Chasing Waterfalls
Photo by Billie Throm
Article by Reese Borchert
NEWBERG, Ore. – Dr. Courage Mudzongo’s office is located in the heart of George Fox University’s (GFU) Roberts Center. This building houses GFU’s health and behavioral science fields and is known to be a maze for new students. Mudzongo, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology, charitably provides direction to life as well as his office.
“In undergrad, I was fumbling in the dark, and I didn't have the career advice I could best benefit from,” says Mudzongo. Despite being surrounded by well meaning adults, he acknowledges that there were certain voices he never had access to. He now encourages students to seek out those perspectives or helps connect them himself.
“I had no foresight that this would be where God would lead me and guide me to but I'm happy with how far he has brought me,” says Mudzongo. “Allow the peace of the Lord to reign and rule in your heart.”
Further into his academic career, he had advisors that gave him valuable tips. One such tip is to search for two advertised jobs offered to people with your experience, evaluate how content you would be in that position and adjust your qualifications.
“The projects that you can’t stop and absolutely enjoy…investigate that and ask yourself why that was such a draw,” says Mudzongo.
He continues that the presence of strong emotions is a significant clue that purpose and work are intersecting. He cites his frustration while intervening with child labor as an example.
“How could it be in this age that we have child laborers? I looked into organizations that worked to end child labor but at the same time I worked in development, so there was a coherence there.”
About Developmental Science, the area of study in which Mudzongo attained his Ph.D at North Dakota State University, he explains: “It’s the study of the lifespan from life to death, looking at physical, social, mental, spiritual and cognitive development.”
“I didn't know what developmental science was. I was at a conference I was not enjoying. I was there for the extra points afforded me in class.” While there, he met a Department of Human Development and Family Sciences professor that recruited him. His encounter with the field was “serendipitous.”
“What brought us together was my interest in child and adolescent development and my masters thesis on preventing child labor in subsaharan Africa using United Nations data,” says Mudzongo. “The kind of doors that opened to me…it was a God thing. I was head hunted to come to George Fox. It feels at home here.”
“[There is] joy when I finish a class, when I conclude an enjoyable class,” says Mudzongo about how he finds fulfillment in his daily work. The GFU Doctor of Psychology program holds classes once a week, lasting three hours.
Aspects that contribute to a successful period include “student curiosity, rich discussion, clear explanation of complex concepts, good timing, oh, and fine meme selection.” He is teaching two courses this semester, Spiritual Formation and Lifespan Development. His current academic interests include “faith integration in psychology and student spiritual growth.”
“My doctoral faculty honored us as junior colleagues and trained us as such,” says Mudzongo. “I seek to embody that and continue that tradition on these students and acknowledge everything that they bring into the space. That's how I want them to show up in my classroom.”
Another pursuit is his recent project that addresses barriers to wellness for faculty, staff and students in the division of health and behavioral sciences.
“We are assessing why staff and faculty will preach health and wellness but may not go to Hadlock, access the resources or engage in healthy activities, like fun runs or walking and basic exercise at home,” explains Mudzongo, “yet we are the people that are supposed to educate society on doing just that.”
“Going to conferences is also always a special highlight. I get to present my work and research, as well as do service.” He anticipates the next National Counsel for Family Relations Conference in Minnesota.
“Relationships, with God, family, friends, colleagues, students…” says Mudzongo about what brings him the most joy in life. “And waterfalls. If you have any ideas of how to connect with people as interested in them as I am, I’m looking for those people.”
He tells the story of how his hiking group noticed a teen brown bear 70 yards off the trail. They backed away with their hands up, adhering to Mufaro, his son’s, orders, that he claimed to learn from a book.
“We were worried a mama bear would be close by. We did not need bear spray, fortunately. I bought my own spray and horn when we got home and thanked my son for taking reading seriously,” says Mudzongo.
Mudzongo was born and raised in Zimbabwe, where major tourism draws include Victoria Falls and safari tours.
“We have lions, snakes, elephants, buffalo, rhino…I have ridden an elephant and there is a special lion and cheetah park, which is a common field trip destination. In the wild, I fortunately never had any encounters,” says Mudzongo. “All reasons to do my waterfall trips in company. Safety means different things now.”
“I feel God’s presence when I go to waterfalls, so it is a spiritual practice for me. It has grown and evolved into that.” Mudzongo estimates he’s visited over 160 of Oregon’s 238 name waterfalls, checking off Tumalo Falls over Spring Break.
In addition to nature walks, Mudzongo cherishes “a thriving church community that loves the Lord” and attends Hope Lutheran Church in Tigard. “I study scripture and pray in my personal time, to God's leaning and direction in my personal life.”
“I’m proud of all the students I’ve taught and connected with,” says Mudzongo. “I hope to contribute to human wellness, in an ever evolving context, in a hurting world, and make education fun and relevant.”
