOK systems running and responding helped bring the trust’s grants to uty director of the MD Vehicle to user and management needs. a greater diversity of Maryland Theft Prevention Council, says NOTES They beat 30 other schools in a communities. The award is given Towson students produce the & scenario where a major blizzard each year to a student of color. best announcements in the Bal- nworC revliS nworC paralyzed the state of Maryland, Overman is the eco-rep of her timore region. NEWS prompting declarations of emer- residence hall at TU, where she Grub Street, TU’s student liter- gency and the mobilization of channels information about sus- ary and arts magazine, received the Maryland National Guard. tainability efforts and environ- the Silver Crown Award Great mental events to fellow students. for its 2013 issue from the Her dream is to have a career Neighbors Columbia Scholastic Press Eight TU that would enable her to con- Association. tribute to the preservation of the Take 1,200 enthusiastic Towson Grub Street was among students Chesapeake Bay. “I want to stay students. Add rakes, trash bags, 1,236 print and digital col- in Maryland after earning my de- mulch and elbow grease to legiate publications that defended a gree,” she says. “This is where I 75 project sites and you have were judged and one of network of want to make a difference.” all the fixings for the Big Event, five magazines to receive Towson University’s largest com- Photo by Alec the silver crown.