March 2011Vol. 5, No. 7

IMPACT

Passionate advocate inspires students to embrace others

Inspiring Students to Pursue Lives of Purpose

Inspired by her father’s passion to

fight for the oppressed, Naomi Tutu

has become a passionate advocate

for human rights. The daughter of

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, recipient of

the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1984, who

is known for his work related to freedom

and human rights in South Africa, Naomi

has gracefully followed in her father’s

footsteps.

A much sought after speaker,

Waynesburg University was blessed to

welcome Naomi Tutu to campus in mid-

February. Appropriately, her Valentine’s

Day lecture, “Striving for Justice,”

encouraged students to refrain from

judging others based on first impressions.

“It is so easy to label and to decide that

you know someone based on the way that

they look,” Tutu said. “When you decide

that you know someone based on race or

gender, you close off the opportunity of

actually getting to know that person.”

Through personal stories, Tutu

emphasized the ways passing

judgment leads to missed blessings and

opportunities.

“As long as we are comfortable with

simply labeling others, then we set

ourselves up to being comfortable with

that when those people are present,” Tutu

said. “It is important to let people know

that we see them as human beings, people

of God, and it is important to treat people

with respect so you can have the chance

to hear their stories.”

Tutu acts as a consultant to Spiritual

Alliance to Stop Intimate Violence and

the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-

Saharan Africa. In addition, Tutu leads

workshops dealing with issues such as

race, racism and conflict.

Tutu’s lecture was part of the

University’s b.f. maiz Lecture Series.

The b.f. maiz

Lecture was

created to honor

the memory

of b.f. maiz,

a prominent

spoken word poet

and friend of the

University, who

was passionate

about the pursuit

of Biblical justice.

Student faith journeys enhanced by University offerings

Two years ago, Dorothy Rurak

was a student at a public, secular

university struggling to connect

her faith with her daily routine. Hoping

to grasp an opportunity to mature in

her faith, Rurak decided to transfer to

Waynesburg University for the second

semester of her sophomore year.

Now a senior environmental science

major at Waynesburg, Rurak is reflecting

on the growth that has taken place in her

life over the last two years.

“When you grow in your faith you don’t

just transform one thing in your life,” she

said. “Instead, you learn to grow in all

aspects of your life. It’s an indescribable

feeling to recognize that you know your

place and that you belong.”

Rurak credits Waynesburg’s focus

on faith, learning and serving for the

numerous times she has felt God working

in her life.

“More important than being proud of

the ways I’ve grown, I feel like hope is

what I’m sharing with everyone else,” she

said. “I want people to realize that they

can grow and accomplish things because

God will help them.”

Above all, Rurak has learned that her

actions cause her love for Christ to be

a light for others. St. Francis of Assisi’s

quote, “Preach the Gospel always and if

necessary use words,” is one that Rurak

says she tries to reflect on daily.

Like Rurak, Emily Schubert, a

sophomore psychology major at

Waynesburg University, embraces the

opportunities Waynesburg affords its

students to be Christ’s hands and feet.

“I came to realize that it’s a blessing

to be a student at Waynesburg because

it’s more like the real world. We are

not always surrounded by people who

share our thoughts and beliefs,” she

said. “Instead, you can make your own

experience through the opportunities

offered to grow in your faith.”

Mentored by Tom Ribar, Waynesburg

University chaplain, Schubert has

challenged herself to dig deeper into why

she believes what she believes so that she

may be a blessing to others.

“My time at Waynesburg has shown me

that even when God’s plans seem different

than what I expected – it’s better that

way,” she said. “I now realize that when

God has blessed you, you pass it on.”

Among Schubert’s many blessings are

Jake Buss, a senior music ministry and

creative writing in faith double major

from Rochester, N.Y., and the time the

two have spent rehearsing together for

Chapel Band.

“He is a great leader, and he makes

sure we are getting the point of why we

worship instead of us just going through

the motions and music technicalities,”

Schubert said. “I just can’t imagine

my life without the people I’ve met at

Waynesburg.”

Kenny Rosenbauer, a junior exercise

science major, has experienced the same

growth as a result of the friendships

established during his time as a

Waynesburg student.

“The greatest and most beneficial

part to the growth in my Christian faith

are the friendships that I’ve developed

amongst the students, faculty and many

others I have had a chance to meet along

the way,” he said. “The work and love of

God was clearly visible in every encounter

with each individual.”

As a result, Rosenbauer has embraced

the opportunities to show God’s love to

others.

“It has given me hope and motivation

to continue exposing people to the

unimaginable and unconditional love that

Christ Jesus showed us on the Cross,” he

said.

Rosenbauer said Waynesburg enhances

its students’ faith journeys by offering

mission trips, unique and insightful

speakers, uplifting chapel services, bible

studies and conferences.

Such conferences include Jubilee, a

Christian conference held in Pittsburgh,

Pa., that offers more than 60,000

college students the opportunity to

“talk, learn, think and dream about the

public implications of their personal

transformation.” For the last two

years, Schubert and more than 40 other

Waynesburg University students were

afforded the opportunity to experience the

life-changing event.

“The speakers are amazing,” Schubert

said. “The conference really makes you

think about the ways you can use every

minute of your life to live out your

calling.”

In addition to its offerings, the

University as a whole, according to

Rosenbauer, also serves as an example by

practicing the goals of the Church.

“Faculty members teach while setting

great examples,” Rosenbauer said. “The

exceptional thing about this institution

is the personal relationships that faculty

members are able to have with the

students, unlike larger universities who

do not have the one-on-one interactions

like we do here at Waynesburg.”

Waynesburg University students are afforded tremendous opportunities to enhance their relationship with Christ while discerning their call. A close-knit campus community allows students to lean on one another while seeking purpose and truth.

IMPACT

NEWS & NOTES• Waynesburg University will host

Youth Day Saturday, March 19. The

event will challenge youth to discover

what it means to follow Jesus Christ

through a day of fun including activities

and games, uplifting worship and

educational workshops. More than

50 Waynesburg University students,

faculty and staff will aid in the day’s

activities.

• Waynesburg University will celebrate

the 161st anniversary of its charter by

the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

Tuesday, March 22. The celebration

will be held at the First Presbyterian

Church in Waynesburg. The day

includes a formal procession of faculty

and recognition of the students who

have been chosen for the 2011 Who’s

Who Among Students in American

Universities and Colleges directory.

The convocation will include a prayer

service and a performance by the

University’s Lamplighter Concert

Choir. The Rev. Dr. Stuart D. Broberg,

senior pastor of The Church of the

Covenant located in Washington, Pa.,

will address those in attendance.

• Directed by Edward L. Powers, the

Waynesburg University Players will

present the spring musical “State

Fair,” Wednesday, March 30 through

Saturday, April 2. Shows will take place

at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Admission

is free and reservations are suggested.

Contact Powers at 724-852-3226 for

more information.

• Seventy-seven students will spend

their spring break on service mission

trips with the University. Ten students

will serve Haitian refugees in a health

clinic in Nassau, Bahamas, while 26

students travel to Cabarrus County,

N.C., to participate in Habitat for

Humanity’s Collegiate Challenge.

Nine students will take advantage of

an environmental stewardship trip to

Quio, Ecuador, where reforestation

projects in the Mindo-Nabillo

Protected Forest will be the focus.

Twelve students will travel to Belize

City, Belize, to work with the Unity

Presbyterian Church and Primary

School located in the Collet area of the

city. Twenty students will work with

the Pittsburgh Project to provide free

home repairs for those who may not

be able to complete the tasks without

assistance.

• Thayer Hall, home to approximately

120 male students, was crowned

the winner the University’s Water

Challenge. Led by the EcoStewards

Club, Waynesburg University

students worked together through

the fall semester to decrease water

consumption by 1.5 million gallons.

The challenge, a healthy competition

between the residence halls, was

created to increase environmental

awareness among students.

Strong work ethic allows student to beat the odds

Department lifted by scholarly achievements

The Department of English and Foreign Language at Waynesburg University continues to strengthen its program, as faculty members remain steadfast on a common vision.

“The shared vision encourages students to find the place where their passions meet the ‘hunger of the world’ (Parker Palmer),” said Joonna Trapp, associate professor of English and Chair of the Department of English and Foreign Language. “We nurture our students into selfhood and help them to see that it’s not about a career or a job, but instead, a vocation.”

Trapp said the faculty members collectively aim to encourage and strengthen the department’s students, assisting them as they move forward with new found knowledge and self-confidence, so that they might better serve the world around them.

“We are person oriented, and that allows us to be committed to each student,” she said.

While the students remain the department’s priority, it is apparent that each faculty member also realizes the importance of utilizing and finessing their individual God-given talents. The strength of the department lies within the faculty’s motivation for continued scholarly achievements including published books, poetry, creative nonfiction and journal articles, among other genres.

Stefanie Wielkopolan, lecturer in English at Waynesburg University, recently published a book of poems titled “Border Theory.”

“By staying connected with poetry, it energizes my excitement and commitment to teaching,” she said. “It keeps me dedicated to helping my students learn how to express themselves.”

Other faculty members have added to the growing list of department achievements. Martin Cockroft, assistant professor of creative writing, will publish two poems in an upcoming issue of Prairie Schooner, a well-respected and well-known journal. Julio Quintero, assistant professor of Spanish, was recently notified that his book, El Poeta en la Novela Hispanoamericana, will be published by Editorial Universidad de Antioquia. Bob Randolph, lecturer in English, will soon publish his poem “Harbor Café” in the publication Marco Polo.

Trapp also adds to the extensive list with recent publication of Volume 16 of The Journal for the Assembly on Expanded Perspectives on Learning (JAEPL) of which she is co-editor. This scholarly journal publishes out-of-the-box thinking about teaching and learning, including spiritual aspects of teaching.

For many of the faculty members, the achievements are not a first, nor will it be their last.

For 300 hours or the equivalent

of nearly 13, 24-hour days,

Waynesburg University junior

Daniel Piett could be found submerged

in topics related to the Probability

Theory in preparation for his upcoming

Society of Actuaries test.

As Piett hammered away at hundreds

of practice problems spread among a

variety of free online study guides, his

confidence level waivered as he thought

about the likelihood of passing a test

with a 30 to 40 percent first attempt pass

rate.

“This had been one of the only

academic experiences in which I had

really been unsure if I would be able to

pass,” he said.

As his preparation continued through

Christmas break, the small pass rate

percentage hung over Piett’s head like

a large storm cloud. Recently though,

his worry dissipated as his test results

provided liberation and excitement.

Piett was among the fortunate 30 to 40

percent of test takers, large in part to his

work ethic and determination.

“I dreaded the idea of having to prepare

for it again,” Piett said. “I also knew

there were a lot of people who thought

I would pass it, and I didn’t want to let

them down.”

Among his supporters and motivators

were Waynesburg University faculty

members in the math, computer science,

business and tutoring departments. Piett

also credits his Mathematical Statistics

course for providing him with a solid

foundation to build upon as he prepared

for the test.

“The bulk of this test was covered in

that course and the course helped me

become a stronger analytical thinker,”

he said.

Taught by Dr. James Bush, professor of

mathematics at Waynesburg University,

the course, according to Piett, was

imperative to his success.

Instead of breathing a sigh of relief

and closing up the online study guides,

Piett is preparing for the second test

in a series of five actuarial exams. The

tests, according to Piett, are difficult

because the Society of Actuaries

and fellow test takers chose not to

discuss the information on the test. In

addition, questions are pulled from an

exceptionally large pool of information.

“I feel the best way to study for the

test is to learn the material in a course,

and then understand all the different

ways the test could throw a wrench in

the way you would normally solve a

problem,” he said.

Although the test requires some

memorization, Piett said the majority

of the test calls for analytical skills and

complex problem solving.

Looking to the future, Piett said

his ideal scenario includes attending

graduate school in the field of business

or applied mathematics. For now, Piett

has plans to pass as many of the actuarial

exams as possible before he enters the

“real world” upon graduation.

On Feb. 11, the Waynesburg wrestling

team cruised to the 2011 PAC team title.

Waynesburg ended the night with 146 team

points, which shattered its total from last

year (105.5), when they were also crowned

champions. Thiel followed with 107 points,

while W&J, which was wrestling without

an entrant at 125 or 133 pounds because

of injury, totaled 45.5 points. Sophomore

Alex Crown (125 lb.), senior Nick Garber

(141 lb.), freshman Luke Lohr (149 lb.),

junior Garrett Johnston (157 lb.), junior

Jared Roberts (174 lb.) and sophomore Cody

Catalina (184 lb.) all won individual titles

on the night. Roberts was honored as the

PAC Most Outstanding Wrestler, while

head coach Ron Headlee was named PAC

Coach of the Year.

Cross country teams honored for academic achievementBoth the Waynesburg University men’s and

women’s cross country teams were recently

honored for their excellence in the class

room by the United States Track & Field

and Cross Country Coaches Association

(USTFCCCA). The Yellow Jacket men

and women both earned 2010 Division III

All-Academic Cross Country status, which

requires a squad to boast a cumulative team

GPA of 3.10 or better and have compiled a

score (finished at least five runners) at their

respective NCAA regional championship.

As a team, the Jacket men averaged a 3.30

team GPA, while the women averaged a

3.38 team GPA.

Wrestlers crowned PAC champions