“Dr. Nicole Tabor [former associate professor of English] and Dr. Martha Reid [professor emerita of English] were the most influential teachers I had during my time at Moravian. They challenged us to think differently and to step outside of our comfort zones to find deeper and more meaningful connections. No one but Dr. Reid could have made me feel comfortable enough to do an interpretive dance to a poem in front of the class.”
—Sam Anderson ’00

“Dr. William Falla [emeritus adjunct professor of religion and philosophy]. He was a wonderful man who taught me what it means to be a moral and ethical person through his lessons and stories. He was always kind and treated everyone with respect. He loved Moravian and was always around campus and willing to strike up a conversation anywhere and about anything. My wife and I both had him as a professor while we were at Moravian. We loved him so much, he was the officiant at our wedding—a memory we will never forget.”
—Matthew Wisotsky ’10

“Jamie Franki [former professor of graphic arts]. Everything I do as a professional graphic designer and artist comes back to the principles, techniques, and values he instilled in us. He also inspired a lighthearted and fun atmosphere in the studio, and he inspired us to carry that spirit into our artwork. He helped me believe in myself and my talent.”
—Michelle LePoidevin Daino ’94

“Robert Stinson [professor emeritus of history]. He still is an inspiration to me in my career as a historian. His class on history and film sticks out in my memory, and History 200 with him was a fantastic experience in learning about the historical method. He was a model scholar and teacher. So many of the history faculty of the 1990s era were stellar—Janet Loengard, Curt Keim, Dennis Glew, Roz Remer. They opened intellectual and practical doors that still have value 30 years later.”
—Ed Roach ’95

“Neil Wetzel [professor of music]. He made diatonic and chromatic harmony fun. He has ways of explaining complex chord progressions in ways that make sense to laypeople. He brought joy into his classroom every day and made all of us excited to get to class.”
—Maggie Callahan ’14

“Gary Olson [professor emeritus of political science]. He completely opened my mind. While he and I differ on many issues, he prompted me to understand the world from many points of view and realize what often truly prompts world events. Lifetime impressions and learning took place during my time in his class. Eleven years after graduation, 9/11 happened, and I was in close proximity to the World Trade Center. One of the first things I thought of doing and followed through with was getting Dr. Olson’s perspective on the event. His teachings just stuck with me.”
—Victoria Ministri ’90

“Monica Schantz [professor emerita of music]. She is incredibly knowledgeable and did an excellent job in the classroom. She was supportive of her students as musicians, finding extra opportunities for us to perform. She provided me with opportunities to sing at Central Moravian Church, once actually singing from a manuscript copy of a song written by one of the early Moravian composers. Her enthusiasm for music history was so contagious that I fell in love with the subject and pursued it for my graduate work.”
—Lynn Buralli Pernezny ’73

“Dr. Alan Herr [former professor of English]. He was totally involved in literature and poetry. To hear him read and often recite from Paradise Lost was phenomenal. The faculty thought highly of “Doc” Herr, too. He was elected to carry the scepter at our commencement.”
—Bruce Doscher ’70

“Dr. Hwa Yol Jung [professor emeritus of political science]. Great lectures, wonderful values.”
—Andrew K. Semmel ’64

“Dr. Carl Salter [professor of chemistry] demonstrating vibrational and rotational movement of molecules in a spinning chair.”
—Joan Taggart Koch ’72

“Although the entire foreign language department of the early ’70s was outstanding, Dr. Dorothy Tyler was the most instrumental in influencing my career choice. She encouraged me to spend my junior year abroad in France and supported me as I was offered and accepted the job of teaching French at Moravian Academy upon graduation in 1974. We remained in touch through the years until her death, and I often told her how grateful I was for her teaching and mentorship. After 38 years at Moravian Academy, I can honestly say that Dr. Tyler changed my life!”
—Bonnie Ann (Boscia) Wismer ’74

“Dr. James Ravelle [professor emeritus of business and economics]. He genuinely cared about me. He helped me lay out all four years of classes to graduate and encouraged me to find my passion for human resources.”
—Natalie Marsh ’89

“Dr. Cecilia Fox [professor of biological sciences, director of the neuroscience program]. I have immense gratitude and deep admiration for Dr. Fox, who was an amazing professor and advisor and continues to be an exemplary role model in my life even after graduating from Moravian. Throughout my academic journey as a neuroscience major and premedical student, she played a major role in shaping the person I am today. Her passion for teaching goes beyond the material in textbooks; it is evident in every lecture, discussion, and moment of encouragement. She has the rare ability to transform complex concepts into clear and relatable ideas and spark curiosity and excitement in every classroom. As a mentor, she was a beacon of support and wisdom. She challenged me to think critically, push the boundaries of what I thought possible, and approach every challenge with both courage and enthusiasm. She always listened, advised, and encouraged at every crossroad, offering both a steady hand and an open heart when I needed it most.

In her role as my premedical advisor, Dr. Fox helped me navigate every step of the journey to medical school. She provided invaluable insight, strategy, and encouragement. She always emphasized the importance of not just academic excellence but empathy, integrity, and resilience—the very qualities that define a great physician. Her mentorship has been instrumental in shaping my approach to medicine, and I will carry the lessons she has imparted with me throughout my career.

But more than all of this, what makes Dr. Fox truly exceptional is her humanity. She cares deeply about the success and well-being of every student, and that care has inspired countless individuals, myself included, to reach heights we never imagined possible. I am eternally grateful for all the wisdom she has shared, doors she has opened, and confidence she has instilled. Her impact on my life and the lives of so many others is immeasurable. It was a privilege to have been taught and mentored by Dr. Fox.”
—Adriana Facchiano, MD ’19

“Rudy Ackerman [professor emeritus of arts and humanities]. Dr. Ackerman was one of my faculty advisors and my favorite professor. My first semester of freshman year, I took Drawing I. As Rudy was taking attendance, he eventually came to my name. After reading it, he said, “You’re not a man, you’re a woman. Actually, you’re a person. I will call you Gail Poverperson.” I responded by saying that I would call him Rudy Ackerperson, and we referred to each other as such from that day forward.

Dr. Ackerman was not just a truly great teacher, he was a truly great human: challenging, inspiring, supportive, encouraging, and kind. I cannot recall ever hearing a negative or critical comment come from him. He provided feedback in such a manner that anyone hearing it would feel confident that they could learn from what was being said and grow from it as an artist. He was always available to provide guidance and mentorship, often meeting with students at all hours in his art-filled office on South Campus. When I became an adjunct faculty member at Ocean County College six years after graduating from Moravian, I did my best to use Rudy as my model of the kind of teacher I wanted to be for my students. Whenever I recall my time at Moravian, those memories always include Rudy Ackerman.”
—Gail Marie Poverman-Kave ’86

“Dr. Jim Tyler [former adjunct professor of classics]. He’s the reason I got a minor in Latin. I just enjoyed taking classes with him that much. You could tell that he loved learning and sharing what he learned. In class we got to see slideshows of Roman ruins he’d seen and eat Roman snacks like grapes and fig bars during tests. And he’d teach the class no matter how small. He was always suggesting that if anyone wanted to learn ancient Greek, he’d make a class for it, and he even led a small class on Roman satire at my suggestion. It was supposed to be an independent study, but then a couple of others wanted to join, and suddenly it became a class. I also joined Classics Society at Dr. Tyler’s suggestion and had a lot of fun performing the plays he wrote in Latin. When I told him I was writing a paper on a George Bernard Shaw play for another course, he shared with me so much that he knew from curating an exhibit on Shaw’s work in the past. He was a great professor, one I’m glad to have met and learned from.”
—Jasmin Maurer ’08

“Dr. Diane Radycki [professor emerita of art] was my favorite professor. She is so incredibly knowledgeable and kind. I’ll never forget our senior art department trip to New York City and her leading us on a private tour of the Guggenheim Museum. It’s my favorite memory of Moravian.”
—Kaitlin Kenyon Beltz ’13

“Dr. James Ravelle. He took pride in seeing his students succeed in their education at Moravian.”
—Susan Neary Lowry ’89

“Robin Kani [instructor in flute]. She was my flute teacher while I was studying music education, and she is brilliant. She was so nice and helped improve my playing so much. I loved playing in ensembles with her, and I really loved when I got to play second flute to her first when we performed Carmina Burana.”
—Stephanie (Widger) Adams ’07

“Martha Reid [professor of English]. All of the English professors at Moravian were incredible, but Dr. Reid had an infectious excitement and joy for the material. I made sure to take every class I possibly could with her, including an independent study my senior year. Her brilliance combined with an openness to wacky ideas fed my passion for literature and learning.”
—Cliff Jackson ’09

“Dr. William Falla [emeritus adjunct professor of religion and philosophy]. He is impossible not to like, and his courses were so interesting and thought-provoking. I still think about some of the metaphysical topics he taught in my Intro to Philosophy class.”
—Natalie (Zedalis) Garrett ’09

Dr. Stuart Kulp, professor of organic chemistry
—Donal Vogel ’63

Rudy Ackerman, professor emeritus of arts and humanities
—Stephanie Light ’91

My religious studies professors were all amazing! You all make the list!
—Micah Leonard ’13

Bob Burcaw, professor emeritus of English
—Bryon Grigsby ’90, P’22, P’26

Gary Olson, professor emeritus of political science
—Missy Degan Pritchett ’90