News Archive
While many college students travel to southern beaches to relax during spring break, 15 Westminster College students spent their spring break building Habitat for Humanity houses and renovating homes for Hosanna Industries.
Ten of the students traveled to Raleigh, N.C. with Keturah Laney, chapel assistant at Westminster College, and five students traveled to Rochester with the Rev. James Mohr, chaplain at Westminster.
"It was an amazing trip, said Erin Bartley, sophomore biology major from Brookville. "There we were "" 11 women with no experience. We were given a blueprint, measurements, sawhorses and tools. I was impressed by the leadership there. They were available to answer questions, but we were left to make cuts and put it together on our own."
"We weren't babied, and they didn't assume that we didn't know anything," said Sarah Melanovich, a sophomore business administration major from Rimersburg. "We built three exterior walls with window and door frames, five interior walls, and raised the walls by the end of the week."
"Students learned how to use a miter saw for cutting the two-by-fours for the walls, and a rip saw for cutting out the windows and doors," Laney said. "One crew of three women worked on attaching the metal flashing between the exterior walls and the porch."
"We stayed at a YMCA camp cabin, and cooked our own meals," Melanovich said. "On Thursday, Keturah made something with all the leftovers. It looked a little strange, but it was really good."
"I didn't know everyone when I first climbed on the van," Bartley said. "But the time spent in the van, working during the day, and spending time together in the evening, established new relationships that I wouldn't have had without this trip. I'm planning on going next year too."
It was not all work for the group. They got in some sightseeing, too.
"We visited Duke University, which was about 15 minutes from where we were staying," Bartley said. "We also visited the Natural Science Museum, where we saw the Titanic exhibit. We also got to explore Raleigh. We also went out Friday night to a little pub located in the old train station."
"The best part of the trip was meeting the lady who will own the house we were building," Melanovich said. "We were building a house not for the homeless, but helping the working poor. The owners have to spend at least 300 hours working on their own house, and they will have a mortgage. They are families, like mine, with kids running around what will be their yard. You really have to see it because I can't put into words how that makes me feel."
"Work was secondary," Bartley said. "First was what you learned about your self. I could see the fruits of our labor at the end of the day, and not everyone can say that."
To learn more about Westminster's chapter of Habitat for Humanity or Westminster's involvement with Hosanna Industries, contact Mohr at (724) 946-7116 or e-mail mohrjr@westminster.edu or Laney at (724) 946-7117 or e-mail laneykf@westminster.edu.
Dr. Kang-Yup Na, assistant professor of religion at Westminster College, recently presented a paper to the joint meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) and the Society of Biblical Literature (SBL) held in San Antonio, Texas.
"As one of four invited to a panel organized by the Reformed Theology and History Group of AAR to discuss the Place of the Bible in Reformed Theology,' I presented Biblical Theology and Dogmatic Theology: the Tortuous and the Torturous Tale of Scriptura and Traditio," Na said. "As a steering committee member of that group, I also attended its other session and participated in the business meetings of the group. I took an active part in the discussions of papers delivered for the Korean Biblical Colloquium, a group within the SBL. At its business meeting, I was elected as a steering committee member.
"As every year, I returned with regained vigor, a stimulated mind, new ideas for future projects, and ideas for improving my teaching and writing, especially with regard to the most recent books and scholarship on a variety of topics for research and teaching."
Na, who has been with Westminster College since 1998, earned his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, master's from Princeton Theological Seminary, and Ph.D. from Emory University. Na has traveled and preached in several Korean universities and churches.
For more information, contact Na at (724) 946-7155 or e-mail nak@westminster.edu.
The Westminster College Office of Church Relations is sponsoring a continuing education event, "Preparing for Advent and Christmas," Tuesday, Nov. 15, beginning with refreshments and fellowship at 9 a.m. in the Witherspoon Room located in the McKelvey Campus Center.
Jane Duffield, from the UPMC Public Relations Office, will speak on "Media Relations 101: How to Get Media Coverage for Programs and Ministries." Gregg Hartung, director of Presbyterian Mission, will discuss "Church Media Awareness."
The seminars will begin at 9:15 a.m. and conclude with lunch at noon. Reservations are due one week prior to the event. Contact Paige Kaufman, secretary for the Chapel Office and Church Relations, at (724) 946-7115 or e-mail kaufmaph@westminster.edu for more information or reservations.
Michelle Long, a junior music education major at Westminster College, will perform a flute recital Saturday, March 6, at 3 p.m. in Wallace Memorial Chapel.
The Westminster College Choir is sponsoring "Music and Meatballs" Friday, Sept. 28, at the New Wilmington Presbyterian Church with seating each hour from 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Dr. Deborah Mitchell, assistant professor of English and public relations and Dr. Elizabeth Ford, professor of English, will speak at the Bleasby Colloquium, Thursday, Feb. 20, at 7 p.m. in Hoyt Science Resources Center room 166.
Three Westminster College Board of Trustee members recently shared the secrets to their entrepreneurial success with Westminster College students.
Six Westminster College mathematics majors will present their capstone posters Wednesday, Dec. 13, from 3-5 p.m. in the McKelvey Campus Center atrium.
Westminster College announces several personal enrichment and leisure courses for community residents. Continuing Education classes and seminars are non-credit and are open to all interested individuals. Formal admission to Westminster College is not required.
Nine Westminster College physics majors and three physics professors attended the joint meeting of the Ohio Region Section of the American Physics Society, and the Ohio Section and the Western Pennsylvania Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers March 28-29 at Youngstown State University.
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