Vol. 79, No. 3 Issue One, 2012 www.olivet.edu

O L I V E T N A Z A R E N E U N I V E R S I T Y , B O U R B O N N A I S , I L L I N O I S

I n t h I s I s s u e :

A Firm Foundation

alumnae receIves whIte house

honor | page 18

tours oF alasKa anD enGlanD BuIlD

on classroom eXPerIence | page 8

ProclamatIon GosPel choIr reaches

mIlestone | page 13

page 10

returned to Ecuador strong in his faith

and ready to do the impossible

Professional soccer player

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18 onu alumniPete ’01 and Katie (Sullivan) Bretzlaff ’01: A boy, Henry Sullivan Gustav, Feb. 12, 2011. Henry jo ined Emma Kate, 8 and James, 5. Pete teaches social stud-ies at Kankakee Junior High School and is the varsity soccer coach for Kankakee High School. Katie recently completed her M.A. in art education from Ohio State University and teaches art, foun-dations and photography at Bradley-Bourbonnais Community High School.

CORRECTION FROM ISSUE 1: Scott ’04 and Anne (Wadsworth) ’03 Whalen: A girl, Averie Hope, June 22, 2010. She joins big sister, Ellie, 2. Scott is the executive pastor at the Sterling First Church of the Nazarene. Anne is taking a year off from teaching to be a stay-at-home mom. They reside in Sterling, Ill.

Ben ’04 and Stephanie (Quimby) ’04 Kumor: A boy, Luke Michael, born Feb. 12, 2011. He joins big broth-ers, Caleb, 5 and Nathaniel, 2. Ben is finishing up his medical residency at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha, where Stephanie is the president of the House Officers Association Alliance. In July, they will be moving to Anchorage, Alaska, where they will be stationed at Elmendorf Air Force Base.

Erin (Ouwenga) ’05 and Nicholas Rogers: A boy, Samuel Alan, Feb. 7, 2011. He joins big sister, Kate. Erin is a stay-at-home mom. Nicholas is in his third year of a gas-troenterology fellowship at UT Southwestern. The family lives in Richardson, Texas.

Marissa Lynn ’05 and Michael Coblentz ’99 were married March 19, 2011 in Kansas City, Mo. Michael and Marissa both work for Nazarene Theological S e m i n a r y, w h e r e Marissa is also a stu-dent. They reside in Kansas City, Mo.

Jennifer (Opperman) ’05 and Andrew Maynard ’05: A boy, Alexander Clark, Feb. 20, 2011. Andrew works on a team implementing elec-tronic health records at SSM Health Care. Jennifer works in security at Vantage Credit Union. They reside in St. Louis, Mo.

Denise Sullivan ’06 and Michael Caparula were married Dec. 18, 2010, in Chicago. Denise is a fam-ily and consumer science teacher at Hoopeston Area High School. They reside in Hoopeston, Ill.

Landon ’06 and Kara (Klinger) ’05 DeCrastos: A boy, Josiah Andrew, Oct. 7, 2010. Landon is the pastor of Fishers Point Community Church, a new church in Fishers, Ind. Kara works for Truth@Work, also in Fishers, Ind.

Meagan Hainlen ’07 will graduate from Indiana University School of Medicine in May 2011 with a Doctorate of Medicine. In June, she will start her residency in Neuro developmental Disabi l i t ies at Texas Children’s Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas.

Rich Benjamin ’07 MOL, in just his fourth year as baseball coach at Judson University (Ill.), has become the winningest coach in school history. After spending three seasons as an assistant at Olivet, the Tennessee native moved north and has already built the Elgin school into a winner. The program made its first NAIA playoff appearance in 2008, then set the school record for wins in back-to-back seasons. This season, the team is on pace to win 40 games for the first time ever.

In Memoriam

• 1950sSylvia Adeline (Richardson) Jones ’50 passed away April 11, 2011, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s. Sylvia was born Oct. 26, 1928, in Irvine, Ken. She attended Olivet for one year where she became engaged to Richard M. Jones ’50. They were married June 27, 1950, in Ypsilanti, Mich. Sylvia was a committed and involved Christian, a loving and devoted wife, a gentle and kind mother and grandmother, and a loyal and caring friend. She resided in Ypsilanti, Mich., and was a member of Detroit First Church of the Nazarene.

Shirley Ann (Strickler) Crabtree ’55 passed away March 20, 2011. She was the daughter of Dr. Dwight J. ’29 and Mrs. L. Esther (Newman) ’31 Strickler. Strickler Planetarium, on the cam-pus of Olivet, was named after her father. She was married to Rev. Robert E. Crabtree ’56 for 55 years. Shirley taught public school at the elementary level for 27 years in the Kansas City, Grandview and Olathe school districts. She enjoyed golfing, skiing, hiking, horseback riding and traveling.

Habib (Herb) George Abou Samra ’56 passed away Feb. 23, 2011, after a long illness. Herb was the son of the late Georges Habib Abou Samra and Laurice Mujais Hobeika, the father of Debbie Samra Sellers. Herb attended the American University of Beirut and graduated from Olivet Nazarene College with distinction and honors. He was an accomplished violinist at the age of 14. His love of classical music continued throughout his life. He taught elementary school after graduating and in later years, was finance and training director for employees in several General Motor dealerships in Illinois.

Thomas C. Murray ’57 passed away Dec. 12, 2010, in Tempe, Ariz. He was born Dec. 22, 1935, to Rev. Charles and Mary Murray. Tom excelled in foot-ball and track at Olivet, where he met and

married Wilda L. Bennett ’57 on May 19, 1956. The couple moved to Xenia, Ohio. Tom worked as a machine operator for 42 years. He was a member of the Xenia Church of the Nazarene.

Dr. Mary L. Shaffer, Nazarene educator and artist, passed away Nov. 22, 2010, one day before her 83rd birthday, in Meridian, Idaho. Dr. Shaffer served 49 years in higher education, having earned two mas-ter’s degrees and a doc-torate in education from Indiana University. Forty-two of those teaching years were in Nazarene colleges and universities. She taught art at Olivet from 1964–1971. While a professor at ONU, she worked tirelessly to improve the aesthetic appeal of the campus, which is still enjoyed today. Dr. Shaffer was awarded the President’s Merit Award at ONU in 1971. Dr. Shaffer taught at Northwest Nazarene University for 28 years, where she was named Faculty Emeritus in 1998. While at NNU, she assisted in the design of the Brandt Fine Arts and Convocation Center. There is a sculpture park named in her honor on the campus of NNU. Dr. Shaffer’s award-winning paintings were inspired by her world travels and the beauty of Idaho. Her painting “Watercolor of Sun Valley Idaho” was chosen to go to the moon in the Endeavor Space shuttle in 1992. Many of Dr. Shaffer’s paintings are displayed in the Frieson Art Galleries on the campus of NNU.

• 1960sLawrence “Larry” Spaulding ’66 passed away March 2, 2011. He was born Sept. 22, 1940, in Hartford City, Ind. He was married to Linda (Steckhan) ’69 for 43 years. He and Linda were very active at Indianapolis First Church of the Nazarene.

Ronald P. Schwada ’68 passed away on April 16 of complications from Multiple Myeloma. He was born December 13, 1946, in Columbia, Mo., to Paul and Alta (Slabaugh) Schwada. He married Lynda Dunn on November 21, 1970, in Gary, Ind. Ron worked as the manager of office and staff services at Lane Electric Co-op until his retirement in 2009.

• 1970sPaul L. Clack ’78 passed away Feb. 17, 2011. Born May 31, 1954, he was the son of former Wisconsin District Superintendent Robert J. Clack, Sr. After receiving his degree in psychology, he moved to San Diego, Calif. where he completed both his mas-ter’s degree and PhD. in psychology. Paul will be remembered by many as a coura-geous friend with a sharp wit and contagious smile who did not let a diving accident and life bound to a wheelchair slow him down.

• 1980sKathleen Marie (Doerner) Lunn ’84 passed away April 3, 2011, in her home. She had fought small cell lung cancer for four years. She was born May 7, 1961, to Ken and Marie Doerner. The family lived in Southern Indiana. She was married to Kevin Lunn ’85 in 1989. The cou-ple had one daughter Margaret “Meg” Lunn.

A Charitable Gift Annuity offers so much! You can …… supplement your retirement income

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Request a FREE, personalized calculation of how a Charitable Gift Annuity could benefit you and Olivet. Contact us today to begin the conversation.

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phOnE: 815-939-5171EmAil: development@olivet.edu

Class Notes, continued

Send us your news and photographs. Please submit alumni news, less than one year old, in the format printed in this section. Be sure to include all information, including class year. Due to space constraints, not all pictures will be used, and content may be edited. News should be sent via email to TheOlivetian@olivet.edu, at www.olivet.edu or through the mail to The Olivetian, Olivet Nazarene University, One University Avenue, Bourbonnais, IL 60914. Pictures must be sent through email or uploaded online. For detailed Class Notes guidelines, visit www.olivet.edu and select “The Olivetian” from the Quick Links menu.

What’s Not to Love?James, Emma and

Henry Bretzlaff

The Whalen Family

Luke Kumor

Samuel and Kate Rogers

Marissa and Michael Coblentz

Alexander Maynard

Michael and Denise Caparula

Thomas Murray

Mary Shaffer

Ronald Schwada

Paul Clack

Josiah DeCrastos

Meagan Hainlen

Issue 1 | 2012 The Olivetian 1

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in this issue

How life off the field prepared Joshua Ayers

to trust God with the impossible

perspectives›› Dr. John Bowling: Your experiences at Olivet provide a firm foundation | page 3

onu news›› Reed Hall of Science installs 650-gallon fish tank | page 4

onu sports›› Former NCAA DI swimmer makes a splash at Olivet | page 6

alumni zone›› Caption contest winners | page 19

8A walk through England

strengthens classroom learning.

18

10

Alumnae Teresa Woodruff uses

science to mentor young girls …

and the White House takes notice.

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Gospel Choir celebrates 10 years of proclaiming the Good News

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LOCAtION COURteSY OF HIDDeN COve SpORtSpLeX, bRADLeY, ILL .

winter workouts

Couples from across the Bourbonnais area visited campus for “Celebration of Marriage 2012: Date Night.” Dr. Kevin Leman, an internationally known Christian psychologist, author and speaker, offered marriage advice and tips on how to bring the fun back to relationships. Hosted by Olivet, Marriage Inc. and Kankakee County Marriage Initiative, the event offered a night out for dating, engaged and married couples.

Olivet’s Department of Music sponsored “Dreamt,” the annual Band Winter Showcase. The high-energy production — a musical journey of a dreamer as she travels through her dreams and nightmares — included band members participating in skits and musical numbers.

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2 snapshots

tHE oliVEtiAN (usps 407-880)

(issN 0891-9712)

EditorHeather (Quimby) Day ’02/’12 MBA

Guest EditorKate Morgan Malicke

Contributing Writerscaleb Benoit ’06 luke olney ’10

laura wasson warfel

DesignerDonnie Johnson

Additional DesignMatthew Moore ’96

Monique (cartier) perry ’03

Editorial ConsultantRev. Gordon c. wickersham ’47

Photographyimage Group photography

or as credited

Photography CoordinatorAmy (Duerrwaechter) smith ’10

Class Notes EditorMartha thompson

Olivet Nazarene University

PresidentDr. John c. Bowling ’71/’72 M.A./ ’06 D.Div., M.R.E., Ed.D., D.Min.

Vice President for FinanceDr. Douglas E. perry ’68/

’95 litt.D., M.B.A.

Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Dr. Brian Allen ’82/’05 litt.D.

Vice President for Student Development

Dr. walter “woody” webb ’86/ ’89 M.A.R./’08 D.Div.

Vice President for Academic Affairs

Dr. Gregg chenoweth ’90, M.A., ph.D.

Vice President for Graduate and Continuing Education

Dr. Ryan spittal ’99/’04 M.B.A., D.B.A.

The Olivetian is published quarterly by the Office of

Marketing Communications under the direction of the vice president

for Institutional Advancement.

Reproduction of material without written permission

is strictly prohibited.

Copyright © 2012 Olivet Nazarene University

One University Avenue bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345

pOStMASteR: Send address changes to

editor the Olivetian

Olivet Nazarene University One University Ave.

bourbonnais, IL 60914-2345

Lilly, a two-and-a-half year old Harlequin Great Dane, visited campus to help relieve stress for Olivet students during exam week. Students entering and exiting the dining hall flocked around Lilly, providing a much-needed distraction from the academic pressures of the week. Lilly, a trained therapy dog, belongs to education professor Dr. Kelly Brown. Students fought off the winter blues with an all-school

party at Hidden Cove Sportsplex. Olivet sponsored the event as a way to welcome students back for spring semester. Olivetians chose from several activities including volleyball, basketball, dodgeball, arcade games, ultimate Frisbee and soccer.

strike up the band

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With the foundation set, construction continues on Olivet’s Student Life and Recreation Center.

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Issue 1 | 2012 The Olivetian 3perspectives

FIRMFOUNDATIONA

by John C. Bowling ’71/’72 M.A./’06 D.Div., M.R.e., ed.D., D.Min.University president

Not long ago, Olivet finished construction of the Betty and

Kenneth Hawkins Centennial Chapel. It is a magnificent addition to the cam-pus. the University is now constructing the large Student Life and Recreation Center, which is scheduled to open at the end of this year. both of these projects represent significant investments in the future work of Olivet. However, I am well aware that building buildings and building a university are not the same things. Our campus facilities are simply tools for the primary work of Olivet. Olivet invests most of its financial resources, energy and intellect in building stu-dents. when I drive onto campus and see the sign “Construction Zone,” I think to myself, “How true.” these large con-struction projects are metaphors in brick, stone and steel of the greater work of Olivet, which is encompassed in our mis-sion statement:

Olivet Nazarene University, a denomi-national university in the wesleyan tradition, exists to provide a liberal arts “education with a Christian purpose.” Our mission is to provide high qual-ity academic instruction for the pur-pose of personal development, career and professional readiness, and the preparation of individuals for lives of service to God and humanity.

As I have observed all that is involved in the engineering and

construction of such buildings as the Chapel and the Student Life Center, one thing I have noticed is that when construction begins, the first direc-tion of the work is not up, but down. before a building can reach its full height, it must be anchored on a firm foundation. Getting the foundation right is crucial — not just in building, but in life itself. the mission statement and daily work of Olivet clearly expresses this under-standing. the focus of an Olivet edu-cation is on giving students a firm aca-demic, social and spiritual foundation for life. I often say to prospective students and their families that I have known indi-viduals who made straight “A’s” in school, but failed in life because they didn’t have a firm foundation. the Olivet experience is designed to provide our graduates with the depth and stability they will need to meet the changing challenges of life. And because our students receive a strong foundation, many of them are able to not only reach their goals and aspirations for life, but to

surpass them. Across the years, I have seen our students graduate and move on to do marvelous things personally, pro-fessionally and in the service of God.

Just a few days ago, I received an email from China, where two of

our graduates are deeply involved in teaching English as a second lan-guage so that they might share their faith. My guess is that they had no idea, during their student days, how the Lord would use them; but a foundation was laid during those years that has enabled this couple to have a dramatic impact. Our local community college has a great slogan. their motto is “Start Here, Finish Anywhere.” I know that is true for the community college, but it is also true for Olivet. Given the strong foundation provided by our faculty and staff, Olivet students can go “anywhere” … and they do! I see this played out year after year as our graduates take their places in the best graduate schools and/or companies and organizations across the country and beyond. this issue of The Olivetian cele-brates some of those stories.

Chair appointmentOl i v e t ’ s Depa r tment o f

biological Sciences has named Dwight Ginn as chairman. Ginn joined the faculty in 1992 after working as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Medical College of toledo. At Olivet, Ginn has taught biology, genetics, advanced genetics and develop-mental biology. He has worked with students in projects in his laboratory research and has participated in the sum-mer undergraduate research program at the University.

ONUInsider

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4 onu news

Check out the latest headlines

at www.olivet.edu!

aquariumnew aquarium

▲ DR. DWight ginn

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Orchestral premiereOn tuesday, January 10, Olivet’s University Orchestra

performed the world premiere of “Raggedy Ann’s Adventures,” composed by ONU alumnus David Culross ’62. the new multi movement work included narration and ballet. Area high school stu-dents participated in the event, which included addi-tional works by Albinoni and brahms. the Orchestra also welcomed guest perform-ers Dr. Ovid Young, organ, Rachel Jacklin, violin, and Amy Catron Flores, cello. watch the concert “On Demand” at www.olivet.edu.

Best Christian WorkplaceBest Christian workplaces Institute announced

Olivet as one of the 18 best Christian workplaces in the United States for 2012. this is the eighth consecutive

year that Olivet has earned this honor. In the bCwI’s annual survey, Olivet employees listed a high level of trust in senior man-agement as a key component of worker satisfaction.

On the bookshelf

Mark Quanstrom, professor of theol-ogy: “From Grace to Grace: The Transforming Power of Holiness.”

Doug Porter, women’s basketball coach: “Coaching the System: A complete guide to basketball’s most explosive style of play.”

David VanHeemst, professor of political science: “College: What’s the Point? Embracing the Mystery of the Kingdom in a Postmodern World.”

debuts in reed

What holds pike, striper, sunfish, bass, quillback, bluegill, orchids and lil-ies and 650 gallons of water? Olivet’s new freshwater aquarium, which now resides on the first floor of Reed Hall of Science.

“No one else in our region has an aquarium with a riverine type of system,” said biology professor Dr. Leo Finkenbinder. “we based it on the kankakee River ecosystem, and the river decided what we put in it.” the idea for this project began in July 2010 with the goal of providing Olivet students and the commu-nity with a way to observe and study the behavior of freshwater fish. Contracting with Glass Cages of kentucky, Dr. Finkenbinder led the team that designed the aquar-ium. During summer break 2011, tom Smith ’12 — owner of Aquascape Chicago, Channahon, Ill. — designed the under-tank biological filter and installed the plumbing. S tock ing the aquar ium was a joint project with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which included spe-cial permits for hous-ing native Illinois fish. Conservation offi-cers helped biological sciences students collect 30 fish and put them in buckets for transporting to the aquarium. Live plants, such as orchids and lilies, use the waste products from the fish and are part of the filtering system’s design. Some, such as jungle veil, were taken from the kankakee River. Smith handles the aquarium maintenance as part of his scientific research project on using ozone for clarity in freshwater aquariums. Students assist him with feeding the fish and cleaning the tank.

Several groups of children and teachers from area schools have already come to see the aquarium. Olivet students are finding that they can easily study the fish and gather data about them in a short amount of time for their research projects. “we often learn about exotic fish but forget what’s living under our own boat,” says Finkenbinder. “this aquarium will provide many people with a way to learn about the fish found in a native river system.”

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Together.Olivet Nazarene University.

Kristin (Amato) ’05 and Adam Asher ’01 are faithful supporters of Friends of Olivet.

The Olivet experience is made possible by friends and Olivet alumni like Kristin. Your gifts to equip the next generation of Olivetians to make an impact in their homes, in their churches, in their communities. Together, our reach spans the globe.

Friends of Olivet

Kristin (Amato) Asher ’05 implemented a marketing plan for Center of Hope food pantry today.She ran a planetarium show for visiting elementary students and then chipped in 29 points during the evening’s conference basketball match-up. And she still managed to clean up her son David’s messes.

PHelPs

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6 onu sports

LASTLAP

TIGER BITES

but thanks to the launch of Olivet’s swimming program, set to start competition for the first time this fall, both have been reunited with the sport they love. “It just goes to show that the Lord prepares us for where we’re supposed to be,” says Scott, who came to Olivet from Michigan, where he coached high school, college and club swimming. Not long after Scott started at Olivet, Aaron knocked on the coach’s office door. He had already transferred to Olivet and was playing guitar as part of one of the school’s music ministry teams. but there was another team he wanted to join too. the two hit it off immediately. Scott knew Aaron’s coach from when he swam for an Olympic development club in

Dayton, Ohio; and Aaron knew Scott’s former pupils from when he coached in Rochester, Mich. It was perhaps the easiest recruiting the coach had ever done. Aaron’s best time in the 400-meter individual medley — a grueling event with four different strokes in one race — is better than the current NAIA national record. Some might call that luck or happenstance, but Scott says it’s no accident that he and his new team captain are together at Olivet. Competing for more than themselves, they take their cue from a verse from one of paul’s letters to the Corinthians: “All athletes are disciplined in their training,” Scott says, quot-ing 1 Corinthians 9:25. “they do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize.”

women’s basketball The Tigers’ run-and-gun ways have kept them inside the NAIA Top 25 poll all season. But they have bigger goals. Once again averaging more than 100 points per game, the tigers are looking to return to the NAIA National Championship, where they won their first-round game last season before nearly knocking off eventual runner-up Union University (tenn.) this year has been no different than recent ones: lots of points, lots of steals, and lots of points off those steals. It’s a cycle that has opponents reeling. It’s also been no surprise that junior Danielle Tolbert (pontiac, Mich.) is leading the team in scoring and on her way to another All-CCAC First team award. Denita Phelps (Hammond, Ind.), meanwhile, is the team’s top rebounder.

new swim program gives two men an opportunity to dive back in the water

By Caleb Benoit ’06

When Scott Teeters walked away from NCAA Division I swimming, he figured his career as a coach was over. When Aaron Buchanan left Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., after just one semester to return to his home in Ohio, he figured his career as a swimmer was over too.

swIM CoaCH sCott teeteRs leaDs aaRon BuCHanan tHRouGH a woRkout.

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#24 MaRsHall

Men’s basketball As the Tigers are shooting for their third consecutive trip to the NAIA National Championship, senior point guard and leading scorer Antonio Marshall (Bowling Green, Ind.) is gunning for a spot in the school record books. Marshall continues to climb the tigers’ all-time leaderboards. He’s set to finish his career at least third all-time in three-pointers with well over 200. He’s also shooting for top five status in assists. His team, meanwhile, has started to heat up since the calendar flipped to 2012. January included a four-game winning streak, and Marshall has been complemented by senior Brandon Streets (Lombard, Ill.) and junior Ben Worner (washington, Ill.), who are each averaging more than 10 points per game. Street scored a career-high 22 points against Calumet-St. Joseph (Ind.), and worner dropped 29 points on warner pacific College (Ore.) — the most by a tigers’ player this season.

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Issue 1 | 2012 The Olivetian 7

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FOR THE LATEST SCORES AND SPORTS NEWS, VISIT WWW.OLIVET.EDU.

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NEWS AND NOTES

AT ThECasey Mast

joRDan ReynolDs

Bahr named Midwest’s best After leading his team to a record-breaking season, Bill Bahr has been named a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Regional Coach of the Year. Bahr helped lead the Tigers to a number of school firsts in 2011, including a postseason run that went all the way to the second round of the NAIA National Championship. The Tigers also won the con-ference’s regular-season and tournament titles in the same season for the first time. Bahr represented the Midwest region of the NAIA women’s division at the NSCAA National Convention on Jan. 13-15 in Kansas City. In 13 years, his record at Olivet is 168-101-22.

Miller set for 2nd pro season Cor y Miller ’11 is set to begin his second season with the Carolina RailHawks of the North American Soccer League. Miller, from Zionsville, Ind., helped the RailHawks to the NASL regular-season title in 2011. A center back, he helped lead ONU to its first NAIA national tourna-ment appearance in 2009. The team, based in the Raleigh, N.C., suburb of Cary, begins its season on April 14.

ONU alumnus Mark Hollis continues path to 2012 Olympics

Olympian-in-training Mark Hollis ’07 took second place at the National Pole Vault Summit in Reno, Nev., on January 20–21. Hollis, a two-time NAIA national cham-pion at Olivet, vaulted 18 feet, 1 inch, and finished only behind Brad Walker, the current U.S. record holder. Hollis won the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships and is now training full-time for this year’s Olympic Games in London.

EdITOR’S NOTE: Sports statistics are as of January 23, 2012. For the latest scores and sports news, visit www.olivet.edu.

baseball the tigers are looking for their 16th consecutive winning season, and senior pitcher Casey Mast figures to be one of the anchors. A native of Lansing, Ill., Mast compiled an 8-2 record and 3.33 eRA over 73 innings in 2011 — numbers that earned him All-CCAC First team honors. Among 2012’s highlights will be a game against bethel University (Minn.) at the Metrodome in Minneapolis, the former home of the Minnesota twins, and a 14-game tournament in winter Haven, Fla.

softball by the time her career is finished, there may be few more decorated soft-ball players in ONU’s his-tory than shortstop Jordan Reynolds. Reynolds and her potent bat are set to help the tigers in their quest for a third straight trip to the NAIA world Series. A native of Metamora, Ill., Reynolds is a three-time NAIA All-American who slugged 14 home runs and led the nation with 55 sto-len bases in 2011. the tigers are ranked No. 15 in the NAIA top 25 preseason poll.

best of the rest: long jumper Ty’Rel Fields (Huntsville, Ala.) racked up second- and fourth-place finishes in the tigers’ first two events of the men’s indoor track season. | Versatile sophomore Rachel Carman (Keokuk, iowa) finished second in her first pentathlon of the women’s indoor season. | Julian Kurz (stuttgart, Germany), Diego Gonsalvez (san luis potosi, Mexico) and Sebastian Esquetini (Quito, Ecuador) are set to lead the men’s tennis team, which is looking for its 10th straight trip to the NAiA National championship. | Aziza Butoyi (Bujumbura, Burundi) and Aurelie hascoet (thann, france) dominated in the fall and hope to take the tigers to the NAiA National championship for a sixth consecutive time. | freshman Michael Boak (Rapid city, Mich.) led the men’s golf team in its final match of the fall season. the tigers start their spring schedule on March 26 at old Hickory country club in Nashville, tenn. | sophomore women’s golfer Ashley Miller (springhill, Kan.) tied for third in her last competition, the ccAc fall classic. the tigers open on March 5 at parkland Golf course in parkland, fla.

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by Kate Morgan Malicke and Laura Wasson Warfel

8 feature story

Academic field trips to Alaska

and England enhance the

classroom experience

Far north in the Arctic Circle, in the northwest corner of Alaska, 12 Olivet students stand in awe, tak-ing in the majestic, unaltered views of their surroundings. Six months later and some 5000 miles away, 16 Olivet students traverse the old

streets of England, following in the foot-steps of the giants of English literature. For Olivet students, the learning expe-rience continues to expand well beyond the classroom walls.

obser v ing the arct ic Last summer, a group of Olivet students trav-eled to kiana, Alaska, to complete research proj-ects. Dr. Randy Johnson and Dr. Leo Finkenbinder served as faculty sponsors for the trip and helped students design the projects they would complete. Immediately, the beauty of the land transfixed the students. “Alaska is one of those places where you see things you won’t see anywhere else,” says Aaron Nelson ’14. “this is raw, untouched land not disturbed by people.”

tHe GloBalA L A SK A

F I e L D t R I p

and Modern Languages and led by profes-sors Andy Gibbs and Dave Johnson, the excur-sion serves as a literary and historical study tour of england.

For the students, the trip was an opportunity to earn literature or international culture credit, journaling their experiences while linking informa-tion back to what they’re studying at Olivet. “It’s a unique opportunity; the experience is compressed and packed full to allow us to do a lot in a short amount of time,” says professor Johnson. “Our tour guides are with us the entire trip and provide such a richness of information.” During the first half of the trip, the group toured Oxford, Shakespeare’s birthplace in Stratford-upon-Avon, warwick Castle, the Roman ruins in bath, Stonehenge and several cathe-drals. they then moved to the city, spending the second half of the trip in London. “this trip is a great example of experiential learning for our english students,” says professor Johnson. “It’s one thing to read a novel, a story or a poem, but it’s another thing to see and experi-ence the setting the author was writing about.”

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Careful to respect that untouched land, the students began their research. Zonda Martin — Dr. Finkenbinder’s daughter who lives in kiana and teaches high school science — provided access to a laboratory for the group. In her project, biology major Sarah Schrock ’12 compared the photosynthetic surface areas of white spruce trees in two different locations. “this was a real-life research experience,” she says. “I came up with my own idea, formulated a way to gather the data, collected the data, brought it all together and presented it to the group.” Aaron Nelson and Crystelle LeMay ’13 worked together to research why some spruce trees have cones and some do not. “we had fun with our research because it was so out of the ordinary for us,” Crystelle says. “we got to see and own the results — or lack of results.” when they returned to bourbonnais, they pro-cessed their final thoughts and gave presentations about their research. “this experience, going some-where and doing research, will look good on our resumes,” Aaron says. “It will show that we actually care about what we want to do.” According to Dr. Finkenbinder, this trip is an intentional step in providing a global education for students. “this is another example of the sig-nificance the Department of biology places on the global community as a resource for all that we do.”

Minding the gap this past Christmas break, another group of Olivet students participated in a biennial trip to england. Sponsored by the Department of english

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Rose Zell ’13 agrees. “I constantly find myself connecting facts learned from the trip to state-ments and points made in my classes. For example, I am in a Shakespeare class this semester and we visited the Shakespeare Globe theater in London. Now, as I read his plays, I can envision how they would have been staged and can appreciate his writing style and word choice because it all serves a specific purpose to the production of the play.”

where to next? back in bourbonnais, thoughts of their time off campus still linger fresh on the students’ minds. Of course, that is precisely the point — connect your time off campus to what you are learning on cam-pus. expanding the classroom nationally and glob-ally can further prepare students for life after Olivet. “experiences of this trip are helping us place the relationship of science and faith into a global paradigm beyond the campus community,” Dr. Finkenbinder says of the University’s ongoing efforts in the science fields. professor Johnson intentionally shares with his students what he has learned during his trips abroad. “As a professor, I am inspired to bring back the experiences I have had and use those experi-ences to enrich the lessons for the students in my classes. I want to help them get a better sense of the history and context of the literature,” he says. Now, as the travelers dream of navigating the cosmopolitan city of London or exploring the vast-ness of kiana, we have just one question: where to next?

ENGLAND

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THEOFF

by Caleb Benoit ‘06

underneath his Ecuadorian jersey was his homemade t-shirt that read, “this goal is for Jesus.” it would be part of a dramatic celebra-tion after he scored his first professional goal in Ecuador, a place he fought tooth and nail and immigration laws to stay for such an opportunity. A little more than a year after he walked across the graduation stage at olivet Nazarene university, Joshua Ayers ’10 stood on a most unlikely spot 3,000 miles south of his central illinois roots playing in the coun-try’s top soccer league. He never got the chance to flash his t-shirt — his only shot on goal ricocheted off the crossbar — but playing in his first pro game was accomplishment enough. it was, in many ways, the finish line of an improbable journey filled with uncertainty, rejection and even run-ins with board patrol agents. still, this is what he asked for. “i went down there because i believed God would give me a spot on one of the teams,” says Joshua, 24. “fear and doubt would creep in, but it’s a matter of having more faith than fear and doubt. And believing God for the impossible.” And the impossible he did.

BALLHow life off the field prepared

to trust God with the impossible

MAKING THE CUT

Americans in south American club soccer are as welcome as mosquitoes at a summer barbecue, and the ones who do make the cut don’t stay long. Joshua was the only American to play in Ecuador’s top league in 2011, and he is believed to be just the third American ever to play in pro soccer for a south American club team in the top league. the other two — Alexi lalas and Jonny walker — were members of the u.s. National team. And they played a combined three seasons on the continent. while Joshua studied spanish and played soc-cer at olivet, he took a mission trip to Riobamba, Ecuador. He felt God was calling him to Riobamba, and with a connection to the language and the country’s national sport, he told everyone he would be back.

He stayed true to his word. when he returned after graduation in the spring of 2010, his intention was to stay. And play pro soccer. About 120 miles south of the capital of Quito, Riobamba plays host to the centro Deportivo olmedo club, one of 12 teams in the top level of Ecuadorian soccer. But Joshua’s two-week tryout did not earn him a spot on the roster, which was hardly a surprise. Joshua had zero professional experience in a country in which college soccer accomplishments mean next to nothing. Ecuadorian teams are also limited to four foreign players, most of whom come from other south American coun-tries like uruguay, paraguay and Argentina. But that setback wasn’t enough to bring Joshua home. in order to renew his visa, he found a job teaching English at a christian high school. He had no formal education training and was paid like a rookie, too — about $250 a month, the country’s minimum wage.

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As the next pro season was on the horizon, cD olmedo had a new coach, and three of the four spots for foreigners were open. Joshua’s per-sistence never waned, and in typical fashion, he invited himself to try out for the second consecu-tive year. the new season, however, was quickly look-ing much like his failed attempt in 2010. After just his second training session with the team, the coach pulled Joshua aside and told him the team’s president would never sign him. then, the team was down to just one open spot. the coach told Joshua he could keep coming to practice. He didn’t even need that much of an invitation. “i just kind of laughed because, honestly, i knew my reaction was important to God,” he says. “when you’re told something is impossible, what are you supposed to do?” Rumor had it that the final spot was awarded to an italian player, which once again left Joshua

on the outside looking in. still, something told him he should continue going to practice. then, finally, the unthinkable happened. the coach refused to sign the italian player and told the team president, who made the final decision, he wanted to sign Joshua, despite the league’s prejudice against u.s. players. Joshua knew the reason. through the team coordina-tor, he learned the coach wanted him for his work ethic. ironically, Joshua was signed on the birthday of his former olivet roommate and teammate, cory Miller, someone with whom he had kept in touch through his entire time abroad. “He was having feelings of depression,” says cory, who plays for the carolina RailHawks of the North American soccer league. “But he felt like God gave him a spot on that team. i talked to him the night it happened. He was like, ‘i don’t even know to say.’” But it was what cory had to say to Joshua that helped encourage his friend to continue down the path of his calling.

Olivet athletes are as active in the missiOn field as they are on the pLaying fieLd.

In addition to those athletes who volunteer their time on an individual basis, several Tigers’ teams have worked together over the last 12 months in both local and international communities.

Some teams have stayed in the United States. Head volleyball coach Brenda Williams took her team last May on a 31-hour train ride to the Sun Valley Indian School in Arizona, where her players gave volleyball lessons, helped lead chapel services and worked on construction projects.

Others choose destinations abroad. Every three years, head women’s soccer coach Bill Bahr takes his team on an international mission trip to places like Zimbabwe, Australia, Guatemala and Kenya. Track and cross country coach Mike McDowell took his athletes to the Dominican Republic during last year’s spring break.

Still others have served locally. Before he coached his first game at Olivet last fall, Brian Fish and his football team split into three groups to conduct a youth football clinic in Orland Hills, Ill., and serve at food pantries in Kankakee and Manteno.

the teaching was as challenging as the soccer. “i wanted to call my high school teachers to apologize for what i must have been like,” he says. But while Joshua disliked teaching, it swung the door to soccer open again. the dad of one of his students was the coach of olmedo’s u20, and he began to train with its players. that led to an invita-tion to play with a local amateur league team, which kept Joshua’s hopes up and continued his lesson in patience.

ONU was aN aNswer tO my prayers. I dON’t meaN tO be clIche, bUt It’s kINd OF lIke the slOgaN: we belIeve yOU belONg here.”– JosHuA AyERs

CONTINUED .

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12

A LITTLE HELP FROM A FRIEND

Despite being a transcontinental flight apart, Cory, 23, kept up with his former roommate through email and Skype. Cory became the first Olivet soccer alum-nus to play professionally after he signed with the RailHawks in the spring of 2011,

shortly before he graduated. Just months later, Joshua became the second. Roommates for four years at Olivet, Cory and Joshua met during freshman orientation. that bond kept them in con-tact, which ultimately helped Joshua fol-low his former roommate’s footsteps into pro soccer. A tryout with a Major League Soccer team didn’t result in an offer for Cory, but it helped him land with the RailHawks. when the team’s captain left to play in Denmark, he played regularly at center

back, a defensive position, and helped the team win the league’s regular-season title. He will join the team again this sea-son, something that wouldn’t have been possible on his own. “I think for both of us,” Cory says, “soc-cer has been a lesson in perseverance. From high school on, I was always told I

wasn’t big enough, strong enough or good enough. but for some reason, I always felt like I could make it. I was rejected from Division I schools, from semi-pro teams. It was rejection after rejection. “but for some reason, God would pro-vide. I prayed, ‘God, if this isn’t for me, take away the passion.’” that never happened. “I think we’ve been led,” Cory says. “Doors open and doors shut, but He hasn’t given us so many options that we’ve strayed away from soccer.”

with the number of hurdles Joshua faced, it would have been easy for him to leave the game in ecuador. perhaps the biggest challenge came when, after he went to peru to get a new visa, bor-der control wouldn’t let him back in the country and he spent a week and a half stranded in peru. but during what Joshua calls his trial

of faith, too many things went right and too many things fell into place. His final week of teaching in 2011 coincided with the first week of his second tryout with CD Olmedo. And during his temporary exile in peru, he met a Christian woman who helped him financially. Her husband was a pastor in Lima. Joshua went as far as talking to law-yers about dual citizenship. In the end, he relied more on his friendship with Cory and his faith in God, which were both shaped at Olivet.

SHAPED BY OLIVET

Joshua says he signed a contract with God to come to Olivet, less than two hours from his hometown of Colfax. If Olivet is where God wanted him, he’d go, but he was only staying one year. Joshua kept up his end of the bar-gain, going as far as getting his release papers from the coaching staff after one year in bourbonnais. but the offers from NCAA Division I schools weren’t coming, and he knew he couldn’t escape what he describes as chains that were holding him back. “I was a believer the whole time, but I didn’t really know God,” he says. “I hardly read the bible, and I didn’t really know the power of the word of God. I didn’t realize the importance of it.” Cory shares a similar story. He led bible studies at his Atlanta high school, but when his family moved to the Indianapolis area, he went through a stage of internal rebellion and lost his previous passion for having a relationship with God. He, too, came to Olivet, but neither Cory nor Joshua had any intention of staying. “For two years, we fought the struc-ture,” says Cory, who stayed at Olivet and graduated with a degree in athletic training. Joshua also changed his major after what he calls an epiphany, which included another contract with God. this one included a promise to never stop growing in a relationship with Him. while God was shaping their lives at Olivet, both players flourished on the soc-cer field. they helped lead the tigers to a number of first-time accomplishments, including the program’s first trip to the NAIA national tournament in 2009. Joshua led the team in goals and assists that season. the tigers also won their first conference title and earned their first national ranking. but as big of an impact as he has had on the team, Olivet’s impact on him was even bigger. “ONU was an answer to my prayers,” Joshua says. “I don’t mean to be cliché, but it’s kind of like the slogan: we believe you belong here.” Like much of the past couple years, Joshua’s future is a bit uncertain. while he’s considering continuing to play soccer either in ecuador or in the U.S., he would like to return to school to earn a mas-ter’s degree and perhaps enter coaching. He’s also marrying his ecuadorian fiancée in April. but Joshua thinks back to another time when there was some uncertainty in his life, when he took the mission trip to ecuador as a student at Olivet. there, he was baptized. “I came back knowing what faith was and what I was going to do with my life,” he says. “I knew I was going to go back and play in the top league in ecuador and evangelize through soccer.” At the time, that seemed impossible.

Off ThE Ball, CONTINUED

▲ JOSh AyERS AND CORy MILLER RECONNECT ON ThE SOCCER FIELD.

Fear aNd dOUbt wOUld creep IN, bUt It’s a matter OF havINg mOre FaIth thaN Fear aNd dOUbt. aNd belIevINg gOd FOr the ImpOssIble”– JosHuA AyERs

feature story

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by Luke Olney ’10

late one evening in 2002, eight students gathered in Kelley prayer chapel with nothing more than a Bible, a boom box and a passion to sing God’s praises. After sing- ing in a chapel service a

few months later, it began to attract more interest, gaining several new members. Although gospel choir at oNu dates back to the 1970s, 2002 marks the official year olivet’s proclamation Gospel choir was born. ten years later, proclamation Gospel choir includes more than 80 participants and is now an official ensemble of the Department of Music. After a decade of its soul-stirring rep-ertoire and lively performances, this choir has touched hearts and lives across the Midwest and beyond – and has quickly made its way into the catalogue of olivet traditions that many hold so dear.

the journey from its humble beginnings has been a roller coaster ride f i l led with adventure, growth and opportunity, especially for current gos-pel choir director, Jasper taylor ’10. Jasper’s Journey “I’ve seen God work in my life in an amazing way,” says Jasper. “while I was a senior in high school, I came to ONU for a visit, and spent time with some students, including Latoyia Strickland ’06, presi-dent of Olivet’s gospel choir, and Zeke Locke, the piano player for the choir,” Jasper recalls. “they kept in touch with me and even talked about the possibility of my helping out when I became a student. “because gospel music was something that was familiar to me and important in my life, that sealed the deal for me to come to Olivet.”

At the end of Jasper’s fresh-man year in 2007, there was an opening for a new director of the gospel choir. Dr. woody webb, vice president of student develop-ment, approached Jasper about it, asking him to assume the role. At that point, Jasper was early in his musical development and felt uncertain about the responsibility. “I barely played piano, and had only led a children’s choir and had sung in my own church choir. I did not feel qualified to accept such an undertaking, but I was reminded that He equips those He calls.” Jasper’s first year as gospel choir director proved to be a big learning curve, while Jasper grew in his musical abilities and leader-ship skills.

CONTINUED .

each stUdeNt dIrectOr aNd set OF OFFIcers brOUght valUe aNd streNgth, year aFter year. wIth the expertIse aNd cONsIsteNcy OF mr. Jasper taylOr, the chOIr has ObtaINed brOad recOgNItION aNd apprecIatION.

– DR. wAltER “wooDy” wEBB ’86/’89 M.A.R./

’08 D.Div.

▲ FOUNDING MEMBERS zEKE LOCKE ’07, LATOyIA STRICKLAND ’06 AND RIChARD hOLMES ’06

A rafter-shaking journey of one of Olivet’s newest music ensembles

10 years and counting

Proclamation Gospel Choir:

10 years and counting

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this energetic recording features a blend of traditional and contemporary Gospel favorites including:

Oh Happy Day

Everybody Clap Your Hands

Total Praise

More Than Anything

Proclaim

Andraé Crouch Medley (Jesus Is the Answer, Through It All, Soon and Very Soon)

Ride On King Jesus and more!

Proclamation Gospel Choir’s debut album, “Proclaim!” is available now!

Order today at olivetstore.com!

In its short history, Proclamation Gospel Choir has accumulated a résumé of appearances that would make any college choir proud:

a Lesson in gospeL For pGC, gospel choir rehearsal is much more than practicing music. It’s also a lesson in history, culture and theology. “One of the things I love about gospel music is that its roots are dis-tinctly American, dating all the way back to slavery,” says Jasper. In the 1920s, the “father of gospel music,” thomas Dorsey (“precious Lord, take My Hand”) fused together elements of blues, jazz and old spirituals to create early gospel music, which consisted of four-part harmonies — soprano, alto, tenor, bass. with the inven-tion of the bass guitar in the 1950s, the vocal bass part was eliminated, which set the tone for the three-part structure that we know today. In addition to a three-part struc-ture, black gospel music is char-acterized by several other things, including repetition, syncopation, improvisation, soloists and “call and response” between the soloist and the choir. And, of course, no gospel choir concert is complete without foot-stomping, hand-clapping and a little whooping and hollering. In addition to stepping to the beat of the music, pGC uses other visual devices to convey the mean-ing of the song. For example, dur-ing their signature number, “Ride On, king Jesus,” the choir members bend their backs while singing “trees will be bending!” the effect is elec-tric and the audience goes wild.

driving the train to gLory As gospel choir director, Jasper’s responsibilities are considerably

different from most other choral directors. “A gospel choir director is like the leader of a train,” Jasper explains. “we lead the way, and guide the direction of the song.” In order to improvise during a concert, Jasper uses certain univer-sal signs and signals to let the choir know what they should do next. “For example, touching my head means ‘go back to the top,’ or begin-ning,” he says. All of these unique characteristics are important to the core of gospel, but for Jasper and pGC, the most important aspect is the message of the music. the choir is learning more

than just the words to songs – during rehearsals, they look very closely at the theological context of the songs they are singing. “If I can play the smallest part in a student’s journey with God, that is the most important thing,” Jasper says.

aLL about the students when asked about his favor-ite aspect of directing pGC, Jasper immediately replies, “the students. Now that I am approaching my sixth year, I love being able to watch a student develop from freshman year to senior year.”

In his research, Jasper has found that gospel choirs tend to serve as college retention mechanisms. “In fact,” he says, “that is my own story. Gospel choir made me gravi-tate toward Olivet. It is what got me connected, and it is what kept me here.” Many other pGC members say the same. Jasper is grateful that students have the opportunity to learn about and experience something they might not experience anywhere else. “I’m so grateful to woody webb for always seeing the value in gos-pel choir,” Jasper says. “It would not be what it is today without his sup-port, encouragement and all of his behind-the-scenes work. He is the unsung hero of gospel choir.”

procLaiM! “I hope pGC will continue in its longevity,” Jasper says, “encouraging and lifting people’s spirits in years to come.” Most proclamation Gospel Choir concerts end with this song, which was penned by Jasper and has become the choir’s anthem:

We are committed to proclaim The Good News The Gospel of Jesus Christ We’re not ashamed To praise His Holy Name In this place Proclaim! Proclaim! With sincere hearts and voices raised Proclaim!

gOspEl ChOIr, CONTINUED

. performed at disney World in Orlando, Fla.

. recorded with Chicago gospel artist Tanya Ray

. recorded their own album “Proclaim!” in 2011

. sang at the General Assembly of the Church of the Nazarene

. ministered at countless churches across the Midwest

. sang backup for the Gaither Vocal Band

. had 10-year reunion choir concert at ONU’s 2011 Homecoming Celebration

On theProclamation Gospel Choir

Saturday, april 14, 2012Ladies dayfeaturing:

register early for this popular event!

New York

Times

Bestselling Author

onu alumni

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Issue 1 | 2012 The Olivetian 15

Class Notes• 1960sPhillip ’60 and Darlene (Broom) ’60 Kellerman have retired after 25 years of ministering in taiwan and China and 50 years total in full-time ministry. they are living near their son and daughter-in-law in Arkansas.

• 1980sKirk Willard ’85, manager of the Ocean Spray wisconsin Rapids manufacturing facil-ity, was presented with the organization’s top honor, the Ocean Spray board of Directors Award of excellence. He has been with the company since 2004. kirk and his fam-ily live in wisconsin Rapids and attend the evangelical Christian Church.

• 1990sScott ’91 and Stacy Schoenwetter: A girl, Ruby Clarice, January 23, 2011. She joins big sister Aubrie, 4. Scott and Stacy both work for walt Disney world. they reside in Saint Cloud, Fla.

Dan ’95 and Erica Dil l inger: A boy, Colton James, October 24, 2011. He joins big brother bailey, 10, and big sister Alyssa, 6. Dan is a network engi-neer in Chicago, Ill. erica is a stay-at-home mom. they reside in beecher, Ill.

Danny Goddard ’96 has released a new book on grief, “what will we Do without bob?” It is about coping with the loss of a loved one. His first book, “pastoral Care in times of Death and Dying,” was writ-ten for pastors and care-givers. Danny and his wife, Sandie, reside in New Castle, Ind., where they pastor First Church of the Nazarene.

Chad ’97 and Elizabeth Walker: A boy, Isaac David, October 29, 2011. Chad is a school social worker for west Central Joint Services in Indianapolis. elizabeth is a physical therapist at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. the family resides in Avon, Ind.

Anthony Baker ’98, professor of theology at Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, texas, published a book titled, “Diagonal Advance: perfection in Christian theology.”

Bob and Jennifer (hart) ’98 Wysocki: Adopted a girl, LiviaAnn esperanza, born August 22, 2011. bob is a software developer for kronos. Jen is a stay-at-home mom. the family resides in Joliet, Ill.

S h e r r i ( h u l l ) ’99 and Adam Jachelski: A girl, Macy Arianna, October 16, 2011. Sherri works as a freelance editor and Adam as a handy-man. the family resides in Atlanta, Ga.

• 2000sTravis ’00 and Jesi (Dierickx) ’02 Myers: Adopted a girl, brooklynn Faye, born May 10, 2011. She joins big sister Sage, 8, and big brother Clayton, 6. travis is a deputy at Ionia County Sheri f f ’s Department. Jesi is a stay-at-home mom and home schools their children. they reside in Rockford, Mich.

Jennifer (Shelton) ’01 and Rick Russo: A boy, Micah Joseph, August 15, 2011. Jennifer is a public school teacher and Rick is a warehouse manager for the baptist General Conference. they reside in park Forest, Ill.

Jen (Litsey) ’02 and Wes Gerbig ’01: A girl, Anya Noelle, November 18, 2011. Jen is a registered nurse with St. vincent Medical Group. wes is a senior process devel-opment engineer with Roche Diagnostics. He recently earned his M.S. in engineering

management, research and development from eastern Michigan University. the family resides in Indianapolis, Ind.

Kathleen (Davis) ’03 and Joshua Klynstra: A girl, Abigail kathleen, December 5, 2010. kathleen retired from the State of Alaska in December and is now a stay-at-home mother. Josh is a chemist for an environ-mental company. they live in Fairbanks, Ala.

Tom ’03 MAPC/’10 Ed.D. and Jessica Middendorf: A girl, Marley Lane, October 1, 2011. tom is the associate director of the Center for Leadership, Calling, and Service at trevecca Nazarene Univers i ty. Jessica works in the School of education at trevecca. the family resides in Nashville, tenn.

Kelly (Carpenter) ’05 and Rob Gibson ’04: A boy, paul Robert, October 23, 2011. He joins sisters Leyna, age 3 and Sally, 21 months. kelly is a stay-at-home mom and Rob works in Student Development at Olivet Nazarene University. He is also pursuing a doctorate in clinical psychology at wheaton College. they reside in bourbonnais, Ill.

Ruby schoenwetter

colton Dillinger

Danny Goddard

isaac walker

Anthony Baker

liviaAnn wysocki

Macy Jachelski

Abigail Klynstra

Marley Middendorf

paul Gibson

Brooklynn Myers

Micah Russo

Anya Gerbig CONTINUED .

lysaTerKeurst paul

AldrichAs seen on

Showtime and

at The Improv

Christian Comedian

Bestselling Author

Centennial ChapelBeTTy And kenneTh hAwkInS

in the

on the campus of Ol ivet

Online registration www.olivet.edu

or by phone 815-928-5791

proclamationOur special music and worship will be led by Olivet’s

Gospel Choir

100-voice choir directed by Jasper Taylor

also featuring:the Olivetians, Orpheus Choir directed by Dr. Jeff Bell, and Jazz Band directed by Dr. Don Reddick

In Memoriam• 1940sVirgil Nutt ’48 died October 27, 2011, after a lengthy illness. He taught and coached basketball in kankakee then moved to evanston, where he taught sci-ence and was principal of two elementary schools. He loved many sports and was an avid golfer. He was active in the Glenview United Methodist Church.

• 1950sWayne E. Jones ’50 passed away thursday, November 3, 2011, after a long battle with parkinson’s disease. He was born in 1928 in Ottawa, Ill. He spent his youth moving around southern Illinois as his family served Nazarene churches in Hoopeston, Decatur, Champaign and Roxanna. After graduating from Olivet Nazarene College, he went to work selling shoes at Sears. Six months later, he was drafted into the korean war where he served as a first lieutenant in the artil-lery division. when he returned home, he began his career in finance. He went on to earn an MbA from the University of Chicago. He taught himself to play the piano by ear as a child. He was an avid sup-porter of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Lyric Opera and amassed an impressive collection of classical music recordings. He was also a mentor at big brothers of America.

Ivan L. Smith ’50 passed away June 29, 2011. He was born March 19, 1923. He served in wwII and then attended Olivet, where he met and married Lois Star ’47. After graduation, he was in charge of the physical education department at Olivet before moving to public education in Indiana and Michigan. He earned his MA in counseling from western Michigan University and retired as a kalamazoo high school counselor in 1981. He was a faithful, active member of kalamazoo First Church of the Nazarene. Ivan was interested in missions and participated in two work and witness trips to Honduras.

Jackie (Smith) ’05 and Scott hayden: A boy, benjamin paul, June 28, 2011. Scott is a firefighter and paramedic for the village of palatine. Jackie is a stay-at-home mom. they reside in Fox Lake, Ill.

Chelsie (Rountree) ’06 and BJ Geasa ’03: A boy, van william, May 16, 2011. Chelsie works in financial solutions at Olivet’s School of Graduate and Continuing Studies. bJ also works at Olivet as the head of sports medicine for the athletic depart-ment. they reside in bradley, Ill.

Noah hansen ’06 and Rachel Rhea were married December 18, 2011, in Rockford, Ill. Rachel is in her first year at the School of Medicine at Southern I l l i no i s Un i ve rs i t y a t Carbondale, studying gen-eral surgery. Noah teaches creative writing, French and Latin at trinity Christian School in Carbondale, Ill., and is joining the ’15 ed.D. cohort at Olivet this spring. they reside in Makanda, Ill.

Beth (Johnson) ’06 and Andy Long: A girl, Charlotte Rae, June 6, 2011. She joins big sister, edie, 2. Andy is a manager at the Royal Automotive Group, and beth is a stay-at-home mom. they reside in bloomington, Ind.

Ryan ’06 and Emily (Schmidt) ’06 Walker: A boy, Max Ryan, April 4, 2011. Ryan is a junior e xecu t i ve a t wa l ke r Manufacturing. emily is a stay-at-home mom and graduate student. they reside in windsor, Colo.

Jon Brown ’08 and Jayme Karenko ’09 were marr ied Apr i l 30, 2011, in Roxana, Ill. Jayme works for washington University in St. Louis, Mo. as an administrative assistant. Jon does contract pho-tography work for local St. Louis pho-tographers and has also started his own photography business, JRb photography. they reside in wood River, Ill. with their two dogs.

• 2010sRobert ’10 and heather (Quimby) Day ’02/’12 MBA: A boy, Jackson Robert, December 23, 2012. He joins big sister emma, 5. Heather is director of marketing com-munications for Ol ivet Nazarene Un ivers i t y, and Robert is a proj-ect specialist for Lowe’s. they cur-rently reside in Momence, Ill.

John Ferrantino ’11 and Ember Ward ’11 were married May 21, 2011, at Detroit First Church of the Nazarene in Farmington Hills, Michigan. they currently reside in bourbonnais, Ill.

Mark Restaino ’11 and elizabeth Jenkins were married October 15, 2011. Mark is work-ing as a youth director for St. Matthew United Church of Christ in wheaton, Ill.

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16 onu alumni

to estabLish a student schoLarship, or to contribute to an existing Foundation scholarship, email the Office of Development at development@olivet.edu or call 815-939-5171.

makes “education with a christian purpose” possible!

Students featured in this issue are recipients of the following Olivet Foundation scholarships:

Class Notes, CONtINUeD

Are you among the 60 percent of Americans who don’t have a will? We can help you create or update one. Contact us for a no-obligation conversation. Or, request our free Will Information Kit.

Phone: 815-939-5171Email: development@olivet.eduWeb: olivetpgc.org

Benjamin Hayden

Van Geasa

Rachel and Noah Hansen

charlotte long

Max walker

Jayme and Jon Brown

Jackson and Emma Day

John and Ember ferrantino

Elizabeth and Mark Restaino

wayne Jones

achieve peace of Mind in 2012

Ask us About the heritAge society, which recognizes and honors those who include olivet in their estate plans. explore how a bequest in your will can benefit you and olivet!

ashLey L. MiLLerAlumni Scholarship

Jordan M. reynoLdsONU Foundation

Board of Directors Scholarship

Kyl

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13

ALUMNI BOARD VOTING AVAILABLE ONLINE NOW.

Donald Warren Winne ’52 passed away peace-fully October 19, 2011. Don was born on June 28, 1930. His early childhood years were spent helping out in the family grocery store during the Great Depression. these experiences helped to shape philosophies that guided his life. Don attended Olivet Nazarene College, graduating with degrees in business administration and social sciences. It was there that he met and courted the “woman of his dreams” and everlasting love of his life, Doris, and they married on December 20, 1951. During their 60 years together, they had four children. Don lived a full life. He was a builder, adventurer, public servant, Marine, FbI special agent, ghost-writer for J. edgar Hoover, Deputy Attorney General in the Gaming Division, professor, mentor, inspi-rational spiritual leader, husband, father and grandfather.

Rev. William C. Keller ’53 d ied December 11, 2011. He was born February 21, 1918. For nearly 70 years, he faithfully served as pastor and evangelist in Illinois and Indiana. In 1943, he founded the east Side Church of the Nazarene in kankakee, Ill., while attending Olivet Nazarene College. He continued education at both ball State University and Liberty University. Rev. keller was very involved in his community through volunteering and serv-ing on various boards and committees. In 1953, Rev. keller organized the william C keller Construction Co., building churches, office buildings, service stations, and resi-dential housing. He was involved with the billy Graham Association as executive Chairman for world wide pictures and attended the billy Graham School of evangelism.

Eileen Williams ’58 passed away October 9, 2011. She retired as a music teacher having taught both in the U.S. and overseas in Japan, the Azores and Cuba. She had been music director in a num-ber of Nazarene churches over the years including west Chester Church of the Nazarene in west Chester, Ohio. She had been ill for a number of years but contin-ued to faithfully attend church and partici-pate in whatever way she could. She was instrumental in encouraging a number of young people to attend Olivet.

• 1980sMartin K. Ousley ’85 passed away February 2, 2010. Martin was born August 17, 1963. He married teresa Dillander in 1990. they have two sons, Ryan and Adam. Martin worked for the Department of Defense in Defensive Mapping, the United States postal Service in Louisville, ky., and the National Geo-Spacial Agency in St. Louis, Mo. He received his bachelor of Science in geology from Olivet and studied at Indiana State University for his master’s degree. He was a member of New Hope wesleyan Church, Columbia City. Martin kept a positive outlook and continued to witness for Christ even after parkinson’s took away his speech and mobility.

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Issue 1 | 2012 The Olivetian 17

PLEASE SUBMIT ALUMNI NEWS, less than one year old, in the format printed in this section. Be sure to include all information, including class year. due to space constraints, not all pictures will be used, and content may be edited.

Donald winne

Rev. william Keller

Send us your news and photographs!

UPCOMING EVENTS for oLivet aLuMni and friends

NEWS should be sent via email to TheOlivetian@olivet.edu, at www.olivet.edu or through the mail to The Olivetian, Olivet Nazarene University, One University Avenue, Bourbonnais, IL 60914. PICTURES must be sent through email or uploaded online. For detailed Class Notes GUIdELINES, visit www.olivet.edu and select “The Olivetian” from the Quick Links menu.

s a v e t h e d a t e s

This trip will include family fest 2012

featuring the gaither Vocal Band

and other gaither artists.

May23–28

2 0 1 2

aPR27

2 0 1 2

ONU PrimeTime Tours

Nashville andGatlinburg, Tenn.

office of alumni and university Relations at 815-939-5258.

email jeff Domagalski at jdomagal@olivet.edu or call 815-928-5455.

FoR MoRe InFoRMatIon and to reserve a spot, please contact olivet’s

FoR MoRe InFoRMatIon and to reserve a foursome or individual golfer,

Friday, April 27, 2012kankakee Country Clubkankakee, Ill.

Support ONU scholarships while enjoying fellowship and networking opportunities on the green.

32nd Annual

OLIVET OPEN

pARt OF

In 2006, teresa coined the term “oncofertility,” which is now recognized as a word in the english language. the goal of oncofertility is to protect a patient’s fertility during cancer treat-ments. teresa has written four all-encompassing books on the subject, covering every aspect of the new field of study — including religious view-points and ethical questions about certain technologies. thanks to teresa’s research, more than 55 people receive fertility preser-vation consultations per year; 50,000 people visit the oncofertility websites per year; and there have already been 12 reported live births from ovarian tissue cryopreservation.

Science mentoring when she’s not conducting her own research, teresa uses her labo-ratory to serve the broader commu-nity — inspiring and encouraging high school girls by sparking their interest in science. the idea came to teresa when she was asked to speak at a dinner for the economic Club of Chicago. During the dinner, she sat with eight students from an all-girls charter school. “they had no interest in going to college, no aspirations,” teresa recalls. “there was such a disconnect.” when teresa got up to give her pre-sentation, the girls were surprised that they had been sitting with the special speaker. After teresa’s 20-minute talk, she returned to her seat with the girls. “they were so inspired and eager to talk about science — a noticeable dif-ference from earlier,” says teresa. the next day, teresa called the charter school to see what else she

could do to inspire more of these stu-dents. Out of that conversation, the women’s Health Science program emerged in 2007. “On Saturdays, we bring young women into the lab to amplify the core concepts they learn at school during the week with real-world experiences,” teresa explains. “the students are pri-marily African-American and Latina, and come from different socioeco-nomic backgrounds.” More than 100 faculty, staff and students at Northwestern currently volunteer in the wHSp program on Saturdays. these volunteers serve as mentors, helping high school students envision themselves on a professional trajectory. So far, 90 girls have participated in wHSp. besides the 18 that are still in high school, each student has enrolled at a college or university — and two have already graduated!

Presidential recognition In December 2011, teresa’s sci-ence mentoring program earned national recognition. She was invited to the white House on December 12, 2011, to receive the highest award given for science mentorship by the president of the United States. “we took a tour of the white House that morning. In the afternoon, we were transported to the west wing, where we met John Holdren, director of the Office of Science and technology. when we reached the area outside the Oval Office, the door opened, and there was president Obama.” Inside the Oval Office, the presi-dent greeted each recipient with a handshake. As they stood in front of

the majestic Lincoln desk, president Obama affirmed the significance of their contributions. “He told us that basic science mat-ters to the health of our nation, and mentorship is important to ensure the next generation is ready to solve the world’s most pressing needs. that message was really strong,” teresa recalls. On the same day, Illinois congress-woman Jan Schakowsky recognized teresa’s work by reading a special citation into the congressional record. “I was awed, humbled and hon-ored by the whole experience,” says teresa.

Leaving a legacy even after her once-in-a-lifetime visit to the white House, teresa’s greatest reward is seeing that spark in

the eyes of a student in her lab. In addition to helping students, teresa works with high school science teachers. “these teachers are heroes — they are doing their best to keep students engaged in the sciences. Our program is just as transformative for them as it has been for the students.” Now, four other universities around the country have started the same program for students in their local communities. eventually, teresa would like to develop a core curriculum for high school science teachers to use. “If we do that, we could touch even more students – in Chicago and beyond.” She adds, “I want the pro-gram to have a long-term legacy.”

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when Dr. teresa woodruff ‘85 was a little girl, she wanted to follow in her mother’s footsteps by becoming a school teacher, influencing and educating the younger

generation. but when she became a student at Olivet Nazarene University, teresa realized that her calling was to be a scientist. Now, more than 25 years later, she is doing both — and with remarkable results. A new field: oncofertility Dr. woodruff currently serves in a variety of capacities at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, including director of the Institute for women’s Health Research and chief of the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Fertility preservation. One of her biggest endeavors has been providing fertility options to young men and women undergoing cancer treatments. In many cases, cancer patients survive the disease, but the strong treatments can dam-age their reproductive systems, which adversely affects overall health. “this was an area not being cov-ered by experts in oncology or fertil-ity,” teresa explains. “It was an urgent, unmet need, where both sides needed to take part.”

by Luke Olney ’10

▲ President Barack Obama greets the 2010 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring recipients in the Oval Office, Dec. 12, 2011. Teresa Woodruff is pictured in red. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Alumni Spotlight N a m e : teresa woodruff ’85 L O c at i O N : Chicago, Ill. O c c u pat i O N : Director of the Institute

for women’s Health Research and Chief of the Division of Obstetrics and Gynecology-Fertility preservation, Northwestern University

OLIVET Issue 1 | 2012 The Olivetian 19

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alumni zone

TIGEROlivetians show us their true colors!

hOw DO yOU shOw yOUr COlOrs? Send us pictures of you or your family wearing OnU colors or apparel, or sporting your tiger Pride in some other way, to theolivetian@olivet.edu for possible inclusion in a future issue of the Olivetian! when emailing, please use “tiger pride” as the subject and include a full description of the persons in the photo, including class years for olivet alumni or students. Due to space constraints, not all submitted photos will be printed.

Captioning ContestWinners

www.facebook.com/olivetnazareneuniversitytwitter.com/olivetnazareneu

stay connected!

k best cousins and potential members of the Class of 2031, Caiden Hargate and Cameron Stone, keep warm in their fleece ONU headgear. they are the grandsons of Mike ’81 and Linda (Geeding) ’81 Stone.

This January, we asked you to caption this photo and received nearly 50 responses. Read our three favorite captions below.

John Fulton | Interrogating oneself may not be such a bright idea.

Russ Collins | vee GOt vAYS OF MAkING YOU LeARN!

Corky Hess Rice | Send the Light the blessed Gospel !!

k proud grandparents Corie ’70 and Jim Upchurch ’71 with oldest twins brian and Joshua, 4, youngest twins Nick and Jacob, 1½, and Laney, 2, all proudly showing their Olivet colors.

, Olivia (Ekema) Pennington ’11 on the go with her ONU travel mug.

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Facebook Did you know?You may still be able to recite the Alma Mater by heart and you may remember your freshman roommate’s favorite ice cream flavor, but let’s test how much you know about today’s campus:

How many hours of hands-on experience do social work students complete before they graduate? a. 120 b. 250 c. 540

How many seats are in the Centennial Chapel? a. 3,046 b. 1,894 c. 8,672

Which major has doubled the number of students enrolled in its studies in the past four years?

a. Educationb. Engineeringc. Business

How many students participated in the ONU Marching Band this year? a. 187 b. 98 c. 220

What was the most popular drink served in Common Grounds in 2011?

a. Black coffeeb. Caramel lattec. Peppermint mocha

ANSweRS: c, a, b, a, b

PeriodicalsPostage Paid at Bourbonnais, Illinois 60914, and additional mailing offices

2012

www.olivet.edu

Nearly 100 percent of our students receive some type of financial assistance, totaling more than $35 million annually.

Scan this code or go to: www.olivet.edu/admissions/undergraduate, to find out your potential award.

UPCOMING EVENTS

Purple and Gold Days

For high school seniorsMarch 16–17

Just for JuniorsMarch 30

jon

es f

oto