1. College Seal

The Ursinus College seal, first
used in the 1888-89 college
catalogue. It reads, “Super
Firmum Fundamentum Dei,”
which translates to “On the
Firm Foundation of the Lord.”

2. Gold Pocket Watch

A gold pocket watch
presented to John H.A. Bomberger
in the 1880s.

3. Field Hockey Stick 

A field hockey stick from 1927 that belonged to Isabel Johnson ’27.

4. Pipe

A pipe that belonged to the Bomberger family.

5. Football Jersey

A football practice jersey used
during 1963-67.

6. Graphite Sketch

A graphite on paper sketch by E.S. Paisley reproduced from the first annual college catalogue in 1869.

7. Shovel

A shovel used by Robert Patterson to break ground on Bomberger Hall on April 22, 1891. In 1920, it was also used to break ground on the Alumni Memorial Library (now the Berman Museum).

8. Flag

An Ursinus flag, a gift from William G. Wiest ’63, that was flown over the South Pole (in Antarctica in 1964) and the North Pole (in 1997) by Dr. H. Craig Heller .

9. Image of Zach

An image of 16th-century theologian Zacharias Ursinus, the only remaining piece of a large disk that hung during commencement ceremonies in the 1980s and 1990s.

10. Organ Pipe

A pipe from the old Clark Organ that was in Bomberger Hall before the Heefner Organ.

11. Sweater

An Ursinus sweater and a ticket stub (in the left pocket) from a football game dated Sept. 17, 1955.

12. Stump and Branch

A stump and branch from the sycamore tree that stood in the Patterson Field end zone.

13. Athletics Emblem

An athletics emblem from 1933 framed and mounted on web felt.

14. Trowel

A ceremonial trowel used by Robert Patterson in laying the cornerstone for Bomberger Hall in 1891.

“This was a great internship. I gained valuable experience working in industry as both a team and individual, while also putting my foot in the door for a future position at a premier company in the United States. I was given a role on a very important company project that has opened my eyes to a slightly different career path than I had previously planned. I was also given the opportunity to meet many great people and to network with very influential people including the CEO and several of the VPs.” 

—Wilmer, Chemistry

Gwen Franklin is a highly intelligent and hardworking person. She thrives when challenged and always achieves more than is expected. Beyond her intellectual gifts, Gwen is gracious and personable person. In class, i was always proud of how she interacted with her peers and in how she helped them do more than what they thought they were capable of. In addition, Gwen is the embodiment of what we hope liberal arts education produces in students. In her research, she was always willing to embrace discomfort and did not shy away from self-reflection. The combination of those attributes helped her better understand the responsibilities that come with producing knowledge. Ultimately, i am very proud of what she has achieved so far, and i look forward to what she takes on moving forward.

I decided to study abroad in Spain for my spring semester. Being aboard was an amazing experience, but unfortunately it was cut short because of the spread of the coronavirus. I had a panic attack as all of my classmates were telling me of their plans to travel back home and I still have not figured out a plan because my ticket, one way, was two thousand dollars. I thought I was going to be stranded in Spain because neither my parents nor I had the money to cover the costs. Thankfully, I remembered about the Bear2Bear Student Emergency Fund and applied to it. Within hours, I got a reply back and soon they were helping me purchase my tickets. A huge relief was released from my shoulders as I had secured a way to get home. Thank you all for your generous donations, because if it was not for assistance from Bear2Bear, I do not know how I would have left Spain.

I wanted to take this time to thank you for your generous donation to help students like me receive the aid they need to continue their worthwhile education at Ursinus. As a first-generation college student, confronted with how to fund my education, especially during these trying times, was a struggle. Having your support in furthering my schooling has made all the difference in my ability to pursue my dream of becoming a guidance counselor, and I am forever grateful for your commitment to students like me! Being able to attend Ursinus and learn from the talented and knowledgeable faculty within the History department is a dream come true, and I would not be where I am today without your kind support. Thank you for all you do to help students like me reach for the stars!

Thank you so much for your wonderful contribution and dedication in aiding me to finish my senior year. Last year, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, forcing her to be out of work for more than ten weeks. The medical bills on top of being on disability left us with less flexibility to pay for my college tuition for this upcoming year. However, due to your generosity, I am able to continue my coursework and graduate with my peers. After I graduate from Ursinus, I will be attending medical school, where I will be able to impact others as you have impacted me. I have enjoyed my education at Ursinus and I am happy that there are numerous support systems in place for me to experience my senior year.
Thank you gain for your assistance; it means so much to my family and me.

  I find it hard to put into words how grateful I am to have received this support. I do know that the fund is largely meant to aid students who face some of the most difficult challenges of their lives, and I can promise you that it is accomplishing this goal in my case. Because of my family situation this year, I was fearful of being unable to pay for my education. This grant has genuinely helped in preventing that from becoming a reality. I must thank you with a warm heart, and know that because of this assistance I am one step further in achieving my goal of going to law school. In the future, my intention is to be able to help other Ursinus student once my own education is finished.

I am extremely grateful for this Fund and honored that I was approved for the grant. During these past few years at Ursinus I have grown so much. I walked in as a boy and now I have all the faith in the world that I am leaving as a man. This grant means a lot to me because I come from a single parent household. And there isn’t a lot of money to cover everything. When I was notified about my outstanding tuition balance, it put a lot of stress on not only me but my mother as well. My mom has been working extremely hard her entire life so that she can put my brother and I in the best position to receive a degree. This grant allows me to put that financial burden behind us so that I can solely focus on school now. Graduating from college will be my biggest accomplishment in life and this grant allows me to finish that dream. So again, I want to say thank you to all the donors of the Bear2Bear Fund, its truly amazing what you have created here. 

From the bottom of my heart, I am so grateful that I have been given the funding to help me seek the therapy that I have been struggling to afford. The trek I have made to get to this point has been beyond what my optimistic and unwary adolescent-self could have anticipated. As a sexual assault and abuse survivor, I have healed exponentially from my lowest point, but I admit that I need help getting to where I can function well again. Although I am not very refined and articulate—English has always been my worst subject—I hope I was able to convey how much this emergency grant means to me and my future at Ursinus.

I want to take the time to personally thank you for your generous contribution to this Fund. It has a lasting impact on us as students as well as yourselves as donors. Your generosity to help us advance our education cannot be overstated or thanked enough. I’m sure you know the impact this year has had on the families that have been affected by COVID-19 and unfortunately, my family found ourselves as part of that list. Without your generosity, I would not have been able to return to campus for the fall semester because of the financial mountain my family would have had to climb. For that, I thank you. I am a senior planning to graduate with an honors degree in finance and you have made that a reality for me. And for that, I thank you. Also, I am a captain on the track and field team and now I’ll be able to rejoin my team for my final season. Thank you again for your generosity to the students who find themselves in hard times. We would not be here without you!

I would like to thank you for your generosity in contributing to the Bear2Bear Fund. I am in my senior year at Ursinus, majoring in biology and neuroscience, and receiving this aid enables me to complete my education. Over the past 3 years, Ursinus has become my home, and I am grateful to you and the Ursinus community for supporting me in these difficult and uncertain times. During my time at Ursinus, I have played on the women’s soccer team, worked on the organic farm, studied abroad in Scotland, been a Parlee Center Fellow for Science and the Common Good, and a Sustainability Fellow. Ursinus has truly provided me with so many life changing opportunities and I could not have asked for a better college experience. I look forward to being able to provide the same opportunity to future students that you’ve afforded me now.

Words cannot begin to describe my gratitude for your generosity, which will help me get through my senior year of college. It is a relief to have my financial struggles alleviated. I have been looking forward to continuing and finishing my degree at Ursinus, and this grant makes that possible. This support relieves the heavy burden of working every day of the week and obtaining additional funding through loans. I want to personally thank everyone contributing to the Bear2Bear Fund for changing the lives of students like myself and my peers. Again, I cannot even begin to explain how grateful and happy I am to be the recipient of such generosity. Thank you so, so much. I am looking forward the future, when I can pay it forward by assisting another student, as you have so kindly assisted me. I will not hesitate to provide the aid I can. I hope one day to make another student’s academic endeavors attainable, as you have mine.

I am writing to thank you for generously awarding me a Bear2Bear Completion Grant to aid in covering my tuition for the academic year. This year has been especially trying for many people, my family included, however, this grant has taken the some of the burden from our shoulders. I am a senior majoring in biology, minoring in chemistry, and currently completing my honors research project. After graduating in the spring, I plan to attend graduate school and obtain my Ph.D. in biomedical science, with the hope of entering academia. This grant has helped secure my undergraduate degree and brings me one step closer to accomplishing my goals. Once again, thank you for awarding me this grant through the Bear2Bear Fund. I will ensure that I pay this generosity forward in the future to support other students who find themselves in similar situations.

I’d like to thank every Bear2Bear donor for the generous emergency grant. As we all know, this past year has been incredibly difficult due to the pandemic and has resulted in many people losing their jobs, including my dad. My father, who owns a small business, has been struggling to keep his business afloat and has unfortunately lost many of his loyal customers. It has been a challenging year, to say the least. Your $500 gift will help me purchase my books and other needed supplies for the spring semester. It is reassuring to know that I’ve chosen a school that understands that circumstances in students’ lives may change, and through the generosity of donors, provide much-needed financial assistance.

I am a junior majoring in biology in the African Diaspora. I am thankful for your donations to this Fund because it helped me obtain a computer. A computer is an essential tool for a college students without a no doubt and your generosity will help me become more confident in my classes. I was relying on the school’s computer for a year and now I am excited to have a new laptop, something I would not have been able to do without your help! So thank you again!

I am writing to thank you for your generous assistance with the Bear2Bear Fund. I was very happy and appreciative to learn that I was awarded support at this time of great need. As an anthropology and sociology major with a concentration in gender, women’s and sexuality studies, I will graduate with honors next spring. And I anticipate using my degree to pursue a career in women’s health organizations both domestically and abroad. Thanks to you, I am one step closer to that goal. By awarding me Bear2Bear assistance, you have lightened my financial burden, which allows me to focus more on the most important aspect of school - learning. In these unprecedented times I have been blessed with unprecedented acts of kindness and compassion. Your generosity has inspired me to help others and give back to the community. I hope one day I will be able to help students achieve their goals just as you have helped me.

I would like to express my sincerest gratitude for the Bear2Bear Fund donors. This semester, I had to take two jobs to be able to support my family due to the pandemic. While the donation is temporary, the relief my family and I are feeling will be cemented in our memories forever. When I graduate, I really want to donate to Bear2Bear myself to make sure other students can study without the financial burden. Thank you so much!

Congratulations to the Class of 2020!!! It seems like just yesterday I was welcoming you all to campus for the first time! You have grown and done wonderful things over the last four years and I know that your future as a UC bear alum will be bright. I cannot wait to see you all change the world!!

- Audrey Simpson ’19

WOW, YOU DID IT! A special Congratulations to you. This last semester was tough. Not only because of those nasty viruses, but because you were SO done with it all, you barely pushed through that last research, that last treatise, those last exams. Am I right or am I right?

It’s been 51 years since I graduated. As I look around my home, I see a lot of “stuff” that I spent my time and my life collecting. Don’t do that! Tomorrow you’ll roll out of bed and you’ll be 50. The next day you’ll roll out of bed and you’ll be 70.

That is exactly how it feels. When it happens to you, I wish you, not a pile of stuff, but rather a pile of wonderful friends, a happy family, and many memorable experiences.

So, get out there. Find something you love to do. Then figure out how to make a living doing it.

- Carol Martin, ’69

CONGRATULATIONS! You have worked hard and face a world of uncertainty. Your sense of common sense is greatly needed in our mixed up world. . Unlimited opportunities lie ahead of you, but Ursinus has put you on a firm footing to not only face them, but to take advantage of them. As a Christian founded college, Ursinus continues to guide through righteousness. Having a firm grip on the demarcation of right from wrong is the basis upon which success is assured. God is with you, you be with God.

I am 94 years old, Having raised a wonderful family, served a business executive positions and:thirty three years in state and local government, whic included eleven years as the Mayor of Ambler and fourteen years as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. I have written three books and been included in Marquis Who’s Who. I consider that my lie has been very productive and I credit my experiences at Ursinus to have laid the ground work and prepared me for the openings which came before me.

I wish you well. You are needed to counter some of the foolishness bring proposed in today’s culture. My prayers and best wishes go with you

- George Saurman ’50

Ursinus College offers a high-quality liberal arts curriculum and beautiful campus in a small community. My four years at Collegeville prepared me for a fulfilling forty-five year career in public and higher education.

Foremost were the teachings of professors such as Drs. Donald Zucker, Eugene Miller and William Parsons. Their wisdom and guidance prepared me with the tools to be successful as a caring, thoughtful citizen.

Ursinus developed traits such as inquisitiveness, tolerance, loyalty, compassion and open-mindedness as well as skills in communication, critical thinking, empathy, evaluation and listening. I will always be grateful for an Ursinus College education.

Congratulations on Your Graduation from Ursinus College. You are now a member of a loyal alumni. We wish you the best in your future.I graduated in the Class of 1964 and am very proud of your accomplishments.

- George Bonekemper ’64

I am truly sorry that you will miss the excitement of graduating from Ursinus this spring. I have fond memories of that day in June 1955 (yes, a long time ago!), but I knew then that I had received the best education possible and that it would serve me well in the days to come. Your education at Ursinus will also - and I wish you the best of everything in the future, whatever your choice of career or further education. Ursinus has given you a strong foundation. Use it wisely and enjoy the fond memories of your years there.

- Joan Kurber ’55

You are way more adaptable than you know! This is an incredibly strange way to finish your college experience and begin your adulthood, but I know that each of you will find a way to still thrive during this time. You have the advantage of being young and flexible - you will find ways to grow in ways you never thought possible before this pandemic. Keep dreaming, keep working hard, and keep knowing in your heart that you will find the path you were meant to be on!

- Jonelle Karasow ’07

Congratulations, Class of 2020, including my son, Domenico Mazzeo! As Ursinus’ Sesquicentennial Class, you already were a special class. Now, with the Coronavirus, your class will have other special distinctions too, some not so good, but nonetheless yours will be a very memorable class. Best of luck to each of you as you advance at your own speed towards whatever goals bring you happiness.

- Frank Mazzeo ’88

Dear Class of 2020, There is no doubt, you made it through some discouraging circumstances. You guys are troopers. Your experience at Ursinus is not about the last few months where your time was cut short. It’s about the last 4 years, the character that flourished, the friendships that grew, the memories that were made, the education you earned, and the opportunity you had to enjoy your college life to its fullest. It may have been cut two months short, but you have four years of unforgettable memories to treasure and walk away. You will always have a place to call home at Ursinus. These are your stomping grounds and we applaud you for overcoming the challenges presented during these times. Caps off to you graduates, well done! Shout to Justine Cinalli, the last sister of the Cinalli legacy has finally graduated.

- Devan Cinalli ’17 and Kelly Cinalli ’14

Congratulations Haley O’Malley!!! You have accomplished amazing things while at UC and we are unbelievably proud of you. Can’t wait to see all you accomplish in the future!!! We love you!!!

- Mike ’87 and Kelee ’86 O’Malley