the academy journal
Student Life
Board members also participated in one-on-one
career luncheons with our students the day of
board meetings. Other workshops included sessions on building identity, job searching through
social media, portfolio development, and interview etiquette.
Our new work study program (employing 120
students in a variety of campus jobs) promoted career skills, reduced expenses, and fostered a sense
of pride and responsibility for the physical campus
and educational programs.
Over the past year the student life department
strengthened the campus community through
enhanced opportunities for participation in social activities, chapel experiences, sport offerings,
and service learning. The College dedicated space
for a small chapel and supported new studentinitiated clubs and organizations. One of the most
successful new student-led organizations was the
mentoring program with local youth. Student life
programs aim to help students make responsible
life and career choices and to promote personal
awareness, character, and community building.
International Education
Five Bryn Athyn College students studied abroad
in France, Germany, and Scotland. Five international students came to the College through our
exchange programs with Bordeaux and Kyonggi.
The student body had international representation
from Canada, Ghana, France, Ivory Coast, South
Africa, South Korea, and Ukraine.
Experiential Education
The experiential education program includes internships, career planning, work study, service
learning, study abroad, and coursework. These
‘points of preparation’ further students’ ability to
prepare for meaningful work during and after college. In 2011-12 over 70 students completed internships at such places as: Center City Video, Children’s Crisis Treatment Center, Growth Opportunity Center, Loving Arms Mission in Nepal, Auto
Tronics, and other organizations. College service
trips took 30 students to Maryland and Florida to
build homes and support neighborhoods in need.
In addition to the above college-organized activities and offerings, students initiated their own
outreach to others through the CARE club and
Student Government. These activities included
Special Olympics coaching, BACS tutoring, FeelGood events, Stop Hunger Now meal packaging,
canned food and coat drives, and New Church
Horizon group events.
Faculty Council
Formalized in 2010-11, the Faculty Council continued in 2011-12 to strengthen the system by
which faculty members inform themselves and
appropriately influence college operations. The
council heard reports from its own standing committees, the President, Dean of Academics and
Faculty, Dean of Student Life, and the CFO. It
voted on degree candidates and academic award
recipients. It also formed an ad hoc committee to
recommend changes to the academic administrative structure. The Council discussed the college’s
strategic plan and two reports generated by the
Council itself in response to faculty concerns regarding workload and governance. After two years
as chair of the Council, Dan Synnestvedt stepped
into the position of past chair. Stephen Cole assumed the position of chair.
Career Planning
We launched the Gateway to Graduation career
program which included 12 events to develop student success in pre-professional skill building. It
began with freshman orientation and ended with
support for our graduating seniors. The majority
of seniors graduating in 2012 found employment
(see the BAC website for additional statistics on
post graduate employment rates).
Alumni and friends of the college assisted
with a new workshop format and the career open
house. Over 60 students participated in one or
more of the workshops offered. The career mentor program was initiated (see website). Academy
Alumni Association
This past year the Bryn Athyn College Alumni
Association focused on improving contact with
alumni through direct communications, a dedicated section on the College website (http://www.
brynathyn.edu/alumni/alumniassociation), presence on social media channels, and participation
in College and community service events. Members continued to support career development of
students through mentoring and internships, as-
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taxing to generate, satisfied the areas of concerns
except for governance questions. After being
placed on Warning in March 2011, the College
submitted a third monitoring report in September
2011 that finally satisfied governance concerns.
At this point the College’s Warning status was
removed and its accreditation reconfirmed. The
College spent 2011-12 working on its decennial
Self Study report in preparation for a preliminary
visit in October 2012 and an evaluation team visit
in February 2013. The purposes of the Self Study
are: to clarify the College’s mission and objectives,
to conduct a thorough analysis of resources and
effectiveness in attaining those objectives and fulfilling its mission, to demonstrate that the College
meets the accreditation standards, and to identify
ways in which the educational effectiveness of the
College can be strengthened.
sisted faculty through participation in classroom
and field lea rning, and worked with the administration on strategic planning. Volunteers planned
additional events to build community relationships with the College. These initiatives aim to
build a network of contacts to help students find
useful and fulfilling employment and to support
ongoing connections among alumni. Dave Cooper
serves as liaison for the alumni webpage, working
closely with Laura Nash, College liaison for alumni relations, and with Bob Heinrichs, president of
the alumni association.
Strategic Plan
The strategic plan is available on the College website:
www.brynathyn.edu/about/president/strategicplan.
html. In 2011-12, the College saw progress in all
six major goal areas: financial stability; strengthened academics with a focus on the New Church
view of freedom, reason, and action; student life
that embodies and promotes New Church values;
strengthening of enrollment to enhance mission;
increased alumni support; development of facilities and grounds to promote educational goals and
reflect aesthetic and spiritual values.
Retirements
Three senior faculty and administrators chose retirement, stepping down from full time positions
but remaining in the ranks part time: Dr. Sonia
Werner (psychology professor), Rev. Dr. Ray Silverman (chaplain and religion professor), Carroll
Odhner (Director of Swedenborg Library). Dr. Sylvia Shaw (English professor) also stepped down after two years. The College is grateful for the many
ways these faithful and talented colleagues have
blessed students, programs, and colleagues.
Accreditation
After submitting its Periodic Review Report to the
Middle States Commission on Higher Education
(MSCHE) in 2008, the College was asked to write
two more reports to address various standards of
excellence. These reports, which were extremely
2011 Research Projects
Dr. Sherri Cooper, College Research Committee Chair
B
ryn Athyn College promotes scholarship and
research, especially work that explores connections between New Church teachings and secular
knowledge. The goal is to establish the College on
equal footing with other liberal arts institutions
while giving the New Church worldview a voice
and place in higher education, building credibility, partnerships, and community. Research at the
College is funded in part by the Bryn Athyn College Research Fund, the E. Bruce Glenn Research
Fund, and the Grant Doering Research Fund.
Ed Gyllenhaal produced an online resource
this past year titled “Do You See What I See? Imagery in Nativity Scenes” to provide additional
biblical, historical, cultural, and art historical
information for visitors to Glencairn Museum’s
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