Past East Stroudsburg chapter president says her service was a ‘fulfilling’ aspect of career

Dr. Nancy VanArsdale, center, was East Stroudsburg University’s APSCUF chapter president when she received APSCUF’s Distinguished Service Award in 2019. With her are Dr. Allan Benn, left, who introduced the award, and APSCUF President Dr. Kenneth M. Mash. APSCUF filed photo

After 26 years serving as APSCUF’s East Stroudsburg University chapter president, Nancy VanArsdale was ready to make way for new leadership. She remains a professor of English at ESU, where she started in August 1990. VanArsdale quickly got involved with APSCUF. Astonished by the sense of community she said she felt during her first fall APSCUF meeting, she saw how well-run APSCUF was. She also met the state president at the time, William Fulmer.

“I was excited to become a part of it,” VanArsdale said of APSCUF, recalling the experience. She signed her union card.

During the spring semester of 1991, VanArsdale ran for ESU’s chapter public-relations position and the sabbatical committee, ultimately being elected to both. VanArsdale joined the statewide meet-and-discuss team in 1996. She said she knew representing ESU on state committees was a “fulfilling aspect of my career.”

VanArsdale saw the APSCUF strike of 2016 as a standout event during her presidency. She recalled meeting with both senior and junior faculty to explain why APSCUF was striking and what this meant for them as faculty members. She also described the strong solidarity. She shared memories of students joining her and other members on the picket line, supporting their educators with motivational signs, sweet treats, and cold water.

Reflecting on the challenges she had as a chapter president, VanArsdale shared an example of when she believed APSCUF was progressive beyond its time. She recalled that, more than 20 years before the pandemic, APSCUF’s collective bargaining agreement addressed distance education. Being one of the professors who agreed to learn distance education, VanArsdale felt prepared when the COVID-19 pandemic forced distance education onto everyone. VanArsdale described the solidarity that shone among APSCUF members as she watched faculty helping each other restructure their educational plans.

Stepping into the role as chapter president is Andi McClanahan, the chair of the ESU communication department. McClanahan said VanArsdale and other members encouraged her to get involved with APSCUF early in her career. McClanahan described how VanArsdale has listened to the members of her chapter and helped shape the union at ESU.

“She was always a steady leader who was able to be firm in promoting the union and fair in understanding concerns,” McClanahan said of VanArsdale.

After stepping back from chapter presidency, VanArsdale said she plans to stay active at the local and state APSCUF. She shared that she is excited about this new chapter in her life.

—Chloe Kissinger,
APSCUF intern