Messiah College's The Bridge magazine - Winter 2020

THE

8 LITTLE ROCK NINE

Minnijean Brown Trickey visits campus

20 COLLEGIATE COACHES

MESSIAH COLLEGE ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Alums working in college sports

WINTER 2020

12

Internship investment

Gaining real-world experience as a student

MESSIHA COLLEGE ATHLETICS

INSIDE LOOK

The Messiah women’s soccer team won their sixth National Championship against William Smith at UNCGreensboro Dec. 7. They have the most national championships in NCAA women’s soccer history. To read more about this historic win, turn to p. 10.

W I N T E R 2 0 2 0 , VO L . 1 1 1 , N O . 3

MESSIAH COLLEGE A LU M N I M AG A Z I N E

THE

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Office of Marketing and Communications One College Avenue, Suite 3020 Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717.691.6027 | www.messiah.edu PRESIDENT

Kim S. Phipps V I C E P R E S I D E N T F O R A DVA N C E M E N T

Barry Goodling ’79 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF M A R K E T I N G & C O M M U N I C AT I O N S

Carla E. Gross EDITOR

Anna Seip C R E AT I V E D I R E C T O R

Nancy Soulliard GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Deb Hartranft Matt Logan, M.A. ’17 DIRECTOR OF A L U M N I & PA R E N T R E L AT I O N S

Jay McClymont ’92 CONTRIBUTORS

Matthew Fenton’13, M.A. ’16, Molly McKim ’23, Jake Miaczynski ’20, Sarah Stubbe ’21

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The Bridge (ISSN-0279-3938) is published quarterly by the Messiah College Office of Marketing and Communications for alumni and friends of the College, free of charge. Periodicals postage (USPS #342000) paid at Mechanicsburg PA 17055 and additional mailing offices. Please contact us at thebridge@messiah.edu or 717-691-6027. Items for the alumni news section should be identified by class year and sent to the Messiah College Office of Alumni and Parent Relations, One College Avenue Suite 3023, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. You may email them to alumni@messiah.edu or fax them to 717-796-5371.

F E AT U R E S

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As its name suggests, The Bridge connects alumni, parents and donors with Messiah College. It also serves to build the College’s image with these audiences. It does this by publishing accurate news about the College and about alumni and by offering interesting feature articles that are issue- or College-related for readers’ continued education.

Messiah College accepts news submissions from alumni and the broader community but reserves the right to edit or decline to print materials at its discretion.

Messiah College is a Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences. The College is committed to an embracing evangelical spirit rooted in the Anabaptist, Pietist and Wesleyan traditions of the Christian Church.

Our mission is to educate men and women toward maturity of intellect, character and Christian faith in preparation for lives of service, leadership, and reconciliation in church and society.

Messiah College does not discriminate on the basis of gender, race, color, disability and national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other Collegeadministered programs. © 2020 Messiah College

C O V E R :

Ben Curtz ’21 interns as a medical scribe and hopes to attend medical school after graduation.

The Bridge is printed on recyclable paper: 50/25 PCW EFC

JOHN WHITEHEAD IMAGES

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THE INTERNSHIP INVESTMENT

COLLEGIATE COACHES

How the Career and Professional Development Center prepares students for the real world

Grounded in faith and Messiah academics, our alumni coach sports at colleges and universities across the U.S.

F R O M T H E E D I TO R WITH EACH ISSUE OF THE BRIDGE, OUR STAFF TYPICALLY INCORPORATES A THEME. SOME THEMES ARE QUITE OBVIOUS AND INTENTIONAL, SUCH AS OUR FUN ISSUE FROM LAST SPRING. FOR OTHER ISSUES OF THE MAGAZINE, HOWEVER, A THEME WILL RISE UP UNEXPECTEDLY ONLY AFTER THE MAGAZINE COMES TOGETHER IN ITS FINAL LAYOUT STAGES. FOR OUR WINTER ISSUE, A THEME CAME UP QUIETLY BUT PERSISTENTLY: INVESTMENT.

As I tried to think up a headline for our feature about student internships on p. 12, I kept thinking of the investment of time — the actual hours completed by the student interning but also the amount of responsibilty required of an employer to mentor a college student through the realworld experience of starting a career.

As a fan of alliteration, I couldn’t resist naming this particular story “The Internship Investment.”

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D E PAR TM E NT S

4

FROM THE PRESIDENT

5

OUR CAMPUS

5

Faces and Places

6

Heard Around Campus

7

Brain Waves

8

Campus News

10

Athletics

27

OUR ALUMNI

27

Alumni Profiles

30

Class Notes

32

From the Archives

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ONLINE EXTRAS

MESSIAH.EDU/THE_BRIDGE To watch a video about the finance major, visit messiah.edu/financevideo.

For more information about sustainability at Messiah, visit messiah.edu/sustainability.

To learn more about Explore U, visit messiah.edu/explore-u.

For our coaching feature on p. 20, we take a look at Messiah alumni who coach at colleges and universities across the U.S. Because Messiah invested in these students through academics, faith development and teamwork, they now “share the wealth” with their student athletes.

For more literal investment, look no further than p. 5 to read our news article about Generation Z and how they’re carving their own niche of biblically responsible investing.

Assistant Professor of Finance Dwayne Safer recently served on a panel titled “Impact for the Next Generation,” which focused on how the investing landscape has changed as Gen Z drives new behaviors.

I hope you enjoy the winter issue of The Bridge.

Watch an alum’s Youtube channel about religion at youtube.com/religionforbreakfast.

A N N A S E I P, E D I T O R

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FROM THE PRESIDENT

Internships help students gain real-world experience

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wasn’t an ideal fit for her. “I was glad that I pursued this experience because of the professional skills I earned and the knowledge of what I wanted in a career,” Ganeng said.

Laura Sollenberger ’19 had a life-changing internship experience at a hospital in Uganda. Arriving as a preoccupational therapy student, Sollenberger observed surgeries, followed physicians and nurses, and shadowed specialists in areas as diverse as palliative care to labor and delivery. Through these experiences and interactions with patients, she discovered that nursing fit her “personal goals and innate desires for her vocation in a more complete way.”

She returned, graduated with her applied health degree from Messiah and began a 16-month accelerated nursing program at Penn State Harrisburg.

“Often, an internship further clarifies a student’s anticipated career path, perhaps even helping a student eliminate a career option they had considered.”

“This internship was not only the 150-hour internship needed to count for my degree at Messiah, but it was also a transformative experience where I grew measurably into the health care worker that I hope to become,” she said.

Many elements go into preparing students for successful preparation for their chosen vocation, and certainly the applicable experiences of an internship are a critical piece, regardless of a student’s field of study or anticipated vocation. I am incredibly thankful for the work of our Career and Professional Development Center and their efforts to cultivate greater connection to and application of student learning to various real-world contexts. I hope you enjoy reading further in this issue about students’ interesting internship experiences.

K I M S . PH I PPS, PRESIDENT

PHOTO: RYAN SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY

Early in my career as a professor of communication at Malone College, I had the opportunity to supervise students who enrolled in a majors internship course. One of the students told me her reservations about whether she would “learn anything” from working for a local public relations professional. The student lamented, “I have earned A’s in all my coursework and edited the campus newspaper; what can she teach me?”

Her overconfidence and lack of humility troubled me, and I encouraged her to put forth her best effort. (All the while thinking about how much she needed to learn!)

Imagine how pleased I was when we met at the conclusion of the semester and the student shared her portfolio with me, which included samples of her work.

She enthusiastically spoke of the improvement in her writing and design skills as well as lessons learned about working with demanding clients. Then she stated the most significant learning outcome: “Sherri’s (her supervisor’s) example of an accomplished Christian businesswoman who successfully navigates many ethical and professional challenges will stay with me forever.” My student’s internship experience not only strengthened her skills but gave her an important, up-close view of an accomplished professional.

Through Messiah College’s Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI), undergraduate students are given the important and often life-shaping opportunities to attain meaningful career development and community engagement experiences through a variety of options, including internships. (All Messiah students are required to complete the ELI, which includes the options of participating in internships, practicums, study abroad, leadership development, service learning or guided undergraduate research.)

Often, an internship further clarifies a student’s anticipated career path, perhaps even helping a student eliminate a career option they had considered. Biology major Brenda Kucha Anak Ganeng ’20 interned for a public health association one summer. Though she gained tremendous skills by learning to manage her time, to work independently and to communicate clearly and concisely with other professionals, she discovered that office work

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FAC E S A N D P L AC E S

Gen Z begins to practice biblically responsible investing

Biblically responsible investing (BRI) is a growing niche among investors, and you can thank Generation Z for that.

At The Economist Investing for Impact Conference in New York City Feb. 13, Assistant Professor of Finance Dwayne Safer participated in a panel titled “Impact for the Next Generation,” which focused on how the investing landscape has changed as Gen Z drives new behaviors.

“My thoughts on the panel were about how Gen Z approaches life more holistically and seeks to drive impact in all areas of their lives, i.e. their jobs, their personal time and the alignment of their investment portfolio with their values, beliefs and desired impact,” said Safer. “Gen Z is a generation that understands that equity ownership confers ethical responsibility.”

Studies show that, compared to preceding generations, a larger percent of Gen Z attends weekly religious services and possesses a faith in God. The conference’s theme centered on the growth and increasing popularity of the ESG (environmental, social and governance) and SRI (socially responsible investing) movement, which now has reached $12 trillion in investable assets in the U.S. and $31 trillion globally.

COURTESY OF THE ECONOMIST

DWAYNE SAFER JOINS PANEL AT THE INVESTING FOR IMPACT CONFERENCE IN NYC TO DISCUSS TREND

Assistant Professor of Finance Dwayne Safer, in center of panel, discussed Gen Z’s investing impact at a recent conference.

FINANCE “My other main area of discussion was around faith-based investing, which is the fastest growing segment in the larger ESG investing movement,” he said. “Faith-based investing is not so much about screening out the companies that are participating in negative activities as much as it is investing in companies that are promoting human flourishing and positive outcomes for all stakeholders.”

The concept of faith-based and biblically responsible investing can be traced back to John Wesley, the founder of the Methodist movement, in his 18th-century sermon, “The Use of Money.” BRI became more popular recently after an October 2019 Wall Street Journal article on the topic.

“BRI is becoming increasingly popular as the overall SRI/ESG space grows,” said Safer, “and

faith-driven investors desire to align their investment choices to biblical values in acknowledgement that all of the resources we possess are from God and therefore we should be good stewards of our financial resources.”

— Anna Seip

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR FINANCE MAJOR, VISIT MESSIAH.EDU/ FINANCEVIDEO.

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HEARD AROUND CAMPUS

“ Soaking up my time at Messiah before graduation: Powerhouse, Into the City trips and warm cookie day at Lottie.”

WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO ABOUT SPRING?

– Abby Pepitone ’20

“ The Spring Fling dance.”

“Track.”

– Spencer Cassel ’23

– Isis Ortiz-Scarlett ’22

“ Nice weather and being able to sit outside on the Union patio.”

– Maddy Schaeffer ’21

“ I’m so excited for Service Day in April. I love that day!”

“ Volleyball on the sand courts.”

– Jonathan Wilkerson ’22

“My internship.

I’m excited to get out of the classroom and get some real-life experience.”

– Matt Dekonty ’20

– Julianna Chen ’22

– Carla Kelly ’22

– Maddie Rivera ’21 6 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

– Carlos Holguin ’21

“ The Black Student Union dance and seeing a Broadway show through the Student Activities Board.”

– Emoni Taylor ’21

“ I’m just excited to do my homework outside and have some alone time outdoors.” “ Canoe-a-thon and other outdoor activities with my friends.”

“ I’m ready for club events to kick in—especially the International Gala.”

“ Warm weather.”

– Ashley Mathew ’21

“ Spending as much time with friends as I can before graduation.”

– Grace Beattie ’20

“ I’m excited to sleep with the fan on, go on outdoor adventures and wear shorts.”

– Kristian Trinchi ’21

B R A I N WAV E S

Trumpet player mentors students on and off the field MUSIC ED MAJOR AUSTIN FUNKHOUSER ’20 ALREADY TEACHING HIGH SCHOOLERS While most students spent their Friday nights watching a movie, senior music education major Austin Funkhouser ’20 was on the sidelines of a high school football game.

Funkhouser spent his final fall semester at Messiah working with the Carlisle High School’s music program and helping the marching band with Friday night football games.

Arriving two hours before the game, he helped students prepare for their halftime performances, even joining them in the stands to play alongside them.

Funkhouser has his heart set on teaching music. Prior to working at the high school, he served as a trumpet and ensemble mentor and resident assistant at the Csehy Summer School of Music at Cairn University.

“Csehy has such a unique culture, and it makes camp feel like a second home for me,” he said.

His favorite part of the experience? Working with students.

The goal of the six-week camp is to help students grow in musical training and faith—a combination Funkhouser says he believes is of utmost importance.

“I recognized that by submitting our talents and abilities to God, He is able to use them

to reach the hearts of other people—something I believe music is especially powerful in accomplishing,” he said.

At Messiah, Funkhouser participates in the Messiah College brass quintet under the direction of Messiah Professor of Music Mike Harcrow. “Austin is an observer, quiet by nature, but he leads by an outstanding example,” said Harcrow. “He is honest and even-keeled, and he has a great sense of humor.”

Thanks to his Messiah experiences on and off campus, Funkhouser says he can’t help but feel prepared for life post-graduation. He plans to find a job teaching music in Pennsylvania or Maryland and work toward a master’s degree in music education or music administration.

“You never know what moments will have a lasting impact on students,” he said.

“As a teacher, I want to always strive to have the best influence possible on students—and the memories of band to shine the brightest.”

— Molly McKim ’23 and Jake Miaczynski ’20

“ I recognized that by submitting our talents and abilities to God, He is able to use them to reach the hearts of other people—something I believe music is especially powerful in accomplishing.” — Austin Funkhouser ’20

Last fall, music education major Austin Funkhouser ’20 helped Carlisle High School’s marching band sharpen their halftime performances.

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 7

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CAMPUS NEWS

LITTLE ROCK NINE ACTIVIST VISITS CAMPUS

BETHANY HEYDT ’22

MINNIJEAN BROWN TRICKEY SHARES HER ROLE IN U.S. HISTORY

“THERE’S ALWAYS SOMETHING TO READ, ALWAYS SOMETHING TO LEARN; DON’T JUST ‘GET YOUR EDUCATION.’ TAKE IT AND USE IT.” — Minnijean Brown Trickey

Messiah College invited Minnijean Brown Trickey, one of the Little Rock Nine, to campus Jan. 21. During her visit, she served as chapel speaker, where she encouraged students and faculty to pursue Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy of nonviolence and beloved community.

After the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, ruling calling for the desegregation of schools, the Little Rock Nine—a group of nine African American students—enrolled in the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957.

It is considered one of the most important events in the civil rights movement.

“I grew up learning about these

people in school, and never could I have imagined I’d have the opportunity to meet them,” said Todd Allen, professor of communication and special assistant to the president and provost for diversity affairs. “She was everything you’d hope one of these fi gures would be—real, authentic and humble.”

Trickey, a lifelong activist, has received numerous awards including the NAACP Spingarn Medal and the Congressional Gold Medal—the nation’s highest civilian award. She also joined Messiah faculty and students on the Civil Rights Bus Tour this past year, a weeklong educational journey where participants tour historic sites.

Cherisse Daniels, director of multicultural student programs, met Trickey on the bus tour.

“As I spent nine days with her, a civil rights pioneer,” said Daniels, “I refl ected on my own experience as a black woman during my time in college and higher education.

I felt privileged to attend school and now work at an institution,

but I also refl ected on how women of color still face inequality in higher education today.”

While in chapel, Trickey paid homage to King, a close friend before and during the movement.

She reminded listeners that activism and social responsibility are a life sentence. “I don’t get to rest,” she told students and faculty. “This keeps my blood pumping.”

Trickey’s daughter, Spirit Tawfi q, joined her mother at the evening chapel, where students and faculty engaged in a Q&A session.

Trickey and Tawfi q reminded students about the importance and power of their education.

Trickey left Messiah with a challenge to the community: “There’s always something to read, always something to learn.

Don’t just ‘get your education.’

Take it and use it.”

A little girl who just wanted to go to school is now empowering others to enter a lifelong journey of learning.

— Jake Miaczynski ’20

Messiah honors MLK Day In honor of the life and teachings of Martin Luther King Jr., 73 Messiah students gathered to serve the Harrisburg area for MLK Community Engagement Day Jan. 20.

Students traveled to Commonwealth Charter Academy in Harrisburg for the 11th annual Central Pennsylvania Martin Luther King Day of Service. The event welcomed community members to participate in drawing cards for children in hospitals, making blankets for the homeless and learning how to become

advocates in their own communities.

Emoni Taylor ’21, a peace and conflict studies major who participated, said, “It was amazing to see Messiah students volunteered throughout Harrisburg for MLK Community Engagement Day. the ways different community organihopefully leads us to contribute zations came together for the to the lives of others. Loving our greater good.” neighbors is an everyday thing, Ashley Sheaffer, director of yes, but it also requires intenthe Agapé Center for Service and tional—and sometimes uncomLearning, said, “Learning the fortable—efforts to enhance the stories of our neighbors breaks dignity of all of our neighbors.” our own biases, helps us to build bridges of understanding and — Jake Miaczynski ’20

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ANDRE FRUEH ’21

STUDENTS SERVE OTHERS DURING COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT DAY

Messiah College to celebrate 50th anniversary of Earth Day OFFICE OF SUSTAINABILITY PLANS EVENTS At Messiah, sustainability isn’t just a trend. It’s a commitment to a way of life. April 22 is the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, and the Office of Sustainability is preparing to celebrate.

“The 50th anniversary is a great reminder of the work people have done before us,” said Brandon Hoover, director of sustainability at Messiah, “and the work still to be done.”

NEED A MAJOR? EXPLORE U NEW PROGRAM HELPS STUDENTS FIND THEIR COURSE OF STUDY Messiah College recently launched Explore U, a program committed to helping students explore which major they would like to study. With more than 85 majors, Messiah is prepared to go on a journey with prospective, admitted and current students that shapes their future career paths.

A college experience is made up of more than just your major.

Because of this, Messiah places high emphasis on enrichment opportunities such as leadership, clubs, athletics, organizations, ministry, service, research and study abroad programs. This deeper dive into decision-making allows students to develop skills and abilities—such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork and critical thinking—that are highly sought by employers.

Explore U offers students many different resources, including

dedicated academic advisors and career counselors from the Messiah College Career and Professional Development Center. Career counselors help students identify their own strengths and interests so they can be translated into meaningful opportunities on campus.

Explore U sessions are now available at open house events and accepted student preview days. From there, students are encouraged to explore their options, try them out and keep moving forward. The goal of Explore U is threefold: to know yourself, to know your options and to keep perspective.

Brittany Hampton ’20, a business major, said, “I learned that it’s okay to take your time and to be unsure. I was very nervous about not having a major declared because it felt like I had no direction, but it was a great learning experience and through it, I found a major that is a good fi t for me.”

— Staff report

Events will include: • On April 6, 500 trees will be planted in celebration of Earth Day’s milestone anniversary.

These trees will join the 180 trees previously planted in the fall in partnership with the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay. By planting the trees, the College helps to improve the local watershed, the water quality

of the Yellow Breeches and the Chesapeake Bay. • Pennsylvania Secretary of Conservation and Natural Resources Cindy Adams Dunn and former Pennsylvania State Senator Franklin Krury will visit campus April 15 for a panel discussion, “The past 50 and the Next 50: Staying Focused on Sustainability in Pennsylvania.”

• Rachel Lamb, former director of Young Evangelicals for Climate Action, will speak in chapel on April 21.

• Other events include a lunch and learn seminar on sustainable commuting strategies and Messiah’s Service Day April 16.

— Molly McKim ’23 and Jake Miaczynski ’20 FOR MORE INFORMATION ON SUSTAINABILITY AT MESSIAH, VISIT MESSIAH.EDU/SUSTAINABILITY.

TO LEARN MORE, GO TO MESSIAH.EDU/EXPLORE-U. MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 9

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MESSIAH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

AT H L E T I C S

Maddie Kohl ’21 scores the game’s only goal for the women’s soccer program’s sixth National Championship.

WOMEN’S SOCCER CLAIMS ANOTHER TITLE With just over 20 minutes remaining in the Elite Eight, the dreams of a sixth National Championship looked farfetched for Messiah women’s soccer. The Falcons trailed the two-time defending National Champion Williams Ephs 2-0, but back-to-back goals from Ellie Lengacher ’20 and Maddie Kohl ’21 in a two-minute stretch flipped the script and forced overtime.

After a scoreless overtime, the match turned to a penalty kick shootout. The Falcons had been ousted from the NCAA Tournament in each of the previous five seasons on penalty kicks, but this time the result was different. By defeating Williams 3-2 in the shootout, Messiah advanced to their 13th Final Four

in program history.

The storybook ending was far from assured as Messiah faced another second-half deficit in the Final Four, trailing Carnegie Mellon 1-0. An equalizer off the foot of Kayla Herr ’22 in the 78th minute tied the game, forcing overtime and eventually another shootout. For the second time in as many games Messiah moved on after penalty kicks with Lydia Ewing ’21 playing the hero for the Falcons. The junior keeper saved three of the four attempts she faced as Messiah advanced.

“Everyone has their role on the team and I was just getting my role done,” said Ewing after her stellar performances in the two shootouts. “In the end, it comes down to digging deep and fighting together as a team. It was a team effort, keeping that ball out of the goal.”

Just 24 hours later, Messiah took the pitch in their 10th

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“In the end, it comes down to digging deep and fighting together as a team. It was a team effort, keeping that ball out of the goal.”

— Lydia Ewing ’ 21 National Championship in the last two decades. The Falcons’ foe in the National Championship was a familiar one, the Williams Smith Herons. The two sides met exactly three months earlier when the Herons handed Messiah their lone loss of the season in Geneva, New York.

Messiah avenged that loss by edging William Smith in a battle of Division III titans. Early in the second half, Kohl netted the lone goal of the championship to propel the Falcons to the 1-0 victory.

“I think early on (this season), I thought this group had the talent to do it, but the question we had

to answer in the last two weeks was did we have the heart to do it, and they did,” said an emotional Scott Frey, head coach, in his postgame press conference at the National Championship.

Frey was named the National Coach of the Year as the Falcons finished the season with an overall record of 22-1-3, winning their sixth National Title in program history. Messiah previously claimed National Championships in 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012.

—Matthew Fenton ’13, MA ’16, director of athletic communications

2005 Messiah defeated The College of New Jersey 1-0

2008 Messiah defeated Wheaton College (Ill.) 5-0

2009 Messiah defeated Washington University-St. Louis 1-0

2011 Messiah defeated Wheaton College (Ill.) 3-1

2012 Messiah defeated Emory University 1-0

2019 Messiah defeated William Smith College 1-0

AFTER THE WHISTLE

Athletics dept. launches series on storytelling STUDENT ATHLETES PROVIDE FIRST-PERSON ACCOUNTS, LESSONS Messiah Athletics is more than just what you see on the field, court, track, or pool. The unique stories from the over 400 student-athletes, coaches, and staff members are what makes Messiah distinctive in the landscape of collegiate athletics.

In mid-October, Messiah Athletics announced the start of a new series titled After the Whistle to help tell these stories. This new series takes fans behind the curtain of Messiah Athletics with first-person accounts of what it means to be a Falcon. Published approximately every two weeks, After the Whistle stories are written by members of Messiah’s 22 intercollegiate athletic programs and cover a wide range of topics, from the recruiting process to the life lessons and experiences that student-athletes, coaches, and staff members have gathered during their time as Falcons.

Here is an excerpt from “Across my Chest, Etched on my Heart,” written

by Abby Howard ’21, a member of the Messiah women’s lacrosse program: Being at Messiah has challenged me physically, academically, mentally, socially, emotionally and spiritually. I have been held to a higher standard of excellence because of this program—a program that demands hard work, ownership, discipline, resiliency, sacrifice, and commitment.

MESSIAH COLLEGE ATHLETICS

With six titles to their name, Messiah now has the most women’s soccer national championships in NCAA Division III women’s soccer history.

Sure, you’ll find these things at pretty much all competitive collegiate athletic programs, but we’re different. The uncommon thing about this team is that we play with freedom because we know our worth is not shaken or dependent on our performance on the field. Our worth is because of who the Lord says we are: His chosen daughters, fully known and fully loved.

We remind each other of that. We extend grace, not because of who we are but simply because of who He is and the grace He has so freely and undeservingly given to us. This game is fun.

But playing this game with my best friends and a committed group of coaches for a God who is a God of order and detail, “man oh man” (as Coach would say) that is more than just “fun.”

I committed to Messiah in

April of my senior year of high school. A day full of laughs and tears and years of dreams brought into fruition because of a good God who hears and cares about the desires of His children’s hearts. Because club ball ends the summer before your senior year, I never got to wear a green arm band to say I was committed to play lacrosse in college, which was something I had dreamed of doing for so long.

It didn’t matter anymore about whether or not I ever got a chance to wear a silly green band on my arm. What matters is the name I get to wear across my chest for every game day. It’s the same name that is etched on my heart for the rest of my life— Messiah.

I couldn’t be more thankful or proud of the school I go to, the program and team I’m a part of, and the perfect God that I play for.

FOR MORE STUDENT ATHLETE PROFILES, VISIT GOMESSIAH.COM/ATW

“OUR WORTH IS BECAUSE OF WHO THE LORD SAYS WE ARE: HIS CHOSEN DAUGHTERS, FULLY KNOWN AND FULLY LOVED.” — Abby Howard ’ 21

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 11

ANDRE FRUEH ’21

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

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The INTERNSHIP INVESTMENT LEAD IN DECK

MESSIAH HELPS STUDENTS GAIN REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE

By Anna Seip

From left: Nathan Velazco ’21 meets with Messiah’s Career and Professional Development Center internship supervisors Orlando Williams and Joy Fea. MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 13

INTERNSHIP INVESTMENT

A

fter clocking in at the hospital, Ben Curtz ’21 grabs a computer cart with a laptop and heads out to the emergency department floor of Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.

He preps medical charts, sees patients and takes medical histories. He’s not a doctor. He’s an intern.

The biochemistry major works as an emergency department medical scribe for ScribeAmerica, a company that helps medical centers assist in documentation.

“Through this, the workload of a doctor is greatly decreased,” explained Curtz, “as they can spend anywhere from four to six hours outside of work continuing to chart patient visits. In addition, it provides great exposure for pre-medical students to medical terminology and the general hospital environment.”

A typical eight-hour shift can involve following a doctor into the exam room to see the patient, at which point Curtz takes the medical history, the reason for the visit, symptoms and other relevant information. Upon exiting the room, the doctor will then give the results of the physical exam to Curtz and let him know about any tests or radiology processes the patient will need. This process repeats multiple times over the course of the shift.

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MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 15

INTERNSHIP INVESTMENT

“Most doctors are even kind enough to walk you through their thought processes in diagnosing patients,” he said, “which helps you relate the things you are seeing in the patient room to the physiological and anatomical basis behind the symptoms and complaints.”

SETTING THE VISION

The Career and Professional Development Center (CPDC) at Messiah serves as the liaison between employers and students for internships. (Clinicals and practica are different than internships and monitored through individual academic departments.). While the office doesn’t place students in internships, it does help with the process.

“While the employer ultimately decides which interns they want to hire, the CPDC assists students in finding potential sites and preparing their application materials,” said Christy Hanson, associate dean of career and professional development.

“Ultimately, an internship should be mutually beneficial to the student and the employer, but it’s first and foremost a learning and professional development experience for the student,” said Hanson, “so there are some unique expectations of a supervisor of an intern. In reality, it’s a lot of work to have an intern. We are very appreciative of our supervisors who take it seriously.”

MORE THAN ONE SUPERVISOR

Often, an internship further clarifies a student’s anticipated career path, perhaps even helping a student eliminate a career option they had considered.

In addition to working at their internship, Messiah students who choose the credit-bearing option take a class through the CPDC with internship supervisors Joy Fea, coordinator of faculty partnerships, and Orlando Williams, coordinator of internships and multicultural student programs.

“It’s all geared toward helping them increase their profile, their skills, helping them present themselves well,” said Williams.

Through an online course, students complete orientation, assignments, readings and reflections that focus on their professional

16 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

development. They also check in with their career center supervisors twice in person during the course of the internship. At the end of the course, students present an executive summary of what they’ve learned. Any credit-bearing internship through the career center also satisfies the Experiential Learning Initiative (ELI) requirement, which each student needs to graduate.

The idea is that through the online course coupled with an internship, the student develops a brand—which has nothing to do with being an Instagram influencer or a giving a sales pitch. It’s more about clarifying career interests, honing workplace skills and developing a professional network.

Through the internship and corresponding course, students are challenged to consider their professional brand. “We want students to represent themselves and their interests in a clear and compelling way to their professional network,” said Fea. “Clarity on one’s

HAMSHER INTERNSHIP FUND

The goal of the Hamsher Internship Fund is to provide access for students to participate in high quality internships that develop desirable skills, experiences and connections for future employers. By awarding need-based scholarships, the funds help offset expenses such as housing, transportation and other living expenses that would prevent students from participating in an internship.

To contribute, visit messiah.edu/give, click on “Scholarships and Endowments” and then “Named Endowments.” You may also write a check to “Messiah College Hamsher Fund” and mail it to the Office of Development, One College Ave., Suite 3013, Mechanicsburg PA 17055.

Abby Ruth ’21 (foreground) and Lauren Patterson ’21 (background) work as student career coaches, interning at the Career and Professional Development Center.

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 17

INTERNSHIP INVESTMENT

professional brand helps those in a student’s network to provide targeted assistance. If a student says, ‘I’m interested in actuarial science,’ someone could say, ‘My sister-in-law does that. I’ll give you her number.’ People want to help, but their ability to do so depends on a student’s ability to articulate his or her interests and skills.”

MORE THAN ONE INTERNSHIP

In today’s competitive workforce, employers are looking for a depth and breadth of experience. So, that can mean more than one internship.

“We recommend students think about how they might be able to fit one or more internships into the academic year or their summers,” said Hanson. “If they start early enough, students have the opportunity to do more than one, which allows exposure to multiple workplaces while adding experiences to their resume. They have the flexibility to earn between 1-12 academic credits by completing experiences ranging from 40-480 hours.”

For example, a one-credit internship— which is only 40 hours during the course of a whole summer—could be completed while also working at a part-time summer job.

Of course, if you find your niche, you can intern at the same place more than once. So far, Curtz has spent one fall semester and one summer working as a medical scribe, and he’s continuing the internship for the current spring semester.

“To say the least, the experience has been both inspiring and informational,” he said.

“You have to innately enjoy what you are doing and be able to tell yourself why you come in every day. To be able to put aside all your worries, all the stuff you have to put up with, that’s when you can really help someone.”

BECOMING EMPLOYABLE

According to NACE (National Association of Colleges and Employers), internships Orlando Williams, coordinator of internships and multicultural student programs, helps supervise internships through the CPDC.

18 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

consistently rank at the top of employers’ wish lists.

“The reality is, most employers don’t have time once they on-board somebody to teach the basics,” said Hanson. “They want somebody coming in already knowing how to craft a professional email, already knowing the basics of how to communicate interpersonally, how to think creatively or critically or have a difficult conversation. So, internships are a way for students to hone those skills so they’re not coming in completely cold.”

Internships in multiple venues help students see what their career field—and how they want to perform within it—can look like in a variety of settings, such as the difference between nonprofit and for-profit.

“For example, what is the difference in doing marketing in higher education vs. a marketing firm?” Hanson asked. “Students can compare and develop skillsets to match.

They become incredibly marketable with varied internship experience.”

The value of hiring a Messiah student is not lost on the employers who partner with the CPDC. Just ask Ben Curtz’s supervisor.

“We have five Messiah students working as scribes currently, all of whom are exemplary employees and great leaders within our team,” said Julia Hasircoglu, chief scribe at Hershey Medical Center.

FINDING YOUR CALLING

In addition to providing a student with real-world experience, an internship can help a student determine his calling. Curtz plans to attend medical school after he graduates in May. “This internship has exposed me to the wonderful world of medicine,” said Curtz. “It has also given me a dose of reality. Medicine is hard. Long hours, stressed-out providers and sometimes irritable patients can really put a damper on a visit. But doctor after doctor has said to me, ‘It’s not about the money. If you’re in it for the money only, then get out. There are better and faster ways to make money in the world.’ Although the work is overwhelming, you can be confident that you are making a real difference in the lives of patients.” B

MORE INTERNSHIP SPOTLIGHTS

Finance major Kyle Whatley ’20 studied abroad in Rome, Italy, and interned at LONSIN Capital, a fund manager of LONSIN Global Credit Fund, focusing on distressed debt.

He also interned for U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick and in project management for a construction company.

“The internships provided me with good experience that I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else.”

Film and media arts major Melea Irby ’21 interned with a church in London, England, to collect footage and photos at summer conferences.

Her advice on internships? “If your heart is in the right place, you won’t make the wrong choice,” she said.

“The right place is with Jesus. If you’re with Him, you’ll make the right decision.”

Journalism major Dakota Vaughn ’19 interned for two summers with the Hagerstown Housing Authority of Maryland. After graduating in December, she says she’s ready return to Hagerstown to implement everything she learned. “I came to Messiah, not so that I could leave my hometown and change the world,” she said, “but so I could come back into my own community and strengthen it.”

Biblical and religious studies major Isabel Gonzalez ’20 participated in a cross-cultural internship in Uganda in 2018. She worked at a Christian children’s soccer camp, Msingi Soccer Academy. “They needed a writer to help develop their website. My job was to tell their players’ stories,” she said of her internship, which allowed her to gain course credit and satisfy her ELI requirement.

Kyle Whatley ’20

Melea Irby ’21

Isabel Gonzalez ’20

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 19

F E AT U R E S T O R Y

Collegiate coaches

By Anna Seip

THROUGH FAITH, ACADEMICS AND TEAMWORK, MESSIAH PREPARES ALUMNI TO COACH AT TOP U.S. INSTITUTIONS

college head coach is many things—tac-

alumni excel as coaches at colleges and universities across the

tician, mentor,

U.S., bringing faith, a work ethic,

psychologist,

intellect and leadership skills

recruiter, leader, CEO, teacher,

that enhance sports programs

father figure, face of the pro-

that reach far beyond Grantham.

gram, and all of these things

Who are they? How do they do

come into play on almost a daily

it? What’s a typical day like?

basis,” said Dave Brandt ’85, for-

(Hint: There’s no typical day.)

mer head men’s soccer coach at

While there’s not enough

Messiah and current head men’s

space to include every Messiah

soccer coach at Hope College in

alum who coaches at the college

Holland, Michigan.

level in these few pages, several

You don’t have to graduate

weighed in to tell us what it

from Messiah to be a good coach, takes to mentor the next generabut it doesn’t hurt. Messiah’s

tion of college athletes.

20 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

Gary Dunda ’97 works as the head men’s soccer coach at Geneva College in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania.

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 21

C O L L E G I AT E C O A C H E S

Glorify God “Messiah definitely prepared me well to coach from my experiences on the women’s soccer team, through my coursework in exercise science, sport management and accounting and through the relationships and mentors I had all across campus who poured into me.

My coaches and teammates demonstrated what it means to give your best each day for the glory of God, how to create a culture where you sharpen and serve one another and how you pursue excellence together.”

Jennifer Myhre ’08 Head women’s soccer coach, assistant athletic director, senior woman administrator Anderson University “As a coach, my responsibilities include coaching, advising, counseling, recruiting and coordinating all of our travel. I also advise five weekly ministry/Bible study and retreat teams. One of our groups is a student-athlete Bible study. I meet with leaders from each of the groups each week to prepare their programming with them. Working as the former director of the Agapé Center also assists me in my role as a coach and the need for students and student athletes to have a cause greater than themselves during their college years.”

Jenell Patton ’95 Assistant volleyball coach and assistant director of campus ministry Mercyhurst University

Lead with integrity “I use much of what I learned on the field and within my team from my college coaches. They were dedicated to creating the best possible experience for me as a player, and I try to emulate that type of environment within my team. That type of service-oriented leadership is what I remember … and want my players to remember after they graduate and enter the work force.”

Mark Bassett ’01 Head men’s soccer coach, director of soccer operations King’s College 22 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

Get an assist(ant) “I like to get in early to have time to work out and have some personal time in the office. Once the head coach arrives, we spend the majority of the morning talking about how the team is doing, the direction we want the team to head in and how we can continue to grow and get better each day. Our conversations lead to valuable life lessons and personal growth.”

Sam Ruiz Plaza ’19 Graduate assistant for the men’s soccer team Augsburg University

Help with the journey “I have always felt that coaching in college athletics is one of the greatest opportunities a person can have in terms of making an impact on young people.

College is a transformational time of life and in large part it is where you grow up and learn who you are and who you want to be. To be able to speak into the lives of student athletes on a daily basis is an incredible privilege.”

Brett Faro ’10 Head men’s soccer coach Cedarville University

“I always tell prospective student athletes that I had a very impactful D-III experience, and I feel honored to lead them on their own meaningful college journey. When I was at Messiah, I was fortunate to double major and compete at a high level.”

Jacqueline Dando ’09 Head women’s lacrosse coach Bucknell University

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 23

C O L L E G I AT E C O A C H E S

Give grace “During my education, through my experiences with professors and my time with the men’s soccer program, Messiah provided me with great perspective, recognizing opportunities to grow, as well as opportunities to show grace to others. Not everyone I come in contact with operates on the same level of commitment to excellence, but I also learned at Messiah how to show love and influence people for the better.”

Jake Berry ’13 Assistant men’s soccer coach Liberty University

Set an example “The coach at Messiah who I both played for—and coached with for 12 years—was a tremendously important piece of my education at Messiah in general, and then more specifically, for what I do now. I worked directly for 16 years with (former Messiah Head Men’s Soccer Coach) Layton Shoemaker—four as a player and then 12 years as his assistant. The things I learned from him about life, soccer, leadership, coaching, people and how groups function were priceless.

Early in my head coaching career, I may as well have had a bracelet that read ‘WWLD’—i.e., ‘What would Layton do?’ Many times as a young coach, and even in later years, I would literally stop to consider how my mentor and coach would have handled this situation or that.”

Dave Brandt ’85

Head men’s soccer coach Hope College 24 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

“Having a coach like Coach Greer/McKay, I was able to grow into a leader on and off the field, learn the importance of time management and integrate my faith in my sport.

She was a huge reason why I desired to be a coach outside of school. I wanted to be able to invest in players and young women like she did in my life. Watching Coach Greer in how she ran practices, led film sessions and managed the time spent off the field was the best experience I could have had as an aspiring coach.”

Jenna Stover ’17

Assistant coach for women’s lacrosse Jefferson University

Use your degree “I truly feel that I received two educations. I received an outstanding academic education in sports and exercise science that helps me each day understand the physical demands that I put my players through. My second education I received from Coach Shoemaker and Coach Brandt. They both invested in me as a soccer player but, more importantly, as a person. Coach Shoemaker showed me how to live my life in a Godly manner, and Coach Brandt encouraged me to become a college soccer coach. I would not be the person I am today without these two men in my life.”

Gary Dunda ’97

Head men’s soccer coach and assistant professor in sports management Geneva College

“My graduate assistant position allowed me to learn in an incredible lacrosse program while also pursuing a master’s degree. I studied higher education with a concentration in academic support, which allowed me to understand the inner workings of higher education institutions. Also, the academic support side has allowed me to assist my student athletes with their academic needs in a much deeper way.”

Rebecca Sheinfeld, M.A. ’18

Head women’s lacrosse coach Methodist University

“I was a comm major at Messiah, and the interpersonal communication skills I learned in class have helped me in the job.

I am always speaking to people, whether it be recruiting or coaching.”

Danny Brandt ’18

Men’s soccer assistant coach Carnegie Mellon University

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 25

Where they work

C O L L E G I AT E C O A C H E S

Recruit, practice, watch film, play the game, repeat “Each day, there is usually a bit of recruiting work to do. We have meetings, as well as working on budgeting, planning for future events. The most normal part of my day to day are practices, which run 4:30-6:30 p.m. With having a lot of competition on evenings and weekends, it does allow for some midweek flexibility for family and life balance.”

Patrick Hager ’08, M.A. ’14 Head cross country and track and field coach Houghton College

“My day starts at 5:40 a.m. with practice to avoid the [Florida] heat and thunderstorms in the afternoon.

I invest a lot of my day into my athletes. athletes I have 39 runners on my men’s and women’s teams combined, and I meet for about 15-30 minutes with them biweekly, talking about classes, their training and life. I have department meetings, planning workouts, outreaches and recruiting that fills the rest of the day. I try not to take work home, but oftentimes I need to as there are not enough hours at work, and most calls I do to recruits happen in the evening.”

Paul Kurtz ’91 Director of cross country and assistant track and field coach Southeastern University

Summing up how his Messiah experience made him an effective coach, Samuel Ruiz Plaza ’19, a biology graduate, said, “The time commitment and the difficulty of my major helped me develop time management skills.

Additionally, being part of the men’s soccer team was absolutely incredible in shaping me into who I am and preparing me for the next step.” B 26 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

Anderson University Jennifer Myhre ’08 head women’s soccer coach Augsburg University Sam Ruiz Plaza ’19 graduate assistant for the men’s soccer team Berry College Katherine Athens, M.A. ’16 assistant women’s lacrosse coach Bucknell University Jackie Dando ’09 head women’s lacrosse coach Carnegie Mellon University Danny Brandt ’18 assistant men’s soccer coach Cedarville University Brett Faro ’10 head men’s soccer coach Delaware Valley University Delaney Cole ’19 assistant women’s soccer coach Eastern University Jeremy Payne ’15 head men’s soccer coach Elizabethtown College Natalie Hoober ’18 assistant women’s soccer coach Franklin & Marshall College • Sydney Boreman ’17 assistant softball coach • Mckenna Edwards ’19 assistant women’s lacrosse coach • Dan Wagner ’95 head men’s soccer coach Gannon University Jordan Martz, M.A. ’15 assistant men’s basketball coach Geneva College Gary Dunda ’97 head men’s soccer coach Gettysburg College • Matthew Logan, M.A. ’17 assistant track and field coach • Ashley Mowery ’10 field hockey assistant coach • Andrew Vogel ’03 head wrestling coach Hope College Dave Brandt ’85 head men’s soccer coach Houghton College • Andrew Butler ’16 assistant men’s lacrosse coach • Nikki Elsaesser ’16 head women’s soccer coach • Patrick Hager ’08, M.A. ’14 head cross country and track and field coach • Brian Reitour ’00 head baseball coach Jefferson University Jenna Stover ’17 assistant women’s lacrosse coach King’s College Mark Bassett ’01 head men’s soccer coach Lancaster Bible College Katelyn Vanderhoff ’14 head women’s basketball coach

Lebanon Valley College • Jim Gardner ’82 assistant men’s and women’s swimming coach • Dan Haines ’84 assistant men’s soccer coach • Leah McDermott ’12 head women’s soccer coach Liberty University • Jake Berry ’13 assistant men’s soccer coach • Brandon West ’14 assistant women’s soccer coach Louisiana College Brittany Salloum ’12, M.A. ’16 head women’s volleyball coach Mercyhurst University Jenell Patton ’95 assistant volleyball coach Messiah College* HEAD COACHES

• Justin Beachy ’13 head men’s volleyball coach • Dale Fogelsanger ’87 head men’s and women’s cross country coach, head men’s and women’s indoor and outdoor track and field coach • Scott Frey ’84 head women’s soccer coach • Brooke Good ’03 women’s field hockey coach • Brad McCarty ’93 head men’s soccer coach • Heather (Greer) McKay ’02 head women’s lacrosse coach • Mike Miller ’83 head women’s basketball coach • Rick Van Pelt ’91 head men’s basketball coach • Amy Weaver ’91 head softball coach Methodist University Rebecca Sheinfeld, M.A. ’18 head women’s lacrosse coach Palm Beach Atlantic University Chi Ly ’89 head men’s and women’s tennis coach Shippensburg University • Morgan Reifsteck ’19 assistant women’s lacrosse coach • Jocelyn Clippinger ’17 assistant women’s basketball coach Simmons University Molly Devilbiss ’15 head women’s lacrosse coach Southeastern University Paul Kurtz ’91 assistant track and field coach University of Arkansas at Little Rock Audra Larson ’16 assistant women’s soccer coach University of New Hampshire Nick Thompson ’11 assistant men’s soccer coach

* For a list of assistant coaches working at Messiah, visit messiah.edu/the_bridge

OUR

ALUMNI PROFILES

NICOLE HESS ’ 13

Messiah nurse volunteers in South Sudan NICOLE HESS ’13 STUDYING TRAUMA TO HELP OTHERS

PHOTOS COURTESY OF NICOLE HESS ’13

Nursing grad Nicole Hess ’13 grew up hearing about Eastern Mennonite Missions—a nonprofit dedicated to globally pursuing peace and enriching the lives of others—at her home church.

After graduating from Messiah, she volunteered with the organization as a nurse at a school in Rumbek, South Sudan.

Her days were spent in the clinic with patients. Her evenings were spent on the basketball courts with students.

Hess says she was inspired and challenged as she learned about community, hospitality and courage there. “I saw that life was enriched by the people around your table rather than the food on your table. There is great joy and beauty to be found in simply being with people,” she said.

On long walks with local high

school girls, she heard stories of their resilience in the face of suffering and hardship. Many of them experienced trauma from the war, inter-clan violence and threats of forced marriage.

“True courage is extending forgiveness rather than engaging in endless cycles of violence,” she said.

Hess now wants to focus on trauma in her studies. She’s pursuing a master’s in social work at Widener University.

“I want to learn more about how trauma impacts a person in the psychosocial realm and as a whole,” she said, “and how

Nicole Hess ’13 served as a nurse in South Sudan.

to walk with and holistically support someone in moving forward.”

Once she finishes grad school, she says she is open to pursuing options wherever Jesus leads.

— Jake Miaczynski ’20

“I saw that life was enriched by the people around your table rather than the food on your table.”

— Nicole Hess ’13

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 27

OUR

ALUMNI PROFILES

historically, how to analyze primary source documents, how to craft an argument and how to write clearly.”

Messiah Professor of History John Fea returned the compliment, saying of Henry, “He is one of the most innovative young public scholars working today.”

Henry is studying abroad in Jerusalem through Boston University’s Ph.D. program as a research fellow at the Albright Institute for Archaeological Research. Seated at the epicenter of three major religions, he has no shortage of content.

With plans to return to the U.S. in March, he says he is content with anything that gives him the opportunity to write about and teach religious studies, whether in academia or the world of media.

— Sarah Stubbe ’21 and Jake Miaczynski ’20

ANDRE W MARK HENRY ’ 10

FINDING RELIGION ON YOUTUBE ALUM WORKS FOR ATLANTIC’S CHANNEL Self-proclaimed “YouTube nerd” Andrew Mark Henry ’10 went from watching YouTube videos to creating his own channel with more than 110,000 subscribers.

How did that happen? A history graduate, he realized few videos online covered religion through the lens of sociology, anthropology or history. Taking it upon himself to fill the void, he began his own successful channel titled “Religion for Breakfast” with a mission to improve viewers’ religious literacy.

Pursuing a Ph.D. in religious studies at Boston University, Henry has no shortage of material to fill each episode. The channel has seen great success. “I’m pursuing the media career as [my channel] has grown into its own mini media company,” he said.

Additionally, Henry works for magazine and multi-platform publisher, The Atlantic.

Launching an online discussion forum analyzing global events about religion, the company hired Henry to manage the project.

Andrew Mark Henry ’10 brings religion to the masses with his YouTube channel, ‘Religion for Breakfast.’

“I would scour news outlets looking for the top stories around the world about religion and then lead discussions with the community about these topics,” he said.

Since the project’s recent completion, Henry has moved to The Atlantic’s YouTube team.

Implementing his skills, he manages operations of the channel.

“I do everything from moderating comments to strategizing about the channel’s growth with their new YouTube series, ‘The Idea File,’” he said.

Henry credits Messiah’s history department with preparing him for his career. Praising the faculty, he said, “The professors taught me how to think

28 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

CHECK OUT HIS YOUTUBE CHANNEL AT, YOUTUBE.COM/ RELIGIONFORBREAKFAST

RYAN HULVAT PHOTOGRAPHY

Known as Dr. Ming to his patients, cardiologist Dr. Minh Nguyen came to the U.S. as a refugee from Vietnam in the 1970s. Although he had no academic transripts, Messiah College accepted him as a student.

DR. MINH NGUYEN ’80

The ultimate in acceptance WITH NO TRANSCRIPTS, HE BEGAN HIS COLLEGE CAREER ANYWAY “Messiah took a chance on me and gave me the break that I needed,” said Dr. Minh Nguyen ’80, a cardiologist.

While his patients know him as Dr. Ming (“the proper way to say my first name, which is also the Vietnamese way”), he was once a refugee with no academic transcripts.

Leaving his home in Vietnam at the end of the war in 1975, he landed in Los Angeles, so the plane could refuel. Harrisburg was his destination, but no one wanted to go to Pennsylvania because “it was rumored to be ‘colder than ice.’”

He arrived at Fort Indiantown

Gap military base and attended English classes. He volunteered to do menial jobs at the camp clinic before he was discharged and then worked at Holy Spirit Hospital in Camp Hill, Pennsylvania.

After work, he’d attend more English classes from the Sisters of Christian Charities. He applied to 20 colleges, but—without transcripts—they all turned him down. Except Messiah.

In hopes of becoming a doctor, he studied biology. “It was a big mistake,” he said, “because coming from Vietnam and not knowing English, biology required I study a lot of English and long Latin terms.”

He changed his major to chemistry. “There’s an international language in chemistry. You put H2O together and get water.

It doesn’t matter where you’re from,” he said.

After graduating, he attended Temple University. He then accepted a residency at St.

Luke’s Hospital in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, followed by a cardiology fellowship at Oschner Clinic in New Orleans.

Even though Pennsylvania may be “colder than ice,” he returned to the state for a woman who warmed his heart. Today, he and his wife, Lisa, live in Bethlehem with daughters, Erin and Jenna, while a third daughter, Kaitlin, attends Lewis Katz Temple School of Medicine.

“Coming from a poor background in Vietnam with no running water and refrigerator, the transition to new life, new

language and customs was difficult in the beginning,” he said. “I am eternally grateful for the many kind Americans I met on the way, especially those at Messiah College, who helped me end up where I am today.”

He now works at Coordinated Health, a satellite of Lehigh Valley Health Network. His daughter, Erin, recently toured Messiah in her college search. He said, “I would be very pleased and proud if she would go to Messiah, where I began.”

— Sarah Stubbe ’21 and Jake Miaczynski ’20

“I AM ETERNALLY GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY KIND AMERICANS I MET ON THE WAY, ESPECIALLY THOSE AT MESSIAH COLLEGE, WHO HELPED ME END UP WHERE I AM TODAY.” — Dr. Ming

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 29

OUR

CLASS NOTES

1960s

1990s

Laverne Seibert ’64 passed away Jan. 17, 2020.

1980s

Scott Biggs ’91 was promoted to the director of IQVIA in Plymouth Meeting, Pa.

Tina Horst ’86 works as a life skills mentor at Star Community Inc. in Hagerstown, Md.

Dan Studt ’93 works as the president of Freedom in Christ Ministries, USA in Knoxville Tenn.

The Rev. Nathan Conklin ’87 is celebrating 25 years of service at Spring Grove Area C&MA Church.

Christy Cocker ’97 works as a senior surgical nurse at Northern Dutchess Hospital in Rhinebeck, N.Y. She and Rob Latimer married Dec. 23, 2016, in Millbrook, N.Y.

Sarah Wendell ’89 works as a licensed professional counselor and mental health service provider at Historic Franklin Wellness in Franklin, Tenn.

School District in Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Darlene Horst ’99 and Steven Dierwechter ’00 married May 24, 2019, in Grantham, Pa. She works as a chemistry teacher at Cumberland Valley

Chris Zeager ’99 works as a product manager and animal nutritionist for Tate & Lyle.

2000s Bryan Engle ’03 and his wife, Keri, announce the birth of Adelyn Leigh Engle, Sept.

20, 2019.

Shalane Cohen ’05 works as a principal at McKonly & Asbury in Camp Hill, Pa. Charles Blachford ’06 was promoted to vice president for development and strategic initiatives at Missio Seminary in Hatfield, Pa.

Jon Vaitl ’06 works as an associate attorney at K&L Gates in Harrisburg, Pa. He and Kaitlyn Vaitl married Oct. 14, 2017, in St. Augustine, Fla. Allison (Pra) Maurer ’07 and her husband, Jesse, announce the birth of Gideon Frederick, April 6, 2019.

Amber Jackson ’08 received the Rising Star Award from the Alliance of Black Women Attorneys of Maryland Inc. and the National Bar Association’s 40 Under 40 Award. She works as a labor and employment lawyer at Miles & Stockbridge in Baltimore, Md.

Kristin Tadlock ’07 and Warren Readinger married July 13, 2019, in Warminster, Pa.

Michelle (Stanko) ’08 and Nathan Hollenbach announce the birth of their son Hardt, Sept. 3, 2018.

Colleen Schmoyer ’07 and David Yeany II ’06 announce the birth of Drake David, April 8, 2018. She works as a conservation administrator at Western Pennsylvania Conservancy in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Inna (Potekhina) Bondira ’09 received a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine May 24, 2019.

SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS JULIA FAUSTINA PEARL ’20 Education Major

MATTHEW O’DONNELL ’20 Accounting Major

SUPPORT students by including Messiah in your will.

AMY LINT ’21 Digital Media Major

HELP

a student afford a Messiah education through gift annuities and charitable trusts.

FATIMAH JAN ’21 Social Work Major

PARTNER

REDUCE student loan debt with an endowed scholarship.

with Messiah’s mission by naming Messiah as a beneficiary of a life insurance policy, pension plan or IRA.

WITH THOUGHT-FILLED GIFTS LIKE THESE. LEARN MORE AT: MESSIAH.EDU/CREATEALEGACY or EMAIL: HERITAGESOCIETY@MESSIAH.EDU 30 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

Bethany Bouw ’09 and David Banks married May 9, 2019, in Arlington, Va. Gavin ’09 and Rachel Paolucci-Kleinow ’09 announce the adoption of Leo Minzi, Jan. 1, 2018. He works as a lead web developer for the School of Medicine and Dentistry Office of Academic Affairs at the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, N.Y.

2010s Caitlin McMahon ’10 works as an assistant professor of chemistry at the University of North Carolina

Asheville in Asheville, N.C. Rikki Turner ’10 and Curtis McLain married Nov. 3, 2018, in Virgil, N.Y. Cristina Ortiz ’12 and Gonzallo Bullon married Aug. 15, 2014, in Sandy Spring, Md. They welcomed Aurora Isabel Nov. 3, 2017.

Kaitlin Christopher ’12 and Joel Armes married Nov. 8, 2014, in Harford County, Maryland. They announce the birth of Jonah Nathaniel, Aug. 24, 2018. She works as an administrative assistant at Mountain Christian Church in Joppa, Md.

Megan Rush ’12 and Jarryd Rush married Aug. 23, 2018, in Hershey, Pa. Bonnie Day ’13 works as a manager at McKonly & Asbury in Camp Hill, Pa. Sarah Mitchell ’13 and Matthew Swankler married May 24, 2019, in Elizabethtown, Pa. Josh Kowalczyk ’14 works as a manager at McKonly & Asbury in Camp Hill, Pa. Bo Williams ’15 works as a photographer, darkroom technician and digitization project manager at the

Shiloh Museum of Ozark History.

as an academic technician at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa.

Samantha (Morse) Haar ’16 works as a senior accountant at McKonly & Asbury in Camp Hill, Pa. Alia Blair ’16 and Josh Husmann ’16 married June 3, 2017, in Manheim, Pa. He works as a centralized reporting associate at Wilmington Trust in Elizabethtown, Pa. She works as a social worker at Community Services Group.

Dallas Saylor ’16 received a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from the University of Houston. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in English at Florida State University.

Aimee Stehman ’16 and Matthew Rice ’16 married October 13, 2018, in York, Pa. She works as an industrial security specialist for the United States Department of Defense.

Bridgette Rodgers ’16 and Bryce Watkins ’12 married March 13, 2019. She works

Earn your

Physical therapy is consistently ranked as one of the top, fastest-growing job opportunities in the U.S. Messiah College’s Doctor of Physical Therapy Program is designed to prepare competent therapists for a meaningful career in a variety of professional settings.

• 110-credit program that can be completed in eight semesters; cohort-learning model • 37,000-square-foot educational facility custom-designed for physical therapy (PT) • Program incorporates community service, cultural relevancy and global engagement • Networking opportunities with the local PT community • For accreditation information, visit messiah.edu/DPT.

Experience the academic distinction of a nationally ranked Christian college.

Classes start in August APPLY TODAY see anew

717-796-5061 messiah.edu/DPT

MESSIAH COLLEGE • THE BRIDGE • WINTER 2020 | 31

OUR

FROM THE ARCHIVES

MYSTERY The Tradition — where is it?

700 POUNDS OF METAL ‘ART’ WENT MISSING IN THE ’90S

couldn’t locate the objet d’art by homecoming. Nor could the seniors remember where they last left it.

Speculation arose concerning its disappearance during the construction of Boyer Hall.

Devin Manzullo-Thomas, director of Messiah’s archives said, “The Tradition might have been destroyed when some buildings were torn down, but I don’t know which buildings those would have been, because we can’t say for sure if The Tradition was in there.”

All efforts to find any credible evidence of The Tradition have failed. With a story that resembles that of the Loch Ness monster, The Tradition could very well still be hiding somewhere on the Grantham campus. The world may never know.

MESSIAH COLLEGE ARCHIVES

Who would’ve thought a combination of scrap metal and a basketball hoop could become one of the Messiah’s most treasured, and most mysterious, traditions?

Picture this: a 700-pound object comprising selected remains of the Alumni Auditorium called “The Tradition.” Cute, right? Cute enough to be hidden somewhere on campus until Homecoming, where it was proudly displayed on the back of a homecoming float.

Senior students were in charge of finding a hiding spot for the sculpture. Underclassmen were in charge of finding it. There was only one ground rule: 36 inches of the sculpture had to be visible at all times—or so we thought.

No one has found The Tradition since the ’90s. The 20-year-long tradition came to an abrupt halt when underclassman

— Molly McKim ’23 and Jake Miaczynski ’20

One of the last known photos of The Tradition, students pose with this now-missing piece of history.

32 | WINTER 2020 • THE BRIDGE • MESSIAH COLLEGE

CALENDAR OF EVENTS M A R C H 2 0 2 0 – M AY 2 0 2 0

7:30 p.m., Parmer Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

APRIL 2-5, 17-19 As it is in Heaven April 2-4, 17-18, 8 p.m.; April 5, 19, 3 p.m.

Miller Theater Climenhaga Building

APRIL 18 Undergraduate Open House

SAT.

8 a.m., Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

APRIL 19 Gospel Explosion 2020

SUN.

4 p.m., Parmer Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

APRIL 20 Messiah College Chamber Ensembles

MON.

7:30 p.m., High Foundation Recital Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

APRIL 25 Messiah College Jazz Ensembles

SAT.

8 p.m., Parmer Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

APRIL 26 “Opera Pops” Messiah College Opera Workshop, Symphony Orchestra and Choral Arts Society

MAY 1 Culmination 2020 Spring Dance Concert

FRI.

8 p.m., Miller Theater Climenhaga Building

MAY 2 Messiah College Handbell Choir

SAT.

6 p.m., Parmer Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

MAY 3 United Voices of Praise

SUN.

7:30 p.m., Parmer Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

MAY 4 Musica Nova: Student Compositions

MON.

7:30 p.m., High Foundation Recital Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

MAY 9 Commencement for the School of Graduate Studies

SAT.

11 a.m., Brubaker Auditorium, Eisenhower Campus Center

MAY 15-16 Undergraduate Commencement Weekend

FRI.-SAT.

10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Starry Athletic Complex and Shoemaker Field

SUN.

7:30 p.m., Parmer Hall Calvin and Janet High Center for Worship and Performing Arts

MARTI AIKEN HWANG PHOTOGRAPHY

MARCH 27 Messiah College Concert Choir

FRI.

FOR A FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS, VISIT MESSIAH.EDU/EVENTS.

Undergraduate Commencement Weekend, the last commencement ceremony as Messiah College before changing to a university, will be held May 15-16.

office of Marketing and communications

One College Avenue Suite 3020 Mechanicsburg PA 17055 Address Service Requested

GENEROSITY FURTHERING GENERATIONS Messiah College’s corporation, foundation and organization partners Messiah College THANKS the corporations, foundations and organizations that chose to partner financially by providing gifts of $1,000 or more this past year. This support enables our students, employees and alumni to make a positive difference in our region, nation and world.

Advantage Sport & Fitness Inc

Gannett Fleming Inc.

LinkBank

Rutter’s

Genesis Engineering Solutions, Inc.

M&T Bank

Sawyer Products

Bingaman & Son Lumber Co.

Genworth Life Insurance Company

M&T Charitable Foundation Marketechs Design Studios

Select Asset Management & Trust Company

C. F. Beiler Trust

Greenfield Architects LTD

Charles Schwab Corporation

Highmark Blue Shield

CommunityAid Inc.

Houck Group Inc.

Baker Tilly Virchow Krause, LLP

Council of Independent Colleges Covenant Christian Academy Crabtree Rohrbaugh & Associates Inc. Crossroads Christian Center Inc. D.H. Funk & Sons LLC Dance Ad Deum Derck & Edson, LLP Dillsburg Brethren in Christ Church E & E Metal Fab., Inc. Edwin L. Heim Company Enginuity LLC Esbenshade Foundation Feeser’s Inc.

Horst Insurance Intel Corporation JFS Wealth Advisors

Martin’s Famous Pastry Shoppe Matt & Tiff Stuckey Foundation McCormick Family Foundation McKonly & Asbury, LLP

John L. and C. Jeanette Witmer Charitable Trust

Mechanicsburg North Rotary Club

John Crain Kunkel Foundation

Mulberry Foundation Inc. NCAA

John E. Fullerton, Inc.

Norfolk Southern Corporation

Johnson & Johnson Family of Companies

Penn Waste, Inc.

Johnson Controls Inc.

Pfizer

Josiah W. and Bessie H. Kline Foundation, Inc.

Phillips Workplace Interiors

Kinsley Construction Inc.

R A Plotts Rentals

L.B. Smith Estate Foundation, Inc. Land O’ Lakes Foundation Larsen Foundation, Inc.

Four Seasons Produce Inc.

Lebo & Reed Real Estate Partnership

Friends of TCZ

Levine Enterprises, Inc.

Property Management Inc. RBC Capital Markets, LLC Redstream Technology Residential Warranty Corporation Richard S. & Ann B. Barshinger Family Foundation

Select Specialty Hospital Pittsburgh/UPMC, Inc.

The Franklin H. & Ruth L. Wells Foundation

Simpson Foundation

The Presser Foundation

Soccer Shots Franchising, LLC

The Rocco and Nancy Ortenzio Foundation

Spectra Services

The Sedwick Foundation

Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh

The Turnbridge Group at RBC

Speedwell Construction, Inc.

The William and Valerie Gaillard Foundation, Inc.

The Alexander Boyd and Jane Starke Boyd Charitable Foundation The Boustead Family Foundation Inc. The Chatlos Foundation

Thrivent Financial - Michael P. Smith Turkey Hill Dairy Wohlsen Construction Company

The Clark Associates Charitable Foundation

Wolf’s Bus Lines Inc.

The Donald B. and Dorothy L. Stabler Foundation

York County Community Foundation

The Edward R. Norford Charitable Foundation

World Vision Inc.

Questions? Contact Lauren Walter at 717-796-5066 or lwalter@messiah.edu.