HELLO STRANGER Workplace collaboration and the liberal arts advantage

They’ll need a holistic skillset, says Eric Nord, chair of GU’s Department of Biology and Chemistry. “Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field that includes humanities as well as social sciences,” Nord says.

Presenters at the conference confirmed this. Karl Duchmann of Indiana’s Hoosier Environmental Council said writing and speaking skills help sustainability advocates gain the ear of local and state governments. They also draw from basic health classes to inform conversations they initiate with partners about healthy eating clinics and fresh food markets. Conference attendees agreed that event-planning and marketing skills helped them raise awareness about sustainability events. That’s useful information for Gabe as he seeks to grow GU’s ecology club this fall.

All of this means knowledge gained in “gen ed” courses won’t gather cobwebs once Darci, Sandrine, and Gabe join the workforce.

Sandrine, who hopes to work in environmental education or nature conservation in her home country of Rwanda, practiced one evergreen skill in real time at the conference: interpersonal communication. “It’s all about being able to form good relationships with different people,” says Sandrine, who networked with conference presenters and discovered potential job leads. “I think a well-rounded liberal arts education provides students with many skills that will help them be effective [environmental] advocates,” Nord says. F r o m l e f t t o ri g h t , G a b e , S a n d ri n e , a n d D a r c i , a l l r e c i p i e n t s o f d o n o r - f u n d e d s c h o l a r s h i p s . T h a n k y o u f o r g i v i n g .

Hello Stranger

W

Workplace collaboration and the liberal arts advantage By Rachel Heston-Davis

Collaborating with near strangers is part and parcel of any new job. Working with people different from yourself requires a measure of grace, too. Experience helps.

GU offered plenty of experience to Becca Winemiller ’17 and her classmate Bryson Buehrer ’17 on both counts.

Becca, Bryson, and three peers worked together on an Experience First team at GU. Experience First pairs students of different majors with business partners to solve real-world problems over the course of a semester. Asking two music business majors, one audio engineering student, a biology major, and a future P.E. teacher to help develop a new product might sound unusual. But these five students found their different skills complemented one another. One student excelled at organization and kept the group on task. One excelled at technology and managed videoconferencing with the group’s mentor. Becca used her natural mediation skills to give all team members an equal voice in the project.

“With Experience First, you’re put with people you really don’t know, and you have to figure out [how to] build a relationship that works,” Becca says. She and her teammates started as acquaintances and ended as a unified, productive force.

This mastery of cross-discipline collaboration spilled over into career success for Becca and Bryson. Becca,

O R K

now a high school P.E. teacher, must work with science faculty to align and document their departmental curriculums, even though their classroom activities and learning objectives differ. Bryson, meanwhile, puts his writing skills to work at Greenville-based Entertech Global, LLC. He collaborates with engineers to translate technical concepts into consumer-friendly terms. When it comes to marketing, his expertise complements theirs.

A wide knowledge base in the liberal arts makes GU graduates effective at reaching across disciplines. Like Bryson, today’s graduates can say, “That’s where I come in.”

101 CONFIDENCE Experience First, A Beginner’s Guide to “You’ve Got This”

By Rachel Heston-Davis

Clueless, thought Sam in response to the survey question.

How ready am I to launch a career? Yep, clueless.

Sam isn’t alone. In 2017, more than 32,000 students at 43 four-year institutions reported a crisis in confidence when it came to career-readiness.* Success requires confidence, but most students don’t know where to begin.

Enter Danara Moore; she knows where to start.

Moore, GU’s director of experiential education, imagined a class that teaches new college students how to shake hands and project confidence when they introduce themselves. She imagined students identifying and learning from role models early in their college careers. She imagined freshmen of different majors and backgrounds tackling projects together to learn “how I work” and “how you work” on a team.

Moore helped create GU’s Panther Preferred scholarship program, which selects students based on character, service, and academic determination. She then wrote the curriculum for the intro-tocollege course all Panther Scholars take their first semester. Last fall, 81 incoming Panther Scholars—61 freshmen and 20 transfers—completed the initial offering of “Intro to Experience First.” The result? A resounding success.

The young scholars learned much from assignments designed to build their selfawareness. One assignment had students read C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, in which a chief demon instructs a junior demon in how to tempt humans. Students then responded to the prompt, “How would Screwtape try to tempt you?” Weeks later, they wrote a rebuttal to “Screwtape” outlining what they had learned about their own temptations and how they would resist.

“I was blown away by how thoughtful and insightful they were.”

- Danara Moore

Another weekly assignment asked students to describe high points and low points from the week, inviting reflection on the kinds of things that bogged them down and the kinds of things that lifted them up.

Perhaps the most challenging assignment involved collaboration. Working in groups, students designed and executed service projects. One group initiated a coat drive for winter, one group volunteered at a senior center, and one group provided musical entertainment at a nursing home. Here, too, students learned about themselves and their adaptability. The senior center volunteers envisioned spending quality time with the seniors who utilize the facility, only to realize the staff wanted them to help clean the facility instead. They adapted with grace. The musical entertainment group put their own musical tastes aside and researched top songs from earlier decades to ensure a more enjoyable concert for senior attendees.

Moore saw the Panther Scholars’ personal growth as they presented the results of their projects at the University’s Common Day of Learning, and also in video projects filmed near semester’s end. Students recorded their musings on lessons learned over the semester and spoke messages to their “future selves” that they would revisit later. Many expressed growth in faith since beginning at GU. Their careful reflections exceeded Moore’s expectations.

Christmas break proved bittersweet for Moore as the inaugural group of Panther Scholars moved on from her class. But she watched them go, confident that they carried with them the tools to excel as lifelong learners, and as individuals.

*2017 College Student Survey, Strada Education Network, stradaeducation.org.

Zavier Shaw ’23, recipient of the donorfunded Panther Preferred Scholarship, says “Intro To Experience First” helped him forge friendships that “sharpen me like iron.” He expresses gratitude for the opportunity to meet fellow Panther Scholars and says he expects to rely on those friendships throughout his college career and beyond.

Thank you for giving.

Investment in technology

Rapid transition to online teaching & learning.

Telework & flex hours

Faculty & staff work from home.

Creative distance learning

Faculty & coaches innovate science labs, music lessons, and coaching sessions.

Worship together

Chapel & Vespers convene online.

COVID-19:

RAPID RESPONSE

GU leveraged resilience and creativity in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As of May 28, few cases have appeared in the county, and no cases have appeared on campus.

Student leaders sustain community

Games, events, and student meetings occur virtually.

Home away from home

Staff support selfisolating international students who cannot return to their homes.

Government relief

GU qualifies for assistance; reimburses students for unused room & board.

Care in Christ

Deacon’s Fund assists students with severe financial hardships.

HOMECOMING 2020 OCTOBER 16-18

Come home to GU! Friends, memories, and fun await you. Don’t miss:

Friday night’s Panther Palooza on College Avenue

The Panther 5K and kids’ races

A friendly tailgate lunch and Panther football

THIS YEAR ONLY!

GU’s Athletic Hall of Fame celebration Sunday Commencement for our 2020 graduates

View all events and register online at

www.greenville.edu/homecoming.

COACHES RECOGNIZED

Coaches in the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) voted GU’s Head Football Coach Robbie Schomaker Coach of the Year for 2019. e Panthers nished second in the UMAC; nine players received All Conference honors. Head Women’s Basketball Coach Roy Mulholland ’86

claimed distinction as the GU Lady Panthers’ winningest coach. A victory over Lincoln Christian University marked the 294th win of his 21 seasons as head coach. Prior record holder Phyllis Holmes ’61 won 293 games in 24 seasons from 1967-1991.

{CAMPUS NEWS }

G U r e c o r d - b r e a k e r C o a c h R o y M u l h o l l a n d

ORDAINING WOMEN CONFERENCE

Professor of eology Ben Wayman ’02 delivered a keynote address and facilitated workshop sessions at the 2020 Ordaining Women Conference in Madrid. Wayman’s updated and fully annotated version of B.T. Roberts’ Ordaining Women (Wipf and Stock; new edition, 2015) captures Roberts’ position that the ordination of women signals the world made new in Christ. Wayman serves as the James F. and Leona N. Andrews Chair in Christian Unity at GU.

ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME HONOREES ANNOUNCED

GU’s 2020 Hall of Fame class includes basketball and soccer standout Cole Johnson ’96; career record holder for soccer assists Rodney Malone ’01; multiple career and single-season record holder, basketball’s Amy (Brinkerho ’04) Aguilar; and two-time SLIAC player of the year, volleyball’s Jessica (Dothager ’11) Koele. GU will also induct Brian Patton ’88, head coach for Panther cross-country and track and eld, and the 2004-2006 men’s track and eld teams.

GU’S TERRELL CARTER AUTHORS BOOK ON THE CHURCH IN A POST-CHRISTIAN ERA

In his latest published work, Learning to Be the Church in a New World (Pinnacle Leadership Press, 2019), GU’s Vice President of Community Life Terrell Carter addresses challenges that face the church in the post-Christian era. ese include falling attendance, aging attendees, and sporadic attendance by younger generations whose spiritual connections often occur outside the traditional church. Carter looks at trends and possible solutions, reminding readers that choosing

faith brings hope.

CAPABILITIES EXPAND FOR ONLINE OFFERINGS

Two partnerships involving technology now enhance GU’s programming. One with Wiley Education Services allows GU to expand its online oerings and enhance student recruitment and retention, marketing and market research, transcript evaluation, tuition planning, instructional design, and faculty development. “Each of these areas is becoming more complex and requires great technical expertise,” says Dave Holden, dean of Graduate

and Adult Studies. GU has also partnered with not-for-prot TEL Library, provider of college-level courses and workforce training to broad audiences. TEL’s students include high school and homeschooled students completing university coursework. TEL Library instructors and courses satisfy GU standards and the standards of the Higher Learning Commission, GU’s accrediting body.

Beginning Fall 2020, GU students can access healthcare on campus. e University has converted one of its properties, the Myers House, into a clinic. A new student fee structure will cover students’ unlimited access to services including wellness checks, acute care, and physical exams. For additional charges, the clinic will also ll some prescriptions and provide lab work and immunizations. is clinic provides easier access to medical care for out-of-town students who face long wait times to become a “new patient” with local Greenville doctors.

ACCREDITATION TIMES TWO

Earlier this spring, Greenville University’s regional accrediting body, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), said that GU has met its accreditation requirements. e news came as part of GU’s regular 10-year accreditation cycle. Continued accreditation arms that GU provides the transforming educational experience it promises. Also, GU’s Briner School of Business received its rst ever accreditation from the International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE).

DOCTORATES EARNED: CONGRATS TO LAUGHLIN AND NAVA

GU’s Study Abroad Coordinator Faith Marie Nava, also professor of Language, Literature and Culture, received her doctorate in education administration from Bethel University (St. Paul, Minnesota). She titled her dissertation “Mathematics, Reading, and Student Learning of Hispanic Elementary Students in the State of Illinois.” Michael Laughlin ’99, department chair of Criminal Justice and Social Work, received a doctorate in public aairs with an emphasis in criminology and public policy from the University of MissouriColumbia. Laughlin titled his dissertation “Racial Disparity in Police Killings: An Analysis of 2014 United States Lethal Force Data.”

WILSON, LEADER OF LEADERS, BIDS FAREWELL

is year, GU’s Director of Choral Activities Professor Je Wilson also served as president of the Illinois American Choral Directors Association (ACDA). ACDA members teach choral music and

work with a wide range of ensembles in public and private schools, including colleges and universities. e 2019-2020 school year also marked Wilson’s last at GU. Beginning July 1, he will serve as director of choral activities with the Visual and Performing Arts Division at Fresno Pacic University.

Dr. Laughlin

Dr. Nava

ALUMNI NEWS

What’s New With You?

Submit your information online at greenville.edu/alumni.

1950s

Norma (Randlett ’49) and Bill ’50 Mullins celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on August 20, 2019.

1960s

1 Frank Spina ’65 retired in June 2019 as professor of Old Testament and biblical theology from Seattle Pacic University and Seattle Pacic Seminary. His 46-year tenure holds a place in Seattle Pacic’s history as the longest of any faculty, sta, or administrator in a continuously full-time position. 2157 N Josie Way, Meridian, ID, 83646. fspina@ spu.edu.

’70

REUNION YEAR

October 16-18, 2020

1980s

2 John Curry ’80, a member of GU’s Athletic Hall of Fame, returned to his alma mater on January 24 to inspire student athletes assembled for a special chapel in H.J. Long Gymnasium. Curry

delivered a message of hope for any competitor ghting against challenges and distractions.

3 Valerie Gin ’82 served on the steering committee for the 2nd Global Congress on Sport and Christianity held last fall at Calvin College. She presented research on the “Integration of Faith and Coaching at Christian Colleges and Universities.” e Christian Society for Kinesiology, Leisure and Sport Studies awarded her its 2019 Literary Award for Outstanding Scholarly Activity.

’85

REUNION YEAR

October 16-18, 2020

4 Gianetta Hamerly ’86 has written a book of essays and poems, Emperfect Emages (Page Publishing, 2019) under the pen name GK Frost. e book is available on Amazon. e title of the book purposefully misspells “imperfect images” to reect the limitations of the human mind in trying to grasp the glory of God.

After working at West Chicago High School since 1988, Paul McLeland ’86 retired from teaching PE and coaching track and eld. He still coaches cross

country at Marmion Academy while he and his wife Dru (Orcutt ’85) wait for God’s next adventure. coachpmac1@ gmail.com.

Donald Easton-Brooks ’88 received the 2019 Phillip C. Chinn Multicultural Book Award from the National Association for Multicultural Education. His recent book, Ethnic Matching: Academic Success of Students of Color (Rowman & Littleeld Publishers, 2019), provides teachers with insights and techniques to engage diverse learners.

1990s

William Peters ’93 serves as chief scientist at AerosourceH LLC and as principal of Cape Bioresearch Inc. 2159 Main St, West Barnstable, MA 02668. wpeters@capebioresearch.com.

’95

REUNION YEAR

October 16-18, 2020

5 Tyler Boyer ’96, adjunct GU professor and pastor at Knox Knolls Free Methodist Church (Springeld, Illinois), published ou My Best

1 5 2 3 4

ought (Ignite Press, 2019), available on freemethodistbooks.com. e book contains litanies for daily morning, noontime, and evening prayers and seasonal readings based on the lectionary. Boyer credits his GU education with giving him “the freedom to explore and learn how to pray the hours.”

2000s

After serving various schools as assistant principal and principal, Laura Parn ’02 now works as executive director of student services for Wentzville School District in Wentzville, Missouri. In 2019, the St. Louis Suburban Elementary Principals Association named her Exemplary New Principal. She also holds the 2012 Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching.

Sam Story ’03 guided his team to the rst winning season for girls’ varsity basketball in the history of University High School, a ten-year-old school in Orange County, Florida. e 2019-2020 season saw the varsity team nish 14-12 and break 13 school records. Sam, head coach for ve years, has accumulated the most wins for a coach in the school’s history. 1380 15th St, Orange City, FL, 32763. sstory1994@gmail.com.

Edna Hardaman ’04 recently published a book, Looking Back, Facing Forward (AuthorHouse 2019). “I am attempting to share with the world the most

important existence in our lives, in my opinion—making our moments blend together as family, friends, love, prayers, and faith—creating an unbreakable bond,” she says. e book is available at authorhouse.com or by special order through Barnes & Noble. Edna previously authored Entrance to Your Heart (AuthorHouse 2018).

Amanda (Landis ’06) and Evan Bridgford reside at 230 S. Monaco Parkway, Apt. E-702, Denver, CO, 80224.

6 Brandan Lemarr ’06 and Kaci Lueking MA ’16 received 2019 Emerson Excellence in Teaching Awards for their accomplishments in education. Each year, Emerson honors highachieving educators from the St. Louis metropolitan area who demonstrate outstanding commitment to education. Awardees represent all levels of instruction from kindergarten through college. Lueking earned her master’s in curriculum and instruction from GU and teaches rst grade at Wabash Elementary School in Foristell, Missouri. Lemarr completed his undergraduate degree in elementary education at GU and teaches seventh grade language arts and literature at Lewis and Clark Junior High School in Wood River, Illinois.

7 Avery ’09 and Rachel (Brown ’10) Watts, a daughter, Lily Grace, born December 1, 2019, in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.

Audra (Newby ’10) and Noah Clodfelter, a son, Owen James, born December 16, 2019. Older brother Micah joined in welcoming Owen home.

’10

REUNION YEAR

October 16-18, 2020

David Hanks ’11 serves as principal of Vienna Grade School District #55 in Vienna, Illinois. David holds a master’s in administration from McKendree University. He resides in Centralia, Illinois, with wife Sara and daughters Addison and Aftyn.

Josh Kuusisto ’14 now serves as head track and eld coach at University of Minnesota Morris. He and wife Ali (Potthast ’14) reside in Morris, Minnesota.

Kyle Anderson ’18 manages Atlas 46, a new textile manufacturer in Hillsboro, Illinois, part of the Montgomery County Growth Initiative. Atlas 46’s opening in Hillsboro marked the rst time in 90 years that a textile manufacturer has operated in Hillsboro. Atlas 46 plans to employ 40 workers in the Hillsboro location.

5 6 7

IN MEMORY

Irene (Groves ’37) Frank, age 102, died January 10, 2020, in Carthage, Tennessee. She worked as a secretary.

Beulah (Jacobson ’40) Allayaud, age 100, passed away November 30, 2019, in Godfrey, Illinois. She served as a schoolteacher and administrator.

Ellen (Barton ’44) Parmerter, age 97, died October 26, 2019, in Fort Meyers, Florida.

Rev. Samuel Hofer ’46, age 94, died September 28, 2019, in Mountain Home, Arkansas. He pastored in Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Nebraska.

Margaret (Bebermeyer ’46) Vahle, age 97, died May 12, 2019, in Warrenton, Missouri. She taught school.

Florence (Eisenmann ’49) Anderson, age 91, passed away March 27, 2019, in Milan, Michigan. She taught school, piano, and organ.

Angela (Marino ’50) Amorosi, age 91, passed away December 22, 2019, in Elmhurst, Illinois. She served as a schoolteacher and administrator.

Forrest Van Valin ’50, age 90, died August 5, 2019, in Grand Rapids, Michigan. A pastor, he later worked in vocational rehabilitation.

Mary (Kendle ’50) Wood, age 89, of Greencastle, Indiana, passed away January 18, 2020. She taught English for more than 25 years.

Verda (Langel ’51) Chappelear, age 89, passed away January 11, 2020, in Hillsboro, Illinois. She enjoyed gardening and cooking.

Maurice Schmollinger ’52, age 88, died February 16, 2020, in Greenville, Illinois. He taught high school business and drivers’ education and managed the Bond County eater.

Jennie (Long ’53) Bentley, age 91, died January 5, 2020, in Boone, Iowa. A schoolteacher, she later led various youth activities.

GU’s 1993 Distinguished Alumna Mary (Taylor ’53) Previte, age 87, passed away November 16, 2019, in Haddoneld, New Jersey. She spent part of her childhood in an internment camp during Japan’s World War II occupation of China. She later served in state government and headed a model youth reform program.

Rev. Frank Van Valin ’53, age 88, passed away January 11, 2020, in Pigeon, Michigan. He served local Free Methodist churches and the denomination.

Merlin Roth ’54, age 87, passed away December 7, 2019, in St. Ann, Missouri. He taught in Indiana high schools.

Rev. Jim ornton ’54, age 87, died November 12, 2019, in Hannibal, Missouri. He pastored for more than 42 years, including churches in Wisconsin, Kansas, and Missouri.

Charlotte (Nissly ’54) Young, age 87, died November 1, 2019, in Champaign, Illinois. A schoolteacher and then a fulltime homemaker, she led Bible studies and fellowship groups.

Rev. Herbert H. Coates ’55, age 90, passed away February 12, 2020, in Decatur, Illinois. Long-time pastor of Free Methodist churches, Coates served on GU’s Board of Trustees from 1968 to 2005.

Ronald Coash ’56, age 83, of Bourbonnais, Illinois, passed away February 22, 2020. A U.S. Army veteran, he retired from Federal Express.

Robert “Bob” Rose ’56, age 89, died February 5, 2020, in Saint Charles, Missouri. A Korean War-era paratrooper, he later served as a math teacher and guidance counselor.

Bonnie (Reed ’57) Bollman, age 102, died December 23, 2019, in Taylor Springs, Illinois. A schoolteacher, she instituted Career Night at Hillsboro High School and helped initiate the Montgomery County Cancer Association (MCCA).

Harold Walker Jones ’57, age 93, passed away January 17, 2020, in Engham, Illinois. He earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart for his World War II service with the U.S. Army. He later taught school.

Quentin Quiner ’58, age 89, died September 20, 2019, in Tucson, Arizona. A U.S. Army veteran, he later served as a social worker.

omas Anderson ’61, age 80, passed away February 6, 2020, in Lewes, Delaware. A U.S. Army veteran, he later served in banking and nance, auction services, and heavy equipment sales. Betty (Fretty ’62) Blue, age 78, died December 1, 2019, in Mesa, Arizona. She taught school for 35 years in Iowa and Michigan.

omas McKean ’63, age 83, died December 12, 2019, in Highland, Illinois. A U.S. Army veteran, he worked with Shell Oil. He owned and operated Illini Mobile Homes.

Joel Kimery ’65, age 74, died April 22, 2019, in Mattoon, Illinois. A U.S. Army veteran, he worked in public schools and in real estate. He operated numerous sports pubs and eating establishments.

Herschel Prater ’68, age 73, passed away December 24, 2019, in Maryville, Illinois. He taught school for 33 years.

Mary (Childers ’69) Roe, age 83, died May 3, 2019, in Judsonia, Arkansas. She taught school for 27 years.

Mary (Smith ’70) Eyman, age 88, passed away February 10, 2020, in Altamont, Illinois. She taught school for 32 years.

Family practitioner Dr. William Barnhart “Barney” Van Valin II ’76, age 67, died January 4, 2020, in Solvang, California. He attended medical school at Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara and played on Mexico’s national football team, placing third in the World Cup.

Joyce (Shore ’80) Gernetzke, age 59, passed away January 7, 2020, in Blue Springs, Missouri. Once a travel agent, she later worked for public schools.

Sherry (Purcell ’98) Derry, age 70, passed away July 10, 2019, in St. Louis, Missouri. She worked for more than 20 years with the Illinois Emergency Management Agency.

Lucy (Horstmann ’98) Wellen, age 62, died January 31, 2020, in Highland, Illinois. She served as an LPN and oce administrator.

William Lange ’12, age 30, died January 23, 2020, in Lake Saint Louis, Missouri. He coached college soccer.

Gretchen (Howard MAE ’16) Marks, age 40, died September 28, 2018, in St. Louis, Missouri. She taught school.

WHY I GIVE

We give to Greenville University because Greenville University has given so much to us and others over the years. We believe in its mission of developing students’ lives for character and service. This mission is much needed “salt and light” in a world that so desperately needs God’s truth. We give to Greenville University to help continue this great mission for future generations.

– Tyler ’06, MS ’12, and Jill Campo

It’s easy to support tomorrow’s students today through a will, trust, life insurance and/or gift annuity. To learn more, email Scott Giffen at scott.giffen@greenville.edu or call 618-664-6500.

Greenville University offers a transformational Christ-centered educational experience that empowers, enriches, and endures.