Alumni News and Information

As in the case with most other liberal arts majors, our students enter a wide variety of fields following graduation. In recent years, common pursuits have included business, banking, foreign service, federal, state, and local government positions, teaching, journalism, film making, graduate work in political science, and law. Although it is difficult to rank these by popularity, it is probably safe to say that business and law have been predominant.

A sampling of political science alumni biographies follows below and is intended to convey the richness and diversity of their chosen life experiences.

Paul J. Barbadoro graduated in 1977, cum laude. While at Gettysburg, Paul was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity and the men's track team. He attended Boston College Law School where he graduated magna cum laude in 1980. From 1980 to 1984, he served as assistant attorney general and attorney general in New Hampshire. From 1984 to 1986, he worked on Senator Rudman's personal staff. At the request of Senator Rudman, Paul served as deputy chief counsel to the Senate committee investigating the Iran-Contra Affair in 1987. Paul was recently appointed judge in the U.S. District Court and is one of the youngest federal judges. Paul was the recipient of the Young Alumni Achievement Award in 1991 and now resides in Concord, New Hampshire.

Carol Bellamy, Class of 1963. At Gettysburg, Carol participated in college choir, Owl and Nightingale, and the Delta Gamma sorority. She claims she decided to join the Peace Corps when she was temporarily trapped in the Gettysburg College Library. Late one night, she was locked in and picked up some Peace Corps literature as reading material. In 1963, she joined the Peace Corps and worked in Guatemala. Upon her return she attended law school at New York University. Starting in 1971, she served as assistant commissioner of mental health for New York City, a New York State senator, and as President of New York City Council. President Clinton nominated Carol as the director of the Peace Corps. After serving as the director of the Peace Corps, Carol assumed office as the fourth Executive Director of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), with the rank of Under Secretary General, on May 1, 1995. In September 1999, the Secretary-General of the United Nations announced her reappointment to a second term effective May 2000-April 2005. Carol was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1985. More on Carol can be found on the UNICEF web page.

Jeffrey M. Blavatt graduated cum laude in 1988. During his time at Gettysburg, Jeffrey was involved in varsity soccer, Phi Kappa Psi, Track and Field, Chai, B'nai B'rith Hillel, and Student Senate. He won the Linnaean Award as well. Jeffrey now lives in Owings Mills, Maryland, and is an attorney for the ASC Corporation. He has remained very active as a Gettysburg alumnus, serving as a Class Representative, and Alumni Club Officer, a Class Agent, a member of the Alumni Medals and Awards Committee, and also a K.A.R.E. volunteer.

Fred F. Fielding, Class of 1961. After graduating from Gettysburg College, Fred attended the University of Virginia where he earned his LL.B., J.D. in 1964. From 1965 to 1967, he served in the United States Army and rose to the rank of captain. From 1964 to 1965 and then from 1967 to 1970, he was an associate with Morgan, Lewis and Bockius. From 1970 to 1972, he was Assistant Counsel to President Richard Nixon, and from l972 - 1974 he served as Deputy Counsel to President Nixon. In 1974 he became a partner in the firm of Morgan, Lewis and Bockius. From 1981 to 1986, he was Counsel to President

Ronald Reagan. In 1986, he became partner at the firm of Wiley, Rein, and Fielding and now resides in Arlington, Virginia. Fred was the recipient of the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1982 and currently serves on the College's Board of Fellows.

Marla L. Graff, Class of 1980. Marla was very active as a Gettysburg College student, participating in Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity. She was an orientation leader, Parliamentarian of Student Senate for two years, chair of the Student Conduct Review Board, Quad Council coordinator, and a member of the Academic Policy and Program Committee of the College. Marla was also a member of Pi Lambda Sigma, the honor society for management, economics, and political science majors. She is now living in Richmond, Virginia, where she is the Assistant Attorney General of Virginia. Marla is a volunteer in the K.A.R.E. program.

Martha Hentz graduated summa cum laude in 1992. She currently lives in Mountlake Terrace, Washington. She works for an educational software company and is involved with Guardian ad Litem, a volunteer program in which she represents abused and neglected children in court. At Gettysburg, Martha was a member of Alpha Delta Pi, German Club, Phi Beta Kappa, and Pi Sigma Alpha (president).

Lynne Davignon Smith, Class of 1987. As a student at Gettysburg, Lynn was in Chi Omega sorority and was an orientation leader. She lives in Baltimore, Maryland, where she is the administrator of the Center for American Indian/Alaskan Health at Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health. The Center focuses mostly on children's health and vaccines.

Joan Hulse Thompson, Class of 1971. Joan was involved in Owl and Nightingale at Gettysburg, and she later went on to earn her M.A. and Ph.D. at Johns Hopkins University. She was an associate professor at Luther College in Iowa and is now an associate professor at Beaver College in Philadelphia. She resides in Glenside, Pennsylvania. In 1992, Joan and her husband, Robert, were panelists on a Homecoming panel, "Elections '92: Commentary, Criticism and Common Sense."

Robert R. Thompson, Jr., Class of 1970. Robert participated in men's cross country, men's track, and Owl and Nightingale as a Gettysburg student. Robert attended the University of Maryland where he received his M.A. He earned his Ph.D. in 1979 at American University. Like his wife, Joan, he was an associate professor of political science at Luther College. He is now an associate professor at Beaver College and resides in Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Garret H. Strathearn, Class of 1968. After graduating fromGettysburg College, Garret attended Pennsylvania State University where he received his Masters Degree in Public Administration. He is currently a member of Pi Alpha Alpha, the national honorary society for academic excellence in public administration. Garret is managing director of the privately held investment banking firm of E. A. Moos & Co. He lives in Yardley, Pennsylvania.

Debra K. Wallet, Class of 1973, cum laude. Debra held a double major in political science and mathematics. She earned her J.D. from Dickinson School of Law in 1976. At Dickinson she served as the president of the Women's Law Society. Two years after graduating from Dickinson, Debra was appointed Assistant Attorney General for the Commonwealth's Bureau of Labor Relations. In 1982, she became the Deputy Attorney General in charge of civil litigation. Currently, Debra is in private practice in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania, and takes a special interest in sexual discrimination cases. Since her graduation from Gettysburg College, Debra has been active in College alumni activities. In 1988 she was awarded the Young Alumni Achievement Award and in 1994 received the Woman of Distinction award. She currently serves on the College's Board of Trustees.