Media Mentions

A July 20 “Patriot-News” article about how central Pennsylvania is responding to the need for alterative energy solutions begins, “The midstate has a lot going on in the fields of alternative and renewable energy.” The article then goes on to talk almost exclusively about several Messiah initiatives, including developing markets for solar panels and biodiesel.

Read “College puts alternative energy to the test.”

“For me,” Stephen Bloom writes, “choosing to become a lawyer was simply the intuitive pursuit of a sensible alternative, something that felt right.” Bloom, adjunct professor of business at Messiah, has written much about the role of faith in practicing law, including the article “Making Friends With the Jealous Mistress” in the August issue of “The Pennsylvania Lawyer,” a publication of the Pennsylvania Bar Assocation. Bloom has also written the book, “The Believer’s Guide to Legal Issues.”

Emeritus Professor Clyde A. Ross explored the concert of “just war” in relation to the war in Iraq in a April 6 “As I See It” column for the “Harrisburg Patriot-News.”

“Insisting Iraq war is ‘just’ corrupts Christian tenets” is not available online.

James LaGrand, professor of American history, commented on Senator Barack Obama’s recent “A More Perfect Union” speech in the popular op-ed column “As I See It” in the April 7 “Harrisburg Patriot-News.”

Read “Obama suggests moving past racial divide.”

New faculty member and urban anthropologist Jenell Williams Paris is wondering, “What’s the deal with the East Shore-West Shore divide?” As a Grantham resident who regularly visits Harrisburg with her children, Paris explains in her March 30 “As I See It” column for the “Harrisburg Patriot-News” why the West and East Shores seem much further away than an odometer would tell.

“More than miles separate Harrisburg, West Shore” is not available online.

In a story about the stresses of being a teacher, the March 2 “Philadelphia Inquirer” again quoted Kevin Zook, chair of the education department at Messiah College. Zook’s contribution to the article was beneath the heading “Get parental support;” he asserts that teachers are wise to reach out to parents to determine the home environment of their students and what teaching methods might be most effective.

“Life lessons: Teachers should work to balance stressful jobs” is not available online.

WhatHappensNow, a web site developed to provide “the best advice for life” recently featured an article, “Creating Your Family Medical History,” that included quotes from Messiah College’s Raeann Hamon, professor of human development and family science. “Start asking questions at family gatherings…some people don’t mind, but other family members may be more reluctant, so you need to respect the boundaries,” Hamon advises. “If you let your family know you’re doing this to improve the next generation’s health, they’re usually more willing to participate.”

Read the entire article at WhatHappensNow.

A teacher’s rookie year can be difficult as he or she encounters some of the unexpected challenges and stresses of relating to students and their parents. Kevin Zook, chair of the education department at Messiah, offered this caution in a Feb. 3 “Philadelphia Inquirer” article: “One of the biggest mistakes I have observed in new teachers is the desire to be liked by their students. They then err on the side of being too lenient and casual in their interactions with students.”

“Education grads, take note” not available online.

A husband and wife team on the faculty each conducted extensive research about the traditions and practices of the Amish in order to write their individual books — “Beyond the Plain and Simple: A Patchwork of Amish Lives” by Pauline Stevick, adjunct instructor of English and interdisciplinary studies, and “Growing Up Amish” by Richard Stevick, professor emeritus of psychology. The “Harrisburg Patriot-News’” book editor Mary O. Bradley featured the books in her Jan. 24 column.

Read “Three writers cast eyes on Amish lifestyle.”

A “Harrisburg Patriot-News” story about how a local cross country standout is winning her battle with an eating disorder quoted Messiah’s Kay Witt, associate professor of nutrition, about the importance of reaching out to female athletes struggling with eating disorders.

Read “Running battle.”