Joyce Wendler and Don Wilcox. (Photo William Oehler/The Gettysburgian)
By William Oehler, Director of Photography
Schmucker 302 serves as host for two new students this semester, but neither shares a typical journey to Gettysburg, the College nor its classrooms. Don Wilcox and Joyce Wendler are two current community members auditing classes within the Art History department. While they may not have planned on ever taking any classes at the College, it always seemed that fate would bring them here.
Wilcox’s story begins during a high school trip down to Washington, D.C. He remembers stopping in the historic town center, but he and all his classmates were just itching to get to the main event of their trip; Gettysburg was simply a pitstop between them and the nation’s capital.
After going to seminary from 1972 to 1976, Wilcox became a Lutheran pastor and continued his work in pastoring in New York state until he retired in 2007. Within his three-decades long career, Wilcox received his master’s degree from Temple University and lived in Israel for two years.
Although he received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering and math, Wilcox was later drawn to the art world. During the first couple years of his retirement, Wilcox would think about what was next for him. He talked about a friend who happened to be an art historian. She was in Paris for a few months and invited him out to explore the city with her. Wilcox spent ten days in Paris being guided around the city by an expert, dissecting every little detail of the art before him. This was one experience that propelled him into the world of art.
His trip to Paris along with his love of American and European impressionists like Claude Monet, gave him the inspiration to audit classes at the College. Wilcox described the process of registering saying, while it may have been lengthy, it was not difficult at all. Between the classes being free, the lack of exams and the infectious enthusiasm of Professor Felicia Else, Wilcox has since audited three classes, and plans on more.
Beginning with Else’s Northern Renaissance class, he then shifted to the more general, Survey of Western Art course, and rounded his catalog out with the class he currently audits, Art of the Italian Renaissance. Wilcox wanted to be involved after his retirement. Being a part of a college town is one thing he appreciates. He cited the “access to intellect” that the campus offers and all the opportunities for continued learning at the College, for both students and community members. He often attends lectures, plays, sports games and other campus events.
Wilcox’s Gettysburg story began with a childhood visit to the battlefields with no planned intention on settling in the area once retired. His move into the art world was equally unplanned, but just as lucrative. Wendler’s story has similar twists and turns, and even the affinity for the same museums.
Wendler visited Gettysburg similarly to Wilcox, but this time with a friend who was a Civil War buff, she herself was not as enthusiastic but was interested in the history. This was her first contact with what would eventually come to be her home. Wendler currently lives in the Amblebrook community just a few miles away from the College.
She first fell in love with art on a backpacking trip with a girlfriend in 1976. She went all over Europe and stopped in Italy and knew she needed to visit the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City. She stared up at the ceiling and was enthralled. She referenced this experience as a main drive to audit the Italian Renaissance course.
After her trip around Europe, she returned stateside and worked as an educator for about thirty years. She instructed special education, kindergarten and early childhood students. She mentioned that her dream was always to teach. But she commented that she always wanted to go back to college as she had earned her associates degree with the lifelong intent on returning for a four-year degree.
Only having moved to Gettysburg eight months ago, Wendler is a new member of the community, but she says it is the perfect location; between both her children in Western PA and Phoenixville respectively. Originally from Plymouth Meeting PA, Wendler still has friends in the Philadelphia area whom she regularly visits. It was one of these friends who mentioned auditing classes at colleges (and whose whole family attended Gettysburg College). This was Wendler’s sign to head back to school.
Today, Wendler is also a student in Else’s Art of the Italian Renaissance course and has every intention of taking more classes. She has an art background in her family and has always been interested in documentaries and cinema. She mentioned maybe even adding Professor James Udden’s History of World Cinema, 1945 to the Present course when offered in the future.
Wendler shared a story in connection with her love of art and the artist George “Frolic” Weymouth. Weymouth was an American artist who organized the founding of the Brandywine River Museum in Chadds Ford PA. He was also commissioned to paint a portrait of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in 1995. It was this very painting that Wendler was invited to sneak a peek at when her friend, the house manager for Weymouth, unlocked the door to Weymouth’s work room, and there stood the portrait, half finished.
Wendler and Wilcox both shared how the Brandywine River Museum was a shared gem in their lives. Wilcox’s first visit was serendipitous, having first planned to see the Delaware Art Museum. After taking a few wrong turns, and refusing to ask for directions, Wilcox ventured home, but he came to a stop light, and there was a sign pointing in the direction of the Brandywine. He decided it was an indication he should visit.
Both Wilcox and Wendler found their way to Gettysburg’s campus in similar ways; never having thought of art as an area of study, falling in love with it in the cradle of western art in Europe, and then choosing Gettysburg as their new homes. After taking just one of Else’s courses, both commented on how her innate passion and energy surrounding any form of art was all they needed to say yes to more classes.
For those looking for a little extra learning in their lives, and experiences similar to Wilcox and Wendler, you may access the audit application form on the Registrar’s home page.
This article originally appeared on pages 8-9 of the March 2026 edition of The Gettysburgian magazine.
