WESLEY SPRING 2010 - Wesley Magazine - Wesley College

HIGHLIGHTS | alumni profileAttainable+SustainableSUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES NOT ONLYCONSERVE BUT PRODUCE POWER BYEMBRACING THE LATEST WIND, SOLAR,HYDROGEN AND BIOMASS TECHNOLOGIES.THE DESIGN OF URBAN INFRASTRUCTURESSUCH AS STORM WATER MANAGEMENTHELP AVOID MASSIVE, POWER ANDRESOURCE CONSUMING TREATMENTPLANTS IN FAVOR OF GENTLER, MORE NAT-URAL AND YET MORE EFFECTIVE SYSTEMS.Spain has had an appreciation for naturallife since he was a boy. Just after WorldWar II, his parents bought a 50 acreapple and peach farm in Delanco, NewJersey, right on the Delaware River. AsSpain grew up, his memories broadenedfrom life on the farm to life on the river.During that time, he hunted ducks andgeese, trapped muskrats and fished therivers and creeks in New Jersey. He hasowned several boats during his life andnow is captain of "Reel Easy," a 55-footsport fishing boat. This easily explainsthe nickname of “Mark Trail” listedunder his class photo in the Eukairia,Wesley’s yearbook.Although he was a natural guidewhen it came to exploring the outdoors,Spain was on the receiving end when ahigh school friend named Al Snow ledhim to discover Wesley Junior College,where he would begin his highereducation. Snow was going into theSeminary, a path Spain also hadentertained, so the United Methodistinstitution had a unique draw. After ameeting with President Slaybaugh andsome convincing of Spain’s parents, the18-year-old from Delanco officiallybecame a Wolverine.“My two years at Wesley were mygrowing up years,” said Spain. Wesleywas a new beginning where he foundlifelong friends by joining the StudentCouncil and the football team. He alsofound strong mentors like Dean Sterlingand Lewis “Uncle Louie” Wells. “I think Ican say without hesitation, that all of usfrom the Class of 1958 believe that withoutWesley, we would never have seen thebright light of day and what the worldtruly offered.”Even though more than 50 years havepassed since his days at Wesley, Spaincan still recall a course assignment thathas forever shaped his perspective. He“I think I can say without hesitation,that all of us from the Class of 1958believe that without Wesley, we wouldnever have seen the bright light of dayand what the world truly offered.”reminisced, “My most memorableexperience of ‘awakening’ my spirithappened when Professor Wells gave usan assignment to write about what weexperienced when we read ‘Seeing Life’by Alexander Baron. I have been trying tosee life every day since.”Spain became interested in real estatewhen he transferred to AmericanUniversity after Wesley. In 1959 he landedhis first real estate job and obtained hislicense. Almost 20 years later, Spain, withhis wife Barbara, bought the Better16 WESLEY COLLEGE :: Spring 2010