Konopskinamedvicepresident for
enrollmentmanagement
LycomingwelcomesMichael
Konopski as its new vice president for
enrollmentmanagement, effective July 1.
Hewill succeed James Spencer, who
is retiring on June 30 after a highly
successful 25-year career at the college.
“During the interview process,Mike
Konopski demonstrated enthusiasm about
Lycoming’s future and an understanding
of itsmission as a national liberal arts
college,”PresidentKent Trachte said.
“He brings to the job 25 years of great
experience in enrollmentmanagement,
and I am confident that he is the right
person to leadLycoming in developing
strategies that respond to the changing
demographic environment that Lycoming
faces. He shares our commitment to
recruiting a student body that reflects the
full spectrum of theAmerican population
and includes students from around the
world.”
Konopski comes toLycoming from
ShepherdUniversity inShepherdstown,
W.V., where he serves as interim vice
president for enrollmentmanagement. He
previously served as dean of enrollment
management atNiagaraUniversity
inBuffalo, N.Y., where he led a team
that producedmultiple years of record
freshman classeswhile also improving
retention. He also planned and executed
strategies that increased the number of
students from out-of-state and diverse
populations.
TheNewYork nativewas born in
Corning and raised inWatkinsGlen. He
earned a bachelor’s fromStateUniversity
ofNewYork atGeneseo in 1985 and a
master’s fromStateUniversity ofNew
York at Buffalo in 1992. Konospki’s
family includes hiswife, Carolyn, who
was aLycoming admissions counselor
in the early 1990s, and their three sons,
Daniel, 18, Derek, 15, and Jacob, 12.
Topawardspresented
Four awards given on the basis of
dedication and service toLycoming
highlightedHonorsConvocation inApril.
CoryTrego, of Pottstown, Pa., was
presented the 63
rd
annual Chieftain
Award. First presented in1952, the
award is the highest honor given to a
graduating senior. Trego, who earned a
bachelor’s in biology inMay, has been
on the dean’s list all four years. He is a
recipient of theHaberberger Fellowship
and amember of PhiKappaPhi andBeta
BetaBeta honor societies. Tregowas
named resident assistant staffmember of
the year for the 2012-13 academic year.
He alsowas an internwith the college’s
CleanWater Institute and amember
of the cross country team. He plans to
pursue amaster’s inwildlife andfisheries
biology andmanagement atWestVirginia
University.
Mel Zimmerman, Ph.D., a professor of
biologywho joined theLycoming faculty
in 1979,
is the recipient of the 2014
ConstanceCuppPlankenhornAlumni
Award for FacultyExcellence. He also is
the founder of the college’sCleanWater
Institute and directs the environmental
science program. Zimmerman teaches
courses in ecology, aquatic biology,
invertebrate zoology, environmental
science and tropicalmarine biology.
MaryMorrison, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of biologywho joined the
college’s faculty in2004, is the recipient of
the 2014 Junior FacultyTeachingAward
for excellence in teaching. She also is the
co-coordinator of the interdisciplinary
neuroscienceminor.Morrison teaches
introductory biology, neurobiology, cell
biology, immunology, andCells, Genes
andSociety, an introductory course for
non-biologymajors.
DanMiller, Ed.D., vice president for
student life and dean of students, received
theMakisuAward, which the student
bodypresents to a facultyor staffmember
for extraordinary service and dedication.
He joined theLycoming administration
in 2005.
YESPreppartnership
LycomingCollege andYESPrep
PublicSchools inHouston, Texas, have
entered into an IMPACTPartnership and
are dedicated to increasing the number
of college graduates fromdisadvantaged
communities.Across the nation, only
about 10 percent of students from low-
income communities earn a college
degree.AtYESPrep, students are earning
college degrees at four times the rate
of their peers and at IMPACTpartner
schools,more than85 percent of students
have earned a college degree. Schools
such asLycoming aim to build on that
success by opening the door to college for
a cohort ofYESPrep students.
“YESPrep does a tremendous job
of providing students from underserved
communitieswith a high-quality, college-
preparatory education,” saidPresident
Kent Trachte. “This partnershipwill
allowLycoming to recruit some of the
nation’s top students andprepare them
to compete at the highest level as future
college graduates.”
President Kent TrachtewithCoryTrego ’14,
ChieftainAward recipient, andDanMiller,Makisu
Awardwinner
Faculty award-winnersMaryMorrison andMel
ZimmermanwithPresident Trachte
Michael Konopski
2
LYCOMINGCOLLEGE 2014SPRINGMAGAZINE
