World: Banquet reunites globally-minded
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F riday O ctober 10 2008
Taylor U niversity Volume 96, N o. 8
TUTube gets 2,561 hits: Winner is 2EZ By Rachel Sawyer and Blake Bachman
Life and Times Co-Editors Airband 2008 was no fork in the garbage disposal, but we’ll all be sure to “Step in Time” for the next couple of months. The men of Second East Wengatz performed “Step In Time” from Mary Poppins, continuing their legacy of quality Airband performances by reclaiming the first place title. 2EW stepped up their game this year (in time), wowing the audience in their dirty bare feet by swinging from the rooftops and each other. A spoonful of these men will be sure to help the medicine go down. Gerig had an epic performance in the vein of last year’s winner “Tradition,” and showed campus the “Prince of Egypt’s” “Deliver Us.” Complete with the Nile River, harps and Ra statues, their hall brought to life a performance equivalent to Ben-Hur. There was nothing daft about Third West Olson and Second West Wengatz’s compilation of Daft Punk tunes. Performing in sync with black lights, robots, glow sticks and skeleton suits, this group brought a rave to Taylor. With the TUTube theme, we’re sure you can relive Airband as soon as our Internet speeds up. This will definitely be one for the YouTube top hits list.
By Hannah Beers News Editor
Fifty years ago the class of 1958 left Taylor under the class motto, “Christ our guide.” Shortly thereafter, many were guided back to campus. Eight of the 128 graduates eventually returned to Taylor as staff and faculty, serving an extraordinary total of 157 years combined. This weekend, 1958 alumni will make the trip to their alma mater once more for their 50th class reunion. “This is a very close-knit class,” said Regional Director of Advancement Nelson Rediger. “Almost half the classmates are coming back for the banquet ... that’s pretty unusual.” Alumni contributions usually come from 15 to 20 percent of contacted alumni, Rediger said. The class of 1958 is extraordinary in its participation: 95 percent have given to the class gift. But the primary contribution of this class is not financial. “This is the first class that has ever had this many of their classmates employed at Taylor for so many years,” said Rediger, who has worked closely with alumni in planning the 50th reunion events. One ‘58 graduate, Gene Rupp, was
By Adrienne Chaudoin Staff Writer
Jamie Tworkowski, founder of the nonprofit organization To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), will be speaking at Taylor University this Tuesday. Jamie and his team have been touring around the country, attending conferences and speaking to audiences about the international movement. The event will be on October 14 at 8:15 p.m. in Rediger Chapel. There is no charge, and merchandise will be available for sale. TWLOHA is dedicated to inspiring hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. Starting out as a MySpace group selling T-shirts to help one girl into rehab, it has since responded to over 80,000 messages from people of 40 different countries. “We’ve learned that these are not
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See more Airband photos on pages 4-5. Photo by Timmy Huynh
Second East Wengatz concludes their winning performance of “Step in Time.”
said both roles served a common goal. employed 14 years as vice president of they would put into it.” “I realized that Taylor had been Glass believes that much of the advancement. The class had strong student leader- class’ dedication came from the envi- so absolutely important to me ... My ship, Rupp said, adding that their past ronment on campus during their time spiritual life, my intellectual life — my whole life was transformed,” Kesler involvement on campus is a big factor as students. “Every student goes through four said. “I desired that every kid in Amerin their involvement today. “I was very involved in campus life; years, and a lot of things happen ... and ica would somehow have the same inI thoroughly enjoyed Taylor,” said every class takes on its own personal- tellectual basis for their faith that I got Rupp, who participated in new student ity,” Glass said. “The environment at at Taylor.” Glass echoed Kesler’s sentiments orientation, the student education as- Taylor from ‘54 to ‘58 was terrific.” Taylor was experiencing what I about spiritual development at Taylor. sociation and the yearbook staff dur“My life was ing his senior year. drastically Rupp will be changed,” Glass named Distinsaid. “I was led guished Alumnus to the Lord by my for Service at Taybasketball coach, lor at an alumni Don Odle, as a awards ceremony freshman, on Oct. this weekend. 14, 1954.” Another ‘58 Alumni also dealumnus, George George Glass Jay Kesler Gene Rupp veloped relationGlass, was employed for 40 years Photos courtesy of Ilium ships with classin the physical education department. would call an ‘Elizabethan period’ in mates and faculty — relationships that During that time, he taught health and its history at that time,” said ‘58 alum continued after graduation and for physical education classes, coached and former university President Jay some, during employment on campus. “I was well-prepared for my job, met cross country, basketball, and track Kesler. “There was a lot of excitement. and field, and eventually became ath- Taylor grew quite a bit. ... I think all my wife, had a lot of good friends,” of us really sensed at that time that Rupp said. “I got a lot from Taylor, and letic director. “My dream was to see young men something wonderful was happening I wanted to give something back.” Glass cited the names from buildings and women’s lives changed, not only there.” Kesler served as president of Youth on campus — Olson, Rediger, Bergwall spiritually, but in maturity in every way,” Glass said. “It was just a joy to for Christ International before return- and Odle — as having a strong signifibe their coach ... with the kind of effort ing as Taylor’s president in 1985; he cance to those who knew them.
American issues, not white issues or ‘emo’ issues,” says their Web site. “These are issues of humanity, problems of pain that affect millions of people around the world.” Their mission statement, vision and the story that started it all can also be found on their Web site. The event is hosted by TSO’s Integration of Faith and Culture (IFC) cabinet. IFC Concert Coordinator Eliza Dhonau is the one in charge of booking the event. “I think that Jamie is a great person for IFC to bring in,” Dhonau said. “TWLOHA does a wonderful job of integrating music with their message. They use music and concert venues as vehicles to help deliver their message of hope and connect with people.” Jamie’s upcoming event at Taylor has attracted much attention from all
over the Midwest. IFC has received emails from Samford University, Michigan State University, and other colleges and people from Indiana, asking to attend the event. TWLOHA’s main nationwide events involve a concert, in which all the proceeds go to the organization. Jamie will be speaking to Taylor about the movement and why an organization like TWLOHA is important in today’s society. “The organization deals with issues that the church sometimes shies away from,” Dhonau said. “Yet these issues are extremely prevalent in today’s society.” “I hope that the event will not only inform people about a great organization but encourage open dialogue among students about issues of depression, suicide, drug abuse and selfmutilation.”
“I had the privilege of working with those people, and to go into the faculty meetings and share ideas with those kinds of people,” Glass said. “As far as the kinds of people you’re associated with ... I don’t know that life can get better than that.” “Taylor is very blessed by the loyalty, the enthusiasm, and the pride that (alumni) have in their alma mater,” said Director of Alumni Parent Services Marty Songer. Songer and Rediger both said alumni will return to campus this weekend for two main purposes: to connect with old friends and to participate in new undertakings. “There is an excitement about what’s going to be happening for Taylor in the future,” Songer said. “I think alumni still want to be engaged, because they want to be a part of something exciting, but they also want to be a part of the Taylor they know and love.” Alumni give back to the university through financial giving and years of service, and the stories they tell their children and grandchildren who often follow their footsteps to Taylor’s campus. “Taylor is a place where 40 years goes by pretty quickly,” Glass said. “It’s a terrific place.”
Photo courtesy TWLOHA.com
Jamie Tworkowsi, founder of To Write Love on Her Arms, is coming to speak at 8:15 on Tuesday in Rediger Auditorium.