“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
Psalms 84:11
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Michael Zigarelli, professor of leadership, published an article in the latest edition of Christian Scholar’s Review entitled, “Near-Death Experiences and the Emerging Implications for Christian Theology.” The article may be of special interest to those seeking evidence for whether an afterlife exists, as well as those looking for an alternative way to lead others toward God. It is available online at https://christianscholars.com/near-death-experiences-and-the-emerging-implications-for-christian-theology
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Three members of the Advancement Division presented at the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities’ 2023 Multi-Academic Conference, which was held on Feb. 26-28 in San Diego, CA. Jay McClymont, director of alumni and parent relations, co-presented a session with Chris Allbrook from CampusESP entitled, “How Strategic Engagement Fuels Student Success.” John Zeigler, executive director of development, and Abby Book, director of advancement programs, co-presented a session called “Strategic Alumni Affinity Groups: Harnessing the Power of Cross-Campus Collaborations.”
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The Provost’s Office is pleased to announce that Janet Vogel has been hired to be the next director of Murray Library, effective June 1. Janet is currently the director of the Hiram College Library in Hiram, OH. Janet has an M.S. in library science from the University of Illinois, an M.A. in public history from Loyola University Chicago, and a B.A. in history from Messiah College. Before assuming the library directorship at Hiram College, Janet served as youth services manager at Frederick County (MD) Public Libraries; Janet also served as an adjunct instructor of history at Messiah University (2011-2015), and before that, as Murray Library’s evening and weekend circulation supervisor. We look forward to having Janet return to her alma mater in June and are grateful for the careful work of the search committee (David Dixon, Braden Lawson, Janet Matanguihan, Caleb Miller, Kimberly Steiner, Beth Transue, and Liz Kielley).
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Associate Professor of Marketing Keith Quesenberry has published the Fourth Edition of “Social Media Strategy: Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations for the Consumer Revolution” with Roman and Littlefield. It has been completely revised for today’s social media landscape with many updates to make it more student, professor and professional friendly. With an integrated cross-discipline approach, Social Media Strategy serves as a core textbook for a wide variety of undergraduate and graduate social media college courses. Nearly 10 years after the first edition it’s become a go-to text in business and communications departments for marketing, advertising, public relations and communications programs.
https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781538180112/
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The Office of Faculty Development supported a strong representation of educators at 2024 Lancaster Learns, a one-day conference held on Friday, Feb. 23. Messiah University contributed as a conference sponsor. Additionally, several Messiah University educators contributed as break-out session presenters during the event. Jennifer Fisler, dean of the School of Graduate and Professional Studies and professor of education, presented “Candid and Kind: Developmental Feedback on Teaching”; Michelle George, associate professor of social work, and Sarah Jones, associate professor of nursing, collaborated on “Utilizing Interprofessional Collaboration for Student Success in Diverse Professional Settings”; Mindy Smith, assistant professor of applied health science, and Vanessa Lee, assistant professor of physical therapy, presented “Undergraduate and Graduate Collaboration in Service-Learning Pedagogy”; Karen Harrington, interdisciplinary studies, presented “Utilizing the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) to Increase Critical Thinking, Inquiry, and Reflection in Higher Education Classrooms”; Jennifer Dose, professor of management, presented “Low-Stakes Quiz Design: Maximizing Learning vs. Minimizing Cheating”; Melinda Burchard, professor of special education, and Sarah Myers, public service librarian, collaborated on “Translating Information from Scholarly Sources to Community”; Joanna Behm and Kimberly Duetsch, assistant professors of occupational therapy, presented “Integrated Student Wellness Initiative”; Brooke Dunbar-Treadwell, director of writing, and Robin Lauermann, professor of politics, presented “A University-Wide Approach to Writing That Supports Students in Building Critical Thinking Skills Through Research”; Joanna Behm and Jim Foster, assistant professors of occupational therapy, presented “AI and the Classroom: Practical and Ethical Use”; Cindi Kerns and Rocky Allinger, instructional designers, presented “Visual Metaphor in Instructional Design: Increase Engagement and Accessibility” and Sheila Rodriguez, associate professor of Spanish along with her student, Kiana Haldeman, senior, Spanish with teaching certification major, presented “Practice Makes Perfect: Intentional Target Language Use in the Foreign Language Classroom”.
Additional attendees included faculty members Elizabeth Eveler, assistant professor of graduate education, Braden Lawson, assistant professor of graduate athletic training, Amy Porto, director and professor of nutrition and dietetics, Anne Reeve, professor of chemistry, Kelly Waltman, assistant professor of criminal justice, Nick Weaver, assistant professor of mathematics, Sean Strehlow, assistant professor of sport management and Leah Clarke, director of teaching and learning, and director and professor of the graduate program in counseling.
Please join me in thanking these colleagues for their commitment to excellence in teaching.
Cynthia A. Wells, associate dean for faculty development
Director of The Ernest L. Boyer Center
Professor of higher education
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The Registrar’s Office welcomes Anne Narber into the newly created position of undergraduate academic services coordinator. Anne’s first day at Messiah was Jan. 8. Anne comes to Messiah with many years of nonprofit management and ministry experience. She and her husband, Darren, have three children, Emma, Caleb and Ethan, and have recently relocated to the Mechanicsburg area. Anne’s office is located in AWC Suite 107.
Please review updated information about the Registrar’s Office team and associated responsibilities on the “Contact Our Team” link on our website (https://www.messiah.edu/info/21291/registrars_office)
AROUND CAMPUS
Murray Library’s March 2024 newsletter
What’s New in the Library? Read our March newsletter containing the latest news on events and displays, staff, and more! Read the newsletter on Mosaic.
https://mosaic.messiah.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1050&context=lib_pub
Murray Library Seed Library Sow and Grow Event
Ring in the first day of Spring by joining Murray Library’s Seed Library on Tuesday, March 19 for our second annual Sow and Grow event. Join us in the lobby of Murray Library any time between noon -1 p.m. to plant your own Candytuft, Forget-me-not, or Lobelia seed and learn more about the seed library. We hope to see you there!
2023-2024 Library Student Research Grant
The 2023-2024 Library Student Research Grant application deadline is Friday, April 5. This competitive grant, sponsored by Friends of Murray Library, provides Messiah seniors doing their senior honors projects or senior capstone projects an opportunity to experience a taste of graduate school-level research using both Murray Library’s print and digital collections as well as other relevant research materials for their chosen topic located at other institutions or organizations. Proposals are selected for funding by an interdisciplinary panel of judges chaired by Chad Frey, chair of Friends of Murray Library. The grantee will be awarded $1,000 in the spring for the fall 2024 academic year. Grant recipient research will culminate with a presentation of the overview and process of their research project at the Friends Annual Dinner or alternative venue as appropriate. Award recipients will be announced Monday, April 22.
See attached PDF for application details.
Term tenure and promotion presentation
We invite all faculty to attend Don Zhao’s term tenure presentation, “Genome Editing and the Christian Worldview: The Ethical Challenge Faced by Biomedical Professionals”. The presentation is a requirement for his Christian Faith and Academic Vocation (CFAV) review and will be held on March 19 (noon – 1 p.m.) at Winding Hill 140. If you are interested in his presentation but cannot attend in person, you may join the following zoom link for a live-stream: https://messiah.zoom.us/j/95932200947?from=addon
National Procurement Month
March is National Procurement Month! The procurement team would like to invite you to a small celebration on Tuesday, March 19 from 1 – 3 p.m. in the finance/procurement lobby; first floor of Old Main. Stop by and introduce yourself, ask questions or simply say “hi.”
Exploring Careers in Healthcare summer day camp
The School of Science, Engineering and Health is pleased to once again offer Exploring Careers in Healthcare summer day camp, June 10-12, for students entering 10th, 11th and 12th grades this fall. Our camp is designed for students to explore some of the most dynamic healthcare professions, including nursing, physical therapy, occupational therapy, athletic training, applied health science and nutrition and dietetics, from a faith-based perspective. Patient case studies will provide context for engaging, hands-on activities, demonstrations and panel discussions in state-of-the-art facilities on our main campus and at Winding Hill, led by Messiah’s expert faculty, students and professional practitioners. If you or someone you know is interested, we invite you to learn more and register at https://www.messiah.edu/healthcareerscamp before June 2. Please email healthcareerscamp@messiah.edu with any questions.
Voice major performing in Italy!
Victoria Lang ’25, a voice major and music education major in the Department of Music, will be attending the Opera Lucca festival this summer. Victoria is a voice and opera student of Damian Savarino. Victoria applied and auditioned to be a member of the festival and was cast as “Suor Angelica” (cover) in their production of Giacomo Puccini’s SUOR ANGELICA. She will also sing opera scenes and aria concerts in local venues, study intensive Italian, work with world-renowned faculty, and spend four weeks in the gorgeous town of Lucca and surrounding areas. Congratulations to Victoria! Buona fortuna! https://operalucca.org/
Boyer Legacy Award and Class of 1964 Carlton Wittlinger Award
The Boyer Legacy and Wittlinger Awards section committee, which is comprised of Cynthia Wells, Devin Manzullo-Thomas and Jon Stuckey, is pleased to announce the 2024 recipients.
2024 Boyer Legacy Award: Rachel Baksa
The Ernest L. Boyer Center annually bestows a Messiah University junior with this award in honor of the legacy of Ernest L. Boyer, Sr. Recipients demonstrate Dr. Boyer’s broad accomplishments and convictions, including his passionate commitment to viewing education as a means to solving societal challenges and his ardent emphasis that leadership is grounded in service.
This year’s recipient is Rachel Baksa. The selection committee appreciated her thoughtful essay, highlighting her commitments to serving students that our educational systems neglect and her efforts toward building community among teachers.
Thank you to Sarah Fischer who nominated Rachel for the award.
2024 Class of 1964 Carlton Wittlinger Award: Isabella Farrington
A graduate of Messiah Junior College in 1935, Dr. Wittlinger returned to Messiah and served over 35 years as a teacher and visionary administrator. The Class of 1964 Wittlinger Award seeks to honor students who demonstrate Dr. Carlton Wittlinger’s broad academic accomplishments, including his qualities of persistence and unselfish dedication, as they pursue and develop their own leadership skills.
This year’s recipient is Isabelle (Bella) Farrington. The selection committee was deeply impressed by the many ways Bella seeks to inflect service, leadership and reconciliation into her various commitments on- and off-campus.
Thank you to Jason Renn who nominated Bella for the award.
Both awards carry a $1,500 cash prize.
We are grateful to the COE for all nominations and look forward to another round of awards in 2025!
CLASSIFIEDS
Job opportunities
The Department of Engineering has an opening for a full-time director, Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research. Job related questions may be directed to Brian Swartz at bswartz@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26566.
Procurement has an opening for a full-time accounts payable coordinator. Job related questions may be directed to Steph Sechrist at ssechrist@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26625.
Graduate Studies: Administration has an opening for a full-time state authorization and licensure manager. Job related questions may be directed to Jennifer Fisler at jfisler@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26532.
The Department of Engineering has an opening for a part-time, temporary administrative assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Philip Tan at ptan@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26328.
The Admissions Office has an opening for a part-time admissions hospitality assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Kristin Thomas at kthomas@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26174.
The Agape Center for Local and Global Engagement has an opening for a part-time administrative assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Paula Holtzinger at pholtzinger@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26176.
The Registrar’s Office has an opening for a temporary records and registration assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Kathee Clark at kclark@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26606.
Dining Services has an opening for a full-time dining room supervisor. Job related questions may be directed to Todd Christopher at tchristopher@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26390.
The Department of Network Services has an opening for a full-time system administrator/analyst. Job-related questions may be directed to Tony Wyland at wyland@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/23892.
Campus and Building services have a variety of full and part-time openings. Job related questions can be directed to Laura Price at lprice@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu
The Department of Education has an opening for a full-time faculty in education. Job related questions may be directed to Beverly Pitcher Johnson at bjohnson@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/25934.
Dining services is now accepting applications for summer Lottie workers. Job related questions may be directed to Todd Christopher at tchristopher@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26530.
Campus and Building Services is now accepting applications for summer workers. Job related questions may be directed to Denise Blackley at dblackley@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/26554.
Wanted
Inexpensive used car. Do you have (or know someone has) an old car that they would be willing to sell at, or below, market to help a refugee family who works third shift at Messiah? Justin and Nyakiza Nyantabara have their driving permits and will be taking their drivers test this summer, at which point they will need a car. If you can help, please contact Jay McClymont (jmcclymont@messiah.edu) who is working with this family to help meet their transportation needs.
