This fall Eastern University welcomes not only the class of 2020, but also the students, faculty and staff of Palmer Theological Seminary. The move has been in the works since October 2015 when the Palmer Seminary Site Selection Committee recommended the seminary’s main campus be moved from King of Prussia to Eastern’s St. Davids campus. Despite the daunting task of physically assimilating the seminary’s expansive DeBois library collection to Warner Library and the logistics of relocating an entire faculty, the campus transition is going smoothly.

The combined literary and academic collections of DeBois Library and Warner Library now amount to an impressive 62,000 volumes, plus reference works. The transition of the books has been successfully completed, and the seminary faculty is following suit. The majority of Palmer faculty is currently in the process of setting up their offices on the second floor of McInnis Hall, where they will be immersed in Eastern’s academic life, adjacent to their new Palmer reception area. Palmer will also be represented across campus in the Eagle Learning Center, where several administrators, including Palmer Dean David Bronkema, will have their offices.

Seminary professors are currently waiting for certain logistical issues to be ironed out, such as desktop computers being reconfigured onto the EU server, as well as simply figuring out the geographical layout of the campus. Palmer New Testament professor Diane Chen describes the aforementioned difficulties of the move, but says she also feels very welcome due to “lovely gestures such as gift bags for faculty and kind nods and smiles.”

Many summer seminary courses have already been conducted on the St. Davids campus, and upcoming fall courses are to take place in McInnis Hall and the Harold Howard Center. There will be a Chapel service at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 14 to commemorate the arrival of the Palmer community to its new home on the St. Davids campus. All students, staff and faculty are invited to attend and celebrate this joyous occasion.

The Seminary brings both experience and diversity, and we look forward to seeing how its community grows and develops in this new setting, as well as how it enriches the St. Davids campus as a whole. We thank God for the addition of the Palmer Theological Seminary community to the St. Davids campus family, and we will continue to support, assist and pray for the new students, staff and faculty during this exciting transition period.

Sources: Cheryl Hargrave, Diane Chen, Joshua Carson, eastern.edu, palmerseminary.edu

M

ost people are not comfortable performing in front of crowds – let alone performing without a stage, or lights, or even a concrete script. However, these are all just regular variables for a performance by Eastern’s Transformed. Transformed is a traveling drama ministry that strives to worship God through a wide variety of student-written skits. The ministry is unique. While its focus is performance, it thrives as a family.

The title “Transformed” comes from Rom. 12:1-2: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will” (NIV).

The members’ lives reflect this concept of transformation. The actors not only meet to write and rehearse their skits, but they also have family dinner and Bible study once a week. Freshman Katarina Rorstrom remarks that while she loves traditional theater, there is something very special about the way that Transformed operates: “It’s a very family-like dynamic. We get very close as a team… [which] makes what we do so much richer.” This bond is notable and valuable to both Transformed’s actors, as well as their audiences. “We have something to give in our dynamic as well as our message,” Rorstrom says.

The group begins the fall semester by meeting weekly and immersing themselves in improvisational activities, which sharpen the actors’ abilities to think quickly and create a powerful level of comfort and camaraderie between members. This is then followed by a sharing of testimonies, and an abundant amount of time spent in prayer. Freshman Alysia Green recalls one such moment: “After…we practiced, we had a moment of prayer that was supposed to last ten minutes, but ended up being two hours or so…we all stood in a circle and one by one each member entered the circle and we laid our hands and prayed over each other. That is the kind of bond that Transformed has and it is evident that God is with us and our ministry.”

Once there is a firm bond established among the actors, they begin brainstorming and collaborating about their skits for the year. The skits depict a wide range of topics, from divorce to suffering to comedy, but they are all firmly rooted in the Gospel. The Transformed actors view their performances as conduits through which they can share the Gospel in new and creative ways. Green describes Transformed’s skits as performances that “evoke the emotions of an audience…whether this emotion causes laughter or crying, it leads people to the Sustainer of all our lives, Jesus Christ….we are not sugarcoating the Gospel; our skits deal with real issues and creatively show how scripture and the Holy Spirit help us understand God’s purpose for our lives.”

There is something extremely effective about the simplistic nature of Transformed’s performances. Because each performance is in a different location, there is little certainty as to whether they will have access to a stage, lights, or even working equipment. This lack of certainty leads to the performers relying heavily on their bodies and their improvisational abilities.  Rorstrom reflects, “Everything we do revolves around us as actors and our bodies…[we are] going to the people.”

Physical factors aside, Transformed also interacts with a variety of audiences. The group has ministered to churches from all over the denominational spectrum, and also has plans to perform in conjunction with the ministry of EU’s YACHT club. As a newcomer this year, Rorstrom remarks that participating in Transformed’s ministry is even better than she expected. She reflects that even the level of uncertainty that the performers face “gives the Lord a chance to work in our weaknesses.” The group comes together with the intention to minister to churches and off-campus groups, but the actors also end up ministering to each other. Rorstrom says that the message of Transformed is to focus on presenting one’s body as a sacrifice to God, and that having this mindset is drastically transforming each actor and drawing them closer to one another and to God.

Transformed will end their spring traveling season with a free performance on campus at Eastern from 7-9 p.m. on Sunday, April 24 in the Gough Great Room. This should prove to be a funny and moving night that will give members of the EU community the opportunity to experience a ministry that is not only transforming its audiences, but also its actors.

For further information on Eastern’s Transformed Drama Ministry or to schedule a performance at your local church, email Andrew Laro at alaro@eastern.edu or Zoe Boroughs at zborough@eastern.edu. Thanks to Katarina Rorstrom and Alysia Green for their irreplaceable assistance in the writing of this article!

Faculty and students from the Eastern University Dance Department are excitedly preparing for the 2016 Mid-Atlantic American College Dance Conference. The conference will take place at West Virginia University from March 18-21. It is held by the American College Dance Association (ACDA, formerly the American College Dance Festival Association)–an association whose purpose is to support and affirm dance in higher education through a plethora of conferences and festivals. The conference is meant to create unity and strength within the academic dance community, as well as provide dancers with opportunities to study and improve their craft.                                                                                                                          

The conference is comprised of three days of intensive classes, discussion panels, concerts, social events, and fellowship among dancers from all over the Mid-Atlantic region. The classes offered include ballet, contemporary dance, yoga, tai chi, and everything between, with the overall goal of helping those who attend become more well-rounded dancers. Dancers and dance experts are also given many opportunities to showcase their abilities. Eastern’s very own Prof. Janine Bryant has been asked to present some of her research at the conference, and dancers Megan Schultz and Katie Green will perform their duet “Crusade,” which debuted at the Winter Dance Festival. This dance piece will be part of a series of formal adjudicated performances that will be ranked, and the highest-ranking pieces will be part of the conference’s culminating Gala concert. This is a vast honor, and one that Eastern’s dancers have received almost every year that they have attended, which demonstrates the department’s caliber of artistry.                                                               

Jordan Bonney describes the conference as “such an amazing opportunity for us as a department… It is so important that we attend [because] this is an amazing opportunity for us to learn and grow and to be appreciated as artists.” First-time attendee Ali Swank is elated when she thinks about all the conference has to offer: “I am preparing for a weekend full of dancing and learning. It will be exhausting, but very vital in my growth as a dancer. I think what I’m most excited about [is encountering] different styles of dance that I haven’t studied before.”           

Due to the recent changes in the department, there was some concern that Eastern would not be able to participate in the conference this year. However, Eastern’s dancers and dance faculty have rallied together and are determined that they will not miss this incredible opportunity. This is an especially significant year for Eastern’s attendance because once the dance major is completely eliminated, Eastern dancers will not be able to participate in the conference.                                                                                 Those attending the ACDA conference must pay out of pocket for lodging, food, and travel expenses. So, as the date of the conference grows closer, there is a huge need for funds to ensure that those interested are able to attend. The Dance Club has already held multiple fundraisers, but hopes to continue raising funds in the time between now and the conference. Possible fundraising opportunities include Saturday dance classes or an event at So Fun yogurt.                                                        

 Interested in supporting the dancers and faculty of Eastern? Go to https://www.alumni.eastern.edu/dance, or contact Gabby Wright at gwright1@eastern.edu or Hannah Brumbach at hbrumbac@eastern.edu.

The dance department has shown considerable strength and unity as they continue to pursue their craft despite this difficult time of university-wide transition. The ACDA conference will be a joyous time filled with growth and fellowship, wherein Eastern’s dancers and faculty can reflect on their progress as dedicated artists, as well as look forward to a promising future filled with the art form they love.

Writer’s Note: Thanks to Megan Schultz, Rachael Lyons, Jordan Bonney, Dominique Ridley, BreAnna Bellamy, Kiera Rasmussen, Ali Swank, and Prof. Janine Bryant for all their enthusiasm and assistance for this article!

Do you like art? Have you ever held a pencil? Do you enjoy fun things? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I have a spectacular opportunity for you: the Eastern University Art Club!                                        Every Tuesday, students flock to Gough Great Room from 8 to 11 p.m. to create, hang out, and de-stress. According to club president Meg Gleason, there is “no talent required” for Art Club, and anyone and everyone is welcome to join. A big part of the club’s appeal is its flexible nature; all supplies are SGA-funded, and there is a plethora of fun and creative artistic materials available for anyone to use. Currently, the most popular activity at Art Club is painting on canvas, but artists can also draw, make crafts, take pictures, use pastels, use charcoal, make origami, sculpt, etc. The student leadership in the Art Club is extremely open to suggestions and takes requests for the supplies students would like.

The Art Club simply strives to “provide a creative community for artists on campus,” according to treasurer Elizabeth Gasse. In the past, the club has held various events such as a comic-making competition, and they hope to hold a Mixed Media competition in the near future to encourage students to explore their artistic interests further. The Art Club’s presence can currently be noted in the art displayed in the KaGe, as well as in the good vibes that permeate Gough every Tuesday night. During Art Club students can sit at a table or sprawl on the floor, and just escape from the stresses of college life through their art.

One student described the Art Club as the “highlight of my week,” and another described it as being “really nice- it’s good to be able to express yourself.” Even newcomers rave about how they feel extremely welcome (“everybody is relaxed”). Another student remarked that they love having “complete free reign,” and that they were pleasantly surprised to find out that Art Club was definitely “not just Sunday School crafts.”

The Art Club is comprised of friendly, warm people who love to get together every week to relax and just be creative, but they are always welcoming new members or students who would just like to see what it is all about. The main goal of the club is to foster a comfortable space where students can enjoy different art forms together, learning and growing as artists. If this sounds like the kind of creative space you’ve been missing, or if you are merely looking for a new way to relieve stress or make some new friends, email Meg Gleason (mgleason@eastern.edu) or Elizabeth Gasse (egasse@eastern.edu) with any questions, or just stop by Gough Great Room next Tuesday between 8 and 11 p.m. and check out one of Eastern’s coolest hidden gems!

What do half a cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese and butter and our Vice President for Student Development have in common? They both go by the name Bettie Ann.

The Gryphon Café in downtown Wayne is a popular study spot for Eastern students looking for a relaxing atmosphere and some heart-jolting caffeine. But beneath the trendy indie music and rugged wooden tables there lies a sinister secret. Well, maybe not so sinister. There have been rumors circulating Eastern’s campus that the Gryphon has a secret menu, and that our very own Dr. Bettie Ann Brigham is one of the beloved customers whose regular order has made it onto the mysterious list. To my delight I was given the honor of hunting down the truth behind this funny bit of local lore, and thus, the hunt for the Bettie Ann began.

My excitement grew when I was able to contact the lovely Anne Nusbaum, a new Gryphon employee and barefoot aficionado, who regretfully did not have any specific information to give but was able to encourage me with the fact that “the menu is definitely a thing.” The epic saga continued, with a few more emails and the sudden thought that this would all be a bit more impressive if I had a trench coat and a magnifying glass. Sadly, I was coatless but not hopeless and I refused to give up searching for the elusive Bettie Ann. After some more help from the devastatingly charming Jensen Okimoto, Emma Buchanan, and Zachary Nelson (all Gryphon employees), I realized that if I was going to catch a glimpse of the enigmatic Bettie Ann I would have to hit the streets and do some footwork.

So on a misty, rainy morning I set off for the Gryphon Café–just a girl, a notebook, and a dream. Amongst the business-suited Mainliners and the sleepy-eyed college students I had never been closer to my goal: the truth was just across the counter. To be honest, I had anticipated maybe an ancient scroll or a crocodile-filled moat. Instead, I was greeted by the delightful Rich Mattis, owner of the Gryphon Café, who was more than happy to take my order of THE BETTIE ANN.

So for all of you readers on the edge of your seat, the secret Bettie Ann special is as follows: half of a cinnamon raisin bagel toasted with cream cheese and butter on the side, the other half of the bagel wrapped up in a bag to save for later, and a coffee! Some of the other highlights of the secret menu include: Dog Toast and the Mysterious #2. With the Bettie Ann saga coming to a triumphant close, one of my next goals is to figure out what exactly Dog Toast is. And who knows, maybe the next item on the elusive Gryphon secret menu will be named after one of our very own Eastern students!

Image courtesy of SaraGrace Stefan/The Waltonian

Scroll to Top