Joining the Goshen College community for the 2009 fall semester are twenty-one new faculty, accounting for eleven departments with new staff. Every school year brings changes in faculty, but this year the Art and Communications Departments have had significant turnover.

The leaving of Ron Johnson brings new Assistant Professor of  Communication, Seth Conley. Professor Conley comes from Rossville, Indiana, a small town just outside of Lafayette. He moved to Goshen with his wife, Rachel, and two young children, Kiersten and Ethan. A graduate of Indiana Wesleyan University, Conley joins the GC faculty after most recently working as a morning news anchor and reporter at WLFI News Channel 18 out of Lafayette. He will be teaching mostly video production classes, as well as courses on reporting, directing, and producing.

“[Conley] brings rare versatility to the classroom in that he is comfortable both with a camera and with an audience,” said Duane Stoltzfus, the chair of the Communications department.  “He’s brought some terrific ideas for developing the television and film program, including reaching out to the Goshen community.”

Conley is thrilled to be at GC. “I really feel it is an honor to have the chance to work with those who will shape the media in the years to come,” he said. “I truly believe it is crucial to continue to train Christians for the many media fields that are out there.”

The GC Visual Arts building is home to three new professors: Randy Horst, Anne Berry, and Kristi Glick join the Art Department this semester. However, none of these faces are entirely new to campus, as all have been employed by GC in the past.

Horst hails from Dillon, Montana, where he and his family have lived for the past 15 years. During that time he was teaching art at the University of Montana Western, located in Dillon. In addition, Horst taught at Bowling Green State University in Ohio, and was a part-time professor at GC from 1988-1992. He has returned this semester as Associate Professor of Art to teach drawing, digital design, aesthetics, and fine arts for children, as well as supervise several student teachers in the Goshen Public Schools.

“It’s a pleasure to be working with committed and caring people,” says Horst, “Faculty, administration, staff, and students.” That includes, of course, his two student children on campus, Lisa, a sophomore, and Russell, a senior.

Assistant Professor of Art Anne Berry has returned to her alma mater for the second time, having worked for GC Public Relations several years ago. She is originally from Goshen, but moved to Denver after finishing her undergraduate studies. Berry spent three and a half years in Colorado before moving to Kent, Ohio, to complete her graduate work at Kent State University/School of Visual Communication Design, where her work focused on Environmental Graphic Design.

“I’m currently teaching Graphic Design II and Design for the Theater,” said Berry. “I’m also one of the directors of the Hershberger Art Gallery.”

Glick, joining GC as Assistant Professor of Art, echoed Horst and Berry in saying “it’s too late for first impressions.”

Glick did her undergraduate work at GC, and also worked at the college for two years as a resident director. Glick is originally from Ohio, although she grew up in Indiana, Honduras, Spain, and Bolivia. “My parents led SST for GC and worked for MCC,” says Glick, “which accounts for the moving around.”

Prior to coming to GC this semester, Professor Glick lived in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she worked as a studio artist. “ I taught during graduate school at East Carolina University and also taught private lessons out of my studio in Charlottesville,” she says. Glick is currently teaching Jewelry I and Design I.

Chair of the Art Department, Merrill Krabill, is excited to have Anne, Kristi, and Randy join the GC faculty. “They will bring new ideas from the schools where they have been,” says Krabill. “Already their varied experiences have contributed to our thinking, and their energy is wonderful.”

The GC community warmly welcomes these and the additional new faculty to campus.