The Waltonian

Since I come from a big family, holidays are always a big festivity and each has their own traditions and special place in my heart. For example, on Christmas day we have family brunch with my mom’s famous breakfast casserole, we read the Christmas story, open our stockings, and then normally open presents in the afternoon or evening instead of the morning. On Thanksgiving we have the typical thanksgiving dinner, watch football and then set up our Christmas tree the day after. On St. Patrick’s Day, my mom makes us pancakes or french toast which she always dyes some shade of green with food coloring. Easter however, is my favorite holiday because we don’t really have one set tradition. But is it still a day where all my family, including my aunts, uncles and cousins, gather together with my grandparents to celebrate.

Growing up, my family would do the traditional things to celebrate Easter, including going to an Easter Sunday service and then having an easter egg hunt with hidden gifts baskets and eggs. The gift baskets weren’t really elaborate and would mainly just have our favorite candy and a small toy in it. We tried many different easter traditions like painting easter eggs, wearing special easter dresses, and even egg-spoon racing, but nothing really stuck with my family. Except the tradition of gathering together as a family.

As my family gets older and grows, Easter can look a little different; we have changed locations to my aunt’s house from my grandparents and have also added the tradition of Easter brunch to our list instead of an huge Easter egg hunt, as a result of most of us being too old for an egg hunt. However, there is still one thing that remains constant: family. No matter how far away we live, we still make a conscious effort to keep the Easter tradition of family alive and will still travel far to come together and celebrate Jesus and his resurrection.

If you were to see Henry Hutchingson around, he would be more than likely be wearing these three essentials: an Apple watch, a cap of some sort, and a cross necklace made out of baseball bats. As I got to know Henry and his story, I found that the necklace was a good analogy of how important baseball and his faith is to him.

Hutchingson, a Ewing, New Jersey native, came to Eastern because he was looking for a Christian school where he could grow in his faith and as a person. Hutchingson also was accepted into the Templeton Honors College and is on the baseball team as a pitcher. Hutchingson has been playing baseball since he was 7 years old, so a chance to play baseball while in college was a benefit.

For Hutchingson, being a theological studies and philosophy major in Templeton Honors College go hand in hand. “The Honors college was very helpful in my decision to come here because it offered a good opportunity and environment to learn,” he explains, “so far I’ve learned a lot about the christian faith as a whole. I didn’t realise how little I knew before coming in to college..I’ve learned more about different denominations and what it means to actually be a believer.”

Hutchingson spent a lot of time in the church growing up, since his mom worked at his home church; he spent almost every single day there, especially in the summertime. “I knew who God was, and since I grew up in the faith, I really didn’t have much of a choice but to believe. Yet, I never really had a personal relationship with him,” Hutchingson reflects, “then during my freshman year of high school I went on a youth retreat, and I was praying..and it was with that answered prayer that really showed me who God really is and that he is faithful.”

After Eastern, Hutchingson is looking to attend seminary; this is the next step in order to fulfill God’s call for him to become a senior pastor and lead a church. He received this calling at a youth retreat in Michigan. At this retreat, they were going over a passage in Matthew and were talking about Peter getting out of the boat and walking with Jesus. “In that moment, the speaker asked us what our boats were and asked where God was calling us into,” Hutchingson says, “the speaker then asked if we were going to stay in our boats or do what God wants us to do and trust him in the water. That is when I knew I was called to preach God’s word and lead a church.”

Colyn Hoffer is a Sophomore Biology: Pre-Med major from Camp Hill, Pennsylvania. Hoffer wears many hats at Eastern: one of the main ones is a baseball hat. He is a right handed pitcher for Eastern’s baseball team. He first picked up a baseball when he was around five years old and has been playing ever since.

“My favorite baseball memory was easily my first home run. I was 11 years old at Sports at the Beach, and I hit one dead center. My best friend actually hit his first one in the same game, and it was the best feeling in the world. Plus my dad was there and had the biggest smile on his face. I will never forget that feeling,” Hoffer stated.

In addition to being on the baseball team, Hoffer is also in the Templeton’s Honor College and enjoys it because it is a challenge. He is also an RA in Sparrowk and a part of Campus Crusaders for Christ (CRU). His faith is the foundation for everything he does here at Eastern. Hoffer states, “At the end of the day, your faith is like your base. I learn more about my faith and myself everyday.”

Hoffer’s favorite place is El Salvador, not only because of the beauty of the country, but also because it is where he discovered his passion for helping kids. “There was this kid named Fernando, that really grabbed my heart. I promised him that I would be back one day, so I will be going back,” Hoffer stated.

Because of his passion for helping kids, his goal is to be a pediatrician one day. “I want to be a role model for kids. There is a huge percent of kids that grow up without a father figure, and for the 10-15 minutes I spend with them, I just want to be like a father to them and love them and be there for them. Even if I can change just one kid, it would all be worth it,” Hoffer stated.

Hoffer would want to thank his mom and his Godmother for where he is today. “My mom is like my best friend. And my Godmother played a big role in my life, she was the one who told me that I could do anything I wanted in life and supported my dreams. Even though she passed away a while ago, memories of her still stick with me today,” Hoffer stated.

Introduction to Communication: Mass Media (COMM 105), is taught by Dr. Susannah McMonagle, or what her students call her, Dr. Mac. Dr. Mac got her B.A. in Communication Studies from Eastern University and then went on to get her M.A. in Strategic Communication at Villanova University. From there, she went to work at Leader’s Edge, a leadership development firm that serves businesses in the greater Philadelphia area. After working a few years at Leader’s Edge, she went back to school and received her PhD in Media and Communication from Temple University. After school, she came back to her alma mater to teach as one of the communication professors, here at Eastern.

Any class Dr. Mac teaches begins with a “Good morning” or “Good afternoon” as she walks in right on time, or even a few minutes before. She then will ask students how their day is or weekend was, depending on the day of the week. After talking to a few students about their day, she then starts class and dives right into the class content. Some of the topics discussed in Introduction to Communication: Mass Media are the evolution of the media world, magazines and movies and how they affect society, as well as how to identify faux news in the media.

One of my favorite things about this class is how she takes the content outside of the classroom. I mean this not only figuratively, through talking about current events, but also physically, to a Barnes & Noble field trip. On the field trip, she gives each of the students a hand out and they have to walk throughout the bookstore. The purpose of this activity is to observe where and how the different topics are portrayed in the store. It is a great example of how people try to display the “hot” items, meaning those that will sell best. These items are placed in the front of the store and are filtered to the back, where the least likely to sell products are placed. Anywhere in the media, you are able see this idea play out. For example, in the newspaper, you have the front page with articles that grab the attention of viewers. As for social media, posts are often organized by those with the most likes or comments first.

My favorite topic Dr. Mac talked about in COMM 105, was faux news. It was a very eye-opening topic for me, because faux news is so prevalent, not only online, but also in print forms. This can make it hard for consumers to identify what is true, and what is false information. She goes in depth on this topic, and shows how it played a role in the 2016 presidential election. She also gives her students different strategies and methods to use to help identify faux news.

I think this class is not only essential for communications majors, but it is also great for all students. I believe this because it teaches material that is relevant to everyone, no matter what their major is. Everyone is exposed to media, whether it be through apps, radio, tv, newspaper, etc. This class has not only shaped the way I view media, but has also helped me be aware of how media has been shaping me.

Dr. Eric Flett is a professor in the Theology and Biblical Studies Department here on campus. When asked what brought him to theology he explained, “The experiences I had growing up, for some reason drew up some religious questions. My parents took my brother and I to a big non-denominational church which is where I got some answers, but it just gained momentum from there. I had some initial answers to my questions, but I just wanted to know more. So, in summary I choose theology because of personal interest and existential quest.”

Flett is a Seattle native, so why come to the East Coast? He explains, “I first heard of Eastern when I was finishing up my doctorate studies. At the time, I was teaching a few courses at Seattle Pacific University and had an internship at a local church. But since I had a young family, I knew I had to start looking for something more permanent. Anywhere that had an opening I would apply there.

A school I’ve never heard of, called Eastern University, called me and said they were interested. Then, they flew me out for an interview, and I’ve been here ever since, for over 14 years now.”

Dr. Flett got his Bachelor’s at Prairie College in Alberta, Canada, which is where he met his wife JoAnn Flett, Director of M.B.A of Social Impact Program at Eastern. His face turned red and his eyes sparkled as he told me the story of meeting his wife: “It was during Freshman orientation and I remember how amazed I was at her boldness in standing up in front of the crowd to tell her testimony of how she got from Trinidad to the middle of Canada.

I knew right there that she was an exceptional person, and I wanted to get to know her. Plus, she is not bad to look at either.” They have two sons together, Miles and Elliot. After receiving his Bachelor’s Degree, he went on to get his M.A. at Fuller Theological Seminary, and his Ph.D at Kings College University of London.

Besides teaching, Dr. Flett also enjoys doing construction in his house and listening to and viewing live music. “Pete Enns (a Biblical Studies professor at Eastern) and I have started our own little side business. If one of us needs something done at our home, we work on the project together. We have done plumbing, remodeling and even tree removal.” As for music, he loves Jazz. Usually, before his classes begin, he is likely to play music for his students. He even incorporates music into his teachings when he can.

One of Flett’s favorite things about Eastern is the community and his department. He says, “I can’t think of a the better Theology department that I am fortunate to be apart of. My colleagues are phenomenal, but I also have a big appreciation for the students here. I have a unique take of presenting theology, and the students over the years have been really flexible and understanding of the way I do things. I love watching them take what they learn in class and apply it to their lives and watch them grow in their faith while here at Eastern and also after they graduate.”