Wednesday, September 23, 2026
photos by Alexandra Butler, photographer/photo editor; Lori A. Boos, alumni and career engagement manager; Rob Hinkal, social media specialist; Anna E. Reed, photographer (student); and Becky J. Shaner, alumni and donor relations director
Wildcat Weekend welcomed hundreds to campus Sept. 18-20, providing wide-ranging activities for parents and families eager to visit with their students and alumni catching up with the college and one another.
Activities kicked off with more than 250 in attendance at the traditional Friday night bonfire and dessert showcase on the Madigan Library lawn and continued with well-attended events throughout the weekend, ending with a Farewell Brunch on Sunday.
Other events included an Athletics Hall of Fame induction; a car show hosted by Phi Mu Delta; a Hike With President Mike (and the cross-country teams) at the college’s Schneebeli Earth Science Center; an alumni lacrosse game, pitting the current team against its predecessors; two sold-out Hiawatha riverboat cruises; men and women’s soccer games featuring a ceremony to recognize the first inductees to the college’s new athletics Ring of Honor; a Family Fall Festival with pumpkin painting, face painting, yard games and more; campus tours; and an Alumni & Friends Field House Party.
Activities were facilitated by the college’s Alumni Relations, Student Engagement and Athletics offices, with support from many others.
Families connect with their students under the festive glow.
Attendees try their hands at ax-throwing, provided by The Hatchet House.
Former student-athletes and Taylor (Brooks) Esposito ’19 (softball, nursing) and Brittan Kittle ’21 (baseball, plastics & polymer engineering technology) were enshrined into the Penn College Athletics Hall of Fame. Kittle was unable to attend.
Former Penn College softball coach Angie Stackhouse introduces Hall of Fame inductee Taylor (Brooks) Esposito ’19, who was a conference first team outfielder/pitcher.
With photos of her action on the field as a backdrop, Esposito – who was a conference first-team outfielder/pitcher – takes the podium to accept the honor.
Esposito celebrates with teammates.
President Michael J. Reed welcomes the group that turned out to explore the trails at the college’s Schneebeli Earth Science Center.
The cross-country team assists with the hike – held on the team’s home course.
Hikers converse and connect in the college’s 358-acre “living laboratory” for Penn College’s forest technology and landscape/plant production technology majors. The Earth Science Center is also home to the diesel truck, heavy equipment & power generation, and heavy equipment operations majors.
Retirees Denny (former registrar and cross-country coach) and Kay (former disability and access resources director) Dunkleberger sport “throwback” cross-country team windbreaker jackets.
Current and past Wildcats lacrosse players ready to take the field in a morning showdown.
AJ Dotson (left) and Mike McGinn, both 2026 grads, prepare for action.
Andrew ’13 and Kara Rossi and family show their love for Penn College lacrosse.
Joining the alumni team is Lou Allen (No. 31), who coached the college’s former club lacrosse team.
Bradley M. Walter, assistant director of student engagement: recreation and operations, and Mallory L. Weymer, director of student engagement and first-year transition, serve cups of Wildcat Crunch ice cream, a flavor developed by Eder’s Ice Cream (a Montoursville-area dessert destination).
The president and Penn College Police Officer Jeffrey Kriner sample the sweet treat.
Juggling the offerings: pumpkins, ice cream and potted plants.
A photo opportunity with President Mike.
The Ashley M. Hunter, interim director of residence life, and Ring of Honor inductee Thomas DeGeyter ’25 (men’s soccer) hang out with the Wildcat.
Fans watch the Penn College men's soccer team takes on the Ramapo Roadrunners.
Alumni Ryan Becker ’08, Kyle Flook ’07, Julie (Schweitzer) Flook ’07, Mia McNett ’09 and Courtney Mehalko ’07 gather at the game.
The first inductees to Penn College’s new Ring of Honor gather on UPMC Field. The Ring of Honor celebrates the achievements of former student-athletes, coaches and staff members of NCAA-sponsored programs whose lasting contributions helped shape the tradition of excellence in Penn College Athletics. Each inductee earned the distinction through exceptional dedication, leadership and a meaningful impact on the success of their program and the department.
President Reed photographs inductee Tom Zimmerman and his family.
Mia (Demas) Allen ’24 and Ally Slusser ’25, both graduates of the college’s brewing & fermentation science certificate, represent their employer, New Trail Brewing.
Eleven breweries, all of which employee Penn College brewing & fermentation science alumni, shared samples with attendees.
The children of alumni Mark ’10 and Marcie (Truesdale) Shaffer ’11 pose with the Wildcat. Mark, already a Penn College Athletics Hall of Famer for his baseball achievements, was inducted into the new Ring of Honor.
Wrestling Ring of Honor inductees and guests (from left) Logan Gresock ’13 (and his son), Julie Emmert, Kayla Myers, Tyler Myers ’13, Lydia Leiby, Derek Leiby ’12, Coach Dalton Rohrbaugh and Hannah Frost.
Former resident assistants Sophia Wiest ’23 and Kellor Schooley ’25 make an appearance in matching T-shirts. Wiest is now director of parks and recreation for Butler Township, and Schooley is a graduate hall director at Commonwealth University Bloomsburg, where he’s also pursuing a Master of Business Administration.
Alumni of Penn College’s Baja SAE team reunite.
Ring of Honor inductee Cassie B. Johnson – a women’s soccer alum and graphic design student from Richland – samples an alumni-brewed beverage with guest Jake Swanger.
Tom Zimmerman – an alumnus (1978), retired psychology faculty member and Ring of Honor inductee – attends with his son Andrew, who graduated with a landscape/nursery technology degree in 2000.
Welding & fabrication engineering technology grad Cletis Kusnierz ’23 pulled off perhaps the biggest surprise of the weekend when he proposed to girlfriend Morgan Bagenstose, a 2022 engineering design technology grad.
She said yes!
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