Spring Summer 2011 Pilot by University of Northwestern

the magazine of Northwestern COllege

Reflecting the creator in the arts Spring/SUmmer 2011

Articles also available online at nwc.edu/pilot Cover shot by Jessie Henderson

Celebrating The Arts

Pilot is published by the Northwestern College Office of Marketing & communications 3003 Snelling Avenue North St. Paul, MN 55113-1598 651-631-5100 nwc.edu

Letters and comments can be sent to: marcomm@nwc.edu

uring my college years I fell in love with “the arts.” Several of my very close friends in college were deeply involved in the arts. Their love for and

p il o t s ta f f Managing Editor Marita Meinerts, M.A. Editors Jenny Collins ’05; Nancy Zugschwert Graphic Designer Jessie Henderson Contributing Graphic Designer Justin Redman ’09 Production Managers Colleen Bemis F’05; Tammy Worrell F’04 Production Assistants Jamie Hanson; Joan Ayotte Online Editor Brad Dykstra ’86 Student Assistants Janelle Hamre ’11; Michael Forrest ’12

appreciation of performance or visual art was contagious. Their passion had a profound impact on me. Plus, being required to enroll in music, theatre and art classes within the general curriculum provided a strong understanding of the beauty associated with each art form. For the first time in my life, art touched my soul. Whenever I hear Northwestern music ensembles perform,

C o n t r i b ut i n g W r it e r s

attend a theatre production, see our student-produced films

Nina Engen, proofreader Emily Kremer ’07 Lauryn (Lundberg ’06) White

or experience art on display in the Denler Gallery, my soul sings. I rejoice in worship in a way that cannot truly be

N o r t hw e s t e r n C olle g e Adm i n i st r at i on President Alan S. Cureton, Ph.D. Sr. V.P. for Academic Affairs Janet B. Sommers, Ph.D. Sr. V.P. for Media Paul H. Virts, Ph.D. V.P. for Institutional Advancement Amy Bragg Carey, M.A. V.P. for Student Life & Athletics Matt Hill ’89, Ed.D. V.P. for Graduate & Continuing Education Don F. Johnson, Ph.D. V.P. for Campus Technologies/CIO Raymond C. Kuntz, M.S. V.P. for Business/CFO Douglas R. Schroeder, CPA Director of Human Resources Timothy A. Rich, PHR

expressed through language alone. The arts can strengthen our spirits, refresh our minds and give substance to our worship. The performing arts, visual arts and worship arts are a rich part of the Northwestern experience—and our lives as Christians—whether we’re an engaged audience or active creators of art. As a college, we are committed to excellence in the arts. Our music department has expanded to offer a focus in

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music ministry to prepare students who are aspiring worship

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leaders. Our art department has restructured its design major to meet today’s interactive media needs. Our communication department has added a film production program, the theatre major continues to grow and we’ve seen an increase in the number of graduates who are working professionally. As we celebrate our students, graduates and faculty for their artistic contributions and recognition, may Soli Deo Gloria—glory to God alone—be our praise!

Alan Cureton, Ph.D. President, Northwestern College and Northwestern Media

Reflecting the creator in the arts Northwestern News

begins on p. 12

Theatre . . . . . . . . . 13–17 Worship Arts . . . . . . 18–21 Music . . . . . . . . . . 22–25 Film . . . . . . . . . . . 26–27 Visual Arts . . . . . . 28–31

Alumni News

4 Travelers Safe After Earthquake and Tsunami

34 Through the Years

5 New Academic Programs

35 Alums Win November Elections

6 Eagle Athletics Highlights

36 Fast Forward: Brent Amundson ’88

7 NWC Wins Big at NRB

37 Fast Forward: Annie Marie Young F’97

8 Spring Chapel Snapshots

Jessie Henderson

11 Ed Glenny Receives First Endowed Professorship

To b e a d d ed to or r em ov ed f r o m t h e P ILOT m a i l i n g l i s t, p l e a s e e -m a i l m a rc o m m @ n w c.edu.

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FACULTY HIGHLIGHTS

Kjellgren Alkire, MFA (Art & Graphic Design) received a Minnesota State Arts Board Artist Initiative Grant Award for $10,000. As a result of the funding, Alkire will create and document a sculptural installation and performance art series, referential of an old-fashioned tent revival meeting, on an organic dairy farm in Minnesota. Robin Bell, Ph.D. (Christian Ministries) presented a paper entitled “The Integration of Multicultural Theory and Practice in Christian Education for Shalom: A Case for Educating Culturally Responsive Believers” at the Conference on Christianity, Culture and Diversity in America: Educating for Shalom, at Calvin College (MI). Kathleen Black, Ph.D. (English & Literature) will have an article published in the 2011 edition of Honors in Practice, a national publication of National Collegiate Honors Council. The article, “Some Multidisciplinary Practices,” is based on the Northwestern Eagle Scholars Honors Program. Susie Brooks, M.A. (Academic Technology) traveled to Daystar University in Kenya where she led workshops on blended learning strategies and video conferencing. In addition, the Program Committee of ED-MEDIA 2011, World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia & Telecommunications accepted Brooks’ paper “DIGITAL SCHOLARSHIP: The Evaluation of Digital Scholarly Publications in the Field of Education.”

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Jamie Hanson

Charles Aling, Ph.D. (History) has discussed Egypt’s current events and biblical history several times onair with Faith Radio host Neil Stavem. He presented a lecture, “King Tut: His Tomb, His Family, and His Reign,” in Nazareth Chapel on May 5.

Matt Takata ’13 was in Japan with a team of NWC biology students on a study trip when the earthquake hit. Channel 5 Eyewitness News in the Twin Cities covered the story at the airport when the students returned.

NWC Travelers Safe After Earthquake and Tsunami

group of Northwestern students, led by Lisanne Winslow, Ph.D., professor of biology and Fulbright scholar, was traveling in Tokyo, Japan, for a spring break biology study trip when the 9.0 earthquake hit the Pacific island nation on March 11. They were having lunch hundreds of miles from the epicenter of the quake but felt the quake and headed outside with other restaurant patrons. Originally scheduled to return home the next day, on March 12, the group’s departure was delayed by shutdowns of public transportation and changes in airline schedules. Winslow, who was also accompanied by her daughters and sister, and the students arrived safely in the Twin Cities on March 15. The group was safe the entire time as the heaviest devastation from the earthquake and subsequent tsunami was several hours away from their location. Tennis coach John Sanny and members of the NWC men’s and women’s tennis teams were in Kona, Hawaii, when the tsunami triggered by the Japan earthquake hit Hawaiian shores. The team had been forewarned and made it safely to higher ground before the tsunami hit. The tennis teams arrived home as scheduled on March 13. We praise God for His protection of NWC students, staff and faculty, and continue to keep the people of Japan in our prayers.

Alum on Front Lines in Japan Northwestern alum Scot Eaton ’06 has been leading communications for CRASH Japan, a Christian group helping with relief to the hardest-hit areas of Japan in the wake of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. He has lived just north of Tokyo since September. In an article that appeared in The Bemidji Pioneer, Eaton commented, “The greatest need in my area is just someone to talk to, and counseling—really coming to terms with what’s happened. The greatest needs on the coast are shoveling mud, picking up driftwood. It’s going to take months to clear away all that debris.”

New Academic Programs Northwestern has announced changes and additions in academic programs, offering more options for students. New Graduate Programs The Center for Graduate Studies has launched two new degrees and also expanded its reach by offering two programs online. Current program offerings include: »» Master of Arts in Human Services (MAHS) »» Master of Divinity (M.Div.) »» Master of Organizational Leadership (MOL) — on site or online »» Master of Arts in Theological Studies (MATS) — on site or online  For more information about graduate programs visit nwc.edu/gradstudies. ‘Major’ Additions and Changes The traditional undergraduate program now offers more than 70 areas of study, including all majors, concentrations, emphases and minors. »» The Department of Art & Design has restructured the graphic design major to a design major with new emphases in print design or interactive design; the art major is now studio art. »» The Department of Christian Ministries has changed the name of its adult and family ministry major to early adult ministry. »» In the Department of Communication, the electronic media communication major has a new track in film production, for students interested in filmmaking. »» The Department of Music launched a new Bachelor of Science in Music with an emphasis in music ministry, to prepare students for worship leadership roles. Courses will be taught by music and Christian Ministries faculty and active worship leaders in the Twin Cities. »» To accommodate the growth and specializations of its department, the Department of Science & Mathematics has separated into the Department of Mathematics & Engineering and the Department of Biology & Biochemistry. The latter has launched a new health sciences major, designed for students who intend to pursue nursing at the bachelor’s level and above, and the major could also be pursued to meet the prerequisites for physician assistant and physical therapy programs. Multidisciplinary Studies Another area of change and growth is the newly formed area of Multidisciplinary Studies, led by Kathleen Black, Ph.D., professor of English. The college has created three new multidisciplinary majors to accommodate interest in overlapping fields: »» Intercultural Studies and Spanish »» Intercultural Studies and English Teaching »» Professional Writing Continuing multidisciplinary majors are Digital Media Arts (Animation) and Interdisciplinary Studies.

Paul Chara, Ph.D. (Psychology) has two articles in press: “Vitamin D Discovery,” in The Twenties in America; and “Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs),” in Salem Health: Infectious Diseases & Conditions. Jonathan Den Hartog, Ph.D. (History) presented the paper “Elias Boudinot and the Creation of a Righteous Republic” at the biennial Conference on Faith and History at George Fox University (OR). W. Edward Glenny, Ph.D. (Biblical & Theological Studies) presented a paper, “The Structure of 1 Peter,” at the 2011 Midwest Evangelical Theological Society meeting held at Cincinnati Christian University. Jacqueline Glenny, M.B.C., Ed.D. (Communication and Business) participated in the National Communication Association Conference in San Francisco, Calif. She presented a performance interpretation of C. S. Lewis’ view of the Gospel from The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, titled “The Bridge of Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time.” Feng-Ling Margaret Johnson, Ph.D. (Education) gave a presentation entitled “Stories of Our Names and Why They Matter to Educators” at the Minnesota TESOL Conference. Joanna Klein, Ph.D. (Biology) attended the Learning Interventions Institute sponsored by the American Society for Microbiology and the National Institute for General Medical Sciences in Washington, D.C. The Education Department and the Department of Energy’s Joint Genome Institute has selected Klein and Northwestern to collaborate with them in The Undergraduate Research Program in Microbial Genome Annotation.

 To see all of Northwestern’s traditional undergraduate majors, visit nwc.edu/majors.

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Garry Morgan, D.Miss. (Christian Ministries) presented a paper on Urban Studies programs at the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) North Central Region annual meeting of the Evangelical Missiological Society.

2010–11 Faculty and Staff Awards Each year, one staff member and three faculty members receive special recognition for their contributions to the Northwestern community.

Al Schuck

Phil Norris, D.M.A. (Music) has been selected for inclusion in Trumpet Greats: A Biographical Dictionary of Important Trumpeters Since the Baroque Era. Anticipated release date: 2013. Heather Walker Peterson, Ph.D. (English & Literature) wrote an article about helping undergraduate linguistics students publish their work. Her article, “Getting Published: Entering the Dialogue of Your Discipline,” was published by the Subject Centre for Languages, Linguistics, and Area Studies, located at the University of Southampton, U.K.

Eagles play NCAA Tournaments Three Northwestern College athletic teams made school history by earning bids into their respective NCAA tournaments this winter. In November, the women’s soccer and volleyball teams automatically qualified for the tournaments after winning the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) postseason tournaments. The Eagle men’s basketball team accomplished the same feat in February, advancing to play eventual-national champion University of St. Thomas in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

Timothy Sawyer, M.Mus. (Music) conducted 400 high school singers from 10 Christian schools in the ACSI Northern California Honor Choir in Sacramento. He also led three rehearsals and a performance of Johannes Brahms’ A German Requiem for the Minnesota Chorale’s InChoir series, a program in which outside guests join the Chorale in an engaging and interactive rehearsal/ performance choral masterwork experience.

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Faculty Excellence in Scholarship Award Paul Helseth, Ph.D., professor of Christian thought in the Department of Biblical & Theological Studies. He has taught at NWC for 12 years. Faculty Outstanding Service Award David Erickson, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing in the Department of Business. He joined NWC in 1993. Quality Service Award (staff) Dave Armstrong, campus facilities team leader who has worked at NWC for 25 years.

Eagle Volleyball Highlights

Greg Smith

Teresa Talley, M.S. (Christian Ministries) passed the National Board exam for Marriage & Family Therapy, securing the credential LAMFT – Licensed Associate Marriage & Family Therapist. Richard Thoman, Ph.D. (Christian Ministries) published the second of a three-part article series for the Spring 2011 edition of The Christian Education Journal. His article is titled “Leadership Development: Churches Do Not Have to Go It Alone, Part 2.”

Excellence in Teaching Award Melissa Mork, Psy.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Psychology. She has taught at NWC for 9 years.

The volleyball team was recognized at the 2011 National Sportsmanship Awards produced by the St. Louis Sports Commission. This is the second major sportsmanship award the team has received in the last year. Under Head Coach Beth Wilmeth ’02, the team’s commitment to integrity and practice of making “honor calls” (when a student-athlete self-reports a touch missed by the officials) has inspired other teams to implement versions of the honor call system. Volleyball player and kinesiology major Greta King ’12 (left) was named the female recipient of the Inaugural National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) Game Plan 4 LIFE (GP4L) Character Award, which recognizes student-athletes who epitomize the qualities of love, integrity, faith and excellence.

to work in secular broadcasting after graduation. Erin McGregor ’11 and Micah Murray ’11 took first and second place, respectively, in the Al Sanders scholarship competition for their essays on the future of broadcasting. McGregor’s paper stated that the best way to package truth for Generation Y is through visual storytelling through film.

nrb convention.smugmug.com

WVOE wins 3rd Station of the Year award For the third year in a row, WVOE 97.7 FM has been named “College Radio Station of the Year” by the National Religious Broadcasters, an award presented each year to an outstanding student-operated radio station.

Jonathan Meerdink ’11 and Grace Reif ’10 won 2nd place for their radio feature/ drama at the 2011 NRB convention.

NWC Wins Big at NRB By Lauryn (Lundburg ’06) White

orthwestern’s Electronic Media Communication students are no strangers to winning awards from the Intercollegiate National Religious Broadcasters (iNRB). Each year they return from the Nashville convention with an armful of trophies for everything from radio dramas to music videos to websites, and 2011 was no exception. In February, NWC won 17 awards, including eight first-place awards. NWC sweeps essay scholarship awards This was the first year in which NWC students won all three of the iNRB essay scholarship awards. Drew Hoekema ’11 received a $2,500 scholarship for his essay, which explained why he wants

Students win 36-hour video challenge During the NRB convention, eight NWC students spent 36 hours producing media for the 36.DA and 36.DV Challenge competitions. This was the first year NWC students took home first place in this challenge. Seniors Phil Baur, Laura Hoffman, Erin McGregor and Micah Murray won first place out of five entries in the 36.DV contest for the 60-second video they produced for GOGF ministries. To compete, students created a promotional digital audio or digital video spot for a ministry client—drawn from a hat at the convention. The student teams then met their clients and had just 36 hours to produce their piece from start to finish. The entries were judged by a panel and screened in front of an audience at the awards ceremony. Hoffman explained the importance of having a team that worked well together in this high-pressure competition. “Everyone was able to contribute his or her gifts and talents to the project, and there was great respect for that throughout the process. There’s no room for arguing in a 36-hour production competition, and I think that the mutual respect for each other’s opinions helped us produce a great product.” NWC seniors Drew Hoekema, Jonathan Meerdink, Derek Murphey, Adam Rozanas took second place in the 36.DA competition for the audio spot they produced for Pacific Garden Mission.

Ying Wang, Ph.D. (Education) presented at the 22nd International Conference of the Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education (SITE) in Nashville, Tenn., representing the research group (Wang, Ron Ginn, M.A., and Teresa Gonske, Ph.D.) on pedagogical strategies for K–12 teachers’ use of interactive whiteboards.

KNWC Celebrates 50 Years Serving the Sioux Empire On March 24, 1961, 1270 on the AM dial in Sioux Falls, S.D. was a rock station. The next day, listeners in the Sioux Falls area who tuned in to the same 1270 heard the inaugural broadcast day of KNWC, a station opened by Northwestern College to bring Christian radio to the “Sioux Empire.” Herb Roszhart ’59 was present at the rebirth of 1270 AM as the announcer who signed on the station. He recalls the dingy, dirty Quonset hut the first staff walked into to prepare for sign-on. In addition to fixing the leaky roof and adding plumbing, Roszhart recalls the thrill of reading listeners’ letters telling of spiritual blessings received and the growth in their Christian lives. To celebrate 50 years, KNWC hosted a concert on Feb. 17 featuring Chris Tomlin and Pastor Louie Giglio. Among the 3,000+ attendees were President Alan Cureton and his wife, Gayle, and Sr. Vice President for Media Paul Virts and his wife, Viola. Former KNWC staff members also joined the celebration, including Roszhart and Harv Hendrickson, first station manager.

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Spring Chapel Snapshots Josh Stokes

Daily chapel is a Northwestern College distinctive, giving the NWC community the incredible opportunity to hear from distinguished scholars and speakers, each bringing expertise and encouragement.

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TERRY ESAU ’78 Musician, Author and Speaker

n April 6, Terry Esau ’78 shared a message on “Breathing Lessons”— inhaling God’s love and being able to exhale it to others, rather than taking a big gulp of spiritual air on Sundays and holding our breath, waiting for another spiritual inhale. “We aren’t called to be cul-de-sacs of His love,” Esau challenged. Esau was part of the first class on the Roseville campus in 1972. Known as the “jingle king of Minneapolis,” the music education major wrote his first jingle for a music theory assignment and later pitched his work to help pay for school. He built a successful career writing thousands of commercial jingles for hundreds of clients, from Target to Honda to Golden Grahams. But several years ago God made him restless and he transitioned to promoting the one thing he knew would change people’s lives—a relationship with Jesus Christ. “Before, I was convincing people to buy something—and quite often it was something they didn’t need and maybe didn’t want,” said Esau. In 2005, Esau launched Surprise Me, a 30-day faith experiment that records the surprising ways God reveals Himself. “This isn’t a test for God,” he shared with students. “This is a test for us to be aware of what He’s doing.” Surprise Me and Be the Surprise form the “Breathing Lessons” concept he shares today with churches, colleges and organizations.

BRENDA SALTER McNEIL Preacher, Evangelist, Author

“W

hat time is it, Northwestern?” That’s the question Brenda Salter McNeil, D. Min, asked the chapel audience on April 5. A preacher, evangelist, author and scholarin-residence at North Park University (Illinois), Salter McNeil spoke on Luke 19:41–44, Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. “Jesus…instead of being elated by their praise, is weeping because His people cannot tell time”—the time of the Lord’s coming. She explained the two concepts of time in Greek: chronos (chronological) and kairos (“the divine time, not humanly governed”), the latter used in verse 44. She shared how Jerusalem missed their kairos moment because they were looking for someone else and they liked things the way they were. “Jesus really believes He’s the Lord,” she declared, “He will not be choreographed by us. Sometimes we don’t see Jesus in the people He sends to us because He doesn’t look the way we think He will. “We’re on the precipice of another kairos time today. Everything around us is signaling a shift.” She challenged students not to miss their kairos moment today. “Kairos time demands a decision.” For the Faith & Thought Lecture Series she encouraged the audience to view the economic and cultural shifts in today’s world not as catastrophes but as catalytic events under God’s control that He is using as opportunities for the Gospel.

RACHEL CRUZE Dave Ramsey Speakers Group

ayne Barnard, Ph.D., is director of student ministries for International Justice Mission, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that works with child labor, widows, orphans, those trapped in prostitution and other people who are living without an advocate. In his message Barnard talked to students about not letting the enormity of the job to be done—addressing the problems and needs of our world— keep them from taking action. Barnard reminded the students, “The need is so massive and we feel so small… our lack of courage is His opportunity for glory.” Barnard also believes students are uniquely positioned to have a major impact on the future. “Students create movements that literally change the world,” he said. “You have a dream of what it should be. I want you to dream, but then I want you to do.”

achel Cruze is a speaker with the Dave Ramsey financial education organization. The second of Ramsey’s three children, Cruze is uniquely positioned to share the financial principles taught by her father. As “a Ramsey kid,” Cruze learned the basic principles of money at an early age as her parents taught her how to save, spend and give—valuable lessons she uses in everyday life. “God owns it all—and we are just the managers,” Cruze shared. “We have to remember that and manage our relationship with stuff.” She also encouraged students to make a plan for their money and said that living on a budget is not nearly as painful in the long run as living without one. In a later interview, Cruze noted that choosing a private college may mean taking out student loans. The problem is, she noted, “people graduate and don’t think about loans until the end of the grace period.” She encourages students to work as much as they can, purposely save during college for the transition to pay down the debt, and avoid any additional debt, such as credit cards, at all costs.

Submitted

Jamie Hanson

Josh Stokes

WAYNE BARNARD International Justice Mission

BILL MARQUARD Former Wal-Mart strategist

n March 1, Bill Marquard spoke to students at a special breakout chapel, visited a business class and later presented on campus to local business leaders on Leadership in the New Economy. Marquard was the architect of WalMart’s first-ever strategic planning process and in 2007 wrote the book Wal-Smart: What It Really Takes to Profit in a Wal-Mart World. He owns Marble Leadership Partners, Inc., a consulting firm focusing on executive coaching and strategic planning. Marquard talked about smart choices any business must make to excel in today’s economy. He also explained the how and why of integrating faith and business and concluded with the importance of a business model that combines profit and social responsibility.

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Trinity Sculpture Installed on Campus Green

Meet the Board Selwyn Vickers, M.D.

Submitted

n December 13, an 18-foot aluminum sculpture titled Trinity was installed on campus. The sculpture was created by distinguished Arizona artist Lyle London and provided for the Northwestern community by donors Jake and Marge Barnett. The Barnetts have donated several art pieces installed throughout the campus, including the stainless steel sculpture in the atrium of the Mel Johnson Media Center. Trinity is an addition to the college’s new campus green, part of a larger building project that includes the Billy Graham Community Life Commons, scheduled to open officially in August 2011. Created in three sections, Trinity is “a balancing act between abstract forms,” said London. He began the sculpture in May, and because the statue is more than 18 feet tall, had to use alloy from companies that produce large aluminum plates used in building ships. Speaking to the theory behind the piece, London said, “The idea was to take each piece down to its very minimalist form to express idea and visually demonstrate balance and mass.” Not coincidentally, the sculpture’s name, Trinity, reflects the composition’s three pieces in approximate balance to one another—a request specifically made by the Barnetts. They wanted the piece to inspire those who see it to reflect on the Holy Trinity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

After moving to the Twin Cities, Selwyn Vickers, M.D., met former NWC board member and chair Carey Humphries at church. Because of Vickers’ background in higher education, Humphries introduced him to President Alan Cureton and Al Ottley, vice president for global outreach. As he got to know these men and learn more about the college, Vickers gladly accepted an invitation to join the Board of Trustees.

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Vickers attended Johns Hopkins University for his undergraduate studies and medical school and is the Jay Phillips Professor and Chairman, Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota. He describes himself as “a surgeon who teaches, operates and leads a department of surgery with an interest in taking care of patients with pancreatic cancer.” He knew at age 15 he wanted to be a doctor and was “fortunate and blessed” to have an uncle who was a physician. “He was a family practitioner living an ordinary life, but for me [as a young AfricanAmerican] he was a godsend,” Vickers said. Seeing his uncle do it meant that he could do it, too.

Education/ Career

“I’m excited about Northwestern’s graduate programs,” Vickers said, and sees an expanding graduate studies program as a way to continue to remove myths about what it means to be a committed Christian college. “Northwestern is unique in its history, and its legacy has allowed it to be a beacon of light not defined by its surroundings or culture.”

Vision for NWC

Being a surgeon is a demanding job, but to Vickers, that work is only secondary to working as hard as he can to be a good husband and father. “I have an outstanding wife,” he proclaimed, then said with smile, “You really don’t want to marry a knucklehead—it’s the most important decision.” He and his wife, Janice, have four children.

Geordie Byron Griffiths

Connection to NWC

“God never calls us to do things we’re not capable of. Our risk is doing what we’re called to do with a spirit of independence, whether a writer, educator, pastor or whatever. For me it’s doing all I can to make sure I keep in a position of dependence: depending on God for the best of me in caring for my patients, for the best of Him in me in leading my faculty. Mostly, keeping me at the foot of the cross, really seeking Him and growing in understanding His leading.”

Family/ Interests

Values to Live By

Meet the Board

When Mary Edwards was invited to join the Board of Trustees, she was familiar with the college through a network of friends and family who were alumni. She “loves Northwestern’s philosophy and vision” and said “yes” to the invitation as she saw that her experience in public policy could benefit her service to the college. Edwards is vice president for public policy for Fairview Health Services, Minneapolis. She holds a bachelor of science degree in nursing from the University of Iowa and a master’s in public health (nursing administration and public policy) from the University of Minnesota. She worked as a nurse in various settings and after graduate school served as Sen. David Durenberger’s health legislative assistant and worked for the Healthcare Finance Association (now the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services). As a nurse, Edwards said, “I loved taking care of people, but I was only helping a few people at a time. I wanted to help change what I was seeing.” When she received a full scholarship to pursue her master’s in public health, she felt the Lord was guiding her in a new direction. “It’s been a very interesting career to work where I have.” A key part of Edwards’ vision for NWC is to stay strong in what has always been the cornerstone. “We do need to stay abreast of how we continue on the cutting edge, yet not ever lose our mission and our focus in that we’re grounded and rooted in Christ. Sending students to be ambassadors for Christ—that’s our bottom line mission and that doesn’t change.” Edwards has had extraordinary opportunities to travel, visiting more than 50 countries! For the past 12 years she has traveled with her church (Grace Church, Eden Prairie, Minn.) on a medical mission to Peru. She has also been on mission trips to Africa, Russia, Spain, Mexico and China, and traveled personally to Israel, a place she encourages all Christians to see. Edwards believes Christians are called to live life fully and to heed the words from Hebrews 12:1, 2: “And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith (NIV).” She noted, “Life is short and you have a short window to live your life for Christ, to do what you’re called to do where you’re called to do it.”

Josh Stokes

Submitted

Mary Edwards, M.P.H.

Glenny Selected for First Endowed Professorship

n December, Northwestern announced that Professor of New Testament Studies and Greek, W. Edward Glenny, Th.D., Ph.D., was selected as the first recipient of the J. Edwin Hartill Professorship, the college’s first endowed professorship for full-time professors. Endowed by a donor at the professorship level of nearly $1.5 million, the J. Edwin Hartill Professorship stimulates scholarship, which in turn enriches the learning experiences of Northwestern students. It is a two-year appointment with a credit load of 50 percent teaching and 50 percent research. “Dr. Glenny is a scholar well deserving of this honor,” said Janet Sommers, Ph.D., senior vice president for Academic Affairs. “He successfully fulfills all of the requirements for the endowed professorship, including excellence in teaching, extensive academic research and professional achievements, and strong affirmation from established scholars in his field. Dr. Glenny is a professor well known at Northwestern for his unwavering commitment to Christ-centered higher education.” “Receiving this endowed professorship is like a dream come true for me,” said Glenny, who recently finished his second doctorate. “I love to study, research and write. This professorship gives me more time to pursue those interests and to work on books and other projects.” With this opportunity, Glenny plans to continue research and writing in the same field as his recently published book, Finding Meaning in the Text: Translation Technique and Theology in the Septuagint of Amos, including commentaries on the Septuagint text of the 12 minor prophets. The endowed professorship is named for J. Edwin Hartill ’37 (1909–1981), a Northwestern graduate and one of the college’s beloved Bible scholars and professors for many years. Plans are to grow the fund over time to a chair-level endowment of $2.5 million or more.

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Reflecting the creator in the arts

hroughout history, historians and anthropologists have discovered that the arts have consistently been an essential part of the life of human communities and

cultures. Human beings have been exploring the arts ever since God designed us to communicate, see, hear, move and feel. As men and women created in His image, we bear the spark to create. We reflect our Creator’s signature. Through the arts—visual, performing, film and worship—we can even worship without words. Art is also God’s gift to us. Art has the power to both stimulate and relax us. It can take our breath away and propel us to worship. It can help us solve problems and reveal new ones. It can challenge and inspire. It can disturb and heal. In this issue of the Pilot we’re pleased to highlight a few of the many artists in our Northwestern community who are actively engaged in different aspects of the visual, performing and worship arts. While each is unique in his or

“I think art should ask questions, not give answers. So often in faithbased dialogue, we’re afraid of the questions, so we spend all our time giving answers. And unfortunately, we’re often answering questions that people aren’t asking.”

her expression and art form, their heartbeats are incredibly similar. And the signature of our Creator is unmistakable.

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– Terry Esau ’78

Josh Stokes

hen adjunct theatre professor Brian Grandison, MFA, walks into his Intro to Theatre class, he encounters eager eyes of students seated in tidy, static rows. “That drives me crazy,” he says. “My brain doesn’t work this way.” He calls out, “Fracture the room!” and turns his back for 10 seconds. Unsure of this first “assignment,” the students quickly push the chairs into a circle. “OK, that’s fine. But when I say fracture, I mean fracture.” The fractured classroom isn’t just an exercise, it’s Grandison’s philosophy on life and theatre. “Sometimes life operates this way. You can only see so much,” he shared, referring to the disarray of desks. Like most artists, Grandison learns—and teaches—theatre through life, not theory. Having worked more than 20 years as an actor, director, writer and educator, he built his performing career primarily in Chicago, Los Angeles and the Twin Cities, where he’s worked with several theaters, including the Guthrie Theater, Mixed Blood Theatre, Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and the Children’s Theatre Company. As a playwright, he loves “fracturing stories and moving them around like a jigsaw puzzle.” In a way, the jigsaw metaphor reflects Grandison’s life and faith journey. The son and grandson of preachers, Grandison grew up in the church and moved a few times before his parents divorced and he grew up in Missouri. He admits to falling away for awhile, but even then, while reaping success as an actor, “I’d go home and wash the dishes. I didn’t go party. It wasn’t the lifestyle I glommed on to.” Today he explains his faith through story, on and off the stage. “There’s a lot of ways to walk,” he tells people. “I’ve walked this path, and I’ve walked this path,” gesturing as if pointing to two roads. “For me, it’s easier with the light on.”

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Theatre

not theory By Jenny Collins ’05

Finding a new path Several years ago when Grandison saw doors closing on acting opportunities, he felt the Lord guiding him to write plays and teach. “As people of faith, you think you have arrived, then you realize you have to make another trip around the mountain.” A history buff, he has since found a niche writing historical screenplays, including one on the Tuskegee Airmen. In February, the History Theater in St. Paul commissioned his most recent play, Adrift on the Mississippi, which told the story of the slaves who escaped from Missouri in the 1860s on a makeshift raft up the river and formed Pilgrim Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Ultimately a story of faith and freedom, it also had personal connections for Grandison, who grew up in the county next to the one the slaves left, and whose wedding and daughter’s baptism was at Pilgrim. Seeing this story that was eight years in the making come alive “was surreal,” he said. “People are up on stage saying the lines that you wrote in the back of a coffee shop.” NWC theatre major Sarah Howell ’11 was hired as assistant stage manager for Grandison’s play. She said his experience helped her see things from a broader perspective. “Brian constantly reminded me that everyone in the cast and crew was there for a purpose.” Grandison also gets students to wrestle with difficult decisions they’ll inevitably face as professionals, such as deciding if they’ll work with material that has profanity, or act in a role that involves disrobing. “What are you going to do? What are your boundaries?” he asks. “Let’s have this conversation. It doesn’t start when you graduate, it starts now.” Uncomfortable at first, the discussions encourage them to engage their faith with real life. “And what makes the arts wonderful is that we can disagree, and even vehemently,” said Grandison, “and still walk out and walk in love with each other.”

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hey both speak from the stage, but their voices are never heard. What sounds like a riddle is reality for Donald “Doc” Rainbow, Ph.D., professor of theatre, and Sam Cook, operations and production manager for Maranatha Hall. The two artists create a harmonious artistic forum by combining their voices as director and scenic designer, respectively, for theatre productions at Northwestern. Rainbow and Cook have collaborated to develop the stage worlds for Godspell (2009), The Crucible (2009), Working (2010), Children of Eden (2010) and The Boys Next Door (2011). In his eighth year at NWC, Rainbow previously taught at the University of Sioux Falls and Bethel University and led college theatre troupes that performed internationally for the USO. Cook, who joined NWC in 1998, holds an art degree from Bethel University. They shared a recent conversation where they discussed perspectives on theatre, life, communicating creative vision and their unique artistic partnership. The following are excerpts from that conversation.

Rick Busch

T h e at R E

Interview by Jenny Collins ’05

N o r t H w e s t e r n C olle g e

For The Boys Next Door set, Donald Rainbow (right) and Sam Cook created the stage world to help tell the stories of four men with mental disabilities living in a group home.

Creating an artistic forum On the Stage

From napkin drawings to the stage Sam: Doc will do some of the sketching—“the napkin plan”—then I take that and try to put it into the space, making it function physically. He has the acting medium, telling the story verbally and physically through people. I have the medium to tell the story with the physical space. It’s a synergetic thing—lots of creative minds coming together to create an artistic forum. In theatre you have actors, stagehands, carpenters, painters… Doc: I basically know the structures, the scenic elements I want and where I want them. But Sam says, “Let’s try this…” things I didn’t even think to ask for! Sam: It’s form following function or function following form. When you’re doing art as an artist, you’re pushing those elements in a different way.

Doc: On the one hand we hope you [the audience] never know what it takes to get us there. On the other hand, you say, “I wish they understood what this takes!” Hours, meetings, cups of coffee… Sam: Fortunately, our love is the process as much as the product. Doc: If applause at the end of the show is what you’re doing this for, you’re in the wrong game. Keeping your artistic voice when supporting another’s vision Sam: I’m in an event business where I provide a product every day that is not really ever seen as my product. It’s the people on stage, the people up front. I work with a crew that provides a product that for the most part no one ever really knows it’s there. We provide that structure to emphasize what the event is. So the greatest moments for me are when the last thing’s cleaned up, no one got hurt, people are walking away smiling and feeling good. The artistic side is where the struggle comes. You’re trying to create something for someone else, yet also keeping something of it as your own. For me in this process of theatre it’s deliberately putting my “Easter eggs” into the set. I ask, “how do I put a little of my signature on this but still honor the design itself?” With The Crucible it was the floor, the trees. For The Boys Next Door it was the cutaway line at the top and night-lights. Appreciating each other’s strengths Sam: I enjoy Doc’s artistic vision, how it challenges me to see the space in a different way. I enjoy the way he tells a story, the way he becomes passionate about telling the story. It’s hard not to catch the enthusiasm once he casts his vision. At the same time he can chastise me…put his hand on my neck, and say, “This is where I’m going.” That’s amazing to have that relationship. I read [a play] in terms of functionality and sometimes miss the overall, underlying message. We’ve also developed a trust, a personal relationship. Because art is so intimate and so exposed,

I have a trust and respect for Doc that’s deeper than our working relationship. Doc: I have a deep personal affection for Sam and tremendous respect for his artistry. He is a wonderful, creative artist. It stimulates me, enriches me, feeds ideas to me, enlarges me. Sam has a positive, can-do spirit. He always finds a way to do something, or says, “Have you thought of doing it this way?” He’s a perfect manager. I’m a visionary and he can free me up to create because he’ll look after details— stuff that I don’t do well and don’t want to be burdened with.

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Collaborating to tell stories Doc: The real, pure artist in the process is the playwright. I am still an interpretive artist of a playwright’s creative piece. I, in turn, ask the collaborative team to be interpreters of my vision. I’m a director who has a strong sense of what I want. Some directors say “I could care less.” With Godspell, I said, “Sam, I want to do Godspell on a beach with a Los Angelesstyle lifeguard stand.” I want to emotionally touch an audience but physically touch the audience, as well. For me, nothing happens behind the curtain. For The Boys Next Door, I said, “I want the set to hug the audience.” Sam: From the designer aspect, my role is to support and enhance the story, not distract from it. If I can help the director, the playwright and the actors portray that message, I’ve succeeded. Doc: I love working with Sam because he’s an artist and he understands my desire to work in a more nonliteral kind of world. Sam can create living sculptures. Sam: It’s kind of like a dance. Doc will try to lead for a little bit, then I’ll try to lead; we step on each other’s toes a little bit. Godspell was a little bit of a struggle, to really understand his vision.

Being true to beliefs Sam: Doc isn’t willing to compromise his artistic vision based on outside things. He won’t do certain shows because of his beliefs. It’s a reminder for me to be selective of what I put myself into. Doc: The delight of my life is that my work life is not separate from the rest of my life. It is my life. It’s who I am and it goes to the very core of who God gave me to be. Sharing the message from the stage Doc: My hope is that when you tell the story of someone’s life, like in Spitfire Grill, and the redemption that was offered her through that town…you want people to catch the germ that they can be the agent of redemption in people’s lives. We can perform acts of love and kindness and caring in the name of Jesus. You don’t have to follow my work long to see the stories I want I tell—that of disenfranchised people, people who have been pushed to the edge, marginalized, discarded. That’s who God has placed on my heart in strong ways. I tell these stories so that others might feel a sense of responsibility to the have-nots, to those who are hurting and suffering. I don’t discount the value of entertainment; I work hard to make them entertaining, but I want them to function at another level. And I think they do. If a handful of people find their breath taken away by a moment, an insight that’s important to them, that’s cool.

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T h e at r e

A Match Made in THeatre By Jenny Collins ’05

N o r t H w e s t e r n C olle g e

Submitted

heatre graduates Eric ’08 and Larisa (Deckert ’08) Netterlund are best friends who love to do everything together. This spring, they finished their master’s degrees together at the University of North Dakota—Eric in communication studies and Larisa in theatre. Larisa explained that Eric changed fields for her since it would be hard for the pair to get jobs together in theatre. Eric said communication studies offers him “a happy medium between the applied nature of theater and the abstract nature of philosophy,” two fields he considered pursuing further. Their respective fields complement their personalities. Larisa points out that “Eric would much rather research and write than teach his classes. I love teaching, but struggle with the research and writing.” Eric agreed they are “both kind of introverted and definitely nerdy.” Larisa acknowledged that in her theatre work, she tends to “gravitate towards work that recognizes the soul and the need for something greater in our lives.” She said, “These works open up great conversations about God and give me opportunities to talk about my faith.” For her thesis production, Larisa said a cast member requested that they pray before shows after she shared her pre-show experiences at NWC. “For me, studying theatre is learning a language to bring to a particular culture— just like missionaries do,” shared Larisa. “I need to speak their language in order to bring the Truth to dark places.”

take a different girl to the spring banquet. Larisa shared that once their relationship was official their junior year, Rainbow “gave his blessing” and the couple married in 2008. This summer, the Netterlunds are relocating to the Rocky Mountains, where Eric will pursue a Ph.D. in Communication at the University of Colorado-Boulder and Larisa hopes to teach theatre. Eric plans to continue his work examining online communities and the subcultures that develop from social networking platforms and how these subcultures participate in politics.

“For me, studying theatre is learning a language to bring to a particular culture—just like missionaries do.” A Match Made in Theatre The two became friends as freshmen after meeting in a speech workshop at NWC, but as their experiences in theatre grew, so did their interest in each other. Knowing how much “drama” can be created by theatre romances, the two worked to keep their mutual interest off radar. That goal became almost comedic when professor of theatre Donald “Doc” Rainbow took Eric under his wing and tried to “set him up” and encouraged him to

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After earning his master’s in voice performance, Nathan Bird ’06 returned to NWC last fall to guest star as Father (center) in Children of Eden. Submitted

Scores of Opportunity

Rick Busch

Serving on the stage

By Jenny Collins ’05

he pace at which Nathan Bird ’06 collected performance opportunities during the past year rivals that of a seasoned sprinter. After finishing his master’s degree in voice performance from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music in June, he secured a recording contract, performed in a world premiere in Italy, accepted a lead role in a musical, sang with the premier men’s ensemble Cantus and lined up a gig at the Guthrie Theater. All in the midst of relocating to a new time zone and welcoming a second child into his family. His recording contract came when Bird and two guitarist friends formed The Massif Trio and recorded new arrangements of German art songs. Azica Records took note of their talent, offered them a contract for a CD, planned for release in July. He then exchanged German art songs for Italian opera and spent last August in Città della Pieve, Italy, where he performed the tenor role in a world premiere of La Bisbetica, based on Shakespeare’s Taming of the Shrew. Bird noted that of the challenges of a performing arts career, the hardest is the time spent away from family.

“My wife [Naomi] and I had been praying that something career-wise would take us back to our home state,” shared Bird. “Our families and our hearts are in Minnesota.” The call back to the land of lakes came from Northwestern’s Donald “Doc” Rainbow, Ph.D., professor of theatre, who asked Bird to play the role of Father for the college’s fall production of Children of Eden. “Accepting Doc’s offer meant that I had no clue what I’d be doing for a job after the show,” said Bird, who sang in the College Choir and performed in musicals as a student. “We took the leap of faith and have been very glad that we did. “Performing Father was a wonderful experience,” he said. “I loved the opportunity to work with Northwestern students and faculty again.” When he’s not performing, Bird teaches voice lessons and enjoys his role as dad to two-year-old AubreyElla and two-month-old Patience Rae. This summer he will be performing in Gilbert & Sullivan’s H.M.S. Pinafore at the Guthrie Theater.

Sarah Howell ’11 interned last summer under the Guthrie Theater’s stage manager, who recommended her to the History Theatre in St. Paul, where she was selected to serve as assistant stage manager for Adrift on the Mississippi, the play written by Brian Grandison, adjunct theatre professor at NWC (see p. 13). Howell, a theatre major from Princeton, Minn. who has since been hired by the History Theatre, says her primary role is to serve the cast and crew. “The arts can be a very self-serving field. There are plenty of stage managers that serve in a ‘technical’ sense, but serving with a servant’s heart like Jesus is very different. Having that servant’s heart helps when egos are flaring up left and right. Instead of doing it for yourself and because it’s your job, you do your job to show God’s love to those around you. That’s how life should be for all of us, whether we are in the arts or not.”

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W o r s h i p Ar t s

Singing about a ‘Beautiful Love’ By Jenny Collins ’05

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lizabeth Hunnicutt ’02 has come a long way from singing out of Amy Grant songbooks as a kid. For the past decade she’s been living in “two worlds” as a worship leader and an independent singer/songwriter/performer. Having grown up in Nebraska and Colorado, Hunnicutt moved to Minnesota in 1998 to study music at Northwestern and remained until 2009, leading worship in several well-known churches and developing her music, described as acousticfolk-pop. While it may seem a natural pairing, she admits it can be tricky to balance. “In worship leading, I feel like my role is to immediately turn people’s eyes to God. And that they hear from God and I am the facilitator,” she explained. “When I’m performing, I feel like my role is to capture people’s attention and say, ‘Listen. Listen to what I have to say,’ whether it’s a story or truth about God.” In 2006, she captured the Gospel Music Association Academy’s attention and won Song of the Year for “Alright” and second place for “Drink You Deep,” both off her second album, Finding Me Here. In March 2011 she released her fourth CD, Beautiful Love, and has been touring different cities to promote the record that features 10 original songs and a cover of the hymn “It is Well With My Soul.”

The CD also features a rerecorded version of the first worship track she wrote, “Now Is the Time.” “I wrote that in a practice room at Northwestern, probably when I should’ve been practicing,” said Hunnicutt, who plays guitar, piano and “a bit of the ukulele.” Born from deep faith and personal experiences, her songs are honest, heartfelt, even prayerful expressions of doubt and struggle mixed with joy and hope—reflecting yet another duality of living on earth as a child of God with eternity in mind. In late 2009 she moved from the megachurch mecca of Minnesota to the San Francisco Bay Area to be a part of a church community of 120 people, founded by NWC friends Jeremy Swigart ’01 and his wife Jackie ’02. “I’m thankful I’m at a church where I’m just a normal person,” she said. “I’ve been in that place where the worship leader is a celebrity.” She maintains the connections to several Twin Cities churches, traveling to be a guest worship leader or play at events. Though she wrestled with the focus, she feels strongly called to the church. “I want to love and encourage believers, but also challenge them. If God is calling them into something, I want to help push them towards that, to reconsider the way they’re living their lives.”

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hen Jeff McCourt ’85 traces his steps to his current ministry role, he sees a puzzle in which God clearly shaped the pieces of his life. McCourt is pastor of worship music and celebration arts at New Hope Church (formerly Crystal Evangelical Free) in New Hope, Minn. McCourt, then an aspiring jazz trombonist, left Des Moines, Iowa, for Biola University (CA) with dreams of becoming a studio musician. The dream shifted when he fell in love and married his wife, Peggy, after his sophomore year. “I loved music and felt gifted to be a studio musician,” he said. “I also wanted a family, and that life didn’t lend itself to that.” His music dreams didn’t change but McCourt realized that God was leading him in a different direction. Having been raised by Christian parents who were involved in church ministry, McCourt grew up seeing “the importance of being part of God’s plan for transforming the world through the church.” That realization shaped the next piece of the puzzle as he headed with his bride to Minnesota to attend Northwestern. Pursuing his new direction with a passion, McCourt looked for opportunities to cultivate his skills as a musician and a leader. He directed pep band for basketball, played trombone for musical theatre and landed a church music job while in school. After graduation (and baby #1) McCourt went straight into fulltime music ministry at New Life Church in Woodbury. Looking back causes McCourt to shake his head. “God opened that up for a young punk,” he said, acknowledging that the role came to him in part due to a strong mentor relationship he’d cultivated with music department chair Dick Edstrom ’58. After 16 years and three more babies, McCourt accepted a call to his current role in 2001. New Hope is situated in a neighborhood where demographics have changed rapidly. He leads a worship ministry that may include black gospel, or salsa, or a regular CCM song in Spanish, or even a song sung in English and Arabic written by a pastor from Sudan. “It’s a continual challenge,” McCourt observed. “This is where loving jazz has prepared and shaped me for such a time as this: to be able to embrace the wide gamut of musical styles and to find it life-giving rather than a burden.”

An Eagle at Eagle Brook By Jamie Hanson

ike Hadley ’02 felt prompted during his high school years to work in a church, so when he declared a major at NWC, youth ministry seemed a logical fit. However, even when he landed a youth ministry job he continued to pray for an opportunity in a local church that was more fully aligned with his creative gifts. “I’m weird. I’ve got all these weird skills,” said Hadley, who is creative director at Eagle Brook Church (EBC) in Lino Lakes, Minn. Inspired by the challenge of figuring out how to effectively use his skills in a ministry setting, he found himself in many different roles: working with youth, doing improvisational theatre at ComedySportz, working for the NWC Theatre Department and finally, landing his role at EBC.

Submitted

By Nancy Cawley Zugschwert

W o r s h i p Ar t s

Puzzle Pieces

Excellence in all things “My professors demanded excellence in my work,” said Hadley. “That has a big part in any success I’ve had since college. In my job here at EBC, it’s crucial that I hold that value high and strive for it daily.” As creative director, Hadley and his team of six create and produce videos, graphics, promos and message illustrations that are incorporated into weekend services. As the director, he provides vision to set them up for success, helps them think about the process and, after completion, measures the excellence of work. In a highly creative environment, Hadley prefers clarity to having absolute freedom in his work. “I want to know what we’re doing so I can create well. I love that.” He believes that art should have meaning—that it should do something, communicate something, say something. And that’s what he gets to do every day, creating media art for EBC.

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By Jenny Collins ’05

ix years ago when Jamin Cousins ’08 left an internationally touring music and drama ministry to attend Northwestern, he didn’t know what to major in. But he felt God calling him to lay down music for awhile. That obedience initiated a boomerang effect, where God brought music back into his life when he started leading worship at area churches and then found his way to Substance Church, a Twin Cities nondenominational multisite church plant of more than 2,000 people. After graduating with a degree in management information systems, Cousins became the worship producer at Substance, named by Outreach magazine as Minnesota’s fastest-growing church and the 21st in the nation in 2010. As the church’s only full-time staff member in the worship arts, Cousins oversees a team of 60 worship volunteers, organized into different bands at each campus. When he’s not managing the hefty spreadsheet to coordinate the weekend worship sets, his office functions as a recording and production studio, which is Cousins’ other passion. “I’m paid to serve the worship volunteers,” said Cousins, whose position is both logistical and creative. “I don’t have to work another job, so I can make other people’s involvement work around their jobs. I’m not paid to be some worship rock star.” His physical position on the

N o r t H w e s t e r n C olle g e

stage reflects that dynamic. While many worship leaders are lead vocalists front and center, Cousins is stage right, in the back, on the keyboards and turntables. Yes, turntables. Reaching the unchurched culture On most Sunday mornings, he’s at the DJ booth, where he’s found a niche mixing the technical and youthful elements of having a DJ with live worship music—in a way that isn’t distracting. The distinct worship style is primarily Cousins’ influence, but it expresses Substance’s DNA. “Our whole culture at Substance is oriented towards the people who are unchurched, de-churched, burned out,” said Cousins, who is married and has an infant son. He admits that many songs in the worship genre are only accessible to believers, which leaves context for unchurched people behind. “I’m all about songs that are rich with theological truth but packaged in a way that is profound, yet accessible. “So many churches have this mentality that you can either have musical quality or a Spirit-led worship experience. That you can have depth or technical perfection. I think you can have both. I think it’s putting God in a box to say that God only works through [certain styles of] music. God has all the good music He needs up in heaven.”

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W o r s h i p Ar t s

a Man of Substance

W o r s h i p Ar t s

Josh Stokes

Drumming up a Niche Business

By Jenny Collins ’05

hat do recording artists MercyMe, David Crowder Band, Steven Curtis Chapman, Needtobreathe, Superchick and Francesca Battistelli have in common? They are just a few of the bands playing to the beat of the same drum-maker. Keith Anderson ’97 owns Risen Drums, a high-end custom drum business whose clientele includes Dove Award-winning, platinum-selling Christian recording artists and churches around the country. As the owner and master craftsman “and janitor, secretary and boss” of Risen Drums, Anderson has “more than a full-time job.” He and two craftsmen now make up the Twin Cities home-based business that builds about 12 drum kits each month on average, half of which are purchased by bands and the other half by churches. “I am passionate about Jesus and drums! So we’re definitely into supporting great worship,” said Anderson, who gets excited about “helping churches get their drums right.” He sees the same dilemma at churches everywhere: “they want drums, but they’re too loud [for the church].” Anderson has also built a consulting role with churches to customize drums that work with each

church’s space, sound, worship style and drummer preference. The husband and father of three children is quick to share the secret of Risen Drums’ success. “God has blessed it,” said Anderson. “I didn’t know anything about business.” But his business is evident at Sonshine, an annual summer music festival in Willmar, Minn., where each stage holds one of his drum sets. Audio Adrenaline’s drummer scored one of Anderson’s drum sets at Sonshine a few years ago after playing one on stage. Risen Drums is all about personalization, so drum inquiries come in requesting all colors and designs, like mirror finishes, band logos or initials, even pictures of drummers’ children. The requests have ranged from the inspirational—like a snare drum with a finish of Bible pages of the Psalms—to the impossible—one drummer thought it’d be cool to make a drum set out of wicker. “Part of my job is to educate,” said Anderson. While he’s creating drums, he’s also developing new friendships. “Everything Jesus did was relational. By the time drums are done there’s been much conversation with the drummer,” said Anderson. “You end up being best pals—that’s what I love about it. Relationships are what change lives.”

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Music

The Best of

Both Worlds By Nancy Cawley Zugschwert

hen her high school band director asked her to play bassoon, Cheryl Kelley, Ph.D., said, “Oh, sure. [Pause] What is it?” The quick, and perhaps uninformed, answer proved to be quite significant in directing the course of her life. “I tried it and loved it right away,” said Kelley, who is coordinator of music education at NWC and plays contrabassoon with The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. “By the time I was in twelfth grade I realized I didn’t want to stop playing.” She majored in music education and then pursued a master of music degree at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and earned her Ph.D. in music education from the University of Minnesota. While at UN-Lincoln she met her husband Mark, also a bassoonist, in the orchestra. He is co-principal bassoonist with the Minnesota Orchestra and faculty instructor at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minn.

Josh Stokes

Staying on her toes Kelley teaches music theory, methods courses, chamber winds and bassoon, and supervises student teachers. She has been at NWC since 1986 and is a “teacher at heart” who loves to play her instrument. Performing professionally keeps her on her toes. “You have to develop the

discipline of practice. It’s a huge challenge to stay in shape,” Kelley stated. “Frankly, there’s a lot of pressure playing in those groups. You go into your first rehearsal ready to perform—not learn the music.” The bassoon and contrabassoon are double-reed instruments, which require additional effort because the delicate reeds need to be trimmed precisely and are easily affected by weather. Credibility and caring The dual role of teacher and performer makes for a demanding schedule but “being a performer gives me credibility with my students and it also helps me bring fresh ideas to teaching,” Kelley said. Her commitment to her craft also models to students that one need not choose between performing and teaching. Jeremy Kolwinska, D.M.A., chairs the Department of Music and values that the music faculty includes teachers who perform and performers who teach. “We have a number of faculty who are active performers in the Twin Cities, the region and around the country,” Kolwinska pointed out. Kelley’s primary goal is to help her students become great teachers. She believes Northwestern prepares music education graduates very effectively. “At a recent music educators convention, the supervisor of a large district’s arts program told me that our students are the best prepared,” Kelley said, grateful that Northwestern’s efforts are recognized in this way. “We spend a great deal of time one-on-one with our students so they are well equipped.” But she is quick to assert that that preparation works because “the students have such great hearts. They really are in music education for the right reasons—they want to give, as opposed to conducting to receive accolades.” Kelley sees music reflecting a vital part of her faith journey: “When I’m performing in a symphony with all this beautiful sound around me, I experience more fully the glory and omnipotence of the Lord. [I experience] some of God’s character. It’s all an expression of life.”

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Music

Josh Stokes

Janelle Hamre ’11 (right) and bandmate Grace Peterson ’11 pause for photo at Mount Rushmore on this year’s band trip to Montana.

Around the world in 88 Keys By Janelle Hamre ’11

eoyon Susanna Lim ’13 (above right) and Christine Park ’11 (left) both traveled international paths before becoming music majors with a piano emphasis at Northwestern. And after entering the music department, each has found joy and excellence in her musical education. Lim, who was born in Seoul, Korea (and is more recently from Almaty, Kazakhstan), was trained in the fine arts from a young age. Her parents encouraged lessons in piano, violin and a traditional Korean instrument called the komungo, among other pursuits. Reflecting back, Lim noted that the educational philosophy was very different in her Russian music school than it is at Northwestern. “I began to lose joy in music among endless discipline and sacrifices. On the other hand, Northwestern calls students to perform for the glory of God at all times.” Lim’s rediscovered musical joy is accompanied by excellence. She recently won the Concerto portion of the Concerto-Aria Competition 2010 and performed the third movement of

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3. in C minor, Op. 37 with the NWC Orchestra on March 1. Park also participated in the Concerto-Aria Competition, receiving honorable mention in the Concerto portion. Surprised by receiving the award in the midst of a stressful part of the academic year, she said, “To me, it was like a graduation present from God.” She grew up in South Korea and Turkey, began piano lessons at age seven and followed the footsteps of a friend to Northwestern. After graduating, she plans to continue as a music educator. While developing musical and teaching skills at Northwestern and through the Academy of Music, she has deepened her understanding of the relationship between music and the glory of God. “NWC awakened my realization of the Creator of music to which I play and sing,” said Park. “God gave us the gift of music; therefore, we ought to give it back to Him with the best of its beauty and artistry. He deserves our best.”

More Than Music By Janelle Hamre ’11

usic is much more than notes and rhythms. It’s more than mastering technique. True music, to use the proper Italian term, is espressivo (“expressive”). It has heart. Northwestern College ensembles— Symphonic Band, College Choir, and Orchestra—are continually striving for technical expertise, but more so, they embrace the opportunity to form communities that cultivate performances to bring glory and honor to God. I have to admit that I am biased. I have played trumpet in the Symphonic Band for my four years at Northwestern and have experienced true Christian community—a result of intentional, biblical focus on the part of our directors, student leaders and ensemble members. College Choir President Justin Peterson ’11 said, “As an ensemble, we realize that God desires our hearts in every aspect of life. We desire to sing… fully devoted to singing the truth of the text and ultimately singing to worship our Maker and declare His greatness.” Once a semester, the ensembles take time to retreat to a church or camp away from school. Far from a lazy weekend, the retreats foster deeper growth, both musically and spiritually. Retreats typically involve intensive rehearsals, devotional time and lots of pancakes and community-building activities. Whether through a musical moment on the Maranatha Hall stage or during post-rehearsal “band dinners,” the ensembles give glory to our Creator. And it makes our music more real and more beautiful—it is an offering to an audience of One.

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Music

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The Sopranos

By COLLEEN BEMIS F’05

pril Fredrick ’02 (above left) and Hannah (Nelson ’03) Lu (right) are not actors on a well-known TV program. They are, however, frequently on stage—both successful sopranos who share an alma mater and perform with passion and purpose. Fredrick, who now lives in England, earned her doctorate in vocal studies at the Royal Academy of Music in London and is continuing her “portfolio career” as a full-time freelance soprano. She is enthusiastic about the opportunities ahead. “I’m bursting with ideas and just need structure and time to pursue them.” Recently she sang with the Kensington Chamber Orchestra, the Midlands Sinfonia and appeared on the BBC Radio 4 program Robert Winston’s Musical Analysis. Lu lives in Houston, Texas, sings in the Houston Grand Opera (HGO) Chorus, has performed regularly with HGO’s Opera to Go program, and also performs with other companies. Last month she sang the soprano solos in Handel’s Messiah with the South Dakota Symphony. Lu received her master’s degree in vocal performance from Rice University. Nature and nurture Lu knew from a very early age she was born to sing, while Fredrick did not seriously pursue singing until college. “At 18 months, I was found standing in my crib humming the Seitz concerto that my older brother had been practicing on the violin,” Lu said. During her childhood her family performed in churches and convention centers throughout the Midwest. Fredrick credits NWC voice teacher Carol Eikum with her career choice. Fredrick’s intent was to study creative writing; a phone call from Eikum, after hearing Fredrick’s audition for the College Choir, changed all that. “She said I should strongly consider being a vocal major. The thought had honestly never occurred to me and sometimes I am still surprised and bemused to find that I am a professional singer.”

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Common respect Respect for their NWC teachers and mentors is something these sopranos have in common. Eikum encouraged Lu to work outside of her comfort zone. “I definitely would not be where I am today if it hadn’t been for her training, guidance and connections,” she said. “She pushed me to do things I was afraid to do.” Both women give much credit for their spiritual strength, personal integrity and professional achievement to their musical mentors at Northwestern, including Eikum, Cathy Larsen, Kathleen Robinson, Doreen Hutchings and Tim Sawyer. Not for the faint of heart Being a Christian in the performing arts world is not for the faint of heart. The sopranos have to deal with intense pressure and possible rejection as a part their daily lives. Fredrick recently felt the sting of a resounding “no” from a concert series organizer. She admitted it was difficult to take. “I need to remind myself each day to develop a thicker skin without becoming callous—no easy thing.” Lu is pointed about the risk to one’s spiritual well-being. “The performing arts can be a dark world that needs believers, but if you are not grounded in your faith, you can get eaten alive.” Single purpose It’s not for celebrity status or audience adulation that these sopranos sing. Both Fredrick and Lu are clear about a single purpose: they see their talent as God-given and with each performance they honor Him. Fredrick said, “I was made to sing and when I use the gift that God has given me, He finds both pleasure and glory in it.” “The opera world is my mission field,” Lu noted.” I believe He has me here to do His work.”

Music

Of Music and Mission

A winding path, a vision fulfilled At Northwestern, Benham studied music education under Dr. William Berntsen. He taught music before entering grad school in Denver and later returned to Northwestern—this time on the new St. Paul campus—to chair the music department from 1971 to 1975, although, Benham reflected, “I was still not sure where God was leading me.” His path meandered a bit: learning instrument repair, leaving NWC for a position at Cal State Fullerton, then six years later returning to Minnesota with his wife, Merridee (Matson ’63) and their family. He retired from teaching, opened an instrument repair business and took the worship position at Grace Church Roseville (Minn.), ready to live a normal life and raise a family…or so Benham thought. While in California, Benham had the unique cross-cultural experience of directing music at a Jewish temple. After that, the trajectory toward his music/missions vision began to speed up. In 1989,

Preserving music in schools and culture Over the years Benham has also served as a consultant to the music education industry. Born in response to cuts proposed in his kids’ school district, he developed illustrations to show decision makers how cutting these programs would actually cost more. Benham’s efforts have helped preserve $72 million in funding for music programs across the nation. He recently published Music Advocacy (Moving from Survival to Vision), a summary of his experience as one of the nation’s most successful advocates for music education. Benham developed the ethnomusicology curriculum that is the backbone of MIWC, and which he now teaches at Liberty. “Ethnomusicology is the anthropology of music,” Benham noted. “Where the typical musician studies the music, we study the culture of the music. We are looking at the context, use and function of music in the culture.” Understanding music in this way helps achieve the MIWC mission—and illustrates the realization of one young boy’s vision: Using music as a means of accessing culture for breaking down barriers and building bridges to establish cross-cultural relationships.

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o John Benham Jr. ’64, Ed.D., there is much more to eth·no·mu·si·col·o·gy than a dictionary definition can convey. The professor of worship and ethnomusicology at Liberty University in Virginia and adjunct professor of music at NWC found his vision for the field at age 10—about the same time as the first ethnomusicology degree programs were being developed. “As I was walking home from school one day I actually stopped in the middle of a field and felt God was calling me into a dual role in music and missions,” explained Benham, who grew up in Michigan. He remembers the moment with clarity, but it took years for the reality to emerge.

he accepted an invitation to go to Indonesia to teach a group of 400 ex-headhunters and animists. “When they became believers they started singing and the music just flowed out of them,” Benham said, and he realized more clearly than ever the power of music, in a specific cultural context, as an expression of worship. The trip proved to be pivotal. “I essentially came home and quit everything,” Benham remembered. He sold his instrument repair business, resigned his church position and started a ministry called Music in World Cultures (MIWC). “It was the fulfillment of my age-10 vision.” Twenty-two years later, MIWC is an international faith-based organization at the forefront of advancing the use of music as a strategic tool in developing cross-cultural relationships.

Josh Stokes

eth·no·mu·si·col·o·gy [eth-noh-myoo-zi-koluh-jee] \ n (1950) 1: the study of music that is outside the European art tradition 2: the study of music in a sociocultural context (from MerriamWebster’s Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition).

Josh Stokes

By Nancy Cawley Zugschwert

Top: John Benham Middle & Bottom: Indigenous instruments become tools for reaching other cultures

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Josh Stokes

Film

Film Program hits a boom

By Jenny Collins ’05

On set: Micah Murray ’11 films a scene with NWC student actors in a film by Erin McGregor ’11, Laura Hoffman ’11 and Mel Magnuson ’11.

 To see the films produced by NWC students, visit youtube. com/five16filmfestival

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he Electronic Media Communication (EMC) major now has an official track in film production, under the direction of Associate Professor of Communication Ann Sorenson, MFA. From producing award-winning short films and working on film sets to studying in Hollywood and starting their own production companies, NWC film students have expanded their course assignments—and ambitions—well beyond the classroom. Last summer, Eagle Honors Scholars Erin McGregor ’11 and Micah Murray ’11 worked as assistants on the Washington, D.C. film set of For the Glory, a Christian film based on the true story of athlete Kurt Kuykendall. But neither student entered Northwestern with declared film ambitions. Murray transferred to Northwestern as a sophomore after moving back from Zambia, Africa, where his parents are missionaries. Also, as a husband and father, Murray’s nontraditional path has motivated him to succeed. He started out as a graphic design major but found his real

passion in film. “I’ve changed from being that insecure, out-of-place sophomore,” admitted Murray, “to being in the position I am now—extremely confident in what I’ve learned, already working professionally, with projects lined up for me to work on. It’s what I came to college for—to get a job to support my family. But much more than that, I found a passion.” Murray’s work has received recognition and awards beyond Northwestern. He wrote, directed and produced the short film The Obituary of Richard Cory, based on the classic poem. It won Best Drama in NWC’s 2010 Five16 Film Festival, Best Student Production from the International Christians in Visual Media Crown Awards (2010), second place for Narrative Student Film from the National Religious Broadcasters (2010) and honorable mention in the student category from the Broadcast Education Association at the 2011 BEA Festival of Media Arts. Captivated by the art of cinematography,

Rick Busch

Josh Stokes

Film

Murray aims to work as a director of photography, which oversees camera movement and placement, as well as lighting. “When I’m directing a film I feel like I’m doing what God created me to do.” For his newest short film, Belong, Murray cast seasoned actors Ted and Bonnie Johnson, a Christian couple who have played minor characters in Evan Almighty, Leatherheads, Big Fish and more. Belong won “Audience Choice” and “Best Drama” in the 2011 Five16 Film Festival. Erin McGregor had never even touched a video camera before coming to Northwestern, but she had a secret desire to learn filmmaking. She eventually declared an EMC major her second semester after taking Story Structure with Sorenson. “The reason I love film is because of story,” McGregor said. “That’s the heartbeat behind it for me.” She confesses she used to think, “‘Oh man, if you could get into movies, what power you’d have!’ But now I’ve seen that’s a utilitarian approach [and a] major downfall of the Christian [film] industry right now. Some think you can just insert [Christian themes] into a film and it’ll have a magical impact. Film is an art form in and of itself; you have to treat it respectfully and see God working within it, not just in how it influences others.” At the 2011 Five16 Film Festival, McGregor accepted the Best Music Video award for Like It, which she produced with Derek Holt ’11 and Holly Aunan ’13. After graduation, McGregor plans to start a production company in her hometown, be available to work on films and hopes to attend Act One, a film and TV writing program for Christian entertainment professionals.

Five16 Film Festival celebrates best year yet

ed carpet, popcorn, and paparazzi welcomed around 900 audience members to Maranatha Hall on April 18 for what has become one of the most celebrated traditions of the Department of Communication—the Five16 Film Festival. Named for Matthew 5:16, the festival showcases the work of NWC student filmmakers in the categories of comedy, drama, music video and animation. Student films were judged by Northwestern faculty, alumni and film professionals from around the country. The winners of the 2011 Five16 Film Festival Awards were: »» Best Comedy: Art Appreciation by Laura Hoffman ’11 »» Best Music Video: Like It by Erin McGregor ’11, Derek Holt ’11 and Holly Aunan ’13 »» Best Animation: Nuts About You! by Lauren Krieger ’11 »» Best Drama: Belong by Micah Murray ’11 »» Best Actress: Lydia Russell ’11 in Ring (In the New Year) »» Best Actor: Joe Kroll ’12 in For Display Only The most coveted prize in the festival, “Audience Choice,” went to Belong by Micah Murray ’11. His prize included an opportunity to meet with director/ writer/producer Daniel Green, whose credits include ER, The Sopranos and The West Wing. Phil Baur ’11, a member of the NWC Productions executive staff for the festival said, “In the past, video projects were only shown in classes and then they went to die on YouTube. Now we have this wonderful venue.” Ann Sorenson, associate professor of communication and advisor for the film festival, said, “It is a blessing to see our student filmmakers grow in the art and craft of filmmaking. We are humbled by the audience’s response and grateful for the college community who came out to support this event.”

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Interview by Jenny Collins â&#x20AC;&#x2122;05

Associate Professor of Art Heather (Nameth â&#x20AC;&#x2122;02) Bren, MFA, was a 2010 recipient of a $25,000 McKnight Fellowship grant for ceramic artists. She used the grant to open her own studio and is exploring innovations with ceramic art. In her fourth year of teaching, Bren is married to Wade and they have two daughters, Alivia (4) and Hazel (2).

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How does ceramics push back? It’s this material that’s always surprising me. I’m always exploring what it does. It can be hard and soft, rough and smooth, fluid and brick-like. It can be ugly or gorgeous. I don’t know that I’ll ever stop learning about the material of ceramics— there are so many layers. You teach several foundation courses. How do you approach growing artists? Students come in saying, “I know this stuff.” But they don’t. And they soon find out how awkward and fumbly they are. I see freshman year as boot camp. It’s academic and physical. We’re getting them in shape. We’re getting them prepared to be good thinkers, makers, seekers of questions. And hopefully by the end of it, they come out fit and trim, and as different kinds of creative thinkers.

Josh Stokes

I say in my intro classes that this is a collegiate experience. Because students come from a background of high school art or home schooling group art or no art at all, and there’s this idea that art is easy and it’s not academic—and that’s absolutely not the case. So I really demand a collegiate dedication. What does collegiate dedication look like? I’m asking them to be more thoughtful, intentional and articulate—the [first-year] students have a hard time communicating visual ideas. Even just saying what’s in front of them: what it looks like, what it feels like, how it fits in your hand—how do

you explain this to someone who has never seen it before? They’re just learning to speak the language of art. How do you handle the critique process? It comes from the place of wanting them to be better and that has growing pains and it’s not going to be comfortable. It’s hard work to be better. In our Christian culture, that’s not something that’s received very well, especially from a female. I know I demand a lot. I’m here to support everyone’s ideas but squeeze the most out of that idea. What do you feel when you see students getting it? That’s really exciting for me. No one will believe this, because I am such a toughy, but I almost get this welling up of tears, and I just hold it back. The problem is getting it to happen. How often does that happen? You know, quite a bit. If you’re supportive of their ideas, and your criticism is in the spirit of support and you’re moving forward and the student is receptive, it happens a lot more than you think. It’s push and push back, and pull and pull back. It’s a mutual relationship. And then they go to their next class and they’re getting the same feedback. How do you incorporate faith and art in the classroom? I tell students, especially when we’re learning to throw, “It’s right there in front of you.” That whole class—Ceramics 1—is filled with devotions. And some of the most obvious ones we’re taught as children, like be careful little hands what you do. It’s such a life lesson and the pottery will show you that. If you make a mistake in some part of even preparing the clay and there’s something that wasn’t given enough time or consideration, it will turn out a janky-looking pot. I just say that to students and they’re like, “Wow, you’re right, I was delinquent here. I need to go back and think about this.”

What lessons have you learned from ceramics? Our culture moves fast through things and there’s not a moment for slowness. Ceramics make you pay attention to that slowness and the cycle of things. We talk about how God created a cycle for everything. I bring those analogies into the classroom. The clay demands this of you.

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Of all the artistic pursuits to follow, why did you choose ceramics? When I was [a student] at Northwestern, I was pretty good at “making,” whatever that meant—painting, printmaking or drawing—they all came to me pretty easily. And ceramics was that one material that wouldn’t do exactly what I wanted it to do. There was something there that pushed back in an unruly sort of way. And maybe that’s how I am; maybe I push back in an unruly sort of way.

How is art a form of worship for you? Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created.” We’re also created in His image. We have the ability to create. This is the first time probably in human existence that we’ve almost eliminated the ability to create. Everything is manufactured. There’s no playfulness. There’s no learning about yourself through making something. Such as, “I’m really impatient. I need to work on this.” If I’m listening to that and I’m being reflective, then I think that is being in the act of worship right there. It sounds like art is also healing for you. You can ask my husband this. He’ll tell me, “You need to get to the studio; you’re a miserable person right now.” It’s a way to be by myself and think about things—what I’m working on academically, how I’m not being very patient. There are moments that become very prayerful and meditative and reflecting on how I’m being. We’re asked to change. Some of it is this constant mirror and if you’re being really honest, you can really learn a lot. Are you naturally introspective and reflective? No. I come from a long line of loud ladies. And when you’re that loud, do you really have time to be that quiet? So working with ceramics has brought the capacity for stillness? Yes. And reflection. And all the ways I’m miserable. And all the ways I’m kind of OK. In this last year, I’ve learned so much about myself, my faith, about where I’m at with a lot of things. It’s been really great.

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Taking Art to the Highest Degree In the past nine years, 16 Northwestern College art graduates have been accepted to top-tier graduate programs including Yale, Cranbrook Academy of Art, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, CalArts and Rhode Island School of Design, among others. They have also received additional honors, fellowships and grants and several are continuing full-time careers in art-related fields. Below is an update on one of these artists.

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thought-provoking. I rarely walked away from one without my thinking about art and beauty having shifted in some fundamental way. He laid a foundation for the critical theory we had to wrestle with in graduate school.” As a student at RISD, Norquist’s work developed as he started dealing with topics of gender, specifically masculinity, drawing on sources such as hunting and fishing, military, and body-building culture. Since graduate school he has been working in materials such as cement, wood and stone. Norquist is grateful his work affords him the opportunity to stay engaged in his craft. “There is a struggle that happens after you get out of grad school, when the logistics of life tend to upset your studio practice,” he noted. “You need to find a job, find housing and pay the bills. Many people stop making art during that time. I’ve been fortunate enough to have space, time and resources to keep on producing work.” Norquist also finds support for his artistic endeavors from his wife, Shannon. A Spanish teacher by day, Shannon is also a dancer in a local modern company. “We both are artists in our own right,” Norquist said. “I think that has been helpful in that we can talk together about each other’s work and encourage each other.”

Untitled (Paisley), 2010, Gouache on paper, 36” X 40”

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“G

enesis 1 is my favorite chapter in the Bible. In it, I can see God as a creator. In it, I see the seeds of all the artists, craftspeople and ‘creatives’ that ever lived. God’s image as a creator continues to come to fruition in us when we make things of truth and beauty.” These words of Andrew Gunnar Norquist ’04 express the philosophy that guides him in his journey as an artist. After graduation, Norquist attended the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), where he received his Master of Fine Arts in Sculpture in 2006 and several months later received an offer to work in the RISD Exhibitions office. As a “curator of sorts” Norquist’s office oversees and runs three campus galleries, as well as RISD-affiliated off-campus exhibitions. RISD exhibits approximately 40 shows each year. Norquist credits much of his success to Northwestern professor and mentor Joe Smith ’92, MFA. “He worked with me to get together a great package for grad school applications and was a really great teacher,” Norquist said. “He taught me to be really hard on myself, in a good way. He pushed. Some people say art majors don’t work. He made us work and think. I still remember critiques with Joe being very

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By Nancy Cawley Zugschwert

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Teaching Art in the Black Forest

By Emily Kremer ’07

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a world that speaks their computer and gaming language. While pottery and painting may not suit their technical bent, I feel blessed to come alongside and encourage these young men.

Burst of Light Unlike my less confident eighth graders, my eager, older graphic arts students have said the graphic design class “is like a burst of light” in the middle of their days. This particular class consists primarily of boys seeking to develop their artistic ability in

Wisdom and Cookie Dough A couple of my male students live in the dorm where I volunteer on Thursday nights. One evening, they found me in the kitchen mixing up a batch of chocolate chip cookies. They were brainstorming ideas together for our poster project. The literary quote one student was trying to illustrate was confusing, so he looked it up in context and we discussed good and evil and the path of wisdom while I stirred my cookie dough. As the oldest of six children, I play the “big sister” role naturally and I enjoy being able to mentor students outside of the classroom. I love hugs in the hallway from girls in my freshmen small group, and mini reunions when my first-semester kids drop by at lunch to say hello and check in on the current design project. While taking my design experience into the unknown realm of teaching has been difficult, the challenge is more adventure than burden. Never once have I doubted God’s guiding me to Black Forest Academy and I eagerly await great things as I prepare for a second year.

ord has it that you’re all pretty artistic!” My opening comment met a split second of silence before a ripple of giggles and smirks broke out, followed by a burst of laughter. Apparently my eighth graders were not as confident in their abilities. “Who said that?” “I’m horrible at art” and other such comments were made as I settled down the excited chatter. “I don’t expect masterpieces from you,” I continued, “but I do want to see you all improve your art-making skills.” Regardless of their natural talent levels, students can use art to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. My role is to come alongside as a coach, to encourage, critique, ask questions and see the challenges through their eyes. Most of my students are far away from the people and places they call home. I see the cultures they love and the struggle of separation and transition displayed in their art. For many, these art classes become a haven, a time to express and release, amidst a day full of absorption and retention.

In 2010 Emily Kremer ’07 left a graphic design position in the Twin Cities to teach art and graphic design at Black Forest Academy, an international Christian school in Kandern, Germany for students of international Christian workers and business families.

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Scrolling Through

Eagles History With a glance down memory lane through the Scroll yearbooks of yesteryear, it’s easy to see that music and theatre have always been a vital part of Northwestern culture.

A Capella

Forming a human Christmas tree complete with greenery, the A Capella Choir sang traditional hymns under the direction of William B. Berntsen.

The years have brought changes in clothing styles and hairstyles and styles of music and

1951

drama. Many years saw great emphasis on multiple small evangelistic ensembles and others a focus on large productions. Today, Northwestern has 16 music ensembles that perform on campus, in the community, across the country and around the world. The

Quartet

“Out of sheer joy in serving and a desire to spread the gospel, many new musical ensembles are formed each year.” Pictured: The Ambassadors Quartet.

Theatre Department offers several productions each year in Maranatha Hall or in the intimacy of the Patsy Miller Studio Theatre in the lower

1952

level of Totino Fine Arts Center.

and a way to reach the world for Christ has remained constant.

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Photography from NWC Archives

But the theme of music and theatre as worship

BAND With cornets and sousaphones in hand, band students are trained in music and “the fine art of using the Word of God.” The Scroll notes, “Graduates of Northwestern go forth to battle for God—with a Song and a Sword!”

1965

1979

NWC ensembles performed and led worship in churches, on radio and at various other activities. Ensembles pictured: 1. Communique, 2. New Beginnings, 3. Abundant Joy, 4. Resurrection, and 5. Morning Star.

MEdieval

Here in elaborate Middle Ages costumes is the cast of The Lady’s Not for Burning, directed by Patsy Miller ’59 (namesake of the current Patsy Miller Studio Theatre).

1980

Male Chorus

Displaying a “fresh new spirit” the Male Chorus of 1980, directed by Kyle Wilson ’51, sang at 38 services and concerts before 14,000+ people.

Ensembles

1993

1985

Music Man

A perennial favorite, the 1985 presentation of The Music Man finds the elusive Harold Hill hiding behind a newspaper as traveling salesmen discuss his wily ways.

Rehearse

Rehearsals have always been the backbone of excellent musical performance and worship. A 1993 highlight for the choir was performing at Orchestra Hall with the College Band.

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Through the Years 1940s Dr. Harold Salem ’43 is retiring from pastoring First Baptist in Aberdeen, SD after ministering for 66 years. William (Bill) ’49 and Florence (Hoglin ’49) Hunter continue their involvement with Big Valley Grace Community Church in California by singing in the choir and participating in the weekly seniors’ group. Bill is the chaplain for Ripon’s American Legion Post. 1950s–60s Marjorie Farley ’53 celebrates her increase in strength and health by helping serve others in her retirement community. Grace (Zyp ’53) Reid continues her ministry to the shut-ins in Austria, visiting and calling many of the sick and elderly there to encourage them in their faith and to share the love of Jesus with them. She also serves in the Women’s Breakfast Movement. James Cooper ’54 was awarded an honorary doctor of divinity degree on May 8, 2010, from Indiana Baptist College. He and his wife Anna have 13 grandchildren and celebrated the birth of their sixth greatgrandchild on May 26, just a few days before their 58th wedding anniversary.

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Reginald (“Reg”) Dunlap ’57 has returned to continue a 30-year history with a Bible conference ministry and evangelism after spending almost 20 years pastoring Second Baptist Church in Connecticut. At the end of November he finished an evangelistic crusade at a church in Massachusetts. Marilyn (Bergman ’59) Gregerson and her husband Ken continue their work with Wycliffe Bible Translators in Cambodia. Currently, they are working with their survey team to determine language family subgroups of four tribal languages. Marilyn chaired a session on culture’s impact on reading and writing for ethnic language groups for the American Anthropological Association and will be traveling in Southeast Asia this year conducting additional seminars. In September, Steve Sheldon ’61 returned to Brazil where he and his wife Linda ’64 had spent time ministering through Wycliffe Bible Translators. From their home in Florida, they continue to work with CONPLEI to assist with training so that mother tongue translators can be equipped to help people receive God’s Word.

David ’66 and Linnea (Hastings ’66) Fellows’ grandson Trevor is a freshman at NWC this year. David is retired and Linnea is working at BGEA Library in Charlotte, NC. Gordon Moritz ’66 has served with the American Missionary Fellowship for 43 years along with his wife Ruth. They have retired from full-time ministry but continue to minister halftime, keeping all programs operating. 1970s–80s Dave Toth ’77 is the executive director of Big Sandy Camp and Retreat Center in McGregor, MN after retiring from 31 years in law enforcement. He and his wife Brenda (Johnson ’78) are enjoying their ministry. Rachel Kull ’78 and her husband Mark work with Wycliffe Bible Translators. This year, one of the translation teams was able to reach the milestone of completing the New Testament in a language that previously had no Scripture translations.

Jim Jackson ’83 and his wife Lynne released their revised book How to Grow a Connected Family. They travel the Minnesota region sharing messages for growing children of faith. Terry Langlie ’84 is the head counselor at Tulare Union High School in Tulare, CA. He has worked there for 21 years, coaching men’s football for 16 years and men’s basketball for eight years. He is active with Young Life as well as the Christian Motorcycle Association.

Submit your updates and check out additional alumni and class news online at nwc.edu/alumni. If you would like to

Tim Arfsten ’83 continues his work with the Global Adopt-APeople Campaign. In October, he traveled to the Philippines and helped assemble 4,000 Pashtun adoption kits there. While in Manila, he spoke to a multicultural group of pastors and missionaries at the International School of Leadership about the need to focus on unreached people groups.

reconnect with other fellow alumni, you may find them on Facebook or contact Alumni Relations at alumni@nwc.edu.

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Melissa (Stoner ’87) Kostella has been married to Nicholas for five years. They have three children: Austin, Hannah and Emma. Emma was born 10 weeks early, weighing only two pounds, two ounces, but is now age two and healthy. Kenneth Crane ’89 and his wife Robin and their eight children, Michael, Bryan, Joshua, Shannon, Nathan, Evan, Emilie, and Lauren moved to Maryland. Robert Samuelsen ’89 served his second tour in Iraq as the brigade judge advocate for 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division (Light Infantry) from October 2009 through July 2010. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for supporting combat operations during Operation

Iraqi Freedom. He studied law at Valparaiso University and the Judge Advocate General’s School.

Dale Sandahl F’97 started his employment with First Minnesota Bank in Edina in August.

1990s

Paul Schwartz ’97 and his family recently moved to Osan Air Base in South Korea for his new position as the information management officer for the 6-52nd Air Defense Battalion.

Ken Paulsen ’90 and his wife Gina and their three children, Luke, Peter and Anna, were one of the founding families of Harvest Bible Chapel in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. He was installed as an elder of this Harvest Bible Fellowship church in November. Ken works as an account manager for OptumHealth. Darren ’93 and Joyce (Woyke ’92) Regehr recently accepted a position as senior pastor at Dalesburg Baptist Church and moved to Beresford, SD with their two children.

Keith ’99 and Colleen (Fish ’00) Hurlbut accepted the call to become the pastor of First Baptist in Phillips, WI in August 2010. Laura (Gustafson ’99) Valera and her husband John have a daughter, Danya, who spent 10 days in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit after her birth but is now a healthy three-year-old.

To honor this recovery, Laura and John have been collecting sleepers, toys and other gifts for other babies and children in the hospital. 2000s Natalie (Larson ’00) Settles and her husband Burr reside in Pittsburgh, PA where she is continuing her practice as an artist and is teaching as an adjunct professor in the School of Art at Carnegie Mellon University. She has exhibited nationally and internationally since 1999, interned at the Smithsonian Institute, lived and worked in Cambridge, UK, and was named a 2008 Wisconsin Arts Board Fellow. She received her MFA from the University of WisconsinMadison in 2003.

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Northwestern Alumni Win November Elections Matt Bostrom, Ramsey County Sheriff Matt Bostrom F’02 was elected Ramsey County sheriff and is now serving Minnesota’s second-largest county in this capacity. Bostrom received his bachelor’s degree through the FOCUS Degree Completion program and earned a Master of Education from the University of St. Thomas and Doctor of Public Administration from Hamline University. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy and a certified State of Minnesota emergency manager. He served for 28 years with the St. Paul Police Department as officer, sergeant, lieutenant, commander, senior commander and chief of staff. Most recently, he served as the assistant chief and led the Division of Homeland Security and Support Services. He is also an adjunct instructor in criminal justice at NWC, Hamline University and Saint Mary’s University. John Pederson, Minnesota State Senate John Pederson ’90 was elected to the Minnesota State Senate, representing District 15 (St. Cloud, St. Augusta, Waite Park and Rockville). Pederson earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Biblical Studies from Northwestern and an MBA from Cardinal Stritch University. Pederson has been involved in the District 15 community since 1990, serving in a number of capacities including the St. Cloud City Council and the St. Cloud Housing and Redevelopment Authority. He is vice president of Amcon Block and Precast, Inc. and volunteers with the Whitney Senior Center in St. Cloud. As senator he is serving on the following committees: Capital Investment, Environment and Natural Resources, Higher Education, Jobs and Economic Growth and Local Government and Elections.

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FAST FORWARD Brent Amundson: Enjoying the Places of His Life Major: Business Administration Career: Dell: Executive Director, Talent Acquisition, Americas Home: Austin, Texas Family: Wife, Melanie; Children: Zach (16), Luke (13)

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rent Amundson ’88 hoped his career in business would take him places but never thought it would be in the literal sense. He currently leads a team of 150+ individuals in six countries across North and South America for Dell, which provides ample opportunities for travel. His career path has included many points on the map, including jobs with Cargill, Arthur Andersen (“including experiencing the implosion of the firm in 2002”), Cardinal Health, Perot Systems (acquired by Dell) and others. “I didn’t think I’d move across the country and relocate my family this much, but each time has been a new adventure.” Another “place” where Amundson’s life journey has led is that of parenting a special-needs child. He and his wife have two sons—Zach, a high school sophomore and Luke, who was born with spina bifida and mild autism. “He is the joy of our life,” said Amundson, “and will continue to live with us for hopefully a very long time.” Involved with jazz band, intramurals and missions trips while at NWC, Amundson is grateful for how his college experience has prepared him—and other grads—for life. “Northwestern is a rare jewel in the Midwest,” the Shell Lake, Wisc. native said. “It produces a significant number of people who end up leading in full-time ministry as well as others who add significant value to their employers, government and communities around the world. It is fun to read up on where people have journeyed since school, and I’m always amazed and proud of the accomplishments of my fellow alums.”

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Josh Jipp ’01 received a faculty appointment in the New Testament department at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He will begin teaching there in January 2012 after he completes his dissertation at Emory University. Jodi Boos-Blaszyk F’03 received her doctorate in clinical psychology at Antioch University New England in Keene, New Hampshire, in July 2010. She is now the state of Maine’s postdoctoral resident in the State Forensic Service in Augusta, Maine. James (Jay) Elsen ’03 accepted a programming/on-air position with Midco Sports Network in Sioux Falls, SD. Beau ’03 and Jenna (Lanzen ’06) Taylor currently reside in Ashland, NE. Emily (Dreher ’04) Holmertz and her husband Patrick (PJ) and will begin their threeyear full-time missionary work to Kenya and Tanzania in September. They will be shortterm missions coordinators for the Eastern Region of Africa through Africa Inland Mission. Kristin (Cain ’04) van Loon and her husband Joel moved to Saskatchewan in November where Joel is the senior pastor of an Evangelical Free church. Kristin received her MSW from the University of Illinois and spent five years working in the foster care system before becoming a stay-at-home mom in July.

Sally (Archer F’05) Butwin is pursuing her Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Bethel University. Jason ’05 and Tahran (Helmberger ’04) Olson moved to Budapest, Hungary in February to work with Pioneers in recruiting European missionaries for the harvest field and in helping to plant churches in Hungary and greater Europe. Luke Erickson ’06 arrived in Valladolid, Spain in October where he and the rest of his team will be working on church planting through Avant Ministries. Tim Ferret ’06 was promoted from resident director at Greenville College to the assistant dean of Men’s Residence Life program. In January 2011 he co-led a team of students to Guatemala on a service trip. In May 2011 he will complete his master’s degree in student affairs through Regent University. Schyler Benson ’07 graduated from Argosy University in July 2010 with a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy. Carl ’08 and Elizabeth (Van Rossum ’06) O’Brien are teaching conversational English in rural Japan as they pursue God’s call on their lives to serve in full-time ministry.

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FAST FORWARD Jacob Notch ’10 began his job as choir director for Omro Middle and High School in Omro, WI. His wife, Maria, also began a new job teaching elementary music in a nearby district.

Leanne Rumsey ’03 and Gregory Holker on August 22, 2009. April Dahl ’05 and Joshua Ebb on November 6, 2010.

Major: Organizational Administration (FOCUS)

Natasha Rumsey ’10 is serving in Poland with Greater Europe Mission.

Career: Artistic Topographist; Marketing Home: Burnsville, MN

Weddings Christine Roy and Anthony Alfonso ’98 on August 21, 2010.

Annie Marie Young: Vision in the Absence of Sight

Tricia Burton ’06 and Joel Matasovsky on July 10, 2010. Julie Strnad ’07 and Dan Vallier on August 7, 2010. Kristin Johnson ’08 and Phillip Hicks on September 26, 2009. Anna Hilden ’10 and Daniel King ’10 on July 17, 2010.

Do you have a college-bound son or daughter? Children of NWC alumni are eligible for a $1,500 tuition discount! The Legacy Discount can be combined with other scholarships and grants at NWC.

➤ nwc.edu/admissions

nnie Young F’97 was determined to earn a college degree and be one of the first from her southern Minnesota farming family to do so. After serving 14 years with the United States Air Force and the Minnesota Air National Guard, she attended Southern Illinois University and earned AAS degrees in logistics and transportation from the Community College of the Air Force. Even with an associate’s degree, “I yearned for something deeper, something divinely directed,” Young remarked, “and found it on my first visit to Northwestern. I continued to be challenged throughout my studies.” Young, who works in marketing with Costco, lost her eyesight shortly after graduating from NWC. She never dreamed she would develop her artistic skills but knew God had a plan. She soon discovered she had a gift for artistic topography. She learned to navigate the picture plane with her fingers—because she had to! Through her work, Young invites those who view it to “see what she felt.” Her work, primarily in acrylics, fiber and clay, has been on display from coast to coast and has been collected internationally. Young finds a great deal of her inspiration for her art while training for her next triathlon or marathon. She participates in events across the country and is hoping to qualify for the Paralympics in triathlon. Young has a desire to give back to those who have been there for her. When she is not busy spoiling her grandbabies, she offers her time as a volunteer to her community, using her art and marketing skills to fund-raise. It is her desire to promote God’s message of faith and offer His promise that hope is always alive.

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Joshua ’08 and Heidi (Graser ’09) Thulin will be moving to Nairobi, Kenya next year to work with Africa Inland Mission. They will be traveling across Africa creating documentaries of the missions work and community development being done by AIM. They also hope to assist in teaching visual media and storytelling in local colleges and churches.

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Additions Ryan Jacob and Hailey Renee to Jeff and Christine (Fornell ’91) Ellingson on July 26, 2008. The twins were born 15 weeks prematurely and weighed less than two pounds each. The Lord called Ryan home on August 4, 2008. Hailey spent over three months in St. Paul Children’s Hospital’s NICU before coming home. She is now a healthy two-year-old. Logan Matthew to Jeff and Christine (Fornell ’91) Ellingson on May 12, 2010. He joins Hailey. Leah Kaitlyn to Ben and Janelle (Hanson ’94) Dahl on June 10, 2009. She joins Evan. Anika Aurora to James and Audra (Cake ’95) Brandt on May 17, 2010. She joins Ariel.

Conrad to Phillip ’94 and Teresa (Marino ’95) Diers on December 18, 2009. He joins Neva and Logan.

William Edward to David and Sarah (Slinger ’99) Fink on August 17, 2010. He joins Graham, Beatrice and Ingrid.

Will Meichel to Josh and Courtney (Schmeichel ’03) Stiegelmeier on January 16, 2010.

Britlyn Ann Marie to Chris ’95 and Kristin (Mertens ’95) Salvevold on November 2, 2010. She joins Max, Maci, Tygen, Tate and Brinkley.

Noah Kristopher to Carlton and Kaytie (Turner ’99) Sumner on August 11, 2010. He joins Selah and Allison.

Sophie to Kara and James (Jay) Elsen ’03 on August 21, 2009.

Alyssa Marie to Greg ’97 and Sarah (Larson ’97) Schwitters on August 16, 2010. She joins Kyle.

Margaux Eloise to Jonathan ’02 and Yvette (Forrer ’99) Hatch on September 11, 2010. She joins Henri and Cosette.

Elsi Noelle to Justin F’99 and Aimmie (Ek ’97) Hauer on March 2, 2010. She joins Zoey.

Jeremiah Taylor to Kevin and Michelle (Backstrom ’00) McIlravy on August 10, 2010. He joins Jayden.

Shelly Joy to Matthew and Ginger (Adams ’97) Holbrook on August 16, 2010. She joins Steven and Grant.

Anna to Timothy ’02 and Jennifer (Larsen ’02) Mathiesen on January 27, 2009. She joins Elliat.

Maliha Kae to Michael and Amy (Hatlevig ’98) Moger on December 30, 2009. She joins Bennett.

Rachel Mae to Lucas ’02 and Kerry (Hayde ’04) Kavlie on July 11, 2010. She joins Joshua.

Levi Knight to Nathan ’03 and Heather (Smith ’03) Eide on June 5, 2010. He joins Gavin. Asa Jermaine to Jennifer and Andrew Bartholomew ’04 on March 24, 2011. He joins Madelyn Jenna. Ivy Noel to Adam ’04 and Elizabeth (Doughty ’04) Gardner on September 19, 2010. She joins Grace. Carter James to Josh and Julie (Westenberg ’04) Pickard on April 14, 2010. Kaylin Aniya to Joel and Kristin (Cain ’04) van Loon on July 14, 2010.

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Tyler Michael to Michael ’05 and Sandra (Penning ’04) Cowell on December 27, 2010. He joins Lincoln. Noah Edward to Ashley and Nathan Hesson ’05 on January 31, 2011. He joins Lily Ann Ruth. Josiah to Brett and Tanna (Gruber ’05) Huber on March 18, 2009. Todd and Amy (Heisel ’05) Mattson adopted Mikayla from Haiti in November. She joins her brother Gavin. Zane Adam to Beau ’03 and Jenna (Lanzen ’06) Taylor on March 30, 2010. Aaron Samuel to Nick and Amber (Wilson ’06) Kmoch on June 24, 2010.

Elijah Michael to Derrick and Melissa (Pickar ’07) Ellis on November 14, 2010. Keziah Grace Ann to Ian ’07 and Janell (Erickson ’07) McNamara on June 22, 2010.

Our students seek to serve God with passion and purpose. Your gift to the Northwestern Fund helps them do that.

August Gil to Jamin ’08 and Elizabeth (Mieling) Cousins on July 26, 2010. Linnea Sophia to Josiah and Samantha (Ferrozzo ’08) Cree on December 18, 2010. Aaliyah to Travares and Jennifer (Sanders ’08) Harris on March 31, 2009. Josiah Thomas to Thomas ’08 and Caitlin (Johnson ’10) Willard on September 2, 2010. Aubrey Marie and Emma Diane to Ryan ’10 and Mindy (Lanser ’08) Wissink on October 23, 2010.

In Memory Eva Marie Cornelius ’39 on August 7, 2010.

Annabelle Cavinder ’51 on December 9, 2010.

Becky Alderson ’44 on November 2, 2010.

Finley Hunter ’51 on November 1, 2010.

Mary (Kent ’44) Hairdahl on January 27, 2011.

Ezra Ostergard ’54 on January 12, 2011.

Erma (Tracy ’45) Ellis on December 28, 2007.

Jacqueline Pentz ’55 on April 11, 2010.

Betty Krause ’50 on November 28, 2010.

Janet (Ekgren Steinert) Anderson on October 30, 2010.

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Save the date! Celebrate Homecoming 2011 And the grand opening of the Billy Graham Community Life Commons Watch for your Homecoming brochure this summer!

Homecoming Weekend

BGCLC Grand Opening

October 7â&#x20AC;&#x201C;9, 2011

Saturday, October 8

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony Eagles Football Parade Family Activities and More!