Three professors on sabbaticals

Three Northwestern College faculty are pursuing professional development and research projects on sabbatical leaves.

Jeff and Karen Barker, professors of theatre and speech, are spending the fall semester based in Oak Harbor, Wash. Jeff is working with members of First Reformed Church on the presentation of Scripture within worship, a topic on which he’s writing a book. He is also spending time in Africa doing research for his third play about Arlene Schuiteman’s missionary career. Karen is involved with the church in a Scripture memorization project and is preparing to perform Early One Morning, a one-woman musical from the vantage point of Mary Magdalene.

Dr. Jennifer Feenstra, associate professor of psychology, is on sabbatical for the 2011–12 academic year, serving as a Fulbright Scholar in Romania. A social psychologist with research interests in volunteerism and the development of adolescents and young adults, Feenstra is assessing the success of the program the New Horizons Foundation has developed to empower Romanian youth and increase responsibility, teamwork and trust among them. She will also teach research methodology courses in a master’s degree program at Babes-Bolyai University in Cluj.