“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.”
Ephesians 5:8
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dr. Brenda Elliott, director of the graduate program in nursing, was invited to present at a special session of the national Nursing Education Research Conference (NERC) in Washington, D.C., on “Building a successful team in nursing education research.” Her co-author on this project was Dr. Katie A. Chargualaf, University of South Carolina.
Brenda also engaged in two additional podium presentations during the conference. “A qualitative analysis of faculty experiences teaching RN-BS students” was co-authored with colleagues from The College of St. Scholastica. Minnesota; The University of Texas at Tyler; and Minnesota State University Moorhead. “Preparing nursing faculty to teach military veteran’s care” was co-authored with colleagues from The University of South Carolina and Widener University.
Brenda’s connections with nursing faculty at other institutions and presence at national conferences such as NERC evidences the reputation of our graduate nursing program. It is gratifying to acknowledge and honor her accomplishments in this arena.
- Kristen Slabaugh, assistant dean of nursing
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Faculty members Seth Burkert, Anne Reeve, Angela Hare and Roseann Sachs recently attended and accompanied six students as they presented their research at the National American Chemical Society meeting, in San Diego, March 22-27. Izzy Stults, Shelby Wendling, Maggie Hosler, Abigail Barnes, Alex Hutchinson and Olivia Call presented their work, mentored on campus by Roseann Sachs, Janet Matanguihan, Seth Burkert, Anne Reeve, Jesse Kleingardner and Rick Schaeffer.
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Emerson Powery, dean of the School of Arts, Culture and Society and Jason Renn, associate professor of politics, attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Pittsburgh on April 7 – 9. They accompanied three students, Ethan Reiser “The Literary Analysis of Video Games as Texts: Psychoanalysis and Postcolonialism in Disco Elysium,” Heidi Swartley “Got God? When Spirituality Meets Behaviorism” and Bella Farrington “When Trauma Lasts: How the Histories We Carry Shape Us” who presented their undergraduate research projects. NCUR is unique because it offers students from all disciplines and institutions of higher education the chance to showcase their work on a national stage. This was a fantastic opportunity for our Messiah students to present their work and network with 3,600 students and faculty.
BID FAREWELL
John and Debbie Chopka – Farewell Celebration!
We are so excited to celebrate John and Debbie Chopka for their many years of service to Messiah University! We look forward to wishing them well on their new adventure in Florida to be closer to family as John becomes vice president of enrollment management and marketing at Ringling College of Art and Design. To celebrate the Chopkas and all they have done to serve the Messiah community, please join us for their farewell party on Thursday, May 8 from 2-4 p.m. in PAWC 310 with remarks at 3 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.
AROUND CAMPUS
Messiah University Department of Theatre and Dance presents: The Spring Senior Series
Messiah University’s Department of Theatre and Dance is proud to present the second part of “The Spring Senior Series”, an evening of performance created and presented by department seniors featuring Tzeniah Frazier.
The Spring Senior Series
April 24- 25 at 8 p.m.
Poorman Black Box Theater, Climenhaga Building
“The Ultimate Worship Experience: Phases of Life”
Created by Tzeniah Frazier
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased online at messiah.edu/tickets, by phone at 717-691-6036, or at the door as available.
Messiah University Department of Theatre and Dance presents: “Culmination ’25” Spring Dance Concert
Messiah University’s Department of Theatre and Dance is proud to present the spring dance concert “Culmination ’25” on May 2 and 3! Celebrate spring and the dance accomplishments of Messiah University’s theatre and dance department in an offering of favorite dance pieces from the year, new faculty work, student adjudicated creations and senior capstone projects all in one fun and glorious dance concert!
Culmination ’25
Spring dance concert
Directed by Gregg Hurley
May 2 at 8 p.m.
May 3 at 2 p.m.
Miller Theater, Climenhaga Building
Estimated run time: 2 hours, including one 15-minute intermission
Tickets: $10—Adults; $7—MU Students (w/ID), MU Employees (w/ID), Youth (under 18) and Seniors (60+) Tickets can be purchased online at messiah.edu/tickets, by phone at 717-691-6036, or at the door as available. Discounts are available for groups of 10 or more.
Haydn’s “Creation”
April 25, 7:30 p.m., Parmer Hall
Pre-concert Lecture at 7 p.m.
Q&A Talkback following the concert
Sponsored by the Performing Arts Series
Haydn’s “Creation” is a stunning choral orchestral masterwork that portrays the seven days of creation in colorful, dramatic and unique ways. The text of this oratorio includes passages from “Genesis” and paraphrases of the “Psalms” and John Milton’s “Paradise Lost.” The Messiah University Symphony Orchestra and the Messiah University Choirs (Choral Arts, Concert Choir, Men’s and Women’s Ensembles) will combine with student and faculty soloists to present this masterpiece in English, with its familiar story and exciting choruses.
Ticket prices are $15 for adults; $5 for Messiah University students (with ID) and youth (18 and under). To purchase, please contact the Messiah University Box Office at 717-691-6036 option #1 or online at messiah.edu/tickets.
Visit arts.messiah.edu for more information.
SPLICE Film Festival!
Please join the Communication Department as we celebrate our student filmmakers at the 2025 SPLICE Film Festival!
Sunday, April 27, 2 – 4 p.m., at Parmer Cinema, Boyer Hall.
Reception to follow in Howe Atrium.
2025 Library student research grant awardee
Please join us in congratulating Olivia Reardon, the 2025 Friends of Murray Library student research grant awardee! Olivia will graduate in 2026 with a bachelor’s degree in English with a concentration in literature, education and dance.
Her research project is entitled “The Great Books and Me: Ethical Formation in the Classroom.” With Olivia’s goal of becoming a high school literature teacher at a classical, Christian school, her project pertains to the kinds of literature teachers curate for their students to read and the way these teachers guide their students through the texts. Olivia’s research will involve looking at records of historical curriculum for literature classrooms over time. She plans to visit The University of Virginia Archives, housed within the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library, which holds a wealth of records related to education, including student records, faculty papers and university publications, accessible for research and historical study.
Her project also seeks to bring many voices into the conversation surrounding literature and reading. Two significant voices contributing to her project are those of Dr. Mark Edmundson and Dr. Angel Adams Parham, both of whom are professors at the University of Virginia. Since these scholars have expertise in fields directly impacting her project, Olivia plans to converse in person with them about their ideas and interview them for her research.
Olivia’s research will culminate with a presentation at the annual Friends dinner in the fall of 2025.
Dr. Christine Perrin and Dr. Kerry Hasler Brooks are her faculty advisors.
Creek access
Due to construction work at the Starry parking lot, access to parking and to the Yellow Breeches at Messiah University will be limited. Beginning May 10, with the undergraduate commencement ceremony, the parking lot across the covered bridge will be closed. It is expected that it will reopen by August 20.
For the public, this limits parking availability, and the covered bridge will be closed to all vehicles and pedestrians. Access to the creek will be limited to the Cumberland County side only, with no nearby parking.
We ask all visitors that wish to access the Yellow Breeches to consider other plans. Thank you in advance for respecting Messiah University property.
Cybersecurity competition team recently competed in the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition
On March 21–22, the Messiah University cybersecurity competition team competed in the Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) regional event, hosted at the University of Maryland. This event brought together ten top teams from across the region who advanced from the virtual qualifiers earlier this year.
As in the qualifier, the competition followed an “inherit and defend” format, simulating a real-world business environment under active cyberattack. This time, however, the challenge increased significantly: in addition to on-premises systems, teams were also responsible for maintaining and defending cloud infrastructure. This added layer highlighted the critical importance of edge and cloud security—skills that are increasingly vital in the cybersecurity field.
Messiah’s team, composed of eight students, held their own against much larger Division I universities. While official rankings were released only for the top three teams, Messiah placed in the middle of the standings—an impressive feat considering the scale and experience of their competition. The team demonstrated continued growth in system administration, cloud operations, communication, and business process management. They left the competition with valuable insights and a renewed motivation to sharpen their technical skills for future challenges. The results of this competition are a testament to Messiah’s growing cybersecurity program and the leadership of coach Dr. David Bibighaus. The team is already looking ahead to next year’s competition season with excitement and determination.
School of Science, Engineering and Health symposium
The 22nd Annual Symposium of the School of Science, Engineering and Health will be held on Friday, May 2 in Frey, Jordan and Kline academic buildings. The work of more than 269 co-authors (students from within the school, off campus collaborators and Messiah University faculty mentors) will be represented in 86 presentations. Oral and poster presentations will be given in multiple venues throughout the afternoon. A detailed schedule and program is available on the Symposium website at: https://www.messiah.edu/sehsymposium
Celebrate the work, creativity and innovation reflected in the rich and diverse variety of oral and poster presentations. Many presentations will describe basic or applied research projects and represent the culmination of months (or years) of effort by graduating seniors. Several presentations will highlight how talents and resources are being used to address needs in the developing world. Plan to join us to celebrate the accomplishments of the students!
Isabella Farrington, senior, politics and international relations major presentation
Please join us for senior politics and international relations major Isabella Farrington’s honors thesis presentation, “When Trauma Lasts: How The Histories We Carry Shape Us.”
Monday, April 28, at 3 p.m. in Hostetter Chapel – Room 113
and
Wednesday April 30, at 2:30 p.m. in Boyer – Room 131
School of Arts, Culture and Society symposium – April 28
You are cordially invited to attend the School of Arts, Culture and Society undergraduate research symposium on Monday, April 28. Students will be presenting the results of their research projects in both poster format and oral presentations throughout the day. Stop by anytime!
Poster presentations begin at 9 a.m. and continue through 7 p.m. in Hostetter Chapel. Oral presentations will be held in Hostetter Room 113.
The schedule and information about all of the presenters and presentations can be found on the symposium website: https://sites.google.com/messiah.edu/sacs2025/home
We look forward to having you join us in celebrating all the great work our students have been doing this year!
Questions can be directed to Dr. Jennifer Thomson at jthomson@messiah.edu
Technology Support – Please see below for helpful tips and updates! Contact us by emailing techsupport@messiah.edu regarding any of this information or if you have any questions in general.
- Shared data with students – When students graduate, you may lose files/information shared with you by the student. Please work with the owner of the information to ensure you have access to the data after graduation.
- Over the summer months, the tech support team may be updating work study and adjunct desktop computers to new hardware and new software. Please remind adjunct and student employees to make sure they do not keep data stored on the hard drive of the computers, and please leave all computers turned on and equipment plugged in.
Tech Support purchases extended warranties for our Lenovo computers. This is to extend their life and usability for as long as possible as we often repurpose these computers throughout campus after they may have been used by individual employees. If there are any issues with the computer assigned to you, it is important to report it immediately so we can have it repaired without incurring a cost.
Senior class gift fundraiser at Baker’s Diner
Mark your calendars for April 28 and head to Baker’s Diner in Dillsburg for a delicious way to support Messiah University’s Class of 2025. See attached.
CLASSIFIEDS
Job opportunities
The Office of the Provost has an opening for a full-time executive assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Christine Gardner at cgardner@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29315.
The Financial Aid Office has an opening for a part-time financial aid office assistant. Job related questions may be directed to Mike Strite at mstrite@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29291.
Admissions have 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/29297.
Admissions has an opening for a temporary admissions traveling recruiter. Job related questions may be directed to Shayna Mark at smark@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29304.
The Department of Intellectual Disabilities Certificate has an opening for a full-time NEXT Steps resident life educator. Job related questions may be directed to Amber Brisbane at abrisbane@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29081.
Graduate Enrollment and Student Services has an opening for a full-time enrollment communication coordinator. Job related questions may be directed to Diane Titter at dtitter@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29102.
Residence Life has an opening for a full-time residence life educator. Job related questions may be directed to Annastasia Bonczyk at abonczyk@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28943.
Development – Annual Giving has an opening for a full-time administrative assistant for Giving Programs. Job related questions may be directed to Tovah Wilson at twilson@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29311.
The Office of Development has an opening for a full-time regional advancement representative. Job related questions may be directed to John Zeigler at jzeigler@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28806.
Residence Life has an opening for a temporary summer residence director. Job related questions may be directed to Annastasia Bonczyk at abonczyk@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28958.
Facility Maintenance has an opening for a full-time general maintenance mechanic (zone). Job related questions may be directed to Amy Stephan at astephan@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29089.
Dining Services has an opening for a full-time cook II PM. Job related questions may be related to Mark Wirtz at mwirtz@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28988.
Dining Services has an opening for a full-time culinary assistant. Job related questions may be related to Mark Wirtz at mwirtz@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29328.
Campus and Building Services has an opening for a full-time Campus and Building services worker, Residence Hall. Job related questions may be directed to Laura Price at lprice@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29048.
Grounds Services has an opening for a full-time groundskeeper/crew leader. Job related questions may be directed to Mark Graybill at mgraybill@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28255.
Grounds Services has an opening for a part-time groundskeeper. Job related questions may be directed to Mark Graybill at mgraybill@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29118
Grounds Services has an opening for a part-time seasonal groundskeeper. Job related questions may be directed to Mark Graybill at mgraybill@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29281.
The Department of Safety has an opening for a 1st shift safety officer. Job related questions may be directed to Daniel (Brad) Neuenschwander at dneuenschwander@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28975.
The Department of Safety has an opening for 2nd shift safety officer/dispatcher. Job related questions may be directed to Daniel (Brad) Neuenschwander at dneuenschwander@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28594.
Department of Communication has an opening for an assistant professor of public relations. Job related questions can be directed to David Dixon at ddixon@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/28514
The Department of Education has an opening for a full-time faculty in education. Job related questions may be directed to Ashley Thomas at amthomas@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: jobs.messiah.edu/postings/27681
The Department of Computing, Mathematics and Physics has an opening for a part-time adjunct physics instructor. Job related questions may be directed to Niklas Hellgren at nhellgren@messiah.edu. For more information and to apply, please visit: https://jobs.messiah.edu/postings/29013
For sale
Ice pop holders, great for kids. Kids love these ice pop holders, $6 each or 2 for $10, name included. Contact Stacy: sportko@messiah.edu
Wanted
Baskets. I am looking for small to medium baskets. If you have baskets, you know longer need, please let me know at rfeather@messiah.edu.
Ink jet printer. Looking for a color ink jet printer, preferably not an HP. Please contact Stacy: sportko@messiah.edu
OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS
Menkis Works Pottery Spring Open Studio and Pottery Sale
Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Menkis Works Pottery
2401 Arcona Road, Mechanicsburg PA
Menkis Works Pottery is a small-batch family business run by a husband-and-wife team and Brian and Naomi Menkis. We make hand-crafted, beautiful and functional pots for daily use such as: mugs, bowls, vases, teapots, pitchers and much, much more! Every year we open our studio for a Spring Open Studio and Sale. In addition to having hundreds of pots available, there will be wheel throwing demonstrations, kids clay activities, refreshments and guest artisans. This year we will be joined again by Sholley’s Craft Shop! Stop by to find a new favorite mug or pick out a special vase for Mom with Mother’s Day just around the corner! Find out more at www.menkisworks.com
Now hiring music instructors
The Cadence Music and Arts Program offers private lessons for students aged 6 through adulthood. Cadence is looking for experienced music educators to join their team. Instructors are needed for the Dillsburg, Hershey, and Linglestown locations from 4-8pm. Send your resume to service@cmaprograms.com.
For more information, visit cmaprograms.com or contact Dan, dcampbell@messiah.edu.
Susquehanna Chorale Invites Auditions for its Educational Outreach Program
The Susquehanna Chorale Educational Outreach Program is holding auditions for young singers to participate in the 2025-2026 season. Established in 1989 under the direction of Linda Tedford, the founder, artistic director, and conductor of the esteemed Susquehanna Chorale, this program, offered in the Fall, is a unique and unparalleled educational experience for students throughout central Pennsylvania. The program culminates in a Youth Choral Festival held the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Students in grades 8 through first year of college are invited to apply to the following choir options:
Susquehanna Children’s Chorale (4th – 8th grade)
Susquehanna Youth Chorale (9th grade – first year of college)
Susquehanna Alta Voce Chorale (higher/upper voices 9th grade- first year of college)
Auditions are scheduled for late May and early June. Complete application instructions are available on the Susquehanna Chorale website: www.susquehannachorale.org/eop-audition-resources
