Jim Schelberg and Stephan Jordan Earn Double Honors As College Bestows Annual Awards

Gold Pentagon Award winners Stephan Jordan and Jim Schelberg with
President Reiss. Each would soon return for another major award.

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Two graduating seniors were doubly honored for their achievements and service as Washington College awarded its most important medals and prizes during 2012 Commencement on May 20. Stephan Anthony Jordan and James Hoitsma Schelberg shared the Gold Pentagon Award, which recognizes meritorious service to the College, and each also received solo recognition.

Schelberg, who graduated summa cum laude, took home the prestigious George Washington Medal as “the senior who shows the greatest promise of understanding and realizing in life and work the ideals of a liberal education.” Washington himself (as portrayed by actor Dean Malissa) strode to the podium to present the Medal, then briefly addressed the crowd, continuing a Commencement tradition.

To the delight of visitors, General George Washington strides to the
 podium to personally award his namesake Medal to Jim Schelberg.

A double major in philosophy and humanities, Jim Schelberg came to Washington College on a Hodson Trust Star Scholarship after serving with the U.S. Marines in Iraq. He interrupted his studies to serve a second tour of duty with the Marines, this time in Afghanistan. While on campus, the Towson native has been a member of the Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows; conducted research at the University of Oxford as part of the College’s summer Oxford Research Seminar on Religion, Politics and Culture; taught boxing as founder of the Washington College Mixed Martial Arts Club; and conducted important archival research for the C.V. Starr Center for the Study of the American Experience and the Maryland State Archives. At the Senior Awards Luncheon held the Friday before Commencement, Schelberg received the Norman James Humanities Award for Excellence and the Department of Philosophy and Religion Award.

 Washington salutes Schelberg.

Last summer he launched a prison outreach program called Partners in Philosophy, which offers courses in philosophy, logic and ethics to inmates of Maryland’s Jessup Correctional Institution. Washington College professors joined him to lead several of the classes, which ranged from ethical choices in Art History to the teachings of Plato, Buddha and Frederick Douglass. He will continue the program this summer. Schelberg earned national recognition as one of only 20 students nationwide to be selected for the 2011 USA Today All-USA College Academic Team.

Stephan Jordan was the faculty’s choice for the Henry W. Catlin 1894 Medal, awarded to “a senior man voted by the faculty to be outstanding in the qualities of scholarship, character, leadership and campus citizenship.” A political science major and drama minor from Frederick, Md., who graduated cum laude, Jordan served as a Peer Mentor, sang with WACappella and served on both the Student Government Association and the Honor Board. As a Hansard Scholar, he spent a semester in London, studying parliamentary government and British public policy at the London School of Economics and Politics and interning in the House of Commons. Last fall, Governor Martin O’Malley appointed him to be the student representative on the Maryland Higher Education Commission.

Virginia Long was awarded for her science
achievements and her appreciation of the arts.

Virginia Agnes Long of Silver Spring, Md., received the Jane Huston Goodfellow Memorial Prize, which recognizes an especially well- rounded science major “who has an abiding appreciation of the arts and humanities and has shown scholastic excellence.” She graduated magna cum laude and also earned a Department of Biology Research Award. A member of Phi Beta Kappa and the Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows, she was active in drama and dance productions during her four years on campus.  

Jesse James Schaefer won the Eugene B. Casey Medal, as “a senior woman voted by the faculty to be outstanding in the qualities of scholarship, character, leadership and campus citizenship.” A summa cum laude graduate who majored in sociology and human development, Schaefer was active in numerous organizations, including the Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows, the Peer Mentors, Equestrian Club, the Pi Lambda Theta education honor society and the Service Council. Schaefer, who hails from Bridgeton, N.J., also was awarded the Education Department Award, the Margaret Horsley Award (for “the clearest understanding of human social behavior”), the Sociology Service Award, the Karen Kaitz Emerick Award (recognizing strong character, leadership and service), and an Outstanding Community Service Recognition.

Jesse Schaefer steps forward for the Eugene B. Casey Medal.

Clark-Porter winner Antonio 

The Clark-Porter Medal went to student-government leader Andrew Francis John Antonio, who led the SGA for three years. The Medal recognizes “the student whose character and personal integrity, in the opinion of the faculty, have most clearly enhanced the quality of campus life.” Antonio, who grew up in Middletown, Del., also received the Schottland Business Leadership Award and the W. Dennis Berry ’87 Leadership Award. 

Goldstein winner Kimberly Pittman

Kimberly Nicole Pittman of Bel Air, Md., received the Louis L. Goldstein ’35 Award as the senior who “has demonstrated unusual interest, enthusiasm and potential in the field of public affairs.”  The International Studies major concentrated her studies on issues of peace and conflict and was the first Washington College student to take part in an exclusive internship program with NATO’s U.S. Mission in Brussels. She also was a member of the Douglass Cater Society of Junior Fellows and studied abroad in South Africa. A summa cum laude graduate, Pittman also took home Gender Studies and International Studies awards.

Medal winners Schaefer and Schelberg were among the four 2012 graduates who shared First Honors distinction for boasting the highest cumulative grade point average in the class. The other two top scholars were Michael Ryan Vanaskie, who also took home the Economics Department Award, and Courtney Rebecca Burton, who received the Psychology Department Outstanding Achievement Award and an Outstanding Community Service Recognition.

The 2012 Sophie Kerr Prize for literary promise was officially awarded to Kathryn J. Manion in the form of a check for $58,274. She had been announced as the winner May 15 at a special program in New York City where she and four other Prize finalists—Natalie L. Butz, Douglas S. Carter, Maria N. Queen and Erica A. Walburg—read from their portfolios.

Professor Christine Wade reacts to being named this year's recipient of
the Alumni Association's Distinguished Teaching Award.

Two professors were singled out for recognition during the Commencement. The Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award, based on input from both faculty and students, went to Christine J. Wade, associate professor of political science and international studies. A specialist in Latin American politics who joined the Washington College faculty in 2003, she is faculty advisor for students concentrating on Peace and Conflict Studies or Latin American Studies.

President Reiss congratulates the faculty recipient of
the Gold Pentagon Award, Mindy Reynolds-Walsh.

And Omicron Delta Kappa chose biology professor Mindy Reynolds-Walsh to receive a Gold Pentagon Award. Each year, the leadership honor society selects both a student winner or winners (this year, Schelberg and Jordan), and an alumnus, faculty member or friend of the College to recognize for their service to Washington College. A cell biologist who joined the faculty in 2008, Reynolds-Walsh researches the effects of chronic exposure to metal compounds.

Below is a full listing of the awards announced at the Senior Luncheon. For photos, visit the Campus Gallery page about the event.

Class of 2012 Senior Awards
 Given at the Senior Luncheon, May 18, 2012.

The American Studies Program Senior Capstone Experience Award, awarded to a graduating American studies major with the most outstanding senior research project: Amanda Lyn Whitaker

The Lynette Nielsen Art Award,  to acknowledge excellence in art: Alexandra Allerton Harlow Woodworth

The Art History Award,  to acknowledge excellence in the field of art history: Sean Michael Meade and Douglas Stewart Carter, Jr.

The Department of Biology Allied Health Professional Award, to the graduating biology major who has demonstrated academic excellence, who is pursuing an allied health degree, and who has a strong potential for success in an allied health field: Bethany Jordan Ackerman and Brittany Nicole Palasik

The Department of Biology Medical Professional Award, to the graduating biology major who has demonstrated academic excellence, who is pursuing a medical or veterinary degree, and who has a strong potential for success in the medical or veterinary fields: Katelyn Rose Laury and Benjamin David Longwell

The Department of Biology Research Award, to the graduating biology major who has demonstrated excellence in academics and undergraduate biological research: Virginia Agnes Long and Benjamin David Longwell

The Department of Biology Award of Special Recognition, awarded on special occasion to the graduating biology major who has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and an exceptional depth of understanding in the field of biology: John Matthews Eglseder II

The Department of Biology Teaching Award, awarded on special occasion to the graduating biology major who has demonstrated academic excellence and exceptional dedication to science education: Alyssa Jacqueline Forget and Hannah Elizabeth O’Malley

The Department of Business Management Award, given to a graduating business major who has demonstrated outstanding qualities of scholarship, character and leadership: Allyson Leigh Yawman 

The Department of Business Management Senior Capstone Experience Award,  to a graduating business major with the most outstanding senior research project demonstrating high scholarship and analytical skills: Chelsea Caitlin Simpson

Schottland Business Leadership Award, awarded to the graduating business major who shows outstanding academic ability and leadership potential: Andrew Francis John Antonio

The Joseph H. McLain ’37 Prize, awarded to the graduating senior who, in the opinion of the Department of Chemistry, shows the greatest promise for making a future contribution to human understanding of chemistry. Endowed in 1982 by members of the American Pyrotechnics Association: Sean Andrew Harrison

The James R. Miller ’51 Award for Excellence in Chemistry, to an outstanding senior majoring in chemistry or a premedical student who has demonstrated special interest and high academic achievement in chemistry: Kelsie Elizabeth Jensen

The Stewart Drama Award, to a senior who has made outstanding contributions to the College through
dramatic and speaking ability. Endowed by Pearl Griffin Stewart ’05: Margaret Anne Matthews

The Economics Department Award, awarded to a graduating senior for outstanding academic performance and the potential for high achievement in the field of economics: Michael Ryan Vanaskie and Meghan Elyse Lepley

The Dr. Davy H. McCall Prize in Economics, to a graduating senior majoring in economics who has demonstrated special interest and high academic achievement and superior oral and written abilities in international economics: Leah Rae Sbriscia

The Maureen Jacoby Prize, to the graduating senior who has demonstrated dedication to student publications at Washington College, and has a strong potential for a future in the field of publications: Olivia Hamilton Mott

The Emil J. C. Hildenbrand Memorial Medal, to the senior who attains the highest average in English during the four years of study. Given by the Washington, D.C. chapter of the Alumni Association: Marta Lee Wesenberg

The Writers’ Union Award, for outstanding service to the Writers’ Union.  A gift of Robert L. Chamberlin, Jr. ’48 in memory of Mary Lou Chamberlin ’49: Kathryn Jeanne Manion


The Environmental Studies Award, to the graduating environmental studies major who, through academic accomplishment and extracurricular involvement, shows the greatest potential for making significant lifetime contributions to helping solve the world’s environmental problems: Amanda Anne-Marie Pruzinsky

The Gender Studies Award, to a graduating senior who has displayed unusual interest and/or scholarship
in the field of gender studies: Kimberly Nicole Pittman and Sarah Janney Hartge

The Arthur A. Knapp ’39 Memorial Prize in History, to the graduating history major who, in the opinion of the Department, has displayed unusual interest, enthusiasm and ability in the field of history: Alyssa Lynne Wagner and Charles August Weisenberger III

The Phi Alpha Theta Award, to a graduating history major for excellent historical scholarship: Alyssa Lynne Wagner

The Norman James Humanities Award for Excellence, given by the James family to the senior majoring in humanities who has shown academic distinction and represents the ideals of humanistic society: James Hoitsma Schelberg

The Daniel L. Premo Award, to the graduating senior in political science or international studies
who shows the most promise in the field of public diplomacy: Antoine Michael Jordan

The International Studies Award, to a graduating major who, in the opinion of the Department, demonstrates an exceptional understanding and interest in international affairs: Kimberly Nicole Pittman

The Tai Sung An Memorial Prize,  to the graduating international student who, in the opinion of the faculty of the international studies interdisciplinary major, has exemplified in an exceptional manner the benefits of inter-cultural education on our campus: Tokikake Ii

The Erika and Henry Salloch Prize, given by the Department of Foreign Languages, Literatures and Cultures in memory of Erika and Henry Salloch, to the student whose achievement and personal commitment have contributed to the understanding of other cultures: Morgan Lail Phillips

The German Studies Alumni Award, to the senior who, in the opinion of the faculty of Modern Languages, has demonstrated outstanding academic achievement and a depth of understanding in the field of German studies: Melissa Gaye Erdman

The William Gover Duvall ’30 Prize, to a graduating senior who, in the judgment of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, has demonstrated outstanding achievement and shows great promise in the field of mathematics: Amanda Anne-Marie Pruzinsky

The Alpha Chi Omega Music Award, to a senior in recognition of excellence in music: Brian Patrick Bucher and Veronica Noël Spolarich

The Department of Philosophy and Religion Award, to a graduating senior or seniors majoring in philosophy, recognizing outstanding ability in, and engagement with, the field of philosophy and religion: James Hoitsma Schelberg and Patrick Thomas Cannon

The Political Science Award, to a graduating major who in the opinion of the Department, demonstrates a superior theoretical and practical understanding of political life: Lindsay Ann Dodd

The Psychology Department Award, to the senior psychology major who shows outstanding promise in the field of psychology: Isabel Diane Derera and Catherine Teves Petrick

The Virginia M. Conner ’85 Psychology Award, to the graduating senior or seniors majoring in psychology who, in the opinion of the Department, have demonstrated outstanding ability and achievement in the biobehavioral sciences: Melanie Lynn McCabe

The Psychology Department Outstanding Achievement Award, to senior psychology majors in recognition of exceptionally high levels of performance in the field of psychology: Courtney Rebecca Burton

Anthropology Award, to the graduating major or majors who, in the opinion of the faculty and students of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, have shown in his or her work exceptional understanding of anthropology and other cultures, past or present: Sarah Janney Hartge and Jamie Skylar Frees

Anthropology Service Award, to the graduating major who demonstrates the greatest dedication to public service in anthropology at Washington College: Alyssa Marie Velazquez

The Margaret Horsley Award, to the graduating major or majors who, in the opinion of the faculty and students of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, have shown in his or her work the clearest understanding of human social behavior: Jesse James Schaefer and Brittany Lyn McWilliams

Sociology Service Award, to the graduating senior who, in the opinion of the Department and its students, has made, through service, the greatest contribution to the sociology program and to Washington College: Jesse James Schaefer

The Holstein Prize for Ethics, to the graduating senior whose senior thesis, in the opinion of the selection committee, best demonstrates an interest in ethics and the application of ethics to his or her area of interest: Beverly Obenewaa Frimpong

The W. Dennis Berry ’87 Leadership Award, to the senior or seniors who most clearly exhibit those characteristics of charismatic leadership that distinguished Mr. Berry’s service to Washington College: Andrew Francis John Antonio

The Karen Kaitz Emerick Award, to one or more senior students, chosen by the Executive Committee of the Student Government Association, who have demonstrated strong character and good academic standing, and who have been leaders in community and volunteer service: Jesse James Schaefer

The Penny J. Fall Award, given annually by the Washington College Student Government Association to the female athlete who most successfully continues, through service to the College, the tradition and legacy set by Professor Fall. The recipient is chosen for her leadership on campus and her ability to conceive, organize and execute academic and extracurricular activities that have benefited the entire Washington College community: Sally Ann O’Donnell

The Jonathan A. Taylor, Jr. Leadership Award,  to the member of the Washington College Student Government Association who diligently and effectively incorporates progressive thought when addressing the needs and demands of the modern collegiate environment: Brittany Alexandra Marshall

The Outstanding Community Service Recognition, awarded to senior students who have committed themselves to community service: Courtney Rebecca Burton,  Stephen Samuel Cook, Daniel James Danko, Jamie Skylar Frees, Sarah Janney Hartge, Laura Kebler Kennedy, Melanie Lynn McCabe, Priyanka Deepak Parikh, Leah Rae Sbriscia, Jesse James Schaefer,  Alyssa Marie Velazquez, Amanda Lyn Whitaker.

Filmmaker Rosenthal Offers Advice on Ignoring the Skeptics As Graduates Celebrate Commencement

Banker Seetharaman, Mount Vernon's Rees, alum Whitbeck

 also honored with degrees at 229th Graduation Ceremony

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Tribeca Films producer Jane Rosenthal offered the class of  2012 some lessons in finding their own voices and overcoming life’s skeptics as she addressed the 229th Commencement at Washington College on Sunday, May 20.  A large crowd gathered on the Campus Lawn to celebrate the 325 undergraduates receiving their bachelor’s degrees, and nine successful candidates for the master’s degree.

            The college bestowed honorary degrees on Rosenthal and two other special guests: Raghavan Seetharaman, the Group CEO of Qatar-based Doha Bank, and James C. Rees, the president and CEO of George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens.  In addition, Harris L. Whitbeck ’87, an award-winning CNN correspondent and television producer, received the 2012 Alumni Citation.

            In her address to the graduates, Jane Rosenthal recalled the dark days following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, when she decided—despite many naysayers—that she could help her community heal by launching a new film festival, the now wildly successful Tribeca Film Festival. “People said, ‘What are you doing?’ ‘Do you have the money?’ ‘You’re crazy.’ ”

            She had heard similar comments more than a decade earlier when she left a successful career as a Hollywood executive and moved to New York to start Tribeca Films with actor Robert DeNiro. But in the wake of 9/11 she felt strongly that “New York needed movies more than ever—the sense of community and hope that movies can bring. So Robert DeNiro and I, along with my husband Craig, decided to forge ahead, because we cared.”

            “It’s only if you care deeply about things that matter that you will be brave enough to do what you know is right for you. So how will you deal with the naysayers in your lives?” she asked the graduates. “Learn how to simply say, ‘Thank you for your opinion’—NEXT! … And if there is something in life you truly care about and know you must try—a career, a relationship, a social issue, a movie, a film festival—learn how to say ‘No is not an option.’”

            Rosenthal also advised the young graduates to make wisdom a lifelong pursuit.  “Cultivate every part of yourself—your left brain and your right brain, your empathy and your sense of justice, your people skills and your hard skills, and your daydreaming skills. Because each of these will serve you in unexpected ways along your journey.” Don’t let today’s smart devices and social media be a substitute for real life, she added. “Make time for meandering conversations and true intimacy. It’s only by unplugging that we truly connect with ourselves.”

Alumni Citation recipient Harris Whitbeck '87 with President
 Reiss and Alumni Board Chair Timothy Reath '96.

            President Reiss addressed similar themes in his opening remarks, urging the graduates to preserve space in their fast-paced lives to ponder, reflect and rest. “You have been taught at Washington College to be deliberate and reflective in your approach. Why stop that habit just as you enter the workforce? … It is only in moments of reflection that we can sort through the blizzard of data and find nuggets of meaning,” he continued. “Technology will take your generation places we can’t imagine. But technology is not the destination. You, your mind, your clarity of thought and patient listening to the inner voice that speaks to what is right and wrong—what we call moral courage—this is and will always remain the destination.”

            Alumni Citation recipient Harris Whitbeck has won major awards for his coverage of natural disasters and wars around the globe. More recently he launched a television production company in his native Guatemala to target social problems and showcase creative solutions and inspirational stories. In accepting the Citation for Excellence from the Alumni Association, Whitbeck, who also hosts The Amazing Race Latinoamerica, credited Washington College for teaching him to be aware, to be open, to listen—skills that helped him on his personal and professional journey. “So graduates, remember that you are taking away tools that will help you think,” he advised. “The next 25 years are going to fly by for you. So live them with integrity, but also with intensity. And have fun.”

Mount Vernon's top executive James C. Rees IV listens as President
Reiss reads the citation for his honorary Doctor of Letters degree. 

            As recipient of an honorary Doctor of Letters degree, Mount Vernon executive James C. Rees was lauded for three decades of stellar service and leadership at America’s most visited historic home. Through his fundraising, vision and educational efforts, he has elevated Mount Vernon into a living monument whose buildings and grounds interpret the nation’s first president through a vivid 18th century lens. Rees collaborated with Washington College and the Gilder Lehrman Institute to create the George Washington Book Prize, a $50,000 award that recognizes the best work on the Revolutionary era. In accepting his degree Rees pictured George Washington “somewhere looking down, saying one of the smartest things he ever did was help start this college.” President Reiss gave Rees a framed copy of the honorary degree Washington College presented to George Washington in 1789, along with General Washington’s response.

 Doha Bank's Raghavan Seetharaman
shares life lessons with the graduates. 

            The man who transformed Doha Bank into the fastest growing bank in the Middle East shared stories from his youth to give the graduates a glimpse of the grit, pluck and determination that fueled his rise from a financially strapped family in India to the top echelon of international finance. Raghavan Seetharaman, who received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Washington College, stressed the importance of not just knowledge and skills, but also hard work, determination and teamwork. He recalled how, as a young man who already knew the value of a good education but whose  family could not afford the tuition at the best high school in his area, he accepted a special challenge from the school’s headmaster: free tuition, room and board if he came in first in all his examinations. He not only met that goal but also worked in a supermarket after class to help support his family. The kinds of commitment and compassion we show to our families should carry over to the commitment and care we give to society, he told the audience:  “We need to leave a better world and also to leave better citizens.”       

Ian Holstrom speaks on behalf of
the Class of 2012.

            The student elected to speak on behalf of the student body was Ian Edward Holstrom, an economics major from New Hope, Pa., who led the Honor Board for three of his years on campus.  Yes, the campus is beautiful, he noted, but it is people that make Washington College distinctive: “the students you talk to for hours, the passionate faculty that make you wish you had started taking drama classes earlier in college, or the adviser who welcomes you into his office just to talk about cars. It’s the staff members who never forget your name,” he added, “and the community members that are just so excited to have you in town.”

            The Class of 2012 will leave a part of themselves on campus, Holstrom assured his  classmates, and their alma mater will always travel with them. “In fact, that new, funny feeling in all our hearts today? That’s just Washington College settling in, getting ready to come along for the ride.” 

 Sue Matthews '75, mother of graduate Garrett Matthews '12,  finishes a rousing a cappella rendition of the National Anthem 

After 44 Years, Professor Garry Clarke Says Farewell with Friends in Reunion Concert

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Retiring Washington College music professor Garry Clarke will say farewell to the campus community he has served for 44 years with a special reunion Vocal Consort concert Saturday, May 19, at 4 p.m. The venue will be Hotchkiss Recital Hall, inside the Gibson Center for the Arts on the College campus, 300 Washington Avenue.  Designed as part of Commencement and Reunion Weekend at the College, the concert will be performed by not only a dozen current and graduating student members of the Vocal Consort and Early Music Consort, but also by WC alumni who once sang in the groups.  A reception will follow in the lobby area outside the recital hall.

The brief program will be a sampler of classical pieces, and there will be time for just one rehearsal before the concert. “This will be a fun opportunity for me to see many old friends and for us to sing together once again,” says Clarke, who has led the Consorts since 1983. “We welcome anyone who wants to come and listen.”

The concert and reception will be an opportunity for the campus and community to say thanks to Clarke for a career devoted to helping others learn, appreciate and enjoy the power of music. He came to Washington College in 1968 as Assistant Professor of Music in a brand new department and spent the next four decades building and nurturing a vibrant curriculum, overseeing the progress of every Music major, and contributing his talents as a performer, teacher and leader both at Washington College and throughout the Eastern Shore. Promoted to the rank of Associate Professor in 1973, he became a full Professor in 1979.

An accomplished concert pianist, composer, and writer, he has regularly led students in performances, including the Renaissance Christmas Dinner, dramatic productions, and the Washington College Vocal Consort and Early Music Consort, and has chaired the Washington College Concert Series.

He also served the campus community in a number of leadership positions, foremost his stint as Acting President from 1981-1982, and his recurring role as Dean of the College for a total of six years. In appreciation of his effective teaching and leadership, Washington College has over the years awarded him the Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching, the Gold Pentagon Award for Meritorious Service and an honorary doctorate. When the College renovated the Gibson Center in 2009, Clarke’s former students honored him by dedicating the building’s music library in his name.  Yet another honor that meant a lot to Professor Clarke:  in 1999, the Maryland Gamma chapter of Phi Delta Theta, which he has advised for many years, initiated him as a fraternity brother.

Off campus, he has been active in regional music circles that include the Commission on Liturgy and Music for the Episcopal Diocese of Easton and the boards of Chesapeake Chamber Music, the Talbot Chamber Orchestra, and the Maryland State Arts Council. He has served as the organist and choirmaster for several churches in the area and is currently Director of Music at Trinity Cathedral in Easton.

Clarke received his B. Mus. from Cornell College and his M. Mus. from Yale, where he also taught piano. As a composer and scholar, Clarke has written numerous compositions for a variety of genres that include opera, symphony, vocal and organ. He has published a book (Essays on American Music), an entry in the Grove Dictionary of American Music, and a number of essays on teaching and performing. He also has served as an opera coach for artists on the rosters of the Metropolitan Opera, the New York City Opera, and the New Haven Opera Society.

For more information on the Music Department at Washington College, please visit http://music.washcoll.edu/.

Tribeca Films Founder Jane Rosenthal to Speak at Washington College Commencement May 20

TV journalist Harris Whitbeck ’87, banker Seetharaman and Mount Vernon CEO Rees also to be honored at 229th graduation ceremony

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Renowned film producer Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of Tribeca Productions and the Tribeca Film Festival, will address the graduates at Washington College’s 229th Commencement on Sunday, May 20. She also will receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree during the ceremony, which begins at 10:30 a.m. on the Campus Lawn.

            The College will bestow honorary degrees on two other special guests that morning: international banker Raghavan Seetharaman, and James C. Rees IV, President and Chief Executive Officer of George Washington’s Mount Vernon.  In addition, CNN  journalist and reality-show host Harris Whitbeck ’87 will receive the Alumni Citation for excellence in journalism and television broadcasting.

            A graduate of Brown and New York Universities, Jane Rosenthal was working as a vice president of production at Disney’s film group in 1988 when actor Robert DeNiro lured her back to the East Coast to help him create and run Tribeca Productions. In partnership with Rosenthal’s husband, real estate investor and philanthropist Craig Hatkoff, the company has steadily expanded its influence in the film industry through the creation of Tribeca Enterprises (which Rosenthal serves as CEO), the non-profit Tribeca Film Institute, and the wildly successful Tribeca Film Festivals.             

            Rosenthal, DeNiro and Hatkoff co-organized the first Tribeca Film Festival in the wake of the September 11 attacks as a way to help revive the economic and cultural conditions of lower Manhattan. Since that first festival in 2002, the event has become one of the largest film celebrations in the world. Because of their work, Rosenthal, Hatkoff and DeNiro received the inaugural September 11 National Museum and Memorial Foundation “Notes of Hope Award” for Distinction in Rebuilding.

Doha Bank Group CEO Seetharaman

As a producer, Rosenthal has enjoyed boundless commercial and critical success with dozens of films. Her comedies include Meet the Fockers and Analyze This, both  starring DeNiro, and her production Meet the Parents, also starring DeNiro, is one of the highest-grossing comedic franchises in history. In the drama category, her many films include the Matt Damon spy film The Good Shepherd and the crime drama A Bronx Tale. She won a 1997 Christopher Award, which recognizes media that “affirm the highest values of the human spirit,” for Marvin’s Room, a family drama with Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio and Diane Keaton.

            Also being honored by the College is influential banker Raghavan Seetharaman, Group CEO of Qatar-based Doha Bank. Seetharaman, who was on campus in February to deliver a lecture in the George Washington Leadership Series, will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. A native of India, Seetharaman applied a strong work ethic and a welcoming attitude toward globalization and new technologies to transform Doha Bank into the fastest growing bank in the Middle East.  London-based EMEA Finance magazine, which covers the financial industry in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, has twice named him CEO of the Year. He has shared his expertise as a guest of major news outlets that include the BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera.

Mount Vernon CEO James Rees

            Honoree James Rees has served George Washington’s Mount Vernon, America’s most visited historic home, for nearly 30 years, the past 18 as president and chief executive officer. Under his leadership, more than a quarter-billion dollars have been raised for projects designed to renew national attention and emphasis on George Washington. Rees also has been an active partner with Washington College in strengthening students’ connections to George Washington as the school’s founding patron. He visited the Chestertown campus in 2007 to deliver a lecture based on his just-published book, George Washington’s Leadership Lessons: What the Father of Our Country Can Teach Us About Effective Leadership and Character. Rees will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters.

Alumni Citation recipient Harris Whitbeck ’87 is a multi-faceted journalist and television producer who has earned high accolades for his coverage of war, disaster, the environment and issues of social justice.  A native of Guatemala who is fluent in English, Spanish and French, he earned his undergraduate degree in International Studies from Washington College and his master’s in journalism from Columbia University before starting his career with CNN’s Spanish-Language network Telemundo. He later served as  an international correspondent for all of CNN’s networks and was Bureau Chief in Mexico City.

Whitbeck has made major contributions to coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the September 11 attacks, the 2004 Haitian coup d’etat, and various political, economic and social developments throughout Latin America. He has been recognized with a number of journalism awards, including a 1999 National Headliner Award for his coverage of the Ciudad Juarez killings, and a DuPont-Columbia Silver Baton Award for his coverage of the Tsunami disaster in Sri Lanka.

Award-winning journalist Harris Whitbeck.

            Whitbeck’s Zodiak Latino production company was nominated for an International Emmy in 2011 for a reality program he wrote and produced about 11 physically disabled people testing themselves with a challenging expedition. In Guatemala, he co-founded Atitlan Producciones, a television production company that produces socially-minded content.  For the past several years, the busy Whitbeck also has hosted the reality-television series The Amazing Race: Latinoamerica.  

            General seating for the Commencement exercises will be available on the lawn. In case of rain, the event will move to the Benjamin A. Johnson Fitness Center and admission will be by ticket only. For more information, please visit: http://news.washcoll.edu/commencement.php.

Prominent International Banker from Qatar to Deliver Inaugural Talk in Leadership Series at WC

CHESTERTOWN, MD—Influential international banker Raghavan Seetharaman, chief executive officer of Qatar-based Doha Bank, will deliver the inaugural address for the new George Washington Leadership Series at Washington College. Seetharaman will speak Wednesday, February 8, at 5 p.m. in the Casey Academic Center Forum. His topic will be “New World Order and Opportunities: Bilateral Trade, Investment, Banking and Finance between the Gulf and U.S.”

A native of India, Seetharaman is an unconventional leader known for setting a fast pace and embracing globalization and new technologies. He transformed Doha Bank from a small, traditional business into the fastest growing bank in the Middle East, adding new offices around the globe and expanding from basic consumer banking into areas such as financial services, insurance and real estate.

The charismatic executive joined Doha Bank in 2002 and in about five years had increased its market share of retail banking in Qatar from 4 percent to more than 25 percent. As head of one of the largest banks in one of the world’s richest countries—Qatar controls vast reserves of oil and natural gas—he often provides analysis and opinion on world-wide economic issues for major news outlets, including the BBC, CNBC, Bloomberg and Al Jazeera.

A 2007 profile in Forbes described him as a devout Hindu and a fitness enthusiast who practices yoga daily. He also is known for wearing a tuxedo to work every day. “I don’t carry any ideological baggage,” he told Forbes. “My only philosophy is that if one works for an institution, then you are obligated to make a success out of it.”

Washington College created the Leadership Series to honor the vision and values of founding patron George Washington, especially his belief in a better future achieved through education, respect for scholarship, and the ideals of leadership, character, and service to others. Under its auspices, leaders from a variety of professions and walks of life will be invited to campus to interact with students and faculty and to deliver a public address.

The Forum is located on the main floor of the Casey Academic Center (CAC), across the entrance drive from Roy Kirby Jr. Stadium, on the Washington College campus, 300 Washington Avenue. For more information: http://www.washcoll.edu.

"Let Life Surprise You," Sportswriter Deford Advises Class of 2011 at 228th Commencement

CHESTERTOWN, MD—In remarks that drew from the Apostle Paul, Col. Sanders and Thomas Jefferson, sports journalist and author Frank Deford encouraged the Washington College Class of 2011 to keep their minds open and informed, engage with the world and let life surprise them. He delivered his remarks after receiving an honorary doctor of letters degree at the school’s 228th Commencement ceremony, held Sunday morning, May 22, on the campus lawn.

Deford, who has been called “the world’s greatest sportswriter,” has authored 16 books and is senior contributing writer at Sports Illustrated. He also is a regular commentator on NPR’s Morning Edition and a senior correspondent for HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel. In his Commencement address he used Biblical scripture (Hebrews 13:1) to underline the need for the graduates to constantly widen their circle of acquaintances and friends: “Be not forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

“You will probably learn the best lessons in the strangest, most unlikely circumstances,” Deford told the graduates. He shared a humorous anecdote about meeting Kentucky Fried Chicken founder Harland Sanders years ago at a coffee shop counter in Chicago. “As he stood to leave, he told me, ‘Son, I want to give you the most important piece of advice I know: If you want people to listen to you, wear a white suit.”

Deford, garbed in deep red and black academic robes, stressed the importance of reading and staying informed. When it comes to public threats, he said, the Military Industrial Complex that President Eisenhower warned about as he left office has been replaced by an “Entertainment Amusement Complex” that distracts us from what is important.

“It frightens me that the U.S. might well end while we are all watching American Idol or Monday Night Football,” he said, adding that Thomas Jefferson’s advice about the need for an informed citizenry remains important today. “Jefferson said, ‘Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.’ He knew we needed newspapers for the good of the country. Deep, involved, investigative journalism is a bulwark against deceit and chicanery. … Please do not worry about being amused,” he told the graduates. “Don’t let us be the first country to be overwhelmed by amusement.”

The graduates and their families also heard brief remarks from another honorary degree recipient, Tadataka Yamada, president of the Global Health Program of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Dr. Yamada, a scientist and scholar in gastroenterology, joined the Gates Foundation in 2006. He oversees more than $7 billion in grants and leads the foundation’s efforts to develop and deliver low-cost, life-saving health tools for the developing world.

After receiving his honorary doctor of science degree, Dr. Yamada reminded the graduates that there is great inequity in the world and cited the “moral tragedy” that his foundation works to remedy—that each year 8 million children around the globe die unnecessarily from diseases that can be treated. He ended with a quote from Bill Gates: “Humanity’s greatest advances are not in its discoveries—but in how those discoveries are applied to reduce inequity.”

The Commencement ceremony was a time for honoring outstanding seniors and alumni alike. Harry Rhodes ’35 was recognized as the oldest alumnus participating in the College’s Reunion Weekend. Leading the official commencement procession, he was followed by members of the 50th and 25th reunion classes.

Business major Brittany Dunbar delivered the traditional Senior Speech, challenging her classmates to not get too comfortable, but rather to keep challenging themselves and to remember that in life, “You get what you give.”

As part of the College’s celebration of the International Year of Chemistry, the Alumni Association awarded Alumni Citations to two chemists who have made significant contributions to their field: James P. Bonsack ’53 and Kenneth M. Merz ’81. Bonsack, an industrial chemical engineer, holds 17 U.S. patents and 61 foreign patents relating to the manufacture of titanium dioxide products. Merz is a professor of chemistry and co-director of the Quantum Theory Project at the University of Florida.

Professor Kathryn Moncrief received the Alumni Association’s Distinguished Teaching Award. Moncrief, who chairs the English Department and the Sophie Kerr Committee, teaches 16th and 17th century English literature and culture.

While dozens of student departmental honors are given earlier at a Senior Luncheon, the College saves its highest honors and prizes to be announced during Commencement.

Nicole Christine Robinson, a biology major, earned the Jane Huston Goodfellow Memorial Prize, which goes to a science major who has exhibited scholastic excellence and an abiding appreciation of the arts and humanities. A Summa Cum Laude graduate, Robinson also earned First Honors recognition as the senior with the highest grade-point average.

The Gold Pentagon Awards bestowed by the Omicron Delta Kappa Society go to one senior and one non-student in recognition of meritorious service to the College. This year senior Katelyn Malchester, a biology major, and Joe Holt ’83, M ’98, the Chief of Staff in the College President’s office, received the honors. The Louis L. Goldstein ’35 Award for unusual interest, enthusiasm and potential in the field of public affairs went to political science major Michael Mason.

The Sophie Kerr Prize for the “best ability and promise for future fulfillment in the field of literary endeavor” was officially awarded to Lisa Beth Jones, an anthropology major from Fork, Md., in the form of a check for $61,062.11. For the first time in 44 years the winner’s name was not a surprise at Commencement. Five days earlier, the Sophie Kerr Committee had honored five finalists and announced Jones the winner at a special event at Poets House in New York City. The other finalists—Maggie Farrell, Dan McCloskey, Insley Smullen, and Joseph Yates--were given a round of applause, as well.

The Eugene B. Casey Medal, awarded to a senior woman who exhibits outstanding qualities of scholarship, character, leadership and campus citizenship, went to psychology major Meaghan Chelsea Moxley. The Henry W.C. Catlin 1894 Medal, which honors the senior man with those same qualities, went to Mikhail Alexandrovich Zaborskiy, a business management and economics major from Russia.

Another international student, Alketa Tanushi, a business major from Albania, took home the Clark-Porter Medal as the student whose character and personal integrity have most clearly enhanced the quality of campus life.

General George Washington himself arrived on horseback to award the Medal and Award conferred in his name to the senior who most reflects the ideals of a liberal education. The 2011 George Washington Medal and Award went to Rachel Elizabeth Field, an environmental studies major from West Chester, Pa., who knew to curtsy in front of the general and who received a kiss on the hand in return.

Before leaving the podium, Washington reminded the students to keep in mind a few of his most important Rules of Civility as they entered the world stage. “As you celebrate later, remember rule no. 7: Put not off your clothes in the presence of others, nor go out of your chamber half dressed.” He also stressed what is perhaps the most important of his rules, no. 110: “Labour to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called conscience.”

College president Mitchell B. Reiss concluded the program with a final humorous admonition to the graduates. “Up until now, your parents may have viewed you as an investment. Beware, they may now view you as a profit center.”