The Ann McIlhenny Harward Interdisciplinary Program for Culture and Music at Gettysburg College Ann Cobean McIlhenny was born April 12, 1941, to Hugh and Helen McIlhenny of Gettysburg, PA. An accomplished musician at an early age, Ann understood the power of music to transform and inspire. After graduating from Gettysburg High School in 1959, Ann pursued undergraduate studies at Maryville College (Tenn.) and Millikin University (Ill.), where she graduated with degrees in biology and music. Throughout her life, Ann served and supported the needs and interests of others with integrity, understatement and admirable poise, a singular style for which she was both admired and loved. Ann served all communities where she lived in many capacities including as the coordinator of the University of Delaware’s Center for Science and Culture, Director of Hospice of Wayne County (Ohio), director of the United Way of Wayne County (Ohio), and as a volunteer men’s tennis coach at the College of Wooster (Ohio). Ann moved to Lewiston, Maine, in 1989, where she served Bates College and the Lewiston-Auburn communities in countless capacities, including as spouse to College president, Don Harward. Lewiston County Library and the Thorncraig Bird Sanctuary were two recipients of her time and support. At Bates, Ann took great interest in the well-being of students, faculty, staff and alumni. In recognition of her service, funds were established to honor Ann and the Harwards were recognized in the establishment of the Ann M. and Donald W. Harward Center for Community Partnerships at Bates College. After retiring from Bates, Ann and her family lived in Corea, ME, and in Washington, D.C., where Ann served as an active volunteer with the Smithsonian Institution, the Mary McLeod Bethune House, Acadia National Park and the Schoodic International Sculpture Symposium. Ann and Don Harward are parents of two children, both Gettysburg College graduates: daughter Sharon Harward Dorr (’86) and son Brian McIlhenny Harward (’92), who carry on their mother’s appreciation for the value of a liberal arts education where learning happens across disciplines and through unique and transformative experiences.
Ann McIlhenny Harward The Ann McIlhenny Harward Program for Culture and Music was established in 2023 with gifts from the Endeavor Foundation to honor Ann’s legacy. Shaped and guided by the vision of Donald W. Harward, the Program is dedicated to the humanities and humanistic sciences, ensuring the centrality of a holistic liberal arts approach that leverages the rich interplay of culture and music, emphasizing interdisciplinary learning and discovery. The annual program will offer direct experiences designed for the College student body and events that engage the broader campus and Gettysburg Area communities.
Gettysburg College is deeply grateful for the generosity of the Endeavor Foundation and for the vision of Donald W. Harward in making this important program possible.