Notable Faculty
Dr. Emily Allyn (1927-1961)
Emily Allyn, while not a Wilson alumna herself, appeared to have had a genuine devotion and commitment to Wilson College. This is exhibited by her extended tenure at the college, lasting from 1927 to 1961. Dr. Allyn was born in Philadelphia, PA on February 1, 1895. Her Bachelor’s Degree was obtained from Wellesley College, and she completed both her Master and PhD at the University of Pennsylvania.
Originally, Dr. Allyn was hired at Wilson College to fill the position of Assistant Professor of History. She was promoted to Associate Professor in 1938. At the beginning of her career at Wilson, Dr. Allyn would have been one of the few individuals on campus who was a member of Phi Beta Kappa (from a previous institution), it was during her tenure at Wilson that the college received its own charter from the Phi Beta Kappa organization in 1949 and participated in the initiation of new members.
While at Wilson College, Dr. Allyn produced her book “Lords versus Commons: A Century of Conflict and Compromise”, which would become one of her chief publications. This text was regarded as “the only general and readily accessible account of the House of Lords and the House of Commons dealing with the period since 1832”. Her passion for the subject shines through her work, which is no surprise since her favorite topic was 19th and 20th century English History.
Dr. Allyn had the opportunity to travel extensively during her life and was supported by Wilson College on multiple occasions when she was granted sabbatical leave. Some of these locations included England, France, Germany, Africa, and the Middle East. Students remained engaged with her travels through letters Dr. Allyn sent to college’s newspaper regarding her travels, and through lectures she gave to the campus and community of Chambersburg upon her return. Dr. Allyn was also an honorary member of Wilson College’s International Relations Club. Dr. Allyn was granted Emeritus status when she retired from the college.
Even after her retirement, she continued her travels through the Peace Corps, and was the oldest member -at seventy years old- to journey with them to Malawi, Africa to teach underprivileged children.
Francis Bowden (1949-1970)
Francis Bowden was born May 12, 1927 in Greensboro, North Carolina. She graduated from the Woman’s College of North Carolina in 1948 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Education. After receiving her bachelor’s, Bowden began working at Wilson College the following fall to develop the Physical Education program. While her duties encompassed numerous physical education courses and athletic events, her special focus was on modern dance. For this reason, Bowden became the advisor to Orchesis, the Wilson College dance group. Bowden also acted as an advisor to the Wilson Athletic Association. In 1956, Bowden was promoted to the rank of assistant professor, and in 1964 became an associate professor and chairman of the Department of Physical Education. Outside of Wilson College, Bowden enjoyed camping and furthering her knowledge of dance by studying with other dance groups. In 1970, after a year of Sabbatical, Bowden decided to resign from Wilson College to begin teaching at Temple University.
Dr. Dora Mae Clark (1925-1961)
Professor Dora Mae Clark dedicated her life to the pursuit of knowledge in American History and Political Science and found that her talents were best utilized sharing this knowledge with young women.
In a time when women were discouraged from academia and pursuits dominated by men, Dr. Clark helped pave the way with higher education. She recognized the difficulties her students may face and stated in one of her speeches “Our society has not yet accepted women to equality in membership. Women still face attempts to limit their opportunities, their growth and rewards.” One of the ways Dr. Clark believed this could be changed was through the education of women.
As the head of the American History and Political Science department, Dr. Clark pursued high standards for both herself and her students. While at Wilson College, she was inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa society. She was also chosen for a grant that allowed her to spend a sabbatical year in California studying at the Huntington Library. She shared her knowledge outside of the classroom as well at community presentations and as a guest speaker. A poignant statement of hers from a lecture at Wilson College reflects her political science background acutely. “Democracy, both as a philosophy and a form of government is the concern of every one of us. Its death will be the result of neglect and ignorance on the part of those who conceived, created, and cherished it.” This statement from the early 1900’s, still rings true in today’s political climate, demonstrating her acumen within the field of politics.
When Dr. Clark retired from Wilson College in 1961 as a Professor Emeritus, she was granted a fellowship within Great Britain’s Royal Historical Society. She also took advantage of her retirement to travel throughout different European regions.
Dr. Clark died Nov. 21, 1987 at the age of 94. She’d lived through almost a century of American History and became an active participant in making history through her work as an educator. Her memorial service called for contributions to Wilson College instead of flowers and inspired an anonymous donor to give a $300,000 endowment to the college in her name.
Virginia Dodd Cooper (1932-1941, 1942-1967)
Virginia Dodd Cooper was born May 25, 1904 in Belle Vernon, Pennsylvania. Cooper graduated from Wilson College as a member of the class of 1925. After graduating from Wilson, Cooper continued her education at Pennsylvania State University to obtain her master’s degree in 1931. After receiving her master’s degree, Cooper began her teaching career at Wilson College. As a professor at Wilson, Cooper was very invested in helping her students outside of the classroom. She would frequently host French tutoring sessions and strongly promoted the establishment of a French study house on campus. Cooper also served as the warden of alumnae (1935-1936) and fletcher hall. Outside of the college, Cooper acted as President of the Pennsylvania Modern Language Association and of the Nu chapter of Pennsylvania Phi Beta Kappa. In 1941, Cooper took a brief leave of absence from Wilson College to teach at Middlebury College, before returning the following year. Cooper’s dedication to helping her students was recognized when she was awarded the Lindback Foundation award for superior teaching. In recognition of her services to French cultural affairs, Virginia Cooper was elected Chevalier dand l’Ordre des Palmes Academique “Legion of Honor” by the French embassy. Cooper retired from Wilson College in 1967 as a professor Emeritus. Virginia Dodd Cooper died August 21, 1985 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Nancy Criswell (1888-1932)
Nancy Criswell was born December 18, 1866 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. For her bachelor’s degree, Criswell chose to remain in her hometown and attend Wilson College (class of 1889). After graduation Criswell began her teaching career at Wilson College as a professor of Latin. Criswell acted as the head of her department for twenty-eight of her thirty-three years teaching at Wilson, and even received a Doctorate of Humane Letters honorary degree. During her tenure at the college, Criswell had the opportunity to take a sabbatical year and chose to live abroad in Rome. As an avid traveler, Criswell also had the chance to travel to California and Hawaii, and from New York through the Panama Canal. Criswell also traveled throughout Europe including Italy, Sicily, France, and England. In the summer of 1914, at the beginning of World War I, Criswell was almost unable to return to the United States as conflicts rose and she had difficulty booking passage home. After Criswell’s retirement from Wilson College in 1932, she was granted professor Emeritus status. Nancy Criswell died August 9, 1947.
Dr. Charlotte Isabelle Damerel (1928-1967)
Dr. Charlotte Damerel was a cherished member of the Wilson faculty for almost forty years (1928-1967). She moved through the ranks of the Chemistry department from associate professor to Chairman of the Department of Chemistry. Through her frequent correspondences with President Paul Havens, there is a sense of commitment to her profession and understanding of the responsibilities of her position. It is for these reasons that President Havens nominated her for the College Chemistry Teaching Award by the Manufacturing Chemists’ Association.
During her time at Wilson College, Dr. Damerel completed the research necessary to obtain her PhD from Johns Hopkins University in 1939. This dedication to research also extended to her students as she worked closely with them to help them develop their own research projects, and under her guidance many of her students went on to receive their own PhDs in varying fields.
Dr. Damerel was the primary caregiver for her widowed mother. While male professors received additional income allowances for dependent children, Dr. Damerel received a dependent allowance for her mother. Dr. Damerel was also the college’s delegate for the Role of Women’s Colleges in the Physical Sciences.
Her knowledge of Wilson College allowed her to inform members of the community about the history of Chemistry at the college in an article published through “The Southeaster” of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. After her retirement from the college, Dr. Damerel was granted Emeritus status. She continued her patronage through frequent visits and by reading the Wilson Billboard. She contributed $1,000 towards the construction of a new science center.
Dr. Charlotte Isabelle Davison (1903-1946)
Charlotte Davison was born January 5, 1877. Davison graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from Wilson College in 1897. After graduating, Davison began teaching at a preparatory school before returning to Wilson College in 1903 to teach mathematics. Davison immediately took charge of the mathematics department and remained the head of the department for the entirety of her tenure there. Davison considered teaching one of her passions in life and would commonly refer to it as the “Happy Profession.” Professor Davison held a high regard for the honor and integrity of the Wilson College community and even volunteered to serve on the Student Government Board as the faculty representative. Davison had the following remarks regarding Wilson College and the honor principle, “It is one of the finest small colleges that I know anything about- spiritually, morally- as well as in the type of intellectual work that it does. Students there take the honor system seriously.” While teaching at Wilson College Davison also attended Columbia University to attain a master’s degree (graduated 1919). At her retirement from Wilson College in 1946 Davison was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters from Wilson College and was also granted professor Emeritus status. Davison died July 23, 1965.
Dr. Alberta Mildred Franklin (1919-1950)
Alberta Mildred Franklin was born December 10, 1880 in Farmingdale, New Jersey. Franklin obtained a Bachelor of Art from Wellesley College (1904), before completing her master’s (1909) and PhD (1921) at Columbia University. Before teaching at Wilson College, Franklin taught at high schools and post-secondary schools until she was granted a professorship at Lake Erie College from 1915-1919. Franklin began working at Wilson College in 1919 as a Classics professor. One of Franklin’s early publications, “The Lupercalia”, was regarded as a highly valued text on the rites of ancient Romans. In 1926 Franklin spent the summer traveling throughout Europe and was granted funds to collect antiquities for Wilson’s collection. Franklin played a significant role in assembling Wilson College’s collection of classical antiquities. Ruth Hicks, one of Franklin’s colleagues, had the following to say about the notable professor: “Although interested in scholarship and travel in Mediterranean lands, she found her greatest satisfaction in teaching. A dedicated and stimulating teacher herself, she was instrumental in inspiring a number of her students to enter the teaching profession.” While at Wilson College, Franklin became the warden of Fletcher Hall for the 1933-1934 academic year. Franklin retained membership as a supporter of the American Philological Society. As a valued member of the faculty, Franklin became department chair in 1932 until her retirement in 1950. Franklin died September 27, 1970 in Anaheim, California.
Dr. Amy Gilbert (1916-1918)
Dr. Amy Margaret Gilbert was a native of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania and was born in the borough on February 23, 1895. While she studied briefly at Cornell University, the bulk of her undergraduate study was completed at Wilson College. Gilbert was awarded a Bachelor of Arts in 1915. She then went on to complete both a Master of Arts and PhD in History and Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Gilbert’s early career in higher education began at her alma mater. She taught at Wilson College for two years (1916-1918) before moving on to a position at Elmira College, where she remained from 1922-1936.
Dr. Gilbert’s career spanned many years including positions on the faculty and in administrative roles at institutions such as Milwaukee-Downer College (1936-1940), Rhode Island State College (1941-45), Temple University (1945-46), the ACUNY (the Associated Colleges of Upper New York) (1946-1950), Champlain College (1950-1953), and Harper college from 1953 until she retired in 1965.
Among her various achievements, is a series of publications through Gannett Newspapers, whereby Dr. Gilbert attended the League of Nations in Geneva as a reporter (1927, 1931, and 1932). Through both her position as a professor at various universities and through personal interest, she had the opportunity to travel throughout the United States, Europe, Asia, Africa, Canada, and what was at the time the U.S.S.R. On one such occasion in 1966, Dr. Gilbert is credited with initiating negotiations between the U.S. and the U.S.S.R. “which resulted in an exchange of American and Soviet art: a 1968 show at SUNY-Binghamton of contemporary Soviet graphics and a reciprocal showing in 1973 of SUNY artists in Moscow.”
As an alumna, Dr. Gilbert was steadfastly committed to Wilson College. She served as the Director of the Wilson College Alumnae Association from 1925-1928. During the 1939 commencement of Wilson College, Dr. Gilbert was chosen as the guest speaker and awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Law.
Dr. Peachey Harrison (1923-1948)
Julia Peachy Harrison was born April 30, 1886 in Richmond, Virginia. She completed her master’s and Bachelor of Science degrees at Richmond University. Harrison began teaching at Wilson College in 1923 and was known for her high standards of teaching and scholarship. She campaigned for higher quality equipment and facilities to benefit both staff and students and was closely involved with the establishment of the Phi Beta Kappa chapter at Wilson College. Harrison was also well regarded as the advisor to the chemistry club for several years. While teaching at Wilson, Harrison completed her doctorate in chemistry at Johns Hopkins University. Outside of Wilson, Dr. Harrison enjoyed traveling, including trips to Cuba and Guatemala. Unfortunately, during one of her trips to Europe, Dr. Harrison developed a case of pneumonia that left her health significantly compromised. Harrison retired from Wilson College in 1948 after twenty-five years of teaching and was granted professor Emeritus status. Dr. Julia P. Harrison died November 19, 1962.
Dr. Ruth Hicks (1934-1972)
Ruth Hicks was born May 12, 1907 in Jamaica, Long Island. Hicks was a graduate of Vassar College and obtained her PhD from Johns Hopkins University. Before teaching at Wilson College, Hicks worked as an Assistant Curator of Classical Art at the Brooklyn Museum 1933-1934. In 1934, Hicks began teaching at Wilson College as a professor of Classics. In her time at Wilson, Hicks greatly contributed to the classics collection and helped to establish a classics club on campus. To help students better connect with classical studies, Hicks organized several study abroad programs to Greece. For these reasons, among many, Hicks was elected to the Outstanding Educators of America. Dr. Gunlog Anderson, one of Hick’s colleagues at Wilson College, had the following remarks to say about her: “For Ruth Hicks, the teaching of classical subjects was naturally at the very core of the liberal arts, and she would be happy to visit us now as we are experiencing something of a renaissance.” Hicks retired from Wilson college in 1972 as a professor Emeritus of Classics. After Hicks’ death May 9, 1999 (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania) she requested memorial gifts be donated to the furthering the Wilson College classics collection.
Cora Lutz (1937)
Cora Lutz was born October 23, 1906 in Rockville, Connecticut. She attended the Connecticut College for Women from 1923-1927 for her A.B. degree and graduated with honors as a Winthrop Scholar and a member of Phi Beta Kappa. After teaching classics for several years, Lutz began her graduate degree work at Yale in 1930. Lutz graduated from Yale in 1935 after being named a university scholar in classics and began her career in higher education. Professor Lutz began working at Wilson College in 1937 as an assistant professor of classical language. As a Professor of Classics at Wilson College, Cora Lutz was dedicated to her students and her profession. In 1938, she became the warden of South Hall to be closer to her students and share her love of classics. Lutz would frequently have her students put on Latin plays to reenact classical scenes. Lutz became very successful at Wilson College as she was promoted to associate professor in 1944 and became a full professor in 1950 as the chair of the Department of Classical Languages. Outside of Wilson College, Lutz was a frequent contributor to the American Journal of Philology and was published by Yale Classical Studies. During a sabbatical term in 1940, Lutz chose to travel to California, where she spent time studying classical texts at the Huntington Library. Over her thirty years teaching at Wilson College, Professor Lutz became a valued community member, and even after her retirement in 1969 she corresponded regularly with friends she had made among past students and staff. Cora Lutz died at the age of seventy-eight in Mount Caramel, Pennsylvania.
Virginia Mary McComb (1903-1919)
Virginia Mary McComb completed her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Indianapolis. She also had the opportunity to study at the University of Munich to further refine her German skills. In her time teaching at Wilson from 1903-1919, she was the only German professor among the faculty. McComb frequently organized student study abroad trips to Europe to further their studies. During World War I, McComb took a leave of absence from Wilson College to contribute to the war efforts. After her retirement from Wilson in 1919, she continued to travel and further her German studies. Virginia McComb died March 18, 1969.
Dr. Mary Belle McElwain (1895-1903)
Mary Belle McElwain was born May 14, 1874 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. McElwain graduated from Wilson College with a Bachelor of Arts in 1895 and began her teaching career at her alma mater shortly after. McElwain taught at Wilson until 1903 when she transitioned to teaching at Bryn Mawr College. While teaching at Bryn Mawr, McElwain also worked on completing her graduate work at Cornell University. McElwain graduated with her master’s from Cornell in 1909 and her PhD in 1910. After graduating from Cornell, McElwain began teaching at Smith College as an Assistant Professor. In 1946, Dr. McElwain once again returned to Wilson College to serve as the acting dean for several years and also stood in as acting President in 1950. McElwain was a member of the Wilson College board of trustees for over twenty years, from 1922 to 1932 and 1938 to 1956. McElwain remained an active member of the Wilson community past her retirement until she died February 23, 1964 in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.
Dr. Helen Reese Reese (1926-1945)
Helen Reese began her career at Wilson College as an alumna of the class of 1924. She graduated from Wilson with a Bachelor of Arts in French. After graduating from Wilson, Reese continued in higher education to obtain both a masters (1926) and PhD (1931) from Johns Hopkins University in French Language and Literature. Reese furthered her studies by conducting research in France over several summers. Dr. Reese first began teaching at Wilson College in 1926, before moving resigning in 1929. In 1941 Reese returned to Wilson College as an assistant French professor. After her return to Wilson, Reese worked with government officials in Washington D.C. to develop courses in cryptography in light of the ongoing war. Notably, Reese also published work in the Modern Language Association’s Pennsylvania State bulletin on the transition between language courses in high schools and colleges. Reese resigned from Wilson for a second time in 1945. Helen Reese passed away November 1, 1974.
Dr. Elizabeth Frances Rogers (1923-1957)
Elizabeth Rogers was born June 29, 1892 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rogers completed her Bachelor of Arts from Goucher College in 1912 where she was granted membership in Phi Beta Kappa. After her undergraduate work, Rogers finished both her master’s (1913) and PhD (1917) from Columbia University. Rogers’ first teaching position was at Smith College from 1910-1923, until she began teaching at Wilson College in the fall of 1923. In her time at Wilson, Rogers was named chairman of the Wilson College History department. Rogers’ research specialty was in the reign of King Henry VIII and was considered an authority on the subject. Students had a high opinion of Rogers as a professor, as shown by a dedication from Elizabeth Judd (Class of ’28) “Underclassmen were awed by her dignity and formality, upperclassmen respected her tremendous knowledge, and former students have long regarded her with gratitude and affection.” After retiring from Wilson College in 1957, Rogers was granted professor Emeritus status and was chosen as one of Yale University’s eight world scholars (1958). In 1960, Rogers was presented with an honorary Doctor of Letters from Wilson College. Elizabeth Rogers died November 1, 1974.
Dr. Lois Slocum (1944)
Lois Slocum was born May 8, 1899 in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Slocum received both her bachelor and master’s degrees from Smith College in 1921 and 1924, respectively. After graduating from Smith College, Slocum began working towards her PhD at the University of California, which she completed in 1930. In 1932 Slocum began her teaching career with a focus in astronomy at Smith College and continued to teach there until 1943. Slocum began teaching at Wilson College in 1944. Outside of teaching, Slocum is also known for her work in the Radio Research Laboratory at Harvard during World War II and was named as a Lick Observatory Fellow. Slocum died May 25, 1951.
Jennie M. Strevig (1917-1941)
Jennie Strevig was born May 31, 1873 in York, Pennsylvania. Strevig completed her Bachelor of Arts at Gettysburg College and master’s at New York University. As Strevig developed an interest in teaching the bible, she decided to pursue graduate work at the Biblical Seminary in New York. Before working at Wilson College, Strevig taught at the Kentucky College for Women. In 1917, Strevig was hired at Wilson College as a professor of Bible. Strevig taught a variety of bible courses, including classes in Hebrew. Strevig also served as the chairman of the local YWCA chapter. Strevig left Wilson College in 1942 and died in April of 1972.
Eleanor Frances Warfield (1922-1946)
Legacies can always be a challenge to live up to. As the daughter of Wilson College’s President Ethelbert D. Warfield, Eleanor Warfield had high expectations from her peers and students. She was initially hired to fill a lecture position upon the recommendation of her father. As a Wilson alumna, Eleanor was familiar with the campus and its unique community. Due to her commitment to her position, Eleanor continued to move up through the ranks of the Wilson College faculty, until she was named department chair of the fine arts.
Eleanor had a love of travel and had the opportunity to explore throughout Europe on multiple occasions. This hands-on experience fueled her teaching, and her classes were regarded with affection by the students. She was described as a “calm, gracious, smiling personality”.
Unfortunately, Eleanor had repeated health issues that challenged her. When she was finally granted sabbatical in 1946, she died after being in the hospital for three weeks. In light of her unexpected death, Wilson held a service in the college chapel to bring together faculty and students who remembered her fondly.
Dr. Dorothy Weeks (1930-1956)
Dr. Dorothy Weeks was born May 3, 1893 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After receiving her Bachelor of Science from Wellesley College in 1916, Weeks began her teaching career at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. At the same time, Weeks was also working towards a master’s in physics from MIT so that she could further her career and educational goals. Beyond her educational accomplishments in the field of physics, Dr. Weeks also graduated with a masters from the Prince School of Business at Simmons College in 1924. In 1928, Dr. Weeks began teaching physics at Wellesley College while completing coursework for her PhD. Weeks became the first woman to earn a PhD in mathematics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology when she graduated in 1930. After receiving her PhD, Dr. Weeks began teaching at Wilson College in 1930 and shortly moved her way from being just a professor to being the chair of the physics department. From 1943 to 1945 Dr. Weeks took a brief leave of absence to assist with the domestic war efforts of World War II. During these years Weeks worked as a technical aide to the Federal Government’s Office of Scientific Research and Development. After retiring from teaching at Wilson College in 1956, Dr. Weeks continued her work with the military at the Watertown Arsenal. Weeks worked with the United States Army to develop materials, tools, and equipment for radiological shielding. Dr. Weeks is also known for her work at the Harvard College Observatory from 1964 to 1976 as a member of NASA’s Solar Satellite Project. Dr. Weeks continued to make strides in the field of physics until her death in 1990.
Dr. Edith Grace White (1923-1975)
Dr. Edith Grace White was a faculty member who left her mark on Wilson in more ways than one. In her time, she was a renowned specialist in the field of Biology, specifically zoology. As a Research Associate for the American Museum of Natural History, she traveled to Japan, China, Java, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and other countries around the world in her endeavors to revolutionize the classification of shark species. Based on her travels, she also contributed to the war efforts of World War II, when she was asked by the Pentagon to lend her expertise on her time in Japan.
While at Wilson College, she was notorious for having one of the most well-behaved classes. She later revealed that her secret was that “She told her class that if they were quiet during the lesson, she would have two toy turtles run a race the last ten minutes of class”. Along with these eccentricities, Dr. White would take her class on regular bird walks across campus, to become familiar with the different species in the area. Dr. White further demonstrated her knowledge of the avian species when she categorized Wilson’s collection of over 2,000 bird eggs, said to be one of the greatest collections of its time. By analyzing these specimens that were collected between 1861-1928, she was able to publish an article with the American Nature Association’s “Nature Magazine”. This would not be her only publication of note, as she developed her own “Textbook of General Biology” and a “Laboratory Manual in General Biology” that was used across many college campuses.
Unfortunately, towards the end of her career at Wilson, Dr. White’s health began to decline, and she was diagnosed with cancer. Due to this, she began to take sabbatical leave from Wilson and had several surgeries to treat her illness. When she eventually retired from teaching in 1958, she was granted the title of Professor Emeritus of Biology. After retirement, Dr. White still sought to contribute to Wilson College, and the program she had established there as Department Chair of the Biology program. She donated almost $2,000 towards the construction of the new science center.
Dr. Carolyn Zeleny (1953-1973)
Carolyn Zeleny was born May 6, 1909 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Her undergraduate work was done at Vassar College (1930), and both her master’s (1939) and PhD (1944) work was done at Yale University. While working on her doctorate, Zeleny worked at Skidmore College from 1941-1943. . Zeleny began working at Wilson College in 1953 and became a full professor in 1961 as well as chairman of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology. As a professional, Zeleny retained membership in the American Sociological Association and was the President of the Pennsylvania Sociological Society. Zeleny also worked as a researcher at the Russell Sage Foundation. Zeleny was granted sabbatical leave several times to pursue sociological research, including trips to Mexico and India. Zeleny’s research in Mexico focused on immigration policies and refugees in America. While in India (1960-1961), Zeleny researched the government’s policies on “Untouchability” and published her work on her findings. After twenty years of working at Wilson College, Zeleny retired in 1973 and was granted professor Emeritus status. After her retirement, the Carolyn Zeleny Scholarship was established in her name. Carolyn Zeleny died April 1, 1998 in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.