Colleagues and friends Jim LaGrand, professor of American history, and Bernardo Michael, associate professor of history and director of The Center for Public Humanities, talk about Michael’s journey from his home country of India to Messiah College, a place that wasn’t even on his radar screen when he began looking for a teaching position after completing his doctorate.

Michael, after several interviews at Messiah, was impressed with how the College seemed to be “moving with a sense of vision and intentionality.” He joined the faculty in 2001, and in this Listen Up! podcast recounts his journey of thousands of miles and his affection for the Messiah College community.
In this photo, Michael hosts students and alumni in his home for a weekly time of sharing food and fellowship.

Mary (Walters) Ebersole recalls an unexpected turning point in her education in 1957.

When the Russians successfully launched Sputnik into orbit on October 4 of that year, Ebersole remembers her teacher telling her class, “We just have to keep up with the Russians!” This mindset was widespread and framed education as a competitive practice as much as a learning opportunity.

By the time Ebersole came to Messiah College in the mid-1960s, the country was fully engaged in the Vietnam War. But, even amongst national turmoil, Ebersole recalls finding a “resting place” at Messiah.

Listen Up! as Rebecca (Ebersole) Kasparek `96 and Mary (Walters) Ebersole `68 talk about life at Messiah College in the 1960s.

Anthony Thomas `06 had already lived in five Middle Eastern countries by the time he was a teenager.

Before the start of his tenth grade year, his parents encouraged him to complete high school in the United States; they hoped he would attend an American college and thought having a few years to adjust to the culture would be helpful.

At first, Anthony struggled to fit in at the rural high school in Dayton where he enrolled. Two years later he would face some of those same struggles at Messiah College.

But, through a relationship with an unlikely mentor at Messiah, Anthony came to know that “God is real” and turned his life around. He ended up having a transformational experience at Messiah.

In October 2009, Anthony talked with Naomi Greene of NPR’s StoryCorp about his experiences.

Read more about Anthony Thomas.

Editor’s note: Since the recording of this podcast, Anthony and his wife Jessica are living in New York City; Anthony works in the development office at New York University.