STILLPOINT Fall 2021

THE MAGAZINE OF GORDON COLLEGE

STILLPOINT FALL 2021

9,590 donors raise $187 million through the Faith Rising campaign.

Read more on page 16.

Also in This Issue 7 New Board Also of Trustees in This Chair Issue 8Gordon Celebrating welcomes RogeritsGreen ninth president, 37 16,000Dr. Stories Mike Hammond

Stepping up the Scots’ Game As part of the Athletics Rising arm of the Faith Rising campaign, the Bennett Athletic Center underwent a comprehensive transformation, thanks to generous support from John and Elaine Kanas. The gymnasium, named Kanas Court, now features automated bleacher seating, a new scoreboard, a 24-foot LED scoring table system, acoustical treatments, A/V system enhancements and divider curtains between courts. Athletes also have access to updated indoor batting cages with new pitching machines, hitting and throwing analysis systems, and indoor mounds and protective systems. Outside of Kanas Court, other Bennett spaces were upgraded, including additional storage for the Athletics Department, new flooring in public hallways and locker rooms, a new roof and repainting of the indoor track, walls, stairways and other areas. The adjacent residence hall, Gedney Hall, was also renovated to create space for coaches, team meetings and additional locker rooms. All upgrades prominently feature a fresh Lion Rampant logo. Read more about other campus updates on page 26.

CONTENTS FEATURE

Faith Rising Forward Lower tuition, enhanced scholarships, online programs and campus improvements are just a few of the game-changing benefits that Gordon’s four-year $187 million Faith Rising campaign has brought to students. Thanks to the support of 9,590 faithful friends, the most ambitious, most successful effort in the College’s history concluded over the summer, making Gordon more affordable and adaptable while still firmly anchored in Christ.

Page 16

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT MEET GORDON’S NINTH PRESIDENT

Dr. Mike Hammond Page 12

IN EACH ISSUE

INSPIRATION IN EACH ISSUE

Leading the Digital Charge

Up Front 6

Kate DeMello, Ph.D., Director of Digital Learning

In Transition

By Board Chair Herman Smith Jr. ’70, J.D.

Inspiration 5

Kate DeMello, Ph.D. Director of Digital Learning

Student Spotlight 8 Shant Arakelian ’21

10 On the Grapevine

Campus news and academic accomplishments

30 Class Notes

Alumni news and stories

ARTICLES from an 28 Inspiration Improbable Journey

By Nathaniel DiMauro ’14

29 Courage in Crisis

Jerusalem and Athens Forum essay contest

How is economics like surfing? What does political science have to do with birdwatching? Translating lessons from a personal classroom experience to an equally engaging digital format takes a healthy dose of imagination, which is Dr. Kate DeMello’s favorite part of the job. In the face of the stigma that say online classes are just talking heads, she says, “We are raising the bar and improving the experience.”

The key, she says, is striking the right balance of creativity and academic rigor­—“the student learning experience is really what drives me.” The results are evident in Gordon’s expanding digital academic opportunities that leverage technology to facilitate real-world application—think Gordon College meets MasterClass. (Learn more on page 24.)

Working on projects like dual enrollment and new adult learning opportunities, DeMello leads Gordon’s initiative to make education more accessible. Now Gordon is reaching more audiences than ever with what she calls the “bread and butter to this technological expansion of higher ed.”

“Making it so that a working mom can come home and take courses and earn her degree,” says DeMello, “in equipping her for that, I feel like that’s supporting Kingdom work and helping people to grow and to become who God’s calling them to be.”

When COVID-19 forced all of Gordon’s courses online, the multiyear progression toward increased digital learning pivoted. Spearheading the digital rush, DeMello also continued work toward new online offerings. During a year with countless setbacks, Gordon still grew.

“In spite of the fact that it was so demanding I think we are much more poised for success because of the timing,” she says. “It was definitely God’s provision.” 

ON THE COVER L to R: The Faith Rising campaign has made possible scholarships for students like Peter Lee, the son of missionaries to India, and Catherine Corbin, a new Christian seeking to build her faith foundation. It has launched programs like the Bay Area Initiative, which deepened Tytus Moen’s professional experiences and preparedness, and it funded four new endowed chair positions, including the Adams Endowed Chair in Music, held by Dr. Sarita Kwok.

Learn more on page 16.

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UP FRONT with Chairman Smith

In Transition Honoring the challenges and celebrations that compel us forward

“Arise, for it is your task, and we are with you; be strong and do it.”

—Ezra 10:4 (ESV) If you’re a regular STILLPOINT reader, you may recognize that this column is usually a bit more succinct and is authored by the president. In this season of transition at Gordon, we thought the moment was right to share a more comprehensive update. As chair of the Board of Trustees, it is my privilege to offer a personal reflection on the past several years and my hopes for Gordon’s future.

This past spring I sat in a utilitarian conference chair at John B. Hynes Veterans Memorial Convention Center beside a chatty soldier to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. For so many, that moment was flush with emotion—joy, relief, freedom. The vaccine revived a hope that had run nearly dry as we spent a year collectively enduring more grief, making more sacrifices and flexing our agility muscles more than we ever thought possible.

A few months later, I stood on Gordon’s quad and a similar joy and thanksgiving to God came over me as we announced the completion of the Faith Rising campaign. In four years, thanks to

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9,590 friends, the College raised $187 million to make Gordon’s faith-based education more affordable and more adaptable. It was truly a bright light— the culmination of incredible generosity from supporters, tireless work from faculty and staff, and above all, God’s continued faithfulness and provision for Gordon. (Read all about it on page 16.)

Faith Rising is a shot in Gordon’s arm—a palpable hope, a necessary protection against the threats facing higher education and a key to expanded opportunities.

But let me take a step back from the obviously triumphant occasion to acknowledge that this achievement was not without challenge. In fact, celebration and challenge are often two sides of the same coin. Gordon has long been a place of ands—sitting right at the intersection of faith and ideas, leadership and service, ideas and action, purpose and practice.

Likewise, this has been a season of challenge and celebration. Let me offer a few examples.

Two years ago, Gordon walked through a prioritization process, a proactive step to ensure our longevity, but one that resulted in the loss of some colaborers. At a place that deeply values community and collaboration, this was a difficult undertaking. And yet, the process was a necessary forwardthinking shift to meet the cultural and market realities that Gordon faces.

Much of the groundwork laid during that process—for accelerated, online and more affordable options—has been realized through the Faith Rising campaign. This propels Gordon forward, allowing us to reach more students in more ways.

Another ongoing challenge that the College leadership has shared in recent years is enrollment pressures. The total number of college-age students in the U.S. is declining, and that reality has been compounded in new ways by the pandemic. Because the vast majority of U.S. colleges and universities are tuition dependent (meaning they rely on steady enrollment increases to fund operations), enrollment challenges

heighten financial pressures. In addition, the pandemic has required Gordon to meet greater financial needs of deserving students, stretching our fiscal resources even further. And yet, we rejoice in the remarkable generosity of Faith Rising donors who have helped shore up Gordon’s endowment so we can begin to take steps away from tuition dependency even as we diversify our offerings to better meet the needs of today’s students.

Beyond our campus—though undoubtedly impacting it—are the intense racial tensions that have gripped our nation in recent years and most prominently in the past 15 months. Gordon is not immune to the heartbreak, injustice and strife that have surged, nor the rifts and mistrust and that have only deepened. And yet, Gordon has leaned into its decadeslong commitment to civility in dialogue, to engaging the hard questions within a framework of faith. As a campus community and with the help of the InterVarsity Institute, Gordon spent the better part of the 2020–21 academic year developing the “Shalom Plan,” which builds on the “Shalom Statement” introduced a few years ago. This calls for Bible studies for students and employees around the biblical vision for the right ordering of relationships in our world; new academic offerings that underscore a Christ-centered vision for shalom; small support groups for employees of color, employees with disabilities and others with shared experiences; and more specific protocols for resolving incidents of bias on campus in a Christ-honoring way.

Finally, the landscape of higher education has been changing rapidly in recent years and uncertainties persist.

I am personally deeply grateful for the significant work that past President Michael Lindsay completed over his decade-long tenure at the helm of Gordon. I commend his tireless commitment to Gordon’s mission and his innovative spirit in pressing for agility and adaptability as we have

navigated unprecedented times. On behalf of Gordon, I wish him well in his next presidency. And yet, it is with great joy that we look ahead to new leadership here. I am thrilled to welcome accomplished scholar and proven leader Dr. Mike Hammond as the College’s ninth president. A seven-month presidential search process, led by my fellow trustee Dr. Carrie Tibbles ’93, evaluated a diverse and distinguished pool of more than 70 qualified candidates from which Dr. Hammond very clearly stood out. Read more about his 25-year career in higher education on page 12.

A new season is upon us. As we pass the leadership baton to Dr. Hammond, we do so with a firmer financial foundation, heightened opportunities and great support.

I thank God for this moment in Gordon’s history and I look forward to seeing what’s in store as we move ahead with great hope and joy.

STILLPOINT

The Magazine of Gordon College VOLUME 37 NUMBER 1

Heather Korpi, Editorial Director Mary (Hierholzer) Jacobs ’15, Staff Writer Bri (Young) Obied ’14, Staff Writer Rebecca Powell, Art Director Selina Taylor ’18, Graphic Designer Mark Spooner ’14, Photographer Marilyn Helgesen, Alumni News Rick Sweeney ’85, Vice President for Marketing and External Relations ADDRESS CHANGES Alumni Office | alumni.office@gordon.edu OTHER CORRESPONDENCE Editor, STILLPOINT | Gordon College 255 Grapevine Road, Wenham, MA 01984 stillpoint@gordon.edu PRINTING Flagship Press | North Andover, MA Opinions expressed in STILLPOINT are those of the individual authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Gordon College administration.

Reproduction of STILLPOINT material is permitted; please attribute to STILLPOINT: The Magazine of Gordon College.

MISSION STILLPOINT magazine is one of two keynote communications (along with Gordon’s website) that exist to connect the extended Gordon community to the life of the College.

STILLPOINT offers meaningful, relevant news and stories to educate, inspire and engage Gordon and Barrington alumni, parents, donors and friends.

Send feedback and story suggestions to stillpoint@gordon.edu.

Herman J. Smith Jr. ’70, J.D., is chairman of the Board of Trustees at Gordon College.

He served as an associate justice for the Boston Superior Court of Massachusetts for almost two decades and as a law professor for Boston University’s School of Law for over a decade. His course on Race Conscious Remedies has helped hundreds of law students think through lasting ways to make our legal and judiciary systems more equitable.

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SPOTLIGHT

Shant Arakelian ’21 THE SANCTUARY OF SONGWRITING DURING SARS-COV-2 While people were baking homemade sourdough bread, adopting pets and remodeling bathrooms to make the most of being stuck at home during the pandemic, music performance major Shant Arakelian ’21 was composing a six-movement sonata about his life. “It’s like a memoir in terms of music. Every note, every rhythm came from above,” says Arakelian, who wrote the sonata for his senior bassoon recital.

The whole project spanned his year of remote learning. He was one of the hundred or so students who chose to go fully remote for fall 2020 and spring 2021. Arakelian spent most of his time in his basement bedroom in his family’s Lexington, Massachusetts, home. Each note of his sonata was like a tally mark left by a shipwrecked castaway, reminding Arakelian of how many days and months had passed since the pandemic began.

“Finishing the sonata was not an easy task,” says Arakelian. “It can be a challenge to compose, as I am easily distracted.” His brain processes stimuli differently because of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), which is something he was diagnosed with as a child. He explains that his brain moves quickly and frequently shifts focus, which is why it can take him a long time and to finish big projects like composing a sonata.

Throughout his time at Gordon, Arakelian was mentored by Ann Seavey ’75 at the Academic Success Center (ASC), who helped him to understand his unique way of processing and making sense of information, so he could stay on top of his classes and create some structure for his creative and restless mind.

He’s been composing his own musical pieces for nine years, but this sonata is something unconventional, says Arakelian.

Traditional sonatas are three movements, maybe the occasional four. His has six of them. Each movement is like a song on an album; it’s a piece that can stand alone but is part of a greater body of work. In classical music, each movement is distinguishable from the next because of its unique form, key, tone and pace (slow, medium or fast).

Because this sonata is about Arakelian’s life, each movement is autobiographical as well. For example, the first movement draws on themes found in Armenian music, hinting at Arakelian’s Armenian heritage and family history. (His great grandparents were survivors of the Armenian genocide that took place over 100 years ago.) The fourth movement is a tribute to his grandfather.

Photo Jordanne Hamilton ’20

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And the sixth and final movement is expansive, moving out from Arakelian’s own life to tell the story of a community more than 5,000 miles away. “It’s a tribute to the people and soldiers of Artsakh. That one’s the longest,” he says.

Artsakh is the name Arakelian uses for a mountainous region known more commonly as Nagorno-Karabakh, a territory that’s been fought over by Armenia and Azerbaijan for centuries. Last summer, the hostilities erupted into a violent six-week war, in which 5,000 lives were lost, along with hundreds of homes, schools and hospitals. “Had this event not happened, I probably would’ve come up with something shorter,” says Arakelian.

The length of his sonata was driven by his emotions—at least the ones he had felt most powerfully when looking back on his life and the pandemic. The act of creating such an ambitious piece of music was therapeutic for him.

“In a lot of the movements, there is anger, sadness, a little bit of happiness. There’s something foreboding. There’s a lot going on,” admits Arakelian. “Music brings the emotions out of everyone, myself included. One quote I especially like that sums it up well is this: ‘Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.’ That’s Victor Hugo.”

Now that his sonata is complete, Arakelian is ready for his next big project. His plans, as of now, are to work toward an understudy position with a professional orchestra or to find a job related to music arranging and transcription. Whatever happens, Arakelian’s not done with writing music. “I’ve even started composing my own opera,” he says. “It’s in the beginning stages.”

Turn to page 27 to learn more about updates to ASC’s campus space as they continue helping students develop self-awareness about their own learning styles and investigate strategies that enhance their academic experience. 

IN EACH ISSUE

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NEWS: ON THE GRAPEVINE

CAMPUS NEWS AND HAPPENINGS

Black History Month

SPEAKER

DEEP FAITH Begins with “Yes” Lead Pastor of Walnut Hill Community Church Dr. Brian Mowrey inspired the Gordon community to say “yes” to God in moments of doubt during DEEP FAITH week in April. “One ‘yes’ rebuilt the temple. One ‘yes’ parted the sea,” he said. “One ‘yes’ led to becoming the mother of a very special child.

One ‘yes’ can change the world.”

Brenna Peterson ’21 Publishes Poem in 100th Anniversary Issue of The Lyric Magazine SPEAKERS

Black History Month Brings Important Black Voices to Campus New York Times best-selling author Jemar Tisby, think-tank president Kay Coles James and world-class anthropologist Dr. Marla Frederick visited Gordon virtually, in honor of Black History Month earlier this year. Although they each brought their own perspective to conversations about racial justice, they made one thing clear: No one gets to sit on the sidelines when it comes to fighting racism. “Christ calls us to be activists . . . We might as well get in our heads that we are not going to go out and lead quiet lives,” said James.

Ensembles Perform Treasure Chest of Music by Black Composers For the entirety of 2021, the Department of Music is making music by Black composers a priority, featuring works by Joseph Bologne Le Chevalier de SaintGeorges, George Walker and Eleanor Alberga. “So many of our students are going to be teaching such a wide variety of ethnicities, races, backgrounds and cultures in their classrooms, studios and churches,” says Adams Endowed Chair in Music Sarita Kwok. “We need to prepare them to understand that so many voices contributed to classical music’s development.”

In partnership with A.F.R.O. Hamwe and the Multicultural Initiatives Office (MIO), Gordon celebrated Black men and women of Gordon’s past and present—and the Republic of Haiti—during Black History Month. Continuing MIO’s tradition of highlighting a different country during each heritage month, Haiti was chosen because it is the birthplace of several of Gordon’s international and domestic students—and the birthplace of more than a million Haitian Americans and their ancestors.

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In a poetry contest last winter, Peterson’s poem “Over the Bridge” won honorable mention and appeared in the country’s oldest magazine devoted to traditional poetry, The Lyric Magazine. Her work was selected from a pool of students representing 13 other colleges and universities.

Among Nation’s Top Teacher Preparation Programs for Academic Selectivity The College’s undergraduate elementary teacher preparation program was featured among the top programs in the country for maintaining selective academic admissions requirements by the National Council on Teacher Quality (NCTQ) this past spring.

Gordon’s program is among only 28 percent of the 1,276 programs the NCTQ evaluated across the country and among only nine programs in Massachusetts to earn this level of distinction.

ON THE GRAPEVINE

Six Spring Promotions At the February and May Board of Trustees meetings, six faculty members received promotions.

Dr. Janet Arndt Promoted to professor of education

Dr. Christine Gardner Awarded tenure

Dr. Kristen Cooper Promoted to associate professor of economics and business, with tenure

Dr. Priscilla Nelson Promoted to professor of education

Dr. Mindy Eichhorn Promoted to associate professor of education, with tenure

Dr. Oleksiy Svitelskiy Promoted to professor of physics, with tenure

RESEARCH

A Step Toward Airborne Virus Detection The technology that tracks steps on your Fitbit could soon detect COVID-19 in the air, thanks to Professor of Physics Oleksiy Svitelskiy and his fellow researchers. A recent grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) allowed Svitelskiy and several students to continue their work developing nanomechanical systems, or very small mechanics. In collaboration with Boston University, including project leader Sumin Kyoung ’17, the grant was officially awarded for three years but may be extended.

The subject, nanomechanics, is used in apps and tools like the accelerometers that trigger airbags. But Svitelskiy wants to shrink what is already microscopic. While the technology is challenging to develop, he says it could make life-changing tools more affordable and accessible—like body implants to monitor blood and chronic diseases, and devices to detect poisonous gases, bacteria and viruses (like COVID-19).

Through all the NSF grants, Svitelskiy says students published research and presented work at eight professional international forums, brushing shoulders with major scientists. “The biggest reward is to see the success of my students, to see my students getting great jobs or getting into great programs,” he says. “That’s something that makes me very happy.”

SPEAKER

Redefining Bravery at Symposium For Jesus, bravery wasn’t about strategy or brute strength, explained keynote speaker Dr. Rebecca Konyndyk DeYoung during Symposium in April. It was about trusting in God. In every crisis, that’s what a person is being invited to learn. During the pandemic, said DeYoung, “we’ve needed to learn to rely on God’s power in new ways and to rely on others. We can’t power through anymore on our own.”

Oxford Bible Commentary Brings Hunt’s Scholarship to New Heights For decades, the Gospel of John has fascinated Professor of New Testament Steven Hunt. So, when a fellow New Testament scholar extended the oncein-a-lifetime opportunity to contribute to the second edition of the Oxford Bible Commentary, Hunt eagerly accepted the demanding work in store.

Hunt collaborated with Ruben Zimmermann, professor of New Testament at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Germany, and Francois Tolmie, head of the Department of New Testament Studies at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa. The three spent a year and a half writing, editing, rewriting and convening over international Zoom calls to produce 55,000 words on John, their allotment of the 1.5-millionword volume.

The first edition of the Oxford Bible Commentary was released in 2001, and Oxford University Press intends to release a new volume only every 20 years. Because of complications due to COVID-19, Hunt anticipates the 5,000 copies will be released in 2022.

The commentary’s high-profile status and wide distribution means Hunt’s scholarship will reach more audiences than ever, from lay readers to church leaders—a thrill for the Gospel of John devotee. “Pastors will have it on their shelves,” Hunt says. “It’s essentially the standard one-volume work on the entire Bible.” 

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Meet Mike Gordon welcomes ninth president Dr. Mike Hammond

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NEW PRESIDENT

ON APRIL 22, 2021, Gordon

College announced Dr. Mike Hammond, an accomplished scholar and proven leader with 25 years’ experience in higher education (most recently at Taylor University), as its ninth president. He, his wife, Jennifer, and their six children were formally introduced to the Gordon community during a series of Q&A sessions and a welcome ceremony that day.

“Just like that other great import from Indiana that came to Boston and made a huge difference—Larry Bird—we believe Dr. Hammond is going to make the whole team better,” said trustee and Presidential Search Committee member Sam Schreiner ’77. “We believe this is God’s person for this time for Gordon College.”

Hammond talked about his love for another sport: baseball (a trained historian, Hammond has taught courses

Clockwise from top left: Mike Hammond greets students following a Q&A session in the A. J. Gordon Memorial Chapel; Mike Hammond is interviewed on stage by Presidential Search Committee Chair Dr. Carrie Tibbles ’93; Chaplain Bob Whittet prays over the Hammond family during a ceremony on the quad.

on baseball’s role in America’s story).

And he talked about love itself—a love for God and neighbor that defines his leadership style and drives his work in Christian higher education.

“Gordon’s mission as a Christian liberal arts college is to love Jesus Christ with all our heart and our soul (our emotions and our faith), to love him with our mind (our intellect and academic pursuit), to do this in ways that transform the world around us as we also love our neighbor

as ourselves,” Hammond said. “I believe that the liberal arts, when realized well, propel students to learning marked by insatiable curiosity . . . skepticism driven by curiosity propels the learner toward a life of humble inquiry and service.”

Hammond sees curiosity and humility as necessary antidotes to the incivility and conflict in our world today. And he calls for grace. “In my experience, this happens best when communities are marked by love,” he said, “a love that

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compels us to work through differences, patiently and with understanding.

In pursuing this mission, we do not anticipate an absence of different opinions; that would stifle our ability to think. Rather, in the bounds of our rich Christian faith, we celebrate the opportunity to draw close to each other, especially when we may disagree.”

This collaborative, irenic style and care for the other has marked Hammond’s leadership at four other institutions of higher education as he established a reputation for being innovative, working through contentious situations and solving difficult problems.

“That is living out the greatest commandment: to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul and all your mind—and bringing it to a completeness as we also turn to those around us—to love your neighbor as

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yourself,” Hammond said. “That mission brings hope to the world, and it’s that mission that calls my family and me to serve Gordon College.”

Hammond’s calling to this work began during his own college experience at Taylor University, where he served as the student body president and was mentored by the University’s thenpresident and -provost. “I wouldn’t be here today were it not for their investment in me,” he said. “And part of what motivates me to serve in leadership in higher education is being able to give back and being able to invest in an endeavor which I think makes an amazing world of difference in so many lives.”

Over the past two and a half decades, Hammond’s career has taken him to Wheaton College (IL), the University of Arkansas, Southeastern University

(FL) and his alma mater. Along the way, he has often sat on the academic side of the house but with a bridge to administrative matters, which fostered in him a desire both to shape the students and the institution.

Most recently, Hammond was provost and executive vice president at Taylor, a position he moved into from his previous roles as academic dean for the School of Humanities, Arts and Biblical Studies and professor of history.

As the second-in-command at Taylor, Hammond assumed leadership for the University’s full academic program and all facets of operations during a yearlong presidential transition.

Previously, at Southeastern, Hammond was chair of the Department of Historical, Legal and Leadership Studies in the College of Business, was elected faculty moderator, and served

NEW PRESIDENT

Q&A

Left: Mike and Jen Hammond with their children, Evie, Becca, Anne, Natalie, Jack and Elizabeth Hammond; below: Mike Hammond addresses the Gordon community during a ceremony on the quad.

WITH

Dr. Mike Hammond

What book is currently on your nightstand?

The Bible and usually at least one biography and one history or political book.

Favorite food?

BBQ! Steak kabobs and marinated chicken!

as a faculty guest in Cabinet and Trustee meetings.

A widely published scholar, Hammond’s major research field is American Christianity, including the evangelical movement, the civil rights movement and the intersection of race and religion in 20th-century United States history (and, yes, baseball). As a doctoral academy fellow at the University of Arkansas, he worked with Dr. David Chappell as a research assistant for Chappell’s book Waking from the Dream: The Battle for Martin Luther King’s Legacy (2014). As a master’s student at Wheaton College, Hammond studied under renowned historian Dr. Mark Noll.

Hammond succeeds Dr. D. Michael Lindsay, who led Gordon for 10 years and is now president of Taylor University. A native of Indiana, Hammond has six children (Ellie, Jack, Rebekah, Natalie, Anne and Evie) and one dog (Scout).

For their family, ministry in

Christian higher education is a way of life. “They’ve grown up around college students, on a college campus,” said Hammond. “We’ve had college students in our home throughout the years, and they have embraced this as well.”

They’re also embracing what Presidential Search Committee Chair Dr. Carrie Tibbles ’93 noted was “some irony and some symmetry in our executive exchange of Michaels,” between Gordon and Taylor. “I know what the rest of you are thinking,” quipped Hammond. “This is some crazy sports trade. Are we throwing in a tenured faculty member to be named later? Do we have to give up an Adam Vinatieri Colts jersey to make this deal happen? We’ve all heard of a mic drop; this is a Mike swap. The jokes will just keep on coming.”

Ultimately, added Tibbles, “it’s a win-win for both institutions.” 

Who inspires you?

My parents and my late father-in-law as well as a number of mentors in higher education.

When I was a student at Taylor, I served in student government and the president at the time, Jay Kesler, and the provost, Daryl Yost, were both influential in the way I lead today.

Favorite place to travel?

China. I spent three weeks there with honors students and met so many people involved in ministry there. It was a transformational experience.

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FAITH RISING FORWARD

9,590 supporters made

possible the completion of the Faith Rising campaign—the most ambitious, most successful effort in the College’s history

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“Lord, increase our faith!”

(Luke 17:5)

If you’re gifted an apple orchard, you have options. You could fell the trees and sell the lot for a large, one-time cash influx.

You free yourself of the responsibility of running an orchard and you reap an immediate monetary gain.

Or you could become an orchardist—maintain the land, hire workers, care for the trees, harvest the crop and reap steady revenue every apple season. You gain equity from the property and enjoy the privileges of both stewarding a gift and providing your community with nourishment for decades.

23,792

gifts from friends in 50 states and 31 countries (YOU made this happen)

3,865 students (and counting) impacted

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$187

million raised (144% of our goal)

FAITH RISING FORWARD

In July of 2017, Gordon began the process of fertilizing and irrigating our proverbial hectares, preparing them for increased, sustainable fruit production in the years to come. It was a season saturated in prayer and brimming with potential as we quietly entered into the initial phases of what would become the most ambitious and most successful campaign in the College’s history.

Led by former Chief Advancement Officer Paul Edwards, the initial campaign architect and author of the orchard metaphor, we echoed the apostles’ cry (“Increase our faith!”) as we began walking toward a goal that at times felt as seemingly farreaching as the commands in the parables Jesus regaled them with at the time. What began as a guiding

verse has truly become the College’s prayer and hope in a hard season. As our nation reels with political and social discord and higher education faces strong headwinds, we have again and again lifted our eyes and asked, “Lord, increase our faith!”

And again and again, God’s faithfulness has been made abundantly clear: Through his people, his promises are fulfilled. In May, the College announced a successful completion of the campaign—exceeding our $130 million goal by $57 million, an entire year ahead of schedule. Thanks to the incredible generosity of more than 9,590 friends, Faith Rising has

positioned Gordon as a place both firmly rooted—in our financial footing and in our faith—and free to grow into an exciting future.

This is an extraordinary moment: Gordon’s orchard is overflowing with apple seeds—187 million of them, more than enough to bear exponential fruit in the next generation. Our mission is steadfast; our future is bright. www.gordon.edu/faithrising

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Faith Rising Finale

At a celebration event on the quad just prior to Commencement, then-President Michael Lindsay announced Faith Rising’s staggering total (to date) under a shower of balloons and confetti. The “Faith Rising Finale” featured members of the Advancement team, student speakers and keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Nicole Martin, Gordon trustee and assistant professor of ministry and leadership development at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

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FAITH RISING FORWARD

Above (left to right): The reveal of remarkable campaign results; Dr. Nicole Martin’s keynote address.

Below (left to right): John and Elaine Kanas with President Lindsay at the dedication of Kanas Court; Jackie Hipp and longtime Gordon supporter Sherry Tupper; President Lindsay, Dr. Daniel Darko and Chairman Smith at Dr. Darko’s installation to the WilsonOckenga endowed chair; trustee and Presidential Search Committee member Sam Schreiner ’77.

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Gordon is more AFFORDABLE

$75.5

million lead gift

Faith Rising changed the game for Gordon Gordon has been fortunate to be named in Washington Newly announced

Monthly’s “Best Bang for the Buck”; Money’s “The Best

$40

Colleges in America, Ranked by Value”; LendEDU’s “Best Colleges for Financial Aid”; and “Inexpensive Colleges and Universities” in Fiske Guide to Colleges.

million planned gift

But accolades alone weren’t enough to close the ever-widening gap between household income and

28%

college costs. More had to be done.

Born from a desire both to recruit and retain top

increase in alumni gifts

Christian students and to graduate them without significant educational debt, affordability became a key driver for Faith Rising. Through the campaign, Gordon has dramatically decreased tuition costs to families and increased the volume of merit- and need-based scholarships for students.

33%

tuition reduction

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A 33% tuition reduction beginning in the fall of 2021 On October 8, 1970, when Gordon formally established itself as a national Christian liberal arts college (after the Divinity School spun off to merge with Conwell Theological Seminary), the cost to attend was one-third the median family income at the time. After five decades of hyperinflation in college tuition, the average American now must earn tens of thousands of dollars more than the current median income. To close the unsustainable gap, on October 8, 2020—50 years full circle—Gordon announced a 33 percent rollback of annual tuition, to less than one-third of the 2019 median family income. www.gordon.edu/affordableinvestment

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FAITH RISING FORWARD

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donor-funded scholarships and awards

156%

growth in endowment per student

Tripled endowment

#1

endowment growth

compared to peer groups

SUSTAINABLE SCHOLARSHIPS FOR STUDENTS

The transformative power of endowments Faith Rising is about affordability for students—and the College. Until now, the majority of scholarship funds came from Gordon’s annual budget. “Because the College has been unrelenting in its commitment to student scholarships—99 percent of students receive some form of financial assistance from Gordon—this had grown to be an astronomical budget line,” explains Campaign Director and Associate Vice President for Advancement Britt Carlson Eaton ’03. “The pinch was palpable.”

Enter endowed scholarships.

Funded by annual interest from the College’s endowment and earmarked specifically for students, these scholarships help offset the cost of college without tapping into Gordon’s annual budget. The Faith Rising campaign has added more than 20 new endowed scholarships.

“Gifts to the endowment—for scholarships, faculty chair positions and other allocations—transform Gordon’s trajectory and secure its financial viability for the future,” says Eaton.

A home for honors The College’s first fully endowed scholarship, Global Honors Scholars, launched in 2018 as the flagship four-year honors program. Thirty-three students in this cohort-based program have experienced one-on-one mentorships; specialized seminars on the relationship between education, culture and character; face-time with scholars like N. T. Wright, Dr. Ivan Satyavrata and Dr. Praveen Sethupathy; and cross-cultural worship, travel and internships. The Global Honors Scholars program is housed under the Global Honors Institute along with the Clarendon Scholars honors program and seven other distinguished opportunities.

Investing in opportunity As an admissions intern, Peter Lee ’22 loves connecting with prospective students, especially ones who may be intimidated by the cost of college.

He knows the feeling. As the son of missionaries to India, “I can tell these students: I’ve been in your situation,” he says. “But Gordon has been really generous with resources.” For Lee, the prospect of attending a Christian college in the U.S. wouldn’t have been possible without scholarships. “It’s really God who brought me here,” says Lee, “through other people he placed in my life,” including those who have helped fund student scholarships. With financial assistance, Lee says, there’s “less of a burden for my parents and for me as well. I can concentrate and focus my time here at Gordon.”

Funding faith formation When Catherine Corbin ’22 (pictured left) became a Christian in high school, she knew her world was about to change. “It was pretty significant for me, not only to claim that I was a Christian but then to go to a Christian college,” she says. “I literally would not be at Gordon if it were not for the generosity of donors and the patience of Gordon staff in working with me and treating me with dignity even though I felt so weak and felt so dependent. They really showed me what it is to be in Christian community.” For Corbin, scholarships are “not only funding my academic experience but also funding me finding out what it means to be a Christian, to be a woman of faith.”

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Gordon is more ADAPTABLE

$10

million gift for Gordon Global (online learning)

166

faculty and staff applied for grants

Faith Rising built new pathways to education The changing landscape of higher education requires schools to be both agile and inventive in order to meet

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5

accelerated (bachelor’s + master’s) programs

the emerging needs of new generations. “Adaptable education is student focused,” explains Vice President for Academic Initiatives Dr. Jewerl Maxwell. “It still prizes the residential experience but doesn’t rest on

5

new fully online adult degree programs

that as a singular option—knowing that both the students of today and the future may not squarely fit the traditional model.” Faith Rising has enabled vital enhancements to the College’s academic model: shorter completion times, concurrent education and expanded digital opportunities, all while retaining Gordon’s commitment to the core values of a Christian liberal arts education.

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new endowed chairs

Excellence through endowed professorships An endowed professorship or chair is a mark of excellence in education—the premier academic honor granted to tenured faculty, reflecting the highest levels of peer-reviewed scholarly achievement.

At the start of Faith Rising, the Lothlórien Distinguished Chair in the Fine Arts (held by Bruce Herman) stood alone. Now, Gordon has fully funded four additional endowed professorships: Dr. Sarita Kwok, Adams Endowed Chair in Music; Dr. Jennifer Hevelone-Harper ’92, Loring-Phillips Endowed Professorship in History; Dr. Daniel Darko, Wilson-Ockenga Endowed Professorship in Biblical and Theological Studies; and Dr. Priscilla Nelson ’74, Richard F. Gross Endowed Professorship in Education.

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PREPARING TO PIVOT (PRE-PANDEMIC)

Online offerings for undergrads and adults For several years, Gordon has been working to bolster its resources and readiness for online learning, most recently under the leadership of Dr. Kate DeMello (whom you can read about on page 5), director of digital learning. DeMello’s work and Faith Rising’s investments in digital technologies meant that Gordon was providentially wellprepared for the pivot to online learning even before COVID-19 (quickly) rendered it necessary in March of 2020. Just a few months later, at a time when many colleges were paralyzed or even shuttering, Gordon announced an expansion: The addition of a fully online adult education program, led

by Dr. Ivan Filby, a former college president.

Providing support for faculty during a season of change was the Falcone Center for Teaching and Learning, named for Rev. Dr. Charles “Chip” Falcone ’95 and Dr. Aimee Falcone ’99.

FAITH RISING FORWARD

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2 3

Putting Gordon on the map 1

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Wenham, Massachusetts

2021 | Gordon charts its course to add a Doctor of Physical Therapy and Master of Public Health in fall 2024 and 2022, respectively.

2

Hamilton, Massachusetts

2020 | With a grant from the Kern Family Foundation, Gordon partners with Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary to offer an accelerated five-year B.A./M. Div. program called the Dokes Ministry Scholars.

“As future clergy-workers, my cohort and I are preparing to serve as spiritual and practical guides.

Together we are building emotional intelligence, practical leadership skills and personal growth.”

—Chia-Chun Hu ’23 (Taipei, Taiwan)

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Milton, Massachusetts

2019 | Gordon partners with Curry College to launch a nursing dualdegree program that blends the Christian liberal arts experience with technical training.

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“I get to finish two degrees in four years, study under some amazing physical therapists here on campus as my professors, and learn real, applicable knowledge about working with patients.”

—Luis Villalta-Santana ’23 (Burlington, MA), pictured left below

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Washington, D.C.

2020 | Under the newly configured School of Education, the Margaret C. Wright Memorial Alumni Award honors the legacy of the late Margaret Wright ’17, a kindergarten teacher in D.C., by annually providing a Gordon graduate who teaches among an underserved population $10,000 for themselves and $10,000 for their school.

“Margaret cared deeply for underserved populations and sought to bring equity and justice to children through education . . .

I share these same convictions and am dedicating my life to do the same.” —Jessica Cochran ’18 (Pittsburgh, PA), inaugural Margaret C. Wright Memorial Alumni Award recipient, pictured center below 5

Atlanta, Georgia

2019 | The Master of Arts in Leadership program adds its first satellite cohort, based in the Southeastern United States.

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Orlando, Florida

2019 | In partnership with Orlando-based Wycliffe Bible Translators, Gordon launches the Bible Translation Program to equip students to support the work of Bible translation in a variety of roles.

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Sara Lucas, and Dante ’80 and Melanie ’82 Rutstrom to develop the three-year Bay Area Initiative that includes internships, career expeditions and an intensive summer program.

“Through the Bay Area Initiative, I have learned how my passion for business and calling to ministry can intersect to bring about God’s redemptive work through social entrepreneurship and impact investing.” —Tytus Moen ’21 (Agawam, MA), pictured right below 8

São Paulo, Brazil

2020 | The Master of Arts in Leadership expands again to launch a joint Christian education program with Centro Presbiteriano De Pós-Graduaçao Andrew Jumper of Mackenzie Presbyterian University in São Paulo.

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Orvieto, Italy

2021 | The Master of Arts in Leadership expands for a third time, with a new track for classical Christian school leaders, including an intensive residency in Orvieto.

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Accra, Ghana

2021 | Gordon partners with Central University in Ghana to offer a 2–2 degree.

San Francisco, California

2020 | Gordon partners with Pat Gelsinger of Intel, Ted ’88 and

10

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LANE STUDENT CENTER 2017–18 | The 20-year-old kitchen and nine food-serving stations underwent a complete renovation to complement the significant aesthetic upgrades to the dining hall, renamed Tupper Hall for longtime supporter Sherry Tupper.

Gordon is firmly ANCHORED Faith Rising constructed deeper layers of faith community As the 1923 Hypernikon aptly states, “Students at Gordon have one common aim. All in more or less degree are striving toward that high calling of service for Christ Jesus. Common purpose makes for unity . . . Seeking first the Kingdom, Gordon students have found of the many things added, joy and fellowship one with another.” As Faith Rising pushed Gordon to be more affordable and more

488

Commonwealth Coast Conference awards

adaptable, it also created opportunities to strengthen the on-campus experience.

Over the past four years, Gordon has made strategic updates around campus to revitalize spaces for forming friendships, building servantleadership skills, making spiritual connections and cultivating the transformative community that has defined the Gordon experience for decades. With a focus on character formation and career development, in line with Gordon’s deep Christian commitments, Faith Rising catalyzed significant updates to core student spaces including Lane Student Center, Jenks Library, Bennett Athletic Center, Brigham

136,880 feet of renovated space on campus

26 STILLPOINT | FALL 2021

Athletic Complex and the La Vida Center for Outdoor Education and Leadership.

BRIGHAM ATHLETIC COMPLEX 2018 | Turf and track rehabilitation and upgrades made the facility one of only 20 in New England that meet a high standard of collegiate quality. A new broadcast booth was added in 2021, named for longtime soccer coach Marc Whitehouse.

FAITH RISING FORWARD

JENKS LIBRARY Lower Level | Career and Connection Institute 2018 | A portion of the lower level was completely reconfigured to house the Career and Connection Institute (CCI), which provides tools and resources to help students connect college to calling. Under CCI’s umbrella, the Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership launched the Accelerator Fund through Faith Rising to provide immersion trips and new venture workshops for students from all majors to experience innovation in various industries.

JENKS LIBRARY Fourth Floor | Academic Success Center and Tupper Writing Center 2021 | Much-needed renovations in the Academic Success Center include a more accessible space, new offices, technology upgrades and improved tutoring, studying and testing accommodations. Additionally, a generous gift from Sherry Tupper augments the writing support offered to students.

50%

increase in student internships under CCI

GORDON WOODS 2020 | The La Vida Center for Outdoor Education and Leadership is in the process of building a new high ropes challenge course, under the direction of Matt Loy ’07, that will allow for expanded character formation program offerings and reduce maintenance costs for the next 20 years.

33%

of incoming fall 2021 students are athletes BENNETT ATHLETIC CENTER 2020–21 | The Bennett Athletic Center underwent a comprehensive transformation, thanks to generous support from the Kanas family, to enhance the student-athlete experience. (Read more on page 3.)

“With the improvement of our athletic facilities, it has given us so much pride to defend our home court . . . We have a saying that ‘We are united, cohesive and unbreakable,’ and that gives me the confidence to grow.” —Caleigh Williams ’24, Women’s Basketball FALL 2021 | STILLPOINT 27

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Inspiration from an Improbable Journey On June 30, 2020, my wife and I arrived at LAX with four bursting suitcases on a return trip to Bologna, Italy, where I would begin a teaching job and my wife would resume graduate school. We searched in vain for our airline, only to learn our flight was indefinitely canceled, along with all other flights to Europe.

We had just gotten married in the fourth iteration of our plan (a small celebration at a family home in California) on the heels of enduring months of isolation in Italy during which we could only leave our homes for absolute necessities.

The cancelation of our flight, plus the worsening of the pandemic and uncertain economic circumstances, forced a change of plans once again.

We went back to the drawing board and, in late July, I landed a teaching job at an independent school in Orange County. On a lunch break during one of those first bewildering days of schoolyear preparation, I stumbled across a bronze bust of the founder near the gymnasium: Rev. Canon Ernest Sillers.

I don’t know what prompted me to look up his name, but I was surprised to find that we shared an alma mater (Sillers graduated from Gordon College in 1936 with a degree in theology). I soon learned of Sillers’ improbable journey from dropout to church leader, church planter and eventual founder of five schools in Southern California.

Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1910, Ernest Sillers contracted polio at age five and spent his first school-age years completely paralyzed. After working with his mother to regain movement in his

legs, he was then stricken with Bell’s Palsy, which causes partial facial paralysis. These early years of hardship were followed by a turbulent adolescence, and he dropped out after just his first year of high school.

Searching for direction, Sillers hitchhiked to California to visit a sister. He found employment but felt humiliated when a boss ridiculed his lack of education, and he decided to return to Canada.

On the last leg of a 30-hour train ride from Montreal to Halifax, Sillers happened to meet the Rev. John P. Derwent Llwyd, dean of All Saints Anglican Cathedral in Halifax. The Rev. Llwyd asked Sillers if he had considered “giving his life to God in the service of the church,” which sparked in Sillers a new sense of calling.

For the next three years, Sillers worked during the day and attended school at night. The very day he received his high school diploma in the mail (passing by just one point), he chanced to meet a man entering the post office who asked why he had such a big grin. Sillers explained and also said he planned to enter the ministry. The man, who turned out to be an evangelist, told Sillers, “Go to Gordon College.”

Sillers was almost 22 when he arrived at Gordon, then in Boston. He had but $70 to his name and had been accepted with the condition that he maintain acceptable academic standards. The stress of college as well as the need to work at the same time was difficult for Sillers, who struggled with depression, though he was supported by his professors and his friend Aldine ’36, whom he later married.

One Gordon professor, who taught Sillers

preaching and had noticed his partial facial paralysis, personally paid for him to receive corrective therapy.

Sillers began his ministry at First Baptist Church in Seabrook, New Hampshire, where he was ordained by then Gordon President Nathan Wood. He spent the next few years leading Baptist churches before being ordained an Episcopal priest in 1941. He served in New England parishes until 1954, when he returned to California to serve in the Los Angeles diocese. Although he formally retired in 1975, he spent the next two decades planting churches and founding five independent schools grounded in the Episcopal tradition. In 1994, Sillers was awarded Gordon’s Alumnus of the Year award. He passed away in 2009 at age 99, still highly involved in the school communities he had founded.

Each day during my “prep period,” I work in a spare room that serves as a storage space for archival materials. On the wall is a cork board covered with pinned Kodak photographs of Sillers pouring cement, painting walls and shoveling dirt.

This past year, his example has given me comfort and hope. Sillers’ story has shown that the unexpected storms of life, which sometimes threaten to overwhelm us, actually usher us into new directions of God’s goodness and redemption.

Nate DiMauro ’14 graduated with a major in English and minors in French and music. He taught English language and literature in New England boarding schools before marrying a Westmont grad and moving to the West Coast, where he currently teaches at St. Mary’s School. This summer, Nate completed an M.A. in English at Middlebury College’s Bread Loaf School of English.

McCaughan, Pat. “Visionary Priest Ernest Sillers, Founder of Two Churches and Four Schools, Dies at 99.” The Episcopal Church, 16 Oct. 2009.

Merryman, Lisa. Ernest Sillers: Story of a Visionary. Cathedral Center Press, 2006.

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ARTICLES

Courage in Crisis JERUSALEM AND ATHENS FORUM ESSAY CONTEST

Mundane Crises Growing up in a Christian school, the stories of martyrs thrown into the arena, dismembered and burned at the stake were no stranger to me. I admired those who could withstand torture for the sake of Christ. When I was younger, I wanted to have a reason to be respected like they were. I wanted to be tried and proven faithful, like Blandina and Thecla, Origen and Peter.

What I came to realize over time was that my crises would never take me to the arena. In the great irony of my martyrdom complex, I would be put on trial every moment of everyday life. Over and over, my courage would be expended on the ordinary. Even from my first day of kindergarten, I had an intense feeling that there was something wrong with me.

No one looked like me. No one sounded like me. Certainly, no one else seemed to be incapacitated by simple questions.

My parents never forced me to talk, despite the occasional calls from concerned teachers. To them, I was normal; I was their shy daughter, and they were comfort. But when I stepped into the classroom, I became trapped within someone who I never considered to be myself—hearing but unable to speak, understanding but unable to communicate. Years later, my psychology professor described it as selective mutism. At the time, I resigned myself to a reality wherein I was powerless against the weight on my chest, the shaking of my hands, and the glass wall I erected to see the world from a safe distance,

hearing without touching. It took five years and a girl with my name to step beyond that wall. Very slowly, I began to reciprocate conversation. After years of silence, I finally felt freedom from concerned teachers and tactless peers.

One weight was lifted off of my chest, though the rest remained.

I am no longer held captive by words, but my hands still shake.

Communication still doesn’t come naturally to me. Every once in a while, an irrational force weighs heavily on my chest, forcing air out of my lungs and causing organized chaos behind an emotionless expression. In these moments, I am aware that discomfort is controllable; on the other hand, I wish this part of me would disappear in the same way that words used to. What I’ve come to understand is that mundane crises are still crises; likewise, courage in the ordinary is still courage. And like the martyrs I idolized, courage in isolation was never something that was expected of me.

Kate Walker ’22 (biblical studies, philosophy)

Honorable Mention | excerpt Silent Courage

“When applied in the context of a postmodern society that is not afflicted by war or famine but very much afflicted by a deep-reaching conflict of ideologies, it is especially hard to discern what courage requires of us . . . I would stipulate that, instead, true courage is a following of James’ exhortation to be quick to listen and slow to speak.”

Serafina Zotter ’23 (biology)

Honorable Mention | excerpt The Abstract Versus the Particular

“When courage in crisis is seen as an ideal only able to be obtained or demonstrated by a mighty few, it prevents people from recognizing their ability and responsibility to be courageous in the crises they face in their own lives and communities . . . When courage in crisis is understood to be a quality that can be emulated by everyone, the world will be filled with doers who are able and willing to make a change.”

Jay Kum ’21 (psychology, economics)

Full versions of these abridged and excerpted essays are available at www.gordon.edu/jafessay

FALL 2021 | STILLPOINT 29

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