Aerial view of campus with Williamsport, the Susquehanna River and Bald Eagle Mountain as a backdrop

In the Spotlight: Katherine (Stepnowski) Conrad ’17

Katherine (Stepnowski) Conrad ’17 is director of technology at First United Methodist Church in Williamsport. The digital media major and human services minor shares that the education she received at Lycoming College has given her the skills and ability to adapt to this everchanging environment amid a pandemic.

1. What made you choose to attend Lycoming College?

I chose Lycoming College for the small class sizes — I wanted to develop close, meaningful relationships with my professors and the other students in my course of study.

2. What is one of your favorite memories, classes, professors, or activities while attending Lycoming College?

I LOVED being an SOS Leader at Lycoming. The training sessions were really helpful. It was so fun meeting and getting to know the students in every new class. I remember playing late night card games with the other leaders and working with them to create an introductory SOS Leader video, which was a great way to integrate my major.

3. How has your education at Lycoming College influenced or helped you in your life and career?

Lycoming gives you the unique experience of being able to learn all kinds of different topics, but you also you have the freedom to specialize your education and combine seemingly unlikely majors/minors to help you pursue what interests you. In my case, I combined film with sociology, which is useful in a ministry field, because I can bring the church into the 21st century and know how to relate to and serve people from a variety of backgrounds.

4. What are one or two of your proudest professional or personal accomplishments that occurred after graduating from Lycoming in which your education really played a role?

Honestly, my education prepared me to be able to guide my church through COVID-related changes. We had to completely change how we connected with our congregation from in-person to online communication. With my degree, I was equipped to film and edit pre-recorded worship service videos to play on Sunday morning as a way for the congregation to stay connected in worship. I could improve and develop our website and other digital communication methods to spread the word (not the germs) about changes occurring very quickly.

5. What piece of professional advice would you give your fellow Lycoming alumni?

Take time to really listen. Not listen to respond, but to simply listen. Listen to your co-workers, your new networking connections, your supervisors, your employees, your workplace environment, your community, and so on. In that way, you learn not only about the people you’re with, which is important in developing genuine relationships, but you also learn about needs of the individuals and the community, which allows you to know how to serve, love, and bring unity to places that are divided by things like political parties, creed, religious belief, race, and so on.

In the Spotlight recognizes members of our alumni community who are doing great things that have been influenced by their time at Lycoming College. Alumni Spotlight submissions are used at the discretion of the College and may be included in the monthly eNews as space and time permit. To participate, submit an Alumni Spotlight questionnaire.