FROM THE NEST | SPRING 2026 | 9 At Lehigh’s Zoellner Arts Center, partnerships play an essential role in bringing new initiatives to life. One of Zoellner’s latest successful pioneering collaborations is its Well-Being Concerts in partnership with Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute, which combine music, storytelling, movement and mindfulness to reduce stress and foster resilience. Developed in partnership with Mindful Child Initiative, the wellness-focused concerts are part of Zoellner’s new Arts & Wellness Program, which integrates music, mindfulness and creative expression into the region’s health and wellness ecosystem. This community-driven model is the first of its kind in the Lehigh Valley and is being piloted in partnership with health care providers, educators, social service organizations and artists. Each Well-Being Concert, inspired by the namesake program from Carnegie Hall, creates an immersive, nurturing space in which audiences and performers share in the soul-nourishing benefits of music, create shared experiences and explore tools for well-being that last long after the performance. The hour-long events invite attendees to relax with no expectation to sit still or remain silent. Instead, the audience surrounds the musicians on stage, seated on chairs, cozy cushions or yoga mats. Hosts Khalid Taylor or Sara Jane Black lead the audience through mindfulness practices designed to open the senses and deepen connection to songs played by the musicians. After concerts, attendees have the opportunity to share their reflections and connect with others through the experience. Generous support from alumni like W. Beall Fowler ’59 P’85 P’89 GP’16, Barbara and Harvey L. York ’67 P’94 P’98 and Marcie and Glenn M. Yarnis ’80 was essential in helping the Well-Being Concerts take shape, said Mark Wilson, executive director of Zoellner. Wilson said partnerships like the Well-Being Concerts are essential to Zoellner’s work and its efforts to support the community. “I love partnerships,” Wilson said. “Zoellner Arts Center is part of Lehigh University, and Lehigh is our backbone. So whenever we are able to be a backbone for other nonprofits, that is an opportunity for us to really help the community. And so that is one of the things that we just pride ourselves in.” Looking ahead, Wilson said Zoellner hopes to open doors for others within the community to create or host similar programs and help further the goal of bettering community health. —Lauren Thein PARTNERSHIPS Zoellner Hosts Well-Being Concerts The concerts aim to reduce stress and foster resilience in the community. Popular Mechanics Mathematicians Just Figured Out How to Better Predict the Future An international team of mathematicians, led by Taeho Kim, assistant professor of mathematics, has recently taken steps to improve our ability to predict future data. Their new method is designed to make predictions that better agree with actual outcomes. MIT Technology Review The Lessons of Challenger Forty years later, Terry Hart, teaching full professor of mechanical engineering and mechanics, discusses lessons of the space shuttle Challenger and managing risk. “Spaceflight demands judgment, teamwork and an instinct for managing the unknown—traits that develop only through experience and mentorship.” PennLive Pennsylvania’s Teacher Shortage Demands We Remember Why Teaching Matters In this opinion piece, L. Brook Sawyer, professor and associate dean for graduate studies in the College of Education, discusses teacher shortages across Pennsylvania. “Solving this statewide challenge begins by reminding people why teaching matters—and why it remains one of the most meaningful, impactful careers a person can choose.” Lehigh Faculty in the Media CHRISTA NEU
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