Joanna Greenawalt

Joanna grew up in Southeastern Pennsylvania and attended Elizabethtown College for her undergraduate studies in music. After completing her bachelors degree she served abroad in the Middle East with MCC as a music teacher in two schools, one serving young girls who were blind and vision impaired and another serving adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. 

She returned to the states eager to continue learning how to meld her calling to serve her community with her passions for teaching and music. EMU's Center for Justice and Peacebuilding was the perfect next step. After completing her masters degree in Conflict Transformation, she worked with Thomas Harrison Middle School to pilot a program that transformed their in-school suspension space into an intervention space working closely with the counseling department and utilizing restorative discipline practices.

Due to prolonged closures during covid, there was a lull in the need for this program. After evaluating where she can best serve her community in this time of immense need, she accepted a Pre-K teaching position at a local daycare that was working tirelessly to stay open amidst challenges. She eventually took on the role as Pre-K Program Coordinator, helping the program to expand and work to meet the growing demands for childcare.

Having recently grown her own family and welcoming her daughter to the world, she has felt called to find work that both keeps her involved in her community while giving time for her to serve her family. She is thrilled to rejoin the EMU community, this time as part of EMU's Graduate Recruitment Team, working alongside students -- helping them discover their unique paths.