ABLAZE — Fall 2020 Edition

PREMIERE ISSUE • FALL 2020 MAGAZINE

ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

TOGETHER

GOD’S BLESSINGS

TIM REED

COMMUNITY STRONG

DECADE OF DEPENDENCE

30 YEARS OF SERVICE FALL 2020

1

BY THE NUMBERS

4 17

YEARS IN A ROW NAMED AS A

BEST COLLEGE

BY U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

RANKED NUMBER ONE IN UNDERGRADUATE TEACHING

WEST REGION

18:1

37

COUNTRIES

STATES REPRESENTED

REPRESENTED

STUDENT TO

FACULTY RATIO

INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT

SINCE FALL 2018

28% STUDENT INVOLVED COMMUNITY EVENTS

100+

PER YEAR

ACCREDITED DEGREE PROGRAMS 32,472 ATHLETIC CHAMPIONSHIPS SPIRITUAL FORMATION HOURS COMPLETED BY STUDENTS

SINCE 2011

EACH SEMESTER

TOTAL STUDENTS FALL 2020

1,000

+

2

FALL 2020

12

CAMPUS

SIZE

68 ACRES

BREATH OF LIFE

TRANSFORMS A CAMPUS

L

ed by the Spirit of the Lord, the prophet Ezekiel entered a valley full of dry bones and was tested with the question, “can these bones live?”

Regarding the dry bones, God promised, “I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life . . .

Then you will know that I am the LORD . . . I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land.” (excerpts from Ezekiel 37)

Even amidst a global pandemic and time of civil and social unrest – a breath of new life has swept over the “dry bones” of ACU’s historic campus – transforming it for God’s purposes.

Our campus was birthed in 1940 as an airfield in the desert.

8,000 air cadets lived and trained on Thunderbird Airfield #1 – committed to defeating the global Nazi threat. Soon after World War II, the commanding General of the base purchased the airfield from Army surplus in order to establish an international graduate school of management – with hopes of equipping young men and women to create bonds of peace through international trade and commerce.

Until two years ago, our campus was home to the Thunderbird Graduate School of Global Management.

The campus had been purpose-designed to support a graduate academic program, and lacked some of the key athletic and student-life facilities that are integral to a thriving undergraduate liberal arts institution like ACU.

Today, a breath of new life is transforming our campus.

Jon Cline, Vice President of Campus Operations, said, “This has been a year of tremendous progress. We have strengthened the infrastructure of our campus and are adding new athletic facilities for baseball, softball, soccer, sand volleyball and football. As a matter

of fact, this fall we’ll be laying more than 400,000 square feet of turf for these athletic fields.”

Cline continued, “Our campus improvements are about much more than athletics. We’ve upgraded our classroom experience by embracing new technologies to provide synchromodal learning opportunities in and from every classroom. This new technology is expensive and was made possible by a Department of Education grant in response to COVID-19. So, through a difficult situation, ACU is realizing new opportunities to enhance and expand the student learning experience.”

In addition, this summer an existing classroom auditorium was converted into an intimate performance hall for our music and fine arts students – and new science labs will be constructed later this academic year.

Cline concluded, “As much as we loved our campus on Cactus Road, our new campus offers the badly needed space and facilities to support a robust student–life experience and our nationally ranked academic programs.”

During the 1940s, this piece of earth was used to equip air cadets to fight an epic battle to save the world as we know it. Then, that plot of land was transformed from an airfield . . . to a global graduate school and now to the home of Arizona Christian University.

Today, this same ground is being utilized to help equip young followers of Jesus Christ to “Transform Culture with Truth.”

In the same way the Spirit of God breathed life into Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones, the Spirit is breathing new life into our campus, transforming it for God’s purposes.

To God be the glory.

FALL 2020

3

DECADE OF DEPENDENCE

W

hen you talk to Len Munsil about his 10 years as President at Arizona Christian University, he would sum it up this way – “A Decade of Dependence.”

“If I’ve learned anything in the past 10 years, it is that ACU is and always has been totally dependent on God and not the abilities or effort of any of us who serve here,” Munsil said. “I have seen so many miracles of God’s provision that I’ve lost count. And I know from talking to many who came before, that God’s faithfulness to this institution goes back much, much further.”

Munsil was appointed interim President of then Southwestern College in late September of 2010, following Brent Garrison’s resignation after 15 years of faithful service.

Munsil’s engagement with the college began in the early 1990s as an adjunct professor teaching Christian ethics. In 2004 he was invited to join the Board of Trustees, and in 2008 his daughter Anne enrolled at the school.

Those were challenging times for small Christian colleges.

Between 2010 and 2020, overall college enrollment in the United States declined by 28 percent and dozens of small colleges closed. Those most at risk? Enrollment dependent colleges with fewer than 1,000 students and

no endowment - like Southwestern College.

Within the first few months of his presidency, the Board agreed to change the name to Arizona Christian University and students voted to adopt the team name “Firestorm” – unique in higher education.

“There were six colleges named “Southwestern” in the country, and when you did a web search we showed up near the bottom of that list,” Munsil said.

“There were 93 colleges named “the Eagles”. If we were going to break out, we needed to be unique and distinctive. We needed to declare who we are – Christian – and where we are – Arizona.”

A few months later, Munsil was able to bring former President George W. Bush to headline a fundraising event to celebrate the school’s 50th anniversary.

President Bush received the first “Daniel Award for Courageous Public Faith” – recognizing his public declaration of faith in Jesus and desire to be guided by Scripture during his time in public office.

The event attracted 1,260 people, raised more than $1.5 million for the school and attracted national and local media attention, including a front-page story in the Arizona Republic.

But the other key element to ensure ACU’s longterm viability was expanding its campus footprint.

“With changing enrollment demographics, competition and increased costs it became clear that

TIMELINE OF TR 2010

2011

2012

2013

2014

Len Munsil appointed 6th President of Southwestern College

Board changes name to Arizona Christian University and adopts vision to “Transform Culture with Truth”

Trustees adopt conservative Core Commitments

Adopts core values of F-I-R-E (Faith-InfluenceRelationship-Excellence)

Adopts CORE curriculum; reclaiming Liberal Arts for the Christian tradition

President George W. Bush receives ACU’s first “Daniel Award for Courageous Public Faith” Joins NAIA Golden State Athletic Conference

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Adds degrees in 7 mountains of Cultural Influence Basketball earns first of 5 trips to Kansas City for NAIA national tourney

Adds football, creates Westphal Athletic Fund

ARIZONA CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY

the size of the Cactus Road campus was a problem,” Munsil said. “I loved that campus, but the size made it difficult to attract and retain students. Even as we grew and hit capacity, we could not generate enough revenue to cover expenses.

“For years we had attempted to acquire buildings and acreage surrounding the campus, and all of those efforts met roadblocks that, frankly, made no sense at the time,” Munsil continued. “Only after the miracle of being able to trade for a historic, 68-acre campus in Glendale with 3.5-times the acreage, building square footage, parking and residence hall rooms – only then did the failure of those efforts to expand at Cactus Road make sense.”

Today, ACU is one of the fastest-growing Christian colleges in America, according to the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities – with 2020 enrollment growing 10 percent despite COVID and topping 1,000 for the first time, and a 219-percent increase in enrollment during a decade that saw national college enrollment decline 28 percent. Annual revenues have quadrupled, net assets have tripled, and the campus size has more than tripled – creating great

potential for increased growth and Kingdom influence.

“We see in the next decade the potential to be an elite Christian university of 2,000-2,500 students.

We will never grow as fast as some colleges because we remain committed to educating Christians and preparing them for leadership,” Munsil said. “And we want to maintain our small college, community atmosphere even as we grow.

“Most Christian colleges have a large enrollment of non-Christian students, which makes for a different experience. It’s difficult to uphold biblical conduct standards and teach biblical worldview when most students aren’t believers,” Munsil said. “At ACU, we remain faithful to only accept students who have a personal testimony of faith in Jesus Christ. We continue to require chapel participation, service hours, spiritual formation and 18 hours of Biblical Studies courses. We want to go deeper with Christian students to prepare them to provide desperately needed biblical leadership in the church and the world – to truly be salt and light.

Our message to our students is that all followers of Jesus are in full-time ministry, no matter their vocation.”

With 60 years of history providing a college education based on the eternal truths of Scripture, ACU has a bright future even amidst the turbulence of today.

“For me, it’s never been just about ACU. It’s always been about the Kingdom – recognizing that, as a people, we have turned away from God, and we need an Awakening – a broad movement of God where millions turn back to Him,” Munsil said. “And we hope and pray that by bringing young Christians together to be educated, equipped and inspired, ACU can help spark the revival that is desperately needed -- sending Christian leaders into the world with the hope of the gospel and hearts for transformation.”

While continuing to depend completely on God.

RANSFORMATION 2015

2017

2018

2019

2020

Publication of Len Munsil’s book “Transforming Culture with Truth”

Accredited to offer fully online degrees

Announced swap of campuses with ASU Thunderbird School of Global Management

ACU “Takes Flight” to Glendale

Fourth consecutive U.S. News & World Report “Best College” ranking; No. 1 “Best Undergraduate Teaching Institution”, No. 3 “Best Value” in the West

Earns first-ever “Best College” rankings from U.S. News & World Report

Formation of Cultural Research Center (CRC) with George Barna

Len Munsil named “2020 Leader of the Year” for Education by Arizona Capitol Times

FALL 2020

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TOGETHER

THE REDEMPTIVE MIRACLES OF LIVING IN A CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

F

or most of 2020, the news has been foreboding, even dark. Consequences of a global pandemic, stay-at-home orders, social unrest and economic uncertainty have led news outlets to predict the demise of American higher education as we know it. Following suit, many Universities have elected to close their campuses and offer distance-only education this year.

President Len Munsil, however, is leading ACU on a different path. “Rather than waiting on reports from the media and politically motivated government entities to make a decision, we’ve decided to offer our full oncampus experience to new and returning ACU students this fall,” Munsil said.

“For many, ACU’s campus is the first Christian community they’ve experienced. We cannot and will not deny our students the social and spiritual opportunities to grow in their faith. Every day at ACU we see the redemptive miracles of living in a Christian community.”

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FALL 2020

At the same time, student health and safety are vital.

The University’s COVID-19 Task Force has established protocols to keep students, staff and faculty safe on campus. In addition, each classroom has been upgraded with new technology, enabling a synchronous learning modality that equips students who need to miss class due to illness or quarantine to participate remotely in real-time from their homes or dorm rooms.

How did students and parents respond to President Munsil’s leadership?

This fall, Arizona Christian University has experienced double-digit enrollment growth and a 6th straight year of record enrollment, despite COVID-related financial and health uncertainties that have caused enrollment at colleges and universities to plunge elsewhere. The ACU community is together, stronger than ever!

This year, of the hundreds of universities in the US Western Region, about 90% have endured enrollment

R STRONG

declines. Very few have seen even slight enrollment increases.

According to one higher education expert, only one university in the region – Arizona Christian University – has seen enrollment growth of more than 10 percent.

Through each of our academic programs, our CORE curriculum teaches students to process their experiences from a biblical worldview. We also know the Christian life is meant to be lived together, in community. The Apostle Paul teaches, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” (Hebrews 10:24–25).

ACU’s campus is abuzz with activity this semester.

Students are back living and learning in the residence halls, classrooms, and dining halls. Our athletic teams have resumed practicing and competing with safety

protocols in place, and ACU was the first University in Arizona to compete in football this fall. Other extracurricular events are proceeding as planned, with safety measures in place.

Our twice-weekly chapel program continues as well, with a new twist. Rather than having almost 1,000 students and faculty gather in our Event Center for teaching and worship, they gather in smaller groups in 11 different locations on campus where the chapel worship and message are live-streamed to them online.

This temporary new way of having chapel has actually bolstered community, as students get to know staff, faculty and other students (not in their typical groups) they might otherwise have never met.

Relationships are important. Community is one of our core values. That’s why in 2020, against all odds, the ACU family is safe and Together Strong.

FALL 2020

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AN UNLIKELY PAIR: WESTY AND FULTZ LEAVE INDELIBLE LEGACY AT ACU

I

n the six-decade history of Arizona Christian University, two improbable names will always be intertwined.

One is a famous member of the College Basketball and Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, a former college and National Basketball Association All-Star and successful college and NBA PC: Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame coach – Paul Westphal.

The other, Tim Fultz, wasn’t well-known at all in his lifetime, except to friends and family. But Tim’s commitment to the Lord affected his teammates and everyone around him and became the stuff of legend, even before he lost his life while serving as a Christian missionary in Africa.

“ACU Trustee Paul Westphal, along with his wonderful wife Cindy, have become an integral part of the ACU community during the past decade,” said ACU President Len Munsil. “But their involvement with ACU started 35 years ago when Paul began his coaching career here. And no one has kept the memory of Tim Fultz alive like Paul has done.”

Paul Westphal has told the Tim Fultz story many times in recent days, including at ACU’s Commencement ceremony in 2015.

Without a gymnasium on campus in those days, the team had to practice miles away and many students who lived on campus didn’t own cars. So when Paul saw Tim drive onto campus in an old car, he immediately invited him to join the basketball team – mainly so he could drive the starters to practice!

The team – which had only won two games the previous season – ended up in an important game with the chance to go to a national Christian college tournament on the line.

Late in the game with Southwestern College (ACU) ahead, several starters fouled out, and Paul put Tim into the game – with instructions to stay away from the ball!

But the opposing team began to foul Tim and send him to the free throw line, where he missed 6 consecutive free throws while the opponent crept within two points of the lead.

With a few seconds remaining and the game on the line, Tim swished two free throws to seal the victory and send the team to nationals! He was carried off the court

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FALL 2020

with fans chanting his name in an iconic moment that will live on in ACU sports history.

Tim went on to graduate from then-Southwestern College, and continued to improve as a player, concluding his senior year as the team’s leading scorer.

But his main passion was sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ, and Tim was serving as a missionary in Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) when he lost his life after a fall from the roof of a large church he was helping build. ACU remembers Tim Fultz each year through an annual basketball classic that bears his name, with the support of Tim’s parents, Pastor Larry and Lily Fultz.

This summer the Westphals announced that Paul has been diagnosed with stage 4 glioblastoma, a serious brain cancer. The Firestorm community joins many fans and friends of the Westphals in praying for Paul and thanking them for their bold Christian witness.

In his nationally televised Hall of Fame induction speech in Springfield, MA on Sept. 6, 2019, Paul told of someone congratulating him on this achievement by saying “Now you’re immortal.” With a chuckle and a shake of his head, Paul said:

“No… Immortality doesn’t come from basketball. … My parents taught me about the true nature of life, following Jesus. I chose to give my life to Jesus – it would allow me to ride the ups and downs of life with the understanding that whatever happens on earth is only a prelude to eternity.”

Partly inspired by the example of Tim Fultz, Paul Westphal chose to identify the Westphal Award at ACU’s annual athletic awards ceremony for the ACU studentathlete who is the “Best Teammate.”

ACU is so grateful for how God brought Paul Westphal and Tim Fultz together for that amazing season, and for how God has used each of them to point people to Jesus Christ.

TIM REED

30 YEARS OF FAITHFUL SERVICE

T

his spring, ACU Pastor Tim Reed, who had served as a Christian Ministries faculty member and department chair at Southwestern College (and most recently as campus chaplain at ACU,) announced his retirement after 30 years of service to the University.

“In light of some health issues and personal challenges facing my family, I felt that it was time to take a step back from my role as campus pastor,” Reed said. “I love this place and I am so excited about ACU’s future, but this was the right time for me to focus on serving the University in other ways.”

“Tim Reed is an institution at ACU, and that’s why I am delighted he has agreed to return to ACU after retirement as part-time Director of Alumni Engagement,” President Len Munsil said. “His love for Jesus and his passion to serve and encourage students and alumni is readily apparent to all, and he has provided an amazing source of continuity and

connection for three decades. Quite simply, he is irreplaceable – and yet we know this is an important time for him to serve his family and focus on his health.”

“This may be harder on me than on the school,” Reed said with his customary humility. “But I look forward to continued engagement with our alumni for years to come, and I will not be a stranger on campus.

I am so grateful for President Munsil’s support this past decade, and am in awe of what God has done in the lives of the graduates of this place.”

ACU will honor Tim Reed and his remarkable career at Southwestern/ACU with a special event on November 6, 2020 at 7 p.m.

HRISTIAN UNIV AC ER N SI ZO I R

TY

A

UPCOMING EVENTS

This year, more than ever, we are excited to be “Together Again” for our annual Homecoming on Saturday, November 7. This year, in addition to the traditional food and fellowship, we will also honor our beloved Tim Reed at his celebration event on Friday, November 6. We are setting this weekend aside to bring the entire Firestorm Family back together again to renew friendships and praise God for the work He has done through the years at ACU. Tim Reed 30-Year Celebration Event | Friday, November 6, 2020 Homecoming 2020 | Saturday, November 7, 2020 Learn more and register now: arizonachristian.edu/homecoming Masks required indoors and outdoors (if unable to social distance) FALL 2020

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CLASS NOTES 2020s 2020

specializing in therapy for children and their families.

Bailey Goalstone began her Master’s

2015

in Spiritual Formation at Greenville University.

Christopher Paulsen and his wife are expecting their first child.

Delaney Harris began her doctorate

2014

program for physical therapy at Cal Baptist University.

Bonnie (Carr) Harlin recently earned

Naomi Matzke teaches special needs

students at a Phoenix-area high school, as well as her church.

2010s 2019 River Carbone signed a professional

baseball contract after he graduated from ACU. Since the season ended, he has been working as a personal trainer.

Kassi Kuhnhofer-Sanchez and her

husband are expecting their first child this fall.

Jenna Miller was recently promoted

her Master’s in Biblical Studies from Moody Theological Seminary.

Breana (Franks) Johnson earned a

Master’s in refugee protection and forced migration studies from the University of London.

Tyler and Alexandra (Tuten) ‘15 Karl

Master’s in Germany, at one of the best sport psychology institutes in Europe.

2017 Bryan Stephens finished his Master’s

at McMaster Divinity College and starts his Ph.D. this year.

2016 Gabrielle (Evans) Collins is a Reservist

in the United States Army and was married this summer.

Jared Wallace and his wife own and

her own birth education and doula business.

associate marriage and family therapist after graduating from Fuller Seminary. operating room registered nurse. live in Magnolia, TX where Adam is the Director of Purchasing for Magnolia ISD and Caitlin is home with their son.

Matthew Taylor is now a full-time YouTube creator for U Can Uke, where he can use his platform to talk about his faith.

Presley Whetman is completing her

Doctor of Pharmacy at the University of Utah.

2013 Dr. Lillie Brown received her doctoral

degree in behavioral health and is retired from the United States Army.

2012

Landon Flowers achieved his Ed.S. in

FALL 2020

taught in Turkey for five years; she and her husband are currently exploring a return to the Middle East to teach and serve.

Andee (Walker) Murphy is a licensed

school with his residency in orthopedic surgery in California, where he and his wife just moved with their son (born in January 2020).

10

Christina (Strohmeyer) Irvine ’10

Jacque (Owens) Campbell created

Larry Carmichael has served with the

as well as at a community agency

2010

had their first son in March.

Jackson Helms is finishing medical

Tim Shaffer works in private practice

Zachary Sweat is in the dissertation process of finishing his PsyD program.

2009

Melody Toso became a full-time staff member at ACU this summer.

Luka Stanivukovic is finishing his

Food For the Hungry, a non-profit relief and development organization and is also a licensed pastor on staff at Summit Church in Anthem.

Joshua and Kristi (Bollig) ‘15 Kuhn

Adam and Caitlin (Allgood) ’15 Stearns

year as a police officer.

Courtney Rose has been working for

operate a hair salon in Los Angeles.

to the weekend anchor at an Amarillo, Texas news station.

Charles Murphy celebrated his first

2011

welcomed their first child in January 2020.

Charlsey (Rich) Schmitt is an

2018

He and his wife Lindsay (Mancuso) ’11 have one son.

Salvation Army for nine years and is currently an officer in the Greater Sacramento Region. school psychology and is now serving in the Florence Unified School District

2000s

2007 Ashley Rees recently earned her LPC license and was promoted to program director of an outpatient clinic.

2004 Chad Bannick and his wife have lived in Rwanda for over nine years with their four children where they train rural pastors and churches.

They have founded a non-profit that provides holistic programs to help women escape prostitution, and also a number of renewable energy companies and an IT company that trains and employs Rwandan women to become software testers.

Steve Petrauschke leads the largest

real estate team in Mohave County.

His office is also ranked 119th largest in the nation.

2002 Priscilla (Shoffner) Bouman and her husband recently had their fifth daughter.

Laura (Kennedy) Jensen taught

in Taiwan and now works with international students at Iowa State along with her husband.

Thomas and Julie (Householder) Rogers

were set up by their roommates at SWC for Pick A Date and will be married 18 years this fall.

RISING STARS

2001 Sara Delgado just completed her 19th

year of teaching.

Jason and Linda Gregg ’98 teach at a

Christian school in Taiwan.

2000 Katie (Thowson) Miller and her family have served in Thailand since 2015 through the International Mission Board.

1990s 1998 Scott and Carla Brownson work for

EMILY (DEVORE) FOURT

Emily (DeVore) Fourt obtained her BS in Biology in 2018 and is in her third year of medical school at Midwestern University.

She serves as education coordinator for a community medical outreach, chapter president for the Christian Medical and Dental Association – organizing outreach for believers on Midwestern’s campus – teaches English to refugees through Abounding Service, and is wife to David (’18).

summer camp, Clydehurst Christian Ranch in McLeod, Montana.

1997 Chris Morris published a book called

“Whispers in the Pews: Voices on Mental Illness in the Church.”

1980s 1986 Eric and Beth (Franks) Yodis

celebrated 25 years of living in the Ukraine as missionaries.

1985 Jeannette (Redding) Hartung has

been involved with Operation Christmas Child for the last 17 years, currently serving as the logistics coordinator and central drop leader for SE Idaho.

ANDRES MARRUFO

Andres Marrufo (’17) completed his degree in Music Education and Modern Worship, which he uses as Choral Director and Head of the Fine Arts Department at Phoenix Christian Prep, as worship leader at Harvest Bible Chapel, and as the summer Music Director at MoezArt Productions. He also helped ACU start a pep band. He and his wife, Stephanie, have an 8-month-old, Gabriella.

David Siefers and his wife, Jill, will

celebrate 35 years of marriage in November.

1970s 1974 Ben Joseph is the international student ministry director at ASU Tempe, where he says God is at work in the lives of international students.

We want to hear from you!

Update us at arizonachristian.edu/ update or open your mobile phone’s camera app and hover over the QR code.

JACOB RICHARDS

Jacob Richards, a 2017 ACU graduate with a BS in Political Science, is a rising 2L at Harvard Law School with an expected graduation date of 2022. Prior to law school, Jacob worked in the Appeals and Constitutional Litigation Division at the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. At Harvard, he is an editor for the Journal of Law & Public Policy and serves as Vice President of Speakers for The Harvard Federalist Society.

FALL 2020

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UNIVERSITY

1 W. Firestorm Way Glendale, AZ 85306

INVEST IN CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION BY PARTNERING WITH ACU! Honoring those who give $1,000 or more annually to Arizona Christian University.

• • • • •

T WER

Exclusive quarterly town hall video updates from President Munsil.

Complimentary lunch for two in the ACU Commons.

ACU President’s Circle window cling.

Exclusive President’s Circle Pin. Complimentary admission for 2 at all ACU athletic and fine arts events.

Recognizing those who give monthly to Arizona Christian University.

• • • •

Exclusive quarterly town hall video updates from President Munsil.

Coffee gift card for the Tower Grill at ACU. ACU Tower Society window cling.

Complimentary admission for 2 at all ACU athletic and fine arts events.

VISIT ARIZONACHRISTIAN.EDU/GIVE