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Westminster College to Celebrate Homecoming Reunion Weekend

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Posted on Tuesday, October 5, 2004

Westminster College continues its homecoming traditions Friday-Sunday, Oct. 15-17.

The weekend kicks off Friday at noon with the Musgrave Art Show in the Faculty Commons of the McKelvey Campus Center.  Fabric floral collages by Dr. Ross Musgrave are featured in this show.  At 1 p.m. the Golden Tower Society (alumni of the class of 1954 or earlier) comes together in Ferguson lounge.  Alumni can take a campus tour, including the new McKelvey Campus Center, watch the Student Government Association's annual Powder Puff Football competition, or join the Friends of the Library "Tea with the Books." 

Friday continues with a Citation Celebration Dinner where Westminster recognizes its own with citation and achievement awards.  This year's Westminster College Alumni Citation  recipients include James P. Epstein, Margaret Edmonds McConnell, Dr. John L. Mansell and Jason Kissel, recipient of the Outstanding Young Alumni Award.

Epstein, a 1972 Westminster graduate, went on to graduate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1975.  Since then he has been the district attorney of Mercer County, and is the longest running district attorney in Pennsylvania history.  He has been chosen "law enforcement officer of the year" by his colleagues and "boss of the year" by his office staff.  His leadership in community organizations include: The Mercer County Association for the Retarded, the Shenango Valley Community Library, the Prince of Peace Center, ERASE Anti-Substance Abuse Coalition, Sharpsville Borough Anti-Teen Drinking Initiative, Mercer County Anti-Discrimination Commission, Fraternal Orders of Police in Sharon, Hermitage, and Farrell, Sharpsville Service Club, Kedron F&AM 389, and the Executive Committee of the Mercer County Democratic Party.

McConnell, a 1955 Westminster graduate and known to her friends as Peggy, has had three different successful careers: medical technology, vocational counseling, and institutional development.  She took her chemistry degree from Westminster and served as a medical technologist at Youngstown, Jameson, and Shadyside hospitals.  McConnell's graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley, and her subsequent certification as counselor by the National Board for Certified Counselors provided her with the tools to work in marriage and family counseling, crisis intervention and suicide prevention.  Her working career took another turn in the 1980s when she became associate director of corporation and foundation development at Gettysburg College.  McConnell worked her way up through several titles at the Presbyterian Church USA Foundation and is now working as a major gifts associate for the Presbyterian Children's Village in Philadelphia.

Mansell graduated from Westminster College in 1954, continued his education at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and is currently part of Family Medicine Associates of New Wilmington, Inc.  Mansell has held leadership positions at the Jameson Hospital Medical Staff, the Lawrence County Medical Society, the Pennsylvania Affiliate of American Heart Association, the Mid-Western Chapter of Pennsylvania Affiliate of American Heart Association, the New Wilmington Borough Council, Jameson Hospital Department of Medicine, and the Jameson Hospital Credentials Committee.  Mansell comes from a long line of Westminster graduates.  His father, Irving "Bud" Mansell and his father's brother, Thomas V. Mansell, both graduated in 1929; his mother, Lucille McConaghy Mansell graduated in 1928 and Lucille's sister Helen graduate in 1927.  Mansell's sister, Jane, also attended Westminster; his first wife, Erla Jane McCartney (who died in 1974) graduated in 1955; his second wife, Ruth Ann McCown graduated in 1964; and finally his second son, Mark, graduated in 1984.  Mansell has served as the Westminster College Health Services Physician since 1968.

Kissel, a 1997 Westminster graduate, earned a bachelor of music degree in organ performance and church music.  While in college, he served as the organist at the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church, and College Organist, playing for all Vesper services and performances of the college choirs.  He accompanied the choir on its European tour, performing at Westminster Abbey and Chartres Cathedral.  In 1997, Kissel placed first in the Region III Competition for Young Organists of the American Guild of Organists (AGO), held in Washington, D.C.  He has played in England, Wales, Scotland, Germany and France. He earned his master's degree from Duquesne University, and is currently enrolled in the Doctor of Musical Arts program in Organ Performance at Peabody Conservatory of Music at John Hopkins University.  He plays for weekly services and conducts the semi-professional adult choir at the First and Franklin Street Presbyterian Church in Baltimore. 

Saturday's events begin in Wallace Memorial Chapel at 9 a.m. with a recital on the new seven-foot-long Steinway concert grand piano, which was purchased by the class of 1954.  Dr. Nancy Zipay DeSalvo will perform Haydn's "Sonate in G Major," Rachmaninoff's "Études-Tableaus, Opus 33," and Chopin's "Barcorolle, Opus 60."  The concert is followed by the Golden Anniversary Memorial Chapel Service.

 The parade, judged by the class of 1954, will proceed down Market Street at 10:30 a.m. Saturday.  This year's theme, Cartoons, will bring a display of cartoon characters like Scooby Doo, Flintstones, Smurfs, and Charlie Brown and the Peanuts gang, who will bestow goodies to the masses.  Following the parade, Dr. Paul Musser, a 1945 Westminster graduate, will play the carillon, and Musgrave will host a reception with the artist at the McKelvey Campus Center Faculty Commons.

 Several luncheons that require reservations are planned for 11:30 a.m. Saturday.  The reunion celebration luncheon, which honors alumni celebrating their 25th or 50th reunion is scheduled at the Witherspoon Rooms of the McKelvey Campus Center.  The football reunion luncheon at Memorial Field honors the members of the 1988 and 1989 national championship teams.  An all-alumni picnic is planned at the Anderson Amphitheater.

 At 1:30 p.m., the Titans football team will take on the Bethany College Bisons at Memorial Field.  Halftime activities include the recognition of the 1988 and 1989 national championship football teams, and the crowning of the Homecoming King and Queen.  Following the game President R. Thomas Williamson will host an all-alumni open house at his home from 4-6 p.m.  The Westminster women's soccer team will play Bethany College at 5 p.m. at the Wilmington High School Greyhound Stadium, and the men's soccer team will play Bethany at 7 p.m.  Various receptions and dinners are scheduled Saturday evening.

 Sunday closes Alumni Weekend with a worship service at 10:30 a.m. in the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church.  Former Westminster choir members are asked to come at 9:30 a.m. to get in a bit of practice before the service.

 For more information, contact Mary Cooley James '84, director of alumni at Westminster College, at (724) 946-7363 or e-mail mjames@westminster.edu.