Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2008 - (Page 53)

the last word education is a lifelong process Earning a Ph.D. at Lehigh University was a very remote goal I never hoped to achieve when my husband, Coleman, and I decided that his career as a chemist hinged on his acquiring his Ph.D. in 1968, he resigned as a process engineer at Merck chemical co. in Danville, pa. (i was the assistant plant manager’s secretary, and we met when he arrived as a new employee in 1966.) subsequently, we moved from Danville to Bethlehem with two daughters (lorraine, a 3-year-old, and Virginia, a newborn) so he could attend lehigh. This venture was the first step on my path to receiving a ph.D. in 2007, at the age of 73. raised in a pennsylvania Dutch farm area where children rarely attended college, i had never even thought of a B.A., much less a ph.D., although i was valedictorian of my high school class with a business major. To supplement cole’s meager graduate student stipend, i invested in a new electric typewriter and used my spare time to type master’s theses and ph.D. dissertations for graduate students at lehigh and other area colleges. Working at home allowed me to manage my household and care for my children without any hired help. i also typed special assignments for the chemistry department at lehigh and accepted a job as editorial assistant for two scientific journals (Journal of Colloid and Interface Science and Advances istry department while continuing my work as editorial assistant for the journals. When Al retired as editor in 1986, i became the editorial assistant for Energy & Fuels, with John larsen—another lehigh chemistry professor—as editor. When i approached John about taking courses at lehigh, he enthusiastically approved my request. Elsie Hamel, left, receives her Ph.D. in English last year, as her facThus, with my children well into their educational programs, in 1987 ulty advisor, Elizabeth Fifer, professor of English, looks on proudly. i enrolled in my first undergradu(Kamil Klier). editing papers and working ate college course, electing elemenwith talented editors continued to give me a tary german. lot of job satisfaction, but the completion of Although i chose to take two additional my education weighed heavily on my mind. semesters of german, my first course in the i spent the next 18 months deciding if i english department, American literature, had the courage and brains to take this next was truly an inspiration. i enjoyed courses step: should i try for a ph.D. and face failure on the work of chaucer, shakespeare, the rather than spend the rest of my life wonderBrontes, and modern literature and found ing if i could have reached my goal? With a writing papers to be my niche. Winning two confidence boost from my family and ediWilliams Writing prizes and attaining phi tors, i enrolled in my ph.D. program in the Beta Kappa were the icing on the cake. summer of 2004. struggling through physics and mathlike all ph.D. students, i found the work ematics made me question the wisdom of very challenging: mastering course work, obtaining a degree, but i was determined to longer and more difficult papers, language finish. in 1999, i received my B.A. in engand qualifying examinations, ph.D. dissertalish at the same time tion, etc. fortunately, my advisor, elizabeth my daughter MariShould I try for a Ph.D. and face failure rather fifer, was a huge source of inspiration, guidanne took her M.s. in than spend the rest of my life wondering if I ance, and encouragement. i owe her a huge molecular biology. in could have reached my goal? debt for the wealth of knowledge and exper2001, we again gradutise she employed to keep me on track to the ated together (M.A. in completion of my degree. english for me and a ph.D. in molecular biin Colloid and Interface Science) edited by a i am grateful for the tuition remission leology for Marianne). in the meantime, lorlehigh chemistry professor, Albert Zettlehigh offers employees and the vital role this raine had completed her D.D.s. at Temple moyer—also work i could handle at home. program played in my degrees—i count my Dental school in 1988, and Virginia had acin addition, i honed my skills as a gourph.D. degree as a source of accomplishment quired her J.D. at Dickinson school of law met cook by preparing dinner for eight leequivalent to my success as a gourmet cook, in 1990. high graduate students twice a week. The fee wife, mother, and grandmother. When John larsen relinquished his edifor the students was two-fold: $2 per meal one additional incentive: i have “raised torship in 2001, i accepted assistantships at and a critique of the food. the bar” for my grandchildren in their edulehigh for three journals: Acta Materialia When daughter number three (Maricational achievements. (Dave Williams), Microscopy and Microanalanne) started first grade in 1980, i accepted a ysis (charles lyman), and Catalysis Reviews job working as a secretary in lehigh’s chem—Elsie Hamel ©2008 Lehigh University. Produced by University Relations (#7080:1008)

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Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2008 Contents From the President's Desk Mailbox On Campus Research Arts & Culture Sports Cover Story: The Dalai Lama at Lehigh Heart of a Champion Around the World in 80 Years Fighting for Children wth Autism Keepers of the Flame From the Publisher's Desk Alumni News The Last Word

Alumni Bulletin - Fall 2008

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