LYCOMING COLLEGE

From left: Melanie Taormina, director of alumni relations; V. Chapman-Smith; Dr. Marina N. Vernalis; Dr. John F. Piper Jr.; Heather Duda, AAEB president; and Art Haberberger, chairman of the board of trustees

10-13-09

WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. - The Lycoming College Alumni Association presented three awards during the College’s Homecoming activities Oct. 10. Award recipients are selected by the Alumni Association Executive Board from nominations received from alumni and other members of the College community.

Dr. Marina N. Vernalis, a 1973 Lycoming graduate, received the Angela R. Kyte Outstanding Alumna Award, given in honor of an alumnus/a who has demonstrated a lifetime of service to humanity and whose life exemplifies those qualities encouraged and fostered at Lycoming College and by its predecessor institutions.

V. Chapman-Smith, a 1972 Lycoming graduate, received the Outstanding Achievement Award, given in recognition of an alumnus/a who has achieved a significant accomplishment that reflects positively on the College and/or its predecessor institutions.

Dr. John F. Piper Jr., Lycoming’s former dean of the College, was recognized with the Dale V. Bower Service Award, given to an individual for outstanding service rendered to Lycoming.

Vernalis is executive medical director of the Integrative Cardiac Health Project at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (WRAMC) in Washington, D.C., and associate professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Md. She is a retired colonel, Medical Corps, U.S. Army. In 1996, Vernalis became the 14th chief of cardiology at WRAMC as well as the cardiovascular consultant to the Army Surgeon General. She is the first woman appointed to these positions. She holds the record for the longest tenure as chief of cardiology at WRAMC. She also served as a cardiovascular consultant to the White House Medical Unit and Office of the Attending Physician to Congress, and was the first woman to represent the U.S. Army on the American College of Cardiology Board of Governors. Vernalis was the first person in history to perform transesophageal echocardiography in baboons in simulated space. She is the recipient of numerous awards, including the Association of Military Surgeons of the United States Paul Dudley White Award, the Legion of Merit Medal, Navy and Army Commendation Medals, and a Navy Achievement Medal. Vernalis earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and biology from Lycoming and a M.D. from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She resides in Silver Spring, Md.

Chapman-Smith is the Mid Atlantic regional administrator of the National Archives and Records Administration, serving the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia. She received the 2008 Outstanding History Educator Award, granted annually by HistoryTM at the National History Day Awards Ceremony to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the improvement of history education. Through her service as the regional coordinator for National History Day Philadelphia and on the National History Day in PA Advisory Board, Chapman-Smith has contributed to the success of the state and national program and is responsible for inspiring teachers, students and the community to deepen their involvement with history studies. She is also the recipient of the Nelson Rockefeller College Distinguished Public Service Medal, the New York State Governor’s Tribute to African American Leaders of Excellence in State Service Award and the City of Philadelphia’s Distinguished Service Award. Chapman-Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in German from Lycoming and, as a Ford Foundation Doctoral Fellow, studied history in Temple University’s doctoral program. Her husband, Robert Smith, is a 1973 graduate of Lycoming. The couple lives in Philadelphia.

Piper served Lycoming for 38 years, first as a professor in the history department, which he chaired from 1974-93, and as dean of the College from 1993 until his retirement in 2007. During his tenure at Lycoming, Piper served in numerous faculty leadership roles, including in reviews which culminated in the creation of the criminal justice program and the American studies program. He served as a member of the College’s Scholars Council and was also a coach for the men’s and women’s cross country teams. His concern for the individual and for academic rigor exemplifies the spirit of the College. As dean of the College, he led the academic program during a period of significant growth in the College’s reputation. Piper is the author of several books on church history; “Williamsport: Frontier Village to Regional Center,” co-authored with Lycoming professors Drs. Richard Morris and Robert Larson; and numerous scholarly articles. He continues to serve the College through his work on a complete Lycoming College history in preparation for the institution’s bicentennial in 2012. Piper earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Lafayette College, a bachelor of divinity degree from Yale University, and a Ph.D. from Duke University. He and his wife, Margaret, reside in Williamsport.