ACU Today Summer 2009

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BELOW Kickoff for ACU’s first-ever football game in the historic Cotton Bowl in Dallas will be at 5 p.m. Sept. 12, when the Wildcats take on Texas A&M-Commerce in the second annual Harvey Martin Classic.

(Photograph by Jeremy Enlow)

Horizons Hello, Friend! Meet the new Hunter Welcome Center An Educator’s Lifeline Growing the Honors Experience Homecoming Preview Changing Navigators on “The Road Less Traveled” Hilltop View Academic News Campus News Wildcat Sports EXperiences Second Glance

OUR PROMISE

ACU is a vibrant, innovative, Christ-centered community that engages students in authentic spiritual and intellectual growth, equipping them to make a real difference in the world.

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ACU Today is published three times a year by the Office of Marketing at Abilene Christian University, Abilene, Texas.

Staff Editor and Graphic Designer: Ron Hadfield (’79) Associate Editor: Katie (Noah ’06) Gibson Sports Editor: Lance Fleming (’92) Contributing Writers This Issue: Lynne Bruton, Robin (Ward ’82) Saylor Contributing Photographers This Issue: Paul Bryan (’05), Steve Butman, Jeremy Enlow, Lindsey (Hoskins ’03) Cotton, Gerald Ewing, Jason Jones, Kim Ritzenthaler, Ronnie Ruiz, Brian Schmidt (’07) Contributing Graphic Designers This Issue: Greg Golden (’87), Holly Harrell, Jami (Roberts ’94) West

ADVISORY COMMITTEE Academics: Dr. Jeanine Varner Administration: Jim Holmans, Dr. Gary D. McCaleb (’64), Dr. Phil Schubert (’91) Alumni Relations: Larry Musick (’84), Jama (Fry ’97) Cadle, Samantha (Bickett ’01) Adkins Alumni Association: Tim Yandell (’85) Church Relations: Dr. Charles Siburt (’68) Development: Dr. John Tyson (’81) Marketing: Jason Groves (’00) Students’ Association: Charles Gaines (’10) Student Life: Dr. Jean-Noel Thompson Ex-officio: Dr. Royce Money (’64)

correspondence ACU Today : hadfieldr@acu.edu ACU Alumni Association: alumni@acu.edu

ON THE WEB Abilene Christian University: www.acu.edu ACU Today Web Site: www.acu.edu/acutoday ACU Today Blog: www.acu.edu/acutodaymagazine Address changes: www.acu.edu/alumni/generalinfo/update.html ACU Alumni Web Site: www.acu.edu/alumni ACU Development Office (Annual Fund, Gift Records): www.acu.edu/giveonline Find Us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/abilenechristian www.facebook.com/ACUsports Follow Us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/ACUedu www.twitter.com/ACUsports

ON THE COVER Dr. Robert D. Hunter is not shy in his enthusiasm for the new Hunter Welcome Center at ACU. (Photograph by Jeremy Enlow)

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From the President

W

e all have them: those epiphanies, those moments of truth when our perspective on life is irrevocably changed. I had one last August, when I realized our entering freshmen were born in 1990, e

the year before I became ACU’s 10th president. Like these excited new students, I had a shiny new iPhone and great anticipation for the future – and still do!

But one of the great things about a new school year for those of us who live and work in higher education is the way it marks the start of a new chapter in each of our lives, at times for different reasons.

I came to the conclusion last fall that my next chapter would involve retirement and hopefully transition into a new role of service on behalf of ACU. I discussed this with the Board of Trustees, who encouraged me to reconsider. That was wise counsel, as we were just getting our 21st Century Vision launched in what would prove to be a difficult economic climate. God helped us persevere in the past year when all academic institutions struggled mightily, and I’m convinced the timing is now right for a change.

So in mid-May, I informed the board that I will retire as president at the end of the next school year – May 31, 2010. They have been kind enough to ask me to stay with the university as its chancellor after my presidency, which I am glad to do.

After some extended time off, Pam and I will return to serving the university we love so much.

We are excited about the future of ACU and believe its best years are still ahead. While God has blessed Abilene Christian in many ways in the past, we believe we are poised to reach even greater heights of excellence in the future.

Our 21st Century Vision has been successfully launched – even in challenging times – and we are well on our way to becoming the premier university for the education of Christ-centered, global leaders. Our faculty and staff are the strongest and most qualified of any in our history, and we are all beneficiaries of the dedication and sacrifice of those who have gone before us.

The ACU Board of Trustees is in the process of appointing a Presidential Search Committee which will include representatives from the board, faculty, staff, students, alumni and administration. They have committed to keeping you informed throughout the process. It is important to them for you to have the opportunity to have a voice in these important discussions. They plan to name the new president by spring of next year.

Pam and I are deeply grateful for the love and support we have received from the ACU community since we came to Abilene Christian in 1981. We love this place, and we always will. The real heart of this university is its talented and selfless people, each committed to a cause larger than any of us: partners with God in the inspiring work of transforming students into the likeness of Christ.

Please pray for the university we love and for the Lord’s guidance in the board’s appointment of a new president. With God’s blessing and direction, we are more confident than ever that ACU will continue to fulfill its mission of educating students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

May it ever be so. 䊱

DR. ROYCE MONEY (’64), President The mission of ACU is to educate students for Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

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We’ll leave the light on for you The Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center helps create a new front door to the campus, and a dynamic scene at dusk for passersby on Judge Ely Boulevard. The Rich Welcome Plaza and Labyrinth (foreground) connect the Welcome Center to the Lunsford Foundation Trail, and overlook Faubus Fountain Lake. See pages 6 -15 for a look at the new facilities and to learn how they’re changing the nature of ACU’s day-to-day interaction with students, alumni and visitors.

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Mountain of Joy The ACU baseball team celebrates the final out of a 6-0 win May 5 over rival Angelo State University at Crutcher Scott Field that earned the Wildcats their first Lone Star Conference championship since 2002 and a berth in the NCAA South Central Region Tournament.

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Bob Hunter’s bubbly greeting represents his gracious, welcoming spirit, as does the new facility on campus bearing his and Shirley’s names There’s more to the stunning Bob and Shirley Hunter Welcome Center than a handsome façade – or even than the attractive features found inside.

The 57,000-square-foot Welcome Center is changing the way ACU interacts with students, parents, alumni, donors and other friends of the university.

(Left) Shirley and Bob Hunter (’52) relax in the lobby of the Welcome Center.

Come along for the tour!

(Above) The two-story lobby features a window wall offering a dramatic view of the Labyrinth, Rich Welcome Plaza and Faubus Fountain Lake.

Bob’s office is in the Welcome Center, but he often can be found working and greeting visitors at one of the tables in the lobby.

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(Above) Cathy (Flatt ’79) Potts, guest services coordinator, helps direct and welcome visitors.

(Right) The AT&T Theatre provides a state-of-the-art venue for viewing films and other presentations.

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Building helps Admissions put out the welcome mat for visitors Parents bringing their prospective students to campus also will find other important points of connection in the Welcome Center, among them the Office of Alumni Relations, the Development Office and The ACU Foundation. The building emphasizes connection and synergy between departments and offices whose primary goal is to assist alumni, prospective students and other campus visitors.

According to Davis, more than 1,700 families have visited campus so far this year, and many have expressed their enjoyment of the new space.

And after they visit with admissions counselors, the rest of campus is just a short golf cart ride away.

“After so many years in Zellner, we became spoiled with being in the middle of campus. It was nice having short walks to different parts of campus,” says director of admissions Mark Lavender (’92). “However, we have found that our guests really don’t mind walking.

Having carts to shuttle people who might need some assistance has been nice.”

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Until last February, students and parents making a campus visit to ACU had to find their way to Zellner Hall, entering the old parlor of a women’s residence hall converted to house the university’s Welcome Center and the Office of Admissions upstairs. Now, however, they can hardly miss the place they’re supposed to go – or fail to be impressed.

“The Hunter Welcome Center has made quite a difference in making our campus visit experience memorable,” says Whitney (Mann ’08) Davis, campus visits manager. “Visitors now arrive at a first-class facility with a lot of space to utilize.” Between appointments, departmental visits and other events, Davis adds, visitors can “grab a cup of coffee at Starbucks, right outside the admissions office, and enjoy the view of the Labyrinth, Rich Welcome Plaza and Faubus Fountain Lake.”

“I hope every guest who enters our building will immediately feel at home,” says guest services coordinator Cathy (Flatt ’79) Potts, whose desk sits in the Welcome Center’s spacious lobby. “I have the unique opportunity to be the first point of contact for our guests – welcoming them and providing valuable information about our campus and our city.

The location and space enable us to offer a unique and memorable experience for all of our guests and for the Abilene community.”

An updated and expanded historical timeline – viewed here by ACU president Dr. Royce Money (’64) and his wife, Pam (Handy ’65), in 2005 during the Centennial – has a new home in the Welcome Center, as seen below in the hall outside the McCaleb Conference Center. The building’s main hall provides ample space for prospective students and parents to talk with admissions staff during a recent visit event. Visitors can catch a ride outside the Welcome Center on golf carts and trams to other locations around campus.

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(Below) Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64) and his group of Lynay students use their new space in the Center for Building Community’s classroom to hear from speakers such as Navajo Nation president Dr. Joe Shirley Jr. (’73).

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Two gathering places reflect McCaleb’s passion for community

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Two different areas in the Welcome Center bear the name of Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64), vice president of the university and director of the Center for Building Community. The first “just has my name on it,” he says with a smile: it is the McCaleb Conference Center, named for him and his wife, Sylvia (Ravanelli ’67).

The 7,760-square-foot facility can be used in its entirety or divided into three rooms, each with a high-definition projector, screen and sound system. The area is adjacent to a full commercial kitchen and has hosted more than 75 events since the building’s dedication in February. Some of these, according to Jennifer Ellison (’04), director of events, have been the teacher education department’s Morlan Medal dinner, Presidential Scholars luncheons, a Board of Trustees dinner, Golden Anniversary Reunion meals and activities, and evening Chapel Forums. Off-campus clients have included the United Way, Abilene Christian Schools and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

“When the Hilton Room in the McGlothlin Campus Center was remodeled into the Hilton Food Court, the campus lost an event space to accommodate medium-sized groups,” says Ellison. “The conference center has in a way compensated for that loss. We now have a state-of-the-art facility to host an array of events.”

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(Above and bottom right) The McCaleb Conference Center is one of Abilene’s most elegant meeting venues.

McCaleb can usually be found upstairs, in the Center for Building Community, which he founded in 1999 at the end of his nine-year tenure as mayor of Abilene. The multi-faceted center encompasses McCaleb’s speaking engagements, writing and consulting work with other cities, and an unusual word now well-known on campus: Lynay.

“I tell the students that you have to build community here, because you can’t find a majority of people who are like you,” McCaleb says. Lynay comprises 200 students from all classes, majors, backgrounds and ethnicities, who meet together once a week to talk about building community and put it into practice.

“Our goal is to develop people who can go out and build community wherever they are,” McCaleb says. “We’re focused on building unity out of diversity.” Once or twice a year, the students meet with speakers such as Rex Tillerson, chairman and CEO of ExxonMobil Corporation, and Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister of Pakistan.

Even the walls in the Center reflect its emphasis – they feature a collection of drawings, blueprints and artistic renderings of cities around the world, from Mount Sinai to Oxford and Quebec to Fredericksburg.

“The Welcome Center has really given us a home,” says McCaleb. “We’d been borrowing space for 10 years.

Now we really have a place our students can come and know that this is their space.”

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Tim Johnston (’80), executive director of the Career Center, gives advice to one of many students seeking wise counsel on career plans, networking and interviewing skills.

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(Top left) Dr. Bruce Evans (’59), Chris Sargent (’01), Debbie Stewart, Dan Garrett (’73) and Marilyn Tittle of The ACU Foundation meet in the Garrett Conference Room.

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(Top right) Larry Musick (’84), Grant Boone (’91), Samantha (Bickett ’01) Adkins and Jama (Fry ’97) Cadle of the Alumni Relations office meet in the Alumni Conference Room.

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Welcome Center unites vital services for students, alumni, donors Aside from its function as a beautiful front door to campus, the Hunter Welcome Center brings together several offices whose primary function is to assist campus visitors, be they alumni, prospective students, members of the Abilene community, or others interested in ACU. The Office of Alumni Relations, The ACU Foundation, the Development Office, Investment Services and the Career Center are all enjoying their new visibility – and the convenience of having their teammates nearby.

“The section of the HWC where the alumni offices are located is perfect in every way possible,” says Larry Musick (’84), director of alumni relations and university events. “We’re in a corner of the building near three of the groups we interact with on a regular basis, and on the second floor above three other teams.”

“We are so blessed to have this beautiful new building,” agrees Samantha (Bickett ’01) Adkins, senior alumni relations officer. “The traffic through our office has increased significantly since we moved in.

The Welcome Center just makes people feel like they’ve arrived somewhere very special. We’re seeing so many more people than we ever imagined.”

Previously located in the Moore House just off the main campus, Adkins and her colleagues often struggled with directing people to their offices.

“Alumni were uncertain what they were going to get when they entered an old home turned into an office,” Adkins says. “They were surprised to find a lovely office, but it was hard to get people to come in sometimes. We’ve always worked together with others, but now being so close to the Career Center, Admissions and The ACU Foundation, we really see those relationships broadening. The Welcome Center has become our home away from home

and the people working here our extended family members. The synergy is fantastic!”

Tim Johnston (’80), executive director of the Career Center, agrees. “The opportunity to regularly interface with colleagues who are focused on relationships with our alumni has sparked some new actions,” he says, citing networking events in five major Texas cities this summer. The Career Center includes three interview rooms and a conference room, and, Johnston adds, employers who come to campus appreciate the ease of finding parking – a rarity on crowded college campuses.

Since the move, the Career Center has hosted a career fair, several question-and-answer sessions with ACU alumni about their respective careers, and a Careers in Marketing Day hosted by two alums, which explored the different career paths available in business and marketing fields.

On the west end of the Welcome Center, the Development Office, The ACU Foundation and Investment Services are enjoying similar benefits in their new space. The Welcome Center’s visibility solves the problem of giving complicated directions to their offices. Just off the Welcome Center’s main hallway, which features comfortable seating and several exhibits about ACU’s history, some of the university’s best financial minds are enjoying their spacious new digs.

Dr. Bruce Evans (’59), executive director of The ACU Foundation, says, “The facility reflects well the professionalism and commitment to excellence embodied in the mission and activities of each area.”

“We’re in the optimum location to assist alumni, prospective students and their families, donors and other university stakeholders,” Musick says.

His colleagues, in their respective offices, would surely agree.

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The open design of offices invites interaction and conversation between students, alumni and campus visitors, as seen in this lobby shared by the Development Office and The ACU Foundation.

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The Labyrinth provides a place of contemplation and an opportunity to reflect on Christian history.

(Below) The Rich Welcome Plaza gives visitors a peaceful view of the Labyrinth and Faubus Fountain Lake, which changes dynamically from day to night.

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Labyrinth, Welcome Plaza and Faubus Fountain Lake are easy on the eye, good for the soul

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Visitors approaching ACU from Judge Ely Boulevard can enjoy a sense of peace and hospitality even before stepping inside the Welcome Center. The area comprising the Rich Welcome Plaza, the Labyrinth and the Faubus Fountain Lake provides a warm welcome and a peaceful spot for contemplation. “It is like an oasis in a dry climate,” says Phil Boone (’83), assistant vice president for development. “The lake brings an on-campus feeling of tranquility, contemplation, fun and life.”

Named for Abilene Christian business patriarch Dr. A. Overton Faubus (who chaired the College of Business Administration, then the Department of Business, from 1963-80), the lake and fountain were funded by brothers Johnny (’68) and Jack Stites (’71) of Cookeville, Tenn., who wanted to honor Faubus’ influence on their lives and the lives of so many others.

The Labyrinth and Rich Welcome Plaza honor Kenneth (’50) and Virginia (Sheerer ’48) Rich, parents of Jack Rich (’76), chief investment officer. “ACU has always been a special place for my parents and our whole family,” Rich says.

Dr. Jan Meyer (’87), director of student leadership development and then director of camps, had the original idea for a labyrinth. “She wanted a labyrinth that could be used by campers in spiritual formation activities,” Rich says. “We had designed it into several locations, but it just never worked out.”

When the Welcome Center design plans were underway, Rich was looking for a way to honor his parents, and, as he puts it, “the desire to honor our parents and the desire to find a location for another spiritual place on campus came together in a great way.”

The Labyrinth’s design is modeled after one at a cathedral in Chartres, France, built around A.D. 1200. About 40 feet in diameter, it contains 213.3 yards of paths, which are surrounded by 12 etchings in the flagstone walkway beneath the Welcome Plaza’s wooden trellis. Each etching uses an image common in early Christian art, ranging from the familiar ichthus and dove to more detailed depictions of anchors, the Good Shepherd and a praying figure.

Several ACU professors, including Dr. Jeff Childers (’89), associate professor of Bible; Jack Maxwell (’78), professor of art and chair of the Department of Art and Design; and Nil Santana (M.S. ’00), instructor of art, were extensively involved in developing the art, researching the symbols and scriptures used, One of the Rich Welcome Plaza’s 12 etchings of Christian art is and carving the etchings and lettering. Their titled “Seberus Christogram” and was inspired by a mark found work, Rich adds, “makes this place truly special” in the Roman catacombs. for students, alumni and visitors alike.

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Lifeline

An Educator’s

ACU’s innovative Summer Institute for Beginning Teachers nurtures young alums, keeps education department’s reputation at the top of the class B y r o b i n s ay l o r

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llison Barnett (’05) was ready to throw in the towel after her first year of teaching “at-risk” youngsters in the Waco Independent School District.

“I had no clue what I was doing. I felt like I was in way over my head,” she recalls.

And that feeling surprised her. “All through college, I thought I was cut out to be a teacher. My mom was a teacher. I’ve always loved working with kids. I thought it would come naturally – and it didn’t.”

Fortunately for Barnett, she found a resource most of her peers do not have – ACU’s Summer Institute for Beginning Teachers.

Barnett was not alone in her experience.

Most beginning teachers feel frustrated, isolated and overwhelmed, says Dr. Dana (Kennamer ’81) Hood, associate professor and chair of ACU’s Department of Teacher Education. Not surprisingly, the attrition rate for novice teachers is high.

The National Commission on Teaching and America’s Future estimates that one of every three new teachers leaves the

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Tara (Conder ’04) Rich and Dr. Dana (Kennamer ’81) Hood visit on campus during the summer institute.

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profession in the first three years, and 46 percent are gone within five years.

This loss of talent costs the nation’s public school districts more than $7.3 billion a year in recruiting and training expenses, says a 2007 report by the nonprofit research advocacy group.

Launched in 2007, ACU’s Summer Institute for Beginning Teachers is designed to provide extra mentoring and support for alumni teachers during those critical first five years. It’s free and open only to Abilene Christian graduates.

Barnett attended ACU’s first summer institute. “I remember standing in the hall with Dana [Hood] and going, ‘Is it supposed to be this difficult?

Am I supposed to struggle? Am I supposed to cry?’ And Dana said, ‘Absolutely – the first year is very hard.’”

Barnett spent the next two days connecting with other beginning teachers, sharing her struggles with ACU faculty, and attending sessions on such varied topics as conflict resolution, classroom management and teaching methodologies.

In the fall, Barnett returned to her job

refreshed, armed with new classroom strategies, innovative teaching techniques and a revived spirit. She has now finished her third year at Waco ISD and realizes she was right all along – she is cut out to be a teacher.

The high fallout rate of teachers can be traced to a number of factors, says Hood.

For instance, beginning teachers often are given the most difficult teaching assignments. “They are frequently hired at the last minute, and they get the students who enrolled late, which makes for a particular kind of dynamic,” Hood says.

These new teachers assume the same responsibilities as 20-year veterans, but without the practical experience to handle such challenges as managing classroom behavior and dealing with parents.

At the same time, Hood notes, diversity in the population is greater than ever.

“In a single classroom, a teacher has the child with giftedness, the English language learner, the child with autism, and the child with attention deficits or emotional challenges,” Hood says. That poses a challenge for even the most experienced

“I can identify an ACU graduate every time just by the interview.

They are so much better prepared than any other applicant that comes in. … Without fail, they are the most qualified applicants I’ve ever had, and they are the most successful off-the-bat classroom teachers.”

– CHERYL CUNNINGHAM

Director of Early Childhood Programs Abilene Independent School District

Well-prepared, well-adjusted teachers create engaging classrooms and happy students who love to learn.

Fabiola Leon (’08) teaches first grade in the Plano ISD.

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Teachers spend three days back on campus to relax, recharge and remind themselves why they chose their profession.

(Clockwise, from left) Kristin Turner (’05); Casey (Lewis ’07) Orr; and Mitzi (James ’81) Adams and Laura (Patterson ’06) Cunningham

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teachers, but for the beginning teacher it can be particularly daunting.

Add to that the built-in isolation of teachers sequestered in individual classrooms, and the frustration is easy to understand.

In Barnett’s case, her first assignment was an “inclusion” class of first-graders, which meant half her students required special education. She wasn’t certified in special education, so although her school district paid for the certification, she was left feeling unprepared for the day-to-day challenges.

Similarly, Tara (Conder ’04) Rich found the ethnic and economic diversity in her pre-kindergarten classroom startling. Rich, who has attended two summer institutes, teaches children identified as “at risk” by Kennedale ISD. Few of her students speak English as their primary language, and in a single classroom she had students who spoke Vietnamese, Arabic and Swahili.

Her classroom also typically contains homeless children, foster children and lower-income students.

“So I not only have cultures with the different languages, but even among the American culture I have a very diverse group of people,” she says. “That’s been really eye-opening and sometimes hard to deal with.”

Other teachers miss the feedback they experienced during their college years.

“When I was student teaching, the teacher would be in and out of the classroom. She would be able to encourage me, give me advice, tell me I did something really well or that I needed to work on something,” says Emily (Spurlock ’08) 18

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Barnes, a first-year teacher for Addison ISD. “Now, being the teacher, there’s no one to do that. Just not having that feedback was really hard at first. I needed that more than I thought.”

Shannon Lair (’08), who just completed her first year at Kigali International Community School in Rwanda, Africa, experienced a similar lack of feedback.

“I felt like an island,” she says. She was the only first-grade teacher at her school and the only teacher in the region using an American-style curriculum, which she had to create herself. “There weren’t even teachers at other schools I could connect with,” she says.

Teaching an unfamiliar grade level can also throw a curve to a beginning teacher.

Laura (Patterson ’06) Cunningham found herself teaching fourth-graders for Abilene ISD, despite the fact she had trained in early childhood and had planned to teach kindergarten or first grade. Fourth-graders must pass the TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills) to be promoted to the next grade.

“I never had to prepare kids for that before. So I felt a lot of pressure there,” she recalls. “My husband would tell you that I cried a lot. But I definitely feel like God grew me throughout that whole situation. “ Cunningham, who has attended ACU’s institute all three summers, has found encouragement each year, and this year enjoyed the role of mentoring some of the first-year teachers. “This year we got to share our experience. We kept saying ‘We’re the veterans now,’” she says jokingly.

Although their classroom challenges were

vastly different, each of these teachers found the same thing at ACU’s summer institute – the value of sharing their experiences with colleagues who have walked in their shoes.

“The institute is a great way to get to exchange stories with people who share the same goal as Christians,” Rich says.

Lair agrees. “Just coming back here helps me feel connected. It’s so helpful to bounce ideas off of people. As a first-year teacher you wonder, am I doing a good job?”

The emotional support at the institute can be a lifeline to teachers like Barnett who are struggling with whether they can even make it through those first difficult years.

They are in “survival mode,” says Hood.

“What they get here is spiritual and emotional nurturing. They come back.

We affirm them. They know us, so it is authentic.”

Beyond the emotional support, the summer institute provides rich resources for professional development. This year, the hot topic was literacy training, says Hood. Other topics have included gifted students, children with special needs, math instruction and classroom management.

In addition, the beginning teachers are trained each year in conflict resolution, an important skill in and out of the classroom.

Hood notes that teachers have up to 10,000 interactions a day – with students, other teachers, administrators, classroom aides and parents. “Each of these requires the teacher to respond quickly and appropriately,” she says. And the potential for conflict is ever-present.

“It’s been a really important piece for them to think about – how do I typically

respond to conflict and is that the best way?” says Hood. “They reflect back on the conflict they’ve encountered in their one to two years of teaching and are able to think about how they can handle it differently next time.”

Dr. Matthew Dodd (’98), assistant professor of conflict resolution at ACU, has taught at the teacher institute since its inception. “Conflict resolution is really about being a peacemaker,” he notes.

“At ACU, we focus on the peace that comes through a relationship with Christ and the effect that has on how we interact with others.”

During the workshop, Dodd helps teachers identify their styles of conflict and use that insight in their daily interactions.

Dodd believes the summer institute is “a shining example of academic excellence and Christian leadership” at ACU. “Beyond the fact that it is a creative way to support teachers and the field of teaching, it creates a community to which these teachers belong – a place to find support, a place to ask questions, and a place to observe and practice Christian leadership even in environments where ‘Christian’ is not allowed,” he says.

As an added benefit, teachers can meet half of a state professional development requirement if they attend the institute for five years. The state of Texas requires 150 hours of professional development during a teacher’s first five years. Attendance at the summer institute for five years will account for 75 of those hours free of charge.

While teachers have other opportunities for professional development, few venues allow for the depth of relationships that develop during ACU’s summer institute.

“It’s a time for that nurturing, mentoring relationship. I think that is the different piece of this professional development,” Hood says. “It’s not just that you’re getting great ideas and strategies. But it’s a safe place to ask questions and to share your victories and your failures.”

Some of the relationships sown at the institute grow far beyond the borders of the ACU campus.

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Amy Whittenberg (’08) and Hood

During the most recent institute, Shannon Lair met fellow teacher Tara Rich for the first time, and they struck an immediate friendship. The two now plan to connect their Rwandan and Texan students next year for a multicultural experience.

“It will be so great,” first-year teacher Lair says. “I will be able to learn from her and get resources from her and stay connected with someone throughout the time. And her students will be able to learn about another culture authentically.”

Third-year teacher Rich is equally enthusiastic. “We’ll be able to show the students very different cultures and help broaden their view of the world,” she says.

“Their world is so little, because they are so little. It would be such an experience for them.”

In Barnett’s case, she met ACU faculty member Dennis Cavitt for the first time at the 2007 institute. Cavitt, an instructor in special education, helped Barnett process her difficult first year and has continued to be an invaluable resource.

As a Christian educator, Cavitt “was able to bring a slant to it that I would never have gotten at a public school,” Barnett says.

“He was able to explain, ‘Here’s why we do this, here’s why the state says we have to do this, and here’s the scripture why. And here’s how you love your kids through this situation, and here’s how you show them Jesus when they’re hurting.’ ” Barnett has emailed Cavitt for advice several times over the past two years.

“I met him once at the institute, and he’s continued to support me. He’s been fabulous,” she says.

ACU’s Hood has relished watching the institute evolve, as first-year teachers have turned into second- and third-year teachers.

The first year, participants just wanted to process their year, Hood says. “They didn’t know what questions to ask. They just wanted to talk about things that had happened. When they came back the second year, it was different. They came in and said, ‘I have some questions. I have a child who does this. What should I do?’

“And now this third year they are here, they don’t just have questions, they have information for each other in a really different kind of way,” Hood says. “They have been sharing their expertise now. And it’s been really fun watching them become colleagues sharing with each other.”

Offerings such as the summer institute set ACU’s teacher education department apart from other universities, and that fact is not lost on professionals in charge of hiring for school districts.

Cheryl Cunningham, director of early childhood programs at Abilene ISD, has been hiring teachers for more than 20 years.

“I can identify an ACU graduate every time just by the interview,” she says. “They are so much better prepared than any other

TEACHER EDUCATION AT A GLANCE • Majors offered: Elementary School, Middle School, High School, All Levels, English as a Second Language, Special Education • Types of teacher certification offered: 22 • Pass rates the last three years by ACU Students on Texas Examination for Education Standards (TExES) exams: 2006, 98.1%; 2007, 100%; and 2008, 100% • Students majoring in teacher education in 2008-09: More than 300, with about 600 working toward teacher certification • Combined years of faculty experience: 158

applicant that comes in. I can ask questions about theory, and they can answer them.

I can ask questions about classroom management or setup or curriculum, and they can answer them. Without fail, they are the most qualified applicants I’ve ever had, and they are the most successful off-the-bat classroom teachers.”

Fabiola Leon (’08) found as an ACU graduate that she had several choices when it came to her first job. “I actually had options and was able to pick what I personally wanted,” she said. “That was truly a blessing.”

She took a job teaching first-graders at Plano ISD. Though she faced the trepidation of most first-year teachers, she had an underlying confidence that she would succeed.

“I was terrified, but I still felt confident that ACU had prepared me,” she says.

“The faculty had guided me all the way to the top and left me at the top of the mountain.

But I was ready to be at the top of the mountain. That felt really good.”

The unique opportunities afforded by the summer institute are not lost on ACU’s teacher alumni.

“To me, it’s really special that my university has something for the alumni teachers,” says Kristen Turner (’05), kindergarten teacher for Lewisville ISD and third-year participant in the institute.

“When I was telling the team I work with that I was getting to come back to where I went to school and that they put this on for the alumni, everybody just thought that was the neatest thing. I know it’s really rare for a university to put so much effort into their alumni for a specific department.”

Lair echoes those sentiments: “It is really amazing that they would bring us back and feed us and pay for our hotel and give us professional development,” she says.

That, says Lair, shows how much ACU values the long-term success of its teacher graduates. “It’s not just ‘let’s get you graduated with whatever credentials you need and get you a job,’ ” she says.

“Our continued success and development as educators is really the goal.”䊱

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ACU’s increasing number of high-ability students thrive in challenging Honors College environment B y k at i e n o a h g i b s o n

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(Above, from left) Dr. Chris Willerton is dean of the Honors College; senior Lydia Melby documents her Maymester trip to Boston; senior Nathan Pickle and Dr. Ken Cukrowski discuss history in a cemetery; Tower Bridge in London spans the Thames River,;and Dr. Stephen Johnson teaches an Honors Core class. (Background) Edinburgh Castle in Scotland, where Study Abroad students visit each semester.

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t doesn’t take long to convince Megan Faver of the value of an Honors College education.

“The Honors College has been a place for me to grow intellectually throughout my time at ACU,” says Faver, senior English major from Lufkin. She ticks off a long list of benefits: classes with exceptional professors; relationships with other students who are serious about academics and willing to engage in discussions; and academic opportunities such as presenting research at conferences and traveling to Boston for two weeks with a group of other Honors students.

“I’m grateful for the ways the Honors College has pushed me and helped me grow as a student,” Faver says. “I would recommend it to anyone looking for a challenging, but incredibly gratifying, academic experience while they are at ACU.” “The Honors College is vital to ACU’s 21st Century Vision,” says Dr. Chris Willerton, professor of English and dean of the Honors College. “It will continue to be a powerful factor in recruiting and retaining high-ability, high-expectation students.”

“We’re implementing the 21st Century Vision in every aspect,” agrees Kris Evans, director of strategic marketing. “This is a fresh start that allowed us to re-imagine what can be done with Honors students.”

Since its inception in 1984, Willerton has served as director of ACU’s Honors Program, which boasts more than 1,000 alumni over

the past 25 years. In Fall 2008, the program became the Honors College, gaining – among other things – more funding, more prestige and more ways to make a difference in students’ education.

Research, In and Out of the Classroom At the end of the first year of its five-year phase-in, the Honors College has already dramatically expanded its offerings to students.

This year, it gave research grants to 17 ACU professors, who then hired Honors students as research assistants. The professors enjoyed the presence of a high-caliber research assistant. The students, in their turn, profited from the experience of doing scholarly research and being mentored by a professor in their chosen field.

“Research invariably leads to a better understanding of, and a deeper appreciation for, the discipline under investigation,” says Dr. Greg Powell (’80), professor of chemistry and director of the new Office of Undergraduate Research. “For example, a student may not fully comprehend what a historian does until he or she gets involved in a history research project and has to think and write like a historian. Many research projects end up being interdisciplinary in scope, and thus result in the gaining of knowledge outside of one’s major area of emphasis. Undergraduates’ career goals are usually either solidified or modified after they participate in research.”

Powell believes the mentor-student relationship provides great gains for both parties involved. “Students benefit from the wisdom, knowledge and experience of a mentor, while faculty members benefit from the questions students ask, the discoveries they make, and the energy they bring to the project,” he says.

In April, the Honors College, along with the Adams Center for Teaching and Learning and several other on-campus organizations, organized the university’s first Undergraduate Research Festival (see story on page 33). The event included presentations from 75 students across departments and disciplines, and helped to “build a sense of research community,” says Dr. Autumn Sutherlin, assistant professor of chemistry, who chaired the contest.

Events such as the research festival “allow students to see what their colleagues are doing,” says Sutherlin. “It also allows the faculty to see the many different areas where research is happening on the ACU campus. And it gives students practical experience at presenting in a conference setting.”

Honors students have presented at honors conferences in various locations for many years, including the annual Great Plains Honors Council, which ACU hosted in 2008, and the National Collegiate Honors Council. The organizers of the Undergraduate Research Festival hope that, like the GPHC, it will become an annual fixture and an important venue for presenting original research that encourages students to stretch themselves.

“What better place to allow people to see what ACU students do outside the classroom?” asks Evans. “ACU has been doing undergraduate research for years. We just never built an opportunity to showcase that on campus, or to the community.”

Asking Questions Together “Honors courses tend to be more interdisciplinary in nature than other courses,” says Bethany Scroggins (’06), recruiter and programming director for the Honors College. “They tend to ask questions that aren’t answered easily. They’re more about exploration and discovery, and less about memorizing and answering questions on a test. Students in Honors courses tend to be the type who like to participate in discussion.”

The Honors College has been piloting ACU’s new interdisciplinary Core classes, to be implemented across the university in Fall 2010. The new core features courses team-taught by two or three professors from different departments, who seek to make connections across the disciplines and encourage their students to do the same.

“The Honors College was the logical choice to run pilot versions of new Core classes,” says Willerton. “It has specialized in

cross-disciplinary courses for years – Honors Humanities, Honors Seminar in Fine Arts, dozens of different Honors Colloquia.” Adds Scroggins, herself an Honors alum, “The classes were and are the highlight of the Honors College. It is important to find those students who are scholars at heart and give them an opportunity to embrace that side of themselves, an opportunity to grow and be challenged academically, not just to have the regular courses.”

To graduate from the Honors College, students must take 30 hours of Honors coursework during their time at ACU. The 30 hours must include a capstone, an independent research project in the student’s major, mentored by a committee of faculty members.

(Taking 18 hours of Honors courses results in an Honors associate award.) In addition to the new Core classes, Honors courses come in several different “flavors”: Honors versions of compulsory classes, such as the four semesters of Bible required of every ACU student; Honors contract options for classes in the student’s major area; and Honors-only classes, such as Honors Humanities and upper-level colloquia. The humanities class attempts to draw together literature, art, history and philosophy, fulfilling either a history or a literature credit. The colloquia, however, draw together students of different majors to focus on a specific subject relevant to professors’ experience and students’ interest. Popular past colloquia have included “Leonardo da Vinci,” “The Human Person and Identity,” and even “Vampires: Culture, Film and Fable.” The intensive 1-hour seminars exemplify what Willerton calls “integrative academic training tailored to high-ability students” – what the Honors College seeks to offer.

Seeing the World: Study Abroad and Study America “We strongly encourage our students to study abroad – we wish we could require it,” Scroggins says with a laugh. While that day is perhaps far off, the Honors College is helping students make their dreams of travel come true, with grants of up to $1,000 available to Honors students spending a semester in Oxford, England, or Montevideo, Uruguay.

Students participating in other programs through the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU) also can apply for travel grants; Kelsey Young, senior chemistry major from Bend, Ore., spent this summer in Pisa, Italy, doing an independent chemistry research internship. “That,” says Scroggins of Kelsey’s work, “is exactly the The University kind of thing we want to support.”

Church of St. Mary During Maymester this spring, the Virgin in the Honors College took the idea Oxford, England of studying abroad and spun it a bit differently – into Study America, a trip that took 15 students and their three sponsors to Boston, Mass., for two weeks of sightseeing, visiting museums, and exploring the city’s different ethnic neighborhoods.

The students earned credit for a 1-hour Honors Colloquium, and had class sessions before and after the trip that included reading, discussions and film – but once they arrived in Boston, the classroom was literally all around them.

While in Boston, the students read classic New England literature, including works by Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Henry David Thoreau and Mary Baker Eddy, and visited ACU TODAY

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to speak at ACU’s Summit. “We’re trying to get our students in front Walden Pond, Amherst and Concord. They walked through several of key leaders,” says Evans. “We want them to be able to interact museums and toured Harvard University, but also found time to with these people and ask them questions.” enjoy a bowl of clam chowder at Quincy Market, make a few dozen “Honors programs also promote humility,” laughs Willerton. trips to Dunkin’ Donuts, visit the New England Aquarium and He notes that students’ perceptions of themselves and the world attend a Red Sox game. change drastically “after a few months of class discussions with “I love the historical significance of so many places we got to others as smart as they are.” visit in Boston,” says Marissa Walker, senior physics major from Since it became a college, the program’s increased funding has Abilene. “It was like walking through pieces of history without also allowed it to subsidize shorter, more local trips and experiences having to read a textbook.” for students during the year. In November 2008, 13 students Nicole Garcia, senior international studies major from traveled to Dallas to see the exhibit “Tutankhamun and the Golden San Antonio, agrees. “Each day in Boston I was able to see a Age of the Pharaohs” at the Dallas Museum of Art, and in February new part of the city and the culture that surrounds it. It was such a 2009, a group of more than 20 students saw the opera Carmen at great experience to be surrounded by a place that boasts such a rich Abilene’s Paramount Theatre. history that has deeply affected all “We’re striving to provide U.S. citizens.” a more well-rounded education “We want people to get through the Honors College,” outside of the classroom and to Evans says. “This includes a lot see the world, but also to think of opportunities that aren’t deeply about where they are and available to any other student.” to think deeply about these questions of culture and place and identity,” says Scroggins, who Looking Ahead accompanied the students on Though the Honors College the trip. “We really emphasize looks quite different than it did experiential learning – these a year ago, the transformation is kinds of trips fit right in.” by no means finished. Faculty Dr. Ken Cukrowski (’84), and staff members speak professor of New Testament and enthusiastically about future associate dean of the Graduate plans, including the creation of School of Theology, and his wife, an Honors Alumni Association to Karen (LeCroy ’84), led this year’s establish a network to assist trip to Boston. “It was a delight current and past Honors students, to be with such intelligent and and collaboration with the Office inquisitive people,” he says of the Honors English professor Dr. Steven Moore of Undergraduate Research, Honors students. “The syllabus meets with a student in his office. directed by Powell and located in was just the start of their learning; Zellner Hall near the Honors they were always going beyond it College. Willerton also has high HONORS COLLEGE AT A GLANCE in various ways.” hopes for an office to aid students Future Study America • Current students active in the Honors College: 456 in preparing and competing for trips will feature a different U.S. • Entrance requirements: Earn a 1210 on the SAT or a 27 on the ACT, prestigious scholarships and location each year, guided by as well as meet other academic requirements. fellowships, such as Marshall, ACU faculty members whose • Continuing eligibility requirements: Honors College students must Rhodes,Truman and Goldwater. interests and experience fit maintain a GPA of 3.2 their freshman year, with the required GPA rising .1 The college will add an advisor each year after that. (Graduating seniors must have at least a 3.5.) well with the location and its for scholarships and fellowships, attractions.

• Faculty: In Fall 2009, 24 professors will teach 27 Honors classes for ACU. providing more resources for • Alumni: 1,053 in the past 25 years. bright students to compete Building Community for top awards.

The Honors College also is Beginning this fall, the Honors part of an informal network with Honors programs at other schools College’s new quarters in Zellner Hall will provide students with in the CCCU, and in the Lilly Network of Schools and Colleges. a commons area where they can gather to study, attend Honors “Christianity has a vast intellectual heritage, and it also places a great events or just hang out together. The college already sponsors priority on helping students develop their beliefs about vocation and weekly, monthly and annual events as a way to build community servanthood,” says Willerton. He believes both components are vital among its members. These frequent events include Honors Chapel, to Christian higher education. In addition to its mission of providing featuring a different speaker each week, and Deep Dish Philosophy academic challenges and opportunities for its students, the Honors nights, where students can gather with professors for pizza and a College also seeks to fulfill ACU’s mission of educating students for roundtable discussion on philosophical issues.

Christian service and leadership throughout the world.

Annual Honors College-sponsored events, some launched for “No one program can be responsible for ACU’s overall prestige the first time this year, include the Undergraduate Research Festival; or overall recruiting success,” says Willerton. “The Honors College a murder mystery dinner event (with an original script written, emphasizes synergy with programs and departments. Hundreds of produced and acted by ACU students); a masquerade event at the students come to ACU for its pre-med curriculum, for instance, but Abilene Zoo; a book drive in collaboration with Better World Books, not in isolation. They expect it to be part of a high-quality package. which raised funds for the college in 2009; and at least one other The Honors College is part of a constellation of programs that service project per semester. make ACU professionally and academically prestigious.”

The college also is sponsoring luncheons and dinners with If that’s the case, then this star in the firmament just special speakers on campus, such as Dr. Shaun Casey (’79), Sam became a lot brighter. 䊱 Solomon and Kathleen Norris, who will be on campus in September

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Dust off your boots and saddle up the Mustang (or whatever you drive) for a Texas-style Homecoming!

ACU Homecoming 2009 promises a Texas-size good time for future students, current students and alumni alike.

Celebrating Texas culture, events and activities will have a Texas flair – from Willie the Wildcat in Texas duds to Texas-themed floats in the Saturday morning parade.

Beginning with the Gutenberg Dinner on Thursday evening and concluding with the final performance Sunday afternoon of the Homecoming musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, the weekend is packed with fun things to do.

You won’t want to miss Chapel, with special Homecoming devotionals planned for both Friday and Saturday.

Friday night fun will begin with the

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carnival and will include inflatable attractions for kids of all ages, some favorite Texas foods and a DJ playing Texas tunes. It’s a great place to grab a bite to eat and catch up with old friends and classmates.

JamFest, a popular Friday night event showcasing student bands, will be staged on the east lawn of the new Hunter Welcome Center.

Other weekend highlights will include the pre-game party, crowning of the Homecoming Queen, cheering on the Big Purple and rooting for the Wildcats against the West Texas A&M Buffaloes.

For those returning for class reunions, Saturday evening will be the culminating event as former classmates relive their days on The Hill and catch up with old friends.

So mark your calendar for Oct. 15-18 as we celebrate – Texas style!

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ACU Homecoming 2009 Register online for reunion dinners, the golf classic and the pre-game party at www.acu.edu/homecoming Reunion years: 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999, 2004 See next page for schedule highlights!

A letter from Tim Yandell, ACU Alumni Association president I love ACU! I began my college career as a freshman at Texas Wesleyan College in Fort Worth. I planned all along to graduate from Wesleyan. My dad had grown up about 20 miles west of Abilene in big Trent, Texas, so spending a good bit of time in West Texas as a child, I was never convinced I needed to be a college student in the Key City.

Until one night in late May or June after my freshman year … I stopped by the home of my good friend Richard Bennett (’86) around 10 p.m. or so. Five hours later I was convinced I would transfer to ACU in the fall.

I’ve never looked back. (Thanks, Richard.) My first night on campus, Richard introduced me to Papa Bear’s Restaurant and several of his friends from his freshman year.

From that first night I knew I was where God wanted me to be …

Abilene was now my home away from Fort Worth.

Prickly Pear and having so many close relationships with professors such as Dr. Charlie Marler (’55), Dr. Merlin Mann (M.A. ’86), Ray Inzer and Pat (White ’59) Varner.

Now 27 later years later, I live in Abilene, I’m married to an Abilene girl, serve as a Frat advisor, work for Big Brothers Big Sisters and really can’t imagine being anywhere else.

I get to be on campus nearly every week for something. Fall is still an exciting time for me each year … especially seeing all the new students on campus.

And, of course, I still enjoy Homecoming. It always takes me back to my time as a student.

I love seeing people I’ve known over the years and making new friends during the weekend.

So I hope, whether you were here for Homecoming last year or you haven’t been back in 30 years, that you’ll plan to join us in Abilene on Oct. 15-18 for more great memories.

– Tim Yandell (’85), President ACU Alumni Association

Each year after summer break I could hardly wait to get back to campus … and Abilene. I loved going to Chapel every day, pledging Frats, going to the Pancake House every Wednesday night after club, Homecoming, writing for the

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THURSDAY OCTOBER 15 Gutenberg Dinner Hunter Welcome Center, 6:30 p.m.

The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication will honor alumni Brittany Huckabee (’99), principal of Version One Productions, Inc., Boston/Washington, D.C.; Cynthia (Patterson ’86) Nellis, editor and publisher, women’s fashion, About.com, part of the New York Times Company; and Skip Dampier (’87), vice president – planning, Rapp Collins Agency, Dallas/Austin.

FRIDAY OCTOBER 16 Wildcat Premiere Weekend Hunter Welcome Center, 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.

Enjoy opportunities to take a guided tour of campus, experience what classes are all about, explore academic programs, find out about the Honors College or traveling with our Study Abroad program, meet current students and faculty, get scholarship and financial aid information, enjoy lunch in the World Famous Bean, experience our exciting and engaging Christian atmosphere and talk with admissions counselors about attending ACU. Homecoming Golf Classic Abilene Country Club, 1 p.m.

Join alumni, students, faculty and friends for some friendly Homecoming golf competition at one of Abilene’s favorite courses. Proceeds from the tournament benefit the Susan Scott Endowed Scholarship for ACU students with disabilities, and the V.W. and Loreta Kelley Scholarship.

Chapel Moody Coliseum, 11 a.m.

Start Homecoming weekend with a praise-filled devotional and presentation of the 2009 Homecoming Court.

Homecoming Carnival Mall area near GATA Fountain, 5-8 p.m.

Students and families will enjoy county fair-type food, music and fun for all ages, including inflatable rides, a petting zoo, face painting and much more.

Wildcat Sports Hall of Fame Celebration & Lettermen’s Reunion Hunter Welcome Center, 6:30 p.m.

Join in celebrating the induction of Tracey Barnes (’98), Delloreen Ennis-London (’99), Vince Jarrett, Jim Reese (’76), Wes Speights, and Jerry Strader (’52) into the 2009-10 Wildcat Sports Hall of Fame.

The 1999 men’s and women’s track and field national championship teams also will be recognized during the festivities. Following the induction ceremony, all Wildcat lettermen from each sport are invited to attend the Lettermen’s Reunion.

JamFest East lawn of the Hunter Welcome Center, 7 p.m.

Student bands will rock the campus in short sets during this popular event.

Bring a lawn chair or blanket and enjoy the live music.

Homecoming Musical: Thoroughly Modern Millie Abilene Civic Center, 8 p.m.

It’s the roaring 1920s, and small-town girl Millie Dillmount arrives in New York to see how the other half lives. What starts out as a bold declaration of her independence quickly turns into a whirlwind of money, romance and kidnapping, complete with tap-dancing stenographers – all leading to a surprise ending that could only happen in NYC! With a full score of jazzy songs and bright dance numbers, Millie took Broadway by storm and won the Tony Award for Best Musical in 2002. Don’t miss this evening of merriment and musical comedy.

SATURDAY OCTOBER 17 Wildcat Premiere Weekend Hunter Welcome Center, 8:30 a.m. - noon Enjoy opportunities to take a guided tour of campus, experience what classes are all about, explore academic programs, find out about the Honors College or traveling with our Study Abroad program, meet current students and faculty, get scholarship and financial aid information, enjoy lunch in the World Famous Bean, experience our exciting and engaging Christian atmosphere and talk with admissions counselors about attending ACU.

Parade Beginning on East North 16th Street at Sikes Hall and ending after Edwards Hall on Campus Court, 9:30 a.m.

See colorful floats, the Big Purple Band and horses, and enjoy music and special guests. Arrive early to get a good viewing spot.

Homecoming Chapel Moody Coliseum, 10:45 a.m.

Be part of the awesome singing and devotional in Moody Coliseum, plus presentation of the 2009 Homecoming and Coming Home Queen Courts.

Pre-Game Party Mall area of campus, noon Avoid the restaurant crowds and grab a hamburger or hot dog before the football game. Meet your friends for lunch on campus!

Wildcat Football: ACU vs. West Texas A&M Shotwell Stadium, 2 p.m.

Wear purple for the battle between the rival Wildcats and the Buffaloes.

Don’t miss halftime featuring the Big Purple Band and crowning of the Homecoming Queen!

Class Reunions Individual information will be mailed to class members and you can check the Web site for more details and to register. Dinners begin at 6 p.m.

The classes of 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999 and 2004 will reunite at various locations for food, stories about the “old” days and the chance to make new memories.

Homecoming Musical: Thoroughly Modern Millie Abilene Civic Center, 8 p.m.

SUNDAY OCTOBER 18 Sunrise Devotional Jacob’s Dream, 6 a.m.

Meet with friends and family at Jacob’s Dream for a sunrise devotional. Rain contingency plan: Chapel on the Hill, 6 a.m.

Homecoming Musical: Thoroughly Modern Millie Abilene Civic Center, 2 p.m.

For the full schedule of events and more details, please visit www.acu.edu/homecoming

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Changing Navigators on ‘The Road Less Traveled’ Dr. Royce Money announces retirement and transition to chancellor in 2010 By ron HADFIELD

T

he President’s Dining Room at ACU doesn’t come alive after sundown, as the American Museum of National History does in Night at the Museum. That’s the 2006 film in which night watchman Larry Daley, played by Ben Stiller, gains a whole new appreciation for people from the past when their wax models begin to interact with and even advise him.

But if such a surrealistic scene unfolded, with Abilene Christian’s first nine presidents stepping out of their respective oil paintings to sit around the walnut table and talk shop over coffee served in china cups, you could count on Dr. Royce Money (’64) to be – in the vernacular of today’s college students – so there.

“I often wished for conversations with my predecessors,” says Money. “I am humbled every time I look up there."

At ACU, only Don H. Morris (’24) has served his alma mater longer than Money as chief executive officer. Morris’ 29 years and Money’s 19 were different eras in many ways, but both saw the university mature exponentially.

Money has actually been in conversation with the Board of Trustees for a year about the method and timing of a transition to retirement, but trustees persuaded him to stay a while longer.

He decided to make it official in mid-May, setting the wheels in motion for the university to seek only the 11th president in its 103-year history.

Money expects ACU’s next president to bring a different skill set to the job than he did in 1991. “But you could say that about every president,” he says, adding that the Board tends to match the challenges of the day with an appropriate individual.

“I am leaving a position that is far more complex politically, legally and from a business standpoint,” he says. “There are more regulations, and stricter laws of compliance. It’s a different climate.”

A 21st-century university president wears many hats. Therefore a broad range of skills is needed, including what he describes as “a familiarity with technology and how it can work for us.”

But few presidents enter office with expertise in all the areas important to the job. He cites his own prior lack of major fund-raising experience, something he had to learn. The man named Money also did not consider himself an expert in complex financial matters, choosing to hire people who were.

Money isn’t necessarily helping write the job description for ACU’s 11th president. He does, however, recognize some key strengths he believes will be prized in the next highly qualified prospect.

• Team-building expertise: This foundational ability is needed to assemble and maintain a team of experts who share a common commitment to ACU’s mission and identity. “I have never been intimidated by surrounding myself with people smarter than I am,” Money says.

• Ability to raise money: Today’s college president must be personally involved in major fund-raising operations to sustain an institution. “You can delegate some of it, but not all of it,” Money says. “It involves people skills, the ability to relate to a variety of people. I was floored regarding how much of my time was spent in fund-raising, one way or the other. It’s the one relentless pressure of the job.”

• Academics: Money says it is imperative that ACU’s new leader have familiarity with or a basic understanding of the teaching and research mission of the university, with experience in higher education, especially Christian higher education. “ACU is first and foremost an academic institution,” he says. “For me, my faculty background was invaluable, because, although it’s an older concept, the university president also can be considered the chief teacher. I like that metaphor.”

• Deep personal faith and great respect for the church: ACU’s president will be expected to have a deep personal spiritual commitment to Jesus. “We also want to honor our religious roots in the Churches of Christ while reaching out to a broader community,” Money says. “They don’t call the Restoration Movement a movement for nothing. I spend a lot of time reading about the early leaders of the Stone-Campbell movement, and how they wrestled with this concept. It can be difficult to find areas of common ground among people who think similarly but not always alike. It can be a fine line to walk at times, but we must seek out common ground with others if we want to move forward.”

• Management experience in previous leadership roles: “This is a tough spot in which to put a rookie without previous expansive responsibilities,” Money says.

• Consensus building and persuasion: To get things done on a day-to-day and strategic basis, the next ACU leader’s skill set must include these two tools. Money cites a Christian university president’s relationship with faculty and churches as areas where a person’s influence and reputation intersect with keen abilities to listen and communicate. * * * For someone easily bored, Money says he has never been such a single day on this job.

“It’s been a most exciting time; there are no two days alike,” he says. “I plan on 50 percent of each day to involve interruptions.

Some thrive on that and some are burdened by it, but you have to quickly adapt and live with the unpredictability of being a university president.”

Money is a peacemaker at heart, a person with years of ministerial experience as well as the skills accompanying his ACU TODAY

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academic training – like his wife, Pam (Handy ’65) – as a marriage and family therapist.

He has sought a presidency with an intentional climate of transparency and openness, taking time to walk the campus to visit with students, staff and faculty in places where they tend to gather, work and relax.

Money helped create a campus intentionally engaged with the culture.

“We don’t pull our robes in or hide our light under a bushel.

We teach students to be engaged in the world, not protected from it, which requires that we teach life skills and critical thinking,” he says. Money is proud of the now steady flow of students, faculty and staff to places such as Honduras, Madagascar, Africa, Russia and China to serve, lead and consult in myriad projects related to ACU’s academic pursuits.

“That’s why excitement and interest in ACU is growing in so many places,” he says. “People want to come to the kind of place Dr. Gary McCaleb (’64) likes to describe as one ‘where you can have your head in the clouds and dream greatly about what you can do with your life, but still have your feet on the ground.’”

The university in Royce Money’s era also has become known as an institution where innovation is valued and encouraged.

“We are blessed with an unusual package of people well grounded in biblical principles, social issues, technology issues and discoveries of all kinds,” he says.

“Becoming a leader in educational innovation is a direction we’ve intentionally set for ourselves and a mindset that I think has become a part of our DNA.” He proudly points to the worldwide acclaim received almost daily from technology industry and higher education experts for ACU’s innovative mobile-learning experience. In Fall 2008, Abilene Christian became the first university to give freshmen iPhones and iPod touches to enhance their academic experience. This fall’s freshman class started receiving their mobile-learning devices in July, long before most start packing for their move to Abilene.

Money is quick to remind others that staying grounded in the weightier matters of life and faith is a challenge when innovation is needed to adapt to a world of rapid change.

“The currents of change are so swift that they tend to uproot the average person or institution,” he says. “We are committed to remaining a meaningful, Christ-centered, faith-based university while being a premier institution of higher learning. It is the road less traveled. It is not a crowded highway.” * * * Money has a sense of humor about his implied legacy, at times telling first-time guests in the elegant President’s Dining Room to not think about “the nine old men up there watching us eat.”

At age 66 – with his graduating class’ Golden Anniversary (50th) Reunion coming in only five years – he is reminded of the extent to which he is now one of them.

For the record, his framed portrait, painted by artist Tony Eubanks in the early 1990s, is downright jovial compared to the serious stares of most of his predecessors.

“Pam wanted a different look, a smile on my face,” he says.

“I told her that wouldn’t look the same as the others, but she said that would be OK. It has me laughing, which is interesting. I’ve laughed a lot in this role, not out of disrespect for it but because of the joy received from a highly satisfying job.”

So who would Money talk to, given the chance at an ACU version of Night at the Museum, among the esteemed gentlemen peering down from the wall at President’s Dining Room guests?

“I would like to have known two or three of them, especially,” he says. “Jesse P. Sewell, for one; I met him once but did not know him. He was a tall fellow, wiry, fiery. In some ways, he was a man ahead of his time. Don H. Morris, for another. He was the president of ACC when I was a student. He was a respected 28

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leader who saw some of the greatest change in ACU’s history.

“Dr. (John C.) Stevens, too,” Money says. “I miss him; we chatted often. One day he came into my office and asked me how long I was going to let him teach in the history department. I said, ‘As long as you can find your classroom.’ He laughed and slapped his knee and said, ‘It’s a deal.’”

Money credits Stevens, who died in 2006, with encouraging him when moments of inevitable criticism cross the desk of the leader of a private Christian university.

“Early in my presidency, I would occasionally get some rough letters from a few people. One day, I was in Dr. John’s office talking to him about it. He listened, then said, ‘If you think those are bad, read these.’” Stevens reached into his desk drawer and showed the surprised new president some of his more memorable written correspondence from constructive critics, saved from a bygone era.

“One absolutely ripped him, even called him a bad name, and was signed, ‘Your brother in Christ,’” Money recalls.

ACU’s 10th president, wisely counseled by its eighth, saw the point. Money, who takes his job seriously, was reminded to take himself not so much.

He and Abilene Christian’s ninth president, chancellor emeritus Dr. William J. Teague (’52), are the institution’s only living current or former CEOs. Although he was slowed by a stroke in 2002, Teague is regularly on campus to watch sporting events, attend chapel and greet friends and visitors.

“I called him the other day,” he says, “to thank him for expressing confidence in me early on,” when Money was teaching in the College of Biblical Studies and leading ACU’s Doctor of Ministry program.

“Bill saw some potential and gave me opportunities I probably didn’t deserve. I will always be grateful to him.”

Money says he still has plenty of work to do before assuming the role of chancellor in mid-2010.

He especially wants to help bring several special projects to maturity. One is a proposed major renovation to the Gibson Health and P.E. Center that would revolutionize the wellness facilities available to students, faculty and staff. Preparation for a comprehensive visit, experienced every 10 years with the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, ACU’s chief accrediting organization, is on the horizon. He also has a keen interest in the possible development of the Zoe Conference and Retreat Center on property about a mile from campus.

And there are more funds to raise, another freshman class to enroll, and another couple of semesters of planned and unplanned experiences before handing the keys to ACU’s engine over to another.

In the meantime, for someone at the wheel of a university on an admittedly uncrowded highway, there is little coasting in this one’s future. 䊱

ROYCE MONEY AT A GLANCE • Family: Married 44 years to Pam (Handy ’65) Money, children Allison (Money ’91) Elliott and Jennifer (Money ’93) Crisp, and five grandchildren • Degrees: Bachelor of Arts (1964) and Master of Divinity (1967) from ACU, Ph.D. (1975) in religion from Baylor University, and M.S. (1982) in human development and the family from the University of Nebraska.

• Books authored: Building Stronger Families: Family Enrichment in the Home, Church and Community (1984), and Ministering to Families: A Positive Plan of Action (1987).

• Notable leadership roles while president: Member of the 44-member NCAA Council, president of the Lone Star Conference, chair of the Abilene Chamber of Commerce, board and campaign chair of United Way of Abilene, chair of Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas, and chair of the Council of Christian Colleges and Universities.

• Notable recognition: Outstanding Citizen of the Year (2007), Abilene Chamber of Commerce

“We are committed to remaining a meaningful, Christ-centered, faith-based university while being a premier institution of higher learning. It is the road less traveled. It is not a crowded highway.”

– DR. ROYCE MONEY

GERALD EWING

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Hilltop VIEW

For the latest, visit www.acu.edu/news www.facebook.com/abilenechristian www.twitter.com/ACUedu

fall we’ll see more support for audio and video creation and publishing.” 䊳

University garners national award from CIO magazine

JASON JONES

CIO magazine has chosen ACU as a recipient of its 2009 CIO 100 award. The annual award honors organizations around the world exemplifying the highest level of operational and strategic excellence in information technology. ACU was one of only six universities named to the list, which includes corporations such as AT&T, Dell, GE Energy, IBM and Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

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iPhones, iPod touches distributed this summer to incoming freshmen for Fall 2009

ACU named to National Service Honor Roll

For the second year, ACU has been recognized for its commitment to service-learning. The 2008 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll, which recognizes colleges and universities supporting innovative and effective community service and service-learning programs, named ACU among the most service-oriented institutions of higher learning in the nation.

“I believe this recognition not only honors our institutional commitment to developing servant leaders, it also honors our students and their desire to make a real difference in the world,” said Nancy Coburn, director of ACU’s Volunteer and Service-Learning Center (VSLC).

The Honor Roll is a part of the Corporation for National and Community Service, which is devoted to helping college students serve others in their communities while strengthening their academic and civic skills.

To learn more about ACU’s VSLC, visit www.acu.edu/campusoffices/vslc. 䊳

Happy 20th to the Alumni Reunion Chorus

Alumni from ACU’s choral ensembles are still making beautiful music.

In July 2009, about 200 members of the Alumni Reunion Chorus will attend the

Wildcat Disc Golf Course opens at Sherrod

ACU’s Sherrod Residential Park has a new neighbor. The Wildcat Disc Golf Course held its grand opening April 28, with a ribbon cutting Jay Reading and free clinic taught

by Jay and Des Reading, course designers and world champion disc golf professionals.

“My vision for the course is for it to serve both the ACU and Abilene community,” said Deonna (Moore ’86) Shake, instructor of exercise science and health at ACU, as well as project director and manager for the course.

“I want it to bless thousands of people each year.”

The nine-hole course, on the Sherrod property at the intersection of Avenue D and Cedar Crest, is free to use and open to the public.

Baptism in the Early Church

The Making of a Catholic President

HISTORY, THEOLOGY AND LITURGY IN THE FIRST FIVE CENTURIES

KENNEDY VS. NIXON 1960

By Dr. Everett Ferguson (’53) ISBN 978-0-8028-2748-7 • 953 pages www.eerdmans.com A detailed exploration of baptism in the first five centuries of the church, emphasizing its centrality and drawing on numerous literary and artistic sources.

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The introduction of ACU’s mobile-learning experience last August began transforming the way students live, work and learn on campus. This fall, another freshman class will participate in mobile learning with their own devices – but they’re getting a head start.

Beginning June 12, new ACU freshmen chose which device they wanted – a 16GB iPhone 3G S or a 16GB iPod touch. After setting up their service plans with AT&T, students received the devices in mid-July, giving them several weeks to become conversant with the devices before they arrive on campus in late August.

Since mobile devices are now an integral part of most students’ everyday lives, “we wanted to shorten the learning curve,” said Corey Patterson (’93), director of enrollment marketing. The new devices also will “highlight the creation and sharing of mobile media, a shift we’re also seeing on campus,” said Dr. Kyle Dickson (’93), associate professor of English and co-director of mobile learning. “Text is no longer the only language informing the conversations in our classes, and this

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20th gathering. The chorus is the largest alumni organization on campus, and has produced 13 recordings to date. It sends out hundreds of albums each year to friends and missionaries around the world, including a CD recorded in January 2009.

In Fall 2007, the chorus presented a check for $15,000 to ACU’s Department of Music. In thanks for the gift – which was used to fund scholarships for six music students – Dr. Michael Scarbrough, director of choral activities, commissioned a new piece based on “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Composed by three ACU music students, the piece premiered at the A Cappella Chorus’ Homecoming concert in October 2008.

To learn more about the Alumni Chorus and purchase CDs, visit www.acu.edu/alumni/Alumni_Chorus.

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By Dr. Shaun Casey (’79) ISBN 978-0195374483 • 272 pages www.oup.com/us Casey examines the way Kennedy’s campaign quieted widespread fears about electing a Catholic leader, tapping into a variety of sources to shed new light on a seminal election in American history.

The likeness of Dr. Grover C. Morlan appears in bronze on the Morlan Medal award, presented annually to a graduate of ACU’s Department of Teacher Education. Morlan chaired the Department of Education from 1934-58, helping expand the program greatly. He also directed the summer school and organized the first Bible Teachers Workshop in 1955.

FilmFest, Sing Song results

ACU’s fifth annual FilmFest competition, “Anonymous,” featured 10 short films and four live performances at the March 20 event. “The Hunger” swept the awards ceremony, winning in six of the 14 categories. The event was co-chaired by senior Jon Davis and sophomore Christina Johnson, and co-hosted by seniors Byron Martin and Jamie Lyn Spires.

On Feb. 20-21, the 53rd annual Sing Song, “Believe,” included a variety of acts from around campus. Winners included Gamma Sigma Phi in the men’s category, Ko Jo Kai in the women’s category, and the sophomores in the mixed voices category.

For the second year, a group of students from the International Students’ Association, Essence of Ebony and Hispanos Unidos competed in the mixed voices category. 䊳

Navajo president among campus speakers

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The percent increase in high school seniors visiting campus in 2009, compared to 2008.

14

The number of students who ran in the White Rock Marathon near Dallas on Dec. 14, 2008, to complete a class requirement. They were enrolled in a distance running course taught by Dr. Odies Wright Jr. (’73), assistant professor of exercise science and health. Wright often joined the students on their training runs and plans to offer the class again in the fall.

$3,000

The value of the Springboard R&D Prize for research with potential for commercial development, presented April 15 at the ACU Undergraduate Research Festival.

Information technology majors Rich Tanner and Jacob Poulette, and computer science majors Chris Booher, Robert Butts and Anthony Malloy shared the honor for “Recreating Solomon’s Temple.”

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The number of students served in the ACU Career Expo, held April 1 in the McCaleb Conference Center. Organized by the College of Business Administration and the ACU Career Center, the event brought more than 20 employers to campus, including Genesis Networks Solutions, Alcatel-Lucent, Bank of America, Condley & Company, Weaver & Tidwell, and PFSweb.

$1.153 million STEVE BUTMAN

• Michael Blanton (’74), a co-founder and partner of Blanton, Harrell, Cooke & Corzine, a Nashville-based entertainment management company, visited campus March 2. Blanton met one-on-one with 10 students who are interested in entertainment and media careers. An informal lunch also was held for a larger group of students and included a Q&A session with Blanton and Steve Green (’77), business manager for best-selling author Max Lucado (’77).

• Randy Brewer (’93), award-winning producer and founder of Revolution

The number of students, faculty, staff and family members who attended the inauguration of Barack Obama as 43rd president of the United States, most as the guests of Rep. Randy Neugebauer (R-Texas).

Pictures in Nashville, Tenn., served for the fourth time as a guest judge for ACU FilmFest. Brewer produced the video for Carrie Underwood’s song, “Before He Cheats,” which was the Academy of Country Music’s 2008 Video of the Year.

• Dr. Joe Shirley (’73), president of the Navajo Nation, spoke in Chapel and in an evening forum entitled “Meet the President” on April 6. Shirley is a social worker by profession and has an extensive career in public service.

• Todd Lollar (’00) spoke at an April 23 Chapel Forum entitled “Living With Disabilities to the Glory of God.” Lollar, a member of The Navigators, travels around the country, giving his testimony and spending time with students on college campuses.

• Dr. James O’Brien, professor of chemistry at Missouri State University, spoke April 13 at ACU’s first Undergraduate Research Festival (see story on page 33).

O’Brien’s lecture on “Mad Hatters” explored the effects of mercury poisoning on workers in the early felt hat industry.

• Dr. Chris Kersey, managing member and partner of Camden Partners, spoke April 25 at the second annual SpringBoard Ideas Challenge (see story on page 32). His topic was “What They Don’t Teach at Harvard About Entrepreneurship.” Kersey holds an MBA from Harvard and an M.D. from Emory University.

University videos now available online

Videos about recent ACU programs and events, including the Connected mobile-learning experience; Body & Soul; Study Abroad; the undergraduate student recruiting film, Exceptional, Innovative, Real; and the 2009 President’s Circle film, The Promise, are now featured online at www.acu.edu/videos. 䊳

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Shirley

Kersey

BRIAN SCHMIDT

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ACU BY THE NUMBERS

The value of U.S. Department of Energy grants awarded to the ACU Department of Physics for its nuclear physics research over the next three years.

Renewal for Mission

Youth Pastor

A CONCISE HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN CHURCHES AND CHURCHES OF CHRIST

THE THEOLOGY AND PRACTICE OF YOUTH MINISTRY

By Drs. Douglas Foster, W. Dennis Helsabeck and Gary Holloway ISBN 978-0-89112534-1 • 173 pages www.leafwoodpublishers.com A brief, compelling history of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement – ideal for those familiar or unfamiliar with this group of churches.

Dr. Houston Heflin (’95) ISBN 978-0-687-65054-5 • 160 pages www.abingdonpress.com A thorough examination of the different roles, pitfalls and joys inherent in “becoming all things” to young people in ministry.

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“I think we’ve awakened a spirit that already existed,” said Dr. Jim Porter, entrepreneur-in-residence at ACU’s College of Business Administration and the author of the SpringBoard Ideas Challenge.

“It’s fun to watch the students and new entrepreneurs get excited about their ideas and their businesses, and see them begin to build.”

Last year’s SpringBoard Challenge welcomed entries from all three private universities in Abilene and awarded $30,000 in prize money. Two of the business plans from that year have already been sold to investors. This year, the competition was opened up to members of the Abilene community, and the prize monies increased to $40,000.

“The Abilene community has been marvelous,” Porter said. “Most of the prize money has come from businesspeople in Abilene. They have been quite generous in supplying those prize funds.”

After receiving 49 entries from area students and faculty members in its first year, this year’s competition consisted of 50 entries, which Porter called “much higher quality” than the 2008 entries.

“That was a thrill,” he said. “We had real business plans of things that were already underway, or that people were serious about getting underway. They were much closer to becoming real businesses. Six of them were even revenue-producing already, with employees and active products.”

According to the competition’s Web site, the purpose of SpringBoard is to “increase the entrepreneurial drive and spirit” in the Abilene community. With such an aim at its heart, Porter said, there

BRIAN SCHMIDT

Dr. Marcus Nelson

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Springboard Challenge expands to include community, awards $40,000 in prize money

Chad Hutchins (’08), Jody Walker (’09) and Melissa Richardson won $7,500 each in the Springboard Ideas Challenge for their business plans.

was a natural linkup between SpringBoard and ACU’s first Undergraduate Research Festival (see story on facing page).

SpringBoard donated $1,000 in prize money to the research festival, $300 of which was used to award the SpringBoard R&D prize, for research with potential commercial development (see photo on facing page). Porter called the collaboration between the two events a “serendipitous improvement.”

“Our nation is really starting to lag on the technology and science front,” said Porter. He added that to see research on scientific and technological fields in the ACU community is “really exciting.”

This year’s SpringBoard winners included Chad Hutchins (’08), who participated in last year’s SpringBoard and is already a founding partner of two online businesses. Other winners were ACU senior Jody Walker and Abilene citizen Melissa Richardson, whose idea dealt with early detection and treatment of Asperger’s syndrome.

“The SpringBoard Challenge has given me more confidence as an entrepreneur,”

Nelson receives Morlan Medal as top educator Dr. Marcus Nelson (’94), assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction in the Judson Independent School District, received this year’s Morlan Medal, presented annually to a graduate of the Department of Teacher Education for excellence in teaching. Nelson is the chief academic officer for his school district’s 22,000 students and 1,400 classroom teachers. He also has served as a fifth-grade teacher, high school math teacher, middle school vice principal, high school assistant principal and director of secondary schools, earning recognition from various media outlets for his innovative leadership.

The Morlan Medal is named for the late Dr. Grover C. Morlan.

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said Hutchins, who in his second year as an entrant appreciated the networking value of the competition. “The exposure to other local entrepreneurs and investors has been unexpected. We've found many prospective clients through the SBC.” “SpringBoard has been a tremendous success in that it has given birth to significant creativity and innovation in our community,” said Dr. Rick Lytle, dean of ACU’s College of Business Administration.

Lytle and Porter talk enthusiastically about ideas for the future, including their hopes that SpringBoard will get, in Porter’s words, “bigger, better and more mature” every year.

Another new initiative geared toward expanding entrepreneurship at ACU is COBA’s new business accelerator, a project of the newly endowed Jack and Ann Griggs Center for Entrepreneurship and Philanthropy. Located in the Moore House at the corner of Washington Boulevard and East North 16th St., the accelerator will host students with business ideas and provide coaching and guidance from Porter and other professional staff.

“We’re matching the two up – entrepreneurship typically leads to philanthropy,” Porter said. “Our new accelerator will be a place where some of these entrepreneurs can work in a favorable environment. ACU is looking forward in its future by providing this.”

“There’s so many students that have an independent, entrepreneurial spirit, but just haven’t had a chance to exercise it. We want to help encourage those who are on the cusp. After all, what is college for but to encourage you to be your very best?”䊱

COBA re-accredited by AACSB International The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) has granted

Students receive kudos in competition among peers Three students from ACU’s Department of Journalism and Mass Communication returned from the Society of Professional Journalists Region 8 Conference in Fort Worth with Mark of Excellence awards. Michael Freeman, a senior, won third place in Breaking News writing. In Feature Writing, senior Kelline Linton won first place, while junior Colter Hettich took third.

Four English majors from ACU garnered awards in creative writing contests this spring. Tifanee Jackson, a junior, earned second place for her poems in The College Language Association creative writing contest. Brent Dill, a junior; Jessica George, a senior; and Danielle Besch, a senior, each earned awards in

UNDERGRADUATERESEARCH

Undergraduate Research Festival highlights student work official re-accreditation to ACU’s College of Business Administration (COBA). Since only five percent of business schools in the world receive this accreditation, Abilene Christian is in highly honored company.

“AACSB International is the highest watermark of business education in the world,” said Dr. Rick Lytle, who serves as dean of COBA. “In my opinion, if you want to suggest that you have a world-class academic program, you must be willing to meet the 27 quality standards found in the AACSB framework.”

ACU is one of only six private schools in Texas with undergraduate programs in business that are AACSB-accredited.

To receive re-accreditation, the college had to complete a rigorous five-year review of its programs and outcomes, along with a review of its 21st Century Vision.

According to Lytle, the AACSB re-accreditation recognizes continued high quality academics, a commitment to continuous improvement and curricula responsive to the dynamic needs of global business.

Accredited universities are institutions of quality and excellence who are expected to continually improve in undergraduate and graduate education for business administration and accounting, according to AACSB’s Web site. ACU is required to go through a peer review every five years to ensure the university continues to meet the accreditation requirements. 䊱

JASON JONES

Mabee Business Building

“A lot of learning occurs when undergraduate students are doing research – learning that just does not happen in traditional coursework,” said Dr. Greg Powell (’80), professor of chemistry and director of the Office of Undergraduate Research.

To showcase and share the work of students from multiple departments, the ACU Honors College joined forces with the McNair Scholars Program, the Adams Center for Teaching and Learning, and the Brown Library to present the first Undergraduate Research Festival.

The event, held April 13-15, featured paper and poster presentations from 75 students. Judges distributed a total of $3,000 in cash prizes to winners in four categories. Winning projects covered topics as diverse as phonon imaging, legume growth in Honduras, newspaper coverage of Texas Supreme Court cases, and spiritual well-being in the college classroom. Each student researcher worked in tandem with a faculty mentor, forming a relationship that Powell called “another big advantage of undergraduate participation in research.”

The Springboard Ideas Challenge, sponsored by the College of Business Administration and held in conjunction with the research festival (see story on facing page) produced a few winning projects. The Springboard R&D Prize (for research with potential commercial development) went to juniors Rich Tanner and Jacob Poulette, and seniors Chris Booher, Robert Butts and Anthony Malloy for their computer-animation project, “Recreating Solomon’s Temple.”

“Teaching through research fits ACU’s emphasis on engaged learning, professional training and Christian stewardship of our personal gifts,” said Dr. Chris Willerton, professor of English and dean of the Honors College.

“So we honor pure research, applied research, creative activity and the spirit of discovery.”

The festival included a luncheon featuring Dr. James O’Brien, professor of chemistry at Southwest Missouri State University. O’Brien’s lecture on “Mad Hatters” explored the effects of mercury poisoning on workers in the early felt hat industry.

Chad Hutchins (’08), ACU junior Tyler Lewis and senior Ryan Stephen – who won the 2008 SpringBoard Ideas Challenge – presented a special session on Applied Research and Entrepreneurship, sharing their experience in developing two online businesses.

“The festival generated a lot of excitement on campus,” Powell said.

“A significant number of students were enthusiastic about sharing their research results. Events such as this are important in promoting scholarly activity and in creating a culture of undergraduate research that marks us as a place where academics is taken seriously.”䊱

Programming Challenge, with more than 40 competitors from 10 universities and four corporations. ACU placed first in the student division, and Milsoft Utility Solutions won in the corporate division.

During Spring Break, two ACU freshman debate teams competed at Novice Nationals, earning second and 10th place.

To qualify as novices, debaters must be in their first year of collegiate debate.

(From left) Debaters Keri Gray, Jeff Craig, Margaret Moore and Kaytlin Wiseman with their trophies from the Novice Nationals competition.

ACU TODAY

LINDSEY COTTON

The Conference on Christianity and Literature’s 2009 student creative writing contest.

ACU’s chapter of the Society of Physics Students has received the distinction of “Outstanding,”an honor given to only five percent of chapters nationwide. The Abilene Christian chapter has received the award seven of the last eight years.

Three ACU seniors placed third at the 124th annual American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance national convention and exposition in Tampa, Fla. The team included senior Jasmine Maranca, and juniors Sara Montgomery and Ana Pruteanu.

For the third year, ACU’s iSchool hosted the Lifeline

An image from “Recreating Solomon’s Temple’

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Carlos Sepulveda, president and CEO of Interstate Batteries. Sepulveda is a frequent presenter who seeks to provide practical advice for being “in the world but not of the world” as he shares his journey with others.

This year’s theme speakers include Fate Hagood, David Holmes, Bert Reynolds, Glenn Pemberton, Mike Cope, Joshua Graves and Chris Smith. Students play a large role in this year’s Summit and will present alongside faculty members as well as give their own individual presentations.

The week will feature several artistic presentations, ranging from a Department of Music concert to the Empty Bowls project, spearheaded by the Department of Art and Design as a fundraiser for the hungry. Special highlight classes will feature Randy Harris, Chris Seidman and Lynn Anderson, and specialized conversation threads – covering Spiritual Formation, Justice and Mercy, Our Future History and Gospel

Two best-selling authors headline special guests at 2009 Summit

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“Representing ACU is an honor,” said Tunisia (Sekhon ’81) Singleton, university relations manager for Austin and San Antonio. “I love meeting new people for the first time and knowing I have made

Brent Barrow, Tunisia Singleton, Jacob Martin, Carri Hill and Doug Fair

Two new trustees appointed to board Two new members were appointed to the ACU Board of Trustees in May. Dr. Colleen Durrington (Stockburger ’77 M.Ed.) and Charles Onstead (’89) began their terms in June.

Durrington recently retired after 22 years at ACU, having served as director of the Reading Clinic, professor of education and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

Onstead is the managing partner of Onstead Polvado Capital Investments, L.P., a private equity investments company. Prior to his current position, Onstead worked with Randalls Food Markets Inc. in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin and Houston offices.

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University Relations officers help connect alums in major cities

LINDSEY COTTON

ACU’s 92nd annual Summit, “On the Mountain with God: Exodus Expedition,” will feature a wide variety of speakers from around the country. However, two of this year’s special guests may already be familiar to faculty and students, though most will have never met them.

Donald Miller, the New York Times bestselling author of Blue Like Jazz and three other books, will speak at Summit on Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 23, about his new book, A Million Miles in a Thousand Years. Miller’s speech in Moody Coliseum will be followed by a smaller coffee house reading in the Hunter Welcome Center.

Miller frequently speaks at colleges and conferences across the country, addressing the relevancy of Christian spirituality to explain and heal the human heart. Miller has addressed a wide range of audiences, from the Women of Faith Conference to young men who grew up without fathers and students at Harvard University. In 2008, he delivered the closing prayer on Monday night at the Democratic National Convention. He is the founder of The Mentoring Project, a not-for-profit foundation which partners with local churches to create mentoring programs for young men growing up without fathers.

Many attendees at Summit might not immediately recognize the word acedia, but after a session with Kathleen Norris, they will be sure to do so. Norris, a poet, essayist, speaker and author of five New York Times bestsellers, including The Cloister Walk, will speak Tuesday, Sept. 22, about her new book, Acedia & Me: A Marriage, Monks, and a Writer’s Life.

She also will host an evening coffee house conversation, “An Edifying Entertainment: The Witness of Contemporary Poetry.”

Summit also will feature theme speaker

and Culture – also will be presented.

“Summit is a conversation where life and faith converge in Christ,” said Dr. Brady Bryce, director of ministry events. “We intend for you to engage in honest, open conversations and then to leave Summit more committed to following Jesus.”

Last year’s Summit totaled more than 5 million online listeners for its several live broadcasts. This year, audio will be available on Acappella Radio and online via Youstream.

To view the full schedule and order a brochure, visit www.acu.edu/summit. 䊱

New provost, AVPs, director named Dr. Jeanine Varner, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, became provost May 15. Varner brings 36 years of experience in higher education to the position.

She served as vice president for academic affairs at Oklahoma Christian University for 11 years before coming to ACU in 2007. Varner succeeds Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, who retired in May (see Second Glance on page 48).

Buck James became associate vice president for enrollment in April, having previously served as the director at Academic Vocations, the online job-referral network of the Council of Christian Colleges and Unversities, in the Washington, D.C., area.

Jason Groves (’00) became associate vice president for marketing in

INNOVATIVE ACU

ACU receives international honor for innovation a friend. ACU has wonderful, successful alumni in very interesting places.”

Beginning this spring, ACU alumni in five of those places have a new way to connect with one another and the university. Singleton and three other new university relations managers are working to provide connection and communication for alumni, prospective students and friends of the university in important Texas metropolitan areas.

The URMs, as they are known, include Singleton, who lives in Austin; Brent Barrow (’86), Tarrant County (Fort Worth); Doug Fair (’83), Dallas; and Carri (Teague ’88) Hill, Houston. They look for ways to foster connections between the university, its alumni, church leaders, school administrators and prospective students in their areas.

“We saw the need to have a better relationship with our alumni, church leaders and school administrators in the market,” said Jacob Martin (’03), director of university relations at ACU. “The URMs live and work in the market, which is very important. They’re out in the field to listen to the market and to be a voice for the market back to the university.”

The four URMs manage social networking sites for their areas on Facebook and Twitter. Alumni, current students and prospective students can check these sites to learn about College Nights and other events in their areas, or contact the URMs if they want to volunteer.

“It has been terrific to have a team in place – everyone brings something to the table,” said Singleton. “We share a bond in appreciating the special combination that Abilene Christian offers in providing opportunities for authentic spiritual growth as well as exceptional academics.”䊱

Abilene Christian University the organization is a substantial honor. continues to gain worldwide This award serves as another validation recognition for its innovation. that our efforts to shape the future of The New Media Consortium higher education are being recognized.”

(NMC), an international consortium Universities and museums were of colleges, universities and museums nominated and selected by a committee dedicated to the exploration and use of anonymous leaders in the field of of new media and new technologies, academia and industry. Winners of recently awarded ACU the title the Center of Excellence Award are of “Center of Excellence,” expected to have a history of setting its highest honor. standards in the use of The latest recognition new media forms in “This award really goes places Abilene Christian teaching, learning, to the faculty of ACU among the leading research and creative universities demonstrating who continue to explore expression. excellence and outstanding “The Center of and experiment with achievement in the Excellence Awards mobile learning. application of technology celebrate the innovation Their collective efforts to learning. In Fall 2008, and creativity that is part will ultimately shape ACU became the first of the fabric of every the future of university to initiate a member institution,” said mobile-learning NMC CEO Larry Johnson. higher education.” experience by providing “The NMC organizations – GEORGE SALTSMAN (’90) an Apple iPhone or iPod recognized this year touch to all freshmen. represent the best of our “As we seek to educate students field, and each has had a tremendous for Christian service and leadership history of accomplishment.” throughout the world, it’s essential In 2006, NMC first identified mobile that we provide them hands-on phones as a technology to watch. Later experience with the next generation that year, ACU’s LINK leadership team, of tools and technologies,” said a technology advisory team composed Dr. Kyle Dickson (’93), associate of faculty, administrators and campus professor of English and director technologists, used NMC’s findings of the Digital Media Center at ACU. to develop a local vision for projects “Winning this award is a bit like like the mobile-learning initiative, being voted the MVP of an all-star said Dickson. game,” said George Saltsman (’90), “This award really goes to the faculty director of Educational Technology of ACU who continue to explore and for the Adams Center for Teaching experiment with mobile learning,” and Learning at ACU. “The members said Saltsman. “Their collective efforts of the NMC are already an elite group will ultimately shape the future of of schools, so simply being part of higher education.”䊱

December. Groves came to ACU from First Financial Bank, where he served as senior vice president of marketing.

In March, Larry Musick (‘84) became director of alumni relations and university events. He previously served as senior director of marketing at Lipscomb University.

New scholarship endowments Recently created endowed scholarships at ACU include: • George and Martha Abbott Endowed Scholarship • Lance and Melissa Barrow Endowed Football Scholarship • Walter and Jo Nell Drew Endowed Education Scholarship • June Eubanks Memorial Endowed Scholarship

• W.G. Massey Endowed Bible Scholarship • N.L. “Nick” and Helen Nicholson Endowed Football Scholarship • Frank and Maudie Phillips Endowed Bible Scholarship • Sandie and Wayne Propst Endowed Chemistry Scholarship • Lloyd and Maxine Swindle Endowed Education Scholarship • Jenna Westerholm Endowed Education Scholarship • Trey Zickefoose III Endowed Exercise Science, Health and Nutrition Scholarship • Ko Jo Kai Endowed Scholarship For more information about contributing to or creating an endowed scholarship, call Barbara (Tubbs ’71) Hejl at 325-674-2600.

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Wildcat SPORTS Schmitt flew under most college coaches’ radar, but soared at ACU Jordan Schmitt was an easy sell.

But in his four years as a Wildcat, he was never an easy out.

ACU head baseball coach Britt Bonneau made one recruiting phone call to Schmitt when he was a senior in 2005 at Lake Highlands High School in Dallas and invited him to Abilene to watch a game.

With his father in tow, Schmitt made his way to campus and committed to the Wildcats before the first pitch of the game.

It was, Bonneau said, the easiest recruiting job of his life. It might also have been one of his best. After all, it’s not every day that you sign a player who would not only start for four seasons, but would earn first team all-America honors and set virtually every offensive record in

For the latest, visit acusports.com and acusports.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/ACUsports www.twitter.com/ACUsports

Lone Star Conference and ACU history.

But that’s the catcher Bonneau got when he signed Schmitt back in 2005.

“Jordan was such a joy to watch over the last four years,” Bonneau said. “You never had to worry about him; never had to wonder if he was going to be ready to play.

He hit in the No. 3 or No. 4 spot in our lineup and was our starting catcher almost from the first day. He’s going to be tough to replace.”

Schmitt, however, didn’t exactly see his career working out the way it did.

He didn’t attract a lot of attention from college coaches, and his slender frame isn’t that of a normal catcher.

But he believed Abilene Christian was the right place for him, and he was right.

“The reason I chose ACU was because I felt really comfortable with it when I came on my visit,” Schmitt said. “I wasn’t very highly recruited coming out of high

GERALD EWING

Schmitt is the new ACU and Lone Star Conference career leader in hits, doubles, RBI and total bases.

Bears and Bengals select talented Wildcats in 2009 NFL Draft Former ACU standouts Bernard Scott (’09) and Johnny Knox (’09) were both taken in the late rounds of the 2009 NFL Draft in late April with Knox going to the Chicago Bears and Scott being drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals.

Knox was drafted in the fifth round by Chicago where he’ll join former Wildcat all-America defensive back Danieal Manning (’06) on the Bears’ roster. Scott was taken one round later by the Bengals. Both signed four-year contracts with their respective teams in mid-June.

A wide receiver and kick returner, Knox joins a Chicago team that could be a dark horse in the NFC in 2009. The Bears traded for quarterback Jay Cutler and they expect several injured defensive players to return to full strength in 2009.

Scott was dogged by questions about his checkered past throughout the

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school because I didn’t have a great junior year. The opportunity at ACU just kind of fell into my lap and I ran with it.”

Four years later, he would accumulate some astounding career numbers.

In 2009, Schmitt became only the fifth Wildcat baseball player to earn first team all-America honors, joining second baseman Ronny Haring (1997), relief pitcher Jameson Maj (2007), outfielder Mike Elkerson (2008) and designated hitter Trey Watten (2008). Maj, Elkerson and Watten are playing professional baseball. Elkerson is in the Atlanta Braves’ minor league system and Watten is a minor league pitcher for the Milwaukee Brewers.

Schmitt led the Wildcats to a 44-19 record in 2009 as ACU won the Lone Star Conference championship for the first time since 2002. He became the LSC and ACU all-time leader in hits (281), doubles (70), RBI (218) and total bases (470).

A three-time all-LSC performer and the 2009 LSC co-MVP, Schmitt also is ACU’s career leader in home runs (31); second in at-bats (799), runs scored (209) and triples, (13); and sixth in stolen bases (46).

In 2009, he set career highs in batting average (.373), hits (91), runs scored (66), doubles (21), triples (5), home runs (13), RBI (93), total bases (161), and stolen bases (22).

“I think I only hit one home run my freshman year, so I never thought about any of those records when I got to ACU,” said Schmitt. “I guess the one I’m the most proud of is the doubles record. I had the single-season doubles record at my high school, so it’s nice to be able to have that at ACU, too.”

Schmitt – who was not selected in June’s Major League Baseball draft – said if he doesn’t sign a free-agent contract soon, he’ll be ready to move on with his life after graduating in December with a degree in finance and marketing.

And he’ll probably be an easy sell to his new employer. 䊱

run-up to the draft, but those questions didn’t keep the Bengals from taking the Wildcats’ all-time leading rusher. “I wasn’t bothered by those questions,” Scott said. “I believe all of those experiences have made me the person I am today.

I can’t worry about what people say or write … I know what kind of person I am.”

He was impressive in Cincinnati’s off-season workouts and seems to be ready to contribute to the team as a running back and return specialist. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in my ability. I feel like I can help the running game,” Scott told bengals.com.

ACU fans will get a chance to see the former teammates go head-to-head in the NFL when the Bears visit the Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium at noon on Oct. 25. Former ACU quarterback Billy Malone (’09) was undrafted, but had a solid tryout with the Buffalo Bills in late June. The team didn’t sign Malone before he left Buffalo, but told him to stay ready in case of an injury during training camp.

Wildcats open on national TV, then play in Cotton Bowl

GERALD EWING

Defensive lineman Aston Whiteside

GERALD EWING

rebounded with a 45-36 playoff win in Abilene – will meet for the third time in the last 12 months on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 7 p.m. at Shotwell Stadium, and a national TV audience will be able to look in on the game.

“We’re excited to be back on national television, and we’re excited to be serving as the host for a game,” Thomsen said.

“That game against Northwest Missouri State was already going to be a big game, but this makes it an even bigger contest.

I’d sure like to see those stands full of our fans and the people of Abilene wearing their purple.”

Two weeks after the nationally televised game, the Wildcats will play in another marquee game when they take on Texas A&M-Commerce in the second Harvey Martin Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. The Wildcats and Lions will renew the oldest rivalry in the LSC on Saturday, Sept. 12, when they play at 5 p.m. at the legendary stadium in Fair Park. The game honors former A&M-Commerce and Dallas Cowboys great Harvey Martin, who was an all-America defensive end for the Lions before going on to a Pro Bowl career with the Cowboys.

The stadium has played host to thousands of high school, college and pro football games and has been home to the SMU Mustangs, Dallas Texans (AFL) and Dallas Cowboys, and, most notably, been the annual home to the Cotton Bowl game and the Red River Rivalry contest between Texas and Oklahoma during the Texas State Fair. The Wildcats, however, have never played in the stadium.

“It’s a tremendous honor for our program to be chosen to participate in the game,” Thomsen said. “We’ve got a great opening to our season with Northwest Missouri State coming to Abilene in our first game (Aug. 27) and then getting the

GERALD EWING

It was three seasons ago on a cool October night in Canyon, Texas, when the ACU Wildcats announced to the rest of the NCAA Division II football world that they were about to be a player on the national scene.

That night at Kimbrough Memorial Stadium, the Wildcats thumped West Texas A&M, 49-33, in front of a national television audience watching on CSTV. It was ACU’s first national TV appearance, and it was the nation’s first glimpse at Billy Malone (’09), Jerale Badon (’08), Tony Harp and head coach Chris Thomsen (M.Ed. ’00).

That game proved to be a springboard for a program that has since gone on to heights unseen on the ACU campus in more than 30 years.

Last year the Wildcats won their first outright Lone Star Conference title since 1973, and their 10-0 regular-season record marked just the second perfect regular season in school history. ACU reached the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division II playoffs for the first time and running back Bernard Scott (’09) and center Sam Collins (’09) won all three of the major awards in Division II. Scott received the Harlon Hill Award (top player) and Collins captured the Gene Upshaw Award (top lineman) and Dave Rimington Award (top center).

The Wildcats also have put up eye-popping offensive numbers, making them one of the nation’s most prolific and exciting teams to watch on a weekly basis.

All of those factors made the decision to put ACU’s 2009 season-opening contest against national powerhouse Northwest Missouri State a pretty simple one for CBS College Sports.

The Bearcats and Wildcats – who played twice last year with ACU taking a 44-27 win in the season-opener in Maryville, Mo., before the Bearcats

Wide receiver Edmund Gates

chance to play our oldest rival in the Cotton Bowl two weeks later. So many great teams and great players have had a chance to run through that tunnel and play on that field, and I’m glad our guys will get a chance to experience what that’s like.”䊱

Scott, Jordan married between games of March 21 doubleheader ACU and Southeastern Oklahoma State University haven’t shared a lot of love on the baseball field over the years, but the two Lone Star Conference rivals didn’t have much choice on the afternoon of Saturday, March 21. That’s the day ACU baseball benefactor Al Scott (’61) married Judy Jordan at home plate between games of an LSC doubleheader between the Wildcats and Savage Storm at Crutcher Scott Field. Scott’s first wife, Dottie, died in 2004, and Jordan’s first husband died in 2003.

The Wildcat baseball team also took part in the ceremony, holding their bats up for the couple to walk under before and after the ceremony (see back cover). ACU baseball coach Britt Bonneau and his assistant, Brandon Stover (’03), served as groomsmen, while Bonneau’s four daughters – Jaci, 13, Mati, 11, Scotlyn, 9, and Landry, 7 – were bridesmaids. The SEOSU team even stayed around to watch the ceremony from their dugout, then promptly went out and won the second game, 2-1.

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Sports ROUNDUP Baseball

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• The Wildcats (44-19) reached the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament for the eighth time since 2000.

They also won their first Lone Star Conference title since 2002, knocking off rival Angelo State twice in the tournament, including a 6-0 win in the title game (see photo on pages 2-3).

• Head coach Britt Bonneau won his 500th career game early in the season when the Wildcats beat New Mexico Highlands, 10-2, on Feb. 7. Bonneau finished his 13th season with a career mark of 542-234-1.

• Senior catcher Jordan Schmitt was voted first team all-America on the American Baseball Coaches’ Association / Rawlings squad, while junior relief pitcher Brad Rutherford was named to the second team. Schmitt is the fifth Wildcat in program history – and fourth in the past three years – to earn first team all-America honors.

Schmitt and Rutherford were key components on a team that won 40-plus games for the 11th time in head coach Britt Bonneau’s 13 seasons.

• Junior second baseman Chris Hall, who transferred from Texas Tech University prior to the 2009 season, won a Rawlings Gold Glove for his defensive excellence. He is the second Wildcat to earn the national award, joining former third baseman Alec Sowards (’08) on the list. Hall started and played in 56 games at second base and committed just six errors on 282 chances for a fielding percentage of .979. He was part of 44 of the Wildcats’ 63 double plays on the season. ACU finished second in the nation in double plays turned.

Tennis

Softball JEREMY ENLOW GERALD EWING

• ACU head coach Chantiel (McDonnell ’98) Wilson led the Wildcats (43-15) to the LSC South Division championship and another trip to the NCAA Division II South Central Region Tournament.

• The Wildcats finished as the conference tournament runner-up for the third time in the last four seasons, losing to eventual regional champion Angelo State in the best-of-three championship series at ACU’s Wells Field.

• Senior catcher Jessica Shiery finished her career as the only two-time first team all-America honoree in ACU history. In 2009, she was voted first team all-America by Daktronics and second team all-America by the American Fastpitch Coaches’ Association. Shiery finished 2009 with a .429 batting average, 13 home runs and 49 RBI. Feared by opponents as a slugger, she drew a school record and NCAA Division II-leading 70 walks on the season, helping her become the nation’s leader in on-base percentage (.619). Shiery played 119 games in her two-year ACU career, hit .435, walked 123 times, belted 25 home runs and drove in 93 runs. The LSC career record for walks is now shared by Shiery and Angelo State University’s Cat Moreno (2003-04).

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JEREMY ENLOW

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• Senior Irene Squillaci led the women’s team to the NCAA Division II semifinals for the first time since 1996, and her play earned her first team all-America honors in doubles with her partner, sophomore Jaclyn Walker. Squillaci finished her career as a three-time all-America doubles player for the Wildcats, while Walker earned the first allAmerica accolades of her career. Walker and Squillaci ranked No. 6 in the nation as a doubles team, and were the dominant tandem in NCAA Division II’s South Central Region. The only losses on their 14-3 record were to NCAA Division I foes Southern Methodist University and The University of Texas at El Paso, and Hawaii-Hilo.

• The women’s team won its second straight Lone Star Conference championship (their seventh since 2000) and their 14th straight NCAA Division II South Central Region championship and trip to the national tournament. Their finest season in more than 10 years ended, however, with a 5-2 semifinal loss to eventual national runner-up Lynn (Fla.) University. The Wildcats were 27-6 and ranked No. 6 in the nation.

• The men’s team (26-8 and ranked 14th in the nation) enjoyed similar success in 2009, reaching the NCAA Division II tournament for the third straight season and 11th time since 1990. The Wildcats won their sixth LSC title since 2002, beating defending champion Cameron, 5-3, in the championship match. They eventually reached the Round of 16 at the national tournament before seeing their season end with a 5-3 loss to 14th-ranked Georgia College and State University. Head coach Hutton Jones (’81) will have to replace key seniors Juan Nunez, Ryan Hudson and Hutton Jones Jr. before the 2009-10 season.

Golf • The team of ACU head coach Mike Campbell (’91) qualified for the NCAA Division II South / South Central Super Regional again in 2009, based on its strong play throughout the fall and spring seasons.

• The Wildcats’ spring season got off to a nice start when they won the Dustdevil Open in Laredo, with freshman Morgan Johnson winning the individual medalist title.

ACU went on to finish in the top six at two other tournaments during the spring, and sophomore Cyril Bouniol was voted first team all-LSC. 䊱

Track and Field • The biggest news surrounding the track and field program wasn’t about the Wildcats falling short of a men’s or women’s national championship for the first time since 2001. It was that head coach Don D. Hood (’87) announced his resignation shortly after the season ended to become the head track and cross country coach at Brownwood High School, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. ACU director of athletics Jared Mosley (’00) said a search would begin immediately to fill the vacancy.

• After finishing third at the NCAA Division II indoor championship meet in March, the ACU men’s team finished second to rival St. Augustine’s at the outdoor

championship meet in San Angelo. The ACU women, meanwhile, were sixth outdoors after an eighth-place finish at the indoor meet.

• Senior decathlete Camille Vandendriessche won the individual national championship for the third straight year, becoming the first athlete in NCAA Division II history to win three straight multi-event championships, the third athlete in NCAA history to win three straight multi-event titles, and only the fourth athlete in NCAA history to win three multi-event titles in a career.

• Sophomore Nick Jones won his second straight national championship in the discus, with a mark of 182-1, to win on his final throw of the competition. Sophomore Ramon Sparks also won a national championship, upsetting pre-meet favorite Joe Kindred of St. Augustine’s, to win the triple jump with a mark of 52-4.75.

• Junior Linda Brivule won her second straight national championship in the women’s javelin, with a throw of 162-10.

Pictured (from top): sophomore long and triple jumper Ramon Sparks, sophomore pitcher Jacque Gregoire, sophomore tennis player Jaclyn Walker, and junior second baseman Chris Hall.

New Books by ACU Authors General Editor

MARK W. HAMILTON (Ph.D., Harvard University)

The Transforming Word One-Volume Commentary on the Bible “A Milestone Publishing Event” This volume contains a commentary on each book of the Bible. Each commentary includes an outline, an introduction, a unit-by-unit commentary, a concluding essay on theological implications, and a list of works cited. The reader should expect to gain an understanding of (1) the organization and arguments of each biblical book, (2) the main historical issues bearing on its interpretation, and (3) the theological meaning of each book. It also includes additional articles on the background of the Old and New Testaments.

“The editors and authors should be commended for their work on this milestone publishing event. . . . a valuable addition to anyone’s library, particularly someone who does not have a commentary on every book of the Bible.”

—TERRY BRILEY, Dean, College of Bible and Ministry, Lipscomb University “This volume is a towering achievement drawing from the best in the scholarly community of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. Critically informed but written for popular use, it demonstrates steady scholarship in the service of the church. Leaders in every congregation, especially Bible teachers and small group leaders, will want it within easy reach.”

1,136 pages $69.95 cloth ISBN 978-0-112-521-1 LCCN 2007942406

—WILLIAM R. BAKER, Editor, Stone-Campbell Journal

Hebrews

God Work

Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today EDWARD WILLIAM FUDGE

Confessions of a Stand-up Theologian RANDY HARRIS Can theology be practical?

Entertaining? Relevant?

Anyone who has heard Randy Harris speak will answer with a resounding, “Yes!”

“Scholarly, refreshing, and packed full of encouragement for today’s Christian. Eminently readable, this book is like having an enlightened friend walk with us through the challenges of life, all the while pointing us to the faithful friend who will never leave us or forsake us. It is a joy to recommend it!”

—LANDON SAUNDERS, Founder and President, Heartbeat 272 pages $19.95 ISBN 978-0-89112-625-6

162 pages $13.99 ISBN 978-0-89112-628-7

Leafwood Publishers & ACU Press

www.abilenechristianuniversitypress.com

1t 877 t 816 t 4455 AC U TO D AY

www.leafwoodpublishers.com 䊱

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Reunion: Homecoming 2009

ACU NEWSMAKERS

Gwen (Martin) White was one of three finalists for Middle School Speech Teacher of the Year in the Texas Speech Communication Association. 2957 Red Oak Circle, Abilene, TX 79606.

1975

1979

STEVE BUTMAN

David and Susan Forsyth own and operate the Quality Care Pharmacy in Selmer, Tenn. 125 Linley Circle, Selmer, TN 38375. qualityp@bellsouth.net Rafael and Kay (Dieterich) Sustaita have a new address. 709 S. Beacon Street, Dallas, TX 75223. rsustait@dart.org

Reunion: Homecoming 2009

Stan and Ginger (Howard) Vick celebrated 30 years of marriage this year. 7512 Four Winds Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76133. svick1@aol.com

1981 J. Lynn Britton is the new president and CEO of Sisters of Mercy Health System, which operates medical offices in a seven-state area. He has been with the company for 16 years. 1117 Shepard Oaks Drive, Wildwood, MO 63038. thriessbritton@mac.com Russell Bryant and his wife, Martha (Mungo), celebrated 25 years of marriage March 10, 2009.

1880 Flat Creek Road, Lancaster, SC 29720.

RussBryant@comporium.net

1983 Dr. N. Jim Boggs is a licensed professional counselor. He is working as a counselor at Ninth Grade Academy in Abilene. P.O. Box 2242, Abilene, TX 79604.

1984

JERRY LAMB / THE CHRISTIAN CHRONICLE

1982

Reunion: Homecoming 2009

Larry and Kathy (Mitchell ’82) Musick have moved from Nashville, Tenn., to Abilene. Larry is ACU director of alumni relations and university events, and Kathy teaches art at Abilene Christian Schools. Their daughter, Ashley, is a senior at ACU. 2233 Old Ironsides Drive, Abilene, TX 79601. larry.musick@acu.edu and kathy.musick@acs.acu.edu Daniel Sides was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Mansfield Park Facilities Development Corporation in October 2008 for a two-year term.

1504 Lowes Farm Parkway, Mansfield, TX 76063. dansides@earthlink.net

1986

Michael Holder was appointed Chief of Police in Kaufman on Nov. 20, 2008. 2847 County Road 122, Kaufman, TX 75142. mhold5915@yahoo.com Karona (Conkling) Drummond has published her first picture book, Along Came You, with Zondervan.

3939 Teasley Lane, Lot 165, Denton, TX 76210. dolphingirl1965@msn.com

1988 Scott Emmert is the new president of the Board of Directors of the Telico Cemetery Association.

2027 Glenhaven Street, Arlington, TX 76010.

1990 MARRIED John Davis and Sherri Forehand, April 18, 2009.

526 W. 13th Street, Laurel, MS 39440. gatawoman@excite.com BORN To Jason and Leslie (Barnes) Benson, a boy, Cole William, Jan. 4, 2009. 1127 Milwaukee Street, Delafield, WI 53018.

STEVE BUTMAN

1987

ACU Board of Trustees member Deon Fair was appointed chairman of The Christian Chronicle board at its spring meeting. Fair, a retired partner of Accenture, a consulting, technology services and outsourcing firm, also serves on the boards of Missions Resource Network, Genesis Networks Solutions and the Heritage Christian College Foundation.

Bernard Manirakiza (’05) won first place Aug. 31, 2008, in the Nike+Human Race 10K in Austin. Nike organized races for charity in 25 major cities around the world. More than a million runners participated, 13,758 of them in Austin.

Manirakiza, a native of Burundi, won Austin’s race with a time of 31:51.

His cousin, Gilbert Tuhabonye (’01), came in second with a time of 32:56.

1985

David Brad Crouch has worked in land administration for Prime Operating Co. for 11 years.

10924 Grant Road, #207, Houston, TX 77070. bcrouch@pkfamily.com

Dr. Jackie Halstead (’87 M.M.F.T.), associate professor and chair of marriage and family therapy at ACU, is the new president-elect for the Texas Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. Halstead, who has served on the professional organization’s board of directors for eight years, will serve two years as president and a year as past president.

Dr. Lynette Sharp Penya (’91), assistant professor of communication at ACU, traveled to Washington, D.C., for the presidential inauguration. With 59 other college professors from across the country, she taught in a seminar focusing on the inauguration and the transition of power. The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars hosted the seminar.

When Scott Skelton (’89) of Lufkin needed a kidney, he turned to an unexpected source: Keith Langston, a fellow attorney in Longview who had opposed him more than 4,000 times in the courtroom. Before getting onto the transplant list, though, Skelton called Dr. Kim (Couch ’85) McMillian, a doctor in the Baylor Medical Center system in Dallas, who had roomed with

KIM RITZENTHALER

1974

B.J. Thomas sings while Rolando Diaz paints in a May 29 concert.

Skelton’s wife, Sheila (Todd ’89) Skelton, at ACU. McMillan and her father, Dr. Carl Couch, helped the Skeltons enter the donor and transplant network.

Dallas artist Rolando Diaz (’82) performed May 29 at the Levitt Pavilion in Arlington with Grammy and Dove Award-winning recording artist B.J. Thomas. Diaz painted an original work of art while Thomas performed.

It was auctioned at the end of the evening. Proceeds from the event help provide 50 free concerts at the Levitt Pavilion this summer.

Two Texas children’s homes, Medina Children’s Home (MCH) and Boles Children’s Home, have joined to form Arms of Hope. Both homes were founded on Christian principles to serve single mothers and children in need.

Abilene Christian alumni involved in the project include ACU trustee Randy Nicholson (’59), a longtime supporter of Boles Home who grew up there; Billy Busch, an ACU trustee and board member of MCH; Mark Waters (’75), chief financial officer for MCH; and James Penland (’68), chief development officer for MCH. ACU alumni Damon Brown (’91) and Allen Robertson (’88) can be seen on a PBS station near you. The two are part of the Emmy Award-winning children’s program The Biscuit Brothers, which uses puppets and musical education to teach life lessons. Brown directs the show and is the voice of Tiny, the scarecrow puppet, and Robertson plays “Buford,” one of the Biscuit Brothers.

In March, the off-Broadway run of Craig Wright’s new play, The Unseen, at Baylor University featured three ACU alumni. Stan Denman (’86), professor and chair of Baylor’s theatre department, Steven Pounders (’86), associate professor of theatre, and Thomas Ward (’98), assistant professor of theatre, comprised the cast.

Lisa (Cole ’85) Denman, a lecturer in theatre, directed the show.

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BORN TO BE A WILDCAT

Haley Rose Vollans, daughter of Matt and Kay (Norton ’05) Vollans of Sedro-Woolley, Wash.

Ave Nicole Watterson, daughter of Preston and Sara (Willis ’01) Watterson of Edmond, Okla.

The Alumni Association will send a FREE Wildcat BabyWear T-shirt to the alumni parents of each newborn or adopted infant in your family!

Complete the EXperiences news card and mail it to us, or complete the info online at www.acu.edu/acutoday/experiences.

In-focus, high-resolution digital images (minimum file size of 500kb; use your camera’s highest quality setting) of alumni children wearing their Wildcat BabyWear should be emailed to babywear@acu.edu. All will appear on the alumni Web site at www.acu.edu/alumni and the best will be printed in EXperiences. Call 800-373-4220 for more information.

Sadie Grace Smith, daughter of Jacob (’99) and Michelle (Unger ’00) Smith of San Antonio, Texas.

Noah and Emma Kate Cooper, twin children of Casey (’02) and Kristen (Trout ’03) Cooper of Brownwood, Texas.

Maddox Caeden Hogue, son of Caisson and Tiffany (Sublette ’00) Hogue of Summerville, S.C.

42

Marin Reed Wheeler, daughter of Ben (’00) and Janet (Lewis ’00) Wheeler of Farmers Branch, Texas.

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Benton Blayne Hanner, son of Hunter (’05) and Jennifer (Hathorn ’05) Hanner of Abilene, Texas.

Tatum Blaire Swearengin, daughter of Trent and Bonki (Payne ’96) Swearengin of Keller, Texas.

Carter Paul Goff, son of Matt (’02) and Emily (Shoemaker ’02) Goff of Frisco, Texas.

Kate Pruett, daughter of Zack (’97) and Tami (Tate ’00) Pruett of Plano, Texas, and Aubrey Cox, daughter of Roderick and Kamara (Tate ’00) Cox of Frisco, Texas.

Haven Gradke, daughter of Regan (’00) and Mary (Scott ’00) Gradke of Phoenix, Ariz.

Luke Grayson Lagan, son of Casey (’05) and Danna (Sheppard ’05) Lagan of San Antonio, Texas.

Alice Ann Riley, daughter of Chris (’00) and Rachel (Smith ’00) Riley of Abilene, Texas.

Chaz Herrera, son of Juan (’01) and Cathy Herrera of Abilene, Texas.

Nora Elisabeth Conway, daughter of J.P. (’00) and Beth (Lavender ’01) Conway of Nashville, Tenn.

Lynlee Graves, daughter Chloe Grace Kern, daughter of of Jason (’00) and Jacquie Chris (’03) and Michelle Kern (Rose ’03) Graves of of Huntsville, Texas.

Lewisville, Texas.

Cash Clayton, son of Jody (’01) and Jane (McNeill ’02) Clayton of Keller, Texas.

Second GLANCE

By Dr. MaLesa Breeding

Thoughts on a Transformative Provost Dr. MaLesa (Smith ’80) Breeding is professor and dean of the College of Education and Human Services. She earned a B.S.Ed. in communication sciences and disorders, and an M.A. in communication sciences and disorders, both from ACU. Breeding earned an Ed.D. in educational leadership from Texas Tech University. A licensed speech-language pathologist, she chaired the provost search committee that resulted in Dr. Jeanine Varner being chosen as the successor to Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen, who retired in May of this year.

GERALD EWING

As I write from a corner booth in the library’s Learning Commons, I’m surrounded by students and faculty engaged in conversations over coffee, laptops and iPhones. Thirteen years ago, in contrast, this spot would have housed the card catalogs, and the library was where you went if you wanted isolation. Life in the Learning Commons closely reflects how students learn in the 21st century. It is only one of the many ways in which Dr. Dwayne VanRheenen has changed academic life at ACU. Thirteen years ago, Dwayne arrived on campus to assume the role of provost, a title that often leaves people scratching their heads. Simply stated, ACU’s provost serves as chief academic officer, overseeing all academic programs and working closely with the deans of each college as well as the deans and directors of programs such as the First-Year Program, the Honors College, Study Abroad and the Graduate School. The provost also oversees the Adams Center for Teaching and Learning, the library, the Registrar’s Office, the Office of Institutional Research, and Curriculum and Advising. The job is enormously demanding, but he filled the role with remarkable competence and grace.

Like the work of most dynamic leaders, Dwayne’s work has not been without controversy.

In his first year here, he denied tenure or promotion to several faculty members. Supported by some, opposed by others, this action sent a message to faculty that a new day had arrived at ACU. No longer would faculty be tenured simply because they were committed to the university or had served for a long time, though he saw value in those things. Tenure would require a substantial contribution to one’s discipline and to the integration of faith into each faculty member’s field of study. Today, faculty regularly present and publish at the highest levels, bringing national and international attention to ACU as well as improving their work in the classroom. Dwayne worked tirelessly to ensure faculty had the financial resources and time to accomplish these goals.

He understood better than most that the quality of scholarship among faculty members significantly impacted the university’s ability to prepare students to think critically, globally and missionally.

Few people could have stronger intellectual and spiritual convictions than Dwayne. Shortly after his arrival, he began asking the faculty about how we integrated our faith and our teaching. In 1996, this was a new conversation but an exciting one. Faculty began to realize, in this regard, that being a professor in Christian higher education required more than simply being an active member of a local congregation.

Church participation was important to him, of course, but Dwayne pressed the questions that led us to reflect on how we can help students find God in poetry, in history, in the boardroom as well as in the classroom. Further, Dwayne believed openness to 48

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ACU TODAY

other opinions and ideas is an academic imperative, essential to one’s spiritual maturity. He knew scholars in Christian higher education must engage in conversations allowing them to create covenant with others – even those with whom they disagree. He welcomed voices from other cultures, races, ethnic traditions and even other religions. He knew that only through conversations such as these could we prepare our students to engage in a complex world requiring dialogue, not just monologue.

His desire was for ACU to produce students who can think in terms of paradox and ambiguity in their search for truth.

During his time at Abilene Christian, Dwayne was a mystery to some people. He demonstrated personal power, yet his demeanor was largely understated. Those who didn’t work closely with him may not have known how hard he could laugh nor how he pastored so many of those with whom he worked. However, Dwayne was widely known as a person of towering work ethic and of high expectations – for himself and for the university.

Certainly, the deans and others who worked closely with Dwayne knew he worked more hours in a day than most could imagine, and even after his departure, his expectations of excellence cast a long shadow over us.

Dr. Royce Money, ACU’s 10th president, once referred to Dwayne as a renaissance man and, indeed, he is.

Though his Ph.D. is in communication, he can discuss theological ideas as easily as he can talk about rhetorical analysis. He can engage in deep conversations about phenomenology or feminism, but he also enjoys discussing the latest sporting event. Dwayne lives broadly, modeling what genuine scholarship, teaching and discipleship are all about.

Not long ago in a conversation among deans, Dwayne was referred to as one of the most transformative figures ACU has known. During his time here we have seen the creation or the significant advancement of such initiatives as the Adams Center for Teaching and Learning, the Honors College, the Study Abroad program, the First-Year Program, the College of Education and Human Services, the School of Social Work, the School of Information Technology and Computing, the Graduate School of Theology, faculty renewal leaves, at least six external accreditations, the advancement of women and minority faculty, dollars for faculty development, rigor in tenure and promotion, and a new general education core.

For Dwayne, these things were all in a day’s work. For us, they represented the transformation of a university.

Dwayne’s departure from ACU and his move into retirement was not easy. I remember well the day he announced his plans privately to the deans. The news was met with tearful embraces and prayers – both for him and for us.

He hired each of us. He mentored us all. He prayed with us and, at times, cried with us. He dug us out of holes, both those we fell into and those we dug ourselves. He let us have a lot of fun at his expense. He made us think, and he allowed us to see him think, always without judging or placing blame. He loved us, and he led us – and it is no small thing to say that one has been loved and led by Dwayne VanRheenen. His fingerprints are everywhere.

Because of that, we are forever changed. 䊱

Come to the table

T

he family dining table is frequently at the heart of family life, the birthplace of dreams, and the seedbed for legacy.

Friends of Abilene Christian University often invite ACU Foundation staff members to sit with them at their table to discuss aspirations, plans and tools to provide income, support heirs, and build a legacy at the university.

We are honored by their good stewardship, trust and confidentiality.

Now, the Hunter Welcome Center affords wonderful on-campus space for “table discussions� regarding heritage, legacy and succession. Moreover, there are tables available for fellowship, career development, education planning, finances and myriad other topics.

Friends, prospective students, parents, students and alumni are welcome at the tables of Abilene Christian. You are invited to use the resources of The ACU Foundation for personal, family and philanthropic planning; the realization of dreams; and the building of legacies.

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Abilene Christian University

Abilene Christian University ACU Box 29132 Abilene, Texas 79699-9132 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

C O M I N G U P August Commencement ................................................................ August 7 August Passport (New Student Orientation) .......................... August 16-18 Welcome Week ...................................................................... August 18-22 104th Opening Assembly ............................................................ August 24 Nationally televised football game (CBS College Sports) vs. Northwest Missouri State in Shotwell Stadium .................. August 27 Wildcat Preview Days ................................................... September 7,18,25; October 2,12,30; and November 13,20,23 Harvey Martin Classic Football Game in the Cotton Bowl ..... September 12 www.facebook.com/abilenechristian

National ACT Test Dates .............. September 12, October 24, December 12 Freshman Follies ............................................................... September 18-19 92nd Annual September Summit ..................................... September 20-23 National SAT Test Dates ................... October 10, November 7, December 5 Homecoming ........................................................................ October 15-18 Wildcat Premiere Weekend (for future students) .................. October 16-17 Wildcat Sports Hall of Fame Induction ....................................... October 16 Ethnos: International Culture Show .................................. November 13-14 December Commencement .................................................... December 11

www.facebook.com/ACUsports

www.twitter.com/ACUedu

www.twitter.com/ACUsports GERALD EWING

A diamond is a girl’s best friend Wildcat baseball team members salute Judy Jordan, the bride-elect of Al Scott (’61), before the wedding of the couple at home plate on March 21 between games of a Wildcat doubleheader at Crutcher Scott Field. Attendants were Jaci, Mati, Scotlyn and Landry Bonneau, daughters of ACU head coach Britt Bonneau. See story on page 37.