During the COVID lockdown of 2020, I joined a Faculty Commons online book group for women. We gathered from across the U.S., and even as far away as Florence, Italy, to read and discuss Sent by Heather and Ashley Holleman. What began as a simple book discussion grew into something deeper: fellowship, spiritual sharpening, and friendships. We […]
What does one do on a Saturday in the dead of winter in snowy Michigan? Yes, I know. Not many options. I decided to join a half-day Zoom call to participate virtually in an A Common Call conference sponsored by Faculty Commons. I didn’t expect my decision that February of 2021 would lead to so […]
This was a first for me – I had never attended a conference for Christian faculty, despite having been a professor for over 20 years. Nor had I expected to ever attend such a conference. And yet, there I sat on the stage, not only attending, but pounding on a cajon, while my colleague, Janet, […]
As I started my academic career as a young assistant professor, I wanted to make an impact. I was not, however, very open about my faith in academic settings due to fear of what people would think of me. All this changed when a colleague invited me to attend A Common Call virtual conference on October 17, […]
This summer while camping, my daughter and I found large river mussels in a freshwater creek. Although we found no actual pearls inside, we did learn about these amazing creatures, and I found interesting parallels to my own ministry and calling within the university. Mussels work by filtering large volumes of water to purify it, […]
Covid was the worst thing and the best thing to happen to our faculty group. It nearly killed our in-person groups, but gave rise to life-changing virtual groups. Over the past four years since Covid, being part of a virtual group with other Christian faculty has profoundly impacted my work life, prayer life, and my […]
As a new professor I was committed to living out my life as a follower of Jesus, but I knew that doing so in community was key. I knew several Christian professors, but somehow my efforts to summon a sizable group gathering was elusive. I felt alone. Then one morning it hit me – I needed […]
A friend loves at all times,and a brother is born for a time of adversity. – Proverbs 17:17 In Spring 2021, I was diagnosed with cancer. I was serving as interim department co-chair at this time while our department chair was on sabbatical. This was during the pandemic, and I was working from home. Soon, […]
In 2004 I took a leap of faith and left behind a 20+ year corporate career and chose to join the academy as a Computer Science and Engineering faculty member. One of the first challenges, aside from a very different day-to-day workflow, was finding those who shared my faith in a very secular workplace. Finally, […]
Just before 5pm on a Thursday, I tried to be inconspicuous as I joined the small cluster of people waiting in a hallway outside a classroom. My stomach was a little jumpy and my hands not quite dry; it had taken me four years to get to this point, and now that it was here, […]
