DOKIMOI ERGATAI Fall 2022 Newsletter

The Egg Incubator team traveled to Choma, Zambia to build an egg incubator for their project partner, the Brethren in Christ Church. This partnership supports the demand for chicken, the main source of protein in Zambia. Due to the climate and humidity, most eggs are unable to hatch without assistance. The team’s goal was to build and test their cost-efficient egg incubator that could be built and fixed in Zambia with local materials and withstand the country’s humidity and climate.

Upon arriving at the site, the team discovered that the egg incubator’s initial design did not meet the needs as intended. Brandon Koehnke ’24, a mechanical and electrical engineering double major, had to redesign the model in Zambia through SolidWorks. This computer-aided design (CAD) program allows the user to visualize the parts and assemblies of a design and perform simulations of the functions on a computer. “It was definitely a challenge,” Koehnke said. “We had never fully put together an incubator with this new design from scratch . . . we weren’t prepared for a step-by-step building of this prototype.” Students found that obtaining materials in Choma was more laborious than in central Pennsylvania. Parts that they needed for the egg incubator were not always in the market and they had to learn the skill of bartering to buy parts at reasonable prices.

Despite the obstacles and the short time frame, the team was able to successfully build the new egg incubator with the correct designs. Shekinah Ellis ’24, a biomedical engineering major said, “Coming back from the trip with a SolidWorks model that we are using this semester at the Collab and the fact that we were able to build a prototype in Zambia makes me impressed.” Koehnke said, “It was incredible to see everything come together after two and half weeks of not knowing if we would be able to fit everything in.”

The Egg Incubator team also gained spiritual lessons from the trip. The team attended the Brethren in Christ Church where the service was mainly spoken in Tonga. Koehnke noticed that worship was important in the Zambian church and recalled the time when the team led worship at the church as both “powerful and intimidating.” Ellis explained that she broadened her perspective when she witnessed that it is “the same Lord at work in Zambia as the Lord at work in the United States.”

word from the director

What a blessing it has been to witness the beautiful work that God is accomplishing through the Collaboratory! I am thankful to be a part of a mission that has driven the Collaboratory towards Christ-exemplifying service to others for over 20 years. It is encouraging to observe our students as they keep pushing forward in motivation to serve others and grow themselves academically, professionally, and spiritually in the process. This would not be possible without the guidance and support from many faculty and staff that have poured into the students during this time. We have also been blessed through the support of the community as many have continued to stand beside us in prayer, funding, and volunteer service. Through this season, we have become a testimony to the expression “in unity, there is strength,” so that with “one mind, and one voice [we] may glorify God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6).

introducing the new collaboratory leadership team

Jeremy Freimark joined the Collaboratory in 2022. He lives in Elizabethtown with his wife Christi and two children. After earning a Bachelor of Science in product design and development from the School of Engineering Technology from Eastern Michigan University, Freimark continued his work as a project manager in the automotive industry. Freimark served in missions in Central America for one year and pursued a master’s in Christian ministry with a focus in discipleship from Liberty University. The path of engineering, missions and discipleship has led Freimark to Messiah University, as the director of the Collaboratory, to carry out the mission of service to Messiah students and to those in need, locally and internationally.

Bryce Watkins transitioned into his role as the program manager of the Collaboratory after working several years at Messiah University in Residence Life and Housing. He is a graduate of the engineering program from 2012, where he acquired a degree in mechanical engineering. Watkins is passionate about seeing students develop and grow in their understanding of self, their identity in Christ, and in their vocational calling.

EMMS TEAM INSTALLS ENERGY MONITORING SYSTEM IN ZIMBABWE

Hye Lim Jung ’23

The Energy Monitoring and Management System (EMMS) team traveled to Zimbabwe for their site trip in May. The team’s goal was to update the meters that the previous site team had installed at the Theological College of Zimbabwe (TCZ).

The EMMS team visited TCZ two years ago and installed meters that would monitor the energy use of facilities. These meters educate TCZ students on controlling how much energy they are using. This regulation helps the college conserve energy and save money. However, the previous EMMS team was not able to activate and run the meters that they installed during their trip in 2020. The current EMMS team worked on solving the malfunction in the meters at Messiah and fixed the installed meters when they arrived at TCZ. The meters could now run and save data on energy usage even during a power outage. Once power returns, the meters continue measuring from where it paused.

Two Messiah students along with Dr. Fish, professor of electrical engineering, went on this site trip. Student Project Manager Caitlin Ross ’24 expressed that it was hard to work in an environment where there were frequent power outages when power was essential to update the meters. “Some days we didn’t have any type of power at all,” she said. “You were unsure of how everything was going to play out because you couldn’t predict when there was or wasn’t power.” This made the schedule of each day uncertain, and the team tried to work as much as they could when they had access to power. “Some days we would get there at 7 a.m. and leave at 9:30 a.m., other days we’d leave at 8 p.m.,” Ross recalled.

Ross encouraged fellow engineering students and Collab members to go on future site trips that will be offered. “Don’t let being uncertain of what the trip will look like stop you from going on a site trip,” she said. “No matter where you go, there is always something you can help with.”

PROJECTS CHANGING PARTNERS LEADS TO NEW OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATORY TEAMS

Jenna O’Connell ’25

The Collaboratory’s mission to spread the love of Christ and impact people around the world has given students and staff the opportunity to work alongside many organizations. As we value all of our partners, a variety of different circumstances can lead to changing partnerships.

This year, the Collaboratory has three project teams that will aid a new partner with their project design.

• The Bridge team has transitioned from partnering with Kenbrook Bible Camp after building a successful bridge in Lebanon, Pennsylvania and is now working alongside Forward Edge in Mexico to design a new bridge to connect a school and an access road over a waterway.
• The Solar PV team finished installing a new solar array at an orphanage partnered with Tree 4 Hope in Guatemala. Now, they have partnered with Messiah Sustainability Club and Grantham Memorial Park to troubleshoot a demonstration solar photovoltaic system and design a new off-grid system.
• The Modular Mobility team is a new team that is based on the previous Sustainable Mobility team who was partnered with Center of Hope. The Modular Mobility team has agreed to partner with MMOrtho Solutions in Myanmar as well as maintain a partnership with Center of Hope.

These new partners provide the Collaboratory with opportunities to broaden their reach allowing Christ to work His vision into the lives of others.

Meaningful relationships were developed in the time that the Collaboratory worked alongside each of its partners. The Collaboratory expresses gratitude toward past partnerships and looks forward to forming relationships with its new partners.

THE COLLABORATORY WELCOMES NEW ALS ALERT SYSTEM TEAM

Vera Manila ’25