2007 – 2008 Messiah College President's Report - (Page 8)

Centered scholarship In her honors course, Ecological Anthropology of the Andes, Nicole Steiner ’09 met a red-fronted macaw, an endangered species endemic only to Bolivia. Nicole was one of twelve students who worked with a Christian development and relief organization on service-learning projects that assisted food-insecure communities by encouraging ecologically sustainable practices in their daily lives. Quality of scholarship and hands-on application attract students to Messiah College “Hands-on opportunities are a big deal to the current generation of students. Theyʼre interested make a difference.” in working together to John Chopka, associate vice president for advancement and chief enrollment of cer Two major elements in a student’s decision to attend Messiah College are its academic quality and the opportunities for cocurricular exploration, according to John Chopka, associate vice president for advancement and chief enrollment of cer. Initiatives like the honors program are one way Messiah College seeks “to grow even further the number of really outstanding students here on campus,” says Dean Curry, associate professor of politics and head of the honors program. Through cultural events, guest speakers, and interdisciplinary courses, the honors program challenges students to become well-rounded scholars. These students often go on to provide leadership for campus organizations like the Collaboratory for Strategic Partnerships and Applied Research, which provides students from all disciplines — from engineering to visual art — opportunities to apply knowledge and skills from their eld of study to practical service. “Hands-on opportunities are a big deal to the current generation of students,” says Chopka. “They’re interested in working together to make a difference.” One Collaboratory project which is enabling students to transform the lives of others provides ergonomically engineered hand pumps that help disabled villagers in Burkina Faso draw their own water, allowing them to participate in a crucial facet of community life. Another project brings art and business students and educators together to promote microeconomic development in Zambia, teaching community members to create handmade paper using local bers. “Messiah College’s mission is not just a beautiful vision of what we hope to see someday,” says Chopka, “it is what our students are about today!” 8 http://www.messiah.edu http://www.messiah.edu http://www.messiah.edu/schools/math_eng_bus/collaboratory/index.html http://www.messiah.edu/departments/politics/ http://www.messiah.edu/academics/honors/index.html http://www.messiah.edu/academics/honors/index.html http://www.messiah.edu/schools/math_eng_bus/collaboratory/index.html http://www.messiah.edu/schools/math_eng_bus/collaboratory/index.html

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of 2007 – 2008 Messiah College President's Report

2007 – 2008 Messiah College President's Report Contents The Fusion of Intellect and Faith Centered on Scholarship Fueled by Faith Energized for Impact Stewards of our Mission Financial Reports / Volunteer Leader Appreciation Donor Recognition From Our Core Messiah College at a Glance A Year in Photos

2007 – 2008 Messiah College President's Report

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