Mentoring Memories: Gators Share Inspiring Stories of Lasting Connections

At Allegheny, faces may change from one generation to the next, but the relationships remain. Time and again, alumni tell us their most defining experiences were shaped by the faculty, staff, coaches, and alumni who encouraged, challenged, and believed in them.

Those bonds don't end at graduation - they continue as lifelong connections, serving as a hallmark of the Allegheny experience.

We asked you to share those stories, and you answered the call! Read about some of those moments below, and go to allegheny.edu/alumni/mentor-memories to see more inspiring connections Gators have made - and continued - through the decades.

Alison Jones Trexel '94

Mentor: The Rev. Dr. Don Skinner '54, Chaplain

Chaplain Skinner was one of the greatest gifts that came from my time at Allegheny. I still regularly share with others wisdom that he imparted to me decades ago. And I continue to love receiving his Christmas cards or a brief email check-in. Now in his 90s, "Chappie," as we call him, is still one of the wisest, most insightful and inspirational people that I know. He looks for the gratitude and joy in every day.

While we each have gone through trying circumstances he has shown the ability to persevere and appreciate the journey, even when it is hard. I remember once we were moving to a very rural area of PA and I was not terribly excited.

He said, "My dear, we bloom where we are planted." I remembered that every day and lived accordingly. I had a wonderful experience in this quiet little town. I befriended the Amish, took painting classes with a live rooster as a model, and learned to fully appreciate the spring smell of manure on the farm fields behind my house. He always helped me see that life was a gift worth living to the fullest.

Even today we share emails, phone calls, and an occasional visit at Chautauqua Institute or a meal at reunion. I know when I see him that he will be waiting with open arms to receive me, and it brings such peace and joy. We all (the Deacons) think of Chaplain Skinner as a person that had a tremendous impact on our lives.

William R. Hartman, Esq. '86

Mentor: Dr. James C. Hogan, Faculty, Classics

I first met Dr. Hogan at the beginning of my sophomore year in a Myths of Hesiod class. I took it as an elective because I thought it might be interesting. I never would have guessed on that first day of class that in three years I would have a minor in classics as well as a friendship that would last almost 40 years. When Dr. Hogan passed away I felt such loss as you would have for the loss of a close family member.

Dr. Hogan was always there for advice throughout my tenure at Allegheny as well as through life. He was the first educator I ever met who was wholly focused on us learning and moving forward in life; grades were secondary. He had a wry sense of humor and as his obituary said, "The laughter of Zeus."

He smoked a pipe in class while he not only taught us Greek and Roman history but often life lessons as well. Whenever I smell pipe smoke I always think of him. He rewarded hard work and I never wanted to let him down, ever. Dr. Hogan was a rare jewel. I never met his equal at Allegheny and later in law school. "Ave et vale," my friend. You are greatly missed.

Pete Smith '04

Mentor: Dr. Robert Manuel '90, Allegheny Alumnus and Internship Host

During my junior year at Allegheny, I applied to be part of an internship program to match me with an internship experience in New York City. I went with a group of Allegheny students to the city for the summer, and I was matched with Dr. Robert Manuel as my mentor. At the time, he was the dean at NYU. I learned a ton that summer in New York, both from the project I completed but also just watching his leadership style as a dean day in and day out. I am grateful for the internship program that Allegheny provided.

Over the years since then, we have stayed in contact. He has guided and helped me professionally in my career as a K-12 educator. I also continued to do some consulting work for him when he made the move to Georgetown University.

We even did a triathlon together when he was in Washington, D.C. Since Georgetown, he became the president of the University of Indianapolis and now is the president of DePaul University in Chicago. Just this past November, I flew out to visit him for the Bears-Steelers game. What made it come full circle was his connection to a former student/mentee of mine who is a senior at his university. All three of us were able to attend the game.

Alexandria Hunt '24

Mentor: Dr. Lisa Whitenack, Faculty, Biology

Dr. Whitenack was there for me as a professor and advisor in many capacities. Whether I had questions about class material, future career pathways, or college life - she was always happy to listen and answer. She never failed to make time for me even when I could tell she was stressed over a deadline. Truly, she was my first step towards finding my place in the Biology Department.

I've continued growing my love for marine biology and now work at the Cleveland Aquarium. I find myself still wanting to share big moments with Dr. Whitenack. She was one of the first people I told when I got my current job.

Koelle Anderson Williams '99

Mentor: Dr. Linda DeMeritt, Faculty, Modern and Classical Languages; Provost and Dean of the College

In the fall of 1997, I was a junior at Allegheny College, majoring in German and minoring in Sociology/Anthropology. Having recently returned from a sophomore semester abroad in Cologne, I was, on the one hand, eager to share my love of the language and culture and, on the other, struggling with the myriad emotions one faces when coming of age.

I signed up to be an upperclassman advisor for Prof. Linda DeMeritt's freshman seminar. I don't recall the title of the course, but I know it focused on post-WWII German literature.

Advising incoming freshmen through this particular course felt like the perfect opportunity to weave together my deep connection to German culture with a desire to pay forward some of the wisdom I had gleaned abroad. And the course proved to be just that - a way to integrate my love of German literature into real life, while simultaneously and quite unexpectedly becoming the catalyst for one of my deepest and dearest lifelong friendships.

One day after class, likely sensing that I wasn't feeling my best, Linda asked how I was. I said something like, "I'm tired of this life." She smiled gently and said, "How about a coffee?" She bought me a coffee and listened to my woes, and that was the beginning of our friendship.

Throughout the remainder of the semester, we met regularly for coffee, lunch, or dinner. She gave me space to vent what was troubling me. She gave advice sometimes and, other times, simply listened with an open heart.

Linda has been a friend, a mentor, and an inspiration in my life for nearly 30 years. I have regarded her intellect, her integrity, her dedication, and her success as inspiration for what women can be and, more importantly, what humans can be.

She is witty and driven, but most of all, she is guided by love: love for friends and family, love for learning, love for democracy, and a deep love for humanity. I don't know how I got so lucky to be graced by that love, but I am surely grateful to be held within her generous heart.

Vanessa Thomas '19

Mentor: Dr. Rodney Clark, Faculty, Psychology and Neuroscience

Dr. Clark's mentorship came to me entirely by accident. When my freshman-year advisor announced her retirement, I found myself in need of another faculty member's support…and just so happened to be in the lab that semester with Dr. Clark. I reached out, and he was happy to bring me on…and what ensued was more than I ever could have hoped for.

Whether in taking more of Dr. Clark's courses, TA-ing for his intro class, or all those basement chats with him and my classmates, I not only found success as a student of the Psychology Department with Dr. Clark's support but discovered a new way of understanding human behavior. That exposure and guidance ultimately led me to a career in special education, one that I never imagined for myself but now cannot imagine my life without!

Dr. Clark and I have kept in touch since my graduation, and his support and mentorship are so special to me. From celebrating my first poster presentation (and 21st birthday, coincidentally!) together in Chicago, to honoring his legendary career in Philadelphia with so many of his former students and colleagues at his retirement party, to just grabbing tacos whenever we're both in town, our friendship made it out of Meadville and only continues to grow.

I can always count on him for advice, a laugh, and to save the day when I can't find "that one article" I want to share with my grad students, and I am so grateful to have had and continue to have such a fantastic mentor in my life…THANK YOU, DR. CLARK!

Ellen Chamberlin '11

Mentor: Bob Schwartz '66, Faculty, Geology

Bob was my professor and comp advisor when I was an undergrad, and he brought me out to western Montana for two summer field seasons looking at rocks and piecing together the history of the region. He is an amazing field geologist, taught me many skills and always took us for root beer floats at the end of long hot days. We took mid-field-season breaks to see folk music at the Montana folk festival and took long walks with the geology dog Trusty.

Maybe most importantly he taught me to drink coffee - an essential life skill!! He would fill an open ceramic mug with black coffee and clutch it while driving over gravel roads, saying, "human shock absorber" every time we hit a bump and coffee would spill all over.

I loved it so much I went on to get a Ph.D. in geology and now I'm a geology professor at a liberal arts school, taking students in the field and trying to share some of that same joy.

Bob has been a friend through it all. We still get up to Meadville to visit Bob and his wonderful wife, Marie, at their beautiful farmhouse. He has given me career advice, we talk science, we talk family and music and whatever else. Bob changed my life and I'm forever grateful for his mentorship and friendship!

Linda C. Smith '71

Mentor: Dr. Barbara Lotze, Faculty, Physics

I first met Barbara Lotze as a freshman when I took my first physics course in fall 1967. She was a Hungarian refugee who completed her doctoral studies in Austria at Innsbruck University in mathematics and theoretical physics where she met her husband Dieter Lotze.

They immigrated to the U.S. in 1961 and joined the faculty at Allegheny, Barbara in physics and Dieter in German. I remember her pride as she shared the news with our class that she had become a naturalized citizen in 1967.

Largely due to Barbara's influence, I became a dual major in mathematics and physics, and I also studied German with Dieter. As a senior, I remarked to Barbara that I was beginning to forget the German I had learned.

Her response was to order a two-volume "Theorie der Elektrizität" as the text that she used to teach me, the sole student in a senior mathematical physics course, simultaneously learning the science and improving my German.

Barbara and I remained in close touch for many years, though I saw her only infrequently as my graduate studies and faculty career took me some distance from western Pennsylvania.

I last saw Barbara in 2010 in Pittsburgh when she was my guest at the Association for Information Science and Technology Annual Meeting Awards Luncheon, where I was recognized with the association's Award of Merit. The guidance that I received from Barbara Lotze while an undergraduate physics major has been key to my career success over decades as a faculty member at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

The inspiring stories didn't end there! Read the full list of submissions, including those featuring:

• Jeanne Braham
• Jim Bulman
• Michael Cobb '86
• Richard "Dick" Devor
• Fred Frank
• Charles "Brownie" Ketcham
• Alton "Captain" Kidd
• Ken King
• Dick Kleeman
• Ruth Williams Knights
• Paul "Skipper" Knights
• Anthony Lo Bello
• Morten Luvaas
• Michael Mehler
• Wayne Merrick
• Christine Nebiolo
• Mark Reader
• Herbert Silas Rhinesmith
• Dave Roncolato '79
• Bob Seddig
• Frederick Seely
• James Sheridan '50
• Bruce Smith
• Harold State
• Norm Sundstrom
• Ryan Van Horn
• Stan Wagner
• William Walton
• Scott Wissinger
• Richard Wohler
• Phillip Wolfe
• Guo Wu
• Evan Zuesse
• Paul Zolbrod

Do you have a story to share? Visit allegheny.edu/alumni/mentor-memories to submit yours!