“[Teachers] get anxious,” he said, chuckling. “I’m the one they try to get a hold of.”

A computer resource technician with Harrisonburg City Public Schools, Shoemaker (’78) likens his job during the school year to firefighting, swooping in to sort things out whenever someone can’t log into their computer or get their projector to behave. Shoemaker is responsible for one high school and one middle school in the city – though these days, he’s able to fix lots of problems remotely without leaving his office.

During the summers and other calmer times, Shoemaker also keeps the schools’ computers and other devices, like iPads, up-to-date and in good working order.

In neighboring Rockingham County Public Schools,ĚýObe Hostetter ’00Ěýhas a slightly different role as an instructional technology resource teacher. Though he also gets involved in technological troubleshooting, he visits all the division’s 24 schools to train teachers on how to better use technology in their classrooms, and sometimes co-teaches technology-enhanced lessons with them. A recent example: teaching a kindergarten class how to scan QR codes with iPads.

“I enjoy the teaching part, seeing the kids getting excited [about technology],” said Hostetter, who spent his first five years after college teaching elementary and middle school before going down the technology path.

One of the tricky technology-related issues that comes up in school settings is the fact that after Hostetter’s lesson on QR codes, those kindergartners may well be more adept at using them than many of their teachers.

“They’re not as comfortable, because they have not grown up with it,” says Shoemaker, of teachers who began their careers before computers had so thoroughly infiltrated education.

While younger teachers, as a rule, don’t tend to be as intimidated by technology, there’s a flipside.ĚýDoug Moyer ’91, a systems technician for the Warren County (Virginia) Public Schools, tells of a young teacher whose Smart Board went out of service and was thrown into a tizzy by the prospect of resorting to primitive substitutes like the markerboard.

Moyer and Shoemaker both spent some time in the business world before getting into school technology, and both say they enjoy the general lower-pressure school atmosphere. Computer emergencies happen both places, but the stress and aggravation just usually aren’t as great in education.

“It has its moments of intensity, but it’s not nearly as great, and I appreciate that part of it,” said Shoemaker.

Mike Stoltzfus ’98Ěýalso began his IT career in private business, beginning with CMDS (now Jenzabar; see story p. 15) after graduating with a computer information systems degree. He then spent several years handling IT for Harman Construction, a company that has worked on numerous projects at 91¶ĚĘÓƵ over the years, including the ongoing renovations of the Suter Science Center. While he worked for Harman, Stoltzfus also ran his own web hosting business on the side. One of his clients was Eastern Mennonite School (EMS), which created a full-time IT position and hired Stoltzfus to fill it inĚý2008.

With just under 400 students in grades K-12, the school’s IT needs are modest enough that Stoltzfus handles most technology-related issues (Andrew Gascho ’09Ěýassists him, and teaches digital communication classes at EMS). Those range from systems maintenance to troubleshooting to repairs to keeping up with the rapidly changing digital world by planning things like a Chromebook-for-every-student initiative that the school is exploring.

“That’s something that really attracts me about working at a place where there isn’t a huge technology infrastructure,” Stoltzfus said. “I can be involved in all those different things…. I enjoy seeing the whole picture.”

(Since starting at EMS, Stoltzfus’s job has expanded well beyond that whole IT picture; now the director of business affairs, he also oversees school finances and a few other operational matters.)

There’s never a time when there’s not something new to check out. With a relatively tight budget to be conscious of, for example, Stoltzfus has been exploring opportunities offered by open source software.

“I really enjoy learning new things. That’s one thing that I’ve always enjoyed about technology – it’s always changing,” said Stoltzfus, who majored in computer information systems. “As you learn about things, you realize more and more how much you don’t know.”

Like Stoltzfus,ĚýJon Harder ’82Ěýalso works as a technology generalist for a small school system, handling “pretty much anything to do with technology” for Mountain Lake (Minnesota) Public Schools.

In addition to all the usual school troubleshooting and software updating, Harder has been able to put his programming background to good use as the schools’ technology coordinator. When a need was identified for a computer-based method for staff to reserve rooms or vehicles to use, Harder couldn’t find existing software that fit the bill. Instead, he created his own web-based application that’s now in use. It’s the kind of thing that’s kept the job interesting for the past 14 years (prior to which, he was a software engineer in the Twin Cities).

“I guess I’m a real problem solver,” he said. “It’s always fulfilling to run into new challenges and figure out how to do something.”

When Harder was at 91¶ĚĘÓƵ, tinkering with the mainframe computer that used to be in the old Administration Building or the few really early Apples that belonged to the Psychology Department, he had no clue that computers were going to become such a thing. The Internet as it exists now wasn’t something anyone could conceive of.

That makes it hard to hazard a guess as to what sorts of technologies people like him will be troubleshooting in schools in decades to come. Fewer keyboards and more spoken commands, he suspects.

Hostetter concurs on the voice-interfacing thing. 3-D printers are coming, too. Maybe “wearables” like Google Glass will make their way into classrooms eventually. Whatever it is, it’s bound to be something that seems hard to imagine right now.

“It is pretty amazing what all we can do now that just a couple years ago wasn’t possible,” he said.

The 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Lacrosse Club started with the enthusiasm of Maplewood Resident Director Adam Houser.

First year 91¶ĚĘÓƵ Lacrosse members Philip Tiezen and Mitch Yoder learn new skills and teamwork during daily practices. The 91¶ĚĘÓƵ-Bridgewater team has two games remaining this season. (Photo: Andrew Gascho)

"I have played lacrosse since junior high. I actually played four years at Gordon College in Massachusetts," Houser said. "I missed playing a lot after college and am happy to be around it again."

Houser said he contacted 91¶ĚĘÓƵ athletic director Dave King in the fall of 2007 to see if starting a lacrosse club would be possible.

"I’m sure that others wanted a lacrosse club before I got here, but I guess I had a lot to do with getting it started. [Club members] started just throwing around some. Then we got some equipment through the help of Rec. sports and also were able to have an intramural season last winter, which brought out quite a few people," he said. Learn more about intramurals at 91¶ĚĘÓƵ

The club has grown from its humble beginnings with just a few members throwing around in the afternoon and now holds actual 91¶ĚĘÓƵ club status.

Generous Donor Funds New Equipment

"At the end of last year we applied for and received club status through Student Programs and SGA. This past fall we played a little bit and actually got a large donation from a very generous person who wanted to see lacrosse grow at 91¶ĚĘÓƵ. That donation allowed us to buy more equipment for the program," Houser said.

With new equipment in hand, the club practices everyday from five to seven on the turf. Many of the members of the club are new to the game and are learning the basics.

"The hardest thing [is] cradling the ball, I still am not real good at it," said first year Jesse Weaver, who is playing the sport of the first time.

According to e-lacrosse.com, cradling the ball is "the fluid side to side motion of the stick in order to maintain possession of the ball using its own gravity and inertia while running at full speed." Many of the other members agreed that this skill is the most difficult to learn.

Teaming with Rivals

Another challenge the Lacrosse Club faces is their small membership. 91¶ĚĘÓƵ teams up with Bridgewater College to play games since they do not have enough members to field a full team.

"The hardest thing for me is that it seems like we aren’t on the same page with offensive and defensive strategy. I hope to sit down with their captains and set-up a better strategy for how to practice and play together," said Houser. In the future, the club hopes to have enough players to form its own team.

This past weekend, the combined 91¶ĚĘÓƵ-Bridgewater team traveled to Farmville, Va., to play Longwood College. While the game was not close score-wise, it was good experience for the team.

"The score doesn’t really matter because it was the first game for a lot of the guys playing. But we learned a lot, and are definitely all better players because of the game," said Jesse Weaver.

First year Nate Weaver, also a first-time player, said he appreciates the mentoring Bridgewater players have offered him.

"Playing with Bridgewater has been great. They’re all so nice, and they bring tons of experience. Several have taken me under their wing and helped me out a lot," Nate Weaver said. Houser said he has already seen a lot of improvement in the team after just a week of practice.

"We have some good athletes that are really picking things up quick. I think as we continue to play we will be able to trust each other more to develop the plays together and not try to take things on our own," he said.

Houser said it is possible to have a superstar lacrosse player, but teamwork is still necessary for success.

"It really is a sport in which individuals can stand out, but at the same time for a team to be successful it needs to utilize everyone on the field. I am excited to see how each of the players begins to establish their roles on the team," said Houser.

In order to bring more awareness to the club and raise money, the club plans to sell t-shirts. The t-shirts will be available for purchase soon and can be purchased from any of the club members.

Houser also pointed out that Lacrosse Club is co-ed. "We are playing separately, since the men’s and women’s games are so different. We haven’t gotten a large amount of interest from women on campus, but if any women are interested in playing they can contact Valerie Helbert or Erin Reichart. We would love to see a women’s program develop alongside the men’s program," concluded Houser.

The Lacrosse Club has two more games scheduled, April 11 at Roanoke and April 14 at Bridgewater versus Christendom College.

Reprinted with permission from The WeatherVane, 91¶ĚĘÓƵ’s student newspaper

Mandy Khochareun didn’t go to the gym 13 years ago to find the man of her dreams. He just happened to be there.

Mandy, then a student at JMU, enrolled in a boot camp fitness class at Nautilus Fitness Center (now Gold’s Gym). So did Cy Khochareun.

When they met, the couple already knew they had one thing in common: an interest in fitness. That Sunday when Cy showed up at Mandy’s church, Valley Church of Christ, they realized they shared the same beliefs, too.

91¶ĚĘÓƵ students and engaged couple Jen Edwards of Richmond and Joe Horst of Daltan, Ohio, share a couch at 91¶ĚĘÓƵ’s Common Grounds coffee shop. Photo by Thomas J. Turney

Their dates consisted of mountain biking, hiking and exercising together. Four months later, they were engaged.

But finding the one isn’t always that easy, and the process definitely isn’t what it was 50 years ago. Although the idea of traditional dating seems to be fading, Harrisonburg singles are still finding places around the city to mingle.

"Obviously if you go to places like the gym or church, you’ll meet like-minded people there," said Mandy, 32. "You don’t have to meet them at the bar."

Mandy, now the group fitness director at Gold’s Gym, and Cy, 39, who now runs Taste of Thai and Oriental Market with his family, were married in 1996. "Neither of us were looking [for someone]," Mandy said. "It was just one of those random Tuesday night things … I just knew he was it." Mandy and Cy have two children – Jada, 3, and Ty, 4.

A Different Kind of Club

Josh Scandlen worked at a bar while he was a student at George Mason. He met plenty of girls there, but "not one person I look back and say,