Vanguard Magazine: Spring/Summer 2014

SPRING/SUMMER 2014

communitas

SAME COMMUNITY. NEW LEADER.

THE INAUGURATION OF MICHAEL J. BEALS, PhD AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. MIROSLAV VOLF 18 Renowned Theologian

A SEASON OF SIGNIFICANCE

34 BASKETBALL TEAMS

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10 THE MISSION OF VANGUARD UNIVERSITY IS TO EQUIP EACH STUDENT FOR A SPIRIT-EMPOWERED LIFE OF CHRIST-CENTERED LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE.

in this issue

SPRING/SUMMER 2014 | VOLUME 15 | ISSUE 1

THIS ISSUE OF VANGUARD MAGAZINE FEATURES EXTENSIVE COVERAGE OF MY INAUGURATION FESTIVITIES, TO WHICH I WAS HUMBLED AND GRATIFIED TO WELCOME SO MANY ALUMNI,

FEATURES

PROFESSORS, STUDENTS, AND STAFF.

AN INTERVIEW WITH DR. MIROSLAV VOLF.................. 18

I was particularly honored by the presence of my closest academic

Renowned Theologian, Henry B. Wright Professor of Systematic Theology at Yale University

mentor, Dr. Richard Mouw, and a professor who significantly shaped my

and founding Director of Yale Center for Faith and Culture speaks to vanguard magazine.

heart and mind, Dr. Miroslav Volf. These men had an influence on me

A JOURNEY OF FAITH.............................................. 20 Alumni Joy Petrie walks us through her journey in finding her true calling.

HOW TO EFFECT REAL CHANGE THROUGH COMMUNITY-BASED ACTIVE LEARNING..................... 22 Guest contributor and professor Dr. Ed Clarke writes about how community-based active learning is a process of education.

SHOOTING FOR SUCCESS.. ..................................... 26

that mirrors one of my favorite components of a Vanguard University education: our unique combination of academics and relationship, whereby professors both instruct and collaborate with their students, modeling good scholarship and good mentorship. The stories in this issue show that this attribute benefits not just the student and the professor, but also the communities that surround Vanguard.

Dr. Ed Clarke created the Homeless Project as a way to give his sociology and anthropology students practice in the methodologies of social research, as well as to provide Costa Mesa, other cities in Orange County,

Professional Studies student Chris Dade inspires us with his story of success.

and numerous agencies good data to use in their efforts to eradicate

A WINNING ATTITUDE............................................ 32

homelessness. By applying his instruction to solve a real-world dilemma,

Student-athlete Jordan Davidson discusses the role of the Vanguard community in her success in finding God and on the soccer field.

Dr. Clarke is also helping his students discover how powerfully the tools of academia can be used to advance the cause of Christ!

English and Theatre professor Warren Doody used the academic work

DEPARTMENTS

of Dr. Elizabeth Leonard as the basis for a play exploring the lives of

Message from the President. . ........................................ 1

abusers. Karah Gravatt ’11 performed in the show when it was presented

women who are serving lifetime prison sentences for violence against their

On Campus.. ............................................................ 2 My Story.. .............................................................. 29 Sports.................................................................... 32

at Vanguard, and then through sheer determination had it produced in New York City, where it was just accepted into the Fringe Theatre Festival.

I love this story of professors and students working together to take the scholastic examination of an important social justice issue and to give it a

Class Notes.. .......................................................... 38

new life through the power of art.

Learn of Me............................................................ 45

And what a fine example of collaboration and teamwork we have in this

UNIVERSITY GOVERNANCE CHAIR, BOARD OF TRUSTEES

David Oddo

UNIVERSITY ADMINISTRATION PRESIDENT

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS

year’s men’s and women’s basketball teams! Coach Russ Davis led the women’s team to a season-long number one ranking and an undefeated regular season, while coach Rhett Soliday led the men’s team to Vanguard

Erin Hales

University’s first NAIA Men’s Basketball National Championship!

ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Vanguard held a celebratory rally for both teams called “A Season of

Tawny Marcus

Significance,” at which I praised the coaches and players for working hard

Michael J. Beals

WRITER / COPY EDITOR

PROVOST / VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

Rene J. Scheys

to cultivate their God-given talents.

LEAD PHOTOGRAPHER

That is a sentiment I can extend to each of the alumni and professors who

Doretha O’Quinn

Chauncey D. Bayes

VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS AND FINANCE

SENIOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER

are featured in this issue of vanguard magazine, and to all who read it!

Candice Co

Lettie Cowie

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

Kim Johnson

VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT LIFE

Tim Young

VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT

Kelly Kannwischer

MICHAEL J. BEALS, PhD Vanguard University of Southern California, in compliance with laws and regulations, does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, gender, age, disability, national origin, or status as a veteran in any of its policies, practices or procedures.

PRESIDENT, VANGUARD UNIVERSITY

vanguard magazine is a free publication published 2 times per year by Vanguard University. All contents copyrighted, 2014, Vanguard University.

Bulk rate postage paid at Las Vegas, NV. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Vanguard University Alumni Relations Office, 55 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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on campus

ON CAMPUS

thank you

A Special

GRANDPARENT’S DAY: A CELEBRATION OF SIGNIFICANCE In April, Vanguard University hosted its third

one of the most attended events of the day

Grandparent’s Day, an annual tradition that’s

and brought back by popular demand to even

getting more and more popular—this year

more rave reviews. At lunchtime, students and

attendance at the event doubled in comparison

grandparents all met at Newport Mesa Church

to previous years. Grandparent’s Day gives

to enjoy the Celebration of Significance

Vanguard the opportunity to engage in the

Luncheon. This was the highlight of the day,

lives of its students beyond academics, and it

as the meal is meant to be a small token

lets students open up an important part of their

of appreciation for the grandparents from

lives to their beloved grandparents.

Vanguard for the support and encouragement

“Similar to Family Weekend, Grandparent’s Day helps with the integration of a student’s home and Vanguard life,” says Amanda Lebrecht, associate director of Student Success

they provide for their grandchildren. President Beals delivered a personal word of gratitude to the assembled guests at the conclusion of the lunch.

and Retention at Vanguard. “It gives families

After lunch, students and their grandparents

the opportunity to celebrate what God is doing

were able to participate in and observe a

in the midst of their student’s life and to get a

number of activities on campus, ranging

glimpse into the amazing school that He called

from Vanguard Concert Choir and Theatre

them to attend.”

department rehearsals to the Laguna Hall

The day began with a continental breakfast and a morning devotional hosted by campus pastor, Jonathan Allbaugh. After that, the Alzheimer’s Association gave a presentation entitled Healthy Body, Healthy Mind. This presentation was also given last year; it was

2 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

powder puff game and a special concert by the band All Sons and Daughters. The grandparents who attended were enthusiastic about being welcomed to Vanguard and blessed by the chance to spend time connecting to the lives of their grandchildren.

to our 2013 Christmas Fantasia Sponsors

save

THE DATE

2014 Christmas Fantasia DECEMBER 2, 2014

Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Costa Mesa

@VANGUARDU

TWEETS @AdriianaRenee VANGUARD WON ITS FIRST NAIA BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP @VanguardU @VULions #hailtotheblueandgold #youwishyouwerealion

@BGonSports

THE INAUGURAL MASTER OF SCIENCE IN NURSING GRADUATES

Covered @VanguardU athletics for 15 years...excited to see the school bring home a National Championship in men’s hoops!!! Congratulations!! @vuLions

@DouglasEGreen

This past December, Vanguard University’s

program and curriculum,” she says. “Dr. Colette

nursing program graduated its inaugural

York planned and created the curriculum and is

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) cohort.

to be commended for her vision for the program

The students who comprised the inaugural class

and the amount of time that she dedicated to

came to Vanguard from a variety of Orange

ensuring that each student had the help and

County/Long Beach healthcare agencies and

support that they needed to be successful in the

hospitals and have been extremely successful

program and to graduate.”

@JackieAllyson

The achievement of the first MSN cohort at

At @VanguardU, we hug our professors. It doesn’t get anymore personal than that.

in applying program content and learning outcomes to their respective careers and specialties. The MSN degree is an intensive two-year program capped by thesis projects designed to provide a link to community-based care and client and family resources. This is especially significant because of the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the way healthcare is delivered now and the movement of care

Vanguard is yet another indicator of how the nursing program is thriving. In addition to the MSN, Vanguard also offers an RN to BSN degree, and according to Dr. Wickman, it will continue to grow from there. “We plan to implement a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) option in spring 2015,” she says. “The post

from the acute care setting to the community.

master’s certification allows an area of graduate

Dr. Mary Wickman, director of the nursing

Educational Leadership MSN program. This

program at Vanguard University, is particularly

offering provides a CNS certification option

proud of the 100% retention rate of the first

for the master’s prepared nurse who plans to

MSN cohort, notable especially due to the

work in a hospital setting or in academia. The

rigorous nature of the program and the fact that

CNS is a Board of Registered Nursing certified

each of the students was employed full-time.

Registered Nurse who provides expert clinical

She attributed this success to the hard work of

practice, research, education, consultation,

Dr. Colette York, the MSN program coordinator

and clinical leadership with an identified

and assistant director. “Our incredible retention

patient population.”

rate is the result of a well planned, relevant

Love worshipping with this generation.

They love Jesus and aren’t afraid of the power of the Holy Spirit. @VanguardU

@Maddaline GUESS WHO JUST GOT ACCEPTED TO @VanguardU??!?! #itwasme #letspackupandmovetocalifornia

program growth while building upon the current

@PresidentCorey Congratulations @VanguardU on installing Michael Beals as 10th president. May Vanguard thrive & God be glorified. #VU10thPrez

TWEET @VANGUARDU SOME LOVE AND YOU JUST MIGHT END UP IN THE NEXT VANGUARD MAGAZINE!

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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on campus

VANGUARD UNIVERSITY’S LEWIS WILSON INSTITUTE FOR PENTECOSTAL STUDIES CELEBRATES THE

ASSEMBLIES OF GOD AT

THE LEWIS WILSON INSTITUTE HOLDS THE 5TH ANNUAL PENTECOSTAL LEADERS SERIES This March, Vanguard University’s

General Superintendent of the U.S.

Lewis Wilson Institute held its

Assemblies of God, Dr. George O.

5th Annual Pentecostal Leaders Series.

Wood, kicked off the events for the

The annual series serves as a host to

Pentecostal Leaders Series. “At age

Pentecostal leaders involved in the

100, the Assemblies of God remains

charismatic movements nationally

vibrant, strong and growing,” says

and internationally, and connects

Dr. Wood. “For the past 23 straight

Vanguard University with local pastors

years, we have seen growth in the

and churches. This year’s series

USA Assemblies of God. This has

commemorates the 100th anniversary

happened because the pioneers

of the Assemblies of God, Vanguard

of the Assemblies of God laid a

University’s sponsoring denomination.

foundation of Biblical doctrine, strong

The Pentecostal Leaders Series is a “means by which we can spotlight Vanguard’s Pentecostal heritage and

sense of mission, sacrifice intermixed with faith, and dependence on the person and work of the Holy Spirit.”

To learn more about the LWI, visit

identity,” explains Derrick R. Rosenior, PhD, director of The Lewis Wilson

lwi.vanguard.edu

Institute for Pentecostal Studies.

4 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

(1914-2014) A CENTURY OF ALL THE GOSPEL IN THE WORLD

COMING THIS FALL TO VANGUARD’S LYCEUM THEATER

SEPTEMBER 19 - 21, 25 - 28 AND OCTOBER 3 - 5

OCTOBER 24 - 26, 30 - 31 NOVEMBER 1 - 2

DECEMBER 5 - 7 AND 11 - 14

FEBRUARY 27 - 28 MARCH 1 AND 5 - 8

ENSURE JUSTICE CONFERENCE 2014: WHY IS SHE A SLAVE? In March, the Ensure Justice Conference

community engagement locally, nationally,

hosted by the Global Center for Women

and globally.

and Justice (GCWJ) at Vanguard University impacted 300 students, community leaders, and government professionals.

The Conference theme Why is SHE a Slave? Global Child Trafficking: Prevention & Intervention focused on reducing vulnerability of marginalized women and girls. Speakers included: David Myers, Center for Faith-based and Community Partnerships at Department of Homeland Security; Stephan Bauman, President and CEO of World Relief; Shyima Hall, an Egyptian child slave survivor rescued just a few miles from our conference site; JoAnn Butrin, AGWM International Ministries Director; Helen Bako, Founder of Nigerian Women against Violence; and Sandra Morgan, GCWJ Director.

Participants described the conference as “not only empowering, but practical.”

Workshops with best practice models for collaboration in combating human

“Shyima’s story as a domestic slave five miles from our campus drove home the local impact of human trafficking,” said Sandra Morgan when recalling the particular significance of each the conference’s speakers. “JoAnn Butrin’s demonstration of the complex issues in combating human trafficking challenged our short term mission approach. Helen Bako exposed the role of traditional practices in violence against women.

Rev. Myers described a scenario that requires that all sectors show up, government, NGO, and faith groups. And

PURCHASE TICKETS AT VANGUARDTICKETS.COM

the most gripping moment for me over the whole weekend was Stephan Bauman’s

714.668.6145 BOXOFFICE@VANGUARD.EDU

call for lament.”

Check out a recap of this year’s Ensure Justice Conference activities at gcwj.vanguard.edu

trafficking created tangible pathways for

APRIL 10 - 12, 16 - 18 AND 23 - 26

LYCEUM

THEATER

2014/15

BELOVED ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF HUMANITIES AND DIRECTOR OF LEARNING SKILLS

BARBI ROUSE retired at the end of the spring semester after 36 years of faithful service to Vanguard University.

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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on campus

INVEST IN

YOUR GIFT MAKES CHARACTER-BASED COLLEGE ATHLETICS POSSIBLE

When you give generously to Invest in Gold, you support athletic competition and character formation helping students transfer skills and knowledge from sports to life.

VANGUARD UNIVERSITY NAMES NEW PROVOST AND VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS After an extensive nationwide search, Vanguard

Dr. O’Quinn received her Ph.D. and MA from

University named Dr. Doretha O’Quinn to

Biola University, with a BA from Life Pacific

the position of provost and vice president for

College of San Dimas, California. She has spent

academic affairs. Dr. O’Quinn previously served

over 34 years working as an administrator,

as vice provost of multi-ethnic and cross cultural

principal, and teacher in public and Christian

engagement at Biola University in La Mirada,

K-12 schools and at universities. Honored as

California, and before that held the title of

the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa’s

associate dean of the School of Education at

“Outstanding African-American Educator of the

Point Loma Nazarene University.

Year,” O’Quinn was also invited as a fellow

“Doretha O’Quinn carries esteemed credentials in higher education, a strong academic commitment to diversity, and intellectual passions FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR INVOLVEMENT AND SUPPORT TO INVEST IN GOLD, PLEASE CONTACT:

JUSTIN MCINTEE Associate Vice President for Development 714.966.5440 justin.mcintee@vanguard.edu

6 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

which make her a great cultural fit for Vanguard University,” said Vanguard president Dr. Michael

of the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities’ Advanced Women in Leadership Development Institute. She brings a passion for advancing the mission of Vanguard University in diverse communities.

Beals when announcing the appointment.

An award-winning teacher, speaker,

“Dr. O’Quinn’s engaging personal style and

administrator and published author, Dr. O’Quinn

demonstration of mentor relationships will make

will work closely with President Beals in the

a transforming impact on our students, our

leadership of Vanguard University’s academically

faculty, and the mission of Vanguard.”

renowned undergraduate, graduate, and adult degree completion programs.”

GLOBAL CENTER for WOMEN AND JUSTICE

CELEBRATION LUNCHEON

save the date: SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2014 BALBOA BAY CLUB 11:00 A.M. FOR OVER TEN YEARS, THE CENTER HAS WORKED TO COMBAT HUMAN TRAFFICKING, INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST CHILDREN AND VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN IN ORANGE COUNTY AND AROUND THE WORLD.

gcwj.vanguard.edu STUDY THE ISSUES. BE A VOICE. MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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RUN FOR A CAUSE. RUN FOR MERCY. Participants in this year’s Run For Mercy 5K set off from the starting line during Homecoming Week 2014.

The first Run For Mercy 5K was held last year to raise funds for the Doyle family, whose daughter Mercy is facing a life-threatening illness. This year Mercy Doyle and her family were among many others in the Vanguard community competing in support of Adonis and Candace (Wong) Segrove ’02, whose son suffers from a rare neurological condition.

10 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

W

HAT IS IT THAT TURNS A GROUP OF PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDS THAT COME FROM DIFFERENT PLACES INTO A

REAL COMMUNITY? AT VANGUARD, WE CALL IT OUR RELATIONAL CULTURE. BUILT INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR INTERACTIONS IS A

CULTURE THAT CAUSES US TO GO BEYOND THE NORMAL DEFINITION OF COMMUNITY, REACHING OUT AND CONNECTING WITH EACH OTHER. WE ARE DRIVEN TO SERVE ONE ANOTHER, OUR CITY, AND OUR WORLD IN PRACTICAL WAYS THROUGH MISSIONS PROJECTS BOTH HERE IN ORANGE COUNTY AND AROUND THE WORLD.

In early February, Vanguard University inaugurated its tenth president, Dr. Michael J. Beals, over three days that commemorated the University’s rich legacy and established a bold vision for the future. Dr. Beals has been connected to Vanguard as a student, professor, and dean for 36 years, and his installation as president is a culmination of his many seasons of faithful service, and a promise for so many more. His affection for the people and campus of Vanguard was evident in part by the smile that remained on permanent display over the inauguration festivities, which proclaimed his joyfulness and devotion.

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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T H E I N A U G U R AT I O N O F

MICH AEL J . B E AL S, Ph.D .

L

eading up to the inauguration

David Oddo presented Dr. Beals with a Bible

leading a Christian liberal arts university: “There

ceremony itself were a number of

and the presidential medallion – both inscribed

need be no opposition between educating

events designed to engage the

with Dr. Beals’ favorite passage of scripture,

people and blessing them. My charge to you

community in fellowship, scholarship,

Psalm 37:3-5—all in attendance enthusiastically

today, Mike, along with all who are involved

and celebration. The campus gathered first

acknowledged Dr. Beals with a standing

in the teaching ministry both directly and by

for an opening worship service, followed

ovation. Dr. George O. Wood, General

way of support services for the people of this

the next day by two lectures delivered by the

Superintendent of the General Council of the

institution: Bless the Christian community by

distinguished theologian (and Dr. Beals’ mentor)

Assemblies of God, then laid a hand on

promoting this great cause of Spirit-empowered

Dr. Miroslav Volf. That evening the University

Dr. Beals and prayed a blessing of dedication

threw a party for the student body, who

and favor over him and his wife Faith.

embraced Dr. Beals and his new leadership with gusto.

The retired president of Fuller Theological Seminary, Dr. Richard Mouw, was a friend and

The inauguration of Dr. Michael Beals took

mentor to Dr. Beals while the latter studied there

place on Friday morning at St. Andrew’s

for his doctorate degree in Christian Ethics, and

Presbyterian Church. The ceremony began with

this special relationship was apparent when

a processional, led by grand marshal Dr. Bill

Dr. Mouw stood up to deliver the Presidential

Dogterom and comprised of faculty, alumni,

Charge. “President Beals—Mike,” he began,

the board of trustees, and other distinguished

“I’m so honored to be giving this presidential

guests. Dean of Spiritual Formation, Rev.

charge to you today. I should observe right off

Jonathan Allbaugh, opened in prayer, and dean

that since you received two degrees from Fuller

of the college, Dr. Michael Wilson, officially

Theological Seminary during my presidency,

welcomed the hundreds who were

I’ve already been responsible for ‘charging’

in attendance.

you quite a bit—of tuition money. But this time

Vanguard University’s renowned concert choir, situated in the balcony of St. Andrews, filled the sanctuary with a powerful and rousing anthem

the charge does not have to do with a financial price tag, but a spiritual one, and the benefits associated with this charge are marvelous ones.”

higher education.” He ended by turning towards Dr. Beals and proclaiming, “You are a gifted intellectual, a wise administrator, and a person who loves to work under the leading of the spirit of the living God, and to work alongside others in promoting the goals of Christ’s kingdom.”

Dr. Sheri Benvenuti then formally introduced Dr. Michael Beals as Vanguard University’s tenth president. After his initial greetings, Dr. Beals first made a point to thank and welcome three very important guests to the inauguration: Dr. Wayne Kraiss, Dr. Murray Dempster, and Dr. Carol Taylor. “Thanks to the grace and hard work of a remarkable community,” he began “we are already seeing the first fruits of a new administration, many of the seeds of which were sown by the unique contributions of each of the former presidents that are here with us today.

You’ve been recognized once and I put it in

of praise, “How Great Thou Art.” After the

Dr. Mouw then went on to explain the nature

my purpose and in my heart because you’ve

Vanguard University Board of Trustees chairman

of his charge, as it related to the challenges of

blessed me with your presence. I am honored

12 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

“

beyond the horizon

A GREAT CLOUD OF WITNESSES IS CHEERING US ON FROM BEHIND AND A VOICE IS CALLING US FORWARD FROM BEYOND WHAT WE CAN SEE TO LIVE OUT OUR UNIQUE MISSION AND IDENTITY IN REAL TIME, WITH STURDY RESOLVE AND TRANSFORMATIONAL GRACE AND A DEEP CONFIDENCE ABOUT OUR FUTURE.”

DR. MICHAEL BEALS

by the presence of each of you. Would you

a biblical worldview is taking place. Vanguard

or while reading Scripture, I’ll get glimpses. It

stand and accept the heartfelt gratitude for the

University is committed to the cultivation of virtue.

seems that my whole life of serving God has

sacrifices and service you have given for our, for

We embrace the process whereby Christ’s

been one of dealing with the reality of life

my, beloved university!” Dr. Beals then led the

character is formed in us. We provide a liberal

in front of me but going after a voice that I

ovation for the three former Vanguard presidents.

arts education that integrates the life of the mind,

can barely make out, that’s a rumble over the

life in the Spirit, and life as a citizen.”

horizon. And I know it’s Jesus, and I’m following

Dr. Beals began his address by affirming

that way. And I followed Him into this place.”

Vanguard University’s long history as an

Dr. Beals focused much of his speech on the

academically rigorous, Spirit-led institution.

promise that is inherent in the phrase Beyond

The phrase Beyond the Horizon was also

“‘Remember all the way that the Lord your

the Horizon, sharing stories from his past that

germane to Dr. Beals’ account of how his travels

God led you,’” he quoted from Scripture. “It is

revealed how God’s provision, along with

to Cuba have influenced his faith. He described

time for us to recognize that over the horizon

faithful mentors, have been leading him on

his first visit to Cuba as having given him a

stretching back is a heritage of faithfulness

a journey that would be continued by his

wound. “Certain kinds of wounds can only be

that we are called to continue. We have

presidency. “Since those early days when I

healed in the place where they were received,”

not, nor will we, waiver from our founding

first became a Christian, I’ve been following a

he said. “Every time I go back to Cuba, I’m

purpose. Across every academic discipline,

voice,” he explained. “Only occasionally can

healed. I saw people for whom the reality of life

the integration of vocational preparation with

I make out the words; sometimes in a hymn,

on this side of the horizon is one of scarcity, one

14 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

of oppression, and one of uncertainty. And yet

free. We are free to run, we are free to dance

they live their lives with a duality that touched

–rhythmically!—and we are free to live for Him.”

me so deeply, knowing there’s more to life than the eye can see. Beyond the horizon, the Lord is at work. Beyond the veil of the visible, He is speaking and sustaining and working.”

After a prayer of benediction from Dr. April

“Beyond the horizon,” he continued, “a great

Westbrook, guests adjourned to Vanguard

cloud of witnesses is cheering us on from behind

University’s campus for an inaugural luncheon

and a voice is calling us forward from beyond

and community celebration donated by Bon

what we can see to live out our unique mission

Dr. Beals illustrated his admiration for the spirit of

and identity in real time, with sturdy resolve and

Cuban believers with a song that he learned on

transformational grace and a deep confidence

one of his trips there. He explained, “The name

about our future.”

of the song is ‘I Am Free.’ In Spanish it’s Soy

contained within that phrase: “I am free!”

Appétit. When Dr. Beals and his wife Faith arrived, they moved among the tables and greeted attendees with joy and appreciation.

It was a fitting conclusion to the inauguration

Dr. Beals ended his address with a simple

weekend; throughout the campus worship

proclamation: “Vanguard, I love you!”

service, Dr. Miroslav Volf’s guest lectures, the

‘I Am Free’ in a place where everything around

Fittingly, the song of dedication was the song

student party, and the inauguration ceremony

them says it’s not so. It is my commitment to this

Dr. Beals learned in Cuba. Led by the combined

itself, Dr. Beals’ warmth and gratitude

community to transmit that spirit into Vanguard

University choirs and orchestra, the gathered

beautifully set the tone for his new presidential

University. No matter what we can see, we are

community joined Dr. Beals in declaring the truth

administration.

Libre. At a worship conference, I saw a couple of thousand Cuban believers singing this song,

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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beyond the horizon vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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“ A LI FE WO RTH

l iving”

A N I NT E RV I E W W I T H D R . M I R O S L AV V O L F

THE INAUGURATION WEEKEND OF DR. MICHAEL BEALS WAS HIGHLIGHTED BY

TWO LECTURES DELIVERED BY DR. MIROSLAV VOLF, A RENOWNED THEOLOGIAN AND PROFESSOR WHOSE BOOKS INCLUDE ALLAH: A CHRISTIAN RESPONSE (2011),

idea that the humanities is fundamental to a university exploring the meaning of a life worth living. Professor Ewing’s passion, in addition to literature, is art, and I promised him I’d ask you to share your thoughts about

FREE OF CHARGE: GIVING AND FORGIVING IN A CULTURE STRIPPED OF

how the creative arts also tell the truth of human life.

GRACE (2006), EXCLUSION AND EMBRACE: A THEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF

MV: Arts are very important. They illuminate the fine

IDENTITY, OTHERNESS, AND RECONCILIATION (1996), AND AFTER OUR LIKENESS:

texture of human lives and interactions. Human beings

THE CHURCH AS THE IMAGE OF THE TRINITY (1998). DR. VOLF HAS GIVEN NUMEROUS PRESTIGIOUS LECTURESHIPS AT INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD, INCLUDING HARVARD UNIVERSITY, OXFORD UNIVERSITY, DUKE UNIVERSITY, AND CALVIN COLLEGE. HE IS CURRENTLY THE HENRY B. WRIGHT PROFESSOR OF SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY AT YALE UNIVERSITY AND FOUNDING DIRECTOR OF YALE

don’t roll off an assembly line, each the same as the other. There is a depth to each of our lives, and illuminating these depths is a very important condition of leading examined lives. Projecting our hopes, articulating our fears, narrating our desires, all of this and more is part and parcel of trying to lead a life worth living. Not only because this helps us understand

CENTER FOR FAITH AND CULTURE.

ourselves, but also because it helps us imagine ourselves

Dr. Volf served as a mentor to President Beals while the latter was pursuing his graduate education at Fuller

and mutual understanding. That’s fantastically important,

Theological Seminary, and he was President Beals’ honored guest at the inauguration weekend. Dr. Volf’s lectures explored what constitutes “a life worth living,” and how many universities have in many fundamental ways given up

in the shoes of others, opens the possibility of empathy I think.

on asking and attempting to answer that question.

VM: Is there such a thing as a “Christian artist”?

The day after his lecture, Dr. Volf graciously sat down with vanguard magazine to expand on his ideas from the

MV: There are artists who are Christians and who

day before and speak generally about how Christians can pursue significant and successful lives. In lecture and in conversation, Dr. Volf is warm and eloquent, and we were honored to observe his affection for President Beals and to be a recipient of his thought-provoking attention.

create art out of the basic orientation of their lives and their deep convictions. But is there such a thing as a specifically Christian art? I tend not to ask the questions about what is specifically Christian, because once you start asking what is specifically Christian, you tend to

VANGUARD MAGAZINE: Can you speak about

VM: In your opinion, what are the advantages of a

exclude from concern what Christians have in common

your confidence in Dr. Michael Beals as the new

Christian liberal arts education?

with many other human beings. I’d put it this way: place

president of Vanguard University?

MV: A Christian liberal arts college operates with a

MIROSLAV VOLF: I am confident that Michael Beals

set of common convictions, a sense of who we are as

will be one of the great presidents of Vanguard. I am

human beings and what the goal of human existence is.

not a prophet, but I have a sense that, more generally,

Once you have this, you have a framework into which

he will turn out to be one of the great contemporary presidents of Christian colleges. He has a set of qualities that promise of greatness. He has a well-trained

to situate the vast learning taking place at a college or university. The “great conversation about great issues” can be very productive under such conditions. That

Christ into the center of your life, and do your art (or, for that matter, whatever else you are doing). And as it turns out, much of what is inspired by Christ—and therefore Christian—will be commonly human. The reason is that Christ is the key to not just Christians, but Christ is the key to all of humanity, because the Word through which the world was created became incarnate in Jesus Christ.

was my experience when I was a professor at Fuller

VM: How important is theology to the typical Christian?

Theological Seminary. Sometimes people think that

Is it only important to people whose vocation it is to

because it’s Christian it’s limited, but actually, sharing a

illuminate the Word of God in ministry, or is it also

set of convictions also has significant advantages.

important to the average Christian?

in his inaugural address as “the unseen,” toward what is

VM: After your lecture, I saw a former English professor

MV: Often this question is asked because one

beyond the horizon.

of mine named Keith Ewing and we chatted about your

understands theology as primarily something that only

mind, he’s got passion and courage, and he is capable of attending to a multiplicity of details simultaneously, while not losing the grand goal from view. And he’s got a sense of needing to move towards what he described

18 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

professional theologians do, and then we ask how what professional theologians do is of importance for ordinary Christians going about doing their daily work.

But theology which professional theologians do is secondary theology.

Primary theology is theology embodied in the formative texts of our faith and the lives of saints. That theology is implicit in any act of faith. All of us, by virtue of being Christians, are theologians. We try to articulate faith for ourselves and live accordingly. And we all need to grow in our understanding of faith and of how it connects with everyday life. The task of secondary theology is to provide help for primary theology.

You can put it this way: theology as a discipline seeks to comprehend everything in terms of its relationship to God. And that’s exactly what every Christian ought to be doing just by living his or her ordinary life.

VM: One of your books is entitled “Allah: A Christian Response,” and you are known for seeking ways to reconcile people of different faiths.

Can you speak generally about how the average Christian should relate to the average Muslim?

MV: Just love them—treat them with respect, and in private and public life do unto them as you would wish them to do unto you. Part of loving them is both learning about their faith and bearing witness to your own.

VM: How should the average Christian interact with the recent emergence of culturally popular atheists – people like Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens?

MV: I think that average Christians who have a particular interest in the intellectual side of their faith ought to take seriously the challenge of atheism. There are varieties of atheism, right? There’s Marxist atheism, which is different from Nietzsche’s, which is different from Bertrand Russell’s, which is different from Hawkins and Hitchens, to name a few. We need to study them. I’ve spent a lot time studying Karl Marx, for instance—I’ve written my dissertation about Karl Marx. I found his critique of faith very useful and in many ways cleansing. If you don’t close yourself up in fear, often you will find they’re pointing to mistakes or problems that, given your convictions, you ought not to be having, but you’re in fact having them. We can learn quite a bit from atheists. A wise person learns from everyone, says an old Jewish proverb.

Of course, we need to do more than to learn from atheists; we also need to respond to atheists. But as we respond, we need to be careful not to end up responding to a critique of the caricature of our faith.

Often people are defending a bastardized version of the faith, a Sunday school version of it which is often the only thing the critics know.

One side is attacking and the other side is defending what Christians who know their faith do not espouse. It is like when Muslims attack Christians by arguing that they believe that God has associates (for God is the holy Trinity), and misguided Christians defend themselves by giving reasons why they believe that God has associates without knowing that they are giving reasons for what an informed Christian would believe is a heresy.

It is very important to take seriously how we understand our faith and to articulate why our faith makes sense, why it can carry us in life and death, why it is that we can affirm it as true even under conditions of the immense progress of science. Jesus Christ called himself the truth, not a story, not a custom, not a hunch. We cannot defend Christ by telling ourselves and to our interlocutors little fables, half truths, and sometimes even outright lies. Honesty is fundamental, though it feels threatening sometimes. In the end it’s the truth that will set us free. vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

19

A JOURNEY of

FAITH JOY PETRIE ’02 IS NOT THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO MAKES “FIVE-YEAR PLANS.” SHE IS RATHER THE TYPE OF PERSON WHO MAKES “KNOW-YOURSELF-AND-WALK-THROUGH-THE-DOORS-GOD-OPENS-FOR-YOU” PLANS. SHE REALIZED THIS DURING A JOB INTERVIEW WHEN SHE WAS ASKED ABOUT WHERE SHE SAW HERSELF IN FIVE YEARS. SHE ANSWERED HONESTLY THAT SHE DIDN’T KNOW WHERE SHE WOULD BE, BUT IT WOULD BE A PLACE GOD WANTED HER. THIS APPROACH TO LIFE HAS GIVEN HER THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE THE LORD IN A VARIETY OF WAYS IN A VARIETY OF PLACES, INCLUDING AT VANGUARD UNIVERSITY FOR MANY YEARS. NOW LIVING IN ALASKA, HER STORY IS A TESTAMENT TO HOW A WILLINGNESS TO FOLLOW GOD’S LEADING CAN RESULT IN AN UNEXPECTED BUT DEEPLY FULFILLING ADVENTURE. This instinctive aspect of Joy’s character first

in religion and began to consider how her unique

In her senior year, Joy felt God calling her in a different

emerged while she was a student at Vanguard. Her

personality could be used by God. “People would

direction with her education. She had a passion for

understanding of faith began to evolve as she took

always ask me ‘What’s your ministry?’” recalls Joy. “And

people and a foundation in theology, and wanted to

Dr. Frank Macchia’s Introduction to Theology class.

I didn’t know how to answer that, because I felt that my

explore alternative forms of ministry. This warranted

“I loved studying theology,” she says. “My thinking

ministry was every day, in every encounter. My ministry

a shift in her thinking, so she changed her major to

changed as I started to examine the theology

all through college was walking alongside people with

sociology in her final semesters. In Joy’s first sociology

surrounding a faith I grew up with.” Joy majored

different situations and being there for them.”

class, she recalls, “Dr. Elizabeth Leonard said to us,

20 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

‘There came a time in my life when I had to tear

Through the years, Joy hadn’t lost sight of her unique

down every wall I built about religion and God and

calling to serve people outside traditional models of

just start from the foundation. The foundation is that

ministry. There were, of course, all those business

I believe there is a God and that He loves me and

students at Vanguard, but she also began volunteering

that He sent His son to die for me.’ Dr. Leonard told

for Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), an

us to start there and ask ourselves, ‘If we say we

organization which pairs a foster child with an adult

follow Christ, what did He do? What did He say?’”

who can advocate on behalf of that foster child in

Joy remembers a powerful feeling of affirmation upon

courtrooms and communities. The CASA volunteer has

hearing these words. “This statement by Dr. Leonard

access to everyone involved in the life of a child in

spoke to me exactly where I was at the time. It served

foster care – including teachers, therapists, parents,

as a confirmation that I’d made the right decision in

social workers, and the judge overseeing his or

switching my major, even if it meant staying at VU

her case, often becoming the most consistent adult

another semester.”

presence in his or her life. Joy volunteered for Orange

That same year, her father, whom she was very close

County CASA for seven years, and she was assigned

to, passed away suddenly. The support she received from her professors during that time is something that she’ll never forget. “They all understood my situation and gave me grace, room to focus on my grief, and the opportunity to come back and finish,” she says.

While a sophomore, Joy became an employee of Vanguard. She got her first job as a student-worker at the switchboard, moving to full-time after graduation and helping to establish and write the protocol for

to one young girl for six of them. Joy remembers how direct and honest this girl was at first, after having experienced rejection and upheaval at the hands of the foster system. “In the first few meetings, she would ask me ‘How much are they paying you?’ or ‘Who else do you have to visit?’” Joy recalls. “And I told her, ‘They’re not paying me to come see you, and there’s no one else I go to see. You deserve to have someone who is here just for you.’”

the position. This led to a four-year stint with the event

A decade after graduating from Vanguard, Joy began

relations department, during which she was in contact

to feel that God was calling her to walk through a

with every other department on campus and most of

different door. She loved California and Vanguard,

the staff and developed an even stronger bond with

but her spirit was growing restless, and she longed

the people in Vanguard’s community. Eventually Joy

to spend time in a different place. She had visited

Joy got the job. As the program coordinator for the Kenai Peninsula CASA, Joy is in charge of an office that pursues a unique partnership between the Kenaitze Indian Tribe and Office of Public Advocacy / Alaska CASA. Almost half of the children in Child Protective Services in the region are from an Alaskan Native tribe, and so Joy is now administering volunteers who advocate for children with a distinctive set of cultural

“MY EXPERIENCE IN THE BUSINESS DEPARTMENT WAS AMAZING, BECAUSE OF THE ALL THE STUDENTS WHO CAME THROUGH MY OFFICE. I WAS ABLE TO HELP STUDENTS CHANGE AND SUCCEED, AND GROW AND GRADUATE. IT WAS JOY PETRIE INCREDIBLY REWARDING.”

characteristics. The partnership is young, and Joy found that the process and procedural skills she learned from her career at Vanguard have been essential in helping her establish the new program. “An elder from one of the villages here told me, ‘You could fit in anywhere,’” she says. “I take that as a compliment, and as a sign of how important it is to simply treat every person you meet with dignity and respect.” Joy’s program is growing. When she started, Kenai Peninsula CASA had just three volunteers; now there are thirteen, with six more in training. These numbers don’t include Joy,

was hired as an academic advisor for the school of

friends in Alaska, and found herself renewed by the

business, where she would spend most of her years

time she spent hiking, fishing, thinking, and breathing

at Vanguard. In this position, Joy was truly able to

there. She decided that it could play a perfect host

function as an important part of making Vanguard

to a geographical and spiritual transition, and in the

organization, she is still able to integrate her faith into

great, guiding students towards their educational goals,

summer of 2012, Joy chose to depart Vanguard and

her daily life. “My faith is a fundamental part of who I

helping the department through a difficult season of

move to Alaska. After a short time of acclimating to the

am,” she says. “At Vanguard, I learned that faith should

transition, and establishing relationships that served

new environment, she worked a few jobs that remained

never be just a label. I follow Christ, and that should

her for years to come. “My experience in the business

unfulfilling. Just when she began to wonder about

overtake my whole character. It should bleed into every

department was amazing,” she says, “because of all

this journey God had called her to, she heard some

part of who I am.” Now Joy is so happy she chose to

the students who came through my office. I was able

surprising but welcome news: the Kenaitze Indian Tribe

follow God’s guidance to Alaska, where she has found

to help students change and succeed, and grow and

was looking for a new program coordinator for the

a way to continue the personal ministry she began

graduate. It was incredibly rewarding.”

Kenai Peninsula CASA.

while a student at Vanguard.

who also volunteers for her own program!

And though Joy works on behalf of a government

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

21

EFFECT REAL CHANGE THROUGH

ITY-BASED N U M M O C

ACTIVE LEARNING 22 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

faculty

C

ommunity-based active learning is a process of education whereby students are trained in the skills of their academic discipline through direct practice and application of those skills in the real world, the results of which echo in the community as well as in the

lives of the students themselves. The anthropology and sociology departments at Vanguard University have embraced community-based active learning in order to empower students to attack deep social problems, so that our academic excellence is measured not just by the many students who present at conferences or go on to graduate work, but also by the positive change they’ve effected in the cities and neighborhoods that surround Vanguard.

by Dr. Ed Clarke Associate Professor of Sociology

I learned first-hand how paramount education

at Vanguard began the Homeless Project. We

us—city officials have discovered what a valuable

is because at the beginning of my adulthood, I

saw an opportunity to provide relevant data to

resource Vanguard University is. We’re now doing

did not have one. I was a masonry contractor by

government and non-profit agencies, including a

the same thing in the city of Orange, and there

trade, and it wasn’t until I travelled to Haiti to

census of the homeless in Costa Mesa and revised

and in Costa Mesa, churches have joined with

help build schools and churches that I was struck

intake questionnaires that more precisely defined a

us and these government agencies since the very

by big questions about the developing world that

homeless individual’s need for services.

beginning, so that we can all coordinate our efforts

I didn’t know how to answer. I entered Vanguard University as a freshman at the age of 33, studying sociology under Dr. Phil Robinette and Dr. Vince Gil, who mentored me and prepared me for my subsequent graduate studies. When I first went to Haiti, I had a trowel in my hand; when I came back, by virtue of my education, I had acquired new, more powerful tools.

The Homeless Project provides a context to link

to help improve our community.

community-based concerns to the education

I believe we learn deepest when we discover.

experience—transferring the skills and tools

Community-based active learning allows me to

of the academy to students in the process of

put sociology and anthropology students in a

providing scholarly services to the community. I

place to discover, and then be present to enhance

and my students divided the city of Costa Mesa

their discovery. One of the discoveries that

into sectors and established methods for reliably

students make is that while it’s certainly valuable

enumerating homeless persons, and when we

to volunteer in a soup kitchen, the tools of the

One of the tools at the sociologist’s disposal is

got our numbers back, the students engineered

academy—research, data, and the interpretation

research. When the United States Department

a number of projects using the research. The

and application of that research and data—can

of Housing and Urban Development instituted

projects generated by the students are not

have a greater impact and touch more lives.

a national mandate to end homelessness, a ten-

contrived; sociology and anthropology majors at

We give students disciplinary tools, but more

year plan was developed in Orange County to

Vanguard are writing real reports that are used by

importantly, we hope to show them how Christ

accomplish this task, and in response to this,

real agencies. The city of Costa Mesa needs our

himself might have used these tools.

the sociology and anthropology departments

numbers, and is excited about partnering with

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

23

RUNNING TO W

GIVE

HEN CANDACE (WONG ’02) SEGROVE GAVE BIRTH TO HER SON IN 2011, SHE AND HER HUSBAND, ADONIS, HAD EVERY INDICATION THAT THEY HAD A HEALTHY BABY BOY. THEY

NAMED HIM EDMOND, AFTER CANDACE’S LATE FATHER, WHO HAD BEEN AN EVANGELIST AND MINISTER FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS IN SAN FRANCISCO. THE YEAR BEFORE, CANDACE HAD GIVEN BIRTH TO THEIR FIRST CHILD, A DAUGHTER NAMED EDEN, AND SHE AND ADONIS FELT BLESSED AND EXCITED ABOUT THEIR YOUNG FAMILY.

24 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

At just two months old, however, Edmond began to display facial expressions and strange responses that Candace recognized as anomalous. She had difficulty convincing her pediatrician that something was wrong with Edmond; Candace had never seen an infant having seizures before, so she didn’t know to how to

“I WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE FEELING THAT SOMEONE KNOWS ABOUT US, AND THAT VANGUARD—WHICH WAS SO DEAR TO MY HEART—REMEMBERED ME AND THOUGHT OF ME.

describe what was happening to him. When Edmond

CANDACE (SEGROVE) WONG

finally had a seizure in front of the pediatrician, Candace was advised to take him straight to the

Protective Services in the city of San Francisco, she is

school, I felt like I was clocking in, and that it didn’t

Pediatric Intensive Care Unit for monitoring and an MRI

employed in one of the most stressful and demanding

matter if I knew or understood the material.”

scan. There he was diagnosed by a neurologist as

careers in the country.

having a rare brain disorder called Lissencephaly. The surface of Edmond’s brain had not developed normally while he was in the womb, and as a result his brain wasn’t able to command the functions of his body.

The neurologist told Candace and her husband that Edmond’s seizures would continue and worsen, that he would never crawl, stand, or walk without assistance, and that his life would likely be short.

Candace and Adonis were devastated. They struggled to comprehend how completely their lives would be altered. “My husband and I had both grown up with faith in church, we had strong believers for family members, and we felt that God had supernaturally brought our lives together,” says Candace. “And yet we just could not believe that God was allowing this rare brain disorder, 1 in 100,000, to affect our son.

We cried, we prayed, we begged, and we pleaded with God. We did everything we could think of, but we could not change the fact that Edmond’s brain was not whole.”

Edmond will need hands-on assistance for the rest of his life. Now nearly three years old, Edmond receives

This unique quality of community at Vanguard,

In light of all this, Vanguard University and its

based on deep relationships formed through shared

community of alumni, faculty, staff, and students

experiences, was on full display at the Run for Mercy

gathered during Homecoming Week for the second

5K. “Seeing all those people come out was amazing,”

annual Run for Mercy 5K to benefit Candace and her

says Candace. “I was able to reconnect with people

family. The event was inaugurated last year in support of Kevin and Camie Doyle, whose daughter, Mercy, is also suffering from a rare condition with devastating effects on their family. “When I got the call, I cried,” says Candace about the moment she was informed the 5K would be held to assist her family. “I was overwhelmed by the feeling that someone knows about us, and that Vanguard—which was so dear to my heart—remembered me and thought of me.”

Candace certainly remembered Vanguard. Her time there helped renew her course in life, which had drifted away from the Lord, and it shaped her interests in ministry and career. “I recommitted my life to Christ at Vanguard,” she recalls. “I arrived late in the second semester. I had missed a lot of the welcome activities, and I didn’t know very many people, so I went into my prayer closet. The Lord used my time at Vanguard

I hadn’t seen in ten years, and we even met another alumnus with a child with Lissencephaly. And to walk the course was so empowering. We were so grateful, as a family, in every sense of the word.”

The Segrove family’s need is still great, for Edmond’s disease is an aggressive one. “The prognosis is poor,” says Candace. “It is unpredictable how long Edmond will live. People with Lissencephaly are usually considered lucky to live into their late teens.” The Segroves devote their time and effort to trying to give Edmond a better quality of life and to caring for their two daughters. Candace is seeking employment that doesn’t demand so much of her time, and she and her husband are praying for God’s intervention in their search for a new home where they can serve Edmond’s needs better.

as a place of healing and restoration for me and it

Through this difficult season, when she must bear

definitely marked the beginning of a deeper personal

witness to the pain of her child and her faith is

relationship with Jesus.”

assailed, Candace holds on to the promise of eternity.

chair, a feeding chair, a stander, and a G-tube pump

Candace had intended to be an English major, but she

She understands that no matter what happens on earth,

for overnight feeding. These and the additional cost

felt so drawn to her sociology professors that she kept

of hospital and medication co-payments, as well as

taking more and more of their classes. “Dr. Leonard,

will be whole. “It definitely jolts every part of your life,

medication not covered by insurance, have created

Dr. Gil, Dr. Robinette, and Dr. Clarke all spoke volumes

including faith in God,” says Candace. “It takes effort

a significant financial burden for the Segroves. Last

to me about what it meant to work with disadvantaged

to believe and trust God even though my son is not

year, Candace joyfully gave birth to another daughter,

populations and to serve people,” she says. “When I

healed. But I believe in miracles, and I believe God

Gracie, and caring for her, Edmond, and Eden is a

went to a large state university for graduate school, I

can heal him. And what helps me every day is to think

commitment of time equivalent to a strenuous full-time

realized how special Vanguard was. My professors at

about things with an eternal perspective. I don’t know

job. Unfortunately, Candace doesn’t even have the

Vanguard not only took the time to know us, they also

what’s going to happen, but that’s okay, because God

luxury of that much time; as a social worker for Child

expressed their passion for teaching us. At my graduate

is good, all the time.”

vision therapy, physical therapy, developmental therapy, and occupational therapy. He needs special equipment for daily living, which includes a bath

one day she will meet Edmond in heaven, where he

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

25

student profile

SHOOTING

FOR SUCCESS ABOUT TEN YEARS AGO, CHRIS DADE RECEIVED A PHONE CALL WITH THE MAGNIFICENT NEWS THAT HIS DREAMS WERE ABOUT TO COME TRUE. AT THE TIME HE WAS PLAYING PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL OVERSEAS FOLLOWING AN ILLUSTRIOUS AND HIGH-SCORING CAREER AT CAL STATE FULLERTON, AND THE CALL REPRESENTED AN OPPORTUNITY TO PLAY IN THE NBA FOR THE DALLAS MAVERICKS. HE IMMEDIATELY PHONED HIS WIFE TO GIVE HER THE NEWS, EXPLAINING THAT HIS CHANCE TO PLAY IN THE NBA WOULD NECESSITATE SPENDING YET ANOTHER YEAR OR TWO OVERSEAS IN PREPARATION ON A DIFFERENT TEAM IN NEW ZEALAND. It was the second phone call that changed his life.

1998. However, a pastor and his wife whom

Chris’ education at Vanguard has already paid

After hearing the news, Chris’ wife asked him if

Chris knew told him about Vanguard University and

dividends for his employer as well. In addition to

he wanted to talk to his son briefly before he had

the adult accelerated programs in the School for

gaining a high level of business expertise – his

to leave. She put him on the phone, and Chris

Graduate and Professional Studies (SGPS), and Chris

managers initially thought that he was in a graduate

remembers that part of the conversation clearly.

once again found the course of his life changing in a

program based on his course-work – Chris is gaining

“My son said, ‘I love you, dad. When are you

dynamic way. He enrolled in the accelerated degree

an understanding of how to situate that business

coming home?’” he recalls. In that moment, Chris

program with the aim of getting his bachelor’s

expertise within a framework that glorifies God.

realized that he wanted nothing more in the world

degree in business administration, and despite his

“As an example I’ve been learning how to apply

than to be with his son. “God got me right there,” he

initial hesitancy, he discovered that his experience

the thinking of C.S. Lewis to questions of business

says. “The next day I left it all behind and went home

at Vanguard University would be different. “I think

ethics,” he explains. “And about how to treat

to my family.”

I was sweating bullets on the first day of class,” he

coworkers and customers in a way that enhances

Since that fateful decision years ago, Chris has

says. “But right away I saw how Vanguard supports

their lives and the company, and how to be fair

students. SGPS encourages students to take each

and just. The company has noticed this, and the

God’s hand on every facet of his life. After ending

day and each class one at a time.”

performance level of my department has been

his basketball career, he focused on providing for

That support is most often extended by Vanguard’s

never looked back, in part because he’s able to see

his family and on being a good husband and father.

He was hired at MESVision, a company which provides vision insurance services to large and small employer groups, and worked his way up to the position of Billing Coordinator. Through the years, as his faith and family flourished, Chris was missing just one thing: a college diploma. He had left Cal State-Fullerton to play basketball overseas without completing his degree, and by last year, he had finally worked his way to a point where he wouldn’t be able to advance in his company without one.

professors, and Chris’ experience was no different.

His first class, New Testament with Professor John

outstanding. Coworkers come to me with ethical problems, because they know I’m getting a great education.”

Sim, turned out to be a true blessing. Around that

All of his professional and educational success

time, Chris and his family experienced a tragedy

serves one goal for Chris: to be a better father and

which meant that he would need more determination

husband. Basketball is still a part of his life; he works

than ever. “Professor Sim gave me encouragement

as a basketball trainer and referee in addition to his

and strength,” he says. “Because of the class, I had

full-time job and nine units at Vanguard. But Chris

my head in the Word every day. I knew that God

does not regret his decision to favor family over

knew I needed that, and it helped me get through

fortune. “I walked away from the chance to make

that difficult time in my life.” Chris’ appreciation

millions to be a better person and father, and to instill

for his teachers doesn’t stop there; it’s effusive and

ethics in my son,” he says. “And God has blessed

Chris didn’t necessarily relish going back to school;

includes all of them: “Every professor here has

me so much. We are thriving as a family, and my

he had not excelled as a student at Cal State

been an instrument to help me develop into a better

wife and I are influencing my son by our examples.

Fullerton, and hadn’t been in a classroom since

person, employee, father, and Christian.”

This is how life is supposed to be.”

26 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

“PROFESSOR SIM GAVE ME ENCOURAGEMENT and strength. Because of the class, I had my head in the Word every day. I knew that God knew I needed that, and it helped me get through that difficult time in my life.”

CHRIS DADE

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

27

A TRIBUTE TO

Dr. Elizabeth Leonard

O

n Sunday, May 18, Dr. Elizabeth Dermody Leonard passed away at her home in Ireland after a battle with cancer. Elizabeth taught at Vanguard University as a full-time faculty member in the department of anthropology and sociology. Elizabeth was highly respected, admired, and regarded by the students at Vanguard University, who voted her the Faculty Member of the Year for 1999-2000, and again as Faculty Member of the Year for 2006-2007. She served as the Co-Director of Vanguard University’s Center for Women’s Studies from 2002 to 2005. Upon her retirement, Dr. Leonard was granted the status of faculty emerita.

Elizabeth delivered and expanded the sociology curriculum to include areas of specialization in gender and crime, the sociology of women, corrections, family violence and juvenile delinquency. She was widely recognized as an expert on issues related to battered women in prison and domestic violence, and as such, was invited to present research, guest lecture, provide expert witness testimony, and give various public presentations on seventy different occasions, and

“I WAS DEVASTATED TO HEAR OF DR. ELIZABETH LEONARD’S PASSING. SHE WAS WITHOUT QUESTION ONE OF THE BIGGEST INFLUENCES IN MY LIFE, AND SHE WAS ALSO ONE

in diverse institutional settings and locales in the United States and Europe.

how hard it is, you press on and never give up.

Sandie Morgan, director of Vanguard University’s Global Center for Women and Justice, which Dr. Leonard helped to establish, remembers her compassion, grace, and dignity. “She taught me the true meaning of the word ‘nevertheless,’” says Morgan. “You listen to the awful stuff, frame it academically, spiritually, or emotionally, and then say, ‘nevertheless.’ You accept it, and then no matter

how marginal.”

Dr. Leonard cared about everybody, no matter

“She called her students ‘My beloved,’” continues Morgan. “It made the classroom sacred to me.

She could stand up in front of all those young men and women and call them ‘My beloved.’ It takes a tall woman to do that, and seeing it was a transformative experience for me.”

“In 2009, when I was diagnosed with an aggressive form of prostate cancer, Elizabeth was among the chosen few with whom I shared the unpredictable journey known as cancer survivorship. Her words of encouragement brought calm, laughter, and light to even my most chaotic and dark days. The Elizabeth I’ll remember was forever the fighter, for women, men, children, and herself.”

REV. AL MILES HOSPITAL MINISTRY COORDINATOR, THE QUEEN’S MEDICAL CENTER, HONOLULU

OF MY DEAREST FRIENDS. I CAN BARELY IMAGINE LIFE ON THIS PLANET WITHOUT HER KIND AND RELENTLESS SUPPORT, BUT, OF COURSE, HER IMPACT WAS SUCH THAT HER SPIRIT WILL CONTINUE TO LIVE ON THROUGH HER FAMILY, HER WORK, HER STUDENTS, AND EVERYONE WHO WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE GRACED BY HER PRESENCE.” WARREN DOODY PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH

“Fare thee well my professor, my mentor, my friend. Words cannot express what this amazing woman has meant and will forever mean to me. My thoughts are with Elizabeth’s friends and family.”

JOY PETRIE ’02 “VANGUARD UNIVERSITY WILL MISS ELIZABETH. SHE LEFT A LEGACY THAT WILL BE REMEMBERED DUE TO HER CONVICTION TO FIGHT INJUSTICE.” PAM CRENSHAW ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR

28 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

“Dr. Leonard was a light on this campus, and a courageous woman of God who inspired all of us. Her presence always made it a good day. She reminds me of the line from the Mary Oliver poem, “What will you do with your one wild and precious life?” She’s a living a example of how to answer that.”

DR. KAREN LEE ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIR

my story

PASSION PLAY I BELIEVE THAT ART HAS THE POWER TO TRANSFORM PEOPLE. IT GRABS AHOLD OF US BY ARTICULATING TRUTHS ABOUT OUR LIVES THAT WE CANNOT DENY, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BE AS WE WERE BEFORE. I KNOW THIS BECAUSE I MYSELF HAVE BEEN PROFOUNDLY CHANGED BY A WORK OF ART THAT I FIRST ENCOUNTERED AS A STUDENT IN THE THEATRE ARTS DEPARTMENT AT VANGUARD UNIVERSITY. I loved being a theatre student at Vanguard. The

I’ll remember for the rest of my life was the one we did

department is small and intimate enough for students

for women at the Chino Hills Prison, the facility which

to get hands-on training in every facet of theatre

housed the inmates that Life Without Parole was based

production. I was an acting major, but at Vanguard

on. When we got to the prison, we discovered that

you can’t only be an actor. I also worked in stage-

our “theatre” was a huge gymnasium packed with 500

building, props, lighting, costumes and makeup, and

women. The design of the building was such that we

even as a stage manager. This approach not only

found it impossible to project; we ended up having to

gave me a more humble attitude as an actress, it also

scrap all of our blocking and just sit in chairs so that

gave me an extensive knowledge of theatre craft and

we could pass around the single microphone. I thought

created a strong sense of community among my fellow theatre students.

that the performance would suffer, but our audience felt otherwise. I could see them hanging on every word.

When I auditioned for a part in the play Life Without

The gym was stifling, but at one point, I saw a woman

Parole, I had no idea what I was getting into. The play

get up and turn off the only fan in the room, just so they

was written by Vanguard theatre and english professor

could hear us better. At the end of the performance,

Warren Doody, who based it on the professional

they stood up and cheered, and afterwards they lined

work of former Vanguard sociology and anthropology

up at the microphone we used for our Q and A and

professor Dr. Elizabeth Leonard. It tells the stories of

thanked us one by one. It was so humbling to have

women who are harshly imprisoned after their physical

these women say to us: “You’re my voice.”

and emotional desperation at the hands of their abusers leads them to violence. This tragic content was also explored in Sin By Silence, the film by alumna Olivia Klaus ’99. The material was gritty and brutal but when Susan Berkompas, the producing artistic director of Vanguard’s theatre department, saw the play’s power and potential, she gave it a spot on the main stage.

The play was difficult, but the rehearsal process gave us so much to work with. Warren Doody was tweaking the script every step of the way, and Dr. Leonard brought in colleagues and survivors of abuse to share with us about the reality of domestic violence and what these women went through. When we performed it, we got a great response, and I felt honored to bring such an important story to audiences.

After I graduated from Vanguard, I moved to New York City and began auditioning for theatre roles. Eventually the process became discouraging; I was tired of auditioning for parts like “Cheerleader #4” or “Dead Person,” and I wanted to do something that fueled my soul as an artist. So much of New York theatre is driven by politics and commercialism, and I wanted to do a show that mattered to me. Naturally, I thought of Life Without Parole. I got in touch with Warren Doody, and he gave me his blessing to represent the play and bring it to theatre groups, directors, and producers in New York. Things happened pretty quickly after that. I submitted it to a theatre festival at Manhattan Repertory Theatre, and it was accepted. I found a director I trusted, we had auditions and secured a venue, and our first run of performances sold out, requiring us

We went on to tour the production in Los Angeles, San

to extend it! Once again, the new cast and I were

Francisco, and San Diego, but the performance that

humbled by the response afterwards—the play had

KARAH GRAVATT ’11 Actress

grabbed ahold of the cast and audiences just as it had done before.

The most exciting thing is that Life Without Parole, a play that got its start through the hard work of students and professors at Vanguard University, has a future.

In April we found out that Life Without Parole was accepted into the New York Fringe Festival, which

will raise its profile even more, and we’re partnering with the Crime Victims Treatment Center for a charity performance to raise funds and awareness for victims of domestic violence. Life Without Parole is a piece of art that has changed me, and it’s been a privilege to see all the other people who are changed by it as well. I am so grateful to Warren Doody and Dr. Elizabeth Leonard for allowing me to help tell the story of these women.

For more information about Life Without Parole go to www.lifewithoutparoleplay.com vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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30 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

RUINED FOR THE ORDINARY

W

HILE AARON WESSON ’02 WAS A STUDENT AT VANGUARD UNIVERSITY, HE WENT ON A MISSIONS TRIP TO MOZAMBIQUE THAT COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED HIS NOTIONS OF WHAT MIRACLES GOD CAN DO. THE POWERFUL SCENES OF SUPERNATURAL RESTORATION AND HEALING AARON WITNESSED PROVED TO HIM THAT GOD’S AMBITIONS FOR HIS PEOPLE ARE EXTRAORDINARY, AND FOREVER

PREVENTED HIM FROM GOING BACK TO HIS PREVIOUS LIFE. “I WAS TOLD THAT GOD HAD RUINED ME FOR THE ORDINARY,” SAYS AARON, “AND I WAS CALLED TO VOCATIONAL MINISTRY ON THAT TRIP.” WITH SUCH A POTENT DEMONSTRATION OF WHAT A CALL TO MINISTRY MEANS, IT IS FITTING THAT AARON BECAME A NAVY CHAPLAIN, A ROLE THAT HAS HIM PROVIDING PASTORAL CARE TO A PARTICULAR CLASS OF MEN AND WOMEN, WHOSE LIVES ARE UNDER TREMENDOUS PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL STRESS. Aaron’s first deployment was to Afghanistan with the

Vanguard. Just like Aaron, Kara was being prepared

of their first child Reuben. And whether he is deployed

3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, a unit that took heavy

for a life of ministry as a student. She followed her

overseas or working from an office on base, Aaron

casualties and immediately gave Aaron the sacred

grandfather and parents to Vanguard, and loved

says that his ministry to the men and women in the

responsibility of offering guidance to Marines facing

it right away, becoming involved in the life of the

military remains the same: “I hope to share the peace

the stark reality of their own mortality. “I saw God’s

campus as much as possible. She was an RA, ASB

of the gospel of Jesus Christ in a way that changes

hand in so many situations,” he says. “Each day they

leader, and member of Entouräge, and even though

their lives.”

put their lives on the line, and then they came to me

Kara was a religion major, she spent so much time

with questions about life and death, yearning for something bigger than themselves. They were eager for answers and peace, and God put me there to be

taking Professor Bill Dogterom’s classes that she unofficially majored in pastoral leadership. “Bill Dogterom guided me in so many situations as a

able to share with them that the answer is Jesus.”

student and after I graduated,” she says. “He helped

Aaron himself was searching for a different kind of

become who God made me to be.”

guidance when he first arrived over a decade ago at Vanguard as a student. He had been attending another college, and found himself often debating his instructors on their shallow interpretations of faith—becoming frustrated rather than educated. At Vanguard, this all changed. “I remember Professor Gary Tyra,” he says. “He was awesome. He was thought-provoking and challenging without being judgmental. He was great at guiding the class and putting forth ideas in a biblical way.”

Aaron also met his wife Kara (Townsend ’02) at

me discover who I was and encouraged me to One piece of advice that Dr. Dogterom gave Kara has proven to be particularly relevant to her life as the wife of a military chaplain. “He said, ‘Whatever you’re doing, you’ll always be a pastor, because that’s who you are,’” recalls Kara. She has been able to establish community with other chaplaincy couples, minister to other military wives, and perhaps most important of all: support the work of Aaron with her prayers. Kara and Aaron are currently stationed in Kodiak, Alaska with the U.S. Coast Guard, and they recently welcomed the birth

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

31

sports

A WINNING ATTITUDE When Jordan Davidson first arrived at Vanguard

treasured this symbol of how her hard work and

in this regard is also crucial. “Everyone wants

University on a scholarship to play soccer, she

talent had paid off, but it came with some added

everyone else to do well,” explains Jordan. “No

recalls that many of the people who met her

difficulties in her senior year. She discovered that

player is left behind.”

came away with the impression that she was not

she was a marked player: each opponent devoted

particularly interested in making friends. At the time

special attention to shutting down her game. Jordan

she did not have the relationship with God that

responded by striving to do whatever she could

she does now, and she felt uncomfortable in the

within her limited opportunities to help her team

environment at Vanguard. “I didn’t know who God

win, and this attitude was fruitful as well. She won

was,” she says. “I didn’t like it here, and I wanted

GSAC Player of the Year again in her senior year.

to go home.”

“That was such a humbling moment,” she recalls. “I

It wasn’t until Jordan began the class called Champions of Character, a requirement for all

just wanted my team to do well, and it was such an honor to have my efforts recognized like that.”

Jordan discovered that the larger academic and social community of Vanguard she and her fellow athletes are situated in is also one of loyalty and encouragement. During her junior year, a family emergency obligated her to immediately fly home to Arizona in the middle of the semester.

Coaches, professors, and students alike rose up around Jordan, ameliorating the disruption that her circumstances caused in her life and reminding

Vanguard athletes, that her heart began to be

Jordan’s successful season reinforces the attitude

her of the power of God’s love as it’s expressed in

transformed by God through careful mentorship.

that prevails in Vanguard’s athletics programs. “It’s

community. “Everyone—not just my soccer team—

Her group leader in the class was Brian “Boomer”

very competitive,” says Jordan. “And everyone

reached out and prayed for me,” she recalls. “That

Roberts, an assistant coach for the men’s basketball

contributes in different ways. Even if you’re not

support helped me get through that time in my life.

team. As Jordan began confronting her discomfort

playing a lot, your identity is not just in your sport.”

It’s unique to be around people who care. I am so

and asking challenging questions about the nature

The support Vanguard athletes give each other

thankful to be at Vanguard.”

of Christian faith, Boomer patiently guided her to an understanding of God’s truth and power. She gave her life to Christ, and a truer version of herself emerged. “Boomer brought me in and walked with me,” says Jordan. “And when I gave my life to Christ, things rapidly started to change for me. I became a nicer, better, and more joyful person. Now, everyone is surprised to hear how ‘mean’ I was.”

Jordan’s transformation had a powerful effect on her soccer career as well. She recommitted herself to excellence on the field, and in her junior year, she won the GSAC Player of the Year award. She

32 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

“EVERYONE—NOT JUST MY SOCCER TEAM — REACHED OUT AND PRAYED FOR ME,” SHE RECALLS. “THAT SUPPORT HELPED ME GET THROUGH THAT TIME IN MY LIFE. IT’S UNIQUE TO BE AROUND PEOPLE WHO CARE. I AM SO THANKFUL TO BE AT VANGUARD.”

JORDAN DAVIDSON, SOCCER

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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sports

“IT FEELS AMAZING. WE JUST PRAISE GOD. WE SAID BEFORE THIS GAME, WIN OR LOSE, THAT WE’RE GOING TO GIVE HIM THE GLORY, BECAUSE HE MADE THIS A SPECIAL SEASON.” RHETT SOLIDAY, VANGUARD LIONS MEN’S BASKETBALL HEAD COACH

34 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

A SEASON OF

SIGNIFICANCE WITH A LITTLE UNDER FOUR MINUTES LEFT IN THE 2014 NAIA DIVISION I BASKETBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME, A PAIR OF EMMANUEL COLLEGE FREE THROWS PUT THEM JUST TWO POINTS DOWN FROM VANGUARD UNIVERSITY, WHO HAD LED FOR MOST OF THE GAME. THE SITUATION CALLED FOR SOME HEROICS FROM VANGUARD’S FIRST TEAM ALL-AMERICAN PRESTON WYNNE, AND HE DID NOT FAIL TO DELIVER. Wynne hit a baseline fade-away while being

The win in the national championship game

one en route to the GSAC Championship, coach

fouled, putting Vanguard back up by a comfortable

capped off a season of enormous accomplishment

Russ Davis won his third NAIA Coach of the Year,

margin and leading the Lions to its first-ever NAIA

for Vanguard’s men’s basketball team, which was

and point guard Nicole Ballestero received NAIA

Men’s Division I Basketball National Championship

recently honored for its success by the Orange

Player of the Year honors.

with a 70-65 win.

County Board of Supervisors. The team finished

Along the way, Preston Wynne picked up a number of other awards. He received the tournament’s MVP award, a place on the NAIA’s All-Tournament team, and was also selected as the Golden State Athletic Conference’s (GSAC) Player of the Year. However, for Wynne, his season amounted to so much more than personal accolades. In an interview with Indian Country Today, Wynne explained, “For me, awards are not really that great. It’s more the experience than the award. The award doesn’t say to me the best player. It says a great experience.”

And as for that experience, Wynne made it clear

with a school-best 32-6 record and also won the Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) regular season and tournament titles. Vanguard University head basketball coach, Rhett Soliday, was named the NAIA’s National Coach of the Year, but in interviews after the game, he kept his focus on more intangible achievements. “It feels amazing,” he said. “We just praise God. We said before this game, win or lose, that we’re going to give Him the glory, because He made this a special season. Our guys believed from day one. They have a strong faith in each other.”

Students, faculty, staff, alumni, and supporters packed The Pit for the rally, where various coaches, athletic staff, and Vanguard president Michael Beals gave short speeches thanking the individuals who supported the teams along the way. In his introduction, MC Ed Arnold talked about the teams being more than just excellent basketball players. “Character-wise and otherwise these are outstanding people,” he said. In his closing remarks, President Beals congratulated the men’s team and assured them that throughout the rest of Vanguard’s existence their banner would remain on the wall of whatever gym facility Vanguard has.

that playing at Vanguard was special. “It’s an

A week after the title game, Vanguard hosted a

President Beals also gave an encouraging word

amazing place,” he said. “We have one of the

rally called “A Season of Significance,” which

for students to cultivate their God-given talents,

smallest gyms in the country and almost every

gave the community an opportunity to celebrate

whatever they may be, like the members of the

student would pack that gym every night. It was

the excellence of the women’s basketball team in

men’s and women’s teams had cultivated their

just an amazing, amazing experience. It’s a family

addition to the men’s team. Vanguard’s women

athletic talents.

atmosphere you get when you come down here.”

spent their entire undefeated season ranked number vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

35

beyond community:

THE POWER TO CHANGE

W

hen Don Judkins and his wife Maxine were first married, the modesty of their financial situation obliged them to explore as many different ways to eat tuna fish as possible. Don had a job as an apprentice clerk in a supermarket at the time, and Maxine was attending school. Each week, Don’s paycheck equaled just $57 dollars, and after attending to all of the costs of living, such as household bills and Maxine’s tuition, they could apply what little was left over to food. So the 29-cent can of tuna was often on the menu, and Maxine’s creativity in the kitchen was born out of necessity. “She made tuna a million different ways to make it taste differently,” says Don. “We could only afford that 29-cent can of tuna for a long time.”

The family budget was tight for Don and Maxine then, yet Don loyally ministered to one other expense before the bills, before the tuition, and before the tuna: his tithes. “We always put God first,” he says. “I tithed on every paycheck I ever received, with the understanding that 10 percent of everything I make belongs to God.” Don first encountered God through the influence of his wife, who invited him to church when they were both 16-year-old high school students, riding the same bus which picked them up from the farm labor camps where their families lived. He developed a personal relationship with the Lord, went on to marry Maxine, and learned from that point on to give to God what was His. Since the early years of their marriage, the portions that constitute Don and Maxine’s 10 percent to God have increased significantly. Don is a successful real estate developer and builder, who owns, manages, and constructs residential and commercial properties across Southern California. Don overcame the strictures of an impoverished childhood through force of will combined with a trust in the Lord, which helped him surmount the lack of options available to him in his early life. “I like to say that I am self-taught and God-blessed,” says Don. “Since I grew up without a father, I had nobody to teach me how to do it. I had sheer guts and determination, and I walked through whatever doors God opened for me.”

36 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

His prosperity allows him to give abundantly. He and his wife have donated $1 million dollars to Vanguard University’s capital campaign through the Don and Maxine Judkins Family Foundation, which they established in order to endow worthy causes with their generosity. The mission statement of the foundation is simple, according to Don: “It is to support the cause of Christ around the world.”

altruism is granting the community in San Pedro

Don and Maxine’s support for the cause of Christ often takes the form of advancing Christian education, and their gift to Vanguard University is not the only example of this. Don partnered with the late Fred Cottriel, former District Superintendent of the Southern California Assemblies of God and a Vanguard alumnus, to found Hope Vocational Technical Training Center, a Christian trade school in San Pedro Sula in Honduras, with the aim of educating men and women in skills such as carpentry, welding, and sewing. The school empowers students not only by helping them to provide for their families, but also by giving them expertise that can be passed down through generations. “In cultures in the developing world, when the father is taught a trade, he’s pleased to share that trade with his family,” explains Don. The Don and Maxine Judkins Family Foundation’s

backers of missionary evangelist Jason Frenn.

Don Judkins

Sula the means to create options for a successful future—which is exactly what Don did for his own.

Back in the days of the 29-cent cans of tuna, Don and Maxine also began pledging an extra $5 a month to world missions, as soon as they could afford to. They now give hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to world missions, and are major Don is the president of Jason Frenn’s non-profit organization, and will soon help Jason publish the “Don Judkins Edition” of his immensely popular book The Power to Change. “He’s written this book to teach people about what God can do in their lives,” says Don. “And we can’t print enough copies for distribution in Cuba. The Cuban National Church has already requested another 25,000 copies for each of the next two years.”

Don is proud of being able to assist Jason Frenn’s work in Cuba, where “supporting the cause of Christ” cannot be taken for granted. “Cuba is very spiritually hungry,” says Don. “Jason held the first open-air meetings there under Communist rule, where several thousand people attended his crusades. The Cuban National Church really

welcomes him.” Don bears the cost of printing copies of the book for distribution, and it’s a debt repaid in testimonies. “I love to hear about how this book is changing lives,” he says.

Don and Maxine’s gift to Vanguard University is no less significant. It unleashes an array of resources for Vanguard, but the greatest impact of the gift will be felt right at the front of campus. Vanguard has undertaken the capital campaign to which Don and Maxine contributed in order to renovate and enlarge the Scott Academic Center. The Scott Academic Center Building Campaign will result in a new wing with ten new classrooms, broadened space for programs like the Veterans Resource Center and the Global Center for Women and Justice, upgraded restrooms, more parking, and enhancements to the exterior of the structure—all while preserving recent additions like the Veterans Courtyard of Honor. The renovation will also augment the aesthetic character of Vanguard University, with new towers that establish the presence and footprint of the campus.

Don and Maxine have been involved with Vanguard for 25 years, and like a true businessman, Don looks at the bottom line. “Vanguard puts out a good product,” he says. “I am making an investment in the administration of Vanguard. I endorse and support the administration and their goals, and leave it up to them to create a quality product.”

Of course, at Vanguard, the student is the product.

Don and Maxine’s gift supports Vanguard’s mission to mold Spirit-filled Christ-followers with a passion for service. Don and Maxine’s focus on Christian education ensures that they are helping to spread the gospel of grace that is at the heart of faith in Christ. “The world today is in sad shape,” says Don. “Christian principles need to be propagated.”

Don and Maxine’s generosity stems from the sense of obligation that their faith in Christ carries with it. “I realize where it all came from,” says Don. “And that it is right to reinvest in the Kingdom. We’ve been faced with a decision: do we want the money to sit idle and earn interest for future giving, or do we address the

Kingdom’s needs now? Well, Maxine and I don’t wait for another day. We disburse it now.”

Doing so has enabled Don to see how God often pours out his kindnesses on those who are willing to give generously in support of his Kingdom. Don and Maxine aim to be good stewards of what God has blessed them with, and they see God’s faithfulness reflected in theirs. Within sixty days of Don and Maxine’s decision to endow Vanguard with their large gift, Don was approached seemingly out of nowhere by individuals representing investment opportunities that heretofore Don had no knowledge of. These investments proved themselves a further blessing on Don’s business, and the connection was so unlikely that Don knows it was authored by God. However, even in his astonished gratitude, Don is quick to assert that that is not the point. “We did not agree to give Vanguard the money with the expectation that it would come back,” he says. “It simply continues to prove that in our lives, we cannot out-give God. It never happens.”

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class notes

CLASS NOTES 1920s-50s Harry Leacock ’48 was a children’s evangelist for many years, holding meetings all over the country. When his second child was born, he started teaching elementary school and taught for 30 years in the Central Valley of California while traveling during the summer months holding Kids Krusades. Harry moved to Fiji in 2011 with his son and daughter-in-law and began to volunteer at schools where he helped Fijian and Indian kids with their reading. Harry decided to retire last year at the age of 86. Harry will be 87 in March and now spends his time reading, flying remote controlled airplanes, and using the flight simulator on his computer. He would love to hear from anyone who knew him at Southern California Bible College in Pasadena at harryleacock@yahoo.com.

1960s Yvonne (Hill ’60) and Neal Pirolo ’60 have been leading Emmaus Road International (ERI), a mobilizing, training, and networking ministry of two since 1983. The couple has also published a book, Serving as Senders: How to Care for Your Missionaries, with nearly half a million copies published in 20 different languages. It is safe to say that the Pirolos have used ERI to make a “footprint” across the globe. Yvonne and Neal have, just in the past year, traveled throughout the United States, Asia, and the Middle East, and published their fifth book. They anticipate bringing ERI to Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America in the near future, as well as publishing a few more books. More information about Emmaus Road International can be found at: www.eri.org Sally and Floyd McClung ’67 are the founders and directors of All Nations, a movement of mission churches and teams working in 30 countries around the world. Currently located in Cape Town, South Africa, the McClungs teach a seminar named “Five Phases of a Leader’s Life.” This 38 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

seminar is based on the book “The Making of a Leader” by Robert Clinton, which helps the reader understand that just as we go through developmental stages in life, God also brings us through spiritual developmental seasons. The McClungs are very appreciative of all the gifts they have received to date from donors all over the world, who have provided food, blankets, heating oil and much more in places all across the globe. Sally and Floyd will be spending some time in Jordan in the near future where they will minister in camps and see what else they can do to help those in need. You can contact the McClungs for more information at info@all-nations.co.za or by visiting their website floydandsally.co

1980s Kathleen (Maurer ‘80) and Dennis Buchmiller ’81 moved to Thousand Oaks in August 2013 where Dennis took a teaching position at Oaks Christian High School. Dennis and Kathleen have both been teachers for the past 21 years.

Dona Watson ’84 began working for Teen Challenge Southern California in August 2012 and now holds the position of Communications Manager. Dona is also an author, writing science fiction and fantasy literature – her first book, “Angel Songs: A Collection of Christmas Short Stories and Poems” was published in December 2013. For more about her career as an author, you can visit her website: donawatson.com. Dona has been married for more than 25 years and has two children, a son who graduated from high school in 2012 and a daughter who is currently in the 11th grade.

Patsy (Gammon ’86) Seitz serves as Director of Academics at Eastern Mennonite School in Harrisonburg, VA and teaches academic writing to juniors and seniors. She and her husband Randy have two sons: Nicholas (a photography student at Virginia Commonwealth University) and Joseph (a freshman in high school).

1990s Alex Mathew ‘94 lives in Frisco, TX with wife, Annie, and children, Gabriel and Hope.

Jennifer and Shane Bridges ’97 have been happily married since 1995 and are currently home-based in Tualatin, Oregon with Kaytlynn, 15 and Harrison, 12. Shane recently completed his MBA and works as a Division Operation Controller traveling the West Coast. Jennifer has recently left her successful 10 year career in real estate to further develop their family’s work in Ethiopia. Jennifer spends several months a year in a very primitive village with an indigenous family that has adopted her as one of their own. This unique opportunity has allowed her and the village to work together to dig water wells locally, share solar light, bring the hope of Jesus in their tribal language, and share hope with children through a sponsorship program. For more information on their work check their website at www.embracecompassion.org or follow Jennifer while she is in country on Facebook.

Olivia Klaus ’99 is the director and producer of the film Life After Manson which sold-out at the Tribeca Film Festival premiere. Olivia was joined with fellow Vanguard alums, Sunny Peabody ’01 who was director of photography and Ann-Caryn Cleveland ’98 who was the producer of the film. Even after 15 years since graduating, these three alums are still working together to create stories that reach the world’s top film festivals! For more information on their film please visit.lifeaftermanson.com and to learn more about Olivia’s company, visit QuietLittlePlace.com

April (Waisanen ’98) and Ken Moore ’07 are happily married. April is the principal of John F. Kennedy Middle College High School in the Corona-Norco Unified School District. April completed her EdD in K-12 Leadership in Urban Settings from University of Southern California in May 2012.

Becky (Bailey ‘99) Ruiz works for a Jewish family service of San Diego where she manages a homeless program for disabled adults. Becky and her husband just celebrated fourteen years of marriage, which has brought them the blessing of their two amazing sons. The Ruiz family is facing the possibility of a fourth heart surgery for their thirteen year old year old son. Please keep the Ruiz’s in your prayers.

LETTER FROM THE WRITER WELCOME TO THE SPRING/SUMMER 2014 ISSUE OF VANGUARD MAGAZINE! I hope you enjoy this issue’s coverage of Dr. Michael Beals’ inauguration as Vanguard University’s tenth president. When you read our account of the ceremony itself, I think you’ll appreciate the charisma, vision, and graciousness that is evident in President Beals’ address.

I was able to observe these qualities firsthand last year when I was scheduled to interview President Beals for the Fall/Winter issue of the magazine. Due to a number of factors which I shall not go into but that were completely my fault, I ended up missing my appointment with President Beals.

When we rescheduled, the first thing I did was very apologetically mention how ironic it was that, after conducting interviews with dozens of people on behalf of Vanguard’s magazine, the first one I missed was with the president of the University.

“Don’t worry about it,” replied President Beals. “I am often in need of grace myself, so I am happy to give it.”

If the measure of a man is the generosity and humility he extends even to recalcitrant writers, then Dr. Beals is surely a great one, and the rest of the

Michael Whitford ‘99 and his wife, Robin, resigned their post as Youth & 20-Somethings Pastors at Peoples Church in Fresno, CA and accepted a position as Campus Pastors at National Community Church in Washington, DC in April of 2014. They are thankful for the past 4 years of adventure, during which they’ve traversed the United States 3 times between California and Washington DC. They know God is writing a unique narrative for their family and ministry, in the hopes of planting seeds of authentic, Jesus-centered revival from coast to coast! Despite their distance, they’re thankful to still be a part of the Vanguard family and So Cal Network!

2000s

interview, during which he answered my questions with warmth, thoughtfulness, and eloquence, further proved it!

Speaking of warmth and thoughtfulness, the news of Dr. Elizabeth Dermody Leonard’s passing arrived just as this issue of vanguard magazine was going to print. When the editorial staff were planning an article in tribute to her, we couldn’t help but notice that she was already featured heavily in this issue. Her academic work and spirit of collaboration were essential to professor Warren Doody and alumna Karah Gravatt in producing Life Without Parole, and her legacy as one of the co-founders of the Global Center for Women and Justice echoes through the powerful advocacy of the Ensure Justice Conference.

The director of the Global Center for Women and Justice, Sandie Morgan, told me that Dr. Leonard had a way of turning undeclared and uncertain students into sociology majors. Her passion for justice and support for the marginalized gave shape and direction to the academic journeys of so many students and colleagues.

Alumna Joy Petrie, who is featured in this issue, is another example of this—she

Leslie (Schaefer) Ballard ‘00 recently accepted a position as Client Success Manager with a Santa Monica software company, Cornerstone OnDemand.

She resides in the Nashville, TN area and volunteers as an officer with Music City Gator Club, as well as with IMPS, a miniature pinscher breed rescue group.

Trisha Haddad ’00 has always wanted to be a published author and taking a variety of English courses while at Vanguard refined the way she wrote

switched her major after taking Dr. Leonard’s class in her senior year!

The temptation is to see Dr. Leonard’s considerable presence in this issue, just before she passed away, as somehow providential. The truth is, however, that she touched so many lives that nearly every issue of vanguard magazine is a testament to the grace and devotion she bequeathed to students, faculty, administrators, and staff of Vanguard University. She will be deeply missed.

RENE SCHEYS ’04 WRITER/COPY EDITOR

vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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and read literature, preparing a path for the career she has always dreamt of! Trisha has published a few books since graduating from Vanguard, which can be found on her website,TrishaHaddad.com

A SEED OF CONFIDENCE Ever since Jack Nelson’s ’61 graduation from Vanguard University over 50 years ago, he has felt a special kinship with the school—a kinship that has manifested itself in decades of steady support for Vanguard and its athletics programs. While a student, he involved himself in the life of the campus as an athlete and a leader, winning Athlete of the Year twice and serving as student body president two years in a row. Upon completing his degree in 1961, his goal of raising the profile of Vanguard’s athletics programs began in earnest; over the next few years, he served in various roles at the school, including athletic director, basketball coach, and baseball coach.

“They hired me at the age of 25, and I didn’t really know what I was doing, other than that I had a passion for sports and a passion for God,” recalls Jack. “And I wanted to see athletics move from being an afterthought to a forethought.” As athletic director, Jack was involved in a project that established a new home for the basketball team. When nearby Orange Coast College offered its gymnasium to Vanguard, he and the administration orchestrated a way to move the structure itself to Vanguard’s campus. The building was trucked a mile down Fairview in five enormous pieces, reassembled in its present location, and became “The Pit,” Vanguard’s beloved home for its basketball and volleyball teams.

With family obligations increasing, Jack eventually decided that he needed to go in a different direction with his career. He entered the accounting field and spent a number of decades in the oil industry. During those years, he also remained active in ministerial leadership, serving as an associate pastor, leading missions ministries and Bible studies, and counseling many churches and parishioners on properly handling their finances. All of those successes grew from a seed of confidence planted at Vanguard many years prior. “I came from a small town, and my father passed away when I was very young,” he says. “I lived a sheltered life.

When I got to Vanguard, it opened up a brand

Dawn (Richardson ’01) Bulchandani married the incredible Neel Bulchandani on August 3, 2013. She continues to teach Bible and World Religions at Simpson University. Dawn’s article, “God of the Baghdad Bike,” was published in The Christian Quarterly, which can be read online here: joyfullivingmagazine.com/issues/2013-Summer.pdf.

new world to me. It didn’t let me say ‘no.’ I had to come out of my shell.”

Jack is forever grateful for the confidence he learned at Vanguard University, but he developed another trait as a student, which also served him well in life: toughness. He acquired this trait as an athlete, particularly as a player on Vanguard’s football team. “Coach Bill Severn made us be tough,” he says. “I had never had anyone push me like that. He had a saying: ‘In every way, every day, we get better.’ He taught me perseverance and toughness, which prepared me for the many tasks and challenges I faced in my career.” As a member of the undefeated 1959 football team, which was inducted in to the Vanguard University Sports Hall of Fame in 2004, it is plain to see that Jack learned the lesson well. And as an encourager and supporter of Vanguard’s athletics programs for many years, it is also evident that Jack is helping pass that lesson and others on to many subsequent generations of Vanguard athletes. “If you are a former athlete at Vanguard, regardless of the sport, give something back to the university as you are enabled,” he says. “Always be proud of the current generation’s accomplishments and show your support in some tangible way. I was glad that I could be in Kansas City for part of Vanguard’s run to the NAIA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. Even though I did not know one player or coach, I felt a kinship with the team.”

Brenda (Grant ’05) Woodward has been able to keep in touch with her close group of friends from Vanguard – even those that are living out of state Skype in! Little did they all know that meeting on the 4th floor of Catalina Hall in 2002 would unite them forever. Brenda feels blessed to continue to share life’s journey of friendship, marriage, and parenthood with these women.

Allison (Blackwell ‘07) Hesse was promoted to Director of Residence Life at Vanguard.

Allison previously served as the Housing & Data Coordinator, contributing excellent work to the Residence Life Department.

Dawn (Hayes ’08, MA ’10) Lopez married her high school sweetheart, Daryl, in 2010. She is currently an on-campus substitute teacher at Calvary Chapel High School in Santa Ana where she also tutors students.

Sandra Ramirez ‘08 manages a gorgeous Etsy account, full of creations for her independently owned & operated shoe business, Fruitful Feet: www.FruitfulFeet.com. In Spring 2013, she shipped a huge order to Japan which was a very exciting milestone for her company! Additionally, Sandra and her fiancé are looking forward to their wedding in August 2014.

Katie (Keck ’08) Taylor and her husband, James, live in Des Moines, WA where Katie works as the volunteer coordinator at Northwest Harvest, a statewide hunger response network.

Barbara Richardson ’10 currently lives in Haiti where she works with a non-profit that her younger sister started in 2012. Barbara is helping to implement a new family program with big visions

40 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

HOMECOMING 2014 Vanguard University welcomed its vast

The Athletic Department’s Hall of Fame induction

Selah, and Mercy all attended and participated in the

community of alumni back to campus during

ceremony was also an unqualified success. Over 350

race. There were nearly 200 runners, 100 volunteers,

Homecoming 2014 this spring

people came to celebrate and honor Diane Ortiz,

and thousands of dollars raised,” he said.

with a weekend of festivities designed

Coach Russ Davis, Kevin Carlson ’96, and the

to engage and honor alumni, giving them a chance to

1995 Softball team and the 1990 Men’s Basketball

reconnect to the University and to each other.

team. “The night was filled with nostalgia, reflection,

The weekend began with a bang, at the Delivery Boys and Entouräge Reunion Show. For 25 years, the camp teams have been a beloved expression of Vanguard’s heart for ministry, and the reunion show gave alumni of the teams the opportunity to perform their hilarious

and an appreciation of individuals who collectively left their mark on multitudes of teammates, coaches, family, and friends,” said Joel Gackle. “The evening set the stage for the overall weekend – a time when alumni and friends were able to come together and celebrate what

Four alumni were honored during the Alumni Awards Chapel. Dr. Tommy Casarez ’94 received Alumni of the Year, Dennis Lindsay ’69 was given the Career Achievement Award, Dan Myers ’57 received the Distinguished Service Award, and Tina Ramirez ’99, MA ’01 accepted the Young Alumna of the Year Award. Other activities included a basketball clinic conducted by the men’s basketball team, a special

skits once again. The evening was hosted by Emily

makes Vanguard great.”

(Maier ’03) Rose, a former member of Entouräge,

Another highlight of the weekend was the second

and basketball games featuring both the men’s and

and Christopher Tillman ’02, a former Delivery

annual Run For Mercy 5K (see page 24), which

women’s teams.

Boy. Joel Gackle, director of alumni relations at

benefitted Candace (Wong ’02) Segrove and

Vanguard, was pleased by the turnout. “We even had

her family. Alumni, students, and community members

alumni join from places like Washington and North

joined together to run and volunteer for a worthy cause.

Carolina,” he said. “It was great to see the teams from

Joel Gackle also noted the attendance of the Doyle

years past join with the current team.”

family, the recipients of last year’s 5K. “Kevin, Camie,

screening of the film Girl Rising, the 1984 class reunion,

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41

class notes

and dreams for the small island of Haiti. Barbara would love to connect with Vanguard alumni to share her story and the story of New Beginnings Haiti Ministry!

Chelsea Black ‘12 earned her teaching credential in the Graduate Education program at Vanguard. Since graduating, Chelsea has been substituting at Brethren Christian School and has applied to University of California Irvine’s Graduate English program.

Amy Dallenbach ‘12 12 is currently teaching English abroad at a university in China.

Elijah Dove ’12 is currently teaching in Harbin, Heilongjiang (known for its winter ice and snow festival) at Heilongjiang International University.

Elijah states that teaching abroad is exciting, but immensely challenging. He recently had a two-month break which was very helpful and also allowed him to travel all over China. Elijah feels very blessed to be given this opportunity to see the world while also teaching internationally!

Ashley Dunston ’12 is a blogger and writes for an online teen girl magazine.

She is engaged to marry the love of her life, a young man she’s known since high school in Colorado.

Cara Deckert ‘13 earned her teaching credential from the Graduate Education Program at Vanguard and currently substitutes in the Santa Ana Unified School District.

Adrian Michael ’13 successfully started up his own company, South Coast Financial, which specializes in mortgage and real estate services.

South Coast Financial is veteran owned and operated, built by and for veterans. Adrian is VA approved and ready to assist any and all veterans, military personnel, and family members when it comes to approving and funding their loans. Adrian hopes to work together with other Vanguard alumni to help veterans find the housing assistance they need in a stable and affordable living environment.

42 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

Just Married Chelsea (Belardo ‘04) married Robert Galusky in a surprise wedding on November 26, 2013 in Charlotte, NC. Chelbert (Chelsea + Robert nickname) revealed their wedding surprise on December 15 at an engagement party at His Place Church in Westminster, CA. They showed their wedding video, renewed their vows, and played the Newlywed Game. Chelsea and Robert live in Costa Mesa and are parents to a Siberian Husky named Kona. Chelsea has been on staff at Vanguard University for 10 years and has worked in University Advancement as Alumni Relations Coordinator and Special Events & Volunteer Coordinator. She is now the Social Media Specialist in the Marketing and Communications office. In her current position, she oversees the Vanguard website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and the school’s many e-newsletters. Check out what else Chelsea has been up to on her blog, Shoots & Giggles: shootsgiggles. blogspot.com Kelly (Pion ’07) and Scott Capone eloped on Valentine’s Day 2014 – they planned their wedding AND honeymoon in just four days! The Capone elopement took place in Crescent Bay Park, Laguna Beach with Pastor Eric Heard from Mariners Church (the Capone’s home church) and was followed by a week-long Mexican Rivera Cruise. The Capones are very happily married and reside in Irvine, CA. Scott and Kelly are the owners of two companies, The K Factor Enterprises and Capone Strategies.

Erin (Lawrence ‘08) married Ethan Hulse on February 1, 2014. Erin returned to Vanguard in November as the Senior Administration Assistant to the Vice President for University Advancement. Ethan is the Worship Director at Mariners Church Mission Viejo. The Hulses currently live in Costa Mesa, CA.

Alli Joy (Williams ‘12) and David Vazquez ‘12 were married on September 28, 2013.

After meeting at Vanguard’s freshman orientation in 2008, their college friendship turned into romance, which five years later turned into marriage! David works as a policy advisor to Orange County cities and Alli is a Youth Pastor at His Place Church in Westminster, CA. They live in Old Towne Orange and love every moment of married life.

Future Alumni Kelly (Boeke ‘02, MA ‘09) Walters and husband David are proud new parents to their first child, daughter Kelsey Joy Walters, born November 16, 2013. Kelly is a middle school teacher and David is an accountant and they reside in Huntington Beach.

Katy (Cruz ’02) Neric MBA ’10 and her husband Joe welcomed their beautiful baby girl, Sabrina Cruz, on January 2, 2014. Joe is art director for Super Street Bike and Cruiser magazines and Katy is Associate Director of Undergraduate Admissions at Vanguard.

Becky (Lopez ‘06) King and husband Kyle were proud to welcome their beautiful baby girl, Aurora Cecilia, on April 19, 2013. They bought their first home in San Juan Capistrano. Kyle is currently serving in the Marine Corps and is stationed at Camp Pendleton. Becky is presently a happy stayat-home wife and mommy.

Allie (Maxwell ’08) and Garth Harris ’07 welcomed Audrey Carol into the world on July 8, 2013. Garth works for a software company in

Newport Beach called CAKE, which is a tracking and analytics platform that allows companies to optimize online performance marketing. In May 2013, Garth was promoted to Client Service Director, Europe which brought the Harris’ to London where they have been happily living for almost a year now.

Brittney (McKaig ’08) and Boomer Roberts ’08 welcomed their first son, Griffin, into the world in February 2014. Boomer is the assistant coach of the Vanguard University men’s basketball team, who just won the program’s first-ever National Championship.

Brittney works in marketing.

Travis Marcus MBA ’09 and wife Tawny welcomed twins Abraham Royce and Sylvie Marguerite on March 6, 2014. Travis is a freelance graphic designer and Tawny is the Associate Creative Director at Vanguard.

Krista (Castro ’10) and Tovar Hernandez ’10 welcomed their son, Ezekiah Silas, into the world on November 10, 2013. Tovar is a RN at Hollywood Presbyterian in the ICU and Krista is a full time mom and student, currently attending Azusa Pacific University where she studies clinical psychology. The Hernandez family attends Free Chapel in Irvine.

In Memory Ken Tracy former Head Librarian and Emeritus faculty member, passed away on November 21, 2013.

John Bearden passed away in February 2014. Visit “Jonny’s Warriors,” a Facebook Page created by John’s sister, Nanci Saad, where friends and family are able to share special memories about John.

Rev. Henry Clarence Burnett, Jr. ’64, a retired Assemblies of God pastor of churches located in Arkansas and Missouri, passed away February 25, 2013 at age 76.

SEND US YOUR PHOTOS! We would love to showcase pictures of your new baby, wedding or anniversary in Class Notes.

Email your photos to alumni@vanguard.edu or mail your prints to: Alumni Relations, 55 Fair Dr., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.

MODELING GRACE AND COMPASSION When Deneé Grauberger MS ’11 was deciding where to attend graduate school in pursuit of her Masters in clinical psychology, one characteristic of Vanguard University’s program appealed to her the most. Vanguard offers project-based assessment, which allows students to apply what they are learning about the concepts and principles that comprise effective therapy to real counseling sessions with real people. While at Vanguard, Deneé worked with clients in a professional setting, and as a culmination of her work, she presented one of those individuals as a case study to her advisors.

Instead of a thesis or dissertation based mainly on research, Deneé was responsible for writing a report about her client from a clinical point of view and then defending her clinical judgment, all while receiving constructive criticism and guidance from those advisors. As it usually happens at Vanguard, Deneé’s advisors also became mentors and friends.

“My whole career at Vanguard is an example of the mentorship of professors, and how they cared about me, invested in me, and wanted to know me,” she says.

In addition to the fact that Deneé was learning through practical experience, she also appreciated that her education had a positive, real-world impact on the people in the community who benefitted from the therapy. Now Deneé is a Marriage and Family Therapist Intern, so she is able to build a client base and practice therapy; the “Intern” in her title indicates that she is in the process of accruing 3000 professional training hours in session, which is her final stepping-stone before becoming a licensed therapist.

All of Deneé’s hard work is in the service of helping people restore their lives. “Therapy is a healing profession,” she says. “As a Christian therapist, I am a tool for God’s healing. I’m able to model grace and compassion, and give clients tools to find healing in themselves through Christ.”

Modeling grace and compassion is one of the primary objectives of Deneé’s other great passion: her involvement in Royal Family Kids Camp. This is a one-week summer retreat for children aged of 6 to 11 who are in the state’s foster care system. Serving as a counselor at Royal Family Kids Camp is, according to Deneé, “an experience that will never leave you. It’s the hardest week of my life and the most rewarding week of my life.” Children come to the camp at different stages with diverse symptoms of difficult lives, and one of the hardest parts of the experience is understanding the limitations of just one week with them. “Some of the kids come to camp with years of trauma,” explains Deneé.

“You’re not going to be able to ‘fix’ them. But you can love them for a week. You can model Christ’s love and mercy and kindness, and be a safe adult.

And you can always pray for them.”

Another of the primary reasons Deneé chose to attend Vanguard was because she was looking for training that rooted her clinical education in Christian faith. For Deneé, life as a Christian and as a therapist cannot be separate, and she has centered her work around showing others the way to God’s love, both professionally and as a volunteer.

PRINTS WILL NOT BE RETURNED. vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

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44 vanguard magazine SPRING/SUMMER 2014

learn of me

I COME FROM A FAMILY OF MIGRANT FARM WORKERS. My mother had a basic education, but that didn’t stop her from moving forward in life. I learned about work ethic from her. She didn’t have the best options available to her, but she followed the call and still had a fruitful ministry. She had a very gentle nature, but she was also tenacious—she wouldn’t let go!

MY PARENTS MET AT A TENT REVIVAL. My father was preaching and my mother was singing in a women’s trio. They heard the Lord, followed Him, and did what He said, guided by the Word and the Spirit.

MY FATHER WAS MY FIRST TEACHER OF TEACHING. He was a pastor and a gifted teacher, and watching him in the pulpit educating people from the Word was the first model of good instruction I had. He loved reading and taught me from a very young age to value it.

The Old Testament remains powerful and relevant, because in order to cooperate with the redemptive process in the New Testament, we need to understand what we were created to be.

I HAD TO GET PAST TRYING TO WORK HARD TO EARN GOD’S FAVOR, OR HIS LOVE, OR HIS BLESSING, AND RECOGNIZE THAT THESE ARE GIFTS HE GIVES. I do what I do not so that He will bless me, but because He has, and not so that He will love me, but because He does. It’s not a performance approach, but a grace-life approach. The more you get that, the less you have to prove, and the less you have to fear.

LIFE LESSONS FROM VANGUARD UNIVERSITY LUMINARIES

DR. APRIL WESTBROOK Dr. April Westbrook is a professor of Old Testament at Vanguard University and served as the chair of the inauguration committee for President Beals. Each year, she introduces students to the formal study of Scripture, teaching courses in Old Testament and biblical Hebrew. She has also been an ordained minister for 25 years, with a specific interest in issues concerning women in leadership and ministry roles.

OTHER THAN THE BIBLE, I’VE BEEN MOST INFLUENCED BY BOOKS THAT LAID THE GROUNDWORK FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN MINISTRY. Their challenges to the status quo were transforming. These books were written by people who thought through ideas about women biblically and logically and risked a lot to do so, and I am the beneficiary.

LIVE YOUR SEASON. In your life and in your career, each season has a purpose. Each season has its joys, fulfillments, and challenges. Don’t always look at where you were, or ahead of yourself. Approach life as a daily walk and follow the leading of the Lord, and you will move more graciously through your seasons.

I HAVE LEARNED TO VALUE THE DIVERSITY OF GOD’S PEOPLE AND HOW HE WORKS THROUGH THEM. We need an array of giftings because the needs are many and we’re strongest when we’re working together.

DON’T EVER UNDERESTIMATE WHAT GOD CAN DO. You will not get to the end of Him!

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