Nancy Lockwood to Retire after Nearly 40 Years of Service
Fast forward through Assistant Registrar Nancy Lockwood’s 39-year tenure at Central Penn College and you will witness a kaleidoscope of local history and countless dramatic changes, from the overall map of the campus to the college’s name, processes, majors, leadership and more.
This petite dynamo, at 71, will be retiring at the end of the year, taking with her so much institutional knowledge, along with many true friendships and fond memories of the days and Knights of Central Penn.
She remembers such campus milestones as the cranes installing the historic Henszeys wrought-iron Bridge, the days when ATEC was just a vision, and Commencement speaker invitations that were sent to such luminaries as Justice Sandra Day O’Connor (who just passed away recently), Chrysler’s Lee Iacocca and Gov. Tom Ridge. (They respectfully declined, but former President Ronald Reagan’s daughter, Maureen Reagan, spoke in 1981.)
She also remembers the line of students who used to snake out the Registrar’s door decades ago when students had to fill out and return drop/add forms or change majors face-to-face. At the hands of technology, much of that foot traffic has evaporated, with changes being made online. At the time Lockwood started, the college offered only associate degrees.
Knowing that Nancy would be reluctant to describe herself in glowing terms, Jen Correll, Registrar, happily did it for her. She offered that Nancy was “always smiling,” “always friendly” and “very positive.” She is quick with a broad smile or a laugh, and is eager to help anybody.
Many of us may recognize Nancy from her frequent walks around campus, which she says are not just for exercise—they help her walk off stress and clear her head. Her daily goal is not 10,000 steps—it’s peace of mind.
Nancy first started at Central Penn Business School, as it was known back then, in 1974. She worked as an instructor in the Court Reporting Department here for six years and then took a brief hiatus when her son and daughter were born in 1981 and 1983, respectively. She returned to Central Penn in 1990 to continue to instruct in the Court Reporting Department, which stopped enrolling in 2000. She then transitioned to Records and Registration.
She remembers President Bart Milano and his wife Jean very fondly, and so many other co-workers, faculty, staff and students along the way.
She marvels at the serendipitous collision of circumstances that brought her to Summerdale, PA. She was from Minneapolis and loved it in Minnesota. She has eight siblings, many of whom now live in California or still reside in Minnesota. After earning a diploma in court reporting in Minnesota, she moved to Reading, Pa. with a fellow classmate. When she decided to leave the Reading area, her boss called Central Penn to find a replacement for her. In an unexpected twist of fate, the college asked if Nancy would be interested in teaching Court Reporting there. And so it began! She wound up meeting her husband through her roommate, and they married decades ago.
In retirement, Lockwood has several goals. First on the list is to expand her work with cats.
She jokingly refers to herself as a “crazy cat lady.” She has inherited countless cats from her neighbor, who took care of many cats before that neighbor fell sick and ultimately passed away. She has built cat shelters on her property, feeds them, and has paid out of her own pocket for nine cats and counting to be spayed and neutered. She is active in the local Nobody’s Cats organization. Her cats include Walter, Gracie, Rosie, Henry, Zoey, Poppy, Charlie, Lily… and that’s just the tip of the cat colony.
Many of the cats are connected to past employees at Central Penn. When people learn that she takes in cats, she often hears from friends and fellow employees about cats who need homes.
“I’m way over my limit at this point,” she laughs.
Each morning, she spends at least an hour cleaning up litter and doing the same at night. When she retires, she hopes she can do even more to help cats who need homes.
“You’ve got to go all the way when you commit to a pet,” she says.
Second, in retirement, she plans to paint several rooms in her home, which she has wanted to do for years. She moved into her house in 1980 in North Middleton Township, in the Carlisle area.
Third, she plans to get more involved in her friend’s church. She already volunteers for the church’s “Whale of a Sale.” She has taken off a week each year to help with it. Like a giant rummage sale, smart shoppers can buy everything from Christmas decorations and clothing to toys, purses, jewelry and more. People assume she is a member of the Second Presbyterian Church since she does so much for the annual sale, but, in retirement, she hopes to do more.
“I often think about, ‘If I hadn’t crossed paths with that one person….’” Her life has been shaped by so many random path-crossings.
She encourages everyone to get to know their neighbors. “It’s so important,” she underscores. Of course, she knows their pets, too.
What will she miss the most about Central Penn?
“Oh gosh, the people…. the camaraderie,” she readily replies.
She has gotten very close to many of her past and present co-workers.
“That’s why I’ve stayed all these years,” she said.
As the daughter of a teacher in the public school system, she also likes being part of an educational institution.
“It keeps you thinking younger,” she said.
Central Penn will miss you, Nancy Lockwood. We thank you for your dedicated service!
