Sarah Jones ’08 starts her day with the sun, collecting eggs. And while she does live on a farm, the eggs she collects are actually human oocytes, for her work as an embryologist at the Markham Fertility Centre just north of Toronto, Canada.

Patients visit the center for a variety of services, including Jones’s specialty: in vitro fertilization. Her days progress through every step of the process, from the small surgical procedure to collect a patient’s oocytes first thing in the morning, to washing a sperm sample, to tending the incubating eggs, sperm, and embryos. 

One of her responsibilities that requires an incredible amount of finesse is direct insemination: by using a miniscule needle attached to a microscope, Jones can pick up one individual sperm cell and inject it into an egg, thus increasing the chance of fertilization. The equipment is operated by joysticks, which through hydraulic tubing, convert the movement of Jones’s hands into the micro-movement of the needle. 

“I kind of think of it a bit as like a video game,” Jones said. “It still kind of amazes me.” A big leg up to doing this work came from research projects Jones completed as a pre-med undergraduate at 91����Ƶ, which included working with micro-manipulators similar to those she uses now. She remembers Professors Greta Ann Herin and Roman Miller for being “wonderful supporters.” 

Jones went on to earn a master’s degree in biology with a focus in neuroscience at York University in Toronto. By then, she knew that she’d prefer working in a clinical lab setting rather than becoming a physician, so she could be directly involved with a patient’s care but still “behind the scenes.” She started working at the fertility clinic shortly after graduating eight years ago. 

“This field is just so fascinating. It feels like a really great fit,” Jones said. She says it’s miraculous how much we now know about embryo development “so that we can recreate it in the lab and support families,” including those outside the stereotypical model, like single parents and same-sex couples.

“That’s really important to me,” she said.

The gametes are cultured in the lab for seven days, with 15 to 20 patients’ potential embryos in the lab at a given time, Jones said. She checks on the embryos throughout her day as they sit in petri dishes, which are filled with a special liquid that contains proteins and sugars. Their incubators are kept precisely at body temperature, and a gas mixture is pumped in to maintain a pH environment similar to that of the Fallopian tubes.

Some patients choose to have their embryos genetically tested, “to ensure that we have a … genetically normal embryo for transfer, to increase the chance of a pregnancy in the future,” Jones said. The embryos are then frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored until the test results come back – then they can be thawed out one at a time to be transferred at the right moment during a patient’s menstrual cycle.

91����Ƶ 50% of the embryos in their lab turn out “normal” – the others, if they had developed naturally in the patient’s body, would likely have passed through the uterus without implanting, and the patient would have had a normal period without ever knowing fertilization had taken place.

“That happens a lot of the time in nature, and we just have no idea,” Jones said. By testing the embryos beforehand, “it increases their positive pregnancy rate by about 15% … in our lab, it’s a great tool to help us give them just a bit better chance of achieving that pregnancy.”

In addition to making parenthood more accessible for those who want it most, Jones also hopes her work helps to ease the stigma around infertility. 

“It’s a real thing that happens to so many couples,” Jones said.

In a recent blog post, Payne reflected her own growth as she ‘mimicks’ her experienced guides and then steps off on her own.

As a child, I played follow the leader. I mimicked the actions of others for fun.

As a college student, I find myself in a very similar situation. This cross-cultural is an extreme game of follow the leader.

Our leaders, Kim and Seth, model how to function in contemporary Europe. They guide us through cities and on public transportation. They gladly share their wisdom and calm our nerves. We follow. We learn by example.

These times of mimicking prepare us for times of independence. Almost daily we are given opportunities to explore or assignments to find specific locations. This is when the roles reverse. My peers and I will take turns directing, learning through practice.

Although this ever-changing game of follow the leader is fun and challenging, it has a specific focus. We are tracing the paths of our Anabaptist roots.

Besides the “Radical Europe” tour of Anabaptist sites in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, 91����Ƶ cross-cultural groups are in Bolivia, the Navajo Nation and Spain.

• The Bolivia group is led by Brian Martin Burkholder, campus pastor, and Linda Martin Burkholder, cross-cultural program assistant.
• The Navajo Nation group is led by Gloria Rhodes, chair of the applied social sciences department, and Jim Yoder, biology professor.
• The Spain group is led by Professor Adriana Rojas, of the language and literature department, her husband Patrick Campbell, and Barbara Byer, the department’s administrative assistant.

The 91����Ƶ cross-cultural experience, which has been part of the curriculum for more than 30 years, is very different from the typical “study abroad” program. Approximately 68 percent of all 91����Ƶ graduates go on an international cross-cultural trip; the remaining students fulfill the cross-cultural requirement exploring the vast diversity here in the United States. Most graduates name their cross-cultural experience as a significant part of their 91����Ƶ education.

Trips are led by faculty members who have deep roots in the countries and communities where groups travel. As an example of these deep roots, nearly 20 faculty and staff are “Third Culture Kids,” who spent significant years of their youth in another country/countries. Some 20 countries on six different continents are represented tin these experiences. Most 91����Ƶ faculty and staff have also lived and worked abroad for significant periods of time.

Upcoming cross-cultural trips include:

• Israel/Palestine, fall 2018, with Bill Goldberg, director of the Summer Peacebuilding Insitute, and Lisa Schirch, research professor at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding;
• Guatemala and Cuba, spring 2018, with Byron Peachey, academic advocacy program adviser, and Lisa King, instructor in the nursing department;
• India, spring 2018, Kim G. Brenneman, psychology professor, and her husband, Bob Brenneman;
• Kenya, summer 2018, with Roxy Allen Kioko, professor of business, and her husband, Felix Kioko;
• Paraguay, summer 2018, with Greta Anne Herin, professor of biology, and Laura Yoder, professor of nursing;
• Marginal(ized) Europe: Bulgaria and Greece, summer 2018, with Andrew White, professor of English, and his wife, Daria White;
• Lithuania, summer 2018, with Jerry Holsopple, professor in the visual and communication arts department;
• , offered each semester in Washington D.C. allows for immersion into urban culture, while acquiring valuable work experience in an internship.

“Students learn an incredible amount by taking a research project from start to finish,” said Dr. , who co-directs the program with Dr. . “As they enter their final semester here at 91����Ƶ, many are applying to medical school or other professional health schools, and their research projects give them an important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants.”

Since 2013, the MA in Biomedicine program has helped 27 graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research project is an important and distinctive curricular challenge, bringing students together with faculty advisors and community mentors as they develop and conduct original research.

“91����Ƶ’s Biomedicine program provides students with the opportunity to conduct research that is original and hypothesis-driven,” says Stauffer. “This equips each student with a unique niche that they can optimally leverage when applying for professional health schools. Original research opens doors and can make all the difference as a springboard for a student’s future.”

Jessica Morris hopes to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine or earn a PhD in medical scientific research. Milan Sheth is most interested in the field of emergency medicine. The research project offered the opportunity to delve into topics relevant to their career goals.

Morris, a George Mason University graduate, investigated the impact of the Affordable Care Act on Shenandoah Valley residents falling into the “coverage gap” created by Virginia’s limited Medicaid benefits.

She came away with a new knowledge of the objectivity required to conduct research, a healthy skepticism about media coverage of health issues and how that affects patient knowledge.

Sheth, an Ohio State University graduate who is interested in emergency medicine, researched the factors involved in responses of patients undergoing rapid induction of a common anesthetic, ketamine.

His research has specific applications for first responders and other medical personnel, who need identify patients who may be most susceptible to potential adverse effects associated with rapid sequence intubation of ketamine.

He says he’s gained new skills, such as identifying relevant published research and interpreting statistical results, and a new appreciation for the impact of clinical research on patient treatment. “I have a deeper appreciation for researchers and the dedication they put forth towards finding breakthroughs and cures,” he added. “My passion for medicine continues to grow and this project solidified my purpose for entering the healthcare field.”

Student research

A comprehensive list of researchers, their projects and committee members follows:

��Nkem Asianua: “African American’s/African’s Awareness of Their Increased Risk of ACE Inhibitor Induced Angioedema in Ventura County, Ca.” Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Greta Ann Herin.

Lujain Binyahya: “An Analysis of Patient Experience at Sentara-RMH.” Committee members: Professor Carolyn Stauffer, Steve Nelson.

Sanjay Dick: “Felis Catus and Chronic Renal Disease: A Comparison of Clinical Treatments Found at Rural and Urban Animal Hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania.” Committee members: Professor Tara Kishbaugh and Jennifer Lyle, D.V.M.

Alexandar Hetrick: “Student Influenza Vaccination Rate and Risk of Infectious Disease at 91����Ƶ.” Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Jeffrey Copeland.

Jessica Morris: “Reforming Health Care: The Impacts of The Affordable Care Act on the Health Insurance Status of Individuals Residing in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.” Committee members: Professors Kim Brenneman and Jenni Holsinger.

Melody Nyoni: “Examination of STI awareness among transitioning youth in the Valley Youth House (VYH) Program in Allentown, Pa.” Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman, Elizabeth Allen.

Nikita Patel: “The Value of Time and Patient Satisfaction during Physician-Patient Visits in Central Virginia.” Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Ann Hershberger.

��Noor Qureshi: “Mental Health Attitudes in the Dallas Pakistani Community.” Committee members: Professors Jeffrey Copeland and Gregory Koop.

Chanel Sampson: “Possible Risk Factors of Uterine Fibroids Evaluated through a Self-Assessment of Symptom Severity.” Committee members: Professors Greta Ann Herin and Cathy Rittenhouse.

Shanae Scott: “Routine Eye Exams and Awareness of Ocular Disease Associated with Diabetes in Harrisonburg, Va.” Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Tara Kishbaugh.

Ruchir Shah: “Determining the Link Between Smile Symmetry and Character Perception at 91����Ƶ.” Committee members: Professors Gregory Koop and Ann Hershberger.

Milan Sheth: “Ketamine-induced Changes in Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Pre-hospital Intubated Patients.” Committee members: Professors Daniel Showalter and Matthew Siderhurst.

Benjamin Stern: “Essential Competencies for the Rural American Doctor.“ Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman and Randall Longenecker, MD.

Harnish, who performed research under the supervision of Professor , studied the “Neuronal Basis for Aging in Drosophila melanogaster.”

Herman won for his presentation of research on the effect of a high salt and high fructose diet on rats (his research was titled “The Effect of a High Salt and High Fructose Diet on the Expression of the NFAT5 Gene in Kidney and Intestine Samples of Sprague-Dawley Rats”). Herman works with Professor in support of her .

Forty projects were presented. Some individuals worked specifically under . Others participated as part of required coursework. Professor ’s alternative energy class, for example, presented a range of research on the topic.

The poster show, which is held in both spring and , provides undergraduates and graduate students with the opportunity to practice presentation skills in an informal setting. Several students have presented research in the campus setting before moving on to .

Professors (biology, biomedicine) and (physics, engineering) headed the judging panel, which also included Professor (biology), Professor (mathematics) and Professor , a biology professor at James Madison University.

In the upperclass division, Kaylee Ferguson and Jared Fernandez, who also studied changes in gene expression related to dietary changes in rats with Halterman, finished in second place. Ferguson is a junior biology major and Fernandez a second-year MA in Biomedicine graduate student.

Third ​place went to Katherine Lehman for her research on Judas beetles. She is a research student with Siderhurst.

In the underclass division, Mason Stoltzfus and Maria Yoder won second place for their general chemistry project on the abilities of English ivy and forsythia to phytoremediate copper.

Phoebe Coffie and Maisie Kirkley won third place for their project on the variation of copper concentrations in contaminated soils between sunflowers and beans.

Both of these projects were for a general chemistry II class taught by Professor .

Quiz show elite win ‘The Romie’

The quiz show team of “Mind AJAR” were the first recipients of “The Romie,” a bobblehead trophy celebrating Professor , for which the annual games are named. Miller retires this spring after 31 years at 91����Ƶ (read about his long and dedicated career .)

Mind AJAR consisted of Robert Propst, Aubrey Shelly, Ayu Yifru and Jonathan Patterson. All teams must include a senior, junior, sophomore and first-year student.

Second place was Stephan Goertzen, Noah Haglund, Hannah Weaver and Hannah Daley.

Third place went to Hannah Chappel-Dick, Tyler Denlinger, Maria Yoder and Kat Lehman.

Honorable mention went to the team of David Nester, Grayson Mast, Derek Harnish and RJ Ocampo.

, director of student programs, opened the service: “Every day on this campus, there are great people doing great things, big and small gestures, accomplishments made after long-term commitments and one-off unexpected triumphs. Most of these good deeds are never recognized. We all carry on our work and responsibilities, working hard at doing the right thing because we care and we are people of integrity…that’s what real leadership is all about.”

While no one works solely with hope of recognition as motivation, Sawatzky said recognition is important “to pause and honor these individuals …and to say thank you to the students who are leaders, scholars, athletes, volunteers, dramatists, future nurses, future teachers, tutors, theologians and advocates.”

She also noted that such students “set the bar high for students around them” and provide “motivation, energy and meaning to us as professional staff … You are what makes 91����Ƶ not just a good place to work and learn, but a great place.”

Language and Literature Department

Department chair presented the following awards, which honor former faculty members and current scholars:

Nathan Peters was awarded the Jay B. Landis Award for Excellence in Literary Studies.

Naomi Scoville was given the Omar Eby Writing Award and the James R. Bomberger Award for Excellence in TESOL.

English education major Rebekah Hertzler earned the Carroll Yoder Award for Teaching Excellence.

The Ervie L. Glick Award for Excellence in World Language Study was given to Teresa Garcia-Bautista, who Medley said “has exhibited academic excellence and a clear sense of calling in using her studies in graduate studies and service to the church.”

Kari King, who was the student representative on the faculty search committee, earned The Ray Elvin Horst Award for Excellence in Spanish.

Education Department

Teachers of Promise Institute are Austin Mumaw, Erin Nafziger, Isaac Driver, Malea Gascho and Ruthie Beck.

The “Courage to Teach” Award was presented to Angelica Diaz.

Psychology Department

The Exemplary Achievement in Psychology: Service and Scholarship was awarded to senior Brooke Lacock, co-president of the Psychology Club, for her impact on the and the campus as a whole, said Professor .

Mackenzie Lapp and Rachel Bowman earned the G.R. Lehman Outstanding Achievement in Research award for their “exceptional dedication” to their senior research projects. Koop praised their “intellectual curiousity and dogged persistence” and predicted future graduate school success.

All three students are among nine psychology majors at the Virginia Association for Psychological Science annual conference April 20-22, 2016, in Newport News, Virginia.

Science Department

Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student was awarded to Samantha L. Kauffman by Professor

Eyan P. Roth and Hannah L. Weaver were named Outstanding Senior Biology Students, especially impressive, said Professor , as both are transfer students and “distinguished themselves in the two years they’ve been here.”

Professor recognized three students: senior , for his entry into the Student Research Competition of the Special Interest Group in Computer Science Education; and first-year students Claire J. Waedelich and Carolann G. Wengerd for their poster presentations at Capitol Region Celebration of Women In Computing. Wengerd earned a third-place award at the undergraduate level.

Three students, all absent on their cross-cultural trip this semester, were recognized. was named Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student. Janaya M. Sachs earned an award for excellence in research. Maria R. Yoder was recognized as Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student.

Nursing Department

Jess Rheinheimer was recognized by Professor for academic excellence in n studies. Recently named , Rheinheimer is a member of the Honors Program and has been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honors Society.

Ann Marie Bauer was awarded the , which recognizes student-nurses who exemplify 91����Ƶ’s “sacred covenant” model : service, empathy, agape love, empowerment, and faith.

Recognition for servant leadership went to Louise Krall, co-president of the Student Nurses Association.

Bible and Religion Department

Professor named the winners of the essay contest as Bekah York and Christian Hershey, sharing first place and a $500 cash prize, and Christian Parks, who won $100, for their scholarly work. Haverim is the alumni group of the department.

Theater Department

Professor recognized Clara Bush, MaKayla Baker and Caleb Townsend for their nominations for the Irene Ryan Acting Competition by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. All three are members of the cast of “,” currently in its final run on campus.

Multicultural Services

Oksana Kittrell, Tae Dews and Christian Parks�� were the student leaders for the first that traveled over spring break. Christian Parks and Philip Watson planned and implemented the first on campus. Londen Wheeler, minister of music, and Christian Parks, choir director, provided leadership to the gospel choir. Brittany Williams, Oksana Kittrell, Kendi Mwongo, Tae Dews and Makora Nyagwegwe led efforts in organizing the first President’s Ball.�� Delight Tigoe and Lynne Cha led the Alpha Omega Dancers for Christ.

Residence Life

Resident director recognized three-year Community Assistants , Andrew Yoder and Sam Stoner, and also senior returning Community Assistants, Valerie Meza-Cooper and Londen Wheeler. Community assistants live and serve in the residence halls.

Academic Success Center

Director presented certificates of thanks to the following student-graduates who provided services in the : Alex Bender (two years, computer science tutor), Tylar Burgdorf (one year, receptionist), Giulio Garner (two years, Spanish tutor), Stephan Goertzen (one year, computer science tutor), Brielle Hoch (four years receptionist), Andrea King (fpur years receptionist and tutor), Jaclyn Kratz (three years, math tutor), Isaac Mast (one year, computer science tutor), Lauren Sauder (one year, writing and economics tutor), and Andrew Yoder (two years, economics tutor).

Kristy Wertz, a two-year nursing tutor, was recognized as Tutor of the Year.

Student Programs

Common Grounds Coffeehouse management team this year was Rachel Schrock, events manager; Abby Dwyer, operations manager; Brianna Kauffman, finance manager; and Valerie Meza-Cooper, catering manager.

Timothy Callahan, Juan Luna and Kegan Yoder served on the Recreation Sports Leadership Council, which oversaw the nearly 500 members of the campus community involved in intermural sports. Terry Dotson and Colton Frey were the Game Room Leadership Council, which helped to set the budget and make decisions regarding programs and offerings for the approximately 2,500 visitors who used the game room this year.

Campus Ministries

, undergraduate campus pastor, recognized ministry assistants in the residence halls:�� Megan Bishop, Perry Blosser, Sarah Boshart, Heyrin (Lynn) Cha, Dylan Grove, Abe Hartzler, Oksana Kittrell, Keyri Lopez-Godoy, Luis Longo, Jasmine Miller, Lydia Musselman, Da’Jahnea Robinson, Austin Sachs and Janet Spain.

Pastoral assistants, who support the MAs, are Jonathan Augsberger, Amanda Helfrich, Christina Hershey, Jolee Paden, Grayson Mast, Lydia Tissue, Courtney Unruh and Wesley Wilder.

Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD) Series II Certificate of Completion

The following students completed a leadership seminar series: Brittany Williams, Alex Miller, Abby Dwyer, Meg Green, Hannah Heishman, Rachel Schrock, Grantley Showalter, Olga Balthazar, Delight Tigoe, Malachi Bontrager, Cameron White, Rediet Girma, Gillian Zehr, Ben Zook, Kegan Yoder, Tae Dews, Oksana Kittrell, Richard Robinson, Mario Hernandez, Alejandra Tejada Rivera, Jesse Reist, Jonae Guest, Makora Nyagwegwe and Heyrin Cha.

Student Government leaders and athletes in winter and spring sports who had earned honors (see w) were also recognized.

Editor’s Note: The following Visual and Communication Arts students were recognized in a separate ceremony April 22: Styer Scholarship, Azariah Cox; photography, Jonathan Bush; studio, Brooke Lacock; video, Jonathan Bush and Caleb Schlabach; and motion graphics, Rachel Cardwell.

And in participating in the Spring STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Celebration poster session in the , Stoner practiced a few more practical skills he will need: graphic design and public speaking.

Stoner and partner Sarah Carpenter were winners of the upperclass division for their research titled “Bergton Stream Restoration: Stream Health Assessment Using Macroinvertebrate Sampling.”

The poster session, which is preceded by an informal multidisciplinary science quiz-off and pizza feast, offers students “a chance to share their research with fellow students, faculty, and the larger 91����Ƶ community in a fun, social setting,” says physics professor , who judged the contest with biology professor .

Poster sessions are commonly held at scientific conferences, in which “scientists and students present and explain their own findings to those who are interested but are not necessarily experts in that field,” said King, who is also an assistant professor in the program.

Posters were judged on quality of experimental design, quality of research analysis, and quality of presentation, said Herin, also with the biomedicine program. “The presentation included the appearance, accuracy and clarity of the poster, as well as the presenters’ knowledge and explanation of the project.”

Coursework and independent study represented

91����Ƶ’s poster session featured more than 90 participants showcasing research from a variety of courses such as electronics, general chemistry, organic chemistry, statistics for natural sciences, and environmental toxicology. Students in Herin’s advanced human anatomy class (BIO 437) also contributed 3-D visualizations of body systems.

Carpenter and Stoner were among several students presenting water quality research in the nearby Bergton area as part of . Biology professors and are supervising teams of environmental sustainability students working on water quality monitoring and stream restoration in two tributaries of the Shenandoah River and the Chesapeake Bay, with other facets of the project involving and graduate students.

Students in professor ’s general chemistry class focused on phytoremediation of a variety of plants, including carrots, forsythia, corn, cattails, and radishes.

Professor ’s statistics class explored the widest range of topics, including electronic devices owned by students; the fuel economy of cars driven by 91����Ƶ faculty and staff versus those driven by James Madison University faculty and staff; cereal shelf placement based on sugar and price at Food Lion and Kroger; sustainability effectiveness in 91����Ƶ residence halls; and a statistical analysis of the “Settlers of Catan” game.

Two unique projects with professor Steve Cessna explored the rhetoric of science and instructional techniques in the science classroom. In their plant ecophysiology course, Hannah Chappell-Dick, Eli Wenger, and Emma Beachy analyzed plant physiology research literature for changes in the “assignment of agency.” For his biochemistry research course project, Kyle Storc investigated student comprehension and retention of biochemistry topics through the use of two-dimensional tools.

Several posters were the result of independent research that students conducted with faculty members. Camille Williams worked with biology professor to analyze the effects of fermented milk supplementation on gut microbacteria in mice.

Rachel King, who will be a research assistant on this summer, worked under chemistry professor on “A Mixed Methods Approach to Green Chemistry Knowledge Gains in the Organic Laboratory.” Kishbaugh also worked with Ben Stern, who studied the effects of barium toxicity on zebrafish.

Underclass winner links research to upcoming internship

Amanda Williams and Nader Alqahtani paired up to win the underclass division with their project that compared phytoremediation between native and invasive species.

For Williams, a first-year biology and secondary education major, the research project reminded her of how much she cares about the environment.

“I live in the wetlands in Delaware, surrounded by the plants we were experimenting on, cattail and phragmites,” she said, adding that she’ll continue her research in a summer internship with the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. “I think it’s important to understand the possible negative effects of invasive species, but also to know that sometimes they are just as important as native species.”

Alqahtani, a sophomore biology major who is interested in medical research, said the hands-on learning experience “was a more fun and exciting way to learn than reading and studying.”

And the presentation? That was “the exciting part,” he said, even though English is his second language. “We were��confident that we knew everything about our project and we trusted each other’s ability to make a perfect presentation … when we started presenting and I saw how well we were doing, I got comfortable and started to enjoy telling our audience about our research.”

Poster Session Winners: Upperclass Division

1st: Bergton Stream Restoration: Stream Health Assessment Using Macroinvertebrate Sampling – Sarah Carpenter and Sam Stoner

2nd: Keyless Entry – Stephan Goertzen and Jordan Leaman

3rd: Bergton Stream Restoration: Ecological Monitoring Using Wood Turtles (Glyptemys insculpta) – Jonathan Drescher-Lehman and Ryan Keiner

Honorable Mention: An ecophysiological study determining how three different invasive evergreen vines handle the varying winter temperatures by measuring their photosynthesis, transpiration, and Fv/Fm levels – Jonathan Drescher-Lehman, Chris Miller, and Abby Pennington

Honorable Mention: The Effects of Barium Toxicity on Zebrafish (Danio rerio) – Ben Stern

Poster Session Winners: Underclass Division

1st: ��Comparing Phytoremediation between Native and Invasive Species – Nader Alqahtani and Amanda Williams

2nd:����Phytoremediation in Forsythia – Tyler Denlinger and Jeremiah Robinson

3rd: Electronic Devices Owned by 91����Ƶ Students – Sammy Kauffman, Josh Miller, and Roy Ruan

Honorable Mention: Phytoremediation in Various Plants – Aaron Dunmore and Kat Lehman

When Nafziger graduated from Harrisonburg High School in 2009, the track standout had other things on his mind than attending the small university where his father was vice president of student life. 91����Ƶ was always on the radar, but Nafziger said he felt more pressure than desire to attend. Instead, he looked to the myriad of Virginia colleges which had offered him track scholarships before finally accepting a partial scholarship to attend George Mason University, a Division I school in the suburbs of Washington D.C.

Nafziger remembers this decision as being based on pride. The scholarship proved that he was able to compete at the highest level, and the school’s distance from Harrisonburg was a way of showing that he was moving past his hometown.

As Nafziger soon realized though, pride was not the best way to choose a school. In his first year, Nafziger said that he only talked to one teacher and that was during his transitions class. He trooped through a succession of lecture halls with hundreds of people and impersonal experiences.

Nafziger felt anonymous. He had friends on the track team, but felt that the sprawling institution – 33,197 total students spread over 806 acres in four locations in Northern Virginia – made him a mere number. In addition, Nafziger felt that the professors didn’t care about the undergraduates. “They were there for their research,” he said. “It might have been different if I was a graduate student, but as an undergraduate I did not feel that I had their attention.”

The questions that had begun to surface during the year were exacerbated when Nafziger suffered a stress fracture to his back during the winter. At this point, injured and with his future as a runner in doubt, Nafziger began to look at other schools – this time looking for something else: community. “I wasn’t saying ‘community’ that much,” he said, referring to his time before entering George Mason. “But [now] I wanted a community.”

Nafziger came to visit , having never officially done a campus visit after high school. What he found surprised him. Nafziger was stunned that associate professor of , took time out of her day to meet with him. He also realized that he had mistakenly assumed that attending 91����Ƶ would be like an extension of his high school experience. “The campus seemed self-contained. It was not like the Harrisonburg that I knew; it was different when I got on campus.”

After deciding to transfer to 91����Ƶ for his sophomore year, Nafziger found his niche athletically and academically. Still a standout runner, Nafziger immediately made an impact on the and , setting school records in the 1000 meter and 1600 meter races, as well as being awarded first state all academic and conference academic honor multiple times. At 91����Ƶ however, Nafziger was not on a track scholarship, so he pursued running voluntarily instead of as an obligation. “I still loved running, but now I had the freedom not to run. It was my choice, not my identity.”

In addition to athletic success, at 91����Ƶ, Nafziger found old friends and made new ones, and enjoyed the support of faculty. With caring mentors, he explored his options, changing his major twice before graduating with a B.A. focused on counseling with a minor in biology.

Following graduation in 2013, Nafziger began working with troubled youth. After a few months, though, Nafziger found himself missing the 91����Ƶ community. “Where can I do the most amount of good?” he asked himself.

For Nafziger, the answer was back at his alma mater. “I was a transfer, an athlete, a team captain, and I changed majors. I can speak to a lot of experiences” – including the benefits of a smaller school.

“Dan cares about people,” said , vice president of admissions and Nafziger’s supervisor. “He demonstrates an incredible balance between deep compassion and competitiveness.”

For this highly prestigious award conferred on African women, Doe was chosen as the sole representative of Liberia, her home country. She is the daughter of Felicia Politee and Sam Gbaydee Doe. Her father, employed by the , holds from 91����Ƶ.

“The 2013 Fellows are between the ages of 19 and 25, but are already actively leading change on pertinent issues, both at the grassroots and international level,” said a news release from the Milead Fellows program.��“From poverty to women’s economic empowerment, environmental justice and political participation, this new generation of African women leaders are proof that Africa can produce the bold, visionary and inspirational leadership needed to lift Africa to its rightful place on the global stage.”

Samfee Doe double-majored in and at 91����Ƶ and is now enrolled in St. George’s University in Grenada, pursuing both a medical degree and a master’s in public health. The Milead Fellowship requires her to attend a three-week leadership conference in Ghana, plus conduct a project to benefit the country she represents. Doe likely will be juggling a year-long public health project in Liberia with clinical rotations in the United States, which she expects to begin in the spring of 2014.

In 2011-12, Doe was accepted into the Keith B.Taylor Global Scholar program, which enabled her to spend a year at The University of Northumbria in Newcastle upon Tyne in northeast England. There she focused on how the national health service works in the United Kingdom.

Samfee was one of 10 students in her graduating year to be selected for 91����Ƶ’s top honor, the , awarded for “outstanding contributions to the university, community or society.” In addition to her academic achievements, she was a standout runner on 91����Ƶ’s track and field team.

“91����Ƶ courses prepared me well for medical school,” she said in an email to . “I wrote my advisor [] thanking her after the first month of school.”

Mohsin, a 2012 graduate of the , is a current 91����Ƶ (91����Ƶ) student. His experience as an undergraduate double major in pharmacology/toxicology and biological sciences didn’t begin to compare to the opportunities he’s finding at 91����Ƶ.

“The research opportunities here – working one on one with my professor – are top notch,” said Mohsin. “A small university like 91����Ƶ provides so much more than a larger university setting.”

Over the past 10 years, more than 90 percent of 91����Ƶ students who completed were accepted into medical school, compared to the national average of 49 percent. 91����Ƶ’s MA in biomedicine – now completing its first year – anticipates similar success rates for students who complete the two-year residential program.

91����Ƶ the MA in Biomedicine program

The post-baccalaureate MA biomedicine offers three tracks:

1. MA in biomedical science prepares graduates for entrance into medical, dental, pharmacy, physical therapy, physician assistant, and other graduate level health care schools with doctoral programs.
2. MA in biomedical teaching prepares graduates to teach in a community college or trade school, or enhance teaching skills in a secondary setting.
3. MA in biomedical leadership prepares graduates for administrative work within a health care, clinic, or other biomedical setting.

Applications for enrollment in the MA in biomedicine for fall 2013 are still being accepted. Find out more at:

Referring to the $7 million fundraising target to implement the renovations, “we can get our arms around these plans,” said Gerry Horst of New Holland, Pa., a construction-company owner who chairs the steering committee and who is an 91����Ƶ trustee. “The plan is doable, environmentally and fiscally responsible,” he added. “It will give our top-notch faculty and students the facilities they need to continue to be successful.”

The plans were announced at a half-day event for some 50 guests, who viewed schematics prepared by , in consultation with , which specializes in laboratory construction.

, vice president for advancement, said $5,136,741 has already been raised in cash and commitments toward the $7 million goal. He said the remaining amount necessary to undertake the renovations is expected to be raised in the next 12 to 19 months.

“We are eager to complete fundraising so improvements can be made as soon as possible,” said President Loren Swartzendruber. Referring to the successful conclusion of the “quiet phase” of fundraising for the renovation,��“we’re experiencing strong momentum for the project – the time is right.”

The renovations will poise 91����Ƶ for the future and allow 91����Ƶ science programs to keep pace with technology, research, and trends in fields such as health care for an aging population and environmental science, as well as enable new programs in and to grow.

“Here at 91����Ƶ is where the research opportunities are at,” said junior Autumn Berry in a brief presentation to the donors and community members who gathered to see the renovation plans. Berry is a pre-professional health student who transferred to 91����Ƶ from a large public university. She is researching neurotransmitters alongside , PhD, associate professor of .

Hundreds of science alumni “who serve and lead with distinction are proof that the quality of 91����Ƶ’s program is unsurpassed,” said Shisler. “Now is the time to upgrade facilities to match the quality of our program.” Since opening in 1968, the Suter Science Center has been the springboard for 3,528 alumni who majored in a scientific discipline, including 890 employed in the Shenandoah Valley, largely as nurses, educators and physicians.

“In renovating and upgrading our labs and learning spaces, we will be enabling our future graduates to continue to be in strong demand in graduate schools and in the job market,” said Shisler. “At the same time, we will be ensuring their safety as a result of installing the best-possible air-exchange systems for working with chemicals and the best-possible conditions for their studies using cadavers and animals.”

91����Ƶ’s anatomy and physiology students are among a select group of undergraduates nationwide who have the opportunity to work with human cadavers, rather than with simulations or models of cadavers.

“Our cadaver program is just one example of the unique hands-on opportunities that 91����Ƶ provides,” explained biology professor , PhD. All 91����Ƶ biology and students are required to do original research, he told those gathered to see the fresh building plans. Each year up to 22 students are involved in research, he added, and eight to 10 publish their findings in journals, making them stand-outs when seeking further education.

More information about the , or by contacting Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement, at kirk.shisler@emu.edu or 540-432-4499.

Studying human anatomy with colorful charts is one thing. Using a scalpel and an actual, recently living person is an entirely different matter.

“It was nerve-wracking, honestly,” said Hostetter, now a general medicine intern at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore, Md., who plans to become a radiologist. “You don’t really understand what that means until you walk into that room and you smell the formaldehyde and you see this human-sized lump in a bag on the table.”

Under the instruction of Dr. Greta Ann Herin, Hostetter and his classmates in 91����Ƶ’s Mammalian Anatomy class made their first incision down the cadaver’s back and began working their way down through the muscles and into the spine. By semester’s end they had performed a detailed dissection of most of the body, giving each student an extremely uncommon opportunity for up-close, hands-on study of human anatomy.

Few U.S. Undergrads Do Human Dissection

Herin, an associate professor of biology, said that for various reasons, including class size, expense, tradition and handling of hazardous materials, very few undergraduate students in the United States have the opportunity to dissect human cadavers. That meant Hostetter was one of just a few first-year medical students who entered his University of Maryland School of Medicine class with prior experience dissecting a cadaver.

“A lot of my classmates were coming from very prestigious schools with far more resources that 91����Ƶ has, and they were surprised that I’d actually gotten to spend a whole semester dissecting a cadaver,” Hostetter said. “It’s just not something that’s available most places.”

Faculty at several medical schools in Virginia said no more than 5 to 10 percent of incoming medical students have actually dissected a cadaver.

And a recent article published by Colorado State University noted that its own undergraduate anatomy course was one of the few in the nation in which students dissect cadavers. 91����Ƶ has offered its students the opportunity to dissect cadavers since at least the mid-‘70s, according to biology professor Dr. Roman Miller.

Put Ahead in Med School

Because dissection of human cadavers is so uncommon for an undergraduate pre-medical program, the opportunity gives 91����Ƶ students who go on to graduate study in medicine and related fields an advantage among their classmates.

“At 91����Ƶ we had as good, if not better, hands-on experience than in grad school,” said Jackson Maust ’09, now in his final year of physical therapy school at Ohio State University. “Compared to the rest of my classmates in PT school, I was really, really comfortable just stepping in.”

Debbie Boese ’07 Horst said her gross anatomy class in dental school at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) was very similar to the course she’d taken at 91����Ƶ and made it easier for her to earn an A in the VCU class.

“I was one of the few people in my class who had actually gone through the whole process, so it was basically like a review,” said Horst, now a practicing dentist in Harrisonburg, Va.

Dr. Richard Krieg, director of the first-year gross and developmental anatomy course at VCU’s School of Medicine, said that undergraduate experience with dissection, like Horst’s, almost always bodes well for a student’s performance in the course.

Krieg, who once visited 91����Ƶ as an anatomy guest instructor at the invitation of professor Melvin Ching (at 91����Ƶ 1996-97), said only a few of his program’s 200 incoming first-year medical students have dissected cadavers as undergrads.

“Kids do very well if they’ve had experience with cadavers, so it’s a really good thing,” Krieg said.

Staff at the University of Virginia’s School of Medicine estimate that less than 10 percent of each year’s 156-student incoming medical class have prior human dissection experience.

And at the Eastern Virginia Medical School, Dr. Craig Goodmurphy, director of the human anatomy program, guessed that about 20 percent of the 235 students entering the school’s medical and physician’s assistant programs have worked with cadavers. Most of them however, have been limited to cadaver “prosection” – either observing a dissection in process or studying an already-dissected cadaver.

Fewer than 5 percent of incoming students have actually participated in a dissection, he said.

“It’s the difference between reading a book and writing a book,” Goodmurphy said. “Anybody can read a book, but to actually write a book takes a whole different thought process.”

Two or Three Cadavers Per Year

Herin offers the anatomy course to undergraduate biology majors in the fall, sometimes with the help of her laboratory co-instructor, John Spicher, 91����Ƶ’s chemical hygiene officer. In the undergraduate course, students work in groups of four or five per cadaver. That group size is smaller, Herin said, than in classes at some medical schools.

She and Spicher typically work with two to three cadavers each year in the anatomy class, required for biology majors in the pre-physical therapy track, and taken by many in the pre-professional health sciences track. (Beginning this spring, 91����Ƶ’s new MA in Biomedicine program will also offer a cadaver dissection course, taught by Dr. Julia Halterman.)

Most 91����Ƶ nursing and kinesiology students also benefit from Herrin’s course by observing the dissected specimens for part of their anatomy study. She said that several local high school anatomy classes also usually visit her lab to see the cadavers each year.

91����Ƶ receives the cadavers from the Virginia Department of Health’s State Anatomical Program. They cost about $1,500 each to cover the state’s cost of preserving and transporting the cadavers. That expense, and the fact that dissection is not well-suited to large classes, are two factors that make actual dissection very uncommon at the undergraduate level. The hazardous chemicals involved – phenol and formaldehyde in particular – are also a factor.

Maust said he benefitted greatly at Ohio State both from his experience with cadavers at 91����Ƶ and the instruction he received from Herin and her colleagues in the biology department.

“The quality of our professors is really unlike anything you get at a larger school,” said Maust. “We don’t get teaching assistants. We learn from really high-quality faculty.”

Calling his dissection experience as an undergraduate at 91����Ƶ “invaluable,” Hostetter said he hopes the course will continue, despite – and because of – the fact that it’s so uncommon.

“I really hope that 91����Ƶ continues to offer that because I think that it’s invaluable, especially for people who want to go into medicine or other health sciences,” he said.

More info

Learn more online about 91����Ƶ’s undergraduate majors in biology, chemistry, nursing and pre-professional health sciences, and the new MA in biomedicine graduate degree.

“We try to expose students to the core majors we provide and let them experience what each has to offer,” said Roman Miller, PhD, 91����Ƶ professor of biology.

The Summer Bridge Program (SBP),��June 25 – July 16, allows students from Blue Ridge Community College, Bridgewater College, 91����Ƶ and James Madison University to experience all fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).�� 91����Ƶ became a part of the program thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation.

“The students attend a morning math session at Blue Ridge Community College before traveling to a specific college for that week,” added Miller.�� “They interact with their peers and instructors while getting acquainted with each campus on a week-to-week basis.”

The three-week program features field trips, educational seminars and recreational activities in addition to working in the classroom.�� Students are able to earn college credit hours upon completion.

Studying and Problem Solving

The 50 students that attended this year’s program were grouped into “organic cells,” or subgroups, and spent a day with an instructor in their field of expertise.

Jim Yoder, PhD, 91����Ƶ professor of biology, gave a discourse on the difference in size and feeding rates of indigenous clams to Asian clams – an invasive species found locally in Virginia. Students analyzed the digestive rates and graphed their results to formulate a conclusion.

“Working with live clams, graphing the data and seeing their internal structure makes for an interesting lab,” said Yoder.

91����Ƶ professor of physics Leah Boyer, PhD, and professor of biology, Greta Ann Herin, PhD, had their respective classes work with alternate forms of measurement. Boyer instructed her class on calculating the rate of projectiles, using geometry to figure the angle and pitch of an object.

Herin’s class measured respiratory capacity – breathing rate while resting, holding their breath or following an exercise.

“Students automatically come with judgments as to what is good or bad and what is viewed as healthy or not,” said Herin.�� “These exercises demonstrate to the students what a huge capacity the human body has and how we are designed to move.”

Down the hall, robotics took center stage as 91����Ƶ professors of computer sciences Dee Weikle, PhD, and Charles Cooley taught an experimental lab in writing programmable code.�� The code relayed from a computer to a robotic car, giving the car a command to turn or accelerate.

“Problem solving skills and building connections between the students was one of the focuses of this lab,” said Cooley.�� “We wanted them to gain exposure to all aspects of STEM related fields and have fun in the process.”

Growth in the Program

“The program has experienced continued growth in the three years that we’ve been apart of it,” said Miller.�� “We have seen an increase in students who want to attend 91����Ƶ and become STEM majors.”

Of the students that attended this year’s program, 10 were registered to attend 91����Ƶ in the fall.

“Our numbers and the quality of student that we bring in continue to climb throughout the time we’ve been involved,” said Miller.

Herin agreed, adding, “the students that are coming to 91����Ƶ continue to stand out from their peers due to their skills and knowledge in each field.”

Future Summer Bridge Programs

The National Science Foundation, in partnership with the four area colleges, announced a two-year extension on the grant that allowed 91����Ƶ to be included in the Summer Bridge Program.

“This cross-institutional collaboration has not happened in 20 or more years,” said Miller.�� “Bob Kolvoord and JMU were big factors in inviting 91����Ƶ to participate in this program and making this work.”

The extension and the prospect of future 91����Ƶ students being involved in the program will continue to pay dividends to the university, says Miller.

“The program has been a huge recruiting tool and it benefits the incoming class of students who built relationships with professors and have a grasp on what it takes to be a STEM major at 91����Ƶ.”

The one-day event included a tour of the Harvard Medical School facilities in Boston, Mass., and the , a collaborative research effort of Harvard, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the Broad Family Foundation, in Cambridge.

Historic gathering

“This is a historic gathering,” said President Loren Swartzendruber, DMin (91����Ƶ ’76 and ’79) in his opening comments. “Never before has such a diverse group of leaders – alumni who have achieved great success in their fields along with business, industry, science and other leaders – come together to think about something this big and transformational for 91����Ƶ.”

Harvard Dean on 91����Ƶ

“My time at 91����Ƶ was most formative in my personal and professional journey,” said Dr. Martin, reflecting on the year he took off from the University of Alberta to study Bible and ethics at then Eastern Mennonite College. “The opportunity to study ethics and broaden my horizons beyond my small Mennonite community proved invaluable.” He noted that the collaboration occurring at 91����Ƶ and with these leaders was similar to the collaboration that had to occur for the Harvard Medical School expansion under his tenure.

91����Ƶ accepted Dr. Martin’s invitation to host the gathering because “it seemed important to us to see what can happen when people who are well trained in the sciences have facilities in which they can thrive,” said President Loren Swartzendruber.

“Dr. Martin is one example of hundreds of 91����Ƶ science alumni who are making a real difference in this world. While these facilities are not a scale to which 91����Ƶ aspires, we do believe that new labs and a renovated building at the appropriate scale, can facilitate our ongoing exceptional program.”

91����Ƶ’s current Suter Science Center, built more than 40 years ago, “does not do justice to the quality of faculty and program of study we offer,” he said.

Leadership phase

91����Ƶ is currently in the leadership phase of its campaign for the new and renovated science facilities at 91����Ƶ, noted Kirk Shisler (91����Ƶ ’81), vice president for advancement. It is a time to focus on lead gifts toward the anticipated $30 million needed to complete two phases. The first phase will include construction of a new 50,000 square foot lab facility to better support the collaborative original research 91����Ƶ science students complete with professors; renovation of the existing Suter Science Center will follow.

“We are in a time of burgeoning potential,” said Shisler, noting that as 91����Ƶ has ramped up communications about the campaign, spontaneous unsolicited gifts are coming in for the campaign.

While these gifts are encouraging and exciting, and currently total nearly $2 million in gifts and pledges, the focus of the day’s gathering was on establishing momentum toward gifts in the top tier of the strategic funding plan, gifts and commitments in the $500,000 to $10 million range.

Broad Institute tour

The afternoon’s visit to the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard provided an opportunity for participants to see the country’s top collaborative multidisciplinary research facility. The group heard about the institute’s vision and structures, and a presentation by geneticist Stacey Gilbert, PhD, about her genetic research among Mennonite populations in Lancaster County, Pa.

Open floor plans, glass walls, entire walls and glass office windows that serve as “white boards,” and community space all inspire creativity, innovation and collaboration, explained Michael Foley, PhD, director of the chemical biology platform at Broad. “We’re here to help you in whatever way we can as you plan your facility,” he told the group.

Closing comments

The recent announcement that President Loren Swartzendruber has accepted an invitation to a third four-year term in his role as president is good news for this project as affirmed by Dr. Martin, 91����Ƶ trustee Dr. Paul R. Yoder, Jr., (’65) and 91����Ƶ board chair Andrew Dula (’92). Each of them noted the integrity with which President Swartzendruber serves, the level of trust in his leadership, and the momentum he and his team have established for the campaign.

Acknowledging their supportive comments, Swartzendruber noted, “Bringing this campaign to a successful conclusion is my number one goal for these next four years.”

In the photo:

First row, left to right: Greta Ann Herin, PhD, 91����Ƶ associate professor of biology; Provost Fred Kniss, PhD (91����Ƶ ’79); Dr. Todd Weaver (91����Ƶ ’87), Weaver, Reckner, Reinhart Dental Associates; 91����Ƶ trustee Anne Kaufman Weaver (91����Ƶ 88), leadership coach, Coaching Connection, Brownstown, Pa.; Joe Paxton, county administrator, Rockingham County, Va.; Phil Helmuth (91����Ƶ ’76) executive director of development for; Carol Yoder, (91����Ƶ ’63 ) civic leader/ volunteer; Charlotte Rosenberger (91����Ƶ ’65) civic leader/volunteer, Blooming Glen, Pa.; Pat Swartzendruber, 91����Ƶ advocate and church-wide leader.

Second row, left to right: Doug Mason, advancement consultant, Gonser, Gerber, Tinker, Stuhr, LLP, Naperville, Ill.; 91����Ƶ trustee Evon Bergey, general manager, Magellan Health Services, Perkasie, Pa.; Dr. Krishna Kodukula, executive director, CADRE, Biosciences Division, SRI Shenandoah Valley; Dr. Joseph B. Martin (91����Ƶ ’59), dean emeritus and professor of neurobiology, Harvard Medical School; John “Roc” Rocovich, Jr., attorney, Moss & Rocovich and founder and chairman of Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine, Blacksburg, Va.; 91����Ƶ President Loren Swartzendruber, DMin (91����Ƶ ’76 and ’79); Joyce Bontrager Lehman (91����Ƶ ’65), program officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Seattle, Wash.; Bob Hostetler, PhD (91����Ƶ ’59), campaign co-chair, professor emeritus mathematics, Pennsylvania State University; ��Gerry Horst, campaign co-chair and president, Horst & Sons, Inc., New Holland, Pa.; Kirk Shisler (91����Ƶ ’81), vice president for advancement; ��Laura Daily, assistant for advancement.

Third row, left to right: Doug Hostetler, Hostetler & Church, LLC, Clarksville, Md.; Roman Miller, PhD, 91����Ƶ professor of biology/Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair, Doug Graber Neufeld, PhD, 91����Ƶ professor of biology; Mark Grimaldi (91����Ƶ ’94), president of Equinox Chemical Company, Albany, Ga.; Andrew Dula (91����Ƶ ’91), chair, 91����Ƶ Board of Trustees and CFO,�� EG Stoltzfus Inc.; 91����Ƶ trustee Kay Nussbaum (91����Ƶ ’78), partner, The MVP Group, of White Bear Lake, Minn.; Henry Rosenberger (91����Ƶ ’67) farmer and sustainability entrepreneur; Dr. Paul R. Yoder, Jr. (91����Ƶ ’63) Rockingham Eye Physicians, Harrisonburg, Va., and 91����Ƶ trustee; Knox Singleton, CEO Inova Health Systems, Falls Church, Va.