Alumni Class Notes for June 2019

Cordelia Barber (’45) celebrates her 95th birthday! She graduated from the Delaware campus and now resides in Washington State. She has continued to support the King’s community by donating since 2002.

Rebecca Sears (’13) has made a successful start to her career since graduating from King’s. She currently serves as Director of External Relations for the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), where her key roles are developing relationships and strategies, overseeing the Supreme Court event series, and assisting the Center for Academic Freedom in Washington, D.C. Before ADF, Rebecca worked as an assistant for the 4% Growth Project at the George W. Bush Institute, where she also assisted Amity Shlaes, the Institute’s economic director and a presidential scholar at The King’s College, in the economic history departments at New York University and The King’s College. Rebecca is also a graduate of a yearlong Public Policy Fellowship with The Fund for American Studies (TFAS), which fosters an understanding of the principles of government through deliberation and debate. She will have the opportunity to participate in academic discussions in Washington, D.C. with public policy experts, academics, and political leaders on affecting change in the American political system.

Margie Wright (’57) celebrated her 84th birthday on May 27. After 62 years of marriage, she and her husband Chuck (’56) are still thriving in the King’s community. They recently spent two weeks in Florida with 10 friends from their time at the Delaware and Briarcliff Manor campuses. They also traveled to Philadelphia last month for the retirement of their King’s friend from ministry, and they are planning to visit with Chuck’s roommate and his wife from King’s. Over the years, Chuck has pastored four Presbyterian churches and has joined the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, D.C. for the last 35 years to encourage ambassadors, Congressmen, and diplomats from around the world to walk with Christ. Additionally, their five children and their spouses are strong believers serving in China, Africa, and other places for ministry. “Seventeen grandchildren (one in Heaven) are the best blessing of all!” Margie says. “There is no end of our blessings from The King’s College. I have always been thankful for my excellent education, my Christian education major, and our large group of lifelong friends faithfully following Jesus. We thank God for all His blessings on our lives, and our great foundation at King’s. Haven’t visited the present campus but hope to do that someday.”

Megan Dishman (’14) married Matthew Dishman on Friday, April 26 in New York. She has also continued to work as the director of events and production at King’s, and in addition to planning the 71st Annual Commencement exercises has recently accompanied King’s students on a tour of the Levant through Passages Israel.

Media, Culture, and the Arts major Kayla Kirkman (’18) began work as a family advocate at the Center for Family Representation, a law and policy organization that serves Manhattan and Queens. She works to reduce mass incarceration within family court and to advocate for restorative justice and family preservation.

Wylie Johnson (’73), senior pastor of the Springfield Baptist Church, retired after 22 years of service with the congregation. He and his wife, Karen, were honored with a banquet and an all-expenses-paid trip to Ark Encounter in Williamstown, Ky. He also received the Outstanding Citizen Award from the Springfield Township Commissioners, a Retired Police Chaplain ID and badge by the Springfield police chief, and gifts from the Springfield Ministerium and the Delaware County Suicide Prevention and Awareness Task Force. Dr. Johnson was also named chaplain emeritus by the Law Enforcement Chaplains of Delaware County. The Johnsons retired to their country home in Jim Thorpe, Pa.

After a nine-month internship, Stefan Bulic (’18) was offered a full-time position as an analyst at Blackstone Alternative Asset Management, a New York-based company and the world’s largest discretionary investor in hedge funds.

Lois Watson (’54) retired from nursing. She has volunteered at the Women’s Imaging Center at Baptist Medical Park in Pensacola, Fla., for the past 19 years. She is also a member of Faith Baptist Church of Pensacola and has two daughters, four grandchildren, and two great-grandsons.

Anastassia Gliadkovskaya (Dec. ’18) is pursuing further education for a long-term career as an investigative reporter. To that end, she will be attending the Stabile Investigative Program at the Columbia Journalism School this coming year, with an expected graduation date of 2020. She is particularly interested in producing data-driven stories in the field of politics.

Roger Thomas (’82) retired from teaching science at Mountain View Jr./Sr. High School in Kingsley, Pa., after 35 years. During his tenure, he taught, coached, and advised numerous academic and extracurricular clubs, groups, and teams, including a Pennsylvania State Champion soccer team. He welcomes contact from any of his classmates and friends from King’s!

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