Just before wrapping up her speech at the annual Rally in the Valley conference late last month, Harrisonburg Mayor Deanna Reed invited the ballroom full of students to pull out their phones and add her cell phone number to their contacts.听

鈥淚鈥檝e always said I would use my platform to provide endless opportunities for those who need me,鈥� said Reed, who serves as director of alumni engagement and community connections at 91短视频. 鈥淪ome of you are going to need jobs. Text me. Let me know your name and where you鈥檙e from. I鈥檒l make sure to get back to you.鈥�

The two-day event, held from March 27-28 at the Hotel Madison & Shenandoah Valley Conference Center in Harrisonburg, brought together about 200 undergraduate students, faculty and staff from a dozen accredited social work programs across the state. The annual conference is sponsored by the Virginia Social Work Education Consortium (VSWEC) and provides a place for bachelor of social work (BSW) students to network and connect, share resources and ideas, and learn about graduate school and career opportunities in a professional conference milieu.听

Fifteen students and four faculty members from 91短视频鈥檚 social work program attended the conference. Among them were three students who collaborated with peers from James Madison University and Virginia Union University to plan and organize the event. The theme of Rally in the Valley 2025 was 鈥淟earning Beyond the Classroom.鈥�

In addition to her role as mayor, Reed co-founded On the Road Collaborative, an afterschool program that empowers middle and high school students with educational opportunities and hands-on career experiences. The Harrisonburg-based nonprofit has also provided internships to many social work students over the years. 鈥淪ocial work is not just a profession,鈥� Reed said in her speech welcoming students, faculty, and staff to Harrisonburg. 鈥淚t is a calling to build and strengthen communities where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.鈥澨�

Reed, recently named one of the Top 50 Women Leaders of Virginia for 2025, was introduced on stage by 91短视频 Social Work juniors Abadit Desta and Ekram Siraj, who served on the conference planning committee. The two students participated in On the Road Collaborative as middle schoolers and credited the program with helping them succeed.听

This year marked the first time that students from Blue Ridge Community College attended Rally in the Valley. Students graduating from a community college with an associate鈥檚 degree in human services can easily transfer to a school like 91短视频 and earn their BSW in two years, said Professor Deanna Durham, director of the social work program at 91短视频.听

A job fair at the conference, featuring representatives from local community service boards, hospitals, the state Department of Corrections, and other employers, gave students an opportunity to learn more about available positions in the workforce. 鈥淭here are a lot of job openings in mental health right now,鈥� Durham said. 鈥淭he demand is greater than the supply. What I love is that some corrections programs are leaning into restorative justice, which aligns with the ethics and philosophy of our 91短视频 students.鈥�

Students could also meet with admissions counselors from several schools to explore graduate programs. At a table stocked with brochures and resources, Merry Yirga and Lexi Brown from undergraduate admissions worked to spread the word about 91短视频鈥檚 offerings. 鈥淭he conflict transformation program has really been a draw for people looking at master鈥檚 degrees,鈥� Brown said.

Through what is called an accelerated or advanced study, BSW graduates from 91短视频 can earn their master of social work in just one year if they meet GPA requirements. That鈥檚 the result of 91短视频鈥檚 full accreditation with the Council on Social Work Education.

91短视频 senior Cecilia Rafael Castelan said she was looking forward to attending a pair of workshops, including one focused on budgeting skills for new social workers. Castelan said the conference helps her connect not only with other BSW students from around the state, but also with her own 91短视频 classmates. 鈥淪ince we鈥檙e all busy with our practicums, we haven鈥檛 had time this semester to debrief as much as we usually do,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be nice to spend time with them.鈥�

First held in 1980 at Massanetta Springs in Harrisonburg, Rally in the Valley was created by faculty from JMU and 91短视频. Today, the 13 colleges and universities in the Virginia Social Work Education Consortium take turns planning and hosting the statewide conference. Students attended the 2025 conference from: Blue Ridge Community College, 91短视频, Ferrum College, George Mason University, JMU, Longwood University, Mary Baldwin University, Norfolk State University, Radford University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia State University, and Virginia Union University.

Allen, of Weyers Cave, Virginia, was presented with the award on Friday, March 22, at the NASW chapter鈥檚 annual conference in Norfolk. She said it was an honor just to be nominated for the award and was shocked to find out she had won. Joining her at the conference from 91短视频 was Professor Carol Hurst.

鈥淚 was excited to have one of my professors and my family in the same place because they鈥檝e been there for me and encouraged me along the way,鈥� Allen said.

The 91短视频 senior, whose mother is a social worker for the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Community Services Board, said she鈥檚 always enjoyed helping others.

This semester through a full-time senior practicum, Allen is working side-by-side with a school social worker and helping students at Riverheads Elementary School become more engaged in their academics. As part of her field placement with Augusta County Public Schools, she meets with kids weekly and works to get them caught up through mentoring, fun activities, academic support and motivation.

The top of their list

Professor Deanna Durham, director of the social work program at 91短视频, said Allen was a unanimous pick from the nomination committee.

鈥淭here are three faculty in social work and we all brainstormed about who would be a good person to nominate,鈥� Durham said. 鈥淲e all had Bri at the top of our list.鈥�

A nomination letter sent to the NASW noted Allen鈥檚 engagement in intercultural relationships and her direct work with children and their parents through and the Boys & Girls Club of Harrisonburg and Rockingham County.

鈥淏ri鈥檚 leadership and interpersonal strengths stand out,鈥� the letter reads. 鈥淪he has been a warm and energetic organizer of others.鈥�

It lauds Allen in her ability to lead her softball teammates and social work classmates in service projects. It also notes her positive contributions in class as well as her aptitude for clinical social work practice.

鈥淏rianna Allen is a caring, empathetic social worker and member of NASW who will make an impact on our field,鈥� the letter states.

A rewarding part of the job

Allen said her classes at 91短视频 and the support she鈥檚 received from professors have prepared her well. 

鈥淚 see the things I鈥檝e learned play out in my practicum all the time,鈥� she said.

After graduating from 91短视频 in May, Allen will begin an accelerated online program at Virginia Commonwealth University to earn her master鈥檚 in social work. As part of the three-semester program, she said she looks forward to being placed in an internship where she can continue making a difference.

鈥淚n social work you meet individuals who need help and sometimes don’t know where to start,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淢aybe you can鈥檛 solve their problems, but you can give them the tools they need. Seeing them take those tools and either turn their life around or change a part they need to work on 鈥� that鈥檚 really rewarding.鈥�

Small but mighty

91短视频鈥檚 social work program has been continuously accredited by the Council on Social Work Education () since 1976. Only about 15 programs in Virginia, including 91短视频, are fully accredited, Durham said. Thirty-three social work majors make up the program.

While the award received by Allen will draw more attention to the quality of students at 91短视频, Durham said the program has already set itself apart from its peers.

鈥淲e’re small but mighty, and we have students who are digging in deep in the profession and contributing amazing energy and creative imagination to our local community,鈥� Durham said. 鈥淭his will be another time for other programs to look to 91短视频 and say, 鈥榃ow, way to go.鈥欌��

鈥淵ou can ask me questions later,鈥� she called as she climbed into her friend Robin Lyttle鈥檚 car. 鈥淟et鈥檚 go!鈥�

Allen, who last year published a memoir 鈥淭he Way It Was, Not the Way It Is鈥� about her experiences in the Newtown area during the 1930s and ’40s, spent the afternoon and evening with 28 students teaching, sharing and interpreting African American history, culture and experience.

This was the beginning of a 2015 article about 91短视频鈥檚 local context cross-cultural experience. Doris Harper Allen, who , was a major contributor to that experience. She helped orient students in that class to Harrisonburg鈥檚 racial history through her memoir (self-published, 2015), used as a course reading.听

鈥淒r. Allen was also a guide of educational learning tours for 91短视频 students collaborating with community and church leaders in the historic Northeast Neighborhood of Harrisonburg,鈥� said Professor Deanna Durham, who with her husband Byron Peachey, now academic advocacy advisor, co-taught the local context cross cultural for several summers.

鈥淚 loved the enthusiasm and seriousness Dr. Allen shared with our students,鈥� Durham said. 鈥淪he wanted them to understand her own history both the immense joy and pride she has for this community and the deep harms caused by others. We left our time with her challenged and delighted!鈥�

Allen, who received during JMU鈥檚 2019 commencement, was born in Harrisonburg鈥檚 Northeast neighborhood on East Effinger Street in 1927, according to her online biography. Barred from attending James Madison University, then Madison College, due to racial segregation, she worked as a cook for Madison President G. Tyler Miller before enrolling at Marshall University in the early 1970s. In West Virginia, she worked as a teacher before returning to Harrisonburg, where she became involved in her native neighborhood鈥檚 revitalization efforts.

鈥淚t is with profound sorrow, we share the passing of our oldest trailblazer,鈥� the NAACP said in a statement posted to its Facebook page late Friday. 鈥淪he left a profound legacy within the city.鈥�

That legacy was recognized last month when James Madison University after her.

听Harper published a second memoir, 鈥淛im Crow in the 鈥�30s, 40s, 50s and 60s: What was life really like in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County under the Jim Crow laws?鈥� She gives a on her most recent book.

Read and watch tributes from the and

Their mouths covered with rainbow duct tape, approximately 18 members and allies of Safe Space 鈥� a support group for the LGBTQ community on campus 鈥� stood after the service with arms linked in a silent, outward-facing circle, while other students nearby displayed rainbow flags.

Emily Powell, a senior who co-leads Safe Space, said members of the group first became concerned about Wright鈥檚 visit to campus after learning in late August of 鈥渄erogatory and dehumanizing鈥� comments made by him about the LGBTQ community.

鈥淲e hoped to make a statement about hearing queer voices on campus,鈥� said Safe Space co-leader Abigail Shumaker. 鈥淚 really hope increasing Safe Space鈥檚 visibility on campus will be able to lead our whole community at 91短视频 in a positive direction. … 91短视频 is stronger when we all stand together.鈥�

Wright came to Harrisonburg for a two-day, five-lecture series that drew widespread interest. A pastors鈥� breakfast was attended by 140 area church leaders, and later audiences filled James Madison University鈥檚 Memorial Hall and Eastern Mennonite Seminary鈥檚 Martin Chapel.

Currently the research professor of New Testament and early Christianity at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, Wright has also been Bishop of Durham and a professor of New Testament studies at Cambridge, McGill and Oxford universities.

His visit was sponsored by the Missional Church Partnership coalition, the Augsburger Lecture Series and Aubrey Spears, rector at the Church of the Incarnation and Caf茅 Veritas.

Safe Space communicated through Campus Pastor Brian Martin Burkholder an invitation for conversation with Wright, but Wright declined meeting to discuss issues of sexuality.

Powell said she would have liked to ask Wright the same question she has asked others: 鈥淗ow did they rationalize the radical love and inclusion that Jesus taught directly with the hatred and discrimination that modern Christian politics uphold?鈥�

Wright鈥檚 refusal was concerning to a number of faculty, including Professor Deanna Durham, who serves as Safe Space faculty adviser.

鈥淲e talk a lot about academic freedom and the importance of people talking across difference,鈥� Durham said, 鈥渁nd so we have someone who comes to campus who says, 鈥業 won鈥檛 do that.鈥� From an academic point of view, it鈥檚 a real missed opportunity. We have expertise on dialogue and facilitation at 91短视频 and I think we could have had a very productive conversation more broadly about the church and how we work at inclusion, not just LGBTQ inclusion but beyond that as well. It鈥檚 the work of the academy 鈥� to talk about things and to model that even when we hold differences about what it means to follow Jesus, we can sit together around a table. It helps us humanize one another.鈥�

In the months leading up to Wright鈥檚 visit, numerous formal meetings and discussions occurred, including when President Susan Schultz Huxman and Vice President for Student Life Jim Smucker hosted members and allies of Safe Space in a listening session.

Safe Space invited the Augsburger Lecture Series committee, members of the convocation committee, and queer students and their allies to join a circle process about Wright鈥檚 visit.

鈥淲e got a lot of good work done, with a good amount of tears and a lot of honesty,鈥� Powell said of the two-hour process. 鈥�… I don鈥檛 feel quite as attacked as I did when I first learned that Wright was coming here.鈥� Instead, she said, she more feels 鈥渓ike I鈥檓 a part of this community and not something that is divisive just in terms of my identity.鈥�

鈥淲e know that the [organizers of Wright鈥檚 visit] did not have intentions of seeing this harm in the community, but that does not mean the harm is not there,鈥� said a Safe Space flier made available at the protest. 鈥淲e have been heard by some, but our hearts still ache.鈥�

As during other campus worship gatherings, alternative worship sessions were offered, including 鈥淨ueer and Christian: A Staff Faith Story.鈥� Other Safe Space events planned during the week included a viewing of the documentary Believer and a time of hearing stories from the LGBTQ community.

Outside Lehman Auditorium, the response to the protesters was 鈥渙verwhelmingly good,鈥� Powell said, with some people making eye contact, nodding, or saying 鈥淚鈥檓 with you.鈥� The response of two women in particular stood out to her: 鈥淭hey went around the circle and hugged every single person, and at the very end said, 鈥榊ou鈥檙e loved. I see you,鈥欌�� she said. 鈥淚 almost lost it at that point.鈥�

Not all campus worship attenders were supportive of the protestors. One who repeatedly addressed the protesters was diverted by an affiliate in campus ministries and faculty members.

In the 24 hours following the Safe Space action, several of the chalk messages the group had written on campus sidewalks for the protest were changed.

In a campus-wide email, Huxman identified the changes as hate speech.

鈥�91短视频 is committed to creating an open, safe and inclusive community for all, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender identity, and/or gender expression,鈥� she wrote. 鈥淭oday, we stand with all in our 91短视频 community who identify as and/or advocate for the LGBTQ community. We are renewed in our commitment to support practices that foster respect and dignity for every person on our own campus as we are called 鈥榯o do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly with God.鈥欌��

A straight talker with an evangelical flair that betrays his Southern Baptist roots, Posey shared some eye-opening strengths and weaknesses related to his own experience as a student at 91短视频, and urged the gathered community to answer the call to 鈥渕eet students where they are.鈥�

He ended with four practical questions related to faith formation 鈥� picture Posey saying 鈥淕o get 鈥榚m,鈥� as we all trot to the mound 鈥� that participants carried with them throughout the day鈥檚 panel sessions, presentations and worship.

Recognize and build on your strengths as related to faith formation. Evaluate and understand your weaknesses. Ask how you can more effectively merge your calling with your work. And finally, how can you better mentor young people to lives of faith?

91短视频鈥檚 faculty-staff conferences are community gatherings at the beginning and end of the academic year. This spring鈥檚 event focused on 鈥渇ostering faith among students but also among ourselves,鈥� said Professor Marti Eads, who chaired the planning committee with Campus Pastor Brian Martin Burkholder. 鈥淚 hope you leave the day fed and hungry for more.鈥�

Titled 鈥淛ourney Companions: Fostering Faith Formation at 91短视频,鈥� the theme enabled discussions and development of an objective in 91短视频鈥檚 strategic plan: to nurture spiritual growth and enhance formational engagement among faculty, staff and students.

鈥淯ndergraduate students in our faith mentoring survey a few years ago expressed eagerness to hear more from faculty and staff about their personal faith journeys and how they navigated doubt, challenge and opportunity,鈥� said Burkholder. 鈥淭his conference gives us a chance to hear from each other about how we鈥檙e doing that in our work on campus and how we might expand opportunities for fellowship and relationship-building into new places and spaces.鈥�

More from Coach Posey

At a time when 91短视频鈥檚 student population is more diverse than ever 鈥� and that diversity includes culture, religion, race, ethnicity and political beliefs 鈥� Posey pointed out that being open and hospitable to different perspectives is very much a part of faith formation. It was deep relationships with a small number of influential faculty and staff that aided his own spiritual and intellectual development, he said.

Posey talked about the challenges of coming to 91短视频 from Poquoson, a mostly white, upper middle-class community among the many military bases in the Hampton Roads area. A communications major, he said the first person he met outside of the baseball coaching staff was Professor Jerry Holsopple, an experience 鈥渨hich really should have counted as my cross-cultural,鈥� he joked.

鈥淓ven among the baseball team, I heard in those first few months perspectives that differed from mine, and that was a culture shock for me, away from home for the first time, away from my girlfriend, trying to figure out some of the things that come with being at 91短视频,鈥� he said.

What helped him become more comfortable and get through 鈥渁 rocky first couple of years鈥� was a tight relationship with head coach Jason Stuhlmiller (then a high school special education teacher and now area director for Fellowship of Christian Athletes) and connections with faculty members Holsopple and Deanna Durham 鈥� all mentors who got to know him 鈥渙n my level, on my playing field, in my arena.鈥�

Though he came primarily with an identity and purpose tied to his athletic experience, Posey said that changed over the years, and now he鈥檚 grateful that he chose to stay and 鈥渘ot miss out on experiences that have been really important to who I am today.鈥� There are plenty of students today, ones he coaches and others he knows, who have had a similar difficulty adjusting to the 91短视频 community.

鈥淲hether you agree with why that student is here at 91短视频 or not, you have four years to build a relationship with that person and talk to them about things you鈥檙e passionate about, whether it鈥檚 peacebuilding or social justice,鈥� he said.

One beauty of these opportunities is how they remind us of what matters: in the midst of a losing streak, Posey said a player reached out to him to talk about how God was calling him but he felt unworthy. 鈥淚 want to give my life over to Christ, but how do I reconcile that?鈥澨� he asked.

鈥淚t鈥檚 easy to get lost in our jobs and lost in what we鈥檙e doing and not remember why we鈥檙e here,鈥� Posey said. 鈥淏ut we have to keep that in perspective. I would venture to say that we鈥檙e all here at 91短视频 because we hope to impact young people in a way that contributes to the rest of their life.鈥�

Bringing imagination to course design

In his keynote address via Zoom, , professor of education and director of the Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning at Calvin College, challenged faculty to have imagination about their course designs. He told the story of different workers on a construction site, one of whom said he was cutting a stone block and the other which said he was building a cathedral: 鈥淲hat do my students think is happening when they sit in my classroom? What is it they think they are doing?鈥� he asked, and, 鈥淲hat do we think we are teaching in our subject area? What does it contribute to the world? To the Kingdom of God?鈥�

He recounted a call from a former student excited at having lent a willing ear to a German-speaking train rider after remembering what Smith had taught in German class, that the purpose of learning a language is less to speak it than it is to listen.

Pedagogical norms, he said, are simply how things are done in any given era, according to prevailing social norms. These norms often separate course content matter from reality鈥檚 ambiguities that merit curiosity and practicable empathy.

鈥楨xamining assumptions鈥�

After the annual recognition luncheon, five break-out sessions were offered on a variety of topics, including workshops on spiritual practices for mentors, exploring spirituality types in mentoring.

Panel discussions offered insights into faith formation in various programs, including the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding and athletics.

Professor Ann Hershberger and interim director Don Clymer invited shared insights into making faith connections for and with students on travelling on 91短视频’s required cross-cultural trips.

鈥淲hen we are forced out of our routines, we have to rethink many things and examine our assumptions,鈥� Clymer said. That makes for many opportunities to plant seeds, Hershberger added.

Their own and session participants鈥� stories bore that out: the student whose host mother prayed for her hemoglobin deficiency, which then was resolved to a degree that without a blood transfusion is medically impossible; the group that found cohesion in protectively encircling a sick classmate who had become ill on a crowded street; the homesick and tired group that, by recounting how they had experienced the presence of God in the last three days, turned their 鈥渕umbling and grumbling to singing.鈥�

The group also gathered ideas for trip leaders to further prepare for and build on faith building experiences, cultivating groups in which students have starkly different faith understandings, and establishing shared resources and activities that have proven effective.

A final 45-minute gathering, hosted by Burkholder and Professor Johonna Turner, invited reflection and sharing.

Christopher Clymer Kurtz contributed to this article.

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/washington-community-scholars-center-visit-showcases-student-internships/ Thu, 14 Dec 2017 20:46:41 +0000 /now/news/?p=36099 A contingent of 91短视频 administrators and faculty recently got a taste of what (WCSC) program participants gain: a sampling of the culture and history of Washington D.C. coupled with practical, on-the-job experience.

Based in the Nelson Good House in the Brookland neighborhood, WCSC hosts students each semester and over the summer from 91短视频 and other partner institutions. It鈥檚 been a valued program since the 1970s.

The event was an opportunity for President Susan Schultz Huxman, in her ninth month in office, to meet program faculty and staff and hear from alumni about its impact. Undergraduate Dean Deirdre Smeltzer, as well as five faculty members, also made the trip.

The day included a presentation by WCSC director , visits to internship sites, a Nelson Good house tour and a meet-and-greet evening with university and program alumni. 听

Living and working in D.C.

Lunch at an Ethiopian restaurant on the H Street Corridor ended with a quick history lesson from Schmidt, offering a peek into the urban seminar courses that students take at WCSC. Schmidt described the stretch of businesses now gentrifying nearly five decades after riots decimated the African-American commercial hub. 听

The group then made visits to two intern sites. In a plaza near the Capitol, social work major Peter Dutcher described his 5:45 a.m. runs with , an organization that supports those experiencing homelessness through an innovative running program. 91短视频 visitors formed a circle reminiscent of the program鈥檚 routine morning member circle while Dutcher and his supervisor described the organization鈥檚 impacts and the broader world experiences that such internships offer.

At the historic E, Bluffton student Anna Cammarn has been applying her majors in both music and psychology in a unique music therapy role serving students with behavioral needs.

鈥淔rom the time I was a freshman in college, I didn鈥檛 know if I wanted to be a music therapist or a clinical psychologist,鈥� Cammarn told the group. 鈥淚nterning at this institution has made me realize that even though I am not a music therapy major, this profession is something I can do with my life.鈥�

Program alums continue their support

After a meet-and-greet with local alumni, the group moved to the Nelson Good House for hors d鈥檕euvres and continued conversation.

Phil Baker-Shenk was a participant in 1976-77 to Washington Study Service Year, a year-long program that was the precursor to today鈥檚 WCSC.

鈥淚 haven鈥檛 stopped dreaming big out-sized dreams about building and nurturing institutions,鈥� he said. 鈥淲ithout WSSY, this path and these dreams would not have been possible for me. WSSY and its younger sibling WCSC is surely one of the gems in the Mennonite crown. […] Let鈥檚 all guard this crown jewel.鈥� 听

Recent alum Kiersten Rossetto Nassar shared how visiting the Nelson Good House during her college search process impacted her decision to attend 91短视频. She spent a semester in the program, which eventually led her to make her home nearby in the city. 听

Alums and supporters also heard updates from Associate Director of Development about the growth of the new WCSC and the potential to start awarding program scholarships to break down cost of living barriers to students with financial need. 听

Academic Success Center

Linda Gnagey, director of the Academic Success Center, and Professor Vi Dutcher, with the Writing Program, recognized the following tutors concluding their service in December: Hannah Gross, Harrison Horst, Kat Lehman and David Nester.

Campus Ministries

Ministry assistants completing their service are: Kyra Lehman, Holly Mumaw, Laura Rittenhouse, Jenna Lile, Clara Weybright, Anali Martin, Seth Peters, Aaron Gusler, Sarah Kline, Kate Kauffman, Hannah Wheeler and Joseph Harder.

Pastoral assistants are Alexa Weeks and Nathaniel Nissley. Undergraduate Campus Pastor Lana Miller provided the recognition.

Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

Professor Roxy Allen Kioko recognized the following students:

• Hannah Kim for her听outstanding听work as a graduate research assistant;
• Kajungu Mturi and Brenna Case for their work with the Brazil delegation that spent five days on campus learning more about restorative justice [read more here];
• Trina Trotter Nussbaum for her commitment to community-building at CJP;
• Andrea Moya Urena and Renata Loberg for their leadership with the DACA Dialogue Planning Committee [read more here];

Department of Applied Social Sciences

Katrina Poplett and Jonatan Moser were recognized for their leadership over the past two years of Take Back the Night by Professor Deanna Durham, faculty advisor [read more here].

Sociology major Harrison Horst was recognized by Professor Jenni Holsinger for his academic work and service. Read about Harrison’s many

Theater Department

Professor Heidi Winters Vogel recognized the nomination of Emma Roth, Clara Bush and Renata Loberg 鈥� actors in the fall production of MacBETH 鈥� to the Irene Ryan Scholarship competition and Amber Hooper for the stage management competition at Kennedy Center American Theatre Festival.

Latino Student Alliance

Co-presidents Ariel Barbosa, Alejandra Rivera, Anna Messer and Mario Hernandez were recognized by M. Esther Showalter, faculty advisor. [Read about their fall activities here.]

Business and Economics Department

Ryan Faraci, Jacob Sloan and Erik Peachy were recognized for extraordinary academic performance by Professor Tammy Duxbury. Brittany Williams was recognized for her leadership, academic performance and service by Professor Joohyun Lee.

Multicultural Student Services

Director Celeste Thomas recognized the Alpha Omega Dancers for Christ: Hannah Shultz, Delight Tigoe, Qing Wang (Freya), and Kellie Serrell.

The Black Student Union Board of DeVantae Dews, Childra Nwankwo, Ivan Harris, Jess Washington, Precious Waddy, Jourdyn Friend and Clarrisa White were also recognized for their steadfast leadership.

Music Department

Luke Mullet was honored by Professor Ryan Keebaugh for achievement in composition and choral music (Professor James Richardson presenting). Read about Luke’s many talents.

Nursing Department

Professor Audrey Myers, advisor of the Nursing Student Association, presented the department’s biannual awards: Dylan May, academic achievement award; Kim Heatwole, servant leader award; and Annie Trinh, Sacred Covenant Award.

Student Life

Rachel Holderman and Nicole Litwiller, student leaders of the Royals Cup competition, named Elmwood Residence as the top points accumulator of the fall semester.

The “fall individual MVP” was Andrew Troyer, followed in second place by Andrew Reimer-Berg. Third place was a three-way tie with Cameron Byer, Sarah Ressler and Lucas Wenger. In fourth place was Aaron Horst, Skylar List, Adam Peachey and Kayla Sauder. Rounding out the top 10 MVPs is Lauren Hartzler.

Student Government Association

Outgoing members were recognized: from the executive council, Nicole Litwiller, vice president and Luke Mullet, secretary; and from the senate: Nathaniel Nissley, Abigail Shelly, Leah Wenger and Ben Zook.

Athletic Honors

Student-athletes receiving honors and awards during the fall semester were also recognized. For more coverage, visit .

鈥淲e wanted to hear from outside the community how this abuse is manifested and focus on how we can better support those who have experienced it,鈥� said senior Katrina Poplett, who led the program planning for the second year with senior Jonatan Moser.

In an opening event focused on intersectionality, representatives from five campus groups 鈥� , , the , and 鈥� were invited to share 鈥渟tories and statistics about how sexual assault affected that particular group,鈥� said Poplett. 鈥淚t was powerful and personal and we closed with a candlelight vigil as a witnessing.鈥�

Take Back the Night events are held around the United States and around the world. The first march was held in 1975, commemorating the death of a woman who was murdered while walking home alone at night in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

91短视频 has a long tradition of hosting the annual program, according to Professor , faculty advisor to the planning committee.

TBTN hosted several events around campus, including a Wednesday chapel that involved the sharing of stories and poetry.

91短视频 20 participants in the men鈥檚 only discussion Wednesday evening 鈥渢ook the conversation to some really interesting and insightful places,鈥� said Ben Rush, who co-hosted 鈥淗ow Language Legitimizes: A Second Look At What We Don鈥檛 Think of Twice鈥� with Joseph Mumaw and Professor . 鈥淥ur goals were to take the conversation away from the overt, symptomatic examples of sexual violence and point it towards a conversation about the way subtle things embedded in language and societal assumptions contribute to the problem.鈥� [Read Ben’s blog post about leading this event.]

A Thursday coffee house offered space for expressive arts and sharing, followed by a session with the playback theater group. Sarah Regan and Ana Hunter-Nickels, representatives of the Social Work is People (SWIP) club, were the hosts.

Friday鈥檚 chapel, planned by the 91短视频 , featured Sabrina Dorman, executive director of the local anti-sex trafficking organization New Creation, Inc. This was followed by a walk-through reflective exhibit in the Campus Center.

Eastern Mennonite Seminary also hosted a Tuesday chapel service to engage with themes of #metoo and #Ibelieve you.

This year鈥檚 TBTN events were in the second year of a three-year thematic exploration of sexual violence at the micro-, meso- and macro levels, Poplett and Moser said.

鈥淟ast year was on a micro-level, focused on what was going on here on campus, opening a space for conversations we didn鈥檛 see happening,鈥� Poplett said. 鈥淭his year, we鈥檙e focusing on the meso-level, with organizations and community, and next year will be more of a macro level.鈥�

The leaders situated TBTN events within recent national events, including U.S. Department of Education decisions related to Title IX.

At all events, counseling center staff were present and other resources were available if students or community members were in need of support.

Many of the students involved in Take Back the Night come to their volunteer work by learning more about systemic issues in their coursework and through clubs such as SWIP or . Moser, a double major in and , says a combination of factors raised his awareness as a first-year student.

鈥淚 had just learned about sexual violence and sexism and how often it happened and I was really horrified by that,鈥� Moser said. 鈥淕etting involved in Take Back the Night has been a way to give back.鈥�

Poplett, a major who is also in the accelerated MA in restorative justice program, began attending TBTN events her first year on campus and became a leader as a sophomore.

鈥淚 think a lot of my passion lies in giving voice to people whose stories aren’t normally told,鈥� she said.

Each year since 2013, faculty, staff, and students select a book that relates to contemporary situations and which will generate conversation around important themes. Most of the finalists for this year 鈥渃onnected to themes of race and justice, an indicator of what鈥檚 in the general zeitgeist in our country and on our minds at 91短视频,鈥� said professor and Intellectual Life Committee member .

In the series of letters to his teenage son about his life experiences as an African American male, Coates challenges readers to examine assumptions about race, history, education, faith and social change.

Common Read activities at 91短视频 throughout the year will include conversations about race, diversity and identity, including Anabaptist identity.

Five Thursday noon reading circles, beginning Sept. 14 in the East Dining Room and facilitated by Professor , will jump-start the discussion. Each hour-long conversation will focus on consecutive sections of the book. A second round of reading circles will run for five weeks starting Wednesday, Nov. 1 from 5-6 p.m. in Northlawn Great Lounge.

Social justice activist and civil rights attorney Fania Davis will contribute to those discussions in April when she spends a week on campus as a , sponsored by the .

Toni Morrison calls Between the World and Me 鈥渞equired reading,鈥� and wrote, 鈥淚鈥檝e been wondering who might fill the intellectual void that plagued me after James Baldwin died. Clearly it is Ta-Nehisi Coates. The language of Between the World and Me, like Coates鈥檚 journey, is visceral, eloquent, and beautifully redemptive. And its examination of the hazards and hopes of black male life is as profound as it is revelatory.鈥�

The book was chosen long before the that threatened the nation鈥檚 sense of inclusiveness and angered many in 91短视频鈥檚 social justice-oriented community. But Beachy thinks that there is plenty in the book to challenge even this sympathetic, academic culture, from conceptions of whiteness that Coates says is at the heart of racism, to his response to the reverence for non violence in civil rights action in a world 鈥渟ecured and ruled by savage means.鈥�

Coates also rejects the 鈥渕agic鈥� of religious faith: 鈥淭he spirit and soul are the body and brain, which are destructible 鈥� that is precisely why they are so precious,鈥� he writes. However, in their introduction to the collection of original essays Between the World of Ta-Nehisi Coates and Christianity (Wipf & Stock: forthcoming), professors and note a Tweet by Coates in which he said, 鈥淏est thing about #BetweenTheWorldAndMe is watching Christians engage the work. Serious learning experience for me.鈥� Their book, they say, 鈥渃an be read as a response鈥� to Coates鈥� insights.

鈥淭he value of Between the World and Me for all of us in this campus community is that it invites us to see through the eyes of another person as he honestly relates to his son his own, specific experience of what it means to live in a black body in America,鈥� said Beachy.

At the heart of the WCSC program are professional internships in a variety of settings where students make positive contributions to the community and gain vocational direction. But students also get to experience city life, explore Washington鈥檚 cultural and historic attractions, learn about issues such as gentrification, and manage a house budget and relationships in the communal living environment of the Nelson Good House.

Kyle Mathews joined the program to try out a profession in his area of study. A kinesiology and exercise science major from Chesapeake, Virginia, Mathews said that assisting with physical therapy at PIVOT Physical Therapy has allowed him to learn more about anatomy and physiology, plus gain hands-on experience that reinforces and deepens his understanding of the concepts learned in coursework at 91短视频.

Given his choice of clientele from the diversity of groups his clinic serves, Mathews said he prefers to work with injured athletes. As a former athlete who has undergone physical therapy, he feels he understands the mental, physical and emotional impact of sports injuries.

鈥淚鈥檝e been there,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 know how it hurts and what they鈥檙e going through as patients. Interning gives me a new perspective, from the other side.鈥�

The placement is also pushing Mathews beyond learning just the technical skills of a physical therapist. 鈥淵ou have to learn through observation, by feel, to work with different people who respond in different ways to therapy,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome people take longer than others, so you have to nudge them along.鈥�

Mathew鈥檚 peers in the summer 2017 WCSC program represent diverse professional interests:

• Azariah Cox, a photography major from Lynchburg, Virginia, is at the .
• Ben Durren, a history major from Gloucester, Virginia, said that a highlight was seeing the bullet that killed President Garfield. Durren is collecting and organizing archives for researchers, and cataloging new additions to the collections for the
• At , a medical facility for homeless people, biochemistry major Taylor Esau, of Hesston, Kansas, washes laundry and provides wound care for patients. 鈥淚 have really enjoyed the interactions and relationships I鈥檝e built,鈥� she said.
• Austin Every, a Bluffton University internet technology and graphic design major from Zanesville, Ohio, is interning at NASA.
• Jeremy Good, an accounting major from Rantoul, Illinois, is interning at YMCA Association Services, where in addition to being asked to rewrite and reformat the current accounting policies handbook, he does payment collection, member termination and reinstatement, general payroll duties, accounts receivable analysis and other miscellaneous accounting and finance tasks.
• Math and computer science major Austin Huff is interning at the (OCIO). Huff, who comes from the small town of Culpeper, Virginia, said he鈥檚 enjoying living in a large city.
• A camp counselor at , Kaitlin Miller said that her highlights of the summer include working with kids and being able to explore Washington鈥檚 monuments and museums. She is a social work major from Sellersville, Pennsylvania.
• Nursing major Taylor Mirarchi of Souderton, Pennsylvania, uses an exclamation mark when she writes that she is 鈥渟eeing babies being born!鈥� As an intern at , she is taking blood pressures, going to home visits, helping birth assistants during births, and taking care of children while parents are in labor.
• Emma Petersheim, a social work major from Linville, Virginia, is at , which offers arts education programs to more than 800 students a year, 80 percent of whom come from low-income households.
• Digital media major Laken Richer, from New Paris, Indiana, is a media intern at the .
• Joshua Sydenstricker, a psychology major from Virginia Beach, is monitoring and assisting with group sessions at , a housing and recovery service that gives homeless or at-risk individuals who suffer from drug and alcohol addictions the opportunity to rebuild their lives.
• At the , Rebekah Wheat, a digital media major from Dillsburg, Pennsylvania, said she is using her creativity as she works with the marketing team to make handouts and videos.

The Kente is a colorful cloth stole native to Ghana, said Celeste R. Thomas, co-director of and the event鈥檚 host. Kente was developed in the 17th century by the Ashanti people with roots in a long tradition of African weaving dating back to about 3000 B.C. Often reserved for special occasions or royalty, the stole is a visual representation of history, philosophy, ethics, oral literature, religious beliefs, social values and political thoughts.

Last year was the first year of . Students will wear the Kente during commencement ceremonies this weekend.

Keynote speaker , professional director of James Madison University鈥檚 MBA Program, spoke about transitioning from being a student to starting a career. She encouraged the graduates to practice mindfulness as they prepare to enter the workforce. Ntiamoah, whose research interests include transition theory, gave several tips: take time to understand the work culture; have humility, be slow to form alliances and quick to network; get involved in the community and give back to their institution.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 matter what your context has been up to this moment, what hardships you may have had,鈥� she said. 鈥淲hat matters is the choices you make to go forward and how you choose to make that transition in your life.鈥�

For the donning of the Kente, each student was joined on stage by an individual who had made an impact while at 91短视频. These friends, faculty or family members were invited to speak about the student and drape the stole across their shoulders.

The Kente recipients have already began giving back to 91短视频. Thomas read aloud their advice for underclass students.

Theatre major Ezrionna Prioleau encouraged students to 鈥渢ry something new and have fun while in school.鈥�

鈥淒on’t give up!鈥� said Azariah Cox, who will graduate with a degree in photography and digital media. 鈥淭hings will try to knock you down, but don’t let it shape who you are. Achieve, achieve, achieve.鈥�

Recipients of the Kente with their chosen speaker

Azariah Cox 鈥� Brian Simpson, head track coach

Lance Crawford 鈥� Professor Teresa Haas, director of the MA in Counseling program

Carlos Garcia 鈥� Will Stanley

Jonae Guest 鈥� Professor Deanna Durham, applied social sciences.

Oksana Kittrell 鈥� DeVantae Dews, co-president of Black Student Union

Chinazo A. Nwankwo 鈥� Chidera Nwankwo

Chidera T Nwankwo – Chinazo A. Nwankwo

Ezriona Prioleau 鈥� Professor Justin Poole, theater department

Eduardo Robles 鈥� Maria Esther Showalter, Latino Student Alliance advisor

Fernando Sarmineto 鈥� Maria Esther Showalter

Mario Valladores 鈥� Maria Esther Showalter

Also recieving the kente but not present for the ceremony were Diego Barahona, Natasha Buskey, Alexander Short and Julian Turner.

鈥淪he鈥檚 lots of things to lots of people,鈥� as 91短视频 (91短视频) instructor and Restorative Justice Coordinator said, introducing Millsaps to his 鈥淓thics in the Way of Jesus鈥� class this past week.

Millsaps brought those varied experiences and gifts to 91短视频 in Harrisonburg, Virginia, Sept. 19-23, serving as visiting pastor and leading important conversations around the topics of racism and unjust structures. Venues included chapel services, classes, meetings with administrators and student groups, and a late-evening 鈥淨uestions After Dark鈥� residence hall discussion.

During “Questions After Dark,” students were encouraged to write questions on slips of paper, which were then answered by Millsaps. 鈥淭he first question drawn during our time asked her to tell a story that was dear to her heart,鈥� said Scott Eyre, residence director. 鈥淭he story was raw and personal and I think it created an intimacy and honesty right away 鈥� students were captivated by her personality and honesty.鈥�

Reflecting on her time on campus, Millsaps said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 been more than interesting to be in this space, to see the love and commitment of a university that is stretching itself, pushing itself, farther and farther.鈥�

Millsaps, an alumna of Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, continued to push 91短视频, too. In a chapel address Friday morning, Millsaps challenged the very title: 鈥淕rounded in Christ Amid Systemic Racism.鈥�

鈥淐hristianity amid systemic racism is an oxymoron,鈥� Millsaps told a large crowd in Lehman Auditorium. She recounted some of the acts of racism that have occurred in the nation鈥檚 history and then observed, 鈥淎ll the history of things that have happened in the U.S. happened under the watch of Christianity.鈥�

In her presentation to Swartz鈥檚 class, she told more personal stories of ways that racism had affected family members and others close to her. In one incident, her son was arrested after being involved in a bank robbery, during which another young man she knew well was killed.

鈥淚t was the hardest thing I ever had to go through,鈥� Millsaps said. 鈥淚t changed my entire life. Who I believed God to be was challenged.鈥�

She criticized a justice system 鈥渄esigned to grab them all and wrap them all up in one little package鈥� and one that only works if 鈥測ou鈥檙e white and have money.鈥� A good attorney was able to provide fair representation for her son, she said, but many others go through the system without that advantage. She encouraged students to consider entering the field of law and providing counsel for those who can鈥檛 afford it.

Millsaps also noted issues such as unfair jury selection practices, the number of children in Black communities who grow up without fathers, the punitive nature of justice in the United States and other factors.

鈥淚t is amazing, the things that happen and why they happen,鈥� she said. 鈥淯ntil you are on the margins, you don鈥檛 really understand what I鈥檓 speaking about.鈥�

In another class, 鈥檚 鈥淐ovenant and Community: Introduction to the Bible,鈥� Millsaps touched on Anabaptist values and spoke about the role the Bible plays in her life, and about people of faith who have made a difference in her life.

鈥淚 sensed that students appreciated her honesty and strong convictions,鈥� Schrock-Hurst said. 鈥淎t a university that lacks diverse faculty, it was a gift to have Cyneatha in the classroom.鈥�

At the Friday chapel, Campus Pastor praised Millsaps鈥� 鈥渨ealth of experience鈥� and thanked her 鈥渇or being present and listening and receiving and giving鈥� during the week.

鈥淲e will be sending you with our prayers,鈥� he said.

Cleveland, the keynote speaker at 91短视频鈥檚 annual faculty/staff conference, is associate professor of the practice of reconciliation at the Duke University Divinity School and author of (InterVarsity Press, 2013).

A sought-after speaker who was named one of 鈥淔ive online shepherds to follow鈥� by JET magazine, Cleveland remarked that the opportunity to speak at 91短视频 was irresistible.

鈥淎s a reconciliation scholar and practitioner, how could I say no to 91短视频?鈥� she said.

Inclusion, equity can be strengthened

The annual faculty/staff conference brings together approximately 350 members of the campus community at the start of the academic year for fellowship, worship and professional development. The theme of the Aug. 17-18 conference was 鈥淓mbracing Diversity,鈥� with diversity being defined in its various dimensions as race, faith, socio-economic background, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, physical abilities and other identities.

The topic was also informed by goals within the 鈥渢o recruit, develop, and retain diverse, effective faculty and staff.鈥�

鈥淭his goal goes to heart of our mission and values as a university,鈥� said Provost , who chaired the planning committee. 鈥淒evelopment of culturally competent educators and members of the campus community goes hand-in-hand with our mission of educating students to serve and lead in a global context. The conference helped us to continue discussion and assessment utilizing both our own significant resources and those provided by outside experts.鈥�

In 2015, 91短视频鈥檚 traditional undergraduate population included a record-high 37 percent of students who are ethnic minorities or come from other countries. That number is up from 36 percent in 2014 and 29 percent in 2013.

鈥淲e have many strengths in this area,鈥� Kniss said, noting the institution鈥檚 history of inclusion of African Americans, the required undergraduate cross-cultural experience, and a high percentage of faculty and staff who have lived and worked in other countries. 鈥淥ur work in global peacebuilding and in restorative justice are a strong foundation to build upon, but we must be proactive in confronting and addressing questions of inequality and equity that challenge us as a community.鈥�

Afternoon sessions included

• Cleveland on 鈥淧ower and Place: Why Some Students Thrive and Others Don鈥檛 on Christian College Campuses鈥�;
• chairs , director of multicultural and international student services, and , ombudsperson, about focus group research conducted in spring 2016;
• Professors and , admissions counselor and graduate student Julian Turner, on 鈥淏lack Lives Matter and White Fragility鈥�;
• Professors and on teaching and advising diverse students with mental health challenges:
• Professors and on building inclusive organizational cultures;

• 91短视频 Lancaster Provost , on Milton Bennett鈥檚 Developmental Model of Intercultural Sensitivity;
• Professor , of James Madison University, on 鈥淒ifference and Civility: Building Resilient Responses to Intolerance.鈥�

鈥楧o the work. Leave your turf. Listen.鈥�

Cleveland began her address as a social psychologist, outlining why humans living in a pluralistic and complex world define themselves so fiercely within a group identity, and then moved into the theological realm. She asked how the privileged and the powerful can step away from that hierarchical space.

Cleveland, the daughter of church planters from California, pointed out that only 11 percent of Americans are raised by two college-educated parents. Acknowledging her own privilege 鈥� raised in a home committed to higher education and daily enrichment and educational experiences, she attended an elite East Coast boarding school and Dartmouth College. This upbringing led her to examine closely Jesus鈥檚 relationship to the oppressed and marginalized in a world that was 鈥渞ife with inequality.鈥�

She asked: 鈥淲hat would it look for me to empty myself of my power and my privilege in a way that Jesus did?鈥�

Using two parables, she pointed out that Jesus did hard and radical work: he shifted attention, changed narratives and transposed power positions so that marginalized peoples moved into positions of power.

鈥淛esus didn鈥檛 say, 鈥楩igure it out. Jump up to the Trinity,鈥欌�� she said, evoking laughter from the audience. 鈥淒o the work. Be last. Leave your turf. That will look different for every person. How do you leave your turf at 91短视频? How will you, the privileged, move from first to last? 鈥� So many of us have never been last so we don鈥檛 know what that looks like.鈥�

鈥淵ou can ask me questions later,鈥� she called as she climbed into her friend Robin Lyttle鈥檚 car. 鈥淟et鈥檚 go!鈥�

Allen, who last year published a memoir 鈥淭he Way It Was, Not the Way It Is鈥� about her experiences in the Newtown area during the 1930s and ’40s, spent the evening with 28 students teaching, sharing and interpreting African American history, culture and experience.

Why a cross-cultural course in Harrisonburg, Virginia?

The 鈥淟ocal Context鈥� cross-cultural course is just one way 91短视频 students can fulfill the university鈥檚 . While many students choose the traditional semester-long international travel, other students find that a semester living at the (WCSC) and interning in Washington D.C. fits their needs. There are also shorter trips that work better for students with less flexible schedules, including and the local cross-cultural experience.

鈥淚f it wasn鈥檛 for the program, there鈥檚 no way I could have completed the requirement,鈥� said Kristy Wertz as the group left the Lucy F. Simms Continuing Education Center. A nursing student, full-time patient care technician at Rockingham Memorial Hospital, wife and mother, Wertz noted the impracticality of leaving her family and job behind for a full semester, or even three weeks.

鈥淗ere I鈥檓 learning about the wide variety of populations that live in Harrisonburg, and the resources available to them. As a nurse, it鈥檚 crucial that I know how to best serve my patients. Like the parenting program we just saw,鈥� she said, pointing back at the Simms Center. 鈥淗ow great was that?鈥�

Outside Broad Street Mennonite Church, one of several historic Mennonite church plants in the northeast neighborhood, the group was greeted by Harold Huber. Huber, who began attending Broad Street in 1968 and at various times has served as administrator, secretary, trustee and historian to the congregation, passed around photos of the congregation鈥檚 early years. Allen hooted when she spotted her ten-year-old self in one of the pictures. A clutch of students gathered about her as she pointed out the bright-faced young girl.

, assistant professor of applied social sciences, and her husband are teaching the course this summer. The group is divided into two sections for classroom discussions and folded into one group for field trips. Durham first led a local cross-cultural in 2007; this is her fifth time teaching the course.

Like all cross-cultural trip leaders who escort students on trips, the couple are experienced inter-cultural navigators. Before coming to 91短视频, they spent years living and working in inner-city Washington D.C. as well as four years with Mennonite Central Committee in El Salvador. Peachey has led several cross-cultural trips to Guatemala, Cuba and Mexico, including one during the previous spring semester.

The most transformative aspect of the course, Durham says, is that students living in the Shenandoah Valley begin to think of their home differently. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 tell you how many times I鈥檝e had students say, 鈥業 had no idea this place, this community, this challenge鈥xisted right here!鈥欌�� she said, gesturing at the front of First Baptist Church, where the group had just listened to Judge Anthony Bailey give an impromptu talk on his role in the local justice system. 鈥淚n some ways, the students in the Local Context course have a more difficult time settling back into a comfort zone once finished with their cross-cultural because it鈥檚 right in their face every day.鈥�

Reflecting on the difference between groups that go abroad and those that stay close to home, Peachey pointed out that there are many benefits in the experience of global travel. 鈥淗owever,鈥� he added, 鈥渢here is great value in deeper learning about the people and places that surround you on a daily basis. Becoming familiar with various immigrant populations, learning about how Harrisonburg has grown and changed over the past half-century, these are experiences that will help these students greatly post-graduation, in their work, and how they approach interacting and engaging with the communities they are a part of.鈥�

Peachey also noted that students on the recent Guatemala trip, which started on the U.S.-Mexico border, learned about the political clashes of immigration policy and reform and explored the personal struggles of those affected by immigration. 鈥淭hose same struggles are happening right here in Harrisonburg,鈥� said Peachey. 鈥淲e just need to be willing to see them.鈥�

A rich and surprising diversity

Additional field trips bring students on explorations into the rich diversity of the Shenandoah Valley. The African-American focus continues with trips to Zenda, a community started by former slaves in Rockingham County, and to the Franklin Street African-American Art Gallery. The gallery visit is hosted by owner , founder and director of the at James Madison University. (Luminaries in the African-American poetry world flock to conferences and poetry summits hosted by Furious Flower, and the center offers a slate of workshops, readings, slams and lectures.)

Students also discuss immigration issues with Harrisonburg resident 鈥�07, a nationally-known activist for DREAM Act immigration reform who founded the youth-led National Immigrant Youth Alliance.

One Friday, the students meet with Dr. Mohamed 91短视频abl at the mosque, the only place in the region for Muslims to worship. Friday prayers draw a diverse group of Muslims from around the world, with Sunni and Shia participating together.

Students also delve into the Old Order Mennonite culture, with a visit to a home for meal, accompanied by professor and Mennonite historian Nate Yoder.

At the end of the tour, the group enjoyed a meal of barbecue and deviled eggs prepared by the congregation of John Wesley Methodist Church. Allen stood in the center of the room and fielded questions from the students. They listened attentively as she described growing up in Newtown and her involvement in the civil rights movement, and how she found herself just feet away from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. during the 1963 March on Washington as he delivered his famous words.

鈥淗aving Doris talk to us was one of the best parts of the night,鈥� said student Kaitlin Roadcap. 鈥淭his program is teaching me to be more culturally receptive, and has really opened my eyes to the diversity in this area. I have lived here my entire life and am finally realizing just how much I didn鈥檛 know.鈥�