Feb. 21, 2022

Dear Colleagues:

As I write this first campus update of 2022, I’m grateful for how our community came together to meet the challenges of starting the spring semester. We effectively navigated the significant spike in COVID-19 Omicron cases in January and February. Classes continued to meet in person, employees cared for students and assumed duties of colleagues who were out sick, and we realigned the Engle Center’s resources to focus on their primary mission of addressing students’ physical and mental health needs. Thank you to all involved with the revamped protocols for COVID-19 campus procedures on FalconLink, including the related employee and student testing and support. Thankfully, our new cases have slowed significantly, our protocols and mitigation practices are working, and we look forward to the warm days of spring ahead. We have much important work to achieve together this semester, and in reflection, I want to share with you an encouraging Scripture that reminds me that our hope is not tied to our circumstances or challenges:

Lamentations 3:21-23—Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope; Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassion never fails. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness.

Our hope is tied to the unchanging promise of God – He was, is, and will continue to be faithful to all of us and to Messiah University. Now, I’d like to share with you an update related to the January board meeting, enrollment, giving, strategic planning and other campus news.

Highlights from the January 2022 board of trustees meeting

The board chair and I were disappointed to have to make the decision to cancel our 2022 in-person board meetings due to the COVID Omicron surge. Instead, the full board and its various committees met via Zoom on Jan. 30 and 31 to conduct board business and receive campus updates. Below is a summary of the action items from the January session.

From the Committee on Finance:

  • The board approved to engage Baker Tilly, LLC to perform the financial audit of the University’s fiscal 2021-2022 financial statements for the year ending June 30, 2022, including the audit of the federal awards programs and preparation of the Data Collection Form.
  • The board approved to engage CapinCrouse LLP to perform the 2021 calendar year Retirement Plan 403(b) audit.

From the Committee on Education: The board reviewed and approved term tenure, term tenure renewal and promotion status of faculty members as presented based on the recommendation of the Term-Tenure and Promotion Committee, the provost and the president.

“University Rising” strategic planning update

Last fall, the University formed a Strategic Plan Implementation (SPI) Committee to monitor our institutional efforts to advance the goals of University Rising: Strategic Plan 2021 – 2024.  The committee meets each semester to review updates submitted by action step point persons. The master report of the fall semester review is available for review on the strategic planning and prioritization website. Below, I’d like to share some of the highlights of the master report corresponding to the four themes of the strategic plan.

Theme I – Distinctive Teaching and Learning.

The Office of Student Success is leading a working group to assess student access to technology resources/services and to address gaps in equitable technology access and inclusion. A survey of how students currently use technology – both personally and academically – is being constructed in collaboration with the Institutional Research Office and Educational Technology Services. The survey, tentatively entitled “Personal Use & Learning Technology Survey” should be ready for distribution to the student body in late February and should be available for analysis by summer.

 Theme II – See Messiah Anew.

Efforts to effectively recruit and retain more diverse student populations include strategies to expand dual enrollment (DE) online undergraduate courses and develop an enhanced DE plan. Our DE goals are ambitious and progress to-date is encouraging; 134 students were enrolled in DE courses for fall 2021 – our highest number to-date. Of these enrolled students, 86 (64 percent) were taking at least one online course. Between the summer and fall of 2021, students from Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Texas, Virginia and distant Pennsylvania locations enrolled in online courses with us. Most encouraging, we are hitting our goal of having 25-30 percent of DE students enroll at Messiah upon graduation. Plans to build upon the growth of DE by offering additional online courses and implementing new marketing strategies are underway.

 Theme III – Sustainable Future.

A sustainable future requires attracting students through creative, innovative, timely and cost-effective program development. Progress has been made toward developing cybersecurity programs, services and infrastructure to qualify Messiah to be designated as a National Security Agency (NSA) Center for Academic Excellence-Cybersecurity Defense Education (CAE-CDE) institution. Expanded cybersecurity programing will serve traditional undergraduates, ADP, graduate and professional students. Vinny Sakore has been named director of cybersecurity education. Messiah’s initial application to the NSA CAE-CDE has been accepted, and we have been assigned a mentor for the program development phase. On another strategic front, we recently signed an articulation agreement with HACC for seamless transfer of HACC RN-licensed students into Messiah’s RN to BSN program. This agreement will be a model for other such agreements with community colleges and diploma programs.

 Theme IV – Transformative Connections.

Transformative Connections are strategic partnerships with organizations that have the potential for game changing benefits to the University while assisting partner institutions to further their goals. Associate Provost of Graduate and Professional Studies and University Partnerships Rob Pepper was recently named to this new role to facilitate the nurturing of new partnerships and to help Messiah develop new or reshaped programs that address the needs of partner organizations in a rapidly changing workforce. Priorities for the next few months include developing a company-sponsored scholarship program to support undergraduate and graduate students, finalizing plans for the Charlotte, NC immersion trip and meeting with Pillar College (N.J.) and Milton Hershey School (Pa.) to discuss enrollment and other opportunities for partnerships. Dr. Pepper and the Provost’s Office are also working on identifying, creating and marketing certificates that will appeal to employers and employees as part of their workforce development.

The next meeting of the SPI Oversight Committee is scheduled for mid-April, and I will keep the campus community informed on the progress of our plan in future updates.

Enrollment snapshot

Undergraduate enrollment fall 2022:  Admissions activity for fall 2022 is currently running ahead of last year and we are pleased to note early increases in applications, acceptances and deposits. More than 54 percent of our applications this cycle have been submitted via the Common Application, compared to 46.9 percent of applications for fall 2021. Common Application users experience a higher admit rate than our in-house applicants, but yield has been lower. Another trend we are tracking is the ratio of test-optional applicants. Thus far, just about half of our applicants for fall have taken advantage of our test-optional pathway.

Feb. 15, 2022
Fall 2022 % to goal Goal Fall 2021 3-year average
First-year Students
Applications 2,186 85% 2,575 2,152 2,234
Acceptances 1,719 86% 2,000 1,693 1,735
Active Deposits 247 44% 557 234 245
Transfer Students
Applications 103 36% 290 132 131
Acceptances 65 31% 210 65 71
Active Deposits 16 18% 87 20 19

Campus visits: We are pleased to be experiencing more visit traffic in the Admissions and Welcome Center this year. In addition to hosting hundreds of families this fall for individual campus visits, we welcomed over 400 students and their guests to Open Houses and Focus Days.

Scholarships: We are excited to be hosting our Honors and Multicultural Scholarship Days in person this year. All our presentations and interviews were conducted remotely in 2021. While we had to make minor adjustments to our program schedules to accommodate COVID protocols, guests and faculty alike have expressed appreciation for our in-person approach.

We are thrilled to host interviews and hospitality in the Admissions and Welcome Center. This has provided a wonderful home base close to the hub of campus activity. In addition to our established scholarship programs, we have also introduced the opportunity for faculty to engage and interview admitted students for $1,000 renewable Dean’s Scholarships. Students are currently scheduling appointments with educators to explore this opportunity.

First-year student parking initiative: Previously, Messiah’s parking policy has prohibited first-year students who live less than 250 miles from campus from bringing a vehicle. After careful data analysis and discussions of how to expand parking, we were pleased to send an update to current first-year and incoming students promoting availability. Based on current parking metrics and available spots on campus, we believe we will be able to offer a space to all who desire to bring a vehicle to campus in the fall. Research indicates that a lack of student parking has been cited as a barrier to enrollment.

Gap-year program partnerships: In November, we hosted a team from One Life Institute, a Lancaster-based Christian gap-year program with five sites in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and South Carolina. The purpose of this gathering was to celebrate the signing of a partner agreement between One Life and Messiah University that encourages their participants to consider Messiah upon completion of the nine-month gap-year program.

Graduate enrollment FY22:  Graduate student enrollment continues to be a significant portion of our total student body headcount. Nearly 25 percent of our more than 3,000 students are classified as graduate students. Comparing where we are this year to where we were last year on Feb. 4, 2021:

  • Ahead 11 unduplicated students (904 this year versus 893 last year)
  • Behind 41 new students (258 this year versus 299 last year)
  • Ahead 593 credit hours (15,400 this year versus 14,807 last year; 101 percent to goal this year versus 100 percent to goal last year)

Giving update

Giving Numbers for FY22 (see chart below): We are ahead in Messiah Fund / Operating by approximately $500,000 over last year at this time. In the coming weeks, we will be receiving a significant bequest, which will put us very close to reaching our FY22 giving goal. The bequest is from longtime Messiah mail courier and “#1 Fan” Sam Lenhert and will assist students both with scholarship aid and participation in missions trips. We have also raised more than $74.3 million through the Campaign for Messiah University, which is 99 percent of our goal! Messiah will host a campaign celebration on campus this fall, featuring a concert performance by Michael W. Smith on Oct. 15, followed by a public concert of Oct. 16. We look forward to the successful completion of the campaign in December 2022.

FY22 Giving as of Feb. 15, 2022

Gifts Received Messiah Fund /

Operating

 Gifts Received &

New Pledges
$ 3,559,195 $ 1,165,413 $ 7,608,910

June 30 Goals:
$ 6,000,000

59% of goal

 $ 1,300,000

90% of goal

 $ 12,000,000

63% of goal

The Campaign for Messiah University
$74.3M of $75M raised 99% of goal

Endowment challenge #9: The University has currently raised $1.9 million of its $2.1 million goal for its most recent endowment fundraising challenge (91 percent toward goal), with a completion deadline of December 2022.

  • Messiah has raised $5 million in new endowment monies since 2013.
  • An additional $5 million in matching monies has added over $10 million total in scholarship endowment for the University since 2013.
  • This has resulted in 116 new scholarships since 2013, and we now have nearly 400 named scholarships and endowments.

Middle States self-study update

Messiah’s self-study design plan was formally approved by our Middle States Commission on Higher Education vice president, Melissa Hardin, on Oct. 26. University working groups have been active throughout the fall and initial chapter drafts were submitted to the steering committee on Jan. 7, 2022. These drafts will be refined by campus MSCHE steering committee co-chairs, Associate Provost Alison Noble and Director of Institutional Research Laura Miller, along with the steering committee in the coming months and be available for review by the full campus community by the beginning of April. Middle States is scheduled to work with us this spring in selecting the chair of the Evaluation Team for our Spring 2023 site visit. You may learn more about Messiah’s self-study process at www.messiah.edu/middlestates.

Announcing Commencement dates and speakers for 2022

I am pleased to announce the Commencement ceremonies and speakers for both the Messiah University Undergraduate and Graduate Classes of 2022:

 Undergraduate Commencement (May 7, 2022)

Messiah University is pleased to welcome our 2022 undergraduate commencement speaker, Rev. Esau McCaulley, Ph.D., assistant professor of New Testament at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. His first book, entitled “Sharing in the Son’s Inheritance,” was published by T & T Clark in 2019. His second book, “Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope,” was published by IVP academic in 2020. It has won numerous awards, including Christianity Today’s book of the year. His first children’s book, “Josie Johnson’s Hair and the Holy Spirit,” will be published by IVP in May 2022. He is a contributing opinion writer for the New York Times. His writings have also appeared in media such as Washington Post, The Religious New Service and Christianity Today.

School of Graduate and Professional Studies Commencement (May 14, 2022)

Messiah University is pleased to welcome our 2022 graduate commencement speaker, Quincy C. Hilliard, Ph.D., Composer in Residence and the Heymann Endowed Professor of Music at the University of Louisiana, Lafayette.  He previously served on the faculty at Nicholls State University, Florida International University, North Marion High School (Sparr, Fla.) and White Station Junior and Senior High School (Memphis, Tenn.). Hilliard is regularly invited to conduct, demonstrate effective techniques, and adjudicate festivals throughout the world. Dr. Hilliard is also a published author, with having authored or co-authored nine volumes. Currently he is co-authoring, “Teaching Instrumental Music: Perspectives and Pedagogies for the 21st Century” (forthcoming, Oxford University Press).

Good news about Messiah

Here is a sample of some recent highlights about the success of Messiah University’s programs and people. For more details visit messiah.edu/news, Messiah’s official Facebook page and www.gomessiah.com, the source sites for many of the below news items).

  • Alumna Gloria Igihozo ’19, recently co-published, “An environmental scan of one health preparedness and response: the case of the Covid-19 pandemic in Rwanda,” in the online open access journal, One Health Outlook. Gloria is a graduate of the University of Global Health Equity (UGHE) with an M.S. in managing global health delivery, holding a bachelor’s in biochemistry from Messiah University. She currently serves as the One Health Coordinator at UGHE, a role that involves research and supporting the Center for One Health with curriculum development that supports and furthers global health.
  • Soccer Shots (Harrisburg/York) has established an applied health sciences scholarship for Messiah University graduate or graduate-bound students in the occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) programs. Jason and Mandy Webb, owners of Soccer Shots (Harrisburg/York) and Messiah alumni (‘98), established the scholarship to support Soccer Shots (Harrisburg/York) coaches who are also full-time students in OT and PT programs at Messiah. The scholarship will provide financial assistance to Soccer Shots (Harrisburg/York) employees who have coached at least one season and who are Messiah University graduate students in the Master of Occupational Therapy or Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. The scholarship is also open to graduate-bound juniors and seniors in Messiah’s early assurance or accelerated PT or OT program. Read more.
  • Congratulations to alumna Becky Giannelli for being selected to receive the YWCA Greater Harrisburg’s 2022 Tribute to Women of Excellence award! This award recognizes outstanding women in the Capital Region who devote time and energy to making the organizations and communities with which they’re affiliated better places to work and live. Read more.
  • Dwayne Safer, associate professor of finance, recently passed the certification exam administered by the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board of Standards! He was conferred the CFP® designation upon successful completion of the exam, required coursework and performing 6,000 hours of professional experience related to the financial planning process. Congratulations, Professor Safer!
  • Congratulations to the 2022 Boyer Legacy Award recipient, Phalika Oum! The Ernest L. Boyer Center annually bestows a Messiah University junior with this award in honor of the legacy of Ernest L. Boyer, Sr. Recipients demonstrate Dr. Boyer’s broad accomplishments and convictions, including his passionate commitment to viewing education as a means to solving societal challenges and his ardent emphasis that leadership is grounded in service. The selection committee was deeply impressed Phalika’s service and leadership commitments to racial reconciliation, food equity and climate justice.
  • Esther Seeland set a new NCAA DIII Record in the 800 Meter last weekend with a time of 2:05.39. Her time is the lowest indoor time on a 200-meter in Division III history. Seeland currently holds the lowest time in the country in the event by over four seconds. She also holds top-15 times in the country in the miles (third, 4:52.25) and the 3000 Meter (12th, 9:54.15).
  • The women’s swimming team claimed their eighth MAC Championship in the last nine years by scoring 1343.5 points at the Middle Atlantic Conference Championship in York last weekend. The Falcons earned 19 All-Conference honors, including victories in seven of the 18 events. Head Coach Katie McComb was named the MAC Coach of the Year on the women’s side after the stellar weekend.
  • The Messiah men’s volleyball team earned their sixth-straight sweep on Wednesday night with a 3-0 victory over Alvernia to improve their overall record to 8-3 on the season. The Falcons are currently undefeated in conference play with a 3-0 record. First year Ryan Givens was named to the FrogJump National Team of the Week for the week of Feb. 7-14.
  • The women’s basketball team currently holds the top spot in the MAC Commonwealth and is set to host the Conference Tournament next weekend beginning with the Quarterfinals on Wednesday, Feb. 23. Leah Springer is closing in on the program record for career points (98 points away) and career rebounds (25 rebounds away).
  • Messiah wrestling will head to the NCAA Southeast Regional next weekend with the chance for wrestlers to qualify for the National Championships. Earlier this year, Messiah hosted the MAC Championships, finishing in second with Nick Barnhart (157 lbs.) and Carter Urich (285 lbs.) claiming Conference Championships in their respective weight classes.
  • Spring is in the air with all of Messiah’s spring sports well into practices and the baseball team already starting their season. The women’s lacrosse team begins the 2022 campaign on Saturday when they host Scranton while the softball and men’s lacrosse teams kick off their new year next weekend. The men’s and women’s tennis teams are the last of the spring sports to get underway when they travel to South Carolina over spring break for a handful of matches.

We have much to look forward to in the remaining weeks of spring semester culminating in our Commencements. Thank you for making a difference in the lives of our students.

Warm regards,

 Kim S. Phipps, President