Carried by the Spirit

Page 1

OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, BOURBONNAIS, ILLINOIS VOL. 75, NO. 4

SPRING 2008

WWW.OLIVET.EDU

Carried

Spirit

Periodicals Postage Paid at Bourbonnais, Illinois 60914, and additional mailing offices

by the

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: THE CURTAIN OF SILENCE: FRONTLINE AUTISM RESEARCH p age s i x

CAMPUS GOES ‘GREEN’ p age t wel ve

HOLLIS QUALIFIES FOR U.S. OLYMPIC TRIALS p age s e ve n t ee n


snapshots

2

THE OLIVETIAN (USPS 407-880) (ISSN 0891-9712)

revival Rev. David Leeder, pastor of Kokomo First Church of the Nazarene, led the campus in a special time of spiritual renewal during Spring Revival services, January 27–30. Download podcasts of the services on www.olivet.edu.

Editor Heather (Quimby) Day ’02

theatre

Contributing Writers Dr. Michael Benson Gary Griffin ’81/’07 M.A. Seth Hurd ’06 Casey Manes Kate Morgan Marc Shaner ’00/’02 M.A.T.

Students portrayed a breathtaking world of a plotting queen, a wise king and daring heroes and heroines through Mozart’s opera The Magic Flute, Fe b . 2 8 – 2 9 a n d March 1–2.

Designer Donnie Johnson Additional Design Matthew Moore ’96 Monique (Cartier) Perry ’03 Editorial Consultant Rev. Gordon C. Wickersham ’47

grads

Sports Editor Gary Griffin ’81/’07 M.A.

JON BROW N ’08

RYA N TIM M ’09

More than 1,300 degrees were conferred on Saturday, May 3 — the third largest graduated class in Olivet history. See more pictures from the 2008 Commencement ceremonies on pages 14–15.

Photography Image Group Photography, or as credited

Olivet Nazarene University President Dr. John C. Bowling ’71/’72 M.A./ ’06 D.Div.

concert

Interim Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gregg Chenoweth ’90

Multi-platinum selling artists Switchfoot rocked McHie Arena during a Shine.fm concert April 6.

Vice President for Student Development Dr. Walter “Woody” Webb ’86/ ’89 M.A.R./’08 D.Div. Vice President for Institutional Advancement Dr. Brian Allen ’82/’05 Litt.D. Vice President for Finance Dr. Douglas E. Perry ’68/ ’95 M.B.A., Litt.D.

The Olivetian is published quarterly by the Office of Marketing Communications under the direction of the vice president for Institutional Advancement.

RYAN TIMM ’09

Reproduction of material without written permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright © 2008 Olivet Nazarene University One University Avenue ­ ourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 B

push SUB MITT ED PHO TO

Engineering students were “pushed to the limits” on their mission trip to the Dominican Republic during Spring Break.

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Editor The Olivetian Olivet Nazarene University One University Ave. ­ ourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 B


perspectives

Spring 2008

The Olivetian

By Dr. John C. Bowling ’71/’72 M.A./ ’06 D.Div., University President

The Finger Prints of Olivet

fields, concert halls and so on. For one hundred years, students have gone forth from the university to make a difference and leave their mark on the world. The ripple of influence from this campus is nearly beyond calculation, for our lives touch other lives, which in turn touch others, who then touch others and on it goes. The impact of Olivet is ­exponential! Taking part in what happens at Olivet means that all of us must maintain and foster both a short view and long view of life. The short view means we must be focused on the daily dynamics of life here at the University — everything matters and has an immediate impact on the educational experience of our students. At the same time, not everything carries the same weight of importance and only time can provide a full measure of the impact of our work. So we balance the short view with the long view. What a great opportunity is ours (and yours!) to be part of this expanding circle of influence. Just a few weeks ago, we gathered once more for graduation. More than 1,300 graduates received degrees and moved on from Olivet to places of strategic importance. They took with them the “fingerprints” of this place and will leave their mark, and our mark, around the world. Thank you for your continued interest in, and support of, Olivet. We are truly “surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses” who, even from a distance, help provide the prayers, financial resources and encouragement to make this work possible.

Have you ever been finger-printed? It was several years ago. No, I wasn’t being arrested! It was during graduate school, and I was applying for a part-time job which demanded a certain level of security. I was finger-printed first for a security check and second so that my prints would be on record. Somewhere in some data bank are my prints, which can be accessed at any time by the proper authorities. Scientists tell us that no two human fingerprints are the same. Therefore it is possible to identify a person and even verify where he or she has been by fingerprints alone. One thing this means is that every human hand is the same, and yet … every hand is different. I suppose, in a way, some might be tempted to say, “Every university or college is the same.” Every school has a curriculum, faculty and students, a real or virtual campus. If, in fact, schools are all the same, then choosing a college would be easy. One could choose the school that is least expensive or closest to home (or farthest away!) thinking that it doesn’t make too much difference where you study. However, it does not take long to realize that colleges and universities are not all the same. Every school has its own history, mission, constituency, ethos and culture — its own set of ­fingerprints. If it were possible today to dust the world, we would find the fingerprints of Olivet Nazarene University in thousands and thousands of places — classrooms, science labs, courtrooms, hospitals, counseling centers, businesses, churches, mission

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

3


4

onu news STUDENTS IN FREE ENTERPRISE

sife students offer

‘keys’ to learning

PODCASTS

y Free, downloadable broadcasts of weekly chapel services and other ONU events are now available online. Go to www.olivet.edu and select “Podcasts — Listen Now!” from the Quick Links menu.

“The Olivet students made a huge difference in By Kate Morgan their lives,” says Dr. Martinez. “They felt hopeful, They sat in front of their computbeing able to learn something new.” ers, fingers skimming the keyboard,    Another way they made a difference was eager to begin their lessons. Many had never by reaching out to the students’ kids. Amanda before touched a computer; few knew how to Closser ’09 gave the children a campus tour start one. and let the computer-savvy generation use the    The scene was the outcome of a year of braincomputers in Weber Center. storming and planning by Olivia Smith ’08 and    “The greatest contribution they made was other members of ONU Students in Free Enterin the lives of the children,” Dr. Martinez says. prise, resulting in a computer training session for “On the way home, the children were sharing the community’s Hispanic population. how they want to study hard and graduate high    “I wanted to be a part of a project involving school. One small girl said she was going to study the Hispanic community because I am getting hard so that she can come to Olivet.” a minor in Spanish. At the time, SIFE was not engaged in an initiative that would reach that audience,” Olivia says of her involvement.    “I wanted to OUR GOAL IS think of ways SIFE TO SHARE THE students could use KNOWLEDGE their skills — either WE’VE LEARNED in Spanish or busiIN THE CLASSROOM ness — to meet WITH THOSE a need of native IN THE COMMUNITY. Spanish speakers.” WE WANT TO    She began talkEMPOWER OTHERS ing with Barbara TO LIVE SUCCESSFUL Martinez, associate LIVES IN WHATEVER professor of SpanENDEAVORS THEY ish, last spring. The PURSUE.” professor then put PICTURED: ASHLEY WOODBURN —Olivia Smith ’08 her in touch with Simone Mulieri ’06, LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM associate pastor to the Hispanic congregation The Hispanic computer training at Kankakee First Church of the Nazarene, who sessions are just one way SIFE conducts ESL classes in the church. members get involved in their community.    Simone immediately saw the benefits of partIn recent years, SIFE has orchestrated such nering with SIFE for the computer training sesprograms as Market Madness, a virtual stock sions. “Out of the nine students from our ESL game which allows students to learn the dynamics classes who participated in the program, five of of investing; Integrity Matters, a seminar targeted them had never touched a computer before,” at junior high students, discussing topics such as she says. music piracy, cheating and plagiarism; and eBay    “In a globalized, technological world, computtraining sessions. ers have become a necessity. Thus, it was very    “Our goal is to share the knowledge we’ve important for the students to be able to open an learned in the classroom with those in the e-mail account and know how to write a Word community. We want to empower others to live document.” successful lives in whatever endeavors they    With the new partnership formed, Olivia, along pursue,” Olivia says. with co-leader Dana Baumgarten ’08 and six    These types of projects do more than just other SIFE members, planned the details, while help the community, though. SIFE members get Pastor Simone served as translator and adviser hands-on learning that couldn’t be replicated in throughout the program. a classroom, Olivia explains.    “Any time a new project is started, SIFE TEACHING INSIDE THE CLASSROOM members get to experience working on a project In the classroom, the reasons for from the ground up. We get to see what works, wanting to learn varied. Some make the right contacts, organize ideas, plan desired to communicate with others through edetails and get others on board with the plan.” mail. Some wanted to look for jobs online. Many    Initially thought to be a one-time program, wanted to better understand what their children SIFE is now considering making the training were doing at school. sessions an ongoing project. “The training    So SIFE teachers led their students through a sessions were so successful and the participants variety of assignments. They began with smaller were so encouraging to us,” she says. “I would tasks: turning on the computer, turning off the love to see this project continue.” computer.    They worked their way through programs like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint. They familiarized themselves with the Internet. With each successful endeavor, SIFE members saw their students’ confidence grow.

Featured poDCASTS:

“Keep the candle burning” and “The Greenhouse Effect”  y Feb. 26–27, 2008

Dan Seaborn, founder, Winning at Home

RYAN TIMM ’09

In two of the most popular chapels of the semester, Seaborn discusses how to establish and maintain a powerful marriage for a lifetime. k DAN SEABORN

Remember who you are y Feb. 13, 2008

Brenda Salter-McNeil, president, Overflow Ministries

Though life may throw us curve balls, and things may not always go as planned, God has a purpose for our lives. We are more than what we have become.

Spring Revival Services: Eight-part series y Jan. 27–30, 2008

David Leeder, pastor, Kokomo First Church of the Nazarene, Kokomo, Ind.

In these spring revival services, co-sponsored by Olivet Nazarene University and College Church of the Nazarene, Rev. Leeder leads the campus in a special time of spiritual renewal.

Other podcasts include addresses by: n Chaplain Michael Benson n Chris Leland, Christian Worldview Studies, Focus on the Family Institute n B.J. Johnson as John Wesley n Nicole Braddock Bromley, founder, One VOICE Enterprises n Shores and Anderson, dramatists, “Acts of Renewal” n Valetta Steel-Crumley, missionary, OMS International n Joel Taylor, pastor, St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, Chicago, Ill.

CHAPLAIN’S NOTEBOOK Seeking fresh spiritual inspiration and biblical ­insight? University Chaplain Michael Benson, ­noted author and evangelist, has a regular blog on Olivet’s Web site.   Featured poSTING:

Point of CROSS-ing: Serving others during Spring Break  y  March 14, 2008   “We have a collection of students who will be recuperating a different way during spring break. Nearly fifty students and faculty sponsors will be leaving campus to serve others around the globe … The significance of this Point of Crossing will not be known to us immediately. Only eternity will tell of God’s work through these work and witness teams.”    To view the full story, visit www.olivet.edu and select “Chaplain’s Notebook” from the Quick Links menu.

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u


Spring 2008

“You help students

The Olivetian

“It is my conviction that God knows what we need, when we need it, and how He is going to provide it — at all times.

by providing the

“After accepting Christ, I knew my focus in life had to change. The old me was consumed with school, material achievements and relationships that faded away faster than a chocolate cake in a kindergarten classroom. Through an ongoing transformation, I have clung to God’s promise that anyone who is in Christ is a new creation.

financial means necessary to obtain not only a degree,

“I spent countless hours praying that God would reveal my calling in regards to a career. I prayed the Lord would change my desires to match His own. After much research and constant dependence on the Lord, I found that dietetics was the match for me.

but also a living testimony of what

“Olivet Nazarene University has provided me the opportunity to grow spiritually while also gaining the practical knowledge necessary to fulfill God’s calling in my life.

God can do through academics. Thank you

“The classes, faculty and students collectively provide an atmosphere of unity in striving to succeed in this world — God’s way.

for supporting my

“I now have the ambition and confidence necessary to know that God will continue to do the good work He has begun in my life.”

endeavors for this world and the next.”

­— Joyce Whitchurch ’10, Dietetics Major, Elk Grove Village, Ill.

Give Today. Change Tomorrow. 815-939-5171  |  www.olivet.edu  |  development@olivet.edu

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

5


6

onu news as models for the cause of autism in the brain. The study began in 2003 and involved exposing lab animals to the same antibodies from women who have had multiple children with autism.    Monkey test results showed exposure to antibodies from mothers with children born with autism directly impacted behavioral changes, increased hyperactivity and withdrawal from social activity: all characteristics of the disorder.    These stereotypies can include the repetitive behaviors prevalent in many children with autism — rocking, outbursts, social withdrawal.    His studies have garnered attention because the experiments with antibodies showed verifiable changes in the test animals. In effect, demonstrating that the antibodies are one cause of autism.    This finding may lead to the prevention of some forms of autism, if intervention can occur soon enough. In the long-term outlook, harmful antibodies may be able to be removed from expecting women before damage is done to the brain of the child.

“They were my God-send”    Ryan, now 17, has the tools to communicate with his parents and friends, to have some freedom from the silent, noncommunicative world many children with autism live in.    For Nancy and John McGinnis it has been a victory — almost. If their son couldn’t have his autism undone, at least now they are more easily able to communicate with him, to conquer it in some small way.    Now Nancy understands what her son is thinking, what he wants. This was something he could only do minimally before Loren began his work with him so many years ago. Despite being the age of a child ready for kindergarten then, the alphabet was previously unlearned, basic concepts, a blank.    “They were my God-send,” shares Nancy. “Loren would take Ryan into the community, to Olivet, to meet other college students. Support services in Illinois were [hardly available], so we had to spend all of our own resources helping Ryan. Loren helped him learn to read and communicate more clearly.”    Thanks to his relationship with Ryan, Loren will keep researching further to help more children, maybe to stop autism from happening in the first place.

THE By Casey Manes

CURTAIN OF SILENCE

The toddlers romped and chattered in a hyperactive stream of prattle. A few of them flailed their arms, rocked back and forth and sat in a corner, alone. A few screeched at the top of their lungs and had a tantrum for no apparent reason.    Their behavior, known as stereotypies, can include rocking, hand flapping, and other repetitive actions. For this group of toddlers — monkey toddlers, that is — their actions hold profound implications. These primates are providing a vital link to understanding a stealthy disease: autism.    “Research shows an increase in incidence in America in the last 10 years in the autism spectrum — in the ’90s four to five out of 10,000 were diagnosed a year, but statistics show it now occurs at a rate of one in 150 children,” shares Loren Martin ’98.

Befriending a child    Loren wasn’t always bent on offsetting this troubling trend. But then he met 5-year-old Ryan McGinnis while he was a student at Olivet Nazarene University.    Loren joined a team of fellow psychology majors under the supervision of a licensed therapist in working with the boy born with autism. Ryan didn’t yet know how to read aloud or identify the colors of the rainbow — his limited communication spiraled him into a silent world.

Loren cobbled together his compassion, know-how in behavioral modification, and teamwork and provided treatment to teach Ryan how to communicate and socialize. He also became his friend.    The relationship with Ryan ignited an interest in Loren to take this research further, to help more children.    To broaden his education, he tacked biology and chemistry onto his psychology focus.    Following his graduation from Olivet, numerous degrees and experiences followed: a master’s degree at the University of Tennessee, research on the cerebellum of mice, a Ph.D. in neuroscience in 2003 and a postdoctoral fellow at the MIND Institute at the University of California-Davis. Today, he is an assistant professor of psychology at Azusa Pacific University.

Astonishing discovery    Through his stint at the MIND Institute, Loren was able to study monkeys

LOREN MARTIN

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

Lingering questions

Now that scientists, including Loren, have discovered that antibodies are one RYAN cause of the brain changes in children M C GINNIS with autism, there is a next step.    Loren’s big question is: What are the antibodies attacking that leads to brain damage?    A larger study is in progress to fill in the glaring blank behind that and other questions autism leaves lingering in its wake. Loren is also honing his sights on the effects of birth order and multiple cases of autism in one family, which he hopes will yield further answers.    “This is a pretty hot area right now. [Mine] is not a brand new hypothesis, but a lot of our focus has been on genetics, instead of antibodies, so that area has been largely overlooked,” Loren shares.    His organization is in the midst of starting a new pediatric clinic which will have a special focus on autism, ADD and other disorders afflicting children. Loren will have access to children with autism whom he can learn more about, build relationships with and seek to find answers for.    Loren’s research was shared in May with an even broader audience in London as he presented at the annual meeting of the International Society for Autism Research.    “We know autism has multiple causes. We are trying to take a known cause and follow that path and match it up with neurobiology. My future will include continuing to work with children and researching autism to look for answers.”    Answers that — for Nancy and John McGinnis, along with countless other parents and sons and daughters in the world — can’t come soon enough.


Spring 2008

The Olivetian

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE AND CONTINUING STUDIES

Taking the ONU mission to new locations and extended audiences. Olivet Nazarene University now offers 23 graduate and continuing studies programs in Bourbonnais, Rolling Meadows, Joliet, downtown Chicago and approximately 70 additional locations.

Bourbonnais campus

• Business Administration (AAB, BBA, MBA) • Education: Curriculum and Instruction (MAE) • Education: English (MAE) • Education: Library Information Specialist (LIS) • Education: Reading Specialist, Type 10 (MAE) • Education: School Improvement Leadership, Type 75 (MAE) Chicago Regional Center, Rolling Meadows, Ill.,

• Ethical Leadership (Ed.D) • History (MA) • Ministry (MA) • Nursing (BSN, MSN) • Organizational Leadership (MOL) • Political Theory (MA) • Practical Ministries - for Salvation Army Officers (BA, MA) • Professional Counseling (MA)

Downtown Chicago

• Religion (MA) • Reading Endorsement, Type 10 (Certification) • School Counseling (MA) • Teaching (MAT) • Youth Ministry (MA)

877-4-OLIVET www.olivet.edu gradadmissions@olivet.edu

We’ve gotcha

covered! Thank you to all the friends who have already provided more than $4,800 for new choir robes for Orpheus Choir! Our target goal is $10,500. If you would like to contribute to this fund, call, click or e-mail ONU’s Office of Development. 815-939-5171  |  www.olivet.edu  |  development@olivet.edu

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

7


onu news ‘WE KNOW WAS

Christ

HERE’

Branson leads tour of the Holy Land

PHOTOS COURTESY OF REAGAN TAYLOR ’08

8

“ P l a c e s l i ke C a p e r n a u m — n ow I c a n t h i n k , ‘ O k , J e s u s we n t h e r e , t h e n H e wa l ke d d ow n t h i s l i t t l e r o a d t o v i s i t s o m e o n e . ’ I t ’ s c o o l t o b e a b l e t o s e e w h e r e H e wa l ke d , t o v i s u a l i z e i t .” — R eagan Taylor ’ 0 8

By Kate Morgan

They descended down the steps,

“Places like Capernaum — now I can think, ‘Ok, Jesus went here, then He walked down this little road to visit someone.’ It’s cool to be able to see where He walked, to visualize it,” Reagan says.    The opportunity to visit such sites with Dr. Branson — who had traveled to Israel several times before — was an added benefit.    “Dr. Branson is straight brilliant; he knows everything,” Howard says. “You walk up and ask him to explain something — he can just explain everything.”    “Dates, names, numbers — anything,” agrees Hamish Seegers ’08. “We were at Jericho. There are 22 layers of ­Jericho, and he was telling us who did what with each layer.    “If you had a question, he was cool about telling you the answer. He was also cool if you didn’t want to stick right by him.”    And there were plenty of opportunities to wander away from the professor for awhile: crawling through the tunnels of Caesarea Philippi; staying afloat in the salt-rich waters of the Dead Sea; surveying the archeological sites.

pacing back and forth on each one, determined to touch every inch of ground.    Their compulsiveness had a purpose. These were the steps to the Temple Mount; these were the steps Jesus walked almost 2,000 years ago.    “It’s the only entrance to the temple, so He must have walked along there somewhere,” explains Howard Van Dyke ’07/’08 M.A. “Everything else is speculation, but we know Christ was here.” Touring the Holy Land    The Temple Mount was one of several sites visited during a recent tour of the Holy Land, led by Dr. Robert Branson, professor of biblical literature.    “Several students mentioned to me they would like to go on a trip to Israel,” Dr. Branson says. “So I decided to offer a ‘private’ tour,” including pastors and laity from College Church of the Nazarene.    For many, the trip was an experience never to be repeated; a chance to walk where Jesus had walked.    “I’ve always wanted to go,” says Reagan Taylor ’08. “When I read the Bible I like to be able to visualize things I’m reading about. I wanted to be able to have a kind of realistic vision of things that I’m studying.”    They traveled all of Israel — from Dan to Beersheba.    They visited Jewish historical sites like Masada, where Zealots are said to have killed themselves rather than surrender to the Romans.    “The thing about Masada is it’s on top of this hill. It’s like a thousand feet from the bottom to the top,” Howard says. “They had to walk this little snake path all the way up — then they built this giant structure on top. It’s amazing to think of all the man work that went into that.”    They visited sites historical to the Christian faith: Mt. Zion and the Upper Room, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Western Wall and Capernaum.

w

w

w

Time to process    With so much information to take in — from the history to the current culture — many still have not been able to process all they saw.    “I haven’t really been able to compartmentalize, to break down, the trip,” Hamish says. “It’s been a while now, but I still haven’t even looked through all the pictures.”    In the coming weeks, Dr. Branson is sure they will begin to feel the impact of all they’ve seen.    “I hope they gained a better understanding of the land itself, the places where the biblical events took place,” he says.    “They have been exposed to a great deal of history — from the Middle Bronze age to New Testament times, and even into the period of Muslim conquest. They had the opportunity to see the devotion people have for the holy sites. How they were inspired in their own religious devotion is, of course, an individual matter.”

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

ø ø ø

PICTURED ABOVE, CLOCKWISE, FROM TOP LEFT:

King Herod’s Hippodrome in Caesaria, Jerusalem, Reagan Taylor ’08 at Masada, and the Dead Sea.


Spring 2008

The Olivetian

“Before Shine, I mostly listened to mainstream music,” says Ken ­ Lautenbach II., co-owner of Roseland Stair Works Inc.    But today it’s a different story: He can’t get enough of the positive hit ­music played on Shine.fm.    Working in an industrial-sized metal building where beautifully ornate staircases are crafted, he THE KEN LAUTENBACH FAMILY doesn’t get the best reception for radio. So instead, he listens By Seth Hurd ’06/’08 M.A. to his favorite Christian station by streaming the music online, starting at the crack of dawn when he arrives to work. His family also loves attending Shine.fm concerts — featuring artists like Switchfoot and Chris Tomlin — and this past April, Ken made it a point to volunteer for the spring pledge drive.    It was through Shine.fm that Ken first heard about Olivet Nazarene University when station manager Justin Knight invited him to attend the University’s Winter Golf Outing in Orlando, Fla. “I thought it would be a good time to connect with people that I’d never met,” he remembers. “It was one of the best things I’ve ever done. I’ve continued the friendships that began on the trip.”    Of the relationships he formed on the trip, one was with ONU President John C. ­Bowling. Ken had such a great impression of Dr. Bowling that he wanted the chance to see the campus for himself. “I was impressed by what a welcome environment ONU provided.”    And Ken wasn’t the only one impressed. His son Kenny, a graduating high school senior, now wants the “Olivet experience” for himself.    Looking to the future, Ken is thrilled about the opportunity for his son. “I look forward to him growing in his Christian walk, growing in friendships, and being a part of the community during some of the most crucial years of his life.”

HEAVEN TO STAIRWAY

POSITIVE. HIT. MUSIC. Miles from Chicago? Click Shine.fm to listen any time, any place.

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

9


10

cover story

Carried

Spirit

by the

The ONU difference carries to immeasurable distances

far and wide away from its source, growing, thriving and coloring its surroundings in ways no statistic can

Mark Moore ’68,

and

delicate seed floating in the wind spreads

pastor,

Simon Moore

Second generation

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

truly define. and

to the farthest reaches of the globe, one student and one alumnus

Nazarene pastor

at a time, through the immeasurable work of the Holy Spirit.    Countless individuals attend Olivet, commit their lives to God, and then go out into the world to touch the lives of the hundreds — or

and

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

have their own circle of influence so that the seeds of an “Education

Mark Moore ’68,

Thomas D. Moore ’51,

Fourth generation

pastor,

even thousands — of people they encounter. In turn, those people

Mark Moore ’68,

Franklin Moore,

Third generation

pastor,

Similarly, the impact made by Olivet Nazarene University is carried

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

A

elementary school principal

with a Christian Purpose” continue to spread indefinitely.    Stories abound of Olivetians who have changed the world in their own unique ways, and we love to share and celebrate these testimonies.    And yet, there are just as many untold stories of how God has

and

Emily (Bushy) ’45, author

(Heldenbrand)

’48, homemaker

ing, owning a business, authoring books or any number of occupa-

Paul K. Moore ’43,

pastor,

pastor,

It could be through medicine, engineering, mission work, teach-

and

Lucille

Emily (Bushy) ’45, author

and

Paul K. Moore ’43,

Mark E. Moore ’43,

pastor,

pastor,

relayed that love to others.

Mark E. Moore ’43, and

Third generation

impact the lives of their children or friends or neighbors, who in turn

Lucille (Heldenbrand) ’48, homemaker

worked though an individual student or alumnus who went on to

tions: Regardless of their fields, Olivetians are leaving evidence of

and

pastor,

and

Diane (Wright) ’75, social worker

Mark Moore ’68,

missionary,

pastor,

and

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

Mark Moore ’68,

Ron Moore ’72,

missionary,

and

over the world, in ways we may never read or hear about.

technical engineer

Ron Moore ’72,

Diane (Wright) ’75, social worker

be planted, grown and multiplied in many undocumented ways all

David Moore ’80,

certified recreational therapist

Through the purposeful wind of the Holy Spirit, their seeds will

David Moore ’80, technical engineer

certified recreational therapist

Jenny (Moore) ?married? ’91,

Jenny Moore ’91,

Fourth generation

their touch through changed lives and eternal investments.

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

But each small — yet significant — seed is remembered and

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

Heather (Calhoon) ’96, medical assistant/CNA

Mark Moore ’96,

w

and

Mark Moore ’96, school

school psychologist, and Stacey (Flexser) ’02, Youth for Christ staff worker

other side of eternity.

designer,

Matt Moore ’96,

God only knows the colorful garden that will be revealed on the

graphic designer,

plants them.

and

Tom Ewen ’05, youth pastor

Matt Moore ’96, graphic

Heather (Calhoon) ’94, medical assistant

Spirit, these seeds will go on to take root wherever God ultimately

Judy (Moore) ’04 and Judy (Moore) ’04 and

Fifth generation

Tom Ewen ’05, youth pastor

smiled upon by a God who knows and sees all. And carried by the

psychologist, and Stacey (Flexser) ’02, Youth for Christ staff worker


Spring 2008

The Olivetian

11

Moore and Moore Impact    The exponential influence of an Olivet education is no more clearly seen than in the descendants of John and Emily Moore.    Four of their sons, two of whom were Nazarene pastors, sent their children and

By Casey Manes

grandchildren to what was then known as “Olivet College.” The Indiana natives, Jesse, Clarence, Isaac and Simon, were loyal supporters of the Church of the Nazarene, and at the time, Olivet was the nearest Nazarene school.    Since the 1920s, the Moore descendants have continued to attend Olivet and have dedicated their lives to Kingdom building through their various ­occupations.

Back row, from left: Jesse, Clarence, Howard, Isaac and Will. Middle row: Grace, John and Emily (parents), and Margaret. Front row: Carl, Nora, and Simon.

J O H N A N D E M IL Y M O O R E

and

Army chaplain

Michael Luginbill ’70, realtor

For more on how hundreds have been impacted by one family’s journey to Olivet and beyond, read about the Moore family at www.olivet.edu. Select “The Olivetian” from the Quick Links drop-down menu.

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

Leslie (Moore) ’91,

Ed Veeck ’93, sales

engineer

Leslie (Moore) ’91, doctoral

doctoral candidate, and Marc Mikesell ’91, mechanical engineer

and

Dawn (Moore) ’95,

home mom,

Dawn (Moore) Smithson ’95, ?occupation?

Missy (Luginbill) ’95,

entrepreneur and stay-at-home mom,

and

therapist, and Chris Graham ’98, commercial real estate

Missy (Luginbill) ’95, stay-at-

Ed Veeck ’93, sales

Sarah (Luginbill) ’98,

physical therapist,

and

Nancy (Greene) ’94, missionaries

Sarah (Luginbill) ’98, physical

Chris Graham ’98, commercial real estate

Teri (Perkinson) ’97, nurse

Brock Luginbill ’91 and

and

Brock Luginbill ’91 and Nancy (Greene) ’94, missionaries

loan originator,

Chad Luginbill ’97,

loan originator,

and

Teri (Perkinson) ’97, nurse

Chad Luginbill ’97,

Lowell Moore ’65,

Army chaplain

Miriam (Moore) ’70,

reading specialist,

and

Lowell Moore ’65,

specialist,

Elizabeth Moore ’08,

current Olivet student

current Olivet student

computer specialist, and Marie (Allis) ’96, elementary teacher

Brian Jetter ’96 and

Elizabeth Moore ’08,

Marie (Allis) ’96, missionaries?

Brian Jetter ’96,

Michael Luginbill ’70

IRS employee, and Ava (Rebman) ’78, director of residential home

infrastructure analyst

Miriam (Moore) ’70, reading

Leon Moore ’72,

lawyer

Leon Moore ’72, lawyer

Leslie Moore ’81,

pastor and IRS worker, and Ava (Rebman) ’78, director of residential home

Fort Recovery Industries

Leslie Moore ’81, pastor and

Wes Jetter ’67, CEO

former missionary, current author and pastor

of Fort Recovery Industries

chief operating officer of Fort Recovery Industries

Paul Jetter ’69

Wes Jetter ’67, CEO of

Elaine (Jetter) Rowland-Fisher ’71

Jeannine (Jetter) Warner ’65

Jeannine (Jetter) Warner ’65

Paul Jetter ’69,

Mark Moore ’96,

H. Raquel (Menendez) ’96, nurse

Brian Scott ’91,

school psychologist, and Stacey (Flexser) ’02, Youth for Christ staff worker

Rev. Norman Moore

’42, missionary, Olivet director of admissions and archivist, and Mary (Schwada) ’41

Dr. Esther (Moore) Jetter ’41,

homemaker and writer

and

Matt Moore ’96,

semitruck driver,

missionary, Olivet director of admissions and archivist, and Mary (Schwada) ’41

Dean Jetter ’71,

graphic designer,

and

Heather (Calhoon) ’94, medical assistant

David Scott ’94,

Rev. Norman Moore ’42,

homemaker and writer, financial steward to mission work

clinical therapist

Mark Moore ’68,

Brian Jetter ’96 and

Marie (Allis) ’96, missionaries?

bookkeeper and secretary, and Dr. William Scott ’62, retired pastor and chaplain of Marketplace Ministries

Esther (Moore) Jetter ’41,

financial adviser

pastor,

and

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

Karen (Swinehart) ’62, retired

Fifth generation

Elaine (Jetter) RowlandFisher ’71,

Mark Moore ’68,

Lynn Swinehart, banker

Philip Moore ’67

Jeannine (Jetter) Warner ’65,

pastor,

and

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

Edith (Ewald) ’38

Mark Moore ’68,

musician and music minister, and Jacqueline (Bowers) ’49

and

music minister,

Mary (Moore) and

Wes Jetter ’67, CEO

Bell and Howell technical worker

of Fort Recovery Industries

military career and pastor

Paul Jetter ’69

Gerald Moore ’49,

Sharon (Collins) ’69, teacher

C.T. and Jennie K. Moore

Dr. Esther (Moore) Jetter ’41,

homemaker and writer

Ray Moore ’41,

Elaine (Jetter) Rowland-Fisher ’71

Dale Moore ’40,

Jeannine (Jetter) Warner ’65

Carlan Moore ’36,

and

Isaac Moore

pastor,

Clarence Moore

Jesse Moore

candidate, and Marc Mikesell ’91, mechanical engineer


12

onu news Campus goes

‘green’

Following the start of the New Year, Olivet Nazarene University began implementing its Environmental ­Management System.    The EMS will oversee projects such as: recycling, chemical safety and accountability, maintenance for chemicals and fertilizers, water quality and conservation, accountability for everything poured down drains, active conservation of energy, Occupational Safety and Health, and vigilance to the safety of overall life.    The hope is to create an even healthier and safer campus and to be good stewards of the environment.    “The project will be ongoing with the idea of continuous improvement as we move forward,” explains Doug Perry ’68/’95 M.B.A., Litt.D., Olivet vice president of finance.    “We are doing this because it’s the right thing for a Christian campus to do.”

� Jonathon Brown’s ’08 winning photo

Widening the lens

One large step forward in this organizational process is Olivet Nazarene University’s acceptance of Illinois lieutenant governor Pat Quinn’s invitation to implement the Sustainable University Compact.    The Compact sets out achievable environmental objectives for Illinois universities and community colleges. ONU joins 32 other campuses in the state that have signed the agreement.    Quinn believes it imperative that Illinois institutions of higher learning serve as leaders and role models to students By and organizations within communities Casey in aggressively seeking environmental Manes sustainability.    “University and college students graduating this year possess an environmental awareness far more advanced than the graduating class just a decade ago,” shares Quinn in his written invitation to Olivet.    “These students are the future entrepreneurs, farmers, researchers and scientists who may develop innovative sources of renewable energy to sustain our environment.”    Perry signed off on the compact, representing the School’s pledge to accomplish the initiatives by Dec. 31, 2010.    They include: Acquiring at least 3 percent of energy required to run the campus from renewable resources; reducing water usage on campus by at least 15 percent; completing at least one storm water management project; increasing the amount of overall waste recycled on campus by at least 15 percent; purchasing non-toxic cleaning products whenever practical; and purchasing at least 25 percent of the food served in dining facilities from local farms and vendors.    “We are enthusiastically committed to developing programs to help sustain our precious environment,” expresses Perry.

ONU implementing environmentalfriendly initiatives

When Dr. Bill Greiner first arrived to teach art on campus in 1988, there were a grand total of 18 said majors.    In 2007–2008 there are approximately 150 art students and last May at Centennial Commencement, the art and digital media department was the second largest graduating class. What’s more, ONU art majors are continuously receiving critical acclaim in local and national competitions.

“The project will be ongoing with the idea of continuous improvement as we move forward,” explains Doug Perry, Olivet vice president of finance.

Click www.olivet.edu and select “The Olivetian” from the Quick Links dropdown menu to read more.

In the know

Alumni & Friends E-news features:

» Top ONU headlines » Stories about Olivet alumni » Upcoming events » The best of ONU podcasts » Special offers and announcements Be in the know.

E-mail alumni@olivet.edu to subscribe to this free, monthly e-mail service.

Visit www.olivet.edu and click “News & Events” for the latest news about Olivet Nazarene University.

RECENT STORIES

$ 2 c h a l l en g e go e s g loba l : Church in Guatemala carries on the challenge started at NYC

n 4 0 O l i v eti a n s n a me d to Who’ s Who

Dr e am bui ld ers :

Olivet partners with Habitat for Humanity

ONU stud e nt s celebrate l i f e

A numb e r s g a me :

through weeklong activities

Eng l and T r i p makes

Department of Education hosts Math Day

literature come alive for students

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

n Stude nt A c counts to l aunc h n e w e - b i l l in g syst e m n M ath d e p artme nt o f f e rs n e w a ctuar i a l s c i en c e d e g re e


commencement

The Olivetian

13

JOANNE GREMAR

Spring 2008

CONVOCATION FOR TRADITIONAL UNDERGRADUATES  |  Dr. Jim Knight prepares to read the names of the 521 traditional undergraduate degree recipients.

COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS  |  David Neff, editor in chief of the Christianity Today Media group, delivered the commencement address during the morning ceremony.

NURSING PINNING CEREMONY  |  Thirty-four graduating nursing students participated in the Department of Nursing’s annual pinning ceremony at College Church of the Nazarene.

GORDON C. WICKERSHAM ’47

SPECIAL AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS  |  Left: Dale Oswalt receives the Richard M. Jones Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. Right: David Wilson and Amber Moore accept the Robert M. Milner and Maggie Sloan Crawford awards for outstanding male and female graduate, respectively. Below: Rev. Walter “Woody” Webb receives the honorary Doctor of Divinity degree.

CHARGE TO THE CLASS OF 2008  |  Keith Owens ’58 shares a special message with the class of 2008.

STUDENT TESTIMONIES  |  Kyle McDonald and Nadine Carole share their personal testimonies during Friday evening’s Baccalaureate ceremony.

COMMENCEMENT CONCERT  |  Jenna Dickey ’10 performs along select Olivet musicians. continued, next page

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u


commencement

14

Binding the

broken:

The high calling of ONU’s first ever Hong Kong graduates

By Casey Manes

T

heir silky royal purple gowns fluttered in the wind, as 17 Chinese men and women accepted diplomas, each of these graduates earning their master’s in professional counseling.    Aside from Dr. and Mrs. Bowling offering congratulations, the day held little resemblance to the traditional Bourbonnais ceremonies. In place of Milby Clock Tower or McHie Arena, the ONU commencement took place amidst towering palm trees and the booming Hong Kong metropolis.    But even in these moments of celebration, Olivet Nazarene University’s first-ever Hong Kong graduates remember they face a daunting task.    A rising suicide rate, the dismantling of many families — along with epidemics of avian flu and czars disease — Hong Kong has witnessed many changes to its social structure and the needs of its international population. An influx of immigrants from mainland ­China ravaged the city in fast forward over the last decade, creating a slurry of new, complicated problems.    Among the most affected by the fast-paced changes are women. For the first time, many of them no longer have their familiar support system of family and neighbors. Marital affairs began to increase at alarming rates and the suicide rate of women skyrocketed in the city limits.    “Women didn’t have adequate support systems and some didn’t know how to handle the difficult things around them. Some began committing suicide or killing their own children. These are things we hadn’t seen before in Hong Kong,” shares Dr. David Yip, president of the Hong Kong Institute of Christian Counselors.    Now, 17 graduates are determined and prepared to be part of the solution.    Partnering with Olivet Nazarene University, Dr. Yip and his staff at the HKICC are training Christian counselors to go into their neighborhoods and churches to help others. They are teaching Christ-centered counseling in order to help others make sense of the fastpaced world they find themselves in.    They are individuals from all walks of life, ­nurses, teachers — professionals who want to help the ­hurting.    “God gave us this mission to respond to family tragedies,” shares Dr. Yip. “After we started this school, a lot of people came to study because they believe in our mission.”

COMMISSIONING OF ROTC GRADUATES  |  Six Olivet ROTC cadets participated in commissioning ceremonies Commencement weekend, led by Lt. Col. James Carmean (below, left).

Cap n’ Gown

77.5

BREAKDOWN

The combined number of minutes it took Dr. Jim Knight to read all 1365 names of students who received diplomas in the morning and afternoon Commencement ceremonies — approximately 3.4 seconds per name.

HONG KONG INITIATIVE  |  Dr. David Yip (above, left) speaks on behalf of the Hong Kong Institute of Christian Counselors, which partnered with Olivet for the University’s first Mastoer of Arts degree program in Hong Kong. Four of the 17 graduates flew to Bourbonnais to participate in Commencement activities.

54

Elementary education degrees awarded in the traditional undergraduate ceremony — the most popular degree of the morning. Business administration was second (43 grads) and social science was third (37). There were 521 total undergraduate degrees awarded.

258

Students who received their master’s of education degree through Olivet’s distance delivery program — the single largest group among the 650 students receiving master’s degrees this year. In addition, 174 continuing studies degrees and 19 associate’s degrees were awarded in the afternoon ceremony.

4

Hong Kong graduates who flew to the United States to attend the Bourbonnais ceremonies.

2500, 700, 500 AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE  |  During Olivet’s School of Graduate and Continuing Studies Commencement ceremony, Lori Hoekstra and Deb Foster were awarded the Ralph E. Perry Student Award of Excellence.

CONFERRING OF DEGREES AND DIPLOMAS  |  Olivet awarded 650 master’s degrees, 174 continuing studies degrees and 19 associate of arts degrees during the afternoon Commencement ceremony.

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

T­ otal cups of punch, slices of cake, and dozens of cookies served by Sodexo during Commencement weekend.


onu alumni

Spring 2008

Class Notes

S tudents benefit from record-breaking year of scholarships

William C. Keller ’53 will be celebrating

his 90th birthday as well as his and Irene’s 70th wedding anniversary on Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008. They were married at South Side Church of the Nazarene, in Muncie, Ind., on Feb. 13, 1938. They have six children, 20 grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren and one great-great grandchild. Rev. Keller is currently president of the Delaware County Evangelistic Association in Indiana.

By Casey Manes

$1,002,930

u Matt and Eileen (Tillman) ’88 Stirriup: a girl, Aurora Lynn, June 20, 2007. Jim Evans ’88 and Jon Evans ’90 founded

Aurora Stirriup

eComSystems in 1999 along with their father James C. Evans. They recently received a patent for their invention titled “System and Method For Computer­Created Advertisements.”

Tina Cunningham:

Beth (Rice) Pennington ’75, recently pub-

lished a book titled The Swamp Princess. She wrote the book “after years of counseling women with histories of abuse and observing the depth of their feelings of shame.” This book can help “shame-based folks move to the abundant life that Christ offers.”

$20 million $866,850 $363,778

Combined with all other scholarship sources, in scholarships went to ONU students in 2007–2008.

Sr. Margaret Robbins, S.V. ’76 is excited to

share the opening of another foundation, this one in Toronto, Canada, in November 2007. The Sisters of Life, of which she is a member, has six additional foundations in New York and Connecticut. The Sisters of Life ministry includes spiritual and material assistance to pregnant women, regardless of religious affiliation or nationality, as well as “Days of Prayer and Healing” for women and men suffering from the affects of abortion. The Sisters also offer retreats of prayer and quiet reflection in a relaxed setting. The Sisters assist individuals anywhere in the country. Visit their Web site at www.sistersoflife.org. We praise and thank God for His blessings on this ministry to protect and enhance the sacredness of human life.

n In the 2006–2007 academic year,   was awarded in Foundation scholarships. Ten years prior was granted, showing a tripling of monetary gifts in the past decade. n

Foundation

“The allows many ONU students to reach their educational and career goals by providing assistance to them,” shares Greg Bruner, director of the ONU Office of Financial Aid.    n “We were shooting for the mark for the Centennial Celebration … We did it!    We awarded these scholarships to We also used this    extra amount to help who were May graduates pay off their bill so they could graduate.”

$1 million 717 students. 27 students

NEW Thank you for helping us to establish the

following new Foundation scholarships in 2007:

✦ Kenneth Allen Bade

Scholarship for worthy and needy students majoring in organ

✦ Burbrink-Dunnington Ministry Scholarship for worthy and needy students preparing for Christian ministry

✦ Megan Harms

Henneberg Scholarship (criteria to be determined)

✦ Glenn and Janice

Holmes Scholarship (criteria to be determined)

✦ Gunnell M. Jorden

Scholarship (criteria to be determined)

✦ William J. and Mary

Ann Byrne Scholarship ✦ Kalamazoo First for worthy and needy Church of the students Nazarene Scholarship ✦ Byron Carmony for undergraduate and Scholarship for worthy graduate students who and needy students, with a attend Kalamazoo First preference for those pursuing Church of the Nazarene on a a music degree regular basis

✦ Fay Deright Scholarship ✦ Katherine E.

15

u Brent ’91 and

n The Office of Financial Aid celebrates a record-breaking year for awarding Foundation scholarships, which amounted to exactly     in the 2007–2008 school year. n

IN 2007

The Olivetian

for worthy and needy students with a preference for those pursuing a degree in nursing or students from Auburn, Ind., Church of the Nazarene or Grace Point Church of the Nazarene (Ft. Wayne, Ind.)

✦ Daniel Wesley Liddell Scholarship for worthy and needy music students majoring in voice

✦ Rev. Robert M. Kring,

WAVE Surf Camp attendees with Doug Karl

Sr., Youth Ministry Scholarship for students preparing for youth ministry

p Doug Karl ’81 is in his eighth year as worship and youth pastor at First Church of the Nazarene, Joliet, Ill. This summer will be his eighth year directing WAVE (Winning and Victorious Everyday) Surf Camp for boys, ages 12 to 18. Doug’s wife Janice (Clark) Karl ’81 is registrar at Lincoln-Way East High School in Frankfort, Ill. They have two boys, Erick, 23, and Tyler, 21, who have both attended ONU.

✦ Francis and Minnie

Richards Founders Scholarship for worthy and needy students

✦ Richard V. Schroeder Scholarship (criteria to be determined)

Cindy Steury-Lattz ’87 has been elected

✦ Harry T. and Vera M.

president of the Illinois Nurses Association.

Stanley Scholarship for worthy and needy students

u Eileen Tillman ’88 and Matthew Stirriup were married on May 20, 2006, at the Mall of America in Minnesota. Eileen works in clinical research, and Matt is a plant supervisor. They reside in St. Michael, Eileen and Matthew Stirriup Minn.

✦ Larry and Melinda

Kalemkarian Weber Scholarship Scholarship for worthy (criteria to be determined) and needy students majoring ✦ Frederick and Mildred in fashion merchandising White Scholarship for worthy and needy students

A boy, Grant Cunningham, Jan. 11, 2008. He joins brother, Jacob, Brent, Grant and Jacob five-and-a-half Cunningham years old. Brent is the senior network administrator for the Union Rescue Mission in downtown Los Angeles. q Rev. Brian Utter ’91 recently earned a master’s degree in communications, culture and education from the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona in Spain. He serves as a missionary and regional communiRev. Brian Utter cations coordinator for the South America Region of the Church of the Nazarene. He and his family reside in Buenos Aires, Argentina. u Carl ’92 and

Camille (Smith) Fletcher ’92: Ad-

opted girls, Carly May, 2 and Cara Ann, 1, Oct. 8, 2007. They join Carly and Cara Fletcher sisters Caitlin, 10, and Camryn, 8. Carl is an assistant professor of communication and director of broadcasting at ONU, and Camille is a homemaker. They reside in Bourbonnais. q Mark and Michelle (Geurin) Hahn ’94: Adopted a son, Evan James Hahn, from Guatemala in June 2007. He was born Dec. 26, 2006. He joins big sister Elizabeth, 3. Mark is an optometrist, and Michelle is a stay-at-home mom. They reside Elizabeth and Evan Hahn in Pekin, Ill. u Lisa (LaFave) ’95 and Dale Carruthers ’93: A girl, Lauren Elizabeth, Feb. 5, 2008. She joins big sister, Rachael, 3. Lisa is a psychologist in private practice, and Dale is a marketing manager with Jacuzzi WhirlRachael and Lauren Carruthers pool Bath. The family resides in Pasadena, Calif. continued, next page

save the

HOMECOMING October 23 –26 2008 ’08 r e b o t c O

date Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

26 23 24 25

Classes celebrating reunions:   2003, 1998, 1993, 1988,   1983, 1978, 1973, 1968,   1963, 1958, Golden Grads

w

w

w

.

o

l

Homecoming football game, 1988

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

Homecoming Parade Clowns, 1986


16

onu alumni

Class Notes,

continued

u Dawn (Schurman) ’98 and Keith Purdy:

u Angie (Hosey)

A boy, Alexander Cole, Dec. 26, 2007. Keith is a computer programmer for US Steel. Dawn is a stay-at-home mom. They reside in DeMotte, Ind.

b o y, J a c k s o n Ranger, Oct. 18, 2007. Angie works part-time Jackson Dishon at an animal hospital, and Brian is the vice president of national promotions for Provident Label Group. They reside in Fairview, Tenn.

u Cory ’98 and Vanessa (Duvall) Stipp ’02: A girl, Ava Madeline, Feb. 1, 2007. Cory is a youth pastor at Kansas City Central Church of the Nazarene, and Vanessa is a stay-at-home mom. They reside in Madeline Stipp Olathe, Kan.

Randall J. Stephens ’95 recently published

a book titled The Fire Spreads: Holiness and Pentecostalism in the American South. ­Randall is currently an assistant professor of history at Eastern Nazarene College. ’95 and Brian Dishon ’95: A

u Mike and Tri-

cia (Bushey) ’96 L a c e y : Twins,

Westin Chase and Maelen Reese, March 2, 2007. They join siblings Westin and Maelen Lacey Brayden, 4, and Avery, 3. Mike and Tricia own Two Men and a Truck franchises. Tricia is a stay-at-home mom. They live in Dayton, Ohio. u Amy and Wayne ’96 Walts II: A girl, Haley Ann, Dec. 23, 2007. Wayne is an associate broker for RE/ MAX River Haven Real Estate, and Amy is a stay-at-home mom. They reside in Gladwin, Mich.

Haley Walts

q Althea (Burgard) ’97 and Cpt. R. Todd Russell: A boy, Ayden Vincent, Oct. 10, 2007. Althea is an RN in a labor and delivery unit for Valley West Community Hospital. Todd is a captain for the Illinois Army National Guard and a police officer for the city of Sandwich, Ill. They reside in Sandwich. Ayden Russell u Jenny (Hooper) ’97 and Rob Schwarberg: A boy, Lance Charles, Feb. 28, 2008. He joins half-sister Erica, 16, and brother Tony, 8. Jenny works as an RN at The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, and Rob is a sheet metal foreman for Holland Roofing in Milford, Ohio. They reside Lance Schwarberg in Alexandria, Ky. Ryan ’98 and Lexa (Shelton) Herbert ’01: A

girl, Mikayla Petra, Dec. 19, 2007. She joins sister Katrina, 2. Ryan is a software engineer for Sycamore.US., and Lexa is a marketing and proposal manager, also for Sycamore.US. They reside in Frederick, Md.

u Amanda (Arterburn) ’00 and Eric Bressler ’98: A boy, Lukas Christian, January 15, 2008. Eric is a geophysicist with ConocoPhillips. Amanda is a financial analyst with ConocoPhillips. They reside in Houston, Lukas Bressler ­Texas.

Alexander Purdy

u Chris and Kristin (Cox) ’00 Wood: A girl, Sadie Lenee, July 12, 2007. Chris stays home to take care of Sadie while Kristin pursues her career as a family medicine doctor in Greenwood, Ind.

q Ryan ’98 and Elizabeth Welty: A girl, ­Sophia Ryanne, Aug. 16, 2007. Ryan completed his MBA in 2007 and is currently working in sales and marketing at Welty Custom Exteriors. Elizabeth is a stay-at-home mom and works part-time in radiology at Hendricks Regional Health. They currently reside in Sophia Welty Frankfort, Ind.

u Alison Krock ’01 and Sean Kelley were married on Sept. 22, 2007, in Naperville, Ill. Alison is a senior tax consultant at Deloitte Tax LLP, and Sean is an investment manager for Orchard First Alison and Sean Kelley Source Capital. They reside in Lombard, Ill.

u Sokol ’99 and Kari (Bennett) Haxhinasto ’00: A boy, Ansel Bennett, Nov. 23, 2007. He joins big sister, Grace Amali, 4. Kari is a fulltime mom and a part-time biomedical engineer (independent contractor). After finishing his Ph.D. in immunology at the University of Iowa, Sokol is now doing his post doc- Grace and Ansel Haxhinasto torate training at the Joslin Diabetes Center, Harvard Medical School. They reside in Brookline, Mass., and attend historic Park Street Church in Boston.

u Robert “Buddy” Denny ’02 and Denise Welsh ’02 were married on Oct. 5, 2007, in Frankfort, Ill. Buddy works for Will County Sheriff’s Police, and Denise works for Midwest Physician Group. They currently reside in Robert and Denise Peotone, Ill. Welsh

q Laura (Herbert) ’03 and David Yanchick ’02: A girl, Bethany Elise, July 28, 2007. Laura is a youth services librarian at the Joliet Public Library, and David is an artist with the Friends of Community Public Art. They reside in Joliet, Ill. Bethany Yanchick

u Rachelle (Potts) ’00 and Ronald Miller: A boy, Malachi Brian, Oct. 29, 2007. He joins sister, Abigail, 20 months. Rachelle was a grades 8–12 English teacher, and she and Ronald are the senior pastors Abigail and Malachi Miller of Calvary Church of the Nazarene in Durban, South Africa. They reside in New Germany, South Africa. u Scot and Jill (Stipp) Riggins ’00: A boy, William “Wiley” James, Oct. 9, 2007. He joins big brother Aden, 2. Scot and Jill serve as missionaries with the Church of the Nazarene to the Melanesia and South Pacific Fields. They reside in Papua New Guinea.

Sadie Wood

u Kevin Hughes ’03 and Susan Miller ’05

were married on July 21, 2007, in Carlock, Ill. Kevin works for Susan and Kevin Hughes Thurston County Roads Dept. as a civil engineer, and Susan works at ABC Pediatrics as an RN. They reside in Olympia, Wash. u Josh ’03 and Jen (Dunbar) Meo ’03: A boy, Trevor James, April 26, 2007. They currently reside in Cincinnati, Ohio. Josh is employed by The Cincinnati Enquirer, and recently Trevor Meo received an award for best front page designer from Ohio Associated Press.

u Erin Ouwenga ’05 and Nicholas Rogers, M.D. were married

on March 7, 2007, in Manteno, Ill. Nicholas is a third-year resident in internal medicine at UT Southwestern, and Erin works for Dallas CASA as the program/training assistant. They reside in Irving, TX. u Rachel Lees ’06 and Fernando Navarro were married in Guadalajara, Mexico, at Hacienda de la Barranca, on Jan. 4, 2008. They currently are living in ­Guadalajara.

Erin and Nicholas Rogers

Rachel and Fernando Navarro

q Emily Minnis ’07 and Keith Gunter, Jr., were married on Jan. 12, 2008, at the Princeton Wesleyan Church in Princeton, Ind. They now reside in Bowling Keith Jr. and Emily Green, Ky. Gunter

Thomas Hammitt ’07 is currently serving

onboard the Coast Guard Cutter Acushnet in Ketchikan, Alaska.

In Memoriam u Marilyn (Myers) Tr e p a n i e r ’ 6 7 o f

Bourbonnais, went on to be with the Lord, Nov. 21, 2007, at the age of 62 at University of Illinois Chicago Medical Marilyn Trepanier Center in Chicago.    Marilyn worked over 20 years at Olivet Nazarene University in the printing department and post office. She also worked part time at Target for 14 years. She was born June 14, 1945, in North St. Paul, Minn., the daughter of Melvin and Audrey Olsen Myers.    Marilyn attended First Church of the Nazarene. She was adored by her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed interior decorating and flower arranging, and was a very optimistic, kind and caring person, putting all other’s needs before her own.

Ó

William “Wiley” and Aden Riggins

We’d love to hear FROM YOU! Send us your news and pictures. Please submit alumni news, less than one year old, in the format printed in this section. Be sure to include all in­for­mation, including class year. Due to space constraints, not all pictures will be used, and content may be edited. Pictures will be accepted only via e-mail to TheOlivetian@ olivet.edu. News should be sent via e-mail, at www.olivet.edu or through the mail to The Olivetian, Olivet Nazarene University, One University Avenue, Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345.

Men’s Choir Reunion and Performance

fallen,

Calling all former members of Testament, Viking Male Chorus, Apollo Chorus and the Peerless Men’s Glee Club!

B ut N ot Forgotten

Olivet Nazarene University requests verifiable names of alumni who served in the United States armed forces who died in combat. The names will be used for a veteran’s memorial to be erected on the ONU campus. Please send any information in regards to this request to alumni@olivet.edu.

To learn more about the inspiration behind the memorial, visit www. olivet.edu and select “The Olivetian” from the Quick Links drop-down menu.

w

w

w

.

o

l

HOMECOMING 2008 i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u

Join us for a special reunion and performance Saturday, Oct. 27, as part of Homecoming 2008. Reunion luncheon: Noon–2 p.m. Rehearsal: 2–3:30 p.m. Performance: 4 p.m., during the Department of Music Concert Register at www.olivet.edu or by calling 815-939-5258.


onu sports MEN’S

Spring 2008

The Olivetian

17

TRACK

By Kate Morgan    Randy Terrell lay in his bed, staring at the ceiling. The sounds of the seemingly never-ending party happening right outside his door rang through; the now all-too-familiar stench of stale cigarettes and cheap beer lingered throughout the room. He hardly recognized the girl haphazardly passed out on his floor.    “How did I get here?” he asked no one in particular. “What am I doing with my life?”

False start

Two-and-a-half years earlier, Randy was a golden boy of his high school’s track team. Naturally gifted, he picked up running his senior year, qualified for state and was offered a scholarship to a Division II Ohio university for track and cross country.    A “good Christian boy,” he felt drawn to the secular school. “I didn’t want to go to a Christian school because I thought I could be an influence to others [somewhere else],” he says of his decision to accept the scholarship.    That’s not exactly how his experience unfolded.    Touting himself as a Christian, Randy became a project for his teammates. Their goal was to get him to do everything they did, to have a “normal” college experience.    “Drinking, sex, pornography — that’s normal,” he says. “That was something I wanted to go against, but I was drawn toward.”    Every occasion became a reason to party. Set a personal record? Cheers! Run the worst meet of your life? Take solace in a drink. After qualifying for nationals as a freshman, Randy’s teammates threw a party in his honor — specifically to get him drunk.    The next day he woke up with his head shaved.    “I thought I was trying to show people [a Christian lifestyle], but I ended up being one of them,” he reflects. “I would say that I’m still a Christian, but everything I did said something else.”

BACK ON TRACK

up desires to draw closer to God, to ditch his old ways of living.    “I wondered where I was going with life,” he says. “I’ve always had a sense of God wanting to use me in a great way, and here I was wasting my life away.”

Finding his stride

After one more semester, Randy had had enough. Fed up, he visited Jon Williams ’11 and Daniel Allen ’10 at Olivet. He met with track coach ­Michael McDowell and worked out with the team. Within three days he’d decided to transfer to Olivet the next semester.    While his new teammates could easily have shut him out, their familial pack already well established, Randy found them willing to make room for one more.    “They’re a good team. We’re excited for each other and support each other. When we’re at meets, we cheer for the guys and congratulate them,” he says of the team dynamics.    It’s a stark contrast from the I’m-gonna-be­better-than-you attitude of his former team, where teammates showed little respect for each other and practices often ended in shouting matches.    But it’s not just the track that’s different. Whereas team bonding at his former school would have included trips to the strip club, now a bowling alley is more likely.    “We actually go to bowl, too. We’re not there to check out girls,” he says (albeit somewhat unconvincingly). “We’re not going to get drunk.    “People always complain about the rules. But I lived for two-and-a-half years with no rules. All it got me was drama and false happiness.”

Off-season training

After his sophomore year, Randy planned to stay in town and work at a local restaurant. Arriving back from a weekend track meet, though, he was told they’d given his position to someone else. Frantically looking for another job, he called his parents to give them an update.    “Come home,” they simply told him. “It’s time to come home.”    Home.    He hadn’t had an extended stay at home since leaving for college two years earlier — and he was arriving back a different person. But home has a funny way of reminding you of who you are.    As he ran — 10, 12, 14 miles a day — he began to get back in touch with who he was before college. Talks with his parents and with Christian friends dug

That’s not to say the transition has been easy. He’s had to change plenty of habits; and with no drama surrounding him, Randy admits to trying to create some.    But instead of fueling the fire, Randy’s friends have held him accountable for his actions.    “I did hurt people here at first, but I’m trying to fix that,” he says. “My friends have called me on it … They’re just phenomenal people and that helps me become a better person.”    So this Saturday night, after running another meet, there’ll be no drunken head shavings. There’ll be no exhausted questioning of his existence. But maybe — if he’s feeling particularly adventurous — he’ll lace up a pair of bowling shoes, unsuccessfully pretending to pay little attention to the coeds the next lane over.

VISIT WWW.OLIVET.EDU FOR THE LATEST SCORES, SCHEDULES AND SUMMARIES.

TIGERTRACKS

Olivet Nazarene graduate qualifies for U.S. Olympic Trials: Former two-time NAIA Pole Vault

Schmitt selected to play with the Charlotte Lady Eagles: Janel Schmitt ’13

Champion Mark Hollis ’08 became just the second-ever Olivet athlete to qualify for the United States Olympic Trials. Hollis earned an invitation with a vault of 5.51 meters (18'1") at the Wheaton College (Ill.) Invitational on April 12. Hollis’ height bettered the Olympic Trial “B” standard of 5.50 meters. Then, on April 23, Hollis cleared the Olympic Trial “A” standard of 5.70 meters with a vault of 5.71 meters. To date, only two other individuals have qualified for the trial in the Pole Vault, but both at the “B” standard. The Olympic Trials will take place from June 27–July 6, 2008 in Eugene, Ore. Hollis joins Sara Stevenson ’01 MARK HOLLIS as the only two former Olivet athletes who have competed at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Stevenson was fifth at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials in the race walk event and was an alternate for the United States at the 2000 Summer Olympic Games. Hollis won the 2006 NAIA National Outdoor Championship with a vault of 17'2 ¾" and followed that with a winning leap of 17'5 ¾" in 2007. He finished second in 2005 with a leap of 16'8 ¾".

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

was selected to play for the Charlotte Lady Eagles in the W-League of the United Soccer League. Schmitt is the first-ever Olivet Nazarene player to be selected to play for a professional squad. The W-League is the highest level JANEL SCHMITT of USL women’s soccer in the United States and Canada. There is a 41-team format in four conferences playing 12 or 14 regular-season matches. Top women players throughout the world compete in the league during the summer months. The Lady Eagles opened their season May 10 when they played the West Virginia Illusion. The season runs until July 18, with the league playoffs following the completion of the regular season. Charlotte is a member of the Atlantic Division of the W-League. Last season, the Lady Eagles went 8-2-2 and missed the league playoffs by two points. In 2001, they went 11-1 and captured the W-2 League Championship. Schmitt was a member of the Tigers’ women’s soccer program last season, but took a redshirt season. She has four years of eligibility remaining.

v

e

t

.

e

d

u


18

onu sports WO M E N ’ S

SPORTSSHORTS

This year’s Olivet softball team added one more chapter to an already storied program: The 2008 Tigers will likely be remembered as one of the University’s most accomplished and dominating softball squads, posting a 54-12 overall record and a 16-2 mark in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC).    The Tigers were ranked as high as 10th in the NAIA Top 25 Coaches Poll — the highest ranking ever for an Olivet softball team during the regular season. The team also captured its fifth NCCAA National Championship; won the CCAC regular season and tournament championships, and the NAIA Region VII championship; and made a fifth trip to the NAIA National Championship.    Before an injury ended her season, Rachelle Renfro ’08 had posted a teamleading .370 batting average, while Marisa Baker ’10 registered .361. Baker stole a team-leading 25 bases. Marcia Grimes ’08 had a team-leading 74 hits and scored a team-leading 66 runs. Erin Meyerhoff ’08 led the team with 62 RBIs. Nora Duffy ’10 and Rachel Comoglio ’10 both hit a team-leading eight home runs.    Kellie Koverman ’10 and Lauren Chessum ’08 combined to win 53 of the team’s 54 games. Koverman added 25 victories and a 1.52 earned run average. Chessum won a team-leading 28 games, posting a 1.90 ERA and recording 170 strikeouts in 202.1 innings.

ONU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM

PRESSES IT DOWN THE COURTS

ALL THE WAY TO NATIONALS By Casey M anes

“Our goal in going to the national tournament was to prove to everyone that we deserved to be there,” shares Hilary Disch.    The Tiger women made a strong showing at the NAIA tournament, but fell in their opening game against Master’s College (Calif.) 99-95.    The Tigers headed to Tennessee determined to prove themselves with advances in the tournament, but this team has already shown itself worthy on and off the court this season.    “The team has a lot of talent this year. We got off to a quick start and beat some good teams early and that got us noticed and gave us credibility,” explains Doug Porter, ONU women’s head basketball coach.

★ Baseball

A change in head coaches did not affect the play of Olivet’s baseball team, as the Tigers posted their 10th-straight winning record and first under Todd Reid. The Tigers finished 30-18 overall and 13-7 in the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC).    During their annual spring trip to Florida, the Tigers rattled off eight-straight victories, their longest winning streak of the season.    Pete Smidt ’09 finished the season batting a team-leading .379 with 61 hits in 161 at-bats. Smidt recorded 16 doubles and was second on the team with 33 RBI and 43 runs scored. Chris Parmley ’08 ranked second on the team with his .362 average, but missed the team’s final 10 games due to an injury. Phil Colling ’08 had 58 hits and stole a school-record 43 bases. Alex Rivas ’08 drove in a team-leading 35 runs.    On the mound, Erich Holsten ’08 won a team-leading nine games, while posting a 4.20 ERA. Nick Austin ’08 posted a team-leading 3.33 ERA, winning three games, while Matt Seufert ’08 had a 3.40 ERA and recorded four victories. Steven Held ’08 finished second on the team in wins, posting six victories during the season.

★ men’s

track As the men’s track and field team reached the midpoint of their outdoor season, the team had already captured a pair of runner-up finishes, taking second at the Viking Olympics, hosted by ­Augustana College (Ill.), and at their own Mid-Season Invitational.    The team had already qualified four participants in running events and two in field events for the NAIA National Meet.    Kacey Carr ’08 had the sixth fastest time in the 10,000-Meter Run, running a 31:17.16. Drew Collette ’10 qualified in the 10,000 with a 32:19.33, the 30th fastest qualifying time. Jerad Koch ’10 qualified in the 800-Meter Run, qualifying with a 1:53.46. Andrew Clausen ’10 qualified in the half marathon.    Kendall Thomas ’09 had the ninth best qualifying toss in the Hammer with a heave of 174'4". Josh Crowley ’11 qualified in the Pole Vault with 11th best leap at 15'3".

HILARY DISCH

Beyond the style that has gained them notoriety, a collective sense of team unites the women.    “Our team has awesome chemistry on and off the court. When we get in the zone, watching our team can be unbelievable,” shares senior ­Maggie ­Sillar.    “Each shift pumps up the next one. It is great coming off the court to 10 jumping and screaming teammates. Off the court, we have so much fun. Just about every teammate has VICTORY ROAD: NO. 30 JESSICA MATEER, NO. 25 COURTNEY HEHN a goofy nickname and we AND NO. 3 JADE STANLICK CELEBRATE THE TIGER’S 101-99 WIN OVER all have so many inside ROBERT MORRIS (ILL.) IN THE CCAC SEMIFINALS, MARCH 6, 2008. jokes, it is almost like we have our own language.”    This teamwork has netted some impressive stats this season. Senior Hilary Disch became the program’s newest leading scorer during regular season play, totaling 1,853 points and has had 399 steals. She was also named the CCAC Player of the Year. Joining their teammate with first team all-conference honors were Sillar and junior Courtney Hehn.    Along with setting their opponents on edge with an average of 64 forced turnovers a game, the Lady Tigers were close to becoming the highest scoring women’s team per game in the history of all four year universities in the nation.    “Our average [at the end of the regular season was] 104 points per game. The current record is just below 105,” shares Coach Porter.    The focus of the women’s program is entirely built on a team foundation. And this year’s united group of women who have played hard and visibly enjoyed themselves have truly lived out the team’s philosophy statement that quips: “Play Hard—Play Cool—Play Together—Have Fun!”    “Nationals was one of the best experiences in my college career,” shares Hilary, reflecting on her final season.    “Even though we lost, we got to experience things many teams are not able to. The loss was hard, but it’s hard to be that disappointed with all of the success that we have had as a team this year; many good things happened. I couldn’t have asked for a better senior year.”

women’s track On the women’s side, the Tigers sent four individuals and one relay team to the NAIA National Meet.    Bethany (McCoy) Carr ’08 came away with her fourth NAIA individual AllAmerican performance, nearly repeating as the 1,500-meter run champion, but settling for second with a 4:27.73. Ashley Fozkos ’11 tied for fourth in the pole vault with a height of 11'3 ¾". The 4x800-meter relay team of Carr, Cheri Hoffmann ’08, Aulbrey Gailey ’10 and Amanda Holman ’10 ran a faster time than the Tiger team that won the event last year, but this year’s time of 8:51.907 placed the Tigers third.    In addition to Carr and Fozkos, Kaeley Matuz ’10 and Kiersten Ellis ’11 competed in the 3,000-meter steeplechase and the 400-meter dash, respectively.

★ men’s

tennis After completing its fall season with a 7-0 record, the Tigers men’s tennis team continued its dominance into the spring season.    The team rattled off five straight victories to open the spring season, as they ran their record to 12-0, before suffering two straight losses.    The team hosted the NAIA Region VII Tournament, winning both of their matches and advancing to their sixth NAIA National Tournament. The Tigers were defeated in the first round of the national tournament, falling 9-0 to Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.), ending their season with a 14-3 mark.    Hector Sanchez ’08 led the Tigers in singles action, going 7-0 during the fall season. Michael Chamberlain ’11 went 6-0 in his six matches, while Chris Tudor ’09 went 5-0.    In doubles action, Mark Bell ’10 and Leandro Viltard ’09 combined to win all seven matches in second doubles action. Uyapo Nleya ’09 and Chamberlain won four of their first doubles matches.

★ women’s

tennis One of only two blemishes ended the women’s tennis team’s season, as the team finished with an 18-2 mark, winning 13 matches by a shutout score.    The Tigers suffered a 6-3 setback to Point Loma Nazarene University (Calif.) at the NAIA National Tournament. Their only other loss was a 5-4 setback to the University of Chicago (Ill.) on Sept. 26.    Fifteen of the team’s victories came during fall, as they added three victories during the spring season.    In the Tri-State Conference Tournament, the Tigers swept Clarke College (Iowa) 6-0 and St. Ambrose University (Iowa) 5-0. With the victories, the Tigers clinched its second straight trip to the NAIA National Tournament and fifth in the program’s history.    Jennifer Ramsay ’09 led the Tigers with 14 wins during singles action, while Alicia Cullen ’11 posted 13 singles victories. Erica Engelbrecht ’11 went unbeaten, going 12-0 in singles play.    In doubles action, Cullen and Engelbrecht went 14-0, while Haas and Jade Stanlick ’09 went 12-0.

w

The Tiger women’s basketball team slides in a weave across the gym floor in a streamline feat of pure energy and offensive skill.    Their fast-breaking, full-court-pressing method of play keeps opponents running hard and spotlights the Tiger’s stellar stamina.    Combined with a deep bench of sheer talent, and wins over highly competitive teams, the Tiger’s no-let-up defense and offense assisted them in placing second overall in the CCAC conference, just behind Saint Xavier University. This helped them earn a ticket to the NAIA national tournament March 19–25 for the first time since 2000.

PRESSING HARD

★ Softball

w

B A S K E T B A LL

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u


ten questions Journalist, minister and educator

Spring 2008

19

Gregg Chenoweth ’90

Newly appointed vice president for academic affairs

1

In fact, national survey data show that journalists’ No. 1 desire is more ethics training. We’re in a perfect position to provide that.

You were recently appointed vice president of academic affairs. What are some of the first actions you’ll take?    I have several ideas, but faculty don’t need me to mount a chariot and whip them with them. They need me to hear them and nurture the ambitions we share. It’s like a warm-up for the symphony. Embedded in all that unorchestrated noise is the seed of sonic rapture. We’ll sort and prioritize ideas, then ‘conduct it.’ Some ideas lead, others harmonize. By early 2009 themes will emerge that compel us forward. Meantime, I assigned myself to a ‘listening tour.’

6

Last summer, you were one of only 50 invited to Oxford University’s Centre for Religion and Public Life in Istanbul, Turkey. Tell us about this experience.    It was the most professionally satisfying experience of my life, and surreal. I spent hours on a yacht in the Mediterranean (Olivet didn’t pay the tab), talking with Michael Gerson, President Bush’s speechwriter, Zeyno Baran, a counselor to the White House on Middle East relations, Esau Isaac, director of India’s largest TV station, and the head of a half billion dollar NGO from England. More than that, I worshipped with these people too, mostly Christians.

2

Why did you choose to return to your alma mater?    While moving to South Korea in 2002, I learned the University had a need that fit my skill set and returned a year later. I was energized by the idea of ‘diploma inflation.’ If I could contribute to improving the place, the value I place on my own Olivet degree would expand. From what I see, alumni from the 80s should feel better about this place than ever before.

7

3

You launched Olivet’s Honors Program. What can you tell us about that type of student now attending Olivet?    In my third year here, I found that 140 undergrads had an ACT of 30 or more — the top 3 percent in the nation — but we had no program tailored to their academic talent. Now, we’re getting 50 students per freshman class in that ACT category. They’re really sharp, have sophisticated humor, do all the homework and maintain unique hobbies like reading Russian novels. They’re also missional. Almost all rejected big scholarships at other schools for a distinctively Christian education here.

The Olivetian

I want to be the kind of man to which God can continuously reveal Himself.”— G regg C he noweth ’90

Your work took you around the world. Tell us about a favorite ­location.    The first place that comes to my mind is Sege, Kenya, near the Nile-fed Lake Victoria. It is not a favorite for amenities, but for its meaning in my life. This little village has no running water, no electricity, and no currency. They trade pigs. They scavenge. It is “the end of the earth.” But on a sunny Sunday afternoon, I was privileged to coronate a new Church of the Nazarene there. Teen boys hung from tree branches to see inside the make-shift sanctuary while I preached. The offering plate featured eggs and beans, no cash. It was the Widow’s mite. This is why people say one cannot experience other cultures and remain unchanged.

8

You’ve been a journalist, a minister and an educator. How have you felt God using you in each step of your career?    My life has become nothing I planned, but better. It’s humbling. Some THE CHENOWETH FAMILY IN THE PURPLE CHAIR: (Pictured, from top) Tammy and Gregg, Aaron and Allison, and Abbey holding Smudge. roles I took made no sense on paper at You’ve written a weekly column the time, including financially, but hindon higher education for three sight shows God was doing something years. What insight can you give us in me all along. I owe God a debt for his watchcare over my career, health and about this generation and the impact they’ll have on the nation? family. I want to be an honorable steward of the responsibilities before me. I want    They believe their generation will solve many of the world’s most pressing to be the kind of man to which God can continuously reveal Himself. problems. This confidence comes from a generation of especially nurturing parents. Some experts say they’ve been raised in a ‘culture of praise.’ I like that ambition in them, but our challenge is to prepare them to actually accomplish Your work keeps you plenty busy. How do you make family a priority? it. How do we get them there from here? Part of the answer is still liberal arts   I learned at home. My workaholic, civically engaged, tireless churchman philosophy. Employers say they need ‘360-degree people,’ those with both techfather still endeared himself to me because despite his absence he had a knack nical and people skills. One study says most employers want more emphasis on for timing. He may have worked from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m., but would come to my cultural values, creative thinking and ethics. This makes Olivet a problem-solver baseball game for a few innings mid-day. We also had guys’ weekends with him. for employers. Now, I’m not a workaholic, but I’m productive. And I do think about ‘being there.’ I appreciate that Olivet culture honors that. The truth is, I compromise my work leadership if I neglect my family into failure. You teach several journalism courses. What role do you believe Christians can play in the profession?    Polls show half of Americans don’t trust the media. Its ethics violations brew You’re a Detroit-area native who loves sports. Have you converted into in a cauldron of competition and deadlines. So, I ask, ‘How do we redeem a a Chicago sports fan? profession?’ We populate it with redeemed people. Industry ethics codes are a    It comes to this: You can take the man out of Michigan, but you can’t take form of morals education, but they can’t do what is needed. They are a ‘law.’ Michigan out of the man. Enough said. The Holy Spirit requires more of us than that. So journalism education at a Christian university is no longer something to explain to an employer. It adds value.

4

9

5

10

w

w

w

.

o

l

i

v

e

t

.

e

d

u


En route Life matters, and taking time to share it matters too.

www.olivet.edu  800-648-1463

Olivet Nazarene University we believe. you belong here.


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.