Be a Living Legacy
No Greater Legacy Three Generations of Adventist Education Adventist education tends to have a ripple effect. Josie Reeves is a junior nursing major at Southwestern Adventist University (SWAU). Though she started attending only three years ago, her connection to SWAU goes back all the way to 1955, when her grandfather, Gary Heinrich, headed off to attend Southwestern Adventist Junior College. “There were eight kids in my family, and six of us went to SWAU,” Gary says. He attended four years of academy, then two of junior college, earning Associate’s Degrees in business and religion. “Spiritually, SWAU gave me a great foundation,” says Gary, “Even today I hate to miss church; some of my classmates are still here, and it’s a great feeling to continue worshiping with them after all these years.” Gary Heinrich (class of 1961) and his wife, Betty (class of 1961 and 2002), met at SWAU. Their two children, Kristi and Steve, also graduated from SWAU. Sixty years later, Gary and Betty’s granddaughter is on her own path at the same university. “My mom once asked me and my siblings which had had the greatest effect on our spiritual lives—home, school or church. Each of us said ‘school’ without hesitation,” Josie recalls. “Going to SWAU with so many people who have a personal connection with God has inspired me to develop my own. SWAU has given me the opportunity to create my own spiritual identity apart from that of my parents. It's become personal to me.” Kristi Reeves (class of 1994) is Josie’s mom. She says it’s hard to pinpoint exactly how SWAU influenced her spiritual
life, because it wasn’t a separate part of the experience. “All the aspects blend into one at SWAU,” Kristi recalls. “Academics, spiritual life, social activities—they’re all interconnected. Growing in one aspect of your life at SWAU meant developing the others as well.” Betty Heinrich, Kristi’s mom and Josie’s grandmother, transferred to SWAU in her junior year of high school. She immediately noticed that her classmates at SWAU were different from her classmates in public school. “They were friendly, and didn’t care about what your name was or how much money you had,” she recalls. “They showed me what a Christian life could look like.” In 1959, at the age of 18, Betty was baptized into the Adventist church. “That’s the biggest thing SWAU did for me,” she says. Steve Heinrich (class of 1995 and 1997), Josie’s uncle, adds that the professors left an impression, as well. “I always appreciated math classes with Dr. Chin,” Steve shares. “He opened class every day with a spiritual thought, and they always had meaningful application to real life. I had many good instructors at SWAU, but Dr. Chin made a distinct impact on me with his humble, thoughtful, caring spirit. He made a connection with God practical and attainable.” Josie enjoys when her parents visit SWAU. She and her dad, Charles, also an alumnus, often walk around campus together as he points out various things of interest. “He’ll show me where buildings used to be, tell me stories about things he used to do with his friends,” Josie says. “It’s
“My mom once asked me and my siblings which had the greatest effect on our spiritual lives–home, school or church. Each of us said ‘school’ without hesitation.”
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