Thiel College hosts theological summit focusing on student connections to vocation

GREENVILLE, Pa. - Jan. 8, 2018 - PRLog -- Thiel College, a leading liberal arts college in northwest Pennsylvania, is hosting a summit with two leaders in the vocational discernment movement in January to energize efforts by faculty and staff members to connect ideas of vocation and spiritual involvement and growth for students.

Thiel College (https://www.thiel.edu/) won a grant from the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education in 2017. Through the grant, approximately 60 faculty and staff members participated in reading groups this past fall to discuss themes such as mentoring, the importance of the liberal arts in vocational discernment and the importance of meaningful work. As an extension of those conversations, the College will be hosting Julie Massey and Daniel Deffenbaugh, Ph.D., on Jan. 24-25. Each will give an on-campus presentation on issues related to mentoring of students. They will also be available to visit classes and meet with groups of faculty, staff, and students.

"This is a tremendous opportunity to boost the already strong connection between our faculty and staff and our students," Thiel College Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Liz Frombgen, Ph.D., said. "Academic and professional preparation are important parts of a student's development at Thiel, but a student's growth goes beyond that. We are grooming graduates to take roles in our community and civic endeavors. Students will be engaged in the process of seeking meaning, identity, and purpose from their life experiences."

Massey is the associate vice president for the division of Mission and Student Affairs at St. Norbert College, a role she assumed in the spring of 2016. She is a 1987 graduate of St. Norbert College and earned a Master of Divinity degree from Loyola University Chicago. She has been published in America Magazine, Liguorian Magazine and in the texts "Understanding Student Affairs in Catholic Colleges and Universities" and "Student Life in Catholic Higher Education: Advancing Good Practice." She and Bridget Burke Ravizza, Ph.D., co-authored the book "Project Holiness: Marriage as a Workshop for Everyday Saints."

Deffenbaugh joined the Hastings College religion and philosophy faculty in the fall of 2001 and since that time has worked with his colleagues to develop a broad range of courses in religion. He received his Ph.D. and M.A. in constructive theology from Vanderbilt University. He also has an M.Div. from Western Theological Seminary and a B.A. in biology and religion from Hope College. He is the author of "Learning the Language of the Fields: Tilling and Keeping as Christian Vocation" and several book chapters and journal articles. In 2005, Deffenbaugh was named the CASE Professor of the Year for the state of Nebraska, a national award sponsored by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

About Thiel College

Thiel College (https://www.thiel.edu/) is a private liberal arts institution founded in the Lutheran tradition. Located in Greenville, Pa., the College offers 60 majors and minors, 25 varsity sports, and an 11:1 student-faculty ratio to more than 900 students. A dedicated faculty paired with dynamic research and internship opportunities produce numerous graduate school and job placements. Coeducational from its beginnings, the College celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2016 and remains committed to combining tradition with innovation.