SUMMER 2026 Lehigh ALUMNI BULLETIN Bringing His Own Shoes page 22 A Work of Heart page 18 page 30 Lehigh to Liftoff Setting the Stage Lehigh alumni like Nicki Hunter ʼ09 are shaping the world of theater from campus to the global stage. Page 10
Each year, as summer unfolds across campus, I reflect with gratitude on the remarkable momentum and spirit that continue to define the Lehigh community. Kicking off the summer season was Commencement. I watched with pride as the Class of 2026 crossed the stage to receive their diplomas, prepared to enact real change in the world. In June, Reunion Weekend welcomed our alumni back to campus to reconnect with classmates and friends and celebrate the bonds that unite generations of Lehigh graduates. The energy throughout the weekend was inspiring, reminding us that while alumni may travel different paths, the lifelong connections formed at Lehigh remain, and they always have a home on South Mountain. Thank you to all who returned to campus to make Reunion Weekend memorable. This summer also brought national recognition of the universityʼs long-term stewardship and strategic vision. Forbes recently awarded Lehigh its highest financial grade, recognizing the universityʼs strong financial foundation and long-term thoughtful financial management. This distinction reflects disciplined resource allocation in the areas that matter most for student learning, research advancement and our community, and reflects our commitment to ensuring Lehigh remains strong, innovative and positioned for long-term success in an increasingly complex higher education landscape. While the summer months provide an opportunity for reflection, they also remind us that Lehighʼs momentum continues year-round. Looking ahead, there is tremendous excitement surrounding the fall semester. Lehigh received a record-setting applicant pool for the Class of 2030, and we eagerly welcomed first-year students whose talents will enrich our community. I anticipate that as the seasons change and the semester is underway, campus will be brimming with curiosity, creativity and discovery. Thank you for your continued support of Lehigh. Joseph J. Helble ʼ82 President of Lehigh University SCAN TO WATCH PRESIDENT HELBLEʼS VIDEO MESSAGE PRESIDENT’S LETTER Summer Spurs Progress
TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER: Nicki Hunter ʼ09, artistic director of Manhattan Theatre Club, was photographed at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Photo by Emilio Madrid 3 The Future Begins on South Mountain A progress report details two key Making the Future initiatives: Forest Park and the East Hill Residence Halls. 4 The Partnerships That Carried the Class of 2026 Recent graduates and their alumni mentors found success and purpose through partnership. 6 Fulbright Scholars Set Lehigh Record The 2026-27 recipients include two students, a student alternate and nine faculty members. 8 Four Questions with Greg Reihman Reihman, vice provost for Arts and Libraries, discusses a new strategy to strengthen and elevate the arts and libraries at Lehigh. 9 A Legacy Spanning Generations James R. Maida ʼ85 leads Lehighʼs board of trustees, succeeding Vincent Forlenza, Jr. ʼ75. 10 Setting the Stage From campus to Broadway, alumni continue to shape the world of theater. 18 Lehigh to Liftoff Mark Riddle ʼ87 and Christina Mancinelli ʼ03 ʼ04 are pushing the aerospace industry forward through the Artemis era. 22 A Work of Heart Lehigh community members continue to foster a legacy of service through initiatives across the university and globe as the Community Service Office celebrates 30 years. 29 Continuity Through the Change After a head coaching vacancy, much of the Lehigh football staff stayed together and will continue moving the program forward. 30 Bringing His Own Shoes Murray H. Goodman Dean of Athletics Jeremy Gibson Pʼ28 looks to make his mark as Lehighʼs first new head of the athletic department in 36 years. 32 Squawk: Remembering the ʼ80s and ʼ90s Alumni reflect on favorite memories from the decades as part of a new Lehigh Alumni social media series. 2 EDITORʼS LETTER 36 CLASS NOTES 59 IN REMEMBRANCE 64 ENDNOTE IN EVERY ISSUE CHRISTA NEU 21 “That’s what I love about research; you’re not going in a straight line. I heard someone say once to fall in love with the problem and not the solution. That’s what excites me most.” —Lillian Wu ʼ27, page 21 Lehigh Alumni Bulletin Vol. 111, No. 2, Summer 2026 EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kristen DiPrinzio EDITOR Lauren Thein DEPUTY EDITOR Stephen Gross STAFF WRITER Katie Clarke ART DIRECTOR Beth Murphy CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Michael Blanding, Emily Collins, Skye Cruz, Lisa Doyle, Hayley Frerichs, Hillary Kwiatek CLASS NOTES EDITOR Jessi McMullan ʼ05 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Kurt Hansen SENIOR DESIGNERS Kate Cassidy, Neha Kavan PHOTOGRAPHER Christa Neu VIDEOGRAPHER Dan Collins BUSINESS SUPPORT Traci Mindler Send class notes and remembrances to alumni@lehigh.edu or call (866) 758-2586 Email address changes to askrecords@lehigh.edu or send the mailing label, along with your new address, to Alumni Records/Lehigh University 306 S. New St., Suite 500, Bethlehem, PA 18015, (866) 517-1552 Lehigh University Communications and Public Affairs 516 Brodhead Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015, (610) 758-4487 Email: communications@lehigh.edu Published three times a year by the Lehigh University Communications and Public Affairs Office, in cooperation with the Lehigh University Alumni Association Inc. Facebook.com/lehighu Facebook.com/lehighalumni Instagram.com/lehighu Instagram.com/lehighalumni youtube.com/lehighu linkedin.com Goldwater Scholarship recipient Lillian Wu ʼ27 studies antibiotic resistance and bacterial membranes with an interest in womenʼs health.
2 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN Lauren Thein Editor WE LOVE HEARING FROM YOU! Share your thoughts on this issue with the editor at lat624@lehigh.edu, or send a handwritten note to Lehigh Alumni Bulletin, 516 Brodhead Avenue, Bethlehem, PA 18015. The Lehigh community is a remarkable network. On campus and across the globe, students, faculty, staff and alumni engage with one another to create meaningful, lasting impact. One example of that impact is made through community service. As part of the feature story “A Work of Heartˮ (page 22), students, staff and alumni reflect on the legacy of community service at Lehigh, the lives it touches and the connections it fosters. For 30 years, the Community Service Office (CSO) has guided Lehigh community members to become active citizens who value and contribute to the local community by responding to needs through action. Long-standing CSO programs like the Great South Side Sale bring our community together to collect, sort and sell thousands of donated items from student move-outs. This yearʼs sale in June raised nearly $27,000 to support childrenʼs programming in South Bethlehem through Donegan and Fountain Hill elementary schools and Broughal Middle School. Across the university—from the CSO to Greek life to athletics and everywhere in between— the drive to act and help others through service initiatives continues to be a core part of the Lehigh experience. In addition to service, our community members carry lessons and life-changing experiences from their time at the university into bright futures, helping to inspire the next generation. In this issue, youʼll read about Nicki Hunter ʼ09, Daphnie Sicre ʼ98 and Kashi Johnson ʼ93, professor of acting at Lehigh, who each earned a bachelorʼs in theatre and continue to make meaningful contributions to the performing arts industry and the communities they serve (page 10). Youʼll also meet Amanda Greaney ʼ24 and Anya Getzfeld ʼ24, who, through purposeful partnership, helped recent graduates Sydney Parlett ʼ26 and Sameen Mariaca ʼ26 reach success on their academic and professional journeys (page 4). Additionally, you will learn how Mark Riddle ʼ87, Christina Mancinelli ʼ03 ʼ04 and Terry Hart ʼ68 Hʼ88 Pʼ27, former NASA astronaut and teaching full professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics, are helping shape the future of aerospace through engineering, creativity and the Artemis era (page 18). These stories reflect Lehighʼs dynamic, talented and caring network of individuals and the human connections that make being part of this community so special. EDITORʼS LETTER Connection Through Community CORRESPONDENCE CENTENNIAL SCHOOL MEMORIES I did my practicum at Centennial School in the fall of 1970 and then returned as an [English Language Arts] teacher in September 1971 through June 1973. … We were located first just off campus in what was formerly a house, then in the basement of the former First Baptist Church on Broad Street, and finally in a newly constructed building on the Goodman Campus. Most of us lacked any special education training, but the staff was student-centered and very willing to innovate. Working with the students at Centennial influenced my entire teaching career in an extremely positive way. I still have fond memories of my time there. George VanDoren ʼ69 MAʼ71 LOVING THE SUMMER 2026 LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN? Scan the QR code to enjoy even more Lehigh Alumni Bulletin content online, including digital flipping books of past issues, extended stories, videos and more! Carolina Hernandez, assistant dean and director of Lehighʼs Community Service Office, helps coordinate the Great South Side Sale, which celebrated its 30th year in 2026. CHRISTA NEU
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2026 | 3 ON CAMPUS The Future Begins on South Mountain A progress report on two key initiatives included in the universityʼs 30-year campus master plan framework, Making the Future. The future of Lehigh is taking shape through projects that connect people, strengthen the student experience and advance the universityʼs commitment to sustainability. From opening forest lands for recreation and learning, to building new student housing designed with wellness and environmental stewardship in mind, these initiatives reflect a shared vision for the campus and community. Forest Park Welcomes Hikers Lehighʼs private wooded lands, known as Forest Park, are home to over 900 identified species of plants and animals. For decades this 760-acre natural resource was open only with university permission for research and educational purposes. On Earth Day this year, with the snip of a ribbon and some help from Clutch, Lehigh opened several hiking trails in Forest Park. The Lehigh community can now access trailheads from Sayre Village and Lookout Drive. Visitors will find public trails at South Mountain Park on Mountain Drive. The trails represent a commitment to environmental stewardship, experiential learning and shared enjoyment of the outdoors with the broader Bethlehem and Lehigh Valley community. Trailhead signage, trail markers and clear displays of rules and regulations have been installed to guide visitors. Future phases of the Forest Park initiative will include additional trails as well as a long-term goal of greater active management of the forest to encourage regeneration of desirable tree species and ensure long-term sustainability. East Hill Residence Halls Project Underway This June, the Lehigh facilities and campus planning team asked students to stop by for a “sit test.ˮ The goal was to gather honest feedback about the comfort and usefulness of proposed furniture for the forthcoming East Hill Residence Halls. East Hill Residence Halls will be a 370-bed student dormitory with first-floor amenity spaces, including lounge, gaming area, multipurpose room, kitchenette and laundry facilities. Nestled between Drinker and the McClintic-Marshall House on South Mountain, the project will be fully electrified, with a LEED Gold sustainability goal and a high priority placed on health and wellness. Featuring four interconnected wings, the interior will create a welcoming sense of belonging that facilitates socialization while providing personal space. The first active phase of the project, site preparation, will begin in fall 2026. The site will be cleared of plants and trees, including many that are in poor condition and non-native, while saving as many native trees as possible. A number of the felled trees will be preserved for use in student design projects. Future landscaping will feature native vegetation and trees, resulting in a true ecological restoration of the site. Construction will continue throughout 2027, with the first residents expected to move in for the fall 2028 semester. —Hillary Kwiatek On Earth Day, Lehigh opened several hiking trails in Forest Park with help from Clutch. A rendering of East Hill Residence Halls, a 370bed student dormitory featuring first-floor amenity spaces. GRACE ALTO ʼ 26
4 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST As the Class of 2026 carries their Lehigh experiences into bright futures, many of their most meaningful moments were shaped by the relationships they built along the way. For recent graduates like Sydney Parlett ʼ26 and Sameen Mariaca ʼ26, purposeful partnerships with alumni played a defining role in helping them reach success on their academic and professional journeys. Those partnerships were forged in small moments as students—a team practice or a meeting over coffee—yet made a large impression and blossomed into meaningful mentorship that helped shape their paths. These mentors offered guidance, advice and support, helping Parlett and Mariaca navigate experiences and opportunities that prepared them for their futures. Fielding Dreams, Engineering the Future Parlettʼs path to her future as an associate industrial engineer at Northrop Grumman unexpectedly started in the dugout as a member of the womenʼs softball team. Inspired by former teammate Amanda Greaney ʼ24, who balanced athletics with rigorous academics as a mechanical engineering major, Parlett found the confidence to pursue a bachelorʼs degree in industrial and systems engineering. Now, Parlett is preparing to make her mark in the defense industry—a goal she has dreamed of since she was a firstyear student. “I knew it was exactly what I wanted to do after I had spoken to that upperclassman on the softball team,ˮ Parlett said. “Working in defense and helping our nation with its missions is something thatʼs really important to me.ˮ As a former catcher, utility player and captain on the softball team, Parlett said she had many memorable moments on and off the field, from defeating Alabama during the opening week of her freshman year season to learning about different disciplines and paths in engineering from her teammates early on. “I wouldnʼt have chosen industrial and systems engineering if it werenʼt for the upperclassmen that were with me on the team at that moment,ˮ Parlett said. “Hearing them talk about it and their guidance helped me ultimately decide that thatʼs what I wanted to do. Having student-athlete engineers around me definitely made a big impact on my decision-making.ˮ One of the most influential was Greaney, a catcher who spent extended The Partnerships That Carried the Class of 2026 Recent graduates and their alumni mentors are among those who found community, collaboration and purpose through partnership at Lehigh. By Lauren Thein and Katie Clarke CHRISTA NEU Sydney Parlett ’26 Amanda Greaney ʼ24 (left) inspired Sydney Parlett ʼ26 (right) to pursue a career in industrial engineering.
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2026 | 5 time with Parlett at practice and in the bullpens. “I could just tell she had a lot of grit and determination on and off the field,ˮ Greaney said. Parlett asked Greaney questions about her experience as an intern and engineering student, and sought advice on potential career paths. Greaney, now a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin, said she saw Parlettʼs “eyes light upˮ when she talked about engineering within the defense industry. The conversation sparked Parlettʼs interest in the industry, which led her to complete two industrial engineering internships at Northrop Grumman in Baltimore, where she has been working full-time since graduation. Parlett was drawn to work in the industry since she can help support missions similar to those that her husband will be serving as a soon-to-be Navy officer. “She is so determined,ˮ Greaney said about Parlett. “Sheʼs great at balancing all aspects of being an athlete. Athletics can be tough with how demanding and time-consuming they are.ˮ Parlett plans to carry the lessons sheʼs learned at Lehigh into her career that she dreamed of on the diamond. “Iʼm so grateful to have attended Lehigh, truly,ˮ Parlett said. “I have loved being here.ˮ Lifelong Friendship, Emerging in Healthcare As a community and global health major on the pre-med track at Lehigh, Mariaca had a goal of attending medical school to become a physician. When she received her acceptance to the University of Kansas School of Medicine, her top choice, one of the first people she called was Anya Getzfeld ʼ24, a friend she met over coffee during her sophomore year. Getzfeld invited Mariaca to study in her apartment when school anxiety became too heavy, and read multiple personal statements for medical school applications until the words got blurry. The pair first met through Kappa Alpha Theta, but their friendship quickly expanded from sorority life. Getzfeld was a biology major who, originally on the pre-med track, switched to the pre- physician assistant (PA) track. They learned that Mariaca would be following in similar footsteps to Getzfeld, taking some of the same courses and navigating difficult classwork. Getzfeld helped support Mariaca by sharing tips for understanding the material in different courses, what classes to take each semester for a balanced course load and how to gain lab experience. “Science classes like physics and organic chemistry were tough classes for me, and I got through it with Anya by my side saying, ‘Youʼre going to make it through and youʼre going to figure it out,ʼˮ Mariaca said. They learned from each other, and with each other, how to fail, how to get back up and how to stay friends through physical distance and different life stages. When Getzfeld graduated a year after the two met, Mariaca said they learned to “show up differentlyˮ and put mutual effort into their friendship. As Getzfeld was reaching her own academic milestones after Lehigh by completing a post-baccalaureate program and accepting a position as a medical assistant at Advocare Stoll Medical Group, they were on different paths for the first time. Still, both agree their lives seem to align when it matters most. As Getzfeld applied to PA school and Mariaca applied to medical school, they once again found themselves editing essays, contacting professors and leaning on each other through the uncertainty of waiting for decisions. That support paid off for both of them. Mariaca received her acceptance to the University of Kansas School of Medicine, while Getzfeld accepted an offer from Lock Havenʼs physician assistant program. “We couldnʼt have done it without the other,ˮ Getzfeld said. “Iʼve seen how Sameen has evolved over the past two years, and itʼs great to witness that change in each other. Iʼm so proud of how far sheʼs come.ˮ “WE COULDNʼT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT THE OTHER. IʼVE SEEN HOW SAMEEN HAS EVOLVED OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS AND ITʼS GREAT TO WITNESS THAT CHANGE IN EACH OTHER. IʼM SO PROUD OF HOW FAR SHEʼS COME.ˮ —Anya Getzfeld ʼ24 Friends Anya Getzfeld ʼ24 (left) and Sameen Mariaca ʼ26 (right) are navigating bright futures in healthcare together.
6 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST Afiwa Afandalo ʼ24 will be traveling to Yaoundé, Cameroonʼs capital city, to serve as an English teaching assistant, and Kendalin Flores ʼ26 is headed to the Dominican Republic as a marine biology researcher. Karina Makhani ʼ26 was chosen as an alternate for the Master of Applied Sciences and Engineering: Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) in Belgium. While many of the faculty members are conducting research, one is also teaching and participating in professional development, while another will be a specialist at an engineering institute. Muhannad T. Suleiman, professor of civil and environmental engineering and deputy director of the Advanced Technology for Large Structural Systems (ATLSS) Engineering Research Center, will split his time between the cities of Amman and Irbid in Jordan completing research, teaching and professional development. Himanshu Jain, Theodore L. Diamond Distinguished Chair in Engineering and Applied Science and professor of materials science and engineering, will be a specialist for the Engineering Education Instituto de Ceramica y Vidrio—CSIC in Madrid, Spain. The remaining faculty members conducting research include: Santiago Herrera, associate professor, in Argentina; Johanna Kowalko, associate professor, University of Munster in Germany; Alberto J. Lamadrid, professor and director of the Institute for Cyber Physical Infrastructure and Energy, at the Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Medellin in Colombia; Jill McDermott, associate professor, Universidad de Buenos Aires in Argentina; Nik Nikolov, associate professor, in Italy; Jessica Peng, assistant professor, in Indonesia; David Vicic, Howard S. Bunn Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, in Slovenia. The awards give recipients the opportunity to turn their purpose into tangible human and scientific impact. —Stephen Gross Lehigh continues its extensive and committed history with the Fulbright Scholarship program, setting a record for most recipients from the university in a single cycle. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international academic exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, which aims to foster mutual understanding between the U.S. and other countries since 1946. The program awards approximately 9,000 students, scholars and faculty from the U.S. and more than 160 countries each year, according to the Fulbright Program website. Two Lehigh students were named recipients of the award, one was selected as an alternate and all nine faculty members who applied were awarded Fulbright Scholarships for the 202627 academic year. Prior to this cycle, Lehighʼs previous record was set in 2018-19 when the university had six total scholars. Last academic year Lehigh had its third-highest cycle with five combined students and faculty members. The milestone reflects Lehighʼs collaborative environment, which prepares students to stand out on the world stage, as Bill Hunter, director of fellowship advising and UN programs, noted. “Lehighʼs interdisciplinary approach to education, and the purposeful development of students with selfother-world perspectives, is really attractive to the Fulbright Commission,ˮ Hunter said. “Through the Fulbright Scholarship, our students become Future Makers on a global scale and our faculty are truly leaders in their fields. The Fulbright Commission certainly recognized that this year. While this is a record year, our current students and faculty are well-positioned to win even more Fulbrights. We hope to shatter this record in future years.ˮ One of the students will be conducting research, while the other recipient will be teaching. RESEARCH 2026-27 Fulbright Scholars Set Lehigh Record Two student recipients, a student alternate and nine faculty members topped the previous high of six total scholars in the 2018-19 cycle. Kendalin Flores ’26 Afiwa Afandalo ’24 Karina Makhani ’26 CHRISTA NEU
FORGING AHEAD As screen-free experiences and activities remain popular with this generationʼs students, the Lehigh Blacksmithing Club continues to grow in popularity since its inception two years ago. Created to provide a “place where academic knowledge gained through materials science and other engineering courses can be tested through real-world application,ˮ according to the groupʼs constitution, students have been honing their skills at the historic Bethlehem Smithy. Originally built in 1750, the Smithy is located in the cityʼs Colonial Industrial Quarter at the south end of Main Street. That will soon change. A dedicated blacksmithing lab is being created in Whitaker Laboratory complete with ventilation hoods, anvils and space for larger tools. The club has been supported by its advisors, Wojciech Misiolek, Loewy Professor and director of The Loewy Institute, and Laura Moyer ʼ99 MSʼ02 Ph.D.ʼ05, manager of metallography, light optical microscopy and X-ray diffraction at Lehigh. A GIFT OF TRANSFORMATION FOR THE ARTS AT LEHIGH During the pandemic, Zoellner Arts Center Executive Director Mark Wilson turned to a trusted advisory council to secure the legacy of the arts at Lehigh. Among those leaders was Marc Falato ʼ87. An investment banker turned producer, Falato found success on Broadway as a producer of Tony Award-winning productions like “Spring Awakeningˮ (2007) and “Glengarry Glen Rossˮ (2005). His commitment to the arts at Lehigh has also included service on the advisory council for the College of Arts and Sciences. With the support of his spouse, Pun Punyaratabandhu, Falato has made a $2.5 million gift to create the Marc Falato ʼ87 Executive Directorship of the Zoellner Arts Center. The endowed fund will provide permanent resources to enable the director to advance Zoellnerʼs future and its ability to remain ambitious, relevant, welcoming and transformative. This gift comes at a time when Lehigh is elevating the arts and libraries by creating a new vice provost position for the university (see page 8). “Pun and I thought long and hard about how we wanted to support the arts at Lehigh,ˮ Falato said. “You can have the best facilities, but unless you have the best leadership, the center is never going to fire on all cylinders. “Zoellner has come a very long way over the last almost 30 years,ˮ he continued. “And we look forward to seeing what the next 30 bring.ˮ—Lisa Doyle SCAN TO WATCH A VIDEO OF THE BLACKSMITHING CLUB IN ACTION PHILANTHROPY | ALUMNI ’87 CHRISTA NEU
8 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST What is the goal of Arts and Libraries? Our main goal is to strengthen and elevate the arts and libraries. That means making sure these organizations are on firm footing as we think about the future in terms of curating resources, strengthening our collections and enhancing programming. It also means setting ambitious goals to ensure that every student has a transformative engagement with the arts and connects in a meaningful way to the vast resources that are available to them within our library systems. How will Arts and Libraries build upon the success of Lehighʼs arts organizations? There are many vibrant and active partnerships among faculty, staff and students across the university, and thereʼs more that we can do to deepen and expand those connections. My hope is that every student knows that these resources and programs are here for them, and to help ensure that, whenever we describe whatʼs amazing about a Lehigh education, we highlight how you can engage in your disciplinary work and also have these amazing aesthetic, artistic, scholarly and creative experiences. How will you explore ways to deepen Arts and Libraries experiences for community members? Thereʼs an opportunity for more synergy and collaboration. For example, as people come to a Zoellner show or LUAG, it would be great for them to get a glimpse of whatʼs also happening in Special Collections through an exhibition of our books or materials that are connected to the exhibits or a performance. And vice versa: There are countless opportunities to showcase the arts in, on and around the libraries. How do you envision Arts and Libraries strengthening Lehighʼs relationships with the surrounding community? We are looking into new possibilities for partnerships and strengthening existing partnerships. I encourage people across the Lehigh Valley to come on campus— which too is a work of art—and be inspired and transformed by Lehighʼs remarkable architecture and outdoor sculpture. When you visit, seize the opportunity to benefit from the remarkable collections, performances and programs we have to offer. Greg Reihman: ‘Strengthen and Elevate the Arts and Libraries’ Reihman is the inaugural vice provost for Arts and Libraries, a new unit that brings together Lehighʼs libraries, Zoellner Arts Center and Lehigh University Art Galleries (LUAG) under one division. With a focus on elevating and enhancing the visibility and impact of the arts and humanities, Reihman oversees and helps align these core resources with the universityʼs broader strategy. Four Questions CHRISTA NEU
FROM THE NEST | SUMMER 2026 | 9 Lehigh Trustee James R. Maida ʼ85 Pʼ17 Pʼ19 has been named chair of Lehighʼs board of trustees, effective July 1, 2026. His tenure follows the conclusion of the term of Vincent Forlenza, Jr. ʼ75 on June 30, 2026. “My familyʼs story is inextricably linked to Lehigh—itʼs a legacy that began with my fatherʼs time as a student and my parentsʼ lifelong devotion to the university, and was deepened when Sharon and I met on this very campus,ˮ said Maida. “To now serve this institution as chair is a profound honor. “I am especially grateful to Vince Forlenza for his steady guidance over these past few years,ˮ he continued. “His leadership has laid a strong foundation, and I look forward to building upon that momentum with a focus on innovation, accessibility and the continued excellence of the Lehigh experience.ˮ Forlenza praised Maidaʼs appointment, noting his strategic vision and long-standing commitment to Lehigh. A Three-Generation Lehigh Legacy Maida represents the second of three generations of Lehigh graduates in his family. The legacy began with his late father, Robert ʼ57, and his mother, Elaine, whose dedication to Lehigh helped establish a family tradition that spans nearly 70 years. It continued with James, his brother, Joseph ʼ83, and his sister, Jeanette Maida Brick ʼ86, and today lives on through Jamesʼ daughters, Lauren ʼ17 and Alexis ʼ19. The university holds a deeply personal significance for James; he and his wife, Sharon, met on Lehighʼs campus and were married in Packer Memorial Church. Dr. Sharon Maida is a distinguished educator known for her pioneering work supporting children with visual impairments. She previously served on the Deanʼs Advisory Council for the College of Education. Strategic Philanthropy and Service A trustee since 2015, Maida has championed Lehighʼs academic and residential mission. The familyʼs philanthropy includes a $5 million gift supporting the universityʼs residential development, recognized through the naming of Maida House. The Maida Education Abroad Grants have expanded global learning opportunities for students with financial need. Maida is the president and CEO of Gaming Laboratories International (GLI), the company he founded and grew into the worldʼs preeminent testing laboratory for the gaming industry. Honoring Vincent Forlenza, Jr. ʼ75 Vincent Forlenza concluded four years of transformative leadership as chair. During his tenure, Lehigh launched Inspiring the Future Makers, its 10-year strategic roadmap, and advanced GO Beyond: The Campaign for Future Makers. The philanthropy of he and his wife, Ellen, has strengthened health innovation, engineering and interdisciplinary research at Lehigh. Their support includes the Ellen and Vincent Forlenza ʼ75 Chair in Health Innovation and Technology and a $5 million scholarship program in the College of Health that provides tuition support, mentorship and experiential learning opportunities for future leaders in health, policy and innovation. As Maida begins his role as chair, he does so building on a strong foundation established by Forlenza while carrying forward a multigenerational Lehigh legacy that reflects the enduring power of family, philanthropy and service.—Kristen DiPrinzio APPOINTED A Legacy Spanning Generations: James R. Maida ʼ85 Leads Lehighʼs Board of Trustees Alumnus and global entrepreneur succeeds Vincent Forlenza, Jr. ʼ75. “TO NOW SERVE THIS INSTITUTION AS CHAIR IS A PROFOUND HONOR.” —James R. Maida ʼ85 Pʼ17 Pʼ19, chair of Lehighʼs board of trustees Vincent Forlenza, Jr. ’75
Nicki Hunter ʼ09 photographed at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre by Emilio Madrid. 10 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN
Lehigh alumni are shaping the world of theater from campus to the global stage. By Michael Blanding SUMMER 2026 | 11
12 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN After Nicki Hunter ’09 was rejected for a third time for an internship at New York’s prestigious Manhattan Theatre Club (MTC), she remembered advice from a professor at Lehigh—not in the theatre department, but in the College of Business: “A foot in the door is a foot in the door; once you’re in a company, you’re in.” She called back the nonprofit theater company and asked if there were any open positions, and was offered an unpaid role in the development office. That was enough to get an “in.” From those beginnings 16 years ago, Hunter rose through the ranks, eventually becoming assistant to longtime artistic director Lynne Meadow, and then subsequently being promoted to artistic associate, line producer, artistic producer and associate artistic director. Last December, Hunter succeeded Meadow as artistic director, the top creative position in the company. In that role, she now oversees programming and producing for MTC's three stages—one of only four nonprofit theater companies with a Broadway stage, in addition to two off-Broadway stages. She continues the company’s long legacy of showcasing exciting, bold new shows in New York. “We are able to take risks on new stories because we’re a nonprofit,” Hunter says. “We program theater not with the motivation to make money, but to say, ‘How are we progressing the art form? How are we contributing to the cultural landscape? How are we making people think, or making people cry, or making people laugh?’” Hunter’s rise to the top of the New York theater world demonstrates the strength of the training she received in Lehigh’s theatre department, which has launched a number of alumni to top positions in the industry. Pursuing Real Impact On the other side of the country, Daphnie Sicre ’98 is a professor at University of California–Riverside and self-described multi-hyphenate theater artist, who works as a teacher, director, dramaturge, researcher and co-director of a writing fellowship in musical theater for Latin American and Caribbean playwrights. Her journey began after college when she started a theater program at a Florida high school teaching predominantly Caribbean and Latine students. Despite leading them to win the Florida Theatre Conference competition, she grew frustrated by the fact that her students were not represented in the curriculum she was teaching. She went to New York University to earn a Ph.D. in theater, centering on educational theater with a focus on AfroLatine culture, and is now one of the top scholars and directors promoting plays by Black and Latine artists. “I went to grad school to help change curricula, thinking I could continue to direct independently and develop my artistry while creating real impact,” Sicre says. “Fast-forward to now, and that’s exactly what I’m doing, which is mind-blowing to me.” Building on a Storied Theater Legacy Lehigh has a long history of innovation in the areas of arts and performance, providing opportunities for students in theater to explore bold and experimental forms. This spring, the university further acknowledged those strengths with a new organizational structure designed to elevate and strengthen the arts. A new unit, Arts and Libraries, joins the libraries, Zoellner Arts Center and Lehigh University Art Galleries under one division. “What excites me about the new structure is that it recognizes the arts as essential to the intellectual life of the university,” says Kashi Johnson ’93, professor of acting and outgoing chairperson of the theatre department. Lehigh’s theater history goes back to the founding of the Mustard and Cheese Drama Society by students in 1884, less than two decades after the university was founded, making it the second-oldest collegiate drama society in the U.S. Lehigh officially launched its theatre A Daphnie Sicre ʼ98 is a multi-hyphenate theater artist, who works as a teacher, director, dramaturge and researcher.
SUMMER 2026 | 13 department in 1988. Nearly a decade later, in 1997, Zoellner opened, complete with three theaters, an art gallery, and dance and recording studios; it now hosts more than 250 productions a year. Johnson is an alum of the theater program, originally coming to Lehigh to study computer science and engineering before getting bit by the acting bug. After earning an MFA at the University of Pittsburgh, she returned in 1999 to teach and direct at Lehigh at the invitation of Pam Pepper, professor emerita of acting and directing. A renowned expert on Black Acting Methods, Johnson since launched a popular course on Hip-Hop Theatre long before “Hamilton” broke the genre into the mainstream, and has been a witness over the years to the many strong graduates of the program. “The tools and technologies have changed, but what we do has remained remarkably consistent,” Johnson says. “The same theater education that supported me is now helping today’s students become storytellers, collaborators and critical thinkers.” Lehigh has a reputation in the Lehigh Valley for staging daring shows that push the envelope, she says. “Students today are engaging with digital media, interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement and a far broader range of stories and perspectives than theater students could have imagined a generation ago,” she says. Whether or not they eventually go into the industry, she says, theater as a discipline teaches skills applicable to a broad range of post-graduation experiences. “The arts provide something increasingly rare in higher education: spaces where students can learn to navigate ambiguity, collaborate deeply, take risks, make meaning and develop empathy,” Johnson says. “The world is so focused on answers, and the arts teach students how to ask better questions.” Carving Out Bold Paths That vision of theater resonates with Hunter, who always knew she wanted to pursue a theater career, performing in plays from a young age growing up outside of Boston. “The vibrancy and electric sparkle I got from working together and creating something we were proud of has always been my community, my team sport, my religion,” she says. When it came time for college, she searched for a well-rounded university where she could get a liberal arts education and landed at Lehigh. “I wanted to learn about the world in other areas, and bring that back into the theater,” she says. She boldly auditioned for “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” her third day on campus, and was lucky enough to secure a part as one of the fairies. She followed that up with numerous roles in plays over the years, including Nora in “A Doll’s House” and Olga in “Three Sisters.” At the same time, she was shaped by the rigor of theater courses, especially the “Dramatic Action” class taught by Augustine Ripa, professor emeritus of acting and directing. “I still use that training to analyze new scripts to determine the dramatic intent from line to line,” she says. While other subjects may encourage concrete answers, theater lives in ambiguities that demand critical thinking. “There was no right or wrong—it was, ‘What’s your thesis and how do you defend it?’” Hunter says. “It allowed me to think outside the box and approach the world in a way that helped me better understand what I’m trying to achieve and why.” “The vibrancy and electric sparkle I got from working together and creating something we were proud of has always been my community, my team sport, my religion.” —NICKI HUNTER ’09 EMILIO MADRID
14 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN While earning her bachelor’s in theatre, she embarked on a business minor and later realized that she could integrate business principles into her career that meshes an understanding of performance and the economics of nonprofits. She first encountered MTC after being blown away by a student production of David Auburn’s “Proof,” which was originally produced by the company, and set her sights on working there after graduation. During her rise through the organization, she experienced many milestones, including her first show as a producer, Simon Stephens’ “Heisenberg” starring Mary-Louise Parker, which went to Broadway; as well as remounting “How I Learned to Drive” again with Parker—another show she originally saw at Lehigh. “To be able to sit in the audience at Lehigh, and then years later work with the original artists was an amazing full-circle moment,” she says. Along the way, she’s also worked with a number of Lehigh alumni, most recently costume designer Dede Ayite ’07, who won the 2024 Tony Award for Best Costume Design of a Play for her work on MTC’s production of Jocelyn Bioh’s “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding.” For her inaugural season as artistic director this fall, Hunter has planned a rich slate of productions including a 10th anniversary remount of Bioh’s “School Girls” on Broadway; a world premiere, “Montauk,” starring Laura Linney, MTC’s new artist-in-residence; and a revival of Clifford Odets’ 1935 ode to working-class struggle, “Awake and Sing!” She’s also announced plans to incubate two brand-new musicals, an ambitious new undertaking for the nonprofit. “I feel like just yesterday I was walking down the stairs into that first audition at Zoellner,” she says. “There’s no difference between the bold audacity of going into an audition and the audacity of staging new plays as artistic director. I’m always focused on what’s next and eager for the next challenge.” Reimagining the Curriculum Sicre has been equally as bold in the path she’s carved for herself in the theater world. She came to Lehigh as an international student born in Ecuador to Spanish and Peruvian parents, and spent a period of time attending high school in New Jersey. During her first year, she juggled theater with track, often racing from practices to rehearsals for two oneact plays, “Molly’s Dream” and “The Successful Life of 3” by Cuban-American playwright María Irene Fornés, directed by Pepper. From there came roles in “Bound and Unbound” and “Dutchman” by Amiri Baraka, but she fell in love with stage management working on Zora Neale Hurston’s “Spunk” and August Wilson’s “Fences.” Lehigh’s commitment to producing work by playwrights of color was a seminal influence on Sicre. “The fact that we produced a Black show every year I was there was incredible,” she says. “When a predominantly white institution tells me they can’t, I say, “Yes, you can.ʼIt’s all about reaching out and building trust.” Her talents earned the attention of a Hollywood TV producer who put her on the short list for a show, if only she lost 20 pounds. “It was crazy—I was all packed muscle at the time,” she says. “I realized then I didn’t want to do acting for a living if it meant I couldn’t eat.” She switched to focus on teaching, minoring in education while earning degrees in journalism, theatre and history as a five-year President’s Scholar. Years later, her experience teaching in Florida crystallized her desire to work with young people, especially after bringing the students to the Florida Theatre Conference with a powerful bare-bones production addressing the AIDS crisis in the Haitian community. In graduate school at NYU, she took a course on AfroLatine history and culture. During that time, she saw the production of David Lamb’s “Platanos Y Collard Greens,” a meet-cute comedy exploring the collision of African American and Latine culture in New York. She wrote her dissertation on the play and its impact in theater, as well as AfroLatine representation in theater, becoming the first scholar of AfroLatine theater. “I was so angry,” she says. “How had I never been taught about this? I decided I was going to write about something no one else was writing about and stop the erasure.” Over the past 15 years, she’s done just that, writing various articles and book chapters on AfroLatinidad, creating an encyclopedic database of 75 AfroLatine playwrights. More recently, she’s launched a project to bring visibility to Latin American musicals since Lin-Manuel Miranda’s 2008 “In the Heights,” and is creating a soonto-be released anthology of hundreds of examples. Daphnie Sicre ’98
SUMMER 2026 | 15 serving as resident dramaturge at Los Angeles’ Robey Theatre Company, an award-winning African American theater arts organization, and directing the first AfroLatine play at the Latino Theater Company. Living in L.A. has long been a dream of Sicre’s, who came to the city in 2019 with an assistant professor position at Loyola Marymount University. She left after five years and joined University of California–Riverside in 2024, where she now teaches a diverse student body with many Latine students. “They come into class with no idea of the lack of representation of Latines in entertainment, and leave with an understanding of the importance of their voices and how they are going to fight to be heard,” she says. “I watch their final projects, and I am just moved and crying.” Sicre finally feels like she’s found a place where she can be heard as well. “I got an opportunity to teach and research at an institution with kids that look like me, where I have the support of the deans and fellow faculty,” she says. “There’s something really special about that.” Pushing Boundaries with New Productions Meanwhile, the theatre department at Lehigh continues to push the envelope of what’s possible on the stage. During the spring semester, the department successfully staged “Into the Woods,” Stephen Sondheim’s challenging and affecting Broadway reinterpretation of children’s fairy tales. Johnson co-directed the production along with Lyam Gabel, assistant professor of acting and directing, in a unique collaboration with the music department. Two dozen students took a voice class during the fall semester to master Sondheim’s unique vocalizations and harmonies before performing in the musical in the spring, reimagined as a group of children whose backyard adventures lead them into the forest. “It was tremendous,” says Johnson, who notes that engineers and computer scientists were among the actors in the play, and hopes it will inaugurate similarly ambitious musicals in the future. “We set a new bar and met it. Whatever happens next, we’ll be building on more than goodwill.” Among the productions this academic year is “Whither Wander We,” a new ensemble-created performance inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” In a fall devising course, Gabel and his students will collaboratively create the production through performance, writing and design. The piece reimagines Shakespeare through a contemporary lens, asking what happens when queer and transgender fairies take up residence in a rural town. It premieres in the spring. Both productions show how Lehigh continues to push boundaries in theater and inspire the next generation of alumni to explore their own creativity, whether or not they choose to pursue a career in theater. L The project is about more than just drawing attention to a neglected art form, she says—it’s about exposing bold new forms of what theater can be. “Latin and Caribbean musicals break the mold of what the American musical is supposed to do,” she says. “They use hip-hop techniques and looping, interweaving storytelling and dance.” To further encourage the emergence of playwrights of color, she helps run the Candela Fellowship, now in its fourth year, which combines practical training and instruction for playwrights, librettists, lyricists, composers and choreopoets of Latin American and Caribbean heritage in musical theater. Amidst her research, Sicre has also worked as a director and dramaturge for productions, including recently “The arts provide something increasingly rare in higher education: spaces where students can learn to navigate ambiguity, collaborate deeply, take risks, make meaning and develop empathy.” —KASHI JOHNSON ’93, PROFESSOR OF ACTING CHRISTINE KRESCHOLLEK Kashi Johnson ’93
16 | LEHIGH ALUMNI BULLETIN | FROM THE NEST “Weʼre looking at technology and policy approaches to bring electrification to a range of communities, with the goal to deliver more efficiency, reliability and affordability through electrification.” Research Realized Shalinee Kishore, Iacocca Chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Center for Advancing Community Electrification Solutions (ACES), explores the sudden surge in energy demand driven by AI and data centers, and how Lehigh is positioned to protect our energy future in Lehighʼs “Research Realizedˮ podcast series. PODCAST SCAN TO LISTEN TO THE “RESEARCH REALIZED” PODCAST SERIES Colleges and universities nationwide are facing a range of new challenges, including inflation, demographic pressures and shifting student enrollment patterns. In response, many institutions are making difficult decisions, including workforce reduction, academic program consolidation and limitation of facilities investments. In recent years, Lehighʼs leadership has been focused on long-term financial sustainability while making strategic investments designed to strengthen the universityʼs financial foundation. This approach is intended to support continued investment in the student experience, faculty recruitment and retention, and funding research during periods of uncertainty. The results of this approach earned national recognition when Forbes awarded Lehigh an A+ grade in its annual financial rankings of American colleges and universities. “Americaʼs Financial Grades 2026ˮ examines the financial health of more than 900 private not-for-profit institutions with student enrollments of more than 500. The Value of Looking Ahead “This recognition affirms the success of Lehighʼs careful stewardship and long-term planning,ˮ said Nathan Urban, provost and senior vice president for academic affairs. Rather than relying on broad budget cuts, university leadership adopted a targeted approach to resource allocation. Through a strategic, multi-year process, 2% of the existing operating budget is continuously reallocated toward high-priority strategic plan initiatives, ensuring resources remain aligned with institutional priorities while preserving investments in teaching, research and the student experience. That approach has produced measurable results, including increased graduate student applicant pools and the largest first-year incoming undergraduate class in university history in 2025. —Kristen DiPrinzio RECOGNITION Forbes Awards Lehigh Top Financial Grade TANYA MASUNGA Mʼ26 BOOKSHELF Experiential Leadership: How RealLife Moments Shape the Way We Lead by John D. Simon Drawing on more than 20 years of higher education stewardship, Lehighʼs 14th president explores how leadership is formed in real moments— difficult decisions, unexpected challenges and relationships. Through personal reflections and stories, Simon invites readers to embrace those lived experiences and the lessons they reveal about leading in complex environments. Alfredo Jaar: Decolonial Time and the Aesthetics of the Unfinished In her first academic monograph, the assistant professor of art history analyzes Chilean-born artist Alfredo Jaarʼs work, which explores sociopolitical issues, through three main themes: mourning, accountability and failure. Her study offers a new perspective for thinking about global contemporary art today. The following are books recently published by Lehigh faculty and alumni. Great Golf Tournaments: Volume 1 by Len Ferman ʼ85 In his third sports history book, Ferman invites readers to relive classic golf tournaments through short stories about top golfers such as Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Chi-Chi Rodriguez. Each immersive story is designed to make you feel the emotions of the golfers and fans, and build suspense until you discover who wins. by Florencia San Martín
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