During a tour of the 91大神 campus last month, U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia, got a firsthand look of the university鈥檚 state-of-the-art nursing and engineering labs, took in the picturesque view of Massanutten Mountain from the Campus Center balcony, and explored the academic spaces and classrooms of the Suter Science Center.

But it was the 91大神 cadaver lab, used by undergraduate pre-medicine and nursing students in anatomy and physiology classes, that really got his attention.

鈥淚t鈥檚 the first one I鈥檝e seen that鈥檚 not at a medical school,鈥� Kaine said.

For good reason. 91大神 is one of only a handful of undergraduate programs in the United States that offers full cadaver dissection. The lab provides a 鈥渓eg up鈥� for students entering medical school, said Braydon Hoover 鈥�11, MAOL 鈥�21, vice president of enrollment and marketing. He added that roughly 1% of medical school students enter with experience in cadaver dissection, and 91大神鈥檚 medical school acceptance rate is 85%, more than double the national average.

鈥淥ur graduates are heads and tails above their colleagues in medical school because they鈥檝e already experienced this type of in-depth experiential learning,鈥� Hoover told Kaine as he led the tour.

A workforce win

Kaine visited 91大神 on July 7 to meet with students, faculty, staff, leaders, and other community members, and celebrate the $1.39 million in federal Community-Directed Spending (CDS) to upgrade and expand the laboratory equipment used by STEM and nursing majors at 91大神. The investment will enhance undergraduate education, expand research opportunities, and better prepare the STEM and healthcare workforce.

鈥淭his is an investment in our students and an investment in the future of Virginia,鈥� said President Rev. Dr. Shannon W. Dycus. 鈥淲e鈥檒l measure our success not only by the equipment that is purchased but by the lives that are transformed, the discoveries that are made, and the communities that are strengthened.鈥�

Kaine said the CDS process allows Congress to direct funds in the budget to 鈥渧ery specific local projects.鈥� It offers a fair and transparent way, he said, for smaller institutions and rural communities to receive federal funding.

鈥淲e鈥檝e noticed over time that the Appropriations Committee has valued innovative workforce training programs and that鈥檚 what 91大神 put on the table in this proposal,鈥� he said, adding that it received bipartisan support. 鈥淚 want to thank everyone at 91大神 who had a hand in drafting the proposal. 鈥� This is a good group of folks to celebrate a real significant legislative win for 91大神 and for the region when it comes to the workforce.鈥�

Undergrad research 鈥榠mpressive鈥�

While walking across the Front Lawn, Kaine talked with rising sophomore biology major Davis Bert, who told the senator about his research project this summer studying bacteria in the gut biome.

鈥淚f we just change our habits in eating and how our guts are reacting, then maybe we can get to the point where we can reverse those disorders that are occurring,鈥� said Bert, who plans to pursue a PhD in public health with a specialization in epidemiology.

At a press conference later in the day, Kaine spoke about his conversation with Bert and described the opportunity for undergraduate students to engage in research as “impressive.”

鈥楢 global reach鈥�

As he entered the University Commons and saw the colorful array of flags displayed in the Hall of Nations, Kaine reminisced about the first time he had set foot on campus.

It had been in the 1980s, long before he entered politics, during a time of 鈥渁ll kinds of turmoil in Central America,鈥� said Kaine, who had served as a missionary in Honduras. He had attended a meeting of state leaders seeking to build stronger ties with Central American nations.

鈥淚 came up here for a conference, and I had this feeling from the beginning that 91大神, though a small school in Harrisonburg, was really trying to have a global reach,鈥� he told Hoover.

Offering access

Following his tour, Kaine participated in a roundtable discussion with President Dycus, Provost Dr. Tynisha Willingham, the presidents of Bridgewater College and Blue Ridge Community College, and other 91大神 leaders, higher education partners, faculty, and community members. The discussion focused on college affordability, STEM education, workforce development, and the impact of federal investments in higher education.

Seventy percent of 91大神鈥檚 undergraduate students are from Virginia, and two-thirds remain in the commonwealth after graduation. 91大神 offers an accessible and affordable college education, and that鈥檚 reflected in the students it serves.

This fall鈥檚 incoming class is 15% larger than last year鈥檚, which was itself 10% larger than the previous year鈥檚. Of the class entering 91大神 this fall, 80% are from Virginia, 58% identify as first-generation college students, 51% identify as students of color, and 60% are interested in STEM. The incoming class has an average GPA above 3.55.

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine flips through a copy of The Green Book during a tour of the Ida M. Francis Tourist Home, which is Harrisonburg鈥檚 only remaining property listed in the guide.

LEFT: U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine speaks during a press conference at 91大神 on July 7. RIGHT: Kaine meets with Harrisonburg resident William Reed, the father of Mayor Deanna Reed and owner of the Green Book house.

Getting the word out

Public colleges might seem more likely to serve as access institutions. But it’s actually small, private schools that lead the way in providing access to a college education, Kaine said, pointing to 91大神鈥檚 high percentage of first-generation students, Pell-eligible students, students of color, and international students.

鈥淧rivate higher ed doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean more expensive; it鈥檚 often more accessible,鈥� he told a gathering of media and community members. 鈥溾�hese are institutions that can provide great value for families, and we need to put the word out there so families understand that.鈥�

Looking ahead, Kaine said he hopes to return to campus and continue learning about the ways 91大神 is expanding opportunities for students.

鈥淚 look forward to coming back and interacting with you again,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just a real pleasure to be able to do this together with a great institution.鈥�

This was Kaine鈥檚 first visit to 91大神 since 2007, when he was governor, and one of several stops he made in Harrisonburg that day. He started off the morning touring the historic Ida M. Francis Tourist Home, which is Harrisonburg鈥檚 only remaining property listed in the Green Book. He also visited the United Way of Central Shenandoah Valley.

The summit will be held at 91大神’s Suter Science Center (1194 Park Road, Harrisonburg, Virginia) with events starting at 9 a.m. It aims to bring together students, educators, and community members to explore undergraduate research, innovative initiatives, and real-world solutions.

Students will attend from Sustainable Shenandoah Valley’s five member institutions: Blue Ridge Community College, Bridgewater College, 91大神, James Madison University, and Mary Baldwin University.

鈥淏y celebrating the impactful work already happening across the region, this event seeks to inspire new ideas, partnerships, and pathways toward a more just and sustainable future,鈥� the summit鈥檚 website says.

A schedule on the website lists presentations by local students and officials, posters and networking opportunities, and a keynote speech by John C. Jones.

Jones is an assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences and Sustainability at Virginia Commonwealth University. His main research interests surround the intersection of urban food system development, urban food insecurity, local governance, and the challenges facing America鈥檚 cities. In recent years, he has begun to research interventions to mitigate college student food insecurity. 

91大神 students Ciela Acosta, Kate Stutzman, Jenna Oostland, and Tara Cahill are among those who will deliver presentations at the summit.

Acosta will present on examples of campus organizing and advocacy that have taken place on 91大神鈥檚 campus, including bell ringing for Palestine and direct action for sustainability, according to the summit’s website. Her presentation will include an empowerment discussion for students to be able to notice where inequity is present on their own campuses and be able to effectively and peacefully call for change.

Stutzman, Oostland, and Cahill will lead a comprehensive analysis of 91大神’s carbon emissions for the 2024-25 academic year in accordance to the university’s climate goals. Emissions from a number of sources are considered including, but not limited to, food production and waste, purchased electricity, natural gas, fertilizer and pesticide use, student and faculty travel, and 91大神’s solar grid.

Register for the summit .

For more information, visit the event鈥檚 website .

鈥淚 got to practice incisions and suturing, and we had some frogs that needed postoperative care,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat was a really valuable experience, and I don鈥檛 think I would鈥檝e gotten that at a lot of other schools.鈥�

These days, Prock doesn鈥檛 operate on frogs. His patients are mostly dogs and cats. The vet is the co-founder of Furgent Care, a veterinary urgent care in Virginia Beach that offers evening and weekend services for pet owners when their primary care veterinarian is unavailable.

Identifying a need

In 2018, following four tough years at veterinary school (Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech), Prock earned his doctor of veterinary medicine degree. After working as a general practice vet at a clinic in South Florida for three years, he returned to his hometown of Virginia Beach with his wife, Katie (Landis) Prock 鈥�12鈥攖hey met at 91大神鈥攁nd worked as a locum, filling in for understaffed hospitals that needed help.

鈥淭hink of it like substitute teaching, but for veterinarians,鈥� Prock said.

That experience opened his eyes to the growing need for after-hours veterinary services.

鈥淚t shocked me the amount of clients who would call in with sick pets and say, 鈥楳y dog is vomiting or has diarrhea or has an ear infection,鈥欌�� said Prock. 鈥淎nd the answer was, 鈥極ur first available appointment is in two weeks.鈥� That鈥檚 just how the system works. But it felt wrong to say no to so many sick pets.鈥�

That motivated him to reach out to his roommate from vet school, Jonah Williams, and together they opened Furgent Care in 2024. The clinic is staffed by 16 total employees, including four doctors. It has 164 reviews and a 4.9-out-of-5 rating.

鈥淥ur core values are compassion and collaboration, and that鈥檚 been echoed in our reviews,鈥� Prock said. 鈥淧eople get what we鈥檙e doing and they appreciate it.鈥�

Seeking a balance

From a young age, Prock had a love for animals. He said he鈥檚 always known he wanted to become a veterinarian.

鈥淢y parents let us keep weird pets,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 had all sorts of reptiles growing up, hedgehogs, guinea pigs, and bunnies. You name it, we took care of it.鈥�

That taught him the responsibility of pet ownership and fostered in him a connection to animals. He added that he鈥檚 also always been fascinated with the subject of biology, the natural sciences, and the 鈥渉uge, complex system that makes all living things, living things.鈥� 

Those interests coincided with a passion for volleyball. A skilled player in high school, he started attracting attention from college recruiters across the country.

His older sister played volleyball at a Division I school, and he saw the commitment required to compete at that level. 鈥淚 got to see firsthand what having, essentially, a full-time job on top of college looked like,鈥� Prock said. 鈥淭hat helped steer me toward Division III and 91大神.鈥�

鈥淔rom my visit to 91大神, I felt like I could achieve a balance: smaller class sizes and professors who were involved and cared for their students more than they could in a thousand-student lecture hall,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s an athlete, I was given some flexibility with my assignments. They understood I had more than just school going on and helped me outside of class when I missed it.鈥�

鈥淚 think that balance made a huge impact on my ability to eventually get into vet school,鈥� he added.

At 91大神, Prock excelled as a student-athlete. He was named to the first-ever Continental Volleyball Conference All-East Division Team during the inaugural season of the conference. His name still ranks No. 2 on the all-time digs list for 91大神.

Although no amount of work can truly prepare someone for the rigors and stressors of vet school, he said, 91大神鈥檚 coursework and degree equipped him as best it could. 鈥淚t was absolutely difficult and was a new level of challenging, but as far as fundamentals go, I had everything I needed,鈥� he said.

It鈥檚 also incredibly difficult to get accepted into vet school, he added. After graduating from 91大神 with a biology degree, he stayed in Harrisonburg for a couple years, working as an assistant at Heartland Veterinary Clinic and serving as an assistant coach for the men鈥檚 volleyball team at 91大神. At the same time, he applied to a flurry of veterinary schools across the country.

鈥淚 tell people I took one year off on purpose and one year off by accident, because I didn鈥檛 get into veterinary school,鈥� said Prock. He was eventually accepted during a second round of applications. 

When he started vet school, he had three goals. One was to graduate. Another was to stay married. And a third goal was to get as much sleep as he could. 鈥淢y priorities looked different than most people鈥檚,鈥� Prock said, noting the hypercompetitive nature of vet school students. 鈥淚t was never my goal to become the world鈥檚 best veterinarian or the world鈥檚 best clinician. I always wanted to help people and I knew I could do that by helping pets and working with animals.鈥�

Keeping his passion going

One of his most meaningful experiences from his time at 91大神 occurred during a senior seminar class taught by Professor Emeritus Roman Miller. Prock recalled an assignment to shadow a large-animal veterinarian at cattle farms around Harrisonburg for several weeks. They performed everything from routine pregnancy checks to emergency calls and surgery.

鈥淭hat was wonderful preparation,鈥� Prock said. 鈥淚 gained an immense amount of respect for farmers and for large-animal vets who work incredibly long and hard hours. To have that kind of foresight in making me do that was really wise and paid off in keeping my passion going.鈥�

As Prock鈥檚 responsibilities at the clinic have shifted, he鈥檚 spent more time on the business side, building teams and systems, and less time on the floor seeing patients.

For those like him, seeking a career in veterinary medicine, he said the role requires a 鈥渟pecific type of brain.鈥� 

鈥淚t鈥檚 common to find people who have a passion for animals,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 less common to find those who have a passion for helping people, solving problems, and working with teams.鈥�

Learn more about the clinic at .

Become an advocate 鈥� voice your support with community and business leaders; encourage others to join the conversation; offer your prayerful support for this project and for 91大神 students, faculty and staff.

Pledge your support 鈥� consider a multi-year commitment to achieve a gift of significance; consider a gift of appreciated securities to leverage your impact for this campaign. Make a one-time gift 鈥� contact us at 540-432-4203 or visit our giving page at .

A variety of naming opportunities are available, and can be used to honor a loved one, a family, or a beloved professor. For more information, contact Kirk Shisler, vice president for advancement at 540-432-4203.

Each year at 91大神, dozens of expert scientists visit campus to share their insights. Some focus on their cutting-edge research and work in the field, and some share perspectives on social reform and sustainability in the context of science. See more at: .

Joseph Gascho is a cardiologist, Professor of Humanities and Medicine, at the Penn State Milton S Hershey College of Medicine. He is a photographer and poet. He has several permanent photography displays on exhibit at Penn State Hershey Medical Center and his photography and poetry have been published in numerous venues. Dr. Gascho is a Karuko (number game) addict; visiting London is a passion.

Each year at 91大神, dozens of expert scientists visit campus to share their insights. Some focus on their cutting-edge research and work in the field, and some share perspectives on social reform and sustainability in the context of science. See more at:

Each year at 91大神, dozens of expert scientists visit campus to share their insights. Some focus on their cutting edge research and work in the field, and some share perspectives on social reform and sustainability in the context of science. See more at: http://www.emu.edu/science-seminars

Each year at 91大神, dozens of expert scientists visit campus to share their insights. Some focus on their cutting edge research and work in the field, and some share perspectives on social reform and sustainability in the context of science. See more at:

A research scientist at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Md., will discuss the ways that voltage sensors and electrical signaling happen in animal and human nervous systems at the next Suter Science Seminar.

Kenton Swartz, a senior member of the molecular physiology and biophysics section at NIH, will give his presentation 4 p.m. Monday, Mar. 30, in room 104 of the Suter Science Center at 91大神.

"Kenton Swartz is a leader in his field who will speak about how brain cells called neurons create (bio)electricity," said Greta Ann Herin, assistant professor of biology at 91大神. "Cells such as these control simple diffusion of charged atoms into and out of the cell using specialized gates called ion channels. Kenton will show us how ion channels’ construction makes them responsive to signals, controllable and very fast. It’s very exciting to have him come to speak," Dr. Herin added.

Dr. Swartz joined NIH as an investigator in 1997 and was promoted to senior investigator in 2003. His laboratory uses biochemical, molecular biological and biophysical techniques to investigate the structure of voltage-activated ion channels and to explore the molecular mechanics by which these channels gate.

Swartz received a BS degree in chemistry and biology in 1986 from 91大神. In 1992, he received a PhD in neurobiology from Harvard University, studying the regulation of voltage-gated calcium channels. He did postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, where he began isolating and studying toxins that interact with voltage-activated potassium channels.

Refreshments will be served 15 minutes prior to the presentation, which is open to everyone free of charge.

For more information, contact Dr. Roman J. Miller, Suter Endowed Professor of Biology, at 540-432-4412; email: millerrj@emu.edu.

John L. Horst, professor emeritus of physics at 91大神, recently salvaged from storage a large chart depicting "principles of electromagnetic radiations," dated 1938. Horst taught at 91大神 from 1967 until retiring in 2004.

John L. Horst examines the framed principles of electromagnetic radiations chart that now hangs in the Suter Science Center. A photo from 1943 of students in M.T. Brackbill’s physics lab is displayed to the left of the chart. (Photo by Jim Bishop)

According to Horst, the 3 1/2-foot by 5-foot "elegantly complex" poster originally hung on the wall behind the lecture deck of the late M.T. Brackbill’s "creative, quirky" physics classroom in the basement of the old administration building.

Brackbill taught science and many other courses at 91大神 from 1919 to 1956. He died in 1963.

Edited by Nobel Prize Winner

The chart was edited by Arthur H. Compton, who shared the Nobel prize in physics in 1927 for the Compton Effect, a scattering experiment that demonstrated that x-rays are photons that have quantum particle properties. He later showed that cosmic rays are photons from deep outer space.

A sidenote: Compton’s mother was a Mennonite from Ohio. He attended Bluffton (Ohio) College (now University) for a year in the early part of the 20th century.

The chart moves the observer from top to bottom with "a flurry of ideas, depicting how various parts of the spectrum are generated," Horst noted.

"Many applications – from astronomy, chemistry, engineering, medicine and physics – are part of the spectrum, with everything related to existing technologies of 1938," he said.

Physicist James Maxwell first described the wave theory of electromagnetic spectrum in the late 19th century. The particle theory of the spectrum emerged with the development of quantum mechanics in the early 20th century.

Modern Look, Striking Colors

"The color scheme is striking and excellent for its day," Horst said. The graphic arrangement is amazing considering the creators had no computer assistance back then."

Horst noted that the chart "wasn’t carefully stored, and the bottom portion had some broken or missing pieces." He credited local craftsman Raymond Shank for his "excellent restoration and framing work." The chart is now displayed on the wall adjacent to the current physics laboratory in 91大神’s Suter Science Center.

Dr. Francis Collins, a renowned geneticist and a Christian, surprised the audience with a touching hymn near the end of his lecture on the intersection of science and faith.

Like many young doctors, Francis Collins sometimes found himself at the bedsides of patients he could no longer help.

But always curious, Collins sat by their side listening and marveling at how many patients didn’t despair but found comfort in religion.

Then in his mid-20’s, a dying woman asked Collins what he believed on the subject. And the young man who was embarking on a career that would tackle some of the natural world’s toughest puzzles was stumped.

For all his training, Collins says, he had no answers for life’s basic questions: Why am I here? What will happen after I die? Is there a God?

On Saturday, Collins, 57, now a renowned geneticist and a Christian, spoke to a packed crowd at 91大神’s Martin Chapel.

His message: that science and religion, two ways of explaining the world we live in, are not incompatible.

“Truth can be found in scientific exploration and religious exploration; It’s all God’s truth,” Collins said. “Some people are saying you have to pick one or the other. I would say that would be an impoverished outcome.”

‘The Language Of God’

Raised near Staunton, Collins, is the director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md.

And he coordinated the Human Genome Project. Genomes, he says, are like books contained inside every living organism, which hold the secrets of life.

In 2003, Collins and other scientists finished “mapping” the human genome, a landmark achievement that, he says, was like figuring out each letter in a book. His leadership on the genome project and work overall work on genetic research has catapulted him to the top tier of scientific researchers and earlier this month earned him the Medal of Freedom.

President Bush awarded him the medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in a ceremony on Nov. 7 in Washington.

Faith Bolstered By Science

Although scientists have yet to grasp the full meaning of the human genome, doing so could lead to advances in the fights against diseases such as cancer, diabetes and asthma.

But on Saturday, Collins focused on how decades in science has encouraged, not dampened, his religious faith.

It’s an experience described in his 2006 book, The Language of God: A Scientist Presents Evidence For Belief.

Known And Unknown

By studying fossils and DNA, scientists have achieved a greater understanding of life and found support for the theory of evolution, Collins said.

And most scientists now agree that the universe began about 13.7 billion years ago, he says, and that people share more than 98 percent of their DNA with chimpanzees.

Still science, Collins said, can’t answer how life began or the mystery of why 15 mathematical constants show up over and over in nature like a well-designed pattern.

Those questions, Collins says, are part of what has led him and about 40 percent of scientists to a belief in some God.

But Collins’ said his Christian faith led him a step further, to belief in a God who cares about people and has instilled in them a sense of right and wrong.

“We all have written in our hearts what is good and holy and the desire to reach out and find it,” he said.

Tricky Subject

Christian Early, a philosophy and theology professor at 91大神 says Collins’ message is important in a society where science and religion often seem at odds.

Still, aspects of Collins speech, especially evolution, can be difficult for Mennonites and other Christian denominations to accept, Early said.

Victoria Clymer, 15, and Malinda Bender, 14, both freshman at Eastern Mennonite High School said that Collins’ world-view is different from theirs.

“Coming from a Mennonite background, you take what the Bible says,” Bender said. “It was a little bit different, but interesting,” she said. “I’m glad I came.”

Becky Horst, a 22-year-old 91大神 student from Somerset, Pa., said that in his book and his speech Collins succinctly expresses an idea that will be important to her when she graduates and begins teaching high school science.

“My vocation can’t be disconnected from the faith part of my life,” said Horst, a Mennonite. She also said that while she wants science and religion in her life, she expects to be allowed to take only one of them into her science classes.

Dan McSweeney, 71, of Augusta County, says he’s an atheist who has no trouble with religious people, unless they tell him to be religious.

After the speech, he said he admired Collins as a scientist, but that the logic of his religious arguments doesn’t add up.

“What we have is the world around us, that’s what exists,” McSweeney said. But “a personal God? That’s a leap of faith,” he said. “Not science.”