PA Higher Education List Recognizes Wilson College VP
Wilson College Vice President for Student Development Katherine M. Buck, M.S.W. was selected as one of the 2024 Trailblazers in Higher Education. Her inclusion in this list, announced May 28 by City & State Pennsylvania magazine, placed Buck among a dedicated group of scientists, linguists, attorneys, lobbyists, and administrators who are responding to the economic, social, and technological changes impacting higher education today.
Buck joined Wilson in October 2022, bringing to the position more than 30 years of experience as a collaborative and communityminded student affairs leader. Her position works closely with the president, the senior leadership team, academic deans and directors, faculty, staff, students, and the Board of Trustees to strengthen the co-curricular dimensions of student life, enhancing the Wilson experience to bolster a sense of community and belonging for all students.
New Archivist Explores Wilson Traditions
Please join us in welcoming Elizabeth “Liz” McIlhenney as the new College Archivist. Her archival experience includes student employment with the Earl H. and Anita F. Hess Archives and Special Collections at Elizabethtown College, working as the Archives Processing Assistant at the Archives and Special Collections at Penn State Harrisburg, and Project Archivist for the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County.
Since her first day on the job was May 6, the day after Commencement, McIlhenney has not spent much time with Wilson students yet, but she looks forward to that opportunity. In her position with the Historic Preservation Trust, she worked with interns, which she said was one of the best parts of the job. “I loved teaching about the archives and sharing that work,” she said.
One of her favorite things about working with the Wilson archival collection so far is reading the records of those who experienced Wilson in its early years and their involvement in campus events and traditions that continue today. “I love seeing the threads throughout the materials that are carried on into the present,” she explained.
McIlhenney completed a bachelor’s degree in literature with creative writing and art history minors from Elizabethtown College in 2019, and recently earned a master’s in library and information science with a concentration in archives management from Simmons University.
Wilson College Partners with Franklin County Library System to Expand Access
With an aim to enrich community access to library resources, The John Stewart Memorial Library at Wilson College is partnering with the Franklin County Library System to provide public library users access to books and research available at the Wilson College library. Public library users need only to present an existing public library card and a state-issued ID to borrow books and access the College library databases using campus-provided computers. As part of this exchange, Wilson College students can use their student IDs to borrow books from any library within the Franklin County Library System.
This partnership simplifies access to a broader range of resources, benefiting both public and academic library users. “It is a powerful united front in knowledge sharing. The partnership between the Wilson College library and the Franklin County Library System bridges resources, expands access, and empowers our communities to thrive academically and informationally,” said Denise Sandell, director of Library Services at the Wilson College library.
Researching Wilson History in Maine
For three days in July, Maxine Wagenhoffer, director of the Hankey Center for the History of Women’s Education, visited the Margaret Chase Smith Library in Maine to conduct research on Smith’s decades-long relationship with Wilson College. Wilson was the first college to award Smith an honorary doctorate in 1945 (Colby College in Waterville, Maine, gave her an honorary master’s degree in 1943) and she made several trips to visit Wilson over the years. Smith was the first woman to serve in both houses of the United States Congress, serving as a representative from 1940 to 1949 and a senator from 1949 to 1973. Wagenhoffer reviewed the MCS Library records that include Smith’s correspondence with Wilson college officials, faculty, and other members of the Wilson community, along with excerpts from scrapbooks that documented her visits to the Wilson campus.
Fortnite Team Battles to the Top 10
Wilson esports team ended the season on a spectacular note as it finished ninth in the national championships of Fortnite Battle Royale Duos against 95 teams. The Phoenix squad of Jace Williams ’27 (“JWillertons”) and Logan Neves ’27 (“WC Herb”) helped Wilson earn a top 10 position in the Eastern College Athletic Conference Fortnite League.
Workshop Makes Allies Visible
Twenty Wilson staff and faculty members received Safe Zone training during a recent Phoenix Ally Safe Zone session held on June 20. The event, organized and facilitated by Lisa Coté, director of Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI), was the first workshop organized by the Office of Student Development to provide information and resources related to sexual orientation and gender identity. Workshop attendees arrived with an open mind, prepared to participate and learn. The session included short games, discussions, and Q&A. At the end of the training, participants received a Phoenix Ally Safe Zone sticker or magnet to help create a visible network of allies for people who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community. The JEDI office plans to offer additional sessions throughout the academic year to accommodate faculty, staff, and students who want to attend the workshop, as there is limited space for each session.
