Connecting alumni and friends with San Diego Christian
Bringing Christmas to the Homes of Orphans p.8 A Day on, Not a Day off p.10 Alumni Spotlight p.16
Alumni Updates p.14 1
The2 SDC Martin Luther King Jr. Service Day Leadership Team.
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Jan./Feb. Issue #9 LETTER FROM THE VP FOR ADVANCEMENT
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Happy 2015! A new year has arrived, bringing new students, new programs, and new events. We are excited to share “all things new” with you in the ninth issue of the Alumni Connection. As you’ll notice in these pages, SDC continues to participate in impactful opportunities, exuding an attitude of servanthood. I hope you will be encouraged and inspired by the many ways in which God is using our students and alumni to do great things for His Kingdom. May the Lord richly bless you this new year! Sincerely,
Robert Jensen, MSEL
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DECEMBER MISSIONS Before celebrating Christmas and bringing in the New Year, SDC students traveled to Mexico to bring holiday cheer to orphans.
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DAY ON NOT OFF Martin Luther King Jr.’s impact was seen at SDC on Monday, Jan. 19th as students dispersed throughout San Diego to serve the community.
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Aaron (‘11) and Elise (‘11) Varela share how the Lord is using them through ministry and their careers.
Cover photo: SDC students that took part in MLK Service Day.
TRUTH P U R P O S E IM PAC T 200 Riverview Parkway
Santee, CA 92071
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(619) 201-8700
sdcc.edu
HERITAGE DAY FEBRUARY 21ST Free event!
Join us for a fun-filled alumni weekend! Enjoy a family picnic and games including basketball and baseball. > Department Breakfast > Baseball Game
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> Spring Picnic, Outdoor Concert, and Lawn Games
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> Raffles > Alumni Awards
CONTENTS
EVENTS
> Women’s Basketball Game
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2.21 HERITAGE DAY Mark your calendar for the alumni Heritage Day event.
> Men’s Basketball Game
From the President New SDC Programs December Missions Martin Luther King Jr.’s Legacy MLK Service Day Alumni Updates Alumni Spotlight Alumni Phoenix Event
Visit sdcc.edu for more information and registration. This is a no cost event. 3.26-3.29 GODSPELL An SDC spring musical event.
R S VePdu
sdcc.
ALUMNI CHALLENGE We recently had two alumni visit the SDC Santee campus. Can you guess who they are? The first person to correctly guess the names of both individuals wins! Email advancementoffice@sdcc.edu with your guess.
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Happy New Year SDC Alumni! I am thrilled to take part in what God is doing in the community of SDC. January of 2015 marks the one year anniversary of our college in Santee. Our core campus is growing as we stay committed to our mission to develop and engage Christians in an academically thriving community. As my wife, Lorri, says, “We are a group of communities within a community that is impacting the broader community.” This past month we demonstrated this impact by partnering with local San Diego agencies and participating in MLK Service Day. SDC took up paint brushes, yard tools, and gloves as they served the city and community. A few days later, SDC partnered with San Diego Regional Task Force on The Homeless and the City of Santee to help with the homeless census. On January 23rd, students, staff, and faculty signed up to meet on campus at 3:30 AM to count the homeless in the City of Santee. The city has never been able to accomplish this task due to a lack of volunteers. With the help of the SDC community, we were able to assist in providing a count. Conducting this census is very important because it provides the opportunity for potential funding and resources that can aid the homeless individuals living in Santee. We are very proud to be a part of a community seeking to make a difference in the lives around us. I would like to thank you, alumni, for paving the way for the current and future generations of students that are pursuing a liberal arts education in an institution that is founded on Truth, Purpose, and Impact. I am constantly reminded of God’s goodness, and I am humbled He has chosen SDC to be that vessel. SDC is flourishing and I thank you for your continued prayers and partnership as we commit to educating the next generation of Christian leaders. Blessings,
Paul Ague, Ph.D. President 6
NEWS SDC INTRODUCES THREE NEW PROGRAMS IN 2015 High School Concurrent Enrollment Program SDC is now offering challenging online college credit courses for juniors and seniors in high school. New courses begin every eight weeks. Requirements: - Minimum GPA of 3.0 - Official High School Transcript Register at sdcc.edu For questions, contact Admissions at 1-800-676-2242.
REGISTER AT SDCC.EDU
Leadership and Justice Degree The Leadership and Justice degree, introduced this spring, has been developed by leaders in national security, law enforcement, advocacy, intelligence, risk management, and the military. It is structured to focus on three concentrations: criminal justice, political science, and homeland security. “SDC’s Leadership and Justice Program brings a much needed emphasis to the vital arenas of leadership and social justice through the lens of Christian servanthood.” - Lisa Dunne, Ph.D., Dean of Social Sciences Aletheia Honors Program SDC recently introduced the Aletheia Honors Program, which seeks to engage high-achieving, active learners in academic discourse toward aletheia (unveiled truth) with prominent global scholars, applying scholarly learning to contemporary issues from a biblical worldview. Students invited into the Honors Program cohort will receive an additional $4,000 per year or a total scholarship of $16,000.
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APPLY AT SDCC.EDU
BRINGING CHRISTMAS TO THE HOME OF ORPHANS by: Esther Pulcipher (‘11)
The team drove past a row of buildings splashed with vibrant colors – pink, yellow, blue, and red, and around a barn of farm animals to a housing facility where they would be staying for the next three days. Two vans, a trailer filled with hundreds of pounds of beans and rice, thirteen students, three staff members, and one parent set foot on the grounds of the Door of Faith Orphanage (DOFO). For some, this was their second time ministering to the orphanage, since their first trip in October during SDC’s Missions Immersion. The team was quickly met by the DOFO hosts, Mike and Kate, and given a tour of the grounds. Mike and Kate shared their testimony of selling their home in the US to come to Mexico and provide a home
for abandoned children, where they could serve and share the love of Christ. They are the only orphanage that will take children as young as toddlers. In addition, orphanages typically only provide support until an orphan is 18 years of age. This is not the case for DOFO. They provide support and housing while their orphans pursue a college education. Though they aren’t financially supported by the government, the Lord’s provision can be clearly seen throughout the orphanage, with several resources available on site – a library, doctor’s office, beauty parlor, mini indoor soccer field, play ground, cafeteria, and housing. While the team anxiously awaited the arrival of the kids from school, they participated
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in different work projects including repairs, organizing the donations in their storage closet, wrapping Christmas gifts for the children, and baking them cupcakes. For the remaining days, the team spent their time engaging with the children. DOFO believes connecting with children and showing them care and the love of Christ is even more impactful that completing service projects. Before leaving to Casa Monte de Horeb, the team asked DOFO if they needed any of the items they had brought. DOFO’s response demonstrated a picture of selflessness and generosity as they didn’t accept any of the gifts, but asked that they be used to bless the children at Casa Monte de Horeb. All the donations remained packed in the trailer as the team set out to a home for teenage boys 12 to 17 years of age with behavioral problems. This home is often the last chance for these boys. The team arrived at Casa Monte de Horeb for the first time. Unlike their experience at DOFO, the road to Casa de Horeb was challenging, filled with hills, dirt, and large puddles of mud and water. The facilities were very run down and lacked the lively colors of DOFO. Like DOFO, this home doesn’t receive governmental assistance, but the evidence of God’s power and provision is evident in the faith of the workers and the children. It has been told that there are days when little food is available and the 20 children would gather in the chapel with four workers to pray a prayer of faith that the Lord would provide. Without fail, they have witnessed the blessing and faithfulness of God as he has provided for their needs according to His riches and glory. When the team arrived, they were welcomed with much love. It was unnapparent that these kids had any behavioral problems, which is a testament to the effect the pastor and his wife, who are owners of the facility, have had on these children. The team spent the day at the boys’ home playing sports, hosting a BBQ, and blessing the home with gifts and food to fill up their otherwise minimal supply of food. In both of these ministries, the hope of Christ has sheltered the hearts of these children. Though sorrow or sadness may come from being abandoned, for many of these children, the opportunity to live in a home surrounded by love and the grace of God is a life changing experience bringing restoration, peace, and joy. For more information about DOFO, visit www.dofo.org. 9
MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
The evidence of his legacy May we be remembered by the ways we served, by the times we did what was right, and for the way we “tried to love and serve humanity.” - Martin Luther King Jr. by: Esther Pulcipher (‘11)
Over 250,000 men and women of every race, old and young, filled the nation’s capital on August 28, 1963, participating in the great march and anxiously anticipating the wise words that would come from the mouth of a 34 year old preacher from Georgia. During this historic day, Martin Luther King Jr. is remembered for giving his famous I Have a Dream speech. His words spurred his audience and the nation towards the sound of freedom, equality, and justice. Now, more than 50 years later, the power of Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech continues to live on. But instead of focusing on this particular speech, I’d like to draw your attention to a speech he gave to his congregation a few years later in 1968, titled, The Drum Major Instinct. Although not as well known of a speech, its message holds much passion and inspiration urging us to focus outward and not inward. He firmly believed that by focusing on the wellbeing of others, we demonstrate true greatness. Martin Luther King Jr. quotes Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve.”
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Martin Luther King Jr. challenged his congregation in this speech by encouraging them to overcome the drum major instinct. This is our natural instinct and desire to receive praise from others and to be important. He urges us to look away from ourselves and look instead to the needs of others. His desire for true greatness impassioned him to be remembered for the times he served others. Even to this day, the evidence of his legacy can be clearly seen every year, as hundreds of thousands of people, of all races and backgrounds, take the day we know as MLK Day and make it a day on, not a day off. This past month, SDC honored his request. Several students, faculty, and staff dedicated their Monday off to partnering with local agencies to serve the San Diego and Santee communities. Rio Davis, SDC’s Service Coordinator, organized seven service projects that took place in Santee, El Cajon, and San Diego. On this day, 87 SDC students weren’t remembered for their own accomplishments, but for their demonstration of true greatness through their service to those in need.
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87 students I 261 hours by: Rio Davis (‘12)
What was meant to be a day off turned into a day of service as 87 SDC students, staff, and faculty joined together to serve. SDC partnered with San Diego Coast Keepers, San Diego Rescue Mission, LSS Community Care, Turning Point, City of El Cajon, Home of Guiding Hands, and Edgemore Hospital to impact the community. In total, three little league fields in El Cajon were painted and over 25 pounds of trash were disposed of from Ocean Beach. Another team was introduced to residents of Edgemore hospital, who are living with physical disabilities limiting their bodies
from functioning normally, and helped them participate in one of their daily activities. In Santee, a single mom was able to see her yard go through a beautification process as a team sorted through trash, bougainvillea plants, and tall grass. Another team was privileged to do yard work for 8 different elderly men and women living right down the road from our campus. In Lakeside, another team packed 13 boxes for Turning Point Ministries to distribute across the globe. Lastly, students, staff, and faculty scrubbed the play area for the San Diego Rescue Mission’s preschool program.
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Beach clean up group.
Beautifying homes of elderly families in Santee.
Beach clean up with San Diego Coast Keepers.
Cleaning the children’s play area at the San Diego Rescue Mission.
Students working on yard work for a family in need.
Students painting the backstop at the JFK Little League Field in El Cajon, CA. 13
ALUMNI UPDATES
KENNETH NEWELL (‘11) FileMaker 7 Certified Developer at UCSD Major: Business Management Kenneth graduated in 2011 with a Business Management degree through the Adult & Professional Studies Program (APS) at SDC. He is married to Debbie, who works in SDC’s APS program as a Graduation Coach. They have one daughter. Kenneth currently works at the University of California, San Diego Hamilton Glaucoma Center. He has been there since August of 1998. He is a FileMaker 7 Certified Developer responsible for designing the various databases used to manage participant studies. Ken also volunteers on the board of the Young Actors’ Theatre in East County. This is a nonprofit that provides theater experience to the youth of San Diego. He has been involved with this theater since 2009, where his daughter, Meagan, has participated in 14 different productions. In 2015, Ken received the San Diego Performing Arts League Star in recognition of his volunteer service. He and his family continue to be active members of Foothills Christian Church.
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MOLLY ROETHLER (‘11) Preschool Teacher Major: Liberal Studies Molly studied Liberal Studies while attending San Diego Christian and has continued her passion for children and basketball by serving as a Preschool teacher at Desert Christian Academy in Bermuda Dunes, CA. She also serves as the high school Men and Women’s Basketball team bookkeeper. Desert Christian Academy is one of the few schools within that area that provides preschool to children who are two years of age. Having attended this same high school, Molly is glad to be back impacting and serving the children there. Her patience and love for these children has been influential as they prepare for kindergarten. Molly hopes to continue to pursue a lead preschool teacher position in the near future.
KATIE DUFFY (‘11) Seminary Student Major: Communication Katie Duffy is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in Theological Studies at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. Though it has been difficult transitioning into a new place, she really enjoys her classes. Katie says that one of the best parts about studying in seminary has been gaining a better understanding of the big-picture of Scripture and God’s unchanging purposes throughout history. Her classes, professors, and students are incredible. Ever since Katie took a missions trip to Thailand with SDC, her love for and desire to be involved in missions has been growing. After graduating, she hopes to serve overseas.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Aaron (‘11) and Elise (Reyes) Varela (‘11) Major: AVIATION LIBERAL STUDIES Occupation: PILOT GRAPHIC & WEB DESIGNER
Even though it seems like we graduated yesterday, the four year mark is quickly approaching! We got married in 2013 and are enjoying living in Redlands, California.
God is working in our lives and in the lives of our family. It is such an encouragement to know that He is indeed the Great Designer and Director of our future!
My husband, Aaron, is going on his third year working as a pilot for a company flying aircraft around the U.S. and overseas. I do graphic and website design with customers across the country.
This verse has been our personal favorite, and it continues to be our desire: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
We have been attending Trinity Church in Redlands and we are loving our small group. I have been serving on the Missionary Care Team at Trinity Church and am the Missionary Kid point person. We are constantly amazed at how
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ALUMNI EVENTS
The SDC Alumni Office was excited to return to Phoenix, AZ for the second time. As always, it is a blessing to hear the testimonies of how the Lord is using each alumni in their profession and in ministry. We spent the evening with Jordan (‘08) and Shannon (‘08) Smith, Amy Abela (‘93), Jake (‘12) and Abigail (‘11) Wilhelm, and Dudley (‘81) and Lorelle (‘81) Guentz. After dinner and fellowshipping with one another, we shared the vision for SDC in the next few years, along with the amazing impact our students are already having in the Santee community. We are thankful for the support and encouragement we received from those who attended. We look forward to announcing our next alumni dinner soon and visiting more fellow alumni.
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