CORBAN CONNECTION JANUARY | FEBRUARY 2022
EDUCATING CHRISTIANS WHO WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD FOR JESUS CHRIST.
NOTE FROM THE PRESIDENT C. S. Lewis wrote: “Now there are a good many things which would not be worth bothering about if I were going to live only seventy years, but which I had better bother about very seriously if I am going to live forever.” Eternal consequences shape how we provide education, how we live our lives, and how we do business around the globe. In Scripture we find in Jesus a man who lived in light of eternity, but not at the expense of the present. He did not dismiss physical human needs because they were somehow irrelevant in the grand scheme of living forever. No, He himself had physical needs and He gladly met those of the people around Him. He satisfied hunger pangs, and not just spiritual ones, but physical ones that actually gnaw at our gut. Jesus does not belittle us for being human; He challenges us to be fully present as we also pursue a life that will last into eternity. At Corban, we aim to teach our students to live like Christ did. We want to train future professionals who fulfill the dual role of attending to the physical and material needs of those around them while also fixing their eyes on the power and price of eternity. As we enter this new year, we ask you to pray for Corban that we may continue to pour into our students as Christ did, equipping them to flourish in both their everyday material lives and their spiritual walks with God. To Christ be all Glory,
NON PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID SALEM OR PERMIT NO. 51
Sheldon C. Nord, Ph.D. President
Left to right: Ruthie LaFreniere, Shirley Turner (Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations), and Mary Smith
ALUMNA DONOR PAVES THE WAY FOR $114,482 DONATED DURING CORBAN GIVING TUESDAY Ruthie LaFreniere walks slowly through the front lobby of Schimmel Hall, guided by her sister Mary. Progressing down the hallway, the two sisters point out the changes to the building and reminisce about the many people and past University presidents it has held throughout the years.
to help encourage others to give toward student scholarship support before the end of the year. Less than a week after that prayer meeting, Ruthie came to them, committed to giving $50,000, not knowing that she represented the living embodiment of answered prayer.
Ruthie and Mary have been part of Corban since before it was Corban. They were both students during the infancy of the University, at Western Baptist Bible College in El Cerrito, California, eventually moving with the school to its Salem location. And their Corban roots stretch back to their childhood.
“We were so excited about how God knit together all of these details,” says Director of Annual Giving, Shirley Turner, “the heart of a donor with the desires and prayers of our team here at Corban University.” The plan was fully realized on Ruthie’s 79th birthday.
Ruthie recalls “marrying” former University President, Dr. David Miller, in their garage in the fifth grade. Mary led the service. And the two remember playing with Tim and Jim Hills as children, “Timmy and Jimmy,” as Ruthie refers to them. “Growing up, when it came to money, we were poor,” she recalls. “But we were rich in so many other things.” Ruthie, who first arrived at Corban back in 1960, remembers stepping out of school twice because of finances, before eventually graduating in 1967. “Hearing that this money is going to be used as a match for scholarships was just awesome to me,” she says. “Because I never would’ve made it through here if I hadn’t had scholarship support.”
Her gift was the exact amount needed to spur donors on to the goal of raising $100,000 toward student scholarship support for Corban Giving Tuesday. By November 30, the day of the event, Ruthie’s sacrificial gift had encouraged the giving of so many others like her that the team surpassed their ambitious goal, raising $114,482 in support of student scholarships. Scan the code to read the full story.
But the plan for Ruthie’s gift began as a prayer. Prior to her decision to step out in generosity, Corban’s Advancement team had been praying for a committed donor who could initiate a matching gift opportunity
CORBAN CONNECTION YEAR IN REVIEW
Our goal for this newsletter has always been to inform, inspire, and invite. Which is why we would love to hear from you. Do you have an exciting alumni update to share? A new cause to feature? Or do you want to provide feedback on what you would like to see more of in this next year of Corban Connection? Let us know by emailing advancement@corban.edu to provide feedback and tell us about the impactful and exciting things Corban alumni are doing in your community.
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It’s been over a year of exciting news, bold University updates, and heartfelt alumni stories from the Corban Connection newsletter. We’ve seen a new and vitally needed Outdoor Athletic Complex come to fruition, witnessed the birth of Corban’s Agriculture Science program, and been touched by so many stories of the incredible impact our alumni are having in our communities and around the world.
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Reshape Your Future Alumni Scholarship Alumni Connections Counseling Firm of Corban Grads Makes an Impact Coloring Pages
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Giving in Her Own Words OAC Takes Shape and Nears Completion Corban Coffee Club Corban Parent Corner
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Live Performances Return to Campus Corban Athletics Offers Free Admission for Alumni Events