Graduate Commencement

Donnie Russell ’25

Counseling  •  New Cumberland, Pennsylvania

Donnie Russell enjoyed his work as an athletic trainer, working for eight years to support student athletes in collegiate and secondary school settings. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, he experienced a perspective-shift. “I saw needs that students had that went beyond the athletes I treated,” he shares.

With a vision to reach any student who was struggling, Russell decided to pursue a second graduate degree. Having heard “glowing recommendations” about Messiah from friends and colleagues, Russell applied to the university’s master’s in counseling program, appreciating that its pace would enable him to remain present with his wife and two young children, while also continuing to work full time.

Russell says that although it offered flexibility, the program proved rigorous — and even transformative. “I’ve known since early on in my life that my calling was to help people. My classes and practicum helped me to see that this was still my calling, but just in a different way than I’d been working,” he says. “This program helped support me in growing my faith.”

Building on this cornerstone, Russell says he was able to examine his own life and approach to work. “The counseling major has helped to shape my perspective or approach to the world around me by being more comfortable and confident in learning more about different things that I don’t understand,” he observes. “I’ve grown personally by being willing to have hard conversations and look within myself to unpack biases and to understand the unearned privilege I have lived with.”

And this self-awareness has shaped his hope for the impact he can have: “Being able to push outside of my comfort zone will allow me to better connect with the students and community I serve and to be a culturally sustaining school counselor.”

Kara Jung ’24, ’25

Applied health science; athletic training  •  Osh, Kyrgyzstan

Even at a young age, Kara Jung was curious about the world and her role in it. “As a missionary kid, I grew up in a developing country where many people lacked access to proper healthcare,” she recalls. She knew she wanted to work in the healthcare field and, while participating in student sports at an international boarding school in Germany, discovered athletic training. “I asked to shadow my athletic trainer and through that experience, I fell in love with the field,” she says.

Coming to Messiah to earn her undergraduate and master’s degrees through the university’s accelerated athletic training program, Jung saw how her life experiences had uniquely equipped her for service in her field. “My professors emphasized the importance of understanding that everyone comes from different backgrounds and cultures that could influence how we provide care or interact with a patient,” she says.

Jung also learned how to approach her work more holistically — “to not focus just on the injury that a patient may come with, but to focus on the individual as a whole and in every aspect of their life.”

She put those theories into practice during an internship with a professional soccer team, Orlando City SC, the summer before completing her graduate degree. She found the experience rewarding, though, looking ahead, Jung has a vision to serve people who might never appear on a jumbotron. “I have a heart for immigrants and non-English speakers,” says Jung, who speaks English and Russian and who also taught herself Spanish to better connect with future patients. “I have a goal to establish a multilingual, multidisciplinary team to provide care for those facing language barriers or limited access to healthcare.”

Whatever the future holds, Jung says, “I’ve grown in many ways, but the biggest impact has been in how I interact with those around me and learning how to be a light in every environment I step into.”

Christi-Lynn martin ’02, ’25

Bible, biology; Doctor of Nursing Practice  •  Thetford Center, Vermont

When Christi-Lynn Martin decided to return to her studies to earn her doctorate and become a family nurse practitioner (FNP), she applied to four different programs. She felt confident that she’d receive solid medical training at any of the options — but she was looking for more than that.

“Healthcare is complex — it’s a basic human need and also the subject of so much debate in the public square,” she notes. “I chose Messiah because I valued the chance to process many of the hard topics we face as healthcare professionals.”

Indeed, Martin notes, a commitment to holistic, evidence-based, faith-informed practice served as the backbone of the entire program: “The coursework for the FNP degree covered so much more than just the clinical information I need to care for patients; it’s really given me a deeper understanding of healthcare ethics, finances and politics. I have the capacity to approach conversations and debates with knowledge and understanding that I didn’t have before.”

And she saw her mentors living this out practically. “The nursing faculty are so amazing,” she says. “They demonstrated advanced practice nursing as a vocation, a vehicle for Christian service.”

Living in Vermont with her husband and their four children, Martin now uses her learnings to serve her neighbors. “I’m excited about working in a primary care practice in our rural community,” she says. “As a registered nurse, I always appreciated being able to build long-term relationships with patients, and I hope this is a big part of my work as an FNP.”

Andrew Mullen (Eso) ’23, ’25

Applied health science; occupational therapy  •  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

When Andrew Mullen (Eso) decided to attend Messiah to earn his bachelor’s degree in applied health science, he assumed he’d be on campus for four years and then move on to whatever was next. “Graduate school wasn’t something that I was expecting,” he says. Then, he learned that he could move seamlessly from his undergraduate major into Messiah’s accelerated Master of Occupational Therapy program and earn both degrees in just five years.

Although it seemed like an incredible opportunity, Mullen felt intimidated and unsure of how his more introverted personality would affect his experience. But his perspective changed after his first class.

“It was eye-opening to see and hear a professor who not only brought the highest level of professionalism during instruction but also incorporated their own personality and interests,” he says. This example inspired him to consider how he could bring his own unique gifts, abilities, and personality to the field — and how to honor those same aspects among those he serves.

“My Messiah education has shaped me to be someone who works to ensure that the world doesn’t allow anyone to feel like they are abandoned,” he says. “Client care involves a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates the physical, social, and emotional aspects of what makes a client themselves. My framework of therapy is based on ensuring that people have the resources and support toward finding independence in their lives to the highest ability. No one should be excluded from being seen and heard.”

Looking ahead, Mullen will pursue licensure and hopes to practice in the U.S. or internationally. “Honestly, the thing that excites me the most about my future career is building relationships with others who have their own stories, personalities, and interests,” he says. “I am determined to see the world in new ways each day.”