Health
October 31, 2024
One mile, one thousand days: The unstoppable journey of Jaelyn
In a world where streaks are often tallied in Snapchat, Goshen College’s 27-year-old head athletic trainer, Jaelyn Rufenacht, opted for a healthier sequence: running at least one mile every day for 1,000 consecutive days. In 2020, Rufenacht graduated from GC as a softball student-athlete with a degree in exercise science. The following year, she enrolled at the University of Indianapolis to pursue a master’s degree in athletic training. While in graduate school, she had to take a fitness test. So, on May 1, 2021, Rufenacht decided to run one mile a day for 30 days, enabling her to get in...
October 24, 2024
Revitalizing the Trackside Garden
One of Goshen College’s most unknown features is a small garden located along the train tracks at 1623 South 9th Street. The space was created in 2013 and, today, roughly nine people tend to the garden patch. It is cultivated by anyone who is interested and provides the opportunity for students and faculty to grow produce and get their hands dirty. Someone who takes part in caring for the garden is Maynard Miller, adult and graduate admissions counselor. Miller became involved because he “always had a huge garden” before his move to Goshen and wanted to rekindle that love for...
January 26, 2023
Alcohol: Responsible use, addiction and everything in between
Despite its “dry campus” policy, alcohol consumption is still a recurrent activity on Goshen College campus. This past summer, Student Life implemented a medical amnesty policy which states that “Students who seek professional medical assistance for themselves or others related to the consumption of alcohol or use of illicit drugs will not be subject to disciplinary sanctions.” This policy has opened the door for conversation regarding alcohol usage and consumption on campus. For Gilberto Perez Jr, vice president for student life and dean of students, the amnesty policy is an opportunity for students to “come talk to us … it’s...
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...
April 14, 2022
After the pandemic, I want to…
COVID-19 affected the lives of everyone. For many young people, that meant scrolling mindlessly through TikTok and binge-watching Netflix. It also intensified the looming uncertainty of the future. Despite the unknown, young people continue to hold onto the hope of a safe, Zoom-free world without COVID-19. Inspired by an article in the The Washington Post, we asked Goshen College students to respond to the statement, “After the pandemic, I want to….” In their own handwriting, here are their responses. Claudia Mobley, 19, was a senior in high school when the pandemic shut her world down. On Mar. 13, 2020, she...
March 31, 2022
Athletic department spotlights mental health
On Monday, over 250 of Goshen College’s student athletes gathered for a conversation about mental health. According to nationwide trends reported by the National Institute of Health (NIH), it’s likely that 50 or more of these student athletes could be struggling with mental illness. The seminar was put on by GC’s athletic department to shine a spotlight on the issue of athlete mental health. In her presentation, Erica Albertin, Goshen’s athletic director, shared more statistics from the NIH: An average of one in five people across the United States report difficulties with mental illness, and those aged 18-25 have the...
March 25, 2022
AVI caters to vegan students
The students have spoken, and the cooks are responding. Jeremy Corson, resident director of AVI, Dan Morris, the executive chef, and Denise Cook, executive sous chef, have all been working towards a more inclusive menu at Westlawn Dining Hall and the Leaf Raker. Over the past school year, Corson said he has received feedback from a handful of students and faculty concerning the lack of options for people who are vegan or have other dietary restrictions. The culinary team has been working to ensure everyone has an option at Westlawn and the Leaf Raker. Corson posted in the campus communicator...
January 28, 2022
Getting a Harvard education from GC’s doorstep
Four Goshen College students spent the first three weeks of January studying public health at Harvard University. The January term, which ended last week, was mostly remote due to concerns over COVID-19, but the students still traveled to Boston. The program was brought into fruition by Brianne Brenneman, assistant professor of public health at Goshen College along with William Hsiao, a Harvard professor of emeritus, and Winnie Yip, a professor at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. “I have been looking for ways to create opportunities for my students to learn from people other than just me,” said...
January 28, 2022
A counselor’s tips for getting through the winter
It gets dark way too early. It’s cloudy all the time. And, oh yeah, about six inches of snow have fallen since Saturday night. You can’t leave the building without a coat. You have to watch your step or you’ll slip on the ice. Some of us love the winter and everything that goes with it. But for many of us, the months between fall and spring seem to last forever and can take a toll on our physical, mental and emotional well-being. Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is a depressive disorder that affects millions of people during the winter months....
January 20, 2022
Omicron spreads on campus, variant less severe
Omicron, the newest COVID-19 variant, is spreading through campus like no variant before. Since the start of winter break, over 100 students have tested positive for the virus, compared to 16 total cases in the fall semester. But the more mild nature of the variant combined with the high vaccination rate on campus means there is less reason for concern. In shifting from the Delta to the Omicron variant, the “whole equation has changed,” said President Rebecca Stotzfus. Over 93% of campus is fully vaccinated, and many students and staff have also received a booster, both of which dramatically reduce...
December 2, 2021
COVID -19’s impact on student mental health
The COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the mental health of college students around the country and at Goshen College. National surveys show that depression, anxiety, substance use and suicidal thoughts increased in college students during the pandemic’s first year, when many were forced to live in isolation without a clear end in sight. One study published in BMC Psychology found that over 70% of college students reported an increase in anxiety, depression and loneliness during the pandemic. In addition to the isolation, fear and actual losses felt by many, remote learning was also a cause of stress for students,...
March 12, 2021
Goshen students join MCC for global health class
How do you learn about global health issues during a pandemic? Because of travel restrictions, two mennonite organizations, Goshen College and the Mennonite Central Committee, piloted an online class to replace international learning. Both organizations found themselves in a similar predicament. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, GC’s Study Service Term (SST) and the MCC’s counterparts, such as Serving and Learning Together (SALT), had to adapt to continue global learning without travelling. The result was the Global Health Virtual Practicum. According to an article by the MCC, this is a year-long class meeting every Saturday for two hours beginning in Oct....
February 11, 2021
Alarms, exhausting shifts and sadness: Life on a COVID-19 ward
Story Summary: This article delves into the daily routines and lives of healthcare workers at a local hospital during the pandemic while encouraging readers to take a look at the importance of remaining vigilant to the on-going problem of COVID-19. Alarms, buzzers and tones go off, alerting staff that something needs immediate attention. Nurses, doctors and other staff whirl past each other, each with tasks to accomplish. Close your eyes and imagine standing on a hospital floor and watching as people and carts stream past you. It could be that everything seems to move at hyper-speed or perhaps slow motion;...
January 28, 2021
How do we explain zero positive COVID-19 cases?
Four hundred and fifty-four students tested negative for the coronavirus on campus last week as part of the college’s weekly surveillance testing effort. The first week of testing launched Jan. 17, and no participating students have yet tested positive. Since Jan. 11, six cumulative positive cases have been reported at GC, though these positive results – five in the past and one current – all originated off campus and stayed off campus, according to lead contact tracer Kevin Miller. In addition to the surveillance testing efforts, 71 students and employees have reported receiving at least one dose of the coronavirus...