People with disabilities are often overlooked or left behind in discussions about global humanitarian relief aid and advocacy. But the number of vulnerable disabled people living in poverty and suffering in poor health is staggering in many communities. Eighty-two percent of people with disabilities live in poverty and more than 90% of children with disabilities do not receive education.

A new, short documentary film, Beyond the Margins, tells the stories of several unlikely heroes in Ghana—people with disabilities. Behind the cameras was Messiah College senior Derick Esch ‘14 who undertook the film as part of a graduation project. (more…)

They ride by night. They are lightning fast and throw caution to the wind with every 1 a.m. trip to Sheetz they brave. They are selflessly using their new-found passion to raise money for an incredible organization. They are the Night Razors.

The Night Razors is a group of 25 first-year students who turned a moment of childhood nostalgia at Walmart into a successful fundraising cause for a worthy organization close to their hearts. (more…)

In “The Real Thing: a Play,” Czechoslovakian producer and writer Tom Stoppard wrote, “Words are sacred … If you get the right ones, in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.” Nudging the world toward social change has been the goal of Messiah College’s Theatre and Social Change course since its introduction to the theatre curriculum in 2002. The impetus behind Theatre and Social Change (TASC) came after Messiah College professor Valerie Rae Smith facilitated the student-writing of an original production, “E.D. & Ana,” which studied eating disorders among college students. Smith says, “Students were so responsive to the play and the conversations surrounding “E.D. & Ana” that a general education course was created. By 2002 Theatre and Social Change was a term students used across campus, in the residence halls and in the classrooms.” (more…)

Messiah College is taking “a worldwide sense of belonging” to the next level as spring ’14 marks the inaugural year for seven education majors to student teach abroad.

Supporting a calling
To make student teaching abroad possible, Messiah College partnered with the Christian College Teacher Education Coordinating Council (CCTECC), an organization that arranges placements in international schools. According to Messiah College Director of Teacher Education and CCTECC Campus Coordinator Jennifer Fisler, growing requests for student teaching abroad opportunities led to establishing this partnership.  More and more, post-graduate education majors are choosing to “go global” and this unique new program will open career opportunities for students who feel called to teach internationally. One such alumna, Danielle Hale ’12, is currently teaching at Bingham Academy in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She says, “I am so excited that Messiah has created this opportunity for their education majors because it opens up so many doors to new places and challenges … teaching in an international setting introduces you to new cultures, changes your worldview and builds relationships with colleagues and students from all over the world.” (more…)

According to information gathered by the White House for National Mentoring Month in January, 77 percent of businesses with formal mentoring programs have increased employee retention rates. Personnel who participate say the relationships that are formed motivate them to do their best. Mentorship, however, expands beyond the workplace. It’s a mutually beneficial relationship for the mentors who give their time and for the mentees who receive the generosity.

“Be a mentor, have a mentor,” Jim Krimmel, Messiah College’s professor of accounting, said. “At any stage of life there should always be someone we can look to for advice and always someone we can mentor.” (more…)

Shaun Soliday ’14 acts as an inspiring example of a student who has made the most of his Messiah experience. By assuming the roles of student body chaplain and open house spokesperson, Soliday often finds himself in a position to represent the college and lead by example. Although his college experience is coming to a close as graduation approaches, Soliday has undoubtedly left his mark on Messiah.

The road to Messiah
Although looking back Soliday could not imagine attending another college, his road to Messiah had not originally been so clear. As a devoted soccer player who dedicated most of his time and energy during high school to the sport, Soliday hoped to attend a college that would help him realize his dream of playing at a professional level. After visiting Messiah and two other universities, Soliday was faced with the difficult decision of whether to put his love of soccer before his faith as Messiah could not guarantee him a spot on their team. Arriving at the conclusion that his faith must come first, Soliday pursued his education at Messiah and claims he has no regrets. (more…)

For me, walking off the plane into the airport in Kampala was a dream come true. I have had a heart for Africa for the longest time, and I was finally there. I had the privilege to join nine other student-athletes; Brad McCarty, Messiah’s men’s head soccer coach; an athletic trainer; a Messiah soccer alum; and a Messiah alum representing Sawyer water filters on an AROMA sports ministry trip to Uganda in May 2013. Our group represented a variety of sports and personalities, but it was so encouraging to see God work in us and through us as we served together in Uganda.

Different culture, same God
We spent our time in Uganda in Soroti and Kampala, working alongside Sports Outreach Institute and their soccer teams, the Good News Team and the Divine Stars. We had the opportunity to work alongside these groups that are already sharing the gospel in Uganda. Every morning we would gather at a different place to have a time of morning worship and devotions with the teams. This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. It was an incredible experience to be a part of this pure, honest, African worship. They may not have a lot of material things, but they have incredible love for our God, one that is so evident in the way they sing and dance. If we weren’t comfortable dancing and singing when we first arrived in Uganda, we were more than comfortable by the time we left! (more…)

Julie Price ’14, Shannon Cochran ’14 and Courtney Walton ’16 all have one thing in common: a genuine care for sustainable food. That’s why, together, they are bringing the Real Food Challenge to Messiah College.

The Real Food Challenge is a nationwide initiative that aims to shift $1 billion of existing university food budgets away from industrial farms and junk food and towards real food—defined as ecologically sound, fair, humane and local—by 2020.

The Challenge begins with researching two months of dining’s purchases. Using invoices from October and February (chosen for seasonal variety) Price, Cochran and Walton sift through purchases and enter data such cost, brand and vendor into the Real Food Calculator. The students emphasize the Challenge is about much more than simply entering data though. They research each company to find out who is producing the food, where it is being grown and what the production process entails to decide if the food meets the necessary criteria. (more…)

During their college years, many students have opportunities to expand their horizons. This spring, one such student, Brennan Neal ’14, will graduate and move on to graduate school. Neal, a biology major with a dual focus on organismal and ecological biology, has gotten involved in a significant number of extracurricular activities and has truly experienced a full college life.

Getting started
Hailing from nearby Hershey, Neal initially didn’t consider Messiah College because he felt it was too close to home. But once he did apply and visit the campus, he said, “It just felt right.” At the same time, other doors were closed when Neal was denied acceptance at two other colleges he was seriously considering. Then Messiah contacted him wondering if he would like to interview for a scholarship. Neal made his decision and enrolled in fall 2010. (more…)

I couldn’t believe it. After months of anticipation and expectation, my field hockey team and I were leaving in the morning to travel to Argentina on a mission trip. Anxiousness and worry crept inside me, and I was beginning to doubt that the trip was a good idea. All of the teams coordinated through Messiah’s sports ministry effort—AROMA, a Revolution of Missional Athletes—teams that night to go on a prayer walk to prepare our hearts and minds for what we were about to encounter. The whole time I was praying but still felt uneasy about the trip. When we arrived at our destination by the creek, we sang as a group and a girl from the volleyball team shared Luke 17:6; “He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.” This verse caught a hold of me and I prayed, “God, I feel as though my faith about this trip is the size of the mustard seed, but here it is if you would like to use it.”

God works in amazing ways. Upon our arrival, our team was treated as celebrities and served Argentina’s specialty meal that includes lots of meat. We had several opportunities to not only teach young girls field hockey skills but also have fun with them. Even with the language barrier, we were able to connect with the children while playing the sport we love. (more…)