At 6 years old, Gavin Spadin ’11 was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
During his initial evaluation, the psychologist posed a series of situational questions. At one point, the doctor asked, “So it’s raining outside, but you want to go out and play. What do you do?” With only a split second of hesitation, a very young Gavin responded with just two words: “Get wet.”
Liz Sodomin ’11 believes education is a gift—one that she enthusiastically enjoys both giving and receiving.
Al Gorton ’13 first met his father at the age of 15. The man brought a map of Hershey, Pa., and photographs of his family and the local high school. “He talked about his family—pretty much trying to sell himself to me,” remembers Al. “Because that’s what you do when you are looking to adopt an older youth.”
Nathan Caudill ’13 looks at the world with a refreshing curiosity, focusing on its mysteries as opportunities for intellectual exploration. “There’s a lot I don’t know,” he admits. “But for me, I look at it as if there’s a lot I can know.”
Growing up, Katarina Eller ’11 heard her mother, Karen Haas ’78, talk of studying overseas and dreamt of the day she could do the same. “I always wanted to study abroad, even before I knew what college I was going to attend,” she reflects.
Over his four years at Elizabethtown, sociology/anthropology major David Spelfogel ’11 has found joy and aptitude in coaching others to success. “I’ve realized that I have a calling to help people,” he reflects.
As co-leaders of the Integrity Committee, Kristin Mance ’11, Erin Johnson ’12 and Dan Silver ’12 share the common purpose of preserving the character of Elizabethtown College.
A 5-year-old Lauren Carmichael ’11 could barely contain her excitement as she waited at the airport. Her mother and father were bringing her a baby sister from China. “One of the most amazing experiences of my life was when my parents put her in my arms,” she recalls.
As a member of the orchestra and string quartet, Leeann Hackett ’11 dazzles audiences with her proficiency on the violin. She also shares her talent with eight young students, elementary through high school, eager to become as skilled on the instrument as she is.
Heather Slifko ’12 arrived at Elizabethtown with a servant’s heart—desiring to use her talents and skills to help others. “I came here knowing that service is my calling,” she reflects. “I love that Elizabethtown is committed to Educate for Service and offers a number of opportunities to get involved in helping others.”
Kurt Deschner ’11 traveled more than 2,300 miles from his home in British Columbia, Canada, to find a college that offered a great field lacrosse program and an outstanding premedicine program. When a broken hip in the preseason of his sophomore year sidelined his collegiate athletic career, Kurt didn’t let the injury sideline his connection with the sport. Instead, he redirected his energies to coaching young athletes in the Hershey (Pa.) Lacrosse Association to reach their potential.
Jamie Bartolino ’11 describes her Elizabethtown experience as a fairytale college story. “I was a very quiet first-year student with high goals,” she recalls. “I knew what I wanted to do, but didn’t have much confidence in whether I’d be able to achieve it.”
Everyone is a part of the educational process at Elizabethtown College.
The Value of Liberal Arts
Service Learning is an big part of the Elizabethtown experience.
