Harding University Magazine Fall 23 by HardingU

HARDING Around the World

FA L L 2023

WHAT’S INSIDE 1 2

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Athletes experience cultural exchange in Searcy and abroad.

SUCCESS

The Center for Professional Excellence prepares students for their next steps.

FROM CHINA TO ARKANSAS

Friends and College of Business Administration alumni from China decide to revisit their alma mater.

HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL MISSIONS Trace the history of Harding international missions back to their beginnings.

TRANSLATING STORIES, TRANSFORMING LIVES

The Center for Translation breaks down language barriers.

ADVENTURE OF A LIFETIME

GIVING BACK TO GUATEMALA

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SPORTS

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VIEWPOINT

Global impact

Students reflect on their study abroad experiences.

The story of Educating for Life

WHEN THE WORLD COMES TO US

German university students make their annual trek to Harding to learn more about America.

BE THE CHANGE

CONNECTIONS/PASSAGES

Alumnus Sokol Haxhiu establishes foundation to fight social injustice.

ON THE COVER HUE 18 @HARDINGU

HIZ 20 @HARDINGU

@HARDINGU

P H OTO S S U B M I T T E D B Y I N T E R N AT I O N A L P R O G R A M S T U D E N T S . I L LU S T R AT I O N S B Y I S TO C K . CO M / D I K O B R A Z I Y A N D TO D D K I L E S .

HULA 22 @HARDINGUNIVERSITY Students visit Patagonia during their time in the Latin America program.

GLOBAL IMPACT

P H OTO B Y J E F F M O N TG O M E R Y

ne hundred years ago our founders envisioned a school that was distinctly Christian. While they wished to educate young people by infusing biblical knowledge and scriptural principles into every course of study and daily life, their vision was for their particular communities. Many of them had already helped found other Christian colleges in Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee and continued to provide Christian education in some of the most rural areas of the country. As they endured the daily struggles of limited resources, I’m not sure they ever dreamed that this little school in the foothills of the Ozarks could have a truly global impact.

Today, Harding has more than 60,000 living alumni in all 50 states and 103 nations around the world. Our graduates are leaders in business, education, government, health care, churches and the arts. Our students take advantage of dozens of opportunities each year to travel across the United States and around the globe preaching the gospel, serving their neighbors, broadening their worldviews and communing with God’s creation. If you pack a Harding T-shirt in your suitcase, it’s difficult to travel anywhere without encountering someone with a connection to Searcy. That long tradition of shared experience and love for the Lord and his church binds together tens of thousands of Bisons all over the world. At Homecoming this year, we dedicated the new Holland-Waller Center, which houses both the Center for Translation (page 10) and the Swaid Institute for International Education. Dr. Swaid Swaid was an international student from 1969-73, and he understands very well the impact Harding has on students who study here as well as the life-enhancing experiences students have while studying abroad. The institute aspires to broaden global literacy and cultural understanding while enhancing students’ Christian worldview. As we look forward into Harding’s second century, we are dreaming big. Our founders may not have been able to imagine how broad and deep the influence of this unique community would be, but the stories in this magazine will show you how the Harding network spans the globe. But I believe we can do even more. We can send out even more compassionate business leaders, merciful educators, principled politicians, dedicated ministers and caring health care providers who will make positive changes in the lives of many. Let’s dream big for Harding’s future. Let’s change the world.

HARDING M A G A Z I N E

FALL 2023 | V O LU M E 31 | N U M B E R 2 P U B L I C AT I O N S D I R E C TO R

Todd Kiles, ’94

E D I TO R / W R I T E R

Hailey Pruitt, ’10 CO P Y E D I TO R S

Jennifer Hannigan, ’08 Luke Humphrey, ’20 SPORTS WRITER

Scott Goode, ’97

P H OTO G R A P H E R

Jeff Montgomery, ’91 VIDEOGRAPHER

Jake Ward, ’22

CO N T R I B U TO R S

David Collins, ’92 Joanna Crisco, ’97 Audra Pleasant, ’07 PRESIDENT

Mike Williams, ’85 A S S I S TA N T V I C E P R E S I D E N T F O R U N I V E R S I T Y CO M M U N I C AT I O N S AND MARKETING

Candice Moore, ’01

Harding is published twice a year by the Office of University Communications and Marketing for alumni, faculty, staff, parents and friends of the University. Editorial offices are located on the second floor of the David B. Burks American Heritage Building at 915 E. Market Ave., Searcy, Arkansas; 501-279-4316. Send address changes to Harding University 915 E. Market Ave. Box 12234 Searcy, AR 72149-5615. EMAIL

hardingmag@harding.edu WEBSITE

Alma mater, hail!

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WIDE WORLD OF

HARDING SPORTS For many former Harding students looking back on their time in college, some of their best memories are from traveling overseas. For Harding athletes, it is often difficult or impossible to take an entire semester away from their teams, so the University has provided other opportunities. In recent years, at least four Harding teams have made preseason trips overseas: men’s basketball, baseball, volleyball and most recently women’s soccer. In May 1998, the men’s basketball team traveled to El Salvador to put on clinics and teach the game to local players. Baseball went to Mision Para Cristo in Jinotega, Nicaragua, in December 2017 and played games against local teams. Harding’s volleyball team traveled to the Dominican Republic in Summer 2019 and is planning another trip next summer to Costa Rica. The most recent team to venture overseas was the women’s soccer team who spent two weeks in Greece over the summer in preparation for the 2023 season. The Bison Athletes in Training program is another opportunity for athletes to travel internationally. BAT is a condensed summer program designed for students who want to engage in offseason training while touring Europe. In Summer 2023, student-athletes traveled to Greece, Italy and Germany and participated in workouts in local gyms and on local fields. “The BAT program allows student-athletes who cannot be away from Searcy in the fall or spring, and might even be limited on the amount of time they can be away in the summer, to participate in these wonderful opportunities,” BAT leader Clay Beason said. P H OTO S U B M I T T E D B Y M E R E D I T H F E A R

In addition to travel, students gain cultural exchange experiences through relationships with international student-athletes. Alicia Rojas-Wolfe (’96), a native of Cinatario, Mexico, was the first women’s tennis player and the first international student-athlete inducted into the Harding Athletics Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2001. She was three-time All-Arkansas Intercollegiate Conference and was an NAIA All-American in 1995 after earning All-America Honorable Mention accolades the two previous seasons. 2

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In 2012, three more international student-athletes entered the Harding Athletics Hall of Fame. Janet Kogo CherobonBawcom (’05), a native of Kapsabet, Kenya, ran cross-country and track in the early 2000s. She was a two-time Gulf South Conference individual champion in cross-country and a twotime cross-country All-American. On the track, she won three national championships, two in the 5,000 meters and another in the 10,000 meters. In 2012, she became the first Harding athlete ever to compete in the Olympic Games placing 12th in the 10,000 meters in London. Another Kenya native, Jacob Rotich (’04), also entered the Hall of Fame in 2012. Rotich won two individual crosscountry conference championships and earned three All-America honors in cross-country. He won the national championship in the 10,000 meters in 2004. Also in that class was Mexico native Arturo Rodriguez (’98), the first international men’s tennis player enshrined. He was a two-time All-American in 1995 and 1997 and won 136 combined matches in singles and doubles. Two more international studentathletes entered the Hall of Fame in 2017. Manuela Nesheva Harris (’10), a native of Lukovit, Bulgaria, was an All-American in volleyball in 2007 and remains Harding’s career leader in kills and service aces. Kenyan Daniel Kirwa (’11) entered that year as well after earning 13 All-America honors and four national championships in track and field. In the most recent class, Harding inducted an all-time high four international student-athletes. Mexico native Guillermo Hernandez (’98) was Rodriguez’s doubles partner and a 1995 NAIA All-American Artur Kern (’07), a native of Poland, was the 2006 Gulf South Conference cross-country champion and a three-time cross-country

P H OTO S U B M I T T E D B Y S P O R T S I N F O R M AT I O N

All-American. Calister Uba ('99) ran the 100 meters for her native Nigeria at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics before coming to Harding. She was a six-time All-American and the 1997 NAIA outdoor 100-meter national champion and 1998 indoor NCAA II 55-meter national champion. Poland native Ewa Zaborowska (’16) was a six-time All-American in track and field and a three-time Academic All-American, winning the 2015 NCAA Elite 89 Award for the highest GPA at the 2015 indoor national meet. These international student-athletes represent hundreds of students from all over the world who study at Harding each year. They enhance the experience of the entire student body by sharing their cultures and learning from each other. Students’ worldviews expand as they build global relationships near the foothills of the Ozarks.

International student-athletes

by the numbers

countries represented in 2023-24

international student-athletes in 2023-24 > 11% student-athlete population

52 9

of the 18 teams have at least one

international student-athlete on the roster

international student-athletes in Harding's history have earned All-America honors international student-athletes inducted into Harding Athletics Hall of Fame so far FAL L 2 02 3 | H A R D I N G

SuccesS PREPARING STUDENTS FOR

the center for professional excellence

"Without the help of CPE, I would not have gained the confidence to network, communicate appropriately and apply for big things. Harding’s tight-knit environment allowed me to jump into leadership and receive help. You don’t get that opportunity at larger schools." Grace Winfree (’23) Tennessee Titans membership services department intern

of Harding graduates have secured professional outcomes within six months of graduation.

RESUME COUNSELING MOCK INTERVIEWS VIDEO INTERVIEW ROOMS HEADSHOTS

HANDSHAKE SOFTWARE TRAINING LINKEDIN TRAINING CAREER PLANNING

ALUMNI NETWORKING CAREER FAIRS PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE ADVICE AND LENDING One of the University’s greatest assets is its global network of more than 60,000 alumni, but that network extends beyond those who hold a Harding diploma. Members of the faculty, staff and administration have spent years cultivating 4

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professional relationships to leverage in support of students’ futures. At the heart of this network is the Center for Professional Excellence, which offers job fairs, resume assistance, mock interviews and grad school application support for students in any major.

“

go back

to Harding. From China to Arkansas In August, 2011 alumni Chen Fang (Aaron), Pan Changzhi (Vince), Hu Zhen (Willis) and Liang Haifeng (Donald) learned that their friends Lin Minghui (Will) and Huang Guofeng (Ty) were planning to visit from China. On a whim, one said, “We should all go back to Harding.” It sounded like such a great idea that they all spontaneously decided to fly to Arkansas and spend a few days at their alma mater. They found campus had grown in the last decade, but it still felt like home. They met with faculty mentors they now call friends and enjoyed sharing stories and memories from their college days. We were privileged to sit down with them for a few hours and learn what they’re doing now and how Harding has contributed to their success in business, friendship and life.

P H OTO S B Y J E F F M O N TG O M E R Y

“We should all Chen Fang (Aaron) (’11)

Bachelor’s degree in international business and accounting President of Precision Tool and Plastics

How did you learn about Harding? I grew up in Hunan Province in China. My school had a communication program with one year of college in China and three years at Harding, but I stayed at Harding for four years because I added a second major.

Describe your Harding experience. I chose Harding because I heard [Searcy] was a very safe city and a safe campus. I was a 17-year-old student coming to study abroad, and my English was not very good. This is a quiet campus, so I could really focus on my studies. I also enjoyed my time visiting a lot of other cities to see the diversity of American life. It was a very beneficial experience. I graduated 12 years ago, and I know a lot of people from different schools in big cities, but they don’t compare to right here.

What is it like to be back on campus with your friends? This is the place where we got to know each other. It’s very, very meaningful. When we arrived, my first impression was that it is much bigger. There are a lot more buildings, but it’s still very pretty. Being here makes us feel calm and quiet. Every day we’re in business, and we work sometimes 12 hours a day. Life is very busy, but I feel very quiet here. I have time to think about things I don’t always reflect on. I also met with my college advisor, Dr. Phil Brown. He’s always been very helpful both when I was a student and after I graduated. We connected on LinkedIn, and we met some of his students, too. A lot of them work at Walmart or other places in Northwest Arkansas, and I spend a lot of time there with my factory. For me, Harding is about meaningful relationships.

How have you been successful in business after graduating from Harding? For the past 12 years I have worked my way up in the company and have created a lot of new factories and added new business up to $100 million. We work with companies like Walmart, Target and Macy’s. I feel proud that I’ve built a new company using American accounting principles and knowledge of financial structures I learned here at Harding.

Tell us about your community and how you’re involved in giving back. I have lived in Los Angeles since I graduated. Even though I didn’t get baptized while I was at Harding, I did a few months later. I joined a church in LA more than 10 years ago, and what I learned there spiritually guides our family life. I have two daughters together with my wife. We give a lot of donations to the church and also donate to the local people in my hometown in China. We want to help whoever needs our help. FAL L 2 023 | H A R D I N G

P H OTO S B Y J E F F M O N TG O M E R Y

Pan Changzhi (Vince) (’11) Bachelor’s degree in finance and economics President of Cecelia Tech, Founder of Lucci Lu Inc.

How did you learn about Harding? The first thing I heard about Harding was at high school graduation when everybody was trying to figure out what college to go to. My first question was where to go: China, the U.S., or the United Kingdom. Guangdong University of Foreign Studies was at that time one of the best language colleges in China. They had a program working together with schools in the U.K., Australia, and the U.S. I’m a basketball fan, so, of course, I decided to go to the U.S. That program brought me to Harding, and I am still very grateful.

What was next for you after graduation? My first business was a fashion company selling formal wear wholesale — bridal dresses, high school prom, graduation, all of that — until 2020. When the pandemic hit, everything stopped. All of a sudden, everyone was looking for personal protective equipment like masks, wipes and hand sanitizer. I started catching up with all my dear friends in China. We’re all in different jobs: importing, sales, management, manufacturing. We said, “We have to 6

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step up to help.” In the U.S. there was a big shortage of masks, so we called Will and Ty in China to help us source all the materials and move the masks and wipes to the U.S. That’s how we got started in March 2020 with just a few friends. We did more than $140 million of business in eight months and distributed more than 10 billion masks within one year. We also donated containers of goods in Asia where communities really needed personal protective equipment in 2021 and 2022. Overall, this is great success for a company that really started from friends who met in college, but we were really thankful we were able to help so many people get what they needed.

What’s your favorite memory from Harding? There are too many. I remember so much laughter. But the biggest thing to me is that Harding really has a lot of great resources. When I was a student, George W. Bush came here to speak, and that was amazing to me. Also, Truett Cathy, the founder of Chick-fil-A came to speak, and I remember him talking about why Chick-fil-A isn’t open on Sunday. That was important for me to think about my life and my business. As a national chain they could be making so much more money by being open on Sunday, but they aren’t because of what they believe. These people are so different, and the kind of impact they have in business is still affecting me today.

Hu Zhen (Willis) (’11)

Bachelor’s degree in management Owner of Zen Language Solutions

Will, Ty, Aaron and Donald catch up with Dr. Allen Frazier, dean of the Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration.

What role does faith play in your business? At Harding, I learned the fundamentals and knowledge I needed in finance and economics. If you don’t know those fundamentals, you aren’t going to succeed. But that’s not the key to success. It’s really your mentality, and Harding is very different. If I had gone to any school in LA or New York, I think I would be a totally different person now. It’s about having strong fundamentals, having faith and believing what you’re doing is important. I might be bankrupt already if I didn’t have a strong faith. My managers and coworkers would say that I’m a very mentally strong person, and that’s how I succeed. I have faced a lot of challenges and failed many times in business, but we overcome the difficulties, we have faith and we keep going. So I think that’s the key.

Play Video

Lin Minghui (Will) (’11)

Bachelor’s degree in marketing Vice president of Shenzhen Bitmore Technology Ltd.

Huang Guofeng (Ty) (’11)

Bachelor’s degree in finance President of Shenzhen Bitmore Technology Ltd.

What’s it like to be back on campus this week with these friends? If I had to use just one word, it would be “amazing.” Lots of memories are popping back up. I sometimes think I don’t really remember anything that happened, but when we got back here, we knew where to go, and we ran into professors and other people we know. I think it’s amazing. I really appreciate Will and Ty for coming all the way from China to visit. It started as a joke, like “Hey, we should go back to Harding,” and then, we did. It’s been great to have so many memories and so much joy.

Liang Haifeng (Donald) (’11)

Master of Business Administration Real estate agent in Los Angeles FAL L 2 023 | H A R D I N G

HIGHLIGHTS FROM HARDING HISTORY OF

International Missions Sharing the gospel has been at the heart of Harding's mission for a century, and as we celebrate our centennial, we need your help to build this timeline. Please share your story of international missions with us at hardingmag@harding.edu.

1961 1963 1964 1965 1967 Harding hosts first World Mission Workshop, which became Global Missions Experience in 2010 following a transition to hands-on learning.

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Dean L.C. Sears leads students on the first international mission trip to Ediburgh, Scotland.

A group of students from Harding, Abilene Christian College and Oklahoma Christian College return to Ediburgh, Scotland.

Dr. Jimmy Allen, assistant professor of Bible, leads a group of students on a campaign to Brisbane, Australia.

Project Germany begins as Dr. Joe Hacker, chair of the Bible department, leads a group of preachers, professionals and Harding students to Frankfurt. They hosted a gospel meeting and vacation Bible school as well as conducting personal evangelism visits.

MISSION/PREPARE program begins with the goal of training and motivating missionaries. In the first year, 16 students declared a major in world missions, and 242 were involved in local evangelism. MISSION/PREPARE became the Center for World Missions in 1999.

Dwight Smith becomes College Church of Christ’s campus minister and, along with his wife, Barby, mentors thousands of students teaching them to live lives of service. Smith also partnered with Dr. Don Shackleford to plan various trips abroad and was named director of international campaigns in 1993.

Africa Summer Internship program begins. The program was designed to train and prepare students for long-term mission work with the goal of increasing the number of missionaries in Africa.

Romanian Missions program is launched by Dr. Budd Herbert, director of the Center for International Business. The team offered business training with a focus on Christian morals while establishing mission points and relationships in Eastern Europe.

The University’s seventh international program launches in Zambia. Located at the Namwianga Mission, this program focuses on health care missions.

1968 1981 1989 1995 2007

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Translating stories, transforming lives In 2013 Greg Taylor (’89) spent more author than a year researching and writing Lay Down Your Guns, a story about Dr. Amanda Madrid who established medical clinics in Honduras to serve a rural community and ultimately defended them against drug cartels and gang violence. Unfortunately, the very people whose story he worked so hard to tell could not read it in their native Spanish. Knowing he had spent years praying for someone to translate this work, Taylor’s daughter-in-law, Sidney Brandon (’20), brought the book to Michelle Holland, assistant professor of Spanish, and asked if there was someone in the department of foreign languages and international studies who could help.

as the project progressed, the student translators could fully understand the source text and consider figurative language and idioms as well as focus on a Honduran audience, which affects specific word choices.

own history and learn what great work Dr. Madrid did in their community,” she said. Tackwell plans to pursue a career in translation and interpretation and appreciates the hands-on experience she’s gaining through this project.

“Grammar is usually “I feel like this really benefits everybody,” Tackwell said. “We get to use the straightforward, but language we’re learning and really put it into practice, and Spanish speakers vocabulary can be varied, will be able to read this story in their own language.” so we have to think Through the Center for Translation, officially opened in September, about the implications of which students and faculty in the department of foreign languages and international choosing one word over studies provide translation and Holland began using the book as a interpreting services for the Harding translation exercise with Spanish and Searcy communities. They work the other, ” Holland said. majors in 2020. Around the same time, the University began exploring ways to highlight the arts on campus and serve the community. Holland’s graduate work in translation led her to propose the idea for the Center for Translation that would give students hands-on experience and also provide services for international students, missions groups and others in the community who are learning English as a second language.

I S TO C K . CO M / C Y B R A I N

As the plans for the center developed over the next couple of years, Holland knew it would provide more resources for fully translating Lay Down Your Guns. She reconnected with Taylor, and he was excited to move forward. With the ability to communicate with the

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“Mr. Taylor has a distinct writing style that is sometimes hard to match in Spanish, so we have to decide what to do with those sentences and expressions. Translation is rarely a literal exchange of words. We make changes, but then we make sure we haven’t changed his story.” This year, Spanish majors Chloe Elyse Dalrymple and Sierra Tackwell are working together, page by page, to translate faithfully this inspiring story. Dalrymple is a double major in Spanish and computer science and hopes to use her language skills in future mission work. “I think it’s important for the people in Honduras to be able to read about their

with academic documents, especially for Harding’s international students; medical clinic flyers; and documentation for disability services. Holland plans to expand the center’s reach in the next few years by connecting with local schools and businesses as well as medical providers. In addition to serving the community, students have opportunities to work with translation software and other techniques and strategies. The department also offers an 18-hour graduate certificate in translation designed for those who have strong language skills in Spanish or French and want to add value to their careers.

Adventure of a lifetime Each semester more than 350 students choose to study abroad at one of six international locations. These travel experiences transform the way they view themselves, their faith, their neighbors and the world we all share. Whether they’re snorkeling on the Great Barrier Reef, ordering gelato while speaking Italian or exploring the British Museum, they develop confidence and gain skills in critical thinking and cultural literacy. Traveling with dear friends and trusted faculty mentors helps create the adventure of a lifetime. In the following pages you’ll find student photos and reflections on valuable cultural experiences and lessons learned along the way. FAL L 2 02 023 3 | HARDING

Florence

Florence was first The first international location, Harding University in Florence, was established in Fall 1980. A 15th-century villa in Scandicci was purchased in 1984 and became a home away from home for many students.

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Kicked out of the Vatican

By Keely Chandler, nursing major, Spring 2023 On the day we went to the Vatican, my group spent the morning sightseeing in Rome. It was a beautiful day, and we shopped at an outdoor market before grabbing some pizza and hopping on a bus to meet everyone else at 2 p.m. We waited outside for a while and then went inside to get our headsets for the tour. We were all able to go our own ways, but my boyfriend, Jackson, and I like to stay together because we want to enjoy every piece of art we see. Van Gogh’s "Pieta" was surprisingly one of my favorite pieces. In all the other art galleries, we saw a lot of other works of Mary holding the crucified Jesus, but Van Gogh made this popular image his own with color. This tiny canvas was tucked away in the back of the museum, so many people skipped it, but I sat and looked at it for 20 minutes before having to peel myself away. Another piece I found extraordinary was Michelangelo’s "The Laocoon," which depicts the story of Laocoon and his sons being attacked by Athena’s snakes for interfering with the Trojan horse. I had to weave my way through the crowd to get close to the sculpture, and the agony and sadness on Laocoon's face are so clear. You can see that he knew he had doomed his sons to this terrible death. When we got to the end of the museum, the last thing we had to see

was Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, but we realized that no one from HUF was around because we had already been there for four hours. The guards said the museum was closing, so we ran into the chapel, but only five minutes later they started kicking people out. I stood there as long as I could until someone had to ask me to leave because I couldn’t believe what I was looking at. Tears started rolling down my face because I knew it would be a long time before I could return to this masterful piece of art. When we left, Jackson and I went to a pizza place to just sit and reflect on all that we had seen before taking a bus back to the hotel. I still cannot believe I got to stand only five feet from these astonishing pieces of art, and that is something I will be grateful for forever.

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Greece

It's all Greek Harding University in Greece is housed in a former hotel in the beach town of Porto Rafti. Students enjoy authentic Greek meals before hiking HUG mountain or strolling to the beach.

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The most valuable gift

By Theo Westbrook, Bible and ministry major, Fall 2022 The most valuable gift I received from my time at HUG was being immersed in others’ stories. We were scheduled to visit the Temple of Edfu, a site hidden among cramped buildings, dirt streets and trash heaps. It was practically impossible for any tour buses to operate within the city, but local vendors solved this problem by offering carriage rides from the river to the temple. Around 4 a.m. we were chauffeured to the sacred site where we beat the crowds and enjoyed ancient architecture, but my favorite memory from that day was what happened after our visit to Edfu. When we left, it was close to 7 a.m. Our carriage driver was in his teens, spoke no English and was covered in dirt. I sat cramped next to our director and one other, the three of us being jostled by roads made of dirt and trash. All around us buildings were falling apart. The corpses of cars laid on street corners, and piles of trash overflowed from the dumpsters into the streets. Amidst it all were not sad people with crying faces but happy people laughing and smiling. They lived

in the kind of conditions that would spark international aid, and many of the tourists were revolted by what they saw. However, the people of Edfu were capable of happiness despite their lack of abundance and abundance of lack. Watching them made me genuinely jealous. In America many are burdened with a dangerous affluence. It steals our ability to be grateful, see others and love life. I don’t want everyone to live on dirt streets or in crumbling buildings, but if people who do can learn to be joyful, we can, too.

Australasia

What is Australasia? At Harding University in Australasia — the region including Australia, New Zealand and neighboring islands — students also visit locations in Asia. Adventures include hiking, fishing, skydiving, bungee jumping and whitewater rafting.

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Transcending boundaries

By Ally Murphy, biochemistry major, Fall 2022 It was hot that day, but it was always hot in Thailand. We rode to the church in the backs of trucks lined with vinyl seats, and by the time we got there, I could feel sweat dripping down the backs of my knees. The church building was more like an apartment — no fancy stained glass windows or a steeple — just four concrete walls. We had to take off our shoes before we could go inside, and the room was small with light from the windows illuminating everything in a faint yellow. We settled into squeaky plastic chairs, and I remember feeling like we were being watched. We whispered amongst ourselves, anxious about being in an unfamiliar environment and feeling the pressure to conduct ourselves correctly. As the service started, the local missionary welcomed our group and explained he would be translating the service for us. I remember being disappointed that most of the beauty and nuance in the message would probably be lost in translation. As worship began, the projector switched to the lyrics of the song, and only the title was in English: “He Leadeth Me.” It was a song I had grown up singing out of a blue hymn book in my grandfather's church. The left side of the screen displayed the lyrics in

Thai, and the right side had phonetic syllables to show what the Thai words should sound like. The tempo was a little awkward, and I kept trying to sing the syllables at the same time as the English words I knew. Some of my phonetic translations weren’t right either, but by the time we got to the chorus, the rest of the group had started singing, too. I remember thinking that this was the closest I would ever be to experiencing the scene from Acts 2 as the apostles were filled with the Spirit and communicated the gospel to a crowd with various native languages. The walls between our cultures were stripped away note by note. I was barefoot. I was wearing a skirt. I stuck out like a sore thumb, but I was still worshiping the same God, singing the same songs and experiencing the same Spirit-filled moment. I’m sure one day I will forget what I was wearing, the VBS crafts and the squeaky chairs, but I know I will never forget the feeling of transcending cultural boundaries as we sang from our hearts alongside the people of Thailand.

Destinations not always visited.

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Europe

Exploring Europe Harding University in Europe students travel through many countries in Western Europe including England, Scotland, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Spain, and Portugal, as well as a cruise!

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Cultural connections

By Hunter Corker, interdisciplinary studies major, Fall 2022 One of the most memorable cultural experiences I had while studying abroad was the night a Sicilian musical group visited us in Florence, Italy. They played instruments and sang a few songs, and then they taught us Sicilian dances for one of the songs. The music was so joyful, and the dances were a group effort with many moving parts. It was fun to learn even though we messed up many times. There were many people at the villa besides the HUE group, which was fun but packed the classroom space full. It was warm, and we were all sweating by the end of the night. The music was very upbeat but different from what I had ever heard because of the fast pace and Italian singing. This was one of the best nights of the whole semester.

Our semester began in Iceland and ended in Germany, taking our group through 12 countries during the semester. I chose this program because I wanted to explore the different cultures within Europe and broaden my worldview. I was also able to build great relationships with the directors, and studying abroad helped me become more independent. I only knew a few people before studying abroad but was able to build good friendships that have continued to develop even in Searcy.

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Zambia

Into Africa Harding in Zambia students can earn a medical or health missions minor. At the Namwianga Mission they shadow health care providers, teach in schools and spend time at the children's home.

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A bond of love

By Ta’Mya Jones, elementary education major, Fall 2022 When I met the students at Nawianga Mission for the first time, I could tell that they were pretty nervous. As soon as I greeted them, they began to open up and ask us questions about America. It was great to see their responses and hear the intriguing questions they asked. I felt a sense of love and peace that was difficult to describe. You just had to be there to see their beautiful smiles. They were so respectful and engaging in conversation. As a future teacher, I was excited to see kids with excellent manners and undeniable love. I remember thinking there was no way these kids could be so young. One little girl asked if I could be her “play mom.” I was so honored even though I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I soon realized I just needed to

continue being intentional in building a relationship with her. She was so sweet, and I hope to meet her again one day. Even a year later, I still communicate with a few of them. They are always so excited to hear from me, and it warms my heart to know that we still share that bond of love more than 8,000 miles apart.

Latin America

Let's HULA! Based in a 19th-century mansion, El Castillo, Harding University in Latin America focuses on culture, history and the Spanish language. Students visit Easter Island, Machu Picchu, the Amazon rainforest and more.

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Beyond the language barrier

By Halina Hunt, accounting major, Spring 2023 It was a crisp morning as we woke up in the gracious homes of Quechua families. When we had arrived the day before, we knew only that it might be cold, and we would have to rely on the little Spanish we knew to communicate. I don’t think we understood how special it would be to spend 24 hours with these families. Even though our first languages did not match, we still felt connected through the warm meals they so kindly served us and the smiles we shared. Of course, there were some uncomfortable moments not knowing how to communicate, but that made it more special. Their homes were filled with the smells of meals made with love from recipes that had been passed down through many generations. On our first day they led us through the city of Coporaque down to the river accompanied by the local dogs, of course. On our short walk we saw the grand beauty Colca Valley offers surrounded by green pastures filled with tall grass and cows and horses roaming the land. It was truly breathtaking, and I wanted to take in everything I saw, smelled and felt. The next day we learned so much about hospitality and the value of community through the breakfast we got to enjoy because of the early morning labor of our house mom. We had fresh bread with butter, a traditional quinoa drink and fruit. Later they taught us how they share with their community. Their culture is less focused on money, and instead

they share and take care of one another. We milked cows, picked lima beans, and dug up purple potatoes. Then we ventured over to some open land as the men used a traditional method of cooking with the heat of the earth. We relaxed in the sun and played with baby llamas and alpacas. When lunch was ready, we all gathered around and ate together. We just enjoyed each other’s presence as they took the time to serve all 28 students and teach us the wisdom of their way of life. It was an opportunity to slow down and recognize that there is so much diversity in the world. They choose to live in community and sacrifice for one another. They loved us even though we did not know much about their culture or lives or even their language. FAL L 2 02 3 | H A R D I N G

ALUMNI TOURS

Celebrating 100 years of Harding around the world! Are you ready for a grand international adventure? Choose from one of four alumni tours in 2024 as part of our Centennial Celebration.

Australia — June 1-13, 2024 Pam Little, director of the Harding University in Australasia program, welcomes you to Australia for a tour of Sydney and Cairns. You will have the option to add an additional tour of New Zealand.

Egypt — June 4-14, 2024

(Currently full with a waiting list) Visit Egypt, the land of the pharaohs, and study alongside students enrolled in the Harding University in Greece program with directors Daniel and Meagan Adams. Dr. Khaled Nabil Osman, an Egyptologist, tour guide and longtime friend of Harding, will be your guide through the rich history of his home country.

Iceland — Aug. 15-22, 2024 Travel with Harding University in Europe directors Lauren and Tyler Knight for 10 days by bus along the southern coast of Iceland.

Greece — Sept. 13-20, 2024 Live the life of a student at Harding University in Greece, which is housed in the Artemis, a former hotel in the Mediterranean beach town of Porto Rafti just outside of Athens. Enjoy visiting Athens, Corinth, Delphi and Meteora with the option to extend your stay for a Greek island cruise. If you have any questions about Harding’s centennial alumni tours, please contact the Office of International Programs at international@harding.edu or 501-279-4529.

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IT TAKES A VILLA t a Harding Bisons basketball game in 1979, Dr. Don Shackelford sat down next to President Clifton L. Ganus Jr. to share his idea for an international studies program in Florence, Italy. The Florence Bible School was about to close, and Shackelford suggested that Harding could secure the use of their facilities for a low price. In Fall 1980, the very first group of Harding students and faculty traveled to Florence to study for a semester in

the Tuscan hills. In 1984, the Villa in Scandicci became the headquarters for HUF and has served as a home away from home for hundreds of students, faculty and alumni in the last four decades. Shackelford had already been directing international campaigns in Italy throughout the 1970s, and he dreamed that more young adults would travel the world, experience diverse cultures, learn from the history and philosophy of others,

view the creative nature of humans in the arts and architecture, and grow closer to God. In the years that followed, Harding expanded international program offerings to include locations in Australasia, Europe, Greece, Latin America and Zambia. Hundreds of students each year choose to study abroad with faculty mentors and friends, and the skills they learn and memories they make are priceless.

As you remember your own adventures studying abroad, you can help make it possible for future Harding students to have their own life-changing experiences. To give to the Shackelford Family Scholarship Fund for International Programs, visit harding.edu/academics/study-abroad/donate.

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PA I N T I N G B Y R O B E R T S H A C K E L F O R D

giving back to

Mario Torres Herrera (back right) joins current Educating for Life students at one of their meetings.

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ario Torres Herrera (’00) grew up in rural Guatemala where educational opportunities were scarce. His father never learned to read or write, and his options for work were very limited leaving the family in extreme poverty. When Herrera was only 7 years old, he ran away from home to live on the streets of Guatemala City for several months. He eventually ended up in an orphanage called Mi Casa run by John Wetterer, a Vietnam War veteran known as Tio Juan. There Herrera learned to read and write and later finished high school with basic English and computer programming skills.

He worked as a computer programmer in Guatemala City and continued to pursue opportunities to further his education. He applied for the Walton International Scholarship Program and was selected to interview with Dr. Nicky Boyd, then director of the program, at a local hotel. There he saw other candidates with more advanced English skills and believed he did not have a chance. However, English was not the only skill being considered, and Herrera was awarded H A R D I N G | FA L L 2 023

the Walton International Scholarship in August 1996. “During my first year at Harding, I learned quite a bit about serving others,” Herrera said. “I think that’s the spirit of the University.” As a freshman, he also read Sam Walton’s autobiography, Made in America. Walton traveled to Central America and saw the devastating effects of war and poverty and decided to create a scholarship program to give something back out of his own success. Herrera was inspired by Walton’s attitude and decided the best way to show gratitude for his education was to look for an opportunity to serve. He knew the obstacles children in Central America faced that prevented their access to education, and he wanted to do something to help. During his second year on campus, Herrera started a student organization called Educating for Life to raise funds for students in the rural town of San Antonio El Organo, Guatemala. The group organized a school supply drive, and University students donated hundreds of shoeboxes full of pencils, crayons, toys and handwritten notes for the children. In the summer of 1997, they visited Guatemala and learned that one of the challenges the children faced was

“During my first year at Harding, I learned quite a bit about serving others,” Herrera said.

walking up a mountain for more than an hour each day to get to school. Members of the community had secured donations from a local charity for a new facility, but they did not have any land on which to build. In partnership with Educating for Life, the Walton Family Foundation donated funds to purchase the land. University students in Educating for Life — primarily Walton Scholars — continued to visit every year to build relationships with the Guatemalans and teach them about health, spirituality, education, sports and democratic civic values.

“Sometimes we talk about global impact, but what’s important is the impact that you can make in the life of at least one other person,” Herrera said. “If you help one child finish school, you’re not just helping him. You’re impacting his whole family and sometimes the whole community.” Today, Educating for Life continues to support the same goals Herrera envisioned more than 20 years ago. Senior Luis Zelaya, the club’s development director, is committed to doing what they can to break the cycle of poverty. “Sometimes it’s really hard for [children in Guatemala] to continue studying, but if they see there are people supporting them, they are incentivized to continue,” Zelaya said. “Certainly education can be a powerful tool for them to succeed in life.”

Their annual campus fundraisers include sticker sales and chocobanana booths. The grand event of the year, Latin Fest, celebrates the cultures of each country in Central America and Mexico with cuisine, clothing, dances and other traditional customs. “Everyone puts so much heart into Latin Fest,” junior social media director Ana Melo said. “When it all comes together, it’s a beautiful cultural representation of all the countries.” The values of service and gratitude continued to characterize Herrera’s life after graduating in 2000. He worked as an information technology manager for BBDO Guatemala, but after two years he decided to move to El Quiche, Guatemala, to help introduce information technology to rural schools through a project funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. He then spent 10 years with the Cooperative for Education expanding computer centers from four to more than 40 around the country. This organization now serves more than 11,000 students each week. Herrera understands firsthand the transformative power of education. “The gift of an education is for life, and it transcends generations,” he said. “My children are already enjoying better opportunities in life as a direct result of the scholarship given to me by the Walton family.” Decades of Walton Scholars and other University students have been involved in Educating for Life, and as they learn to keep giving back, even more lives will be blessed.

Mario Torres Herrera embraces friend John Wetterer, also known as Tio Juan. Wetterer ran the orphanage where Herrera grew up. FAL L 2 02 3 | H A R D I N G

The Global Impact of American Studies

he School of American Studies began at Harding in 1952 with the goal of training tomorrow’s leaders by engaging with American history, politics, government, business and economics. Those efforts continue today in the American Studies Institute, which challenges students to explore the ideas that help shape the United States. Across the globe universities offer American studies programs, and many provide exchange and study abroad opportunities as Dr. John Richard Duke, executive director of ASI and professor of history, well understands. Duke taught at Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany, from 2006-14 where he created a study abroad program for their American studies department. In 2013, with the support of several faculty members, Duke founded the American Studies Summer School for the Obama Institute for Transnational American Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University-Mainz. This three-week academic experience — which has become one of the staples of the JGU exchange programs — hopes to inspire students as they engage in the study of Southern literature, civil rights, and the history of food and music in the American South. With assistance from

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colleagues in Mainz, Duke hosts around 20 students in Searcy each year. In addition to classroom study, the group visits several sites like Little Rock Central, the Clinton Presidential Center and Mountain View’s Ozark Folk Center as well as spending time in people’s homes and enjoying the nature Arkansas offers.

“The summer school program creates relationships that extend beyond cultures and nationalities,” Duke said. “We try to welcome these students in the same way that colleagues and friends welcomed me when I lived in Germany.” The program culminates with an educational trip throughout the American South visiting sites such as the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee; William Faulkner’s home and the University of Mississippi in Oxford, Mississippi; and the Mississippi Civil Rights Museum in Jackson, Mississippi; as well as sites in Montgomery, Tuskegee, Selma and Birmingham, Alabama. The trip concludes with stops in Nashville, Tennessee, and Washington, D.C. Along the way professors, guides and

American Studies Summer School students visit Jackson Square in New Orleans (left); Sun Studios in Memphis, Tennessee (middle); and Rowan Oak in Oxford, Mississippi (right).

specialists provide insights that create significant experiential learning opportunities for students.

“... As a future teacher, I will always remember this trip when I teach about the Civil Rights Movement,” Leah Schaefer said. “It feels quite different knowing that I have been to all the places so that I can show pictures I took myself to my future classes.”

of Mississippi, Tuskegee University and Fisk University, local experts and scholars engage with students while many alumni also participate in the program as hosts, experts and guides.

Another future teacher, Makda Getahun, was grateful for the “... meetings with people who have not only been a part of history but had their hand in writing it.”

Programs like the American Studies Summer School and leaders like Duke who are committed to pursuing academic scholarship on an international scale continue to build connections between institutes across the globe. In November, Duke joined colleagues from Mainz in a panel discussion on “Communities of Care” at the American Studies Association annual meeting in Montreal. The panel also included representatives from Stanford University, Columbia University, Kennesaw State University, Peking University in China and National Sun Yat-sen University in Taiwan.

To further enhance the experience, Duke partners with professional colleagues and several Harding alumni. At the University of Arkansas, Arkansas State University, the University

Thousands of scholars around the world are committed to teaching and researching in the fields associated with American Studies, demonstrating its truly global significance.

"To read about history in a textbook and experience its impact by speaking to the people who experienced it firsthand are two very different things," Pia Richter said. ... "Speaking to witnesses such as Jerry Mitchell and Hezekiah Watkins has left an impression on me."

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Be the change Sokol Haxhiu establishes foundation to fight social injustice

Haxhiu in the House of Commons in the Palace of Westminster in London

“The education I received at Harding was the foundation of my entire educational process,” Haxhiu says. “It helped me look more holistically at the various systematic problems in the world and prepared me to contribute toward providing relevant solutions.” Haxhiu graduated from Harding with a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2000 and went on to earn a master’s degree in telecommunications 30

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In 2018, Haxhiu established the Westminster Foundation for Democracy office in Albania. As director he worked closely with political and civil leaders in Albania and beyond to encourage a new generation of politicians to be more accountable to their voters and fight against corruption and social injustice. In the midst of political polarization, WFD created a Youth Cross Party Platform to empower young people to use their voices within their political parties and engage more closely with their communities. Haxhiu serves as the country director for Development Alternatives Inc. implementing the Critical Infrastructure Digitalization and Resilience program

with the U.S Agency for International Development’s Bureau for Europe and Eurasia. These organizations work together to assess cybersecurity gaps and priorities and make recommendations for improvement. Haxhiu’s efforts continue as he works to contribute toward various social and political developments in the country, assisting and empowering institutions and individuals to be the change that will transform Albania into a more democratic society and support those who continue to face injustice.

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t may be difficult to know whether the work we do to share the gospel and expand the kingdom is actually making a difference, but Dr. Russ Burcham’s choice to pursue mission work in Albania changed the life of a young Sokol Haxhiu. Burcham served as a member of Harding’s board of trustees for more than 30 years, and when he met Haxhiu, he chose to invest in this teenager’s life. He made it possible for Haxhiu to attend Harding and helped expand his vision for what he could do with his skills and his life.

management from Oklahoma State University in 2002 as well as earning certificates in federalism and decentralization from University of Fribourg in Switzerland in 2012 and in advanced legal studies from University of London in 2019. Haxhiu returned to Albania because he wanted to contribute to the development and democratic transition of the country and to strengthen the local church. In the last two decades he has worked with various international development organizations such as the United Nations and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation. His work has contributed to large-scale reforms in decentralization, regional development education and the digitalization of government services. He and his wife, Stela, have two daughters, Deliza and Kristel Bora, and are members of Tirana (Albania) Church of Christ.

CONNECTIONS 1974 Doug Killgore is a national board certified master athletic administrator and certified international athletic administrator who spent 20 years as activities director and assistant principal at Central Arkansas Christian Schools in North Little Rock, Arkansas. He is now a paraprofessional in special education for Springfield (Missouri) Public Schools. He has received the National Federation of State High School Associations Citation and the National Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association State Award of Merit and was named Arkansas’ Athletic Director of the Year in 2007. He is a 2018 member of the Arkansas High School Athletic Administrators Association’s Hall of Fame and a 2018 recipient of the NIAAA’s Thomas E. Frederick Award of Excellence. He was inducted into the NIAAA Hall of Fame in 2020. He and his wife, Sheila, have been married for 42 years.

Elizabeth is the payroll and benefits coordinator for Mitchell Williams Law Firm in Little Rock, Arkansas. They have two other children and reside in Maumelle, Arkansas.

1984 Kim Kessler-Holt is a 2022 AARP Oklahoma Andrus Award Finalist. She served as a family caregiver in the Eastern Oklahoma Development District Area Agency on Aging caregiver program. She speaks at caregiver conferences and is involved in weekly online support groups offering experienced advice to members of the Alzheimer’s disease and dementia caregivers support group.

2011 Tim (’12) and Jeanne Jones Landuyt announce the birth of a son, Ethan Matthew, on June 6. Tim is a business operations analyst at U.S. Bank, and Jeanne is a homemaker. They have two other children, Millie and Wesley, and reside in St. Louis, Missouri.

2001 Lisa Wilson married Jason Willman on Nov. 6, 2021. Lisa is a certified financial paraplanner qualified professional and client services manager at Good Life Financial Advisors in Reading, Pennsylvania. Jason is a machinist at Jabil Inc.

2007 Andrea Thornton married Jeffrey Sjerven on Sept. 3 in St. Louis, Missouri. Drew Taylor was promoted to senior vice president and chief business officer at AgHeritage Farm Credit Services in Little Rock, Arkansas. He also is a member of the executive leadership team overseeing the association's information technology, business enablement and compliance areas. He began his career at AgHeritage in 1996. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Arkansas at Monticello and a Master of Business Administration from Harding University. He and his wife live in Sherwood, Arkansas.

2012 Stephanie Boling married Charles Michael Dobbins III on April 10. Stephanie is a social studies teacher and department chair. Charles is a security supervisor. The couple resides in Columbus, Ohio.

Ashley Shelton was named senior director of government and public affairs for the Railway Supply Institute in Washington, D.C. following more than a decade of service on Capitol 2003 Hill. She lives in Northern Virginia and Joe and Elizabeth Bresnahan announce worships at the Church of Christ in the birth of a son, Oliver Scott, on Feb. Falls Church. 28. Joe is video director at Fellowship Bible Church in Little Rock, Arkansas.

2014 Weston Gentry graduated orthopedic residency from University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in 2023. He will complete a one-year fellowship in sports medicine at Mississippi Sports Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Jackson, Mississippi.

PASSAGES Mildred Horne Groover (’50), 94, of Beebe, Arkansas, died Dec. 31, 2022. She taught business and social studies at Harding Academy in Searcy for many years before retiring in 1991. She also worked in the office at Camp Wyldewood. She was preceded in death by her husband of 53 years, Hugh (’50), and a daughter, Dena Leasure (’75). She is survived by her daughter, Penny Petway (’73); four grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Howard Glenn Boyd (’52), 92, of Searcy, died Dec. 13, 2022. He received a Zertifikat in German Language from the University of Heidelberg, a master’s in missiology from Fuller Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Missiology from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. In 1958, he and his wife, Shirley, moved to Karlsruhe, Germany, to become missionaries. In 1966, they moved to Heidelberg where he served as director of the Pepperdine Year in Europe program. He taught German at Pepperdine University and established the Heidelberg Bible School. In 1981, the family moved to Searcy where he served as president of the African Christian Hospital foundation, now International Health Care FDN, until his retirement in 2000. He was a member of College Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his first wife of 58 years, Shirley Pegan (’52). He was survived by his second wife of 10 years, Betty McDaniel (’59) who died Dec. 25, 2022; his children, Janet Reinhardt, John and Jay (’90); his stepsons, Steve (’76), Larry (’74) and Mike (’90); six grandchildren; five step-grandchildren; seven greatgrandchildren; and five step great-grandchildren.

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William M. Curry Jr. (’53), 94, of Albany, Oregon, died Dec. 16, 2022. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Air Force having served during World War II. He earned a degree from Evangelical Lutheran Theological Seminary in 1970. He was a founding board member of Ohio Valley University. He served as a minister and preacher with churches of Christ and was a missionary to Nigeria from 1962-67. He was preceded in death by his wife of 56 years, Mary Lou Johnson (’54). Kent William Rollmann (’53), 92, of Searcy, died July 29. He obtained a master’s degree from the University of Oklahoma. He worked for Phillips Petroleum as a research chemist obtaining seven patents in the area of synthetic rubber and plastics. He loved building and flying model airplanes. He served as a deacon for many years with the Limestone Church of Christ in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. He was preceded in death by his son, Timothy. He was survived by his wife of 68 years, Norma Lou Hamilton (’53), who died Aug. 4; a daughter, Kristy Shelton (’80); and two grandchildren. Norma Lou Hamilton Rollmann (’53), 92, of Searcy, died Aug. 4. She worked for Bartlesville (Oklahoma) Public Schools as a substitute teacher and secretary at Ranch Heights Elementary and as the registrar at Madison Junior High and Sooner High School before retiring as the principal’s secretary at Sooner High in 1990. She loved teaching children’s and ladies’ Bible classes and planting seeds in the kingdom for countless generations. She was a member of Associated Women for Harding, now Women for Harding, where she received the Worthy Woman award in 2009. She was a member of West Side Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years, Kent (’53); and her son, Timothy. She is survived by her daughter, Kristy Shelton (’80); and two grandchildren. Betty Sue McDaniel Davis Boyd (’59), 92, of Searcy, died Dec. 25, 2022. She moved with her first husband, Ken Davis, to Harding College in 1953. The couple toured with Belles and Beaux as part of various USO tours. After Ken’s retirement in 1988, they spent three years 32

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working with churches in Romania. Ken passed away in 2005, and in 2012, Betty married Glenn Boyd. She was a member of College Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her first husband of 54 years, Ken (’42); her second husband, Glenn (’52); and a son, Byron (’81). She is survived by her sons, Steve (’76), Larry (’74) and Mike (’90); stepchildren, Janet Reinhardt, John and Jay (’90); five grandchildren; six step-grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and seven step great-grandchildren. Robert Lee Mills (’60), 90, of Ormond Beach, Florida, died April 17. After high school, he enlisted in the Army’s 82nd Airborne. His unit was scheduled to fight in the Korean Conflict, but when they arrived at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the diplomats were in peace talks. Mills was in the 82nd Airborne Division’s 504 PIR until his honorable discharge in 1956. After graduating from Harding, he moved to Maryland where he worked as a master carpenter constructing custom-built houses with his older brother, Louie. He went on to work as construction superintendent for M. Leo Storch Developer with whom he was employed for 28 years. He then co-owned Glenn Dale Business Park and quietly acquired properties for an industrial park for Cabot, Cabot & Forbes. He also held a real estate license and was halfowner of Forget-Me-Not Florist in Bowie, Maryland. He was an active member of the church of Christ, serving as a deacon, elder and Bible class teacher. He served as a Cub Scout Webelos leader, Cub Master, and Boy Scout merit badge counselor. He was a member of Harding University’s President’s Council, served as chaplain of the Greater Daytona Chapter Inc.’s 82nd Airborne Division Association, and was a member of the Maryland Club in Daytona Beach. He is survived by his wife of 65 years, Shelby Bryant (’58); sons Lewis (’80), Chip (’81), Mark and Scott (’84); 13 grandchildren; and 24 great-grandchildren. Patricia Sutherlin McRee (’60), 85, of Oviedo, Florida, died April 25. After graduating from Harding, she taught home economics at Melbourne (Florida) High School. She was an Army wife, homemaker, nutritionist and volunteer. In 1988, she was honored with the

Commander’s Award for Public Service for exceptional community service in the military community. She was preceded in death by her husband, Col. Marshall R. McRee. She is survived by her daughters, Tracy Wellington (’85), and Stephanie Williams; and four grandchildren. Ervin Odean Parker (’63), 82, of Danville, Arkansas, died Feb. 21. He received a master’s degree in counseling from the University of Arkansas and was girls basketball coach at Hermitage (Arkansas) High School for two years, high school counselor at County Line (Arkansas) High School for two years, and a counselor for Arkansas Rehabilitation Services. He worked at Danville State Bank, now Chambers Bank, from 1971-1996. He was a member of the Danville Church of Christ where he served as elder, treasurer and Bible teacher. He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Jerrie, and a daughter, Erin. Janet Sommer Prior (’65), 80, of Imperial, Nebraska, died July 5. After graduation, she taught school in Onawa, Iowa, and Loveland, Colorado. She taught sewing to 4-H clubs in Chase County, Nebraska, served as parent representative to the Nebraska State 4-H Council, and was a member of the local and regional University of Nebraska Extension Board. She is survived by her husband, Merlin (’66); two children, Rex and Annette French (’95); two siblings, Sandra Sheldon and Richard Sommer; and four grandchildren. Ruth Ann Selby Farrar (’65), 79, of Clarksville, Arkansas, died July 18, 2022. She taught home economics at three schools including the Arkansas School for the Deaf. She taught Sunday school and was a member of Mount Vernon Church of Christ. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends, visiting the forests and mountains of the Ozark Mountains, cheering on the Arkansas Razorbacks and Harding Bisons, and cooking. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Paul (’63); two daughters, Rebecca Dawdy (’93) and Sylvia Hiatt (’00); and nine grandchildren. Boyce Arnett (’66), 78, of Searcy, died Aug. 29. He graduated from the Arkansas School of Pharmacy in 1967 and began a

PASSAGES 45-year career at Headlee Drugstore in Newport, Arkansas. In 1974, he purchased Medical Center Pharmacy in Searcy and served the local community until selling the business in 2009. He was a board member for Camp Wyldewood, board chairman for Long-Term Advanced Care Hospital, a sponsor for Kappa Sigma social club and a long time member of the Arkansas Pharmacy Association. He was a member of Downtown Church of Christ for nearly 50 years serving as teacher, deacon and elder. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Mary Ann Holder (’67); two children, Jan Vance (’95) and Jon (’92); a sister, Brenda Garcia; seven grandchildren; and a great-grandchild. James Terry Brumley (’72), 72, of Columbus, Mississippi, died March 28. He was the former operator of Brumley Sporting Goods where he treasured his time working with his father who founded the business in 1975. He also owned two businesses: Columbus Mat Company and Bush’s Service Center, having most recently retired from Trim Joist in 2021. He was a well-known coach at West Point (Mississippi) High School and Tupelo (Mississippi) High School where he also taught history and driver’s education. During his coaching career, he helped design the baseball field where Tupelo High School still plays. He served as assistant scoutmaster of local Troop 3 and was a member of Caledonia Church of Christ. He was preceded in death by his brother, Michael (’85). He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Ellen Potter (’71); children James “Jamey” (’97) and Mary Ellen (’08); a brother, Jo Reed; and three grandchildren.

Association for Marriage and Family Therapy and the American Association of Christian Counselors and was appointed to serve two terms on the Kentucky Licensure Board of Marriage and Family Therapy. He was a member of Lone Oak Church of Christ, served as a deacon and later as an elder, and was involved in mission work in Honduras and the youth retreat. He is survived by his wife of 41 years, Laura Lynne Mathis; a daughter, Mallory (’09); two sons, Micah (’07) and Miles (’14); and a sister, Mareica Marshal. Suzie Morgan Billingsley (’81), 64, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, died Aug. 3 from cancer. She worked for Newman’s Oil Valves and was a preschool teacher at Kids Kare. She was a member of the 29th and Yale Church of Christ. She is survived by her husband of 44 years, Brent (’81); and three daughters, Megan, Brenda and Wendy.

and managed her own catering business serving visiting dignitaries and celebrities who visited the Harding campus. She was a charter member of Associated Women for Harding, now Women for Harding, receiving the organization’s lifetime achievement award. A cookbook featuring her many recipes was published in 2014. She was a longtime member of West Side Church of Christ. She was preceded in death by her husband of 64 years, John, and a daughter, Martina Peacock (’72). She is survived by her children, Mona, Daniel Thompson (’75) and Cam (’79); a sister, Sheila Nowell; eight grandchildren; and 24 great grandchildren. Remembering a visionary

Darwin Isaac Romero Membreno (’05), 40, of San Salvador, El Salvador, died April 14. He attended Harding as part of the Walton International Max Aubel (’21), 23, of Addieville, Scholarship Program. He Illinois, died June 6 from cancer. He studied strategic project served as minister at Griffithville management at the Haas (Arkansas) Church of Christ and the School of Business at the University of Longmont (Colorado) Church of Christ. California Berkeley and was accepted into He is survived by his wife, Hannah the Owners and Presidents Management Harris; his parents, Bryan and Patty Program at Harvard University Business Aubel; a brother, Will; and grandparents School in 2019. He began his career David and Jo Ann Aubel, Barb and Larry with TACA Airlines working for the Weik, and Joe and Cheryl Urban. strategic development group led by Bain Michelle Len Taylor (’23), 21, of Fort & Company Directors. He later served Worth, Texas, died Aug. 9. She graduated as product manager for Latin America from Harding with a degree in social at Dell Inc. in Argentina and Brazil and science with teacher licensure and had also worked for UNICOMER Group. He moved to Alaska to teach middle and high founded Applaudo Studios, a software school students. She was preceded in development company, in 2013; LUUK, death by grandparents, Eva “DG” Gentry a regional e-commerce platform, in and Bill and Arzelia “Susie” Taylor. She 2020; and OnLife, a digital pharmacy, in is survived by her parents, Mark and Jan; 2021. He and his business partner, Jose Stephen Lavelle Kent (’76), 69, of Giammattei, were named Businessmen of Indianapolis, Indiana, died June 7. While siblings David, Jonathan and Summer; a grandfather, Joe Gentry; and greatthe Year in 2022 by Derecho y Negocios at Harding, he played basketball. He grandmother, Freda Gentry. Magazine and received the Palma de Oro, received his master’s degree from Indiana the highest honorary recognition given University. He is survived by his wife of Charlene Knight Prock, 92, of Searcy, by Camarasal, the chamber of commerce 47 years, Donna Bates (’75); three sons, died Aug. 2. When her husband became and industry of El Salvador. He was also David, Aaron and Adam; siblings David, Harding’s head football coach in 1963, she recognized as one of the Most Admired Twyla Lamb, Joy Lucas and Charles; and embraced her role as a football wife and Businessmen in Central America in 2022 seven grandchildren. surrogate mother to homesick athletes. by Estrategia y Negocios Magazine. She worked in the Office of Student Life Roger Dale Thompson (’76), 68, of He was a member of the Vida Nueva as administrative assistant to the dean Paducah, Kentucky, died Dec. 15, 2022. Baptist Church where he served as group and was a chapel seat checker. She was He was a licensed marriage and family leader of the marriage ministry and the known for her culinary skills winning therapist and founder and director of Institute for Ministerial Development. the Arkansas State Poultry Cooking The Christian Counseling Center for 35 He is survived by his wife, Nancy Huezo years. He was a member of the American Queen competition in 1976. She owned de Romero, and three children, Ariana, Mateo and Isabella. FAL L 2 02 3 | H A R D I N G

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