President's Newsletter
October 2025
Dear Juniata Community,
The fall is always spectacular at Juniata, but kicking off the month with a picture-perfect Homecoming and Family Weekend set the tone for an outstanding October.
The perfection of a Pennsylvania autumn welcomed more than 1,000 Juniatians and their families back to campus for a weekend of reunions, athletics, and fun as we celebrated the College’s 150th anniversary together. Homecoming and Family Weekend was also an occasion that brought my predecessors, Tom Kepple and Bob Neff, to campus for a historic Presidential Panel.
National and international experts visited to participate in “Who Pays the Price? Resource Extraction and Environmental Inequity,” the fourth annual International Symposium hosted by the Baker Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies, supported by funds from the Mellon Foundation. The two-day symposium brought community members and students together in an impressive display of global engagement and collaboration.
The campus has also hosted outstanding events featuring nationally recognized artists, bringing top-tier cultural opportunities to Huntingdon. The Juniata College Museum of Art welcomed the family of American painter William Scharf for a celebration of its new exhibition, “William Scharf: The Journey is the Destination,” on October 9, and Ailey II took the stage in Rosenberger Auditorium on October 10, to rave reviews.
Now, as we anticipate the weekend, our board of trustees will return to campus for its annual fall meeting. As they discuss updates and look to the future, there will be opportunities to reconnect and enjoy all Juniata has to offer.
This includes TEDxJuniataCollege, which will present “Innovations Throughout Time,” bringing together an impressive slate of Juniatians who will explore the College’s legacy of ingenuity. The event will be livestreamed from Rosenberger Auditorium at the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts (scroll down for more information on speakers and how to watch).
Your support of our students and campus community is invaluable. Thank you for being a part of our incredible journey, and I look forward to seeing the positive impact we can create together.
Warm regards,
President James A. Troha
P.S. The deadline to recommend a student for the Juniata Community Scholarship is Saturday, November 15! Learn more about how you can provide a prospective student with $1,000 a year for four years at no cost to you by clicking the button above.
Homecoming and Family Weekend
The Juniata College community came together for a memorable celebration this Homecoming and Family Weekend, October 3-5. Marking the College’s 150th year, laughing and playing at the Juniata Jamboree, and reuniting with classmates and friends filled the days with smiles.
Three Presidents Reflect on Four Decades of Leadership
Three presidents. Forty years. One historic conversation. On October 4, 2025, President James A. Troha joined his predecessors, Thomas R. Kepple and Robert W. Neff, for a Presidential Panel in Alumni Hall at Juniata College.
Moderated by Jim Tuten, Charles R. and Shirley A. Knox Professor of History, the discussion explored leadership, collaboration, community, and the enduring strength of Juniata.
“The average college president serves about five and one-half years. The three of us span 40 years,” said Troha. “I stand on the backs of Tom and Bob for what they have provided for me. It’s truly a blessing and an honor to be with both of you as we share our experiences.”
Neff, Kepple, and Troha—Juniata’s 11th, 12th, and 13th presidents—led the College from 1986 to today, a remarkable continuity that each cited as key to the institution’s stability. “The fact that the three of us are all sitting here and talking this way is a remarkable thing in itself,” said Neff. “That sense of continuity over time has built the strength of the institution.”
Major projects during their tenures reflected Juniata’s balance of modernization and mission-driven growth. Kepple’s administration oversaw the complex renovation of Founders Hall, which Neff called “an incredible engineering feat.” Kepple added, “It was even worse than we thought, but we were just in time to save it… It’s become a great, well-used space, and it’s now the symbol of Juniata College.”
Each president credited Juniata’s faculty and students for sustaining the College’s spirit. “The differentiator at Juniata is the relationship that our faculty has with our students,” Troha said. “The bond that exists between faculty and students is just different here.”
Reflecting on Juniata’s legacy, Neff concluded, “This college is the antidote for what is happening within our society. That’s what the best education is about, how we can express our humanity in its deepest sense.”
Watch the full Presidential Panel:
Men's Golf
The Eagles battled windy conditions at Bulle Rock in Maryland, finishing tied for 8th with a team score of 322. Ryan Hilyard ’29 led Juniata with a six-over 78 and a top-20 finish. Griffin Snowberger ’28 and Ben Pintof ’27 each shot 81 to tie for 32nd, with Pintof carding two birdies. Harrison Levithan ’27 posted an 82 with an early birdie for a T39 finish, while Ethan Brown ’26 shot 87 for T57.
Women's Soccer
Juniata women’s soccer earned its first Landmark Conference win of the season with a commanding 3-0 victory over Goucher at Beldon Field. The Eagles dominated, outshooting the Gophers 22-3 and holding a 15-0 corner kick advantage. Naomi Rich ’27 opened the scoring, Grace Uhler ’28 added another before halftime, and Kylie Dries ’27 sealed the win in the second half. Goalkeeper Emma Stiller ’28 recorded the shutout with one save as Juniata improved to 5-3-4 overall and 1-1 in Landmark play.
Women's Tennis
Juniata women’s tennis battled hard in a 5-2 road loss to Penn State Altoona at the Adler Tennis Courts. Medina Yessenaliyeva ’27 and Nina Meadows ’28 opened with a 6-3 win at No. 1 doubles before Altoona claimed the doubles point. In singles, Yessenaliyeva dominated with a 6-0, 6-0 sweep, and Meadows rallied for a 1-6, 6-4, 10-5 victory at No. 2. Despite several close matches, Altoona prevailed as Juniata closed its fall season at 1-2.
Men's Soccer
Juniata men’s soccer earned its second conference win of the season with a 2-0 victory at Goucher. Gavin Rauhut ’26 and Jalen Holliday ’27 scored for the Eagles, with assists from Brandon Marzula ’26 and Gio Amesti ’28. After a scoreless first half, Rauhut headed in a Marzula corner in the 52nd minute, and Holliday added another seven minutes later. Goalkeeper Maxwell Mattioni ’27 made two saves as Juniata secured its ninth shutout of the season, continuing a record-breaking defensive run.
Women's Volleyball
Juniata women’s volleyball earned another 3-0 conference win with a dominant sweep over Lycoming. Isabella Rushing ’28 shattered both the Juniata and Landmark Conference single-match aces records with 11, breaking a mark that stood for more than 30 years. The Eagles controlled every set, winning 25-13, 25-10, and 25-10. Hannah Webber ’26 led with eight kills, while Ava Castillo ’29 and Molly Mishinkash ’28 each added seven. Mari Hansen ’28 tallied 24 assists, Isabelle Fekula ’29 posted seven digs, and Rushing contributed six digs and two assists alongside her record-breaking performance.
TEDxJuniata College Announces Speaker Line-up
In celebration of 150 years of Juniata College, TEDxJuniataCollege will present “Innovations Throughout Time” at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 24, 2025. The event will be livestreamed from Rosenberger Auditorium at the Halbritter Center for the Performing Arts, with the link available at juniata.edu/tedxjuniatacollege/.
Organized by Tia Warrick, director of public health and assistant professor of biology at Juniata, TEDxJuniataCollege brings together an impressive and diverse slate of speakers centered upon a theme honoring Juniata’s legacy of ingenuity. Topics explore transformative ideas across science, culture, health, and humanity, reflecting upon the past 150 years while imagining what innovation means for the next century.
Speakers include:
- Abjana Bhandari ’27: A junior at Juniata, originally from Nepal, Bhandari blends global insight with community engagement in her roles across campus and as a Juniata Associate, believing that innovation begins with understanding and care. She will present “Innovation Isn’t What You Think.”
- Eric Quallen: Director of the Raystown Field Station, a Coast Guard veteran, and former wilderness instructor turned ecologist, Quallen’s research focuses on integrating animal behavior and population dynamics to better predict responses to climate change. He will present, “They/Them/He/She/You/Me.”
- Em Perago ’26: A senior at Juniata, Perago is the owner and founder of Robin’s Gourmet Food, LLC, a small business focused on providing high-quality food mixes to domestic rodents like hamsters and gerbils. They will present, “No, Your Small Business Idea Isn’t Dumb.”
- James Latten: Professor of music, director of instrumental music, and director of the College Wind Symphony at Juniata, Latten instructs academic music courses, including a team-taught Musical Acoustics course with the Physics Department. He will present, “1876-Onward, Tech Innovations in Capturing and Disseminating Popular Music.”
- Robb Lauzon: Assistant professor of communication at Juniata, Lauzon studies the way ideas are created, stored, and transmitted, bridging rhetoric, media ecology, and the ancient art of memory to examine how technologies shape stories about individuals and their communities. He will present “Homo Lectio–The Reading Human.”
- Alexander Ross ’26: A senior at Juniata, Ross explores how storytelling can depict mortality, fear, and trauma. His academic work is informed by his experiences working with aging populations, witnessing the emotional and cultural aspects of death firsthand. He will present, “To Die and Do it Well–Human Composting.”
- Tia Warrick: Director of public health and assistant professor of biology at Juniata, Warrick has worked across academia, biotech, and nonprofit sectors to design inclusive, data-informed health solutions. She will present, “Not All Solutions Come in Shiny Packages.”
- Kyle Jaquess: Assistant professor of psychology at Juniata, Jaquess teaches courses in psychology, neuroscience, and kinesiology and leads the Cognitive Affective Motor (CAM) Lab on campus. He will present, “I Think, Therefore I Am ... But What is Thought?”
- Talia Haller: A bioinformatics graduate at Johns Hopkins University, Haller has led AI initiatives for the National Institutes of Health’s All of Us program and advises organizations across the healthcare ecosystem. She will present, “Your body has a lot to say. Are you listening? Precision care that finds you–powered by your body’s unique signals.”
- Regina Lamendella: George ’75 and Cynthia ’76 Valko Professor of Biological Sciences at Juniata, Lamendella is an expert in molecular microbial ecology and bioinformatics whose research focuses on how microbial communities impact human and environmental health. She will present, “Feeding the Forgotten: Reviving Ancient Diets to Heal the Gut-Brain Connection.”
- Nicole Close ’92: President of EmpiriStat, Inc., and a trustee at Juniata, Close is a globally recognized biostatistician and clinical trial strategist with over 30 years of experience across pharma, biotech, government, and academia. She will present, “What if the Most Powerful Person in Medicine Doesn’t Wear a White Coat?”
This event is independently produced and operated under a license from TED. TEDxJuniataCollege is aimed at creating a dialogue and providing a forum for people to share their passions, ideas, and experiences.