NCU Magazine - Summer 2013

NATE ROEDER

Career for the record books

SONSHINE FESTIVAL NCU forges new partnership

Official Magazine of North Central University

KATIE MEYLER

NCU alum wins $1 Million grant

Summer 2013

RYAN WILLIAMS NCU alum leads worship for General Council in Orlando

DR. DAN NELSON NCU faculty awarded 5th consecutive Distinguished Educator Award

your life. our mission.

Since 1930

NCU Magazine is published by the North Central University Office of Marketing and Communications

FROM THE PRESIDENT

I

n recent years, the U.S. has surpassed a population of 300 million and quite possibly, for the first time in history, there are four generations in the workforce. The implications of this for leadership, organizational development, and strategic planning both inside the church and in the marketplace are quite profound.

The leaders of tomorrow will inherit a world with many challenges. Culture and the centers of power in our society have a constant corrosive effect on our churches, families, and students.

Recent research shows that the faith of many American Christians is becoming more juvenile, resulting in a skin-deep faith. Watching these events unfold in our times can leave a person asking, “what are we going to do?”

Here at North Central University we are preparing our students for the challenges of these profound implications. Arguably, any answer to this question must include the linking of arms across generations. We are committed to being a place for that linkage to occur with the finest faculty, the most talented staff, and hardest working administration.

Properly passing God culture from one generation to the next cannot be underscored enough.

Psalms 145:3-4 gives us a model worth examining: “One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.” Perhaps the best way forward will be by remembering our past in Christ. The school will be dedicating this coming year to the study and presentation of inter-generational leadership. Chapels, forums, special guests and my sermon series will all focus on the inner workings of how the generations are to relate to one another and ensure the passing of wisdom, knowledge, skills and maturity this world desperately needs.

North Central University 910 Elliot Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55404 1.800.289.6222 admissions@northcentral.edu ADMINISTRATION President: Dr. Gordon Anderson V.P., Academic Affairs: Dr. Thomas Burkman V.P., Advancement: Dr. Paul Freitag V.P., Business & Finance: Cheryl Book V.P., Student Development: Mike Nosser V.P., University Relations: Michael White EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jeff Hathaway LEAD DESIGNER Hilliary Beneventi PHOTOGRAPHER Jeff Hathaway MARKETING INTERN Andrew Fischer WEBSITE www.northcentral.edu Mark Erickson, Web Coordinator webmaster@northcentral.edu CONTACT Alumni Office alumni@northcentral.edu Main Switchboard 612.343.4400 Marketing 612.343.4153 marketing@northcentral.edu University Relations 612.343.4747

The Alliance for Assemblies of God Higher Education will honor Dr. Anderson with the Distinguished Administrator Award at the 2013 General Council in Orlando, Florida.

NCU Magazine is mailed free of charge to alumni, donors and friends of North Central University.

North Central University is a Christ-centered Pentecostal school with a commitment to academic excellence that prepares students to fulfill biblical models of leadership and ministry throughout the world.

Ephesians 4:11-12 © 2013 North Central University All rights reserved.

Dr. Gordon Anderson is the sixth president of North Central University 612.343.4741 president@northcentral.edu

your life. our mission.

Summer 2013

Katie Meyler 04

$1 Million grant infuses her ministry in Liberia

Nicole Serrano 05

NCU grad auditions for NBC's "The Voice"

Ryan Williams 06

NCU alum leads worship at 2013 General Council

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Bob Poe 07

Founder of the Sonshine Music Festival

A Little Bit of Sonshine 08

North Central partners with Christian music festival

New Worship Live CD 10

New live worship album recorded in the NCU Chapel

NCU Donor Scholarships 12

North Central University works to bridge the gap

Applied Studies Program 13

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New partnership adds 15 new vocational programs

NCU Faculty Honored (again) 14 5th Consecutive North Central faculty to be awarded Distinguished Educator Award at General Council

Dr. Gary Denbow joins NCU 15 Denbow added as new dean for College of Missions

UMAC adds Rams Athletics 16 NCU welcomed as full time member

Nate Roeder 17

photos: jeff hathaway

NCU Senior's remarkable basketball career surpassed only by his amazing character

ON THE COVER: Ryan Williams (2007, Worship Arts) photo by jeff hathaway

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your life. our mission.

Since 1930 Spring 2013 | 3

2013 NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY YOUNG ALUMNUS AWARD Katie Meyler '05

Founder, More Than Me Foundation

GIRL CHAMPION

AN UPDATE FROM KATIE IN LIBERIA Hi Friends, Family, & People I don't know but I can feel, I have to stop for a few minutes and just process all that has been going on. Every day feels like history is happening, I have goose bumps half the time.

Last night I went for my daily run at 5 pm with the girls all around Monrovia. We pump our arms in the air and we shout different things as we run like, "I respect myself" and we laugh, we always laugh.

We're preparing for the 10k in August; the girls are so excited! Morgana runs things on the ground in Liberia now since I split my time between Liberia and the US; she's incredible. She made friends with Robert, a US Marine who now runs our 1st-ever gym class!

One of my favorite moments was one early morning when 20 or so of the older girls came to the office and we had this long talk about starting a movement and how you're never too young to lead one. I shared the story of Harriet Tubman and Leymah Gbowee (Liberian hero/Nobel Peace Laureate who helped stop the war) and they got really excited! Regina, one of our top students, wanted to meet Leymah so we went and met her; it was incredibly special.

PHOTO BY JEFF HATHAWAY Katie in Chapel receiving the 2013 NCU Young Alumnus Award from Dr. Gordon Anderson and Wes Book

Katie Meyler (2005, Interdisciplinary Studies), is the recipient of this year’s North Central University “Young Alumnus Award”, which was presented in chapel by NCU President, Dr. Gordon Anderson and Wes Book of the NCU Alumni Relations office.

The “Young Alumnus Award” is a designation that is bestowed on a recent graduate of NCU, generally within the past ten years. The individuals that are the recipients of this award have demonstrated outstanding achievement and leadership within their area of vocational employment that embodies and promotes the mission, vision and purpose of North Central University.

Students were honored with a very moving chapel message from Katie, where she talked about her time as a student at North Central, the challenges of her childhood, and her experience winning the $1 million grant from the Chase Giving Awards to support her foundation, More Than Me. After her message, she received a standing ovation from students and staff and then later met with students at a luncheon held in her honor. You can hear Katie’s chapel message on our website at: www.morethanme.org northcentral.edu/sermons/more-me.

4 | NCU Magazine

I could go on and on with the bureaucracy of opening a school. Getting electricity, setting up taxes, getting a shipping container into the country, finishing construction, etc., but it's really been the in-between movements that make me feel so alive.

Being on the back of a motorbike making friends with the driver who is hustling to make enough money to pay his way through a broken college system, or sitting in my new friend Nancy's hair salon as she braids my hair and tells me, "You don't pay, this is for friendship." There are dozens of hairdressers now who said they will be "Aunties" to the girls!

I hate to tell sad stories, but those are very real too. I often struggle with how to share those. My heart breaks and I tear up as I write this, but just a few days ago in West Point during our sports program a little girl grabbed my arm and whispered in my ear, "Take me away." She lives in one of the brothel areas here. Her home life is very bad and everyone knows it. She's not in school, and it's obvious that she's being abused in some way. We went to the police; we hope to get her out of there.

I have so much to say, but I know this is getting long.

Basically I just wanted to let you know what's been going on here and say Thank You for being on this journey with us. We are all in this together; we really are wrapped up in each other. Before we are American.

Liberian. European. We are human. And together we really can leave a beautiful mark on our world.

I love each one of you; I feel beyond grateful.

Together We Can, Katie

Anyone who has heard the great music of Nicole Serrano (2010, Worship Arts) knows that she is a poignant songwriter and has been blessed with a unique, amazing voice.

Although she has enjoyed success selling her music and accumulated a wide fan base through her live shows and YouTube, it was only a matter of time before the rest of the world took notice of this native New Yorker and NCU grad. That moment came recently on the season premier of the NBC hit show, “The Voice.” Nicole was picked out of tens of thousands of singers to be one of the few to audition on the nationally televised show in front of a live audience.

Although she didn’t make the cut that night, she treasures the experience and the opportunity she was given. Now based in Nashville, Nicole is more excited than ever about her future. She knows the show wasn’t the end for her, only the beginning - and it’s made her even more confident to trust God’s plan for her life.

Nicole Serrano, '10

Singer/Songwriter, Recording Artist

THE VOICE

Learn more about Nicole and her music at: nicoleserranomusic.com

Photo by Collin Hughes

Spring 2013 | 5

Ryan Williams, '07

Singer/Songwriter, Worship Leader

WORSHIP ARTIST

Ryan Williams (2007, Worship Arts) is a singer, songwriter, and worship leader who loves the local church. He is the lead worship and creative pastor at River Valley Church (MN), one of the fastest growing churches in the country. There he oversees the music and worship experience at six campuses throughout the Twin Cities. Ryan has been privileged to lead at conferences, camps, and retreats from Iowa to Italy and everywhere in between. Under his vision and leadership, River Valley Church has released two albums that have hovered at the top of the iTunes charts and both have received massive critical acclaim. His hope is to continue writing music that is creative at its heart and functional for the body of Christ. Ryan and his wife, Alli, live in Farmington, Minnesota, and love being parents to their two-year-old daughter Norah and newborn son Cash.

6 | NCU Magazine

Bob Poe, '75

Festival Director, Sonshine Music Festival

MR. SONSHINE

PHOTOS BY JEFF HATHAWAY

NCU graduate Bob Poe (1975, Bible & Pastoral Studies) has quite a story. After graduating from NCU in 1975, Bob and his wife, Chris, served as youth pastors in Florida and then in Minneapolis and Willmar, Minnesota. In 1981, while serving in Willmar, Bob rallied a group of interested people to discuss a possible summer music event for teenagers. He wanted to give his kids something more to help affirm their belief in Christ and to experience it through music.

Through his efforts, the first Sonshine Festival was held in 1982 on the Willmar Community College campus. Bob had no idea that the 1,800 people in attendance that year would swell to more than 20,000 attendees in recent years. Over the past 31 years, Sonshine has drawn more than 500,000 visitors and has hosted virtually every major artist from the world of Christian music.

Today, Bob and the original steering committee are still organizing and providing leadership for the Sonshine Music Festival.

Although the music and faces have changed over time, the mission of Sonshine remains the same – to call people to be lifelong followers of Jesus, whether they are just starting their journey with Christ or have been faithfully following for years.

Spring 2013 | 7

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14 PHOTOS BY JEFF HATHAWAY AND ANDREW FISCHER

15 8 | NCU Magazine

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NORTH CENTRAL PARTNERS WITH SONSHINE MUSIC FESTIVAL

7. LECRAE PREACHES TO THE FAITHFUL

Although thousands attend Sonshine Festival every year, many do not know that it was the brainchild (and heart child) of an NCU graduate, Bob Poe (pg. 7).

North Central University was proud to be a major sponsor of the 2013 Sonshine Music Festival held July 1720, 2013 in Willmar, Minnesota. Through an ongoing strategic partnership with Sonshine, North Central had the opportunity to have a big presence at the event and interact with tens of thousands of people over just a few days. NCU had a full contingent of admissions and marketing staff on hand to promote and increase awareness of the school to the greater Christian community at the annual music festival.

In addition to many onsite NCU promotional activities such as artist autograph sessions, prize giveaways, and the crowd favorite, North Central t-shirt cannon, this year’s festival also featured a number of NCU alumni and students on Sonshine’s main stage and other performance venues.

The North Central personalities and artists included speaker Reggie Dabbs (’87 Pastoral Studies), speaker and artist Eric Samuel Timm (‘01 Youth Ministries), worship artist Jeff Deyo (NCU Faculty and Pure Worship Institute Founder), and Ryan Williams (’07 Worship Arts, pg. 6), who led worship with the River Valley Church (MN) worship team.

In addition, current NCU student Dylan McKneely hyped up the crowd and had the opportunity to share about North Central while serving as the emcee between many of the performances.

This year’s event spanned four days and played host to more than 100 bands including some of the hottest names in Christian music – Tobymac, Lecrae, Skillet, Newsboys, David Crowder, Building 429 and Family Force 5.

Sonshine’s partnership with North Central will continue to bear fruit, providing future internship opportunities for NCU students as well as an on-campus concert series including the upcoming Petra concert on November 2, 2013.

8. JEFF DEYO ROCKS OUT ON THE MAIN STAGE

SONSHINE 2013 BY THE NUMBERS:

1. FOR KING & COUNTRY ELECTRIFIES THE CROWD 2. ALUM AND SONSHINE FOUNDER BOB POE 3. NCU STUDENTS MATTHEW TERRADO AND JERRELL AYRAN ON THE MAIN STAGE 4. NCU STUDENT DYLAN MCKNEELY WORKS THE CROWD 5. OUR AWESOME ADMISSIONS STAFF AT THE BOOTH 6. TOBYMAC KEEPS HIS EYE ON IT

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Very hot days

1000’s

Of bottles of water

15,000+

In attendance

13. ALUM REGGIE DABBS SPEAKING THE TRUTH

100’s

First time commitments and re-commitments to Christ

14. HUNDREDS OF FANS HIT THE NCU AUTOGRAPH BOOTH

173

Number of children sponsored through Compassion International

9. NCU ALUM RYAN WILLIAMS WITH RIVER VALLEY LIVE 10. JEFF DEYO AND ALUM ERIC SAMUEL TIMM 11. 100 DEGREE HEAT DIDN'T STOP THE FANS 12. ANDY FISCHER WORKING HARD BACKSTAGE

15. DAVE CROWDER LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT CROWD

Spring 2013 | 9

GLORY TO GOD THE NEW ALBUM OF ORIGINAL CUTTING-EDGE WORSHIP SONGS WRITTEN AND PERFORMED B Y STUDENTS OF THE NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS AND RECORDED LIVE IN THE NCU CHAPEL FOR A TRUE WORSHIP EXPERIENCE!

JOSEPH HARRIER

JEFF DEYO EVAN JOHN

ALL PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF HATHAWAY

BRITTANY LEPARD

TAYLOR HEINZEN

BENJAMIN LEONE RECORDED LIVE IN THE NCU CHAPEL

NCU CHORALE

LARRY BACH JONCARLOS VELEZ

DR. GORDON ANDERSON

STEPHANIE MACDONALD

GLORY TO GOD

OPENING PRAYER EXHILARATION WE DELIGHT WHERE YOU ARE GLORY GLORY TO GOD I WILL GO ETERNITY MOVING MOUNTAINS YOUR LOVE SO GOOD YOUR PRESENCE HOW GREAT THOU ART THE BRIDE ARISING

MATTHEW TERRADO MATTHEW MIDTHUN

AVAILABLE NOW AT NCUFINEARTS.COM OR FROM YOUR FAVORITE DIGITAL MUSIC STORE

ORDER YOURS CLARK STRASBURG

TODAY!

DONOR SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY ANNOUNCES 5 NEW SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS This spring North Central has taken a number of steps to increase the amount of scholarships that are available for new and returning students.

Our students oftentimes are asked to serve as volunteers in the local church and in the communities around them along with taking a full schedule of classes. Limited resources can make it difficult to get started in their college experience or to get across the finish line.

In Exodus 17:12, Moses was in the midst of the battle and Aaron and Hur “held his hands up.” In much the same way, these scholarship programs provide a way for churches, alumni and friends to hold up the hands of the young people who are pursuing the call that God has upon their lives to serve in the church and in the world. An investment of funds through a scholarship can make a significant difference in the student earning a college degree. Our students should have a quality education that will prepare them to serve in society with strength and leadership, and North Central is a place where that happens. We welcome your involvement in personally investing in the next generation of leaders.

In addition to these unique ways that churches and individuals can personally become involved in scholarshipping students at North Central, the university has added Chris Fleck to our Advancement team. Chris has a rich and successful business background. He understands the value of sowing and reaping, and building partnerships with people in order to make a difference in the lives of students.

If you would like to visit with Chris about how you can make a difference in the lives of our students and contribute to any of these funds, he can be reached at 612-343-4742. Gifts can be made by cash, stock donations, property and assets, and estate planning.

MULTI-CULTURAL LEADERSHIP FUND It is our desire to provide a quality education to the emerging leaders of numerous cultures.

The opportunity to attend North Central should be available to all of the youth in the church regardless of financial status, socio-economic position or culture. Nations, communities and families are changed when their young leaders are given the chance to attend college. You can partner with us in transforming the nations through these students.

LEVITE FUND Just as the Old Testament gave the people of God the responsibility to care for the clergy, this fund serves as an endowment where the earnings are used to offset some of the educational expenses for those who are licensed to preach within a district of the Assemblies of God. You can invest in our young pastors through this fund.

START FUND Contributions to this fund are used to help new students get their college career started. Many students are called by God to give their lives in service and they do not know where all of the resources will come from to make it possible. This fund helps bridge the gap for students in need so they can begin their college journey.

ENDOWMENT FUND Our current scholarship endowment is $1 million.

We have a goal to increase that to $10 million.

Earnings from these funds are distributed to returning students as $500 or $1,000 scholarships.

Families can endow a fund in their name with a donation of $10,000 or they can give annual gifts of $500 in their name which is distributed each year to a student who meets the criteria they establish.

CHURCH MATCH FUND Now the local church can partner with North Central to provide up to $1,000 each year for a student. The amount given will be matched by the university to become a potential $2,000 award toward their education. The local church can set up an internal account to accept donations that the board will then allocate to students from their church who plan to attend NCU. It is a great way for churches to invest in their own young people whom they have taught, led, and prayed over through the years.

PHOTO BY JEFF HATHAWAY

12 | NCU Magazine

Air Traffic Control Business Office Administration Child Development Cinema – Screenwriting Computer Forensics Computer Software Development Computer Support & Network Administration Criminal Justice Studies Culinary Arts Electroneurodiagnostic Technology Heating, Ventilation, Air Condition & Refrigeration Law Enforcement Polysomnographic Technology Restaurant Management Visual Arts

Spring 2013 | 12

NORTH CENTRAL ADDS NEW APPLIED STUDIES PROGRAMMING NEW PARTNERSHIP ADDS 15 NEW VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS

North Central University is excited to announce a new program offering a degree in Applied Studies. Through a working partnership with a local community college, students can simultaneously earn a bachelor’s degree and an associate’s degree in an applied vocational area. This partnership allows North Central to offer opportunities for graduates to work in marketplace trades and vocations that have not been previously offered at NCU – preparing more types of marketplace ministers.

Students in the Applied Studies program are fully NCU students - living on campus, attending chapel, completing all general education and Bible/Theology required courses at NCU, participating in community spiritual life, etc. During their sophomore, junior and senior years, however, students will take courses both at NCU and at the community college. At graduation time they will have earned an NCU bachelor degree in Applied Studies featuring one of the program areas above for which they will also receive an associate’s degree from the other school.

The new Applied Studies program is the perfect fit for students who value a Christian higher education experience and are also looking to gain valuable skills that can lead to a job after graduation For more information about this exciting program, please visit: www. northcentral.edu/appliedstudies

Spring 2013 | 13

NORTH CENTRAL FACULTY CONTINUE TO RAISE THE BAR DR. DAN NELSON BECOMES 5TH CONSECUTIVE NORTH CENTRAL FACULTY MEMBER TO WIN DISTINGUISHED EDUCATOR AWARD North Central University is proud to announce that Dr. Dan Nelson, Social and Behavioral Sciences professor and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at North Central University, has been selected as a 2013 recipient of the Distinguished Educator Award given by the Alliance for Assemblies of God Higher Education.

The Distinguished Educator Award was established for the purpose of recognizing those professors who have distinguished themselves in the A/G Fellowship by consistent excellence in teaching and have made an outstanding contribution and lifetime commitment to Christian higher education in the Assemblies of God. Every two years the General Council selects an award winner from among nineteen Christian higher education institutions that are part of the Assemblies of God. Dr. Nelson becomes the fifth consecutive North Central University educator to receive the prestigious award. He follows previous NCU winners Larry Bach, Dr. Carolyn Tennant, Dr. Glen Menzies and Dr. Margo Lloyd.

“The North Central community is very proud of Dr. Nelson,” said Vice President of Academic Affairs, Dr. Thomas Burkman. “I believe Dan truly exemplifies what the Distinguished Educators Award seeks to recognize - the consistent excellence and lifetime commitment to Christian higher education. He represents the best of what our faculty work to achieve at North Central.”

“We at North Central are very proud of Dr. Dan Nelson and the honor he has received in being selected as the 2013 Distinguished Educator for the Assemblies of God,” said Dr. Gordon Anderson, President of North Central. “It is so rewarding for our faculty to be honored in this way and for the university to continually be recognized for our commitment to academic excellence.”

Dr. Nelson has been serving at NCU since 1989, and is a multiple-year recipient of Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, advises Psi Chi, the national honor society in psychology, and chairs the department of Social & Behavioral Sciences at North Central. Dr. Nelson has also held several adjunct professor positions at other Twin Cities schools such as Bethel University and Northwestern College. Dr. Nelson serves on the peer review corps for the Higher Learning Commission, and is a consultant with the American Psychological Association’s Department Consulting Service.

2013 – Dr. Dan Nelson

PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS OF THE A/G DISTINGUISHED EDUCATORS AWARD

2011 – Dr. Margo Lloyd

2009 – Dr. Glen Menzies

2007 – Dr. Carolyn Tennant

2005 – Professor Larry Bach 14 | NCU Magazine

A HEART FOR UGANDA NCU ENACTUS STUDENTS TRAVEL TO UGANDA TO TEACH BUSINESS BASICS With butcher paper tacked to a mud wall for a whiteboard and 40 eager faces looking at the speaker in anticipation, a year of prayer, planning and partnership came together. The North Central University School of Business, in partnership with Student Life CoMission, created a unique opportunity for students to use skills learned in the classroom and apply them by developing business-training modules for those most in need in Uganda.

Seven North Central students led all day business seminars for more than 120 nationals in townships and remote villages. Students researched and developed modules on topics such as financing, market differentiation, financial management, and other necessary topics for small business success. Using their research along with their firsthand cultural study of Ugandans insured a successful learning experience for both the students and nationals.

“We were excited and nervous just prior to our first conference,” said Janessa Cruz, senior in Business Administration, “but once we started, you could sense the presence of God. What we were sharing could change the lives of every person that attended.”

Attendees ranged from current business owners to villagers living on only a few dollars a month. “I met a young woman who was transforming peanuts into a product similar to what we would consider peanut butter. She sent an email after the conference saying that she applied our lesson on customer service and her sales have dramatically increased,” said Jamie Bakken, a junior in Education.

The NCU team came along side Mission Moving Mountains, a 30-year old Ugandan organization that practices a holistic approach to ministry (spirit, mind, body). Using business modules to partner with them was an additional link in a long chain of development that has occurred over many years.

“This trip was successful on many levels,” said Bill Tibbetts, NCU Assistant Professor of Business. “The application of their education is a powerful experience for students and will play a significant role in their careers after graduation. More so, the spiritual development that occurred will last a lifetime.”

A long term commitment has been developed with Mission Moving Mountains for future trips and ongoing business development in Uganda.

DR. GARY DENBOW SELECTED AS NEW DEAN OF NORTH CENTRAL COLLEGE OF MISSIONS

North Central University is very pleased to announce that Dr. Gary Denbow will be joining our faculty to serve as the Dean of the College of Missions. Dr. Denbow brings a lifetime of rich ministry experience to this role. He has served as missionary to the Philippines, pastor and church planter, district official, and most recently as college president. His experience in education is vast, having worked in the faculty role as well as an administrator both here and abroad. He also served on the North Central University Board of Regents for many years.

Along with experience, he brings a passion to effectively educate, encourage and empower people in the mutual pursuit of Christ. The College of Missions has the mission to “prepare the next generation to be bearers of a holistic Gospel to unreached peoples around the world”. Dr. Denbow, with his experience and passion, will do just that.

Dr. Denbow received a call to ministry while at youth camp at the age of twelve. He was elected to pastor his home church after his dad retired, at the age of sixteen, and has faithfully served in full-time ministry ever since. Dr. Denbow and his lovely wife, Doris, have four grown and married children who all serve the Lord, as well as eight grandchildren.

Spring 2013 | 15

NCU ATHLETICS UMAC WELCOMES NORTH CENTRAL UNIVERSITY AS FULL MEMBER The Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Council of Presidents has accepted North Central University's application for full membership in the conference. North Central will represent the eighth full member in the UMAC and the conference’s first full member addition since 2004. The Rams, who have been competing in the UMAC as associate members in 16 sports throughout the 2012-2013 academic year, will become full members of the conference with the commencement of the 2013-2014 academic year and will compete in 16 of the UMAC's 17 sports, football being the one exclusion.

"The UMAC is pleased to have North Central join our league as a full member. Given North Central's history and familiarity with the UMAC, I expect their transition to full membership status will be a smooth integration process and I am delighted that the UMAC can provide opportunities for North Central student-athletes to have a positive experience in intercollegiate athletics,” said UMAC Commissioner Corey Borchardt. He added, “I look forward to working with North Central University administrators, including President Dr. Gordon Anderson and Director of Athletics Jon High, in further progressing our conference and their institutional athletics programming."

A former UMAC full member institution throughout the 1980s and mid-1990s, North Central has rebuilt its athletics department and its sport offerings throughout the past decade, adding more full-time on-campus coaching positions, increasing the number of participating student-athletes, and improving its practice and game day facilities.

16 | NCU Magazine

photos: jeff hathaway

NATE ROEDER ALL-AMERICAN CONFERENCE PLAYER OF THE YEAR NATIONAL PLAYER OF THE YEAR These are titles that many would correctly associate with senior Nathan Roeder. His fouryear Rams basketball career wrapped up in March with his name left indelibly on the North Central record books. He is the program’s all-time leading scorer and assist man. But if you only know those things about Nathan Roeder then you are missing out on the real reason he is loved by his peers and respected by his opponents.

For those who have never met Nathan, simply reading a list of his career accomplishments might create a lot of assumptions about him as a person. However, meeting him will leave a completely different impression. Nathan Roeder is just a regular guy with a friendly demeanor and a heart to see others come to know Christ intimately.

Chatting with Nathan in the hallways of North Central would probably leave you feeling encouraged, but you would have also met the best basketball player in North Central history and likely never have known it.

He is a rare college student who did not have a twitter account until the end of his senior season. So he did not see when an opposing school posted a message from one of their fans after Nathan scored 51 points in an NCU victory.

It simply said, “That kid is good.”

“I have had the privilege of seeing nearly all of Nathan’s accomplishments in person,” said North Central Sports Information Director Trey Meadows.

“But the most vivid memory I have is of Nathan speaking in NCU Athletics Chapel last spring. He was nervous, yet vulnerable, in a way a less humble person would not have been.

And his challenge to live an authentic Christian faith hit home with our entire campus. This is a guy that will lead people to the Cross the rest of his life.”

Even after an event like that chapel service, Nathan remains content in blending into the NCU campus and living a life that encourages everyone he meets. If you want to talk about his basketball accomplishments you will have to ask his friends.

More naturally, Nathan will settle into a conversation about what his dad’s mentorship has meant to his life. Or his great teammates. Or his summer internship at a church plant in Missouri. It is then that you will have truly met the real Nathan Roeder.

NCU ALL-TIME CAREER LEADER: 2235

POINTS

460

ASSISTS

635

MADE FREE THROWS

85.3%

FREE THROW PERCENTAGE

NCCAA Awards: 3x - NCCAA 1st team All-American 2011, 2012, 2013 3x - NCCAA Region MVP 2011, 2012, 2013 2013 NCCAA Pete Maravich Memorial National Award for Character NCAA DIII & UMAC Awards: 2013 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Player of the Year 2013 National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)

All-West Region 1st team 2013 D3Hoops.com All-West Region 2nd team 2013 NCAA Division III Jostens Trophy Finalist Spring 2013 | 17

stock up on supplies at the NCU bookstore

find your best study spot at the tj jones library

get your worship on with 1200 close friends

catch a great show at the guthrie theater

get an internship at one of the 20 fortune 500 firms in the area

meet up with friends at the miller hall arch

catch a vikings game

grab a latenight burger at the band box diner finish your paper in our brand new computer lab

show off your skills in a morning pick up game

escape the elements in our skyways

catch the #5 bus to downtown

get your kicks on our new soccer field (coming soon)

WHEN WE SAY WE'RE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY...

WE'RE NOT -

SCHEDULE YOUR VISIT AT:

northcentral.edu/visit

T KIDDING.

910 Elliot Avenue • Minneapolis, MN • 55404

PARTING SHOT

HANGTIME BY NATE ROEDER PHOTO BY JEFF HATHAWAY

your life. our mission.

Since 1930