as a bilingual teacher at Faith Family Academy Charter School in Dallas, Tex. She taught second grade for two years; this will be her second year teaching third grade. When she moved to Texas, she saw the need for bilingual teachers in the Dallas and Fort Worth area, and obtained her state teaching and bilingual certifications. She is delighted with the opportunity and challenge to work with the Latino and African American population at Faith Family Academy.
Patricia King '89 is an assistant professor of English at North Central College.
Veteran High School Teacher Praises Patricia King '89 The following is excerpted with permission from a column written by Loyd Hoke for the Hickory (N.C.) Daily Record, published Jan. 31, 2012. Patricia Grace King was one of my best English students at St. Stephens High [in 33 years] and my best runner in cross country and track. She was an “A” student for four years in my Honors English Program, a voracious reader and excellent writer. Patty King received athletic scholarship feelers from The University of Virginia, Cornell University, Winthrop University, N.C. State University and The University of Kansas. She chose to go to Eastern Mennonite University in Harrisonburg, Va. [majoring in English and Spanish]. She went on to get her PhD in English at Emory University in Atlanta. Patty spent a year in Barcelona, Spain. Then she moved on to Guatemala and Honduras, where she worked with a medical brigade… [and later] as a worker for Witness for Peace. She came back to the States, and became an assistant professor of English at her alma mater, Eastern Mennonite University, for 20002003. In 2002, she married David Janzen, a professor of Hebrew Bible/Old Testament at EMU in Harrisonburg. Then, they became directors of a language school (Central American Study and Service) in Guatemala for two years. Here, she translated the testimonies of genocide survivors and experienced the aftermath of civil war and gang violence. In her last year in Guatemala [2005], Patty began writing again. Patty and her husband both teach at North Central College in Naperville, Ill. David is an associate professor of philosophy and religious studies, and Patty is an assistant professor of English. Patty is also working on a master of fine arts in creative writing, a program for writers, at Warren Wilson College in Asheville. Her short work of fiction, “The Death of Carrie Bradshaw,” is forthcoming from Kore Press, where it won the 2011 Short Fiction Contest. She has had other stories published in Nimrod and The Santa Fe Writers Project. These stories have received awards, including runner-up in the William Faulkner-William Wisdom competition, honorable mention for the Katherine Anne Porter Prize and the Dana Award for short fiction. Most of these stories are a part of a linked collection she is writing, Gringos in Paradise. fall 2007 54 | crossroads | fall/winter/spring 2011-12
Bonnie Price Lofton MA ’04 (conflict transformation), Harrisonburg, Va., has been named editor in chief at EMU. Bonnie continues to oversee the publication of five EMU magazines per year, three of Crossroads and two of Peacebuilder. In addition, she leads the team of EMU writers and editors striving for consistent excellence in the quality of their print and online communications. She is slated to receive a D.Litt. degree from Drew University in May 2012. Rebecca Pierce MA ’04 (education), Ruckersville, Va., was one of five EMU alumni honored at the Rockingham County Public Schools/Rockingham Educational Foundation, Inc. annual awards and recognition program on May 16, 2011. She was one of 24 teachers honored as “2011 Teachers of the Year.” She was one of who Rebecca teaches sixth grade at Elkton Middle School. Austin Chiazar Onuoha, MA’04 (conflict transformation), Port Harcourt, Nigeria, was one of five panelists at the 2011 Peacebuilding Fund High-level Stakeholders meeting held in the North Lawn Building of the United Nations headquarters in New York City on Nov. 22, 2011. Austin directs the Africa Centre for Corporate Responsibility. Obiageli (Obi) Nwankwo-Otti ’04, Maplewood, N.J., is a clinical research associate, focusing on occupational field research at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Denver Steiner ’04, Orrville, Ohio, is a graphic designer and web developer in his family business, Ventrac by Ventura Products, Inc. Denver credits his communication degree with a computer minor from EMU as equipping him with the skills to market Ventrac tractors and build a dealer’s website. Benjamin Wideman ’04, Souderton, Pa., is employed as associate pastor of youth and young adult ministry at Salford Mennonite Church in Harleysville, Pa. Ben and his wife, Meredith Blauch ’05 Wideman, moved from Pasadena, Ca., after Ben completed his MDiv degree at Fuller Seminary. Denise Reed Atkins, MA ’05 (education), Shenandoah, Va., is assistant principal of Page County Middle School. Matthew Gnagey ’05, Columbus, Ohio, won the 2011 Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics (AEDE) Best Doctoral Research Manuscript
award at Ohio University for his secondyear research manuscript titled “A SemiParametric Analysis of Land Developer Costs and Development Timing.” Matt also passed his Macro qualifier at the PhD level, qualifying him to receive his MA in economics. He anticipates completing his studies within the next 2-3 years. Matt majored in economics as an EMU undergraduate. Mark Schloneger, MDiv ’05, Waynesboro, Va., pastor of Springdale Mennonite Church, wrote an opinion piece for CNN’s Belief Blog titled “Why I don’t sing the ‘Star Spangled Banner.’” The piece was sparked by the on-off decision of his undergraduate alma mater, Goshen College in Indiana, to play the national anthem at sports events for the first time in its 116-year history. The decision was rescinded less than a year later. Schloneger’s blog generated 4,360 comments between June 26, 2011, when it was posted and Dec. 26, 2011. His concluding words were: “I love my country, but I sing my loyalty and pledge my allegiance to Jesus alone.” The blog can be found at http://religion.blogs.cnn. com/2011/06/26/my-faith-why-i-dontsing-the-star-spangled-banner/ James (Austin) Baer ’06, Hummelstown, Pa., began his first year of medical studies at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center in the fall of 2011. Dana Herman Breeding ’06, Staunton, Va., is a registered nurse at Augusta Health in the Community Wellness department. Before attending EMU, she received a degree in exercise science and a minor in nutrition from Virginia Tech. In 2004, when her mother had a heart attack, Dana saved her life by administering CPR. As a result of this episode, Dana enrolled in EMU to earn a nursing degree. The Community Wellness department offers health care outreach programs to the community, including screenings and preventative health care. Ronald Copeland, MDiv ’06, Harrisonburg, Va., founding director of Our Community Place (OCP) in Harrisonburg in August 2008, announced a “refocusing” rather than a “reincarnation” of the organization's mission. OCP’s board of directors temporarily closed the center on Sept. 1, 2011, to ponder whether it should maintain its function as a day homeless shelter. After a five-week hiatus, the board re-opened the center on Oct. 8 with a celebration that included the traditional weekly meal and dialogue on how the organization might move forward. Ron relinquished his responsibilities as OCP’s executive director. He continues as pastor of the Early Church and president of the OCP board of directors. Josiah Garber ’06, Mountville, Pa., is employed by the online division of Medical Support Products Inc. in Lancaster, Pa. He is primarily in charge of marketing.