About Project
This website is the culmination of Reagan Houpt's '25 work in the Open Topic Springboard Capstone.
Although I knew I wanted my Open Topic project to be place-based and incorporate my passion for history, I didn’t have an idea for my project until about the middle of October. In following my curiosities and thinking about possible ways I could give back to the Mercersburg Academy school community, I landed on a project that would seek to honor our active-duty alumni and alumni veterans.
When I visited Amherst College during the summer before my senior year, I noticed a large, striking memorial at the center of their campus dedicated to their alumni who lost their lives fighting in World War I and II. I found myself entering a state of reflection at the memorial, taking time to appreciate their sacrifice, but also considering what Mercersburg does as a school community to honor our alumni who serve in the United States military.
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The Irvine Memorial Chapel features four plaques recognizing alumni who lost their lives in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War; however, most students only enter the Chapel in a rush to get to their assigned seat for school meetings. Additionally, there have been many alumni who have made significant contributions to the U.S. military and who are not recognized at all on campus. Therefore, I turned my attention towards this task.
At the beginning of my project development, I intended to design a physical memorial that could become a campus fixture in the future. I explored what goes into making a proper war memorial, researching specific architects such as Maya Lin, most famous for designing the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial. I also organized a class trip to Washington D.C. where others worked on their individual projects and I visited famous war memorials to reflect on their designs.
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As my project went on, I began to focus more on connecting with alumni who are currently serving or have served in the United States military. The incredible Alumni Office put me in contact with six alumni to interview: William Rockey ‘45, Todd Friedman ‘83, Gill Tatman-Tyree Jr. ‘95, Clinton Lawler ‘97, Jac Ullman III ‘02, and Kathleen Barrios ‘14. Interviewing these alumni was definitely the highlight of my project; it was amazing to hear their stories, and they all shared great insight that anyone can benefit from hearing. ​
Following the interviews, my project shifted from a physical memorial to more of a comprehensive virtual memorial, featuring the same information on the plaques in the Chapel, but also highlighting the alumni I interviewed and providing access to informational tools. It is my hope that this website appropriately showcases these stories, and that it can engender a moment of reflection for all who visit it, just as a physical memorial would.