Shippensburg University alumni gathered behind Seth Grove Stadium to tailgate for the Homecoming football game on Saturday, Oct. 23. Despite the overcast weather, alumni got together to celebrate their Raider pride. Alumni reconnected with student organizations, friends and enjoyed perks from the Alumni Association tent. The Slate spoke with some alumni at the SU tailgate to hear stories recounted by many generations of alumni. 

Don Albright & Fran Masciantonio & Tom Sloan - 1982 Graduates

The 1981 Shippensburg University football team reunited under several tents on Saturday. Three of them were Don Albright, Fran Masciantonio and Tom Sloan.

The three made easy conversation and joked while tailgating. Both Albright and Masciantonio graduated in 1982, and Sloan graduated in 1984.

“He’s [Sloan] complicated because… just say it was ’82 even though it was ’84,” Masciantonio said as he explained that Sloan is an engineer. Sloan now works as a construction project manager, while Masciantonio has run a video production company for 35 years and Albright is retired from the United Parcel Service.

They agreed that a lot has changed about SU since 1982, such as the Seavers Apartments being gone. However, they agreed that one thing has remained the same. “From 1982 to today — Reisner’s food still sucks,” Masciantonio said.

The group reminisced about the 1981 football team’s victories. “[We were a] 1981 NCAA semifinalist championship football team,” Sloan said. “We won the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference.” The trio credited the team as being great because the whole team was good friends with one another.

“We were undefeated 12-0,” Masciantonio said. “The only undefeated [Shippensburg University football] team to this day.” However, their team lost to North Dakota State in the 1981 semi-finals. It is the 40th anniversary of the team and 20 members of the team still came back after all that time.

Bob Manbeck - 1977 Graduate 

The former communication/journalism major stayed dry under the Alumni Association tent, talking with fellow alumni. Manbeck retired two years ago from his 42-year communications career.

“The biggest change is the tremendous expansion that has occurred with the residence halls,” Manbeck said. As a transfer student from Penn Tech, there wasn’t enough room in the residence halls for him in 1977 to live on campus. “I would have enjoyed that,” he said, “but now I think there is more than enough room for transfer students.”

Meeting his mentor, the late journalism professor Mark Lipper, was Manbeck’s fondest memory of Shippensburg University. He recalled the lessons Lipper taught him that left a lasting impression on Manbeck. “Shippensburg University was a turning point for me because Dr. Lipper taught me it was important to become a good writer,” he explained. “I thought that I already had technical courses that would help me propel into the radio business, but because of him I was able to actually have a career in corporate communications [27 years] as well, beyond the radio business.”

Stefanie McGuire & Kenna Ryder - 2004 & 2005 Graduates

Sales analyst, McGuire, and English teacher, Ryder, met in college outside of Keiffer and Lackhove halls. However, they explained that even that area does not look how they remember it.

“What hasn’t changed?” Ryder said when asked about specific changes to the university. The two agreed that the dorms are much nicer now than in the early 2000s. “Seavers was a common room and two bedrooms, and each bedroom had three girls,” McGuire said. “There were six girls and two bathrooms. It was terrible; what were we thinking?”

The two said everything seems twice as big now as it was when they attended. The Luhrs Performing Arts Center and the ShipRec Center are new since their graduation.

McGuire and Ryder watched the band perform at the SU tailgate. They recalled memories from their time on SU’s campus with fondness. “[Band] was kind of all we did,” the former SU band members said. “All our friends were in the band. All the parties we went to were thrown by band kids.”

 “We weren’t cool,” Ryder joked. “Well, we were cool for band kids,” McGuire added. 

Debbi Chronister & Rebecca Moyer - 1989 Graduates

Chronister, a former public administration major, and Moyer, a former English major, traveled from tent to tent at the tailgate. “I met my best friend on my first day of college and we are still friends today,” Chronister said. Many alumni mentioned the lifelong friends they met at SU. Moyer explained that her fondest memories included “pledging a sorority [Alpha Omicron Pi] and still coming back 30 years later for every alumni event.”

While Chronister explained that the majority of campus buildings have changed since 1989, Moyer found the paths to be maintained better now. “For me, it’s what used to be the goat path, which was nothing but a hill of mud and is now paved stairs,” she said, laughing. “In the wintertime, going back and forth to frat parties, trying to climb up that… let me tell you.”

Jenny McFadden & Max Scannapieco - 1990 Graduates

Delta Zeta member McFadden now works recruiting nurses for Virtua Health System. She and Scannapieco were among a group of friends during the tailgate. Former rugby player Scannapieco works as the vice president of sales and marketing for a food company.

Both agree that their most strong memories of Shippensburg University are with their friends. “We all still hang out all of the time,” McFadden said. “There’s 20 of us.”

James Johnson - 2020 Graduate

Johnson was talking to fellow Omega Psi Phi members at the SU tailgate. He recently got hired as a caseworker for the Philadelphia Anti-Drug/Anti-Violence Network.

He appreciated the Homecoming experience that SU provided. “I’ve been here [for Homecoming] every year,” Johnson said. “We didn’t have one last year, but we’re back even though it’s raining. We’re out there enjoying ourselves and having a good time.”

Belle Hippensteel - 2021 Graduat

The former cheerleader and current gymnastics coach and administrator explained that her fondest memory at SU was during her junior year. “My team and I went to an exhibition at Waynesboro High School,” Hippensteel said. “We really came together as a team to create a routine without a choreographer.” Hippensteel reunited with her fellow cheerleaders at the SU Cheerleader tailgating tents.

Micaela Ghanayen - 2020 Graduate

While Ghanayen was a member of the SU softball team, she is partial to SU’s football experience. “Football games were always fun,” Ghanayen said. “I was on the softball team, so we worked football games. My boyfriend is on the team — No. 64, Shane McGarry.” She now works as a kindergarten teacher.

For more information on SU alumni and events visit www.ship.edu/alumni. To read more about these Shippensburg University’s alumni visit theslateonline.com.

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