Spring 2026 / Around the Green

In October 2025, Wilson College illuminated the Chambersburg skyline with its first-ever drone light show. Open to the public, this event offered the region a uniquely modern, inclusive, and community-centered experience. Designed as both a celebration of heritage and a bold vision for the future, We Rise: Honoring History. Inspiring Tomorrow. brought 300 synchronized drones together in a 15-minute performance that blended art, technology, and storytelling into a breathtaking celebration of history, innovation, and unity. The event was an opportunity for Wilson to celebrate its 157-year partnership with Franklin County and Chambersburg and its recently completed We Rise campaign that raised over $21.7 million.

Held on the Saturday of Wilson Weekend, the event invited area residents and visitors to gather on the Wilson College campus for a free, family-friendly evening of light, sound, and shared community pride. Thanks to beautiful weather and strong community interest, the event drew an impressive turnout, filling Laird Green and Mistick Quad with families, alumnae and alumni, students, and neighbors.

The show featured dynamic, stunning formations that paid tribute to America, Franklin County, and Wilson College—including the Wilson Phoenix mascot taking a symbolic flight in the night sky—with each image choreographed to a custom soundtrack. Attendees accessed the music and narration via smartphones. The show intentionally included messages about the College—its mission, history, values, and community impact—introducing a broad audience to Wilson in an inspiring, memorable format, while also highlighting the history of the nation and region.

Beyond the spectacle, the drone show reflected Wilson College’s ongoing effort to welcome the community onto campus for enriching experiences and a deeper understanding of the College’s story and impact in the region.

The event was made possible through generous support from Wilson College, the Gilmore-Hoerner Endowment, Cherry Knoll Farm, Explore Franklin County PA, and F&M Trust.

To view the drone show visit https://youtu.be/wTaJeggZFF0

by Shelby Bowman ’26

She traded a research lab for a classroom. He swapped courtrooms for coding. While Kathryn and Tom Sarachan didn’t plan on teaching, they’re now shaping futures together at Wilson College.

Although Kathryn Sarachan, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, once imagined a future as a full-time researcher, her plans shifted during her postdoctoral work at the University at Albany where she discovered her passion for teaching. Now in her ninth year at Wilson, she continues to explore the things she finds most fascinating about science while sharing that enthusiasm with her students.

Kathryn’s passion is chemistry, which she calls “the central science.” With a background in biochemistry and molecular biophysics, chemistry is the discipline that brings all her interests together and excites her the most.

This fall, Kathryn’s husband, Tom Sarachan, M.F.A., J.D., joined Wilson as an assistant professor of computer science. Like Kathryn, he didn’t originally plan on becoming a teacher.

“I went to law school and worked as a public defender,” Tom explained. “There came a time when my wife said to me, ‘You’re too young to be going to the doctor with chest pains. You’ve got to do something different with your life.’”

His uncle helped him imagine a new direction. Knowing Tom had always been interested in games and game design, his uncle pointed out that the field had grown into a serious area of study, and a promising career path. Tom pursued a Master of Fine Arts in game design, dove into computer science and programming, and eventually found his way to teaching.

Tom is now introducing students to fundamental programming concepts and a creative, problem-solving approach to computer science. He finds this incredibly rewarding and enjoys watching students work through problems.

“I want people to feel like they can figure things out for themselves,” said Tom.“They can solve problems.”

Although they teach in different departments, Kathryn said it’s been fun having Tom on campus. “It’s lovely to meet for lunch and sit together at faculty meetings. We can bounce ideas off each other when we’re thinking about ways to expand our programs or some of the challenges that can arise in the classroom,” she said. “It’s really nice to have someone that I trust implicitly to ask those questions.”

In addition to each other, the Sarachans have two young children who also enjoy spending time on campus. Once a week, the entire family shares a meal together in the dining hall, a highlight for the kids. “It is the one time each week when they are permitted to have chocolate milk, pizza, and ice cream all at the same meal,” said Kathryn. “They like it very much.”

Both professors agree that Wilson’s close-knit community is what makes the college special.

“At most bigger schools, I’d never have the chance to learn everyone’s name. I certainly wouldn’t know what sports teams you were on, or hobbies you have at home. I wouldn’t know how to ask how you spend your weekend, because I wouldn’t know you as a person,” said Kathryn.

“Wilson is great. Everyone is nice,” Tom said. “I cannot say enough good things about my students. They are amazing. I really appreciate seeing them engaged with and thinking about what we’re doing. That’s always the best part.”

by Shelby Bowman ’26

When Susan “Evie” Hubbard ’27 posted a TikTok about life as a single parent earning her degree at Wilson College, she didn’t expect it to go viral. With over 128,000 likes and one million views, her story is not only inspiring other single mothers but also bringing new students to campus.

“TikTok has connected me to a community of single mothers who have a great interest in programs like Wilson’s,” she said. “In fact, my best friend, Grace Damato ’26, came to Wilson because she saw my TikTok, and now our sons are best friends.”

Although her TikTok account became an extension of her Wilson experience, she says the viral attention is just a bonus. The real story is how Wilson’s Single Parent Scholar Program has helped her balance parenting and education while thriving in both roles.

Since 1996, the Single Parent Scholar Program (formerly the Women with Children Program) has provided student parents with the unique opportunity to pursue a bachelor’s degree while living on campus with their children. The program also offers the support the student parents need as they pursue an education while balancing the responsibilities of parenting.

“The opportunity to work toward my degree full-time while also being offered free childcare and housing was initially what attracted me to Wilson,” said Hubbard. “Before I attended Wilson, I worked two jobs and attended college part-time. The Single Parent Scholar Program offered free childcare and housing, two major expenses for me.”

Now, Hubbard lives on Wilson’s campus with her four-year-old son, EJ, who even goes to class with her when he does not have school. “I hope he gains a love of learning during our time here,” she said. “The best memories I have on campus with him are from when I’m doing homework, and then he pulls out his toy laptop and tells me that he’s going to do homework too.”

Besides “studying” with his mom, EJ enjoys visiting the horses at the equestrian center, playing with the neighbor’s dog, and snacking on the dino nuggets at The Café at Sarah’s.

Susan “Evie” Hubbard ’27 and Grace Damato ’26 with their sons.

When she and her son are not studying, Hubbard is an active member of the Wilson community, volunteering at Sarah’s Cupboard, serving as vice president of the Debate Club, secretary of the Line Dancing Club, and a member of Wilson’s chapter of Omicron Delta Kappa, a national leadership honor society. She also finds time to tutor in social science and writing.

“Wilson has allowed me to thrive in and out of class,” said Hubbard, who is majoring in political science with minors in applied ethics and criminal justice. After graduation, she plans to work as a paralegal while attending law school part-time, with the goal of specializing in family law and helping survivors of domestic abuse. Her academic record speaks for itself, as she has made the Dean’s List every semester.

“My mom always used to tell me that ‘it wasn’t about the cards you were dealt; it was what you did with them.’ I hope that EJ continues to see me thriving in the face of adversity and learns that he is limited only by his own mindset.”