FALL 2011
THE MAGAZINE OF GORDON COLLEGE
STILLPOINT
Celebrating the Inauguration of D. Michael Lindsay, September 16, 2011 12–29
Also in This Issue 30 Leading in an Uncertain World 32 The Elijah Project 35 Peter Stine Remembered
CONTENTS
14 Photo Dan Nystedt ’06
CELEBRATING THE INAUGURATION OF D. MICHAEL LINDSAY “We go forth trusting in God’s promises that He is indeed able to keep us from stumbling, and He will indeed present us someday faultless before the divine throne wearing, not on that great occasion the robes of the academy, but the robes of the righteousness of Jesus Christ. And so to Him, the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty and dominion and power, both now and forevermore. And all of God’s people said ‘Amen!’” —Benediction, Dr. Richard J. Mouw, President, Fuller Theological Seminary From left: Mrs. Lisa B. Forkner, Board of Trustees; Dr. Richard J. Mouw; Dr. Michael Lindsay; Mr. Kurt A. Keilhacker, chair, Board of Trustees; Mrs. Rebecca Lindsay; the Honorable Herman J. Smith Jr., chair, Presidential Search Committee, vice chair, Board of Trustees
13 A New Chapter
On a perfect September day, Gordon College officially welcomed its eighth president with a daylong celebration.
14 To Be a Tree
Three concurrent symposia brought leaders together to explore their faith and their lives.
17 Heart, Soul and Strength
Worship in word and song brought the Gordon community and friends together.
21 To Be “Deliberate”
28 A Gift of Song
22 Faithful Leadership for the
29 The Steps You’ve Been
Dr. Nathan Hatch’s charge to the new president was a highlight of the Installation Ceremony.
Common Good
In his Inaugural Address, President Lindsay set forth the three tenets of the Gordon Commission.
Singer and songwriter Sara Groves enchanted the Gordon community.
Shown
The student-sponsored Inaugural Ball brought the Lindsays and the Gordon community together for a special celebration.
His own prayers during those awful early days after the earthquake were answered.
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ARTICLES
ALUMNI
IN EACH ISSUE
30 Conversations: Leading
36 Class Notes 37 From Gordon to L.A. and
Up Front 2
and Succeeding in an Uncertain World
By Natalie Ferjulian ’10
31 Infotech: Mapping New Territory
By Natalie Ferjulian ’10
32 The Elijah Project: Helping Students Find Their Place in the World By Laura Carmer
34 Remembering Vangie: Beloved Friend
By Michael Monroe
35 An Open Letter to the Gordon Community
By Jennie-Rebecca (Stine) Falcetta ’92
Back Again
By John Mirisola ’11
38 Gordon Celebrates Fifth Annual Hall of Honor Induction By Bess Watson ’03
41 Changing the World, One at a Time
with President Lindsay
Inspiration 3 Community Matters 4 SPORKS 5 informative fauxlosophy
On the Grapevine 6
Student, Faculty and Staff News
By Angie Sykeny ’14
42 A Race around the World— in 11 Months
By Kristin Schwabauer Rydbeck ’04
ON THE COVER Newly invested, President Lindsay delivered an Inaugural Address setting forth the Gordon Commission, which comprises three key imperatives for the College in the months and years ahead. Cover photo Dan Nystedt ’06
STARTERS
NEWS
FEATURES
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ALUMNI
UP FRONT with President Lindsay
Community, Compass and Concern
“Pull quote goes here. Num veleseq uismodignim zzriuscil doluptat. Cum nos duis nulput digna con volenim ent augait wis nit aut aliqui blan.”
Photo Rebekah Frangipane ’11
This is a first-name campus, an intimate place where we know and trust each other. I am loving my role at Gordon. One of the things I have enjoyed the most over the last several months has been the opportunity to meet with all of the departments on campus. As I have listened to my colleagues, I have learned many things about Gordon, but three are especially noteworthy— community, compass and concern for our students. Community: Our unique community is one of the first things mentioned whenever someone talks about Gordon. This is a first-name campus, an intimate place where we know and trust one another. The STILLPOINT subscription list itself is a representation of the global Gordon community. Our connection through Gordon and our common devotion to Christ bind us together. Compass: This community has flourished, in part, because Gordon has a strong sense of “grounding” in Christ but also a good bit of “elbow
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room” (as one person put it) to explore topics and to get things done. Unlike many other campuses that claim the name of Christ, Gordon does not place unwieldy restrictions on the people we engage or the material we teach. This compass is, of course, located deep within the framework of our shared Christian faith. But rather than create additional restrictions, our grounding in Christ gives us even greater scope for creativity and innovation, for play and exploration. Concern for our students: Gordon maintains much of its spirit and vitality because we remain focused on students. They are our mission. A college, with the continual investment of wiser mentors into younger protégés, is Christian discipleship writ large. If this discipleship model remains at our center, I am confident we will continue to do good work. We are striving every day to improve our students’ time at Gordon; these include strengthening the first-year experience, providing
President’s Page www.gordon.edu/president
opportunities for undergraduate research, and tempering the financial cost of a Gordon education with scholarships and financial aid. All of these things—our community, compass and concern for students— are good things. And they are not found everywhere. They are only limited aspects of Gordon’s identity, but reveal, as a part of the whole, how we model Christ. We can take great pride in Gordon as a place that effectively serves students and the wider common good. There is no need to be embarrassed—in Christian or non-Christian circles—by who we are or what we do. We are actively fulfilling the mission to which God has called us, and that is the most exciting thing we can do.
IN EACH ISSUE
INSPIRATION
VOLUME 27 NUMBER 1
“At the still point of the turning world.” T. S. Eliot, referring to God in his poem Four Quartets EDITORIAL
CREATIVE
Patricia C. Hanlon Editor
Tim Ferguson Sauder Creative Director
Kristin Schwabauer Rydbeck ’04 Managing Editor
Rebecca Powell Amy Harrell ’07 Publication Design
Jo Kadlecek Senior Writer
ALUMNI NEWS
Cyndi McMahon Staff Writer
Adrianne Cook ’92 Director of Alumni and Parent Relations
John Mirisola ’11 Staff Writer
ADMINISTRATION
Natalie Ferjulian ’10 Staff Writer
D. Michael Lindsay President
Pat McKay ’65 Publications Editor
Rick Sweeney ’85 Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Communications
ADDRESS CHANGES Development Office gordoncollege@gordon.edu
OTHER CORRESPONDENCE Editor, STILLPOINT | Gordon College 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham MA 01984 stillpoint@gordon.edu
Story Natalie Ferjulian ’10
Career Coaching as a Calling Rita Smith Dove, Associate Director of Career Services The incoming class of 2015 marks the 16th class of students that Rita Smith Dove will coach through resume writing, interview preparation, and the career planning process. Dove’s educational background is in psychology and counseling with an interest in personality type and how it shapes career direction. As the associate director of Career Services, Dove works with a broad range of Gordon community members, including current students and alumni of all ages. “Our office has some way of assisting everyone, whether it’s reviewing a resume or helping with decisions about choosing a major or graduate school,” says Dove. “Every day someone I can help in a practical way knocks on my door. I love that!” One of Dove’s favorite parts of her job is getting to know people and what they are passionate about. “When a student walks in without a defined career vision—and oftentimes without a lot of hope—it’s fun to help them explore how their natural gifts, passions and what they’re learning here at Gordon fit with a career calling.” Dove uses assessments such as the Myers Briggs Personality Type Indicator to help make connections between personality type and congruent career options. In addition to Dove, the Career Services Office is staffed by Pam Lazarakis, director of Career Services, and Ginny Saulnier, administrative assistant. “My colleagues in Career Services are dedicated to helping our students and alumni, and we work continually to improve our services to do so,” says Dove. “I’m thankful that coming to work each morning is really a joy.”
PRINTING Deschamps Printing | Salem, Massachusetts
STILLPOINT, the magazine for alumni and friends of the United College of Gordon and Barrington, is published twice a year and has a circulation of over 22,000. Opinions expressed in STILLPOINT are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Gordon College administration. Gordon College is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, age, sex, or national or ethnic origin. Reproduction of STILLPOINT in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.
www.gordon.edu/stillpoint
FALL 2011 | STILLPOINT 3
STARTERS
NEWS
FEATURES
ARTICLES
ALUMNI
COMMUNITY MATTERS
“Gordon alumni are out in the world doing amazing work for the Kingdom.” What a time we had for Homecoming and Family Weekend! Starting with Friday’s Great Scots Reception, when Carrie Tibbles ’93 (top photo, third from left) received the 2011 Alumna of the Year award; to Michael Lindsay’s new Conversations with the President
Photo Mark Spooner ’14
Homecoming Panel (third photo); to Sunday morning’s worship service with Richard ’58 and Carol (Edwards) ’57 Visser, it is clear Gordon alumni are out in the world doing amazing work for the Kingdom. In addition to the hundreds of alumni who turned out, the weekend was a great opportunity for Gordon’s community to meet with parents of current students. This year’s President’s Reception at Wilson House—a reception just for parents—had record attendance, and the Science Carnival offered by our Natural Science Division faculty and students, along with La Vida activities, meant siblings of students were engaged on campus as well. Some of Gordon’s most heartfelt supporters—retired faculty— gathered on the second floor of Frost Hall for the Princemere
Photo Michael Curtis
Fellowship Lunch to talk about research discoveries, amazing times with students, and pioneer days of accreditation for Gordon programs. Here are some “best moment” memories from their days teaching at Gordon: “Best moment? When our first student was accepted to medical school. His name was David Hall, and he was our first premed student at Gordon. He went to the University of Vermont Medical School. It was a very proud moment for our department.” —Dr. Richard Wright “I was working on some research with one of my students. We were screening bacteria for New England Biolabs. During our research, my student discovered new enzymes. The discoveries led to an immediate job offer from New England Biolabs after graduation. His name is Rick Morgan, and he one of their outstanding researchers to
Photo Michael Curtis
this day.” —Dr. Russ Camp “I used to love playing Frisbee at lunch with students. Best memory was the time we played on ice skates over a frozen quad.” —Dr. Jack Haas Jr. “I loved teaching Old Testament to first-year students. By the end of the course the Scriptures would come alive—become more than just stories. We’d end the class with a Q & A time, and we’d talk and talk until we were kicked out of the room. They were great students— they were great times.” —Dr. Lloyd Carr
Photo Morgan Roy
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IN EACH ISSUE
Story bryan parys ’04 Illustration Abby Ytzen ’10
INSTALLATION 13: MY KID SMELLS I can’t stop sniffing my son’s head. You may have noticed that I just used the words “my son.” I’ve been employing this two-word construction since June 1, and it doesn’t sound any less weird. It should be logical by now—my wife was pregnant, she gave birth, we cried, he cried, he continues to cry, and so goes on the miracle of blah, blah, blah. Sorry. I don’t mean to diminish the I-can’t-believe-it awesomeness of birth/parenthood, but I’ve always feared the day when I felt obliged to write about having a child. I’ve seen otherwise thoughtfully trend-busting writers resort to neutered “everything changes,” surface-level moralizing (I’m looking at you, Michael Chabon), and I was scared that the day I wrote about having a kid meant it was the day I’d give up being a “real” artist. It’s not that I wasn’t looking forward to having a child, but that I was petrified by the idea of having to talk about it. I knew there was a script I would have to memorize upon entering daddy-dom. People would ask cliché questions, and I’d have to bottle-feed them cliché answers. And if I deviated, they might go home and tell their family they’re “not sure about that Bryan raising a child. . . .” The thing is, I’ve never been very good at learning my lines for social situations. Take this recent interaction with the UPS guy: UPS: Thanks very much. Me: [stares, blinks] Thanks very much. Both: [elongated, awkward stare] When I know I’m supposed to act and say specific things, I overthink everything and end up saying “good” no matter what the person says, even if it’s not a question about how I’m feeling. On the surface it’s social awkwardness, and below that, it’s pride—I’m too good for this plebian knavery! However, I swear to you it’s because I’m dying to share something real with the interlocutor—I want us to make meaning so that, together, our lives will be enriched by our little chat. But making meaning on the spot about something as huge as parenting is frightening, particularly when you feel that every day as a dad is an act on the improv circuit, and the audience is ready to pelt me with rotting fruit. So, I end up trying way too hard to impress my audience, starting with some out-there detail, talking about the struggle to overcome fears on overpopulation (a task I’m still kind-of ignoring), or how instead of reading Goodnight, Moon to my son, I read him excerpts from an outdated field guide on how
to identify constellations, rife with Greek letters (the star β is common to Auriga and Taurus!) and instructions on when to use an opera glass. This is to say: I’m overthinking this. I know dads will never have it as rough as moms, but just like when we rate our pain for the doctor, the maximum amount of suffering we can quantify is only based on experience. And my experience is that I often don’t know how to stop the pain of thinking.
IT’S NOT THAT I WASN’T LOOKING FORWARD TO HAVING A CHILD, BUT THAT I WAS PETRIFIED BY THE IDEA OF HAVING TO TALK ABOUT IT. Therefore, no matter how much I torture myself with how on earth any parent is able to successfully pass on the materials of faith (as mine did), I have to let it all go and trust that something will keep my mouth from speaking every little tindered, paranoid thought. After all, the mind is closer to the mouth than the heart, and what is existence if not the attempt to reverse that condition? I know, I know. Overthinking. Right. Well, then let me return to the beginning, because isn’t that what birth—and hey, being born again and again—is all about? Just when I thought I’d prepared myself for parental clichés, I smelled my son’s head, and everything changed. But no, that’s not quite right. I felt my eyes cross and my brain quiet itself until the blood pumping through its folds became shadows in the light of my heart endlessly trying to change everything.
bryan parys holds an M.F.A. in creative nonfiction. This fall he returned to Gordon to teach creative writing and to serve in the Education Department. He’s now held a Gordon parking pass as a student, staff, and faculty member, and he’s kind of disturbed by how fulfilling this feels. bryan.parys@gordon.edu
FALL 2011 | STILLPOINT 5
STARTERS
NEWS
FEATURES
ARTICLES
ALUMNI
NEWS: ON THE GRAPEVINE
STUDENT, FACULTY AND STAFF NEWS
Photo Rebekah Frangipane ’11
The Changing of the Books
During the summer, staff from Physical Plant and CET readied the President’s Office for President Lindsay’s occupancy. High on the “to do” list: Move 5,000 books from the Carlberg tenure to the Gordon archives to make room for . . . more books.
Four New Faces in the President’s Office Along with several thousand new books, four new faces have arrived in the President’s Office. Marge Dwyer, executive assistant to the president, comes to Gordon after serving as an event and marketing manager with Pearson Education in Boston. Mary Grace Hager, special assistant to the president, supports the president’s research and communication initiatives. A graduate of Rice University, she was part of President Lindsay’s research team there. Jim Pocock, counselor to the president, represents the president with major supporters of the College. Jim comes to Gordon from the senior pastorate of Trinitarian Congregational Church in Wayland, Massachusetts. Kathy Walker,
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assistant to the president for external relations, joins the Gordon community after serving for eight years at Lexington Christian Academy in Lexington, Massachusetts.
May–Summer Term Set to Run Summer of 2012 Next summer, under the direction of Stan Reczek, the College will host May–Summer Term, offering a variety of courses for students, alumni, seniors and neighbors. Some classes will be available online, but most will be offered on Gordon’s campus. May–Summer Term’s condensed classes, which start on May 21 and generally run for four weeks (some run into July and even August), are uniquely designed to
work around adult learners’ schedules and lifestyles. Classes are available for elective credits to traditional students, but nontraditional students interested in expanding their knowledge or trying something new may also enroll in the courses for personal enrichment. During the most recent May–Summer Term, over 235 students were enrolled, taking 24 courses—seven of which were offered online. Classes like New Testament, Christian Theology, Historical Perspectives on Culture, Belief and Civilization, and The Scientific Enterprise were offered, among others. For a complete course listing or more information, visit www.gordon.edu/maysummerterm, contact the May–Summer Term Office at 978.867.4470, or email maysummerterm@gordon.edu.
ON THE GRAPEVINE
Using Microfinance Loans to Help the Poor
Framework and Fluidity: A Senior Class Gift At Commencement the senior class announced that their gift to the College was a mural, painted by seniors Anna Taylor and Garrett Ames-Ledbetter. The mural, in panels, visually represents the departments included in the Division of the Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Computer Science. The completed work is displayed in the long hall on the first floor of the Ken Olsen Science Center—an abstraction delving into the theme of “framework and fluidity,” exploring the scientist’s desire to “construct systems of understanding as jumping-off points for further exploration,” Anna explains.
Photo Rebecca Wolseley ’12
Dan Pfistner ’13, an economics major, needed to find a summer internship as part of his year in the Elijah Project honors program (see page 32). Because of his love for Haiti, where he had gone on five mission trips, and his interest in microfinance, Laura Carmer, codirector of the Elijah Project, connected him with Partners in Development. PID is a nonprofit organization that works with those living in extreme poverty in Haiti and Guatemala. In addition to health care, housing and education, PID offers a small microfinance program that helps families receive business training and the loans that provide them with enough capital to start small businesses—usually as roadside vendors or in stands in the market. The income helps families feed their children, and many businesses have grown and become quite successful. As Dan began working with PID, he discovered that their microfinance program was documented mainly in notebooks, and on loose scraps of paper and the backs of envelopes. “My job,” he explains, “was to move disorganized information into a simple computer system to make the jobs of the Haitian staff more efficient. They now use accounting software I set up to keep track of small business loans, mortgages and other administrative/financial records.” Dan also acted as team leader for short-term teams that volunteered with PID, serving as a liaison between the visiting teams and Haitian staff. Of his sixth time in Haiti, Dan says, “Spending more time here reminds me that people can bond, regardless of any cultural or socioeconomic boundary. The people I work with are my friends; we’re able to find much common ground despite our differences.” But working in an office kept him from helping the poor directly: “I learned that, for me, sitting in front of a computer is not as energizing as interacting directly with those affected by extreme poverty.” Dan has used this insight to help shape his future. Because he loves the outdoors, he’d like to take recreation and community development to impoverished communities in South America, Africa and Asia. And he’d like to be handson in this work. “This summer I have begun to understand what it might mean to live out Frederick Buechner’s well-known saying: ‘The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.’”
“This pursuit of understanding honors God,” she continues. “However, these frameworks are held with a certain amount of humility and the acknowledgment that they are ultimately approximations of the truth. The possibility of a newer and truer framework always looms.”
As a symbol of the forthcoming painting and a farewell gift to the Carlbergs, Anna and Garrett painted an image of an alewife from the Gordon ponds, which was presented to President Carlberg at Commencement. The artwork was installed in the Science Center in early October. The panels detail math, physics, biology, kinesiology, chemistry and computer science.
FALL 2011 | STILLPOINT 7
STARTERS
NEWS
FEATURES
ARTICLES
ALUMNI
Conflict in the Middle East: A Hands-on Education
After spending two semesters abroad— one in Oxford, England, during the fall of 2010, and the other in the Middle East during the spring of 2011—David Boticello ’12 knows he’s studying the right subjects in college. As a political philosophy and history double major with a concentration in revolution and social justice, David found himself in the right place at the right time while in the Middle East: He was there, along with other Gordon students, during the first eight days of the Egyptian revolution. While most people were afraid and the country was in turmoil, David was fascinated to watch the whole thing unfold. “Though we were fairly removed from the fighting, our Egyptian friends kept us informed about what was going on before they left to protest. When they returned, they continued to update us. “Meeting everyday people—schoolteachers, students, bank employees and café baristas—and speaking in solidarity with young Egyptians in places like Istanbul, Jerusalem and Jordan, taught me the passionate and emotional side of revolution, which classrooms and professors can only aspire to impart. The Egyptian revolution, and I think revolution in general, is a creature of a different sort than we as Americans can truly know—a thing we might be grateful for if we had the sense. I certainly left a part of my heart in Egypt. “The Egyptian revolution was active proof that my field of interest is not only valid but necessary,” says David. “Egypt provided unparalleled practical
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experiences, which worked as the perfect counterpoint to the theoretical knowledge I gained at Oxford—I was accidentally tear-gassed in Tahrir Square, saw protesters clash with police in Luxor, and spoke with young Egyptians. Some were agitated against their government while others were more cautious, wary of change. “Politics in the Middle East is almost foreign to America because we haven’t had a good revolution in almost 150 years. In America government is stable and power transfers peacefully. In a country where you wake up to tanks in the streets and government buildings ablaze, governmentas-usual simply doesn’t exist.” David spent his summer pursuing his interest in history, living in a cabin in the woods, and working for the Gordon College Institute for Public History in
Salem, Massachusetts. He is the property caretaker for a living history museum of Puritan life in 1630, and, as a result, he is living, eating, sleeping on site, as if he lived in the 17th century. “In a way I’m living like Henry David Thoreau did,” he explains. “While I disagree with Thoreau’s conclusions, I am beginning to understand the motivation and opportunity that lie behind a purposeful separation from society for a short period of time in order to better understand the civil order, and perhaps one day the reasons behind civil disorder—namely, revolution.” David is currently in the process of applying for a Fulbright Scholarship to study politics in the Middle East. He’d also like to pursue graduate studies in international law.
Photo Journal: Aix-en-Provence
“There are several reasons I chose to go to France for the year,” explains Rebecca Wolseley ’12. “I wanted to reconnect with my native culture, to attain a better grasp of the language, and to expose myself to a different way of living and learning for an extended period of time. This photo journal contains some of my favorite things about my semester abroad.” www.gordon.edu/aixjournal
ON THE GRAPEVINE
A Kinesiology Internship in Honduras
IN THEIR WORDS
My time in Lynn has opened my eyes to the beauty of this city—be it in Brothers Deli, House of Hope Church, or 162 Curwin Circle. I saw what people expect: broken homes, struggling schools, inequality; but I saw too that Lynn can’t be confined to those images. By immersing myself in Lynn, I emerged with a little more clarity; a new perspective about myself and the world. —Lisa Artuso ’12 Lisa volunteered with College Bound Curwin Circle, an after-school program that fosters a love of learning and education.
A New Cohort of Clarendon Scholars As a participant in The Elijah Project honors program (see page 32), Bennett Shake ’13 needed to find a summer internship in his major—kinesiology, with a prephysical therapy concentration. In talking with Jessica Ventura, assistant professor of kinesiology, he discovered she had a connection with the director of Teletón in Santa Rosa de Copan, Honduras, a nonprofit rehabilitation clinic with sites all over Central America. Ventura pulled a few strings and set Bennett up with an internship that would influence him in big ways. Photo Craig Story
This year’s Clarendon Scholars include 10 new students—from New York, Connecticut and Massachusetts. The group is led by Scott Hwang ’05, who recently joined the Gordon staff as director of the Clarendon Program and advisor to ALANA. Clarendon Scholars are made up of diverse students who are supported through mentoring, leadership training and support from their peers. Each scholar receives a scholarship and is equipped with tools to solve community issues and is prepared for service in the city after graduation. “They’re an eclectic group with a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities, passions and interests,” says Scott. “Each of them has a solid relationship with Jesus. I’m really looking forward to working with them this year.”
Before the internship started, Bennett traveled to Honduras with other Gordon students to participate in a May–Summer Term kinesiology class with Ventura, partnering with Teletón and other medical organizations in Santa Rosa. The students learned about various disabling diseases and defects, observed the disabled in different clinics around nearby towns, and learned how the disabled are supported in Honduras. Returning to Teletón for his internship was eye-opening. “Originally the goal of my internship involved seeing what physical therapy was like in a developing country, and finding out if I could one day see myself using PT abroad,” Bennett explains. “But the clinic I worked in had a lot of equipment that was comparable to U.S. therapy centers, something I wasn’t expecting.” Bennett observed the special education department, adult physical therapy and child physical therapy. “The hardest part about being abroad was the language barrier,” he explains. “But the relationships were easy because people were so friendly. They also showed a lot of grace and patience as I tried to express myself in Spanish. “If I end up doing PT in a developing country, I know I could never only do PT. Health is more than just visits to the doctor. It includes agriculture and proper nutrition, adequate shelter, a safe environment, a good community and a host of others things that relate to emotional, physical and spiritual health. This burden I feel for the poor and destitute is something that needs to be a part of my life wherever I live.” www.gordon.edu/kinesiology major
www.gordon.edu/clarendonscholars FALL 2011 | STILLPOINT 9
STARTERS
NEWS
FEATURES
ARTICLES
ALUMNI
Distinguished Faculty Awards
Alumnus Donates Equipment to Gordon’s Biology Department Natalie Ferjulian ’10
Photo Rebekah Frangipane ’11
Photo Dan Nystedt ’06
During Commencement Provost Mark Sargent (pictured right) presented the Junior and Senior Distinguished Faculty Awards to Graeme Bird, associate professor of linguistics and classics, and Ted Wood, professor of economics and business (pictured left). Nominations are received from faculty and graduating seniors and are based on performance, scholarly and professional excellence, and service to the College and community. Bird (Junior Award) was honored for his many contributions to Gordon, including his offerings as co-creator of the linguistics major and creator of the classics minor; for his recent book on the early manuscripts of the Iliad: Multitextuality in the Homeric Iliad: The Witness of Ptoelmaic Papyri; for his contributions to the Core Committee; for tutoring Latin students; for providing extra help to students needing additional support; and his many independent studies with students. Originally from New Zealand, where he studied classics and mathematics, Bird also has a theology degree from London, a jazz piano degree from Berklee College of Music, and a linguistics and classics degree from Harvard University, specializing in Indo-European languages and the poetics of Homer’s Iliad. Wood (Senior Award) retired in May after 30 years of teaching. Stephen Smith, chair of the Economics and Business Department says, “Ted arrived in the department when it was taking its first steps, and he was instrumental in building the business and accounting majors. His unwavering vision for the role of liberal arts inside accounting, and the contribution of accounting to Christian vocations, has been a lodestar for the department.” Wood also helped develop Gordon’s internship and cooperative education programs. He faithfully offered tax advice and assistance to international students and guided the startup of a nonprofit minor and institute. Wood was honored for his long hours, candor and collegiality, poise and good humor, and for finishing strong—using his final years to launch the nonprofit minor and institute, chair the Faculty Welfare Committee, and prepare accountants to be professionally equipped and deeply committed to the highest ethical protocols. 10 STILLPOINT | FALL 2011
When Ken Stewart’s company, Ischemix, found itself with a surplus of lab equipment, Stewart ’93 thought of his alma mater. Through the generosity of Stewart and Ischemix—located in Maynard, Massachusetts—Gordon’s Biology Department now has some exciting new lab tools. They include two Bio-Rad fraction collectors, a Stratagene Robocycler PCR machine, a sonicator with sound-proof cabinet, as well as a cell culture centrifuge. “This equipment is particularly timely because our new faculty hire, Justin Topp, studies membranes, and the sonicator in particular could be very useful to his research,” says Craig Story, associate professor of biology. Stewart has worked for the last six years at Ischemix, where he and colleagues used the tools to study ischemia, which occurs during heart attacks or strokes when blood vessels are blocked. As a result, Ischemix currently has drugs in clinical trials to be tested for effectiveness. The equipment Ischemix donated to Gordon would be worth tens of thousands of dollars if purchased new, according to Story. “We’re very grateful for the generosity of Ischemix, president Dr. Reinier Beeuwkes and Ken for their generosity to Gordon College,” he says.
ON THE GRAPEVINE
New Faculty Faces
liberal arts education is an act of loving investigation—an attempt to see Christ more clearly in all things, and all things more clearly in Christ.” Justin Topp, biology, comes to Gordon from North Park University in Chicago and earned his Ph.D. in biological chemistry at the University of TexasSouthwestern Medical Center. A molecular and cell biologist, Justin’s current research involves the collection and characterization of tick-borne disease agents in the Chicago area—work he hopes to extend to Massachusetts.
Photo Rebekah Frangipane ’11
Walter Cho, biology, joins Gordon in a one-year position, filling in for Dorothy Boorse while she is on a grant-funded leave to write an environmental science textbook. With a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and a doctorate from M.I.T., Walter is a postdoctoral investigator at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, studying the diversity of invertebrate associates of deep-sea corals in the Gulf of Mexico. He recently spent time in the Gulf, measuring the impact of major oil spills on marine life. Daniel Darko, biblical studies and Christian ministries, earned his doctorate at King’s College (University of London) after studying in Croatia and his native Ghana. Previously he was an associate pastor at Light of the World Church in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, and a visiting professor at the University of Scranton. About his approach to teaching, Darko says, “As one who promotes learning and equips students in developing their God-given potential, my motto as educator and pastor is ‘learning and empowerment.’” Andrew Moore, economics and business, holds from Troy State University an M.S. in management, which he completed through a special program in the Netherlands, and an M.S. in Christian counseling from Philadelphia Biblical University. Over the past 15 years he has taught undergraduate and graduate courses at a number of institutions, most recently Eastern University. He is also a certified public accountant in both Texas and Pennsylvania. Andrew Stuart, economics and business, joined the accounting faculty after serving as director of financial planning and budgeting at Gordon for the past four years. He earned his M.B.A. from the University of New Hampshire. On the subject of teaching, Andrew says, “One of my great responsibilities is to help students progress toward their ultimate calling as part of God’s Kingdom. There is a tremendous need for Christian businessmen and busineswomen in our society; business leaders who will follow biblical principles—in how they manage employees, report earnings, and perform audits, among other things.”
Alice Tsang, economics and business, taught several business courses at Gordon over the past year and became a full-time faculty member in the fall. Alice earned her M.B.A. at New York University’s Stern School of Business. In addition to teaching, Alice will serve as director of Asian initiatives, working collaboratively on recruitment and donor relations in Asia. Pictured standing, left to right: Andrew Stuart, Justin Topp, Walter Cho, Andrew Moore and Chad Stutz. Kneeling, left to right: Alice Tsang and Daniel Darko.
Faculty Book Rewriting the Feeding of Five Thousand: John 6.1–15 as a Test Case for Johannine Dependence on the Synoptic Gospels, (New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2011) was authored by Steve Hunt, associate professor of biblical studies. It investigates the miracle account in John 6 and the parallel accounts in the Synoptic Gospels with an eye towards establishing and understanding the literary relationship between them.
Chad Stutz, English language and literature, comes to Gordon from the University of Mobile, where he was assistant professor of English. He earned his doctorate from Boston College and specializes in Victorian literature and culture. Chad says, “A Christian
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A NEW CHAPTER
A New Chapter “Stretching the mind, deepening the faith and elevating the contribution. That is our calling; that is our desire.” Friday, September 16, marked the beginning of a new chapter in the 122-year history of Gordon College as D. Michael Lindsay, 39, one of the nation’s foremost experts on faith, culture and leadership, was inaugurated as the College’s eighth president. Following months of behind-the-scenes work by the Presidential Inauguration Committee and its chair, Gaynelle Weiss, the daylong celebration began officially at 9 a.m. In three concurrent symposia on faith and culture, nine experts in various fields explored the intersection of Christian faith with the arts, the marketplace and the academy. A worship service in A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel followed at 10:30; Dr. John Ortberg, senior pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California, offered a reflection. The Installation Ceremony took place at 2 p.m. on the Gordon College quad with special remarks from Wake Forest University’s President Nathan O. Hatch. President Lindsay’s address, “Faithful Leadership for the Common Good,” outlined what he termed the Gordon Commission. The Gordon community was joined by more than 500 visitors from churches, businesses, academic institutions and nonprofits—plus over 400 viewers from North America, Europe and Asia who watched the events streaming live on Gordon’s homepage. The Twitter-savvy texted a running commentary throughout the day; we have reproduced a number of those “tweets” at the bottom edges of this special section. Left: Seventh president, R. Judson Carlberg; President D. Michael Lindsay; and sixth president, Richard F. Gross, in front of Frost Hall. Feature photography: Rebekah Frangipane ’11, Scotland Huber ’09 and Dan Nystedt ’06.
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To Be a Tree “A tree is more than its fruit; we must cultivate our whole selves from the roots up.” — Thomas Merton Inauguration Day’s first official event consisted of three concurrent symposia at which faculty moderators and distinguished panelists reckoned with this compelling question: How can we glorify God by being the artists, the scholars, the businesspeople He has created us to be? Serving as moderators were Bruce Herman, Gordon’s Lothlórien Distinguished Chair in Fine Arts; Stan Gaede, scholar-in-residence at Gordon, and Christian College Consortium president; and Kent Seibert, professor of economics and business at Gordon. Seibert kicked off the Faith in the Marketplace symposium with the Thomas Merton quote (above), adding “We give glory to God by being who He created us to be.”
FAITH AND THE ARTS
The three panelists offered their insights on stewarding artistic talent, and speculated about some of the lines that are drawn—perhaps arbitrarily—across the art world. These artists seeking to glorify God are desperate to portray what Herman called “hope, but not a cheap hope.” Filmmaker Todd Komarnicki described a spiritually transformative experience upon viewing the work of Willem de Kooning, a “secular” painter (and Herman extolled the moral resonance of Komarnicki’s popular film Elf). Singer and songwriter Sara Groves spoke of the difficulty of writing music that “ties everything up with a bow.” Visual
TWITTER HIGHLIGHTS #gordoninauguration » mcmahontwins Cyndi McMahon Makoto Fujimura: “I process deeply & biblically & try to learn from people along the way.”
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» tfergusonsauder Tim Ferguson Sauder Faith+Arts Symp: Taking audience questions right now. Panelist responses are surprisingly personal. So interesting.
» gordoncollege Gordon College T. Komarnicki: “I didn’t choose to be a writer. Then the greatest storyteller of all time tells me to be a writer.”
» tfergusonsauder Tim Ferguson Sauder Faith+Arts Symposium: “When we’re present the joy surfaces.” AKA, turn off your cell phone.
A NEW CHAPTER
Left: The Faith and the Arts Symposium was held in Phillips Music Center. From left (at podium), Bruce Herman, Lothlórien Distinguished Chair in Fine Arts, moderator; (seated) Makoto Fujimara, artist; Todd Komarnicki, filmmaker; Sara Groves, singer and songwriter. Above: Discussing faith and the business world were Katherine Leary Alsdorf, executive director for the Center for Faith and Work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church; Hearst Business Media President Richard Malloch ’75; and Neil Clark Warren, co-founder and chairman of eHarmony.
artist Makoto Fujimura said that although art is often drawn from destruction and chaos, it is no longer enslaved to the “bondage to decay.” FAITH AND THE ACADEMY
Marla Frederick, professor of African and African American studies at Harvard University, said that though her studies have brought her “closer to faith,” her faith has been reshaped: “Christ is in culture and above culture,” she explained. She wrestles with the duality of her academic and spiritual life. Nancy Nason-Clark, chair and professor of sociology at the University of New Brunswick, Canada, noted the Church’s “skepticism toward higher learning,” saying that her own research on abuse within Christian families was a hard sell to some Christian groups. George McLendon, Howard R. Hughes Provost, and professor of chemistry at Rice University, remarked on the tenuous balancing act of presiding over a secular institution
» GordonBioProf Craig Story “There is only one way to be content, which is to be authentic.” (N.C. Warren)
» MechelleBrown00 Mechelle Brown “Attach to strong people you can learn from & will help you as you head to the marketplace.” (Richard Malloch)
while holding deep faith convictions, stating that often core human “values” can be a place to find common ground, even with those who are “rigorously secular to the point of being dismissive.” FAITH AND THE MARKETPLACE
Business often involves “more conflict than convergence” for the Church. Hearst Business Media president Richard Malloch ’75 strives to live out his faith through meditation and a deep commitment to “service-informed leadership.” Katherine Leary Alsdorf, executive director for the Center for Faith and Work at Redeemer Presbyterian Church, encouraged those in management roles to “give up some of the power” in decision making. Neil Clark Warren, co-founder and chairman at eHarmony, urged the next generation of Christian businesspeople to pursue new technology for the spreading of the gospel; and to cultivate a healthy work-life balance.
» GordonBioProf Craig Story “I sometimes tell people: I’m paid to worry.” (Richard Malloch)
» MechelleBrown00 Mechelle Brown “We give glory to God by being the people that God has created us to be.” (Kent Seibert)
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A NEW CHAPTER
Left: Dr. Lindsay joins the congregation in prayer during the Inauguration Worship Service. Above left: Dr. John Ortberg, pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California, gave the sermon at the worship service. Above right: Dr. Sandra Doneski led the congregation in singing the classic hymn “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.”
Heart, Soul and Strength At midmorning, the Gordon community gathered in A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel for worship in word, prayer and song. Dr. Gordon P. Hugenberger, senior pastor of Park Street Church in Boston, Massachusetts, expressed gratitude in his invocation: “We gather here on this gorgeous, brisk, end-of-summer day to worship You, first and foremost. We love You. You are the great I AM.” Rebecca Lindsay, Ambassador for the College, noted the presence of many family members and friends from all over the world, including those watching the event on live web stream. “Even now dear friends are staying up late to watch this live from India and many other locations. Thank you for taking time out of your lives and busy schedules to be with us here today.” Led by Dr. Sandra Doneski, associate professor of music and director of Gordon’s graduate program in music education, the congregation sang “Holy, Holy, Holy” and “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.” Singer and songwriter Sara Groves performed a solo rendition of “Great Is Thy Faithfulness.” Dr. John Ortberg, pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church in California and author of The Life You’ve Always Wanted: Spiritual Disciplines for Ordinary People and many other
books, delivered the sermon. He began his message with congratulations to Gordon for selecting a new president who is not just youthful; he has “a voice that is so needed not just by Gordon, but by the evangelical world; and beyond that, the Church; and beyond that, the world. We are all so thrilled that God has put you in this place that it seemed fitting to read an educational charter today from an earlier administration,” the Sh’ma Y’srael, the central prayer of Judaism: Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. (Deuteronomy 6:4 NIV) Others participating in the service included Dr. Greg Carmer, dean of chapel, who gave the invocation; Dr. Elaine Phillips, professor of biblical and theological studies, who gave a blessing on behalf of the faculty; Ken Hallenbeck ’12, president, Gordon College Student Association, who spoke on behalf of students; Noelle Donahue ’98, who spoke for fellow alumni; and Dr. Gary Cook, president, Dallas Baptist University, who delivered the benediction.
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A NEW CHAPTER
Above, from top left: 1. Lunch in the quad pavilion. 2. Dr. Lindsay greeting guests. 3. Board Chair Kurt Keilhacker (center) with Board members Dale Fowler (left) and Peter Herschend. 4. Dean of Chapel Greg Carmer and Dr. Lindsay. 5. The Honorable Herman Smith, board member and chair of the Presidential Search Committee. 6. Faculty processing toward the quad.
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A NEW CHAPTER
Left: Delegates and Gordon College faculty process across the quad. Above: Dr. Nathan O. Hatch, president of Wake Forest University, delivers the Charge to the President preceding the investiture of Dr. Lindsay.
To Be “Deliberate” Participants in the first half of the Installation Ceremony, which began at 2 p.m., included the Honorable Herman J. Smith Jr. ’70, chair of the Presidential Search Committee and vice chair of the Gordon Board of Trustees; Dr. Carrie D. Tibbles ’93, Gordon Board of Trustees member; Mr. George H. Gallup Jr., chairman emeritus, The Gallup Poll; Dr. Dennis P. Hollinger, president, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary; Dr. Paul R. Corts, president, Council for Christian Colleges & Universities; and Dr. Bryan C. Auday, chair, Gordon Faculty Senate. Dr. Nathan O. Hatch, president of Wake Forest University, delivered the Charge to the President, extolling the virtues of “being ‘deliberate’—a word derived from Latin and implying a careful weighing in the mind of important issues, as on a delicate scale. Busyness and hurry can be the enemy of many things, and one of them is serious learning. Students need to find occasions to think deeply and grapple at length with texts and issues and case studies in the disciplines they take on. This takes time; time to allow our minds to become uncluttered; time to focus on an
argument long enough to own it, or challenge it, or unpack its relevance. Wisdom is a fragile flower that will be choked by a cluttered and hurried mind.” Mr. Kurt Keilhacker, Chair of the Board of Trustees; and Drs. Richard F. Gross and R. Judson Carlberg, sixth and seventh presidents of Gordon, participated in the investiture of President Lindsay, which included the presentation of the presidential medallion. Mrs. Lisa B. Forkner, member of the Presidential Search Committee and of the Board of Trustees, provided a prayer of dedication for President and Mrs. Lindsay. Dr. Lindsay’s Inaugural Address, “Faithful Leadership for the Common Good,” is reprinted in part on pages 22–26. Dr. Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, closed the ceremony with a benediction. Music was contributed by the Ipswich River Brass Ensemble; the Gordon College Choir; and the Gordon College Wind Ensemble.
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Faithful Leadership for the Common Good D. Michael Lindsay
“I propose that we refer to these principles as the Gordon Commission. They represent the mandates we have been commissioned by God to meet, both individually and collectively.” I have spent the last eight years interviewing senior leaders in government, business and nonprofit life, exploring how senior leaders use the resources at their disposal to advance human flourishing and to serve the common good. My very first interview was in 2003 with Dr. Richard Mouw, president of Fuller Theological Seminary, and I conducted the final interview two months ago with Harvard’s president, Dr. Drew Faust. In between, I logged 400,000 miles traveling from Bar Harbor, Maine, to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. I interviewed presidents, titans of industry, celebrity icons and chief executives of the nation’s largest firms.
Yet as I began to analyze the data, I realized that over half of all these interviews took place on the short stretch of land along I-95 from Washington, D.C., to Boston. This is what we sociologists refer to as the “power elite” corridor. It’s home to the political, financial and intellectual capitals of the Western world. Now that’s significant to what we do here at Gordon because, as it turns out, we are the only nationally ranked Christian college on the I-95 power elite corridor. To the extent that Christian colleges can make a difference in the halls of power, Gordon College is uniquely placed to do
TWITTER HIGHLIGHTS #gordoninauguration » kerrylowell Kerry Lowell Impressive letter from Senator Kerry at #gordoninauguration. Now Dr. Nathan Hatch is going to speak! Perfect weather, and a very moving day!
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» bobwhittet Bob Whittet “We must challenge the undertow of contemporary culture…” (Nathan Hatch)
» hannahjfitz Hannah Fitzgerald I love being a part of both the @gordoncollege wind ensemble and college choir for the #gordoninauguration
A NEW CHAPTER
Dr. Richard F. Gross (left) and Dr. R. Judson Carlberg (right) congratulate the newly invested President Michael Lindsay.
precisely that. Did you know that when Gordon’s chapel services are held, it is the largest evangelical gathering in New England? Gordon is the largest evangelical employer in the area; and for nearly 125 years, working with our colleagues and friends at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Gordon College has produced tens of thousands of leaders for the Church in New England and around the world. In sum, we are the flagship evangelical institution in the global capital of higher education. THE GORDON COMMISSION
For many months I have been studying Gordon and listening to people talk about its strengths and its areas for growth. Gordon has been guided for decades by principles that direct the College’s core activities. They represent our collective vocation, our raison d’être—our reason for being. Going forward, I propose that we refer to these principles as the Gordon Commission. They represent the mandates we have been commissioned by God to meet, both individually and collectively. The Gordon Commission entails three imperatives.
» amberJOYful Amber Joy Fiedler It’s official!! He’s got the medallion! We have a president!! Welcome (again), President Lindsay!
STRETCHING THE MIND
First, we exist to stretch the minds of talented young people and, in so doing, to expand the intellectual horizons of global Christianity. Cultural engagement is not a buzzword at Gordon College; it’s what we do day in and day out. It takes place in our classrooms, in the laboratories, in chapel, and in the artist’s studio. It requires scholars who are knowledgeable about the latest scientific breakthroughs and the historical precedents that brought us to the current moment. Cultural engagement demands a depth of understanding and a breadth of knowledge, and that is what places like Gordon can provide. Indeed, in the important work of the Christian community’s engagement with the world of ideas, we are the tip of the spear. Gordon’s commitment to intellectual inquiry and academic excellence is a distinguishing characteristic of the College. I want to leverage this strength for us to be even more effective in the years ahead. I want us to multiply the number of student-faculty research collaborations occurring on campus. And I hope we can stretch minds through
» amberJOYful Amber Joy Fiedler The sign language to “Here I Am, Lord” along with @gordoncollege’s choir is beautiful.
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study abroad programs. I especially hope we can more significantly engage the Pacific Rim and Asia. College is a time to explore big questions and pursue worthy dreams, and time abroad can be transformative in the lives of college students, both spiritually and intellectually. DEEPEN THE FAITH
The second imperative of the Gordon Commission is to deepen the faith. In a day and age when Christian colleges are lessening their commitment to biblical and theological literacy among their students, Gordon has just added to its Core Curriculum a class in theology. In an era when schools are diminishing their support for campus chapel programs, I am pleased to say that Gordon has devoted considerable resources to connecting the big question of “What makes for a good life?” to the person of Jesus Christ. Gordon is also unusual in that following Christ here has never been relegated to only intellectual assent or pietistic devotion. A. J. Gordon himself once wrote of the importance of connecting service to Christian devotion by saying, “If we fully serve the Lord, the majority of the good we do happens
in such a way that we are unaware of it happening. Service overflows from us.” Social justice, evangelism and worship have always been closely connected at the institution that bears Gordon’s name, and we are committed to all three at Gordon College today. This is part of the wonderful heritage I inherit from former Gordon presidents Harold Ockenga and two men who have become dear friends and wonderful colleagues, Richard Gross and Judson Carlberg. When Gordon mails out its alumni magazine, it is read in 75 countries representing 25 different time zones. Quite literally, over 20,000 Gordon alumni are serving the Lord around the globe. For example, members of the Gordon community have developed malaria diagnostic tests that are being used in Africa and throughout the developing world. Our graduates are doing good things in places like Burkina Faso and Sri Lanka, compelled by their Christian commitments and our world’s greatest needs.
TWITTER HIGHLIGHTS #gordoninauguration » jill_alcorn Jill Alcorn So#thankful to be a part of wind ensemble @gordoncollege and to play for the #gordoninauguration
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» JennaJoyful12 JennaJoy Levchuck Congrats to @gordoncollege on the inauguration of Dr. Michael Lindsay! Wish I could be there with you all but sending love from Long Island!
» bobwhittet Bob Whittet Spectacular bright, sunny, autumnal day @ gordoncollege for the #gordoninauguration of President Michael Lindsay!
A NEW CHAPTER
Left: The Honorable Herman J. Smith Jr. ’70, chair of the Presidential Search Committee, and vice chair of the Gordon Board of Trustees. Right: Lisa Forkner, Board member, gave a benediction of blessing for President and Mrs. Lindsay.
ELEVATE THE CONTRIBUTION
The third imperative of the Gordon Commission is for us to elevate the contribution. By this I mean three things. Gordon has historically elevated the contribution made by its students. We recruit bright and resourceful high school students and help them become better contributors to the common good after their four years on campus. This is the “value-added” of a Gordon education—taking students who are great and helping them become even better. But we can do more in this regard, and we will. Second, we need to elevate the contribution the Gordon community is making in different parts of our public life. We need to elevate the ways Gordon is making a difference on the North Shore, in Greater Boston and in American higher education. Elevate the contribution our students make to the cohort of 300,000 other college students in the Greater Boston area. Elevate the contribution Gordon faculty make to their scholarly guilds. So, going forward, each of us in our own way should elevate the contribution we are making to the common good.
» JF834 Jorge Juan Rodriguez Today’s inauguration of Dr. Michael Lindsay has been a blessing for students and faculty alike.
And, third, this elevation of the contribution we make also applies to Gordon as an institution. We need to elevate the role Gordon plays in shaping the intellectual agenda of global Christianity and to bringing a biblical sense of shalom to the North Shore. We believe the gospel invigorates and advances truth and beauty so that everyone benefits. After all, it was Christians who invented the liberal arts model of higher education. So we have much to offer, and we remember that from those to whom much has been given, much is expected. We are uniquely positioned to have a leavening influence on the country’s leading cultural institutions, and so we need to elevate our contribution to them. A COMMUNAL ENDEAVOR
We are already making a huge difference through community engagement in the nearby city of Lynn and through managing Old Town Hall in historic Salem. We are the institutional home for Christians in the Visual Arts, and in May we will host the next gathering of Christians in Political Science. But we can do so much more.
» JustinTopp Justin Topp Great day @gordoncollege for President Lindsay’s inauguration @GordonBioProf [Craig Story] was so excited, he tweeted thrice AND used a hashtag. #fb
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“How can Gordon College support and encourage the good efforts of those around us to be better aligned with the purposes of God and the flourishing of our world?” If we want to inspire the next generation, we have to articulate a vision for serving not just our own interests but also the interests of others. So to elevate our contribution, we have to ask: How can Gordon College support and encourage the good efforts of those around us to be better aligned with the purposes of God and the flourishing of our world? Thomas Merton once wrote, “You are made in the image of what you desire.” Stretching the mind, deepening the faith, and elevating the contribution. That is our calling; that is our desire. I pledge to do everything in my power to
guide and equip the next generation of Christian leaders with a framework of faithfulness as they influence cultures throughout the world. And I trust you will join me in this effort. The Gordon Commission is a communal endeavor. It’s the process of weaving together our individual contributions to meet the needs of those around us. It’s how our individual stories relate to our collective mission. May we be an institution that does this and much more in the lives of our students and our community. God bless you all.
TWITTER HIGHLIGHTS #gordoninauguration » BStrider Burns Strider Thanks @gordoncollege 4 a faithful day singing the hymns of my ancestors, deepening my spirit & Dr. Lindsay becoming Pres.
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» bobwhittet Bob Whittet “People are in a confused state, hungry for a word from God” (George Gallup at the pastors’ reception)
» keithagruen Keith Gruen @mcmahontwins @gordoncollege Great twitter coverage today – felt like I was there.
A NEW CHAPTER
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Left: Sara Groves: “I’m a solo artist, but I don’t live a solo life.” Right: (front row) Rebecca, Michael and Susan R. Lindsay (Michael’s mother).
A Gift of Song As one of the panelists for Inauguration Day’s Symposium on Faith and the Arts, Sara Groves confessed to having failed music theory while at college; for a time after that she despaired of being able to make a “high” calling of her love of music. But in time she began to “lean into the poetry and the words God gives me; I began to learn to make that ‘high,’ to make that excellent.” The ineffable can be, of course, ineffable—“When I come at things full on, I tend to destroy them; sort of like pinning a butterfly to a block of wood.” Though a solo artist, she does not live a solo life. She and her husband are deeply involved with Art House, an organization that gives “creatives”—who often work alone—a place to gather and collaborate. They are currently investing in launching Art House in St. Paul, Minnesota. Of the communal aspect of her music she says, “God has me living things out on a very personal level; then I can share that with others.”
Her ninth studio project, Fireflies and Songs, is her most candid yet (and also Christianity Today’s Album of the Year for 2009). “I wanted Fireflies and Songs to feel more like friends and I are talking at Don Pablo’s over nachos and cheese,” she says. “I’m trying to be more confessional, and I hope these songs encourage other people to live confessionally.” Many admirers from the Gordon community turned out Friday night for her free concert in A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel, including the Lindsays (pictured above). “It was great seeing so many students and community members at Sara’s concert,” Rebecca said. “Michael and I are honored that she would come. Her music knocks on the doors of our souls and compels us to think more deeply and to live more faithfully. It was evident from those around me that her music, indeed, did just that.”
TWITTER HIGHLIGHTS #gordoninauguration » gordoncollege Gordon College Sara Groves: “I lean into the poetry and the words God gives me.”
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» mcmahontwins Cyndi McMahon Sara Groves: “God has me living things out on a very personal level, and then I can share that with others.”
» mcmahontwins Cyndi McMahon Sara Groves: “My work comes from conversations and participation in community.”
A NEW CHAPTER
The Steps You’ve Been Shown John Mirisola ’11 Though Inauguration Day festivities wrapped up on the 16th, the Gordon College community wasn’t ready to stop celebrating. Friday evening, September 23, some five hundred students, faculty and staff joined President Lindsay and his wife, Rebecca, for the Inaugural Ball in the Bennett Athletic and Recreation Center. Hosted by Gordon’s Campus Events Council (CEC), the ball was the student-run group’s biggest cross-campus event of the semester, and will remain one of the most well-attended gatherings of the 2011–2012 school year. “The events team did an amazing job,” said CEC director Jordan Tymann ’12. “Plus it helped that everybody was dressed up.” Prior to the dance, around two hundred guests gathered in the Bennett Center lobby, which, by some ingenious sleights-of-hand, had been transformed into a bona fide reception hall. Over dessert and refreshments, guests heard from President Lindsay and from his Gordon
College Student Association counterparts—President Ken Hallenbeck ’12 and Vice President Alice Anderson ’12. With appetites for food and welcoming words sated, it was time for the main event. To ensure there could be no good reason for ballroom hesitance, CEC coordinated dance lessons with local instructors Linda and Stephen White. The couple, who also teach dancing as physical education at Gordon, showed guests how to salsa, waltz and swing, and those in attendance used the rest of the evening to show off what they had learned. “Perhaps this activity will provide a blueprint for future weekend social gatherings for students,” said Rick Sweeney, vice president for marketing and strategic communications. Indeed, as much as this event served to conclude the Inaugural celebration, it was a beginning in its own right— marking the start of a new year of events and entertainment on campus.
» MechelleBrown00 Mechelle Brown How exciting!!! Everyone is looking fabulous for the Inaugural Ball @ gordoncollege!!! Have a fabulous night!!!
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CONVERSATIONS: LEADING AND SUCCEEDING IN AN UNCERTAIN WORLD
Story Natalie Ferjulian ’10
that research through his PLATINUM Study, which encompasses interviews with 550 prominent American leaders in Fortune 500 corporations as well as in government, nonprofit and educational institutions. “I chose Mike for our first conversation because he is an extraordinary model of a wildly successful business executive who exemplifies the Christian character we hope our students will bring to their leadership roles,” says Lindsay. “It is my hope that today’s conversation was an inspiration to all who attended.” Photo Dan Nystedt ’06
J.C. Penney CEO Joins President Lindsay to Inaugurate New Series
Drawing upon experience he gained while conducting the largest-ever empirical study based on interviews with senior leaders, Dr. Michael Lindsay launched a new series—Conversations with the President—by welcoming J. C. Penney Chairman and CEO Myron (Mike) E. Ullman III (pictured above, right) as his first guest. More than 250 guests—including Boston business professionals, Gordon alumni and friends—joined Lindsay and Ullman on October 14 at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast and conversation at the Westin Copley Place in Boston, Massachusetts, “It is my hope that these conversations will give professionals in the Greater Boston area the opportunity to be enriched by the perspective of top leaders in the country and the world,” says Lindsay.
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Ullman, a former White House Fellow who has led five major enterprises on three continents, discussed challenges facing American business today— including unemployment, adjusting to a global economy, and executive compensation. “I always try to think in terms of ‘What can I give back’ (through my work) and not ‘What can I get,’” says Ullman. “I’m successful because I don’t take myself too seriously, but I take my work very seriously.”
This first event in the Conversations with the President series was made possible by Presidential Sponsors Daintree Advisors LLC and The Boston Business Journal; Executive Sponsors Brad and Pam Warner; and 20 Partner Sponsors. The next conversation in the series will be held March 8, 2012, with Gerard Arpey, chairman and CEO of American Airlines, Inc. For more details contact Kathy Walker, assistant to the president for external relations, by emailing kathy. walker@gordon.edu
Ullman also discussed his role as CEO of J.C. Penney in increasing customer satisfaction and financial success. “I tried to set the direction for Penney’s by encouraging managers to develop inspiring visions for their teams and letting every store have its own personality,” says Ullman. President Lindsay met Ullman seven years ago while completing his book Faith in the Halls of Power. He most recently expanded
Natalie Ferjulian ’10 is Gordon College’s assistant community relations writer. In addition to telling the stories of the campus community, she enjoys cycling the roads of the North Shore.
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INFOTECH: MAPPING NEW TERRITORY EVAN PECK ’08
Story By Natalie Ferjulian ’10 Photo Rebecca Powell
“IF PEOPLE ADAPT TO EACH OTHER IN CONVERSATION, WHY SHOULDN’T COMPUTERS?”
Evan Peck ’08 is a scientist, designer, writer and psychologist all in one. As a current Ph.D. candidate at Tufts University, he’s finding ways to apply cognitive psychology to computers by creating interfaces that are attentive to human emotions. “If people adapt to one another in conversations, why shouldn’t computers?” he wonders. Peck’s research and studies are inspired by that question, which he began thinking about during his time at Gordon as a computer science major and a creative writing minor. In his current P.h.D. program, he’s studying in Tufts University’s Human-Computer Interaction Lab, where he researches brain-computer interfaces. “People use computers everywhere, and because of that, technology has changed the way we communicate,” says Peck. “Understanding how we interact with that technology is no longer a question of convenience, but for many of us it
transforms into a question about the quality of our lives.” The goal of Peck’s work is to understand how, when and in what quantity the human brain processes information in a complex environment. One of his recent research prototypes, called the Adaptive Map, allows a car GPS to understand if the driver is overloaded with information. Based on the level of the driver’s frustration, the map will show more or less detail. “Sometimes you’re in a comfortable driving situation and might be interested to know about the area restaurants that have strong reviews,” says Peck. “Other times you’re driving in the city, it’s raining, you’re lost, and the phone is ringing. You are overwhelmed by the situation, and the only map you care about is the map that gets you to your destination.”
map detail or expand map context depending on the user’s level of stress. “This area of study is new, which makes it exciting,” says Peck. “On the downside, we’re still learning how to monitor people as they interact with technology—there’s still a lot of progress to be made.” For Peck, asking questions and exploring unknown territory are what he enjoys most about his work. “The way Gordon taught me to view things from many different angles and perspectives has contributed to my ability to be successful in this type of research and programming,” says Peck. “During undergrad, I researched volunteer computing games with a colleague at Hope College. I also spent a semester independently studying science journalism, exploring cultural tensions between religion and science.” Peck is also encouraged by the potential of his work, like the Adaptive Map, to help people cope with an increasingly complex world. “It’s incredible to think that my work could shape how people interact with their computers in the future. No matter who is doing the research, technology will change the way people see and engage with the world around them.” Evan welcomes contact from friends and may be reached at evan.peck@tufts.edu, or Twitter@EvanMPeck.
According to Peck, an intelligent map could read these cues and either simplify
FALL 2011 | STILLPOINT 31
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THE ELIJAH PROJECT: HELPING STUDENTS
FIND THEIR PLACE IN THE WORLD
“To be a responsible person is to find one’s role in the building of shalom: the re-webbing of God, humanity and all of creation in justice, harmony, fulfillment and delight. To be a responsible person is to find one’s own role and then, funded by the grace of God, to fill this role and to delight in it.” —Cornelius Plantinga
It’s a Friday night in late August. Some students are moving clothes and books into their rooms while others are preparing dinner in the big farmhouse kitchen. Still others sit in the living room excitedly swapping stories from their summers. These 14 students are participants in The Elijah Project. They have returned early to campus to settle into Dexter House, which will be their home for the academic year. The Elijah Project is an innovative, multidimensional honors program at Gordon. It includes two intensive seminar courses, individualized summer internships and a year of living together in community. Classroom readings and discussions focus on the big questions of life:
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• What does it mean to be a responsible human and faithful Christian in today’s world? • How do I affirm the goodness of all of God’s creation despite the distortions within it? • How am I gifted? What are my unique interests and abilities? • How can I best partner with God in His creative and redemptive work in this beautiful but fallen world? Beyond the classroom, these questions are considered experientially. The internships provide a hands-on opportunity to explore answers to pressing local and global challenges. Locations are far-flung, and internships span a broad range of opportunities such
as serving at a health clinic in Togo, Honduras, or Nepal; advocating for Dalit rights and women’s issues in India; doing Bible translation in Papua New Guinea; and working in fields like sustainable agriculture, microfinance, youth ministry, midwifery, mental health, marketing and graphic design. After returning from their internships, the students spend the final nine months of the program living together in Dexter House just off campus. Sharing life together—over meals, times of fellowship, and the daily rhythms of schoolwork, household tasks and conversation— gives the Elijah students the opportunity to learn more about themselves and about the importance of community, and to work together at embodying what they are learning.
The following are some of the students’ internships from this past summer: Theresa Bennett ’12, an international affairs major and peace and conflict studies minor, spent her summer interning with Sri Lanka Unites, in Colombo, Sri Lanka. SLU is a youth-led, conflict transformation organization started by Gordon alum Prashan De Visser ’08. Theresa is interested in pursuing international human rights law and hoped to explore whether peace and conflict reconciliation might become a focus. In Sri Lanka she was responsible for coordinating volunteer mentors for SLU’s Future Leaders’ Conference, which gathers student leaders from across the island to begin to reconcile ethnic and religious tensions passed on to them during Sri Lanka’s 30-year civil war. Through the internship Theresa was able to grasp the importance of cross-cultural communication and was encouraged to pursue more of a grassroots approach to conflict resolution. “My experiences through Sri Lanka Unites gave me such an interesting insight into how an organization works and what it takes to sustain it while fulfilling a particular mission,” she says. “I also gained insights into how education can so influence generations and a country’s peace.” Brandon Inkles ’13, a business administration and global Christianity double major with a nonprofit management minor, interned with Mack Avenue Community Church in inner-city Detroit. Run by three pastors, the church’s vision is to transform the community both spiritually and physically. Brandon’s internship involved helping to design a discipleship training website; researching local churches to partner in sharing the gospel; helping coordinate mission teams; and studying the Bible to understand being the light of Christ in the middle of poverty, racism and violence. He also served as a youth group leader, providing
activities that kept the kids away from drug dealing or getting into trouble. “It’s no coincidence that I’ve made these connections,” he says, “and that God has continued to grow this passion to serve Detroit as a full-time career someday.” Mary Cote ’12, an English major and biblical studies minor, first met French missionary Thierry Mirone when she went with her youth group on a missions trip to France in 2008. This past summer Mary traveled back to France to spend four weeks working with Thierry, helping him prepare for an evangelistic youth rally for French teens, and learning about his life as a missionary. She then moved to the language school in Albertville for a week to do construction work, and spent a final two weeks as a camp counselor at Champfleuri—a Christian camp in the foothills of the Alps. Mary wrote articles about her experiences each week for her hometown newspaper back in the U.S., an experience that encouraged her as she considers pursuing writing in the future. “Spending time in France has helped me see the real need for Christians to live out their faith—sharing God, His love and His Word with people throughout the world.” Andrew Hansen ’13, a double major in youth ministry and biblical studies, loved both of his majors, and also loved music— but wasn’t sure which he should pursue for a future career. This past summer he interned with Regenerate Music Company near Chattanooga, Tennessee, where he not only worked in a music studio but slept there (on a couch) as well. “I thought my summer was about choosing a career path between music and youth ministry,” Andrew says, “but what I’ve been realizing is that I’m gifted in both areas. I’m going to trust God to lead me to the right career when the time comes. I want to continue to ask the questions I’m asking myself now: Who am I? What do I love? And how can I help?”
Nina Voli ’13, a linguistics major with an interest in sustainable community development, spent her summer at Shalom Farms, an initiative of the United Methodist Urban Ministries of Richmond, Virginia, that addresses the issue of food security in inner-city Richmond. “In the process of pulling weeds, digging potatoes and planting cucumber seeds, I’ve gained a better understanding of how food is grown,” says Nina. “But more importantly, I’ve been able to see that the ways in which we grow, distribute, and even eat food all have deeply theological implications.” In the future Nina hopes to explore how the Church can better acknowledge these kinds of connections, and actively participate in social and ecological restoration. Dan Pfistner ’13, an economics major, worked with Partners in Development (PID) in Haiti, in their microfinance program (read more about Dan’s internship on page 7). Bennett Shake ’13, a kinesiology major with a prephysical therapy concentration, served at Teletón in Santa Rosa de Copan, a nonprofit rehabilitation clinic in Honduras (read more about Bennett’s internship on page 9).
Laura Carmer, M.A., and Greg Carmer, Ph.D., direct the Elijah Project. Laura is also director of missions, and Greg is dean of chapel. The Carmers have been helping students integrate faith and vocation for over 25 years, the last 20 of them at Gordon. laura.carmer@gordon.edu
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STARTERS
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FEATURES
ARTICLES
ALUMNI
REMEMBERING VANGIE: BELOVED FRIEND
Story Michael Monroe
now. And, yes, I still wish I could hear her sing the whole song now.
On September 11, a day that had seemed sad enough, we lost one of the most remarkably gifted students I’ve had the pleasure of knowing. Evangelyna Etienne, a mezzo-soprano with limitless potential, joined the choir of angels after a long and brave struggle with cancer. She had just turned 21. “Vangie” had a voice and musical maturity that far surpassed what one might expect from an undergrad. I can still vividly remember hearing her for the first time as I accompanied her audition. Performing an extended scene from Dido and Aeneas in a dry science auditorium with nobudget sets and costumes, she left us all riveted, showing how music has the ability to transcend limitations of space and time. I’d heard, played and taught Dido’s famous lament dozens and dozens of times, but it was new and unbelievably real in those moments. And then there were the two full roles she sang last year, first as the witch in Into the Woods and then as Ruth in The Pirates of Penzance. She was already quite ill through both runs and had to miss many 34 STILLPOINT | FALL 2011
rehearsals when getting out of bed wasn’t an option; yet she never even considered the option of dropping out—nor did she ever complain. The Into the Woods role is particularly grueling, and we had 10 performances, all of which were elevated by her gorgeous singing and the uncanny combination of brokenness and wisdom one felt every night during “Children Will Listen.” Time stopped again and again. I’ve always been struck by the power that musical fragments can have, and I’ll close with two other fragment-like musical memories of Vangie. (Of course, it’s worth pointing out that Vangie’s voice and musical abilities are only a small fragment of what made her so special to so many.) One moment comes from early last May when I heard Poulenc’s “Les Chemins de l’Amour” drifting in from a studio next door. I was only half listening and I didn’t hear the whole song, but I was nonetheless fully drawn into the musical moment by Vangie’s unmistakable voice. I can still hear those fragments of melody floating by, and they are as real, beautiful and complete as if I were hearing her sing
One quality I especially admired about Vangie is that she loved so many different types of music and was as curious about new and varied repertoire as any singer I’ve come across. The day after she passed away, I found myself listening to her YouTube submission of the second soprano part for an online virtual choir of thousands put together by composer Eric Whitacre. Vangie was a born soloist, but you can hear in this video how much she loved being part of something bigger— and paradoxically, her single voice manages to make this fragment fully satisfying on its own. Her life certainly feels like an unfinished fragment from a human perspective, and yet the life she lived was as complete, beautiful, and satisfying as a life could be. We miss her terribly. Excerpted from “Remembering Vangie,” posted September 16 on MMmusing: michael monroe’s musings on music, the mind, meaning and more, MMmusing.blogspot.com.
Michael Monroe, D.M.A., assistant professor of music, oversees Gordon’s opera productions, teaches music history, and coaches singers and instrumentalists. His blog, MMmusing.blogspot.com, features essays and multimedia creations. He is also the drive behind a noontime series of “Piano Hero” events. michael.monroe@gordon.edu
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AN OPEN LETTER: TO THE GORDON COMMUNITY FROM JENNIE-REBECCA (STINE) FALCETTA ’92
sat among the crowd of mourners. Dr. Roy Brunner, professor of organ, played the Methodist hymns my father had loved. Professor of Biblical Studies Dr. Roger Green made us laugh with stories of my father from their nearly 50-year friendship. And then, near the end, in the unenviable slot behind five or six very personal eulogies, the Reverend Dr. Malcolm Reid, Gordon professor emeritus of philosophy and also an Anglican priest, gave an eloquent and rousing homily, reminding all present that dying in Christ here means living in Light elsewhere.
Dr. Peter Stine and his daughter Jennie-Rebecca (Stine) Falcetta ’92 at St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome.
Peter Wilfred Stine, Gordon professor emeritus of English, passed away at age 72 on August 5. He was predeceased by his wife, Betsy, and is survived by his children: JennieRebecca Falcetta ’92 and her husband, Anthony ’92; Sarah McKenna ’94 and her husband, Michael; Nathaniel Stine ’95 and his wife, Rachel; and Zachary Stine; along with five grandchildren. Dear Gordon friends, Almost as soon as I knew of our loss, I called Adrianne Cook ’92, director of alumni and parent relations. After pausing to grieve with me as my friend, she leapt into action as a Gordon staff member, helping to secure the A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel for the funeral my father had planned so meticulously—down to the recessional hymn (if you knew him at all, you can’t possibly be surprised). By mid-afternoon that day, official notice of my father’s death had gone out as a Gordon-wide email. Several hundred Facebook status updates appeared from former students, who posted photos and their pet Stine anecdotes and aphorisms.
As the tributes and expressions of sympathy accumulated, we felt we grieved not alone, but with a thousand at our side. When I said the funeral was already laid out, I meant it: Participating clergy and reminiscers had been designated, and I had been lovingly exhorted by my father not to deviate. Everyone I invited to take part graciously accepted. Dr. Greg Carmer, dean of chapel, deftly herded the ecumenical cats my father had wanted on the platform, and saw that everyone knew where to stand. Professor and former Princemere Reader Mark Stevick took on, with grace and aplomb, the poem my father had chosen: Tennyson’s (not brief or easy) dramatic monologue Ulysses. As we fretted over finding available vocalists, Wesley Lawrence ’06, a talented tenor pursuing a doctorate in music, emailed me out of the blue. My father had once expressed hope that Wesley could sing at his funeral. He would be in town that weekend—could he be of service? On the day of the funeral (August 13), all three of Gordon’s living presidents
Following the service, Dining Services Director Jack Lawrence and his catering staff fed the many guests well and cheerfully. Later in the afternoon the Reverend Patrick Gray ’92, my classmate and another former Princemere Reader, performed the graveside service. It was not lost on me that the voice declaiming the Episcopal rite for The Burial of the Dead had learned at least some of its power and nuance from my father. Meditating on how much Gordon College and its people had stood with us in our mourning, I couldn’t help but follow that idea to its logical conclusion: how much Gordon College has shaped our lives. Many former Gordon faculty have known me from birth. All four Stine children attended Gordon during the 1990s; two of us met our spouses there. Most of the friends I count closest are fellow alumni. After his profound and articulate love for God, Gordon College has been my father’s best gift to his children. I can hardly think what my adult life would be without Gordon’s blessed influence. To those of you who stood with my siblings and me through the darkness of our sorrow and reminded us that joy comes in the morning, I offer you deepest gratitude. —Jennie-Rebecca
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Make a Gift When you give to Gordon College, you’re giving students expanded opportunities to grow into faithful, effective leaders in whatever vocation to which God has called them. Your gift is an investment in their futures—one that will make a dramatic difference for God’s Kingdom. Whether you give a gift to student scholarships, selected programs, building projects or endowment, your help is vital to our success in preparing young men and women for life, and in equipping Gordon to serve God well. Consider giving a gift today. Giving is easy—you can give to the Gordon College Fund or give to a specific program at www.gordon.edu/makeagift.
The Gordon College Fund
Music Guild
The foundation for all giving to Gordon and the best
The opportunity to support musical education and
way for you to show your support. Annual gifts provide
performance at Gordon.
the necessary resources to maintain the basics such as faculty salaries, scholarship aid and the latest learning tools.
www.gordon.edu/musicguild
www.gordon.edu/gordoncollegefund
The Highlander Club The Partners Program Provides scholarship support to financially deserving Gordon students. Every dollar given goes directly to students.
Supports the athletic program. Club members work together to strengthen and advance Gordon College athletics. athletics.gordon.edu/highlander
www.gordon.edu/partners
Endowed Scholarships Clarendon Scholars Offers full scholarships each year to 10 students from city settings in Massachusetts, Connecticut, or in or outside the five boroughs of New York.
Enables you to create an ongoing investment in the College as well as help students by providing scholarship aid. www.gordon.edu/endowedscholarships
www.gordon.edu/newcityscholars
Planned and Special Gifts The Bench Project The opportunity to leave a legacy at Gordon. Dedicate a bench and support the Heart of Discovery campaign for the Ken Olsen Science Center.
Ways of making future gifts to Gordon College—an important gift which may provide benefits to both you and the College. www.gordon.edu/plannedgiving
www.gordon.edu/benchproject To specify a gift to a particular project or program not listed above, visit: www.gordon.edu/specificgift.
R. Judson Carlberg Scholarship in Global Education Named in honor of R. Judson Carlberg, president emeritus, who served at Gordon College 1976–2011. Recognizes the potential of Gordon students for international leadership and learning. www.gordon.edu/carlbergscholarship
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Photo Rebekah Frangipane ’11
I hope to incorporate research work into the clinical aspect of my career. I believe I’m called to heal people—to give back. DAMILOLA JUNAID ’14
Training to Bring Healing to Nigeria Damilola Junaid ’14 grew up in Nigeria dreaming of becoming a doctor. She attended high school in London, England, and set her sights on the United States for college—wanting to be challenged academically and to study in a Christian environment. “Studying internationally meant I wouldn’t be around my family or have their positive influence on my faith,” she says. “But as soon as I visited Gordon, I knew it was the right place.” As a freshman Dammy declared biology as her major—on the premed track. “I feel called to be a doctor. The more I study, the more my desire is reinforced,” she explains. She’s also passionate about pursuing a career that will allow her to help people and continue to study. This summer Dammy got first-hand experience in the field working with her stepbrother—a gynecologist—at a hospital in Nigeria. She observed surgeries and took extensive notes so she could gain perspective on how hospitals are run in her home country. She also thought and prayed about how her studies at Gordon could benefit Nigeria in the future. Dammy has an exciting future ahead of her. But without the help of generous donors, scholarship money, an international student grant and significant financial aid, she wouldn’t be able to attend Gordon or achieve her dream. Please consider helping students like Dammy make a difference in God’s Kingdom.
GORDON SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS Gordon’s scholarship programs provide support to financially deserving students. Every dollar raised is awarded directly to students who would not be here without it. These students are studying to serve and lead in every career field, including the sciences, the arts, education, ministry, health care, social services and computer technology. GIVING If you’d like to make a gift to help students like Dammy fulfill God’s call on their lives, contact Dan White, below. CONTACT Dan White Director of Development 978.867.4843 dan.white@gordon.edu www.gordon.edu/makeagift
255 Grapevine Road, Wenham MA 01984-1899 www.gordon.edu
RE-ENVISIONING HOME This year’s contest theme was “Re-Envisioning Home”; photos were
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
For the last three years the Global Education Office has hosted a photo contest for students returning from study abroad and Summer Mission Program (SMP) experiences. These are a few of many intriguing photos that have been submitted.
displayed on the Jenks Library Mezzanine
Clockwise from left:
during October. More photos, as well
“Walk with Me,” Daniel Ebersole ’11, Luxor, Egypt “Sunrise Renewal,” Amy Holcombe ’12, Dominican Republic “Sipi,” Charles Anderas ’10, Uganda “Mesa,” Trevor Mattos ’12, Togo “A Simple Smile,” Donald Andrews ’12, Beijing, China
as the winners of this year’s contest, may be viewed at gcgeophotocontest.blogspot.com Please also visit www.gorgon.edu/geo for more information about global programs at Gordon.
“La Boca,” Claire Kinnen ’09, Buenos Aires, Argentina