HU Magazine - Spring/Summer 2022

HOMECOMING

A Forest of

HOMECOMING

October 7-8, 2022

of Foresters

huntington.edu/Homecoming

HUNTINGTON UNIVERSITY MAGAZINE

SPRING/SUMMER 2022 | VOL. 26 | NO. 2

Huntington University Magazine is published by Huntington University and mailed free to Huntington alumni, faculty, staff and other friends of the University.

PRESIDENT

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton

EDITOR

Lynette Fager ’10

Director of Communication

MAGAZINE STAFF

Laura Flores

Graphic Designer

Joanne (Miller) Green ’93, ’10

Sports Information Director

Nicole Manges '18

Content Developer

ALUMNI ASSOCIATION

President Roger Cooley ’84

Secretary Bronwen (Fetters) Carlisle ’16

Member-at-Large Luke McConnell '16

Opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the policy or position of Huntington University. As a Christian university of the liberal arts, Huntington University is committed to equal opportunity and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin or physical handicap in programs or activities.

Huntington University

2303 College Avenue Huntington, IN 46750

ENGINEERS IN THE FOREST

HU offers a dual mathematics and electrical engineering degree with the University of North Dakota

FAITH FORWARD WRAP

A review of the comprehensive campaign 16 THE BELLS OF BECKER HALL

Congratulations to the Class of 2022 18 FIRST FEATURE FILM

Big dreams will hit the silver screen for film

COACH CULLER RETIRES

Lori Culler steps down as coach but will continue as HU’s athletic director 28

SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES

How Dr. Ali Lannom’s idea for a capstone project set the stage for her career

She’s

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY HU,HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!

When you celebrate a birthday, you are celebrating a successful trip around the sun. 365 days of life and (hopefully) growth. That’s what this issue is all about — the vitality and continued growth of Huntington University. This magazine is just one of a series of pieces that focus on Huntington University’s 125th year. God has been good to this University, and this issue is all about the depths of our roots and the strength of the forest. God has shown us time and again that bold moves beget big growth. Keep reading. You’re sure to be inspired by the stories in this issue.

A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT

In March, we officially kicked off our year of celebration with a packed house in Zurcher Auditorium and an incredible night of worship. The event was headlined by Dr. Tony Evans, and it was such a fitting launch point for our 125th Celebration because of Dr. Evans’ focus on Bible-based leadership, strong foundations and eternal impact.

In 1 Corinthians 3:10, Paul writes, “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.”

Much like that foundation in Corinthians, Huntington University strives daily to maintain and build upon the solid foundation set by our forbearers because we understand that the roots we cultivate today have eternal impact. And the best part of my job is that daily, I get to see glimpses of that eternal impact, often in the form of a formative educational or athletic experience. For example, in spring 2022:

Students in HU’s Junior Impact Project course took it upon themselves to dream big and team up with Sanctus Real, a seven-time GMA Dove Award nominee and two-time Grammy nominated Christian rock group from Ohio. Together, they held a benefit concert in Fort Wayne, Indiana, to fight child trafficking.

Dylan Felger won the 600 meter at the Indoor Track and Field Nationals, earning him the title of national champion. Overall, Foresters earned 13 All-American honors at the event.

Our Alpha Chi National College Honor Society chapter garnered awards for student scholarship at the Alpha Chi National Convention. Our chapter has received recognition as a Star Chapter of Alpha Chi every year since the honor was launched in 1996. We are one of only two chapters out of more than 300 in the nation to accomplish this.

Katelyn Chill, a junior graphic design major at HU Arizona, was awarded a Student Bronze ADDY Award at the 2022 American Advertising Awards.

HU digital media arts students from Huntington and Arizona received 23 total awards at the Broadcast Education Association Festival of Media Arts. Overall, they earned more awards than any other private school in the nation and were top five among both public and private universities.

Zachariah Lail, a junior psychology major, accepted a paid research internship with the Fulbright Program in Toronto, Canada, for the summer of 2022. Dr. Mark Fairchild, professor of Bible and religion, spent this semester as a Fulbright Professor in Turkey.

Our esports team went undefeated in regular season play for a 9-0 record heading into the National Tournament. Matches are the best of five, with HU sweeping seven of their opponents (3-0) while their other two wins have gone the distance (3-2) in favor of HU. As part of the National Esports Collegiate Conference (NECC), the Foresters enter postseason play as the #1 seed in the division.

Whether you’ve been a part of the Huntington University story for many years or are new to the conversation, stay tuned. We turn 125 years old this year, but we believe God is only just getting started. Great things have happened here, and even greater things are yet to come as He leads us into our next capital project, our next strategic plan and the next chapter of the HU story.

Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, President

Our r ts run d p.

Celebrate God's faithfulness with us.

An Evening with Dr. Tony Evans – March 31

Our 125th Celebration kickoff event

1st Annual Senior Sendoff – May 14 A celebration for all graduates

Heritage Days – June 15-19

HU is sponsoring the parade this year as a way to say “thank you” to this community that has supported us for 125 years

125 Fest – September 2

A time of food and fun with the Forester Family on our Huntington campus

HU’s Official 125th Birthday – September 21

The bells will ring over campus, celebrating the faithfulness of God

Pioneer Festival – September 24-25

HU is proud to be a headline sponsor of this event that is themed “First Foresters”

Homecoming 2022 – October 7-8

Foresters will come together to celebrate being a part of the Forester Nation

Forever Foresters Gala – October 20

The crown jewel of the 125th festivities, this event will celebrate our past and look toward the future

huntington.edu/125

From the Desk of Jeff Berggren

Catch up on the latest Arizona happenings with the Director of Arizona Operations

In addition to the excitement regarding the excellent work of the HU Arizona digital media arts (DMA) students and the resulting awards, there is also the enthusiasm that comes from having a building full of activity. The undergraduate DMA enrollment was at an all-time high for the spring semester with 154 students enrolled. That compares to 145 undergrad students in the spring of 2021, 131 in the spring of 2020 and 109 in the spring of 2019.

With the second cohort of Doctoral Program in Occupational Therapy (OTD program) students arriving this spring, the enrollment of doctoral students is now up to a total of 27, with 17

students in the new cohort and 10 students now in their second year of study. The OTD labs are full and active every day, and when combined with the growing DMA use of studios and computer labs, there is a legitimate amount of energy throughout the entire HU Arizona building. In total, 181 students took either undergrad or doctoral classes at HU Arizona this spring.

And let me tell you, these 181 students were up to some incredible things this year. Read on to learn about our appearance at the Phoenix Film Fest, collection of ADDY Awards and recent OTD and film student collaboration.

HU Arizona Takes Nine to Phoenix Film Festival

Nine projects from seven HU Arizona students were included in the Phoenix Film Festival’s Official Selections. This film festival, which took place March 31-April 10, is the largest in Arizona. A nationally recognized film event, it has been named one of "The 25 Coolest Film Festivals" and a "Top 50 Worth the Entry Fee" by MovieMaker Magazine.

"It's a great indicator of the quality production experience that the students are receiving in the Huntington program,” said Jason Carney, executive director of the Phoenix Film Foundation. “I'm really proud of the partnership we have cultivated with Huntington and our Peoria Film [Fest]."

HU Arizona submitted its students’ work to the “Arizona Shorts — Made in AZ” category, as each project features local Valley actors and locations ranging from North Phoenix to Old Town Peoria.

“For the last several years, one of our benchmarks has been the Phoenix Film Festival,” said Phil Wilson, Arizona digital media arts program director. “To see nine of our students’ short films (from live action and animation to documentary) get into the festival speaks volumes.

“One student told me that getting into PhxFF had been a dream of theirs since high school — that

student now has a short at this year’s festival and is still a sophomore in the program. I’m so happy for him — and all of our students whose work is being screened.”

Phoenix Film Festival 2022 Official Selections

“By Good Rights”

Directed by Trace Avey

“Becoming”

Directed by Pepe Sifuentes

“Cola”

Directed by Julian Martinez Fernandez

“Murphy”

Directed by Chloe Caufield

“Rocket Science”

Directed by Kenny Gondales

“Scorn”

Directed by Xander Martin

“Snapshots”

Directed by Xander Martin

“Stranger”

Directed by Chloe Caufield

“Waves of Emotion”

Directed by Sabrina Hirsch

HU Arizona Student Takes ADDY Honors

Katelyn Chill, a junior graphic design major, was awarded a Student Bronze ADDY Award for her restaurant brand guide for Nick's Restaurant at the 2022 American Advertising Awards, which took place at the Phoenix Ad Club at the Orpheum Theatre on Thursday, March 10.

“Katelyn’s project was a solo production, while her competition was student ad agencies and groups. To receive one of the top honors in the category is truly an achievement,” said Jeff Del Nero, assistant professor of visual art and graphic design.

Occupational Therapy and Film Collaboration

HU Arizona undergraduate film students produced a promotional film for the OTD program. The film highlights the journey the OTD program took in their first year and tells the story of how we got started in the middle of an international pandemic. Scan this QR code to see for yourself!

ENGINEERS IN THE FOREST

HU is offering a dual mathematics and electrical engineering degree with the University of North Dakota

In the United States alone, the number of electrical, electronics and communications engineering bachelor’s degrees awarded each year increased almost 27% from the 2013-2014 academic year to the 2018-2019 academic year.1 Sadly, none of those degrees came from Huntington University. Although we have a long history of graduates who excel in mathematics and science, in the past, the time was not right for us to offer a direct engineering pathway for undergraduates.

“When we talk to students, engineering is one of the top areas that students are interested in,” said Dr. Jeff Lehman2, associate dean of the sciences. “And for many years, we’ve not been able to offer engineering.”

Until now.

A parallel dual-degree program, the result of a cooperation between Huntington University and the University of North Dakota (UND), enables students to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics at HU and a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from UND through the University of North Dakota’s College of Engineering and Mines online program.

The dual degree connects the strengths of the two schools and increases opportunities for students who want to attend Huntington University while earning a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering.

From HU, students will gain an in-person liberal arts and mathematics education built on a Christ-

centered foundation. Students will simultaneously benefit from UND’s more than 30 years of experience with a distance-based electrical engineering program. The UND electrical engineering program is ABET accredited.

UND currently enrolls approximately 500 students in the electrical engineering program, with nearly one-third of students earning their degree online.

The combination of college degrees in mathematics and electrical engineering can be a benefit on graduate school or job applications. When engineering graduates have a mathematics degree, new job opportunities open up in actuarial science, mathematical modeling and computer information systems.

Regardless of their specialization, engineers are often problem anticipators and problem solvers. In addition to possessing technical skills, the best engineers see the big picture and understand the connections between components. An HU liberal arts education encourages students to see a fuller perspective, one that gives them a scope of knowledge that empowers their engineering skills and sets them apart.

“You’re going to get the best of both worlds,” said Lehman.

Although their engineering professors will be off-site, students in this dual-degree program will have direct access to a local engineering advisory board. The engineers on the advisory board will serve as a network of support for students, providing mentorship and connecting

them with local practical learning experiences such as internships. An engineering advisor will also serve as an on-campus lab supervisor and help students with projects.

In addition, students will work through the dualdegree program as a cohort and will have access to an on-campus electronics lab set aside specifically for the program. Students will purchase electronics kits complete with all the materials they need for the semester and will be able to work on coursework in the lab around all the additional supplies they could need to test and prototype.

“You’ll be with your cohort of students taking classes,” said Lehman. “You’ll be sitting in a lab or a regular classroom with a regular scheduled time working through those materials.”

Ultimately, students in the program will enjoy the community atmosphere that HU is famous for providing while studying the two academic areas — mathematics and electrical engineering — that will propel them into their chosen career.

Enrollment for the fall 2022 semester remains open. To learn more about the electrical engineering dual-degree program, go to huntington.edu/Engineering.

Scan this QR code to watch Dr. Jeff Lehman unbox the first electronics kit students will use!

1National Center for Education Statistics, 2021

2Quotes in this article taken from “Huntington University Introduces Electrical Engineering Program,” Huntington University YouTube channel, 16 February 2022

Since Faith Forward launched in 2014… 396 GRADUATES

became Foresters because of NEW academic programs added during and because of Faith Forward

Doctoral Program in Occupational Therapy (since 2014): 233 graduates

Agricultural Studies (since 2015): 33 graduates

Arizona Center for Digital Media Arts (since 2016): 41 graduates

Occupational Therapy Assistant (since 2016): 36 graduates

Master of Business Administration (since 2017): 53 graduates

We added new buildings and renovated existing ones

The endowment increased by

($12.5 million) 50%

9 gifts of a million dollars or more

Three Rivers

Academic Center for Excellence

2,281 donors on average per year donors became Pacese er Society members

through fiscal year 2020-2021

The Forester Fund reached $4.3 million surpassing the $4.2 million goal for student scholarships

Forest Glen Park stadium and turf

Lake Sno-Tip enhancements

Don Strauss Animal Science Education Center Ware Plant Science Production Facility

HUB

Welcome Center in the Merillat Centre for the Arts

HU Arizona

CLASS CONGRATULATIONS

OF 2022

THE BELLS OF BECKER HALL

Thanks to an investment from the Class of 2022, Huntington University is thrilled to announce that for the first time in well over a decade, the sound of bells in Becker Hall will ring out again.

Each year, the graduating class of Huntington University’s undergraduate population gift the campus community with something that will make an impact on future Foresters. According to Senior Class Representative Ani Weitzel during her graduation speech announcing the gift, “it is [the Class of 2022’s] hope that in the years to come, the bells will ring out over Huntington University to mark new beginnings, to welcome students to classes, to mark moments of significance, to celebrate achievements, and to call all Foresters together.”

“To me, [the ringing of the bell] symbolizes just another thing that unites us as a Forester Family. It’s a way for freshmen to alumni to connect and be called home. It also is a way for our campus to show that though things have changed on campus, it is still the same Huntington University (once College) that we all know and love,” said Weitzel.

Historic documentation indicates that the bell and bell tower have been part of the Huntington University campus since its founding in 1897. The bell rang with pride from the bell tower for decades, but since the mid-1900s it has gone through periods of silence and restoration, including the introduction of a carillon.

“There’s much lore surrounding the bell in HU’s bell tower and, admittedly, that mystique adds to the campus charm,” said Dr. Ron Coffey, vice president for student life and member of the Class of 1981. “But the reality is straightforward: To have chimes ring out once again from the bell tower of Becker Hall is a boon to Foresters and near and far.”

This is not the first time an HU graduating class has played a significant role in the bell tower’s history. The Class of 1989 was pivotal in fundraising for the 1989 restoration of the bell tower’s steeple. The Class of 1995 gave a new clapper for the bell as the class gift at Commencement. And now, the Class of 2022 has provided the opportunity to restore the sound of bells once again.

FIRST FEATURE FILM

Big dreams will hit the silver screen for HU film capstone students

Huntington University has long been in the business of taking on big, unheard-of dreams. For our film students, one big dream is gradually coming to fruition: Wayfaring Stranger, Huntington University and Forester Film LLC’s first feature film.

Principal photography for Wayfaring Stranger began in May 2022. Long before that, however, students in HU’s Film Production Capstone program were involved in the production.

“It is an absolutely incredible honor to be trusted with such an impactful story,” said Bek Karp (2022), wardrobe supervisor. “We have worked alongside our professors and have been trusted every step of the way, and that means the world

to me. We truly have something special going on here, and it means the world to me to be a small part in this emerging capstone experience and project as a whole.”

HU's Film Production Capstone program creates a real-world, professional-grade opportunity for HU students to see and participate in an immersive mentor-led production of a featurelength film.

The capstone class began working on Wayfaring Stranger in the table read and casting stages and continued through preproduction and filming. They will be a part of the project’s postproduction and distribution as well.

Student names will appear in the credits, and the project will solidify students’ connections to industry professionals, including many HU alumni.

Reflecting on the filming process so far, second assistant director for Wayfaring Stranger Abdul Kamara (2022) said that “frankly, as a film student it means I’m on the right track. However, personally it means I am molding and following my passion of making sure the untold stories are told. All while being allowed to learn how to do it effectively.”

Wayfaring Stranger tells the true story of a 12-year-old pastor’s son in the 1970s who befriends a middle-aged broken-down country singer who helps the boy embrace his musical calling and the pastor build a new church. Former country singer Glenn Frank becomes a part of the Clark family by secretly teaching young Lance to play the guitar and working side-by-side with Pastor Doyle, all while wrestling his demons of alcohol abuse. His untimely death brings the community together to finish the building project and unite a new Church family.

“The story of Wayfaring Stranger has impacted my relationship with my peers,” said Kamara. “It has helped me fully trust and appreciate their specific talents and skills. The story is about the community coming together for a common goal, and that’s exactly what we are doing on this project. Looking at the determination and faith from the characters in the story and how they never give up really inspires my determination and faith about this project and my crew.”

“This story has brought so many new friends into my life and makes me remember that everyone is struggling with something. Why should they be any less deserving of love?” said Karp. “It also brings hope for me, that no matter my past sins, love still conquers all.”

The production crew has enlisted community support for the project, from casting area locals as extras to collecting 1960-1970s wardrobe pieces that neighbors had tucked away in their closets.

“We have taken on a larger-than-life project for our first film since it is a period piece film set in the early ’70s,” said Dr. Lance Clark (1989), dean of the arts, professor of digital media arts and producer for Wayfaring Stranger

With the community and a network of HU alumni and industry professionals behind them, students are making the first Forester feature film a reality, one step at a time.

“We are all young adults, trying to use our passion for something good and meaningful,” said Karp, “and I cannot think of a better way to use our gifts to spread a powerful message both on screen and behind the scenes.”

For more information about Wayfaring Stranger, including how you can be a part of the project, visit huntington.edu/Wayfaring-Stranger.

Our talent speaks for itself

Million-dollar talent. A decade’s worth of awards. Alumni impact that has changed an industry.

FOREVER FORESTERS

Building on more than a century of success and looking toward a future of growth

For 125 years, Huntington University has offered men and women an education built upon the foundation of Christ, scholarship and service.

Throughout the decades, the University has established new programs, added new faculty and staff positions and imagined creative spaces for new buildings with unique features. The University has grown from a single building (now known as Becker Hall) to 18 buildings on the Indiana campus, a 30,000-square-foot building in Arizona and a multi-level facility in Fort Wayne. Students can now pursue bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral programs, mix and match online and face-to-face modalities, study programs in different locations and participate in 17 different athletic sports. Clearly, Huntington University has flourished.

In 1 Corinthians 3:10, Paul writes, “According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.”

Since 1897, each generation of Foresters has laid a foundation of excellence on which the next generation can flourish. Often, that process has included a refining of academic majors, researching of new teaching methods and innovative technologies and adding of new labs and equipment to better prepare students for emerging careers and exciting new ministry fields.

Forever Foresters, the strategic plan that will be our guide from 2022 through 2032, rests on five pillars: strengthening student engagement and belonging; enhancing a culture of academic excellence; sustaining spiritual significance and faithful service; promoting enrollment growth, strategic programs and visibility; and increasing student economic value and institutional financial strength. These pillars center on foundational strengths of Huntington University — ones that continue to be refined for the glory of God. In Isaiah 28:16, God reminds us of the importance of honoring foundation: “Therefore thus says the Lord God, ‘Behold, I am the one

FORESTERS

who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation...’”

Success of these initiatives will manifest in a greater understanding of what it means to be a Forester — a sense of purpose, calling and belonging. Programs identified for future growth or reinvestment require an understanding of the role of academic excellence, and graduate success and our ability to advance our mission rests on the financial resiliency of our stewardship of the resources provided. However, our true sense of accomplishment rests in the spiritual growth of our students and the communities we serve.

May we always be found as Forever Faithful.

May our hearts always be joined as Forever Family.

May we never forget that we are Forever Foresters!

Destination 2032

With the Forester ethos as the touchstone for the Huntington University experience, in 10 years HU will be home to a diverse population of students who will share their lives and worldviews with one another through a lens of faith. That same Forester ethos will revitalize the student life experience, deepening the feeling of community that is at the heart of the HU experience for so many and revolutionizing it for this generation and the next.

There will be new spaces and approaches that support student engagement and increase the feeling of belonging for a larger student body that experiences HU at multiple locations. Students will benefit from a diverse, robust set of experiential learning opportunities. They will also benefit from an education that is informed by our laser focus on six core learning outcomes — faith integration, critical thinking, communication, cultural intelligence, empirical thinking and creative expression. Through these means, graduates will matriculate from HU as jobready and life-ready.

We will have achieved this growth by developing new locations, investing in high-margin/high-demand programs and benefiting from a wide range of strategic partnerships. The University will have become even stronger financially by having delivered more and more value to students and attracting the investment of alumni and other supporters.

As Foresters near and far celebrate 125 years of Christ, scholarship and service in 2022, we cling to the belief that in many ways, this is only the beginning. Those who have come before us have planted the seeds that have been watered by subsequent generations. Those roots have taken hold and have produced a Forest of Foresters thousands strong. We look to the future thanks to the strength of our past as we continue to build a place of higher education that is committed, as always, to Christ, scholarship and service.

MEET ROBERTA BAILEY

She’s the person to talk to when you want to transfer to HU

This spring, the Office of Admissions announced the creation of a new role: Assistant Director of Admissions and Transfer Relationships. The Assistant Director would be someone who specializes in helping students transfer into Huntington University traditional undergraduate, online and graduate programs. In March 2022, we hired Roberta Bailey, someone who has lived the transfer and online degree experience herself.

“When I returned to school, I was a transfer and online student,” said Bailey in the official press release announcing her hiring. “My experience was excellent, and now I want to offer that same excellence to others. Often transfer or online students need and want a concierge admissions experience. My background makes it possible for me to offer that.”

We agree! Here is a quick introduction to Roberta, her background and her heart for students that illustrates what we mean when we say she’s perfect for her new role.

Official Title: Assistant Director of Admissions and Transfer Relationships

Work Background: Enrollment for five years, social services for 10 years

Undergraduate Major: Psychology

Hometown: Albuquerque, New Mexico

Favorite pastimes:

I enjoy traveling and spending time with my friends and family. I am known to road trip to different cities and states for a live concert or simply to try a new restaurant.

Fun facts:

• I love listening to different music genres

• Sundays are for Jesus and midafternoon naps

• I have probably watched every Law and Order episode ever broadcasted

• I lived in Keflavik, Iceland, for three years, which was a truly amazing experience

• I also work within the music ministry at my church as a worship leader

Advice for students:

Always remember that God has a purpose and a plan for your life and He can do ANYTHING but fail.

Coach Culler Retires

Lori Culler steps down as coach but will continue as HU’s athletic director

Story by Joanne Green ’93, ’10

After spending her freshman year at a public university in her home state of Pennsylvania, Lori Culler quickly realized the secular scene wasn’t for her. As a United Brethren preacher’s kid, it made sense that she visit Huntington College, and by the end of her visit, Lori knew Huntington was home.

She came the following fall and has never left. After nearly 40 years, she still calls Huntington home.

Culler finished out her collegiate career donning Forester green as a two-sport student-athlete. She then took to the sidelines as an assistant before being named the head coach in 1986 at the ripe age of 23. Her success and impact on the program were immediate and lasting. And she’s got the resume to prove it.

After 36 years leading the Forester women’s basketball program, Culler announced her retirement from coaching at the conclusion of the 2021-2022 season. She will remain the University’s athletic director.

“Coach Culler has served the Huntington University Foresters for more than three decades,” said President Sherilyn Emberton. “She has been part of championship efforts both as a player and coach for HU. We are deeply grateful for the leadership and Christian commitment she has made to her players and all our Huntington University athletes and coaches over the years.”

“Serving as AD and coach has been both rewarding and challenging as our programs have grown and as we have dealt with this ‘season of COVID,’” said Culler. “It’s become clear that it’s time for me to focus my efforts.

“I’m excited to give a new coach an opportunity to continue moving the women’s basketball program forward.”

During her playing career as a Forester from 1982-1985, Culler scored 1,307 points and was the third women’s player to join Huntington’s 1,000 Point Club. She was a member of the 1984 NCCAA national championship basketball team and received NAIA Academic All-American and Honorable Mention All-American honors. Culler is a 1986 graduate of Huntington College and holds a Master of Science degree in athletic administration from Ball State University.

“I’m thankful for those who took a chance on a 23-year-old and gave me the opportunity to pursue several of my passions at a university where impacting the world for Christ was, and still is, at the heart of its mission,” said Culler.

“What a tremendous blessing it has been to be able to build relationships, teach and mentor more than 150 young women throughout my coaching career. They have added so much JOY to my life.”

The feeling is mutual. Well done, Coach Culler, well done!

Thanks, Coach!

Thoughts from Coach Culler’s peers and players

Miranda Palmer (2017), HU women’s basketball all-time leading scorer

“It is hard to think about the history of Indiana Basketball and not think of Lori Culler. She has had an amazing impact on this amazing game in so many ways, as her Indiana Hall of Fame induction [in 2019] identified. However, for those of us who truly know her, or got to work with or play for her, you know that she is also a Hall of Fame human! Huntington University and the Crossroads League have been blessed by her and the impact she has had. Thousands of lives impacted.”

Carol Harding, former Huntington assistant basketball coach and mentor

“Her knowledge and love of the game, her attention to detail, her ability to see the big picture, her organizational ability, her competitive spirit, her humility, and her love for the Lord and others set her apart. This combination has allowed her to coach at the highest level, and to impact and bring out the best in her players, colleagues, fellow coaches, and ADs.”

Annie Seboe (2024), current HU basketball player

“Coach Culler cared about all her players as women of Christ and valued developing our eternities. She taught me how to put Jesus above all else in my life and how to love people well.”

“Coach Culler was the main reason I decided to play at Huntington. I could tell immediately that she was a genuine person, and after meeting with her I told my dad, ‘That’s exactly who I want to play for.’ And I never regretted that for a second!”

Jason Ridge, head women’s basketball coach at Saint Francis

“Lori Culler’s coaching accomplishments by themselves are impressive, and anyone who has ever coached against her knows how incredibly difficult her teams were to play against. It wasn’t just their stingy defense or offensive execution, but also the toughness and joy they played with. Her teams were a direct reflection of the incredible woman leading them.”

Audrey Cable (2022), HU women’s basketball alum

“I’ve felt nothing but love and support since the moment I met Coach. You can always count on her to encourage her people in the things that truly matter in life and to be there no matter what. The way she loves her team, genuinely cares, and leads them to Jesus is truly special.”

Larry DeSimpelare, Crossroads League commissioner

Coach Culler’s Team by the Numbers

• 18 games won per year on average

• 27 winning seasons

• Two conference tournament titles

• Seven conference regular season titles

• Five teams undefeated in conference play

• Six NAIA National Tournament appearances

• Three Sweet Sixteen finishes

• 32 NAIA and/or NCCAA All-American players

• 81 All-Conference players

• Three Conference Player of the Year honorees

• Two NCCAA National Championships

• 16 appearances on the Top 25 Team Honor Roll since 1997 (when the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association began publishing the list)

• Fourth-place ranking on the Top 25 Team Honor Roll list three times, most recently in 2018

• 36 student-athletes designated as NAIA or NCCAA All-America Scholar Athletes

• 96% of Culler’s scholarship players earned their degrees

Coach Culler by the Numbers

• 2019 Indiana Fever Silver Medal Award Recipient (the 18th individual recipient ever) and Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame inductee

• 2009 Nancy Rehm Award winner for her contributions to women’s athletics

• 2006 Forester Athletic Hall of Fame inductee

• 2008 Distinguished Alumnus of the Year

• Nine-time conference Coach of the Year as voted by her league peers

• Two-time NCCAA National Coach of the Year

• 632-432 overall record (a .594 win percentage)

• Third rank in total wins among all active NAIA women’s basketball coaches at the start of the 2021-2022 season

• 36 years as head women’s basketball coach

• 150+ players she’s coached

FORESTER ATHLETICS

MEN’S BASKETBALL

The HU men’s basketball team, under the leadership of second-year head coach Kory Alford, punched their ticket to the NAIA National Tournament for the first time since 2014. In first-round action, the 12th-seeded Foresters picked off 5th-seeded Georgetown 80-69. Not only was it Huntington’s first National Tournament win since 2006, but it also proved the biggest first-round upset of the 2022 tourney. Alford and crew went on to suffer an 88-80 loss to Faulkner in the round of 32 to wrap up the year with a record of 23-11.

NAIA Honorable Mention All-American Zach Goodline led the team in points (18.3 ppg) and assists (4.5 apg).

BASEBALL

Coach Mike Frame reached a significant milestone on March 17 when his squad notched a 4-2 win over Grace, as it marked his 900th career coaching win. He is currently the tenth winningest coach among all active NAIA baseball coaches and ranked 27th for most wins on the NAIA’s all-time coaching list. During his 38-year tenure, he has led the program to four NAIA National Tournament appearances and 17 conference regular season or tournament titles. Thirteen players have earned NAIA All-American honors, and 82 players have received All-Conference honors. Seven of his players have gone on to play professionally.

INDOOR TRACK & FIELD

Senior Dylan Felger highlighted the 2022 NAIA Indoor Track & Field Championships for the Foresters by winning the 600 meters. Not only was he tabbed national champion, but his 1:16.12 time also set a new NAIA indoor record. When all was said and done, Coach Childs’ crew secured a national title and collected 13 All-American honors. The HU men finished 9th as a team, while the women took 16th.

When she was an undergraduate, Ali Lannom (2020), OTD, OTR/L, CEES, CLIPP, found herself drawn to occupational therapy and orthopedics because of an unexpected experience with limb mobility loss after an accident.

“I was in a really bad car accident in college,” she said. “I was told constantly that I would never be able to go back to school and that I would probably lose all functional use of my right hand.”

Frustrated, Lannom faced two paths: accept this diagnosis as her new reality, or work hard to set her own path toward something different.

“It was actually an occupational therapist that said, ‘Ali, you can do whatever you set your mind to. If we can’t get there [to full mobility], we’re going to find a way to adapt what you’re currently doing to help you live your life to the fullest.’”

Lannom learned firsthand the hope and help that can come from compassionate, competent occupational therapists. And from then on, she knew she wanted to be one of them.

“I said, ‘Okay, I want to be like you!’”

SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES

How Dr. Ali Lannom’s idea for a capstone project set the stage for her career

At Huntington University for her graduate studies, Lannom found a home where she could focus on orthopedics and hand therapy, publish research in industry journals and integrate her faith into her practice. In spring 2020, as part of her doctoral capstone project, Lannom created a website for limb loss awareness called Living in Motion. The project raised funds to provide prosthetic devices for upper and lower extremities.

Another component of the project was an online challenge that Lannom dubbed Someone Else’s Shoes. Launched in time for Limb Loss Awareness Month and Occupational Therapy Month, the April challenge included three steps:

1. Take a video of yourself tying your shoes using only one hand

2. Post it to social media

3. Challenge three friends to try it next

As those who participated soon learned, Someone Else’s Shoes highlighted the everyday adaptations individuals with limb loss make to complete routine tasks. The challenge reached NFL players from the Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans, who posted their own videos. The National Board for Certification

Story by Nicole Manges ’18

in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) shared the challenge on their social media as well.

Along the way, Lannom was learning directly from prosthetists about the details of upper and lower extremity prosthetics and how therapists and occupational therapy could help fill existing gaps in the patient experience, advocate for patients and raise community awareness.

With a successful doctoral capstone project in the books, Lannom graduated from HU in August 2020. But her impact as an occupational therapist was only beginning.

Lannom already had three professional certifications when she graduated, an asset that put her ahead of the average entry-level occupational therapist. She worked in a skilled nursing facility immediately after graduation while she searched for outpatient therapy openings.

Eventually, she received a contract to conduct an evaluation for STAR Physical Therapy. After completing that contract, she came to them with a proposal: bring her on as an outpatient occupational therapist and let her build a prosthetic rehab program. For a young grad in the middle of a pandemic, it was a daring ask, but one that paid off in a big way.

“They let me do it!” she said.

She began with one clinic. Today, her program has expanded to 16 centers that she oversees. Lannom has trained 30 clinicians in prosthetic rehab and consulted or collaborated with physicians, surgeons, therapists and a medical device company.

What began as a grad student’s doctoral capstone project to learn more about prosthetic rehabilitation and then a singular contract at one outpatient facility has turned into a launch pad for so much more. In addition to her clinical work, Lannom has begun guest lecturing in OT programs.

Her own experience with HU’s OTD program and its push to pursue certifications was a significant factor in Lannom’s start as an occupational therapist, pushing her forward to do big things.

“Choosing Huntington was the best decision I ever made. I cannot say enough great things about the University, the faculty, my whole entire experience.”

In fact, her resume at graduation was so impressive that at least one company thought she must be lying!

What’s next? With so much happening in the first two years after graduation, Lannom is focusing on gaining experience before taking on the next challenge — wherever her shoes may take her.

Photos provided

FAMILIAR FORESTERS

Class Notes straight from the HU employee directory

Two Huntington University alumni whom Foresters are very used to seeing on our Huntington campus retired from HU at the end of the 20212022 academic year.

Sarah (Adams, 1978) Harvey has retired as Huntington University’s registrar after 41 years of service. Over the course of her career, Harvey worked with six academic deans and implemented changes to academic programs, policies, class registration and student registration. She helped teachers pursue licensure and eligible student-athletes compete in the NAIA.

Since Harvey began working as registrar in 1981, we have added undergraduate programs in agriculture, animation, film, occupational therapy assistant, social work, television production and worship leadership; online undergraduate programs for working adults; and graduate programs in business, education and occupational therapy (in multiple locations). As a common factor behind all programs, Harvey helped ensure that generations of Foresters received the best HU education possible.

Carlene (Stephan, 1981) Peters has retired as HU’s campus visit coordinator after 37 years of service. Peters spent the early years of her

career at HU as an admissions counselor and in conference services. She personally coordinated individual and group campus visits for countless students and has been a pivotal longtime member of the Office of Admissions.

Since Peters began working at Huntington College in 1986, enrollment has nearly tripled and has expanded to three locations. For every on-campus undergraduate program Sarah Harvey oversaw as registrar, Carlene Peters was instrumental in recruiting students to fill the program. As a central point of communication and support for most incoming students, Peters helped ensure that generations of Foresters had the best HU experience possible.

Sylvia Reed, an employee with 40 years of experience, also retired at the end of the academic year as the senior database programmer/analyst. Reed was instrumental in establishing the Office of Information and Technology Services and implementing our first enterprise resource planning system.

The more than 118 years of HU experience these three women represent has set the bar high for those to follow, and we wish them the best as they transition into the adventures of retirement.

CLASS NOTES 1950s

Byrdena Maye Schuneman-Baugh (1954) passed away on March 23, 2022.

1960s

Robert (1966) and Jamie (Squires, 1979) Gentzel recently moved to the Colorado Springs area to be nearer to their children and grandchildren.

1970s

Eric Rittberger (1974) served for many years as a missionary with YWAM and YWAM Argentina. He continues to be involved in missionary work and substitute teaching in Ohio.

David A. Demick (1976), MD, recently published his book Heroes and Heroines of Faith

Tom Johnson (1976) retired in September from Wheeler Mission in Indianapolis, where he was the director of accounting for 13 years.

1980s

Dawn Sundstrom (1982) recently celebrated her 40-year anniversary as a missionary with Cru. She has served in the inner city of Los Angeles, in Miami, and in Germany, and is currently at Penn State as a campus minister.

1990s

Amy (Woods, 1992) Maidi is now the assistant dean of student services at the Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) School of Informatics and Computing.

Heather (Phipps, 1999) Sunday started a new job as a staff attorney for the Franklin County Probate Court in Columbus, Ohio.

Leanne O'Donnell (attended 1999-2000) is the author of Encounter: Experience God's Outrageous Love

2000s

Andrew and Caitlin (Apenburg) Joyce (attended 2009-2010) celebrated their tenth wedding anniversary in May 2021. Andrew runs his own video production business out of western Massachusetts, where they live and have enjoyed restoring their 1928 home.

2010s

After 5 years, 7 months and 27 days of foster care, being patient and trusting in God’s promises, Marx and Shay (Jones, 2011) Clark were overwhelmed with joy as they officially adopted Clifton and Clay into the Clark Household.

Jessica Edwards (2013) was recently promoted at Surgical Care Affiliates and is now the materials manager.

Vince and Sonya (Yoder, 2013) Nixon welcomed their daughter, Everly Joy, on December 17, 2021.

Ben and Jaime (Hillegonds, 2015) Pirus welcomed their baby girl, Fern Jacoba, born on January 27, 2022.

Isaac Jones (2018) and Claire Harvey-Jones (2019) were married on August 28, 2021, in Wabash, Indiana.

2020s

Andrew Bower (2020) accepted an acting contract for the summer at Yellowstone Playhouse in Island Park, Idaho, where he will be doing spoof musicals for the summer.

SUBMIT CLASS NOTES BY EMAIL TO ALUMNI@HUNTINGTON.EDU OR ONLINE AT HUNTINGTON.EDU/CLASSNOTES

DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE PHOTOS!

Registration Day

June 18

Heritage Days Parade

June 18

Summer Visit Day

June 24

Summer Stroll(er)s

June 25

Pedal Pushers Bike Ride

July 10

Summer Visit Day

July 12

Summer Visit Day

August 2

New Student Orientation

August 25-28

HU Night Lights Evening 5K

August 26

First Day of Fall Semester

August 29

For more information, visit huntington.edu/Events.