York College Heritage Magazine

RPink for President PANTHERS RISE New Challenges, RNAIA Top 20 New Opportunities RCampaign Goals

Dave Hawley ’72

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Homecoming Awards

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New Women's Programs

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Marketing Interns

Summer 2011 Vol.13, No.2

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Angel of Ukraine

photo by Justin Carver '07

As I write this letter, we have just completed Thanksgiving break. As with most of you, we enjoyed time with family, catching up on the past, and sharing excitement about future plans. Foremost, the holiday was a time to thank God for the loved ones who filled our house and all those who always fill our hearts.

The mission of York College is to transform lives through Christ-centered education and to equip students for lifelong service to God, family and society.

Since I returned to York nine years ago, I have watched as our annual Homecoming weekend has turned into a York College Thanksgiving, a time to celebrate our shared past and God’s faithful work here. Each year the crowds of returning alumni have grown. As I interact with them, I hear great stories of fun and faith and events that shaped them as students. Our memories of the past, the joy of being together, and our excitement for the future create a thanksgiving moment for me and so many others.

In this year’s Homecoming Chapel, the campus update was especially poignant for me as I shared news about our recent Beyond 125 fundraising campaign. God blessed us beyond what we could ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20). All the numbers were impressive but our alumni support was the most meaningful to me. Nearly 34% of alumni made a gift during the campaign, more than double the national average! Our mutual support is about much more than a bragging point for our campaign. It speaks to connections unchanged by time, a commitment to one another, and a passion for this place that can sustain and grow our college. For everyone who loves York College it is a reason to give thanks.

FFA chapters across Nebraska, such as this one from Arcadia, were invited to campus for a Cultivate program in November. Read about the Levitt School of Business' new initiatives and leadership on page 14.

On The Cover: Madeleine Martinez and December Taverner celebrate the addition of a competitive cheer and dance program at York College.

For that story along with the announcement of women's wrestling, see page 16.

As we enjoy this season of thanksgiving, I hope you will take a moment to thank God for the people and experiences that are part of your life because of York College. While you celebrate the past, I covet your prayers for the faculty, staff and students as we live out the school’s next chapter here on the hill of the rising sun.

Steve Eckman President

(above) As students were heading home for the Thanksgiving break, the men's cross country team was competing at the NAIA Championships in Vancouver, Wash., in which YC's individual record in the 8k and the team's overall average record were broken. See pg 24.

Profile Excellence in

photo courtesy East Wichita News

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his spring, the Wichita Collegiate School’s boys tennis players had a number on their minds: 50. If they took home a State championship title at the end of the season, they would become the 50th Collegiate team Dave Hawley '72 had coached to that distinction.

“They talked about it all the time, to the point that I wouldn’t let them talk about it anymore,” Hawley said. “Yet it was such a huge goal that they were driven by it. You have to love that.”

None of the players took home individual State titles, but that didn’t matter. By the time the last few matches were underway, the Spartans had clinched the team win.

Senior king candidate Trevor Lenear takes a fun selfie of the Homecoming Court after they were presented to the student body in Monday's chapel.

In this issue: 3 6 8 10 12 13 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 27 28 29 30 31

Dave Hawley - Profile in Excellence Campus News Homecoming Celebration Alumni Awards Athletic Hall of Fame Not That Kind of Girl Getting Down to Business We Are York College From Concept to Creation Alumni News and Notes Angel of Ukraine Panther Athletics Beyond 125 Celebration Campus View Woodrow Wilson Teaching Scholar Online Success To Tweet or Not To Tweet Around the Corner

“We couldn’t overly celebrate, because we still had matches going on, but it was pretty great,” Hawley said.

Hawley has been at Collegiate for 41 years, coaching tennis all the while. Before that run started, he was a competitive tennis player himself, winning a State doubles title and a team title as a Nebraska high-schooler before playing college tennis for York College and Harding University. ...continued next page

The class of 1967 purchased Meghan Shruck's artistic rendering of a Tower of York as their gift to the college and had a short dedication ceremony in front of the Bartholomew Performing Arts Center. See pg. 6.

Heritage is a semi-annual publication for alumni and friends of York College. The magazine is available online at www.york.edu/alumni.

Heritage Editor Vol. 21, No. 1 Chrystal Houston ’03 Director of Alumni and Communication 402-363-5607 chrystal.houston@york.edu

The Roger and Nelda Hawley family pictured in the 1972 Crusader includes children (l-r) Steve '75, Dave '72, Scott '82, and Sandy '72.

Roger, a long time preacher for the East Hill Church of Christ, served in many roles in his nine years at York College, including Bible professor, college counselor, and dean of students.

Assistant Editor/Design Steddon Sikes ’84 Director of Publications Heritage Contributors Justin Carver ’07 Bob DeHart ’95 Maegan (Simpson ’10) Detlefs Rachel Dollen ’18

Brad Fisher ’87 Amber Soderholm ’10 Cassidy Wilson ’19

Tennis is a sport that tests you mentally as much as physically. Players are out on the court by themselves, or with just one other person, and sets, matches and even championships can turn on a single stroke of the racket.

“What I do, at least, is probably less than 25 percent stroke production and things like that,” Hawley said. “It’s 75 percent everything else. Each individual kid figures out, with our coaching staff,

what works best for them and how to maximize their play.”

followed, Collegiate’s stature as a tennis power in Kansas grew and grew.

Hawley has a no-cut policy, meaning that his team rosters now often top 50.

But when he coached his first team, in spring 1978, around 16 boys went out.

After three years of boys coaching, Hawley became girls team coach as well. The girls gave him his first State title as coach, in 1986.

That record of success means that it is difficult for Hawley to point to one or two seasons or teams that were special.

Many of them were. Still, he can say that objectively, his 1996 boys team was “the most talented I ever had.” Several players from that year went on to play at top colleges.

“I learned a great lesson that year, because we were not the best team in the state,” Hawley said. “Three times that year, we finished second to Lyons High School, which had a really good team. But at State that year, their best player didn’t have a very good tournament, and she lost before she normally would’ve, and our kids played the best they could play – and we won.

We were the best that day.

photo by Arielle Orsuto - KWCH Channel 12

“It taught me a lesson that we talk about every single year, and that is that you have to show up. You can’t carry what you did last week along with you; that doesn’t give you any extra games. If I’m proud of any one thing more than another, it’s that I think our kids, when they go to play, are really ready to play. They’ve bought in.”

The boys team won its first title the following season, and in the years that

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You have to show up.

You can't carry what you did last week along with you.

“It was incredible,” Hawley said. “We were better, I would say, than many college teams in the area. Not Division 1 teams, necessarily, but we could’ve played with Div. 1. These guys got after it, practiced well, played well, had great heart. I loved them. (above) During Homecoming week at Wichita Collegiate, the 7th grade faculty showed their spirit by dressing as Snow White and the "Seventh" Dwarfs. Dave got to be his favorite... Dopey. (left) Dave was inducted into the National High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame in September for his years of success, both on and off the court.

(right) The 2017 Boys State Championship Team proudly stand with their head coach after winning his 50th WCS title. (below) While visiting daughter Meagan at Namwianga Mission in Zambia, Dave and Sally join her in showing love to a few of the orphan children in her care.

“I’ve had several girls teams that were very similar,” Hawley added. “Just nonstop good efforts, played hard every single point. There’s too many to name.

I just have fallen in love with how girls really have a battle mindset that sometimes they’re not given credit for.”

Seasons coaching his children, Zach, Meagan and Ben were also special, both for him and for his wife, Sally.

THE HAWLEYS

Hawley loves his players and loves Collegiate – and both the players and the school love him back. That was made clear in 2007, when, after extensive upgrades and repairs to

Collegiate’s tennis courts, school leaders surprised him by renaming the facility the Dave Hawley Tennis Center.

My goal is that when I leave, I want a better coach than I am to take my spot.

“I’ve never been more surprised in my life than that day,” Hawley said. “We were having our end-of-the-schoolyear banquet, and they said, ‘We have one more thing we’d like to do.’”

A slideshow of Hawley’s tennis coaching career played.

“The last slide, they had the picture that said Dave Hawley Tennis Center, and I was speechless. People who know me know I’m never speechless. I couldn’t really even find the words to thank them.”

As those who know him would probably expect, when it comes to talk of retirement, Hawley’s focus is on the future of his program. “My goal is that when I leave, I want a better coach than I am to take my spot,” he said. n

by Sam Jack used by permission of East Wichita News

Dave and Sally (Kritz '74) Hawley live in Wichita, Kans., where Dave teaches 7th grade history at Wichita Collegiate School and is in his 41st year coaching boys and girls high school tennis. He has been a Kansas Tennis Coach of the Year recipient thirteen times and was recently part of the inaugural group of coaches inducted into the National High School Tennis Coaches Hall of Fame.

The Hawleys have three grown children: Zachary, Meagan, and Benjamin and have been blessed with seven grandchildren.

Dave and his brother Scott '82 both serve as elders at the East Point Church of Christ.

Classmates, you can send Dave a note of congratulations at dhawley@wcsks.com

CAMPUS NEWS Psychology Department Hosts Statewide Event

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hat are the effects of color association on recall of emotional descriptive words? Can music help children with speech impairment? Does the location of the professor (on-campus or online) impact student perceptions about the quality of the class?

Class Gift of Campus Art

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hen the class of 1967 started planning their 50th class reunion for Homecoming 2017, they wanted the event to be filled with reminiscing and reconnecting; they also wanted it to establish a legacy at YC. Classmates from near and far, including many who could not make it to campus for the reunion, pitched in to raise funds for an art installation as a class gift. The art piece they purchased was placed in front of the Bartholomew Performing Arts Center on the north side of campus and was dedicated at Homecoming.

The “Be More at York College” water tower was originally created for the York Chamber of Commerce’s Towers of York project, which celebrated the variety of the York community with decorative replicas of the iconic water tower that sits at the Interstate 80/Highway 81 crossroads in York. The 25 Towers of York were designed by local artists, displayed for six months, and finally auctioned, netting nearly $50,000 for the community. The York College tower was painted by Meghan Shruck ’11, assistant dean of students. Shruck’s creation captures iconic elements of York College’s beautiful campus, including the Prayer Chapel, Hulitt Hall, the steps of McGehee, and a campus swing. In flowing script, the base of the tower is inscribed with the college mission statement: “…to transform lives through Christ-centered education and to equip students for lifelong service to God, family, and society.” n Shruck

(right) Dr. Reyna Gordon, keynote speaker at the Nebraska Psychological Society workshop hosted on campus, poses with York College psychology professors Dr. Jaclyn Spivey and Mrs. Lindsey Eckert and student presenters Jesse Poneoma, Anissia Munoz, and Camery Nielsen.

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These were some of the questions explored and presented during the Nebraska Psychological Society annual workshop, hosted for the first time at York College in November.

Featuring more than 90 psychology students and faculty members from eight Nebraska colleges and universities, it was a day of learning and networking for those interested in social science research, neuroscience, and counseling.

The day included student presentations on original research in many areas. It was an opportunity for them to practice presenting and hear feedback on their ideas from others in the field.

The keynote speaker for the event was Dr. Reyna Gordon, assistant professor of otolaryngology at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, where she directs the Music Cognition Lab. She is also an assistant professor of psychology and the associate director (and a founding member) of a new transinstitutional initiative, the Program for Music, Mind and Society at Vanderbilt, aimed at understanding the role of music from molecules in the brain to behavior to culture and society.

Gordon’s engaging presentation touched on work she and colleagues have done with children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI). SLI is diagnosed when a child’s language does not develop normally by about age seven and the difficulties cannot be accounted for by things like autism spectrum disorder, acquired brain damage or hearing loss.

Gordon’s team has published research on improving speech in children with SLI through the use of Suzuki Method violin instruction. She shared with students some of the different tests she and colleagues had devised to assess the needs and progress of children with SLI and reported on the results of their work. A recording of Gordon’s presentation is available at www.york.edu/NPS. n

FA C U LT Y / S TA F F N E W S McNeese Adds Volumes to His Achievements

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he last couple of months have been extraordinarily busy and gratifying for Associate Professor of History Tim McNeese '73.

November saw the publication of three new books and the television premiere of the documentary “Black Jack Pershing: Love and War,” in which he was featured. Not to be outdone by those accolades, on December 5, McNeese successfully defended his dissertation, completing his PhD in History at Faulkner University.

McNeese’s newest books are through educational publisher InfoBase. Topics include the American industrial revolution of the early 1800s; the construction of the Panama Canal; and the American naval mission to open Japan to the outside world during the early 1850s. McNeese is the author of over 120 books on history for children, middle grades, high school, and college readers.

The hour-long documentary on the life of General John J. Pershing in which McNeese was featured, aired on Nebraska Educational Television (PBS) three times in November. McNeese appears often in the documentary as a historical expert on Pershing’s early life. Barney McCoy, Emmy award winning filmmaker, produced the documentary as well as a shorter version for NET's "Nebraska Stories" and related radio broadcasts for the NET Radio (NPR), which also featured McNeese and were aired in 2016.

Television appearances are nothing new for McNeese, who was featured on the History Channel program “Risk Takers, History Makers” in 2006 and several episodes of “America: Facts Vs. Fiction” on the American Heroes Channel in 2014 and 2016.

Recently, McNeese also had an article published by Faulkner University in the fall issue of Journal of Faith and the Academy as part of a series on faith in literature. The article focused on morality as presented in selected works of William Shakespeare, including Hamlet, King Lear, Macbeth, and Othello. The publication is based on a paper McNeese presented at the Institute of Faith and the Academy’s annual conference.

Dr. McNeese is in his 26th year at York College. n

A New Role for Theatre Alum

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organ Goracke '14 has been a part of the performing arts scene at York College since 2011, first as a student on the theatre stage, then as an active alumni volunteer in many backstage activities, from makeup to box office to technical assistance.

This fall Goracke has a new role in the department as York College’s first performing arts recruiter and Bartholomew Performing Arts Center facility manager. Goracke, who has worked for the past two years as a campaign assistant in the York College Advancement Office, is excited to put her theatre communication degree to use in this new capacity. "The arts at York College are what allowed me to develop into the person I am,” she said. “I am thrilled to join this team, and help others discover what a difference it will make for their lives."

Goracke will be the key facilitator for all activities in the performing arts center, will manage communication efforts on behalf of the music and theatre departments, and will recruit new students to the programs.

“The performing arts faculty is thrilled to have someone of Morgan's experience assisting us with operations,” said Dr. Clark Roush, endowed chair for the performing arts. “Her skill-set perfectly augments the needs we have, and we are eager to see what growth and development this can bring our respective areas. There is a need to have someone focused on recruiting in the arts and Morgan will be very effective.”

Vice President for Enrollment and Athletics Jared Stark was similarly enthusiastic about Goracke’s transition to the recruiting team. "At York College, we believe we have an environment that centers on faith transformation in our mission. It is our goal to share that environment with as many students as we possibly can. Because we have highly talented performing arts faculty with dynamic creative ability - we provide excellence in artistic production and education. It is my desire to see that strength of ours grow. This new position puts more gears in motion for us to promote performing arts to prospective students and bring them to campus for lifechanging experiences."

Know someone interested in the performing arts at YC? Contact Morgan at mgoracke@york.edu (402)363-5627. n

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Homecoming Celebration!

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Steve and LaRee Eckman stand proudly with Homecoming Royalty: King Trevor Lenear and Queen Corrie McDonald.

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The classes of '86, '87, and '88 met long into the night on Saturday and invited a few guests like Dr. Robert Lawrence and Dr. Ray and Gail Miller to join in on the fun.

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The The YC Theatre Department presented the hilarious melodrama "Mumbo Jumbo" during Homecoming weekend.

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The 1982 group of "Friends" gave a reunion concert in McGehee Hall that included many songs from their traveling repertoire.

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Young Alumnus of the Year, Kimberly (Dreher '02) Hoyt, spoke about some of the people at York College that changed her life.

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President Eckman congratulates the Honorable David Arterburn '77 as the Alumni of the Year recipient.

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The 1992 men's soccer team was inducted into the YC Athletic Hall of Fame on Friday for their NSCAA National Championship and then recognized during the Homecoming basketball game on Saturday.

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To Whom Honor is Due

From justice for a community, to healing for families, to bringing the Good News of Christ to people around the world, the alumni honored this year represent the heart of the mission of York College: lives of service to God, family, and society.

Alumnus of the Year: David Arterburn ’77

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Young Alumnus of the Year: Kimberly (Dreher ’02) Hoyt

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he Honorable David Arterburn is a judge of the Nebraska State Court of Appeals. He previously served as a District Court Judge in Sarpy County Nebraska for a period of nearly 12 years where he also presided over the drug court.

Arterburn began his career in private practice as well as serving as Deputy Red Willow County Attorney. He then served as an Assistant Attorney General for the Nebraska Department of Justice before being appointed to the bench. His education includes degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as well as from York College.

imberly (Dreher) Hoyt is a physician assistant in Grand Junction, Colorado, where she has practiced medicine for 13 years. She specializes in family medicine at Grand Valley Urgent Care, which also provides a student health clinic for a nearby university. Hoyt treats patients dealing with acute and chronic health conditions, from broken bones to diabetes and everything in between.

Her previous positions have included working with Desert Sun Medical Center and Med-X, P.C. Urgent Care. After completing studies at York College, Hoyt graduated from a P.A. program at Philadelphia University in 2004. She also holds many professional certifications and licenses.

Arterburn is active in his community as a volunteer judge for the Nebraska High School Mock Trial. Previously he served on the board of directors for the Cornhusker Christian Children’s Foundation and coached and refereed youth sports. Arterburn and his wife Cindy (Sheldon ’78) have been married 37 years and have three grown children.

Arterburn is also an elder at Southwest Church of Christ in Omaha and has given of his time as a guest lecturer at York College.

She is loved by her patients, one of whom described her as an “awesome doctor that always provided me with the best options for my health.” She is recognized for her accuracy, empathy, and excellent communication skills. Hoyt, her husband Darrel, and their sons Easton (7) and Oliver (3) are active members at Northeast Christian Church.

(Left) Dave Arterburn talked about the way God used his time at YC to prepare him for his career.

(Above) President Eckman congratulates Kimberly on being chosen Young Alumnus of the Year.

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Concert Choir, which toured Japan in 2005. The ministry work continues there today: Joel and his wife Kristin work with the church in Mito full-time. Jon and his wife Michiko now work full-time in ministry in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and visit Ishinomaki, Japan, regularly to see family and continue follow-up efforts in that area. The Berrys settled in York in 2013, where they live and work with adults with mental disabilities. Crimsen lives in Cloquet, Minnesota, with her family and teaches at Churchill Elementary. Each continues to lead lives of service, sacrifice, and ministry. (left) Crimsen, Jonathan, and Ben accepted the Servant Leader Award on behalf of the Sendai Team.

Servant Leader Award: Sendai Mission Team

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Fields are Ripe Award: Armando Gonzalez ’91

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hen YC friends Jonathan Straker, Joel Osborne, Ben Berry, and Crimsen (Ruhnke) Hanson committed to five years of missions in Japan after graduation, they didn’t know that they would be embarking on an international adventure that would touch thousands of lives and have a lasting impact on their own lives, careers, and families for many years to come.

rmando Gonzalez has worked in ministry for more than 30 years, serving various congregations in Oregon, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Kansas. His current post is with the Meade (Kansas) Church of Christ where he is the preacher. Armando and his wife Lynette (Shields ’85) are regular volunteers at Alumni and Friends Work Days.

Starting with a six-week Let’s Start Talking trip in 1998, the team began dreaming together of a longer-term effort in Asia. After extensive planning, training, and fundraising, they began work in Sendai, Japan, in 2002. Due to family concerns, Crimsen returned to the states in 2006. The following year, their commitment to Sendai complete, Ben and Jon returned to the U.S. to pursue master’s degrees in missions from Abilene Christian University. Joel worked in Singapore and Thailand during that time. A few years later, Joel settled in Mito, Japan, to continue missions outreach and Ben and wife Erica (Towell ’06) joined him in that effort and also taught English at a local school. Jon and his wife Michiko returned to Japan in 2011 in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in Sendai that killed more than 15,000 people. They worked in humanitarian relief efforts as well as missions.

Armando was honored with the Fields are Ripe Award, presented by the York College Bible Department, which recognizes alumni who have dedicated their lives to serving small churches in the Midwest.

A great many York College students and alumni have worked with the churches in Japan, facilitated and mentored by the original four-member Sendai team, including the York College

Armando has two adult children, Elijah and Elizabeth.

(Above) Dr. Terry Seufferlein, associate professor of Bible at York College, presented the Fields are Ripe Award to Armando and Lynette.

(Left) Joel and Kristin Osborne were not able to leave their home in Mito, Japan, but sent a video clip that was shown at Homecoming chapel.

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Teammates who returned for the celebration were (l-r) Nate Cleveland, Nate Reiser, Matt Coppinger, Coach Fisher, Chris Luther, Darren Thompson, and Ricky Pruitt — not pictured Tim Carr and Jeremy Maxwell.

New members of YC's Athletic Hall of Fame For those that love Panther Athletics, October 20 was a memorable day, as the 1992 York College Men's Soccer team was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame.

Eight players plus their coach, Brad Fisher '87, made it to the induction luncheon, held at Chances R’. They took turns at the microphone in front of a packed house, reminiscing about the season when they won it all, earning the title of national champions. They joked and told stories about what made that season so magical, from the thrilling victories, the incredible defense, the wild personalities, and the unmatched team chemistry that eventually brought them to a snow covered Levitt Stadium where they defeated New Hampshire Tech.

Fisher gave a moving tribute to his team—the second in three years to win the title. “In the fall of 1992, young, wideeyed boys ready to be men arrived from Wisconsin, Texas, Hawaii, Montana, Washington, California, Omaha and Hastings and other points on the globe. At this little, humble college in a town called York. They all settled together with one thing in common: the game of soccer. They would learn to respect each other, even love each other. They worked hard. They learned to play together. To trust the skills of the player next to them. And man, were they in shape. They ran so much in practice then, they’re still fit today! They didn’t know then that someday they would become doctors and teachers and ministers and businessmen and presidents of organizations. They didn’t know they would become fathers

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and husbands and coaches. But they did become all those things. At the time, they were just boys. Ready to become men. Ready to see what glory lay before them.” (The full recording of speeches by Fisher and others, as well as a photo gallery, is available at www.york.edu/ahof.)

The 1992 Men's Soccer team plaque now hangs in the lobby of the Freeman Center on the Athletic Hall of Fame wall display among other Panther Athletic notables. n

Players from the 1992 championship team included James Jerome, Brian Glendenning, Steve Arledge, Corey Kuroiwa, Jeremy Maxwell, Drew Wetzel, Julio Ibarra, Jason Church, Matt Coppinger, Jerrod Crouch, Juan Grant, Tim Carr, Matt Smith, Lenny Virgili, Bobby Conner, Mark Assante, Travis Hulock, John Seaman, P.J. Smith, Lance Takao, Harold Pimenta, Johnny Parks, Ricky Pruitt, Nate Cleveland, Brian Edmondson, Jeff Fuller, Nate Reiser, Chris Luther, Darren Thompson, Kevin Reed, and Jeremy Colbeck.

Not That Kind of Girl The life and loves of Echo McGuire ’58

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t’s not often that one’s high

school sweetheart is still a talking point 60 years later, but such was a the case for Echo (McGuire ’59) Griffith, whose first love was none other than the recording legend Charles Hardin (Buddy) Holly.

Echo and Buddy met in elementary school. They were Lubbock High School freshmen when they first dated, and continued to date after graduating in 1955.

Echo’s first year of college was at Abilene Christian University. She and her roommate then decided to transfer to York College; it was a longer drive to Nebraska, but Buddy continued to visit her.

“Being so far away from Lubbock (where Holly still lived), put a strain on my relationship with Buddy,” she said in an interview for a publication from the Eastern New Mexico University. “During the fall semester, he drove up to visit me in York, which helped to break up the long term away from home. Then, of course, we were together while I was in Lubbock for the Christmas vacation.”

When she returned to York that spring, she met fellow YC student Ronald Griffith, another musician.

Other students warned Ronald that Echo was Buddy Holly’s girlfriend.

Holly was already famous by this time — he had several hit records, been on the Ed Sullivan Show and had toured in the United States and abroad.

By the time Echo went home for Christmas in her junior year, she realized that she and Holly were headed in two different directions.

Echo couldn’t see herself as the wife of a rock star and she broke up with him.

Soon after the breakup, Holly wrote the song, “Peggy Sue Got Married.” Griffith told the New Mexico publication that many people thought the song was about her and people ask her if she is Peggy Sue, but she says Peggy Sue was actually the girlfriend of the drummer in Holly’s band.

“Later that semester,” said Echo, “Ron and I began to date and found that we shared many ideas, goals and interests.” Echo married Ronald in 1958 and they had three children. That same year, Buddy married Maria Santiago. On Feb. 3, 1959, Buddy was tragically killed in an airplane crash near Mason City, Iowa.

Echo told Texas Monthly reporter Joe Nick Patoski, “I have felt like I’ve had the call of God all my life.

Buddy and I were headed in different directions.” Echo and Ron went on to build a life of ministry.

Long-time Holly supporter Randy Steele concluded, “Echo was devoted to the church and Christian causes.

Buddy was into country and rock ‘n’ roll music."

One story that exemplifies this difference involves the King of Rock and Roll. Buddy had opened for Elvis Presley’s show in Lubbock and following the show he took Echo backstage to meet Presley. When Elvis asked Echo if he could kiss her, she turned him down. “I wasn’t that kind of girl,” she explained in the New Mexico interview.

Asked how she learned of Buddy’s fatal plane crash, Echo said, “I was 22. My husband and I had moved to Missoula, Montana, where I was a senior education major at the University of Montana. I was getting ready for school. I was ‘practice teaching’ second grade that semester. My mother called long distance early that morning and gave me the devastating news.”

She did say that she regrets burning the many letters Buddy had written to her while she was in college. “I thought that was the honorable thing to do,” she noted. “I didn’t know he was going to be famous.”

“When meeting Echo, she captured your attention immediately,” said Randy Steele. “She was petite, bright-eyed and possessed a beautiful smile and a warm personality. It was easy to picture the teenager that Buddy Holly fell for. She was proud of her life — and she was dedicated to her husband, her family and her faith. She definitely was special.”

At the Buddy Holly Center in Lubbock, you can view the Echo McGuire showcase on display, which includes her prom dress, a necklace Buddy gave her and the stuffed hound dog he and first performing partner Bob Montgomery signed.

Echo passed away on October 29 at the age of 80.

Condolences and cards can be sent to Echo’s husband, Ron Griffith, at 1112 N Guadalupe, Carlsbad, N.M., 88220. n (*Some of this article is reprinted with the permission of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal)

(right) Officers representing the York College junior class were Roy Gulley, Tom Schulz, and Echo McGuire.

Getting Down to Business Levitt School of Business drives excellence through new initiatives, leadership

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map of the main square of the village of McCool Junction rests on the table. Three YC business majors and two men from the nearby village lean over it, pointing to marks on the map as they discuss.

“Labor costs will be the most expensive part,” said student Torrey Casper, “since they’ve got to grind the road down for the transverse markings.”

“Yes, it’s got to be ground down enough so that if we didn’t have wheels on the plow, but it was just the blade, that it wouldn’t scrape it off,” said Jim Green, a maintenance administrator for the village of McCool. “Materials are expensive, too.”

The group discusses the total cost of the project, an estimated $6,000-$8,000 to create three new crosswalks near the town’s school. “It’s better to estimate high,” said Green. “Maybe we should say $10,000 and hope it’s less.”

“Expect the best, plan for the worst,” agreed Casper.

It’s important to get this project done, said Ryan

Underwood, a middle school teacher in McCool, as one of the proposed crosswalks would traverse a busy road that separates the school from the football field and parking lot. “It's a small community and a lot of people let their kids go around town on their own. I've seen a lot of kids on bicycles go right through that intersection and not even stop. If there’s at least a crosswalk and a stop mark there, hopefully community members will pay attention even if the kids don’t,” he said.

McCool Junction, nine miles South of York, has a population of 410. In a small community where resources are limited, getting projects like new crosswalks researched, approved, and completed, can be a challenge.

That challenge has been a learning opportunity for YC students.

The Levitt School of Business has partnered with York County Development Corporation's Bre Goben ’17, development coordinator, and Lisa Hurley, executive director, to connect student interns to needs in York and surrounding communities.

From a downtown beautification project in Henderson, to a website and marketing materials for new residents of Bradshaw, to a rebranding effort for York Parks and Recreation, students are providing value to local communities while building their professional skills and network. It’s a win-win situation, says Goben.

(left) YC faculty Tim Lewis, Steve Thompson, Nick DiToro, and Stacie Turnbull bring real-life experience to the Levitt School of Business.

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“I could not have done all of this on my own,” said Goben, who is responsible for housing and workforce development in the county. “Giving the projects to these students to help get things push-started...we’re giving people the opportunity to improve their communities and providing students the opportunity to learn.”

Goben

Growing the Future

(below) York College Phi Beta Lambda students are getting hands-on business experience and establishing professional relationships within the community. (1st row) Cole Satterfield, Hannah Parker, Dylan Roller, Kevin Olmstead, Sabrina Austin, Leiah Reichel; (2nd row) Melissa Strong, Zach Marsh, Benjamen Gramm, Deborah Kurtzer, Douglas Rhodes, Josh Bertey, Courtney Gibbs, Connor Towle, Evans Francis; (3rd row) Steve Lagat, Andrew Zeller, Robert Ozuna, Taylor O'Brien, Aaron Alvarez, Molly Little, Diego Korol, and Garrett Ewing.

photos by Cassidy Wilson ’19

This internship program is just one of several recent moves in the Levitt School of Business that are increasing the value of a business degree for YC students. Nick DiToro ’78, recently named the Roger Collins Endowed Chair of Business, says nearly 25 percent of the student body is part of the Levitt School of Business, which offers majors in accounting, business management, sports management, agriculture business, and business administration.

DiToro and colleagues are working toward additional accreditation through The International Accreditation Council for Business Education (IACBE). “This is strengthening our offerings through outcomes based self-assessment and raising the reputation of our programs,” he said.

He also touted the re-emergence of the competitive business club Phi Beta Lambda (PBL) on campus in the last two years under the direction of Tim Lewis, assistant professor of business.

“Last year we had a fourth place national finisher. Our goals are to expand that club and its footprint at competitions. We’re offering new scholarship opportunities for PBL students to help us get to the next level and represent York College well at the state and national level.”

The department has a new focus on recruiting top high school business students through campus-hosted events for FFA, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), and Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA). Stacie Turnbull, director of the agriculture business program, is organizing these

events, which have introduced several hundred high-achieving, business-minded high school students to Levitt School of Business programs in the last three years.

The internship program with York County Development is the second large scale project DiToro’s students have collaborated on with the community of York. In the spring of 2016, his Organizational Behavior class did much of the research for the Towers of York art project (see page 6), including estimates on costs, materials, and supply chain. They presented their findings and recommendations to executive director Madonna Mogul and the board of directors of the York Area Chamber of Commerce and the project was approved. The miniature water towers were painted by local artists, displayed throughout the community, and then auctioned to raise funds for community needs.

The auction raised nearly $50,000. “It was great for our students to see that project from start to finish and see the impact they had,” said DiToro. “My goal is an ongoing relationship with the community. We want to give our students as many opportunities in different business sectors as possible before they graduate. In the corporate world, employers are saying that people don't know how to manage complex projects, communicate effectively, or work in groups. We are addressing all of those needs through these real world experiences. It’s also a great opportunity for students to get connected in the community and realize there’s more to York than campus.” n

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e r A e W YORK COLLEGE! photos by Bob DeHart '95

YC Expands Athletic Programs for Women

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esponding to demand from prospective students and the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference, York College has added two new competitive programs for female athletes: cheer and dance, and wrestling.

The cheer team has had a presence off and on at YC over the years and restarted in 2013 with an exhibition only, non-competitive team. Bailey (Kinney ’15) Davis was a part of the team for several years as a student. Today she is an admissions recruiter and also coaches the team. Davis saw the potential to move the team from an exhibition format to a competitive format as a recruitment tool.

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“We have a lot of local interest in the program and a number of other colleges in our area are moving in this direction as well. We’ve had a great start with recruiting and we expect a lot of growth in the next season,” said Davis.

Currently the team has 14 members. They will begin competing in dance in January and hope to add cheer competitions in the coming year or two. But they don’t have to wait to start wowing audiences and boosting school spirit: the team performs at all home basketball games and hosts Midnight Madness events and youth cheer clinics for the community.

(left) 2017-18 Cheer and Dance Team: Head Coach Bailey Davis (1st row) Fallon Grady, Claire Noble, Heidi Odom, Tori Huerta, Madeleine Martinez; (2nd row) Chloe Eckhart, December Taverner, Rachel Dollen, Amber Jimenez, Sierra Valerio; (3rd row) Emma Seilstad, Brittany Eckerberg, Grace Siebenaler, Maddie Kinney - not pictured Corrie McDonald, Boone Berry. photo by Cassidy Wilson '19 (top left) Sierra Valerio, a senior from Albuquerque, N.M., brings her brightest smile to the Freeman Center. (lower left) During the annual Midnight Madness celebration to help kickstart the basketball season, the men's team joined the cheer and dance squad for a routine that left the student body hungry for more.

Davis is intentional about creating a wholesome, Christcentered experience for the team. “We are very careful about the songs and the moves that we include in our program.

Our uniforms are modest, while still being up-to-date and professional,” she said. “We want our audiences to be uplifted by our performances.”

Through lots of practice, precision drills, conditioning, and focus, the team is coming together and starting to improve.

“We are building a strong foundation for the rest of the year.

We have some great leaders on the team who are really going the extra mile to help others who are less experienced,” said Davis. “We have lots of room to grow, but we will be competitive this year in our first season. We’re going to make some waves.”

Recruitment Begins for Women's Wrestling The expansion of the wrestling program to offer opportunities for women was announced in November and was met with immediate interest from prospective students: within 24-hours of launching the program, the first student had applied.

York College men's wrestling has developed a national reputation as a strong NAIA team, with numerous studentathletes finishing as All-Americans, and a team that has had a presence in the top 25 of the NAIA. The women’s program will build on York College's reputation for excellence in wrestling, while expanding offerings for female representation in the sport.

"Women's wrestling has experienced notable growth nationally and within the Midwest at the high school level, but colleges and universities have been slow to respond to the demand for next-level competition," said Jared Stark, vice president for athletics and enrollment. The Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference is an NAIA leader in women’s

wrestling. Currently the conference has two member schools who compete, and with associate members, host a conference championship. The statistics for the amount of participants on the high school level compared to the scarcity of collegiate programs indicates an opportunity for York College to differentiate and provide a home for many new female athletes.

Jeff Albers ’17, who currently serves as an assistant in the men's wrestling program at YC, will take the lead as head coach of the women's side. "Coach Albers has established himself as a person of character that we can trust to build this side of our wrestling program," Albers said Stark. "Jeff is faithful to Jesus and an incredibly hard-working person. Furthermore he has the right level of motivation to make an impact on this level of collegiate wrestling. He is extremely knowledgeable in the sport of wrestling, communicates well with college students, and has a recruiting network that will generate interest at York College."

Recruiting and planning for women's wrestling began immediately. "I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to be the first women's wrestling coach at York College,” said Albers. “I look forward to helping these young women be the best they can be on and off the mat."

For both cheer and dance and wrestling teams, the goal is simple, says Stark: “What we want to do is to offer the York Experience to as many people as possible. We believe that York College transforms lives. Positively impacting studentathletes is an enormous part of what we do. These programs open the the door for additional students to experience YC in a profound way." n WINTER 2018 |

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From oncept To reation SODERHOLM REFLECTS ON YEARS WITH CLAYTON MUSEUM

(above) Amber Soderholm instructs her Junior Docents on the proper way to handle and catalog artifacts.

Walking through the unfinished basement of the Mackey Center in 2013, Amber Soderholm ’10 remembered smashing pumpkins and playing broom hockey there as a student. The concrete floors and bare walls made ‘The Underground’ the perfect spot for messy or potentially destructive activities. It was dark, dingy, and cluttered with everything from artificial Christmas trees to extra cafeteria equipment.

“How am I supposed to turn this into a museum?” she wondered. The task was daunting.

However, Soderholm rose to the challenge. In September 2015, amid much fanfare and with the help of an honor guard of Roman centurion reenactors, the Clayton Museum of Ancient History featuring the Stanback collection was opened to the public. Since that time, Soderholm has continued to improve on the museum, adding a children’s interactive exhibit; offering classes in pottery and mosaics; bringing in guest speakers; and planning special events and exhibits.

In the past two years, more than 10,000 visitors have explored the collection of artifacts so impressively displayed where once pumpkins were smashed and Christmas trees gathered dust.

Soderholm has been working with the Clayton Museum collection since 2013, first as a consultant and then as

(left) Five hundred years after Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the church door in Wittenberg and started the conversation that would lead to the Reformation Movement, a group gathered in York to learn more about this polarizing figure and his ideas. Dr. Matthew Phillips, associate professor of history at Concordia University, guest lectured at York College on Thursday, September 21, drawing a crowd of about 80 history buffs and Luther fans. Recordings of Phillips’ lectures, as well as other offerings from the Clayton Museum, are available on the York College Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/yorkcollegeneb. (below) Plans are already underway for the 2018 Ides of March event, (March 8, 2018). The event will feature a theme dinner and a lecture by UNL Professor of Classics Michael Hoff. Look for more information at www. claytonmuseumofancienthistory.org coming soon.

the curator and museum designer. “It was a learning experience,” she said. “Most of my experience up to that point had been with historic homes and working with a supervisor, someone I could go to with questions.” With this project, she had a collection of artifacts from many places and times, and the responsibility for planning how they would be displayed as well as cared for. Soderholm enlisted the talents of friend and local artist, Kate Fitch, as well as her father, Robert Soderholm.

Fitch brought the designer’s eye and Robert Soderholm brought the construction skills. What did she bring? “All the crazy ideas,” she said with a laugh. “I would think of something that I wanted to do, but had no idea how to make it happen. Together we would figure it out.” One of the biggest challenges was trying to contextualize the artifacts so that museum-goers would have a deeper appreciation of the eclectic collection, from silver shekels to roman military equipment to Syro-Hittite figurines.

The biggest take-away from her experience has been never to say never, said Soderholm. “Sometimes you limit yourself. You think ‘that’s not possible’ when really, it is possible, if you just keep trying and wait for things to work out.”

Her favorite part of the job with the Clayton Museum has been the introduction of the children’s programming. “It’s been fun to see kids’ interest come alive in the interactive area and to see where their imaginations take them,” she

said. She has a team of 15 Junior Docents, whom she works with on a weekly basis. “I wanted to teach them how to research and how to talk about an object and its historical context, and to give them a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes at a museum,” she said. The Junior Docents have led museum tours at special events such as the Ides of March dinner last spring.

A temporary exhibit on Martin Luther is currently on display. Soderholm says she has been surprised at the popularity of the exhibit and the lecture event that accompanied it. This exhibit will remain up through the end of the year, commemorating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation Movement.

In January, Soderholm will start a new adventure as visitor services coordinator at The Grove Museum in Tallahassee, Florida. While she admits she will miss the people the museum has brought into her life and York, the new opportunity is thrilling. The Grove Museum is a historic home on ten acres in the heart of Tallahassee, next door to the Governor’s mansion. The museum has just undergone considerable renovation and reopened to the public in March 2017. Soderholm is excited about working with an historic home again (her previous experience was at The Hermitage in Nashville, former home of President Andrew Jackson). Her hope for the Clayton Museum is that it continues to grow and be a vibrant resource for history lovers of all ages for many years to come. n

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1999 Jenelle (Long) Nash has a new job as a third grade teacher.

Her daughter Emma is 14. 40063 Vicker Way, Palmdale, CA 93551 jenellelong1@outlook.com 1959 Echo (McGuire) Griffith (age 80) died October 28 in Carlsbad, New Mexico. She is survived by her husband Ron. 1112 N Guadalupe, Carlsbad, NM 88220 (see story on pg 13) 1966 Sandra (Stumne) Grewe is looking to reconnect with classmates: 3808 Rolling Meadows Dr, Belleville, IL 62221 sandy. grewe@hotmail.com 1968 Jill (Beaty ’67) and Dan Amundson have moved to 3288 Thoroughbred Dr, Loveland, OH 45140. They enjoyed catching up with classmates at Homecoming. mjillamundson3@gmail.com, danamundson64@gmail.com 1969 Sandi (Moomaw) Thurmond recently moved from her longtime residence in Lincoln to Omaha. She is a retired registered nurse, mom of 5 grown children and grandma to 11.

Her husband Bill ’68 passed away in 2014. 930 S 153 Terrace Ct, Omaha, NE 68154 sandi6870@gmail.com 1970 Kay (Latimer) and Joe Buckley have a new address: 16 Lake Street Apt 4F, White Plains, NY 10603. kaybuckley@aol.com 1973 Effendi Daoedsjah, the former YC cafeteria manager and husband to Sherry (Ashley ’72), passed away on September 24. Condolences may be sent to Sherry: 2502 Madrone Ave, Stockton, CA 95207.

William 'Spike' and Karen (Alley) O’Dell have moved: 1401 Cerrisse Ct, Brentwood, TN 37027 kaodell@ aol.com 1974 Randall S. Moody passed away July 6, 2017, after a six year battle with cancer. He is survived by his wife Reba, parents Darrell and Beverly, and sisters Darra (Moody ’72) Lansman and Marta Jividen.

1975 Beth (Forney) and Lee Ward have updated their info: 15584 County Road 74, Eaton, CO 80615.

1975 Cathie Sims has retired from IBM after 30 years with the company.

4414 110th St, Lubbock, TX. 78424 Cathiesims985@gmail.com 1976 Vicky (Aspey) and Scott Kinnison recently became grandparents! 26332 WCR 20, Keenesburg, CO 80643 1979 Dr. Ronald Ray Berges was named Medical Director of Behavioral Health Services at Mahaska Health Partnership in Oskaloosa, Iowa, after serving 3 years as Medical Director/ Chief Medical Officer at Highlands Behavioral Health System in Littleton, Colorado. 111 E Golf Ave, Ottumwa, IA 52501 rrberges@gmail.com 1982 Robbie Hill is a Certified Ophthalmic Technologist and is celebrating 25 years of employment with Heaton Eye Associates. 719 E Barbara St, Tyler, Texas 75701 robbie.hill@att.net 1984 Kate (Fisher) Haynie is the director of the Seneca Free Library.

She has updated her contact info: 907 Elk St, Seneca, KS 66538. kateh66538@hotmail.com Dixie Reicheneker (age 83) died October 28 in York. Dixie worked for several years for York College and was an active member of East Hill CofC. Dixie loved God and traveled the world on mission trips to share her zeal for the Gospel. She volunteered with Helping Hands for YC and was active in the community.

She is remembered by her husband Erwin (Rick) Reicheneker and her children and grandchildren, a number of whom attended York College.

1986 Kristine (McCue) and Rex Keith are celebrating the high school graduation of their quadruplets Erin, Ainsley, Lauren, and Jaden (age 19). The kids are working and investigating their interests before pursuing college. Kristine is a homemaker and Rex is a family practice physician in Wichita, Kansas. kshorsemom98@gmail.com

2001 Emily Blanchard was recently named a March of Dimes Nurse of the Year for Nebraska and Western Iowa. She works for CHI Health in Omaha. She and husband Daniel Lucas have three children: Harrison, Beatrix, and Benjamin.

DeVoderick Ridley has been promoted to assistant principal at Natchitoches Central High School.

He has a daughter Blakely (10) and a son DeLonte (12). 139 Cypress Ave, Natchitoches, LA 71457 dridley@nat. k12.la.us Sally (Morton) and Adolfo Rodriguez have bought a new house: 3640 W Silverado Dr, SLC, UT 84107. sallyanne1@yahoo.com Born to Tiana Endicott-Yazdani and Umar Yazdani, a son, Harrison Walden, February 16, 2017. Tiana is a doctor at Baylor University Medical Center. tianaendicott@gmail.com 2002 Mark and Summer (McNeese) Dickinson moved to Nashville, Tennessee in August. Mark was accepted into Lipscomb University's doctoral program in Educational Leadership and is teaching at Fairview High. Summer accepted a faculty position in the English department at Middle Tennessee State Univ. and will graduate with her Ph.D. in English in May. They are both thrilled to call Nashville their new home. They have four sons: Ethan, Finn, Beckett, and Atticus. s.e.dickinson@iup.edu Aaron and Holly (Eckstein ’03) Fletcher have moved: 28060 Hwy 67 North, Woodland Park, CO 80863 Joshua Montandon (age 39) passed away on Aug, 29, in Sanger, Texas. Josh grew up in Colorado and enjoyed hiking in the mountains.

He left there to join the Marines, and upon discharge, attended YC where he met and married Rochelle (Mouat). Josh is survived by his wife and their four children, Samuel, Emmy, Henry and Abigail.

2004 Born to Nicole Joy (Robinson) and David Vatterrodt, a son, Isaiah, on January 10, 2017. He joins big sister Karis (5). Nicole recently completed her clinical licensure for a master’s degree in social work.

She has also completed advanced certification for treatment of complex and early childhood trauma. Her husband is a mining engineer. 3220 W Fairway Dr, Coeur d’Alene, ID 83815 nr1313@hotmail.com

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2005 Born to Matt and Brenna Bomar, a daughter, Evelyn Marie, on June 22. Matt is a financial coordinator for Seattle University and Brenna is a senior auditor for Alaska Airlines. 10823 36th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98146 matthew.bomar@gmail. com Heidi (Smith) and Jason Mader ’02 were united in marriage on September 30. 3805 27th St #27, Columbus, NE 68601 Born to Joe and Paige Mann, a daughter, Anna Teresa, on May 27. Joe and Paige live in St. Paul, Minnesota. Jmann.us@gmail.com 2006 Josh and Crystal (Sitton) Nething have returned to York College, where Josh is an assistant track and cross country coach and a success coach and Crystal is an admissions counselor. They have three sons: Ethan (10), Eli (9), and Everett (6). jnething@york.edu 614 E 7th, York, NE 68467.

Steven and Mesha (Earl) Seufferlein welcomed a son, Elijah Blake (2), into their family officially on September 21. 303 1/2 Main Ave, Clear Lake, IA 50428 sife88@ hotmail.com 2007 Born to Megan (Munsell) and Mark Blinde, a boy, Cecil Bear, born October 10. Cecil joins big sisters Adelyn (5) and Brianna (1).

Megan is an accountant at Kopsa Otte and Mark is a senior systems administrator at Kearney Regional Medical Center. 403 Loveland Dr, Kearney, NE 68845 Meganblinde@ gmail.com 2008 Born to Nick and Sarah (Stoutzenberger ’10) Floyd, a boy, Andrew “Andy” Miles, on October 23.

Sarah is a 7th grade reading teacher and Nick is in marketing and sales for an event center. 818 Osage Ave Salina, KS 67401 Born to Jared and Shannon (Sukraw ’07) Leinen, a girl, Sidney Pearl, on August 28. She joins big brother Graham (2). Jared is the registrar at York College. Shannon is the MBA program director and assistant professor of business at Concordia University. 624 N Beaver Ave, York, NE 68467 jaleinen@york. edu, sleinen@york.edu Born to Katie (Krekel) and David Morton, a boy, Azariah, on October 23. The couple work for Lander Brewing Company, where Katie is the social media coordinator and David is the head brewer.

636 Lincoln St, Lander, WY 82520 katiedavidmorton@yahoo.com

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PANTHER MILESTONES 1991 John Morrow is the founder and CEO of 405 Publications. His wife, Susan, is an author and illustrator. One of the books his company recently published has been recognized as an official part of the 150th anniversary of the Chisholm Trail. This beautifully illustrated, limited edition book, called Pinto the Chisholm Pony, as well as other titles, are available on his website www.405books.com. John and Susan have two children, Megan (22) and Gage (17). 10026 S Linn Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73159 405publications@gmail.com 2006 Sergeant Jim Doty of the Pottawattamie Sheriff’s Office in Council Bluffs, Iowa, was recently featured on Dateline NBC for solving a four-year-old murder case.

Jim and another officer working with the Omaha police department, took on the case of Cari Farver, a single mother who had disappeared. Was the missing woman dead or in hiding? She hadn’t been seen in years, but she was still communicating digitally. Or was she?

“Our investigations unit is fairly small so I had heard a little bit about the case before we requested to look into it,” said Doty. “I thought it was strange that no one had physically seen Cari but she still had a large presence on social media and was actively sending emails and texts. We also knew she was a mother and that her son and family would like to have some answers about what happened to her. So we requested to look into it further.” Doty and his partner put together the confusing details of the case to identify the murderer-a scorned former lover of the victim’s boyfriend, who had been impersonating Farber online for years after committing the crime.

Doty decided to get into law enforcement because of his desire to help others, as well as the diversity that every day on the force brings.

He studied psychology at York College, which he says provided him with communication skills and increased empathy. “That has been beneficial when I'm dealing with the variety of people that I encounter while on the job,” he said.

“Even though there has been a lot of negative media coverage surrounding law enforcement lately, it is still a profession that most officers are doing because they care about people and want to help,” said Doty. “It is a rewarding career. You do see the worst this world has to offer but at the same time you have many opportunities to affect people's lives in a positive way.”

The full episode of Dateline featuring Doty (“Scorned,” aired September 29, 2017) is available on NBC. Also the episode can be viewed on YouTube.

2013 Tyler (King) Hinton was recently recognized as Nebraska's K-12 Art Educator of the Year. Hinton is currently in her fourth year of teaching at Cross County Schools, serving the small communities of Polk County, Nebraska.

"I absolutely love making art with my students. Building relationships with students over a shared love for creating is my happy place," said Hinton. "I love to see them get excited about a new idea, or exploring a new medium. To get a high five at the end of class and hear my students say that that was the best class ever, makes me love my job more everyday!" Hinton’s husband Trent ’02 is the sports information director and game day manager for York College Athletics. They have two sons: Callen (6) and Clay (3). 1233 Kiplinger Ave, York, NE 68467 tlhinton@york.edu

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2010 Brent and Kayde (Kemp) Johnson have recently moved to Madison, Wisconsin. Brent is the new minister at Mandrake Road Church of Christ. 42 Northridge Ter #4, Madison, WI 53704 Born to Kristin (Wiedmann) and Todd Nelson a son, Theodore Ernest, on May 31. 11028 NW 104th Terrace, Yukon, OK 73099 Kwiedemann10@att.net

2014 Lauren Post has a new job! She is a special education paraprofessional at Grand Island Senior High. laurengpost@gmail.com Born to Andrew and Shelby (Terrell ’15) Rush, a son, Barrett Riley, on June 9. Andrew is an office manager at MatMaCorp and Shelby is a kindergarten teacher at Kloefkorn Elementary. 3606 Melrose Ave, Lincoln, NE 68506 arush@york.edu

2011 Born to Heidy (Estrada) and Joshua Castillo, a son, Ezekiel, April 4. He joins big brother Liam (3). Heidy is a daycare provider and her husband Joshua is a truck driver. 5127 W Condor Ln, Lincoln, NE 68528 hcastillo9525@gmail.com

2015 Kayla Drummond is a children and family service specialist.

Kdrummond@york.edu

2012 Born to Jotham and Kelley (Splattstoesser ’11) Andrews, a son, Anson Young, on June 27.1905 N Osage St, Ponca City, OK 74601 jandrews@york.edu, ksplattstoesser@york.edu 2013 John and Erin (Davidson) Baker were married on May 13. John graduated with a Master of Arts in Business with a specialization in Intercollegiate Athletics Admin. from UNL. He is now a graphic design assistant for the Creative and Emerging Media department of Nebraska Athletics. Erin is a coach support specialist for Hudl, after spending two seasons as the head volleyball coach for Southeastern Community College in Burlington, Iowa. 7220 S 88th Street Apt #934, Lincoln, NE 68526 jbaker@york.edu Born to Dustin and Jessie (Griffith ’14) Campbell, a son, Goldyn Keith, April 15, 2017. jgriffith@york.edu 2014 Caleb Connolly and Molly Bartee were married on March 18.

The couple lives in Midland, Texas, where Caleb is a quality control coordinator for Naphtha Enterprises, LLC. connolly_caleb@yahoo.com Born to Tiffany (Shimp) and Daniel Noe, a son, Eugene Azariah, on September 7. 900 NE 112nd St Apt 708, Oklahoma City, OK, 73114 lipsmagnifyfaith@yahoo.com

Daniel and Joseph, are the twin sons of Mitch ’10 and Nathana (Faddis ’11) Clay.

2016 Born to Chrystian Bañuelos, a son, Grayson, on October 8.

Chrystian works for the Nebraska Department of Corrections. 619 W 7th St, York, NE 68467 cbanuelos@ york.edu Zanoria Echols and Abram Veasey ’15 were married on Nov. 25 and have a new address: 750 Gains School Rd Apt H-143, Athens, GA 30605. Zanoria is a Woodrow Wilson Georgia Teaching Fellow. See pg. 28.

2017 Jessica (Keys) Bentch has a new job as the executive director of Children’s Special Needs Network, a non-profit organization that serves families with children who have special needs. Her husband Jason is a maintenance mechanic at Wilsonart and is a USAF veteran. The couple has six children: Isaiah (13), Rose (12), Lela Mae (10), Samuel (9), Matthew (6) and Hope (3). 5018 Charter Oak Dr, Temple, TX 76502 jessicadawnkeys@gmail.com

Born to Saia and Bethany (Miller ’16) Lotulelei, a son, Gideon Talakea’u, August 10, 2017. 211 W 8th St Apt 3, York, NE 68467 bethanylotu@gmail.com

To get a Panther tee for your little one, submit an alumni update birth announcement. The shirts are 6 mon. size, so don't delay. Submit your alumni update at www.york.edu/ alumni as soon as junior arrives. Send us pics of your family and we may use them in the magazine or YC Connect.

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Angel of Ukraine Olena Kozlova-Pates '97 is a long way from her home geographically, but her thoughts are never far from Ukraine.

Her country has been wracked with war since the 2014 Russian invasion of Crimea. In the intervening years, more than 10,000 of her fellow Ukrainians have been killed in the conflict that rages in Southern and Eastern Ukraine. Two million Ukrainians have become internally displaced refugees, fleeing the areas where the fighting is fiercest.

Kozlova-Pates, who now lives in North Carolina, was shocked by the violence in her homeland--and dismayed by the lack of response from the rest of the world. “In the middle of Europe, in Europe's largest country, there is this war that is happening right now with so many casualties and so many refugees, and you don't see very much about it in the American or European media,” she said.

The problems were vast.

The needs were great. And she was 5,000 miles away. What could she possibly do to help?

Quite a lot, as it turns out.

Kozlova-Pates, who has a background in international policy and development, began working with U.S. hospitals to collect discontinued medical supplies to send to war torn regions of Ukraine. Bandages, intubation tubes, suture material, wound clips, and more, have a designated shelflife after which they must be tossed out, even if they are still usable. “U.S. hospitals can’t use these supplies for insurance reasons, but they are in great condition and are useful,” she said.

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IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, Kozlova-Pates

has funneled millions of dollars worth of medical supplies and other humanitarian aid to the areas of Ukraine that need it most. She and colleagues have also started a Wounded Warrior project that provides rehabilitation resources for those struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

“Over 100,000 men and women have served in the military in the war zone in this conflict. Many have experienced terrible things. When they return home, they will bring it with them,” she said. “We don't want them to turn this experience into drug addiction or destroying their families or suicide. We want to provide services for them to work together with other veterans to teach and support each other.” She has known a number of Ukrainian volunteers, veterans, and refugees who have committed suicide

1 because of the trauma of this conflict. “It is a problem associated with war. This education is an incredible way to make a difference,” she said. “It has been a very rewarding experience for me personally, to be a part of this.”

It’s hard to know how much impact her work has had. However, she hears from people in Ukraine constantly that her efforts have not been in vain. “We have been told that we have saved lives,” she said. “We have provided a livelihood for people who have lost their homes. We've helped orphans and widows. We've been thanked by parents of those wounded soldiers who have lost limbs...we’ve made connections that have been life changing.”

“Every day on Facebook, I see the faces of these beautiful young men who have been killed. On a daily basis. Then I get an email from the mom of one of the

soldiers that we have helped, saying ‘the money that you have sent or the prosthetic assistance program you have helped with has changed my son’s life. He can walk again. He’s a different person.’”

It’s those kinds of emails that keep her going.

Her stateside work also involves advocacy and raising awareness for the plight of her people. Kozlova-Pates is in touch with the media and her local government officials regularly. She plans and participates in cultural festivals and parades to represent Ukraine. Social media has been a valuable resource as she networks with other concerned people all over the world who want to help with the crisis in Ukraine.

KOZLOVA-PATES SAYS HER PRAYER

is that at the end of all of this political strife, her country will finally be free of the oppression and corruption that stem from its dark Soviet past. Sometimes it is hard not to be discouraged. However, she is heartened by the network of support that has grown out of this tragedy, including her family, church, and local and online communities. “It's a terrible circumstance that I'm working under, but I have been given this opportunity to make a

difference. So many families have lost loved ones, both military and civilians, including many children. Every little bit of assistance helps...There's so many people

“We have been told that we have saved lives.” who support us and so many wonderful organizations that provide us with supplies.

I've been fortunate to be able to connect all of these things together. But it's not just me--there is a group of us and we are doing this together.”

HER OWN PERSONAL HISTORY was

impacted by seismic political shifts in Ukraine, as the country became independent from the Soviet Union in 1991. It was at that time that missionaries were able to come into the country. She became a translator for Marvin Bryant, a preacher from Alabama, whose brother John was on the Board of Trustees for York College for many years. Marvin introduced her to the Gospel and eventually helped her to attend college. At YC she studied history and English, and organized two Master’s Apprentice Program trips to her

homeland. “It was an amazing blessing to be connected to the Bryant family,” she said. “They have become my American family. They have adopted me into their family.”

AFTER LEAVING YC, she attended the

Pepperdine School of Public Policy to earn a master’s degree. It was there that she met and married Jason Pates, a fellow graduate student. She went on to work for a nonprofit in Washington D.C. that promotes democratic principles around the world.

Later she moved to a similar non-profit whose mission included medical research and assistance for developing countries.

Jason is a project manager for Cisco Systems and is a support and encourager for his wife’s international efforts. “He is my rock,” she said. The couple has two children, Jennifer (13) and Christian (8).

Kozlova-Pates current humanitarian work is the culmination of her various jobs, experience, and training. “It's completely volunteer work but it's much more work than I've ever done in any other position,” she said. “The assistance we can give is limited and small, but nevertheless, it is help.” If you would like to be involved, contact Kozlova-Pates on social media or at olenapates@gmail.com. n

3

4 (1) Jason and Lena, with their children Christian and Jennifer, stand near the Dnipro River in Ukraine. (2) A group of Ukraine supporters gather in front of Kozlova-Pates' house in North Carolina (Lena is on the far right). (3) John Lohnes of Duke University Remedy Program

5 and Voice of America journalists pose in front of Kozlova-Pates' van filled with medical supplies for Ukraine. (4) Twelve-year-old Mykola Nyzhnikovsky was severely wounded by a landmine explosion that his younger brother didn't survive. (5) Ukrainian soldier

Vasyl Stuzhenko lost three limbs in battle then endured numerous surgeries to remove shrapnel from his body. Kozlova-Pates and others have helped many families like these financially.

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Heritage | 23

York College

Athletics Stellar Season

Going The Extra Mile

Women's Soccer Turn Heads

Men's Cross Country Punch Ticket to Nationals

Y

ork’s cross country program was elevated to a new level of respect by the arrival of freshman sensation Ian Meek, a multi-4A state champion runner from Montrose, Colo.

Meek anchored Coach Justin Carver’s team to a runner-up finish at the KCAC Men's Cross Country Championships in Lindsborg, Kans., in November, qualifying the Panthers for a trip to Nationals.

From the initial dual relays in early September to the KCAC Championships, the men’s team made long strides towards their goal of making it to Vancouver, Wash., for the NAIA Championships. At the Dean White Invitational hosted by Doane College, Meek became the first York College runner to ever win the meet, outdistancing his nearest opponent by 20 seconds and running his Meek personal best of 27:02. His times and those of his teammates continued to improve from there.

The men's team broke a YC record in October at the Mid-States Classic with the program's fastest team time. The old mark of 27:44 was eclipsed at the meet with a team average of 27:15. In fact, led

by Meek’s 26:29 PR, all five runners finished the race at a pace below or tied with the old mark: Logan Kaliff (27:11), Bang Yuot (27:17), Steve Lagat (27:27), and Levi Swenson (27:44).

At the conference championships, Meek once again set another personal best, running the 8K in 26:27 and finishing four th. Swenson was a minute behind Meek taking 16th place. Kaliff took 20th (27:42), Yuot Carver Swenson finished 24th (27:50), followed by Caleb Magner in 27th place (28:03). Both Meek and Swenson (SR/Benkelman, Neb) were named to the All-KCAC team.

Carver was also recognized as Co-Coach of the Year, sharing the honors with the coach from the University of St. Mary. n (right) At the NAIA Championships, Ian Meek once again broke YC's individual record in the 8k with his run of 26:15, finishing 75th. The team average record was also broken with a time of 27:13. York finished 30th in the nation.

photo courtesy Brad Fisher '87

T

he women’s soccer team is celebrating its best season ever. A team that was picked to finish 11th in the conference surprised everyone as they completed the regular season in fifth place, before winning their first KCAC postseason game in school history, an exciting 2-1 rematch over Friends University.

York’s 10 wins are the most in program history. Head Coach Stefan Skillman has every reason to be excited about this team.

Although he is losing five seniors, the bulk of this team is underclassmen. Of the team's 26 goals, 20 of them were scored by freshmen.

"This has been an incredible recordbreaking year that has established the foundation, culture and habits to build the future upon," said Skillman.

Skillman highlighted York's postseason awards sharing KCAC Coach of the Year Skillman honors with the coach from Oklahoma Wesleyan. Breanna Bembenek (FR/New Lenox, Ill) and Amber Jimenez (FR/Gilbert, Ariz) were named KCAC Second Team as they led the Panthers. Bembenek scored nine goals and added five assists while Jimenez had seven goals along with three assists.

Four players were named to the Honorable Mention team: Car men Zavala (FR/ Chino, Calif), Corinne McDonald (SR/Liskeard, Cornwall UK), Hannah Wilke (SR/North Platte, Neb), and Madison K i n n ey ( J R / C o u n c i l Bluffs, Iowa). McDonald and Zavala each scored Bembenek Jimenez two goals and two assists in the 2017 campaign. Wilke and Kinney were the backbone of a defense that combined for nine shutouts on the season and only allowed 1.56 goals on average.

York finished their season with an overall record of 10-8-2. n

Women's Basketball's Ve'a Gauta, a 6'3" freshman from Anaheim, Calif., broke Ashley (Wellman '07) Waldrep's 14 year-old record when she scored a game high 38 points in the Panthers 10372 win over Nebraska Christian on November 13. York scored 62 points in the paint as the players continually fed the ball to Gauta and let her do what she does best, dominate the inside game.

Gauta Head Coach Matthew Madole said, "We really wanted to get Ve'a comfortable inside the lane and get her plenty of opportunities. Our inside game was what we needed tonight."

Gauta dominated the rebounding category as well with 16 on the night, more than half of Nebraska Christian's team total. Both teams shot 47 percent from the floor in the matchup. Heading into KCAC action, York improved their overall season record to 3-3.

Ve'a Gauta makes a one-handed jumper over the outstretched arms of the Nebraska Christian defender to break YC's 14 year-old single game scoring record.

Men's Basketball represented well at the KCAC Media Day in Wichita in late October. Head Coach Tree Burks took the podium to talk about the 2017-18 season. After cracking a few jokes to break the ice, Burks reiterated that not a lot has changed since Delton Deal took a coaching job at SAGU. "We are doing the same things we've always done and will continue to work hard to be the best team on the court every day."

Burks Burks continued, "We lost some solid guys from last year's team, but let me tell you, we've got some guys that plan to carry on the tradition."

York was tabbed to finish third overall in the Media poll, and fourth in the Coaches' poll. The Panthers are coming off a stellar season where they finished 25-10 and made the Elite Eight at the NAIA Division II Men's Basketball National Championships. York lost their three leading scorers from last season, but returns two starters in Trevor Lenear (SR/Bellevue, Neb) and Chris Smith (JR/Dallas, Texas), along with solid bench personnel in Mark Dean (SR/Denver, Colo) and Michael Johnson (SR/Orlando, Fla).

Coach Tree Burks got his first home win on November 11, upsetting 10th ranked Dakota Wesleyan 91-87. Leading scorers were Lenear (19), Smith (19), and Johnson (18).

photo courtesy YC Athletics

Wrestling was chosen to finish first in the

Nick Meck's victory in last spring's quarter finals over Jose Alvarez of Wayland Baptist, advanced him to the semifinals, guaranteeing his goal of becoming an All-American.

KCAC this season as voted by the coaches. York had three wrestlers picked to win their weight class: Robert Ozuna (SR/Omaha, Neb), 125 lbs, Nicholas Meck (SR/ Topeka, Kan), 174 lbs, and Jack Murphy (SR/Bakersfield, Calif), 197 lbs. All three wrestlers are previous NAIA National Qualifiers, with Meck becoming the seventh NAIA All-American in Panther wrestling history.

Meck Justin Dyer (SR/Topeka, Kan), 149 lbs, Austin Coy (JR/Swink, Colo), 165 lbs, and Noah Manly (JR/Chelsea, Mich), 184 lbs, were each chosen to finish second in their respective weight classes. DeAndre Neroes (JR/Dallas, Texas), 133 lbs, Lupe Jimenez (SR/Gilroy, Calif), 141 lbs, and Adrian Ojeda (FR/ Henderson, Nev), 157 lbs, were each picked to finish third. Pierce Mederios (FR/Mountain Home, Idaho), 125 lbs, was picked to finish fourth, and Dayne Thomason (FR/Blackwell, Okla), 285 lbs, was projected fifth.

Head Coach Ramon Diaz said "I'm excited to have three individual wrestlers ranked first in the conference and overall first as a team. The guys are working hard and it's going to be a great season."

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Heritage | 25

Beyond 125 Celebrating Success

A total of $16.8M was raised!

Thank You!

Thank you. Beyond 125 York College’s multiyear campaign concluded this past June. By every measure, it was a success.

The collection of Beyond 125 initiatives enjoyed gifts totaling $16.87 million and an alumni response of almost 34%.

It was, by every measure, the largest and most successful campaign in York College history.

Tangible benefits of Beyond 125 included new facilities, refurbished facilities, significant endowment growth, and a large influx of funding for student scholarships. During this time, all campus improvements happened without any new debt. The campaign left York College better positioned than at any other time in recent memory to help young men and women prepare for lives of service to God, family and society. The campaign mattered. Your gift mattered. Thank you for your support.

For everyone whose gifts made Beyond 125 a success: thank you. Thank you for being a life-changer and a kingdom builder and a friend to York College.

H. Jarrell Gibbs Beyond 125 Campaign Chair and Chairman of the York College Board of Trustees

Read about the celebration online at www.york.edu/beyond125.

26 | Heritage | WINTER 2018

Campus Spotlight – Cameron Merrill

He also felt pulled toward ministry; however, his family was uncertain of that career path, encouraging him to continue with medicine. During Soul Quest that summer, he felt the calling to ministry even more clearly. One speaker in particular spoke to his exact situation. “I knew that God was trying to tell me something. I broke down and cried that night.

I told my parents that ministry was what I was going to do with my life and that I hoped they would accept it.”

Cameron changed his plans from studying biology at another school to studying Bible at YC, where he also joined the soccer team and choir. A conscientious student, Merrill says he has thrown himself into his Bible classes. “I love to learn,” he said. “The scholarships I receive really help me to keep pushing, keep moving forward, and keep getting better.”

This year, Cameron is serving on campus ministries as well as residence hall staff. Both give him hands-on career preparation. In the summer of 2018 he will complete an internship with a church in Garland, Texas. His family has grown more supportive of his ambitions over the last year.

“I love kids and I love working with them so I would really like to do youth ministry after I graduate,” said Cameron. “I would be interested in family ministry and maybe pulpit ministry at some point in the future, but right now I just want to work with youth. My youth minister was instrumental in growing my (above) With the completion of the soccer season, Cameron takes advantage of a beautiful autumn day to relaxing in a hammock. (right) Cameron's Fly Me to the Moon solo during the 2017 Songfest production, was an instant classic.

faith. I was very influenced by him and I looked up to him. I want to have that same kind of impact on others.”

This past summer Cameron participated in a York College study abroad trip to Austria for six weeks. “Study abroad was amazing - just phenomenal,” he said. The students spent mornings studying history, Bible and philosophy, and the afternoons exploring Europe. Prior to this trip, Cameron says history was his least favorite subject. “To actually go out and see the places we were learning about and to immerse myself in the culture was so different than learning in a classroom.”

"My youth minister was instrumental in growing my faith...

I want to have that same kind of impact on others."

While in Europe he also developed relationships with two mentors, Dr. Shane Mountjoy, provost, and Dr. Sam Garner, vice president for spiritual development. “Professor Mountjoy helped me understand why he loves history so much and why it’s so important to study it. Exploring history helped me gain a new perspective on studying the Bible[….]And Dr. Garner is a great person to go to with questions about ministry. As the leader for campus ministries, the vision that he has for York College is really amazing. I aspire to have that kind of vision for this work.”

photo by Bob DeHart

I

t was a moment at Soul Quest the summer after his senior year that changed the course of Cameron Merrill’s life. “I was planning to be a biology major and go to medical school,” said the YC sophomore. “For the last three years of high school, I was going half days to a technical institute for biosciences and medicine and I loved it - loved everything about it. But I wasn't really sure if that's what I wanted to do with my life.”

In Memory of ...

June 2017 - November 2017 L. J. & Pearl Anderson Dr. & Mrs. Charles Anderson John Bengtson Mr. & Mrs. Rob McIntosh James (Jim) Brock Mr. & Mrs. Scott Lambert Dixie Lee Hobart & Evelyn Brown GlaxoSmithKline Mr. & Mrs. Rory Berges Dr. Roger Collins Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Bomar Steve Dickerson Timothy Charlton Ron & Pat Franzen Mr. & Mrs. James Graham Beau Ryan Harvey Maj. & Mrs. Kim Harvey

Monroe Hawley Mr. & Mrs. Glenn Hawley Mr. & Mrs. Harold Osborne Jo Kite Mr. & Mrs. Brian Kohlscheen Mr. & Mrs. Norwood Square Ruth Lawrence Mr. & Mrs. Wayne French Mr. & Mrs. Sterling Lawrence Brian Lemons Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Lemons Kimball & Debbie Matkins Mr. & Mrs. Jason Matkins Donald & Virginia McAllister Rita Shelton Kirk Miller Mr. & Mrs. John Ratliff Dr. & Mrs. Scott Simpson

Mabrey & Madge Miller Mr. & Mrs. Tim Neal Randell Moody Mr. & Mrs. Darrell Moody Darrel & Christine Murphy Mr. & Mrs. John Williams Euginia Press Cynthia Newcomb Elsie Price Mr. & Mrs. Rodger Hannel Dr. Thomas Schulz Dr. & Mrs. Ray Miller Mr. & Mrs. Rudy Schellekens Dr. Dorris Schulz Ann Spivey Susanne Keller June Tiner Mr. & Mrs. Rusty Taylor Millie Whitlow Susanne Keller

HONORARY GIFTS The following were honored with donations in their name: Mike & Janet Rush Mr. & Mrs. Les Miller Dr. Terry Kite Mr. & Mrs. Norwood Square Vicki Hawley Joan Stirlen Deb Kruse Joan Stirlen 2001-02 YC Women’s Basketball Team Kimberley Hoyt

YC Alumna Named Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellow Recent York College graduate Zanoria Echols ’16 was one of 63 educators selected as a 2017 Woodrow Wilson Georgia Teaching Fellow. The highly competitive program recruits those with strong backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math—the STEM fields—and prepares them to teach in high-need secondary schools.

Each Fellow receives $30,000 to complete a specially designed, cutting-edge master’s degree program based on a yearlong classroom experience. In return, Fellows commit to teach for three years in the urban and rural Georgia schools that most need strong STEM teachers. Throughout the three-year commitment, Fellows receive ongoing support and mentoring.

Originally from Mississippi, Echols was a member of the York College basketball and track teams and served as vice president of the local chapter of Alpha Chi national honor society. In 2015, Echols completed an internship with Lifeline Chaplaincy in Texas.

She also counseled at a camp for children with cancer. She graduated magna cum laude with a double major in mathematics and math education in December 2016.

Echols and the other 2017 Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellows were honored at a recent event at the Georgia State Capitol building hosted by Governor Nathan Deal and President of the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Arthur Levine.

“As Georgia re-emphasizes its commitment to turning around the state’s low-performing schools, it is essential that every Georgia child has access to excellent educators, particularly in subjects like science and math,” Levine said. “With the

28 | Heritage | WINTER 2018

WW Georgia Teaching Fellowship program, Georgia colleges are ensuring Georgia classrooms have a pipeline of needed teachers both committed to teaching in high-need schools and with the skills and abilities to boost student learning. Teachers like our Georgia Teaching Fellows are key to future success.”

Through the Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship program, the Woodrow Wilson Foundation will contribute to the University System of Georgia’s initiative to produce 20,000 new teachers by 2020. The Woodrow Wilson Teaching Fellowship is also offered in Indiana, Michigan, New Jersey, and Ohio. To complete her master’s degree in the fellowship program, Echols is attending Piedmont College, in Athens, Georgia. Upon completion of the program, she will apply to teach in a low-income, rural school in Georgia.

About the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation Founded in 1945, the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation (www.woodrow.org) identifies and develops the nation’s best minds to meet its most critical challenges. The Foundation supports its Fellows as the next generation of leaders shaping American society. n

Climbing the

RANKINGS

Student, Coach, Teacher,

Leader

Sara Hill wears many hats at Mount Dora Christian Academy. She teaches middle and high school classes, coaches two sports, and sponsors a service club at the 600-student academy in central Florida. When she’s not preparing lessons and game plans, Hill is completing her own homework: she’s a student in both of the master’s programs offered by York College. In May of 2018, Hill will complete degrees in Education: Curriculum and Instruction and Organizational and Global Leadership.

Hill started her career in accounting before realizing that teaching was her real passion. She transitioned her career to teaching with an alternative certification program, but regretted not earning an education degree. When she heard several colleagues were pursuing a graduate degree in education through York College Online, she was excited to join them. Soon after, the Organizational and Global Leadership degree was launched and Hill jumped on that opportunity as well. “It’s challenging but I really enjoy it,” said Hill. “A lot of the things I have been learning have been very practical so it’s been easy to carry over into my teaching and leadership roles at school.”

The affordability and pace of the program at York College Online initially drew Hill, but that’s not been the best thing about the program.

“I love the integration of biblical concepts into all of our classes,” she said. “We have case studies from the Bible that relate to classwork. It’s given me a deeper understanding of the Bible.”

Hill plans to pursue a doctoral degree in educational leadership and eventually work in educational administration. For now though, she’s happy to be in the classroom, making a difference in the lives of students and ministering to them daily. “I love doing what I do,” she said. “It’s great getting to know students on a deeper level and getting to share Christ with them.” n

York College has been included in several recent online rankings with recognition for the outstanding value the college offers, as well as specific program excellence.

WalletHub, a website devoted to helping consumers make good financial decisions, rated all of the colleges and universities in Nebraska on seven key categories: student selectivity, cost and financing, faculty resources, campus safety, campus experience, educational outcomes, and career outcomes. Using this metric, York College was ranked number six out of 33 colleges and universities in Nebraska.

AffordableColleges.com ranked York College Online’s Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction at number 14 in the nation for value. For this ranking, they looked at the length of time it took students to complete the program, graduation rates, financial aid, and tuition costs to determine which programs in the United States are truly the best value, not simply feature lowesttuition up front. On their 10-point scale, the program at York College earned a 7.44 value score, placing them above much bigger programs such as the University of Colorado Denver and West Texas A&M University.

Best Degree Programs ranked York College Online’s bachelor’s in psychology program at number six in the nation among private nonprofit colleges for affordability and quality. This ranking reflects York College’s reputation as well as its value, as only schools that had previously been included in major publications such as Forbes magazine and The Princeton Review.

"We are honored to hear about these rankings," said Dr. Kirk Mallette, dean of York College Online.

"There are many excellent programs out there and for us to achieve this recognition is wonderful!

God is blessing our efforts as we fulfill our mission of transforming lives through a Christ-centered education."

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Heritage | 29

YC Campus PR Squad (l-r) Colby, Cole, Breianna, Corrie, Shania, and Jacob tweet their York Experience

Campus PR Squad Uplifts and Engages Community

H

ere’s a fun way to stay engaged with what’s happening at YC. Follow members of the YC Campus PR Squad on Twitter and get an inside look at their York Experience. PR Squad Interns represent a diverse collection of academic, athletic, and performing arts programs across campus. Senior Colby Smith is a music education major and a member of Concert Choir and Celebration Singers. Cole Satterfield is a sophomore, sports management major and a member of the JV baseball team. Breianna Cortez is a freshman softball player majoring in biology. Psychology major Corrie McDonald is a senior on the soccer team, and is involved in various performing arts groups. Senior Shania Brown is a special education major and president of Delta Chi Alpha social club. Senior History Education major Jacob Wirka is vice-president of the student body and a member of Concert Choir and Celebration Singers.

The Campus PR Squad started in fall 2016. Students selected for this program act as social media ambassadors for the college, sharing their York Experience on Twitter to give future students a sneak peek at life on campus. They also serve as a source of encouragement and positivity on social media, often using their platform to lift up individual students, faculty, and staff at YC. “Social media can sometimes be a pretty harsh place, but these students have really transformed the YC Twitter community,” said Maegan Detlefs, director of enrollment marketing and coordinator of the Campus PR Squad. “They’ve used Twitter to build up others and highlight the wonderful things happening on campus. Their positivity on social media is infectious!” PR Squad interns also write for the admissions blog, assist admissions with campus visits, and gain valuable digital marketing training. Find out more about each member or follow them on Twitter by visiting york.edu/myyc.

30 | Heritage | WINTER 2018

...just around the

Choir Tour, January 6-12

T

he York College Concert Choir will be touring five states during their annual winter tour. Dr. Clark Roush and the choir invite you to join them for a free concert if you’re in the area! January 6 @ 6:30 p.m. Boulder Valley CofC—Boulder, CO / January 7 @ 6 p.m. Flagler CofC—Flagler, CO / January 8 East Point CofC—Wichita, KS / January 9 Park Plaza CofC—Tulsa, OK / January 10 The Shewmaker Center at Buffalo High School—Buffalo, MO / January 11 Arnold CofC—Arnold, MO / January 12 Overland Park CofC—Overland Park, KS. Concerts will be at 7 p.m. except where noted.

Ides of March, March 8

D

on your toga, sandals, and laurel wreath and join the historical fun during the second annual Ides of March dinner, hosted by the Clayton Museum of Ancient History. The evening will feature a menu inspired by ancient Rome, special tours of the collection led by the Junior Docents Legion, and a program featuring a professor of Classics from UNL. Look for more details and ticket information coming soon at www.claytonmuseumofancienthistory.org.

Spring Panther Days/Songfest, April 6-8

P

rospective students, this is a great time to see the York Experience up close! Stay in the residence halls, eat in the caf, attend classes, and enjoy fun activities. Parents of current and prospective students, you’re invited to a free brunch on Saturday morning. The weekend will include performances by the Concert Choir and Traveling Children’s Theatre as well as Songfest (April 5-7). More info and signup for prospective students at www.york.edu/pd.

Doors of Opportunity & Bible Teachers Workshop, May 19

C

hurch leaders and Bible class teachers, this one-day workshop is a great opportunity to grow your skills and bless your congregation. Doors of Opportunity, hosted by Joe and Linda Thomas and the Sojourners, will focus on church growth and outreach. The Bible Teachers Workshop will have tracks for cradle roll through adult classes. Mark your calendars for this day of encouragement, instruction, fellowship and fun.

More info at www.york.edu/btw.

RoundUp, May 20-26

R

oundUp is a weeklong retreat for those 55 and up. It’s Bible camp and a mini-term as a YC student rolled into one. We’ll have Bible classes, devotionals, and activities, as well as classes in history, literature, creative writing, and music—but no tests or term papers! This year’s theme is “America in Transition: World War I and the Roaring ’20s” and Tim McNeese, assistant professor of history, will be the featured presenter.

Call up your best friends from college and invite them to join you back on campus, or come on your own and make a slew of new friends. More info at www.york.edu/roundup.

Don’t forget to check the calendar on the back cover for other important dates.

1125 E 8th Street York, NE 68467

Looking for a new direction? YC offers online bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Learn more at online.york.edu.

COMING EVENTS January 6-12 16

Concert Choir Winter Tour Classes Begin

March 1-4 8 10-18

Spring Theatre Production Ides of March - Clayton Museum Spring Break

April 6-7 24-25 30

Spring Panther Days (Songfest: April 4-7) Celebration Singers Spring Show Concert Choir Spring Works

May 5 19 20-26

Join us for York College's premier showcase event, the 41st annual production of Songfest during Spring Panther Days. Mark your calendars and spend a great weekend with us on campus.

Admissions Office: 800-950-YORK • www.york.edu/PD

photo by Bob DeHart '95

April 4–7, 2018

Commencement Doors of Opportunity and Bible Teachers Workshop RoundUp

June 10-16

Soul Quest

July 15-21

Presidential Leadership Institute

August 2-4 25-28 29

York College Work Days New Student Orientation Classes Begin

(left) Soren Tobey and Moses Guillen perform October a duet in the Homecoming musical production 19-21 Homecoming & Fall Panther Days The Secret Garden.