Shippensburg University alumni gathered behind Seth Grove Stadium for another year of tailgating befor the homecoming football game on Oct. 15. Alumni and current students gathered near their own cars or organization tents to socialize before the game. The Slate spoke with some of the alumni who attended this year’s SU tailgate to hear the recounts of the generations of SU alumni. 

Liz Kemmery - 2004 Graduate

Liz Kemmery, a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, received two degrees from Shippensburg — communication, journalism and media and art. 

“My first job was at the Shippensburg News Chronicle making peanuts, but somehow I made it through,” Kemmery said. 

After that, Kemmery went into communications and marketing in higher education, and worked for Shippensburg University for a while. She now works for the PA Food Merchants Association as the director of communications. During her time at SU, Kemmery was a member of The Slate, writing and taking photographs for the publication. She also worked in Kriner Diner Hall in a management position.

“Leadership has changed a couple times over the years, so it has been interesting to see the different ideas that come with the new administration,” Kemmery explained. 

Kemmery also explained that many of the buildings on campus have been redone since she had attended. 

When she was being interviewed for a job at SU in 2013, they were taking down McCune and putting up the new building. “I wish I had taken a brick,” Kemmery said. 

Caryn Earl - 1998 Graduate

Caryn Earl, a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors, essentially grew up at Shippensburg University with her mom working for the university for about 20 years and attending nursery school in Rowland Hall (before GBLUES was installed). 

Earl received her degrees from SU in English and communication/journalism. After graduation, she moved to the Washington, D.C., area working for a trade association in communications. She then worked for the Department of Agriculture in public affairs.

She now works in Harrisburg for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture as the Bureau of Food Distribution director. Though she is not actively using either of her degrees in her current position, she notes that she still employs the skills she learned within her job every day. 

Earl worked at the University Bookstore while at SU and is an Alpha Phi sister. She was the philanthropy chair for Alpha Phi for one of her years at SU. 

“We used to do the Turkey Bowl, which was a full contact football game with all the sororities, but they don’t have that anymore,” she explained. 

Earl and her husband both attended Shippensburg University at the same time, however, they did not know each other while in school. The two met 12 years ago when her sorority and his fraternity were both in the area at the same time.

Matthew Stauch - 1992 Graduate

Matthew Stauch is a brother of Sigma Phi, which is a fraternity that is no longer active at Shippensburg University. He also played rugby at SU for a few of his years as a student. 

While Stauch received his degree in government, the previous name for the political science department, he now works in construction management. Staunch explained that he started in the field the year after he graduated and has been doing it ever since. 

“There have been many improvements in terms of architecture as well as overall campus aesthetics,” Stauch said. “It’s beautiful now – not that it wasn’t then – but definitely a more concerted effort at making the buildings more appealing and making the common areas more appealing. Certainly, catering to a higher level of appeal.”

Trisha Tinner - 1988 Graduate

Trisha Tinner, Alpha Omicron Pi sister, met her husband at Shippensburg University. Her husband and son both attended SU and were members of the football team. Tinner received her degree from SU in social work and worked as a social worker in Cumberland County for 25 years. 

Tinner started as a children and youth social worker for several years before ending up as a mental health early intervention social worker. She explained that she was an elementary school-based social worker for a few of the school districts in the area for a while. 

“It would be nice to see so much more student involvement at these games. When I went here, people would be in the apartments and watch the games from there and be on the hill. I’ve noticed that there is way less of that,” Tinner explained. “It is nice to see that a lot of campus organizations have grown and socialize now, it’s not just sports and Greek.”

Greg Plummer - 1986 Graduate

Greg Plummer received his degree in computer science and is now the director of IT for DLL, a financial services company. He was also an SU swimmer during his time at Shippensburg University and used to play gold at the 9-hole course that was located behind Mowry Hall.

“I’ve been on top of the field house dome,” Plummer said. “You are totally not allowed up there. It’s cool up there.”

Many things have changed since Plummer was a student at SU. He explained that he used to live in Seavers Apartments, which no longer exist. The water tower that can be seen from most everywhere on campus also did not exist when Plummer was a student. 

Sarah Houston - 1979 Graduate

Sarah Houston received her degree from SU in communications. After graduating, she worked for the United States Postal Service in human resources for 35 years before retiring. 

Houston is also a sister of Alpha Kappa Alpha and was well-involved in many organizations at SU during her time as a student. When Houston went to SU, she lived in the original Naugle Hall before it was torn down.

“The campus has expanded a lot and it is still beautiful, we loved it here,” she said. 

According to Houston, she and her friends have visited SU every year for the Alumni Weekend for the past 20 years. 

“The people we bonded with, we bonded for life,” Houston said.

Ed Wagner - 1977 Graduate

Retired web developer Ed Wagner stayed close to his family at the SU tailgate on Saturday. He graduated from Shippensburg University with a degree in business administration/accounting. He explained that he eventually received a second degree in data processing and then spent 25-30 years in computer-based careers. 

Many things have changed since 1977, Wagner highlighted that many of the current buildings are new additions since he attended SU. 

“The performing arts center wasn’t here, and the hotel and the convention center weren’t either,” Wagner said. “They were very smart moves by the foundation to help bring in revenue to the university.”

Allan E. Thomas, Ph.D. - 1976 Graduate

When he attended Shippensburg University, Allan E. Thomas, Ph.D, was a member of the football team and involved in SU’s radio station, WSYC. Thomas received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from SU. Afterward, he received a master’s degree in education and a master’s degree in chemistry. 

In 1994, Thomas received his doctorate from Temple University and immediately started as a professor at Temple. He was an associate professor of chemistry for 28 years before he retired. 

Before he became a professor, Thomas taught high school chemistry after receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1976. He also coached high school football for four years and college football for six years. 

“Teaching has always been my ministry — it’s not a job, being with the students, interacting with the students,” Thomas explained. 

The campus has gone over many changes since 1976. Many buildings have been replaced or built up from scratch. 

“The nice thing about SU is even though they have the new buildings, the integrity of the buildings have been maintained,” he said. “If you look across the campus, the integrity of the campus remains the same.” 

Thomas explained the friends that he made at SU have lasted him a lifetime. He even served on the Alumni Association Board of Directors. 

“I’ve always felt that I owed Shippensburg,” Thomas said. 

According to Thomas, he had several points in college where it felt like his “back was against the wall.” In college, Thomas lost two brothers and a best friend. Through it, he had to keep his grades up and get at least a B. He explained that many professors supported him through his time at SU.

“One of the advantages of going to a small school, all the professors knew me as a person — not as an ID number,” Thomas explained. “I owe Shippensburg because they gave me an opportunity to get it together, and I did.”

William “Stretch” Bailey, Ed.D.  - 1976 Graduate

Even though he graduated in December 1975, William “Stretch” Bailey, Ed.D, is considered a part of the class of 1976. Bailey received his bachelor’s degree in history from Shippensburg University. He also received two master’s degrees, one in education and the other in counseling. In 2007, Bailey received his doctorate from Wilmington University. 

Over the years, Bailey has held many jobs within the field of education as a teacher, a school counselor and a principal. He retired in 2013 and is now an educational consultant working with many different school districts. 

During his time at SU, Bailey was on the basketball team and was a member of African American Association. He also served as a member of the Alumni Association Board of Directors for a period of time. 

“The location of the school lends itself for a lot of personal growth for individuals that come from urban areas,” he said. “We lived through the transition from when this was a farming community not accustomed to minorities. The town had to get used to us, we had to get used to the town. We didn’t even have a fast-food joint.”

According to Bailey, because the size of SU has grown significantly since he attended, current students have an advantage over past students. He explained that SU now has the ability to improve and offer more opportunities for students. 

Many of Bailey’s lasting friendships began at Shippensburg University. 

“Herb Bowers was the chief of campus police,” he explained. “He was very instrumental in keeping me focused, we stayed in contact for a number of years, I always looked forward to seeing him when I came back.”

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