News
September 30, 2022
GC to host Mennonite/s Writing Conference
After 20 years, Goshen College will host the Mennonite/s Writing Conference, spanning 4 days from Thursday, Sept. 28, to Sunday, Oct. 2. The theme for this year is “Celebrating 30 Years: Looking Back, Looking Forward.” “The featured writers at the conference this weekend are amazing writers who address multiple audiences,” said Ann Hostetler, professor Emeritus of English at GC. “They display diversity in styles and perspectives.” Workshops will be led by Casey Plett, Julia Spicher Kasdorf, and Steven Rubin, along with book signings from Sofia Samatar, Rachel Yoder, Patrick Friesen, and the conference founder Hildi Froese Tissen. Many speakers are...
September 30, 2022
Students showcase talents at Kick-Off
Goshen College hosted its annual Kick-Off competition on Saturday, Sept. 24, in Sauder Concert Hall. Kick-Off is a long-standing tradition that allows students to showcase their talents. The 12 acts featured included a stand-up comedy routine, interpretive dancing and a wide variety of musical acts — all performed for a crowd of students and staff that often jumped to their feet to clap and dance. The theme for this year’s event was black and white, and many attendees could be spotted following the theme with their outfits. The Campus Activities Council (CAC) created a list of faculty members with strong...
September 15, 2022
Elizabeth Miller begins work as the new director of ISGA and MHL
As the new director of the Institute for the Study of Global Anabaptism (ISGA) as well as the Mennonite Historical Library (MHL), Elizabeth Miller will get a chance to connect Anabaptists worldwide by helping tell their stories. Miller, who graduated from Goshen College in 2006, is also starting teaching duties as assistant professor of history at GC. She assumed responsibility for these three positions in August, replacing John Roth, who retired as a professor in June after 37 years of teaching at the college. Founded in 1906, the MHL collects published works relating to Mennonites and Anabaptists. Roth established the...
September 15, 2022
City of Goshen to host 2nd Hispanic Heritage festival on Saturday
National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed annually from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. People whose families emigrated from Central and South America, the Caribbean, Spain and Mexico are celebrated for their contributions and cultural heritage. After months of planning, the Hispanic Heritage Festival will return to downtown Goshen for the 2nd year this Saturday from 1:00 to 11:00 pm. The event was brought to fruition by Community Pro Education, a nonprofit organization promoting inclusion and cultural diversity. “[The] Hispanic Heritage Festival is a great opportunity to bring the community together,” said Manny Cortez, the president of Community Pro Education. “We...
September 15, 2022
Java Junction celebrates 20th birthday
Sunday marked the return of a missing presence on campus — Java Junction is now open for its 20th year on campus. Java Junction is not just the campus coffee shop, but also the business department’s hands-on learning project that aims to give students tangible management experience. Despite rotating workers, one constant has been Michelle Horning, professor of accounting. She has served as the faculty advisor and has taught the Java Junction Operations course for 20 years. She started the project with a few students after Student Life expressed the desire for a coffee shop on campus. Through the years,...
September 15, 2022
Upperclassmen housing options falling short
Every apartment unit in the Octavio Romero Student Apartment building is occupied this semester. In years past, many have remained empty. However, that is not to say the building is at capacity. As interim facilities director Cynthia Good Kaufmann explained: “Apartments are full, bedrooms are not…we have capacity there.” She went on to say that while there are several under-capacity apartments this semester, in the future, they may need to be more full. Good Kaufmann also brought up the potential for Coffman Hall to be brought back if needed, which would provide additional space for upperclassmen. For the past two...
September 9, 2022
Mast joins Westlawn remodeling project
Goshen College is continuing Westlawn renovations this semester with a new director of facilities at the helm. Brian Mast will be overseeing the project alongside Cynthia Good Kaufmann, director of planning and events, and Ben Bontrager, vice president for operations. Last year, this project was headed by Bontrager and Good Kaufmann, the latter of whom served as interim facilities director. “When I was in that role, I was called director of everything because I also was director of events,” she said. Over the summer, the interim facilities director was split into the director of facilities position and the director of...
September 8, 2022
Radio host Laura Smith to end five-year Umble Master Class hiatus
Laura Smith, host of Michiana’s Morning News on 95.3 MNC and “The Way Home with Laura Smith,” will present at the Roy H. Umble Master Class at Goshen College on Tuesday. The Master Class in Communication and Theater was created through donations from Goshen College graduates who benefited from the instruction of Roy H. Umble, a longtime professor of speech and theater at GC. Umble passed away in 1996. Duane Stoltzfus, the director of adult and graduate programs and the communication department chair, experienced Umble’s impact as a GC student in the 1970s. “He was someone who really devoted himself...
September 8, 2022
Minor train accident on campus: GC calls for safety
Goshen College employees and students were informed by campus safety on Friday, Sept. 2, that a minor train accident had occurred on campus. Taking place at approximately 8:45 a.m., the incident involved an employee who was not injured. “I received a call from the campus officer on duty that there was an accident on campus,” said Chad Coleman, director of student life operations and campus safety. “There were paramedics, police and fire here.” The details were unavailable to either party, so when arriving at the scene, Coleman felt worried when he noticed the train stopped, giving him what he described...
September 8, 2022
Goshen College welcomes 2026 class
Goshen College’s welcome team was proud to introduce the second year of a week-long extended orientation to the fall 2022 student cohort. New students checked in on Aug. 21 to meet peers, attend sessions with professors, participate in activities and meet with their ICC (Identity, Culture, and Community) classes. Adela Hufford, director of orientation, transition and retention, said that the goal is to “acclimate new students to campus ahead of returning students” while giving them “some sense of confidence before the school year begins.” Based on student, faculty and staff feedback, Hufford and other orientation members integrate changes to ensure...