Skip to main content

Distinguished Alumni Honored at Annual Alumni Citation Award Reception and Dinner

Share on:

Posted on Tuesday, October 17, 2017

As part of Homecoming and Reunion Weekend, the Westminster College Alumni Council hosted the annual Alumni Citation Awards reception and dinner on Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Witherspoon Room of the McKelvey Campus Center.

This year’s Alumni Citation Award recipients were Dan Vogler, Mary Lynn Tobin and Wilma Donaldson. 2010 graduate David Bauer received the Outstanding Young Alumni Award and senior environmental science major Lexie Yoho was recognized with the Rising Titan Award.

The Westminster College Alumni Citations were created to recognize alumni who achieved significant accomplishments in their profession or made meaningful contributions to the community or Westminster. The Outstanding Young Alumni Award recognizes alumni of 15 years or less who are making significant contributions as they build careers and serve their communities or Westminster. The Rising Titan Award honors an outstanding junior or senior who showcases the ability to be a leading alumnus.

Award Winner Bios:

Dan Vogler is a 1981 graduate who earned a degree in political science and is a member of Theta Chi fraternity. His career includes 14 years as director of governmental affairs and registered lobbyist for New Castle-based Pennsylvania Power Company. He also serves as an elected supervisor in Neshannock Township and has been elected commissioner in Lawrence County since 2003. During three of his four terms as commissioner he served as board chairman and chairs of the Lawrence County’s retirement (pension) board, salary board and board of elections. Dan has served on Lawrence County Tourist Promotion Agency’s board of directors and Westminster’s Alumni Council. A member of First Presbyterian Church in New Castle, he is the father of Jonathan, Lyndsey ’13 and Christopher.

Mary Lynn Tobin graduated in 1976 with a degree in religion and psychology and served on the chapel staff. She continued her education at San Francisco Theological Seminary during a time when female ministers were rare, earning the seminary’s Pastoral Ministry Prize granted by faculty at graduation. She served as associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church in Atlanta (the membership of which equaled the population of her native New Wilmington) before being called to Davis (Calif.) Community Church. In 2013, Mary Lynn followed a new call as a leadership coach, listening to and counseling clients who are primarily new pastors. She and her husband, David Campbell ’78, live in Davis.

Wilma Donaldson is a 1964 graduate with a degree in education. She went on to earn a master’s degree from Fairfield (Conn.) University and taught in Weston, Conn for 35 years. During her tenure she wrote the system’s first elementary curriculum guide and served on many curriculum/administrative committees. She and two colleagues presented at the first Soviet-American Conference of Science Teachers in Moscow. A NASA-Newest awardee, Wilma worked with NASA Langley Air Force Base personnel on a space/flight educational curriculum. She has received honors as Weston Teacher of the Year, semifinalist for Connecticut Teacher of the Year, Presidential Award nominee and Distinguished Classroom Teacher.

David Bauer, a 2010 graduate who earned a degree in political science, is a co-founder and partner in the general practice law firm of Swisher, Bauer, Luciano PLLC and founder of Beacon Estate Planning & Elder Law. Following graduation, he completed an internship for the congressional campaign of current congressman Mike Kelly. He decided that, rather than pursue politics, he would follow his lifelong dream of becoming an attorney. At Duquesne, he co-founded the Sole Practitioner Society to assist students who wanted to open their own solo practices. David graduated from law school in 2014, passed the bar exam, married MaryBeth Memo ’10 two days later and established his own general practice.

Lexie Yoho, a senior environmental science major from Pittsburgh, is a four-year starter for Westminster’s volleyball team. She earned second team all-conference recognition as a freshman and first team all-conference as a sophomore and junior. On campus, she is president of Pre-Veterinary Society, Green Party and Sierra Student Coalition; vice president of the volleyball club; and a member of Beta Beta Beta biology honors society, the Tiny House team, as well as other campus organizations. Lexie was a member of the 2017 Experience Alaska team that traveled to Alaska to learn about impacts on the environment and to complete mission work.

Click here to view photos from the event. 

For more information, contact Tom Fields at fieldste@westminster.edu or 724-946-7190.