Dickinson College: A Love Story
The Pineo family at a Dickinson event. From left: Emily '23, Tania '92, Evan June, Tom '92 and Elizabeth '21.
Their family story began at Dickinson. It continues here too.
by MaryAlice Bitts-Jackson
The library may not be the most romantic setting imaginable, but when you’re falling in love with a student-worker, it’s the place where hopeful possibilities spark.
“Tania worked at the library,” says Tom Pineo, of Tania Adams, a friend and fellow class of ’92 member. “When I went to study, I always hoped she would have books to shelve near my cubicle.”
Happily, it worked: Tom and Tania started dating as juniors, two years after they met, and that summer, they grew closer, while serving separate Dana research assistantships on campus. They married in Old West in June 1993.
If this were a Jane Austen novel, the story would end with the ring of that Old West wedding bell, but in real life, new plot twists are developing. Tom and Tania’s two oldest daughters are now Dickinsonians too—including their oldest, who initially had no intention of enrolling—and, after decades of not keeping in close touch with the college, the class of ’92 Pineos are reconnecting with their alma mater in fulfilling new ways.
Saying ‘I do’
Tom '92 and Tania '92 Pineo, on their wedding day, in front of Old West.
As an undergrad, Tania was a psychology major who worked as a teaching assistant, as well as in the library; she also belonged to the Psychology Association, College Democrats and Big Little Program. Tom, a chemistry major, played in the jazz band, worked for Dining Services and was a member of the Pre-med Society. Neither studied abroad, but Tom did travel with the Dickinson Jazz Band to the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland—a highlight of his undergrad years.
When Tom and Tania said “I do” in Old West, Tom’s brother Ross ’96 and the class of ‘92’s John Katze, Brad Perkins, Sue Worthington Perkins, Jenni Massengale Denny, and Amy Moskowitz were in attendance. Two years later, when Ross popped the question to his then-girlfriend, Sara Hauck Pineo ’95, in Stuart Hall, Tom and Tania were there to congratulate them. They returned to campus the following year to attend Ross and Sara’s wedding.
Otherwise, there wasn’t much time to visit Dickinson, outside of milestone reunions. After med school and his residency, Tom set up practice as a physician, and also delivered pro bono care, through a clinic, to patients in need. Tania earned a master’s degree in psychology, worked in mental health administration until the birth of their first child and then homeschooled their three daughters.
A bit of foreshadowing? The Pineo daughters don Dickinson gear. From left: Evan June, Elizabeth '21 and Emily '23.
“We lived in an area where there weren’t any good public or private school options for us, so I became a reluctant homeschooler,” Tania says. “It ended up being a positive experience, because it allowed the kids to focus on areas such as music, art and writing in a way they wouldn’t have been able to in a traditional school.”
‘I really didn’t want to go to my parents’ school’
Then it was time for the Pineos’ two older daughters to think about college. Emily ’23 was interested in Dickinson. Elizabeth ’21 was not.
“I liked Dickinson, but I really didn’t want to go to my parents’ school,” says Elizabeth, who’d already checked out several other schools. “I had my heart set on another college.”
Still, when the family drove to Carlisle for Emily’s campus visit, Elizabeth gamely came along. One inspiring Dickinson tour later, both Emily and Elizabeth were all in.
The Pineos were living in western Pennsylvania, and for Elizabeth, the four-hour drive from home to campus seemed just about right. So she was surprised when, a few months before her Orientation, her dad was offered a job in Harrisburg, as medical director at UPMC Pinnacle, Community Osteopathic. After discussing it as a family, the Pineos decided to make the move to Mechanicsburg, Pa., just west of the state capitol. (“We promise we weren’t trying to follow her!” Tania says.)
‘There are definitely perks.’
The Pineo sisters.
That decision brought unexpected benefits. The school district is better, and youngest daughter Evan June, 13, is enjoying public school. Tom and Tania appreciate the chance to attend a handful of Dickinson lectures and concerts each year, careful to balance their desire to attend campus events with the need to give their daughters room to grow.
The Pineos report they like what they see at Dickinson today—Tania especially admires the college’s work in sustainability education and the leadership of President Margee Ensign. And so they give back. Tania pitches in during Move-In Day and fields questions from homeschool families who are considering Dickinson, from how to navigate the college-application process without aid from a guidance counselor, to how to prepare your child for rigorous note-taking ahead, to dealing with the big life changes for both parents and first-years. Tom delivered an on-campus career talk in 2018, and worked with pre-health professors to set up a paid summer internship at his hospital, now in its third year.
Emily and Elizabeth are likewise pleased with the way things turned out.
“I love having my parents nearby,” she says, explaining that not only did it make her Move-In Day significantly easier, but she enjoys catching up with her family in person—on campus, and at Leo’s Ice Cream.
“There are definitely perks,” Elizabeth agrees. “People who saw my dad’s talk or know my dad never hesitate to say hi, and I’m often asked to pass along an expression of gratitude. This initiates conversations with people I never would have spoken with otherwise. And just having the ability to get together with our family more often than most students is something I’m really grateful for.”
TAKE THE NEXT STEPS
Published October 24, 2019