SOUTHEASTERN ALUMNI AND FRIENDS MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2022
JOY BISHARA AND LYDIA POGU
OVERCOMING TRAGEDY AND INSPIRING OTHERS
ALSO FEATURING
Joshua Comins Matias and Barbarah Perttula Scott Meehan
SOUTHEASTERN
TABLE OF CONTENTS SUMMER 2022
FEATURES 14
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FAITH MORGAN: CREATING COMMUNITY Southeastern student Faith Morgan has built a community through her passion for weightlifting. Meeting three to five days a week, Faith’s fitness group has become a space for encouragement and spiritual growth for her and her friends.
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PAT CLARY: A LIFELONG LEARNER In the midst of family hardships, Patricia “Pat” Clary ’22 (Ph.D.) began the journey of earning her doctorate at the age of 68. Her academic pursuit has led her down many paths where she has found new ways to further her passion for leadership and serving others.
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OVERCOMING TRAGEDY AND INSPIRING OTHERS Joy Bishara ’21, ’22 (MSW) and Lydia Pogu ’21, ’22 (M.A.) overcame the unthinkable when they escaped from the Boko Haram terrorist group in 2014. Despite the adversities, they each went on to earn a bachelor’s and master’s degree from Southeastern and plan to pursue careers in social work and international human rights law.
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A TALE OF SERVICE, ESPIONAGE AND COURAGE As a result of his 25-year career in the U.S. military, Scott Meehan ’89 has experienced what many may only see in the cinema. Whether in his work in espionage during the Cold War to his connection to the capture of Saddam Hussein, Scott trusted the Lord to lead him through it all.
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FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE BIGGEST NEWS NETWORK With a passion for political science and communications, Joshua Comins ’19 channeled his talents into an internship at the White House where he had many unique opportunities, such as praying for then Vice President Mike Pence. He currently serves as an associate editor for Fox News.
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14 36 MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH ADVOCACY AND PHOTOGRAPHY Matias ’13 (MBA) and Barbarah ’15 (Reynolds) Perttula originally met through their connection to Southeastern and have now been married for seven years. Matias is the director of advocacy for International Christian Concern (ICC), and Barbarah is a top wedding photographer and business owner.
40 HELPING LOST CHILDREN FIND HOPE Betty and Jim Strayer ’57 devoted their lives to the mission of helping lost and troubled children. Serving for over 45 years at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch, the Strayers helped countless youth navigate the most difficult seasons of life while building up the program to national acclaim.
46 RECONNECTED AT THE ALTAR Six Southeastern alumni have been brought together by The Altar Fellowship, a growing church in Johnson City, Tenn. Despite their varying roles within the church, each individual has found community and belonging among its congregation.
28 SOUTHEASTERN ALUMNI AND FRIENDS MAGAZINE
SUMMER 2022
IN EVERY ISSUE
Joy Bishara and Lydia Pogu have defied the odds and successfully pursued their education in the face of adversity.
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ATHLETICS
52 FOCUS ON FACULTY 58 CLASS NOTES
ON THE COVER
JOY BISHARA AND LYDIA POGU
OVERCOMING TRAGEDY AND INSPIRING OTHERS
ALSO FEATURING
Joshua Comins Matias and Barbarah Perttula Scott Meehan
64 PERSPECTIVE SOUTHEASTERN 3
SOUTHEASTERN PRESIDENT
Dr. Kent Ingle
EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
Dr. Chris Owen ’93, ’06 (M.A.)
CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
Dana Davis
COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR
Skylar Worthington ’21
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS
Joel K. Johnson ’92
GRAPHIC DESIGNER
Tamara Blyth
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Madison Anderson ’21, Elena Espinoza ’20, Fire Athletics, Scott Wheeler
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Priscilla (Pennington) Burr ’14; Dana Davis; Samantha Holcomb ’20; Isabel Oliveto ’22; Donnie Smith ’21 (MSK); Abbey Tegelhutter ’22; Skylar Worthington ’21
ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
863.667.5400 SEU.edu/alumni alumni@seu.edu Published two times a year by the Office of Media Relations and Communications for Southeastern University’s alumni, faculty, staff and friends. Please send comments and contributions to: Southeastern University University Advancement 1000 Longfellow Blvd. Lakeland, FL 33801 Submissions should be accompanied by the name, address, phone number and e-mail address of the sender. Contents of Southeastern may not be reproduced or redistributed in any manner, either whole or in part, without prior permission from Southeastern University. Southeastern reserves the right to edit and/or not publish content provided for submission into the magazine. Please send address changes or Class Notes updates to: alumni@seu.edu, the address above or online at SEU.edu/alumni. Telephone: 863.667.5400
Facebook.com/seuniversityalumni Twitter @seu_alumni Instagram @seu_alumni
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Your Doctoral Degree Awaits Education (EdD) Ministry (DMin) Missiology (DMiss) Organizational Leadership (PhD) Strategic Leadership (DSL)
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SOUTHEASTERN 5
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
O
ne of my favorite times of the year is our commencement ceremony. In the spring, we had over 900 students receive their degrees from the associate to doctoral levels. Each student walking across the stage reminded me of God’s faithfulness to our university. For over a decade, I’ve had the honor of being a part of a university that walks alongside students as they discover their divine destiny — and those students go on to be alumni of Southeastern. Every graduate, similar to you, is ready to embark on a new adventure and make their mark for God’s kingdom. When the graduation ceremonies begin, I love to look around and see the smiles and sense of determination on our graduates’ faces.They know it’s just the beginning of what God has for their lives. And, this is why I love our alumni magazine. Years after graduation, we are able to read stories of how God used those graduates — our alumni — to do remarkable things in the world. In this issue of the magazine, you will read stories about alumni like MATIAS ’13 (MBA), advocacy director at International Christian Concern, and BARBARAH ’15 (REYNOLDS) PERTTULA, wedding photographer and entrepreneur, who are making a difference in the world around them by advocating for persecuted Christians and investing in an orphanage in Haiti. JOSHUA COMINS ’19, who works for Fox News, took a step of faith during his senior year at Southeastern that placed him in the White House.
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And, SCOTT MEEHAN ’89 had a 25year career in the U.S. military, leading him to work undercover in the Cold War and help to capture former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. This magazine also honors the life of JIM STRAYER ’57 who spent his life investing in others and making a difference at the Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch. You will read stories of our remarkable students, like PATRICIA CLARY ’22 (Ph.D.) who retired in 2018, but found God making a way for her to begin her doctorate at the age of 68. FAITH MORGAN started a weightlifting group at Southeastern where students with similar interests encourage one another and grow spiritually together. Additionally, this magazine shares updates on happenings on campus, including transitions in the Barnett College of Ministry and Theology, new degree program offerings and an exciting update on our missions program. There have been so many incredible things that have happened at your alma mater in the past few months that we are excited to share with you. My prayer is that as you read this magazine, you will see how our university continues to stay committed to our mission. The heartbeat of everything we do at Southeastern is serving the local church. I believe this is evident in every program on our campus where we train students to make an impact for the kingdom of God in whatever profession God has called them to. You are still very much a part of this mission.
LEADERSHIP REQUIRES A FRAMEWORK Join Kent Ingle as he talks to the world’s most innovative leaders about how they develop a framework for life and leadership. NEW Framework Leadership Podcast released every Monday.
SOUTHEASTERN 7
LETTER FROM THE ALUMNI DIRECTOR
Fire Family! As a new school year approaches, I cannot help but think about the 87 years of Southeastern history that has come and gone. Our school has been in three states, had five campuses, seven names and at least two mascots. One thing that has never changed is our calling to train up young men and women to spread the love of Jesus around the world. JOEL K. JOHNSON ’92
We are now a university with over 100 majors, five colleges, over 200 extension sites and a thriving graduate program, all of which are preparing students to impact their communities for the Kingdom of God. There are currently over 2,100 students studying to go into full-time ministry. Your alma mater has held true to its mission and founding. While we have grown to record numbers and our academic offerings have grown accordingly, we are still fulfilling our mission. No matter the major, our students are learning how to make their career calling a ministry.
Think back to what made Southeastern special when you attended: the care and love from the faculty, the relationships built, the spiritual formation that happened in chapel services and the memories made. Those same things still happen every day here on campus. If you have not come back to see what your school has become, we would love to have you back at Homecoming this year on October 21-22, 2022. We will have reunions for alumni from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s. If you ever sang in a vocal group for the school, we would love for you to join our alumni choir as we celebrate the 10-year anniversary of SEU Worship. For more information, visit seu.edu/homecoming. As always, it is an honor to serve you. Joel K. Johnson ’92 Director of Alumni Relations
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LEAVING A LEGACY
Planned Giving A planned, or deferred, gift enables you to make a larger gift to Southeastern University than you may have thought possible, while still providing financial security for you and your family.
Here are a few ways you can leave a lasting legacy. Bequest
Beneficiary of Life Insurance or IRA
Charitable Remainder Trust
One of the easiest and most flexible ways to leave a legacy gift is bequeathing a gift to SEU in your will or trust, which the university will receive upon your death. A bequest, or estate gift, may be in the form of cash, stock, or real property.
This option allows you to designate SEU as a beneficiary of your insurance policy or IRA, either in your existing policy or in a new, separate policy naming SEU as the sole beneficiary.
This type of trust can make a meaningful gift to Southeastern while providing income for life (or a specific term) for yourself and/or others. This gift can increase current income and diversify assets—without up-front capital gains tax.
Connect with our advancement team 863.667.5455 | advancement@seu.edu | SEU.edu/planned-giving
SOUTHEASTERN 9
ON CAMPUS
THE BARNETT COLLEGE OF MINISTRY AND THEOLOGY:
NEW LEADERSHIP AND RENEWED PURPOSE launching the Center for Sustainable Ministry in the fall of 2022. “There is a great need in the educational sector for some sort of framework for health and sustainability for our leaders in ministry,” expressed Owen. The center will work with the university’s over 200 church partner sites to collect data and research with the intent to assess what today’s pastors need to succeed. With these findings, they will be able to build tools and resources for ministry leaders to navigate subjects such as burnout, finances, marriage, counseling and more.
Dr. Chris Owen
In May of 2022, President Kent Ingle announced the appointment of DR. CHRIS OWEN ’93, ’06 (M.A.) as the dean of the Barnett College of Ministry and Theology. In addition to this new role, Owen will continue to serve as the executive vice president of the university.
who also served as the vice president of SEU’s Global Ministry Network. Wallsteadt has accepted the role of senior pastor of Gold Creek Community Church, a multi-site church located north of Seattle, Wash.
“Chris has been instrumental in the growth and advancement at SEU over the past decade. As he oversees this college, we believe he will help us take it to the next level and further develop resources to best serve the local church,” said Ingle.
“I hold it a deep honor to come alongside our incredible faculty as we continue to serve our students and the local church at the highest levels of innovation and excellence,” said Owen. “In this new season, we will be focusing on leading the initiative for sustainable ministry and a renewed emphasis on pastoral training.”
The position was previously occupied by NICK WALLSTEADT ’16 (MAML),
In order to accomplish this goal, the Barnett College will be officially
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Owen pointed out, “God is always speaking to us. These resources will allow us to create a mechanism in our fellowship that can guide us through the discernment of the spirit of God in our lives.” In addition, there are plans for the center to introduce new graduate degrees in spiritual formation, as well as a certificate in spiritual direction. “Our central purpose in the Barnett College is the proficient training of pastors,” said Owen. “As we begin to further the work of the center and partner with other organizations with similar missions, we will use these instruments to raise up the next generation of world changers to bring the gospel across the globe.”
WHAT’S NEW AT SEU
INNOVATIVE GRADUATE DEGREES
In the fall of 2022, the university is set to launch two new graduate degree programs: the Doctor of Missiology (DMiss) and the Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Housed within the Hoskins School of Mission, the DMiss was developed by the SEU Global Ministry Network in direct collaboration with OneHope. The program is designed to enhance the practice of missiological, strategic and educational leadership for national, multinational and global leaders who work in faith-based, missional contexts. With a total requirement of 30 credit hours, the DMiss is intended to be completed in three years through an online learning format. The program will include a face-toface intensive course offered twice per year, and will be supplemented by pre/ post coursework, as well as a doctoral research project addressing both the nature and practice of missiology.
“In alignment with SEU’s mission, the Doctor of Missiology is the next step for missional leaders to innovate the design and development of programs that foster their constituencies’ divine design to serve Christ and the world through Spirit-empowered life, learning and leadership,” emphasized Dr. Mike Cuckler, who serves as the program director and also holds the degree. Similar to the DMiss, the MSN will be delivered in a fully online classroom. The program was designed specifically with working nurses in mind, as they require flexibility and easy accessibility to further their education. With two concentration tracks available, the program will give individuals the opportunity to enhance their professional practice in nursing education or nursing administration.
an academic or healthcare setting by providing expertise in teaching strategies and curriculum design. The Nursing Administration track is designed to provide current and aspiring nurse managers and clinical nurse leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to guide daily operations in a wide range of healthcare settings. Both tracks require 32 hours of coursework and at least 140 practicum hours. Dean of the College of Natural and Health Sciences DR. AIMEE FRANKLIN ’07 remarked, “We are so excited to offer the Master of Science in Nursing degree, as it will deepen students’ knowledge of nursing while also opening doors for graduates to pursue new opportunities and advance in their nursing careers.”
The Nursing Education track will prepare nurses to teach in either
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SEU MISSIONS
ENTERS A NEW CHAPTER The SEU Missions department underwent some exciting changes during the 2021 to 2022 school year. Under the leadership of new Missions Director Stephanie Bernotas, the department officially became an associate member of the Standards in Excellence in Short Term Mission (SOE) and launched a fresh vision for the new season.
Stephanie Bernotas
Bernotas is originally from Manasquan, N.J., and joined the SEU community in the fall of 2021. Previously, she served as the Student Ministry Coordinator at Cairn University in Langhorne, Pa., where she directed chapels and missions for four years. Her experience in the mission field spans 36 countries — a journey that first began when Bernotas was in eighth grade. Since then, she has taken part in a variety of international trips, including the World Race, an 11-month mission trip that stops in 11 different countries. As the accrediting organization for short-term mission trips, SOE employs measures that ensure healthy and effective engagement through a code
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of seven standards. The standards are God-centeredness, empowering partnerships, mutual design, comprehensive administration, qualified leaders,
appropriate training and thorough follow-through. The certification consists of a two-step process that includes a training period and peer review.
Bernotas emphasized, “We believe we are part of a global story of God and want to be a part of that story in a sustainable and gospel-focused way. Our goal is to mobilize our students and help them discover their own place within the Great Commission so that they are able to properly carry out short-term missions in all aspects.”
shepherding, conflict management, logistics, storytelling, and various travel and cultural simulations. “We wanted our students to be prepared culturally, so as one aspect of training, we cooked and prepared traditional meals while engaging in the customs unique to where they would be traveling,” said Bernotas.
Bernotas and her team attended a three-day conference where they received training, participated in simulations, and collaborated with other churches, missions organizations and missionaries. Specifically, they focused on how to make a maximum impact in short-term missions by evaluating each aspect of a missions trip and its involved parties.
In the spirit of embracing this next chapter, SEU Missions also launched a new logo for the department. Represented by an ellipses, the new branding stands for “Kingdom, Honor and Excellence.” The three core values represent God at the center, a well-rounded team culture, and a dedication to logistical and evaluative detail.
In addition, students leading trips participated in a comprehensive leader-training camp, where they received direction and guidance in
“Moving forward, these words will define all we do in SEU Missions,” Bernotas commented. “We are committed to our values of kingdom,
honor and excellence as we join with partners all over the world in this kingdom story.” This year, SEU Missions sent out a total of 29 trips to 20 countries, eight states and six continents with 245 participants. Students served a wide range of organizations, including Youth With A Mission, City of Refuge Children’s Home, Dream Center, Eurorelief and many more.
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STUDENT STORIES 14 SOUTHEASTERN
Faith Morgan (center front) with students from her workout group
FAITH MORGAN
CREATING COMMUNITY Faith Morgan was eager to leave behind the Colorado winters for Florida’s warm summers. She was set to transfer to Southeastern with her associate degree in 2020 — when the unthinkable happened. “My dad passed away in August, so I changed my plans,” said Faith. “I stayed in Colorado. Six months later, I was trying to figure out where I was going to go to pursue my bachelor’s.” While driving down the road, Faith prayed that God would give her direction. SEU Worship came on her radio and she suddenly felt at peace. Faith knew at that moment that Southeastern was where God wanted her to be. But coming to Southeastern also meant leaving her family, her community and her support system behind. “She was transitioning here as a new student after this enormous loss,” said her academic advisor, Darcie Hollis. “Dealing with the change of being away from family, trying to process the loss — she was really struggling with getting comfortable.” Transferring in as a junior, Faith found it challenging to make connections at first. That’s when Hollis encouraged her to find community through something she loved: weightlifting. “My dad was a personal trainer. I’ve trained with him all my life. When I was in eighth grade, I started lifting. And he was always there,” said Faith. “I have trained for the past five years. I love lifting and have even competed. It’s really been a healthy outlet for me.” “With what’s happened in her life, what a great way for her to honor her dad by continuing to do something that he had a love for,” said Hollis.
Faith asked a few of the people she knew if they’d be interested. She sent out a flyer, and soon, she had a group of girls excited and ready to lift with her. “I previously had gone to the gym for about a year, but stopped because I was lonely. My workout was only with myself, and I also did not understand why I was working out and what muscles it targeted,” said Ashlyn Sullivan, a student who joined Faith’s workout group. “With Faith, I understand how to correctly workout and what muscles I am using, which makes me excited to see progress!” Faith’s group meets three to five days a week to lift at a local gym. Through what her father taught her about weightlifting, she is able to train and encourage others. But there’s more to their group than just physical fitness: Faith’s group has become a place of spiritual community for herself and for her friends. “We always pray before we lift — always share scriptures of encouragement. Usually on the way there or postworkout, we’re listening to worship music. There is a lot of fellowship, of learning about what each other believes. We definitely strengthen both physically and spiritually,” Faith said. “I would say it is the most encouraging and positive gym experience I could have asked for! To be surrounded by women of God who want to see me succeed and grow stronger is so amazing,” said Ashlyn. Faith’s group has created a place of community and encouragement for herself and her friends. It has helped them find a new sense of confidence, motivating them in other areas of their lives. “To see the student that sat in my chair a semester before that was just distraught,
hopeless and struggling, transformed into a student that’s joyfully running across campus showing me that she’s created a club — it’s inspiring. It’s not just working out, but spiritually and emotionally, these people are creating community and they’re helping each other with whatever their personal goals are. I thought, ‘Wow, this is not the same girl at all,’” said Hollis. “There’s a lot of vulnerable moments: there are times when you feel weak or you feel really strong. Being able to lift with these girls and share who we are together comes into campus,” said Faith. “I feel like there’s more confidence when we can walk down El Prado together. We see each other and we know, ‘She was struggling yesterday, but she’s stronger today.’” Weightlifting has allowed Faith to continue growing in her confidence and relationships while strengthening others. But perhaps the most powerful impact has been that it’s helped her feel close to her father. “After my dad passed away, it was the only place I felt like he was right next to me,” shared Faith. “Every time I lift, I can hear him say, ‘Hey, good job,’ or ‘Tighten up.’” “I think it just helps her heal, to know that her dad’s with her,” shared Hollis. “To be able to share everything her dad’s taught her about weightlifting, proper form, discipline, strength and endurance — all these different things that he’s taught her and now she’s using that. She’s doing great things.” Faith continues to weight lift on her own and with her group five days a week. She is set to graduate in 2024 with a pre-med degree. Faith plans to go on to medical or PA school and hopes to one day be involved with medical missions.
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PAT CLARY
A LIFELONG LEARNER PATRICIA A. CLARY ’22 (Ph.D.) retired in 2018. But that wasn’t the end of her professional and educational journey — God made a way for her to begin her doctorate at the age of 68. The opportunity to start her doctoral program came at a time of deep personal tragedy: Pat had just lost her son due to complications with a heart surgery. She and her husband were also experiencing financial hardships. But the truth of Pat’s life verse, Proverbs 3:5-6, became evident when God used her doctorate to minister to her in ways she couldn’t have imagined. “I believe the pursuit of a Ph.D. was a gift from God to me, personally,” said Pat. “I had been praying for two years asking God what He would have for me next and as the program was introduced to me, there was no doubt in my mind, applying for the program was God’s plan for me.” Pat felt that this was what God wanted her to do, but there were obstacles. She was concerned that she wouldn’t get accepted into the program since it had been nearly 20 years since she graduated with her master’s degree. Pat also needed a way to pay for her doctorate, but neither she nor her husband were sure where to begin looking for work. God provided both of these answers on the same day. Pat was accepted into Southeastern’s doctoral program and her husband was called out of the blue, interviewed and accepted for a consulting position at Clemson University.
“God paid for my Ph.D. through employing my husband through a great company and amazing colleagues,” said Pat. “Only God and my husband knew that the final item on my bucket list of life was to earn individual status as a Ph.D.”
In early 2021, Pat was invited to volunteer with the ILA Women and Leadership Member Community (W&L MC). She has since had opportunities to participate in several ILA conferences as a reviewer and convener.
Over the span of her 40-year career, Pat had many different positions working with both nonprofits and in the ministry. Pat served as the president and CEO of United Way of Fresno County, Calif., an organization that focuses on helping the community through education, health and income. She also spent many years doing women’s ministry and community outreach.
Pat has been able to use her experience in leadership and heart for ministering to women to hold numerous positions. She has been on the ILA Women and Leadership Member Community’s executive leadership team and is the chair of ILA’s Public Leadership Member Community. Pat was also given the opportunity to write a chapter in ILA’s Building Leadership Bridges series, “Convening leadership on the commons: Initiating stakeholder networks to solve complex global issues.”
Joining the doctoral program opened additional doors for Pat to continue serving people, namely through the International Leadership Association (ILA), a community of professionals dedicated to researching and presenting leadership theories and practices. Encouraged to join the program by doctoral professor Dr. Ric Rohm, Pat joined the organization in 2019. Pat and five other women in her cohort submitted two project proposals: “Leading Authentically: A Journey of Self-Discovery” and “Making Sound Decisions with the EDM Code: An Ethical Framework for DecisionMaking.” Their proposals were accepted and they presented their findings at the fifth ILA Women and Leadership Conference.
In completing her doctorate and being involved with ILA, Pat has found healing and new ways to further her passion for leadership and helping others. “Through the Ph.D. journey, God has brought healing to my heart over the loss of our son,” said Pat, “and he has let me see how all the years of my professional experience coupled with a Ph.D. can be used to further serve the common good and humanity.” Pat received her Ph.D. in organizational leadership at 72 in April of 2022. She presented at three conferences in 2022, both nationally and internationally. Pat continues to live out her faith in teaching, researching, editing and publishing new projects.
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NATIONAL CHAMPIONS
BUILDING CHAMPIONS While Pursuing Championships 18 SOUTHEASTERN
ATHLETICS
UNPHASED
DNA OF A CHAMPION Pitcher Ronnie Voacolo soaks in the moment as the Fire celebrate winning the 2022 Avista NAIA World Series.
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LEWISTON, Idaho — So what?
So what?
If you spent any amount of time around the Southeastern baseball team during the 2022 season, it was a phrase you heard quite often. It was a rallying cry of sorts when things didn’t go a certain way.
Southeastern got a two-out RBI single to right by Gary Lora to tie the game in the ninth and then got an RBI single to right from Shamir Morales in the bottom of the 10th to go to the championship game with an unblemished record.
During the last month-and-a-half of a 63-game schedule, it was a phrase that came up quite often. Two losses Easter Weekend, so what? Down seven after six outs in The Sun Conference Championship, so what? Down four in the second game of the Opening Round, so what? Down six to the defending champions in their first game of the World Series, so what? None of those scenarios phased this team. Southeastern thrived on adversity during a 59-4 season which saw the team win the regular season and tournament titles of the toughest conference in the NAIA, the Upland Bracket of the Opening Round and the Avista NAIA World Series. During the week in Lewiston, the Fire won their first two games in their final at bats, getting a two-run walk-off homer from Sam Faith in the bottom of the ninth to beat Georgia Gwinnett 9-7, then picked up four in the top of the ninth against LSU Shreveport to win 8-4 in the second game. A spot in the championship was clinched with the Fire scoring six runs after the fifth inning in front of over 3,100 navy and red clad fans backing the home-standing Lewis-Clark State Warriors to win 9-5. The Fire trailed Tennessee Wesleyan 3-0 in the second, then saw a 6-4 lead turn into a 7-6 deficit during a threerun ninth in a game where the Red and Black committed five errors. 20 SOUTHEASTERN
The Fire trailed Lewis-Clark State by five in the fourth, but the team went back to work grinding out at bats and manufacturing runs, getting the deficit to two going to the bottom of the seventh. The Warriors answered with one of their own in the bottom of the inning, but the Fire refused to go quietly getting two in the ninth and threatened to tie or take the lead but were unable to do so. It ended a 21-game win streak and put the team’s hopes of a national title in jeopardy. The Fire were 27 outs from elimination and facing a team in search of their 20th title with over 2,500 of their fans cheering them on and were going to be without first baseman Stephen Cullen, who posted a .471 on base percentage and .615 slugging percentage during the World Series. Why not? A quick start put the Fire up 4-0 after three, but of course it wouldn’t be that easy. The hosts answered with a five-run fifth to take the lead, but SEU answered with a run in the fifth on an RBI single by Faith to tie things back up. Momentum took a hard right turn towards the kids from Lakeland during the seventh when Isaac Nunez singled to center to put the Fire up 6-5 and Jose Marcano walked to load the bases. It was at that time the field was cleared due to lightning in the area and play was suspended until 8:15 the next morning. So what? The Fire got up and picked up where they left off. A fielding error pushed the
lead to two and Morales came through again after battling an injury on Thursday, with an RBI single to push the lead to eight. Two more scored on another error and a sacrifice fly turned it into a six-run seventh and put the Fire in control. But the hosts wouldn’t go quietly in the ninth, getting two on and nobody out, but it was too late. Ronnie Voacolo closed the door, finishing his postseason with just two earned runs allowed in 7.2 innings with a 1-0 record and four saves, nine strikeouts and no walks. The Fire set some lofty, yet very realistic goals for the season and was able to achieve them all. Nothing worth achieving ever comes easy, and it definitely wasn’t as easy as it looked for a team that won nearly 94% of its games. “There was self-induced pressure, which is welcome, but there was pressure to win this,” said coach Adrian Dinkel. “Being No. 1 in the country all season long, a lot of people expect you to be in this situation and it’s not easy. So, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves and here we are now.” And those were just the visible struggles you saw when it came to baseball. “It just feels so good coming back from everything that I’ve gone through in life and just coming out here for one more year and getting it done feels amazing,” said Abdel Guadalupe after the championship. Imagine what this team will be able to accomplish beyond the diamond. “They are unbelievable kids, it’s a really good group of human beings,” said Dinkel. “I’m pretty hard on who I like, and I love this team; it’s a really good group of guys that did it right all the time and I felt it bled over into handling adversity.”
ATHLETICS UPDATE SEUFIRE.COM
The Fire celebrate after being presented with the national championship trophy.
BASEBALL The Fire ended the season by winning its second national championship after posting a 59-4 record and was ranked first in each in-season release of the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 Poll. Southeastern became the first team since 2011 to repeat as both The Sun Conference regular season and tournament champions, then went on to win the Upland Bracket of the NAIA Championship Opening Round with an unbeaten record. During the World Series in Lewiston, Idaho, the Fire had to overcome a six-run deficit against the defending national champions, and then had to beat the No. 4 seed in the tournament, LSU Shreveport, by plating four runs in the ninth to win. That was followed by a game against the No. 3
seed, host and 19-time champion LewisClark State which the Fire won 9-5. SEU then went on to play No. 2 seed Tennessee Wesleyan and scored in the bottom of the 10th to win 8-7 before advancing to the title game against Lewis-Clark State. A ninth-inning rally came up short in the first title game, but the Fire overcame a weather delay and knocked off the Warriors 11-5 to claim the banner. Brian Fuentes was named the World Series MVP with a .391 average during the week with five home runs. MEN’S BASKETBALL The Fire posted a 22-8 overall record during the season which was highlighted by a pair of highly-ranked non-conference
wins. Southeastern came away with a 7472 win over the University of Saint Francis on December 11 for its first win over a No. 1 ranked team in program history. The Fire also handed 13th-ranked Grace its first loss of the season three days later in a 78-76 contest. Southeastern hosted the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the first time in program history after receiving an atlarge bid to the tournament, but came up just a point short of advancing in a 57-56 game against Xavier (La.). Riley Minix was named The Sun Conference Player of the Year, First-Team All-American, First-Team Academic All-American and made the Bevo Francis Small College Player of the Year Top 50 watchlist.
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Riley Minix heads to the rim during SEU’s two-point win over previously unbeaten Grace.
Sylvia Liszewski serves during the AVCA Small College Beach Nationals.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Southeastern made its way to the top spot in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll for the third different season over the last five years, and put together a 29-game win streak during its historic 33-2 season. The Fire improved their Sun Conference regular season win streak to 108 and won their seventh-consecutive regular season conference title. Southeastern was the host for the National Championship Opening Round which it won with a 66-62 victory over Rust. The Fire advanced to the national semifinal for the second time in program history, coming up a point short of playing for the championship. Graduate transfer Angela Perry was The Sun Conference Player of the Year and was a First-Team NAIA 22 SOUTHEASTERN
Angela Perry goes in for a layup during Southeastern’s national quarterfinal win over Morningside.
Matthew Soucinek tees off on the final hole of the NAIA National Championship at TPC Deere Run.
All-American, and was selected to the national championship all-tournament team. BEACH VOLLEYBALL In just the second full season of beach volleyball competition in The Sun Conference, Southeastern enjoyed a successful season, posting a 13-7 overall record and advanced to The Sun Conference Tournament final. The team also saw their first national ranking, checking in at sixth on March 3. The Fire also finished as the runner-up at the AVCA Small College Beach Nationals in Tavares, Fla., with freshmen Sandy Cao and Sylvia Liszewski earning alltournament honors.
MEN’S GOLF Southeastern achieved its highest ranking in program history after a secondplace finish at The Sun Conference Championship. Junior Matthew Soucinek was the medalist at four events this season and posted a scoring average of 72.83 to earn All-America honors. Soucinek also tied for 11th during the NAIA National Championship to earn all-tournament honors and an exemption into next year’s championship field. Noah Endicott also earned All-America honors with a scoring average of 73.36 and was the medalist at the Coastal Georgia Winter Invitational.
The Fire celebrate after winning the SEU Fall Invitational at Grasslands.
Theo Prieswerk and Enrique Martinez talk strategy during their doubles match.
Riley Sanders steps into the batter’s box during the first game of the NAIA Softball World Series.
Martina Picardi prepares to serve during her match against St. Thomas.
WOMEN’S GOLF
SOFTBALL
The Fire claimed their first Sun Conference Championship in program history by overcoming a two-shot deficit over the final round to bring home the banner. Sophomore Danielle Owens won medalist honors by winning the first sudden-death playoff hole to become the program’s first individual champion. As a team, the Fire won five total events this past season to set a new program record. SEU also boasted three All-Americans with Owens earning first-team honors, sophomore Kate Kenthack landing on the second team and junior Hallie Riley on the third team.
It was a resurgent year for the Fire on the softball diamond, winning The Sun Conference regular season title for the first time since 2016 and earning a spot in the NAIA National Championship Opening Round for the first time since 2018. Southeastern won the opening round bracket in Lawrenceville, Ga., to advance to the Softball World Series. Southeastern won its first game in Columbus, Ga., at the World Series with a walk-off home run by Haleigh Harrell to beat Webber International, 5-4. The Fire came back through the elimination bracket with a pair of wins after dropping a game to eventual champion Oklahoma City. Southeastern placed fourth in the
tournament, dropping a 2-1 game to Science & Arts in 10 innings. Jamie Mead was named The Sun Conference Player of the Year, and was an NAIA First-Team All-American. Riley Sanders was named The Sun Conference Freshman of the Year, the National Fastpitch Coaches Association Freshman of the Year and was the Golden Shoe Award winner after stealing an NAIA-best 74 bases. MEN’S TENNIS Southeastern earned its second consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championship after knocking off six NAIA Top 25 teams during the season. For the first time, the Fire advanced to the Round of 16 at the national championship by winning its first
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match over No. 20 Reinhardt, rallying back to win 5-4 with the match coming down to a tiebreaker in the final set of the final match, won by Enrique Martinez. The team finished with its highest ranking in program history at 14th in the final coaches’ poll of the season and with a 14-7 overall record. Roy Stepanov and Federico Barbon were The Sun Conference Doubles Team of the Year and Stepanov was a Second Team NAIA All-American. Glenn Rodgers heads towards the finish line in the 110 Hurdles Final.
WOMEN’S TENNIS For the first time in program history, the Fire women’s tennis team appeared in the NAIA National Championship field. Southeastern won four matches against Top 25 teams and posted a programbest coaches’ poll rating of 12th during the season, going 14-7 on the year. The Fire won their first match at the national tournament by defeating No. 19 Midland University by 4-0 to advance to the Round of 16. Martina Picardi was The Sun Conference Player of the Year after posting a 14-2 record in singles play as a freshman. She was also a Second Team NAIA All-American along with teammate Beatrice Letizia. MEN’S TRACK AND FIELD
Julia Rohm leads the pack during the 10,000 Meters at the NAIA National Championship.
Gage Braun leaves the mat with Coach Travis Patrick 24 SOUTHEASTERN after winning the 285-pound championship.
Southeastern repeated as both the indoor and outdoor Sun Conference champions and posted its best finishes at the NAIA National Championships in their short history. During the indoor national championship, the Fire had two runnerup finishes with Zach Nichols in the Weight Throw and Glenn Rodgers in the 60 Meter Hurdles. At the outdoor championships, Nichols was the runnerup in the Hammer and Rodgers became the first individual national champion on the men’s side by claiming the title in the 110 Meter Hurdles. Southeastern had the first, third and fifth-place finishers in the event to help the team finish second. The Fire earned seven All-America honors during the indoor championships and 12 at the outdoor championships.
WOMEN’S TRACK AND FIELD The women’s teams won the indoor and outdoor Sun Conference championships, winning the indoor title for the second consecutive time and the outdoor title for the third year in a row. During the indoor championships, the 4x400 Relay team made the podium to earn All-America status with a seventh-place finish. The Fire claimed seven All-American honors at the outdoor championships with Jaqual Bush making the podium in the 100 and 200 Meter Dashes, and helping the 4x100 Relay team place fifth. Julia Rohm became the first athlete in program history to be an All-American in cross country, indoor track and outdoor track by placing eighth in the 10,000 meters. WRESTLING Southeastern set program records for its highest ranking in program history, most conference champions, most national qualifiers and most All-Americans in a season during its first season under coach Travis Patrick. The Fire were ranked as high as third in the NAIA Coaches’ Poll and had a pair of champions at the Mid-South Conference South Division Championships hosted by Southeastern with Stephen Kelle winning the 174-pound bracket and Gage Braun winning the 285-pound title. Eleven wrestlers earned trips to the national championship with six reaching the podium and placing in the top eight in their weight class to earn All-America honors. For the second year in a row, a Fire wrestler won an individual title with Braun winning the 285-pound bracket by recording three pins and a technical fall to reach the final where he scored two points in the final three seconds of the match to win.
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FEATURE STORIES
JOY BISHARA AND LYDIA POGU
OVERCOMING TRAGEDY AND INSPIRING OTHERS 26 SOUTHEASTERN
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President Ingle with Joy Bishara
Joy and Lydia at the UN
OY BISHARA ’21, ’22 (MSW) and LYDIA POGU ’21, ’22 (M.A.) were never meant to graduate from high school, let alone college. They were among the 276 Nigerian girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014 at their boarding school. Their story made national news and is often remembered with the campaign #BringBackOurGirls.
During their time at Southeastern, Joy and Lydia have been able to share their story around the world, including with members of the United Nations Security Council, International Christian Concern and the Human Rights Watch.
Once kidnapped by the terrorist organization, which means “Western education is forbidden,” Joy and Lydia were told they would never be able to return to school. The pair were able to escape early on.
Joy talked about how when they first started sharing their story before the United Nations in 2017, only two nations had signed the Safe Schools Declaration, an inter-governmental political commitment to protect students, teachers, schools and universities from the effects of armed conflict. In October of 2021, she spoke again before the UN and found that over 100 countries had signed the document.
Through perseverance, Joy and Lydia once again pursued their education. They completed high school at Canyonville Christian Academy in Oregon and then went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Southeastern. Lydia was the commencement speaker at Southeastern’s 2022 spring graduation ceremony. “I love sharing my story because it shows how God has worked out everything for my good,” Lydia said. “Despite all that has happened in my life, I am proud to say I am still standing firm in God’s plans for my life and still choosing to further my education.This is true because of God’s unconditional love and support and the wonderful people He has placed in my life.”
“For me, it wasn’t about being in front of everyone, it was about being able to be heard,” said Joy. “We can use our story to make a difference.”
“It has been such an honor to have had Joy and Lydia at Southeastern,” said President Kent Ingle. “As a university, we feel blessed to have been a part of their educational journey and to have invested in what God has planned for their lives.” Now with a master’s in human services, Lydia plans to work for a nonprofit organization and study for the LSAT so she can eventually enroll in law school. Her ultimate goal is to become a human rights and international lawyer
Lydia Pogu — Commencement 2022
so she can defend the most vulnerable and voiceless. “To be successful in the legal field you need to have a balance of academic and social skills. Lydia has both,” said Dr. Timothy Welch, professor of legal studies. “Additionally, she has shown great perseverance, whether it be in or out of the classroom. It is Lydia’s skill set that will make her a great attorney someday.” Joy plans to use her master’s in social work to serve in a hospital setting as a social worker. In the future, she would like to own a nonprofit organization that assists the homeless population. Eventually, she plans to start a nonprofit in Nigeria to support those affected by Boko Haram. “I had the privilege of seeing Joy grow into her calling as a social worker,” said Dr. Jessica Félix-Jäger de Weaver, MSW program director. “I am so excited to see what the Lord has in store for this next season in Joy’s life! I believe she will make a great impact and be a change agent wherever the Lord leads.” While the pair look to the future, they plan to keep sharing their stories to help their friends who are still missing from the boarding school in Chibok. They also hope to inspire and encourage others by sharing how God used their tragic situation for good.
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SCOTT MEEHAN
A TALE OF SERVICE, ESPIONAGE AND COURAGE
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ne thing that many of SCOTT MEEHAN’s ’89 former classmates and professors may not know, is that during his time at Southeastern, Scott was working undercover. With a 25-year career in the U.S. military, Scott’s plethora of experiences have led him into several, almost movie-like situations, ranging from his espionage during the Cold War to his connection to the capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. Scott initially enlisted in the United States Army Special Forces in 1980, three years after his high school graduation. “I knew I needed something challenging in my life,” Scott recalled. “When I learned about what the Green Berets 28 SOUTHEASTERN
do and heard about their work with indigenous people, it reminded me a lot of what I did with my parents on the mission field.” Originally from Baltimore, Md., Scott was in second grade when his father first received the call to missions. This led their family on a journey traveling state to state and preparing for the mission field internationally for many years, including learning Spanish in Costa Rica and completing jungle training in Mexico. It wasn’t until Scott was in 10th grade that his parents got their first assignment in Colombia in 1973. By the time Scott was in the midst of his training for the Green Berets, his parents had wrapped up their fouryear term in Colombia and were reassigned to the Amazon jungles of
Ecuador. When he was presented the opportunity to take some time off, he traveled to see them. Little did he know, he would be meeting his future wife on his trip. “Staying right next door to my parents was this school teacher on a two-year short-term mission. I knew after the first week that she was the woman the Lord had for me,” Scott reminisced. Scott met TRENA (BASS) ’76 in March of 1981, and by October of that same year, they were married. Trena went on to teach in both public and private schools for more than 30 years. Within that time period, she also served as a principal for 15 years. Later down the road, Trena would be the one to encourage Scott to attend Southeastern. When Scott officially
Scott with his wife, Trena, and their children at his commissioning in 1989
enrolled at the university as a part of the ROTC program in conjunction with Florida Southern College, he had already served seven years in the Army. At this point, Scott was 29 years old with one child in kindergarten and another in preschool.
recruit him for military intelligence. “He wanted me to return to Germany as an asset for the Russians,” he remarked.
trip, Scott recognized the danger involved but was consoled within his spirit that it had a divine purpose.
Scott informed the American officials of the offer, and thus began his covert correspondence. Army Intelligence sent him to East Berlin at least once a month, until he departed for college and became a civilian. Once that transition took place, Scott was transferred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
He emphasized, “The Americans had their agenda. The Russians had their agenda. But God had his own agenda.”
“Although I couldn’t say anything back then, the entire three years I was at SEU, I was a civilian working undercover,” Scott revealed.
“Once a month, I would meet with an agent from the FBI in Tampa, and we would go over the latest intel that I had received from the Russian officer,” he said.
When meeting with the Russian officer, they would usually exchange gifts over dinner. This time, Scott felt led to bring him a brand new Bible and inscribe a few scriptures in the front. Thinking back to a previous conversation that they had about God, Scott remembered the Russian mentioning he knew of the Lord from his grandmother but didn’t necessarily believe.
Prior to his family’s move, Scott had been stationed in Berlin at the height of the Cold War. Before he had left, he was approached by a Russian KGB officer attempting to
On one occasion, the FBI sent Scott back to East Berlin alone during the Christmas break for an in-person meeting with the Russian. When reflecting on this specific
Towards the end of their visit, Scott handed the Russian the Bible and told him, “I believe that this is what your grandmother would want you to have.”
Scott and Trena moved their family to Lakeland, Fla., and Scott began earning his degree in education. However, a college degree wasn’t the only thing Scott was pursuing at the time.
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Training for the Special Forces
He continued, “I’ll never forget it — he grabbed the Bible and held it close to his chest and said, ‘I always wanted one of these.’” When Scott’s train arrived at the station to transport him back to West Berlin, the Russian bypassed his handshake and gave him a big hug instead. Scott recalled, “Once I was on the train, I heard an audible voice say, ‘Well done thy good and faithful servant, your mission is complete.’ And somehow, I knew at that moment that I would never see him again. And I didn’t.” A year later, the Berlin Wall came down, the Cold War ended and the Russians went home.
Scott with Condoleezza Rice
from Southeastern in the summer of 1990, rejoining the Army as an officer. In 2003 when Saddam Hussein and many members of his leadership first went into hiding, Scott was serving as a contingency contracting officer in Iraq. His main purpose in this position was to hire Iraqi locals that could supply the necessary services and supplies for his troops. In order to accomplish this successfully, Scott made it a point to reach out to them culturally.
“I believe God’s agenda was to ensure that a Bible was delivered straight into that man’s hands,” he said.
“This is one of the things I did differently from other officers in contracting. I would take the time to learn a bit of their language and the proper greeting before trying to secure their business,” he commented. “I was able to establish a trust-based relationship with a lot of vendors.”
Scott would not officially re-enter the military until the year after his graduation
The word on Scott’s trustworthy nature began to spread, and it wasn’t long
30 SOUTHEASTERN
before many of the locals would come to his base and ask to speak with him specifically. It just so happened that one of these individuals requested to meet with him and revealed that he knew two men in Baghdad who had some highlevel intel relating to Hussein. “He told me that they didn’t trust the Americans, but he trusted me,” he said. Preceding this meeting, Scott had made an intentional prayer to the Lord. “I knew that we had to get Saddam. He was stirring up a lot of chaos, even in hiding. I remember praying to the Lord, ‘If there’s any way you can use me as an instrument to help — I’m willing,’” he noted. Scott was able to convince the man to bring his two contacts to his base, and they disclosed information pertaining to a safe house in Baghdad where some of Hussein’s men were rumored to be hiding. Upon this revelation, Scott connected the two men with his friends
Scott and Trena attend the Military Intelligence Ball in 1993
in military intelligence. Ten days after this transpired, Hussein was captured and brought out of a spider hole. Scott confessed, “I heard about Saddam’s capture all over the news, but I hadn’t thought much of it. It wasn’t until my friend in intelligence told me that the safe house I’d learned about had Saddam’s personal driver in it that I realized the connection. They were able to get the driver to reveal exactly where he was hiding.” “It all boiled down to having that Christian spirit and reaching out to the local people,” he recognized. “The key was creating those cross-cultural relationships.” Scott continued contracting for the government until his last stint in 2005. “By the time I decided to retire, I had kind of lost sight of my teaching degree,” he explained.“I sort of took a roundabout
way to get to where I think God wanted me all along.” His first teaching opportunity came to him in the form of a small college, and then eventually, he would earn his current full-time position with Windy Ridge K-8 School in Orlando, Fla. Scott teaches sixth grade computer applications in business; seventh and eighth grade audio, video and communication arts technology; and eighth grade digital information technology. Outside of the classroom, Scott also dedicates time to writing. In addition to an autobiography detailing his career in the military, Scott has self-published six novels and three short stories. Spanning from science fiction to romance, Scott has projects in multiple genres, pulling from a combination of his own past experiences and his imagination. Tying all his works together, is a mutual theme of spirituality. Whether it’s exploring the topic of the
Scott and Trena
end times or using his books’ characters to answer the common questions he’s heard from people of differing religions, Scott makes it a priority to integrate his faith into his writing. “I aim to get diverse people to see Jesus,” Scott said. “They’re going to see him in a different way than we might think traditionally, which is why it sometimes requires unconventional means.” When Scott’s not teaching or writing, he’s most likely spending quality time with Trena, their two children and six grandchildren. Together, they enjoy visiting Cocoa Beach and vacationing at Orange Lake Resort.
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JOSHUA COMINS
FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TO THE BIGGEST NEWS NETWORK 32 SOUTHEASTERN
Walking down the West Wing Colonnade of the White House (Credit: Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks)
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Josh shaking hands with President Kent Ingle at graduation
OSHUA COMINS ’19 took a step of faith his senior year at Southeastern that placed him in the White House and provided him the unique opportunity to pray for then Vice President Mike Pence.
The White House Internship Program is highly competitive, with only a few dozen students selected each semester. The program provides students with opportunities to gain valuable professional experience and build leadership skills over a period of four months.
It was a summer day before going into his last two semesters at Southeastern when Josh decided to look for internship opportunities in Washington, D.C. “I always thought it would be cool to work in D.C. I came across the White House internship and applied that same day.”
“It was a very lengthy application and vetting process. I emphasized my Christian beliefs and my passion to serve in the Trump administration,” Josh said.
Josh has always had a passion for political science and media relations, which is why he chose to major in communications. He said,“I decided on communications because I felt like it would provide me with more career opportunities after graduation.”
Once Josh received news of his acceptance for the 2019 spring semester, he moved to D.C. and completed his last semester at SEU online. The Heritage Foundation provided Josh with an affordable place to live during his time in D.C., living with a network of peers on a similar journey. It was just a five-minute walk to Union Station, where Josh picked up the Red
Line train each day to travel to the White House.
"Before I started the internship, I had told myself that if I ever had the opportunity to pray for the president or vice president, I would take it." Josh worked directly with the White House photographers in the Office of Management Administration, where his job was to document the presidency by taking pictures of the president and vice president.
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Praying with Vice President Mike Pence (Credit: Official White House Photo by Myles Cullen)
Josh attended events on and off the White House grounds as a photographer. He was present for meetings with significant world leaders, including the prime ministers of Ireland and Australia, and the president and first lady of South Korea. Josh also traveled in the presidential motorcade and toured the Pentagon and the Supreme Court. One of the most impactful experiences he had was with Vice President Mike Pence. After a photoshoot, Pence began speaking to the interns about servant leadership when Josh felt led to pray for the vice president. “I put my hand up and said, ‘Mr. Vice President, can we say a prayer for you?’ He (Pence) said, ‘Absolutely.’ I walked up
34 SOUTHEASTERN Standing in the East Room of the White House
At the White House (Credit: Official White House Photo by Adam Kelly)
to him and asked if I could lay my hands on him.” Josh laid his hand on Pence’s shoulder and began to pray. “I prayed for him and his family, the First Family, the country and for wisdom.” After the prayer, Pence thanked Josh and hugged him. Josh said, “That was probably the best prayer I have ever prayed in my life. Before I started the internship, I had told myself that if I ever had the opportunity to pray for the president or vice president, I would take it.” The White House internship provided Josh an advantage when applying for jobs after graduation. He landed a job at Fox News in New York City in January
"It was all leaps of faith and testing atmospheres where I just had to trust God." of 2020 as a web video producer and is now an associate editor. In his position, he writes news articles, produces videos for the channel and publishes content on their social media.
Before the pandemic closed the city, Josh commuted from his home in New Jersey to his office in Midtown Manhattan. “I miss being in the office, but I love working for Fox,” said Josh. “I'm looking to grow myself in the company and see what opportunities lie ahead.” Josh currently lives on the Jersey Shore. He enjoys spending time at the beach and attending sporting events. He aspires to continue his journey at Fox News as well as one day serve within the walls of the White House once more.
“It was all leaps of faith and testing atmospheres where I just had to trust God,” said Josh.
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MATIAS & BARBARAH PERTTULA
MAKING A DIFFERENCE THROUGH ADVOCACY AND PHOTOGRAPHY
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Matias (left) and the President of ICC, Jeff King (right), presented Senator James Lankford (middle) of Oklahoma with an award for advocating for religious freedom.
t all started with an alumni magazine article for MATIAS ’13 (MBA) and BARBARAH ’15 (REYNOLDS) PERTTULA. When Matias first met Barbarah in person, it was at a Starbucks in Lakeland. Matias was with President Kent Ingle when he introduced the pair to each other. “I had already read her article in the magazine. Then the following day, after meeting her, I cracked open the alumni magazine that had her story in it. I read the whole thing once or twice, and I was blown away by Barbarah. I decided that I needed to get to know her even more,” said Matias. Originally from Haiti, Barbarah and her brothers were adopted by a family in upstate New York where she finished her high school education.When it came time for college, she applied to Southeastern.
A few months before she enrolled, Barbarah found out she was one of 1,000 recipients of the prestigious Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship. When the pair met, Matias was working as a graduate assistant in the President’s Office, and Barbarah was studying international business as an undergraduate student. The couple went on their first date in 2013 and were married in 2015. A year into their marriage, in 2016, Matias and Barbarah took a leap of faith by moving to Washington, D.C. Barbarah had been accepted into George Washington University’s master of education policy program. And, Matias worked as a special assistant in the foreign policy department for the vice president of Brookings Institution, a nonprofit public policy organization that conducts in-depth research.
Advocating for Persecuted Christians
It was while he was at Brookings that Matias stumbled on a job posting at International Christian Concern (ICC) — the largest non-governmental organization to advocate for persecuted Christians around the world. Matias applied for the position of director of advocacy in 2018, and he has been working in that role ever since. “You can’t compete with ICC’s mission. It’s extremely meaningful work. What you do day-to-day impacts Christians everywhere,” he said. ICC has three areas that they focus on: assistance, advocacy and awareness. Matias oversees the government relations side of the organization where he has helped grow the advocacy sector for persecuted Christians.
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Matias with Lincoln
Not every day looks the same for Matias. It can range from meeting with members of the U.S. Congress, nongovernment organizations, the State Department or the ambassador-at-large for International Religious Freedom. Matias helps give advice on how to help persecuted Christians around the world and discusses how they can partner together to help with the issue. Matias finds that members of Congress are supportive of ICC’s initiatives. He says it’s one of the easiest bipartisan issues. However, the Christian church has not been as active in helping create awareness. “It is hard to get the church from the West to understand how significant this issue is and how precious religious freedom is all around the world, including in the United States,” said Matias. “We can be very blindsided to things that could be really threatening to religious freedom, not just around the world, but also in the U.S.” 38 SOUTHEASTERN
Barbarah Perttula
Another aspect of Matias’s role entails advocating for Christians who have been imprisoned because of their faith. ICC helps the prisoners with the legal side of gaining freedom and provides direct assistance to the families. Matias also assists with events the organization holds to create awareness in the U.S. In the summer, he led one of ICC’s engagement efforts known as the International Religious Freedom Summit, which had an attendance of more than 2,000 people. One of the ICC’s priorities going forward is to continue to highlight and create an awareness of the ongoing violent attacks on Christians in Nigeria. Matias often travels internationally to meet with persecuted Christians. “Two of the most formative trips for me were to Pakistan and Nigeria,” said Matias. “In Pakistan, we met with a lot of persecuted Christians. Basically, the entire Christian population is being persecuted one way or the other.While
in Nigeria, we met with families and individuals whose families had been killed because they were Christians.” Although ICC focuses primarily on international advocacy, the organization will be expanding its advocacy work to serve the church in the West. “The incidents of discrimination against Christians have begun to rise in the West, and it’s time to start creating awareness and pushing back against the tide that is pressing against not just the church, but religious liberty as a whole,” said Matias. Since Matias started, he has seen his advocacy team grow extensively. In the future, he looks forward to continuing to expand his team while also developing the domestic side of advocacy for ICC.
Left to Right: Barbarah's photography featured in Brides Magazine, Barbarah capturing a wedding, Suvi Baby Monthly Milestone Play Mat
A Creative Outlet
Barbarah, on the other hand, is using her entrepreneurial skills to generate revenue she can invest back into the Haitian orphanage she grew up in. She is currently launching a baby product brand, Suvi Baby, while also working fulltime as a wedding photographer. For their first Christmas together as a couple, Matias bought Barbarah a camera. What started out as a hobby in 2015 has turned into a full-fledged photography business for Barbarah. She began teaching herself photography skills by watching YouTube videos and taking pictures of food until she got comfortable enough to take photos of people. When she made enough money from her photoshoots of friends and family, she invested it into attending photography workshops. Over time, she decided to focus on one subject — wedding photography. “I shot a wedding with a photographer, and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. It’s more involved to be a part of an intimate day of a couple’s lives, and I get to give them those memories that last forever,” said Barbarah. When they moved to D.C., Barbarah offered a lot of free photo sessions in order to build her client base. Growing her brand presence was key. She spent time developing her brand on social media. She also created a website to serve as an educational tool for couples, to present a portfolio of her work and to provide a way for couples to inquire about her.
At first, Barbarah took wedding photos on the side, while also pursuing her master’s degree, because she had aspirations of working for the State Department. But, when Matias and Barbarah welcomed their son, Lincoln, in 2018, Barbarah realized that she could pursue her passion for photography full time while having the flexibility to raise their son. She completed her master’s degree the same year Lincoln was born.
over the world but that also gives couples memories that they’re going to pass on from generation to generation.”
Barbarah spends her weekends taking photos, and on weekdays she works from her home office. During the week, she works on editing photos, meeting with wedding clients, consulting with inquiring couples, planning experiences for engagement photoshoots and tackling the business aspects, such as bookkeeping and securing contractors. Although she primarily focuses on weddings, Barbarah also captures engagement sessions and started dabbling in wedding dress photography.
Barbarah has aspirations of developing more companies and brands like Suvi Baby in the future. Matias and Barbarah’s goal is to use some of the proceeds from those companies to continue to give back to the orphanage where Barbarah grew up.
In the past few years, Barbarah has really seen her business grow. She’s traveled across the country, and even internationally to Mexico and Canada, to document weddings. She’s even been named as one of Brides magazine’s top photographers in America in 2021 and 2022.There were only 105 photographers who received this recognition. “My why for what I do is very important,” said Barbarah. “Running a business as a working mom and a wife is not easy. I’m extremely proud that I’ve built a brand that not only services couples from all
More recently, Barbarah has started a new business, Suvi Baby, which provides minimalist gender-neutral baby goods. The company released its first product, a monthly milestone leather play mat, on Amazon. She has more baby products she hopes to launch this coming year.
“I really believe that God has laid this on our hearts because it has never left,” said Barbarah. “We want to do something in Haiti. Right now, my business directly supports one of the staff members at the orphanage. It pays the staff member’s wages so they can continue the care of children. We want to do more in the future.” Outside of work, Matias and Barbarah are working on renovating their 200-yearold estate in Knoxville, Md. They love spending time with Lincoln. As a family they enjoy exploring, taking walks at parks, traveling around their state and going to nearby ski resorts. They are also involved in their church, Calvary Assembly of God, in Frederick, Md.
SOUTHEASTERN 39
BETTY AND JIM STRAYER
HELPING LOST CHILDREN FIND HOPE 40 SOUTHEASTERN
Jim Strayer already hard at work with a Rancher in 1965
Jim Strayer passed away on October 30, 2021, at the age of 92.This article was written by Sarah Jackson and originally published by the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches in the Spring 2022 edition of The Rancher magazine. Photos provided courtesy of the James W. Strayer Museum and Archives.
I
n 1955, the world was a much smaller place. Small towns had one- or two-lane roads, a single traffic light and neighbors who knew each other. The sprawling cities we know today were still budding communities, trying to keep up with increasing populations, tourism, and technological advances. Payphone booths dotted street corners, and a mobile phone was a landline receiver with a long enough cord to carry it from room to room. It was during this time that Betty Skipper met JIM STRAYER ’57.While pursuing a career in teaching, she was offered a position at what was then Southeastern Bible College. A problem had arisen with the previous professor, so the job opening came with one very specific rule: Don’t get involved with a student.
As she presided over her new students that first week, one man caught her attention. A young naval officer a year her senior had enrolled in the class. He had transferred from a Pennsylvania Bible college to be closer to his younger brother in Jacksonville while he finished school. “Before I ever even knew him,” Betty said, “my husband felt that his life’s work would be helping delinquent and abused children. He didn’t understand what all that involved, but he just felt like that was what he needed to do. That was his mission in life.” The couple began to date, careful not to let the relationship be discovered so Betty wouldn’t get in trouble. As they grew closer as friends, Jim was very upfront about his plans.
“He said ‘You know what my mission in life is,’” Betty said. “‘I don’t know where this is taking me. If we stay involved, you’re going to have to decide if that’s something you’re okay with.’” At the time, Betty was sure she was going to be a teacher for most of her life. But meeting Jim changed everything. They continued to date while Betty was teaching, trying to keep the relationship a secret. “We were discovered, of course,” Betty laughed. “I thought I was going to lose my job. But the president of the college said to me, ‘You have my blessing. Don’t let that man slip through your fingers.’” Jim and Betty got married in June 1957, and the first few months of their marriage was a continuous string of bad SOUTHEASTERN 41
Jim Strayer
luck. The newlyweds drove up to Ohio, where Betty met Jim’s parents for the first time. In less than two months, his mother passed away from pancreatic cancer. A week later, Jim was in the hospital with a fractured leg. Betty, an only child and a college graduate, was not used to taking care of a full household. She cooked and cleaned for Jim and his father while also taking care of his mother before she died. “That’s how we started our marriage,” Betty said.“In a strange place with strange people. I said to him, ‘If we can survive that, we can survive anything.’” For the next 64 years, the Strayers used Jim’s vision as a guide. They gained experience working in residential care programs as cottage parents, and the wheels in Jim’s brain continued to turn. “He said to me, ‘You know, I’ve been thinking. These children need more than somebody to wipe their noses and
42 SOUTHEASTERN
Betty and Jim Strayer in 1965
feed them. They’re growing. They need planning, they need a future.’” The couple held on to this idea that children needed more than just a safe home to live in. They enrolled at Florida State University and obtained master’s degrees in social work. After finding jobs in Hillsborough County, they learned that then-Sheriff Ed Blackburn was looking for support for a new program the sheriffs had created to help wayward boys stay on track: The Florida Sheriffs Boys Ranch. This program sounded promising, so the couple made plans to visit the campus on their way to Ohio to visit Jim’s family.
on the campus. When Jim explained to Jackie that they were interested in a tour, she immediately called her husband so he could meet the Strayers. “We spent the afternoon and before we left, he was talking to us about coming to work,” Betty said. “That was in June of 1964. We started on January 2nd of 1965.”
“We drove in and Jackie Weaver and the three children were out in the front yard of the big house. So we pulled into their drive.”
Jim was hired as the Director of Social Services and Betty worked part time as his secretary, which was the only way the agency could afford them both. He spent a year traveling all over the state to meet with sheriffs and families who were looking for a solution for their children. He also established counseling and work programs for the boys on campus, making sure there was more than just food and shelter waiting for them at the Ranch.
Harry Weaver served as the agency’s first president for 30 years, and his family lived
After a year of working at the Boys Ranch, the Strayers were called away by
their church to help launch an adoption agency in Kansas City, Missouri. Harry Weaver was upset to lose the Strayers, but he made sure they knew the door was open when they returned to Florida. The experience at the adoption agency gave Jim even more ideas. He was famous for the yellow legal pad he would carry with him to jot down notes, ideas, and improvements that sprang into his mind. Jim knew that embracing growth and change was the only way to run a successful program. After working at the Kansas City program for three years, the Strayers took some time off to visit family in Florida. They made plans to visit the Weaver family at the Boys Ranch. Harry, Jim, and Betty sat at the Ranch on a Saturday afternoon, and Harry jumped right to the point. “He said, ‘Have you decided to come back?’” Betty said. “Jim reaches into his pocket and pulls out a folded piece of
paper and says ‘This is the job I’d like to do.’ I was shocked — I didn’t know he had done that! Harry looked at it and said ‘When can you start?’” In 1968, the Strayers finally returned to the place that would become their home for the next 45 years. “From the minute he stepped foot [on the Ranch] on that June afternoon, he said, ‘I think this is where we’re supposed to be.’” Jim was made the Director of Program Development, just as he requested, and began to pour his ideas into the program. He quickly gained a reputation for his relentless pursuit of perfection, his calm demeanor, and his wisdom. “One of his sayings was, ‘Do it right, or do it over,’” Betty said, laughing. While he was known for being a perfectionist, Jim also was a man whom
many looked to for guidance. He was a peacemaker with strong values and unwavering faith. “Jim’s faith in God was his guiding principle,” Betty said. “He depended on prayer and the guidance of the Lord. But pouring into other people — that was his life. He had a gift for being able to bring calm. He would always say, ‘Let’s just sit and talk this through.’” “He was that way from the time I knew him. He had his principles and his values and he very much imparted those regularly,” Betty said. “But he just had this kindness, this gentleness.” While Jim continued to expand the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, he and Betty also raised their two children, Jonathan and Suzanne, as well as their grandchildren. In 1991, Jim retired as Vice President of Youth Services at the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches. Over the previous 23 years, Jim had left his
Left to right: Bill Frye, Harry K. Weaver, Jim Strayer, and Roger Bouchard
SOUTHEASTERN 43
fingerprints on every aspect of the Youth Ranches. He oversaw the creation of the Youth Villa, Bradenton, and Safety Harbor campuses as well as Caruth and Youth Camp. He received numerous awards throughout his career, including President of the Florida Christian Child Care Association, Florida Coalition for Children Lifetime Achievement Award, Florida Group Child Care Association Distinguished Service Award, and Boys Ranch Alumni Association Friends of Children Award. In 1985, he received the Outstanding Contribution for Licensing Award from the Florida Health and Rehabilitative Services; at the time, Jim was the only person to ever be recognized outside of a government entity. Jim and Betty Strayer received the "Our Friend Award" in 1980
After his retirement, Jim continued to work part-time in different areas at the Youth Ranches, including overseeing the archives, until 2014. His diligence resulted in a broad historical overview of the Ranches from 1957 to present. In 2018, The James W. Strayer Museum and Archives was dedicated in his honor. In 1974, while Jim was slowly but surely building the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches into a reputable childcare agency that was drawing national attention, Betty began working in the mental health field. She served as the clinical director for six counties and eventually became the administrator over 10 counties — a time-intensive, fast-paced job she did for the last 15 years of her career. Betty retired in December 2012, but just like her husband, she knew she wasn’t ready to stop working. “I thought, if I stay home, I’m going to get lazy,” she said. “I loved the sense of urgency, of solving a problem — that’s what I missed the most. So I decided to open my own practice.” She opened up a private counseling practice in Lake City, Florida. In a small suite with a bright red door and gold lettering, Betty Strayer guides children and teenagers through the toughest parts of their lives. Her office has a small table
44 SOUTHEASTERN
Jim Strayer (left) and Harry K. Weaver in 2018
Jim Strayer received the Florida Coalition for Children Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004
"He depended on prayer and the guidance of the Lord. But pouring into other people — that was his life. He had a gift for being able to bring calm." stationed in the back with padded chairs, bags of Lego blocks, and stuffed animals lined up along bookshelves. “I didn’t stay involved with the Ranches, but it became our life because it was Jim’s life,” Betty said. “He loved it. Among the last words he spoke was, ‘I love the Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches.’” In 2021, Jim’s health took a turn for the worse. In October, he was having trouble breathing, and Betty had to quickly get him to the emergency room. His oxygen levels were low, and the doctors diagnosed him with pneumonia. Within a few days, Jim had passed away. “We were blessed with 64 years,” Betty said. “So when I get really sad, I have to think of how blessed I have been.”
Throughout their marriage, Betty and Jim supported one another in pursuit of their dreams. They made a difference in the lives of their family, friends, coworkers, and the boys and girls at the Ranches. When Jim passed away, Betty found herself without her best friend for the first time in a long, long time. Her family stepped in, visiting and calling every day to check in on their mother and grandmother. “I have helicopter children,” she joked. “But I’m so blessed. God has certainly sustained us through the years. The ups, the downs, the good and the bad.”
Betty Strayer
and her husband shared for more than six decades: helping lost children find hope.
She has continued working, cutting she said. “ButinI response know I’mto “Can You See Me?”back was written“Ibymiss Dr. him,” Stephens in 2016 her hours but still seeing clients out of he would have wanted me the question, “How can we hatedoing what what we don’t know?” her small office. Even now, at age 91, to do.” Betty Strayer’s life reflects the mission she SOUTHEASTERN 45
SOUTHEASTERN ALUMNI RECONNECT AT THE ALTAR FELLOWSHIP
Left to Right: Gabe and Sarah McKinney, Zac and Mandy Hagerty, and Luke and Katie Enfinger
46 SOUTHEASTERN
S
ix Southeastern alumni have found their home in the small town of Johnson City, Tenn.
ZAC ’09 and MANDY ’09 (LEDESMA) HAGERTY were the first of the six to join The Altar Fellowship. Before moving to Johnson City, Zac and Mandy traveled internationally with a missions group called Burn 24/7. The couple would come back to the states periodically to lead worship conferences. Zac was invited to help lead worship for a conference in 2019, where he met Mattie Montgomery. Montgomery was the lead vocalist for the Christian metalcore band “For Today” before becoming a pastor. He was in the early stages of planting The Altar church with his wife, Candice, when he met Zac at the conference. Shortly after their meeting, Zac and Mandy visited Montgomery and the fledgling church and felt led to move to Tennessee to help with its launch. Zac is the worship pastor and writes for the church’s music group, The Altar Music. “We left the hustle of itinerant ministry. We moved with the expectation of cultivating relationships in a church of consistency and accountability,” said Mandy.
She planned church events before becoming an associate pastor in 2021. Mandy is also the executive administrator, overseeing the pastoral team’s schedules and managing the church’s office. LUKE ENFINGER ’08 found The Altar through Zac. “I followed Zac on Instagram and saw that he was moving to eastern Tennessee. I wondered why he would be moving there,” Luke said. “Then one day, I saw Zac post a podcast of a sermon from the church.” He reached out to Zac and asked him about The Altar. Luke said, “I had to know what they were doing there because it was so powerful. The Holy Spirit was all over the podcast. I felt the presence of the Lord coming through everything the leaders were speaking.” Luke and his wife, KATIE (GARNER) ’08, listened to podcasts of the weekly sermons for about a year before visiting the church. After two visits, Luke received a call from Montgomery, asking him to join the church as the media director. “Katie and I knew it was a call from the Lord,” said Luke. They moved with their five children from West Palm Beach, Fla., to Johnson City in 2021. The move reconnected Luke’s family with Zac and Mandy. They had all known each other from their time at Southeastern. Luke was playing drums in the house band the night that Zac
proposed to Mandy in Bush Chapel during a Thursday Night Live skit. GABE McKINNEY ’08 was also there that night. After graduating from Southeastern, Gabe and his wife, SARAH (ANGLIN), moved to Johnson City, close to where Sarah’s family lived. They heard about the church on social media. “We had been serving at another local church, but after visiting The Altar several times, we felt the Holy Spirit saying, ‘This is where you’re called to be planted,’” said Gabe. He and his wife have attended since 2021. Gabe serves on the worship team and assists with Altar Music. “It’s so cool how over the past 13 years we had all been doing separate things since leaving SEU, and then we landed here at The Altar. We had some connection at Southeastern, but this church and ultimately the Lord really brought us together,” said Gabe. Luke said, “It felt like home visiting and reconnecting with people from college.” In April, The Altar Music released their first album entitled “Welcome Home.” The album was recorded live at the church. Luke said, “The music captures the sound of the region. Pastor Zac has done an incredible job of broadcasting the sound of our house.”
We love sharing stories of how our alumni are reconnecting all over the country with one another after graduation. If you have a story to share along these lines, please email us at alumni@seu.edu.
SOUTHEASTERN 47
Tiffany (Hammer) and her husband, Maitland Hudson, on the Grammy's red carpet
Sam Simon (far left) with members of Maverick City Music at the Grammy Awards
SEU ALUMNI FEATURED
AT THE GRAMMY AWARDS
I
n April of 2022, TIFFANY (HAMMER) HUDSON ’17 and SAM SIMON ’20 were represented at the Grammy Awards, the music industry’s most highly acclaimed awards show. As a member of Elevation Worship, Tiffany was a part of winning Best Contemporary Christian Music Album for the group’s collaborative album with Maverick City Music entitled “Old Church Basement.” “It was such an honor to receive this award. We are just a bunch of church people that have come together to make music for God and somehow it’s impacting others! We pray these songs 48 SOUTHEASTERN
continue to bless people and allow them to encounter God in a real way,” expressed Tiffany. Sam had the opportunity to play the keyboard for Maverick City Music’s performance that night. “Maverick City is the first Christian group to perform at the Grammy Awards in 20 years. Being a part of this history is something that I don’t take for granted,” he said. During his time at Southeastern, Sam was an integral part of the Department of Music. Now, he is a keyboard player and Hammond B3 organist for Maverick City.
“While participating in our university’s jazz ensemble, Sam was always a source of encouragement to his peers and a model musician with a great deal of natural talent,” said Dr. Mark Belfast, chair of the School of Music. “Now, the Lord is using Sam and his music to impact people all across the world, and I couldn’t be more proud.” As a former member of SEU Worship, Tiffany was heavily involved with the spiritual life on campus. She currently represents Elevation Worship as a worship leader at Elevation Church, a multi-site church based in Charlotte, N.C.
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SOUTHEASTERN 49
50 SOUTHEASTERN
2022–2023 SCHOOL OF MUSIC
PERFORMANCE SERIES SEPT
Paolo André Gualdi Piano Recital
7:30 PM
Buena Vida West Auditorium
27
SEU Voice Faculty Recital
7:30 PM
All Saints Episcopal Church, Lakeland
10
SEU Music Faculty Gala
7:30 PM
First Presbyterian Church, Lakeland
20
Wind Ensemble
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
29
Musical Theatre Revue
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
31
String Orchestra
7:30 PM
First Presbyterian Church, Lakeland
3
Jazz Ensemble
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
7
Choral Concert
7:30 PM
First Presbyterian Church, Lakeland
10
Contemporary Band Concert
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
17
Percussion Ensemble
7:30 PM
Band Room, SEU
Christmas Concert
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
4
An Afternoon Melody
2:00 PM
Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland
7
Brass Quintet
7:30 PM
Band Room, SEU
Piano Spark Concert 1
7:30 PM
Buena Vida West Auditorium
28
SEU High School Honor Band
2:00 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
28
Piano Spark Concert 2
7:30 PM
Buena Vida West Auditorium
29
Piano Spark Concert 3
2:30 PM
Buena Vida West Auditorium
Mixed instrumental Ensemble Concert
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
Spiritus
7:30 PM
First Presbyterian Church, Lakeland
MAR 25
A Night at the Opera…Scenes
7:00 PM
Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland
APR
3
Choral Concert
7:30 PM
First Presbyterian Church, Lakeland
4
Brass Quintet Concert
7:30 PM
Band Room, SEU
6
Jazz Ensemble
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
13
Wind Ensemble
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
16
Percussion Ensemble
7:30 PM
Band Room, SEU
20
Contemporary Band Concert
7:30 PM
Bush Chapel, SEU
23
An Afternoon Melody
2:00 PM
Polk Museum of Art, Lakeland
OCT
NOV
8
DEC 2 & 3
JAN 27
FEB 22 27
The Vespa family
Purchase tickets at SEU.edu/performances or call 863.667.5144 SOUTHEASTERN 51
FOCUS ON FACULTY
SEU FACULTY PERFORM AT CARNEGIE HALL Two faculty members from the School of Music, Dr. Shudong Braamse and Dr. Charles Hulin, had the honor of performing at Carnegie Hall in New York City in February of 2022. In a voice recital featuring a variety of classical works, Braamse provided vocals and Hulin accompanied her on the piano. They performed pieces by composers such as Mozart, Debussy and Schubert, in addition to Chinese folk songs. “I wanted to introduce the audience to early Chinese art songs and Chinese folk songs,” Braamse said. “It’s very rare for American audiences to hear some of those works live.” Braamse was invited to perform at Carnegie by Sheng Huang, the chair of the American International Culture
52 SOUTHEASTERN
and Art Exchange Center. He had previously met her through a mutual friend and listened to some of her recordings on YouTube. “I never could have imagined that I would have this opportunity. It was truly a blessing from God,” Braamse remarked. “As a musician, it is a dream come true to perform at Carnegie Hall.” With a history of collaborating on musical ventures in the past, Braamse had asked Hulin to accompany her at the prestigious venue — an offer he couldn’t refuse. “Playing in a hall like that in New York City, it gives you the type of focus in your work that gets you to dig deeper into your potential and apply more of what you’ve been taught,” commented Hulin.
Aside from Carnegie, Braamse has performed on stages across the globe, including in Canada, Italy, Austria, Spain, Singapore, China and many more countries. Originally joining Southeastern as a full-time faculty member in 2002, Braamse has dedicated over 20 years to serving the university and its student body. Recently transitioning to parttime instruction, she currently teaches Music Appreciation, Vocal Literature and applied voice lessons. Hulin is an associate professor of music at the university, and also serves as a parish pianist at All Saints Episcopal Church in Lakeland, Fla. He has taught at Southeastern for over 12 years and instructs courses related to piano and music theory.
Carnegie Hall
SOUTHEASTERN 53
COMMENCEMENT SPRING 2022
COMMENCEMENT Congratulations to the Graduating Class of Spring 2022!
Southeastern University celebrated its Spring 2022 Commencement ceremony at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland, Fla. With a total of 971 graduates, the spring class of 2022 is Southeastern’s 85th graduating class. The graduates originated from Florida, 43 other states and 18 countries, including Australia, Brazil, France, India, Nigeria and more. In addition, 86 of the graduates who participated in the ceremony came from 43 of the university’s extension site locations. Among the graduating class were JOY BISHARA ’21, ’22 (MSW) and LYDIA POGU ’21, ’22 (M.A.), two of the 276 female students kidnapped by Boko Haram in Chibok, Nigeria, in 2014. Both graduates received their undergraduate degrees from Southeastern in the fall of 2021. Lydia was the student speaker for the spring ceremony. Kristen K. Waggoner, general counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF), was the commencement speaker. Also in attendance was Senator Kelli Stargel, who was the recipient of the President’s Award in honor of her lifelong commitment to public service.
54 SOUTHEASTERN
Student speaker Lydia Pogu
Executive Vice President Dr. Chris Owen embraces his son, Ethan.
Senator Stargel receives President's Award
Commencement speaker Kristen K. Waggoner
Graduate Jessica Isenhour sings the national anthem.
SOUTHEASTERN 55
'90s REUNION
ALUMNI RETURN HOME
FOR ’90s REUNION Group photo from Friday, June 10, on the Steelman Library Patio
In June of 2022, over 70 alumni from the graduating classes of the 1990s returned home to Southeastern’s campus for a reunion weekend hosted by the Alumni Association. Participating alumni had the opportunity to catch up with old friends, meet their families, and reconnect with faculty and staff members. “I was thinking about how the thing we all had in common was the feeling of belonging we had during our time at SEU, and that feeling was still there when we returned. That’s truly beautiful,” said alumna FAITH TURNAGE HALLOCK ’95.
BTOATHECK AL
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Over the weekend, alumni enjoyed campus tours, a special chapel service, class photos with eight ’90s classes represented and much more. Alumnus ROBERT MORTON ’99 commented, “My hope is that our school will continue to grow in its mission and continue to develop new areas of education. They are doing innovative and important things at Southeastern. It is a great Christian university to send our young people to!” If you would like to take part in a weekend of fun with your alma mater, be sure to mark your calendars for this year’s Homecoming on October 21-22, 2022. Homecoming 2022 will feature decade reunions for alumni from the ’50s, ’60s, ’70s and ’80s, and a special 10year anniversary reunion for SEU Worship. To learn more about Homecoming, please visit SEU.edu/homecoming or check out the back cover! 56 SOUTHEASTERN
Alumni meet and greet outside of Steelman Library
Planning Committee Members Faith Turnage Hallock, Migdalia (Maggie) Gomez Basilio, Trina Finch Goodman, Jeannette (Jeannie) Chico, Caroline Villard Pelliser, J. Toro, Joel Johnson and Abner Rivera (unable to attend in person)
Joel Johnson presents the State of SEU to the group.
Trina, Migdalia and Jeannette welcoming guests.
Joel Johnson, J. Toro, Eric Connor and Matthew Francis watching the Senior Photo Video
Members of “New Heights,” also known as “Nuevas Alturas,” Libya Rexach Marsack, Migdalia (Maggie) Gomez Basilio, Eddie Rodriguez, Myrna Garrestegui and Joeve Sanbria Carthers
Tammy (McDaniel) and Terry Stanley
Group photo from the Saturday night dinner
J. Toro delivered the Word during the Sunday morning chapel service.
Kevin Townsend (on piano), Gary and Bonnie Yost, Maggia Basilio, and Trina Frinch Goodman lead SOUTHEASTERN 57 worship in Bush Chapel on Friday night.
WILLIAM “BILLY” GLESSNER ’12, ’14 (M.Ed.)
CLASS NOTES I N
58 SOUTHEASTERN
T H E
L I V E S
O F
S E U
A L U M N I
SHARLA (PLASTOW) COOK ’03 (SECOND FROM THE RIGHT)
PHIL COCHRANE ’82
DENISE (McCARTY) MAY ’93 MONICA (KRAMER) McCONKEY ’93
1982
at two leading healthcare companies and as a lead pastor in central Indiana for nearly 15 years.
PHIL COCHRANE works as the project manager for the Congo Nurse Scholarship Project (CNSP), an organization that offers scholarships to train nurses who provide spiritual and physical healing to the people living in the most remote areas of the northeastern Congo. Phil and his three siblings founded the project in honor of their mother, Edith Cochrane, who was a nurse-midwife and missionary to the Congo.
2003
____________________________
1993
____________________________ MONICA (KRAMER) McCONKEY has combined her personal experience with farming and her professional background in psychology and counseling to help rural communities overcome mental health challenges. She provides mental health services to Minnesota farmers and their families through a contract she established with the Minnesota Centers of Agriculture Excellence. Additionally, Monica runs Eyes on the Horizon Consulting and frequently speaks on topics relating to farm stress and mental health. CHAD PFEIFER accepted a position as the chief people officer (CPO) at Blue & Co., LLC, a top 100 national accounting firm in the Midwest. He previously served as the vice president of talent management
____________________________ SHARLA (PLASTOW) COOK works as the CFO for Better Choice Company, an innovative pet and wellness company. Sharla and her team rang the Opening Bell at the New York Stock Exchange in January. Her company will be launching Halo Elevate this year, a new premium pet food brand set to release in more than 2,000 pet specialty stores. Sharla has three stepchildren and two fur babies with her husband, Keith.
2007
____________________________ ESTHER (ARTHUR) LULLY accepted a position as the director of the Collier Senior Center in Naples, Fla. The center offers a food pantry, a hot lunch program, job placement and training for low-income seniors. Esther previously worked as a club director and director of family services at Habitat for Humanity and New Horizons of Southwest Florida. As a certified life coach and behavior consultant, she owns her own practice called Timeless Worth Coaching & Consulting, where she offers her services as a personal and professional development speaker and leadership trainer.
VALERIE (BATTLES) ROBERTS ’16 (MBA)
2012
____________________________ WILLIAM “BILLY” GLESSNER ’14 (M.Ed.) is the head baseball coach at the University of Fort Lauderdale. He is eighth all-time in program history, with 58 stolen bases in two seasons. In his senior year, Billy hit a batting average of .372. He earned his master’s from Southeastern in 2014 while working as a graduate assistant.
2014
____________________________ JOHANNA CEDILLO ’21 (MSW) was hired out of her practicum at Manatee Children’s Services as a child and family therapist. Johanna works in crisis intervention where she provides counseling to students and directs services.
2016
____________________________ VALERIE (BATTLES) ROBERTS (MBA) has worked at Gadsden State Community College in Alabama since 2017. She serves as the tutorial coordinator for Student Support Services and is an orientation and ACT Prep instructor. Valerie also serves as the founder and director of Operation Christmas Hero and is the director of student ministries for her local church. She and her husband, Kyle, have three daughters.
SOUTHEASTERN 59
CHARITY BELL ’19
MALIK CHEVRY ’19
2018
___________________________ RACHEL BAKER ’21 (MSW) works at the Highland Park Counseling Center as a child and adolescent therapist. She has been employed as an MSW registered clinical social work intern since July of 2021.
2019
___________________________ CHARITY BELL accepted a position as the weekend anchor at Illinoisbased WGEM News. As a multimedia journalist, she previously interned at Spectrum Bay News 9 in St. Petersburg, Fla. MALIK CHEVRY accepted a position as the defensive assistant coach for the Trojans at Anderson University in South Carolina. He previously served as the cornerbacks coach and video coordinator 60 SOUTHEASTERN
ERIN GORMAN-SANDLER ’19
KELSEY (MORTON) THOMAS ’19 (MSW)
for the Erskine College football program. Malik was also the outside linebackers coach at Blue Ridge High School and the defensive backs coach at Victory Christian Academy in Lakeland, Fla. While at Southeastern, Malik earned his bachelor’s in sports management. He played for the Fire football team and was part of the Sun Conference Football Academic All-Conference Team and the CoSIDA Academic All-District Team. ERIN GORMAN-SANDLER is working on her doctorate in neuroscience at the University of South Carolina. Erin recently co-authored a chapter in Springer’s Current Topics in Behavioral Sciences titled, “Neuroinflammation and Mitochondrial Dysfunction Link Social Stress to Depression.” Erin received a travel award from the European Brain and Behaviour Society (EBBS) and presented her research at the Federation of European Neuroscience Societies (FENS) meeting in Paris, France, in July.
KENSLEY HUTCHINGS works for Berkshire Hathaway Home Services. She is currently pursuing her master’s of business administration and master’s in international community development. ALLIE MALDONADO (MSW) is a licensed clinical social worker for the Hillsborough County Board of Commissioners. As a contract manager for the Department of Homeless and Community Services, she manages other social workers, oversees family shelters and manages $7 million in grant funding. Allie also works part time providing OCD treatment at an Exposure and Response Prevention program (ERP). KELSEY (MORTON) THOMAS (MSW) works at Southeastern’s Counseling Center. She is a licensed clinical social worker and provides undergraduate and graduate students with individualized counseling. Kelsey also leads numerous therapy groups and hosts health and wellness
OLIVIA (KLINER) VANDER WYST ’20, ’22 (MSW)
BETH BACKES ’21 (Ed.D.)
events on campus. She and her husband, COLLIN THOMAS ’17, ’19 (MBA), met at Southeastern as student athletes. They have been married for two years and have a dog named Ellie.
2020
___________________________ LAUREN ELIJAH ’21 (MSW) works at Hope Partnership, where she serves as a housing stability case manager. She helps homeless families get into affordable housing and access needed resources. CIARA HELM (MSW) serves as a director of a program that helps women who have been exploited in the sex industry. BRANDILYNN KNAPP ’21 (MSW) completed her master’s in social work in the spring of 2021. She was hired out of her generalist practicum at Lakeland Regional Health as a social work case manager. JACKIE ST. JOHN passed her first CPA exam in August of 2021. She has since been
BRANDILYNN KNAPP ’20, ’21 (MSW)
VICTOR M. FLORES ’21 (MSW)
employed by the audit department of CBIZ MHM in St. Petersburg, Fla.
years of experience working as a social worker in Puerto Rico and Florida.
OLIVIA (KLINER) VANDER WYST ’22 (MSW) co-authored a piece for the OMEGA Journal of Death and Dying with former dean Dr. Erica Sirrine titled “College Student Experiences of Grief and Loss Amid the COVID-19 Global Pandemic.”
JARED JOHNSTON (Ed.D.) accepted a position as the chair of undergraduate education at Oral Roberts University (ORU) in Tulsa, Okla. He previously served as an elementary principal at Valley Fellowship Christian Academy in Huntsville, Ala., and as an adjunct professor at Southeastern University’s College of Education.
2021
___________________________ BETH BACKES (Ed.D.) completed her doctorate in educational leadership. As an ordained minister with over 12 years of church planting experience, she launched The Table Church in early 2022 in Federal Way, Wash. Beth’s diverse team meets on Saturday nights to share biblical messages in a talk-show style. VICTOR M. FLORES (MSW) serves as a school social worker for Polk County Public Schools (PCPS). Victor has over 16
AMARIS RAMOS (MSW) accepted a position at the PACE Center for Girls. She works as a therapist at Westwood Middle School in Winter Haven, Fla., helping young girls decrease risk-related behaviors and achieve their potential. TYRON SMITH (MSW) accepted a position at Lakeland Regional Health as a medical social worker and is working toward clinical social work licensure.
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JARED JOHNSTON ’21 (Ed.D.)
KIM MEEK ’22 (MSW)
LEAH WEEKS ’21 (MSW)
BRYCE TRAFFORD (MSW) serves as a mental health social worker for Lake Buena Vista High School. As an employee of Orange County Public Schools, she provides individual and group therapy, staff education, crisis intervention and screenings, among her other responsibilities. LEAH WEEKS (MSW) works for Hardee County School System as a school social worker. As part of the
ALEXANDRA TAYLOR ’22 (MSW)
Mental Health Support Staff, Leah serves seven schools across her district.
2022
___________________________ KIM MEEK (MSW) accepted a therapist position at New Life 360, a private mental health agency in Brandon, Fla., and is pursuing her licensure as an LCSW.
SEND US YOUR CLASS NOTES All submissions due by November 18, 2022, for the next issue. Email: alumni@seu.edu Submit online at: SEU.edu/alumni Mail to: University Advancement Southeastern University 1000 Longfellow Blvd., Lakeland, FL 33801 62 SOUTHEASTERN
ALEXANDRA TAYLOR (MSW) works as a crisis counselor for the Crisis Response Team for Peace River Center (PRC) alongside the Polk County Sheriff ’s Office (PSCO). In her service with the department, she received a Sheriff ’s Commendation Award for her efforts in helping a team safely remove a young student from the roof of an elementary school building.
IN MEMORIAM
1971
__________________________ LOWELL D. VAN VLECK passed away March 24, 2022. Lowell served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. He met his wife of 67 years, Margaret Kearns, while stationed in Jacksonville, Fla. Lowell was an Assemblies of God minister for over 45 years and served in the church until his passing. He is survived by his wife, Margaret, six children, eight grandchildren, seven great grandchildren, two siblings and other family members.
1980
__________________________ DEANNA YOUNGS SHICK passed on January 17, 2022. She was previously a music teacher for Evangel, Ridgeview Global Academy and Kathleen Middle School, where she received the “Teacher
of the Year” award. Deanna also was an avid sports fan and played basketball during her time at Southeastern. Deanna is survived by her husband, Richard, and her father, Daniel.
1983
__________________________ DENNIS CATON passed on November 20, 2021. He was a U.S. Navy veteran and an ordained minister. He pastored two churches, Sandhills Assembly of God and Lakeside Assembly of God, the latter he served at for 11 years. Dennis is survived by his wife, Susan, of 41 years, his son, numerous brothers, nieces and nephews.
1992
__________________________
Fort Mill, S.C. He is survived by his wife, Kristen, daughters Claire and Ella, father, three sisters and other family members.
1994
__________________________ DANIEL “DANNY” HESSE passed on December 11, 2021. He was an Assemblies of God ordained minister and served as the chaplain for Frederick County Emergency Services. Danny was a retired Air Force veteran, active member of the Winchester American Legion Post 21 and volunteer for the Winchester Rescue Mission. He is survived by Sheryl, his wife of 24 years, and his brother, Anthony, sisters Stephanie and Christiane, and other family members.
ED FROST passed away on February 16, 2022. A Tampa, Fla., native, Ed served as the lead pastor of Real Life Church in
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PERSPECTIVE
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I
STEPHANIE GARRISON: REFLECTING ON 19 YEARS AND READY FOR THE FUTURE n July of 2003, my bags were packed and the plan was solidified. I was going to attend a Christian college in South Florida. I was planning to major in entrepreneurship and dance, and I was excited to be living on the beach. It was every 18-year-old’s dream when thinking of college. The months leading up to my move had been a roller coaster. After losing my dad in an accident, my plans were changing… sometimes too fast. I was learning how to grow up as a young woman while understanding the grief of loss. One day in late July, I started feeling uneasy about my transition to the “other college.” I knew I was going for the wrong reasons. I knew I was running away from something. Within that same week, I dropped off my friend at SEU for preseason soccer. As we settled her into her new dorm room, her admission counselor (AMY (MILLER) THURSTON ’02) stopped to say hi. She had remembered me from my annual Preview Days Visits. (As a high-school student, I actually led my own tours of SEU’s campus with friends from my youth group!) As we began to catch up, she looked at me and said, “Why aren’t you coming here? Do you feel called to be here?” I started crying and responded, “I have already done my FAFSA. Am I allowed to change my paperwork for college before even coming?” She kindly smiled and said, “I’ll do all the paperwork. I feel the Lord wants you here.” After a few signatures and a deposit, I moved into Southeastern three weeks later. I haven’t left. I vividly remember my first day on campus in August of 2003. Check-in ran a little differently. We stood in lines in Bush Chapel where desktop computers sat on the 6-foot folding tables, a couple laser printers sat on stage continually printing schedules and bills (the paper with the
Stephanie with her brother, Ben, in 2010
perforated edges and holes). The parents stayed in line to finish up the bill while the students settled into their rooms. I remember checking in at the Student Development table as a student leader in a blue “Be Salt” shirt waved me over. I remember looking and thinking to myself, “I want to sit in that seat next year. I want to make sure the new students feel welcomed like I do.” Little did I know that I would be wearing the annual orientation shirt for the next 19 years, waving to EVERY family as they drove through the front entrance!
Through the years as a student, I found my first mentor. My RD (Sue Schoenherr) took the time to ask me the hard questions, encourage my growth and pray with me and for me. The opportunities to develop as a student leader were some of the greatest memories and experiences I had as a young 18- to 20-something. Residence Life strengthened my backbone to confront people; working as a student employee in Financial Aid solidified my passion for process and systems; and learning from the business faculty, in a newly developed program, allowed confidence and creativity. In each
(left to right) Stephanie, Whitney (Snuggs) Lawson and Stephanie Powell in 2007
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Balance Culture brand to Winter Haven, Fla., and support the community. SEU is a pillar for so many. We have been equipped to share our stories and recognize who we became through our college years. I am grateful I was able to get a few more years after that. Remember the significance of the place where you prayed over your dreams, goals and opportunities … you’re still worth those prayers! As Mark Batterson says, “Going back to the places of spiritual significance can help us find our way forward again.” Stephanie with Darrell Hardt in 2018
opportunity, I recognized I wanted to share my joy, my healing, my growth and my story with college students. I’ve been able to do that ever since. Upon graduation, the infamous Darrell Hardt offered me my first full-time role in Event Services at SEU. For years, I was able to sit under his leadership and learn every part of higher education, business and people. I credit who I am today as a woman in leadership, boss, mentor and employee to him. (If you know and/ or remember Darrell, you’re probably smiling as you read this.) We all love Darrell!
We provide excellence, we love Jesus and we equip our students to step into the world to love like Jesus!” Southeastern has done that for me, and now it’s my chance to empower generations of people in a new community. As I honor our leadership team, the college of business, my coworkers and my SEU family, I am excited to move on and to celebrate my lifelong dream of opening a business.
Darrell did such a great job being my boss that I was able to become a teammate with him. Over the years, we’ve been able to create processes, understand the rhythms and culture in higher education, and support the university together.
As a little girl, I remember being in the dance studio wondering, “How can I do this every day of my life?” And now, 34 years later, it’s a reality with the Lord confirming, “I’m equipping you to empower generations of women!” SEU has prepared me for this. The people, the prayers and the opportunities have developed my strengths as a woman in business to equip and lead other women.
As I share in every parent session that we offer to visitors, I often brag on being a product of Southeastern. It’s something I am proud of. I always say, “If you are here for one visit, four years or 19 years like myself, a bit of Southeastern comes home with you. We are a unique community.
In fall of 2022, I will transition from SEU and open the second location of The Balance Culture, a women’s fitness studio, created by two alumni [KIRSTIN (KOLENIAK) CZERNEK ’11, ’13 (MSPC) & RUTHIE (GLOVER) TAIT ’13]. I am honored to carry the
66 SOUTHEASTERN
Stephanie at SEU Conference 2022
SEU ALUMNI
ISRAEL, PETRA & PARIS 2023 202 3 TOUR with Dr. Joe Davis & Joel K. Johnson
ISRAEL | JUNE 21-30, 2023 PARIS & PETRA | JUNE 30-JULY 3, 2023 Visit the birthplace of Jesus See the Garden Tomb Walk the Palm Sunday Path See the remains of King David’s Palace Be baptized in the Jordan River Private prayer time in the Garden of Gethsemane Dr. Joe Davis
Professor of Apologetics
Trip includes airfare, hotels, breakfast and dinner, tour guide, site fees and tips.
Joel K. Johnson
Director of Alumni Relations
Israel Trip Cost - $4,500 | Petra add on — $1,000
www.theIsraelAdventure.com | For questions, email jkjohnson@seu.edu or call 863.667.5400 SOUTHEASTERN 67
2022 OCTOBER 21 & 22, 2022
ANNUAL ALUMNI SOCIAL ◾ SEU WORSHIP 10-YEAR ANNIVERSARY REUNION DECADE REUNIONS FOR ALUMNI FROM THE ’50s, ’60s, ’70s AND ’80s ◾ HOMECOMING PARADE TAILGATING ACTIVITIES ◾ GOLF ◾ FIRE FOOTBALL GAME ◾ FIREWORKS SEU.EDU/HOMECOMING ◾ Email: alumni@seu.edu
