The Beacon - Spring 2022

Dear friends,

Each edition of The Beacon is important, telling the stories of God at work in the lives of our extraordinary students and graduates. The last few feel especially weighty, as they report how we’ve rallied during crisis and marched forward with an aggressive plan to grow the University and its influence. This edition is no exception. While it again introduces our six-project capital campaign, Venture Forward, the focus now is on how your generosity and those programs are already getting traction.

You’ll read about Bushnell Baseball, with a unique look into the past, present and future. We’ll introduce you to nurses who are already shining in a field that is pressed from all sides. Two featured Song Nai Rhee Honors students prove the merit of deepening our commitment to high achieving students. Through pictures and stories, you’ll see the progress and importance of our campus expansion and renovation projects at Jim and Sharron Kay Womack Hall, Goodrich Hall, and the new Student Commons.

Along with our regular features, an alumni story about the accomplishments of a recent graduate makes me, in the best sense of the word, proud to be a Beacon. As we also recognize the 50th anniversary of Title IX, we celebrate our ongoing gains in women’s athletics.

In the fold of the magazine, there is a clear and bold request. Please pray and give to Venture Forward in a way that stretches your faith and strengthens your commitment to this mission. We are so glad to have you on this journey with us.

Let the Venture begin!

Blessings,

Joseph Womack ’89, Ed.D. President

Dr. Joseph Womack, President

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President

Joseph Womack ’89, Ed.D.

Vice Presidents

Gene De Young, MBA

Michael Fuller, M.A.

Dennis Lindsay, Dr.Theol.

Keith Potter ’84, D.Div (hon) ’11

Editor

Corynn Gilbert, M.Ed.

Contributors

Nick Askew

Bethany Dilla ’10

Corynn Gilbert, M.Ed.

Keith Potter ’84, D.Div (hon) ’11

Catherine Walsh

James Watson, Ph.D.

Joseph Womack ’89, Ed.D.

Paul Wright ’01

Photography

Tom Boyd, AHM Brands

Laura Pierson

Art Direction, Design, and Production

AHM Brands

The Beacon is published by Bushnell University as an information service and is posted on the Bushnell University website. For information, call 541-684-7318. Readers are encouraged to submit text for publication via email to alumni@bushnell.edu or via mail to:

Office of Advancement

Attn: Corynn Gilbert, Editor 828 E. 11th Avenue Eugene, OR 97401

Bushnell reserves the right to edit all copy. Articles should include names and class years (if applicable) for all individuals mentioned.

Need to Update Your Information? Bushnell.edu/alumniupdate

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Spring

FOUR GENERATIONS DEEP ONE GRITTY BEACON

An Immeasurable Legacy

Venture Forward: The View From Here

If These Walls Could Talk

A Whimsical Festschrift of Goodrich Hall

In the Nick of Time

Bushnell Pioneers Accelerated Nursing in the Willamette Valley

Keeping the Dream Alive

A Timely and Timeless Place for Baseball

A Haven for Those Who Soar

Bushnell’s Song Nai Rhee Honors Program

125th Anniversary Celebration and Womack Hall Ribbon Cutting

Evening of Tribute and Beacon Classic

In Memoriam

President's Letter – Inside Front Cover

From My Point of View – Inside Back Cover

Annual Address to the Regents of Eugene Divinity School

J.A. Bushnell | Turner, Oregon | July 2nd, 1898

The View From Here

WRITTEN BY KEITH POTTER ’84, VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY ADVANCEMENT

“And now Brethren: I believe that God’s hand is in this work, that He has led us forward from effort to effort, that He has blessed those efforts in the past. And if we are true to ourselves and the great cause in which we are engaged, and will follow His guidance, we can and will build up an institution of learning which shall not only be a blessing to our own time and generation, but the influence of which, like the river’s current, shall flow on in ever increasing volume getting broader and deeper until time shall be lost in eternity.” –

J. A. Bushnell

Generations down river from James A. Bushnell’s bold declaration, we are enjoying the predicted “ever increasing volume” of influence. Our recent name change, and the considerable research that preceded the decision, allowed us to mine great inspiration from this exemplary founder. In his spirit of optimism, we launched a capital campaign with an initial goal of $14,000,000 to address six strategic campus, curricular, and co-curricular needs. The last issue of The Beacon laid out our hopes and asked people to start praying. Meanwhile, President Joseph Womack and the Advancement team worked behind the scenes to invite lead donors into this Venture Forward. More than 50 families stepped up in the “silent phase” of the campaign. At the 125th Anniversary Celebration on September 30th, we publicly announced the campaign and heard testimonies from enthusiastic donors about why they believe in this effort enough to make extraordinary lead gifts. In recent months, another 50 families and businesses have pledged or given. Our current total of gifts and pledges exceeds $13,000,000 from almost 100 households and organizations.

We’re grateful for God’s provision and the pleasure of partnership. We’re also determined to raise our sights. We’re reaching deeper and farther into our circle of friends and alumni. Our initial goal seemed aggressive but doable with the help of God and our friends. Now we realize that God is opening the door to a wider scope and a quicker pace. We’ve adapted our campaign goal to raise $18,000,000 in the next three years.

We march forward with a conviction to “build up an institution of learning which shall not only be a blessing to our own time and generation….” All of these prayers, hopes, and efforts coincide with a campus-wide movement to reach an enrollment of 1,000 students by 2026. We genuinely believe that if the Bushnell experience is transformative for one student, or even 700 students, then it should be available to more.

$18M adjusted goal

$14M initial goal

$13M raised

Over the next three years, we will be creating dozens of gatherings in regions, churches, and homes to invite alumni and friends to join this venture. We ask you to pray about what your part might be. Please watch for an event in your area. And if you can’t come, we’d like to visit you wherever you are.

Four Generations Deep An Immeasurable Legacy

The Wilhite family enjoys a long legacy as Beacons, carrying the torch through many churches, serving as leaders equipped to answer God’s call on their lives. Extending through four generations, six alumni, and now one undergraduate student, the Wilhite family continues their heritage at Bushnell University.

Matthew Wilhite is a freshman this year at Bushnell. While Matthew’s decision to be a Beacon was of his own accord, it was significantly impacted by the long-standing positive reputation that Bushnell holds as a tight-knit, Christ-centered community. He decided to attend after hearing Corynn Gilbert, Director of Development, talk about the integration of Christian faith and learning on campus. “Even though I had heard numerous stories from my parents and grandparents about how amazing their time was there, it was at that moment I knew Bushnell was where I could learn and grow in my faith,” Matthew recalls.

Matthew knew that his grandparents, parents, and uncle had attended

the University. But he only recently learned that his great-grandfather, Lee Maxell, also attended in the late 1920s. “Turns out my dad’s grandpa, my great-grandpa, attended for a little while and then influenced my grandpa to attend. It is so cool to see how my family’s legacy keeps growing at Bushnell.” Matthew’s grandparents, Bryan Wilhite ’62 and Sharon (Morrison) Wilhite ’62, met and got married during their time as undergraduates. Matthew’s parents, Steven Wilhite ’92 and Kari (Rose) Wilhite ’93, also met on campus and got married shortly after completing their bachelor’s degrees. Matthew’s uncle, Lee Wilhite ’91 serves Christian higher education as the Vice President of Enrollment, Marketing, and Communication at Biola University.

Over the years, Matthew has heard many endearing stories from his parents and grandparents about their college days. However, Matthew did his own research when he arrived on campus this past fall. He spent ample time in the Kellenberger Library combing through yearbooks of various

family members and found several pictures. He learned more about his family legacy there than he did from all the stories they shared with him.

As Matthew reflects on his first few months in Eugene, he could not be happier with his choice to attend Bushnell University and he looks forward to the next three years. “The first semester exceeded my expectations,” says Matthew. He has been involved in a small group led by two upperclassmen, is having a lot of fun, and is already developing life-long friendships. He also likes participating in night chapels and Beacon Nights. Matthew observes, “Students come together on their own to learn and to grow.”

Matthew is unsure whether he will follow the family path into pastoral ministry, but plans to minor in Bible and theology. However, as he discerns his own calling and long-term career goals throughout his time at Bushnell, he knows journeying alongside people and being involved in discipleship will be part of his calling.

The Wilhite family shares their Beacon stories: current student Matthew, his mother Kari (Rose) ’93, grandfather Bryan ’62, grandmother Sharon (Morrison) ’62, uncle Lee ’91, and father Steve ’93.

Throughout our entire history, Bushnell University has transformed lives by fostering wisdom, faith, and service through excellent academic programs within a Christ-centered community. With a strong mission and vision, the Wilhite family is one shining example of the impact that Christian higher education has on family lineage. Matthew, like his parents and grandparents, is finding his place in the Bushnell story.

Bushnell has transformed and is transforming lives one student at a time. To honor family legacies and commitments to higher education at Bushnell University, students who have had a parent or grandparent attend Bushnell are awarded a $1,500 scholarship. To learn more or to find out if you or someone you know is eligible for this scholarship, please contact finaid@bushnell.edu

Beacon Blood Runs Through Three Generations in the Burke Family

Over the holidays, six members of the Burke family gathered to snap their own legacy photo, capturing their three-generation lineage as Beacons living lives of purpose and calling.

Pictured in the center is Dr. Larry Burke ’70, a pastoral ministry major who went on to serve a lifetime as a university administrator and educator. Larry’s twin brother (not pictured), Lonny Burke ’72, also majored in pastoral ministry.

Alumni Scholarship

Did you know that children and grandchildren of Bushnell alumni automatically qualify for a scholarship? Grants of $1,500 per year are given to full-time, traditional, daytime, undergraduate students who are the children or grandchildren of alumni. Visit us online or contact Bushnell Admissions office for more details.

Bushnell Tuition & Scholarships

bushnell.edu/admissions/tuition-scholarships-financial-aid

Admissions Office

541-684-7201

To the left of Dr. Burke are his two granddaughters, Courtney Alldridge ’19 and Ashley (Alldridge) Sims ’21. Both Ashley and Courtney majored in business administration and have hearts for entrepreneurship and ministry.

To the right of him is Larry’s son Jason Burke who attended in 1992, and Jason’s sons Caleb and Luke. Caleb is a freshman majoring in Bible and theology and Luke is a junior, also majoring in Bible and theology.

The Burke family legacy is another powerful testament to how Christ-centered higher education profoundly shapes students’ lives and paves the way for future generations.

admissions@bushnell.edu Bushnell

Sharon (Morrison) Wilhite ’62

Bryan Wilhite ’62

God is moving in the homeless population, and he’s doing it through a former logger with a heart for ministry. Gabe Piechowicz ’19 is a man with a passion and a plan that is everything but ordinary.

Originally from upstate New York, Gabe landed in Oregon following a zest for running. He tried attending the University of Oregon, but soon found himself on a different path when school didn’t initially pan out. A temporary venture turned into a 20-year logging career. But God had another season planned for Gabe, when He led him back to school at Bushnell in his thirties. As a married father of three, Gabe brought a perspective to the classroom that shaped his journey and informed his calling into a life of service and ministry.

After graduation, Gabe was asked to serve as the lead pastor for Westside Christian Church in Eugene. However, the housing crisis had already found

its way to the church’s front door. Prior to the pandemic, Eugene had the highest per capita homelessness rate of any city in the U.S.—then it doubled to over 3,000 people on our streets by the middle of 2020.

The pandemic also put irrevocable strain on the shrinking congregation. It became very clear that Gabe’s path forward was to find a way to both close the church gracefully and concurrently find a home for the small population of homeless individuals who had settled on the church property. As Gabe worked with the homeless taking shelter each night, he began to conceptualize a new kind of ministry, one that would exist beyond the walls of the church and reach the most vulnerable in the community right where they are on the streets.

In very little time, “Pastor Gabe” became the pastor of the streets. He moved into the heart of the homeless crisis and began to ask: Who’s doing

Hi, I’m Pastor Gabe. What’s your story?

what, what are the problems, where are the redundancies, what’s working well and what’s not. His response? EveryOne Church, his vision for a collaborative ministry serving as a hub for the unhoused, meeting their physical, spiritual, and emotional needs one step at a time.

But Gabe needed a few miracles first. The work needed a space to accommodate a home base for the church as well as a space to build tiny homes. Brokers told him it was impossible—but they found a 1,000 square foot warehouse for a mere $1,100 a month. Gabe explained, “This was the first moment I realized God is present in this and up to something very distinct and specific here. God dropped this out of the sky. We took it and the first thing we did in that space was to take the Lord’s supper there and from that moment in time it has not stopped.”

Gabe instinctively knew a church for the unhoused was not enough. “I started engaging in the neighborhood. The area had become the center of the homeless crisis and it was getting worse by the day. If Jesus was doing his earthly ministry right now, how would He engage the homeless? What would He do? He would find them and He would do life with them. He would eat with them, He would tell stories with them, He would help them, and He would heal them.”

So Gabe did just that. He hosted pizza parties for people in street RV’s to get to know one another. He identified the natural leaders in each area, asked them to work closely with him, and invited them into the fold of the

go to the warehouse and be involved in decision-making and brainstorming and then go back to the RV community they are naturally leading to implement positive change. Then local business leaders began to take notice as it was actually helping.

Moving the unhoused from temporary site to temporary site isn’t a viable solution. For people experiencing homelessness, mental illness, and drug and alcohol issues, being constantly moved around makes all those bad things worse. It amplifies the trauma. As Gabe worked with the social service agencies in town, the church itself began to be recognized as a legitimate resource for the housing crisis. Thus EveryOne Village became a viable dream when Gabe was approved to host a city-sanctioned Safe Sleep site for 60 people.

“God is opening doors I didn’t even know I was looking for.”

But Gabe still needed space and God showed up with the next miracle. Arlen Rexius, of Rexius Corporation, called Gabe into his office and handed him the keys to a fenced in 4-acre lot next to his business. “‘Don’t screw it up kid,’ he told me.” Gabe met with the Rexius team and contractors from Builder’s Electric. “They told me to paint them my vision so they could help make it happen. They want this to be their legacy project and their way to enter into helping solve the problem long-term.”

Then God showed up again. Next to the Rexius property, another 3,000 s.f. warehouse came up for sale for $350,000. “I boldly asked the owner if they would give it to me for free. She said no. But just in case a miracle happened, I called my real estate broker to get him cued up. He said, ‘Gabe, you know what. I’ll buy it for you.’” Then again, others came alongside, including Stonewall Construction who stepped up to renovate the facility. Half of the warehouse will provide the space to build tiny homes. The other half will be the front door of the village and a staffed welcome center.

It’s a true partnership with the City of Eugene, including a contract to fund and run the Safe Sleep site operation. In addition to basic needs, residents will be able to easily access health services, mental health treatment, drug and alcohol programs, job training, and more. All of these services will be operated by partner agencies who specialize in these areas, such as a CAFA (Christians as Family Advocates), HIV Alliance, and PeaceHealth. EveryOne Village plans to partner with Oregon Bottle Drop and local farm operations to provide job training and employment, bringing the chance for workforce skill development, confidence, and additional ways to reintegrate into society. The fully fenced village will have private security patrol 24 hours a day in order to be good neighbors.

Gabe believes that both his years of logging and his ministry preparation at Bushnell prepared him for this hard work. “It’s front-line combat work for me and a hot, hostile terrain for the Gospel. It’s gritty, down-to-earth work that requires a lot of risk to be deliverers of hope and peace. Bushnell

University, and especially Dr. Terry O'Casey, taught me that ministry is best lived through the hands and the feet. The trenches of the homeless crisis in this town are a life and death situation,” he said. “But God is using EveryOne Church, this project, and our people as the tip of the spear. Our desire is that when people come off the street into the Village, their souls will be stirred. In order to do that we have to touch every part of the human experience—not just basic services, but the space to live in community, the opportunity to serve, the ability to grow and learn, the chance to work and to experience dignity.”

Gabe’s Beacon-sized vision is to replicate EveryOne Village in other areas around the city to make a strategic impact on changing the narrative of what it means to be homeless in Lane County. If his model achieves its goals, his hope is that it will turn the tide of homelessness all around the country.

Editor's Note: EveryOne Church received the 2021 Community Service Award from the Mayor at the annual State of the City Address on February 2, 2022 and, at the time of printing, 36 residents had already moved in.

To learn more about Gabe’s ministry visit: everyonevillage.org

God is opening doors I didn’t even know I was looking for.

A Whimsical Festschrift of Goodrich Hall

noun: fes(t) SHrift

A festschrift is a collection of writings published in honor of a scholar.

Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. Yes, there was talk of replacing me. Before Covid and the preternatural arrival of Womack Hall onto the campus scene, my demolition would have paved the way for a huge, multipurpose campus hub. While offended by the march of time, I understood. Tired and almost empty for years, I would have given way to a fresh building that would have relegated me to the memories of aging alumni and a stack of pictures in the archives.

Now, thankfully, Phase 1 of the campus plan got bumped back to Phase 3 or 4, granting me reprieve for more decades of life and service. Moving Phase 2 to Phase 1 prioritizes a new residence hall and student commons on the other side of East 11th. More relevant for me, I require renovation so that my life and service can continue for more generations of students.

Specifically, I need an elevator, providing access for every student to the upper floors. And bathrooms. Two was never enough for such a lively place and people. Most visibly, I’m thrilled at the prospect of a tower adjoining my southwest corner. The bells in that tower will call students to worship twice each week and for special occasions like convocation and commencement. And the cross atop the tower will reach six stories high, declaring the potent faith and time-honored values of this great institution.

No one knows our values better than I do. I opened on October 19, 1908, with 600 people regaling the new centerpiece of campus life for what was then Eugene Divinity School. That day, friends donated $800 to go with $40,000 already raised. From that point on, I provided the framework for almost every program and department, even serving as the home for our growing library until a neighboring friend (the Kellenberger Library) was constructed. With twenty-two offices and ten classrooms in my prime, I’ve been remodeled a few times along the way, though I’ve heard people say that the smell and ambiance of the old place is part of the enchantment.

My name has changed. Mostly known simply as The Administration Building, I became the Goodrich Administration Building in 1998, and now Goodrich Hall. It’s a name I wear with joy in honoring Martha Goodrich, who died in 1996 and gave $1,000,000 to the University in her estate. She is the author of “The History of Northwest Christian College,” written as her master’s thesis in 1949. And she is the granddaughter

of T.G. Hendricks, whom President Eugene Sanderson memorialized in 1919 as “an untiring, earnest and constructive laborer, and a consecrated and intelligent officer and advisor” after his role as a college regent and President of First National Bank. His property, donated to the city, we know as Hendricks Park.

Other things have changed. My address changed from 420 East 11th in 1908 to 830 East 11th in 1913, and then to 828 East 11th in 1925. Still other things must change. Like an old professor wearing a patchwork tweed, I have not stayed current. Grudgingly, I must cast off my old garments of blackboard and chalk, and even whiteboard and colored pens. It’s time for new wiring, like new wineskins, so that modern learning modalities can prepare this age of students to be innovators who create relevant touchpoints even for ancient concepts.

On the outside, I might seem more unchanging, though I’ve grown and shaved fresh coats of Boston Ivy numerous times over 113 years. Some say my stark, gray, volcanic, rusticated stonework from Oakland, Oregon (laid by stonemason F.B. Hare) lends gravitas or permanence, or that my pillared sandstone entry façade is a harbinger to the deep roots of our mission of wisdom, faith, and service. The woodwork, placed by W.O. Heckart, coats the interior with a durable warmth. My Italian Renaissance style, designed by architect T.L. Harden, transports old world sophistication to a frontier town, now a modern city. Of all accoutrements, I’m partial to my windows, believing that the window is the eye to the soul of a building.

And oh, the things these eyes have seen. Dr. George Shoemaker parsing pericopes from the Greek New Testament. Dr. Lee Lane espousing the motivated sequence for persuasive address. Professor Thelma Siefke teaching the art of teaching. Dr. Lawrence Bixler blending the best of psychology and theology. I’ve seen ten leaders take up residence in my presidential suite, each offering a seasonal sense of priority as the college progressed through six different institutional names, a broadening curriculum, and a deepening respect in the academic sphere.

And there have been hardships. How well I remember the tragic loss of young lives surrounding World War I, with the horror of a corresponding flu pandemic pushing us all to our limits. We built a hospital next door to answer the stark needs of that day, and educated nurses to walk those halls and care for those patients. There were other wars that took some of our best young heroes, along with stirrings and injustices that have driven all of our students toward an ardent commitment to a world-altering faith in Christ.

But the students. I’ve seen so many students. I’ve watched, with curiosity and consternation, bursts of energy bounding up all three floors and tired legs dragging up the steps for 8:00 a.m. lectures. My classrooms have been the birthplace of newfound faith and the launching pad of pastoral callings. In my confines, Dr. E.R. Moon rallied pioneers of the faith to venture up the Congo River and Dr. Tim Doty awakened ambassadors for the bushlands of the Maasai Mara. These hallways have seen marriage

Goodrich Tower

Project Goal: $5 M

Groundbreaking: Spring 2022

Funds: Tower construction (bell tower, elevator, stairs/ restrooms on each floor) and interior renovation of Goodrich Hall.

proposals and house parties. I’ve heard the echoes of brass ensembles, heartfelt prayers, and earnest, choppy student sermons. Young people have seen visions and old people have dreamed dreams in my stairwells. Churches have been fed and schools nourished from the outgrowth of lectures and labs. Through it all, the students have remained much the same. They are the best of their peers, the kind who would choose an institution where finding and answering God’s call is the ultimate pursuit.

To serve this next generation of students, I get an elevator in a day when, thankfully, people are more mindful of access and equity. We need more restrooms because, well, we need more restrooms. And the cross and bells mean it’s time for me to stand up tall and make a statement in the campus district, in this city, in our region—at Bushnell University, we stand for Christ and offer the finest in Christ-centered higher education.

If you’ve read this far, you have a history with me. This story has touched your senses with a picture, a message, or even an aroma of life-changing days in your life. It continues to astound me that four years within my walls can affect so much transformation that alumni often call these few years the best of times.

Today, we celebrate together that our shared purpose lives on. Because the University cannot afford to keep merely a relic from the past on such strategic space, I must be remade. In the same way, we must all stand ready to be renewed and repurposed in the hands of God.

Project Goal: $9 M

Funds: Construction of new student center building, including dining facilities and community spaces.

Project Goal: $1 M

Funds: Renovation of student rooms, conversion of office and community spaces, and new welcome center.

Student Commons

Womack Hall

Bushnell Pioneers Accelerated Nursing Education in the Willamette Valley

Bushnell University’s School of Nursing launched the new Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ABSN) in January 2022, paving the way for graduates of the program to enter the workforce in only 12 months.

The first of its kind in the Willamette Valley, this program provides a fast-track opportunity for individuals who have already completed a bachelor's degree in a related science field to gain the clinical nursing skills needed to obtain their B.S. in nursing and gain licensure. Dean Linda Veltri, Ph.D., R.N. has served as the face of Bushnell’s School of Nursing and championed this program at the state level in response to the shortage of healthcare professionals in Oregon.

The expansion of Bushnell’s nursing education is making waves in the local community. Dr. Jeff Sharman, a local oncologist and cancer researcher who is a partner at Willamette Valley Cancer Institute, believes that this program meets a timely need. “We are eager to work with graduates of Bushnell’s nursing program. There is a shortage of training positions relative to the needs within our community and Bushnell is addressing this head on.” The unique nature of Christ-centered education is also a benefit that he believes will impact the quality of care. “We will always be looking for nurses who feel called to their work and who can value the human connection needed in nursing. Nurses profoundly impact patients’ lives and create powerful meaning in the healing journey.”

In the current healthcare climate, the nursing shortage extends from hospitals to outpatient facilities to in-home and residential care facilities. Brandon Leahy, a nurse recruiter for US Oncology Network, has served on Bushnell’s nursing advisory board. He explains, “Bushnell’s program provides nearly immediate relief and helps get to the root of the problem—a lack of nursing programs and availability for people who want to get into nursing. Bushnell’s program will also help relieve the nursing shortage in Oregon’s more rural areas where people are desperate for clinical care. Bushnell is making a big investment—these programs aren’t cheap—but the return will be worth it long term. Education is the only way to turn the tide.”

While individuals can enter the nursing field with a two-year Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN), bachelor’s-level nursing education is rapidly becoming the necessary training for many healthcare settings. Most larger hospitals today

require nurses to have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Hospitals seeking “magnet status” are required to have at least 80% of their nurses to hold such a degree. The increase in the number of nurses with baccalaureate degrees is statistically linked to lower rates of post-surgical complications and mortality. For the nursing graduates, the BSN gives them more opportunities to be hired, to move into leadership, and to be prepared to apply evidence-based research to their nursing practice.

But Leahy believes that nursing education is about much more than clinical skills. He seeks to hire nurses who can provide holistic care. “I want nurses who are ready to treat the patient as a whole person first, not just a set of diseases or a diagnosis. We are treating our neighbors—our kid's teacher, parents of our friends, our butcher, a local coach. To be that ‘someone’ for a patient is the privilege a

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

nurse has—it is often why people go into nursing. They witnessed the impact a nurse had on them or on someone they love and they ‘want to be that someone.’ Students who graduate from Bushnell are unique because they have the core values of wisdom, faith, and service. It reminds me of Brennan Manning’s quote from The Signature of Jesus where he writes, ‘I saw something amazing today. I saw Christ in a man.’ There is greatness in our actions, especially in medicine.”

The first ABSN students will graduate in December 2022 and be workforce-ready soon thereafter. Expansion of the School of Nursing is one of the six projects of the Venture Forward campaign, with a $1,000,000 fundraising goal to complete the build-out of the nursing skills lab and requisite equipment. Your gift to this project will enhance nursing education at Bushnell for many years to come.

School of Nursing Expansion

Project Goal: $1 M

Funds: Nursing skills lab, new faculty, and program funds.

Bushnell’s first ABSN cohort and the nursing faculty on the first day of classes in January.

WISDOM • FAI

WOMACK HALL RIBBON CUTTING

TH SERVICE

A Timely and Timeless Place for Baseball

Keeping the Dream Alive�

The University fielded baseball teams for more than a decade, but there has been a 50-year hiatus. Are you in this picture? If you are, we’d love to hear from you! If you played or coached on teams from the 50’s to early 70’s, please send us your photos and anecdotes.

In the days before televised baseball began stealing the spotlight, college and semi-pro leagues dotted the country, bringing America’s favorite pastime to small communities all over America. Bushnell University (then NCC) fielded teams for more than a decade, as did most schools in that era.

Semi-pro teams like the Coquille Loggers, the Coos Bay-North Bend Lumberjacks, the Medford Cheney Studs, and the Umpqua Chiefs formed the Southwestern League. Rosters filled up with college players looking for a chance to be scouted for the big leagues, along with former major and minor league players trying to eek the last remnant of opportunity out of their aging talent. All of them earned a small stipend to play ball and an hourly wage to bring some muscle to sponsoring lumbermills or ports. The little town of Drain and its all-star squad, the Black Sox, won a barnstormer for the ages, defeating the Alpine (Texas) Cowboys for the 1958 national semi-pro championship.*

Then followed a long cold spell for college baseball in which even larger schools hung up their cleats and shifted to other sports. The onset of television shifted the American mindset away from the local ballpark toward the Saturday Major League game of the week. Now, in spite of all the media coverage of athletics of every kind, the local ballpark is making a comeback. And it’s coming to Springfield, Oregon.

They call themselves the Founding Fathers. Though eighteen, nineteen, and twenty years old, our new baseball players take their role seriously. Establishing a culture. Laying a foundation. Bringing Bushnell Baseball into the modern, NAIA era. They come from Olympia, Washington, and Encinitas, California; from Orange Park, Florida, and Honolulu, Hawaii, and other points near and far. Season-opening games at Simpson University and William Jessup University in California served as an immediate reminder that turning heart into victories can take time. But the victory today is the return of baseball to this University after a 50-year hiatus.

A field of dreams finds form at Springfield’s Hamlin Middle School, where local business leaders join hands with Bushnell University and the Springfield School District to construct a 2,000-seat stadium at the total cost of more than $4,000,000. It is a beautiful facility with artificial turf, stadium lights, dugouts, practice facilities, locker rooms, bleachers, and a press box. In easy view from the elevated freeway nearby, the stadium is a visible hub of activity for a community starved for athletic space in a sport-hungry region. Among other NAIA ballparks in the Cascade Collegiate Conference, this will be a gem. Ike Olsson from Olsson Industrial Electric and Kelly Richardson from Richardson Sports have stepped up with energy and generosity to help the University and the school district create a point of pride and purpose for the Springfield and Eugene communities.

While Bushnell Baseball is primary, the field will bless others. Each summer, the Beacon season gives way to the Springfield Drifters, a semi-pro “wood bat” team. The Drifters, also coached by the Beacons’ head coach Tommy Richards, have a full roster of baseball talent from around the country signed to play in the summer of 2022. Competing in the South Division of the West Coast League, the Drifters will battle the Corvallis Knights, the Portland Pickles, the Ridgefield Raptors, the Cowlitz Black Bears, the Walla Walla Sweets, and the Bend Elks. The North Division boasts teams from Yakima, Wenatchee, and all the way up to Bellingham and Victoria, B.C.

Top left: Drain Black Sox, national championship team 1958 ; Top right: Beacons / Drifters coach Tommy Richards leads his players during the inaugural game in the new stadium on February 18.

For the Drifter players, the dream lives on. West Coast Leaguers play with wood bats, rather than durable and forgiving aluminum bats that turn the crack of the bat into the clink of college games. The goal is to prove to Major League scouts that they can drive the ball with a less forgiving sweet spot as they battle pitchers who are trying to get velocity on fastballs and precision to off-speed stuff. For the city of Springfield, the Drifters bring great summer entertainment and the lure of next-level competition to area athletes who are still developing and hoping for a break.

For Beacon athletes, the first season means setting standards and laying the groundwork for a great program. “This is a once in a lifetime opportunity,” says freshman outfielder Jacob Richardson, from Auburn, California. Junior pitcher Daniel Furman adds, “I love the new-team feeling. We come in with a clean slate and get to create a program and a culture from the ground up.” Coach Richards emphasizes a culture fostered on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom. The Tri-Athlete model of character, competition, and academic success drives Bushnell athletics.

Bushnell Baseball, along with the emerging Springfield Drifters, dig their cleats into the box, ready to commence a new era in local and regional sports. Instead of being “the only game in town,” these new programs launch in the midst of unprecedented competition from major college and professional sports on cable television and online sites, plus a myriad of emerging pastimes. But the Beacons and Drifters are counting on the crack, or even the tink, of the bat, along with hot dogs, peanuts, and popcorn to work their historic magic, providing a place to go and a team to cheer for under the hot sun or the bright lights of cool spring days and hot summer nights.

CAMPAIGN UPDATE

Bushnell Baseball

Project Goal: $1 M*

Funds: Turf, practice facilities, equipment, scholarships, and program start-up costs.

*Bushnell's fundraising portion

Donor Opportunities

“Starting 9”: $50,000+

“Founder’s Club”: $20,000 - $50,000

“On the Team”: $1,000 - $19,999

*The full story of the Drain Black Sox is told in Joe R. Blakely’s book, The Drain Black Sox of Oregon vs. The Alpine Cowboys of Texas.

A HAVEN FOR THOSE WHO SOAR

Bushnell’s Song Nai Rhee Honors Program

WRITTEN BY DR. JAMES WATSON, DIRECTOR & ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH

In the last edition of The Beacon, I shared the harrowing story of Dr. Song Nai Rhee’s early life in Korea: his conversion to Christianity, the beginnings of his great love of learning, and his unlikely arrival at Northwest Christian College in 1955. This time, I’ll be introducing some of his intellectual grandchildren, so to speak. I recently had the joy of catching up with two students of Bushnell’s Song Nai Rhee Honors Program. The first, Gabrielle Morales, graduated as an Honors Scholar from Bushnell in 2019 and went on to the Ivy League (at UPenn) for graduate school. The second, Tony Wurst, has returned to college after a fifteen year career in small business, and is now completing his last year at Bushnell as he anticipates entering law school in the fall. These two, like Dr. Rhee, have also blazed unique—and often tortuous—routes in their pursuit of their true vocatio, and they both exemplify the heart of our Honors Program.

Gabrielle Morales ’19

Gabrielle was in the first group of students I met when I arrived at Bushnell in the autumn of 2016. She was a living contradiction: as I soon learned, her reserve and her soft-spoken manner cloaked a fierce intellect and a steely resolve. Her work ethic was frightening. On any assignment or task, I always discovered that she had, without fanfare, utterly exceeded the requirements. She thrived both as an English major and as a part of the Honors Program, graduating as the very first “Song Nai Rhee Honors Scholar,” and subsequently entered a master’s program at the prestigious University of Pennsylvania. For her Master of Education degree at Penn, Gabrielle focused on adult, family, and community literacy. More than just a course of study, “adult literacy is my passion,” she says.

This passion was largely inspired by her own story. Her father entered the United States with no English, and in order to make a way for himself and his young family, was forced to cut his formal education short. Gabrielle saw firsthand the challenges that came with this. High school brought its own hurdles, and Gabrielle experienced intermittent homelessness during her junior and senior years. But in the midst of all these difficulties, she somehow managed to graduate and secure both a Horatio Alger National Scholarship and a Gates Millennium Scholarship as she entered college. These experiences formed in her the resiliency and tenacity that would characterize her academic endeavors.

When I asked her about how Bushnell Honors prepared her for graduate school, Gabrielle said: “Penn takes more of an inquiry-based stance.” She explains further: “They don’t just tell you ‘Okay, write a six page paper about this.’ Instead they say, ‘you have these restrictions, or these points I want you to hit, but I want you to be creative about it, and research something you’re passionate about.’ So I definitely feel like the Honors Program at Bushnell prepared me for that.”

And prepared she was: Gabrielle’s tenure at the University of Pennsylvania is a litany of successes. While there, she was appointed co-coordinator of the internationally-recognized Ethnography in Education Research Forum—the first and only Master’s student to be selected for this position in its 42 year history. Her field work spanned inner-city elementary schools, exclusive preparatory academies, and a community center for Bangladeshi refugee children. She worked under renowned scholars aiding in their research projects. And finally, upon completion of her degree, she was voted by faculty to receive the award for “Exemplary Master’s Thesis.”

These accolades could seem to imply that Gabrielle’s stint in Philadelphia was without trial. But in fact, it was nothing of the sort. When I asked her about her experience as a scholar and a Christian at a large secular school, she paused. “It’s kind of funny you ask that,” she said, “Because I don’t want to say I was under attack a lot, but it was hard at Penn.” She found that in almost every class, the implicit consensus was that Christianity was not merely a quaint and ridiculous oddity, but a pernicious force in the world. As she explains, “So it was not easy—not easy at all ...there was one class where literally every week we’d read ‘Christians did this, and Christians did that,’ and ‘devoted Christians are responsible for this.’” It is telling, of course, that despite the seeming antagonism she faced, Gabrielle speaks so highly of her time at Penn, and of the professors with whom she worked—and that they clearly “loved her” (her words) as well.

In the midst of these assumptions and misconceptions surrounding her faith, she says: “I guess you could say I just ‘considered it pure joy’ to surprise people, and to say that’s actually not Christianity.” She pauses and considers this statement with her characteristic humility: “It’s a light form of persecution, but it was a pleasure and an honor to be the opposite of what they would expect a Christian to be.”

After receiving her master’s degree, Gabrielle moved back to the Pacific Northwest to continue pursuing her passion of serving those in need through the vehicle of adult literacy. In the early months of the global pandemic, amidst much uncertainty, she accepted a position as “Corrections Education Navigator” at a large, minimum security men’s prison in Washington state. This role put her in charge of the entire education program at the prison, which involved “intake assessments, getting students enrolled, and designing an education program."

“Penn takes more of an inquiry-based stance ... I definitely feel like the Honors Program at Bushnell prepared me for that.”

“…it was a pleasure and an honor to be the opposite of what they would expect a Christian to be.”

Tony Wurst ’22

Tony is what used to be called a “non-traditional student”—that is, one who falls outside the typical eighteen- to twenty-two year-old college student age range, and who might complete much of his or her degree online. I first met Tony and his wife Amy in person at this year’s annual Autumn Honors Banquet. While we were only able to speak briefly at the banquet, I caught up with Tony a few weeks later via Zoom from his home studio where he greeted me with a Led Zeppelin solo riff on the electric guitar strapped around his neck. These ceremonies concluded, we began to talk about the trajectory that brought Tony here to his final year at Bushnell, poised to enter law school in the fall.

Anthony Wurst was born in Amarillo, Texas, but grew up largely in the Seattle area after his father got a job at Boeing. However, by the time his senior year came around, the family had moved back to Texas and Tony graduated high school with the same friends he had started elementary school with. At this juncture,

he had no real plans for his future. “In high school, I was kind of a pot head, and doing a little bit of partying and everything, but at the same time I was in the calculus classes and the physics classes.” Needing an elective his senior year, Tony took a debate class. This class ended with a tournament which he “entered and swept the entire thing.” Tony had always been drawn to law, and this experience solidified that interest. But it would be many years, and many twists of the road, before that interest would transform into the calling he is now pursuing.

“In high school, I was kind of a pot head, doing a little bit of partying and everything...”

Given his persona and reputation in high school, his guidance counselor thought he “didn’t really seem like a candidate for the [college prep program],” and thus he hadn’t planned a route into higher education. “So I went and signed up for the military.” However, even this plan fell through, when he tested positive for marijuana his first night in the army. This resulted in his enlistment being rescinded before his service began.

boiled down, in Tony’s words, to: “You’re too old.” Tony pauses and adds wryly, “So I waited ten years and am doing it now.”

It was in this state of limbo, his dreams having evaporated before his eyes, that Tony’s life changed. A Bible ministry that worked in the military visited his center, and one of the men gave him a Bible. “I started reading it,” Tony says. “And I dedicated myself to reading a chapter a night, and it changed my life. After getting back home, I got saved, started going to church, and heard about this thing called Bible college.” At this point, thinking perhaps God was calling him to be a pastor, Tony moved back to the Pacific Northwest and started attending Seattle Bible College. But as he progressed through his courses, he sensed that he didn’t have a specific calling to shepherd a church. Instead, he continued working in his job as an exterminator. Eventually, Tony and his wife Amy opened their own exterminating business, and by the time they sold it in anticipation of Tony returning to school, it was “a seven or eight truck ordeal, twelve employees, multi-million dollar company.” But Tony continued to feel the nagging call toward law. So he took the lawyer who represented his business out to lunch to ask his advice—which

As Tony explored potential universities at which to pursue an accredited bachelor’s degree, Bushnell kept coming up. The Wursts had family in the Eugene area, making it more feasible to continue his studies at the U of O law school after finishing his second undergraduate degree. But in an excess of choices, any decision can feel presumptive, and Tony waited. And then, after talking over the possibility of Bushnell with Amy, Tony was driving on the highway, hundreds of miles from Eugene, when an answer seemed to come to him. As he says, “At the same time, I’m somewhere between Olympia and Seattle, up in that area, and the Beacon bus comes rushing by me.” This gave him pause. “I favor myself a Spirit-led man, and I also believe God gave us a mind to think with, but...”—he searches for the right word—“that was a pretty interesting...sign, if you will.

It was not long before Tony and his family had followed this “sign” all the way to Eugene. Tony enrolled at Bushnell and immersed himself in the Honors Program. “The faculty at Bushnell," he says, "have seemed almost like kids in a candy store when it comes to me wanting to further my education—they have exemplified servant leadership.”

Gabby and Tony's stories are but the latest chapters in the long story of the impossible becoming reality on our campus. It has been almost seventy years since Dr. Song Nai Rhee first arrived on campus in the wake of the Korean conflict. Long before he became "Dean Emeritus," he walked to breakfast on his first day as a shy freshman and tentatively asked the cafeteria servers if they had any hot dogs. Though more than half a century has passed, it is good to know that in one quiet corner of the world a student may still arrive from any walk of life and find a haven from which he or she may someday soar.

Song Nai Rhee Honors Program

Project Goal: $1 M

Funds: Faculty support, program expenses, student research, and scholarships.

“I’m somewhere between Olympia and Seattle ... and the Beacon bus comes rushing by me.”

“The faculty at Bushnell ... have exemplified servant leadership.”

“I dedicated myself to reading a chapter a night, and it changed my life.”

Title IX & Women’s Athletics

Bushnell Still Making Strides After 50 Years

June 23, 2022 will mark the 50th anniversary of Title IX, a pivotal turning point in the history of higher education in America.

Despite advancements made by the Civil Rights Act, girls and women in the early 1970s continued to face discrimination and unequal treatment in many areas of education. Female students were often barred from certain male-only courses or fields of study, from wood shop and calculus to criminal justice, law, and medicine. Some colleges and universities refused to allow women to attend or established quotas limiting the number of female students. Others denied tenure to female professors, some refusing to hire them at all.

Enacted as a follow up to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX was a landmark gender equity law, passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972, which banned sex discrimination in federally funded education programs. The protections it provided opened doors for girls and women to academic and co-curricular programming at all levels of education, while helping ensure equal access and treatment.

Title IX was not a sports equity law. Rather, it was an anti-discrimination, civil rights law. It is best known, however, for its substantial impact on high school and intercollegiate athletics. In 1966, only 16,000 women competed in sports at the college level. Today, more than 215,000 women compete in intercollegiate athletics, accounting for 44% of all college athletes.

Title IX

Where We Have Been

The story of Title IX’s impact at Bushnell University began in the early 1970’s and continues with the incredible success of Beacon women’s teams today.

Ahead of its time, the University was having the conversation on equality in athletics even before the passage of Title IX. After a few years as an intramural sports offering, a women’s intercollegiate volleyball program was first established in 1971 to complement the longstanding men’s basketball team.

The program quickly picked up steam. Within four years, the Crusaders were completing an undefeated season and winning multiple Pacific Northwest Collegiate Conference championships.

History of Bushnell Women's Athletics

1971

1972

Bushnell's 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame Inductee Jeanette (Scofield) McHarness ’75 played on some of those pioneering teams. During her acceptance speech she said, “Title IX was enacted to give women access to opportunities and I was so excited. It was like a dream to come to Northwest Christian College, where being a female and a college volleyball player were just a normal part of life.

1975

We had the ability to be a team, to play against other schools, and do the same thing the men were able to do.”

Those early teams helped to create the foundation of the Bushnell athletic department as it stands today. Associate Athletic Director Sarah Freeman reflects, “The work of the women on those early teams was pivotal to the work that we are able to do today, advocating for women in athletics in uncharted territory. Their blood, sweat, and tears paved the way for women to succeed in collegiate athletics as athletes, coaches, and administrators.”

After her playing career, McHarness spent seven years as the coach of the Crusaders team. She was the first female head coach at the school and had the second-longest tenure ever for a female coach at Bushnell. She is credited for advancing the program and advocating for the needs of her players during the crucial infancy of the post-Title IX era.

She was able to ensure the volleyball team received the same amenities as the men. This included facilitating a move from the linoleum-covered

1976

1999

“No person in the United States shall, based on sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance.”

Jeanette (Scofield) McHarness ’75 Becomes First Female Head Coach

President Nixon Signs Title IX Into Law

Intercollegiate Softball Begins

Crusader Volleyball Wins First PNCC Championship

Intercollegiate Volleyball Begins

concrete practice floor at a local Lutheran church to the real hardwood floor they shared with men's basketball at O’Hara Catholic School.

Growth was not without its hiccups, but these early trials only elevated the need for all athletes to continue to be treated equally. “Change takes time and growth can be slow,” said McHarness, “but to see where the athletic program is today, I am humbled and grateful to have played even a small part. The mold and old stereotypes have been broken. We have made incredible strides.”

Where We Are

From the days of only men’s basketball and women’s volleyball, Bushnell has expanded to include nine women’s teams, seven men’s teams, and the coed Esports program. This shift has resulted in a student-athlete population that is nearly 50% female. It is an

valued for who they are, not because of their gender.”

Freeman adds, “We have more women’s teams and just as many women’s athletes as men and we are reinvesting in our women in exciting ways. Adding baseball has given us the opportunity to continue to invest in women’s sports as well. We were recently able to move into a brand new home for softball, and we have added beach volleyball, putting us on the cutting edge in an emerging sport. We have women on our Esports teams, and that is an industry that is still behind the eight ball in some respects on gender equality.”

Senior softball player Sam Silver celebrates, “As a woman, I am proud to see our coaches and administrators actively promoting female athletes at Bushnell. I have had experiences in the past at a previous college and in

2004 Intercollegiate Women’s Basketball Begins

2006

NCC Joins NAIA & Cascade Collegiate Conference

2006 Intercollegiate Volleyball Returns

2006 Intercollegiate Women’s Soccer & Cross Country Begin

Intercollegiate Women’s Golf Begins

2013 Intercollegiate Track & Field Begins

2011 Women’s Cross Country Becomes First Team to Qualify for NAIA Championship

exciting time in history with current expansion and program development geared toward female athletes.

“What we do is equitable across genders, which is in line with our own core beliefs and those of the Cascade Conference and the NAIA,” says Freeman. “Our student-athletes are

high school where we were blatantly aware that men’s teams were always the most important. Female athletes noticed that we were never important. At Bushnell it is different. We have people who are for us. It is refreshing to know that we do matter and that our administration supports us.”

Women’s Cross Country Wins NAIA National Championship

2014 Women’s Cross Country Team Wins First Cascade Conference Championship

2015

In addition, the NAIA has put guidelines in place to ensure proper representation for women and people of color on national committees.

2018

2016

2019

Looking Forward

2020

At the time of the signing of Title IX legislature, Senator Birch Bayh (Indiana), who helped guide the bill through Congress, called it “an important first step in the effort to provide for women of America something that is rightfully theirs.” Fifty years removed from that first step, many more strides have been made resulting in a strong and robust women’s athletic program at Bushnell. Continued steps and advancements forecast an even stronger future on the horizon.

Similar to guidelines in the NCAA, the NAIA has recently enacted bylaws creating a Senior Woman Administrator position at all schools beginning in the fall of 2022. Freeman will assume this role for Bushnell.

Freeman sees many other opportunities for continued growth. “While we do have women in frontoffice leadership roles, in athletic communications and in athletic training, we still lack some diversity in coaching and administration, and this is an area we expect to continue to improve. For us to be able to put our own student-athletes in a position to reach for those opportunities is the next step. We want to continue to promote female athletes and our women’s teams. We want to see a future where it isn’t abnormal for a woman to be coaching a men’s team sport, or participating in every level of administration.”

Junior women’s volleyball player Peyton Ritchie aspires to work in a Senior Woman Administrator role at the college level and is a strong reflection of the values held by the Bushnell athletic department. “I want to bring respect to women’s sports and true equality that comes from Title IX implementation,” she says. “We work just as hard as any other athlete and we deserve that equality. I want to make sure female athletes feel they are wanted and that they matter.” Peyton recently realized a first step in this dream by landing an internship in sports administration at the University of Oregon.

Pam Welsh Named CCC Athletic Trainer of The Year

Sarah Freeman Named Associate Athletic Director, First Female Athletic Administrator.

2021 Volleyball Qualifies for First NAIA National Championship Tournament.

2019

Anika (Rasubala) Womack ’20 Wins NAIA National Championship in Steeplechase

Bailey Dell ’18 Wins NAIA National Championship in Javelin

Priscilla Kennedy & Caitlyn Park Become First Female Athletes on Esports Team

Women’s Basketball Wins First Cascade Conference

A New Class of Champions

Talented Women Enter Our Hall Of Fame

With a firm eye of reflection on the anniversary of Title IX, Bushnell University recently announced an all-female class for the 2022 Athletic Hall of Fame induction. Bushnell will celebrate history-making women spanning multiple eras with the inductions of the 1975 women’s volleyball team, the 2011 women’s cross country team, and former cross country and track & field coach Dr. Heike McNeil.

In just the fourth year as a varsity program, the 1975 volleyball team won the Pacific Northwest Collegiate Conference Championship. The team went undefeated with a 12-0 record, including an 8-0 mark in the PNCC. Coached by Tim Stewart, the team was led on the court by 2019 Hall of Fame inductee Jeanette (Scofield) McHarness ’75, who earned MVP honors. Other members of the team included Laurinda (Beckham) Bradley ’76, Kristie (Black) Kronmiller ’77, Dondra CorrellBlood ’79, Jean (Gelder) Shepherd ’77, Suzanne (Gerg) Bigelow ’78, Suzanne (Kendall) Ellis, Lois (Dye) Smith, Rebecca (Thornton) Boyle ’78, and Angelina Tretnoff.

The 2011 women’s cross country team became the first team to qualify for an NAIA National Championship. They finished in third place at the Cascade Conference Championship and they were the top finishers from the CCC at the NAIA Championship, claiming fourth place. Coached by Dr. Heike McNeil, the Beacons were led by AllConference and All-American seniors Brittany (Arch) Petersen ’12 and Stephanie (Hescock) Green ’12, MBA ’13. Other members of the team included Emily (McLean) Bear ’15, Riley (Swanson) Bell ’12, Allison (Duvenez) Booth ’15, MA ’19, Anita Fernandez,

Coach Dr. Heike McNeil, also Professor of Chemistry, was the inaugural running coach for the Beacons, leading the men's and women's cross country program for 13 years and the men's and women's distance track teams for 11. She was the third-longest serving coach in school history before her coaching retirement in 2019. Her cross country teams were consistently ranked in the top-25 nationally. From 2011 to 2018, at least one team qualified for seven straight NAIA National Championships.

McNeil's 2014 team won Bushnell's first Cascade Collegiate Conference Championship in any sport. It was the first of three straight for the Beacons, with McNeil being voted the CCC Coach of the Year three times. The Beacons finished fourth in the NAIA in 2011, third in 2014, and second in 2016. In 2015, her women's team won Bushnell's first NAIA National Championship and McNeil was named the NAIA Coach of the Year.

This year's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will take place on April 24, 2022 on the Bushnell University campus in Hutchins Hall [named after alumni Bob ’65 & Marilyn (Clark) Hutchins ’64, champions of women’s athletics].

Heidi Gori ’14, Sierra (Schorer Noll) Holmly ’13, Ashley Kinney ’14, Ally Manley, Patty Martinez ’15, and Katie Petersen ’14.

Heike McNeil, Ph.D.

Evening of Tribute 2021

Beacon Awards for Wisdom, Faith & Service | 2021 Recipients

Ben Cross has served as a lead paster for 44 years, in both small and large churches, in Montana, Washington, and Oregon. For the past 13, Ben preached at First Baptist Church in Eugene. He earned an M.Div from Western Seminary and a D.Min from Gordon-Conwell Seminary. Ben was nominated for his honest, courageous, and bold leadership of the church family during times of crisis and for his passion to engage the local area in addressing some of the hardest problems and deepest needs. Ben retired from First Baptist Church on February 1, 2022.

Sheryl Balthrop serves as the executive director of the Eugene Mission, a role she has held since 2018. Sheryl’s background as a local attorney has served her well in her advocacy of the unhoused and in her role as a community leader. She has served as an arbitrator, mediator, and instructor for numerous organizations, committees, and boards. Sheryl was nominated for her deep personal sacrifices in service to the Mission community during the Covid-19 pandemic.

C.W. Walker & Associates has served the commercial real estate needs for the Eugene-Springfield community for over 42 years. Following the heart of founders Clayton & Debby Walker, the team has contributed countless hours of both personal and corporate time into meeting the needs in the community. As an organization, C.W. Walker has invested significant financial resources into local non-profits. They were nominated for their unwavering commitment to ethical business leadership and dedication to serve others.

Presented by

Beacon Award recipients Pastor Ben Cross, the C. W. Walker & Associates team (Matt Hogan, Connie Cottrell, Gary Martin, and Diana Bray), and Sheryl Balthrop celebrate Evening of Tribute with President Joseph Womack.

In Memoriam

In Memoriam features departed friends and alumni who have shone bright in the world. This particular issue pays tribute to beloved professors, trustees, and staff who left an indelible mark on our campus.

DONALD KENNEDY ’69 died on July 14, 2021 after a long illness. Don grew up in Hillsboro, Oregon before attending the University, where he studied for pastoral ministry and played both basketball and baseball. For the next four decades, Don and his wife Margaret (Fishback) ’69 served churches in Oregon, Washington, and Wyoming, where his driving passion was intensive discipleship. Answering his other great passion, basketball, Don served as a bus driver and team chaplain for the men’s basketball teams in the late ‘70s and early ’80s. He then served as Interim Head Coach and Athletic Director in 1986-87, which culminated in a national championship season. He subsequently served as head coach at Puget Sound Christian College, along with numerous international coaching and discipleship trips with Athletes in Action in Peru, Central America, and Ukraine. Don is survived by his three children (and their two spouses), and nine grandchildren.

CLAYTON WALKER, former Trustee and beloved pillar of the community, passed away on October 18, 2021 at the age of 73. After serving in the Vietnam War, he married his wife Debby, who remained his trusted friend and beloved partner throughout his life. Clayton is known by most for his work in real estate consulting, brokerage, and development, which was his career and passion for 50 years. He founded and served as principal broker for C.W. Walker & Associates, Inc. Clayton spent decades supporting relief for homelessness and was instrumental in the construction of hundreds of units of low-income housing. Clayton served on the Board of Trustees at Bushnell from 2004 to 2020, and as the Board Chair from 2009 to 2011. He is survived by his wife, three children, and three grandchildren.

RICHARD WOODS ’69 died on September 12, 2021. Dick attended NCC and went on to pastor in Oregon, California, Indiana, Missouri, and Arizona. Dick also served as a Trustee of the University in the 1980s. A San Diego native, Dick met his wife Ruth (Washburn) ’51 at East San Diego Christian Church and they married in 1951. The Woods have five children (plus spouses) and ten grandchildren, including several who have attended the University. He was a faithful servant of the church and owed a debt of gratitude to the college for the encouragement of faculty and staff in his day. He is survived by his wife Ruth.

REV. DR. DAVID ROOT passed away on August 2, 2021. Throughout his life, he was involved in the civil rights movement and, inspired by Martin Luther King, Jr., David went on to become a preacher. Starting in 1979, David taught New Testament theology, Greek, and Hebrew, and the occasional Old Testament course at the University. David is survived by his six children, eleven grandchildren, and many other loving family members.

LEO WOODRUFF ’43, D.DIV (HON) ’78 died on October 31, 2021, just 43 days shy of his 100th birthday. Earning a Bachelor of Theology, he went on to pastor churches in the Oregon towns of Willamina, West Linn, and Harrisburg for 35 years before returning to work for the University. He married fellow student Gail (Clapp) Woodruff, and together they raised three children (Tom ’68, Dwight ’73, and Carol). In 1978 he received an honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree from NCC. After Gail passed away, Leo married his wife Joyce and soon after Leo became the Vice President for Development at the college. Leo continued in both full- and part-time roles serving the University fundraising mission until he finally retired at 79. He was active in many volunteer and leadership positions including Wi-Ne-Ma Christian Camp, Turner Christian Convention, Emmanuel School of Religion, the Civil Air Patrol, and as an elected member of the West Linn/Wilsonville School Board. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Gail, and his son Dwight. He is survived by his wife Joyce, two children, two stepsons, twelve grandchildren, and twenty-two great-grandchildren. The Leo and Joyce Woodruff Endowed Scholarship has been established in his name and gifts can be made to the fund in his honor.

GILBERT EDWARD KNOX ’55, D.DIV (HON) ’91 passed away on December 22, 2021 at the age of 88. Originally from Milwaukie, Oregon, Gil came to the University from Canby, Oregon. After attending Phillips Seminary, Gil and his family returned to Oregon for a call as minister of First Christian Church of Junction City where he faithfully served for 38 years. Gil was deeply connected to the Bushnell University community: All three of Gil’s children attended the University, he served as an adjunct professor of Old Testament, and he received an honorary doctorate in 1991. He cared deeply for the church and continued to serve churches in his retirement. Gil is survived by his children, Steve ’79, Robi ’81, and Jeff, as well as ten grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother George Knox ’51 and his wife Frances (Herrington) Knox ’51.

Friend of the University MILDRED CRABER died on February 27, 2020 at the age of 101. She was active in the First Christian Church of The Dalles ever since she arrived as an infant. She is survived by her daughter, Donnamae Grannemann ’63, five grandchildren, her great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter.

ROBERT SARGENT ’53 died June 12, 2021 at the age of 92. Bob graduated in 1953 and went on to receive two master’s degrees from Butler University. He married his wife Dorothy (Sittwell) in 1948, and together they raised eight children. Bob spent his career in ministry as a pastor and educator, serving as the Academic Dean at William Jessup University (formerly San Jose Bible College) for thirteen years. He is survived by his wife, five children, fourteen grandchildren, and twenty-six great-grandchildren.

LYNN COOPER ’55 passed away on June 13, 2021 at the age of 88. He transferred in and graduated with a Bachelor in Theology in 1955. In his senior year he met fellow student Marlene (Aydelott) who would become his wife. He pastored churches in Washington before enlisting as a Naval Chaplain in 1966, which turned into a 22-year career. He continued to serve churches in Washington and Idaho. He is survived by his three children, six grandchildren, and ten greatgrandchildren. The Lynn & Marlene Aydelott Cooper Scholarship has been established in their name and gifts to the fund can be made in their honor.

DANIEL MACKENZIE ’69 died on July 6, 2021, at the age of 76. He met his wife, Vicki (Spinning) ’72 while they attended the University, and they married in 1970. He was ordained by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and served in churches throughout Oklahoma, Washington, and Oregon. He earned a master’s degree in Library Science from the University of Oregon and spent the rest of his career working in education. Dan is survived by his wife, three children, and other loving family members.

MILDRED (ELNORE) EVANS ’54 passed away on July 28, 2021, two months before her 100th birthday. She and her husband, Fred Evans, both graduated from the University in 1954, Mildred with a degree in Religious Education. Together they raised a family and served at many churches throughout Oregon, Washington, California, Montana and Iowa. Mildred was the daughter-in-law of Benjamin Ross Evans for whom the B. Ross Evans Chapel was named. She is survived by her children, eight grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

Friend of the University MARIE RANDALL BAKER died on May 15, 2021 at the age of 93. Marie and her husband Ted (who passed away in September) were longtime supporters of many Eugene non-profits and ministries. Originally from Portland, Marie spent most of her life in the Eugene community. She and her first husband, Del Randall, raised three boys. Following Del’s untimely death in 1982, Marie married Ted Baker with whom she shared many interests. Marie and Ted were devoted to philanthropy, specifically Sacred Heart Hospital, the Eugene Library, Pearl Buck Center, and other educational organizations. Marie is survived by her brother, three sons and their wives, three stepchildren and their spouses, twelve grandchildren, and eleven great-grandchildren.

Friend of the University EDWIN “ TED” BAKER died on September 3, 2021 at the age of 97. He was the third child of Alton F. Baker Sr. who formed The Register-Guard in 1930 when Ted was a young child. After beginning school at the University of Oregon, he enrolled in the Army Reserve Corps and was soon deployed to an island in the Solomon chain where he was severely injured. Upon returning to Eugene, he completed his Bachelor’s in Business Administration and worked until retirement at The Register-Guard paper. Following the death of his wife Patricia Ann Petersen, he married Marie Kottcamp Randall who died a few months before he did (see obituary above). He is survived by his three children, three step-children, twelve grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren.

DONALD COLE ’63 died on August 3, 2021. After enrolling in the Army out of high school, Donald went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in theology from the University. He was an avid traveler and saw many parts of the world throughout his life. He is survived by his wife Carol.

EDWIN MARTIN ’57 died on September 8, 2021. He studied ministry at the University where he was set up on a blind date with his future wife, Marian Jean (Robnett) ’57, with whom he shared 64 years of marriage. Ed was a powerful poet and preacher, spending 40 years in full-time ministry. He is survived by four children, six grandchildren, and one great-grandson.

IRIS (BURLILE) ROBISON ’57 of Caldwell, Idaho passed away on September 10, 2021. Her faith was a cherished part of her life and shone through in everything she did. She taught kindergarten, Sunday school, and Vacation Bible School which were all very important to her. Family was most important above all, and she always loved when they made a point to visit. She married Charles Thomas (Tom) Robison on July 15, 1954, and they were married for 67 years. Iris is survived by her husband, three sisters, three children, fourteen grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren.

DONALD ANDREWS ’64 passed away on Aug. 21, 2021 at the age of 88, in Salem, Oregon. He earned a bachelor’s degree in theology in 1964 and pastored many years before becoming a Vocational Rehabilitation Officer for the remainder of his career. He is survived by his two daughters and grandsons.

CHARLES LEROY EMERSON ’59 passed away on January 5, 2022. A native of Eugene, Charles grew up in San Diego but returned to attend the University. After graduation, he attended Christian Theological Seminary (IN) and then entered the ministry, serving churches all over the country. His last pastorates were Phoenix Central Christian Church and Foothills Christian Church, both in Arizona. He also served on the faculty of Arizona State University in the religious studies department for over 30 years. Charles is survived by his wife Wilma, sister Darlene, son Richard (and his wife Kim), and granddaughters Emily and Hannah.

BUSHNELL OFFERS REAL-WORLD, ONLINE DEGREES FOR WORKING ADULTS

Bushnell University aims to produce Christ-filled, purposeful graduates across all vocations. Our evening and online programs are designed for working adults, providing the flexibility and personal support to help students achieve their goals.

GRADUATE DEGREES

Master in Business Administration (MBA)

Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL)

Master of Science in Nursing (MSN)

BACHELOR’S DEGREES

Forensic Psychology Teacher Education

For a full list of academic offerings, please visit bushnell.edu

SECURING THE FUTURE

WRITTEN BY GARY D. JURDEN, CFP ® , CRPC ® , AEP ® , APMA®

Recent studies have shown that between 50% to 68% of adults do not have a will. Dying without a will leaves the state to decide how to distribute your assets, which is not what most people want to happen. Estate planning is important at any age, but anyone over the age of 18 should have a will, a power of attorney, and advanced medical directives because anyone could become incapacitated. Even young adults should pay attention to beneficiaries on retirement plans, bank accounts, and investment accounts, particularly as they start accumulating assets.

Marriage is another life event that requires you to update your estate documents. You may not have a lot when you get married, but you may start having children and they will be your greatest asset. You need to consider if something happened to you and your spouse who would be the guardian of your kids and how your assets will be divided. All of these life events require a current will or trust with that information.

As you get older and begin to accumulate wealth and assets (savings, retirement plans, vehicles, homes, etc.), you may find your existing estate documents are no longer sufficient. You may want to discuss with your attorney the merit of forming a trust.

As God blesses us with many provisions, everyone has to make decisions about how to steward wealth, both in this lifetime and after passing. It is never too early to make a solid giving plan with your attorney, CPA, and financial advisor. Not only will you bless others but you will set an example for the next generation on how to be good stewards of what God gives.

The most important part of estate planning is to simply get started. Bushnell University has made it easy for you to create a will, update your beneficiaries, or create a legacy plan. All our donors and alumni have free access to Giving Docs, a trusted estate planning partner, through the Bushnell University website at plannedgiving.bushnell.edu

It’s never too early to start.

Gary Jurden is the Chair of the Bushnell University Board of Trustees and owns a financial planning firm in Eugene, Oregon.

STRENGTHEN YOUR MINISTRY

The Master of Arts in Leadership (MAL)

The Master of Arts in Leadership at Bushnell University is a unique 36-credit online program that fosters personal growth and improved leadership effectiveness, equipping leaders to integrate Wisdom, Faith, and Service to bring greater value to their organizations.

Can be completed in 1 or 2 years

100% online with flexible structure

Small class sizes

Dedicated and experienced Christian faculty

MAL CONCENTRATIONS

Higher Education Leadership Business Administration

Non-Profit Leadership Church Leadership

“As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace.”

– 1 Peter 4:10

bushnell.edu/academics/graduate/ma-leadership

WHETHER YOU WERE A CRUSADER OR A BEACON FROM NCC, NCU, OR BUSHNELL, YOU CAN STILL SHOW YOUR SCHOOL PRIDE!

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FROM MY POINT OF VIEW

WRITTEN BY PAUL WRIGHT ’01

Iremember when I first set foot on campus at Bushnell University. I was recruited to play basketball, but quickly learned there were more opportunities than just dribbling a ball up and down the court. It was in Burke-Griffeth Hall that I learned to play guitar. Many evenings we turned the Rug Room into a concert venue. I started a music club and the school funded a compilation album featuring our students and local artists around Eugene.

Playing basketball helped me stay focused in the classroom and one of my favorite professors, Dr. Dan Berger, encouraged me to major in Communications. Upon graduation, I signed a deal with TobyMAC’s music label, Gotee Records, and moved to Nashville. I began applying the valuable lessons learned in the classroom on the road. After several albums and years of touring full-time, I returned to Eugene and found my life passion to be working in higher education with college students.

Serving as the Director of Student Programs in the Student Life department at Bushnell, my office is downstairs from where I took my first college course. The relationships developed during my education at Bushnell have lasted a lifetime. In fact, I sat next to my future wife, Chantal, on my first day of class. Some of my best friends are the ones I played basketball with and our coach, Dave Lipp ’71, still sends us a group text message of his daily devotion.

Our work in student life is so important. I first experienced it as an undergraduate student-athlete. It is a privilege to return to the campus that has impacted me so much and to encourage students to discover their calling in wisdom, faith, and service.

‘Sco

Beacs!