After serving as the executive director of Merry Lea Environmental Learning Center of Goshen College for five years, Jason Martin was placed on administrative leave on June 25, leading to his resignation on July 23.

Becky Overholt, a former farm-hand and regular volunteer at Merry Lea, learned Martin was under administrative leave informally from Doug Vendreley, a Merry Lea board member. “All he said is, ‘FYI, I just want you to know that Jason’s been placed on administrative leave while they investigate him. I can’t say anything more than that,’” Overholt said.

The reasoning for Martin’s administrative leave remains confidential. Due to HR regulations, Ann Vendrely, academic dean and vice president of the Academic Affairs Committee, can’t comment on the action taken towards Martin’s case. The same also applies to other faculty.

“I’ve been out [to Merry Lea] regularly to support [Merry Lea faculty] and make sure that they have what they need to keep working,” Vendrely said.

Kayla Beasley, associate director of communications and marketing at Merry Lea, said that Martin’s resignation felt “out of the blue” to her. However, when asked about his career history, Beasley noted his passion for teaching, “He’s always loved being in the classroom,” she said.

On Aug. 5, the Dean’s office announced that Ryan Sensenig, a former professor of biology and the president appointee on Merry Lea’s board from 2020-22, will serve as Merry Lea’s interim executive director for the 2025-26 academic year. Sensenig works full time at the University of Notre Dame as a professor of the practice.

“I was not seeking this position in particular, but found it to resonate with a lot of feelings I had about what is so special about GC and Merry Lea,” Sensenig said.

In 2022, Sensenig left GC to invest more time into research on integrating fire ecology in Kenya and Indiana. “Professors don’t have release time to do research,” Sensenig said. “They do [research] on the side or in the summer when they have time.”

Leaving GC was the “most difficult decision” for Sensenig. He spent 16 years dedicated to GC and Merry Lea, fostering relationships between his colleagues and students.

“I was actually really interested in a joint appointment,” Sensenig explained. “But I never brought up that idea until I was approached by President Stoltzfus [in July].” Just as Sensenig began a new journey at Notre Dame, he found himself paving a new path with GC.

“I feel completely gratified and excited about the opportunity to reconnect with a place where I spent my entire career,” Sensenig said.

When asked about the upcoming academic year, Sensenig said his goal is to further leverage the strengths of Merry Lea across campus and regionally. He said, “I think there could be creative and powerful partnerships with Merry Lea and other universities and institutions, in addition to strengthening how Merry Lea can support existing GC programs and departments.”

“We just want to keep supporting that really good work and figuring out ways to get even more students out [to Merry Lea],” Vendrely said.

Both Sensenig and Vendrely expressed the importance of listening to Merry Lea staff and making the community aware of the programs and activities Merry Lea has to offer.

Jonathan Schramm, professor of sustainability and environmental education department chair, said, “I am looking forward to continuing to deepen collaboration between campus and Merry Lea, and building up our opportunities for world-class teaching and learning at the field station.”

However, Schramm mentioned that current internal staff dynamics are “still a little complicated.” Other Merry Lea employees have expressed a similar sentiment.

“It appears that we are still on track to complete our current strategic plan that was put in place during Jason’s tenure. I will say I am hopeful for the future but approaching things in a cautiously optimistic manner,” says Jeremiah Sharp, environmental educator and public programs coordinator at Merry Lea.

“We are definitely still on track to continue with our 2024-27 strategic plan and we are still pursuing our mission. It is great to have Ryan’s prior knowledge and experience of Merry Lea and Goshen College,” Beasley adds.

Sensenig has agreed to work as a 25% full-time equivalent employee with support from a managing director. Vendrely and a search committee of Merry Lea employees are in the interview process with three top candidates.