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2017-2018 Year in review

August 15, 2018

2017-2018 Year in review

Take a look at what happened at Messiah this past year.

Octber 2017

  • The College debuts the new athletic mascot, Flex, at Homecoming 2017.
  • The College celebrates the dedications of the Falcon Fitness Center, the Ralph S. Larsen Finance Lab and the Charles Frey Commuter Lounge.
  • More than 3,200 attend Homecoming 2017, featuring more than 70 events—including a ”reveal ceremony” for the return of the long-lost Wittenberg Door.
  • Todd Allen, special assistant to the president and provost for diversity affairs, is featured in Diverse Issues in Higher Education, in the article “Aligning Faith with Diversity,”  focusing on his foundational work with the Returning to the Roots of Civil Rights Bus Tour.
  • As part of the High Center’s cultural season, Pulitzer Prize winner Jon Meacham delivers the keynote lecture “The Art of Leadership: Lessons from the American Presidency” in Parmer Hall.

November 2017

  • Director of Sustainability Brandon Hoover, along with the Sustainability Committee, complete Messiah College’s first application for the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS)—achieving recognition as a Bronze Institution based on measurable outcomes in campus sustainability.
  • The field hockey team finishes as national runner-up. Head Coach Brooke Good is named the NFHCA Regional Coach of the Year. Carissa Gehman ’18 is featured in Sports Illustrated.

December 2017

  • Men’s soccer wins the NCAA Division III Championship, the 11th in program history.  Head coach Brad McCarty and staff are named the United Soccer Coaches’ Coach and Staff of the Year.

January 2018

  • The Board of Trustees approves the construction of the Kim S. Phipps Admissions and Welcome Center. Centrally located, the building will welcome prospective students and their parents to campus.
  • Employees and students participate in the greater Harrisburg MLK Day of Service partnering with multiple community organizations such as Bethesda Women's Shelter, Silence of Mary Home and Paxton Ministries.
  • The Wall Street Journal ranks Messiah College #2 for student engagement in the northeastern U.S. Messiah is the only Christian college recognized in the top 10.

February 2018

  • The Center for Public Humanities sponsors its Spring Humanities Symposium on the theme “Home,” featuring a keynote lecture by award-winning author Edwidge Danticat.
  • Messiah College’s Giving Day is a success, raising a total of $125,355.
  • For the first time in program history, two female swimmers qualify for the NCAA Division III Women’s Swimming and Diving National Championships—Katie Wingert ’18 (for the second time) and Cassie Cotton ’19.

March 2018

  • The Bridge receives a Society of Publication Designers merit award for its winter 2017 cover, alongside fellow winners such as British Vogue and O, the Oprah magazine.
  • Messiah College adds new undergraduate programs to its 2018-19 academic offerings: business administration (B.A.), cybersecurity (B.S.), graphic design (BFA) and a pre-athletic training five-year accelerated program.
  • Women’s basketball completes one of its most successful seasons, reaching the NCAA Division III Tournament’s “Sweet 16.”
  • Messiah wrestling makes history when eight wrestlers—a program record –qualify for the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.

 

April 2018

  • To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., Messiah hosts “MLK50: Where do we go from here?” The day of campus events includes recitations of King’s writings, a panel and chapel service.
  • Messiah College is recognized as a 2017 Tree Campus USA, which honors colleges and universities for promoting healthy trees and engaging students and employees in the spirit of conservation.
  • The Career and Professional Development Center and the Alumni Relations Office take students on an Into the City trip to New York City for a unique networking experience with employers such as Bloomberg, WeWork and RedStream Technology.
  • For Service Day, 1,103 Messiah volunteers participate in more than 34 projects on campus and throughout the region.
  • Linda Tedford, director of the choral activities for the Department of Music, receives a legislative citation from Rep. Francis Ryan for her work in the arts, marking her retirement after 24 years at Messiah.

May 2018

  • At the Graduate Commencement ceremony, 148 graduate students from the Messiah College School of Graduate Studies receive their master's degrees May 12. Ryan Keith '02, founder and president of Forgotten Voices, delivers the Commencement address.
  • Messiah College celebrates its 109th Commencement May 13, conferring degrees on 651 graduating seniors. Commencement speaker David Kim says, “I hope and pray for every success for you, graduates.  In your careers, in your relationships and in your daily witness of God’s love.”

June 2018

  • Sawyer Products funds the new digital proficiency initiative (DPI), a three-pronged plan to help students stay ahead of the curve in an ever-changing tech world.
  • Following a national search, the Board of Directors of the American Youth Philharmonic Orchestra names Timothy Dixon, professor of music, conductor of the American Youth Philharmonic (AYP) for the 2018-2019 season.

Through the launch of the income share agreement (ISA)—a new financing model—students can defer education costs. The program reduces the up-front cost of tuition in exchange for a set percentage of students' income after graduation during a set period of time