Funding Educational Resources and Experiences for Every Manheim Township Student

Through the support of our generous donors, in 2024-2025 MTEF funded innovative STEM resources, literacy tools, visiting artists and authors, and entrepreneurship opportunities, enriching student learning and deepening engagement. From launching a middle school Science Olympiad team, to hosting a workshop with a Broadway actor, MTEF is proud to partner with the district to provide experiences that inspire.

LEGO SPIKE K-6

Reimagining K-4 STEM Education for Innovation & Equity grant provided elementary students and teachers high-tech and low-tech ways to design, build, and create. This grant funded LEGO® SPIKE Essentials sets, which pair LEGO® bricks and hardware, such as motors and sensors, with narrative-based problem-solving and relatable themes, like camping and carnival games, for highly engaging STEM learning in every elementary STEM classroom. At Landis Run Intermediate School, LEGO® SPIKE Prime sets have been integrated into the 5th and 6th grade STEM curriculum. Spike Prime offers hands-on learning that starts simply but grows in complexity, encouraging creativity, critical thinking, and coding skills.

Student Businesses

Fridays at Manheim Township High School are a little sweeter thanks to WBL Great Bakes, a mini-business run by the work-based learning program! On Thursdays, students prepare seasonal breakfast pastry and on Fridays, deliver the orders, along with a beverage, to faculty and staff subscribers at the High School and District Office. MTEF is proud to have supported this program with a grant to purchase additional preparation and storage space. Work Based Learning teacher Ashley Cooper applied for and received one of MTEF’s first mini-grants, a pilot initiative for 2024-2025 to encourage small but impactful projects.

Artists-in-Residence

The Blue Streaks met bluegrass during the 2024-2025 school year!  Through a grant from MTEF, written by music teachers Rachel Swank and Laura Topping, nationally recognized, locally based bluegrass band Colebrook Road made visited Manheim Township Middle School each marking period to conduct songwriting workshops with 7th and 8th grade music classes. Watch a short clip of their first visit here!

Julia Kamanda led students on an unforgettable journey this spring. As artist-in-residence. She took Brecht students on a vibrant, globe-spanning adventure, exploring music as a language that unites people around the world. Each lesson – visits to Sierra Leone, Peru, Mexico, Hawaii and India – included a picture book, photos and videos, the introduction of a unique musical instrument, and the opportunity to create their own versions of the instrument.

Creative Commons

This multi-phase project created an area in the high school library specially outfitted for students to exercise STEM and creative skills independently or as part of curricular coursework. The Creative Commons includes moveable workspace tables, flexible seating, and materials like LEGO® SPIKE™ kits, robotics, video creation equipment, a mobile podcasting studio and 3D printers. MTEF volunteers and donors joined school district faculty and staff to dedicate the space in April. Instructional Technology Librarian Carly McCarthy and Instructional Technology Coach Nick Scales hosted a tour of this unique space and the exciting resources it holds, already in high demand by MTHS educators in content areas from language arts to science.

Middle School Science Olympiad

A Fall 2024 grant from MTEF supported the creation of a Science Olympiad team at Manheim Township Middle School. Science Olympiad is a national competition where students test their knowledge and skills in various STEM fields through hands-on challenges and assessments. On December 14 the team competed in its first-ever tournament. During the Rustin Invitational, a remote/virtual event, students were tested in content such as meteorology, anatomy, and forensics through a timed online platform, while building events were submitted via video. The MTMS team competed in a division for newer teams, placing 17th out of 40 schools nationwide. MT students won a first-place medal in Mission Possible, a Rube-Goldberg machine building event, and took third place in an architecture and building event. The team wrapped up its first season by competing against the best of the best at the PA State Science Olympiad tournament and finishing an impressive 26th out of 78 middle school teams.

Visiting Artist Alex Dorf

A graduate of Penn State’s School of Theatre, Alex Dorf ‘12 has a resume including Broadway productions, tours and off-Broadway shows. Before his current ensemble role in the Broadway’s “Pirates of Penzance,” he was part of the North American tour cast of “Hamilton” During the show’s Fall 2024 stop in Hershey, Alex spent a day back at his alma mater. Organized by district educators and Manheim Township Performing Arts advisors Samantha Haldeman and Katelyn Candiello, and made possible through a grant from MTEF, Alex’s visit gave Manheim Township students the opportunity to learn from a working performing artist. Read more about Alex’s visit here.

See all Fall 2024 grant awards.

See all Spring 2025 grant awards.

The Manheim Township Alumni Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award.  Since 1997, Manheim Township has presented the Distinguished Alumni Award to honor graduates who have achieved noteworthy accomplishments in their chosen fields, have positively impacted their communities, and who will serve as inspiration for students, alumni, and staff of the Manheim Township School District.

The Distinguished Alumni Award recipients for 2025 are Jeremy Rubenstein, class of 2002; John L. Snoke, class of 1959; and Jill Sebest Welch, class of 1983. 

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Jeremy Rubenstein MTHS ’02 is an entrepreneur, national speaker, theater producer, and educator. 

At Manheim Township, he participated in Quiz Bowl and Model UN, performed in Manheim Township Performing Arts (MTPA) productions, and appeared in local theater productions. 

Rubenstein graduated from Penn State University with a double major in theater and journalism and a minor in history, where he also performed in MainStage productions. He holds advanced degrees in arts education, early childhood development, and social emotional learning. He has starred in national tours, feature films, and Off-Broadway productions, and has taught from elementary school through the college level. 

In 2008, Rubenstein created Box Out Bullying™, an interactive live theater assembly. What began as a single touring production has grown into a national organization experienced by millions of students, parents, and faculty, offering student assemblies, parent workshops, and faculty professional development aimed at helping to sustain a positive school culture. 

A passionate bullying prevention advocate, he uses the power of theater to spark meaningful conversations around empathy, bystander empowerment, and respect.

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John Snoke MTHS ‘59 is a retired Manheim Township School District educator

As a Manheim Township student, Snoke was senior class president, a member of student council, HI-Y club, National Honor Society and the choir. He played four years of football and participated in track and field and tennis.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in education from West Chester State College (now West Chester University), and a master’s degree in health and physical education from Temple University.  In 1964 he returned to serve the Manheim Township school community, teaching at Brecht and Schaeffer Elementary Schools first before moving to Manheim Township Middle School as a health and physical education teacher.  During his tenure he helped to develop and facilitate an adaptive physical education program. He is Past President of the Lancaster County Association for Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

In addition to his teaching career, Snoke coached several Manheim Township athletics teams, including championship swimming and diving teams and boys’ gymnastics teams.   He was instrumental in helping bring interscholastic soccer programs to Manheim Township, serving on the first coaching staff of the Boys Soccer program in the 1960s, and helping to start the girls’ soccer program during the 1989-90 school year, coaching the team to its first Lancaster Lebanon League Championship in 1991 and again in 1992.

Snoke retired from teaching in 1996, after 34 years of service to the district.  He served on the Board of the Manheim Township Historical Society for the past 10 years. He is also a member of Zion Lutheran Church in East Petersburg, where he is the Health, Safety and Security chairman.

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Jill Sebest Welch MTHS ’83 is an attorney at Barley Snyder LLP.

At Manheim Township, Welch was a member of National Honor Society, student council and served as class vice president.  She played on the softball and field hockey teams and participated in cheerleading and swim team.

Welch attended Wittenberg University, where she was a member of the Wittenberg College Honor Society, Omicron Delta Kappa Honor Society, and Alpha Delta Pi sorority, and graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a minor in biology. Welch worked as a land use planner from 1989 to1994 and served as Executive Director of the Delaware County Transportation Management Association from 1994 through 2000.

She earned her Juris Doctorate from Rutgers University School of Law in 2000 with honors and worked as a law clerk to Hon. Thomas L. Ambro, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, before joining the firm of Morgan Lewis & Bockius as associate attorney in 2001.

Welch joined Barley Snyder LLP in 2005, where she has been a Partner since 2009. From 2020 through 2024, Welch chaired the Employment Practice Group.  She is an 11-time recipient of the Pennsylvania Super Lawyer honor. As a member of the Lancaster County and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, Welch is regular speaker on employment law and ethics.

Welch has been a Pennsylvania Dutch Council Scouting America Board member since 2018, serving as President of the Council since 2023, and volunteers with Scout Troop 99 and girl Troop 99-G. She served as Board member of the Lancaster County Workforce Investment Board from 2009 through 2024, serving terms as both Vice-chair and Chair. She is also a past Board member and Vice-chair of the Lancaster Family YMCA. 

Through a grant from MTEF, Gregg Behr and Ryan Rydzewski are serving as “authors-in-residence” with Manheim Township this school year, sharing the research and insights from their book “When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids,” through a variety of learning opportunities for faculty and staff.

During their visit at the end of January, they co-taught a lesson with Middle School music teachers, using a few of Rogers’ more than 200 compositions as hands-on practice analyzing theme and message, facilitated professional development sessions, and visited teachers and classrooms inspired by the tools for learning that Rogers advocated. Ryan and Gregg also met with parents and educators, sharing ideas for facilitating curiosity, creativity, and communication with the children in our community.

This Great Idea was brought to MTEF by the district’s Instructional Technology Coaches. Gregg and Ryan’s research emphasizes the importance of the learning sciences utilized by Fred Rogers in his iconic television program. These sciences support the teaching and learning practices that are needed to implement the new Science, Technology, Engineering, Environmental Literacy & Sustainability (STEELS) Standards. 

A graduate of Penn State’s School of Theatre with a resume including Broadway tours and off-Broadway shows, Alex Dorf ‘12 is currently a cast member of the North American tour of “Hamilton.” During the show’s recent stop in Hershey, Alex spent a day back at his alma mater. Organized by district educators and Manheim Township Performing Arts advisors Samantha Haldeman and Katelyn Candiello, and made possible through a grant from MTEF, Alex’s visit gave Manheim Township students the opportunity to learn from a working performing artist.

Alex shared insights about his educational journey and career path, offered audition tips and performed “Giants in the Sky,” “The Song that Goes Like This” with Katelyn, and “You’ll Be Back.” In the afternoon he conducted a dance workshop with students, leading them through a portion of the choreography for one of Hamilton’s most iconic numbers, “My Shot.” 

Growing up, Alex appeared in many productions at the Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre and the Fulton Theatre, including playing the role of Tiny Tim in “A Christmas Carol.” While at Manheim Township, Alex performed in “Peter Pan,” “Into the Woods,” “Crazy for You,” and “Seussical,” with a memorable turn as The Cat in the Hat. Despite his extensive musical theater experience, Alex initially pursued an interest in science and biology, enrolling as a pre-veterinary medicine major at the University of Delaware. But music and dance kept calling to him. Performing was “not easy to let go of,” Alex explained. “I changed course.” He eventually auditioned for and was accepted to Penn State’s School of Theatre, where he earned a BFA in Musical Theatre.

Alex is currently on his second tour with Hamilton, though he will be leaving in February to make his Broadway debut as dance captain for “Pirates! The Penzance Musical,” slated to run April through June of 2025.

Of course, we had to ask Alex how his Manheim Township experience helped to shape his future. “Township created a space where I could be part of the theater program, and the theater program was a place I could go to where I felt like I belonged,” he told us. He also named the wide variety of extracurricular opportunities, as well the academic rigor, saying “some of the assignments here at Township were harder than in college! Township goes above and beyond to prepare you for your life outside of school.”   

Former MT theater directors Mark and Beth Wagner, along with Frank Caravella, pit orchestra director and retired MT music teacher, made a special trip back to MTHS for Alex’s visit.

No putts about it, MTEF’s first-ever Mini Golf Madness was a success! Students representing Aevidum ClubAstronomy ClubDance TeamChess Club, Class of 2027Future Teachers ClubLions Leo Club, and Tech and Engineering Club wowed us with their ingenuity and teamwork during the Creativity Challenge on Friday, March 22. In less than five hours, they crafted and constructed clever themes and decorations for their designated holes. On Saturday, more than 200 students, parents and community members took to the themed greens and cast their votes for the winning holes. Through a variety of displays and activities, including Legos with Snapology, STEM challenges and more, attendees also had a chance to sample some of the innovative educational projects supported by MTEF grants.

Congratulations to our Creativity Challenge winners, who earned cash prizes for their organizations!

1st place – Class of 2027

2nd place – Tech and Engineering Club

3rd place – Chess Club

At MTEF’s July 2024 Board meeting, Kate Zimmerman passed the gavel to new Board President Chris Flores. Kate joined the MTEF Board in 2018 and has served as President since 2019. We are grateful for Kate’s steady leadership during a period of change and growth, culminating with the celebration of MTEF’s two millionth dollar awarded this spring. As Past President, she will remain on the MTEF Board through June of 2025. Flores steps up after serving four years as MTEF Vice President and chairing our Grant Disbursement and Business Ventures Committees. Chris is Regional Senior Vice President at Northwest Bank, the parent of two MT students, and has served as a volunteer with other local nonprofits, including YMCA of the Roses and Community Action Program. Other MTEF officers serving on the Executive Committee are Greg Herr, Vice President; Ann Bryson, Secretary; Chris Rice,Treasurer; and Joe Buchert and Carissa Noel, Members-at-Large.

July 1 marked the beginning of a new Board term. MTEF is pleased to welcome the following individuals to our Board of Directors —

  • Jason Asbell, partner, Gibbel Kraybill & Hess LLP, MT parent (Bucher, MT Middle School);
  • Ian Chea, Sales Representative, Hondru Ford of Manheim, and Real Estate Agent, Howard Hanna, MT parent (Brecht);
  • Breanne Cornielle, Senior Associate Director of Financial Aid, St. Joseph’s University, MT parent (Reidenbaugh);
  • Cindy Guo, Founder and Owner, Silantra Asian Street Kitchen, MT parent (Nitrauer);
  • Dr. Liz Prada, Pediatric Dentist and Executive Director, Lancaster Cleft Palate Clinic, MT parent (Landis Run, MT Middle School);
  • William Lee, MTEF Student Impact Representative, Class of 2026.

With more than $117,000 approved for educational projects during our Spring 2024 grant cycle, MTEF has now awarded more than $2 million to benefit Manheim Township students since 1993. Superintendent Dr. Robin Felty and Landis Run Principal Will Gillis joined Trista Mullin and Anita Shoemaker to celebrate the grant request that marked this milestone, Brick by Brick: Constructing a Brighter Future with LEGO Spike Prime. This project will provide Landis Run students with an engaging approach to STEM learning and hands-on opportunities to design, build, code and apply other skills and concepts. For 30 years, MTEF has proudly supported Manheim Township School District, providing resources to educators, administrators, and school-related groups for projects that enhance the educational experience. Learn about all our Spring 2024 Grant Awards here.

The Manheim Township Alumni Association is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award.  Since 1997, Manheim Township has honored graduates who have outstanding professional accomplishments and who have positively impacted their communities.  The annual recognition is meant to spotlight the noteworthy achievements of alumni and inspire current students.  

The 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients are Jonathan D. Ference, Pharm.D., class of 1997; Carolyn Jones, class of 1975; and Vickie Kutz (Goddard), class of 1964.

Distinguished Alumni Award honorees will be recognized at a breakfast reception at 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, June 6, 2024 at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster.  The cost to attend is $20 and RSVP is required.  Register online or by contacting Becca Stamp at 717-560-3117 or [email protected] by Wednesday, May 29.  DAA honorees will address the 2024 graduating class during commencement rehearsal following the reception. Donations in honor of DAA recipients may be forwarded to Manheim Township Educational Association, 450A Candlewyck Road, Lancaster, PA 17601. 

Jonathan D. Ference, PharmD. MTHS ’97 is Dean of the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University.

At Manheim Township, Ference played varsity basketball and was the recipient of the Steven R. Hermann Award his senior year. He attended Wilkes University graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Doctorate in Pharmacy in 2003.  He completed a Family Medicine Specialty Pharmacy residency and Family Medicine Faculty Development Fellowship at UPMC St. Margaret’s and University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy. Ference began his pharmacy career as a clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy, earning the Roche Preceptor of the Year Award in 2008.

Ference returned to Wilkes University, serving as an assistant, then associate professor of pharmacy practice. He held a number of leadership roles including, Director of Pharmacy Care Labs, Assistant Dean of Pharmacy, and Associate Provost of the University. He has authored over 25 publications and presented over 45 scholarly works at regional, national and international conferences. He was named Nesbitt School of Pharmacy Teacher of the Year in 2009, 2010 and 2014. In 2014 he received the WIlkes University Carpenter Award, the highest teaching honor at Wilkes. Ference received the 2015 School of Pharmacy Outstanding Advisor Award and was the 2016 recipient Wilkes University Colonel Blazer Award, honoring individuals who have made significant contributions to the progress of Wilkes University. 

He was appointed CEO Dean of the School of Pharmacy in 2023, and serves as the Associate Dean in the College of Health & Education and an Associate Professor of Pharmacy Practice.

Ference is the inaugural president of the nonprofit veterans service organization Heroes Hearthstone, training veterans and first responders in warrior-based wellness and self-regulation practices. He serves on the board of directors of Educational Opportunity Centers of PA and the Wilkes University Alumni Board of Directors.  He is a volunteer coach for local youth sports, including the Back Mountain Blackhawks club ice hockey team.

Ference and his wife, Kimberly, reside in Wyoming, Penn. and are the parents of two children, Jack and Katie.

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Carolyn Jones MTHS ’75 is a documentary filmmaker, photographer, author and speaker.

At Manheim Township High School she was photo editor of the Hi-Lite student newspaper and the Neff-Vue yearbook. After earning a B.S. in Photography from the Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Jones apprenticed with celebrated photographer Hiro in New York City.

Early in her career she worked in fashion photography, and in 1986 became the first American woman to compete as a racecar driver in the Paris Dakar Rally. 

In 1994, Jones published her first book, Living Proof: Courage in the Face of AIDS, accompanied by shows in Tokyo, Berlin, and at the United Nations World AIDS Conference. 

Subsequently she published several more books: The Family of Women: Voices Across the GenerationsEvery Girl Tells a Story: A Celebration of Girls Speaking Their MindsHeroes Happen Here; and The American Nurse: Photographs and Interviews.  

Since 2012, Jones has directed The American Nurse Project, a book, four feature documentary films, and series of ongoing interviews, chronicling the lives and experiences of nurses and seeking to raise the volume of the nurse’s voice in this country. Her award-winning documentaries include The American Nurse; Defining Hope, In Case of Emergency and American Delivery. 

She is also the founder and president of the 100 People Foundation, a non-profit that helps students to better understand the complex issues facing our planet and the resources we share, creating educational films and curricula for students in over 90 countries. She serves as a cultural ambassador for the American Film Showcase, a cultural diplomacy program of the U.S. Department of State and the USC School of Cinematic Studies. As a lecturer, she has presented at conferences, universities and events around the world, and delivered two TED Talks, “A Tribute to Nurses” and “100 People: A World Portrait.”

Jones was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts from the State University of New York in 2018 and has been inducted into the American Academy of Nursing and Academy of Emergency Nurses as an Honorary Fellow.

She lives with her husband, Jacques Borris, in Redding, Conn. in a house built by the photographer Edward Steichen. They are the parents of two adult children, Zoe and Mercer.

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Vickie Kutz (Goddard) MTHS ’64 is a retired educator and administrator who served the students of Manheim Township School District for 33 years.

As a student at Manheim Township, Kutz played field hockey and participated in the Tri-Hi-Y service organization, serving as Chaplain her senior year.  After earning a B.A. in Elementary Education from Catawba College, she taught four years in a high school special education class at Burlington Township (N.J.) High School, where she also coached field hockey and served as athletic director for girls’ sports.

Kutz then returned to Lancaster County and was hired by Manheim Township to teach a self-contained learning support classroom at Neff Elementary, the district’s first at the time.

Kutz holds an M.Ed in Special Education, a Special Education Supervisor Certificate  and a Principalship Certificate. For more than 25 years, she taught learning support at several district elementary schools, including Brecht Elementary School for 20 years.  At Brecht she served as Head Teacher, organized school wide service activities, and, through a grant request, became the first elementary teacher in the district to have a classroom computer and then a modem, training teachers to use the technology in instruction.  She was assistant principal at Manheim Township Middle School and, finally, principal of the Neff Sixth Grade Building, retiring in 2006.

Kutz piloted the inclusion format for teaching learning support students within a regular classroom at both Brecht Elementary School and Manheim Township Middle School, supervised more than 30 student teachers, was honored as Cooperating Teacher of the Year by Millersville University, Department of Special Education, and was recognized by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools for outstanding service to secondary education.

Kutz was president of Manheim Township Education Association, served on the Board of Manheim Township Educational Foundation, and was instrumental in establishing the Manheim Township Alumni Association. She is a sustaining member of Junior League of Lancaster, and has volunteered with many local community organizations, including Habitat for Humanity and Lancaster County Prison. She has served as a Deacon and Elder at Highland Presbyterian Church where she has participated in several missions trips.

Kutz resides in Lancaster.

On August 28, the MTEF Board of Directors welcomed Becky Doumaux as our new Executive Director. Becky joins us with 15 years of leadership experience at Junior Achievement of South Central PA, a background as an elementary school teacher and a master’s degree in educational administration. A resident of Manheim Township, Becky is the parent of a Manheim Township High School freshman, and a volunteer with BSA Troop 99 and the Manheim Township Public Library.

Also, after two years as MTEF Development and Communications Manager, Becca Stamp has begun a new role with MTEF as Director of Community and Alumni Engagement. A 1997 MTHS graduate and current MT parent, Becca has significant experience in nonprofit communications and holds a master’s degree in communication studies.

Kate Zimmerman, MTEF Board President shares, “The Board of Directors is thrilled to have Becky Doumaux joining the MTEF team with her considerable education-related experience, and to have Becca Stamp growing her role within the organization. Under the guidance of these two leaders, we know the Foundation will continue to grow our impact as we provide resources to educators, administrators, and school-related groups for innovative educational programs for all Manheim Township School District students.”

The Manheim Township Alumni Association is proud to announce the recipients of its Distinguished Alumni Award for 2023: Michael J. Novak, class of 1983, and Dr. Benjamin R. Stabler, class of 2008.

Since 1997, Manheim Township has honored graduates who have outstanding professional accomplishments and who have positively impacted their community.  The annual recognition is meant to spotlight the noteworthy achievements of alumni and inspire current students.  

Michael J. Novak ‘83 is a Senior Vice President at J.S. Held, LLC with a 35-year career in environmental consulting and remediation. 

At Manheim Township, Novak was a member of the track, cross-country and wrestling teams. He won the Lancaster-Lebanon League title in the 3,200 meter and received the Blue Streak Award in 1983.  He earned a BS in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University in 1987. 

Before being acquired by J.S. Held in 2021, Novak was founder and owner of Atlantic Environmental Solutions, Inc. (AESI) for 24 years. One of New Jersey’s first Licensed Site Remediation Professionals, he has directed over $100 million in environmental projects at more than 6,000 client locations across 47 states and serves as an expert witness on environmental and regulatory compliance issues.  

Novak received the Executive of the Year Award in 2018 by the New Jersey Business & Industry Association (NJBIA), a 20,000-member business organization.  In 2005, one of his remediation projects was honored with an Excellence Award by NJBIA. He has served on the boards of several professional organizations, including the Hudson County Chamber of Commerce, Hoboken Rotary, 200 Club of Hudson County, and Hoboken Zoning Board of Adjustment. He was President of the National Realty Club (a 70-year-old NYC-based commercial real estate organization) in 2019 and President of the Hoboken Chamber of Commerce. Novak is currently a member of the Advisory Board of the Rutgers School of Business, Center for Real Estate and serves on the Advisory Board of Citizens Bank and the Ambassador’s Board of Connect One Bank. 

Dr. Benjamin R. Stabler ’08 is a family physician with Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health.

At Manheim Township, Stabler was a member of the National Honor Society and played first chair bass in orchestra.  He was a 3-year varsity football player, earning all-league honors as an offensive and defensive tackle, as well as a track and field athlete, winning the league shot put title his senior year.  Stabler attended Harvard University, where he played varsity football and was a member of two Ivy League championship teams.  During college, he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, undergoing surgery, radiation and chemotherapy during his senior year.

Following a gap year working for Lancaster General Health and completing his treatment, Stabler attended the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University, where he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Society. As a family medicine resident, he was recognized for excellence in pediatric, emergency medical, and internal medicine care. Throughout undergraduate and medical school, he volunteered with various service organizations, including programs addressing hunger and raising funds for cancer research.

Stabler graduated from residency in June 2022 and returned to Lancaster to begin his career as a family physician.