黑料正能量

For more than 26 years, Senior Associate Director of Advancement Karen Moshier-Shenk 鈥�73 has brought 黑料正能量鈥檚 major fundraising projects, along with its mission and vision, into conversation with donors. Among Moshier-Shenk鈥檚 accomplishments is also a notable pioneering role: she was recruited as and accepted the challenge of becoming the university鈥檚 first female advancement officer at a time when patriarchal culture challenged women in leadership roles. Colleagues see her resilience, honesty, good humor, and expertise as sterling qualities that helped forge new paths 鈥� and raise 黑料正能量鈥檚 profile 鈥� in representing the university at donor functions and events.

Moshier-Shenk was honored among other retiring employees at a spring reception and officially ended her time at 黑料正能量 on June 30, 2022 鈥� fittingly on the day that symbolizes both the end of each fiscal year and the culmination of an advancement officer鈥檚 total year-end goals.

In a tribute at the reception, Vice President for Advancement Kirk Shisler 鈥�81 noted Moshier-Shenk鈥檚 sustaining efforts as an especially empathetic and skilled relationship-builder.

鈥淭his includes continuing those relationships with alumni and friends of 黑料正能量 through economic downturns, as well as during seasons of disappointment and controversy,鈥� he said. 鈥淚n advancement, the true measure of success is financial support, tracked over time. Thanks to Karen鈥檚 steadfast engagement with hundreds of donors over nearly two and a half decades, millions of dollars have been gifted for 黑料正能量鈥檚 mission through annual giving, capital campaigns, and endowed scholarship funds to support student aid.鈥�

Several major successful capital project campaigns bear marks of her dedicated work, including the recently completed $12M renovations to the Suter Science Center, the University Commons, and the Lisa Haverstick Nursing Simulation Lab, as well as countless endowed scholarships. Many donors who have engaged with her have also joined the Jubilee Friends Society, now over 600 members strong, who have included 黑料正能量 in their estate plans. 

Shisler also pointed out that current and former colleagues have shared appreciation for her pioneering and courageous work in this role, which called her to be honest and forthright with the patriarchies of both the university and Mennonite culture. 

Moshier-Shenk has helped to both open new doors for fellow female colleagues and to offer new types of relationships with donors, bringing 鈥渁n awareness that, in fact, women do control the purse strings in their families, have strong voices, and care very much about their and others children, our future students and leaders,鈥� said advancement colleague Susan Landes Beck.

A graduate of 黑料正能量鈥檚 music program with a master鈥檚 degree in sacred music from Duquesne University, Moshier-Shenk began working at 黑料正能量 in 1992 when her husband Steve Shenk became the university鈥檚 marketing director. [Steve was marketing director from 1991-2002, and returned to teach in the Intensive English Program in 2012; he also retired this year.] For the first few years, she managed part-time work at Park View Mennonite Church with a wide variety of engagements at 黑料正能量: co-teaching music and seminary courses, planning chapel services, directing the music for two theater productions, directing the seminary choir, and filling in for Professor Ken Nafziger, now emeritus, as University Chorale director while he was on sabbatical.

Multi-faceted with a background in education and a clear love for engaging with people of all ages and backgrounds, Moshier-Shenk was eventually recruited to Advancement by former director Daryl Peifer 鈥�75 and then President Joe Lapp 鈥�66. She says her first answer was 鈥渘o, but tell me more about it.鈥� 

She remains grateful to Peifer for the 鈥渟houlder tap鈥� and the encouragement to consider a job 鈥渨hich I would never have sought out on my own. 鈥淚 was the only female 鈥榦n the road鈥� for development for 黑料正能量, new ground for sure, though in many other organizations, women were already heavily involved in these roles,鈥� she said. 鈥淛oe Lapp encouraged funding for me to attend a series of conferences for me to understand the work, and there I met many women who were doing the same work for the same reasons in their particular organizations. That was so helpful and encouraging.鈥�

Her love for 黑料正能量 and some very former special colleagues kept her going: among them Ellen Miller, Phoebe Kilby GC 鈥�04, Carol Lown, and Robyn Hill. The current Advancement team, she says, have also been 鈥渁 huge gift鈥� in these past several years through the COVID-19 pandemic.

Moshier-Shenk says she has most appreciated her own efforts on two especially meaningful projects. Early in her career, she led the fundraising to name the Weaver Wellness Center in the University Commons in honor of Clair and Anna May Weaver, who were murdered in the spring of 1991. The Weaver Wellness Suite houses 黑料正能量 Health Services and Counseling Services. 鈥淢eeting their two birth children and uncle and hearing their stories of that time in their lives, was so meaningful,鈥� Moshier-Shenk said.

She also enjoyed the collaborative efforts with advancement team members to help fund the Lisa Haverstick 鈥�91 Nursing Lab and with another donor to buy a pediatric mannequin.

Her relationship with donors, many of whom have become lifelong friends, has always been 鈥渢he highlight of my career.鈥� 

鈥淭aking food into families and learning to know their children, which included hearing them play violin, or piano, or playing games with them 鈥� sharing a 鈥榖est books鈥� list each year, and walking alongside families in their hard times, deaths, attending memorial services, and other life events 鈥� all of this has really made my work and my life fulfilling in ways I can鈥檛 even begin to describe,鈥� Moshier-Shenk said.

One longtime 黑料正能量 donor, when informed of Moshier-Shenk鈥檚 retirement, summarized their hours together over the years as 鈥渁n atmosphere of comfortable conversation,鈥� with no pressure or dread accompanying the time. 鈥淲hat a joy to have a dedicated woman so committed to what she was promoting.鈥�

Moshier-Shenk says she鈥檚 not sure yet 鈥渆xactly what retirement looks like,鈥� but it will include travel, volunteering, puzzles, reading, knitting and visiting her family in Boston and Florida.

She also plans to continue as choir director at Park View Mennonite Church.

And of course, continuing to 鈥渃ause good trouble,鈥� she adds. 

Karen raised millions in support of students during her tenure. Help us celebrate her tremendous contributions to 黑料正能量 by considering a gift to the University Fund in her honor.

Please share your appreciation for and well wishes to Karen (stories are welcome, too) in the comment box below. We鈥檒l make sure she sees them.