3 Added To Great Valley School District Wall Of Fame​

MALVERN, PA – Three Great Valley School District alumni were recently added to the district's wall of fame, joining 21 other grads to be included on the wall since it launched in 2012.

The newcomers to the wall are class of 1974's Carolyn Wentzel Bernstorf and Nancy G. Rosoff, as well as Jeffrey Albert McQuiston, class of 1980, who earned the honor posthumously.

The three were inducted to the Wall of Fame on Saturday, Oct. 21 during the homecoming celebration.

The three inductees were nominated by friends or family members for the outstanding personal and professional achievements and community contributions they have made since graduating high school, the district said.

"The Wall of Fame is a way for us to reconnect with our alumni and to applaud their outstanding achievements since graduation," Jennifer Blake, Great Valley Director of Communications and Outreach, who co-chairs the selection committee, said. "These graduates serve as role models for our current students and also speak to the excellence of a Great Valley education."

Inductees were selected from nominations received by the selection committee.

Anyone can nominate a Great Valley graduate for consideration, but nominees are judged according to strict criteria.

The program is designed to "ensure that the lives and achievements of Great Valley’s most accomplished graduates will forever be known among fellow graduates, current and future high school students, and the Great Valley community," according to the district website.

Inductees are those graduates who: model high standards of excellence in their personal and/or professional life; make outstanding contributions to volunteer service or their local community; and have demonstrated success at the local, regional, or international levels in any appropriate area of endeavor, including academia and education, arts, business, media, public service, medicine, military, sports, etc., the district said.

Nominations for the Wall of Fame are accepted annually in late summer. Learn more about the Wall of Fame and the nomination process online here.

Below are biographies of the three inductees, courtesy of Great Valley School District:

Carolyn Wentzel Bernstorf, Class of 1974

Mrs. Bernstorf graduated from Gettysburg College in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics, and earned her Master of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Akron in 1991. Initially a high school teacher of Calculus, Physics and Advanced Chemistry, she transitioned to the engineering discipline, focusing on computational mechanics and structural analysis. Her work experience included Fortran coding for the Nuclear Equipment Division of Babcock & Wilcox, composite material analysis of the combustor liner for a supersonic airliner while at NASA Lewis Research Center, and the utilization of specialized finite element codes for “virtual” tire analysis at both BFGoodrich and Bridgestone. While working at Bridgestone, she became the first female manager in its technical division, and was granted four utility patents. A cancer survivor, she has held numerous leadership positions within American Cancer Society fundraising organizations. She currently paddles competitively with the Dragon Dream Team, Ohio’s first all breast cancer survivor dragon boat team. After her recent retirement, she completed the requirements through The Ohio State University extension to be certified as a Master Gardener, providing research-based horticultural information and programs for the public. She lives in Wadsworth Township, Ohio with her husband, Allen.

Nancy G. Rosoff, Class of 1974

A graduate of the class of 1974, Dr. Nancy G. Rosoff returned to Great Valley High School where she taught social studies and coached field hockey and lacrosse from 1981-1999. After leaving Great Valley, Dr. Rosoff became associate dean of the faculty of arts and sciences at Rutgers University-Camden. In 2001, she became dean of graduate and undergraduate studies at Arcadia University.

Dr. Rosoff earned her Ph.D. in history from Temple University, her M.A. at West Chester University, and her A.B. at Mount Holyoke College. She presents her research on women’s history widely at conferences in both the United Kingdom and the United States, and is a visiting research fellow at the Centre for the History of Women’s Education, University of Winchester (UK). Dr. Rosoff has been heavily involved in the work of the Alumnae Association at Mount Holyoke and recently became a Board member of The Foundation at Great Valley.

Jeffrey Albert McQuiston, Class of 1980

An Eagle Scout and president of his class for four years, Mr. McQuiston graduated from Great Valley High School in 1980. He received his B.S. in Business Administration and History from Georgetown University, while simultaneously working as a Congressional Aid for Congressman Schulze of Pennsylvania’s 157th District. Upon graduating from Georgetown, Mr. McQuiston joined his family's business, McQuiston Insurance Agency of Paoli, PA, where he became partner and then president, and earned industry designations of CPCU and CLU. A member of the Paoli Business Association, Mr. McQuiston believed strongly in supporting local business and entrepreneurial opportunity.

One of Mr. McQuiston’s legacies is his passion for giving back to his community through his engagement with Malvern Troop 7, one of the oldest Boy Scout troops in Chester County. As a den leader and then as scout master, Mr. McQuiston led the troop to new heights and milestones, including high adventure trips, community service outreach, and the coordination of the troop's 90th anniversary celebration. Mr. McQuiston was a mentor for many Eagle Scout projects and also oversaw the renovation of Malvern Memorial Cabin.

Finally, as a PATC (Potomac Appalachian Trail Club) member and guardian of the Appalachian Trail, Mr. McQuiston is remembered for his deep appreciation of the outdoors and nature preservation.

Pictured above are Rossof and Bernstorf, as well as McQuiston

Images via Great Valley School District