MANSFIELD, PA—The second annual Leadership Celebration: Stories of the Creed was held at Mansfield University on Thursday, February 19.
The event, spearheaded by the Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Division, is the culmination of an effort to acknowledge members of the campus community whose actions best represent the Mansfield Creed in action. One hundred and six students, faculty and staff were nominated and recognized at the event.
All the nominations were submitted to a committee to determine individuals who were represent a facet of the Mansfield Creed; Character, Scholarship, Culture and Service in an exemplary fashion. They received special recognition at the celebration event.
Zachary Holcomb, a Biology/Environmental Biology major from Grand Valley, PA, was honored for Character.
Holcomb was nominated by Elaine Farkas, assistant professor of Physics, who cited his involvement is campus life, academic excellence and Holcomb’s willingness to become a tutor for a Physics class that he had not taken in her nomination.
“His peers have given nothing but positive feedback, and I have definitely noticed an improvement in the students’ understanding of the material,” Farkas wrote. “In my opinion, it takes a great deal of character and dedication to master a subject well enough to teach to one’s peers at the same time as one’s self.”
Bryan McCullough, Chemistry/Forensic Science major from Upper Darby, PA was honored for Scholarship. He was nominated anonymously.
The nomination said, “Bryan makes time in every day to not only study but to share study habits with other students. He instituted weekly tutoring/study sessions for the Chemistry Club. In his capacity as a Residence Life Intern he has spearheaded living-learning opportunities for first year students by bringing professors into the residence halls.”
James Nixdorf of Millerton, PA, who graduated in December with a Political Science degree, was honored for Culture.
He was nominated by Assistant Professor of History and Political Science Jonathan Rothermel, who cited Nixdorf’s desire, not only to student aboard but “to expand the limits of his comfort zone and explore a vastly different culture.” Nixdorf spent the spring 2014 semester studying in India. “James periodically posted photos on a Tumblr blog, which I followed,” Rothermel wrote. “Photographs of James submerged in Indian culture revealed he had seized – and was enjoying – an amazing opportunity… James shared his Indian story to several of my classes, inspiring others to consider a study abroad experience.”
Jeremy Mapstone, a Nutrition major and captain of the MU baseball team from Manilus, NY, was honored for Service.
Mapstone was nominated by Chris Cummings, Athletic Mentor and Academic Advisor, who wrote, “Over the past year, Jeremy has served as the vice president of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), and has played an extremely influential role in organizing community engagement and service events for the organization…At an event (Make-A-Wish fundraiser), Jeremy literally gave one of the shirts off his back to a boy who wore his only shirt into the pool at Decker Gymnasium on cold February evening…But Jeremy’s service does not end with his role in SAAC. Through the baseball team, he recently organized help for a local farmer, the victim of a recent car accident, with the daily duties of farm chores until the man was healthy enough to return to work.”
To read all the nominations, click here.
To see pictures of the celebration, click here.
There is also a Leadership Celebration: Stories on the Creed display on the third floor of Alumni Hall.