Milligan Magazine Fall 2015

FALL 2015

Celebrating 150 Years n Wish of a Lifetime n From Emmanuel to Ethiopia

FALL 2015 | Volume 17, Number 2

Milligan PRESIDENT

Bill Greer (’85) bgreer@milligan.edu

VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT

Jack Simpson (’92) jasimpson @milligan.edu

VICE PRESIDENT FOR ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT AND MARKETING

A. Lee Fierbaugh (’94) lfierbaugh@milligan.edu

DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS EDITOR Theresa Garbe (’91) tmgarbe@milligan.edu

DIRECTOR OF PR/MARKETING ASSISTANT EDITOR

Chandrea Shell (’00) chshell@milligan.edu

CREATIVE SERVICES COORDINATOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER Art Brown atbrown@milligan.edu

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF PR FEATURE WRITER Stories on 16-17, 22-23 Stephen Woodward scwoodward@milligan.edu

SPORTS INFORMATION DIRECTOR FEATURE WRITER Daniel Manget sportsinfo@milligan.edu

SPORTS INFORMATION ASSISTANT FEATURE WRITER Stories on 24-25, 26-27 Ricky Baptist sportsinfo@milligan.edu

COVER PHOTO © Krista Knudtsen (’14) CONTRIBUTORS:

Photo on 2, © Mark Peacock Photos on 3, © Caleb Nix (’16), contributed, staff Photos on 4-9, © Nix, Victoria Duncan (’17), contributed, staff Photos on 10 © Peacock, contributed, staff Photos on 11, © Kyle Long (’98), © Nix, staff Photo on 12-15, © Nix, © Peacock, contributed, staff Photos on 16-17, @ Peter Nelson (’13), © Peacock, contributed, staff Photos on 18-19, © Duncan, archives Photo on 20, contributed Photos on 22-23, archives, contributed, staff Photo on 24, © Nix Photos on 26-27, Mitchell Clark (’16) Photos on 28-29, Mitchell Clark (’16), staff Photos on 30-34, contributed, staff Photo on 35, staff

Since its founding in 1866, roughly seven generations of students have matriculated at Milligan.

So much has changed on this campus since those early, post-Civil-war years; yet the college’s mission has remained the same, and it is what continues to draw students to us nearly a century and a half later.

Aside from ACT scores, athletic prowess, and artistic accomplishments, I am struck each year by the passion for service and compassion for people each new class brings to Milligan. Our students— both undergraduate and graduate—recognize that learning has a purpose beyond a paycheck. Of course they come here to gain skills and knowledge so they can provide for themselves and their families, but they also choose Milligan because they know that here they will be challenged to see their vocation as the vehicle through which they can be light bearers.

While mission is paramount, Milligan spirit is not far behind. Homecoming this year was amazing!

In my nearly 20 years in alumni relations, I have never seen so many people on campus at once, nor have I seen so many alumni and students enjoying the festivities together. The weekend’s kick-off to our year-long sesquicentennial celebration had the campus and surrounding community buzzing.

The addition of a live buffalo may have had something to do with that: where else would you find students with the moxie to raise the funds to bring a professionally-trained buffalo to Tennessee from Minnesota, and where else would you find a college president adventurous enough to ride that buffalo through the center of campus!

OUR VISION

If you could not join us in person this year, you will get a taste of what the weekend was like in this issue of Milligan Magazine. Inside you also will find articles featuring a “retired” professor who is a graduate of both Milligan and Emmanuel; two seminary graduates headed to Ethiopia to work with college students; an unparalleled female athlete; and an accomplished senior music major whose future is bright.

GENERAL INFORMATION

These stories, remarkable on their own, begin to tell an even bigger story together about a missiondriven institution whose 150-year-old history is rich with thinkers, doers, and shapers motivated by love for their fellow human beings and for their Creator.

OUR MISSION

As a Christian liberal arts college, Milligan College seeks to honor God by educating men and women to be servant-leaders.

As a premier Christian liberal arts college where Jesus Christ is exalted and excellence is the standard, Milligan will change lives and shape culture through a commitment to Christian leadership.

The Milligan Magazine is published regularly by the Milligan College Office of Institutional Advancement for alumni and friends of the college and is distributed free of charge. The Magazine highlights the college’s vision to change lives and shape culture through a commitment to servant-leadership.

Copyright © 2015 Milligan College.

800.447.5922 | www.milligan.edu AlumniOffice@milligan.edu POSTMASTER: Send address corrections to Advancement, P.O. Box 9, Milligan College, Tennessee 37682.­­

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Blessed to be a part of this ongoing story,

Theresa (Brown ’91) Garbe Director of Alumni Relations

TABLE of CONTENTS

8

16

FEATURES

24

28

DEPARTMENTS 2

Editor’s Letter

10 Faculty News

4 Celebrating 150 Years

4

18 Homecoming Fulfills Wish of a Lifetime 20 From Emmanuel to Ethiopia

12 Campus Close-up 29 Athletic News 30 Class Notes 35 Letter from the President

22 Vim, Vigor, and Vitality

22

26 Ellis Siblings: Creating a Tradition All for Themselves

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HOMECOMING 2015

Homecoming weekend was punctuated by buffaloes: hand-painted, life-size fiberglass buffaloes dotting Johnson City; Cody, a real-life buffalo; and more than 750 BUFFS—student, graduate, prospective, and honorary members of the Milligan community.

The class of 1965, celebrating its 50th reunion, boasted record attendance and ended their weekend with a meal catered by Dino’s, their favorite restaurant when they were students.

Emmanuel alumni gathered for their first-ever official reunion, and the Restoration Crew, a group of 20-30 volunteers who gathered on campus for a week of manual work each summer between 1999 and 2008, convened for the first time since 2008 to be honored and to see how their work has held up! And we celebrated the accomplishments of world-class athletes and professionals at the top of their field, honored the Jo Ann Richardson family, and remembered alumnus Francis Gary Powers (’50), the renowned U-2 pilot whose story is portrayed in the new Steven Spielberg movie, Bridge of Spies. The weekend served as an excellent start to a year of festivities.

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CONGRATULATIONS!

Gary Powers, Jr. (left) accepting the Distinguished Alumnus Award on behalf of his father, Francis Gary Powers

Marvin Eichorn

Mercy Akide

Emily Homrich Mitchell (center)

Class of ’95

Marty Shirley (right)

Class of ’55

Milligan’s Restoration Crew

Vintage Buffs

The Jo Ann Richardson family (left to right): Samuel Richardson (’18), Michaela Wolfe (’18), Gary Richardson (’78), Jo Ann Richardson, Lisa Richardson (’80), Mark Richardson (’79), Matthew Richardson (’09), Molly Richardson

Distinguished Alumnus: Francis Gary Powers (’50) Professional Excellence Award: Marvin Eichorn (MBA ’10) and Emily Homrich Mitchell (’01) Athletics Hall of Fame Inductees: Mercy Akide (’03) and Marty Shirley (’91) George W. Hardin “Spirit of Milligan” Award: Milligan’s Restoration Crew Heritage Award: The Jo Ann Richardson family 6 | FALL 2015

Cheer and Dance Team Reunion

Scholarship, Community, Faith: Milligan Celebrates 150 Years

In honor of Milligan’s sesquicentennial, the college has produced a special limited edition commemorative book. This full-color, hardback, coffee-table book contains many rarely seen photos of Milligan through the decades, along with photos of artifacts from the college archives.

The book was a labor of love for Milligan alumnus and unofficial historian, Clinton J. Holloway (BA ’95, MAR ’98), who began writing the college’s history as an undergraduate and continued the writing through his thesis project at Emmanuel Christian Seminary. Not only has Holloway collected historical data about his alma mater since the early 90s, but he also has collected myriad artifacts related to Milligan’s story, many of which appear in the book and have been donated to the college’s archives.

Holloway’s deep knowledge of the college helped tell the story, but with any written work, there are editors and graphic designers working tirelessly behind-the-scenes. A special thanks goes out to Lee Fierbaugh (BS ’94), vice president for enrollment management and marketing, who spent countless hours editing and proofing, and Art Brown, creative services coordinator and adjunct instructor of communications, who is solely responsible for the book’s displayworthy design.

Books are $34.95 and may be purchased through the Milligan Bookstore— online at www.milligan.edu/150 or on-campus. A great gift for the Milligan Buffs in your life!

Remembering Francis Gary Powers

The late Francis Gary Powers (’50), renowned U-2 pilot whose spy plane was shot down over the former Soviet Union in 1960*, received Milligan’s Distinguished Alumnus Award posthumously on October 24, 2015, during the college’s annual “Celebrate Milligan” awards dinner.

Powers’ son, Gary Powers, Jr., received the award on his father’s behalf.

Powers grew up in Pound, Virginia, and entered Milligan in fall 1946. Francis, as he was then known, was a good student and a member of the track team. Twice he represented Milligan at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia and ran in the Milligan Relays initiated by President Elliott.

Like many students, he worked his way through college with a campus job and during the summers was a lifeguard. In 1950, he graduated from Milligan in pre-med and decided to join the Air Force.

As a pilot, he built an excellent record at single engine jet aircraft and flew several espionage missions. Later, Powers joined the CIA U-2 program at a time when the U.S. and the Soviets were engaged in the Cold War. As a U-2 pilot, one of Powers’ tasks was to photograph military installations and other important sites. While on a mission over the USSR on May 1, 1960, Powers’ plane was shot down, and he was forced to eject from the craft.

Captured and imprisoned, Powers was interrogated by the KGB, tried, and sentenced as a spy. The U-2 incident became one of international importance and set back talks between Soviet Premier

Nikita Khrushchev and President Dwight Eisenhower. In 1962, Powers was traded for Soviet spy Rudolf Abel on a bridge in Berlin and finally returned to the U.S.

One of his former Milligan professors later said of Powers, “None of us who knew Francis ever doubted for a minute his integrity or courage.

We had confidence in him all the way.”

In 2012, Francis was presented posthumously with a Silver Star in a ceremony at the Pentagon for his service to the country. The Silver Star is the third highest decoration presented to military members. During his military career, Powers received many awards including the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, the Department of Defense Prisoner of War Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the CIA’s Intelligence Star and Director’s Medal.

Powers died in 1977 in a helicopter crash in California.

His son, Gary, a frequent visitor to Milligan, operates a Cold War Museum in Warrenton, Virginia, which pays tribute to his father. He has been a guest on Milligan’s campus numerous times and gave a lecture to a standing-room-only crowd of alumni, students, and members of the community during Homecoming weekend.

*A film portraying Powers called Bridge of Spies, directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, released in October.

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“150 Years of Community” by Milligan Students, Faculty, and Staff

“Abstraction Over American Bison” by Nick Blosser

“Fruity Pebbles” by V. Kelsey Ellis (’12)

“Buffalove” by Cortny Eorgan

“Buffalo Mountain” by Karen Dorr

“Sweeter Than Honey” by Kristin Colson (’01)

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The Buffalo Stampede City Art Project

A buffalo stampede has taken over Johnson City, Tennessee. No, live buffaloes aren’t running free.

To help kick-off the college’s year-long sesquicentennial celebration, Milligan commissioned six life-size, artistically-decorated buffaloes for display in the community to celebrate the college’s 150th anniversary and honor Milligan’s mascot, Brutus, a buffalo.

The art project was the brainchild of former Milligan First Lady Clarinda Jeanes (’71). The buffaloes will be displayed in Johnson City for six months and later move to the Elizabethton area for the remainder of Milligan’s 150th celebration in 2016.

Johnson City locations include the Johnson City Mall, First Christian Church, Tupelo Honey Café, Niswonger Children’s Hospital at the Johnson City Medical Center Hospital, the Johnson City Public Library, and Milligan’s campus.

The public is encouraged to take photos with the buffaloes, and any other buffaloes they encounter (live, cartoon, etc.), and share them on social media using #MCBuffaloHunt.

Each artist had six weeks to develop his or her own concept and complete the buffalo projects: “Abstraction Over American Bison” was created by Nick Blosser, Milligan assistant professor of art; “Sweeter Than Honey,” by Kristin Colson (’01); “Buffalo Mountain,” by Karen Dorr, mother of 1998 alum Christopher Dorr; “Fruity Pebbles,” by V. Kelsey Ellis (’12); and “Buffalove,” by Cortny Eorgan, daughter of 1970 alum Cal Wilson.

One buffalo, scheduled to remain on Milligan’s campus until the celebration concludes next year, is titled “150 Years of Community” and includes handprints of the college’s students, faculty, and staff.

Blosser said his inspiration came from the unique form of the buffalo itself.

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“My process to create the work was to simply consider its shape as an inspiration to respond to with abstract colors, patterns, and markings that hopefully complimented the form,” said Blosser, who has been teaching at Milligan for over 20 years. His buffalo is located at the Johnson City Mall.

“Fruity Pebbles” will be on display at the library and was created by Ellis using painted heaps of heavy rocks and sand. She named the work after seeing the end result, which looked like Fruity Pebbles cereal. Ellis said using unconventional materials made the process more difficult, but more rewarding. “I have to discover solutions myself, but that’s also one of the most exciting parts of the process,” said Ellis.

Eorgan created a minimal black and white design for her work. “I had an idea to show the struggle between light and dark in all of us,” she said, whose buffalo is located at First Christian Church.

Dorr painted Buffalo Mountain on her fiberglass buffalo with acrylic paint because the mountain has been such a special place in her life. “Given it’s prominence in our area, there haven’t been many days I haven’t driven past it and appreciated its beauty,” said Dorr, a retired school teacher, whose creation is at Niswonger.

Colson was inspired to create the honeycomb look of “Sweeter Than Honey” because of the hexagonal pattern and because her experience at Milligan was, in fact, “sweeter than honey.” It is located, appropriately, at Tupelo Honey Café.

Each buffalo was sponsored by contributions from area businesses and individuals, including East Tennessee Sprinkler Co., Marvin and Judy Eichorn, Brad and Amy Folck, Clarinda Jeanes, Northwestern Mutual, Cal and Brenda Wilson, Gardner Paint Services, Burleson Construction, Charles and Barbara Allen, and Spotless Carpet Cleaners.

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Faculty News ADMINISTRATION & STAFF Bob Wetzel, professor-at-large, was the keynote speaker for the Seniors Conference sponsored by Manhattan Christian College (Manhattan, KS) in October, and he gave three addresses and preached for a Manhattan Christian College Chapel Service. As part of Homecoming weekend festivities, Wetzel Terrace was dedicated in his honor at the B.D. Phillips Building.

SCHOOL OF ARTS & HUMANITIES Alice Anthony, associate professor of art; Nick Blosser, assistant professor of art; and Art Brown, creative services

coordinator and adjunct instructor of communications, held the 2015 Faculty Art Exhibit from Oct. 24-Nov. 20 titled “Nature, Robots, and Elvis” in the Milligan Art Gallery in Derthick Hall as part of the college’s sesquicentennial kickoff. Anthony’s work featured photographs of Elvis fans who have made the pilgrimage to Graceland, Elvis’ home. Blosser’s abstract landscapes in watercolor and egg tempera focused on small sections of natural beauty. Brown’s relief prints combined political satire with hand-carved images of dark, mechanical creatures while utilizing antique letterpress wood type.

the Lambeth Palace Library, and the Society of Friends Library.

In Germany, they have researched at the Institute for City History in Frankfurt and the archives of the Holy Spirit Church in Heidelberg.

SCHOOL OF BIBLE & MINISTRY Jason Bembry, professor of Old Testament at Emmanuel,

presented “Judges 19:2 in Hebrew and Greek Traditions: How the Woman’s Departure Illustrates a Tradition’s Tendency” at the Society of Biblical Literature conference in November (Atlanta, GA). An essay titled “The Aramaic Root ‘to go’—HWK or HLK?” will be published in late 2015 as part of a festschrift for Professor Jo Ann Hackett. He currently is teaching an adult Sunday school class at Munsey United Methodist (Johnson City, TN) on Paul’s letter to Philemon.

John Jackson, associate professor of Bible, presented a

paper on Psalm 146 at the Catholic Biblical Association International Meeting at Xavier University (New Orleans, LA) in August.

LeRoy Lawson, distinguished professor of Christian ministries and director of the Doctor of Ministry program at Emmanuel, began serving as interim pastor at First Christian Church (Johnson City, TN) in November. He is continuing in his roles with ECS and CMF.

Jeff Miller, professor of Bible, taught a week-long course

titled “Paul and His Letters” at Nebraska Christian College in October. In November, he presented a paper at the annual meeting of The Evangelical Theological Society in Atlanta.

WILLIAM B. GREENE, JR. SCHOOL OF BUSINESS & TECHNOLOGY President Bill Greer; Bob Mahan, professor of accounting; Mark Peacock, associate professor of legal studies; and David Campbell, associate professor of economics, attended

Kellie Brown, professor of music, presented a lecture titled

“Programming Holocaust Memorial Concerts: An Exploration of the Repertoire and of Important Composers and Musicians from that Era” at the Christian Fellowship of Art Music Composers National Conference at Malone University (Canton, OH) in October.

Simon J. Dahlman, professor of communications, gave

two presentations at the 2015 Appalachian College Association Summit in October (Kingsport, TN): “New Writing, New Perspectives,” based on a Salzburg Global Seminar symposium he attended in 2014, and “A Familiar Wilderness: Walking Daniel Boone’s Old Road,” including excerpts from a forthcoming book about his 2013 hike along the route of the Wilderness Road. Also, in October, he performed in Milligan’s fall theatre production of Our Town, in the role of Editor Webb.

Allysha B. Martin, assistant professor of Spanish and

humanities, was the recipient of the Aliene Click Professional Development Award and Scholarship from the Tennessee Foreign Language Teachers Association. She presented “Breaking Bread, Breaking Body: Consumption as Punishment in Hagiografía de Narcisa la bella by Mireya Robles” at the Asociación Internacional de Literatura y Cultura Femenina Hispánica in October (Milwaukee, WI).

Theodore N. Thomas, professor of humanities, history, and

German, lectured to students of Pepperdine University on Pastor Hermann Maas (1877-1970) of Heidelberg, Germany, in Heidelberg in October and Lausanne, Switzerland, in November. Thomas and his wife, Jane-Anne, are doing research and writing the manuscript for a book on Maas during a sabbatical supported in part by Milligan, the Appalachian College Association, and Phi Alpha Theta, the national History Honor Society. Since late August, they have spent research hours in London at the Metropolitan Archives,

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the Free Market Forum in October 2015 (Omaha, NE). During their time in Omaha they visited with Milligan alumna Autumn (Pruitt, ’09) Hardy who owns and operates a coffee and bakery business there. Campbell presented research on interstate migration in response to social liberalizations at Milligan in October.

Greg Harrell, director of

engineering programs and associate professor of mechanical engineering, presented courses in the energy management diploma program at North Carolina State University as a core instructor.

He attained Certified Energy Manager International status from the Association of Energy Engineers and Lead Energy Assessor status from the United Kingdom Environment Agency. Harrell completed and filed comprehensive site-wide energy assessments of 12 heavy industrial facilities located throughout the United Kingdom to fulfill governmental regulatory compliance. He presented lectures in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, on energy management and sustainability to a global energy engineering conference of a large aluminum conglomerate, as well as lectures and training on steam cogeneration systems to a global assembly of alumina energy systems engineers in Texas. Harrell provided customized furnace combustion management and optimization training to process engineers of a gas turbine component manufacturer. Additionally, he completed numerous assessments throughout the summer and fall of 2015: a compressed air system assessment for the US Department of Energy (USDOE), a US Environmental Protection Agency (US-EPA) Boiler Maximum Attainable Control Technology (Boiler MACT) Steam-Cogeneration-Furnace assessment for the USDOE, and US-EPA Boiler MACT Steam-Cogeneration Assessments at six different plants.

Hongyou Lu, program development associate for engineering,

published a peer-reviewed article titled “Capturing the Invisible Resource: Analysis of Waste Heat Potential in Chinese Industry” in Applied Energy, Volume 161, pp. 497-511. She organized the sixth U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum, hosted by the U.S. Department of Energy and China’s National Development and Reform Commission held in Washington, D.C., in October.

More than 200 people participated in the forum, including representatives from government agencies, research institutes, national laboratories, non-governmental organizations, and industry.

SCHOOL OF SOCIAL SCIENCES & EDUCATION John Paul Abner, professor of psychology, co-presented

several lectures at the Parent-Child Interaction Therapy International Convention (PCIT) in September: “PCIT for Children with Autism Spectrum and Sensory Disorders,” “The Training Games: Creating Activities for Training and Sharpening Skills,” and “Enhancing the Accessibility of PCIT.” In October, he presented “Facing Fears with Fun and Playfulness: Issues in Evidence Based Treatment of Childhood Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder” to the Tennessee Psychological Association Annual Convention. He also conducted numerous PCIT professional training workshops and seminars between July and November in Auckland, New Zealand; Houston, TX; Waco, TX; Knoxville, TN; and Milligan.

Bert Allen, professor of psychology, introduced both incoming

psychology doctoral interns and staff clinical psychologists with Dr. Myra Elder, clinical psychologist at the VA Medical Center (Mountain Home, TN), in August in order to orient them to Appalachia and Appalachian veterans. In September, at the annual meeting of the Tennessee Society of Sons of the American Revolution (TNSSAR) District One (Kings Mountain, State of Franklin, and Watauga Chapters), Allen spoke about the experiences of combat and the diversity of the military members’ responsibilities both in combat and in supportive roles.

Tausha Clay, associate professor of education, presented

“Reshaping Lesson Plans to Meet Rigorous Demands” at the Southeastern Regional Association of Teacher Educators (STRATE) Conference in October (Jekyll Island, GA).

Lyn Howell, professor of education; Greg Matthias, assistant professor of education; and Greg Harrell, associate

professor of mechanical engineering, received an Improving Teacher Quality Grant from the Tennessee Higher Education Commission for a program titled “Hands-On CaMP: Integrating Chemistry, Math, and Physics to Support Real World STEM Applications.” This is Milligan’s fourth consecutive year to receive an ITQ grant.

Rebecca Sapp, associate professor

of counseling, psychology, and social work, presented a session titled “Building a Sound Relationship House on a Sure Foundation” at First Christian Church (Johnson City, TN) as part of their “Discovering God’s Design: A Conversation on Social Issues” conference in September.

That same month, she completed the Level 3 Gottman Marital Therapist training in Seattle, WA. In November, Rebecca presented a workshop titled “Families Jazz it Up” with co-workers from Frontier Health and a workshop with Milligan undergraduate mentored research students, Mikayla Vosler and Mikayla Westgerdes, titled “Louis Armstrong and Billie Holliday are My Heroes: Research on Today’s HEROES’ STARS” as part of the Conference on the Advancement of School Mental Health (New Orleans, LA).

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An affordable difference.

AVERAGE NET COST Total cost is $7,400 below the national average.

Only $2,100 higher than State U.

Milligan provides MORE institutional aid than any other local private or public college.

Average Milligan loan debt at graduation last year was $3,000 BELOW the national average.

25% HIGHER

RETENTION THAN OTHER

SIMILAR INSTITUTIONS.

98%

STUDENTS RECEIVE FINANCIAL AID.

98%

HAVE JOBS OR GO TO GRAD SCHOOL WITHIN 1 YEAR OF GRADUATION.

Know a potential Buff?

Contact Admissions at admissions@milligan.edu or 800.262.8337.

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Construction progress: Science Building, engineering labs

Renovations were completed to the science building this past summer.

Improvements to the main science labs included new lighting, new fixtures for the improved work stations, fresh paint on the walls and ceilings, and new flooring and plumbing. The Gee Gross Anatomy Lab also was enlarged and received new lighting, ceilings, flooring, and paint.

In the lower level of the B.D. Phillips Building, rapid progress is being made on the labs for mechanical and electric engineering, programs which launch in fall 2016. In a space once serving as an auditorium, four laboratories are being constructed, tailored to both engineering program majors.n

Faculty lecture explores archaeological adventures

John Mark Wade, Milligan’s theological librarian and assistant director of library services, presented his archaeological research in September that took audiences back to the 8th and 7th century BC in Jordan, a time rich in biblical history.

His lecture, “‘This Will Change Your Life!’ (some dusty archaeological adventures in the Middle East),” explored the archaeological past of biblical Moabites, the era of prophets Isaiah, Amos, Micah, Hosea, and King Hezekiah.

Since 1976, Wade has worked on three major excavations: the Lahav Research Project at Tell Halif, Israel; the Punic Project at Carthage near Tunis, Tunisia; and since 1999, the Karak Resources Project in the Karak Governorate of Jordan. During these expeditions, he has worked in a variety of roles including an area and field supervisor, directing the work of volunteers and local workers.n

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Appalachian poet Jane Hicks reads work

Nationally-acclaimed Appalachian writer and poet Jane Hicks read her poetry in September as part of the college’s sesquicentennial celebration.

The audience enjoyed coffee and dessert while Hicks, who is known for her wise anecdotes and wry humor, read her poetry. In her poem “How We Became Cosmic Possums,” Hicks famously coined the selfdescribed term “cosmic possum,” which refers to someone who knows the old, rural customs of mountain life and now lives in the modern world.

On her website, Hicks explains, “The possum is the perfect symbol of my beloved Appalachia: underappreciated, misunderstood, and the ultimate survivor in the face of all manners of predation.”

Hicks published her latest poetry collection, Driving with the Dead, in 2014 and her 2005 collection of poetry, Blood and Bone Remember, won the Poetry Book of the Year 2006 Award from the Appalachian Writers Association.n

Milligan again ranks nationally

U.S News and World Report, Washington Monthly, and Christian Universities Online (CUO) have again ranked Milligan among the top colleges in the nation for academic quality and affordability.

U.S. News ranked the college among the top 10 regional colleges in the South in its 2016 “Best Colleges” report, released in September, jumping from No. 9 last year to No. 6. In addition, the college ranked as the No. 3 best value among regional colleges in the South in the report’s “Great Schools, Great Prices” category, improving from No. 4 last year. Milligan also was recognized on the “A+ Schools for B Students” list for regional colleges in the South based on student improvement and success.

In August, Washington Monthly ranked Milligan among the top 15 baccalaureate colleges in the nation in its 2015 College Guide Rankings, jumping from No. 20 last year to No. 15 this year. The college also was named a “Best Bang for the Buck” by Washington Monthly among southern baccalaureate schools considered the best value for the money, which according to Washington Monthly is based on “net” price, how well the colleges do graduating the students they admit, and whether those students go on to earn enough to pay off student loans. Milligan ranked with a minuscule 3.5 percent student loan default rate.

In October, Milligan was recognized as one of the top Christian colleges in the country for the second year in a row by CUO, an independent online

resource for prospective students and their families researching Christian higher education, ranking Milligan the No. 3 “Best Value among Christian Colleges and Universities” for 2016. In August, CUO ranked the college 17th among the “50 Best Christian Colleges and Universities” for 2015.

CUO also ranked Milligan’s Master of Business Administration (MBA) program at No. 34 among the nation’s “50 Best Value Christian MBA Programs” for 2015.

In addition, Milligan was ranked No. 25 on the “50 Most Affordable Christian Colleges and Universities” which ranked each of the schools according to “net price” tuition data.n

Daytime Tricities: Live at Milligan!

Milligan got the star treatment at the end of September when WJHL’s Daytime Tricities, a local lifestyle’s program, did a live show on campus, featuring interviews with President Dr. Bill Greer; Dr. Lee Fierbaugh, vice president for marketing and enrollment management; and Dr. Greg Harrell, director of the engineering program. Greer talked about the college’s 150th celebration and the host of events planned. Also, Greer was joined by Fierbaugh to discuss the new commemorative coffee-table book, Scholarship, Community, Faith: Milligan Celebrates 150 Years, which she co-wrote with alum Clinton Holloway (’95). Harrell gave the hosts an overview of the engineering program, which launches in fall 2016.n

Bridge of Spies opens world-wide

Directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Hanks, Bridge of Spies chronicles the plight of Francis Gary Powers (’50), Milligan alumnus and renowned U-2 pilot who was shot down over the former Soviet Union 55 years ago. His son, Gary Powers, Jr., came to Milligan’s Homecoming to talk about his father and the movie.n

New Milligan license plates out

Tennessee alumni, show your Buff Nation pride on the road! Beginning in January 2016, pick up the newly-designed Milligan license plate at your local county clerk’s office. Additional fees apply. For more information, go to www.tn.gov. Those who currently have a Milligan specialty plate will have their license plate replaced with the new design the next time they renew their registration.n FALL 2015 | 13

Our Town takes the stage during Homecoming

The Pulitzer Prize-winning play Our Town, by Thornton Wilder, opened during Homecoming weekend featuring an all-star cast of the college’s students, faculty, and alumni in honor of Milligan’s sesquicentennial celebration.

“I wanted to do a piece of theatre which emphasizes the qualities that make Milligan such a unique place,” said Professor of Theatre Richard Major, who served as director of the play. “The story of Our Town represents a beautiful slice of Americana and the truly meaningful aspects of life one experiences in a small town. Audiences can not only see how the play resembles life at a small college like Milligan, but also how it is a mirror reflection of the towns and cities they grew up in or the communities where they currently reside.”

Set in the early 20th century, Our Town is about a fictional American town, Grover’s Corners, New Hampshire, told through the everyday lives of its citizens. The play is noted for its minimal use of props and scenery and the character Stage Manager, portrayed by Garry Smith (’78), who supplied the narrative of the plot and interacted with the audience.

Our Town was designed by Pamela Adolphi, Milligan’s technical director and resident designer for theatre, and featured original music by alum Bradley Eastridge (’09).

The cast included faculty members Dr. Paul Blowers, professor of church history, as Doc Gibbs; Jim Dahlman, professor of communications, as Editor Webb; Dr. Tim Dillon, professor of history and humanities, as Professor Willard; Dr. Heather Hoover, associate professor of English, as Mrs. Gibbs; and Hoover’s son, Owen, as Wally Webb.

Model of Herod’s Temple on display in Emmanuel library

Several Milligan alums featured in the show are Heather Knudtsen (’11), cast as Mrs. Webb; B.J. Krug (‘09), playing Joe Stoddard; and Smith.

George Lane, son of alumna Caroline Kangwa (’15), played Joe/Si Crowell.

Students included sophomore Joshua Bullen, of Abingdon, Virginia, as Sam Craig; junior Briana Florian, of Waxhaw, North Carolina, as Rebecca Gibbs; senior Tori Giblin, of Avon, Indiana, as Mrs. Soames; junior Riley Lis, of Knoxville, Tennessee, as Constable Warren; junior Jacob McGlamery, of Mountain City, Tennessee, as Howie Newsome; senior Laura Mixon, of Kingsport, Tennessee, as Emily Webb; senior Gabe Rees, of Redford, Michigan, as George Gibbs; and senior Andrew Wissmann, of Johnson City, Tennessee, as Simon Stimson.n

Wetzel Terrace dedicated at B.D. Phillips Building

In October, the Wetzel Terrace at the B.D. Phillips Building was named in honor of Dr. C. Robert Wetzel, seminary chancellor, for his faithful service to Emmanuel.

Dr. Wetzel served as Christian Seminary president from 19942009 and now serves as seminary chancellor.n

Cindy (Cornwell, BA ’85, MDiv ’88) and her husband, John McCachern, an engineer who is a woodworking hobbyist, worked together to create this intricate, scaled model of Herod’s Temple. It is on loan to Milligan and is currently on display in The Seminary Library.n

14 | FALL 2015

Emmanuel’s Ross-Smith Lectures focus on addiction

Emmanuel Christian Seminary at Milligan, in partnership with the East Tennessee State University (ETSU) Office of Continuing Medical Education at Quillen College of Medicine, presented its Ross-Smith Lectures in Pastoral Care on the theme of addiction featuring Dr. Stephen Loyd, MD, associate professor of medicine at Quillen, on Oct. 13-15.

The lectureship is endowed to honor the memory of Calvin (’65) and Nancy (Smith ’66) Ross’s parents, Walter and Mardel Ross and Frank S. Smith.

Loyd’s presentation was titled “Once Upon an Addiction: Narratives of Substance Abuse, Faith, and Recovery.”n Calvin (left) and Nancy Ross with speaker Dr. Stephen Loyd

Little Hartland “Spotless” When a water line on the third floor of the Little Hartland Welcome Center burst, causing flooding and damage on all three floors, Bob Pakrul (’70) and his team at Spotless Restoration were there to manage the damage. It is estimated that 1,500 gallons of water poured into the building. The $50,000 restoration project, though, was left in Pakrul’s capable and trustworthy hands.n

Convo speaker helps prepare students for life after college

David Runner music classroom dedication

Seeger Chapel’s music classroom No. 200 was dedicated in honor of the recently retired Dr. David Runner, who served as professor of music and organist at Milligan for 43 years. Faculty, staff, and friends contributed to make this recognition possible. In the words of Dr. Runner, “We now have a Walker Auditorium and a Runner Classroom in Seeger.”n

Each year after graduation, many college twentysomethings ask themselves one simple, existential question: “Now what do I do?”

Jessica Stollings, president and founder of the consulting company ReGenerations, came to convo and led a discussion session to help students make that transition from college life to real life.

“College students have a hard time finding their fit after college,” said Stollings, who is from Bristol, Tennessee, and founded the company this year after watching her own friends struggle with managing the postcollege transition. “I want to help raise students’ awareness to think about what’s next.”

At convocation, Stollings talked to students about what she describes as the “huge gap in understanding between different generations.” Later, she discussed how students can find their calling by recognizing their strengths, as well as address basic finances and professional etiquette in the workplace.

Stollings’ book, Regenerations, discusses her lecture topics in more detail. For more information on Stollings and her company, visit www. re-generations.org and read her blog, #shareitfwd.n FALL 2015 | 15

T

ake a quick look through Milligan’s arts calendar this year, and you’ll find one name pop up again and again: Laura Mixon.

A senior who has studied vocal performance, opera, and musical theatre, Mixon is in no fewer than seven plays, recitals, and theatre productions this year, from her own senior voice recital in September and a one-woman show in the spring, to a role in the theatre department’s Our Town and other student-created musical projects.

That number doesn’t even include all of the concerts she will be performing as a member of the Milligan Orchestra, Concert Choir, and Heritage.

“I don’t have a lot of free time,” Mixon joked.

Her parents have been incredibly supportive, allowing her to leave a full-time job she had held down in previous years so she could take on more for her senior year.

Why is Mixon so driven?

She plans to attend graduate school, hopefully at New York University, where she wants to cross-train in musical theatre and opera.

“With my acting style, I think I’m leaning more towards musical theatre now,” said Mixon, who’s from Kingsport, Tennessee.

After that, she plans to keep performing and start her own private studio.

Mixon has a very animated performance style when she’s on stage, and that is part of the way she connects to her characters’ emotions, which she believes is a vital part of her artistic inspiration.

“I think we tend to cut ourselves off from emotions, and we choose not to feel things in everyday life,” said Mixon. “Then we’ll go see a show or listen to a song and it will really just hit home and remind us that we are human and that what we are feeling is normal. Performing allows me to be the vessel for human emotions and help people reconnect with what it means to be human.”

Mixon was recruited by Dr. Charlotte Anderson, assistant professor of the practice of music, to come to Milligan and be part of the music department. During her time on campus, Anderson has seen Mixon’s hard work come to fruition.

“Laura came to Milligan as a strong and self-motivated musician, but over the last almost four years, she has blossomed into a mature performer, capable of taking on graduate-level repertoire,” said Anderson. “Through her love of acting, Laura enriches her style of art song, opera, and musical theatre with colorful characterizations.”

The one-on-one student-teacher relationship at the core of Mixon’s development is common at Milligan, and a central part of every musician student’s growth.

“The greatest strength of the music program at Milligan is the deep connection that the faculty create with the students,” said Dr. Kellie Brown, chair of the music area and director of the orchestra.

The Many Roles of 16 | FALL 2015

Laura Mixon

“Milligan’s music faculty consist of highly accomplished musicians who also have a passion for teaching, which they extend to the students in their classes. These caring educators definitely go the extra mile to help all of their students succeed and reach their goals.”

A SUMMER IN PRAGUE

This past summer, Mixon took her skills to a new level.

She learned about an opportunity to study and perform opera in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic. It was the trip of a lifetime for any aspiring opera singer, but it didn’t come easy.

After applying online, sending a performance video, and performing for the judges in person at the University of Louisville (which sponsored the program), Mixon was accepted—but she wasn’t in Prague yet. She had to raise money.

In the age of crowd-funded support websites like Kickstarter, Mixon went with GoFundMe.com, which specializes in fundraising for personal causes.

She was amazed by the response, especially from her Milligan family.

“Even my professors donated,” said Mixon. “And they did it with notes of encouragement. That really meant a lot.”

One quick hop over the Atlantic and Mixon was soon relaxing and enjoying the sights and sounds of one of the most beautiful cities in the world…

Not quite.

It was hard work, according to Mixon, who herself doesn’t shy away from a challenge.

“We studied every day from eight in the morning until 10 at night,” said Mixon, about the month-long program. “We only got off two days.”

She promises she didn’t sleep in on those days; rather, she got out and saw everything she could.

It was quickly evident to Mixon that she was fortunate to be selected for the Prague program—of the 90 or so performers there, only four were undergraduates. The rest were either professionals, teachers, or graduate students.

“It was such a big deal to me to be able to say ‘I’m only 21 years old, there are only three other people here like me,’” said Mixon.

Despite the overwhelming number of seasoned opera performers and instrumentalists, her heart was warmed by everyone’s kindness.

“Not all people in the opera world are competing viciously against each other,” she said.

Mixon attributes her deep desire to perform, ultimately, to the encouragement of her parents.

Her father, a talented piano player, always wanted to be a music performer.

“But he ended up choosing the logical and safe route in order to raise a family,” said Mixon. Her father became an electric engineer and works at Eastman.

“He told me he thinks that whenever you find something you absolutely love, you have to pursue it and do it with your life,” she said. “Otherwise, you’ll always sit back thinking, ‘Why didn’t I do this, or what would have happened if I had?”n

This summer, Mixon had the opportunity to study and perform opera in Prague, the capital of the Czech Republic.

Mixon (right) is pictured with opera soprano Maria Zouves.

She and her husband, fellow opera singer Sherrill Milnes, founded the VOICExperience Foundation, a non-profit organization for the education of young singers.

FALL 2015 | 17

HOMECOMING FULFILLS

Wish of a

Lifetime

By Brooke Gomez (’16)

18 | FALL 2015

“It was refreshing and fulfilling, helped me remember memories, and allowed me to show my son the place that means so much to me.”

F

or many, Milligan’s Homecoming weekend is a celebratory time to meet with peers and catch up on life. For alumna Esther Calhoun (’65), attending Homecoming was a bit more; in fact, it was her “Wish of a Lifetime.”

“Because of health reasons, I don’t get to travel much at all,” said Calhoun. “When I realized it was my 50th class reunion, I wanted to go back to the Milligan I dearly love.”

Calhoun, of Columbus, Ohio, has multiple sclerosis (MS), which has limited her mobility to a wheelchair. In light of this condition, it seemed as if her desire to return to Milligan would be unrealized.

Wish of a Lifetime, a non-profit organization founded in 2008, exists to grant the deepest wishes of senior citizens and change the way society values aging. Alongside Brookdale Senior Living, operator of senior living communities like Trillium Crossing where Esther and her husband, John, live, Wish of a Lifetime worked to make Esther’s dream a reality.

During Homecoming, Calhoun celebrated her 50th reunion alongside classmates as the college kicked off its 150th anniversary celebration. She had only been back to her alma mater once, for the 30th class reunion, since her graduation in 1965.

“I was so anxious to see the members of my class that attended,” said Calhoun.

She spent Saturday morning reflecting on the memories that made her time at Milligan so precious with her peers at a reunion brunch and later a lunch under the tent with alumni of all ages. Calhoun, along with John and her youngest son, Sean, participated in the annual Homecoming parade that winds through the main roads of campus, lined with current students and alumni.

Following the parade, she enjoyed dinner with her class, catered by Dino’s Italian Restaurant in Elizabethton, Tennessee.

“We all loved Dino’s Italian food during our time at Milligan,” said

Calhoun. “It was a special treat to share the same meal together that we did 50 years ago.”

Another highlight was the visit with her favorite professor, Dr. Wetzel, who also was her undergraduate advisor. “He was the faculty director, and I was the student director of the theatre’s production of Harvey, so I was privileged to know him well,” said Calhoun.

Esther enjoyed seeing campus in all of its colorful, fall glory and viewing many of the newer buildings for the first time. “I couldn’t believe all of the new buildings,” said Calhoun. “I feel that Milligan will continue to prepare the servants of God for many career paths.”

Esther could have chosen to wish for anything. She could have put a host of different things on the application for Wish of a Lifetime and Brookdale to grant. She has dreams of visiting Scotland and Ireland to learn more about her Scotch-Irish heritage. Savannah, Georgia, and Charleston, South Carolina, have always been places that Esther admires. In fact, she and John planned to visit them before moving to Brookdale, but could not, due to health issues. Instead, Esther wished to come home to her alma mater once more, after many years of being away.

“My time at Milligan was four of the best years of my life,” said Calhoun. “While there, I gained friendships, developed my own self, strengthened my faith, and gained the basis of my career.”

Her time was marked by memories of sledding down Sutton Hill on cafeteria trays, incorporating a “dink” into her daily outfit, and being “creeked” in the pond that once sat in front of Pardee Hall.

It was these memories that drew Esther back to Milligan.

“Out of all the wishes on my list, this was the most important and meaningful,” said Calhoun. “It was refreshing and fulfilling, helped me remember memories, and allowed me to show my son the place that means so much to me.”n FALL 2015 | 19

From to

EMMANUEL ETHIOPIA :

THE SELBY STORY

By Rosemarie Shields (’59)

20 | FALL 2015

“This opportunity seemed to be the culmination of their experience in work and ministry—so they accepted this as God’s call to begin a ministry as Church Catalyst in Ethiopia.”

A

s a student at Manhattan Christian College in Kansas, Katie Guthrie hoped to prepare herself for cross-cultural ministry. An internship in India confirmed her interests.

Her plans, however, did not include Emmanuel Christian Seminary until former Director of Admissions at Emmanuel David Fulks, certain that Katie and Emmanuel would be a perfect fit, found scholarship funds for her.

Katie says, “He talked me into it,” and so Katie left her home in Nebraska to enroll in seminary in Tennessee.

Tyler Selby came to Milligan from his home in Maryland, planning to major in music. Before he graduated in 2009, he changed his major to English and humanities, but Tyler also visited Uganda, Rwanda, and Tanzania as an intern, shadowing missionaries there. As he traveled, he became aware of missionary organizations such as Christian Missionary Fellowship and their work. What he learned influenced him to enter Emmanuel to develop his gifts and interests so that he might one day return to Africa to work alongside those he had met.

While students at Emmanuel, both Tyler and Katie established friendships with its international students, at the same time becoming aware of the growing number of people moving into the Tri-Cities area from places far away. By the time she graduated in 2012, Katie knew that she had found a calling to help those who had left homes and families to study in the United States.

In October 2012, Katie began a ministry with the Christian Student Fellowship at the Campus House at ETSU. Supported by Tyler, she sought out the international students there, many of whom had no transportation and no central gathering place where they could meet each other socially.

While attending an International Conference on Missions, she met Bob Gailey, a 1980 Milligan graduate and campus minister working with the University of Florida Christian Campus House. “We were in the same session once and something he said made me approach him afterwards,” says Katie. He then became a mentor and an encouragement to her; they talked, skyped, and visited whenever they could.

Soon the idea of a weekly World Café was born, providing welcome and outreach to international students. Meetings at the Campus House started with seven or eight people until the news spread and numbers grew to as many as 100. A typical evening at the Café saw 50 or 60 people enjoying games, conversation, and refreshments. Tyler, a master baker, often supplied baked goods, while individuals and churches also contributed food for evening refreshments and special luncheons.

Meanwhile, Tyler served as worship coordinator at Hopwood Memorial Christian Church, where he and Katie attended. He baked bread to sell to people at the church and to customers at the Johnson City Farmers’ Market.

He graduated from Emmanuel in 2013, and he and Katie were married that June.

Soon the Selbys were talking about moving and working overseas, possibly with CMF. Several of their friends, mentors, and former professors had worked with CMF both in short term and long term settings, and they got the impression that CMF took good care of its missionaries.

As they began to consider working specifically in Ethiopia, one of the major attractions was the team already in place there. Their friends Travis (BA ’05, MDiv ’11) and Emily (MDiv ’11) Weeks had moved there in 2013, and the Selbys also knew that several of the other team members had been a part of the Johnson City community in the past.

But choosing a good team wasn’t enough—they needed to know that this was the place where God was calling them. In February of 2014, Tyler and Katie went to Ethiopia on a vision trip and visited numerous missionaries, including the Weeks family; Adrian (MDiv ’96) and Jennifer (BS ’94) Fehl; Craig (MDiv ’04) and Allison Fowler; Jake (MAR ’05) and Erin (BA ’02) Moore; Effie Giles, retired missionary to Ethiopia; Mark and Krista Haley; and Steve and Doretha Limiero. While the Selbys were in Ethiopia, the Fehls invited them to join the team to work with a college ministry there as well as a small business which will serve the church. This opportunity seemed to be the culmination of their experience in work and ministry—so they accepted this as God’s call to begin a ministry as Church Catalyst in Ethiopia.

Along with daughter Ruby June, born May 11, 2015, Tyler and Katie plan to go to Nekempte, Ethiopia, to work with college students, alongside CMF and its national partners in Ethiopia, the Kristos Andinet (Unity in Christ) Church. They hope to use a multi-purpose building in Nekempte, with room for a small business and possibly a café and a pizza and bread shop. The Selbys already have raised a large portion of their financial support, as well as prayer, and encouragement for their ministry.

At a barbecue benefit dinner conducted by the Hopwood and Grandview churches, Giles pointed out that Milligan and Emmanuel have worked together successfully there for a number of years.

The Selbys hope to leave early in January or February of 2016.n

FALL 2015 | 21

Pat Bonner lives life on a mission.

I

t was any other day in 1966, and Pat Bonner received a phone call: It was a dream come true, an offer to become a world missionary with Christian Missionary Fellowship (CMF) International.

Then, on the same day, she got another offer: to work at her treasured alma mater, Milligan College, teaching health and physical education.

“That was the hardest decision I ever made in my life,” said the 80-yearold Bonner, who lives in Johnson City, Tennessee, reflecting on that day now 49 years later.

After careful consideration, weighing all the options, Bonner made her choice.

She started her career at Milligan in 1966 and served in numerous capacities over 32 years, coaching every female sport offered, without pay, at least early on; teaching physical education, health, Bible and special education; and directing the testing and career centers.

PAT BONNER, COACH

When Bonner came to Milligan, women’s athletics didn’t exist. While there was a program in the ’30s and ’40s, women’s sports dissolved in the 22 | FALL 2015

wake of World War II and when campus became a V-12 training school.

“We were fighting for women’s athletics, trying to get it going,” said Bonner, who eventually established intramurals and some extramural competition.

She coached all of her teams at first on a voluntary basis doing so out of her love for her “children,” she said, referring to her students. Unlike today, there were no scholarships for female players.

In the ’70s, because Milligan hadn’t become part of the NAIA yet, Bonner’s basketball team played against Pat Summit’s team at the University of Tennessee when she was first starting to coach.

PAT BONNER, TEACHER

Bonner is not only remembered for transforming and energizing women’s athletics, but countless students as well.

Chief among them was Rich Aubrey, Milligan’s women’s basketball coach, who had Bonner for physical education classes in the early 1980s and learned from her the value of preparation.

Before going out to local schools to student teach, Aubrey said students in her class would have to turn in their lesson plans, often getting them back covered in red ink.

“She made sure we were prepared before we went out to teach,” said Aubrey. “As the semester went on, there was less and less red ink on my plans, and eventually, they got approved pretty quickly.”

Aubrey said Bonner not only taught the importance of preparation in leadership, but modeled her philosophy, as well.

“She was very energetic as a professor,” said Aubrey. “She always said you must teach and lead with ‘vim, vigor, and vitality.’”

Bonner continues to live by those words now more than ever.

“It’s what keeps me going,” said Bonner, reflecting on those words she first started using when she taught high school.

Over the course of her 32 years at Milligan, Bonner has seen the college change quite a bit. For example, Cheek Hall, where she first began teaching physical education, no longer exists.

Despite cosmetic changes to campus, Bonner insists the heart has remained.

“To me the theme has always stayed there,” said Bonner, “Christian Education—The Hope of the World, which I believe in strongly. Dr. Walker, when I first came, used to always say, ‘You’re not an educated person unless you know the revelation of God.’ If a person doesn’t have that education, along with their profession, then they’re not truly educated. It’s a foundation of truth.”

PAT BONNER, STUDENT

Over the decades, Bonner not only taught and coached students, and people hungry for biblical truth all over the world—she has always remained a student, constantly learning new things in a variety of subject areas.

After getting her bachelor’s in history from Milligan, she earned a master’s in physical education and guidance from the University of Arizona; a master’s in religious education from Emmanuel Christian Seminary; an education specialist degree in special education from Peabody University; and a doctorate in education from Highland University.

“Every degree I have is in something different,” laughed Bonner. “I love to learn. It keeps me young.”

PAT BONNER, MISSIONARY

Reflecting back on that day in 1966 when she received the two offers, she said the calling for mission work never left.

“I’ve always had the bug to be able to do mission work,” said Bonner.

Since retiring in 1998 after 32 years of service to Milligan, Bonner has dived headfirst into global mission work, traveling abroad an estimated 18 times, sometimes multiple trips a year, to places like Mexico, Austria, and the Philippines.

In 2015 alone, at the age of 80, she traveled to Pachuca, Mexico, in May to teach Bible and English as a second language. In September, she went to Austria to help serve and cook in a kitchen for TCM international.

In fact, Bonner travels so much she doesn’t have time to do some of the activities she loves doing, like singing in the choir at her church, First Christian in Johnson City.

Some of her former Milligan students, who she inspired and are now serving abroad on global mission trips, have given back to Bonner and recruited her to travel to various countries. Tony Twist (’74), president of TCM, works with Bonner in Austria; Ken Oosting II (’83), president of Christian’s Haven, brought her to the Philippines in 2006 and 2008 to help establish a home for street children; and Eric Duggins (’78) recruited her for “Impacto Latino,” in Pachuca, Mexico.

“You never know what your students are going to do once they graduate,” said Bonner, laughing.

What inspires Bonner to keep traveling, again and again?

“I love the people,” she said. “I love to teach. I feel that’s the one gift God gave me. It’s rewarding to think you’ve had an effect on someone’s life for Christ.”n FALL 2015 | 23

Akide returns home TO WHERE JOURNEY WITH CHRIST TOOK HOLD I

n 1999, an accomplished soccer player from Port Harcourt, Nigeria, who had played in two FIFA Women’s World Cups and was on the cover of the 1999 Women’s World Cup official program, felt that something was missing in her life.

Mercy Akide says she always considered herself a Christian, but Milligan College is where she blossomed not only as a soccer superstar, but as a follower of Christ.

Akide came to the college in 1999 as an international student to play soccer, but she also chose Milligan as an avenue to expand her faith.

As most international students do in a new country, Akide faced many challenges along her journey at the college. However, it was the same fierce determination and competitiveness Akide demonstrated on the soccer field that she used to make her time at Milligan something she would never forget and has continued to call upon in her life.

“Coming to America and Milligan at first was really hard,” said Akide. “Dealing with experiencing a different kind of food and different kinds of housing and climate was tough. When I first came to Milligan, I came without a jacket, if that tells you anything about what I was expecting. It was a big struggle for me, but it was worth it. Milligan made me a stronger person.”

It was at the college that her journey with Christ took hold.

“Milligan helped me learn that we can always turn to God, and that he always has our back,” said Akide. “I went to chapel as a student at Milligan, and now going to chapel with my family, my kids, and my husband is an important and rewarding part of my life.”

24 | FALL 2015

Akide and her husband, Colin Udoh, reside in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and have two young girls, Colleen (8) and Madison (5). According to Akide, Colleen and Madison both want to come to Milligan.

For Mercy Akide, Milligan always will be “home.” For Milligan, she always will be known as one of the most successful soccer players to ever grace Anglin Field.

In her one year as a Buffalo, Akide scored an incredible 42 goals in helping the women’s soccer team to its winningest season in the history of the program as the team went 19-2-1 overall and was undefeated in the Tennessee Valley Athletic Conference at 5-0.

Akide currently holds three Milligan soccer records, goals in a single match (7), goals in a single season (42), and points in a single season (99).

Although Akide left the college after only one year in what she calls a difficult decision, she returned to the place she calls “home” 16 years later, being inducted into the Milligan Athletics Hall of Fame during Homecoming weekend 2015 as a part of the festivities.

“Homecoming weekend was a great time for me and my family,” said Akide. “It helped me to think about the first time I came to Milligan, and it was fun for both me and my little girls to feel all of the love from the campus community.”

Akide now coaches youth soccer in Virginia. She currently coaches for the Virginia Rush Soccer Club after she spent six years (2008-13) coaching for the Virginia Beach FC soccer club.

“One way in which Milligan continues to affect my life is the communication and soccer coaching skills I picked up along the way, as well as all of the lessons about God I learned,” said Akide. “I have made it a requirement to teach my girls and my players everyday that ‘God can handle it.’”

Akide came to Milligan with previous professional soccer experience, and then continued her pro career after Milligan. She appeared in three FIFA Women’s World Cups (Sweden in 1995 and USA in 1999 and 2003) and competed in the Olympic Games in Sydney (2000) and Athens (2004). In all five international appearances, Akide represented her native Nigeria, but always held her time at Milligan in high regard in her heart.

Despite all of her athletic accomplishments, Akide still recalls and speaks fondly of her time spent at Milligan and the leap in faith she took coming to a new country.

“I came to Milligan because I am a Christian,” said Akide. “However, I was not a deep Christian at the time, and Milligan helped me to change that and grow in my faith in ways I could not have imagined. I want that experience for my girls.”

In addition to her Milligan Athletics Hall of Fame induction, Akide was inducted into the United Soccer Leagues' Hall of Fame in 2013 after a decorated playing career. Akide’s career also included becoming the first African women “Player of the Year,” winning the W-League’s “Most Valuable Player” award after scoring the winning goal in the National Championship game, and being named by FIFA as one of its 15 Ambassadors.

“Being inducted into Milligan’s Athletics Hall of Fame means a lot to me,” continued Akide. “As a coach, my players and my girls at home are all looking up to me; therefore, it is my duty to teach them about Christ in everything that I do. Milligan helped show me the way on how to represent God, and I want to support Christ in everything that I do.”n

“ONE WAY IN WHICH MILLIGAN CONTINUES TO AFFECT MY LIFE IS THE COMMUNICATION AND SOCCER COACHING SKILLS I PICKED UP ALONG THE WAY, AS WELL AS ALL OF THE LESSONS ABOUT GOD I LEARNED.” FALL 2015 | 25

ELL S SIBL NGS CREATING A TRADITION ALL FOR THEMSELVES

C is certainly the case with the Ellis family.

ompetition in sibling relationships can be a motivating factor, and that

Brandon Ellis and Kaitlynn Ellis are both distance runners at Milligan College, competing in both cross-country and track, but their stories begin in Sapulpa, Oklahoma, where they grew up in the shadow of stellar college athletes.

Brandon learned a lot from his big brothers about running and how to succeed in college athletics. In fact, the Ellis siblings have quite a history of long distance running.

Daniel Ellis, 31, and Nathan Ellis, 25, both competed in cross-country and track at Oklahoma Baptist University (OBU) in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and were both NAIA All-American in the marathon. Daniel, in fact, won 26 | FALL 2015

the marathon as a senior and went on to make the Olympic time trials for the marathon.

Despite the success of their brothers at OBU, both Brandon and Kaitlynn now compete at Milligan where they “are running on their own path.”

“When I visited OBU, the team was falling into disrepair and falling off a little bit,” said Brandon, a junior. “I then heard about Milligan because a couple of guys from here raced against OBU, and I immediately fell in love with the program and with (Head Coach Chris Layne). A couple of the guys on the team were really encouraging, and I wanted to be part of something that was building to be something big.”

Although the decision to leave Oklahoma and attend school in a new

“My brothers ran, so that is what I wanted to do. I wanted to one-up them, and I want to be the best in the family and beat them.”

— BRANDON ELLIS

part of the country was a tough decision for Brandon, the decision for the youngest sibling in the Ellis family was not as complicated.

“Milligan was an easy pick for me because only the NAIA does the marathon, and now that OBU switched to (NCAA) Division-II, that was not an option,” said Kaitlynn, a freshman. “Plus, Brandon was already here, I really liked Coach Layne a lot, and I liked Milligan’s community and all the different ways to be involved and meet people on campus.”

Additionally, both Brandon and Kaitlynn cite the location of Milligan as one of the reasons they fell in love with the school.

“We both liked the training aspect associated with the area,” said Brandon. “With all of the gorgeous hills to run on and the mostly cool conditions, as compared to the heat of Oklahoma, Milligan certainly has ideal training conditions.”

In addition to both competing in cross-country, Brandon also competes in the 3K and 5K in indoor track, and in the 5K, 10K, and marathon in outdoor track.

“Coach Layne is planning on me competing in the half-marathon and training for the marathon as well,” said Kaitlynn, regarding the upcoming track season.

Running in the shadow of their elder siblings, both Brandon and Kaitlynn have experienced success in their time at Milligan. Brandon was the national runner-up in the marathon at last year’s track national championships with a time of 2:35:00.80 and also was last season’s Appalachian Athletic Conference “Cross-Country Runner of the Year.”

“Coming in, I wanted to be a top-five runner on the team in crosscountry, and I accomplished that my freshman year,” said Brandon. “Now, I want to be a top-25 team at nationals in cross-country this year, and top 10 at nationals next year. In track, I want to win the marathon. It was an awesome experience finishing runner-up at the marathon last year.”

Kaitlynn is still only in her first semester as a Buff, but she has made varsity in cross-country, finished sixth in her first collegiate race, and ranked fifth or higher on the team three times. She has done it with the least running experience of all of her siblings, not running until her senior year of high school after playing basketball throughout her entire high school career.

“Coming to Milligan with such little experience, my goals were to run on varsity and break 20 minutes (in the 5K),” said Kaitlynn. “Thankfully, I have already accomplished both of those goals. Now, I want us to be a top-

“With running, you get to control how hard you train and how well you perform, and I like it for that aspect.”

— KAITLYNN ELLIS

five team at nationals in cross-country, which I think the biggest opportunity for us to do so is next year since no one is graduating, and we have four recruits signed already.”

When asked why they run, both Brandon and Kaitlynn cited their competitive natures that stem from their sibling relationships.

“For me, I’m very competitive, and I wanted to do some sort of sport,” said Brandon. “I’m not very hand-eye-coordinated for basketball, so running was the option for me. Plus, my brothers ran, so that is what I wanted to do. I wanted to one-up them and be the best in the family.”

For Kaitlynn, the reason for running is less confrontational and more about individual development.

“I am very competitive as well, and I wanted to do an individual sport instead of a team one,” said Kaitlynn. “With running, you get to control how hard you train and how well you perform, and I like it for that aspect.”

When asked what it is like to have your sibling attend the same school, Brandon said, “I was a little bit worried about it at first. It was odd coming in because I was here by myself for two years. However, I have enjoyed having her here, and it’s been nice because our parents come to visit a lot more than they used to now that she is here.”

“I like attending the same school as my brother because it is like having family away from home,” said Kaitlynn. “I can always depend on him if I’m having a bad day or if something is going on.”

Kaitlynn, a pre-med major, would like to attend medical school or physician assistant school in the future.

“On the running side, since I’m still new to it, I’m not really sure if it’s a possibility after college or what to expect, but I want to keep doing it even if just as a pastime,” concluded Kaitlynn.

Brandon, a history and business major, says one potential career path for him would be to go to law school or enter a history graduate program in the future to become a professor. Athletically, however, he has a different goal.

“Running-wise, I want to qualify for the Olympic time trials, which takes a 2:18:00 marathon time,” said Brandon. “But, that’s like the ultimate goal if running goes well.”n

FALL 2015 | 27

Cycling wins USA Cycling Collegiate Track National Championship It will be tough for the Milligan College cycling team to top last year’s success, but the Buffaloes got off to a great start in 2015-16 by winning the USA Cycling Collegiate Track National Championship, which represents the second team national championship in the history of Milligan athletics and second straight national championship for the cycling program.

The Buffs’ first two days of the three-day event featured several solid finishes on the men’s side as Grayson Brookshire and David Duquette took top-25 finishes, with the help of Carlo Villarreal, in individual pursuit, sprint and points races. The women’s side started the weekend off with a sixth-place effort in women’s pursuit. Zoe Mullins and Tori Kanizer helped Rachel Swan to a top-15 and Stephanie Cucaz to a top-25 finish in the points race.

“I am really proud of everyone on the team and of all the hard work the team has put in,” said Head Coach Zack Nave. “We have been hard at work since school started preparing for track nationals, and they have grown individually and as a unit every day.”

On May 10 of last season, the Buffs became the first team national champions in Milligan’s history by winning the Road Race National Championship.

The Buffs seemed primed to win a national championship last season after seeing plenty of success in their other championship events throughout the 2014-15 year. Milligan was runner-up at this very same Track National Championship, runner-up at the Cyclocross National Championship, and the 14th-place team at the Mountain Bike National Championship.n

2016 July 17-22

Arts: Digital Media, MusicAL Theatre SPORTS: Basketball SCIENCE: NURSING

July 24-30

FAITH: YOUTH in MINISTRY STUDENT

LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

For more information, visit www.milligan.edu/cAMPS 28 | FALL 2015

ATHLETIC NEWS Cross-country

Women’s Soccer

Led by junior Hannah Segrave (Middlesborough, UK) the cross country team has seen continued success from last season. The women’s team has firmly held a No. 20 national ranking for most of the season, and the men’s team has been on the cusp of breaking into the top-25 poll. Continuing her dominance from last season, Segrave was awarded the NAIA “National Runner of the Week” after placing first in the Sand Shark Invitational and shattering the course record and Milligan’s 5k school record with a time of 17:15. With the conference and national meets right around the corner, the Buffs look to continue their success and bring home their 13th straight AAC conference title on the women’s side.

It was a similar story for women’s soccer this year as the Buffs finished 3-12-1 overall and 2-7-1 in the AAC. Eight of their 12 losses, five of those AAC matchups, were decided by two goals or less. The Buffs battled all season with junior Charlotte Stephens (Grays, England) setting a game high 12 saves during one match on the way to a career high 85 saves for the season. The Buffs headed into the conference tournament as the 10th seed. The Buffs were led in scoring by freshman Amy Long (Urmston, England) with four goals followed by four players with two goals apiece.

Tennis

Men’s Golf Freshmen Cody Carlson (Mooresville, TN) and Nick Sewell (Johnson City, TN) were the pinnacle of consistency for men’s golf this fall, finishing in the top three for the Buffs in all four of their tournaments. Carlson was Milligan’s low scorer in two of the four tournaments, and he was only one stroke behind Milligan’s low scorer in his first collegiate tournament. Junior Josh Gambrel (Clinton, TN) took the lead for the Buffs finishing first in two tournaments this season and recording several 18-hole low scorers for the Buffs.

Women’s Golf Opening the season ranked No. 20 nationally, the women’s golf team has proven deserving of the ranking. The reigning Appalachian Athletic Conference fall champions reclaimed their AAC title with a record-breaking win at this year’s tournament. Led by junior Cassidy Gibson (Newport, TN), the Buffs won the tournament by 13 strokes with a score of 613. Gibson broke her own 18-hole and 36-hole scoring records when she shot a 73 on day two and finished with a total score of 149. The Buffs later finished in ninth place at the NAIA Fall Preview, only five strokes out of finishing top seven.

Men’s Soccer For the men’s soccer team, this season was nothing short of a battle. Finishing with an overall record of 4-12-1 and an AAC record of 3-5-1, the Buffs were able to battle back to force four games into overtime, one of those resulting in a 6-5 victory over Point University, and received a result in three. Heading into the conference tournament, the Buffs were led in scoring and points by Jonathan Colson (Johnson City, TN) with 11 goals and 25 points, followed by Tapiwa Kaseke (Harare, Zimbabwe) and Zana Ali (Sandviken, Sweden) with seven and six goals, respectively. Goalkeeper Nick Smith (Johnson City, TN) recorded a career high 85 saves during the regular season.

&

Milligan women’s tennis has been strong so far this season, going 3-0 in the fall, including wins over two NCAA Division II schools. Caroline Morelli (Brentwood, TN), Kate Booker (Indianapolis, IN), and Lexi Hill (Knoxville, TN) are undefeated in singles action. The men’s tennis team went 1-2 in the fall after defeating UVA-Wise 9-0 to start the season.

Seniors Rachel Hodas (Knoxville, TN), Morelli, Colin Bumann (Abilene, TX), and Jackson Lenoir (Chattanooga, TN) also enjoyed success at the ITA Regional tournament. Hodas and Morelli reached the quarterfinals after defeating the No. 5 duo of Dalton State. Individually, Hodas upset the No. 9 player and earned a spot in the final eight. Morelli also defeated a top-10 player before falling in the round of 16. Bumann and Lenoir highlighted the men’s side in doubles by advancing to the quarterfinals after talking down the No. 3 duo of Dalton State.

Volleyball The women’s volleyball team has been near the top of the AAC standings all season.

The Buffs currently sit tied for third place in the conference with a 17-13 overall record and 12-6 in the league heading into the final week. Milligan won four of its first five matches and later went on to win six straight matches in mid-October, including seven straight wins at home. Marissa Langford (Cleveland, TN), Emilee Linkous (Morristown, TN), and Samantha Bruinius (Tinley Park, IL) led the team in kills, while senior setter Jessica Davenport (Cleveland, TN) reached the 3,000 career assist mark on Sept. 22 at Bluefield College. She now has over 1,100 assists for the third straight season.

Alumni & Friends Tour 2016

ENGLAND

SCOTLAND STONEHENGE . SALISBURY . BRISTOL . BATH . STRATFORD LAKE DISTRICT . EDINBURGH . YORK . OXFORD . LONDON

11 DAYS: MAY 16 - 26, 2016

Hosted By: Professors Lee & Pat Magness and President Bill & Edwina Greer

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Lee Magness, jlmagness@milligan.edu

$3859 PER PERSON FROM NEW YORK INCLUDES ROUND-TRIP AIRFARE FROM NEW YORK, GOVERNMENT TAXES AND AIRLINE IMPOSED SURCHARGES, FIRST CLASS/SELECT HOTELS, MOST MEALS, SERVICES OF A PROFESSIONAL TOUR DIRECTOR, COMPREHENSIVE SIGHTSEEING, PORTAGE AND ENTRANCE FEES, ALL HOTEL SERVICE CHARGES, AND LOCAL TAXES. PHoto By Diliff

PHoto By Diliff

PHoto By Reanduro

CC BY-SA 3.0

FALL 2015 | 29

From the President Dear friends,

Sesquicentennial: it’s not easy to say, not easy to spell, and most of all, not easy to achieve. It was on December 10, 1866, that the State of Tennessee issued a charter to the Buffalo Male and Female Institute. A few short years later we were elevated to college status and Josephus Hopwood officially changed the name to Milligan College.

Since then, thousands of students have studied by the waters of Buffalo Creek, preparing for lives of service and success.

Reaching 150 years of age is such a momentous occasion that we just couldn’t wait until next year to get the party started. This is a party that we couldn’t celebrate without the entire Milligan family—a family made up of students, faculty, staff, trustees, advisors, alumni, and friends—so we kicked off a year-long celebration during this fall’s Homecoming festivities. Hundreds of alumni and friends joined us for class reunions, sporting events, great food, fellowship, and fun. We even unveiled a beautiful new book that celebrates Milligan’s 150-year legacy and, perhaps for the first time in our history, hosted the perennial Milligan mascot—in real life!

That’s right. Our sesquicentennial kick-off featured a real buffalo! I’ve never seen the Milligan family more excited by anyone else’s visit to campus. In fact, our mascot’s visit to campus is a great testament to the kind of family we have at Milligan.

This past summer a student, John Steadman, came to my office with his laptop tucked under his arm and a tie around his neck. In a very professional way, he pitched the idea that our sesquicentennial kick-off would be made

complete with my serving as grand marshal of our parade atop a live buffalo. I thought at first that he was crazy. But I listened, and he convinced me. I shared this with my cabinet, who agreed it was a great idea, and we came up with a plan: if the students would help raise a portion of the funds required to make the buffalo visit happen, we would indeed bring the buffalo to campus, and as long as the buffalo was willing, I would ride him.

As fun as it all was, what I saw most was just another example of why I love our student body. Given the challenge of bringing a live buffalo to campus to share with the Milligan family, they rallied. They sold t-shirts, hosted spirit nights at local restaurants, sold donated Chick-fil-A sandwiches, and in a few cases, begged their fellow alumni for help. In short, they got the job done!

As you can tell from the photos, the buffalo did let me ride. In fact, his handlers tell me that I am the only college president ever to ride a buffalo. True or not, all I can say is that it was a lot of fun! Getting to ride the buffalo was a unique, once-in-a-lifetime experience; getting to see our students rally to serve their college community happens every day. What a blessing to be part of Milligan College!

Happy Trails!

Bill Greer (’85) Ph.D. President

FALL 2015 | 35

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Johnson City, TN Permit No. 3

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his full-color, hardback, limited edition coffee-table book contains over 300 rarely seen photos and images of artifacts from the Milligan College Archives.

A great Christmas gift for the Milligan Buffs in your life.

Books are $34.95 and may be purchased through the Milligan College Bookstore—online at www.milligan.edu/150 or by calling 800.446.4045.