Olivet the Magazine - Spring 2020

SPRING 2020

THE MAGAZINE

BE TRANSFORMED

BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND

TIGER ATHLETICS Each year, more than 600 student-athletes compete on 22 intercollegiate teams offered

by Olivet’s Department of Athletics. These athletes benefit from Christ-centered coaching that not only improves their physicality in a healthy environment but also promotes good sportsmanship beyond the playing field. All ONU athletic teams prioritize serving in local and, in some cases, global communities.

Campus athletic facilities include Ward Field with synthetic artificial turf for football and an eight-lane track for track and field; McHie Arena for basketball and volleyball; Tiger Field and Watson Field for softball and baseball; tennis facilities with eight regulation courts; an indoor field house with a 200-meter, eight-lane track; a 10-lane competition swimming pool; and varsity weight room and locker rooms.

IMAGE GROUP

IN THIS ISSUE 4

JONES FOTO

FROM THE PRESIDENT Walk This Way

10

OLIVET NEWS Headlines From Campus and the World

26

BE TRANSFORMED 16 Stories and Insights

55

FROM THE ARCHIVES

OLIVET THE MAGAZINE Dear Friends, In a recent message at College Church of the Nazarene, University Avenue on the campus of Olivet, senior pastor and dean of the School of Theology and Christian Ministry, Dr. Mark Quanstrom ’77, addressed the following question from a student: “How long does it take to become a Christian?” Dr. Quanstrom responded, “It takes a moment — and it takes a lifetime.”

In this issue, we center our thoughts on these moments of transformation and the lifetime journey that lies beyond.

While we certainly endorse the idea that the power of a great education can transform a writer into an author, a violinist into an artist, an inventor into an engineer, a dreamer into a thought leader, an MBA candidate into a CEO or an Ed.D. candidate into a university president, the weighted variable in our mission — the higher purpose of our brand of higher education — is the transforming work of God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. The Christian purpose is the central reason for our existence. And our high opinion of God and conviction that God cares deeply for the lives and promise of every individual is the confidence with which we operate each day.

Another Chicagoland pastor, A.W. Tozer, put it this way: “An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.”

So, it takes only a moment of encountering and surrendering to God — yes! And a lifelong relationship and intentional pursuit of God! As you read these pages, may you once again be startled and inspired by the transforming work of our superb God through the hearts, minds and lives of the people of Olivet. The wonderful news is that this invitation to transformation — and all the blessings and challenges endemic to a lifelong journey with Jesus the Christ ­— is extended to each of us again this day.

May God bless you and be with you as you journey with Him! The Editorial Board

WHAT D O YO U TH IN K ?

OlivetEditors@Olivet.edu

AARON PITERA

SPRING 2020 OLIVET THE MAGAZINE is published quarterly by the Office of Marketing and Engagement under the direction of the Vice President for Institutional Advancement.

VOLUME 88 ISSUE 1 (USPS 407-880) (ISSN 2325-7334) Copyright ©2020 Olivet Nazarene University One University Avenue Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 800-648-1463 PRESIDENT Dr. John C. Bowling ’71/’72 M.A./’06 D.Div., Ed.D., D.Min. EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Dr. David J. Pickering ’89/’94 MBA, D.B.A. VICE PRESIDENT FOR STUDENT DEVELOPMENT Dr. Walter “Woody” Webb ’86/’89 M.A.R./’08 D.Div. VICE PRESIDENT FOR INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT Dr. Brian Allen ’82/’05 Litt.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS Dr. Carol Summers ’88/’90 M.A.E., Ed.D. VICE PRESIDENT FOR ONU GLOBAL Dr. Ryan Spittal ’99/’04 MBA, D.B.A. EDITORIAL BOARD Dr. Brian Allen ’82/’05 Litt.D. Dr. Brian W. Parker ’93/’11 Ed.D. for 989 Group George Wolff ’93 for 989 Group Lauren Beatty ’13 Erinn Proehl ’13/’19 MBA ART DIRECTION George Wolff ’93 for 989 Group DESIGN Matt Moore ’96 for 989 Group Donnie Johnson ILLUSTRATION Thomas Dinkleman ’18 PHOTOGRAPHY Jones Foto Image Group Adobe Stock Mark Ballogg Joe Mantarian ’16 Austin Siscoe ’17 Additional photography submitted EDITORIAL SUPPORT AND DESIGN Adam Asher ’01/’07 M.O.L. for 989 Group Alicia (Gallagher) Guertin ’14 Rebecca Huber Austin Siscoe ’17 Heather (Kinzinger) Shaner ’98 Periodicals postage paid at the Bourbonnais, Illinois, Post Office and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster, send address changes to: Editor, Olivet The Magazine Olivet Nazarene University One University Avenue Bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345 Reproduction of material without written permission is prohibited.

News, events and announcements are printed at the discretion of the editorial board. Opinions expressed in this magazine do not necessarily represent Olivet Nazarene University policy.

STUDENT STAFF Natalie Cook ’21 Caitlyn Dooley ’22 Westin Edwards ’20 Hannah Iverson ’21 Elizabeth Kijowski ’21 Kelli Neal ’22 Andrew Perabeau ’20 Aaron Pitera ’21 Rachel Sedgwick ’20 Taylor-Marie Spalding ’20 Jackson Thornhill ’20

JONES FOTO

4 OLIVET.EDU

INSIGHT

FROM THE PRESIDENT Walk This Way

My history with Olivet stretches across many decades. I had the privilege of attending Olivet as an undergraduate and graduate student. As I look back on my student days, I now realize that those years were as much about transformation as they were about education. I not only learned; I became — at least in part — the person I am.

Education is transformative.

Thus, the Olivet experience transcends merely earning a degree.

It is much broader and much deeper. We are committed to providing an “Education With a Christian Purpose.” Our mission is to provide high-quality academic instruction for the purpose of personal development, career and professional readiness, and the preparation of individuals for lives of service to God and humanity.

Nelson Mandela said it well: Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farm workers can become the president of a great nation.

That phrase being autobiographical, he then continues: It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another.1 Our chapel theme this semester is “Walk This Way.” The theme suggests that there is an appointed way we are to walk as followers of the Lord Jesus. We are to walk in step with His Word. We are to walk in the light as He is in the light. We are to walk toward Him. We walk away from certain other things and we walk in harmony with others.

When the Bible talks about a person’s walk, it is referring to one’s daily life and conduct — the way that you live your life day by OLIVET.EDU

5

day. Your walk — your actions and reactions, your habits and patterns of behavior — reveal your character. That is why the Bible repeatedly calls us to walk worthy of our calling.

For example, in Colossians 1, St. Paul writes: ... Since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding , so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have full endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints ... (Colossians 1:9–12 Berean Study Bible).

Walking is simply taking one step after the other. Yet, it is how you walk and in what direction you walk and for what purpose you walk which gives life meaning and definition.

Reporters and city officials gathered at a Chicago railroad station one afternoon in 1953. The person they were meeting was the 1952 Nobel Peace Prize winner. A few minutes after the train came to a stop, a tall, distinguished-looking man with bushy hair and a large mustache stepped from the train.

Cameras flashed. City officials approached him with hands outstretched. Various people began telling him how honored they were to meet him.

quickly walked through the crowd until he reached the side of an elderly woman who was struggling with two large suitcases.

He picked up the bags and, with a smile, escorted the woman to a bus. After helping her aboard, he wished her a safe journey.

As he returned to the greeting party, he apologized. “I am sorry to have kept you waiting,” he said.

The man was Dr. Albert Schweitzer, the famous missionary doctor who had spent his life helping the poor in Africa. In response to Schweitzer’s actions that day, one member of the reception committee said, with great admiration, to the reporter standing next to him, “That’s the first time I ever saw a sermon walking.”2 The writer, Karla Worley, notes: If God goes anywhere this week, it will be our feet that carry Him. If God says anything to anyone, it will be with our mouths. If God touches anyone, it will be with our hands. And if He loves anyone, it will be with our hearts. We are the body of Christ.3 Life is filled with twists and turns, mountains and valleys, days of sunshine and shadow — yet, through it all, we are to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord.” Part of the calling of Olivet is to provide encouragement and support as students learn to walk this way.

1 Nelson Mandela, https://borgenproject.org/nelson-mandela-quotes-about-education/ 2 A. Leonard Griffith, Wisdomfromabove.Net. https://wisdomfromabove.net/tag/ a-leonard-griffith/ 3 Karla Worley, quoted in Dorm Room Devotions by Jim Hampton (Kansas City, MO: Beacon Hill Press, 2002), 72.

The man politely thanked them and then, looking over their heads, asked if he could be excused for just a moment. He

DR. JOHN C. BOWLING is in his 29th year as president of Olivet Nazarene University. An Olivet alumnus and Harvard University Fellow with two master’s degrees and two earned doctorates, Dr. Bowling is a bestselling author and a prominent national speaker.

He is internationally recognized as an outstanding leader in higher education and the Church. His most recent book is Windows and Mirrors: Exploring the Parables of Jesus.

6 OLIVET.EDU

CHAPEL

PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH KIJOWSKI

WATCH LIVE CHAPEL SERVICES AND MORE AT OLIVET.EDU/EVENTS OLIVET.EDU

7

EMPHASIS ON ARTISTRY Olivet’s Department of Art and Digital Media provides the methods and the media needed for expression — all while preparing students for a successful professional career. With six galleries on campus, students who take art classes have plenty of opportunities to present their work to the community through curated collections and senior thesis exhibitions. From the exhibitions of visiting artists in the Victorian House Gallery to student portfolio shows in the Kevin and Judith Sims Educational Center galleries, creativity abounds at Olivet.

PHOTO BY JONES FOTO

8 OLIVET.EDU

OLIVET.EDU

9

NEWS

ONU HEADLINES AUSTIN SISCOE

DR. BOWLING RECEIVES CASE V EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AWARD On Dec. 17, 2019, University President Dr. John C. Bowling received the CASE V Chief Executive Leadership Award at the CASE District V Conference in Chicago. The award is presented annually to a president, chancellor, headmaster, system head or chief executive of an accredited CASE District V member institution. Nominated individuals have demonstrated the ability to articulate a compelling vision for their institution; established a positive image for the institution while leading it to high levels of success; increased the institution’s stature in the community; encouraged innovation and risk-taking among employees; and actively supported all aspects of institutional advancement. Dr. Bowling is the 24th individual to receive the award.

FIND NEWS, EVENTS AND MORE AT OLIVET.EDU 10 OLIVET.EDU

OVID YOUNG MEMORIAL RECITAL SERIES The spring 2020 performances in the Ovid Young Memorial Organ Recital Series were held on March 16 and 23 and April 6. Guest organists included Kevin Edens, Andrew Kreigh and Josh Ring ’13 (pictured). The biannual recital series honors the memory and musical career of Dr. Ovid Young ’62, who passed away in 2014. He is remembered by many as a beloved performer, teacher, mentor and colleague. A pianist, organist, composer and conductor, Dr. Young had to his credit more than 7,000 performances in major concert halls, churches and colleges around the world.

COMPUTER SCIENCE AND EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES CERTIFICATIONS As part of the recent expansion of the Department of Computer Science and Emerging Technologies, a Pearson Vue exam lab was set up to allow students to take certification exams on campus. Olivet offers various supplementary certifications as value-added opportunities for students to increase their knowledge of a particular computer language or process. Junior Bobby Mueller was the first student to pass Server+ certification. The cost of taking the exams is being subsidized by an anonymous donor who wanted to enhance learning opportunities for students in the Walker School of Engineering and Technology. Departmental evolutions are necessary in a technology-minded culture.

Professor Jeff Rice ’99/’03 MBA, director of the cybersecurity defense program at Olivet, says, “If we don’t change every couple of years, we’re doing something wrong.”

SCHOOL OF THEOLOGY AND CHRISTIAN MINISTRY EXPANDS DEGREES Olivet recently expanded degree offerings within the School of Theology and Christian Ministry (STCM). In addition to the existing nine programs, the STCM is launching a Master of Arts degree in missional multiplication and a Master of Arts degree in ministerial studies. As extensions of the STCM, both programs will utilize faculty including Dr. Mark Quanstrom ’77, Dr. Kevin Lowery, Dr. Simone Twibell ’06/’07 M.A., Dr. Teresa Garner ’87/’91 M.A., Dr. Mark Frisius, Dr. Carlos Lonberger ’06/’14 M.A./’19 Ed.D., Dr. Jeff Stark and Dr. Phil Stout. The programs will be offered in a distance-hybrid format with a combination of an online, one-week intensive and weekly courses with a video conference option. Scholarships will be available for qualified individuals. The programs are now enrolling students for fall 2020.

OLIVET.EDU 11

NEWS

ROME NEW YEAR

MARCHING BAND IN ROME The University Marching Band literally rang in the new year and the new decade in Italy, performing at the New Year’s Day Parade in Rome, a wind ensemble concert at Santa Maria in Portico Campitelli and at the Frascati Street Festival. In addition to the performance opportunities, the group of 130 students and staff members also took tours of the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, Pompeii and the Roman Forum.

Don Reddick ’79, dean of the School of Music, said of the trip, “This was a wonderful chance for ONU students to experience a bit more of the world. The performance opportunities were great to show Olivet to the world, and Toby the Tiger was a HUGE hit with the crowds!” The marching band has previously performed at events in London and Washington, D.C.

12 OLIVET.EDU

ATHLETICS

SWIMMING

ONU ATHLETICS

Under the leadership of new head swim coach Kelly Essler, both the men’s and women’s swim teams have demonstrated that hours of practice pay off in competition.

The women began their season undefeated for their first six meets and won the Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) title. The men’s team placed second in the conference. At the conference championship, coach Essler was recognized as the KCAC Coach of the Year for Women and junior Karla Islas was recognized as KCAC Female Swimmer of the Year.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD The men’s and women’s track and field teams competed well during the indoor season.

The men’s team ranked third in the NAIA, and several Tigers advanced to NAIA nationals, including seniors Wesley Meyer and Bryce Vollrath (pictured), junior Noah Kigar, and sophomore Lynette Latocha.

IMAGE GROUP

TIGER BASKETBALL The men’s basketball team has spent most of this season ranked in the top 10 of NAIA Division II, climbing as high as No. 4 at magazine press time. Senior Nic Reed became Olivet’s all-time leading scorer with 2,768 points. This season, Reed also surpassed the 1,000 mark for career rebounds, ranking him second all-time at Olivet in that category.

Senior Dane Schlafley (pictured) moved into the top five for all-time assists at Olivet with 525 for his career and junior John Constant reached the 1,000-point career milestone.

IMAGE GROUP

The women’s basketball team has also shown its stripes during the 2019-20 season, as Tigers have consistently ranked among the top 25 of NAIA Division II. Finishing with a winning record, the women demonstrated that they were ready to compete until the last second. This season, senior Kayla Ross has joined the 1,000-point club.

Senior Sammy Stejskal has also hit single-game career-high marks for points (37), field goals (14) and 3-point field goals (8).

OLIVET.EDU

13

I M PACT

RAVING FANS

SUBMITTED

An interview with the Rev. Dr. Scott Sherwood ’92, Northwest Illinois District superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene and chairman of Olivet’s Board of Trustees How did you first come to be a student at Olivet?

By the time I started thinking about college, Olivet already felt like home. I remember Dr. Ted Lee ’68 eating bologna and tomato sandwiches around our kitchen table after preaching at our church, regaling us with story after story as only he could. I remember Olivet PR groups singing, playing softball and praying at altars every year at camp. I remember John Mongerson ’78/’88 M.A. walking on his hands across the campground and Tony Fightmaster ’79/’12 M.O.L. calling me by name year after year. I remember Phil Shomo ’85 and Doug Ward ’87 doing their pastoral field training at our church and modeling very magnetically what it looked like to be a young man of God. I remember attending Homecoming basketball games in Birchard, participating in Celebrate Life, receiving mail addressed directly to me and watching my older brother, John, experience student life at Olivet. It also didn’t hurt that my parents told me I could go to any school I wanted, but they would only help pay for Olivet.

Is there a key memory that stands out in your mind from your time as an Olivet student?

One of the memories I am most thankful for — and remember most clearly — is standing in the lobby of Ludwig the first time Sherry (Fortado) ’91 asked me out on a date. She remembers that 14 OLIVET.EDU

conversation differently and incorrectly, by the way. I also very vividly remember walking into the library my freshman year to work on my first college research paper. In the late ’80s, the card catalog was the closest thing we had to the internet. As I pulled open the card catalog drawer and looked at all the other drawers, it dawned on me that in this one building, with the ability to read and reason, I could learn almost anything about anything. Throughout my college career, I would go on to ‘waste’ hour upon hour in Benner Library, chasing curiosities through the card catalog and journal stacks rather than maintaining focus on my assigned research topics. Any school I attended would have had a library, but it was the relationships, chapel services and personal attention of the faculty at Olivet that steered me toward the wise and loving use of knowledge for a Christian purpose.

How were you first called into pastoral ministry?

I first felt a call at 5 and I accepted the call at 16. My parents, my church and my pastor all supported me in that call and allowed me to serve and lead long before they should have.

Tell us about your wife, Sherry, and her very important work.

Sherry is the CEO of Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center, a network of 12 pregnancy centers across Illinois and Indiana. Over the last 16 years of Sherry’s leadership, the ministry has converted to a medical model, adding ultrasound services, building a 16-bed residential facility for women and adding a mobile medical clinic. They have added programs for those who are grieving their pregnancy loss

and healing retreats for those who have been wounded by the trauma of abortion. Thousands of women are coming to Living Alternatives each year; they are deciding about the life growing within them from a place of hope instead of hurt — faith rather than fear.

All three of your daughters have attended or are attending Olivet. How does it feel to be an Olivet dad?

Libby ’19 is an emergency room technician at Riverside Hospital and is preparing for medical school. Madeira is a junior studying accounting and business administration. She leads the campus chapter of the Food Recovery Network, is co-president of Enactus and will be an accounting intern at RSM in Peoria, Illinois, this summer. Brooke, a freshman at Olivet, studies psychology and business administration. She will be traveling with the ONU ministry team City on a Hill starting in May. Other than move-in day and occasional anxious moments along the way, I love being an ONU dad. The combination of academic excellence, extracurricular opportunities and nurturing faith community has helped our daughters emerge as the strong, independent women of God we have prayed for them to be since Day One.

Why should prospective students and parents choose Olivet?

My children can get a degree at any school, but there are very few who are committed to producing graduates with the kind of values and qualities all followers of Jesus want for their kids. Amongst schools with similar commitments, Olivet has done a better job than most of building its entire curriculum, faculty, staff, extracurriculars and culture to produce these desired outcomes.

What does it mean to truly be a Christ-centered university in 2020?

A truly Christ-centered university in any era will produce graduates who are not just more educated but more devoted to Jesus and more like Jesus than when they entered — not some vague notion of Jesus designed to be compatible with the sensitivities of the current age but the real, Biblical Jesus proclaimed by the Christian Church since its earliest teachings.

With over 4,500 colleges and universities in the U.S. alone, why is Olivet still necessary and needed in the world today?

There is only one Olivet Nazarene University. It takes all three names to make ONU the unique institution it is. Olivet’s legacy story and its global community of diverse alumni make it a family — a community formed by those who have contributed to and been formed by its mission: ‘Education With a Christian Purpose.’

Olivet is Nazarene, and it has not drifted from its Nazarene beginnings.

In an era of denominational drift, I recently heard a scholar mention that Olivet may now be more Nazarene than the denomination. Far

from making it sectarian or exclusive, it is the mission and values of the Church of the Nazarene that have helped Olivet become such an attractive option for Christians from every stream of Christian tradition.

It is all too rare to find an institution like Olivet that actually believes what it says it believes and lives how it says it lives.

Olivet is a university. It is an institution of higher learning with a commitment to the highest academic standards and ideals. At Olivet, the faculty are more committed to their students’ achievements than their own. These are academically qualified, spiritually devoted scholars who know their students’ names and who go the extra mile to help them succeed.

Why are you hopeful about the future of Olivet?

I am hopeful about the future of ONU because I am confident the University was God’s idea in the first place and continues to achieve, in ever greater measure, its founding vision. I am hopeful because Olivet very clearly has a purpose far greater than its own survival. I am hopeful because God has prospered Olivet these last 29 years under Dr. Bowling’s leadership. Who would have thought that this former professor-turned-pastor had it in him to achieve at Olivet what he has?

God knew, and He led Olivet through all the imperfections of process and people to the exact right decision in electing a new president. I am hopeful because, while Dr. Bowling will retire in 2021, the God who called and equipped Dr. Bowling will not be retiring.

Was there a key faculty or staff member that had an especially significant impact on your life?

There were many. Dr. C. William Ellwanger ’45 stands tall amongst them. He was a fruitful pastor before he was a college professor, and he very much saw himself in a pastoral role with his students. His binder of jokes never got old and ensured we never heard the same joke twice.

Among other things, he taught us how to collect sermon illustrations along the way and catalog them for later use. He modeled both humility and excellence. He was encouraging and challenging. No one accused Dr. Ellwanger of being cutting-edge, but what he taught us has stood the test of time, while most of that era’s more cutting-edge ideas and approaches have long since faded into disuse.

Scott’s wife, Sherry (Fortado) Sherwood ’91, is the CEO of Living Alternatives Pregnancy Resource Center. They are the proud parents of Elizabeth ‘Libby’ Sherwood ’19, junior Madeira Sherwood and freshman Brooke Sherwood. The Sherwoods live in Pekin, Illinois.

OLIVET.EDU

15

16 OLIVET.EDU

CONNECTED COMMUNITY At Olivet, students are challenged in the classroom, chapel, athletic arenas and rehearsal studios — and they connect over conversations in campus housing, across the dinner table and in every other corner of campus.

Our engaging, outgoing and endlessly energetic Office of Student Development team exists to maximize each student’s college experience and to help prepare students for wherever life leads.

PHOTO BY JONES FOTO

OLIVET.EDU

17

ACADEMICS

WITH HONORS

JONES FOTO

When I meet with prospective students interested in Olivet’s Honors Program, I begin by handing them a copy of ELAIA: The Honors Journal of Olivet Nazarene University. This journal is the culmination of Honors students’ unique experiences and showcases the research projects that grow out of their work with Olivet faculty mentors. I highlight the journal because the Honors Program at Olivet is about creating a community of young Christian scholars.

“My experience in the Honors Program has taught me how to analyze a problem, develop solutions and use discernment in deciding which solution would be most effective,” she says.

Many prospective students have questions about the Honors scholarly research project. Why is it important? Unless students are bound for graduate school and a life as an academic, why make research a capstone of the undergraduate experience? I’m often asked this by students who plan to go into professional fields like education, engineering, business or nursing.

“By combining my experience and education from both the Honors Program and the School of Business, I am a more analytical thinker and a more effective doer,” Madeira reflects. “Being an Honors student, I have been pushed to go above and beyond, making me a better business student.”

The truth is that research plays a central role in all these fields. Every day, we’re users of knowledge. The tools and methods of our vocations are built on knowledge constructed or discovered by others. The Honors Program gives students the opportunity to move beyond being consumers of knowledge to becoming producers of knowledge. A student engaged in original research, regardless of discipline, has the opportunity to become a contributor to that field — to create new tools or methods and, thus, influence it in a more vital and dynamic way.

Take, for example, the work of Madeira Sherwood, a senior Honors student majoring in business and planning to pursue CPA certification after graduation.

18 OLIVET.EDU

Madeira’s Honors project focuses on Olivet’s Food Recovery Network, which has successfully recovered and delivered over 15,000 pounds of food in Kankakee County.

Universities are graduating students in the professional fields each year who have relevant degrees, high GPAs and fantastic résumés. Adding research experience to this portfolio exemplifies all the skills that don’t necessarily show up on paper: creative and independent thinking; the ability to tackle an open-ended problem and stick with it over the long term; selfmotivation; and an inquisitive mind. Research becomes evidence of leadership in a discipline and opens doors to new vistas that students may not have otherwise imagined.

DR. STEPHEN CASE ’05 is a professor in Olivet’s Department of Chemistry and Geosciences, assistant director of the University Honors Program, the director of Strickler Planetarium on Olivet’s campus and the author of Making Stars Physical: The Astronomy of Sir John Herschel. In 2014, he completed a doctorate degree in the history and philosophy of science at the University of Notre Dame.

I M PACT

RAVING FANS John ’91 and Heidi (Sprain) ’92 and their children, Shelby ’16 and Austin Wegforth ’19, share about their Olivet experiences and their dynamic careers.

The family’s relationship with Olivet began 98 years ago in the fall of 1922, when John’s grandfather, Bryan Peters, enrolled at “Old Olivet” in Olivet, Illinois. Each of Bryan’s three children and several of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren attended Olivet. John’s mother, Dr. Ruth (Peters) Wegforth, graduated in 1956 and her connection with Olivet influenced John to consider the University as an option. Visits to campus for Red Carpet Days as a high school student confirmed that Olivet was where John wanted to spend his college years. Similarly, Heidi’s connection to the University was strong. Her mom attended Olivet for a portion of her college experience and Heidi had many older friends from youth group who went to the University and loved it.

Olivet The Magazine asked legacy family John ’91 and Heidi (Sprain) ’92; Shelby ’16; and Austin Wegforth ’19 about their Olivet experience and why they continue to be raving fans of the University.

John received his degree in business administration and has spent the duration of his career in management roles in hospitality and in building management. He is currently a senior vice president with MB Real Estate and serves as the general manager of Maggie Daley Park in Chicago. Heidi graduated with a degree in elementary education and immediately began her teaching career. As a first grade teacher for the past 27 years, she has hosted and mentored many student teachers from Olivet. Shelby graduated with a degree in early childhood education and has been teaching kindergarten for the past four years in Bourbonnais. In addition to teaching, she is also a resident director at Olivet. Austin interned with MB Real Estate in Chicago before his senior year of college and after graduating with a degree in finance, he accepted a position as MB Real Estate’s operations coordinator for the Chicago Riverwalk.

JONES FOTO

OLIVET.EDU

19

For the Wegforth family, Olivet is more than just a place they got an education. It is where they all built a foundation for their adult lives.

John says, “You hear the message of putting God first in your life, but you also can see it demonstrated by other students, professors, administrators and staff in so many roles throughout the campus; by the parents of other students; and by various alumni who come back to campus.”

While the Wegforths were open to Shelby and Austin choosing any college to pursue higher education, they hoped their children would at least consider Olivet. John reflects, “When the kids were young, one of my greatest hopes and desires for them was that they would be able to attend Olivet and have an experience similar to what I had — but in their own way on their own journeys.”

Shelby and Austin did choose to attend Olivet, and although they could have chosen any academic area to pursue, their studies and career paths have uniquely mirrored those of their parents. John and Austin work for MB Real Estate in Chicago, and Heidi and Shelby are elementary school teachers.

John received his degree in business administration and has spent the duration of his career in management roles in hospitality and in building management.

“Various professors in the business department at Olivet impacted my way of thinking and how to handle myself in my business career, including Dr. Ken Armstrong and professors Carol Leake, Don Engel, Mike Wiese and Mark Ahlseen,” he says. “The opportunity to discuss many case studies in classes allowed for the class instruction to be relatable and easily applied. The business professors were excellent, and I felt very prepared for the work world.”

Early in his career, John worked in hotel management before transitioning to real estate management, a career he has enjoyed for 22 20 OLIVET.EDU

years. He is currently a senior vice president with MB Real Estate in Chicago and serves as the general manager of Maggie Daley Park. On a daily basis, John oversees the operations staff that maintain and secure the 20-acre park in Chicago, which includes a quarter-mile ice skating ribbon. He also works with the events staff that execute private events, which provide additional revenue for the park.

“The most rewarding aspects of my job are creating a great place for children and families to go to have fun and to foster an excellent environment for the Maggie Daley Park employees to work at and enjoy serving others,” he says.

At Olivet, Austin studied finance and played on the men’s soccer team. The summer before his senior year, he interned with MB Real Estate. Although the initial connection was established through his dad, the experience and success were all his own. “I stayed in touch with the property manager I worked with during my senior year of school,” he explains.

Shortly before graduation, Austin was offered a position as operations coordinator for the Chicago Riverwalk. His daily responsibilities include creating and maintaining the department’s budget, coordinating new construction projects and managing on-site Riverwalk staff. Of the work, Austin says, “The most rewarding aspect of my job is starting with a basic idea for an improvement and seeing the project through to completion.”

Although the Wegforth men work in two different departments of MB Real Estate, they share a professional passion for maintaining the beauty of Chicago landmarks.

“Because we work on different properties, we see each other only at the occasional meeting,” John says. “The part I really like about working for the same company is getting to talk business with Austin after-hours and hearing how he is handling different situations and challenges. I am very proud of the work that he is doing and how he represents himself.”

From a young age, Heidi knew she wanted to work with children. She majored in elementary education at Olivet, where her desire to inspire her students with kindness and love was stimulated and encouraged by faculty and staff. As a first grade teacher for the past 27 years, she has passed on her knowledge and expertise by hosting many preservice teachers from Olivet for their student teaching assignments.

Like her mom, Shelby also pursued an education major. At Olivet, she studied early childhood education and spent three years working in the Office of Admissions as a student ambassador. The work experience provided continual opportunities to build interpersonal connections with prospective families — a skill that has benefited her in the classroom as well as in her role as a resident director at Olivet.

“I loved getting to introduce families to a place that was so impactful for me,” Shelby says. “The community at Olivet is like no other. I always remember people asking on tours, ‘Are they always this nice here?’ and with full confidence I could respond, ‘Yes, they really are!’”

In addition to her own positive experiences learning in the Olivet community, Heidi’s career in the classroom greatly influenced Shelby’s desire to pour into the lives of students. “My mom is an incredibly gifted teacher, and I have always loved seeing her passion for her profession,” Shelby says.

Recognizing that teaching can be an emotionally tough profession, Heidi always reminded her daughter that the different backgrounds and home situations of students would present a challenge to look at with love.

While Heidi and Shelby teach different grade levels in different school districts, they are able to bond over a career that is focused on educating and inspiring children to succeed. During Shelby’s first year of teaching, she and her mom started a daily after-school phone call tradition.

“We take time to express what burdens each of us are carrying from the day and also celebrate classroom victories with one another,” Heidi says. “That time of encouragement has made me a better teacher and helps me keep pouring into my students each day. The most rewarding part of our job is making a difference in the life of a child. It’s a gift that we get to be a part of day after day, year after year, and I wouldn't trade that for anything!”

Looking back at how Olivet shaped their faith, family and careers, the Wegforths are thankful for their experiences in and out of the classroom.

“I had no idea when I was a freshman in 1988 what a huge impact Olivet would have on my life and my family in the years to come,” Heidi says. “It’s where I met my husband. It’s where I made my closest friends.

And it is where I dropped off both of my ‘babies’ for college and then proudly watched as they graduated four years later. Olivet will always hold a special place in my heart.”

Austin adds, “Olivet will challenge you spiritually, mentally and physically. This place wants you to grow in all aspects and will push you to do so. I have nothing but love for the people I met along the way. I would not change that experience for anything.”

“For some students, the teacher is the most consistent and reliable part of their young lives,” Heidi explains. “They look to us every day for love, support, guidance and encouragement to meet their basic needs. It’s easy to get overwhelmed, but I believe that God gives us extra patience and strength on the rough days.”

OLIVET.EDU

21

AFFORDABILIT Y

UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL AID The college choice will be heavily influenced by how you and your student perceive cost and the financial aid process. Be sure to make decisions based on accurate information. You don’t want to rule out schools based on sticker shock when financial aid could bring those schools within reach.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO MAKE COLLEGE AFFORDABLE?

AFTER FILING THE FAFSA, WHAT COMES NEXT?

File your Free Application for Fedral Student Aid (FAFSA),

The FAFSA allows your student to select up to 10 schools to

and file it as early as possible. The FAFSA is the gateway

automatically receive your family’s FAFSA information. Each

to state and federal financial aid, and universities use this

school that has accepted your student for admission will

information to determine your student’s awards. The FAFSA

then send a financial award letter outlining the federal, state

can give access to grants as well as loans that tend to have

and institutional aid for which your student is eligible.

lower interest rates with the most advantageous payback schedules. Some state grants have limited resources. It’s important to file as soon as possible

WHEN CAN WE FILE THE FAFSA? You can now file the FAFSA at fafsa.gov beginning Oct. 1, for the following school year. You previously had to wait until Jan. 1, but the government moved up the filing date so you can have your financial aid picture sooner and longer to best prepare for the start of school. Another improvement: You’re able to pull financial information directly from electronic tax documents into your FAFSA form.

22 OLIVET.EDU

WHAT ROLE DO STANDARDIZED TEST SCORES PLAY? It’s important to find out how each admissions office handles test scores, as each school is different.

If your student takes the ACT or SAT more than once (not required but permitted by both testing organizations), some universities take the highest score, while others take an average. A higher test score could improve an academic scholarship by thousands of dollars per year.

ASK THE EXPERTS At Olivet, the Office of Admissions is a great resource for families in every stage of the financial aid process.

ARE THERE OTHER SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE? additional opportunities. Like academic scholarships, most

KIMBERLY STRICKLAND klstrickland@olivet.edu

others are provided on the basis of merit and/or participation.

“It’s my pleasure each day to

At Olivet, there are scholarships for athletics, music (including

assist students and their families

University Marching Band and University Orchestra), art, ministry

with their award packages. The

and ROTC.

options are almost limitless.”

IS MONEY AVAILABLE FROM SOURCES OTHER THAN THE UNIVERSITY?

MARK REDDY mwreddy@olivet.edu

Some schools offer only academic scholarships. Most have

YES! Students should seek out local and national scholarships.

Consider organizations your student has been a part of, businesses you frequent and your employer. Many offer scholarships. For national scholarships, register at reputable websites such as scholarships.com, bigfuture.collegeboard.org or fastweb.com and begin applying as soon as possible. Never pay for scholarship searches. The reputable sources are always free.

“One of my favorite moments is when families see their students awarded for their diverse, outstanding achievements.”

LUKE FRANKLIN lfrankl1@olivet.edu “From afar, it seems like a puzzle.

WHAT IF WE HAVE A REMAINING BALANCE?

But when we get into it, the facts

The reality for most college students is that scholarships

clear, affordable picture.”

come alive and paint a pretty

and government assistance alone do not fully cover tuition loans, student loans or payment plans. There are many federal

DEBBIE RATTIN drattin@olivet.edu

and private loan options. You should know that student loans

“My goal is to connect the dots for

require a cosigner. Payment plan options are unique to each

students and their parents, and

institution. Financial aid isn’t a “one-size-fits-all” process, so

to use every available resource to

work with your financial aid advisor to explore your best options.

make Olivet affordable.”

expenses. The remaining portion can be covered by parent

WHAT IS A PARENT’S BEST RESOURCE FOR INFORMATION?

Our amazing team is available to answer your

This process can be overwhelming, so don’t be afraid to lean on

questions. Call 800-648-1463 and ask for

financial aid advisors. They’ll work with you to find financial aid

them by name, or reach out via email.

solutions based on your needs. Ask the tough questions and stay informed. The more involved you are, the easier it will be.

OLIVET.EDU 23

I M PACT

FIRST PERSON Emma (Reutter) LaCosse, Best Buddies International

When she first started her college search, Emma (Reutter) LaCosse ’13 was looking for a school that would provide a variety of opportunities to pursue athletics, knowledge and excellence. From the first time she stepped foot on campus — for a tour and practice with the women’s soccer team and coach, Bill Bahr ’96/’02 MBA — Emma knew she had found her desired community.

“I felt like I had time at Olivet to find myself and to discover who I truly was and what I stood for before the world dictated it for me.”

Steve and Emma LaCosse SUBMITTED

24 OLIVET.EDU

SUBMITTED

The instant connections with her teammates gave Emma a glimpse into opportunities to serve while a student at Olivet. She traveled on two international mission trips, to Kenya and Costa Rica, both of which were with the women’s soccer team. The experiences were unforgettable.

“We all walked away with a profound realization of what truly mattered in our lives,” Emma reflects. “I realized that I was the best version of myself when I served people. I knew then that whatever I did for work, I needed to serve people. I knew that finding ways to serve others with others would be a priority the rest of my life.”

When the school year started, one of the soccer captains introduced Emma to Best Buddies International, an organization that provides one-to-one friendships, employment opportunities, leadership development programs and inclusive living for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Although Emma had previously volunteered with organizations that had similarly aligned missions, such as Special Olympics, she was not familiar with Best Buddies before attending Olivet. She volunteered with the organization throughout college and served as the chapter president of the organization for three years.

As Emma’s volunteer involvement with Best Buddies grew, so did her interest in the operations of the organization. During the spring semester of her senior year, she completed an internship with Best Buddies in Chicago which led to a job offer out of college.

While working for Best Buddies in Chicago, Emma continued to support expansion efforts of the organization into Michigan.

“There were lots of conference calls, meetings and events to spread the awareness of the mission throughout the state.” Today, with the

support of Best Buddies staff and mega volunteers, Best Buddies is officially spreading the mission of inclusion throughout the state of Michigan.

Emma has a particular interest in providing programming for individuals with disabilities who fall in the adult age group. “My passion stemmed from thinking about my sister (pictured above) and her future, but really grew as I realized how many people benefit from our adult programming,” she says. “Social interaction can be really limited for people who do not go to college or aren’t integrated directly in the workforce.”

She now supports Best Buddies teams in Chicago and Peoria, Illinois, as the director of operations and programs. Emma oversees the state budget, grants, funding resources and expansion opportunities, and her academic background in business has proven very helpful in the role.

“I’m sure that if I had gone to a secular school, my life would be so different,” Emma says. “Olivet gave me opportunities to really lean into living with a community mindset and to lean into who I am and who God created me to be. You can see Olivet interwoven in my life in so many ways, and I will be forever grateful.”

Emma married Olivet alumnus and fellow soccer player, Steven LaCosse ’13, in August 2018. Coach Bill Bahr officiated their ceremony.

The couple lives in Chicago and attends City Church. In addition to her work with Best Buddies, Emma is a licensed real estate broker, working on a team with Olivet alumna Jana Pierce ’12.

OLIVET.EDU

25

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but

BE TRANSFOR

BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR M ARTFRIDAY

Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.” ROMANS 12:2

20 OLIVET.EDU

RMED

MIND

In early December, Olivet President Dr. John C. Bowling accepted the 2019 CASE Chief Executive Leadership Award at the District V Conference in Chicago. At the culmination of the CASE conference, Dr. Bowling was asked to present a keynote address to the assembly.

“The truth is, as leaders of institutions of higher education,” declared Bowling, “our mission is really more than education. It is about transformation.” There was an audible, collective agreement from the audience of university presidents and leadership teams. Once again, Bowling planted an encouraging, inspiring word to reach well beyond the moment.

Transformation has always been the mission of Olivet. “Education With a Christian Purpose” is more than a clever motto. It is through education — nurtured daily by skilled men and women committed to serving God and humanity — that Christ’s purpose is continued.

From the residence halls to the ballot box and beyond, members of the Olivet community share their thoughts and insights on transformation, and what it means to live a life of purpose — transformed.

OLIVET.EDU

27

a safe place to

QUESTION EXPLORE FAIL ACHIEVE Dr. Teresa Garner

28 OLIVET.EDU

In the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Romans, he speaks of transformation as a continuous process of recognizing the difference between con(formation) to the systems and values of this world and trans(formation) made possible by the “renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NRSV). Paul is helping us recognize that we need new lenses through which to see and interact with our world.

Yes, Olivet Nazarene University is in a different culture and era than that to which Paul was speaking. However, when older adolescents and emerging adults enter Olivet, they find themselves in this new time of navigating, questioning and exploring this tension of the patterns of worldly kingdoms and the faithful action and response to God’s Kingdom. This stage of exploration actually has a name: moratorium. We like to believe that Olivet is a safe place to question, doubt, fail and achieve all at the same time. When we shut down this process of moratorium, we take away the opportunity for growth and understanding. When we accept that this struggle needs to happen in their lives, we facilitate the building of a deeper and stronger foundation that will stand the test of time.

Take for example, Stephanie, who was abandoned by her family and whose lifestyle and default had long been drugs and abuse. Enter transformation — the transformation of a renewed mind. She has been a disciple of Jesus for a few years now, immersing herself in a strong community of believers and studying ministry, theology and grace. You would not recognize her now. She is living out this transformation by pouring into the lives of elementary students each day and discipling adolescents in her small group. Stephanie now sees her world through new transformative lenses.

This road of transformation has not been easy. She has stumbled many times. She has had to take extreme measures in order to get healthy and stay that way. She has surrounded herself with healthy people and mutual mentors, and she is teaching us as well. Together, we are growing in community as the Spirit of God renews our minds.

Then, there is Jodi, who spent most of her last year of college caring for her family — a family that had huge needs. Yet, she continued to pour herself into her studies, her residents, her fellow students and every ministry opportunity she found. There were many days full of tears, agony and questions, but she found God to be faithful even when people were not. Jodi leaned in instead of pushing away. And her journey is just beginning.

There were many days full of tears, agony and questions, but she found God to be faithful even when people were not.

At Olivet, Jodi is developing grit. She is finding the will of God through the renewing of her mind by the Spirit in a safe community environment.

Like Stephanie, her road has been one of transformative moments and days of trusting God, mentors and friends when she was blinded by confusion and doubt. No one blamed her for such questions. We shared the questions.

In the book Life Together, author Ruth Haley Barton speaks of this process: Spiritual transformation is the process by which Christ is formed in us — for the glory of God, for the abundance of our own lives and for the sake of others; it results in an increasing capacity to discern and do the will of God. Spiritual transformation in the lives of redeemed people is a testimony to the power of the gospel; indeed, it is an act of worship in which our very lives testify or ascribe worth to the One who made us, who calls us by name and redeems us for His purposes.

DR. TERESA (ULMET) GARNER ’87/’91 M.A. is a professor in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry and specializes in youth ministry. She completed a Doctor of Ministry degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 2018. She and her husband, Kenneth ’88/’01 M.A., live in Manteno, Illinois.

OLIVET.EDU

00

30 OLIVET.EDU

The college experience results in profound spiritual, mental and emotional alterations for many students. Academic challenges stretch the mind and social interactions strengthen the ethos of the campus culture.

In the following pages, 16 Olivet students, faculty and staff reflect on the concept of transformation as it relates to their Olivet experience.

stories PHOTOGRAPHY BY IMAGE GROUP STORIES COMPILED BY LAUREN BEATTY DESIGN BY GEORGE WOLFF AND MATT MOORE OLIVET.EDU

31

When I think of the word transformation, I think of a change of heart or a process one might go through. As a faculty member, I continually witness the change and transformation of our students as they mature here over four years. What is most exciting to watch is not only their physical maturity but also their spiritual maturity. The department aspires to bring practical application and hands-on learning to the classroom by providing experiences for students including mock trials, mock crime scenes, arson demonstrations, tactical police training, field trips, guest speakers and role-play opportunities at the Illinois State Police Academy.

By utilizing these experiences, we are able to bridge the gap between theory and practice and provide practical application opportunities.

These techniques provide our students with a balance between what they will encounter in the field and how they will address these situations in the future. We also encourage our students to become servant leaders. I believe this is what sets our graduates apart when they seek employment after graduation. They not only have the intellectual knowledge required to do the job, but they also have the heart of a servant. By holding them to a higher standard both ethically and morally, we are helping to mold and transform the future leaders of our communities.

Dr. Shelly (Mendell) Stroud ’90 is an assistant professor of criminal justice.

DR. SHELLY STROUD I continually witness the change and transformation of our students as they mature here...

32 OLIVET.EDU

DR. RYAN HIMES One of the reasons why I love teaching at Olivet is that I get to participate in the transformative work that Christ is performing in students’ lives. More than simply transmitting knowledge, Olivet seeks to develop our students as whole persons: academically, spiritually, mentally, physically and relationally. I myself am a product of the transformative work enacted through professors at a Christian college. Indeed, it was the impact I experienced during my college years that inspired me to pursue this career, so that I might be used to lead today’s students to transformational encounters with Christ.

Part of that transformation includes discovering how we fit vocationally into God’s Kingdom work. I have found that most Olivet students desire to help others and make positive contributions to society — and they yearn to discover how they can do that through their careers. In my work at Olivet, I get to help students discover how their studies and research projects can directly and positively impact society. My particular field of scholarship is science policy, which involves the use of scientific research to inform public policymaking. Before coming to Olivet, I struggled to understand how my

interests in science, governance and teaching could be integrated. I now believe that God was preparing me to use all three of these in my current position, as I try to help students apply their scholarship to solving the practical challenges that society faces.

The five years I have taught at Olivet have been some of the most fulfilling of my life. I have had the privilege of building relationships with students and helping them discern how God is calling them to use their disciplines for Kingdom-building. My prayer is that wherever Olivet’s graduates end up in the world, they would make a difference in their communities and help those around them to experience the transformational power of the love of Jesus. The world will flourish more because our students are working in it.

Jesus, thank You for using Olivet to help transform me. May You continue to use our students to help Your Kingdom come fully on earth as it is in heaven.

Dr. Ryan Himes is an associate professor of biological sciences and a professor in the Honors Program.

OLIVET.EDU 33

PROFESSOR JERRY COHAGAN Jesus told stories. Lots of them.

He told stories about lost sheep, good Samaritans and prodigal sons. In all of these stories, Jesus sought to teach us to be better humans and to love more deeply. I like to think that the stories we have brought to life on the ONU stage transform in these same ways. The Crucible teaches us the consequences of letting falsehoods run rampant. Cotton Patch Gospel and Godspell remind us that the truths taught by Jesus are timeless and universal. Anatomy of Gray teaches us to guard against prejudice. These Shining Lives and A Piece of My Heart show us the courage required to make a difference in our world. Our Town teaches us to appreciate life while we live it — the painful, beautiful life it is. When we sit in a theatre and watch a story of universal themes acted out, we are transformed.

Again and again, I see students get involved in theatre and be transformed. Students are cast in roles which push them beyond their own experience and force them to walk in another’s shoes for a time. This invariably leads to transformed hearts which grow in their capacity to love, to empathize, to care about those who are different from themselves.

ADOBE STOCK

One particular student transformation stands out in my mind. Ashley Sarver ’15 first took the Olivet stage in 2012 as the comic and haughty

34 OLIVET.EDU

Queen Aggravain in Once Upon a Mattress. It was a lighthearted musical and very much in her wheelhouse. She had never even contemplated performing in a serious drama that dealt with weighty issues.

But for the previous decade, I had been waiting for a student with the maturity and gravitas to pull off the role of Vivian Bearing, an English professor with stage 4 cancer in the Pulitzer Prize-winning play Wit. As Ashley embraced that role she was transformed, both externally and internally. She shaved her head to portray the cancer-fighting, chemoenduring Vivian. She gained an understanding and empathy for her grandfather, who was dying of cancer at the time.

As audience members simply remained in their seats after the last ovation contemplating the play’s powerful message, the trajectory of Ashley’s life was transformed. She realized that telling stories from a stage is transformative for both the actors and the audience, and she resolved to be involved in telling those kinds of stories as her life’s work. This spring, Ashley will graduate with an M.F.A. in directing and will continue the tradition of transformative theatre. I applaud that.

Jerry Cohagan is the theatre director and associate professor of communication.

My freshman year at Olivet truly was a transformative one for me. I entered the academic year as an unhappy and purposeless person, and I really wasn't looking for ways to change that state of mind. I made sure to structure my first year in a way that wouldn’t allow for much connection on campus, but, nonetheless, I had staff members and students reaching out and seeking to connect with me. I finally gave in and began to foster a relationship with two staff members: Jorge Bonilla and Jennifer McClellan ’91/’14 M.A.. Together, they reached into my experience and invited me to be open and vulnerable with them.

In March of my freshman year, I had the opportunity to travel on a missions trip to an orphanage in Mexico.

That trip and the time spent serving with my team pushed me to be real and honest with myself about how much I was craving a new purpose and a new beginning for my life.

My heart grew with the reality that I had a God who was inviting me to find that in Him. Upon returning to the U.S., my life began to take new form. I began to actively search for ways in which I could learn more about this new beginning in Christ and how I could live more fully in that transformation. I can now see the incredible people God surrounded me with that year — incredible friends, staff members and mentors — had a hand in my transformation, and for that I am incredibly grateful.

Jonathan Gonzalez is a senior majoring in biology.

JONATHAN GONZALEZ

OLIVET.EDU

35

ALYSSA GROOME The most important aspect of my time as a student was how I was able to truly make my faith my own, and how God grabbed my heart in a new way. When I look back on the transformation of my faith during my time at Olivet, I thank God for His vivid and tender direction for me to attend Olivet as a student and how He gently guided me back to Olivet to pursue a career.

After graduation, I got a job in the athletic training industry. There were definitely benefits, and I really enjoyed helping patients make physical and emotional recoveries. I had some really great conversations about Christ’s love with people who were experiencing real pain. I’m confident that I learned to exemplify this mindset from my professors and mentors on campus.

One of my greatest joys now is working with the students I get to recruit through the Office of Admissions. I pray that they will be blessed by the same gift of Olivet that I have experienced as a student and staff member. The team I work with now lifts me up and comes alongside me not only in the office but in life.

They make me want to be better and do better for the Kingdom of God. There is a mission here unlike anywhere else, and I am truly grateful to be a part of such a beautiful thing!

Alyssa (Wilkins) Groome ’13 is an undergraduate admissions counselor and the athletic liaison.

36 OLIVET.EDU

I have one of the best seats in the house to see how a life can be transformed at Olivet.

It may sound cliché, but I really do have the best job. I’m immersed in student life, whether it be from my home base, the Douglas E. Perry Student Life and Recreation Center, or the many campus events I get to be a part of throughout the year. I have one of the best seats in the house to see how a life can be transformed at Olivet. With more than 100 student workers on our team, I get to know some of the amazing stories of these young men and women. I watch students walk through the natural progression of a four-year collegiate experience, and I’ve learned during my time in this role that the vast number of changes that occur in students’ lives are constant and often overwhelming.

Some of the changes are simply a function of getting older, while some are devastating adjustments to their lives. But something special happens when we allow God to transform us in the midst of the ups and downs. I often meet with students who are asking hard questions about why something has happened to them, or, even scarier, what’s next after graduation. Instead of them fearing the change that has or is to come, we often talk about the decision that they can make to allow God to use them in the midst of the chaos. Knowing that God is relentless in His desire to shape us to be more like Him is more than comforting: It’s transformational, and it’s an honor to walk with students through those moments of transformation.

Matt Smith ’00 is the director of recreation services.

MATT SMITH

OLIVET.EDU

37

Growing up on the “country side” of Missouri in a small farming community of around 300 people, I experienced a bit of culture shock when I came to Olivet. I remember when I moved into Chapman Hall my freshman year, I didn’t yet understand the impact that would be happening in my life. I knew the different environment changes that would happen — like a bigger town with stores only five minutes away and a bigger community of people to be a part of.

I had no idea about the more internal and spiritual changes or transformations that would happen. At Olivet, I have had some of the best experiences of my life. I’ve been transformed by the way my heart thinks. I have learned how many communities are longing to be reached.

I’ve been able to see ways that God moves when we take a step to reach into the communities around us.

38 OLIVET.EDU

Through classes, I’ve been able to see ways that God moves when we take a step to reach into the communities around us. I want to see a world changed, a world transformed by the love of the Lord and a world impacted by followers of Jesus Christ that take initiative to serve.

Olivet has been an avenue for me to be transformed and, for that, I’m so grateful.

Braxsten Cook is a junior majoring in pastoral ministry.

Navigating community living, engaging locally and discovering my calling at Olivet have truly transformed me and the lens through which I view the world. During the fall semester of 2018, I had the opportunity to study in the American Studies Program (ASP) in Washington, D.C. The semester was incredibly challenging, as I was interning full time for the House of Representatives and taking classes that focused on the role of religion in government, justice and personal responsibility. It was through this studyabroad partnership between Olivet and BestSemester that I truly found my passion for public policy.

I was immersed in a program with Christian values and surrounded by a community of believers living out their faith in our nation’s capital. I was deeply moved by my studies pertaining to gentrification and social justice. My time in the ASP program left me with the question, “What is mine to do?” Using the education and skills I developed during my time on Capitol Hill, I hope to transform conversations on campus regarding poverty, racism and privilege.

Transformation of any kind — be that spiritually, academically or socially — leaves no room for passivity. Change isn’t simple, and it certainly does not happen quickly. It takes discipline, struggle and a lot of motivation. I’m so thankful that Olivet successfully equips its students with those necessary skills to transform the world.

Ellie Murphy is a senior double majoring in international business and political science.

ELLIE MURPHY

OLIVET.EDU

39

Transformation requires small, orderly steps over a long period of time and an acceptance of changes that push you from your comfort zone.

I became a teacher because I had a passion to work with young children to propel them to become successful members of society, but my career consisted of many changes that were never on my radar. Those changes were planned

by God, and it was up to me to follow His lead and walk through the next open door.

During each season of change, I was happy and content in my career and I questioned why God push me to do something different. My career path went from classroom teacher to elementary

DR. DAWN SCHWARZKOPF literacy coach to high school reading teacher to university professor. After many years of following God’s lead, I can now look back and see the big picture of purposeful transformation. As a teacher, I made a difference with the students in my class.

As a literacy coach, I made a difference with the teachers, their students and their future students.

As a university professor, I make a difference in the lives of preservice teachers who will reach multiple students in the years to come. My original passion has become a reality in a more profound way than I could have ever imagined. Thankfully, my personal transformation was never more than God could have imagined because He knew my plan all along.

Dr. Dawn Schwarzkopf is an associate professor of education.

40 OLIVET.EDU

I first came to Olivet as a transfer student after completing my sophomore year at another university. I didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ at that point in my life, but I knew something was missing and that I needed to make a change. I transferred to Olivet because it was a faith-based school and I had the opportunity to play soccer.

It was at this time in my life that I began to know Jesus and realized what had been missing. After graduation, I played soccer for the River City Rovers, a semiprofessional team in Kentucky. Within nine months of playing, several doors started closing in my life. The serious relationship I had been in ended, and I began to question whether or not playing soccer professionally was the career path God wanted me on.

MBA, I started to consider a career in coaching and met my wife, Rebecca. God used that time at Olivet to transform my perspective and give me clarity on what He was calling me to do. After my graduate program was over, we moved to Oregon for a head soccer coach opportunity at Eastern Oregon University. I was prepared to be there for a while and was very surprised to get a call that the men’s head soccer coaching position at Olivet was open. I knew it was time to go back — this time to give back. God used the people involved in the soccer program at Olivet to meet me where I was at and to transform my heart. I am thankful and humbled to be able to work at a job that uses soccer, the sport I love so much, to point people to Jesus.

I came back to Olivet as a graduate assistant for the men's soccer program. Under the mentorship of coach David Blahnik ’07/’10

Kenny Huber ’11/ ’14 M.O.L. is the head coach of men’s soccer.

COACH KENNY HUBER

OLIVET.EDU

41

SUSAN MORRILL During my time as a student, academics and friendships were my priorities, and my eyes to see the greater community were underdeveloped. Since graduating, the Lord has presented opportunities for me to open my eyes to the world around me. Fifteen months of serving and worshiping alongside brothers and sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in South Africa reoriented my imagination. This newfound understanding of the Kingdom — its beauty and its nearness — rejuvenated how I approach people and partnership. This transformed perspective returned with me as I followed God’s leading back to Kankakee County.

Since August 2017, I have had the privilege to serve in the Office of Spiritual Development at Olivet. The greatest joy I have in my current position is empowering and equipping students to see more fully the Kingdom of God at hand and encouraging them to believe they are an essential part in its coming. It’s so amazing that the transformation the Lord allowed me to experience after graduation is the foundation of how I get to engage with students now.

Susan Morrill ’15 is the coordinator for student ministries and assistant director of missions.

42 OLIVET.EDU

Transformation is growth and evolution: the becoming of something new. As I reflect on my time in college, I realize that much transformation has taken place in my life.

It was never my intention to attend Olivet, but through the leading of God’s Spirit, I took a leap of faith and enrolled. It certainly has not been an easy road, but I have had some very valuable experiences, such as a great support system of friends and faculty members, getting involved in clubs and ministries, and studying abroad in Costa Rica. Most of all, my time at Olivet has transformed me through intentional and meaningful relationships. Before coming to college, I did not have many close relationships outside family. I was very shy and closed off to others. Throughout college, I have learned to trust others more and have discovered the wealth of living in community. The friends I have made throughout college and the family that I gained from my time in Costa Rica have been transformational for me in this chapter of my life.

I look back to who I was when I first started college and then to who I am now. I am wiser, stronger, more courageous, persistent, determined, hopeful.

I am thankful for the ways that I have seen God’s transformative hand at work during my time at Olivet, and I look forward to witnessing the majestic ways in which He will continue to bring about transformation in my life.

Timothy Hodges is a senior double majoring in Spanish and criminal justice.

TIMOTHY HODGES

OLIVET.EDU 43 IMAGE GROUP

DR. TIFFANY GREER Transformation is in every part of my life. I see it in nature; it is part of raising my kids; and it certainly and completely stems from, and revolves around, being a disciple of Christ. Every friend and colleague challenges me to think differently — to see the world in a new way to make incremental changes in my life. Each time I have stepped into a new academic program, the process of learning and the discipline needed to finish have changed me.

Marriage, parenting, death, life in the Church — all of these parts of my life transform me every day, hopefully into more of who I am created to be.

Students come to study nursing at Olivet with many different motivations for choosing the profession. They feel called by God to this ministry; they want to care for people; or they have had a life-defining moment with a nurse, perhaps through the care of a loved one or through their own illness. What they will all have in common is that they will be transformed. From nursing school, knowledge and clinical judgment will translate into excellent patient care; technical skills will move beyond a lab or clinical into hundreds of hospital rooms, schools and clinics to bring relief, comfort and healing; and, most importantly, learning to be a Christian nurse and seeing every person through God’s eyes will offer a connection with all of humanity that few others get to experience. I can vividly remember my very first patient from when I was a student at Olivet, and how I marveled at the opportunity to finally do what I had dreamed about since I was 4 years old. I can remember the devastation of losing my first patient when I was practicing as a nurse. I can also remember so many moments of transformational joy and sadness from my journey as a nurse and clinical instructor.

Transformation is continually moving toward the Father, tethered to Jesus for the journey, closely listening to the Holy Spirit.

My senses are involved, my mind is engaged and my heart is surrendered. All of this is a choice — a daily choice. I am thankful for the transformation God calls each of us to through salvation and daily surrender.

Dr. Tiffany (Hardy) Greer ’97 is the director of nursing programs and associate professor of nursing.

44 OLIVET.EDU

I’m thankful for an institution that puts Christ at the center of everything it does and has such a strong emphasis on doing life together.

JONATHAN HENTSCHEL The main reason I wanted to work as a resident director (RD) was to help students with the transition to college life. Freshmen, in particular, face a number of big decisions when they move away from home. Many begin to feel the pressures that college brings: to form meaningful relationships, choose an area of study, learn how to manage their time and, ultimately, make their faith their own. And for a lot of these students, they are making these decisions for the first time in their life without parental supervision. My job as an RD is to walk alongside these students, help them process all of this and encourage them to do so through the lens of Scripture, making decisions with the motive to please God and not others.

I love the environment that Olivet provides — one with a strong sense of Christian community that allows young men and women to grow in their relationship with God, while also having

a healthy balance that includes a fun social life and a strong academic pursuit. I enjoy promoting different events where students can connect with their fellow classmates to form lifelong relationships.

I have grown in so many ways as a result of my time as a student and employee at Olivet. I’m thankful for an institution that puts Christ at the center of everything it does and has such a strong emphasis on doing life together. If I could only take one piece with me from my time here, it’s the importance of surrounding myself with a community of believers. This is my hope and prayer for every student that comes here: that they would find this sense of community and begin forming healthy habits that will be with them for life.

Jonathan Hentschel ’18 is the resident director of Nesbitt Hall.

OLIVET.EDU

45

ADAM CLARK While my transformation as a student at Olivet did not happen overnight, it was life-giving.

Friends, tennis teammates and faculty members poured into me in such a way that radically changed my life, and my experience at Olivet guided me in the right direction as I headed into the “real world.” After graduation, I moved home to Denver, Colorado, where I began working as a corporate and investment banking analyst. This job allowed me to transform — but not in the way I expected. I expected myself to climb the corporate ladder and become wealthy; however, after a year in that role, my idea of success began to shift. I soon discovered that money meant nothing if I had no opportunity to give back to others. This discovery of purpose changed what I desired in a career. As my thought process was being transformed, I was given the opportunity to continue my education at Olivet in order to do work that I find truly rewarding and that allows me to see others through their own personal transformations.

While in my current position as a graduate assistant, I have had the opportunity to see how Olivet’s alumni continue to transform and impact their communities. Seeing the growth of alumni, old teammates, classmates and friends has empowered me in my journey of bringing the Kingdom of God to my community.

Transformation, to me, is an ongoing process. It is the process of self-improvement, persevering through hills and valleys, and always persisting no matter where life takes me.

Adam Clark ’18 is a graduate assistant in the Office of Alumni Relations.

46 OLIVET.EDU

Transformation necessarily entails pain. Nothing is ever transformed without first being deconstructed. My time at Olivet not only built on my education and faith from my earlier years, but it also tore down and replaced much of what I used to believe was a firm foundation. The transformation I received at Olivet was a transformation complete in nature.

Not just part of me was changed but the whole of me. After all, to transform a part is for that part to seep into the whole.

I chose to pursue a degree at Olivet because I saw myself growing and altering here. I desired not just academia but a faith-strengthening as well. Continuing my higher education is continuing my growth in the Lord.

In January, I presented a solo painting exhibition, which was the result of months of rigorous ideas, letdowns, joys and resolves. Standing in a room full of my artwork was an amazing culmination of my transformative career as an artist at Olivet. All of the art critiques, disappointments, long hours and stained clothes were worth the journey. My work was seen and it was heard, but, most importantly, I learned what I was capable of — a transformation I never would have imagined. I know my transformation is not over. It is only beginning and will only be beginning my entire life. After Olivet, I plan to stretch my abilities further by pursuing a graduate degree in the arts. My end goal is to open and curate a gallery space in Galway, Ireland, for artists to explore the idea of reconciliation and forgiveness. Without Olivet, these transformative dreams would never have come to realization.

Emilee French is a senior majoring in studio art-drawing and painting.

EMILEE FRENCH

OLIVET.EDU

47

48 OLIVET.EDU

ACCESSIBLE EXCELLENCE The mission of the Center for Academic Excellence is to support the academic success and professional readiness of Olivet’s traditional undergraduate students. Through curricular and cocurricular programming, student engagement is enhanced in the learning process. Support is given through academic coaching and tutoring; career services and résumé preparation; learning support services and accommodations; and a writing center. These services help build student self-efficacy, promote professional readiness and encourage student persistence.

PHOTO BY JONES FOTO

OLIVET.EDU

49

A MORE JUST SOCIETY An Election Q&A With David VanHeemst, Professor of Political Science

ADOBE STOCK

With a U.S. presidential election only months away, Olivet The Magazine once again sat down with our resident political scientist, Dr. David Van Heemst, to talk politics, Christian responsibility and current events. This conversation took place before the first caucus and primary election.

DR. DAVID VAN HEEMST ’96 M.P.C./’98 M.A. joined Olivet’s faculty in 1993 as the first political scientist hired in the history of Olivet. “DVH,” as he is known on campus, sponsors multiple student clubs and is the author of five books. In 2013, he received the Samuel L. Mayhugh Award for Scholarly Excellence. In 2016, he was named Olivet’s Faculty Member of the Year. He and his wife, April (Cordes) ’94, are the parents of twins Maggie and Ellie, who are Olivet freshmen, and triplets Annika, Elizabeth and Jessica, who are in seventh grade.

The political climate is constantly changing, as are voter trends. Are university students still interested in politics at the national level?

Probably more than ever! Today’s students are politically aware, deeply interested and actively seeking opportunities to get involved. I’m impressed with the thoughtful questions today’s students are posing.

And the primaries are just beginning!

With such intense scrutiny and a seemingly high personal price for candidates and their families, are university students still pursuing careers as public servants?

Yes. Students realize that they may have to make certain sacrifices, but many see political service as a calling and a ministry. When someone has experienced a specific calling to political service, then one is better able to navigate the challenges that come with public service.

We try to prepare students for lives of service in Washington, D.C., by challenging and encouraging them to cultivate the following three things while they’re at ONU: (1) a compelling Christian vision for societal renewal; (2) close friends that you can do life with; and (3) a relationship with a mentor. Those three things can help one to stay true to one’s calling over time.

What is the cause of the political polarization in the country and what is the pathway moving forward?

First, state legislatures have reshaped their congressional districts to bunch more like-minded voters together. The consequence is that politicians have responded to their increasingly partisan districts by becoming more partisan themselves. Second, media and social media make it easy for citizens to live in their own echo chambers.

The consequence is that citizens become more polarized. Third, the postmodern idea that there is no truth permeates our culture. The consequence is that Americans cannot unite around commonly held beliefs. The first step toward moving forward is the recognition of these three trends and a decision to begin to move in a different direction.

Do moderates still exist in this political climate? Is compromise and collaboration even possible?

One interesting trend in politics is the rise of voters who are philosophical hybrids: They’re conservative on some issues and liberal on others.

For example, there’s a number of Gen Zers who are economically conservative but socially liberal. In that sense, there are moderates, or hybrids, in 2020.

Does the increased interest in socialism surprise you?

A little. It’s the under-30 voting demographic that’s most interested in socialism. Part of that is grounded in their life experiences. While they

were growing up, they saw their parents struggle during the Great Recession. Those experiences lead some young people to advocate for greater governmental economic involvement as a remedy for the financial crisis they experienced earlier in life.

What is your forecast for voter turnout in the 2020 election?

It’s looking like it will be high. One significant key will be this: Who will successfully frame what the election is about? It looks like the Republicans will want to frame the issue as capitalism versus socialism.

It looks like the Democrats will want to frame the issue as a referendum on the Trump presidency. The outcome will be influenced by which party more successfully frames the election.

What is the appropriate role for Christians in politics?

Francis Beckwith, who teaches at Baylor University, makes the following point in his book Politics for Christians: Christians should work for the common good. A Christian’s political responsibility has to be deeper than advocating for self-interest; we have to be more than just another interest group. Our political activity should be guided by justice — that is, dedicated to building a more just society.

What is your take on politics from the pulpit?

There are hundreds of verses in the Bible that talk about seeking justice, so it seems logical that the topic will come up. It’s helpful to remind people that politics can’t trump our faith, just like it’s important to emphasize that just because politics isn’t everything, doesn’t mean that politics is nothing. In fact, working for justice is one of the ways we can love our neighbor.

What are the key qualities that make a great president of the United States?

Presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin answers that question by studying the presidencies of Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, FDR and Lyndon Johnson. In her recent book, Leadership in Turbulent Times, she argues that great presidents embody the following characteristics: empathy, resilience, good communication skills, an openness to new ideas, impulse control and the ability to relax. I would add to that list a coherent political philosophy, a thorough knowledge of public policies and a love for one’s country.

Should Christians in politics be held to an even higher level of ethical and behavioral standards than non-Christians?

Yes. I have a high standard for anyone serving in public office. However, Christians, specifically because of their own belief system, should be examples of the good life to their peers. I think this commitment to a moral law should flow naturally out of one’s commitment to being a disciple of Jesus.

OLIVET.EDU

51

Dr. Les Parrott

TRANSFORMATION IS AN INSIDE JOB 52 OLIVET.EDU

You see them everywhere: little inspirational sayings like “You are the only one who can limit your greatness” or “Make your optimism come true.” They’re on posters in gyms and offices. Social media is plastered with them. Do they help? Do they work? Maybe. If you don’t feel guilty for not measuring up, a powerful quote might give you a boost. But for a deeper and abiding change — a true transformation — you’ll need more than a feel-good slogan.

Why? Because, ultimately, inspiration that comes from the outside is synthetic. It won’t last for long. It has a short shelf life. Long-lasting, life-transforming inspiration comes from a deeper place. True growth is an inside job that has nothing to do with performance.

It doesn’t matter if you’re married or single, young or old, shy or assertive; if your self-worth hangs on a condition of good performance, you’re forever riddled with self-doubt, guilt, insecurity and anxiety.

Upbeat quotes fade or eventually become white noise.

We have to look deeper.

When I was a graduate student in seminary, a professor asked a class of more than 50 students, “How many of you have been conscious of God’s love for you, personally, in the past week?” A half-dozen hands went up. The professor wasn’t surprised. It wasn’t his first time to pose the question to a class of students. He waited a couple of beats and continued, “How many have been conscious of God’s disapproval of you this week?” Hands shot up all around the room.

I’m not talking about knowing God’s love, which comes as a result of a studied and reasoned, or academic, pursuit. You can know things you don’t experience. For example, you can argue that the Bible says God loves the world (John 3:16), and you are part of the world, so you are loved by God. That’s a mental exercise. Not an experience.

God’s transforming love is more about your heart than your head.

It’s what John Wesley was getting at in pondering God’s love when he described his heart as being “strangely warmed.” Pascal, who was a mathematician and scientist as well as a philosopher, said his heart was “directed into the love of God.” God’s love is beyond knowing with your head. In fact, it’s beyond comprehension. How can you wrap your head around being loved by the Creator — so much so that you feel it?

It comes down to admitting that you are inadequate — that you haven’t and won’t ever earn God’s love. It’s an impossibility. You can only receive it as a grace gift. Each of us is undeserving. But when we open our hearts to receive it and continually walk with God to experience it, true transformation occurs, and we have a lifetime of motivation to be exactly who we were designed to be.

The payoff? Insecure feelings are few and far between. Worry wanes.

Peace reigns. Your relationships become rich and vital. You are less defensive and more caring, generous and attractive for all the right reasons. You are becoming healthy and whole. You are being transformed.

BY-STUDIO

To borrow a phrase from French philosopher Blaise Pascal, there is a “God-shaped vacuum” in the heart of each of us. And until we fill that vacuum with God’s love — until we feel it deep in our being

— true transformation becomes illusive. We will forever equate our worth with our performance. The only true catalyst for growth and transformation is experiencing God’s unconditional love.

DR. LES PARROTT ’84 is a psychologist and No.1 New York Times bestselling author of numerous books, including his latest book with his wife, Dr. Leslie Parrott ’84: Healthy Me, Healthy Us. See HealthyMeHealthyUs.com for more information. He and his wife live in Seattle with their sons, John, a junior at Olivet, and Jackson.

THIS IS MY STORY At Olivet, we believe education helps with more than just a career. It makes you a better person and allows you to make a great contribution to your family and community.

Whether your goal is to further your education, change careers or achieve personal fulfillment, Olivet Online can help get you there. It’s a new year and now is the time to write a new story to take your life from where you are to where you will be.

Olivet Online offers programs in business, education and nursing.

To hear the stories of people just like you, visit online.olivet.edu

FROM WHERE YOU ARE

TO WHERE YOU WILL

54 OLIVET.EDU

BE

ALUMNI

FROM THE ARCHIVES

1961–1962 GlimmerGlass feature writers | Left to right: Judy Hoffman ’64, Karen Reeves ’64, Violet Lindell ’64, Carolyn White ’64

1958–1959 GlimmerGlass staff | Standing, left to right: Don Braselton ’61, Lowell Thomas ’61, Phil Miller ’60, Linda Luttrell ’59; seated: Sue Conrad ’61

1962–1963 GlimmerGlass photographer | Mel Ford ’64

1961–1962 GlimmerGlass sports writers | Standing, left to right: Edgar Sheckler ’63, Jerry Riddle ’62; seated, left to right: Robert Mitchell ’63, Timothy Spackey ’65, Larry Wethington ’64

GlimmerGlass is a part of everyday Olivet life.

You can relive those college years. Every paper issue beginning in October 1940 is viewable at DigitalCommons.Olivet.edu/gg We value your memorabilia, too!

To donate to University Archives, or for more information, contact Archives@Olivet.edu or 815-939-5148. @OlivetArchives

OLIVET.EDU

55

ALUMNI

THE CLASSES

Professional Accomplishments, Weddings, Births & Adoptions

1971 Following graduation, H. PAUL HUDDLE ’71 served churches as a youth pastor, minister of music and senior pastor in Indianapolis; Santa Monica, Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo, California; and Springfield, Illinois. Additionally, Paul completed his Master of Theology degree from Fuller Theological Seminary in 1976.

He continued doctoral studies at Fuller and the University of Illinois. During his years of pastoral ministries and seminary administration, a collaborative ministry opportunity developed, and in 1999, Paul was asked to serve as the executive director of The Gathering of Men SoCal (GOMSC), an interdenominational evangelistic and discipleship effort to business leaders in the Southern California marketplace. In its 30‑year history, GOMSC has conducted over 160 evangelistic

breakfast events attended by more than 35,000 men as guests of local business leaders to hear the testimonies of speakers including Bobby Bowden, Tony Campolo, Adolph Coors IV, Vince Evans, Michael Franzese and many others. Over 6,200 men have committed their lives for the first time to Jesus Christ or rededicated their lives as a result of these evangelistic outreach efforts. Paul also oversees men’s Operation Timothy discipleship groups. Married to his college sweetheart, Melody Ann (Milby) Huddle ’73, Paul and Melody just celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past July.

M C N E E LY

2004  LAURA (SMITH) ’04 AND DAVID M C NEELY ’06 were married on July 6, 2019. Laura graduated with a bachelor’s degree in communication studies with an emphasis in theater, and David graduated

Su b m i t a C l a s s No t e

__

To OlivetEditors@Olivet.edu, or online at Olivet.edu/class-notes

56 OLIVET.EDU

with a bachelor’s degree in Christian education and youth ministry. The couple met at Olivet in 2004 when they were both cast in The Green Room’s spring play production of Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap. David has since been ordained in the Church of the Nazarene and is the associate pastor of Revive Church in Des Moines, Iowa. Laura is employed by Wells Fargo. They reside in Des Moines with David’s daughter, Josalyn.

C LAS S O F 2006

2006 SUSAN (ROMER) BORCHARDT ’06 graduated with a degree in psychology and had a passion for the welfare of military personnel as they transition to civilian life or life in the service. She couldn’t get financial support for ROTC as a postgraduate student, so she joined the Army as a raw recruit. With encouragement from a general, she applied for an Army degree program through Texas University that would allow her to pursue her studies. She has been deployed to Dubai and is now at a base in Virginia. Her current rank is a captain. Her work has been highly regarded by officers above her — both overseas and at home. She is married to Benjaman Borchardt ’04 and is the daughter of Dave Romer ’80, longtime head of campus painting.

POWELL

 Last summer, seven college friends from the CLASS OF 2006 met up in Kiama, Australia, for a girls trip. Since graduation, these women have reconnected every two or three years. Elsa (Sultan) Garcia ’06 moved to Australia a few years ago due to her husband’s work, and Ashley (Brace) LaBar ’06, Hannah Huguenin ’06, Karen (Anderson) Bacon ’06, Kara (Pusey) Gress ’06, Krista (Pusey) Patten ’06 and Jeanne (Smith) Bowshier ’06 met up in Los Angeles to fly to Australia for 10 days to be reunited.

2008  KELLY (SHORT) POWELL ’08/ ’11 MBA and her husband, Ryan, welcomed twins Caden Lee and Emma Jean on Sept. 26, 2019, at Riverside Medical Center. Kelly is a senior product marketing manager at Applied Systems, and Ryan does outside sales for BSN Sports. The family resides in Bourbonnais.

2009 HOWELL

 KAITLIN (COOK) HOWELL ’09 graduated from the Chicago Police Academy on Oct. 4, 2019.

Kaitlin graduated from Olivet with a degree in criminal justice.

She currently lives in Oak Park, Illinois, with her husband, Jerremy ’10, whom she met at Olivet, and their 3-year-old son, Zeke. Kaitlin is employed as a police officer with the Oak Park Police Department. c o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 59 OLIVET.EDU

57

S AV E THE

D AT E Make your gift to #PowerOlivet on April 23!

OLIVET.EDU/DAYOFGIVING

ALUMNI

THE CLASSES CONTINUED

2010  JOHN ’10 AND LAUREN (BLUNIER) SHORT ’12 welcomed their son, Bradie Matthew Short, on Sept. 19, 2019.

2012 RACHEL (WALTZ) CAMPBELL ’12 earned her master’s degree in nursing from Drexel University in June 2019.

She is employed as a women’s health nurse practitioner at Covenant Community Care, a faith-based community health center in Detroit, Michigan. Rachel and her husband, David, reside in Royal Oak, Michigan.

S H O RT

 DANIELLE (VANDER SCHAAF) ’12 AND JESSE DILLMAN ’13 welcomed their son, David Craig, on Aug. 21, 2019. Jesse is a web developer with Red Ventures and Danielle is a part-time high school teacher at The Potter’s House.

They live in Wyoming, Michigan.

2015 CANDACE (BAIRD) FRAZIER ’15 and her husband, Ryan, welcomed their first child, Luna, on Nov. 5, 2019.

The Fraziers have recently accepted a call to the mission field and will depart in spring 2020.

DILLMAN

2015 | JESSICA MOREY ’15 AND DAVID GARDNER JR. ’17/’19 M.DIV. were married on Oct. 19, 2019, at Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene in Indianapolis, Indiana. David is the interim youth pastor at Indianapolis First Church. Jessica is the mentoring coordinator at Shepherd Community Center and runs an after-school program for K.I.D.S. Inc. Among their bridal party were alumni Jon Harman ’17, Brendan Shea ’17/’19 M.A. , Jessica Johnson ’18, Hayley (Meadows) Cockroft ’15 and Jenna (Height) Solares ’15.

OLIVET.EDU

59

ALUMNI

IN MEMORIAM We Remember

1962  KENNETH S. PARR ’62 passed away on Oct. 27, 2019, at the age of 83. Born in the Southwest during the Depression, Kenneth was the younger son of F.O. and Mozelle Parr. His father struggled pastoring small churches in New Mexico and West Texas where their only income often came in the form of a few potatoes or other sparse produce from parishioners’ gardens. The family eventually moved north when his father obtained a teaching position at Olivet Nazarene College.

After graduating from Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School in 1954, Kenneth enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and, while stationed in Iceland, began corresponding with a young lady from Ludington, Michigan, whose name he found in the pen pal column of a church youth magazine. They married in 1958 and spent the next

PA R R

27 years together. In 1962, he received his bachelor’s degree in education from Olivet Nazarene College.

The Parrs later moved to Michigan and had two children, and Kenneth completed a master’s and a doctorate at Michigan State University.

Throughout his career as an educator, Kenneth taught at all levels, elementary through college, ultimately retiring from Waverly High School in 1996. He loved being with his students, imparting to them not just textbook knowledge

but also the importance of keeping an open mind, asking questions, challenging the status quo and forming their own opinions. As he once described his favorite part of teaching: “When I see a kid’s eyes light up, that means I’ve posed an important question in someone’s mind. The key is I posed a question, not answered one.”

In 1984, Kenneth reconnected with a former friend, Carol (McClain) Sloan, at a high school reunion and they wed in 1985. After retirement, they volunteered in various capacities and traveled in the U.S. and abroad until her death in 2018.

Surviving are Kenneth’s children, Philip and Kathryn Parr, and their mother, Marilyn (Gibson) Parr ’59; grandson and greatgrandsons Trevor (Courtney) McMinn and Isaac; several extended family members; and three stepchildren.

Su b m i t a n Ob i t u a r y

__

To OlivetEditors@Olivet.edu, or online at Olivet.edu/class-notes 60 OLIVET.EDU

OLIVET.EDU

61

OLIVET

AT A G LA N C E STUDENTS More than 4,300 — 2,700 of them undergraduates — from nearly every U.S. state, 21 countries and more than 40 religious denominations.

ADMISSION Based on ACT score and high school records (college transcripts for transfer students). For incoming freshmen, the average ACT score is 23.

ALUMNI Olivet Nazarene University has graduated many notable alumni who have given back to the University, the Olivet region, the Church and the world in so many ways. There are more than 40,000 living alumni making a worldwide impact.

ACADEMICS More than 140 areas of study offered through the School of Business, School of Engineering and Technology, School of Life and Health Sciences, School of Education, School of Music, School of Theology and Christian Ministry, College of Arts and Sciences and School of Graduate and Continuing Studies. Study-abroad opportunities have included Australia, China, Costa Rica, Ecuador, England, Egypt, Romania, Japan, Uganda, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles.

ACCREDITATION Includes the Higher Learning Commission, the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education, the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education, the Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics, the Council on Social Work Education, the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, the National Association of Schools of Music and the Engineering Accreditation Commission of ABET. ATHLETICS At Olivet, student-athletes compete on 22 intercollegiate teams. Olivet provides competitive athletic awards and scholarships for qualifying candidates. Varsity teams for men include basketball, baseball, cheerleading, cross country, football, golf, soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field and volleyball. Varsity teams for women include basketball, cheerleading, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, and volleyball. In addition to varsity sports, more than half of the student body participate in Olivet’s thriving intramural and club sports programs.

CAMPUS Beautiful, park-like campus features 35 major buildings on 275 acres. Located in the Village of Bourbonnais, Illinois, just 45 miles south of Chicago’s Loop, with additional School of Graduate and Continuing Studies locations in Rolling Meadows and Oak Brook, Illinois; Indianapolis, Indiana; and Grand Ledge and Grand Rapids, Michigan.

THE NUMBERS 62 OLIVET.EDU

112

million dollars in financial aid awarded last year to ONU students

99

CLUBS AND ORGANIZATIONS More than 90 clubs and organizations representing diverse interests, including a campus newspaper, yearbook and literary magazine; Enactus; Student Philanthropy Council; ROTC; radio broadcasting (Shine.FM); numerous choral and instrumental ensembles (including University Marching Band and the University Orchestra); drama and musical theatre performances; intramural athletics; and community volunteer and spiritual life organizations.

SPIRITUAL LIFE Christian community committed to making worship of God the central focus of our lives. Our faith in Jesus Christ cannot be separated from the educational experience, and we seek to honor God in all we learn, say and do. Through chapel services, each segment of the University community has the opportunity to join with others in worship and receive instruction in the Word and encouragement to serve. Notable and world-renowned speakers regularly address the Olivet community during chapel.

GRADUATE STUDIES AND PROGRAMS Doctor of Education: Ethical Leadership Business: Bachelor of Applied Science in Business, Bachelor of Applied Science in Leadership, Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Leadership, Master of Organizational Leadership, Master of Business Administration.

Education: Master of Arts in Education: Curriculum and Instruction, Master of Arts in Education: English Language Learners, Bilingual Endorsement, Safety and Driver’s Education Endorsement, English as a Second Language Endorsement, Learning Behavior Specialist Endorsement, Reading Endorsement, Teacher Leader Endorsement.

Multi-Disciplinary Studies: Bachelor of Applied Science in MultiDisciplinary Studies and Bachelor of Science in Multi-Disciplinary Studies Nursing: Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing, Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN-B.S.N.), Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Science in Nursing (RN-M.S.N.), Master of Science in Nursing: Education, Master of Science in Nursing: Leadership/Management, Master of Science in Nursing: Family Nurse Practitioner, Family Nurse Practitioner Certification.

Ministry: Master of Arts: Christian Ministry, Master of Arts: Family Ministry, Master of Arts: Ministerial Studies, Master of Arts: Missional Multiplication, Master of Arts: Pastoral Ministry, Master of Arts in Religion, Master of Arts in Pastoral Leadership, Master of Arts: Urban Ministry, Master of Ministry, Master of Ministry in Spanish, Master of Divinity.

percent of students receive financial aid

22

intercollegiate athletic teams compete in the NAIA and NCCAA

17

local ministry and global mission trip opportunities

OLIVET

AREAS OF STUDY Accounting Actuarial Science Art Art - Graphic Design Art - Drawing/Painting Art - Media Arts Art - Photography Art Education Athletic Training Biblical Languages Biblical Studies Biology Business Administration Business - Healthcare Management Business - Human Resource Management Business - Management Business - Philanthropy/ Not-for-Profit Business - Operations Management Business - Public Administration Chemistry Chemistry - Biochemistry Chemistry - Forensics Child Development Children’s Ministry Christian Education Christian Studies Communication Studies Computer Science and Emerging Technologies Computer Science Cybersecurity Defense Computer Science Software Development Computer Science Technology & Information

Corporate Communication Criminal Justice Criminal Justice Law Enforcement Cybersecurity Defense Data Science Dietetics Early Childhood Education Earth & Space Science Economics Economics & Finance Applied Economics Economics & Finance Certified Financial Planning Economics & Finance Corporate Finance Elementary Education Engineering - Architectural Engineering - Chemical Engineering - Civil Engineering - Computer Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Mechanical English English as a Second Language English as a Second Language Education English Education Environmental Science Exercise Science Family & Consumer Sciences Family & Consumer Sciences Hospitality Fashion Merchandising Finance French Geography Geological Science Greek Health Education

Hebrew History History Education Information Systems Information Technology Intercultural Studies Interdisciplinary Computing Interior Design International Business Leadership Studies Legal Studies Literature Management Management Information Systems Marketing Marketing - Commercial Graphics Marketing - Corporate Relations Marketing - International Marketing - Management Mathematics Mathematics Education Military Affairs Military Science Ministerial Missions Multimedia Communication Multimedia Communication Film Studies Multimedia Communication Journalism Multimedia Communication Live Event Media Mgmt.

Multimedia Communication Ministry Media Multimedia Communication Radio/Record Industry Multimedia Communication TV/Video Production

Music Music Composition Music Education Music Ministry Music Performance Musical Theatre Nursing Pastoral Ministry Philosophy Philosophy & Religion Photography Physical Education Physical Sciences Political Science Pre-Art Therapy Pre-Dental Pre-Law Pre-Medicine Pre-Optometry Pre-Pharmacy Pre-Physical Therapy Pre-Physician’s Assistant Pre-Seminary Pre-Veterinary Psychology Psychology Teaching Public Policy - Domestic Public Policy - Foreign Public Relations & Strategic Communication Recreation, Sports, & Fitness Religion Religion - Biblical Studies Science Education - Biology Science Education - Chemistry Science Education Earth/Space Science Social Science Social Science Education Social Work

Sociology Spanish Spanish Education Special Education Sport Management Theatre Theology Writing Youth Ministry Zoology

Statistics compiled from 2016, 2017 and/or 2018.

23

advanced degree programs offered through the School of Graduate and Continuing Studies

20

intramural sports and tournaments with more than 1,540 participants each year

21

study-abroad opportunities and numerous mission opportunities available

15:1

student-to-faculty ratio with a total student enrollment of more than 4,600

95

percent career outcomes rate for Class of 2018

OLIVET.EDU

63

AMEN

BENEDICTION God’s plan for all of us is infinitely bigger than we have ever dreamed.

We have limited vision, and we look at our own resources and plan accordingly.

We should lift our eyes to God and ask for His plan for our life.

We will always build smaller than God wants to build.

God desires to take us, to go as far as He can possibly go with us, and to exhaust all of the resources that are in us in order to make us a blessing to the world. Many of us would have been more faithful to God and would have risked a little more if we had dreamed how good God was going to be to us. Do not determine what God wants to do in your life by what you can see.

Let Him decide that.

We expect that when we follow God, we are doomed to a life of significant smallness, but the truth is, He is waiting to explode our smallness and put us in places of which we have only dreamed.

Excerpts from: This Day with the Master: 365 Daily Meditations

by Dr. Dennis F. Kinlaw

ELIZABETH KIJOWSKI

OLIVET NAZARENE UNIVERSITY ONE UNIVERSITY AVENUE BOURBONNAIS, IL 60914-2345

PURPLE AND GOLD DAYS

For high school seniors and their parents

March 20–21 March 27–28 April 3–4

JUST FOR JUNIORS For high school juniors

March 18 March 25 April 1 April 15

VISIT OLIVET

For event registration and more information, or to schedule your personal campus visit day, go to OLIVET.EDU/VISIT or call 800-648-1463.