Treveccan | Spring 2024

Treveccan

THE MAGAZINE OF TREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY

These words capture the great spirit of Trevecca’s history. Indeed, our very name comes from a word in the Welsh language often translated as “a binding together in love.”

Our founder J.O. McClurkan chose the name “Trevecca” because he wanted to unite students and give them a grand sense of the mission to which they are called. From the beginning, individuals from a variety of theological backgrounds and denominations have come to our University to train for Christian service and find their place within the Trevecca story.

At the heart of this story is an essential truth—the reality that we serve a covenant-making, covenant-keeping God who reconciles us to himself and to one another in Jesus. Romans 12:5 says: “In Christ, we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.”

We are called to belong to one another, and in this belonging we are bound. Bound in truth and in purpose. Bound by the thread of God’s love.

This thread connects us with those who’ve gone before us and with those who will come after us. It’s a thread not only of love, but of faithfulness and fruitfulness, traceable through generations who’ve been marked by God and are making a difference because of it.

It’s a thread that’s joyful to follow even now as we witness how the Trevecca community has been blessed by the binding, and has also become a blessing to others.

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A Nigerian refugee’s journey as a three-time Trevecca graduate and soccer club owner

A roundup of campus news and notes

An interview with the new president of the Alumni Association

Kim McLean’s hope-inspiring bond with country music legend Loretta Lynn

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President’s Report

Treveccan

VOL. 94 NO. 1

SPRING 2024

PRESIDENT

Dan Boone (’74)

VP FOR UNIVERSITY ENGAGEMENT

Peggy Cooning (’20)

ASSOCIATE VP OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Mollie Yoder

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION ENGAGEMENT OFFICER

Jennifer Showalter (’97)

EDITORIAL DIRECTORS

Brian Bennett, Corrie C. Fritts

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Carla Miles, Emily Goodson (’22)

PROJECT MANAGER

Mackenzie Hider

WRITER

Rebekah Warren (’18)

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Hannah Somboon (’19), Carla Miles, Alayna Simons

CONTRIBUTORS

Anne Twining (’74)

CONTACT INFORMATION

Treveccan 333 Murfreesboro Pike Nashville, TN 37210 treveccan@trevecca.edu

OFFICE OF GRADUATE AND ADULT EDUCATION grae@trevecca.edu

OFFICE OF ADMISSIONS admissions@trevecca.edu

OFFICE OF ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT alumni@trevecca.edu

F AMILY T IES

A FATHER AND SON’S JOURNEY OF REDEMPTION AND CALL TO MINISTRY IS AT THE ROOT OF A FLOURISHING COUNSELING CENTER IN MIDDLE TENNESSEE.

When two-time Trevecca alumnus Mike Courtney founded Branches Counseling Center in 2006, he had no idea how many lives it would transform.

“People ask me, ‘Did you start Branches?’ And I say, ‘Yes, but this is not what I started,’” laughed Mike. “I had a sign out front and a room full of people struggling with addiction meeting three times a week for support. That’s about as big as I ever imagined it would be.”

Today, Branches, based in Murfreesboro, Tenn., has four locations across the greater Nashville area and serves 1,500 clients annually. The centers specialize in behavioral health, life coaching, medical weight loss and psychiatric medication management, with the belief that holistic treatment is the best way to achieve healing and a healthy life.

Mike started taking classes at Trevecca in 1971 but took some time off after getting married. He completed a bachelor’s in religion with a minor in English in 1980. Years later, he would also earn a Master of Arts in theology at Trevecca, followed by a Ph.D. in pastoral counseling from Cornerstone University.

“Trevecca instilled in me the call to serve,” said Mike. “I don’t think I could’ve come out of college and been content to do anything other than serve people.”

After completing his undergraduate degree, he spent 20 years in ministry in various pastoral roles until a personal crisis forced him to step away from his calling.

“I had a moral failure that caused me to leave the ministry, and my wife and I separated. Our family was torn apart, but God was faithful,” Mike said. “I found healing through a clinic in Scottsdale, Ariz., and God began to restore my own mental and moral health.”

With much prayer, forgiveness and a dogged determination to not give up on one another, Mike and his wife reconciled and God planted within the couple a dream to open a counseling center that would provide the kind of support Mike had not been able to find in Tennessee. He envisioned a center that would combine spiritual health support with mental health support.

“Branches was started with the idea that it would be a marriage between faith-based care and the expertise of excellent statelicensed therapists,” Mike said. “I also felt like God wanted me to design our payment model so that no one would ever be turned away for financial reasons.”

During this trying time for Mike’s family, his son, Josh, was at Trevecca earning a pre-med degree. He’d always been drawn

to medicine, but halfway through his degree program he began to feel a pull toward ministry.

“I continued with the pre-med degree because I was so far into it, but I took a lot of my electives in the religion department,” Josh said. “After I graduated, I was a youth minister for a number of years.”

Josh eventually returned to Trevecca for a master’s in theology, but continued to be conflicted about the role a career in medicine could play in his life.

“Trevecca instilled in me the call to serve. I don’t think I could’ve come out of college and been content to do anything other than serve people.” Mike Courtney

“Every time I would visit someone in the hospital or watch a television show on medicine, I would feel like I’d missed a part of my calling,” Josh said. “I was feeling that tension between medicine and vocational ministry.”

Trevecca President Dan Boone, a professor in the theology program at the time, gave Josh wise advice that impacted the trajectory of his education. “Dr. Boone said: ‘We have lots of great Christian pastors, but not as many Christian

doctors and physician assistants. That's a field where you could minister and do wonders.’”

Josh took Boone’s advice to heart and decided to enroll in Trevecca’s physician assistant (PA) program. He graduated in 2013, and served in a family-care setting for two years.

“I also began helping at Branches one day a week with psychiatric medication management to help fill a gap,” Josh said. “I fell in love with that part of medicine and saw the ministry it could be. Eventually that grew to a full-time position and I became a psychiatric PA at Branches.”

After more than 15 years as the executive director, Mike decided to step down and the board asked Josh if he would consider taking on the role. He agreed and has been serving since the beginning of 2022.

Mike continues to provide counseling and spiritual support and direction for clients, in addition to serving as a teaching pastor at his local church.

Now, the father-son duo and their staff are expanding the center’s mission and reach. They’re embracing a new opportunity for Branches to serve as a place of training for those on the front lines of trauma, a mission they began putting into practice when tragedy struck Nashville last year during a school shooting that resulted in the death of six faculty members and students.

“We don’t just want to serve hurting individuals directly, but to help train the people who serve those people. That quickly became a reality when The Covenant School shooting happened,” Josh said. “We were called in to counsel the families affected by it, and also to be a support for other counselors and give on-the-job training specifically for trauma.”

Both Mike and Josh Courtney have seen the value of their time at Trevecca in shaping their worldview, preparing them for their careers and giving them a launching pad to pursue the redemptive plan God has for their lives and family. As Branches continues to grow, they’re working to create an environment where individuals can find total healing and support.

“What started off as just counseling has really become a mission to treat the whole person—mind, body and spirit,” Mike said.

For more information, visit branches.org.

Salvation, Service and Soccer

MY JOURNEY AS A REFUGEE, THREE-TIME TREVECCA GRADUATE AND SOCCER

By Gift Ndam

I came to the U.S. from Nigeria as a refugee in the summer of 1999. My family settled in Memphis and eventually relocated to Nashville.

I attended my first two years of college at Nashville State Community College. I didn’t know where I would complete my degree, but after talking with a good friend, I chose Trevecca. I studied information technology and played on the soccer team. God began using the University to help me grow and become the person He was calling me to be.

I founded the soccer club out of a love for the sport and a desire to give back. As part of the club, we also operate a youth soccer academy. My hope is to nurture and challenge players on and off the field, regardless of their socioeconomic status.

During my junior year, I started coaching youth soccer. I learned that many of the kids were dealing with difficult circumstances, and I wanted to help them.

After graduating, I continued at Trevecca to earn a Master of Arts in religion, and a few years later, I also earned an MBA from Trevecca. I am now a healthcare executive, serving as director of clinical strategic initiatives at Brookdale, a senior solution company.

My love of soccer also continued after college, and I kept playing through a local league. I’ve always loved coaching as well, and I wanted to build a team. In 2021, Beaman United Football Club was born. We joined the United Premier Soccer League as a semi-pro team. We have performed well each season, and we’re now known as Tennessee Tempo FC.

When I was a child, I spent time in a refugee camp, where we would make soccer balls out of rocks and play all day long. God used soccer to save my life then by giving me hope and a purpose, and I believe that God is using me and my love for the sport today to reach more and more people. I am excited for what the future holds.

Abigale Hughes Photography

A ROUNDUP OF CAMPUS NEWS & NOTES

from the hill

The completion of the seven-story UNIVERSITY COMMONS residence facility last fall added space for nearly 300 students to enjoy new living quarters on campus. The building includes a rooftop terrace with a unique view of the iconic Nashville skyline as well as a convenience store; apartment-style rooms with full kitchens and lounges; a fitness room and fitness studio; gaming and multipurpose rooms; a central laundry managed through an app; and a tiered outdoor courtyard.

In recent months, NEW DEGREE PROGRAMS have been added for students at the undergraduate and graduate levels.

• A bachelor’s in nursing for traditional undergraduates has seen high demand since its launch in fall 2023. This program fills a crucial vocational need that is globally impactful, and was a natural fit with Trevecca’s mission and background.

• A master’s in human performance and fitness is a graduate program that equips students to pursue careers in strength and conditioning, human performance, health and fitness, personal training or exercise science.

• The Master of Public Health degree prepares students to step into leadership roles in the growing field of public health.

• Scheduled to begin its first cohort this spring, a master’s in strategic communication will prepare students to serve as leaders who can effectively plan and oversee all aspects of communication.

Trevecca welcomed JAMES HAMBRICK as chief security officer following his retirement as Mt. Juliet police chief in December 2023. He now works closely with Captain Greg Dawson to lead Trevecca’s campus security team, and is in the process of implementing several new initiatives related to campus safety.

In athletics, Trevecca will move from the Great Midwest Athletic Conference to the GULF SOUTH CONFERENCE in fall 2024. This change will reduce travel and allow the Trojans to play the majority of their contests in states that are part of Trevecca’s Nazarene region.

KEVIN CARROLL began his tenure as the men’s basketball coach last fall. A veteran coach of 23 years, Carroll brought both local and national ties to the Hill. He had served as an assistant coach at Lipscomb University for the previous four seasons.

YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS MAKE PROGRESS POSSIBLE!

Be sure to help support campus initiatives by participating in Giving Day this March 22. Your gift is appreciated!

SCAN HERE TO GIVE

SAVE THE DATE for Homecoming this fall and make plans to come home to the Hill NOV. 1-2 Join us to remember and reconnect with your Trevecca story.

Interested in serving in a volunteer leadership role on our alumni board? Reach out to Alumni Association Engagement Officer Jen Showalter at jdshowalter@trevecca.edu

GET TO KNOW

Brodrick Thomas

WHILE HE MAY BE NEW TO THE ROLE, TREVECCA'S RECENTLY APPOINTED ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT IS CERTAINLY NOT NEW TO THE TREVECCA COMMUNITY.

“I couldn’t get enough of Trevecca,” laughed Brodrick Thomas, explaining how he earned an MBA, a master’s degree in organizational leadership and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University over a 10-year span.

Thomas went on to work as Trevecca’s director of community engagement and reconciliation before transitioning to his current career role as director of diversity, community and inclusion at Franklin Road Academy, a private pre-K-12 school in Nashville.

He moved to Middle Tennessee in 2011 after receiving his Bachelor of Science in business administration from Auburn University. He is married to Lauren (’10, ’15) and they have two children.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO NASHVILLE?

My best friend when I was growing up, Jacob Morris, was Nazarene. He was this amazing kid with a heart for Christ who shared the gospel with me at a young age. He’s now a Nazarene pastor in Scotland.

After high school Jacob attended Trevecca. When I graduated from Auburn, Jacob invited me to visit Nashville. I fell in love with the city and with Trevecca and decided to attend graduate school here. It changed my life.

HOW DID TREVECCA IMPACT YOU?

Trevecca helped me understand my faith and how to apply it to the world. It also stamped on my heart the call to serve. It showed me how to live out what I believe and how that kind of missional mindset can impact others. And it helped me grow from a young adult into a husband and a father.

WHICH EXPERIENCES AT TREVECCA PREPARED YOU FOR YOUR CURRENT ROLE?

When I first began working at Trevecca, I was a retention specialist. I worked with students who had challenges that made it difficult at times for them to continue their education— those who were undocumented or struggled economically. I began to see the deep needs in our diverse community, and that built within me compassion and a desire to make a difference.

Trevecca Provost Tom Middendorf was a mentor to me during that time. He saw something in me that I didn’t see in myself. He told me I had a gift for working with students. I discovered how life-changing the field of education could be. Tom helped me understand its impact.

WHAT ARE YOU HOPING TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION?

I want to represent alumni interests and also connect more of our alumni with one another. The University has grown so much in recent years through our graduate and online programs that we need to increase our efforts of engagement.

In this volunteer role, I want to prioritize how alumni can support the University through giving. Trevecca has amazing potential to continue to make an impact on students, but this will only happen if we can come together and sustain ongoing and future needs through generosity, community and the belief that the world needs what Trevecca has to offer.

A SONG AND A PRAYER

TREVECCA ALUMNA KIM MCLEAN CAME TOGETHER WITH A COUNTRY MUSIC LEGEND TO INSPIRE HOPE THROUGH MUSIC.

In a life defined by faith and songwriting, Kim McLean (’06, ’08, ’18) will always count her close friendship and co-writer relationship with country music singer and songwriter Loretta Lynn among her most memorable career moments— and she believes her Trevecca education played a big part in arriving at that opportunity.

Together, McLean and Lynn authored “A Song & a Prayer: 30 Devotions Inspired by My Favorite Songs,” which includes music from Lynn’s catalog, along with hymns and original material written with McLean. The lyrics are each followed by an encouraging devotional.

MEETING LORETTA

McLean was first introduced to Loretta Lynn by Lynn’s daughter, Patsy. After an initial conversation, Patsy Lynn Russell called McLean to ask if she would be willing to sit and talk with her mother about her faith. As an ordained minister, McLean was eager to meet with her, and they read Scripture, prayed and took communion together.

“Patsy said: ‘Mama needs someone to talk about God with, because that’s all she ever wants to talk about. She loves God so much, and she only wants to read the Bible,’” McLean recalled. “Patsy said: ‘Go and pray with her and minister to her. Maybe you guys could write a song because she just loves to write.’ So it was just a match made in heaven.”

Photos courtesy of Kim McLean

They began with one country song detailing what was going on in McLean’s life, and Lynn invited her to stop by weekly to start writing songs grounded in the faith. “I want you to help me write some gospel songs,” Lynn had said. “I want to tell everybody about my faith.”

“She wanted this to be her legacy,” McLean added. “She had all these ideas waiting and God was giving her the titles. So we wrote them and she just kept emphasizing, ‘I want my name to be used to exalt Christ.’”

Wanting to go even further than developing lyrics, the two began writing short devotionals to go with each song, 30 in total. They accompanied songs ranging from the new ones the pair had written together to Lynn’s classics such as “Coal Miner’s Daughter” to hymns like “Amazing Grace.” McLean would later record an album featuring songs the two had written with this project in mind.

A THREE-TIME TREVECCA GRADUATE

When it came to building camaraderie with Lynn and co-authoring the devotional, McLean’s education and theology paved the way for new opportunities and a friendship that lasted until the end of Lynn’s life in 2022.

“Trevecca honed my writing skills and gave me a biblical base and the Wesleyan holiness theology that got me in the door with Loretta,” McLean said. “That was a big piece of us getting the publishing deal for the book, along with her name. It mattered to the publisher that I had that education. And it mattered to Loretta and of course, it matters to me.”

McLean discovered Trevecca after years of hoping to pursue her bachelor’s degree.

“I got married when I was 18 and had my first child, and then I enrolled in a composition program in North Carolina,” McLean recalled. “I had an illness and had to withdraw. Decades later, my children were grown and I’d had success in the music industry. I thought, ‘I’ve got some hits on the radio right now and I don’t need a different house. I don’t need a jet ski. I want my education.’”

McLean’s first degree was in music business, and she added minors in religion, guitar and piano performance. In earning her degree, she also discovered another dimension to her calling.

KIM MCLEAN AND LORET TA LY N N

“Trevecca required biblical faith courses, and I had always felt this calling to ministry,” McLean said. “Those courses created within me a hunger for the church and a desire to minister in a new way.”

McLean completed her master’s in religion at Trevecca in 2008, and the following year she became ordained in the Church of the Nazarene. She began leading Trevecca’s songwriting program and eventually decided to earn a third degree from the Hill, receiving a Doctor of Education in leadership in 2018.

THE FINISHED WORK

McLean’s education, life, songwriting experience and interactions with Lynn all came together, and in 2023, “A Song and a Prayer” was published.

“The book has gone to number one on three different book charts,” McLean said. “It is a devotional book in the style of Oswald Chambers with similar formatting to ‘Jesus Calling,’ except with song lyrics.”

Ultimately, Lynn and McLean wanted love to be at the center of their message and prayed their readers would encounter God through a fresh lens with this unique medium.

“I hope people come away knowing God loves them beyond anything they could ask or imagine,” McLean said. “I pray they can recognize the goodness of the Lord and find comfort.”

TRENDING TREVECCANS

HAVE ALUMNI NEWS TO SHARE?

To submit updates and accomplishments about members of the Trevecca community, email bwbennett2@ trevecca.edu. We look forward to sharing your news!

Alumni and other members of the Trevecca community are accomplishing great things. Here are some recent achievements and recognitions of note, listed chronologically by class:

CLASS OF 1970 - CLASS OF 1999

Morris Stocks (’77) was inducted into the Hall of Fame of the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association (TICUA).

Gary Van Atta (’79) was named director of women’s basketball at Nashville Christian School.

Anita Coleman (’87) was named Teacher of the Month in Decatur County, Tenn.

Tim Eades (’87) was appointed vice president of enrollment management at Eastern Nazarene College in Quincy, Mass.

Tim Bryant (’90) was named director of Wilson County Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Tennessee.

Bruce Hatfield (’93) was inducted into the Tennessee Tech Sports Hall of Fame in Cookeville, Tenn.

Faye Hodgin (’95, ’23) was named director of clinical education and associate professor for Cedarville University’s physician assistant program in Ohio.

Beth Duffield (’97) was named workforce development manager at Turner Construction Company in Nashville.

Todd Murphy (’97) was named director of human resources at Polk County Schools in Tennessee.

Jamie Brooks (’99) was appointed chancellor of the Seventh Judicial District of Tennessee by Governor Bill Lee.

CLASS OF 2000 - CLASS OF 2009

Beth Pounds (’00) was named assistant principal at New Providence Middle School in Clarksville, Tenn.

Shelly Roby (’01) was hired as principal at Tom Joy Elementary School in Nashville.

Jacob Ward (’03, ’23) was ordained as a pastor in the Church of the Nazarene.

Jeff Fuller (’04) was named vice president of analytics delivery at Divurgent in Virginia Beach, Va.

Trent Ogilvie (’04) was appointed to the board of directors at Heritage Financial Corporation in Columbia, Tenn.

Forrest Drake (’05) was promoted to sergeant by the Metro Nashville Police Department.

Kyle Hunter (’05) was named a physician assistant at Campbell County Medical Group in Gillette, Wyo.

Rebekah Cashin (’06) was hired as a physician assistant for the orthopaedic urgent care clinics at Bone and Joint Institute in Franklin, Tenn.

Bethany Davis (’07) was named senior vice president of communications at Educational Media Foundation in Franklin, Tenn.

Ryne Mimbs (’07) was named digital learning specialist at Garrison-Pilcher Elementary in Thomasville, Ga.

Justin Barden (’08) was named director of schools for McKenzie Special School District in Tennessee.

Russell Dyer (’08) was named superintendent of Collierville Schools in Tennessee.

Bruce Jackson (’08) was hired as principal at McGavock High School in Nashville.

Jennifer Brownlee (’09) was named principal at Calvin Donaldson Elementary School in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Madeline W. Saxton (’09) was named to the Mississippi Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” list.

Robin Trostle (’09) published the book “How Amazing is His Love.”

Corey Wilson (’09) was promoted to sergeant at the Metro Nashville Police Department.

CLASS OF 2010 - CLASS OF 2019

Daniel Jetton (’10) was presented with the Spark Award for Entrepreneurship by the Better Business Bureau of Middle Tennessee and Southern Kentucky.

Bryan Johnson (’10) was appointed executive vice chancellor and chief strategy officer at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

Amanda Muniz (’10, ’18) was named principal at Moore Elementary School in Franklin, Tenn.

Jared Usrey (’10) was named senior vice president of strategy at VIVO Agency in Newtown, Pa.

Luis Fisher (’11) was selected as a Golden Apple Award recipient by Lee County Schools in Florida.

Michelle Rhodehamel (’11) was named principal at West Creek Elementary School in Clarksville, Tenn.

Brian Trundle (’11) was named discipleship pastor at Chattanooga Valley Nazarene Church in Flintstone, Ga.

Nick Polk (’15, ’23) was hired as an English teacher at Barry Tatum Academy in Lebanon, Tenn.

Johnna Vanover (’17) was appointed vice president of enrollment and marketing at Mount Vernon Nazarene University in Ohio.

Caitlin Bullard (’19, ’20) was named principal at The Discovery School in Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Olivia Chapman (’19) was named women’s head basketball coach at the University of Montevallo in Alabama.

Bill Clark (’19) was promoted to director of guest engagement at Battle of Franklin Trust in Franklin, Tenn.

Michael Cumberledge (’19) was named assistant principal at New Providence Middle School in Clarksville, Tenn.

Nichole Foster (’19) was appointed to the Tennessee Board of Pharmacy.

Selicia Kidd (’19) of Alabama A&M University was selected as a participant in the Higher Education Leadership Institute Foundation’s Leadership Institute.

Jess Montero (’19) was named senior human resources manager at Big Machine Label Group in Nashville.

Dennis Sparks (’19) was promoted to senior systems integration engineer and developer at Contexture in Phoenix.

Contrecia Tharpe (’19) was named to the Nashville Business Journal’s “Top 40 Under 40” list.

Damaris Villalva (’19) founded a marketing consulting firm, Raiz Marketing, in Nashville.

Clayton Williams (’19) was promoted to captain at the Murfreesboro Police Department in Tennessee.

CLASS OF 2020 - CLASS OF 2023

David Friedlein (’21) was named assistant city manager of Pharr, Texas.

Kamilah Mathews (’21) was hired as principal of A.Z. Kelly Elementary in Antioch, Tenn.

Alisa Bledsoe Wilson (’21) was named assistant professor at the University of Tennessee at Martin in Martin, Tenn.

Ilysa Crouch (’22) was named a physician assistant at High Point Family Wellness in Gallatin, Tenn.

Cody Hinson (’22) graduated from Brentwood Police Academy in Brentwood, Tenn.

Christi Maldonado (’22) was hired as an assistant professor at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tenn.

Kaylee Mayberry (’22) was named a physician assistant at High Point Family Wellness in Gallatin, Tenn.

Danielle Shutes (’22) was named center director of Tyson Learning Center in Humboldt, Tenn.

Gwendolyn Sutton (’22) was named president of the Tennessee College of Applied Technology (TCAT) in Memphis, Tenn.

Mirka Alarcon (’23) began a nurse residency program at Saint Thomas Midtown in Nashville.

Eleanor Buffler (’23) was hired as a fourth-grade teacher in Franklin, Tenn.

Cardenas Fernandez (’23) was hired as an area manager at Amazon.

Lee George (’23) was hired as a music director and worship leader at Hope Culpeper Community Church of the Nazarene in Culpeper, Va.

Samantha Jervey (’23) opened a private therapy practice, Samantha Jervey Counseling, in Nashville.

Crisiam Lopez (’23) was hired as a product design engineer at DENSO in Maryville, Tenn.

Daniela Barahona Miranda (’23) was hired as a behavioral health screener and administrative assistant at Mercy Community Healthcare in Nashville.

Heather Rector (’23) was hired as a full-time therapist at River Tree Center in Nashville.

Grace Santos (’23) was hired as an associate marketing manager at Best American Hospitality in Nashville.

Wilson Samuel Vrieze (’23) was hired as a production director at YM360, a youth ministry organization, in Birmingham, Ala.

THE

Statistics are an important reflection of the progress of a university. In our case, Trevecca experienced record enrollment, endowment growth and donor contributions in the years leading up to the COVID pandemic. During the pandemic, a large majority of universities experienced a significant decline in these categories, including Trevecca.

Two years ago, we initiated a recovery plan to return the University to record numbers and strength. Our plan is succeeding, and we are ahead of schedule in many areas. We are grateful to God for the vibrancy of the University, and we are pleased to give our alumni and friends an accountable look at where we are today.

In terms of our current efforts, we are focused on the following:

for recreation, exercise, physical therapy, locker rooms, coaching offices, athletic training and exercise science classrooms. This is a $35 million project that is our top facility priority.

Trevecca has outgrown its historic base of support and will require participation from more alumni and friends who are willing to prayerfully partner with the University. The balance between affordability and equitable employee salaries cannot rest solely on the back of tuition increases. We need faithful friends like you who are committed to Trevecca’s future in order to reach and serve new generations of students.

“We are grateful to God for the vibrancy of the University.”

• Rebuilding enrollment through the addition of a Bachelor of Science in nursing program, the addition of a women’s lacrosse team and the addition of new programs in human performance and fitness, public health and strategic communication

• Growing our student aid capacity through endowment gifts

• Adding the missing piece of our campus infrastructure—a place to address the physical health of our students. We’ve well outgrown our athletic facility that was built in 1969. With 16 NCAA Division II sports teams, we have a significant need for spaces

As you explore the donor lists and financial statistics on the following pages, I invite you to join Denise and me in celebrating the gifts that have helped us reach this point. We are deeply grateful for each of you and the difference you’ve made.

Dan L. Boone (’74) President

P.S.—Please join us March 22 for Trevecca Giving Day. It’s incredible what we can accomplish when our community comes together for a common purpose and goal. Your generosity never ceases to amaze me!

TREVECCA EMPLOYEE VAL DIKHTYAR FOUND MUCH MORE THAN A PLACE TO WORK WHEN HE CAME TO CAMPUS FROM THE SOVIET UNION MORE THAN 30 YEARS AGO.

When Dan Boone and his family headed to the Nashville airport in the spring of 1990, they were going to meet a refugee family arriving from Moscow.

Trevecca Community Church (then known as College Hill), where Boone pastored at the time, had agreed to sponsor Val Dikhtyar and his family so they could relocate to Tennessee.

“We experienced some harsh times in the Soviet Union. We wanted freedom,” Dikhtyar said. “As soon as we had a window of opportunity, we grabbed our two girls and our luggage and we moved.”

The hospitality of the church was immense, and soon Dikhtyar, his wife Liya and their two daughters moved into an apartment the church had furnished for them on Murfreesboro Pike.

“The people provided us with furniture and filled the fridge with food,” Dikhtyar said. “We were amazed. After leaving Moscow, we had spent three months in Italy waiting for our sponsorship to get approved, and it had been a very tough time.”

Trevecca offered Dikhtyar a job in maintenance, which he was eager to take. Despite arriving with limited understanding of the English language and unsure of what a ‘Trevecca’ was, he began working with the thought that it would be a short-term arrangement.

“I assumed it would be a temporary job but now it’s been more than 30 years,” laughed Dikhtyar. “It’s been a blessing. Trevecca is like an oasis among other areas of the city.”

Now, the ties between the Dikhtyar family and Trevecca community have moved far beyond an employer-employee relationship. Val and Liya had two sons after arriving in the U.S., and each of their four children attended the University.

“They had great experiences and studied biology, chemistry and those kinds of things and now they are all in the medical field,” Dikhtyar said.

He has a daughter who is a registered nurse and another in the pharmaceutical industry. One of his sons is a resident physician and the other is attending medical school in Memphis with plans to become a psychiatrist.

Dikhtyar sees the value of being part of a community like Trevecca in the success of his children.

“I’m so grateful,” he said. “I give credit to my wife for raising them properly. But really and truly, I’m so thankful to the Trevecca community that helped us raise our kids in a safe place. You know the expression, ‘It takes a village to raise a child?’ My question is, ‘What does it take to educate them properly?’”

and ability to make it happen,” Dikhtyar said. “We talked to the kids and they said, ‘Yes, this is the right thing to do.’ Our family wants to contribute for generations to come.”

After many years as the school’s plumber, a job he joked can feel life-saving for students in need, Dikhtyar has no plans of stopping. His service has not gone unnoticed, and at the 2023 President’s Dinner, Boone commended him and his family for their faithfulness to Trevecca before the entire faculty and staff.

“He is a problem solver. He’s a man of great practical wisdom,” Boone said. “Val and his wife are great parents and the entire family is just remarkable.”

“ You know the expression, ‘It takes a village to raise a child?’ My question is, ‘What does it take to educate them properly?’”

The Dikhtyar family is committed to giving back to the school that has given them so much. They recently established the AMEN endowment scholarship for students in the health sciences. The name of the scholarship comes from the first letter of the names of their four children—Anthony, Maya, Elya and Nicholas.

“We’d been thinking and praying about it, and God gave us the desire

More than his accomplishments or the stability of the United States, the relationships Dikhtyar and his family have built have shaped their lives for the better. He summed it up with a saying commonly used in the Soviet Union when the ruble currency was at its strongest.

“It is better to have 100 friends than 100 rubles,” Dikhtyar said. “And here, God has given us so many friends. Most of those friends are alive and some of them are already with the Lord. But to have so many friends, that is a great blessing.”

SIZEABLE GRANTS Strengthening AND Expanding TREVECCA’S IMPACT

As a key source of external funding, a variety of grants have enabled Trevecca to introduce, implement and grow a number of programs over the years, and 2024 could see the University’s greatest impact to date from grant-based initiatives. These are a few of the most recent and significant grants through which Trevecca is creating positive change.

LILLY ENDOWMENT INC.: MORE AND BETTER PREACHERS INITIATIVE

A grant of $1.25 million was awarded to establish the More and Better Preachers Initiative at Trevecca over the next five years, representing the largest grant award in school history.

The purpose of More and Better Preachers is to impact the effectiveness of preaching in the Church of the Nazarene, particularly within the Southeast Field.

The program will work to significantly increase both the number and proficiency of preachers in the contexts of church revitalization and church planting; ethnic congregations; and existing traditional congregations. Professors of religion Michael Jackson and Craig Shepperd serve as co-directors of the program.

This Millard Reed School of Theology and Christian Ministry program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Compelling Preaching Initiative, which is designed to foster and support preaching that inspires, encourages and guides people to come to know and love God and to live out their Christian faith more fully.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA): TREECYCLE PROGRAM

A USDA Conservation grant of more than $300,000 is enabling the Trevecca Urban Farm to operate its Treecycle program year-round.

Through Treecycle, the Urban Farm employs youth interns to help the community in two distinct ways: by planting fruit trees to help with hunger as well as beautification, and by refurbishing bicycles to help Nashville’s underserved populations with local transportation.

Youth participate through five-week internships, and with the grant, these opportunities will be made available throughout the year. Professor and Urban Farm Director Jason Adkins serves as the grant administrator.

MELLON FOUNDATION: TENNESSEE ARTS & HUMANITIES INITIATIVE

In partnership with the Tennessee Higher Education in Prison Initiative (THEI), Trevecca is part of a collaboration that received a $1 million grant to offer bachelor’s degrees in humanities and liberal arts to residents of Tennessee correctional facilities for the first time. Trevecca’s School of Arts and Social Sciences will be offering a bachelor’s in history at the Debra K. Johnson Rehabilitation Center, a women’s prison located in Nashville.

TREVECCA SOCIETY MEMBERS

Jul Y 1, 2022-O CTOBER 31, 2023

THE TREVECCA SOCIETY IS COMPOSED OF INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS THAT ANNUALLY COMMIT GIFT SUPPORT TOTALING $1,000 OR MORE IN A FISCAL YEAR. MEMBERS SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY IN MANY WAYS, INCLUDING SCHOLARSHIPS, FACILITY PROJECTS, STUDENT MISSION TRIPS, ATHLETICS, ACADEMIC ENDEAVORS AND UNRESTRICTED GIFTS.

Pl ATI nu M lEVE l

Annu A l G I f TS

$10,000 OR ABOVE

Phil & Lanora Arington

Dan L. & Denise Boone

Glenn & Diane Bridges

Jon & Mindy Burch

Mary Jo Cagle & Randy Mashburn

Helen K. Cummings

John R. Jr. & Susan R. Dunn

Len & Rebecca Empie

David N. Faircloth

Donna J. Gray

Jonathan & Sherry Hage

C. Blanchard & Donna G. Howard

Ronald K. & Sharon C. Jones

Estate of Lynn Kryzak

Ruth M. Lavender

Estate of Mary Joann McClelland

Byron S. Middendorf

Gary B. Morsch

Vickie Morsch

Wendel L. & Judy C. Nixon

Steve M. & Gail V. Pusey

W. Gerald & Kay F. Quick

Paul W. & Lisa T. Reed

Richard & Stephanie Stocks Rosenjack

Virgil & Fyreshia Showalter

Allen & Shawne C. Sills

Katharine M. Steele

Michael N. & Tandy M. Taylor

Donald F. Waggoner

Robert W. & Margaret H. Walker

Howard T. III & Kimberly K. Wall

Estate of Johnny Wheelbarger

Ed H. & Patsy J.* Whittington

Paul P. & Deborah Winkler

Clark & Brenda Wright

Don R. & Betty J. York

Donald Jr. & Gayle York

Anonymous donors

G O ld lEVE l

Annu A l G I f TS

$5,000-9,999

Randy L. & Judy Carden

Alfred B. II & Beverly A. Cawthorne

Gary & Phyllis B. Coulter

Val & Liya Dikhtyar

J. C. Sr. & Joyce Elliott

David & Ginger Ferraez

Michael & Malinda M. Flynn

Ramon F. & Brenda S. Gonzalez

Thomas H. & Jane J. Henderson

Steven K. & Heather Hill

Dale & Ruthie B. Killingsworth

Harold McCue

Don L. Jr. & Kathy A. Newell

Jerry K. & Rebecca A. Pierce

F. Howard & Sandra H. Russell

Evangeline Schaper

Paul W. Schaper*

James & Deborah A. Sweat

W. Melvin & Joyce W. Welch

Kenneth W. & Susan J. Whitmire

Joel D. & Lisa J. Williams

Anonymous donors

S I l VER lEVE l

Annu A l G I f TS

$1,000-4,999

James E. Jr. & Brenda P. Agee

Bob M. & Shirley C. Aldrich

William D. & Melanie Amburn

Danny D. & Karen Baker

Ron L. & Wendy R. Bargatze

Stephen H. & Karin L. Bariteau

John A. Belden

Luke & Fran Benson

Randy & Debbie L. Berkner

Mark D. & Deborah L. Berry

Richard Blackett

Joanna H. Blackwell

Ben B. & Kristin S. Bledsoe

Peter F. Bobo & Susan G. Ragsdale

Vernon L. & Charline P. Bonham

John K. Bornstein

Eric S. & Jacqueline Bottoms

Daniel W. Sr. & Robbie Bradshaw

Patrick & Stephanie Brakefield

Kevin F. & Melinda K. Brennan

Brian S., Jennifer, Beckett & Sam Brenneman

Harold L. Bridges

Tony Bridwell

Elaine R. Brooks

James W. Jr. & Carol T. Brooks

J. Walter & Rhonda Brown

Jeffrey L. Bryant

David L. & Robin L. Burbrink

Chet M. Bush

Louie E. & Ellen Bustle

Dwain & Beth Butler

Tommy D. Byler

David L. & Chigger J. Bynum

David B. & Sherry L. Caldwell

Jim & Dyris K. Cardell

Chris & Cindy Carter

*Deceased

TREVECCA SOCIETY MEMBERS

Erin Carwile

Gary W. & Rebecca L. Carwile

John F. Jr. & Sara C. Chilton

Jerry D. & Joy O. Clay

Patrick J. Conger

Patricia D. Cook

Tom L. & Sharon Cook

J. Doug Lepter & Peggy J. Cooning

Connie Cooper*

Tom Cooper

Roger W. & Carole G. Costa

Mike Cowart

Virgel D. & Annice Crisp

Jay P. & Kelli M. Crutchfield

Ingrid H. Curry

Greg S. & Collie F. Daily

Keith C. & Valerie L. Dance

Charles A. Jr. & Yvonne Davis

Lee & Doris Davis

Larry D. & Debbie Dennis

David J. & Tina P. Diehl

Dean M. & Judy Diehl

Lora H. Donoho

Robert N. & Jayne L. Duncan

Don & Nancy E. Dunlap

Sarah C. Dunn

Don W. & Jane A. Dunnington

Jessica D. Dykes

Thomas K. & Carol H. Elden

Mark M. & Roseann Elliott

Cheryl H. Ellis

James B. & Reba J. Essary

Brent J. & Kelly D. Falcone

Gary E. & Angela S. Farmer

Pamela H. Farmer

Leslie A. & Carol E. Farthing

Herschel K. & Phyllis Flannery

James L. & Deborah E. Forth

Art & Nanette M. Foster

Julie Fuqua

Sidney E. & Crystal Gholson

John G. & Celeste Gillespie

Ronald W. Goodman Jr.

Troy & Christy L. Grant

Tim M. Green

Dwayne M. & LeighAnn S. Gunter

Dwight M. II & Karan B. Gunter

Moody & Nina G. Gunter

Jerramy Hainline

Dale L. & Suzie B. Harris

Steve A. & Jan K. Harris

Donald B. & B.K. Hastings

Blake & Lisa R. Hathcock

Robert B. Jr. & Kathy A. Hatter

Jim T. & Judy K. Hiatt

Donald W. & Marquita L. Hicks

Kenneth R. & Norma Higginbotham

Jimmy L. & Teresa L. Hodge

Daniel J. Jr. & Elizabeth Hofmeister

Walter & Wadida Murib-Holmes

Gary L. & Edith A. Holt

Laura Honeyman

Jimmy L. & Shirley Horton

Shaikh A. Hosein

Steve T. & Stephanie R. Hoskins

Kathy M. Huggins

Harold K. & Teresa E. Hughes

Michael L. & Karen S. Hughes

Rena H. Irwin

Michael D. & Cheryl A. Jackson

Scott & Suzanne W. Jenkins

Don Jernigan Jr.

Lynn M. & Jacque Jewell

Bill D. & Kelly Johnson

M. Chad & Amy F. Johnson

Michael T. & Sarah B. Johnson

Talmadge Johnson*

Scott & Lynn Lassiter-Kendrick

Bill L. & Shirley Kerns

Rebecca L. King

Randall L. & Ruth T. Kinnersley

Jim D. & Beverly G. Knight

Tim & Sandy Knight

Brad A. & Melissa J. Kochis

Frank & Elaine Livesay

Tracel M. Lockhart

Ryan W. & Joy B. Longnecker

J. Scott & Marcia A. Looman

Janice E. Lovell

Rebecca A. Lovell

James H. Jr. & Michelle Lunsford

Chuck & Jennie Magsig

James G. & Christine K. Maguire

Rick P. & Cheri Mann

Greg D. & Elaine Mason

Bill N. Sr. & Barbara McDaniel

Herbert M. Jr. & Dianna R.

McMillian

James D. & Susan R. Means

Olivia Metcalf

Carmen L. Meyer

Thomas L. & Jessica L. Middendorf

J. J. & Cherie L. Miller

John R. & Melinda W. Miller

Tommy W. & Teresa Mitchell

Herb C. & Tammy E. Modesitt

Paul R. Montemuro

Dennis L. & Wendy B. Moore

Jason T. Moore

Lewis C. Moore

Thomas & Millie J. Morris

Jonathan H. & Kathy Mowry

Matthew L. & Keely R. Mullins

Richard A. & Mary J. Murphy

Delores Murray

Don R. Jr. & Debbie G. Myers

Shaun P. & Lisa K. Newman

Bill A. Nichols

Bruce E. & Peggy L. Oldham

Brenda J. Patterson

Kyle & Julie B. Poole

Brian L. & Heather Powell

Martha Pulliam

Jim G. & Streater O. Spencer-Quiggins

J. Dwight Ragsdale

Stephanie D. Red

Philip K. & Connie Rickard

Jana K. Roberts

Jackie Robertson

Larry E. & Linda F. Rodgers

Daniel W. & Kristin L. Rucker

Greg S. & Amy Ruff

Greg P. & Ginny A. Runyan

Dale & Steph Schaeffer

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO THE HUNDREDS OF NAZARENE CHURCHES IN THE SOUTHEASTERN REGION. THROUGH THEIR GENEROUS MEMBERS, NEARLY $2 MILLION IN SUPPORT IS GIVEN TO TREVECCA NAZARENE UNIVERSITY ANNUALLY.

Chuck & Peggi Seaman

Geneva J. Silvernail

Clifton T. Smith

David R. & Becky Smith

Kevin & DeAnne Smith

Jim & Sharon K. Smith

Mark & Dena B. Smith

Peggy A. Smith

Thomas S. & Jane Smith

Jonathan Smithson

Jon E. & Teresa F. Sparks

Ann Spear

Bob A. & Trisha W. Spear

Byron Spradlin

Marcella C. Staples

Jim W. & Judith P. Stocks

Morris H. Jr. & Cynthia A. Stocks

Edna Stone*

Jack K. Stone

Joseph D. & Pamela D. Storey

James B. & Jane A. Storie

Deborah E. Story

Gary W. & Marla M. Streit

Ira M. III & Beverly G.

Strickland

Jeff W. & Esther C. Swink

Mike & Patricia C. Tardif

Ernest D. Taylor

Mel B. & Cheryl H. Thompson

Matthew W. Thrasher

Brad J. & Rebecca A. Turner

Robert G. & Sue S. Turpin

Frank T. & Doris A. Twohig

G. Neil & Chris J. Tyler

Ingram D. & Dawn A. Tynes

Ben E. & Susan D. Tyree

Jim G. Van Hook

Marc A. & Sheree Vann

S. Paul Vann Jr. & Jennie D. Vann

Ming & Anle J. Wang

Brian A. & Yvonne W. Warner

David R. & Vicki L. Watts

Seth & Chastity B. Weathersby

Steve & Lena Hegi Welch

Timothy L. & Angela S.

Chapman-Welch

James N. & Joan C. Wellman

Vernon M. & Beth Whaley

James A. & Holly M. Whitby

Freddy & Judi Williams

Irmgard L. Williams

Toby W. & Pat Williams

Lee & Alice L. Woolery

Robert A. & Kristin Young

Anonymous donors

O RGA n I z ATIO n dO n ORS

Pl ATI nu M lEVE l

Annu A l G I f TS $10,000 OR ABOVE

Church of the Nazarene Foundation

Donald and Zelma Waggoner Foundation

Equinox Information Systems

Jones Legacy Group

Lilly Endowment, Inc.

R3 Contractors, LLC

R.C. Mathews Contractor, LLC

Red Apple Development, LLC

Schwab Charitable Fund

Shepherd Community Sodexo Operations, LLC

G O ld lEVE l

Annu A l G I f TS $5,000-9,999

A & R. Masonry, Inc.

Delta Air Lines Foundation

Education Development United Fellowship, Inc.

The Giving Tree Idezi Group, LLC

Morgan Ventures

Pinnacle Financial Partners

S I l VER lEVE l

Annu A l G I f TS $1,000-4,999

Alexander Metals

Avenue Builders, Inc.

Barnett Ironworks, Inc.

CMG Contractors, Inc.

The Conservancy

Covenant Presbyterian Church

Daily Family Foundation

Dwight Whitworth and Company, LLC

Earl Swensson Associates

Enterprise Solutions, LLC

Garner Creek Retreat Center

Grace Fellowship Church of Oak Forest

Ground Zero Ministries, Inc.

Jeff Roth Cycling Foundation

Lee Company Giving Fund

Montemuro Law, LLC

Mullins Law, PLLC

Murray Drywall

Nashville Predators Foundation

National Christian Foundation

Northwest District Church of the Nazarene

Pella Tennessee, LLC

Security Fire Protection Company

Strong Waterproofing

Summit Concrete

Sunrise Contracting, Inc.

Three Boot, LLC

Wang Vision Institute, PLLC

Wilson Bank & Trust

Financials

2022-2023 FISCAL YEAR

’17-’18

ADAMS LEAGUE OF LOYAL DONORS

The Adams League–named in honor of the late Homer and Beatrice Adams–recognizes donors who have made a gift of any size to Trevecca for five or more consecutive years. Some of the members of the league have made a gift annually to Trevecca for more than 40 years! †

35-39 YEARS

30-34 YEARS

20-24 YEARS

Legacy TREVECCA PARTNERS

Trevecca Legacy Partners are individuals who have included Trevecca in their estate plans or through a life gift, such as a charitable gift annuity. These ultimate gifts help ensure Trevecca will continue to impact the lives of students through a transforming educational experience. If you have included or would like to include Trevecca in your estate plan, please contact Don Hastings at 615-248-1436 or dbhastings@trevecca.edu

Bob M. & Shirley C.

Aldrich

Randy L. Arnold Jr.

Helen Barnett

Desmond & Julie A. Barrett

Mark & Jodie L. Bergquist

Randy & Debbie L. Berkner

Mark D. & Deborah L.

Berry

Dan L. & Denise Boone

Larry & Sharon K. Buess

Jason A. & Tina L. Caddy

Cliff E. Moore Jr. & Edlira B. Cako-Moore

Barbara R. Cash

Frances Cash

John F. Chilton Jr. & Sara C. Chilton

Patrick J. Conger

Patricia D. Cook

Peggy J. Cooning

Roger W. & Carole G. Costa

Marline M. Couey

Norman R. & Zilpha Cox

Royece Cox

Josh K. & Katie B. Crowe

Helen K. Cummings

Charles A. Davis Jr. & Yvonne Davis

Huey J. Davis III & Chelsea A. Davis

Erika G. Deardorf

Lora H. Donoho

Don & Nancy E. Dunlap

Don W. & Jane A.

Dunnington

Dennis E. & Marilyn Fink

Larry D. & Linda Foster

Charlie & Beverly J. Franklin

Todd P. Gary

Kelly & Michelle E. Gayhart

Hilton H. & Christine

Gillespie

John G. & Celeste Gillespie

Muthian & Shanti Gladson

Ronald W. Goodman Jr.

Joseph T. & Jennie Gore

Troy & Christy L. Grant

Paula J. Gregory

David N. & Barbara E. Griffin

Joan Halliburton

Jerome Hancock Jr. & Brenda D. Hancock

Gary & Karen Harper

Carlton F. Harvey

Donald B. & B.K. Hastings

Matthew B. & Keri A. Hastings

Blake & Lisa R. Hathcock

Nicolet C. Henderson

Jamie L. Hess

Jimmy L. & Teresa L. Hodge

Tina L. Hoots

Mark B. & Penny L. Hosny

Patricia T. Hutchens

Troy A. & Jessica A. Jett

Michael T. & Sarah B. Johnson

Ronald V. & Amy R. Mix-Jones

William R. Jones

George F. Kersey Jr.

Brad C. Kinnison

Ray G. & Dee Klinger

Lee D. & Meg Knapp

Jim D. & Beverly G. Knight

Larry W. & Joy Knight

Finley & Lori M. Knowles

Scott A. & Krystal R. LaCoy

Patricia D. Long

Janice E. Lovell

James H. Lunsford Jr. & Michelle Lunsford

Ronald K. & Karla McCormack

Harold McCue

Corlis A. McGee

Jeff & Susan R. McGranahan

Bradley Meinck & Lee Ann Brown-Meinck

Inez Milby

Jason T. Moore

Mary C. Moore-Smith

Gary B. Morsch

Vickie Morsch

Delores Murray

Gregory S. & Denise Nash

Wendel L. & Judy C. Nixon

Bruce E. & Peggy L. Oldham

Ignacio Orozco Bravo

Kent B. & Kathleen Pelton

Steve Pennington

Tracy D. Porter

Steve M. & Gail V. Pusey

J. Dwight Ragsdale

Earl M. & Lillian Rash

Seth M. & Katie Reigard

Rick & Sharon B. Reynolds

Doreen B. Riddle

Evangeline Schaper

Sammie C. Schell

Carole Schrope

Don D. Schrope II & Abigail D. Schrope

Chuck & Peggi Seaman

Harold I. Smith

L. Alan & Carolyn Smith

Robert E. & Joyce Snodgrass

Caleb R. & Erin M. Soles

Deborah E. Story

Gary W. & Marla M. Streit

Jeff W. & Esther C. Swink

Shannon G. Talley

Barbara A. Tharp

Houston E. & Martha G. Thompson

Starr Van Hoff

James G. Van Hook

Todd & Rebecca R. Welch

W. Melvin & Joyce W. Welch

Lindi R. Wells Martsolf & Nathan J. Martsolf

James A. & Holly M. Whitby

Randall P. & Karen R. White

Meghan B. Woodham

Anonymous donors

FRIENDS REMEMBERED

PLEASE JOIN US IN HONORING THE MEMORY OF THESE MEMBERS OF THE TREVECCA COMMUNITY WHO PASSED AWAY IN RECENT MONTHS.

Beatrice Adams (’43)

Jack Adamson (’43)

Donald Allison (’01)

Thomas Atkinson (friend of Trevecca)

Jacob Ayers (friend of Trevecca)

Thamar Laverne Bearden (’45)

Joseph Breen (friend of Trevecca)

June Brittain (’65)

Steven Britton (’69)

Grady Brooks Sr. (’48)

Shirley Anne Brooks (’90)

Joseph Brown (former faculty member)

Wayne Brown (friend of Trevecca)

Hal Cauthron (’73)

Juanita Cole (’48)

Wilson Cole (’48)

Martha Caroline Davis (’92)

Jennie Dollar (’64)

Karen Jean Dowell (’65)

Rebecca Sue Duke (’69)

Harvelle Duncan Jr. (’68)

Floyd Dunn (friend of Trevecca)

Norma Jean Elliott (’85)

Donald Garrison (’83)

Sherri Gentry (’76)

Emily Cammer Goen (’11)

Charles Ray Gomer (alumnus)

Ronald Gray (former faculty member)

Arden Haddix (alumnus)

Annie Mae Hamm (’77)

Melanie Linn Harris (alumna)

Jacquelyn Haynes (’00)

Linnea Holsinger (friend of Trevecca)

Pauline Hubbard (friend of Trevecca)

Rachel Lee Jenkins (’01)

Talmadge Johnson (alumnus)

Ronald Jordan (’66)

Jeannine Koch (alumna)

Katherine Koonce (’15)

John William Lancaster (friend of Trevecca)

Retha Lancaster (alumna)

Bev Lee (friend of Trevecca)

Glynn Mann (’47)

Dorothy Marlin (’46)

Willa Dean McCaskell (’47)

Ginny McCue (’56)

Robert McNaron (’46)

Sarah McNaron (’46)

Hazel Miles (’51)

Joseph Morse (’63)

Norma Muse (’45)

Sherman Nash (’41)

LOOKING BACK

Odie Page (’48)

Betty Patton (’54)

Charles Paul (’43)

Robert Payne Jr. (alumnus)

Annabelle Phillips (’48)

Michael Poer (’74)

Oscar Poole (’48)

Ruth Poole (’35)

Ginger Powers (’48)

Fred Presley (’73)

Arnold Price (alumnus)

Paul Pusey (friend of Trevecca)

Mary Beth Riggins (’86)

Brooksie Rutherford (alumna)

Martha Shearer (’48)

Wayne Shelton (’54)

Eileen Skinner (friend of Trevecca)

Marilyn Stark (’64)

Gladys Stavely (’46)

Richard Stevens (friend of Trevecca)

Winston Thaxton III (alumnus)

James Ray Wells (’50)

Patsy Whittington (’30)

Jack Williams (’45)

Darrell Wright (’84)

KOONCE REMEMBERED FOR DEVOTION, COURAGE AND FAITH

In the days following the tragic shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville on March 27, 2023, colleagues, friends and former graduate school classmates of Covenant’s Head of School Katherine Koonce—who was among the six employees and students who lost their lives that day—shared their memories of Koonce’s leadership and her unfailing commitment to her calling and faith. Koonce received her Doctor of Education in leadership (Ed.D.) in 2015. You can read the collective tribute by SCANNING HERE.

JOIN US MARCH 22 FOR OUR FOURTH ANNUAL

24 HOURS

1,500 GIVING PARTNERS

ALUMNI | EMPLOYEES | FRIENDS | STUDENTS | BUSINESSES | PARENTS | CHURCHES

THERE’S POWER IN COMING TOGETHER.

LET’S DISCOVER WHAT’S POSSIBLE.

As a community bound together in passion and purpose, we believe great things can happen when we set our sights on a common goal. Our mission is to prepare men and women to be the hands and feet of Jesus through lives that make a difference. Our heart is to help students discern their calling and step into who God is inviting them to become.

Please partner with us this spring and support the projects of our fourth annual Trevecca Giving Day. Our goal is to engage 1,500 donors—alumni, employees, students, parents, churches, businesses and friends of the University—in 24 hours. Any amount given is meaningful and reflects our community’s incredible spirit of generosity. Together, we’ll raise key funds for scholarships, facilities, programs and other initiatives that will sustain a wide variety of needs across campus.

Participating in giving challenges and matches can make your gift go even further, and any gift can be designated toward your project of choice. or visit trevecca.edu/givingday on March 22 to contribute and see what can happen when our community comes together.

BECOME A PARTNER

WHO PAVES THE WAY

ON MARCH 22, CHOOSE TO SUPPORT A SPECIFIC GIVING DAY INITIATIVE OR DESIGNATE YOUR GIFT TO BE APPLIED TO THE AREA OF GREATEST NEED.

Allow more students to earn their degrees through scholarship giving. These scholarships support undergraduate and adult continuing education learners.

Support the Provost Faculty Tuition Assistance Fund so faculty members can complete approved graduate programs and enrich the quality of the University’s academic offerings.

Assist student teachers who face extra required costs to finish their education degrees.

Aid in the expansion and improvement of athletic, intramural and fitness facilities.

Make it possible for students in Trevecca’s film and television program to participate in professional learning experiences that often require travel.

Enable English majors to participate in conferences and workshops that will help them grow as scholars and writers.

Help provide resources for STEM students to purchase necessary equipment and supplies for research efforts and attend conferences to present their findings.

Resource and develop pastors and students through the Wesleyan Holiness Fund.

TREVECCA WAS LIFE-CHANGING FOR ME.

“ The University’s commitment to excellence pushed me to new heights, equipping me with the skills and knowledge necessary for success. Trevecca also provided a supportive and inclusive community where I grew personally and spiritually. The diverse campus environment broadened my perspective and nurtured my faith, while the opportunities for extracurricular involvement and leadership helped me develop valuable skills and make a positive impact. Trevecca not only prepared me for a career but also shaped me into a compassionate and well-rounded individual.”

Bolger

James

(’23) Music business major Aurora, Ill.

INVEST IN STUDENTS ON TREVECCA GIVING DAY

Here’s how your partnership can make a difference for students who are benefiting from scholarship support.

“At Trevecca, I’ve found a sense of purpose. I’m passionate about learning and I’ve enjoyed studying alongside others who share my interests while benefiting from professors who are consistently investing in my education. I find myself looking at the world in a deeper, more curious way. Trevecca has also provided me with a community of peers who challenge me in my learning and my faith.”

Corianna Chauncy

Sophomore English major Land O’ Lakes, Fla.

“ Trevecca helped me develop amazing relationships with students from different countries. Thanks to the community here, my adaptation to a new culture was easier than I expected.”

Facundo Brunelli

Senior business administration and accounting major Buenos Aires, Argentina

“ Since coming to Trevecca, I’ve encountered nothing but warm welcomes and a boundless generosity of spirit. I owe a debt of gratitude to the faculty members who’ve fostered my hunger for knowledge. Trevecca has helped me discover my calling and develop interests in history and education. The University has also contributed to my spiritual development by expanding my horizons and strengthening my relationship with God.”

Chane de Beer

Sophomore history and education major Sundra, Mpumalanga, South Africa

“ Trevecca has made me who I am today. I want to be a pastor in the Nazarene Church, and through Trevecca I’ve found fantastic mentors and friends to help equip me for God’s calling on my life.”

Meril Mitchell

Senior religion and worship ministry major Hermitage, Tenn.

JOIN US FOR THE FIRST ANNUAL TreveccaSociety GALA DINNER

FRIDAY, MARCH 22 | 7–10 P.M. BOONE CONVOCATION CENTER

Join us for an unforgettable evening of music, culinary creations, inspirational storytelling and fun opportunities to support Trevecca and its students. Mark your calendar and secure your spot now!

Held in conjunction with Trevecca’s fourth annual Giving Day, this event will include a silent auction. All proceeds will support student scholarships and Trevecca’s new athletic and event center.

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BINDING THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT

Noted author and theologian H. Ray Dunning (’48) began his undergraduate studies at Trevecca in 1944. He would go on to earn a master’s and a Ph.D. from Vanderbilt University before returning to spend much of his career as a professor and department chair in Trevecca’s Department of Religion. He retired in 1995.

Dunning’s teaching shaped a generation of Nazarene pastors. His books, particularly “Grace, Faith and Holiness,” are used to train Nazarene and Wesleyan clergy around the world. The following excerpts are from an interview at Founder’s Day Chapel during Homecoming 2023, when Dunning shared memories about his time as a student at Trevecca.

SEE THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH H. RAY DUNNING IN THIS FOUNDER’S DAY CHAPEL VIDEO.

More than 75 years after graduating from Trevecca, Nazarene scholar H. Ray Dunning reflects on the experiences that impacted him most during his days on the Hill in the 1940s.

In the 1940s Trevecca was quite different from what it is today. It was during World War II, and there were probably only 200 students and four buildings on campus, including Hardy Hall, which stood to the east of the present administration building and was a co-educational dorm. McKay Hall, located where Jernigan now stands, included a basement cafeteria.

What I remember about the cafeteria is that we had applesauce with most every meal. I was not able to look applesauce in the face after that for many years! Occasionally we would also have meat, when some farmers nearby would go rabbit hunting and bring us their game.

There were two events that set a pattern for my life during my time as a student. One involved a class on the prophets I took from a young part-time professor who was also a graduate student at Vanderbilt and the pastor of a local church. His name was William “Billy” Greathouse.

His course opened my eyes to real biblical study and revolutionized my understanding of what the Bible was about, how it was to be read and how it was to be interpreted.

It did something else, too. It gave me the opportunity to develop a mentor relationship with my teacher. Brother Greathouse, as we knew him, became pastor at my home church when I was away at seminary. He later performed my wedding ceremony. We became good friends, and he hired me at Trevecca in 1964, a year after he’d been named University president.

The other event took place at my graduation. In those days, you had to sit before a committee of faculty members for an oral exam in order to graduate. During my exam, Dr. A.K. Bracken was one member of the committee. Another was L.P. Gresham, who became my mentor in completing my thesis for seminary.

Dr. Bracken asked me to name 10 influential persons in church history, and I was able to do so. He then looked me in the eye, shook his finger and said, “What I want you to know is that every one of those persons were university-trained people.”

There was a lot of discussion in those days about whether a formal education was beneficial for someone who wanted to become a pastor. He wanted to make sure that I did not cut short my education, and it worked. I decided to continue into seminary.

My late husband, Michael Pretorius, graduated from Trevecca in 2015 with a degree in worship arts. Michael was a singer and songwriter with a passion to share stories and share Jesus through his music.

He also loved to run and was part of the Trojans’ cross country and track and field teams. He was an incredible athlete, but even more, a remarkable person—courageous, hardworking, disciplined, joyful and a faithful follower of Christ.

In the fall of his senior year, Michael woke up one morning with severe abdominal pain. Two of his friends on campus skipped class to drive him to the hospital. After several tests that day, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer, the same disease that had taken his father’s life seven years prior. He was only 21.

It was tough for an achiever like Michael to accept help. In seasons of suffering, it’s hard to realize we are not capable of fulfilling commitments or responsibilities due to circumstances that are out of our control. Yet Michael was graciously given space to heal through his treatments by the phenomenal faculty at Trevecca, who worked with him to complete missed schoolwork.

The following spring, through rounds of chemotherapy and surgeries, Trevecca’s athletic director, Mark Elliott, continued to honor Michael’s scholarship for cross country, even though he couldn’t actively participate at the time.

As the season was ending, his coach, Austin Selby, invited Michael to run a final race before graduating. He chose the 800 meter. With a bald head and tremendous encouragement from his teammates, he came in dead last. It was tough, he said, but he felt like he had won the race.

Michael was always grateful for the opportunity to share his story of overcoming. In 2016, he was the first recipient of an award Elliott created in Michael’s honor—the Michael Pretorius Courage Award. This award is now given annually to an athlete who demonstrates the selfless courage, moral conviction and principled faith to respond to adversity in Christlikeness that goes beyond his or her natural abilities.

Michael looked forward to presenting this award at the annual Trojy’s ceremony. He lived with his eyes aglow and vowed to be a person who freely gave his attention to listening to others share their stories.

Held by Love

CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF ALUMNUS MICHAEL PRETORIOUS

By Amanda Pretorius McLaughlin

He wanted to see every individual through the lens of love, the kind of love that lays every selfish desire on the line for others to be lifted and seen. The love of Jesus.

A mutual friend introduced Michael to me after we both graduated from college, and we were married the following year. Michael joined Ramsey Solutions in 2017 and developed lasting friendships with coworkers. He also enjoyed leading worship at our church.

While his body remained cancer-free for the next few years, metastasis was found near his spine during a routine check in the fall of 2019. Michael chose to keep a positive attitude with hope on the horizon and the belief that he’d be changed for the better. And he was. His soul became more vibrant and beautiful as he realized the depth of love and power Jesus freely gives to us, even as his aggressive disease continued to spread.

Michael passed on July 31, 2022, at the age of 29. We were faced with planning his funeral, and as all the responsibilities swirled in a funnel of loss around me, Trevecca stepped in and opened the community church to our family to celebrate Michael’s life.

The willingness of our Trevecca community to spend time in conversation with us and help us prepare for our family to come together in the days after Michael’s transition meant the world. Trevecca made space for us to laugh and grieve—to meet each other in the sacred moment between our past and future.

In the month after Michael’s passing, Trevecca established the Michael Pretorius Invitational, an annual cross country meet. Our family is humbled that Michael’s story will continue to inspire others to live a life of hope, love and courage through this yearly race.

Michael’s legacy is beautiful because he had support when everything else was shaken. When people step in to keep the walls of life from caving, it frees the soul to breathe and focus on the path ahead, no matter how hard it may be.

Every sacrifice and choice we make to serve others creates a ripple beyond what the eye can see. Trevecca did this for us, allowing Michael to run the race set before him and take his final step of surrender in perfect peace. In Michael’s own words, thank you for teaching us love.

Cody