Our most precious gift by Olivet Nazarene University

OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, BOURBONNAIS, ILLINOIS Vo l . 7 8 , N o . 4

IS S UE T WO, 2011

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our most precious gift Parents and grandparents discuss the most valuable contribution they ever made to Olivet — their children. page s 10 –12

IN THIS ISSUE:

CONSTRUCTION UNDERWAY FOR STUDENT LIFE AND RECREATION CENTER page 5

SOCCER STANDOUT CORY MILLER GOES PRO page 7

JAPAN-BASED GRAD PROVIDES POST-EARTHQUAKE RELIEF page 16

onu alumni

 Class Notes,

continued

Pete ’01 and Katie (Sullivan) Bretzlaff ’01: A boy, Henry Sullivan Gustav, Feb. 12, 2011. Henry joined Emma Kate, 8 and James, 5. Pete teaches social studies at Kankakee Junior High School and is the varsity soccer coach for Kankakee High School. James, Emma and Henry Bretzlaff Katie recently completed her M.A. in art education from Ohio State University and teaches art, foundations and photography at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School. CORRECTION FROM ISSUE 1: Scott ’04 and Anne ( Wa d s w o r t h ) ’ 0 3 Whalen: A girl, Averie Hope, June 22, 2010. She joins big sister, Ellie, 2. Scott is the executive pastor at the Sterling First Church of The Whalen Family the Nazarene. Anne is taking a year off from teaching to be a stay-athome mom. They reside in Sterling, Ill. Ben ’04 and Stephanie (Quimby) ’04 Kumor: A boy, Luke Michael, born Feb. 12, 2011. He joins big brothers, Caleb, 5 and Nathaniel, 2. Ben is finishing up his medical residency Luke Kumor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where Stephanie is the president of the House Officers Association Alliance. In July, they will be moving to Anchorage, Alaska, where they will be stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Erin (Ouwenga) ’05 and Nicholas Rogers: A boy, Samuel Alan, Feb. 7, 2011. He joins big sister, Kate. Erin is a stay-athome mom. Nicholas is in his third year of a gastroenterology fellowship at UT Southwestern. The family lives in Richardson, Texas.

Samuel and Kate Rogers

Marissa Lynn ’05 and Michael Coblentz ’99 were married March 19, 2011 in Kansas City, Mo. Michael and Marissa both work for Nazarene Theological S e m i n a r y, w h e r e Marissa is also a student. They reside in Marissa and Michael Kansas City, Mo. Coblentz Jennifer (Opperman) ’05 and Andrew Maynard ’05: A boy, Alexander Clark, Feb. 20, 2011. Andrew works on a team implementing electronic health records at SSM Health Care. Jennifer works in security at Vantage Credit Union. They reside in St. Louis, Mo.

Alexander Maynard

Denise Sullivan ’06 and Michael Caparula were married Dec. 18, 2010, in Chicago. Denise is a family and consumer science teacher at Hoopeston Area High School. They reside in Hoopeston, Ill. Michael and Denise Caparula

Landon ’06 and Kara (Klinger) ’05 DeCrastos: A boy, Josiah Andrew, Oct. 7, 2010. Landon is the pastor of Fishers Point Community Church, a new church in Fishers, Ind. Kara works for Truth@ Work, also in Fishers, Ind.

What’s Not to Love? Josiah DeCrastos

Meagan Hainlen ’07 will graduate from Indiana University School of Medicine in May 2011 with a Doctorate of Medicine. In June, she will start her residency in Neurod evelopmental Meagan Hainlen Disabilities at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. Rich Benjamin ’07 MOL, in just his fourth year as baseball coach at Judson University (Ill.), has become the winningest coach in school history. After spending three seasons as an assistant at Olivet, the Tennessee native moved north and has already built the Elgin school into a winner. The program made its first NAIA playoff appearance in 2008, then set the school record for wins in back-to-back seasons. This season, the team is on pace to win 40 games for the first time ever.

A Charitable Gift Annuity offers so much! You can … … supplement your retirement income

In Memoriam

… receive an income tax deduction

• 1950s

… invest in the life-changing mission of Olivet

Sylvia Adeline (Richardson) Jones ’50 passed away April 11, 2011, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Sylvia was born Oct. 26, 1928, in Irvine, Ken. She attended Olivet for one year where she became engaged to Richard M. Jones ’50. They were married June 27, 1950, in Ypsilanti, Mich. Sylvia was a committed and involved Christian, a loving and devoted wife, a gentle and kind mother and grandmother, and a loyal and caring friend. She resided in Ypsilanti, Mich., and was a member of Detroit First Church of the Nazarene. Shirley Ann (Strickler) Crabtree ’55 passed away March 20, 2011. She was the daughter of Dr. Dwight J. ’29 and Mrs. L. Esther (Newman) ’31 Strickler. Strickler Planetarium, on the campus of Olivet, was named after her father. She was married to Rev. Robert E. Crabtree ’56 for 55 years. Shirley taught public school at the elementary level for 27 years in the Kansas City, Grandview and Olathe school districts. She enjoyed golfing, skiing, hiking, horseback riding and traveling. Habib (Herb) George Abou Samra ’56 passed away Feb. 23, 2011, after a long illness. Herb was the son of the late Georges Habib Abou Samra and Laurice Mujais Hobeika, the father of Debbie Samra Sellers. Herb attended the American University of Beirut and graduated from Olivet Nazarene College with distinction and honors. He was an accomplished violinist at the age of 14. His love of classical music continued throughout his life. He taught elementary school after graduating and in later years, was finance and training director for employees in several General Motor dealerships in Illinois. Thomas C. Murray ’57 passed away Dec. 12, 2010, in Tempe, Ariz. He was born Dec. 22, 1935, to Rev. Charles and Mary Murray. Thomas Murray Tom excelled in football and track at Olivet, where he met and

Send us your news and photographs. 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. News should be sent via email to TheOlivetian@olivet.edu, at www.olivet.edu or through the mail to The Olivetian, Olivet Nazarene University, One University Avenue, Bourbonnais, IL 60914. Pictures must be sent through email or uploaded online. For detailed Class Notes guidelines, visit www.olivet.edu and select “The Olivetian” from the Quick Links menu.

815-939-5171 email: development@olivet.edu phone:

married Wilda L. Bennett ’57 on May 19, 1956. The couple moved to Xenia, Ohio. Tom worked as a machine operator for 42 years. He was a member of the Xenia Church of the Nazarene. Dr. Mary L. Shaffer, Nazarene educator and artist, passed away Nov. 22, 2010, one day before her 83rd birthday, in Meridian, Idaho. Dr. Shaffer served 49 years in higher education, having earned two master’s degrees and a docMary Shaffer torate in education from Indiana University. Fortytwo of those teaching years were in Nazarene colleges and universities. She taught art at Olivet from 1964–1971. While a professor at ONU, she worked tirelessly to improve the aesthetic appeal of the campus, which is still enjoyed today. Dr. Shaffer was awarded the President’s Merit Award at ONU in 1971. Dr. Shaffer taught at Northwest Nazarene University for 28 years, where she was named Faculty Emeritus in 1998. While at NNU, she assisted in the design of the Brandt Fine Arts and Convocation Center. There is a sculpture park named in her honor on the campus of NNU. Dr. Shaffer’s award-winning paintings were inspired by her world travels and the beauty of Idaho. Her painting “Watercolor of Sun Valley Idaho” was chosen to go to the moon in the Endeavor Space shuttle in 1992. Many of Dr. Shaffer’s paintings are displayed in the Frieson Art Galleries on the campus of NNU.

• 1960s

Lawrence “Larry” Spaulding ’66 passed away March 2, 2011. He was born Sept. 22, 1940, in Hartford City, Ind. He was married to Linda (Steckhan) ’69 for 43 years. He and Linda were very active at Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene.

Request a FREE, personalized calculation of how a Charitable Gift Annuity could benefit you and Olivet. Contact us today to begin the conversation. Also, request our free guide, ONU Gift Annuities.

Ronald P. Schwada ’68 passed away on April 16 of complications from Multiple Myeloma. He wa s born D e ce m be r 13, 1946, in Columbia, Mo., to Paul and Alta (Slabaugh) Schwada. He married Lynda Dunn on Ronald Schwada November 21, 1970, in Gary, Ind. Ron worked as the manager of office and staff services at Lane Electric Co-op until his retirement in 2009.

• 1970s

Paul L. Clack ’78 passed away Feb. 17, 2011. Born May 31, 1954, he was the son of former Wisconsin District Superintendent Robert J. Clack, Sr. After receiving his degree in psychology, he moved to San Diego, Calif. where he completed both his masPaul Clack ter’s degree and PhD. in psychology. Paul will be remembered by many as a courageous friend with a sharp wit and contagious smile who did not let a diving accident and life bound to a wheelchair slow him down.

• 1980s

Kathleen Marie (Doerner) Lunn ’84 passed away April 3, 2011, in her home. She had fought small cell lung cancer for four years. She was born May 7, 1961, to Ken and Marie Doerner. The family lived in Southern Indiana. She was married to Kevin Lunn ’85 in 1989. The couple had one daughter Margaret “Meg” Lunn.

in this issue

Issue 2 | 2011

Newest Olivet facility designed to strengthen sense of community and augment Tiger sports

Merrick Robison ’11 and Katelyn Flynn ’11 are blazing trails as two of Olivet’s first Honors Program grads

The Olivetian 1

perspectives Dr. Bowling: The most ››important question is not

“Will my son or daughter love the school they attend?” but, “Will the school they attend love my son or daughter?” | page 3

onu news

Record number of ››degrees awarded during

98th annual Commencement ceremonies | page 4 Dr. Ray Bower receives ››highest honor for contribution to research | page 4

onu sports

Whether it’s through chromosomes or cadavers, Kevin Greene ’11 finds evidence of the Divine

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Editor Heather (Quimby) Day ’02 Contributing Writers Caleb Benoit ’06 Nick Birkey ’07 Andy Corbus ’91 Amanda Jensen ’04/’06 M.O.L. Luke Olney ’10 Laura Wasson Warfel

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

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

Vice President for Student Development Dr. Walter “Woody” Webb ’86/ ’89 M.A.R./’08 D.Div.

Photography Coordinator Amy Duerrwaechter ’10

Vice President for Institutional Advancement Dr. Brian Allen ’82/’05 Litt.D.

Class Notes Editor Martha Thompson

Vice President for Graduate and Continuing Education Ryan Spittal ’99/’04 M.B.A.

Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Gregg Chenoweth ’90

Photography Image Group Photography or as credited

by a lifetime of obstacles | page 8

alumni zone

Vice President for Finance Dr. Douglas E. Perry ’68/ ’95 M.B.A., Litt.D.

Olivet Nazarene University

Editorial Consultant Rev. Gordon C. Wickersham ’47

ONU runner Jacklyn ››Tusack ’14 can’t be stopped

While others were trying to find a way out, Joshua Revor ’09 was finding the quickest route into the heart of disaster

C OV E R P H O T O BY A M Y D U E R R WA E C H T E R ’ 1 0

Additional Design Matthew Moore ’96 Monique (Cartier) Perry ’03

| page 7

page 19

ONU families share how they navigated the difficult challenge of learning to let go

Designer Donnie Johnson

page 7

Facebook captioning ››contest winners |

cover 10–12

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

Soccer standout Cory ››Miller ’11 goes pro | Gibbs heads to court as ››Olivet’s new Tennis coach

Reproduction of material without written permission is strictly prohibited.

Copyright © 2011 Olivet Nazarene University One University Avenue ourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 B POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Editor The Olivetian Olivet Nazarene University One University Ave. ourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 B

snapshots

for Honduras

P H O T O BY C A S S I DY L A N C A S TER ’13

Allison McGuire ’12 and Marcie Thompson ’13 bond with Honduran children during their Missions in Action trip over Spring Break. In total, 163 Olivetians traveled to 12 different world areas during the 2011 spring and summer breaks through MIA.

behavior

P H O T O BY C A I T I E S W E E T ’ 1 2

ONU students strolled down the runway in fun and trendy fashions during the annual FACS fashion show, which was co-sponsored by the Multi-Ethnic Relations Club this year.

made

As volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, Keri Cannon ’11 and Zach Thomas ’13, along with several other students, faculty and ONU staff, help construct a house for a local family. Habitat for Humanity recently recognized the Olivet community for their support over the years through financial contributions and countless hours of volunteer labor.

STRUCK

P H O T O BY C A I T I E S W E E T ’ 1 2

P H O T O BY A M Y D U E R R WA E C H T E R ’ 1 0

Payton Robinson, a student of Mrs. Porter’s 2nd grade class at Mayra Elementary in Matteson, Ill., admires the night sky in Olivet’s Strickler Planetarium. In the past year, Strickler welcomed approximately 2,000 schoolage children and 500 adult chaperones for fun and informative astronomy shows.

perspectives

Issue 2 | 2011

The Olivetian 3

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

MATTERS College is a rite of passage, a significant season of transition as students make their way from dependence to independence. One aspect of this process is that students leave their families (in a way) to become part of this family, the Olivet family. While most colleges and universities have given up the concept of “in loco parentis,” the Latin phrase for “in the place or role of a parent,” Olivet has not. University students are, of course, young adults. They ought and need to be responsible and should not be treated as children. However, there is value in providing a safety net for those who are just learning to walk on the high wire of life, just letting go of adolescence so that they can take hold of adulthood. Therefore, at Olivet, we still assume a kind of parental role. We do so purposefully, believing that this is part of our mission. Why? Because we are a family, and family matters. My wife, Jill, was visiting with four friends from her hometown in Ohio. Each of these families has a daughter attending a different state school. In the course of the conversation, each of the mothers said to Jill, “My daughter just loves (fill in the name of her school).” In thinking about that conversation, Jill said to me, “Parents often wonder if their children will love the school they attend; but it seems that most young people end up liking their school.” (This may be so in part because they have nothing to which they can compare their experience.) “So the more important question for parents,” Jill continued, “is not, ‘Will my son or daughter love the school they attend?’ but, ‘Will the school they attend love my son or daughter?’” Will the school watch out for their children’s health and safety? Will the professors get to know the names of their students? Will professors pray with them and for them? Olivet seeks to be the kind of school where these questions are always answered, “yes.” Just as every family has a history and set of family characteristics, the same is true for Olivet.

without saying, but at the same time, the University needs to remember that our goal is to instruct, inspire, guide, direct and correct students in the process of learning. We are here to teach — but there is more.

I. We Are an Academic Family. The mission of the University is education — “An Education with a Christian Purpose.” In reality this should go

And spoken or unspoken, I know there is a mom or dad out there who desperately wants to believe we’re serious when we speak of the Olivet family.

Parents send to this campus the most important thing in their lives. They are counting on us to not just see another student when we are in a conversation, but to see their child as an individual. We are a family, and family matters.

III. We Are a Spiritual Family. We believe this work is God’s work, and that Jesus Christ seeks to have a

II. We Are a Social Family. During the summer orientation sessions for new students and their families, we have an evening meeting just for parents. It features a panel of faculty and staff members who answer questions and talk to parents. Not long ago one of the panelists asked the parents to talk about their hopes and fears as they send their students to Olivet. It turned out to be a rather moving session as parents opened up to the panel and to one another about their feelings.

P H O T O S BY A M Y D U E R R WA E C H T E R ’ 1 0

holy encounter with every student and every staff and faculty member, as well. Our purpose at Olivet is the transformation of lives, as well as the education of minds. The spiritual aspect of our life together must serve to encourage, inspire, instruct and help every student come to a point of personal faith in and commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. The spiritual life among us is also a vital part of what makes us a family.

“You talk about the Olivet family,” one mother said. “I heard it from the admissions staff when we first visited, and I heard it again tonight in the session. How can I be sure there will be someone here to take care of my daughter if she has a problem or a special need? She is going to be a long way from home, and I am a little fearful.”

We are family — an academic, social and spiritual family. We are an extended family with a family name to live up to. We are a family with a rich heritage and a promising future. We are a family, God’s family at work in this place — and family matters.

Her words reminded me that every student who crosses this campus, every face in a classroom or in the crowd is someone’s daughter, someone’s son.

onu news 2010–2011 ends on high note with record-breaking graduation

ONU

Insider

BY L AUR A W AS SON W AR F EL

GEOLOGICAL RESEARCH | Ben Miller

A record total of 1,697 students received degrees from Olivet Nazarene University during the 2011 Commencement ceremonies: 576 traditional undergraduate; 260 adult studies; 838 master’s; 1 posthumous; and 22 doctorate degrees.

SUBMITTED PHOTO

’13 gave an oral presentation, “A possible rogue wave deposit in the Joppa Member of the Ste. Genevieve Formation in the Illinois Basin,” at the Northeastern/North-Central Sections joint meeting of the Geological Society of America in Pittsburgh, Penn, March 22, 2011. He reported on research he had done during the summer of 2010, sponsored by the ONU alumni funded Pence-Boyce Undergraduate Sum m er Research Fund.

▲ BEN MILLER

MATH EXCELLENCE

| Math students Mark Lynn ’13 and Danielle Vander Schaaf ’12 recently scored two and ten points, respectively, on the William Lowell Putnam Exam, ranking both of them in the upper half of top math majors from colleges and universities around the world. The exam, sponsored by the Mathematical Association of America, is taken by more than 4,000 top math majors and is designed to discriminate at the highest level. It is considered notable to score at all. In past years, the median score for the exam has been zero, and this year’s median — the highest it’s been in ten years — was two.

PROJECT NExT | Professor Nicole (Wessman) Enzinger ’05

was selected as an Illinois Section of the Mathematical Association of America Project NExT fellow. The ISMAA program is designed to help support new faculty in their teaching, scholarly and professional activities, and to help these new faculty get involved in the mathematical community beyond their own institutions.

Rev. Klaus Arnold, rector and professor of theology at European Nazarene College, addressed graduates, their families and friends, and members of the Olivet family during the traditional undergraduate Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 7, 9:30 a.m. Special highlights of the traditional undergraduate Commencement ceremony included graduation of the first cohort of 14 students from the Honors Program, and presentation of several student and faculty awards including: • Maggie Sloan Crawford Award for outstanding female graduate to Kathryn A. Eccles ’11 • Robert M. Milner Award for outstanding male graduate to Kevin J. Greene ’11 • Sam L. Mayhugh Award for Scholarly Excellence to Dale Hathaway, math department chair • Richard M. Jones Award for Teaching Excellence Award to Connie Murphy ’00 MAE, assistant professor and learning development center director The Commencement ceremony for the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies was held at 2:30 p.m. that same day in the Betty and Kenneth Hawkins Centennial Chapel. Dr. John C. Bowling, president of the University, gave the address.

HIGHEST HONOR | Dr. Ray Bower, chair of the Department of

Behavioral Sciences at Olivet Nazarene University, was presented with the Bill M. Sullivan Founder’s Award at the 30th annual Association of Nazarene Sociologists and Researchers (ANSR) Conference held in Kansas City on March 31, 2011. The award is the highest honor given by ANSR, and Dr. Bower was chosen unanimously by his peers for his work in developing a new generation of social researchers to serve the Church of the Nazarene.

KAPPA DELTA PI

| On Wednesday, April 13, 2011, the School of Education inducted 5 2 e d u c a t i o n students into Kappa Delta Pi, an International Honor Society in Education.

PHOTO BY CASSIDY LANCASTER ’13

STUDENT OF THE YEAR | Dr. Jim Upchurch ’71, dean of the

School of Education, announced the School’s 2011 Student of the Year: James Hall ’11, an elementary education major from Elida, Ohio. Dr. Stan Tuttle presented the award stating: “Since beginning the program a few years ago, James has been an outstanding student, but more importantly, he has been an outstanding person, one who is always willing to do whatever it takes to improve himself as a teacher, and to help his students learn.”

PHOTO BY AMY DUERRWAECHTER ’10

Recent

▲ JAMES HALL

Several student, faculty, and dissertation awards were presented during the afternoon ceremony, including a posthumous Master of Business Administration degree to Nathan Alexander Beard, who passed away November 1, 2010. Carrie Stimson ’91/’98 MAPC, adjunct professor in the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies’ counseling program, received the Willis E. Snowbarger Award for Teaching Excellence. David J. Goodwin ’11 received the Ralph E. Perry Student Award of Excellence. Other Commencement weekend activities included: • Social work pinning ceremony for 31 graduates, held May 6 • Nursing pinning ceremony for 33 traditional graduates, held May 6 • Baccalaureate service, held May 6 in Centennial Chapel, with Dr. John C. Bowling delivering the sermon and charge to the Class of 2011 • Military commissioning ceremony for 19 cadets, held May 7 • Nursing pinning ceremony for 38 graduates from the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies, held May 7

→ Admissions Center named in honor of Drs. Jill and John Bowling → Safety in bamboo grove: Dr. Stephen Franklin experiences Japan’s earthquake → Dr. Dennis J. Crocker named dean of School of Professional Studies

PHOTO BY CASSIDY LANCASTER ’13

PHOTO BY AMY DUERRWAECHTER ’10

Congressman Adam Kinzinger visits Olivet campus → Head softball coach Ritchie Richardson notches 700th career win → Brian Utter ’91 named program director for Shine.FM

Check out these stories and more at www.olivet.edu.

▲ KAPPA DELTA PI INDUCTEES w

Issue 2 | 2011

The Olivetian 5

MAIN LOBBY AND RECEPTION AREA

Student Life and Recreation Center to serve as “hub” for community life

By Heather (Quimby) Day ’02

Plans are in place, and preliminary construction is underway, for a highly anticipated enhancement for student life on the campus of Olivet. The new Student Life and Recreation Center, set for completion in December 2012, is designed to strengthen the sense of community among students, as well as augment the thriving intramural and intercollegiate athletic programs. The new Student Life and Recreation Center is estimated to measure 168,000 square feet, roughly two-and-a-half times the size of Ludwig Student Center. Features will include an eight-lane running track, two pools, a four-story rock climbing wall, four basketball courts, additional workout facilities, a game area, a spacious central lounge where students can gather for recreation or study, and several classrooms.

M C HIE the residence halls around the BIRCHARD quad, met together for chapel in Chalfant Hall, and ate in the Ludwig Dining Hall. Each of those CHALFANT elements helped build and sustain community.” As the student body continued to grow, however, this all began to change. Students could no longer fit into Chalfant Hall, so Olivet went to multiple locaWEBER tions and then alternating days for chapel attendance. Residential halls could not accommodate all of the students, so apartment arrangements were established in University Place, on Grand Avenue and finally in Olde Oak. In addition to the main WISNER dining room, Sodexo began serving meals in Nesbitt Lounge, the Tiger Den, and the Red Room. And as the intercollegiate athletic program grew, space for the general student to have recreational activities became inadequate. “Suddenly,” said Dr. Bowling, “students were not liv ing together, eating together, going to chapel together



or having as much opportunity for recreation and social interaction. The common Olivet experience was being eroded. “Therefore, step by step, we began to address these issues. The main dining room in Ludwig was expanded, and Centennial Chapel was constructed so we could be together again for chapel. “ N o w t h e S t u d e n t L i f e a n d Recreation Center will provide a venue for healthy and vibrant social activities.”

New Tiger sports teams

Though the main purpose for the Center is for improving community life for the general student, it will also offer new enhancements and opportunities for Tiger Athletics. Olivet will be among the few colleges in the state of Illinois with an eight-lane, 200-meter indoor track, and its Mondo surface is the same as that which will be used for the 2012 Olympics. In fact, ONU will be among an elite group of American colleges and universities to serve as host for a pre-Olympics meet. Because of the Center, the Tigers will also have their first-ever indoor track season in the winter of 2012. With a 10-lane competition swim pool, varsity men’s and women’s swimming will be added to the list of intercollegiate sports programs. Recruitment of 20 male and 20 female swimmers will begin in fall 2011, with competition set to begin in fall 2012. “We are very excited about this superb swimming pool,” said ONU Athletics Director Gary Newsome. “It has a constant depth of two meters, making it a very fast pool in the NAIA — similar to what is used to qualify for the Olympics.”

A sense of community Dr. John C. Bowling explains that this new facility is part of a series of initiatives to counteract the changing nature of the student experience in recent years. “It used to be that all students lived in the heart of the campus in

SITE LOCATION OF NEW CENTER

8-LANE, 200-METER INDOOR TRACK

Drawing students together

Take a tour! To take a virtual tour of the new Student Life and Recreation Center, visit www.olivet.edu, and click on the “Student Life” section.

The new Student Life and Recreation Center is sure to strengthen the Olivet experience for current students, as well as serve as a recruitment draw for the next generation of Olivetians. There is already a buzz among students as they anticipate all of the possibilities for the future. “Our goal is that this new facility will become a magnet, a hub, which will draw students together for study, fellowship and recreation,” said Dr. Bowling. “We see this as an investment in the lives of our students and in the future of the University.”

10-LANE COMPETITION POOL

Elmer and Dorothy delivered care packages to Haiti today. They set a broken bone in Cleveland and then inspired a classroom of fifth graders in Milwaukee. And Dorothy still had time to knit.

Together.

Join Elmer and Dorothy in transforming the world for Christ. Your gift to Friends of Olivet enables Olivetians to make an impact in their homes, in their churches, in their communities. Together, our reach spans the globe.

Olivet Nazarene University.

Elmer and Dorothy Joplin, faithful supporters of Friends of Olivet.

8 1 5 - 9 3 9 - 5 1 7 1 â&#x20AC;&#x201A; | â&#x20AC;&#x201A; w w w. o l i v e t . e d u

onu sports

Issue 2 | 2011

FOR T HE LAT EST SCORES AND SPORT S NEW S, VISIT W W W.OLIVET.EDU.

The Olivetian 7

AS OF MAY 10 , 20 11

SPORTS SHORTS

softball|

Despite graduating three NAIA All-Americans from last year’s team, this year’s version of the Tigers are in the hunt for their third NAIA National Tournament appearance in four years. Led by the offense of Jordan Reynolds ’12 (Metamora, Ill.) and the pitching of Katie Hannagan ’12 (Moline, Ill.), the Tigers have been ranked as high as No. 13 in the NAIA Top 25 poll. Reynolds, Hannah Gardner ’14 (Frankfort, Ill.) and Molly Anderson ’12 (Rock Falls, Ill.) all boast doubledigits home run totals, and Hannagan is the leading candidate for conference pitcher of the year. She’s an ace who racks up groundballs, walks fewer than one batter per seven innings and leads the league in wins, ERA and shutouts. For the Tigers, even the losses are encouraging: six of the 11 have been by one run, and five have come against ranked opponents.

losing five of their baseball|After first six games, the Tigers

got the boost they needed: Tyler Shore ’12 (Elgin, Ill.) threw a five-inning no-hitter and the offense pounded out 14 hits in a spring break shutout of Malone (Ohio). Head coach Todd Reid calls that performance one of the turning points of the season. From there, his team started its climb. Two days later, the Tigers picked up two wins over previously ranked Madonna (Mich.) and later pieced together a run of 18 conference wins in 20 games. Speed on the bases and quality play late in games has been key. The Tigers lead the NAIA in stolen bases and are 23-0 when leading after six innings. Now, they have their sights set on their first conference title since 2005. “It’s been one of the most rewarding seasons I’ve had,” Reid said.

women’s tennis|

In addition to clinching their fifth straight NAIA National Championship berth, the Tigers finished the regular season with 19 consecutive wins, a new school record. That’s a streak that dates back to the middle of September and includes eight shutouts. Among those victories were wins against No. 17 Indiana Wesleyan, No. 24 Webber International (Fla.) and NCAA Division I LaSalle University (Penn.) — the program’s first win over a Division I opponent. Helping lead the charge has been Aziza Butoyi ’14 (Bujumbura, Burundi), a fourtime conference player of the week; and Erica Engelbrecht ’11 (Moline, Ill.) and Alicia Cullen ’12 (Edwardsville, Ill.), who paired up for doubles victories in all three of the big wins.

baseball > Tyler Shore ’12: Workhorse is his

middle name: Shore started the season with 11 consecutive complete games while maintaining a 1.99 ERA. The Elgin, Ill., native added a slider to his repertoire in the offseason, giving him a go-to pitch when he needs a strikeout. That helped him hold opponents to a .221 batting average and one home run in his first 72 1/3 innings. Still, the consistent right-hander relies more on brains than dominating stuff. “He is probably the best I’ve ever had at outsmarting his opponent,” head coach Todd Reid said. “He sees a hitter’s weakness and exploits it.”

Championships in May. “She put in the offseason mileage and believed in the training plan, then grew in confidence as a result,” head coach Mike McDowell said. “Her upside potential is absolutely incredible.”

men’s golf > Matt Compton ’11: Less than

two weeks after his 2-over-par 74 helped the Tigers to a second-place finish at the University of St. Francis Invitational, Compton shot a team-best 79 at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championship at Balmoral Woods Country Club in Crete, Ill. The Peoria, Ill., native finished in a tie for sixth place and, for the third time in five spring matches, fired the Tigers’ lowest round. His two other team-best performances included a 154 at the two-day Augustana Invitational in Milan, Ill., and a 77 at the Bigthorn Big Time Challenge in South Bend, Ind.

Track and field|

P H O T O BY A M Y D U E R R WA E C H T E R ’ 1 0

Aziza Butoyi

TIGER TRACKS

Call it a clean sweep. Thanks to some outstanding individual performances, both the men’s and women’s teams captured Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships titles in mid-April. Among the men’s top performers was Seth Erickson ’14 (Carbondale, Ill.), who won the 100 meters and 200 meters and helped two relay teams to victory. On the women’s side, Caitlin McPherson ’13 (Watertown, Wis.) helped the Tigers win in dominating fashion by capturing both the discus and hammer throw titles. Meanwhile, four individuals have already qualified for the NAIA Outdoor National Championships: Kortney Ellingboe ’13 (Hamilton, Ill.) in the 5,000 meters; Kenny MacDonough ’11 (Novi, Mich.) and Lauren Versweyveld ’11 (Delavan, Wis.) in the 10,000 meters; and Ashley Fozkos ’11 (Valparaiso, Ind.) in the pole vault.

shor e

reynol ds

softball > Jordan Reynolds ’12: The junior

from Metamora, Ill., has played every game since she stepped foot on Olivet’s campus, and she’s done it well. This year, she leads the team in the batting metrics — batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage — but it’s more than her play at the plate that paces the Tigers. The reigning conference player of the year is also a perfect 48-for-48 in stolen base attempts, and her defense prowess is wellknown: Last year, she led the NAIA in assists. This season, she could earn NAIA All-American honors for the second straight year. “She’s a five-tool player who can do everything well,” head coach Ritchie Richardson said. “She most definitely is our catalyst.”

women’s golf|

In their first season of competition, the Tigers have taken on this spring some of the best golf teams in the country, including five teams ranked in the NAIA Top 25 poll: No. 5 Bethel (Ind.), No. 7 EmbryRiddle (Fla.), No. 8 William Woods (Mo.), No. 10 Northwood (Fla.) and No. 25 Campbellsville (Ky.). Three other opponents are receiving votes in the poll, including the University of St. Francis (Ill.), which finished one spot ahead of the Tigers in their conference tournament. Jordan Grambush ’11 (Fenton, Mich.) and Ashley Miller ’14 (Springhill, Kan.) combined to lead the Tigers in their first five competitions this spring.

men’s track > Sam Pimpo ’14: The Antioch, Ill., native is tackling a most challenging track task: a combination of 10 running, throwing and jumping events known as the decathlon. The event requires both speed and strength, and despite just starting to learn some of the skills in December, Pimpo is progressing at a rapid pace. He was the highest-placing freshman at the 20-team Chicagoland Championships, and one week later, he earned points in four events at the Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Championships. “His progress has been nothing short of amazing,” head coach Mike McDowell said, “and it’s all due to his coach-ability and hard work.”

comp ton

ho l mes

women’s golf > Gwen Holmes ’13: The native of Princeton, Ill., has been among the Tigers’ leaders in their inaugural season, and she saved her best performance of the spring for one of her team’s most important matches. The sophomore fired rounds of 84 and 87 on April 22–23 in Alton, Ill., helping the Tigers to a third-place finish at the eight-team Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference/American Midwest Conference Tournament. The Tigers’ best score of the spring placed them nearly 40 strokes ahead of McKendree University (Ill.), a team that had beaten the Tigers by 12 strokes less than two weeks prior. men’s tennis > Sebastian Esquetini ’12:

The Tigers lost only two regular-season matches between the fall and spring seasons, and even then, Esquetini made the most of his opportunities. Against NCAA Division I Illinois-Chicago, the native of Ecuador earned a 7-6, 6-3 singles victory — just one of two wins for the Tigers that day. Then, against No. 14 Aquinas (Mich.), he picked up an 8-4 doubles victory with teammate Diego Gonsalvez ’13. The two-time NCCAA AllAmerican First Team selection finished the regular season with a 13-1 singles record to improve his career mark to 41-10.

esq uetini el l ingboe

women’s track > Kortney Ellingboe ’13:

P H O T O BY A M Y D U E R R WA E C H T E R ’ 1 0

Erica Engelbrecht

men’s tennis|

Ranked as high as No. 17 in the NAIA Top 25 poll, the Tigers racked up wins in 13 of 15 regular-season matches and qualified for their ninth straight NAIA National Championship appearance. Helping lead the charge have been Landon Williams ’14 (Erie, Penn.) and Julian Kurz ’13 (Stuttgart, Germany), who finished the regular season with 13-1 and 11-1 singles records, respectively. Against NCAA Division II Southern Indiana, the duo picked up singles wins and paired up for a doubles victory as well. Meanwhile, Tigers’ only losses came against No. 14 Aquinas (Mich.) and the University of IllinoisChicago, an NCAA Division I opponent.

The Hamilton, Ill., native was set on attending MidAmerica Nazarene (Kan.) until the school dropped its track and field program. That prompted a visit to Olivet, where two years later she’s making a name for herself. Thanks to her dedication to offseason training, the sophomore placed seventh in the 3,000-meter run at the NAIA Indoor National Championships in March. An equally impressive feat: The first time she ever competed in the 5,000-meter run, she qualified for this year’s NAIA Outdoor National

NEWS AND NOTES

men’s golf|

The Tigers’ best finish of the spring season came on April 12 at the 14-team University of St. Francis Invitational at Wedgewood Golf Course in Joliet, Ill. Led by an even-par 72 by Andrew Woodhull ’13 (Elmhurst, Ill.), the Tigers finished in a tie for second while beating conference foes Robert Morris (Ill.), Judson (Ill.) and Purdue-Calumet (Ind.). Woodhull, an all-conference player a year ago, finished two shots off the lead, while teammates Matt Compton ’11 (Peoria, Ill.) and Aaron Miles ’13 (Holt, Mich.) finished close behind with rounds of 74 and 77, respectively.

.. In addition to finishing his degree and serving as athletic trainer for the Olivet softball team, Cory Miller ’11 continued this spring his quest for a professional soccer career. The Zionsville, Ind., native started the season opener for the Carolina RailHawks, a North American Soccer League team in Cary, N.C., and drew positive reviews from his coach. A former allconference defender for Olivet, Miller has now joined the team full time. “It’s still sinking in,” he said. “It’s a huge blessing. I didn’t know if

women’s tennis > Aziza Butoyi ’14:

Olivet’s first women’s tennis player from Africa, Butoyi compiled a 21-1 singles record and a 20-1 doubles record before winning her fourth Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Week award at the end of April. A native of Burundi, one of the smallest nations on the continent, Butoyi landed at Olivet after she learned she was ineligible to play in NCAA Division I competition. Now, for the Tigers, she’s No. 49 in singles and No. 25 in doubles (with teammate Taylor Stephens ’13) in the latest NAIA national rankings, issued in March.

it didn’t work out with soccer what direction I was going to take. So now I want to take it for all it’s worth.”

MJM PHOTOGRAPHY

p i mpo

butoyi

.. Andy Gibbs ’01 will be Olivet’s new G ibbs men’s and women’s head tennis coach beginning Aug. 1. A former four-year player at Olivet, Gibbs returned to his alma mater in 2007 after coaching stints at high schools in Kansas and Illinois. Since his return, he’s served as an assistant tennis coach in each of the last four seasons. Both he and his wife, Heather (Cook) ’99, are professors at Olivet.

onu sports

In spite of a lifetime of obstacles, Jacklyn Tusack says, “Nothing can stop me!”

By Luke Olney ’10

/// “I was rushed to a different hospital within 12 hours of my birth,”

says Jacklyn Tusack ’14, who was born with a tumor near her left eye. Doctors surgically removed the tumor when she was just a baby, but that proved to be only a temporary fix. It soon grew back and needed to be removed again. After the tumor grew back four times, it became evident that drastic measures needed to be taken. When Jacklyn was three years old, surgeons permanently removed her tumor and everything to which it was attached — everything, including her left eye. To ensure each cell was destroyed and the tumor would not grow back, young Jacklyn underwent the difficult process of chemotherapy. Though the tumor was gone, Jacklyn was left blind in one eye and deaf in one ear.

During the school year, Jacklyn and teammates encourage one another and spend time together throughout the week, outside of practice. The cross country team has formed a bond that stretches beyond the course. “I think I like the team aspect more than the actual running,” says Jacklyn. “I love our team!”

S TAYING

THE

COURSE

Not only that, but Jacklyn’s recovery period after each surgery prevents her from training with the team. “Training on your own can be really tough,” she admits. Cross country coach Mike McDowell is impressed that Jacklyn continues to do both cross country and track, even though she continues to get interrupted with more surgeries. “Jackie is the epitome of perseverance,” says Coach McDowell. “She has overcome so much adversity in her life but still has such a positive demeanor. Jackie makes a daily decision to put a smile on her face, and everyone around her recognizes it.” On April 25, 2011, Jacklyn reached what she calls “the big 4-0”— that is, her 40th reconstructive surgery thus far.

C a m p q u a l i t y /// The summer following her chemotherapy, fiveyear-old Jacklyn attended Camp Quality, a weeklong camp for kids with cancer. “It was a week away from reality,” explains Jacklyn. The purpose of the camp is to have fun, and to give the children and their families a break from the worry of treatments and hospital visits. Each camper is assigned an older companion for the week — often, someone who has been down that road before. “The camp was so upbeat and positive,” says Jacklyn. “It helped to be around other kids who knew what I was going through. We got so close to one another, we became like a second family.”

Giving back /// Jacklyn’s experience at Camp Quality made such a profound impression on her that she has been back every year. Now, she attends as a “companion” for the younger kids. “I like being a volunteer at the camp because I know what kind of impact it made on my life. I want to give back.” In fact, Jacklyn wants to spend the rest of her life “giving back.” “There has been so much support from everywhere,” Jacklyn says. “The nurses and doctors have always been so nice to me. What they do is powerful — they have helped me so much in my life, and now I want to help others.” At Olivet, Jacklyn is studying biology with the intention to attend medical school. Eventually, she wants to be an oncologist and treat kids with cancer. The medical field has always been a significant part of Jacklyn’s life. But, she admits, “Instead of being the patient all the time, it would be nice to be the doctor.”

R u n n e r ’ s h i g h /// When Jacklyn reached junior high, she needed

to find a way to release some of the strain caused by a lifetime of medical procedures, doctor visits and nights spent in the hospital. She found her outlet in running. “Running was a big stress reliever and became a main part of my life,” she says. Today, Jacklyn runs for the track and cross country programs at Olivet. “I like the feeling of power I get when I run,” explains Jacklyn. “During the first few miles of a long distance run, it is a huge mental battle, and I have to tell myself, ‘Okay, I can do this.’ But after a while, I feel like nothing can stop me.” The one thing that stops Jacklyn from running is having another surgery. “Surgeries take a lot out of a person physically,” she says.

feature story

Issue 2 | 2011

The Olivetian 9

Merrick is grateful for the experience he has had as an honors student. “The Honors Program is a learning process — for the professors and the students. It was very interesting being in the first cohort. I hope the program continues to grow and flourish in the future. Saying that I was a part from the beginning is a very neat thing. “The best part of the Honors Program for me was discovering that I can work on a long-term project to completion. Seeing the show come together — everything I thought of, discarded, added. Seeing it on stage and seeing people enjoying it. The words on paper become laughs and shock in the audience, and you don’t know what they’re going to react to. There is nothing like seeing your ‘child’ come to life.”

Olivet celebrates the graduation of the University’s first Honors Program cohort

BLAZING A K NEW TRAIL

“I threw my books on the floor, stomped around my room and told my roommates, ‘I’m not doing anyEnglish major from thing except typing a paper!’” says Bettendorf, Iowa Katelyn Flynn ’11. “Thanks to the book my roommates gave me to read — Good News about Injustice by Gary Haugen, founder of International Justice Mission — I found my passion. I want to go to law school and work to prevent human trafficking.” According to International Justice Mission, human sex trafficking generates more than $32 billion a year. Nearly two million children are being exploited in the commercial sex industry worldwide. “Freedom is important to me,” Katelyn continues. “It’s worth fighting for. I wouldn’t have found this passion if I hadn’t come to Olivet.” Katelyn was first drawn to Olivet because of the orchestra (she plays the cello) and the Honors Program. “The Honors Program has challenged and equipped me to grow,” she says. “I loved the integrated classes our cohort took together. We had four different professors from four different disciplines. I feel privileged to have experienced this type of education.” In addition to completing her Honors classes and a 60-page paper for the capstone project requirement, Katelyn also completed an internship during the spring 2010 semester. She worked in the office of U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley in Washington, D.C. “I wanted to experience the political side of D.C.,” she says. “He’s right in the Senate where important policies are made.” While working in the senator’s office, Katelyn had a rare opportunity for an intern. At a reception in the Capitol building, she met the White House official who heads up the office for monitoring and combating human trafficking. “He talked with me for 10 minutes about how the Church needs to be more involved in politics and human rights,” she recalls. Katelyn has already been accepted to law school at Regent University in Virginia. “God orchestrated this opportunity for me,” she says. “Regent just opened a global justice center. They sponsor 15 internships each year for students to work on actual human trafficking cases.” Eventually, she wants to work with a human rights or nongovernmental organization and continue the work she’s so passionate about. “Olivet’s Honors Program is about growing,” Katelyn adds. “The students were able to grow into the program and the program grew around us. We also grew together as a group. “I developed a belief in myself and my abilities. I received training in how to accomplish what I’ve set out to do. I’m grateful to Dr. [Sue] Williams for constantly checking my work for excellence.” Summing up her experience, Katelyn says, “The Honors Program holds us to a high standard and helps us believe that we can do more than we think we can do. It’s a challenging program, but the outcome is worth it.”

Katelyn Flynn ’11,

Merrick Robison ’11 and Katelyn Flynn ’11

By Lau r a W asso n W a r f el

The 2011 Commencement weekend was memorable for many reasons, but especially because it marked the graduation of Olivet’s first-ever cohort of Honors Program students. What was this fouryear educational experience like for these students? Two honors grads share their journey.

Friday night, April 8, 7 p.m., Kresge Auditorium. Opening night of “Number’s Down.” Culmination of his two-year capstone project Merrick Robison ’11, for Olivet’s Honors Program. Merrick Robison ’11 is excited to be music major living part of his dream. from Marion, Iowa He’s also a bit nervous. As a member of The Olivetians singing group, and having been part of Olivet’s theater program since his freshman year, he’s used to being in the spotlight. But this time it’s different. Much different. Tonight he will direct a play he himself adapted from the Puritan play “Everyman.” “For this production, the audience was sitting on stage facing the auditorium to give the feeling of a theater-in-the-round,” Merrick says. “The action was taking place between them and the auditorium. We were taping the show that night. My jury for the production was there that night also. They were going to write their comments for my grade.” That’s when, Merrick says, it all went haywire. “The lightboard computer rebooted itself twice. The stage lights went out both times. We lost our presets. But the actors kept going. No one can explain why it happened. On Saturday night, we had a flawless show.” Olivet’s Honors Program Even in all the chaos, Merrick says the project was a wonderful learning experience. • Launched in 2007, Olivet’s “In completing my Honors Program project, I experienced Centennial year what it means to be a director. I learned that I couldn’t do • Acceptance based on ACT score, everything. The ‘Number’s Down’ production was a collabapplication, essay, on-campus orative effort, and the encouragement from everyone was interview so gratifying. Seeing people experience this production posi• First cohort of 14 students tively was uplifting.” graduated in May 2011 He also appreciates the mentorship he experienced. • Students take four honors “I worked closely with Professor [Jerry] Cohagan [assistant classes to satisfy their general professor in Olivet’s communication department] on this education requirements project. We came up with ideas together. I discovered his • Variety of majors represented academic side and his curious mind. He was always coming among honors students, includup with more ideas. Sometimes, I had a hard time keeping ing English, psychology, biology, up with him! I have incredible respect for him and his dedigeology, computer science cation to what he does.” and music

Among the graduates:

• Katie Eccles ’11 is heading to Boston College to study in the earth science Ph.D. program and has earned a Dean’s Fellowship there. • Kirstie King ’11 will be working as a software engineer for Northrop Grumman, an aerospace corporation. • Annie Lowry ’11 is teaching elementary school at the Hopi Mission School in Arizona. • Katie Kulchar ’11 will be training in New Zealand for work as a missionary with Youth with a Mission (YWAM). • Michael Tuttle ’11 has been hired as an accountant for Ernst & Young in Indianapolis.

“Our Honors students are bright young adults who give me faith for the future of our country. They are going out to serve others, not just to acquire. I’m proud of them.” Dr. Sue Williams Chair, Department of English and Modern Languages Director of Honors Program

main feature story

Parents and grandparents discuss the most valuable contribution they ever made to Olivet — their children.

All in the family

B y L aur a Was son War f el

BOB STILES

PHOTO BY AMY DUERRWAECHTER ’10

michigan

“Who would have thought that my granddaughter Jenna ’11, my daughter Denise ’82 and I would be part of the same Commencement event in 2011?” laughed Bob Stiles ’61 as he lovingly looked into the eyes of his granddaughter.

traditions, common experiences and quality education. “I first heard about Olivet from my sister Helen (Stiles) Morris,” Bob recalled. “She attended Olivet in the late 1940s and lived in Trailerville. Because of my sister’s influence, I entered Olivet as a business major.” Soon, Bob discovered what became a lifelong love: music. He changed his major to music education and was the first tuba major to graduate from Olivet. Dr. Ovid Young ’62, now artist in residence at Olivet, accompanied him for his senior recital. He also sang in the Orpheus Choir. Bob passed on his love of music to his daughter Denise. He then had the pleasure of watching her excel. He remembers fondly hearing Denise sing in the Orpheus Choir. He beams with pride when recalling the times Denise’s daughter Jenna sang with The Olivetians and in Handel’s “Messiah” and spring musical productions. “Some of my best memories are watching Jenna sing in concerts and perform in

As part of the traditional undergraduate ceremony, Jenna received her bachelor’s of music, Denise read a passage of Scripture, and Bob marched in the procession along with his former classmates in recognition of their 50th reunion year. Returning to Olivet always brings back a flood of memories for Bob. Not only did he attend as a student, but he and his wife Audrey also entrusted Olivet with their three daughters — Denise (now Dickey), Cynthia (now Melgosa) ’84 and Lisa (now Evans) ’90 — as well as his oldest granddaughter Jenna. He and his family have built a trust in Olivet that is grounded in a long history of

PHOTO BY AMY DUERRWAECHTER ’10

our most precious gift ‘Oklahoma!’ and other musicals,” Bob said. “My grandparents are my biggest fans and come to everything I’m involved in,” Jenna said. “My grandpa often jokes that he has come down to Olivet [from Michigan] more times to see me perform than he ever did to see my mom and her two sisters when they were students here!” Bob has also enjoyed watching from the sidelines as Jenna has experienced so much of what Olivet has to offer. She traveled to England with the English department, Germany, South Korea and Hong Kong with the Concert Singers. She studied Spanish at the Nazarene International Language Institute in Ecuador. Recently, she traveled to Kenya with the Orpheus Choir. Although he may have missed seeing her while she was away on these adventures, Bob had complete confidence in the value of her experiences and the plan for her life that Olivet helped her make. “My grandfather was especially influential to me this last semester,” Jenna, also a music education major, recalled. “When I was doing my student teaching and was having either a really good or really bad day, I would give him a call and listen to his sound advice. He kept me grounded.” Commencement is always an ending and a beginning. But it isn’t very often that a grandfather and granddaughter get to participate in that event together — although from different sides of the aisle. “Singing Olivet’s ‘Alma Mater’ is a tradition I always enjoy participating in,” Bob said. “Singing it one more time in Centennial Chapel at 2011 Commencement, seeing Denise and Jenna singing it, too. That was one of the most special times of all.”

Issue 2 | 2011

A university we can trust

the campus, the strong cross country and track teams, the strong engineering program. Although he applied to four different colleges and was accepted to all of them, he chose Olivet. “I told him that he needed to go where he would be happiest and get the education he wanted,” Steve recalled. “He told me that Olivet was the best place for him because of

be on campus early for cross country camp. As we dropped him off and drove away, I said to Mieke: ‘I hope we can trust Olivet with our son when he’s so far away from us.’ We were crying and praying in the car. “While Thomas was at cross country camp for a week, we had no contact with him. We kept wondering if everything was all right. When we got that first telephone call, he told us cross country camp had been a spiritual high point for him. They had shared devotions twice a day together. God confirmed to us that Thomas was where he needed to be. We were sure that Olivet was doing just the things we wanted a college to be doing. “When you drive each kid to college and then drive off without him or her in the car, you go through those thoughts each time. But we’re confident that at Olivet, the spiritual emphasis is woven into everything they do.”

DAN AND MIEKE POWERS

COLORADO

“In 2005, my wife Mieke, our four kids and I took a vacation from Colorado to the East Coast together,” said Dr. Dan Powers, professor at Nazarene Bible College. “Our kids were in junior high and high school then. Along the way, we visited all the Nazarene colleges.

The Olivetian 11

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Confident co mmit ment

everything that was available to him there. There has never been a moment of regret on his part or our part.” When twins Marcus ’13 and Kimberly ’14 — Thomas’ twin brother and sister — were ready for college, they only applied to Olivet and one other school. David, the youngest, applied only to Olivet because he was already sure that was the college for him.

“Our kids are fifth generation Nazarenes, and I told them early on that I wanted them to go to a Nazarene college. I’m a Point Loma grad, but I let them choose.”

Difficult departures

“When you have four kids who are close together, and you drive 1,000 miles and drop one of them off, it’s really, really hard,” Dan said. “Thomas was the first. He had to

Easy choices

Thomas ’12, the oldest, liked Olivet from the beginning — its proximity to Chicago,

The right place for our kids

At first Jesse wasn’t at all interested in making the trek to Olivet. “He had already visited other schools and hadn’t been impressed. And at the time, he wasn’t a Christian.” But a campus visit made all the difference. “We stayed on campus at one of the guest cottages on Friday night. At 11 p.m., he said he was going out. When he came in at 2 a.m., he told me: ‘I met some of the greatest guys over at Chapman Hall. They’re really nice people.’ Steve had an early flight the next morning and remembers standing on the sidewalk with Jesse, just before they left campus. “I asked him what he thought of his visit. He said to me: ‘There’s something about this place that I really like. But I can’t go here because I don’t go to church.’ “At home the next morning, I got up to go to church. I heard Jesse getting up, too. ‘I’m going to church with you,’ he said. He never missed church again after that, and not long after, he became a Christian.”

Steve and dede sidle

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new jersey

“As a parent, I love the rules that Olivet has because they are safeguards for my kids,” Dan said. “I love that safety net. The Christian focus and Christian environment that chapel, Bible studies in the dorms and devotions with the athletic teams give them. As they are learning to be independent, Olivet steers them in the right direction. Olivet is not just Christian in name; it’s Christian in character. Our kids are thriving in this environment.” In fall 2011, Thomas will be a senior engineering major; Marcus will be a junior premed major; Kimberly will be a junior education major; and David will be a freshman engineering major. “Mieke is most happy that all our kids will be at the same college, not scattered around the country,” Dan shared. “We still miss our kids, but we’re glad they are at Olivet,” Dan added. “As we are facing the empty nest right now, we have confidence that this fall, all of them will be in a place that will help and guide them. That gives us great comfort in the midst of missing our kids so much.”

“When you live on the East Coast, no school exists west of the Delaware River,” said Steve Sidle ’72 about a high school student’s search for a college to attend. So when his stepson Jesse was in high school and considering colleges, Steve didn’t even suggest Olivet.

Wi thout a do ubt

As Jesse’s search for a college continued, Dede Sidle got involved. “My wife Dede is really great at researching, and she began researching all the large state universities,” Steve said. “I was praying and pushing back about Jesse’s going to a state school. Even though Olivet was far away from our home in New Jersey, I knew he’d be safe there.”

“I told Jesse I was going to Chicago on a business trip,” Steve recalled. “I suggested that he go with me, just consider it a vacation, and that we’d visit Olivet while we were there.”

CONT I NUED , n e x t p a g e }

main feature story We couldn’t The right place for our kids, afford not to

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Billie Jo’s love for and success at Olivet started a trend in their family. “Once Billie Jo went to Olivet, the other three just piled in the car and went,” said Garry. Calebb followed his older sister to Olivet and played football. Dusstin followed Calebb and also plays football. Erinn also came to Olivet and plays tennis. “Each time one of them visited Olivet, he or she wanted to go to school there,” Garry said. “Each of them chose Olivet.”

garRy and annette proehl oh i o

You know a family is close when their names range from A to G and each includes double consonants. All of that is true for the Proehl family: parents Garry and Annette, Billie Jo ’10, Calebb ’11, Dusstin ’12, Erinn ’13 and Fayleyanna. Since 2006, another bond has connected them: their love for Olivet. “Our daughter Billie Jo, our oldest, liked Olivet from the start,” said Rev. Garry Proehl. “Some friends whose parents were alumni took her to visit the campus. She fell in love with Olivet. We were thrilled that she wanted to go there.”

Spre a d i n g t h e word

“Since I first took Jesse and Sarah to Olivet, I’ve introduced at least 12 young people to Olivet,” Steve said. “When I ask what they find different about Olivet, they always say that it’s the people. “I set up a tour for the daughter of a doctor from our church. She could have gone anywhere in the world that she wanted to go. She chose Olivet.” What makes Olivet so special to the Sidle and Washkau families? “Olivet’s attitude of service is so important,” Steve said. “I’m retired from the insurance industry. In the past, I’ve had employees that were from Brown, Penn, Yale. They were all brilliant people, but they didn’t have the quality education and attitude of service that Olivet grads have.” Steve concluded: “Dede and I wanted our kids to be in a good environment. It would have been nice if they had gone to college closer to home. But having them at Olivet, we knew that even though they were far from home, they were okay.”

Adj ustm ents made

“I remember driving seven hours away from our home in Ohio to take her to campus,” Garry recalled. “I was going to leave her there without a car. We went up to her room, and she needed some computer stuff. So we went out together and bought it. Then I dropped her off at her dorm, told her that she was away at college now and then left really quickly. “I cried all the way home.” Seven hours creates what for some might be an overwhelming distance between parent and child. “At first, we didn’t see her for five or six weeks,” Garry said. “We were happy that she was in a safe place. We had raised her to be a good kid. We had met her professors and trusted them. We had faith in God that this was the right place for her.” As Billie Jo settled into her new life at Olivet, Garry and Annette made sure she knew that they were behind her choice. “Sometimes she would call home and cry,” Annette said. “We would pray with her and encourage her.”

PHOTO BY AMY DUERRWAECHTER ’10

Jesse began the application process with the University of North Carolina and the University of Delaware. “One Saturday, a letter came in the mail for him,” Steve said. “Dede asked him if he wanted to open it, and he said he didn’t. She opened it, and he’d been accepted. Jesse just said, ‘I’m going to Olivet.’” Steve took Jesse on a second visit to Olivet. This time, their neighbor, Kevin Jordan, joined them. The rest, as they say, is history. Jesse Washkau ’05 and Kevin Jordan ’06 — and Kevin’s wife Emily (Mae) Jordan ’08 — are now alumni of Olivet. Steve’s stepdaughter, Sarah Washkau ’06, also received her degree in education from Olivet. “I remember how homesick Sarah was at first,” Steve recalled. “When she came home for Christmas break, she was trying to decide if she would go back. She did go back. When she called us in February, she said: ‘I’ve made my decision. I’m going to finish here at Olivet.’ And she did.” Today, Jesse works with Young Life and Sarah teaches in a public school.

continued

Choices affirmed

“You can sit around and worry about them, but that won’t accomplish a lot,” Garry said. One way that he and Annette stifle those worries is by reminding each other that their children are getting a good education at Olivet. They trust Olivet with their children for several reasons, including the students’ connecting with faculty members; being with other students who are after the same things; appreciating the unity and direction that exists from the president to the faculty to the students to the alumni; and honoring the boundaries that are set for them. Speaking on behalf of the Proehl family, Garry summed it up this way: “We were looking for a Christian college for our kids so they could grow spiritually. The unity and purpose at Olivet — our kids wouldn’t have found that anywhere else.”

Resourc es mult iplied

“We always knew our kids were going to a Christian college,” Garry said. “We had faith, but we just didn’t have the money. God came through with scholarships for them at Olivet. “One of the professors said something that, to this day, is why all four of our kids are at Olivet. He said that going to a Christian college is a faith thing. And I thought, I don’t have the money, but I do have faith. Right after that, a parent came to me and said, ‘I can’t afford to send my kids to a Christian college.’ But God impressed on me: ‘Garry, you can’t afford not to.’ “Even though college costs a lot, we feel like we’re the ones who have benefited from our kids’ going to Olivet. Being able to pass our children off to Olivet has probably been the most substantial move — next to dedicating our children — that we’ve ever done. “We’ve been rewarded a hundredfold by our kids’ going to Olivet.”

feature story

Issue 2 | 2011

The Olivetian 13

« Sherry Mayes doesn’t expect the worst; she plans for it.

A FOR THE By Andy C o r bus ’91

Sherry Mayes ’08 MSN solidified her calling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

All roads lead to the hospital

Sherry is also a teacher and trainer. She holds many certifications and training credentials, and conducts regular emergency training. She has also been involved with the nursing programs at Olivet as an adjunct professor.

As a nurse and a member of the Illinois Medical Emergency Response Team, she was deployed to the Gulf Coast to assist victims following the massive disaster of 2005. Sherry recalls, “This was truly a life-changing experience for me. I worked at the largest field hospital since the Civil War. Our team worked at an alternate care site that was set up at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. We triaged 15,000 patients during a week and treated 6,200 victims.” Summing up her experience, she says, “I had the privilege of helping other people during one of the most vulnerable times of their lives.”

“I teach because I feel it is my professional responsibility to educate future nurses and give back to the profession and community,” she explains. “During disaster situations, nurses will continue to be in the forefront of every response. All roads lead to the hospital. Nurses must be well-educated and trained in order to act efficiently and effectively. We must develop a culture of preparedness at home and at work.”

Because of her experience with Katrina, Sherry has also had the opportunity to educate the Local Emergency Planning Committee about the benefits of establishing an alternate care site, should local hospitals ever reach capacity when caring for victims of a widespread disaster.

Advanced training

Impassioned by the need for greater emergency preparation, Sherry decided to seek the education she would need to advance her personal career. So she applied as a student to Olivet Nazarene University, and in 2008, she completed her master of science in nursing, with an emphasis in emergency preparedness.

B e in g pre pa r e d

“The MSN program at ONU certainly provided the education to assist me in my professional, personal and spiritual growth,” says Sherry. “When I completed the MSN program, I actually was elected as chair of the Local Emergency Planning Committee. It was certainly an honor and privilege to serve as the first nurse chair of this committee.” Sherry also serves as the director of trauma/emergency preparedness for Riverside Healthcare. Between day-to-day leadership within Riverside’s Emergency Department, and planning and preparing for larger regional emergencies, she is making a profound difference for local families affected by the storms of life. “The complexity of the health care delivery system in response to disaster requires many skills,” she says. “Interdisciplinary teams and cross-agency collaboration are critical. The MSN education definitely enhanced my leadership and management skills.”

Olivet’s Director of Public Safety, Craig Bishop, was there when Sherry made her presentation to the committee. He felt that Olivet had the facilities and the support staff to make Olivet a good alternate care site. The conversation was started, a plan was created, and as a result, Olivet has become an alternate care site for Kankakee County. Sherry states, “We have conducted two successful full-scale county disaster exercises at Olivet to test and evaluate the Alternate Care Site. Hopefully, we will never need to activate the Alternate Care Site, but we must be prepared in the event of a disaster!” And being prepared is what Sherry Mayes is all about. Whether it’s through teaching, training, collaboration or consistently educating herself about crisis management, Sherry is making sure that she and the community are abundantly prepared in the event of an emergency.

feature story Recent grad and future dentist discovers success in science

By Laura Wasson Warfel

“I saw my own chromosomes on a slide,” says recent biological sciences grad Kevin Greene ’11. “In our human chromosomes karyotyping lab for molecular and cellular biology, we took some of our own white blood cells, isolated them, burst them. Then we stopped the cells during division and saw the chromosomes condensed. “That complexity of the cell, the complexity of our bodies. There’s a divine aspect to how complex all of it is. It all points to our Creator.” “All science — chemistry, genetics, biology — came together in that class. I remember smiling and thinking that learning all the little things is frustrating, but when it all comes together and makes sense, then it’s all worth it.”

Chromosomes and Cadavers

“I had heard that the biology department was good, rigorous and prepared students well. There was a high acceptance rate for students who were going on to schools that would prepare them for careers in health care.” During his time at Olivet, Kevin definitely got the most C lose - up : out of that rigorous education. “We worked with a cadaver in our anatomy lab,” he says. “That was an amazing opportunity. Undergrads don’t get to do that very often. “Dr. Long’s seminar on scientific discussion was a onetime session for all biological sciences majors. Hearing how he connected science and faith confirmed for me that the study of the biological sciences also has a faith aspect.” He continues, “In our genetics class, I learned how human beings are made. I learned that just to have life is Kevin Greene’s a gift of God. “Working with Dr. [Chip] Ginn [biology professor], I took a piece of bacterial DNA and isolated a part that glows in the dark. This can be frustrating work, but doing it with Dr. Ginn made it fun. That is the kind of research a biology ■ Received 2010 Servant major would do in a research job, and I had that experiLeadership Award ence in our lab.” ■ Named to dean’s list For two years, Kevin served as president of Biophilic, every semester the student club for biology majors. “Our goal was for biol■ One of 54 Olivet students ogy majors to have fellowship with their peers and proselected for 2011 Who’s Who fessors,” he says. “We played games together and got to Among College Students know one another better. ■ Received 2011 Robert M. “If we had been in a state school, we probably wouldn’t Milner Honors Graduate Award have seen or interacted with our professors. All of our

Se t t i n g t h e f o u n dat i o n f or t h e future

Everything is certainly coming together for Kevin. He recently received the prestigious Robert M. Milner Honors Graduate Award as he graduated from Olivet in the Class of 2011. Soon, he’ll be on his way to reaching his career goal in dentistry as he enters Marquette University’s School of Dentistry this fall. “My acceptance at Marquette speaks well of my education at Olivet,” Kevin says. “The low student-professor ratio has made a huge difference for me. All of our professors are passionate about what they do. “Having Dr. [Greg] Long [biology professor] there to encourage me was huge. He was that person who believed in me and believed I could make it through my biochemistry class!”

success at Olivet

Pu t t i n g t h e b u i l d i n g b l ock s i n place

Kevin firmly believes that God called him from his home in Madison, Wis., to enter Olivet as a freshman biology major in 2007. Even then, he was almost certain he wanted to become a dentist. “I had heard good things about Olivet,” he recalls. “I especially liked the spiritual aspect. I was a Christian when I came here, a graduate of a small Christian high school.”

Issue 2 | 2011

H omecoming

Kevin on the scholarships he received:

Featuring a special concert by

“Without those scholarships, I don’t know how I would have been a student at Olivet. They took away the financial stress for me, and I was able to focus on my education and do better in my classes. Someday, I want to do that for other students.”

2011

The Gaither Vocal Band Celebrating Class Reunions: 1961, 1966, 1971, 1976, 1981, 1986, 1991,

The Olivetian 15

SAVE

THE DATE!

November

10–13

2 0 1 1

1996, 2001 and 2006, plus Golden Grads (Anyone before 1961)

SCHOLARSHIP BOX

makes “Education with a Christian Purpose” possible! TWO BIRDS PHOTO GRAPH Y

Students featured in this issue are recipients of the following Olivet Foundation scholarships: Kathryn Eccles ’11 Ethel Mueller Scholarship Erica Engelbrecht ’11 Fred E. Douglas Scholarship Sebastian Esquetini ’12 Lowell and Barbara Malliett Scholarship Katelyn Flynn ’11 Margaret E. Bloom Scholarship

Jordan Reynolds ’13 ONU Foundation Board of Directors Scholarship

Jordan Grambush ’11 Julie A. Weber Scholarship Kevin Greene ’11 Marjorie L. McCoy and Harold E. Phillips Scholarship

professors are awesome, easy to talk with and passionate about what they do. “Throughout our four years together, the biology majors built friendships and shared many times of fellowship together.”

James Hall ’11 Joysong Memorial Scholarship Katherine Kulchar ’11 Perry A. and Florence L. Cook Scholarship

Ready to m e e t t h e c h a l l e n g e s

Support and encouragement from his friends and professors helped Kevin meet one of his greatest challenges so far: applying to dental school. “First, I took the Dental Admission Test (DAT) the summer before my senior year,” he says. “Next, I went through an online application process. My application was sent to the schools I selected. “There was a second application process for the schools that were interested in me. After that, the schools set up interviews. I went on two interviews. The hours I spent shadowing a dentist plus the recommendation letters — from that dentist, two of my professors and my employer — were really important. “I have at least four years of dental school ahead of me. My goal is to keep my grades high and keep all my options for specialization open. “I don’t know where else I would have gotten an undergraduate education like this. Olivet really helped prepare me for the future.”

Allison McGuire ’12 Dr. Richard T. Lind Scholarship Aaron Miles ’13 Mason, Mich., First Church of the Nazarene Scholarship Benjamin Miller Ethel Mueller Scholarship Cory Miller ’11 Frank E. and Rose M. Springer Scholarship Thomas Powers ’12 Mark and Svea Emerson Scholarship Dusstin Proehl ’12 Friends of Olivet Scholarship

Erinn Proehl ’13 Walter “Charlie” Brozek Scholarship

Merrick Robison ’11 Boyd and Libby Harshman Family Memorial Scholarship Dr. Ray H. Moore Scholarship Theatre Scholarship Zachary Thomas ’13 Marjorie L. McCoy and Harold E. Phillips Scholarship Marcie Thompson ’13 Frank and Elizabeth Kelley Scholarship Michael Tuttle ’13 D. Ray Campbell Scholarship A. K. and Beatrice Harper Scholarship Danielle Vander Schaaf ’12 Baldridge Family Scholarship Marion Fry Scholarship Lauren Versweyveld ’11 Marion Fry Scholarship

To establish a student scholarship, or to contribute to an existing Foundation scholarship, email the Office of Development at development@olivet.edu or call 815-939-5171.

onu alumni Alumni Spotlight

Name:

In August 2010, Joshua moved to Kashiwazaki in Niigata, Japan, where he currently resides with a missionary family. He teaches at a private English conversation school that has approximately 20 students — from toddlers to senior citizens. When he is not teaching, Joshua spends his time studying. Appropriately, he is working on a Master of Arts in teaching English to speakers of other languages (TESOL) from Azusa Pacific University in California.

Joshua Revor ’09

L o cat io n : Kashiwazaki,

Niigata, Japan

Love in any Language

Love of the language

SUBMITTED PHOTO

O ccupat io n : Teacher

•

Like many of his own students, Joshua’s love of languages began at an early age. “He picked up language very quickly and had a large vocabulary,” says his mother, Barbara Revor, who is an adjunct professor in Olivet’s master of education program and is finishing her Doctor of Education in ethical leadership degree at Olivet. Joshua can already speak Japanese quite well, but is occasionally frustrated that he does not know it better. Ultimately, he wants to learn how to write the Japanese language. This language barrier has already taught Josh about his faith. “I have learned to love others as a ministry, rather than trying to be a theology expert. Translating theology into Japanese can be very difficult, so more often than not, I have to minister through love.” In 2011, the opportunity came for Joshua to show his love for the people of Japan — an opportunity of unthinkable magnitude.

Di saster relief

•

By Luke Olney ’ 1 0

Joshua was teaching at his school in Kashiwazaki when disaster struck Japan on March 11. “Joshua, don’t do that,” Barbara warned her “We are on the opposite shore from where the earthquake hit — it’s about a eight-year-old son, who was causing mischief. seven-hour drive away,” Joshua explained. Even so, the earthquake made an impact across the distance. “I felt every“Why not?” he asked. thing shake for 30 minutes,” says Joshua. “But we had very little damage — just a few cracks here and there.” “Because I’m raising you to be a hero.” A magnitude 9.0, this was one of the five largest earthquakes ever recorded in the world. During the aftermath of the earthquake, Joshua was contacted by the principal of Grace Cars are seen perched on devastated buildings International Church School where he used to in Onagawa, Miyagi Prefecture, northern Japan, work. The principal, Jonathan Wilson, is also the A t i m e ly co n v e r s at i o n Sunday, March 13, 2011, two days after a powerful director of Christian Relief, Assistance, Support While on a break in his 2½ hour earthquake-triggered tsunami hit the country’s and Hope (CRASH) in Japan. He needed volunphilosophy class, Joshua Revor east coast. (AP Photo/The Yomiuri Shimbun) teers to set up a base for relief efforts. ’09 chatted with his professor, Dr. Joshua agreed to help and traveled to Stephen Franklin, about his desire Sendai to volunteer for a week. “We contacted to study abroad. It was the fall Japanese churches and delivered supplies to semester of Joshua’s senior year, the damaged areas — mostly blankets, diapers, and it seemed like his window of hygiene products and food.” opportunity had already passed. His group of 10 volunteers visited one par But Dr. Franklin immediately ticular place that was spared of any damage. It recommended studying at Tokyo was a church, kindergarten and parsonage all Christian University — of which Dr. in one. Franklin is president emeritus. “God was protecting us,” said the pastor’s “I knew I had to do it,” rememwife, and went on to explain that she kneeled in bers Joshua. “Four months later, I front of her house and drew a line in the ground. was on a plane to Japan.” When the tsunami hit, the water came all the During Joshua’s semester at way up to that line and then receded. Tokyo Christian University in 2009, In other areas, the damage was surreal. “I he took elective classes and studsaw houses that were upside down,” Joshua ied theology and the Japanese says. “I saw five cars stacked on top of each language. other. It looked like a scene from a movie — it “After I got there, people told was hard to attach it to real life.” me, ‘You’ll only be here for three

•

months. You won’t understand anything in Japanese when you leave.’” Eventually, Joshua’s time in Japan was almost up. “With just two weeks left, I realized they were right — I didn’t know anything! But I had fallen in love with being in a new culture and studying a new language. I knew I had to come back.”

A golden op por t unit y

•

These horrifying images flashed across television screens all over the world, and Joshua was there — helping the relief effort. Back in the United States, Joshua’s mother heard about the earthquake, and — as any mother would — told him to come home immediately. But Joshua wrote back saying, “I came to share my faith; I came to help the people. This is my golden opportunity and I’m not coming home.” After all, she had raised him to be a hero.

J a pa n e s e e d u c at i o n

•

After being back in the United States for nine months, Joshua returned to Japan — this time, to teach English. “The first year, I was teaching at Grace International Church School in Tokyo. I taught mostly English and math to second graders. But the environment wasn’t Japanese — it was all English. I really wanted to be in an environment where I would have to learn and use Japanese.”

“Are all moms raising their sons to be heroes?” asked eight-year-old Joshua. “Oh, I hope so!” Barbara replied.

Issue 2 | 2011

Class Notes

•

1960s

Jeanne (Eckley) Millhuff ’60 has retired from MidAmerica Nazarene University after 31 years of teaching. She founded the journalism program after pursuing a degree in journalism at the Jeanne Millhuff Allen White School of Journalism. She and her husband, evangelist Chuck Millhuff ’60, will retire in their hometown of Olathe, Kan.

• 1970s

David Miller ’77 has accepted the position of vice chancellor and chief information officer at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. David will oversee information systems for all UAMS programs throughout the state. He is a Fellow with the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) and a Certified Healthcare Chief Information Officer with the College of Healthcare Information Management Executives (CHIME). In addition to a bachelor’s degree in zoology from ONU, he holds a master’s degree in health services administration from the University of St. Francis.

• 1980s

Judy (Johnson) Guenseth ’82 has earned the Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Illinois. While in the program, she received an academic excellence scholarJudy Guenseth ship and was inducted into Pi Alpha Alpha. Judy serves as executive director and director of tourism at the Galesburg Convention and Visitors Bureau. She writes an editorial column for the RegisterMail Newspaper and also does chaplaincy work at a juvenile detention center. Judy is married to Ted, and they have three grown children. Ben Burchfield ’83 and his brother Jon, known professionally as The Burchfield Brothers, are celebrating 20 years in music. They are touring the country Ben Burchfield in their new RV, but Nashville, Tenn. is their home. Rodney ’84 and Sarah (Van Meter) ’84 Reed are serving the Church of the Nazarene in Kenya, Africa. Rod is deputy vice chancellor of academic affairs at Africa Nazarene University. Sarah works with Nazarene Children for Christ Ministries. Their daughter, Rebecca, is a student at Olivet. Daughters Katie and Hannah are both doing well in The Reed Family their West Nairobi Schools. The Reeds will be returning to the U.S. June through August 2011 for deputation work. James Millikin and Tamyra Schafer ’88 were married Nov. 28, 2009, on Sanibel Island, Fla. James is a real estate agent and Tamyra is a senior mortgage underwriter for Bank of America. They reside in Fort Myers, Fla.

• 1990s

James and Tamyra Millikin

William D. Techau ’90 has joined the staff of Frasca International, Inc., Urbana, Ill., as safety/ training coordinator. On Jan. 30, 2011, he was elected to a three-year term on the vestry of Emmanuel Memorial Episcopal Church, Champaign, Ill., where he resides. Brandon ’94 and Nicole Arbuckle: A son, Rowan Henry, July 14, 2009. Brandon is a licensed marriage and family therapist, an adjunct professor at Trevecca Rowan Arbuckle

SAVE THE DATES

Nazarene University and a licensed minister in the Tennessee District for the Church of the Nazarene. Shayne (Morrison) ’97 and Jay Phillips ’95: A girl, Paige Renee, Dec. 20, 2010. Paige joins proud brothers, Tyler, 5 and Logan, 3. Jay is a real estate agent for Keller Williams Realty and Shayne is a stay-at-home mom. They reside in Paige Phillips Ballwin, Mo.

Rescheduled rain date!

OLIVET

28 2011

OPEN

Kankakee Country Club

Cost for an individual golfer is $175. Registration, 8 a.m. This includes green fees, cart, buffet Breakfast and program, 9 a.m. luncheon, driving range balls and a Shot Gun Start, 10 a.m. registration gift. For more information, visit www.olivet.edu.

Cheri (Anthony) Betz ’98 has been promoted to southeast regional director of Siena Heights University’s College for Professional Studies. Steve ‘96 and Cheri reside in Wolverine Lake, Mich. with their two children, Erich and Sophia. Richelle (Schmidt) ’98 and Jeffrey Stackert ’98: A girl, Katherine Ann, May 28, 2010. Kate joins big brother, George. Richelle is a clinical psychologist. She also teaches and consults on a part-time basis. Jeffrey is an assistant professor of Hebrew Bible at the University of Chicago Katherine Stackert Divinity School. The family resides in Chicago.

Sept

Prime Time and

Grandparents Day

27 2011

9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. (Prime Time Day ends at 3:30 p.m.)

Prime Time Day Featuring: Dr. Jim Diehl ’59, general superintendent emeritus

The Rihani Family

Jeffrey ’98 and Stacey (Corwin) ’01 Johnson: A boy, Gunnar Merlin, March 10, 2010. He joins brother, Sterling Douglas, 5. Jeff is an educational technology teacher with the Anchorage School District. Stacey is a forensic scientist in the DNA unit at the Alaska State Crime Gunnar and Sterling Lab. They reside in Johnson Eagle River, Alaska. Katie (Lewis) ’99 and Bryan Heid: A boy, Lucas William, Jan. 26, 2011. He joins brother, Nolan, 5. Katie is an adjunct writing and public speaking professor at Baker College and Bryan is a high school math teacher. They reside in Owosso, Mich.

Sue Dodge, four-time Dove Award winner Plus! Special music provided by The Olivetians, Orpheus Choir, Jazz Band and Proclamation Gospel Choir

Dennis coaches men’s basketball at Cornerstone University. Together they enjoy ministering to college athletes and serving in their church. They reside in Clarksville, Mich.

815-939-5258.

• 2000s Dennis and Rebecca Graham

Jeffrey ’99/’03 MBA and Sheila (Miller) Rice ’02: A girl, “Ellie” Eleanor Faith, Oct. 27, 2010. Her big sister, Naomi Joy, deceased, would be 5 years old. Sheila is the administrative assistant for Olivet’s Department of Business and Department and Computer Science. Jeff is a network manager in the I.T. department Jeffrey, Sheila and at Olivet. They reside in Ellie Rice Bradley, Ill.

Rebecca Janofski ’99 and Dennis Graham were married Oct. 9, 2010, in Edmore, Mich. Becca is currently working for the American Cancer Society in Grand Rapids, Mich. and serving as a volunteer associate pastor at West Berlin Wesleyan Church.

For more information about Prime Time Day and Grandparents Day 2011, visit www.olivet.edu or call the Office of Alumni Relations at 815-939-5258.

contact the Office of Alumni & University Relations at

Lucas and Nolan Heid

Marry (Pullen) ’99 and Mitch Holmgren ’94: A boy, Kyle Michael, Jan. 28, 2011. Mary is a chemistry/ biology teacher at Kyle Holmgren Morton High School. Mitch is a physical education teacher/varsity boys’ basketball coach at Dee-Mack High School. They reside in Mackinaw, Ill.

Grandparents Day After a wonderful day of Christian entertainment and inspiration, you are invited to spend the remainder of the afternoon and enjoy a delicious evening meal with your grandchildren who are attending Olivet Nazarene University! You and your grandchildren will have free time from 3:30 p.m., and dine together at 5:30. Following dinner, you will be encouraged by a special message delivered by Dr. John C. Bowling, president of Olivet! If you don’t have a grandchild attending Olivet right now, consider “adopting” an ONU student from your church or the child/ grandchild of a friend or neighbor.

For DETAILS AND REGISTRATION for these events,

Mitch Holmgren ’94 coached the Deer CreekMackinaw High School boy’s basketball team in March to a fourth-place finish at the Illinois High School Association Class 1A state tournament — the best result in school history. Holmgren, who played basketball for Olivet coach Ralph Hodge, has racked up 149 victories in nine years at the 330-student school in central Illinois. Mitch has been coaching and teaching at Dee-Mack for eight years.

31st ANNUAL

July

Travis ’97 and Angie Sears: A girl, Juliana Elizabeth, Nov. 30, 2010. Travis is a ch apl a i n i n t h e United States Air Force and is currently stationed at Fort Meade in Maryland. Angie is a Juliana Sears stay-at-home mom.

Kayla (Horning) ’98 and Rami Rihani: A girl, Lily Ester, June 1, 2010. She joins big sisters Julia, Lydia and Mariam.

The Olivetian 17

Dawn (Minsterman) ’00 and Kimheu Teav: A girl, Azmerrah Nehara, July 26, 2010. Dawn is an artist and Kimheu is a mailman. The family resides in Bradenton, Fla.

Azmerrah Teav

Devon Smith ’01 married Steven Hampton, Sept. 4, 2010. Devon worked as an adoption youth counselor in a residential setting, then as a children’s case manager for CMH. She has plans to pursue her master’s in social work. Steve is selfemployed as a clinical therapist. They reside in Steven and Devon Grand Ledge, Mich. Hampton

onu alumni

 Class Notes,

continued

Samuel and Kate Rogers

Alexander Maynard

What’s Not to Love? Josiah DeCrastos

A Charitable Gift Annuity offers so much! You can … … supplement your retirement income

In Memoriam

… receive an income tax deduction

• 1950s

… invest in the life-changing mission of Olivet

Send us your news and photographs. Please submit alumni news,

815-939-5171 email: development@olivet.edu phone:

• 1960s

Request a FREE, personalized calculation of how a Charitable Gift Annuity could benefit you and Olivet. Contact us today to begin the conversation. Also, request our free guide, ONU Gift Annuities.

• 1970s

• 1980s

alumni zone

• 2010s

Jalisa Nadine Smith ’13, affectionately known as “Lisa,” was called home to her Lord on Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011. Jalisa was born to Vergina Smith on Feb. 15, 1989, and was the youngest of four children. She confessed her love Jalisa Smith for the Lord at an early age. She sang in the children’s choir at Central Missionary Baptist Church and later joined New Beginning Covenant Church. She graduated from Morgan Park High School and then studied journalism at Olivet. Jalisa was very bright and had a passion for writing. She was a sports journalist for the school paper. She was also a dancer. She danced with joy and smiled all the way. Lisa had a passion for life and always looked at situations with a positive eye. She would light up a room with her smile and hardly ever allowed anything to make her mad. While attending Olivet, Lisa met the love of her life, Erik Cooper, and was engaged to be married. In September 2010, Lisa gave birth to their daughter, Kylie Sarah Cooper. Lisa was a proud mother and was looking forward to planning her wedding.

TIGEROLIVET Olivetians show us their true colors! . Brynne (age two), daughter of Jason and Karla (Crawford) ’03 Aukerman of Bourbonnais, Ill.

k Adleigh

(13 months), daughter of Nick ’04 and Rachel (Lewandowski) ’03 Cunningham of Kankakee, Ill.

2011 Alumni Board Congratulations to the newest members of Olivet Nazarene University’s Alumni Board: ■ Denny Williamson ’75, Ft. Wayne, Ind., president

■ Dan Taylor ’79, Springfield, Va., vice president ■ Geri (Caven) Bottles ’87, Eagle, Idaho ■ Russ Bredholt, Jr. ’71, Winter Springs, Fla. ■ Gerald Oliver ’76, Plano, Texas ■ Robert Sloan ’68, Washington, D.C. ■ Andrew Hardie ’04, Kokomo, Ind.

k James Legacy ’83 out for a bite to eat in his hometown of Jacksonville, Fla.

, Erin (Alderson) McEowen ’01 of Columbia City, Ind., at work as a Credit Analyst for Wells Fargo. k Newly elected

■ Dave Malone ’84, Mt. Vernon, Ohio ■ Kelli Slattery ’84, La Canada-Flintridge, Calif.

School of Education Alumni and School Administrators As part of an ongoing pursuit of meaningful peer review, the School of Education and Olivet’s Teacher Education program at Olivet Nazarene University are hosting an accreditation visit by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) in October 2011. Interested parties are invited to submit third-party comments to the visiting team. Please note that comments must address substantive matters related to the quality of professional education programs offered, and should specify the party’s relationship to the institution (i.e., graduate, present or former faculty member, employer of graduates). We invite you to submit written comments to: Board of Examiners NCATE 2010 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Suite 500 Washington, DC 20036-1023 Or by e-mail to: callforcomments@ncate.org Correspondence, which must be received by NCATE no later than July 22, 2011, will be submitted to the institution for response via NCATE’s Accreditation Information Management System (AIMS). NCATE will not upload anonymous comments to the BOE team or institutions.

Send us pictures of you or your family wearing ONU colors or apparel to TheOlivetian@olivet.edu for inclusion in a future issue of The Olivetian! When e-mailing, please use “Tiger Pride” as the subject and include a full description of the persons in the photo, including class years for Olivet alumni or students. Due to space constraints, not all submitted photos will be printed.

Facebook

Funnies

Did you know?

We asked our Facebook fans to give us a caption for this 1976 Aurora photo. Our top three responses:

1 2 3

“Most people don’t realize the inspiration for ‘Three’s Company’ came from Olivet.” – Rick Rice ’81 “Come to our school, where you, too, can get a funny little hat and a cute apron.” – Sally (Brown)

Stoneking ’93

“I told you there was something fishy going on when he asked us both to lunch.” – Tim Harbaum

AURO RA

Attention

How do you show your colors?

Alumni Association President Denny Williamson ’75 of Ft. Wayne, Ind., on a work and witness trip to Armenia.

Congratulations to these Board members, who were re-elected to three-year terms:

Join the conversation today at www.facebook.com/olivetnazareneuniversity.

Olivet has an alumni network more than 32,000 strong! The top ten metropolitan areas where alumni reside are: Chicago, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Kansas City, Nashville, Detroit, Washington D.C., Phoenix, Dallas and Denver. The top non-metropolitan area for Olivetians is Kankakee, with 3,474 alumni households within a 15-mile radius.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

(Representing Northwest Indiana) ■ Doug Hanner ’92, Seymour, Ind. (Representing Southwest Indiana)

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

OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY, BOURBONNAIS, ILLINOIS Vol. 78, No. 4

IS SUE TWO, 2011

w ww. o l iv e t. e du

Education is about more than earning a degree. Just 50 miles from Chicago is Olivet Nazarene University, where students focus on being, becoming, believing — in the classroom and around the world.

800-648-1463 www.olivet.edu

our most precious gift Parents and grandparents discuss the most valuable contribution they ever made to Olivet — their children. p ag e s 10 –1 2

UPCOMING EVENTS

2011

Red Carpet Days

Purple and Gold Days

For high school sophomores and juniors

For high school seniors and their parents

Sept. 30–Oct. 1

Oct. 14–15 Oct. 21–22 Nov. 4–5 Nov. 18–19

In this issue:

Construction underway for Student Life and Recreation Center p ag e 5

Soccer standout Cory Miller goes pro p ag e 7

Japan-based grad provides post-earthquake relief p ag e 16