It Makes All the Difference
You’ve heard the phrase, “What a difference a day makes!” I gained a new appreciation for this phrase when I moved to Ohio 15 months ago—in Ohio’s weather pattern, a day can make a tremendous difference. I’ve experienced warmth and sunshine one day and cold and snow the next. (Many times there can be a difference within the hour!)
Differences in weather are easy to see and experience— but what about colleges and universities? Aren’t they all basically the same? Don’t we all provide education? Yes, we do. But, I would submit that the underlying philosophy, mission, vision and guiding values of a Christian college or university make the experience “different.”
Romans 12:2 calls for transformation “by the renewing of your mind.” I believe Christian higher education should engage students in rigorous learning so they may be transformed by the renewing of their minds. Although transformation is accomplished in a myriad of ways, the life of the mind is central to this engagement. It is in the classroom where conversations lead to the discovery of ideas—ideas that challenge a student’s heart, mind, soul and spirit—ideas that are profound and relevant, reveal wisdom and truth, and form the basis of both academic and personal enrichment and growth. At the same time, I believe a Christian college should be a place that fosters spiritual and character formation, where lives are shaped and changed and transformed by the power of Jesus Christ.
In my opinion, a Christian liberal arts college provides a superior educational context in which to transform
lives. Such education not only prepares students with qualities sought in the workplace, such as ethics, integrity, the ability to think critically and analytically and to communicate effectively, but it prepares students for a greater calling—life itself. Cardinal John Henry Newman called the liberal arts “fitness for the world.” Much of this “fitness” preparation occurs outside the four walls of a classroom as we “shape lives through educating the whole person and cultivating Christlikeness…” (MVNU’s Mission Statement).
In the pages that follow, you will find articles and thoughts that illustrate the differences and values as found at Mount Vernon Nazarene University. Last fall, Dr. James Mannoia, president at Greenville College, spoke at our academic symposium in conjunction with the Presidential Inauguration. His address was based on his book, Christian Liberal Arts: An Education that Goes Beyond. Dr. Mannoia believes that one of the values of a Christian liberal arts education is equipping students to tackle real-world problems. You’ll see how MVNU demonstrates this value throughout this issue.
The bottom-line question then, is, What difference does a Christian university make in this world? The answer? It makes all the difference.
Dr. Daniel Martin President
"...a Christian liberal arts education...not only prepares students with qualities sought in the workplace...but it prepares students for a greater calling—life itself."
2
Mount Vernon NOW
Does MVNU really make a difference? Come and see!
By Joe Noonen (’81), Assistant to the Chaplain for Mission and Ministry Opportunities
The words of Jesus are compelling in their simplicity. Early in the Gospel of John, we see Jesus on a journey with some people following. Jesus turns to them and asks, “What do you want?” They said, “Teacher, where are you staying?” Jesus replied quite simply, “Come, and you will see.”
To a great extent, this invitation is a vision for the life of any follower of Christ. It is a vision of understanding rooted in relationship. We are not invited to “see” and understand, divorced from its implications of who we are and who we are called to be. To follow Christ is to find out where He is and the path of that journey is full of surprises, and challenges the way we used to see and understand. For a student at Mount Vernon
Nazarene University, opportunities exist to come and see Jesus in many and varied ways.
Does MVNU make a difference in the lives of students and in the way they understand and respond to the world in which they live? Perhaps it is best to learn from those who responded to the invitation to “come and see” while at MVNU.
Karen Boyd (’78 Schwartz) Boyd Professor of Social Work
“As an MVNU student, I was challenged to see people through the eyes of Christ—especially the ‘least of these’ who, so often, are rejected, judged and marginalized by polite society. I saw them through various means, such as mission trips, chapel speakers, simulations, academic courses, informal conversations, off-campus study experiences and field experiences.
“MVNU students are encouraged to learn, build relationships and make a mark through service. Service, by giving gifts with open hands without expecting anything in return, is a way of making a lifelong impact. Is MVNU successful in this endeavor? Yes! MVNU students and graduates are responding to global needs, such as the student who joined the Peace Corps after graduation, saw a need for a school in Africa, enlisted the help of her MVNU colleagues, who in turn, held a garage sale to help raise money for the school. Or the graduate who chose to volunteer for a year after graduation by serving in innercity Chicago. Or the faculty member who ministers to an individual struggling with cognitive impairment. Or the religion student who pastors a small church while in school. MVNU is making a lifelong impact through its people by responding to the world’s needs through service and building relationships, one person at a time.”
Tyler DeLong Sophomore
“One of the main reasons I decided to attend MVNU was the school’s ability to connect me with hands-on learning by being involved with local and global ministries. When I came to MVNU, I was looking forward to getting involved with as many ministries as I could. I was blessed with the chance to volunteer at The Harbor, a local outreach and family center that strives to establish relationships with local at-risk youth. My experience there has led me down paths I had no idea I would ever travel. Now, still a student, I serve as The Harbor’s program director. Not only have I connected with the Mount Vernon community and seen the town’s needs, but God has shown me through MVNU and The Harbor what it really means to follow Jesus.
“MVNU openly invites students into lifechanging situations that will not only change their lives, but also the lives of those around them. Professors and staff encourage students to actively pursue a deeper relationship with God, and we are told that ‘to seek to learn is to seek to serve.’ MVNU’s campus motto caught my attention as a prospective student. It’s now at the heart of my experience here. I have been taught that in order to truly follow Christ, we must follow Him into the pain and hurting of the world and to serve with the love and compassion of our Savior. Our education hinges upon this value: that service is at the core of a Christian life. MVNU has given me the chance to experience ministry and education to the fullest.”
Lynsey Pope (’07)
“My worldview changed drastically during my time at MVNU. There were a number of ways to get involved with study-abroad opportunities and cross-cultural ministry. I was able to participate in a semester studyabroad program to Sydney, Australia, and a literature course while touring the United Kingdom. My education major afforded me a month-long diversity experience in San Diego, and a summer mission opportunity allowed me to teach English in South Korea at a summer camp. I took mission trips to New York City and Louisiana during spring break as well. I would be foolish, however, to suggest that one must travel far and wide to experience the world. There are many ways to get involved locally through campus ministries that could reveal ‘worlds’ in Mount Vernon, Ohio, that one may never expect, and would likely never find without making an effort to get involved in such wonderful programs.
“My time at MVNU was pivotal to my Christian faith, both in my experiences with ministry in the town of Mount Vernon and on the other side of the globe. In all reality, though, it was not anything that the University did that changed me—it was God who met me in these places. I am thankful that there are faculty and staff at MVNU who are sensitive to Him and aware that he is calling. So, thank you, MVNU, for providing students opportunities to move beyond the comfort of their dorm rooms, their campus events and their social circles, to meet God and be a part of the ways that He is moving all around us.”
Do you see the thread that weaves these thoughts together? It is an intentional invitation to come and see and to do so with others. It is faculty, staff and students on a journey together. Does this make a lifelong impact? I would like to close with the words of Sarah Schmitz, a 2004 graduate of MVNU. This spring, she served as an adult leader on a short-term mission experience with students to Belize.
Sarah (Smith ’04) Schmitz
“I personally cannot go on with life as I did before I went to Belize. As a mother of three, I cannot express the sorrow and agony I felt for families who do not have adequate medical care and attention or financial access to very simple medicines such as Tylenol. You see, the challenge that I am facing—that many of the students are now facing—is answering the question: What do I do with these experiences as a Christian?
“Having witnessed the glaring need and pain of our fellow human beings, we are now responsible to actively and lovingly respond. It’s not enough to come home and be thankful for our abundant resources and opportunities, though we certainly have much to be grateful for. Instead, we need to be vigorously finding ways to cast our resources into communities of need, especially as we encounter them face to face. Let us remain passionately faithful to calling and equipping our students to serve both here and around the world and, though it can start as simply as signing up for a spring break missions trip, let us encourage them to see that God is calling them to a life of missional service beyond one week in March. I pray that our experiences abroad will result in changed lives, not just inwardly, but through the active, intentional and sacrificial engagement of our students with churches and projects throughout the world.”
Mount Vernon NOW
World vie W: A Vision of and for Life
By Dr. Randy Cronk, Professor of Psychology
In the first chapter of the Gospel according to John, we read of Philip’s invitation to Nathanael to “come and see” Jesus of Nazareth. The verb “to see” occurs frequently in this passage and is rich in meaning—at first referring to sight but acquiring the meaning of “knowing.” Everyone is invited to see Christ, to know God; as faithful Christians we believe it is our calling to live in such a way as to help others “behold” Christ. To know Christ is more than a cognitive experience; it is to enter in to relationship with Him. Throughout Scripture, “seeing” is used to reveal the character of God and His transforming, redemptive work. Indeed, God became incarnate in Christ so that we might more fully and clearly see.
A portion of a relatively new course required of all new MVNU students, Introduction to the Christian Liberal Arts Experience, focuses
on understanding what a worldview is and how their educational experience at MVNU can assist them in forming a distinctively Christian worldview. In this course, students explore answers to the simple, yet critical, questions of Where am I? Who am I? What’s wrong? and What’s the remedy? and gain a conscious awareness of what a worldview is—their own and that of others.
With an emphasis on probing the Christian narrative of creation, fall and redemption, I hope that my students come to see that a Christian worldview is a cohesive, coherent and elucidating worldview that sensitizes us to issues of love and justice, and equips us with the necessary hope, grace and humility for participating in His redeeming work in a world filled with worldview tensions. The tensions are unavoidable as there are competing worldviews anchored in the
marketplace, the ever-present media and the marriage of science and technology.
Most students readily acknowledge that a biblical worldview requires them to see the sacredness of life and relationships. Yet, there is much about the air we breathe that says it is acceptable to dehumanize some, and that teaches us to see people as commodities to be used, to be discarded when they cease to have utility or provide emotional gratification. The challenge is to identify the duality— professing a Christian worldview but “seeing” otherwise.
It’s a rewarding life being a faculty member at MVNU, living out a calling that allows me to journey with students in and out of the classroom—guiding them in worldview exploration. I hope that my teaching helps students “see”—see something for the first
time or see something familiar in a new way. My particular discipline, psychology, is filled with answers to the core worldview questions. Yet, psychology has no unifying worldview. I perceive the neurological, social, cognitive and behavioral perspectives to be complementary and to provide a more holistic perspective on the human condition.
Outside of the classroom I have unique opportunities to participate with students in worldview exploration and critique. During the January term, I typically travel with students. For over 20 years I have taught a social psychology course in the context of an 1,100-mile bicycle tour in California and Arizona.
What do people “see” in a bicycle? The typical American sees a toy and wonders how a university justifies awarding academic
credit for such an experience. Let me suggest that the learning, the worldview exploration, is just as significant during this month as during a semester with the books. Students exchange all their possessions for two duffle bags of gear, travel with effort and without the insulation of an automobile, depend on the generosity of strangers for shelter, and leave their digital world behind. They see their lives and others differently.
Reflecting on the bike trip, Bethany Plice speaks of a new comfort “beyond measure” that she now has with herself and others. Prior to the bike trip, she “hid behind makeup, status and small talk.” In the context of the bike trip, she saw herself in a new way, opening herself to others and discovering that she “was accepted without the cover-up.” I think Bethany’s worldview has become more Christian as she has
come to see herself as Christ does— with honesty and acceptance.
Diana Flannery describes her transformation on the bike trip as “learning to live in the moment, seeing the people that are in front of me.” She has a new desire to pour herself “into relationships and not just be on autopilot in life—looking and never really seeing, breathing but never really living.”
Furthermore, Diana proclaims, “I do not want to rush through life anymore—I want to flourish.” In The Transforming Vision, Brian Walsh and Richard Middleton write that a worldview is never merely a vision of life, but also a vision for life. Diana has a new vision of and for life. This is my vision for students.
Mount Vernon NOW
By Dr. Jerry Lambert, former Education Commissioner, International Board of Education ( Excerpted
Nazarene Education: Past, Present
MVNU is grateful to Dr. Jerry Lambert for his leadership for the past 14 years through the Church of the Nazarene International Board of Education. We are excited that Dr. E. LeBron Fairbanks, former MVNU president, transitioned to IBOE educational commissioner as of March 1.
A CENTENNIAL PERSPECTIVE
Have you ever been on the campus of Deets Bible College (now Point Loma Nazarene University), Scituate Bible Institute (now Eastern Nazarene College), Texas Holiness University (now Southern Nazarene University) or Trevecca College (now Trevecca Nazarene University)?
All of these institutions are older than the union/organization of the Church of the Nazarene at Pilot Point, Texas, in 1908. As the Church celebrates in Centennial in 2009, it is important to note: 1894-1908.
The spiritual catalysts for the union of nearly 500 congregations with 10,000 followers were the convergence of biblical, Wesleyan, and American Holiness, becoming Nazarene doctrine.
• Message of holiness
• Missions (India, Africa) pre-date the church
• Education (14 schools that are 110 years old). One school for every 700 Nazarenes demonstrates strong commitment to, and an educated church with, competent pastors and leaders
• Publishing and printing books and periodicals
The church polity, which evolved at the time of the union, was certainly a compromise somewhere midway between Episcopal and Congregational governance. Wesleyans might call it the “via media.” We may still be fleshing out what this means from generation to generation. Perhaps the issues of ecclesiology impact our understanding and ongoing dialogue of Wesleyan/ Arminian/Holiness/Nazarene higher education. More important, what does it mean to be Christian?
Early church leaders preached often about the importance of education in the Church of the Nazarene.
“The first thing in this institution is the Word of God… taught all through this institution…. Then we purpose to produce the very best scholarship…. All branches of knowledge, God helping us, we propose to teach men and women, that they may be at their best advantage for God.”
— P.F. Bresee, 1915
“We must make our schools strong in scholarship and adequate in equipment and must turn out educated people who are not only spiritually right, but intellectually correct and scholastically strong. Here, as everywhere in our work, the emphasis is on quality…. We must build schools or die as a church….”
— J.B. Chapman, 1920
from a faculty/staff chapel service)
Phineas Bresee
J.B. Chapman
Education: Present, and Future
AN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
As we have observed, the earliest founders of the Church balanced the mission of the Church, which is a holistic approach, to our understanding of the Great Commandment and the Great Commission—loving the world and going throughout the world to teach and make disciples.
From John Wesley to Phineas Bresee, we have believed that the effective education of leaders facilitates the evangelism of the Church—a balance:
• Evangelism
• Discipling
• Expansion
• Quantity
• Education
• Leadership
• Development
• Quality
From the early days and the educational efforts of our founders has emerged a system of education encompassing:
• 56 colleges, universities, and seminaries
• 42 countries of the world, serving 1.6 million members
• 42,000 students (campus and distance programs)
• Over $1 billion in assets, for the first time in 2007
What are some hallmarks of this international system?
Nearly 50 of our schools offer theological programs for the ordination track. However, many schools outside
the U.S. are insisting on “universitylevel” education for comprehensive universities and even pastoral education programs.
In 2008, we have schools of nursing in India, Swaziland, and Papua New Guinea (pastors sometimes serve as nurses or teachers as well), with seven U.S. universities offering nursing and/or physicians’ assistant programs.
It’s been my privilege to observe the birth and/or academic development of five university-level institutions outside the U.S., the emergence of graduate and doctrinal programs, and the continuing development of diploma and certificate programs for ordination on campuses and through distance programs.
Why would such a small church have such big ideas about international education? As John Wesley observed, “The world is my parish.” Phineas Bresee’s “Nazarene DNA” was university in vision.
AN INCARNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE
The miracle of the incarnation of Jesus Christ was God coming to earth to dwell in human flesh— a one-time event in eternity in order for God to accomplish His divine plan of redemption and reconciliation of mankind.
Earlier, I mentioned Paul’s letter to the Colossians and particularly his words
“...we propose to teach men and women, that they may be at their best advantage for God.”
— P.F. Bresee, 1915
of incarnational truth: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Col. 3:16).
It is important to note that the “Christo-centric” life—rather than the egocentric life— of the followers of Christ influences our understanding of our mission of the church in education.
I heard David Whitelaw, South African professor, say something I can never get away from. He told a group of students and faculty, “Any word without flesh on it is not a Word from God.”
We dwell in Him. He dwells in us.
We not only talk the talk, but we walk the walk.
Christ Jesus did not just sit up in heaven and feel sorry for us. He came. He lived. He taught. He died. He rose to new life that we might serve Him and our world.
I recently met with 25 educators representing our education institutions around the world. Each of these people has been a member of an International Board of Education Quality and Missional Review evaluation team.
In one of the sessions, the question was asked, “Forty-four of our 56 campuses visited. So what? What have we learned? What can we celebrate?”
The team suggested the following:
• Esteem for our system of education where each school contributes to the whole
• Our educational identity reflects our core values
• Nazarene schools are resilient— they have endurance and longevity
• Quality of collegiality and partnering
• Ability for self-reflection, criticism and analysis
• Goal of education is transformation of students’ lives
• Diversity of schools
What is our greatest need?
• Human resources—faculty and staff, administrators, Board of Trustees development
• Financial resources
• Better connections with church leaders
What can Nazarene schools give the world and the Church in the future?
• Transformational education for our students and our heritage
• A bridge of relationships with all parts of the Church
• Opportunity to serve as catalytic thinkers for the future of the Church
• A network of resources
• Better communication
I thank each one of you for the contribution you are making in changing the world and preparing people to make a difference. I believe if the Church 110 years ago had failed to be the Church in education, we would not—could not—be the Church God is calling us to be today.
Charles Malik, U.N. Ambassador, wrote: “The problem is not only to win souls, but to save minds. If you win the whole world and lose the mind of the world, you will soon discover you have not won the world.”
A lifetime in the health field taught Dale Foster that a little athletic competition is good for
Dale Foster 1916-2002
Dale Foster loved to golf. He appreciated the characteristics of endurance, patience, and perseverance—not only on the green, but in life. Throughout his pharmacy career, Dale embodied these values in his work and in dedication to community and church service. He was an integral part of bringing Mount Vernon Nazarene College to life. Along the way, Dale and his wife Edith
became avid Cougar sports fans, determined to assist MVNU scholar athletes in achieving their goals. True team players, the Fosters established five endowed scholarships. Their generosity ensured that students would continue a winning tradition both on and off the field. Thank you, Dale and Edith, for leaving a legacy at MVNU.
Contact Dr. Keith Newman to learn how you can leave a legacy at MVNU.
1-800-367-9294, university relations option knewman@mvnu.edu
Mount Vernon NOW
a chOice fOr chanGe
Transfer sTudenTs and The MVnu experience
Top Reasons foR TRansfeRRing
To move seamlessly from a public college or
• university, where students may save money or stay closer to home for two years, through MVNU’s many articulation agreements.
• spiritually and academically, where they can succeed in career, character and family life.
To attend a school where they can grow both
To belong in a place without classroom • opposition and pressure to compromise their values.
• exciting, fun and caring environment.
To be with vibrant Christian friends in an
To gain better access to staff and faculty
• services, and receive personal attention.
To complete their education, enter their
• career and earn the income they desire sooner from a smaller private school.
Dr. Bruce Oldham speaks with three students who chose to transfer to MVNU.
By Dr. Bruce Oldham, Associate Vice President for Enrollment Management
Choice is the operative word in today’s market economy. Grocery stores display the same product in a variety of brands. Clothing shops offer a different style, color or price for every occasion. Major outlets expand and diversify to attract buyers who, by intent or by impulse, will be able to make all their selections in one stop. Purchasers today have the freedom not only to choose, but to do so with the confidence that today’s choices don’t necessarily bind them. Inexpensive food items that don’t satisfy can be replaced by another company’s wares next time. Even expensive goods have a moneyback guarantee and can be exchanged within a reasonable period. Clothing that looked better on the shelf than on the self can be returned for a better fit.
The breadth of options available to high school graduates today makes the higher education marketplace both a comfort and a challenge. Though students and parents can find a size, shape, climate and cost for seemingly every desired field or future, the possibility that a bad fit is easily rectified once a decision is made can be another matter. The question of whether and how academic coursework can be transferred from one college to another looms large, and finding a new niche in friendships and the flow of campus life seems daunting to many students unfulfilled in their initial college choice.
Even so, over 100 transfer students are welcomed into the MVNU family every year. Some are drawn by specific academic programs, small class sizes and personal relationships with faculty. Others are referred by friends or family who attest to the social and spiritual benefits. Still others have sensed a new or more specific calling to pursue a ministry field or service profession that was not part of their original decision-making process. Many may have considered a Christian university initially, and after attending a state university or community college for proximity or price, recognized in that choice the value of the MVNU experience. There are also those who intentionally chose a twoyear college at the outset and whose search for the right place to complete a baccalaureate degree led them to our campus. Whatever the reasons, students discover not only a welcoming campus community but a user-friendly and
personalized process awaiting them when choosing to transfer.
Abram DeWeese made the move to MVNU in the fall of 2006 after completing an associate degree at a local community college. His interest was criminal justice and the reputation of our program was a major factor in his choice to attend MVNU. He was thrilled that his transfer of credits prior to enrollment went so smoothly, but the Christian atmosphere really clinched it for him. “Though I learned a lot at the school I attended, I found myself having to explain, to the point of feeling I had to apologize for, my faith in Christ,” Abram recalled. “It was refreshing to find a university where my faith was encouraged in class, and where a Christian worldview determines the definition of justice and restoration.” Professors like Merle Pickenpaugh and Doug Matthews have helped shape a theological view that he will carry into the way he approaches offenders with compassion and hope. Moving from a commuter to a residential campus, Abram discovered a positive social life, and has enjoyed extracurricular involvements such as serving on a spring break ministry trip and participating in the Collegians Chorale. Having graduated in May, he plans to apply to law school this summer. Whatever his future may hold, Abram is sure that the lessons of love and integrity learned at MVNU will make his vocational pursuit more than a job—it will be a life of service that flows directly from his faith in Christ.
friends who provided support. “When students tell you that the on-campus experience is lifechanging, they really mean it,” Adam affirmed. “I roomed with a guy at my other school whom I hardly knew after months of being together, but my apartment mates here want to get to know me and we have so much fun together.” Through his coursework, his relationships and his membership in a music and ministry group, an understanding of the nature of the church, a boldness to share his faith and a passion for nonbelievers has been fostered into flame. After graduation, Adam is looking forward to serving on a pastoral staff as a worship pastor.
Having grown up in Mount Vernon, Maradith Noonen also attended a state university as an opportunity to try something new outside of her familiarity with Christian settings. “I quickly found that I had taken so much for granted,” Maradith recalled. “In my first class, a professor told us that over half of us would not make it there. Where I had been used to a community where people invested in my
"iT was refreshinG TO find a uniVersiT y where My faiTh was encOuraGed in class."
Adam Jansen came to MVNU in fall 2007 after a difficult first year at a state university. He had wanted to be a band director since middle school, but that year away from his family and church was devastating to his faith. He returned home, and after a time of spiritual restoration began to seek God’s calling for his life. Participating in a praise band led to an interest in church music as a profession. A campus visit with a student tour guide also preparing for ministry convinced him that MVNU was the right place for him. He was amazed that professors took time to talk to him personally and quickly found a group of
success, it was easy to get lost in the ‘bigness’ of it all. There was a lot to do, but it was not easy to engage and feel a connection with other students, even in Christian-based clubs and groups.” Upon returning to MVNU in spring 2008, Maradith recognized that academic standards are higher and students are held accountable for attendance and effort with verses like Colossians 3:23. For a biology major planning on medical school, the focus on God’s design in creation and human development was immediately evident, and her teachers were quick to show her how much they cared. Maradith has also found that her interaction with other students is stretching her into new growth, and a spring break trip to Hungary is just one element that is helping move her out of her comfort zone in serving Christ and others. “You just can’t put a price on the educational experience here!”
Do you know students for whom transferring to MVNU would make a difference in their academic, social and spiritual experience? The choice may be a difficult one, but the process of doing so will not be. MVNU has developed a seamless transition for transfer students, and we have friendly staff experts who’ll guide them through each step. Transfer students with at least 13 hours of transferrable credit are eligible for special scholarships based on their college GPA. Contact the Transfer Counselor in the Admissions Office at MVNU toll-free at 1-866-462-6868, or check MVNU’s web site at www.gotomvnu.com/transfer
“Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. in all the ways you can. in all the places you can. at all the times you can. to all the people you can. as long as you ever can.”
- John Wesley
Senior Cla SS Motto
nuMBer of graDuateS : 545 the traDitional unDergraDuate ClaSS repreSentS :
different majors
states 1 other country (albania)
BaCC alaureate
CoMMenCeMent
linda Merriam armacost
ServiCe
Mount Vernon NOW
Distinctive by Tradition
By
tra • di • tion: the handing down of statements, beliefs, legends, customs, information, etc., from generation to generation, especially by word of mouth or by practice; a long-established or inherited way of thinking or acting
Tom West (’90), assisted by Walter Baughman (’76)
As MVNU approaches its 40th year in 2008, we think about our story—how we remember it, share it and live it. Traditions distinctive to MVNU are a big part of our story. Generations have experienced a variety of MVNU traditions—some live on today, some reside fondly in our memories. Two long-standing traditions include student-led spring revival and Blue/Green Day. Let’s take a walk down memory lane…
A Spirit of Revival
Mike McClure (’73), vice president for Spiritual Life, and Ron Dalton (’73), president of the Ministerial Association (now Koinonia), were permitted to launch the first student revival at MVNU in the spring of 1973, with the approval of Jon Johnston, dean of students, and Jarrell Garsee, chaplain.
A number of guiding principles governed these services. They had to be entirely run by students—song leaders, accompanists, soloists and speakers. Most important, the focus had to be on having God always at the center of endeavors.
“There was an unusual energy extended to many people as we neared the time for the revival itself,” Dalton shared. “I have always been sure this was of God’s own timing for our campus. It turned out to be simply an amazing service and a fitting end to what had been truly a student-led revival—the right idea at the right time.”
The administration, without McClure or Dalton’s request or knowledge, placed the student revival on the calendar for the next year. To all this we say, “To God be the glory!” Everyone worked hard to make the first student revival a quality experience, but it was God alone who made
it worthwhile and a blessing. Today, MVNU students continue what has now been a 35-year tradition. Lives were changed and continue to be transformed as our students lead their peers in a true MVNU tradition.
Keeping the Campus Beautiful
Another tradition that started in the spring of 1969, and which continues to live on, is Blue/Green Day. It started as a way for the campus community to show their pride in their school and community while promoting the school’s colors. The two people responsible for the start of this tradition were President Stephen Nease and Rev. Claude Schlosser, director of Business Affairs. The faculty and staff were very much involved, and their commitment to return something to the campus community spread to the students as well.
Classes were dismissed for the day, freeing the faculty and staff to work on the lawn, plant flowers and trees, mulch, etc. There was an open invitation for family members of faculty and staff to join in. Everyone spoke of the importance of those events in the Pioneer Days, realizing there was the opportunity and probability of a longlasting tradition and meaning. It was taken seriously, and turned out to be as meaningful to those who gave of their
Mount
Past and Present MVNU
Traditions
• Mr. MVNU Pageant
• Homecoming Pageant
• Service Above Self Awards
• Alumni Medallion Awards
• Chapel pranks (at least one each year)
• Tree planting at graduation
• Freshman Mugging
• Root Beer Fest
• Graduation Banquet before Baccalaureate
• Galloway/Pioneer Funhouse
• Spring musicals
• Winter One-Acts
• Blue/Green Day
• TWIRP Week
• Giving something to the president as each graduate passes by him at graduation (one year it was rocks, another combs, one year little green army men, etc.)
• Student-led Spring Revival
• Music & Ministry teams
• Living Witness teams
• Intramural sports (Societies: Gadol, Shibair, Chazod, Yachad)
• Handel’s Messiah
• January term
• Ringing of the Shaw Bell at Commencement
• Getting engaged/married at the Gazebo
• Capture the Flag
• Campus luau
• University Games
• Car on the chapel stage in the MPB
• Bubbles in the Reflection Pond
• Mother/Daughter Banquet
• Cooking in the basement of the Central Complex (“The Pit”)
• President’s Christmas ornament for faculty/staff children
• Phones in dorm hallways (no phone in rooms)
• President and cabinet cooking “breakfast for dinner” during finals week
• Survival Kits during finals week
• Using the cafeteria trays as sleds behind Pioneer Hall
• SonFest
• Mandate (early mission trips during fall and spring breaks)
• Senior Class gift (38-year tradition beginning with the Flame in 1970)
• Ribbon cuttings (move-in day and baccalaureate)
• Lecture Artist Series
• GOTCHA games during J-term
• Opening Convention
• Junior/Senior Banquet
• Lighting the “Eternal” Flame twice a year
• Monday night specials at Domino’s Pizza
• Cougar Crazies (name has evolved over the years)
• Student Government executive positions for Academic Life & Spiritual Life/Chaplain (the only Nazarene university with these positions)
• Monday student-led chapels
• Delta Moo (unofficial fraternity)
time and efforts as it was to those who benefited.
There was pride evident all around Mount Vernon—Blue/Green Day was a natural way to express that pride in a tradition that could continue for all the years to come. “Everyone cared about our campus looking nice,” said Betty Morrison, Pioneer switchboard operator. “Our 20 years at MVNU were, beyond a shadow of a doubt, all part of God’s plan. God called me and Percy to Mount Vernon and we never regretted leaving our home and business in Pittsburgh for one minute because we knew this is where God wanted us.”
“Among my personal memories is one when I had the task of edging the sidewalk from the Campus Center to the walkway between Founders and Faculty Halls,” said Dr. Charles McCall, Pioneer faculty member. “This was important because, in the early days, the academic processional came from Founders and Faculty Halls down the sidewalk to the porch of the Campus
“Here we are, 40 years removed from that initial expression of pride, and it not only lasts, but grows in meaning.”
Center, which served as the platform for commencement.”
Ron Billow, Class of 1970 representative, put it this way: “Here we are, 40 years removed from that initial expression of pride, and it not only lasts, but grows in meaning. May those involved with MVNU always exhibit their pride in the ‘Blue & Green’ by giving back to the campus and community a portion of what has been given before them.”
Celebrate 40 Years
We invite all alumni, local community members, former trustees, retired faculty and staff and University friends to join us for a 40th birthday chapel celebration. Friday, October 10, 10:20 a.m. R.R. Hodges Chapel/Auditorium
The first day of classes at MVNU was held on Oct. 15, 1968. Come reminisce in a special chapel service about the University’s early days. Bring your friends and family. Watch www.mvnu.edu for more details!
Champions of CharaCter Banquet
Saturday, October 11, 6:30 p.m. Dining Commons
• Featured speaker: Chet Foraker, former athletic director and coach
• Cougar Wall of Fame inductions
• Cougar Appreciation Awards
• Athletes from MVNU's first sports teams will be honored
For more details and to make reservations, please contact Julie Burke at jburke1@mvnu.edu or (740) 397-9000 ext. 3100.
Mount Vernon NOW
to MVNU and BEYOND
By Carrie A. Crouch, Director of Communications
Since 1991, Dr. Gary Sivewright has faithfully served as MVNU’s vice president for Campus Ministries and chaplain. After 17 years, he announced his resignation in March.
Something Special
When Gary Sivewright announced his departure to students, he told them that they won him over a long time ago. Traveling to MVNU as a Youth in Missions recruiter early in his career, he said, “I love all of our Nazarene schools, but the students here seemed unaffected. They didn’t put on airs or have pretenses. There was an innocence about them that seemed to say, ‘If I know what God wants me to do, I’ll do it.’” When the opportunity came to work at MVNU, Sivewright accepted with joy.
The Role of Chaplain
With a background in youth ministry, Sivewright had a solid foundation to understand college students. “This is a crucial time in students’ lives. As a youth
pastor, you’re basically setting them up for future decisions. At MVNU, those decisions are being made. To be there at that juncture of their lives is probably the most rewarding thing.”
Over the years, he has observed changes in different generations. “Twenty years ago, students felt like they had to articulate their entire life’s plan. I don’t see the same sense of urgency today,” said Sivewright. “‘Keeping my options open’ seems to be their hallmark. If they choose to do something, there’s something else they might miss— and they can’t afford to miss it.”
One thing, however, remains the same— students’ need to find themselves and to feel loved and accepted. “It’s always been that way and always will be. Preaching sermons, giving counsel and telling them they’re not the first person going through what they’re going through—it’s a great responsibility.”
Accomplishments and Challenges
When Sivewright came to MVNU, there were only two mission experiences offered every other year. “I knew a long time ago if I had anything to do with ministry, that it would involve mission trips,” he said. This spring, more than 200 students traveled to
ten national and international locations. Joe Noonen, whose full-time work is dedicated to missions opportunities, was a key hire for Sivewright.
Small group experiences have also grown. Accountability is truly needed in college students’ lives. Some freshmen stay with their groups all four years. “It’s great to be able to tell parents that someone will regularly be asking their child how he/she’s doing. They’re not alone here.”
One of the biggest challenges Sivewright had to overcome in the higher education environment was the rate of change. “Everyone has to buy in to the fact that this is not just a degree-granting mill—it’s an experience. It’s more than pumping facts into students’ heads—it’s showing them how to live out what we’re teaching.” Sivewright is convinced that the ministry of Christian education is the integration of missions, ministry, service and accountability to classroom learning. “Until we see that, we’re not uniquely Christian, we’re just another school.”
Work to be Done
When asked what one quality a Campus Ministries (CM) leader must have, Sivewright thoughtfully said, “On the
I have appreciated the opportunity to get to know Dr. Sivewright and his vision for our university and students. He has been a leader on our campus and his contributions will continue to be seen as we move forward.
Chelsea Compton, Sophomore
From my first day, I have never felt like I was coming to work or a job. Gary has treated us as family. I will forever cherish the Christmas parties, happy music, games, musical cards, and so many other wonderful memories.
Rochell Furniss, Secretary for the Division of Campus Ministries
I can see Gary’s deep passion for ministering to college students and young adults. He is one of the most gifted communicators and writers that I have ever met and he uses these talents for the glory of the Lord.
Kendra Lambert, Assistant to the Chaplain for Small Group Ministries
“Together” is an intentional word in his life language in that he understands that God invites us into relationship with Him and others. Those who work with him are taught the value and necessity of following and serving “with” one another.
Joe Noonen, Assistant to the Chaplain for Missions and Ministry Opportunities
I learned quickly just how much Gary loves MVNU students, staff and faculty. Gary has allowed me to participate in his love and care for the campus community, the hosting of outstanding speakers and musicians, and his passion for global outreach. God has blessed me with a prayer warrior, great friend, amazing chaplain and incredible boss. Gary, I am not only saying goodbye to a man of God, but to a true friend.
Diana Tocheff, Administrative Assistant to the Chaplain and Vice President for Campus Ministries
record—flexibility and adaptability. No one can come into that sort of a position thinking there’s only one way to do things. Off the record—thick skin. Every senior administrator knows you’re never going to please everybody.”
Sivewright has developed both qualities in his time at MVNU, and has brought about many changes, including the creation of CM as a division, a variety of chapel choices for students, an significant increase in CM staffing and a dedicated focus on mission trips. “I love going into a situation and asking how this can be done differently— are there some things missing that we can add?”
Sivewright’s hopes for Campus Ministries’ future include:
• Greater focus on service learning
• Growth of the accountability ministry
• Further development of Spiritual Life assistants
• Continued improvement of chapel/worship experiences.
Listening for God
Many people have asked Sivewright if he’s retiring. “I don’t know if it’s because I look
old or because I’ve been here so long, but I’ve not used this word,” he said, laughing. He admitted it had been a thought that came with a heart attack in December, but it has instead brought some things into focus. “I’m not making a ‘bucket list,’ but I do have things I’d like to do before I retire. For the time being, I’d like to write, speak and travel,” he explained. “I don’t know where I’ll end up, but God knows.”
“If there’s one thing I could tell the MVNU community, it would be that God is faithful. If you’re willing to take His will one day at a time, He reveals himself in surprising ways. I’d like to think that God is still teaching me that.”
Perhaps Sivewright has more in common with this generation than he thinks. He’s keeping his options open and doesn’t want to miss what God has in store.
Thank you, Dr. Gary, for helping shape the heart of ministry in so many lives. Your story-telling prowess, hearty laughter and listening spirit have made this a better place, and us—better people.
Get to know Tom Parks
By
Even though it has been nearly five years since I arrived at MVNU, I am still occasionally asked why I left a large, prestigious, state university to come to a private Christian university. To many outsiders my decision is still baffling, but the reasons I made such a dramatic change are clearer today than they have ever been.
As a Christian, I believe that I have the responsibility to have the greatest impact for Christ that I can. At MVNU we are nurturing, developing, educating and training the Christian leaders of today and tomorrow who will impact tens of thousands of people I could never reach. What better way to transform the world for Christ? So working at a Christian university makes sense but it still begs the question, why MVNU?
Although there are many facets, I think I can summarize my rationale with a fairly audacious statement:
There is nothing quite like MVNU
Let me use the School of Business as an example to support my statement:
We are Christ-centered in all we do. Our faith integration doesn’t just happen in chapel services or in the devotional at the beginning of class; it is interwoven throughout our curriculum. Many ethical failures in business reflect the fact that Christians often don’t do a good job of transferring their beliefs to real-world situations. Whether it is in our traditional programs or our programs for working adults, we strive to embed Christian principles throughout.
We are focused on character development. Shaping character is more than just instilling a biblical foundation. It is learning how to analyze and understand issues and situations and respond to them in a Christlike manner. With the leadership of faculty members such as Monty Lobb, the School of Business aspires to establish a Center for Character Development that could be a resource to the Christian community and beyond.
We are committed to quality in all we do. MVNU has always had excellent degree programs but in the past, we lacked the official recognition of that. Today our programs are nationally accredited so that our graduates can have the assurance that along with our faith focus, they are getting a top-flight education. We are committed to assessment and continuous improvement so that our programs stay current and relevant.
weren’t valued and faculty members were focused on activities that didn’t relate directly to the students. At MVNU, it is all about our students. We are focused on excellence in and out of the classroom. We understand that the faculty members must lead by example and that it is through relationship that lives are changed.
In all my years in industry and academia, I have never been a part of an organization
"In all my years in industry and academia, I have never been a part of an organization that is so focused on developing the whole person."
Our faculty members are second to none. I have been at an institution where students
that is so focused on developing the whole person. We may not be unique in any one area, but our focus on the whole sets us apart. I am at MVNU to help transform lives and I can say that MVNU is truly Life Changing!
Dr. Tomas Parks, Dean for the School of Business
Featured School: Business
The Power to Care
By Carrie A. Crouch, Director of Communications
by Tammy Adams, Assistant Director of Enrollment Management for AGS
Motivational guru Tony Robbins said, “It’s the unlimited power to care…that can make the biggest difference in a person’s quality of life.“
MVNU’s Adult and Graduate Studies (AGS) program is the perfect example of this theory in action. From professors, to students, to staff— everyone involved in AGS can testify that care is a hallmark of the program and of MVNU.
“MVNU has a learning environment that seeks to help students retain information as they attempt to excel in the classroom and in life. Learning with a cohort group and experiencing changes together over time is remarkable,” explained Stephen Massey, 2007 Master of Business Administration graduate. “[People at] MVNU care enough to know students by name, which makes attending more meaningful and something you look forward to.”
“One of the greatest AGS benefits is the intense commitment to the students,” shared Dr. Steve McClellan, professor of Health Care Administration. “It is more than rhetoric—it is
projected daily. Our Christian environment is distinctive—intentionally. There is an enormous commitment to the students’ academic and life success.”
Additional elements of care are exhibited through personal counsel and advice, faculty accessibility, emphasis on student growth and development in and out of the classroom, and attention to the student as a whole person. “We’re engaged in making a real difference in changing lives,” added McClellan.
John Frazier, assistant professor of Business, understands the difference caring makes. “Of the universities I have attended or worked at, MVNU is definitely the community that cares,” he said. “Time is dedicated to ensure that we are taking care of our students. When we hire staff or faculty, there is an importance placed not only on qualifications, but on the individual’s understanding of, and desire to carry out, MVNU’s mission and the caring culture associated with it.”
“It’s the unlimited power to care…that can make the biggest difference in a person’s quality of life.”
This caring was extended back to Frazier as his students prayed with him when his father headed into angioplasty surgery. He concluded, “It was amazing to hear students say my family would be in their thoughts and prayers. It is this genuine caring that makes MVNU the outstanding university that it is.”
For more information about AGS programs and locations, visit www.mvnu.edu/ags
Assisted
Campus Highlights
Check out MVNU's new adult programs!
SCHOOL OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
Fund-raising goals exceeded for Lifeline ’08
WNZR 90.9 FM is celebrating the success of Lifeline 2008, the radio station’s annual fundraiser. Held in March with a $60,000 goal, the effort brought in $61,720 in pledges, and the total continues to rise. Over 260 ministry partners pledged support, including 55 first-time donors, demonstrating that God is continually reaching new people and families through WNZR.
Funds will be used to meet the needs of student personnel, including a leadership team and summer staff. WNZR will also invest in a signal upgrade mid-2009. If you’d like to support WNZR or
would like more information about the station’s ministry, please visit www.wnzr.fm , or call (740) 392-9090.
Broadcasting students honored in national competition
Mount Vernon Nazarene University broadcasting students Patrick Neville and Nolan Donegan, along with graphic design student Adam Jackman, were recently honored at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention in Nashville for their participation in this year’s Intercollegiate National Religious Broadcasters (INRB) student competition.
Neville, a senior broadcasting major from Mt. Sterling, Ohio, placed second in the Radio Public Service Announcement category. Neville
serves on WNZR’s leadership team as the production director.
Donegan, a senior broadcasting major from Howard, Ohio, placed third in the Radio News category.
Jackman, a senior graphic design major from Warren, Pa., placed second in the Internet category. He serves on the station’s leadership team as Web site/ graphic design director.
Touring music ensembles present home concert
Three Music Department ensembles presented a total of 17 concerts to churches on the MVNU educational region during April. Chamber Winds (woodwind and brass groups, Dr. John Packard, director) and Treble Singers Women’s Choir (Dr. Stan Wood, director) toured together, and Collegians Chorale (Dr. Bob Tocheff, director) had its own itinerary. While scheduling, the idea arose that all three groups might join forces for a home church tour concert at Lakeholm Church of the Nazarene.
This was an exciting evening of music with an incredible array of musical styles. Each group presented pieces with their own unique sounds, then joined forces on three selections, one of which included Lakeholm’s choir as well. This union of what is prepared in the classroom along with a spirit of worship and public relations
on the region is a strong point of the ensemble offerings of MVNU’s Music Department.
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS Business Ethics Conference
Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) hosted the fourth annual Business Ethics Conference in February. Keynote speakers included Wayne Penrod, successful entrepreneur, and Monty Lobb, former Ohio Assistant Secretary of State. Topics ranged from ethics as an entrepreneur to ethics in nonprofit settings. Over 200 students, faculty and community members were involved in the two-day event.
Blended Online Master of Science in Management (MSM)
In March, the Graduate Business Department launched an innovative new version of the MSM. The first and last classes are held in a face-to-face format, with the ten remaining courses conducted in an online format. This allows the students to get a strong start and finish while completing the program in a more flexible format that may better fit into their lives.
Broadcasting students Donegan, Neville and Jackman.
The MSM is unique in that is offers a business master’s degree to individuals with nonbusiness bachelor’s degrees. Two more cohorts will be launched next year. Visit www.mvnu.edu/ags or call 1-800-839-2355 for more information.
MSM— Health Care Administration
The School of Business will launch a new graduate major in health care administration next year. This major is for those in the health care field who are interested in strengthening their management credentials or perhaps looking for career growth. Dr. Steve McClellan has applied his many years of experience as part of a successful leadership team in health care administration in developing the program.
Faculty Accomplishments
Dr. Margaret Britt, Dr. Melanie Spangler, and Dr. Tomas Parks published “Wal-Mart and Women: Good Business Practice or Gamesmanship?” in the April 2008 Journal of Applied Management and Entrepreneurship.
Dr. Ronald Bolender was recognized for his contribution to the December 2007 International Encyclopedia of Social & Behavioral Sciences (2nd edition).
SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND PHILOSOPHY
New Master of Ministry for the 21st Century
A new church-based Master of Ministry program, combining graduate-level academics with practical training in a large, growing church, is scheduled to begin in September 2008. Students will experience firsthand how one of five Ohio teaching churches effectively functions to serve its community by spending 15-20 hours a week for 11 months, working alongside the senior pastor and staff members.
Program features:
• Cohort-based; designed for recent graduates
• Taught at four locations using videoconferencing (students will come to the MVNU campus twice a semester)
• 30 credits (can transfer for one-third of Master of Divinity program at Nazarene Theological Seminary or other graduate school)
• Can be completed in 11 months
• Three courses each semester in areas such as theology, biblical studies and practices
• Three semesters of supervised ministry
Visit www.mvnu.edu/ags or contact Kimberly Eades at (740) 397-9000, ext. 4713, for more information.
COUGAR ATHLETICS
Curry pitches perfect game
Levi Curry tossed a perfect game for the MVNU baseball team on March 26 in a 7-0 victory over Cedarville University at Cougar Field. Curry needed 90 pitches to retire all 21 batters he faced with a careerhigh 10 strikeouts in what was the second perfect game and 16th nohitter in school history.
For the latest athletic schedules and news, visit cougars.mvnu.edu
Strong year for MVNU men’s basketball
The MVNU men’s basketball team earned a third straight berth into the NAIA Division II National Tournament where the Cougars fell 77-74 to eventual national champion Oregon Institute of Technology. Junior guard Ben Falkenberg became only the second MVNU athlete ever to be named twice to the NAIA All-American First Team.
Levi Curry pitches a perfect game.
The Grapevine
1970 s
Debra (Hughes ’76) Haar graduated from Bowling Green State University on Dec. 15, 2007, with a Master of Education in the field of classroom technology. She currently teaches computer applications at Bellevue Junior High School. dhaar@hmcltd.net
1980 s 1990 s
Susan (Walter ’80) and Dr. William Nielson live in Albuquerque, N.M., with their three daughters, ages 14, 13, and 11. William is the senior pastor of Heights First Church of the Nazarene and Susan home-schools the children and is a conference speaker for the Association for Christian Schools International. SGNielson@excite.com
Ed Key (’84) and wife Marie have three sons, Joshua, David and Daniel, and reside in Columbus, Ga. edkeyjr@ hotmail.com
Dawn (Womacks ’87) and Randy Borjas have two children, Kyle (15) and Angela (9). Dawn has worked for the past 14 years as a medical transcriptionist out of her home in Maineville, Ohio, for MedQuist, Inc. dawnb2@fuse.net
Dr. Steve Estep (’91), wife Michelle (Cutlip ’91) and children Brandon, Brook and Blake, recently moved to Clarksville, Tenn., where Steve serves as senior pastor of the Clarksville Grace Church of the Nazarene. gcnpastor@yahoo.com
Nancy (Dorn ’92) and Anthony Hale welcomed Sarah Dawn on Jan. 15, 2008. She joins siblings Lyndsey (11), Nathan (5) and Kate (3). The family resides in Avon Park, Fla., where Nancy home-schools their children and works as a children’s pastor at Community Bible Church. Anthony is employed by Good Shepherd Hospice. Barneypfife2@embarqmail.com
R.S.V.P. for any of these events by calling 1-800-367-9294 or by e-mailing alumni@mvnu.edu.
Magic Mountain Polaris of Columbus
Saturday, July 12
11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
3 hours of unlimited play
FREE lunch at the tent, noon-2 p.m.
Pizza and pop provided (compliments of Liberty Mutual)
$10/person (4 and under are free)
R.S.V.P. by July 7
North Central Ohio Alumni & Friends Luncheon
Tuesday, July 15, Noon
President's Dining Room, MVNU
$5 per person
R.S.V.P. by July 11
Creation Museum
Hebron, Kentucky
Saturday, August 9
Group Tour, Special Effects Theater and Planetarium included
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Group lunch at the pavilion reserved for MVNU
$10/adults, $5 kids (ages 5-12), under 5 FREE
R.S.V.P. by August 4
John Volinsky (’87) recently joined the staff at World Vision in Seattle as the senior director of Church Relations. He had previously served as creative arts pastor at Bayside Church in Sacramento, Calif., for 10 years. He is married to Laura (Redman ’87). jvolinsky@worldvision.com
Mary (Haugen ’88) Dunsmore, CPA, was recently named director of Business and Finance for Lansing Christian School (LCS), which serves more than 400 families. She previously served at senior manager at Yeo and Yeo CPAs and Consultants. She and her husband Tim are parents of three children who attend LCS.
Chaplain (LTC) Dan Burris (’89) has been activated with the Ohio Army National Guard for his second tour overseas. He is serving in OIF as the brigade chaplain for the 37th Infantry Brigade Combat Team. Dan and his wife Brenda (Thomas ’89) have five children, ages 9-17, and reside in Vandalia, Ohio. Dan had to step down from pastoring the Vandalia Church of the Nazarene when he was called to duty. daniel.burris@us.army.mil
Jeffrey (’92) and Laura (Buckle ’92) Miller reside in Lucasville, Ohio, with their four children, Meagan (13), Caleb and Kyle (12), and Hali (2). Jeff serves as senior pastor at Scioto Baptist Church and has recently completed his master’s in theology from Emmanuel Baptist Seminary and is working toward a Ph.D. Laura is the pharmacy manager at Kroger in Portsmouth, Ohio. jmiller5@hughes.net
Michelle Goodrich (’93) is a child welfare social worker in Maryland. She is also mother to daughter Hope (5). mommatohope02@aol.com
Larry Kanagy (’93) and wife Tammy announce the adoption of two foster children, Amelia (3) and Jaden (2), on Dec. 10, 2007. They join their daughter Janessa (9). For the past five years, they’ve fostered numerous children. Larry works as a church consultant with Lifetouch Church Directories and Tammy is a stay-at-home mom and home-school teacher. They reside in Rochester, Ind. larrykan2@juno.com
Aaron Kemp (’96) and wife Virginia celebrated the birth of their first child, Abigail Grace, on Nov. 17, 2007. happydorks@mchsi.com
Steve Payton (’96) and wife Melissa announce the birth of twins Andrew Jacob and Allison Nicole, born prematurely at 30 weeks. Steve is a
financial advisor at Ohio Christian University and Melissa is a 7th grade teacher at Zane Trace in Chillicothe, Ohio.
Dieter Schade (’97 AGS) and wife Lucy have moved to Berlin, Germany, to work with “The Rock” church through Great Commission Ministries. You can read their blog at germanators.blogspot.com.
Camela (Hill ’97) and Bryan Schmitz welcomed Isaac Edgar on Oct. 19, 2007. He joins big sister Avery. Camela and Bryan purchased Hartford Animal Clinic in Hartford City, Ind., in May 2007. schmitz.22@osu.edu
Heidi Asher (’98), of Piqua, Ohio, married Abraham Garrett of Crossville, Tenn., on June 24, 2006. hgarrett@us.ibm.com
Joshua (’98) and Emily (Hinz ’98) Dyer announce the birth of Brandt Thomas on July 14, 2007. He was welcomed by big brothers Evan (5) and Eli (3). Josh graduated with honors from Liberty University in May 2007 with an MBA and works for Bedford Public Schools as their controller/director of business and auxiliary services. Emily is a stay-athome mom. dyers529@verizon.net
Rich (’00) and Leah (Brisker ’98) Shockey were married on Oct. 28, 2000. They recently adopted Timothy Allen (2) and are scheduled to adopt Jonah Charles (1) soon. They serve as worship ministers and youth leaders at their church. Leah is a stay-at-home mom and substitute teacher at a Nazarene preschool that she once directed. Rich is an appliance technician for a company in the Kansas City area. rich.shockey@ sbcglobal.net, leah.denise@gmail.com
Adam (’01) and Lori (Miller ’99) Hicks have two children, Camden (3) and Jagger (1). Adam is a Columbus police officer and Lori teaches 5th grade in Marysville, Ohio. lhicks@marysville.k12.oh.us
Rich (’99) and Beth (Radke ’99) Hostettler were married in June of 2000 and have two children, Luke (4) and Abby (2). Rich works with computers and networking, and Beth is a stay-at-home mom. thehoss@neo.rr.com
Chris (’99) and Jessica (Tennant ’99) Kirkpatrick welcomed Silas Christopher on Sept. 10, 2007. He joins big sister Megan Alexis (3).
Travis Snow (’02) and wife Staci announce the birth of Dylan Michael on March 28, 2007. tmsnow80@ yahoo.com
Sara (Bumpus ’03) and Wes Brothers celebrated the birth of first child Emma Jean on April 17, 2008. Both Sara and Wes work at Ohio Christian University in Circleville, Ohio. echobrothers@yahoo.com
Jacob (’04) and Amber (Terry ’03) Hawes announce the birth of son Cohen Weslee on Feb. 27, 2008. He was welcomed by big brother Kaiden (2). Jacob pastors at Cleveland Victory 2000 s
Crystal (Gregg ’00)
announce the birth of Brock Stephen on Jan. 31, 2008. He was welcomed by big sisters Kylie (4) and Kerrigan (2). Crystal is the children’s director at Urbana Church of the Nazarene and Shane is a software engineer in Dublin, Ohio. The family resides in Milford Center, Ohio. hotmail.com
Matthew (’00) (Kelley ’00
Daniel on Oct. 7, 2007. Jennifer just opened Sertell Chiropractic Clinic, LLC in January 2008.
Ben Van Alstine (’00)
Carrie announce the birth of Lyla Grace on Feb. 28, 2008. Ben is a sales account manager for Enterprise Marketing Group. Carrie has been a teacher at Hamilton Southeastern High School for eight years, but is now a stay-at-home mom and operates her own photography business. The family resides in Indianapolis.
Matt (’01
Morrison on April 4, 2007. She joins big sister Lydia Jane (2). com
Loretta Woods (’01) celebrated the birth of Larissa Elaine on Feb. 7, 2007.
VOTE
Go to alumni.mvnu.edu to vote for your Alumni Council representatives today! Voting ends July 31, 2008.
Board of Trustees Lay Representatives: Bryan Clay (’82), Gahanna, Ohio
Chris Hudson (’91), Grove City, Ohio
Vice President:
Jerry Dooley (’92), Mannington, W.Va.
Karen (Stewart '84) Summerson, Holland, Ohio
Secretary: Walter Baughman (’76), Vermillion, Ohio
Annie (Richey '71) Morrison, Columbus, Ohio
Save up to $ 327 or more a year on auto insurance!
You may already know that MVNU grads can get a special group discount on auto insurance through Liberty Mutual’s Group Savings Plus® program.* But did you know that Liberty Mutual offers many other discounts on both auto and home insurance?
In fact, you could save up to $327 or more a year on auto insurance alone.** And you could save more by insuring your home, as well.
Contact us for more info or for your FREE rate quote:
• Call Cynthia Grassbaugh at 1-800-251-7448, ext. 53998 and mention client #110017.
• E-mail Cynthia.Grassbaugh@ LibertyMutual.com.
• Visit 515 Executive Campus Drive in Westerville, Ohio Responsibility. What’s your policy?
2000 s
Mikala (Bost ’03) and Rob Polca welcomed first child Anna Elisabeth on Nov. 26, 2007. Mikala and Rob both teach in the Mason City School District. The family resides in Maineville, Ohio. polcafamily@yahoo.com
Josh Petersen (’04) celebrated his first Gold Record for sales of over 500,000 with the album “Flyleaf.” The album just went platinum with over 1 million in sales, for which he will receive his Platinum Record later this year. Working for Centricity Records in Nashville, Josh did all the marketing for this album. josh@centricityrecords.com
Brad (’06) and Barbara (Ogden ’05) Booker reside in Winchester, Va., where Brad serves as the Family Ministries pastor at Winchester Church of the Nazarene. pastorbrad@winchesternaz.org
Brittany Stroop (’05) is serving as Sports Information director and head women’s softball coach at Crown College in St. Bonifacius, Minn. stroopb@crown.edu
Steph (Boord ’06) and John Chandler welcomed Natalie Eryn on June 7, 2007. She joins big sisters Mckenna (3) and Lauren (2). Steph is a stay-athome mom and John is a realtor. steffeboord@ yahoo.com
Alex Connell (’07) is serving as a youth pastor at Gloryland Church of the Nazarene in Carroll, Ohio.
Rob Ulis (’07) and Angelica Wells were married on Feb. 23, 2008 at the Wapakoneta Church of the Nazarene. Presiding over the ceremony were Rev. Ward Lewis (’05 MMin), current Wapakoneta pastor, and Rev. Stephen Smitley (’94 MMin), former Wapakoneta pastor.
Joshua (’07) and Elizabeth (Dobyns ’07) Van Pelt announce the birth of Mikel Joshua on Nov. 17, 2007. The couple resides in Mount Vernon.
MVNU receives financial support for allowing Liberty Mutual to offer this auto and home insurance program.
*Discounts and credits are available where state laws and regulations allow, and may vary by state. Certain discounts apply to specific coverages only. To the extent permitted by law, applicants are individually underwritten; not all applicants may qualify.
**Figure based on a March 2007 sample of auto policyholder savings when comparing their former premium with those of Liberty mutual’s group auto and home program. Individual premiums and savings will vary. Coverage provided and underwritten by Liberty Mutual Insurance Company and its affiliates, 175 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA. A consumer report from a consumer reporting agency and/or a motor vehicle report, on all drivers listed on your policy, may be obtained where state laws and regulations allow.
Entries with a camera icon ( ) have a photo available online.
To view these photos, visit grapevine.mvnu.edu
Please feel free to submit photos of weddings, babies, etc. to Mount Vernon NOW, 800 Martinsburg Rd., Mount Vernon, OH 43050, or by e-mail to alumni@mvnu.edu, or online at grapevine.mvnu.edu.
NOTICE: Due to space limitations, we will no longer publish baby weights and measurements. Thank you for understanding.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
