24 ARE YOU EVER READING THAT? Catch up on books you’ve missed
12 Class of 2024
Read about our student spotlights
MESSIAH
INSIDE LOOK
At Undergraduate Commencement, some students opted to decorate their caps to celebrate their accomplishments. For more Commencement coverage, turn to p. 12.
MESSIAH UNIVERSITY
ALUMNI MAGAZINE
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Office of Marketing and Communications One University Avenue Mechanicsburg, PA 17055 717.691.6027 | www.messiah.edu
PRESIDENT
Kim S. Phipps
VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT
Jon C. Stuckey
ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS
Carla E. Gross
EDITOR
Anna Seip, MBA ’24
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Becca Powell ’03
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
Curt Rohrer
Matt Logan M.A. ’17
DIRECTOR OF
ALUMNI & PARENT RELATIONS
Jay McClymont ’92
CONTRIBUTORS
Samantha Neal ’24
The Bridge (ISSN-0279-3938) is published three times a year by the Messiah University Office of Marketing and Communications for alumni and friends of the University, free of charge. Please contact us at aseip@messiah. edu or 717-691-6027. Items for the alumni news section should be identified by class year and sent to the Messiah University Office of Alumni and Parent Relations, One University Avenue Suite 3023, Mechanicsburg PA 17055. You may email them to alumni@messiah.edu or fax them to 717-796-5371.
As its name suggests, The Bridge connects alumni, parents and donors with Messiah University. It also serves to build the University’s image with these audiences. It does this by publishing accurate news about the University and about alumni and by offering interesting feature articles that are issue- or University-related for readers’ continued education. Messiah University accepts news submissions from alumni and the broader community but reserves the right to edit or decline to print materials at its discretion.
Messiah University is a Christian college of the liberal and applied arts and sciences. The University 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 University 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 University-administered programs.
Celebrate the 579 students who became alumni at the 115th Undergraduate Commencement.
The Class of 2024 included 186 grads receiving their master’s and doctorate degrees.
That stack of old books on your nightstand isn’t going anywhere. Might as well dig in. COVER:
Photographed in her hometown of Harrisburg, Pa., Kiersten Gilmore ’24 stands in front of a falcon mural by artist Emily Matusz. NICK
FROM THE EDITOR
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THIS WAS A SUCH A SPECIAL COMMENCEMENT ISSUE FOR ME SINCE I WAS ABLE TO WALK WITH THE CLASS OF 2024 AT GRADUATE COMMENCEMENT TO RECEIVE MY MBA IN STRATEGIC LEADERSHIP. RETURNING TO SCHOOL INVOLVED A LOT OF COFFEE AND MORE THAN ONE PRAYER GROUP, BUT IT WAS TRULY A DREAM COME TRUE.
I wasn’t the only one graduating, though. Kiersten Gilmore ’24, on our cover, graduated with an education degree and has started her first year of teaching as “Miss G” at Susquehanna Township School District. You can read all about her and several of our other graduates starting on p. 12.
We’re grateful to all educators such as Miss G, as there is a statewide teacher shortage. Messiah is launching two new creative initiatives to address the need (p. 9).
Now that I’ve graduated, I can shelve my schoolbooks and get back to reading fiction. (Of course, “Analytics at Work” and “Fundamentals of Financial Management” will always hold a special place in my heart.) If, like me, you’ve let your to-beread pile stack up because life got in the way, you’ll want to peruse our reading feature “Are You Ever Going to Read That?” on p. 24. Director of Campus Ministries Emily Bingham has inspired me to (finally) read “Moby-Dick” based her essay alone.
I hope you enjoy this issue of The Bridge.
ANNA SEIP , EDITOR
A commitment to hospitality is needed today
An excerpt from the President’s Undergraduate Commencement charge to the Class of 2024 delivered May 11, 2024: I recall our first meeting in 2020 when your lovely smiles were covered by face masks at the annual New Student Picnic. You were the incoming class who had your high school senior year disrupted by COVID. I appreciate the perseverance you exhibited when managing a pandemic had a negative impact on many traditional aspects of campus life.
Hospitality has been woven into my life and the fabric of the Messiah community. In her book “Soul Feast,” Rev. Marjorie Thompson defines hospitality as “providing for the need, comfort and delight of the other with all the openness, respect, freedom, tenderness and joy that love itself embodies.” Hospitality is not mere tolerance or resignation, and it serves no one well if it’s borne only of obligation.
My maternal grandmother a German immigrant who in 1921 bravely set sail alone to build a life in NYC was my earliest example of hospitality. She was not an educated woman nor was she a person of faith, but she knew how to truly see people. She always had coffee and cake at the ready for neighbors and relatives who stopped by for unannounced visits.
“Hospitality is not mere tolerance or resignation, and it serves no one well if it’s borne only of obligation.”
recent days most notably the death and resurrection of Jesus. Their faces were “downcast.” When the resurrected Jesus began to walk with them, the text says, “they were kept from recognizing him,” which means Jesus is a stranger to them. The two men were astounded that he did not know about the recent events. As the two friends approached their destination, they invited Jesus to their home. As their guest, Jesus joined them at their table, broke bread and gave thanks for it. In that moment of hospitality, their eyes are opened; they recognize Jesus just as he disappears from their sight! These two friends invite the “stranger” they have been conversing with to stay at their home they “urged him strongly.” They weren’t simply being polite…the practice of hospitality helped them to truly see Jesus as he was!
Sources: Lin, Bonnie E., “At-homeness, placemaking, and holy anticipation: Christian hospitality in educational practice,” International Academy of Practical Theology, 2023, pp. 64–66.
Thompson, Marjorie, J., “Soul Feast: An Invitation to the Christian Spiritual Life,” Westminster John Knox Press, 1995.
As a Christ follower, I have developed a more robust understanding of the role of biblical hospitality in genuinely welcoming people. Luke 24 recounts how Jesus served as both host and guest in this example of hospitality. Two friends were walking from Jerusalem to a nearby village and talking about the confusing events of
Class of 2024, a commitment to hospitality will have a significant impact on who you invite to be your conversation partners and the shared humility with which you lament brokenness as you journey toward reconciliation. Our world is divided and polarized; it can be filled with anger and enmity; with loneliness and isolation. My fervent prayer is that you will truly see others; and in doing so you will truly see Jesus.
S. PHIPPS, PRESIDENT
KIM
HEARD AROUND
WHAT’S THE BEST PART ABOUT BEING A GRADUATE STUDENT AT MESSIAH?
“The best part of being a graduate student at Messiah is being able to network with other professionals in my field. Messiah has given me many opportunities to gain new skills and knowledge and build lasting relationships.”
Brittani Martin, M.Ed. ’24
“The exceptional guidance and effective communication of Dr. Andrew Babyak provided me with a seamless transition from undergraduate to graduate courses in my pursuit of the 4+1 MBA program through Messiah.”
Sawyer Shank, MBA ’25
“Navigating graduate school’s challenges alongside supportive peers and mentorship enhanced my hands-on experience in occupational therapy.”
Abrielle Kautzmann, MOT ’24
“I appreciated the flexibility of the program and interwoven faith elements. I’m also blessed to have formed meaningful connections with peers and professors that I will carry with me beyond graduation.”
Angela Tozzi, MBA ’24
“The best part of being a graduate student at Messiah is the incredible professors that are guiding you.”
Nicki Malinak, M.Ed.’24
President Kim Phipps announces plan to retire in June 2025
‘HER IMPACT AT MESSIAH AND IN CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION WILL CONTINUE FOR GENERATIONS’
Kim S. Phipps, Ph.D., president of Messiah University since 2004, announced June 4 that she will retire at the end of the 2024–25 academic year. Phipps’ presidency concludes a 40year career in Christian higher education, culminating with 27 years at Messiah in various leadership roles.
“Serving as Messiah’s president for the past 20 years has been a joy and an honor,” said Phipps in an email to students, employees, alumni, parents and other friends of the University. “Much has been accomplished at Messiah during these past two decades, and all of you have played a significant part in fulfilling these goals. I will be forever grateful for the immense privilege of being a part of the Messiah community.”
“Dr. Phipps’ visionary presidency has significantly transformed Messiah over the past 20 years, strategically leading us into the 21st century and advancing Messiah College on its trajectory to becoming Messiah University,” said Craig Sider, chair of the Board of Trustees. “Her commitment to the integration of educational excellence and Christian faith and service, combined with her distinctive collaborative and student-centric leadership style, have positioned Messiah as a
premier institution in the national higher education landscape.”
The president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) Shirley Hoogstra noted Phipps’ leadership of Messiah and the council.
“President Phipps has the rare combination of being able to lead with courage and grace, decisiveness and compassion all the while building an enduring campus culture of deep love for each other and, most of all, for Christ,” said Hoogstra. “Dr. Phipps brought that same rare combination to her leadership at the CCCU. As one of the longest-serving directors from 2004 to 2013, she also generously served as chair of the board of directors. She will be greatly missed and her impact at Messiah and in Christian higher education will continue for generations to come.”
Phipps holds a Ph.D. in communication studies from Kent State University and was named the eighth president of Messiah College now Messiah University in 2004. She is the first woman to serve as the institution’s president. Prior to her appointment, she served as Messiah’s interim president, provost and academic dean. Before coming to Messiah, she served in a variety of leadership roles at Malone University (formerly
Malone College) in Canton, Ohio, including professor and chair of the department of communication arts, acting dean of the college and associate dean for faculty development.
In her final year at Messiah, she plans to be fully engaged, assisting with transitional planning and advancing several important priorities. These include integrating Messiah’s incoming provost, Christine Gardner, into the university’s senior leadership team; the assessment and revision of Messiah’s internal governance model; and continuing the remaining initiatives in the university’s current strategic plan for 2021–2025, titled “University Rising,” which seeks to expand Messiah’s influence as an institution of educational excellence committed to Christ-centered learning for life.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES LAUNCHES NATIONAL PRESIDENTIAL SEARCH
The board is forming a search committee and identifying a search firm to help find the most qualified candidates nationwide with the goal of hiring a new president before Phipps officially retires on June 30, 2025. The board will release additional details at a later time.
“We are launching this presidential transition from a position of strength,” said Sider. “During her tenure, President Phipps has raised Messiah’s visibility as a nationally recognized private Christian university and has created a solid foundation for Messiah’s growth and future. The board is committed to finding the right person for the presidency who can faithfully lead and effectively continue to advance Messiah University’s distinctive Christ-centered educational mission.
“Much like the ‘see anew’ brand platform that Messiah launched under her presidency,” said Sider, “President Phipps has worked tirelessly to build trusted relationships with students and their families; alumni; donors and friends; community leaders and partners; and the higher education community at large to help them see the potential and future of Messiah University in new and exciting ways.”
The University and the board will be announcing opportunities for these important groups to connect with Phipps in the year ahead and recognize her contributions to Messiah and the broader community.
Staff report
“President Phipps has the rare combination of being able to lead with courage and grace, decisiveness and compassion all the while building an enduring campus culture of deep love for each other and, most of all, for Christ.”
Shirley Hoogstra, president, Council for Christian Colleges and Universities
“WE’RE DELIGHTED THAT DR. GARDNER WILL SERVE AS PROVOST OF MESSIAH UNIVERSITY, SHE BRINGS RICH EXPERIENCE AND A DEEP COMMITMENT TO ADVANCE MESSIAH’S DISTINCTIVE CHRISTIAN EDUCATIONAL MISSION.”
Craig Sider, chair, Board of Trustees of Messiah University
CHRISTINE J. GARDNER NAMED NEXT PROVOST AT MESSIAH
Christine J. Gardner, Ph.D., formerly the dean of the School of Graduate, Professional and Extended Studies at Gordon College, began as Messiah’s provost Aug. 1.
“After a rigorous, extensive national search, I am delighted that Dr. Gardner has accepted Messiah University’s invitation to serve as our next provost,” said President Kim S. Phipps. “She brings valuable experience as a faculty member, researcher and administrator at a diverse mix of respected faith-based and nationally recognized educational institutions. I look forward to the innovation, leadership and collaboration that she will provide in her role as Messiah’s chief educational officer. Her nationally recognized scholarship and her vision for Christian higher education’s unique ability to shape students’ lives and vocation make her an ideal fit for the Messiah community.”
Gardner comes to Messiah from her past role as dean of the School of Graduate, Professional and Extended Studies, and as chair of the Department of Communication Arts, Theatre and Art at Gordon College in Wenham, Massachusetts. Her academic leadership focuses on curricular innovation, program assessment, faculty development and change management. At Gordon, she led the college’s program innovation for graduate and precollegiate students, directing the development of new programs in business, public health and international education leadership. She also led the college’s work in global education, dual enrollment and summer term. As head of the undergraduate core committee, Gardner guided the
campus through a core curriculum revision to incorporate the college’s commitment to shalom and reconciliation.
She earned a doctorate in communication studies from Northwestern University and holds a master’s degree in communications from the University of Washington. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in history as a member of the general honors program at Seattle Pacific University. She spent three years as a guest associate professor for the Center for the Study of Religion and Society at the University of Notre Dame. Her early career included an associate professorship with tenure at Wheaton College and a visiting assistant professorship at Willamette University.
“I am animated by the mission of Christian higher education and I have profound respect for the ways in which Messiah is staying true to its mission ‘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.’ This mission statement reflects the head, heart and hands commitment of Christian higher education as we educate the whole person with the knowledge, skills and dispositions necessary to grow closer to our Creator God and reflect the Imago Dei in creative acts of service and vocational calling,” she said.
Gardner succeeds Provost Randall G. Basinger who retired in 2022, after 39 years of educational and administrative service to Messiah University.
Staff report
Messiah addresses PA teacher shortage with creative initiatives
With a decline in students majoring in education coupled with teachers leaving the field at an all-time high in Pennsylvania, Messiah University is partnering with local school districts to launch two new initiatives.
ABOUT EDUCATORS FOR TOMORROW
High school juniors and seniors in the Educators for Tomorrow program participate in a one-year cohort with three components, starting each fall:
1. Earning dual enrollment credit in education-specific courses Students can earn high school and college credit by taking two college-level education
courses via dual enrollment from Messiah (in-person and online class options).
2. Attending education and teaching events at Messiah’s campus Students receive invitations to events sponsored by the Education Association of Messiah University; the Teacher Education Program; and other guest speakers and/or education-focused honors projects.
3. Participating in experienced-based learning led by the school district where the student is enrolled In most cases, students will serve as a teacher’s assistant with activities including observing/assisting teachers and then reflecting upon their experience.
“We’re encouraged by the early interest of local educators and students in this new program, and we’re pleased to build on Messiah’s reputation
of graduating education majors who become committed teachers,” said Rob Pepper, executive director and assistant to the president for innovation and university partnerships.
ABOUT MESSIAH’S TEACHER CERTIFICATION INITIATIVE
For years, Messiah’s Graduate Program in Education has offered teacher certification programs to help those with a bachelor’s degree in a field other than education to earn initial Level I teaching certification in Pennsylvania.
In response to the teacher shortage, Messiah is partnering directly with local school districts to provide a streamlined initial Level I certification track for those already teaching in their schools on a temporary emergency/intern teaching certificate. Districts can coordinate cohorts
of emergency-certified teachers from their schools to complete their initial certification track in 18–24 months online through Messiah. Teachers continue working in the classroom while pursuing certification needed to teach long term.
“Messiah University has an established relationship with our local school districts. They have successfully hired our graduates, and many of their teachers have already completed graduate work at Messiah so they know and trust the strength of our teacher education programs,” said Christina Simmons, director of the Graduate Program in Education. “We’re privileged to help prepare these ‘career change’ educators to serve their school district and their students effectively.”
Staff report
“We’re encouraged by the early interest of local educators and students in this new program,”
Rob Pepper, executive director and assistant to the president for innovation and university partnerships
“As a result of my nursing education and experience, I have traveled for work to 12 countries, across six continents and 30 states. I am proud to be a graduate of Messiah’s nursing program and grateful for how they shaped me into the nurse practitioner and executive I am today.”
Suzanne Wallace ’00
40 Years of Nursing Campaign: $500,000 needed
Messiah University has been educating nurses for four decades. During that time, our program has earned a reputation for producing competent, ethical, and conscientious nurses who are well-equipped for the challenges they face as they enter the workforce in a complex healthcare system. Our graduates embody what it means to be the hands and feet of Christ in the vocation of nursing. Messiah nurses are highly sought after, with the regional healthcare systems all vying for them well in advance of their graduation.
The Future of Nursing Report 2020–2030 (National Academies of Science, 2021) reports that by 2030, 21% of the US population will be over 65 (73.1 million) and that more nursing care will move beyond the hospitals into the community. The Messiah nursing faculty are preparing for this shift by offering advanced simulations and clinical experiences
that interface our students with complex clinical experiences that help them connect the trajectory of care from hospital to home. That’s why we’ve created a nursing campaign with a goal of $500,00.
EQUIPMENT
Foundational to our nursing curriculum is our use of simulation to expose students to a variety of clinical scenarios. The Patient Simulation Laboratory (PSL) at Messiah is equipped with three adult high-fidelity simulators housed in three rooms to mirror an actual hospital environment. Faculty monitor student performance from a control room, and cameras record the students performing the simulation for the purpose of de-briefing their skills during the play-back. This type of formative learning allows students to correct errors and enhance their skills in a safe space that fosters competency.
Labs in the lower level of the Kline building house three high-fidelity simulators including a birthing mother, a child and an infant. Each of these simulators can be programmed to mimic real life scenarios such as an infant resuscitation, a post-partum hemorrhage, or a child with cystic fibrosis.
Originally purchased in 2011 and 2015, the technology of the adult simulators is outdated. Part of the campaign funds will go toward two new simulators with maintenance support. Messiah University must keep pace with new simulation technology in order to stay competitive as we seek to attract, recruit and retain nursing students.
STAFFING
At Messiah University, the department of Nursing has historically enjoyed a steadfast and dedicated faculty where faculty consider their work a calling in
Christian service. The nursing faculty are fully committed to the work of educating the future nursing work force. Most of the nursing faculty continue to engage in their own clinical practice jobs outside of their full-time faculty role in order to maintain their clinical knowledge and skills. We are privileged to attract a high caliber of faculty who have distinguished themselves in their areas of expertise and research through publication, book authorship, and community service.
There is a nationwide faculty shortage that is expected to worsen as the baby-boomer generation of current nursing faculty retire and the salary disparity between academic nursing and clinical practice widens. Paramount to our success as a small faith-based university is the ability to recruit and retain highly qualified and experienced faculty who profess a Christian faith. The pool of qualified faculty candidates is
small. Our accreditation body (CCNE) mandates that nursing faculty are required to be academically and experientially qualified for the specialty areas in which they teach. Specific specialty areas such as pediatrics and psych-mental health nursing are particularly challenging specialties to fill.
One potential solution to attract faculty would be to support scholarships for nursing graduate students, which would be covered by a portion of the campaign funds. Messiah BSN alumni could be targeted to attract students to return to Messiah for the MSN to become future nurse educators. This would ideally facilitate creating a pipeline of Christian nurse educators.
The remainder of the funds will go toward the Macha Hospital’s neo-natal unit’s expansion. (See sidebar.)
With your help, we can continue the reputation of nursing excellence for which Messiah is known.
Messiah University has a long and rich history with the village of Macha, Zambia, dating back to 1957 when Dr. Alvin Thuma founded and established the Macha Hospital. Thuma’s legacy continues today, and the hospital is still operated by the Zambian BIC church within the Zambian Ministry of Health. In the rural southern Province of Zambia, the hospital provides care to more than 160,000 people in a 35-kilometer catchment area, receiving referrals from as far away as 80 kilometers.
With 200 beds filling many brick buildings connected by covered walkways, the hospital consists of various wards added over the years: male surgical, female surgical, pediatrics, maternity, primary care, antiretroviral therapy for HIV patients and outpatient primary care. In 2021, an operating theater was added.
In 1966, the school of nursing began in Macha, with the first class graduating in 1969. Now known as the Macha School of Nursing, it remains a three-year R.N. program that prepares students to be general nurses. Students also can opt to pursue a nurse midwifery track.
Messiah is committed to providing students with a global perspective through experiential learning. In the early 2000s, a group of Messiah students traveled to Macha to take a course, Healthcare in the Developing World, created by Larry Mylin, professor of biology. In 2007, Wanda ThumaMcDermond, professor of nursing and the daughter of Alvin Thuma, took the first group of Messiah nursing students to Zambia for a clinical cross-cultural immersion experience. Born in Zambia to missionary parents, she has a deep love and respect for the Zambian people. As of 2024, she has taken nearly 200 nursing students to Zambia. Year after year, nursing students report the trip to Macha was transformational. There is an urgent need for a neonatal intensive care unit to be added to the hospital. With nearly 50 babies delivered each week, the current space dedicated to caring for the high-risk newborns is overcrowded and under-resourced to meet the needs of the preterm infants. Staff report
Wanda Thuma-McDermond talking with students at Macha
UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT
CLASS OF 2024
Jeffery Deal, M.D., senior fellow of public health and adjunct professor for the College of Charleston, served as the Undergraduate Commencement speaker.
Messiah University celebrated its 115th Commencement May 11, conferring degrees on 579 graduating seniors at Starry Field.
TO SEE A PHOTO GALLERY FROM UNDERGRADUATE COMMENCEMENT, VISIT: MESSIAH.EDU/UGCOMMENCEMENT.
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS:
DR. ROBERT AND MARILYN SMITH AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING TEACHING:
Tim Dixon, professor of music
Janet Matanguihan, associate professor of biology
OUTSTANDING COCURRICULAR
EDUCATOR AWARD: Cherisse Daniels, director of multicultural student programs
DONALD AND ANNA ZOOK ALUMNI MERIT AWARD: Micaiah Saldaña
BY NICK
SENIOR SPOTLIGHTS CLASS OF 2024
EDUCATION
Kiersten Gilmore ’24
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
Kiersten Gilmore ’24 knew she wanted to be a teacher. After visiting some other colleges, she decided to just “take a look” at Messiah. After all, it was only 20 minutes from where she grew up in Harrisburg. She visited more
“During my final visit, before committing, I met with the then-Dean of Education Don Murk. After that individualized meeting, he asked me if I would like to come sit in one of his classes before I left. Nearing the end of that class period, when student teachers shared what they had learned from their experience, he asked if it would be okay if the class could pray over me. The fact that they took time out of their full class period to pray over an average high school senior still deciding where to continue her education changed it ALL for me,” said Gilmore.
She also learned that it’s OK to stop by during professors’ office hours just because.
“One thing Messiah does differently is how professors truly want to get to know their students. They truly want you to stop by when they post their office hours on their doors and add them to their syllabus. Throughout my time at Messiah, I learned that you don’t always need to stop by with a question
regarding a class,” she said. “The professors at Messiah are there for the students wholly! I don’t know anywhere else where you would find professors more dedicated to student growth than at Messiah.”
Even though she started her college career during COVID-19, she says Messiah was intentional about creating a space where students could experience and grow their faith.
“During our freshman year, we had different life groups. While we had to sit six feet apart and wear masks, we talked about how we saw the Lord moving throughout our lives. Another thing that was significant in my Messiah career was Powerhouse. It was a time when students gathered in the chapel to worship freely together. Going to Powerhouse every Thursday night was almost like a battery recharge. People came in from really good days and really hard days. Despite what may be going on in our lives, we were able to come together and worship!” she said.
After working at Milton Hershey School the summer after Commencement, she is now a full-time K–2 teacher at Sara Lindemuth in Susquehanna Township School District.
“I am forever grateful for the Messiah Education Department’s impact on my life. My friends and professors were pillars in my academic and spiritual growth these last four years,” she said.
Anna Seip, MBA ’24
SPANISH
Kiana Haldeman ’24
MANHEIM, PENNSYLVANIA
As a Spanish major with a K–12 certification and a public relations minor, Kiana Haldeman ’24, knows the value of language immersion in the classroom. That’s how she learned Spanish in high school.
“In my high school, we were taught in all Spanish. We weren’t allowed to use English. It was very exclusively Spanish only unless there was an emergency,” Haldeman said. “This is how I want to teach.”
For the Honors Program Senior Project, students develop a paper, a creative work, a presentation, etc., culminating in a final public presentation. Haldeman decided to create a YouTube channel.
“I wanted to make a series of different videos that future teachers and current foreign language teachers can utilize to see why this is beneficial and how we can implement it in the classroom,” she said.
She interviewed her high school teachers who advocated for immersive language learning, consolidating their ideas into a series of videos.
“My high school Spanish experience was so pivotal in my career choice. I knew I wanted to be a teacher, but Spanish really changed it all. My teacher made me fall in love with the language and she really showed her students that she cared,” Haldeman said. “She would come to my dance performances, or she would just give me additional support. So the teacher can change the world of a student and really make a difference in the students’ lives. That’s what I want to do for my students,” she said.
Knowing Spanish has allowed her to study abroad in places like Spain and go on trips to
“Language opens up so many different doors of opportunity for students and people in general because you’re able to be a bridge between cultures and be a cross-cultural communicator.”
Kiana Haldeman ’24
Guatemala. Even at home, it has allowed her to cross cultural divides.
“Language opens up so many different doors of opportunity for students and people in general because you’re able to be a bridge between cultures and be a cross-cultural communicator,” Haldeman said. “I worked at Chick-fil-A over the summer, and people will come through the line who couldn’t speak English. When I started to speak Spanish to them, their eyes would light up. The idea of being able to bridge that communication gap is really cool.”
Samantha Neal ’24
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Allie Mast ’23 December graduate
LEWISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA
After attending field hockey camps at Messiah in high school, Allie Mast ’23 already knew the campus well when it was time to pick a college. When she toured Messiah’s politics department, she was drawn to the program and the hospitality.
“I visited the school and then I knew that regardless of whether or not I played field hockey there, I would be attending the school,” Mast said. “I only applied to Messiah. I banked on it. Being on the field hockey team and learning leadership skills and what servant leadership looks like has been so huge for my growth in the classroom and as a person,” Mast said.
In the course of her studies, she took a Constitutional Law class and loved it. She also spent a semester interning for the American
Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank, in Washington, D.C., in her junior year.
“I came in not excited to work for them because I’m not a conservative. I was like, is this going to be the worst spring of my life?” she said. “Being in D.C. at a conservative organization where I was one perspective among many rigorously competing, diverse and oppositional perspectives was a personal confrontation with how I understood my previously held convictions. I am grateful for how Messiah’s experiential learning initiatives gave me the opportunity to engage with the kind of learning that cannot be taught in the classroom.”
She is starting law school at the University of Buffalo, where she will earn her J.D.
“I had to make the hard decision not to pursue a Ph.D. for now,” she said. “After my visit to Buffalo, and talking with the two departments, which I loved, I realized that doing both simultaneously wouldn’t allow me to get everything out of the law school experience that I want. I’ll still be focusing my studies on judicial process, administrative law, constitutional law and environmental law. I was accepted into the James Kent Faculty Research Scholar Program at the law school, as well, which will allow me the opportunity to pursue the research aspect of law, which is what I was so excited for with the Ph.D.”
Samantha Neal ’24 and Anna Seip, MBA ’24
INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS
Moises Ramirez-Gomez ’24
READING, PENNSYLVANIA
Moises Ramirez-Gomez ’24, an international business major with a double minor in music and pre-law, originally wasn’t sure he would attend Messiah, his sister’s alma mater.
“I kind of wanted to go to another institution, kind of make a name for myself. I didn’t want to be known as her little brother,” he said.
However, every time he visited his sister, he connected with Messiah professors and students.
“I just found it so amazing to see how professors were so willing to pour into my life, even though I wasn’t even a student yet. Or just the fact that they cared to get to know me for who I was. So that really stuck out to me,” Ramirez-Gomez said. “I think we use the word community so often it becomes a buzzword, but truly the community at Messiah really attracted me to it.”
In his time as student body president, he served as the bridge between the student body and Messiah administration, addressing the
needs of current students while also planning for future ones.
“The beautiful and hard thing about a place of higher education is that every four years you’re getting a whole new cycle of different students with different mindsets and different passions,” Ramirez-Gomez said. “So this year I kind of struggled with the idea of how we can best structure it so we best meet the needs of our current student body but also start planning for the future and for that next generation that is still coming.”
One such change involved visitation policies, enacted this past spring. Another accomplishment Ramirez-Gomez he says appreciates is the facilitation of conversations surrounding current events.
“A lot of things can be very polarizing,” he said, “but as Christians who have been called to be peacemakers, who have been called to love our brothers and sisters, it was really interesting just hearing that perspective of loving those who are suffering and how we can best facilitate conversation in these times of contention.”
Ramirez-Gomez believes his time at Messiah has strongly shaped his faith journey. He had grown up in a Christian household
but coming to Messiah exposed him to new questions about faith.
“I had become very complacent in my faith journey and my walk with Christ. So with that came a lot of challenges of figuring out who I was, my identity in Christ, but also how I want my relationship to Christ to look like,” he said. “Do I want it to be something that is surface-level or do I truly want to pursue a relationship where I am in all of who he is and God’s goodness and God’s love toward me?”
Ramirez-Gomez will be continuing his education with Messiah’s accelerated MBA program. He says his time at Messiah has holistically prepared him for his future.
“I hold the lessons that I’ve learned outside of the classroom to the same value that I do the lessons that I’ve learned in the classroom,” he said. “I think my major classes have really equipped me for the future, but I think a lot of the lessons that I’ve learned outside of the classroom, through leadership positions, through mentors pouring into me, have contributed to me being equipped just as much.”
Samantha Neal ’24
“The beautiful and hard thing about a place of higher education is that every four years you’re getting a whole new cycle of different students with different mindsets and different passions.”
Moises Ramirez-Gomez ’24
POLITICAL SCIENCE
Sydney Schappell ’24 LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA
A campus open house is what got Sydney Schappell to attend Messiah.
“I thought I wanted to go to a bigger school, but I had a friend who was already here and was like, ‘Hey, we’re having an open house. You should pop by.’ Our tour guide knew someone everywhere on campus, which was nice to see that there are people that know each other instead of being lost in the shuffle of a really big school. That’s why I ended up picking Messiah. It felt like a good place from the second I stepped on campus,” she said.
A political science major, she says a sophomore project about food deserts really inspired her. A local nonprofit provides its own currency to those in food desert areas and reached out to her research methods class.
“So we did the intake and we did research in Harrisburg communities. We reached out to a bunch of different businesses and partnered with them to get this nonprofit brought to Harrisburg. It’s in full swing now. I was with my dad in Harrisburg a couple weeks ago, and we were walking around and there were a couple different storefronts that had the little symbol of this company in the doorway saying that they accepted that currency as a form of payment for this food. I had a part in making that happen and bringing it to Harrisburg, which I thought was really cool,” she said.
She also spent three years on the Student Activities Board (SAB), including the past year as president.
“One of my favorite memories with SAB specifically was running Coffee House. Because of the nature of Messiah, we’re able to shine a spotlight on students that may have talents and passions for things, but not necessarily what they’re majoring in. So I loved being in charge of that and getting to work with people and find ways that we can let them showcase their passions and their talents to the student body that doesn’t require them to dedicate their entire life to doing this one thing,” she said.
She also credits Messiah with helping her see diverse viewpoints.
“When you’re talking with people who have different experiences, you see things in a different light. Being in an area that is Christcentered and there’s so many people that you know, we share a moral baseline a moral foundation But then obviously from there, you know positions differ on everything. It’s been really, really cool for me to be able to just learn from other people and listen to other people who have had different experiences than I have,” she said.
In the fall, she will continue her studies at Syracuse College of Law.
“Once I declared my politics major and I was taking more of the law-centered classes, I thought this is something where you can make a real tangible difference in people’s lives,” she said. “We also need to be good stewards of what Jesus taught us and how we should live our lives. There’s just so much negativity in the law and the politics field. So not only is it something that I’m passionate about, but I think there’s always room in these fields for the type of people that come out of Messiah.”
Samantha Neal ’24 and Anna Seip, MBA ’24
SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES
Krystalyn Super ’24
BLANDON, PENNSYLVANIA
Krystalyn Super ’24 started her educational journey as an environmental engineering major but she graduated with as a sustainability studies major with a concentration in conservation and agriculture along with a minor in biology. She hopes to go into research to help solve environmental problems.
“I want to go into more environmental research and work on trying to create some different environmental solutions to fix what’s going on, whether that be climate change, better land use, water use,” she said. “I can see myself working on policy for a nonprofit, working on environmental justice cases for people who don’t have clean water and serving those people well.”
She plans to attend graduate school at American University in Washington, D.C., where she will pursue a master’s program in environmental science. She also will serve as a research assistant for professors on specific projects.
“One of the programs that we would be doing would involve looking at BPAs in the Potomac River and nearby river sediments,” said Super.
In reflecting on her Messiah experience, she says she feels gratitude for the support that the sustainability program has given her.
“I definitely just want to say thank you to the department as a whole, all the professors I’ve interacted with,” she said. “It has been such a phenomenal learning experience that not only allowed me to grow as a person, but also grow in my studies with all the tools I need to achieve my goals.”
Samantha Neal ’24
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Micah Wu-Clark ’24
ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA
Micah Wu-Clark ’24, an electrical engineering major with a mechanical engineering minor, is passionate about using his skills for practical problem-solving.
“I have always loved the maths and sciences and engineering is a practical application of the two that can be used for benefiting people and solving real problems,” he said.
To pursue this passion, he sought out a Christian university that would help him reach his goals. That’s where Messiah came in.
“Messiah is an accredited, Christian liberal arts school that has a strong engineering program that is close to home (for me) and was generous with aid, making it a reasonable cost for a strong degree and experience,” he said.
During his college journey, he completed multiple internships in researching, designing and creating a product for a marketplace.
“My first was at a nearby engineering firm called Katapult where I worked in their makerspace designing and prototyping a STEM kit that used my programming, electrical, CAD and creativity skills to produce a product in a cooperative (and competitive) environment,” said Wu-Clark.
Another internship helped him develop his research skills.
“At the undergraduate laboratory internship at NREL, I spent [last] summer doing research and design work on a glove prototype that harvested energy from the forces in a human hand as a demonstration-scale model of the technology my team was developing,” he
said. “This internship made me realize I have a passion for research work, gave me some great connections and let me gain insight from research professionals on how they got to where they are and helped inform my path going forward.”
After graduation, Wu-Clark will begin working at PPL Electric Utilities on the interconnections team.
“I will help process applications and run studies for solar and other generation on the grid. These studies will help ensure grid protection and reliability and increase renewable energy in Pennsylvania,” he said.
Samantha Neal ’24
STUDIO ART
Justine Maendel ’24
FARMINGTON, PENNSYLVANIA
Studio art major Justine Maendel ’24 underwent no formal art training before attending Messiah.
“Art has always been something I’ve done as a reflex and as a hobby growing up” she said. “Being visually creative has always been very connected to who I am and what I love to do.”
In her junior year, Maendel studied abroad with the Gordon in Orvieto program in Italy for four months. In this program, she took one class per month, albeit without many textbooks.
“We were really encouraged to use the local people and the city and the Italian art and architecture and landscape and everything from that country as our textbook and learn from that,” Maendel said. “So it was just a really, really different approach to education and academics.”
With only one hour of Wi-Fi allowed per night, the program fostered a lot of con versation and creativ ity. Maendel and her classmates learned to slow down and take in the scenery.
“[Intentional community] was
something that was just wonderful about that program,” said Maendel of her time in Italy.
After graduation, she will begin her career teaching art at a private boarding school in New York. She says her dream would be to be a part-time artist and a part-time teacher, at whatever level.
“I’m going to always be making my own work at the same time and improving,” Maendel said. “I mean, who knows? Maybe I’ll go to grad school, maybe not. I’m not sure, but I think there are so many avenues of art that I haven’t yet explored and tapped into that I’ve just got a flavor of here at Messiah.”
Samantha Neal ’24
NURSING
Abigail Cheong ’24
SELANGOR, MALAYSIA
An international student from Malaysia, Abigail Cheong ’24 says she appreciated how Messiah University helped guide her through the process of studying nursing in the
“When I first entered the nursing field, I didn’t know how U.S. hospitals work,” Cheong said. “I didn’t know how insurance works, but going through classes and the way you slowly get exposed to everything is really helpful. They’ve always been supporting me, my
advisors and just people constantly checking up on me, which I think is really helpful.”
Before coming to the U.S., Cheong had attended one of Messiah’s partner schools in Malaysia when she met a representative from the University who encouraged her to visit the campus. She also grew interested in the nursing program by listening to alumni and current students.
“The 100% pass rate was great to hear because it showed that Messiah prepared nurses really well!” she said.
As she made her way through the classes, Cheong found the clinical experiences at Messiah especially helpful. At a recent job interview, the employer told her that they liked Messiah students because they were always well-prepared from these myriad clinical experiences.
“So, for instance, we do flight nursing. You go on a helicopter with other nurses,” Cheong said.
She had experiential learning with home health nursing, lactation consulting, nursing leadership and evidenced-based practice projects that focused on human trafficking in the emergency department, just name a few.
“My favorites were the community health nursing clinicals, because we had the opportunity to see the patients in their home environment and get to know them better and more holistically,” said Cheong.
After graduation, Cheong plans to work in critical care nursing, which would place her in an emergency care department or an intensive care unit.
Samantha Neal ’24
“I’ll be working on radio transmitter stations in West Africa to ensure the Gospel has reliable means to travel by via radio.”
Elizabeth Hargrove ’24
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
Elizabeth Hargrove ’24
BELLEFONTE, PENNSYLVANIA
Elizabeth Hargrove ’24 originally came to Messiah as a biomedical engineering major but graduated as an electrical engineer with a biomedical engineering minor.
“I started with a major in biomedical engineering because I thought it would be an interesting way to engage with the medical field without directly dealing with blood or disease,” she said.
After graduation, she traveled to West Africa to intern with Trans World Radio (TWR) for two months. She worked on transmitter stations to ensure dissemination of the Gospel via radio.
“The intent of my time in West Africa was to discern if God is calling me into longterm missions overseas or not. Through this experience, I have learned that missionaries are ordinary people who want to serve God,” she said.
At the end of her two months, she did not get a clear answer, and that’s OK.
“Right now, the answer may be ‘wait.’ Before Joseph became second in command over Egypt, God was humbling and preparing him through Joseph’s time as a slave and prisoner in Egypt. Likewise, God may still be
equipping me for long term service abroad, both technically and socially,” she said.
Hargrove says her host family and other missionary families were welcoming and helpful as she adjusted to new languages and culture.
“I have had the opportunity to apply aspects of nearly every engineering course I have taken at Messiah,” she said.
In addition to the engineering work of her internship, she had the opportunity to take part in Christian outreach to children.
“On Tuesdays, we wash their clothes, play soccer with them, talk about the Bible and feed them. Saturdays, we play soccer and talk about the Bible. I am very limited in my ability to speak French or the local tribal languages, but I can still engage with local kids through soccer and show that I care about them through my actions,” she said.
Now that the internship is complete, she will begin a job as an associate electrical engineer at EnerTech in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.
Samantha Neal ’24 and Anna Seip, MBA ’24
GRADUATE COMMENCEMENT
CLASS OF 2024
At Brubaker Auditorium, the School of Graduate and Professional Studies honored the Class of 2024, where 186 graduates received their master’s and doctorate degrees May 18.
TO SEE A PHOTO GALLERY FROM GRADUATE COMMENCEMENT, VISIT: MESSIAH.EDU/GRADCOMMENCEMENT.
SPECIAL RECOGNITION:
HARRY AND NANCY PREIS OUTSTANDING GRADUATE TEACHING AWARD: Stephanie DePalmer, assistant professor of counseling
Amy E. Black, professor of political science at Wheaton College, served as the Graduate Commencement speaker.
Norm Dyck
LISTOWEL, ONTARIO
With more than 23 years in pastoral leadership, Norm Dyck, MBA ’24 reassessed his career during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“What would I need to do if I had to retool or even look at a different career track? I had been curious about an MBA for a long time,” he said. “I have always been curious about the connection between theology and work or the work of the church and the world of business and began to ask that question more seriously. A friend of mine was taking courses at Messiah at the time and spoke highly of the program. I began to do some research and decided to sign on and here I am.”
Since he lives in Canada and works fulltime, he needed a fully online master’s program, but he was also looking for one that was well respected and faith-based. “Taken together, these led me to the conclusion that, if I have an opportunity to study at a high-ranking MBA program that also has a Christcentered focus, then I’ll do that,’” he said.
Out of his experiences in the MBA program, he says he most appreciated the group
“I have been enriched by this experience. I would encourage anyone considering it to dive in give it a try.”
Norm Dyck, MBA ’24
work. It allowed him to get to know his classmates and make his way through the program with many of the same people. Norm also appreciated being able to build relationships with his professors.
“It took it out of the purely academic context of a learning journey by putting it into practice in real-world experience,” he said. “How does this idea that we’re talking about apply to my line of work in the nonprofit faith-based sector? Because I was always able to integrate business and faith, it created a seamless environment for me,” he said. “My supervisor was supportive of me being in the MBA program, as it provided extra leverage in the critical thinking of my day-to-day work, even while I was completing assignments. I never saw it as two separate things.”
After graduation, he plans to pursue executive leadership roles in faith-based nonprofits.
“I’ve been enriched by this experience. It was a good choice to choose Messiah and to engage in the MBA program,” Dyck said. “I would encourage anyone considering it to dive in and give it a try.”
Samantha Neal ’24
MBA
DPT
Elijah Steffen
APPLE CREEK, OHIO
Elijah Steffen, DPT ’24 spent some time at Houghton University before applying to Messiah’s physical therapy program
“I had always thought about PT school, but I wasn’t sure I was ready to go back to school right away, so I was going to take a gap year,” Steffen said. “Then, the COVID scholarship helped give me time to rethink my gap year decision. After rethinking, I decided to join the PT program. I was like, ‘I think God wants me to go to Messiah right now.’”
A lifelong athlete, Steffen has suffered a number of injuries throughout his career that have taken him through the rehabilitation process. He cites this experience as what sparked his interest in physical therapy.
“The rehabilitation process in general is a very unique time because you’re kind of at a low point in your life most of the time. No matter if you’re older or younger or wherever you are,” Steffen said. “I really enjoyed the people that I worked with during that time. That influenced me to want to help other people through that. I also have a grandpa who had a stroke and got to see him go through PT, so that was part of my decision.”
Steffen says one of his favorite things about coming to Messiah was the opportunity to work with the men’s soccer team. He had known Coach Brad McCarty from when he was an undergraduate, so he decided to volunteer with the team.
“The guys on the soccer team helped me through school. They gave me energy and poured into me as much or more than I was able to pour into them,” he said.
After graduation, Steffen accepted a job at Inspired Physical Therapy in Linglestown, Pennsylvania.
“I am excited for the opportunity to join the team there and work to make a difference in people’s lives while continuing to work with the men’s soccer team on the side. I am very thankful for the people at Messiah and the community that helped form me during my time in grad school. I would not be the person I am today without them.”
Samantha Neal ’24
“Messiah places great importance on fostering an inclusive and supportive community, ensuring students from all backgrounds feel valued and supported.”
Sarah Newton-Jones ’15, MBA ’24
CAMP HILL, PENNSYLVANIA
After completing her undergraduate degree at Messiah, Sarah Newton-Jones ’15, MBA ’24 decided to become a double alum and pursue a Master in Business Administration with a concentration in management to help further her career.
“I was familiar with many of the accounting and business professors from my undergrad classes and felt comfortable learning from them again,” she said.
She says Messiah provides a comprehensive and rigorous academic education combined with a strong faith foundation that prepares students for diverse careers and life paths.
“Messiah places great importance on fostering an inclusive and supportive community, ensuring students from all backgrounds feel valued and supported,” said Newton-Jones. “My family emigrated from Canada many years ago, bringing with them a rich cultural heritage that includes both French Canadian ancestry and Inuit roots. This heritage has profoundly influenced my understanding of identity and community. These cultural experiences have shaped my worldview and continue to inspire me in both my personal and professional life. Embracing my heritage has allowed me to appreciate a diverse tapestry of cultures and has fueled my passion for fostering inclusivity and understanding in all areas of my life.”
She credits two professors with profoundly impacted her career: Mario Migliori, adjunct
in business and leadership, and Andy Babyak, associate professor of management and chair.
“Their guidance significantly shaped my education. I had Andy Babyak for multiple courses during my undergraduate studies, and his teaching allowed me to thrive in both undergraduate and graduate classes. Mario Migliori supported me through some of the most challenging courses in my program. He witnessed my struggles and frustrations with difficult math assignments, and his patience and kindness helped me develop my abilities and persevere,” she said.
Newton-Jones, who works in the finance department of a mental healthcare company and was promoted to accounting manager at the beginning of the year.
“Collaborating with the CFO on various projects has been incredibly rewarding. I eagerly anticipate my vacation this fall. It will be the first time in a long while without the pressure of assignment deadlines,” she said.
She says going back to school for her MBA was a challenge but also a worthwhile endeavor.
“I realized that time would pass regardless. I decided to pursue my goal and make the most of my journey through life,” she said.
Anna Seip, MBA ’24
MBA
Sarah Newton-Jones
Are you going to read that? EVER
Check out some tales you might’ve missed along the way
Sometimes, life gets busy, and the latest bestseller languishes on your nightstand for a year. Or two. Or a decade. Or two. That’s OK! We asked around campus for book recommendations and found some timehonored titles, including books by a former First Lady, some pop science (from 2011), and a memoir by a ’90s actor. Or, if you’re looking
for trouble, we’ve got a book called “Trouble” (published in 2008). Need something lighter? The Elephant and Piggie series (which began in 2007) might be your style. Want something heavier than an elephant? There’s a whale of tale that’s been waiting for you since 1851. The next book you read doesn’t have to be new to be great.
In ‘Trouble’ there’s grace
A car crash told from two perspectives
Right now, I am rereading “Trouble” by Gary Schmidt. This book is about a wealthy New England family navigating a tragic accident their son was in. The first line of this book is, “If you build your house far enough away from trouble, trouble will never find you.”
The first half of the book is centered around the youngest son Henry not being able to believe that something so tragic could happen to his family. I love books like this for many reasons, but the main one is I love seeing deep moral observations articulated through fiction.
Just like many Americans, the family in this book tried to buy their way into peace. Every difficult situation that came their way was fixable with good doctors, good schools and good tutors. Their social and economic capital had created a false reality for them. When they were confronted with the horror that happens in the second chapter, it shakes
them to the core because they thought they were immune to tragedy.
I love this book because I think it illustrates beautifully the way many American Christians tend to build their lives and, subsequently, their theology. Just like the family in the book, our theology is often untouchable by the realities we build. They are so racially segregated that our ideas about reconciliation seldom change anything significant about our congregations. We often intentionally segment our lives so the social aspects of our faith never touch anything we do daily. We have built our theology “far away from trouble” just like the family in the book.
I think this book speaks to that mistake, and I am always drawn to books like that. The lessons the family learns throughout particularly the youngest son Henry can be applicable to my life and perhaps many others.
Alessandra LaGeorge '27, public relations
“We often intentionally segment our lives so the social aspects of our faith never touch anything we do daily. We have built our theology ‘far away from trouble’ just like the family in the book.”
Alessandra LaGeorge ’27, public relations
Shared sense of humanity
Books with a powerful narrative
For me, reading is like looking through a window and being captivated by a view that you did not even know was there until you opened the curtains and peered through the glass. I always gravitate toward books with a powerful narrative about what it means to be human. I love listening to the stories of others, particularly when they delve into the complexities of life, namely human suffering, and highlight the journey toward healing and hope. A shared sense of humanity evidenced through the lens of diverse perspectives and experiences always causes me to reflect on my own life, purpose and place in the world. After reading a powerful true story, I’m often left in awe of the Creator and His faithfulness across, people, time, environment, nation and culture. (For a list of books that fit this theme, please look to your right.)
These books have humbled me and opened my mind and heart to the lived experiences of others that are different than my own. They have taught me to care deeply, listen well and love more fully.
Marcelle Giovannetti, vice provost of student success and engagement, assistant professor
A
READING
LIST OF LIVED EXPERIENCE
“Becoming” by Michelle Obama
“Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood” by Trevor Noah
“I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban” by Malala Yousafzai and Christina Lamb
“The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates” by Wes Moore
“Between the World and Me” by Ta-Nehisi Coates
“The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration” by Isabel Wilkerson
“Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption” by Bryan Stevenson
“The Sun Does Shine” by Anthony Ray Hinton
“The Souls of Black Folk” by W.E.B. Du Bois
“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou
“No Future Without Forgiveness” by Desmond Tutu
“The Hiding Place” by Corrie ten Boom
“Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith” by Anne Lamott
‘Thinking,
Fast and Slow’
Want to read about behavioral economics?
“I want to improve the internal dialogue that leads my life down one path as opposed to another.”
Dan Custer ’09, M.A. ’14, assistant director of institutional research
I gravitate toward books about human behavior and decision making. Often, we behave in ways that seem rational in the moment but, with hindsight, are regrettable. I’m curious about this subject on two levels. One, on a personal level, I want to improve the internal dialogue that leads my life down one path as opposed to another. Two, on a professional level as an analyst, I strive to minimize the errors in the models I create and maximize the utility of the information I provide for institutional decision making.
“Thinking, Fast and Slow” by Daniel Kahneman fed both aims for me. Kahneman was a psychologist who won the Nobel Prize in Economics for his work summarized in this book, which served as one of the foundations for the field of behavioral economics. Sadly, Kahneman passed away in March. The book illustrates how the brain approaches decision making and then lays out key ways in which it systematically errs and therefore can be accounted for to improve decision making. Kahneman describes two systems in the brain: one that is fast, reactive and prone to errors, and one that is slow(er), calculated and easily persuaded by its counterpart. This imbalance can lead to systematic errors in judgement and decision making. For example, the “fast” system often substitutes difficult questions that are more suited for the “slow” system for easier ones (e.g., “How happy are you right now?” is answered instead of the more involved question, “Overall, how satisfied are you with your life?”). This aptly named “substitution error” may seem harmless unless the answer to the actual, more difficult question differs.
Kahneman shows that by the time the “slow” system of thinking has time to catch up,
the “fast” system often has already moved on to the next task at hand, cementing this initial, possibly incorrect impression. Once you see examples of this or one of the other systematic errors in decision making in your own life, it is difficult to unsee them. When identified in real-time, we can then use one of the many strategies Kahneman describes to improve decision making.
If you find this book interesting, I suggest checking out two more. Michael Lewis’ “The Undoing Project” chronicles the lives of Kahneman and his long-time co-researcher Amos Tversky. Another excellent related book is Richard Thaler’s “Misbehaving: The Making of Behavioral Economics,” which describes the development of a new (and heretical at the time) branch of economics that emerged in part due to Kahneman and Tversky’s groundbreaking work summarized in “Thinking, Fast and Slow.”
Dan Custer ’09, M.A. ’14, assistant director of institutional research
‘Moby -
Dick’
is waiting for you
People usually laugh when I tell them “Moby - Dick” is my favorite book. Sometimes they think they’re laughing with me, because “obviously” I’ve made a very funny joke. In this case, I point them to the large, framed print that hangs above the mantle in my living room: the image of a white whale created by the negative space against a sea and sky of almost microscopically tiny blue letters spelling out the novel’s first 15 chapters. Other times, however, people laugh at me, because they know I’m serious.
Listen, I get it. “Moby - Dick" is a weird book. I’ll allow that a 600-page story of a peglegged captain’s monomaniacal quest to exact revenge on the great white whale that stole his leg is a little intense. And interruptions to the novel’s plot in the form of entire chapters about whale anatomy and essays about the philosophy of whaling don’t endear “Moby - Dick” to most readers. Many of us were assigned this Herman Melville classic at some point along our educational journey, but how many of us actually read it let alone liked it?
Its early readers didn’t like it either. The book was a commercial failure when it was
published in 1851, and it was out of print by the time of Melville’s death. In the 20th century, however, “Moby - Dick” gained popularity and became established as a Great American Novel. In the 21st century, an interdisciplinary course at Franklin & Marshall College called Religion and “Moby - Dick” changed my mind, too. I have come to agree with D.H. Lawrence, who called it “one of the strangest and most wonderful books in the world.”
Though its primary setting is the sea, “Moby - Dick” isn’t a beach read. Rather, it is a book to inhabit for a season, as you’re immersed in its religious imagery and layers of meaning. Melville’s evocative prose invites readers to consider the metaphysical implications of the text, exploring themes like language, power, race, Transcendentalism, imperialism, colonialism, technology, gender, individual freedom, original sin, death and salvation.
So, here’s my challenge: dust off that old high school copy of “Moby - Dick” (or pick one up at the library), grab a few friends who aren’t afraid to swim in the literary deep end and dive in together.
Emily Bingham, director of campus ministries
“‘Moby-Dick’ isn’t a beach read. Rather, it is a book to inhabit for a season, as you’re immersed in its religious imagery and layers of meaning.”
Emily Bingham, director of campus ministries
Make friends with memoirs
Matthew Perry’s book reveals common thread
“When he died later that year, I thought how odd that this book fell into my hands and how odd that I felt some sort of kinship because of our solo plane rides as children.”
Anna Seip, MBA ’24, editor
My husband bikes to work every day. On his commute home, he stops at Little Free Libraries and picks out books he thinks I’d like. Last spring, he handed me a copy of Matthew Perry’s “Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing.” I’d never been a huge “Friends” fan, and Perry was probably my least favorite person on the show. But, through his autobiography, I learned that he’d spent a lot of time alone on planes as a child, shuffling between his two divorced parents. He’d wanted to call the book “Unaccompanied Minor,” but the publishers wanted “Friends” in the title instead. I, too, used to fly alone as a kid, because my dad worked for the airlines, and I thought it was glamorous to go visit my grandparents on a whim. Perry and I had something in common, but we had very different perspectives of it. When he died later that year, I thought, how odd that this book fell into my hands and how odd that I felt some sort of kinship because of our solo plane rides as children."
Out of the 51 books I read last year, 15 of them were some sort of memoir, autobiography or biography. They draw me in, and I always reach for that genre. In “Don’t Tell Anybody the Secrets I Told You,” singer Lucinda Williams wrote unflinchingly of her Southern Gothic childhood in New Orleans.
The biography of Marjorie Kinnan Rowlings, author of Pulitzer Prize-winner “The Yearling,” described boozy afternoons with F. Scott Fitzgerald in the Florida orange groves and fishing in Bimini with Ernest Hemingway. Langston Hughes’ memoir “Big Sea” took me all over the world from Paris to Macon, Georgia. I loved joining them for the ride.
Reading allows us to live several lives. Learning about someone else’s experience, especially if it’s very different than my own, forces me to focus on just this person, in a way I might not in a back-and-forth, faceto-face conversation. In every book, I find some sort of common ground no matter how small and that makes me feel more connected to everyone as we go through life. Anna Seip, MBA ’24, editor
Chem alumna studies ocean enzymes
NIH POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP FUNDED FOR NEXT
3 YEARS
Through a postdoctoral fellowship from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Anna Love ’16 studies a particular enzyme on the ocean floor at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California San Diego. Her research involves studying the biological effects of cannabinoids in a unique way.
“We really don’t have a full understanding of the scope of biological effects that these cannabinoids have in people. So there’s a real importance in studying what this biological activity is so we can make sure that people are being safe in how they use it,” she said.
To study these different chemicals, Love uses enzymes found in bacteria from the bottom of the sea that enact the same chemistry as enzymes found in the cannabis plant. Finding and using these enzymes boosted the ease and efficiency of the project.
Love sees her project as operating in the intersection between biology and chemistry, a passion that developed while she was at Messiah.
“I came in as a biopsychology major, because I thought I was going be a neurologist. My experience with science was medicine. I switched to biology first because, while the psychology classes were interesting, I really resonated with the laboratory data you collect in biology. And then when I took organic
chemistry in my sophomore year, that’s when I realized that all biology could be explained by chemistry,” she explained.
Love says Messiah’s chemistry department supported her as a student in a way that was both important for her personal development and difficult to find anywhere else.
“When I first showed up to general chemistry lab, I had no
“I think I would have fallen through the cracks at a state school.”
Anna
Love ’16
clue what anything was. I didn’t know what an Erlenmeyer flask was. I didn’t know what a Buchner funnel was. I didn’t know what anything was,”
Love said. “The environment at Messiah was really integral to my success because I think I would have fallen through the cracks at a state school. The attention that I got from the professors and the small class size made it feel like the content was accessible, even to someone like me, where I felt really behind a lot of my peers, especially in the first year.”
The NIH is funding the project, which she started in 2023.
“It’s nice to have your own funding because then you don’t have to rely on having grants to be able to do your work. You have independent funding through a federal agency,” Love said. “The fellowship fully funds me for three years, so it gives a kind of security.”
Samantha Neal ’24
IN MEMORIAM DANIEL R. CHAMBERLAIN (’53 UPLAND COLLEGE)
1932–2024
Messiah University mourns the passing of former academic dean, Daniel R. Chamberlain. He is survived by his beloved wife of 72 years, Joyce Books Chamberlain (’49 Upland Academy). Five of their seven
children either graduated from or attended Messiah. Their grandson, Alexander Books Chamberlain, is a current Messiah student.
Chamberlain earned a bachelor’s degree from Upland College and then completed a Doctorate of Education at the University of Southern California. He worked as a high school principal and later as president of his alma mater, Upland College. From 1965 to 1967, he served as the assistant university dean for the SUNY system. Following that, he worked eight years as the academic dean of what was then Messiah College. His most notable and longest-held role was as president of Houghton College in western New York, where he
served from 1976 to 2006. At his retirement at age 74, he was one of the longest serving college presidents in the country.
E. Morris Sider, an Upland classmate, said, “He was almost overwhelmingly intelligent, but also a dedicated Christian. When Dan decided to leave his excellent job at the New York State University system to go to Messiah College, a small Christian school, his colleagues were puzzled. When they queried Dr. Ernest (Ernie) Boyer ’48 (then head of the SUNY system) why Dan would make what seemed to the colleagues as a disadvantageous move, Ernie replied, ‘Dan marches to a different drummer.’”
In 1972, Chamberlain invited Paul Nisly to join Messiah as a
faculty member and as the chair of the Language, Literature and Fine Arts Division. “During that first year, this neophyte asked myriad questions, and Dean Chamberlain was unfailingly kind, helpful and insightful in his guidance,” said Nisly. “Decades later, I interviewed him for his perspectives on the college during his tenure at Messiah. His memories were incisive, focused and razor sharp. He always seemed to me the ‘smartest person in the room,’ but with his many gifts and strong work ethic, he served his Messiah and Lord.”
Our deepest sympathies are extended to Joyce and the entire Chamberlain family.
Meet your match with Messiah’s scholarship challenge
Help us meet Messiah’s Endowment Matching Challenge to raise $1.5 million in new gifts, which, when matched with funds from the university’s endowment, will create $3 million in scholarship aid endowment.
• New scholarships can be started with a gift of $12,500+ and will be matched until the $1.5 million goal is reached.
• Each gift doubles the impact of its investment, i.e., a $50,000 gift would create a $100,000 endowment.
• Any gift made to an already existing endowment will also be matched dollar for dollar. for more details, visit messiah.edu/scholarshipmatch $10 million
IN MEMORIAM
George P. Kimber
1927–2024
Beloved former Bible professor, George Kimber passed away in early June. George was also a pastor in the Brethren in Christ denomination. George arrived at Messiah then College in 1973. The alumni Class of 1973 established a scholarship in to honor the legacy and acknowledge how deeply he touched so many students.
One of those students was Vice President of Operations and 1985 alum Kathie Shafer. She said, “Dr. Kimber was one of the first professors I had at Messiah; he taught my Introduction to
IN MEMORIAM
SANDRA JAMISON
1947–2024
Sandra “Sandy” Jamison passed away in June after a brief illness that followed years of living with chronic pain and disability. She was an experienced nurse and nurse educator, teaching nursing for 26 years, first at Indiana Wesleyan University (IWU) and then as a faculty member at Messiah from 1992 to 2001. She was our department chair of nursing from 1992–1999. After her retirement,
the Bible class. His passion for teaching was evident in how he helped us learn ways to know, understand and study the Bible. However, his passion for his students was even greater. He took time, in and out of the classroom to connect with us. He wanted to not only be sure we understood what was being taught, but he also wanted to know us as more than a student in his class. He would check in to be sure we were settling into college life and offered resources if needed. He was always there with a warm welcome and smile. Every time I ran into Dr. Kimber on campus, even long after he retired, his smile would make my day.”
The Messiah community extends our deepest sympathy to his wife Kathleen and his entire family.
Jamison was active with the national organization Nurses Christian Fellowship (NCF) and at the Grantham Church and Messiah Lifeways as a deacon and small group leader.
She said the greatest achievement of her work was the entry of several hundred wonderful and skilled graduates into the nursing workforce to make a difference and to extend Jesus’ ministry of health and compassion to countless patients and their families.
Retired nursing faculty member Arlene Miller said, “Sandra came to the nursing department at the time our accreditation was to be reviewed. Her first major responsibility was to collect all relevant information and organize the preparation. She distributed responsibilities to each of us. She had a gift for getting things
done. She worked hard and, in the process, helped all to work hard as well.”
Wanda Thuma-McDermond was equally affirming. “I first met Sandy at IWU when I started a summer intensive master’s degree in community health nursing with a transcultural nursing emphasis. We connected as former ‘MKs’ (missionary kids) from Africa. When I … returned after the summer session rather obviously pregnant, her first question was, ‘Do you have prenatal care?’ Second was, ‘When are you due?’ I reassured everyone that I was due in December and could complete the semester (and yes, I had cobbled together some prenatal coverage). Their response was the ultimatum that I go home at Thanksgiving and stay there! In hindsight, her
nursing assessment and care was much appreciated. She also took the chance on me as a clinical adjunct after she had transitioned to Messiah’s nursing department when I appeared with a second pregnancy. I have appreciated Sandy’s mentorship, graciousness and expertise. Once I was a full-time nursing academic, she encouraged me to present my research at an NCF conference. Other fond memories of Sandy were trips to Wegman’s and Aldi’s to buy international goodies not locally available — probably remnants of our multicultural childhoods.”
We extend our deepest sympathies to Jamison’s siblings, nieces and nephews.
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Nursing through the decades 40 YEARS
OF PHOTOS
Celebrating the 40-year anniversary of the nursing program, we gathered pictures from Messiah’s archives. Recognize anyone you know?
MESSIAH
Things are heating up with
A WARMER WELCOME!
Donors have pledged more than $5 million to the Warmer Welcome campaign! Messiah began construction this spring on Sawyer Pavilion and broke ground this summer for the Witmer Family Lacrosse Stadium. We are so thankful to all who have contributed to help make what was once a dream now a reality for our athletes, coaches and fans.
An additional $2 million will cover baseball/softball improvements of dugouts, seating and backstops along with press box construction, landscaping and signage. Also, a new plaza will provide a meeting and eating area with tiered landscaping, Messiah signage and a recognition wall for those who have pledged or given $15,000 or more to the project.
See how you can make a difference at messiah.edu/warmerwelcome.
“By supporting the Warmer Welcome Campaign, we believe we’re investing in the future of Messiah University athletes. The upgraded facilities are essential to provide a space where students can thrive, build strong community bonds, and grow in their faith to make an impact on the world after graduation.”
