The Master's University Magazine | Winter 23-24 by themastersuniversity

WINTER 2023–24

Pete Reese

Meet the man who built LABC’s athletic department almost from scratch. PA G E 4 0

Faculty Highlights

TMU professors share recent projects and speaking opportunities. PA G E 2 7

Truth & Life

See who’s speaking at this year’s conference. PA G E 1 6

A LOVE LETTER TO EVERYTHING I’VE LEARNED Senior Josephine Lee reflects on an educational journey she never could have predicted. PA G E 3 4

Come Christmas Sing! T H E M A S T E R’S U N I V E R S I T Y’S 3 9 T H A N N U A L C O M E C H R I S T M A S S I N G! C O N C E RT S E R I E S I S S C H E D U L E D F O R D E C. 1 A N D 2 T H I S Y E A R. G E T Y O U R T I C K E T S T O D AY AT M A S T E R S.E D U/M U S I C-E V E N T S. P I C T U R E D H E R E I S P R O F. B E N M A S O N C O N D U C T I N G AT L A S T Y E A R’S C O N C E RT I N S I D E T H E M A C A RT H U R C E N T E R.

The Master’s University Magazine

P H OT O BY A N N I E V L A D O V S K A

WINTER 2023–24

PUBLISHER

Dr. John Stead

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Dariu Dumitru

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Mason Nesbitt

S TA F F W R I T E R

Kaelyn Peay

S TA F F P H OT O G R A P H E R

Mark Finster

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

Sam Greer

C R E AT I V E D I R E C T I O N & D E S I G N

WeKREATIVE Co.

DIRECTOR OF C O R P O R AT E PA R T N E R S H I P

Michael Chrzanowski

CONTRIBUTORS

Dave Caldwell Luke Fitzgerald Josephine Lee Katie Seitz Camden Specht Annie Vladovska

SPECIAL THANKS TO

Dr. Abner Chou Dr. Mitch Hopewell Mike Crawford Craig Leener

C O N TA C T U S :

alumni@masters.edu | 661-362-2360 Mailbox #31 21726 Placerita Canyon Road Santa Clarita, CA 91321

Contents S P OT L I G HT

Training Innovative Thinkers

A Love Letter to Everything I’ve Learned

Successful entrepreneurs must think fast and pivot quickly. But how do you train for those skills in a classroom? A new course at TMU seeks to answer that question, placing students in what’s effectively a boardroom bootcamp.

Senior Josephine Lee’s perspective on learning and higher education has changed significantly at TMU. How so? That’s a question best answered by Lee, whose educational journey has included the allure of New York City, a handful of English courses, and one remarkable question posed by a TMU professor. C O V E R P H OT O BY M A R K F I N S T E R

Pete Reese Paved the Way In 1965, Pete Reese (front row, third from right in the above photo) was tasked with building Los Angeles Baptist College’s athletic department almost from scratch. Reese never balked at the challenge, and the institution that became The Master’s University is forever grateful he didn’t.

D E PA R T M E N T S 08

TMU Today

Features

Connect

IN EVERY ISSUE

The Master’s University Magazine is published digitally four times per year by The Master’s University Alumni Association. You can subscribe to the publication at masters.edu/magazine.

S U B S C R I B E T O D AY TMU’s official alumni magazine features stories of God’s faithfulness in the lives of alumni, faculty, staff, and students. This quarterly publication also includes the latest news from the University. You can sign up to receive the digital magazine at masters.edu/magazine-subscribe.

Calendar

Thinking Biblically with Dr. John MacArthur

Just Catching Up

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Everyday Thankfulness

n October of 1621, the Pilgrims gathered to thank God for a successful first harvest. Even after the American Revolution, the early history of the United States was marked by days of prayer and, during Lincoln’s presidency, the formalizing of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Today, unfortunately, thankfulness is not something that most Americans care to think about — much less practice. There are many things to distract us, of course. Christmas shopping is in full swing, and Black Friday is approaching. Football often dominates our attention. Some will remember to give thanks during this season, going around the table and sharing a thought or two. But as followers of Christ, our lives ought to be characterized by gratitude every day of the year: “I N E V E RY T H I N G G I V E T H A N K S, F O R T H I S I S G O D’S W I L L F O R Y O U I N C H R I S T J E S U S.” 1 T H E S S A L O N I A N S 5 : 1 8 , L S B For the Christian, a genuine sense of gratitude begins with reflection on God’s love and our redemption. This should lead to a deep sense of humility and an outworking of thanksgiving that manifests itself in many ways. For example, a thankful person will clearly see the blessings he has received — and how undeserving he is of them. He will remain joyful even in the midst of suffering. And he will freely express thankfulness to those around him. On that note, let me say that I am thankful for you — our alumni. You are an amazing representation of everything we hope to accomplish at the University. Your love for Christ and faithfulness to the Scriptures shine as a beacon in a dark world. As you gather with family and friends this holiday season, I pray it will be a time of refreshment, celebration, and most importantly, thanksgiving for the greatest gift of all — Christ Jesus.

Dr. John Stead

E X E C U T I V E V I C E P R E S I D E N T, T H E M A S T E R’S U N I V E R S I T Y

WINTER 2023–24

keeping alumni connected CONNECT Find and connect with fellow graduates, see what they have been up to, and stay in touch.

GET INVOLVED Introduce, employ, and offer to act as a mentor to our graduating students.

EXPAND Leverage your professional network to get introduced to people you should know.

get started at alumni.masters.edu.

YEARBOOK

Placerita Canyon around the time our institution moved here in 1961.

WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

The 2023 Master’s Cup champions were the Slight Hall men, pictured, and the Hotchkiss Hall women. 8

The Master’s University Magazine

P H OT O BY A N N I E V L A D O V S K A

WINTER 2023–24

Wall Street Journal Rankings

This fall, TMU received high marks in college rankings compiled by The Wall Street Journal and College Pulse. Organizers polled more than 60,000 students and recent alumni nationwide about their institutions.

TMU was ranked second nationally in the “recommendation” category, which measured how likely a school’s students and recent alumni are to recommend their institution, whether they’d enroll there again if they could make the decision over, and satisfaction with the value for money their college provides.

TMU ranked No. 6 nationally in career preparation, which measured the quality and frequency of opportunities for students to prepare for their future careers.

TMU ranked first among private universities in California — including USC and Stanford — for learning facilities, a category that measured student satisfaction with library facilities, internet reliability, and classrooms and teaching facilities.

Winter Athletics Preview

Faculty Updates

Music Alum Wins Composition Awards

TMU was No. 2 among private universities in California for learning opportunities. This category was based on questions in the survey about interactions with faculty, feedback, and the overall quality of teaching.

WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

ACADEMICS

New Course Is Training Innovative Thinkers Entrepreneurial Marketing aims to prepare students to meet the challenges of real-world business situations.

BY JOSEPHINE LEE

Successful entrepreneurs must be able to think on their feet and pivot at a moment’s notice. But how do you train those skills in a classroom? In answer to that question, Prof. Mike Nesheim has developed a new course at The Master’s University — Entrepreneurial Marketing. Nesheim, who brings more than 25 years of business experience to his role as director of TMU’s entrepreneurial studies program, is training students to respond on the fly to real-world situations in what’s effectively a boardroom bootcamp. Seven times during the semester, students enter class equipped with nothing but paper notes and a pen. The day’s moderator — often a TMU professor or start-up business owner — then presents the class with a thought-provoking topic or crisis

The Master’s University Magazine

scenario for them to collaboratively solve. According to students, the ensuing dialogue is challenging, chaotic, and authentic to the environment of a real business meeting. The students’ end goal is to come to a decision or present a recommendation to the moderator by the end of class. After every training session, Nesheim debriefs students on what they did right, and where they went wrong. At the conclusion of the semester, their final test is to demonstrate the skills they’ve developed in a one-on-one meeting with Nesheim. The course’s structure is totally nontraditional and exactly what Nesheim wants. “The premise of the class,” he said, “is to take students who have been trained to think linearly and get them instead to think spatially.

“It’s just fascinating to me how you give the students an actual problem to try and solve, where it’s not just a simple textbook answer, and they will gird up under it. But it sometimes takes them a little while to realize they can do that.” Past moderators have included Dr. Tai-Danae Bradley, director of The Math3ma Institute and research mathematician for startup SandboxAQ, and Dr. Grant Horner, director of TMU’s classical liberal arts program. Nesheim said, “It’s that collaborative effort amongst departments that, from an academic standpoint, is so unique — multiple disciplines learning how to think and be together, and the common thread being Christ.” Learn more about TMU’s hands-on entrepreneurship program at masters.edu/entrepreneurship.

ACADEMICS

The Department of English Has a New Name Updated title reflects the department’s continuing expansion. BY JOSEPHINE LEE

The Department of English at The Master’s University has been renamed to the Department of Arts & Letters. The change is intended to better reflect the broadened scope of the department, which now encompasses three programs: classical liberal arts, English, and the latest addition — interdisciplinary studies. With this group of programs seeing increased enrollment, TMU has launched new courses each year, such as The Bible and Money with Prof. Michael Forgerson, director of interdisciplinary studies. The department is also home to the TMU Italy study abroad program, which sends students out each summer for six weeks of learning and exploration in the heart of the Renaissance.

Dr. Grant Horner is the director of TMU’s classical liberal arts program in the newly named Department of Arts & Letters. P H OT O BY E Z R A M O O R E

Explore a full list of TMU’s program offerings at masters.edu/programs.

ON CAMPUS

Chancellor Conducts Two-Part Chapel Series Dr. MacArthur spoke on the foundational pursuit of the Christian life — the glory of God. BY KAELYN PEAY

In September, Dr. John MacArthur spoke twice in chapel at The Master’s University, sharing a two-part message about the centrality of the glory of God in the Christian life. He examined this truth through passages like 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Ephesians 1, exhorting the TMU community to make glorifying God the foundational pursuit of life. “Everything is to the praise of His glory,” MacArthur said. “This becomes the single definition of what it means to be a Christian: It is to live to the praise of His glory. We give Him glory — not in the sense that we add anything to His intrinsic glory, but we declare His glory, and we even manifest His glory as we live according to His will.” Video of these and other past chapel messages are available on TMU’s YouTube channel. Dr. John MacArthur was a highlight of WINTER 2023–24 11 the fall 2023 chapel speaker lineup. P H OT O BY M A R K F I N S T E R

TMU Today

ON CAMPUS

TMU’s Employees Serve Through Prayer Faculty and staff meet weekly to lift students, the school up in prayer.

BY CAMDEN SPECHT

Every Friday morning at The Master’s University, a group of faculty and staff meet to pray for the school. Dr. John Eickemeyer, professor of engineering and computer science and faithful member of the prayer group, says, “Prayer is one of the greatest means that we have at our disposal to be effective, so the Lord has raised up folks who have a heart to be on our knees together, seeking His face.”

The prayer group was born when a group of faculty and staff led by Dr. Paul Plew came together for weekly prayer meetings during the summer of 2018. When summer ended, Eickemeyer suggested they continue meeting every week, and since August of that year, the prayer meeting has been a steadfast tradition. “1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to pray without ceasing. That is significant,” Eickemeyer says. “When Philippians 4 tells us to ‘be

anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God,’ what else ought we to do but pray?” Eickemeyer suggests that a believer’s spiritual life can be compared to a laptop: If you remove the charging cable, the device will work for a short period of time. But without a necessary charge, the laptop will eventually die.

“We’ve been blessed with many students. The crops are abundant, and the fields are white for harvest,” Eickemeyer says. “We want to nurture these students academically and spiritually. We want to support our administration as they navigate challenging waters. We want to steer through trial and tribulation, as there are so many forces that are not on the side of Christ.” Learn more about TMU’s faculty at masters.edu/faculty.

ACADEMICS

TMU Online Reaches Record Enrollment Online and dual-enrollment programs see significant growth. BY KAELYN PEAY

TMU Online has seen a year-over-year increase in enrollment of more than 20% this year, pushing the number of students in online and dualenrollment programs at The Master’s University to unprecedented levels. Last year, TMU Online served over 1,000 students, and it’s on track to far surpass that number in 2023. These enrollment increases come at a time when TMU Online has been expanding its offerings. 12

The Master’s University Magazine

In recent years, TMU has launched a Master of Healthcare Administration and bachelor degree programs in communications- and marketingrelated fields. TMU Online’s well-established Master of Arts in Biblical Studies also continues to thrive. Learn more and explore program options at online.masters.edu.

Calendar

November 10

28 Giving Tuesday has quickly become one of the most exciting opportunities for those who desire to partner with TMU in providing a biblically faithful education to students. Learn more at masters.edu/giving-tuesday.

December FA L L O R C H E S T R A : SYMPHONIC MASTERWORKS Join us for a rousing evening concert with TMU’s Orchestra under the direction of Prof. Ben Mason. The program features favorite pieces and excerpts, headlined by music from Tchaikovsky’s stirring and triumphant fifth symphony. Get tickets at masters.edu/music-events.

12-13 PRELUDE WEEKEND Prelude Weekend is an exciting time for prospective music majors to visit our campus, stay in the dorms, sit in on music classes, ensembles, and private lessons, and audition for a School of Music scholarship. Learn more at masters.edu/prelude.

1-2 39 ANNUAL COME CHRISTMAS SING! CONCERT SERIES This year’s traditional Christmas concerts, entitled “Comfort and Joy,” will again feature student soloists and ensembles. The program will be structured around the biblical story of redemption, and (as always) audience members will join the chorus and orchestra in singing familiar carols to welcome the season. Learn more at masters.edu/christmas or get tickets at masters.edu/music-events. TH

1-2 CHRISTMAS MARKET Our Christmas market is an opportunity to buy gifts at boutiques, enjoy themed hot and cold beverages, and capture photos in a beautifully decorated space. Learn more at masters.edu/christmas-market.

M O N D AY S AT M A S T E R ’ S For prospective students and families, this is a great opportunity to get a snapshot of what TMU is all about. Visit classes, take a campus tour, attend chapel, learn about financial aid opportunities, meet TMU students, and get questions about TMU answered. Learn more at masters.edu/visit.

C A R O L S I N G W I T H D R . PA U L P L E W Mine the rich vein of seasonal music celebrating the birth of Christ in this special Christmas edition of the Hymnsing with Dr. Plew at 4 p.m. in the Music Recital Hall. Free admission, no tickets needed.

17 NAIA CROSS COUNTRY N AT I O N A L C H A M P I O N S H I P S TMU’s men’s and women’s cross country teams have been among the top teams in the country this season. The year’s biggest races will take place in Vancouver, Washington. Stay up to date on all the action at gomustangs.com.

24-25 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL THANKSGIVING CLASSIC The Mustangs will host Byran College (Tennessee) on Friday and Wayland Baptist University (Texas) on Saturday. Ticket info is available at gomustangs.com/ tickets. You can also watch the livestream at gomustangs.com/watch.

January 10-12 TRUTH & LIFE CONFERENCE The Truth & Life Conference takes place at TMU every January. This year’s speakers are Drs. John MacArthur, Abner Chou, and Ken Ham. For the latest information, visit masters.edu/truth-and-life.

10-12 PA R E N T S L E G A C Y W E E K E N D TMU’s inaugural Parents Legacy Weekend provides an opportunity for parents of current students to engage with the University’s administration team, especially Student Life leadership, and for TMU to express its gratitude toward parents for supporting their students. For the latest details and to reserve a spot, visit masters.edu/parents-weekend-24.

13 WINTER 5K Since 2011, The Master’s University Winter 5K has been a favorite among runners thanks to the welcoming atmosphere, scenic course, and community partnerships. Join us at 9 a.m. on Pete Reese Field for what promises to be a fun event for the entire family. Registration closes the day before the run. Sign up today at masters.edu/winter-5k-2024.

26-27 PUCCINI: GIANNI SCHICCHI TMU Opera will stage Puccini’s beloved one-act comedy about how a local upstart defeats a scheming and vengeful aristocratic family in 13th-century Florence. (Sung in English translation.) Get tickets at masters.edu/music-events.

February 8 MEN’S & WOMEN’S BASKETBALL VS. ARIZONA CHRISTIAN TMU’s basketball teams will host a doubleheader against the Arizona Christian University Firestorm. The ACU men are the defending GSAC regular season champions. Ticket info is available at gomustangs.com/tickets. You can also watch the livestream at gomustangs.com/watch.

16 ENSEMBLES CONCERT Come hear our jazz, percussion, and piano ensembles perform a variety of repertoire in the potpourri concert. You’ll enjoy every minute of this unique and lively program! Free admission, no tickets needed. Contact music@masters.edu for more information.

16 MEN’S VOLLEYBALL VS. BENEDICTINE The Mustangs will host last year’s national runner-up for a match inside The MacArthur Center. Ticket info is available at gomustangs.com/tickets. You can also watch the livestream at gomustangs.com/watch.

19 M O N D AY S AT M A S T E R ’ S For prospective students and families, this is a great opportunity to get a snapshot of what TMU is all about. Visit classes, take a campus tour, attend chapel, learn about financial aid opportunities, meet TMU students, and get questions about TMU answered. Learn more at masters.edu/visit.

23 THE MASTER’S CHORALE CONCERT Join us for an evening filled with wonderful music conducted by Dr. Marius Bahnean, our new Director of Choral Activities. The Chorale’s annual “home concert” is one of our most popular events, so be sure to get tickets before they sell out! Tickets are available at masters.edu/music-events.

24 C R E AT I O N S U M M I T 2 0 2 4 You’re invited to our annual Creation Summit, a conference exploring topics in science from the framework of six-day creation. Learn more at masters.edu/creationsummit.

For our full calendar, visit masters.edu/events. WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

Q+A FA C U LT Y F O C U S

with TMU’s Sport Management Director Dr. Wayne Rasmussen shares his heart for sports ministry and excitement for a new textbook on the topic. BY LUKE FITZGERALD

Why did you want to help write this textbook? Four years ago, when I was at Columbia International University, I put in a proposal to our publisher Human Kinetics. I thought this would be a winning textbook to have because there are 200 Christian universities and Bible colleges in America, and sports-ministry-related missions trips are very popular. I have a number of friends who are in full-time sports ministry. And in talking with them, I posed the question, “When you retire, where’s all your knowledge going? We ought to put a book together. And we ought to do it based on the Scriptures and stay true to the mission of the gospel.”

Have you been involved in sports ministry? Yes I have, but I am the least of the sports ministers in this textbook. One of my co-authors, Bill Galipault (who teaches adjunct at TMU), typified my sports ministry most accurately as incarnational ministry. My work has been more in the field as a head soccer coach and athletic director, working with pro soccer teams, and just lifting Christ up and talking about the gospel as the opportunities present themselves.

The Master’s University Magazine

Dr. Wayne Rasmussen, director of the sport management program at TMU, co-authored a recently released textbook titled “Sports Ministry.” P H OT O BY RYA N M I L L E R

How have you seen God use you in this field? In life, especially in pro sports, things can get messy. Coaches and athletes sometimes marry their sports and lose their families in the process. Things fall apart. One such coach came to me once and said, “You gotta help me, man. I’m on my third marriage and about to lose that. I’m just a mess.” On the soccer field, this coach was highly successful. Outside the soccer field, not so much, by his own admission. We were able to talk about the gospel, and he came to the Lord and placed his faith in Jesus Christ.

What are some core takeaways from the sections you wrote in the textbook? One of the biggest takeaways is the ability to do relationships. A lot of people say, “Well, is sports your ministry?” Yes, you could make that argument. But I actually view it as the place I’m privileged to do relationships in a sport or an event, which often results in ministry and gospel-sharing. It can be right here on campus; it can be in the neighborhood; it can be Southern California, the U.S., or anywhere in the

world. This sports ministry book tries to capture everything that a college student would need to consider, either when going on a sports ministry trip or actually doing a sports ministry once they graduate.

What are your hopes for teaching sports ministry at TMU? When people think about the intersection of sports and faith, we want them to think of The Master’s University and our commitment to the Scriptures and to Jesus Christ. The more people we can inspire to get out there and do sports ministry, the better. Ultimately, we’re praying that the Lord will use this sports ministry textbook and the larger sport management major here at TMU for His glory.

A SHORT READING LIST ON

Worship Worship: The Ultimate Priority John MacArthur A bona-fide classic! After four decades in print, it’s no less relevant or trenchant than when it was first published.

For the Glory of God: Recovering a Biblical Theology of Worship Daniel I. Block See note on “Recalling the Hope of Glory” below.

Recalling the Hope of Glory: Biblical Worship from the Garden to the New Creation Allen P. Ross

Served as the LA Galaxy’s director of operations and player development during the team’s inaugural MLS season in 1996.

“For the Glory of God” and “Recalling the Hope of Glory” are two outstanding books by renowned Old Testament scholars that “raised the bar” for biblical theologies of worship; both essential reading.

Biblical Worship: Theology for God’s Glory Benjamin K. Forrest, Walter C. Kaiser, and Vernon M. Whaley

Created and directed the undergraduate sport management program at Columbia International University in South Carolina.

This work traces references to worship through every book in the Bible, benefiting from an outstanding slate of contributors.

Reaching Out Without Dumbing Down: A Theology of Worship for This Urgent Time Marva J. Dawn The book that best defined the “worship wars” at the end of the last century — still brims with helpful insights.

Co-authored a college textbook titled “Sports Ministry,” which was published earlier this year by Human Kinetics.

C O M P O S E D BY

DR. DON HEDGES

Dean, Paul T. Plew School of Music

THE TEXTBOOK IS AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AT BOOKSHOP.ORG.

WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

ON CAMPUS

TMU Sings Through the Psalms This year’s Psalms Project events feature devotionals and musical arrangements centered on the Psalter. BY KAELYN PEAY

This year, the Paul T. Plew School of Music at The Master’s University is presenting a new series of programs called “The Psalms Project.” These Sunday afternoon events are opportunities for faculty, staff, students, alumni, and members of the community to hear a short devotional on a given psalm and experience different musical settings of the passage from throughout church history. The first of these gatherings, centered on Psalm 23, included a brand new setting of the “shepherd psalm” composed by TMU music professors and husband and wife, Lauren and Ben Mason.

“There is a welcome resurgence of interest in singing from the Psalter — the inspired songbook we carry with us in our Bibles,” says Dr. Don Hedges, dean of the School of Music. “We trust these programs will be engaging, educational, and in the end, inspirational.” Go to masters.edu/arts-andevents/music to see a schedule for upcoming Psalms Project events and other musical performances. Contact music@masters.edu for more information.

Dr. Abner Chou has been a regular at TMU’s Truth & Life Conference. Here, he’s shown at the 2022 event.

ON CAMPUS

Truth & Life 2024 Is Just Around the Corner Ken Ham, Abner Chou, and John MacArthur are scheduled to speak at annual conference. BY KAELYN PEAY

The Master’s University will be hosting its annual Truth & Life Conference on Jan. 10-12. Speakers will include Chancellor John MacArthur, President Abner Chou, and Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis.

The Master’s University Magazine

For the latest information on this year’s conference, please visit masters.edu/truth-and-life. Each session of Truth & Life will be available via livestream at masters.edu/live and on Facebook and YouTube.

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WINTER 2023–24

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OUTSIDE THE CANYON

TMU Receives High Marks in Wall Street Journal Rankings The University was ranked No. 2 nationally in the ‘recommendation’ category and No. 4 for ‘career and learning opportunities.’

BY KAELYN PEAY AND M ASON NESBIT T

The Master’s University received high marks in college rankings released by The Wall Street Journal this fall. TMU ranked No. 2 in the nation in the “recommendation” category, measuring how likely a school’s students and recent alumni are to recommend their institution and whether they’d enroll there again if they could make the decision over. The University also came in No. 4 nationally in the “career and learning opportunities” category. TMU ranked sixth in the country when career preparation was measured on its own. These results come from the WSJ/College Pulse

2024 Best Colleges survey. Organizers polled more than 60,000 students and recent alumni nationwide about their institutions, using the results to tabulate a list of the top 400 universities in the country. Among private universities in California — like USC, Stanford, and Pepperdine — TMU was No. 1 in learning facilities, No. 2 in learning opportunities, and No. 2 in career preparation. Dr. Abner Chou, TMU’s president, said he believes that the University’s high marks in career preparation are “a demonstration of the sufficiency of Christ and Scripture.” “When everything is done according to the truth of God’s Word,” he said, “you

have the most consistent, compounding, complete education, to know not just the truth but the whole truth, which the world so desperately needs in every area. “While some might be skeptical of whether capturing all things to Christ is practical and helpful, when ideas and life match the truth, the way things really are, there is nothing more compelling or practical. And we have given our lives so that students can be that for the Lord Jesus Christ.” Chou was also encouraged by TMU’s No. 2 ranking in the “recommendation” category. “I daily give thanks to the Lord for our students and

alumni,” Chou says. “I have constantly said that our students are the best; they are a tremendous encouragement to me, and as Paul expressed, they are our joy and crown and even our vindication. We are so grateful that they have felt for us all that we have felt and labored for them.” He continued: “Our students and alumni are the best metric for measuring a school for what it is. They know what we are all about and can assess if we are that.” This isn’t the first time that rankings from The Wall Street Journal have been complimentary to TMU. In 2017 and 2018, the school was ranked as the No. 1 “right choice” university.

WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

AT H L E T I C S

Busy Winter Awaits the Mustangs A preview of TMU’s winter teams, a group that now includes swim and dive, and indoor track and field.

BY DAVE CALDWELL

For decades, the only winter sports competing for The Master’s University were men’s and women’s basketball (with the addition of women’s indoor track and field in 2014). But in the last several years, the University has added swimming and diving as well as men’s indoor track and field, with more and more athletes choosing TMU and bringing those rosters to record numbers. Last season, TMU made a lot of noise in the NAIA during the winter, highlighted by two individual national titles. With a returning base of All-Americans and the addition of several nationally recognized newcomers, these teams will continue to honor Christ through their success. As always, your best source for all things TMU Athletics is gomustangs.com, where you will find results from the fall season, schedules, stats, and livestreams of games.

Men’s Basketball HEAD COACH

Kelvin Starr 8 TH SEASON KALEB LOWERY

The Master’s University Magazine

NILTON DOS SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA

OVERVIEW

This year’s team promises to be fast, athletic, and exciting, especially with the addition of a pair of NCAA Division I transfers mixing with NAIA First-Team All-American Kaleb Lowery and a core group of players that, if healthy, could make a deep run in the national tournament. KEY RE TURNERS

Kaleb Lowery 1st Team NAIA All-American, ’22-23 Jordan Caruso All-GSAC, ’22-23 Kamrin Oriol GSAC Freshman of the Year, ’22-23 Caden Starr 11.0 ppg KEY NEWCOMERS

Ty Harper transfer, NCAA D1 Eastern Washington University Jaren Nafarrete transfer, NCAA D1 Seattle University Tiago Soares brother of former Mustangs Tim, Jessica, and Stephanie L AST SEASON

20-9 Overall, 13-5 GSAC (2nd) SISTERS BELLE, LEF T, AND LEXI HERN ANDEZ

Women’s Basketball

Men’s Indoor Track & Field

HEAD COACH

Lisa Zamroz 3 RD SEASON

Zach Schroeder 18 TH SEASON OVERALL; 2

OVERVIEW

Four of five starters return from a team that narrowly missed the NAIA tournament last year. The squad also added several high-profile freshmen who are expected to make an immediate impact. Plus, three non-conference road trips will test and prepare the team for its 14-game conference schedule. KEY RE TURNERS

Madeline Cooke GSAC-best 53 blocks in ’22-23 Marin Lenz 11.5 ppg; 3.2 apg in ’22-23 Lexi Hernandez 8.4 rebounds per game; 9.1 ppg Belle Hernandez 11.3 ppg KEY NEWCOMERS

L AST SEASON

KYLEE SEARS

WITH INDOOR

OVERVIEW

TMU’s first season of men’s indoor track and field was a remarkable success last year, with the Mustangs winning individual national titles in both the pole vault and the distance medley relay (DMR). Several of those athletes return for 2024. The team also added talented throwers Dominic Grinceri, Dawson Marks, and Seth Richardson, who along with returner Josh Williamson, should give TMU one of the best throwing groups in the NAIA. KEY RE TURNERS

Nicole Chuang 18.4 ppg as a senior at West Torrance High Laney Grider Co-Foothill League Player of the Year, Hart High 17-10 Overall, 10-8 GSAC (5th)

Caleb Pouliot indoor and outdoor pole vault national champion in ’23 Brint Laubach 3x All-GSAC Daniel Rush NAIA All-American, outdoor 5k Hunter Romine NAIA All-American, indoor 5k Zach Garey member of DMR national championship team

Sam Jean member of DMR national championship team KEY NEWCOMERS

Jacob Fredericks Foothill League XC Champion Emmanuel De Leon Transfer from Menlo; GSAC Freshman of the Year

Women’s Indoor Track & Field HEAD COACH

Zach Schroeder 18 TH SEASON OVERALL; 11 TH WITH INDOOR OVERVIEW

The Mustangs’ latest trip to the NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships was highlighted by two All-American relay teams and school records for both Ellen Palmgren in the 600 meters and Hannah Fredericks in the 1,000 meters. With all but one of those runners returning this year, TMU will be looking to continue building one of the premier programs in the nation.

SAM JEAN

SUZIE JOHNSON

WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

KEY NEWCOMERS

KEY RE TURNERS

Desmond Sutanto Indonesia national record holder, 4x100 free relay team Dylan Crane CIF finalist, Huntington Beach HS Tyler LeDet California Community College state runner-up, 500 free JD Torres Sierra College; CCCAA All-American

Hannah Fredericks 3x indoor NAIA All-American in ’23 Ellen Palmgren 3x indoor NAIA All-American in ’23 Suzie Johnson NAIA All-American, indoor 4x800 in ’23 Rebekah Niednagel NAIA All-American, indoor DMR in ’23 KEY NEWCOMERS

Sierra Hale libero on TMU’s women’s volleyball team Juliette Colunga Central Valley Conference Most Valuable Female Athlete Kayli Lincoln Los Alamos HS

Women’s Swimming & Diving HEAD COACH

Curren Bates 3 RD SEASON

Men’s Swimming & Diving

OVERVIEW

The TMU women’s swim and dive program is coming off its best year with a ninth-place finish at the NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships. Three All-Americans return — including sophomore Kylee Sears, the national runner-up in the 500 freestyle — while several newcomers bring high hopes and fast times to the team.

HEAD COACH

Curren Bates 3 RD SEASON OVERVIEW

Last season, The Master’s finished better than ever in the pool, placing 11th at the NAIA Swimming and Diving National Championships in Columbus, Georgia. Team records fell and four swimmers earned All-American distinction. All four of those athletes return this season, and with the addition of 10 swimmers (giving the Mustangs a full-sized roster for the first time), the goal of a top-10 team finish is within grasp.

KEY RE TURNERS

Kylee Sears 4x NAIA All-American in ’23 Trudy Patterson 2x NAIA All-American in ’23 Jasmine Biederman NAIA All-American, 400 medley relay in ’23 KEY NEWCOMERS

KEY RE TURNERS

Andrew Crabtree 2x NAIA All-American; 800 freestyle and 400 medley relays in ’23 JT Sears 2x NAIA All-American; 800 free, 400 medley relays in ’23 Freddie Cole 2x NAIA All-American; 800 free, 400 medley relays Nilton Dos Santos de Oliveira 2x NAIA All-American; 800 free, 400 medley relays

Camryn Bussey Sierra College, CCCAA state champion Rebekah Benedict 4x state qualifier Hope Gutierrez CIF qualifier Elizabeth Cole 3x state qualifier DAVE CALDWELL IS TMU’S SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR.

W H AT ’ S I N Y O U R O F F I C E ?

With Dr. Jordan Morton

A STUDENT’S THANKS

DEAN, PEARL C. SCHAFFER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

“That was a gift from one of my high school students in 1994 — it’s a teacher appreciation plaque.”

P H OT O S BY B O J A N H O

A GOODBYE IN CERAMIC

“That plate was a gift from a professor at a previous institution when I was leaving. It’s decorated with a vintage teacher scene.”

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A CUTE GIFT

“I got those as a gift from my husband recently for our 38th anniversary. I have no idea why he chose birds — we give each other pretty random gifts for our anniversaries.”

RESOURCES

Women’s Hope Podcast Kicks Off New Season Dr. Shelbi Cullen and Kimberly Cummings are discussing complementarianism — and much more — this academic year. BY KAELYN PEAY

The Women’s Hope Podcast, a show produced by The Master’s University and hosted by Dr. Shelbi Cullen and Kimberly Cummings, is back for another season this year. The season opened with a series on complementarianism, highlighting God’s design for men and women in marriage and the church. This first series included a guest appearance by Dr. Mike Riccardi, pastor of local outreach at Grace Community Church. “We need to start with what the Word of God says (about men and women),” Cullen, a biblical counseling professor at TMU, said in the season premiere. “And the Word of God has a lot to say about this particular issue.” Future episodes in the season will include a series on the foundations of women’s ministry. You can listen at masters.edu/womens-hope or wherever you get your podcasts.

A MOMENTOUS MILESTONE

“That sign marks the year when I got my doctorate, in 2016.”

AN EARLIER ERA

“That’s a classic American painting of a one-room schoolhouse. I also have some traditional American school portraits of women teaching.”

WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

STUDENT FOCUS

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Christopher Guerra’s experience at SetPoint Medical highlighted the preparation he’s received in TMU’s engineering program.

BY JOSEPHINE LEE

Christopher Guerra, a junior engineering student, has long been interested in creating products that address everyday concerns, from entertainment to health.

Christopher Guerra, a junior at The Master’s University, says that his time in TMU’s engineering program has prepared him to take on real-world challenges. This year, he had the chance to put that statement to the test during an internship with SetPoint Medical, a Santa Clarita-based company developing bioelectronic devices. Guerra has long been interested in creating products that address everyday concerns, from entertainment to health. But prior to the internship, he wasn’t aware of any opportunities for mechanical engineers in the medical industry.

Project Coordinator SERVPRO

get started at alumni.masters.edu/jobs

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His experience at SetPoint was both eye-opening and hands-on. As a

manufacturing engineering intern, Guerra helped develop test stations for various device components and establish procedures to protect electronics from electrostatic discharge (ESD). He also learned the strict documentation processes required to meet standards in the medical field. Professors commended Guerra as an excellent candidate for the position. But taking the first step into the workforce, particularly at a biomedical company, can be intimidating. Guerra says becoming a part of the SetPoint team increased his confidence. “One of the biggest things I struggled with when I first got the position was that it seemed like everyone was so experienced and so knowledgeable, and I’m just this college intern coming

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in,” he said. “But my coworkers really helped me to be more confident in my stances and be willing to put forth my ideas, and even take more initiative and leadership positions.” As it turns out, Guerra was more than prepared to step up. He credits TMU with training him in the necessary skills. For instance, he learned in class how to operate SOLIDWORKS, the 3D design software used at SetPoint. He said, “Having that experience from my classes and having the certification that I got at TMU has been really, really helpful. When they show me a SOLIDWORKS drawing, I’m instantly able to understand what’s going on and navigate it properly.” In TMU’s engineering department, Guerra says he appreciates the smaller

class sizes and insights he’s gleaned from experienced faculty. He says he looks forward to advancing further in his skills as he completes his degree. “In class, it was sometimes hard to see exactly how things related to an actual job,” he said. “Now that I’ve seen what it’s like in my internship, it’s become evident that what I’ve learned at TMU has been extremely valuable.” TMU offers degrees in mechanical, electrical, and computer engineering. Learn more at masters.edu/ecs.

Do you like dealing with difficult things? No, and neither does anyone else. In fact, people love dealing with things that are easy. You can grow demand for your products and services just by making them easier to access and use. WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

ACADEMICS

A Real-World Understanding of Real Estate Dr. Dwight Ham’s course prepares students to navigate all aspects of the housing market.

Since 2008, Dr. Dwight Ham has helped students at The Master’s University prepare to become future homeowners and real estate investors. In Real Estate Principles, students develop literacy in the wide range of events and issues that affect the housing market — from the 2008 financial crisis, to the workfrom-home movement, to the rise of Airbnb.

BY JOSEPHINE LEE

Ham is chair of the Department of Business Administration, through which Real Estate Principles is offered, and has been involved in business for over 40 years. With Ham’s background, it’s no surprise that 26

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though assigned reading and exams are part of the course’s fare, hands-on practicality is the real name of the game. Over the course of the semester, students have three major projects to complete. First, they gain experience in all the real-world elements involved in purchasing a first home, from attending open houses to studying financing costs. Second, they walk through the necessary steps to complete a theoretical house-flipping project. Finally, they’re instructed to plan the purchase of an investment property and determine the development of its value.

FA C U LT Y U P D A T E S

In August, Dr. John Beck (business and communication) presented his research in the field of entrepreneurship education to an online conference of the United States Association of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He also gave a lecture on emerging trends in the video game industry to business and entrepreneurship students at Valencia High School. He is currently overseeing a game-design elective offered to computer science and communication students — the first of its kind to be offered at TMU.

Dr. Gregg Frazer (political studies) will be participating

Ham also has a roster of experienced guest speakers queued to share their real estate expertise. Speakers range from TMU alumni involved in commercial appraising, to Ham’s son, who operates a successful Airbnb business. Together, the projects and lectures are intended to help learners absorb exactly what they need in order to become effective in the field, as many of Ham’s students have done. Some will become investors and property owners, while others will transition into credit and financing, maintenance, or construction. Still others will pursue a secondary income to support their vocation. The course’s wide range of applications makes it useful for anyone. Students can also expect to gain a practical understanding of how to wisely manage their resources. “We acknowledge that all of what we have and own belongs to God,” Ham said. “Stewardship is taking good care of what God has given us. It encompasses much more than just giving. It’s how we use our money, how we employ it, how we invest it.”

in a one-on-one debate at Biola University on Nov. 8. He will debate Dr. Mark David Hall of Regent University on two topics: “Was the American Revolution a ‘Just War’?” and “Was the American Revolution Biblical?”

At the request of local school districts, Prof. Cindy Hallman (education) is once again offering a series of professional development workshops for area teachers. The focus of the workshops is how to teach reading. TMU’s Pearl C. Schaffer School of Education is grateful to be viewed as a source of expertise by these districts.

Dr. Grant Horner (English and classical liberal arts) spoke at two conferences in Africa this October, one in Uganda and the other in Kenya. These conferences were hosted by Rafiki, an organization in the early stages of converting a thousand existing African schools to a classical Christian model. Horner is helping to provide academic leadership for Rafiki as a senior member of the Alcuin Fellows, a think tank for classical Christian education.

Dr. Jordan Morton (education) was selected to give a presentation at a state-wide conference for professors in education, the Meredith Fellows Performance Assessment Implementation Conference. The event, Sept. 13-14, is put on by the State of California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. Morton spoke about strategies she developed for teaching student teachers how to use rubrics for assessment in mathematics classes. This is the third time Morton has been selected to present at this annual conference.

Dr. William Varner (Bible) has been interviewed on a

number of podcasts about two of his books, “The Apostolic Fathers” and “A Handbook for Praying Scripture.” He has also published several articles on Focus on the Family’s website, “The Focused Pastor.” Additionally, he was honored to have his detailed “Bibliography of the Apostolic Fathers” released through Oxford University Press.

LEARN MORE ABOUT TMU’S BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MAJOR AT MASTERS.EDU/BUSINESS.

WINTER 2023–24

“CAN A MAN CARRY FIRE NEXT TO HIS CHEST AND NOT BE

BURNED?”

Guard against digital temptation with detailed, real-time accountability software. 28

The Master’s University Magazine Accountable2You.com/TMU

— PROVERBS 6:27

ALUMNI

Music Grad Wins Big in Composition Competitions Christopher Enloe (’18) has composed his way into three awards and additional musical opportunities this year.

BY KAELYN PEAY

It’s been a big year for Christopher Enloe (’18). He has won three prizes in composition competitions, received a commission to compose an organ piece, and been invited to advise the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. But fundamentally, Enloe’s work as a composer is about so much more. “I have two feelings simultaneously,” he said. “On the one hand, it’s really encouraging for me as a composer to see that my work is being appreciated, that there are ensembles that are excited to perform these pieces. At the same time, in this stage of life, I’m constantly reminded how small these things are in comparison to my marriage or ministry to the church. As wonderful as these awards are, in an eternal sense, they only matter insofar as the Lord uses them for His glory.”

of Music in Composition. Since then, he’s earned a master’s degree in composition from The Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University, where he is currently a doctoral student. This spring, Enloe won first prize in the O/Modernt Composition Award competition and second prize in the Musica Sacra Nova competition. He also received the BMI Composer Award, which was given to six winners out of a pool of over 500 applicants. In addition, the American Guild of Organists commissioned him to produce a new work (titled “Exsultet”) alongside an organist from Rice University. The O/Modernt press release praises Enloe’s work for its “highly expressive qualities and cohesive dramatic structure” and “skillful use of expressionism and sonority.”

This gave him a unique opportunity to participate in novel, AI-aided compositions and contribute to discussions about the use of AI in music. As for the future, Enloe is leaving it in the Lord’s hands. “In the end, I don’t know what the Lord is going to do with my music,” he says. “All I know is that I’m called to write — that this is something that needs to be a part of my life, because He’s gifted me to do it and given me the opportunity to do it. And I trust that He will work it out for His own glory. Whether my pieces are being performed in public and my name is more prominent doesn’t really matter. What matters is, ‘Is Christ glorified in my life?’” Learn more about studying music at TMU, at masters.edu/music.

Then in August, Enloe came on as an advising composer for the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in its experimental “AI in A Minor” concert.

Enloe graduated from The Master’s University in 2018 with a Bachelor

WINTER 2023–24

TMU Today

Seasonal concerts have heralded Christmas on campus for nearly four decades.

A seasonal staple at The Master’s University, the 39th annual Come Christmas Sing! concerts will take place on Dec. 1 and 2. This year’s program, titled “Comfort and Joy,” is structured around nine Scripture passages outlining God’s redemptive plan, from the fall of Adam through the incarnation. Musical selections featuring TMU’s choral and instrumental ensembles and soloists will coordinate with the Bible readings. Audience members will also be invited to join the choir and orchestra in singing familiar carols. Dr. Don Hedges, dean of the Paul T. Plew School of Music, describes the mix of traditional carols, folk settings, and concert music as a “mosaic” of varied but cohesive pieces. “The larger purpose,” he says, “is to help attendees focus on the true meaning of Christmas right at the beginning of the season. We want to be the first to wish people in our community a merry Christmas, and to lift our voices in song together with theirs in praise of the One who ‘became poor, that we through His poverty might be rich.’”

P H OT O BY A N N I E V L A D O V S K A

ON CAMPUS

A Time To Celebrate ‘Comfort and Joy’ This year’s Come Christmas Sing! concert series retells the Christmas story as part of God’s redemptive plan.

Join the celebration by purchasing tickets at masters.edu/christmas.

BY JOSEPHINE LEE

Last year’s Christmas Market added to the festive spirit on campus.

ON CAMPUS

TMU To Host Second Annual Christmas Market BY TMU STAFF

The Master’s University will host its second annual Christmas Market outside The MacArthur Center on Dec. 1 and 2. More than 10 small businesses will be on hand, selling everything from handmade ornaments to quilted jackets and soy candles.

Visitors can enjoy hot beverages at Trophy Coffee and baked goods from vendors. Even if you won’t be attending TMU’s annual Christmas concerts, you are welcome to come by the market, which will be open from 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 1, and 1-9 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 2.

Many of the vendors are TMU alumni.

See a full list of vendors at masters.edu/christmas-market.

The Master’s University Magazine

The Master’s University MacArthur Center WINTER 2023–24

Features

This new study spot is one of the most scenic on campus, overlooking The MacArthur Center and Reese Field. The view looked very different in 1965 when Pete Reese arrived. Read more in the following pages. 32

The Master’s University Magazine

P H OT O BY B O J A N H O

A Love Letter to Everything I’ve Learned

Pete Reese Paved the Way WINTER 2023–24

A LOVE LETTER TO EVERYTHING I’VE Features

Senior Josephine Lee reflects on an educational journey she never could have predicted. PHOTOS BY

M ARK FINSTER 34

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WINTER 2023–24

Features

EDITOR’S NOTE Josephine Lee is a senior at TMU double-majoring in communication and interdisciplinary studies (in English and geoscience). Lee is an international student from Malaysia and the daughter of a missionary who graduated from The Master’s Seminary. She has been able to attend TMU in part through the assistance of The Master’s Global Scholarship.

BY JOSEPHINE LEE In 2018, my dream school was a liberal arts college in New York City. What made it so attractive was not anything the director of admissions had to say. Instead, it was the glossy aura about the school: metropolitan, transformative, creative. This place, it seemed to say, prepared you to contribute to society in a capital-C kind of way.

on the horizon, and thus almost too familiar. I thought the lifechanging experience I needed and the ambitious person I wanted to become would best be uncovered in a place like New York. Despite my desires, a combination of generous scholarships and parental guidance ultimately guided me away from the East Coast to TMU in Southern California.

The appeal of such a place was not lost on me. I’d spent my formative years in a classical Christian school characterized by long class discussions on thought-provoking topics accompanied by equally long essays. My time there engrained in me a love for learning and the eagerness to Do Great Things.

I was thankful for the open doors, but in the back of my mind there was a niggling doubt that I’d missed out on something big by trading my aspirations for some much-needed practicality.

As the daughter of a Master’s Seminary graduate, I felt like The Master’s University was always

The Master’s University Magazine

I’m happy to report that I was wrong.

Why Education, Anyway? In today’s society, education is seen

as the norm — and sometimes the necessary evil — that grants access to the essentials of life in the 21st century: a fulfilling career, financial stability, and a good retirement plan. And so it’s tempting to think about college in the most pragmatic of terms — the fastest degree, for the biggest return on investment. As a result, humanities degrees have become a luxury, to be avoided by the sensible in favor of tracks that are seemingly more job relevant. Meanwhile, accelerated programs and college alternatives are proliferating. Contemporary wisdom

Getting to know faculty members like Prof. Jo Suzuki has been a highlight of Lee’s time at TMU, she says.

says, if you’re going to expend fourplus years and thousands of dollars on schooling, you’d better choose the biggest, quickest launchpad to a fruitful career. As a student at a liberal arts school, I fully understand these sentiments. I’ve heard the fears that what we’re studying might just be useless. I’ve been warned about my dwindling opportunities in an increasingly competitive job market. And, I’ll admit, I’ve debated switching majors for practicality’s sake. But from my rich experience here,

I’ve also realized that when we see college only as a pit stop to the real world, we’re in danger of missing out on some incredible things. I want to argue that for the 16 million Americans who are still choosing college in 2023, it’s time to demand more from our education. This means freeing ourselves from the limiting notion that success is just a good salary at a good job. It means becoming more ambitious – not with earning money, but with learning what we love. It means trading “Is this degree going to take me where I want to go?” for "Will it make me the

person I want to become?" Allowing ourselves a broader perspective on education may be uncomfortable, uncertain, and at times downright scary. But it may just be life-changing. After all, when you choose the byroads over the highway, you get to smell the roses.

Who Do You Want to Be? When I enrolled at TMU, I chose to be a communication major — not even knowing totally what communication entailed, just that it was something I could enjoy

WINTER 2023–24

Features

doing in the long-term. I put my other passions on the backburner, thinking I’d revive them someday. In 2020, I was unable to leave my home country of Malaysia, and my admissions counselor, in the throes of coordinating my virtual class schedule, found a narrow window of communication electives that aligned with my time zone. Among them were two classes with Dr. Julie Larson. If I had known a little more about Dr. Larson’s challenging workload, perhaps I would have signed up for a lighter class. But, blissful freshman that I was, I registered for both. That semester, I was locked in an intense battle with my schoolwork virtually around the clock. But in the process, I learned for the first time how to conduct textual analysis and run a research project. At Dr. Larson’s suggestion, I began to consider graduate school. I’d found the theoretical, rhetorical side of communication, one that scratched my itch to think and write in a new way. I arrived at TMU, finally in-person, in the fall of 2021. I was confident in my chosen degree and excited for the new aspects of communication I would discover. But the discoveries I made in the next few semesters were not ones I could have anticipated. It was my high school friend — and first college roommate — who sparked the first of many adventures. As communication majors, we had the option to take a few interestingsounding English classes as electives. My friend had picked out a course taught by Prof. Jo Suzuki. I decided to join her. What began as an opportunity to 38

The Master’s University Magazine

take something “for fun” eventually altered the trajectory of my college years. That class with Prof. Suzuki introduced me to the possibility of examining literary and critical theory from the foundation of the Bible. Grappling with these subjects, once so abstract and foreign to me, has become a tangible expression of my faith. The next semester, I almost chose a seemingly more relevant course over Prof. Suzuki’s study of feminist criticism. But my roommate again pushed me. “I can’t think of a single class you’d enjoy more,” she said. She was right. That semester I had to face hard questions and refuse simple answers. As we developed a biblical conception of femininity, I knew that what I was learning was not only giving me a new passion for academics but strengthening my understanding of Scripture. At the end of that semester, I found myself in the office of Prof. Esther Chua, chair of the Department of Arts and Letters, asking if there was a way I could add an English major to my degree plan. At the time, I couldn’t quite swing the requirements, but I couldn’t shake the desire to get more of what I was learning. Early the next semester, in whispered conversation in the back of the library, another friend persuaded me to look into a new program TMU had just designed. At first, knowing that she was a triplemajor and therefore certifiably crazy, I brushed the idea aside. But later that week I was back in Prof. Chua’s office, this time to ask about the interdisciplinary studies major. I was swimming in all the possibilities of changing my degree,

adding majors, wrangling with their respective consequences on my approaching future, when Prof. Chua looked at me and bluntly asked, “You’ve got to ask yourself, is this worth it?” She wasn’t asking, is it worth it for your career? Your next job? She was asking if it was worth it to me. It’s a question I’ve pondered several times when I debated if it was worth taking courses for no credit, studying seemingly irrelevant subjects, putting an extra semester into the classroom that I could have spent entering the workforce. But again and again, the push of encouraging advisors, intellectual peers who became friends, professors passionate about noir

films and dinosaurs and storytelling, has led me to the same answer: Yes. I’ve realized that the practicality of my classes wasn’t limited to their checkbox on my degree sheet, but in their capacity for developing me into the person I want to become. When I stopped educating myself only for the sake of meeting a requirement, I was freed to learn anything I found valuable, from how to analyze a Maupassant story to how to evaluate the stock market. We sometimes forget the simple magic about universities — that for a few years, you can learn almost anything you want. But if that freedom is also causing you to waver before those crisis-evoking, “What do I want to do for the rest of my life?” questions, here’s my fundamental piece of advice: Learn into the person you want to be.

Lee has taken advantage of class offerings across different departments, from business to Bible.

Lee says an interdisciplinary education has prepared her to pursue a future in research and writing.

If you want to be smart, choose a major that drives you to your mental limits. If you want to be a kinder, more thoughtful person, take courses that teach you interpersonal skills. If you want to know Jesus more deeply, find a school that will tell you what the Bible really says. Know who you want to become, and your academic choices will follow. I’m fortunate to have found a home for my interdisciplinary passions in TMU. Between communication, English, and geoscience, my degree combination may sound like a bad recipe for an ambiguous future. But what I’m really graduating with is a hard-earned confidence in my faith, the ability to engage with critical cultural issues, a passion for the wise stewardship of nature, and a desire to creatively communicate these ideas. I’m excited to pursue graduate studies, where I’ll get to dive deeper into some of the very subjects I previously thought I was checking at the door. By the way, that dream school of mine? I heard recently that it’s closing. But that’s alright. Turns out, you don’t need New York City to broaden your horizons or make capital-C contributions. TMU gave me the opportunity to develop in my entire person — both intellectually and spiritually. And that’s all I need in order to be prepared for whatever God has next.

WINTER 2023–24

EDITOR’S NOTE The Master’s University (previously Los Angeles Baptist College) is nearing its 100th year as an institution. As we approach the milestone in 2027, this is the first in a series of stories about men and women used mightily by the Lord in our history.

In 1965, a 26-yearold was tasked with building LABC’s athletic department from the ground up. He never balked at the challenge — or the hard work that accompanied it.

ETE REESE PAVED the WAY written by Mason Nesbitt

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Features

These days, you’ll find Pete Reese in southwestern Ohio. More than likely, if the weather cooperates, he’s riding a John Deere tractor, pulling a lawn mower attachment at a slow, steady clip. Reese is nearly 85. After serving as athletic director of Los Angeles Baptist College from 1965 to 1985, he returned to his native Ohio, working at Cedarville University until officially retiring six years ago. Now he volunteers there, cutting large swaths of grass for up to 40 hours each week. “I have a cemetery plot adjacent to where I mow every day,” Reese said by phone in September. “When they carry me there, I guess that’s when I’ll slow down.” When he said this, Reese didn’t laugh — at least not at first. He was most likely kidding, but it’s hard to be sure because his humor is notoriously dry, and his work ethic — demonstrated in building LABC’s athletic department almost from scratch — is truly relentless.

BEGINNINGS Ronald Lee Reese was born in Bellbrook, Ohio, in 1938. “Pete” was a nickname his father gave him. The moniker stuck. Growing up, Pete lived on a farm and distinguished himself in athletics. He was a 42

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Reese won more than W I N T E R 2 0 2200 3 –games 2 4 as head43 men’s basketball coach at LABC.

Features

Reese was a fierce competitor. But he was even more passionate about shaping men of Christlike character.

The Master’s University Magazine

Reese could have panicked due to the challenges he faced at LABC. Instead, he decided to make the most of the opportunity and trust the Lord with the results.

self-proclaimed “mama’s boy,” choosing to play college basketball at nearby Cedarville, where he remains in the top-10 of the Yellow Jackets’ all-time scoring list. After graduating in 1960, Reese moved to Flint, Michigan, and worked as a teacher and junior high coach. He also earned a master’s degree in education from Eastern Michigan University. In 1965, he received a phone call that changed his life. Dr. John Dunkin, LABC’s

president, had heard of Reese through a mutual acquaintance. He wanted the 26-year-old to be LABC’s athletic director, basketball coach, and chair of the physical education department. Reese would also be dean of men — supervising and living with the male population of Hotchkiss Hall.

Reese and his wife, Joyce, prayed over the decision and felt called to California. “I was young and naive,” Reese says. “The only thing I knew was that this was what God wanted us to do.”

“I don’t even know what goes on in a dormitory,” Reese, who lived at home during his time at Cedarville, told Dunkin.

Three weeks after the birth of their second child, Pete and Joyce hooked a U-Haul onto the back of a Chevy Impala and set off for LABC — sight unseen. Seven days and 2,000 miles later, they arrived, exhausted, in Newhall.

“It won’t take you long to find out,” the president replied.

LABC wasn’t what Reese had envisioned. He knew there wasn’t a basketball

gym; the Gideons, as the men’s basketball team was called at the time, practiced on a slab of concrete on the east side of campus. But based on a photo he’d seen, Reese expected a beautiful baseball diamond. That pristine field, in fact, belonged to nearby Hart High. Instead, the land destined to be LABC’s field (later called Pete Reese Field) was covered in trees and brush, and the school’s athletic equipment was likewise uninspiring. “There was a baseball bat and a few balls,” Reese says, “and that was that.”

WINTER 2023–24

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Reese could have panicked. Instead, he was thankful for having made the jump from coaching middleschoolers to college athletes in a single bound. He decided to make the most of the opportunity and trust the Lord with the results. A local newspaper, The Signal, gave Reese an early vote of confidence. An article from Oct. 28, 1965 reads, “(Reese) intends to make a baseball field on the open ground across from the school campus, and from the sincerity with which he speaks, he will succeed in whatever he attempts.”

L AY I N G A F O U N DAT I O N Reese wasn’t alone in his efforts at LABC. Joyce participated in just about everything, even when that meant picking rocks off the athletic field or painting every room in Hotchkiss Hall. Reese also relied heavily on retired-Navy-sailor-turnedmaintenance-worker Ray Floch. The man — ubiquitously known as “Doc Floch” — was invaluable. So too was Reese’s farming background. When he arrived, the athletic field needed clearing, and after that was accomplished, he could see that the field’s soil wasn’t ideal for planting grass. He knew where to look for help. Back then, Placerita Canyon was home to a large dairy farm, so Reese asked the owner for manure. Asked whether he knew how to operate a tractor, Reese assured the man that the equipment was in good hands. “I

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Joyce Reese helped her husband with all kinds of tasks at LABC, even when that meant picking rocks off the athletic field.

was basically born on a tractor,” says Reese, who proceeded to move 125 loads of cow dung onto a field he was later responsible for mowing and watering.

job with our program,” Reese told The Signal. “But you’d always like to have more (money).”

In the early years, Reese coached every sport LABC offered. At one point, he coached varsity and junior varsity basketball, leaving JV games early to prepare for the main event.

If Reese needed tangible proof that the athletic department was making progress, it came in 1967. That year, LABC used a large donation from chicken farmer Robert Bross to build one of the finest small school gyms in California. “Mr. Bross was such a gracious fella,” Reese says. “I remember telling him, ‘Mr. Bross, we are so grateful. As long as I live, we will take care of that gym.’”

Eventually, he hired additional coaches, but there wasn’t much money to pay them or to use for scholarships. Because of the modest budget, the product on the court and the field wasn’t always what it could have been and Reese always had to be flexible. One year, he planned a basketball road trip to Washington state. He budgeted 60 cents per gallon for gas, according to The Signal, but when petrol prices rose to $1.10, Reese was forced to leave several players at home. “We feel we do a pretty good

PROGRESS

Men’s basketball won its first real home game by 65 points, going on to claim the 1967-68 Golden State Athletic Association championship. Reese’s Mustangs repeated as champions the following year, averaging more than 100 points per game. In 1970, Reese guided men’s soccer

to an undefeated season. And by 1985, LABC’s once-tiny athletic department offered men’s soccer, basketball, and baseball; women’s basketball, volleyball, and softball; and cross country for both genders. In 1994, The Signal ranked Reese No. 9 on its list of Santa Clarita Valley Sports Legends — three spots ahead of former Major League Baseball player Todd Zeile. And in 2004, Reese was a charter member of TMU’s Hall of Honor. Nearly six decades after he arrived in Newhall, Reese’s biography on TMU’s athletics website just about says it all: “Everything enjoyed by coaches and athletes today at The Master’s University can be attributed in some way to this man and his work.”

THE MISSION At times, Reese’s deep midwestern drawl intimidated folks — but that rarely lasted. “I think sometimes people didn’t know how to take him when they first met him,” says Kathleen Thomson (Simon), a three-sport athlete at LABC in the late 70s. “They were surprised at how warm he was, that he was kind of a big teddy bear.” To be sure, Reese was a fierce competitor; but he was even more passionate about molding student-athletes of Christlike character. He led an athletic gospel team at LABC that visited churches, sharing testimonies and promoting the school, and he refused to let losing impact the way he treated his players — the relationships were just too important. In truth, Reese would do just about anything for people.

One year at Christmas, Pete and Joyce offered to drive a freshman athlete to LAX, exiting the freeway to find themselves faced with miles of traffic. Having made little progress, and with take-off rapidly approaching, Pete decided to pivot. “We better take the luggage and go,” he said, handing the keys to Joyce, exiting the van, and running alongside the student the rest of the way. The student — Gregg Frazer, now a political studies professor at TMU — reached his gate just in time. It’s no wonder that in 1969, students dedicated an edition of “Conquest,” LABC’s yearbook, to Reese. The dedication page reads in part, “We have seen a spiritual growth in the lives of each student, but especially those who work closely with him.” Jeff Hallman, an LABC basketball player from 1979 to 1982, met often with Reese in those days to talk about Hallman’s coaching aspirations. Over time, Hallman also learned by watching: He saw the sweat equity his mentor put into LABC’s facilities and

the way Reese never separated the athletic department’s goals from the school’s overarching mission. “He had a proper perspective on life,” Hallman says. “He understood how basketball fits in and how you do all things to God’s glory.” Hallman still calls Reese each month. The men have also connected in Ohio on several occasions, always staying up past midnight to talk and laugh about the past. It’s relationships like this that signal to Reese that his step of faith in 1965 was divinely appointed. “Sometimes it takes a while to understand what it’s all been worth,” Reese says now. “You make the deposits. You do the best you can. “Sometimes we think that we weren’t accomplishing much, but that’s what I call delayed dividends. We’ve made investments that we don’t really understand the results of until years later.” The school’s athletic field was eventually named after Reese, and, although the playing surface now consists of turf instead of grass, the field continues to be the home of TMU baseball and soccer.

C TMU’s men’s soccer team huddles for prayer following a game on Reese Field this fall. 48

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P H OT O BY B O J A N H O

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Thinking Biblically with Dr. John MacArthur

The Master’s in Ministry

Just Catching Up WINTER 2023–24

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S AV E T H E D AT E !

NOVEMBER 28, 2023

TAKING UP THE CAUSE

Our Winter 5K boasts a scenic and entirely flat course with varying terrain, perfect for participants of all ages and abilities.

01 13 24 pete reese field santa clarita, ca

Come experience what local runners have called their favorite way to start the new year!

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:58, LSB

As we near our 100th year as an institution, we have begun to reflect. We’ve looked back at the rich history the Lord has blessed us with, and this includes a humble beginning. In 1927, Los Angeles Baptist Theological Seminary (what became The Master’s University and Seminary) opened its doors to fewer than 40 students. Still, Dr. William A. Matthews, our first president, was encouraged — as seen in a letter he penned at the end of the first year. Why? Because despite so many institutions denying the authority of God’s Word, LABTS was committed to standing for the truth. It was characterized by an “absolute loyalty to the Scriptures” and

a passion for missions and evangelism. There was a “robust spiritual life” on campus. And the school clearly understood its mission — to empower students for lives of eternal influence — and was acting on it. No wonder Dr. Matthews was encouraged. In the years and decades that followed, this institution hasn’t wavered in its convictions because, time and again, the Lord has raised up faithful men and women committed to the sufficiency, inerrancy, and authority of Scripture. These men and women have given sacrificially of their time, energy, resources, and expertise in order to prepare students to honor Christ in every area of life.

THE MASTER'S GLOBAL SCHOLARSHIP Empowering More Students We believe Dr. Matthews would be equally encouraged by our student body today. This fall, The Master’s University welcomed a class of more than 400 students, pushing TMU’s residential

And now it falls to us — faculty, staff, board members, alumni, and donors alike — to carry on this mission.

undergraduate population past the threshold of 1,200.

To do this effectively, we need scholarship funding to ensure that students seeking a biblically centered education aren’t deterred by a prohibitive price tag.

four years, 86% of enrolled students selected “Spiritual

Please prayerfully consider joining us in taking up the cause that began in 1927 by supporting The Master’s Global Fund this Giving Tuesday.

support exceptional students from backgrounds

And although we’ve grown significantly, students continue to come here with a hunger for spiritual growth and a commitment to the truth. Over the past Growth & Development” or “Doctrinal Stance” as the primary reasons to attend TMU. The Master’s Global Scholarship was created to most closely aligned with TMU and its doctrinal commitments who might not otherwise be able to attend the University. The demand for a TMU education has never been greater. When you give to this scholarship, you empower more students from around the world to receive the

TO LEARN MORE OR TO GIVE, VISIT MASTERS.EDU/GIVING-TUESDAY.

biblical education they so desire.

WINTER 2023–24

Stories of God’s Faithfulness SENT STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX

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RESOURCES

From Employee Development to Company Growth Greyhawk Insurance believes that taking excellent care of its staff is crucial to growth — and the results speak for themself.

BY KAELYN PEAY

Greyhawk Premier Insurance Solutions has grown quickly. Since opening in late 2021, the company (led by partners Charlie Deaver, Justin Pizzola, and Daniel Clarke) has added more than 20 employees, expanded to two locations, and seen a stark increase in revenue. How did that happen? For one thing, the company has prioritized something surprisingly simple: treating employees so well that they don’t want to leave. “Nothing will cost a business more than employee turnover,” says Daniel Clarke. “So, by compensating our staff well and really taking good care of them, we are saving money by not losing them.” But more than that, Greyhawk Insurance treats employees well because it cares about them as people.

“Insurance is not an easy industry,” Clarke says. “You’re protecting people’s livelihoods and helping them manage all of their risks. It’s difficult work, and that’s part of why we want to treat our employees well. We understand that they’re dealing with weighty issues, and we want to make sure they can still enjoy doing the job at the same time.” The company pays its employees above industry standard, covers 100% of the cost of employee benefits like health insurance, matches staff retirement contributions dollar for dollar, and reimburses for professional development. “And then we try to create a family environment where we just spend a lot of time together,” Clarke says. “We just did a Greyhawk family day out at Spanish Hills Country Club, where we had lunch and played golf, and the

pool was full of all the kids playing.” In all of this, one goal is to make it easy for employees to stay. “We just want to create an environment where everybody loves to come to work — and a place where, if they wanted to move on, they would miss us,” Clarke says. “If they have to leave, we want people to look back on their time at Greyhawk with a great deal of fondness and for them to tell people that they loved working for us.” It may not be surprising, then, that turnover at Greyhawk has been nonexistent. And over the past two years, the company’s growth has been remarkable. “Even with the effort that we’ve put in as the partners, I think we’d all say it’s been beyond all we could have ever asked or hoped,” Clarke

says. “It’s been like holding onto a comet and flying at a thousand miles an hour.” Greyhawk Insurance hopes someday to compete with the top brokerage houses in California. The company’s long-term view of employee development and retention is part of its strategy to get there. But ultimately, Clarke is happy to leave Greyhawk’s future in the Lord’s hands. “God has been exceptionally kind to us,” he says. “We’re trusting Him that He’ll grow us or decrease us however He sees fit, and we’re just trying to walk the path and work as hard as we can.” Greyhawk Premier Insurance Solutions is a corporate partner of TMU. Learn more at greyhawkinsurance.com and listen to Deaver, Pizzola, and Clarke’s podcast, “Risky Assets,” on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. WINTER 2023–24

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THE WORD IS A TREASURE AND A FORTRESS

They are more desirable than gold, even more than much fine gold; Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your slave is warned; In keeping them there is great reward. PSALM 19:10-11

I want you to see the value of Scripture. It is so valuable as a comprehensive resource for life because first, it provides the greatest possession. The Word of God is more valuable than all precious metal. Oh, if we could only make our society realize that. If only many in the evangelical church could realize that we don’t have to promise people material things. The Word is supremely valuable, for it leads to the path of joy, it converts the soul, it makes wise the simple and all those things we’ve seen. It is the source of the greatest possession. Secondly, the Word brings the greatest 54

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pleasure. Nothing is as sweet, as pleasurable, as enriching, as personally meaningful. It brings the sweetest things of Earth. What do you seek for? Where do you find pleasure? I can honestly say there’s no pleasure in life like the lasting joy of hours spent in the Word of God. Thirdly, it’s the source of the greatest protection. In the face of temptation and sin and ignorance, we need the Word. We hide it in our hearts that we might not sin. And fourthly, it’s the source of the greatest profit, for in keeping its truths, there is great reward. The true reward is not here and now, not in positive confession, visualization of what you want. The true reward is the obedience to Scripture that brings about the glory to come. So the Word of God is the greatest possession, a glorious wealth, because it gives you that which is needed for every issue of life. It is the greatest

pleasure. It fills your heart with joy in all circumstances. It is the greatest protection because it warns you. It is the greatest profit. It leads you to eternal reward. That little list ought to be something you keep somewhere, and when you study the Word of God and look at it, it will remind you of what it will do in your life. In your heart, can you make before the Lord a renewed covenant to commit yourself to His Word? What we have heard out of the Word of God is without equal and importance in the life of a believer. Will you covenant with God to be a man or a woman of the Word? Oh, you’ll never know what the Word can do if you don’t study and apply it. It is the consummate spiritual resource through the power of the Holy Spirit.

This post is based on a sermon Dr. MacArthur preached in 1986, titled “The Sufficiency of Scripture, Part 2.” Find more posts from Thinking Biblically at masters.edu/thinking-biblically.

CONNECT

The Master’s in Ministry Highlighting Alumni Serving the Lord in Vocational Ministry

In 2018 a small team moved out to Rancho Cucamonga, California, to revitalize a dying church called Grace Fellowship of Alta Loma.

The church had a couple hundred thousand dollars in the bank and an undeveloped piece of property in a beautiful part of town. Unfortunately, the church was dying. It had less than 20 regular attenders and had been considering closing its doors and selling the space. Moving out there, our desire was simple. Preach faithful, expositional sermons, shepherd the flock well, disciple believers, and work hard to identify and train up leaders. We made our gatherings Word-centered, prayer-saturated, and robustly Godward. The team tried to model deep, open, and honest relationships. We established biblical expectations for members and biblical qualifications for

elders. By 2020, the church had grown so much that we were able to be financially autonomous and appoint three elders to lead the church. We now have a booming ACBC-certified counseling ministry, leadership training groups, some TMS graduates with burgeoning leadership ability, and hopes to plant or revitalize churches in the near future. We’ve maxed out our current building and are just beginning to move forward with a capital campaign to raise funds to expand our sanctuary. We are asking God to provide in surprising, unexpected ways, so that our church will see His wonderful provision and infinite capacity to care for His children.

Prayer Request Please pray that the Lord would provide funds, generous givers, and even anonymous donors who would enable this great work to be completed. And pray for the wisdom of the leadership to guide the church through this process.

WINTER 2023–24

J U S T C AT C H I N G U P

Josiah + Haley Neeley TMU CONNECTION

Josiah graduated in 2014 with a teacher education degree. Haley (maiden name Veilleux) graduated in 2016 from the business administration program. CHILDREN

Theodore - 2 | Hudson - < 1 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Santa Clarita, California

Price + Emily Anderson

ON THE JOB

Josiah has been a fourth grade special education teacher in the Palmdale School District for five years, and Haley is a homemaker. FA V O R I T E M E M O R Y O F T M U

Josiah treasures the time he spent at his friends’ houses, and he says that getting to know their families over the holidays and summers are some of his favorite memories. Some of Haley’s favorite memories are from planning events and serving with her friends on ASB. She also enjoyed building friendships with Josiah’s friends, who are still in their lives 10 years later.

TMU CONNECTION

Price and Emily (maiden name Scott) both graduated from TMU in 2022, Price with a degree in political studies (constitutional law and political theory), and Emily with a degree in biology (environmental science and natural history). WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

Spokane, Washington ON THE JOB

H O W C A N T H E T M U C O M M U N I T Y P R AY F O R Y O U ?

“That our family would be a light to the world, and that we would rely on the Lord.”

Price is a law student at the Gonzaga University School of Law (slated to graduate in 2025), and Emily is a nanny for a little girl with special needs. FA V O R I T E M E M O R Y O F T M U

Emily enjoyed making lifelong friends on and off the volleyball court, as well as studying the Bible for a semester at TMU’s Israel-Bible Extension program (IBEX). Price’s favorite memories are of time spent with his soccer teammates. H O W C A N T H E T M U C O M M U N I T Y P R AY F O R Y O U ?

“Pray for opportunities to share the gospel with unbelievers we interact with on a daily basis.”

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ASK AN ALUM

Tess Abraham (Reynolds) works remotely as a member of the assurance staff at Moss Adams, a top-10 public accounting firm. She graduated from The Master’s University in 2021 with a business degree in accounting and finance, and we recently asked her for a few tips on how to work from home with excellence. R I S E E A R LY If I wake up right before work, spend all day at my desk, then go to bed, I burn out quickly. I recommend waking up early to do activities you enjoy before the workday begins, which provides motivation to focus on your job during work hours. Personally, I rise early enough to read my Bible and pray, then my husband and I go to the gym together. This simple morning routine starts my day with something other than the stresses of my job.

COMMIT TO FOCUSING It is easy to get distracted with non-work activities, like catching up on that overdue load of laundry. It is crucial to set time parameters wherein you commit to focusing on your work, and then build in times for breaks where you can do tasks outside of work. Find how you focus best — for me it is while listening to a podcast — and then lock in during your set work hours.

FOSTER COMMUNITY Because working from home can create an atmosphere of isolation, it is vital that you build your community outside of work. My husband and I are deeply involved in our local church, and we regularly meet up with families from church throughout the week, as well as attend Bible studies and individual discipleship groups. This community grounds us in our priorities and points us back to Christ. Let working from home be a tool that you can use to be more involved in the church and in the lives of fellow believers than you could otherwise.

WINTER 2023–24

YEARBOOK

Some will remember an earlier time — before the cafeteria was relocated to Dunkin Student Center — when students ate their meals on the upstairs level of Rutherford Hall, as memorialized in this shot from the 1978-79 school year.

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SCHOLARSHIP HIGHLIGHTS

Red & Blue Scholarship A M O U N T : $14,000 awarded as $3,500/year for up to 4 years.

This community scholarship is for students dependent on a parent currently working full-time in law enforcement or a fire department. LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/LAW-FIRE-AND-MILITARY-SCHOLARSHIPS

First Generation Scholarship A M O U N T : $14,000 awarded as $3,500/year for up to 4 years.

This scholarship is for those who are first-generation college students (neither parent completed a bachelor’s degree). LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/FIRST-GENERATION-SCHOLARSHIPS

Steadfast Scholarship A M O U N T : FULL TUITION COVERAGE.

Recipients of this scholarship pay zero tuition. This unique scholarship, which honors Dr. John Stead, combines all existing financial aid that a student receives, then supplements the remaining amount to offer a full-tuition scholarship. Ten scholarships are awarded each year. LEARN MORE AND APPLY AT MASTERS.EDU/STEADFAST

School & Partner Scholarships A M O U N T : VARIABLE

School-specific scholarships are open to new freshman students applying from one of TMU’s partner schools. TMU is also partnered with the Just Thinking Podcast for a $40,000 scholarship ($10,000/year for up to 4 years). SEE AN UPDATED LIST OF PARTNER SCHOOLS AND LEARN MORE ABOUT THE JUST THINKING SCHOLARSHIP AT MASTERS.EDU/SCHOOL-PARTNER-SCHOLARSHIPS

WINTER 2023–24

21726 Placerita Canyon Rd. Newhall, California 91321

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TMU Theatre Arts produced “Emma,” the Jane Austen classic, this October inside the Music Recital Hall. The show’s titular character was played by freshman Amy Johnson, pictured here. The University will be putting on “Tuck Everlasting” in April 2024. P H OT O BY A N N I E V L A D O V S K A