On Thursday, Oct. 26, Elizabethtown College celebrated its annual Educate for Service Award. For the 2023-24 academic year, this award was attributed to Janice Holsinger ’64 and John Holsinger ‘65 P’84 P’85 at the Institution’s annual Leffler Lecture. 

The award given to the Holsingers is the most eminent honor bestowed to alumni from the College and the Elizabethtown College Alumni Association. The Holsingers had the opportunity to present a touching video for the opening of the lecture event. The presentation overlooked their history and journey together, the goals they have and how they were able to achieve them. 

The Holsingers met when they were about 15 years old, and when John realized that Janice was going to Etown, he decided to do the same before someone else in college decided to sweep her off her feet. From both of their hard work and ambition, they were able to make their dreams come true. Later, the pair raised an estimated  2 million dollars that was donated to the College to aid in improving the institution. 

“Janice and John’s commitment to Elizabethtown College has been profound and displayed in so many ways,” College President Betty Rider said. “They are dedicated Blue Jays and continue to model our College’s Educate for Service mission in all that they do.”

Offered annually since 1966, the Educate for Service awards honor Etown graduates who embody the spirit and legacy of education. These awards, which are based on the College’s Educate for Service philosophy and are organized by the Alumni Council, are divided into three categories: Service Through Professional Achievement, Service to Humanity and Service to the College. 

The Holsingers have made a career out of helping others. Janice developed the first U-GRO Learning Center in Palmyra, Pa. in 1973, with the goal of incorporating her experience in music and art into a good educational program for young children. She established a community of interested parents and children at U-GRO by collaborating with a local church and instructors who shared her enthusiasm for assisting youth in growing and developing into brilliant scholars. 

John Holsinger has worked with management teams in consumer sales and marketing for ACME Markets, Inc., Altria Group, Inc., Proctor & Gamble and Spectrum Industries. After retiring in 2003, he founded JLH Enterprise, a real estate management company that owned and operated multiple U-GRO Learning Centers. He has headed the community’s point football teams and worked on the parks and recreation commissions in his neighborhood.

The Holsingers headed the Steering Committee for the Be More Inspired Young Center Campaign and have been major supporters of both capital and scholarship-based programs at the College. They also founded, hosted and coordinated the Brethren Heritage Festival, a Homecoming and Family Weekend event held at the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies each year.

Service Through Professional Achievement and Service to Humanity winners will be acknowledged and celebrated during the forthcoming High Center Forum on March 27 and Ware Lecture on April 11.

Here is the link to a video kicking off the event presented by the Holsingers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qMxydCN-PWY