Each year, the event grows a little bigger beyond a little gold sticker 鈥� and cupcakes to celebrate the birthday of famous female computer scientist, mathematician and military leader Grace Hopper. This year, Weikle invited students to learn more about computational thinking, a kind of analytical thinking that works across disciplines.

鈥淭he goal with One Hour of Code is get more people thinking about and interested in programming,鈥� Weikle said. 鈥淲e need not only more programmers, but more programmers from a wide variety of disciplines and more programmers who are representative of our diverse world.鈥�

More female programmers, more programmers of color, more programmers from all disciplines鈥攕he says 鈥� will give more and different insight into technological solutions to problems. Weikle doesn鈥檛 just support this agenda one day a year: she is constantly encouraging underrepresented students in the computer sciences to take classes, do well in those classes and in the field.

From penciled squares to Java instructions

The Dec. 11 event drew staff, faculty and administrators in for exploration. Provost and Vice President for Finance had just spent a half hour playing around with a program in 鈥淩鈥� to comprehensively analyze expenses. Bible and religion professor dutifully practiced simple coding with a worksheet, marking in squares to create a happy face, 鈥渏ust like a fax machine works,鈥� Weikle explained, before he grabbed a cupcake and headed back to his office. Admissions counselor pointed proudly to his gold sticker as he cruised through on his way to lunch.

Three computer science students 鈥� seniors Alvin Michael and Isaac Mast and junior Jacob Hertzler 鈥� shared their early experiences with coding. Hertzler says he enjoys 鈥渢he power you have to solve problems.鈥�

Computer Science 120 is the introductory programming class, in which students are introduced to Python and program their own project. 鈥淏y the end of my first class, I could write the code to create the teacup easily,鈥� Hertzler said, pointing to his worksheet. 鈥淎nd by the end of my advanced programming class, I could do this.鈥�

鈥淭his鈥� was a series of commands he鈥檇 hand-written in the programming language Java.

鈥淚 do that with just about everything now,鈥� Hertzler said. 鈥淚 sit there and look at it and think about whether I can write a program to do the work for me 鈥� A fun saying in the computer world is 鈥榓 good programmer is a lazy programmer.鈥欌��

Hooked by gaming

Alvin Michael joins the discussion to somewhat reluctantly admit that back in middle school, he was addicted to the fantasy role-playing game Runescape鈥攕o addicted, in fact, that he logged 180 days (that鈥檚 six months, to spare you the math) of his life 鈥渋n鈥� the game.

鈥淚 lived five miles from anyone else and we had dial-up internet,鈥� he says in defense.

But that game was his entry point into the analytics 鈥� and the fun 鈥� of writing code. Michael wrote one 鈥渟pecifically for woodcutting, an automated script that would find a tree, click on the tree until it filled the inventory, navigate to the nearest place, dump it and go back for more. The script would run all night and I would wake up and have thousands of logs.鈥�

Best of all was that he beat the game at its own game: 鈥淚f you got caught, you鈥檇 get banned, so you had to make it look as human as possible. I never got banned.鈥�

Now Michael is interning at Blue Ridge Mac and looking forward to a career in computers. And he doesn鈥檛 play Runescape anymore.

Senior Isaac Mast interned last semester at VistaShare, a c. VistaShare鈥檚 main product is Outcome Tracker, a software package that helps over 500 non-profit organizations keep track of their clients and outcomes. The organizations they serve fall into three categories 鈭� community and economic development agencies, social-service agencies, and asset-building programs.

Mast says the best part of that internship was working on 鈥減rograms that helped people.鈥� He hopes to use his degree 鈥� and his coding skills 鈥� in that way in the future.

鈥淧rogramming can make our lives better, and make technology more accessible,鈥� Weikle said, 鈥渂ut to do it, we need everyone to contribute.鈥�

A crowd of about 200 enjoyed the game, cheering on both the Kingz and their opponents, a team made up of faculty, staff, alumni and students.

The event was billed as the 91短视频 Charity Classic by the (BSU), which hosted the game and an after-party later that night. More than 150 tickets were sold, with the funds going towards an alternative spring break trip planned jointly by BSU, the 91短视频 Gospel Choir, and .

鈥淚 really love how the game brought a lot of energy to 91短视频,鈥� said sophomore Anna Messer. 鈥淚t was a great time for students to get together with professors and with each other. It was a good community event for people to just let loose and have fun.鈥�

Crowd-pleasing hoops

The Streetball Kingz is a group managed by Dewey Jackson, based in Delaware. The team plays across the U.S. for community and nonprofit events. Their flashy style of play incorporates crowd-pleasing dunks, top-notch ball handling, and supreme shooting.

The fundraiser was quickly put together and gained momentum after the Streetball Kingz, just weeks before, contacted , director of , about coming to 91短视频 since they had already played at James Madison University and Bridgewater College. Lepley passed along the idea to BSU student advisor .

鈥淲e wanted to do something that would be fun and late night so that students would have an option of doing something that鈥檚 substance free,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淲e thought it would bring a lot of energy to the campus and it was something new. I think we did well taking a risk and trying something different.鈥�

鈥淚t always feels good to see hard work pay off,鈥� said BSU event coordinator Richard Robinson, 鈥渆specially for an event like this that has never happened on 91短视频鈥檚 campus.鈥�

The fundraiser will help defray costs of an alternative spring break civil rights experiential learning trip to Alabama and Georgia.

鈥淚nstead of going to the beach, we鈥檒l be going to Selma, Tuskegee and Atlanta doing a civil rights tour,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the 51st anniversary of the Voting Rights Act, so we鈥檒l walk across the Pettus Bridge, stop by national civil rights museums along the way, and go to some of the churches that they marched from. We鈥檒l visit Martin Luther King Jr. father鈥檚 church, go to MLK鈥檚 church in Montgomery, and also where Rosa Parks got on the bus from her job and decided not to sit in the back of the bus.鈥�

Team brings families and communities together

Streetball Kingz player Randy Gill, aka White Chocolate, splashed three three-pointers within the first five minutes of the game and they did not stop coming. A crowd pleaser, Gill interacted with the fans the entire time.

Following a collegiate career at Bowie State University, Gill started playing streetball and minor league basketball. He was eventually asked to play overseas, and since his return, has been playing for the Streetball Kingz.

Gill explained that the mission of his team is to support youth, and to bring families and communities together.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter if there are 20,000 people or even 100 people. We鈥檙e here to spread the love, bring the community together, and have a good time,鈥� he said. 鈥淲henever there鈥檚 a cause or a mission and we can help bring the people together that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about. We want young people to believe in themselves and let them know that they can do anything they want to if they practice their craft, whatever it may be. My mission is believe to achieve.鈥�

More BSU events

This month, BSU will be hosting a Nov. 18 chapel with the theme of #BlackLivesMatter. On Dec. 11, BSU will be joining the Campus Activities Council to host the .

鈥淲e鈥檙e expecting about 150 people for the ball,鈥� said Thomas. 鈥淲e鈥檝e contacted a band called Ebony Blue, and that will be another large event before we leave for winter break. When we come back we鈥檒l have a week-long celebration for MLK in January, then in February we鈥檒l have Kwanzaa for Black History Month, and finally the trip will be in March. We鈥檙e trying to expose the campus to different things. 鈥�

A version of this article was first printed in Nov. 5, 2015, issue of The Weather Vane.

The $7.3 million project鈥檚 first and second phases are complete, and the third stage will begin this month, according to project leaders.

Students will be able to use some classrooms on the south and east sides of the building, including lab facilities. is conducting the work and project manager Welby Lehman said crews have renovated about 17,000 square feet of the building to date, while the third project phase will renovate another 8,000 square feet.

With the renovations, 91短视频 hopes to boost its 鈥� 鈥� research, specifically in biology and chemistry programs.

The first phase included two classrooms, stairwells and elevators, the last of which Lehman said the center did not previously have. The second phase included four classrooms for biology and chemistry, two engineering classrooms and a dissection room.

Crews also widened hallways and made the north-south corridor a 鈥渟cience concourse.鈥� The concourse will have chalkboard and dry erase wall surfaces for students and faculty to write on, and furniture will be dispersed throughout the space.

鈥淲e hope that that becomes the hub of activities for the science building,鈥� Lehman said.

The center鈥檚 south and east wings have larger windows compared to older parts of the building, as well as skylights above the science concourse.

Lehman said he hopes the building will be easier to navigate and will have better natural light with the new design.

, 91短视频鈥檚 vice president of finance, said the project, which is funded entirely by donations, is 鈥渢rending on budget.鈥� Suter Science Center is nearly 45 years old and Bert expects the renovations to have a 20- to 30-year life span.

Despite a lack of budgetary hiccups since construction began last year, Lehman said crews did encounter some problems with working around faculty鈥檚 schedules and the site鈥檚 soil.

When crews built the new foundation, Lehman said they 鈥渉ad to dig deeper than we would have otherwise,鈥� because of the soil composition, but that it was 鈥渘ot a big problem.鈥�

During the third phase, workers will build three more classrooms and install eight chemical fume hoods, one of which is in a chemistry classroom completed as part of the second phase.

Courtesy of the Daily News Record, Jan. 5, 2015

鈥淲e鈥檝e been able to replace under-utilized space with well-utilized space, develop classrooms that would accommodate bigger classes, and create a better working environment for faculty,鈥� said vice president for finance .

In recent years, 91短视频鈥檚 growth called for more classrooms and consolidation of office space. Various academic departments occupied available space across campus, usually in former homes acquired by the university. The faculty who occupied these houses often felt disconnected from the greater community, according to , who provides special projects support for the provost鈥檚 office. One goal of the renovation, then, was to consolidate scattered faculty and provide more opportunities for interdepartmental communication and collaboration.

That goal was first met on two consecutive Saturdays in September, when an interdisciplinary group of volunteers and faculty members began the move-in process.

The , , and departments were the first of the five academic departments to occupy Roselawn; and soon followed.

During the lunch break on that first move-in day, faculty and volunteers gathered in one of the new office spaces to share a meal. For Bible and religion instructor , the value of the move was reflected in this small experience of breaking bread with faculty she had occasionally seen in past semesters.

鈥淚t is fun to have a sense of collegiality,鈥� said Schrock-Hurst, whose office was previously located across campus in Blosser House. Being in Roselawn 鈥渉elps me to feel part of the bigger picture.鈥�

Although university planners considered several ideas for occupants of the new space (including moving the advancement division into Roselawn), they settled upon allocating the space to academic departments with a natural 鈥渟ynergy,鈥� said Bert, the vice president who monitors construction and renovation projects.

Bert is also one of the supervisors of the much bigger across campus. Undergoing two major renovations at the same time was not ideal, Bert said, but neither was leaving Roselawn mostly unused for another couple of years. The project reached completion on a very tight schedule 鈥� almost entirely over the summer of 2014.

Built in 1969, Roselawn began as a women鈥檚 residence hall. Until the mid-1980s, it was considered one of the 鈥渘icer鈥� dorms, said vice president , who was a community assistant there from 1985 to 1986.

By 2011, when the dorm ceased to be used for residence life, it desperately needed renovation and was considered the most undesirable on-campus housing option, said Smeltzer.

In 2012, 91短视频 revamped the first floor of Roselawn for occupancy by the rapidly growing , which moved from its former cramped location in a small house near the seminary building.

91短视频 leadership, in tandem with contractors, paid special attention to energy and design principles that would make Roselawn as sustainable as possible, as has been done for all recent 91短视频 buildings and renovations.

View more photos of the renovated Roselawn through

There was this funny message: 鈥淗istory professors Mark Sawin and Mary Sprunger hope students will find them in their temporary office spaces borrowed from the library.鈥�

Some employees signed up to help colleagues move their office belongings from spaces they need to vacate on campus to other landing spots before classes begin.

A dozen staffers volunteered to clean dormitory rooms on a Saturday morning in July, responding to an emailed request for extra cleaning help. (Physical plant staffers needed assistance to achieve a quick turn-around between two huge summer camps using the residence halls, back to back.)

91短视频鈥檚 long-time registrar, David Detrow 鈥�77, was juggling classroom assignments, squeezing classes into all available spaces, awaiting the completion of classroom, seminar and office spaces on the second and third floor of Roselawn, plus those in the east section of the Suter Science Center.

鈥淚t鈥檚 satisfying to reuse and bring to new life a residence hall that has been under-utilized,鈥� said physical plant director C. Eldon Kurtz 鈥�76, perched atop the three-story-high unfinished elevator shaft attached to Roselawn, surveying a stupendous eastern mountain view with his assistant director, Ed Lehman.

Daryl Bert 鈥�97, who monitors 91短视频鈥檚 construction and renovation projects as vice president for finance, noted that inspiration for renovating Roselawn flowed from successfully meeting the needs of 91短视频鈥檚 fast-growing Intensive English Program. Before IEP moved to the revamped first floor of Roselawn in 2012, IEP was lodged in a small house near the seminary building on Smith Avenue.

Success of聽IEP

鈥淎fter our success with IEP鈥檚 space, we began to consider whether we could re-purpose the other floors of Roselawn,鈥� Bert said. He added, however, that IEP鈥檚 growth owed more to 鈥渢he energy and entrepreneurship of [IEP director] Kathleen Roth,鈥� than to its new space, which merely addressed the need for additional space generated by Roth鈥檚 efforts.

By the spring 2015 semester, one of the largest classrooms on campus will be on the third floor of Roselawn. It will feature a soaring ceiling, made possible by a 鈥減op-up鈥� structure on the roof of Roselawn, offering a great, naturally lit space for up to 50 people.

Another room will be the hub of distance-learning, with television screens, cameras and seats for 20.

鈥淚 expect a lot of our growth in graduate and professional studies over the next number of years to be in the development of distance-learning programs,鈥� said Jim Smucker, dean of 91短视频鈥檚 newly named School for Graduate and Professional Studies.

鈥淲ith a few exceptions, we are saying any new program needs to be able to be delivered at a distance. Our preferred model will be a hybrid approach which will include short-term residencies and synchronous and asynchronous delivery.鈥�

The undergraduate side of the university is also growing, with a 6% increase over the last three years and a 39% increase in applications since 2009. Tallying all of the programs, including graduate students, 鈥渨e are as large of a university as we have ever been since opening as a school in 1917,鈥� said Luke Hartman 鈥�91, vice president for enrollment.

The second and third floor of Roselawn will bring together a number of liberal arts departments that often collaborate in an interdisciplinary manner 鈥� history, applied social sciences, Bible and religion, and language and literature. (Psychology will join this group on a temporary basis, awaiting renovation of the western portion of the Suter Science Center.) A large-sized classroom, medium-sized classroom, seminar room, and gathering area will be shared among these departments.

Two of these departments will be vacating old houses on the southern edge of campus, which will be turned into administrative offices and 鈥渋ntentional community鈥� housing for students. The former language and literature area will be occupied by the department of development and church relations, which is moving from a privately owned house for which 91短视频 paid rent.

Meanwhile, renovations on the 45-year-old Suter Science Center are fully underway, with the word 鈥渞enovations鈥� used broadly. The 鈥渉ead room鈥� on Suter鈥檚 southern flank had to be torn down entirely when its foundation proved to be unstable. So that part of Suter Science will be rebuilt from the ground up. Some other parts of Suter have been gutted, as necessary to rework the ducting for heating, cooling and ventilation and to make other changes required for state-of-the-art science laboratories and classrooms.

Most building since 2000

Construction projects this summer are the most extensive undertaken at 91短视频 since the northern section of the University Commons was built in 2000 to house the athletic facilities, snack bar, game room, student-life offices, and bookstore. That cost $11 million. The construction budget for the projects underway this summer will total $9.4 million.

For its first 90 years, 91短视频 averaged one major construction project every seven years. The pace of new construction and renovations has accelerated in recent years, as 91短视频 seeks to accommodate the growing demand for up-to-date spaces.

Cedarwood residence hall was completed in the fall of 2009, along with extensive renovations to Elmwood and Maplewood residence halls 鈥� all conforming to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards. These dorms have proven to be highly popular for rental by summer groups, which accounts for the thousands of new faces on campus this summer.

In 2011, the Lee Eshleman Studio and MainStage theaters, Margaret Martin Gehman Art Gallery, Common Grounds Coffeehouse, and the Kenneth A. Longacre Sr. Advanced Media Lab were completed, rounding out the renovation of the University Commons.

Renovations to the east portion of the Suter Science Center began in early 2014 鈥� a $7 million project.

鈥淭o stay on the forefront of a whole-person education 鈥� with graduates who become physicians, nurses, lab technologists, physical therapists, and other science professionals 鈥� we are committed to having the quality of facilities needed by our teachers and students,鈥� said Kirk Shisler 鈥�81, vice president for advancement.

鈥淚 am deeply grateful to the 465 alumni, friends and foundations that have supported our current renovations,鈥� he said.鈥�^*

Kurtz says Roselawn is proving to be an 鈥渁mazing transformation of spaces.鈥� Previously, consideration had been given to tearing down Roselawn, since it was not accessible to people with physical disabilities and had no air conditioning or cross ventilation via its narrow windows. But it was built on a solid foundation, with a strong shell, so Kurtz and Lehman worked with Blue Ridge Architects to find a way to salvage the building.

Learning from leed work

Now Kurtz thinks Roselawn might end up being one of the nicest places on campus, with 鈥渁ll the lessons we learned in putting up LEED-certified residence halls being applied to Roselawn. These are standard for us now.鈥�

Like Cedarwood, Roselawn will have its climate controlled through a 鈥渧ariable refrigerant flow鈥� system, used successfully for 20 years in Japan and Europe but fairly new to the United States. The occupants of each room will be able to regulate the temperature to their satisfaction. 鈥淲e keep adding climate-controlled space, yet our energy usage keeps going down,鈥� said Kurtz. 鈥淪aving energy is really satisfying to me.鈥�

Between the construction projects and the high usage of facilities by summer groups, Kurtz said his staff have been stretched thin this summer 鈥� 鈥渨e haven鈥檛 budgeted additional positions to take on the extra work.鈥� On the plus, 鈥渨e鈥檙e looking forward to less maintenance on the ancient and obsolete HVAC systems that are being replaced.鈥�

Lest smaller improvements be overlooked amid the big ones, note that night lighting is appearing on the sand volleyball court, with labor provided by physical plant staff and materials partly covered by a grant from the student government association.

Bert graduated from 91短视频 in 1997 with a degree in accounting, after moving to the area from his hometown of Lancaster, Pa. He worked at a local public accounting firm before relocating to Austin, Texas, in 2000 to complete an MBA at the University of Texas.

He remained in the south, working for in a variety of financial capacities during his eight years with the Texas-based company.

鈥淎 lot of my time there was providing financial support one way, shape or form in the product development area,鈥� Bert explained.

He added that he helped oversee products from 鈥渃oncept to delivery in the marketplace,鈥� as well as providing financial support for companies seeking to invest and grow 鈥� among other duties.

Bert said this time working for a large company was rewarding.

鈥淚 am somebody who really has an appreciation for technology,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 always been an interest of mine, so I found that really rewarding, to be close to technology and … the next thing that鈥檚 going to be released.鈥�

But wanting to be closer to family and a sense of pride in his alma mater brought him back to Harrisonburg in 2010. The former vice president of finance was retiring, and the university was seeking a replacement.

contacted Bert, asking if he would be interested in the position. He applied and went through the interview process, and, as Bert says, 鈥渢he rest is history.鈥�

Now in his fourth year, he said he鈥檚 enjoying his job, adding that he鈥檚 鈥渆ncouraged鈥� by 91短视频鈥檚 direction and being a part of the growth of such a valued institution.

鈥淚 get a lot of energy out of thinking … about our strategic plan, how we implement [it], how we prioritize the investments we need to make to help grow some of our programs or launch new programs.鈥�

Bert said he enjoys being back on his old stomping grounds and living in the Harrisonburg area with his wife, Carrie, and their children, Evan, 9, Davis, 7, and Maren, 4.

He recently joined the board of , seeking additional community involvement in an area he鈥檚 found so rewarding.

During the first six months of 2012, the 126,000-kilowatt-hour system performed 18 percent over target, meaning it actually brought in closer to 150,000 kilowatt-hours of energy, according to officials.

The system, located atop the , provides about 2.5 percent of the energy the Harrisonburg campus and its approximately 1,500 students consume.

The 126,000 kilowatt-hours the system produces is equivalent to 1.26 million 100-watt light bulbs burning for one hour, said , an assistant professor of at 91短视频 and CEO of the company that owns the solar array, .

But, since being installed in November 2010, the nearly $1 million system has consistently overshot its 126,000-kilowatt-hour annual target, meaning the university will help Secure Futures pay off its purchase of the system more quickly.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been pleasantly surprised how much better than expected the system has done,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淭his is because we鈥檝e been blessed with much more sunshine this year. Harrisonburg tends to be a drier area than other parts of the state.鈥�

91短视频 was able to install the system on campus as part of a 20-year power-performance contract with Secure Futures, a Staunton-based solar energy development company. The company owns and operates the system and 91短视频 pays the company for the energy produced at a price equivalent to the rate the university pays its traditional energy provider, .

According to , vice president for finance at 91短视频, the university spent about $460,000 on energy during the fiscal year that ended June 30, about $18,400 of which went toward solar energy.

91短视频 paid in advance for 10 years of the guaranteed output of the system. The university will pay for additional kilowatt hours produced by the system; if the system underperforms, Secure Futures pays 91短视频 for the difference between what had been projected and what鈥檚 actually produced.

The partnership is beneficial to 91短视频, Smith said, because it helps the university increase campus sustainability efforts. Secure Futures will make money from the partnership after the initial setup costs are paid off in 10 to 12 years.

Because 91短视频 is locked in at a certain kilowatt-hour rate with Secure Futures, a cost savings can be realized if utility rates climb in the future.

鈥淲e expect that the utility rates will increase at a more rapid rate than what we鈥檙e selling power to the university,鈥� said Smith, who declined to provide the agreed rate between Secure Futures and 91短视频, saying it is a confidential contract.

The opposite statement could also be true, however, if utility rates dropped.

For 2011-12, based on 91短视频鈥檚 5.7 million kilowatt- hours used and total energy costs, the university paid approximately 7.9 cents per kilowatt-hour for the campus鈥� energy.

Although the university would be relieved from regular utility rate increases, the contract between 91短视频 and Secure Futures does have an 鈥渆scalator clause,鈥� meaning the rate charged will increase at a predetermined rate.

That clause is typical of power-purchase agreements, Smith said.

Installing the system, which was the largest in Virginia when it debuted in 2010, was a forward step for 91短视频, Smith says, in a state not known for having the most solar-friendly policies.

鈥淚f we weren鈥檛 working with an institution who wanted to be a leader in energy efficiency, it would have been a much more difficult sell,鈥� he said.

The city also has taken steps to encourage more solar energy projects. In 2011, approved a 100 percent tax break for 20 years on tangible personal property related to the development of solar energy.

The exemption, retroactive to July 1, 2010, was designed to encourage more solar-energy development.

鈥淪tudents today are increasingly looking for colleges and universities that integrate sustainability into the way of doing things,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淸The solar array] helps make that sustainability leadership even more visible.鈥�

Courtesy Daily News Record, Sept. 6, 2012

Daryl Bert, vice president for finance, opened chapel by praising the tireless efforts of Bruce Emmerson, food services director for Pioneer Catering, which operates 52 kitchens nationwide.聽 Emmerson, who was named Pioneer鈥檚 “rookie of the year,” in 2007 and “director of the year,” in 2011, has continuously improved the quality of services that are offered to the students, faculty, staff and visitors of 91短视频, said Bert.

“I have appreciated how seriously Bruce takes feedback from our community by personally, wittily and publicly responding to feedback cards in the cafeteria,” said Bert. “I am always amazed at how quickly Bruce implements themes from the survey forms into the food service experience in the cafeteria…

鈥淚 believe this attention to quality is validated by the large number of faculty and staff that join students in the cafeteria for lunch on a daily basis.”

Byron Peachey, associate campus pastor, said: “Anytime I’ve needed to work with Bruce or Ramona [Lantz] with special catering needs or events, they are adaptable and easy to work with, willing to take on special events such as the Late Night Breakfast鈥� The food is always consistently delicious and varied.”

91短视频 routinely hosts outside groups, conferences and youth camps over the summer which adds to Emmerson’s schedule. LeDayne McLeese Polaski, program coordinator for the Baptist Peace Fellowship also praised the work of Emmerson and Matthew Hunsberger, Lehman Auditorium facility technician, in a written statement to Bert.

After stating that her Fellowship puts 91短视频 at the top of the list, Polaski added: “I would be remiss if I did not mention the excellent work of Matt Hunsberger and Bruce Emmerson… They are true professionals who go above and beyond the call of duty to provide excellent service.”

Below is a list of students who were honored at the chapel ceremony for academics, athletics and community service.

Fall Season

Men鈥檚 Cross Country:

Dan Nafziger:聽ODAC Athlete of the Week (Sept. 1-5), All-ODAC Second Team, All-South/Southeast Region First Team, NCAA National Championships participant

Field Hockey:

Nicole Bencsik: All-ODAC Second Team

Jenessa Derstine: All-ODAC Third Team

Valerie Landis: ODAC All-Tournament Team, All-ODAC First Team

Adriana Santiago: ODAC All-Tournament Team, All-ODAC First Team

Men鈥檚 Soccer:

Barkot Akalu: All-ODAC Third Team

Kevin Chico: ODAC All-Tournament Team, All-ODAC First Team

Ryan Eshleman: ODAC All-Tournament Team, CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District Team, All-ODAC First Team

Mitchell Leap:聽ODAC Player of the Week (Sept. 19-25), ODAC Player of the Week (Oct. 3-9), ODAC Player of the Week (Oct. 24-30), All-ODAC First Team

Brent Yoder:聽聽聽 All-ODAC Third Team

Women鈥檚 Cross Country:

Katie Eckman: All-ODAC Second Team

Women鈥檚 Volleyball:

Tabitha Bowman: CUA Guetle All-Invitational Team

Brittany Childress: 91短视频 Hampton Inn & Sleep Inn All-Invitational Team

Winter Season

Men鈥檚 Basketball:

Owen Longacre: Marymount Tip-Off Tournament All-Tournament Team

Women鈥檚 Basketball:

Raiven Patterson: 91短视频 Tip-Off Classic Most Outstanding Player

Kala Yoders: All-91短视频 Tip-Off Classic Team

Intensive English Program

Fanty Polanco

Maria Pena

Jihoo Park

Academic Support Center-Tutors

Stacy Kinkaid

Haleigh Hershberger

Lyubov Slashcheva

Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival nominations

Elizabeth Gannaway

Julia King

Justin Rittenhouse (alternate)

Jamie Hiner (stage manager)

Pastoral Assistant Recognition

Mitchell Stutzman 鈥� 1.5 years as pastoral assistant

Nursing Department Outstanding Service Award

Rebekah [last name omitted on request]

Student Government Association

Hannah Patterson, Senator

Joel Choi, Senator

Louise Babikow, Senator

Brittney Wenger, Senator

Katrina Goering, Senator

Daniel Sigmans, Treasurer

Nels 脜kerson, c0-President

A year ago, 91短视频 gained the largest solar deployment in Virginia, with 328 photovoltaic panels installed on the roof of its library. Other 鈥渇irsts鈥� at 91短视频 on behalf of the environment include: recycling collected by a bicycle-pulled trailer, biofiltration beds to protect a stream that feeds the Chesapeake Bay, and campus landscaping with edible vegetation.

LEED certification for 91短视频鈥檚 new Cedarwood dormitory represents one of the highest environmental standards that construction can reach.

鈥淭he gold certification for Cedarwood, along with the pending LEED certifications for the renovated Elmwood and Maplewood residence halls, emphasizes 91短视频’s strategic plan of sustainability,鈥� said , vice president for finance at 91短视频.

The confers its Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certifications鈥攁t the basic, silver, gold or platinum level鈥攐n buildings that meet its rigorous standards for environmental sustainability.

Rick Fedrizzi, president, CEO & founding chair of USGBC, praised 91短视频鈥檚 accomplishment: 鈥淎s the newest member of the LEED family of green buildings, Cedarwood dormitory is an important addition to the growing strength of the green building movement. With each new LEED-certified building, we get one step closer to USGBC鈥檚 vision of a sustainable-built environment within a generation.

Cedarwood features

LEED points are awarded for based on the number and type of “green” related systems or designs used in the building process. Cedarwood accumulated 45 points, six more than the minimum ranking for gold.

Cedarwood uses extensive natural lighting; flooring made of recycled and natural materials; a bioretention filtration system to manage rainwater runoff; a bike shed with a “green” landscaped roof; native landscaping around the building itself; and low-flow water fixtures.

Buildings in the United States are responsible for 39 percent of carbon dioxide emissions, 40 percent of energy consumption and 13 percent of water consumption, according to USGBC statistics.

Construction of Cedarwood was made possible through collaboration with several partners鈥攊n particular the , long-time architects for 91短视频 based in Mishawaka, Ind., and , of Harrisonburg. and contractors, who have been involved in 91短视频 projects since 1991, also played key roles.

The total cost of Cedarwood was $6 million.

“The sustainability emphasis of Cedarwood fits with 91短视频’s mission, from Micah 6:8, to 鈥榙o justice, love mercy and walk humbly with God,鈥� with each other and with creation,” said, director of 91短视频鈥檚 physical plant. “It’s a place where students experience community as they prepare to serve and lead in a global context.”

More information on Cedarwood and sustainability at 91短视频 can be found at

An 91短视频 alumnus will become the new vice president for finance at his alma mater, beginning Apr. 15, 2010.

Daryl W. Bert, currently of Pflugerville, Tex., will succeed Ronald E. Piper, who is retiring after serving 24 years in the role at 91短视频. Bert is a 1997 91短视频 graduate with a BS degree in accounting.

The appointment, a president’s cabinet-level position, was announced by Dr. Fred Kniss, 91短视频 provost.

“Daryl brings strong management, finance and accounting experience to this position,” Dr. Kniss said. “He is deeply committed to the mission and vision of 91短视频 and has demonstrated those values in church and community service in Austin. We believe he will be a strong member of 91短视频’s leadership team,” he added.

The vice president for finance is the chief financial officer responsible for the development and final preparation of the annual operating and capital budgets, assures financial compliance, establishes internal control policies and procedures, provides strategic information concerning finances and represents the institution in external business transactions.

He oversees and is responsible for the business, human resources, physical plant, financial assistance and auxiliary services departments.

Bert brings more than 10 years of accounting and finance experience to his new position at 91短视频. He has more than seven years tenure in roles of growing responsibility with Dell Computer Corporation, most recently as finance senior consultant, where he provided pricing consultation and approvals for large corporate accounts in the Central Region, representing some $500 million in annual revenue.

While at 91短视频 he was a standout on the 91短视频 men’s volleyball team, 1994-97, setting several school records in the sport, and was inducted into the Hall of Honor in 1998.

After graduating from 91短视频, Bert earned a certified public accountant (CPA) license and completed a master of business administration degree with a concentration in finance from McCombs School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.

He served as treasurer and board member of the Ten Thousand Villages’ Austin location from its inception until 2008. He is treasurer of Austin Mennonite Church, where he is a member.

Bert is married to Carrie Stambaugh Bert, a 1997 91短视频 alumna. She does after-school tutoring and supervises student teachers at the University of Texas. The couple has three children – Evan, 6; Davis, 3; and Maren, 6 months.