Moravian University's Top 16 Moments of 2016
2016 was quite the ride for our community, our nation, and our world. For Moravian University, 2016 was a momentous year; we entered our 275th academic year, witnessed groundbreakings and ribbon cuttings, celebrated our unique heritage and used the liberal arts as a platform to analyze and dissect our world’s most pressing concerns. Reflecting on the highs and lows of the recent past provides the inspiration and direction for further, richer growth. And as we inch closer and closer to our official 275th anniversary, we can’t help but reflect on the incredible year we had. Take a look at the top 16 moments of 2016, in no particular order.
1. Our 275th academic year began.
The 6th oldest college in America traces its roots back to 1742, when Benigna von Zinzendorf started the first school for girls in America. 275 years later, we’ve got plenty to celebrate. From fireside chats with treasured alumna Helen Woodbridge ‘54 (the final female class, to be noted) to a big birthday bash for Benigna herself and a special spotlight on Comenius, we’ll be acknowledging this special anniversary through May of 2017. Want in on the fun? Check out this special 275th anniversary video.
2. We completed (and dedicated!) the brand new John Makuvek Field.
John Makuvek Field replaced the Haupert Union Quadrangle field during the summer of 2016 as Moravian University converted the natural grass surface to synthetic turf. The new complex also includes lights for evening contests and practices and a press box. The field is nestled in the center of the Main Street campus and is the home to the field hockey, men's and women's lacrosse and men's and woman's soccer teams, as well as a wide variety of intramural sports and other activities. It bears the name of beloved coach John Makuvek, who retired in 1996 after four years as athletics director and in 2010 after 43 years as head golf coach. At the same dedication ceremony, we unveiled a bronze statue of our treasured Mo Grigsby, immortalizing his spirit and symbolism for the next 275 years. Check out the transformation!
3. We celebrated our heritage by giving back—All. Day.
The first annual Moravian University Heritage Day took place on September 21, 2016. Our entire campus community—faculty, staff, and students—traded classes and regular office hours for a chance to take a deeper dive into our rich history. We heard from our campus experts, participated in a Lovefeast, and set out into our community to give back and perform community service at 27 nonprofit organizations. A grand total of 2,390 hours of community service resulted in:
- 900 take-home literacy kits for Jumpstart Philadelphia at Temple University
- 600 jump ropes for Nitschmann Middle School and Broughal and Marvine Elementary Schools
- 400 grab-and-go bags for children
- 346 nonslip socks for Comfort cottage, New Bethany Ministries, and Kids Peace
- 250 greeting cards for foster care children with Lehigh County Office of Children and Youth Services
- 168 scarves for the homeless
- 100 kindness rocks painted with inspirational messages for Comfort Cottage (a safe space where children in foster care meet their parents)
- 53 units of blood for the Red Cross
- 27 fleece blankets for the homeless
- 75 bags of trash from the Monocacy Creek
In the afternoon, we regrouped for a time of reflection. Heritage Day was indeed a celebration, and students, faculty, and staff can celebrate all that they accomplished.
4. We broke ground on and named the new Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Center for Health Sciences.
The previously unnamed health sciences building became the Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz Center for Health Sciences, due to open in fall 2017. The 55,000 sq. ft. building will house Moravian University’s growing health sciences, nursing, public health, and other health related programs and feature cutting-edge technology, enhanced classrooms and research labs, a health informatics computer lab, a virtual cadaver lab, and creative spaces for student and faculty interaction. The building is named in honor of alumna Sally Breidegam Miksiewicz ’84, who was a member of the Moravian University Board of Trustees from 2008 until she died tragically at the age of 52, on June 20, 2014.
Check out a virtual tour of the new building:
5. We awarded our first pair of BASD Superintendent’s Scholarships.
Moravian University, in partnership with the Bethlehem Area School District, will now award one full-tuition, four-year scholarship to a Liberty High School graduating senior and one full-tuition, four-year scholarship to a Freedom High School graduating senior each year. For the first pair of scholarships, we surprised our extremely deserving winners in two fabulous surprise ceremonies:
6. We welcomed the Class of 2020.
The second largest incoming class in Moravian University's 275-year history arrived in August, and it's one of the most diverse and competitive yet. Meet the Class of 2020!
7. We opened our Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center, and welcomed our first class of athletic trainers.
Our ribbon cutting ceremony in March was teeming with members of the community, including Moravian University faculty, staff, students, alumni and trustees, members of state and local government, and even former Phillies pitcher and Hall of Fame member Steve Carlton. A short program of speakers told the story of the building they were standing in: Moravian University acquired the former racquetball court-turned fitness center in and, in a 7-month construction period with JG Petrucci, turned it into the premier educational and practicing sports medicine and rehabilitation space where students and professionals stand side by side. The new building is already filled with our first cohort of Masters of Science in Athletic Training students.
Check out the before and after:
8. Our first annual #MCGiveDay was a hit!
Monday, March 21st marked Moravian University’s first annual Give Day. On Comenius’ 424th birthday, we engaged all members of our community (alumni, students, parents, faculty, staff and friends) through social media, emails, and some on-campus shenanigans to come together to give a little (or a lot!). Our goal was 450 donors, but 750 of you paid it forward and raised $152,714.47 in just one day.
9. CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin engaged our entire community in a pre-election political discussion.
The senior legal analyst for CNN Worldwide presented his talk, “The Supreme Court in the Post-Obama Age,” to an excited crowd of students, faculty, staff, and community members on October 26. Before his big talk, Toobin graciously engaged in a robust hour-long Q&A session with our students, where he covered everything from career paths to political standings to happiness in work and life. His student escort was forever changed by his day spent with Toobin, and shared his experience on My Moravian.
10. Lacrosse returned to Moravian University!
Lacrosse returned to varsity play at Moravian University for the first time since 2010 as part of the Landmark Conference. The men’s team posted a 10-6 record and were selected to the 2016 ECAC Division III Mid-Atlantic Championship Tournament. The women’s team also made a successful return, and freshman attack Jillian Picciuto was been selected as the 2016 ECAC Division III South Women's Lacrosse Rookie of the Year while also earning a spot on the ECAC DIII South All-Star First Team.
11. We cut the ribbon on The Zinczenko New Media Center.
December fifth will forever be a Moravian University Homecoming for David Zinczenko ’91. Instead of waving foam fingers and tailgating, the author of 14 New York Times Bestsellers, cut the ribbon on the Zinczenko New Media Center: a state-of-the-art media lab and creative space for Moravian University students across all majors—including the new Media Studies program—to create audio, visual, digital, and print projects using the industry’s latest technology.
12. We gave students a voice on Moravian.edu.
That’s right! We launched the first ever student blog hosted on Moravian.edu. My Moravian is for students, by students—and you can learn everything from the best DIY dorm décor tricks to the real meaning behind our buildings’ names and what it’s like to cry in front of a professor (and live to tell about it). Check out what it’s really like to be a Greyhound!
We also launched Moravian Bound, the official blog of the Moravian University Office of Admission, and Healthy Hounds, where Moravian University offices and departments share top tips for surviving and thriving in college and beyond. Have a click, won’t you?
13. Moravian University hosted its first It’s On US Awareness Day
United Student Government, Athletics, the Counseling Center, AAUW, SAAC, Student Affairs and others partnered to host the first It's On US Awareness Day on November 15. The day included local community resources on campus, a Lunch and Learn about sexual assault awareness, AAUW's Carry The Weight Campaign and other educational and informational events. We encouraged our community to stop by the HUB Lounge and take the It's On US pledge that day, and organizations across campus participated in the Carry the Weight Campaign, which resulted in hundreds of signatures on our mattress.
Take a look at It’s On US Awareness Day:
14. We’re a Morning Call Top Workplace and the Reader’s Choice Best Local College—again!
For the third year in a row, The Morning Call named Moravian University one of the Lehigh Valley’s top workplaces of 2016. According to the report, feelings of appreciation and doing meaningful work were just two of the many reasons we earned this honor again. And if that wasn’t enough, we were named “Best Local College” in the 13th annual Morning Call Readers' Choice Awards. That marks two years in a row! #Houndem!
15. Tommy Emmanuel received an honorary degree after playing to a packed Foy Hall crowd.
Two-time GRAMMY Nominee Tommy Emmanuel, whose five decade career has garnered hundreds of thousands of fans worldwide, brought his passionate and infectious live show to Moravian University in February. The virtuoso guitarist is best known for his unique techniques, energetic performances, and percussive guitar effects. Emmanuel’s unique style is called “finger style” and is akin to playing guitar the way a pianist plays piano, using all ten fingers. Rather than using a whole band for melody, rhythm, bass, and drum parts, he plays all that on one guitar. He received his degree alongside Moravian University Artist-in-Residence Sean O’Boyle, AM, a composer, conductor and master orchestrator whose made invaluable contributions to the University’s music department through his connections and teachings.
16. We have one of the nation’s most active student governments.
Recognizing the importance of sexual assault awareness on college campuses is one of the many reasons our USG was ranked #5 on the Princeton Review’s list of most active student governments!