Reflections

On the C ver: President Eckman stands in front of the oldest surviving original structure on the York College campus - Hulitt Hall. The iconic structure is being renovated and updated thanks to a $3 million gift. See pg. 10

INSIDE

Reflections A Decade of Service Campus News Dry Bones Redeeming Hulitt Extra Ordinary Things Class of 2020 Campus Update President's Council Alumni News and Notes The Other Door Panther Athletics YC Prepares Principal for the Unknown Campus Spotlight Memorials Pay It Forward Homecoming 2020

Heritage — Summer 2020 Vol. 23, No. 2

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

Heritage Staff

Steddon Sikes ’84 Director of Publications 402-363-5668 slsikes@york.edu Eryn Conyers ’16 Communication Officer 402-363-5607 econyers@york.edu Emily Lutz ’14 Alumni Relations Officer 402-363-5657 elutz@york.edu

In a landscape dominated this spring by the coronavirus, it would be easy to dwell on all we have lost because of the pandemic. Performances and athletic seasons were canceled, and many springtime traditions were lost. In perhaps the starkest demonstration of how rapidly things changed in early March, our women’s wrestling team had traveled to Jamestown, North Dakota, for NAIA nationals, settled in and were ready to compete when the meet was canceled. Cancellation of events that began in March has continued into the summer months. We still anticipate hosting Alumni and Friends Work Days in late July as regularly scheduled.

But, as in every hardship, there has been a silver lining. God has blessed us throughout this ordeal. My colleagues across campus have risen to the challenge of teaching, serving and loving our students. Faculty immediately went to work teaching remotely and successfully ended a semester like no other. Staff waded through details with students caught in a wide variety of situations - packing student belongings when needed, working through personal details, mitigating financial hardships and much more.

A combination of federal dollars and years of fiscal restraint gave us the ability to not only make plans for the fall but also to provide refunds and relief dollars to our students nearly equal to the price they paid for the half semester of room and board they lost. Moving forward, we find ourselves in a rare position in higher education at the moment with no plans to furlough any employees. While our fiscal year was badly hurt by all the events, including the downturn in the stock market, God has provided for York College in amazing ways.

For prospective students, our admissions office and coaching staff have worked through myriad details to engage and help these young people and their families. Amazingly, despite the difficulties, we are

on track to set a new enrollment record this fall as we make plans

to reopen the campus. Thanks to strategic partnerships we have forged in our online programs, we are able to take advantage of some of the changes in academics that will define education moving forward. We are positioned to not only survive but to thrive. To resume our oncampus programs this fall, we have assembled a task force of campus leaders, local health experts and professionals outside the community to determine the protocols needed to assure safety while giving our students a collegiate experience defined by opportunities to learn and grow, rather than be smothered by the fear that has defined 2020.

Of course, none of us know the future. Yet as we make plans to begin our semester as scheduled on August 26, we do know that returning students and first-time students alike are eager for school to begin. When we shared on Facebook that we planned to reopen this fall, the response was overwhelmingly positive from students and parents.

Recent events remind us how much the world needs God. The racism and dissension we are experiencing as I write this tend to illustrate in stark relief how different our lives would be if everyone had a relationship with Christ. The death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests and riots make our hearts yearn for the God of peace and should make us think deeply about how we respond as children of God. I am more convinced than ever that the world needs places like York College where a group of diverse young people come together and figure out how to live together. They won’t figure it out on their own - the only answer to the problem is the same answer through the ages: a transforming, faithful God who can reconcile us not only to Himself but to one another modeled by those who love Him.

With the trustees selecting the next president of York College this morning, my final day in office is coming soon. I hope the efforts we have made will continue to help students for years to come, but more than anything else I pray that the highest aspirations for this place will always center around God’s transforming work in our students as we prepare them for service to Him, to their families and to a world that so desperately needs the good news of our risen Savior.

Steve Eckman President

Smith Named York College President

Dear York College community,

I am pleased to announce that the York College Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Samuel A. Smith ’95 as the College’s 21st president. He will assume the office of president on July 6.

Smith brings considerable experience in higher education, having served for nearly 20 years in a variety of roles at Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tenn. His work there spanned all aspects of student services, concluding with the role of Dean of Student Life. Smith’s professional path includes team building and project management in both the academic and corporate settings.

We owe sincere gratitude to Dr. Mike Armour and the Presidential Search Committee for their hard work which began early this year. They reviewed several highly qualified candidates, many of whom are York College alumni. At the end of the process, Smith’s experiences in higher education proved a best match for the challenges and opportunities ahead. We wanted a president who possessed a deep spiritual maturity and a genuine heart for students. I am glad to report that God answered our prayers.

I hope you will join me in welcoming Dr. Smith to York College. Throughout the process, he has proven himself to be a thoughtful listener with a visionary spirit who is ready to immerse himself in the York College community and help lead this community of faith and learning.

Thank you for your love and support for York College. Sincerely,

Dr. R. Wayne White Chair, York College Board of Trustees