I M PAC T excellence in faculty scholarship VOLUME 3, 2018
Media & Meningitis dr. marquita smith equips ghanaians to report on community issues
fa i t h & law
flannery o’connor’s unfinished work
Dr. Daniel Bennett dissects today᾽s Christian legal movement in his new book, Defending Faith
Dr. Jessica Wilson edits Flannery OʹConnorʹs unfinished book, Why Do the Heathen Rage?
putting the “i” in team Greg Robinson encourages students to focus on individual improvement for collaborative benefit john brown university | 1
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fa it h & l aw Dr. Daniel Bennett dissects today's Christian legal movement in his new book, Defending Faith
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p u t t ing t he “i” in t e a m Greg Robinson encourages students to focus on individual improvement for collaborative benefit
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f l a nne r y o’c o nno r’s u nf inis he d Wo r k Dr. Jessica Wilson edits Flannery O'Connor's unfinished book, Why Do the Heathen Rage?
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m e dia & m e ning it is Dr. Marquita Smith equips Ghanaians to report on community issues
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f r o m c o nf e r e nc e to classroom Dr. Jay Bruce examines the impact his writing and research has on students
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a l if e wit h c h r is t in c o r r o s io n From rust to silver, Joel Armstrong reflects redemption in Christ through art research & teaching impact
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t h e s t r u c t u r e o f e d uc at ion
CONTENTS
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Dr. Robert Moore studies ancient education at the Islamic Research Center in Bonn, Germany scholarship & community impact
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Swa h il i & Ch il dr e n’s Book s New JBU professor, Dr. Jeremy Allen, finds unique sources of musical inspiration research & student impact
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Ca r ing f o r Sag e r Cr e ek Dr. Timothy Wakefield and students research pollution in Sager Creek research & student impact
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c l a s s in t he c r e e k Savannah Stauffer's biology class assists Dr. Wakefield's research project
“siloam springs, arkansas” peter pohle, associate professor of visual arts
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r e ac hing g e ne r at io n z Balzer Lecture explores simplicity & authenticity craved by Generation Z
john brown university | 3
Your stories can inspire their stories. Share yours and refer a student (or two) to JBU.
www.jbu.edu / refer
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COME VISIT: we’ll reimburse the gas for vehicles of 4+ prospective students!
I M PAC T
A Publication Highlighting Excellence in John Brown University Faculty Scholarship administration dr. charles pollard president dr. ed ericson vice president for academic affairs julie gumm ’95 director of university communications publisher dr. carla swearingen dean of faculty development editor dr. jacob stratman chair of humanities
celebrating faculty scholarship “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of
creative director kevin gabbert ’18 editorial support Tarah Thomas ’16 Spencer Patterson ’19 Tyler Kihm ’20
contributors Jamie Walt ’13, Samuel Cross-Meredith ’18, Jessica Mains ’19, Valerie McArthur ’18, Alena Logan ’18, Lydia DeGisi ’20, Savannah Stauffer ’14, Dr. Jay Bruce Impact, a publication highlighting excellence in JBU faculty scholarship, is published once a year by John Brown University jointly by University Communications and the Office of Faculty Development. Correspondence and feedback can be mailed to Dr. Jacob Stratman, John Brown University, 2000 W. University, Siloam Springs, AR 72761. This publication can be found online at jbu.edu/impact-magazine.
his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3) When I was a postdoctoral research associate in chemistry, one of the tasks that I enjoyed the most was viewing my lab-created gold nanotubes through an electron microscope. Nothing other than tiny spots were visible to the human eye; however, when imaged with electron beams, the details and intricacies of the materials were complex and stunning. Looking through the microscope was, for me, a form of worship. Isaiah 6:3 has always been a favorite verse of mine because it establishes scientific study, as well as other forms of scholarly and creative endeavors, as acts of worship. When we investigate, experiment, create and survey, we catch glimpses of God’s glory, and these enterprises help us to understand who he is. What a privilege it is to share with you stories of the work of JBU faculty members, each of whom is exploring the majesty of God in his or her own way. I pray that as you read the research profiles in this issue of Impact, ranging from studies of the vitality of Sager Creek in Siloam Springs to the media’s role in public health in Ghana, you will see each project as worship. May we all develop fresh eyes to see that the glory of the Lord fills the whole earth.
“ wh e n we i n ve s t i g at e , e x p e r i m e n t, c r e at e an d s u r ve y, w e catc h g l i m ps e s of g od' s g lor y, an d t h e s e enterprises h e l p u s to u n d e r s tan d wh o h e i s .”
Blessings, Dr. Carla Swearingen Dean of Faculty Development Director of ATLAS Professor of Chemistry
www.jbu.edu john brown university | 5
Dr. Daniel B en movement in nett dissects today’s christian l his new boo egal k, Defendin g Faith
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by jamie wa
lt ’13
T
he political climate in the United States is changing, and Dr. Daniel Bennett, assistant professor of political science, saw a gap in the narrative and
research that needed to be filled. His book, Defending
Faith: The Politics of the Christian Conservative Legal
Movement (University of Kansas Press), takes an in-depth look at the Christian legal movement in America today. His book was born from a research idea he discovered during the second year of his doctoral program at Southern Illinois University. While researching for a seminar in law and politics, he read
Daniel Bennett is an assistant professor of political science. His research is focused on the intersection of American politics, law, and religion. He enjoys teaching american government and politics, research methods and design, religion and politics, and constitutional law.
about the conservative legal groups and noticed some divisions within this movement. Specifically, social conservatives, including Christians, were considered almost as afterthoughts and did not appear to overlap with other elements of the movement. Bennett began
he found himself impressed by the sense of teamwork and the mutuality between christian legal groups as they fight with passion for religious freedoms. to wonder, “Who has been looking at these Christian lawyers and their motivations?” The lack of research available on the Christian legal movement in America answered that question for him, and his future dissertation topic was born. However, as he says, “like most dissertations, it wasn’t very good, at least not good enough to submit for publication.” This initial failure drove his desire to reframe it, flesh it out, and, with the inclusion of additional research and answers to questions he had not yet been able to explore, turn it into a full-fledged book. Bennett’s book explores the broader issue of who these legal organizations—such as Alliance Defending Freedom and The American Center for Law and Justice—are, what they do, with whom they compete and cooperate, and what the answers to those questions mean for the next stages of culture wars
john brown university | 7
in the United States. To do this, Bennett analyzed
that this is because the people who come to them for
several thousand press releases and interviewed
help tend to be Christians. Moreover, these groups
more than 30 different attorneys, all of whom agreed
argue that the outcome of the cases and causes they
to speak on the record.
represent will have a broader impact for other faith
Specifically, Bennett wanted to dig into what
traditions, regardless of who the clients are.
questions drive these communities, how Christians
Bennett is also concerned about the future of such
are involved in culture, and what motivations
organizations that do not see the long-term impact of
drive these groups and their constituencies. He
their staunch positions. Political and legal change is
was surprised by the lawyers’ willingness to be so
inevitable, and according to Bennett, “the pendulum
forthcoming about the tensions within the movement
is going to swing back.” If these groups are mindful
and their acknowledgment of past tensions. At the
of their actions and words now, the future may bode
same time, though, Bennett found himself impressed
well for them. However, if they do not take care to
by the sense of teamwork and the mutuality between
find ways to compromise and work with others in a
Christian legal groups as they fight with passion for
peaceable and reasonable manner, when the tide turns
religious freedoms. With sentiments about Christians
and they are truly in the legal minority, it may very
becoming more of a cultural minority, Bennett
well pull them out to sea.
says, “arguably, these organizations are going to be
This concern about Christian legal groups’ long
on the forefront of future battles, much more than
game has come to the forefront in United States
just endorsing certain candidates for positions or
politics with regards to Alliance Defending Freedom’s
congressmen, but in the courts.”
(ADF)
involvement
in
Masterpiece
Cakeshop
v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Bennett is
“these groups speak highly for religious liberty for all, but the fact is, they’re not explicitly fighting for anyone but christians.”
encouraged that, rather than rooting their arguments in Judeo-Christian principles, ADF is appealing to principles of free speech and expression. They are not approaching the case as a religious question but instead as a question of artistry. That is, not requiring an artist to endorse a message he or she does not believe in. ADF is making a rights-based argument rather than asserting a religious or cultural claim, and that, according to Bennett, positions them well for the future. This is not to say that Bennett believes any of these groups to be disingenuous. In fact, quite the opposite:
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Supporting this, Bennett spoke briefly about the
“I agree with several of the groups’ approaches as
“pendulum swing” the Trump presidency has brought
it applies to the First Amendment principle, and I
about with regard to these groups and their influence
genuinely got the sense that they were ‘true believers.’”
in government. Several of Trump’s judicial nominees
He feels he was able to see this objectively because he
have connections to the Christian legal movement,
approached the groups without any taglines about his
such as Amy Coney Barrett, now a judge on the
own faith. At the same time, however, he also speaks
Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals. And Trump’s legal
on how growing up in “this [Judeo-Christian] world”
team in the Russia investigation is aided by American
and being able to speak the language like an “insider”
Center for Law and Justice chief counsel Jay Sekulow.
helped him get interviews with attorneys in the
Though Bennett worked hard to remove biases
Christian legal movement. One lawyer even opened
from his book to stay as impartially driven and
up their conversation by asking Bennett if he knew
academically-oriented as possible, he did have some
whether or not he was going to heaven if he were to die
thoughts to share outside the book about the lawyers
that day. After they had talked through the specificities
he interviewed and the organizations they represent.
of Bennett’s faith, the lawyer told Bennett he had just
“These groups speak highly for religious liberty for
wanted to make sure he was “one of the good guys”;
all, but the fact is, they’re not explicitly fighting for
he did not want himself or his organization to be
anyone but Christians.” That is, Christian legal groups’
misrepresented.
clients tend to be Christians. However, he also noted
Outside his book and inside his time at John
that these groups would more than likely point out
Brown University, Bennett says he has not so much
tried to bring political awareness to campus, as he has actively sought to facilitate students’ enthusiasm for political awareness. His goal is to help students think deeply, but it is the students themselves who have brought forward ideas about different events on campus, specifically with last year's presidential election. Election-related events were mostly studentinitiated, and Bennett is pleased with how students are voicing their beliefs and becoming leaders on campus. That said, Bennett has not leaned entirely on students to raise issues on campus. Last September, Bennett worked with several offices on campus to bring in two nationally-known speakers for a conversation about the future of faith and public life, with more than 300 people in attendance for the evening discussion. During the fall 2017 semester, Bennett hosted a one-hour colloquium course with the Honors Scholars Program titled “Religion and the Law.” He expressed surprise and thankfulness to have a class of students who, without any background in law or legal questions, have “really just committed to talking through a series of difficult issues.” Students in the class range across the political spectrum, but all have the boldness and patience of spirit to discuss the variety of hot topics brought forward in the class. Bennett also mentioned how impressive they were in their preparations for their oral presentations in a mock Supreme Court argument open to the campus community. Bennett graduated from George Fox University in 2008 with his bachelor’s degree and from Southern Illinois University in 2013 with his doctoral degree. When he and his wife Caitlyn finally got a copy of his book, they marveled at it. “It’s a pretty small volume, but a lot went into it, and a lot went on behind the scenes that isn’t evident when it’s sitting there on the bookshelf.” He was scheduled to formally propose his dissertation topic the day after his son was born, and by the time the resulting book was published in July 2017, he not only had three children but had lived in four different states: Illinois, Washington, Kentucky, and Arkansas. Bennett is thankful for the family support that went in to making his book and academic journey possible, and is also thankful that this chapter of his life is complete and published.
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john brown university | 9
10 | impact
PUTTING
Greg Robinson is currently the associate professor of outdoor leadership ministries. Previously, he was the program director for HoneyRock, the Outdoor Center for Leadership Development of Wheaton College, as well as president of Challenge Quest, LLC in Pryor, Oklahoma, and the managing member of Adventure Quest Recreation, LLC.
THE “I” IN
TEAM
Greg Robinson encourages students to focus on individual improvement for collaborative benefit by samuel cross-meredith ’18 When Greg Robinson, associate professor of outdoor
over a decade's worth of research and attempts to
leadership ministries, started working at John Brown
improve across all kinds of organizations, research
University in 2014, the outdoor leadership program
tells us we're no closer to figuring that out,” Robinson
had two students left.
said of his new book, Leading from Where You Are,
“The major started in 1999, and at that time it
(Wood ‘N’ Barnes).
was a fast-growing major,” Robinson said. Eventually,
The book's primary focus is not on how one works
however, interest in the major began to decline.
with a group. Instead, it argues that the reader should
Around the mid- to late-2000s, the program almost
focus on themselves. “I've wanted to help people
dissolved. “It kind of slid into other ministry degrees
understand how they can impact the collaborative
and was primarily taught by adjuncts,” Robinson said.
culture of their organization from wherever they are.
Robinson, a JBU alumnus (,89), felt the major had
They don't need to be in charge or be a leader. It's all
potential. “I had an interest in it, I lived in the area, and I ran adventure businesses at the time. I made a pitch and said it could be revived.”
about the kind of presence you have,” Robinson said. Through self-improvement and self-awareness, an individual will more positively impact an organization.
Outdoor leadership naturally appeals to JBU’s
A principle embedded in the philosophy of the
motto of educating the head, heart, hand. The
outdoor leadership program is that shared experience
discipline is built on a tactile principle of experiential
is diminished if every person involved is attempting
education. In other words, students learn by doing,
to make the experience memorable. “The best way to
and they learn to teach others how to do so. “The
help a group be collaborative is to quit focusing on
underlying theory behind it is experiential education,
everybody else, and start focusing on the one person
so it's about being intentional in reflecting on an
you actually have the power to change: yourself.”
experience together,” Robinson said.
Robinson is the author of two other books:
Shared experience is essential to the courses taught
Adventure and the Way of Jesus: An Experiential
within the major. It’s essential that students learn with
Approach to Christian Formation (Wood ‘N’ Barnes),
one another. So essential, in fact, that Robinson wrote
and A Leadership Paradox: Influencing Others by
a book on it.
Defining Yourself (AuthorHouse), which he co-
One of the purposes of Robinson's book is to provide a better definition of collaboration. “With
authored with Mark Rose.
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john brown university | 11
Flannery O'Connor's Unfinished Work Dr. Jessica Wilson edits Flannery OʼConnorʼs unfinished book, Why Do the Heathen Rage?
by jessica mains ’19
D
12 | impact
r. Jessica Hooten Wilson,
award, a $5,000 prize given by Redeemer University
associate professor of creative writing
and its many esteemed sponsors to recognize the
and author of three books, including
work of emerging, influential Christian researchers
Giving the Devil his Due: Demonic
and scholars. In December, her book Giving the Devil
Authority in the Fiction of Flannery O’Connor and
his Due was awarded Christianity Today’s 2017 Book
Fyodor Dostoevsky, has been gaining traction in her
Award for Culture and the Arts, an honor reserved
field over the last several years. In November 2017, she
for “the books most likely to shape evangelical life,
was given the prestigious Emerging Public Intellectual
thought, and culture.”
For the 2017-2018 school year, JBU granted Wilson a full-year sabbatical write a scholarly introduction and edit Flannery O’Connor’s unfinished novel Why Do the Heathen Rage? She began the project in 2015 and is the only scholar in the world to have the permission of the O’Connor estate to edit the manuscript. The story, one of O’Connor’s final manuscripts, explores what it might look like to live as a saint in the 20th century American South. It tells the story of a Southerner who begins writing letters to a New York social activist. Their correspondence leads
back an nth of the debt I owe to O’Connor for the vision she has given me of the Christian pilgrimage.”
“...to imagine that i am paying back an nth of the debt i owe to o’connor for the vision she has given me of the christian pilgrimage.”
the Southerner to face his unintentional belief in God
In order to accomplish this work, Wilson
and to realize his need to live an active rather than
received an invitation to join a highly competitive
solely contemplative life.
academic cohort in La Mirada, California, at Biola
Wilson describes the work as daunting. “I’m
University’s Center for Christian Thought (CCT).
not O’Connor,” she says. “There is a humility that is
Biola’s CCT Research Fellowship, funded in part by
necessary in serving someone else’s work as an editor;
the Templeton Religion Trust, also contributed to
you must decrease that the artist herself increases.”
Wilson’s O’Connor project by providing space for
She also recognizes, however, the audacity needed to
research, weekly professional development seminars,
edit a work whose author cannot argue or respond.
“there is a humility that is necessary in serving someone else’s work as an editor; you must decrease that the artist herself increases.”
presentations by guest researchers, including Wilson, and opportunities to study under notable theologians such as Eleonore Stump and Miroslav Volf. Wilson was also given a travel grant from the Conference on Christianity and Literature as well as a grant from the Flannery O’Connor Review to do archival research at Georgia State College and at Emory University. In January 2018, Wilson submitted the completed work to the O’Connor estate and is awaiting their feedback on her work. In the meantime, she
Though the tension between O’Connor’s unfinished
is coediting a volume of essays on Aleksandr
drafts and her intended product is intimidating, the
Solzhenitsyn’s influence and pertinence in American
work is not without its rewards. One of the greatest
culture and turning her attention back to writing her
rewards, Wilson says, is “to imagine that I am paying
own novel.
■
Jessica Wilson is an associate professor of creative writing and an associate director of the JBU Honors Scholar Program. She has authored three books: “Giving the Devil His Due: Demonic Authority in the Fiction of Flannery O’Connor and Fyodor Dostoevsky,” “Walker Percy, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and the Seach for Influence,” and “Reading Walker Percy's Novels.”
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Media & Meningitis dr. marquita smith equips Ghanaians to report on community issues
by valerie mc arthur ’18
14 | impact
D r . M a r q u i ta S m i t h
Marquita Smith is the chair of the division of communication and fine arts and an associate professor of journalism. Overseeing the communication department, she instills in her students the importance of honest journalism, effective communication, and diversity in media. She was named one of the top journalism professors nationwide in 2012.
has elephant figurines from around the world on display in every nook and cranny of her office, complete with elephant hooks on her coat rack and an elephant painting hung haphazardly over her desk. Smith can look at each one and tell its story, listing the places and people she got them from. One elephant figurine she recently purchased in West Africa.
john brown university | 15
Smith, chair of the division of communication and fine arts and associate professor of journalism, spent a year in Accra, Ghana, as a 2016-2017 Fulbright U.S. Scholar, teaching graduate students at the University of Ghana while researching media attitudes toward women’s health. Smith’s grant for the mass communications, journalism and broadcasting teaching/research position in Ghana is only given to one recipient each year. Smith is one out of four current JBU professors that have received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar fellowship. “I got my doctorate to become a better professor and help students, and when I was applying for grad school I told them that I’d like to do a Fulbright,” Smith said. “I’ve been passionate about media development since 2005,” Smith said, explaining an interest sparked from six months spent in Liberia as part of the press corps, covering the election of President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, the first elected female head of state in Africa. While there, Smith was regularly featured on radio shows and in various media outlets. But Smith was somewhat disheartened with this turn of events. “I thought, ‘How could I be on the radio shows when there are people who live here who should be able to have some input into these kinds of conversations?’” The lack of a Liberian news presence spurred Smith to empower local journalists to take charge of their own national narrative. Since then, she has worked extensively in Liberia, Nigeria and Ghana to train and develop media professionals, but never in an academic setting. Her teaching/research project, titled “Courageous Communication: Creating Journalism that Matters,” sought to cultivate media development in multiple ways. Through her Fulbright grant, Smith taught media and public opinion, visual communication, and cotaught news writing and reporting her first semester, along with media ethics and health communication during her second semester. Teaching graduate-level courses at the University of Ghana, Legon involved less practical training and more discussion of the underlying communication theories. “Coming from my undergraduate students here [at JBU], I was a bit intimidated,” Smith said. “The classes
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Marquita Smith photographs Ghanaian fishermen preparing their nets. The fishing community is located near the slave castle in Cape Coast.
john brown university | 17
[in Ghana] are much longer, and theory is a lot more about understanding the research components than it is actually doing them. That was an adjustment in terms of my teaching style.” Smith anticipated limitations as she prepared for her teaching experience. She learned of the courses she would teach just days prior to the start of classes. She traveled with her Pico projector, a portable device used to project content from a computer, tablet or a mobile phone onto a wall or a surface, because she knew technology might be limited. She also chose texts that were available in PDF format, enabling her to make copies to lower the costs for her students. Textbooks were not really an option, she said.
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“ It takes extra effort — learning what drives media in Ghana. i had to learn what I don’t know and what they knew. I had to encourage them to share, and meet them where they were. ”
Marquita Smith poses with her graduate students for a class photo at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Not being immersed in Ghanaian news and pop culture on a regular basis created challenges for Smith. Her students were very aware of news happening around the world.
attitudes and beliefs, with particular emphasis on women’s health. To collect the relevant data, Smith, with the help of her health communication students, distributed
“I had to put things into appropriate context and
over 200 paper surveys that are now stored in her JBU
reference local news,” Smith said of the examples she
office in several bursting manila folders. These surveys
would use to explain concepts in her media ethics
asked media professionals from Ghana, Liberia, and
class. “It takes extra effort — learning what drives
Nigeria how they viewed their role and if they were
media in Ghana. I had to learn what I don’t know and
interested in or valued covering women’s health.
what they knew. I had to encourage them to share and meet them where they were.”
Smith paired the media professionals’ selfassessments with an analysis of Ghanaian media
Not only was Smith teaching graduate students
content. She also facilitated focus groups in a rural
the theory behind media practices, but she was also
Ghanaian village to understand how women learn
conducting research into how media affects people’s
about health practices and self-diagnose.
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While Smith has yet to dive into the data from her surveys or her focus groups, initial findings suggest that a 2-3 minute video broadcast sponsored by a nearby missions outpost is the main form of health education for many women in rural communities. From her reseach, Smith co-wrote an article alongside colleague Dr. Gilbert K. M. Tietaah, a lecturer at the University of Ghana, in the Athens Journal of Health in December 2017, titled “Online Media Surveillance: Coverage of Meningitis Outbreaks in Ghana.” Smith and Tietaah explored the nature of reporting on the meningitis outbreaks in Ghana by two online media outlets, analyzing the level of prominence, the news frames, sources and surveillance function performed by the media. Using 60 news articles published between Dec. 1, 2015 and March 31, 2016, Smith and Tietaah found that the health crisis was not prominently displayed online and mostly featured government representatives and health officials. The media did not encourage affected communities or residents to seek medical treatment and did not alert the public properly to the severity of the meningitis outbreak. Ultimately the research led to Smith and Tietaah’s finding that journalists interested in reporting health issues needed more training. Smith returned to JBU in Fall 2017, balancing her undergraduate teaching, her administrative role as head of the communication department and her role as coordinator of diversity relations, while still working on a few writing projects, including her research in Ghana. Her time as a Fulbright Scholar has also enhanced her JBU undergraduate classes where Smith is including more research projects and more theory, as well as providing more real-world assignments that align Smith’s research projects and student assignments. Smith said coming back to the fast pace of life in the U.S. was overwhelming. “I want to hold onto the emphasis on fellowship that I had in Ghana,” Smith said. “The train is running away, but I don’t have to chase it. I don’t have to work every night, and I’m learning to understand that that’s okay.” While there were challenges, Smith said her time in Ghana was rewarding. “I got Ancestry DNA tested back in December, and I’m 41 percent from Ghana/Ivory Coast,” Smith said. “The results kind of confirmed God’s calling for me to work in that area… For me, there’s a spiritual connection.”
20 | impact
■
Marquita Smith photographs students taking a lunch break in a Ghanaian village, north of Kumasi.
john brown university | 21
from conference to classRoom dr. jay bruce examines the impact his writing and research has on students
by dr. jay bruce
T
eaching invites students to engage in the craft that is their discipline, consume ideas, and also produce their own thoughts in speech and in prose.
Even when we learn how to read as children, we don’t just learn how to read. We also learn how to write. I’m
still learning, so that means I’m still writing. Sometimes my research has a direct and obvious impact on my teaching. I am a better guide when I have read the primary and secondary literature on a topic. They ask questions, and I have answers. Very occasionally I even refer students to what I have written. But sometimes my research benefits students indirectly. They want to get an internship, participate in a conference, attend a colloquium, or be accepted into a graduate program. By participating in conferences, giving lectures, and writing for both academic audiences and the general public, I meet people who can help make the dreams of our students come true. Making connections for our students so they can succeed is quite possibly the most gratifying aspect of my job. Conversely, my teaching impacts my research. One year I received an outside grant to develop a course on God and money. I taught the class that fall. As my interest in the topic continued to grow, I taught another class on a related theme—justice— the following year. Using another outside grant, JBU hosted Samuel Fleischacker, the author of A Short History of Distributive Justice, one of the books we were using for class. He gave a public lecture on “Is There Social Justice in the Hebrew Bible?” and also spoke to another class about his newest book project. (To my surprise, he thanked the class in The Good and the Good Book when it was published by Oxford.) That same semester I gave a lecture on “The Economics of Distribution and the Morality of God's Existence” at the annual meeting of the Arkansas College Teachers of Economics & Business and another one on “Social Justice and the Problem of Evil” at the annual meeting of the Evangelical Theological Society. I delivered my lecture in class before the Evangelical Theological Society meeting, so students could critique my writing the way I’d critiqued theirs (rigorously, with a view to improvement). And now I’m writing a book
James (Jay) Bruce writes and lectures on philosophy, theology, politics, and economics— sometimes all at once. His first book, R ights in the Law, explores the relationship between God and morality in the thought of Francis Turretin (1623–1687). Dr. Bruce is currently writing a book on Christianity, justice and equality. In 2014, he received JBU’s Faculty Excellence Award.
22 | impact
on the topic. In a nutshell, research contributes to JBU’s overall well-being, by fostering a deeper knowledge of our disciplines, by creating opportunities for students, and by allowing us to participate in national—and in international—conversations about the good, the true, and the beautiful.
■
a Life with Christ in c orros i on from rust to silver, joel armstrong reflects redemption in christ through art
by samuel Cross-Meredith ’18
E
xamining some of associate professor
one may expect explosions of silver and gold. While
of visual arts Joel Armstrong's gallery
not entirely wrong now, Armstrong started his career
pieces simultaneously comforts and
using rusted iron wire.
assaults. Many of Armstrong's pieces are
“The installation was a look back at how my
created in rusted wire, and the rust is an intentional
children were growing up, and I was so busy with grad
medium. For Armstrong, his childhood informs the
school and working full time, I was even missing the
unique choice of material. “I grew up in south Texas,
things they were wearing,” Armstrong said. “It was
Corpus Christi, on the Gulf Coast,” Armstrong said. “You leave anything outside, and it rusts.” Corroded metal may not immediately exhibit its usefulness as a medium, but it provides an interesting
kind of a bittersweet memory. I put them on a full-size clothesline in the gallery, strung on the wire a full load of laundry from our house. Rust became a symbol of age, time, and looking back.”
contrast inside a work of art. Art is inherently creation,
This idea of using rust as art might be sad if that
and rust inherently destroys. Armstrong has used
were where he stopped. Gradually, however, the
this paradox as a metaphor in his work. Most of
career artist who has had dozens of installation pieces
Armstrong’s installations are wire drawings, and since
in Bentonville, Arkansas; London; Tulsa; San Diego;
his first installation he’s made a career out of it. Armstrong’s work has appeared in dozens of
Joel Armstrong was an associate professor of visual arts. He retired from teaching at JBU at the end of 2017. He has taught drawing, illustration, and graphic design classes. Armstrong enjoys fishing and the Texas humidity.
and New York, moved from using rusted iron to silver. From working with rust and decay, Armstrong
galleries and art shows across the United States. He’s
sees his work as a part of who and where he is because
taught workshops in Texas, Colorado, and Arkansas;
of Christ.
he’s taught at JBU for fourteen years; and he’s raised
“The redemption part actually came later. I'm
three kids and maintained a marriage in the middle
now working with silver, a kind of a renewed look at
of all that. He has led JBU art tours through Europe
the wire,” Armstrong said. “I've done a series of rust
and had an installation in London. After such a life,
and gold paintings, and so I saw it as very much a redemption, finally accepting who I was in Christ.”
“ rust became a symbol of age, time, and looking back. ”
At the end of 2017, Armstrong left JBU. The university displayed his last exhibit, Vortex, in its public gallery. After fourteen years at JBU, Armstrong considered this work a parting gift to the school and its students. While Armstrong has left his last mark with Vortex, his legacy will continue with the hundreds of students he’s taught and the hundreds of works he’s completed.
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john brown university | 23
research & teaching impact
the
of
structure
education
dr. Robert moore studies ancient education at the islamic research center in bonn, germany BY ALENA LOGAN ’18
Robert Moore, during his yearlong sabbatical from JBU, traveled to the iconic Mont-Saint-Michel (pictured), an abbey which houses monks and nuns of the Monastic Fraternities of Jerusalem and is located in Normandy, France.
Robert Moore is an associate professor of history. His classes introduce students to the culture of societies by studying their literature, political systems, religious texts and practices, and social relationships. In his free time, Moore enjoys spending time with his family and likes to hike and canoe in the Ozark Mountains.
D
r. Robert Moore, associate
professors and students during the time period. Moore
professor of history, spent January
remarks, “the development of the madrasah system of
through June of 2017 studying at
education radically transformed almost every aspect
the Islamic Research Center in
of legal education.” Moore became increasingly
Bonn, Germany. After completing his dissertation,
interested in the buildings and structures of the time
“The Role of the Madrasah and the Structure of Islamic
period, especially those where students studied, and
Legal Education in Mamluk Egypt (1250-1517),” he
how they transformed student behavior. The types of
applied for the fellowship at Universitat Bonne with
people that were writing, whose work became popular,
the Annemarie Schimmel Kollege, a center for research
and whether the books spread through Cairo or to
on the Mamluk period. The German government
the greater Islamic world were all factors that began
funds this university and internationally competitive
to affect his research and capture his attention. He
program. The selective fellowship invites only nine
says, “I was able to construct a network of scholars
scholars from around the world every year. Moore,
and how they were moving across the Islamic world
along with eight other experts, was selected to continue
and how their books wound up being studied in Cairo
the research he began for his dissertation. While he was
at this moment. That told me a little bit about what
there, he continued working on turning his dissertation
sort of specializations were happening in different
into a book. The institute's annual theme was material
regions in the world.” Moore's research helped him
culture and this focus helped push Moore’s research
identify patterns as well as an understanding of how
into related fields he did not expect to discover. His
scholars’ work was spreading, which in turn affected
officemates and fellow scholars were studying topics
his larger project regarding the basic course of study
as diverse as Islamic theology, agriculture magnums,
for students in the Mamluk period. A basic student
and zooarchaeology. Some overlap in sources led to a
curriculum in Cairo has never been established
broadening of Moore’s own studies. Moore’s particular area of expertise includes a
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before, and his research will likely be some of the first published material on this topic.
debate that is prominent in Islamic studies. He applied
Thanks to his time abroad, and thanks to a yearlong
for this program with the intention of exploring how
sabbatical from JBU, the research for his book is nearly
the professionalization of Mamluk legal scholars
complete. He was able to add a few chapters while
and the establishment of madrasahs (educational
in Bonn and continues to work to revise and rewrite
institutions) changed the behaviors and practices of
sections of the manuscript.
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scholarship & community impact
swahili &
Children's BOOKS new jbu professor, dr. jeremy allen, finds unique sources of musical inspiration BY LYDIA DeGISI ’20
Jeremy Allen, two-time recipient of the Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award, is a composer for stage, dance, and film whose works have been performed internationally. He is co-founder of FiveOne Experimental Orchestra (51XO), a modern music chamber band.
O
ne of jbu,s newest professors, Dr. Jeremy Allen, began his work in the music department in 2017. A professional musician, composer, and teacher for years,
Allen has worked on four composition commissions since his arrival. Hundreds of members of the Siloam Springs community fondly recall one of these commissions, the piece “Hapo Mwanzo,” performed by JBU’s Cathedral Choir during the Candlelight Service in December. Allen worked with Kate Dewey, another member of the music department, to craft the piece, which means “In the Beginning” in Swahili. Allen received the inspiration for his language choice while reading his Swahili/English Bible, when he noticed how perfect the language would be for song lyrics. This choice gave an international flair to the classic passage from John 1, creating a beautiful and powerful song. Allen’s other recent commissions also took inspiration from interesting sources. He created a musical adaptation of the children’s book What Do You Do with an Idea? by Kobi Yamada for Inlet Dance Theatre in Cleveland, Ohio, where each piece is based on one page of the book. He also worked on a special project for Off Center Dance’s 10-year anniversary, a performance designed to tell the personal stories of the company’s dancers. Working with Off Center’s musical director and choreographer, Katie Ponozzo,
Allen transformed interviews done by the dancers into spoken-word poetry woven into the music. Finally, Allen created music for a New York trio, Time Canvas Ensemble, crafted around the theme of “from and into silence.” As a JBU professor, Allen hopes to bring his creativity and out-of-the-box thinking into his teaching. He looks forward to helping students succeed and guiding them, just as he was guided by professors when he was a student at JBU from 1998 to 2002. Allen considers himself blessed to have been able to make his living from music his entire professional life, despite the highly competitive nature of composing. In the future, Dr. Allen will continue Inlet Dance Theatre in Cleveland performs to Jeremy Allen's original score for the musical adaptation of the Children's book, What do you do with an Idea?
taking commissions, making sure to also have plenty of time for his students.
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john brown university | 25
research & student impact
caring for sager creek Dr. Timothy Wakefield and students research pollution in sager creek
latter required taking samples of soil from around the creek to count and identify the hundreds of insect larvae within. This data was then compared to a database from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources showing which species are more tolerant of pollution. When very few pollution-sensitive organisms can survive in an area, it indicates that contamination has become a significant problem.
BY LYDIA DeGISI ’20
S
data crunching. Wakefield says they were an essential
ager Creek is a part of what makes
part of completing the project.
Siloam Springs, Arkansas, what it is. It
Taking care of Sager Creek is about more than
is a focal point of Siloam Springs’ beauty.
making the creek a fun place for people to use or
Members of the community use the creek
providing an opportunity for student research—it’s
for seeking solitude, fishing, swimming, observing
a part of good stewardship. As Wakefield said, “We
nature, or just walking beside it along the city’s
need to care about the health of the creek because God
trail system. However, the presence of people can
cares about the health of the creek.” This represents
take a toll on nature and prove detrimental to the
the JBU community’s drive to be good stewards of
ecosystem. Furthermore, Sager Creek flows into Flint
God’s creation.
Creek, which feeds into the Illinois River, meaning
Wakefield’s data will be useful in determining
that whatever happens to it can affect the rest of the
the next steps for protecting the creek. In the
area. That’s why Dr. Timothy Wakefield, professor of
future, Dr. Wakefield plans to continue analyzing
biology, launched his mission to analyze the health of
the health of Sager Creek by turning his attention
Sager Creek.
to its fish populations.
Wakefield’s research involved studying both
26 | impact
Wakefield conducted his research with the help of dozens of JBU students who assisted in fieldwork and
Wakefield’s work is published in the Journal for
physiochemical variables and the animal diversity of
the Arkansas Academy of Science in installments from
the creek. The former involved measuring temperature,
2013 until now. His final report on the research will be
pH values, and the chemicals in the water, while the
published this spring.
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research & student impact
class in the creek savannah Stauffer’s biology class assists dr. Wakefield’s research project
BY SAVANNAH STAUFFER ’14 I enrolled in the research course in the biology department at JBU for multiple reasons: I enjoyed taking anything taught by Dr. Wakefield, I wanted to try something new, and my friends were taking it. Little did I know it would turn out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Research brought everything I had been reading and studying to life. It gave me a new perspective on science as a whole and a new understanding of how much actually goes into scientific research.
section of the stream. At the end, we combined all the data, analyzed it, and displayed it on a giant poster. We got the opportunity to present our poster at an event hosted in the student center on campus, explain our work, and answer questions about our research. It was such an amazing feeling to see all of our hard work organized and displayed and to have people genuinely take interest in it!
“research brought everything i had been reading and studying to life. it gave me a new perspective on science as a whole and a new understanding of how much actually goes into scientific research.” I would 100% recommend taking this class to
The class I participated in was Stream Ecology
anyone who asked me, for multiple reasons. First, it
Research. We went out into Sager Creek and
gives you a change of scenery and a chance to be out of
collected macroinvertebrates, took them back to the
the classroom a couple of times a week. Secondly, it’s
lab, and counted them under microscopes. Certain
much more hands-on than any other science course
macroinvertebrates require clean water to thrive, and
I took at JBU, which really helped reinforce all the
others can live in more polluted water. Based on the
things I learned. And lastly, it’s so much fun! I am so
presence of each category of macroinvertebrates, we
thankful for my research experience and how it helped
could determine how polluted the water was in each
me grow as a student, as a scientist, and as a person.
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Timothy Wakefield is a professor of biology. His marine biology class allows students to interact with marine life close-up during Spring Break lab trips to the Florida Keys. Wakefield also enjoys teaching classes focused on marine biology for the Au Sable Institute during the summer.
john brown university | 27
balzer lecture
reaching
generation z jen edwards ,03
Interview conducted by Dr. Carla Swearingen About the Lecture: The Lee Balzer Lecture was established by the JBU faculty to honor Dr. Lee Balzer upon his retirement in June 2004 after serving JBU as president for ten years. During his tenure, Balzer not only modeled quality scholarship, he also vigorously promoted the academic enterprise of the university. The lecture is intended to showcase quality scholarship in a liberal arts or professional discipline by a faculty member at John Brown University, as well as to stimulate others in their scholarly pursuits. The Office of Academic Affairs and the Faculty Development department at John Brown University invites full-time faculty to submit a proposal. The presentation should address a topic that advances the field of knowledge of the speaker’s discipline, promotes the interests of that specialty within the context of the evangelical Christian university, and is accessible to a wide audience. The following is a brief interview with Jen Edwards, this year’s lecturer, about her work on worship and Generation Z.
28 | impact
Jen Edwards is the head of the department of music and theatre. She is a small-town Nebraska girl who loves people, words, theology, and music. She is a songwriter, a worship leader, a big-picture thinker, a problem solver, and a storehouse of ideas. Her family enjoys cooking together, making random music videos, and playing baseball in the front yard.
For people who could not attend the Balzer Lecture, can you give us a brief synopsis of your presentation? The Balzer Lecture was an introductory look at characteristics and trends related to Generation Z [born 1995-2010], specifically those that are pertinent to spiritual formation or church involvement. The research and demonstration explored current hypotheses and data that suggests blending historic faith practices with more contemporary sound is a possible way to reconnect and draw members of Generation Z back to consistent attendance in corporate worship services. What attracts you to Generation Z? My oldest son is definitely a member of this generation. This gives me a personal connection to the generation and a natural draw to what will connect with him spiritually. Moreover, all of the students entering my classes are members of this generation. So, this research affects my teaching greatly. Which historic faith traditions could be most appealing to younger people and why? In general, young people are craving authenticity and simplicity more and more. This craving, coupled with a desire to matter and be a part of something bigger than themselves, makes the denominations and practices with long histories and deep roots very appealing. “High church” liturgy and even meditation practices help them to remember that they are small and there is something bigger than themselves. Lectio Divina, centering prayer, singing the psalms, and hymns/songs based solely on scripture are good examples. In addition to being a professor at JBU, you also serve as a worship minister in a local congregation. How is your church reaching out to Generation Z? I’m not sure that our church is attempting to reach out to Generation Z, per se, but we are beginning to incorporate many of the fusion practices demonstrated in the Balzer Lecture (singing psalms, prayer responses, antiphons). I would say we are moving this direction more in an effort to increase participation in the liturgy as well as to be more intentional about diversity in practice and in making a more diverse people feel more welcome. The response, thus far, has been positive. What’s next for your research in this area? I’ll begin my doctoral studies in higher education this fall. In those studies, I anticipate continuing my research on the generation represented in traditional undergraduate students. I also anticipate the research to specifically focus on the spiritual formation of that generation and how that formation intersects with/affects the educational journey of a traditional undergraduate student. This will likely expand the research beyond the corporate worship setting to studies involving personality type systems, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness.
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john brown university | 29
NOTEWORTHY FAC U LT Y AC H I E V E M E N T S Published Works Books:
Dr. Daniel Bennett (Political Science) Defending Faith: The Politics of the Christian Conservative Legal Movement
Dr. Frank Blume (Mathematics) with contribution from Clark Scholz (,13 Mathematics alumnus) Logic, Sets, and Numbers: An Introduction to Abstract Mathematics Dr. Preston Jones (History) Is Belief in God Good, Bad or Irrelevant? (12th printing) Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson (English) Reading Walker Percy's Novels
Chapters and Articles:
Mr. Jim Caldwell (Construction Management) “Civil Engineering Volunteerism: Assisting Developing Countries Stem the Tide of Economic Migration,” ASCE Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering “Arkansas Contractors Support Medical Work in Myanmar,” AGC Arkansas Blueprint Magazine Mrs. Carrie Eben (University Advancement) “Humility and Learning,” Classical Conversations’ Writer’s Circle Ms. Janet Gardner (Nursing) “Changing Students' Perceptions of the Homeless: A Community Service Learning Experience,” Nurse Education in Practice Dr. Tim Gilmour (Engineering) “Prediction of Multifocal Epileptogenic Zones Using Normalized Transfer Entropy,” IEEE Signal Processing in Medicine and Biology Symposium
30 | impact
Dr. Kenneth Hahn (Physics) “The Indeterminate Case of Classical Static Friction when Coupled with Tension,” The Physics Teacher Dr. Jonathan Himes (English) Book Review of Beren and Luthien, Sehnsucht “Fleeting” (poem), Cave Region Review: A Journal of Literary and Visual Art Dr. Ivan Iglesias (Spanish) “La Mecedora” (poem), Azahares Spanish Language Literary Magazine Dr. Preston Jones (History) “Letter to My Students,” Touchstone magazine Book Review of Religion and Culture in a Quebec Parish, 1736-1901, Canadian Historical Review Book Review of The Year of Lear: Shakespeare in 1606, Anglican and Episcopal History “The Tet Offensive—50 years later,” Herald Leader “Tell Your Story—We Can Learn from Vietnam Vets,” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Dr. Ellen Odell (Nursing) “Nurse Practitioner Leadership in Promoting Access to Rural Primary Care,” Nursing Economics, Journal for Health Care Leaders. Dr. Gary J. Oliver (CHR) “Life After Loss,” HomeLife “Shyness,” HomeLife “Promise Keeper,” HomeLife “Divided,” HomeLife “Made That Way,” HomeLife “It’s Not About You,” HomeLife “It’s a Process,” HomeLife “Let’s Talk,” HomeLife Ms. Kathleen Paulsen (Instructor of Kinesiology) “Effectiveness of Ice-Sheet Cooling Following Exertional Hyperthermia," Military Medicine
Dr. Calvin Piston (Institutional Effectiveness) “Using the Indirect Function in Excel,” eAIR Dr. Trisha Posey (History) Review of The Benedict Option, CCCU Advance “Different Cultures Cause Me to Hesitate: Introducing Intergroup Dialogue in an Honors Great Texts Course,” Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Honors Education Dr. Jacob Stratman (English) “The Painter: A Poem for My Son after an IEP Meeting,” Mobius: The Journal of Social Change “A Poem for My Sons When They’ve Been Disciplined,” “A Poem for My Sons at Advent,” and “Bullet Holes in the Arkansas State Sign on the Missouri Border just South of Noel,” Eunoia Review “A Poem for My Sons on the Job Market,” Nebo: A Literary Journal “A Poem for My Sons on the First Day of School” and “Tennessee Moon,” Cave Region Review “A Poem for My Son about Grace” Plough Quarterly “A Poem for My Sons when They Pray” Lullwater Review “Cedar Waxwings,” The Christian Century “Teaching Stigma,” Wordgathering Three published reviews of literary magazines in The Review Review Dr. Carla Swearingen (Faculty Development/Chemistry) Book chapter published in the American Chemical Society Symposium Series, The Flipped Classroom Volume 1: Background and Challenges Dr. Tim Wakefield (Biology) “Persistence of Urban Stream Syndrome Effects from Point Source and Non-Point Source Pollutants,” Journal of the Arkansas Academy of Science Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson (English) “What Flannery O’Connor’s Timeless Stories Reveal about American Politics Today,” Intercollegiate Review “Walker Percy Wrote Under the Influence and Was a Better Writer for It,” Intercollegiate Review
“Why You Should Study the ‘Dinosaurs,’” Intercollegiate Review Book review of Michael Bruner’s A Subversive Gospel for The Christian Century Book review of Phil Klay's Redeployment for Dappled Things “10 Books Every College Graduate Should Read,” Intercollegiate Review “Walker Percy, Fyodor Dostoevsky and the Search for Influence,” Ohio State UP for Literature, Religion and Postsecular Studies Series “Teaching Dante’s Canto XIX,” Pedagogy
Presentations
Dr. Aminta Arrington (Biblical Studies) Conference on Reformation, Revival and Renewal Movements in African and Asian Christianity Yale-Edinburgh Group on the History of the Missionary Movement and World Christianity Biennial conference of the Kuyers Institute for Christian Teaching and Learning Currents, Perspectives, and Methodologies in World Christianity conference held at Princeton Theological Seminary Annual conference of the Evangelical Missiological Society Andrew Walls Centre for the study of African and Asian Christianity International Conference
Mrs. Tracy Balzer (Christian Formation) The Ancient-Future Faith Radio Dr. Daniel Bennett (Political Science) University of Cincinnati’s Taft Research Center Southern Political Science Association Christians in Political Science Mr. Jim Caldwell (Construction Management) Site Layout – Level 1 in Myanmar Dr. Nick Cornett (Counseling) 34th annual conference of the Association for Play Therapy Arkansas Association for Play Therapy Washington State Association for Play Therapy Dr. Curtis Cunningham (Education) Northwest Arkansas Educational Services Cooperative Christian Teaching and Learning: Pathways and Possibilities conference Educators Conference in Wichita, Kansas Kuyers Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan Dr. Tim Dinger (Student Counseling Center) American College Counseling Association Dr. Stacey Duke (JBU Online) 3rd Biennial ILA Women & Leadership Conference 23rd Annual CAHEA Conference 2018 ACCESS Conference Dr. Ed Ericson (Academic Affairs) International Association of Management Spirituality and Religion Mr. Rick Faust (Construction Management) Annual managers meeting for CR Crawford Construction Company Presentation to the National BIM Symposium Dr. Joel Funk (Biology) Experimental Biology 2018 Conference Christian Discourses in Science & Mathematics Lecture Series Dr. Brad Gatlin (Business) Christian Business Faculty Association Conference
Bethel University Moody Bible Institute in Chicago Dr. Charles Pastoor (English) Western Conference on Christianity and Literature at Point Loma Nazarene University Mr. Charles Peer (Visual Arts) Ozark Pastel Society Dr. Calvin Piston (Institutional Effectiveness) Rapid Insight User Conference Dr. Trisha Posey (History) Oxford Advisory Board National Collegiate Honors Council Meeting CCCU International Forum Dr. Rod Reed (Christian Formation) Missouri Regional Conference of the Association of Christian Schools and Teachers Cornerstone University Dr. Chuck Romig (Graduate Counseling) American Association for Christian Counselors World Conference Evangelical Community Church Christian Association for Psychological Studies Annual Conference Ms. Kim Romig (Biblical Studies) Evangelical Community Church Dr. Michelle Satterlee (Psychology) Christian Association for Psychological Studies (CAPS) International Conference Dr. Kevin Simpson (Psychology) Eva K Unterman Summer Institute for Holocaust Education Arkansas Holocaust Education Committee’s 26th Annual Conference 48th Annual Scholars' Conference on the Holocaust and the Churches Casper College Dr. Ted Song (Engineering) ASEE (American Society for Engineering Education) Annual Conference Dr. Jacob Stratman (English) Handong Global University Mr. Brent Swearingen (Library) 2017 CCCU Snezek Library Leadership Institute Dr. Jeff Terrell (College of Education & Human Services) Pathways Conference Ms. Adria Trombley (Education) Siloam Springs Public Schools Arkansas State Reading Association Conference Dr. Greg Varner (Mathematics) Joint Mathematics Meetings Dr. Tim Wakefield (Biology) 101st Annual meeting of the Arkansas Academy of Science Dr. Joe Walenciak (Business) ACBSP Symposium for Deans, Aspiring Deans, and Department Chairs
Dr. Amanda Himes (English) Trinity College SE Conference on Christianity and Literature
Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson (English) Walker Percy Festival Biola University Pepperdine University Redeemer University Union University British Library Symposium on Russia and America
Dr. Jonathan Himes (English) Conference on "Epic & Romance"
Dr. Barry Wingfield (Graduate Counseling) Arkansas Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors State Conference
Dr. Chris Hull (Graduate Counseling) American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) World Conference Association for Counselor Education and Supervision Conference
Honors
Dr. Brian Greuel (Biology) CCCU International Forum
Dr. Ivan Iglesias (Spanish) XXI International Conference on Hispanic Literature Dr. Preston Jones (History) James Madison University Dr. Ryan Ladner (Business) Christian Business Faculty Association Conference Dr. Kevin Macfarlan (Engineering) CIC Workshop for Division and Department Chairs Mr. Bobby Martin (Visual Arts) Cherokee Heritage Center American Indian Workshop (AIW) Conference Fayetteville Underground Gallery Fine Art Museum at the Bardo Arts Center Santa Fe Indian Market
Dr. Jeremy Allen (Music) Commissioned piece "Time and Pressure," performed by the New York-based chamber music ensemble Time Canvas in Cleveland, Ohio
Mr. Dave Andrus (Visual Arts) Two paintings accepted into the 2017 Illinois River Salon exhibit Two paintings accepted into the nationally juried show at the Rice Gallery of Fine Art in Overland Park, Kansas Peer Endowed Chair Mr. Joel Armstrong (Visual Arts) “Oleander” won best of show in the online 2017 ALL Botanical art competition 3D & Mixed Media Dr. Curtis Cunningham (Education) Site Selection Committee for the Arkansas Governor’s School Ms. Liesl Dromi (Music & Theatre) Third place in the Southern Region National Association of Teachers of Singing Artist Awards
Ms. Rachel Maxson (Library) Lumen Research Institute Symposium
Dr. Jill Ellenbarger (Chemistry) 2017 Christian Scholars Foundation Grant by Intervarsity’s Emerging Scholars Featured on the Emerging Scholars blog
Ms. Denisha McCollum (Business) Christian Business Faculty Association Conference
Ms. Marikit Fain (Library) 2017-2018 Spectrum Scholarship by the American Library Association
Dr. Robert Moore (History) Annemarie Schimmel Kollege
Dr. Brian Greuel (Biology) Faculty Recruitment Grant ($100,000) for Biology Department from the Arkansas INBRE Program.
Dr. Kim Murie (Education) Association of Science Teacher Educators Conference Association of Teacher Educators Conference Dr. Gary J. Oliver (CHR) AACC The Struggle Is Real 2017 Summit Healing Gardens of Northwest Arkansas Institute of Leadership and Counseling Townsend Institute for Leadership & Counseling White House 2017 AACC World Conference on Christian Counseling & Ministry Denver Seminary Subiaco Abbey
Mr. Charles Peer (Visual Arts) Named “7 Emerging Pastel Artists to Watch and Learn from Right Now” “Rusted Workman,” was awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2017 Pastel 100 competition Two paintings accepted into the 2017 Illinois River Salon exhibit Two paintings, “Sycamore Sisters” and “Oh, Lovely Guardian,” selected for the 2018 Richeson 75 Small Works Competition Two paintings, "Only a Moment” and "Backyard Morning,” chosen for meritorious recognition in 2018 Richeson 75 Small Works Competition “Oh, Lovely Guardian” awarded First Place in Other Media in the 2018 Richeson 75 Exhibit for Small Works Achieved the International Association of Pastel Societies' (IAPS) Master Circle status Mr. Peter Pohle (Visual Arts) “The Journey" included in Creative Quarterly's Best 100 Artist’s Annual of 2017 (one of 25 best illustrators) Dr. Trisha Posey (History) Received Lilly Grant for revising the Core Curriculum Dr. David Vila (Biblical Studies) Vice President of the Southwest Region of the American Schools of Oriental Research Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson (English) 2017 Emerging Public Intellectual Award Winner Christianity Today “Culture and the Arts” Book of the Year Award 2018 Research Fellow, Biola University Center for Christian Thought, Grant from Templeton Trust
Faculty Development Grants Faculty Development Scholars Grant Dr. Aminta Arrington (Biblical Studies) Summer Professional Development Grants Dr. Daniel Bennett (Political Science) Ms. Janet Gardner (Nursing) Dr. Martha Morgan (Family and Human Services) Dr. Trisha Posey (History) Dr. Kevin Simpson (Psychology) Dr. Marquita Smith (Communication) Dr. Ted Song (Engineering) Dr. Dave Vila (Biblical Studies) Dr. Shanon Vuglar (Engineering) Dr. Randall Waldron (Business) Supplemental Travel Grants Dr. Jeremy Allen (Communication and Fine Arts) Dr. Aminta Arrington (Biblical Studies) Dr. Daniel Bennett (Political Science) Dr. Curtis Cunningham (Education) Dr. Jill Ellenbarger (Chemistry) Dr. Brad Gatlin (Business) Dr. Melissa Hall (Counseling) Dr. Ryan Ladner (Business) Ms. Rachel Maxson (Library) Dr. Kim Murie (Education) Dr. Trisha Posey (Honors and History) Dr. Ted Song (Engineering) Dr. Jeff Terrell (Education & Human Services) Dr. Greg Varner (Mathematics) Dr. Dave Vila (Biblical Studies) Dr. Qian Wang (Biology) Dr. Tim Wakefield (Biology) Dr. Judy Winslett (Counseling) Mr. Rick Faust (Construction Management) Dr. Ivan Iglesias (Spanish) Dr. Michelle Satterlee (Psychology) Dr. David Vila (Biblical Studies) Dr. Marquita Smith (Communication)
Office of Academic Affairs Grants and Honors Faculty Awards
McGee Chair Dr. Jay Bruce (Philosophy) Dr. Michael Francis (Biblical Studies) Summer Scholars Fellowship Dr. Jay Bruce (Philosophy) Dr. Jill Ellenbarger (Chemistry) Dr. Michael Francis (Biblical Studies) Dr. Preston Jones (History) Dr. Tim Wakefield (Biology) Dr. Jessica Hooten Wilson (English) Faculty Excellence Award Dr. Ted Song (Engineering)
2018-2019 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant Dr. Kevin Simpson (Psychology) Full Professorship Mr. Peter Pohle (Visual Arts)
Dr. Ivan Iglesias (Spanish) Ph.D. in Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies One of the sixteen most outstanding Latino alumni by the University of Arkansas for both academic qualities and service to the community Mr. Bobby Martin (Visual Arts) “Clyde the Big Red Indian" series commissioned by the creators of “Beyond the Spectacle: Native North American Presence in England” Dr. Ryan Martin (Graduate Counseling) Arkansas Board of Examiners in Counseling
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I M PAC T
journal 2000 w. university street siloam springs, ar 72761
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