ACCENT
MidAmerica Nazarene University
Summer 2015
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.�
FROM THE PRESIDENT
The More Excellent Way One of the four themes in MNU’s “Building Foundations” strategic plan is delivering excellence. In addition to our Christ-centered mission and commitment to the ministry of the local church, we are pursuing academic excellence based on a passion for continuous improvement and quality service. I Peter 4:10 reads, “Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.” In short, God challenges us to be all in, give it all we’ve got, and be fully committed in our service to Him as individuals and in our service to others. This challenge to pursue excellence does not have a landing place or idle zone, but compels us to keep moving, reaching higher to grow stronger in wisdom and knowledge as we continuously reset the standards of achievement. Paul's writings called us to pursue “a more excellent way.” In doing so he challenged us to seek maturity in our spiritual journey with Christ, but also to use whatever gifts we have received in a most excellent way. We challenge our students to apply their gifts and talents to pursue excellence in all they do. But there is much more to this challenge than mere accomplishment and desire to succeed. The substance of our challenge is summarized in an old hymn that defines the passion and purpose that fuels our pursuit of excellence.
“Give of your best to the Master; Give of the strength of your youth.” These words continue to challenge us to be excellent in everything we do; to dedicate and present our accomplishments as our gifts of praise to our Lord. Throughout this publication you will read about a host of accomplishments that give evidence of a commitment to excellence. Behind these accomplishments you will find evidence of sacrifice, purpose and a passion to press on we call Pioneer Spirit.
Dr. David J. Spittal President
Volume 39, Number 1 MANAGING MANAGING EDITOR EDITOR Carol (Knight '81, Carol (Knight '81, MAMA '08)'08) BestBest CONTRIBUTING CONTRIBUTING EDITOR EDITOR Kim (Suderman '05) Campbell Kim (Suderman, '05) Campbell
ART AND DESIGN CONTRIBUTORS Josh Chad Jenkins Klekamp ('10) Kelly Lawler Sarah Wacker (’15) ('11)
Kathleen Brewer, PhD, ARNP PHOTOGRAPHERS Jillian Marsh
CONTRIBUTORS April (Loomis '96) Hansen Rachel Phelps ('09)
02 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
Jen Christenson ('07) Josh Klekamp ('10) Josh McCullock
by MidAmerica ART AND DESIGNAccent is published PHOTOGRAPHERS Nazarene University and mailed free to Daniel Hawkins ('06) Daniel Hawkins ('06) alumni, friends andVidetich supporters of MNU. It Kelly (Lawler '11) Chesley Dan is produced for University Advancement by Jeremy Hoffpauir Britney Lewis ('16) the MNU Marketing and Communications Pete Brumbaugh ('90, MBA '04) Lindsay Willmer Office. Postage is Smith paid at Olathe, Kan., and Jim additional mailing offices. Glenda Jones Nick Allen News or comments: accent@mnu.edu Drew Smith
TABLE OF CONTENTS
The MNU Experience
04
Four alums share where their degree has taken them
04
14
Campus News
08
Reimagining Technology
11
Comprehensive campus update begins
Finding Joy Amid Suffering The blessing of a mission trip
The President's Honors
12
14
Photo gallery
Longest Serving Full-time Faculty Member Retires
18
Dr. Larry Fine, professor, mentor, friend
18
20
Accent is published by MidAmerica Nazarene University and mailed free to alumni, friends and supporters of MNU. It is produced for University Advancement by the MNU Marketing and Communications Office. Postage is paid at Olathe, Kan., and additional mailing offices.
46th Annual Commencement
20
Photo gallery
Athletics
22
Alumni News
32
News or comments: accent@mnu.edu
» View galleries of photos and even more stories online at www.mnu.edu/accent. HELPFUL LINKS
ACCEN T
STAY CONNECTED On The Cover
This quote about is often Message www.mnu.edu/alumni 02excellence President’s University attributed to Aristotle. It is actually a Nazarene ric me dA Mi www.mnu.edu/give 06 Campus News from Will Durant in his book The Story www.mnu.edu/student-referral Faculty News of Philosophy, in13 which he discusses (Undergrad) 20 Athletics Aristotle’s writing on excellence. www.mnu.edu/referral 22 Advancing MNU (Grad & Adult) 24 Alumni News Summer 201
do. t we repeatedly habit.” “We are wha but a , is not an act Excellence, then
5
ARTICLES HELPFUL LINKS 04 The MNU Experience www.mnu.edu/alumni 10 Why I Teach www.mnu.edu/give 14 Commencement www.mnu.edu/newsroom 17 Student Profile www.mnusports.com 18 With Purpose
03 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
THE MNU EXPERIENCE
Where will an education from MNU take you? Well, anywhere really. These alums are living their dreams—their careers and their lives—all influenced by the MNU experience.
KORI RIENBOLT FUN FACT Runs 5Ks and has completed her first sprint triathlon.
By Jillian Marsh and Carol Knight (’81, MAOA ’08) Best
Chasing Her Dreams It’s not often someone credits a phone call with being a stand-out moment of their success. But for Kori Rienbolt (’13), biology major, the call confirming her acceptance to the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Dentistry was exactly that. “It was a goal that I had been working toward throughout undergrad, and being accepted into such a competitive program was a huge accomplishment,” she recalls. “I attribute all of my success to my parents and my faith. It 04 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
has definitely not been an easy journey, but my family was always there to encourage me, and God gave me the strength to keep on chasing after my dreams when I felt like they were out of reach.” Fast forward to today—Rienbolt is in her second year of the four-year Doctorate of Dental Surgery program at UMKC. “A day in the life of an average dental student would involve lectures or lab periods from 8 to 5 and then hopefully dinner and some form of exercise
before heading back to the lab in the evening to work on projects or studying until you can’t keep your eyes open,” she says. “Then you wake up and repeat.” It’s a strenuous path but one she’s been dreaming of since her own middle-school braces. “I enjoy the challenges and am thankful for my prior education (at MNU), which enables me to keep reaching my goals,” Rienbolt adds.
ARTICLE TITLE
Inspired to Serve During an MNU graduation ceremony, a young man stepped on stage. He took his oath of office for the U.S. Marine Corps. The audience was moved— expressing so in a standing ovation. But a 15-year-old boy was moved to something more. Capt. Sam Smith, RN (’09) was the boy in the audience that day. During the moment of standing applause Smith knew he wanted to follow in the young lieutenant’s footsteps. So after high school Smith enrolled at MNU and made the football team, all while being an active ROTC member. While Smith’s initial aspirations were of combat and leading on the front lines, God’s plans were different. After joining the Army National Guard to help pay his way through school, Smith discovered he was color blind. Faced with the choice of becoming a clerk or a combat medic, Smith chose the latter— discovering his passion for medicine during basic training. “I applied for the nursing program at MNU and never looked back,” he recalls. Smith is now a nurse at San Antonio Military Medical Center, which has doubled in size since his arrival. He has assisted in opening a new unit, was one of only six nurses selected to apply for the White House Nurse position and one of only five Army nurses selected to attend nurse anesthetist school last summer—the top program in the United States. One can imagine the young man who inspired Sam all those years ago would be moved by Smith’s story. And proud. Incredibly proud.
SAM SMITH
FUN FACT Joined Residence Hall Government at MNU just to meet the organization’s president. It worked! She’s now his wife.
ADRIEN PIERCY FUN FACT Piercy says she is addicted to list making
Loving the Law Adrien Piercy, JD (’10) is an attorney with Bever Dye, LC, in Wichita, Kansas. But before that she was a marketing major at MNU. She was actually Marketing Student of the Year in 2007. Piercy says being a lawyer is much different than what is portrayed on TV. She deals primarily with transactional (contracts, advising) work rather than litigation. She knew early on she wanted to work with estate planning. And since she received the CALI Award for Estate Planning: Practice—she 06 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
had the highest score of the entire law school class—she was probably on the right track. After interning with Bever Dye, LC, and before entering her third year of law school, she was offered her current job, an accomplishment that made her last year that much easier. “Law school is hard,” admits Piercy, who attributes her success to God, her husband, her family and her professors at MNU. “My professors were so much more than professors—that sounds cliché, but it’s hard to even put into words.
They’ve been mentors, they’ve been friends.” They were the ones she went to with career questions, life questions and everything in between. They helped her discover what she wanted to do, find internships, and even attended her law school graduation with her family. “The real life guidance and relationships. That’s way more than you think you’re paying for when you write a tuition check for sure,” she adds.
Always More To Learn For Paul Luce, RN, MBA, MSN, FACHE (MSN ’12), a rekindled love for the profession of nursing was a surprising outcome of his MNU experience. After all, he is a third-generation RN and has been director of patient care at Miami County Medical Center (MCMC). Luce says he still had much to learn to enhance his career and performance. “I was so impressed with the graduate faculty in the School of Nursing,” Luce says. “They helped me be well prepared for the changes we’re facing in the health care industry, and the issues we studied were current and relevant to the practice of nursing.” Luce credits earning his Master of Science in Nursing with helping him
become vice president for operations at MCMC in 2013. Luce has administrative responsibility for all clinical activities and operational oversight at the medical center. “I am focused on providing excellent patient care with every action I take. ‘Are patients safe, are they getting the best, current, evidenced-based care, and are we providing patients with more than they expect when they come to the hospital?’ My education at MNU enhanced my ability to help provide leadership and direction to the team of professionals at MCMC.” Miami County Medical Center has the awards to prove that it is meeting its goal. In April, MCMC was the only Kansas City metro-area acute-care hospital to achieve a 5-star rating from
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and HealthGrade. “This success has been aided tremendously by my own education at MNU and the MNU education received by many, many members of the staff at MCMC,” Luce says. Why did he choose MNU? Several reasons, Luce says. In fact, strong recommendations from coworkers helped him decide on MNU. Now, so many of his MCMC team have attended MNU he says he has lost count. “MNU had the best program for my needs with a focus on nursing education, the best scheduling options and the mission and Christ-centered purpose that was important to me,” he says.
PAUL LUCE FUN FACT Luce’s family boasts a combined 99 years of nursing in Kansas.
So what about you? Send your story about where your MNU degree has taken you by emailing 07 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015 accent@mnu.edu.
CAMPUS NEWS
S C H O O L O F P R O F E S S I O N A L & G R A D U AT E S T U D I E S
School of Professional and Graduate Studies Created Launching this year is a new unit to streamline recruiting, admissions and student services for MNU’s accelerated degree and graduate programs. The School of Professional and Graduate Studies (SPGS) is the gateway for programs that expand the mission, reach, and impact of MNU to working adults and professionals.
New programs launching this fall include an online MBA for students who want to earn the credential at a distance and a dual MBA/MSN degree program (see page 24). This first-ever dual degree program features a blended delivery (online and on ground) format and allows students to earn both degrees in two years.
This initiative recognizes MNU’s long-standing success in the realm of adult and graduate education and supports ambitious new goals for the future, including the launch of new programs and increased enrollment.
“As we grow our new academic programs, we increase MNU’s missional reach and impact, and create a stronger brand for the university,” says Mark Ford, Ed.D, J.D., ('87) vice provost and dean for the School of Professional and Graduate Studies. “The creation of this School will result in higher enrollment, higher student satisfaction and greater retention. All these aspects support goals in MNU’s strategic plan."
In addition to implementing a new marketing strategy and advertising campaign, SPGS is generating awareness for these programs by creating strong community relationships, offering military discounts, and establishing agreements with local and regional employers.
2014-15 New Adult Student Enrollment By Academic Area In programs ranging from associate to postgraduate
6%
School of Nursing and Health Science
10%
School of Business
14%
45%
School of Behavioral Sciences & Counseling School of Education
25%
08 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
College of Liberal Arts & Sciences
9th Annual MLK Community Celebration MNU honored its Martin Luther King Leader Scholars at the 9th Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Community Celebration January 20. The students receive scholarships based on their campus leadership, commitment to diversity and community service and scholarship. The scholars (left to right) are Micah McEwan; Rachel Gall; Rico McKay;
Sydney Shamley; Chris Powers, coordinator for diversity and cultural competency; Jazmine Parra-Navarro; Shelton (Apollo) McCullough and Estela Gingerich. The speaker, Olathe resident Bob Shands, related the story of his father the Rev. O. Norman Shands, posthumous recipient of the MLK Living Legacy Award and key figure
in the peaceful desegregation of the Atlanta Public Schools in the early 1960s. Many local organizations sponsored the event, including the City of Olathe, Olathe Medical Center, Sprint Foundation, Johnson County NAACP and the Global Ministry Center of the Church of the Nazarene.
Center for Games and Learning Launches at MNU What do games in the classroom do for learning? Nine faculty members from disciplines including religion, education, economics, English, history and physics researched the idea by utilizing at least one game in their courses last semester. In partnership with MNU’s newly established Center for Games and Learning, they investigated the connection between gameplay and learning and will present their findings at conferences and through articles submitted for publication. The Center is also presenting a conference on games and learning at MNU in July. Through this research, MNU is setting itself apart as a pioneer in the area of games and learning, according to Lauren Hays, MLS, instructional and research librarian. The published articles will be some of the first written for the undergraduate learning context.
learning. While the activity of the Center focuses on games used within curriculum, Project Co-director Mark Hayse ('88), PhD, says there is a recreational component as well. Game nights have become regular events at the library and the community is invited. More information is available at www.mnu.edu/games.
The Center for Games and Learning at MidAmerica Nazarene University is made possible by a grant from the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services; grant number (SP-02-14-0038-14).
An additional Carnegie-Whitney grant from the American Library Association is allowing project staff to create an online bibliography about tabletop games and
09 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
CAMPUS NEWS
Agreement Assists Community College Transfers MNU and the other private universities and community colleges in Kansas have created a global reverse transfer agreement. The agreement is expected to significantly boost the number of Kansans who earn at least an associate’s degree, which has been linked to higher lifetime incomes, lower unemployment, better health outcomes and increased community involvement. Any student who earns at least 45 credit hours from a Kansas community college or two-year private college and then transfers to MNU, may choose to take advantage of the global reverse transfer agreement. At the end of each academic year, MNU will send the transcripts of qualified students back to their most recent Kansas community college. If the student(s) has completed the relevant and sufficient credit hours at the private, nonprofit college, the community college then mails the student his or her associate’s degree.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, annual median incomes for associate’s degree holders are $2,600 higher than those with some college but no degree and $6,500 more than those with only a high school diploma. The unemployment rate among associate’s degree holders is also 1.6 percent lower than for those with some college but no degree and 2.1 percent lower than those with only a high school diploma. “We’re very pleased with this agreement which will allow MNU to be of even greater service to our students,” says Dr. Mary Jones, provost. “The added benefit of transferring their MNU credit back to the community college will result in more degrees earned, while students continue progress toward a bachelor’s degree. It’s a win for the students and the community.” The agreement goes into effect in the 2015-2016 academic year.
CAMPUS NEWS
Campus Technology Benefits from Benefactor's Network By Carol Knight (’81, MAOA ’08) Best In the world of computer network infrastructure, 20 years is more than a lifetime. Limited resources have kept the university from replacing its network on the Olathe campus until this year when funds from a $10 million Federal Title III grant made it possible to begin work on a long overdue upgrade.
Chad and Jeannie Williams, shown at this year's President's Honors dinner. Through a special gift of time and intellectual resources, the network is not just being replaced. It’s being completely reimagined by a group of MNU IT professionals, outside experts and a network of internationally known technology gurus put together by Chad Williams, chairman and CEO of Quality Technology Services (QTS). Williams attended MNU and his contacts in the telecommunications industry are globally known experts—his company is a leader in the infrastructure industry with a coast-to-coast portfolio of 12 data centers. According to Jon North (’92, MBA ’94), vice president for university advancement, the team has developed plans for a “world-class network backbone that is future-proofed and yet can be completed in the most economical way possible. Chad Williams has helped us to dream beyond what would be adequate for today and instead create a plan to provide for the technology needs of our campus for years to come,” North says. The work begins with new fiber optic lines installed this summer by K & W Underground. “Installation of this new fiber ring will provide the bandwidth we need for the next 15 to 20 years, maybe even longer,” says Mark Leinwetter, IT services manager at MNU.
At the same time, in phase two of the project, the network infrastructure is being redesigned. “This is an extensive upgrade,” Leinwetter says. “It’s a new local area network design that’s flexible, scalable and includes new hardware and software that will work hand-in-hand with the new fiber optics. It allows MNU to utilize the latest in technology advancements. The before–andafter scenario of this comprehensive upgrade will be remarkable. Our students will have the best available technology experience not only in the classrooms, but also in the residence halls.” The fiber optics installation project begins this summer, closely followed by the network infrastructure upgrade. Implementation of a new telephone communications platform across the entire footprint of the university is planned for phase three of the project.
The new system includes: • New fiber-optic cable throughout the primary Olathe campus • Newly designed network infrastructure including redundancy measures for seamless operations and future replacement and upgrades • New equipment to service wired and wireless network access • Upgraded, robust security including the latest hacker protection • Proactive network management solutions allowing problems to be detected and solved before the end user experiences an outage
CAMPUS NEWS
Students Encounter Joy Amid Suffering By Kathleen Brewer, PhD, ARNP Rather than take a well-deserved vacation during spring break, 16 MNU nursing students traveled to a Haitian orphanage that is home to 140 children. At Global Vision Citadelle Ministries orphanage in Mirebalais, Haiti, many of the ‘orphans’ still have living parents, but the parents cannot provide for them. Having a wonderful time together, the children and students enjoyed playing games and singing worship songs. Upon departure many students were sad to leave, having become quite attached to the children. The students provided medical care to patients as young as 4 weeks old and as elderly as 109. Traveling from the orphanage to remote areas in the mountains, students set up mobile clinics in impoverished rural areas of Haiti. Under the direction of Kathleen Brewer, PhD, ARNP and Laurie Brooks, RN, MSN, students completed physical assessments and determined whether medication was appropriate to dispense. The students also performed patient education with the assistance of an interpreter. The students treated a variety of problems such as skin infections, resulting from the use of dirty water and from insect bites, which are prolific in tropical areas. Many individuals suffered from malnutrition and an overall lack of
health care. Much of the damage from the 2010 earthquake that devastated the nation is still present and made a somber impression on the students. Remarking that their lives were changed by the experience, students were stunned by the level of abject poverty and that the Haitian people seemed content in spite of their circumstances. It is literally impossible to prepare students for some of the experiences they had. For example, how does one give a child to an orphanage? It is difficult to understand until one learns that the fortunate children are the ones in the orphanage who get to go to school and are fed twice a day. In the villages, students worked with some children who eat every other day. Nursing senior Kaley Flack sums up the experience. “It is amazing that sometimes we have to get outside of our world to be able to gain a new perspective,” says Flack. “I would tell nursing students to go on a mission trip. It will change their nursing outlook and give them a greater sense of calling and purpose for the skills they have learned.”
School of Business Accreditation Announced The Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), has accredited all undergraduate programs and the MBA in the School of Business. ACBSP is a leading specialized accreditation association for business education, supporting, celebrating and rewarding teaching excellence. Based on the criteria of the National Malcolm Baldridge Quality Award, the ACBSP accreditation process evaluates aspects of the institutional leadership, strategic planning processes, relationships with the community, quality of academic programs, faculty credentials and services, and educational support to determine whether the institution offers a
rigorous educational experience and demonstrates continuous quality improvement. MNU Vice Provost Dr. Mark Ford ('87) says the achievement has significance not only for the university, but also for students and alumni. “This respected and significant accreditation is validation of MNU's outstanding faculty, student support staff and academic quality,” Ford says. “ACBSP accreditation offers MNU business programs immediate recognition in the professional business community.” For information on MNU’s School of Business visit www.mnu.edu/business.
Spring play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Celebrating Excellence What do Thoreau, athletic training and protein folding have in common? They were all high-energy faculty talks at the 7X7 Challenge during MNU’s Week of Scholarship. Seven professors gave seven-minute presentations on unique topics. The audience then voted for the winner. This year Dr. Tyler Blake ('88) won with his discussion of the words of Henry David Thoreau, a “pioneer of the mind.” Harkening back to pioneers of the West, Blake suggested that modern-day pioneers explore roads to simplified living in an ever more complicated universe. The 7X7 Challenge is one of several Week of Scholarship events that highlight academic achievement. Other events include a Scholar Visit Day for high-achieving area high school students, a Faculty Academic Exhibition that features faculty research, and a Student Scholarships Exhibition that spotlights student research with PechaKucha-style presentations. The rapid-fire format of PechaKucha uses 20 PowerPoint slides for no more than 20 seconds each.
Kensi Kitsmiller as Peaseblossom and Rachel Gall as Puck in the fanciful A Midsummer Night’s Dream, presented by students this spring in Bell Cultural Event Center’s Sunderland Black Box Theatre.
Notably, the MNU Institutional Repository was launched during the Week of Scholarship. The scholarly collection is a comprehensive, freely accessible, online compilation of academic resources created at MNU and built on the Church of the Nazarene’s Wesleyan-Holiness Digital Library (WHDL) publishing platform. MNU is the first Nazarene University to use the WHDL in this manner. 13 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
The Cunningham extended family in attendance to honor Drs. Paul and Connie Cunningham upon receiving MNU’s Lifetime Achievement Award
Zach Relf ('15)
The evening begins with the silent auction which featured mobile bidding, allowing bidders to bid on their smart phones
Dr. Jeannie and Chad Williams, honorary co-chairs of the event and emcees
ARTICLE TITLE
1
2
4
7 16 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
5
8
PRESIDENT'S HONORS In its fourth year The President’s Honors raised $575,000 for student scholarships. 1
3
2
Dr. David Graves reads a letter from the Board of General Superintendents of the Church of the Nazarene to honor Drs. Paul and Connie Cunningham.
3
Donna and David Spittal, MNU’s fifth president and first lady.
4
Dr. Connie Cunningham accepts the Lifetime Achievement award on behalf of herself and husband, Dr. Paul Cunningham with past MNU presidents and Dr. David Graves looking on.
5 6
Guests get the red carpet experience when they arrive at the Cook Center for the 2015 President’s Honors.
Maria Copeland, Jason (’96) and Christy (Myers ’96) Drummond.
6
A painting by Brian Timmer, commissioned for the event, is presented by Jon North, vice president for University Advancement.
7
Student musicians entertain the crowd.
8
Heritage and Symphonic Choirs perform under the direction of Dr. John Leavitt.
9
Symphonic Choir makes a dramatic entry to the venue; pictured is sophomore McKenzie Groves.
9 17 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
Dr. Larry Fine Beloved Religion Professor Retires After Nearly Half Century Of Teaching
By Sarah Wacker (’15) with Carol (Knight ’81, MAOA ’08) Best
Dr. Larry Fine, professor of practical theology at MidAmerica Nazarene University, retires from full-time professorship after 46 years of teaching. Portions of this article first published in The Trailblazer. In 1969, a young Larry Fine sat across the lunch table from Dr. Don Metz, the dean of the tiny, new, Olathe college known as Mid-America Nazarene. Fine was a man full of aspirations—at first to be a center fielder for the St. Louis Cardinals, then later to be a pastor and evangelist for the Church of the Nazarene. Standing between him and his dreams, however, was a series of closed doors. “How come every time I try to take a church, I get blocked?” he remembers asking Metz as his hope waned. He was just finishing his studies at Nazarene Theological Seminary, determined to pastor a congregation. He did not realize that, by the end of the meal, he would be offered an opportunity to teach at the college—an opportunity
18 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER SUMMER2015 2015
that would completely change the direction of his life. Nearly five decades later, Fine is convinced that God’s divine intervention guided him to MNU. When Metz first asked him to teach freshman Bible for one year, his first inclination was, “It beats working on the third master’s degree!” Now he says he wouldn't trade his investment in students’ lives at MNU for anything—not even playing center field for the Cardinals. What began as a one-year teaching assignment turned into a career. Not only did he find fulfillment in developing and teaching future ministers personal development and spiritual formation courses, but also he saw one of his dreams come to fruition. “My desire to be an evangelist got fulfilled fairly quickly,” Fine says. “By 1975, I was traveling most weekends.” As of spring 2015, Fine has held more than 900 revivals, camp meetings, retreats and other church
engagements, in addition to leading groups on more than 20 international trips. “I got to do what I wanted to do, but not the way I thought I would do it,” he says. At MNU, Fine discovered a new passion, one he calls the most rewarding experience in his career. After earning his doctorate from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1978, he struck out on his next mission: to better care for and understand the struggles of his students. During a sabbatical, Fine began working in the mental health unit at Shawnee Mission Medical Center and continued working evenings there for the next three years. “I said [to the head of the mental health unit], I know the theory but don’t know a thing about therapy. I've got all these students lining up to talk to me and I don't know what to do,” Fine says recounting the conversation. “That
[experience in the mental health unit] changed my whole emphasis and my whole understanding [of a lot of] theology and salvation.” From that point on, Fine’s approach to teaching and student interaction has included the connection between students’ emotional pasts and their present religious experiences. He developed a deep desire to get to know his students and help them wrestle with things from their childhood that keep them from having a more intimate relationship with Christ. His students, past and present, say this approach has made Fine authentic, creative and open minded. “He always brought in personal stories to help relate,” says Julia Willis (’15). “He completely humbled himself and even told us stories that were personal, [even when] it hurt to bring them up again.”
A familiar pose for anyone who has attended a "Fine" class.
Ron Bynum (’77), a Nazarene pastor in Colorado, says Fine inspired students to think. “He expected us to think for ourselves, under his guidance and the guidance of the Holy Spirit,” Bynum says. “He never pressured us to believe a certain way or force-feed doctrine to us. And I liked that.” Dr. Frank Moore (’73), general editor for the Church of the Nazarene, took classes from Fine and later taught with him at MNU. He considers Fine one of his best friends. “I have never known anyone who embodies Wesleyan holiness theology any better than he does,” Moore said. “He lives before his students what he teaches in the classroom. What’s more, he has modeled his classroom notes for a lifetime. When my students ask me if I have empirical evidence that our theology can be lived out in daily life, I remind them of the life and ministry Dr. Larry Fine.”
The ending of these seniors' final class with Dr. Fine.
Fine says the most rewarding aspect about his experience at MNU has been the time he’s spent ministering to students. “I learned that it’s a tremendous honor when another human being becomes so vulnerable and shares the intimate detail of their soul,” Fine says. “It’s quite an honor and it’s quite a responsibility. Being able to work with students—oh my goodness—it’s the most rewarding thing here.” Fine hopes to be far from finished with God’s work for him at MNU and beyond. He has agreed to return to the university next year to teach part-time, continues to lead and develop a personal growth seminar for the Church of the Nazarene, and plans to fulfill a number of speaking engagements. He is looking forward to spending time with Doris, his wife of nearly 50 years, and his children and grandchildren. Fine would like students to remember this, “If they could understand that they have a strong identity apart from anything they do or they possess … that they are powerful people, and then if they could understand their identity in Christ, and bring their identity under the lordship of Jesus Christ, that’s an unbeatable combination to be able to stay out of the victim’s chair and live life not as a victim of life, but enjoy life.”
»
Join the conversation about Dr. Fine and read more at www.mnu.edu/accent
"Dr. Larry D. Fine is not only an outstanding teacher and scholar, his life and his passionate heart have literally ministered to many across the nation and now around the world. His interest in the spiritual lives of students and his willingness to listen and hear has made his counseling transformational for many. His godly counsel and kindness has represented this university well through his high standards of academic excellence combined with a true model of Christian love." – Dr. David Spittal, MNU president, at presentation of Fine’s professor emeritus status at 2015 Commencement.
19 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
Congratulations
Class of 2015 20 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER SUMMER2015 2015
21 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 21 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015 2015
MNU ATHLETICS
Women’s Basketball Dominates HAAC MNU women's basketball continued its recent dominance with a 27-7 overall record, a fourth straight trip to Nationals, and second consecutive appearance in the Sweet 16. The Pioneers ran through the conference with a 17-1 record, capturing the crown for the third time in four years. Jon Lewis (Coach of the Year), Daria Sprew (1st team), Megan Balcom (1st), Kyleesha Weston (3rd), and Tristin Wicks (honorable mention, Freshman of the Year) earned All-Conference honors. Sprew (2nd team) and Balcom (honorable mention) were named All-American.
Strong Second Half for Men’s Basketball MNU men's basketball went through a season of transition, but used a strong second half to propel the program into the future. After a 3-14 start, the young Pioneers finished 8-2 to salvage a tie for 4th place in the HAAC. Nate Launius (2nd team), Justin Randall (3rd), and Gabriel Jordan (Freshman of the Year) earned All-Conference Honors. Launius (honorable mention) was also named All-American.
Seventh-Straight Year of Strong Finish for Softball MNU Softball used a strong second half of the season to finish above .500 for the seventhstraight year. After a 10-22 start, the Pioneers got hot and rattled off 12-straight victories to even their record, closing the year on a 4-3 stretch to finish 26-25. Hayley Gately (1st team, Gold Glove), Macie Jones (1st), Alexis Pacheco (1st), Kaity Wills (2nd), Taylor Pearcy (honorable mention), and Shelby Frans (honorable mention) earned All-Conference honors. 22 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
MNU ATHLETICS
Baseball Hits Nationals Second Year in a Row MNU Baseball qualified for Nationals for the second straight season after finishing runner-up in the HAAC Post-Season Tournament. After starting the conference schedule 4-8, the Pioneers won their next nine HAAC contests and finished 16-10. After a run in the conference tournament and a victory
at Nationals, MNU finished 34-23. Clayton Brandt (1st team, Player of the Year), Carlos Vargas (1st), Phillipe Graham (1st), Santiago Romero (2nd), Jordan Eckley (2nd), and Seth Lieser (2nd) earned All-Conference honors. Brandt was named MNU's first 1st team All-American honoree in program history.
Want to learn more? Visit mnusports.com
MNU cheer is ready for cheerleading to become an NAIA Championship Sport in 2016-2017. They won a spot at Nationals this March at Midland University in Fremont, Nebraska. Competing in a field of 12 they came in 10th.
23 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
S C H O O L O F P R O F E S S I O N A L & G R A D U AT E S T U D I E S
P U R P O S E F U L LY D I F F E R E N T
A new, fully online MBA At MNU, our MBA is anything but your ordinary business degree. Courses are grounded in a practical application of ethical business values that are critical in today’s business environments. Reach your professional goals with integrity.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
www.mnu.edu/mba
KNU Program Brings International Experience to MNU MNU and Korea Nazarene University in Cheonan, South Korea, have forged an exciting exchange program enabling business majors from both universities to gain valuable international education while they earn dual degrees from each university. Hoon Min Hwang “Henry” and Mi Young Yoo “Bonnie” are living on campus and taking courses for their last two years of college at MNU in the 2 + 2 program. When they finish they will hold bachelor’s degrees in administration and international business from MNU and KNU respectively. Yoo, who is from Cheonan, says she loves MNU and the U.S. is amazing. “I have a lot of friends and my roomies are perfect,” she says. “I will give a presentation on MNU to a Korean student this week.” She has learned a lot from her business professors here and hopes to land a job in the US after graduation but is also considering graduate school in England. The 2 + 2 program is one of three cooperative programs with KNU. The 3 + 2 Master’s Degree Program allows KNU students to complete three years at KNU and finish an
undergraduate degree in one additional semester at MNU. Upon completion of the undergraduate degree, the KNU student may begin an 18-month master’s degree program at MNU. The International Business Minor Program allows MNU students to attend KNU during the spring semester (March through mid-June) completing 18 hours of business classes with international or global perspectives, fulfilling the requirements for a minor in International Business. MNU sophomore accounting major Jonathan Babcock (pictured above, center), from the St. Louis area, is currently studying at KNU this semester earning his minor in international business. With plans to become a financial advisor, Babcock says navigating the Korean culture is a growing experience. “I’m learning about the culture here and many others,” he says. “In my classes there are kids from all over the world. I’m picking up on the language. The population is very dense and it is always crowded wherever you go.”
and buses it gets difficult at times because everything is in Korean. However, the locals always help me get around, even to the extent of a nice young lady chasing down a bus for me. Everyone likes taking me for dinner but at the end they never let me pay; they say it is their pleasure,” he says. Lorie Beckum, director of the Center for Global Studies and Service Learning, is in charge of this program and others that assist students in obtaining international learning experiences. “My hope is that all international students coming to MNU would find a loving, generous Christ-centered educational community, who embraces them with cultural intelligence and sensitivity,” Beckum says. For more information on global learning opportunities visit www.mnu.edu/global-opportunities.
Overall he says the people in Korea are welcoming and helpful. “While, traveling on the subway, trains,
25 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
Center for Academic and Professional Success Takes Shape As MNU continues work on its strategic plan, various areas of the university are implementing plans and creating new resources for growth and achievement. An exciting development in the work of delivering excellence and building resources for MNU students, alumni and faculty is taking place this summer with the hiring of Dr. Rick Hanson (’88) as associate vice president for Academic and Professional Success. Hanson will direct the new Center for Academic and Professional Success at MNU. This new unit will be tasked with creating services and resources that support academic success, career services and faculty development. Under Hanson’s direction, the center will also create personal development opportunities for students in order to result in a stronger academic experience and prepare them for professional roles. Up first this summer is an expansion of the existing learning center with the hiring of a full-time reading specialist and a math specialist. Hanson has a long background of helping students discover their gifts, talents and passion as the director of the Counseling Center at Rockhurst University for the last 14 years. Prior to earning his Doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Michigan State University, he served MNU as a resident educator, an assistant football coach and an instructor in psychology and physical education. Hanson says it was his work at MNU that ignited his desire for a career in higher education.
26 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
“It’s an exciting opportunity to come back to MNU and be engaged in something meaningful to me in an area I’ve been actively involved in for 20 years,” he says. “These activities are the right things to put in place at MNU anyway. But the funding we have from the Title III grant allows us to do it well and with excellence.” Hanson is married to Kim (Haller ’88). They have three children, Melody (20), and twins Michael and Jonathan (18).
er b m e m e r u Do yo Bluestem?
Remember when gas was $1.19?
What do you remember?
ANNIVERSARY
016
2 1966 -
Send us your photos so we can share them during MNU's 50 th anniversary! → Upload at www.mnu.edu/50th → Hashtag with #mnu50 → Mail to 2030 E. College Way (attn: Marketing) PS – join the conversation by tweeting your memories @followMNU or with #mnu50 27 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
Celebrating Three Belov ed Pioneers
Mrs. Marge Smith
Dr. Keith R. Bell
MNU’s Founding First Lady Mrs. Marge Smith passed away March 15, 2015. She will be remembered for a legacy of faithfulness and investment in the lives of others.
Dr. Keith R. Bell, Pioneer faculty member and former vice president for academic affairs and dean, passed away October 6, 2014. Dr. Bell served in many positions at MNU including professor of modern languages, director of admissions and registrar. In 1992 he accepted a position at Point Loma Nazarene University teaching Spanish. Later, he served PLNU as vice provost for academic administration.
Vivacious and funny, she had an unshakeable Christian faith, was a lady in every respect, and had an unquenchable passion for life–and for caring for people. She was a prayer warrior for and second mom to college students who often were leaving home for the first time. She could win anyone with her warm smile and low southern drawl. She was real and practical and hard working. She was a modern day pioneer.
Dr. Bell was proficient in five languages and exceptionally talented as an organist and musician. He had a passion for detail and a spontaneous sense of humor and wit.
Marge met R. Curtis “Curt” Smith at Bethany Nazarene College (now Southern Nazarene University). Married in 1937, they had two sons, Barth, MNU professor emeritus of practical theology, and Blake. After pastoring churches in Texas, Dr. Smith served as vice president of public relations and fund raising at Bethany Nazarene College. In 1966, he was selected to be MNU’s founding president. "They gave us $5,000 and said 'It's an opportunity—come build a college,'" Marge recounted in 2013. By faith and determination they gave of themselves to bring that dream to life. Through their legacy, Curt and Marge shaped the direction of Olathe and the futures of thousands of students. “I feel like it’s my baby,” Marge shared about the university in a 2013 interview. “I feel like all those kids are my kids, and everybody that’s ever been through [MNU], whether I know them or not, I just claim every one of them like they were mine.” Adapted from a tribute by Melody Smith, granddaughter of Marge Smith.
»
Dr. James Main Dr. James Main passed away December 3, 2014. Dr. Main was a founding Pioneer faculty member, former chair of the Division of Fine Arts and director of Heritage Choir. He retired from MNU in 1997. Dr. Main also served at European Nazarene Bible College in Büsingen, Germany. He was an excellent vocalist, pianist and choir director who traveled with choirs and ensembles across the United States and Europe.
Care to share your memories of these founding Pioneers? See more photos and leave your comments at www.mnu.edu/accent. 29 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
Executive Mentor Program Celebrates First Year By Carol (Knight ’81, MA ’08) Best
Executive Mentor program participants celebrated the success of the program’s inaugural year at an awards luncheon in April. Emceed by senior business students, Cherith Campbell (’15) and Russell Love (’15), the event included remarks from Dave Warner, retired local businessman and co-founder of the program, who presented comments from participants about the impact of the program on their lives and development. Mentee Kyle Gilligan ('15) said the experience encouraged him to solidify his future plans. “It really is astounding to me that God would use someone such as my executive mentor, who had no idea about my future academic plans, to bring such a great confirmation," Gilligan said. “It was a great experience,” Warner said of his mentee. “I know he’ll be successful in life as well as the workplace. He taught me new ways to relate to the next generation.” Jon North (’92, MBA ’94), vice president for university advancement, presented the keynote address reaching back to his MNU experience and how his mentor, Allen Tollefson, changed the course of North’s life, and still makes an impact today.
30 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
“Allen Tollefson chooses to give of himself,” North says. “I’ve heard him say, ‘What you keep is all you will have. What you give, God will multiply.’” North concluded by urging the mentors to keep investing in others and told the senior students that they should seek ways to mentor others. Awards for Mentor of the Year and Mentee of the Year, nominated by students and mentors in the program, were presented to Keith Cox (’83), president of North American Savings Bank and Cameron Vande Velde (’15), respectively. At least one hire was completed as a result of the program. Ryan Campbell ('03) hired Apollo McCullough ('15) for a position at Cohen Financial. While they were not paired as mentor and mentee, they met through the program. The program is accepting applications for the 2015-2016 school year. Persons with 10 or more years of business experience, the desire to play a role in the development of the next generation of business leaders, and a willingness to invest an hour or two every month in the life of an MNU senior should contact the alumni office or apply at www.mnu.edu/executive-mentor.
31 ACCENT MAGAZINE / FALL 2014
ALUMNI & FRIENDS
ALUMNI NEWS J. Glenn Songer, PhD (’72), fellow, American Academy of Microbiology; diplomate, American College of Veterinary Microbiology and professor emeritus of The University of Arizona and Iowa State University, recently completed his latest book. Clostridial Diseases of Animals is a reference book for diagnosticians and field veterinarians due to be published in December.
Doug Wyatt (’92) was appointed district superintendent of the Eastern Kentucky District Church of the Nazarene.
Brian Patterson, MEd, RTC (’77), accepted a position with the state of Arizona as leadership program development specialist for the Department of Economic Security.
Marcus Hantla (’98) was appointed president and CEO of High Definition Technologies, LLC and DEFTECH Security Company. Marcus also serves on the board of directors for Tap Electrical Construction.
Dorcas (Linick ’88) Scofield earned a Master of Library Science (MLS) from Emporia State University. She is head librarian and library director of Watkins Memorial Library at Kansas City College & Bible School in Overland Park, Kansas. She also holds a master’s degree from Azusa Pacific University in Marital & Family Therapy.
Richard Herald (’93) earned a Master of Arts in Counseling from Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
Paul Leeper (’98) is now safety manager for BSA Health Systems of Amarillo, Texas.
Terry Zeigler (’98) was named police chief of Kansas City, Kansas.
Renner Jantz (’07) graduated with a Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University Law School.
Ashley (Taylor ’10) Ruegsegger completed a graduate degree in advanced practice nursing (NP) from the University of Missouri—Kansas City.
Carol (Sutterfield ’89) Fowlkes earned a PhD from Oklahoma State University in December 2014.
Chris Reasoner (’09) Chris Reasoner is now director of facilities for Hunt Midwest. He manages the SubTropolis maintenance department and new surface construction projects in the Hunt Midwest Business Center and the Hunt Midwest Commerce Center. SubTropolis is the world’s largest underground business complex, with about 6 million square feet of space and 51 tenants, located in Kansas City, Missouri. Mike Walsh (’90) has been chosen to show his paintings in Kansas City, Missouri’s Art Westport 2015 taking place September 11-13, 2015. He will have a booth in the juried art festival. You can see his work at mwalshfineart.com. 32 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
Chris has more than 12 years of construction and facilities management experience, managing over $220 million in construction projects. He previously worked for The Weitz Company and Harris Construction Company as project manager/estimator. He is an active member of the Kansas City chapter of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA).
ALUMNI & FRIENDS
Tanner (’11) and Liz (Tader '09) Stevens opened a coffee shop in Lee’s Summit, Missouri, called Post Coffee.
Barrett Alexander ('10) is now the special assistant to the director of the District of Columbia's Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA). Alexander's duties include attending homeland security meetings at the federal, regional, state, and local level; crafting responses to the DC Mayor and cabinet staff on incidents that occur in the District; and attending training exercises, among others. Alexander has enjoyed a wide spectrum of experiences since graduation from MNU. He completed graduate work at the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, in 2013, then led a national research program for Restless Development in Sierra Leone. After moving to Washington, DC to work for World Vision he transitioned into the homeland security field.
Jamie Droegemeier (’14), math teacher at Spring Hill, Kansas Middle School, received the Kansas Department of Education’s 2015 Horizon Award, which honors exemplary first-year teachers. Only 32 educators from across the state earn this award. (photo courtesy of The Gardner News)
Alexander says he most recently worked in emergency management consulting, at a private firm, on projects for the Federal Department of Homeland Security, which led to his new job for HSEMA. In addition to an exciting job, Alexander enjoys living in vibrant Washington, DC, where there is always plenty to do and see. "I love living on Capitol Hill several blocks from the Capitol and within walking distance of other monuments and museums," he says.
HAVE NEWS? Want to share births, marriages, new jobs and accomplishments with Accent? Please send to alumni@mnu.edu or connect with us on social media. It doesn't matter how you connect with us, we just want to hear from you!
CONNECT ONLINE facebook.com/MNUAlumniandFriends twitter.com/mnu_alumni youtube.com/MNUAlumni linkedin.com
33 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
ALUMNI ARTICLE & FRIENDS TITLE
Help us welcome our newest PIONEERS
→ BIRTHS 1) Bryan and Sarah (Cochran ’06) Armstrong, a son: Jack Beckham Bryan, born Feb. 24, 2015. 2) Billy and Allison (Bartholomew ’02) Brimblecom, a daughter: Goldie Gene, born March 23, 2015. 3) Mark (’11) and Andrea (Eick ’11) Bunten, a daughter: Eliana Grace, born March 4, 2015.
(1)
(4)
4) John (’02) and Heather (Naftzger ’06) Bustle, a daughter: Kinsley Elizabeth, born Sept. 16, 2014. 5) Maurice (’09) and Sara (Smith ’09) Canady, a daughter: Ronnie Mae, born Dec. 10, 2014. 6) Gregory and Emily (Brotzman ’08) Clapp, a daughter: Sienna Marie, born Nov. 21, 2014.
(6)
(12)
7) Adam (’07) and Danielle (O’Neal ’08) Cloud, a son: Nolan Lee, born Dec. 6, 2014. 8) Jeremy and Stephanie (Tayloe ’99) Dulin, adopted a son: Kayden Marcell, born Jan. 16, 2015. 9) Russ and Kyli (Stoltzfus ’10) Fink, a son: Wesley Jay, born Dec. 13, 2014. 10) Darren (’10) and Becky (Stude ’11) Harms, a son: Indiana Grant, born Jan. 6, 2015.
(21)
(23)
11) Daniel (’09) and Lauren Hawkins, a daughter: Nova Arella, born Feb. 15, 2015. 12) Kyle (’00) and Shana Henne, a son: Sloan Isaiah, born Sept. 29, 2014. 13) Mike (’03) and Kristen (Lueb ’07) Hull, a son: Judah Michael, born Nov. 25, 2014. 14) Jonathan (’07) and Rebecca (Lauderdale ’05) Hunt, a daughter: Laura Elizabeth, born July 26, 2014.
(24) 34 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2015
(35)
ALUMNI & FRIENDS
→ MARRIAGES 15) Josh (’06) and Leah (Nelsen ’06) Innis, a son: Owen Scott, born Dec. 14, 2014.
28) Matt (’01) and Kimbra (Harris ’08) Sapp, a daughter: Sloane Adalynn, born March 25, 2015.
16) Michael and Melody (Fitzwater ’06) Johns, a son: Owen Lewis, born Sept. 4, 2014. Owen joins brother Lincoln and sister Emma.
29) Kevin (’03) and Staci (Miller ’03) Schafer, a daughter: Bethany Grace, born March 16, 2015.
17) Brett and Mindi (Lewis ’04) Kuper, a son: Jordan Del, born Nov. 24, 2014. 18) Jon (’06) and Brandi (Wolf ’06) Lewis, a daughter: Tatum Ashley, born Jan. 19, 2015. 19) Joshua (’07) and Callie (Kerans ’09) Maher, a daughter: Kiyah Jo, born Feb. 5, 2015.
30) Andrew (’05, MAC ’07) and Jennifer (MAC ’07) Secor, a daughter: Paisley Johanna, born Dec. 30, 2014. Paisley joins sisters Keira and Reaux. 31) Brandon (’12) and Sharaeah (Bulloch ’12) Sharp, twins: Paige Jenelle and Jaxon Robert, born Nov. 6, 2014.
Andrew (’13) and Emily (Asker) Blum, March 21, 2015. Scott and Rebecca (Brandon ’10, MA ’13) Norris, June 21, 2014. Jeb (’11) and Marcela Flynn, Dec. 20, 2014 Chris (’14) and Kara (Quinn ’14) Lindenmeyer, March 14, 2015.
→ CONDOLENCES
20) Ben (’03) and Thu Martin, a son: Camden Minh, born March 25, 2015.
32) Stephen (’07) and Anne (Bryant ’06) Sickel, twins: Elizabeth and Levi, born Dec. 31, 2014. They join brother Micah.
Hillary (Purcell ’92) DiTommaso, April 6, 2015.
21) Matthew and Casey (Rhoades ’04) Massey, a son: Lincoln Matthew, born April 9, 2014.
33) Brandon (’12) and Tara (Welsh ’13) Smith, a son: Kingston Nicholas, born Nov. 12, 2014.
Rebecca (Rudd ’99) Carter, Dec. 21, 2014.
22) Hunter and Meghan (Dennis ’09) Matt, a son: Kevin Orville, born Dec. 30, 2014.
34) Micah (’05) and Leslie (Thomas ’05) Smith, a daughter: Harper Cate, born Nov. 20, 2014.
23) Michael (’05) and Kristen (Cook ’06) Miller, a son: Garrison William, born Dec. 23, 2014.
35) Philip (’01) and Brie (Vieth ’02) Speicher, triplet daughters: Callan Andrea, Lila Kathleen and Noelle Saundra, born Nov. 21, 2014.
24) Stephen (’08) and Casey (Neden fs ’08) Morrison, a son: Rhett Emmanuel, born April 5, 2015. 25) Nic (’06) and Jenny (Gampher ’06) Nelson, a son: Jacob Nicolas, born March 5, 2015. 26) Jonathan and Alicia (Godwin ’05) Parker, a son: Landon Lynn, born March 3, 2015. 27) Josh (’11) and Kassy (Cole ’10) Poteet, a daughter: Avery Grace, born Jan. 17, 2015.
Brent Helblig (’82), March 25, 2015.
Ned Booker (’10), Jan. 18, 2015. Cassandra “Cassie” Duffield (’12), April 2, 2015. Rick Roecker (’14), Jan. 8, 2015.
36) Joshua and Becca (Stroman ’12) Teal, a daughter: Kolbie Rae, born Oct. 11, 2014.
Quincy L. Foster (f.s. ’16), Jan. 1, 2015.
37) Steve and Vanessa (Peterson ’09) Weltmer, a son: Michael Brent, born Feb. 10, 2015.
Janine McReynolds, MNU compliance coordinator, Dec. 27, 2014. Dr. Gerald H. “Gary” Moore, MNU assistant professor emeritus, March 10, 2015. Sharon Williams (’85), former director of financial aid, Jan. 23, 2015. See page 29 for additional tributes.
35 ACCENT MAGAZINE / SUMMER 2105
University Advancement 2030 E. College Way Olathe KS 66062-1899 Change Service Requested
October 16-18, 2015
A N D FA M I LY W E E K E N D
• MNU Homecoming Chapel • Ken Medema in Concert • Friday Night Bonfire • Class Reunions for ’75, ’80, ’85, ’90, ’95, ’00, ’05, ’10 • Late Night and BBQ Buck Night
• Kids Zone Activities • Pioneer BBQ Competition • BBQ Tailgate Lunch • Pioneer Football / Soccer Games • Pancake Breakfast • And much more!
www.mnu.edu/homecoming