Brown Bulletin - Summer 2015

JBU’S FULBRIGHT STUDENT + GOOD PRANKS/BAD PRANKS

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#CHIPONATRIP

S U M ME R 2 0 1 5

T HE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF JOHN BR OWN UN IV ERS ITY

HOPE FUTURE NEXT CENTURY AND A

FOR THE

JBU’S $125 MILLION CAMPAIGN

{ PRESIDENT’S LETTER }

Campaign Honors Founder’s Vision June 1, 2015

All of these campaign goals will just be the means to our overall end – to educate students to honor God and serve others.

In that way, nothing has changed.

Dear Friends of JBU, As you will read about in this edition of the Brown Bulletin, JBU has just launched the Campaign for the Next Century with a goal of raising $125 million by September 29, 2019, the 100th anniversary of the founding of JBU. In July 1919, John Brown Sr. sensed God’s call that he should start a university to educate worthy young people of limited financial means who wanted to serve God and others, young people that he was meeting as part of his evangelistic work. By September of that year, he had built a building, and recruited some half dozen faculty and 70 students. He also deeded his 300acre farm, two-story house, two barns, and various farm animals to the school, and had secured a significant financial commitment from Jesse Jones, an entrepreneur from Houston.

I have always admired the courage, vision, faith and sacrifice that it took for JBU’s founder to follow God’s call in 1919. I have also wondered what he would think of JBU today: a university with over 2,800 traditional undergraduate and adult students; a facility with almost one million square feet, 70 percent of which is new or completely renovated in the last 14 years; an endowment that exceeded $100 million for the first time this March; and an institution that has been rated 1st or 2nd by U.S. News and World Report over the last five years.

I did not, of course, have the privilege of meeting John Brown Sr., but I imagine that he would be grateful for, but not surprised by, these facts. How-

ever, I expect that he would primarily want to know how JBU was educating the head, heart and hands of JBU students.

He would want to know about Sarah Hubbard, a senior education major who has just been awarded a Fulbright Student Scholarship to serve as a teacher in Turkey next year; or Zach Lee, an engineering student who received an honorable mention in the Goldwater Scholarship competition; or Nick Fields and Nicole Kosin who will be in Nepal for five weeks this summer serving the people affected by the earthquake alongside local missionaries; or the students who went to New Orleans for the 10th spring break in a row to rebuild houses damaged by Hurricane Katrina but who also ministered to one of their fellow students when he lost his father during the week; or Abby Roberson who came to JBU to study nursing and who made a commitment to Christ this year.

The Campaign for the Next Century will require courage, faith and sacrifice from this generation of leadership and supporters of JBU.Through it we will, Lord willing, receive funds to renovate old buildings and construct new facilities; endow new scholarships and academic programs; and provide operational support to keep JBU affordable.

However, all of these campaign goals will just be the means to our overall end – to educate students to honor God and serve others. In that way, nothing has changed at JBU in the past 100 years, and, with Christ’s help, nothing will change in our next century.

Godspeed, Dr. Charles W. Pollard President, John Brown University

{ CONTENTS }

SUMMER 2015 The Brown Bulletin is published by University Communications for alumni and friends in the JBU community.

Dr. Chip Pollard President Dr. Jim Krall Vice President for Advancement EDITORIAL STAFF Lucas Roebuck Editor and Director of University Communications Matt Snyder Creative Director Julie Gumm Managing Editor Contributors Tracy Balzer, Amber Bauerlein, John E. Brown III, Elise Farrell, Todd Goehner, Johanna Musgrave, Gary Oliver, Rod Reed, Jerry Rollene, Lorie Simpson, Tarah Thomas, Lori Walker Production Support Kelly Saunders Copy Editing Paul T. Semones, Andy Klungland Thanks Rebecca Dye Submissions of news items, story ideas, letters and corrections can be made via email to: lroebuck@jbu.edu or via U.S. Postal Service to Brown Bulletin 2000 W. University Siloam Springs, AR 72761 ©2015 John Brown University

FEATURES COVER: Hope and a Future for the Next Century 6 | Fulbright Grant Takes JBU Student to Turkey

By Elise Farrell — Senior wins prestigious award to teach abroad

20 | Estate Giving

By Tracy Balzer — Retired JBU professor continues to give back after 37 years of service

ALSO INSIDE 5 | Students Take President Pollard on Spring Break

By Julie Gumm — Social media campaign takes “Chip” across the U.S. and abroad

26 | Illustrator’s Fantasy-Based Art Lands Dream Job

By Tarah Thomas — Alumnus Jason Flack finds creative home at Imangi Studios

DEPARTMENTS JBU News — The Latest JBU Headlines — Page 3 Athletics — News & Notes — Page 8 Degree Completion — Online Bachelor’s in Management Accounting — Page 9 Graduate School — Master’s Trains Creative Problem Solvers — Page 10 Chaplain’s Corner — A Hope and a Future… After the Present — Page 11 Advancement — Campaign Déjà Vu? — Page 21 Donor Legacy — Building Names Represent Decades of Generosity — Page 22 Center for Healthy Relationships — Plan Your Marriage — Page 23 Alumni Director — Alumnus Excels in Music Industry — Page 27 Alumni News — The Latest Milestones for JBU Alumni — Page 28 In Memoriam — Remembering JBU Friends — Page 29 From the Editor — Good Prank / Bad Prank — Page 32 On the cover: JBU announces the Next Century Campaign to usher in the next 100 years of JBU. See Page 12 for details on the campaign. Photo by Matt Snyder.

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WA N T TO S H OW A S T U D E N T J B U ?

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{ JBU NEWS } event, with the topic of shaping culture in communities across the world.

The 2013-2014 Red Steps (from left): Seth Kaye (keys/vocals), Jared DeFriese (acoustic guitar/vocals), Greg Murray (electric guitar), Allison Harper (vocals), Alex Davis (sound engineer), Chris Hembree (bass guitar), Luke Hogan (drums)

JBU Worship Band Releases Single ‘Blind to Darkness’ on iTunes JBU’s touring worship band, The Red Steps, released a new single on iTunes titled “Blind to Darkness.” Senior Clint O’Kelley and alumnus Seth Kaye wrote the song in the fall of 2013 to accompany a chapel message by Dr. Ted Song, assistant professor of engineering at JBU. The song was well received and continued to be played during chapel services. The JBU Music and Theatre Department produced the single after numerous student requests.

International Entrepreneurs Visit JBU During Leadership Week John Brown University and The Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics welcomed Becky Straw and Shawn Askinosie for Leadership Week.

Straw is co-founder of The Adventure Project, a nonprofit organization creating jobs in developing countries.

Askinosie was a criminal defense lawyer for 20 years before founding Askinosie Chocolate, an internationally-acclaimed direct-trade chocolate company. As part of Leadership Week, The Soderquist Center for Leadership and Ethics also hosted a Q Commons

Crucifixion History Expert Speaks at Inaugural Abila Lecture Dr. David Chapman, the leading scholar on crucifixion in antiquity, gave the first biannual Abila lecture titled “Crucifixion in the Roman World.”

Chapman has been a member of the faculty at Covenant Seminary in St. Louis since 2000 and currently serves as curator of the W. H Mare Institute for Biblical and Archeological Studies. He worked as the director of the Abila Archaeological Project in Northern Jordan for four years.

Swearingen Named Dean of Faculty Development, Director of the New Teaching and Learning Center JBU has named Associate Professor of Chemistry Dr. Carla Swearingen as the dean of faculty development and director of the Teaching and Learning Center. In this newly-created position, Swearingen will oversee faculty learning opportunities and research initiatives and establish and direct the new Teaching and Learning Center, a program designed to facilitate, support and recognize best practices for academic instruction. “As JBU enrollment has nearly tripled in the last 25 years, the increased demands for the recruitment, training and development of faculty has prompted us to consolidate our various faculty development efforts under a single dean,” said Dr. Edward Ericson, vice president for academic affairs.

“The search committee unanimously

and enthusiastically chose Dr. Swearingen to step into this role, and we are very much looking forward to what she can help our institution accomplish in the coming years.”

(From left) JBU freshman Megan Chapin, sophomore Justin Burchfiel and junior Brad Johnson.

JBU Forensics Team Wins State, Individual Titles Junior Brad Johnson and sophomore Justin Burchfiel won first place in Regional Team Public Debate where they debated topics ranging from the NFL to healthcare and foreign issues. Freshman Megan Chapin won state champion in Persuasive Speaking for her narrative about a man who died after abusing prescription narcotic drugs. The team also claimed the Arkansas State Champion title at the 2015 Southern Forensics Championship Tournament held at JBU. Engineering Department Hosts Computer Programming Competition The 2015 Computer Programming Contest invited area high school students to compete against each other and JBU student teams. Each student on the winning team received a onetime $1,000 scholarship to JBU. Members of the second place team received a one-time $500 JBU scholarship.

“The students worked together to solve a series of problems and submitted their solutions to a panel of judges for approval,” said Dr. Ted Song.

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{ JBU NEWS }

Students Win 18 Arkansas College Media Awards JBU communication students received 18 awards from the Arkansas College Media Association including Newspaper of the Year. Nichole Coates won Newspaper Editor of the Year, Tarah Thomas was named Reporter of the Year, Klara Johannesen won Photographer of the Year and Lacey Fryer was named Television Producer/Director of the Year for her work on JBU’s studentproduced TV newscast EagleBreak.

Alyssa Schoenwald won second place in the Designer of the Year category and Becca Verhoeven received an honorable mention in the same category.

In addition to the seven general excellence awards, JBU students took home 11 individual category awards.

Professor Awarded C. Sam Walls Entrepreneurial Educator Award JBU professor Eva Fast was given the C. Sam Walls Entrepreneur Educator Award for her instrumental work in promoting and educating students in entrepreneurship at JBU. Fast received $2,500 and JBU’s Soderquist College 4 | Brown Bulletin | Summer 2015

of Business will receive a $2,500 grant from the Arkansas Capital Corporation Group to support entrepreneurship education at JBU. “Professor Fast is an outstanding advocate for entrepreneurial education at JBU and has worked hard to create an environment on campus for creative entrepreneurship to thrive,” said Dr. Joe Walenciak, dean of the Soderquist College of Business. “Our students and faculty work hard to be excellent and in moments like these, it shines through. We are very proud of our people and their accomplishments.”

and cultivate important developmental milestones like self-regulation.

JBU team Charlie’s Choices took second place at the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup Competition and advanced to the TriState Competition in Las Vegas. Pictured (from left): Jeff Ewing, Erin Morningstar, Andrew Sauer, Abby Wilson, Nick Carson.

JBU Places Third in National Enactus Competition JBU’s Enactus team placed third in the Enactus United States National Exposition. Business executives evaluated teams on how effectively they understood and met a pressing community need with entrepreneurial solutions.

Twelve Enactus team members represented JBU including the four-member presentation team: Jake Knight, Gabriela Mejia Flores, Diana Cascante and Luke Powers. They gave a 17-minute presentation on JBU’s most noteworthy Enactus projects, highlighting JBU’s work in Guatemala to distribute clean water and provide hygiene education; their aquaponics farming training for families in Sahakkum, Cambodia that combats malnutrition and generates income; and their partnership with the Siloam Springs Adult Development Center to launch a secure document destruction service that provides jobs for disabled adults in the community.

Visual Sleep Timer Propels Team to Tri-State Business Competition JBU business teams placed second and third in the Donald W. Reynolds Governor’s Cup State Business Plan Competition. Among 47 business plans from 14 Arkansas schools, JBU’s team, Charlie’s Choices, took second and advanced to the Tri-State competition.

Charlie’s Choices team members Nick Carson, Jeff Ewing, Erin Morningstar, Andrew Sauer and Abby Wilson won second place and $15,000 for their business plan to launch a patentpending visual sleep timer called Charge-Me-Charlie designed to remedy disruptive sleep habits in children.

The sleep timer is shaped like a battery to show children the importance of rest

JBU Hosts 4th Annual Disaster Shelter Design Competition JBU and competition sponsor, Samaritan’s Purse International Relief, hosted the 4th Annual Disaster Shelter Design Competition. Samaritan’s Purse evaluated the shelter designs for possible implementation in its relief efforts. This year’s competition scenario was based on the 2005 earthquake in Pakistan that killed close to 75,000 people and displaced nearly 3.3 million people. JBU’s team placed second.

{ JBU NEWS }

Students Take President Pollard on Spring Break It’s no secret that the students of John Brown University have a special place in their hearts for President Chip Pollard.

He appreciates a good-natured prank (and returns the favor on occasion), makes cameo appearances during Mock Rock and the Talent Show, and he and his wife, Carey, often invite students into their home.

So this spring break we asked students to take “Chip” with them on their travels. We cut out over 600 “Chip heads,” put them on a stick and handed them out to students.

During the week they posted pictures to their social media accounts using the hashtag #ChipOnATrip so we could track his adventures.

Chip traveled Route 66, hiked the Grand Canyon, went snowboarding and skydiving, saw the Statue of Liberty, checked out President Obama’s house and traveled as far away as Guatemala, Kenya, Dubai and Ethiopia. He even made an appearance with the Cathedral Choir during their tour.

Here’s just a few of the over 300 photos the students took. To see them all, use the QR code below to get to the album on JBU’s Facebook page.

View all the #ChipOnATrip photos at facebook.com/ johnbrownuniversity

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{ F E AT U R E S T O R Y }

Fulbright Grant Takes JBU Student to Turkey

By Elise Farrell ’15 Photo by Lorie Simpson ’17

For months senior Sarah Hubbard worked endlessly to perfect two essays that could land her a dream international position. In late March she received a life-altering email announcing her acceptance into the prestigious and highly competitive Fulbright U.S. Student Program.

Fulbright grants are typically awarded to young college graduates, graduate students or established young professionals. As an undergraduate student at John Brown University, Hubbard’s acceptance is quite the honor.

According to the Fulbright U.S. 6 | Brown Bulletin | Summer 2015

Student Program, the grant was introduced by Senator J. William Fulbright and signed into law by President Harry S. Truman in 1946. The intent was to use excess war money to “fund the promotion of international goodwill through the exchange of students in the fields of education, culture and science.”

The program is the largest U.S exchange program with over 1,900 grants offered to candidates each year.

Recipients are funded for “individually designed study/research projects or for English Teaching Assistant Programs” in

a participating country where they will fully engage in daily life and culture.

Hubbard, an English education major, said the decision to apply came from a posted flyer that appealed to her interest of teaching abroad.

Dr. Brad Gambill, coordinator for the Office of Undergraduate Scholarship and Prestigious Fellowships, encouraged Hubbard to enroll in JBU’s Prestigious Fellowships course.

During the course, Hubbard and her classmates applied to various fellowships by finding key personal accomplishments or traits they could high-

{ F E AT U R E S T O R Y }

Photo submitted by Sarah Hubbard

Hubbard discovered her love for teaching English as a second language when she spent a summer teaching in a Chinese elementary school.

light in their essays. At the end of the course, Hubbard was on the fifth draft of her Fulbright essays. Ultimately she would rewrite them 15 more times before submission.

“Once I started the course, I began to realize how all of these programs were competitive, and not just ‘you apply for the grant and your chances are decent at actually receiving it’,” said Hubbard.

Gambill saw the potential in Hubbard and thought her chances of being selected were high.

“Sarah is a go-getter. She’s been

doing conference presentations since she was a freshman and also sought out international experience teaching English as a second language in both Lithuania and China. She has also been proactive in her work with JBU faculty members,” said Gambill. “In short, she was a strong candidate before she began the application process.”

With assistance from Gambill and other faculty, Hubbard spent close to a year drafting and revising the essays required for the application.

There are two relatively short essays required of applicants: a personal essay on who you are, and an essay explaining how past experience and passions make you a good fit for the project you want to pursue.

“They have to be as close to perfect as possible. Sarah was very patient through the process,” Gambill said.

Once her essays were perfected, Hubbard was referred by JBU, reviewed by the U.S. Fulbright Commission and then recommended by the U.S. to her country of choice, Turkey.

The Turkish Fulbright Commission

finalized the decision. Hubbard was one of 246 candidates selected from 800 applicants to the Turkish Fulbright Commission.

Close friend and senior Kelsey Rea walked alongside Hubbard during her application process and has seen nothing but passion and dedication exude from Hubbard each step of the way.

“She was student teaching when she received the email that she was officially chosen for the Fulbright Grant, and I screamed for her when I got the text,” said Rea. “She was full of pure joy and excitement and getting to be with a best friend as they experience that is so fun. I’m so incredibly proud of her.”

In September, Hubbard will embark on a nine-month journey teaching at a university in Turkey. She expects to have a 40-hour work week, with 20 hours devoted to teaching and 20 hours used for prep and extracurricular work.

“I am very excited at this point,” said Hubbard. “I think I will be more nervous as it gets closer and I begin to get more details, but right now I am very excited.”

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{ GOLDEN EAGLE NEWS & NOTES } Brown Races to Program Record Books and First Nationals Appearance in Same Season Cross country runner Annie Brown has pieced together a prolific freshman season, but now the Fayetteville, Ark., native will run where no John Brown woman has run before – the NAIA National Championships.

During the 2014 cross country season, Brown not only led the Golden Eagles in all five meets, but set a new program record of 19:26 in the 5k.

Brown then followed up her recordsetting run with a solid 19:35 finish at the Sooner Athletic Conference championships, putting her in 23rd place.

Although Brown missed out on

qualifying for the 2014 NAIA Cross Country National Championships, Brown and head coach Scott Schochler had another feat in mind, however unconventional it may have seemed.

Throughout the winter, Brown trained for the half marathon, hoping to earn a slot at the NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships. Despite not having a track and field team, JBU athletes are able to compete for slots for the championships. Brown was determined to do just that.

On April 11, 2015 Brown ran an impressive 1:31:16 at the RussVegas Half Marathon in Russellville, Ark. securing her a spot at the National Championships in late May.

Griffin Brady Earns National Media Attention Junior forward Griffin Brady garnered national attention on Feb. 12 when his thunderous dunk against Mid-America Christian was featured at No. 3 on ESPN’s SportsCenter Top 10.

Most Outstanding Student-Athletes Named at 2015 Athletics Convocation Senior basketball forward Max Hopfgartner was named this year’s Most Outstanding Male Athlete after finishing second on the team in points per game (17.5). Volleyball junior outside hitter Audrey Dearien was awarded this year’s Most Outstanding Female Athlete after posting a 3.5 kills per set mark to lead the team. Both studentathletes were named to the NAIA’s All-America Honorable Mention list for their efforts.

Male and Female Champions of Character awards were given to junior soccer player Logan Hellinghausen and senior women’s soccer player Chloe Fennell, for their interaction with the Siloam Springs community.

Saucedo, Women’s Tennis Finish Impressive Campaign Junior tennis player Krizana Saucedo pieced together an impressive tennis seasons by posting an 8-3 record in singles action. Overall, the women’s tennis team posted a 6-4 record and featured season sweeps of both Central Christian (Kan.) and Ozarks (Ark.). The Golden Eagles also claimed a victory in the quarterfinals of the Unaffiliated Group Regional Tournament held in Tulsa, Okla., before bowing out to Louisiana State - Alexandria in the semifinals.

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Seventeen Student-Athletes Named Daktronics-NAIA Scholar-Athletes Over the course of the 2014-15 academic year, 17 Golden Eagle studentathletes were named to the DaktronicsNAIA Scholar-Athlete list, including: cross country’s Kenny Crane, Kari

In a prime example of the teamwork embodied within the cross country program, sophomore Kent McDonell ran the entire race alongside freshman Annie Brown, in an attempt to help her achieve her dreams.

Miller, Kelsey Rae and Elizabeth St. Louis; soccer’s Cory Cole, Jose Nino, Alex Fahr, Chloe Fennell and Julie Whitlow; volleyball’s Kendra Ammons, Libby Blasingame, Vanessa Uhrhahn and Becca Young; basketball’s Morgan Ankrom and Lauren Rogers; and tennis’ Courtney Pinter and Krizana Saucedo.

Two New Members in the 1,000 Point Club Seniors Max Hopfgartner and Lauren Rogers both joined the JBU basketball 1,000 point clubs during the 2014-15 season.

Hopfgartner tallied his 1,000th point against Benedictine (Kan.) on Nov. 19 while Rogers earned her spot on the list Feb. 19 against Wayland Baptist (Texas). Both milestones were reached in front of the home crowd at Bill George Arena.

{ D E G R E E C O M P L E T I O N — LO R I WA L K E R }

JBU to Offer Online Bachelor’s in Management Accounting JBU’s Degree Completion Program recently added a Bachelor of Science in Management Accounting to its degree offerings. Enrollment for the Management Accounting program – which is offered 100 percent online – will begin this summer.

Management accounting is gaining popularity throughout the country as corporate leaders desire a more extensive knowledge of accounting than a traditional business bachelor’s degree (which usually includes nine hours of accounting coursework) provides.

In comparison to tax and financial accounting positions, management accounting often plays more of a predictive than a historical role in enterprise financial management, with management accountants frequently involved in strategic planning and forecasting.

The new degree program will add to the comprehensive business degree inventory in JBU’s Soderquist College of Business, which offers programs in all of JBU’s three academic schools: traditional undergraduate, degree completion and the graduate school.

“JBU has a long tradition of preparing students for successful careers in accounting,” said Dr. Joe Walenciak, dean of the Soderquist College of Business. “Although our traditional focus has been public accounting, we are now excited to offer students the opportunity to prepare for the field of management accounting and to consider a certification in the field. With growing demand for accountants throughout the region and the nation, we believe this program is well aligned with the needs of our corporate and nonprofit stakeholders.”

JBU began offering online programs in the Degree Completion Program in 2011 with program development funding provided through a federal grant.

The business administration degree was

the first online program offered, with a liberal arts online program added in 2013. Enrollment in these programs topped 150 students this spring.

“The management accounting program not only expands our online degree offerings, but it also creates an opportunity for students to pursue a deeper understanding of accounting principles from a management perspective, as well as certification as a management accountant,” said Susan DeWoody, associate vice president of Academic Operations and dean of Degree Completion.

Students who are currently pursuing or have already earned a business administration degree may benefit, too.

“Another potential market for the management accounting course offerings is for our business students seeking additional accountancy course credit on

top of a business degree in pursuit of CPA licensure,” DeWoody said.

With the addition of the management accounting program, JBU’s Degree Completion Program will offer the most degree programs in its history.

“This addition is part of the tremendous growth that JBU and all of Northwest Arkansas has experienced in recent years, and we think that this will be an excellent program of study for anyone with interests in management and accounting,” said Dr. Ed Ericson, vice president of academic affairs.

For more information about the online Management Accounting program, please visit www.jbu.edu/dcp or call 800-JBU-GRAD. LoriWalker is the director of marketing and corporate relations for JBU’s graduate and degree completion programs.

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{ G R A D U AT E S C H O O L — T O D D G O E H N E R }

Master’s in Collaborative Design Trains Creative Problem Solvers In a society replete with specialists who are trained to solve only the problems specific to their areas of expertise, organizations often overlook people’s ability to be intuitive, to recognize patterns, to construct ideas that are both emotionally meaningful and functional and to express themselves in ways that extend beyond words and symbols.

These abilities can be acquired through a process called design thinking, a concept that Tim Brown, president of global design firm IDEO, calls a “human-centered approach to innovation that draws from the designer’s toolkit to integrate the needs of people, the possibilities of technology and the requirements for business success.”

While businesses are benefiting from design thinking, most nonprofits and ministries don’t have individuals trained to integrate design thinking and visual communication effectively.

To address this need, JBU developed the Master of Fine Arts in Collaborative Design (MFACD) program to train people, particularly those in nonprofits and ministries, to solve complex problems as well as implement their creativity. As a terminal degree, this program also prepares students to teach on the college level.

The MFACD program begins this fall and will target students who have a desire and a passion to create change through creative problem solving.

“The great thing about this program is that we’re able to build on any type of incoming skill,” said Neal Holland, MFA professor. “We’re looking for students who have varied backgrounds, not just graphic design.”

With a flexible residency format, students from anywhere can be a part of the MFA program. Students have the flexibility to schedule their studies around 10 |

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their lives through options to take classes in person, via video connection or online.

Students spend two weeks on the Siloam Springs campus during the summer of their first year, and they will partner with a nonprofit or ministry during the summer of their last year in the program. The MFACD can also be completed as a full-residency program with the possibility of being awarded a teaching assistantship.

Businesses and organizations are looking for more creative thinkers.

Graduates will be able to jump right into leadership roles within nonprofits or corporations and help those organi-

zations stay on the cutting edge.

JBU’s MFACD program will train students to be ethical design thinkers and creative problem solvers who can help organizations move forward and differentiate themselves. With a rich history in ministry and the service industry, JBU is the perfect place to obtain this type of degree.

For more information, visit jbu.edu/grad/mfavcd/showcase/ or contact MFA Program Director Todd Goehner at TGoehner@jbu.edu.

Todd Goehner is an associate professor of arts and the MFA program director.

{ CHAPLAIN’S CORNER — ROD REED }

A Hope and a Future … After the Present The theme for this edition of the Brown Bulletin arises from one of the most popular Bible verses these days.

Young people, old people, singles and married people all seem to know Jeremiah 29:11. Our graduates will probably see it on several cards that they hope contain cash or checks! They want to know that it’s true as they look for jobs and step into their futures. “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘Plans to prosper you and not to harm you; plans to give you hope and a future.’”

What a great verse. It is one of those verses that is so reassuring because it tells us explicitly that God knows us and cares about us and has great plans for us.

One of the things that is interesting about verses like this, however, is that we rarely read them in context. We know verse 11, and some people even know verse 12 (also a great promise from God), but very few people know about verses 1-10 of this chapter.

These first ten verses are very important, however, if we want to truly understand what God promised to the ancient Jews and promises to us today.

The first part of this chapter is part of God’s message to his people who were in exile. They had been carried off from their land years before and were undoubtedly discouraged.

They probably wondered if God had forgotten them, and if they were still his chosen people.

In the midst of their despair, God sends the prophet Jeremiah with a very important message, but most of the message is not about plans and pros-

pering and hope and a future. Most of the message was about their present circumstances.

God tells them to settle down where they are, to work for the prosperity of the city where they are living, to plant gardens and to have families.

In many ways, this is not the message that the Jews wanted. They wanted change, but God wanted them to focus on making the most of their present circumstances.

He knows that we human beings so often look to the future and miss what he has for us in the present. He knows that we are often so desperate to know our future plans that we get discontented with our present blessings.

And so, he tells us – like he told the ancient Jews – to focus on being faithful in the present circumstances that he gives us.

That means making the most of each day of our job, even when we are looking for another one.

It means making the most of the days with our two-year olds even when we desperately want them to be three!

It means praying and working for the good of our churches, even when we are frustrated with them. It means seeking God faithfully in the midst of painful situations, even as we pray for his relief from them.

Relying on God’s promises starts with being faithful in the midst of where he has put us. When we are focused on the present, we can trust God to take care of the future … just like he promises to do.

Relying on God’s promises starts with being faithful in the midst of where he has put us.

Rod Reed is the university chaplain.

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{ COVER STORY }

CAMPAIGN NEXT CENTURY FOR THE

JBU ANNOUNCES A $125 MILLION CAMPAIGN TO STRENGTHEN CHRISTIAN HIGHER EDUCATION FOR THE NEXT 100 YEARS

By Lucas Roebuck ’97

IN JUST FOUR YEARS, JBU WILL CELEBRATE A CENTURY since its namesake and founder saw his family farm transformed into a Christcentered college where young people, regardless of means, could attend.

At the dawn of JBU’s second century, the university faces new challenges in a changing world. Will JBU be able to provide the best of Christian higher education as it has for the last 100 years? What sort of facilities will be needed? In a new era of skyrocketing higher education costs, how will JBU’s affordability remain sustainable? What resources are needed to push JBU’s academic excellence to even higher levels on the world stage? How can JBU

/

Photography by Mark Jackson ’00

steward resources now to prepare for unseen needs of the future?

To begin to answer these questions, JBU leadership developed a capital campaign to help strengthen JBU’s future, with a quiet phase that began in 2012.

In January, at a packed media event in the Berry Performing Arts Center, President Chip Pollard announced the public phase of the Campaign for the Next Century: A Hope and Future. The campaign, to be completed in time for JBU’s centennial celebration in September 2019, seeks to raise more than $125 million to help sustain JBU’s mission: training students to honor God and serve others. >>>

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{ NEXT CENTURY }

$125 MILLION CAMPAIGN PROGRESS

$63 MILLION GIVEN

$62 MILLION TO GO

<<< “Since the university’s founding almost 100 years ago, JBU has endeavored to train students to honor God through service to others,” said Pollard. “As we look forward to the start of JBU’s next century, this campaign is about strengthening that same foundation of excellent Christian higher education so that future JBU students will also have the opportunity for a hope and a future.”

The campaign has five areas of focus: scholarships ($35 million); new and renovated facilities ($30 million); endowment for academic excellence ($10 million); program and operating support ($25 million); and estate gifts for future scholarship and program endowment ($25 million).

the Next Century is scholarships – both to help current students through programs like the JBU Scholarship Fund and the Walton Scholars Program, and to help students in perpetuity through endowed scholarships.

n Endowed and Annual Scholarships: The heart of the Campaign for

n Endowment for Academic Excellence: The Next Century Campaign

New and Renovated Facilities: Already the campaign has provided for some strategic facility needs, including the beautiful and highly functional $6 million Simmons Great Hall and the $5.5 million J. Alvin Brown Hall renovation. Healthcare and healthy communities are on deck: the Campaign for the Next Century includes projects to build a nursing education building and completely overhaul the Walton Lifetime Health Complex. n

will provide endowment-generated funds for student and faculty research, faculty development and other programs designed to raise the academic bar at JBU. n Program and Operating Support: Many gifts go to support the general operation of the university, offsetting the cost of educating students and enabling JBU to hold down tuition increases. Program and operating support gifts also fund student missions, KLRC and athletics programs. n Estate Gifts: More than any other campaign project, stewarding estate gifts now will help provide resources for the future. Leaving an estate gift for JBU in a will or trust provides an innovative way for JBU supporters to get involved in the campaign.

MAJOR CAMPAIGN CATEGORIES PROGRAM AND OPERATING SUPPORT ENDOWMENT FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE NEW & RENOVATED FACILITIES

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ENDOWED AND ANNUAL SCHOLARSHIPS IN A WILL OR TRUST ESTATE GIFTS FOR FUTURE SCHOLARSHIP & PROGRAM SUPPORT

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ANNUAL AND ENDOWED

SCHOLARSHIPS Without the generous support of donors, many students would not be able to attend JBU The Campaign for the Next Century has set a goal to raise $35 million for scholarships. That includes both annual scholarships, which benefit students today, and endowed scholarships, which benefit students in perpetuity.

Grant Willbanks

In the summer of 2013 Grant Willbanks had enrolled at Northwest Arkansas Community College and registered for his fall classes. JBU had been his first choice, but his family simply could not afford it, despite the initial financial aid offer.

Then he received a call.

He had been awarded two additional endowed scholarships that closed the gap and allowed Willbanks to pursue his passion for graphic design at JBU. Now a junior, Willbanks has a work study position as a graphic designer. He uses that money to help fund his tuition as well, working weekends and school breaks at a screen printing company to help pay for the incidental expenses of college life. He considers all of it hands-on experience for owning his own design firm some day.

The Campaign for the Next Century aims to raise $35 million in annual and endowed scholarships by 2019 to continue helping more students like Willbanks attend JBU.

The John Brown University Scholarship Fund (JBUSF) accepts gifts of any amount and distributes the balance of the account to students each year.

Endowed scholarships start with major gifts of $10,000 or more that are used to fund a named scholarship in honor of the donor or donor’s family member. The capital from the endowed scholarship is invested so that it can last indefinitely and even grow in size. A predetermined amount of the interest is awarded to students each year.

To date the campaign has received almost $6.5 million for JBUSF and endowed scholarships, including $2 million for art-related endowed scholarships.

“So many alumni want to give back and help students financially because they were also beneficiaries of the JBUSF,” said Steve Onnen, director of the JBUSF and advancement services. “ That’s what this campaign is all about – those of us who benefited from JBU helping to make sure it’s here for future generations.”

This year, the JBUSF gave scholarships to 777 students, and 494 students received endowed scholarships.

– Amber Bauerlein ’15

$12.5 MILLION NEEDED

$22.5 MILLION GIVEN & PLEDGED

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ENDOWMENT FOR

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Senior Peyton Weaver works on the Abila Archeological Project in Jordan.

JBU will raise $10 million for endowed funds to support student and faculty research, endowed faculty chairs, and educational innovation.

Charles Peer (above) and Randall Waldron (right) both currently hold endowed chair positions funded by the Endowment for Academic Excellence.

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ENDOWMENT FOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE PROGRESS

$4.6 MILLION NEEDED

$5.4 MILLION GIVEN & PLEDGED

The saying goes, “Those who cannot do, teach,” but at JBU, nothing could be further from the truth.

JBU faculty are doing great things, and the Endowment for Academic Excellence seeks to raise $10 million to support ongoing faculty research, development and innovation that add breadth and depth to the excellence of the John Brown University education.

JBU faculty are “the doers,” the forerunners and the groundbreakers; they are among the best in their fields. They are on the front lines of cutting-edge discoveries and culture-shaping conversations working to create incredible opportunities for students around the world.

Dr. David Vila is a doer. As professor of religion and philosophy, Vila is working to uncover five prominent Byzantine churches in Northern Jordan with early church imagery that has been unseen for 1,500 years. Vila has been the director of the Abila Archeological Project since 2008 and leads biennial summer excavations with JBU students.

Charles Peer is a doer. Professor of visual arts since 1987, Peer has received multiple “Best in Shows” for his Arkansas landscapes in pastels. He was named the Summer Artist in Residence at the Buffalo River National, selected to be included in the “Best of America Pastel Artists, Volume 2” by Kennedy Publishing and was given the President’s Award at the Northwest Pastel Society 28th Annual International Open Exhibit.

Dr. Joe Walenciak is a doer. Not only is he dean of the Soderquist College of Business, but he was also named the U.S. Sam Walton Fellow of the Year in 2010. He led JBU’s Enactus program for many years and in 2011 was inducted into the Enactus Hall of Fame. His work has inspired economic development projects, mission trips and international study programs for students in Guatemala.

Through the Endowment for Academic Excellence, a $1 million endowment now provides scholarships for JBU students to conduct research during Vila’s summer excavations as well as sponsoring the biannual Abila lecture at JBU. A $2 million anonymous gift has established the Charles Peer Endowed Chair in Visual Arts, supporting Peer, the first recipient, in his teaching, painting and curating.

A $2 million endowment fund will support the recruitment and professional development of excellent faculty in the Soderquist College of Business.

The endowment has also established two faculty chairs currently held by Dr. Randall Waldron, professor of economics and international business, and Walenciak.

In everything, JBU strives to provide a first-rate academic program. These efforts are part of the reason that U.S. News and World Report has ranked JBU 1st or 2nd in the southern regional category over the last five years.

An even better testament to excellence is the many awards our faculty and students regularly receive — taking third in the Enactus National Competition, being named Newspaper of the Year from the Arkansas College Media Association and earning prestigious grants and scholarships from the Fulbright program, the National Science Foundation, the Environmental Protection Agency and INBRE. “Simply put, we are a community of avid learners,” said Ed Ericson, vice president of academic affairs. “The Endowment for Academic Excellence supports this insatiable desire in each of us to be better lecturers, researchers, writers, analysts and mentors to impact the JBU community and bring the hope of Christ to the world.”

– Julie Gumm & Johanna Musgrave

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NEW FACILITIES & RENOVATIONS Highly functional and beautiful, the JBU campus is 70 percent new or renovated since 2000. The Next Century Campaign has already provided resources for hospitality and housing. The focus now is health: a state-ofthe-art nursing building and much needed renovations to the venerable WLHC.

WLHC RENOVATION / $5 MILLION Opened in 1988, the Walton Lifetime Health Complex (WLHC) is home to a three-court multipurpose gymnasium, four racquetball courts, a weight room, cardio room, aerobics room, an indoor pool and locker room facilities.

Students and JBU athletes use the facilities for intramurals, workouts and athletic training. It is also home to the Kinesiology department.

According to Robyn Daugherty, JBU athletic director, more than 1,000 community members, 350 faculty and staff and 1,300 students regularly use the facility.

The WLHC also serves groups like the Siloam Springs Flyers, the local swim team, where over 160 kids ages 5-18 practice four times a week, four months of the year.

“With growing usage and the age 18 |

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of the facility, significant renovation is needed to continue serving students and patrons well,” said Daugherty.

The projected $5 million renovations include a new community entrance on the north side of the facility, renovation and expansion of the HVAC system, new pool deck and mechanical systems, new locker rooms and expanded and improved fitness areas.

A $1.2 million lead gift has already been received and the City of Siloam Springs has also made a preliminary commitment of $500,000 toward the renovation. –Julie Gumm

NURSING / $12 MILLION

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N (BUILDING + ENDOWMENT) With experts predicting a shortage of nurses in the next 10 years, JBU’s newest program is preparing to help meet that demand. Doing so means building a new state-of-the art nursing facility, slated to begin construction in fall 2015 and cost $6 million.

The 21,000 square foot facility will include three classrooms, clinic teaching space with four exam rooms, four simulation patient rooms, two health assessment labs, a computer lab, offices and study lounges.

Thirty-five pre-nursing students are currently taking their prerequisite classes and are eager to be the first nursing students to take their seats in the new building when it is scheduled to open in fall 2016.

The campaign goal of $12 million will build and endow the facility and the nursing program. To date over $7.8 million has been pledged or received. – Julie Gumm

NEW & RENOVATED FACILITIES PROGRESS $5.5 MILLION NEEDED

$24.5 MILLION GIVEN & PLEDGED

COMPLETED PROJECTS

Simmons Great Hall In 2013, JBU dedicated the Simmons Great Hall (pictured above), JBU’s new “front door” and a premier venue for banquets, conferences, business meetings, lectures and weddings. JBU has hosted over 16,000 guests in the Simmons Great Hall since its opening and it is an incredible resource to both JBU and the greater Northwest Arkansas community.

J. Alvin Brown Hall Renovation Since 1921, J. Alvin Brown Hall (pictured in background) has fostered brotherhood and spiritual growth at JBU. With the help of generous gifts, the facility underwent a $5.5 million renovation to preserve the historic suite-style living quarters while raising ceilings, updating plumbing, adding more living space and installing windows.

Northslope Apartments JBU constructed two 11,500 square-foot apartment buildings (pictured below) for 90 students in 2013. This $3 million project provides comfortable housing for upperclassmen and summer guests attending professional and academic conferences or camps.

–Johanna Musgrave

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{ NEXT CENTURY }

After 37 years of teaching students, Dr. Joe Zimmerman will leave his estate to bless students of JBU’s next century paign, JBU is encouraging alumni and When Dr. Joe Zimmerman came friends to consider a bequest through to JBU as a student, he couldn’t have their estate plan to support the univerguessed that such an opportunity would sity. Estate gifts leave a lasting, positive be in his future. As a 1952 graduate of impact on the university and provide for JBU, Joe went on to earn a Master of the needs of students and the greater Music followed by doctoral degree. In JBU community for generations.

1956 he returned to JBU as a music The eventual gift of Zimmerman’s instructor, a role he maintained until his estate will mean additional scholarship retirement in 1996. money for upper-division piano stuDuring his 37 years of service at JBU, dents.

Zimmerman taught classes, gave piano In the meantime, Zimmerman lessons, performed in two-piano recitcontinues to bless JBU with his enthuals, counseled and registered hundreds siastic presence on camof students, accompanied pus, whether he’s simply vocal groups and sang in picking up his mail from his musical productions. perpetual mail box in the He demonstrated a life of post room, or visiting with “service, competence, integSherry Miller, coordinator rity, dedication, professionalof scholarships and develism, and loyalty” — descripopment events. tors that were offered in his Miller’s job mostly honor by then-colleague, concerns JBU’s future; her Richard Ruble, at Zimmervisits from Joe keep her man’s retirement. Because Zimmerman circa 1952 connected to JBU’s past. he served at JBU for over “I love listening to Joe’s 30 years and as department memories of his childhood, his military head, Zimmerman’s picture now hangs in experiences and his early years at JBU, the Academic Hall of Fame at JBU. and especially enjoy when he shares But for Zimmerman, retirement photos with me. He loves performmerely meant a redirection – time for ing musically and he loves to laugh new training, new adventures, and a and even though I don’t have a musical commitment to JBU that never wavered. bone in my body, he always makes me “Over the many years of my associalaugh and lifts my spirits. JBU’s music tion with JBU, first as a student, then a department must have been so much teacher for 37 years and now as a retiree, fun,” Miller said.

I have received so much,” Zimmerman JBU alumni and friends can particisaid. pate in the current campaign by naming Zimmerman recently took advantage JBU as a charitable beneficiary in their of JBU’s new partnership with Philanestate plan. These gifts can be made throCorp, a free no-obligation estate through a will or trust, life insurance planning service that can help alumni policy or even a retirement plan like a and friends make sure their dreams and 401K or IRA. For questions or to talk goals are accomplished. He also made with someone about estate giving, JBU the prime recipient in his will. “I contact Eric Greenhaw at egreenhaw@ wanted to give something back,” he said. jbu.edu or 479.524.7285 As part of the Next Century Cam20 |

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ESTATES

The Campaign for the Next Century has set a goal to raise $25 million in estate donations.

These special gifts build a foundation of support for the next century of JBU students.

$24 MILLION NEEDED

$1 MILLION PLEDGED

{

A DVA N C E M E N T — D R . J I M K R A L L

}

Campaign Déjà Vu? You may be wondering why JBU is in the middle of another campaign.

Didn’t we just finish one? Doesn’t JBU have enough new and renovated buildings and a large enough endowment?

Those are fair questions.

Capital campaigns at an institution signal goals and future strategies the institution is pursuing. They are not just serving the current students, but also looking toward future generations of students and striving to build a high quality, mission-focused and financially stable university.

Healthy and strong universities direct tuition revenue from students to the current budget, which is focused on quality academic and co-curricular programming. Most of the charitable contributions given to the university can then go toward scholarships for students with financial need, building renovations, new building construction, new programs, strengthening existing programs and the endowment.

The Keeping Faith capital campaign JBU completed in 2011 strengthened the university in a number of ways.

New buildings were built and others were renovated, scholarships were increased, programs were strengthened and the endowment grew significantly.

Almost 70 percent of the campus is new or renovated in the past 14 years.

The endowment has grown from less than $50 million to over $100 million in the last 10 years, providing more resources for scholarships, academic excellence and building operations.

Campaign gifts provide the financial resources for this growth.

What excites me the most about capital campaigns are the beneficiaries — students. Every year we hear stories

of incoming students that say they couldn’t attend JBU if it weren’t for the scholarships we are able to award because of our generous donors.

A few weeks ago, Patton Conroy graduated from JBU with a degree in engineering. I remember when I met Patton his freshman year, and I talked to him about why he came to JBU. “I really wanted to come to JBU, but I was financially unable to do that without the scholarships that I received,” he said. More recently he again expressed his appreciation. “If it were not for the scholarships, I would not be graduating from JBU. I am thankful for all those who gave!”

If you wonder why we are in another campaign, please remember the students. It is because of donors that give during capital campaigns that we have scholarships to help students like Patton; that students attend class and live in quality facilities; and that the operating expenses for academic and administration buildings operate with endowment dollars providing the students further savings.

The student’s academic, spiritual and co-curricular experiences are fuller because of the generosity of JBU donors.

So yes! JBU is in another capital campaign and I invite you to get involved with the Next Century Campaign as we strengthen JBU for students.

If you have thoughts or questions about the JBU Next Century Campaign, email me at jkrall@jbu.edu

What excites me the most about campaigns is the beneficiaries — students.

Dr. Jim Krall is theVice President for Advancement for John Brown University.

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{ LEGACY DONORS — JOHN BROWN III }

Building Names Represent Decades of Generosity

God continues to pour out His blessings on the JBU campus. The many new buildings on campus blend in with the now-renovated older structures, forming a gleaming city of light on College Hill. Alumni who return to JBU after a long absence are amazed at the transformation, especially in the last 20 years.

A first-time visitor might well come to JBU today and look at the names on the buildings and ask, “What do these stones mean to you?” (Joshua 4:6) Most of the buildings have been named in honor of a special donor to that project. The use of a donor’s name is certainly a way to say thank you.

However, I believe a more important reason to memorialize a building gift is to remind future generations of students, faculty and staff to be grateful for all that has been given by others for God’s work at JBU. These major donors are inspired by the distinctive mission of JBU in Christian higher education. The building names also remind us of the benefits of the American free enterprise system, which creates wealth and the opportunity for philanthropy.

Many of these names reflect the generosity of current or former members

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These major donors are inspired by the distinctive mission of JBU in Christian higher education. of the Board of Trustees — Bell Science Center, Simmons Great Hall, the Soderquist Business Center, Hutcheson Hall and the Berry Performing Arts Center. Other names honor the gifts of great friends who believed strongly in the value of Christian higher education.

Such was the case in the 1970’s when JBU completed the Mabee Center Complex, including the Chapman Administration Building and the Arutunoff Learning Resource Center (LRC).

The J. E. and L. E. Mabee Foundation in Tulsa, Okla., was formed in 1948. James Mabee was a farmer and mail carrier when he decided to lease the mineral rights on his land to the Carter Oil Company. He eventually founded the Mabee Consolidated Corporation, at the time the world’s largest oil well drilling contractor. Like the founder of JBU, Mabee only had a

primary school education. The foundation that he and his wife, Lottie, began has been a significant partner in every major building project at JBU for the last 50 years.

Born in Texas, James Chapman later moved to Tulsa and founded McMan Oil and Gas Company, which led in the exploration of the Glenn Pool and Cushing oil fields. His interests were later sold to a subsidiary of Standard Oil, in which he became a major stockholder. Chapman and his wife, Leta, left the majority of their estate in charitable support trusts that name designated beneficiaries for perpetual support.

JBU is blessed to be one of those recipients, due to Chapman’s regard for Dr. Brown Sr.’s daily radio broadcasts and John Brown Jr.’s persistent visits to Chapman’s office. Chancellor Brown would often remark that he was able to get in to see Chapman on his visits to Tulsa because he never sat down — always respecting Chapman’s time.

Armais Arutunoff was born in Russia in 1893 and immigrated to the United States in 1923. Before coming to the U.S., he formed a small company to manufacture his invention — an electric submersible pump. He moved to Bartlesville, Okla., held over 60 patents for industrial equipment, and eventually sold the Reda Pump Company to TRW Inc. A JBU alumnus contacted JBU campus pastor Jerry Hopkins and told him he should visit with Arutunoff. That contact eventually led to a $1 million estate gift, which was applied to the LRC’s construction.

When we look upon these stones, we know that JBU has been blessed and we are thankful!

John E. Brown III is president emeritus and served as JBU’s president from 1979-1993.

{ C E N T E R F O R H E A LT H Y R E L AT I O N S H I P S - D R . G A R Y O L I V E R }

Before You Plan Your Wedding, Plan Your Marriage Did you know that, on average, US couples spend $25,656 for their wedding and this doesn’t even include the honeymoon? Over $25,000 for a ceremony and reception that may last only a few hours ... but little or no time or money to prepare for a relationship that they hope will last a lifetime.

Wedding planning advice abounds, from an abundance of books to blogs, chat rooms and websites. Most of it is focused on flowers, dresses, pictures, the reception and everything else. Sadly, the majority of couples don’t plan or prepare for what’s going to happen AFTER the ceremony and reception are over.

The good news is that it doesn’t take much time or money to lay a great foundation for a great marriage. For couples who want a quality marriage we recommend both premarital education and premarital counseling. What’s the difference?

A good premarital education program involves six to eight hours of training, usually takes place in a group setting and teaches basic skills in communication, listening, conflict management, how to set realistic expectations, roles, finances, in-laws and more. It gives couples a powerful relational toolkit. Since 1998 thousands of couples have participated in the Premarital Foundations course offered by the Center for Healthy Relationships (CHR) and we continue to receive feedback on the significant difference it has made in those marriages.

The next step is six to eight hours of premarital counseling which, unlike a group educational program, is done

by an individual couple with a trained counselor. CHR doesn’t provide premarital counseling as we believe that it is best for couples to get this through their pastor or a trained counselor associated with their local church.

In premarital counseling the pastor can build on the skills learned in the premarital education program, tailor them to the specific needs of that couple and help them understand that there is a big difference between a marriage between two Christians and a Christ-centered marriage.

Does all this make a difference? Research tells us that premarital preparation is associated with higher levels of marital satisfaction, lower levels of destructive conflicts and higher levels of interpersonal commitment to spouses.

Based on a random phone survey of 3,344 adults in four states, couples who received premarital education had a 31 percent lower chance of divorce.

Good marriages don’t just happen.

A marriage, like a house, is only as good as its foundation and the Bible has a lot to say about the value of a firm foundation. God has designed marriage as a unique lifetime love relationship between a man and a woman.

With a good relational toolkit and a vibrant love relationship with Christ, couples can experience the quality of marriage that God intended us to enjoy, and the kind of marriage they always dreamed of.

A marriage, like a house, is only as good as its foundation, and the Bible has a lot to say about the value of a firm foundation.

Dr. Gary J. Oliver is the executive director of the Center for Healthy Relationships and professor of psychology and practical theology at John Brown University.

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{ RETIREMENTS }

Faculty, Staff Close Out JBU Years, Look Toward Future John McCullough—41 years An employee since 1974, John McCullough has helped shape the business department from a small program to the Donald G. Soderquist College of Business.

While McCullough started at JBU in the development office, he eventually joined the business faculty in 1981. He has since helped gain accreditation for the College of Business, mentored students and new faculty members, hosted personal finance workshops and gone on many missions trips and field trips with students. He has also hosted many students in his home.

McCullough and his wife, Judy, are active members in their community, church and family.

“We have continually been involved with elderly families in our community,” he said, “We provide home repair, meals and other supporting needs.”

For retirement, McCullough will take a year off to spend with his wife.

“My wife and I plan on taking time to get reacquainted and discover who we are now as individuals and as a couple,” said McCullough.

After that, they’re prepared to be available for whatever venture the Lord has for them.

Shermana Philpott—25 years Shermana Philpott has served as the administrative assistant to the division of engineering and construction management for 25 years.

“Everything about this job has been a blessing to me,” said Philpott. “Working with Christian colleagues and the relationships I have developed with stu24 |

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dents have been a source of great joy in my life.”

Upon retirement, Philpott plans on working part-time and spending lots of time with her grandchildren.

“I have heard it said,” reflects Philpott, “that if you find something you enjoy doing, you will never work a day in your life. That pretty much sums up my last 25 years.”

Mary Habermas—21 years Mary Habermas, director of the library and assistant professor of librarianship, is retiring from her full time position after 21 years of service.

Habermas will continue to serve as a part-time reference librarian.

Raised in the Detroit area, Habermas is one of eight children. She attended the University of South Carolina for her undergraduate studies before receiving her master’s degree in library and information science from the University of Oklahoma. Habermas has worked in a variety of professions, including as an illustrator of Sunday school curriculum and a proofreader for Baker Book House. Habermas also taught elementary-age Sunday school classes for 35 years.

The Habermas family has been deeply connected to JBU. Her husband, Ron, taught in JBU’s Bible department for 17 years and their children and their spouses are all alumni. “I am so

thankful to the Lord for leading me and my family here,” she said.

“Working alongside the other library staff members has been an incredible blessing. They created a supportive Christian community and see their work at JBU as a ministry to students and faculty.”

Habermas hopes to spend more time with her grandchildren in the next few years, and looks forward to seeing where the Lord takes her.

Mike Kennelley—15 years Dr. Mike Kennelley, associate professor of business, is retiring after 15 years. Kennelley received his Ph.D. in accounting from Oklahoma State University and taught at Florida State University for 14 years before coming to JBU. Kennelley has helped countless students navigate their capstone business class, Strategic Management, by assisting them with the accounting and financial aspects of their projects. Many of these projects have been entered in the Governor’s Cup Business Plan Competition each year. “It has been a blessing to store up treasures in heaven, and JBU provides many opportunities to do just that,” said Kennelley.

Outside of JBU, Kennelley has participated in mission trips to Mexico and Tanzania. He served as a deacon and was treasurer of the deacon’s fund at Kirk of the Hills Presbyterian Church in Tulsa. He has been active in a number of Habitat for Humanity projects and has assisted in hurricane and tornado relief efforts.

Friends, family, and fishing—that’s

{ RETIREMENTS } how Kennelley plans on spending his retirement. “It has been an honor and privilege to work with the dedicated faculty, staff and administration here at JBU. May God continue to bless the people of JBU!” Tom Lamborn—12 years Dr. Tom Lamborn has had a passion for educating Christian minds his entire life. Before coming to JBU to teach in the teacher education department for 12 years, Lamborn had served as a teacher or principal at Christian schools since 1974.

Getting to know his students in an impactful way has been the most rewarding part of working for JBU, according to Lamborn. “Taking summer mission trips with students has been a great experience for me where I can get to know students on a personal level in a way that cannot be developed in the classroom alone. I hope that I have made a difference in their preparation to teach.”

Friendships made with fellow faculty members have impacted Lamborn’s life for the better. “My colleagues in the teacher education department are very dedicated servants for the Lord!”

Retirement for Lamborn doesn’t mean a change in pace. In fact, he’s going to Santiago, Chile, where he will be the principal of a Christian school that serves the local missionaries as well as other Christian families.

Les Schrader—10 years Grounds Foreman Les Schrader is retiring after 10 years of what he considers to be less of a job and more of an outdoor ministry. “One of the most rewarding parts of working at JBU has been working with the work

study students, watching them grow and mature,” says Schrader. “I hope I’ve influenced at least some of them for good.”

Schrader has served JBU’s campus by mowing the athletic fields, landscaping the new buildings and expanding the campus’s recycling program.

Schrader received his bachelors in Agricultural Education from the University of Missouri in 1968 as well as another diploma from the Rhema Bible Training Center in 1979.

Schrader has worked in numerous capacities, but he has always found a way to be in touch with people. He was the farm supervisor for Missouri State Training School for Boys and the farm manager for a private hog farrowing corporation. He also worked at Ajax Die Casting Company for 13 years as a shift foreman.

Directly before coming to JBU, Schrader served at Pleasant Valley Youth Ranch, a residential care facility for abused teenage boys, for 14 years. He worked with boys in a variety of farm work, such as raising turkeys to support the ranch’s ministry and managing over 200 acres of buildings, fields, and auto shops.

Schrader has gone on several missions trips to India, Ireland and the Navajo people.

Once retired, Schrader hopes to travel the country with his wife and become more actively involved with The Gideons International organization.

“I appreciate the opportunity God has given me to work at JBU,” he said.

“He has taken care of my family and all of our lives are blessed abundantly. I believe and trust that He will continue to take care of us in our retirement years to come.”

Shohreh Noorbakhsh—6 years Shohreh Noorbakhsh has served as the administrative assistant to the director of international programs department for six years. Before coming to JBU, Noorbakhsh worked at various organizations in Northwest Arkansas as an accountant or bookkeeper for 26 years. Due to her mother’s ailments, she worked at Adult Day Cares prior to her mom’s passing in February 2008.

She then worked at the University of Arkansas and Washington Regional Medical Center in before the Lord guided her to JBU. For Noorbakhsh, carrying the deep burdens of the Lord and being able to pray for the students, faculty and staff have been the most rewarding parts of working for JBU. “Since I met Jesus Christ in 1981, His love in my heart for people has been overwhelming, and time with each person has been priceless,” she said.

“I just want to express the depth of my gratitude and appreciation to everyone whose path has crossed mine at JBU in the last few years; for the love, acceptance, support and friendship they have extended to me so unreservedly and generously!”

Once retired, Noorbakhsh plans on spending an extensive amount of time in God’s Word, prayer and intercession for a season.

“My prayer is that God’s people at JBU will stay true to the strong and true teaching of the Word of God and continue to walk in the light of His absolutes and standards,” said Noorbakhsh. “May the Holy Spirit of the living God never be quenched at JBU!” Summer 2015 |

Brown Bulletin | 25

Illustrator’s Fantasy-Based Art Lands Dream Job Jason Flack has had a passion and true calling for illustration since childhood. Flack often spent hours inventing mystical worlds and fantasy creatures using every sheet of paper he could find.

Flack’s mythical creatures and overdramatized human forms may look different at first glance. But behind the deep-sea creatures and monsters is Flack’s own quirky sense of humor, inspired by images in nature, movies, books and the work of other artists.

“I think having an appreciation for the wonderful, creative and absolutely bizarre world that God has created really enables me to translate that passion to my artwork,” Flack said. “My faith is the basis of my positive and weird personality that inspires me to create illustrations that are fun, quirky and hopefully help the viewer laugh a little bit.”

Today Flack, who graduated in 2010, fulfills his dreams by working as a 2D artist/ designer for Imangi Studios based in Raleigh, N.C. Imangi Studios is best known for the development of the popularvideo game app, Temple Run,which, along with its sequel Temple Run 2, has been downloaded 1 billion times and is played in countries like China, India and Germany.

Flack, a double major in illustration 26 | Brown Bulletin | Summer 2015

and graphic design, sketches, draws and paints a variety of projects “ranging from marketing and promotional materials to conceptual illustration for upcoming games.”

“This is by far the best job that I’ve had,” Flack said. “When I decided to enter the video game industry, I never imagined that I would end up at such a great, laid-back and creative company.”

As a senior at JBU, Flack branded himself as a freelance illustrator working on video game and app design for clients as close as Kentucky and as far away as London.

For two years Flack also served as art director over the design department of Collective Bias, a company that creates logos, branding and web design for corporations like Starbucks, Target and Disney.

Growing up in Siloam Springs and with JBU alumni parents, Flack decided to attend JBU because of the proximity, affordability and the quality of JBU and its art program.

Flack is grateful to his art professors who guided him to rekindle his love for art.

“The art department professors were very patient with me and helped me to discover the sort of art that I enjoy and have a passion for creating,” Flack said.

“Specifically, Joel Armstrong was a great mentor to me and really pushed

me to stop dragging my feet and find a direction for my art.”

As an artist, Flack hopes to inspire others to always practice drawing and build relationships with fellow artists. “[Flack] was a great student, and grew both in character and as an artist while he was here,” Joel Armstrong, associate professor of visual arts, said. “As we have remained friends after graduation, I have seen him flourish professionaly as an art director, illustrator and fine artist.”

By Tarah Thomas ’16

{ ALUMNI DIRECTOR — JERRY ROLLENE ’75 }

Alumnus Receives Award for 36-Year Career in Music Industry Imagine walking across the stage of the historic Ryman Auditorium to accept an award at the 49th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards while the Oak Ridge Boys sing “Elvira.”

That’s what JBU alum Paul Moore ’76 experienced last fall when he was awarded the Mae Boren Axton Award for 36 years in the entertainment industry working at the influential William Morris Talent Agency.

In addition to the Oaks Ridge Boys, Moore has been involved with the careers of entertainers like Roy Clark, Marie Osmond, Charlie Daniels, Sandi Patty, Brad Paisley, Ronnie Milsap, Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers, Point of Grace, Rascal Flatts, Kenny Rogers and The Lettermen.

“I almost didn’t come to JBU,” said Moore. He was determined to follow his brother Doug,to the University of Arkansas, but his other siblings, Lee ’57 and Alice (McQuay) ’58, had other plans. They had invited him to many programs at JBU, including hearing the Cathedral Choir under the direction of Dr. Mabel Oiesen.

“She was such a dramatic figure,” said Moore. “I can still picture her in my mind as she conducted the choir.”

But it was The Sound Generation, JBU’s traveling contemporary music group, that finally Dr. Mabel Oiesen turned Moore’s head to JBU. “When I heard them for the first time, I was smitten. I wanted to be a part of that group,” he said.

Under the direction of leaders like Bill Hartman, John Coates and Roger Byrd, Moore learned how to lead a group of 18-20 kids doing shows from coast to coast, talking about their faith and the university.

Above: Paul Moore receives a plaque of appreciation from the Oak Ridge Boys.

Below: Moore, with his wife Beth, holding the Mae Boren Axton Award he received at the 49th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards in 2014.

“I was 21... in charge of a group of young people who were, for the most part, younger than me. This was the ultimate application of the “Head, Heart, Hand” philosophy where you could use your talents in order to work your way through school.”

After leaving JBU, Moore went to Chicago to work for Klein’s Entertainment, a company that had booked many dates for The Sounds. For the next three years Moore learned how to produce shows.

When an opportunity opened up to move back to Nashville, he took it.

Through a mutual friend Moore met Beth Caldwell in 1980 and they married the next year. “She has been and continues to be one of the greatest sources of strength and inspiration in my life.”

In 2014 Moore retired from William Morris. “I needed to step back and wait for direction to the ‘next chapter’ of my life,” he said.

When asked what advice he would give to young people who want to be

involved in the entertainment industry, he said, “Follow your dream, but prepare yourself. Learn to ‘walk, talk, and chew gum’ at the same time. I firmly believe that is something we were taught at JBU and for that, I’m grateful.”

Jerry Rollene is the Director of Alumni and Parent Relations.

Summer 2015 |

Brown Bulletin | 27

{ ALUMNI MILESTONES } ALUMNI NEWS Dr. A.J. Anglin ’64 was selected to

serve as interim vice president for academic affairs at Arkansas Tech University. The appointment is anticipated to last until July 2016.

Caren (Lewis) Austen ’77 recently

moved from Dallas to El Paso to add the title of “Granny Nanny” to her resume.

While continuing her freelance writing career, she is caring for her three grandchildren, Brigid, 7; Katrin, 4; and Liam 2, children of her daughter, Vanessa, and her husband, Brian.

Alex (Morrison) Fitzgerald ’10 was

named to the board of directors of the Elizabeth Richardson Center which operates 10 locations throughout Northwest Arkansas that serve children with disabilities.

Julie Gumm ’95 recently published

“You Can Adopt Without Debt: Creative Ways to Cover the Cost of Adoption.” She, husband Mark Gumm ’94 and their four children relocated to Siloam Springs last summer when Julie took a position in University Communications at JBU. Delia Haak ’88 was appointed by President Barack Obama to be chairman of the ArkansasOklahoma Arkansas River Compact Commission, which determines how much water from the Arkansas River and its tributaries each 28 | Brown Bulletin | Summer 2015

state can use, monitors pollution levels and coordinates between the waterquality agencies in both states. Haak is also executive director of the Illinois River Watershed Partnership.

Jeremy Hudson ’02

was named to the Urban Land Institute’s 40 Under 40 list. The list which recognizes the best and brightest young land use professionals from around the globe.

Hudson led the development of ECO Modern Flats, creating a new market for sustainably designed apartments in Fayetteville, Ark.

NEW ARRIVALS Toby Friesen ’05 and Summer (Cox) Friesen ’07 announce

the arrival of Whitfield “Whit” Friesen born on October 3, 2014.

Hannah Kirkbride Kraner ’03 and her

husband Tom welcomed Max Orval Kirkbride Kraner on September 5, 2014.

Argle Smith ’07

recently published “On Purpose: A Biblical Study of Genesis,” designed to help modern readers understand why humanity exists and who the creator really is.

Jonathan Marks ’14 recently had

an article published in the Fall 2014 edition of the Journal of Theta Alpha Kappa. The article is titled, “Are the Disabled and Disadvantaged Enabled in Islam?”

Becky Bennett Lindell ’98, husband David, and sons Owen and Elliot welcomed Henley Faye Lindell on December 15, 2013.

Luke McFadden ’07 and Lindsay (Mittermeyer) McFadden ’07 are

headed to Cambodia as missionaries.

They will work with Rapha House — a ministry to girls that have been rescued from sex trafficking.

Abby (Kirkbride) Rasmussen ’07

became an associate at the Denver office of Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck. Kirkbride is a member of the firm’s real estate department, focusing on acquisition, development, financing, leasing and disposition of various commerical properties.

Christopher Wilson ’97 and wife Kristin welcomed their first child, daughter Finlee Renee, on December 2, 2014.

Send your professional and family news for publication in the Brown Bulletin to jgumm@jbu.edu.

{ IN MEMORIAM } Ray Jackson Barnett, age 95, died

on Feb. 5. He graduated from Ouachita Baptist University with a degree in biology before receiving his master’s in religious education from Central Baptist Seminary.

He served in the U.S. Army in Okinawa from 1944-46 before and after the Japanese surrendered. After the war he became a pastor, leader and teacher.

He taught at JBU for nine years. He is survived by his wife Dora Laurine Barnett; children David, Robert, Mark, Jonathan, James, Jane Johnson and Mary Boxx; 19 grandchildren; and 22 great-grandchildren.

Brandon Berger, age 23, died on Feb. 2 after a car accident.

He attended JBU for two years studying sports medicine. He is survived by his parents Leon and Vicky Johnston Berger; sister Noel; and his grandmother, Patricia.

Barbara Toney Bragg ’55, age 80,

died on Nov. 6, 2014.

She received her bachelor’s degree in English from JBU and her master’s of education from University of Arkansas.

She taught for 23 years as an elementary school teacher before retiring. She and her husband John established the Barbara and John Bragg Endowed Scholarship for JBU students majoring in elementary education. She is survived by her daughters, Gladys Strickland and Becky Hall; and three grandchildren.

Opal “Ellen” Brammer ’79, age 57, died on Jan. 29. She graduated from JBU with a degree in accounting and

worked for Wal-Mart Stores Inc. as well as for Proctor and Gamble. She is survived by her mother, Opal Brammer; and sister Barbara Farnsworth.

Cliff Brooks, age 90, died on April

16. He taught at JBU for 10 years as a Red Cross volunteer and led classes in Instructor Training for Water Safety Instructors and Lifeguard Trainees.

Cliff was a longtime supporter of JBU and JBU athletics, involved with the JBU swim team and was a member of the Golden Eagle Hall of Fame. He is survived by his children Jan Henderson, Jeri Cook, Michael and Robin; and siblings Oran, Robert, Emma Nelson and Letha Smith.

Harlan Clary, age 65, died on Novem-

ber 5, 2014. He grew up in Maysville and Gravette, Ark. and attended JBU, studying chemistry. He is survived by his daughters, Stormy, Jennifer Blish, Shanie Jackson; sons Waylon, Johnnye, Chris and Justin; 14 grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Larry Culberson, age 70, died on

Oct. 31, 2014. He attended JBU, received his bachelor’s at Bradley University and his master’s and doctorate in Civil Engineering from Oklahoma State University. He worked for Chicago Bridge and Iron, working in Texas, Chicago, Memphis and Salt Lake City, before working for FMC Jetway for 17 years and finally Tetra Tec. He umpired high school baseball for 24 years when he wasn’t traveling with his wife, singing in church or spending time with his grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Carole; children Nathan, Joel, Aaron, and Rebecca Palfreyman; and 16 grandchildren.

Ryan DaCosta ’14, age 22, passed

away on July 6, 2014, from compli-

cations from lupus.

He graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and married his college sweetheart, Ariel Forret on May 31, 2014.

DaCosta is survived by his wife; five brothers; and his mother and stepfather, Jane and Richard Schaefer.

Helen Peterson Eash ’56, age 83,

died on Feb. 11. Eash was born in Venezuela to pioneer missionaries Arthur and Elin Peterson. She received her bachelor’s in Biblical studies from JBU before returning to Venezuela as a missionary to help the Evangelical Free Church found a Christian day school.

She met her husband there, and together they started Venezuelan churches.

The couple retired in Washington, remaining active in their church. Helen taught women’s Bible studies and Sunday school. She is survived by her husband, Harold; sons Douglas and Darrell; and five grandchildren.

Walter Eshleman ’55, age 102, died on Nov. 5, 2014.

Eshleman taught at Hebron Bible College, and retired from Alco Products in 1975. He was a migratory beekeeper, transporting bees from New York State to Cypress Indian Reserve in Central Florida until 1982. He is survived by his wife Helen; children Norman, Mark, John, Robert, William, Joel, Brenda Gardner and Judy Malys; 19 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren.

Gloria Jean Gale ’75, age 61, died May 9. A lifetime student, Gale had a bachelor’s, two master’s degrees and Summer 2015 |

Brown Bulletin | 29

a Ph.D. in education.

She was a lover of music and an accomplished pianist. Gale was an elementary teacher, music educator, school librarian and taught at Western Michigan University before coming to JBU in 2000. At JBU, Gale worked as a professor of education, chair for the department of education, director of the degree completion program and associate dean to the graduate college education. Gale is survived by her mother, her husband Thomas; daughters Anna Johnson and Angela Ostberg; 8 grandchildren; siblings Jared Griffis, Greg Griffis and Amanda Jones.

Emma Lange Goodrich ’26, age 107, died on Jan. 25. Her family moved to the U.S. from Walingen, Germany in 1910.

She graduated from John Brown School, the female branch of JBU in Sulphur Springs, Ark.. Throughout her life, Emma was an artist. She also enjoyed composing poetry and writing children’s stories. She is survived by her sons, William Crier and Jack Crier; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Michael Graham ’89, age 67, died

on Dec. 14, 2014.

After attending college, Michael pastored many small churches throughout the U.S. He is survived by his wife, Twila; daughters Dolcey Pankaskie, Amy Schramm, and Kim Harper; and five grandchildren.

Ruth Anna Bonge Graham ’00, age 37, died on Dec. 12, 2014. She received her bachelor’s degree in family 30 | Brown Bulletin | Summer 2015

and human services from JBU. She had her black belt in Tae Kwon Do and served in her church. She is survived by her husband, Brian; children Ethan, Katherine, and Jonathan; and parents Marc and Carolyn Bonge.

William Donald Hobbs ’60, age 82, died on Nov. 19, 2014. He served in the U.S. Air Force for 4 years of active duty and 27 years on reserve. In 1959, on a photojournalism tour of Africa, his group was ambushed in Algeria.

Shot twice, he was the sole survivor.

He enjoyed photography, World War II reenactments, reading, traveling and collecting military memorabilia.

He is survived by his wife Mary Lynn; daughter Candy (Joe) Stanley; and two granddaughters.

Marie White Hurte ’51, age 84, died

on Jan. 21. She received her bachelor’s in English and social studies at JBU before moving back to Long Beach, Calif., where she and her husband worked as teachers and administrators at the Southern California Military Academy. She worked there for 35 years. They retired at Canyon Lake, Calif., where Marie helped lead the Lakewood Meals on Wheels project. She is survived by her sons Ron, Brad, and Geoff; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Randi Jo Hutchison-Kelso ’01, age

45, died on Nov. 25, 2014. She received her bachelor’s degree from University of Arkansas in 1992, a double master’s degree from JBU in 2001,

then returned to University of Arkansas for her principal certification the following year.

She was an art teacher and counselor in Texas and Arkansas public school systems. She is survived by her husband Bryan; children Hutchison, Gage and Dylan; and parents Johnny and Phyllis Hutchison.

Rex London, age 86, died on Oct. 24, 2014. He attended JBU and Arkansas Tech before receiving his bachelor’s of science from San Jose State University in California. He was an engineer in the electronics industry in the early days of Silicon Valley.

He enjoyed traveling, sharing, reading and gardening. He is survived by his daughters Elizabeth and Jeanne (Ted) McCann; and five grandsons.

Dorothy McCaw, age 89, died on Jan.

13. As a child, she was a musical prodigy. She played the piano and cello, copyrighted original compositions and produced an operetta titled “The Pied Piper,” performed by the Children’s Theater in Houston, Texas. She volunteered to teach music at a sheltered workshop, and was a founding member of the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra in 1951 playing the cello and later served on its board of directors. She funded scholarships for many universities, including an engineering scholarship at JBU. She is survived by her children: William, John and Mary Old; eight grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

Jervy Millemon, age 93, died on Dec. 27, 2014. He attended JBU as a mechanical engineering student, but

{ IN MEMORIAM } left to volunteer for the U.S. Navy during WWII where he served in the Pacific Islands for 4 years. He received his associate degree in diesel mechanics at Oklahoma A & M. He was called back into the Navy and was sent on the first hydrogen bomb test at the Eniwetok Atoll. After he was discharged, he farmed and ranched with his family in Nardin, Okla., for 60 years. He is survived by his wife Bernadene; sons Aaron, Dan and Edwin; daughter Laurel Beth Hayes; six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren.

Clarence Nieuwsma ’50, age 97, died on Oct. 8, 2014.

His wife Marianne Nieuwsma, age 88, died a week earlier on Oct. 1. Clarence was a pilot in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII. After, he pursued a degree in Biblical studies from Biola University. There, he met Marianne, who was studying for her missionary medical certificate. The two married in 1949 and came to JBU to study. They worked in church planting in the Philippines for 25 years. When they returned to the States, Marianne became a licensed vocational nurse while Clarence tutored and discipled international college students. They are survived by their children Myra Gruenberg, Tim, David, Duane, Darrell and Brian; 15 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren.

the U.S. Navy at Great Lakes, Ill. He practiced general dentistry for 38 years in Curwensville, Pa., and 21 years in the Pennsylvania State Dental System. He is survived by his wife, Susan; children Brian and Shari Roger; and his granddaughter, Erin.

Julius James Rosewicz ’63, age 73,

died on Nov. 14, 2014.

Rosewicz worked for King Press for over 50 years, starting as a pressman and eventually becoming vice president of customer service. He was a 22-year veteran of the Missouri National Guard, retiring as a staff sergeant from the 203rd. He is survived by his wife Loretta and his son Michael.

Gloria Leach Varnell ’50, age 85, died on Dec. 13, 2014. Varnell grew up in Chicago and lived in Tennessee for most of her life. She graduated from JBU with a degree in home economics and was a dietitian at Hiwassee College

before settling in Athens, Tenn. She is survived by her daughters Karen Cole and Jennifer Hutsell; two grandsons; and one great-granddaughter.

Edna Blair Watts, age 98, died on

Dec. 4, 2014. Watts studied at JBU and was the first Arkansas employee of BlueCross/ Blue Shield. She started a women’s department at the Arkansas Lighthouse for the Blind in Little Rock and was an accountant for McDonellDouglas Aircraft during WWII. She is survived by her stepsons Donnie and Mike Watts; two grandsons; and one great-grandson.

Helen Bradshaw Wilmoth, age

91, died on July 6, 2014. Wilmoth was an elementary and high school teacher for many years before becoming a professor at JBU in the home economics department. She is survived by her daughter Janet Wilkerson; five grandchildren; and 12 greatgrandchildren.

You know spring has arrived on campus when work study students are planting new annuals around the campus entrance sign.

Fred Shoff Read ’67, age 69, died on

Nov. 6, 2014. He received his bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from JBU before becoming a dentist for Summer 2015 |

Brown Bulletin | 31

{ FROM THE EDITOR — LUCAS ROEBUCK ’97 }

Good Prank/Bad Prank Historical and Mythical Shenanigans at JBU The most striking and distinctive JBU architectural feature built in the last decade is not one of the imposing new edifices of brick and steel rising out of the rolling hills on the northwest side of campus. Sure, the Balzer Technology Center, Simmons Great Hall, Bill George Arena and Berry Performing Arts are all impressive and highly functional.

But none of them grab your attention like the new JBU fountain in center of the Cathedral Plaza.

The fountain is, by almost any definition, a work of art.

And it’s inspiring… pranks.

Not surprisingly, the fountain became a suds churn as student decided to add some bubbling detergent to the otherwise clear flow of the fountain — this time just before spring break. Students participating in the unrelated #ChipOnATrip program (see page 5) captured the moment on social media (see photo left).

Dr. Chip Pollard, truly a student’s president, communicates with students that even he enjoys a good prank from time to time (like when hundreds of clocks from around the university magically ended up in his office), provided that no property is damaged or people are hurt or humiliated. Good guidelines, to be sure, to separate the good pranks from the bad.

Depending on whom you ask, JBU’s history of pranks is legendary — or mythical. Here are a few of those legendary/mythical pranks in JBU history.

Good pranks or bad pranks? You decide.

• Christian comedian Ken Davis regularly came to JBU in the 90s. Enterprising students regularly pranked 32 | Brown Bulletin | Summer 2015

his chapels, with bubble machines and parachuting toy soldiers emerging from the rafters in the middle of his shtick.

• Another chapel classic: Pranksters taped dozens of alarm clocks underneath the pews in chapel, all scheduled to sound a wake up call for dozing students every five minutes.

• I’ve often heard about, but never actually talked to anyone who witnessed the great pew reversal, when students went in and turned all the pews backward the night before chapel.That’s a lot of work.

• A few men in California dorm attempted to convince a young lady she was going crazy.When she was gone during open dorm, they removed her door and frame and then actually walled in her room and even matched the color to the rest of the wall.When she came back, her dorm room was just gone.

• The “steal-all-the-shower curtains in Mayfield” prank was apparently a classic, revisited for several decades by mischievous J. Alvin residents. Of course, the old J. Alvin suites used to have shared, multihead shower stalls in the restrooms, so the curtains came in handy.

• Speaking of restrooms, you’ll have to ask facilities service director Steve Brankle how they got the port-a-potty off of the flag pole monument. No one confessed how it got it up there.

• Or the infamous pool prank when seniors took the silverware from the cafeteria and decided to see if it would float in the pool.

Unconfirmed rumor has it that some seniors didn’t get to walk because of the prank. It was unclear if they had to pay to refill the pool, which had to be drained to recollect the silverware.

• My personal favorite was when the J. Alvin night watch desk was stolen right from under the nose of the night watch guard in the middle of the night — and hung by two legs over the peak of the LRC roof. No word on if the student security guard kept his job.

Lucas Roebuck is JBU’s chief communications officer and editor of the Brown Bulletin. Email him your true-or-not prank stories at lroebuck@jbu.edu.

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HOMECOMING SAVE THE DATE: OC T O B E R 2 - 3, 2015

FEATURING THE CLASS OF ‘65 FIFTY-YEAR REUNION AND CLASS REUNIONS FOR ʼ70, ʼ75, ʼ80, ʼ85, ʼ90, ʼ95, ʼ00, ʼ05, AND ʼ10 See an exclusive sneak peek of Loving Lynda — the compelling, true love story of long-time JBU faculty Dr. Jim Walters and his wife Lynda. Loving Lynda is the latest film by JBU alumnus and awardwinning filmmaker Jacob Roebuck ’97. Don’t miss the opportunity to see this film before it is released in theaters in Spring 2016. Saturday’s Showcase Performance will feature some of the most well-known numbers from award-winning stage productions of Les Miserables, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Phantom of the Opera.

AS WELL AS: Intercollegiate Volleyball and Soccer Matches • Rugby and Ultimate Frisbee Matches • Alumni Soccer and Basketball Games • Recognition of Outstanding Alumni • Special Activities at Kidzone!

For more information and to register visit www.jbu.edu/homecoming