Those faculty members are:

• Dr. Katherine Evans: Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education
• Dr. James Leaman: Longacre Endowed Chair in Business and Leadership
• Dr. Peter Dula: Myron S. Augsburger Endowed Chair of Theology
• Dr. James Yoder: Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair of Science

Dr. Tynisha Willingham, provost and vice president of academic affairs for 91短视频, said these faculty members were chosen as endowed chairs because of their demonstrated leadership, service, teaching, and research, as well as their capacity to be champions of their programs at 91短视频. 

鈥淓ndowed chairs are a critical component of 91短视频鈥檚 academic vitality,鈥� she said. 鈥淥ur goal is to elevate the recognition of our faculty who hold this honor and to celebrate the donors whose generosity helps to support academic excellence in this way.鈥�

The endowed chair positions provide funding for each faculty position within a particular discipline, along with scholarships for students in the discipline and funds for program initiatives. Chairs receive professional development funds to support their research and scholarship. An endowed chair appointment is one of the highest honors a faculty member can receive at 91短视频, supporting their continued excellence in scholarship and teaching, said the Rev. Dr. Sarah Ann Bixler, dean of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences.

Keep reading for bios of each professor.

Dr. Katherine Evans

Professor of Teacher Education and director of the Undergraduate Teacher Education program
Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education

Kathy Evans is a professor of Teacher Education at 91短视频, teaching courses in educational psychology, special education, and restorative justice in education. She earned her PhD from the University of Tennessee in educational psychology and research. Her research, teaching, and scholarship focus on ways in which educators participate in creating more just and equitable educational opportunities for all students, including those with disability labels, those who exhibit challenging behavior, and those who are marginalized for a variety of reasons, including race, ethnicity, language, religion, sexual orientation, and gender identity. 

During her 15 years at 91短视频, Evans has helped develop 91短视频鈥檚 graduate program in Restorative Justice in Education (RJE), which supports educators as they create learning environments that promote relational approaches to teaching and learning, justice and equity in schools and classrooms, and transformational approaches to conflict and harm. She is the co-author of听The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education听and has published several articles and book chapters related to restorative justice in education, school culture and climate, and school discipline practices, focusing on the ways in which restorative justice is applied to educational contexts.听

How do you feel to be granted this position?

It鈥檚 an honor to be appointed as the Jesse T. Byler Endowed Chair in Education. The Byler endowment has historically been such a gift to the Teacher Education Program at 91短视频, providing support for pre-service teachers in the way of fee waivers for testing and licensure, conference registration for networking with other pre-service teachers, scholarships, and resources that support their success through their 91短视频 program. We are in a season of growth and expansion and I am grateful for the opportunities I will have in this position to support that growth, both in the recruitment of talented and dedicated teachers and in the ongoing professional development for our faculty. At this moment in time, we need teachers who are committed to justice and peacebuilding. Embedding restorative justice within our teacher education program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels opens up spaces to support educators who want to not only excel as educators, but to be educators who nurture the well-being of each student. The Byler endowment helps us to do that work better.

What do you love about 91短视频?

This is my 15th year at 91短视频 and I am more hopeful about 91短视频鈥檚 future today than I have been since I arrived. The commitment to peacebuilding and justice鈥攅ven when we don鈥檛 fully live into that commitment鈥攎eans that there is a unifying set of values that guide our collective work. I see our students, staff, and faculty working to honor those values and that mission. Our students are amazing and they remind me every day that the work of justice is ongoing, intergenerational, and worth it.

What is a fun fact about you?

When I鈥檓 not working, I might be fishing鈥攂ass fishing at Silver Lake or fly-fishing at Dry River. I find the water so peaceful.

Dr. James M. Leaman

Associate Professor of Business and director of the Business and Leadership program
Longacre Endowed Chair in Business and Leadership

Jim Leaman chairs the Business and Leadership Program, where he teaches undergraduate courses in management, finance, and economics, and graduate courses in organizational and leadership studies. His industry experience spans both private business and nonprofit administration, including 12 years of service with an international non-governmental organization (INGO) in Kenya. The 91短视频 alumnus has a PhD in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh.

The perspective Leaman adds to his field is analyzing and teaching about the role and impact of business and organizations within ecological limits and dynamic social systems, resulting in an integrated lens of sustainability, stewardship and justice. Leaman researches and publishes in the areas of sustainable housing and energy, and his most recent scholarly work is a management textbook, with which he collaborated with an international team of authors to publish in the creative commons, resulting in lower resource costs for students. 

How do you feel to be granted this position?

It is an honor to hold the endowed chair position in business and to steward the gifts and vision of the Longacre family as the program serves and prepares the next generation of business leaders.

What do you love about 91短视频?

The 91短视频 mission to prepare students to serve and lead in a global context becomes more relevant with each new innovation and global integration.

What is a fun fact about you?

In awe of the vastness and complexity of the universe, I鈥檝e gained an avocational interest in learning as much as I can about the cosmos.

Dr. Peter Dula

Professor of Religion and Culture
Myron S. Augsburger Endowed Chair of Theology

Peter Dula is the professor of Religion and Culture at 91短视频. The 91短视频 alumnus received a PhD from Duke University in theology and ethics in 2004. He is the author of Cavell, Companionship, and Christian Theology (Oxford, 2011). Before coming to 91短视频 in 2006, he was the Mennonite Central Committee Iraq Program Coordinator. He has taught at Lancaster Mennonite High School and at the Meserete Kristos College in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, where he was a Fulbright scholar in 2001-02.

This is his 20th year at 91短视频. He teaches primarily in the undergraduate program, as well as one class each year at the seminary and the Bioethics course in the MA in Biomedicine program. He is married to Ilse Ackerman and they have two children, Simon (17) and Nina (15). 

What do you love about 91短视频?

Two things I love about 91短视频 are its smart and interesting faculty colleagues and its location in the Shenandoah Valley.

What is a fun fact about you? 

I planted 500 trees over the last couple of years. The latest Weather Vane issue has . Along with Trina Trotter Nussbaum at the Center for Interfaith Engagement, I organized last month’s consultation on Judaism, the Bible, and Anabaptism. The Weather Vane also has . 

Dr. James Yoder

Professor of Biology and director of the Natural Sciences programs
Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair of Science

Jim Yoder is the chair of 91短视频鈥檚 Department of Natural Sciences, advising environmental science and biology majors and teaching evolution, ecology, and conservation biology. A 1994 alumnus of 91短视频, he earned his PhD from The Ohio State University, where he studied the effects of habitat fragmentation on ruffed grouse movements at large spatial scales. His research interests include conservation, landscape and behavioral ecology, animal movement, invasive species, stream restoration, nitrogen and carbon footprint tracking, and insect movement using harmonic radar. He has also led multiple intercultural programs to New Zealand, the Navajo Nation, and Washington D.C. (upcoming), as well as three research trips with undergraduates to Australia. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, traveling, and hiking with his wife Kathy. 

How do you feel to be granted this position?

I’m honored to be named the Suter Endowed Chair of Science and work to continue the level of scholarship and teaching Daniel Suter established in the natural sciences at 91短视频. Coordinating the long-running Suter Science Seminar Series with a diverse array of speakers and increasing collaborative research among our science faculty and undergraduate students are two aspects of being Suter Chair that I’m most excited to focus on. 

What do you love about 91短视频?

Wonderful colleagues, a diverse student body, and the beautiful Shenandoah Valley鈥攊t’s a great place to be a field biologist!

What is a fun fact about you?

My wife and I recently moved into a loft apartment in the heart of downtown Harrisonburg above . It keeps us young at heart!  And we are soon to be grandparents for the first time!

Sarah Brown鈥檚 journal of her summer intercultural* experience in the Navajo Nation is packed with vibrant reflections: from the challenges of travelling in a large group, to joy at playing with dogs on the reservations, to the complexities of feelings as she met with elders, heard stories of boarding school abuse and U.S. government transgressions, and processed cultural differences.

A nursing major at 91短视频, Brown travelled with 11 other students; biology professor Jim Yoder; his wife Kathy, a garden-based educator; and guide Robert Redsteer for an intense three-week exploration of the Navajo (Din茅) and Apache culture during July and August.

The main focus of the trip was to learn about the two tribes’ history, culture, religion, language and social realities, Jim Yoder said, but the group also explored environmental justice issues such as food security, the impacts of uranium mining, and access to uncontaminated water. Among their favorite days was a service project helping to erect a hoop house and weed garden plots used by several families at a community farm in Leupp, Arizona.

The Yoders have a special interest in indigenous relationships to ecology 鈥�  a theme they have also explored with 91短视频 students on interculturals among the Maori indigenous people in New Zealand.

This is Yoder鈥檚 second trip to the U.S. Southwest with 91短视频 students; he and Kathy are planning a third trip for 2023. Yoder first travelled to the region in 2017 with Professor Gloria Rhodes and Redsteer. A Din茅 peacebuilder and activist, Redsteer connected with Rhodes through 91短视频鈥檚 .

鈥淗e鈥檚 been a wonderful teacher and mentor for us and our students,鈥� Yoder said. 鈥淗e travelled with us the entire time and we were able to meet people and visit places we otherwise wouldn鈥檛 have had access to because Robert could make sure they knew that our main goal was to learn more about their culture.鈥�

Rachel Lute called the entire experience 鈥渋ncredible,鈥� with a highlight being the four days observing, and even participating in, a coming-of-age sunrise ceremony on the White Mountain Apache Reservation: My favorite part of the ceremony was Saturday night, where there is an opportunity for social dancing and all are welcome to dance to the songs led by the medicine men. Kathy, Jonathan, and I danced with the other people attending the ceremony. Being a part of the social dancing allowed me to truly experience the ceremony in a way that watching it won鈥檛 have allowed.

Brown wrote in her journals her surprise at the hospitality and interest of the people during their visit: There were several times that the women and men of the camps stopped what they were doing to show us around or explain what was happening or even to simply thank us for coming to the ceremony and learning more about their culture. They were truly interested in gaining our attention and sharing their knowledge with us. 

She experienced the same connection during the group鈥檚 homestay experience in Leupp. Her host shared with vulnerability the challenges of her life 鈥� and Brown often heard such honesty from other Natives sharing their life stories in the coming days. 

Some dynamics of the group鈥檚 interactions reflected the distrust of White people. On a visit to a remote home, the group heard from female elders speaking about the disastrous health effects, including cancers, caused by nearby uranium mines. But first they had to reassure the women they weren鈥檛 representing mining interests or wanted to see mining start again. 

Something is obviously not right when those affected by the mines lack so much trust in others that they fear talking to you because they think your only goal is to learn more information about how to bring the mines back, Brown wrote. How scary and uneasy must that have been for these poor women before we clarified our intentions? I definitely learned a big aspect on how to effectively communicate with others by stating your intentions up front. The instant sigh of relief when they heard that we were mostly nurses was soul-moving. 

Kathy Yoder said that the COVID-19 pandemic curtailed some of the planned itinerary, with Navajo speakers coming to meet the group instead of traditional hands-on activities in context. Redsteer was helpful in setting up impromptu speakers, including three medicine men, who covered ceremonies involving peyote, coming of age and healing; and other topics such as weaving, politics and tribal governance. They also visited with Miss Navajo Shaandiin Parrish, who occupies the unique roles as tribal spokesperson and an ambassador for native traditions and language. 

For Brown, the journey helped her to realize she wanted to learn more about 鈥渃ultural conflicts happening right in my own country.鈥� She also wants to share what she鈥檚 learned from interacting with Native people and intentionally develop her own communication skills as she prepares to become a nurse. The experience was eye-opening in ways she didn鈥檛 expect: 鈥淚 encountered and experienced more change in a short amount of time than I have in most parts of my life,鈥� she said.

Yoder understands. He says travelling through the Southwest is an amazing intercultural experience 鈥� I think it challenges students in many ways even more than travelling halfway around the world to New Zealand. To experience these cultural differences within the United States and witness firsthand both the hardships Navajo and other native peoples continue to endure as well as the joy and pride they have when sharing their stories is extremely impactful.    

*91短视频 has recently renamed the Intercultural Program to more accurately reflect the experience.

Seven 91短视频 students heading to careers in science and medicine have earned funding for summer research, provided by the Kauffman-Miller Research Awards and the CT Assist Summer Experiential Learning Program.

鈥淲e are pleased that we can work with such a large group of students this summer, since these opportunities were so limited last summer.鈥� said, a biochemistry professor who holds the Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair. 

* Erin Clayton and Graciella Odelia  will work with Professor Jeff Copeland to measure gene activity in a Parkinson鈥檚 disease model in the fruitfly. 

* Hannah Giagnocavo and Cheyenne Suamatae’a-Te’o will work with Professor Kristopher Schmidt, solving the many puzzles of roundworm development.

* Theo Yoder and Nicole Miller will travel to Hawaii with Professor Matt Siderhurst to develop and assess new methods of tropical agricultural pest control.

* Rebekah Amstutz will work with Professor Jim Yoder on an investigation of the possibility of institutional nitrogen tracking.

The Kauffman-Miller Research Awards are named for emeritus professors Glenn Kauffman (chemistry) and Roman Miller (biology), each of whom were 鈥渃hampions of undergraduate involvement in authentic scientific research at 91短视频,鈥� said Cessna. 鈥淭hese awards from the Daniel B. Suter Endowment Fund provide opportunities for biology, chemistry and environmental science students to build the key skills of scientific inquiry from writing the proposal to presenting and potentially publishing their findings.鈥�

Over their 30-plus year tenures, Kauffman and Miller each worked with more than 40 undergraduates on research projects ranging in topics from organic blueberry production to the synthesis of new cyclic organic compounds.

The CT Assist Health Experiential Learning Program awards funds to pre-professional health science students at 91短视频 to support clinical experiences that help prepare students for professional health programs. is a Harrisonburg-based healthcare staffing business owned by two alumni. 

Traditionally, funds from CT Assist鈥檚 program have supported overseas clinical experiences [read about 2018 and 2019]. As that priority is limited by the COVID-19 pandemic, this year鈥檚 award supplements the research project and clinical shadowing experiences of awardee Erin Clayton.

Hannah Daley ’17 has made scientific waves in the 91短视频 (91短视频) community for years 鈥� investigating water quality in the Bergton area watershed, researching caffeinated athletes with James Madison University’s chemistry department, and studying atmospheric chemistry at the University of Michigan Biological Station. 

That last experience inspired her to enroll in the University of Maryland’s atmospheric and oceanic science doctoral program. Now, she’s making waves in the sky 鈥� measuring aerosols and greenhouse gases by plane. Her two current research projects are focused on the pandemic’s effect on airborne pollutants and a smoke plume that made its way to Maryland all the way from a West Coast wildfire. 

Daley spoke with 91短视频 News about her work below.

What led you to the atmospheric and oceanic science program? 

I knew I wanted to study atmospheric science in the 8th grade. I went to 91短视频 for its environmental sustainability program and its general sustainability campus culture. After my first year as an environmental sustainability major, I added a chemistry major. Throughout my time at 91短视频, I was fortunate to gain an exceptional amount of research experience, an opportunity I don’t think I would have had if I went to a larger university. My research experience and recommendations from exemplary faculty mentors like Professors Jim Yoder, Tara Kishbaugh, and Doug Graber Neufeld led to further research experience outside of 91短视频.

I was drawn to the University of Maryland (UMD) for a few key reasons. First, UMD is located within an hour of major government research agencies 鈥� including the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), NASA, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) 鈥� many of which are housed on campus in conjunction with the graduate department. The majority of graduate students actually hold their offices at these sites. 

Second, I am from Maryland, and it gave me the opportunity to be closer to my parents and many siblings 鈥� I am the youngest of six. Third, UMD is ranked ninth in the world for our geoscience programs. And fourth, I was drawn to the interesting research opportunity to perform fun, hands-on science.

Do you actually get to fly the planes that are collecting the data? 

I do not get to fly the plane! That would be fun, but the types of flights we do requires years of experience. We often fly low to the ground or at night through cities which can be dangerous for an inexperienced pilot. Our pilot Nizar is amazing! He has been flying for decades and now teaches people to fly. When I am on the flights I typically sit in the back and monitor the instruments to make sure everything is reading right.

What kinds of applications could come out of your assessments of carbon monoxide and carbon concentrations during Maryland’s lockdown?

When we talk about future climate or air quality, these are forecast assessments based on computer models. Many scientists spend their whole career tweaking these models for even the slightest improvement. And the accuracy of these models is based on how well models predict particular events. 

For example, how well do models predict hurricane track and intensity, or pollution transported from a smoke fire plume. During Maryland’s lockdown, how does a drastic decrease in traffic impact local air quality? This provided a unique event in which scientists can test how well models performed, and then improve them to be more robust. Air quality assessments could also lead to more informed policy decisions, which could potentially impact vehicle emission standards. 

For instance, Maryland recently released their greenhouse gas reduction plan, which aims to reduce carbon dioxide-equivalent emissions by 50% by 2030. During lockdown, traffic was roughly reduced by 50%. This gave us a unique opportunity to research how close Maryland would be to this goal if legislative and consumer decisions consistently reduced traffic by 50%, or if half of drivers switch to electric vehicles.

What’s interesting about the smoke plume? 

I am studying a smoke plume that originated over the US West Coast and reached Maryland on September 16, 2020. This plume was aged about 10 days and travelled thousands of miles to get to Maryland. That in itself is interesting to me! It’s just another fascinating reminder that we are all connected! 

I was the research scientist on board the aircraft as we were spiraling up to our planned peak height of 10,000 feet. I was stunned when I saw the instruments reading carbon monoxide and black carbon values two orders of magnitude higher than usual! I knew it would be an amazing data set if we could just fly vertically through the rest of the plume. Excited, I told the pilot what I was seeing, and he decided to keep flying up. We normally don’t fly higher than 10,000 feet because the aircraft is not pressurized, and we don’t want to be deprived of oxygen. Despite the drop in pressure, I stayed alert. We ended up reaching 15,000 feet above ground level and captured the whole plume’s vertical profile 鈥� 8,500 to 14,000 feet.

Smoke plumes can transport carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter, and ozone, making air quality dangerous for many humans, animals, and plants. Fortunately, in this case study, the plume stayed high in the atmosphere and did not negatively impact the air we breathed at the surface. This smoke plume was unique in that the particles were very large and reflective. There was black, brown and organic carbon present. 

When analyzing the plume, I am looking to validate other instruments that monitor smoke plumes and to assess the unique chemical and physical properties of this plume. For instance, did the ground-based instruments accurately capture the plume’s height and density, and did our air quality models predict its composition? 

Do you know what kind of work you’d like to do after graduation?

One of my favorite parts of our group is how close we work with local and regional government agencies. We have quarterly meetings with the Maryland Department of the Environment where we share what we’ve been working on and what we鈥檝e learned. The policy impacts our research has is very tangible, especially with ozone-based regulations. It satisfies my drive to help people. After I graduate, that aspect is something I really want to continue. I am heavily considering working with NOAA, EPA, NIST, or as a contractor for nonprofit environmental organizations. Most students in my program take the government agency route.

The term “environmental justice” is increasingly joining the common lexicon of activists and community leaders. The movement addresses massive problems like climate change and racism 鈥撎齜ut rather than siloing these struggles, looks at their intersections: how social issues and environmental crises play off one another, and how marginalized communities often bear the brunt of environmental degradation.

Take, for example, work that 91短视频 (91短视频) Professor Doug Graber Neufeld has done . The dams’ history, having been introduced at the hands of British colonizers who forced local residents to build them, had to be addressed. But when building these sand dams became a collective endeavor that was cohesive with locals’ community values, they became an effective and climate change-resilient method of water storage.

Or look at the stream restoration work that biology students and faculty conducted in the rural area around Bergton, Virginia. They were joined in the project by students at 91短视频’s , who interviewed community members about their social climate concerning aquatic ecosystems and water quality.听

It’s a field that students at 91短视频 have been calling for more education in 鈥� prompting faculty and staff to create a new environmental justice minor.

Professor Jenni Holsinger, who oversees the minor, said student interest has been building in the relationship between social and environmental issues. 

“Environmental justice is touched on in multiple courses, but not often named, and students have asked for a more explicit focus,” Holsinger said. “The minor will provide an interdisciplinary space to bring together students who are majoring in natural science programs and with students from other majors.”

The interdisciplinary minor will benefit students going into a variety of fields, including public health, urban planning, public administration, community organizing, humanitarian aid, engineering, and law. It includes an upper level course specifically focused on environmental justice, in which students analyze problems such as water rights, internal colonialism, and pollution, and the social movements that have responded to those issues. 

“Our students have a strong interest in the intersection between environmental and the social sciences, and the environmental justice minor will allow them to delve deeper into prevalent injustices around environmental harms and marginalized communities,” said Professor Jim Yoder, director of the environmental sustainability program in which the new minor is housed.

While students can begin working towards the minor now, the new course will debut in the 2021-22 academic year.

Other courses included in the minor cover sustainable food systems, race and gender, community health, urban sociology, and marginalized voices in Hispanic America: providing a wide-angle lens to examine the intersections of environmentalism with different social justice movements.

“The curriculum is also extremely relevant to events from this summer,” Holsinger explained. “It provides a perspective to help us understand the ways that our experiences with the COVID-19 pandemic are connected to historical and current anti-Black racism through structural patterns of injustice around environmental harms and benefits.”

Participants in the minor will also have opportunities to construct community-based research projects in response to local environmental justice issues.

“This type of experiential learning is a promising way for students to be involved in addressing the interrelated issues of poverty, health, and environmental conditions,” said Holsinger.

What will a post-pandemic world look like? How is COVID-19 affecting each of us differently, and what are our responsibilities to one another in the face of those disparities? What do we know about the biology of the virus? And are there things that are changing for the better because of this crisis?

A free seven-week online course offered at 91短视频 this summer will delve into those questions and more. Community members are welcome. Students can opt for a pass/fail grade and will have online access to readings, videos, and other materials before each class. 

The course meets each Tuesday evening, beginning June 30, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. for seven weeks, with a different pair or trio of faculty and staff from different academic fields leading each class.

The lectures and Q and A will be recorded and available for viewing later.

The course is co-led by language and literature professor Kevin Seidel and chemistry professor Laurie Yoder.

鈥淲hat pulled me in at first was the possibility of teaching with faculty from all three schools 鈥� sciences, social sciences, and humanities 鈥� talking together and learning from one another about the virus,鈥� Seidel said. When the pandemic hit, he started fervently gathering information and perspective: from scientists, from fictive literature, and from poetry, trying to make sense of 鈥渢his strange new world.鈥� 

Week 1 | June 30, Tuesday, 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.

Treating COVID-19

What do we know about the biology of COVID-19? What鈥檚 next in vaccine development? What public health measures are working to slow the spread of COVID-19?

Kristopher Schmidt, Associate Professor of Biology

Kate Clark, Assistant Professor of Nursing

Week 2 | July 7, Tuesday, 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.

Pandemic History and Data

What can we learn from past pandemics about life after this one? What can we learn from visual presentations of data about the pandemic? 

Mary Sprunger, Professor of History

Daniel Showalter, Associate Professor of Mathematics

Week 3 | July 14, Tuesday, 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.

Politics and Collective Trauma

Why has the U.S. response to COVID-19 been so contentious and uneven? What is collective trauma and what might it have to do with that response?

Mark Metzler Sawin, Professor of History

Ryan Thompson, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Trina Trotter Nussbaum, Associate Director, Center for Interfaith Engagement

Week 4 | July 21, Tuesday, 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.

Zoonotic Viruses, Wet Markets, and the Economics of COVID-19

Where do coronaviruses come from? What are the links between environmental degradation and pandemics? What does COVID-19 have to teach us about how our economy is connected to the natural world? What are the economic impacts from a pandemic?

Jim Yoder, Professor of Biology

Jim Leaman, Associate Professor of Business and Leadership

Week 5 | July 28, Tuesday, 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.

Our Life with Animals, Our Life with God

Why are so many people taking refuge in nature during the pandemic? Why is that refuge harder to come by for some people? What do the scriptures say about how our life with God is related to our life with animals? 

Steven Johnson, Professor of Visual and Communication Arts 

Andrea Saner, Associate Professor of Old Testament

Week 6 | August 4, Tuesday, 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.

Systemic Racism in the U.S. before and after COVID-19

Why has COVID-19 hit African-Americans harder than other groups? Why does rural Navajo Nation have the highest infection rates in the country?

Jenni Holsinger, Associate Professor of Sociology 

Matt Tibbles, Teaching Fellow, Applied Social Sciences

Jim Yoder, Professor of Biology

Week 7 | August 11, Tuesday, 6:30鈥�8:30 p.m.

Resilience, Repair, and Transformation after COVID-19

How do we carry forward what we鈥檝e learned about COVID-19, trauma, and restorative justice? 

Johonna Turner, Assistant Professor of Restorative Justice and Peacebuilding

Katie Mansfield, Lead Trainer, Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR)

Eleven 91短视频 students and graduates presented at the annual fall STEM Student Research and Internship Symposium.

Three students were selected for the National Science Foundation and its Research Experience for Undergraduates program (REU), a highly competitive and prestigious 10-12 week summer opportunity. Prospective participants apply directly to REU-funded sites in 19 research fields. Sometimes as many as 200 students apply for 10 or fewer positions. 

Funding was also provided by 91短视频-specific research funds and grants, including the Kauffman and Miller Research Grants and the  CT Assist Health Experiential Learning Program  

Participants included:

Jonah Short-Miller and Maria Yoder: RING Finger Protein 11 (RNF11) modulates dopamine release — modeling Parkinson鈥檚 disease in Drosophila

Short-Miller and Yoder, both 2019 graduates, coauthored the research with Professor Jeff Copeland, Eve Champaloux and B. Jill Venton, with support from 91短视频鈥檚 Kauffman Miller research award, CT Assist, the National Institutes of Health, and Biogen-Idec at the University of Virginia.

Jacob Myers: Effects of Invasive Tree Species on Daily Nest Survival of Birds in Missouri River Riparian Forests

Myers, a sophomore in the National Science Foundation grant-funded  STEM Scholars Engaging in Local Problems program, spent his summer with the Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) at the University of South Dakota. His co-authors are Sierra Rider, Amanda Hegg, David Swanson and Mark Dixon.

James Paetkau: Analyzing Fungal Growth on Cellulose Nanofibrils

Paetkau, a senior, was selected for an NSF-REU with University of Maine Forest Bi-products Research Lab Institute and Unidad Desarrollo Techologico. His co-authors are Caitlin Howell and Emily LeClair.

Melissa Kinkaid: Characterizing Classroom Practices in Undergraduate Inorganic Chemistry Courses Using COPUS

Kinkaid, a senior, co-authored this research with Cole Pate and Barbara Reisner in an NSF-REU and an NSF grant focused on 鈥淚mproving Undergraduate STEM Education鈥� at James Madison University.

Sylvia Mast: The Role of unc-53 in the apoptotic pathways of Caenorhabditis elegans

As part of research funded by the Kauffman-Miller Research Award and CT Assist, Mast conducted this work with Professor Kristopher Schmidt. She is a 2019 graduate.

Karissa Sauder: internship with Secure Futures, Staunton, Virginia

Sauder spent her summer working with , a solar developer that finances, builds, owns, operates and maintains on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for schools, hospitals, governments and businesses to enhance their sustainability goals and to reduce their electricity costs. Secure Futures is 91短视频鈥檚 main partner in its own solar project development. The company鈥檚 executive director of former 91短视频 business and economics professor Anthony Smith, and several 91短视频 alumni work with the company. 

Clara Weybright and Maya Dula: Agroforestry Parcels: A Preliminary Assessment

The research partners, a senior and a junior, respectively, spent four weeks in Guatemala over the summer conducting a biodiversity evaluation and a sociological study involving Q鈥檈chi communities involved in programming hosted by the Community Cloud Forest Conservation Center. This project was funded by a Kauffman-Miller Research Award and a CT Assist grant. Professor Jim Yoder was the advisor.

Anastasia Dronov and Kayley Scottlind: La Costa, La Selva, La Sierra: A Multi-Facility Experience in Peruvian Healthcare

This project, funded by a CT Assist Health Experiential Learning Award and advised by Professor Kristopher Schmidt, included travel in Peru: observations at National Hospital Docente in Lima; one week in the jungle city, Iquitos; hosting of a medical campaign for anemia and diabetes control and three weeks assisting with laboratory and clinical work at Centro Medico Belen, in Ayacucho. Dronov, a senior biology and Spanish double-major who also speaks fluent Russian and is a practicing EMT, hopes to become a physician. Scottlind, a junior double-major in biology and Spanish, hopes to become a doctor and serve Spanish-speaking communities.

The awards funds to pre-professional health science students at 91短视频 to support clinical experiences that help prepare students for professional health programs. is a Harrisonburg-based healthcare staffing business owned by two alumni.

鈥淛ust having this little piece of the woods to come and kind of escape to was so valuable to me,鈥� senior Bekah Mongold 蝉补颈诲.听

She鈥檇 come to 91短视频 from Mathias, West Virginia 鈥� 鈥淚 am very much not a city girl, so living in Harrisonburg was like a culture shock to me,鈥� she said 鈥� and the 13-acre woods nestled between the 91短视频鈥檚 Park Wood Apartments and track and the Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community (VMRC) reminded her of her rural home.

However, the more time that Mongold spent in Park Woods 鈥� not only for respite but also as part of her spring semester studies 鈥� the more she realized that not everything about the woods was as it should 鈥� or could 鈥� be.听

Mongold and five other students taking the spring environmental sustainability capstone course focused their research on the woods, and presented findings and proposals during the 91短视频 Academic and Creative Excellence Festival in April.

鈥淚t makes me a little bit sad cause like I know when you when you just walk through, you think, 鈥極h, it鈥檚 so green! It鈥檚 so pretty!鈥� And then when you start noticing what is green, it鈥檚 like, 鈥極h, that鈥檚 maybe not quite as healthy as it should be,鈥欌�� she said.

The urban forest offers space for immersing oneself in nature, seeking spiritual renewal, learning about the environment and running, hiking and playing. But as Mongold and her classmates learned, it also encapsulates the sometimes-problematic interactions of social and ecological systems.

A live project

Assessing the ecological needs of the wood鈥檚 flora and fauna and the broader community was a 鈥渓ive project,鈥� applied social sciences professor Jenni Holsinger said, that involved 鈥渞eal research and real problems that come along with the research process.鈥澨�

Mongold and fellow senior Nidhi Vinod assessed forest management needs and possibilities in Park Woods, while Ethan Mathews and John Dudley focused on water management, and Victoria Barnes and Xander Silva mapped the stakeholders.

Park Woods is plagued with the invasive bush honeysuckle, plus emerald ash borer, which has caused the death of nearly all of the ash trees there. It also faces frequent flooding from rainfall runoff from elevated surroundings; a diversion dike along its southeast edge retains water in order to prevent flooding of and the dispersion of sediments into the Harrisonburg creek Blacks Run.

Along with the dead ash trees, that flooding threatens or destroys parts of the Park Woods walking path, a winding trail that, along with the fire circle, the pavilion, and, in years past, Park Cabin, is responsible for attracting many of the woods鈥� stakeholders: VMRC residents, nearby community members, Eastern Mennonite School students, and 91短视频 alumni and student groups. One alumni group, Friends of Park Woods, was organized a few years ago by Paul Lehman and Professor Emeritus Kenton Brubaker and has done much to bring attention to the plight of the woods.听

Moving forward

The capstone students pointed to possible interventions in Park Woods, including community volunteers and even goats to remove invasive plant species.听

For water management, defining waterways and constructing a wet pond would make the woods both more healthy and attractive, said Mathews, with the pond in particular becoming 鈥渁 nice place for anybody to come enjoy.鈥�

Even with a limited budget, Barnes said, small improvements 鈥� in signage, for example 鈥� would promote student use of the woods. And adding bathrooms in Park Cabin would benefit guests, as well.

Intervening, though, takes balance, said Silva.听

鈥淚 think the biggest thing I learned was finding the line between maximum utility of a space and keeping it a natural ecosystem,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a lot of things that we could do here that would make it a lot more appealing for students and just humans in general, but I also think there are a lot of things that are really special about this place that we really shouldn鈥檛 change. … you kind of have to step back and say this space has its own ideas of what it wants to do, and that has to be taken into account.鈥�

鈥淚 would like to come back in 10 years and seeing more than just honeysuckle and ivy,鈥� Mongold 蝉补颈诲.听

That may be doable 鈥� but other hopes are less likely.

鈥淚 would really like to see some ash trees through here,鈥� she added, 鈥渂ut I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 possible.鈥�

The nine-member board 鈥渂rought a huge range of expertise to our discussion,鈥� said the center鈥檚 executive director , a biology professor at 91短视频. 鈥淭he meeting was an opportunity to get feedback on our activities and think about how we might want to adjust our plans. I have so many new ideas that my head is spinning.鈥�

Board of reference members Ben Brabson, professor emeritus of physics at Indiana University, Bloomington, and Shantha Alonso, executive director of Creation Justice Ministries, praised the work so far 鈥� especially 鈥渢he evidence-based shaping of the center鈥檚 mission and programs,鈥� Alonso said.

Joining Alonso and Brabson on the board are:

• Ray Martin, lead donor and honorary chair;
• Russell De Young, retired NASA engineer;
• Mitch Hescox, president/CEO, Evangelical Environmental Network;
• Chad Horning, chief investment officer, Everence;
• Lawrence Jennings, lay pastor, Infinity Mennonite Church, New York City;
• Jacqui Patterson, director, NAACP Environmental and Climate Justice Program;
• Lyubov Slashcheva ’11 D.D.S.;
• Vurayayi Pugeni, humanitarian relief and disaster coordinator, Mennonite Central Committee Canada.

Careful groundwork leads to plans in motion

This is the second major meeting since the center was founded in May 2016, funded by a $1 million donation from Martin, a Goshen College (Indiana) alumnus who worked in international development and global health. The collaborative initiative, which includes 91短视频, Goshen and Mennonite Central Committee, seeks to advance thinking and action in Anabaptist and other faith communities to mitigate climate change.

A May 2017 consultation at Goshen drew 25 representatives from Mennonite organizations to set the mission and objectives for the center.

鈥淭hat 10 months since that consultation has been really important to developing a mission-focused, data-driven foundation,鈥� said Graber Neufeld. 鈥淭here鈥檚 so much we can try to do towards our goals, but we want to focus our efforts on making the most impact, and it鈥檚 taken some time to find out what that means.鈥�

Following a winter 2017 survey of Anabaptists, the center has rolled out a slate of programs focused on student leadership, pastoral and congregational leadership, and support for research into best practices and innovative solutions for climate change adaptation and mitigation efforts.

Graber Neufeld says that continuing to build strategic partnerships will be key to the center鈥檚 success. Founding partner Mennonite Central Committee, for example, is a member of Alonso鈥檚 ecumenical organization, .

听鈥楢 new, able and unique partner鈥�

CSCS will be a 鈥渘ew, able and unique partner,鈥� said Alonso, who welcomed the board of reference meeting as a way to learn more about the Mennonite faith and its connection to sustainable climate solutions. 鈥淐SCS can not only draw more Mennonites into care for God鈥檚 creation, but also be a witness of peacemaking and simple living for the broader climate movement, as well as the general public.鈥�

听From a personal perspective, veteran climate scientist Brabson said his participation was a rare opportunity to 鈥渇orm new friendships with a magnificent group of people dedicated to doing God鈥檚 work on Earth.鈥�

He praised the center鈥檚 strong financial and organizational foundation and its careful goal- and action-oriented planning to spend resources where they have maximum impact.

Outreach to other faith communities is happening 鈥渂y word and by example from the Mennonite tradition,鈥� Brabson said. 鈥淢oral agency, so well represented by the Mennonite tradition, is critical to the survival and enhancement of all of our lives, especially the disenfranchised among us.

鈥淒iscussion is good, but without action, very little benefit results,鈥� he added. 鈥淭he center鈥檚 careful planning bodes well for the ability of the center to deliver on its promise.鈥�

The alpine wilderness is the highest plateau east of the Mississippi River, with altitudes ranging from 2,655 feet to 4, 123 feet. The altitude and strong, consistent wind creates a system of flora and fauna鈥� expanses of sphagnum and cranberry bogs, heath shrubs and red spruce 鈥� not often found south of Canada.

The human history of Dolly Sods includes massive logging, fires caused by flammable industrial waste, and then utilization as a mortar and artillery range.

“The area provides a unique opportunity to see the combined impacts of the extreme logging and unusual natural conditions that result in such a unique ecosystem and it inspires much discussion over the value of such places,鈥� said Professor , who has taken environmental sustainability students to Dolly Sods almost annually for over 15 years.

Yoder’s conservation biology class has been studying inherent and instrumental value of ecosystems, as well as current threats to biodiversity, including species extinction, habitat degradation, invasive species and over-exploitation of natural resources. Environmental policies, politics and organizations are also on the syllabus.

The students, including several club members, began the day at the Allegheny Front Migration Observatory, the oldest continuously operating bird banding station in North America. The station, open since 1958, is operated by skilled volunteers who stay busy from dawn until dusk using and repairing capture nets, banding birds and recording data on populations and migration.

The data is important 鈥渢o track the migration of birds across the United States,鈥� said senior Cerrie Mendoza. 鈥淚t helps provide researchers, scientists and the general public with migration patterns.鈥�

Mendoza is familiar with the intricate process of data collection: she spent the summer involved with a genome research project in conjunction with the Smithsonian Institution鈥檚 National Museum of Natural History, the U. S. Geological Survey, 91短视频 and James Madison University. Rare salamanders were among the species she collected.

Besides the endemic Cheat Mountain salamander, many other species inhabit the region including hares, beavers, turkey, grouse, deer, foxes, black bears and bobcat. Before the logging era, elk, bison and mountain lion were present.

After the bird banding station visit, Yoder led the students around a beaver dam and on some trails to catalogue various unique plants.

Senior Abe Hartzler enjoyed watching Yoder 鈥渋n his natural habitat 鈥� his excitement and passion is contagious. He鈥檚 very knowledgeable about plants and animals in the area and will point out all the interesting things around you. It makes hiking a far richer experience.鈥�

The field trip ended with some bouldering and rock climbing on Bear Rocks, a scenic spot with beautiful views.

Portions of this article, written by Joshua Curtis, were published in the Sept. 28, 2017, Weather Vane.

“One goal of the is to encourage student research,鈥� said , a biochemistry professor who holds the Daniel B. Suter Endowed Chair at 91短视频. 鈥淭his annual competitive summer research fellowship helps our biology and chemistry students build the key skills of scientific inquiry from writing the proposal to presenting and potentially publishing their findings.鈥�

The research project meant long days in hip waders, carrying measuring tapes and other instruments through the rock-strewn bottoms of Crab Run and the German River. They were joined on some days by Bergton native Bekah Mongold, a junior biology major.

The field work was 鈥渆xciting and exhausting,鈥� says Williams. 鈥淚 love being in nature, so it is kind of like a dream come true for me to be out in the field doing research that is both helping our understanding of how percent canopy coverage affects water temperature while also adding to the larger ongoing project that has been collecting stream restoration data for many years.鈥�

Besides the research, Daley said she enjoyed getting to know the local residents. 鈥淢y favorite part of traveling to Bergton was having lunch with Marge Peevy on her porch.鈥�

Gathering internships and fieldwork experience

Both scientists are veteran researchers, with experience in the prestigious . Additionally, Daley and Williams spent one-semester internships while at Washington Community Scholars鈥� Center with a NOAA-NASA contractor and at the , respectively. And both had worked extensively during their time at 91短视频 on water quality projects with professors Doug Graber-Neufeld, Tara Kishbaugh and Jim Yoder.

The summer research grant offered the unique opportunity to create their own research proposal, Daley says. 鈥淎fter conducting the research, I can now recognized aspects of the project I should have considered in advance. One oversight was neglecting to note the peak bloom period for sycamore trees, the dominant tree species along the stream. They needed to be in full bloom to collect accurate canopy coverage data.鈥�

The oversight pushed their anticipated May completion date into mid-September.

Long-term research in the Bergton watershed

Their results will contribute to several other 91短视频-sponsored stream restoration and research projects in the area that began in 2011. The previous year, local concern about area water resources increased, sparked by commercial interest in the potential development of a fracking site. Though the application was later denied by Rockingham County, area residents became active supporters of water quality research. The watershed, which had received notable damage through flooding in the past, is an important resource for homes and local agricultural, as well as area recreation.

A two-year started in 2014, with initial funding provided by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation in collaboration with 91短视频’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, Ecosystem Services LLC, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, and the Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District. [Read more .]

With the help of more than 15 students over the course of several years, various baseline data has been collected including temperature, pH, total dissolved solids, barium and strontium metal concentrations, macroinvertebrate and indicator species sampling.

Stream health important to diversity

Daley and Williams were most interested in how upstream canopy cover on Crab Run and the German River may influence temperature fluctuations downstream. While data analysis has not concluded, they suspect that farmed areas, which are cleared of creek- and river-side foliage, would have higher temperatures because of the high level of sunlight exposure. The water under and downstream of wooded areas, conversely, would have cooler temperatures.

鈥淲ater temperature has great implications for the biota that live within the stream,鈥� said Williams, who did a similar study in Bethany Beach canals for her 2016 summer REU project. She says that certain species of macroinvertebrates and fish can only survive in certain temperatures and if the water gets too warm, some fish cannot even live in it, because there will be little to no dissolved oxygen to breathe.

Data analysis for the project concludes this month. The partners plan to share their conclusions at an upcoming conference and with the 91短视频 community.

After graduating in spring 2018, Williams will go to graduate school 鈥攔ecently the field of astrobiology has caught her attention 鈥� and then continue to pursue research.

Daley plans to earn a doctorate in chemistry with a focus on atmospheric chemistry. While working as an admissions counselor at 91短视频 this year, she鈥檚 also co-authoring a paper based on research from her 2015 REU on .

Read about more 91短视频 experiences in the sciences:

• at James Madison University;
• the summer 2016 of Hannah, Amanda and two other 91短视频 students;
• Washington Community Scholars’ Center science-related in general;
• and Amanda’s internship at the .
• Also check out this feature on Cerrie Mendoza’s summer 2017 field biology work with听funded by the Smithsonian鈥檚 Global Genome Initiative.

In a recent blog post, Payne reflected her own growth as she 鈥榤imicks鈥� 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 鈥淩adical Europe鈥� tour of Anabaptist sites in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, 91短视频 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鈥檚 administrative assistant.

The 91短视频 cross-cultural experience, which has been part of the curriculum for more than 30 years, is very different from the typical 鈥渟tudy abroad鈥� program. Approximately 68 percent of all 91短视频 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短视频 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短视频 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.

Lessons are provided by bilingual outreach educator Janelle Hust de Mazariegos. The former language, cultures and social studies teacher at Thomas Harrison Middle School presents Standards of Learning (SOL)-based curricula in hands-on science lessons.

鈥淭hese interactive programs 听put students into the exciting roles of young scientists and explorers,” she says. “It is a new experience for most kids to observe and touch shark jaws, rattlesnake fangs, fossils, a variety of minerals, and many other captivating treasures from our Natural History Museum.”

Students wowed by specimens and samples

Four programs for kindergarteners through fifth graders, developed by museum education director Maureen Gallon, are offered.

Animal Adaptation uses taxidermied specimens to demonstrate how animals鈥� bodies allow them to eat, move and thrive. 鈥淲e talk about how it wouldn鈥檛 be very conducive for us to have duck feet in PE class,鈥� says Mazariegos, laughing. Students greet each new artifact with the chorus, 鈥淚s that real!?鈥�

Explore Our World examines underground, forested, and underwater habitats and the different kinds of life, food webs and interactions that occur in each. Students also learn about the effects of human impact on habitat.

Rocks, Minerals & Fossils uses geological samples to teach about the Earth鈥檚 prehistoric ages, the geological cycle as well as different classes of rocks and minerals. A mammoth tooth and prehistoric shark tooth help introduce fossils.

Watershed Science, currently in development, will explore riparian systems, the functions of different bodies of water, and the water cycle. A table-top model demonstrates watershed issues like erosion and pollution.

The program costs $90 for a 1-hour classroom session for up to 25 students, $130 for two sessions, and $160 for three sessions.

Area teacher: Lessons provide fun test review

Hurst de Mazariegos has conducted 11 programs in six local schools since December and is now ready to travel through the central Shenandoah Valley from Charlottesville to Winchester. Expansion of the program to older age groups and additional lessons such as an avian unit is planned for next year.

Fifth-grade teacher Marilee Billhimer said her students at Fulks Run Elementary School were thrilled and engaged by the rocks and fossils program, which offered a good review of SOL terms and concepts.

鈥淚t was a wonderful review for the state test coming up,鈥� says Billhimer. 鈥淭he students were really interested in the samples of rocks and minerals, which were much larger than any we had in the classroom. They were completely amazed at the fossil samples, which were numerous and also large. It was a great hands-on experience for them.鈥�

Major renovations in the works

Since 1968, the museum in the Suter Science Center has hosted thousands of schoolchildren each year from as far as Charlottesville and Winchester. Many visitors will remember the two-headed calf, the giant bison, and the mummified hand, said Professor , museum curator.

鈥淭hose curiosities are probably the most memorable, but we also have many other specimens, including minerals, animals, insects, a large African elephant skull and more than 3,000 artifacts from around the world,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 want that outreach to stop during our renovations.鈥�

Currently closed, the museum is slated for renovations as part of the that will give the collection the prominence it deserves.听By simply replacing the solid walls of the former Discovery Room, originally built as a planetarium and located just inside the science center鈥檚 main entrance, with glass panels and installing glass doors to the other primary museum room, adjacent to the main lobby, the visibility of 91短视频鈥檚 collection will be dramatically improved.

Additional funding will help preserve specimens, replace other aging specimens and provide updated signage and lighting.

New displays will include fewer items but explore topics in greater depth and offer greater opportunity for interaction. These cases will also allow for easier rotation of exhibits grouped by theme, such as Virginia wildlife, East African birds, Egyptian artifacts and anthropological specimens from Native American and African cultures.

Learn more about or听about how to support the

Andrew Jenner and Lauren Jefferson contributed to this article.

While preparing exhibit items in the at 91短视频 for upcoming renovations, senior biochemistry major Eli Wenger found something that 鈥渕ade my hair stand on end.鈥�

Wenger knew some names that live large in the university鈥檚 annals as movers and shapers of an academic legacy. Professor D. Ralph Hostetter, for example, taught biology, botany, ornithology and geology courses from 1924-66. He also served as the first director of Eastern Mennonite High School from 1938-57 while teaching at the college. Hostetter continued teaching part-time until 1974. He was both founder and curator of the museum that now honors his memory.

That鈥檚 why Wenger immediately recognized the report as an important piece of institutional history: the black-bound, frayed-at-the-edges folder displayed a simple silver-lined, white sticker with typewritten title: 鈥淟ife History of The Carolina Junco/D. Ralph Hostetter.鈥�

So too did Professor , the museum鈥檚 current curator, who joined Wenger to appreciate the find.

鈥淚 often come across treasures like this that reflect the enduring love for science of professors who worked here before me,鈥� said Yoder. 鈥淲hether it is discovering items like Hostetter鈥檚 dissertation or other unusual specimens in the museum collection that may not have been on display in years, I鈥檓 reminded of how important and meaningful such care for the natural world is for us today.鈥�

Boyhood love of nature grows to professional devotion

Published in 1961, the report, an adaptation of Hostetter鈥檚 PhD dissertation, contains the masthead of 鈥淭he Raven,鈥� moniker of the bulletin of the Virginia Society of Ornithology. One can only guess how, 23 years after his study, Hostetter happened to return to his dissertation. However, the editor of 鈥淭he Raven,鈥� since its first edition in 1930 through 1969, was Professor J.J. Murray, who was Hostetter鈥檚 supervisor of field studies at UVa.

In the preface, we catch a glimpse of Hostetter鈥檚 love for nature. He writes, 鈥淲hose heart is not lightened by the first song of spring? Where is the country-bred and reared boy who does not find inspiration and charm in the color and song of birds? Is there anyone too busy with his work to pause for a moment before a nest of eggs or hungry nestlings, or to watch a distressed mother bird hurl epithets at a stray cat, or tenderly care for her brood?鈥�

Hostetter came to EMS in 1924, accepting a $600 annual loss in salary 鈥� the equivalent of a $7,000 pay cut today 鈥� to shift from a Pennsylvania high school to Eastern Mennonite School. His master鈥檚 degree was in education from Harvard, which caused him to be viewed with suspicion by some board members.

In 1938, he earned his PhD in ornithology from the University of Virginia, one of the few professors on campus at the time to have earned a doctorate.

EMS grounds a reflection of 鈥楪od through nature鈥�

At EMS, Hostetter founded the Avian Society and also sponsored the high school Nature Society, 鈥渄esigned to bring students into closer contact with God through nature,鈥� according to a 1953 yearbook entry Hostetter wrote. The club held monthly meetings and hosted field trips to local landmarks Tide Spring, Brock鈥檚 Gap, Rawley Springs, South River Falls and Mole Hill.

Hostetter鈥檚 interests were not limited to his students or academic pursuits. He lobbied for better care of the grounds. 鈥淚n our Park,鈥� he wrote, 鈥溾�e find fish, eggshells, cans and rubbish dumped on the grounds, also pig pens built there. These things are very unsightly and obnoxious. We recommend that no more land be sold, but it be developed for the purposes stated above (a piece of ground鈥here students may get a touch of the wild; where they may study birds, flowers, trees, etc., as found in nature)鈥� [T]ransplant and replant trees, plant wild flowers, preserve bird and wild life and keep grounds mowed in decent shape.鈥�

Indeed, Hostetter鈥檚 urging is one reason why Park Woods are the pristine setting they still are today.

Museum curation in retirement

After retiring from teaching in 1966, Hostetter curated the natural history museum. Officially opened in 1968, it contains over 6,000 specimens, including many mammals and birds that the curator obtained and prepared for exhibition himself, and numerous rocks and minerals he acquired during extensive travels throughout the U. S., Mexico, Europe and Africa.

With hardly any acquisitions budget to speak of, he paid for most of the mounted heads that famously adorn the walls of Suter Science 106 out of his own pocket.

Yoder, the current curator, says he鈥檚 energized by the potential for updated space and a new generation of visitors to the museum. The new space will appropriately honor the life and legacy of one of 91短视频鈥檚 foremost promoters of the sciences, he adds.

鈥淚t has been an honor to care for the unique and quite remarkable collections Hostetter was able to establish over the course of his long career here,鈥� Yoder said.

To learn more about the Suter West campaign, click .