A Trio of Tidings

ROBIN LITTLE, Director of Development

COMING TO A CITY NEAR YOULast fall, we had the pleasure of hosting 35 alumni at St. Lawrence Episcopal Church in Southlake, Texas. Dr. Garwood Anderson extended a greeting from Nashotah House, and we got to catch up with old friends and enjoy lunch together for the first time since 2017. After being apart from one another for so long, it was great to be together in person. Despite the diversity of ministries to which we’re called, the unifying affection for Nashotah House was evident, and the chance to be together and encourage one another was worth its weight in gold!

Thanks to the success of this event and recognizing the value of meeting with our alumni on their “home turf,” Dr. Anderson has determined that in-person visits to become a priority in the months ahead. Please watch for opportunities to come and say hi to him in these cities this spring: Sarasota, Orlando, and Tampa, Florida; Houston and Dallas, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; If you live in or near one of these areas, watch for an invitation to join us for a meal or event.

ANNOUNCING OUR NEW ALUMNI ASSOCIATES

Speaking of alumni, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Rebecca Terhune as our new Alumni Associate. Many of you know Rebecca as a 2014 graduate of Nashotah House or because of her recent work on The Chapter, and we are so excited to have her join our team!

Rebecca lives in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin, with her husband and fellow graduate Fr. Jason, Nashotah House Senior Director of Operations & Student Services, and vicar at St. Barnabas Episcopal Church, in Richland Center, Wisconsin. The Terhunes are parents to three adult sons, a daughter-in-law, and a new grandson. As a family, they enjoy parties, lots of candles, and plenty of cake. Rebecca is also a candidate for holy orders (vocational diaconate). She is grateful for the relationships she’s enjoyed here and gives thanks to Nashotah House for having encouraged her along the way.

Rebecca and Fr. Terhune with their three sons

Rebecca has very much enjoyed getting to know the alumni over the years. Working on The Missioner from 2012 through 2016, Rebecca was honored and amazed by the diverse stories she was able to curate for its readership. Upon her return to this area in 2019, Rebecca was able to bring to fruition the launch of The Chapter, an idea that had been brewing for a few years to help Nashotah alumni stay connected to the House and be encouraged by the content offered there. With more than 500 posts, each reflecting a heritage of scholarship and service to the church, The Chapter boasts a devoted readership and a prominent place in the life and ministry of many of our alumni.

“It is a pleasure to help Nashotah Alumni get the word out about what it is they do daily,” Rebecca says. “I look forward to working with Nashotah House and their alumni association to help make this an even more supportive, engaged community, with some creative ideas on how to help the alumni raise money for our amazing seminary and students. This is going to be fun: lunches, special speakers, webinars, and sharing the goals of the House.”

Always a winsome recruiter, Rebecca never misses an opportunity to encourage alumni from other institutions to consider Nashotah House for their next degree. “After sharing my Nashotah story and about the education I received here, I often hear the response, ‘I should’ve gone there.’ To which I say, ‘It’s not too late, friend. Sign up here!’”

Rebecca has enjoyed getting to know the current crop of Nashotah House students and, to help them and their families get connected on campus, has launched one more vehicle for keeping everyone informed about campus events: an internal newsletter called The Dispatch (Dr. Watkins also distributes one for Hybrid-Distance and Advanced

Degree students). There, she interviews and writes up a weekly student spotlight. In response to her question, “What brought you to Nashotah House?” The answer is nearly always the same: alumni.