Donald & Marie Clemens Chemistry Scholarship Fund

Donald Gotwals Clemens was born to Marcus Alderfer Clemens & Helen Gotwals Clemens in 1939.  He was the eldest of six children.  Marie Gehman Clemens was born to Warren Bergey Gehman & Irma Goshow Gehman in 1938.  She was the fourth of nine children.  Both Donald and Marie grew up in eastern Pennsylvania, thirty miles north of Philadelphia.  Together, even as children, they attended Franconia Mennonite Church with their families.  Later both families helped to start a mission at Rocky Ridge Mennonite Church near Quakertown.  They received their elementary education at Franconia Mennonite School, and Donald completed junior high school at Quakertown Mennonite School.  Marie was in the first class (1956) to graduate from Christopher Dock Mennonite High School, and Donald graduated in the second class (l957) at Christopher Dock Mennonite High School.

After graduating from high school, while Donald attended Goshen College (GC), Marie worked at Provident Bookstore in Souderton, Pennsylvania.  Donald received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from GC in 1961, and the couple was married the following August.  Donald went on to attend graduate school at the University of Pennsylvania.  Marie worked in the placement office at the University of Pennsylvania until their first daughter, Rhonda, was born in the summer of 1965.  The following summer Donald received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry (1966).  After working for a year as a research chemist at DuPont, he joined the chemistry department at Goshen College in the fall of 1967.  Their second daughter, Denise, was born in Goshen in 1968.

Marie was a ‘stay-at-home’ mom for ten years.  During that time she took college courses on a part-time basis, completing her interdisciplinary degree from GC in 1981.  She reentered the work force in the Center for Discipleship and with the Continuing Education programs at GC.  After graduating she worked in the dean’s office at the Associated Mennonite Biblical Seminaries for five years.

During their tenure at Goshen College they were SST (Study Service Trimester) unit leaders in Nicaragua for one term in the summer of 1970.  In 1978-79 they were SST leaders in Belize.  After a sabbatical year in San Diego, California (1987-1988), Marie began working in the human resources department at Oaklawn Psychiatric Center.  She worked
at Oaklawn for 17 years until her retirement in May 2004.  Donald retired at the
end of April 2004 after 37 years of teaching chemistry at GC.

Their years of service and dedication to GC and its students are to be honored.  Donald participated in life at GC by being an outstanding professor that encouraged each student to excel at his or her level while broadening their scope of knowledge in chemistry and its influence in the world.  Additionally he has served as chair of the chemistry department, an adviser to chemistry majors, chair of the premedical committee, and enjoyed being a premedical advisor to many students.  He supported many of his students by attending their concerts and athletic events.  In addition to playing tennis, Donald is an avid Bridge player and the noon game continues in his retirement.  Other activities that they have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy are camping (RV), biking, birding, watching their grandchildren, reading and keeping up with the rest of the world.  They also plan to participate in volunteer activities.

This Scholarship attempts to honor the constant encouragement and support that Donald and Marie gave to students in the past to achieve their goals and dreams.  And they wish you great success as you continue to strive to master and advance chemistry in all its forms.