The professor and photographer, whose colorful images of the seasonal ponds—and the aquatic life that inhabit them—have earned him 2023 Wildlife Photographer of the Year honors and graced the cover of Nature Conservancy Magazine, has been named an associate fellow of the International League of Conservation Photographers (iLCP).��

was one of 16 accomplished photographers and filmmakers selected to join the iLCP’s associate fellow program for 2025, the nonprofit recently announced in a release.��“Each of them brings exceptional skill in visual storytelling, a deep engagement with conservation initiatives and a strong dedication to advancing environmental awareness through their work,” the .��

Established in 2005, iLCP supports environmental and cultural conservation through ethical photography and filmmaking. Its fellows are a group of professional wildlife, nature, and cultural visual storytellers who, “in addition to displaying remarkable photographic and filmmaking skills, have each demonstrated a deep commitment to conservation efforts around the globe,” according to its . These 120+ fellows, based in 26 countries and working in 190 countries, “shine a light on issues ranging from endangered flora and fauna to climate change to ocean health.”

For Johnson, conservation photography allows him to share the same sense of wonder he feels when encountering other creatures in the natural world. “Millions of animal and plant species coexist on Earth, but very few of these species enter our consciousness; that invisibility is a big problem when it comes to conservation,” he said. “Even in the midst of an extinction crisis, most of our news and political discourse is very human-centered. Using visual communication to advocate for the natural world is a way to challenge that narrative and look for ways to share the planet with the ‘more-than-human’ world.”

The 91����Ƶ professor had been an affiliate for iLCP for a number of years where he served as a technical consultant and also connected 91����Ƶ students to its photographers and staff. As a fellow, he will attend the organization’s signature event, , in mid-November, which brings together conservation photographers, filmmakers, scientists, advocates, and communicators from around the globe as they share powerful stories and solutions for a sustainable future.

“It’s definitely affirming to be a part of a fellowship of passionate and committed peers in the conservation photography world,” Johnson said.

Michael Horst, dean of Behavioral, Health and Natural Sciences at 91����Ƶ, said Johnson’s work brings viewers face to face with the miraculous elements of the natural world that might otherwise be overlooked, creating an emotional connection that heightens the importance of protecting and conserving it.

“At 91����Ƶ, we know the importance of deeply cultivating sustainable practices,” Horst said. “For those who need encouragement, Steve’s work can make a big difference.”

91����Ƶ the professor

Johnson came to 91����Ƶ in 2005 and started one of the few full-semester conservation photography courses offered to undergraduates in the U.S.

He holds an MFA from Savannah College of Art and Design and serves on the advisory board of the Virginia Wildlife Committee and Girls Who Click. At 91����Ƶ’s VACA department, he teaches digital media classes and a specialized course on conservation photography. When he’s not in his office, he can often be found crouched next to a vernal pool or kayaking the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.

His images of the natural world have appeared in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, National Wildlife Magazine, Nature Conservancy Magazine, Ranger Rick, Virginia Wildlife, bioGraphic, Orion, National Science Teaching Association Press books, and numerous conservation publications and journals. His long-term project exploring vernal pools was highlighted by the Southern Environmental Law Center in “The wonder of wetlands and 5 Southerners working to protect them” ().

Johnson said one of his favorite things about teaching is that 91����Ƶ and VACA allow for so much innovative, interdisciplinary practice. For example, in his conservation photography class, he teaches a mix of photography, digital media, and science students. 

“In some places, the sciences and arts barely mix,” he said. “Here, I can talk to science students about making compelling images and teach visual arts students about vernal pools.”

Johnson will teach the class in conservation photography again during the fall 2026 semester.

View more of his photography at .

From crystal-clear shots of the Milky Way above the Andes in Peru and the surreal pink-and-green glow of the Aurora Borealis at Shenandoah National Park, to a humpback whale breaching the surface of Monterey Bay and a hummingbird frozen mid-flight, the collection of photos in Fleeting offers a glimpse into the 91����Ƶ grad’s adventures around the world.

“I hope that when you look at these photos, you get to feel the same excitement that I felt to be in those places and experience those moments,” said McGuigan, who graduated from the Visual And Communication Arts program with a BA in digital media and environmental sustainability. “I think it’s natural for all of us to want to capture those fleeting, beautiful moments in our lives, and I hope that’s what I’ve done here.”

The exhibition, which opened on Sept. 12, will remain on display until Oct. 3. The gallery is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday.

“How do you mark the ending of one part of your life journey, while anticipating the next,” he wrote in a journal entry from that day. 

Roughly an hour after seeing his students off, he was on his bicycle pedaling toward a ferry that would begin an 1,800-kilometer (1,118-mile) journey across three countries in 22 days. Photographs from his ride along the EuroVelo 10/13 bike route, which follows the coast of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia, as well as journal entries he logged during the trek, are the featured exhibition on display at the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery. An opening reception for Holsopple and his collection of photos, paintings and writings was held at the gallery on Friday, Feb. 21. The exhibition will remain on display through March 21.

Holsopple, who joined the 91����Ƶ faculty in 2000 (he taught the school’s first digital media classes as a part-time instructor starting in 1998), is retiring this year. His contributions to 91����Ƶ throughout the past 25 years are too numerous to name, but include the creation of the communication major within the Language and Literature Department in 2000. 

“He actually built the communications department,” VACA Professor Steven Johnson said in introductory remarks at the reception. “It eventually merged with the art department to become the present-day Visual and Communication Arts department that you all know and love. … VACA majors look to Jerry for honest feedback and wise mentoring.”

Holsopple spent the 2009-2010 academic year as a Fulbright scholar at LCC International University in Klaipeda, Lithuania. His Into the Window exhibition, featuring icons he painted during his year there, was the first exhibition held at the Gehman Gallery when it opened in 2010.

The title of his latest exhibition, Finding Water, relates to the route he and his biking partner, Glyn Jones, took along the Baltic Sea coastline. “Every day we would see the water, from sandy windswept beaches to large rock boulders left by the glacier centuries ago,” a journal entry states. But, it also relates to how the metaphorical river of life carries us along our journeys. “I wanted this to be a show that’s not about remembering what I’ve done for 30 years or whatever, but about embracing the mystery of what is yet to come,” he shared at the reception. “And, what each day on a bike trip brings you that you don’t know is going to come your way.”

“Why did I take this bike trip?” Holsopple asked the crowd gathered at Friday’s reception. “Because I was looking for a way to process what it meant to say goodbye to these people. I stopped to visit people along the way that I had known all these years. It was like giving all three countries a big hug.”

The exhibition features several grids of photographs, each related to a theme. One grid shows Holocaust sites in the capital city of Riga, Latvia. Another is a collection of photos of churches that he passed by on his route. A grid of coffee shops includes his favorite cafe in Estonia, Kehrweider, “with its underground feel, good coffee and snacks, and an attitude,” he wrote in his journal. “In the early days of bringing students on these trips, you couldn’t get a carry-out coffee anywhere. Now, coffee shops are everywhere and people carry their paper cups down the sidewalks in hordes.”

Referencing a large photograph of trees along a shore, Holsopple recounted his experience capturing the moment. “It was about 6 a.m. when we went down the hill and I saw this reflection and I jammed on my brakes,” Holsopple said. “I was not going to pass up that reflection. I’m always fascinated by reflections because I think it plays with this idea of reality and what we imagine and what we see if we really pay attention to what’s happening in life.”

Finding Water also includes a pair of icons that Holsopple painted. One of them is inspired by an icon that Maria Skobtsova, a Russian poet, nun, and member of the French Resistance during World War II, was working on before she died at the Ravensbrück concentration camp in Germany. Holsopple and 91����Ƶ Theater Director Justin Poole created a musical theater production based on her life that opens at the MainStage Theater in March. The other icon is a stylized self-portrait that he created in 2016.��

Cassidy Walker, an 91����Ƶ senior majoring in art, photography, and digital media, attends every gallery opening through her work for the VACA department, but said Holsopple’s was special to her. 

“Jerry’s the reason I ended up coming to 91����Ƶ in the first place,” she said. “I had gotten into some big art schools, and he convinced me that I would get a great education here and that I’d get to be one of the Lithuania kids.” 

Walker was part of Holsopple’s final intercultural trip to Lithuania in 2023. She spoke about his guidance in helping her figure out her goals for the future. “I was nervous about becoming a triple-major and he’s been this person I’ve been able to lean on,” she said. “He’s always been there for me.”

Rachel Holderman ’18, who graduated from 91����Ƶ’s VACA department with degrees in Photography and Art, now works as a photographer for James Madison University. She took several classes taught by Holsopple and said she likes staying connected with those who helped develop her skills. At the opening reception, she said she was drawn to Holsopple’s use of reflections and unique angles. “It’s mirrored so perfectly that it’s hard to tell where the surface is, like where reality meets reflection,” she said about the photo of trees on a glassy lake.

Holsopple is an artist, photographer and renowned videographer who teaches photography and digital media-related courses in 91����Ƶ’s VACA department. He has a BS degree in Bible from 91����Ƶ, an MDiv from Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary, and a PhD in Media & Communication from European Graduate School. He led undergraduate intercultural trips to the Baltics in 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021 and 2023.��

A 2013 trip to the country resulted in the photography exhibit and book, Traces of a Social Movement: The Baltic Way, about people who participated in a 630-kilometer-long human chain, formed in August 1989 across Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

Heim’s work focuses on the ways human-influenced environmental change impacts wildlife. Her series of photographs capturing the struggle between two rival owl species earned her last fall. She was named a this year.

She will present at a Suter Science Seminar on Friday from 10:15-11:15 a.m. in Suter Science Center 106. Her presentation, “Wild Heart: Bringing Empathy and Grace to Environmental Storytelling,” will teach audience members how to tap into their curiosity and creative processes and unlock new ways of seeing the world.

Later that day, at 4 p.m., Heim will host an opening reception for an exhibition featuring her photography at the Margaret Martin Gehman Gallery. The exhibition will run through Friday, Oct. 4.

Both events are free to attend and open to the public. Please see the campus map for parking information.

Heim used infrared techniques to photograph at night and limit disturbing the nocturnal owls. Her evocative images capture the last-ditch efforts being made by conservationists to try to save the northern spotted owl from extinction. One of those efforts includes the , which are outcompeting the spotted owl for habitat and resources. 

“This story poses a question with no easy answer: When is it acceptable to kill one wild species to try to save another?” Heim asks in her portfolio, “An Owl for an Owl.”

This won’t be the first time that students in 91����Ƶ’s Visual And Communication Arts (VACA) program have seen Heim’s photography.

VACA Professor Steven Johnson has known Heim for nearly a decade and frequently showcases her work as an example of powerful environmental storytelling.

“Morgan’s photography is authentic, compassionate and engaging,” Johnson said. “She’s really at the top of her game, and her work aligns perfectly with 91����Ƶ’s commitment to environmental stewardship and sustainability.”

Heim, who lives in Astoria, Oregon, is the founder of , a storytelling and strategy platform for conservation. In 2020, she co-launched , which is aimed at raising the voices of diverse women in the craft of conservation visual storytelling. She is a Senior Fellow with the , and her work has appeared in National Geographic, Audubon, Smithsonian and The New York Times. She has been recognized in Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Siena International Photo Awards and the Big Picture Natural World Photo Competitions.

In early October, the conservation photographer traveled to London for an awards ceremony honoring him among The annual competition, hosted by the Natural History Museum, selected his photo “Pool of Wonder” and 99 others for inclusion in the exhibition. A jury of nature photography experts picked the 100 winning images out of 49,957 entries from photographers in 95 countries.

That means Johnson’s photo was part of only 0.2 percent of submissions to receive the coveted award. It’s not hard to see why the contest has been described as “one of the most prestigious in world photography” ().

Johnson networked with skilled photographers from around the world, including some up-and-coming talents in the youth category, at the ceremony. He and his wife, Anna Maria, explored the museum and admired the other winning photos.

When he returned home from the trip, he searched online to see which news outlets had covered the event. It was then he saw that among their 13 favorites from the competition. 

‘Something a little special’

“Pool of Wonder” captures a cluster of spotted salamander eggs nestled on a bed of sphagnum moss just under the surface of a vernal pool in Augusta County, Virginia. 

Vernal pools are temporary bodies of water that form from seasonal rains and snowmelt, Johnson writes on his . In late winter and early spring, the pools host breeding events for amphibians and macroinvertebrates. The pools are ideal nurseries for salamanders because they’re safe from predators such as fish.

“As a conservation photographer, I’m drawn to the intricate dance of underwater life in Appalachian Mountain forests and nearby lowlands,” he states on his website.

Johnson, professor and program director for the visual and communication arts (VaCA) department, created the photo in March 2020 during a sabbatical. Taking good pictures of vernal pools requires being there at the right time and a lot of searching, he said. The vernal pool featured in “Pool of Wonder” is on land owned by a friend who serves with him on the Virginia Wilderness Committee.

Johnson used a camera rig capable of being submerged underwater to capture the split between the sparse brush seen above the surface and the lush vegetation below. 

“The light was beautiful, and it’s really just a few inches of water, so I’m just kind of crouched by the side slowly lowering my camera in to try to not disturb the sediment around it,” he said, recalling the moment he took the photo. 

“Pool of Wonder” graced the cover of the summer 2021 issue of Nature Conservancy magazine. Johnson has previously likened the sunlight filtering through the eggs in the picture, and the delicate shades of blue and green, to “an aquatic Vermeer painting” (91����Ƶ News). 

He entered the wildlife photography contest for his first time this year after some encouragement from friends in the field.

“This one always felt like it had something a little special to it,” he said. “I think the sort of symmetry, the color, it all felt like something had come together in that image.”

Johnson, who authored an with featured essays by vernal pools expert Michael Hayslett, said part of his mission as a conservation photographer is to highlight the threat that development and climate change pose to the underwater worlds.

Less predictable spring rains are causing pools to dry up before the young salamanders can fully develop and live on land. 

“[Hayslett] has told me that living here for decades, there used to be one big night where you could predict all the spotted salamanders would come out and migrate, and now that’s become very fragmented to much smaller events,” he said. 

Where art meets science 

When he’s not crouching by the side of a vernal pool in his waders, Johnson is teaching the next generation of photographers and visual artists.

In addition to conservation photography, his courses include advanced Photoshop, web design and social media. Johnson said the VaCA program teaches students about different forms of storytelling, from web and video production to animation and photography, and even painted murals.

“Students really get that full scope,” he said. “I think that is what makes them so marketable. They know how to do a whole bunch of things and do them well.”

’19 is putting the skills he learned from those classes to good use as media producer at Gravity Group, a Harrisonburg-based brand and marketing consultancy. He said the class in conservation photography instilled in him a love for nature photography. It not only taught him technical skills, but also how to be more intentional with the stories he tells.

Swartzendruber described “Pool of Wonder” as visually stunning.

“It truly brings me to an entirely different world just looking at it,” he said.

“He’s doing something that I’ve genuinely never seen before with the knowledge he has.”

Johnson is now in his 19th year at 91����Ƶ. He said one unique strength for the VaCA program is the wealth of places to photograph nature near campus, such as the 1.6 million acre . The cameras they use in their courses, even at the introductory level, are the same ones he uses professionally, he added.

He welcomes students approaching his visual and communication arts classes from a background in environmental science and biology.

“If they love the world of nature, the environment and also want to communicate about that, we have two dedicated courses right now they can develop those skills and find faculty who are passionate about that intersection,” Johnson said.

One new class he’ll be co-teaching in the spring with Professor Steve Cessna is Communication and the Environment. The class will teach students how scientists and advocacy nonprofits communicate about science and the environment, what kinds of strategies they use and will give students a chance to try it themselves.

Professor Tara Kishbaugh, dean of 91����Ƶ’s School of Sciences, Engineering, Arts and Nursing, said Johnson exemplifies the value of a liberal arts education in reflecting the importance of communication skills and multidisciplinary work.

“Steven’s focus on communication of conservation needs aligns well with our science programs, particularly those in environmental science, and is one of many reasons why I am happy to have the arts within my school,” Kishbaugh said. “91����Ƶ students, both within and outside the arts programs, can benefit from Steven’s expertise and his thoughtful way of living out his values in his teaching and his art.”

But for 91����Ƶ’s conservation photography class, there is still work to be done.

The class, taught by professor Steven Johnson, is in its second year at 91����Ƶ, and partners students with area nonprofits that focus on environmental issues.

Conservation photography seeks to “think about broader ecosystems, the environment, human culture and how they relate to the natural world,” Johnson, who helped bring the class to 91����Ƶ, said, “but it’s also about protection.”

The International League of Conservation Photographers helped coin the term when the group started in October 2005.

Each fall semester, the class works with an environmental nonprofit that helps orient students to the region’s natural habitats threatened by development.

Students take photos of the study area, highlighting its ecological relevance and wilderness, for the nonprofit to use for advocacy purposes and advance the cause of conservation.

For the past two semesters, the class has collaborated with the group Friends of Shenandoah Mountain, a coalition of local residents working to protect the “wild heritage of Shenandoah Mountain for future generations,” according to its website.

The main project this semester – and one of the nonprofit’s major goals – aims to shed light on Dominion Resource’s proposed 550-mile pipeline and its potential impact on the region.

“I’m very clear with my students, this is an advocacy class, not a science class,” Johnson said. “We’re trying to contribute to the objectives of these nonprofits we’re working with.”

Lynn Cameron, vice president of the Virginia Wilderness Committee and co-chair of Friends of Shenandoah Mountain, has helped facilitate the students’ field trips to areas near the mountain, such as Braley Pond and the Hankey Mountain area, which would be directly affected by the pipeline, according to the group’s website.

Last year, the class worked with several organizations, such as the Virginia Wilderness Committee, to “establish and advocate for more sections of wilderness” in the George Washington National Forest, Johnson said.

While he admitted that project was “less confrontational” than this year’s, it was difficult to work with multiple nonprofits while managing transportation and logistics. So, this year he focused solely on Friends of Shenandoah Mountain this year because the group was “really invested in our students … and gave them feedback about their imagery.”

Cameron, who’s been active with Friends of Shenandoah Mountain since it formed 10 years ago, appreciates the partnership between the advocacy group and the class, calling it “mutually beneficial.”

“It really helps our efforts to have these images … and being able to show the beauty of the area, the water resources and the recreational resources,” she said.

Students addressed one of the group’s concerns with regard to habitat endangerment when they found and photographed a cow knob salamander on one of their trips, which lives nowhere else in the world, according to Cameron. She was impressed at the engagement students had with the project.

“I was amazed at the way students were so hands-on, looking for life that was there,” she said.

Students also communicated with private landowners whose homes are located close to the proposed pipeline.

“Sometimes, landowners call us and say, `I want people to know this is land that could be taken by the pipeline, and if those images will be helpful in raising awareness and getting people fired up, then I want students to document this area,'” Johnson said.

Courtesy of the Daily News Record, Nov. 22, 2014

Close to 3,000 people attended each day of the festival, July 11-13, 2014, at in Mt. Solon, Virginia. First held in the summer of 2013, the Red Wing festival is hosted by , a nationally known roots music band that features three alumni: Trent Wagler ’02, Eric Brubaker ’01 and Brian Dickel, class of ’98. (The fourth band member, Jay Lapp, attended 91����Ƶ’s sister Mennonite school in Indiana, Goshen College, for a time.)

After enjoying performing at other festivals across the country since they began touring seriously around 2010, members of The Steel Wheels began thinking about ways to create a new festival in the Shenandoah Valley.

Family friendly, honoring community roots

“We wanted it to be rooted in community and informed by our upbringing,” said Brubaker after Red Wing ended this year.��“We wanted a family-friendly event where we would be proud to bring our own children and expose them to many different kinds of authentic musical expression.”

The band partnered with Black Bear Productions, a local event production company, and began planning well over a year in advance for the first event. Their vision was realized in a multi-generational, community-focused festival that has brought dozens of performers and thousands of visitors for a long weekend of music on four stages at Natural Chimneys, about 20 miles south of 91����Ƶ’s campus.

“The exciting thing is that all [our] dreams and more are already being fulfilled,” Brubaker added. “It’s amazing that so many people from our community are investing time, creativity and resources to make the festival a true success.”

Jeremiah Jenkins, a managing partner of Black Bear Productions, said the welcoming, friendly atmosphere at the festival is one of its special characteristics.

“Red Wing has fans of all ages. This sets a certain tone of respect and appreciation among the crowd, and that collective enjoyment really fuels us all weekend,” he said. “Red Wing brings out both the seasoned festivarian and the first-timers, and together we create our own festival culture. We’re proud of the Red Wing fans, volunteers and staff that treat the park and each other with such conscientiousness.”

91����Ƶ was official sponsor

After noticing how many 91����Ƶ alumni attended the first festival, the university signed on as an official sponsor this year. Throughout the weekend, advancement staff passed out tea and connected with hundreds of alumni, prospective students and other festival-goers.

91����Ƶ and Red Wing organizers also collaborated to minimize the amount of trash generated at the festival. The festival banned the sale of plastic water bottles and required visitors to bring or purchase a reusable steel cup to use at the free water station and in the beer garden, Jenkins said. Food vendors were also required to use renewable, recycled or compostable materials for all service items.

Aware of 91����Ƶ’s commitment to sustainability, Black Bear Productions hired 91����Ƶ sustainability coordinator Jonathan Lantz-Trissel to oversee trash and recycling collection during the weekend. He and his team of volunteers collected well over 1,000 pounds of recyclable materials and 500 pounds of food waste to add to 91����Ƶ’s compost piles

“When people congratulate me on the festival, I always say that it takes a village,” Jenkins said.��“We’re so glad that 91����Ƶ is part of ours, from the alumni office and sustainability team to the many 91����Ƶ alumni that bring their families each year.”

Dozens of bands on four stages

In addition to The Steel Wheels, about 40 other bands performed this year at Red Wing, including , first formed under another name at 91����Ƶ. Six of the eight members are 91����Ƶ graduates: Lauren ’09 and Mitch Yoder ’09, Jackson Maust ’09, Kristina Yoder ’09, Adam Schmid ’09 and Seth Crissman ’09, MDiv ’15. Crissman also said the welcoming feel to the festival was important to the group.

“Something we care about a lot is being able to create and share music that is fun for everyone. There was a broad range of ages at Red Wing, and music brings all these people together,” he said. “In making music in this roots-folk tradition, we draw nourishment from those who have come before and, hopefully, pass it on to those who will come after us. It was a lot fun to be able to listen to and enjoy other musicians doing the same thing at Red Wing.��It was exciting to see so many people excited about roots and folk music, especially local music.”

Another band performing at Red Wing, , featured Reuben Miller ’00 on fiddle.

The third Red Wing Roots Music Festival will likely be held on the second weekend in July 2015, with exact dates to be announced soon on the festival’s and page. In the meantime, Brubaker said, The Steel Wheels will be recording a new album that will be ready in time for next year’s event.

The Virginia Wilderness Committee was referring to work that emerged from the first-ever “Conservation Photography” class at 91����Ƶ in the fall of 2013, in which photography professor required his students to partner with a conservation organization for a semester-long project.

“The intent was for the students to provide high-quality imagery to their partner organizations, which the partner organizations could then use for conservation advocacy,” says Johnson.

Four students in that class, Damon Pyles, Han Geon Park, Chass Kreider and Casey Myers, chose to work with the Virginia Wilderness Committee after a representative spoke to the class at Johnson’s invitation. These students photographed wilderness or near-wilderness areas in . A photo by Pyles, for example, featured a gleaming Cow Knob salamander against a bright-yellow leaf. Park captured a stunning view from a ridge in the proposed Shenandoah Mountain National Scenic Area. Kreider portrayed a hiker intently studying an information board. Myers focused on a clump of caterpillars.

The students’ photos centered on the beauty, unique attributes, and usefulness to outdoor enthusiasts of land that the Virginia Wilderness Committee hopes will be protected for future generations.

Two of the students, Myers and Kreider, focused specifically on an area of George Washington National Park called Three Ridges. Three Ridges is situated about 30 miles southwest of Charlottesville, Va, and is, according to the website HikingUpward, one of Virginia’s most popular backpacking trails.

Kreider drove out to Three Ridges with her husband almost every fall weekend and typically hiked eight miles in order to get the photographs needed for the project. “I learned that photographing animals and wildlife is really hard, but really rewarding,” she says.

Myers says that she had loved wildlife since she was a child, but didn’t realize how difficult it was to combine photography and wildlife observation. “Conservation photography takes time, dedication,” she says. “I tried to look for things that people wouldn’t normally see while there.”

The class certainly seems to have accomplished its goal in both teaching wilderness photography and facilitating conservation efforts. “We are grateful to Professor Johnson for envisioning this project and to his students for their meaningful photos,” says the Virginia Wilderness Committee website. “These photos illustrate the beauty, biodiversity, and intrinsic value of wilderness and will serve to teach and inspire all of us.”

Spory, who graduated from 91����Ƶ with degrees in and , will enroll in a dual degree master of architecture and master of community and regional planning program at the College of Design at Iowa State University in the fall of 2012.

“Although I am still very new to the field, I am interested in looking at design as a tool for economic and community development, rural architecture, and international and socially conscious environmental design,” Spory said.

Spory was selected from among 61 students nominated from the 95 schools that are members of the of church-related colleges and universities.

As a Lilly Fellow, Spory will attend four conferences over the next three years to collaborate with other fellows, senior scholars and luminaries who integrate research, teaching, vocation and an interest in church-related higher education. He will receive three annual $3,000 stipends for use as needed.

The current program will end in the fall of 2015, with the graduate fellows being introduced to representatives of the Lilly Fellows Program National Network at the network’s annual national conference.

While at 91����Ƶ, Spory was co-president of the for two years and was involved in and . He was also an intern with 91����Ƶ’s . He was a recipient of one of 91����Ƶ’s highest awards, the “” as a graduating senior.

, chair of at 91����Ƶ, said Spory is “an integrative thinker, drawing connections between his courses, cross-cultural experiences and extracurricular activities. His work consistently demonstrated creativity, attention to detail and strong design skills.”

A native of Boswell, Pennsylvania, Spory has been a marketing and sales associate with since June 2011. He attends Zion Mennonite Church in Broadway.

Faculty, staff and fellow students nominated the recipients, who were cited for their “significant and verifiable impact” on the university and on student life, for their contributions to developing the institution’s positive image, for substantial contributions to the Harrisonburg/Rockingham County area and beyond, for their high academic and social standing and their embodiment of 91����Ƶ’s shared values of Christian discipleship, community, service and peacebuilding.

They wore gold and blue cords as they graduated Sunday, April 29.

Blue represents strength of conviction that one person can help to create a better institution or community. Gold represents the love of spirit and yearning toward creating a better university environment or community.

The recipients are:

• Benjamin Bailey, Simsbury, Conn., peacebuilding and development, Biblical studies major;
• Brendon Derstine, Harleysville, Pa., history and social science, secondary education licensure;
• Grace Engle, Wauseon, Ohio, social work major;
• Brandon Habron, Fredericksburg, Va., liberal arts major;
• Katie Jantzen, Plymouth, Neb., environmental sustainability;
• Clothilda Johnson, Banjul, The Gambia, nursing major;
• Katherine Landis, Lancaster, Pa., photography, digital media major;
• Rebekah *[last name omitted on request], Pettisville, Ohio, nursing major;
• Michelle Ramirez, Harrisonburg, Va., social work major;
• Andrew Richter, Perkasie, Pa., business administration major.

“Leaf. Flower. Spiral. The Flow of Energy in the Natural World” opened Sunday, Feb. 13 with a reception from 3-5 p.m.

Steven David Johnson, Scott Jost, and Howard Zehr are all experienced photographers with an interest in the natural world. Johnson and Zehr are professors at 91����Ƶ, while Jost, a former 91����Ƶ prof, now teaches photography and design at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va.

Portfolios focus on nature’s beauty

Johnson’s work focuses on whirlpools, natural spirals that form abstract patterns in the images he shot on the North Fork of the Shenandoah River.

Jost’s portfolio of photos, called “Un/Cultivated,” uses very shallow depth of field to create lush, colorful images of emerging spring plants that evoke feelings of renewal and growth.

Zehr’s “Leaf Portraits” capture the personalities, textures, and individualities of leaves using portrait lighting in a studio setting.

“Rather than seek ‘perfect’ specimens at the peak of their development, I watched for leaves with personality, leaves that showed signs of having lived and were now moving toward ‘death,’” Zehr explained. Many of the leaves came from his own yard.

Zehr’s photography has been included in a variety of publications and exhibits, including four books published by Good Books. Jost is a contributing photographer to “The Great Valley Road of Virginia: Shenandoah Landscapes from Prehistory to the Present.” Johnson is a featured artist in Ruminate Magazine and Rock and Sling, and his work has also been published in Orion, Shots, Blue Ridge Country, and National Geographic Traveler.

The exhibit is on display from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily in the dining room and will hang through March 27. All works are for sale, and range in price from $175 to $225. Small prints and cards are also available.

91����Ƶ the Arboretum

The State Arboretum of Virginia is part of historic Blandy Experimental Farm, a research field station for the University of Virginia’s Department of Environmental Sciences. Blandy Experimental Farm is on Route 50 in Clarke County, about 10 miles east of Winchester and 20 miles west of Middleburg. Directions and a calendar of events are online at .

Soon they will benefit from new state-of-the-art digital media lab space, classrooms and galleries, thanks to a recently funded renovation to 91����Ƶ’s University Commons.

Associate professor Steven D. Johnson interacts with students in a digital media lab during class at 91����Ƶ. 91����Ƶ’s visual and communication arts major is one of the most popular programs offered. Students will soon benefit from updated state-of- the-art labs, part of a recently funded renovation of University Commons at 91����Ƶ. Photo by Matt Gillis

91����Ƶ’s board of trustees, alumni and friends have "stepped up" to provide $2.41 million in cash and pledges for Phase II of the University Commons, reports Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement.

"It’s an amazing show of support in these uncertain economic times," he says.

Renovation highlights

The overall project includes renovation of the former gymnasium, built in 1957, into two upgraded theater performance spaces and classrooms. This includes a new Mainstage Theater as well as the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, named in honor of the late artist and actor who was a 1986 graduate.

The popular student coffee house, Common Grounds, will also be expanded in the renovation.

More than 40 students were involved in the spring 2010 mainstage theater production of IOLANTHE by Gilbert & Sullivan and directed by Heidi Winters Vogel, associate professor of theater. 91����Ƶ’s theater department attracts students from across the university to participate in its high quality productions. Coupling updated facilities and technology to the energy of students and faculty will enhance learning and artistic possibilities at 91����Ƶ. Photo by Jon Styer

New studio art gallery

A new student art gallery will be named in honor of Margaret Martin Gehman, retired art faculty member.

Gehman taught and at 91����Ƶ from 1944 until her retirement in 1987. She serves regularly as a volunteer on campus and with other local organizations and has been a long-time strong financial supporter of the university.

She was the first recipient of the eponymous "91����Ƶ Philanthropist of the Year" award from the university in 2005.

Digital media labs key to program

"91����Ƶ offers an excellent digital media program taught by faculty who are experts in the field and is one of the few Christian colleges to offer a full photography major," notes , associate professor of visual and communication arts.

"With increased student demand for our programs, these upgraded labs will advance our goal of teaching students to communicate effectively, passionately and ethically in an increasingly diverse society."

The advanced media lab will be named in memory of former 91����Ƶ trustee and long-time supporter, Kenneth A. Longacre.

Theater core to campus life

91����Ƶ’s theater department attracts students from across the university to participate in its high quality productions. Students are regularly recognized at the Kennedy Center/American College Theater Festival for their achievements.

Coupling updated facilities and technology to the energy of students and faculty will enhance learning and artistic possibilities at 91����Ƶ.

"91����Ƶ theater faculty, staff and students have been making amazing art happen in primitive conditions," states Heidi Winters Vogel, theater department chair.

"I am so excited to see what we can do with performance and production spaces that are designed for theater. Watch for it!"

Upcoming theater events in renovated spaces

The first theatrical production in the renovated Main Stage Theater is scheduled for March 2011.

The Lee Eshleman Studio Theater, named in honor of the late artist and actor who was a 1986 graduate, will house key theater events that occur throughout the year like:

• Gonzo Theate, a student-run improv troupe that performs throughout the academic year
• student-directed plays like Anon(ymous)

More info

Renovations began in early May, with completion anticipated in November.

• More about the project
• Phone contact: (540) 432-4200

]]> /now/news/2010/emu-digital-media-grad-receives-design-prize/ Thu, 24 Jun 2010 04:00:00 +0000 http://www.emu.edu/blog/news/?p=2261

2010 91����Ƶ graduate Lindsey Grosh (Photo by Jim Bishop)

Lindsey J. Grosh, who graduated cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in photography with minors in TESL and Spanish, is a regional winner in a nationwide contest, “Art for the Long Haul,” sponsored by Celadon Trucking Services.

She received a $500 prize for a design she submitted for the company’s 25th anniversary celebration.

Grosh got the pleasant news upon returning to her York, Pa., home following 91����Ƶ graduation ceremonies on May 2.

, headquartered in Indianapolis, Ind., ranks as one of North America’s largest truckload carriers with some 4,000 employees and operating roughly 3,300 tractors and 10,000 trailers.

Grosh’s winning entry, intended for display on the side of the company’s tractor trailers, was several photos of piglets from a black-and-white photography project on her family’s farm. She merged the photos into a panoramic design.

A portion of Lindsey Grosh’s winning design in the Celadon Trucking Services student art contest.

“I submitted my design in February, and hadn’t heard anything before school ended,” Grosh said. “I came home and opened a letter naming me as winner of the Northeast region of the U.S. I was quite surprised and pleased.

“I was really delighted with the photographs and got a lot of positive feedback [in class],” Grosh said.

“I think it’s neat that Celadon held this contest just for the sake of supporting the arts,” Grosh added. “The money came at a great time, as I am currently looking for work back home in Pennsylvania. I am hoping to use my photography skills, perhaps working in a studio or for a small company as their media/communication person.”

Internship provided real-world experience

Grosh interned in 91����Ƶ’s marketing and communications department throughout her senior year.

She’s credited with a number of photos used in marketing materials and on the university website’s many photo galleries of life on campus.

As a senior she was also one of three student video bloggers on the university website.

More info

• Visual and Communication Arts program
• Marketing and communications internships

]]> /now/news/video/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-emu-student-katie/ /now/news/video/a-day-in-the-life-of-an-emu-student-katie/#respond Thu, 22 Apr 2010 20:26:27 +0000 http://emu.edu/blog/video/?p=10 Katie, a second-year photography and digital media major with a journalism minor, walks though a typical day at 91����Ƶ.

Last year, Jerry Holsopple spent his days teaching in the visual and communication arts department at 91����Ƶ. These days, he’s still teaching – but he’s doing it at LCC International University in Lithuania.

Jerry Holsopple is captured on a photo expedition by one of his students at LCC International University.

Holsopple, 52, is in Lithuania for the duration of the 2009-2010 school year on a Fulbright scholarship, a grant that allows academics to engage in global intellectual pursuits. The application process is extremely competitive; Holsopple is one of just two scholars in Lithuania this year. He’s based at LCC International University, where he teaches photography, film and culture and religious art classes. He chose the country for his studies for a number of reasons.

"I chose Lithuania since I have brought 91����Ƶ students here for six-week experiences and really enjoy the students here," Holsopple said via e-mail. "I also wanted to study [religious] icon painting and connected on a previous trip with a Russian Orthodox priest who agreed to teach me if I came back for a year."

Holsopple first became fascinated with icons – broadly defined as religious works of art – on a trip to Bulgaria in the 1990s. "I visited several churches and a large gallery, which was where many were put in these countries during the Soviet era, and became fascinated by them," he said.

But rather than learning about the icon-painting process from a book, Holsopple wanted to try it firsthand. He studies with the priest who had previously agreed to teach him. The man "speaks primarily Russian and Lithuanian. I take LCC students along to translate," Holsopple said. "The conversations are about more than icons, [they’re] about life and the way we approach our work."

The duo have plenty of opportunity for conversation, because the icon-painting process is lengthy. It begins by roughing the surface of a quarter-sawn piece of wood and then applying coats of gelatin and water mixtures.

"After two or three layers of this, you soak a piece of linen cloth in the gelatin water and then smooth that onto the board," Holsopple said. Then, the board is coated with about a dozen more coats of gelatin water mixed with chalk; between coats, "you sand, gradually using finer and finer sandpaper," he said. This part of the process takes four to five weeks, he said, after which the board is ready for use.

For his icon, Holsopple chose the angel Michael, drawing inspiration from other paintings for his own etching. "I start with a very old one painted by Rublev, seeking to understand how he draped the clothing," he said. "Learning to do the eyes and the hands took the most time."

When Holsopple’s drawing was complete, he transferred it to the board using carbon paper and then scratched it into the surface with an awl. After that, he began painting and applying gold leaf. All that’s left is to finish painting and then apply a clear varnish to protect the image. The final step, Holsopple said, is to have the icon blessed.

"To be a full part of the tradition, the icon will need to be blessed by a priest," he said. He plans to bring the icon back to the U.S.

In addition to icon-painting and teaching, Holsopple finds time to explore Lithuania, camera in hand. Some highlights of his trip so far include taking a ferry across the Baltic Sea to Stockholm, buying wool socks and fresh fruit from "old ladies in little markets" and photographing a Lithuanian wedding. He’ll return to Harrisonburg at the end of June, a bittersweet conclusion to a rich year.

"I will miss Lithuania, especially the people, when I return, but it will also be good to be back with my colleagues at 91����Ƶ," he said. "I hope my year immersed in another tradition and type of work will allow me to evaluate in new ways my own tradition and work."