Jama Yoder (left) and Ariel Ropp work on a spring 2013 issue of The Record.

Goshen College students recently received awards during a state competition for their involvement with campus publications.

The Indiana Collegiate Press Association (ICPA) presented awards at its annual conference on April 13 at Indiana University at Bloomington. Among the winners were staff members of The Record, the student newspaper, and Red Cents, a student arts journal.

Three staff members of The Record received individual awards.

Twila Albrecht took second place in best news feature reporting for a profile of Marvin Graber, a piano tuner from Goshen who is blind. Kate Stoltzfus received second place for her op-ed entitled “A book is not a Nook,” a tribute to the significance of printed books. Phil Scott was awarded third place for best editorial cartoon.

The Record also received several team awards. The spring 2012 Reporting for the Public Good class earned third place in the special issue category for their series of articles on race and culture in Goshen. The fall 2012 Writing for Media class received second place for best pullout section with their coverage on the municipal, regional and national election races.

The awards cover the calendar year 2012, during which time Matthew Amstutz served as editor during the spring semester and Becca Kraybill during the fall semester. Duane Stoltzfus, professor of communications, serves as the paper’s advisor.

In addition, a second-place award for best themed issue went to Kraybill and her staff for their Oct. 11 anniversary package on the death of James Miller, the biology professor who was murdered in 2011.

Red Cents, a literary and arts journal edited and published by students, took several honors for its 2012 edition. In group awards, the journal won first place for best single issue, third place for the best overall design and third place for best literary journal of the year.

In individual awards, Kate Stoltzfus won first place for best free verse poem with her poem “Oracle.” Mary Roth won second in the same category for her poem “Elder Song.” Sophie Lapp won third place in the category of best photographic art.

The editoral team for the 2012 issue included Annie Martens (’12), Kate Stoltzfus, Lauren Stoltzfus and Natasha Weisenbeck. Ann Hostetler and Jessica Baldanzi, professors of English, co-advised the magazine.

The association’s annual contest recognizes the best student work in Indiana college newspapers and other publications. Goshen College is entered in Division III, for colleges with a non-daily publication and an enrollment of 2,000 or fewer full-time students.

-By Becca Kraybill
Duane Stoltzfus contributed to this press release

Goshen College seniors Tavo Parral, an elementary education major from San Antonio, and Yvette Cardenas, a nursing major from outside Chicago, meet with Assistant Director of Diverse Student Support Sophie Metzger in the Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning offices.
Photo by Jodi H. Beyeler

Goshen College students Tavo Parral and Yvette Cardenas recently donned caps and gowns to receive their diplomas at graduation in front of their families—the blood relatives who traveled from a distance and the families they formed on campus.

The two seniors, who were both raised by single moms, were able to attend Goshen College—along with nine other graduates this year—because they received scholarships through the college’s Center for Intercultural and International Education (CIIE), which offers up to full tuition for first-generation Latino students.

Though they both experienced initial challenges as they adapted to being away from home at a small college in a small town, being ethnic minorities on a predominantly white campus and not being Mennonite, the support they found through CIIE made all the difference.

“They gave me opportunities and helped me feel welcomed here,” said Parral. “They set me up to succeed with financial, emotional and academic support. And they told me that if I ever needed anything, ‘we’re here for you.’”

Being a first-generation minority college student, that support was “definitely needed,” he said. “These people have become another family for me and it feels like home when I am with them.”

CIIE
CIIE was developed (it was formerly called the Center for Intercultural Teaching and Learning) when Goshen College received a $12.5 million grant in 2006 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to recruit and retain first-generation Latino students, to create an intercultural learning community and to research the impact of changing demographics in the region and the campus.

One measurement of what has changed at the college since is to consider that in 2007, 6.2 percent of undergraduate students were Latino, and in 2012 that almost doubled to 12.3 percent.

As the grant-funding period comes to an end for CIIE, the college’s goal is to become a Hispanic Serving Institution, which requires that at least 25 percent of students be Latino.

“CIIE serves as a sign post of our abiding commitment to make Goshen College, inside and out, top to bottom, through and through, a World House of Learning,” said President Jim Brenneman. “Everything Goshen College has been in the past has brought us to this moment.”

Getting to Goshen
For Parral, an elementary education major, the home he grew up in is 1,300 miles away in San Antonio, Texas. College wasn’t even on his radar until high school, though he had always been a good student; it just wasn’t the priority in his family.

Culturally, Goshen was also worlds away from the big city, Catholic, Spanglish-speaking Mexican-American community he grew up in. He adapted to living in a small town, to the food and now “most of my friends are white,” he said. The Midwestern winters, on the other hand, are harder to get used to.

For Cardenas, a nursing major, home was a little closer—just outside of Chicago—and education was a high priority for her family. Her mom, who hadn’t graduated from high school and struggled to get ahead, always said “not going to college wasn’t an option.”

When the time came, Cardenas was planning to go to a community college near because of the cost and to be close to family. But at a college fair, she was instead drawn to the purple table and “fell in love with Goshen College.”

“Being the first in my family to attend college was something honorable, but also a responsibility, especially when you have two younger sisters who look up to you,” she said.

Understanding selves and developing as leaders
As participants in CIIE, Parral and Cardenas had the opportunity to develop as leaders and explore their ethnic identity.

“They really make you examine yourself, what you believe, your identity and how you can then use that to help others. Growing up, we never sat down and discussed being Latinos,” Cardenas said. “We just were.”

Not only have these students been changed by Goshen College, but they have changed the college as well. CIIE encourages participants to serve the campus and the broader community while developing their leadership skills.

Parral was the men’s basketball team captain and a resident assistant. Cardenas helped plan events for local Latino high school students and facilitated a mentoring group for other college students.

“I now see myself as a leader and a community organizer,” she said. “I gained self-confidence that I can do it because I know my own talents better.”

Faith connections
Most of the students who are part of the CIIE program are Catholic, like Parral, or Evangelical, like Cardenas, but not Mennonite like the majority of GC students. Though neither Parral nor Cardenas have become Mennonite, they both spoke of coming to respect and appreciate the faith during their four years. But more importantly, their own faiths have been impacted positively in this context.

“Experiencing other faith traditions really opened me up spiritually and deepened my Catholic faith,” said Parral, who participated in Catholic worship on and off campus. “It helped me to understand myself better and appreciate my Catholic faith.”

Beyond Goshen
The CIIE program culminates with helping students integrate their ethnic identity and leadership development for life beyond. Both Parral and Cardenas are clear that they want their life work to be focused on helping others. For Parral, that means teaching and mentoring kids. For Cardenas, being a nurse is where she finds fulfillment, especially working with non-English speaking patients.

“After taking care of a Spanish-speaking patient who couldn’t understand a word from his health care professionals, it became evident that I was able to give a bit more by helping bridge that gap between two cultures—two cultures that I was born into,” she said. “I have learned that being bicultural and bilingual is a blessing.”

With graduation over, Cardenas plans to move back to Chicago, pass the nursing board exam, get a good job and help her mom financially. In five years, she hopes to put her nursing skills to use as a missionary.

Parral will return home to the Mexican-American community that he grew up in as he prepares to seek his first teaching job. But his second home has left a mark on him.

“Being here forever changed me,” he said. “I know myself now.”

- By Jodi H. Beyeler

“Receiving this prestigious and competitive grant is an honor and speaks to the strength of the college’s science programs and faculty, and in working with diverse students through our Center for Intercultural and International Education,” said Goshen College Academic Dean Anita Stalter. “We are pleased to have this assistance in seeking to recruit and retain more students in the sciences from groups which are traditionally underrepresented, and to help prepare them to make significant contributions to the world.”

In addition to receiving a four-year scholarship of up to $40,000 total, the recipients will participate in group activities to ensure their academic and professional success. African-American, Hispanic, Asian and Native American students are especially encouraged to apply. The first cohort of awardees will be first-year students in fall 2013.

The Goshen College Leaf Scholars project team includes Dr. David Housman, professor of mathematics; as well as Dr. Kent Palmer, associate professor of informatics; Dr. Ryan Sensenig, associate professor of biology and environmental science; Dr. Dan Smith, professor of chemistry; and Dr. John R. Buschert, professor of physics.

There are seven other colleges in Indiana which are also current recipients of this grant funding: Butler University, DePauw University, Indiana State University, Indiana University, Purdue University, Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology and St. Mary’s College. The NSF provides more information about this program on their website.

“Goshen College STEM students have opportunities to participate in a rich variety of integrative learning opportunities on our campus,” said Housman, who is leading this project. These include: a weekly Science Speaker series, the Maple Scholars summer research program, an annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, annual grade 7-12 Science Olympiad regional tournament and an annual Religion and Science conference.

“The contributions our science alumni are making in the world demonstrate how well our programs prepare students,” said Housman.

Goshen College’s strong science programs prepare graduates for success:

• Goshen College is ranked number 1 in the percentage of graduates who received Ph.D.s in the life sciences among the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities’ 70 undergraduate institutions.
• In a recent study by Franklin and Marshall College of over 500 undergraduate institutions, Goshen College ranked in the top 5 percent for its percentage of graduates who earned Ph.D.s in life sciences.
• 100 percent of Goshen College students who applied to medical school in 2012 were accepted, and the 5-year average medical school acceptance rate for Goshen College graduates is 92 percent.
• 90 percent of Goshen College chemistry graduates who applied to graduate school were accepted.
• 70 percent of Goshen College physics majors enter graduate school.

Notable Goshen College science alumni include: cancer researcher Dr. Douglas Schwartzendruber ’78, who was named one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people; biologist Roger Beachy ’66, who was the first director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture; and biologist Orie Eigsti ’31, who developed the seedless watermelon.

The criteria for qualifying for the scholarships are available here. Persons interested in this scholarship should contact the Goshen College Admission Office by calling (574) 535-7535 or emailing admission@goshen.edu.

Dan Charles

Dan Charles, a food and agriculture correspondent for National Public Radio (NPR), will be the speaker at Goshen College’s 115th commencement on Sunday, April 28 at 3 p.m. in the Roman Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center. His speech is entitled “Searching for what’s real in a digital world.”

This year there are 244 undergraduates and 16 master’s degree candidates scheduled to receive diplomas at commencement.

Check out the graduation webpage for a full schedule of events and other helpful information about graduating and Commencement Weekend.

Since 2011, Charles has reported for NPR on the culture, business and science behind food. His passion for storytelling has followed him as he’s reported on mosquitos, digital maps, sugar beets and fixed-gear bikes.

Before working at NPR, Charles was an independent radio producer and writer. He contributed articles on technology, public health, environment and education to magazines including National Geographic, New Scientist and Scientist.

In 2009-10, Charles taught journalism in Ukraine through the Fulbright program. He is the author of two books:  Master Mind: The Rise and Fall of Fritz Haber, The Nobel Laureate Who Launched the Age of Chemical Warfare (Ecco, 2005); and Lords of the Harvest: Biotech, Big Money, and the Future of Food (Perseus, 2001) about the origins of genetically engineered crops.

Charles grew up in a rural Mennonite community near Lancaster, Pa. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics and international affairs from American University in 1982. He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Brigid McCarthy, and two daughters. They attend Community House Church.

Schedule of Goshen College’s 115^th Commencement Weekend activities:

Saturday, April 27
1:30 p.m. – Nurses’ Pinning Ceremony, Church-Chapel
2-5 p.m. – Department receptions – graduates and families meet informally with professors (exact times and locations to be announced by departments)
7:30 p.m. – Senior Class Program, Music Center’s Sauder Concert Hall
8:45 p.m. – President’s Reception for graduates and families, Music Center lobby

Sunday, April 28

11 a.m. – Baccalaureate service, with address by President James E. Brenneman, Church-Chapel
3 p.m. – 115^th Annual Commencement Ceremony, with address by Dan Charles, Roman Gingerich Recreation-Fitness Center (no tickets needed) 

-By Becca Kraybill

The Believers Church Bible Commentary Series (BCBCS) is a collection of Scripture analysis representing the cooperative effort of six denominations: Mennonite Church USA, Mennonite Church Canada, Brethren in Christ, Church of the Brethren, Mennonite Brethren and the Brethren Church.

Brant expressed joy and humility in accepting the position to join the board: “I am excited to step into this role. As someone who has always been active in my home congregation, I see this as another way to serve. We hope the message of God’s Word, which is always worthy of more attention, will be brought to life in new ways through these volumes.”

Brant has served on the faculty of Goshen College since 1993. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, and master’s and doctoral degrees from McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. She will be replacing retired bishop and seminary instructor Paul M. Zehr, who served as the chair of the editorial council of the series for more than 25 years.

“Jo-Ann’s love of Scripture is palpable in all she does and who she is as a person,” said Dr. James E. Brenneman, president of Goshen College. “She embodies passionate learning and creative energy and is a person of wise counsel. She will bring her whole self to this new role, and Mennonite Church USA and the BCBCS will be the better for it.”

Brant’s editorial roles have included serving as program chair for several sections in the Society of Biblical Literature and as a member of the editorial board of the Journal of Biblical Literature. Her recent publications in New Testament scholarship include two works focusing on the Book of John, as part of the New Testament Paideia Commentary Series (Baker Academic Press, 2011) and the Adult Bible Studies Series (Faith and Life Press, 2012).

“Jo-Ann is a New Testament scholar in every sense of the word, but this professional training is just one of the gifts she brings to the committee,” said Marty Lehman, director of churchwide operations for Mennonite Church USA. “Her wisdom and biblical understanding will be great assets for this role as well.”

The idea for the Believers Church Bible Commentary Series emerged in the mid-1970s when Ben Cutrell, then publisher of Mennonite Publishing House, tested the idea with the various denominations involved and with seminary and Bible college faculties. Cutrell established the structure, and in 1981, began to appoint editors; by 1986, the first volume was published.

The goal of the series is to facilitate Bible study for all and to aid in understanding the original message of Scripture and its meaning for today. Informed by recent scholarship and written for lay leaders, teachers, pastors and students, each volume follows a similar format of five sections: Preview, Outline, Explanatory Notes, Text in Biblical Context and Text in the Life of the Church.

“There are many valuable commentary series in publication,” said Brant. “One of the unique offerings of this series is that it is rooted in the nonviolent framework that molds our tradition, which is a vital voice that is often missing from other interpretations of our sacred texts.”

The range of this voice across generations is another aspect that intrigues Brant.

“The text is always moving and revealing itself in new ways,” she said. “To the first listeners, these words must have resonated as something both surprising and familiar. What’s fascinating is that what was familiar to them is now surprising to us and vice versa. Just like those first listeners, sometimes we need to recharge the familiar—with the help of the Holy Spirit, of course. That’s what I see as the task before this group. That’s the work that brings me to life.”

As of March 2013, there are 26 volumes in the Believers Church Bible Commentary Series, with 12 more volumes covering Old Testament books in process, and six more in writing or development stages from the New Testament. There will be 44 volumes in all when the series is complete, which is projected for 2020.

– by Jenn Carreto

Top, left to right: Meredith Anne Ebersole, Abe Stucky, Laurel Woodward, Emma Brooks
Bottom, left to right: Ben Adams, Juan Carlos Diaz Quezada, Abbie Miller, Sara Soto, Daniel Buschert

Nine Goshen College senior art majors will showcase their work in the Music Center’s Hershberger Art Gallery between March 10 and April 17.

The Senior Art Show I, open March 10-27, will display the art of Emma Brooks, Abe Stucky, Laurel Woodward and Meredith Anne Ebersole. An exhibit reception including refreshments will be held Sunday, March 10 from 2 to 4 p.m.

The Senior Art Show II, open March 31-April 17, will display the art of Abbie Miller, Ben Adams, Sara Soto, Daniel Buschert and Juan Carlos Diaz Quezada. An exhibit reception including refreshments will be held Sunday, April 7 from 2 to 4 p.m.

Emma Brooks (Littleton, Colo.) is displaying her typography and graphic design pieces. She is the daughter of Kevin and Susan Brooks.

Abe Stucky (Pittsburgh, Pa.) is displaying his ceramic pieces. He is the son of Max and Lynda Stucky.

Laurel Woodward (Newton, Kan.) is displaying her paintings and drawings. She is the daughter of Donald and Joan Schrock Woodward.

Meredith Anne Ebersole (Goshen) is displaying her mixed media pieces including paintings. She is the daughter of Donald and Carol Ebersole.

Abbie Miller (Wellman, Iowa) is displaying drawings that explore modern map-making. She is the daughter of Anthony and Diane Miller.

Ben Adams  (Madison, Wis.) is displaying his jewelry and sculpture pieces. He is the son of Ron and Marilou Adams.

Sara Soto (Goshen) is displaying a children’s book she created.

Daniel Buschert (Goshen) is displaying acrylic paintings on plexiglass. He is the son of John Ross and Lynette Buschert.

Juan Carlos Diaz Quezada (Matancillas, Jalisco, Mexico) is displaying his ceramics and acrylic paintings. He is the son of Benjamin and Maria Diaz.

The Hershberger Art Gallery is located in the Music Center and is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The building is accessible to people using wheelchairs and others with physical limitations.

-By Becca Kraybill 

• View photos of the first testing that FiveCore Media did with their new camera.
  
• Watch their first test video with the new equipment of a recent snowy day on campus
  

FiveCore Media (Goshen College’s video production company) is now one of the first companies in the world to buy and receive a BlackMagic Cinema Camera. This camera is the first of its kind that combines the technologies and quality of a digital cinema camera into an affordable package. Scientific American predicts by 2015 most theaters in the world will have been converted to digital projection. The move from film acquisition to digital increases exponentially every year. FiveCore’s investment in this new class of digital cameras benefits both its clients and the Goshen College students involved in the program.

FiveCore Media pre-ordered the camera in July but due to production issues, the device was delayed for six months. It arrived this month. Many companies who also pre-ordered still have not received the BlackMagic Camera. The BlackMagic Camera was first demonstrated at the National Association of Broadcasters conference in April of 2012.

“The BlackMagic camera gives us the ability to shoot cinema quality, high resolution video at no extra cost to our clients,” said General Manager Kyle Hufford. “For a production company and college of our size it’s an unique opportunity to be one of the first to obtain this new camera.”

The BlackMagic Cinema camera also offers FiveCore Media students the opportunity to learn cinema style production. They will now gain experience with both cinema cameras and digital cameras, giving students a wider base of skills in video production. It will help to prepare students for a career in either film or video production as FiveCore will have the equipment to train students in  several production styles.

“We now have the capability to teach our students hands on cinematic techniques with the BlackMagic Camera, while also giving us the flexibility to shoot in various styles for each production,” Hufford said.

On a technical level, the BlackMagic Cinema Camera gives footage a film-like grain and feel that common digital video cameras can’t. It also performs well in low light situations, giving FiveCore the capability to shoot in many different settings.

FiveCore Media is a video production company located in Goshen, Ind., comprised of creative professionals and a group of gifted Goshen College communication students. FiveCore Media writes, produces and edits videos including commercials, promotional and informational videos. To see some of FiveCore’s work, visit their website at fivecoremedia.com.

If you would like more information about this topic, call Kyle Hufford at 574-535-7192 or email khufford@goshen.edu.

>> Find out more about the differences between the physical education and exercise science majors with our helpful decision diagram.

To better address the needs of students and expand opportunities for them, Goshen College is both adding a new exercise science major and changing the Physical Education Department to the Kinesiology Department.

The exercise science major at Goshen College is for students interested in focusing specifically on the scientific aspects of physical education, such as exercise physiology, biomechanics, motor learning and exercise testing. Students also learn how to help people live healthier lives through nutrition, exercise and injury rehabilitation. “We are not moving away from physical education teaching, but we are expanding opportunities for students within the department,” said Dr. Jewel Lehman, Goshen College Professor of Kinesiology and chair of the department.

The exercise science major will be a rigorous program requiring anatomy, physiology and chemistry. Students who are successful in the program will be prepared for careers in exercise science and for graduate school. Exercise science majors have the option of getting a concentration in fitness leadership.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that participation in recreational sports is at an all-time high in society as people seek the positive effects sports and exercise can have on their whole health. Because of this trend, there is an increasing need for people with exercise science majors.

In terms of the department name change, “the name kinesiology more accurately describes current programming in our department at Goshen College,” Lehman said. “Kinesiology is a broad term which refers to the scientific study of human movement and it incorporates the varied areas of study within the discipline. Our department is evolving with the discipline and this growth merits the name change. Scholarly study, experience and professional practice are all included as important aspects within the program.”

With these changes, the Kinesiology Department will now offer majors in physical education and exercise science. Minors are available in sport management, physical education, exercise science, health, and sport and recreation. Students have the option of teaching (K-12 grades) with a physical education major or getting a coaching endorsement.

Goshen College students are focusing on the theme “Lion & Lamb” for a Student Art Show, which is on display until Feb. 1 in the college’s Good Library Gallery. There will be a reception on Sunday, Jan. 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. The exhibit includes over 30 artists and over 50 works of art in a variety of media, including drawing, jewelry, printmaking, sculpture, painting, photography and ceramics.
(Photo by Randy Horst/Goshen College Art Department)

Goshen College students’ thematic art exhibit: “Lion & Lamb”
Exhibit reception: Sunday, Jan. 13 from 4-5 p.m.
Exhibit dates: Thru Feb. 1
Location: The Good Library Gallery (basement)
Cost: Free and open to the public

Goshen College students will focus on the theme “Lion & Lamb” for a Student Art Show, which is on display until Feb. 1 in the college’s Good Library Gallery. There will be a reception on Sunday, Jan. 13 from 4 to 5 p.m. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

This year’s exhibit includes over 30 artists and over 50 works of art in a variety of media, including drawing, jewelry, printmaking, sculpture, painting, photography and ceramics. Some artwork explores the Biblical reference to the lion laying down with the lamb, others look at ideas and issues related to the animal kingdom or human psychological relationships and connections with animals, while some simply explore things that are diametrically opposite.

This is the third year a themed student exhibit has been held, with previous themes being: “Tolerance & the Other” and “North & South.” Professor of Art Randy Horst said, “Themes are selected that reflect the shared values of the Goshen College community. We try to pick themes that can be interpreted in a wide variety of approaches.” The Goshen College Art Department and Art Club are co-sponsoring the exhibit.

The Good Library Gallery, located on the lower level of the Harold and Wilma Good Library on the campus of Goshen College, is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 3 to 11 p.m. on Sunday. Hours vary during academic breaks, summer and holidays. For gallery hours, call (574) 535-7418.