Freshman Paragon Scholar Paola Gonzalez-Mendez on her Medieval and Modern History  Course with Dr. Pam

Do any of your classes greet you with a song when you first sign in to zoom? Dr. Pam’s class did—and it was awesome. I had the honor of being in Dr. Pam’s History 130H class this spring semester. Particularly, I was in her Tuesday and Thursday 9:20 morning class, Go Greens! From the start I was very excited. I kept hearing rumors about some incredible Dante paper where you had the opportunity to put people in hell—what more did I need to convince me that it was going to be an awesome time? 

As the semester progressed I was not let down. I absolutely loved the atmosphere that was created in the class. I found myself always engaged whether we were learning about Charlemagne (it is a must now to sing the song) or about the black plague (spoiler alert: death was quite the Don Juan). Before taking the class I had been intimidated by medieval history in general. I was better acquainted with the epic histories of the Greek and Egyptians, than with the expansion and politics of medieval Europe. 

However that worry was short lived.

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Distance Learning in Honors Modern Civilizations: A Student Reflection

I don’t think anyone knew what to expect for this semester with all the new adjustments we’ve had to make as a university, but I was pleasantly surprised
with Dr. Friesen’s distance-learning Honors Modern Civilizations class. It was clear to me from Day One that he had prepared for these changes over the
summer, and it definitely made his class consistent, intellectually stimulating, and an overall enjoying learning experience. Learning at a distance is not something any of us signed up for, but Dr. Friesen always made it obvious that he was working with us to make sure we could all navigate the world if distance-learning together. His synchronous Zoom lectures were among the most well-structured and practical lectures I had this semester. 

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Claire Samuelson Starbeck, was featured and celebrated on the Alpha Chi national website! Claire is recognized for her  excellent presentation entitled “Tolkien and War: The Influence of World War I on The Lord of the Rings.” For more details and to watch her presentation, click ​here​.  

Due to current circumstances, the Alpha Chi Convention 2020 in Albuquerque was canceled. Students who were prepared to go were still able to record their presentations which you can find here. By following the link, you can see the presentations of sunbirds Kelsey Lowrey, Claire Starbeck, Margaret Bowlin, Taylor Benton, and Kassandra Klein. We are so proud of them!

Wednesday morning Alpha Chi National had the virtual awards ceremony. It was a model of how to carry on in our new context. Catherine Jalomo won the Benedict Scholarship for Graduate School, and Pamela Johnston won the Distinguished Service Award for Region VII! We are reminded that even by national standards, FPU students and faculty are special!

Junior Class Rep and Communication Major Carlos Garcia attended the San Joaquin Valley Town Hall featuring General John F. Kelly

On January 15th, Dr. Friesen and a small group of students attended the Town Hall in Fresno welcoming former White House Chief of Staff, John F. Kelly, also a retired U.S. Marine general who served as U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, and as leader of the U.S. Southern Command. The group of students consisted of Veronica Mendez, Matthew White, and myself, Carlos Garcia. Gen. Kelly discussed his experiences in these positions. Among other topics, he
discussed the drug epidemic affecting America in the Southern border. Gen. Kelly explained that any American who participates in the distribution of these illegal and harmful drugs such as 2 heroin, methamphetamine, and cocaine is funding the cartels. He also acknowledged the healthcare issue affecting the U.S., arguing that Washington is not making progress because the focus seems to be elsewhere such as on the impeachment. He talked about global influence and the direction that America seems to be heading.

I found it interesting to learn about Gen. Kelly’s perspective on what he deems as truth: he suggested that those in power should be investigated. I was lucky enough to listen and observe Gen. Kelly from close proximity before the main lecture as he spoke to a small audience of students, including our FPU group. He gave us important life advice on making wise choices as well as focusing on the future and working hard. A meaningful suggestion he made was that everyone should seek ways to serve the country. Towards the end of the event Gen. Kelly allowed for a Q&A session. The event was an excellent experience that was made possible thanks to USP, Dr. Friesen, and SJVTH.

In the Name of Research

This summer, Fresno Pacific senior Emma Sorensen had the amazing privilege of being a recipient of the Mennonite Brethren Historical Commission Archival Internship. With this internship, she traveled across the United States and Canada doing research for a culminating paper she then wrote on Mennonite relief work.

“Overall, it was a wonderful experience that pushed me out of my comfort zone. I met lots of great people who helped me feel at home throughout the weeks and made the internship that much better. I am very grateful for the opportunity and the support of Fresno Pacific.” - Emma Sorensen ‘19

At Fresno Pacific, we love seeing our Sunbirds doing great things in our community and around the world. The future is bright for Emma, and this internship was one “door” of many that will shape her success!