Messiah College News Archive

Lucy Barnhouse, a 2008 graduate of the Messiah College History Department, has won a highly competitive Fulbright Research Fellowship to do archival graduate research in Germany during the next academic year. Barnhouse is currently studying medieval history at Fordham University.

Campus Compact has named 181 student leaders who have demonstrated an investment in finding solutions for challenges facing communities throughout the country as 2013 Newman Civic Fellows—including Messiah’s own Lauren Fisher `14. Nominated by their college and university presidents, these students are making the most of their college experiences to better understand themselves, the root causes of social issues and effective mechanisms for creating lasting change.

Fisher was recognized for being deeply involved in the social issues of urban education. Her long-term dedication is to Abba’s Place, an after-school program in the heart of Harrisburg, PA. Her passion for urban education extends beyond the classroom to the national and international service trips she’s led that focus on minority ethnic groups. Back on campus, Lauren advocates her passions by working as a tutoring and literacy outreach coordinator for local service as well as living and serving with the Social Justice House.

The Corporation for National and Community Service has named Messiah College to its 2013 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll with Distinction. The Honor Roll recognizes higher education institutions that reflect the values of exemplary community service and achieve meaningful outcomes in their communities. Selection to the Honor Roll is recognition from the highest levels of the federal government for service and civic engagement commitments.

In 2012, an estimated 98 percent of the graduating class participated in some form of community service through the College’s Agape Center for Service and Learning.

For the second year in a row Messiah College has received Tree Campus USA designation from the Arbor Day Foundation. To obtain this distinction, Messiah has met the five core standards for sustainable campus forestry required by Tree Campus USA, including establishment of a tree advisory committee, evidence of a campus tree-care plan, dedicated annual expenditures for its campus tree program, an Arbor Day observance and the sponsorship of student service-learning projects.

Alum Brent Sensenig `12 is one of 10 Pennsylvanians identified as having received the highest scores on the 2012 CPA exam, according to the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

A trio of talented alumni athletes was inducted into the College’s Hall of Honor of Feb. 15: Chris Boyles `02, former men’s track and field star and NCAA national champion; Christina (Vouriotis) Hutchinson `03, considered by many to be the best player to come through Messiah’s women’s basketball program; and Mike Shaker, a former coach considered the father of the College’s men’s basketball program.

In addition, six current student-athletes were recognized for their outstanding performance in both the classroom and competition. Congratulations to Luke Helmuth (men’s soccer), Lindsay King (women’s volleyball), Aaron Reynolds (men’s cross country), Dori Gyori (women’s basketball), Malcolm McDermond (swimming), and Stephanie Schell (softball). At the conclusion of the spring season, two winners will be announced from among these six finalists.

Melanie Howard’s essay about Mark 9:14-29 won the “Word & World Theology for Christian Ministry” journal’s top prize. Howard, a Ph.D. candidate at Luther Seminary in Minn., is a 2007 graduate of Messiah.

On Jan. 30 Edward O. Blews Jr. was inaugurated as the new president of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU), an organization of which Messiah College is a member and President Kim Phipps leads the Board of Directors. President Phipps introduced Blews at a formal inauguration ceremony attended by CCCU presidents, government officials and civic leaders.

Katrina Didot `89 was named the Harrisonburg-Rockingham (Va.) Chamber of Commerce Entrepreneur of the Year for her restaurant, A Bowl of Good. The café, with two locations in Harrisonburg, Va., features flavors inspired by the world that use local ingredients.

A few years ago Grace Lankford `11 was at the Farm Show for a class assignment when she happened to glimpse a chick hatching out of its egg. She snapped a few photos, and now one of those photos—titled “Rest Easy”—earned her $500 in Canon products. In addition, actor Jamie Foxx selected her photo as one of 10 to inspire a short film he will produce with mentor Ron Howard. Lankford was a health and exercise science major.

Read local news coverage of Lankford’s honor.