A Lifelong Advocate for Change
When Alan Lovell ’70 arrived at Susquehanna University, he was a self-described “Navy brat” who had attended 12 schools across the United States and abroad.
“I was ready to be an adult,” he recalls, “but still clung to many of my more comfortable norms.”
What he found at Susquehanna was a community that challenged him, broadened his worldview and set him on a path toward a lifetime of meaningful leadership and service.
A political science major, Lovell immersed himself in campus life. He joined Alpha Phi Omega, the coeducational service fraternity, and Alpha Psi Omega, the national theatre honor society. He served as Student Government Association president and became the first student representative to sit on the university’s Board of Trustees. His leadership, during a time that coincided with a period of great change on Susquehanna’s campus, earned him recognition as Susquehanna’s Outstanding Senior Man in 1970.
“Students were beginning to find their voices, advocating for new policies and greater freedom of expression,” he says. “Susquehanna helped me learn how to work with others to create change.”
That collaborative approach became the hallmark of his professional career. After earning a master’s degree in counseling and a doctoral degree in public administration, Lovell devoted his career to advancing opportunities for people with disabilities. As the founding executive director of what is now The Arc of Howard County in Maryland, he helped move disability services from institutional settings into the heart of the community. He launched programs in early intervention and inclusive education, supported employment opportunities and advocated for community-based housing — initiatives that transformed lives and shifted public perceptions.
Lovell credits Susquehanna with preparing him for that work. “The university gave me the tools and confidence to make worthwhile changes,” he says. “It taught me the art of compromise and the importance of giving people a voice. Real change happens when people see one another as equals.”
Lovell’s life and work have always been intertwined with his wife, Linda ’71, whom he met when they both ran for Student Government Association office — and both won. Married by then-university President Gustave Weber and Chaplain Steve Bremer in 1972, the Lovells have remained deeply connected to their alma mater. Their daughters, Meredith ’02 and Jocelyn ’07, are both Susquehanna alumnae, continuing a family legacy nearly six decades strong.
In 2023, the Lovells established The Lovell Family Scholarship to support future generations of Susquehanna students. They are also members of the John App Circle, recognizing their lasting commitment to the university.
Reflecting on his journey, Lovell remains grateful for how Susquehanna shaped him.
“This university took a chance on us, gave us experiences, challenged us and instilled in us the motivation to make a difference,” he says. “That’s what Susquehanna does best; it turns students into changemakers.”
