- MU fag propels alum to top of Kilimanjaro When all is said and done — the physical training mastered, the mental toughness ” mountain was going to be the hardest thing I had ever done and going to Mercyhurst was the most important, life changing thing I have ever done, he said.
“ “ Mercyhurst was the catalyst for a seismic shift in my priorities,” he said. I was an OK student and a really good athlete. During my time there, I matured considerably, and I saw the value in academic rigor, in learning, and in conveying thoughts and sharing ideas. I was able to communicate in writing and developed skills that gave me confdence. That confdence, backed by the liberal arts curriculum and the tremendous quality of professors, my friends, and fellow students, launched me into grad school and beyond as a complete individual and lifelong learner. Wagner went on to earn a master s in international afairs from American University School of International Services and an MBA from American s Kogod School of Business. ” ’ ’ ’ Among the Mercyhurst professors he remembers best are two of the political science department s fnest, Dr. Randy Clemons, who retired last May, and Dr. Michael Federici, who has since moved down South. Neither a camper nor a hiker, Wagner never even climbed a mountain until this past June. But, at 13, he read a book by Michael Crichton called Travels , where he was introduced to Kilimanjaro and the memory stayed with him, much like his years at Mercyhurst.
’ tested, the climbing skills perfected — it was Richard Wagner s determination to fy the Mercyhurst University fag atop Mount Kilimanjaro that was the deciding factor in his success. “ The climb from basecamp went from 15,000 feet to 19,342 — an elevation
- gain of 4,342. It was tedious, painful, exhausting, and believe me I wanted to quit about 20 times,” Wagner said in refecting upon his 10 day adventure in June. “That said, the fag provided me with an extra purpose, an opportunity to represent my alma mater and all those faculty members who had a massively profound impact on the trajectory of my life. Having that fag in my pack gave me an additional push so that tapping out was not an option. ” - The CEO of his own management consulting frm, Richard Wagner & Company (RWCO), Wagner lives in Leesburg, Virginia, with his wife, Lisa, and 12 year old twin daughters, Lizzie and Rachel. While at Mercyhurst, he majored in political science and sociology, played soccer, and graduated in 1996. His years at Mercyhurst had such a transformative efect on him that raising the fag at Uhuru Peak, the highest summit of Kilimanjaro, was a given. “It was important for me to bring it to the roof of Africa because climbing the Earning passage to Ireland as a Fulbright, one of the most prestigious international exchange programs in the world, Maya Bauer ’20 couldn’t wait to begin her research on the Emerald Isle. But fate, and the COVID-19 pandemic, had other plans. The women’s soccer alumna and environmental science/Spanish double major was slated to study peat bog degradation during her time as a Fulbright. Her goal was to assess the rate of bog degradation using GIS technologies and to gauge public awareness of the importance of this ecosystem, especially as it relates to climate change. She was scheduled to begin her work in Ireland last September but the pandemic delayed her travel for fve months. When she fnally arrived in County Mayo, she was met by even more COVID restrictions, one of which limited her travel to no more than three miles from her residence. That, in turn, made investigating peatland degradation in west Ireland and its efects on neighboring populations a defnite challenge. “I had to fgure out a way to still work on my project without being able to meet people or network the way I thought I would,” Bauer said. In essence, she had to get creative. As a photography buf, who long contemplated incorporating photography into her career plans, she decided to turn the science-heavy research project into a science communication project. Her plan then was to tell the story of the bogs — past, present, and future — through photojournalism. “Photography was something I could do without having to go far or work in a lab,” she said. “Poets have written about these bogs; there is art and songs
- I have always viewed Mercyhurst as an institution with international street cred,” he said. “Given my international business travel, it is not uncommon for a complete stranger to come up to me, thousands of miles away from the U.S. and comment on my Mercyhurst shirt or hat and say, ah yes, Mercyhurst — it is cold there, no? Cold — for sure — but for Wagner, no place could warm his heart more. Fulbright scholar, soccer alum kicks around novel ideas in Ireland “ ‘ ’”
dedicated to the bogs. There is so much history here. I’m trying to present scientifc fact while honoring all the history of the people and the land.” In adapting to her new surroundings and circumstances, Bauer came prepared, thanks to her years at Mercyhurst. “I feel like Mercyhurst taught me that you need to be involved in your community,” said Bauer. “If you really dive into the community, immerse yourself, you can have an amazing experience.” So, despite the travel limitations, Bauer joined a community garden, tried rugby,
and resurrected her passion for soccer by joining Manulla FC in June. “It has been great to play the sport I love in a new country; it is an opportunity that I am really thankful to have,” she said. “I have met some amazing friends through this team, and I hope to continue my soccer career after I fnish my time in Ireland this November.” Meanwhile, when it comes time to present her Fulbright project, she hopes to use a nontraditional setting as a backdrop. “I would really like to present my work in a bog, if possible,” she said. “Take people out into the ecosystem and share with them all the beautiful things I have discovered that may be lying beneath the surface.” 29
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