Lawrence University News

Having already created one interfaith ministry at The College of Wooster, Reverend Dr. Linda Morgan-Clement is excited by the prospects of doing so again, this time at Lawrence University.

Morgan-Clement, currently chaplain and director of interfaith campus ministry at The College of Wooster in Ohio, has been named the first Julie Esch Hurvis Dean of Spiritual and Religious Life at Lawrence. The appointment is effective Sept. 1.

The endowed position was established earlier this year by a gift from 1960 Lawrence graduate Tom Hurvis in memory of his wife, Julie Esch Hurvis, a 1961 Lawrence graduate who died in July, 2015. Both were devoted members of the Bahá’í faith and strongly believed in the power of spirituality.

Designed to further enhance the transformative experience a Lawrence education provides, the new leadership position will be dedicated to reinforcing a welcoming and supportive community environment for spiritual and religious exploration and expression of all faiths, beliefs and religious traditions.

Morgan-Clement will report to Nancy Truesdell, vice president for student affairs and serve on the president’s committee on wellness and recreation and the president’s committee on diversity affairs.

“When I visited Lawrence, I was very excited and energized by the opportunity to collaborate with the folks I met with during the interview process,” said Morgan-Clement, who started interfaith services and programming at Wooster in 1996. “There seemed to be a culture of ‘Let’s figure out what we need to do and then how to do it.’ A can-do culture. I’m very excited about creating with them, in partnership.

“To create something new is pretty unusual in a lifetime. It’s what got me to Wooster originally,” she added. “The opportunity for flexible creativity and the chance to develop depth in programs and services has kept me at Wooster for 20 years. To be able to do that twice in a lifetime is an amazing opportunity.”

Wisconsin ties also played a role in her decision to accept Lawrence’s offer.

Born in Hong Kong, Morgan-Clement, was adopted by an American family whose father was a Presbyterian minister. She spent most of her formative years living in Wisconsin, first in Oshkosh and then in Sheboygan until she graduated from Carroll University in Waukesha. Her husband, Mike, also grew up in Sheboygan, which is also Julie Esch Hurvis’ hometown.

“I am beyond delighted that Linda will be joining us as our very first Julie Esch Hurvis Dean for Spiritual and Religious Life,” said Truesdell. “She brings relevant experience and obvious passion for this type of work and embodies the caring and contemplative personality that reminds us of Julie. All of the finalist candidates were very impressed by the fact the position is funded through a very special endowment which identifies both donor and college commitment to this area of student development that has largely been unexplored at Lawrence. I have every confidence the entire campus and local community will embrace and assist Linda as she brings focus to an important element of campus life.”

Martyn Smith, associate professor of religious studies and a member of the search committee, said there was much to like about Morgan-Clement.

“Collectively, we thought Linda will be someone who can address the spiritual questions of everyone on campus —students, faculty and staff — but also encourage those who are traditionally religious and who don’t feel they have a home,” said Smith. “She talked about ‘brave spaces’ where people with different outlooks and from different traditions could learn to hear each other and interact with each other. She was clear this position would not be about letting everyone have their own private corner, but that she would look to have people interact. We can’t wait to see this position take shape.”

As a member of the university’s senior staff, Morgan-Clement’s duties will include serving as the face and voice of religious and spiritual life at Lawrence. She will be responsible for providing spiritual leadership and connecting the Lawrence community through campus ceremonies, religious traditions, interfaith services and celebrations. She also will oversee the Volunteer and Community Service Center staff and operations.

Morgan-Clement sees her role as an opportunity to break the traditional understanding of what spiritual and religious life might mean in popular U.S. culture.

“I hope to reach everyone in some way, regardless of any belief system, religious or spiritual background,” she said. “I’m excited the position is connected with service. My vision is to help people shift from being human doers, with a focus on resume creation and what we do that defines us, to human beings, with a focus on the large questions of purpose and meaning, and growth and relationship with others. It doesn’t matter whether we know them or not. The relationship question includes the environment. I think we learn how to engage these big questions and relationships best through experience and service.”

Nauman Khan, a sophomore from Lahore, Pakistan, sees the new dean’s position as vital to promoting religious sensitivity on campus.

“Raised in a South Asian Muslim culture where religion was given a lot of importance, I was very surprised to see how religious teachings were not included in discussions around college campuses in the United States,” said Khan. “With a rising number of people coming to Lawrence from different cultures, it is very important for the institution to increase awareness about religion and spirituality.”

Sophomore John Newhall, one of three students on the search committee, is confident Morgan-Clement “will enhance the spiritual environment at Lawrence greatly.”

“Having served as campus minister at the College of Wooster for two decades, she has a deep understanding of the liberal arts,” said Newhall, a religious studies and film studies major who is working to reconstruct Lawrence’s Unitarian Universalist group on campus. “It’s clear from her engagement at Wooster she will be active and present throughout the campus, from community service, volunteer work and social justice work through to spiritual, academic and general campus life.”

Senior Elana Lambert, who also served on the search committee, sees the new dean as a valuable asset to campus life.

“As one of the co-presidents of Hillel, I think it is going to be really important to be able to go to Rev. Morgan-Clement for support when solving problems or advice when planning events and helping us to expand our organization,” said Lambert.

“My vision is to help people shift from being human doers, with a focus on resume creation and what we do that defines us, to human beings, with a focus on the large questions of purpose and meaning, and growth and relationship with others.”
     — Reverend Dr. Linda Morgan-Clement

Morgan-Clement sees the role of spiritual advisor becoming increasingly important on college campuses these days because of expanding diversity in terms of beliefs, socioeconomic status, race, world views and cultural backgrounds.

“It’s critical that higher education, which talks about holistic education, represents this conversation because it’s so misunderstood,” said Morgan-Clement. “National research shows students, faculty, everybody, domestically and internationally, is trying to come to grips with the larger spiritual question. For an institution to give someone the responsibility, a person and a place that says, ‘It’s alright, in fact we encourage you to wrestle with questions of meaning and purpose,’ I think that’s essential. This position is one more component to that kaleidoscope of really creating a learning community.”

Morgan-Clement earned a bachelor’s degree from Carroll University in 1980, a master of divinity degree from Chicago’s McCormick Theological Seminary in 1984 and a doctor of ministry degree from the Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 2005.

She began her career working for the Presbytery of Milwaukee, where she organized the congregation for the Stony Hills Presbyterian Church in Germantown. She also served as an associate pastor of the Brookfield Presbyterian Church. Prior to her appointment at Wooster, Morgan-Clement spent eight years as one of several associate executives of the Presbyterian Church’s Synod of the Northeast in Syracuse, N.Y.

She has been the recipient of numerous grants and awards, including a nearly $2 million grant from the Lilly Endowment to establish a program for theological exploration of vocation at Wooster. Among several published works she’s written, she contributed the chapter “Betwixt and Between: Interstitial Dialogue, Identity and Mending on a College Campus” to the 2013 book “College and University Chaplaincy in the 21st Century.”

Married with two daughters, her husband is a chemist at Ashland University while her daughters, Antonia and Morgan, are graduates of Wooster and Allegheny College, respectively.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Nearly 90 Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian students will spend a week on the Lawrence University campus July 9-15 for a five-day, pre-college workshop coordinated by College Horizons, a New Mexico-based non-profit organization that works to increase the number of these students who succeed in college.

Representing 21 states and 42 tribes, students from as far away as Kamuela, Hawaii, Metlakatla, Alaska and Belmont, Mass., will participate in an “academic boot camp” designed to assist them in the college search process.

This will be Lawrence’s third time serving as host of the program since 2008. Lawrence is one of 46 partner colleges working with College Horizons.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming our friends from College Horizons back to Lawrence,” said Ken Anselment, dean of admissions and financial aid. “It’s an extraordinary blend of people who will be together on campus and in Appleton for several days.”

Founded in 1998, the week’s programming will feature college and high school counselors, admission officers, essay specialists and tribal leaders who will work individually with the 86 participating students and lead small group sessions on topics ranging from “Overview of the ACT/SAT,” “Financial Aid & Scholarships: How Can I Afford College?” and “Native Students and College.”

The workshop is designed to assist Native American students in developing a list of appropriate colleges to consider, prepare a winning application, write a memorable essay, maximize their ACT or SAT scores and navigate the financial aid/scholarship maze.  At the end of the week, students leave with a completed college application and a list of colleges with which they are likely to be good matches.

Najma Osman from Lawrence’s admissions office will be joined by representatives from 33 of the nation’s best colleges and universities — Brown, Caltech, Dartmouth, Harvard, MIT, Notre Dame, Princeton, Stanford and Yale among them — who will be on hand to assist the students.

Since its inception, more than 2,800 students have participated in College Horizons workshops with impressive results. Ninety-nine percent of those students have been admitted to college, 95% matriculate onto a four-year institution and 85% have graduated college within five years.

Four past participants of a College Horizon summer workshop are current students at Lawrence.

Anselment called Lawrence’s participation in the College Horizons program “a natural fit” given the college’s very first class in 1849 included 13 members of the Oneida Nation.

“That these students and counselors will all be here, living on campus during a beautiful Wisconsin summer, is a real bonus for all of us,” said Anselment.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College.”  Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

As an educator, Dr. Kimberly Barrett sees diversity as a critical piece of a liberal education.

Barrett brings the perspective of 25 years of working with students, faculty and community members to promote learning, student development, social justice and diversity to Lawrence University as its newly appointed vice president for diversity and inclusion and associate dean of the faculty.

Currently the vice president for multicultural affairs and community engagement at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio, Barrett will assume the duties of the newly created position beginning Aug. 22.

Reporting to both the president and the provost, Barrett will work collaboratively with faculty, staff, students, alumni, and external constituents to advance Lawrence’s commitment to all aspects of diversity and inclusion. She will be responsible for developing, facilitating and assessing programs and campus/community-wide initiatives to cultivate a more inclusive campus culture.

Additionally, Barrett’s responsibilities include enhancing the diversity of the faculty, faculty development, especially in areas of inclusive pedagogy, and affirming the educational importance of diversity in educational programs.

“Dr. Barrett is an energetic and thoughtful leader who will help Lawrence realize its mission through enhancing diversity and inclusion,” said David Burrows, provost and dean of the faculty. “Her experience and dedication are extremely impressive. I look forward to working with her on faculty development, inclusive pedagogy and recruitment of new faculty members. Her appointment is an important, positive step for Lawrence.”

Barrett, 52, said Lawrence’s mission was among the primary reasons she was interested in the position.

“Having attended a small, private liberal arts school myself as an undergraduate, I’ve always had a sense of loyalty and commitment to providing a liberal education to students,” said Barrett, who earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Pfeiffer College in North Carolina. She also holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology at Murray State University and earned a doctorate in higher education administration at Southern Illinois University.

“I think that’s the type of education that prepares students best for the ambiguity and opportunities that exist in the ever-changing, very diverse global society in which we live. Being able to pursue my passion that is diversity and social justice work at a school like Lawrence that is dedicated to those principles just seemed like an ideal situation.”

Barrett, who has been at Wright State since 2012, says society in general and higher education specifically, is facing new challenges in dealing with civil rights and social justice.

“While cultural events and celebrations are an important way to promote diversity and inclusion, they are not sufficient to bring about the fundamental change we are trying to create. In order to achieve inclusive excellence in higher education we must change the way we do things every day.”
— Kimberly Barrett

“We’re in a new phase in terms of creating a society in which everyone can reach their full potential and in which there is really equity and equal opportunity for everyone,” said Barrett, a native of Fort Jackson, S.C. “The challenges facing Lawrence are the same issues facing higher education in general. It is a heightened awareness of the ways in which our society has fallen short in providing equal opportunity, justice and paths to success for all. It is a challenge because it causes discontent and disruption but also it provides a unique opportunity for significant and lasting change.

‘“I’ve been very impressed with President Burstein and his commitment to these issues in terms of policy and administration but also personally,” Barrett added. “Those of us who do this work have to ‘walk the talk’ in our lives every day. I get the impression that he does that.”

Kevin Buckhalton Jr., one of three students who served on the search committee, sees Barrett’s appointment as “a huge asset” for the university.

“She has an amazing background with not only racial diversity, but a plethora of other things that affect students on a college campus,” said Buckhalton, a senior from St. Louis Park, Minn. “She has experience working with counseling services and with LGBTQ students. I see her making an impact on all different constituencies in different ways. I see her bridging the gap between administration and students but also the larger community and Lawrence.”

Barrett said her first task upon arriving in August will be to listen and establish policies to ensure everyone has a voice in setting university priorities.

“While cultural events and celebrations are an important way to promote diversity and inclusion, they are not sufficient to bring about the fundamental change we are trying to create,” said Barrett. “In order to achieve inclusive excellence in higher education we must change the way we do things every day. We must examine our policies and guidelines to ensure that they help us take an equity-minded approach to our work. This will ensure that each of us helps Lawrence become a community that provides equal opportunity so that all students, faculty and staff can reach their unique potential.”

Matthew Stoneking, associate professor of physics and a member of the search committee, said Barrett’s approach and breadth of experience stood out among the candidates for both parts of her job title.

“She has a wealth of experience at a number of different types of institutions of higher education in administrative leadership and student affairs roles. I’m very confident that Dr. Barrett will help sharpen our vision and goals surrounding inclusivity and will work effectively and collaboratively with Lawrence faculty, students, staff, administrators and members of the Appleton community to make positive changes.”

Kathy Flores, diversity coordinator for the City of Appleton, who met Barrett during the interview process, sees her appointment benefiting the community beyond the campus borders.

““I’m excited to welcome Dr. Barrett to Appleton,” said Flores. “Her wide breadth of experience is not only an asset to Lawrence University, but to the whole Appleton community. Along with her vast set of skills, she brings a valued reputation of community engagement. I treasure the partnership we have already embarked upon with Lawrence around diversity and inclusion issues and I look forward to working with this new colleague as we strive to make Appleton a more welcoming place for all students.”

Lawrence’s location was also a draw for Barrett, who has both professional and personal ties to Wisconsin. She spent five years (2003-08) as associate vice chancellor of student development and diversity at UW-Eau Claire. Her son, Terrance, is a UW-Parkside graduate and lives in Madison with his wife Melissa.

Prior to Wright State, Barrett was the vice president for student affairs at the University of Montevallo in Alabama from 2008-12. Previous appointments included director of multicultural affairs at the State University of New York-Potsdam, director of the women’s center at Murray State in Kentucky, vice provost at Lakehead University in Ontario, Canada and associate provost/dean of students at Southeast Missouri State University.

Her husband, Terry Barrett, is an emeritus professor of psychology at Murray State University.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

Lawrence University voice teacher Karen Leigh-Post has been promoted to rank of professor by the college’s Board of Trustees. Leigh-Post joined Lawrence’s Conservatory of Music in 1996.

She has conducted extensive research in cognitive neuroscience and perceptual motor psychology, which she chronicled in her 2014 book “Mind-Body Awareness for Singers: Unleashing Optimal Performance. She will deliver the talk “The Brain, Music and Optimal Performance” in July at the 2016 national conference of the National Association of Teachers of Singing in Chicago.

As a performing mezzo soprano, Leigh-Post’s singing has been recognized with numerous honors. She is a two-time winner of both the District Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions and the Metropolitan Opera’s Regional Outstanding Mezzo Award. She has performed more than two dozen roles, ranging from the titular character in Bizet’s “Carmen” to Anita in “West Side Story” and Venus in Wagner’s “Tannhäuser” at leading opera venues throughout the country and abroad.

“In addition to a providing wonderful voice concerts, Dr. Leigh-Post has been a pioneer in cognitive analyses of musical performance,” said David Burrows, provost and dean of the faculty. “She has developed influential and important concepts about performance that will have a lasting impact in the area.”

A 1979 Lawrence graduate, Leigh-Post earned a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance/choral education, studying under current voice professor Ken Bozeman. She also earned a master’s degree in vocal performance/pedagogy from the University of Arizona and a doctor of musical arts in vocal performance from Rutgers University, where she studied with renowned voice teacher Shirlee Emmons, a 1944 Lawrence graduate.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.

For the second year in a row, Lawrence University earned gold honors in the annual Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Circle of Excellence competition.

Lawrence was awarded honors for its recruitment package of brochures entitled “The Power of Engaged Learning at Lawrence University” and its student recruitment mailer “Don’t Just Finish. Flourish.”

CASE awards recognize superior accomplishments that have lasting impact, demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and deliver exceptional results.

“I’m thrilled to be recognized for our recruitment materials,” said Craig Gagnon, associate vice president of communications, who oversaw the publications’ production. “The awards not only recognize outstanding design and execution, but also the consistent application of our positioning strategy in a creative concept that extends throughout all our admissions materials.

“Of course, the ultimate goal is not to win awards but to reinforce the Lawrence reputation and attract applications from qualified students,” Gagnon added. “The fact that we set a record for applications is compelling evidence that we have a message that resonates with our prospective students.”

Lawrence enjoyed a 20 percent increase in applications after launching the package, setting an institutional record.

CASE judges noted that, “the brochures each promote a single strong message…headlines clearly differentiate between a passive education and the active, engaged learning experience provided at Lawrence.”

Judges also noted, “the package was also budget-friendly; with writing and design done in-house, costs were limited to printing and postage.”

The award-winning publications were the result of a collaborative effort between the communications and admissions offices. In addition to Gagnon, who conducted and analyzed the research that led to the campaign concept, art director Matt Schmeltzer designed the multi-piece program, Ken Anselment, dean of admissions and financial aid, wrote the majority of the body copy and Lawrence photographers Liz Boutelle and Rachel Crowl provided campus images.

The 2016 CASE competition attracted a record 3,350 entries from 713 higher education U.S. and international institutions. Winners are selected by peer professionals as well as professionals from outside of education.

Lawrence won a Grand Gold award, CASE’s highest honor, in 2015 in the general information video category for “The Rabbit’s Nose,” a spoken-word piece, written and performed by 2014 graduate Shea Love and produced by Crowl.

About Lawrence University
Founded in 1847, Lawrence University uniquely integrates a college of liberal arts and sciences with a nationally recognized conservatory of music, both devoted exclusively to undergraduate education. It was selected for inclusion in the book “Colleges That Change Lives: 40 Schools That Will Change the Way You Think About College” and Fiske’s Guide to Colleges 2016. Engaged learning, the development of multiple interests and community outreach are central to the Lawrence experience. Lawrence draws its 1,500 students from nearly every state and more than 50 countries.