From laboratory experiments to quantitative research gathered on campus and in communities far away — 12 graduate students in ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř’s MS in Biomedicine program participated in an oral defense of their research projects at the end of the fall 2019 semester.

The research “helps students not only to develop mastery in the natural sciences but also to incorporate other disciplines such as social science and ethics. They are able to connect their personal interests with academic studies and other networks beyond EMU,” said Professor Laurie Yoder, who provided research oversight.

For students applying to medical school or other professional health schools, such research projects provide “an important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants,” said Dr., program director. “Students learn an incredible amount by taking an original research project from start to finish.”

Since 2013, the master’s in biomedicine program has helped graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research component is just one unique curricular offering. Students also benefit from a unique approach to cadaver dissection, which many alumni say has provided optimal preparation and a strong background for the rigors of medical school. Several articulation agreements with professional health schools enhance opportunities to matriculate and continue with career goals.

Each oral defense is evaluated by professors in the MS in biomedicine program, committee members, other faculty and other graduate students. Family members, invited professionals and alumni, and other students also attend, Yoder said.

The research component brings graduate students into mentoring relationships with faculty, alumni and other professionals across many disciplines. Committee members for this round of research projects included Esther Tian, professor of engineering; Carolyn Stauffer, professor of social work; Tara Kishbaugh, professor of chemistry; Ryan Thompson and Gregory Koop, professors of psychology; Kristopher Schmidt, professor of biology; Laura Yoder, professor of nursing; and Julia Halterman, director of the biomedicine program.

Master’s candidates and their research topics include:

Adeola Adesuyi, An exploration of the factors that contribute to patient perception of branded and generic drugs;

Donatine Afful, The UNC-53 gene negatively regulates levels of RAC BTPase CED-10;

Heidi Byron, Associations between personality types and their responsiveness to gamification in mobile applications amongst faculty and staff at ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř;

Hosam Hadid, Acute and post-traumatic stress symptoms may depend on burn injury type;

Alexus Holbert, The psychological impact of genetic testing;

Anna Jemi-Alade, The erosive potential of kombucha, Coke and apple juice on bovine teeth;

Cyndra Jones, Investigating attitudes of first responders toward individuals with opioid use disorders and cocaine use disorder: a survey of police officers and emergency medical technicians in an urban city in central Virginia.  

Bowen Lian, Assessing the need for a mild cognitive impairment screening tool in medical and surgical patients at Sentara Rockingham Memorial Hospital;

Claire Reilly, Linking dentists’ education level to their recognition of patients with dental anxiety;

Krystalee Revanna, Gene expression of BAX and BCL-2 in liver and kidney medulla Sprague Dawley rat tissues in response to high salt and high fructose diets;

Nathan Ropelewski, The effects of short-term diets on cognitive function in Mus musculus;

Michelle Van Horn, Comparison of virtues reflection vs. mindfulness-based stress reduction in undergraduate students at ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř.

As a small liberal arts university, EMU provides a myriad of ways for students to practice leadership – to learn, experiment, make mistakes and grow outside comfort zones Ěý– whether through athletics and academics, student government, residence life, campus ministries and more.

“Today we want to recognize a number of folks who have been engaged in this practice, using their time, gifts and abilities for the betterment of our community,” he said. “From my vantage point in student life, it has been inspiring to see up close and personal, the many leadership contributions, of so many on our campus. Today we celebrate with you, and thank you for these contributions.”

Academic Success Center

Senior tutors with the Academic Success Center were recognized: Johanna Burkholder (accounting); Emily Clatterbuck (writing and Spanish, three years), Phoebe Coffie (biology, 1.5 years), Aaron Dunmore (economics, two years), Liesl Graber (writing, three years), Corey Hostetler (history tutor, three years), Austin Huff (math and computer science, three years),ĚýSammy Kauffman (biology, two years), Maisie Kirkley (psychology, two years), Cerrie Mendoza (environmental science, one year), Susanna Sewall (nursing, two years), Rachel Shenk (core curriculum, two years), Stephanie Slabach Brubaker (nursing, one year), andĚýLara Weaver (psychology, three years).

Janae Kauffman was awarded the Tutor of the Year Award for her three-year commitment to students “who often requested her, the ways in which she fulfilled the mission of the writing tutor, and her strong philosophy of tutoring overall,” said Professor Vi Dutcher, director of the university’s writing program.

Applied Social Science

Josh Good was inducted into Alpha Kappa Delta, the international sociology honor society. Professor Jenni Holsinger presented him with the cords.

Athletics

• Newcomer of the Year awards went toĚýRachel Sauder, soccer,Ěý˛ą˛Ô»ĺ Brett Lindsay, baseball.
• Athletes of the Year are Michaela Mast, cross country and track and field,Ěý˛ą˛Ô»ĺ Connor Faint, track and field.
• Presidents Awards went to Emily Augsburger, field hockey, and Dan Lutz, volleyball.

Other award-winners from the spring semester were also recognized, and can be viewed at .

Bible and Religion

Michaela Mast won first place and $300 in the Haverim Writing Awards contest with her paper, “The Wilderness of the Bible in the Age of the Anthropocene,” which traces the theological and cultural constructions of wilderness from Genesis to her own cross-cultural in the Middle East.

Sarah Longenecker earned second place and $200 with “Art as Mediator.”

Luke Mullet won third place and $100 for “Toward Composition: Creatively Performing Scripture in a Dynamic World.”

The awards were made by Professor Peter Dula, who used his remaining time to encourage submissions for next year’s context with this line: “If you want to receive more money for an academic paper than you will ever get in your life, we invite you to participate next year.”

Campus Ministries

Undergraduate campus pastor Lana Miller recognized the following:

• Ministry assistants Lindsay Acker, Victoria Barnes, Sara Byler, Caitlin Campbell, Maya Dula, Larissa Graber, Val Hernandez, Emma Hoover, Yonas Ketsela, Anisa Leonard, Skylar List, Olivia Mbualungu, Bekah Mongold, Caleb Oakes, Meredith Stinnette, Christian Stutzman, Nik Tucker, Matthew Zimmerman.
• Pastoral assistants: Perry Blosser, Rachel Breidigan, Cela Hoefle, Grayson Mast, Austin Sachs, Elizabeth Resto, Amanda Williams, Brittany Williams.

  

Center for Justice and Peacebuilding

Graduate students Samira Abou Alfa, Talibah Aquil, Astur TahlilĚýand Mikayla Waters-CrittentonĚýwere recognized for sharingĚý their concerns with CJP faculty and staff about prioritizing inclusion around race, gender, sexual orientation and religion as well as making classes and community more trauma-sensitive.

Biology and Chemistry

The following awards were presented by Professor Tara Kishbaugh:

• Outstanding first-year chemistry student: Austin Yoder
• Outstanding second-year biology student: Kevin Sungu
• Outstanding senior chemistry student: Marchelle Smucker
• Outstanding senior biology student: Katherine Lehman and Samantha Kauffman
• Award for Excellence in Biology/Chemistry Research: Braden Herman
• Biology/Chemistry Award for Exceptional Service: Melissa Kinkaid.

Additionally, the winners of the STEM Celebration poster contest were recognized. Click here for those results.

Education

Jasmine Miller, currently on cross cultural, was awarded the Courage to Teach Award.Ěý The award is modeled after principles in Parker Palmer’s book, a copy of which is given to the winner. Faculty select this student on several criteria.

The five annual Teachers of Promise from EMU are Emily Clatterbuck, Jessica Longenecker, Keyri Lopez-Godoy, Hannah ShultzĚý˛ą˛Ô»ĺ Alexa Weeks. Read more here.

Language and Literature

• Emily Clatterbuck was awarded the Carroll Yoder Award for Teaching Excellence in honor of a senior or junior who has demonstrated academic excellence in both literary studies and education courses and demonstrates a clear call to the teaching profession.
• Laurie Serrell earned the Ervie L. Glick Award for Excellence in World Language Study, which honors a senior or junior who has exhibited academic excellence as a Spanish major and has show a clear sense of call to pursuing graduate work or using language skills in service to the church.
• Liesl Graber earns the Jay B. Landis Award for Excellence in Literary Studies, honoring a student majoring or minoring in the language and literature field of study who completes an essay, research paper or scholarly presentation for a literature course that exemplifies the components of good literary analysis.
• Liesl Graber also was awarded the Omar Eby Writing Award, honoring a senior majoring or minoring in Writing Studies who demonstrates excellence in the craft of creative writing and who provides insightful critique and support for other writers in creative workshops.
• Kevin Clark earned the Ray Elvin Horst Award for Excellence in Spanish.

  

At the end of her presentation, Professor Vi Dutcher noted that each award was named for an esteemed emeritus faculty member, and she recognized two emeritus professors Ervie L. Glick and Ray Horst present at the event.

Mathematical Sciences

Cameron Byer, Daniel HarderĚý˛ą˛Ô»ĺ Ben Stutzman were recognized for their win in the international Kryptos crypto-analysis competition. Read more about that win here.

Cameron Byer won the EMU Math Competition, introduced by Professor Daniel Showalter as “a competition for people who go out of their way to take a math test when they don’t have to,” a description epitomized by the second-place-tie-winner Andrew Riemer-Berg, who took the test from Latin America where he is traveling on cross cultural. Ben Stutzman was the other second-place finisher.

Music Department

Andry Stultz and Hannah Schultz received the Excellence in Music Education Award.ĚýPerry Blosser earned the Excellence in Music Composition.

Nursing

The following students were chosen by their peers and faculty.

Rachel Breidigan was awarded the Servant Leadership Award for her service to others. She is president of the Student Nurses Association and will be working on the progressive care unit at RMH. ĚýShe chose nursing for many reasons, including “the desire to help others, the strong biblical parallels it has, and, of course, job security.”

Stephanie Slabach Brubaker is awarded the Sacred Covenant Award and the award for academic achievement. The first award reflects the high performance of the embodiment of the Sacred Covenant Model EMU nurses use to guide their practice. In the choice of nursing as her profession, Stephanie hopes to “combine my desire to help others with my fascination with how God orchestrated the human body. I find that through nursing, I can comfort others in their time of need.” Next year, she will join Mennonite Central Committee SALT program to work at a clinic in Bangladesh.

Residence Life

Carissa Luginbill and Scott Eyre recognized eight senior Community Advisors: Elizabeth Eutsler, Austin Huff, Ben Durren, Rediet Girma, Victoria Campbell, Keyri Lopez-Godoy and Robert Weaver.

Scott Eyre mentioned that a record number of CAs are returning next year, one way in which this particular group has left a legacy.

The five nominees for Residence Life’s Transformational Leadership Award, voted by their peers, are Bailey Hall, Capril Mirarchi, Keyri Lopez-Godoy, Jakya Jones and Phoebe Swe. The finalist will be announced later this week.

Psychology

Four students were recognized by Professor Gregory Koop.

Michael Austin and Michaela Mast jointly earned the Galen R. Lehman Outstanding Achievement in Research, judged on the criteria of initiative and ingenuity, public dissemination, and quality of writing.ĚýMichaela’s research was titled Ěý“The brain on music: An inquiry of shared music-color associations.”ĚýAustin’s research was on “Directed forgetting: Examining accounts through negative priming”

Hannah Cash was awarded the Theory to Praxis Internship Award, for her work with The Making Space, a local art therapy program. Along with other responsibilities, Hannah helped to improve social media presence and community outreach, and was asked to continue her involvement as the new secretary to the board of directors.

Lara Weaver earned Best Undergraduate Poster at the Virginia Association for Psychological Science conference earlier this month. Her project was entitled “Role of intrinsic and extrinsic religious motivation and empathy in predicting theological ideation.”

Student Programs

Jack Hummel and Da’Jahnea Robinson were recognized for their work on Campus Activities Council. Jack served for two years, doing “all things technical,” and Da’Jahnea was marketing director 2016-17 and vice president in 2017, among other roles.

From Common Grounds, the following leaders were recognized: Abe Hartzler, the events manager who hosted 70 campus events; Taylor Esau, who spent two years as a barista and this year as operations manager, a human resources specialist who works with 25-plus employees; Tim Callahan, finance manager; and Sammy Kauffman, who worked for one year as a barista and then two years as catering manager.

Tim Callahan was also recognized for his work with Recreational Sports.

Student Government Association

Caleb Schrock-Hurst and Adam Harnish, co-presidents of spring 2018, ceremonially passed the gavel to Mario Hernandez and Nicole Litwiller, recently elected co-presidents for the fall 2018 semester.

Spring 2018 leaders completing their service include:

• Emmanuel Kampanga, vice president
• Erik Peachey, treasurer
• Rachel Holderman, vice president for marketing
• Jeremy Brenneman, Secretary
• Senators Fred Flores, Hannah Nichols, Ruth Reimer-Berg, Susanna Sewall, Emma Yoder, Grant Amoateng, Joshua Curtis, Mario Hernandez, Paul Kayembe, Donaldo Lleshi, Ella Spitler, Austin Tomlin.

Recently elected fall 2018 officers are:

• Nicole Litwiller and Mario Hernandez, co-presidents;
• Paul Kayembe, vice president;
• Ben Zook, treasurer;
• Luke Mullet, secretary.

Visual and Communication Arts

Junior Missy Muterspaugh was awarded the Matthew Alan Styer Scholarship Grant, which honors “exceptional skill and dedication to photography and/or graphic design.”

Royals Cup

Andrew Troyer claimed his third consecutive individual Royals Cup title, for attendance at a wide variety of campus events throughout the year. Elmwood gathered the most points to take the Royals Cup.

“This minor, housed jointly in EMU’s and departments, reflects the increasingly interdisciplinary nature of emerging brain science, requiring students to develop expertise in both fields,” says Dr. , professor of psychology.

A wide-ranging multidisciplinary field that studies the brain and nervous system, neuroscience is reshaping many other fields, with applications explored by educators, therapists, economists, business leaders, medical professionals and law enforcement, among others.

“This minor will strengthen and broaden our students’ preparation for careers in medical sciences and for graduate studies in psychology,” says Dr. , chair of the .

Rounding out pre-MCAT prep

More than 80 percent of EMU students who complete EMU’s are accepted into medical school; this new minor has the potential to increase that statistic.

A 2015 revision to the Medical College Acceptance Test (MCAT) has added a section on “Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior.” Subject matter in this section, according to U.S. News and World Report, is generally covered in upper-level psychology and sociology courses.

The neuroscience minor, with its emphasis on interdisciplinary scholarship, will also prepare students for graduate school.

Applicable to broad range of majors

Core courses for the minor are general psychology, abnormal psychology, neuropsychology and advanced neurobiology. In addition, students would complete an advanced research course to explore the wide application of neuroscience to a topic of interest. Electives include advanced human physiology or cognitive psychology and a biology research seminar or psychological research design and analysis.

Advisors from both psychology and biology programs will mentor students seeking to apply neuroscience curricula to a broad range of majors.

Bringing a wide variety of interests to her program of study, senior Michaela Mast is a psychology major with minors in and . She had considered adding a biology minor, but the new neuroscience minor fits her interests.

“I thrive on educational input from an array of perspectives,” she says. “Interdisciplinary study provides a rich view of the world. I enjoy the study of psychology, but I appreciate having the insight into the whole picture that is offered with the study of neuroscience.”

Neuroscience is broadly embedded in EMU curriculum and programs

Neuroscience is already a strong curricular component with elements of applied neuroscience embedded in undergraduate coursework for and programs, and in graduate coursework of the program, , , and programs.

Neuroscience is also an important component of the (STAR) program, housed in the . The program, founded after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, conducts trainings about the world to a variety of audiences seeking to understand physical, mental and emotional responses to trauma.

The new minor meets institutional and departmental goals of “exposing students to cutting-edge research.” Venues to interact and network with professionals include regional neuroscience and psychology conferences. In 2016, for example, landed invitations to share their independent research projects at the Virginia Association for Psychological Science annual conference. More than 30 EMU psychology students have attended the Society for Neuroscience conference, which hosts approximately 30,000 attendees every three years in Washington D.C.

Students can add the minor to their portfolio beginning fall 2017.

“Students learn an incredible amount by taking a research project from start to finish,” said Dr. , who co-directs the program with Dr. . “As they enter their final semester here at EMU, many are applying to medical school or other professional health schools, and their research projects give them an important and unique experience that sets them apart from other applicants.”

Since 2013, the MA in Biomedicine program has helped 27 graduates prepare for careers as health professionals. The research project is an important and distinctive curricular challenge, bringing students together with faculty advisors and community mentors as they develop and conduct original research.

“EMU’s Biomedicine program provides students with the opportunity to conduct research that is original and hypothesis-driven,” says Stauffer. “This equips each student with a unique niche that they can optimally leverage when applying for professional health schools. Original research opens doors and can make all the difference as a springboard for a student’s future.”

Jessica Morris hopes to become a doctor of osteopathic medicine or earn a PhD in medical scientific research. Milan Sheth is most interested in the field of emergency medicine. The research project offered the opportunity to delve into topics relevant to their career goals.

Morris, a George Mason University graduate, investigated the impact of the Affordable Care Act on Shenandoah Valley residents falling into the “coverage gap” created by Virginia’s limited Medicaid benefits.

She came away with a new knowledge of the objectivity required to conduct research, a healthy skepticism about media coverage of health issues and how that affects patient knowledge.

Sheth, an Ohio State University graduate who is interested in emergency medicine, researched the factors involved in responses of patients undergoing rapid induction of a common anesthetic, ketamine.

His research has specific applications for first responders and other medical personnel, who need identify patients who may be most susceptible to potential adverse effects associated with rapid sequence intubation of ketamine.

He says he’s gained new skills, such as identifying relevant published research and interpreting statistical results, and a new appreciation for the impact of clinical research on patient treatment. “I have a deeper appreciation for researchers and the dedication they put forth towards finding breakthroughs and cures,” he added. “My passion for medicine continues to grow and this project solidified my purpose for entering the healthcare field.”

Student research

A comprehensive list of researchers, their projects and committee members follows:

ĚýNkem Asianua: “African American’s/African’s Awareness of Their Increased Risk of ACE Inhibitor Induced Angioedema in Ventura County, Ca.” Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Greta Ann Herin.

Lujain Binyahya: “An Analysis of Patient Experience at Sentara-RMH.” Committee members: Professor Carolyn Stauffer, Steve Nelson.

Sanjay Dick: “Felis Catus and Chronic Renal Disease: A Comparison of Clinical Treatments Found at Rural and Urban Animal Hospitals in Southeastern Pennsylvania.” Committee members: Professor Tara Kishbaugh and Jennifer Lyle, D.V.M.

Alexandar Hetrick: “Student Influenza Vaccination Rate and Risk of Infectious Disease at ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř.” Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Jeffrey Copeland.

Jessica Morris: “Reforming Health Care: The Impacts of The Affordable Care Act on the Health Insurance Status of Individuals Residing in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.” Committee members: Professors Kim Brenneman and Jenni Holsinger.

Melody Nyoni: “Examination of STI awareness among transitioning youth in the Valley Youth House (VYH) Program in Allentown, Pa.” Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman, Elizabeth Allen.

Nikita Patel: “The Value of Time and Patient Satisfaction during Physician-Patient Visits in Central Virginia.” Committee members: Professors Carolyn Stauffer and Ann Hershberger.

ĚýNoor Qureshi: “Mental Health Attitudes in the Dallas Pakistani Community.” Committee members: Professors Jeffrey Copeland and Gregory Koop.

Chanel Sampson: “Possible Risk Factors of Uterine Fibroids Evaluated through a Self-Assessment of Symptom Severity.” Committee members: Professors Greta Ann Herin and Cathy Rittenhouse.

Shanae Scott: “Routine Eye Exams and Awareness of Ocular Disease Associated with Diabetes in Harrisonburg, Va.” Committee members: Professors Esther Tian and Tara Kishbaugh.

Ruchir Shah: “Determining the Link Between Smile Symmetry and Character Perception at ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř.” Committee members: Professors Gregory Koop and Ann Hershberger.

Milan Sheth: “Ketamine-induced Changes in Blood Pressure and Heart Rate in Pre-hospital Intubated Patients.” Committee members: Professors Daniel Showalter and Matthew Siderhurst.

Benjamin Stern: “Essential Competencies for the Rural American Doctor.“ Committee members: Professor Kim Brenneman and Randall Longenecker, MD.

, director of student programs, opened the service: “Every day on this campus, there are great people doing great things, big and small gestures, accomplishments made after long-term commitments and one-off unexpected triumphs. Most of these good deeds are never recognized. We all carry on our work and responsibilities, working hard at doing the right thing because we care and we are people of integrity…that’s what real leadership is all about.”

While no one works solely with hope of recognition as motivation, Sawatzky said recognition is important “to pause and honor these individuals …and to say thank you to the students who are leaders, scholars, athletes, volunteers, dramatists, future nurses, future teachers, tutors, theologians and advocates.”

She also noted that such students “set the bar high for students around them” and provide “motivation, energy and meaning to us as professional staff … You are what makes EMU not just a good place to work and learn, but a great place.”

Language and Literature Department

Department chair presented the following awards, which honor former faculty members and current scholars:

Nathan Peters was awarded the Jay B. Landis Award for Excellence in Literary Studies.

Naomi Scoville was given the Omar Eby Writing Award and the James R. Bomberger Award for Excellence in TESOL.

English education major Rebekah Hertzler earned the Carroll Yoder Award for Teaching Excellence.

The Ervie L. Glick Award for Excellence in World Language Study was given to Teresa Garcia-Bautista, who Medley said “has exhibited academic excellence and a clear sense of calling in using her studies in graduate studies and service to the church.”

Kari King, who was the student representative on the faculty search committee, earned The Ray Elvin Horst Award for Excellence in Spanish.

Education Department

Teachers of Promise Institute are Austin Mumaw, Erin Nafziger, Isaac Driver, Malea Gascho and Ruthie Beck.

The “Courage to Teach” Award was presented to Angelica Diaz.

Psychology Department

The Exemplary Achievement in Psychology: Service and Scholarship was awarded to senior Brooke Lacock, co-president of the Psychology Club, for her impact on the and the campus as a whole, said Professor .

Mackenzie Lapp and Rachel Bowman earned the G.R. Lehman Outstanding Achievement in Research award for their “exceptional dedication” to their senior research projects. Koop praised their “intellectual curiousity and dogged persistence” and predicted future graduate school success.

All three students are among nine psychology majors at the Virginia Association for Psychological Science annual conference April 20-22, 2016, in Newport News, Virginia.

Science Department

Outstanding Second-Year Biology Student was awarded to Samantha L. Kauffman by Professor

Eyan P. Roth and Hannah L. Weaver were named Outstanding Senior Biology Students, especially impressive, said Professor , as both are transfer students and “distinguished themselves in the two years they’ve been here.”

Professor recognized three students: senior , for his entry into the Student Research Competition of the Special Interest Group in Computer Science Education; and first-year students Claire J. Waedelich and Carolann G. Wengerd for their poster presentations at Capitol Region Celebration of Women In Computing. Wengerd earned a third-place award at the undergraduate level.

Three students, all absent on their cross-cultural trip this semester, were recognized. was named Outstanding Senior Chemistry Student. Janaya M. Sachs earned an award for excellence in research. Maria R. Yoder was recognized as Outstanding First-Year Chemistry Student.

Nursing Department

Jess Rheinheimer was recognized by Professor for academic excellence in n studies. Recently named , Rheinheimer is a member of the Honors Program and has been inducted into Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honors Society.

Ann Marie Bauer was awarded the , which recognizes student-nurses who exemplify EMU’s “sacred covenant” model : service, empathy, agape love, empowerment, and faith.

Recognition for servant leadership went to Louise Krall, co-president of the Student Nurses Association.

Bible and Religion Department

Professor named the winners of the essay contest as Bekah York and Christian Hershey, sharing first place and a $500 cash prize, and Christian Parks, who won $100, for their scholarly work. Haverim is the alumni group of the department.

Theater Department

Professor recognized Clara Bush, MaKayla Baker and Caleb Townsend for their nominations for the Irene Ryan Acting Competition by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival. All three are members of the cast of “,” currently in its final run on campus.

Multicultural Services

Oksana Kittrell, Tae Dews and Christian ParksĚý were the student leaders for the first that traveled over spring break. Christian Parks and Philip Watson planned and implemented the first on campus. Londen Wheeler, minister of music, and Christian Parks, choir director, provided leadership to the gospel choir. Brittany Williams, Oksana Kittrell, Kendi Mwongo, Tae Dews and Makora Nyagwegwe led efforts in organizing the first President’s Ball.Ěý Delight Tigoe and Lynne Cha led the Alpha Omega Dancers for Christ.

Residence Life

Resident director recognized three-year Community Assistants , Andrew Yoder and Sam Stoner, and also senior returning Community Assistants, Valerie Meza-Cooper and Londen Wheeler. Community assistants live and serve in the residence halls.

Academic Success Center

Director presented certificates of thanks to the following student-graduates who provided services in the : Alex Bender (two years, computer science tutor), Tylar Burgdorf (one year, receptionist), Giulio Garner (two years, Spanish tutor), Stephan Goertzen (one year, computer science tutor), Brielle Hoch (four years receptionist), Andrea King (fpur years receptionist and tutor), Jaclyn Kratz (three years, math tutor), Isaac Mast (one year, computer science tutor), Lauren Sauder (one year, writing and economics tutor), and Andrew Yoder (two years, economics tutor).

Kristy Wertz, a two-year nursing tutor, was recognized as Tutor of the Year.

Student Programs

Common Grounds Coffeehouse management team this year was Rachel Schrock, events manager; Abby Dwyer, operations manager; Brianna Kauffman, finance manager; and Valerie Meza-Cooper, catering manager.

Timothy Callahan, Juan Luna and Kegan Yoder served on the Recreation Sports Leadership Council, which oversaw the nearly 500 members of the campus community involved in intermural sports. Terry Dotson and Colton Frey were the Game Room Leadership Council, which helped to set the budget and make decisions regarding programs and offerings for the approximately 2,500 visitors who used the game room this year.

Campus Ministries

, undergraduate campus pastor, recognized ministry assistants in the residence halls:Ěý Megan Bishop, Perry Blosser, Sarah Boshart, Heyrin (Lynn) Cha, Dylan Grove, Abe Hartzler, Oksana Kittrell, Keyri Lopez-Godoy, Luis Longo, Jasmine Miller, Lydia Musselman, Da’Jahnea Robinson, Austin Sachs and Janet Spain.

Pastoral assistants, who support the MAs, are Jonathan Augsberger, Amanda Helfrich, Christina Hershey, Jolee Paden, Grayson Mast, Lydia Tissue, Courtney Unruh and Wesley Wilder.

Leadership Effectiveness and Development (LEAD) Series II Certificate of Completion

The following students completed a leadership seminar series: Brittany Williams, Alex Miller, Abby Dwyer, Meg Green, Hannah Heishman, Rachel Schrock, Grantley Showalter, Olga Balthazar, Delight Tigoe, Malachi Bontrager, Cameron White, Rediet Girma, Gillian Zehr, Ben Zook, Kegan Yoder, Tae Dews, Oksana Kittrell, Richard Robinson, Mario Hernandez, Alejandra Tejada Rivera, Jesse Reist, Jonae Guest, Makora Nyagwegwe and Heyrin Cha.

Student Government leaders and athletes in winter and spring sports who had earned honors (see w) were also recognized.

Editor’s Note: The following Visual and Communication Arts students were recognized in a separate ceremony April 22: Styer Scholarship, Azariah Cox; photography, Jonathan Bush; studio, Brooke Lacock; video, Jonathan Bush and Caleb Schlabach; and motion graphics, Rachel Cardwell.

Her research question: What are the differences between how hearing people think they view the deaf community and how they actually view the deaf community?

Wheatley is one of nine senior psychology majors selected to present their findings at the Virginia Association for Psychological Science annual conference April 20-22, 2016, in Newport News, Virginia. All of the students are classmates in a two-semester applied psychology research course taught by Professor .

For most students, their projects have led not only to the desired academic goals, but also to personal revelation and clarity of professional goals.

Wheatley, for example, is also involved in an independent study in Deaf culture and community, and she has plans to continue the research in graduate school. And that friend who shared the feelings that were the impetus behind Wheatley’s research? Her future mother-in-law.

With curriculum change, students enter research process earlier

A strength of the at EMU is that all students have the opportunity to conduct individual research on a topic related to their unique interests, says department chair . “These original projects introduce every student to the ins and outs of scientific inquiry.”

Senior psychology majors at EMU enter the research course with a “broad background in the field of psychology,” having fulfilled prerequisites of general, developmental, social and cognitive psychology, as well as a course on interpersonal relationships among others, Koop said. They all have been introduced formally to the research process in the Cognitive Psychology class, where each student formulates a research proposal.

Many of those proposals then develop into the independent research project required in Psychology 472/473, Koop says.

New curriculum that begins next year will introduce the design and analysis portions of the research process earlier, an emphasis which will not only build critical skills but quickly immerses majors in the intellectual rigor of their discipline.

Topics move students deeper into field

In Psychology 472/473, students delve into the research process while designing, developing and implementing their own project. The individualized research projects is intended to create “more critical consumers of scientific results” and “strong candidates for graduate programs,” Koop said.

Most of the classmates expressed both a new appreciation for the “intricacies of research,” as one student put it, and also for the seriousness of the endeavor. “It takes such precaution to make even basic claims,” says Rachel Bowman, who designed an experiment on racial bias.

“When you read a research article, it often seems as though the researchers easily attained the results they are sharing with the world,” said Emily Myers, who has used the project to familiarize herself with attachment theory in preparation for a career in counseling. “In reality, conducting research takes an incredible amount of background research, planning, gaining feedback, working with others, etc.”

In developing her research about developmental trauma associated with foster care and adoption, Bethany Chupp realized her project called for something “along the lines of a doctoral thesis…a longitudinal study of adoptive families over the course of several years.” Setting that aside, she scaled down to the question of whether “changing the vocabulary used to discuss adoption changes participants’ attitudes toward adoption and foster care.”

The title of her project is “Adoption as Trauma: Viewing Adoption Through a Restorative Lens.”

“It takes baby steps to get to bigger goals,” she said. “I need to start a basic level of examining attitudes and language before applying that to concrete case studies.”

ĚýMeeting and networking at conferences

Attending conferences is an important professional development opportunity for undergraduate students, Koop said. “You get to test ideas, receive feedback and meet future colleagues. It’s a great experience not only to witness scientists discussing their original work, but to contribute to this exchange of knowledge and develop professional communication skills.”

Other students selected to attend the conference include

• Brooke Lacock, Does Anticipation of Smartphone Notification Interfere with Working Memory Performance?
• Mackenzie Lapp, High and Low Information-Load Music: Implications for Reading Comprehension;
• Kathryn Phillips, Self-Affirmation While Test Taking;
• Sam Swartzendruber, The Effect of Caffeine Deprivation on Sleep Deprived College Students;
• Wesley Wilder, Seeking Clarity: Violent Video Games, Image Quality, and Aggression.

Intuition might say that memory is very precise. Humans rely on memory for everyday habits, driving directions, performing tasks at work, and academic tasks. However, numerous studies in psychology indicate that memories can be created and distorted.

As it turns out, the answer to the question of memory’s precision is not so simple. , an assistant professor of at ˛ÝÝ®ÉçÇř (EMU), explained how cognitive psychologists model memory in a recent Suter Science Seminar.

Cognitive psychology deals with how people “take in information content from the world and process that information and use it in a meaningful way that helps us interact and successfully navigate our everyday life,” said Koop.

Memory is just one way people process information. Humans rely heavily on memory, but Koop cited two studies that suggest memory is not reliable. A series of experiments by psychologist Elizabeth Loftus showed that wordings of questions regarding visual memory could change the details of the memory. Another study by Loftus showed that entirely new memories could be implanted into a person’s mind.

Koop, who has conducted research and published numerous studies on the memory and cognitive psychology, explained that memory can be divided into three sub-processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding involves perceiving the world and processing it into memory. Once memories enter the brain, they are stored. They remain stored until the brain recalls, or retrieves, the memories.

Koop used a model developed by Richard Shiffrin and Mark Steyyers called Retrieving Effectively from Memory (REM) to demonstrate these processes. In REM, the process of encoding is assumed to be incomplete and subject to occasional errors. When memories are retrieved, the brain fills in additional details, which also opens the opportunity for new encoding errors.

To explain this model, Koop discussed an experiment in which a participant is asked to memorize a series of words. The participant is then given a second series of words and asked to identify which words are repeats and which words are new. People do this by retrieving aspects of the stored memory and comparing them with the aspects of a word in the second series.

Koop also explained that REM enables researchers to make computer programs that simulate human memory. Demonstrating the process, Koop input a series of to-be-remembered items which the computer then encoded, stored, and retrieved. Human memory can be modeled by changing the computer’s accuracy in encoding and other variables.

Koop spoke as part of EMU’s annual . Lectures are presented by experts in their field and are free and open to the public. Jim Krauss, president of RMH Sentara Medical Center, will speak March 9 at 4 p.m. about his healthcare career that began in Paraguay as a Peace Corps volunteer.

Monica Comparagni, assistant professor of the practice of nursing

Comparagni earned a BS in nursing from EMU and a family nurse practitioner master’s degree from the University of Virginia. She brings experience as a local nurse practitioner and a practicing nurse in various areas. She was previously a nursing adjunct instructor at EMU.

DeAnne Chenoweth, instructor of political science

Chenoweth earned a BA in political science from Bethany College and holds two master’s degrees – an MA in international studies from the Claremont Graduate School and an MA in political science from the University of Maryland at College Park. She has been an adjunct instructor at James Madison UniversityĚýfor the past 10Ěýyears. She has also taughtĚýat Indiana University in Bloomington, Illinois. Her research has focused on the politics of foreign and comparative official development assistance practices.

Marcy Dean, instructor of nursing

Dean earned a BS in nursing at Shepherd University and an MS in nursing at Marshall University. She brings nursing experience in the hospital, along with specific training and certification in advanced cardiac life support and end of life and pain management. She was previously an adjunct nursing instructor at EMU.

Janet Hostetter, assistant professor of the practice, artistic director of Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir

Hostetter earned a BA in music education from EMU and completed an MM in choral conducting at James Madison University. She has served as music instructor and choral conductor in a variety of settings: elementary, middle and high schools, and churches. In addition, she led EMU’s university chorale for several years. She is the second artistic director of the acclaimed Shenandoah Valley Children’s Choir since its founding in 1992 by Julia J. White.

Carol Grace Hurst, associate professor and director of social work

Hurst earned a BA in sociology from EMU, and an MSW and a PhD in social work from Virginia Commonwealth University. She brings many years of experience in the field and in educational settings. Most recently, she was director of continuing education and evaluation within the Corporate University of Providence, designing continuing education curriculum and teaching continuing education classes.

Ryan Keebaugh, assistant professor of music

Keebaugh earned a BA in music from Bridgewater College, an MM in composition from Shenandoah University, and a DMA in composition from the Catholic University of America. Beginning in 2008, Keebaugh taught in the Clarke County (Va.) Public School system and as an adjunct at several colleges. Keebaugh has won awards for his musical composition skills; in addition, he is an instrumentalist (euphonium, trombone and piano) and a vocalist.

Gregory Koop, assistant professor of psychology

Koop earned a BA from Goshen College with majors in psychology and history, and an MA and PhD in psychology from Miami University. He completed a post-doctoral position at Syracuse University where he worked in the memory modeling lab.

Emily Peck-McClain, instructor of Christian formation, preaching and worship

Peck-McClain earned a BA in religion from Washington and Lee University and an MDiv from Union Theological Seminary. SheĚýis finishing her ThD in Christian education and New Testament from Duke Divinity School, where she has been a teaching assistant. Peck-McClainĚýrecently received the honor of a fellowship from the American Association of University Women. During 2014-15, she will teach part time at the seminary.

Holly Scott, assistant professor of history

Scott earned a BA in English and justice, peace and conflict studies from EMU, an MA in American Studies from Pennsylvania State University, and a PhD in history from American University. She has previously taught as an adjunct at both EMU and American University. Her interests lie in the areas of youth, generational culture and student protest and activism.

Nancy Wise, instructor of nursing at Lancaster

Wise earned a BS in nursing from Millersville University and an MA in nursing education at Villanova University. She is currently pursuing a PhD in nursing at Villanova. Wise brings many years of nursing experience to the classroom, both in the hospital setting and as a nurse educator. She has been an adjunct nursing instructor at EMU’s Lancaster site as well as at Alvernia University.