Eastern | Fall/Winter 2017

THE MAGAZINE OF EASTERN UNIVERSITY

Courage to reconcile

REV. DR. BRENDA SALTER MCNEIL DMIN ‘00 On Courageous Christians in Catalytic Times

FALL/ WINTER 2017

courage to dance

courage to advocate

SAMANTHA AMBRICO ‘17

NIKKI TOYAMA-SZETO MA ‘07

A jeté of faith

A voice for all the others

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT: COURAGE TO LEAD

ACADEMICS

LETTERS FEATURE ATHLETICS

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P.4 NEW ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP

P.5 RECENT FACULTY BOOKS

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COURAGE TO REMAIN POSITIVE: DOUG HORTON '99 When tragedy strikes, having the courage to move forward can seem almost impossible. Everyday life feels as if it’s crumbling around you and the anticipation of brighter days turns into a distant memory.

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COURAGE TO RECONCILE: REV. DR. BRENDA SALTER MCNEIL DMIN '00 Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil DMin ’00 knows how to demonstrate courage.

With over thirty years of experience, she is a leader in the ministry of reconciliation. As a dynamic speaker, author and professor, her stated mission

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is to inspire, equip and empower emerging Christian leaders to be practitioners of reconciliation in their various spheres of influence around the world.

P.16 COURAGE TO SAY YES: LAUREN SNODGRASS MA '17

P.17 COURAGE TO INSPIRE: LARA OWLETT '09, MEd '13

P.18-19 COURAGE TO DANCE: SAMANTHA AMBRICO '17

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2017 ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS Women's golf claims MAC Freedom title, Eastern Athletics welcomes three new coaches, 134 Eastern athletes listed on Winter/Spring MAC academic honor roll, Eastern announces Men's Volleyball for 2018–19.

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P.7 FAITH ON THE FIELD

P.8–9 COURAGE TO BEGIN: NURSING CLINICAL RESOURCE LAB

P.9 INVEST IN THE FUTURE

P.10 P.11 DEANS' CORNER

P.12 COURAGE TO LOVE OUR NEIGHBORS

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COURAGE TO ADVOCATE: NIKKI TOYAMA-SZETO MA '07 In my work with Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA), we’re working to help Christians opt-in. We hope to provide resources to help people learn how their faith intersects with issues in the world today. And to help people live out their discipleship in the public sphere by giving people opportunities for meaningful action.

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P.22 COURAGE TO ENGAGE: LOTT CAREY MISSION SOCIETY

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PHILANTHROPY

COSTAS LECTURESHIP / 99 TO 78

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HELEN JOHNSON SUNDAY '65 “Courage for the deed; grace for the doing.” If one didn’t know that was the historical motto of a Philadelphia-area independent school, one would easily ascribe the ideas to Helen Johnson Sunday,

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ALUMNI

PALMER

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COURAGE TO GROW: COURTNEY DAVIS '18

P.34 EASTERN ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

P.40 PALMER ALUMNI CLASS NOTES

an alumna of the class of 1965.

P.27 DEAN'S LIST OF DONORS

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LETTERS

THE MAGAZINE OF EASTERN UNIVERSITY FALL/WINTER 2017, COURAGE

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT Courage to Lead

IT IS NOT AN OVERSTATEMENT THAT FOOTBALL EXPOSED AND LED ME TO CHRIST IN HIGH SCHOOL. I CAME TO CHRIST THROUGH BILL GLASS' EVANGELISTIC MINISTRY WHEN HE PLAYED FOR THE CLEVELAND BROWNS. About the same time, I attended a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Conference that featured Jerry LeVias, who played college football and then played professional football in the NFL. LeVias was the first African-American scholarship athlete and second African-American football player in the Southwest Conference. He spoke of how God was ever present despite his experience of significant racism. This drew me closer to God and reinforced my commitment to stand against racism and do my part to try to eradicate it.

For me, football is more than a game. It awakened me to issues of faith and social justice. This fall we had the distinct privilege of hosting the Faith on the Field Show and Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz, tight end Trey Burton and offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski as they shared what it means to be professional athletes and people of faith.

It is my sincere hope that what Bill Glass and Jerry LeVias did for me, Carson, Trey and Stefan will have done for others that fall evening at Eastern.

Also in these pages, you will read about our new Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Dr. Kenton L. Sparks, who has recently started a new conversation around the idea of courage at Eastern. What we have discovered as this conversation unfolds is that there are unique and limitless ways our students, alumni, faculty and 2

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Executive Vice President | M. THOMAS RIDINGTON, PH.D Editor | DENISE MCMILLAN Writer and Photographer | ELYSE GARNER ’13 Creative Director | DANIEL PEIRCE Cover Photography | ZAC DAVIS Production Assistant | STELLA URBINA ’14 Design | 20NINE Please send comments or article suggestions to: publications@eastern.edu

Alumni news should be sent to: alumni@eastern.edu

staff are demonstrating courage. In these pages alone you will read about the courage to reconcile, advocate, dance, engage, grow, begin, love our neighbors, say yes and inspire!

In the courage to reconcile feature story, you will read about esteemed Palmer Theological Seminary alumna, Reverend Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil DMin ’00, and her return to campus as the May 2017 commencement speaker. As a leader in the ministry of reconciliation she spoke to the graduates and provided timely and relevant guidance on how to be Courageous Christians in Catalytic Times.

As the new Director for Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA), Nikki Toyama-Szeto MA ’07 explains how the voices of the littlest victims, those who don’t get to opt-out, inspire her to have the courage to advocate by choosing to opt-in.

Eastern is a place that instills and shapes courage. It is a place where people find their courage. As you read the stories in these pages, I hope you will reflect on and connect with what your Courage to… is, at this time, or might yet become. I am deeply humbled that I have been called to demonstrate the Courage to Lead this Christian higher education institution.

Palmer Seminary alumni news should be sent to: palmeralum@eastern.edu

PUBLISHED BY The Office of University Relations at Eastern University

ONLINE AT eastern.edu/publications Eastern, The Magazine of Eastern University is the winner of the 2016 Gold Cuppie Award for creative excellence in marketing and communication as recognized by CUPRAP, the College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals.

Connect with us to get the latest news, hear our story, and get a glimpse into life at EU! facebook.com/easternuniversity twitter.com/easternu instagram.com/easternuniversity youtube.com/user/easternvideos linkedin.com/company/eastern-university pinterest.com/easternu @EasternU easternuniversity.tumblr.com

ROBERT G. DUFFETT PRESIDENT

FOR GENERAL INQUIRIES, CONTACT Eastern University Office of University Relations 1300 Eagle Road, St. Davids, PA 19087 (610) 341.5800 eastern.edu /universityrelations

LETTERS

The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?

PSALM 27:1

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NEW ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP AT EASTERN

by ELYSE GARNER ‘13

New Provost of Eastern University Dr. Kenton L. Sparks EASTERN UNIVERSITY WAS PLEASED TO WELCOME A NUMBER OF EXCITING NEW CHANGES IN ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP THIS YEAR. AFTER EXTENSIVE SEARCHES, THE UNIVERSITY APPOINTED A NEW PROVOST AND THREE NEW DEANS, EACH WITH THEIR OWN VISION AND GOALS TO ENHANCE EASTERN’S COMMITMENT TO QUALITY ACADEMICS. Eastern University is pleased to announce that as of July 1, 2017, Dr. Kenton L. Sparks has been named Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs of the University. Over the last three years Dr. Sparks served on President Robert G. Duffett’s Executive Leadership Team as Vice President for Marketing and Enrollment and has served as Special Assistant to the President.

In his new role, he supervises Academic Affairs, Student Development and Enrollment Management and Marketing. Currently on faculty as Professor of Biblical Studies, Dr. Sparks has been with Eastern University since 2000 and is a past Chair of the Christian Studies Department. He is accustomed to the workings of the Provost’s Office having served as Assistant Provost to Provosts Hall and King from 2006 to 2011 and as acting Provost from 2011 to 2014. As a scholar, he is the author of numerous books and refereed journal articles.

He won the Lindback Foundation Award for Distinguished Teaching in 2005. After his appointment Dr. Sparks said, “Now more than ever before, our world is crying out for faith, reason and justice. Eastern University's core mission is to advance these three, critical elements of human wholeness in the church and to the ends of the earth."

Dr. Sparks also outlined specific goals as Provost which include, “ensuring that Eastern University's core mission is driven by an understanding of human flourishing, of both what it is and how it can be advanced; building academic programs to 4

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prepare students for a constantly-changing social and economic context; providing state-of-the-art educational experiences, informed by the latest theories of student learning and instructional design; offering co-curricular and extra-curricular experiences and services that delight our students; basically... to provide the kind of higher education experience that our students and potential students dream about.”

Dean of the College of Health and Social Sciences Dr. Patricia Reger After serving as Interim Dean since January 2016, Dr. Reger was appointed as permanent Dean of the College of Health and Social Sciences in March and officially assumed the position on July 1, 2017. As Dean, Dr. Reger plans to move the College forward by developing programs that will bolster academic success and strong Christian leadership as well as creating external partnerships that will provide students with an enhanced academic experience and opportunities for growth outside the classroom.

“I am honored to accept this position and look forward to working closely with students, faculty, staff and community partners to prepare the next generation of health and social science professionals to positively impact individuals and communities,” she said of receiving the new position.

Dean of the College of Education Dr. Susan Edgar-Smith Dr. Edgar-Smith formerly led Eastern’s graduate program in Counseling Psychology for over a decade. She was officially appointed to the position of Dean of the College of Education in April and assumed her new role on September 1, 2017. “I look forward to the opportunity to team with the talented faculty and staff within the College, to deliver high-quality, technology-savvy educator

training programs, and expand our delivery models so that we can train more students. I believe that by looking both inward and outward we will be able to create success in broadening the impact of Eastern University and the College of Education,” she said of the appointment.

As Dean, Dr. Edgar-Smith hopes to expand programs in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) as there is a high demand for these trained professionals in the current workspace.

As a trained psychologist, she also plans to bring a brain-based, trauma focused approach to the College’s programs and hopes to highlight training in Early Childhood and Autism instruction, supervision and support.

Dean of Templeton Honors College Dr. Brian Williams Coming from the University of Oxford in the U.K., Dr. Williams officially assumed the roles of Dean of Templeton Honors College and Assistant Professor of Ethics and Liberal Studies on July 1, 2017. “This position allows me to draw together so many of my life’s passions: theology, moral and spiritual formation, the classics, and education. And it allows me to become part of a small community of likeminded friends gathered around common objects of love for sake of serving the community and the Kingdom,” Dr. Williams said of the appointment.

In his new role, Dr. Williams plans to build on the College’s already strong commitment to its values of truth, learning, wisdom, virtue, stewardship and service. By the summer of 2018, he hopes to develop a new MA in Classical Teaching program that will help secondary teachers learn both the methods and the materials of classical education. In an effort to broaden the influence and impact of the College, he also hopes to strengthen the Summer Scholars Program, grow the freshman class, add degree options and professors, expand facilities, and provide more opportunities for students to engage with the Arts and Aesthetics.

ACADEMICS

RECENT FACULTY BOOKS

by STELLA URBINA ’14

DIVERSITY MATTERS: RACE, ETHNICITY AND THE FUTURE OF CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION Kathy-Ann C. Hernandez, PhD, Professor of Educational Psychology and Research Methods (co-author/co-editor)

PAULO FREIRE: HIS FAITH, SPIRITUALITY AND THEOLOGY

NOAH AS ANTIHERO: DARREN ARONOFSKY’S CINEMATIC DELUGE

GOD AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL: FIVE VIEWS

LUKE: A NEW COVENANT COMMENTARY

Darrell (Drick) Boyd, EdD, Professor of Urban and Interdisciplinary Studies

Rhonda Burnette-Bletsch, PhD, Professor of Biblical Studies (co-editor)

Phillip Cary, PhD, Professor of Philosophy and Scholar-in-Residence at the Templeton Honors College (contributor)

Diane Chen, PhD, Professor of New Testament, Palmer Theological Seminary

FROM ROME TO ZURICH, BETWEEN IGNATIUS AND VERMIGLI: ESSAYS IN HONOR OF JOHN PATRICK DONNELLEY, SJ.

ON KNOWING HUMANITY: INSIGHTS FROM THEOLOGY FOR ANTHROPOLOGY

MANAGEMENT AND DIVERSITY– PERSPECTIVES FROM DIFFERENT NATIONAL CONTEXTS: INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVES ON EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

A KINDLE IN THE KINGDOM: CHRISTIAN MISSIONS STRATEGY IN THE CARIBBEAN

Gary W. Jenkins, PhD, Van Gorden Professor in History (author/editor)

Eloise Meneses, PhD, Director of the MA in Theological/Cultural Anthropology and David Bronkema, PhD, Interim Dean, Palmer Theological Seminary (co-authors/co-editors)

Franklin Oikelome, PhD, Associate Professor of HRM and Employment Relations (co-author)

Randolph Walters, MA ’95 MTS ’96 PsyD, Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology, Faculty Senate Moderator

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ACADEMICS

by ELYSE GARNER '13

WHEN TRAGEDY STRIKES, HAVING THE COURAGE TO MOVE FORWARD CAN SEEM ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE. EVERYDAY LIFE FEELS AS IF IT’S CRUMBLING AROUND YOU AND THE ANTICIPATION OF BRIGHTER DAYS TURNS INTO A DISTANT MEMORY. But for Doug Horton ’99, the courage to remain positive in the midst of turmoil has become much more than a coping mechanism; it’s the constant reminder and critical push needed to start again, reflect God’s glory and ultimately make a significant difference in the lives of others.

that life is fragile and can be taken from us in the blink of an eye,” he said. “I never truly experienced what a relationship with God was all about until I was completely broken.” The experience, he says, left him at a crossroads, forcing him to choose between bitterness and acceptance. In the end, he chose to rest in the character and promises of God and has since used his experience of pain and loss to help make a difference and share God’s glory with others.

"WHEN YOU’RE BROKEN AND THERE’S NOTHING ELSE THAT YOU HAVE, THAT’S WHERE

The alumnus and current faculty member started his journey with Eastern in 1995 as a health and exercise science major. Coming from a Christian home, he immediately felt a connection with the University and was happy to find many opportunities open to him based on his interests and professional goals. It was at Eastern where he also met his future wife, Christine (Collesidis) ’02, whom he later married in 2001. “Eastern eventually moved from feeling like home to being my home,” Doug said. “The experiences I had along with the relationships I made formed the foundation for my professional career.”

After graduation, Doug moved on to do clinical work in the area, but soon returned home to join the faculty full-time in the fall of 2008. He is now Senior Lecturer in Kinesiology, Clinical Coordinator for the Athletic Training Education Program, and Director of the Life Fitness Program. But to Doug, working in his chosen field and molding young minds involves much more than just teaching them the facts. More than anything, he tries to be a source of inspiration and a true example of how to persist even when things get tough; a goal that has become particularly meaningful to him in the last three years.

In late 2014, Doug and Christine suffered the loss of their four month old son, Luke; a tragedy that shook the family to the core. “I realized first hand 6

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GOD CAN BE GLORIFIED AND THAT’S WHERE YOU CAN TRULY EXPERIENCE HIS PROMISES AND LOVE. THAT DOESN’T MEAN THE PAIN GOES AWAY AND THAT DOESN’T MEAN THAT WE UNDERSTAND. GOD MAY NOT WANT US TO UNDERSTAND, BUT WHAT HE DOES CALL US TO IS TO HAVE FAITH AND TRUST HIM.”

As a professor, Doug does this by imparting a missional mentality to his students. “I want to have them view their calling to this profession as a mission field,” he said. “They have a unique opportunity to reach their patients in a way that most people are not able to. When people question why they’re going through a difficult time being injured, that presents a great opportunity to discuss faith, reason and justice.

As program director, my attitude will affect how my students respond to situations. I’m their example and I have to practice what I preach.”

Outside the classroom, Doug is involved in numerous projects that allow him to share his testimony while at the same time utilize his love of athletics and help alleviate the suffering of others. He is heavily involved and is on the board of Goliathon, a completely

volunteer-led non-profit that uses obstacle course racing to help people in need around the world. With eight events held over the past few years, Goliathon has donated over $149,000 to fund clean water projects in Ethiopia, Nepal, Bangladesh and Malawi.

More recently, Doug has also taken on the role of radio host in the new ESPN 610Sports radio program, Faith on the Field Show. Along with friend and local radio personality, Rob Maaddi, Doug appears on the show weekly, which interviews professional athletes who are also people of faith. The program allows these players to share their testimonies while also tackling the tough questions they face as believers both on and off the field. Since its debut in April 2017, Faith on the Field Show has even hosted two events on Eastern’s campus, including their most recent live broadcast with Philadelphia Eagles Carson Wentz, Trey Burton and Stefen Wisniewski. “To be able to do awesome things with people you care about and enjoy being with is a tremendous blessing,” Doug noted. “There is also a sense of fulfillment knowing that we’re making a difference and that God is using Goliathon and Faith on the Field for His glory.”

When he’s not teaching on campus, running a race, or interviewing star athletes, Doug still finds time to spend with his wife and four daughters, all the while remembering and loving the one they lost only three years ago. “My prayer when Luke passed away was that God would use him. Our family refers to it as ‘Luke’s Light’ when his story affects others and God is glorified. My courage to remain positive is so ‘Luke’s Light’ can continue to shine… That’s my story now and with all the things God is allowing me to do, the story of His love is the thing that deserves the most attention.”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT GOLIATHON, VISIT GOLIATHON.COM

FAITH ON THE FIELD

TO HEAR PAST AND FUTURE BROADCASTS OF FAITH ON THE FIELD SHOW VISIT FAITHONTHEFIELDSHOW.COM

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ACADEMICS

by CORINNE LATINI, MEd, BSN, RN-BC, CSN

“IN THE BEGINNING…” OF COURSE THOSE ARE THE FIRST WORDS FROM THE BIBLE AND THE BOOK OF GENESIS THAT INTRODUCE US TO THE FAITH JOURNEY THE READER IS ABOUT TO TAKE. I OFTEN THINK OF THAT VERSE WHEN I REFLECT ON THE BEGINNINGS OF OUR NURSING LAB AND THE JOURNEY OF OUR NURSING PROGRAM. True, the lab is not really of biblical proportion but there were times when it certainly seemed that way.

The basement of Fowler Hall, at the time called Heritage House, was definitely “without form and void” when we began the process of building the first nursing lab. As the space began to take shape, we felt God’s hand or the “Spirit move over the deep,” in all of it. After transforming the area, the new lab was officially opened and dedicated in the 2005 spring semester. Dr. Boylston, former Chair of the Department of Nursing and Dr. David Black, former President of Eastern University, cut the ceremonial ribbon and Dr. Joseph Modica gave a blessing and marked a cross over the doorway. Inscribed on the wall for students, faculty, and visitors to see each time they entered the lab was this scripture from Matthew: “Whatever you do to the least of my people, you do also unto me.” –Matthew 25:40 During those first years of our pre-licensure program lab activities, we endured some various environmental plagues such as storms that caused flood waters to pour into the lab from all corners of the room during a medication administration class; swarms of citronella ants made their presence known by careening off of my computer screen and creating clouds of havoc as we tried to douse them; and mice scurried across the floor and made themselves at home during Christmas break one year, eating candy and leaving foil paper scraps in the manikins.

We had intruded on their home and they let us know it! As they say in the real estate market, “a basement is a basement is a basement.”

Nevertheless, the lab served our students well and presented a learning environment that was conducive to the development of skills and critical thinking necessary for nurses to be safe and competent practitioners.

The pre-licensure program was growing quickly over the next three years and we needed a larger lab space. In the spring of 2008, Eagle 8

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Learning Center opened and our present day lab was dedicated, again with a wonderful prayer and blessing from Dr. Modica. He marked a cross over the doorway and the same scripture mentioned earlier is on the back wall to keep us grounded. During the years of growth in our pre-licensure program and the emphasis on technology integration in nursing, we have been blessed by several grants from the McLean Contributionship. Their support has allowed faculty and staff to dramatically expand our technology resources and simulation activities in the nursing lab. The awards have included the Laerdal Virtual Intravenous Trainer which is a self-paced learning system for skill-building with inserting intravenous catheters. The Gaumard birthing simulator Noelle and newborn Baby Hal were purchased to enable our students to experience caring for antepartum, intra-partum, and post-partum patients. Through the power of technology, Noelle gives birth to Baby Hal and students can see the intricacies of the entire birthing process as well as the immediate care of the newborn. Additional awards provided the lab with three Secure Mobile Rx Carts and one Access Point Mobile Rx cart. These carts come equipped with computers and a medication delivery system identical to ones used in the clinical setting.

We have also been able to upgrade our Laerdal Nursing Anne Vital Sim manikins with

Sim Pad technology which allows for wireless communication between the Sim Pad and the manikin. This provides for programming of heart, lung, and bowel sounds, and blood pressure which can be changed as the scenario or teaching situation unfolds. The Vital Sims can be transported to the classroom to augment a lecture session or a case study. The recent grant award included an additional Laerdal Nursing Anne Vital Sim with SimPad and a patient monitor. These are enhancing our critical care case studies that the students present to their peers. An active learning environment fosters critical thinking as well as skill acquisition. A holistic approach to patient care is foundational to our program and even with technology, students learn how to communicate and interact with the patient and families.

The next phase of our technology integration includes video-taping student scenarios and activities for formative learning and debriefing purposes. The Simulation iQ Mobile system purchase from the 2015 McLean grant made this possible. This semester we have used simulation as a clinical day for our students. The video recording equipment has helped the students see how they performed during the scenario as they delivered patient care and how well they prioritized patient centered care. The debriefing portion of simulation is key to learning and development of

ACADEMICS

It had been Dr. Dwight Peterson’s bed, the one in which he journeyed during the last months of his life. We are blessed to have the bed as an educational tool and also as a constant reminder of a life well-lived to the glory of God.

critical thinking skills. The Simulation iQ Mobile greatly enhances the process.

Today, students have the opportunity to learn and practice nursing skills, increase knowledge and critical thinking, and build confidence using these various modalities. High quality simulation is now a vital part of the educational process and

we are grateful to the McLean Contributionship for granting us these awards so that our students and faculty can best utilize technology in our NCRL and the classroom.

Another amazing gift to our nursing lab is the donation of a high-tech hospital bed. The bed was given to the nursing lab by Dr. Margaret Peterson.

With increasing enrollment in the pre-licensure program, the time has come for planning a new lab expansion and in Fall 2018 a nursing suite will be opened in McInnis Hall. We have journeyed far in our pre-licensure program, not only with lab opportunities but with the many blessings we experience as our graduates become nurses and serve God and His people as a result of the program at Eastern University, the grants and gifts from our benefactors, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. As we move into the future, may what is taught in the new nursing suite continue to embrace the scripture from Matthew, that as we serve God’s people, we are also serving Him!

INVEST IN THE FUTURE STATE OF THE ART NURSING CLINICAL RESOURCE LABORATORY PLANNED OPENING FALL 2018

The Department of Nursing Clinical Resource Laboratory at McInnis Hall will consist of a 5,000 square foot renovation. The renovations, located on the third floor, will contain classroom and laboratory spaces. The laboratory renovation project total is $1 million which includes construction renovation and equipment costs. Later renovations will provide faculty office space on the same floor.

LABORATORY RENOVATIONS • 2 STATE OF THE ART CLASSROOMS WHICH INCLUDES LECTURE SPACE FOR 15 TO 20 STUDENTS • NURSING SKILLS LAB WITH 6 HOSPITAL BED SUITES

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS EXCITING PROJECT AND HOW YOU CAN PARTNER WITH THE NURSING DEPARTMENT, CONTACT NATISSA KULTAN-PFAUTZ MS '08: NKULTAN@EASTERN.EDU OR 610-341-5936

• HIGH ACUITY SIMULATION LAB WITH CONTROL ROOM AND 2 HIGH FIDELITY MANIKINS • MATERNAL-CHILD/PEDIATRIC LAB SUITE • COMMUNITY/MENTAL HEALTH SUITE WITH FURNISHINGS

EQUIPMENT NEEDS • 9 HOSPITAL BED SUITES WITH PRIVACY CURTAINS, CABINETS AND TABLES • 11 ALARIS MEDLEY IV PUMPS • 2 HIGH-FIDELITY MANIKINS • 4 SETS OF SIMULATION LAB CONTROLS • 11 HEADWALL UNIT SYSTEMS • EMERGENCY CRASH CART AND LIFELINE • BEDSIDE EQUIPMENT STORAGE

• NURSING STUDENT RESOURCE ROOM WITH COMPUTERS AND DIGITAL VIDEO SYSTEM

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ACADEMICS

more accepting and welcoming! And I am now Vice President of my nursing class. ”

by DR. CHRISTINA JACKSON

SENIOR NURSING STUDENT, COURTNEY DAVIS ’18, WAS BEYOND TERRIFIED. SHE WAS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME, WAS AWAY FROM HER FAMILY, AND IN THE HOSPITAL WITH SEVERAL WOUNDS ON HER FACE AND ARMS. She had been attacked by a dog, and the care given to her by a specific nurse made a monumental difference in her ability to cope. “After the long night and finally receiving my stitches, the nurse told me I was still beautiful, and by doing so she actually got me to smile.”

Courtney still has the scars that remind her of that day, but she came away with the dream of pursuing a career in nursing.

And there was another dream, too. As a high school athlete, Courtney aimed to play soccer at the college level. She was driven, competitive and tough. Her father is a police chief with the skills to profile criminals and make judgments about people. Some of this rubbed off on Courtney over the years, making her a bit pessimistic and suspicious at times. Occasionally, her dad would tease her about becoming the type of cranky nurse depicted as Nurse Ratched in the movie One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest!

Although Courtney chose Eastern University, she was not fully on board with the level of Christian faith integration that is a part of the college experience here. She was hesitant and shielded herself from many of the experiences embraced by other students.

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I first met Courtney as her professor in the first-year introductory course entitled INST 150: Faith, Reason and Justice. It was obvious that she was having difficulty relating to many aspects of the course content, and was resisting opportunities to reflect on personal experiences. “The intro course was overwhelming and slightly intimidating for me. It was one of the very first courses I took at Eastern and I worried that I was not going to be able to fit in to the school since there was such a heavy focus on Christian faith, and I had limited knowledge about Christianity.”

Looking back on that intro course, Courtney likes the fact that the course gave her the opportunity to meet other nursing majors, many of whom she is still good friends with today, and with whom she now shares similar views on Christian faith. She mustered the patience to persevere, and this has yielded the fruit of the spirit in her life.

Courtney likes her caring side. Rather than feeling like the stoic athlete so often, it is “nice to be able to express all sides of myself, and not always have to suck it up!” Her Dad is happy she is here at Eastern too and notices this softening process that has been taking place. “My Dad knows I will be a softer, kindhearted nurse, and not a battleaxe!”

Throughout that course, Courtney was very honest about her discomfort, and displayed a lot of integrity in her process, and wisely did not allow herself to be pushed into anything that was not authentic for her. Her journey needed to be her own, and it needed to unfold in its own time.

Time passed and Courtney made friends. She found a niche on the soccer team and new dorm mates.

These folks had a relaxed approach to faith that felt comfortable to her.

More time passed, and Courtney began taking nursing major courses. “This was the big transformation for me. My eyes were opened to the body-mind-spirit connection. The other nursing students, the faculty, and the environment- they are so supportive, empathic and loving. I want to be the best nurse I can be. I am so focused on that goal. Now I am focused on nursing, and soccer is extra,- never thought I’d say that! And I loved my junior clinical experiences, they also made me

Courtney is starting her senior year, and loves what she is learning. She also likes the transformation she is experiencing inside, and sees it as an extension of her faith journey. “I don’t think I’d be at this point if I went to another school….I feel so much more confident, and see myself embracing my nursing role.

I love my kinder, empathic self! In my faith, I have reached a good understanding of what Christianity means to me and my connection to the Lord. Although it may still differ from many, I am happy with it and I can truly see that I am much more mature than I was years ago when entering Eastern.”

ACADEMICS

Q+A

Deans’ Corner

by DENISE MCMILLAN

College of Business and Leadership: Dr. Douglas Clark

promise to be with me - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." (Joshua 1:9).

2 I’m often reminded that what (I think) I already

1 Courage to Follow.

2 I have been called to lead here at the University but I find my identity as a follower...a follower of Jesus Christ. It is usually easier to go with the flow but I find that following Jesus often means that I must stand contra mundum and that takes courage.

College of Health and Social Sciences: Dr. Patricia Reger 1 Courage to Lead.

2 When I accepted the position as Dean of the College of Health and Social Sciences (CHSS), I accepted the condition of feeling uncomfortable and uncertain.

CHSS is a new college and together we are forging our path into the future. As the Dean, I am working hard to lead and inspire people to follow. It is without question that there will be wonderful opportunities in our future, but I also know that there will be some challenges. As a leader, I must have the courage to see difficult situations through to the end and accept responsibility for the outcomes of decisions.

This can be scary. However, I find comfort in God's

2 WHAT DOES THIS “COURAGE TO…?”

SIGNIFY? OR MEAN TO YOU?

Palmer Theological Seminary: Dr. David Bronkema

1 Courage to Believe in the Transformative 1 Courage to be Faithful.

Power of Christ.

2 This the power to believe in Jesus first of all- a

College of Arts and Sciences: Dr. John Pauley

1 EASTERN ALUMNI, FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS ALL DEMONSTRATE MANY FORMS OF COURAGE. WHAT IS YOUR “COURAGE TO…?”

Esperanza College: Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier MDiv ’82, DD’10

1 Courage to Keep Learning. knew was less meaningful than what I still had to learn, so the courage needed here is for the right balance between “taking counsel” and “delivering on time.”

QUESTIONS:

grace given to us by the Holy Spirit. It is to believe in oneself. As a person of color in this nation, it means that we can dare to believe against the lies that have been told to us about what we can't do, or of not being good enough, or not having the right stuff. It is the power to believe in those that no one else will believe in, persons who may be returning citizens, persons different than ourselves. It is the power to imagine with God and to receive visions and dreams of the basileia (kingdom of God) as well as the ability to implement strategies and take actions in that direction. It is to be able to have enough courage to persevere in the work of justice.

2 To me, the words “Courage to” are best summarized in the idea of being intentional in doing what is right in the face of something that is difficult. It seems to me that the concept of intentionality is particularly important, and it also seems to me that courage involves some kind of action (thought, word, and/or deed) around something that is a struggle. It also seems to me that as Christians, this involves many aspects of our lives as we struggle to submit fully to our Lord and to discern and follow God’s callings in things large and small, personal and societal, especially in the polarized and polarizing situation in which we find ourselves. I’m very thankful for the encouragement we get from God’s Word to “be strong and courageous.

College of Education: Dr. Susan Edgar-Smith

Templeton Honors College: Dr. Brian Williams

1 Courage to be Unconventional.

2 Appointing a clinical and school psychologist as the Dean of the College of Education was an unconventional move for the University since we so often associate education colleges solely with teacher preparation. My hope and prayers are that this decision will help facilitate the emergence of diverse perspectives and discussions when it comes to training our students. Stretching our minds and practices in unconventional ways can help lead us to greater innovation.

1 Courage to Listen.

2 As someone who is new to the Templeton Honors College and Eastern University, I have a lot to learn about the history, the people and the culture of this place. Therefore, I need the courage to listen to the stories that need to be told so I can discover the role I have been called to play in this place at this time.

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ACADEMICS

DR. NILSA GRACIANI, DIRECTOR OF MEDICAL ASSISTING, HEALTH SCIENCES

by DAVID HURTADO MBA, PHD

ESPERANZA COLLEGE OF EASTERN UNIVERSITY WAS CREATED BY A GROUP OF LEADERS WHO HAD THE COURAGE TO LOVE THEIR HISPANIC NEIGHBORS IN NORTH PHILADELPHIA FOR THE PURPOSE OF SUSTAINABLE ECONOMIC AND PERSONAL EMPOWERMENT THROUGH FAITH-BASED EDUCATION. This group of Hispanic neighbors is made up of a population that is diverse and often has a mixed racial background; neighbors who are primarily Puerto Ricans but also include large groups of Dominicans, Mexicans and is also sprinkled with smaller groups of Central and South Americans. The neighbors also include African-Americans, Vietnamese, other underserved groups and those of a European background. This beautiful tapestry of diversity can sometimes lead to misunderstandings, conflict and the age-old question of “who is my neighbor?”

Dr. Elizabeth Conde-Frazier, Academic Dean at Esperanza College, answers this question reminding us in her Youtube teaching on My Neighbors Rights that we are all created in God’s image and that He requires us to love and care for each other, including the stranger among us. The biblical and theological foundation of humanity 12

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created in the image of God informs how Esperanza College students get involved in a variety of projects to love their neighbors in these times of great uncertainty. Students are loving their neighbors through blood drives, food distribution and fundraisers as they seek to help victims of recent disasters and tragedies. Esperanza College students also love their neighbors through what they learn in their academic majors. One way accounting and business students love their neighbors is by providing free tax preparation for low income people in the community. Students in other academic areas have their own unique ways to gain experience and master their craft as they love their neighbors.

Dr. Nilsa Graciani, director of medical assisting, health sciences and other STEM related majors, is leading the way by providing service learning opportunities to students so they can love their neighbors. In collaboration with the Mexican consulate’s program, Ventanilla de Salud (Window of Health), medical assisting students provide health screenings while people are waiting for services at the consulate. In collaboration with Susan G. Komen, Esperanza College students provide much needed breast health education. They also provide qualifying individuals with referrals for mammograms through Komen partners.

Dr. Graciani and her students are champions helping minorities enter STEM fields through community education exposing them to STEM fields and mentors within the field through activities like the Creation Station, Science in the Park Day, the Philadelphia Science Festival and Star Parties.

Exposure to STEM at different levels helps persons envision themselves in STEM related careers which is one of the fastest growing areas for new jobs being created. Opportunities in this field will be essential to economic empowerment.

These types of opportunities will only increase as Esperanza College launches its new Health Sciences major which provides the foundation for students to be able to work in the field of medicine and related allied health areas. Through her tireless efforts and courage to love her neighbor, Dr. Graciani and her students are helping transform the community and encouraging others to love their neighbors.

ESPERANZA COLLEGE DEAN, DR. ELIZABETH CONDEFRAZIER TEACHES HOW WE ARE ALL MADE IN GOD'S IMAGE AT ESPERANZA.US/MYNEIGHBORS-RIGHTS

FEATURE

"TO BREAK THROUGH THE SOUND BARRIER INTO THIS NEW REALITY THAT

GOD HAS FOR YOU AFTER GRADUATION. YOU WILL NEED THE COURAGE

TO ENGAGE THE COMPLEXITY AND DIVERSITY OF THE WORLD AROUND

YOU, INCLUDING NATIONALITY, GENDER, SOCIAL CLASS, AGE, ETHNICITY,

POLITICS AND RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS IN THE WORLD AROUND YOU."

RENDA REV. DR. B DD '17 FEATURE: DMIN '00, L I E N C M SALTER

COURAGE TO

by DENISE MCMILLAN

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"I WANT TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO YOU ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS TO BE ‘COURAGEOUS CHRISTIANS IN CATALYTIC TIMES.’” REV. DR. MCNEIL GAVE THE EXAMPLE OF CAPTAIN CHUCK YEAGER, THE PILOT WHO BROKE THE SOUND BARRIER AFTER MANY WHO TRIED BEFORE HIM HAD TRAGICALLY FAILED, SOME EVEN LOSING THEIR LIVES. SHE CONTINUED SAYING, “HERE, ON YOUR GRADUATION DAY, YOU’RE ABOUT TO BEGIN THE JOURNEY OF BREAKING THROUGH YOUR OWN SOUND BARRIERS INTO THE UNKNOWN. AND IT DOESN’T COME EASY, IT REQUIRES A LOT OF COURAGE.” Rev. Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil DMin ’00, DD ’17 knows how to demonstrate courage. With over thirty years of experience, she is a leader in the ministry of reconciliation. As a dynamic speaker, author and professor, her stated mission is to inspire, equip and empower emerging Christian leaders to be practitioners of reconciliation in their various spheres of influence around the world.

She is an Associate Professor of Reconciliation Studies in the School of Theology at Seattle Pacific University, where she also directs the Reconciliation Studies program. She previously served on the staff of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for fourteen years as a Multiethnic Ministries Specialist.

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She earned a Master of Divinity degree from Fuller Theological Seminary, a Doctorate of Ministry '00 from Palmer Theological Seminary and was awarded a Doctorate of Humane Letters from both North Park University and Eastern University.

She is an ordained pastor in the Evangelical Covenant Church and is on the pastoral staff of Quest Church in Seattle. In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA and formerly served on the Board of Wycliffe USA. Dr. Salter McNeil was featured as one of the 50 most influential women to watch by Christianity Today in 2012. She is also the coauthor of The Heart of Racial Justice and the author of A Credible Witness and her most recent work, Roadmap to Reconciliation.

She is married to Dr. J. Derek McNeil '78 and they are the proud parents of two young adult children.

So you might be thinking, “What exactly is the ministry of reconciliation?” On her website, saltermcneil.com, Dr. Salter McNeil has robust and very user friendly resources and teaching tools. In these materials she defines reconciliation as: an ongoing spiritual process involving forgiveness, repentance and justice that transforms broken relationships and systems to reflect God’s original intention for all creation to flourish.

(Dr. Brenda Salter McNeil copyright 2012).

Dr. Salter McNeil states that reconciliation starts with honest, vulnerable and personal conversation and she provides four ground rules to help people engage in the reconciliation process which include: • Use “I” statements • No Interrupting • Maintain confidentiality • Be fully present Her website also includes 22 Action Steps for Racial Righteousness filled with practical and doable steps such as “Vote for political candidates that support economic justice and racial righteousness” and “Volunteer to serve in a non-profit organization that promotes racial equality.”

I recently had the opportunity to ask Dr. Salter McNeil what led to her work in reconciliation and she replied, “My personal call to the work of reconciliation started with a burning question.

During my last year at Fuller Theological Seminary, I became an intern at Occidental College. In this role, I was given an opportunity to focus my ministry at Occidental on anything I was interested in. I was drawn to Gender/Women’s Ministry initially, but once I discovered that Oxy’s thriving Christian community of 200 students had only two students of color, I found myself pulled in a different direction. That was when I started asking myself questions like: What is it about Christian communities that cause students of color to not

relate? Where are they? How do we repair the bridge that divides? That was the beginning of my journey into the ministry of reconciliation.”

It seems she may have been drawing on her own personal experience when, in her commencement address, Dr. Salter McNeil advised the class of 2017 “to break through the sound barrier into this new reality that God has for you after graduation.

You will need the courage to engage the complexity and diversity of the world around you, including nationality, gender, social class, age, ethnicity, politics and religious traditions in the world around you. And that’s scary! You will be tempted to play it safe and stay in your comfort zone where things feel safe and familiar. But I’m convinced that’s not where God wants us to be. That’s why catalytic events have to take place to move us from where we are to where God envisions for us.”

I was curious to know how Palmer Seminary may have influenced Dr. Salter McNeil’s current endeavors and she replied, “Interestingly enough, the book I wrote entitled, Roadmap to Reconciliation, began as my doctoral project at Palmer Seminary! The Doctor of Ministry is a very practical degree. My thinking and understanding of reconciliation was forged and shaped during my doctoral work, and eventually became more fully developed in the Model of Reconciliation which is the heart of the book. My studies at Palmer greatly shaped and informed me as a minister, consultant and thought leader of reconciliation.”

years ago when I left InterVarsity and started my own 501c3 ministry, I knew I would be focusing on reconciliation, but I was focused on a lot of other things too. Because I was too diffused, I had a hard time raising money. It was difficult to explain everything I did to donors. A wonderful consultant guided me to focus on a single issue, and he encouraged me to concentrate solely on racial reconciliation. Like Esther I thought, ‘I don’t want to do it. Why racial reconciliation?’ I knew I needed to seek God and went on a fast.

During that fast I clearly heard the Holy Spirit remind me of these words from Esther, ‘if I perish, I perish’. So, like Esther, I went for it and Instead of killing my ministry it actually launched me into everything I am doing today!”

Dr. Salter McNeil left the 2017 graduates with these final words, which can be a call and an inspiration for us all to strive to be courageous Christians, “The role of courageous Christians is to discern the difference between a catastrophe and a catalytic event; and then to interpret what’s happening around us through the eyes of faith and not fear. You are graduating in catalytic times, both in our country and around the world.

The dramatic changes taking place in our social, political and global contexts are calling for you to be courageous Christians who press pass the sound barriers in society that prevent us from breaking into the new reality of the Kingdom of God. It won’t be easy! Some people, even Christians, won’t believe it’s possible.

"INSTEAD MAY YOU, THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2017, BE THE GENERATION THAT IS EMPOWERED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO PRESS THROUGH THE RESISTANCE TO BREAK INTO THE MULTI-NATIONAL, MULTI-LINGUAL, MULTI-ETHNIC KINGDOM OF GOD WHERE ALL PEOPLE FLOURISH AND REACH THEIR GOD GIVEN POTENTIAL!"

In these turbulent times in our country and world, the work of reconciliation seems to take a fierce courage. When I asked Dr. Salter McNeil where she found the courage for her work she said, “That’s where the Holy Spirit comes in. I once heard it said that, ‘Faith is fear that has said its prayers’ and I believe that. What people see as courage is really my commitment to the path of discipleship. It is faithfully trying to follow what God has called me to do. It’s not that I’m braver or more courageous than others. Discipleship is one faithful, fearful step at a time. I’m just being obedient to God. I am currently writing a book about Esther. I see in Esther an example of the kind of bravery that I believe God is calling people to. Let me tell you a little story: many

But you will need to hold on tight and refuse to succumb to the divisive social and political rhetoric that seems to suggest that a world of unity and equity just can’t be done! Instead may you, the graduating class of 2017, be the generation that is empowered by the Holy Spirit to press through the resistance to break into the multi-national, multi-lingual, multi-ethnic kingdom of God where all people flourish and reach their God given potential! Amen.”

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15

UREN RE: LA FEATU ASS MA '17 R SNODG

COURAGE TO

by LEAH HOOD MS '06

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF GOD INVITED YOU TO SUPPORT REFUGEES IN YOUR HOMETOWN? LAUREN SNODGRASS MA '17 SAID “YES, GOD. I’LL DO IT.” What if God pushed you to hand deliver a petition to your Senator voicing opposition to legislation that would limit refugee resettlement indefinitely?

Lauren said “Yes, God” to that too. And what if God brought a gifted Latina pastor into your life and ministry and you realized she was at risk of deportation? Would you advocate for her? Would you share her story with the media, make phone calls, write letters and show up at the local ICE office with protest signs? By now you can probably guess that Lauren said “Yes, God” to all that too.

COURAGE TO BECOME FRIENDS Lauren is no stranger to saying “Yes, God,” even when it feels hard or unfamiliar. Lauren spent her childhood in Cote D’Ivoire as a missionary kid, speaking French and experiencing the joys and challenges of cross-cultural ministry. Lauren has since relocated to Bentonville, Arkansas with her husband who was called to pastor the local Church of the Nazarene congregation.

A transformational friendship with pastors in the Dominican Republic inspired Lauren and her husband to question what good, healthy partnership should look like, both internationally and right in their own back yard. The church in Bentonville continued to send teams to the DR, but inspired by their Dominican friends, they began to engage with the needs of their neighbors back home too, building relationships with young mothers and those facing food insecurity.

As Lauren stepped intentionally into this outreach ministry, she realized she needed more tools. “I wanted to do more than just help…I wanted to

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know how to best use my passions.” Lauren was drawn to the M.A. in International Development program because of the focus on practical application, but still felt nervous about starting grad school. “During that first residency I thought, ‘what have I gotten myself into?’ I knew Eastern would equip me for something. I just didn’t know what that would exactly look like, but I knew this program was what God wanted for me.”

Today, her political advocacy efforts continue to grow, and Lauren is more committed than ever to developing productive relationships with her elected officials. While their ideas around immigration policy differ greatly, Lauren has seen a growing openness to dialogue. “I write them letters frequently. I’ll even send them cards when they are sick- anything to remind them that we are here!”

COURAGE TO SPEAK TRUTH TO POWER Around the time Lauren began at Eastern, she started to engage with refugee issues in their community. Together with some leaders at her church, she began to volunteer with Canopy Northwest Arkansas, a newly approved refugee advocacy and resettlement agency. The response from the congregation was overwhelmingly positive, as church members supported refugee families with supplies, financial support, and committed to mentor a refugee family. This initial step out in faith led Lauren down a new path, and she was soon working part-time with Canopy.

COURAGE TO PREPARE Eastern has played a major role in shaping and preparing Lauren to continue to advocate and engage. Lauren explains, “Each class in the International Development program provided me with exactly what I needed for my next step.

The Leadership course gave me confidence that I had something to offer and honed important leadership skills. It gave me the courage to step into a new area. Theology of Poverty helped me wrestle with how God really is good when all we see is brokenness. Community Development prepared me for the issues I faced at Canopy and propelled me forward into action. It gave me a new lens through which to see my community. The Advocacy course helped me with real world skills.

I even developed an advocacy plan for my work at Canopy as part of my final project!

Two weeks after she started her job as the Community Outreach Coordinator, the Travel Ban Executive Order was issued. Not only did this impact the work of Canopy, but it also had significant implications for the families in her community. Political activism was a new frontier for Lauren. “I had never been involved in politics...I had never even talked to a politician before!” But through her work with Canopy, Lauren, along with Canopy staff, a community leader, and a recently resettled refugee, was able to meet with her Congressman personally. Lauren explains how she was able to refute the narrative of fear and scarcity by sharing how her congregation and other communities of faith had embraced refugee resettlement in their community.

Lauren’s willingness to say “Yes” to God is a testimony to God’s faithfulness in her life. She concludes, “I step back and see how all the seasons of my life have come together. My experience as a missionary kid in Cote D’Ivoire and my life here in Bentonville, AR are now linked. The world has come right here to me.”

LLER) FEATURE: LARA (MI OWLETT '09 MED '13

COURAGE TO

FEATURE

by KELLY GODDARD

IT TAKES COURAGE TO BELIEVE YOU CAN INSPIRE OTHERS. AS A FRENCH TEACHER IN THE RURAL SCHOOL DISTRICT OF WELLSBORO, PENNSYLVANIA, ALUMNA LARA (MILLER) OWLETT ’09, MED ’13 KNOWS THIS FULL WELL. Inspiring students with the desire and confidence to learn a new language is no small feat, but Lara’s courageous resilience is seeing fruit in the lives of her students—and in her placement as a finalist for this year’s Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year award.

Lara’s desire to become a French teacher was actually birthed out of the inspiration she felt during her own first trip to France. “My world was expanded and I thought, 'I would love to open up this other world to students,’” she shared.

Lara received a BA in French from Eastern in 2009 and accepted the job as a French language teacher in Wellsboro. During her second year, she began Eastern’s online Master of Education in Multicultural Education/TESOL, graduating in 2013. The concentration in Multicultural Education equips teachers to lead with sensitivity to ethnic, gender, and racial diversity, while the concentration in TESOL prepares teachers to apply curricula, methodologies, and evaluation strategies best suited for learning a second language. Both concentrations are relevant to Lara’s occupation.

I asked Lara how she would define the word “courage.” After reflecting, she responded, “I think courage is working daily with the belief that you can shape a brighter future. It’s believing you can make a difference in someone’s life.”

This belief in her ability to inspire others was not something that always came naturally. “When you are new to a career or seven years in (or maybe forever!), you have the temptation to believe that you’re not doing it right—that you’re just ‘faking it ‘til you make it,’” she quipped. “To really believe that you have what it takes to make a difference, and to inspire a generation of students to discover something, takes courage.

I don’t believe it’s within all of us naturally to believe that you can inspire others.”

Lara credits Eastern with shaping the courage she demonstrates today. "I don't know that I would call myself a risk-taker before I found my home at Eastern,” she reflected. “Being in an environment surrounded by people (other than family) who believed you were capable and worthwhile and loved—and believed in your ability to go beyond what you previous thought was possible—that definitely helped me become someone who was more courageous."

Inspired by the community at Eastern, Lara works to create that same safe, welcoming environment amongst her language-learners. “When a

classroom is a safe space, students can start taking risks and start learning a language. The spirit of trying to create an environment where it’s okay to take risks came from being at Eastern.”

Recently, Lara was chosen as one of 12 finalists for the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year award.

The winner will be selected in December after judges view video recordings of lessons from each finalist. The award, granted annually by the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Network of State Teachers of the Year (NNSTY), recognizes teachers who exhibit excellence in teaching and who have made outstanding contributions to the young people of Pennsylvania. The winner also becomes a nominee for the National Teacher of the Year award.

“It is rare for a teacher north of Interstate 80 to reach the final round,” Lara explained. “I feel especially honored to have this opportunity to represent my district."

For all of us who want to believe we can make a difference in someone else’s life, may we be encouraged by Lara’s story that we too can have the Courage to Inspire.

WATCH LARA TALK ABOUT THE COURAGE TO INSPIRE AT EASTERN.EDU/COURAGE

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FEATURE

SAM WAS BORN WITH A DEGENERATIVE RETINAL DISEASE. SHE HAS NO USABLE VISION

IN HER LEFT EYE AND A VERY NARROW FIELD OF VISION IN HER RIGHT EYE. WHILE A

STUDENT AT EASTERN HER THERAPY DOG ACCOMPANIED HER AROUND CAMPUS.

b

r NTH E: SAMA FEATUR '17 O C I R B AM

A

COURAGE TO

by DENISE MCMILLAN

JETÉ. PIROUETTE. TENDU. AS THE MOTHER OF A 23 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO DANCED FROM THE AGE OF FOUR, I AM VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL DEMANDS OF THE LIFE OF A DANCER. I AM ALSO VERY FAMILIAR WITH THE BEAUTY AND ENRICHMENT DANCE BRINGS TO BOTH THE DANCER AND THOSE WHO SURROUND THEM. Dance also takes courage in many forms; courage to go on stage, courage to learn new routines, courage to practice for hours every day, courage to return after injuries, courage to express yourself 18

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with abandon in front of an audience. When you are legally blind like alumna Samantha "Sam" Ambrico ’17, the courage to dance is an even greater jeté (leap) of faith.

Sam was born with a degenerative retinal disease. She has no usable vision in her left eye and a very narrow field of vision in her right eye. While a student at Eastern her guide dog accompanied her around campus.

t

Yes I am blind but through my experiences my relationships and my faith I am able to see the world and it is beautiful She started dancing when she was three. She said, “When you are three there is really no right or wrong way to dance. So, it was the perfect outlet for me to express myself, gain a sense of where I was in space and (I) could interact with other children.” Between that fearless start in dance at age three and leading all the way up to her time at Eastern there were many obstacles and rejections she faced along the way.

Courage to dance came not only from Sam but from her classmates. She had this to say about her fellow Eastern students: “We have such courageous, open young ladies in this program that really embraced me just as much as the professors with open arms.” Sam said students in class would “tell me ‘this is what is happening, this is what you need to do, face this way, the wall is this far away.’“

“WHEN I THINK OF EASTERN THE

Sam majored in both Dance and Psychology and graduated in May 2017. Last Spring, when discussing her future, Sam indicated, “ultimately, I want to teach people like myself with other developmental and physical disabilities that they can dance and use this type of movement as an emotional outlet, and that it is something that is open to everyone, to every type of person, every type of ability.”

WORD THAT COMES TO MIND IS HOPE BECAUSE FOR SO MANY

YEARS I WAS TOLD I WASN’T

ABLE TO DO THINGS, THAT IN THE END, I WAS ULTIMATELY TOLD BY THE DANCE

DEPARTMENT AT EASTERN I

COULD DO. I WAS GIVEN TOOLS,

AND GIVEN PEOPLE WHO WERE WILLING TO DEVELOP TOOLS WITH ME, TO ALLOW ME TO

FOLLOW MY DREAMS AND TO

PURSUE THE CAREER PATH I

WANTED TO PURSUE.”

Dance is traditionally taught with the teacher demonstrating the movement for the students to follow and repeat. For Sam, there were new ways of teaching built drawing on verbal queuing and tactile methods, and everyone learned a lot about movement cognition. For example, for pirouettes (turns) across the floor, long stretches of fabric were used to create a channel to help Sam move across space in the studio. Other students would assist by holding the ends of the fabric.

Sam is drawing on both her Dance and Psychology degrees and is currently working as a Disability and Inclusion Consultant in the School District of Philadelphia through an organization called Include Me. She also teaches dance to children with Down Syndrome at Twirl in Newtown Square, PA. “Yes I am blind, but through my experiences, my relationships and my faith, I am able to see the world, and it is beautiful.”

Through her willingness to tendu (stretch) her boundaries and have the courage to dance, she stretched the professors and students around her while at Eastern and is now bringing the beautiful world she sees to a new generation of students.

WATCH SAM TALK ABOUT HOW EASTERN GAVE HER HOPE AND THE COURAGE TO DANCE AT EASTERN.EDU/COURAGE

FALL/WINTER 2016 |

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PALMER

by NIKKI TOYAMA-SZETO MA '07

PHOTO CREDIT: MATT KIRK-INTERVARSITY/USA

IT WAS SUMMER IN THE EARLY 2000S. MY DAYS WERE SPENT LEARNING FROM LEADERS IN THE GARBAGE VILLAGES IN CAIRO, EGYPT TO THE KIBERA SLUM IN NAIROBI, KENYA. Our trip ended with a short stay in Bangkok, where I saw children made available to paying customers from every country around the world. But, despite what we saw in Thailand, people said it was even worse in Cambodia. The testimonies, the stories, the onthe-ground reality of young children available for sexual services shattered me. Videos of five-yearolds destroyed my ability to forget. What could I do about what I was seeing?

I had a choice.

work with an organization that helped children who experienced sexual violence. At the end of the program there is a celebration. It’s a pizza party, with a clown, and coloring, and a crafts table. It’s an ordinary kid’s party except for one key thing. After the clown got everyone to do a silly dance, each social worker calls up each client and gives them a pin, a hero pin, and they say a few words about that kid.

These kids are receiving a “hero” pin because they had the courage to testify in court about their experience of sexual assault. Children are asked to testify before a judge, a prosecutor and a defense lawyer.

I could get on a plane, leave this place and forget what I saw. I could opt-out and decide that my life and my energies would be put to something different. I could work to fulfill my economic potential. My time at Eastern had opened opportunities for me; I could pursue that. I could insulate myself in my social media feed and curate an enviable life. But the faces of the people in these shattering situations looked familiar.

Parts of my face—my flat nose, my black-brown hair, were found in theirs. That was when I made the decision to opt-in.

They were asked to testify in on a case that many were not even convinced was a crime.

I was able to attend a pinning ceremony; an event much more fun than the name implies. I used to

THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE,

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IT IS HIGHLY LIKELY THAT NOTHING WILL HAPPEN. CAN YOU IMAGINE A FIVE-YEAR-OLD ASKED TO TESTIFY AGAINST AN ADULT WHO COMMITTED ACTS AGAINST THEM, SITTING JUST 10 FEET IN FRONT OF THEM? THESE CHILDREN HAVE TO SPEAK THE UNSPEAKABLE,

BEFORE A JUDGE.

And for this, the team gave them a hero pin. It’s a way of saying, “you are not a survivor or a victim.

You are a hero. You had the courage to testify, and regardless of the outcome, you are a hero.”

And so the ceremony began.

I saw three kids in the same school uniform go up. Three clients from the same family. I saw a woman, a girl really, hand over her infant when her name was called and go up to receive her pin. I saw girls and I saw boys, one by one go up, younger than should be possible and receive their pin. And I wept through it all. Because I knew that each pin meant that each of these kids had experienced horrors beyond horrors.

It was the words of one social worker, to her client, that hit me the most. “You are a voice,” she said, “A voice for all the others.”

My thin, little definition of “voice” (and of “courage”) rolled over and died. Until then, “Voice” had meant speaking up, yelling if needed, when others stepped on my community or my gender. “Voice” was the rallying cry to get others to speak, make a ruckus, turn anger into action. But here, in a conference room on Calle 3-38, in zona 1, in Guatemala, amidst smells of greasy cheese and spilled soda, I saw a five-year-old embodiment of voice.

PALMER

Courage is not a person in a cape. Courage is not a pastor who leads a big church. Courage is a child, five years old, maybe six, who speaks about a private and terrible crime. Courage is speaking, even when the stigma for him or her is probably bigger than the stigma for the person accused of the crime. It takes courage to speak, even when it’s hard, not likely to make a difference.

And it is these five-year-old embodiments of courage, that inspire me to advocate.

Some of my justice issues are optional. I could choose to care, I could care when it’s convenient.

But if the day is too full or life is too demanding, it’s something that I can lay aside. Some of my justice engagement is optional. But for many others, it is not optional. I’m sure that they would like to not live under the threat of violence. They would like to opt out. However, for them, that is not a choice. And to be honest, if the roles were reversed, and someone on the other side of the world had the voice, the space, to advocate I would hope that they would remember every day, and make it a priority.

In my work with Evangelicals for Social Action (ESA), we’re working to help Christians opt-in.

We hope to provide resources to help people learn how their faith intersects with issues in the world today. And to help people live out their discipleship in the public sphere by giving people opportunities for meaningful action. I hold onto the hope that Jesus is able to take small acts of justice, and use that, to change histories and futures for whole communities—including mine.

My prayer and hope is that I will recognize that, daily, and not forget. Because in forgetting, and in opting out, we are also missing out on a front-row seat to witness what God is doing.

Q &A

by M. THOMAS RIDINGTON '78, MAR '81, PHD

Q Congratulations on becoming executive director of ESA and the Sider Center at Palmer Seminary. What do you see as your priorities for your first year leading ESA?

A Evangelicals for Social Action is a historic organization, and I’m very excited to be a part of the next season for ESA. Initially, I will be looking at the landscape and ask the question “what is ESA’s best contribution, and what needs to happen in the justice sphere that ESA might be uniquely positioned to provide?” Another priority will be asking questions about evangelicals: Who are they?

What do they believe globally and in the U.S.? Over the last few years, “evangelical” has become a socio-political term so I’m very curious to do a deep dive to better understand the future of evangelicalism.

Q We had the privilege of working together when you were enrolled in the Organizational Leadership program. Do you have a favorite memory from your time as an Eastern student? It probably wasn’t the forty-plus hours in the air flying from San Francisco to Cape Town…

A One of my favorite memories of our time in the Africa based cohort was getting to study Scripture and talk about God with my classmates. It was fascinating to me to see the different ways that my culture has affected my interpretation of Scripture. So studying Scripture and being the only American student surrounded by students from South Africa, Botswana, Malawi—I began to really appreciate being in a diverse community that is committed to Jesus.

Q Race and immigration remain an unfinished canvas in our country and in many churches.

You have written about your own experience as a daughter of immigrants. How have faith and your experience informed your thinking on race, ethnicity and the church?

A My mother immigrated here when she was 12, but my father is 3rd generation American.

Both are from Japanese descent. Churches that ignore what is happening with the race conversation in the US, run the risk of becoming dangerously insular. I say this because engaging with the racial conversation

in the US builds the basic skills that help a church participate more effectively with what God is doing globally. And there are amazing things that the American church can learn from the church in the Global South. For me, I realize that my understanding of God is limited when I don’t engage with others outside of my race. So that is another part of my motivation.

I think churches have to have a strong sense and a commitment to be engaged in this area because the race and immigration conversation is not simple, and there are real lives at stake.

Q In the years I have known you, I have been inspired by your courageous leadership. If you were to complete the phrase “Courage to _________” to describe yourself, what would you say and why?

A I think “Courage to Imagine” would be the self-description that most resonates with me. I love trying to imagine where untapped potential for the kingdom of God remains buried. Sometimes I find that solutions for ministry, or the challenges of the church, lie in very different areas. When I was working at the Urbana Missions Conference—we had to imagine the opportunity associated with having a huge conference that happens every three years. Because what was normative when Urbana first started was no longer, we had to imagine other ways we could create massive experiential learning events. And so I love leading teams through creative processes that help us dream. In some ways, I think that re-imagining what church looks like, reimaging what living out your faith looks like, are the strongest expressions of faith in God! It means looking beyond what is concrete, asking God to share His dreams with us and having the faith to lean into the amazing things that He is already doing!

NIKKI IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF EVANGELICALS FOR SOCIAL ACTION BASED AT EASTERN UNIVERSITY, EVANGELICALSFORSOCIALACTION.ORG

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COURAGE TO

by PHAEDRA D. BLOCKER MDIV ’03, DMIN

GLOBAL CONTEXT. LOCAL MINISTRY. EQUIPPED LEADERS. THOSE ARE THE GUIDING THEMES OF THE NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PALMER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY AND THE LOTT CAREY FOREIGN MISSION SOCIETY TO OFFER A SPECIALIZED MASTERS OF THEOLOGICAL STUDIES IN MINISTRY IN CONTEXT. The program will be delivered through Palmer’s OpenSeminary (OS), a blended online model that engages students in an approach to learning grounded in their local context. The new partnership with Lott Carey will allow students to broaden their perspective by exploring essential ministry and mission questions in a global context as well. “The OpenSeminary program was birthed in the local church and was designed to help people respond to the call to join God in his mission to transform the world,” says Dr. Wynand J. de Kock, Associate Professor of Leadership and Formation at Palmer, and founder and director of OpenSeminary. “The partnership with Lott Carey seems to be a perfect fit, since Lott Carey equips women and men through the local church to be effective in global mission. I am excited about what we can do together.”

Students in Lott Carey-OS cohorts will be from churches and ministries that are mission partners in the Lott Carey Global Christian Missional Community. The mission of the organization, which was founded in 1897 by African American Baptists, is to “extend the Christian witness around the world through prayer partnership, financial support, and technical assistance.”

To accomplish this, they “come alongside indigenous communities to support ministries 22

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of evangelism, compassion, empowerment, and advocacy.” The organization is named for the Reverend Lott Carey (1780-1828) who, after purchasing his freedom from slavery, went on to lead the first group of Baptist missionaries to Africa, and later became the organizing pastor of the first Baptist church in Liberia. The organization currently supports impactful missional work in several countries in Africa, as well as in India, Australia, Italy, South America, Haiti, Jamaica, and the United States.

In addition to their online work, Lott Carey-OS students will be required to attend specific sessions at Lott Carey’s Annual Session and its Spring Mission Summit, where they will have the opportunity to interact with established leaders in global contextual ministry. Wynand and I in our roles as Director and Assistant Director of OpenSeminary respectively, recently attended the 2017 Lott Carey Annual Session in Birmingham, AL to help launch the program. We made presentations at a number of sessions during the week and met with various Lott Carey partners and potential students. One of the things that really impressed me,is Lott Carey’s philosophy of coming alongside local ministry partners rather than coming in and dictating to them. They have a deep commitment to developing and empowering

local leaders. Our partnership is going to help expand their ability to do that.

The idea for the partnership originated with Dr. Alyn E. Waller DMIN ’98, who currently serves as President of Lott Carey, and is Senior Pastor of Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, PA. Dr. Waller is also a member of Eastern’s Board of Trustees. “The need for ministry leaders to receive sound theological education has not changed, but the way in which they need to engage it has,” says Dr. Waller. It’s just not workable for many leaders— here in the U.S., and especially internationally—to take three or more years out of their lives and pick up and move to a campus to get a quality theological education. The OpenSeminary model allows us to create access to a seminary education for a wider range of individuals.”

Dr. Waller and Dr. David E. Goatley, Executive Secretary-Treasurer of Lott Carey, are determined to make theological education affordable for Lott Carey-OS students as well. In addition to the tuition discount that Palmer will be offering to Lott CareyOS students, the two are working with Lott Carey and Palmer staff to secure additional support for students. “We are approaching some of the more well-resourced churches in the Lott Carey network and asking them to sponsor a student—especially an international student, who may have additional challenges to participating in the program once admitted,” says Dr. Waller. They envision sponsor churches not only providing financial support, but also coming alongside students to provide encouragement and track with them through their educational journey. The first Lott Carey-OS cohort is slated to begin in January of 2018.

PALMER

THE ORLANDO E. COSTAS LECTURESHIP EST. 2008

by TERRANCE YOUNG MDIV '18

THE ORLANDO E. COSTAS LECTURESHIP WAS ESTABLISHED IN 2008 TO HONOR THE WORK OF THE LATE MISSIOLOGIST AND THEOLOGIAN DR. ORLANDO E. COSTAS, WHO TAUGHT AT THE SEMINARY STARTING IN 1980. A native of Puerto Rico, Dr. Costas died in 1987 at the age of 45. He is remembered for his passionate advocacy for the voiceless and oppressed. He left a major mark on a number of Latino/a scholars, having written 14 books and contributed to 17 additional books and 40 journals.

Philadelphia, and pastored by Seminary alumnus Raul LeDuc ’17. Our featured speaker was Dr. Elaine Padilla, Associate Professor of Constructive Theology at New York Theological Seminary, who explored Esther 4:13-14 alongside Orlando Costas’ concept of “The Subversiveness of Faith.” This parallel allowed Dr. Padilla to introduce a paradigm of communities, neighborhoods and cities as borderlines: “diverse intersecting communities and ethnicities that have come into our country representing cultural diversity."

The lectureship serves as a way for Palmer Seminary to serve and build relationships with Latino/a churches. This year, it was held in Iglesia Sion, a bilingual Latino/a church located in

Dr. Padilla challenged churches to deform dominant colonial discourses and to reshape community spaces into transformative locations. Borderlines can scatter, divide, and set limits between people,

observed Dr. Padilla, “but it is up to us as a church to piece those fragments together. It is up to us as people who have a vocation to bring what has been fragmented back together and piece back together to be a peacemaker.”

At the lecture Provost Sparks stated, “I am swimming in social justice and social action; God is really challenging me, and I love it!” Dr. Padilla gave us theology and practice for our churches to be places of social repair, spaces for dialogue and leaders to transform our nation. I can remember Dr. Padilla saying “Join someone or start something.”

This call spoke to me to go beyond my vocation and to dialogue and seek ways to heal the fractures in our communities.

99 78 TO

by TERRANCE YOUNG MDIV '18

DURING FALL 2016, THERE WAS SPECULATION AMONG THE SEMINARY STUDENT BODY AROUND A NEW MDIV CURRICULUM THAT WOULD REQUIRE FEWER CREDITS TO GRADUATE. The curriculum at that time required 99 credits and I had only completed 27 as a full-time second-year seminarian.

Before speculation and graduation anxieties grew out of control, an email was sent to us with the title “New 78-Credit MDiv Curriculum and Implications for Spring Registration.” I can remember the excitement of many MDiv students, including myself. The reduction of 21 credits created a sense of new possibilities, greater expectation and saved students an extra few bucks.

Woodrow Day ’18, Vice Moderator of Palmer Student Assembly stated, “I think the 78 credit curriculum is a wonderful idea, particularly for someone like me who got ill and missed two semesters. The new 78 credit curriculum was the only way I could graduate within a three year time frame.” This semester, fall 2017, is the start of the new curriculum and the selection of one of two tracks: Pastoral Leadership or Adaptive Leadership. Returning students had the option of remaining on the old 99-credit curriculum or petitioning for the new 78-credit curriculum.

Incoming MDiv students were automatically enrolled in the 78-credit curriculum.

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23

ATHLETICS

2017 ATHLETIC HIGHLIGHTS

SPRING

WOMEN’S GOLF CLAIMS MAC FREEDOM TITLE Eastern Women’s Golf overcame defending MAC Champion, Stevenson University Mustangs in late April to secure the title. The championship came after a close tournament in Hershey,PA with each member of the team doing their part to outplay the Mustangs. As the third MAC Championship title for the program, the win enabled the Eagles to compete in the NCAA Tournament in Houston, TX in early May, where they completed the spring season after 3 days of competition.

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BRANDON WEST - WOMEN'S SOCCER

JEREMY PAYNE - MEN'S SOCCER

DREW PATTERSON - GOLF

EASTERN ATHLETICS WELCOMES THREE NEW COACHES Eastern University Athletics was proud to welcome three new coaches to the department during the spring and summer months. After the promotion of former coach, Dan Mouw, to Director of Athletics Communications in January 2017, the Women’s Soccer team was entrusted to Brandon West, a Messiah College graduate and two-time National Champion. West served as an assistant with both the Men’s and Women’s programs at his alma mater and has become the sixth head coach in Eastern Women’s Soccer program history.

Likewise, Men’s Soccer was happy to give permanent leadership to Jeremy Payne after having him serve as Interim Head Coach since late March. Payne served as a top assistant for the former head coach for the past two seasons and becomes just the third head coach in the last 27 years of the program.

Finally, leadership of Eastern’s Golf Programs was given to Drew Patterson in late August. As a former PING Division II All-Atlantic Region golfer at West Chester University, Patterson becomes the third head coach in the history of the women’s program and the fourth for the men.

134 EASTERN ATHLETES LISTED ON WINTER/SPRING MAC ACADEMIC HONOR ROLL Eastern University student-athletes earned 134 mentions on the 2017 MAC Winter and Spring Academic Honor Roll. To earn a spot on the list, student-athletes had to complete a season of competition and achieve a semester GPA of 3.2 or higher. Eastern put 35 student-athletes on the winter list for basketball and indoor track and field. It is only the second season for Eastern Track and Field. Ninety-nine Eastern athletes earned recognition in the spring. Even with a very young track and field program, Eastern finished sixth amongst MAC Schools in number of athletes on the list.

EASTERN ANNOUNCES MEN’S VOLLEYBALL FOR 2018–19 Eastern University Athletics will add Men's Volleyball for the 2018-2019 academic year as the University's 21st intercollegiate sport. The addition of Men's Volleyball will enable Eastern Athletics to provide competition opportunities and give the University the ability to recruit for a new group of student-athletes.

Eastern Men's Volleyball will compete as a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) and is the sixth addition in the last six years for the department. "We recognize that starting a new program is a significant

challenge," stated Interim Director of Athletics, Heidi Birtwistle MA ’95. "I am pleased that the University has shown this commitment to the role athletics can play in student development and the growth of the institution. We are excited about the potential for Men's Volleyball at Eastern."

FOR AN UPDATE ON FALL 2017 SPORTS, GO TO GOEASTERNEAGLES.COM

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PHILANTHROPY

The courage of convictions:

HELEN JOHNSON SUNDAY '65

by JAMES G. ROGERS VICE PRESIDENT FOR PLANNED GIVING

“COURAGE FOR THE DEED; GRACE FOR THE DOING.” IF ONE DIDN’T KNOW THAT WAS THE HISTORICAL MOTTO OF A PHILADELPHIA-AREA INDEPENDENT SCHOOL, ONE WOULD EASILY ASCRIBE THE IDEAS TO HELEN JOHNSON SUNDAY, AN ALUMNA OF THE CLASS OF 1965. Born during the tumultuous, early days of the Second World War, Helen shared parents with two brothers. She knew great personal strife and loss in her life. Yet, through it all, her unshakable relationship with Jesus Christ, her “true north,” provided her essential and invaluable personal navigation. In fact, Helen counted all of the events of her life—good and bad—as gifts from a loving Lord who guided her every step of the way.

In the early 1960s, Helen’s home church’s pastor recommended what was then Eastern Baptist College. When she arrived, long-time dean Dr. George Claghorn BD ’44, DD ’04 made her realize she’d made the right choice.

Helen joined the class of 1965 and met the love of her life at Eastern. It wasn’t long before Brooks Sunday ’66 frequented the place on campus where students could obtain ice cream bars—not because he liked the popular dessert but to see Helen. She helped him type his term papers, which earned her his profound thanks and a silver bracelet that included a small typewriter charm.

Helen and Brooks developed a deep, enduring friendship that became the foundation for

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a marriage that spanned four decades. After graduation, while Brooks pursued graduate work in chemistry, Helen taught German and French at a local high school. When he completed his studies, they moved to northern New Jersey where she pursued her MBA, which accelerated her professional progress later at American Cyanamid.

interactions we have with others. Of course, some of these were more direct than others, but the end results were the same.

Helen and Brooks retired to South Carolina, where they enjoyed the milder climate until Brooks’ untimely death in 2007.

Her book chronicles a life of ups and downs, the story of how the Lord brought her through the compendium of life’s trials. Through it all, Helen credited no small measure of her fortitude to her years at Eastern—the time in her life when she forged principles by which she led the rest of her days.

The loss of Brooks strengthened her faith. She counted their years together a blessing and didn’t begrudge the reality that her best friend belonged first to his Savior. Helen was never a victim, never played that shop-worn card that’s so badly abused by those who think God owes them a good or easy life. Each challenge she experienced brought with it an indefatigable belief that the Lord loved her and would give her the guidance she needed to persevere.

Writing her book was a serious commitment successfully met, but Helen did something else of equal if not greater, enduring value.

She established the Brooks R. Sunday ’66 Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is being endowed through her estate. Helen knew that the awards from the scholarship will support deserving young men and women who will continue the witness and work Helen and Brooks made in their lives.

After her husband’s death, Helen prayed for a major mission for her own life. Before too long, she had two—write a book and get it published. Such was the background that gave rise to Unexpected Conversations: Whispers From God Through Friends and Angels, which became available in June 2017 on Amazon.com. No, Helen didn’t see visions or hear voices. She did believe, however, that the Lord makes His will in our lives known through

When asked what she’d say to current Eastern University students, this intrepid believer counseled the young to spend more time listening to the Lord’s leading via His Word and taking the kinds of risks that require the courage of convictions. Helen most certainly had that courage for the deeds of her life. She also exhibited the needed grace for their doing.

PHILANTHROPY

d ea n’s l i s t o f d o n o r s Eastern University deeply appreciates these gifts and the donors who made them possible.

Contributions received between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017

Susan Mugridge Gough '67 and W Donald Gough '67 **

1925 Founders Society $50,000+

Diana Drew Harbison and Samuel Harbison

Corrinne and David Cassidy **

Margaret and Arthur Hill **

Walter French Carol and Evan Frey ** Joyce Gutelius MEd '06 and Harry Gutelius F/S **

F/S Faculty or Staff **

5 or more years consecutive giving

+

Deceased

Catherine Cope Clemens '92 and Steven Clemens '91 **

Susan and James Hooker

William Hope BD '66

Dorothy and A. Gilbert Heebner + **

Alvin Jepson H'03 **

Carol and Keith Iddings

Kristine Messner and Thomas Petro

Tangela and J. Pernell Jones F/S **

Caren Lambert **

Estate of Martha Shalitta

Pamela and Richardson Merriman **

Terry and Michael Mandarino **

Dr. Josephine Templeton **

Jennifer and Herve Sarteau

Maurice Workman **

Jon Seltenheim

Susannah Cobb McMonagle '06 and Christopher McMonagle '06

Comloquoy Charitable Foundation Trust **

Colleen McClure Shute '02 and Adam Shute '01 **

Constance and John McNamara

Martha and Jason Stone

Leah Mulhearn '03 and James Mulhearn '03 **

Fidelity Charitable ** William Robert Franklin Hines Trust Estate of Edward Henry Rowe Vanguard Charitable ** Walton Society $25,000+

Elizabeth Webb Swingle '59 and David Swingle '59 ** Peggy Parker Thomas '63 and F. Ardell Thomas '63 **

legend:

Lucia Englander

H Honorary Degree

Robert Moffitt '65 MDiv '71 **

Madelyn Avila ** C. Thomas Bailey '65 ** Virginia and Louis Barbarin

Stephanie and Charles Olson '90 **

Susan Denman and Simeon Bardin **

Cheryl and John Pauley, II F/S **

Barbara Gould Beech '75 **

Suzanne Perot **

Willo Carey and Peter Benoliel **

Estate of W. Stanley Delp

Lisa Dippre Titus F/S and Richard Titus

Mildred Evans

ABC World Mission Support

Beth Flaherty

American Baptist Churches USA

Patty and Ed Flaherty

Aramark Global Business Services

Lucille and Joel Huff **

Edwin M. Lavino Foundation Trust **

Jessica Russell '13 MBA '17 and Jeffrey Russell '13

Mary and Robert Reeder

First Baptist Church (Pedricktown) **

Kerry Turk MTS '15

Frances S. Wiggen Trust **

Valerie and David Black **

Estate of Richard Smith

Gary Young '75 **

J. Howard Supplee Memorial Fund Trust **

Marjorie Bogosian **

Andrew Street

BNY Mellon **

Lancaster Avenue Redevelopment Corporation

William Bosch

American Baptist Foundation

Dayspring Foundation

Carl Bowser MDiv '68

First Baptist Church (Ashtabula) ** First Baptist Church (Honesdale) **

Colleen Dourte Bradstreet '76 and David Bradstreet '76 F/S **

Grace Baptist Church (Blue Bell) **

Manfred Brauch H'86 **

PA Department of Education

Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust, Inc.

Cynthia Briggs **

Pfizer Annual Giving Campaign

New Hope Christian Church **

Sarah S. McLeod Trust

Joseph Bucci '97

Philadelphia Baptist Association

Schwab Charitable Fund **

Jennifer and Emanuele Cacciatore

Psalms of Life Inc.

Eagle Circle $5,000+

Seaview Baptist Church **

Margaret Davidson Campolo '59 and Anthony Campolo '56 BD '60 THM '61 H '06 **

Anonymous (5) **

Estate of Forrest Spriggs BD '56

Russ Carfagno

eSponsor Now, Inc. Flaherty Family Foundation John Templeton Foundation ** La Salle University The Merck Foundation ** National Philanthropic Trust Smith Charitable Lead Unitrust ** Sodexo, Inc. ** Trustees’ Society $10,000+ Anonymous

Levy Prom Golf, LLC Levy Restaurants Liberty Mutual Group Inc. **

Susana and Daniel Rohrer **

Pauline Wilson Berol MBA '90 F/S and Peter Berol '87 MDiv '95 **

Anh and Benjamin Ruegsegger '01 ** Barbara and Earl G Russell + **

Carolyn Rowley Best '63 and Calvin Best '61 ** Denise and Allan Beverly

Polly and Kenneth Brown

Dr. Bettie Ann Morse Brigham '74 F/S and Dr. Timothy Brigham '76 MDiv '79 **

LaVonne Althouse DMin '81 **

Van Riper-Ellis Broadway Baptist Church **

Heewon Chang F/S and Klaus Volpert

Susan Arellano

VWR Charitable Foundation

Etty Ann and Jacob Chatman MDiv '68

Kimberly and Timothy Brigham

Lauren Brigham-Burke '80

President’s Circle $1,000+

Nancy Davis **

Christina Visher Brubaker '12 and Redmond Brubaker '11 **

Anonymous (6) **

Wayne Dietrich '66 ** Connie and Robert Duffett F/S

Faye and Kevin Cramton

Esther Sprowls Ashbaugh '72 and Thomas Ashbaugh '72 **

Dianne and Douglas Clark F/S Peter Classetti ** Chris Conley Stanley Coombs **

Kathleen and John Dantzler ** FALL/WINTER 2017 |

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PHILANTHROPY

Ellen Whitcomb Cortés '86 and Danny Cortés '83 MDiv '87

Alicyn Huddell CERT '13 and Walter Huddell F/S **

Denise and Robert Oliver

Kristin Skibbie Thomas '86 and Bob Thomas '86 **

Virginia Cragg **

Jeanine and Robert Hynes **

Rachel and Jack Oliver **

Maryke and Sierd Tilma

Irene and Mort Crim

Linda Lownes Hytha MTS '17 **

Sandra Oppenheim Schiller '68 **

Kimberly and Vincent Titano

Susan Dahlstrom MEd '99 and Thomas Dahlstrom F/S **

Marguerite and James Johnson

Joon-Seo Park F/S **

Debbi and Russell Tuck

Virginia and Nathaniel Jones **

Estate of Sydney Parker BD '50

Sandra and Rodney Velarde

Kim and Matthew Kane '93 **

Joan and David Phillips '65

Linda and Mark Wagner **

Jean Bartholomew Kim '61 and Roy Kim

Sarah Sinclair Piff '01 and Justin Piff '02 **

Ralph Wagner '64 MDiv '67

Alberta and Merritt Kirk **

Mark Press '76 **

Nicole and Richard Weidner **

Andrea and James Lassaux

Catherine and John Rathmell **

Lisa and Dan Weyerhaeuser

Corinne Latini '01 MEd '07 F/S **

Sandra and Michael Raymond

Allison and Michael Wortley **

Benjamin Davis '05 ** Carolyn Brown Davis '76 and Scott Davis '77 ** Heather and Jeffrey Dill F/S Allison Duncan '07 ** Joel Duquene '85

William Norcini '88 **

Lori Anderson Dziedziak '01 MA '07 and Michael Dziedziak '01 MBA '05 F/S **

Sarah Jane Levine '90 **

Meredith and M. Thomas Ridington '78 MA '81 F/S **

99Pledges LLC

Sydney E. Feldman and David J. Feldman

Bruce Lockerbie H '85 **

Barbara and James Rogers F/S **

Estate of Elizabeth Linder Flemming MRE '55

Leon Lombard **

Laura Romano

American Baptist Churches (Rhode Island) **

Karen Longman

David Rowlands '63 **

Armstrong, Doyle & Carroll, Inc.

Conrad Fowler + **

Jack Lottey '54 G **

Timothy Fowler

Anita Lunsford

Florence Rusbuldt and Richard Rusbuldt ’51 BD ’53 THM ’76 H’ 79 **

The Baptist Foundation of Oklahoma

Ping Lawton F/S and Jeffrey Lawton F/S **

Carolyn and Frank Frischkorn

Christine Mahan F/S and Joseph Mahan

Natalie and Brent Furlong **

Marilyn and Blake Marles

Heather and Kevin Gallagher **

Mario Martinez '15

Susan and John Garofola **

Mary and Douglas Mason

Katrina Gierman '96 **

Jane McKesson **

Lilli Gober

Donald McNelley

Roy Goble

Jessica and Eric McNelley F/S

Hazel and Kenneth Goff **

Wendy Ryan '77 H'15 ** Paula Sauer '82 and James Sauer DA '16 F/S **

Advanced Communication Technologies

Belvin School for American Indian Ministerial Students Trust Benjamin Moore & Co. Bethel Oil and Gas LLC **

Kevin Schildt '77 **

Bowen Charitable Trust

David Schlosser MBA '10 F/S **

The Bryn Mawr Trust Company

Ronald Schlosser '56 MRE '59 **

Calvary Baptist Church (Clifton) **

Amy Schreiber F/S and Eric Schreiber

Althea J. Carnell Residuary Trust **

Erik Meader PhD '16

Christine Crossman Shaw '07 and Christopher Shaw '08 **

Center for Public Justice

Karen and Charles Golden **

Joseph Meador

Jo Ann Gundlach Sherbine '68 **

Steve Goodman **

Clinton Baptist Church (Montgomery)

Fred Shiffer '65 **

Marie and Jacques Gordon

Eloise Meneses F/S and Michael Meneses

Cohansey Baptist Church of Roadstown **

MaeBelle Goudy

Martha Hill Meyer '68 **

Arbutus and Ronald Sider F/S **

Colonial Park Community Baptist Church **

Wilbert Gough '50 H'73

Arlene and Jacob Miller **

Sherrie and Stephen Gould **

Dorothy and David Mink

Donald Gray F/S

Lee Morris '61 MDiv '64 **

Elinor and David Greenhalgh F/S **

Meg and Jeffrey Morrison

Marilyn and Orville Guffin **

Elizabeth Christeleit Mowrer '83 and George Mowrer '85 **

Stephen Sproles

Theresa and J. Newman

Bryan Stevenson '81 H '99

Barbara Fitts Nickerson '74

Brendan Stouber '13

Nora and Paul Nolan

Carol and John Sundquist **

Heather Willits Norcini '89 F/S and

Sarah and Steve Tasker **

Richard Hagstrom '61 ** James Hamer Shirley Hatch Deborah and Mark Haverstock Melissa and T. Michael Helton

Chancellor Title Agency, Inc.

Stacy and Stephen Skinner

Court Street Baptist Church **

Carolyn Smith **

The Dallas Foundation

Laurel Du Laney-Smith '81 and Timothy Smith '80

The David & Dottie Carlson Trust

Cheryl Bailey Sparks MA '09 F/S and Kenton Sparks F/S **

Exton Community Baptist Church **

East Troy Baptist Church First Baptist Church (Dover) ** First Baptist Church (Endicott) First Baptist Church (Fredericktown) ** First Baptist Church (Lancaster) ** First Baptist Church (Lansdale) **

"This place which I am proud to call home, has forever changed me. It has become a place of trials and mountains, but also a place of stories to collect and rewards to earn."

ELIEZER ECHAVARRIA '20, PSYCHOLOGY

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PHILANTHROPY

First Baptist Church (Mansfield)

Sharon Bates **

Alvin Lee '65 MDiv '70

Marjorie Kinsman Williams '64 **

First Baptist Church (Newburgh) **

Sandra Behnam

Richard Locker '66 **

Joanne and Roger Winner **

First Baptist Church (North Attleboro) **

Carolyn and Ian Bell **

Kim Lownes F/S and Tucker Lownes **

Vincent Woltjer '91 **

First Baptist Church (Sharon) **

Frederick Boehlke '52 F/S **

Denise and Vincent Lozzi

Marsha Woodard F/S **

First Baptist Church (Wakefield)

Jill and Daniel Boreman

Katherine Coulter Martin '10 **

Robert Woodruff

Fitts Family Foundation

Carol Boring

Timothy McClain '10

Lane Youth

Follett Higher Education Group

Robert Bouder MDiv '61, H'83 **

Angela McGovern

Lynne Zane '83

Franklin Park Baptist Church

Mary Boylston F/S and Bruce Boylston **

Thomas McInnes '57 MDiv '57 **

Erik Zilen '06

Frederick and Margaret L. Weyerhaeuser Foundation

Julia Brooks F/S and Julius Brooks

Edward Meell

ABS Professional Employer

Suzanne and Denis Buannic

Whitney Pease and Kevin Michals

Anthony's Pizza Holdings Company LLC **

Great Valley Baptist Church **

Barbara Burger '71 **

Matthew Miller '00

Church of the Open Door

Hamilton Foundation

Cherie Ginther Moore '62 and Edgar Moore '61

Competitor Group, Inc.

Estate of Joseph Hepburn **

Sherri Wilcox Bwint '83 and Mel Bwint '83 **

Independence Blue Cross Foundation

Vincent Calderaro '02

Carol and Thomas Mowry **

D'Avico's Auto Repair Inc. **

Johnson Controls

Eileen and Joseph Carroll

Annie and Mike Mtika F/S **

First Baptist Church (Long Branch)

Kutztown Auto Company

Robert Cassidy '65 **

Sally and James Muir

First Baptist Church (Milton)

Merck Research Laboratories

Dr. Benjamin W. Champion '59 **

Mary Nunnery **

Floors USA

Meridian Bank

Karen and Paul Nyirjesy **

Greenfield Baptist Church

Moreland Baptist Church **

Donna Sugg Coats '69 and Robert Coats MDiv '68 **

Eunice and Eric Ohlmann **

Wendy and Charles Cole

Living Word Baptist Church (Beachwood)

North Hills Community Baptist Church

Elizabeth Hill Cutting '58 **

Lower Merion Baptist Church **

Northwestern Mutual Foundation **

Elise Whitlatch Omulokoli MA '10 and Barnabas Omulokoli MBA '10

Oaklyn Baptist Church **

Nancy and Joseph Drago

Terry and Osamu Oyafuso **

Osbornville Baptist Church **

Susan Edgar-Smith F/S and W. Lawrence Edgar-Smith **

Linda and Dave Parkhill **

Paideia, Inc. ** Parkesburg Baptist Church **

Ann Steinbright Edwards '60 and Blake Edwards '73 MDiv '76

Pattison Sports Group, LLC

Bonnie and Richard Egan

Pfizer Matching Gifts **

Scott Erlbaum

Phenix Baptist Church

Elizabeth and Ronald Evans **

The Quaker Chemical Foundation **

Martha and James Fairfield

Redeemer Italian Baptist Charitable Trust **

Wendy and John Fehlauer

The Rotary Foundation Sovereign Insurance Group **

Laura Ferlisi-Jolley and Jack Jolley Alvin Galczenski

Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church

Lower Providence Baptist Church Maraj Electric, Inc. Mary Anne Kull Revocable Trust

Cheryl Patton

Mayhill Agency, LLC

Jana and Michael Peachey

The Mennonite Foundation, Inc.

Robert Plimpton '63 **

Ovations Food Services, LP

S. Timothy Pretz DMin '97 F/S **

Pennsylvania Lumbermens Group

Barbara Prickett '74 **

Pilgrim Way Baptist Church

Trish Reger F/S

R. B. Pharr & Associates, P. A.

Adele Ressler F/S and Mark Ressler

Springfield Baptist Church (Springfield) **

Mary-Elizabeth and Joseph Rhoads

T3 Soccer

Paula and Edward Schwabenland **

Tabernacle Baptist Church (Utica) **

Irene and Peter Genco F/S **

Dorcas Diaz Diaz-Shaner '58 MRE '61 and Donald Shaner '61 **

Heather and Sean Gill

Linda Horton Shaver '79

Leadership Partner $250+

Wampole Enterprises, Inc. dba Jacob Schmidt and Son

Carol and Jeffrey Hahn **

Julie and Michael Simpson

Anonymous (5)**

Jonathan Harton '87

Wayne Presbyterian Church

Lois and Donald Hoffman **

Leah Beach Sioma '14 and David Sioma '13

Anne and David Albertson

West Shore Baptist Church **

Rose Holland **

West Virginia Baptist Convention **

Dawn Hollingsworth and Paula Proteau

Jean Wieland Spears '65 and Charles Spears '65 **

White Deer Baptist Church **

John Hoyes '65 **

Linda Stine

William L. Crilley Scholarship Trust

Edmund Irvin BD '54

Anna Szenczy '15

Wisdom Capital LLC

Jacqueline Irving F/S and Desmond Irving **

Linda and Dennis Tanner ** Christine and David Unander F/S **

Daniel Jalboot

Mary Voorhies '01 **

Maroon & Gold Circle $500+

Harold Johnson '61 **

Kelly and William Walenda

Anonymous (3) **

Hazel Keeley **

Rebecca Barnett Walter MBA '93

Steven Adams

Amy Cunningham Ballard '13 and Brian Ballard '10 **

Melissa Klimowicz

Eileen Ware

Augusta Tsie Allen MBA '88

Anthony Barr

Jean and Mark Kolb

Edward Warner '58 MRE '60 **

Theodore Allen MBA '87

Sandra Bauer F/S and Daniel Prima **

Mary Kull

Estate of Patricia Warner

Gene Andersen

Constance and David Berger

George Kurz

Van Weigel MDiv '79 F/S **

Diana Shawhan Bacci MBA '84 **

David Berube MDiv '87 **

Kathy and Jon Lauer

Marc Baer

Dennis Ledebur

Shirley Tuetken Wilbur '70 and Reuben Wilbur '68 **

Stoudt Associates, LLC TEKsystems

Wohlsen Construction

Wayne Sporting Goods Co., Inc.

Robert Addiss '58 MDiv '58 ** Catherine and Lee Allen Barbara and Jeffrey Andrews Courtney Angelakos Lorna and Charles Atkinson ** Elizabeth Austin Denice and John Badders Joseph Badecki

Donna and Artie Birdsong Therese and David Biskup FALL/WINTER 2017 |

29

what does my dollar do at eastern?

Here is a breakdown of how your donations are spent at Eastern.

7¢

PROVIDES INSTRUCTION

12¢

32¢

CREATES SCHOLARSHIP & STUDENT AID FUNDS ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SUPPORT SUPPLIES INSTITUTIONAL SUPPORT SUPPORTS OPERATIONS

20¢ 29¢

535 Donors

have given for 5 or more consecutive years!

Agnieszka Biszta

Mary Feske

Yolanda Jones Johnson MDiv '05 **

Edward Boehne **

Randy Fessler

Debra Jones MEd '94 and David Jones

Lynda and Edwin May **

Jamie Bonner '17

Helen Flanders

Terri and Paul McAllister **

Robert Bowdoin '78 MBA '94 **

Phyllis Fox

Elfriede Meissner Jopp '59 and Frank Jopp '58 MDiv '61 ** Martha Kehs **

Ruth McFarland MATS '00

Valery and Robert Keibler

Ronald McGinnis '60 **

Teresa Kelly F/S

Mary Ellen and Arthur McGrath **

Wayne Kershner MDiv '68 **

Katherine and F. McNabb

Leslie and Matthew Braksick

Kimberli and Timothy Frantz

Rhonda and David Brower **

Tracy and John Fredericks

Donna and Richard Butin Kristen and Brian Cahill

Marie Fredericks RoseMaree and Thomas Furlong

Virginia Brown Campbell '69 **

Denise and Thomas Gallion

Nicole Canale

Brenda Gauthier

Margaret Capers MS '06 F/S **

Genevieve Gelinas

Dottie and David Carlson **

Madelene Geswaldo

Phyllis Whann Cassidy '87 **

Susan Scamman Girdwood '64 and Frank Girdwood '63 MDiv '66 **

Sallie Smithson Cassidy '63 and Richard Cassidy '63 ** Nicole Priest Cesare '03 and Gregory Cesare '03 Chu-Chin Chen MTS '13

Heather Graversen Stacey and Brian Gray Joy Greco F/S and Michael Greco **

Melissa Cicci

Steven Guthrie '78

Dennis Cosgrove Angela and Edward Coughran ** Joseph Culin '75 **

Marilyn and Allan Hancock Kelly Hanlon F/S Daryl Hawkins MTS '05 F/S **

Gail and John Daddario DeVera and Albert Davis ** Taryn Deaton MTS '12 ** Catherine Miller Detwiler '13 and Austin Detwiler '13 ** Derrick Dicoi Sean Dougherty Jonathan Ekeland '81 MAR '86 ** Naomi and Robert Ellis Christine Emmert Joan Engle Donald Enright **

Lois Hein '08

Kimberly and Craig Fenstermacher

Loren McBain '67 MDiv '70

Karen Hosler Kispert MS '98 PhD '13

Carole Meell

Eloise and Henry Knight **

Sara Miles F/S and John Miles **

Natissa Kultan-Pfautz MS '08 F/S and Scott Pfautz **

Kathleen and Stephen Miller **

Felicia Kumar MDiv '93 and Appadurai Kumar MBA '91

Vanji Moise '20

Laura Larrabee Pelfrey '79 Bonnie and John Lauer A. Barbara Liston Lehman '58 ** Frederick Lehman '80 Paul LeVan BD '55 MDiv '73 + Margaret Gibson Lewis '67 ** Fang Lin '84 MBA '88 Judith Zimmerman Lister '58 ** Chester Little Benjamin Lochstampfor

Mary Beth and Charles Moehl Maria and Joao Monteiro F/S ** Deloras Trimmer Moon '65 MRE '67 and Robert Moon '64 Dawn and Richard Moore Linda Alexander Morford '64 Philip Mugridge '76 F/S ** Phyllis and Edward Naiden Melissa Nissenbaum Ronald Nowek Sharon and Neal Oberholtzer

Peggy and Paul Long

Ruth Anne Davis Offutt '63 and William Offutt '63 **

Mary Loomis

Jessica and Patrick Ohlin

Janet Frey Hermans '85 **

Debra Mayer Lord '76 and Wayne Lord '76

Gerard Oneil

Holly Higgins

Brenda Loux '81

John Hill '64 **

Elizabeth Walcott Lubbers '05

Susan and Carl Howard

Janet MacIntyre **

Dougie and Richard Hubbard **

Scott Madden

Elizabeth Shinn Hulford MDiv '05

Erika Velthuis Pillai '98 and Rajendra Pillai MBA '98

Kathryn and James Magee **

Ruby and Leo Jacques **

Barbara and Ralph Pisani **

Donna Gellert Maher '81 and Christopher Maher '82 **

MaryClare and Mark Plucinsky

Charles Hembree ** David Henderson '65 ** Linda and Steve Henry

Kimberlee Johnson F/S **

Irene and Robert Evans

30

Gregor Grant **

Laura Manger '98 F/S **

Ruth Walton Johnson '65 **

| FALL/WINTER 2017

Darrell Pearson DMin '10 F/S ** Mary Peters F/S ** Raleigh Peters MBA '08

Randall Prior DMin. '90

PHILANTHROPY

Nancy Carr Raker '64 and Gilbert Raker '65

Marcia Seley Yohe '74 and Frank Yohe '74 **

Jadon Ramsing '18

Melissa and Gary Young

Lesa Rankin '13 **

American Chemical Society

Gerard Rascoll

The Benevity Community Impact Fund

Lon Record

Black Creek United Methodist Church

Mary and Tom Rees

Brand New Day LLC

Joshua Reid '11

Calvary Baptist Church (Norristown)

Roy Renfro '13 Tammey and Paul Roberts

Central Baptist Church (Riverton-Palmyra) **

Andrea Reed Rodgers '05 F/S **

Chipotle Mexican Grill

Kay Rolfs-Massaglia

Christ Church Ithan

Amanda and James Roth

Community Foundation of Western North Carolina, Inc.

Phyllis and Robert Rudnick ** Mike Russo ** Nicole Sallustio Anne Samuel Jake Sankey John Saracco '17 Jill and Fred Savitz ** Mark Saylor '02 ** Sheila and Kenneth Schmitz ** Mary Alice Shaver ** Herbert Shellington '59 Margaret and Robert Shemonski

Final Touch Quality Landscaping and Lawn Care First Baptist Church (Fall River) Los Altos Community Foundation Paoli United Methodist Church Scotch Plains Baptist Church ** Second Baptist Church (Germantown) SEED Livelihood Network Shiloh Baptist Church (Wilmington) ** St. John's Presbyterian Church (Devon) Strata Company

Lois and William Simon **

Trinity Great Swamp United Church of Christ

Todd Stiegler '89

University of the Virgin Islands-ILOE

Frank Strak

White Clay Creek Presbyterian

Karen and William Stratton

XL Catlin

Angela and Mark Strausser Madalene Pelan Strumbeck BA ’94 and Dana Strumbeck **

Evangelicals for Social Action

Carol Sullivan

$50,000+ Hope Christian Community Foundation

Sophia Tahopoulos F/S Brenda and Jon Talhelm Carole Thiemsen Ella and Louis Thorpe ** Denise and Paul Thorpe F/S ** Margaret and Matthew Troncelliti Phillis and Ted Unbehagen Katherine Urban F/S and Barry Urban ** Albert Urbina Randolph Walters MA '95, MTS '96 V. Grace and Charles Wells Julie Schrock Wicklund '01 and David Wicklund '01 ** Valerie Wrona Wilson '12 and Michael Wilson '10 Kelly and Thomas Wilton ** Peter Wool MDiv '81 DMin. '87 Kathleen Wright F/S and Anthony Wright '12 MBA '14 ** David Yhlen MBA '06

is grateful for these generous donors

$25,000–$49,999 Doug Treff $10,000–$24,999 Patricia Ayres $5,000–$9,999 Dave Chase Bill Dean Charles Olson Jeanne Withrow $1,000–$4,999 Carol Aucamp George and Lois Beck Barbara Belding Rev Audrey and Andrew Benjamin Jim and Mary Blankenship Katrina Carpenter Shannon Collins Robert Harmon

Victor Kennedy Kathy Koch Gregory Miller J. Phillip and Betsy Moyer Wesley Nord Claude Ragan Paul Sonkowsky Lorraine Stuart Rolland Withrow Fidelity Charitable InterVarsity Christian Fellowship USA $500–$999 James Cates Rebecca Cummings Mark Dingler Stefie Dominguez James Hatfield Melissa Heise Greg Jackson Richard and Lisa Lamb Harry Lincoln Rob MacGregor Larry Musick Eufemio Pagan Paul and Ellen Powell Jeffrey Stoltzfus Al and Janice Tizon Raymond Trembath $250–$499 Richard Ames-Ledbetter Dwight Baker Linford Beachy Mark Behle Charles W. Bowman John Chowning Karen Dingler Alan and Patricia Francis-Lyon Elouise R Fraser Becky Johnson Andrew Kalemkarian Matthew Koschmann George Kwiatkowski Edward Mihevc Amy Reynolds and Steve Offutt Barbara Phillips Faie Miss Press Mitchell Reid George and Julie Robie Mike Rogers Andy Saur Willis Sutter Stephanie Tama-Sweet Gary Van Denend Alvin Vos Mark Wagenveld

Claghorn Heritage Society We gratefully acknowledge members of The Claghorn Society which includes all people who have remembered the institution in their charitable estate plans.

Anonymous (4) Ronald Adams '45 + Elsie Almquist + Paul Almquist + LaVonne Althouse DMin '81 Glenn Asquith THB '35 AB '43 + Madelyn Avila + and Manuel Avila '50 + J. Samuel Bailey '36 + Clare Baird + and John Baird + Florence Baker + and Nelson Baker '30 + Josephine Redenius Baker MDiv '84 + George Balla '59 + Ethel Barth + and Warren Barth Margaret Barth + and Omar Barth '41 + Sharon Bates and Ewing Bates '58 BD '62 DMin ’90 + Barbara Gould Beech '75 Martha Bisgrove + Ruth Blair + Jessie Smith Boal BSM '40 + and Arnold Boal '40 + William Bobb Frederick Boehlke '52 F/S Sandra Bouder and Robert Bouder MDiv '61, H'83 Otis Bowden Frank Brasington CERT '34 + Marjean Brauch + and Manfred Brauch H'86 May DeLattre Brown BRE '41 + Trevethan Brownlee and Herbert Brownlee '42 Marion Burr + John Byitte '41 + Anna Mae Cox Cameron THB '38 + and Vernon Cameron Robert Campbell '47 THD '51 THM '49 + Conchetta Capobianco + Dorothy Seger Case MRE '58 Sallie Smithson Cassidy '63 and Richard Cassidy '63 Shirley Haines Claghorn and George Claghorn '44 H'98 H'04 Gertrude E. Clarkson + Lillian Clemens + and Abram Clemens + Edna Crow + Charles Davis '36 + Juanita Davis Charlotte Spitzer DeGregoris '52 and Vincent DeGregoris THB '52 Gordon DeHaas '56 + Stanley Delp + Doris Harvey Dickerson MRE '54 and T. Bennett Dickerson '54

FALL/WINTER 2017 |

31

PHILANTHROPY

53 Legacy students THIS ACADEMIC YEAR.

Legacy students have a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who attended Eastern.

Pamela Dunn and James Dunn MDiv '74 Ethel Edward + Dee Carroll and Maurice Edwards '74 Mary Ehly + Alice Elwell + Sharon Engel and James Engel + David Engelbrecht MDiv '85 + Martha Englerth + Elwood Epps MDiv '56 + Michael Evans '94 Wesley Evans MDiv '58 DMin '76 + William Evans '52 BD '55 + Harold Faba '54 BD '59 + Frances Fetterolf + and C. Frederick Fetterolf + Linda Cochran Fiedler '70 and George Fiedler '70 + Adam Fielder BSN '11 Elizabeth Linder Flemming MRE '55 + Sandra Flinterman '82 + Mary Foehl Judy Fowler + and Conrad Fowler + Carol Frey and Evan Frey Florence Fry + Lois Smith Gabelman MRE '39 + and Gustave Gabelman '39 + Jane Gahs Wilson MRE '47

32

Ellen Gallup + Margaret Geegh MRE '39 + Esther George + Henry Gifford '53 + William Gifford '51 + Susan Mugridge Gough '67 and W. Donald Gough '67 Wilbert Gough '50 H'73 Marilyn Guffin and Orville Guffin Eleanore Guzewicz + Marie Hack and William Hack + Reba Halber + Carmen Halley and Michael Halley '81 William Hand '43 + Harold Hardwick '44 + Deborah Harkness and James Harkness MDiv '89 Evelyn Harmstad + Dorothy Harpster + Marion Harris Thomas Harris '61 + Calvin Hayes DMin '83 + Dorothy Heebner and Gil Heebner + Marion Hickerson + Anna Hill + Margaret Hill and Arthur Hill Thelma Hill +

| FALL/WINTER 2017

Betty Hillyard and Donald Hillyard DMin '87 William Robert Franklin Hines Trust Lillian Hitchner + Marian Hoffman + and William Hoffman Vonald Hoffman '51 + Beverly Holmen and Richard Holmen '60 Mary Frances Horton and David Horton BD '63 Verna Mae Horton + and Clell Horton MRE '62 BD '63 + Sharon Houck and Dan Houck MDiv '82 Harold Howard + Evelyn Howland and Joseph Howland '54 + John Hoyes '65 Elsie Samuel + Samuel Jeanes THB '38 + Suzanne Jenkins and Harry Jenkins Mary Elizabeth Jepson and Alvin Jepson H'03 Madeline Jochen and Victor Jochen '58 THM '69 Elizabeth J. Johnson and Richard Johnson Elizabeth L. Johnson and Robert Johnson '41 + Ileta Johnson + Virginia Jones and Nathaniel Jones Margaret Jones + and Whalen Jones '52 + Bonnie Juroe and David Juroe '55 THM '60 Margaret VanBuskirk Kane BSM '42 + and J. Sydney Kane '43 DMin '77 MDiv '67 + Elizabeth Kirby + Bryant Kirkland THM ’46 + Emily Pearce Klaus BSM '43 MRE '48 + and William Klaus + M. Jean Knapp '72 Allan Knight THD '46 + Anna Koch MRE '43 + Margaret Koch and David Koch Gilbert Kohler '63 DMin '70 + Deborah Jarvis Kortyna '74 and Gary Kortyna Homer Labin THB '39 + Clifford Larson '40 + Lilla Kirkpatrick LiCalzi MRE '46 + Imogene Livingston + Richard Locker '66 Frances Lottey + and Jack Lottey '54 BD ’57 MDiv ’57 Mildred Lydecker + Lillian Mairs + Dianne Marsango and Merrit Marsango MDiv '86 DMin '01 Mary Marshall + and Jess Marshall Gaye Matherly and Robert Matherly '61 DMin ’76 +

Elaine Matthews and Christian Matthews MRE '60 Irene Mc Dormand + and Leroy Doward McBain '43 + Olive Fountain McBain BRE '39 + Betty McGowan Florence McGrath and Robert McGrath MDiv '68 John McKissick MDiv '69 H '76 + Bertha Tower McTaggart MRE '50 + and John McTaggart '52 + L. Virginia Meadowcroft MRE '39 + Ann Hoffman Melanson MDiv '73 + Clara Sherman Mercado MRE ’41 + and Luis Mercado BD ’52 + Emily Merrick and Robert Merrick + Helen Miller + and Paul Miller Mary Ruth Mingledorff '68 and Thomas Mingledorff Elizabeth Moore + Gilbert Moore '42 + Maria Moyer and Edwin Moyer '51 MDiv '73 + Adrian Mumford '44 DMin. '78 + Jean Munro MDiv '81 Barbara Cuatt Naugle BSW '82 and Charles Naugle Pamela Nelson and Gerald Nelson MDiv '78 Leon Nelson '43 + John Nichols MRE '62 MDiv '63 + Donald Niles '49 + Stanley Nodder '53 BD '57 + Nora Nolan and Paul Nolan Irene O'Connor + Beulah Oerth + and Franz Oerth '44 MDiv '73 + Ruth Anne Davis Offutt '63 and William Offutt '63 Eunice Ohlmann and Eric Ohlmann Virginia Palmer + Andrea Palms and Roger Palms '61 H ’77 Sydney Parker BD ’50 + Irene Paul + and Charles Paul '45 + Carolyn Fields Paullin '69 and Lloyd Paullin '66 Mildred Pease + and Leland Pease '44 BD '55 + Robert Plimpton '63 Frances Porter '53 + Phyllis Riday + and George Riday '38 THB '41 + Mildred Riley + and Earl Riley '40 + Margaret Kane Roberts MAR '72 and Dennis Roberts MDiv '71 Margaret M. Roberts + Martha Robinson Raymond Robinson THB '39 + Jean Rohde-Mahn +

PHILANTHROPY

Susana Rohrer and Daniel Rohrer Martin Rolfs-Massaglia MDiv '80 + Jean Rose + and Elmer Rose '42 + Helen Rosenberger + Estate of Amena and William Rosenberger Dorothy Rowe and Charles Rowe '63 + William Rueckle + Florence Rusbuldt and Richard Rusbuldt '51 BD '53 THM '76 H'79 Carol Murr Russell '75 and Earl Russell, Jr. '72 MDiv '75 Barbara Russell and Earl Russell, Sr. + Mildred Ruth + and Howard Ruth '52 + Grace Scarle MDiv '87 and Michael Taylor Ramona Scatchard and William Scatchard + Ruth Schenck + Patricia Schlosser and Ronald Schlosser '56 MRE '59 John Scott '39 BD '47 THB '41 + Martha Shalitta + Dorcas Diaz-Shaner '58 MRE '61 and Donald Shaner '61 Susan Sharber and Richard Sharber MDiv '80 Sara Sharp + Marilyn Shearer and Richard Shearer '43 H ’53 + Eva Shepard THB '32 + Mary Sue Blum Shier '63 Michele Hebert and Fred Shiffer '65 Carol Jochen Shinn MA '66 + and Robert Shinn '50 + Viola Short Davison + and Allen Short ’54 MDiv ’75 DMin ’82

Sylvia Shuman Joan Slaght and Dale Slaght '65 Eugene Smith + Jean A. Smith and John W. Smith + June Smith + Violet Smith + and Robert Smith '44 + Eleanor Weeden Sniffen MRE '44 + and Kenneth Sniffen '44 + Helen Anderson Snyder MRE '42 + and Alton Snyder '42 + Josephine Soltis Cora Sparrowk + Florence Stansbury + Jean Stasi Mary Sterling + Margaret Stotsenburg + and Charles Stotsenburg '42 + Beatrice Stuart + Helen Johnson Sunday '65 + Virginia Mercer Swetnam MRE '57 Winifred Swope + and George Swope '45 + W. Wendle Taggart + Linda Tanner and Dennis Tanner Dianne Tate and Samuel Tate Ruth Teasdale MRE '39 + Ann Thomas MAR '65 Anna Weigart Thomas BRE '37 + and Richard Thomas '38 MRE '60 + Peggy Parker Thomas '63 and F. Ardell Thomas '63 Linda Thompson and Kenneth Thompson MDiv '72 Rebecca Thorpe

Pearl Tomlinson and Albert Tomlinson '51 + Ethel Townsend + Grace Turley MRE '47 + John Tyndale + Nancy Udall and William Udall '55 MDiv '72 DMin '84 + Florence Deisenroth Van Dyke '68 and Glen Van Dyke '67 Martha VanDam + and K. Aart VanDam '50 + Helen Vennell + Katharine Victor + Edwin Virginia '40 + Richard Waddington '58 + J. Howard Walker + Betty Wardell Edward Warner '58 MRE '60 Patricia Warner + Winona Watson + and Roy Watson '49 + Anna May Weaver + and Clarence Weaver + Elnette Whipple + Gordon Whitney '40 + Katherine Yeaworth Whittle '93 and Douglas Whittle MDiv '80 DMin '89 Ruth Wilcox + Kathryn Wilkinson + and Rowland Wilkinson THB '40 + Marjorie Kinsman Williams '64 and Jon Williams Daniel Wilson '41 + Robert Wilson + June Wolfe Myra Wolfe +

Howard Wood Marcia Misteli Woodruff MDiv/DMin '84 and Paul Woodruff Helen Workman + and Maurice Workman Ethelwyn Frederick Wornom '50 Ennelle Shappell Wright '52 MA '64 + and Stanley Wright + Catherine Parker Wrisley '63 and Stuart Wrisley + Louisa Grace Young '51 and Robert Young '51 Isabel Zulker and William Zulker '53 DMin ’78

For a complete listing of all donors, please visit eastern.edu Every effort has been made to ensure accuracy. Please email advservices@ eastern.edu with any corrections.

thank you!

FALL/WINTER 2017 |

33

ALUMNI

EASTERN UNIVERSITY

Alumni News Eastern Alumni Class Notes 1950s Virginia Bradley ’57 served as a Director of Christian Education for several years. She taught English as a Second Language in Malaysia and in San Francisco, CA. She finished her career teaching high school English in RI. After retirement, she became a multi-faith chaplain at a local hospital.

She presently volunteers two mornings a week.

Remembering her years at Eastern, she credits the small size of classes for offering many opportunities for leadership. She enjoyed being in the touring choir under Joel Anderson. Her favorite classes were those in English, with expert knowledge and guidance of J. Wesley Ingles prepared her well for her long career in teaching.

Virginia enjoys reading, making art, writing poetry and memoir, and keeping in touch with her family.

At 82, she gives thanks for good health and asks God each morning, “Where will I see You today, and how may I respond?”

Willard Everitt ’57 and Judy have been married for 57 years. She shares Will’s been suffering from dementia for more than seven years. They moved from their home of 33 years this spring to an apartment in the area. Will loved his years at both Eastern College and Seminary.

Paul Palmer Green ’57, DMin ’85 and Jane (Sargeant) Green ’57 share their family has grown with new in-laws and their first greatgranddaughter. Their granddaughter, Katie Green ’16, graduated from Eastern last year. They are retired and live in independent senior living.

Their mission now is to informally minister to the others there. The faculty that impacted them was J. Wesley Ingles and “we still quote him”.

If not for Eastern, they never would have met… they celebrated their 60th anniversary June 1, 2017. Their classmates may be surprised to know that Paul was an Air Force Chaplain, finishing as a Reservist at the rank of Lt. Col. He also served five churches as pastor. The question they’re pondering: “Since we have traveled extensively overseas by way of hosting international travel, we now ponder which slides to show at our next monthly travel program”.

34

| FALL/WINTER 2017

Maynard Hatch ’57, BD ’60 and Ruth (Cordle) Hatch ’57 are in their 17th year of living in a retirement center and are enjoying life without mowing grass and shoveling snow at their duplex.

They have two children and four grandchildren.

Maynard has a PhD and has been a Professor of Religious Education, pastor and interim pastor of several churches and Interim Director of camping for NJ Baptists. Ruth taught “Family Life Ministries” and helped to write a book for American Baptist pastors about marriages called The Stained Glass Fishbowl. The faculty that made an impact on him were Lee Allen, Lyle Bristol, John Thomas BD ’41, MDiv ’71, Samuel Ortegon, Maggie Ferre MRE ’49, Dr. Grigoria, and Frosty Anderson. For Ruth, it was Vinci Alessi MRE ’52. By giving her a dorm assignment with older students, she got to know others in her class sooner than she would have as a transfer student. If not for Eastern, they never would have met and married. Their classmates would be surprised to know he collects fountain pens and she became a pastor, enjoyed doing research with her PhD advisor after graduation and collects recipe books.

Mary Ellen (Mills) Blake ’59 shared with the Alumni Office her story of how she came to EBC and there is a link to it on www.alumni.eastern.edu.

Mary Ellen would love to keep in touch with her classmates, so if anyone would like to reach out to her, please do!

1960s Sally (Still) Snelling ’62 retired from teaching and moved to GA. She is helping homeschool the grandchildren. The faculty that made an impact was Prof. Allen. He helped her enjoy history which she taught for 25 years. If not for Eastern, she never would have grown so much in her Christian experience. The question she’s pondering is “whether or not to play golf today!

The big ones are gone!”

Walter Swank ’62 was married to Isabel (Liston) Swank ’62 for 32 years and had two children.

Unfortunately, Isabel passed away in 1994. He married Sandy Baronett, recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary, and together share nine grandchildren. Walter received an MDiv

and MEd, taught high school Social Studies for 30 years, and served as a minister for several United Methodist churches. The faculty that had an impact were Tom Byron BD ’58, an excellent basketball coach and J. Wesley Ingles, an excellent English professor who brought literature “alive”. Both exemplified what a Christian should be: kind, respectful, considerate, informative, and helpful. If not for Eastern, he never would have married Isabel, had the opportunity to student teach Social Studies, nor would have had the training and friendships that have lasted all his life. His classmates would be surprised to know he retired from teaching in 1997 and continues to be active in church, tennis, and golf. The questions he’s pondering: “how are we going to survive the present political situation?

Whatever happened to kindness, respect, and compassion? What’s for breakfast?”

Paul Aiello ’67 has two grandchildren. He traveled to Dubai, UAE for Christmas 2015 and New Years 2016 for three weeks. He retired from the Air National Guard after 27 years as a Chaplain with the rank of LTC. The faculty that made an impact was Glenn Koch BD ’56, ThM ’59, who taught the value of good scholarship. If not for Eastern, he never would have gone into the ministry. His classmates would be surprised to know he sings with a barbershop quartet and chorus.

George Allen Jr. ’67 and Carolyn (Heeren) Allen ’67, who’ve been married for 51 years, continue to enjoy having all their family living nearby as well as their three family businesses working well together. George was inducted into the RV/ MH Hall of Fame and was recently designated as a Certified Property Manager (CPM) Emeritus by the Institute of Real Estate Management. If not for Eastern, he would not have met Carolyn. His classmates would be surprised to know he has authored or edited a dozen books to date, the latest being the Chapbook of Prayer. The question he’s pondering is where to semi-retire or not and pen his autobiography.

Paul Bauers ’67 and Susan (Walk) Bauers ’67 celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. Paul was the Head of the Social Science Department where he taught and was Captain of the Food and

EASTERN UNIVERSITY

ALUMNI

Beverage staff at Equinox Resort. The faculty that made the greatest impact was Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 because he helped him to begin thinking “outside the box”. If not for Eastern, Paul would never have met Sue or had their daughters and grandchildren.

Barbara (Forman) Bell ’67 has taught in rural and urban Project HeadStart Programs, So-Technical High School, ACCEPT Program, Nursery and Middle/Junior High School. The faculty that made an impact: Kingsley Greene: love/awe for the Creation/Environment/Ecological Balance, John Ruth ’56: invitation into his home for Mennonite worship and teach Sunday school, and Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61: came to Eastern clueless about the sociological impact of growing up in her family of origin. If not for Eastern, she never would have met her husband, Carl Bowser MDiv ’68 while rooming at the seminary, lived as a PW in Appalachia, taught in Project HeadStart Program, started a nursery school, been divorced and met Jay Bell, father of her children or become a mother and eventually a widow. Her classmates would be surprised she’s embraced Judaism and is “a merry widow, a recently paroled comedian, and not yet demented.” The questions she’s pondering: “When God opens the door to the future, will we walk in? Why is it so much more fun to be Jewish? What’s so funny about getting old? What’s my Hebrew name? How do I maintain a healthy spirituality and a quick, robust sense of humor while avoiding dementia and/or and early grave?”

Jan (Bradstreet) Bickerstaff ’67 has two children, 5 grandchildren, and continues to work in a food pantry and sing in their church choir.

She retired in June 2016 from working at a public library after 30 years. The faculty that made an impact were Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 because he made sociology fun with trips and humor and Frosty Anderson because she learned so much about singing and music from him. If not for Eastern, she never would have met Charlie Bickerstaff ’70 nor been able to sing with the Eastern choir in Central America, Canada, and the Eastern USA. Her classmates would be surprised to know she’s still fortunate to have her 97 year old father living. The question she’s pondering is should they downsize and move?

Livija (Rieksts) Bolster ’67 shares “Still married.

Same guy. 50 years. We met my first week at Eastern.” Riki married Paul Bolster ’66 just before

graduation, moved south, raised three children, and now has four grandchildren. She received a MEd, taught high school journalism for 19 years and worked at All About Dev. Disabilities for 6 ½ years. She is proudest of the Writing Center she helped create and coordinate. The many faculty that impacted her: John Ruth ’56 for his teaching of morality by example; Dr. Beardsley for making her memorize the opening lines of Canterbury Tales; Dr. Ingles for teaching her the core of human failing-hubris; Larry Ziglar for bringing history alive; Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 for relationship advice; Dr. Ferre MRE ’49 for love of other languages. If not for Eastern, she never would have met Paul or gained the confidence to do many things. Her classmates would be surprised to know she is an acrophobic and she coached women’s soccer. The questions she’s pondering: “In the words of my granddaughter, “How did God make his self?” Also, how can I carve time out to write?”

Emma Jean (Schaeffer) Brown ’67 retired from Merion Publications in 2012 after 24 years as a writer, editor, and manager. EJ earned her master’s in education in 2014 and is currently on the faculty at a community college. The faculty that made an impact was Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61—not only by his gifted teaching, but he taught her that you cannot always take a stand for what’s right and be popular, too. It’s a lesson she has built her journalism career on. If not for Eastern, she never would have meet her roommates and still good friends Jan (Sutton) Bull ’67 and Joan (Parker) Frizzell ’69. The question she’s pondering is how to survive retirement!

George Burn ’67 has six children, 12 grandchildren, and has traveled a lot to Europe

and the Caribbean. He worked as a chaplain for 35 years and received the Outstanding State Leaders Award and from ABC USA, the Chaplain of the Year. The faculty that made an impact was Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61. If not for Eastern, he never would have made it through college.

His classmates would be surprised to know “I’m married to a woman who beat Meryl Streep for the lead in her 8th grade musical.”

Sheryl (Hill) Conley ’67 shares her early adult life was spent in ministry. After her husband, Charles Conley ’66, MDiv ’69, passed away, she worked for a ministry by running the office.

The faculty that made an impact was Dr. Ackley because he encouraged her. If not for Eastern, she would have not been living where she lives today. Her classmates would be surprised to know: “Nothing about my life has gone the way I believed it would.”

Robert Crane ’67 is married to Lisa, has three children and five grandchildren. Bob retired from Special Education, Music Therapy and as a United Methodist Church pastor, and is currently serving as Chaplain at a psychiatric hospital. The faculty that made an impact was Joel Anderson who inspired him to enjoy music and to use it creatively throughout his professional and personal life. If not for Eastern, he never would have entered the ministry. His classmates would be surprised to know he has been a ballroom dance teacher and still helps couples with wedding dances. The question he’s pondering at the moment is when to retire.

Ruth Dunlap ’67 has six grandchildren. The faculty that made an impact was John Ruth ’56—introduction to Mennonites; great story teller; helped them write and speak their stories.

If not for Eastern she never would have met her

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impressions: Jean Whittaker–how to make artistic and non-artistic decisions; the importance of friendship; Linda Shuler–love of theater and recognition of her artistic potential; Joseph Bowman BSM ’35–love of music, patience, and kindness; and Della Rodgers–the importance of doing the right “thing” the “proper” way. If not for Eastern, she never would have had the opportunity to have a life and career in the arts.

Her classmates would be surprised to know her interest in creativity, creative development, and the creation of original works. The questions she’s pondering are places to travel to, things to do, and family and friends to see.

husband, Richard Milich ’66 and surprised to know they divorced in 1994. The questions she’s pondering are how to end child sexual abuse and hold Christian perpetrators accountable.

Donald Gough ’67 and Susan (Mugridge) Gough ’67 have three sons and four grandchildren.

They’ve been living on the coast of NH for 20 years and are members of a church in York, ME, where Susan sings in senior choir and women’s ensemble. She also serves on the Board of local garden club. Don has consulted with Corporate Boards and has been a partner for 25 years with a firm and his firm since 2000 and helped provide corporate success. Susan says that John Ruth ’56 was the faculty that made an impact on her.

For Don, it was Barry Love because his efforts brought him back to EU after deciding to leave after his freshman year. If not for Eastern, Don would never have met Susan! His classmates would be surprised to know he served on the Board of the National Alliance for Autism Research for 10 years. The questions Don ponders are the futures of Eastern University, First Parish Church and Healthcare.

James Hamilton III ’67 is married to Carol, has a daughter, and four grandchildren. He has a Master’s Degree in School Administration and 45 years in education, as a teacher, athletic director, principal, and education director.

He’s currently an educational consultant. His interests include tennis, racquetball, bicycling, traveling, and has season tickets to the Phillies and Eagles. He competed in the 2008 & 2010 PA Senior Olympics winning eight medals in tennis,

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racquetball, and basketball skills. He represented PA in the 2011 National Senior Olympics and was the only athlete among 12,000 participants to compete in three separate sports. His professional accomplishments include two Grad.

Assistantships, two Master’s degrees, and he collaborated in the development of three schools for children with multiple disabilities.

The faculty that made an impact were Dr. Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 and Dr. Baxter for their professionalism, dedication, wit, and compassion in not “throwing” him out of Eastern.

If not for Eastern, he never would have started a journey that far exceeded expectations, both personally and professionally. His classmates would be surprised to know he owns a Harley, built a “shrine” with an Eastern flair in his home, and had an article printed in the Spotlight. The question he’s pondering is “where to play pickleball today?”

Sarah (Mann) Leahey ’67 received an MSW is 1969 from Rutgers University School of Social Work. She is retired, widowed, has two children, and four grandchildren.

Barry and Jean (Lesher) Levine ’67 continue to travel, enjoy their family, and represent special education children for IEP meetings and Due Process in five states. She continues to teach as an adjunct for Neumann University. Jean earned an MA and an EdD, and has a NJ School Administrator Certificate. She’s retired from K-12 Music and Drama; District Administrator of the Arts; Director of Grants & Federal Programs. There were many Eastern faculty that made lasting

Margaret (Gibson) Lewis ’67 and her husband, Jim, are both retired. They have three sons and grandchildren. Her classmates would be surprised to know that she has been to all seven continents and all 50 states and has camped in a tent from Antarctica (1 night only) to north of the Arctic Circle. The question she’s pondering is “Will I have enough time to finish my bucket list?”

Carol (Chandler) Malcarney ’67 has been married to Ron for 48 years, has four children, and 16 grandchildren. The faculty that made an impact was Dr. Campolo ’56. BD ’60, ThM ’61. She considered a career in Social Work but ultimately majored in languages and taught French and Spanish. If not for Eastern she never would have spent her junior year abroad in France.

Her classmates would be surprised to know she published a book, Liberty Street, an edited collection of over 700 letters which her parents wrote during WWII. The questions she’s pondering are concerns for the environment and how we can continue to protect God’s creation.

Loren D. McBain ’67, MDiv ’70 and Nancy have been married for 45 years, have three children, and five grandchildren. For the past 45 years he’s served as Lead Pastor of seven American Baptist churches. Since Eastern, he’s added additional degrees: MDiv, MA, and DMin. He also co-authored with his father, L. Doward McBain ABThB ’43, a church membership manual, Born Again and Living Up To It. Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 has had a tremendous impact on his personal ministry through his books, evangelistic preaching, and personal contacts with him over the past 50 years. Tony remains a key spiritual mentor. If not for Eastern, he never would have had the opportunity to participate in four different team sports: Baseball, Basketball,

EASTERN UNIVERSITY

Soccer, and Tennis. He was voted Most Valuable Baseball player in 1967, but his biggest thrill was putting in the winning 25 foot jump shot that beat ENC in 1966. His classmates would be surprised to know in 1972 he and Nancy won TVs “Newlywed Game”. The questions he’s pondering are “Now that I’m retired from full-time ministry, I struggle with adjusting to not preaching and being invested in church leadership development on a weekly basis. My wife and I participate in a local church, and are allowing God to direct our talents that we pray will continue having an impact on Kingdom building.”

Kaaren (Drummond) Olin ’67 has two children and three grandchildren. She retired in 2005 after 26 years with Lockheed-Martin Corp. She has served as volunteer company representative for Toys For Tots each year for eight years. The faculty that made an impact was John Ruth ’56 for his humor, brilliant teaching, kindness, and strong Mennonite faith. If not for Eastern, she would never have had a strong moral compass at work, often having to choose God’s way over corporate choices. This code of conduct ultimately led to a fulfilling career and several promotions. Her classmates would be surprised to know she has two young men pilots from China Air that have adopted her as Grandma. The question she’s pondering is “As I face my terminal illness (advanced COPD), may I reflect God’ love these last months”.

Martha Sawyer-Lockard ’67 has two sons and one granddaughter. She received her Master of English/Education and was a high school English teacher for 35 years. The faculty that made an impact was John Ruth ’56 and she became an English teacher because of his inspiration. If not for Eastern, she never would have made lifelong friends: Nancy (Heidrick) Dalton ’67, Sherry Smith ’67, Joyce (Hamilton) Wik ’67, Carol (Chandler) Malcarney ’67, and BJ (Cheever) Dunbar ’67. Her classmates would be surprised to know how much EBC meant to her lifelong search for God, though she didn’t realize it at the time. The question she’s pondering is how to grow old gracefully.

Sherry V. Smith ’67 and Frank Ervin have been married for 44 years, have two daughters, and four grandchildren. She’s retired from the Department of Public Welfare as a supervisor after 35+ years and has served on two boards.

She has volunteered with the center for Loss and

ALUMNI

Bereavement and A Woman’s Place (for abused women). The faculty that made an impact were Dr. Beardsley because he opened her mind to the possibility of worlds beyond this one, Alexander Grigolia because Anthropology was so interesting and he made you want to learn, and Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 because he was dynamic, full of energy, and thought provoking.

If not for Eastern she never would have her best friends Nancy (Heidrick) Dalton ’67, Martha Sawyer-Lockard ’67, Joyce (Hamilton) Wik ’67, B.J. (Cheever) Dunbar ’67, and Carol (Chandler) Malcarney ’67 who get together at least two times each year. Her classmates would be surprised to know that at her EBC graduation, she wore only a bikini under her gown. The question she’s pondering is when will all women be given equal pay for equal work and always be treated as equals with men?

Paul Somers ’67 and Lois have been married for 23 years. Paul served 15 years each as State Botanist for TN and MA. His success has been in endangered and threatened species protection, natural area protection, wilderness designations.

The faculty that made an impact were Dr. Signorino who gave him a strong background in organic chemistry and Prof. Greene who taught well in botany, helping to launch his future career.

If not for Eastern, he perhaps never would have gotten into graduate school at the University of ME. His classmates would be surprised to know that he spent 22 years living and working in TN before returning to the Northeast. The question he’s pondering is “will we as a civilization react in time to rescue our planet as key resources are diminished and catastrophic consequences result for human populations?”

After 53 years as Organist/Choir Director, and 47 years as a music ministry and organ consultant, Glen Van Dyke ’67 thought it was time to retire.

However, the Lord called him back in 2017 into the music ministry. The faculty that made an impact was Joseph Bowman BSM ’35 and his music appreciation class, which was so much fun in the way that he presented the historical background of the different periods of music so that he could really appreciate and understand it. If not for Eastern, he never would have met his wife years later (Florence Deisenroth Van Dyke ’68) and they’ve been married for 21 years. His classmates would be surprised to know he was a teacher for only seven years in private day and

public schools, but he spent 12 years at night school teaching woodworking. He later went into industry as a field service technician for the Ford Motor Company, then as a maintenance director for a large direct mail house, and finally as a maintenance director of a 475-residents retirement community. He is now having more fun than ever marketing for a new privately owned travel discount company.

Paul and Joyce (Hamilton) Wik ’67 celebrated 37 years of marriage in May, have three children, and seven grandchildren. She retired in 2011 after 42 years of teaching and taught every grade from preschool through high school in both public and private schools. The faculty that made an impact was J. Wesley Ingles. He not only taught her to appreciate great literature, he challenged her to only accept excellence from herself in faith and life. If not for Eastern, she never would have met some of the best friends she’s ever had, nor begun the process of clarifying her personal belief system. Her classmates would be surprised to know when they lived in AZ, she volunteered at a wild animal park. She had encounters with lion cubs, tigers, a hyena, and others. She assisted in the snake show and was once bitten by a lion.

The questions she’s pondering are “How can I prioritize how I use my time? What legacy am I leaving my grandchildren?”

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led, he became Chair of a number of boards of family businesses, and an active director on a publicly held business. It’s been a rewarding 15 years, but will come to when he plans to retire.

The faculty that made an impact were Barry Love and Jonathan Barron. If not for Eastern, he never would have been able to have a career of leadership in business and be committed to serving Christ through his local congregation as well as the Mennonite Church internationally.

His classmates would be surprised to know that although he has been a member of the same Mennonite congregation for his whole life, he is also a member of an Episcopal congregation and an Oblate of the Order of St. Benedict. The questions he pondering include “How did I get to be 71 years old? What does it mean to be faithful and to continue to grow in Christ at this age when physical ailments begin to command attention?”

1970s Tom Ashbaugh ’72 and Esther (Sprowls) Ashbaugh ’72 have two granddaughters. Tom is partially retired and works three days a week for a company that packages/makes nuts and candy.

He works in quality and regulatory compliance, spending most of his time working on ingredient and nutritional labels. Esther is into her 42nd year as a technical writer writing user documentation for business software, including manufacturing, financial, higher education, and tax applications.

The faculty that made an impact on Tom was Fred Dickerson because he was very interested in plants and botany, just like him. If not for Eastern, Tom and Esther wouldn’t have met and married!

His classmates may be surprised he likes old cars. About the questions they’re pondering…

Tom wants to know “How do I get my weed wacker to work? Should I fully retire?” while Esther is wondering “When do I retire??? I like working, but I want to do more traveling while I’m still physically able.”

Lynda Crim ’72 shares that she is loving life as a retired special education teacher/administrator.

She also has a new career as a contemporary Christian fiction author. If not for Eastern, she never would have enjoyed her career in education as much as she did.

Lee Delp ’72 celebrated 50 years of marriage in December 2016, has two sons, and two grandchildren. After selling the last business he

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Fred Funk ’72 and Beverly (Houck) Funk ’72 live in NH where Fred is a ski instructor at Gunstock Mountain. Beverly is involved with several volunteer organizations, including Hospice. Their two daughters are married with children. Since one daughter lives in CA and the other in Greece, they travel a lot. If not for Eastern, they wouldn’t have met each other!

Christine (Schreier) Jennings ’72 is married and a grandmother of five. She was a kidney donor and has been a cancer survivor for over six years. She’s taught elementary, secondary, and adult students. Currently, she teaches English subjects to Chinese students virtually and designs curriculum for the school. The faculty who made an impact was Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 for his classes and faith. If not for Eastern, she never would have become a teacher.

Her classmates would be surprised to know she is still doing drama and singing all these years later. She says she’s not pondering any questions because she is retired so she’s already done all the big questions.

Nancy Kohler ’72 has retired from teaching after 38 years. The faculty that had an impact were Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60 ThM ’61 and Helen Loeb. Attending Eastern was a wonderful time for her to be involved in many activities.

Being involved on a gospel team was a great blessing. The overall experience and classmates were wonderful.

David Laquintano ’72 and Christine Hadley Laquintano ’70, have been enjoying retirement.

He spent most of November 2016 in Italy with Christine joining him at the end. The highlight was visiting the town from which his grandparents immigrated to the US. David serves as supply in churches in the South Jersey area. They tutor and are involved in Chester Eastside, which is an agency working out of St. Paul's Chester. They live next door to Swarthmore College and enjoy the concerts and master classes offered. They’ve seen the Eastern Baseball team play there.

Susan (Beattys) Maines ’72 shares her husband, Alec, recently passed away after a long journey with Alzheimer’s. She is semi-retired and works part-time conducting vision screening for preschool children. The faculty that had an impact was Ed Kuhlmann as he was an example of a Christian social worker and helped her learn how to integrate her faith with her social work practice. If not for Eastern, she never would have pursued a career in social work. Her classmates would be surprised to know that she attended Comic Con for almost ten years. The question she’s pondering is “God's timing and how it is not always our timing but is always perfect.”

Blanche (Zortman) Shaw ’72 is retired and she and her husband, Steve, are enjoying life on Colorado’s Western slope. They have one daughter and one small dog. She obtained an MS degree in elementary education and either taught or was a preschool director for over 30 years. The faculty that made an impact was Tony Campolo ’56, BD ’60, ThM ’61 who made sociology come alive! If not for Eastern, she never would have obtained her degree and made great friendships. Her classmates would be surprised to know she’s a three-time cancer survivor. The big question she’s pondering is “What does God expect of me today?”

Lee Taylor ’72 has six grandchildren and has been practicing dentistry for almost 40 years. The faculty that had an impact was Dr. Sayles with his tough love and demand for discipline. If not for Eastern, he would never have met and married

TO SEE NEWS AND NOTES FOR ALUMNI FROM THE 1980S, 1990S, 2000S, 2010S AND OUR GRADUATE PROGRAMS, PLEASE VISIT ALUMNI.EASTERN.EDU

ALUMNI

EASTERN UNIVERSITY

Meet your Alumni Council:

Tim April ’00

In Memory

BY CLASS YEAR

1950s Dolores P. (McFarland) Sawyer x’56 March 4, 2016 1960s Clayton S. Pierce ’61 March 21, 2017 Jesse B. Milby, Jr. ’62 March 31, 2017 David H. Gay ’63 April 30, 2017 Helen (Johnson) Sunday ’65 May 28, 2017 Frederick “Wayne” Heggan ’67 July 11, 2016

2000

MAJOR: Elementary Education

PRESENT

CURRENT EMPLOYER: Vanguard

FAMILY: Wife Holly (Szczytko ’98), sons Jonathan (12) and Sean (9) WHY DID YOU SERVE ON THE COUNCIL?: I joined because I was already a class rep and have stayed connected to Eastern since graduation. I continue to serve (finishing my third year) because the people are a nice mix from different graduating years and our meetings are productive, filled with Christ-centered unity, and a lot of fun!

FONDEST STUDENT MEMORY: It's difficult to choose just one, so I'll share three: • Being in Transformed! helped me make instant friends (which was important, since I was a commuter and only lived on campus for two summers).

• During Hurricane Floyd, there was so much rushing water from the lakes that it was like walking across small river rapids over the bridges on the path from McInnis to the gym! I laughed in disbelief.

• I love telling the story of the Welcome Back Dance held on January 24, 1998, especially when I hugged Holly good-bye. Nearly 20 years later we're still dancing every chance we get. It doesn't always happen the way we see it in the movies, but I'm grateful to God that it happened that way with us!

Glenn H. Asquith, Jr ’68 April 5, 2017 Edith “Edie” Vaughn Bauer ’68 August 14, 2017 John A. Lanzalotti ’68 April 30, 2017 Mary J. (Royer) Rotruck ’68 January 13, 2016 1970s David R. Walker ’70 May 24, 2017 Gary K. Javens ’72, MDiv ’74 June 13, 2017 1980s Annette M. “Bubbles” (Dalessandro) Compton ’85 August 18, 2017 Stephen K. Schurer ’86 April 21, 2017 1990s Elisabeth “Beth” (McCoy) Priest ’91 July 25, 2017 Mary “Cecelia” Hickey ’92 March 20, 2017 Theresa (Bolognese) Palmieri ’92 July 22, 2017 James E. McHugh MBA ’96 August 8, 2017 Angel C. Arthur x’98 December 16, 2014 Sherri L. Moore MBA ’98 July 5, 2014 2000s Patricia (McDonald) McCormick BSN ’00 April 12, 2017 Robert M. Boyd ’02 May 13, 2017 Ryan J. Chafin ’03 March 27, 2017

the love of his life, Carol (McGuire) Taylor ’72.

He says his classmates would be surprised to know “I can be serious.” The question he’s pondering concerns retirement.

Congratulations to David Bradstreet ’76, a finalist for the 2017 RNA Award for religious reporting excellence. Star Struck, was one of six finalists in the book category. Winners for all categories were contacted by the RNA Contest Chairman before July and were announced to the public on September 9th at the 2017 RNA Annual Conference awards banquet in Nashville, TN. Sylvia (Merriken) Metzler ’77 shares her grandchildren are all grown and she’s enjoying the great-grands. She retired at 75 as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She still volunteers as an NP one night/week at a clinic. The faculty that made an impact were Ethel Jensen and Martha

Shalitta. They gave her confidence that she could succeed with statistics and anything else she put her mind to. If not for Eastern, she never would have gone to Yale to earn an MS and CRNP Certification. Her classmates would be surprised to know she had a double mastectomy in 2014.

Instead of getting reconstruction, she had a tattoo of a monarch butterfly, honey bees, and flowers on her chest as an environmental statement to save these endangered species.

While attending Eastern, Nancy (Follett) Hammond ’78 shares she became the de facto "Athletic Trainer" for her teammates after taking one summer class in that field at the University of Vermont! A few years after graduating, she returned to school to obtain a Master's Degree in Athletic Training and worked as an ATC 'for real'!

Kenneth J. Long, Jr ’09 April 18, 2017 2010s Ryan P. Reed ’16 June 26, 2017 Connor J. Porter x’17 August 7, 2017

Faculty/Staff Duncan G. Stearns - Former Piano & Harp Professor May 31, 2012 Judith (Nelson) Dilworth - Former Assistant Dean of Women (1970-1979) March 13, 2017 Jonathan Beasley - Librarian June 9, 2017 Earl G. Russell, Sr - Emeritus Trustee June 13, 2017 Harry A. Dorian, Sr - Former Professor of Economics August 28, 2017

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PALMER THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

and the critical concerns of the Theology of Liberation among the Hispanic community.

1990s Jose Enrique Irizarry DMin ’92 is currently a priest in charge at the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd in Hartford, CT. He shares that his experience at Eastern was magnificent and a blessing in his ministry.

Palmer Alumni Class Notes 1940s Emilie Ballard MRE ’47 has been named one of the 2017 co-recipients of the Cora and John Sparrowk President's Award. The award was presented at the Biennial Mission Summit this summer on behalf of the Board of General Ministries. She served with the American Baptist Foreign Mission Societies for more than 40 years, working with Karen tribal people in Burma and Thailand. After retiring, she returned to Thailand for three years at the request of the Mission, preparing language lessons for missionaries needing to learn the Karen language. She moved to a retirement community in CA, and has been actively serving there as well as in her local church and in community activities. Her book, God's Hand Upon Me, was published in 2014 and is currently Author House's Book of the Year.

She is completing a second book to be titled, Learning to be a Missionary in the Land of the Golden Pagodas.

1980s

The Rev. Dr. Harry Riggs II DMin ’97 has been called to the position of Executive Minister of ABCCONN. Dr. Riggs has been active in ministry for 30 years, faithfully serving three churches, which includes his most recent pastorate at the First Baptist Church in Lincoln, NE where he has served for the past 10 years. He began his ministry for ABCCONN on November 1. 2017.

2000s Catherine Williams ESCM ’05, MDiv ’10 started July 1, 2017 as Assistant Professor of Preaching and Worship at Lancaster Seminary. She recently earned a PhD in Homiletics from Princeton Theological Seminary. Her dissertation focused on developing a distinctive, post-colonial homiletic for Trinidad and Tobago rooted in the indigenous music of calypso.

2010s

Roger Velasquez DMin ’82 shares that he has retired from his ministry at Duke University Medical Center as of January 10, 2017. He’s now catching up with some organizing of his many papers related to his ministry in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Costa Rica, CA and NC. His experience during his doctoral program at Eastern was just exceptional with a supportive faculty, willing to explore with him some of the Third World issues

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Following a national search, Daniel Pascoe Aguilar MDiv ’94 was named executive director of the Office of Career Services at Ithaca College.

Beginning June 26, 2017, he will lead efforts across the college to advance the professional and career development of IC students. His own career spans 30+ years of leading and managing a diversity of higher education, social service and religious organization teams. He was most recently the director of the Career Center at the University of OR, where he’s served for the past seven years. Prior, he held leadership positions in career services operations at Seattle University, the University of North TX, and Indiana University.

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This past spring, Annalie Korengel MDiv ’13 was sworn in as new chaplain of the Kennett Square, PA Police Department. Bill Holdsworth, Kennett Square police chief, said Korengel has vast experience in first responder trauma care.

In Memory

BY CLASS YEAR

1940s Clara L. (Sherman) Mercado MRE ’41 March 27, 2017 Harold D. Wheeler BD ’45 April 1, 2017 Virginia R. (Slawson) Northrop Cook x’46 April 3, 2017 Albert R. Siebert ABThB ’46 July 23, 2017 Ernagene “Bobbi” (Boepple) Rafter x’47 March 15, 2015 Esther “Lu” (Pim) Lasher MRE ’48 September 3, 2017 Bernice M. (Lowry) Niles MRE ’49 June 5, 2017 1950s John H. Krier BD ’50, DD ’72 March 20, 2017 Donald E Smith ABThB ’51, BD ’53 July 6, 2017 Margot F. Hakes MRE ’52 August 28, 2017 John V. MacNeill AB ’52, BD ’55 September 21, 2017 Kathleen V. (Benson) Moore AB/MRE ’52 March 23, 2017 Anthony “Tony” Lombardi BD ’53 June 22, 2017 Robert E. Berger MDiv ’54 May 29, 2017 Robert D. Hughes BD ’54, MDiv ’73 September 7, 2017 Paul R. LeVan BD ’55, MDiv ’73 September 9, 2017 William B. Udall BD ’55, MDiv ’72, DMin ’84 March 21, 2017 1960s Richard A. Seeley BD ’60, DMin ’87 June 15, 2017 Thomas R. Bush BD ’61 March 30, 2017 Russell R. Fry MDiv ’63 March 4, 2017 Eileene E. (Baxley) Justice BD ’64 July 18, 2012 Premnath S. Dick MAR ’68 June 3, 2017 1970s Michael S. Derry MDiv ’70 January 18, 2015 Gary K. Javens ’72, MDiv ’74 June 13, 2017 Eldon L. Elmore MDiv ’75 February 23, 2016 2000s Shirley B. Miller ESCM ’00 June 11, 2017 Margery Nathanson MTS ’00 September 16, 2017 Joan G. (Brudereck) Spangler MTS ’04, MDiv ’10April 18, 2017 Samuel Sanders ESCM ’07 February 27, 2014 2010s Robert K. Haynes MDiv ’15 May 12, 2017

Faculty/Staff Douglas J. Miller (Former Professor of Christian Ethics) May 2, 2017 Earl G. Russell Sr. - Emeritus Trustee June 13, 2017

COURAGE TO

SOMER ’17

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"I struggled all four years of college, and I had nonacademic obstacles that changed my entire life.

Eastern University gave my business ideas a platform.

Currently, I am in the process of converting my house into a shelter for homeless teen girls, and teaching them how to be self-sufficient. Hopefully, my story can provoke them to be game-changers in their own lives, families and communities."

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