Both students and alumni were honored during Homecoming for their leadership and service to the College and community.

The College awarded the Brandt Cup, a memorial award given annually to the Greek organization that excels in academics, varsity sports, leadership and community service, to Alpha Sigma Phi.

Autumn Hilsinger ’08 and Jonathan Schultz ’08 were crowned Homecoming king and queen. The Homecoming court included Christina Hinkle ’09 and Ben Nakamura ’09, Jessica Minacapelli ’10 and Eric Preefer ’10 and Sarah Peters ’11 and Jon Shover ’11.

Conference and Auxiliary Services won in the faculty/staff category of the Homecoming Parade, which featured the theme "Wild Wild West: Blazing Trails for 140 Years." Gamma Sigma Sigma won first place in the student category, followed by the Hispano-Latino Alliance and Alpha Sigma Phi. Pictured above are the Director of Conference and Auxiliary Services Mary Jo Colbert and Events Scheduling Manager Terry Page.

Pamela Zappardino ’71 was selected as Alumna of the Year for her service to the College as a reunion member, class news reporter since 1996 and class agent for more than 10 years. She has been the Alumni Association president, a visitor to the Board of Trustees, a member of the Sports Hall of Fame committee, host of Top of the Hill, and a volunteer for Career Services, among many other positions.

Honored for College service were Nancy McWilliams Griesmyer ’55, M.Ed.’77, who served as class-news reporter since 1979 and as a reunion committee member for the 25th, 30th, 35th, 40th, 45th and 50th reunions. She is also involved with Alumni Fund phonathons and Alumni Leadership programs. Since 1988 Joanne Trabucco Shaheen ’59 has served as class news reporter and was also on the class reunion committee for her 40th and 45th reunions. She was a member of the Alumni Council Nominating Committee from 1976-1978, and as a member-at-large on the Alumni Council from 2002-2005. Ralph O. Frith ’84 has served as a class agent from 1992 to 1994, and as a member of his class reunion committee for his 10th, 15th and 20th reunions. Frith has served in numerous alumni roles, including the director of the Alumni Association from 1992-1996 and as a member of the Board of Trustees beginning in July 2007.

For their community service, the College honored Dale Townsend Jr. ’51. Townsend served as a Sunday School teacher for many years. From 1992 to 2004, he was a church representative to the North Anne Arundel County Winter Relief for the Homeless program. He was a board member for five years and president for one year of the Linthicum Elementary PTA, among numerous other volunteer positions. James S. Gray ’63 has volunteered with the Manalapan Jaycees, the Manalapan Township Committee, the Manalapan Englishtown First Aid Squad, the Manalapan Zoning Board of Adjustment, as mayor and police commissioner. Carla Castagna O’Neill ’93 volunteered at the Schreiber Pediatric Center, the American Cancer Society, the Lancaster Museum of Art, the Oil Heat Council of Lancaster County, and as a member of the Fundraising Committee and board member to the Penn Laurel Girl Scout Council. She is also currently a board member to the New Holland Recreation Center and serves as Chair of its $10 million Capital Campaign.

For their professional achievement, the College honored S. George Walters ’49, who was an instructor at Lehigh University and Rutgers Business School and who authored or co-authored 123 articles and seven books. He also served for a decade as an executive officer at Mobil and General Tire and Rubber. Dianne Briggs Martin ’65 worked with the U.S. Air Force and on NASA’s Apollo Project, where she was present in Mission Control during live missions. Later, she became a computer science instructor at The George Washington University and also taught at the University of Maryland and McDaniel College. Erin Thompson Strovel ’93 was a fellow in Biochemical Genetics at the National Institutes of Health from 1999-2002.  In 2002, Erin was named an assistant professor in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the assistant director of the Pediatric Biochemical Genetics Laboratory with the Division of Human Genetics at the school. 

Eight alumni were named to the Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 27. They include Coach Carol Fritz M.Ed. ’69, who led the Green Terror women’s basketball, volleyball and softball programs during her 40-year tenure at the College. Julian Dyke ’50 was a standout football and baseball player, while Erin Murphy Foreman ’97 broke records in soccer, basketball and track. Robert Johnson, Jr. ’96 was a Centennial Conference champion and 1994 Athlete of the Year for indoor track. Ann Thomas Kangas ’90 won an NCAA lacrosse record of most goals in a game. She held the title for seven years.

In 1996, Javelin thrower Carl VonTobel ’97 won the NCAA Division III National Javelin Championship with a 214 feet four-inch throw. John Weyer ’85 was elected the first academic All-American baseball player for McDaniel in 1985, and Lawrence Garro ’72 lettered all four years in football. After college, he played semi-professionally and coached until his death in 1994.