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1970s
Raymond Janifer ’71, Chambersburg, was promoted to professor emeritus.
Vincent Cotter ’72, ’79M, Bradenton, FL, published an article, “Education: Democracy’s Threat or Promise?” which appeared on Smerconish.com hosted by Michael Smerconish, noted CNN political contributor and radio host for a daily Sirius POTUS program. He has also authored three books on educational leadership, which were published by Rowman & Littlefield, and cofounded the Exemplary Schools Organization following 40 years of public school service, culminating in the position of superintendent of schools.
Jim Hower ’73, Lexington, KY, coauthored the book “Inorganic Geochemistry of Coal,” which was published by Elsevier in June 2023.
Lawrence Jones ’73, received his degree in elementary education.
Virginia Pleiss Young ’73, and husband Michael C. Young ’74, Lititz, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on 8/4/23.
Bradley Gates ’75, Fredericksburg, VA, recently wrote and published “The Last Great Banzai: Saipan, 1944.”
Jay H. Owen ’76, Shillington, has been retired from teaching for eight years.
Patricia W. Erbe ’78, Downingtown, wrote “Positive Relationships for Students.”
Kathy McClellan ’79, Media, retired in June 2020 after 30 years as an elementary and special education teacher. She now enjoys traveling with her husband and spending time with her family.
Kenneth K. Miller ’79, North Wales, retired from teaching at the School District of Philadelphia. He also worked for 20 years as a teacher and principal for a private institution.
1980s
Patricia “Trish” Doll ’82, Narvon, a Millersville Distinguished Alumni Award recipient and owner of an award-winning marketing–public relations firm, Publicity Works, was honored with the 2023 Central Penn Business Journal’s Central Pennsylvania Women of Influence Award. The award recognizes high-achieving, exceptional women leaders for their accomplishments and who have influenced their companies, industries and communities. Recipients are selected based on their professional leadership, significant contributions to the community, and commitment to mentoring. Trish previously received this award in 2011.
Oscar Arango ’84, San Jose, Costa Rica, is the director of the World Meteorological Organization for the United Nations.
Anita Fanelli ’85, Treasure Island, FL, retired after 36 years as a certified athletic trainer for the University of South Florida. She began her career as a graduate assistant with Millersville Athletics in 1986 and was the first full-time assistant athletic trainer hired by MU in 1988.
Deborah Jordan ’87, Chester, retired after 35 years as a case worker with the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services.
Eric Meyers ’87, recently retired after 34 years working with insurance claims. Meyers was a former wrestler at Millersville. In his career, he achieved his CPCU and AIC insurance designations. He is enjoying his early retirement by traveling and playing tennis.
Sherry Ostroff ’87, Lititz, has published her fifth book and fourth novel: “The Wall at the Sugar Factory.”
Geraldine “Geri” Sullivan ’87, Aston, retired on 6/13/22 after teaching kindergarten for 34 years in the Upper Darby School District.
1990s
Jennifer Craighead Carey ’90, Lititz, has been elected managing partner and chief executive officer of Barley Snyder law firm for a two-year term starting in 2024.
Cathi Fuhrman ’93, Columbia, a school librarian at State College Area High School, is the recipient of the 2024 American Association of School Librarians Intellectual Freedom Award. Established in 1982 and sponsored by ProQuest, the award is given for upholding the principles of intellectual freedom as set forth by the AASL and American Library Association.
Dr. Arthur Williams ‘93, Bowie, MD, assumed a new position with the Montgomery County Public School System in Rockville, MD, as Coordinator for Career Advising.
Sherry Kijowski ’94, Wyoming, DE, was promoted to assistant superintendent of human resources for the Caesar Rodney School District in Camden, Delaware. In 2014, she was named Delaware’s National Distinguished Elementary Principal for her work at McIlvaine Early Childhood Center. In 2019, she was named Delaware’s Secondary Principal of the Year. She is the only principal in the state of Delaware to be recognized for her leadership efforts at both the elementary and secondary levels.
Janet Grasso ‘96, Annville, named 2023 Leading Edge Society in REALTOR for Berkshire Hathaway.
Laura Lee ’97, Jersey Shore, received the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Award for “Scientific and Technical Contribution” on April 30, 2024. Lee, of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and formerly with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries, served as Chair of the Atlantic Striped Bass Technical Committee for several years and helped the commission develop several management actions for striped bass, including actions to stop overfishing and aid in stock rebuilding.
Caroline Campbell ’98, received her Ph.D. in social work in 2023. She is an assistant professor of social work at Widener University.
Kimberly Long ’99, Avon, NC, joined Constellation in October 2023 as a senior environmental specialist, providing environmental permitting and compliance support for development projects across the company.
2000s
Katie Bean ’05, Arlington, VA, recently published “Fragile Thoughts: A Healing Memoir.”
Danny Miller ’05, Sun Prairie, WI, graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison on 8/27/23 and received his Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction. He also holds the position of teaching faculty and program coordinator of secondary English education at the University of Wisconsin–Madison.
Natalie Shaak ’05, was promoted to associate director of communication and administration at the Center for Hunger-Free Communities in Drexel University’s School of Public Health.
Joshua Belice ’08, ’10M, Lancaster, was named director of alumni engagement at Millersville University.
Brad Congelio ’09, Wellsburg, WV, recently published “Introduction to NFL Analytics With R.”
Deborah Repko ’09, Lancaster, coauthored the article “Monitoring and Reporting the US COVID-19 Vaccination Effort,” published in Vaccine (the official journal of the Japanese Society for Vaccinology). As part of the COVID-19 Vaccine Data Ecosystem Team, she received the HHS Distinguished Federal Data Modernization Award. This award highlights best practices used to achieve creative, resourceful and collaborative solutions to agency data challenges.
Marilyn Zenko ’09, Lititz, was named a Fellow by the Society of American Military Engineers Academy of Fellows. The SAME Academy of Fellows recognizes those members who have rendered dedicated and outstanding service to the Society, military engineering and the A/E/C profession.
2010s
Henry Gepfer ’10, Lancaster, accepted a tenure track position that began in August 2023 as assistant professor in printmaking at the University of Arkansas.
Mackenzie Wrobel ’10, was promoted to firm partner at Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia. She joins the firm as an experienced trial lawyer, litigating corporate and commercial disputes and arbitral forums. While at Millersville, she served as an appointed member of the Board of Governors for Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education.
Scott Kleebauer ’15, Frederick, MD, is a meteorologist at the National Weather Service – Weather Prediction Center; excessive rainfall and National QPF division.
2020s
Nicole Burke ’20, Severna Park, MD, got engaged to Alex Bandarenko on 9/7/23.
Julia Cao ’20, Lancaster, and Nathan Sterry ’21, ’23M, got engaged on 3/10/24 at the MU pond after meeting at the library, where Julia worked as a student worker.
Dr. Kelli Fox ’23, Port Jefferson, NY, is Stony Brook Medicine’s inaugural director of the Center for Interprofessional Innovation. In this role, Kelli fosters new interprofessional education, research and clinical practice opportunities and builds a centralized presence to showcase and support interprofessional activities across the university. Kelli’s passion for global health and wellness brings her annually to Ghana, Africa, where she, along with local and international practitioners and students, offers clinics in multiple rural sites through the Cross-Cultural Immersion to Ghana, a program that integrates Western health practices with local practices to provide culturally responsive health care to those they serve.
WEDDINGS
Lauren Bollinger ’12, Lancaster, married Jonathan Hansen on 10/13/23.
Maddie (Seiler) Forster ’16, married Adam Forster on 11/25/23 in Lititz, first meeting when Adam was visiting a friend at Millersville University.
Christine Persun ’17, ’22M, Mechanicsburg, married William Svitko
on 11/23/23.
BIRTHS
Natalie Shaak ’05, and William Holland recently welcomed a baby girl, Josephine Gray Holland, on 7/29/23.
Joshua Belice ’08, ’10M and Lauren Belice ’07, ’14M welcomed their first child, Emmett Clark, in August 2023.
Lea Eller ’17, and Cameron Eller, Marietta, welcomed their first child, Denver Noah Eller, in October 2023.
DEATHS
Barbara Ross ’55, Virginia Beach, VA, passed away on 2/20/24. She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Robert “Bob”; daughter, Emily; and sons, Robert G. “Bobby” and James K.
James P. Kopf ’61, Lancaster, passed away in October, 2023.
Gary Bowman ’64, Langhorne, died on 4/3/24 at age 81. After MU, Gary went on to earn his Master of Education from Trenton State College and his Doctorate of Education from Nova Southeastern University. He retired in 2002 from Neshaminy School District, where he served as assistant superintendent of schools, deputy superintendent and superintendent since first being hired in 1975. Gary served on the boards of several nonprofit agencies in his community and was active in his church. He leaves behind two sons and four grandsons.
Sally Ringlaben Watkins ’64, Jupiter, FL, died on 11/21/23. She taught in the Warwick School District and later was a dean at Linden Hall.
Margaret George Thomson ’71, Marietta, GA, passed away on 5/30/23 at age 76. She is survived by her husband of 49 years, James, and her cats, Sophia and Cinnamon. She was a retired certified financial planner in the Metro-Atlanta area.
Eric Meyers ’87, Mechanicsburg, passed away on 1/28/24 at his home. Eric had over 28 years in the insurance industry, retiring from Gallagher-Bassett Insurance Company at the age of 60 in 2020.
Fae Matthew Guerin ’91, Bethlehem, passed away on 12/28/23 at the age of 75.
