Realities
Realities magazine highlights just a few of the exciting things happening at LeTourneau University. There’s no way we could squeeze the whole LETU experience into just a few pages. So this is only a taste. There are lots of great things to see in this issue, though, including our crazy Fall Fest Air Band and a really exciting new program in nursing. But we’re starting out with a seriously cool trip to Africa. Since we can’t fit it all here, go to www.letu.edu/admissions to get all the details.
I never thought that I would get an opportunity like this when I came to LeTourneau last year. — Becca Westrup ‘12 College is an adventure. But broadening your horizons means more than just leaving home and going off to school. For LETU student Becca Westrup, that adventure found her sitting on the plains of Kenya interviewing native people in a groundbreaking study to learn the ways that culture influences visual literacy and how different cultures learn. And she did all this right after her freshman year. LeTourneau Empowering Global Solutions (LEGS) teams started traveling to Africa six years ago to fit student-designed prosthetic legs on patients there who couldn’t afford them. Students and faculty make up these teams. Over the course of six years, communication between our team and the African doctors was challenging at times. So this year, we began an entirely new mission: studying visual literacy with the native people of Senegal and Kenya.
“Along with three other team members, I was able to go on a safari in the Masai Mara (southwestern Kenya). On our way back to Kijabi from the safari, we visited and toured a Masai village. The tribesmen and women performed traditional dances and songs for us, then showed us the inside of their dung-huts, explained how the women make the huts, and displayed how to make fire with a knife, a stick and elephant dung.”
“While in Kijabi, our team went to a local, oneroom restaurant called Mama Chiku’s. We ate rice, beef, cabbage, and an assortment of other vegetables.”
“In Korr, a northern region of Kenya, we worked with the Rendille people. In this picture, I am in a woman’s hut, holding one of our literacy interviews with her. That particular exercise dealt with a puzzle, which was to assess a level of visual reorientation.”
Kenya Senegal
During our trip, we spent time in both Senegal, which is in West Africa, and Kenya, which is on the eastern side of the continent.
“The women on our team all bought Senegalese dresses. The woman fitting mine is actually the woman who made that dress. It was such a privilege to meet her, and it fit perfectly, as if it was made just for me. Senegal is a Muslim country and the women there wear dresses, so we had to as well.�
“The photo at right was taken during a literacy interview in Korr. The man sitting beside me was translating.”
“In Korr, we worked with a group of school children that meet under a tree in the middle of the desert. In this picture, LeTourneau professor Dr. Annie Olson is working with one of those children. A Rendille warrior, a camel herder, saw what we were doing and was curious. He approached this scene and was watching us work.”
“This picture at left is one of my favorites. The Rendille woman in the picture is incredible—a Christian, who invited us into her home (her hut), she shared with us her testimony as well as the sacrifices she makes to pray with other Christian women and to journey to a place where she learns to read and write. Every morning, she walks an hour in one direction from her home to meet with other women to pray and then would walk the hour back home. She then walks another two hours in the opposite direction to attend literacy training. She actually accepted Christ as her Savior through that literacy training program. Her testimony was so powerful and touched me in so many ways. I was so blessed to meet her.” — Becca Westrup ‘12 This journey was one of many that LeTourneu University LEGS program has made in the past 5 years. You can find out more about the program at:
www.legsresearch.org
Korean exchange
At LETU, we get that we’re part of a global community. That’s why we partner with Handong Global University, a private Christian four-year university in Pohang, South Korea, to broaden our students’ horizons through a semester exchange program. LETU students at Handong discover Korean culture, whether it’s a taste of Kimchi or a visit to the traditional Jukdo Market... and discover you can walk down the road to swim in the East Sea or hop on an overnight boat ride to Osaka, Japan.
Plus, Handong students get a glimpse of Texas life in Longview, from pine trees and Tex-Mex to the occasional rodeo. And both groups book quality time in the classroom and contribute to the richness of student life on campus, continents away from home. This year, the Korean exchange students presented a slice of their life at an LETU chapel service, where they performed traditional dances and a musical skit that told the story of the Bible from creation through the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ.
To watch this am
azing chapel se
rvice, go to: www.letu.edu/k oreanchapel
LETU: global As a part of LeTourneau University’s vision of going into Every Workplace and Every Nation, we have developed a Web page that shows how LETU students, faculty and alumni are making a difference around the world. College is more than the sum of classes that you take. It is the whole of the experiences you have during your time here. We think that you’ll have more fun in class here than at any other university, but at LETU, you will have opportunities that take you way outside the classroom. Check out what our peeps are doing around the world by going to:
www.letu.edu/global
Move-in day College @ LETU = the good life, starting on day one. Our campus is a solid community, and it will feel like home faster than you can call and say “Hi Mom, How exactly do you do laundry again?”. Step 1: Haul your stuff to campus. Step 2: Meet your floormates (aka: your new fam-away-from-fam). 3: Design the baddest room decor. 4: Fall in love with the all-you-can-eat set-up in the Corner Café. 5. Meet more cool friends (from every state and more than 22 nations). Hmmm... Need we say more?
Nursing / Health Sciences
LETU has teamed up with the University of Texas at Tyler to offer one amazing new degree program: Health Sciences – Nursing. Get this... You’ll graduate with two degrees — a Bachelor of Arts in Health Sciences (HSBA) from LETU and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from UT Tyler — in the time it takes most college students to knock out just one. Plus, you and your stethoscope will venture beyond borders on global-service learning experiences where your skills and compassion will collide and you’ll make a difference like you never imagined. Did we mention it’s pretty much a proven fact that a work wardrobe of scrubs equals at least 24 more minutes of sleep every morning? And you can forget sitting bored at a computer all day... When a clinic is your office and a bedside is your desk, you never know what one day will hold. Learn more at www.letu.edu/nursing. CAUTION: If you like science and people and you’re not interested in this degree... you might want to check your pulse.
*Note: Students may submit applications to LeTourneau University for the Bachelor of Arts in Health Science. Applicants will be notified of acceptance at the time of program approval by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
FALl fest / air band Fall Fest tradition is at the heart of LETU floor unity... and you better believe we take it seriously. Every year, our dorm floors get creative, plot a theme and spend a week challenging other floors at activities that have way less to do with fall and way more to do with fun. To wrap it up, each floor prepares a top-secret little something to one-up the other floors at Air Band on Friday night. Let’s just say, your sides will hurt from laughing so hard, and you probably want to start searching the Goodwill racks now to secure your own spifftastic get-up. (And we give you fair warning that it’s not unusual to see Princess Fiona or the Blues Brothers wandering around campus in the fall.)
Do a search on YouTube for “LeTourneau Fall Fest” and see what you get. Fun, huh?
Yellowjacket soccer
Wow. Check out the look on this dude’s face... Does it look like you want to mess with a YellowJacket? Clearly LETU students kick it in academics AND on the field. Soccer is just one of our 13 NCAA sports you can choose from here (not counting intramurals and spontaneous rounds of frisbee golf or cardboard sword fights). Score all the stats at www.letu.edu/athletics. Even if you aren’t sure what a cleat is but you can recite the periodic table of elements backwards, there’s a spot in the stands with your name on it. LETU fans are the paint-your-body, wave-the-flag, scream-til-your-throat-hurts type. And trust us, you’ll find more than enough to cheer for on our campus.
Photos of the Week
Robots are unpredictable. Sometimes they work exactly like you designed them to. Sometimes they don’t. Sometimes they destroy the local shopping mall in Saturday afternoon movies.
There’s no better viewpoint for seeing the real LETU than that of our students. So we challenged them to send us their snaps of what’s happening around campus and we’ve put them into a weekly slideshow. You should definitely check them out. Go to www.letu.edu/pow
At this point, none of the robots have gone on a wild rampage. That said, we are hearing good things about this semester’s engineering classes.
The photos on this page were shot by LETU students: Sean Grady, Jimmy Stewart, Maryanne Gobble and James Denton.
Best in the nation
There are trophies out there that don’t matter. (You know, the plastic feel-good “because you’re all winners” kind.) And then there are the Tiffany-designed, touched-by-famous-people, handsdown biggest-of-big-deal prizes. For college flight teams, it’s the Loening Trophy. And the latest taker engraved on its silver sides? LeTourneau University. Awarded at the annual NIFA (National Intercollegiate Flying Association) SAFECON competition, the Loening Trophy recognizes the single outstanding all-around collegiate aviation program in the nation. It’s based on aviation success and safety, as well as academic achievement and community involvement. And it goes wayyy back — Named after Dr. Grover Loening, aviation pioneer and first aeronautical engineer for the Wright Brothers, the trophy has been awarded since 1929, when Loening asked his friends, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, to join him in judging the first competition.
These pages shot by LETU flight student Eugene Sung
The Corner Cafe
Whatever you’re craving, you’ll find it in the Corner Café. It’s pretty much the coolest on-campus atmosphere to study, catch up with a friend or hang with your dorm floor... all while munching on the latest yummy spread. Our food service provider, Bon Appétit, whips up daily deliciousness from the freshest ingredients purchased with social responsibility and sustainability in mind. Your mom will love us for serving you veggies... but hey, if you want cereal and pb&j for dinner, have at it. To check out what our students are fueling up on this week, go to www.cafebonappetit.com/letu. We promise even the pickiest eaters can find something tasty.
Floor bonding
“These pictures are from the beginning of the school year - My floor, Flooders, and our sister floor, G3, played team-building games. We competed in a name game, did a Bible verse scramble puzzle, a Flooders vs. G3 slip and slide race and eventually, we had a shaving cream fight. The point of the night was for us new freshmen on the two floors to get to know each other.”
— Nathan Lowe, ‘13
Photos on this page shot by LETU student Nathan Lowe.
OuTCOME: Greg Poelman
Greg Poelman proved serious leadership skills during his time at LETU. After serving as student body president, he graduated with a business degree and was hired recently at IBM in New York. “LeTourneau University prepared me to take on any challenge I am faced with no matter how difficult. As an IBM consultant, I will be able to contribute right away to top-tier clients in a dynamic team environment. I will work on projects that help clients integrate strategy, process, technology and information to increase effectiveness, reduce costs and improve profit and shareholder value. I am excited to see how the Lord is going to use what I learned at LeTourneau to bless others while being an asset to IBM in everything I do.” — Greg Poelman, ‘09 Business Major
OuTCOME: Jordan Baumer
Jordan Baumer is writing her own ticket. After attending LETU for 4 years and meeting her husband at LeTourneau, they decided to pursue graduate school. When he was accepted to MIT, Jordan knew she’d need to find a law school in the Boston area. Now, after a year she’s sitting in the top 3% of her class at New England Law | Boston.
Photo on this page shot by LETU student Ned Funnell. Nap modeling by Blake Grundy.
nocturnal lifestyle
There is something going on 24/7 around here. So it’s important to get some sleep whenever possible. And hey, when you get up, grab a frosty cold Coke out of the fridgeezer. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up.
How to Apply For Admission LeTourneau’s Web site provides you with answers to questions about the application process and details about each of our 60 academic programs. To start your online application, create a username and password in MyLETU. Go to our Web site, www.letu.edu, and choose the MyLETU link from the home page. Once logged in, you’ll find the application under the “Application Process” link on the right side of the page. Please login to MyLETU regularly to see what items may still be missing from your admissions and financial aid files.
Here are some other resources you can use: Admissions Process: www.letu.edu/apply
Scholarships and Financial Aid:
Undergraduate Catalog: www.letu.edu/catalog
LETU Realities Magazine: www.letu.edu/realities
www.letu.edu/finaid
If you have additional questions about LeTourneau University, you can e-mail admissions@letu.edu or call 800-759-8811.
www.letu.edu/apply
the fine print Campus: LeTourneau University’s traditional 162-acre campus is located in Longview, Texas. Enrollment: Almost 3,400 students, including over 3,000 undergraduates and nearly 300 graduate students. Approximately 1,600 of these students attend classes at our Longview campus. Faculty: 70 full-time faculty; more than 76% of LeTourneau full-time faculty members hold a doctorate or the highest degree offered in their field.
Residence Halls: Living options are single-gender and include suites, loftable rooms, furnished apartments and three society houses for men. Each has cable TV and wireless Internet available in every living area. Athletics: LeTourneau University offers 13 varsity sports and is a member of the NCAA Division III in the American Southwest Conference. Honors: U.S. News & World Report regularly lists LeTourneau University in the top tier of Comprehensive Masters Level Universities
in the Western Region of the United States. In 2009, LETU’s aviation program won the rarest and oldest of all collegiate aviation awards — The Loening Trophy, which recognizes the most outstanding all-around collegiate aviation program in the nation. Technology: 100% of academic buildings and all residence halls on campus are wireless internet accessible. Our Students: from 50 states and 22 nations
Academic programs Aeronautical Science Aeronautical Science Mission Aviation Concentration Professional Flight Management Concentration Marketing Concentration Military Aviation Concentration Private Pilot Certificate Aircraft Systems Computer Science Concentration Design Technology Concentration Electronic Technology Concentration Technical Management Concentration Mechanical Technology Concentration Air Traffic Control AS Air Traffic Management BS Professional Flight Concentration
Arts and Sciences
Biblical Studies Biology (including Pre-Med) Chemistry Biological Concentration Physical Concentration Computer Information Systems Christian Ministry Cross Cultural Ministries Ministry Leadership Youth Ministry Computer Science Game Development Concentration Network Security Concentration Computer Science and Mathematics Computer Science Engineering Computer Science Engineering Tech Digital Writing Engineering Physics English Language and Literature Health Sciences - Nursing * History and Political Science Mathematics
Education
Applied Technology Education Business Administration Education English and Language Arts Education History Education
Interdisciplinary Studies BA, BS Early Childhood-4th Grade Certification 4-8 Cert/Lang Arts & Soc Studies 4-8 Cert/Math & Science Concentration 4-8 Certification Elementary Education Kinesiology Exercise Science Concentration Sports Management Concentration Sports Ministry Concrentration Life Sciences Education Math BS CompSci as Supp. Field Physics as Supp. Field Child Psychology Physical Sciences Education Psychology BA, BS Science and Biology Education Social Studies Education
Business
Accounting Business Administration BA, BS Design Tech Concentration Finance International Business BA, BS Management General Management Concentration Human Resource Concentration Industrial Mgmt Concentration Management Information Systems Marketing Ministry Management and Leadership
Engineering and Engineering Technology Engineering Biomedical Concentration Civil Concentration Computer Concentration Electrical Concentration Mechanical Concentration Materials Joining Concentration Engineering Technology Aeronautical Electrical Concentration Aeronautical Mechanical Concentration
Electrical Concentration Mechanical Concentration Materials Joining Concentration Design Technology
Minors
Accounting Applied Engineering Technology Applied Science Biology Biblical Studies Business Administration Chemistry Christian Ministry Computer Science Cross-Cultural Studies Design Technology AS Economics English Finance History-Political Science Kinesiology Leadership Management Marketing Materials Joining Mathematics Physics Professional Flight Psychology Spanish Studies * Students may submit applications to LeTourneau University for the Bachelor of Arts in Health Science. Applicants will be notified of acceptance at the time of program approval by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
For more information on any of our programs, go to: www.letu.edu
P.O. Box 7001, Longview, TX 75607 www.letu.edu
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