36 minute read
Around Campus
from The Messenger Spring 2016
by McMurry
Music Education major Kenny Mostert ’18, of Abilene, Texas, advanced to the semi-final round of the undergraduate solo division in the 2016 National Trumpet Competition (NTC.) Mostert’s recording was selected as one of 40 semi-finalists out of hundreds of entries.
The 2016 National Trumpet Competition was held on March 10-12 at Columbus State University (Georgia). Mostert’s performance in the semi-final round was on Friday, March 11, where he played the “Trumpet Concerto in A-flat” by Alexander Arutunian.
The National Trumpet Competition is the largest trumpet competition for collegiate students in the United States. The undergraduate solo division is by far the most competitive division of the competition.
McMurry University had the second largest group of volunteers manning the phones at the West Texas Rehab Telethon and Auction in January, behind only Dyess Air Force Base personnel at the event.
Think You Know McMurry History?
McMurry’s official historian Dr. Rob Sledge is back with more historical questions to test your knowledge! Take the quiz and see how you score.
about.mcm.edu/quiz
Three Alumni Honored at Science and Math Advisory Board Dinner
Three of McMurry University’s prominent alumni scientists and science educators, Larry F. Conlee ’71, Dr. W.L Magnuson ’59, and the late Dr. Jerald D. Lee ’61, were honored by the Science and Math Advisory Board at an awards dinner in October.
The Science and Math Advisory Board was formed in 1992 for the purpose of enabling McMurry science and mathematics programs to tap into the expertise of its alumni and friends.
Conlee joined Research In Motion (BlackBerry) in 1971 as Chief Operating Officer, Product Development and Manufacturing, in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. His responsibilities included the P&L Management, Quality, Standards and Licensing, and IT/Network. In July, 2009 he was recognized as “TOP COO”(Chief Operating Officer) in Canada.
Dr. Magnuson was assistant professor of chemistry at McMurry from 1963-1969. In addition to teaching, he supervised undergraduate research through grants from the Research Corporation and the Robert A. Welch Foundation. In 1969 he assumed the chairmanship of the Chemistry Department at Kentucky Wesleyan College. Among his recognitions at Kentucky Wesleyan were the Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award, the Gus E. Paris Distinguished Service Award and the Presidential Leadership Award.
Dr. Lee retired in 1999 as a DuPont Fellow, the highest position in science within the organization. In 2002, Dr. Lee was awarded the Excellence in Engineering award by Dupont. His son James Lee accepted the award.
Interfaith Leadership Institute
Students Dennis Land ’16, and Hope Rouse ’19, attended an Interfaith Leadership Institute with Dr. James Hunt, Rev. Jeff Lust ’83, and Dr. Mark Waters. Interfaith Leadership Institutes are sponsored by Interfaith Youth Core. Interfaith Youth Core deeply respects the integrity of students’ remaining faithful to their own faith tradition while seeking to understand and serve alongside people from other faith traditions. Their motto is “Better Together,” emphasizing that one way to make the world a better place is to serve together for the common good. Students from various faiths may choose to serve together in an area about which they are passionate (homelessness, hunger, poverty, etc.)
Texas Association of Future Educators Meeting
Students Caty-Jane McSpadden ‘16 and Shelby Gordon ‘16 shared their experiences as education majors at McMurry Texas Association of Future Educators (TAFE) Conference at the University of Houston on Sunday, January 31.
President Harper Elected Chair
McMurry President Sandra S. Harper was elected chair of the Board of Directors of the Texas United Methodist College Association for the 2016-2017 term.
The Association helps Texas United Methodist students attend Texas United Methodist colleges and universities and is committed to faith-based Christian higher education. Through the generosity of the Methodist churches in Texas, deserving United Methodist students receive vital assistance for their academic accomplishments, lifeskills training, and faith enrichment.
Percussion Ensemble Performs at Texas Music Educators Association
The McMurry Percussion Ensemble was a featured performance at the Texas Music Educators Association conference in San Antonio in February. The ensemble also performed at several high schools while in San Antonio. The group began preparing an ambitious program following its invitation last spring to perform at the country’s largest music conference, with an expected attendance of over 26,000 students and professionals. The ensemble, directed by Dr. Joshua Knight, performed in CC Bridge Hall at Harry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. The repertoire included a world premiere performance of Zenith by Benjamin Finley, written for and dedicated to Dr. Knight and the ensemble.
Dr. Paul Fabrizio
Dr. Paul Fabrizio participated with the National Rural Health Association Policy Initiative in Washington, DC. He traveled with Kelly Cheek ‘99, Executive Director of the Big Country Area Health Center, a partnership of Texas Tech and the West Texas Council of Governments.
After hearing speakers including the Secretary of Agriculture and Senators from Oklahoma, Kansas, and Minnesota, they spent a day visiting with the health care staff in the offices of Texas Senators and Members of the House of Representatives. At each office, they asked for support for legislation to protect rural hospitals which are closing at an alarming rate.
At the airport to fly home, Cheek and Dr. Fabrizio had a chance encounter with U.S. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan. Speaker Ryan said that he had heard of McMurry University and graciously posed for a photo.
McMurry Recognized for STEM Excellence
McMurry University claimed the eighth spot as one of the nation’s top small colleges for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math-related (STEM) program by the College Best Degree Programs website.
The schools were chosen and ranked based on the following criteria. • Size: The schools on this list have an undergraduate population of less than 4,000 students. • Research Opportunities: Schools with undergraduate research opportunities were awarded 1 point, while schools with unique or multiple research opportunities were given additional points. • Awards & Recognition: Schools received 1 point for appearing on a major “Best of” list. • Variety of STEM majors: Finally, schools were rewarded for their variety of offered programs and were given 1 point per offered STEM major.
Part of McMurry’s success was related to its dedication to STEM programs, which are characterized by small and challenging classes, student-centered teaching, uncommon research opportunities, and a core commitment to Christian faith. Popular STEM programs at McMurry include physics, pre-engineering, nursing, life sciences, biomedical studies, and geosciences.
Scholar-Athletes Earn All Academic Awards
McMurry has a total of 26 scholarathletes recognized on the American Southwest Conference 2015 Fall Academic All-Conference Team. Additionally, six War Hawks were honored with ASC Distinguished Scholar accolades. Recognized from the War Hawks’ fall sport teams were Kirk Hodel ‘17 (men’s cross country), Mary Afflec ‘16 (women’s cross country), Blayne Champlin ‘18 (football), Michael von Ende-Becker ‘16 (men’s soccer), Holiday Williams ‘16 (women’s soccer), and Katy Headrick ‘17 (volleyball). Three McMurry volleyball players – Headrick, Lauren Heathcote ‘17 and Morgan Thomas ‘16 were also recognized by the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) on its ScholarAthlete Team for the fall.
Texas Supreme Court Luncheon
Students from the McMurry Pre-Law Society attended the Texas Supreme Court Hearings hosted at ACU last fall. It was the first time that the Supreme Court has met in Abilene. After the two hearings, the group was invited to lunch with Justice Eva Guzman, the first Hispanic woman on the Court.
In The Spotlight
Texas is recovering from one of the worst droughts in state history thanks to record rainfall last year. But the impact of sustained drought doesn’t just affect water levels. Assistant Professor Dr. Terrence Boyle is investigating how changes in climate affect the ecosystem of reservoirs in Central West Texas.
Thanks to a grant from the KIVA Exes Association Faculty/Staff Development and Research Fund, Boyle has been able to continue his project titled, “Macrobenthic Surveys of 12 Big Country Reservoirs.” His goal is to establish a baseline data set for plankton, periphyton and macrobenthic organisms found in local reservoirs. Or as Boyle puts it- he studies the ecology of “all the little critters without a backbone.” His research also records changes in the ecology of each lake over time, and in West Texas, that means through periods of drought.
While he’s not alone in collecting samples from the reservoirs, he is the only person focusing on biological data. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality analyzes surface water to check for quality and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department collects surface water to investigate fish kills. Boyle’s work however, is focused entirely on how the life present responds to changes in the habitat. His project also provides plenty of opportunities for biology students to take part and gain experience.
His story was featured in local and statewide media outlets in February after Abilene’s NPR station, KACU, produced an audio feature about Boyle’s project. The story aired on KACU during NPR’s popular programs, “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered.” KACU is broadcast to 2,321 square miles across the Big Country. KACU’s news partner, The Abilene Reporter-News, published KACU’s story about Boyle in a Sunday edition. The audio feature was also selected by the Texas Standard, a statewide news magazine produced in Austin that airs weekdays at the same time on 19 NPR stations in Texas. Listeners in Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, San Antonio, Austin, Marfa and more learned about Boyle’s work.
Even with 30 years experience as a lawyer, Arthur L. Pertile III ’83, still uses what he learned from McMurry professors in his everyday work—and that includes more than just how to be a successful lawyer. Pertile, general counsel with Olson & Olson LLP in Houston, graduated from McMurry in 1983 and earned a degree from the University of Texas School of Law in 1986. While at McMurry he learned to “think like a lawyer” from political science professors, Dr. Lynn Jones and Dr. Mike El-Atrache. But, his McMurry experience also taught him that a successful person can be a person who serves others, too. “It put me on the path to what I do today,” Pertile said. “Every day, I directly impact someone’s life.” Jenny Massie Parks ’92, also is a successful lawyer, with her own practice in Crandall. She left McMurry with an education that prepared her well for law school, plus something else. “McMurry helped me prepare for my career by encouraging success,” she said. Both Pertile and Parks, plus two other McMurry graduates who now practice law, say their small classes and personal attention from professors played a key role in their success. Pertile remembered that at McMurry, his two political science professors taught their students a process—identify an issue, determine the law or rule regarding the issue, apply the law or rule, and then provide the answer. “That process was the same process that I was taught in law school,” Pertile said, “and is the process I still use after almost 30 years of practicing law when I am asked a legal question.” An emphasis on working hard, setting goals, and achieving them was something else that Parks took from her McMurry professors, in addition to a solid background for law school. “All of them teach their students that nothing is free,” she said, “and in the end, your hard work will pay off.” Matt Mercer ’98, who is a shareholder with the
BY LORETTA FULTON
Abilene fim, McMahon Surovik Suttle, PC, agreed with others that the small classes and personal attention at McMurry made all the difference in his success. “I believe the environment at McMurry was a big plus,” Mercer said. Getting accepted to a reputable law school is no small feat, but McMurry graduates don’t have any trouble, just as they don’t have a problem getting accepted into top fliht graduate programs in any fild. All the lawyers contacted named current or former professors whose personal attention made a difference in their academic and personal success. Lisa Chavez-Owens ’01, who practices energy law with Wagstaff LLP in bilene, cited Ann Spence as the reason she graduated in four years. And, Chavez-Owens added, Spence always had good advice for her students. “As Delta Beta’s sponsor, she was a mentor to so many of us,” Chavez-Owens said. “McMurry is fortunate to have her!” Another aspect of the McMurry experience that played a role in future success was campus
Pertile said his McMurry experience also taught him that a successful person can be a person who serves others, too. McMurry Graduates and the Legal Profession
ARTHUR L. PERTILE III
Home: Houston Age: 55 Family: Wife Renita King; son Arthur Pertile IV, 13; daughter Krissica Harper, 25
Hometown and high
school: Midland, Midland Lee High School, 1979 Name of law firm: Olson & Olson, LLP since 2007
Where and when you earned your law degree:
University of Texas School of Law 1986 Law specialty: Serves as general counsel representing cities, counties, special districts, other local governmental entities and public official across the state of Texas in areas of litigation and special projects. Influenes that led to your law specialty: I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. My professors steered me toward government service. Year graduated McMurry: 1983 Major at McMurry: Social sciences, pre-law Extracurricular activities at McMurry: Track, intramurals, McMurry Student Government, social club for African-American students, volunteer youth basketball coach. Why you chose McMurry: My high school friend Earnest Merritt was going to McMurry to play basketball. I visited McMurry with him and liked it. I can’t think of a better place.
How your McMurry experience helped guide you
professionally and personally: McMurry professors instilled in me the idea that you can be successful and still serve. It put me on the path to what I do today. Every day, I directly impact someone’s life. People who influened you at McMurry: Dr. Lynn Jones and Dr. Mike El-Atrache, my political science professors at McMurry.
JENNY CHRISTINE MASSIE PARKS
Home: Crandall Age: 44 Family: Husband James Parks; children Brooke, Morgan, Gage, and Chason
Hometown and high
school: Midland Greenwood High School
Name of law firm:
Jenny C. Parks, PC
Where and when you earned your law degree:
1997 Texas Wesleyan School of Law, now called Texas A&M Law School Law specialty: Bankruptcy, criminal law, personal injury Influenes that led to your specialty: I couldn’t understand my psych professor at McMurry (he was from New York and had a heavy accent). I had set out to be a psychiatrist and switched majors...I could argue well. Year graduated McMurry: 1992 Major at McMurry: Paralegal studies Extracurricular activities at McMurry: Flag football Why you chose McMurry: Full scholarship from my church
How your McMurry experience helped guide
you professionally and personally: The professors actually care about the students at McMurry. They offer individualized attention and heartfelt advice. You can call your professors after graduation for similar advice when needed. People who influened you at McMurry: Of course, Pug Parris (chair of the Department of Kinesiology) makes you want to just be alive and appreciate all life has to offer. She is the greatest asset to McMurry. Professor (Chuck) Etheridge was wonderful and encouraging, as well as everyone in the counseling office. Each and every one of my professors were either kind enough to offer sound advice or strict enough to make you set your goals and achieve them. involvement. Like so many other former and current McMurry students, the lawyers were involved in a wide range of activities while at McMurry. Chavez-Owens said she realized the importance of being involved in a community while she was at McMurry. She was a member of the cross country team, served as a preceptor with the Servant Leadership program and was a member of a social club. “I continue to stay active in Abilene through various nonprofit organizations and enjoy giving back to the community,” Chavez-Owens said. Pertile came to McMurry from Midland Lee High School with the intentions of getting a degree that could lead to law school and also running track. He had an offer to run track at Baylor University but decided the smaller school experience at McMurry would be better. He was introduced to the University by Midland Lee friend Earnest Merritt. When Pertile saw the university for himself and visited with professors, he knew he had found his home for the next four years. Today, Pertile represents governmental entities, but before that he got experience as a city attorney in Waco, criminal prosecutor in Harris County, and civil litigator for the city of Houston. After graduating from McMurry, Pertile earned his law degree at the University of Texas School of Law and that’s where he met his future wife, Renita King, a Rice University graduate. Other friends at the UT law school had degrees from Harvard, Stanford, and other prestigious universities. But Pertile has news for them. “The (law) degree on my wall looks just like theirs,” he said.
LISA CHAVEZ-OWENS
Home: Abilene Age: 36 Family: Daughter Lili Owens, 6; mother Janie Chavez; father Lupe Chavez; sisters Yolanda Sauceda and Tanya Miles, McMurry Class of 2001
Hometown and high
school: Hereford High School, Class of 1997
Name of law firm:
Wagstaff LL
Where and when you earned your law degree:
Texas Tech University School of Law, Class of 2005 Law specialty: Business transactional with focus on energy Influenes that led to your law speciality: I am fortunate to practice with a fim that celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2015. Many of the other attorneys at my fim have worked at Wagstaff or more than 25 years and each attorney focuses on particular areas of law. They helped guide me into an area that I enjoy. Year graduated McMurry: 2001 Major at McMurry: Business Extracurricular activities at McMurry: Delta Beta Epsilon, preceptor with Servant Leadership program, cross-country Why you chose McMurry: My brother-in-law, Thomas Sauceda, was an assistant football coach and suggested I tour the campus. Hereford is a small town, and my parents and I were concerned that a large university might be overwhelming. When we visited, we were impressed with the small classes at McMurry and the friendly staff and studets.
How your McMurry experience helped guide you
professionally and personally: I am very thankful for the core classes we were required to take. These classes required us to analyze various books and write papers on certain topics inspired by these books. These classes helped me with law school and my law practice. In addition, I was active on campus and realized the importance of being involved. I continue to stay active in Abilene through various non-profit oganizations and enjoy giving back to the community. People who influened you at McMurry: Ann Spence (assistant professor of business) - she is the reason I graduated in four years and always had good advice. As Delta Beta’s sponsor, she was a mentor to so many of us.
MATT MERCER
Home: Abilene Age: 39 Family: Wife April, Class of ’97; children Molly, 12, Alan, 11, Carrie, 8, Audrey, 5, Owen, 2
Hometown and high
school: Rotan High School, Class of 1994
Name of law firm
McMahon Surovik Suttle, PC (Shareholder)
Where and when you earned your law degree:
Texas Tech University, Class of 2002 Law specialty: Elder Law Influenes that led to your law speciality: Primarily an observation as to the demographic most in need of legal services in West Texas Year graduated McMurry: 1998 Major at McMurry: Communication Extracurricular activities at McMurry: KIVA, McMurry Student Government, tennis, and various other activities not suitable for publication Why you chose McMurry: My parents both graduated from McMurry and I had grown up around the school.
How your McMurry experience helped guide
you professionally and personally: I believe the environment at McMurry was a big plus. Its small size facilitates personal relationships between students of all backgrounds and experiences, and also with faculty and administrators.
People who influened you at McMurry:
Carrol Haggard, Don Frazier, Robert Sledge, Ron Holmes, Trenten Hilburn, my wife, my roommates Rusty Looney and Jeff cott, and my friends
SERVANT LEADERSHIP
Shannon Sedgwick Davis ’96 was way ahead of the game the fist time she met with other members of an advisory council to The Elders, an international humanitarian organization founded by the late Nelson Mandela. “One thing they all have in common,” Davis said, “is that they are all servant leaders.”
The Servant Leadership program at McMurry was in its infancy when Shannon Sedgwick walked onto campus in the early 1990s as a freshman. She was immediately attracted to the program and now sees its concepts incorporated into her humanitarian and social justice advocacy work, including serving on the advisory council to The Elders, which was founded in 2007. Davis experienced the Servant Leadership concept in action when she traveled with The Elders, including retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu, to the Darfur region of Sudan. At times the shear horrors of that country’s genocide literally brought that community to tears. On this occasion Tutu was no exception. “He began to sing and to dance,” and as he did others followed, Davis said. “In that moment, that was true Servant Leadership.” Servant leadership
A PASSION FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
BY LORETTA FULTON
is a philosophy and set of practices that enriches the lives of individuals, builds better organizations and ultimately creates a more just and caring world. The phrase “servant leadership” was coined by Robert K. Greenleaf in “The Servant as Leader,” an essay that he fist published in 1970 and was based on the teachings of Jesus. Davis grew up in Boerne and came to McMurry through the United Methodist Church connections. She already had a servant heart when she arrived on campus, but her McMurry experience deepened that commitment and provided her with tools to take that commitment to the world.
The Servant Leadership program at McMurry was in its infancy when Shannon Sedgwick walked onto campus in the early 1990s as a freshman. She was immediately attracted to the program and now sees its concepts incorporated into her humanitarian and social justice advocacy work, including serving on the advisory council to The Elders, which was founded in 2007.
After earning a degree in political science in 1996, Davis, who is now married and the mother of two sons, earned her law degree at Baylor Law School. A passionate advocate for social justice and international human rights, Davis worked for Geneva Global and was director of public affirs for the International Justice Mission before being named chief executive officerf the Bridgeway Foundation, the charitable arm of Bridgeway Capital Management. The foundation works toward the prevention of oppression, genocide, and human rights violations around the world. “My heart has always beat just a little faster in terms of justice issues,” Davis said while on campus as the featured speaker for the second annual Ubuntu series in February. Davis, who lives in San Antonio with her family, was thrilled to see that the University had
adopted the concept of Ubuntu as a three-year theme. The South African word translates to “I am because we are,” emphasizing the strength of community. Davis heard the word during her fist meeting with The Elders when the group’s 12 pillars or tenets were presented. The word “ubuntu” was spoken by Tutu, a native South African. “It was a very powerful moment for me,” Davis said. It is just as powerful to Davis to see what’s happening on the McMurry campus today, 20 years after she graduated. She noticed a greater diversity among the student body and that the Big Event was still being held, something that she had helped institute. As a member of McMurry Student Government (MSG) in the 1990s, Davis heard about a similar event at another university. She checked it out and recommended that MSG start its own version of The Big Event, which puts students into the community to do service work. Davis recalled that the organizers were hoping for 30 to 40 volunteers from the student and faculty ranks the fist year. She underestimated her organizational and persuasive abilities. “We ended up having hundreds of professors and students,” she said, still excited about remembering that day.
The volunteers spent time that day working with disabled children, reading at schools, visiting nursing homes and helping with chores at people’s homes. “We were all working together to serve the community,” she said. Davis still is serving the community, although her “community” now covers the entire globe. One country that she still is especially drawn to is Rwanda. She has gone there numerous times to assist with humanitarian projects. That interest originated at McMurry when Davis was a member of the Model UN team. She chose the small African nation to represent during a Model UN conference in Toronto after learning about, and being horrifid by, the genocide that killed an estimated one million people in 1994. “I wanted to fiht for that not to be the case anymore,” she said of the slaughter. From her Model UN and Servant Leadership experiences, plus one-on-one involvement with her professors, Davis left cMurry well equipped
to get to where she is 20 years later. Another experience at McMurry helped solidify Davis’ determination to learn more about the world’s struggles and to try to do something about them. She was assigned a roommate from Bosnia who talked about the conflits in her home country. Not only was Davis horrifid, just as she was when learning about the atrocities in Rwanda, she also had a revelation. “The world is a lot bigger than what it had been for me,” she said.
That’s no longer the case. Since leaving McMurry, she has seen a big chunk of the world. And when she does travel, she takes her McMurry experience with her, whether it’s lessons learned from a roommate, her professors or from the Servant Leadership program. She has a word of advice for today’s McMurry students. While a student herself, Davis took advantage of everything McMurry offered—small classes, opportunity for involvement—but there is one thing she wishes she had taken advantage of even more. Davis realized as a student that she could count on her professors to help her. But 20 years later, she wishes she had realized just how invested the faculty is in helping each student succeed. If she had, she would have taken further advantage of the opportunity. “I would have used them—and abused them— even more,” she said. From her Model UN and Servant Leadership experiences, plus one-on-one involvement with her professors, Davis left cMurry well equipped with a determination to learn more about the world’s struggles and to work to do something about them.
LIVE FROM LONDON
Marching Band Travels Abroad to Perform
BY KATHERINE MANSON
Boom. Boom.
Standing alongside the beat of the drums in the McMurry University’s Marching Band, Rachel Hall’s ’16, heartbeat pounded in anticipation. More than half a million people lined the streets of London as 29 students from McMurry began their march. Boom. Boom. The senior music education student raised her clarinet as the band began to play in London’s 30th New Year’s Day Parade. Traveling to perform, compete, and showcase their talent isn’t new for McMurry’s Marching Band, but performing at London’s 30th New Year’s Day Parade, the largest New Year’s Day parade in the world, was something none of them expected, especially Band Director David Robinson.
Robinson got a phone call in October 2014 offially inviting the band to perform for the half a million spectators and nearly 300 million watching on TV. The University’s band had been nominated by a committee of band directors and was invited to travel to London for the January 1, 2016 parade. They were one of only two American universities invited. “To be recognized and asked to perform is such a big deal, and it’s a sign that we’re doing something right,” explained Robinson. “We didn’t ask for this, they came and found us, so it’s great to be recognized for who we are. It’s positive for the University, and we were able to reach a lot of people in the Abilene community and beyond.” Since his August 2012 arrival to McMurry, Robinson has led the band on many trips to perform. However, he had never heard of the London New Year’s Day Parade. The parade is well known in Europe, but not as widely in the U.S., so Robinson initially dismissed the invitation. However, after researching the opportunity and logistics of attending, Robinson made the decision and told the students that they were headed across the pond.
In February 2015, Lord Mayor of The City of Westminster Duncan Sandys, and Executive Director of the Parade Robert C. Bone traveled to Abilene, Texas, to extend a formal invitation to the McMurry Band. The National Anthems from both countries were played by the McMurry band as part of the ceremony. For the next year, the band fundraised, saved money and prepared for the big day. Toward the end of the fall 2015 semester, the band went into crunch mode; perfecting their parade march and fie-tuning their musical selections. “In the beginning, we rehearsed every other day,” explained Hall. “The pieces we played had to be memorized and once we memorized the music, rehearsals were geared towards the bigger picture - i.e. ‘Does this part of the piece sound the way we want it to? What could be better?’ By the end of the semester, we were having outdoor rehearsals every single day where we recreated the parade by marching in parade block around campus.”
Though the group has marched in parades in the past, the London parade was expected to be twice as long and also included a live TV
performance lasting two minutes, which was unique for the band. For their television debut, the band chose to perform the football fan-favorite “Johnny’s Mambo”. “We spent quite a bit of time preparing for the two-minute live performance,” explained Hall. “The show itself was not as elaborate as any of the halftime shows we have done in the past during football season, but every part of it had to be perfect. ” When the day arrived, the McMurry Band was ready. For nearly two and a half miles, they marched performing a drum cadence and McMurry cheers to showcase their talent.
CHERISHED MEMORIES
With college comes many adventures and lifelong memories. For McMurry University Marching Band alumni, traveling abroad to perform were some of their most cherished memories of their time at McMurry. For some of those alumni, this includes the 1955 Europe trip, where many students traveled abroad for the very fist time, some taking their fist plane ride and all witnessing the aftermath of WWII. For other alumni, they share photos and memories at reunions and through social media of the band’s multiple trips to Mexico. Kirk McKenzie ’65, played the trumpet and remembers the 1964 Mexico tour like it was yesterday. “When we did a good job the audience didn’t yell, they’d whistle, and we had a lot of whistling going on,” explained McKenzie. “People would come from all over the town once they heard the music, and when we left they loved us.” explained McKenzie. Many of these band memories include tales of the band’s former director, Raymond T. “Prof” Bynum, who retired in 1972. Prof was responsible for leading the fist marching band to march on a fild in the state of Texas when he was the band director at Abilene High “It was a dream come true,” said Hall. “Crowds of people lined the streets cheering and yelling ‘Happy New Year!’ as we passed by. There was confetti everywhere, and we just had so much fun! We were in the parade for nearly two hours, but it felt like 10 minutes. It was absolutely phenomenal.”
The students made the most of their trip by soaking up the culture and activities throughout their week-long stay. When they arrived back to Abilene, they were greeted by family, friends and McMurry staff ager to give them the standing ovation they deserved.
School. It was the fist time a marching band wore uniforms on the fild. Beloved by his students, Prof was a fluent Spanish speaker and students were able to communicate with locals and learn about the culture they were visiting. “Prof was more than fluent,” explained McKenzie. “He could speak to the audience in their regional dialect and help us connect with them. Bynum was in the business of entertaining people and that’s what we did.”
Carla Woolley ’73, was a part of the 1970 trip to Mexico and knew even then, having just completed her freshman year, that this trip would be one she would never forget. “Being on this tour with my fellow band mates was one of the most memorable experiences of my college years at McMurry,” explained Woolley. “You were out seeing the sites of another country, having new adventures, playing lots of games of spades on the bus to pass the time, meeting new people and performing to very appreciative audiences all along the way.” Barbara Whorton-Farley ’73, played the clarinet and was also a twirler in the 1970 trip to Mexico. “It was such a treasure to perform in Mexico,” said Whorton-Farley. “We were just kids. We hadn’t traveled a lot and to be able to perform and explore the pyramids and different cities was a wonderful experience.”
If you would like to see more McMurry Band alumni photos, please go to Facebook and search for “McMurry Band Alumni and Prof Bynum.
UNIVERSITY CHAPLAIN RETURNS HOME
REV. JEFF LUST ’83
BY LORETTA FULTON
Rev. Jeff Lust ’83, didn’t have plans to be a pastor when he graduated from McMurry with a degree in physical education. He had intended to coach young people in physical activities but he ended up a different kind of coach. Instead of spending his career on the sideline or courtside, Lust ultimately chose the pulpit of United Methodist congregations.
In August 2015, Campus Chaplain and Director of Religious Life Rev. Lust returned to McMurry and now serves as pastor to the McMurry community, teaches religion courses, and serves on the President’s cabinet. He reflcts back on his time as a student at McMurry and his new role as the University Chaplain.
How much has college life changed since you were a McMurry student in the early 1980s? How much has it stayed the same? For example, the culture is much different now, with the Internet, social media, etc. Can you tell if that has affected the spiritual life of students?
The virtual world has defintely changed college life. The widespread availability of Wi-Fi and personal devices creates a really different dynamic. In some ways, it’s more about utilizing new tools to connect socially and to access information. In that sense the technology is a really good thing. But it certainly changes some aspects of college life – such as how a building gets used. The library was the source of information and research and now we have Google. The Campus Center used to be more of a “hang out” space that included video games (and I mean the classics like Pac Man and Ms. Pac Man) and pool tables and such. Now games are played on personally owned systems like PS4’s or X-Boxes – or even on phones and tablets. Ths dynamic exacerbates our human desire for quick answers to everything, including mystical and spiritual questions. But those issues are not reducible to binary codes and are learned through life experiences, sacred times, and holy friendships.
Related to this dynamic is that we are now conditioned to expect an experience that is presented to us rather than us being aware of the experience we are having. We have forgotten that is an experience in itself.
You have talked about how influential the late Johnnie Kahl ’63 was on your life when you were a student and he was university chaplain. Is there anything specific you picked up from him that you are incorporating into your own campus ministry?
The primary thing I take from Johnnie’s ministry is that after all the years, people will not remember my sermons or great insights or probing questions. They will remember who I am. And this drives me to be as real and authentic as I can be.
When you arrived at McMurry in the summer of 2015, you said you planned to spend the firt year in a “watch, listen, and learn” mode and that you would spend a lot of time being part of a conversation. Are you still in that “mode”? What have you learned from that experience?
I am still somewhat in that mode – partly because I have a lot of catching up to do, having been away from higher education for awhile. But I am also in that mode because when a person is new to a situation, they have some amount of time to see and hear and experience things as new. I don’t want to lose that opportunity too soon. Having said that, I certainly do feel more settled and confidet going into the spring semester. Being in a “watching and listening mode” has enabled me to learn several things: McMurry faculty really love teaching and seeing their students succeed; there is a great desire on everyone’s part to see McMurry be a place of excellence; and there is a deep desire among most to connect their role here at McMurry to the larger picture of living out their faith.
Another big part of your job is being in charge of church relations with McMurry’s two affiliate United Methodist annual conferences. How are you managing to do that? Do you have a schedule for making contacts, either by phone or in person? What are you emphasizing to the leaders or members of those conferences?
President Harper and I have had a series of “summits” this past semester. That may sound pretty intense, but what I mean is that we have gathered three different groups of people on three different occasions to discuss the background and history of McMurry church relations as well as what people have experienced as best practices. I don’t want to just do things – that leads to organizational ADHD – but to do the right things in a sustainable way. Ths spring I will be much more intentional about connecting with pastors and churches. And I can do that much more thoughtfully and effectively because I took the time to learn fist.
You have talked about the church of the future being radically different from what it is today and that you are excited about working with young people who will play a role in that transformation. Are you seeing that “radical difference” already taking shape? Can you give some specifics? For example, students today seem to be more open to conversation with people of different faiths. Do you see that trend continuing into the future?
An easy example to start with is my experience with the course I taught in the fall – Introduction to Christian Ministry. Of the nine students, only a couple of them really have any interest in pastoral ministry. Their interests spanned from counseling to higher education administration to missions. Ths is very different from when I was a student here and how one faculty characterized McMurry to me 30 years ago as a “preacher/teacher college.” I think another difference is in the very different sense of identity students feel with local churches and denominations. Many of my classmates in the early ’80s were life-long United Methodists or Baptists or whatever. Today, many college students have been active in several different churches representing several different denominations or independent churches. That
In many creates a very different playing fild. Students want ways it still to make a difference in their world. Our feels like young adults are not afraid to talk to home. It people that believe differently. And they kind of has seem to have the ability to respect the a timeless person without (A) insisting the other quality. change their beliefs, and (B) without fear that they will lose their own belief.
What has surprised you most about returning to your alma mater? Facilities, courses offered, etc.
I don’t really have very many big surprises to tell. In many ways it still feels like home. It kind of has a timeless quality. I must say that the dining hall and Pioneer Food Service is far superior to
EDUCATION:
Littlefild High School, 1979; McMurry University, bachelor of science in physical education, 1983; master of divinity, Duke Divinity School, 1988; master of theology, Duke Divinity School, 1989
FAMILY: Wife, Mary; daughter Bethany Calderon and son Braden Lust, both of Albuquerque
PREVIOUS POSITIONS:
Provost, New Mexico Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church; 2013-2015; Albuquerque district superintendent, UMC, 2011-2013; senior pastor, St. Stephen’s UMC, Albuquerque, 1997-2011; pastor in several United Methodist Church congregations until 1997.
my experience of the Iris Graham Dining Hall. Since I was a P.E. major I am glad to see some great additions to the facilities there – the pool, the recreational gym, new flor in the Kimbrell arena. The biggest change I see is Carleton Chapel. I’ll be making efforts to restore Carleton Chapel to a sacred space that reflcts our intention that “Christianity is the foundation of life.”
