This article is from the EMU News Archive. Current EMU new is available at www.emu.edu/news

LEAP leads the way to EMU

Jeff Boodie, a native of the Bronx, New York City, experienced firsthand the difficulties of transitioning to a small university nestled in the Shenandoah Valley.

Boodie, who has completed his freshman year at EMU, was among four first-year EMU students who participated in LEAP (Learning, Exploring and Participating), a year-old seminary-born program aimed at helping create a "culture of call" across Mennonite Church USA.

LEAP engages both the seminary community and high school student leaders in a partnership of learning and leadership and is accepting nominations until May 28 for the Summer 2004 program, during which students will study on-campus with seminary professors and others from July 15-26 and then take field excursions to Indonesia, Nicaragua, Trinidad or New York City from July 26 to Aug. 7. Upon return to campus, students will reconnect with new friends and the entire group, share experiences, reflect on God’s workings in their midst and prepare to return home.

Boodie, along with Koren Dugan, another first-year EMU student, faced the transition from a large urban area through the LEAP experience. With the LEAP program, Boodie and Dugan traveled to Zimbabwe, Africa the summer of 2003 to attend Mennonite World Conference and the Global Youth Summit, just weeks before starting classes at EMU.

LEAP was a good transition to EMU, noted Dugan, adding, "Going from Philly to Africa created a lot of culture shock; then going from Philly to Virginia wasn't a big deal." The "statistical, organized, structured system has been a challenge," said Dugan of the EMU community, "but I have found an inside support group of friends and church [to] help work with stuff on the inside."

Jeff

For Boodie, the cultural experience of LEAP allowed him to come to EMU as a young black male and fit in, though he does admit feeling that "EMU is not really diverse enough." Originally intending to attend Norfolk State University, Boodie states, "LEAP gave me the opportunity to see EMU ... with the help of (former director) Richard (Pannell) I was able to make some last-minute decisions to come to EMU."

Coming to EMU was, "in God’s plan from the beginning," said Boodie in citing ways he has seen God work in his life. "Through LEAP, I saw that God isn’t just here in the U.S., but across the globe."

Boodie sees the idea of calling, a major tenet of the LEAP program, through his environmental science major and through campus involvement that works to engage his faith.

"Discussion with other students is an important part of my faith," said Boodie, noting specifically his involvement with residence hall Bible studies. He is also sharpening his leadership skills by participating in campus groups, including Future Leaders of Equality and Diversity, Black Student Union and the WeatherVane student newspaper.

Encouraging student involvement and awareness are part of what led Boodie to lead a Young People’s Christian Association (YPCA) work team to New York during this year's spring break.

"I want it to be a mini cross-cultural for those involved," he said just days before departure. "It is important to see and understand what New York City is really about," Boodie said. "How people live, seeing what really happens in life, experiencing many cultures in one." In addition, Camp Deer Park, where the team spent part of the week, was where Boodie attended summer camp.

Koren

For Dugan, the issue of calling is also central to her experience at EMU, specifically while deciding on a major. While debating between sociology and social work, Dugan said, "God is leading me to professors and others who are helping me narrow the decision." Though still undecided on her major, Koren said she feels peace about her decision to attend EMU. "God has put me here," she declared.

"Faith has been an up and down ride," said Dugan, "but God has gotten through to me in a major way," especially through the Holy Hip-Hop Jam weekend, held on campus in February, 2004. "[That weekend] was great exposure to people with a different style of worship and those who live out faith [in Christ] in different ways," she said.

Both Dugan and Boodie were pleased with the diversity that the Christian hip-hop music weekend brought to EMU. "It was encouraging," Boodie said of the sheer number of ethnically diverse people on campus. "It was exposure," added Dugan, "in great numbers ... diversity from everywhere" that helped make the weekend a success.

Dugan hopes EMU will continue to invite the larger community to share in future events on campus, but during the summer, she plans to get more into the community herself. "I'm getting in touch with God’s purpose for putting me in this place," she said. "I'm so excited to see what might happen in the next several years."

For more information on LEAP or to nominate a student for the Summer 2004 program, please visit www.leap.emu.edu, email , or call 540-432-4692.

The initial nomination and application process for Summer 2004 should be in motion by May 28, 2004.

— article by: Rachel S. Miller, a 2004 honors graduate; posted April 27, 2004