Marc Schoenhardt ’00, Broadway Va., graduated from James Madison University with a MA in teaching in December 2009. He is employed by Harrisonburg City Schools to teach the homebound and be a substitute teacher.
Biology professor Jeffrey Copeland and EMU junior Charise Garber.
Research Probes Mechanisms of Aging Why and how do we get old? This is one of the most basic and unknown questions of biology, says Jeffrey M. Copeland, PhD, assistant professor of biology at EMU. Joining him to study the topic is junior biology/music double major, Charise Garber of Lancaster, Pa. "We're using fruit flies," explains Garber, "because their genes are easy to manipulate. Fruit flies live relatively short lives and are metabolically similar." The fruit fly research builds on Copeland's post-doctoral work at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and his doctorate work at the California Institute of Technology. This kind of study – undergraduates paired with full-PhD level professors doing original research – is typical at EMU and key to the success many graduates report enjoying in graduate and medical school study. Hearing about this kind of faculty-student interaction from EMU alumni in the Lancaster area, as well as on a campus visit, influenced Garber's decision to come to EMU. Copeland considered other options before coming to EMU in the fall of 2010. While still in Los Angeles, Copeland says, he met many alumni who impressed him with their unique perspective and knowledge. "Part of the thrill of teaching at EMU is being able to have those one-on-one mentoring opportunities that strengthen the educational experience for both teacher and student," he says. Of the current theories of aging, Copeland notes that scientists currently have only a naive idea, and "we don't have a good understanding of the genes controlling the aging process." He wants to understand which genes are important and how they relate to the numerous age-related diseases, like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. "One method to understanding the life of fruit flies is to slightly lower their metabolism, and it is important to determine if lowered metabolism can affect disease models in flies," Copeland explains. Garber and Copeland know that lowered metabolism specifically in the brains of flies can extend the lifespan, something Copeland determined in his earlier research at UCLA. Now the two hope to discover what regions of the brain are affected and in what way. Answering these questions could give scientists everywhere new insights into many illnesses currently plaguing humanity. — Tim Hartman, Elida, Ohio, a senior liberal arts major with a peacebuilding emphasis, contributed to this article. fall 2007 2010-11 56 | crossroads | fall/winter
Kyle Stutzman ’00, Greencastle, Pa., recently joined Ongoing Operations, LLC, a Credit Union Service Organization that has rapidly expanded to serve over 130 clients nationwide, as its new Director of Level 1 and 2 Client Support and Infrastructure. Prior to joining Ongoing Operations, Kyle served as Vice President of Technology Systems for DuPont Community Credit Union. In his seven years with that credit union, his responsibilities grew from overseeing daily technical systems to leading all strategic technology initiatives and managing two service and support departments. Kyle holds an Executive MBA from Colorado Technical University. Stephen (Steve) Jay Swartzendruber ’00, MDiv ’05, Leesburg, Va., has been ordained at Northern Virginia Mennonite Church in Fairfax, Va., for his hospice chaplaincy ministry with VITAS Hospice of Northern Virginia. Michael S. Miller ’01, Belleville, Pa., works for Weblion, as a programmeranalyst in the computer support network for Penn State University. Bethany Spicher ’01 and husband Micah Schonberg have begun a community supported agriculture venture in the Huntingdon, Pa. area, where they live. The venture is called Plowshare Produce. Lora L. Steiner ’01, Harrisonburg, Va., has been named coordinator of admissions and marketing at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding. Lora has a MDiv from Drew University in New Jersey. Her previous work experience includes Mennonite Central Committee’s Washington Office, and administrative work at Gemeinschaft, a residential facility in Harrisonburg for individuals transitioning from prison back into society. Matthew Dean Goins ’02, is an anesthesiologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, one of the teaching hospitals of Harvard Medical School, in Boston, Mass. Formerly, he was an anesthesiology resident at the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center in Charlottesville, Va. Andy Hershberger ’02, West Liberty, Ohio, is the business office manager at Logan Acres Care Center in Bellefontaine, Ohio. Logan Acres is a 95-bed skilled nursing facility. Erik Kratz ’02, Harrisonburg, Va., signed to be a catcher with the Philadelphia Phillies in November 2010. Kratz, who was 30 years old at signing time, was a 2002 draft pick of the Toronto BlueJays and spent the last two seasons in the Pirates organization at AAA Indianapolis.He made his major league debut
last season for the Pirates, seeing action in 9 games. For Indianapolis last season Kratz hit .274/.380/.496 with 9HR and 41 RBI and threw out 21% of baserunners attempting to steal on him. In his minor league career, he has thrown out 31% of baserunners. Erik is 6 foot, 4 inches, and carries about 250 muscular pounds. He is the first EMU alumnus to play a sport in college and to continue with that sport to the top professional level. Rob Roeschley, Erik’s coach while he was at EMU, noted that Erik’s wife, Sarah Troyer ’01 Kratz, deserves credit for Erik’s move to the major leagues for the robust support she has provided as a wife and mother to their two sons during his years of moving among teams and playing locations. Erik and Sarah are members of the Harrisonburg (Va.) Mennonite Church. Daniel (Dan) W. Lapp ’02, Hershey, Pa., expects to finish his PhD studies in 2012 as part of the MD/PhD dual degree program at Penn State College of Medicine in Hershey, Pa. T hereafter he will work on completing his MD. From 2002 until he entered the MD/PhD program, Dan worked at Merck as a pharmacist. His wife, Lynley Culbertson ’02 Lapp, is a health educator at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Brad Miller ’02, and his spouse, Jessica Yoder, moved in the summer of 2010 to a home purchased in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of downtown Denver, Colo. Brad is director of graduate admissions for the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. He has completed MA in higher education administration at the same university. Jessica is a family physician with Kaiser Permanente in Denver. She is a graduate of Goshen College and the daughter of Rick ’69 and Carolyn Yoder ’72. Karen Miller ’02 is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist who moved to Haiti to help in a hospital in Port-auPrince. She is committed for a minimum of six months. Karen administers anesthesia as needed and is in charge of the ICU. She will also work in the ER and, possibly, medicine/surgery. Karen is focused on organizing the ICU staff and unit. Mary (Ashley) Cook ’03, Waynesboro, Va., completed her MS in nursing, family nurse practitioner, and community and public health leadership program at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Va. Jeremiah Denlinger ’03, Royal Oaks, Mich., has received his MEd from the University of Delaware. Charles William “Bill” Harner ’03, Harrisonburg, Va., is a program coordinator at Pleasant View, Inc., an organization that serves people who have disabilities by providing support services necessary for them to live in and enrich the community. He is married to Kimberly