About IN FOCUS Steering Committee Centers of Investigation Acknowledgment
About IN FOCUS
IN FOCUS is an innovative program to promote in-depth examination of complex issues from multidisciplinary perspectives. Through IN FOCUS the members of the Moravian College community engage in analysis and activism regarding important challenges facing human beings and the world in the 21st century.
Four issues have been identified as central to the Lehigh Valley, the US and the globe, including poverty and inequality, sustainability, health care, and war and peace. Each year academic and co-curricular activity will center on one of these challenges.
Our goal is for Moravian College, Moravian Theological Seminary, and the Comenius Center to realize the promise of becoming known as an institution that engages its students in the study of important issues that challenge humanity today and as we look to the future. Through grappling with complex problems, and examining them from several different perspectives Moravian’s graduates will be better prepared to contribute to a just society and a vibrant democracy.
IN FOCUS Steering Committee
Overview of the campus-wide IN FOCUS initiative resides in the Office of the President, and is coordinated by the Director of Constituent Relations who chairs the IN FOCUS Steering Committee. The charge of this Committee is as follows:
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promote, facilitate, and advocate the IN FOCUS initiative
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identify the IN FOCUS opening Cohen keynote speaker and a closing speaker in the spring
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distribute available funding
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design and manage an IN FOCUS portal
The committee membership consists of a wide representation of campus constituencies including student affairs, academic affairs, institutional advancement, faculty and the Centers for Investigation and the student body. It is organized into four main subcommittees — Publicity and Promotion, Grants, Centers for Investigation, and Co-curricular Programming/Events. The following individuals currently serve on the committee and may be contacted for more information:
Kim Baird, Enrollment
Sharon Brown, Institutional Diversity
Bernie Cantens, Philosophy
Chairs, Centers of Investigation (see below)
Ann Claussen, Director of HUB and Event Management
Katie Dantsin, Leadership Development
Shari Dunham, Chemistry
Deb Evans, Constituent Relations/Office of the President, Chair
Khristina Haddad, Political Science
Carole Reese, Institutional Research
Samantha Salvati ´15
Steve Simmons, Continuing Education, Seminary
Jamie Skidmore ´12
Marsha Stiles, Alumni Relations
Eric Sullivan ´13
Andrea Vassar, Comenius Center
Gordy Weil, Academic Affairs and Dean of the College
Michael Wilson, Public Relations
Centers of Investigation
Each of the Centers of Investigation are led by two faculty directors, are identified on the homepages of each of the issues. These are not "physical" centers, but they are the focus for a group of experts who individually and collectively address these topics both inside and outside the classroom. The Centers play several roles:
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lead efforts to develop interdisciplinary majors and/or minors
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work with the Reeves Library to identify resources, and to showcases the work faculty do in the area
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work with the Leadership Center to develop hands-on experiential learning opportunities outside of class, and service-learning opportunities that directly connect to classes
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provide support for faculty who do research in the area
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work with the College Grants Writer to seek outside funding to support research and programs in their areas
The Centers of Investigation support the efforts of IN FOCUS Co-curricular Sub-committee to promote and coordinate programs related to their topic each year. These may include outside speakers from the community, performers, or panels made up of the College’s own faculty, staff, or students.
The directors of the four Centers of Investigation are as follows. :
| Poverty & Inequality | Health Care |
| Sonia Aziz, Economics & Business | Kerry Cheever, Nursing |
| John Reynolds, Political Science | Ginny O'Connell, Sociology |
| Sustainability | War & Peace |
| Diane Husic, Biological Sciences | Kelly Denton-Borhaug, Religion |
| Don St. John, Religion | Dan Jasper, Sociology |
Acknowledgement
IN FOCUS is funded in part by Nancy and Martin Engels in memory of Nancy's parents, Bernard L. and Bertha F. Cohen '37, longtime residents and benefactors of the Bethlehem, PA, comunity. Through the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Cohen, the annual Cohen Arts and Lectures Series was established in 1984. Fall 2010 marked the inaugural Cohen Keynote Address at Moravian's Fall Convocation which celebrates the start of a new academic year. Annually the Cohen keynote speaker will focus on the IN FOCUS theme. We express our appreciation and gratitude to the Engels on behalf of Moravian College, Moravian Theological Seminary and the Comenius Center.
