FAMILY Connecting family of SDC students with San Diego Christian
Tennis Ranked No. 8 in the Nation p. 7
Celebrating the Class of 2015 p. 12 1
Summer Missions p. 18
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Spring 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
7 FEATURES
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TENNIS PLACES 8TH SDC Men’s Tennis team advanced to the NAIA National Tournament in their inaugural year and placed 8th in the nation.
CLASS OF 2015 View images from Graduation Banquet and Commencement and hear from five SDC graduates as they discuss their post graduation plans.
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SUMMER MISSIONS This summer, SDC students travel to Laos, Thailand, Poland, and Nicaragua serving and sharing the Gospel.
Cover photo: Emily Fontana (‘15), a business graduate, and Dr. Paul Ague, President of SDC.
TRUTH P U R P O S E IM PAC T 200 Riverview Parkway
Santee, CA 92071
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(619) 201-8700
sdcc.edu
CONTENTS 6 7 8 10 12 16 18
From the President Athletic News Flight Team Place 22nd Awards Night Celebrating Graduates Post Graduate Plans Summer Mission Teams
UPCOMING EVENTS
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6.8.2015 and 7.6.2015 SDC YOUTH SUMMER CAMP Click here to register.
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LETTER FROM THE VP FOR ADVANCEMENT We have enjoyed celebrating our Class of 2015 and are confident they will have tremendous impact in their families, careers, and communities. Although this time is often met with great celebration, it is easy for feelings of anxiety to be felt. Grads begin to ask questions such as, “Am I ready for life after college?”, “Will I be able to find a career I enjoy?”, or “Will the promotion I’ve been working towards happen?” I was reminded in Ephesians 2:10 that “we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” We were each made for something greater. We were created for God, to bring glory to Him. So in the midst of all the questions we may have about our next big decision, let us be reminded that God so masterfully created us to do good works so He would be glorified. As you pursue your passions, remember the greater purpose Christ has for you. Welcome Class of 2015 into the SDC Alumni Association! Sincerely,
Robert Jensen, MSEL
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FROM THE PRESIDENT
Dear Friends of SDC, Summer is here and the campus has become quiet without the energy of students. Even though the students are not on campus, many are serving on mission trips to Thailand, Poland, and Nicaragua. Please pray people will come to know the Lord as a result of their service and ministry. We are excited to share great news concerning our recent meeting with Western Association of Schools and Colleges. They have officially given SDC interim approval to move forward in the implementation of our first graduate degree, a Master of Arts in Teaching. This approval gives us the ability to enroll our first set of graduate students this fall. As an institution devoted to the truth and traditions that our college was founded upon, we are committed to investing in each student. We aim to provide them with an academic and learning community to prepare and equip them academically, and guide them to be culturally and globally involved citizens with a Biblical worldview and godly character. I am proud to see that evident in the lives of our students. Blessings,
Paul Ague, Ph.D. President
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NEWS
MEN’S TENNIS TRAVELS TO ALABAMA FOR NAIA TOURNAMENT SDC’s Men’s Tennis team traveled to Mobile, Alabama to compete in the 2014-2015 NAIA Tournament, which consisted of 24 teams. They had a bye in the first round of the tournament and then won in the next round against No. 9 William Carry. This advanced them to the quarterfinals, where they fell to the No. 1 team, George Gwinnett. The men’s tennis team finished 8th in the nation during their inaugural year. We are very impressed by their skill and proud of how far they advanced. In addition to the tournament, they spent part of their trip teaching the children at Austin Elementary school how to play tennis as part of the NAIA Champions of Character program. The team enjoyed sharing their passion for the sport of tennis.
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SAN DIEGO CHRISTIAN COLLEGE FLIGHT TEAM COMPETES IN NATIONAL SAFECON FLYING TOURNAMENT AT OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY The San Diego Christian College (SDC) Flight Team returned from the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA) championships after a week-long competition with the top 29 aviation college teams in the country. The SAFECON events, which stands for Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference, are held annually to determine the top collegiate pilots, this year being won by Southern Illinois University. SDC’s aviation flight training program trains at SAA Int’l on Gillespie Field in El Cajon, CA. The Flight Team consists of 10 competitors who try out for the team and compete in regional championships to earn an invitation to the national championships. SDC hosted the Region II event last November and this was the 6th national championship for SDC in the past 7 years. College flight teams compete in precision flying and aviation skills including “power-off ” spot landings, precision navigation, message drop accuracy, instrument profiles, and crew resource management exercises in the simulator. Team Captain Kenny Travis stated, “I’m very proud of our team this year. We had a very junior team with no seniors and none of the current team had been to a national SAFECON before. Despite that, we finished 22nd in the country.” Led by SDC’s Director of Aviation, Captain Denny Breslin, the team flew 3 planes to the competition, logging over 3,800 miles round-trip through Texas, the plains states, and the Ohio Valley. Breslin praised his team saying, “Flying across the terrain and weather through the Ohio Valley is always a challenge, but it is also a testament to the excellent training at SDC. It shows our pilots are technically sound, make good decisions, and can fly safely anywhere in the country.” 8
SDC was awarded the coveted Red Baron Team Sportsmanship Award, recognizing the servant leadership demonstrated by the team throughout the event. SDC President, Dr. Paul Ague was thrilled with the team’s performance, “The students worked hard for this and we are extremely proud of them. We are especially pleased that their humble team spirit was recognized by their fellow competitors in receiving the Red Baron trophy.” The aviation competition is a visible demonstration of the safety training that takes place in college aviation programs around the country. The next generation of safe pilots are educated and developed thanks in part to these competitions.
Contact: Captain Denis Breslin, Director of Aviation San Diego Christian College Aviation Department Phone: 619-980-8941 Email: dbreslin@sdcc.edu
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AWARDS NIGHT: CELEBRATING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT Four years ago, Andrew Thompson and the Student Life department decided to put a spin on the traditional student awards ceremony by creating a night of glamor, lights, and musical performances by SDC’s talented artists. This year, the 4th Annual Awards Night was hosted at the Allen Airways Flying Museum. Students, staff, and faculty arrived in their suits and dresses to honor fellow classmates who have shown excellence in their studies, athleticism, or service. To begin the night, Amy Smith was announced as the Valedictorian for the Class of 2015. Following her award, Dr. Paul and Lorri Ague announced the female and male recipients of the Heritage Award and President’s Award. The Heritage Award is given to a female and male senior who have reflected the spirit of SDC. Communication major, Veronica Martinez, and Biology major, Brandon Jarosin, received this award. The two juniors who received the President’s award and $500 scholarship were Micah Parks and Rachel Uy. Other awards given out included the Hawk Award from Aviation, which was given to Vince Stanley for his diligent and distinguished service. The Outstanding Greek Student award went to Tedd Sutton. The Industry Champion award, given to the winners of the Business Strategy Game, went to Michael Lambert, Joseph Bridgeforth, Bryan Wray, and KC Lee. Students acknowledged for being Outstanding in their department included Amy Smith (Biology), Abigail Northcutt (History), Lauren-Nicole Wiley (Kinesiology), Brittney Beam (Kinesiology), Terra Klem (Kinesiology), Janelle Wilson (Music), Luke Johnson (Psychology), Kaisha Hartwick (Psychology), and Amanda Massey (Psychology). Several additional awards were handed out in admiration of the academic success and service of students.
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EVENTS
GRADUATION BANQUET Our annual Graduation Banquet was hosted at the Allen Airways Flying Museum. Four hundred guests attended in celebration of our Class of 2015. Dr. Lem Usita spoke on behalf of the faculty and Dr. Ague followed his presentation with the tradition of having each graduate receive a Servant Scholar towel as a reminder to lead in service and humility. To end the evening, families and friends stood and joined in praying over their graduate and the next phase of their life.
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COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY Many families, friends, and supporters attended SDC’s 43rd Commencement Ceremony to celebrate our 2015 graduates. Dr. Rob Zinn, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, opened in prayer, followed by a performance of The Prayer by soloists Janelle Wilson (‘15) and Aaron Jaramillo (‘15). Valedictorian Amy Smith and Adult and Professional Studies Honors Student Stephanie White both presented inspiring speeches to spur each graduate to pursue their passions, while keeping Christ at the center of it all, and to take time to reflect on the experiences and people that have brought them this far. The guest speaker, who is a great supporter of SDC, was Assemblyman Brian Jones. Brian explained the necessity for individuals with a Biblical Worldview to be the salt and light this world needs in any field they are involved with.
CLICK HERE TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS!
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CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2015 SDC graduates share their future passions and thank their biggest supporters.
Kevin Brandt and Rachel Teters Aviation
Lynette King Human Development
Kevin and Rachel are both looking forward to getting married this summer! They plan on moving to Portland, Oregon where they will be working as Certified Flight Instructors. Additionally, they plan on obtaining their Airframe & Powerplant Mechanic Licenses, which will help them in their pursuit of serving as missionary pilots in the future. They hope to use the gift of aviation specifically to advance the Gospel in areas that are more difficult to reach by land.
Lynette completed her degree through SDC’s online modality while living in Texas. She is currently employed with Tapestry, a non-profit organization in the Dallas, TX area. Tapestry provides resources, education, and support to families involved in foster care and adoption. Her work with Tapestry aligns with her love and passion for orphaned children as well as those in foster care. She and her husband hope to one day start the adoption process. In addition to her goal of adopting, she would like to travel through Europe and discover various cultures.
They would like to thank their families and home churches, as well as the community here at SDC. Their involvement led to wonderful relationships with the staff and faculty, like Steve and Malia Jenkins, Robyann Oakes, Steve Whitten, and countless others. They are extremely thankful for the life-long friendships they have made and feel God blessed them with an incredible community that prayed for, encouraged, and helped in pointing them to Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
Lynette would like to first and foremost thank God for opening the doors that allowed her to fulfill her dream. She would also like to thank her husband, family, and friends for their invaluable love, support, prayers, and encouragement. Lastly, she would like to thank the faculty at SDC for investing their time, energy, talents, and knowledge to support her journey. 16
Jackson Woodbury Biblical Studies
Kevin Toyer Business Management
Jackson completed his degree in Biblical Studies and was recognized as a Global Servant Leader for his involvement in SDC’s Global Outreach program.
Kevin worked full time in the Information Technology industry while attending SDC. He recently transitioned into working for a new company as their IT Help Desk Technician.
On June 8th, Jackson plans on completing the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) in order to continue his education. He hopes to enroll in a law school this fall, while managing his private athletic sports business. Jackson expresses, “I think so many times we become consumed with the plans of post graduate life that we can easily take our eyes off of Jesus. I am excited for where God is leading me in this season of life and I am hopeful for the many transitions that will come as I seek to glorify God outside of San Diego Christian.”
With the completion of his degree, Kevin is looking forward to investing more time in pursuing his passion for the church community. His goals for the future are to retire at a reasonable age, travel the world, and further his education by completing his Master’s in Business Administration. Kevin would like to thank Professor Kennedy and Professor Pulcipher for supporting him during his academic journey.
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SUMMER MISSIONS
GLOBAL TEAMS
This will be SDC’s 10 year anniversary to Thailand. Each year, one to two teams are sent over to partner with Integrated Tribal Development Program (ITDP) as they serve the hill tribes. This year the village has asked for a soccer field. The SDC team will be building a 100 meter by 50 meter graded and leveled field. In addition to the field and hosting soccer clinics, the team will be working alongside ITDP staff and villagers, leading local children in Vacation Bible School and participating in other outreach opportunities. The final team will be heading to Nicaragua during the month of August. Photos provided by Dan Lamm (‘08).
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VISION XXIII
This summer the Vision team returned to the country of Poland. Throughout the school year, the team has been training for this trip by learning dramas and songs. While in Poland, the team has been using dramas, music, and their personal testimonies to spread the Gospel in local churches, public schools, and on the bustling city streets. Student, Michael Botello (‘18) expresses, “God used the whole team to either plant seeds or encourage the born again believers of Poland (which are less than 1% of the population!) through music and drama, and I was truly blessed by all the people I met here.” Photos taken by Professor Larry Wilson.
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SUMMER CAMPS AGES 5 - 17
June 8 – 12
SDCC.EDU
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July 6 – 10