91短视频 will host an in-person “Walking Ceremony” and online Commencement ceremonies for the Class of 2021 and the Class of 2020.

The Walking Ceremonies will be Saturday, May 1. [The rain date is Sunday, May 2.] Graduates of 2020 and 2021 are invited to attend one of three smaller ceremonies associated with 91短视频’s academic schools.

• 9:00 a.m. School of Theology, Humanities and the Performing Arts
• 11:30 a.m. School of Science, Engineering, Art and Nursing
• 2:00 p.m. School of Social Sciences and Professions

An outdoor venue will be used. Graduates may also register four guests. More information will be forthcoming.

Two virtual ceremonies will also be held. The Class of 2021 Commencement will be on Sunday, May 9, at 1 p.m. EST. The Hon. Deanna Reed, mayor of Harrisonburg and a member of 91短视频鈥檚 Board of Trustees, will give the Commencement address.

The weekend will also feature an online commencement ceremony for the Class of 2020. This event will be Saturday, May 8, at 1 p.m. EST. Professor Carolyn Stauffer will give the commencement address.

鈥淲ith COVID still significantly present in our communities and Virginia guidelines for hosting gatherings still very restrictive, a virtual ceremony and these distanced walking ceremonies will allow us to celebrate our graduates and their accomplishments in the safest way possible,鈥� said Provost Fred Kniss.

The Virginia governor’s related to commencement exercises enabled planning of the in-person events.

For more information, visit .

Professor Carolyn Stauffer is the featured guest of this week’s episode of Peacebuilder podcast. Stauffer speaks with host Patience Kamau MA ’17 about her work in the fields of sexual harm and trauma. 

Before returning to her alma mater as a professor, Stauffer spent 16 years in Southern Africa. In the podcast, she recounts working at a rape crisis center in the mid-1990s, where she saw a “hierarchy of identities” among the survivors of sexual assault she worked with.

Race “was the primary sort of frame of identity that was given the most recognition 鈥� after race then class became an issue,” Stauffer explained, especially among those from mixed race communities. In contrast, gender-based issues weren’t much considered in the national discourse on oppression, all while “Johannesburg was considered the rape capital of the world.” 

When Stauffer joined the 91短视频 (91短视频) faculty in 2010, she thought seriously and prayed about how to serve those experiencing intimate partner violence and gender-based violence in the Shenandoah Valley. She started the Silent Violence Project, in which Stauffer and a team (which included Center for Justice and Peacebuilding students) worked with women who were homeless, undocumented, or in the Beachy Amish communities. 

“What were the unique risks that they faced based on their identity?” Stauffer asked. “What were the resistance strategies that they used to push back against abusers 鈥� what were their resilience strategies?”

At the time, Stauffer was co-director of 91短视频’s MS in biomedicine program. She wanted to ensure that the future healthcare providers under her tutelage would be sensitized to sexual harm survivors, so she held a symposium 鈥� with a cadre of conservative Mennonite survivors teaching her students. Many of the survivors hadn’t completed the eighth grade.

“I flipped the script and basically positioned them as the experts to train my biomedicine students sexual harm and trauma. And so it was this total change of power dynamics,” Stauffer explained.

Despite her vast expertise in this field, Stauffer still welcomes learning from others. She recalls how, after one symposium, someone asked her about the intersection between sexual violence and neurodiversity 鈥� for example, a survivor who may have ADHD or autism. 

“We have to think beyond just one particular sort of static definition of who that survivor or who that harm doer is. I think that’s part of taking the field forward, is including an understanding of the intersection of identity and sexual harm.”

This was neither the end of the semester we anticipated nor the graduation we expected, but it is the semester we have completed and the graduation we celebrate, said Dean David Brubaker this past weekend to a virtual celebration for graduates from the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

Those words encapsulate the whirlwind experience of the last nine weeks, as our semester was completely disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic.

This was not the semester we anticipated, but it was the semester we completed.

And what choice did we have but to persevere, adapt, be flexible and patient, flatten one curve as we were being slung faster on an accompanying learning curve of what exactly to do with ourselves, our bodies and minds in this strange new world.

The following collection of photos and text is a snapshot of the semester, collected in real time and revisited now, for those of you who are more peripheral to 91短视频. It might help to give a sense of how faculty, staff and students responded in and out of classroom — in true 91短视频 fashion, with resilience, empathy and commitment.

Here we go (online)!

Some of the first on campus to sense an impending switch were employees in Information Systems. They began thinking about remote learning during 91短视频’s spring break the first week in March, and in anticipation, beefed up their HelpZone articles on a variety of relevant topics.

By March 12, when 91短视频 announced a move to online learning, IS had reviewed and increased capacity of all systems and equipment (including webcams, laptops and Chromebooks) necessary for online teaching and campus operations. Needless to say, they were busy.

Two graphs from Jenni Piper, director of User Services, tell the story:

First Helpdesk Tickets. The green line shows last year’s demand and the blue line this year’s.

And second, the number of daily Zoom meetings hosted through the campus account, beginning in early March.

After hosting a training for faculty March 13 and the shift to online the classes the next week, IS handled 64 tickets on March 16, something of a watermark that shows when faculty and staff began to engage with the reality of a move to remote work.

Pedagogues thinking positively

91短视频 10 days into the online shift, I asked a few professors how things were going. Some of their answers are included below. I was particularly struck by the positive perspective of veteran educator Carolyn Stauffer, professor of applied social sciences:

In reality, what we鈥檙e experiencing now is the presence of hybrid education. We鈥檝e had the chance to meet in-person for the first part of the semester and now I get to know each participant’s online presence as well. It鈥檚 wonderful to be able to build on the assets of both sides of that equation!

Solo field trips

Professor Doug Graber Neufeld‘s “Natural History of the Shenandoah Valley” course syllabus was packed full of fantastic field trips to local natural wonders and lab experiences (like taxidermy practice below).

With his students scattered in mid-March, the field trips turned into independent explorations, such as Katelyn Dean‘s below. Here she holds morel mushrooms she and her dad found in the George Washington National Forest, just one find shared during class time.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the highlight of my day to hear students who daily recount the joy they find in now recognizing the animals, plants and rocks around them,” Neufeld said. “In such unusual times, experiencing the beauty and complexity of the natural world together has been a unique source of hope for us.鈥� Read more about this class.

Conversations continue

In Professor Marti Eads’ class “Ways of War and Peace,” students met virtually with Reverend Masayuki Sawa, the pastor of a Reformed (Calvinist) congregation in Japan.听He spoke of his perception of contemporary Japanese attitudes toward World War II and Japanese perceptions of the US and our own military actions, then and now, among other topics.

The class was slated to visit the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C. Instead, guest speaker Gillian Steinberg, an educator at the Salanter Akiba Riverdale Academy in the Bronx, and her students from the Modern Orthodox Jewish tradition met online with 91短视频 students.

This conversation and the de-brief afterwards held richness and nuance, Eads said, with several classmates opening up about their own religious experiences, choices and identities. Recognizing the common humanity, despite labels — “just the idea of all of us sitting together talking and all of us from different groups” was a moving experience, said one of her students. []

Creating community with virtual high fives

Engineering professor Esther Tian (pictured above at top right) continued teaching synchronous classes, preferring the structure and the presence of students. “It is also good for students to see each other and talk to each other before class as they would in a classroom.

We do high fives, thumb-ups (and downs) during class, we find out new features of Zoom and use them right away. It has been fun. I also found that one-on-one and small group Zoom sessions were working really well in answering students’ questions as well as advising..”

Senior Collin Longenecker, visible below Tian in the photo above and also at right, was an embedded tutor with a first-year engineering course. Though initially he wasn鈥檛 sure how Zoom sessions would work, he adapted well: 鈥淭he students pop in and out and they can share their screen with me. It is almost like I am in the engineering lab looking over their shoulder trying to help them troubleshoot the problem. I have been helping a few students that I had not helped before we went to online school which is cool.”

Read more about 91短视频 tutors at work during online classes.

The power of community to enhance learning was the top tip in a blog post titled ” by Dean (and chem prof) Tara Kishbaugh for fellow organic chemistry teachers using the same texbook. “Community Matters,” she began. Use the relationships that have already been built to help students continue asking questions and learning in small peer groups. And she reminded readers, you can still greet each student individually when they enter your Zoom classroom.

Tech fails/wins: ‘chipmunky’-ness and new relationships

Professor Mark Sawin teaches U.S. History 103, from World War I to the present, with a focus on “power and paradox.” Sawin tried to do a synchronous class on Zoom and “it rather hilariously and spectularly failed,” he reported.

“So, since then, I’ve been pre-recording all my lectures on Panopto so students can watch them asynchronously, and with that program, you can adjust my speed. At 1.5 speed, I start to get rather chipmunky… at .5 speed I sound like the television show ‘Drunk History.’ I’m not sure if that amuses students, but it certainly amuses me.”

With the lectures available at any time, he began using normal class time as an open forum where students could drop in and ask questions.

“I’ve had some wonderful 1-on-1 conversations with students that I would never have had in our normal class setting. In this sense, our ‘social distancing’ has actually provided some closeness that wasn’t there before, and for that I’m grateful,” Sawin said. “I’ve also been pleased and touched by the grace that students have extended to us as we struggle to move our classes online. And I believe we, too, are showing that grace, focusing on the learning objectives and the big important ideas, and allowing a lot of latitude when it comes to the many wifi issues, isolation stresses, and general quarantine chaos we’re all learning to live with.”

Grace and connection

That grace is something education professor Paul Yoder has also experienced. Students in his classes are pre-service teachers and as a pedagogical specialist himself, the shift to online classes provided ample room for discussions around topics related to the digital classroom.

He wrote: “The key word in my planning for weekly class sessions via Zoom has been connection. We have taken time for each of the 18 students to rate how they are doing on a scale of 1-10 and then share with the group. Last week I sent individual emails as a follow up to the few students who placed themselves on the low end of the scale. I have also been excited to hear from some of my advisees who have shared their affirmations of how professors are providing flexibility as needed.  Particularly as we recognize that not all of us have the same level of internet access, I know that living into an ethic of care is essential.”

Nancy Heisey, seminary dean, also used check-ins with her classes, which often included adult students who juggled many responsibiliities, including pastors working in ministry settings.

“We take time every period to share ‘how it鈥檚 going’ and encourage one another. Some students are struggling with a household where everyone is working on line in a crowded space鈥攕pouse tele-working, children trying to do homework, and seminary student worrying about class work and how to get a video service up for their congregation鈥檚 Sunday service.

“I鈥檝e been amazed, though, at the depth of engagement鈥攖his morning, my New Testament students each did a creative rendering of a parable of Jesus. They were funny, sobering, and encouraging!”

Hearing some of those needs led seminary professor Sarah Bixler to host an April 1 online gathering that drew 32 pastors, including 22 alumni, from four denominations and eight states. This has led to a free online series for pastors. Check it out here.

A wider global market for CJP

Innovation happened quickly during the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding鈥檚 facilitation class, co-taught by Professor Catherine Barnes and Amy Knorr. Students usually practice skills they鈥檝e learned in person by helping clients with a planned discussion, strategic visioning or group dialogue. With face-to-face options limited and practice still required, students moved online.

Above, one group produced an online strategic planning for Shenandoah Green, a local environmental group, including a circle process, a historical reflection using a digital timeline that folks could fill in, and a card sort, a way of getting ideas out into the open and then grouping them together. “Board members at Shenandoah Green were delighted,” said Knorr, who helps coordinate practice settings for CJP students.

In the midst of the pandemic, CJP also hosted several online gatherings for alumni to connect and share resources.

And significantly, center staff moved quickly to adapt the Summer Peacebuilding Institute to online classes, expedite a new hybrid graduate degree program in transformational leadership, and prepare upcoming semester classes for online delivery.

The massive disruption and accompanying move towards online learning and programs have created new opportunities, said Executive Director Jayne Docherty, especially in a previously untapped market of prospective participants who could not have afforded to travel or would not have been issued a visa in the current environment.

鈥淚n the face of the pandemic, many people are waking up to the fact that our societies have become more unequal and unjust and that we are teetering on the edge of violent confrontations between social subgroups. Some of those people are saying, 鈥楾his can鈥檛 continue. This is just wrong. What can I do? I want to be part of the solution.鈥� By moving our programs online quickly, we have helped channel their energy and impulse to help others in ways that prevent violence and address injustices.”

’12 hours ahead of our students’

As daily reports arrived into faculty in-boxes about the closure of practicum and internship placements to students, the nursing department focused on making sure their seniors could graduate on time and join the fight against covid-19.

For one cohort, that meant three 12-hour shifts at a local hospital. For others, they logged clinical hours (and their supervising professor also took calls) at a special covid-19 public health hotline.

“The faculty were meeting hour to hour, staying 12 hours ahead of the students as we were making decisions,” said Professor Melody Cash.

Eventually, a waiver allowed faculty to substitute simulation hours for live clinicals and all 16 seniors finished out the semester in good standing, ready to join the workforce.

It’s the small things…

Marci Frederick (above), director of Sadie Hartzler Library, and Professor Kevin Seidel dressed in academic regalia in honor of their senior seminar students for their last Zoom class meeting.

Congratulations, 91短视频 family, on the end of the semester we did not anticipate.

We celebrate.

From laboratory experiments to quantitative research gathered on campus and in communities far away 鈥� 12 graduate students in 91短视频鈥檚 MS in Biomedicine program participated in an oral defense of their research projects at the end of the fall 2019 semester.

The research 鈥渉elps students not only to develop mastery in the natural sciences but also to incorporate other disciplines such as social science and ethics. They are able to connect their personal interests with academic studies and other networks beyond 91短视频,鈥� said Professor Laurie Yoder, who provided research oversight.

For students applying to medical school or other professional health schools, such research projects provide 鈥渁n important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants,鈥� said Dr., program director. 鈥淪tudents learn an incredible amount by taking an original research project from start to finish.鈥�

Since 2013, the master鈥檚 in biomedicine program has helped graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research component is just one unique curricular offering. Students also benefit from a unique approach to cadaver dissection, which many alumni say has provided optimal preparation and a strong background for the rigors of medical school. Several articulation agreements with professional health schools enhance opportunities to matriculate and continue with career goals.

Each oral defense is evaluated by professors in the MS in biomedicine program, committee members, other faculty and other graduate students. Family members, invited professionals and alumni, and other students also attend, Yoder said.

The research component brings graduate students into mentoring relationships with faculty, alumni and other professionals across many disciplines. Committee members for this round of research projects included Esther Tian, professor of engineering; Carolyn Stauffer, professor of social work; Tara Kishbaugh, professor of chemistry; Ryan Thompson and Gregory Koop, professors of psychology; Kristopher Schmidt, professor of biology; Laura Yoder, professor of nursing; and Julia Halterman, director of the biomedicine program.

Master鈥檚 candidates and their research topics include:

Adeola Adesuyi, An exploration of the factors that contribute to patient perception of branded and generic drugs;

Donatine Afful, The UNC-53 gene negatively regulates levels of RAC BTPase CED-10;

Heidi Byron, Associations between personality types and their responsiveness to gamification in mobile applications amongst faculty and staff at 91短视频;

Hosam Hadid, Acute and post-traumatic stress symptoms may depend on burn injury type;

Alexus Holbert, The psychological impact of genetic testing;

Anna Jemi-Alade, The erosive potential of kombucha, Coke and apple juice on bovine teeth;

Cyndra Jones, Investigating attitudes of first responders toward individuals with opioid use disorders and cocaine use disorder: a survey of police officers and emergency medical technicians in an urban city in central Virginia.  

Bowen Lian, Assessing the need for a mild cognitive impairment screening tool in medical and surgical patients at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital;

Claire Reilly, Linking dentists鈥� education level to their recognition of patients with dental anxiety;

Krystalee Revanna, Gene expression of BAX and BCL-2 in liver and kidney medulla Sprague Dawley rat tissues in response to high salt and high fructose diets;

Nathan Ropelewski, The effects of short-term diets on cognitive function in Mus musculus;

Michelle Van Horn, Comparison of virtues reflection vs. mindfulness-based stress reduction in undergraduate students at 91短视频.

鈥淚t takes courage to try to address harms at the systemic level, such as the land theft that is at the foundation of the service; at the institutional level, like culture and climate issues faced by employees throughout the service; and the individual level, things like interpersonal bullying and harassment. None of our organizations is a shining example of doing this well, so it鈥檚 a gift to be part of the process of struggle toward change.鈥�

STAR Lead Trainer Katie Mansfield

The National Park Service is focusing on improvement of its workplace culture and climate 鈥� and calling in the help of restorative justice and conflict transformation professionals from 91短视频鈥檚 Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR) program.

Most recently, STAR trainers conducted a training and facilitated discussion over four days in Philadelphia for 20 federal workers, including five park service superintendents. Its goal? To engage with trauma and resilience experts to help shift workplace culture and build employee satisfaction throughout park service offices in the Northeast.

The event was the second time STAR has worked with the park service and more trainings are being planned, according to STAR Program Director Hannah Kelley.

The inclusion of STAR programming has provided a way into addressing systemic issues within the park service鈥檚 unique context, said Rebecca Stanfield McCown, director of the host agency, the National Park Service . 鈥淚鈥檓 still amazed at the impact of the December workshop, which not only connected each of us to the personal and human side of trauma awareness and restorative practices, but helped us begin to develop a common language around these principles.鈥澨�

NPS explores the potential of RJ

The Stewardship Institute is dedicated to helping NPS leaders 鈥渕ove the organization in new directions鈥� through collaboration and dialogue. It began exploring the potential of restorative justice for 鈥渆mployee wellness in the face of harassment and hostility鈥� about two years ago, McCown said.  

At about the same time, Grand Canyon National Park hosted a STAR training. Park administrators were connected with STAR by Sigal Shoham, a 2013 alumna of the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and an organizational omsbudsman with the U.S. Department of the Interior鈥檚 Office of Collaborative Action and Dispute Resolution (CADR).听

Administrators at The Stewardship Institute were especially interested in the beneficial outcomes of the training in Arizona. 鈥淲hen we were looking to understand what role restorative practices could have in addressing harassment and hostility, we reached out to STAR because of the good things we had heard from the staff at Grand Canyon,鈥� McCown said.

She added: 鈥淚t had been challenging to communicate the potential alignment and benefits restorative practices could bring to the NPS because most of us lacked the language and strong understanding of how it might be applied to our workplaces.鈥�

With STAR programming shaped to that educational goal and outside experts brought in for the facilitated discussion, the Philadelphia training helped the Stewardship Institute shine light on the way forward. 

Positive outcomes

The training was facilitated by STAR Lead Trainer Katie Mansfield and Jonathan Swartz, a restorative justice practitioner and Center for Justice and Peacebuilding alumnus. The participants, including Shoham and other CADR employees, spent 2.5 days learning about the personal and organizational impacts of trauma, concepts and applications of restorative justice, self care, and secondary traumatic stress.听

The remainder of the third and fourth days focused on a facilitated dialogue, during which participants could ask questions of experts in restorative justice, trauma awareness and resilience, truth and reconciliation, and organizational anthropology, including the STAR trainers themselves. 91短视频 professors Johonna Turner and Carolyn Stauffer, who bring expertise in trauma awareness, resilience and restorative justice, contributed to this discussion, which also included cultural anthropologists and other specialists.

One outcome of the final session was strategies and action items to create awareness, implement practices, and build a new culture. 

鈥淚 could feel the combination of struggle and inspiration and care among the participants,鈥� said Mansfield 鈥淚t takes courage to try to address harms at the systemic level, such as the land theft that is at the foundation of the service; as well as at the institutional level, like culture and climate issues faced by employees throughout the service; and the individual level, things like interpersonal bullying and harassment. None of our organizations is a shining example of doing this well, so it鈥檚 a gift to be part of the process of struggle toward change.鈥�

The December workshop, McCown said, equipped park service staff to begin 鈥渢o implement trauma-aware and restorative practices in our individual parks or program culture,鈥� such as developing workshops for more staff. The participants are also working to 鈥渋dentify ways that park leadership can foster workplaces that include restorative practices and trauma-aware leadership.鈥�

Contributors to the 鈥淐hanging the Narrative on Sexual Harms鈥� (CTN) project include STAR trainer Katie Mansfield, program director Hannah Kelley and practitioner Joy Kreider. The project will be housed under the at 91短视频鈥檚 Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.

STAR has facilitated trauma and resilience trainings with thousands of participants from more than 60 countries. The CTN project and resulting curriculum will deepen the program鈥檚 work addressing sexual trauma specifically and will engage all affected parties 鈥� from individuals to institutions 鈥� in proactive, preventative and restorative approaches.

鈥淲orldwide there is a growing admission that the topic of sexual harms is quickly moving from invisible peripheries to conspicuous center stage,鈥� Stauffer said. 鈥淭he CTN project provides a viable way to be visibly present at a critical time in this important conversation. This proactive approach frames the paradigm shift opportunity offered by CTN.鈥�

The grant includes funding for assembling focus groups in local and international settings, interviewing global practice leaders, and accessing expertise at institutions such as Victoria University in Wellington, New Zealand.

The project will collect input from survivors across diverse communities to ensure the inclusion of voices from marginalized and underrepresented communities. In addition to the harmful impacts of sexual violence on individuals, the curriculum will address how power disequilibriums can foster cultures of violence in communities and organizations.

鈥淢any organizations do not have processes in place to support individuals in a trauma-sensitive manner nor the impetus to push for proactive policies that prevent sexual violence in the first place,鈥� Stauffer wrote. 鈥淒aily we hear of 鈥榮exual misconduct鈥� that gains notoriety precisely because institutions are non-compliant with current legislation and ignorant of trauma-sensitive intervention protocols. Such gaps not only compound the profound harms already done to victims, but they also put the integrity, legality and legitimacy of organizations at risk.鈥�

The focuses on individuals and organizations working for effective change through innovative approaches to societal challenges relating to gender, environmental and/or economic justice. It is administered by through the Everence affiliate, Mennonite Foundation.

鈥淭his project is the heart of what JustPax is all about,鈥� said Teresa Boshart Yoder, managing director for Everence in Harrisonburg. 鈥淲e want to reach out to the underserved or vulnerable and begin programs that will bring about effective change.鈥�

This $6,600 grant is the second Stauffer has received from JustPax. A 2016 grant of $10,200 supported a project called 鈥淪ilent Violence,鈥� which studied strategies of resilience among domestic violence survivors from within communities of homeless women, undocumented Latinas, and Mennonite women from Old Order or conservative church communities.

Tell us about your current studies at Emory University and your future plans in the medical field.

I am studying global health at the Rollins School of Public Health. I am in the dual-degree track with the physician assistant (PA) program, which means I spend one year studying public health and the next two and a half years in the physician assistant program. When I was in Mennonite Central Committee鈥檚 (SALT) program in Papua, Indonesia (2014-15), I saw how public health was so important, but I also realized that I needed some concrete skills. I wanted to work with individuals and have impact on preventing disease at the population level. Bill Foege, a former director of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), calls this 鈥渂eing able to see both the numerator and the denominator.鈥� I think that this program fits me very well because I love learning about complex issues and prevention, but am also looking forward to having the clinical, personal skills of a PA.

Why Emory University?听

Emory is located just north of Atlanta, right next to the CDC and not far from other organizations like CARE [a global humanitarian organization] and the Carter Center. In a lot of ways Emory reminds me of 91短视频鈥攊nspiring professors, care for environmental sustainability, and care for the underserved. However, Emory is a big, private, research university, which is very different than 91短视频. It鈥檚 exciting as a student to have professors and guest lecturers who are involved in emerging research and activism, and who inspire you to keep asking big, engaging, and critical questions. There are endless opportunities, which is intimidating and exciting all at the same time. I think more 91短视频 students should come check out Emory! The campus is beautiful, and you can see the Atlanta skyline from parts of campus.

After graduating from high school, what did you think you wanted to do and how did your academic experience at 91短视频 help with that goal?

I went to 91短视频 for its quality pre-med program but realized in sophomore year that I wasn鈥檛 quite ready to make the necessary sacrifices needed to focus on getting into medical school. In my life sciences practicum class my junior year, I shadowed a PA and that planted the idea of becoming a PA.

91短视频 also helped me to explore my different interests鈥擨 took classes and became involved in peacebuilding, psychology and religion. I also took 鈥淪ociology of Health,鈥� which is what initially drew me to be interested in public health.

What extracurriculars did you get involved in and how did that shape your 91短视频 experience?

I was involved in a lot鈥攑robably too much. I was president of Alpha Omega Dancers for Christ, which gave me a platform to combine my love of worship and movement. I played intramural soccer, was involved with the Third Culture Kids (TCK) club and did some volunteering. I was a community advisor in Elmwood and Hillside, a pastoral assistant, and a community assistant with the Summer Peacebuilding Institute. Many of these experiences taught me a lot about myself and others, how to lead, plan, budget, mentor and express myself. These experiences stretched me and strengthened me.

Tell us about the competitive application process for PA school. What do you think set you apart?

I spent a lot of time thinking about why I wanted to be a PA, and what kind of school I wanted to go to. I spent several months studying for the GRE (to improve my score the second time) and shadowed a PA. I also gained many hours of clinical experience working for 2.5 years as a certified nursing assistant at a low-income nursing home. I applied to three dual-degree (PA/MPH) programs and four regular PA programs and got accepted into all three dual-degree programs and one of the regular PA programs.

I think the fact that I was interested in public health set me apart. Coming from a Mennonite background, growing up in Cambodia and living in Papua (volunteering with an HIV/AIDS support group) made me a pretty unique candidate. I also did a whole lot of praying and asking people to pray with me.

What advice would you have for 91短视频 Pre-Professional Health Sciences students?

Keep at it. Studying all the time can feel overwhelming, but know that it is only for a time鈥攋ust part of the journey that you will get through. Don鈥檛 feel that you have to be self-motivating; there are days that you will need someone else to tell you that you can do it. If you have doubts, talk to people who are in that field, or someone you trust to help encourage you.

I would also recommend getting experience after college, even if it is working a menial and hard job like a nursing assistant. Having real-life (and very difficult) experiences has made my graduate-level classes so much more interesting because I now have context and examples to apply to what I鈥檓 learning. Also, don鈥檛 be afraid of grad school鈥攊t鈥檚 not all that much harder than 91短视频 sciences.

Any particular shout-outs to 91短视频 profs who were influential?

First, the individuals who wrote my letters of recommendation must have said something good and I am so grateful for them. All of my biology and chemistry professors, including my advisor, Roman Miller [now emeritus professor], were influential by always challenging but encouraging us. Brian Martin Burkholder and other Campus Ministries staff helped me to develop and articulate my faith, which helps me to envision a better world. Professor Carolyn Stauffer inspired me to be passionate and speak truth. And so many others鈥攖his list could get very long鈥攐f profs and mentors along the way who made learning exciting, who showered an encouraging word over me, and were committed to the quality education of 91短视频.

The phased roll-out will begin with faculty and staff in spring 2019, while students 鈥渨ill begin to see signs of the program on campus in fall 2019,鈥� said Leda Werner.

She manages a multi-year grant 91短视频 received through the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) to combat sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence and stalking on campus. The first year of the grant, 2017-18, was devoted to needs assessment and planning.

The bystander training is one of several initiatives to be implemented in the next two years.

Empowerment to act

The imagery of the Green Dot program is simple: If a red dot on a map represents an individual act of sexual violence, a green dot can represent any individual choice that builds community safety and cultivates intolerance for sexual violence. That could mean actions such as defusing a situation through distraction, showing concern for someone who is being harmed, or asking someone who is causing harm to move away.

A key difference from other programs is that it goes beyond typical awareness-raising measures. The training empowers participants with 鈥渘ew actions and new ways of seeing and engaging that can enhance a community鈥檚 capacity for response and change,鈥� said associate dean of students Jonathan Swartz.

鈥淭o keep people safe, it is necessary to widen the circle of responsibility,鈥� Swartz said. 鈥淭o me, that鈥檚 basically a call to all of us for active involvement in the safety and well-being of all of us.鈥�

Equipping members of the campus community to step up in harmful situations is key, as 鈥渁 lot of the time, the reason people don鈥檛 intervene to prevent or deescalate a situation of sexual harm is because they鈥檙e not sure what to do or say,鈥� said Werner. 鈥淭hrough Green Dot trainings, confidence to step up in these situations will increase.鈥�

Launched in 2006 at the University of Kentucky, the Green Dot curriculum has been used in more than 300 colleges (including James Madison University), 50 middle and high schools, 50 communities and across other entities on four continents.

Initiative begins with faculty and staff

The five staff attending the training include counseling services director Tempest Anderson, housing and residence life assistant director Matt Hunsberger, applied social sciences associate professor Carolyn Stauffer, Swartz and Werner.

The group will help to anchor further efforts on campus with faculty and staff in spring 2019. These discussions will include strategizing about听 ways to bring Green Dot to life on campus through, for example, course content, awareness campaigns and programming.

Later in the semester, bystander trainings will be extended to all faculty and staff. Participants will learn how to recognize warning signs, identify barriers to action, and reinforce social norms that are intolerant of sexual violence and foster 鈥渁 community of safety and respect,鈥� Werner said.

Beginning in fall 2019, the process will start over with students. By fall 2020, all incoming students will receive Green Dot鈥檚 bystander training.

鈥淥ur overarching goal is to shift the campus culture around response to and prevention of sexual violence,鈥� said Werner. 鈥淲e look forward to working with faculty and staff this spring on creating a strong foundation for that goal.”

For more information or to find out how to get involved, contact Leda Werner at leda.werner@emu.edu.

Aaron Erb, who earned his undergraduate degree in peacebuilding and development and a master鈥檚 degree in conflict transformation at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, received the awards during ceremonies in October and November.

Erb is the restorative justice coordinator at the Center for Victims in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. In that capacity he coordinates a community mediation program and, with a coworker, provides victim-offender dialogue facilitation services to ACJC鈥檚 Victim Offender dialogue program. After receiving the ACJC award, he was nominated by ACJC assistant chief probation officer Kim Booth for the statewide award.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not possible for me to name all the ways 91短视频 prepared and inspired me for this work,鈥� Erb said.

In undergraduate studies, his program鈥檚 emphasis on the interdisciplines of philosophy, economics and international relations 鈥渉elped prepare me for a job that requires openness to new experiences and understanding of the multitudinous factors affecting people engaged in the juvenile court system,鈥� he said. Professors such as Gloria Rhodes and Carolyn Stauffer 鈥渄emanded that I examine myself as a product of privilege even as they illuminated that my gifts and skills had a place in the world.鈥�

As a graduate student at CJP, his professors modeled conflict analysis to understand the roots of conflict in order to facilitate transformative dialogue.

鈥淚 find myself having surges of gratitude for my CJP community when I find my way through difficult situations in my work,鈥� Erb said. 鈥淚 was given a framework to be a restorative justice practitioner that I鈥檓 learning is a very rare thing for others within my professional circle.鈥�

鈥淎aron thrives in helping people and is truly passionate about the juveniles involved with his program,鈥� JCJC deputy director Robert Tomassini wrote in the award program. 鈥淗e understands and listens to the unique circumstances and situations of the program participants and meets everyone with an unbiased manner, open mind, and genuinely caring heart.鈥�

Earning trust is a challenge whether working with victims or offenders, Erb said.

Victims 鈥渉ave to sense that I will treat their stories with respect and care, holding space for their emotional responses and allowing them to be fully where they are after being hurt by a young person,鈥� he said. Offenders, too, must know that he cares and respects them, their own challenges and 鈥渢heir capacity to make good decisions in their lives 鈥� so they can bring their best self to dialogue with me and the people they harmed,鈥� he said.

鈥淎s a facilitator, sometimes I feel like a weathervane in the stormy aftermath of a harmful incident,鈥� he said, 鈥渂ut my energy is found in the moments of reconnection and restoration during and after dialogue,鈥� in part through debriefing with colleagues who 鈥渂ravely encounter these dialogues.鈥�

Now a graduate student at Kutztown University, Joshua works as a success coach with the , which partners with ChildPromise, Inc. to provide support for students who are current or former members of the foster care system.

Joshua notes that out of more than 400,000 foster care children in the United States, less than 10 percent decide to pursue any type of college degree, and that it is a privilege to hear their stories and offer support as they work towards their goals.

What attracted you to attend 91短视频 as an undergraduate?

At first, I just wanted to move away. I lived outside of Philadelphia my whole life and I wanted to be anywhere else. Then I fell in love with Harrisonburg because it has a very unique environment of a half-urban/half-rural area. They have an exciting downtown area that always has great events, and lots of open space and vistas.

You majored in liberal arts and focused in business. Why did you choose that combination and what skills did you gain from that interdisciplinary emphasis?

I began my journey as an accounting major. I loved the work, but realized that the career of an accountant wasn鈥檛 quite what I needed in life. I thrive off of relationships and knew that I needed to work more directly with people.

My experiences working with the Campus Activities Council and Residence Life affirmed that notion and I knew that I needed to change my path. I spoke with an academic advisor, Amy Springer Hartsell, who discussed a possible future in student affairs. It was too late to switch majors without having to extend my studies a couple years, so I decided on a liberal arts major, with a focus in business knowing that I could use that degree anywhere life took me.

What did you do after graduation?

I worked full-time as an assistant hall director at the University of Colorado to affirm my passion for higher education and student affairs. I loved everything about my job: the residents, my student staff, my daily work and my boss who turned out to be a great mentor. Unfortunately the position was terminated after one year.

I am pursuing my master鈥檚 degree in higher education at Kutztown University. Some of my goals here are to learn about opportunities to bring restorative justice to common student conduct processes, and how to find resources that help our students with financial, housing and food insecurities.

Can you talk a bit about your current work at Kutztown? What are its joys and challenges?听

I am currently a graduate assistant working in a new aid program called the Providing Resources for Future Standouts program (PROFS). It focuses on giving aid to students who grew up in the foster care system who have decided to pursue a college education. I administer this program that provides financial aid, free on-campus summer and winter housing, and free off-campus trips to places like Washington D.C. or New York City or Philadelphia. I coach them through the challenges they face as students who may not have a network of听 support.

Because this is such a new program, I have had the opportunity of creating the program鈥檚 foundations. This includes policy creation, event organization, case management and relationship building. I also go to group homes to encourage foster care children to pursue a college degree.

I love all of my students and their unique personalities. Each has a story unlike anybody else鈥檚 and I get to watch them overcome all of that negative history that might have held them back. The hardest part is knowing that, although I provide a lot for them, I will never be able to give what a family would. One student sat in my office crying. She was trying to get a loan to buy a car, but had no credit. The dealership told her to get her parents to co-sign, but since neither are a part of her life, she had to let it go.

Have you found any of your experiences or coursework at 91短视频 helpful in your current work?

91短视频 challenged me and helped me grow in every way I needed to best support my students. Through my philosophy classes with Christian Early and sociology classes with Carolyn Stauffer and Jenni Holsinger, I was challenged to see the privileges I live with as a white, middle-class male with a supportive family.

More than that, the most important lesson I learned was with Residence Life: I am a community builder, both in my personal and work life. Our motto was Learning to live together, and I keep that motto to this very day. We are all discovering ourselves and how we relate to others day by day, and it鈥檚 a process we experience together.

What do you think makes 91短视频 graduates distinctive?

91短视频 offers a view of the world that I did not experience anywhere else. There is a clear focus on community, both locally and globally. Many of my coworkers have a very success-driven mindset because their schools taught them how to get ahead of the curve.

91短视频 taught me that success means nothing if I use it to put others down. It is that care for community, which 91短视频 instilled in me, that made me the perfect leader for a program like no other.

What are some favorite memories of your time at 91短视频?

I was very active as a student and made many memories. From winning the variety show two , to my adventures to Cookout with friends, it is difficult to pick only a few memories because so many come to mind. I often check back to the 91短视频 social media pages and websites to find that the residents I served as an RA are now in leadership positions.

I was able to experience many different adventures, and participated in a couple of harmless hijinks in my time, but I will always remember my time as an Community Assistant. Scott Eyre and Micah Hurst, my two residence directors, were two of the most influential people in my life. They encouraged me when I was feeling hopeless. They guided me with wisdom when I felt lost. They gave me the strength to do hard things when challenges appeared in my hall. I will always be thankful for the Res Life community at 91短视频.

Other influential people:听Christian Early changed the way I think about the world, and there is no going back! Take a class with him. The reading is worth it. And Kristen Beachy inspired me to write again in her non-fiction creative writing class.

What are your plans for the future?

Next year, I will graduate with my MEd degree in higher education and student affairs. I want to work on the frontlines with students and help them succeed. My dream would be to move back down to Harrisonburg to be with my pseudo-family and friends, but I will go wherever God leads.

In the meantime, I am getting as involved as possible. I will be advising a couple student organizations, going to national conferences, building mentorships, and organizing presentations to inspire others with the success of my PROFS program.

What advice to you have for current undergraduates?

GET INVOLVED! And do so early. The CAC Barn Dance isn鈥檛 overrated, and your RA鈥檚 floor events aren鈥檛 stupid. These events are a time to get to know the people who will change your life over the next four years. If what you鈥檙e interested in isn鈥檛 available on campus, make it happen. The faculty and staff at 91短视频 love to support the students and want to be involved (why else would they let you call them by their first names?).听 If you want to make an anime club, or knitting club, or even a drum circle club, go to the Student Life office and make it happen.

鈥淒o you know what an 91短视频 graduate should do and be when you are no longer on campus? Think of these things, of the people who invested in you because they believed in you. 鈥� Be a very good ambassador,鈥� he urged.

Though many of students present perhaps thought beyond impending finals to consider their future plans, the ceremony was the first time to put on their caps and gowns and the first inkling of the celebration to come. During the May 6 Commencement ceremony, each of the 33 will wear a special stole, some made of kente cloth but others of satin fabric symbolizing heritage, roots within one or various communities, or citizenship.

The formal presentation of these stoles was the reason for coming together with family, friends and 91短视频 community members Wednesday evening. The ceremony celebrates the accomplishments of graduating students of color as well as the history of black students’ and students of color achievements at the university, according to Multicultural Student Services Director Celeste Thomas, who started the first event three years ago.

See this event and more in 91短视频’s Centennial timeline chronicling diversity on campus.听

鈥淲e gather here to honor these students, some of whom are the first of their family to graduate from college, and to wish them well on their way forward,鈥� she said in her welcome. 鈥淔or those of you who our graduates have selected to place the kente cloth over their shoulders, it is a great honor.鈥�

Micah Shristi, co-director of international student services and advisor to the International Student Organization, and M. Esther Showalter, advisor to the Latino Student Alliance, also co-hosted the event.

Read 2017 and 2016 coverage of the event.听

Donning of the Kente participants

Eyman Alasbali is graduating with an MA in education. Her father Ghorm Alasbali and mother Abdiah Alshebri presented the stole. She plans to take additional classes for a second concentration and then return to help her community.

Genesis Arzu 听is earning a degree in digital media and听plans to work in a production studio as an audio engineer after graduation. Celeste Thomas presented her stole.

Natasha Bridge is earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science. Carolyn Stauffer, professor of sociology, presented her with the stole. Natasha plans to move home and work and further her education within the next two years.

Jazmine Carter is earning a degree in business administration, and plans to attend graduate school in the spring. Andrew Miller, instructor of business, awarded her stole.

Kevin A. Clark is earning a degree in Spanish with a minor in digital communications. Ann Hershberger, professor of nursing, presented his stole.

Phoebe Coffie is earning a degree in biology. After graduation, she plans to take the MCAT and continue shadowing and volunteering, working towards medical school entrance. Micah Shristi presented her stole.

Kimberly Daley is graduating with a degree in nursing. Marcia Pusey, instructor of nursing, presented her stole. Her goal is to be debt-free within three years.

Drew Diaz is earning a degree in biology and hopes to go to medical school His mother Pam Diaz awarded the stole.

Fabiana Espinal has earned a degree in liberal arts with a concentration in psychology. Amanda Styer and Alex Bowdey presented the stole. She plans to continue to be involved in the community following an internship related to Title IX and restorative justice. She鈥檒l begin graduate school in fall 2019.

Denait Gebretsadik is graduating with a degree in history and a minor in Spanish. She was gifted her stole by Asmait Asgedom, and it was presented by Mark Sawin, professor of history.

Jerome Jones will graduate with a degree in psychology and plans to pursue a master鈥檚 degree in clinical psychology. Melody Pannell, professor of sociology, presented his stole.

Maleke Jones is graduating with a degree in psychology and a minor in pre-law. He will work for a local police department. Melody Pannell presented his stole.

Emmanuel Kampanga earned a degree in biology. He plans to take the MCAT and apply for medical schools in Europe. Micah Shristi presented his stole.

Keyri Lopez-Godoy is graduating with a degree in liberal arts and a PK-6 elementary education endorsement. She will teach in Harrisonburg City Schools. Mentor Louise Gallagher presented the stole.

Luisa Angel Mallard is earning a degree in communication. She hopes to eventually earn a master鈥檚 degree in restorative justice. Micah Shristi presented her stole.

Lania McKoy will graduate with a nursing degree and a psychology minor. Lamarr Wharwood presented her with the stole. She plans to celebrate this accomplishment, study for the nursing boards and then be the best nurse she can be.

Mandy Miller is earning a degree in social work. She wants to work for two years and then return for a master鈥檚 degree. Celeste Thomas awarded her stole.

Kennedy Okerere is earning a degree in business administration. He will return to his home state of Maryland to begin a new job.听Celeste Thomas awarded his stole.

Louisa Quaynor will graduate with a degree in nursing. She plans to work in a Richmond area hospital after graduation. Marcia Pusey, instructor of nursing, awarded her stole.

Alejandra Tejada Rivera is earning a degree in nursing. She plans to work at Sentara RMH in the orthopedic unit. David Diaz presented her stole.

Da鈥橨ahnea Robinson is earning a degree in psychology. Charisse Robinson presented her with the stole. Da鈥橨ahnea will continue her studies in the MA in Counseling program at 91短视频.

Chang Tan will graduate with an MA in biomedicine. He will work as a research coordinator while preparing medical school applications. Fellow graduate student听Thi Do Lovo presented his stole.

Delight Tigoe has earned a degree in accounting. Her stole was presented by Lana Miller, undergraduate campus pastor, and Andrew Miller, instructor of business.

Myneshia Walker is graduating with a degree in sociology and a minor in coaching. She plans to return to her hometown and begin working. Sandy Brownscombe, professor of physical education, presented her stole.

Adila Wahdat graduates with a degree in digital media. She will work in marketing for a jewelry company. Friend Asmait Asgedom gifted her stole and was also the presenter.

Aminata Wallet-Mohamed will graduate with a degree in sociology. Friend Asmait Asgedom gifted her stole and was also the presenter.

Alexa Weeks is earning a degree in liberal arts with licensure in elementary education. Lana Miller, undergraduate campus pastor, presented her stole. Alexa hopes to find a teaching job in the Harrisonburg area after graduation.

Brittany Williams is earning a degree in recreation, leadership and sport studies. She plans to stay in Harrisonburg and work. Celeste Thomas presented her stole.

Isaiah Harris-Winn is earning a degree in business administration. Carolyn Stauffer, professor of sociology, presented his stole. He hopes to continue his basketball career overseas.

Elizabeth Witmer is earning a degree in social work with minors in sociology and Spanish. Ann Hershberger, professor of nursing, presented her stole. She will complete her social work practicum this summer in Guatemala and then continue working as office coordinator in the Intensive English Program.

Ryan Yates is earning an MA in interdisciplinary studies and a graduate certificate in transformative leadership. He plans to move to Los Angeles, California, and 鈥渃reate opportunities that will live on well beyond my years.鈥� Deanna Durham, professor of social work, and Celeste Thomas presented him with his stole.

Brianna Zook is earning a degree in kinesiology and exercise science with minors in business and coaching. Kevin Griffin, head women鈥檚 basketball coach, presented her with the stole. She plans to attend graduate school.

]]> /now/news/2017/auto-immune-disease-health-literacy-among-topics-fall-biomedicine-research/ /now/news/2017/auto-immune-disease-health-literacy-among-topics-fall-biomedicine-research/#comments Mon, 04 Dec 2017 16:29:56 +0000 /now/news/?p=35955 For the seven 91短视频 biomedicine graduate听students conducting projects this fall, master鈥檚 thesis research questions will continue to challenge and benefit them long beyond their semester deadlines.

Whitney Snider and Mehdi Hasan 鈥� and the other five in their cohort 鈥� defended their theses in early December. The seven will graduate from the in the spring of 2018.

Snider, a 2014 graduate of Texas A&M University, spent a month in a research lab. The purpose of the pilot study was to find common biomarkers between chronic enterocolitis in monkeys and inflammatory bowel syndrome in humans. This research will contribute to future development and testing of a therapeutic vaccine.

Snider said she made some 鈥渞eally great connections鈥� for possible gap-year jobs before continuing her studies to become an orthopedic surgeon.

Hasan, a 2014 graduate of the University of Mary Washington, conducted a survey at 91短视频 to explore the relationship of health literacy 鈥� the ability to make sense of health information 鈥� and consumer behavior as it pertains to acetaminophen, a common over-the-counter medicine that is the leading cause of acute liver failure in the United States, due to overdosage.

He found that higher health literacy scores did not significantly improve consumer behavior regarding acetaminophen 鈥� but that participants with lower health literacy scores did receive lower acetaminophen awareness scores.

鈥淢y findings allowed me to understand that those individuals that had lower health literacy had a higher probability of making a more inappropriate health decision which could lead to more negative health outcomes,鈥� Hasan said. 鈥淭here definitely needs to be a stronger focus in understanding the efficacy of health promotions.鈥�

The value in his research for Hasan鈥檚 own career path, he said, was learning to understand the complexity of statistical analysis and 鈥渓earning how to use the right tools.鈥�

鈥淓verything鈥檚 not black and white,鈥� he said. 鈥淲hat understanding statistics will help me do is help me understand the gray area鈥� 鈥� in part, he hopes, to improve health promotion as a family practitioner in a free clinic.

Biomed master鈥檚 program: a pathway set apart

For students applying to medical school or other professional health schools, such research projects provide 鈥渁n important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants,鈥� said Dr. , who co-directs 91短视频鈥檚 biomed program with Dr. . 鈥淪tudents learn an incredible amount by taking a research project from start to finish.鈥�

Since 2013, the master鈥檚 in biomedicine program has helped graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research project brings together students with faculty advisors and community mentors as they develop and conduct original research.

鈥淲e provide students with the opportunity to conduct research that is original and hypothesis-driven,鈥� said Stauffer. 鈥淭his equips each student with a unique niche that they can optimally leverage when applying for professional health schools. Original research opens doors and can make all the difference as a springboard for a student鈥檚 future.鈥�

Additional research

Other master鈥檚 candidates, their undergraduate institutions and their research topics include:

Salma Alhusayni听(Ibn Sina National College, Jedda, Saudi Arabia): 鈥淎nalysis from a psychological perspective on tobacco consumption among adults living in Saudi Arabia.鈥�

Uzair Ali (Drexel University): 鈥淭he perception of Naloxone on opioid overdose in Union and Bergen Counties, New Jersey by first responders and healthcare professionals.鈥�

Thi Do Lovo听(University of Virginia): 鈥淥steoporosis risk awareness along gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic lines in Harrisonburg, Virginia.鈥�

Ty Steve听(James Madison University): 鈥淎nalyzing single gene positive DermTech reports to determine a more effective and accurate way to discuss results with patients.鈥�

Chang Tan (James Madison University): 鈥淗IV testing among LGBTQIA+ individuals: The impact of outness and peer openness.鈥�

[Since attending 91短视频, the couple, formerly known as Anita and Cristian, have begun using their Jewish names.]

Channah completed a master鈥檚 degree in religion at , but also took courses through the (CJP), including . 听

David, who studied law in Chile, attended CJP and earned a . There he also assisted professor with , a storytelling project for survivors of domestic violence, and professor with the ongoing translation into Spanish of his book Changing Lenses.

Earlier this year, Channah finished a master of theology degree from the , and the couple has since moved to Hamilton, Ontario, where Channah is beginning her doctoral studies at and David is looking for opportunities to develop processes of dialogue in the Jewish community about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine.

While at 91短视频, the pair collaborated on various projects, one of which was offering coping with past trauma and the pressures of a new country and being ostracized due to immigration status. The workshops were built on the idea that doing art 鈥� painting, drawing, photography, poetry and more 鈥� would help participants reflect on their experiences.

For Channah and David, facilitating reflection was a natural extension of their own experiences at 91短视频, where personal reflection was central to their formative coursework.

鈥淔or us, having that time of introspection and learning at 91短视频 is what made us what we are today,鈥� Channah reflected recently. 鈥淭here are so many key aspects of who we are and that will never leave us that were borne out of 91短视频.鈥�

Attuned to trauma

Two years after they were married, Channah and David experienced the physical trauma of an 8.8-magnitude earthquake in Chile in 2010. But they are also attentive to historical and societal trauma, including their own, and 91短视频 was a place where they could explore, share and grow from their experiences.

Both Channah and David were raised in Christian families with Jewish ancestry, and have since 鈥� together 鈥� chosen Judaism. That wasn鈥檛 a quick or easy transition, and it put them in touch with their own families鈥� historical trauma stemming from the Inquisition long ago and subsequent discrimination and persecution.

More immediate, though, was the trauma of growing up under the rule of the dictator General Augusto Pinochet.

David remembers checking his family鈥檚 household garbage to make sure no evidence of black market items or political dissent could be be found by anyone who might look through their trash.

鈥淵ou were always scared of saying what your political views were because you didn鈥檛 know who you were talking to, and if something you said would go back to the army,鈥� Channah said. 鈥淭here were a lot of people who were paid by the dictatorship to spy on other people.鈥�

Such threats meant that homogeneity was valued highly: not standing out was safer. Channah said that translates into 鈥溾�楧on鈥檛 be anything that makes you stand out and be different, because you could be in danger.鈥� Even though that鈥檚 not the case anymore, that鈥檚 how trauma works. The traumatic stress is still there.鈥�

Even though Pinochet鈥檚 rule ended in the 1990s, David added, the government was still considered 鈥渢ransitional鈥� as late as 10 years ago, and he described the ongoing environment as one not welcoming of minorities, hugely divided along economic and political lines, and subtly violent.

鈥淭hat kind of violence is invisible, if you look just superficially, but it鈥檚 really strong and it has really deep roots in the culture,鈥� he said.

Not just a defining language

It was in that context that David trained in Chile as a human rights lawyer, motivated by 鈥済rowing up seeing too many injustices against the people I loved, and a kind of rebellion against the imposed narrative of oppressor/oppressed that I experienced,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 thought that through justice this dynamic could be changed.鈥�

But it wasn鈥檛 until coming to 91短视频 that his current foundation for peacebuilding was established, and as a CJP graduate student, David says, he learned the language that has since defined his life.

鈥淚 lacked a lot of the language about peacebuilding, of conflict transformation,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 realized that justice is just one element in the process of social transformation and part of what, as a society, we should do so as to aim to build healthy communities.鈥�

鈥淚 don’t know if the people at CJP see the magnitude of the training that they are providing,鈥� he added, 鈥渂ut without that I couldn鈥檛 be working in the healthy way I鈥檓 approaching the society, the community where we are working right now. All those peace concepts within the Mennonite tradition are really important for us, even if we are not Mennonite 鈥� even for people of different religions, different traditions.鈥�

Being educated at 91短视频 in that new language of peacebuilding, though, was not solely technical. 鈥淵ou have this safe environment where you can speak about your background, where you can relate with other people of other traditions. That was a powerful energy in our journeys,鈥� he said.

Contributions to Biblical studies

Channah also credits her time at 91短视频 with bringing her academic Biblical studies into focus, in part thanks to the advising of professor , known for his work in trauma, identity and conflict studies.

Hart was David鈥檚 practicum advisor 鈥� and became friends, he said 鈥� and when Channah asked him to be her thesis advisor, he was 鈥渉onored, and intrigued鈥� by the thesis topic: the relationship between religious meditation, Hebrew chant and the trauma healing process. He said Channah has an ability 鈥渢o see and explain complex spiritual and psychological relationships 鈥� for the purpose of self-understanding and from a desire to help others traumatized by violence of all kinds.鈥�

While there are many who are exploring the intersection between psychology and Biblical studies, Channah said, she seeks out themes of resilience and dignity, themes that at 91短视频 she realized were central in her own life starting in her childhood.

鈥淕rowing up a Latina was a difficult experience, with all the machismo and the sexism and really not feeling like I was a first-class citizen,鈥� she remembers. As a 10-year-old child traveling with her father, a Baptist pastor who visited seminaries and attended conferences with Channah and her three-years-younger brother in tow, people would ask her brother what he wanted to be when he grew up.

鈥淚 was not looked at at all,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t was subtle, but it told me, 鈥榊ou don鈥檛 really matter. You don鈥檛 get to have choices, because you鈥檙e not a man.鈥欌��

When she decided to attend college, people asked her, 鈥淲hy would you want to do that?鈥� When she decided to pursue a master鈥檚 degree, she was asked, 鈥淲ell, isn鈥檛 that a little too much?鈥�

Even today some in her extended family still don鈥檛 understand why she鈥檚 entering a doctoral program. 鈥淚t still doesn鈥檛 fully register that women are just as capable as men. It feels so ridiculous to even say it, because of course they are,鈥� she said.

Somehow, though, even way back as a child, something was driving her, something she can鈥檛 really pinpoint. It could have come from having also spent several of her formative years living in Canada and seeing a different form of society 鈥� or, she wonders, 鈥淲as it the Shekhina, the Hebrew name for divine presence, for the energy of God? I wonder if it can be that.鈥�

Spiritual director and Eastern Mennonite Seminary professor Kevin Clark noted a 鈥減articular resiliency鈥� in Channah, and the 鈥渋nterplay of her own inner narrative and the context around her which emerged as resourceful and creative engagement,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 appreciated the integrity with which she asked the questions of experience and the Holy, immersed at times in the silence of prayerful awareness which, in turn, inspired artistic expression and a discerned way forward.鈥�

Whatever it was that was moving her, when Channah 鈥� and David 鈥� eventually came to 91短视频, they immersed themselves in the community, earning not just graduate degrees but also 鈥渢he respect of many for their deep spiritual wrestling and personal integrity,鈥� Hart said. 鈥淲e were given a gift when they joined us.鈥�

鈥淭here is something about 91短视频鈥檚 openness and sense of safety it creates, and the inclusiveness of people from different parts of the world,鈥� Channah said. 鈥淓ven though we鈥檙e all so different, we鈥檙e on the same wavelength of creating community and peacebuilding, and that creates a sort of connection that really opened our eyes not just to learning about others, but to learning about ourselves and where we wanted our journeys to take us.鈥�

鈥淲e have many, many cultural things in our family,鈥� David added. 鈥淲e are Mennonite, we are Jewish, we are Latin American, we are minority 鈥� but we are very proud that the Mennonite culture in us is key. We were changed by the Mennonite culture at 91短视频.鈥�

鈥淭he MAOL is a great blend of business and personal skill development,鈥� says Gabb, operations and business manager at in Timberville, Va. 鈥淭he program can build you up, but more importantly, it reveals to you and others who you really are.鈥�

Learning who he 鈥渞eally鈥� is as a leader has helped Gabb improve relationships and efficiencies in his unique role, a position which he describes as 鈥渁 mixture of human resources, production and administration.鈥�

Based in several hundred acres of Shenandoah Valley orchards, the business sells its apples throughout the United States and internationally through wholesalers, distributors and retail chains. They also grow peaches, nectarines and cherries for seasonal sales at two area farm stands, local farmers鈥� markets and local retailers.

Through MAOL coursework, Gabb says his leadership skills have expanded to better awareness of his strengths and weaknesses, stronger listening skills, the capability to view multiple perspectives, and a versatile and more flexible leadership style.

鈥淚 highly recommend the program to anyone who thinks they are a leader or need to become a leader,鈥� said Gabb, who also completed his bachelor’s degree in 2006 through 91短视频’s .

The MAOL program is just one of several graduate and certificate programs at 91短视频 with the common curricular goal of developing leadership for the common good. Additionally, the highly successful degree completion program, which started in 1995, has a similar emphasis; students with at least 60 credit hours of undergraduate work can work towards a bachelor鈥檚 degree in leadership and organizational management.

Students bring their skills, life and professional experiences into the classroom, where they explore leadership and organizational skills, as well as conflict management, strategic planning, decision-making processes and financial management.

“The School of Graduate and Professional Studies at 91短视频 is a remarkable place to be,鈥� says , director of admissions and marketing. 鈥淚n many ways, it is an incubator for new ideas and new approaches to higher education at 91短视频. These programs banding together is just one example of the synergy and collaborative spirit here. The school is also quite nimble, which allows us to quickly respond to听evolving challenges and opportunities in our community and beyond.” 听

MA in Organizational Leadership enrolling the fourth cohort

The graduated its second cohort in April and will enroll its fourth cohort this fall.

Professors and have been added to the faculty. Stauffer, who teaches in the undergraduate Applied Social Sciences Department and with the MA in Biomedicine program, will teach an introductory course in leadership studies. Kioko, who is completing her doctorate at James Madison University, will teach project development.

A cross-cultural component has also been added. 鈥�91短视频 has long led the way in promoting the benefits of a cross-cultural learning experience and we want our graduate students to have this opportunity as well,鈥� says Professor , the new director of the MAOL program.

MAOL students beginning this fall will have two options at the end of their coursework: an organizational sustainability course that includes travel to Costa Rica (a for several years), or a domestic cross-cultural course designed with 2-3 weekend excursions to areas of cultural diversity in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Brubaker has added oversight of the MAOL program to a portfolio that also includes administration of the MBA program. He has taught in the MAOL and MBA programs, and for many years, taught in the .

He takes over from Dr. , who will become interim graduate dean.

鈥淒ave brings significant real-world experience to his teaching and administration, gleaned from many years as an organizational change consultant,鈥� Cockley says.

Humanitarian Action Leadership program offers practical skills

This summer and fall, local and international students alike will benefit from a series of online courses offered by 91短视频’s Humanitarian Action Leadership (HAL) program.

鈥淭he HAL program is a response to the growing challenges and complexities of our global society, offering a range of courses delivered by experienced practitioners to NGOs, aid agencies, government organizations, businesses, and individuals working to address natural and human-made disasters,鈥� says Dr. , who came to teaching from a multifaceted career in family and community health, including many years in Central America.

Coursework draws on 91短视频鈥檚 niche programs: sustainable and compassionate leadership, peacemaking and peacebuilding, and trauma awareness and resilience.

The program explores topics related to disaster response and humanitarian action through the lenses of climate change, peacebuilding, justice, sustainable development, capacity building, resiliency and personal formation from a values and faith base. These courses are available in multiple formats. Students can choose to pursue a graduate certificate (18 credits), a MA in Interdisciplinary Studies (36 credits), or an undergraduate minor.

HAL will also work with individual organizations to develop and deliver custom training sessions or workshops to address specific needs.

MS in Nursing Program enters eighth year

The听听(MSN) program started its eighth year of operation with an orientation session in May 2017 for the Leadership and School Nursing concentration and with the upcoming orientation in July for the Leadership and Management concentration.

鈥淪tudents and faculty continue to explore new ways to integrate the 91短视频 nursing philosophy of sacred covenant with servant leadership in the diverse practice roles and settings of nursing,鈥� says program director Dr. .

With students from Nepal to southern Africa, the MSN has increased in geographic, professional and organizational diversity.

鈥淲ith the fall 2017 entering class, we hope to welcome several students from South America and the Middle East,鈥� Tyson said. 鈥淭his diversity of students, partnered with faculty from the U.S. to Central America within an online environment while still maintaining a high level of relationship, illustrates the 91短视频 values of community across cultures and practices.鈥�

The program added adjunct faculty members Carli Youndt, MSN 鈥�15, in the school nurse concentration, and Doug Alderfer, an assistant superintendent of schools with Rockingham County Public Schools, in the leadership and management track.

Ten students will complete their capstone projects in August, implementing evidence-based quality improvement initiatives in the following projects:

• improving the health of diabetic students in schools,
• preventing oxygenation loss events in patients transported within hospitals,
• creating a mental health screening of foster children in developing countries,
• implementing an innovative “grab and go” breakfast program for school children, and
• enhancing nursing education through learning how to capture patient narratives.

Adult degree program increases flexibility with hybrid classes

The newly revised features the BS in Leadership and Organizational Management. The progam will begin offering hybrid classes for fall 2017, according to , program director.

鈥淭his program is designed specifically for working adults who want to complete their bachelor’s degree while still maintaining work and family commitments,鈥� she says.

Students complete a 16-month program as a cohort, forming a learning community that provides academic and social support. 听A hybrid (or blended) format was chosen to address the need for flexibility without sacrificing a strong sense of community.

Courses are offered in a five-week format with asynchronous (on your own time) online sessions during the second and fourth weeks of the course. During the first, third and fifth weeks, students attend a single traditional class session on campus from 6-10 p.m.

The Lancaster, Pa. native has been accepted into Virginia Tech鈥檚 Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program in Blacksburg, Virginia. Many graduates of the MA in Biomedicine program intent on further professional studies go on to careers in human medicine, from osteopathy to physician鈥檚 assistant or physical therapy programs.

Dick, however, came into the program to prepare himself for the elite selection process. 鈥淢y professors worked with me,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淚t was a learning experience, and having someone to support you goes a long way.鈥�

He was among 1600 applicants for one seat out of 120 at Virginia Tech.

鈥淚 think what stood out about me was my experience in veterinary clinics, starting in 10th grade,鈥� Dick said.

He began his practical experience with an after-school job at a local vet clinic, walking dogs and progressing to drawing blood.

鈥淚 wanted to help people and animals, and I felt strongly about the human-animal bond,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淚 wanted to help maintain the bond as a means to helping humans and animals.鈥�

Later, he graduated from 91短视频 with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2011. But the tug of animals was still strong.

鈥淚 came back to 91短视频 because I love the atmosphere, the student-professor ratio, and the ability to feel comfortable asking questions,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淚鈥檇 heard good things about the program, and I started back when Dr. Roman Miller [professor emeritus] was still here.鈥�

He also credits 91短视频鈥檚 emphasis on servant leadership. 鈥淵ou are in a leadership position, but serving others, you are putting others before yourself,鈥� Dick said.

Since 2013, the MA in Biomedicine program has prepared 27 graduates for careers as health professionals.鈥淭he 91短视频 biomedical program challenges you to think about ethical situations,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淭here are two seminars on developing yourself as a leader, which helped me professionally when I went out into clinics.鈥�

His required independent research project was on kidney disease in cats. His thesis compared how treatment varies between rural and urban animal clinics in southeastern Pennsylvania.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a common diagnosis for older cats, and is a complex disease,鈥� Dick said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 diagnosed sooner in urban settings, where pet owners more commonly have access to vets. And, they take a more conservative approach to treatment, such as a focus on diets.鈥�

The research project brings students together with faculty advisors and community mentors to develop and conduct original research.

“One of the strengths of 91短视频’s biomedicine program is our versatility in successfully equipping students to pursue medicine in a variety of fields,鈥� said Dr. , program co-director. 鈥淗is acceptance at Virginia Tech marks a significant milestone for us. We are immensely proud of Sanjay’s accomplishments as well as its significance for our expanding program.”

Dick plans to specialize in small animal internal medicine at Virginia Tech. The four-year program is three years of classroom study, and one year of rotation, with the final step an internship and residency after graduation.

鈥淚 feel lucky pursuing a career I feel passionate about,鈥� he said.