Quaker Educators Addressing Theme: 'Keeping Faithful in a Time of Rapid Change'
Several dozen Quaker educators and others committed to Friends’ concept of a values-based education converged at Wilmington College for the Friends Association for Higher Education’s annual conference.
PICTURED: Traversing the campus en route to the opening session Thursday evening are Cherice Bock of Portland Seminary of George Fox University and Wess Daniels of Guilford College.
The group, comprised largely of faculty, staff and administrators from the nation’s Quaker colleges, are meeting Thursday (June 14) through Sunday (June 17) with programming that highlights this year’s theme, “Keeping Faithful in a Time of Rapid Change.”
Douglas Burks, emeritus professor of biology at WC and one of the conference directors, described the Friends teaching philosophy as “individual-centered,” which corresponds that most Quaker colleges are smaller schools that greatly value community.
“It’s an education that sees the light or goodness in everyone,” he said. “The pedagogy is centered on helping the individual grow academically, emotionally, spiritually and physically — it’s an education of the total person.”
Wilmington College has a long history with the Friends Association for Higher Education. The organization was founded at WC in 1980 during a meeting of Quaker educators that included T. Canby Jones and Earl Redding, both of whom served in the College’s Religion and Philosophy Dept. WC last hosted the annual meeting in 2013.
This year’s conference also has a distinct Wilmington College flavor as a number of faculty and staff, past and present, are presenting on a range of topics of interest to Quakers in higher education.
Stephen Potthoff, associate professor of religion and philosophy, is speaking on “A Quaker Dialogue with Teilhard on the Universe Story” while others include: Savitha Krishna, assistant professor of biology, “A Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Vector Control: Eco-Bio-Social Strategies for Mosquito Reduction”; Paul Moke, professor of political science and criminal justice, “Democracy in Decay: Friends’ Values and the Problem of Partisan Gerrymandering.”
Also, Cathy Pitzer and Jean Mulhern, retired political science faculty and library director, respectively, “Non-Violent Social Change: Lesson Learned from Lucretia Coffin Mott”; Al Beatty, assistant professor of accounting, “A College VITA Allows Students to Exemplify Friends’ Value of Service”; Neil Snarr, emeritus professor of sociology, “Gist’s Promised Land.”
Also, Danny Harp, assistant director of admission, is presenting “Quaker Mission-Driven ‘Hands-On Learning’ at Wilmington College” and President Jim Reynolds is part of a panel discussion featuring college presidents.
Conference participants are staying on campus in WC’s Campus Village residence hall, which features apartment-style living with four private bedrooms, two bathrooms, full kitchen, dining area and living room, along with a balcony or patio in each unit.
