- School of Business
- School of Divinity – Undergraduate
- School of Divinity – Graduate
- School of Education – Undergraduate
- School of Education – Graduate
- School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
- School of Music
- School of Social Work
School of Business
From Yunn Kang, Dean
It’s been three years since I last held the position of dean of the School of Business, and I am excited to be back to serve the University and our students in this role again. Evan Curry did a lot for the school and its programs during his three years here. We will continue to move forward with exciting plans for the future.
As I look forward to the coming years, my primary objectives will be to strengthen the faculty, improve course quality and offerings, and continue to build the network around the School of Business. My goal in every decision I make is to improve the quality of the person who goes from here into the world. Continually growing the School of Business and raising the quality of our programs leads to better qualified graduates entering the world to make an impact in and through their professions. This strengthens the Cairn business network, benefitting students and alumni alike. With a global alumni network, we are currently exploring new and exciting opportunities for increased alumni networking and connection. If this is of interest to you especially, please reach out to me.
We want to continue to serve you, hear your stories, and involve you in our growing community of Cairn School of Business alumni. I would love to hear from you and meet with you whenever we have the opportunity.
School of Divinity – Undergraduate
From Dr. Keith Plummer, Dean
As I type this, I’ve spent exactly three months in my new role as the dean of the School of Divinity, and as you can imagine, it has been (and will be for some time) a period of much transition and learning. Gratitude is a word that has been much on my mind. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity. I’m thankful as well for the fine example of leadership set for me by my predecessor, Dr. Jonathan Master. And of course, I’m grateful for the faculty and staff of the School of Divinity. It is a privilege not to be taken for granted to work with people who make coming to work each day something to look forward to, and that has been my experience with the members of our team for 10 years now. There is a collegiality and friendship among us that I’d like to ask you to ask the Lord to preserve and enhance.
People have asked me what my vision for the School of Divinity is. By that, I assume they are wondering if I have any new or innovative ideas, but my initial response is to persist in and protect something old: our unwavering commitment to the authority of Christ mediated through the Spirit-inspired Scriptures. One of the joys of teaching in the School of Divinity is that because all of our students are required to take 11 Bible and theology courses, we get to interact with all of them. My own Christian journey has been and continues to be one of striving to wed the intellect and the affections, trying to avoid so focusing on one that the other is neglected. The members of the School of Divinity share this aim, for their own lives and for our students. By God’s grace I want to continue to lead us in that endeavor, constantly asking how we can most effectively lead our students in the knowledge and love of our triune God. As you think of us, would you please pray toward that end? We would be most grateful. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
School of Divinity – Graduate
From Dr. Keith Plummer, Dean
As I type this, I’ve spent exactly three months in my new role as the dean of the School of Divinity, a period of much transition. Through this, gratitude is a word that has been much on my mind. I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve in this capacity. I’m thankful as well for the fine example of leadership set for me by my predecessor, Dr. Jonathan Master. And of course, I’m grateful for the faculty and staff of the School of Divinity.
One of the perks of working with my colleagues is that it’s a source of constant learning for me. Speaking with them about what they’re working on in their respective fields of specialization and sometimes even getting to read pre-published material are educational and edifying experiences for me. As you are laboring in your specific field, I am sure you too are eager to continue to learn and grow your understanding of the Scriptures. I’d like to put two forthcoming books from faculty members on your radar. The first, by Dr. Gary Schnittjer, is titled Old Testament Use of Old Testament: A Book-by-Book Guide (Zondervan, 2021). Dr. Schnittjer has compiled a handbook tracing Old Testament authors’ allusions to other Old Testament passages, helping readers gain insight into intertextuality and progressive revelation. If you’d like a preview, you can read a series of articles Dr. Schnittjer wrote for Credo Magazine here.
The other forthcoming volume is by Dr. Kevin McFadden. He has been working on a book about faith in Paul’s letters that will be released by Crossway in May 2021. Written in the context of the debate over whether the phrase “faith in Christ” (which occurs eight times in some of Paul’s most important statements about justification) should be translated as traditionally rendered or “the faithfulness of Christ” as many now suggest, it argues that Christ-oriented faith receives a significant emphasis in Paul’s theology. The title is Faith in the Son of God: The Place of Christ-Oriented Faith in Pauline Theology. Along with two friends, Dr. McFadden also co-authored another book as part of the New Studies in Biblical Theology series edited by Dr. D.A. Carson. It’s called Biblical Theology According to the Apostles: How the Earliest Christians Told the Story of Israel (IVP Academic 2020).
Please join me in praying that God will use the fruit of these brothers’ efforts to nurture and fortify the body of Christ. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
School of Education – Undergraduate
From Dr. Stacey Bose, Dean
I hope and pray that all is well with you in your corner of the world. In the midst of uncertain times, I trust that the Lord is using you to shine bright for Him in your schools, churches, and communities.
I want to take this opportunity to briefly introduce myself as the new dean of the School of Education. I have been involved in education for 25 years. I began my career as an elementary school teacher, and I later became a reading specialist before moving into administration and higher education. I have served in public, private, and international education both in the USA and abroad in the countries of South Korea, Brazil, Panama, and Ecuador. I am passionate about teaching, literacy, and international education. I am thrilled to be here at Cairn University and to be part of training the next generation of educators to walk a different path.
The School of Education continues to create more program options for students to pursue a Christ-centered educational experience. Below are links to new programs in art, special education, and TESOL. Please help us to spread the word about these exciting new program options.
Dual-Level Art Education
Revised Special Education certification
BA in TESOL
If you are considering pursuing a master’s degree, the School of Education now offers graduate programs which are fully online and asynchronous, allowing you to fit the program into your lifestyle. The three main content areas for graduate programs include classroom instruction, educational leadership, and special education/applied behavior analysis. More information about these programs can be found here.
On behalf of the School of Education, I want to express how proud we are of our alumni. Thank you for being faithful to your call. We know that God is using the firm foundation you received at Cairn to enable you to be a successful educator. Continue to shine bright as you walk a different path! If you have any questions for me, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
School of Education – Graduate
From Dr. Stacey Bose, Dean
I hope and pray that all is well with you in your corner of the world. In the midst of uncertain times, I trust that the Lord is using you to shine bright for Him in your schools, churches, and communities.
I want to take this opportunity to briefly introduce myself as the new dean of the School of Education. I have been involved in education for 25 years. I began my career as an elementary school teacher, and I later became a reading specialist before moving into administration and higher education. I have served in public, private, and international education both in the USA and abroad in the countries of South Korea, Brazil, Panama, and Ecuador. I am passionate about teaching, literacy, and international education. I am thrilled to be here at Cairn University and to be part of training the next generation of educators to walk a different path.
The School of Education continues to create more options for students to pursue a Christ-centered educational experience. One change over the past few years is that all of our graduate degree programs are fully online and completely asynchronous, allowing students to fit the program into their lifestyle, as well as allow us to serve students all around the world. The three main content areas for graduate programs include classroom instruction, educational leadership, and special education/applied behavior analysis. Additionally, the School of Education has recently launched several new undergraduate programs. Below are links to the new programs in art, special education, and TESOL. Please help us to spread the word!
Dual-Level Art Education
Revised Special Education certification
BA in TESOL
One last piece of news that I would like to share with you is that Dr. Sheryl Vasso is celebrating her 30th anniversary at Cairn University. I know many of you have been greatly blessed by having Dr. Vasso as a professor. I encourage you to send her a note and congratulate her on this career milestone. You can reach her at [email protected].
Continue to shine bright as you walk a different path! If you have any questions for me, please feel free to contact me at [email protected].
School of Liberal Arts & Sciences
From Dr. Aneesh Khushman, Dean
This year has been anything but predictable, but amidst all of the other changes, I stepped up to be the new dean of the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences. I follow in the footsteps of a beloved dean, Dr. Brenda Mellon, who moved into a different position in the University. This is my second year at Cairn teaching in the Biology Department. My academic specialties are biology, anatomy & physiology, and genetics. Prior to coming to Cairn, I spent time in medical missions and secular higher education. Outside of work I enjoy gardening and travel, and I am a dedicated foodie.
The School of Liberal Arts and Sciences continues to strengthen our long-existing programs such as
English, history, the liberal arts, and psychology while developing new programs in the arts (community
arts, graphic design, general fine arts, pre-art therapy, studio art, and studio art + MSEd), biology
(biology, pre-med, and exercise science), criminal justice, and politics. All of our programs include
practicums and internships that help prepare our students to go into the world as biblically minded,
well-educated, and professionally competent men and women of character. We are regularly looking for
practicum and internship opportunities for our students, so if you live in the vicinity and work for an
organization that could use an intern in the above categories, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!
Our long-standing MS in Counseling program has recently been pursuing the process of obtaining
CACREP accreditation. This will strengthen our program as it adds cross-state credibility. The Oasis
Counseling Center continues to be a robust organization that gives counseling interns practice while
providing counseling services for the Cairn and greater community.
Our School and the Cairn Community as a whole experienced a tremendous loss in early October when
Dr. Jean Minto went home to be with our Lord. She finished her earthly race with an unwavering faith in
Jesus and service to our community. We miss her dearly, but we were honored to have worked alongside her.
School of Music
From Dr. Benjamin Harding, Dean
There are always exciting things happening in the School of Music, and it my privilege to keep you updated on those happenings. With 70 undergraduate music majors enrolled in the School of Music this fall, we are growing at a steady rate. The challenge of teaching remotely in online modalities is great, but our faculty have risen to the challenge. Our ensembles have adapted as well, so look for live stream concerts coming your way this fall. The Chorale’s Lessons and Carols Service, for example, will be recorded this fall and broadcast on our social media outlets in December.
The School of Music is seeking to expand its program offerings. Included in this is the exploration of a new master’s degree program in worship and music, the purpose of which will be to enrich the worship of God by training students to lead worship ministry in the local church. This of course will be our first graduate offering from the School of Music. Look for even more new programs at the undergraduate and graduate level coming in the next few years.
Over the COVID-19 shutdown, the School of Music became very active on social media featuring performances of students, faculty, and alumni. If you are not already, stay connected to the School by liking and following us on social media. We would also love to hear music from you! Feel free to submit a video of your performance that we may feature on our channels to [email protected].
School of Social Work
From Dr. Lloyd Gestoso, Dean
What a year 2020 has been! When we began planning the Master of Social Work program under the leadership of Dr. Lawrence Ressler, we could not have imagined that this Fall 2020 would be as it is. Through all the challenging and tragic events of the last six months, the need for a Christ-centered MSW program has been continually confirmed. Much of what we see happening could be addressed by social workers—especially those who follow Christ.
Social work at Cairn has continually responded to eras of great need with bold, Christ-driven responses. In 1964 after destructive unrest in Philadelphia between North Philadelphia residents and the police, Cairn unveiled the social work program in 1965 under the leadership of Dr. Charles Furness. This set a new standard of biblical response to the need for the gospel and a vital response to human need, suffering, and injustice.
As we move through Fall 2020, I am thinking of brand new freshmen who entered our program with deep passion for serving those who have been human trafficked. I am thinking of new MSW students who are deeply committed to children and are willing to make personal sacrifices to care for them. I am thinking of alumni who are boldly caring for their children, especially their foster and adopted children. And I am also thinking of alumni who are serving nationally, advocating for those who live and have access to much less than what is fair and just.
I don’t know about you, but during this time, God has continually reminded me of my need to be dependent on Him and to know that He is in control. We struggle with what the future will look like, but what is abundantly clear is that many of the challenges we face are addressed by social workers and the hope for the world lies in Jesus Christ. If you have any questions, you can reach out to me at [email protected].
